A new restaurant opened right opposite our new North Sydney office. Of course we have to go try it, and I brought the whole office there for a nice Friday extended lunch time.

With North Sydney back in favour with advertising, tech and media companies, the northern metropolis once derided as the Kowloon of Sydney is having its best food boom since 1980s shoulder pads ruled its streets.

A little slice of the Mediterranean within the towering, glass-walled Dexus development, Glorietta is the brainchild of owner chef Aaron Crinis. Glorietta is all about top ingredients, impeccable service, fresh thinking and a good time. The food is all about  keeping it relaxed and unfussy with fresh ingredients and minimal process. Pickles and condiments are used to create balance and contrast.

Smalls

Flat bread, fennel salt, extra virgin olive oil

Baked fresh from the wood fired oven, the flatbread was rustic in appearance, and had a great chewy, fulfilling texture and bite. Drizzled with fine olive oil and flavoured with rosemary, salt and pepper, you can just eat it on its own.

Kingfish crudo, black garlic, lime, avocado

We all agreed, this was the highlight of the lunch. The flavour was clean and powerful at the same time. The clean acidity of lime was complex at the same time with its Asian nuances when combined with garlic oil and scallions. Heat from the paprika sprinkle and more flavours from aromatics, it was a good start to the meal.

Antipasto, olives, rosemary, orange

Grilled artichokes, falafel, assortments of olives with different flavours and texture.

Oysters, mignonette, lemon

Plump and delicious Sydney rock oysters. Simply enjoy them with a dash of lemon.

Pizzas

Glorietta’s pizza chef is Mauro Grecco, formerly of fun CBD pizzeria and live-music venue Frankie’s. While that place is more of a by-the-slice joint, here you order whole pizzas.

Roman-style pizzas are a main draw card here, too, with the succinct, eight-piece menu cooked in a woodfired oven and featuring the likes of salami with jalapeño, mushroom with gruyère and cavolo nero, and zucchini with asparagus and cream.

The fermentation process of the dough takes up to four days and the base is light and crisp. Every one of the different menu pizzas were delicious.

Capricciosa

Ham, mushrooms, anchovies artichokes, olives

Funghi

Mushroom, thyme, gruyere, cavolo nero

Garlic pomodoro

Confit pomodoro, garlic, oregano

Salami

Confit pomodoro, salami, jalapeno, parmesan

Pancetta

Mozzarella, smoked pancetta, egg yolk, black pepper, chilli oil

Buratta

Burrata, mozzarella, prosciutto ham, basil

Cheese selection

The Decor

Although the weekday-only venue is on the ground level of an office building, it’s got lots of warmth and texture thanks to the design team at Alexander & Co (The Woolwich Pier Hotel, Tilly May’s).

Touches of the Mediterranean are evident in the bright and airy fit-out, which includes high ceilings, green marble and stone finishes, plus rendered bench seating, rattan chairs and timber furnishings. You can drink and snack in the courtyard (which we did on a sunny, balmy Friday afternoon), sit down for a full meal in the dining room or grab a seat at the long marble counter in front of the kitchen.

One thing’s for sure: this newbie makes a strong case for hanging around the office after hours.

Glorietta
100 Mount Street North Sydney Nsw 2060
+61 9167 7499

https://www.glorietta.com.au

Date Visited : Feb 2020