The Port

The Port fits 1050 people, although there are only seats for 250. It’s from the Oscars Hotel Group (Pepe’s in Wollongong and the Annandale Hotel).

The theme is French coastal and the menu consists of bar snacks and share plates of fresh seafood and influences from French cooking methods.

There’s a raw and cured section with kingfish sashimi. And gin-cured salmon with pomegranate molasses. The French influence is most apparent in the mains; steaks are dressed with béarnaise, and mussels are stewed in a saffron broth with white wine and tomato. There are also a few off-theme curiosities, such as the Szechuan-battered prawns and a trio of sourdough flat breads, which are topped with combinations such as chilli prawns, tomato, pineapple and mozzarella.

As the menu indicates, the theme is a bit vague. The design reflects it by being sunny, pastel-coloured and timber-dominated. The massive space has four main sections: a lounge with semi-closed-off booths; a dining area; eight bookable outdoor cabanas; and an open space (which hosts DJs and events) with a bar.

From the latter the offering is cocktails-focused with a brief and Australian-dominated wine list.