Opera Bar Is Entering a New Era – Here Are Five Dishes To Order

Opera Bar is almost always slammed. Mostly with tourists – those already seated and more who are scouting a table. And who could blame them? The open-air, waterside dining space is one of the greatest spots to take in Sydney, with unparalleled views over our harbour as it fizzes with ferries, across to our staggering bridge and up at those smooth white sails.

And, as of last week, the menus – which belonged to Solotel and Matt Moran for the last 24 years – are shiny and new.

Applejack, the group behind Rafi , Forrester’s , The Butler and more, has moved into the Opera Bar and House Canteen kitchens for at least the next 10 years. Here’s what to order.

Antipasto platter

Patrick Friesen, the team’s culinary director, is big on keeping NSW producers in the spotlight – and this picnicky spread will have you snacking around the state. There’s mortadella made in Kogarah, just a 17-kilometre drive away; mozzarella made in Auburn; Westmont pickles and olives, made 100 kilometres south of Sydney; and house-made bread.

Tiger prawn cocktail

An Aussie classic (bright, juicy prawns) is given the retro touch as a prawn cocktail with a side of Marie Rose sauce. It’s then brought straight back to present day with a zippy house hot sauce made together with The Fermentalists. The local team is a go-to for condiments like habanero oil; kiwi, jalapeno and cracked pepper hot sauce; and hot honey. Opera Bar’s riff on the hors d'oeuvre arrives with crisp iceberg, avocado and a wedge of lemon, too.

Summer Fattouche

The Lebanese salad – where pomegranate gems join a chop-salad-style mix of tomato, cucumber, capsicum and radish, in a sumac-laden dressing – is ideal for summer lunching. Top it with a garlicky chicken skewer if you like, and definitely add a side of fries.

Grilled swordfish

There are fish’n’chips, of course, but there’s a happy replacement should you want it: a swordfish steak, striped from the grill and dressed in salsa verde. It’s gluten- and dairy-free, arriving with roasted stem-on tomatoes, large rocket leaves and lemon. Plus saffron aioli to keep it saucy.

Honey and garlic pizza

Post kitchen switch-up, pizza is still a mainstay. The long-fermented dough uses stone ground wholemeal flour, with the rounds topped by Pino’s soppressata or mortadella, maybe, and that same Auburn-made mozzarella. From 10pm till late there’s a supper menu, ripe for post-show dining. What goes well after the theatre? Pizza topped with honey, a trio of cheeses (gorgonzola, Grana Padano and fior di latte) and confit garlic.