Located at the southern end of Hyde Park, the revamped backpackers,
Song Hotel has been fashionably updated with a stylish café bar and dining room to match.
You won't miss
Song Kitchen on Wentworth Avenue with its striking bold black and white stripes announcing its presence before stepping into a welcoming naturally lit bar area. The two-tiered dining space leads down to two rows of tables under huge golden baubles of light highlighting the high ceilings. With comfy seating and cushions, it's all perfectly pleasant with pops of greenery and soothing artwork chosen with care.
Song Kitchen
The menu offers a Middle Eastern inspired palate to suit both work or pleasure options with an express lunch,
a la carte lunch/dinner or shared banquet menus for groups. Quality bar food and essential burgers are offered all day for those on the go.
Perusing the express lunch menu, the potato gnocchi, deep fried lambs ribs and wagyu beef burger would be my usual options until I turn the page for
a la carte options is when my tummy starts to rumble.
Starting with the tender octopus with tomato and oregano ($18), presentation is exquisite, dotted with dill, edible flowers and hazelnuts. This dish was inhaled before Leo came to refill our glasses with a never-ending supply of sparkling water.
Song Ktichen, Octopus
My partner in crime opted for the Spanish Mackerel poached in olive oil, chermoula with a side of shaved celery and pomegranate ($34). I couldn't go past the melt in your mouth slow roasted lamb neck with preserved lemon served on a bed of smoked spelt and lip-smacking tomato jam ($34). The thinly shaved cabbage salad with parmesan and hazelnut was a delicious fresh side option which I could eat bowlfuls of.
Mackerel, lamb and cabbage
Pleasantly surprised with the delicious food, I'm planning to come back and try all the other dishes as I loved the freshness and attention to the vegetables and produce. With barely any room for anything else, I was persuaded to fit in a little dessert. Affogato with vanilla ice-cream, espresso and touch cinnamon ($12) was the perfect choice to tackle the afternoon work meetings for my partner whereas the house made Kaymak cream with in-season white peaches, nuts, honey and saffron syrup ($12) caught my eye.
The thick rich cream was so good, it added this delicious buttery silkiness to each spoonful of peach, nuts and honey. I was nearly bursting at the seams fitting in all this delicious food.
Song Ktichen Dessert
With a newly acquired head chef
Liz Mason,
Song Kitchen is serving up Mediterranean bistro favourites presented in a stunning fashion highlighting the fresh Australian grown produce, impressing myself alike with their impeccable service and not to mention their charitable business model. Eating with a social conscience as all profits go towards programs against domestic violence run by YWCA NSW.
The wine list also has an intent and purpose, selected from smaller bespoke Australian producers to reflect Song Kitchen's credo of '
profits for purpose', supporting victims of domestic violence and in acknowledgement of this, half the wines selected is comprised of female winemakers and estate owners.
Tell everyone you know, the food is good, beautifully presented and when you add social value, it's a feel-good experience for everyone. In the words of the chef,
'May your soul be nourished', indeed it was.
