The QT Hotel has opened with much fanfare in Sydney city and injected some positive new energy into this pocket of the CBD. There’d be very little that would get me into the city on a Saturday night ordinarily, but the new Gowings Bar & Grill has the perfect ‘big night out’ feel that makes you want to slip on a heel and an extra slick of lipstick for an indulgent meal with good friends.

And so it is that 10 of us get chaperoned past the front desk, up the stairs, through the cocktail bar into the private dining room for a three course blowout to celebrate a plethora of occasions and milestones.

Initially I’m feeling a little like I’ve been placed in the naughty corner away from the buzz of the main restaurant. On the other hand, the decibels in our little eating enclave is considerably lower than the main space giving me the chance to properly catch-up with friends, some of which I haven’t seen for ages.

The new restaurant has been opened for four months, and in typical Sydney style the place is slammin’ in the way a lot of newly opened restaurants attract that spike of attention. Unfortunately it’s often the case that the Sydney diner is easily distracted by the next shiny, new thing with troupes heading off from initially popular restaurants in droves once the reviews have gone cold and the excitement has passed.

Gowings Bar & Grill has the perfect ‘big night out’ feel that makes you want to slip on a heel and an extra slick of lipstick…

For now though the crowds are in force, the place is fully booked and Saturday night in the city is in full swing.

Our table of 10 arrived eager to try the new menu with the boys keen to have a good run at the ‘grill’ component of this establishment (there were four rib eyes ordered).

Kicking off with the crowd pleasing Crab Cakes and a sample of the beautiful looking Tuna Tartare and Blue Eye with Shaved Dwarf Peaches all the starters were pretty and delicious.

For main I sampled the aforementioned Rib Eye (perfect) and when combined with sides of Mashed Peas and Fries represents everything you’re looking for in a bistro-style meal. The Wiener Schnitzel‘s arrival also had the diners at the table wide-eyed at it’s golden, crispy goodness.

For my own meal I went for the Whole Rotisserie Quails filled with Malt, Barley Bread, Sage, Parmesan & Double Smoked Ham with Pea, Lemon Thyme, Quail Sauce. Two plump little quails arrived and they are incredibly tasty though probably a bit richer then I expected (the quail sauce). To polish off both little babies was quite the task and calling in extra reinforcements was required.

It’s at this point some of my dining foot soldiers begin to falter and I for one can only share a dessert (because skipping dessert altogether would be unacceptable). For those still powering on however there was the Profiteroles, a series of Affogatos with the added kick of Padron and my choice, the Apple Crumb Flavours containing Sweet & Sour Apple Empanada, Peanut Brittle, Salted Caramel Ice-Cream, Apple Pickle, Caramel Cider. I don’t even want to think  about the amount of brown sugar that was sacrificed for the making of this dessert.

10 very satisfied tummies rolled out of Gowings Bar & Grill that night and though we didn’t kick on downing cocktails in the bar that evening (food coma), I do think that the majority of us will be returning to this shiny new thing as soon as we can.

Address: 49 Market Street, Sydney | +61 2 8262 0062 Website