Kingsleys Steak and Crabhouse

One of the things I love about Sydney (apart from my team Sydney FC) is that we’re blessed with the bounty of produce, with fresh seafood and meat. And of course I just love our wonderful harbour. On my last night out I found both – at Kingsleys.

It’s ten years since Kingsleys restaurant opened in Woolloomooloo and it’s recently been updated with amazing results. Kingleys offers the choice of sitting outside under heaters in winter, overlooking the spectacular views of Sydney’s city and harbour, or sheltering inside with the warmth of the kitchen.

As Kingsleys specialises in both crabs and steak my partner and I decided to order one of each and share between us. If you don’t want to split there is always the combo surf and turf option. I could have had one of each of the entrees on the menu, but we ended up deciding to share the Chilli Squid, and Onion and Pale Ale Soup while having another of the entrees, the Burrata Mozzarella Salad, as a side dish with our mains.

Our entrees arrived. My soup, an Onion and Pale Ale Soup, arrived with baked rock oysters and cheese croutons in the dish, and the soup was poured at the table piping hot in the saucepan.

The soup had the distinct taste of the pale ale as the soup slid over my palate, and was a fantastic starter to accompany the many meat or seafood dishes on the menu.

The Chilli Squid, which came on a bed of hummus and crisp chickpeas, was cooked perfectly. The chilli flavours brought out the best of the squid, while the hummus and the chickpeas provided a lush, undertone to give the squid more volume and texture. After two amazing entrees, I was excited to see what the mains would be like.

Ordering both steak and crabs for our mains we really did have the best of both worlds. I ordered Mud Crab which looked amazing. The Mud Crab can be served served three ways, chilled, singapore chilli, or the way I chose salt and pepper. The crab was served crusted with salt, szechuan pepper and lime and was stacked high in the bowl. The crab itself was everything you would want. It was deliciously moist, and working hard cracking the shells open made the meat even more divine when I was able to eat it.

Our steak selection was a Dry Aged Angus Rib on the Bone Steak. All steaks at Kingsleys are Riverine Premium Beef, which are used as they have a greater quality control over the beef and it process. The dry aging process, where the meat is hung in a temperature controlled room, results in a concentration of flavour due to the dehydration process, and that was definitely true of this steak. The steak arrived at the table having only being seasoned, and was flavourful and juicy, with the concentrated flavour of the beef tantalising my tastebuds.

My choice of side was the Burrata Mozzarella Salad served with heirloom tomatoes, basil and grilled ciabatta. This was a dish I could have eaten as a main on a daily basis. The mozzarella was delicious, so much so that I didn’t want to share, and was a perfect refreshing side dish complete with an aged balsamic.

By the time it came to dessert, I was feeling quite full. But I always manage to have a small space saved for sweets, and I am glad I did today. On the recommendation of the staff I ordered the Mandarin Pannacotta, which comes with a blackberry sorbet and almond tuille. This was exactly what I wanted after my meal – a light and airy dessert on which to finish. The dish was creamy and moreish with the mandarin flavour both sweet and devine, cutting through the heaviness of the cream.

By contrast, the Sticky Date and Walnut Pudding served with vanilla bean ice cream, recently readded to the winter menu after its summer hiatus, was a perfect dessert for a chilly winter night. The warm toffee melted, and mingled, with the creamy vanilla bean ice cream for a delicious sweet treat. The walnuts also provided added crunch and flavour to make this a dessert I would be more than happy to make the trip out for again.

Kingsleys is fantastic with something for everyone, from fantastic steaks, to fresh seafood as well as an extensive wine list to wash it all down with. Every dish I had was delicious and there are many more items on the menu that I will need to go back to work my way through. 

Natalie Manning was a happy guest of Kingsleys Steak and Crabhouse.

Kingsleys
The Wharf, Cowper Wharf Rd, Woolloomooloo NSW Australia
1300 546 475