Light my fire, love me two times…touch me. No, I’m not trying to seduce you. I am, like The Morrison Bar and Oyster Room, paying tribute to rock legend, Jim Morrison. For those out of touch with rock history, Jim (or “The Lizard King”) was the lead singer of The Doors – an iconic 1960s band which had a long list of seductively titled hits as aforementioned.
oyster bar
The Morrison may have been inspired by this rock legend but there isn’t a guitar or vinyl record in sight. And thank goodness for that. Instead, The Morrison features an elegant array of round tables featuring pretty mosaics of pastel-coloured diamonds while low slung light globes hang from the sky-high polished wooden ceiling (yes – I said ceiling, not floor). Pot plant trees break up the brown-dominated vista and exposed brick edges add a touch of grunge to the otherwise civilised nature of the venue. Does it look and feel like an oyster bar? I have to admit, I wouldn’t really know. Sydney has never really done the oyster bar thing – it’s something we have always left to our trendier New York cousins. But Chef Sean Connolly, unafraid to test new waters, gives it a crack – and as far as I’m concerned, it’s a good one.
split sashimi scampi with chilli, micro leaves and sea salt flakes
Sean isn’t your standard limelight-loving chef and while he may be a quiet achiever, his food demands attention. Take the oysters, for example. Each day, there are a handful of recommended selections on offer– today it’s Port Stephens rock and Shoalhaven River rock. Cleanly shucked and served on ice, each dish is served with a dish of zingy homemade tomato ketchup with grated horseradish. An elegant dish of split sashimi scampi arrives swimming in extra virgin olive oil and scattered with slices of hot chilli, micro leaves and sea salt flakes. Garlic and pernod prawns, cooked over coals and served with parsley butter, reinforce Sean’s motto: “everything tastes better on the bone or in the shell”. It’s an indulgent dining experience that showcases the finest and freshest assets of the ocean.
Anna Lisle
Read more about The Morrison Bar and Oyster Room here
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