In a city that feels as if a new restaurant opens every week, Bopp & Tone proves that when a space does everything right, people take notice.
The details
Who: Bopp & Tone
Where: 60 Carrington Street, Wynyard Park, Sydney
Price range: $$
Cuisine: Modern Australian with a Mediterranean twang
What it’s all about
When renowned Sydney hospitality group Applejack announced they were opening a new restaurant, ears pricked with curiosity. Their previous ventures frequent many Sydney best-restaurant lists, with The Butler and Della Hyde among cult icon status if you keep your ear to the ground among the well-fed.
Bopp & Tone is brought to you by boutique hospitality group, Applejack
Bopp & Tone is the first Sydney CBD location for the group, and boy does it have a back-story to boot.
A tribute to the Applejack founders’ grandfathers, Keith ‘Bopp’ Evans and Anthony ‘Tone’ Adams, the space was designed with nostalgia and optimism in mind.
The space adds a Mediterranean flare to Sydney’s dynamic dining scene
Embodying every day opulence and grandeur, the style is lived-in luxury, with a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere – think heavy marbles, classic tiles and textures, dark and moody timber furnishings, along with an alfresco dining terrace, private dining room and Applejack’s signature love of greenery.
The menu
Like many other Applejack endeavours, the menu emphasises local produce, falling under the pseudo-cuisine of “Modern Australian” that many diners have come to expect in a venue of this sort.
The food is honest, generous and made for sharing, with a nod to the Mediterranean influences of Head Chef Sa Va’afusuaga.
The menu emphasises local produce, like this Hawkesbury River Calamari
Signature dishes include char-grilled whole Hawkesbury river calamari, free-range spatchcock, pasture fed Brooklyn Valley steaks and an accompanying botanical fare.
Following the same ethos as the food practices, the concise cocktail list has been developed by Group Bars Manager Lachy Sturrock and Bar Manager Craig Kerrison, featuring popular classic cocktails tailored with Australian ingredients and Mediterranean charm.
The food, like these Mooloolaba King Prawns is predominantly are cooked on the in-house wood grill or charcoal oven
To wash it all down, sommelier consultant Dan Simmons has curated a wine list that aims to champion those at the forefront of sustainable viticulture and oenology in Australia and abroad.
We rated
It’s hard to take a seat in this warm, ambient space without feeling right at home in a matter of minutes. Whether it be the décor (designed by Luchetti Krelle), the staff, or just the general ambience, it’s hard to fault this place upon first reflection.
Feast on Chargrilled Spatchcock
Following a stellar entrée feast of Sydney Rock Oysters and Prosciutto di Parma, it becomes clear that this place is hard to fault upon second reflection. Or even third.
For mains, our heroes included the Hawksbury River calamari and king prawns from Mooloolaba, alongside the smoked mushroom and fried cauliflower – all excellent in flavour and execution.
The venue interiors reflect the nostalgic and optimistic post World War II era
It’s also worth mentioning that even when thrown a number of dietaries from some extra picky guests, staff were more than happy to tailor the menu accordingly. A definite plus in the age of individualised dining.
The verdict
Being situated in such an intrinsically Sydney location could have been the downfall for Bopp & Tone. The overall standard had to mirror the iconic location, so they had to go big, or unfortunately go home. And lucky for them (and us, so it would seem), they delivered.
Score: 4.5/5
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