There’s one thing about The Victoria Room that you may have already noticed – day or night, it’s very dark, dimly lit and yellow. It’s like a 70s acid trip and not conducive to good food photography so many apologies in advance. On a plus side, I did get a handful of decent enough photos, which I recently decided to feature as my new blog banner (see above). Blog banner changed! Change is good…
But Mr S. and I aren’t here to admire the interior furnishings of The Victoria Room. We’re here to satiate our twilight cravings for supper. The Victoria Room is open for supper and dessert 11pm to 2am on Friday and Saturday nights and because of this, it remains a favourite for post-midnight dessert pangs or for a bit of post-event light eating. Obviously a kick-ass bar that churns out mean cocktails certainly doesn’t hurt and proves a perfect way to round off the night.
On weekends there will be a queue to get in. If it’s early in the night, it will most probably be for dinner (they only accept bookings for groups over 10). If it’s later, it would be for the bar area. You won’t usually have to wait long for a table for supper but I like to play it safe and will always book.
We’re skipping the alcohol for tonight but that doesn’t mean we miss out on spine-tingling beverages. The Victoria Room caters for designated drivers and the non-drinkers with a mouthwatering list of virgin cocktails. Definitely beats settling for a soda or water any day!
And they cater for the whims of Mr S and I with drinks that will raise the hair on the back of our necks with a seductive array of flavours. For the man, he is pleasured by a mocktail of sugar cane juice, lime and coconut with a fresh sugar cane stick to stir. For myself, I will never go past the dream pairing of rose and lychees. A tinge of lime juice in this English Rose cocktail made this a very heavenly ménage a trios. The addition of mint was just the cherry on top.
Feeling a bit peckish, we ordered a Tasting Plate of Mediterranean-styled morsels. Again I apologise for the sub-par photography, but when a girl is hungry at midnight, photos are the last thing on her mind!
Some of the nibblies up for tasting are a Vegetable and Goats Cheese Roulard, Persian Fetta, Grilled Chorizo, Spicy Chicken Skewers with a Labneh and Fresh Prosciutto (definitely not enough of it on the platter). Finally a Ceviche of Sea Bream rounds things off with the tang of the lemon cure marrying well with the soft flesh of the bream. If that’s not enough, a plate of Turkish Flat Bread should give you all the carbohydrate sustenance you need. The menu also listed a Frittata but it was notably absent and seemingly replaced with a Roast Capsicum and Grilled Artichoke Rosette.
But the desserts are the stars at The Victoria Room. Tonight we try two that we have never tried before. A Lemon and Passionfruit Tart and a Rose Pannacotta.
The tart, as expected, was delightfully sour, with the slightly sweet pate sucree and rich double cream cutting through the tartness leaving only the afterglow of sweet citrus on your tongue. Lemon, passionfruit and strawberry – yet another threesome I don’t mind getting down to!
But the Rose Pannacotta? Oh. My. God. There aren’t enough superlatives in the English Vocabulary to aptly describe the rose petal strewn creamy bliss on the plate, all topped off with a layer of vanilla bean specks. Much decorum was needed to refrain from saying ‘to hell with the tart’ and snatching the rose panna cotta from under the boy’s nose.
The rose panna cotta had the seductive wiggle that all good pannacottas should have and each creamy spoonful simply melted in your mouth. I thought Jonah’s infamous ‘wobbly boob’ pannacotta was good. This was just sublime. The flavour of rose was gentle but powerful enough to send me into the skies. So far, favourite pannacotta in Sydney. Ever.
If you’re curious, their Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse, Vanilla Crème Brulee and Apple Tarte Tatin are all equally pleasurable and deserving of such praise.
Finishing off with the obligatory tea and coffee, we leave The Victoria Room in a daze of sugar calmness. It made the stress of Saturday night driving and lack of parking around Darlinghurst (and the resulting in-car lovers’ spat) almost worth it.
Level 1, 235 Victoria Street
Darlinghurst, NSW 2010
Phone: 02 9357 4488
Email: info@thevictoriaroom.com
Opening Hours
Mon: closed
Tues-Thurs: 6pm – 12am
Fri: 6pm – 2am
Sat: 12pm – 2am
Sun: 1pm – 12am
Supper is available Friday and Saturday nights 11pm-2am. Bookings can be made online at least 3 days in advance. Dinner bookings are only available for tables over 10.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Great photos. Looks very moody. I’ve never been one to have supper, even though I like the idea of it.
I think the lighting turned out well for the photos, makes all the dishes look sexy and seductive…like all good food should be.
You have some interesting photos, despite the lighting e.g. like how the fetta shot came out.
Saying that the rose panna cotta was better than Jonah’s is one hell of a call. Makes me curious to see what it tastes like if you say it’s as good as it is because I absolutely loved his.
The food looks great – and how good are their drinks?
The panna cotta sounds like reason enough to go there again :)
Rose and lychees sounds divine. Is this where you got the photos for your blog header? It’s gorgeous btw :)
I have been meaning to try this place for high tea. The drinks look fantastic, and by the way I *love* your new banner :)
Wooo this place looks pretty cool, I never managed to visit!
Hi Y – I think as a Malaysian, I crave supper like crazy and unfortunately Sydney don't do suppers very much :(
Hi Maria – glad you said that because I thought the photos would turn out awful!
Hi Simon – bear in mind that I love love love rose flavours so maybe I might be flavour biased?
Hi Forager – drinks are awesome indeed and oh…that pannacotta *dreamy look*
Hi Stephcookie – yep it was! Thanks sweetie!
Hi Lisa – thanks so much!
Hi Yas – well then you'll def have to try it now!