Call it an unfair advantage: Hazel occupies the upper two floors of a grand, historic building in the heart of Flinders Lane. Even before you’ve taken a seat – at the bar amid twinkling tealights or at one of the well-spaced tables – the high-ceilinged dining room is a pleasure to be in and warm staff maintain the mood.
Kick off with some of the flying saucer-shaped sourdough flatbread, all puffy and charry from the wood oven that scorches most mains. Dry-aged scotch fillet – seen at every second table – ticks the steakhouse box, but charcoal chicken hits the brief for pure comfort. A slump of well-cooked leeks and a restrained hit of preserved lemon vaults the dish into restaurant territory.
But before that, prettily composed celeriac remoulade is enriched by pearls of finger lime and hunks of sweet spanner crab. Meat not your thing? There’s a separate vegan menu dedicated to innovative dishes based on vegetables from “Our Farm”.
Good to know: Staff happily offer half-serves of fries and salad to go with your steak or roast chook.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
