Lots of eateries invite you to have a drink at the bar while you wait for a table.
At Riley St Garage, the place to be is at the bar.
The BFFs [Best Foodie Friends photographer Belinda Rolland and me] rocked up to road test the food, we discovered the cocktails then stayed for the fun.
It’s too hard to choose what they do best here – the drinks, the food or the service.
The hit thing about the staff is their niche knowledge combined with a bit of ‘customer vision’. I didn’t know what I wanted to start with and it’s intriguing when a stranger does.
Our bartender suggested a Corpse Reviver 2.
Did I look that bad?
I decided not to take it personally.
Good thing.
It was a superb way to start the culinary nirvana that was about to follow.
The Corpse Reviver series originated in the 1900s. The cocktail is a mix of Gin, Cointreau, lemon over an absinthe rinse.
Belinda opted for this beauty.
And she backed up for another.
Other enticing cocktail names include ‘Drunk Uncle’.
He might look something like this…
Now to the food.
Oysters at Riley St Garage are a must. Belinda went nuts for the one in truffle oil.
Oops. That Corpse Reviver 2 just kicked in…
Belinda wanted a Pulled Pork Slider. I don’t eat pig but when two portions arrived, I gave it a go.
Criminally, obscenely good.
She’s the expert on this meat and said it was the best PPS she’d ever had.
The beetroot salad arrived looking delish…
…and didn’t last long.
Between courses, Belinda opted for her beloved Scotch.
I like surprises so Riley St Garage introduced me to this Red.
Okay, that worked. Had to have another.
The full-bodied red in the glass looked like the full-bottomed butt of Beyoncé.
And that’s what a glass of a great, golden Chardonnay would look like – if it was Beyoncé’s butt.
Time for more food.
And even more food. (We really did eat all this between the two of us.)
Tempura Seafood, Sherry-smudged Mushrooms and best we have some greens too – Broccoli and Peas.
No room for dessert but we noticed a lot of people around us were ordering the Liquid Lemon Cheesecake.
Hey, for a sweet touch, there’s plenty of eye candy at Riley St Garage. It feels like the place to be.
Because the atmosphere is fun and friendly, it’s hard to leave. Belinda was all about the smoky taste of truffle oil and wet herself when she found out they had Ilegal (sic) Mescal on the shelf.
We had one.
Make that two.
So naturally, it was selfie time.
Nice photobomb, Bay.
We showed the kitchen some love.
And admired the décor on our way out.
Riley St Garage has a cool history. It is a piece of prime real estate in East Sydney that Westfield Group CEO Frank Lowy used as a garage for staff cars for many years. Hence, the name.
So grab any opportunity to go to Riley St Garage and get the best seat in the house.
The BFFs recommend you park your arse at the bar.
BFF RATING – 8/10