6. Martin Place Bar (51 Martin Place, Sydney)
by Mattje
Situated in the heart of Sydney’s CBD, it is surprising the number of people who may have walked past Martin Place Bar (or MPB as it is affectionately referred to), had an after work drink here, but not dined. Admittedly, it is placed in one of the most competitive “casualquicklunch” food markets, with an abundance of food courts and cafes all vying for that ‘55 minute quickie’ (and yes, I could hear my ex laugh as I wrote that).
After a year of eating plenty of schnitzel, but without review – many friends thought they must have been proven right when suggesting that maybe there was only so much one could say about a crumbed bird. This is not true, and I hope that what follows can do justice to the meal that was.
The bistro at MPB has gold certification from the RSPCA Choose Wisely campaign aimed at improving the welfare and treatment of animals. This means that all egg, chicken and pork products used in the MPB bistro, are certified free-range. For the past two years running, it has won the Best Bistro/Pub Food accolade at the ‘I love Food’ awards. But awards and titles aside, it is just a place that does a cracking meal.
So... the schnitzel. Visually, the crumb is the first thing you notice about this schnitty and taste-wise, the thing you head back to the office tasting and thinking about. Full of herbs and flavour, the crumb has finely chopped rosemary, sage, oregano, parmesan and lemon zest. It is a great fresh combination of flavours that you do not normally associate with a schnitty but one that works magically.
The free-range chicken breast is also faultless. The chicken is tender, a reasonable and even consistency throughout and allows for the ideal amount of resistance when biting into the meat. Also, there are no fatty, chewy deposits which so often you find hidden in fantastic schnitzels – no this bird looks great without clothes too.
The fries are fries, and disappointingly, the side salad is just that – a salad on the side. For me, it adds to the meal in no way, but for occasionally getting in the way of the bird I am eating, falling off the plate, and me looking a bit sheepish as I pick it back up off the table apologising to my fellow diners.. However, I understand the logic, and if it allows chronic dieters to justify it to themselves that they are getting their vege intake for the week, or into thinking “well its not all bad, there’s green on the plate” then so be it. It does just appear very standard and out-of-place in a carefully constructed menu that prides itself on combinations.
However all is not lost, as the perfect accompaniment to the perfect schnitty, is an interesting (but not over powering) condiment, and the ‘made on premise’ chilli aioli is just that. I feel that you can always tell the quality of the product by the amount of sauce you need to ‘value add’ the overall taste. And though appearing paltry in proportion, it is enough to make the perfect marriage.
In terms of presentation I love the look of the crumb, it's rich, full of flavour, perfectly cooked and finished with visible sea salt. The chips dipping their feet in the pool of sauce, and one little guy completely submerged in a sea of aioli, though usually a minus, this reviewer remembered he was not Terry Durack eating at ‘3 hatter’ and let it pass.
Overall the bistro staff are fantastic. They do are great job of getting the hungry and time poor office workers in and out without complaint and a smile. They are all generally quite switched on about all aspects of the menu, which on seeing same familiar faces makes you realise staff retention is high.
For those who haven’t been, you must. While true to it’s word on the MPB website, referring to itself as an ‘informal dining environment’, it does little to impart on the reader the sheer quality of food that leaves the kitchen. MPB presents a bistro that does real bistro food, without the superlatives or the ‘beds of this’, ‘caramelised [insert unknown vegetable]’ and ‘foams of that’. It does a burger, pasta, fresh fish, nachos and so all at reasonable prices. Among such other bistro favourites, it may be hard find yourself with the schnitzel on your plate. But please, for those that say there is nothing fancy about schnitty, I challenge you to eat this crumbed bird – you will not be let down.
The bistro at MPB has gold certification from the RSPCA Choose Wisely campaign aimed at improving the welfare and treatment of animals. This means that all egg, chicken and pork products used in the MPB bistro, are certified free-range. For the past two years running, it has won the Best Bistro/Pub Food accolade at the ‘I love Food’ awards. But awards and titles aside, it is just a place that does a cracking meal.
So... the schnitzel. Visually, the crumb is the first thing you notice about this schnitty and taste-wise, the thing you head back to the office tasting and thinking about. Full of herbs and flavour, the crumb has finely chopped rosemary, sage, oregano, parmesan and lemon zest. It is a great fresh combination of flavours that you do not normally associate with a schnitty but one that works magically.
The free-range chicken breast is also faultless. The chicken is tender, a reasonable and even consistency throughout and allows for the ideal amount of resistance when biting into the meat. Also, there are no fatty, chewy deposits which so often you find hidden in fantastic schnitzels – no this bird looks great without clothes too.
The fries are fries, and disappointingly, the side salad is just that – a salad on the side. For me, it adds to the meal in no way, but for occasionally getting in the way of the bird I am eating, falling off the plate, and me looking a bit sheepish as I pick it back up off the table apologising to my fellow diners.. However, I understand the logic, and if it allows chronic dieters to justify it to themselves that they are getting their vege intake for the week, or into thinking “well its not all bad, there’s green on the plate” then so be it. It does just appear very standard and out-of-place in a carefully constructed menu that prides itself on combinations.
However all is not lost, as the perfect accompaniment to the perfect schnitty, is an interesting (but not over powering) condiment, and the ‘made on premise’ chilli aioli is just that. I feel that you can always tell the quality of the product by the amount of sauce you need to ‘value add’ the overall taste. And though appearing paltry in proportion, it is enough to make the perfect marriage.
In terms of presentation I love the look of the crumb, it's rich, full of flavour, perfectly cooked and finished with visible sea salt. The chips dipping their feet in the pool of sauce, and one little guy completely submerged in a sea of aioli, though usually a minus, this reviewer remembered he was not Terry Durack eating at ‘3 hatter’ and let it pass.
Overall the bistro staff are fantastic. They do are great job of getting the hungry and time poor office workers in and out without complaint and a smile. They are all generally quite switched on about all aspects of the menu, which on seeing same familiar faces makes you realise staff retention is high.
For those who haven’t been, you must. While true to it’s word on the MPB website, referring to itself as an ‘informal dining environment’, it does little to impart on the reader the sheer quality of food that leaves the kitchen. MPB presents a bistro that does real bistro food, without the superlatives or the ‘beds of this’, ‘caramelised [insert unknown vegetable]’ and ‘foams of that’. It does a burger, pasta, fresh fish, nachos and so all at reasonable prices. Among such other bistro favourites, it may be hard find yourself with the schnitzel on your plate. But please, for those that say there is nothing fancy about schnitty, I challenge you to eat this crumbed bird – you will not be let down.
18/20
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