In a city so packed with New York-style chophouses it’s starting to feel like Manhattan Lite, Clam Bar’s edgier riff on the genre is a welcome relief. Yes, you’ll find the ubiquitous Josper-grilled steak, seafood staples and classic sides plus timeless cocktails and mostly French and Australian wines, but the face-value simplicity of it all belies the flair. Zucchini-flower empanadas get clever with a gooseberry hot sauce. A satin-smooth corn and Gruyère gratin tones down its richness by way of chilli and lime. The clam spaghetti hits more familiar territory with a garlicky white wine sauce, but it’s cooked to such al dente deliciousness that it gives sister Italian restaurant Pellegrino 2000 a run for its money. As for the aesthetic, it’s a strikingly original, slightly irreverent brand of “pool-hall cool”: all veneer panelling, ’70s-style palms and even a giant marlin on the wall. A step back in time, with an eye to the future.
This review was written independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide’s reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way. To learn more about the process, head over here.
Jason Loucas
