Reign at the QVB

Reign at the QVB is a champagne bar and restaurant in Sydney's city. Located on the level 1 at the Southern-most end of the Queen Victoria building there are cute booths and places to take photos all with a theme of pink and white. Apart from Champagne, find out what else is available here!

It's a few months after I first met Michaela at Santiago airport. We were both strangers struggling trying to navigate the airport and make it onto the same flight. We teamed up to get through security and run to the gate. As we were boarding the plane we realised that we had actually worked together professionally and vowed to catch up when we both returned to Sydney.

And that is the occasion on this winter's evening at Reign at the QVB. This champagne bar is known for its pink decor, varieties of champagne and a mostly French menu.

While I like champagne, I'm really more of a cocktail gal. However if you like Champagne this is your playground with several flights of Champagne available as well as an extensive range of Champagnes by the 125ml/4floz glass or by the bottle as well as wines. There are two cocktails on the menu that have caught my eye. The Lemon Cheesecake Fizz is exactly what I look for in a cocktail. It is made with Archie Rose Straight Dry Gin, limoncello, cream, egg white, lemon, orange bitters, Fever Tree Elderflower Tonic and it's sweet but not cloyingly so with a distinct lemon flavour that yes actually tastes like cheesecake. The Purple Reign is a pretty purple cocktail made with Ink Gin, apple and fig liqueur, lavender reduction, lychee, pineapple and lime with a rice paper butterfly as edible decoration. It's less sweet but great if you like lavender.

We start with four oysters of the two varieties with white ponzu, eschalot & sesame and a raspberry vinegar & nashi pear. They're Coffin Bay Pacific oysters and sizeable and come in a cloud of dry ice. The two dressings are both good although I have a slight preference for the raspberry vinegar and nashi pear as I love mignonette dressing. The raspberry isn't hugely apparent, it really just tastes like a delicious mignonette dressing.

When we asked if the camembert had gooey strings they told us it was but when we receive it, it's soft but not gooey. Nevertheless the camembert topped with rosemary and cloves of confit garlic is very tasty on the toasted sourdough with some red wine poached pear.

Another favourite dish is the kingfish sashimi presented like a flower with paper thin slices of persimmon. It's has a sesame dressing and dill oil and I wouldn't change a thing about this, it's that good.

We decide to share a main and there is the option to get a full or half serve of the grilled spatchcock. I'm so glad that we got the full spatchcock because the spatchcock was so full of flavour. I really appreciate when something is seasoned properly and this spatchcock has the most addictive seasoning on the skin. The thigh quarters are juicy and moreish and the chicken sits on a bed of sautéed leeks and an ancient grain salad and thin, crispy chicken skin chips and comes with jus poured at the table.

There are a range of sides available but we opt for crispy potatoes Anna. Whenever I see "potatoes Anna" I perk up because I know that means deliciously crispy potatoes. These potatoes are painstakingly layered (I know, I've done them and it's a pain) and then baked and then fried until crispy on all sides. They're larger than I expect served with peas and pine nuts with a shaving of parmesan and chervil.

It's dessert time and there's really only room to share a dessert. There's crème brulee, a vegan brownie and an apple and rhubarb tart but I love strawberry desserts and strawberry sponge cake so we opt for the fourth selection. It comes with soft, torn sponge pieces, fresh strawberries and raspberries, a creamy white chocolate mousse and a scoop of house made raspberry sorbet. It's my dream dessert: tangy, sweet and creamy at the same time, just make sure to get a little bit on your spoon.

At 8:30pm the restaurant has officially closed (it closes at 8pm on Mondays and Tuesdays) and sure we get lost trying to find my car in the carpark but at least we're not running to catch a flight!

So tell me Dear Reader, have you ever made a friend in a really random circumstance? And do you prefer Champagne, wine or cocktails?

Reign at the QVB

Level 1 Shop 48/455 George St, Sydney NSW 2000

Monday & Tuesday 11 am–8 pm

Wednesday & Thursday 11 am–10 pm

Friday & Saturday 11 am–11 pm

Sunday 10 am–6 pm

Phone: (02) 8023 7608

https://reignatqvb.com.au/