Walk up the stairs and into the lobby at Crystalbrook Kingsley and you could be forgiven for thinking you were in Paris, or London, or maybe even New York.
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Anywhere but Newcastle.
It is only when you alight from the lift on the ninth floor and into Romberg's bar and the newly-opened Roundhouse restaurant that you remember where you are. The stunning panoramic review reveals some familiar landmarks, albeit from a bird's eye perspective.
Crystalbrook Kingsley is Newcastle's first five-star hotel and Roundhouse's executive chef Natalie Bolt has created a native Australian-inspired menu to match.
Highlights include the Pukura Estate lamb rack served with smoked eggplant and wattleseed pickle; the sustainably caught paperbark-baked whole market fish with sunrise lime pickle and harissa duck fat potatoes; and the charred cauliflower with Hallstrom black garlic and Jerusalem artichoke pureé, minted peas and Adina Estate olives.
"We have created a menu that celebrates native Australian ingredients and the world-class produce grown in our region," Ms Bolt said. "It's an exciting new chapter for Newcastle and I'm loving working on the ground with incredible producers and providores."