If you go down to The Woods today...

You're sure of a big surprise if you go to the Four Seasons Hotel Sydney expecting to find your regular hotel restaurant (or indeed, the now closed Kables).

Following the September opening of Grain bar adjoining the hotel lobby, The Woods bar and restaurant opened to similar fanfare earlier this month.

The wood-fired oven at The Woods, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, George Street

Located on the ground floor, The Woods is a newer generation of a hotel restaurant that is its own entity and can stand on its own feet, serving lunch on weekdays and dinner six nights a week, in addition to the hotel's buffet breakfast daily.

It's helmed by Bar H's Hamish Ingham as executive chef and Rebecca Lines in front of house, with Joshua Niland as restaurant chef.

Main kitchen

The spotlight at The Woods is firmly on wood-fired cooking of local produce and artisan products. Peer into the centrally-located open kitchen of marble and stainless steel to see the wood-fired oven and grill, which are currently cooking with Australian mallee, apple and olive woods.

Cold kitchen

The roast and grill focus is a much-needed and overdue move away from menus dominated by deep frying or butter and cream. The evidence is in the array of appealing and unique dishes on the menu which is split into appetisers, entrees and mains.

The Woods bar has a much smaller menu which takes grabs from the restaurant's menu - which is also available in its entirety for those seated at the bar.

Dining space and herb wall display (right)

It wouldn't have been easy for the kitchen on its fourth night of dinner service as all of Sydney's top restaurant critics were also dining on the night, in addition to the media contingent that I joined.

Iggy's bread and our butter

We started with big, soft slices of Iggy's white sourdough bread and The Woods' own creamy, salted butter with an Italian white wine under the Babo label.

Plans are that The Woods will also bake its own bread in due course, in the wood-fired oven, of course.

Live scallops, summer purslane and citrus

The freshly-shucked scallops were the first of the shared appetisers, served in their shells and natural juices with a sprig of purslane. They had a briney flavour I've not come across before in scallops, countered with a sweet citrus addition.

Salad of cucumbers, grilled sea urchin and yoghurt

The gorgeously plated cucumbers and sea urchin wasn't a dish I would have ordered myself, but it was a stunning showcase of vegetable and the sea.

The lightly grilled treatment of the sea urchin roe gave it a sweetness on top of its natural creaminess, and paired perfectly with the pickled cucumber, while there were also raw and grilled cucumbers partnered with natural yoghurt.

Ash seasoned ocean trout, smoked trout roe and parsley salad

The bright-hued ocean trout was a crowd pleaser and ideal for sharing. Served with a fresh, green salad of parsley, the slices of raw trout and firm-textured, smoked roe were designed to be eaten atop toasted bread that reminded me of the steamed brioche at Grain.

Whole wood roasted crab, local garlic and pepper berry - for two

To the mains, I found it difficult to resist items from the wood fire, especially the whole wood-roasted crab.

Shared between two, the blue swimmer crabs were spiced sensationally with garlic and pepper berry, making the shells worth every bit of sucking effort.

I could have easily devoured the two crustaceans, so this is definitely a shared main dish that requires sides like the lightly dressed upside down lettuce and shoestring fries that our table shared.

Crisp skin wild fish fillet, giant snow peas and wood grilled fennel

The mains all looked quite delectable down our end of the table, including the grilled fish fillet; olive wood roasted Milly Hill lamb saddle, celtuce and sorrel; and aged Coorong sirloin on the bone with black garlic butter.

The Woods tart with ice cream

There were plenty of tempters on the separate dessert menu, and even a wood-roasted item which created some serious dish envy.

The Woods tart, which I think changes filling regularly, was a flaky pastry construction of plum and thyme, served with vanilla bean ice cream.

Janei goat's curd, mulberries and sugar cane

I was particularly pleased with the hotel's general manager Vincent Hoogewijs' dessert recommendation of the Janei goat's curd, served as a lightly formed ball with fresh mulberries and sugar cane in a powdered manner.

The berries were perfectly ripe and sweet, creating an absolute taste sensation with the creamy goat's curd. The simple combination of ingredients made for a stunning and unique dessert that has to be one of my favourites this year.

Chocolate swiss roll, grilled cherries and sesame

The chocolate swiss roll looked lust-worthy and certainly on the heavier side of dessert options, with more chocolate filling than actual sponge cake.

Semi private dining area

The restaurant fitout by Michael McCann's Dreamtime Design Australia creates a comfortable and even homely ambience, where lingering over dessert feels like the right thing to do.

The main dining space is split level and there's a hefty space designed as a semi private dining room, ideal for functions.

Dining space

Also take a moment to look up from your plate when dining at The Woods to the ceiling, which is covered in hand-drawn sketches of wood, produce, recipes and a letter even - like a peek into chef Ingham's mind.

There's lots to see and try when you go down to The Woods, and now forewarned, you won't be surprised when you don't find teddy bears or a stale hotel restaurant.

Food, booze and shoes dined as a guest of The Woods, with thanks to Four Seasons Hotel Sydney and RF Media.

Beached As bro: Rochdale Cider Sunday Sessions at Beach Road Hotel

Summer is upon us so it's the season for the beach, outdoors and spot of cider - and it's all on at the Rochdale Cider 'Beached As' Sunday Sessions at Beach Road Hotel.

Get to the newly renovated, colourful outdoor beer garden - called The Backyard - at the Bondi pub any Sunday in December and January to sample a Rochdale Cider or two, and a summery menu created by Gastro Park head chef Grant King.

Rochdale Traditional Cider as part of Beached As Sunday Sessions,
Beach Road Hotel, Bondi

King's collaboration menu of small bites are matched to the New Zealand apple cider, which is new to our neighbouring shores.

Hailing from McCashin's Brewery at Nelson on the South Island of Kiwi Land, Rochdale Cider uses New Zealand apples and pure 'palaeo' water for a 5.0% alcoholic volume that puts it on par with full-strength beer.

It's medium bodied, not too sweet although I wouldn't call it dry, and has a crisp, apple-y finish which leads me to think that a Rochdale Cider session could go some distance on a hot, summery day.

Gastro Park head chef Grant King cooking with Rochdale Cider at Beach Road Hotel
(Image courtesy of One Green Bean)

King has a fittingly Kiwi background and brings a higher-end dining approach to the cider-inspired pub menu, although he admits that "it's not rocket science". He'll be on hand at the Beach Road Hotel at tomorrow's session.

As part of the Beached As Sunday Sessions, a Rochdale Cider and a menu item combo go for $12.50, although you'll probably want to try them all.

Cider slider - cider baked pig, crunchy crackle and apple celeriac slaw

The Cider Slider features pork baked in cider and a scattering golden crackling pieces that range from deliciously crunchy to tooth-endangering hard.

The creamy shreds of apple and celeriac of the slaw lighten the load within the cute, sesame-topped, soft burger buns.

Crispy claw - crispy cider batter encasing soft shell crab, lemon and lime mayonnaise
in a lettuce leaf with cucumber and coriander

The Claw comprises a iceberg lettuce leaf wrapped around soft shell crab claws in a cider batter, which doesn't sound like an easy feat given the sugar content, and thus heaviness, of the cider.

Nonetheless, the crab is a star, enhanced with a zingy mayonnaise and fresh cucumber and coriander. Don't put it down though, as the lettuce leaf gets a little messy after a bite and is not so much under wraps.

Vegetarian option - crispy cider batter salt and pepper tofu, lemon and lime mayonnaise
in a lettuce leaf with cucumber and coriander

There's also a vegetarian option of the lettuce wrap with salt and pepper tofu instead of the soft shell crab.

I'm not sure if it was the copious amount of mayonnaise in my tofu lettuce wrap, but I found the softly fried tofu almost more enjoyable than the crab version.

The Rochdale Frostie - cider caramelised apple ice cream, granny smith popping candy

A dessert matched to cider seems an unlikely concept but King delivers a particularly creamy ice cream with cubes of cider caramelised apple, which is really quite spectacular and honeyed in flavour.

The ice cream is also topped with a fun crumble of granny smith apple popping candy, not all of which fizzles on the tongue. It's a pleasant end to a meal, and unexpectedly so with the cider.

So, tomorrow, or any Sunday in December or January, beach yourself with a couple of Rochdale Ciders and Gastro Park fare at Beach Road Hotel - you'll have a whale of a time.

(And just because I love this video, this is the 'Beached As' Kiwi connection: "I'm beached as bro!")

Food, booze and shoes attended the Beached As Sunday Session at Beach Road Hotel as a guest, with thanks to One Green Bean.

To be frank: Frankie's Pizza

The guys behind, arguably, Sydney's favourite bars - Shady Pines Saloon and The Baxter Inn - have gone a different path for their latest venture, Frankie's Pizza: late night pizza and a dive bar, right in the heart of the CBD.

Frankie's Pizza neon sign, Hunter Street, Sydney

To start with, Frankie's Pizza has street signage and serves food beyond peanuts and pretzels, unlike its older siblings.

Just opened on Friday last week, they've taken over the underground space of the previously highly dodgy Hunter Bar on Hunter Street, just down the road from Rockpool Bar and Grill.

And with its seven-days-a-week, 4pm to 4am trading hours - and just because it comes from Anton Forte and Jason Scott - it's certain to be a hit with the late night drinkers, munchers and industry crowd.

Entry stariway

Descend the stairs at the Hunter Street entrance past the hanging bunches of garlic and chillies into the checkerboard-floored space covered in holiday snaps and other Italian-esque memorabilia, where candles in Chianti bottles sit atop plastic-covered red-checked tablecloths. It is the pure stereotype of an Italian trattoria.

Italian styled dining space

There's a menu of 10 pizza varieties at $16 each, while select pizzas are served by the slice on paper plates at $5 a large slice.

Pizza kitchen

They come fresh out of a little sliding door from the dedicated kitchen into the bar space, to be picked up by customers who need to keep an eye on the red LED-lit numbers at the bar.

Pizza kitchen and bar

You could dine at the tables and booths there and completely neglect to investigate the dark, double swing doors to the right side of the kitchen bar.

Dive bar

The adjoining dive bar at Frankie's Pizza is another world: it's dark, loud with the 1980s (or 70s?) and a few musical selections that seem more at home at Shady Pines, and absolutely covered in band and gig posters.

Dive bar

The posters even paper the walls of the bathrooms, of which the unlabelled ladies' is immediately to the left of the bar entrance.

Dive bar

There's a now trademark long bar where familiar bearded faces and tattooed arms serve a bucketload of beers: those on tap in comical, colourful plastic beer mugs and a huge variety by the bottle.

Beer served in plastic mugs

There are also spirits and some wines available, and frozen margaritas at $10 a salt-rimmed pop.

Frozen margaritas

Served in picnic-friendly glasses with bendy straws and a lime wheel, the frozen margarita is a cheek-pinching eye waterer. We could barely take a sip without wincing immediately after, for the simultaneous tequila and lime hit.

I wouldn't call it refreshing, but it might well be a deliberate ploy to push drinkers towards the excellent beer selection.

Pinball machines

While there are retro pinball machines for your amusement (one is just 20 cents per play, if it doesn't eat up your coins), there's more entertainment in the pages and pages of the beer menu. I'm going to need a fair few visits to work through even a page of it.

Hawaiian pizza

Our group takes up the area near the pinball machines to devour a multitude of pizzas: I taste or catch glimpses of the Hawaiian, Sausage, Salami, Capricciosa and Meatball as the round, silver pizza trays fly across the table.

Meatball pizza

The pizzas are thin and the bases are not in the slightest bit soggy (even the ones with mushroom), with chewy, golden, perfectly-formed crusts.

Sausage pizza

My favourites of this sampling are the Capricciosa with an abundance of fresh mushrooms, olives artichoke and real ham, and the Sausage which is fennel scented and presumably pork with mushrooms and an aroma of truffle.

Salami pizza

The Salami pizza is of a particularly spicy cured pork sausage, which almost makes the frozen margarita more palatable. But really, it's a story of pizza and beer.

Pizza and beer - good times

The bar's theming is a not as defined as Shady Pines or The Baxter Inn, but you get the feeling that Frankie's Pizza is the kind of place that Forte and Scott just want to hang out and chill, eat pizzas and drink beer.

To be frank, the pizza probably won't win any awards but then, that's not really the point. Hungry, late nights in the Sydney CBD now have a saviour - and his name is Frankie's Pizza.