Winter at Sydney’s Kitchens on Kent

Nothing warms the heart quite like a restaurant that covers every kind of dining experience.

According to advertisers the world over, nothing says winter comfort like an armchair by a roaring fire, complete with a cup of tea and a random cat. While there’s no denying the scenario has its place, what if we told you we’ve found something better? A place where you can shelter from the rain pelting at the window while enjoying the sizzle of Black Angus Riverina beef on the robata grill, heat emanating from the wok stations or, dare we say, from the googly eyes loved-up couples are making as they feed chocolate-covered strawberries to one another? We’re going to call it: when it comes to winter dining in Sydney, there’s no better place than Kitchens on Kent.

Enjoy the sizzle of Black Angus Riverina beef on the robata grill.

Located in the prestigious The Langham, Sydney, Kitchens on Kent is renowned for two things: offering diners an expansive selection of cuisines, from Indian and Japanese to modern contemporary Australian, and its signature afternoon tea experience that incorporates warm scones, delicate finger sandwiches and a generous selection of sweet and savoury snacks. So far, so good, but what really sets it apart is its focus on interactive dining; it’s a self-driven degustation meal, if you will.

Kitchens on Kent is renowned for offering diners an expansive selection of cuisines.

Walking the line between traditional buffet and high-end a la carte, guests pay a set price (Friday lunch is $98 per person weekdays and $138 on weekends, while dinner is $98 on weekdays and $138 on weekends). It includes a wide range of dishes from various stations, including stir-fries to order, a carvery station, an antipasto and cheese station, and a joyful dessert bar that runs the gamut from chocolate fountains and homemade gelato to miniature desserts.

It includes a wide range of dishes from various stations.

That’s not all; you can also choose fresh seafood items from the menu. Fancy a cold seafood tower heaving with Pambula Sydney rock oysters, (gargantuan) Queensland tiger prawns, Moreton Bay bugs and crabs? How about a bounty of oysters freshly cooked to order and paired with a few platters from the raw bar? Or merely point and expert chefs will prepare to order torched nigiri or sashimi made with Bermagui tuna, King Ora salmon and Hiramasa (yellowtail) kingfish. You can order five (or more) of each, and it – along with all the soft drinks, juices, tea and coffee you can comfortably drink – is all included in the set fee.

Simply point and expert chefs will prepare to order torched nigiri or sashimi for you.

Of course, it’s not just the ambience of Kitchens on Kent that evokes winter comfort; the team have just launched a new winter menu that showcases local, seasonal produce as its hero. Curated by the hotel’s executive chef, Stephen Lech, expect to see a menu rich in Australian truffles, mushrooms, butternut pumpkin, stone fruit, and pork from Byron Bay. New menu items include Sydney rock oysters with a gin and shiraz-infused caviar mignonette dressing, as well as Berkshire pork yakitori skewers with a vanilla and apple puree.

Sip some wine to pair with your decadent meal.

In fact, during the winter months, Kitchens on Kent will showcase truffles for an entire month, celebrate ‘Lobster Mondays’ ($98), feature prime rib for another month, and stage a season of rotating Sunday roasts. It will even offer an experience to tie in with the ultimate Sydney event we’ve been waiting two years for: an overnight package to tie in with Vivid (spoiler alert: it includes luxurious accommodation, two Vivid cocktails, and dinner and breakfast for two at Kitchens on Kent. It’s available 25 May – 17 June 2022).

Celebrate ‘Lobster Mondays’ at Kitchens on Kent.

Best of all, while all that ‘Baby, it’s cold outside’ imagery might be conducive to the world’s best date night, those keen to experience Kitchens on Kent with children or as a large, celebratory group will be just as happy. The venue not only provides large table setups and a private dining room perfect for those long overdue celebrations, kids get a look in too. They can either choose the same interactive dining menu (it’s $40 for those aged five to 12, and free for kids four and under), or they can order time-honoured children’s classics, such as cheeseburgers and fries, and chicken tenderloin goujons.

The venue provides large table setups and a private dining room perfect for those long overdue celebrations.

Then it’s a simple matter of sitting back with loved ones – a steaming cup of coffee in hand – and watching the rain soak the city outside. Why would you want to dine anywhere else this winter?

For further information, visit Kitchens on Kent.