Sugar Hit: Old Sydney Holiday Inn, 18 Oct 2010

When the urge hit to venture out for yet another impromptu Sugar Hit the easiest option, we thought, would be to head to a hotel which would be more likely able to accommodate us without a booking than a restaurant or café with lesser seating. We drove down to The Rocks and managed to find parking quite easily across the road from the Park Hyatt and I was ready to settle into the romantic interior and beautiful view when we were politely informed that bookings for Sugar Hit there were a must, and that there were only two sessions available – 9pm and 9:45pm.

So much for our theory. Hrmph.


Out comes our trusty copy of the Sydney International Food Festival program and, for somewhere nearby, we head to the Old Sydney Holiday Inn to try our luck. It is a hotel I’d never set foot in, despite walking past its entrance many-a-time; mostly when on the way to Pancakes at the Rocks during my younger years I must admit. We are seated in the ground floor lounge of the hotel atrium which allows a view of all the open balcony hallways housing the hotel rooms. By the flicker of alien green faux candlelight, the waiter tells us there is only one serve of their Sugar Hit remaining for the evening. Monsieur Poisson and I agree to share it between us, and are secretly grateful as the month’s sugar intake is taking its toll on us.


Old Sydney Holiday Inn’s ‘Orange on The Rocks: white and dark chocolate mousse, honeycomb pieces, chocolate ganache, orange segments highlighted with Cointreau and woven caramel nest’ is served with a Brown Brothers Orange Muscat & Flora that is more watery and less sweet than we’ve had elsewhere. It is poured from a smaller bottle but we’re uncertain as to whether this has anything to do with it. The wine complements the orange flavours of the dessert well but the chunks of honeycomb are sweet enough without it, or the pool of chocolate ganache on which it sits.


The described ‘woven caramel nest’ is far from being a nest, but instead are strands of spun sugar laid across the orange segments. The mousses are interestingly piped into either end of a rolled tuille biscuit, giving rise to an appearance similar to cannoli. The dark chocolate mousse is a particular delight especially with its occasional hidden chocolate chips and when eaten with a broken shard of tuille in lieu of a spoon.

55 George St, The Rocks, Sydney NSW
Tel: (02) 9255 1871

happy eating!

14 comments:

  1. heh heh are you sugar hitted out yet? love the look of that honeycomb!

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  2. You're very dedicated in the sugar hits department! I like this dessert, it looks quite nice and chocolate mousse sounds delicious.

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  3. Wow, that first photo is stunning!! Great work!

    LOL at the sugar hits FINALLY taking a toll on you! :P

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  4. omg, this is yummy. i'm jealous of your sugar hits

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  5. I can't even think of where the Old Sydney Holiday Inn is? I do know where Pancakes on the Rocks is though - I still sometimes go there, tragic I know. You're photos look great. Hope you come down off the sugar rush soon.

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  6. I am in Awe of your sugar hitting ability!

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  7. I've missed the sugar hit this year, oh well. There's always next year! ;-D

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  8. I think next year we should get some food bloggers to get their blood sugar levels tested over the Sugar Hit period and see what happens. Science in action! :D

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  9. Hey Chocolatesuze, heheh...I've definitely retired for the year but there are still a couple more posts to come!

    Hey Angie, no - believe it or not - there's still more! =p

    Hey Bel, Sugar Hits have always been the highlight of Good Food Month for me!

    Hey April, thanks, but that's because it's such a fabulous backdrop!

    Hey Laura, I'm definitely all sugared-out now =p

    it's where you get to the fork in George Street at The Rocks and I completely forgot it was even there =p

    Hey Gastronomy Gal, I may be small but I have awesome eating power, haha!

    Hey Joey, welcome back! No no, there's still time to indulge in a Sugar Hit...or two =p

    Hey Conor, oh I'd be the perfect lab rat for that study!

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  10. Finally taking a toll? LOL.

    The view from the pool at the Old Sydney Holiday Inn is amazing :)

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  11. Hey Sara, have started going to the gym again just because of all this!

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  12. they probably got lazy with the nest cause mine was more nest-like

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  13. Hey vxdollface, thanks for dropping by =) Ours was the last one they had for the evening, so maybe that's why our "nest" was a little lacking?

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