The Arrival
I’ve walked past the MLC Centre approximately 4,000 times in my life. Finally, I have a great reason to stop.
AALIA Wine Room (AAWR) is the newly launched ‘baby’ to the two-hatted Middle Eastern powerhouse upstairs. It has slipped into a glass-fronted corner of Martin Place as though it was always meant to be there. Harry Seidler’s iconic mushroom building gazes down approvingly and its design is a nod to the restaurants CBD ‘terroir’.
The Design
Oh, it’s achingly beautiful. I am greeted warmly and escourted upstairs whilst I wait for my dining partner, Mr G. Matt Darwon as created architectural magic again knitting the natural world together in fabrics, woods and shapes. The spotted gum timber ceiling stretches overhead like an architectural tree as I drink under its protection. The glass sphere light becomes a metaphorical sun shining from the moody canopy. There are just 42 seats across two levels, banquets, soft furnishings and low wooden stools. It feels intimate, polished, very grown up and at 6pm its VERY popular.
The Wine: 235 Labels Walk Into a Bar…
Canberra born Sommelier Sarah O’Dwyer has curated what can only be described as a cracking wine list for adventurous drinker. The 235-label list spans Henschke to Santorini Assyrtiko, aged Burgundy to chilled Valpolicella, with a whole “Curiosities” section (a Grolleau from the Loire? A Xinomavro from Greece?). Champagne lovers are well looked after, with grower producers and less obvious selections stealing the spotlight.
We eye off the “Build Your Own Bracket” three 100ml pours of your choosing. Genius. Potentially reckless. There is also a signature Discovery Hour where guests can enjoy a sommelier-selected wine revealed tableside, which includes a personalised note from the sommelier.
Unsure of our food direction, we begin by the glass. I start strong with Paul Bara Rosé Champagne ($45). Deep salmon pink, more neon Mardi Gras than blushing bride. Pinot dominant, wild strawberry and cherry, with a silky persistent bead. I regret starting here because now I don’t want to drink anything else which is a problem for a wine review.
The Bernard Fouquet ‘Cuvée Silex’ Vouvray is often called the “lovechild of the Mosel and Vouvray” due to its combination of succulent fruit and high-toned acidity seems like a more natural place to progress. It’s honey, creamy and has rich pear and stone fruit flavours.
Mr G has arrived and leans into a 2024 Alkina Estate Grenache. Pale, perfumed with rose and spice, light tannins and juicy cranberry fruit. Organic too. We finish with a surprise pour from Jacob, gently guided by our recent Burgundy holiday reminiscing. He appears with a 2022 Coteaux du Layon Moelleux. Sweet, but appealing for people who don’t like sweet wines. Pineapple, warm spice, a whisper of toffee. I am in love with the glassware.
The Service: The Som, Jacob Tells a Story in Every Glass
It is offensively hot outside, so I sheepishly begin with a Seabass Mediterranean Lager from Yulli’s. I don’t trust myself with wine just yet. There is no judgement for Jacob van Hemessen just a warm smile and acknowledgment.
Jacob is the Head Sommelier and shares that he learned his craft serving in bars and restaurants across Europe including London’s Michelin-starred Blind Pig. He brings the kind of generous warmth that can only be described as distinctly Canadian with an understated, but impressive grip on these wines, whilst simultaneously having the magic touch of never making us feel dumb or intimidated. The generosity of his service is also in time spent with us as we chat, debate and share our personal wine journeys of life.
Mr G decides on a GSM to start with. Immediately Jacob shares that “it’s not your normal style”. There’s discussion. Debate. Adjustments. It’s wine service at its best. Engaged, intuitive and generous.
I can’t help but reminisce that Jacob carries the torch lit by the legendary Chris Mul’Howard who really set the tone of service at ESCA which always felt like getting a wonderful Canadian bear hug.
The Food: “Snacks” Is Doing a Lot of Work Here
Chef Paul Farag (SMH Good Food Guide Chef of the Year 2025) has distilled AALIA’s DNA into a the AAWR bar menu.
We start with a raw tuna appetiser loaded onto a crisp bread with so delicate I am afraid to pick it up. The raw tuna is cut in chunky slivers, tossed in finger lime. It’s silky, rich, crispy and madly delicious.
The ancient grain Khorasan wheat pita makes a welcome return, its seriously better than Merivales Totti bread. Nutty, warm, puffy, chewy and dangerously moreish. Dipped into creamy labneh, dimpled with pomegranate molasses and slow-cooked onions with sumac, it’s everything I loved about AALIA the first time round. The Egyptian fried eggplant ‘Mes ‘A’ Aha’ is rich, tomato-laced and unapologetically cumin-forward. Delicious, yes, but save it for your reds or it will play dominatrix to a delicate white, without apology.
We are given advice that charred lupini beans with tabil spice are meant to be popped from their skins like edamame. The Tunisian spiced kernels (which look similar to sweetcorn) are so morish we ignore instructions and devour them whole. They have an Earthy, slightly spicy kick with a hint of anise from the caraway.
A classic ‘anchovies on toast’ is elevated to a whole new level. Angelachu anchovies from the Cantabrian Sea are considered among the best in the world. They drape themselves luxuriously over Sahawiq, a fiery, herb-laced Yemeni chilli paste, brightened with agrumato, which is co-pressed olive and citrus magic. Then there’s the crusty bread doing its, crackling thing underneath.
Mr G opts for the Kiwami flank steak and declares it one of the best he’s ever had. Smoky, deeply savoury, finished with miso-laced Café de Cairo butter. Tonight red meat isnt my thing. I order the Moreton Bay bug lounging in chicken fat gravy tumbled with orzo and trout roe, decadent and gone in a few spoonfuls. Meanwhile, Mr G is still tucking into his mighty steak. I feel satisfied, but slightly cheated.
The Verdict
What are we Addicted to? Aalia Wine Room is what happens when a world-class restaurant decides to have a very chic, very wine-obsessed little sibling. It’s intimate without being precious, wine-forward without being snobby, and the food punches well above the average bar menu
What do we need to be more Addicted? A more substantial non-red-meat main to balance the generosity of that steak.
Four and a half glasses out of five. The half-glass deduction is purely for your wallet. With 150ml pours starting at $19 and the Curiosities section calling your name, this is not a cheap night out.
But it is a very good one.
Aalia Wine Room, T 6.33, 25 Martin Place, Sydney. |
Hours: Tues–Fri from noon, Sat from 5pm.
Walk-ins only for now. Get in while the secret is still mildly a secret.
