Alegre Bar & Dining
Inspired by memorable meals in Tulum, the trio behind Wild Sage at Barangaroo, Miller’s Kitchen in Cammeray, and Whitton in South Eveleigh heritage Locomotive Workshop have opened their doors at King Street Wharf with their dream venture, Alegre.
Alegre is an upmarket Mexican restaurant bringing beats, barbacoa, tequila & mezcals to Darling Harbour.
The three young co-owners (all under 35) started working in Sydney’s restaurant scene together in 2007 and have long been planning their largest and most ambitious venue, Alegre, with a menu that pays homage to traditional Mayan cooking methods infused with distinctly Australian native ingredients (think finger lime, saltbush, pickled cumquat, king prawns and Jack’s Creek beef).
“The centerpiece of recreating a Tulum experience is in the sharing of food with friends. Mexican food brings people together. While Mexican food may seem simple a sauce will likely have more than 15 ingredients. The thought and complexity go beyond what you can visually see on the plate at Alegre. This mix of friends, food, and atmosphere creates the Alegre experience,” co-owner Rasel Rasheduzzaman said.
“The menu showcases a different take on Mexican cuisine working with the complexities of traditional cooking and curing practices mixed with modern techniques to create beautifully executed dishes treating the taste buds to a moment in Tulum.”
“Preserving, for example, is essential in traditional Mexican food preparation. Native Mexican ingredients aren’t available all year but through drying, pickling, and curing this food it can be enjoyed for longer. Techniques like cooking under the earth will be brought to Alegre; all sauces and meat will be cooked in charcoal.”
“We can’t dig the earth at King Street Wharf to cook but we have the next best thing – the Jasper charcoal oven – smoldering day and night, around the clock. Charcoal heat cannot be controlled like an oven so precision and patience are paramount.”
Alegre boasts a crude raw bar fusing Mexican curing techniques, a Josper charcoal oven for all meats and sauces, and an overabundance of mezcals and tequilas.
Menu highlights:
Start with Molcajete guacamole, and tacos with pork carnitas, chicharrón, pickled grapefruit, cascabel and cabbage slaw, fresh coriander, and Crema Fresca.
At the Crudo, bar try the guajillo cured kingfish with citrus dressing, chipotle pearls, jalapeño, avocado, and fresh coriander or the passionfruit scallop ceviche with avocado cream, pickled cumquat, passionfruit gel, jalapeño, lime, and tapioca crisps.
For mains, all cooked in the Josper charcoal oven, order the crispy skin half duck with mole Madre and mojo; Mayan spiced charcoal king prawns and burnt lime; a 500g Tajima wagyu rib eye on the bone MB6+, mole Madre, burnt lime, and pickled chili; or the 8hrs lamb cooked in clay and barbacoa sauce.
Exotic accompaniments of compressed watermelon, queso Oaxaca, chili salt and pickled cumquats, or chargrilled corn with smoked cheese sauce and chipotle dressing or burnt cauliflower, roasted pumpkin seed dip, pickled chili, and crushed crispy corn elevate any main dish.
Daring but delicious desserts include a blue corn tart, sweet corn custard, corn, buttermilk sorbet, with salted caramel popcorn or sesión mocha tequila with coconut sorbet, chocolate ganache and coconut praline.
Alegre boasts 150 tequila and mezcals, available straight or in clever Caribbean cocktails using Australian produce.
“One for the first round order is the signature cocktail, the Alegre En Tulum made with Jalapeño Infused Calle 23 Blanco Tequila, fresh watermelon, and a touch of mint,” Rasel said.
“My favorite is the Mariachi Borracho. It’s made with Illegal Joven Mezcal, finger-licking Messenez Pear Liquor, and a drop of smooth scotch whisky, finished with spiced pear syrup, lemon, and choc mole bitters,” he said.
For the purists, there are many straight tequilas and mezcals like the Corazon Anejo awarded the World’s Best Tequila 2021, which hails from a female-owned distillery; or the rare Clase Azul Ultra of which only 100 cases are produced each year.
One of the highlights of the dining experience is the venue itself. Architectural designer Kathryn Ashley Studio took up the challenge to bring a mix of fabulous and fiesta to Darling Harbour. Kathryn has made a name for herself designing SD17, Alpha, and Nour, and to hit this brief she has created incredible
One of the highlights of the dining experience is the venue itself. Architectural designer Kathryn Ashley Studio took up the challenge to bring a mix of fabulous and fiesta to Darling Harbour. Kathryn has made a name for herself designing SD17, Alpha, and Nour, and to hit this brief she has created incredible
pale-concrete architectural curves reminiscent of bohemian-chic riddled with cave-style shelves and coastal textures.
The interior architecture design offers organic soft edges and lush planting to create zones within the space to draw patrons through and allow intimate seating areas. The form accentuates the theatre of food and libations and provides intimate spaces for guests. The trio of owners wanted to recreate the holiday vibe found in Tulum and offer the patron a more Bohemian-chic modern tropical vibe.
Tribal raw house music provides the soundscape with a DJ every Friday and Saturday.
Relax to vibey beats, magical food, memorable drinks all while enjoying the Tulum vibe at Alegre Bar & Dining.
Alegre is at King Street Wharf, 21 Lime St, Sydney NSW 2000.
MEDIA CONTACT: Alegre co-owner Dani Reuben 0452246219
FIND US ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIAS: @alegredining #alegredining