Selah Restaurant

Among Circular Quay's flashy tourist traps, Selah is a warm and welcoming oasis accented by low-key browns and creams, dark furniture and quirky crinkle-cut light shades. Chef Andrew Barkham joined the team in April 2013, bringing his London and Melbourne fine-dining experience to the European-influenced menu. No one will fall over at the menu's inventiveness - but seared scallops, ham-hock terrine and cheesy truffled macaroni sure are crowd-pleasers. Bar cod fillet swimming in red-pepper jus, borlotti beans and chopped chorizo is simple and filling, while horseradish hollandaise adds punch to nicely cooked eye fillet with candy-sweet red-wine-and-plum braised cabbage. Date pudding delivers a serious sugar shot with its glossy toffee sauce and date ice-cream. Despite occasionally lax service (saved by the charming maitre-d') and a view of next-door pokies en-route to the bathroom, Selah is a reliable alternative to some of the pricier waterside establishments.