A HIGH NOTE

Aria delivers elegance and precision with a menu that’s shifted with the times, writes KARLIE VERKERK.

- KARLIE VERKERK

When it comes to postcard panoramas, the vista from Aria’s dining room is unrivalled. Pearlescent Opera House sails to the right, the iconic Coathanger to the left, and a big shimmering pool between. It’s a view that has been drawing diners in for two decades. And although its surrounds remain relatively unchanged, Matt Moran’s harbourside restaurant has come a long way since its pre-Sydney Olympics reveal in 1999. Back then, out-of-season produce was flown in from across the globe to craft what Australians deemed the height of fine dining. Excess was the name of the game, as globetrotters and corporate bigwigs luxuriated for hours on end.