Robert Hamilton-Jones reviews the iconic fine dining restaurant on the 19th floor of The Stanley Hotel & Suites in Port Moresby.

A selection of menu items from fine-dining restaurant, Silver Leaf. Credit: Robert Hamilton-Jones
This is not the first time I have reviewed Silver Leaf, the fine dining restaurant on level 19 of the Stanley Hotel in Waigani. While I praised the food in late 2019, the thing that really grabbed my attention then was the ambience.
That had not changed on my recent visit, but the food has moved to the next level. In fact, I cannot recall having had a better meal in Port Moresby.
The menu is appealing and subtly inventive, without being intimidating or overwhelming.
The man responsible is the Stanley’s Executive Chef, Jerome Tremoulet, who hails from the culinary hotspot of Toulouse in France, and who had a long stint as Head Chef at the iconic Windsor Hotel in Melbourne, Australia.
Despite his credentials, his goal is simply to make the most of excellent ingredients, including locally sourced seafood and vegetables: “In fact, we are aiming for homestyle dishes, nothing complicated”, he explains.
With that in mind, I went for the smoked local reef fish for my main course, which came with a tomato and lemongrass infused coconut sauce. It was outstanding and unlike anything I had eaten before, with fresh flavours that combined well.
My group also shunned the usual garlic fries in favour of the more exotic kau kau fries with grana padano (a hard Italian cheese) – a risk that paid off handsomely. The steamed vegetable side dish is also recommended for sharing.
Other main course options include Atlantic salmon, braised beef cheek and a wide selection of steaks, while vegetarians are well catered to with a beetroot, goat’s cheese and pine nut entree and a mushroom risotto.
The signature dishes are scallop and reef fish Ceviche (raw fish marinated in citrus juice) and a one-kilogram Australian wagyu beef tomahawk steak, ‘to share’ – thank goodness for that.
Also offering excellent service and a strong wine list, Silver Leaf is ideal for a celebration, corporate dinner or just because you feel like being spoilt.
WHERE:
Level 19, The Stanley Hotel, Waigani, Port Moresby
PHONE:
+675 2077 888
ONLINE:
thestanleypng.com/dining/silver-leaf
OPEN:
6pm to 10pm (Tuesday to Saturday)
STYLE:
Fine dining
PRICE:
Mains from PGK90
OUR FAVOURITE DISH:
Smoked reef fish
IN A PHRASE:
Top of the tree.
This is an edited version of an article first published in the August-October 2025 issue of Paradise, the in-flight magazine of Air Niugini.
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