Oscillate Wildly, Newtown
This post is a bit behind-the-times, as we had this dinner in late September, but better now than never – right? (Also, I totally adored this dinner, even if the photos doesn’t quite reflect how amazing it was, and I really wanted to blog about it).
Last time I was here, I was with Minh and the menu was a la carte. I heard that Oscillate Wildly changed the format after that and only served a degustation menu. I’ve always wondered if the degustation was a good idea (was totally ambivalent about the change) and so it was rather exciting that I got to try it out as an early birthday dinner.
When our waiter advised that I might want to give the bread a miss due to the degustation being fairly large for some ladies, F and I traded amused looks as we thought about our epic effort at Etch. I thanked him for his advice and quite without meaning to, polished off my bread before F did (honest!). A bit belatedly, I hoped my stomach was up to the task.
King Prawn, Eggplant and Beancurd
The warm beancurd was incredibly silky smooth, pairing very well with the perfectly seasoned king prawn and crispy eggplant. The little stick thing was actually dehydrated beancurd, giving the dish that extra crunchy texture. I really wanted to make this delicious dish last, but it was a bit too good to keep from polishing it off somewhat quickly.
Bantam Egg, Ortiz Anchovies and Rye
The Bantam egg was slow-cooked in a 65-degree water bath for I think 65 minutes. The yolk was a glorious gooey mess that mixed together with the saltiness of the anchovies and the almost bland, but wonderfully al dente rye noodles. The crisp, also made from rye, added a welcoming crunch to the dish and I loved visual of the dehydrated parsley that was sprinkled on top of the egg.
Mulloway, Fennel, Speck and Black Sesame Pearls
I can appreciate how hard it is to cook a piece of fish perfectly so that the consistency of the flesh is moist and tender throughout (though I suppose some pieces/fish are easier to cook than others). As I methodically demolished the fish, it was very apparent that this was one very perfectly cooked mulloway. Bliss. The large grains of salt and hard speck added a really nice salty and crunchy component to the fish, though I couldn’t really taste the black sesame pearls.
Chicken, Celeriac and Puffed Grains
The chicken was scrumptiously succulent and I loved how well-matched it was with the roasted puffed grains. Upon request, the waiter told us that there were five type of grains used… though sadly I can’t remember any except for quinoa.
I’ve recently discovered why I get so light-headed when a degustation is particularly good: I forget to breathe properly – I just eat bite after bite, savouring the textures and flavours. It’s silly, isn’t it? I had to remember to take a break and breathe properly by this stage when I realised I was starting to get light-headed.
Pork, Kartoffel Knoedel and Kale
Our waiter came over with our dishes and asked me how I was going. I told him that I was okay and could still eat some more. He commended me on how well I was doing, as the degustation had bested ladies who were bigger than me, and said that I would get prize. Then he hastily added that really there wasn’t a prize and that he really should have said that. Haha… aww, shucks.
It was unfortunate that a bright, blue light switched itself on at this point in time (what is it with me and blue lights?!) and I naturally fretted how the photos would turn out (end result: not happy, so I apologise for the remaining photos).
I think so far, out of all the dishes that have come and gone, this was the most interesting looking. Its dramatic dark blue-purple dollops and smears with the crispy, fan-like kale and the delicious-looking pork just made us stop and admired it at all sorts of angles (though of course I was looking for the best angle to photograph it… haha).
The pork lived up to what it looked like: so tender, moist and well-seasoned and I really enjoyed the different flavour combination of the kale and potato knoedel, using most of my pork to mop up the plate.
Cheese Platter
We were given the option to get a cheese plate or to go straight onto desserts. I’m not sure why we went with the cheese plate, as we normally don’t get it, but I’m really glad that we did. The cheese (unfortunately I have no idea what it was) was mild, soft and smooth, while the fresh apples and kamquats helped cut the creaminess of the cheese. I really liked the “crackers” (for lack of a better word) and I really should have asked what they were.
Sichuan Marshmallow, Mandarin and Strawberry
I was a bit worried with the Sichuan marshmallow (as we all know my tolerance to chilli – or lack thereof hehe), but it was all for naught, as the spice was quite light on the tongue. I adored this dessert: the mandarin sorbet was incredibly refreshing and slightly tart, pairing surprisingly well with the strawberries (both fresh and dehydrated). I forced myself to slow down and just savour the different flavours and textures – it was really hard to have such self-control in the face of something so delicious.
Pear, Chocolate and Celery Sorbet
I was actually more apprehensive of this dessert than the Sichuan marshmallow, as who have ever heard of celery sorbet? For me, celery are best had in soups, as then I can’t taste its bitterness in its raw form. Our waiter told us that the components in this dessert should not be tasted individually, rather they should be tasted all together.
Obediently, I tried all the components together. The chocolate sorbet was surprisingly dry, while the celery sorbet provided the refreshing and bright flavour component of the dessert. The poached pear added the much needed touch of sweetness and juice to the dish, though I barely noticed the basil seeds.
F loved this dish and I think it’s because despite of the unusual components of the dessert, he felt like they all worked well together. For me, it’s a bit too unusual, but that’s not to say I didn’t like it (just not as much as F! Hehe) and I really admire the gutsy-ness in trying something so different.
Petit Fours - Dark Chocolate Caramel Lollipop, Mixed Nuts and Berry Nougat and Blood Orange Jelly
Ah petit fours. I realised that I am in love with petit fours – no matter what they are. It’s always exciting to see what they will be when I order my tea. The lollipop was pretty nice, but I crunched my way through it to get to the nougat (where it dawned on me that I have a soft-spot for nougats). The nougat was soft and as you can see, packed with nuts and berries – bless. I have an even bigger soft-spot for blood orange and saved what I thought would be the best for last. The jelly was soft, sweet and had that sharp tang you’d associate with blood orange. Yum.
Even with such great expectations, I didn’t feel like I was let down once during our meal. Just short of gushing, I loved the delicious creativity and freshness of the produce from Oscillate Wildly. The wait staff were so friendly and always had a smile for their customers. It’s also really nice that they knew the dishes really well and was able to answer all our probing questions (even though I’ve forgotten most of them! Sadness). When our waiter saw me taking photos of the menu, he promptly produced a copy of the menu complete in an envelope for me. Now that’s some service!
Oscillate Wildly, as F tells me, is under some renovation for a couple of months. I’m not sure when exactly they will be re-opened, but keep an eye for it! This is definitely one restaurant you should try. Booking is essential, as it’s a tiny restaurant, seating about 30 people.
Edit: The degustation was $95 and the cheese plate was an extra $12.
Oscillate Wildly
275 Australia St
Newtown, NSW, 2042
Ph: (02) 9517 4700
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By squishies
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This article was written on 02 Dec 2009, and is filed under Degustation, Dessert, Dinner, Modern Australian, Sydney, Inner West.
Current post is tagged
Dessert, favourite, pork, poultry
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Late September! I’m surprised you still remember the meal! LOL
All the dishes there are so lovely, and the bantam egg dish reminds me a lot of the truffled egg pasta at Buon Ricordo.
The only reservation I have is that the meal can’t be expedited too much, because the chicken course is cooked sous vide style for 70 minutes. I was told that as soon as we arrive, they put it on to cook.
Can’t wait to go back though. But as you said, it’s TINY. And quite cramped. I remember trying to book for a Friday night dinner and it was a two month wait!
Is this place expensive? The dishes look so fancy… :/
Congratulations on making it through the meal, bread included.
Love the look of the pear/chocolate/celery dish, though I’m a bit apprehensive about the flavours though. Can’t seem to picture celery working with either pear or chocolate.
my boss has been here twice and absolutely RAVES about this place….he had to wait nearly 4 mpnths for a booking. says the service is Spot on!!
he belives its far better than tetsuya’s, Claudes, Glass, and many other 3 hatted restaurants and fine dining places in the city.
photo’s are great!
Mm – I remember how nice the scallop and king mushroom dish was when I went there a few months ago – a shame it’s not on the menu anymore because it was a pleasure to eat and look at!
Lol. T’is the season for late posts – my current one is .. 5 months old.
Food looks delicious and so well-presented! This place has been on my list of places to eat at for a while. Was the degustation menu pricey?
Great review. Everything looks absolutely gorgeous and there are some very interesting combination’s and concepts used.
.-= Anita´s last blog ..Toblerone Cocktail =-.
joey@FoodiePop: Yeah, I’m surprised too, but some things just can’t be forgotten
Wow! A two month wait! I see that it’s still as popular as ever – the first time I went, there was a 3-month wait and I think for my second time, F booked well in advanced, about 1 month or so.
Linnie: Oops sorry, I had forgotten to put the price up. The degustation was $95 and the cheese plate was an extra $12.
Simon: Hehe thanks! =) I would have been very sad if I didn’t!
Yeah, the flavour combinations really boggle the mind, but honestly it really did work in a rather strange way.
peter: FOUR months!? Oh my… and I thought 3 months was long! The service is exceptional, I agree!
Forager: Heheh F and I plan to go back when they re-open. Can’t wait to see what’s in store then!
LOL! Five months… nice! ^_^
Jacq: Oh, you must go when they re-open! =D I thought it was pretty decently priced: $95 for the degustation.
Anita: Thanks! I think the chef’s really talented and creative – it was really a joy to eat. =D
[...] dark chocolate sorbet was reminiscent of the dark chocolate sorbet we had at Oscillate Wildly. I noticed it wasn’t as “dry” as Oscillate’s, but it still had that [...]