Blancharu, Elizabeth Bay
teresa
21 January 2010
Degustation, Dinner, Featured, French, Japanese, Sydney, Inner East
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Another gem?
Quite possibly.
Nested in the back streets of Elizabeth Bay, near the back of Kings Cross, Blancharu is another gem worth trying in this area. Around the Kings Cross, Potts Point & Elizabeth Bay area, you will find most cuisines to your desire, and the quality is top notch. Specialising in Japanese-Franco cuisine, chef Harunobu Inukai (formerly of Galileo & Bilsons) has expanded his horizons and opened up his own culinary experience for those to not enjoy his one-hatted restaurant quality dishes, but also to escape the flurries of the city and cook in a non-pretentious space.
For the past few months, my dear friend Mandy had completely hyped up Blancharu, and when it was time for me to FINALLY pay Blancharu a visit, her last words were “I hope it lives up to your expectations… I’m scared now!”
On arrival, we are shown to our table in an outside but covered region. Being summer, I’m a big fan of eating outdoors, and what perfect weather for it too! Tonight, we order the 7 course chef’s degustation. At $80 a head, I wasn’t sure if the next few hours would strain & expand my tummy more than my Christmas feasts.
French onion sourdough
For starters, we were given a choice of sourdough or french onion bread. “French onion?” That was definitely the more interesting choice of the two, so naturally it was my selection. There was definately french onion in the bread. There was a nice crunch to the outside.
I decided to revert to being a pescatarian tonight. They mostly left out the meat products from the dish or attempted to replace it with non-meat.
Entree: combination of two favourites
Entree course #1: The first course was a combination of two different entrees: Corn-fed chicken liver terrine/Risotto Nero, squid ink & spiced beer battered squid + ‘Aburi’ Ocean trout with green mango salad and Japonaise dressing. For me, the risotto as a substitute of the chicken liver terrine could have been better substituted. The risotto had good flavours, but it didn’t really excite me.
However, the next course was the utmost favourite.
Eggs, sunny side up - vego version
Eggs, sunny side up - meato version
Entree course #2: Served on a pan, the sunny side up eggs were very fun to eat! Each bite got tastier and tastier. /the flavours were not too overpowering, more simple. Towards the end, I was trying my hardest to savour what was left. The runny egg yolk gave this dish the additional star.
Beer battered zucchini flower with seared scallop
Entree course #3: The beer-battered fried zucchini flowers were stuffed with a sort of fish paste, served with a seared scallop. The dark sauce is what made this course not the wooden spoon of the degustation.
Soup du jour
Pasta & Risotto course: With big bits of crab floating around in the soup, this was also another favourite. I guess I’m a fan of crab AND soup, so combined, I would be a double fan. The soup was savoury and not too overpowering. I just can’t pinpoint the flavour here…! Anyone know what “du jour” is?
Fish of the day
I simply can’t remember what this dish was called, only because by this time, I was quite full! It was the fish of the day and the skin was nicely fried with a nice tinge of saltiness. The yellow sauce was light and melted together well with the each bite of the juicy, moist fish.
Wagyu minute steak, sautéed mushrooms & yuzu pepper sauce
According to my dining companion, the wagyu was not too fatty and tender. There didn’t feel like anything was too interesting other than the fact that it was wagyu.
‘Ebi fry’ King prawns, bouillabaisse vinaigrette & seaweed salad
The last of the mains… Prawn was sweet & crunchy.
Dessert: Mango panncotta with crispy meringue, coconut soup
With mangos currently in season for the Australian summer, this dessert was a great choice. Filled with big chunky pieces of mango, it was wonderfully refreshing for a warm summer’s night. Generally, I am not a big fan of dessert (I’m a savouries lady), but this was surely a winner. The meringue just melted in my mouth… sugar heaven!
The EST crew love to dine with me due to the fact that they usually get 1.5 meals. Unfortunately, I had no leftover saviours with me tonight, and to be honest, I didn’t really need any! The portions were just right and not too heavy. For a summer menu, each dish was light and flavours not too overpowering. And to end the meal with a fantastic cooling dessert, it really did end everything with TWO cherries on top 
What I liked about Blancharu was the warmth of the staff. They are all very polite and knowledgeable. What was great was the fact that, during the night, chef Haru often stepped out from his kitchen to greet his diners, ask about their food, simple & lovely chitchat. This definately makes you feel closer to the creator of your fabulously tasty meal. Although I would not hurry to make a second visit to Blancharu, I would hope the egg sunny side up will last till next time!
Blancharu
Shop 1, 21 Elizabeth Bay Road,
Elizabeth Bay, NSW, 2011
Ph: +61 2 9360 3555
Web: http://www.blancharu.com.au
Helen (Grab Your Fork)
mademoiselle délicieuse
gobsmack'd || 
Jacq
D
teresa
mmmm … the pannacotta was so delicious.
Mandy || 
Yay! So glad to see someone who agrees with me that Blancharu is an absolute gem. I had the same dessert and I agree it was a winner. Those eggs look mouthwatering and I’ve always wanted to try the soup of the day.