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BLACK by ezard, The Star, Pyrmont

Every time I ponder the world of vegetarianism I know that facing a lifetime without eating meat again would be pretty much impossible for me. So it’s the promise of steak and marrow that draws us to BLACK by ezard (capitilisation theirs, not mine), the latest lovechild of Teage Ezard also known for restaurants such as Gingerboy and ezard in Melbourne.

BLACK by ezard is nestled in the heart of the newly renovated The Star, with floor to ceiling windows that let in all of the late summer sun. It’s a welcome change from the cosy dimly lit restaurants that Sydney seems so fond of lately.

The impressive array of wines and spirits on show at the front of house bar are tempting, but somehow we manage to walk past and continue over to our table.

In the end I break formation at the sight of the open kitchens which are complete with grills set just close enough to tempt and tantalise. The sound of the lamb rack being seared is almost enough to sway me away from steaks tonight, but I somehow manage to resist.

Would you believe that I hadn’t understood the appeal of Brioche until only this year? Something about the fluffiness and texture always used to remind me of terrible bread rolls I would get from my local Asian bakeries, then it was almost like a switch had been flicked and suddenly I couldn’t get enough of Brioche.

The brioche at BLACK is sublime, small enough to fit in the palm of my hand it’s gloriously buttery and made so much better by slathering a bit more butter on top. I regret it in moments, but devour half a loaf and smile when the waiter asks if we would like another.

Starters

Our starters are a decadent affair of marrow, tartare and truffles.

Suze has had her eye on the Marrow Flan ever since suggesting BLACK as an option for dinner and I’m not far behind her. It’s the mini quail egg balancing on the marrow flan that has me in raptures, the mushrooms and marrow are a match made all the better by the mini slices of brioche.

We’re a little nonplussed when the Beef Tartare arrives at the table, the heirloom beets have been reformed into a jelly-like sheet which is lightly draped over the beef tartare. Hits of mustard intercept with mouthfuls of tartare it’s almost overpowering but works well with the sweetness of the beets. In the end the sweetness of the beet jelly isn’t to my taste, but the surprise crunches of the puffed rice are a welcome change in texture.

Visually, the organic farm egg is my favourite of all the starters. Looking somewhat like a plant growing wild out of a pot of fried potatoes, it’s a creamy refreshing take on the runny egg starter.

Mains

Of course, there was no doubt that this was going to be an all meat celebration.

Helen and I have been eyeing up Ribeye Dry aged grass-fed angus, I’d recently read ‘The Omnivore’s Dilemma’ (fascinating read about food production in the US) and as a result I was interested to experience the difference between grass and grain fed beef (for the record I could not describe the difference).

It’s a substantial cut of meat that makes my heart skip a beat in memory of its gloriously fatty cuts, the decadence of the foie gras butter I’ve ordered to make the heart attack that much better. In the end it defeats me, and the boys rejoice in the extra cuts of meat I bestow upon them.

I’m a little envious of Helen’s choice of marrow and shallot sauce, the colour is intoxicating and it makes her steak look so shiny. To console myself I steal some of Suze’s truffle butter.

The others have chosen differently from us, Lex has been eying up the Rumpcap Grain fed wagyu all night and on the recommendation of the waiter pushes himself over the line. The result is a beautifully cooked cut of meat with the perfect amount of give and a texture that just makes me speechless I’m just so happy as I chew.

Suze and Richard have both decided on the lonely looking Scotch Filet, whose loneliness they solve by promptly introducing it to their mouths.

But in the end, you can’t have meat without your potatoes. I’ve no hesitation in adding the Potato buttered puree to my order and Suze gleefully zeroes in on the potato gratin. I’m a buttery, marrow-ed out mess by the end of the mains but oh, what a way to go.

Dessert

By dessert my stomach is protesting its treatment tonight. There are looks of vague disappointment around the table as I protest that I couldn’t possibly eat anything else, but of course in the end they’re right.

Chocolate, is a bit of pre-theatre magic. The dessert arrives on our table as a mysterious sphere that is quickly melted down with a waterfall of warm couverture ganache. There’s a flurry of camera clicks at the table as we realise what’s happening and a sigh of satisfaction as the gooey banana and hazelnut mousse is exposed. Despite its appearance the chocolate isn’t overly rich, and combined with the banana ice-cream it’s my favourite dessert of the night.

We’ve ordered the apple pound cake as the result of an argument at the table. Whether or not pound cake is supposed to be dense is a moot argument when I get my hands on the cake though, it’s a gloriously crumbly texture and I scoop it up by the spoonful, stealing the ice-cream whenever people’s heads are turned.

Of the three, Honeycrunch is the most visually appealing. A delicate roll of clover honey parfait, it’s decorated in a light layer of cinnamon that’s vaguely nutty and popcorny. The white power on the plate has us all confused, even Suze, the spice-master isn’t able to identify it and we resort to asking the waiter who confirms that it is indeed cinnamon, much to the delight of the victor – Noods.

There’s nothing but satisfaction running through me as we leave BLACK by ezard, service has been impeccable, the restaurant itself is beautiful and the food fun, with that touch of familiar. The prices are enough to raise an eyebrow, especially knowing that the mains range up to $120, but it’s an extravagance that I’m happy to have experienced.

BLACK by ezard
Level G, Harbourside,
The Star,
80 Pyrmont Street
Pyrmont NSW 2009

Ph: 1800 700 700
Web: http://www.star.com.au/dine/signature-dining/black.html