eatshowandtell » French

Element Bistro, Sydney

squishies — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 14:00:09 +0000

Although I’m quite slack in organising a catch up with my friends, I somehow managed to find a day that everyone was free and a day I actually had some money (damn snow! Why are you so expensive?!).

I was a bit at a loss to where we should eat, but then inspiration struck me.

M took me here one night last year and I remember the atmosphere of the restaurant being really cosy and eating wonderfully delicious food that grabbed my attention despite how much of a sad sack I was that night. I also remember thinking, “I have to come back and blog about this one day… when I’m not so emo”.

I just didn’t realise it would take me so long. Haha.

Ocean Trout Fish Cake with Remoulade Sauce ($18)

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Guillaume at Bennelong, Circular Quay

squishies — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:26:49 +0000

We’ve heard quite a few friends singing their praises about the food at Guillaume at Bennelong, one of whom is a chef (I thought, if anything, that carries some weight). So on a total whim (despite having numerous of snow trips planned) we thought, “What the hey, why not try it out?”

I’ve always wondered what restaurant was situated in the Opera House itself, where the brown-tinted glass allowed both inside and outside parties to view each other – like a fish bowl, but with more angles… and with an enormous sail on top. When we arrived at the top of the stairs, it struck us quite suddenly that we did not know how to get into the restaurant.

We circled around once, trying not to peer into the glass windows in an attempt to see if we could spot the entrance from the outside. Feeling a bit ridiculous, I thought perhaps we should see if we could enter the restaurant from underneath.

Bingo! We managed to stumble into an elevator that took us up to the floor, where taking a sharp right took us through a narrow vestibule – its walls decorated with Guillaume’s achievements and awards. Being suitably impressed and awed, we stepped further into Guillaume’s domain and were quickly seated.

Guillaume at Bennelong

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Berowra Waters Inn, Berowra Waters

squishies — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 14:00:53 +0000

A couple of friends have recently been to Berowra Waters Inn and raved on about the food, telling us that we must eat here.

When we finally booked it, we asked them what was good to order (or to avoid) and their advice wasn’t as much of advice as more raving about how good the dishes were and how full they got: “We had the five course degustation and oh man, we were so full… and then the desserts came out! We were expecting small dishes, but there were four full-sized ones! We practically died… but man, it was just soooo good!” … and so on and so forth.

Both did warn us that the marina car park was a little hard to find in the dark, but since we were going during the day, it should be easy as pie to get to.

Berowra Waters Public Wharf

Excited and a little nervous, we set out two hours before our booking time and arrived at the marina area with 30 minutes to spare. We were advised to call the restaurant to send the private ferry out, but we didn’t really need to, as the ferry makes quite frequent trips to and from the public wharf to the restaurant (this may be a different story for dinner reservations).

On the Hawkesbury

Although it was short trip from the wharf to Berowra Waters Inn, riding on the small ferry in the gently sunny afternoon on sparkling water really set the mood for a quiet and lovely lunch.

The menu has a range of light to heavy dishes to choose from, followed by some cheese and desserts. We opted for the 6 course degustation at $175 (the 5 course is $150) and, as you can choose your dishes, found that we could order everything on the menu bar one dish (which I felt slightly embarrassed in saying, “May we have everything except for the quail dish please?” Such gluttony!).

Cured Ocean Trout, Aubergine, Toasted Tortilla

We were surprised with a pre-lunch dish / amuse bouche as we were working out what to order. The cured salmon was delicately salty, which paired nicely with the eggplant underneath, and the toasted tortilla added a really nice crunchy texture to the delectable morsel.

Sour Dough Roll with Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar, Monteith's Golden Ale (?)

While we waited for our light dishes to arrive, we chatted over some crusty sour dough roll and I think I’ve finally mastered dipping the bread into the oil to get to the balsamic! I normally end up with oily, soggy bread and precious little balsamic, but I’ve discovered that with a decisive dip into the oil will guarantee balsamic goodness on your bread.

White Asparagus, Green Asparagus, Slow Poached Organic Egg Yolk, Fresh Black Winter Truffle From Manjimup

The first thing I noticed was that the egg yolk wasn’t runny; rather it seemed to be on the verge of being runny and solid at the same time, which I thought was pretty impressive. The juicy asparaguses were perfectly cooked, adding a slight sweetness to the dish, tempered by the saltiness of the truffle underneath. I was amazed at how simple the dish was and be so rich in flavour.

Chilled Vichyssoise, Oscietra and Salmon Caviars, Beignets of Hawkesbury Oysters

I didn’t realise that the oysters would be deep-fried! But I guess now I know what to expect when I see beignets hehe. I’ve noticed that whenever an oyster dish is presented to us, I’d wait til F eats his then ask: “Should I swallow or chew?” His answer this time was a resounding “chew”.

The meaty oyster, that raw would normally have me make a face and endeavour to swallow as quickly as possible, was utterly delicious in its crispy outer shell. Some oyster purists might be horrified to see deep fried oysters, insisting that oysters must be consumed raw, but I’ve discovered that I quite liked them like this.

However, the chilled vichyssoise I think outshone the oysters, if barely (both components were so good!). There was something about its smooth creaminess hiding minute crunchy bits of croutons and caviar (bestowing tiny bursts of saltiness into the mix) that just appealed to our taste buds. What I thought was rather astounding about the vichyssoise was just how light it was despite being rather creamy.

Buffalo Mozzarella, Espelette Pepper, Potato Gnocchi, Wild Mushrooms, Sage Butter

A while ago, Minh told me that she used to dislike gnocchi, but after an awesome gnocchi dish she was converted. I remained unconvinced that gnocchi could be nothing more than some weird, soft, chewy, boofy pasta… well, that is, until now. I still haven’t figured out what about it made me realise that gnocchi could actually be very good. Perhaps it’s something to do with its softness that isn’t too soft, retaining a slight firmness but isn’t al dente, or perhaps it had the right amount of chewiness without feeling like I was eating some overripe, soggy chewing gum. All I know is that this dish made a convert out of me.

I loved the robust earthiness that the wild mushrooms brought to the dish and the accompanying tastily stringy mozzarella. There was the vaguest hint of heat to the dish, but if I barely registered it I doubt anyone else would have noticed it.

Murray Cod Fillet, Cauliflower, Leeks, Pickled Salsify, Salted Walnuts

The perfectly cooked cod was well-seasoned and we were delighted to find that the skin was utterly to crispy perfection. I loved how well the tangy pickled salsify and salted walnuts combined together and with the fish; a flavour combination I don’t think I would have ever thought would fit so well in a million years.

By this dish, we were amazed by how simple-seeming the dishes have been and still have so many different flavours so harmoniously balanced and different textures being played against/with each other.

Grilled Sea Scallops, Roasted Smoked Eel, Alsace Bacon, Celeriac, Pear

It’s no secret that we both adore scallops and are always looking for the perfect grilled or seared ones. During our time with es&t, we’ve been to a few places where we believe we’ve had scallop perfection and this would be one of them. The scallop was succulent, tender, juicy, well-seasoned and had a little crispness on its surface. The pear and celeriac brought out its sweetness while the smoked eel and bacon added a heartiness and robustness to the dish. Honestly, it was absolutely pure heaven on a plate.

Butter-Poached Western Australian Marron, Fermented Garlic, Sweet Green Peas

We didn’t know what a marron was and though we found out it was a crayfish via Google, we weren’t expecting it to come out looking so cute and curled up! I almost felt bad eating it and equally felt as bad for loving its juicy meatiness.

The marron was delicious with either or both of the two sauces: the creamy-coloured sauce that was akin to a tangy hollandaise and the dark-coloured one that was an intensely sweet garlic (which I guess was the fermented garlic?). The little dumpling-like parcel of semi-mushed green peas was a surprising but lovely addition to the plate.

Pumpkin Soup with Amaretti

When the little tea cup arrived at our table, I slightly panicked, thinking, “Oh crap! I don’t think we ordered this!” My panic subdued when our waiter introduced the dish as a pre-main course, compliments from the kitchen.

The pumpkin soup was thick, full of flavour and smooth. It was so simple, but it was intensely satisfying and also seemed to cocoon me in its flavour and warmth. Again, the chefs at Berowra has taken something rather simple and have made it extraordinary.

Grilled Wagyu Sirloin, Braised Cheek, Sauteed Sweetbread, Jerusalem Artichoke, Deep Fried Aioli

While the wagyu sirloin was scrumptiously seasoned and well-grilled, it was the braised, slow-cooked wagyu cheek that had us in gastronomic bliss. Wonderfully tender, yet still succulent and I was surprised it stayed on my fork as it practically fell apart at a touch.

I found the sweetbread a bit challenging to eat and though I tried, and though I like the flavour, I can’t seem to get over just how soft and (for me) odd the texture is. I surrendered my half to F, much to his delight.

We both wondered how one would fry aioli, now we know and it paired quite well with the meats in the dish.

Lamb Shank, Steamed Bone Marrow Dumpling, Spinach, Roast Shallot Jus

I was a bit worried about the bone marrow dumpling, thinking that it was a dumpling with bone marrow inside – something I’ve had before and also struggled to appreciate. However, all was for naught as it would seem that they incorporated the marrow into the “dumpling” (which was wrapped around the shank).

The utterly tender lamb itself was gorgeously cooked and seasoned, without a hint of that lamb-y after taste; the accompanying onion in two ways (whole and as a puree) added a deliciously sweet tone to the dish.

St Agur Blue Cows Milk Cheese, Tallegio Washed Rind, Holy Goat 'La Luna', Ossau Iraty Sheeps Milk Cheese, Raw Milk 'Alpage' Cheese

Our waitress offered us a variety of crackers and bread to go with the cheese and on sensing our indecision, she hastened to add, “You could also have a couple of each.” Bless… and so we did, having a couple slices of olive bread, fruit loaf, wheat crackers, water crackers and oat crackers. She recommended that the oat crackers went very well with the blue and tallegio cheeses, not doubting her word, but we were pleasantly surprised at just how well they went with it. Before she whisked away, she added that if we would like more crackers we only need to let her know (which I guess is a given, but it was nice to hear, as we’re always short and for some reason never ask for more).

Going from left to right, we have the blue cheese, which was actually quite mild for a blue though still had a bit of a punch to it, and was paired with a lightly sweet poached pear. The tallegio was creamy and strong in flavour and was accompanied with a black cherry conserve. We’ve had the Holy Goat before and it was interesting to see that it was also paired with a fig (though this time a fresh one) and blanched almonds. The Ossau Iraty was quite smooth and rather mild (with a hint of a sharpness) and went quite well with the poached apple and beetroot oil. Finally, we have the Alpage cheese, the mildest of them all, paired with quince paste.

I’m always surprised at how much cheese restaurants serve you on a tasting platter; invariably, I end up feeling guilty for not being able to finish them. This time was different: we managed to finish both of our cheese platters (amazingly), much to our waitress’ delight. I’m not sure how we did it, but I’m sure F had a lot to do with it.

Citron Custard, Caramel Mousse, Pop Rocks, Almond Tuille

Our pre-dessert was the lovely citron custard topped with a light, surprisingly not-so-sweet caramel mousse and pop rocks. I love pop rocks (I totally reckon it appeals to the kid in me that lurks too close to the surface) and when our waitress mentioned pop rocks, I unthinkingly echoed her (loudly and rather too enthusiastically): “Pop rocks!!!” I think I embarrassed F and our waitress, but they continued on as if I didn’t say anything (thank goodness). Although I wanted more of this delightful pre-dessert (me = pig, yes I know), I thought it was actually spot on with its serving size – not too much to make one feel sick of it nor too little to make one feel like one’s missing out.

Raspberry Soufflé, Raspberry-Mascarpone Sorbet, Chantilly Cream; Braised Pineapple, Coconut Mousse, Semolina Dumplings, Aged Rum Syrup; Dark Amadei Chocolate Tart, Strawberries, Yoghurt Cream; Quince Tarte Tatin, Calvados Ice Cream

My friend wasn’t kidding about the size of the dessert platter! I was a bit concerned that we wouldn’t be able to polish off the platter, but somehow we managed to eat everything (well almost, only we left behind half a semolina dumpling) and managed to impress our waitress again (with our gluttony no doubt haha).

The raspberry soufflé was so airy and light, yet infused with so much flavour, and I thought the raspberry-mascarpone sorbet was a divine accomplice. The braised pineapple was better than expected (and a lot juicier) and I loved its sweetness tempered by the lighter-than-air coconut mousse. The quince tarte tatin was super flaky and sticky from its thick glaze, where its calvados ice cream helped cut through the heavy sweetness. We were advised that the chocolate tart should be left til last as it is quite rich – and boy, was it decadently rich. The richness of the tart was helped by the strawberries, sorbet and yoghurt cream (yes all three), though even with all that, it was a bit too much for F to handle and I happily finished off the rest.

'You can have as many as you want.'

The service has been pretty constant and it felt like we didn’t have to wait for long between courses, so we were glad for the relatively long reprieve between our dessert course and the petit fours with tea.

When our waitress came out with the petit fours tray and saying, “Which one would you like? You can have as many as you want.” My eyes bulged and my sensibility fought with my already burgeoning and utterly greedy stomach to answer. “One of each?” she persisted after a short silence. I could only manage to nod and emit a small “yes please”.

Basil and Lime Macaron, Dark Chocolate Truffle with Amaretti, Peach Jube, Lemongrass and White Chocolate

My favourite out of the petit fours was the soft and gently sweet peach jube, while F adored the lemongrass with white chocolate.

F needed to go to the bathroom, but didn’t want to miss the chance of ordering another round of petit fours. He made me promise that if he went, I would order the jube and white chocolate for him. I duly promised and almost broke it when our waitress came to take away our plate, thinking that we were done. Hastily, I asked if we could have some more (rather embarrassedly), but she was happy to comply.

Travel by Seaplane... Posh!

I read on the website that you could travel to Berowra Waters Inn by seaplane. Seaplane! I didn’t think we should see that happening, but much to our surprise, we did and the customers were ferried to and from the plane with that flat looking boat to the right of the wharf.

Berowra Waters Inn

Sadly, it was time to go, but all good things must come to an end, no? We left feeling utterly content and satisfied with our lunch and gently sighed as the ferry pulled away from the restaurant.

The food was fantastic and we loved its bright, bold flavours, while the service was perfect. Our main waitress was the most sweetest waitress we’ve had the pleasure of having and I was meaning to tell her how much we appreciated the attention (and with a smile too!), but I was too shy and missed my chance.

We would be hard-pressed to pick our favourite dishes, as they all were so very strong in their own way, and I realise now why we got such vague answers from our friends; it is indeed too hard to say what’s good, as they all are.

Sigh. Pretty sunset

While the location of Berowra Waters Inn might be out of the way for some, the experience, the fabulous food and the view is definitely worth it. Especially for sights like this to farewell you on your way home.

Berowra Waters Inn
Via East or West Public Wharves
Berowra Waters, NSW, 2082
Ph: (02) 9456 1027
Web: http://www.berowrawatersinn.com/

© squishies for eatshowandtell, 2010. | Permalink | 24 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: beef, Dessert, Seafood, vegetarian

The Final Sojourn, Sojourn, Balmain

Minh — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:00:38 +0000

It’s always with a heavy heart when I read about the closing of a restaurant that I’ve been to, regardless of the meal I had at the restaurant there’s a moment where I think about the owners and all the people who work there and hope that they’re closing on their own terms. When we read about Sojourn closing its doors we knew we had to go back for the very aptly titled ‘The Final Sojourn’.

Our first visit to Sojourn was in December 2008, and it was in celebration of the seemly longevity of the blog, at that time it was six friends writing together for nearly a year (since that time Helena has drifted off into the distance and Teresa has abandoned us for the shiny shores of NYC though she has promised us a Mac & Cheese post). Ironically enough we visited Sojourn in 2008 as they were ending their degustation services and switching to ala carte, for their final weeks of service they were serving their $95 degustation once again as a final farewell.

Amuse Buche - Pea Soup with Roasted Pancetta and Chantilly Cream

Anyone who knows me knows that I adore soup and I’m rather charmed by the miniature tea cup the amuse is served in. I’m a little hesitant by the fact that it’s a pea soup, I’m not overly fond of the little green pieces of hell but I’m blown away by the flavour in this tiny cup. My only complaint would be that there wasn’t enough!

Alternate Amuse Buche - Tomatoes with Buffalo Mozarella and Parmsan

Linda has been continuing her non-red meat diet and a number of replacements have been organised for her throughout the degustation, I thought it was a shame that she wasn’t served the pea soup as it would have easily met her requirements without the Pancetta. I sneak a bite of the salad and while I enjoy the tartness of the dressing, still think it pales in comparison to the soup.

Ceviche of Western Australian snapper & scallop with Iberico Jamon, fried capers, crisp shallot & roquette

I’m partial to scallops, especially pan fried so am always a little disappointed when they’re prepared differently. The ceviche is a refreshing dish with the salt from the Jamon blending well with the clean seafood ending with the tart bitterness of the roquette. The silence at the table is a little telling as our respective ceviche are devoured and demolished in seconds.

Angolliti of Yamba prawns with fresh crab salad, fennel puree & shallot dressing

Sometimes I’m utterly surprised by a dish and am blown away by the most unexpected portion of the dish, while the angolliti and fennel puree are enjoyable it’s the tarty crab salad that has me coming back for more. The tartness is almost too much but is the perfect combination with the creamy fennel.

Carpaccio of cured Black Angus beef with cauliflower cream, brioche solder

I can’t help but smile when the Carpaccio comes out, it’s virtually identical to the one we ate almost a year and a half ago and lives up to my memory. The plating with the square cut of beef on the long rectangular plate is a striking contrast and the warm still runny quail egg and brioche solders make me feel as though I’m having a rather decadent breakfast. Sadly Linda still cannot abide raw meat and is infinitely grateful when her alternate dish arrives.

Risotto with Peas & spring onion with brioche

RISOTTO. I feel like this dish is following me wherever I go! I keep feeling as though I’ve missed the boat on this style of cooking but in the interest of trying everything I sneak a bite from the dish. Sweet peas are once again featuring and again take me by surprise in how much I enjoy them, sadly the risotto simply remains a risotto for me and I happy go back to my quail egg.

Twice baked olive & chive souffle with soft goats curd & tomato sorbet

Another blast from the past has arrived and it’s one I’ve been eagerly anticipating the entire night, souffle! The plating for the souffle has changed but the cotton soft souffle is a dream to the mouth with a eggy pillow-like texture paired with the salty goat’s curd and frozen at the end with a sweet sorbet… It’s the hot/cold contrast which I love in this dish and I’ve yet to taste a better example.

En crepinette of confit duck leg with parsnip chips, roasted onion tarts & sherry vinarigrette

I’m on a little bit of a high after the souffle but I’m starting to crash a little as the duck comes out, the saucing and various components on the plate are executed well but the somewhat dry texture of the duck ruins a little of my pleasure, we’ve got a bit of disagreement at the table as Howard on the other hand enjoys his duck. In hindsight I should have tasted his meat portion to see if the texture on his side was any different.

Gnocchi with caramelised onion

Gnocchi used to be one of those dishes I never really got the point of, it’s kind of spongy and strange looking and I couldn’t for the life of me see the fun in eating it. Strangely enough it was Nigella Lawson who changed my mind on Gnocchi when I made up a batch with a cider, seeded mustard and cream sauce – bliss! The gnocci on the dish are deliciously soft and I can’t seem to stop myself of stealing more and more.

Barramundi with skordalia, crisp chicken wings, pancetta, oyster mushrooms & jus gras

The fried chicken was the first thing to grab my eye on the plate and I have no shame in admitting that it was the first thing I ate, nothing tastes better than fried! The fish was perfectly cooked with a lovely sauce to match but the frypan must have been a little hot that night as the skin was so crisp i felt like I was eating a chip, an awesomely fishy crisp but a chip none the less.

Roasted milk fed veal with parsley puree, bone marrow fritters, confit new garlic & sweetbreads

As the night went on we started to notice service becoming slower and slower, the restaurant spans two levels and although I wasn’t able to see the patronage downstairs, upstairs the tables were full of large groups all of whom had ordered the degustation. Feeling under the weather on the day and missing my +1 (Oh Teresa I miss you T_T) I decided to forgo the matching wines and could only watch the other tables enjoying their wine.

On the verge of asking a waiter for a status update, the veal dishes came out all at once. Another blast from the past there was no way I’d ever forget that bright green sauce, sadly the dish did not live up to memory as the meat although tender was strangely flavourless as too was the sauce.

Roasted jew fish with slow cooked garlic, salsa verde and zucchini frittes

Linda’s last alternate dish was another fish dish, which I thought was a strange choice considering the dish preceding it had also been fish cooked in an almost identical style. The Zucchini frittes are an interesting look on the dish and as with the previous fish dish was a good matching with its side components but not earthshattering.

Date & almond Baklava with roasted pear, rose petal jelly & almond ice cream

Baklava is always a winner in my books and after our savory dishes we’re more than ready for the sweets. The sweet flaky layers are a welcome flavor change and the texture of the almond ice-cream has me smiling again. The pinkness of the jelly makes me happy and I feel like a little kid tucking into the jelly suares.

Vacherin of strawberry & mascarpone with strawberry & mind salad

It’s almost with a sigh of relief that we tackle our last dessert. The Vacherin is unmistakable and is my clearest memory of our first sojourn visit, primarily as I don’t really enjoy meringue! Undeterred I pass my meringue portion over to the girls and tuck into the ice-cream. I always use Vanilla as my baseline for my judgement of an ice-cream and Sojourn’s vanilla is definitely a winner, paired with a sweet tart strawberry it’s an ideal way to end the meal.

Dinner over the night has been a mixture of ups and downs with food wavering between acceptable and amazing, service is attentive and polite if a little slow on the night but the customers in the restaurant are clearly enjoying themselves with laughter all around. It’s interesting to see that our dinner the first time around was also 4 hours long, I wonder what it says about us that we were ready to fall asleep by 11pm!

Thanks for the food and the memories Sojourn!

Restaurant Soujourn (Closed)
79 Darling St
Balmain East NSW 2041

Taste of Sydney Festival, Centennial Park

squishies — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:00:33 +0000

I think it was around December that I heard a little fleeting teaser that Taste of Sydney will be on.. soon. Last year’s Taste was so much fun, so I was pretty excited. How excited? As soon as I found out the menu was online, F and I had worked out what to order in a matter of mere minutes and mushed our choices together for an epic mini-gastronomic adventure. And this was about two weeks before our Saturday session haha.

Coming from the west, we took Parramatta Road and then Anzac Parade. Let me tell you, that’s not the best way to get to Centennial Park on a Saturday afternoon. We most probably got stuck in traffic for about 45 minutes, where poor Howie was waiting for us, at Taste, all that time.

Dish 1

Restaurant Balzac - Crispy Wagyu Beef with Wild Mushroom and Truffle Foam (10 Crowns)

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Post tags: beef, Dessert, pork, Seafood

Restaurant Balzac, Randwick

squishies — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:00:20 +0000

“Can you close your eyes?” F implored as he started to drive off to the mystery restaurant he booked for our anniversary. Last time I closed my eyes while on our way to a mystery restaurant, I got car sick. I sighed and told him I was going to go to sleep then if that’s how things were going to be.

In continuing the surprise, I kept my eyes on the pavement and didn’t look up even as we entered the restaurant. F told me later that he was silently urging me to look up when we were greeted, as the maitre d’ anxiously flicked his eyes between us, his face betraying the thought that we were fighting and I was in trouble. Hah. Telepathy fail.

When we were seated, F asked if I knew where I was and triumphantly I said, “Of course! We’re at Balzac!” I was rather pleased and smug with my powers of deduction, only to be slightly deflated when he scoffed, “It took you long enough to work it out.” Bah.

Wagyu Bresaola

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Bilson’s Restaurant, Sydney

squishies — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 22:11:34 +0000

As you may recall in my previous post, F was super bored and picked out 3 restaurants to visit so as to make full use of my Entertainment Card. This was the second restaurant on his list.

We were given what seemed to be A3-sized menus (they were huge!) and spent some time trying to decide which set to order. There was the Fine Gueule 3-course set for $120 where you get to select each course from quite a few dishes, or there was the Fin Bec 7-course degustation set for $135… or the Fine Bouche 10-course degustation set for $165. We thought the Fin Bec degustation would be enough to showcase what Bilson’s have to offer (and would be more financially sensible), but we couldn’t resist the extra dishes in the Fine Bouche degustation. Well, to be honest, I think the fact scallops featured in the set kind of cinched it for us. We’re so terrible.

Amuse Bouche - Blue Swimmer Crab, Grape, Verjus Jelly, Almond Cream

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© squishies for eatshowandtell, 2010. | Permalink | 24 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: beef, Dessert, poultry, Seafood

Burlington Bar and Dining, Crows Nest

teresa — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 13:00:35 +0000

My second visit…

From the outside of the restaurant, the Burlington looks like a small, modern and rather unassuming location. I decide to make a return visit to Burlington to show my international visitor the simple, yet flavoursome cuisine served here.

Upon entering, you would assume the restaurant to be only one room seating around 50 or so people, but to my visitor’s surprise, he was surprised at how large the restaurant was.Don’t be fooled. A trip to the washroom will talk you on a 30 second journey past three separate dining rooms and a full bar!

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Blancharu, Elizabeth Bay

teresa — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:10:50 +0000

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!”(...)
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2009 SIFF Hats Off Dinner – Restaurant Balzac

teresa — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:00:19 +0000

Are you ready for your “Hats” to be blown “off”?

For the past few years, as October approaches, details for the food festival are advertised. I read through each event intensely and even jot down the ones I’d love to go to. Then it occurs to me that they are on the weekdays, and being interstate during the week, I’m never able to attend. However, this year was different; I was back in Sydney for October! Rejoice!
This year, Restaurant Balzac was once again awarded TWO hats for the 2010 Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide Awards. I went to Restaurant Balzac for my birthday three years ago and wanted to reminisce back to that night where I had some of the tastiest bread ever: warm, crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. Tonight, I was back for the ever-so-long awaited Hats off dinner for the Sydney International Food Festival.

Beach-themed table setting

Getting ready to dine!

The theme for tonight’s HATS OFF dinner was called “From the bottom of The Deep Blue Sea”

Theme for tonight's dinner

Me, (being THE Pescatarian of the EST team, or the “Pest” as they like to call me), this 10-course hats off dinner was perfect as the degustation involved (basically) all seafood dishes. What was more exciting was the theme and inspiration behind each dish. Each course was inspired from some country on each continent. Have a go and guess the country/cuisine from where each dish is inspired from…!

So here goes with the “beachy-themed” dinner…

Pacific Oyster with Vietnamese Dressing

Occasionally, I have that *small* craving for oysters (or perhaps its the attraction to this “aphrodisiac”…) and this starter was such a teaser! The fresh and sweetness of the oyster complimented very well together with the sweet/savoury dressing. It was a nice, light starter to entice our palate for the other 9 dishes to come.

Soon after, the waitress arrived with a plate of complimentary bread. MMM! This is what I returned for!

The bread was just how I remembered from three years before: warm. crunchy. warm on the inside. The butter spread so well on the bread. nomnomnom!

Salt Cod Manresa-style

The second meal of the night. The bland flavours of the beans mixed with the rather salty “Salt Cod” attempted to balance the salty flavour, but I felt it was still a little too salty still. However, when washed down with a sip of wine (supposedly for the next course), it was a lot easier and more pleasure to consume.

Boston Bay Clam Chowder

(matched with nv Jed Wines Sparkling Blanc de Blanc – Argentina)
The first time I had chowder was in San Francisco (home of the chowder) many years ago. Cream-enriched, flavoursome, and warming, tonight’s chowder was just like the first time. The bits of clam was rather fun to find and eat! It had a nice strong seafood flavour, mixed together with a hint of ham.
The matching wine came from Argentina. I was informed that West Australian wine merchants, Jed Wines travelled to Argentina just to produce this wine. This was a favourite for everyone that night; sweet, light and complimented well with the freshness of the snapper.

Ceviche of Line Caught Pink Snapper

(matched with 2008 Tomich Hill Riesling – Adelaide Hills, S.A.)
Ceviche is a peruvian-style dish: citrus-marinade raw seafood. Tonight’s fish was the Pink Snapper. The snapper, being a light-flavoured fish, was enhanced by the tomato-ey citrus dressing. Very fresh & sweet!
The lightly flavoured Riesling matched well with the citrus-y dish.

Linguini of Spanner Crab and Asparagus

(with matching wine 2007 Torbreck ‘Woodcutters’ Semillon – Barossa Valley, S.A.)
“This tastes just like noodles! My favourite”, exclaimed my dad. *shakes head*. The handmade linguini did have a noodley texture but it was still pasta. The lemon-flavoured sauce for this dish was sweet and made the dish simple, yet interesting. This was my dad’s favourite that night.

Poppadums with mint yoghurt

Curry of Prawns and Basil with Poppadums

(with matching 2007 Domaine Coteau de la Biche – Vouvray, France)
The yellow curry itself was light and sweet… although, I felt that if the prawns were cooked in the curry itself so it could soak up the curry, the prawn would have tasted fantastic. There was only 1 small poppadum each to dip with the mint yoghurt. If only we were given more to dip with the curry, or even consumed together with some sort of legume. This dish was just missing this factor, otherwise this may have been my favourite.

'Surf n turf', Lobster and Wagyu

(with matching wine 2007 Pommier ‘Bourgogne’ Pinot Noir – Burgundy, France)
A classic Australia dish. Obviously, the “surf” was the lobster and the “turf” was the wagyu. This was the only meat dish of the night and I was highly disappointed when informed that the sauce had bits of truffle. As you all may know, I’m a HUGE fan of truffle; the smokey/burnt flavour is my favourite due to its uniqueness and it fascinating taste. My brother and dad inform me the wagyu was not very fatty which perhaps made the beef a little tough to slice, however, it was perfectly cooked.

The brother slowly and carefully enjoying his wagyu...

By this time, I was pretty full, but there was still dessert to come…

Coconut Caviar with Mango

I have and will always love sago. The mango sago drink readily available in Hong Kong @ Hui Lau Shan makes me love sago even more. The use of the sago in this dish was very similar to “caviar”. My brother was merely disappointed when he realised it was not REAL caviar. At first, I thought it may have been caviar and I wondered how they could work caviar in together with mango (a sweet taste). This was a nice refreshing re-dessert to ready the palate for dessert.

Sand, Cones and Umbrellas

(with matching wine 2008 Josef Botrytis Rieling – Tamar Valley, TAS)
I thought this was the most creative dish for the night. The “sand” was crushed shortbread and sugar, the “person” under the umbrella was a handmade waffle with a raspberry swirl ice cream. This dish was so fun to eat! Dipping the cone in the sand… The waffle was crunchy and not too sweet to be eaten together with the icecream, and the sand was not too sweet to be dipped in. MY favourite of the night!
The matching wine was very good as well. It was not too sweet, and very easy to drink. This was my favourite wine of the night too as it went so well with the dessert together.

Tea with salted caramel chocolate seashells

The night ended with a pot of green tea, enjoyed together with salted-caramel chocolate seashells. The sweetness of the caramel was downplayed by the salt. I didn’t think too much of salted caramel, but the seashell had a unique taste. I found this very interesting to eat.

The service was adequently attentive and there was a nice (not-too-long-not-too-quick) break between each meal. This allowed for better digestion of each dish and I quite liked this. I didn’t leave the restaurant feeling like passing out from food coma, so the quantity was perfect for everyone that night. With a price tag of $160pp (or $185pp with the matching wines), I would have expected better quality ingredients, but the creativeness to the theme of the menu made up for this. I enjoy the french/english-style of the food at Restaurant Balzac, but next time, I’ll go for the a la carte.

Restaurant Balzac
141 Belmore Road,
Randwick NSW, 2031
Tel: (02) 9399 9660
Fax: (02) 9399 6929
Web: http://www.restaurantbalzac.com.au/

Open…
Tues to Sat – from 6pm
Friday Lunch only – 12pm to 3pm
Last Sunday of every Month – from 6.30pm (Seasonal Degustation only)

SIFF Hats Off Dinner 2009: Becasse, Sydney

squishies — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:00:37 +0000

Even though SIFF 2009 is officially over, I thought I’d post this Becasse dinner anyway because it was a fantastic experience.

I thought I’d surprise F with an early birthday dinner and what better way than to do it with a SIFF Hats Off Dinner – a Hats Off Dinner at Becasse to be precise! I was intrigued and drawn by their theme: an acknowledgement to the Heroes and Masters of French cuisine and I thought he might find it as interesting as I did (and enjoy it).

Even after dragging our feet and spending some time at (and eating) Bon Bon Fine Chocolates, we ended up being 10 minutes too early and were asked by the staff to come back when they open at 6. Loitering outside for a bit, we decided to go back to Bon Bon Fine Chocolates, where F dropped a cool $45 on an assortment of chocolates. Surely by now our 10-minute exile from Becasse was up and made our way back to the restaurant.

We were ushered upstairs, where our waitress began to indicate politely our table, only to stop herself with a start and moved to the table behind, brightly amending her mistake with “Sorry! This is your table”. I brightened up too as the table was well-lit – awesome (so now we all know that if the photos don’t look good, it’s because of the camera’s end user haha).

Pumpkin Brioche, Garlic and Herb, and Sourdough Baguette with Smoked Butter and Pink Salts and Olive Oil Butter and Herbs

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Bistro Ortolan, Leichhardt

Howard — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 23:04:31 +0000

2 hats ? just give them 3

Have you ever liked something so much that you find yourself seeing it again, buying it again or eating it again ? I remember when The Matrix came out, I watched it at the cinemas three times and then purchased the DVD. I’ve recently found the perfect pair of jeans by A.P.C, I end up buying two pairs so I can rotate them. In terms of food, well, this is my second visit to Bistro Ortolan in two weeks.

It hasn’t been easy coughing up $110 in consecutive weeks for dinner, but I just had to bring Teresa, Linda and Minh along to confirm that the food was in fact amazing and it wasn’t me going crazy or just blatantly hyping the food up for no reason. Did they agree with me ? Indeed they did.

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Soup Series: Mushroom Broth with a Fresh Herb Cream Crust

Minh — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:26:08 +0000

After a long absence we finally see the return of the Soup Series! Some of you may remember seeing this recipe used at our Dinner for 6, Cook Show & Tell a few months back. I’d originally planned on saving this recipe for our French dinner but got so excited and ended up using it at the first dinner party we planned. I recently stumbled across the recipe again and remembering how much I enjoyed making and eating this soup I felt the need to share.

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Cookshow&tell, J’s French Laundry

linda — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 14:44:50 +0000

French laundry on a budget

To celebrate a good friend J’s birthday, Howard and I along with a group of friends got together to attempt a French Laundry themed dinner. The reason why we chose French Laundy is that J will be going to America next month, however due to time constraints she’s unable to visit Thomas Keller’s famed restaurant. Unfortunately we’re no where near Thomas Keller and his group of chefs caliber, however, we did have alot of fun trying to re-create some of his popular dishes.

I’ve had the French Laundry cook book for a while, but I found myself staring at the book more than cooking from it. A lot of the recipes are quite difficult and require preperation a day or two ahead, or relying on one or more other recipes in the book. But in saying that, a lot of recipes are quite easy and you can tell from the flavours that Thomas Keller is truly an outstanding Chef. We selected a handful of recipes from the book for this dinner and they turned out pretty well.

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Cookshow&tell, French

Howard — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:00:38 +0000

Couldn’t find any snails

Amuse Bouche: Salmon Tartare with sweet red onion cornet

This was supposed to be a monthly cooking event for the est blog crew. As with most things which are planned, things get in the way and it was hard to get all the EST crew together on the same day for a cook up. Instead, my girlfriend and I decided to cook up a french meal for her family. Most the cooking was her, I was enjoying the life of being crippled by laying in front of the couch but chiming in when required.

The French cuisine is amongst the most highly regarded in the world. Deciding on a couple of dishes from millions was the most difficult task. In saying that, one thing we did want to do is aim for a couple of classics and possibly choose dishes that would challenge our cooking abilities (or lack of in my case).

After coming up with at least 5 things we wanted to try, it was obvious that this was going to be alot more difficult than we had expected.

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Yuletide Pork dinner at Restaurant Atelier, Glebe

Howard — Sat, 30 May 2009 14:00:22 +0000

Let’s do the hokey porkey

While there have been tragic casualties of the swine flu around the world, my favourite animal the piggy should be given a break. Please take a moment with me while we do the hokey porkey in celebration of this fantastic piece of meat.

Image via reddit

Jokes aside, back to the post.

I’ll be honest and admit that I had not heard of what Yuletide was until this evening. I’m not sure where I failed in primary school and missed this piece of knowledge. Anyway, thanks to the wonderful Mel from Fooderati and Stewart from Whiteworks, a handful of bloggers had the opportunity to meet a few people in the Food industry as well as try the delights served by Darren Templeman at Restaurant Atelier, Glebe. Darren definately know’s a thing or two about pork and if his ratings on eatability are any indication he is pretty handy at everything else as well.

Matching wines of the night were courtesy of Pigs Peake Winery from Pokolbin, Hunter Valley. We had a good chat with them and it turns out that Pigs Peake don’t even distribute to bottle shops, they are busy enough with people turning up to their wineyards in the Hunter Vallley and supplying to big time restaurants such as Rockpool. They are also consistently exporting overseas, it looks like they are making enough coin even without mass advertising and selling out to bottleshops. Top effort guys, I’ll be sure to make a visit the next time I’m in the Hunter Valley.

Moisture infused pork

Photo by Australian Pork

With the winter months coming up, we all love a good roast pork or even a roast of anything for that matter. The theme of the night was indeed pork, moisture infused pork . It’s not like anything I have tasted as it is infused with water and salt as part of an infusion process. The result is a soft and tender pork while retaining it’s pork’ish flavour and not being dried out too easily which can happen with normal pork. It is still cooked as per normal pork but with these added benefits.

Look for the mosture infused pork label at your local butcher or contact Australian Pork for a list of distributers. I managed to get myself a rack of moisture infused pork, I can’t wait to make something with it and I’ll be sure to post it onto the blog whether it works out or not.

The Food

Entree

From left : Honey glazed pork hock with roasted apples, Grilled pickled loin of pork with celeriac remoulade, Pulled Pork Neck salad with Crystal Bay Prawns

First up is this goregeously plated entree of pork served in three ways. From the top left was the honey glazed pork. A generous chunk of pork was caramalised and cut through perfectly with the knife. With a piece of pork this thick, you would normally expect it to be quite tough. In the middle is the grilled pickle loin of pork paired with celeriac remoulade and as you can see, was absolutely tender. On the right is pulled pork neck in the form of a salad. The pork neck is tender and full of flavour and usually has some decent fat content which makes it tastier than the normal pork chop. It is served a crystal bay prawn which is grilled and topped with coriander.

Main

Boned Shoulder of pork roasted with a Winter Herb Cure on Creamed Parsnip and Buttered Kale with Pot Roasted Murray Valley Moisture infused pork rack with broad beans, pomme cocotte & pine forest mushrooms

Throughout the evening, a few bloggers were anticipating that we would atleast have some pork belly in our meal. I know beggars can’t be choosers, but pork belly is one of my favourite cuts of eat regardless of how bad it is for me. I didn’t get my pork belly, but the shoulder of pork was just as good. Once again, the pork was soft and moist and went well (anyone else sick of this line ?) with the creamed parsnip and buttered kale. On the right was a larger than expected piece of moisture infused pork which is cooked with a little bit of pink in the middle. It is simply served with a side of simple vegetables but the real show stopper was the small mashed potato balls (pommo cocotte). They just balanced so well with everything else on the plate.

Dessert

Poached winter fruits with Christmas pudding ice cream

This dessert not only looked like Christmas, but it smelt like it. The fruits were poached and paired up well with the spices in the Christmas pudding ice cream. It wasn’t a show stopper dessert by any means, but it a light and perfect way to finish off our pork inspired Yuletide meal as it wasn’t too heavy nor too sweet.

More pork to come

As we leave we are given a showbag which took me as a surprise. What surprised me more was a 1.2kg rack of moisture infused pork. The challenge was given out to blogger attendees to come up with a dish of their own with this pork. I’m yet to decide what to do with it but I can’t wait to get started as well as check out what everyone has planned.

After trying moisture infused pork for the first time, I’m definately a fan. I’m not sure how much it costs per kg, but if it’s decently priced then I might by it more often as it definately tastes alot better than normal pork chops. In saying that, nothing still beats a good crispy skin pork belly which is roasted with plenty of heat clogging crackle.

Restaurant Atelier

22 Glebe Point Road
Glebe NSW 2037
Ph: (02) 9566 2112
Web : http://restaurantatelier.com.au

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Flying Fish, Pyrmont

linda — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:00:46 +0000

Not quite the ‘catch of the day’

For most people, Friday nights are reserved for meeting up with friends and drinking away the stresses of work. For me, last Friday, with the glorious weather radiating late into the night, I was confined to sorting out hundreds of food photos on my hard drive. Laboriously sifting through each of the photos and categorising it, I came across a dozen or so of pictures which as a result of frantic December, I accidentally abandoned. Looking at these pictures, I remember the night as if it had happened yesterday.

Throughout November, I researched a couple of restaurants I would surprise Howard for his 25th Birthday. Ambitiously, I had booked for 5 restaurants, with each falling on a Saturday night, which meant 5 consecutive weeks of fine dining with the last being what I thought was the best. As the weeks etched closer to the beginning of our gastronomical journey, I experienced cold feet, how in the hell will we survive 5 weeks of 3 hours dining experiences. To negate the anxiety, I cancelled two reservations, leaving us with three in which I thought he would enjoy most. Assiette, Flying Fish, and finishing off with Azuma.

On the day that Flying fish was booked for, I made up a story about meeting up with friends who have organised an early christmas dinner. Arriving at Pyrmont, walking down the pier, we were met by a lovely waiter who asked for our details. We were guided upstairs to our table of two seating. Looking suspiciously at me, a smile once again made its way on Howard’s face. Once again, I’ve succeeded in suprising him. He’s either really gullible, or I’m an excellent liar, either way, I achieved the intended effect. With the resolution of some initial complications, we were finally served our booked degustation menu.

Waiting a while for the arrival of our amuse bouche, we were both kept entertained by the skills of the sushi chef. We monitored him for a few minutes. It seems he has a routine he religiously sticks to when preparing his sushi and sashimi. Each time he is finished with something, he would put all his ingredients and tools back into their original positions. All lids would be put back on its containers and put into the fridge, or onto a rack.

Canape: Freshly shucked rock oyster with salmon roe

Reading reviews about Flying Fish, one word is mentioned prominantly, “Fresh”. The freshness of the oyster in this instance did not dissapoint. The succulent flesh bathed in its salty brine accompanied by the flavourful pearls of salmon roe definitely set the standard for the night.

Amuse bouche: Salmon tartare with quail egg and avruga caviar

The salmon used for the amuse bouche was deliciously fresh. Mixed with the quail egg yolk resulted in a creamy coating for each morsel of flesh. Despite its notoriety as a luxurious commodity, I find that avruga caviar sides its glistening black colour is nothing to shout about. Looking back at this, I can’t help but notice that this amuse bouche appears to be very similar in ingredients to Tetsuya’s famed smoked ocean trout and avruga caviar.

First up on the trio of seafood tapas was the salmon tatiki. Extremely fresh pieces of salmon marinade in a creamy sauce. Refreshingly clean, however, very similar to the amuse bouche.

Second item on the platter was the scampi tail. With minimal preparation and additive flavouring, the sweetness of the scampi was prominent. With one mouthful, the scampi disappeared, leaving nothing but a distant memory.

With everything being so good so far, there was a lot of pressure placed on the last of our tapas. Unfortunately, the last item did not live up to expectation. The fact that I can’t even remember what it was says a lot about its imprint on my experience. From memory, I just remember it being cold and tasteless.

Seared yellow fun tuna, pink ruby grapefruit and sweet pork crackling

This dish was first sighted on Jenius’s blog. The combination of the perfectly seared tuna in conjunction with the slightly salty pork crackling was brilliant. Hidden beneath the layers of tuna were sweet juicy grapefruit which did well to balance the pork crackling. For me, the most outstanding aspect of this dish was the tuna. Not only did it emulate a beautiful piece of steak in the looks department, but surprisingly the melt in your mouth taste of wagyu as well.

Caramelised white scallops, lobster and beef cheek terrine, confit celeriac and truffle sauce

As previously mentioned time and time again, I love all things seafood. With the mere mention of scallops, my ears perked, my eyes glistened and my mouth started salivating. Presented to us on a large white canvas was two perfectly cooked scallops. I like my scallops cooked simple with minimal flavouring, therefore allowing me to savour the natural sweetness of the scallop. It pains me to say that I was quite disappointed in the caramelisation of the two gems, with the artificial sweetening agent overpowering the scallops. The accompanying beef cheek terrine although packed with beefy goodness was quite dry, rendering it difficult to swallow. Lobster, what lobster?

Souchong crusted flathead with prawn consommé,

This is my first experience with souchong, therefore I was quite excited to see it being incorporated in this beautifully presented dish. With each piece of the flathead, the aromatically smoky flavour of the tea was quite dominant. It’s crunchy texture complimenting the softness of the fish well. Bathed in the concentrated broth, you would think this was the dish that a seafood lover’s dream were made of. Once again, the dish as a whole failed to impress. Side the souchong tea and the prawn consomme, everything else was too dry and overcooked. It appears that the broth had sucked all the flavours out of the tiny clam, piece of lobster and pieces of flathead, leaving behind lifeless aftermaths.

Pan roasted Kingfish with white anchovy, Lyonnaise tart and thyme vinaigrette

Based on the description on the degustation menu, I expected the next dish to somehow contain a tart. When presented to our table, the tart was nowhere in sight, only to be replaced by some caramelised onions and a sesame infused some what tasteless cylindrical wafer filled sparsely with fresh herbs. Disappointed by the Lyonnaise tart, I focused all my attention onto the generous portion of pan roasted kingfish. Upon the first bite, I was happy with this inclusion. Perfectly cooked, crispy skin yet soft moist flesh, paired with the slightly salty anchovy, the saving grace of the dish.

Flying fish hand cut chips

Mid way through our pan roasted kingfish a big plate of the famous hand cut potato chips was placed on our table. According to most reviews, the hand cut chips were a must for every Flying Fish dining experience. I’m happy to announce that I agree with that sentiment. Each thick piece of potato consisted of a crispy salty exterior encasing a delicate fluffy interior, cooked in a way that devoided any oily residual. I wouldn’t mind substituting my regular packets of original thins with these, however at $9.50 a plate, I might just push that thought aside.

Apple and vanilla cream with white tea granita

To prepare us for the onslaught of the dessert platter, our palette cleanser was presented to us. The multi tonal texture of smooth vanilla bean laden cream neutralised by the cooling and refreshing white tea granita was sublime. Not only did it erase my palette of previous invasions, but set the mood for what is expected to be one of the best dessert platters I have had.

Manchego with date, grape and poppyseed crostini and baby herb salad

Usually I’m not a real big fan of goats milk cheese, however in this instance I did not mind this full bodied version at all. Rich, strong and bold, just how I like my cheese. Like the Coulommier cheese served at Restaurant Sojourn, the Manchego is also AOC certified, maintaining its quality. To contrast the piquancy of the cheese, the Manchego was cleverly paired with the sweet chewy date. To some people, the intensity of such unique flavours may be too overwhelming, hence the addition of the crostini and salad.

No different to the services from Azuma and Assiette, the chefs at Flying Fish were more than happy to help celebrate Howard’s Birthday. Not only were we impressed by the wide array of desserts on offer, but the beautiful penmanship of the chef.

Caramelised banana tart with coffee crumble and brown sugar ice cream

Pink grapefruit parfait with rose petal shortbread and grapefruit; and confit pineapple with milk panna cotta and

Valrhona Manjari chocolate mousse with passionfruit jelly and coconut sorbet

Raspberry souffle with clotted cream ice cream

Prior to my visitation to Flying Fish, I was warned to save my stomach for their dessert. With a total of 7 different things to sample, I’m sure this platter would cater for anyone’s taste. Soft airy souffle served in a cute copper pan for those who do not like eating things that are overly sweet. Rich, vanilla flavoured ice cream made from clotted cream, for those who just appreciates the simple things in life. Valhrona manjari chocolate mousse for the little chocoholics in most of us. Slightly sour passionfruit jelly combined with the creamy coconut sorbet for the day dreamers who are itching for a tropical island getaway. Pink grapefruit parfait with a unique rose petal shortbread for the ‘girly’ girls. Confit pineapple with milk panacotta for those that just have to have everything. Caramelised banana tart with coffee crumble for those always looking for a caffeine hit. Finally, brown sugar ice cream, for those that just wants to be different.

I don’t know about you, but I think each and every one of those people exist in me. Suffice to say, this dessert platter satisfied every core of my being. Despite the fact that I was filled to the brim, I soldiered on to victoriously abolish the platter like any good solider would.

Just when I was ready to roll out of my chair and be wheeled of to the car, the waiter walked to a table with what looks to be another plate of dessert. Fearing the worst, both Howard and I eyed the waiter to take the plate back to where it came from. Possibly missing our gaze, the plate was soon on our table.

Petit Fours

Despite the beautiful presentation, we could not bare to look at another dessert, thus unfortunately I did not touch any of the petit fours. Looking back at the pictures now, I’m kicking myself for not sampling those morsels. Mind you, Howard did manage to finish both servings himself.

Flying Fish at Pyrmont is synonymous with fresh seafood. Time and time again, I’ve read reviews and articles which harps on about how great the seafood selection is. Reflecting back on our experience, I can vouch for the freshness and quality of the seafood served, however on that night I left the premises feeling slightly disappointed. Being a seafood lover, I guess I may have had too great an expectations on Flying Fish. When compared to the ingenuity of the dishes served at both Restaurant Sojourn and Assiette, I found that Flying Fish paled somewhat in comparison. Don’t get me wrong, all the dishes were good, however for the price of $150 per person, I expected more than half of the dishes to be “fall out of your seat” outstanding, which in this case were not.

All the waiters were no doubt very knowledgeable and attentive, although the pretentious nature of the maitre’d who initially suggested that we could not have the degustation as our table had been double booked irked me then and still now. Having confirmed my reservation with them prior to our visit, I found it as a piss poor excuse to try and get us to finish our meal earlier so they could fit in extra customers (I assume).

The views are nice at least. I’ll have to come back again, I might of just had a bad night.

Flying Fish
Pier 21, Jones Bay Wharf
Level Lower Deck, 19 -21 Pirrama Road
Pyrmont NSW 2009
Ph: (02) 9518 6677
Fax (02) 9518 6699
Web : http://www.flyingfish.com.au

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Post tags: Dessert, Pyrmont, Seafood

Restaurant Sojourn, Balmain

linda — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 13:00:41 +0000

I take my hat off to Sojourn

Having launched our blog earlier this year, we were excited and surprised that it is still running by the end of the year. To celebrate the unexpected longevity of our food blog we decided to hold a Christmas dinner for the contributors to eatshow&tell and their partners at Restaurant Sojourn. What started out as an online food diary with no intention of sharing with the masses for Howard and myself, detailing the meals we experienced internationally and domestically, has now flourished to a fully fledged readable food blog thanks to the addition of Teresa, Squishies, Minh and Helena. Without each of these people, the blog would not be where it is today. Howard and I would like to thank each of you for being a part of the EST team, but more importantly for having a huge appetite =D

Sojourn is a relatively new restaurant, established in February 2006 and managed by Paul and Kim Camilleri. Despite their recent appearance on the gastronomical scene, Paul and Kim have successfully attained a chef’s hat in 2007 and maintained it through to 2008, which is by no means an easy feat. Excited by the prospect of a modern European meal with a touch of French whipped up by passionate chefs, we put the disappointing service of a particular rude waiter behind us and were more than ready for our $95 per person degustation. Mind you, the subsequent waiter who served us throughout the night was fantastic.

Freshly Shucked Oyster with cucumber and Champagne Jelly

Once everyone was settled, a waiter brought us our first course, oyster and champagne jelly. The oyster was undoubtedly fresh, bathed in its own sweet natural brine. As I’m not a big fan of champagne, I found its addition to the oyster distracted me from enjoying the course. Although I’m sure champagne lovers will no doubt love this combination.

Swordfish Loin with Sauteed Cuttlefish, Serrano Ham and Warm Tomato Consomme

Shortly after the remains of the previous course were cleared from the table, the next course arrived. Using the soup spoon provided to us, I attempted to taste the tomato consomme on its own. However the limitation in the quantity of the consomme combined with the large sized spoon made it quite difficult to do so. Looking around the table, I realised that everyone was tilting the plate at an angle, collecting the consomme at the bottom. The consomme had a clean crisp flavour, pure tomato juice with a small hint of chilli. Combined with the fresh thinly sliced swordfish and tender cuttlefish, I couldn’t help but be reminded of a sexed up Thai Tom Yum soup. I was so engrossed in the tango on my palette that I failed to notice the existence of the serrano ham and radish.

Carpaccio of Black Angus Beef with Cauliflower Cream, Brioche Soldiers, Soft Poached Quail Egg and Truffle Vinaigrette

Unlike many of my companions for the night, the sight of the next dish scared the bejeesus out of me. One of very few things that I cannot stomach, raw beef was presented to the table. Despite the beautiful garnishing, I steered clear of the carpaccio. I was told by Squishies that the soft and moist thinly sliced Angus beef was slightly cured, resulting in a pleasing salty taste with texture closely resembling prosciutto. Missing out on the star ingredient meant that I had to lap up on whatever was left on the plate. The deliciously crispy and buttery brioche soldiers dipped into the the too cute for word softly poached quail egg was simple yet outstanding. I guess the saying big things come in small packages holds true in this case.

Alternate Beef Dish: Crab something

For the two trouble makers of the night, you know who you are =p, one who for personal reasons does not eat beef, and the other, a “Vegequarian”, an alternate dish was provided. When their dish arrived, the presence of the foam immediately reminded me of Ferran Adrià’s experimental lab, El Bulli. Aside from visually entertaining, I was told veering from expectations, the foam itself was actually quite bitter. Personally for me that would be a no no. The Ravioli on the other hand was cooked to al dente, closely guarding a small package packed with sweet fresh crab flesh. The ravioli was complimented by the smooth cauliflower cream.

Twice Baked Olive and Chive Souffle with Soft Goats Curd, Tomato Sorbet and Parmesan Wafers

If I could eat cotton balls, I would imagine it’s texture to be like this souffle. Pillowy, spongy, fluffy, this is an anything and everything dish. If the chefs could substitute chives and olive with any ingredients, I’d bet the result would be just as good. This is everything that I would imagine a savoury soufflé to be, not too heavy, not too light, just perfect. Nevermind the refreshing tomato sorbet, the “too sour for my tastebud” soft goat’s curd, or the salty diced olives, just give me the soufflé. Each bite just makes me feel like kicking my chair back and joining this guy.

Pan Fried Barramundi with Celeriac Puree, Crisp Chicken Wings, Pancetta, Sauteed Oyster Mushrooms and Jus Gras

The next dish reminds me of a classy version of surf and turf. Salt, pepper and a fresh piece of fish grilled to perfection served with deboned crispy chicken wings. Unfortunately despite the fact that each individual ingredient was prepared well, I found that as a whole this course was quite bland. There was nothing to jolt my tastebuds. The flavours were quite predictable, just a “shelf filler”.

Slow Roasted Spatchcock with Sweet Corn, Braised Silverbeet, Boudin Noir and Red Wine Jus

Recently I’ve noticed that alot of restaurants have incorporated mini chickens into their menu, notably in the form of quails and spatchcocks. Following this trend, we were next served tender slow roasted spatchcock. Paired with relatively sweet soft braised silverbeet, I found that these two complimented each other in terms of taste and texture. Prior to this, I’ve never had boudin noir before, thus the thought of eating something as archaic as blood sausages was nerve wracking. Upon first bite, with a consistency somewhat similar to mud cake, however drier and grainier, the piece crumbled. I can’t recall whether it’s sweet, sour,soft or bitter, only that it was an interesting experience, though not one that I would like to relive. In contrast to the Boudin Noir, the sweet corn puree was just sublime, velvety, sweet and fragrant. If only there was more to indulge in.

Roasted Milk Fed Veal with Parsley Puree, Bone Marrow Fritters, Confit New Garlic and Veal Sweetbreads

WOW! This dish deserves a standing ovation. I started off with the bone marrow fritters. Crispy golden exterior with a creamy rich centre, the bone marrow fritters are almost too rich to handle if it were any larger. Going back to my dislike of offal, I was once again faced with another challenge. Confit of garlic and veal thymus gland. Doesn’t sound too appetising does it ? However defying expectations and joining the ranks of my favourite foods, the sweetbreads was slightly sweet yet very rich. Immersed in a caramelly gravy, a match made in food heaven. Not to be outdone by the accompaniments, the milk fed veal is just sublime. The piece of steak was lightly pan fried to seal in all the juice, thus with each bite, the morsel just melts in the mouth yet violently ruptures with intense flavour. Paired with the airy herbacious puree, Waiter, Encore please.

Coulommiers with Lentils Golden Beetroot, Walnut and Honey and Thyme Tuile

Looking at the plate presented before us, the first thing that sprung to my mind was a ladder (haha weird I know). It seems like the chef wants to take you on a textural journey, starting from soft and gooey, ending in hard and dry.

Coulommier cheese

When the production of something is so heavily regulated and limited, you know that it is exclusive. Coulommier is an AOC certified cheese originating from France. To be AOC certified, a product must meet a set of strict standards, ensuring the maintenance in quality and limiting diversion from the original. With this in mind, I let each piece linger on my tongue, taking full advantage of the bold flavours of the cheese, nutty and deliciously creamy.

Lentils with Golden Beetroot

Continually climbing up the rung of the textural ladder, we reach the centre, a balance between soft and hard. The mild lentils with golden beetroot had a little more bite to it, not too soft that it will melt, though not too hard that it is brittle.

Thyme Tuile

The top of the ladder stood the mighty tuile. The tuile was light and crispy, fragile to the slightest touch, it could only be consummed by picking it up with your fingers and eating it all in one go. Void of any rich buttery after taste, the tuile was a good contrast to the soft cheese and lentils, although dissapointingly lacked the afore mentioned thyme.

Lemon Sorbet with Rhubarb and Blueberry Compote

Ou palate cleanser for the night was the lemon sorbet with rhubarb and blueberry compote. The icy tangy sorbet did it’s designated job well, a great way to erase the memory of past indentations. So good was the sorbet with the rhubarb and blueberry compote that I thought it was unnecessary to add the biscuit.

Vacherin of Mango and Passionfruit with Coconut, candied Lime, Fresh Raspberries and Vanilla Ice Cream

The Pièce de résistance of the night arrived on a large square plate. Initially looking as if everything had been haphazardly placed on the plate, it soon became clear that this was actually the chef’s strategy. With various shades of the orange spectrum placed on the plate, each accompanied by snow white delights, stunning. From left to right : Firstly, clear young coconut jelly bursting with natural sweetness sided a piece of fresh sweet and sour Kensington mango. Towards the centre of the plate sits the lone radiant raspberry swimming in the sea of passionfruit pulp. On the right is another piece of mango, this time served with two pieces of fragrant creamy young coconut flesh. Towards the far right is the voluptuous vanilla bean ice cream. Aromatic is probably an understatement for this ice cream. With each bite, it feels like you’ve been wacked over the head by a handful of vanilla pods, not only that but once you’re down, the black vanilla pulp is smeared all over your face. A bit extreme, but I would voluntarily go through it again and again.

Patiently waiting in the background is the gigantic vacherin, muscling itself up for the final onslaught. The unforgiving extremely sweet and airy meringue is ready to put your teeth into decay if you dare finish it, while the rich and creamy mango and passionfruit ice cream will just knock you out cold. I’m embarassed to admit that a sugarholic like myself could not handle the beating. I would be in awe of anyone who is able to finish the entire Vacherin on their own, try it, I dare you.

Sitting down with a great group of friends with one common interest, it is not hard to have an enjoyable evening. Add great food into the formula and you’re assured a fantastic night. Four hours of chatter, laughter and dish after dish of artistic and unique flavours, I sense this will be the beginning of an annual tradition. Despite our frosty start to the evening, with the night progressing, the hole in the wall restaurant Sojourn with its hush hush atmosphere has subdued me.

Update

For the two non meat eaters in the crew , these were their alternative dishes.

Alternate Beef Dish: Crab something

Alternate Veal Dish: Snapper

Restaurant Soujourn

79 Darling St
Balmain East NSW 2041
Phone (02) 9555 9764
Web : http://www.restaurantsojourn.com.au

© Linda for eatshowandtell, 2008. | Permalink | 14 comments | Add to del.icio.us
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Assiette , Surry Hills

linda — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:00:28 +0000

Modern Australian French platter for two

With Howard’s birthday looming in mid December, I decided to surprise him, and booked us an early dinner at Assiette (couldn’t get a booking for mid December). Having been to Assiette on a previous occassion and enjoying the experience immensely, I thought it would only be fair if I was able to share the experience with a food nut like myself. Spending the day in the city, Howard had no clue about the dinner. At 6pm, I found a perfect parking spot on Albion street, walking Howard to Assiette, he questioned what we were doing here. Feigning stupidity, I walked him into the restaurant, only to be greeted by a “Happy Birthday Howard” by the waiters. Staring at me in shock, a smile plastered itself across his face.

Vodka and Cranberry juice $10.00

We started off the evening with a refreshing beverage. The alcoholic content was not too concentrated to get you drunk, yet not too diluted, where it won’t have any effect on you.

Sourdough bread with butter & sea salt

Once comfortably seated and enjoying our drinks, a waiter brought us each a mini freshly baked sourdough baguette. Combined with the creamy, room temperatured butter this was definitely a great way to get things started.

Port Stephen's oyster with Vietnamese dressing and baby coriander

Today’s seasonal oyster was from Port Stephen’s. The oyster was served chilled and remarkably fresh. The sauce was perfect as you could easily taste the sweet and sourness of typical vietnamese dressings. The oyster was then topped with pieces of crispy fried onion. The crunchiness of the onion contrasted well with the succulent flesh of the oyster. Was this a sign of great things to come in our degustation ?

Pea velote with salt cod mousse, mojama and almond crunch

Normally peas isn’t something I would expect to be used as the showcase ingredient in an entree. We were warned that the salt cod mousse can be a little too salty eaten on its own, hence the addition of the pea velote serving to balance the saltiness. With each spoonful of the velote, despite the overwhelming flavours of the peas, one cannot help but be amazed by the purity of the supporting act, that is the actual stock itself.

A spoonful of the aerated salt cod, bathed in the naturally sweet pea velote, pure bliss with each mouthful.

To add another dimension to your usually mundane pea soup, chef Warren Turnbull, decided to utilise another ingredient which is rarely used, Mojama, which was imported from Spain. According to Wiki, “Mojama is made using the loins of the tuna by curing them in salt for two days. The salt is then removed, the loins are washed and then laid out to dry in the sun and the breeze (according to the traditional method) for fifteen to twenty days.” I found that despite his efforts to introduce new flavours to patron’s palette, the Mojama tasted too fishy, therefore distracted me from the brilliance of the dish as a whole.

Salmon terrine with beetroot sorbet and pickled cucumber

Salmon terrine and pickled cucumber

When this dish was presented, the first thing that came to my mind was that this was a piece of artwork, too beautiful to eat. However my stomach and curiosity got the better of me. The smoked salmon was delicately prepared, with a thin layer of cream between each slice, making it easier to savour each piece. To balance the creamy salmon terrine, pickled cucumber and beetroot sorbet was provided.

Beetroot sorbet

I’ve always believed that Beetroot is the sworn enemy, I despise the fact that it’s soo difficult to remove the stains that it leaves behind. However when prepared by another person and presented in the form of a sorbet, I can only say one thing, I love beetroot. How can you not love the sweetness, the vibrancy of the colour and its versatility as an ingredient. Compared to the salmon terrine, the sorbet is very refreshing, with its flavour only further enhanced when served on a bed of finely chopped betroot.

Cured breast and confit leg of duck with walnuts and golden beetroot and walnut vinaigrette

First of all, I’d like to apologise for this photo, I know it looks as though it’s just a mash of different things served on a plate, however it was defintely more than that. As the restaurant was filled to capacity, we felt uncomfortable standing up, taking the photo from the top view. To tackle this, we decided to taste each morsel separately, starting off with the cured breast. The cured duck breast was slightly salty yet moist and tender, despite its saltiness nature, the sweetness of the duck was still present, presenting itself as an after taste.

Next on the plate was the confit of duck leg which was one of my favourite of the night. The conift consisted of a piece of well cooked juicy duck steak, and wait for it, accompanied by delicious crispy skin. Through cooking it in this manner, the gamey flavour of duck was minimised, instead replaced by aromatic quail like flesh. The addition of the golden beetroot, besides the colour, in my opinion did not better the dish in anyway. However the walnut vinaigrette was crunchy, sweet, sour, salty, complimenting both the cured breast and confit of leg.

Pork croquettes with celeriac, apple, prosciutto and Pedro Ximenez

At first sight of the croquette, I expected to see a creamy interior. However, as the knife pierced the crispy object, a plethora of pork fibres spilled onto the plate. I suspect that a pork fillet was braised with herbs, than torn by hand into single strands, the combination of herbs used did well in down playing the smell of the pork. As expected, the ribbons of prosciutto was salty, however unexpectedly soft. Warren Turnbull did well in pairing the prosciutto with a tastless celeriac salad, this ensures that when the celeriac/prosciutto combo is dipped into the Pedro Ximenez sauce, the sweetness and fragrance of the grape is still prominant.

Pan fried John dory with seared scallop, curried leek and onion bhaji

Once again, I get the opportunity to eat one of my favourite seafood, Scallops. Voided from any condiments, the fresh scallop was seared to perfection, producing a crispy charred exterior, and a soft opaque centre. Avoiding any flavour enhancers enables the natural sweetness of the scallops to present itself, definitely something that I could eat time and time again. The John Dory in this instance was lightly pan fried, ensuring it was not over-cooked. Despite its freshness being evidented, I found that it was quite bland on its own. However, when paired with the crunchy onion bhaji and curried leek, the flesh of the fish was much more appreciated.

Braised Wagyu brisket with bone marrow cromesqui, carrot and sauce bercy

Intrigued by the tiny bone marrow cromesqui, that was the first thing that I delved in to. Like the croquette, it had a crispy exterior, however unlike the croquette, I was pleasantly suprised by the rich, buttery marrow centre. With one bite, the cromesqui dissapears, leaving nothing but a lingering and lasting impression on the tongue. A common theme I observed throughout the course was the pairing of hearty/heavy items with a light one, always balancing one another. In this instance, the “heavy” cromesqui was accompanied by the sweet airy carrot mousse. The consistency of the mousse in conjunction with the orange hue, made this dish aethetically pleasing. The ease of cutting through the Wagyu prepped me for the taste of it in my mouth, unlike the notion, the wagyu was a tad overcooked, thus slightly chewy. Despite this minor setback, when cut into smaller pieces, like any piece of quality wagyu, the meat just melts. The “light” sauce bercy, I presume acts to moisturise the wagyu, although in this instance, unnecessary.

Gruyere cheese with rosemary lavosh

Cheese and Lavosh is just like Rosemary and Lamb, two things that go well together. Speaking of rosemary, unfortunately, I wasn’t able to taste the herb as mentioned in the lavosh. With or without the rosemary, the trio of the caramelised walnut, pungent gruyere cheese and crispy lavosh is just perfect, although a tad small.

Chilled rockmelon soup with lime and crème fraiche sorbet

One of the best palette cleansers that I’ve ever had the pleasure of enjoying. Who in their right mind would have thought of the rockmelon and creme fraiche combo. Not just any creme fraiche, but a sorbet version. The fragrant and honeyed rockmelon soup when served with a dollop of the slightly sour creme fraiche sorbet, garnished with lime leaves was just too tempting to take as a shot. Refraining myself, I was able to prolong my enjoyment to 3 spoonfulls, looking at this picture makes me feel all nostalgic.

White chocolate mousse with marshmallow, peanuts, honeycomb and banana ice cream

Last but definitely not the least on our menu was the dessert platter. Soft white chocolate mousse encassed in a crispy beanut brittle, accompanied by chewy toasted marshmallows and natural banana ice cream, a sweet tooth’s dream come true. Each of the items on the platter was outstanding, nothing that I can fault. However, the most memorable item was the honeycomb, slightly burnt, slightly sweet, slightly salty, slightly chewy, but absolutely delicious.

By the way, the pictures do look a little noisy and over saturated. Despite it being a beautiful day outside, they closed the blinds and used soft lights and candles for a more intimate setting. Not so great for us food bloggers, but perfect for a relaxing and intimate meal. Our lens certainly struggled in these conditions so apologies for the poor pictures.

The variety in the degustation menu at Assiette was obviously thoroughly planned by chef Warren Turnbull, everything just goes well together, taking you on a journey with each flavour deepening the further you go into the courses, inviting each senses into a state of arousal with each developing course. For those wanting to give their tastebuds a great trip at minimal cost, I’d definitely reccommend Assiette.

Assiette
48 Albion St
Surry Hills NSW 2010
Ph: (02) 9212 7979
Fax: (02) 9212 3602

© Linda for eatshowandtell, 2008. | Permalink | 11 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Dessert, poultry, Seafood, Sydney, Sydney, Surry Hills

Onde, Darlinghurst

squishies — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 03:30:55 +0000

A Wave of Delicious Dishes

I met up with Sam at a rather early time of 5:30pm (traffic up to Darlinghurst was surprisingly light and I had over-compensated), where we loitered around til 6pm – Onde’s opening hour. Both Ram and Margie were running late, but we were fairly confident that we would be given a table (seeing that 50% of the group was present), as they don’t take bookings.

Onde is situated just off the busy main artery that is Victoria Road – a drab grey little building incongruously sitting next to a bright blue retail store. If I was a bit put off with its exterior, it did its best to welcome me with a cosy and warm interior, with a touch of modern funkiness.

I’ve read a couple of reviews of Onde on Eatability and it seemed that the majority of complaints, besides the inability to book a table, came from elbows being jogged due to the smallness of the place. Taking in the layout, I could see how that would bother some people, but I personally like the snugness of it all.

Sam and I had perused the menu whilst waiting for the rest of our table to arrive, and when they did we were mostly still undecided on what should be ordered – everything sounded so delectable! After much, much, MUCH agonising over the menu blackboard and deals made (to the amusement of our helpful waiter) we finally decided on our orders.

Duck Liver Pate

I’ve always been a big, big fan of pate. I’m not sure what it is about it, but I absolutely adore its taste and texture. It goes without saying that this was one of the dishes I insisted on – not that it took much convincing my friends, thankfully. The crunchy cornichons with its tart tang went very well the silky smoothness of the pate and its distinct flavour was heartily given two thumbs up from everyone. The accompanying bread was lightly buttered and toasted perfectly – crunchy yet soft.

Pork and Duck Terrine

We debated whether we should have two pate dishes instead of getting something else for variety, but our eagerness to try the terrine won over. We found it less spreadable and kind of more chunky than the pate; Sam mentioned that it seemed have a “hearty meatiness” that’s not found in a pate, and I think he’s got that spot on. The pork and duck was delicious together, accented by pieces of green olives. We had to order more bread for the dishes, but I suppose having to stop or slow down in eating made us savour the scrumptiousness of the pate and terrine until more slices of the yummily toasted bread arrived.

Roulade of Eggplant, Capsicum, Zucchini, and Goat

Another dish that was a must-eat on everyone’s list, only because it sounded rather interesting and strange. We asked what a roulade was and our waiter helpfully explained (which I’ve typically forgotten but Wikipedia knows) – his description of the dish sealed the deal. It was hard to share this dish – not because of its size, but of how flavoursome it was and deliciously so! The roulade was served cooled, which Sam noted that it seemed to make the capsicums sweeter and the vinegar a bit tangier. I was a bit too eager to dig into this dish so I didn’t really note how and what it tastes like, but I know I was left wanting more of it and was sorry to see it go so quickly. It kind of felt like a present, where we could unravel it to see why it made our tastebuds dance for more – though all it revealed was its simplicity of vegetable slivers lightly dressed with vinegar and accompanied by the strong goat’s cheese. Maybe simplicity itself was the key to such deliciousness?

Confit Duck with Caramelised Apple, Mesclun, and Walnuts

Margie and I struck a deal – if I were to get the twice-cooked chicken, she’d get the duck, as we both wanted to try both dishes. The duck was absolutely delectable – so juicy and fatty. Its skin was crispy (I adored the amount of crispiness it had – not too hard, not too soft) and the meat practically fell off the bone, as if it was ripe for the picking. The combination of the sweet caramelised apple and crunchy, slightly bitter walnuts seemed odd, but they worked rather well together.

Grilled Lamb Fillet with Radicuho, Cherry Tomato and Anchode

Ram had chosen this dish straight off the bat and he wasn’t disappointed: the lamb was cooked to perfection – succulent and tender. It must have made an impression on him, as he still talks about how delicious it was, and I can honestly say that it was really that good to warrant such a fond memory. The lamb was so well-balanced with the vegetables and sauce.

Grilled T-Bone with Chips and Red Wine Butter

Sam wanted the duck, but chose the T-bone because of the deal Margie and I had and he reasoned that he’ll get to taste them anyway (which was true, as we were all sharing… to an extent hehe). The dish looked a bit disappointing, compared to the presentation of the other dishes, but it totally made up for it by being absolutely mouth-wateringly tasty. The unassuming T-bone was cooked rare (as requested by Sam) and while the photo looks like it was bloody (I actually did think it was bloody when I first clapped my eyes on it), it was really the red wine butter that gave it that impression – it wasn’t bloody at the least. As Sam cut through the tender meat, it revealed a perfectly rosy hue and upon eating a slice, juicy flavours would burst onto the tongue, mixing with the creamy red wine butter. It had to be one of the best steaks I have ever tasted. The chips were scrumptiously crunchy and were a good side for the T-bone; I couldn’t help but wonder how their mash would taste if they ever made it… Gorgeously buttery I would imagine.

Twiced Cooked Chicken with Chickpeas, Broadbeans and Peas

I know by now it seems like I’m gushing over the food – I can’t help it! They were really that delicious to me. Having said that, my gushing doesn’t stop here: this chicken was amazing. It was everything a chicken I think should be: juicy, soft, flavoursome and had a well-seasoned skin (chicken without skin always seem incomplete to me). The legumes languishing in the sauce accompanied the chicken so well, I could not imagine eating one without the other.

By this stage, I was struggling to finish the chicken and the others were at various stages of fullness. Determined not to waste a single morsel, we bargained with each other on finishing various bits and pieces of our dishes (I’m not sure how that worked, but it did).

There was a question raised on whether it would be smart to order dessert, seeing how full we were feeling already, but that was politely yet firmly stomped out by the rest of us, as we’ve seen some of the desserts floating by and were positively craving for them.

Meringue with Strawberries and Cream

Margie chose one of the more popular desserts – judging by how many of these that were ordered and floated by during the course of our meal. And boy, did we find out why! I think the simplicity of the dessert made it all the more heavenly.

Honey and Walnut Parfait with Apple

We had forgotten that the parfait was served with apple and thought they were cucumber! This misconception was quickly dispelled as the sourness of the granny smith dispersed on our tongues, intertwining with the strong peppermint that was nestled amongst apple slivers. The parfait itself was delightfully sweet, though not overly, and creamy. This was Sam’s chosen dish, remarking that he found “the parfait by itself to be very sweet and the taste of honey can be cloying, but eating it with the apple helps to balance it out”.

Chocolate Terrine

Rich and so good with the cream. It was a bit rich for me after a while though, but Ram loved it through and through.

Pear and Frangipani Tart

I ordered the tart on the basis that it had flowers in it – a bit lame I know, but I was really curious how it would turn out. The tart was the right amount of crumbly-ness and buttery-ness; at first taste, the pears have been wonderfully tendered to, and when I started to wonder where the frangipanis were, I realised that it’s been there all along: a subtle underlying airy sweetness that was elusive if I wasn’t paying any attention to it. I absolutely adored this dessert – it was easily my favourite of the four, which was followed closely by the meringue with strawberries. I wasn’t alone with my adoration, Sam loved it too. “The tart wasn’t overly sweet and there’s a light floral kind of sensation or taste that just seems to travel up the back of your mouth up into your head. If that even makes sense,” he added. It does, Sam, it does.

I loved how casual and relaxed Onde’s ambience was; from our friendly and efficient waiter to the chatty customers. And I love dining at a place where I don’t have to worry if I were to burst out laughing because no one would bat an eye (which was most probably because everyone else was doing the same thing).

There was another thing that really struck me about Onde. A rather large family had settled down for dinner while we were there and I had noticed a basket of toys on the table; the kids were playing with some on their seat, on the ground, under the table. When the family left, I happened to glance over and saw the basket with a couple of toys lying scattered about on the table top. I thought the family had accidentally left it behind and was about to notify our waiter when he came over to give the table a last wipe-down and packed the toys away. For some reason, I found it utterly sweet.

Onde
346 Liverpool St
Darlinghurst, NSW, 2010
Ph: (02) 9331 8749
Fax: (02) 9331 8759
Web: http://onderestaurant.com/

© squishies for eatshowandtell, 2008. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Darlinghurst, Dessert, lamb, poultry, steak

eatshowandtell » French

Element Bistro, Sydney

Guillaume at Bennelong, Circular Quay

Berowra Waters Inn, Berowra Waters

The Final Sojourn, Sojourn, Balmain

Taste of Sydney Festival, Centennial Park

Dish 1

Restaurant Balzac, Randwick

Bilson’s Restaurant, Sydney

Burlington Bar and Dining, Crows Nest

My second visit…

Blancharu, Elizabeth Bay

Another gem?

2009 SIFF Hats Off Dinner – Restaurant Balzac

Are you ready for your “Hats” to be blown “off”?

SIFF Hats Off Dinner 2009: Becasse, Sydney

Bistro Ortolan, Leichhardt

2 hats ? just give them 3

Soup Series: Mushroom Broth with a Fresh Herb Cream Crust

Cookshow&tell, J’s French Laundry

French laundry on a budget

(...)Read the rest of Cookshow&tell, J’s French Laundry (1,030 words) © Linda for eatshowandtell, 2009. | Permalink | 18 comments | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: French, french laundry

Cookshow&tell, French

Couldn’t find any snails

Yuletide Pork dinner at Restaurant Atelier, Glebe

Let’s do the hokey porkey

Moisture infused pork

The Food

Entree

Main

Dessert

More pork to come

Restaurant Atelier

Flying Fish, Pyrmont

Not quite the ‘catch of the day’

Restaurant Sojourn, Balmain

I take my hat off to Sojourn

Update

Assiette , Surry Hills

Modern Australian French platter for two

Onde, Darlinghurst

A Wave of Delicious Dishes

(...)
Read the rest of Cookshow&tell, J’s French Laundry (1,030 words)

© Linda for eatshowandtell, 2009. | Permalink | 18 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: French, french laundry