Caliniere
Here's our second team lunch, to make up for the first unsuccessful attempt... and ofcourse to welcome a new member to the team!
I've walked past Caliniere plenty of times... but have never really noticed it as one cannot help by stare at the bull's balls along World Square's Hordern Arcade. Calinere's sophistication is evident upon a glance. The light bulb installation is a modern day chandelier. And the floral wallpaper completes the glamour of such a small restaurant.
I love French and Modern Australian food. It combines the best of both worlds; fresh produce which is served in a rich but not pretentious manner.
Complimenary bread is often a prequisite in European restaurants. Here, it wasn't offered... nor was it on the menu. But when requested, a basket of lovely hot baguette was served with a dazzling mix of balsamic and olive oil.
For some odd reason, N ordered an entree only. One plump ravioli sat in a creamy light sauce. Small and delicious.
I had the scotch fillet which was cooked to a perfect medium. In contrast, the steak was a little cool but the accompaniments were piping hot. Check out my Jenga fries!
M and D both ordered the silver dory... E had the pork belly which looked and smelt scrumptious.
You've probably noticed this... I have a weakness for brulee. I've tried quite a few variations now and this aniseed flavour is on top. I'm used to aniseed being used in savoury dishes such as in the stock of Pho (Viet beef noodle soup). But I have to admit... the spice was such an exquisite twist to the classic creme brulee. I loved it!
There's a promotion running at the moment: purchase 2 main meals and get a free dessert to share! Offer ends 31st October 2007.
Caliniere Restaurant
Web: www.caliniere.com
July 28, 2007
Tetsuya's
I've been waiting for the perfect excuse to spend $185 a head (plus drinks) on Tetsuya's 10 course degustation. And here it was... the first birthday of jenius.com.au, which also coincided with my very own birthday!
As the countdown begun, I eagerly read up and drooled over every review online. The week before, I started fantasizing about Tetsuya's signature dish. How it intrigued me... the texture and taste of what lay beneath the crusty konbu (kelp).
The service at Tetsuya's really impressed me. From the moment we drove in via the sensored gates, it seems like everyone was notified of our arrival. The valet parking attendent briskly drove Zen's car away as we were ushered indoors. I suppose it made sense that the seating arrangements and table numbers were set already, seeing that most people would have made bookings at least a few months in advance.
Soon after being seated, a wait staff brought out a basket of freshly baked and still warm sourdough and white Italian bread rolls. The black truffle and parmesan salsa butter was nothing like I had imagined. Its aroma was magnificent. I lathered each mouthful of bread up with a thick spread of the butter. Just for the record, I managed to finish off 2/3 of the pot, along with 2 sourdough rolls. I am in desperate need of a jar of this at home!
Starters was the pea soup with bitter chocolate sorbet. The pea soup was served in a fancy glass... it was robust and full bodied, but the bitter chocolate sorbet didn't really do it for me.
The next was an extra course (add $18)... four plump oysters were served with Tetsuya's famous oyster dressing -grapeseed oil, rice vinegar, soy and ginger. They were absolutely divine!
There are specific ways to ensure you make the most of each dish. Take for example, the second course; we were instructed to break open the scallop mousse so that each fork full contained a bit of everything. This dish was so elegant... creamy and scrumptious!
The leek and crab custard was such a delicacy. The custard was silky soft... the savoury essence of the leek and egg simply complimented the flakes of crab.
The third part of the 2nd course consisted of raw scallops [all-time favourite :-) of mine]... which leads me to say that this dish was the highlight of the night! All the contrasting textures and flavours were married together so well. There were these tiny citrus things which exploded with flavour... the cubed and what appeared to be buttered and toasted coutons deliciously highlighted the light and creamy textures of the scallop. I want more!
It must have been at least 2 hours into the night already because I had started to feel the effects of consuming the 2 bread rolls. Nonetheless, the ocean trout was lovely... as I had fantasized. The salty crusted konbu enhanced every tender bit of ocean trout.
Another favourite course was the next. Truely simple ingredients of basil, tomato and balsamic, served in the most delectable manner.
Abalone? This dish took me by surprise, as there hadn't been any mention of it before. It was such a delightful surprise... the abalone was carefully crafted into artful pieces. The braised ox tail and orange flavours were so flavoursome. It was mouth-watering goodness.
[Edit 1/08/07: Some of you have queried why I didn't write anything about the spatchcock... it was pure laziness! So if you were wondering, the spatchcock was moist & tender. The olives and capers were a flavoursome blend which didn't overpower the natural juices at all. Overall, very rich & succulent... although more greens would have also been nice! ]
The last of the savoury courses was fantastic. Imagine thinly sliced wagyu beef rolled up with a leaf of shiso and cooked medium rare. The earthy quality of the mushroom and the oomph of the lemon, sea salt flakes and wasabi brought me to total amazement. Each of the individual flavours brought out the best in each other... ah, that's what I call team work!
We were advised to eat this in one go. And so we did... it was sweet... and that's about all I can recall :-P
The palate cleansers were so, so, so good! The beetroot and blood orange sorbet was vibrant and uber refreshing. Tetsuya's strawberry shortcake was great too... we were instructed to mix the layers together. I cheekily tried them apart. The bottom was nutty and fragrant... inbetween the cream and strawberry syrup were bits of berries... nothing too special when eaten apart, but absolutely spectacular when consumed together!
What can I say? The next one up was another favourite! I love dates and white beans. The chewy texture and the sweet caramel flavours worked wonders with the shot of espresso.
I asked a wait staff to take this photo of us... and somewhere in the conversation, she asked what we were celebrating... hooray, birthday cake!
I didn't like the cocoa dusted sweet potato balls. It was floury and bitter! But the dates and cookie centred coconut balls were yummy! They looked so simple to make... I might just give them a go in the kitchen!
Overall, I loved Tetsuya's to bits! And yes, the 4 hour dining experience was totally worth every dollar! Thanks for finally making this happen, Zen!
Next on the list... El Bulli!!
Tetsuya's
www.tetsuyas.com
April 29, 2007
Rocket
Rocket Restaurant is one of those places you always talk about revisiting. They've got a sophisticated menu and a relaxing yet stylish interior. However, there's nothing really much beyond that. The service seems to suit chatty regulars... and to my surprise, the amazing dukkah and olive oil has now been replaced with room temperature bread and butter.
Zen and I decide to share the antipasto plate. There were fresh figs, goats cheese, prosciutto, grissini, a rich roast capsicum with sun-dried tomato, bocconcini and pesto tart, and more. It was a cold rainy day, and the entree was clearly not enough to share between two. Yet we were asked if we wanted a break before our mains were served?
Shortly after hinting that we were ready for our mains, Zen's seafood risotto, which was an impressive combination of prawns, swordfish, trout, mussels and vongole, arrived.
And I had the Wagyu. The gnocchi was in large chopped chunks but it so fluffy and warm. The wagyu was flakey, tender and hearty...
Because we failed to decide on one single dessert, we opted for the selection of desserts for two. Out came a colourful array tiny delicacies.
I really want to like Rocket. But it somehow doesn't seem as good as the first time. It would have also been nice if the petit fours weren't only rushed out after we had asked for the bill...
Rocket Restaurant
Cnr Help & Railway Streets Chatswood
Phone: (02) 9411 8233
Web: www.rocketrestaurant.com.au
February 26, 2007
a blast from the past... Valentine's Day 2007 @ Astral
I'm slowly churning through my list of February eats. So here's a blast from the past.... Feb 14.
What better place to celebrate Valentine's Day than at the top? Astral is a one-hatter from this year's SMH Good Food Guide. This was something we had booked months in advance. From within a glass elevator, we were greeted with 270 degree views of Sydney Harbour. Oooo... ahhh... the interior is also rather stunning. The furnishings were plush and sophisticated, the chandeliers were rich... and around us, couples in love admired the gleaming city skyscrapers.
Thanks for a 5 star night, Zen. Love you lots!
Astral Restaurant
Level 17, 80 Pyrmont Street (Star City)
Web: astralrestaurant.com.au
January 14, 2007
J'adore Lounge Bar and Restaurant
Happy birthday Tim!
On Tuesday night, we were here to celebrate Tim's 22nd birthday... well... I was more or less there to flex my photography skills. LOL. And surprise, surprise... Zen and I ended up indulging ourselves with a scrumptious 3 course meal.
J'adore restaurant is all about intimacy. There's the fireplace, the slinky booths and the candlelit tables... However, with the Tuesday specials (2 for 1 mains), I was surprised to find that at 8pm, it was still relatively empty.
For entrees, Zen decided to go for what I would normally have ordered -the pork belly. He assured me that it was perfectly cooked and so satisfying to devour.
I had the giant quail with ginger syrup glaze. Driven by both curiousity and greed, my temptations overpowered me. How big could a giant quail really be? The quail was ever so tender. Its outside was glossy and tanned with sweetness. It was no longer a question of size. The bigger, the better.
Next, Zen opted for the chicken. It was too buttery for my liking... but he seemed to enjoy it.
And I went for the bouillabaisse which was rich in flavour. Its distinctive aroma was so delicate... although a little overwhelming without slices of the trusty bread. The potatoes on the other hand were the ideal wedge. Crispy and flavoursome all around with a soft hearty centre.
At this stage, Zen was already prepared to skip desserts... but I had come prepared with my eyes on the brulee with sago and fresh lychees. MmM... It didn't disappoint. The brulee was a creamy mixture of starchy sago and Malibu. Its caramelised crust proportion was perfect.
Generous servings and with some intriguing dishes.
J'adore Lounge Bar & Restaurant
1A Burton Street Darlinghurst
Operating hours:
Tuesday to Friday - midday till 2.30pm & 6pm till midnight
Saturday: 6pm - midnight
Sunday & Monday: closed or open for special reservations/function
Bookings and enquiries: 0405 395 248 or email anya@jadore.com.au
Website: www.jadore.com.au
September 23, 2006
French Yum-Cha at Eat City
It is always such a challenge to capture a great shot indoor, especially when it is dark. So I set my exposure... ISO at 400... turn off the flash, and on the macro, and thought I was ready. The photos turned out quite disappointing, but the food was too good not to post. So here they are... nothing a little bit of Photoshop can't fix right?
The French Yum-Cha is priced per person. For 3 items to share it is $27, 4 items $36 and 5 items $45. Trying quite hard not to over-order, we opted for the 3 items to share. To start off, we had the soft shelled crab... chilli salt crust, fennel, ginger and oyster mushrooms. The fennel salad was a refreshing balance with the crusty crab. However, you really need the wood-fired bread to offset the amount of salt on the crabs.
Next was the risotto stuffed squid, which was perfect... the squid encased a creamy tomato-based seafood risotto.
The Wagyu is one of Eat City's signature dishes. It is wood roasted rare and served with potato gratin and red wine jus. Absolutely delicious!
Once we had finished the 3 yum-cha dishes, a mouth-watering dessert trolley was wheeled our way... priced at $8.50 each, I thought it was great that we were able to look (and drool) at all the desserts before committing to one.
I love Eat City! Amazing food, gorgeous interior, a fab array of dishes on the French Yum-Cha menu and it was really a great way to share supurb food with a small group of friends.
Eat City
Level 1 - City Hotel, 349 Kent Street Sydney
Tel: 9262 5900
Opening hours: Lunch - Monday to Friday, 12 noon til 4pm & Dinner - Wednesday to Friday, 6 - 10pm.
Web: www.eatcity.com.au