The Restaurants
Although we intend to review here primarily French Restaurants, we will also feature here any restaurant from around the World which, in our view, encompassess the essential French Cuisine, or even if not French, has the same objective of creativity, quality of produce, and Haute Cuisine techniques, supported by amiable and professional service.
We have arranged them by alphabetical order.
We have arranged them by alphabetical order.
Berowra Waters Inn - Sydney - Australia
Well, you will find it probably ironic that this is our first review...
It just happens that this is our most recent food adventure (see our blog entry here...)
It will also be one of our most memorable...
The main idea is for you to create your five or six course degustation menu out of a dozen choices or so.
You can have a glass of wine to accompany each course and let you guide by the sommelier's recommendation, or, as we did, you can choose your wine(s) and pick the food to match...
So, here we go sipping a glass of Ayala Champagne and feeding on a gorgeous amuse-bouche of Cured Ocean Trout, Aubergine on Toasted Tortilla.
Before you read any further, let me state that this has been our best meal in Australia, up there with our all time favourite: Guy savoy in Paris
After quite some time, we settled on a bottle of Joseph Drouhin Chablis 2007 (Chardonnay) and to follow a Chateau de Mont Redon Cotes du Rhone 2006.
It just happens that this is our most recent food adventure (see our blog entry here...)
It will also be one of our most memorable...
The main idea is for you to create your five or six course degustation menu out of a dozen choices or so.
You can have a glass of wine to accompany each course and let you guide by the sommelier's recommendation, or, as we did, you can choose your wine(s) and pick the food to match...
So, here we go sipping a glass of Ayala Champagne and feeding on a gorgeous amuse-bouche of Cured Ocean Trout, Aubergine on Toasted Tortilla.
Before you read any further, let me state that this has been our best meal in Australia, up there with our all time favourite: Guy savoy in Paris
After quite some time, we settled on a bottle of Joseph Drouhin Chablis 2007 (Chardonnay) and to follow a Chateau de Mont Redon Cotes du Rhone 2006.
Amuse Bouche
Amuse-bouche of Cured Ocean Trout, Aubergine on Toasted Tortilla.
First Course: White Asparagus with deep fried quail eggs
How can you deep fry a quail egg and still have the yoke still runny?
What an explosion of "saveurs" and a great collection of textures, and it still works perfectly together!
the presentation is obviously impeccable, and we have our first sip of the Chablis: divine...
What an explosion of "saveurs" and a great collection of textures, and it still works perfectly together!
the presentation is obviously impeccable, and we have our first sip of the Chablis: divine...
Second Course: Barramundi
We were so taken by the food that we missed taking a photo of this dish, so here is a photo found on the Net of the same dish with Murray Cod instead of Barramundi. Perfectly cooked and again many different flavours blending nicely. The Chablis proved to be a great match for this as well, so much so, that, by the time the third courses arrived, - after a lovely cauliflower soup interval - we HAD to move to the Cotes du Rhone
Third Courses: Lamb cutlet and wagyu minute steak
Cooked to perfection, just slightly pink in the middle, the lamb and the surrounding bits were a delight to watch, and very much to my wife's taste...
The wyagu steak and its side of dauphinois was very good, but it was a tiny bit too thin to be really registering.
this would be my only minor complaint; I believe a piece of meat twice as thick would reveal both the texture and the flavour of the beef much better. The potatoes were amazing though...
Obviously the Cotes du Rhone was the perfect companion: A blend of 70% of Grenache, 20% of Cinsault and 105 od Syrah.
"Deep and bright colour, rich and developed on the nose. A very nice structure for this wine with a tannic support completed by an outstanding aromatic complexity of red fruits. Fat and rond with a spicy finish." in the words of the winemaker.
The wyagu steak and its side of dauphinois was very good, but it was a tiny bit too thin to be really registering.
this would be my only minor complaint; I believe a piece of meat twice as thick would reveal both the texture and the flavour of the beef much better. The potatoes were amazing though...
Obviously the Cotes du Rhone was the perfect companion: A blend of 70% of Grenache, 20% of Cinsault and 105 od Syrah.
"Deep and bright colour, rich and developed on the nose. A very nice structure for this wine with a tannic support completed by an outstanding aromatic complexity of red fruits. Fat and rond with a spicy finish." in the words of the winemaker.
Fourth course: Fromage(s)
As you can (not..) see, two of these cheeses were gone before we even thought of taking a photo. And in line with my "locavore' phylosophy, maybe the goat cheese should come from Willowbrae Cheese further up the Hawkesbury river (but I am biased...)
Holy Goat ‘La Luna’ Organic Goats Cheese, Victoria
Comte Cheese, Switzerland
Roquefort Blue Ewes Milk Cheese, France
Ossau Iraty Sheeps Milk Cheese, Pyrenees, France
Holy Goat ‘La Luna’ Organic Goats Cheese, Victoria
Comte Cheese, Switzerland
Roquefort Blue Ewes Milk Cheese, France
Ossau Iraty Sheeps Milk Cheese, Pyrenees, France
Fifth Course: Dessert(s)
Most amazing were the chocolate tart , the aubergine crisp and the srawberries/basil combination
Dark Amadei Chocolate Tart, Rasberries and rasberry Ice cream
Lemon and lime custard, aubergine crisp, strawberries, basil
Semifreddo of White Chocolate, Pistachio, Roasted Peaches
Mango Souffle, Passionfruit sorbet and mango pieces
I will leave you in saying that we still had to go through coffee and petits fours and every moment of this over four-hour experience was worth every dollar we spent. It was in fact very good value for money. We will be back...
Note September 2013: Berowra Waters has recently changed hands and has managed to earn one hat at the SMH Food Guide Annual Review. I have not had a chance to go back since the new owners have taken over.
A slide show below to give you an extra sense of atmosphere of the place and the ruggedness of the surroundings.
Dark Amadei Chocolate Tart, Rasberries and rasberry Ice cream
Lemon and lime custard, aubergine crisp, strawberries, basil
Semifreddo of White Chocolate, Pistachio, Roasted Peaches
Mango Souffle, Passionfruit sorbet and mango pieces
I will leave you in saying that we still had to go through coffee and petits fours and every moment of this over four-hour experience was worth every dollar we spent. It was in fact very good value for money. We will be back...
Note September 2013: Berowra Waters has recently changed hands and has managed to earn one hat at the SMH Food Guide Annual Review. I have not had a chance to go back since the new owners have taken over.
A slide show below to give you an extra sense of atmosphere of the place and the ruggedness of the surroundings.
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Guillaume at Bennelong - My daughter's 21st birthday dinner
Guillaume at Bennelong has been an iconic French inspired and run restaurant for over 12 years and it is about to close at the end of 2013. It has been the only successful restaurant in this amazing venue. So, unfortunately, there is very little hope that we might go back again before it is all over!
But you can try, although I heard reservations are filling up at the speed of light!
It was an extraordinary experience, both visually, in such an iconic building, gastronomically obviously, but also emotionally, as there is only one chance to celebrate one's only daughter 21st birthday!
But you can try, although I heard reservations are filling up at the speed of light!
It was an extraordinary experience, both visually, in such an iconic building, gastronomically obviously, but also emotionally, as there is only one chance to celebrate one's only daughter 21st birthday!
If you can't make it, you can always buy Guillaume Brahimi's book!
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Promenade Cafe - Hotel Hyatt Canberra: an Asparagus Extravaganza!
The Promenade Cafe is a stylish restaurant hidden away in the heart (or should I say "le ventre"...) of the Park Hyatt Hotel in Canberra, the best 5-star hotel in town. President Obama stayed there for one night during his recent (and very short...) trip to Australia. The Art Deco architecture dating back to the 1920s has been carefully renovated and provides a stylish backdrop for a business lunch, a romantic dinner or a celebration of the new season asparagus!
One of the Canberra region best wineries, Lerida Estate on the shore of Lake George - and housed in one of the most minimalist Glenn Murcutt structures - were the sponsor of the evening, sharing with the Chefs the difficult task to pair the food on a well constructed degustation menu with a large array of the winery's production. The lot was priced a ridiculously low 120$ INCLUDING the wines, which were served generously all throughout the dinner.
Jim Lumbers and Anne Caine established Lerida Estate in 1997 and in 2005 appointed a full-time winemaker, Malcolm Burdett. Jim, Anne, Malcom and his wife Cathy were all in attendance. I had the pleasure and privilege to share a table with Malcom and Cathy as well two other journalists Greg Jones and Mara, who happens to be Jiju's wife! It made for great conversation, with an added twist, as Malcolm is vegetarian (definitely no meat in wine!!!) and English, not the best heritage to grow vines, but he trained as a Chef, so it is all good!
Lerida Estate has a tradition to invite a young French winemaker every year for the "vendanges".
Their bios make for interesting reading on their website: http://www.leridaestate.com.au/pages/Our-Winemakers.html
By the way, to be in tune with the 'heritage" look of the Hyatt Hotel, I have chosen to set my Olympus E-PL1 as a 6x6 camera, pretending to be an old Rollei, one of the cameras I trained with when I was a teenager (my first real camera was a "third-hand" 6x9 Voigtlander that belonged to my Dad and my grandfather before...). I hope you enjoy this vintage format!
One of the Canberra region best wineries, Lerida Estate on the shore of Lake George - and housed in one of the most minimalist Glenn Murcutt structures - were the sponsor of the evening, sharing with the Chefs the difficult task to pair the food on a well constructed degustation menu with a large array of the winery's production. The lot was priced a ridiculously low 120$ INCLUDING the wines, which were served generously all throughout the dinner.
Jim Lumbers and Anne Caine established Lerida Estate in 1997 and in 2005 appointed a full-time winemaker, Malcolm Burdett. Jim, Anne, Malcom and his wife Cathy were all in attendance. I had the pleasure and privilege to share a table with Malcom and Cathy as well two other journalists Greg Jones and Mara, who happens to be Jiju's wife! It made for great conversation, with an added twist, as Malcolm is vegetarian (definitely no meat in wine!!!) and English, not the best heritage to grow vines, but he trained as a Chef, so it is all good!
Lerida Estate has a tradition to invite a young French winemaker every year for the "vendanges".
Their bios make for interesting reading on their website: http://www.leridaestate.com.au/pages/Our-Winemakers.html
By the way, to be in tune with the 'heritage" look of the Hyatt Hotel, I have chosen to set my Olympus E-PL1 as a 6x6 camera, pretending to be an old Rollei, one of the cameras I trained with when I was a teenager (my first real camera was a "third-hand" 6x9 Voigtlander that belonged to my Dad and my grandfather before...). I hope you enjoy this vintage format!
Bubbles for starters - 2008 Lerida Estate Brut Rose
The menu, bien sur...
We were barely seated that we were proposed with a flute of 2008 Lerida Estate Brut Rose.
"An intriguingly complex sparkling wine made from 75% Pinot Noir and 25%
Chardonnay grown at our vineyard at Lake George. It shows an attractive orange
pink colour with a fine persistent bead. The bouquet is complex from the mix of
primary fruit characters (peaches, pears & cherries), plus biscuity, bready
characters. The palate is rich and flavoursome balanced by crisp acidity."
I could not say it better...
The home made bread and the butter from far away Echire in the Marais Poitevin in the west of France were a delicious counterpoint to this refined and elegant non Champagne.
My uncle used to owna "moulin a eau" in the middle of the river near Echire, so I had my fair share of it over the years and it is quite a treat to be able to get here in the Antipodes!
Cream of Asparagus, Truffle and Parmesan Biscuit - 2011 Lerida Estate Pinot Grigio
The smoothness of the soup, the crackling of the biscuit and the lovely 2011 Lerida Estate Pinot Grigio were a very good start to this asparagus adventure. "This wine is made from Pinot Gris grapes grown at four vineyards in the Canberra District (including Lerida Estate). On the nose, it shows honeysuckle, violets, apple, pear and citrus aromas. The palate is rich and flavoursome with a long citrusy finish and some savoury characters" A very good match withe asparagus, or on its own (like the glass I had previously... waiting for people to arrive) |
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Peach Wood Smoked Sea Scallop, Salmon Caviar & Soy Bean on an Asparagus Field
2008 Lerida Estate "Cullerin" Pinot Noir
What a beautiful dish!
Beautiful to look at, to the point we were all hesitating tasting it, but when we eventually did,
what a beautiful combination of flavours. If you have followed this blog for a while, you willl know that I am a great fan of the scallop, and usually my preference is for the simpliest of treatment, not to tamper with its delicate texture and taste.
It is a great achievement to manage that mix of saveurs, a bit like a slow motion firework, each flavour revealing itself over time. There is no way you can eat this quickly - you have to almost imagine the taste of the next mouthfull before you can dig it!
The pairing with a Pinot Noir was unorthodox, but did work, although I might have reorganised the whole thing differently - more on that later...
The 2008 Lerida Estate "Cullerin" Pinot NoirThis " was selected for a more fruit driven style of Pinot Noir with 20% new wood giving a softer finish. The aromas are of red cherry, mulberry, gamey and savory with a slight overtone of vanilla. The palate is soft and rich backed by silky, textured tannins on a long finish".
Very silky indeed!
Beautiful to look at, to the point we were all hesitating tasting it, but when we eventually did,
what a beautiful combination of flavours. If you have followed this blog for a while, you willl know that I am a great fan of the scallop, and usually my preference is for the simpliest of treatment, not to tamper with its delicate texture and taste.
It is a great achievement to manage that mix of saveurs, a bit like a slow motion firework, each flavour revealing itself over time. There is no way you can eat this quickly - you have to almost imagine the taste of the next mouthfull before you can dig it!
The pairing with a Pinot Noir was unorthodox, but did work, although I might have reorganised the whole thing differently - more on that later...
The 2008 Lerida Estate "Cullerin" Pinot NoirThis " was selected for a more fruit driven style of Pinot Noir with 20% new wood giving a softer finish. The aromas are of red cherry, mulberry, gamey and savory with a slight overtone of vanilla. The palate is soft and rich backed by silky, textured tannins on a long finish".
Very silky indeed!
Slow Roasted Pheasant with Asparagus Puree, Herb Flowers, Wild Mushrooms, Duck Liver & Gizzard Sauce
2010 Lerida Estate Pinot Rosé sur Lie
Lovely presentation, nice combination of textures and tastes, simple treatment of the game meat
"This unique Rosé with onion skin hues was fermented in old French oak, and lees
stirred for 12 months. This bone dry Rosé has Lerida's signature bright cherry,
raspberry and rose petal fruit with a spicy contrast. The fruit is wonderfully
balanced with a complex, mouth filling texture and a very long finish. This is
a superb food wine. The wine is mainly Pinot Noir with 8% Shiraz which adds
elusive spicy and cedar notes. All grapes are from Lerida Estate"
A superb Rosé, quite complex, light at first, but with good body in the end. I would have liked to try it with the Scallops...call me old fashioned if you want!
Trou Normand - Lime Sorbet
Served on a block of ice on a folded napkin for stability and cleanliness, this was an extraordinary
"Trou Normand", although there was no Normand in sight - meaning no alcohol with the sorbet,
thanks for that!
It was a real neat cleansing break in our feast, very welcome...
Mandagery Creek Venison, Beetroot, Blackened Asparagus, Nasturium Leaves and Forrest Berries
2008 Lerida Estate "Josephine" Pinot Noir"
This dish triggered a great discussion about why we use the generic term "venison" for deer, where earlier in the meal "pheasant" was named rather than the generic term "game".
Are we not game enough to eat deer, or wild boar for that matter, rather than venison?
Malcolm had none of it anyway, as he stuck to more asparagus in cream and various other nice treatments.
This was a very earthy dish, and I loved the beetroot jelly and the raw rasberries - it has to be the German touch of the Executive Chef!
Jim came back online to tell us about the choice of this particular Pinot Noir, chosen for its supposedly stronger body than the "Cullerin" we had with the scallops. The problem, I thought, was it was too "steely" and that steelyness completely cut the potential body.
I am inclined to say that it would have been more suited to the game, I mean pheasant...
Let me quote an expert: Huon Hooke
'Strawberry and other berries in its perfume. Sappiness suggests whole-bunch fermentation. Savoury, gamey flavours. Fleshy, yet with abundant tannins'
It might well be that, one, we had too much to drink before, two, this wine is still too young to cut the mustard!
Chocolate Surprise - 2010 Lerida Estate Botrytis Pinot Gris
The surprise to be different but would have required the use of liquid nitrogen at the table, I have been told.
But because of Mr President being in the hotel hours before, the liquid nitrogen was not allowed on the property...
So, we had this lovely chocolate tart, white chocolate ball and chocolate sauce instead, not a big surprise, but certainly a very good tasting one, so thanks Mr President for your low level interference!
Now, for the wine, imagine for a minute we had the "Cullerin" Pinot Noir with the venison, I could have asked for another glass of it - that would have worked a treat with the chocolate...
I know every winery wants to make a Botrytis wine, and this one was certainly good, but quite timid and has "nutty, dried apricot, raisin, spice, apple and marmalade aromas"
compared to a 2010 Chateau Filhot , my favourite Sauternes (one that I can afford too...)
"This is an immediately flattering sample, honeyed, and there is a suggestion of
oak coming in here to bolster this. The palate has great weight and breadth to it, the impact in the mouth very confident and successful. Rather polished, quite grainy at its core, showing an impressive depth of texture which must hark back to the vintage. And there is a lovely spicy element to the sweet, tropical fruits here"
But because of Mr President being in the hotel hours before, the liquid nitrogen was not allowed on the property...
So, we had this lovely chocolate tart, white chocolate ball and chocolate sauce instead, not a big surprise, but certainly a very good tasting one, so thanks Mr President for your low level interference!
Now, for the wine, imagine for a minute we had the "Cullerin" Pinot Noir with the venison, I could have asked for another glass of it - that would have worked a treat with the chocolate...
I know every winery wants to make a Botrytis wine, and this one was certainly good, but quite timid and has "nutty, dried apricot, raisin, spice, apple and marmalade aromas"
compared to a 2010 Chateau Filhot , my favourite Sauternes (one that I can afford too...)
"This is an immediately flattering sample, honeyed, and there is a suggestion of
oak coming in here to bolster this. The palate has great weight and breadth to it, the impact in the mouth very confident and successful. Rather polished, quite grainy at its core, showing an impressive depth of texture which must hark back to the vintage. And there is a lovely spicy element to the sweet, tropical fruits here"
In conclusion
Anne Caine and Jiju Rajappen
Anne, the owner of Lerida Estate, and Jiju, the Chef de Cuisine concluded the evening by thanking us for coming.
We were probably a bit tired and tipsy to give them a standing ovation, but they certainly deserved one!
This will remain in my memory one of the most interesting dinner I had, definitely the best I had in Canberra, and I have been coming here for a dozen years or so!
In terms of wine and food pairing, maybe (and I underline maybe...) it would have been interesting to pair the scallops with the Rosé, the game/pheasant with the "Josephine" and the venison/deer with the "Cullerin", so we could have continued with it and the chocolate tart, or chosen to try the Botrytis - food for thought...
In any case, I greatly enjoyed the setting, the company, and the food and wine bien sur!
A shame I could not afford that "Presidential Suite" of yours, as the trip back to the City, on the other side of the Lake Burley Griffin, was fortunately very short, and all the police presence had disappeared...
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Sepia Restaurant and Wine Bar - Sydney
Tucked under a group of three office towers on the western edge of the Sydney CBD, this restaurant is fitted out to the corporate world it is primarily catering for. The decor wants to emulate a chic New-York interior, but due to the odd shape of the space, it lacks the grandeur of such an establishment.
However, it is still very confortable and looks the part, and obviously, one comes here for the food!
However, it is still very confortable and looks the part, and obviously, one comes here for the food!
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The chef and part-owner, Martin Benn, was previously executive chef at Tetsuya, arguably one of the best restaurants in Australia. He brings to Sepia a lot of skills in fusion food honed there, as well as a solid technique. from his time in London with French Chef Michel Lorrain and the incontournable Marco Pierre White.
The degustation menu is the star here, and it consists of nine courses, plus an optional cheese offering before dessert. We passed! Presentation of each dish is superb, flavours are awesome and startling for most of them - more on this later. As I am sure, you can't read the menu on the left, here it is: Amuse bouche
"Scallop sushi" Nori rolled scallop, pickled ginger, puffed sushi rice,avocado cream Tartare of yellow fin tuna, warm shitake mushroom custard, sprouting caviar lentils amaranth, toasted ponzu Queensland spanner crab and buckwheat risotto, mustard butter, shellfish essence Spiced roasted scampi tails, roasted Hiramasa kingfish, scampi cream, baby fennel, lemon and saffran shiso and shellfish jus Roasted pasture fed Angus beef tenderloin marinated in Hatcho miso, braised short rib, smoked daikon radish yuzu jellies, oxtail consomme Cocoa and sansho seared Mandagery venison, baby beetroots, rhubarb, chocolate, beetroot and boudin noir crumb Pre-dessert "Winter chocolate forest" Soft chocolate, chestnut, truffled honey cream, blacberry sorbet, blackerry candy green tea, licorice, chocolate twigs, crystalised fennek fronds, yoghurt snow |
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Oysters and Champagne!Being our son's 21st birthday, we decided to start the night with a bottle of Laurent-Perrier and some oysters to share! These oysters were probably the best I ever had in Australia, certainly in Sydney, and were reminiscent of my favourite "fines de claire" back in France, not a small treat. Thumbs up here! Can I also mention that the service was impeccable, the sommelier very knowledgeable and happy to confirm my somehow eclectic choices of accompanying wines. And although our glasses were refiled with sparkling Italian mineral water constantly, it didn't reflect in the bill, as it was capped at four bottles, a practice that should be copied elsewhere! Well done... |
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Scallop Sushi
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Tartare of yellow fin tuna, warm shitake mushroom custard,
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Queensland spanner crab and buckwheat risotto, mustard
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Spiced roasted scampi tails, roasted Hiramasa kingfish,
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At this stage of our meal, we had enjoyed a very intriguing array of seafood, tastes, textures, colours, crockery, and seriously inventive good food.
We had also enjoyed the delights of our accompanying Champagne and Bourgogne Aligote, both perfect matches to the food we ate so far. Interestingly enough, although the portions look small, they are actually quite perfect to allow enough "matter" to taste every single element of the dishes, without filling you so much that your palate or your stomach would be blinded or overwhelmed by the previous experience. It is now time to move to our meat dishes and the beautiful Chateau Villa Bel Air to enhance them! It was also the perfect time to present our gifts to our Birthday Boy, but that will remain private... Let's just say that he was both pleasantly surprised and thrilled! |
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Roasted pasture fed Angus beef tenderloin marinated in Hatcho miso, braised short rib, smoked daikon radish, yuzu jellies, oxtail consommePerfectly cooked meat, great Asian treatment, and what a show! When you think you are ready to dig in what is already quite an amazing dish, the waitress pours some beautifully rich "gravy" in your plate, adding to the intrigue. A sip of Bordeaux to prepare the palate, and then it is like a grenade of flavours exploding in your mouth, and then lingering in, as if deconstructed slowly by your personal chromatographer! |
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Cocoa and sansho seared Mandagery venison, baby beetroots, rhubarb, chocolate, beetroot and boudin noir crumb
Let's be frank here, this was in my view a total let down. The first five dishes were a nice escalation of flavours, complexity, surprise, but perfectly orchestrated. This sixth dish was just not belonging to this "suite". Chocolate with meat is not my favourite combination of flavours for a start, and it is more a Mexican invention (I lived there for a few years, so that's how I know from first hand experience...) than a Japanese influenced invention. Actually, it seems that this is a recent addition to this dish, as confirmed by searching other reviews or older versions of the menu on the Net... So, please either skip this course altogether or re invent it to be more in tune with the rest of the degustation menu. |
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Pre dessertWe are back on track here with a palate cleansing interruption in the guise of a non-alcoholic "trou normand" a granita with a lime sauce. Perfect! |
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"Winter chocolate forest"
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In conclusion
Definitely worth the hat!
Did we have a good time? Certainly
Was it good value? yes we stayed well under our $1000 for four without trying
The first five courses were sublime, certainly like a very well planned firework of flavours, texture and colour, but the last two were disappointing.
The service was exceptional, very corporate, but still warm, efficient, friendly and knowledgeable
I wish I knew the name of the sommelier, as he knew his list inside out and should be commended!
Would we return again? not sure, definitely not for the birthday girl next year(as she will be turning 21 then)...
Probably would try Guillaume at Bennelong, or Rockpool.
We might even go back to Berowra Waters as the weather would be great in September...stay tuned
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Tastevin - Darlinghurst - Sydney - Bistro & Wine Bar
What a great find! This is a quintessential French Bistro in the middle of the action in darlinghurst, Sydney.
We took my sister-in-law and partner and us four late June, as Carol-Anne and Steve were visiting us on their way to Las Vegas. We had not seen them together for quite a while and decided that we would go out for dinner and try something new.
A quick search on eatability returned Tastevin (among others...) with 55 mostly amazing reviews.
We were not disappointed.
First, I called to book, and they were fully booked - a good sign...
And then, I did a little arm twisting (over the phone...) mentioning this website.
The problem was that they could have us but were short on chair(s). It turned out to be just one, and they went back home and brought a nice "fauteuil" from home: problem (nicely...) solved.
It was a good omen, and the rest of the evening went by on the same high note:
We took my sister-in-law and partner and us four late June, as Carol-Anne and Steve were visiting us on their way to Las Vegas. We had not seen them together for quite a while and decided that we would go out for dinner and try something new.
A quick search on eatability returned Tastevin (among others...) with 55 mostly amazing reviews.
We were not disappointed.
First, I called to book, and they were fully booked - a good sign...
And then, I did a little arm twisting (over the phone...) mentioning this website.
The problem was that they could have us but were short on chair(s). It turned out to be just one, and they went back home and brought a nice "fauteuil" from home: problem (nicely...) solved.
It was a good omen, and the rest of the evening went by on the same high note:
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First the service: friendly, attentive, but at the same time discreet
Then the foodx: good French fare, perfectly executed, whether it was the steak frites cooked to perfection, or the crepes flambees (more Grand Marnier for the photo...nice touch, and Steve didn't complain!) The wine list: Quite extensive with 20 wines by the glass, 15 of them French, over 80 by the bottle, not including the Champagne and the dessrt wines. We chose a Bourgogne Passetoutgrain - Domaine Taupenot-Merme 2006 (red) Let me quote Gourmet Traveller here: Passetoutgrain is a seldom-seen (in this country, at least) Burgundian wine style that combines pinot noir and gamay grapes in a drink-now, straightforward mouthful of red fruit freshness. This superb, organically grown example from Morey Saint Denis, is particularly good: it’s snappy, has complex flavours of wild forest berries, and finishes with fine, powdery tannins. Drink with quail, pigeon or guinea fowl, or just a plain roast chook, with garlic and herbs, of course. MA Perfect match for the range of dishes the seven of us tried over the course of the evening, and reasonably priced too - actually, the wine list is abundant with wines in the 40-70$/bottle range, and tops up at around 300$ for a bottle of Dom Perignon |
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Gnocchi a la Parisienne, sauteed mushrooms, and white truffle Mornay
Nicely put togetther, this traditional Italian/French recipe was enhanced by the flavour of the white truffle and finished in the oven with a nice gratin look.
By the way, you can do that with endives (witlof) wrapped in ham or bacon and with a Bechamel sauce, the pauper version of the sauce Mornay and finished in the oven with grated Gruyere on top (Jalsberg is a good enough alternative here "Down Under". A very wintery dish that Mum used to cook for us as kids, and that I have reintroduced in my own household. Cornfed chicken breast with basil mousseline, corn puree, crisp pancetta and jus grasAn upmarket version of grilled chicken, perfectly cooked, with the unusual corn puree, instead of the traditional "pomme de terre". Innovative, no risk taken, and again perfect for a winter night. Chargrilled beef eye fillet, gratin dauphinois, lyonnaise onions and red wine jusLet me start by saying that in 90% of the restaurant in this country where I order steak, either rare, or medium rare if I feel I am in good hands, I end up with a well done piece of meat, which become very tough if not of the highest quality.
Here the meat comes from Andrew Meats (Maitre Karl used to source his meat there as well..), and medium rare is the go, as it comes from the kitchen chargrilled outside, rare in the middle, juicy and flavoursome. The dauphinois is par with the one at Berowra Waters, no less, and the watercress on the side would have made my late father perfectly at home. If you have not understood me by now, then let me tell you it was one of the best steak I had in this country! |
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Dark chocolate fondant, with lavender, and walnut ice cream
No berry ice cream here, let me tell you, this is pure chocolate indulgence, with benefits!
Clean tastes, perfectly cooked and crusty on the outside and still almost liquid inside, yumm... As they say, the proof is in the pudding, so to speak... A photo is worth a thousand words. Skip the starters and keep some space for this dessert!!! |
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Flambed Grand Marnier crepes Suzette, with creme fraiche ice creamThis the firework at Tastevin, courtesy of the extra Grand Marnier poured warm on the Crepes and then lit, all this happening at your table, bien sur! I am not a crepe enthusiast, but these ones look fantastic, and I have a sweet tooth for grand Marnier, I have to confess...maybe I will try them next time... |
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Lemon tartelette with fresh blueberries and rasberries sorbetWell, the berry sorbet we didn't get with the chocolate dessert is still alive and IS the perfect match to the humble lemon tartelette, again perfectly executed here. |
In conclusion
If you are hungry for honest French fare, (maybe you just returned from a holiday in France...) and you are craving for the real thing, but not willing to spend a fortune (holidays in France...), then rush to Tastevin, and experience the warm welcome of Alex and Natasha Bourdon and their experienced team.
Although Alex is no longer in the kitchen, he has managed to clone himself into a very nice Australian Chef , who's name escape me just now, but I will update this post when I find out.
The place is perfect for a first date, an birthday or anniversary, or for a casual dinner "en famille" like us.
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Although Alex is no longer in the kitchen, he has managed to clone himself into a very nice Australian Chef , who's name escape me just now, but I will update this post when I find out.
The place is perfect for a first date, an birthday or anniversary, or for a casual dinner "en famille" like us.
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Uncorked - North Sydney
Situated on the first floor on the Union Hotel in North Sydney, "Uncorked" could have been left "Undiscovered" if not for the savvyness of the owners, great hoteliers under the "down under" sky, of PJ O'Reilly Irish pubs fame.
Uncorked Restaurant has been awarded "Best Restaurant in a Pub (M)" at the Restaurant & Catering NSW Awards For Excellence 2010!
And before I write anything else, let me point out that we were invited as bloggers for dinner by their PR company.
So, many thanks to them.
Once you get upstairs from the noisy and full pub downstairs, you enter a quiet and sophisticated space, primarily white, with white leather private little hubs, which could make you feel like being in the restaurant of a futuristic high speed train. Very confortable and chic.
The service, although very friendly - more on this later - is a bit too pushy to serve you something, whether it's a drink or some appetisers...
Uncorked Restaurant has been awarded "Best Restaurant in a Pub (M)" at the Restaurant & Catering NSW Awards For Excellence 2010!
And before I write anything else, let me point out that we were invited as bloggers for dinner by their PR company.
So, many thanks to them.
Once you get upstairs from the noisy and full pub downstairs, you enter a quiet and sophisticated space, primarily white, with white leather private little hubs, which could make you feel like being in the restaurant of a futuristic high speed train. Very confortable and chic.
The service, although very friendly - more on this later - is a bit too pushy to serve you something, whether it's a drink or some appetisers...
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We were invited for the supposedly Bastille Day menu, a special menu running during the month of July.
You can still experience it though, as the now published August menu is still the same (unless I am mistaken...) Let me also say that our professional lives are quite hectic at the moment and we came straight after work on a Friday night, maybe not the best time, as we had not had a chance to completely disconnect from a week full of corporate adventures... The setting of the tables is nice, quite private, with very nice linen and cutlery. The glasses are actually a tad ordinary compared to rest of the crockery, but this is a minor comment. This blog being still relatively young at heighteen months of existence, we were quite chuffed to cut the mustard as real bloggers getting pampered by an eager host: we are not "not quite nigella" yet, but we are working on it! So, here we are confortably sitted, scrutinising the menu and the wine list to maximise our exposure and get enough data for a good review. Here are the results of our experience at Uncorked: |
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Oysters and Foie Gras - bien French!
I had my seat belt on, hence the upside down photo (well we are "down under" after all!!!) The oysters were superb, being winter they are in season, and were on par with the ones we had at Sepia, quite an achievement. The Clyde river is one of the cleanest on the Australian Coast. Terrine of Foie Gras, with poached Pear, Date puree, Brussel Sprout & Mille Feuille Pastry I used to be a great fan of foie gras (I was even cooking some myself with a Chef friend and selling it with Champagne from Daniel Liebart to colleagues and friends in the early 80s!), but I am a bit over it now, as I find it often too rich, so this one was a welcome surprise. It tasted beautifully and the presentation and side show quite a good match, although the brussel sprout leaves added nothing to it. |
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Maitre Renard - Pinot Noir - BourgogneBeautiful French Pinot Noir, perfect match for the duck that my wife is choosing as her main course. I was tempted to try the "bouillabaisse", but because this wine was an unlikely find ( and quite reasonably priced as well...) I decided to go with the "steak au poivre" I quote The Wine Front here and Cambell Mattinson: "This is another partnership between Nicholas Crampton (Foster’s will rue the day it set him free) and a Frenchman – this time, with Bernard Schurr. The idea is “to make a good value Burgundy with professional winemaking”. The grapes are grown in Marsannay and the Cotes de Nuits. It was matured in oak for eight months and is bottled under screwcap." It certainly achieve these objectives. |
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Confit De Canard, Free Range Duck Leg with Fresh Fig, Roasted Chestnut &
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400gm Rib Eye Cutlet “Steak au Poivre” - MSA Grain fed - 120 days, served with Peppercorn, Brandy, Beef Jus Cream, & Pommes Frites
Nice "Cote de Boeuf", perfectly cooked, excellent pommes frites.
The sauce though was quite bland: my wife was surprised I added some cracked pepper to the supposedly "sauce au Poivre", and that's how I realised the sauce was quite ordinary. I did enjoy the steak though, although it was certainly much larger than my appetite! Check the perfect "cuisson"! |
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 Emilie, left and Chelsea |
In conclusionWe are certainly grateful for the invitation and a nice dinner. However, I am not sure I like it enough to return and probably pay in the vicinity of 200$ for two. But to finish on a high note, the service was very nice, thanks in part to a very chatty French waitress, Emilie, and her Australian colleagues Chelsea and Anastasia, who were very helpfull and welcoming. |
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Ventuno - Walsh Bay - Sydney
Last Saturday was a gorgeous and warm winter day in Sydney and we were longing for a leisurely lunch somewhere on the water.
We had almost settled on the Oyster Bar near the Sydney Opera House, but as we were driving the long way around via Walsh Bay, we were reminded of another nice lunch we had at Ventuno on the wharf there.
It is an Italian restaurant, and there is something about Italian food which is unpretentious, big on fresh produce and simple and earthy tastes, and perfectly appropriate for a sunny day lunch.
We sat outside in the sun looking over the millionaires row which Pier 6/7 is, and was one of the first project I worked on when I started my Australian career.
On the menu today, gnocchis for my wife, served with a gorgeous mix of roasted vegetables in a creamy sauce, and big prawns simply grilled with a garlic butter sauce for me, all drenched with a nice Pinot Grigrio from the Venice region: perfectly romantic and satisfying. Adorable service as well in pure Italian style and tradition. I will be back, as Arnie would say...
We had almost settled on the Oyster Bar near the Sydney Opera House, but as we were driving the long way around via Walsh Bay, we were reminded of another nice lunch we had at Ventuno on the wharf there.
It is an Italian restaurant, and there is something about Italian food which is unpretentious, big on fresh produce and simple and earthy tastes, and perfectly appropriate for a sunny day lunch.
We sat outside in the sun looking over the millionaires row which Pier 6/7 is, and was one of the first project I worked on when I started my Australian career.
On the menu today, gnocchis for my wife, served with a gorgeous mix of roasted vegetables in a creamy sauce, and big prawns simply grilled with a garlic butter sauce for me, all drenched with a nice Pinot Grigrio from the Venice region: perfectly romantic and satisfying. Adorable service as well in pure Italian style and tradition. I will be back, as Arnie would say...
