That’s the only way I can describe the food at Berta. Each dish leaves you hanging and longing for more. I had been saving my first visit to this effortlessly cool restaurant for months and managed to make a last minute date with a friend for a long overdue catch-up.

Berta is unashamedly noisy, but there is a undeniable charm about the place. The staff are friendly and efficient with their service – especially with the line of patrons at the bar eyeing off customers who call for their bill. That said, we had no trouble getting a table despite their no bookings policy (I suggest arriving around 6pm for a guaranteed seat).

We begin with the scallops. These little parcels of flavour explode in your mouth: you didn’t see it coming, you can’t fathom how it happened, you just know you want more. Served in their shell, the scallops are just cooked, though still soft in the middle. Swirling in the olive oil are sprinkles of bread crumbs and parsley. Subtle five spice flavours also seep through, adding a nice unexpected contrast to the dish.

Scallop sugna breadcrumbs $4.5 each

The duck mandilli (or duck ‘handkerchief’, as our waitress explains) features braised duck wrapped in pillows of pasta sheets. There is a very intriguing flavour in the broth which I can’t quite decipher, which adds a rich and spicy earthiness to the dish that’s really quite appealing. My money is on the olives.

Duck mandilli de saea olive $24

We couldn’t resist ordering braised chuck steak, which is listed on the menu simply as ‘beef’, a rather amusing yet modest undersell. The meat is supple and gives way with the gentle push of the fork, but is not the ‘fall apart tender’ that I expect. It has bite and texture to it, which grows on me. The cauliflower puree is velvety smooth and soaks up the surrounding sauce.

Beef $30

The vege dish of snowpea, broad bean and horseradish is so simple, you wonder why you haven’t had it before. The vegetables are cooked to a perfect crunch and dressed with what seems like a cheesy parsley butter sauce.

Snowpeas broadbean horseradish $15

We finish on a dessert of chocolate hazelnut parfait, which is essentially a chocolate and hazelnut semifreddo with a scoop of pear sorbet on top. It is an interesting combination and the chocolate wins me over. It is so rich and creamy – even better than Lindt’s 70% dark, which is my go-to dark chocolate ice cream.

Chocolate hazelnut parfait $14

I have been won over by Berta and there’s no denying other Sydney foodies feel the same: less than 3 months from opening, Berta was nominated for Best New Restaurant in the 2011 Good Food Guide. If this is just the beginning, I see great things on the cards for this little gem!

Berta
17-19 Alberta Lane
Surry Hills
NSW 2000
www.berta.com.au
Open Monday through to Saturdays from 5pm to late.

In complete contrast, Casa Barilla was a breath of fresh air and the atmosphere was incredibly relaxed: no one was here to be the next Guy Grossi, they were just looking for some inspiration to jazz up their tired repertoire. Plus, there was plenty of bubbles and vino to go around.

“We try to keep it as much fun as possible and to give a true Italian experience to the attendees from the minute they walk through our doors, until they leave. The locals love it and embrace it, so we keep working hard to improve it at all times,” says Luca Ciano, Casa Barilla’s Executive Chef who explains that Casa Barilla opened in 2008 with the aim of sharing the diversity of Italian cuisine with Australians.

“We only focus on Italian cooking, no twist no gimmicks, it’s simple and easy to understand and people can go home and truly replicate the dishes demonstrated.”

The class format is relatively easy to follow – first, Luca demonstrates the steps involved in putting the dish together and then the class breaks to their stations and replicates what they’ve just seen. The process is made a little easier with an elevated LCD which provides an aerial view of what Luca is doing.

I was won over by Luca and his assistant Angelo’s nonchalant attitude to cooking. They were also a great laugh and I really didn’t think a cooking class would be this enjoyable. Luca doesn’t profess to be an expert, but simply provides you with the basics for creating great dishes at home and giving you freedom to interpret and adapt however you wish.

Many of the classes are built around different regional dishes in Italy. The class we attended was inspired by the region of Lombardy in Italy’s north. On the agenda was Osso Buco, Salame di Cioccolato (Chocolate Salami) and Polenta.

Osso Buco is a Milanese specialty of veal shanks cooked in meat broth, flavored with white wine and vegetables. Slowly braised, this relatively tough, yet flavorful cut of meat becomes meltingly tender, and the connective tissues and marrow dissolve into the sauce, making it rich and creamy. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the luxury of time with our Osso Buco. I would really like to give the recipe a go in a slow cooker: a slow braise over six or seven hours will really soften the meat and bring out greater flavour in the dish.

Osso Buco alla Milanese
Serves 4

Ingredients
½ onion, finely chopped
½ carrot, finely chopped
½ stick of celery, finely chopped
100g unsalted butter
4 veal osso buco (300 – 350g each)
100g plain flour
1 glass white wine
2 glasses veal stock
1 tin peeled tomatoes or 3 fresh vine-ripened tomatoes (optional)
100g green peas

Gremolata
30g lemon zest
¼ bunch parsley
1 garlic clove
Salt & pepper and olive oil

Method

1. In a large casserole, gently cook the onion, carrot and celery in butter until golden.

2. Coat the osso buco in flour, season them and sear on both sides in the same pan.

3. Add the wine and let it evaporate. Add the stock and tomatoes and simmer with a lid on for an hour and a half.

4. To make the gremolata, finely chop the lemon zest, parsley, garlic and mix with a little olive oil and season to taste.

5. Five minutes before serving, add the peas and season to taste. Serve with gremolata.

Barilla Polenta

375 grams Barilla polenta flour
1.5 litre water
1 tbs salt
1 tbs exra virgin olive oil
60 grams grated grana padano
20 grams unsalted butter

1. Bring to boil the water in a large pot, add salt and oil.

2. Once boiling, add the polenta a litle at a time, whisking constantly.

3. Cook on gentle heat for 3 minutes.

4. Remove from the heat and add butter and grana padano, allow melting and mix well.

Salame di cioccolato

100 grams dried biscuit, crumbled
50 grams almonds finely chopped
80 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
150 grams caster sugar
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
2 tbs dark cocoa powder
1 tbs rum

1. In a large bowl mix the eggs with butter, sugar, cocoa and liquor.

2. Add the biscuits and almonds and mix well.

3. Place the mix onto the grease proof paper and roll it into a salami shape.

4. Allow to rest for for 2 hours in the freezer before serving.

For more information about Casa Barilla’s upcoming cooking classes, please visit www.barillaaus.com. Classes are priced from $50 per person.

Casa Barilla
4 Annandale Street
Annandale NSW 2038
www.barillaaus.com

An 11.4kg suckling pig rolled in on a trolley somehow trumps all of the above.

A group of bloggers recently attended a ‘Pig & Pinot’ dinner at Chophouse, a moody North American inspired steakhouse located in the inner city.

The dinner was hosted by the restaurant’s General Manager, Adam Heathcote, who gave us an entree into what Chophouse does best: quality produce that’s sourced direct from the fields and retains its freshness and integrity.

Adam addressed the issue of educating the public about food. It seems that mass production and genetic modification has really brainwashed our conceptions of what food should look and taste like. One example is heirloom carrots, which is purple in colour – not orange.

Adam’s passion and dedication towards fresh local produce is truly inspiring. Chophouse’s black truffles, for instance, is sourced from the Southern Highlands, which makes them incredibly fresh having been out of the ground for less than 24 hours. I think it’s fantastic to see Chophouse support local suppliers, paticularly while they’re in their infancy.

The Mt. Lowe truffle featured on our ceviche of Hervey Bay sea scallops, which was served on the shell. It was very subtle, though the smell and taste was there. The scallops were luscious in texture, sweet on the tongue. That said, I wasn’t entirely satisfied with this dish as a ceviche, I felt it was lacking in acid and possibly a little extra dressing.

We also tasted an entree of jamon and Italian buffalo milk mozzarella. I found it a little difficult to evaluate this dish as I’m not really a jamon fan. In terms of flavour, I thought it was a nicely balanced dish, highlighted with the addition of roasted fennel, onion and almonds. I particularly liked the onion, which was beautifully rendered with balsamic. There was no rawness at all, only a smokey sweetness that was so incrediby surprising. I don’t think I’ve had onion that well cooked before!

When the big ticket item rolled around, we all went a little pork mad. Executive Chef, David Clarke carved several platefuls of the suckling pig, topped with plenty of crackling. Though it was obvious that the highly sought after parts were the nose, tail and ears.

Accompanying the sucking pig was a caesar salad ‘wedge’, a cauliflower gratin and green beans. The caesar salad was my pick of the three – so refreshing to see caesar presented so well in a restaurant. No sloppy bowl affairs at Chophouse, it’s all class!

Our dinner ended with a dessert of caramelised banana cheesecake. I thought it was a simple dessert with very little fanfare – until Adam brought over bottles of Hennessy and Grapa. I don’t think I’ve ever had dessert paired with 43% alcohol before. The Grapa was intriguing, very floral and spicy, but much too heavy for my liking. Interesting concept though.

We also devoured slices of Chophouse’s signature chocolate block, served on a wooden board with a mini cleaver. The block is made in house using a combination of milk and dark chocolate from Lindt. It was the perfect coffee accompaniment.

Chophouse will shortly be launching a 1920’s inspired New York carvery with a rotating daily special. The menu is yet to be finalised, but suckling pig is definitely on the cards. Stay tuned!

Chophouse
25 Bligh Street
Sydney City
NSW 2000
# 1300 246 748
www.chophouse.com.au

Open Monday to Friday from 12pm until late and Saturday from 6pm until late.

I recently met with Ghazaleh Lyari, the founder of Ghermez Cupcakes. Ten years ago, Ghazaleh was a high flying investment banker on Wall Street. Now she’s the head of a booming cupcake business, concoting new flavours and managing the day-to-day of her brand’s three stores.

“Having worked with so many entrepreneurs, I’ve always wanted the opportunity to be the girl in charge,” Ghazaleh tells me and admits that she explored several business models before settling on cupcakes. What prompted this decision was that serious businessmen in the US were investing in cupcakes.

Sydney is no stranger to cupcakes and Ghazaleh has cleverly identified a gap in the market. Ghermez caters for a different kind of consumer, one perhaps like Ghazaleh herself who doesn’t have a sweet tooth but will indulge in a seriously good piece of cake.

Having done her research, Ghazelah set out to make quality cupcakes with a variety of unique flavours set out in a stylish environment. Her cupcakes are baked fresh everyday, using wholesome natural ingredients. No thick slabs of fluro buttercream on her cupcakes, everything is made from scratch – including the strawberry icing which is made fresh daily with real strawberries.

Ghermez currently have 20 flavours on their menu, with new flavours added seasonally. Dulce de leche is one of these flavours as is the new gluten free orange and almond (with more to come!).

“My inspiration for new flavours come mostly from my mother’s cooking. She is an amazing cook, and I grew up in a household where fabulous, wholesome and delicious food was around no matter when you walked through the doors!” Ghazaleh says, “She makes a lot of beautiful sweets and uses a lot of ingredients from the east, including pistachios, rose water, orange blossom extract.”

I got to sample a few of Ghazaleh’s creations, which included Chocolate Honey, Chocolate Marshmallow, Red Velvet, Dulce de Leche and Strawberry.

The standouts are undoubtedly the two chocolate flavours, both fluffy and moist – a rare quality missing in most cupcakes. The flavour of honey in the Chocolate Honey cupcake is subtle, well-balanced and not too overly sweet. Meanwhile, marshmallow forms the gooey centre of the Chocolate Marshmallow and makes a very clever (and addictive!) combination.

Ghazleh has big plans for her brand in the years to come, “My objective with Ghermez is to make sure we are regarded as ‘best in class’. I am hoping that ‘Ghermez’ will be a brand associated with all things delicious and stylish.”

Expanding beyond cupcakes is definitely on the cards. Ghazaleh has her eye on the next venture, and we’re all excited to find out what it is!

As the region borders Laos and Cambodia, the food is quite different from the Thai that we are used to. First of all, there are a lot of salads and soups, and most dishes are eaten with sticky rice (kao niao). The flavours are explosive and not only because it is spicy.

All the memories from my journey to Isaan came flooding back when I dined at House, the latest offering from the Spice I Am family. House looks like a cross between a bistro and a beer garden. While the setting works perfectly for the food, it is a little irritating to have to venture next door for drinks (there’s also no BYO, unlike the original).

The grilled dishes at House are outstanding and easily the staple here. The pork neck skewers (Moo Ping) are perfectly marinated and cooking by chargrill adds a smokey caramel flavour to the meat. The ox tongue (Ping Lin) is tender and fleshy pink in the middle, accompanied with a tangy dipping sauce. The grilled chicken (Gai Yang) isn’t as juicy and plump as pictured on the menu, however, the flavours are aromatic and nicely balanced.

Moo Ping $10

Ping Lin $10

Gai Yang $16

The salads are vibrant and fresh, although the flavours slightly one-note as they all share the same chilli and lime dressing. The Som Tum Thai is as tongue numbing as the original Spice I Am. Eating this at the start coats your tongue in throbbing chilli, a sensation that stays with you long after the meal is over.

The Yum Woon Zen, which combines vermicelli with pork mince, calamari, prawns and celery, is milder and features a nice sprinkling of ingredients. Meanwhile, the Yum Naam with steamed fermented pork sausage is an interesting take on what’s usually eaten plain with sticky rice.

Som Tum $7

Yum Naam - $12

Yum Woon Zen - $14

The soup selection also lack variety – the base in each dish is essentially the same (tom yum) so ordering two soups almost seems redundant. The flavour in the tom yum is more pungent and amplified than the Thai version. The Tom Yum Powng Kai with embryo eggs came highly recommended, but I found them very rubbery with no real texture or flavour at all. The Tom Nua Toun, a slow cooked beef spicy soup, is an easy favourite with its meltingly soft beef pieces.

Tom Yum Powng Kai $16

Tom Nua Toun $14

We finished off our meal with a slew of desserts, including the now famous BTS or ‘Better Than Sex’. This dessert features one thick sliced brioche deep fried and topped with a scoop of pandan ice cream and palm syrup. It is a really interesting combination and is strangely addictive. However, at $15, it’s not a cheap dessert.

The other two desserts on the menu – a shaved ice number with taro and ruby chestnuts and a simple ice cream sandwich combo – lack the drama and cheekiness of the BTS. They are nice desserts but no real wow factor to be seen.

BTS $15

Kati num kang dai $5

Bread and ice cream $5

I don’t immediately see Spice I Am fans taking a liking to House. Like Spice I Am’s restaurant in Darlinghurst, the menu is completely different to the original. House has a very limited offering when it comes to main dishes, however, dishes are under $18 which is an attractive price point for budget conscious diners.

Having been three times now, I’ve noticed that the serving sizes have gotten smaller as House gets busier (thanks to the string of positive publicity in all the key food review sections). On our last and most recent visit, our portion of Som Tum was only two thirds the size of our first visit and our BTS was pricier. We couldn’t help but feel a little ripped off, especially given our relatively positive experience during the first two visits. Let’s hope they introduce some consistency to their sizing and pricing, or they may struggle to find loyal customers.

House

House
202 Elizabeth St
Surry Hills
NSW 2010
# 02 9280 0364

Open daily from 12pm to 2am.

I was invited along to Zeta Bar at the Hilton Hotel last week for a sneak peak of their new Winter Concept promotion, which sees their rooftop terrace transform into lively outdoor fare inspired by London’s Convent Garden.

It’s just one of the many pop-up events taking place around Sydney this winter, including Winterland at Carriageworks, Bondi Bergstation and Ice Blue Festival at Burwood.

Every Friday night this winter, Zeta Bar will offer an array of winter-inspired Zeta creations including mulled wine (spiced with cinnamon, ginger and orange), Hot Toddy’s ($12) and roasted chestnut infused cocktails ($19).

Zeta Bar has also introduced Nitro Eggnog ($5) to the menu, which takes a playful and experimental twist on the classic winter drink. It reminded me a lot of the Nitro Puffs from the Cryogenic Sorbet launch earlier this year. The puffs tasted like eggnog ice cream, only creamier with a nice spicy finish. It was such joy to watch the guys at the bar make this number and even more fun to eat!

The mulled wine ($8) was a particular highlight for me. I’ve never had one before and was surprised by how soothing and comforting it was (and not just because I’ve had a busy week at work!). The mulled wine is served piping hot to order, perfect for battling the winter chill.

And how could I overlook the roasted chestnuts ($6)! One of my favourite winter treats, chestnuts are notoriously tricky to cook, so it was nice to see these on the menu – along with toasted marshmallows ($5).

The menu isn’t the only thing that’s changed. For Winter Concept, Zeta Bar has also brought in buskers, street performers, jugglers, live music, a caricature artist and even a shoe shiner!

Zeta Bar
Level 4, Hilton Hotel
488 George Street
Sydney
# 02 9265 6070
www.zetabar.com.au

Thanks to Horizon Communications and Hilton Hotels for inviting us along. Photography provided by Hilton Hotels and Bar Solutions.

Grilled chorizo, jamon Serrano on Catalan bread and Sicilian green olives

Back then, food photography was the last thing I thought I’d use the camera for. But since starting the blog, I’ve learned so much about photography and the lengthy post processing involved in achieving a good photo. Still, there is only so much you can learn on your own without a little guidance from a professional. So when I found out that Billy Law from A Table For Two was running food photography workshops, the opportunity was simply too good to pass up.

I have always been a big fan of Billy’s work, even before I started blogging. His photos have a distinct style that demand your attention and tell a story that’s more effective than words. This, I believe, is the true mark of a great photographer.

The food photography workshop at Mumu Grill ran for around three hours. Billy started with a short introduction on the basics of photography – ISO, white balance, metering – before indepth discussion about composition, editing and publishing.

Without giving away all of Billy’s secrets, here are the tips I found most useful:

* Custom White Balance – Adjusting the white balance on your camera makes an enormous difference to your photos and saves you loads of time in post processing. I didn’t realise how easy it was to use. Simply take a photo of a white surface (cardboard, tablecloth, plate), change your white balance to custom and set that photo as the template. All your photos will then automatically adjust to compensate whatever lighting condition you’re in. I’ve lessened the use of my flash gun since discovering this simple trick.

* Rule of Thirds – When you’re taking your photos, be mindful that the important compositional elements should fall into the imaginary intersections created by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines. Keeping to this rule will give you more interesting photos. See here for more information on the rule.

* Noise Reduction – As most of you will know, taking photos without a flash in a dimly lit restaurant is a recipe for disaster. You either end up with photos that are too dark or too grainy to use. A nifty little program called Neat Image is a quick and easy way of reducing noise in photos without the undesirable pixelation.

* Square Plates – Fancy to look at, but incredibly hard to photograph. As Billy puts it, “square plates are evil”. As a rule of thumb, avoid lining up the sides of a square plate with the frame of the camera. This produces uneven, disoriented photos that are not easy on the eyes.

Chorizo braised in red ale with parmesan

As the group broke lunch, we each whipped out our cameras and snapped away at the plates on our tables. The food at Mumu Grill was beautifully simple, where natural wholesome flavours are the highlight. It comes as no surprise that only organic and sustainable ingredients feature on the menu. The dish that intrigued me the most was the pancetta ice cream, which tasted deceptively like chocolate honeycomb with its salty caramel flavours. Let’s hope Craig puts this clever little creation on the menu as a permanent fixture!

Game bird empanadas with Mumu BBQ Sauce

T-bone tagliatta

Duck fat potatoes

Dessert platter - gingerbread and mascarpone sandwich, chocolate raspberry tart, brown sugar pavlova and salted caramel ice cream with pancetta

For more information about A Table For Two’s food photography workshops, please visit www.atablefortwo.com.au. Billy has just released new dates for his July and August workshops, get in quick because they book out fast!

Mumu Grill
70-76 Alexander Street
Crows Nest
# 02 9460 6877
www.mumugrill.com.au

I was shuffled into my 4th different team at work in less than a year and there were plenty of rumours and innuendo about the future of the organisation. I received a call from a recruiter with some promising news signalling the end of the GFC – it was a sign for me to jump ship and find something new.

After a few meetings with the recruiter, four long and intense interviews and a psycho test over 4 months, I finally had a new employment contract in my hands and called Tetsuya’s to make a booking for the next available dinner.

“June 9,” says the voice on the other end – over 3 months away! The GFC was well and truly over.

Sharing the Tetsuya’s experience with us were two of our Tastebuds, Lisa and Andrew. Dining with company certainly helped the night move along as we were there for just over 4 hours.

Warm chestnut soup

Opening the batting was a warm chestnut soup. The smell of the chestnuts and the feeling of warming up by a chestnuts roasting on an open fire was perfect on this very cold winter’s night. A nice way to warm up our tasting muscles for the night ahead of us.

Sourdough and truffle butter with ricotta and parmesan

The truffle butter was hyped up during the weeks prior to our big night by one of Ms. Taste’s girlfriends who had just visited with her partner. They boasted of cleaning out 3 pots of the stuff between the two of them – and they were right to do so, the butter was smooth with a slight cheesy bite and the enticing smell really compelled us to pack it onto every last corner of our hot bread rolls.

Pacific oysters with rice vinegar and ginger

The oysters were a $9 a pair supplement to our dinner. Ms. Taste opted to pass on these and we made sure to let her know what she was missing out on. Some of the freshest oysters I’ve tasted, so plump and juicy with that distinct taste of the ocean lingering with the acidity of the vinegar and ginger in each heavenly mouthful.

Tamanohikari, Junmai-Ginjo Tokusen Sake

The first of the matched wines was a very smooth and clean sake. The matched wines are $90 which is equivalent to a whole bottle, however you can choose to have one serving shared between two so you aren’t completely smashed by the time desserts roll around. Unfortunately my wine palette has yet to evolve past the “goon/delicious not-goon” test and I can safely say that each wine falls deep into “delicious not-goon” territory.

Sashimi of Kingfish with black bean and orange

A real knockout dish, the kingfish received a unanimous tick of approval from all diners. The familiar texture of the firm fish with the soft crunch of the greens reminiscent of the classic steamed fish with ginger and shallots, taken to the next level in flavour by the slightly citrusy soy sauce.

New Zealand scampi tails with curd and tarragon jus

This dish received a mixed reaction, with most of use praising the freshness of both the scampi and the tofu. However the dish as an ensemble didn’t click with me as I couldn’t get into all the different soft textures on the plate.

Confit Petuna ocean trout with konbu, celery and apple

Tetsuya’s signature confit of ocean trout arrives, identically presented on each of our plates, identical to the countless photographs of the dish we have seen over the past few years. The table falls silent with each diner savouring their mouthfuls of magic and nodding to themselves with a quiet confidence that the weeks of hype and expectations have been well and truly met. His close relationship with supplier Petuna Seafoods has allowed him to pick the best of the best ocean trout, with years of selective breeding in accordance with his high standards resulting in the firm, marbled piece of fish in front of us.

Grilled fillet of barramundi with braised wood ear, enoki and chestnut mushrooms

This dish, I did not want to finish. It just smelt so fantastic, I wanted that beautiful aroma of the mushrooms and the sauce to stay with my nose and not my stomach. The fish was fresh and perfectly cooked, but the star was the delicious umami flavour from the mushrooms – a perfect marriage of the land and the sea.

Braised ox tail with sea cucumber and yuzu

Our first meat dish of the evening, a hard act following the two near-perfect courses that preceded it. The ox tail is meaty and flavourful and the sea cucumber is… well, bland and rubbery like how a sea cucumber is supposed to taste. I notice the table next to us being served their ocean trout and secretly wish for 2 or 3 or 10 more ocean trout courses.

Twice cooked de-boned spatchcock with truffle and barley risotto

I remember seeing this little parcel of chicken wobbling as it was served, seemingly bursting at the seams. Each bite unleashed a harmony of juices filling each mouthful with a mixture of sweetness from the chicken and savoury from the sauce anchored by the flavours from the truffle. A comment echoed many times throughout the night is heard again, “If they doubled the serving size of this dish, it would be perfect.”

Grass-fed Tasmanian Angus beef with swiss browns and porcini

The final savoury dish for the night was a classic steak, mushrooms and mash. The steak is not overly fatty and soft like wagyu but firm and very meaty, highlighting the flavours and quality of the beef. Each component is well executed and the dish’s heaviness put our stomachs near capacity, with just enough room left for dessert.

Pear sorbet with bread and butter pudding

The first of the desserts, the pear sorbet with walnuts acts as a palette cleanser and the rich and creamy bread and butter pudding is a comforting winter warmer. All the flavours compressed into the tiny shot glass packed a mighty punch – definitely my favourite dessert of the night.

Cannellini beans with marscapone and soy caramel

The second dessert course featured a hint of goats cheese which Ms. Taste found overwhelming – enough for her to offer her plate to everyone multiple times. It was a good dessert, although the mascarpone and soy did not really click with me.

Salted sable with lemon scented cream and leatherwood honey

The soft and buttery sable turned into a crumbly mess after a few digs of my fork – the sign of a very good shortbread. The lemon scented cream and slightly bitter leatherwood honey worked in beautifully with the shortbread and was a well-constructed and thought out dessert.

Lemon, Almond and Rose Macarons

Our final course was a small plate of macarons – the lemon flavour was the standout from a relatively bland selection. Ms. Taste, a bit of a self-professed macaron expert, points out that there is uneven rise on the shells. These must’ve been made a few days prior as the biscuit is quite hard compared to the lusciously soft creations at Adriano Zumbo and Le Renaissance.

Tetsuya's macarons

Cappuccino

For those of you yet to embark on the Tetsuya’s experience, be sure to tune in to SBS tonight at 7:30pm for the documentary, Tetsuya’s Pursuit of Excellence. The documentary takes an intimate look into Tetsuya’s journey from a young kitchen hand speaking no English to one of the world’s greatest chefs. There are also interviews with friends and mentors, Danny White, Armando Percuoco, Tony Bilson, Ferran Adria, Heston Blumenthal and Richard Geoffroy Chef du Cave at Dom Perignon.

We were provided a preview copy and it was the perfect entree to our meal at Tetsuya’s. You really appreciate your meal much more, knowing the quality ingredients and deatiled selection that goes into each dish.

I hope I’ve given you all a taste of what dining at Tetsuya was like. It was truly an experience never to be forgotten. In fact, Ms. Taste and I are planning to visit Tetsuya’s new restaurant Waku Ghin in Singapore at the end of the year. And we have high expectations!

Tetsuya’s
529 Kent Street
Sydney NSW
# 02 9267 2900
www.tetsuyas.com

Molecular gastronomy turns time old traditions about food on its head and combines the excitement of food and science in one undeniably mind blowing combination.

The leading chefs in this area are Ferran Adria of El Bulli, Heston Blumenthal of The Fat Duck and Grant Achatz of Alinea, who coincedentally all appear in the top 10 in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.

While some Australian chefs dabble here and there in this style of ‘avant garde’ cooking, Tomislav is probably the first of its kind to build its entire menu around this premise. Describing itself as a ‘future bistro’, Tomislav is located on an easy-to-miss corner of Darlinghurst within direct view of the Coke sign.

Owner and head chef, Tomislav Martinovic trained under Heston Bluementhal and has also worked with the likes of Matt Moran, Guillaume Brahimi and Eric Chavot.

Tomislav is intimate, cool and understated. The restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating, all within direct view of the kitchen – where the magic happens.

We began our meal at Tomislav with an order of crackers. Rice crackers to exact. Accompanied with a sea salt and vinegar atomiser, we are advised by our waitress that three sprays are the recommended amount. The crackers were tangy, crisp and wildy addictive. We could’ve easily finished off a whole bowl and taken home a bag each.

Rice crackers with sea salt & vinegar - 7

I originally had reservations about ordering the oysters. What luck that I persisted, the oysters at Tomislav turned out to be my favourite dish of the night. Freshly shucked, the oysters were very juicy and supple. The lemon ice and soy dressing was the perfect duo – both soothing on the tongue and well seasoned. I don’t think I can have oysters any other way now.

Freshly shucked Sydney rock oysters with lemon ice and soy dressing - $12/$24

As we waited for our entrees to arrive, we were handed a small basket of bread and a plate of butter. The waitress tells us that the butter had been churned on site and was topped with an onion powder. I grinned from ear to ear, this is exactly the sort of creation I came for. The powder had a very subtle roasted onion flavour and added a nice earthy flavour to the butter, which in itself was so soft – almost like the whipped butter you get with McDonalds hot cakes.

Butter with onion powder

The excitement didn’t stop there. Our next dish was the grilled salmon rolls, topped with wasabi crumbs. Don’t be fooled, they’re not as lethal as they look. The crumbs actually had a very creamy taste with very little harshness at all.

Grilled salmon roll toast with wasabi crumbs - 12

The poached comboyne hen’s egg reminded me of congee. Except, instead of century egg, pork, chinese sausage and pickles, this had peas, ham and warm potato cream. Topped with a wafer thin slice of ‘toast’, I think it would make an incredibly comforting breakfast.

Poached Comboyne hen's egg with peas & ham and warm potato cream - 18

The quail, with its glistening skin, had very distinct Thai flavours – corainder, chilli and roast pineapple. The glaze was very addictive – if I wasn’t in front of company, I would’ve picked up the quail and eat it with my fingers.

Roast Red Gate Farm quail with chilli, coriander and roast pineapple - 19

The risotto was unique in that it used basmati rice – as opposed to the stubbier and creamier arborio rice. This meant that the risotto wasn’t as rich as normal and the lemon zest added a nice balance to the dish.

Basmati rice risotto with poached Yamba prawns, chives and lemon zest - 18

To round out the entrees, we had the poached yellow fin tuna with egg linguine, parmesan and celery cress. This really was an interesting trio of ingredients: the poached tuna really tied the dish together, while the celery cress helped cut through the richness of the creamy parmesan sauce.

Poached yellow fin tuna with egg linguine, parmesan and celery cress - 20

With only a brief moment to recover from the entrees, we were shortly presented with our mains. The barramundi was a very sizeable portion and both juicy and rich in flavour. Meanwhile, the cauliflower and parsley crumbs brought some colour and texture to the dish.

Wild river saltwater barramundi with cauliflower, parsley crumbs and king browns - 31

The scotch fillet came with a roast bone marrow split down the middle and a dab of horseradish cream. Already pre-sliced, the scotch fillet was cooked to a perfect medium rare. Our piece of marrow on the other hand, appeared to be overcooked and a little shrivelled. This didn’t affect the taste too much, it was an indulgent touch to the classic steak.

O'Connor scotch fillet with roast bone marrow and horseradish cream - 32

The duck breast was beautifully presented, set against a bright swipe of beetroot. Again pre-sliced (which made sharing so much easier), the crisp skin perfectly rendered and encased a tender strip of duck. The olive oil sponge had a very subtle flavour, perhaps overwhelmed by the surrounding ingredients.

Pasture Burrawong duck breast with olive oil sponge and baby beetroots - 32

The egg linguine was too creamy and salty for our liking. The pasta tasted very similar to the entree dish, it almost felt like we had doubled up on the order.

Egg linguine with Jannei goat's cheese, broccoli and anchovy - 29

Terry Durack raved about how great the chips were. But we found them dry and overcooked. If you’re ever travelling through Canada, the best chips money can buy can be found at Wild Bill’s in Banff. How they get their chips so darn crispy, I don’t know!

Crinkle cut chips - 8

When it came to ordering desserts, I was very disappointed to see that the chocolate mousse dome was no longer on the Tomislav menu. I had looked at it longingly when I read reviews by Not Quite Nigella, Eat Show & Tell and FoodiePop. Alas, we persisted with the four desserts that were featured on the menu.

The cheesecake wasn’t really like cheescake at all. It was light, creamy and airy – almost like mousse. The rhubarb was the perfect accompaniment and it’s very seldom I see it used so well in a dessert dish (besides the obvious tart or crumble).

Vanilla cheesecake with cream cheese and rhubarb sorbet - 14

Seemingly a tribute to the Bounty Bar, the dark chocolate coconut bar was a rich and decadent reinterpretation of the classic candy bar. The coconut ice and chocolate sorbet really made the dish and the sprinkling of pomegranate was nice touch! This dish reminded me of the ‘gas station’ challenge on Top Chef, where the contestants had to make fine dining dishes usuing only ingredients found at a gas station.

Dark chocolate coconut bar with coconut milk ice and chocolate sorbet - 14

My least favourite dish of the dessert round was the caramel pudding, which is surprising because I am a huge caramel fan. The caramel pudding sat at the very bottom of the bowl, buried under mounds of caramel walnuts. While the yoghurt provided a nice acidity to balance out the sweetness in this dessert, there was something about the combination I just didn’t enjoy.

Caramel pudding with yoghurt sorbet and caramelised walnuts - 14

And the dessert I ranked highest on the night was the apple crumble. I loved the deconstruction of this classic dish as well as the creativity in Tomislav’s re-construction. The individual elements were just as vibrant and delicious as the crumble combined. That’s the beauty of deconstruction I guess!

Apple crumble, macadamia nuts and clotted cream ice cream - 14

If you’re tired of the ’same old same old’, then Tomislav a try. It will be sure to surprise you with its trippy menu of weird and wonderful creations.

Tomislav
2/13 Kirketon Road
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
# 02 9356 4535
www.tomislav.com.au Open Tuesday to Saturday from 6.00pm – 10.00pm.

Billed as the hottest new restaurant to open in Sydney this year, Manly Pavilion is headed up by Manly local David Gray and chef to watch Jonathan Barthelmess.

Already winning over Sydney’s discerning restaurant critics, including Terry Durack from the Sydney Morning Herald, Simon Thomsen at the Daily Telegraph and Gourmet Traveller’s Pat Nourse, the restaurant menu features strong Mediterranean flavours. The menu allows guests to opt for a la carte, sharing plates or the recommended five course set menu covering all the important cornerstones of Italian cooking. Pasta, gelato and sorbetti will be handmade, while the kitchen team will cook risotto to order and hand select and age their own meats.

The restaurant was absolutely gorgeous inside and the view was second to none. There was a fantastic turnout at the opening and celebrity sightings included Manly locals Layne Beachly and Kirk Pengilly.

We were a little disapointed we didn’t get to sample more of the Manly Pavilion menu but there was a good sprinkling of canapes floating around the floor. They included a pea and ricotta gnocchi with crab; pan fried whiting fillets; grilled beef short rib with bone marrow; and pepper risotto with Acquerello carnaroli rice. Our favourite of the night was the roast quail, which were so succulent and juicy.

Hop onto our Facebook page to check out our photos from the event!

Win a $100 dining voucher to enjoy at Manly Pavilion!

We are pleased to announce a special giveaway with Manly Pavilion. For your chance to win a $100 dining voucher, become a fan on Facebook and tell us which dish you’re most intrigued by on the Manly Pavilion menu.

Manly Pavilion
West Esplanade
(Corner of Commonwealth Parade)
Manly Cove
NSW 2095
# 02 9949 9011
www.manlypavilion.com.au