Sean's Kitchen (international) - Pyrmont

Sign near the entrance

Sean's Kitchen is British born chef Sean Connolly's second venture at Sydney's Star Casino, having had his first restaurant Astral for many years. Unlike the fine dining Astral however, Sean's Kitchen serves international fare with a British and Spanish influence, including the current trend of tapas.

Colourful mosaic floor

The restaurant is located on the second level of Star City, one level above the often busy gaming floor; in fact, there is a limited view of the gambling activities from one side of the restaurant.

Welcome to Sean's Kitchen

The restaurant has three areas: the main dining room, a tapas section, and a waiting/bar area. The decor is quite eclectic but with a predominantly Spanish theme: funky armchairs crowd the waiting area, flowy red matador-like capes decorate the ceilings, colourful flooring near the entrance resemble a chic cafe's, and a big statue of a raging bull greets diners at the entrance. The entire restaurant is also awash in red, again very Spanish.

Waiting area and funky furniture

We arrived for lunch on a Sunday at midday, and predictably, the restaurant was empty. Surprisingly enough, the gaming floor was not as busy as normal either.

Dining room

More dining room

The dining room is quite large, and has an oyster/seafood bar adjacent to the private dining room which takes up a lot of space. The tables are neatly set out, and on each there are small salt and pepper grinders and a dish of butter with an unusual piece of cow-imprinted baking paper on the top. The bread plates are also not the normal circular ones you'd expect, but a rectangular one.

At the table

Monogrammed wine glass

The menu is fairly large and there is a lot of variety, split into: Hams, Entrees, Ocean Shelf Starters, Main Course, From The Grill, Ocean Shelf Platter, Sides, and Tapas.

Lemon, lime, and bitters

We are fairly hungry from not having had breakfast, and we order an entree, two mains, and two sides:

• Risotto of white and green asparagus, parsley, free range hen's egg ($18)
• Garlic bread ($9)
• Chicken Kiev, herb, and citrus crust ($34)
• Meat loaf, 4 cuts of pure Wagyu, vine-ripened tomato sauce ($34)

Garlic bread ($9)

After a short wait, the garlic bread comes, and it makes a big impression. Instead of the usual thin slices of bread, we get three large, thick pieces of plain bread - that's right, plain bread. So where is the garlic, you may ask? Accompanying the bread is a small pot with handle containing the garlic butter sauce, which the waiter duly pours over the bread! I have never encountered this before, but it is quite interesting. But did it taste good? Yes and no. The bread is nice and thick and absorbs a bit of the garlic sauce, but the sauce is overpoweringly sweet and very garlicky. So much so that even countless hours later there is the curse of the dreaded garlic breath. Not too pleasant indeed.

Risotto of white and green asparagus, parsley, free range hen's egg ($18)

The risotto comes and it's all a pea-green colour. There are white and green asparagus spears in a neat stack in the centre, and thin slices of parmesan on top. The rice is al dente and not mushy at all, the asparaguses are quite fresh, and the strange presence of a beautifully cooked hen's egg was welcome. Overall though, it is tasty without making too much of an impression.

Meat loaf, 4 cuts of pure Wagyu, vine-ripened tomato sauce ($34)

After a lot of water drinking to flush the garlic away, the mains arrive. My meatloaf comes in a small, shallow metal pot which is steaming hot, and is accompanied by a dinner plate and a spoon and fork. I found this slightly strange because I didn't think it was a share dish. Perhaps it was to maintain the heat for longer.

The meatloaf is very tasty and the mountain of tomatoes on top are fresh and very sweet. When mixed it was still a little sweet but it was quite moreish, with small wagyu beef strips scattered throughout the mince. This made the dish texturally weird for me, but I'm not an experienced meatloaf eater. However, despite the tastiness, it is quite a boring dish if all you had for accompaniment was chips (like we had). I would have preferred some vegetables or another carbohydrate as well, but I guess we were supposed to have ordered that as a side. As a consequence, I struggled to finish it because of the richness of the tomatoes.

Chicken kiev, herb and citrus crust ($34)

The chicken kiev, like the meatloaf, was a one-note dish colour-wise, being all green (like the risotto entree). It looked a bit strange as one piece of chicken breast on the plate with a large green puree smear. I didn't get to taste much of this but from what little I had it tasted quite nice. The meat was perfectly cooked and tender, with the herb and citrus crust just right with the saltiness and sourness. But again, it would have been much better with an accompaniment of something other than our side of chips.

Duck fat chips ($9)

Speaking of the chips, they are handcut and fried in duck fat, making them practically atherosclerotic! However, they surprisingly taste light and not too fatty, although a bit of salt would have helped their blandness. The chips come in an ancient looking metal conical measuring jug, lined with baking paper, and there are no few stains on the paper. Therefore, I assume that rather than killing my heart with each and every bite, they're actually healthy for me! Ha!

Having finished the mains, we were unfortunately too stuffed to attempt dessert, which was a shame. We didn't even get to peruse the dessert menu! Maybe next time.

Overall, Sean's Kitchen is an okay attempt at more affordable fine dining food at the casino, but it does fall short with the dishes. A bit more thought with the presentation and better accompaniment is warranted. The dining room is lovely, the service is efficient (although sometimes a little officious), and it was a fairly enjoyable dining experience where you do not feel like you're eating at a casino.

Edit: As Christmas fast approaches, I was fortunate enough to dine again at Sean's Kitchen for a work Christmas party, so I will add the following new entries - one entree, one main, and one dessert:

• Linguine of Queensland spanner crab, chilli spiced bisque, and lemon olive oil ($26)
• Slow cooked loin of Berkshire pork, roast cauliflower, chickpeas, and silver beet ($30)
• Duck egg crema Catalan ($12)

Linguine of Queensland spanner crab, chilli spiced bisque, and lemon olive oil ($26)

The linguine was nicely cooked al dente, and the flavours seem to be well balanced, with nothing overpowering the other. The chilli was not too spicy, and the crab meat was fresh, but I could not taste any lemon in the olive oil. Overall, a simple but hearty dish.

Slow cooked loin of Berkshire pork, roast cauliflower, chickpeas and silver beet ($30)

The pork is quite a hefty piece of meat, and there's a thick juicy layer of fat waiting to attack your arteries. The loin is cooked okay, with the occasional dryness evident, and the sauce is richly flavoured. The two-toned cauliflowers, silver beet, and chickpeas are a nice presentation visually and texturally, but the chickpeas are unevenly cooked, with some underdone and some overdone. Overall, an average dish.

Duck egg crema Catalan ($12)

The crema Catalan is essentially a Spanish version of creme brulee or creme caramel, and the serving is huge, easily enough for two people to share. It is nice and sweet, and despite being made with duck egg, it doesn't taste all that different. It is very creamy and smooth, but it does get dry once the caramel sauce is depleted. In fact, I could not finish it because of that.

So, having had the chance to try out more dishes at dinner, does that change my earlier conclusion? Unfortunately, the answer is no. Sean's Kitchen is adequate at what it is attempting to be at Star City, and is a good medium between the more expensive and the cheap-and-cheerful, but it needs more refinement to be more of an afterthought in Sydney's crowded fine dining scene.

What we liked: ambience, service

Favourite dish: meat loaf

Sean's Kitchen

Level 2, Hotel Tower, Star City Casino,

80 Pyrmont Street, Pyrmont

Tel: (02) 9777 9000

Email: seanskitchen@tabcorp.com.au

View Larger Map

Cuisine: International

Chefs: Sean Connolly and Tony Gibson

Link: www.seanskitchen.com.au

Reviews:

http://www.eatability.com.au/au/sydney/seans-kitchen/

http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/good-living/restaurant-reviews/seans-kitchen/2008/10/07/1223145316881.html

http://gourmettraveller.com.au/seans_kitchen_and_velero_sydney_restaurant_review.htm

http://www.yourrestaurants.com.au/guide/?action=venue&venue_url=seans_kitchen

http://www.herecomesthefood.com.au/eating-out/lets-do-lunch-1-2009-seans-kitchen.html

The Australian Heritage Hotel (pizza) - The Rocks

Australian Heritage Hotel inside and outside

The Australian Heritage Hotel has been a Sydney institution for over 85 years, and is more well known as a place to drink than for its gastronomic endeavours. However, it does serve up some interesting gourmet pizzas.

It is located in one of the quieter parts of The Rocks near the Sydney Harbour Bridge, at the corner of Cumberland and Gloucester Streets. There is usually ample parking on the street or surrounding area, or if walking, it's a short distance from Wynyard train station.

Gourmet pizzas in an hotel setting

The building being almost a century old doesn't detract from the food however, despite the building showing many signs of wear and tear, and there is no air-conditioning. The majority of the dining tables are located outdoors on the footpath, although there are one or two smaller tables inside (mainly for the drinking patrons). 

Pizzas and menu

The hotel serves bistro-style food consisting mainly of gourmet pizzas, with a limited selection of non-pizza alternatives. The menu is split into: To Share, Salads, Sides, Pizzas, Seafood Pizzas, Vegetarian Pizzas, Not Pizzas, Desserts, and Kids (sic) Menu. However, it is risible to see a listing for Desserts as there is only one, and it's a pizza! 

The pizzas come in small and large sizes, and half-and-half pizzas are available for the large sizes. There is a great variety of gourmet pizzas to choose from, and they range from the exotic (salt water crocodile, BBQ emu, roast duck, etc.) to the unusual (W.A. sardine, antipasto, etc.) to the standard (surf & turf, Aussie four cheese, margherita, etc.). The non-pizza dishes - of which there are only five if you discount the salads and the 'To Share' dishes - are two pie dishes, two fish fillet dishes, and a sausage dish. 

Drink and chips

We decided to order a side of fries and three small pizzas to share, and they were:

• Pepper kangaroo marinated in native pepper with roasted capsicum and native berries ($14.90)
• Saltwater crocodile with fresh Thai herbs, marinated in spicy coconut cream, and Asian greens ($17.90)
• Roast duck with Spanish onion, mushroom, Asian greens, shallots, sesame seeds, and plum sauce ($17.90)

The pizzas take about fifteen minutes to come to the table, and although on the small side, have lots of topping. Each small pizza was cut into quarters.

Saltwater crocodile pizza

The crocodile pizza looked average but tasted quite good. The meat looked and tasted a little bit like chicken breast strips, but had a unique flavour. The coconut cream could be tasted (although it wasn't spicy) and the Thai herbs and Asian greens made it a quite delicious pizza, tasting like a coconut curry. Unusual, but a good combination.

Roast duck pizza

The duck pizza was the best pizza, both looking and tasting good. There were plenty of tasty and well-cooked duck slices, and the vegetables (Spanish onions, Asian greens, and shallots) complimented the duck well. The sesame seeds added a nice texture, and the plum sauce (which always goes well with roast duck) held the toppings together. There was a little too liberal use of the plum sauce, making the pizza a tad sweet, but overall it was a delicious and moreish pizza.

Pepper kangaroo pizza

The kangaroo pizza, on the other hand, looked great, but was surprisingly bland. The meat was almost just right for kangaroo: not too rare but not too chewy. However, it was a bit tasteless despite being marinated in native peppers, but it is certainly edible. The capsicum and berries make a nice counterpoint to the kangaroo, but overall it was earthy and probably just a novelty pizza.

All the food

The fries were as we'd expected: shoestring, crunchy, and moreish. The fries automatically come with a dipping bowl of tomato sauce as well.

On our visit, it was one of the hottest Sydney Sundays on record, and it wasn't the best time to be sitting outside scoffing down pizzas in 40 degree heat. In addition to the heat, the humidity brought out those pesky fruitflies*, and we were constantly trying to swat them away with one hand whilst eating with the other. Moreover, towards the end of the meal (thankfully), a small troupe of bikies turned up for their lunchtime beers, and whilst not disruptive, their intimidating presence certainly did not help the ambience. Overall though, The Australian Heritage Hotel is an enjoyable place for a relaxing lunch or dinner. The service is efficient, the gourmet pizzas are interesting and well-made, and there is something for everyone that will not blow the budget.

* We thought those damn flies should be renamed pizzaflies for constantly attacking our pizzas and leaving the fries alone!

What we liked: pizza variety, toppings galore, reasonable price, quick service

Favourite dish: roast duck pizza

The Australian Heritage Hotel

100 Cumberland Street, The Rocks, Sydney

Tel: (02) 9247 2229

Email: info@australianheritagehotel.com

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Cuisine: pizza

Link: www.australianheritagehotel.com

Reviews:

http://www.eatability.com.au/au/sydney/australian-heritage-hotel-the/

http://www.herecomesthefood.com.au/eating-out/the-australian-heritage-hotel-the-rocks-sydney.html

http://www.timeoutsydney.com.au/venue/bar/the-australian-heritage-hotel.aspx

http://grabyourfork.blogspot.com/2008/04/australia-heritage-hotel-rocks-sydney.html

Etch by Becasse (European) - Sydney

Entrance and sign

Etch is another restaurant in chef Justin North's growing stable, but his only one outside of Clarence Street in the city. His other three - flagship French fine diner Becasse, hole-in-the-wall cafe Plan B, and more upmarket cafe Alliance Francaise - are strangely but conveniently within spitting distance of each other.

Etch is located adjacent to the InterContinental Hotel near Circular Quay, and has rather long trading hours for a restaurant, being open during the week from midday until late (presumably to cater for CBD workers) and Saturdays from 5p.m. until late. It is not open on Sundays.

Dining room

It has two entrances: one from Bridge Street, and the other from near the hotel's entrance. There is also a way into the back dining room from the hotel lobby, but this is not an official entrance.

Table

The dining area is split into two rooms, with the main room conservatively appointed with mint green wallpaper with a leaf pattern and small paintings on the walls; the other room is more of a private room, situated towards the back of the restaurant and has funky bright floorlamps which illuminate the room in a glowing green and red light. Both rooms have a nice ambience although they're both fairly dimly lit.

The dining tables are dark brown but do not have table cloths on them, which we found a bit strange. The one-page menu is neatly laid out on each table with the cutlery and wine glasses, and the only other table adornment is a rooster candleholder made of iron.

Menu

The menu is uncluttered and is of a European flavour, and you have a choice of a la carte or degustation. The a la carte is split into the traditional Entrees, Mains, Sides, and Desserts, ranging in price from $8 to $38. The degustation is an inexpensive $85 ($125 with matching wines) for seven courses. Unusually, there are more crumbed and deep-fried items on the menu than is normal for a fine dining restaurant, but we don't mind at all; who doesn't like crumbed and fried foods?

Having a really early dinner (5p.m.!), we opted for the a la carte, and we ordered two entrees, two mains, one side, and two desserts:

• Spring vegetable salad, crispy hen egg, hazelnut emulsion ($19)
• Pan roasted St Helens scallops, cauliflower puree, bhaji, curry oil ($23)
• Spaghetti, sauteed prawns, peas, prawn bisque ($30)
• 6 hour braised beef cheek, baby vegetables, Madeira consomme ($34)
• Provencal potatoes, aged prosciutto, smoked garlic mayonnaise ($9)
• Chocolate chequerboard, mint ice cream ($15)
• Banana terrine, pina colada sorbet, coconut crisp ($15)

Spring vegetable salad, crispy hen egg, hazelnut emulsion ($19)

K's spring vegetable salad with crispy hen's egg looked fresh and vibrant when it was brought to the table. The egg tasted lovely and was similar to a scotch egg, being crumbed and deep-fried (but sans the sausage layer). The egg yolk was not runny nor overcooked, so just right for sharing. I did not taste many of the spring vegetables except the asparagus, and these were a tad too soft; either they were not the freshest or they were overly blanched, but they were not the best. Overall though, the dish was light and fairly nice, but maybe because I'm a sucker for a good egg. :-)

Pan roasted St Helens scallops, cauliflower puree, bhaji, curry oil ($23)

My scallop and bhaji dish was beautifully presented in a straight line on a long rectangular plate, with the puree and oil smeared alongside. The scallops were of the St. Helens variety (that is, with roe) because the normal Queensland scallops were unavailable. This may have affected the presentation slightly, but not the flavour, as the scallops were plump, juicy, and nicely pan roasted. The bhaji is an Indian vegetable fritter which contains onion, and mine were very tasty with the finely diced onion mixed with (I think) potato. Combined with the cauliflower puree and the not overly strong curry oil, the dish was a great success as an entree.

A different angle

After a short while, K's main of prawn spaghetti arrived, and it came in an unusual presentation, with the entire dish swamped by a foam not dissimilar to a bubble bath! You can barely make out any spaghetti or prawns sticking out from underneath the blanketing foam. It's not the best presentation, because after it all got mixed, it looked beautiful and vibrant, so I wondered why they chose to cover it up like they have. It also tastes good, with the prawn bisque having a dense hearty flavour and the prawns are nicely cooked; but alas, the spaghetti is not al dente and is overcooked. Overall though, it is a nice dish with a beautiful flavour.

Spaghetti, sauteed prawns, peas, prawn bisque ($30)

Spaghetti dish unmasked!

As for my main of beef cheek, it was a big hunk of meat sat neatly in a wading pool of Madeira consomme surrounded by a smattering of vegetables (peas, potatoes, shallot, zucchini flower skin?, snow peas). The meat is very tender and falls apart with a light prod from the fork, and is quite tasty (although I would have preferred a little more seasoning), and there is a hint of the Madeira consomme. The vegetables are fairly fresh and accompany the meat well, although a little more would have been welcome. However, it's a lovely earthy dish and not heavy at all.

6 hour braised beef cheek, baby vegetables, Madeira consomme ($34)

A different angle

With our side, the potatoes were similar to potato wedges, albeit with a nice salty piece of prosciutto sitting on top. There were a few herbs (rosemary mainly) to give the potatoes more flavour, and the mayonnaise was welcome (although I couldn't taste any smokiness to it), and we found it wasn't drizzled liberally enough for us.

Provencal potatoes, aged prosciutto, smoked garlic mayonnaise ($9)

With the desserts, it was basically a requirement that K had to have the Chocolate Chequerboard (since it's his favourite dessert this year and it's his birthday), and so I once again miss out and settled on the banana terrine instead.

Chocolate chequerboard, mint ice cream ($15)

The chocolate chequerboard that K arrogated is definitely a winner and something we'd both gladly have again (and again!). Its presentation is amazing, similar to a mini chess board, with the chequerboard consisting of alternating squares of chocolate mousse and flourless cake. At each corner of the board there is something unique: a ball of fresh mint ice cream sitting on a tulle, another ball of mint ice cream covered in chocolate powder, a peppermint glass toffee, and two hunks of chocolate. Each was just the right amount of sweetness, the textures were contrasted well, and everything was very delicious. In addition to the fantastic presentation, this is a wonderful dessert, especially for those whose predilection are for chocolate and mint combinations.

Another look ....

Banana terrine, pina colada sorbet, coconut crisp ($15)

As for my banana terrine, it was a strange dessert, not because of its beautiful presentation, but because there were elements on the plate which were not listed on the menu description. Besides the terrine, sorbet, and 'crisps', there was a fair portion of thin and wide pieces of pineapple neatly overlapped and covered in pips (passionfruit?). As I have a dislike for pips, this little addition gave me the pips! :-) The banana terrine was okay, the pina colada sorbet was fairly nice (I'm a teetotaller so I'm not sure what a pina colada tastes like), and the coconut 'crisps' (thin biscotti) were crunchy and yummy. There was also a long smear of rum sauce which was really strong and overpowering (I'd imagine particularly to a teetotaller), and I was unsure whether everything went well together. Overall, it was refreshing but not really a dessert I would have again. I probably should have ordered the chocolate chequerboard as well. Sigh.

Another look ....

Bottom of a glass

Some of the artwork

The funky back room

Overall, Etch is another jewel in Justin North's growing crown. It offers great, affordable, unpretentious European food in a lovely setting, and combined with the efficient and warm friendly service, it is a place you would love to dine at again and again.

What we liked: great food at an affordable price, service, ambience, chocolate chequerboard dessert

Favourite dish: chocolate chequerboard

Etch

62 Bridge Street, Sydney

Tel: (02) 9247 4777

Email: info@etchdining.com

View Larger Map

Cuisine: European

Chefs: James Metcalfe and Tristan Robertson

Link: www.etchdining.com

Reviews:

http://www.eatability.com.au/au/sydney/etch-by-becasse/

http://gourmettraveller.com.au/etch_sydney_restaurant_review.htm

http://www.yourrestaurants.com.au/guide/etch_by_becasse/

http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/good-living/restaurant-reviews/etch/2008/12/08/1228584735006.html

Quay (contemporary) - The Rocks

A view of the restaurant from the promenade

Over the past two or three years, Peter Gilmore's Quay has garnered more awards than I've had foie gras (including its first listing in the S. Pellegrino World's Best 50 Restaurants list, at number 46), and I having not been for almost seven years, it was a good time for my return.

Quay is situated at the harbour end of the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay, and has one of the best vantage points of any restaurant in Sydney, with fabulous 180 degree views of Sydney Harbour which encompasses two of Sydney's most recognisable landmarks, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. It also has the advantage of being two levels above the promenade, so the view is even better. I bet many other restaurants would be jealous of its location, but the dining experience would have to be incredible to match up to the panoramic vista.

Inside the entrance to the restaurant

Its position in the Overseas Passenger Terminal means its an oddly shaped restaurant, and its dining room reflects that. It is sparsely appointed as expected, relying on the breathtaking scenery for your viewing pleasures. It has floor-to-ceiling windows and uses many wall and ceiling mirrors to reflect the natural light around the dining room. It has an aubergine-coloured carpet and the booth seats a khaki green colour, which is not very elegant and to me is an eyesore. Luckily for us, we were seated on the 'normal' tables with our backs to the booth seats and did not pay too much attention to the colour clash! :)

Dining room just after 6p.m.

The menu

The menu is quite extensive, and there are only two choices for dinner: a la carte (four courses for $155) or the signature degustation (seven courses for $210). We opt for the former and the dishes we chose were:

• Poached Western Australian marron, seaweed jelly, cucumber, fennel, lime creme fraiche
• Mud crab congee, hand shelled mud crab, Chinese inspired split rice porridge
• Gently poached quail breast, bitter chocolate black pudding and walnut crumbs,  truffle custard, fresh palm hearts, white borage buds
• Crisp confit of pig belly, braise of abalone and cuttlefish, handmade silken tofu, Japanese mushrooms, chive flowers
• Slow braised Berkshire pig jowl, maltose crackling, Pedro Ximenez noble sour vinegar, prunes, cauliflower cream, perfumed with prune kernel oil
• Crisp pressed duck confit, kabu turnips, winter melon, hasuimo, garlic scapes, sea scallops, duck juices
• White peach snow egg
• Eight texture chocolate cake featuring Amedei 'Chuao' Chocolate

The unusual cutlery

Complimentary bread - wholemeal

As in most fine dining restaurants, we are treated to an amuse bouche, and it is a little shot glass containing a tuna tartare and smoked eel tapioca sitting on radish cream; it is light, refreshing, and very moreish, just perfect for a warm Sydney spring evening.

Amuse bouche - tuna tartare, smoked eel tapioca, radish cream

The first entree was K's marron, and it came out so nicely presented with its vibrant orange and green colours; it resembled a scene from the ocean floor as the vegetables around the outside sat up like seaweed around the marron and the ball of seaweed jelly resembling a pearl. It was literally art on a plate. It tasted fresh, refreshing, light, balanced, and had a great tang.

Poached Western Australian marron, seaweed jelly, cucumber, fennel, lime creme fraiche

The other entree was my mud crab congee, which came in a lovely bowl with an abundance of crab meat sitting in the rice broth; there was also a big dollop of cream (I neglected to ask what it was) which dominates the congee in a weird-looking way visually. I was interested in this dish because congee is a Chinese staple, and I wanted to see and taste a Western interpretation. What I found was it had beautiful flavour, with the fresh mud crab meat very tasty, and the dollop of cream added an unusual but welcome texture and taste to the dish; however, there was not much rice in the congee, so I was a little disappointed, because I like my congee with a tad more rice in it. Overall though, it was a good dish.

Mud crab congee, hand shelled mud crab, Chinese inspired split rice porridge

When the second courses were brought out, we just stared at how beautiful they were!

Gently poached quail breast, bitter chocolate black pudding and walnut crumbs,  truffle custard, fresh palm hearts, white borage buds

K's quail (which was originally on the menu as partridge but they didn't have any that day) was delicious, with the perfectly cooked quail flavoursome and sitting on a diced stack of bitter chocolate black pudding and walnut crumbs. This was texturally interesting and the accompanying vegetables balanced it nicely.

Crisp confit of pig belly, braise of abalone and cuttlefish, handmade silken tofu, Japanese mushrooms, chive flowers

My crisp pig belly confit was art on a plate times two, with the food presented in a symmetrical circular pattern with three pieces of pig belly, three pieces of the silkiest tofu with a chive wrapped around each one and a chive flower on top, tresses of cuttlefish nestled neatly between the belly and tofu, and a stack of supremely tasty abalone and mushrooms in the middle. This was one amazing dish and had it all: taste, texture, presentation, and freshness, and there was no foam or puree in sight! Just sublime.

Crisp confit of pig belly, top view

A short time later, our third courses came and they looked very simple in presentation compared to the masterpiece second courses.

Slow braised Berkshire pig jowl, maltose crackling, Pedro Ximenez noble sour vinegar, prunes, cauliflower cream, perfumed with prune kernel oil

K's pig jowl looked like a big piece of lard sitting on two prunes and a dollop of cream, but luckily, in spite of its looks, it tasted sensational. Succulent meat that had exquisite flavour and the best crackling imaginable, complimented nicely by the prunes and cauliflower cream. And despite the generous amount of pig jowl, we wished there were more, it was that good.

Crisp pressed duck confit, kabu turnips, winter melon, hasuimo, garlic scapes, sea scallops, duck juices

My duck confit was a poptart-shaped piece of shredded duck that was wrapped in crispy duck skin. This sat on a stack of fresh vegetables, winter melon and two plump scallops. The duck looked a little dry, until I tasted it. The skin was crisp, delicious, and the shredded duck full of juice and flavour. The vegetables and melon were once again so fresh and complimented the duck well. The scallops were two clear discs, but they hadn't been seared as they had no colour; yet they were perfectly cooked and tasted texturally great. When the waitress came to clear the table I asked whether the scallops were cooked sous-vide style, to which she replied "No" and left it at that. So I'm still unsure how they were made so delicate and delicious.

Complimentary salad

We also were given a bowl of complimentary salad to accompany our third courses, but while the salad was super fresh, it was slightly bland.

Getting dark; time for dessert!

After such great savoury courses, we had extremely high hopes for the sweets, and we were not disappointed.

White peach snow egg

My white peach snow egg is Peter Gilmore's signature dessert, and it comes presented as a ball sitting on fruit-flavoured granita (I think). It looks so pretty, and I assume it is meant to look like a snow globe (a few Christmas figurines inside the bowl and it would!). The ball is covered by a layer of hard caramel (like the top of a brulee) with some sort of snow-like covering that wasn't too sweet. The spoon breaks into it so easily, and inside there is white meringue to resemble egg white and a pale yellow custard to resemble the egg yolk. Absolutely sensational! It just tasted so wonderful, and paired with the granita it was just so refreshing, especially after a few spoonfuls of the richness that was the chocolate cake. I have read in other reviews that this signature dessert does change subtly at times, as it has been described as custard apple snow egg as well as strawberry guava snow egg, so bravo to the chef for keeping it interesting.

Eight texture chocolate cake featuring Amedei 'Chuao' Chocolate

When I last dined at Quay all those years ago, there was a fantastic Valrhona chocolate cake similar to the current eight-textured version on the menu, only it was four textures (from memory). So the eight texture chocolate cake really had us excited! When it arrived, it was accompanied by a soft chocolate ganache (in a small copper pot with handle), which the waiter duly poured into the centre of the cake, making a small but welcome spectacle. The cake was simply delicious, with chocolate goodness hitting every tastebud in the mouth. I probably can't even name eight textures of chocolate - and I only had a few spoonfuls - so I can only say the textures I tasted were the chocolate ganache, mousse, cake, disc, and perhaps biscuit. It definitely is a heavenly dessert for chocoholics though and is as good as I could have imagined.

Petit fours - caramel and muscatel cream chocolate cigars, hazelnut praline ganache dipped in white chocolate

After the amazing desserts, we were treated to one last treat, the petits fours. These were caramel and muscatel cream chocolate cigars and hazelnut praline ganache dipped in white chocolate. The ganache was very sweet and had a nice texture, but the standout was the cigar. This was so wonderful, with the delicate paper-thin chocolate shell almost breaking instantly when placed in the mouth, at which time the simply divine cream bursts forth onto the tastebuds. The flavour was amazing, and it was my favourite petits fours of the year.

Dining room after dark

Overall, it is not hard to see why Quay is at the top echelon of Sydney restaurants, if not alone at the summit. It has wonderful views, great service to match, and food to die for that makes the palate dance. The only negative I have is the decor probably needs updating, but that is a minor quibble on what is a fantastic world class dining experience that needs to be experienced at least once, if not more.

Overseas Passenger Terminal

View of a blue Sydney Opera House from the restaurant

View of the Sydney Harbour Bridge from just outside the restaurant

What we liked: location and stunning views, ambience, outstanding food, desserts

Favourite dish: crisp confit of pig belly

Quay

Upper Level, Overseas Passenger Terminal, The Rocks

Tel: (02) 9251 5600

Email: reservations@quay.com.au


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Cuisine: Contemporary

Chef: Peter Gilmore

Link: www.quay.com.au

Reviews:

http://www.eatability.com.au/au/sydney/quay/

http://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/quay_sydney_restaurant_review.htm

http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/good-living/restaurant-reviews/quay/2008/09/02/1220121180569.html

http://www.notquitenigella.com/2009/11/18/quay-restaurant-overseas-passenger-terminal/