Beautiful Berowra Waters Inn

Approaching by boat -

Berowra Waters Inn from the water

 

It was my birthday yesterday, and my lovely husband decided to treat me to a long lunch at the Berowra Waters Inn. This destination restaurant has been on my must do list as it was closed for a while there, reopening with a new chef Brian Geraghty (ex Quay, Bilson's) and so I was thrilled to finally get the chance to enjoy their food and the gorgeous riverfront setting on my birthday. The restaurant is set amongst bushland on the Hawkesbury River, a one and a half hour drive from Sydney. The venue itself is only accessible by boat or seaplane - so if, like us, you have neither of these forms of transportation - you take advantage of the restaurant's private boat, that picks you up downriver at an agreed time, and ferries you back when your meal is over.

 

The short boat trip up to the restaurant is really gorgeous and sets the tone for the whole Berowra Waters Inn experience. The winter sun reflected off the water and river birds flew along the edges of the trees as we approached the inn to disembark at the private wharf. From the moment you step on the boat you feel as if you are destined for something special.

 

 

The Dining Room

 

After a warm welcome from the staff, who meet you at the wharf, you are ushered up the stairs to the simple, light filled dining room. The design makes the most of the river view, with floor to ceiling windows that let you watch wildlife and riverboats as you enjoy your meal. I think lunchtime really is a great time to visit Berowra Waters Inn, giving you the maximum opportunity to enjoy the stunning setting.

 

The menu is a degustation style, and diners choose from either four or seven courses, with or without matching wines. We opted for seven courses, and went for wine by the glass - I always find the matching wine option too much if I am having lots of courses, and would rather consult the Sommelier for a couple of recommendations instead. We started off with a glass of luscious Gosset Champagne (well, it was my birthday!) and settled down to an afternoon of some really beautiful dishes.

 

A very pretty looking amuse bouche of apple and aromatic cheese, and a velvety chicken liver parfait in a crispy tuille began our meal. Incredibly delicious, with such rich flavours and interesting textures. Definitely a winner.

 

Amuse Bouche -

Cheese "Apple" & Chicken Liver Parfait

 

I was really excited to see scallops on the menu, being one of my very favourite kinds of seafood. This dish was light and luscious, with beautifully pickled discs of root vegetables which worked so well with the rest of the ingredients. A great start to lunch.

 

 

Scallop, Horseradish Cream, Rye & Root Vegetables

The next seafood dish of confit ocean trout was soft, buttery and delicious - the addition of crispy dashi wafers made this dish such a delight to eat.

Confit Ocean Trout, Smoked Milk, Dashi & Lemon

 

A beautifully cooked, gelatinous and glazed piece of pork belly was the centerpiece for the next dish, with a reduction of honey mead (yum!) and paired with green tomato and sweet Moreton Bay bug meat. A crunchy rye crumb gave this dish lots of textural interest. Really loved this one.

Pork Belly, Honey Bug, Mead & Green Tomato

 

An indulgent combination of fish, prawns, pine nuts and winter truffles gave the next dish a very rich and indulgent feel. Sitting there, enjoying winter truffles, drinking good wine and looking out over the Hawkesbury, I must admit I felt very spoilt indeed!

Whitefish, Broccoli Veloute, Karid Prawn, Pinenut

& Winter Truffle

 

A meaty, savoury course of slow cooked Kobe brisket, leek and stinging nettle was full of rich winter flavours, without being overpowering. The caramelised leek was a delicious sweet accompaniment to the robust flavour of the beef.

Slow Cooked Kobe Brisket of Beef

Braised Leek, Stinging Nettle

 

The cheese course was one of my favourite dishes of the day. A light as air blue cheese parfait in a crispy shell, creamy red onion sorbet and fresh, shaved walnuts. A knockout combination and so beautiful on the plate. 

Blue Cheese Cigar, Red Onion Sorbet,

Shaved Walnut & Celery

 

A surprise pre-dessert of pannacotta and tangy, fresh raspberry was a great transition into the final dessert course. 

Yoghurt Pannacotta with Raspberry Foam

 

The finale was a hazelnut and mandarin dessert that was just beautiful - the toasty, almost marshmallow texture of hazelnut parfait with milk sorbet and a punchy, citrus mandarin gel. Really delicious and a great way to end the meal.

 

Hazelnut Parfait, Mandarin Gel & Milk Sorbet

 

Well..... almost the end of meal. The coffee is seriously good (funnily enough, the blend is from The Grounds Roasters in Alexandria, just around the corner from where we live) and some lovely sweet morsels to enjoy with it.

 

 

Grounds Roasters Coffee

Apple Cakes & Rose, Lime & Chocolate Macarons.

 

So, the verdict on Berowra Waters Inn? Just beautiful. Definitely one of the best meals we have ever eaten in Australia and in such a stunning setting. We both agreed we would visit again and check out the menu when the season changes. It really was a special way to spend my birthday.

 

If you wanted to enjoy the food and wine and not drive home, there is riverside accommodation nearby, or you could always stay on a Hawkesbury houseboat overnight. Now that would be really something special!

The sunlight over the Hawkesbury,

as we were leaving in the afternoon

 

 

For more information on reservations and how to get there, check out the Berowra Waters Inn website: http://www.berowrawatersinn.com/  or call them on (02) 9456 1027

 

******

 

 

Review - Garagistes, Hobart

Hi everyone - things have been pretty quiet here over on the Gourmet Goddess page I know - mainly because I have been everything but! I have been cooking pretty simple meals due to being busy, and nothing particularly blog-worthy I'm afraid. In the last two weeks though, I was lucky enough to take two weeks off work and head off with my lovely husband on one of our favourite pastimes - a roadtrip. Well it ended up being two road trips actually - spanning 3 states - NSW, ACT and Tasmania. The first week was spent with a few days in Canberra, and then the Southern Highlands, including the gorgeous Kangaroo Valley. Wow - what a gorgeous part of the world that is.

Week two was a road trip around Tasmania, starting in Hobart, down to Bruny Island - where we indulged in their famous oysters and stunning cheese from The Bruny Island Cheese Company - including the fabulous C2 raw milk cheese that I can't get enough of - across to Strahan on the West Coast, then up to Cradle Mountain, across to St Helens and down the east coast back to Hobart. It was my first visit to Tassie and it won't be the last. From the pristine wilderness to the magnificent wildlife, beautiful seafood from the crystal clean water and unstaffed roadside farm stalls where you choose what you like and put the money in the tin to pay - it is my kind of place. We noticed lots of folks seemed to have solar panels and water tanks and a real focus on sustainability, handmade, local goods (not just food) and awareness of the environment. It was very inspiring to say the least.

One of the major items on my "To Do" list whilst in Tasmania was to pay a visit to a restaurant that I had been reading and hearing a lot about - Garagistes - named after a group of trailblazing winemakers from Bordeaux in France in the 1990's, who created "Vins de Garage" (Garage wine) a new way of producing the traditional Bordeaux wine style. Needless to say, this place has a pretty damned impressive wine list - 42 pages long and beautifully laid out and categorised. As well as great wine options, they also boast an excellent selection of Sake (my favourite) I just loved the Ota Shuzo that I enjoyed with my meal - a fresh, slight aniseed character to it, dry on the palate and served ice cold on what was an unseasonally hot day. Perfect.

The Front Door
Garagistes - Hobart

Garagistes Chef Luke Burgess comes with an excellent pedigree -  including working at Tetsuya’s in Sydney and at Noma in Copenhagen (currently rated the best restaurant in the world) The small, always changing menu is comprised of dishes designed for sharing, using local ingredients and presented in some really inspired and unusual combinations. The restaurant itself is designed around a large warehouse space with an open kitchen and communal dining area. And it's popular. Garagistes does not take reservations, so a sensible option is to do what we did and be there waiting at the door when they open at 5pm (yes, I know that is a time that your Nanna would eat dinner, but we were only in town for a short time and I wasn't going to miss out) Good thing we did, as by about 5.30 the place was packed.

Dining Room - Garagistes

Although the menu is pretty small, it was really, really hard to choose what dishes to have. We did eventually decide on a selection of seven - starting with a swoon worthy trio of steamed Bruny Island oysters that made my eyes roll back in my head they were so salty, creamy and delicious.

Steamed Bruny Island Oyster

Vinegar Emulsion & Bay Oil

We stuck with seafood for the next dish - beautifully poached spanner crab that tasted sweet and succulent, teamed with slightly astringent braised artichoke and almonds. The addition of fenugreek and buttermilk made it aromatic and almost herbal. And as you can see, the presentation made it look like Spring on a plate. A wonderful dish.

Poached Spanner Crab, Fenugreek and Buttermilk

Braised Artichoke and Almond

Fresh young broad beans are one of my favourite vegetables in the world, and the next dish of baby broad beans, pea custard, asparagus and delicate herbs was clean, green and delicious. The super velvety pea custard was such a great contrast to the crunch of the lightly cooked broad beans.

Baby Broad Beans, Pea Custard, Asparagus

Mixed Herbs

After 3 light courses, it was time to move to a couple of more substantial ones - starting with roasted local pinkeye potatoes, served with a super rich and creamy duck egg, creme fraiche and crispy leaves of native saltbush. The addition of a light shaving of Bottarga (salted, cured fish roe) made this one of my favourite dishes of the evening. When you broke the yolk of the duck egg, the soft buttery yolk mixed with all the other ingredients to create a sauce with a knockout flavour and texture. I seriously wanted to lick the plate afterwards!

Roasted New Season Pinkeye Potatoes, Duck Egg

Creme Fraiche, Saltbush and Bottarga

Next came a succulent, juicy piece of slow cooked pork neck - complimented beautifully by braised lettuce stems (a very French way to cook lettuce) and a tangy, zingy mustard emulsion.

Slow Cooked Pork Neck

 Lettuce Stems, Mustard Emulsion

There were two dessert courses listed on the menu and we decided to try both - starting with a cool and very refreshing dish using cucumber, avocado and sorrel. The addition of a creamy fig leaf icecream and a cool granita of cucumber gave this dessert really interesting contrasting textures and flavours - and made it a great palate cleanser after the richness of the pork neck. The dessert was not really sweet - in fact it could easily have fitted in anywhere else in the sequence of dishes.

Fig Leaf Icecream, Sorrel and Angelica Jelly

Avocado Cream & Cucumber

Then it was time for something sweet - wonderful, sticky frozen yoghurt meringue, rhubarb and chewy preserved and dried berries. Add to this a berry granita and fresh young wood sorrel leaves and you have a dessert to die for. The flavours were all so clean and well balanced - and what a luscious looking plate huh?

Frozen Yoghurt Meringue, Rhubarb

Preserved and Dried Berries, Wood Sorrel

I really enjoyed our visit to Garagistes - it was easy to see why there has been such a buzz about it. (Although be warned - it is like a hipster bomb went off in there! Obviously where all the Hobart "edgy-earnest-young-things" in skinny jeans and "ironic" t-shirts get nourishment) But go anyway. The service was low key but professional and the dining room has a nice, relaxed vibe. I would be keen to go back at different times of the year to see what they do with the local seasonal produce, as the menu is always evolving. Really worth checking out if you ever find yourself in Hobart.

Dining Room - Garagistes

To learn more about Garagistes, check out there website.

Garagistes
103 Murray Street Hobart, Tasmania
Ph: (03) 6231 0558
Website: http://www.garagistes.com.au/
Opening Hours:
Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm
Friday and Saturday from 5pm
No Reservations

******

Review - Iggy's

So, there hasn't been a huge amount of cooking worth reporting since I've been back from Borneo/Singapore, just basic things as I catch up with my work schedule (although I did cater a lovely function on Saturday night and am kicking myself that I didn't get pics - too busy getting the dishes out!) so I thought I would share another restaurant review with you - this time for the much talked about Iggy's restaurant, which I had the opportunity to visit in my recent travels.

Iggy’s is the Singapore establishment of restaurateur and sommelier Ignatius Chan. Recently named as the number one restaurant in Asia, and number 26 on the Pellegrino 50 Best Restaurants in the World list, I was really eager to visit when I travelled to Singapore in July. There is no head chef as such – a team of chefs share the creation of the menu, based strongly on the extensive travel and dining experiences of Iggy himself. The restaurant has a reputation for innovation, so when I visited, I was prepared for something very different. I love having my boundaries pushed, and tasting foods and combinations that are new to me, so Iggy’s seemed like a must do dining experience when visiting Singapore.

Located within The Hilton Hotel on Orchard Road, the entrance hidden behind a sliding screen accessible only by buzzing the intercom and being let in by the wait staff, there was certainly a sense of occasion and expectation on arrival. Led down a stylishly dimly lit corridor, I was a bit let down when all that build up led into quite a bland looking dining space with some decidedly 1980’s looking back lighting. But still, for me, it’s all about the food so a bit of décor letdown wasn’t going to get in the way of a fabulous food experience.

The ten course degustation menu began with an interesting twist on sushi – beautiful fresh fish, with the rice component being a savoury rice meringue that dissolved in your mouth. The textures worked really well and quirky twist on the traditional sushi.

A deconstructed molecular version of Nasi Lemak, the classic rice dish was a real surprise – and one of my favourite dishes of the night, with aromatic pandan and coconut teamed with a gorgeous steamed fish base and toasty topping that was just delicious.

Deconstructed Nasi Lemak

The following dish of langoustine, watermelon and tomato jelly was fresh and pleasant, although not outstanding, and from here I’m afraid that the meal pretty much stayed at this level. The sea urchin and abalone dish failed to wow us (although to be fair to Iggy’s, the week before I had eaten Tetsuya’s sublime sea urchin dish at Waku Ghin and comparisons were going to be inevitable) A pork belly, sweet pea and fig course was enjoyable, although I have eaten far better pork belly dishes and the conger eel with yuzu and spring vegetables was crispy and pleasant – but again, there was no wow moment. Throughout the savoury dishes, which included lamb and black truffle courses, I felt there was something lacking that I just couldn’t put my finger on. The produce was top notch, the presentation was nice enough, but there was just no excitement there for me. Technically well done, but with absolutely no heart. It kind of just left me cold.

With the arrival of the dessert courses however, things really picked up. Not being a big dessert person (I am almost always happy to forgo dessert for some good cheese!) I loved the dessert of peach, yoghurt and elderflower – the peach component in particular was so fragrant and beautiful. But surprisingly, the dish of the night went to the final dessert of bitter araguani chocolate, banana, hazelnut and espresso. Texturally it was brilliant – combining chewiness and crunch, creaminess and crispness. Great flavours, a texture surprise and looking just beautiful on the plate. If only every dish had succeeded like this one.

Araguani Chocolate, Banana, Hazelnut and Espresso

It would be wrong to suggest that the Iggy’s experience was bad. There is so much about it that works in theory, the wait staff is friendly and professional, the produce is of excellent quality and what arrives on the plate is nice enough, but the experience fell way short of expectations, and to be honest I can’t imagine that I would be returning. Does it deserve its rating as number 26 in the world? Look, this stuff is all totally subjective, but for me it doesn’t come close to being in that league. Reading some other accounts of this restaurant, I'm left wondering if maybe they were off their game the evening I dined there, or if I'm just missing something here. I’m also a bit confused about Iggy’s reputation as a culinary innovator. I saw very few examples of innovation in the ten course menu – for the most part I felt that it was treading pretty familiar ground, and not hugely successfully, given the restaurant's reputation for excellence and the big price tag.


Iggy’s
The Hilton Hotel – 581 Orchard Road, Singapore
For reservations phone: +65 6732 2234
$275.00 per person (Singapore dollars, food only)

Review - Waku Ghin

Hi everyone - well, we have returned from what was an amazing trip to Singapore and Sabah in Borneo. Must say that going from 95% humidity and tropical weather to an especially cold and wet Sydney winter is taking some getting used to. Hard to believe that only a day ago I was swanning around in my leopard print swimsuit drinking Sake cocktails by the pool at the Mandarin Oriental in Singapore - now I'm wearing a hoodie, tracky-daks and fluffy socks and drinking a mug of hot chocolate.  Not quite as glamorous I can assure you! One of the reasons we decided to stop over in Singapore on the way to and from Borneo was to experience two restaurants that I have been dying to get to - Tetsuyas's Singapore restaurant, Waku Ghin - and the Singapore culinary icon, Iggy's. Both have stellar reputations, and both have been named in the influencial San Pellegrino list of Top 50 Resturants in the World for 2012. Reservations secured and airline tickets confirmed, we flew to Singapore to experience these restaurants for ourselves. In a few days I will post my review of Iggy's - but today it's all about Waku Ghin.

Having dined a few times now at Tetsuya's in Sydney, I have to say I had huge expectations about Waku Ghin. I call going to Tetsuya's "going to food church" - such is the verging on spiritual quality of the experience for me. Here you have a chef who not only puts his obsession with premium produce, taste, texture and respect for the raw product on the plate - but also precision, artistry and a whole lot of love on it too. Although this is a top of the line fine dining experience, it is devoid of an ounce of stuffiness or pretention.  Walk into Tetsuya's and you feel warm and welcomed - and there is a vibe that you know you are about to experience something special.

Waku Ghin (Japanese for "silver knives") is located in the massive Singapore Marina Bay Sands Hotel complex. Finding the very discreet resturant takes a while as you cross various lobbies and networks of lifts and walkways- if you are going be sure to allow time to get orientated! We were ushered to the bar on arrival and enjoyed what were easily the best cocktails we have ever tasted, sitting up at the counter. The design fit out of the restaurant will knock your socks off - lots of wood and stone, beautiful fabrics and textures - and clean and modern without being cold. As we sipped our cocktails anticipating the menu to come, I nearly fell off my bar stool as Tetsuya Wakuda himself, wearing chef's whites walked across the room heading toward us. Now understand that there are a handful of chefs that inspire me and this guy is right up there - so what followed was a giddy fangirl moment for me as Tetsuya personally welcomed us. He was warm and humble and slightly shy. I was starstruck. Thankfully I managed not to embarrass myself in front of one of my culinary idols (although my heart was beating at 1000 miles an hour and I couldn't wipe the big dumb smile off my face!) Look, I know as adults we are supposed to be uber cool and aloof in such situations but it was such a buzz to meet someone I admire so much. I was totally thrilled about it and I'm owning it!

The Bar/Lounge Area @ Waku Ghin

The restaurant seats a maximum of 25 diners per sitting (there are two sittings each night) and is divided into a number of intimate rooms designed to seat a small number of diners around a central preparation area. We booked for the late sitting and shared our dining room with two other guests. The majority of the food is cooked and plated in front of you. It was an absolute joy to watch the dishes come together before your eyes. The skill, precision and attention to detail of the chef was the best kind of intimate theatre. The degustation menu comprised of  10 courses, with the savoury courses eaten in our private dining room, and the sweet dishes savoured in a second, more open dining room with a stunning view of the lights of the Singapore waterfront. I liked the idea of different venues for the different components of the meal - different atmospheres, different taste experiences.

Chef shows us some of the seafood we are about to enjoy.

The abalone and lobsters were still alive - fresh huh?

I managed to document almost all of the dishes, however I did miss a couple due to getting a bit over enthusiastic and devouring the dish before the photo opportunity moment! So, what did we eat? We started with Tataki of Bonito (one of my very favourite fish, so we were starting well) served with soy caramel - smoky and sweet that was a gorgeous contrast to the beautiful, fresh raw fish that tasted of the sea.

Next was Waku Ghin's signature dish - Marinated Botan Shrimp with Sea Urchin and Oscietra Caviar. My first experience of raw sea urchin (have only ever eaten a dried version before) Firstly, it looked stunning on the plate - amazing colours and textures. The taste completely overwhelmed me in the best possible way. Salty and sweet, a silky luscious texture and those little black pearls of caviar popping and exploding in your mouth. The flavours were pure and clean - yet completely sensual and decadent. One of the best dishes I've ever eaten in my life. I will dream about this one.

Marinated Botan Shrimp

with Sea Urchin and Oscietra Caviar

The next dish, Pan Fried Fillet of Ayu (a Japanese species of fresh water fish) with Daikon Radish and Fennel was delicate and beautifully cooked. I had never eaten Ayu before, and the flesh was succulent and super moist, with a very light crisp coating from the pan frying. The combination of the daikon radish and the fennel got me thinking about how I could pair these ingredients at home. Think I will be trying that combo again in my own kitchen very soon.

Pan Fried Fillet of Ayu

with Daikon and Fennel

The central ingredient of the next course came from somewhere very close to home - abalone from Tasmania. Our chef explained that the abalone is shipped live a few times a week for the restaurant, so that is absolutely fresh when it arrives on our plate. The seared abalone is served with a delicious tomato broth and al dente fregola. Savoury and delicious.

Tasmanian Abalone

with Fregola and Tomato

The next dish was gorgeous sweet Canadian lobster claws, braised in a rich tarragon sauce. The lobster flesh was particularly sweet, and the flavours were robust and rich. You would expect such a bold sauce to drown out the flavour of the lobster, but it didn't at all - just acted as a great foil for the sweet lobster flesh.

Braised Canadian Lobster with Tarragon Sauce

The next course saw us move from seafood, to food from the land - Pan Seared Squab Pigeon Breast, served with duck liver, sauteed mushrooms and risotto. I am a big fan of game, so I particulary loved this dish. The squab was cooked perfectly and the rich flavours of the duck liver and the dark mushrooms made for an almost smoky, dense and earthy combination. Just beautiful.

 Pan Seared Squab Pigeon Breast

with duck liver, sauteed mushrooms and risotto

The next course was all about beef - Japanese Ohmi Wagyu Roll with Wasabi and Citrus Soy. Thin slices of beautifully marbled Wagyu were rolled and seared very quicky, then sliced and presented with freshly grated wasabi (grated on a traditional sharkskin grater by our chef), garlic chips and super finely sliced spring onions. Young, mild ginger and citrus soy made a lovely dipping sauce that still allowed the amazing flavour of the Wagyu to come through - buttery, beefy, delicious.

Japanese Ohmi Wagyu Roll

with Wasabi and Citrus Soy

I wish I could have access to the following dish every day - one of those simple, comforting, pure tastes that make you feel like all is well with the world - Consomme with Rice and Snapper. The consomme was so clear and pure tasting, the rice slightly chewy the way it should be, a perfectly sliced piece of snapper cooked by the heat of the consomme. So simple and a pleasure to the very last spoonful.

Consomme with Rice and Snapper

Following the consomme dish, it was time to move to another dining room - a more open and public feeling space, overlooking the sparkling lights of the Singapore waterfront - to enjoy our dessert courses. On the way though, we were given the chance to take a detour via the kitchen, where we not only got to see behind the scenes at Waku Ghin - but also got to meet and chat to Tetsuya once again. I was really interested in an electric charcoal brazier that he was using in the kitchen and we discussed the use of different kinds of charcoal and the effect this has on flavour. Fan girl moment number two. Talking cooking with Tets. Wild.

Unfortunately there is no photo of the next course - Cold Soup of Dates with Tonka Bean Ice Cream and Orange. Fragrant and swoon worthly - and already dispatched before the camera made it out. It was gorgeous, I swear :)

It had been my birthday the day before we visited Waku Ghin, and when Tetsuya asked earlier in the night if we had visited the Sydney restaurant before, we had told him that it had become a bit of a tradition to visit his restaurant for my birthday every year and that it was a special place for us. We were preparing for the next dessert course when this arrived - a culinary birthday card from Tetsuya, just for me. Chalk that up to fangirl moment number three!

Happy Birthday from Tetsuya

Salted Caramel, Ganache and Silver Leaf

The final dessert course arrived -  a Sable of Pistachio, with Pistachio Icecream, Raspberry and Chantilly. Two of my favourite ingredients on one plate - pistachio and raspberry, and a match made in heaven. There were various textures of pistachio - the crisp sable, then a sticky/crunchy pistachio praline, a velvety rich icecream and a smooth pistachio emulsion. Add to that the tang and sweetness of the raspberries - in fresh and gel form - and you have a dessert to die for.

Sable of Pistachio & Pistachio Icecream,

with Raspberry and Chantilly

Despite having very high (and possibly completely unrealistic) expectations, Waku Ghin delivered in every way. Like Tetsuya's namesake in Sydney, it is a complete dining experience - so much pleasure in every dish, in the simple beauy of the presentaton, the choice of flatwear and decor and of course, the sublime artisty of the food. Waku Ghin is however, an experience of it's own. It is no carbon copy of the Sydney restaurant - the menu is entirely different, and it has it's own unique atmosphere. The opportunity to watch many of the dishes being created in front of you is very special, and one that I will remember. The whole experience was heightened for me of course, by getting to meet one of my culinary idols, such a talented and humble man who brings such love to what he does. It shows in his dishes, in his restaurant and in his staff - who are just exceptional. Waku Ghin truly deserves it's reputation as one of the great restaurants of the world.

Waku Ghin

Executive Chef: Tetsuya Wakuda

Casino Level 2

Marina Bay Sands Singapore

For Reservations :  +65 6688 8507

Dinner Daily : Two Sittings - 6pm & 8.30pm

Cost: $480pp (Singapore Dollars) food only

******

Review - Momofuku Seiobo

When David Chang opened his first restaurant outside the U.S.A in 2011, I was pretty damned excited that he chose Sydney to do it in. The maverick Korean-American chef has gained an almost cult like status over the past few years, for his free spirited way of creating food and his willingness to throw out the rule book when it comes to restaurant dining. He is the chef that other chefs talk about.

Momofuku Sieobo (Lucky Peach) opened in Sydney late last year but it has taken me a few months to finally get around to paying it a visit. Getting a reservation can be a bit of a hassle, given that the whole restaurant seats less than 30 people, you can only book 10 days ahead and that reservations are secured only online (which involves setting up a log in on their website to access the reservation area) Was it worth the palaver? Well, in a word - yes.

David Chang

When you arrive, you are seated up a long counter that surrounds the central kitchen area which gives you an up close and personal view of the action in the kitchen. Dishes are created before your eyes. It makes for great entertainment but also creates such a sense of expectation about what you are about to eat. The atmosphere is not like any restaurant I have ever been to. The beat of rock and roll music pumps out and the rhythm of the kitchen creates a buzz that feels like a party to me.

There is one menu - and no a la carte. The meal is comprised of 15 dishes, chosen by the chef on the night from seasonal produce. I love it - no menu choices to agonise over, just delicious morsels arriving one after the other. The dishes range from casual to formal, simple to complex, with influences from everywhere. And yet somehow it all works together.

Momofuku has become well known for it's super soft pork belly buns, which kicked off our meal. I can see why - I would have happily munched through a tray of them and left happy! Beautiful textures and such succulent pork, served with your own bottle of chilli, for that warm chilli buzz. 

Steamed Pork Belly Bun

A dish of Trumpeter sashimi followed, served with parrot green pistachios and the citrus tang of pomelo. The dish tasted clean and fresh after the voluptuousness of the pork belly buns. Next on the menu was an amazing dish of marron and rhubarb - one of the dishes of the night for me. Teamed with an ultra smoky emulsion of "burnt" eggplant, it was sweet and luscious. The marron was cooked perfectly and the pairing of flavours was pure inspiration.

Marron, Burnt Eggplant & Rhubarb

A beautiful dish of tiny cubes of Wagyu beef, fermented black bean and almost translucent radishes that looked like cherry blossoms on the plate followed. Then a beautiful dish of buttery smoked eel, caramelised artichoke and a wonderful eel broth that warmed the cockles of my heart.

Smoked Eel, Eggplant, Jerusalem Artichoke

Eel Broth

A beautiful pairing of crisp on the outside, fluffy in the middle Yorkshire pudding  and crab was next, served with a zingy bay and chilli sauce that had me wanting to lick the plate. Then, on to a sublime slow cooked egg dish, teamed with toasted rice, brown butter and the beautiful savoury character of Sencha tea leaves. The textures were just amazing and the egg "shivered" on the spoon. Swoon.

Slow Cooked Egg, Toasted Rice, Green Tea

Brown Butter

Next came hand made pea and ham agnolotti, creamy and smoky and full of flavour - made with the silkiest of pasta and served with a delicious buttery sauce and parmesan foam.Then came a dish of succulent pork neck served with baby turnips and stormshells, drizzled in a salty, flavour packed broth.

 The Kitchen

The following dish - Mulloway with smoked roe and grilled lettuce was the standout dish of the evening for me. I love the French style of cooking lettuce - it is so delicious and works beautifully with the Mulloway. The smoked roe added a whole other layer of flavour to the perfectly cooked fish. Simply stunning.

Mulloway, Smoked Roe, Lettuce

Before we knew it, we were on to the cheese course - clouds of impossibly finely grated C2 (raw milk, hard, cooked curd made from cow's milk) teamed with a fine glassy shard of honeycomb licorice, bee pollen and a cider jelly. Perfection.

The first dessert of pear with yoghurt, sultana miso and whey arrived - and although I'm not a big fan of cooked pear, it was beautiful. The slight saltiness of the miso worked a treat with the sweetness of the fruit. Dessert number two reminded me of the malty old fashioned milkshakes of my childhood - except this took things up a notch with the best tasting salted butter caramel I have ever eaten, pooled at the bottom of the dish. **Sigh**

Malt Icecream, Brown Sugar, Coffee

Smoked Butter Caramel

Now the next dessert and final dish of the evening proved to be rather controversial for one of our neighbouring diners - a "suit" who took exception to the fact that a) it was served without cutlery so you had to eat it with your fingers and b) it was meat. He kicked up a bit of a fuss about this but soon shut up once he saw his dining companions demolishing the dish and licking their fingers with euphoric expressions on their faces! He soon got the hang of it.

Now I know we don't usually expect pork as a dessert, but after eating this sticky, unctuous brown sugar glazed pork, I actually don't care what is expected. As we watched it being prepared , Andrew turned to me agog -  "Ummm..... are they cutting that pork with a spoon??" Why yes they were. Because it was that tender and that succulent. So dark with caramel flavour. And sweet. So, so sweet. Brilliant.

Dessert Pork with Brown Sugar

So,is Momfuku worth the cash and the David Chang hype? I would say, absolutely. Although Momofuku is an eating experience that isn't going to suit everyone, if you are willing to go with an open mind then I think it is a trip well worth taking. And believe me, I plan on taking it again.

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For Reservations go to: http://www.momofuku.com/restaurants/seiobo/

You will find Momofuku Seiobo at The Star
80 Pyrmont Street, level G | Sydney, NSW

Degustation to Order

On Saturday night I had the pleasure of putting on my official catering hat - a paid gig, cooking a six course 70th birthday degustation dinner. After consultation with the hosts, we came up with a menu that we thought would please the guests and especially the birthday boy. I was able to do most of the prep work in my own kitchen, which was great. It is always a challenge working in someone else's space with someone else's equipment but with most of the work done prior to the event, I only had a few tasks left once I got to the venue. Whether you are catering for a couple of people or a hundred, the planning is pretty much the same. I am the queen of list making and scheduling! Without a clear plan of what to do and when, it is easy to mess up your preparation and particularly the timing of the courses. You don't want guests kept waiting, but you also want enough time between courses to not make them feel rushed. This is even more important with a degustation menu.

I am happy to report that Saturday night went brilliantly, with happy guests, a happy cook and a lovely evening all round. Here is what was on the menu:

We started with an amuse bouche - a deliciously creamy chilled soup to get everyone's tastebuds going.....

Chilled Zucchini and Leek Soup

with Garlic, herb and paprika croutons

Next came the first of two starters - lovely fresh prawns that were marinated in heaps of garlic and pan fried, served with crispy rosti and a creamy horseradish sauce with heaps of tang and bite.

Garlic Prawns and Potato Rosti 

with horseradish cream sauce

Second starter was hand made tortellini, filled with fresh herbs from my garden, ricotta, mozzerella and parmesan. This was served with fresh asparagus that was sauteed with sea salt and plenty of black pepper.
 

Handmade 3 Cheese Tortellini

with sauteed asparagus

Next up was a free range chicken, that I deboned and stuffed with almonds, apricots, fresh herbs and Dijon mustard. I served this with a salad of pears and toasted walnuts and dressed it all with a maple and white balsamic dressing.

Deboned Free Range Chicken with Apricot and Almond Stuffing

Served with baby spinach, rocket,pear,toasted walnut salad and maple dressing

The second main course was a beautiful piece of lamb which I marinated for 24 hours in crushed juniper berries, bay leaves, garlic and verjuice. This was then pan fried and served with a decadent creamy puree and a salsa verde, flavoured with capers, anchovies, garlic and plenty of fresh herbs.

Juniper and Garlic Backstrap of Lamb

Served with cauliflower, potato and parmesan puree/ salsa verde

And finally the dessert - a French fruit tart which was cut and served at the table. The recipe for this tart came from my stint at cooking school in Paris last year. A great chance to revive my baking skills, as I don't tend to make desserts that often. I used seasonal berries and finished the tart with a redcurrant glaze.

French Berry Tart

with almond crust and vanilla bean creme patissiere

I really enjoyed creating this menu and it was really well recieved by the guests. It is such a lovely feeling to see everyone enjoying what you have created - makes all the preparation totally worth it.

The Roman philosopher Seneca once said that "There is no delight in owning anything unshared" - I feel sure that food and good company fall into that category! A wonderful evening that I was thrilled to have been part of.

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