After many months of anticipation and continuous web browsing at www.quay.com.au. The time was finally here, after a mere 2 hour plane ride from Adelaide, we arrived in Sydney! Listed in The San Pellegrino’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants, www.theworlds50best.com. In 2010, Quay was voted number 27th in the world, among the likes of many prestigious restaurants. This was the experience I have been looking forward to, especially since the hype created by Masterchef 2010. I mean who could possibly resist the magnificent Snow Egg? A dining experience that I will never forget, the staff were attentive. The interior was very stylish and clean, the warm yet vibrant colours really flowed with the ambience. Disappointing however were the grey office-like chairs we were seated on, they weren’t exactly comfortable for 5 hours of fine dining. Furthermore there were plush red chairs around us that looked far more comfy. The dining options were a four course tasting menu with at least four options per course and an eight course tasting menu, which was what we had. Amidst our company was a vegetarian which was well catered for.
Drinks to begin with, Lychee, Pomegranate and Pear cocktails!!
Kicking off, we were treated with a palate cleanser of caviar with seaweed cream and micro herbs. A gorgeous dish with subtle flavours enhanced by the addition of micro herbs. Not to mention a fabulous looking serving plate/shell.
Our 1st dish of Sashimi Hiramasa Kingfish, pickled kohlrabi, octopus, nasturtiums & white dashi jelly. Delicately presented, the kingfish was as fresh as it could ever be. The nasturtiums looked like water lily pads that made the dish appear as if floating on water. Indeed pretty.
2nd dish of Baby white heirloom cucumber gently braised in oyster & wakame juices, shaved black lipped abalone & oyster cream. Served in a bowl that could be cupped comfortably between the palms of my hands. A warm broth, again a delicate dish that highlighted the simple taste of the abalone. It worked wonderfully with the oyster cream and the slight crunch of the cucumbers.
3rd dish of Native freshwater marron, rose salt, organic pink turnips, jamon de bellota cream, oloroso caramel, green almonds & society garlic flowers. Absolutely an art piece in taste and sight. The freshness and firmness of the marron, coupled by the bed of caramel goodness on the bottom was delish. An unlikely favourite was the society garlic flowers, as tiny and fragile as they were, flavour oozed out in abundance.
In order for us to progress to the next dish, we were served another palate cleanser of Mushroom & seaweed consommé. The idea was to cleanse our palate from the seafood dishes to the meat dishes. The subtleness of the warm broth and that meatiness from the mushroom definitely left me craving for meat!!
& the bread!! Oh boy was I glad to see some good old carbs! Our whole table was craving for some bread. Don’t get me wrong, I was loving it all but the delicate and light flavours from the seafood dishes left us yearning for some starch. To our delight, a sourdough bread vessel arrived with our 4th dish.
Waiter: which bread would you like? (& he goes on to explain the selection available..)
Me: the wholemeal sourdough please….(Just give me the biggest piece available !!)
4th dish of Butter poached coturnix quail breast, pumpernickel, morel and ethical foie gras pudding, walnuts, quinoa, truffle custard and milk skin. I love everything about this, the crunch of the pumpernickel, the walnuts and the quinoa. I’m obsessed with crunch in my food, my obsession was definitely fulfilled. A perfectly cooked breast with all the components put together made this dish an absolute pleasure to eat. Special mention to the ethically produced foie gras.
5th dish of Slow braised Berkshire pig jowl, maltose crackling, prunes, cauliflower cream, perfumed with prune kernel oil. The first must-do for this course was to smell it, to take in the aromatic perfume of the prune kernel oil mixed with the warm heat from the maltose crackling. The initial crack of the maltose reveals a superbly cooked piece of jowl. The cauliflower cream was creamy and smooth, a nice complement to the sweetness of the prunes and jowl. It bordered on the sweet side but the cream really balanced it out well.
6th dish of Glenloth squab breast, roasted cherries, banyuls, almond cream, bitter chocolate black pudding crumbs, tonka and beetroot chard. I’ve never tried squab before, but it reminds me of eating a silky, tender liver. The marriage of flavours, the sweetness of the cherries and the bitter chocolate worked well together.
7th dish of White nectarine Snow Egg, I really don’t need to explain this dessert. I will never forget the moment I broke the crisp outer shell of that delightful poached meringue. Only to reveal that custard flowing onto the granite, followed by that sweet fool.. mmmm.. I will never be able to imagine life without it.
The last & final dish was a Preserved wild cherries, coconut cream, chuao chocolate crumble, cherry juice and chocolate sorbet. It was served in a bowl that was moulded from a cupped hand. A lovely finish.
However I opted for a different dessert from everyone else, the eight texture chocolate cake. Made from Amedei chocolate from Tuscany, it is also often known as the best chocolate in the world (& not to mention most expensive in the world). I kid you not, this chocolate dessert was amazing! Brought to me with just the cake where the waiter, holding a small copper pot poured a layer of rich chocolate ganache over the top of the cake. I died and went to chocolate heaven.
Overall I adored the entire tasting menu. The freshness of the seafood dishes and its clean finish really impressed me. Although the meat courses were not the traditional cuts you would expect from a regular degustation menu, I really enjoyed it. Definitely not something one can whip up at home, well definitely not in my kitchen.
A perfect dining experience, certainly a treat worth waiting six months for!
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| Petits Fours |
Quay Restaurant
Overseas Passenger Terminal
The Rocks, Sydney
