The next level...
This is by far the most difficult review I've had the pleasure of writing, simply because even after a month to think about it, I still can't find a phrase which adequately descibes our experience at Tetsuya's. This understated restaurant at the rear of a heritage listed site in the middle of Sydney's CBD has showed me that Sydney can and does still compete on the Australian food scene. To say that Tetsuya's made number one on our top five list is an understatement: it completely obliterated the competition. Given the names on that list, perhaps that gives you some idea of just how much I enjoyed it.
I won't begin to describe the dishes, as I don't possess enough synonyms for "awesome". We visited for lunch (we couldn't get a Saturday dinner booking eight months in advance!), passing through the somewhat imposing Kent street vehicle entrance on foot. Something told me that arriving on foot was a little unusual, given the chauffeured cars lining the driveway, but we received the same welcome as the guests emerging from behind tinted Mercedes windows.
Our table overlooked a rather peaceful Japanese garden, in a room that seated around 20 people. There are several rooms, cleverly allowing for larger numbers while maintaining an intimate setting. There isn't a menu, per se; rather a waiter explained the degustation menu for the day and asked if there was anything we preferred to skip. Naturally, there wasn't. Also on offer that day was a special extra course of natural oysters. We got that, too, of course.
What's amazing is that the food isn't just original and stimulating, it's downright delicious. Flavours, textures, smells, visual presentation are all at a level I hadn't previously experienced. It's not a cheap outing (we were well over $500 for the two of us) but all I can say is that I can't wait to go back.
Wow. |
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We ate:
Chilled Corn Soup with Saffron & Vanilla Ice Cream
-Smoked Ocean Trout & Avruga Caviar
-Leek & Crab Custard
- Marinated Crystal Bay Prawns with Soy Caramel
-Confit of Petuna Tasmanian Ocean Trout with Konbu, Apple, Daikon & Wasabi
Seasonal Green Salad
- Terrine of Queensland Spanner Crab with Avocado
-Grilled Fillet of Barramundi with Braised Baby Fennel
-Twice-Cooked De-Boned Spatchcock with Foie Gras & Red Wine Jus
-Grass Fed Beef Fillet with Nameko, Shimeji & Enoki Mushroom
-Comte with Lentils
-Green Apple Sorbet with Sauternes Jelly
Strawberry Shortcake
-Lemon Scented Floating Island with Vanilla Bean Anglaise
- Chocolate Ganache with Green Tea & Red Beans
-Coffee or Tea & Petit Four
We drank:
Matched wine course, $90.
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