It was Ja's idea; coming to Quay. "Heidi, there is a four course dinner at Quay for $150"
When I heard it, I thought there was a promotion going on in Quay. Knowing that Quay, a three hatter (Australia's equivalent of Michelin Star), Sydney's Top Restaurant (top 2, Time Out Sydney) and World's best restaurant (top 46), is doing a promotion, how can I miss it?! Except that there wasn't a promotion. I misunderstood. (Why would Quay need promotion anyway?) Doesn't matter, I am set to go. =)
It was a mad rush. Class ends at 4:30pm, our reservation was at 6:30pm. If you take away 1 hour for traveling time, the 1 hour left is hardly enough time for a girl to dress up. Naturally, I arrived late. I had my food orders taken via phone (Stella kindly recited out the menu to me). When I finally made it to the table, all was left to do was to choose a wine to go with the dinner, and tuck in.
Quay is nicely located in the Sydney Passenger Terminal, on the second level, where you have the amazing view of the towering Sydney Habour Bridge on your right, and the iconic Sydney Opera House in front of you. The ambiance is dominated by the large glass panes, that allows plenty of the soft evening light to enter, and simple white tables with comfortable chairs, creating feelings of calm and relaxation. The moment I entered Quay, I knew I was going to enjoy dinner.
The Sydney Habour Bridge.
My staple company for good food: Kimmy, Stella and Ja. This must be the first in 12 months, that I properly sat down with them for dinner, where we can talk about absolutely almost anything. We tease each other, share our dreams and ideas and look out for each other. God, I missed them.
When I heard it, I thought there was a promotion going on in Quay. Knowing that Quay, a three hatter (Australia's equivalent of Michelin Star), Sydney's Top Restaurant (top 2, Time Out Sydney) and World's best restaurant (top 46), is doing a promotion, how can I miss it?! Except that there wasn't a promotion. I misunderstood. (Why would Quay need promotion anyway?) Doesn't matter, I am set to go. =)
It was a mad rush. Class ends at 4:30pm, our reservation was at 6:30pm. If you take away 1 hour for traveling time, the 1 hour left is hardly enough time for a girl to dress up. Naturally, I arrived late. I had my food orders taken via phone (Stella kindly recited out the menu to me). When I finally made it to the table, all was left to do was to choose a wine to go with the dinner, and tuck in.
Quay is nicely located in the Sydney Passenger Terminal, on the second level, where you have the amazing view of the towering Sydney Habour Bridge on your right, and the iconic Sydney Opera House in front of you. The ambiance is dominated by the large glass panes, that allows plenty of the soft evening light to enter, and simple white tables with comfortable chairs, creating feelings of calm and relaxation. The moment I entered Quay, I knew I was going to enjoy dinner.
The Sydney Habour Bridge.
My staple company for good food: Kimmy, Stella and Ja. This must be the first in 12 months, that I properly sat down with them for dinner, where we can talk about absolutely almost anything. We tease each other, share our dreams and ideas and look out for each other. God, I missed them.
Amuse bouche (compliments from the chef): Yellowfin tuna tartare, horseradish, tapioca infused with smoked eel and creme fraiche. It is so beautiful! It looks like a bottled ocean garden doesn't it? It tastes like it too.
Left: Polenta and sunflower seed sourdough, Malt and wholemeal sourdough. The polenta sourdough is tough, I had to really exercise my jaws to get it down my throat. But it quite exciting because you discover the different textures of bread, polenta and sunflower seeds. And because I had to chew on it for quite some time, I find that it has got a subtle sweetness in the polenta and the sunflower seeds. Nice! The malt sourdough, on the other hand, is soft, surprisingly so, and it has a sharp taste.
Course 1: Sea Pearls; Sashimi tuna, aquaculture caviar, sea scallop, smoked eel, octopus, mud crab, abalone, $20 supplement.
The sea pearls dish is Quay's signature dish, something that Ja has repeatedly emphasized. All four of us went for the sea pearls as our first course. Out of the five "pearls" here, I especially liked the aquaculture caviar (2nd clockwise starting with the red "pearl") and the dashi jelly with abalone (4th). The aquaculture caviar reminds me of japanese rice ball except that it tasted like bacon. Strange I know. Even stranger is it was the crunchy scallop-wing that tasted like bacon... I was baffled.
The slightly more normal dashi jelly is, like its name suggests, a jelly that melts the instance it touches my tongue, releasing a cold, intensely flavoured dashi stock with a few strips smoked abalone to chew on. I guess the dashi jelly is an acquired taste since none of the girls liked it, I even got an extra jelly (from kimmy).
The sea pearls dish is Quay's signature dish, something that Ja has repeatedly emphasized. All four of us went for the sea pearls as our first course. Out of the five "pearls" here, I especially liked the aquaculture caviar (2nd clockwise starting with the red "pearl") and the dashi jelly with abalone (4th). The aquaculture caviar reminds me of japanese rice ball except that it tasted like bacon. Strange I know. Even stranger is it was the crunchy scallop-wing that tasted like bacon... I was baffled.
The slightly more normal dashi jelly is, like its name suggests, a jelly that melts the instance it touches my tongue, releasing a cold, intensely flavoured dashi stock with a few strips smoked abalone to chew on. I guess the dashi jelly is an acquired taste since none of the girls liked it, I even got an extra jelly (from kimmy).
Course 2: Crisp confit of pig belly, braise of abalone and cuttlefish, handmade silken tofu, Japanese mushrooms, chive flowers.
The dish was wonderful, tofu so soft and silky (the first I have tasted in Sydney), pig belly that melts in your mouth, japanese mushrooms that are oh so fragrant. The cuttlefish is an interesting addition, although I wasn't sure if I liked it... This dish was overly Asian for me. I don't think there was a balance between the Asian and Western influence. What I was looking for, was an entirely new product; something I won't be able to identify with any culture, something that solely belongs to Quay. It's like what kimmy said: hmm, the mushrooms taste like my mother's braised mushrooms..
Course 2: Butter poached quail breasts, pink turnips and onions, white lentils, morels, truffle custard, bitter chocolate black pudding, jamon de bellota, milk skin
I didn't have this dish, but according to Ja, it was very good. She especially like the bitter chocolate black pudding (the black cube of thing there). I liked it too. It tasted like a sweet liver pate albeit with a crisp skin. The quail breasts were so soft and tender. yumm.
I didn't have this dish, but according to Ja, it was very good. She especially like the bitter chocolate black pudding (the black cube of thing there). I liked it too. It tasted like a sweet liver pate albeit with a crisp skin. The quail breasts were so soft and tender. yumm.
Course 3: Crisp pressed duck confit, kabu turnips, winter melon, hasuimo, sea scallops, duck juices
This dish is special. Just by looking at the shape of the duck confit, you'll be scratching your heads, asking how did the chef do it? The soft tender duck meat is finely shredded and pressed into this squarish shape, then wrapped with an impossibly thin and crispy duck skin. Out of the third courses we ordered, this is my favourite!
This dish is special. Just by looking at the shape of the duck confit, you'll be scratching your heads, asking how did the chef do it? The soft tender duck meat is finely shredded and pressed into this squarish shape, then wrapped with an impossibly thin and crispy duck skin. Out of the third courses we ordered, this is my favourite!
Course 3: Slow cooked pure bred Suffolk lamb loin, young vegetables, garlic custard, roasted quinoa, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, hazelnuts
The lamb loin was also very tender. It was a nice pink in the center. But even with one forkful, I could taste the lamb in the meat. how should I put it? hmm, you know how with seafood that is not fresh, you get that fishy stink? That was what happened with the lamb. It wasn't overpowering, but it was there. So I was a little disappointed with this dish.
The lamb loin was also very tender. It was a nice pink in the center. But even with one forkful, I could taste the lamb in the meat. how should I put it? hmm, you know how with seafood that is not fresh, you get that fishy stink? That was what happened with the lamb. It wasn't overpowering, but it was there. So I was a little disappointed with this dish.
Course 3: Roasted John Dory, Button squash, leek seedlings, lemon confit, fennel pollen, elder & corriander flowers, currants, melon seeds, brown butter
The dory fillet was nice and firm with a slight golden hue on the surface. What surprised me was the fennel pollen and currants. The fennel pollen tasted like micro sour cherries with an indian twist? I don't know how to adequately describe it. When eaten together with the fish, it was like having mini explosions of sour cherries and sweet currants amid buttery firm flesh of the fish. It did put a smile on my face. :)
The dory fillet was nice and firm with a slight golden hue on the surface. What surprised me was the fennel pollen and currants. The fennel pollen tasted like micro sour cherries with an indian twist? I don't know how to adequately describe it. When eaten together with the fish, it was like having mini explosions of sour cherries and sweet currants amid buttery firm flesh of the fish. It did put a smile on my face. :)
Fromm Riesling Spatlese, Marlborough, New Zealand 2006
I am so infatuated with this wine. Sweet and lightly crisp. Quay has such an extensive wine list, we didn't know which wine to get. So we got the wait staff to recommend. We gave him a guideline to follow: must be sweet and below a $100. And we were not disappointed.
Stella, Kimmy, Ja and I!
I am so infatuated with this wine. Sweet and lightly crisp. Quay has such an extensive wine list, we didn't know which wine to get. So we got the wait staff to recommend. We gave him a guideline to follow: must be sweet and below a $100. And we were not disappointed.
Stella, Kimmy, Ja and I!
Course 4: Eight texture chocolate cake featuring Amedei 'Chuao' Chocolate (italian chocolate, single origin: world's best)
All sweets-lovers must try! This dish was quite a show. The waiter places the round chocolate cake in front of you. Then another waiter comes around, with a small copper pot, and ladles out hot chocolate ganache onto the center of the cake. The tempered chocolate top layer melts immediately, allowing the molten ganache to penetrate further into the cake, creating a crater-like cavity. Dramatic.
The chocolate cake itself was heavenly. Every mouthful was a blend of chocolate in various texture, but pure rich decadent chocolate nonetheless. There was definitely crumbly (from the fudge tart-like base), crunchy (chocolate caramel layer), smooth (mousse) and brittle (tempered chocolate. Being pastry students/chef, we tried to mentally deconstruct the layers. (it's a work habit. we will always want to know what makes it so good.) After several mouthfuls, we only came up with six textures. So we turned to the waitstaff. The waiter, whom we questioned, is well-trained. Without batting an eyelid, he rattled off the eight textures, describing each texture and patiently clarifying some of our doubts. I was impressed.
The chocolate cake itself was heavenly. Every mouthful was a blend of chocolate in various texture, but pure rich decadent chocolate nonetheless. There was definitely crumbly (from the fudge tart-like base), crunchy (chocolate caramel layer), smooth (mousse) and brittle (tempered chocolate. Being pastry students/chef, we tried to mentally deconstruct the layers. (it's a work habit. we will always want to know what makes it so good.) After several mouthfuls, we only came up with six textures. So we turned to the waitstaff. The waiter, whom we questioned, is well-trained. Without batting an eyelid, he rattled off the eight textures, describing each texture and patiently clarifying some of our doubts. I was impressed.
Course 4: Organic Fraises des Bois, fresh raspberries, strawberries & cream jelly, sugar crystals, violets
This dish was beautifully presented. It looks like a berry dance, that revolves round the giant jelly dome. The strawberry jelly tastes like, well, jelly. normal. The strawberry sorbet were great. It was amazing how, in the amount of time we took to take pictures (of the desserts and ourselves), it didn't melt, not one bit. But the instant I put it in my mouth, it dissolved into liquid straight. The wild strawberries were another mystery as well. These dry looking, shriveled up strawberries is ten times in terms of flavour and intensity, of normal strawberries.
Course 4: Nectarine snow egg
This was another dessert that we couldn't crack. A thin layer of toffee crust dusted with icing sugar, coats a ball of meringue with a glob of nectarine anglaise nestled in the center, on a bed of nectarine sorbet. As usual, the sorbet turns straight into liquid in your mouth, without having to go through the melting stage. Ja had to apply some force to crack the toffee shell. The caramel coat was crunchy, as if it was fried. The meringue was mildly sweet and the anglaise was very refreshing which was strange because a meringue is usually very very sweet and the anglaise is not exactly the lightest sauce. Delightful.
This was another dessert that we couldn't crack. A thin layer of toffee crust dusted with icing sugar, coats a ball of meringue with a glob of nectarine anglaise nestled in the center, on a bed of nectarine sorbet. As usual, the sorbet turns straight into liquid in your mouth, without having to go through the melting stage. Ja had to apply some force to crack the toffee shell. The caramel coat was crunchy, as if it was fried. The meringue was mildly sweet and the anglaise was very refreshing which was strange because a meringue is usually very very sweet and the anglaise is not exactly the lightest sauce. Delightful.
umm, I know we are adults and all. but occasional taking-pictures-of-yourself-in-the-toilet can be quite fun.
As the saying goes, there is always space for dessert.
As the saying goes, there is always space for dessert.
Sex and the City minus the sex? =)
I'm so dead.. I blew a week's worth of allowance on dinner... again.
Overseas Passenger Terminal, Level 2
The Rocks, Sydney 2000
Phone: (61 2) 9251 5600
End.
1 comment:
Hi there,
Would like to know, how long it took for you to get a reservation at Quay?
Thank you.
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