Australian Series 3: Quay Restaurant, Sydney, NSW

"Here in Sydney, a restaurant needs a view to have 3 hats." My waiter approached, as I look out the windowed wall of the dining room.

While I don't always agree with the fact that a restaurant would require a view to excel, the view of Quay Restaurant is incredible. Situated on the top floor of the International Terminal, the restaurant overlooks the quintessential Australian landmark, The Sydney Opera House. The restaurant is cheffed by the famed Peter Gilmore. the dining room is dressed is fairly aquatic colors, ranging from dark purple to light watery blue. The glass exteriors of the terminal provided the dining the proper natural lighting needed for light, airy atmosphere, which somehow gave me an uplifting feeling toward the meal. As for the meal itself? It did not disappoint.

Restaurant: Quay Restaurant, Circular Quay, Sydney, NSW
Tasting personnel: Dweeb, Dweeb's girlfriend.
Menu Selection: 4 course A La Carte Menu, following the items on the 6 course tasting menu - $145.00 AUD per person, $25 supplement for sea pearls app.
Remarks: Sydney Morning Herald's good food guide 3 chef hat(toque) award

The dining room

Amuse Bouche
Trout Egg, Trout Consume Gelee, Trout, Creamed Cauliflower
First up, the Amuse. Trout seemed to be in season during summer months in Australia. As I have seen them time and again in this journey. However, I can comfortaly say that no trout application have even reach the level of trout-ness this one little dish provide. The flavor was intense, as various elements, each with their own unique texture and flavor, combine in my mouth to form a clash of ideas, which eventually settled down into a uniform, beautifully balanced bite. I personally have never worked with Aussie trout before, nor have I devour a single trout in one bite. Yet even mouthful of this little dish gave me the feeling of of just that, as different elements combine to form a complete trout experience. The cauliflower underneath is rich and velvety, which provides significant contrast to the trout bits on top, while giving the dish a very satisfying mouth feel. This is simply heavenly. As Amuse is used to gather attention and show case what's to come, it has done its job beautifully.

Course 1-1
Sea Pearls
Continued with the momentum from the amuse, we arrived at the first course. Apply name sea pearls, the dish features various seafood based elements. they are as following, top to bottom: Tuna | Sturgeon Caviar w/ scallop | Dashi Gelee w/ abalone | "Pearl Meat" w/ octopus
This alone can justify a visit to this restaurant by flying in. I am rendered almost speachless. The four pearls features vastly different textures and flavors to for form a progressive series of bites. Each evokes feeling and satisfaction different than the next. It's been a while since I returned, and even now when I look at the pictures, I can still taste the ethereal goodness offered by this four bites. Maybe a little later as I can be more composed, I will come back to sum up this dish. But not now. I am not done tasting it yet.

Course 1-2
Poached Western Australian Marron, White Tea and Seaweed Jelly, Cucumber, Jelly Fish, Fennel, Semphire, Lime Creme Fraiche
This course seemed to be all about lightness and delicate flavors. The marron(a large fresh water crayfish) was cooked beautifully, its texture dense and slightly resistant to bite. Not much was added to it, as itself has a very clean, delicate flavor. The rest of the composition on the dish was quite wonderful each on its own. Since there's no apparent guide as to how one should construct a bite with the material given on the plate, it can be slightly confusing at times. Again, this dish seemed to be all about lightness, Which in hindsight I wish to have tasted this before getting to the pearls. This is a wonderful dish as well.

Course 2-1
Confit of Squid, Octopus Coral, Garlic Custard, Radish, served in Roasted Squid Consume
Another very powerful dish. It's very pleasing to the palette as is to the eye. The radishes and garlic custard provides very good contrast to the shaved squid. The consume was beautifully done. However, it doesn't taste nearly as squid-ish as I have expected, which may be a good thing.

Course 2-2
Pig Bellly, Braised Green Lip Abalone, Silken Tofu, Chive Flowers and Mushroom
This is one of the dishes the restaurant is known for, or so I was told. The port belly was properly done, the skin was thin and crispy, contrasting the velety texture of layers of meat and fat found underneath. the tofu is there to balance with the otherwise overly rich pork belly, as the abalone give good textural bite. The overall tone is very pan-Asian, with fairly apparent Chinese seasonings, which for me, is a turn off. This may have to do with the fact that I am Chinese, or the familiarity I have with Chinese seasonings used. While many of the elements is properly cooked, I find it somewhat unpleasant and could find better dishes for the restraurant to be known for.

Course 3-1
Confit of Murray Cod, Rice, Green Tea, Periwinkles, Clam, Black Fungi, Kabu, Pursalane
The 2 reasons this dish is ordered are: 1. We saw this fish swimming the the Aquarium we visited earlier in the day. 2. The Squab on the tasting menu was out because of the heavy usage of squab during the Chinese new year season. The fish was poached just right, the texture was silky and soft. another dish for the light-paletted. Quite good.

Course 3-2
Roasted Loin of Australian Suffolk Lamb, Baby Carrots, Abequina Olives, Nasturtiums, Calendura, Sheep's Milk Formage
Meat and potato dish of the meal. and the meat is oh-so-fantastic. The lamb is cooked perfectly, with juices runing as knife was introduced to it. the thick layer of caramelized fat on top provided the meat a firm back bone to allow the meaty flavors to shine. This is possiby the very best lamb I have had.(Sorry Mr. Richard) As my waiter Barry puts it: "The meat itself is so wonderful that you stop caring what else is on the plate. You just want to eat the meat." I concour.

Course 4-1
Rasberries, Violet, Almond, Vanilla Cream
As my beautiful dining companion calls it one of her all time favorite desert app, this desert course is quite good. It's light, clean, and slightly perfumy. While the violets doesn't provide much of a flavor to the dish, it gave the dish its overwhelming impression, both flavor and image wise. So think what a lightly perfumed floral desert would taste like with the above ingredient, and you will have a pretty good idea.

Course 4-2
White Peach Snow Egg
Aptly named desert. My waitress Amanda said that this is the chef's favorite desert on menu. essentially, it's a caramel shelled ball of meringue like substance with a white peach based core, set atop a layer of shaved ice shower with peach juice. Again, it's a very light and refreshing desert, calming the palette from the lamb and pearls to signal the peaceful ending of a meal. While it doesn't look like much, it's the perfect ending to a meal. Bravo.

Petit Fours

Fresh Mint Tea

To sum up, this is possibly the best meal I have had in Australia. It's clean, intense and simple cooking philosophy was very apparent in the dishes offered, and It's truely sublime. Friends, go here. Have a proper meal. you will remember it for the rest of your life.
Oh, they still owe me a signed menu from the chef. The Maitre D' promised to put one in the mail, but it's been months, and I still don't have it. damn.