Taste of Sydney 2013

  

Nestled in the parklands of Centennial Park, was a great lineup of Sydney`s finest restaurants. We went in knowing we were to build our own degustations and like last year, we went anti-clockwise around the park to get our tastes of the hottest Sydney restaurants at the moment.

We kickstarted with some Mediteranean flavours, beginning with Popolo's Fregola all Zafferano con Ragu Di Maialino, a creamy and cheesy Italian dish

 

and Efendy's Icli Kofte.

Strong flavours that needed a washing down with a Strawberry and mint Cointreau cocktail.

 

We watched a little of the Masterchef Master class,



but resumed our degustation journey very quickly. Jonah's Grimaud duck with pickled plum, lemon verbena, Kohlrabi and roasted almond picada was as impressive as it looked, a moreish flavour that would be perfect with a glass of pinot noir.



Then it was Claude's confit ocean trout, served with saltbush and anchovy dashi, the highlight of my evening as I still remembered it melting in my mouth hours later.



We also tried Claude's slow braised pork cheek and black fungus relish rolls, little sliders with Asian-like flavoured pork.

We took a break at the beer hall and then bee-lined for PorteÑo for the BBQ Cheese with Honey, Lemon and herbs,



 Chorizo with Chimmichurri

 



and tender tender BBQ Wagyu beef brisket with BBQ Sauce and pickle.

 

Too bad they sold out of sweetbreads, but that's OK, we promised ourselves we'd make a booking there and go, the food was too yummy! And we are dying for some of that fried brussel sprouts.

By now we were almost full, refreshing with some passionfruit Rekorderlig we visited the Tasmanian Pavillion to taste some whisky,

lamb skewers



and meatpies,

the boys filled up with some Salts Meats Cheese charcuterrie

 

whilst the girls impatiently wait for desserts time. We hit Four in hand for their 4fourteen White Chocolate Ice cream sandwich

and hmm, the boys still wanted a savoury dish so we also got the spit roast suckling pig with coleslaw and hot sauce.

 

It was easy to pop 'next door' to Three Blue Ducks for their Chocolate, Yuzu curd and miso butterscotch, a very complementary dish to the sweetness of the ice cream sandwich with the lemon twang of the yuzu to cut through it.

With a quick stop at Cafe society for some Acqua Panna

and a quick sweep of some last minute alcoholic beverages before they stopped serving at nine pm, we finished the night off with some delicious salted caramel Èclair from Ananas bar & brasserie ( not for the faint hearted),





 and the best way to end the evening's long meal, Claude's lemon curd, muscovado crumb and coffee meringues that bursts with flavour in your mouth.