Quay Restaurant
Overseas Passenger Terminal, The Rocks, Sydney 2000
(02) 9251 5600

Named Restuarant of the Year by the Age and GT two years in a row makes QUAY my to eat list when I go to Sydney.  I went there with high expectations and I feared the Quay would disappoint me, especially with the weird decor they had- tacky plastic shower curtains-like decorations, mirror on the ceiling..etc… yikes.  But you know what, the decor is the only “disappointment” for the night.  The evening’s dinner is sublime, the service is friendly, knowledgeable but unintruding.

In the evening you can choose either a dinner menu ($155 for 4 courses) or their signature menu ($210 for 8 courses).  Both menu features modern Australia style food with an Asian influence.  For those who know me, I am extremely cautious about “Asian influence” as normally it means asian food being screwed up beyond recognition- but this meal is beyond my imagination and took Asian cuisine to the next level.

We chose the 4 course dinner.  The amuse bouche is tuna with tapioca “pearls”.  It was beautifully presented with a delicate little flower on top.  The tuna is so fresh which just a hint of saltiness, with the chewy texture of the pearls and the creme fraiche it makes a yummy play on textures.  This certainly sets the scene of what is to come next.

Our entree is Sea Pearls ($20 supplement)- 5 colourful round balls, the treasures of the sea.  Clockwise from the top there’s salty tuna & caviar; the smokey octopus, egg white and smoked eel; subtle mud crab with tapioca pearls; abalone suspended in dashi consumme; sea scallops w/wasabi flowers.  This looks so beautiful that I stared at it for ages before I ate it!

Second course, Hubby had  crisp confit of pig belly, braise of abalone and cuttlefish, handmade silken tofu, Japanese mushrooms, chive flowers.  This is so delicious also, but Hubby teased me by just giving me a little tiny bit at a time, so I couldn’t really taste the true mixture of flavours and textures Yet what I had was fantastic, the crispy suckling pig is not too fatty.

My second course was the Five textures of Southern rock lobster.

Clear lobster bisque with silken tofu at the bottom which absorbs all the flavours of the lobster bisque.
Sitting next to this bisque is a trio of lobster texture: lobster foam at the top with some snow pea sprouts, a disc of lobster meat and lastly lobster dumpling in the bottom.
I love the intensity of the lobster bisque and the tofu that absorbed all the essence, but after having that the trio of lobster texture tasted a bit bland.  I wonder if I should have eaten the trio first…

For the third course hubby had Free range chicken breast cooked sous vide style, truffle butter, baby radish, spring onions, garden peas, garlic cream, pea shoots.  The chicken is so tender, and although poached, so flavoursome.  Once again this dish is dotted with pretty miniature flowers and micro vegies that features in so many Peter Gilmore’s dish.

My third course is a Bass Groper, parsley crust, slow braise of baby abalone, periwinkles,  sea scallop, winter melon, hasuimo, green tea and seaweed consomme.

This dish is very gingery which is normally a flavour I dislike, but this dish is so fresh and simple that I love it.

To choose a favourite dish would be hard, but the desserts are the grand finale of this decadent four course dinner.

A pile of raspberries, violet, almond, vanilla cream sitting prettily on a plate is hubby’s choice of dessert.  There is a fresh burst of flavours in every bite.  It is especially good with the Moscato di Asti.  Yum!

Eight texture chocolate cake featuring Amedei ‘Chuao’ Chocolate- yum yum!  I love chocolates and I’ve heard other diners raving about it.  It started out perfect- a smooth disc of dark chocolate covered what lies underneath.  Then the waiters pour molten chocolate into the centre and the middle just melts…divine…