Birthday Degustation @ Cottage Point Inn

A few weeks back I received a little surprise in the mail. It was a postcard from Cottage Point Inn wishing me a happy birthday and that they are giving me a free 7 course degustation (valued at $140) any day in the month of May. Having had a wonderful meal there last year, Mr M and I decided to take on their wonderful gesture and give them another visit, and oh am I thankful that we did! :)

We booked in for Sunday lunch, advised them of my dietary requests which are duly noted. Throughout the week we had heavy rain in Sydney which got me a little worried. But just like last year, the weather turned out to be beautiful on the day. Note – the drive to Cottage Point involves a lot of turns and swirls, so even if not for the view, you wouldn’t want to go there on a wet day.

The view from our table 

Once we are greeted and seated, we saw the degustation menu on our table. They have taken out from the menu fish and raw beef just as I requested. We started off with a choice of rye bread roll or sourdough bread. It is noted on their menu their bread mother is 6 years old. The bread roll is very tasty but would have been even better if it had been warm. We are served small cups of sweet potato soup (for me) and salmon consommé (for Mr M).

Our Degustation Menu

Rye bread roll 

Our first course from the degustation is an amazingly fresh salad. It is not easy to excite with a salad but they have certainly done it. I loved the interesting textures: the crisp root veges, the toasted and crushed hazelnuts and the wonderfully creamy house made feta. Our second course is the lovely little pillows of spring onion and thyme gnocchi, served with pumpkin, goat cheese, burnt butter foam, pumpkin puree and pine nuts. The goat cheese tasted like cream cheese with a citrus tang. The rich pumpkin puree is so delicious with its natural sweetness. This dish is pleasantly balanced as the pumpkin cubes had a slightly citrus taste to counter the rich and aromatic burnt butter foam.

L Loves... “Field to Feast Farm”, Vegetable Salad, 
House Made Feta, Hazelnut Dressing

L Loves... Spring Onion & Thyme Gnocchi, Goats Chèvre, 
Burnt Butter Espuma, Pumpkin Puree, Pine nuts

The next three dishes followed through with the same high standard. They are delicately prepared, cooked and presented. The twice cooked quail legs and duck breast are cooked beautifully and just right for a lunch degustation that is nourishing and not too heavy. All the dishes look vibrant and spectacular as if they are made to match the enchanting waterfront view.

Rangers Valley Beef Cheek Ravioli, 
Horseradish Cream, Braised Leeks, Sherry Foam

Twice cooked Quail Legs, Pickled Coleslaw, 

Mushrooms, Grapes, Spiced Jus   

Hawkesbury Valley Duck Breast, 

Orange, Smoked Fennel, Spiced Jus

As we watched seaplanes arriving and departing (amusing really!), our waiter came with the most delicious white peach sorbet with tiny bits of white peach on top. Just as we thought things cannot get better, we are each served a gorgeous caramel apple soufflé. The soufflé is perfect in terms of consistency – it is light and fluffy, and not too sweet. Whoever came up with the idea of serving soufflé with apple compote and macadamia crumble is a genius, it is in essence combining two delicious desserts (apple crumble & soufflé) on one plate! What really got me hooked is the moreish cinnamon anglaise... mmm I want more!!! I finished both my and Mr M’s jugs of velvety crème anglaise!

Here they come again!

L Loves... Pre dessert - White Peach Sorbet

L Loves... Caramel Apple Souffle, Apple Compote, 
Macadamia Crumble, Cinnamon Anglaise 

At this point I looked at the menu and said to Mr M: “I don’t think we need the last course, the degustation would have ended perfectly with the soufflé”. It turned out Cottage Point Inn managed to prove me wrong again, and I love it when they do this! I am not normally so fond of cheese. Don’t get me wrong, I do like cheese, but sometimes you meet the odd ones that are too pungent or too salty or too overpowering or just bland. Today’s degustation encouraged me to explore more in the world of cheese. I adored how they used the different types of cheese to add flavour and texture to the three dishes (salad, gnocchi and this final cheese course: they happened to be my favourite three dishes today aside from desserts). The manchego and radicchio salad is so delicious and refreshing and IS the perfect ending of our three hour lunch. Thanks for a wonderful birthday meal Mr M & Cottage Point Inn :)

L Loves...  Manchego, Radicchio Salad, Walnuts Pedro Ximenez Sherry

What a peaceful hideout!

Cottage Point Inn - perfect for a Stressless Sunday Lunch!

L's Verdict:

•    Taste: 9/10

•    Ambience: 4.5/5

•    Value: 3/5

•    Service: 4/5

•    Creativity and other WOW factors: 4/5

Overall rating: 24.5/30 (updated rating from last visit)

Cottage Point Inn

2 Anderson Place

Cottage Point NSW 2084

Ph: (02) 9456 1011

Lunch: 7 days from Noon to 3pm

Dinner: Fri-Sat 6.30pm to 9.30pm & Sunday 6.30pm to 8.30pm

Visited May 2013

Friendly advice: I would not hesitate in recommending this lovely place to anyone. However do note this place is a little difficult to find – some GPS may not even locate it accurately. There are instructions on their website on how to get there (you could also get there by seaplane or by ferry). Also note there is no reception at this restaurant – that’s right, it’s the perfect hideout to enjoy a long, beautiful, uninterrupted lunch!

Splendid Dinner @ Cafe Sydney

Having something to look forward to definitely helps reducing the grief of coming back to work after the Easter long weekend. Miss C is my angel taking me to dinner at one of Sydney’s most popular restaurant, and now I know it’s admired for a good reason. The view is stunning by day or night. Sitting on top of the Customs House at Circular Quay, Cafe Sydney has a modern look, including the use of dark timber and floor to ceiling glass walls to bring out the best of the impeccable view of the Harbour Bridge and the ferries on the sparkling blue water.

We ordered some non-alcoholic drinks to start the night off. The Kiwi Crush Mocktail is particularly refreshing, with a hint of lime and delicious passionfruit syrup. Cafe Sydney prides itself with a menu based around seasonal produce, with an emphasis on seafood. The scallops are perfectly grilled. The flavours are well balanced and the addition of the thin crisps of smoky pancetta is genius. My only complaint is that there are only three scallops on the plate! The grilled prawns are fresh and delicious, and lucky for me as someone who can’t appreciate spicy food, the citrus chilli butter is not spicy at all.

The duck leg is cooked twice to capture all the aromas, taste and tenderness of the delicate meat. It is served with a rich foie gras sausage, beetroot, puy lentil and a sweetly caramelised grilled fig. This is the ultimate dish of overindulgence! Having naan as well as the usual sourdough bread on the menu shows the great range of international cuisine Sydney as a city has to offer. There are a variety to choose from, including goat cheese and spinach, spiced caramelised onion and garlic naan. We had the goat cheese and spinach, they are lusciously gooey and a bargain at around $3 a serving.

 The kitchen @ Cafe Sydney 

View from inside - the harbour backdrop 

Kiwi Crush and Antipodes Sparkling Water

Appetiser

Goat cheese and spinach naan

L Loves... Seared scallops, butternut pumpkin, 
quinoa, cavolo nero, crisp pancetta, lemon 

Grilled half shell Queensland prawns, 
kohlrabi remoulade, citrus chilli butter, baby basil 

L Loves... Twice cooked duck leg, foie gras sausage, 
beetroot, fig, puy lentil, vino cotto, jus

View from the balcony - I could look at this all night long :)

All in all, we had a remarkable evening. Service is impeccable. We did not have a moment where our glasses are empty. Without prompt the staff swiftly topped up our glasses. Our entree arrived quicker than we expected but the timing of our mains are just right. They do get busier and busier as the evening progresses. By the time we are leaving, the sun has set and the dining area is dim with subdued lighting. I would definitely recommend Cafe Sydney, especially if you want to impress friends and guests from overseas.

L's Verdict:

•    Taste: 8/10

•    Ambience: 4.5/5

•    Value: 3/5

•    Service: 3.5/5

•    Creativity and other WOW factors: 4/5

Overall rating: 23/30

Cafe Sydney

5th Floor/31 Alfred St 

Sydney NSW 2000 

Ph: (02) 9251 8683

Monday to Friday 12 noon until late 

Saturday 5pm until late 

Sunday 12 noon for lunch

Visited April 2013

Friendly advice: Book in advance as it is a busy place and ask for balcony seats so you get the full view overlooking the Sydney Harbour Bridge - you won't regret it!

The Devonshire Degustation

I am not a big fan of degustation mostly because I like to choose what I eat and the whole thing takes too long. But I may be swayed by my experience at the Devonshire. The Devonshire is craftily simple, with a range of mirrors embellished on one wall. The chefs here demonstrate their creativity in the dishes while keeping their food genuine and understandable. Tonight we had the 8 course degustation and each dish teased our taste buds in their own ways.

We began with the salt fish brandade with caper sauce to match our glass of Champagne, followed by house baked bread and two types of butter. The house-churned honey butter is wonderfully soft and sweet and in no time we demolished our lovely warm bread and butter. The salad of heirloom tomatoes is much more interesting than it sounds. It is ever so refreshing and the slight acidity brilliantly awakens our appetite for the deep fried goodness in our dishes to come – the quail eggs and risotto balls.

The taste from the prawn ravioli is so intense it is a triumphant dish for prawn lovers. The texture is softer than I expected and combined with the taste reminds me of Cantonese prawn dumplings but only tastier. The final savoury dish concluded the savoury on a high note, everything is perfect with this marvellous pork belly with crumbles of delicious crackling and chorizo. Our waiter came to check up on how we’re going and whether we are full. “Full for the savoury stuff, but always room for desserts!” we answered.

Our pre-dessert is a shot glass of raspberry panna cotta. It is absolutely beautiful with the crisp, sugary crumble providing the perfect contrast in texture. The final course for the evening is a wonderful bittersweet chocolate mousse and sorbet with salted caramel parfait. The chocolate mousse and sorbet look almost identical but the mousse is denser in texture and in flavour. There is just the right amount of bitterness from the mousse and saltiness from the caramel parfait to make the dessert an indulgence without overloading on the sweetness. 

L Loves... Champagne, freshly baked bread
and house churned honey butter

Tonight’s menu

Salad of heirloom tomatoes,
woodside goats curd, olive biscotti, basil and almonds

Cold smoked Black Angus tartare,
poached enoki mushrooms, asparagus and quail egg

Steamed Ora King Salmon, squid ink noodles, 

summer daikon, pickled ginger, and radish 

Vegetarian (non-fish) alternative course - Risotto ball

Prawn ravioli, curly kale and roast prawn oil

L Loves... Roasted pork belly and loin,
fricassee of cabbage, pepita, sage, chorizo and scratchings

 L Loves... Raspberry panna cotta, 
poached peaches and biscuit crumble

Bittersweet chocolate mousse and sorbet, 
salted caramel parfait and hazelnut

The bill arrived in a cute tea cup

The blackboard at the front quoting Julia Child: 

“Always start out with a larger pot than what you think you need.” 

Mirror, mirror on the wall

L's Verdict:

•    Taste: 8/10

•    Ambience: 4/5

•    Value: 4/5

•    Service: 4/5

•    Creativity and other WOW factors: 3/5

Overall rating: 23/30

The Devonshire

204 Devonshire St

Surry Hills NSW 2010

Ph: (02) 9698 9427

Lunch Friday Noon – 2.30pm

Dinner Tue to Sat 6pm – 10pm

Visited March 2013

Friendly advice: I highly recommend trying the degustation at the Devonshire as it is one of the best value degustation in town. The food delivers on quality and on taste. Service is excellent and we cruised through 8 courses in a pleasant course of 3 hours. 

Twine Restaurant @ Hunter Valley

We are drawn to Twine Restaurant at Wynwood Estate by an eye-catching picture of a chilli mud crab in the Hunter Valley Wine and Dine Guide. Little did we know they not only serve outstanding seafood, but they serve it with a picturesque view to the rose-trimmed courtyard and vineyards.

On this relaxing sunday with sunshine, we enjoyed beautifully plump scallops that are seared to perfection. The shimeji mushroom is slightly acidic and goes well with the slightly sweet carrot puree. When our mains arrived, so did an army of flies. They must have been attracted by the aroma from the chilli mud crab. The crabs are masterfully cooked, absolutely succulent and juicy. There’s no time to worry about getting our fingers smudged as we barely had time to eat while trying to keep the flies away. The duck breast is also delightful. The parfait is incredibly smooth and rich. I’d hate to think about how much damage we’ve done to our cholesterol levels, but hopefully nothing some Q10 can’t mend :P

Arriving in style

L Loves... Seared scallops with braised shimeji mushroom,
saffron carrot puree & crunchy spec

Twine style chilli mud crab served on a high tea stand

Twine style chilli mud crab with coconut rice

Hickory wood smoked duck breast and 

parfait with blackberry puree and cauliflower three ways

I would definitely recommend Twine Restaurant if you are in the Hunter region. The charm of this restaurant comes from its beautiful setting, luring food and friendly staff. 

L's Verdict:

·    Taste: 8/10

·    Ambience: 4/5 (1 score deducted for the annoying flies, though not the restaurant’s fault, maybe they could do something about it?)

·     Value: 3/5

·    Service: 4.5/5

·    Creativity and other WOW factors: 4/5 

Overall rating: 23.5/30

Twine Restaurant

310 Oakey Creek Rd,

Pokolbin 2320

Ph: (02) 4998 7449  

Open 7 days for lunch

Friday and Saturday for Dinner "a la carte"

Every Sunday evening for "Fireside Dining Menu" from 5:30pm to 7:30pm.

Visited March 2013

Friendly advice: They are holding a “Game on” outdoor progressive dinner on Saturday 23 March 2013. It is 8 hours of entertainment (including live magician show, music and dancing) and 12 courses with matched wine served from 2pm to 10pm. Check it out if you are serious about fantastic food, wine and view!

Happy Valentine's @ Ormeggio at The Spit

Any day is a good day to show love and affection to loved ones. But when there is a day dedicated to that someone special, why not embrace it? That goes with Mother’s day, Father’s day and of course Valentine’s day! My Valentine Mr M made the effort to fly back just in time to celebrate this special day with me. It didn’t take me too long to decide on the venue this year. Somewhere romantic, still, with good food and a nice view to linger over. Ormeggio at The Spit ticked all the boxes.

Ormeggio is a two hatted contemporary Italian restaurant with a stunning waterside setting in Mosman. It is said that the Italian chef and owner, Alessandro Pavoni, with his team of chefs boast 39 Michelin stars between them. That is certainly reflected in their offering of exciting dishes. We started with a warm rye sourdough that has the crunchiest crust and we knew we are in good hands. As I am not a fan of raw meat, the chefs arranged a lovely, thick pea emulsion as a substitute. It is delicious alone, and delicious as a dip for the sourdough.

Our next dish, the carnaroli risotto, had us questioning. A crunchy risotto cooked Al dente? According to our waiter, this is how risottos are supposed to be like from Alessandro’s home region of Lombardy. I am somewhat undecided about the risotto. I welcomed the creaminess of the buffalo mozzarella, but I would have preferred slightly less sourness from the tomato essence.

Then came the hero dish that proved the restaurant worthy of its reputation. The slow-cooked suckling pig, with its glorious crackling and the succulent, mouth-watering meat. I effortlessly split the meat from the crackling and offered the crackling to Mr M. I loved watching the smile grow on this boy’s face. This is indisputably our favourite dish tonight. Even the accompanying dutch carrots and mustard seeds are scrumptious. An ultimate knock out dish!

I normally head straight from mains to desserts, but tonight’s Valentine’s degustation included a cheese course. This isn’t an ordinary cheeseboard. The mountain man wash rind is hidden beneath a bed of dehydrated powder that has an unique taste, sort of like popcorn, with sweeten apricot and hazelnuts. Our final course, a carrot dessert with fennel seed ice cream, farro cream and vinegar caramel left us with a lot of question marks. What are vegetables doing in our dessert? Why does our dessert taste savoury, sour, bitter and sweet? Could this be the chef’s interpretation of love? A combination of all the flavours and a lot of question marks. As much as I appreciate the effort in creating such a daring dessert, I would prefer the vegetables to stay where they belong... in entrees and mains.   

Even without a strong finish, it is a memorable meal. The food here is all about who the chef is and where he’s from. The service is attentive and the setting is impeccable. And surpass anything I have Mr M beside me on this day, Happy Valentine’s Day!

Picturesque sunset view from our table

What a splendid view to linger over our Valentine's dinner

Warm sourdough, freshly churned sour butter, sea salt

Grass fed beef battuta - shiitake - horseradish - nasturtium 

L Loves... Pea emulsion with asparagus, broad beans and green peas

Carnaroli risotto - buffalo mozzarella - tomato - capers - olives – basil

L Loves... Suckling pig - dutch carrots - fennel - mustard seeds - elk  - garlic

Mountain man wash rind - apricot - hazelnut 

Carrot - fennel seed ice cream - farro cream - vinegar caramel

The beautiful scenery from our table as we finished our memorable meal

L's Verdict:

·   Taste: 7/10

·   Ambience: 4/5

·   Value: 3/5 

·   Service: 4/5

· Creativity and other WOW factors: 4/5 

Overall rating: 22/30

Ormeggio at The Spit

D'Albora Marinas

The Spit, Mosman 2088

Ph: (02) 9969 4088

Open Lunch - Wed to Sun 12pm-3pm

Dinner - Wed to Sat 6pm-11pm, Sun 6pm-10pm

Visited Valentine's Day February 2013

Friendly advice: They offer a lunch special from Wednesday to Saturday – 3 courses including a glass of wine for $59 or 4 course degustation for $69 only. They also do Stressless Sunday dinners which offer 6 course degustation for $69 only. Make sure you book in early!