I love my Nana. That’s not unusual I suppose, to love your grandmother. But my Nana is wonderful. She’s five foot nothing and she is the most wonderfully kind and giving woman I know who always wants to help everyone. Particularly me. Recently, I tried to make a Scottish favourite, Tattie Scones (or Potato Scones) and they just wouldn’t turn out right. So I did what any self respecting person would do and went straight back to the source. My Nana, who was more than happy to show me again, just how to make them.

One of the first problems I had been having was making mashed potatoes. Surely not, I hear you say. How hard is it to make mashed potatoes? During this little adventure in Tattie Scone making I had tried every method of mashing my potatoes, steaming, whole, roasting whole, boiling whole and yet not once did I try and make mash the way that my grandmother had taught me originally. By cutting the peeled potatoes up and boiling until tender.

Perfect lump free mash - cold

My grandmother had made perfect lump-less mash the same way she always has, and it was wonderful. It made me realise that sometimes it’s better to just go back to the basics.

Now at some point you might have expected to see a recipe, or a list of ingredients. But unfortunately, I don’t have them for you.
I know many recipes say use a 5:1 potato to flour ratio if this helps (250 grams of mashed potatoes with 50 grams of flour) but the fact of the matter is, that depending on your potatoes and your mash, you will need different amounts of flour. 50g of flour may not be enough.

When you have a bowl of cold mashed potatoes, add your 50g of flour to begin with and a small splash of water. This may not be enough flour, you may have to keep adding more. You want your dough to be soft and pliable (not unlike a gnocchi dough.)

Adding Flour to make dough

When your dough has reached this consistency turn it out onto a very well floured work space and sprinkle more flour over the top (as Nana says, there’s not really too much flour at this point.)
Mash is sticky and if your dough is not as tightly bound as need be, this is the point you will realise it. Gently work your dough into a small disc and then roll out. If there is not enough flour incorporated your dough will stick. Never mind, scoop it all up, mix through a little more flour and start again.

Floured Dough

When your dough is ready, roll it out to be a little bigger than a dinner plate. You want it to be about 0.5cm in thickness, but a little more or less won’t hurt.

The Floured Dough

Place a dinner plate over the top and cut out a circle using a small knife. When this is done, cut a cross through the centre quartering your circle.

In a moderately hot frying pan, sprinkled with flour, place your scones to fry for a few minutes or until lightly browned. Nana is adamant that there should be no fats or oils anywhere near this stage of the process, lest you wish to ruin your scones.

Dry fry on a moderate heat in a floured pan

When finished they should look something like this.

The Finished Tattie Scones

When you’re ready to eat them, fry them off in a lightly oiled pan and serve with fried eggs and black pudding. Square Sausage if you can get it (there is a wonderful Scottish Butchers in Maroubra.)

But I also like to use these as a substitute for flat breads and love to serve them in a stack with poached eggs on top. You can also use cookie cutters to make the scones into different shapes. I love to use my heart and star shaped ones.

Living in Camperdown puts one on the border between Newtown and Glebe. Whilst our apartment was chosen with RPA (The GD’s workplace) in mind, it does have the added benefit of being very close to some of our favourite restaurants. However, since moving here the trek to our favourite breakfast haunts has gotten a little longer, and we’ve gotten a little lazier. For the past few months nearly every breakfast out has been at Luxe Bakery or Deus Cafe. Both of which are splendid, but so busy and hard to relax in. After hearing Gather on the Green mentioned once or twice, I decided that we must wander over for a try.

Gather on the Green is located in the same space where The Canteen once stood, next to the very busy Store Espresso. I must admit to feeling a little unsure when I saw how busy Store had gotten and how quiet Gather on the Green was on this particular Sunday morning. But we stepped inside, ready to peruse the menu.

Gather on the Green

Milk Bar Store Fittings from the Ritz Cafe which originally occupied the premises

The inside is adorable and cosy. I love the light fittings of swinging mason jars and the gorgeous sugar pots with vintage teaspoons used as table numbers.

Mason Jar Lights

Sugar Jars with adorable Teaspoons

The cafe is cosy and welcoming and whilst there aren’t many patrons there, the people who are, seem to be known to the staff. Which is always a nice thing to experience in a local eatery.

Salads and More Substantial Menus

Sandwich Menu

Breakfast Menu

The night before was a big one for me, and I want to drown my hangover in the greasiest fry up I can find. The aptly named ‘Morning After Breakfast’ ($17) with optional berrocca seems to be the order of the day. The breakfast comes with fried eggs which are easily substituted for poached ones, lamb and rosemary sausage, bacon, mushrooms, roasted tomato, a hash brown and thick fluffy buttered white toast. It is huge. The sausage stands out with a very meaty texture and a huge pack of rosemary and garlic flavour. On the whole the breakfast is fairly average, but in my fragile state I am pleased as can be with the stomach quelling serving.

The Morning After Breakfast ($17)

The GD is on his way to work and as such was quite well-behaved the night before. He decides on the Ploughmans Lunch ($15) which is much more impressive than expected. Served with sopressa and prosciutto, The Ploughmans Lunch is a far more refined than your standard cafe and pub fare. The same thick white bread is served with house made tamarind chutney, fresh green olives and cornichons. There are three cheeses, a soft and sharp cheddar, a creamy brie and a sweet crumbly blue paired with walnuts. The GD is in high heaven and tucks in heartily to his meal.

Ploughmans Lunch ($15)

Our experience is overwhelmingly a good one and I am eager to get back and try some of the other menu items so in the next few days I manage to bully Warlach into joining me for a late lunch.

Feeling much better this time I am eager to try some of the more substantial lunch offerings. We decide to split the NY Style Beef Burger ($13) and The Pork Baguette with Pineapple Salsa and Vietnamese Salad ($9.50.) I hate pineapple so on this particular occasion we request that they leave it out.

Pork Baguette with Vietnamese Salad (Normally served with pineapple salsa $9.50)

The baguette is truly disappointing. The pork is nice, but the baguette is very crunchy and has a sharp mouthfeel that isn’t pleasant. The Vietnamese Salad consists of a piece of coral lettuce, a slice of cucumber and a tiny amount of carrot. There is no spice or zing. I must admit, I had expected this to be similar to a Banh Mi Roll, but it is sadly lacking. Perhaps the addition of the Pineapple Salsa provides this much-needed flavour and seasoning, but it would have to be a hell of a salsa, and for $9.50 this just seems sad.

NY Style Beef Burger ($13)

Burger Interior

Perhaps it’s because we’ve become accustomed to this, but we’re surprised that there are no chips. They’re not listed on the menu at all in fact. This just seems wrong, what is a burger without chips? The burger flavours are great, maybe a little too much mustard, but otherwise good. The patty is a little overcooked to our taste (although this is remedied in later visits by requesting a medium patty) and once we’ve removed three-quarters of the lettuce we’re in a good place.

Complimentary Picnic Blankets

After our first visit, the second visit was a bit of a disappointment. Subsequent visits have shown that weekends are the best time to visit Gather on the Green and if it is on the specials menu when you visit try the Avocado Smash. I wish I’d thought to take my camera along for that visit. This is a great little local cafe, with lovely staff. I also noticed on our last visit a box of picnic blankets, so that you can take your meal to Camperdown Oval Park across the road. This has me waiting eagerly for summer to return.

After a long day at the Easter Show The GD, Warlach and I were excited to be heading to The Dip at GoodGod. I still haven’t had a chance to eat there and I’ve been desperate to try it. Our plans are stymied when we arrive and are greeted by a massive crowd and absolutely no chance of nabbing a table. Feeling incredibly disappointed I begin to run through the options of as yet untried wish list restaurants. District Dining is suggested so we quickly make the trek over on the off-chance that we could get in. We know the chances are slim and the charming hostess tries to find room for us, but unfortunately they are booked solid. With the boys vetoing any Asian my dilemma is profound. Then I remember the Paddo Arms. Being a pub bistro our chances of getting in are high and by this time it’s already 9pm and we’re starving.

We arrive to a quiet bistro, it is late and the service is dwindling but we are happily seated. Our waitress is incredibly friendly and runs off to the bar to grab drinks for us whilst we peruse the menu. Expecting to have eaten a lot at The Show we skipped breakfast and then really didn’t indulge at the show. The GD is ravenous and I am not far behind. We order big. Our waitress continues to offer attentive service, asking if we intend to share so that she can organise small plates for us. While we wait she stops by to check our drinks are okay. Certainly not the norm in a pub.

The reflected hanging lights

The decor is interesting and the room is bright and open with large mirrors running around the walls to reflect the hanging lights. Several oddities catch my eye, not least of which a jar of pickled eggs.

Pickled Eggs on a shelf

Duck Liver Parfait with Pickles and Grilled Bread ($15)

To begin with we ordered the Duck Liver Parfait with pickles, although rather than pickled vegetables or cornichons which we were expecting, there was a small tub of what appeared to be a pickled currant relish? Either way it was marvellous. The Parfait was covered with a disk of solid butter and our waiter informed us that it was meant to be spread onto the bread before the parfait and pickles. The parfait was creamy, rich and moreish. I absolutely loved the melted butter and jam-like pickled relish. If only there had been more of the lovely spongy charred bread.

Roast Bone Marrow with Celeriac Remoulade and Grilled Bread ($14)

I couldn’t go past the Roasted Bone Marrow as a starter. I absolutely love the fatty richness of bone marrow and bread. I was loath to share this, but alas I had to. The Celeriac Remoulade nearly stole the show, it was the perfect slightly bitter accompaniment to cut the richness of the marrow.

Black Pudding with Crumbed Pork and Apple Salad ($14)

Warlach ordered the Black Pudding and Crumbed Pork Salad, which made me incredibly happy as I had been tossing up. I try not to be too bossy about what other people order, although I know at times I fail. The textures in this dish were fantastic. The crisp apple worked really well with the soft crumbly black pudding and the crunchy coating on the Pork Rillettes.

Confit Chicken and Chickpea stuffed Piquillo Peppers with Romesco Sauce ($8 for 2, $15 for 4)

The GD decided a smaller order of the Piquillo Peppers might be ideal with the three other starters on the table and it was the right choice. Although he was quite happy with his starter, I thought it was a little bland, the only flavour really coming from the fantastic Romesco sauce. In contrast to the large servings of the bone marrow, parfait and salad this was definitely a very small portion, the peppers themselves being quite petite.

Roast Pork Chop with Ham Hock, Pearl Barley and Kale ($25)

For a main, Warlach went for the Roast Pork Chop with Ham Hock, Pearl Barley and Kale. The Pork Chop was gleaming and shiny golden and there was quite a lot of food envy going on. With protestations of undying love Warlach descended on the meat rapturously and then sent me a text to ensure that I quoted him exactly about the incredibly inappropriate thoughts he’d be having in regards to said Pork Chop. The Pearl Barley was served as a creamy risotto with flecks of smoked ham hock throughout.

House Made Beef Burger, with Horseradish, Onion Relish and Chips ($20)

The GD ordered the Beef Burger, having first come to our attention when Colin Fassnidge entered into Burger Wars. The use of horseradish demanding that The GD order it to quell his inner-Brit.

Beef Burger Interior

The burger was good. It was cooked to a perfect medium and the Horseradish gave a definite subtle zing to the taste.

Braised Beef Cheeks with Onion and Smoked Mash ($26)

After our huge starter feast I felt that perhaps I had made a mistake with ordering such a hearty main. Seeing it sitting in front of me, that feeling was even stronger. But then one bite of the smoked mash (made by roasting the potatoes over a smoking wood fire, turning every few minutes) and I was gone. It was incredible, even better than the one at L’etoile. The beef was fork tender and the rich jus was perfectly salty and rich. It was such a fantastic hearty dish. I felt a bit wrong when I devoured every mouthful, I shouldn’t have been able to eat that much, but I just couldn’t stop myself.

Throughout our meal the service was perfect. Our attentive waitress was always at hand to arrange drinks and check that everything was fine with our food. The server was happy to answer all of my questions about the food and the preparation and despite the late hour, our service was perfectly timed. I can’t wait to head back to the Paddo Arms, I certainly can’t wait to try the Whole Pork Belly for 10!

Restaurant booking policies are something I loathe. If you can’t book, it’s very unlikely that I’ll be coming. If waiting outside your venue for an hour is necessary, then I most certainly won’t be coming. If you’ll allow me to book for six, but insist that we only order the banquet menu (with a cadre of picky eaters as dining companions this is loaded,) then we probably won’t be coming. These booking policies seem to be designed to alienate diners. I hate feeling like I’m very privileged to be in your restaurant. I hate condescension and poor behaviour. There are many restaurants that I have not been to because of these policies.

I had assumed that Porteno was one that I would never see (I still haven’t made it to Bodgea.) But after hearing Captain Crocodile rave about it, and reading numerous reviews. Both The GD and I caved and decided to brave the crowds outside Porteno. We arrived at 5:45pm in order to stake our claim. There was no-one there.

The bright white building - impossible to miss

A quick decision is made to pop over to the Norfolk for one drink. We’re taking a risk, but the side street and the alley are completely deserted, not a soul in sight. Twenty minutes later we returned and the doors were open for business and at 6:05pm there were already five seated tables. Our seats are in the back, far from the much admired Asado Grill and Butchers Block. I vow to sneak over later and The GD remarks quite candidly that for the number of pictures we’ve seen of this grill. He’s sure they won’t mind. I ask our waiter if it would be okay for me to grab some photos. With a weary smirk he responds, ‘They always do.’

Elvis Abrahanowicz at the chopping block

The restaurant is filling up very quickly and having perused the menu at length and read all of the reviews (as well as a last minute tip from Mel at The Adventures of Miss Piggy) I know exactly what we are ordering. The GD has the wine list, which is comprised of only Argentinian Wines. This is fine by me, and I advise that with what we’re ordering that Tempranillo would be a good choice. (I love Tempranillo, it’s always a good choice.) We decide on the 2010High Altitude.

High Altitude Tempranillo

Salsa Criolla

Chimichurri

I love Chimichurri and would happily eat it with everything. I can’t help but taste a small amount and the flavour it packs is wonderful. It’s vibrant and herby with a slight kick of heat and lots of garlicky goodness.

Our woodfired bread and pork pate arrive next. I have never tried Pork Pate before, having really only been exposed to the French style Duck and Chicken Liver Pates and parfaits, so I am quite eager and yet, all thoughts of judgement and considering the differences are gone when I try it. It’s incredible.

Soft Warm Bread (served with Pork Pate $2pp.)

Pork Pate served with bread ($2pp.)

Bread and Pork Pate ($2pp.)

I have only just taken a bite of the bread when our empanadas arrive. We’ve decided to go with one of each, sharing them to save room for what is to come. I’ve no sooner cut them in half when our Morcilla arrives. There is barely any room left on our table and the waiter has disappeared with our wine. It’s all starting to get just a little bit hectic at our table.

Beef Empanada and Broccoli and Ricotta Empanada ($4 each)

In an effort to save space I have moved our shared starters onto our own plates and within seconds, the serving dishes have been cleared and our sides are arriving and I haven’t even finished my bread.Around us the restaurant is filling up incredibly quickly, but the table next to us has not even ordered in spite of arriving shortly after us and we’re already on mains.

The GD is coping admirably well. Speed eating is his forte, but between photographing and trying to find space on our very small table, I’m feeling a bit frazzled.

The empanadas were lovely, The broccoli and ricotta were a clear favourite for both of us and worked very well with a dollop of chimmichurri. The beef empanadas had finely chopped olive mixed throughout and were just a little salty for my taste. $4 per piece is also pretty pricey for what are rather small pieces.

Morcilla Blood Sausage ($12)

The Morcilla arrived on a bed of grilled pepper and was so very black and shiny, I felt a little daunted. I had always heard that Morcilla had a much stronger blood flavour that black pudding did not. The Gd dived on this and was in heaven. The meaty sausage was actually quite mild in flavour. The look is somewhat confrontational. I was also a bit put off by the small cubes of gelatinous fat, but the taste and texture were wonderful.

Still with Morcilla and bread in front of me our main dish and sides arrive. The Cordero A La Cruz (Lamb on the Cross) was a hard choice. Because there were only two of us, it was a choice of Lamb or Pork rather than both, although we tried our waiter was insistent. It’s too much food for two people. So going with the theory that we eat Pork a lot when we’re out, and that Mel and the twitterati were in agreement, we ordered the lamb. Neither of us regretted it.

Cordero A La Cruz ( 8 hour Mirrool Creek Milk Fed Lamb) $42

At tables all around us people are eating pork, but the tenderness of the Mirrool Creek Milk Fed Lamb is just incredible. The meat is melting and the crunchy shards of skin are divine. Lamb Crackling, am I new to this? Did everyone know? I can’t believe I’ve never experienced it before.

But whilst the lamb is wonderful I really think the sides are the standout although again, like the empanadas, a little pricey at $14 each.

Crispy Fried Brussel Sprouts with Lentils and Mint ($14)

Much had been heard about the legendary Porteno Brussel Sprouts and whilst The GD was wary, I love Brussel Sprouts and really wanted to try these, in spite of my oh so careful avoidance of lentil anything. Whilst I can certainly imagine it’s a little harder for my heart to beat after eating these I didn’t want to stop. They were so crispy on the outside and soft on the inside with additional texture in the form of the dreaded lentil. The GD ate sprouts! Happily and even snuck back for more.

Polenta with Provolone ($14)

I hadn’t heard anything of the Polenta with Provolone Cheese although I never hesitate to order Polenta when I’m out seeing as how every attempt to make it at home ends in my need for a new whisk. This polenta was like nothing I had tasted before. It was so smooth and silky, near impossible to believe that it had been created from a grain. The chimmichurri drizzled over the top added a spicy acidic counter to the sinfully rich cheesiness and it was delightful. Although my attempts to question the waitstaff about the polenta itself were incredulously rebuffed with a snarky comment. (You do know that there’s white and yellow polenta? How mortifying it might have been if I hadn’t. Instead, just rude.)

The quantities of food in front of us were enormous, bear in mind that the sides are easily enough to fill four bellies and to satisfy six. Our table was nearly full and the waste was a little disconcerting. When our plates were cleared I looked at our half full bottle of wine and at the hovering waitstaff feeling particularly uncomfortable. We had no intention of quaffing our wine and running, but there was no encouragement to linger over a drink.

At this point, checking my watch I realised we had been in the restaurant for forty minutes. Fifteen minutes later, after grabbing some quick snaps of the Asado Grill and of course the Chefs at work we left. On our way out the door, the hostess warmly thanked us for our time and hoped to see us again. Outside, I was feeling so bipolar about our visit. I’d felt rather uncomfortable towards the end of the evening and rather desperate to just get up and leave. The GD was feeling quite irate and also disappointed to not have been able to fit in dessert, something he felt that he would have been able to do if our meal had progressed at a more leisurely pace.

Understandtably, Porteno is a busy restaurant and needs to keep people moving so that the people waiting also get a chance to eat. There’s nothing worse than watching lingering diners at your table when you’re starving, but when we left there were still several empty tables and no one waiting outside. We wondered if perhaps staff are just in the habit of pushing out food as fast as possible and working their way through a crowd. If I’d been waiting for a table, I’m sure I’d have appreciated their speed. But not this time.

The more I thought about it, the more indignant I became. The dismal service (because truly, they were incredibly pressuring and not at all interested in our comfort) irritated me beyond belief. But then, thinking about the food and our small glimpse of the theatrical butchery taking place, I started to wonder when we could go back, and thinking of the people that we would take next time. It takes very good food to counter that kind of rudeness, and Porteno certainly has good food.

I have never really minded bad service in French restaurants. I find most people are the complete opposite and as most French restaurants and bistros and brasseries sit at the higher end of the price scale they expect the service to work for the money. I’ve always thought it was a little more authentic to be served by someone who would rather be anywhere but there. One of my favourite French places to dine in Sydney has the most supercilious and disdainful waiters I have ever come across. It is almost painful to try and order from them and occasionally when doing so I feel like I’m being quite unreasonable in my demand to have my wineglass refilled.

Felix is not like this. The staff are incredibly welcoming and happy to see us, this could have something to do with the fact that Head Chef Nathan Johnson (formerly of Gordon Ramsay at Claridges and Maze in Melbourne) is the brother-in-law of The Boss of the World (have I mentioned that she is a very handy person to know?)

Throughout the night I realise that this cheeriness and accommodating manner does not change, there are no slips and they are just really nice staff. Aside from one surly Sommelier, who seems to be personally affronted by The GD our service is incredibly warm. Rather than being upset by my crablike maneuvering about the table they are more than willing to answer all my questions and make suggestions.

Across to the open kitchen

Looking across the room we can see Nathan’s distinctive white streaked head bobbing about in the open kitchen and it isn’t long before he pops over to see if we’re okay and say hello. Several heads in the room turn and I have been told before that they are trying to decide if we are celebrities of some kind. It feels rather delightful to have the personal recommendations of the chef and to hear what’s good and what additions he has made to the menu since being lured away from Melbourne last year. It also feels quite fun to have the patrons of the restaurant atwitter with wondering who we are.

Our party is comprised of what seems to be The Usual Suspects at the moment, Tali3sin, Warlach, The GD, The Boss of the World and myself. Since Nathan has moved to Felix we have all been eager to try it and when we saw ‘Raid the Cellar’ appear on the March into Merivale roster it was a foregone conclusion. This has to be the best offer they have ever made. By spending one hundred dollars per person on wine (and not beer or spirits, but wine) we are gifted with a three course meal. Felix has an incredible wine list and I have pictured us ordering the bottle of 2004 Louis Roederer ‘Cristal’ which will set you back only $1750. (We didn’t order it.) It is a pleasant coincidence that our splurge is occurring the day after both Tali3sin and Warlach’s shared birthday. If you ever needed an excuse to be extravagant surely a double birthday is it?

By default however, The GD being the oldest and therefore the most knowledgeable about wine is given the task of spending our $500 on wine. ‘I like wine. Most wine,’ Warlach adds to the debate enthusiastically.

We ordered a lot of wine. This my dear readers is where I must confess. Some of the details are a bit blurry, some pictures are a bit blurry, but the wine and cocktails were fabulous.

Felix Martini #3 Absolut Vanilla, Lillet Blanc, riesling reduction, apple juice and a pinch of coriander

Without a doubt one of the nicest cocktails I’ve had in a  long time. There is a strong coriander flavour, which meant TBotW was out, but both Tali3sin and I adored this.

The Duck and The Dandy Lion - Award Winning Cocktail

TBotW and Warlach ordered this cocktail. Because it comes with confit duck. Strained, somehow, I’m not sure. It was bizarre. They thought it was marvelous and both The GD and Tali3sin agreed. I’m standing out on a limb here but it just seemed too strange to me.

The GD's cocktail

The Coup de Grace - Rittenhouse Rye whisky, Amere Biere, apricot and orange marmalade, lemon juice and peach bitters

Tali3sin’s cocktail tasted like bourbon and jam, but not in an unpleasant way. It was very citrusy, but a nice balance of sweet and sour. He enjoyed it, as did The GD. At this point, I just want to take my martini to bed. It is wonderful.

Crumbed Lambs Brain with steamed daikon and ravigote sauce $18

Tali3sin and TBotW are not offal fans, and yet they are willing to try the Lambs Brains. These are a wonderful example of the dish, super crunchy on the outside, creamy soft interiors and the acidic sauce which I’d never had before is wonderful with them.

Gruyere Souffle $20

Unanimous decision that this is a wonderful soufle and certainly a highlight of the starters menu. I am surprised that TBotW likes it, because it does have that lovely eggy custard taste mixed through the hedonistic amounts of cheese, but she is happy to continue stealing portions from Warlach, as we all are. It is a massive serving.

Steak Tartare $22

TBotW ordered the Steak Tartare. This was an evening of shocks. Up until recently, Steak Tartare was my picky eating issue (Raw meat and pickles? I hate pickles so you can just count me out) and as TBotW loathes eggs I couldn’t imagine ever seeing a raw egg yolk appear on her plate. But at the Good Food and Wine Festival last year my opinion was changed forever when I tried some made by Adrian Richardson and I was sold and as TBotW points out regarding the yolk, you can just move it away to the side and not eat it.

It is particularly easy to do so with this version which is served deconstructed so if you wish to avoid any pickles, you may do so. Alternatively, if you really like pickles, then you can just dig in. (This will also work for onions, capers and eggs.) Genius.

Chicken Liver Pate with Currant Relish and Cornichons $18

The Chicken Liver Pate was recommended to us by Mrs Johnson as her personal favourite (also the tuna special, which wasn’t available when we visited, but the lady knows her food so I am more than happy to pass the recommendation on to you!) So obviously it was a must order and based on our normal attack and devour stance on pate, both Tali3sin and I ordered it. To say that it was a great example of what it was would be entirely accurate, but at this point we haven’t considered the drizzle of currant relish over the pate which adds a lovely sweetness and the rustic chunks of grilled and oiled bread with which we are scooping it up. The serving is massive, one would easily have fed the five of us, two had us groaning and unsure about the next two choices.

It is agreed that our starters have set a very high bar from which to move on from.

Rhone Valley Andre Perret 2008 Chery Condrieu

The Chery Condrieu was a really lovely rich golden colour and it was quite easy to drink. It worked really well with the starters and I fear I started to halt the wine progression when I wanted to linger with this one for a while.

Plat Du Jour Tuesday - Roast Lamb Rack $32

The GD went with the Lamb Rack special on the recommendation of our waiter. It was cooked perfectly rare and was divinely tender.

“Steak frites” Rangers Valley sirloin and herb butter - $38

Tali3sin ordered the Steak Frites and commented that whilst it was cooked really well and the herb butter was lovely, it was just a good steak with fries and herb butter. Like The GD, neither seemed overly excited by their mains. However, simple food executed well seemed to be what was on offer for our second course. That isn’t actually a bad thing. I would in fact go so far as to say, this is something I enjoy about the restaurant.

Braised pork cheeks, honey, clove, mustard mash and buttered spinach - $32

The Braised Pork Cheeks are a new addition to the menu created by Nathan. The first divergence in opinions of the night begin and end here. Warlach and I both ordered the dish and disagreed about it. The love of mashed potatoes shared by TBotW and I has been well documented so it goes without saying that the mustard mash impressed me a great deal. It was fantastically tangy and worked so well with the sweet honey and star anise sauce. The pork cheeks were incredibly soft and moist. Well, in my serving they were.

Warlach and Tali3sin both counter that his portion was a tad dry. The GD and I both tasted mine and felt that it was really soft and moist. We are still discussing this and we’re still at odds. But he did concede that the flavours were excellent and the mash was wonderful.

Duck confit, red cabbage and apple salad, celery and walnuts - $32

TBotW had the Confit Duck, which was truly a magnificent piece of duck. The salad met with resounding approval although being allergic to walnuts meant this was off the tasting menu for me. It was certainly agreed to be the star of the mains. Who can resist the crispy skin?

Garlic Mash - $10

Rocket, cucumber, feta and walnuts - $10

For sides of course we ordered the Garlic Mash, it was smooth, creamy, garlicky and wonderful.

The salad was recommended by our waiter, but vetoed by my kind friends on the basis of my walnut allergy. ‘I shall pick them out’ I insisted, not wanting to deprive them. ‘We can make it without walnuts,’ our kindly waiter offered and so we ordered it. It came with walnuts. This doesn’t bother me, my allergy is a mild one although for those with serious nut allergies I can imagine it would be a bit irritating. Without walnuts it was quite nice and fresh. The GD said the nuts certainly added an extra element of taste and texture that made it better than just a green salad.

At this point I must ask, from whence came this resurgence of walnut love? Why are they in everything at the moment?

Domaine Gallety Récolte 2008, Chateau Mont Redon Chateauneuf Du Pape 2007

These are the wines that The GD (with help from the surly Sommelier) chose to accompany our mains. They were divine. I was a little disappointed to only have a half bottle of the Chateau Mont as it was truly spectacular, but even half a bottle is quite pricey.

Dark chocolate mousse, peanut parfait and salted peanut caramel - $16

I saw a picture of this new creation of Nathan’s on twitter a few days before our trip to Felix and mentioned it to the others beforehand. I hadn’t expected that all of our dessert eaters would order it. But then, I had been tempted myself. The picture I’ve taken just does not do it justice at all. This is an incredible dessert. If you go for nothing else, go to Felix for this. The combination and balance of flavours and textures is wonderful. I can understand why no one wanted to share with me.

Selection of local and imported cheese from the cheese board (3 selections for $24)

My only issue is with the presentation of their cheese boards. I was offered a selection of a hard cheese, a soft cheese, a washed rind cheese, a blue cheese and a goats cheese. Of those I can tell you that I thought the washed rind was incredible. One of the best I’ve tried, so strong and gooey. But it would have been nice to have a bit more information about each cheese to be able to perhaps source it myself or to know which were the local and which were the imported cheeses. Otherwise they were just great cheeses.

Our night at Felix was one of the best kind. Good food, good company and some truly wonderful wine in a great atmosphere. We finished with glasses of champagne to round out our evening, trying not to think about work the next morning.

The ‘Raid the Cellar’ promotion is truly a wonderful one. I would happily go along on a regular basis to try such amazing wines. When dining at restaurants with such extensive wine lists I normally feel too intimidated by the costs to risk making a bad choice (which happened once and the memory of The GD trying to drink the most terrible wine ever to make me feel better lingers.) When not paying for our food we took a few gambles, guided by the Sommelier and tried some fantastic wines that were definitely at the pricier end of the wine list and certainly worth the cost. Wines that we can confidently order again. A good sommelier is a wonderful thing to have, however surly they may be.

Felix, 2 Ash St
Sydney, NSW 2000
02 9240 3000

Our meal was paid for and as always, this review is a reflection of my own experiences and those of my dining party. 

The Village in Potts Point doesn’t altogether seem to be sure of what it is yet. I have been told it is a pub, a gastro pub, a Northern Italian style bar, and of course a bistro. When The GD and I arrived at the Launch a few weeks ago, we didn’t altogether expect what we found.

Sicilian Smoked Mozzarella and Spinach Arrancini

Asparagus wrapped in Proscuitto

Figs stuffed with Goat Cheese and drizzled with Fig Vinegar

The canapes were boring. Asparagus wrapped in prosciutto is nice, but nothing special. The arrancini stood out as the only thing actually on the menu (served as a share plate) and the only thing worth eating. We weren’t the only people to notice this and the plates of asparagus piled up, as the arrancini disappeared.

Lychee Martini

Passionfruit Caipirinha

The cocktails were certainly a high point. My Lychee Martini (I believe it is known as a Lychee Lady?) was fabulously sweet and moreish. The GD had the Passionfruit Caipirinha which was a little bit more sour and still easy to drink.

The courtyard from above

The Light Tree

Fire Twirling

The venue itself has been fitted out incredibly well. The rustic, industrial feel is comfortable and inviting. On your way upstairs there are private dining rooms, fitted out to look like a converted library. There are quotes from legendary drinkers lining the walls and upstairs there is a Light Tree. So out of place in the middle of the room, but so admired by so many people as they walked past.

The big opening night was celebrated with fire twirling displays on the upstairs balcony. Although considering the massive crowd and the humidity of the evening, it seems silly to have outdoor space wasted. Which was certainly what was happening with the large outdoor courtyard area where only twenty people at a time are allowed to be. The crush near the exit was enough to nearly make us leave.

The crowd at the bar

Seared Scallop with Saffron Risotto

The scallops were overcooked and the risotto was dry and flavourless. We were on our last legs as far as The Village was concerned. Too crowded to move, too many people and not enough food, although not for lack of trying from the Chefs who were sending food out as fast as they could, just not as fast as the guests could eat it.

Hard at work

The pizza was the saving grace for us. Our first try of the proscuitto pizza with rocket and parmesan was when we decided to stay a bit longer. The classic margherita and the lamb pizza were wonderful. The prawn pizza with fresh lemon was a bit of a hit and miss. The whole prawns looked lovely, but it was hard to remove the large tails without destroying it. The flavours were good, but in the end, convenience meant that we just let it slide.

Prawn and Fresh Lemon Pizza

Margherita Pizza

Prosciutto Pizza

I think it takes something special to make Sydneysiders leave their comfortable surroundings. It takes something big for me to leave the inner west. I have a few places in mind for different areas, should I ever need to head out that way. The Village is definitely going on my to visit list. I’d love to sit down in the courtyard with friends before a night out, for some pizza and cocktails. In the hustle and bustle of the launch, it seemed to be a bit lost, I’d like to go back and see what they really have to offer.

Thanks to Neada Bulseco and the team at The Village for inviting me to their launch. All opinions as always are an accurate reflection of my experiences and have not been paid for.

When I was seventeen a friend of mine lent me a book with the enticement of, ‘The main character, she just reminds me so much of you.’ I loved the book, not so much the comparison between myself and the protagonist Rachel Walsh, a self-deprecating drug addict being forced into rehab. But I could relate to her glib take on the world as any angsty teen might. The book was Rachel’s Holiday by Marian Keyes who is one of my favourite authors. I have happily devoured each of her wry tomes and was quite disappointed when she took some time out from her writing schedule due to a severe attack of depression and anxiety. Obviously sympathetic, but still…disappointed.

Lo and behold my arrival in a book store only to be confronted by her latest offering. A cook book no less A chance to combine two of my loves.

The Book Itself

The book is more than just a cook book though, it offers a brief insight into her own experiences of depression, and the joy of creating something fun to eat, the despair of eating too much of it, and the looks of slight terror and hopeful excitement that loved ones show when you come towards them with a new experiment.

I thought a lot about dying. I had a ‘suicide bag’ that included, among other things, sheets of A4 paper, Sellotape and big markers. These were to write big warning signs to be stuck to the door of the hotel bathroom, warning the chambermaid not to come in. I didn’t want her traumatised. ‘STOP!’ The notes said. ‘DON’T COME IN! I HAVE KILLED MYSELF. CALL THE GUARDS.’ (I’d decided, after lots of deliberating, that it would be better to kill myself at a hotel. I even had one picked out – a grim concrete block. I felt that if I did it at home, the house would be poisoned for ever for Himself. That’s the kind of logic my brain was presenting myself with.)But though I hovered – still hover – on the brink of suicide, I did feel enough of a sense of responsibility to the people who loved me not to go through with it. Whatever was going on with me, I had to wait it out. I had to find ways of passing the time until I was restored to myself again.

Then, one day, my friend Helen Donegan was visiting. Her birthday was coming up and all of a sudden I decided I wanted to bake Helen a birthday cake. I hadn’t baked in decades, not since myself and my classmates had been forced to assemble some joyless rock cakes in home economics when we were 13. To be honest, I didn’t really hold with baking. And who had the time to bake? Why would you spend time and effort making something yourself when you could just go out and buy something far nicer in Marks & Spencer? I’d secretly mocked any person who had ever engaged with a piping bag.
But things were different now. So I baked Helen a cake – a chocolate cheesecake, as it happens. I enjoyed making it so much that I baked another. And another. I started reading recipe books and looking up stuff on the internet. I investigated the science of baking and I went on a couple of courses (nothing too challenging, but enough for me to get the basics).

I couldn’t stop baking. And although I consumed a truly heroic quantity of my produce, I couldn’t eat it all and eventually had to start giving it away – to family members, neighbours, random strangers. At first people were charmed. Then a little overwhelmed. Eventually when they saw me coming, baked goods in hand, they started jumping behind walls or tried to disguise themselves as convection heaters.

I have always been a dismal baker, although I have shown some slight (very, very meagre indeed) skill at banging together a cheesecake. Picking up this book and reading the very tounge-in-cheek account of her depression and subsequent discovery of baking I found myself thinking about my own dearth of baking skills, and my own recent struggles with grief and the breakdown of a once treasured friendship and how I could do with something cheery to occupy my time. I had been planning on making a batch of brownies for Easter Celebrations the following day at my sister’s home with my adorable niece. Looking in the book I saw a recipe for The Ultimate Chocolate Brownies.

The Recipe calls for brazil nuts, but to be perfectly honest I don’t really care for them and as Easter is a time for chocolate indulgence if nothing else, I chose to substitute them for Cadbury Caramel Nibbles. It was an excellent decision on my part. I have included a faithful copy of the recipe taken from the book.

Ultimate chocolate brownies

These are dark, very gooey, dense, chocolatey and wonderful.

SERVES 9

• 225g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• 225g butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 200g light brown soft sugar
• 170g plain flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 100g brazil nuts, chopped quite small

1. Liberally butter a 20cm square tin (loose-bottomed, if possible) and preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 2½.
2. Gently melt the chocolate and the butter together in a heatproof bowl over a pan of
   hot water.
3. Beat the eggs, egg yolks and sugar together until they start to look a bit like caramel.
4. Pour in the melted chocolate and butter and mix together, but don’t overbeat because if you do (I did on my first go) it sort of ‘coagulates’. Not good.
5. Sieve in the flour, baking powder and salt, and fold through.
6. Add the chopped brazil nuts and gently mix. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for a mere
   20 minutes.
7. Put the tin on a wire rack to cool for at least 3 hours. If you cut it too soon, the brownie will leak all over the place (I make these mistakes so that you don’t have to). When the time is up, turn out of the tin and cut into nine equal-sized squares.

FYI, the square in the middle will be the most delicious of them all. I’m only saying, for when you’re dishing them out, if you wanted to single someone out for a special treat – and who’s to say it can’t be you? – then the middle one is the very, very best.

The Recipe

Beat until it looks like caramel - very simple instructions

Add the chocolate and butter mixture

Ready for the oven

Reading through the recipes, I laugh out loud at some of the anecdotes of her life and her attempts at cooking. The recipes are peppered with suggestions to ‘Go Mad’ and there are far too many glittery recipes to count. I have copied her recipe verbatim so you can enjoy her asides. I also needed to share with you, part of the story she shares of her brothers attempting to take on responsibility for baking the family Christmas Cake as teenagers, which had both The GD and I in giggles.

“…all she can remember from that terrible day is overhearing Tadhg saying “Feck in another egg.” Then a while later Niall saying, ‘Feck in more flour.’ She has no memory of how the cake eventually turned out because she says ‘None of you ever at it anyway. It was all about the selection boxes with you lot, I don’t know why I bothered.”

My own attempts were iffy. The Brownies turned out very, very gooey indeed. I can’t determine if this is because the chocolate pieces added more goo to the mixture or if perhaps I did need to cook them for a bit longer than the suggested 20 minutes. I also contemplated whether I should have returned them to the fridge for an hour or so to set upon arrival at my sister’s house. One hour of travel by train may not have made for happy brownies.

The Finished Product (Very Gooey Brownies)

Either way the Brownies were enjoyed and watching my loved ones eat them at Easter, made me quite happy. Whilst Keyes is responsibly adamant that Baking is not an appropriate treatment for depression and encourages readers to seek professional help as she did, it is something that helped her, and if it helps anyone else I am all for it. If nothing else her amusing writing style will appeal and there are some great recipes in the book including a Blokey Cheesecake Snicks Loaf and Slightly Sinister Star Anise cupcakes which look a little gothic.

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter, as I did with my darling niece.

The Proud Aunt and her Niece

Saved By Cake: Over 80 Ways To Bake Yourself Happy was published by Penguin Books in Australia.

I think it is a sign of growing up that I have recently lost my taste for childish drama. Either that, or I get enough of it from work that I really don’t want it in my personal life. This realisation has seen me ask the question of several people ‘Why am I friends with this person?’

When it comes to The Boss of the World it is because she says things like this. ‘I could live on the mash I ordered – it was so good I gave up on the rest of the meal – only having one tiny sliver of each [sausage] to make sure all my potato would fit in my belly.’  

We live in a carb-phobic world. It saddens me because I love potatoes. They are my go to food group, if I could only eat one food for the rest of my life, it would be potatoes. I love The Boss of the World because she shares my deep abiding love for potatoes of any kind, but knows that mashed is the best way to have them. She’s also the kind of person that spends ridiculous amounts of money on potato mashers that promise no lumps. So I knew beyond a doubt after The GD and I first went to Smash Sausage Kitchen that I must bring her here.

A few months later, with Tali3sin, Warlach and The GD we headed to Smash Sausage Kitchen to avail ourselves of their amazing artisan sausages and incredible mash. I have spoken with Nathan, the incredibly sweet owner on the phone and requested a table for four. Warlach is a last minute addition to our party and I am concerned that we might not be able to include him. On our arrival, Nathan was there to greet us and gives us the last remaining unbooked table. Luckily for Warlach who would have remained hungry had we not been able to get a table.

One of the best things about Smash Sausage Kitchen are the sweet potato crisps. I don’t eat crisps, I can quite happily sit an open bag of Kettle Crisps in my lap and ignore them because I find that in general, as a food group they’re far too salty. But these…they’re so light and not too oily. They’re salty, but it’s not too much for me. I am in love. Or I would be if The GD would get his big mitt out of the bowl and let me have some.

Sweet Potato Crisps

To begin with, we had considered the sausage platter, but instead Nathan recommends the Sausage Appetiser of the Month. A Mexican Nacho Sausage with Guacamole, Sour Cream and Tortilla Chips.
I didn’t manage to get a picture before we started, but I was massively impressed with the creative and tasty way of serving the sausages.

A little too late for pretty, Mexican Sausage with Guacamole, Tortilla Chips and Sour Cream

Of course after the appetiser is when the problem began. With such an extensive sausage and mash menu, it only stands to reason that people would want to try more than one kind of sausage. Alas, our ordering options are limited. We may try one kind of mash and one kind of sausage with one kind of gravy. We may order between one and three sausages, but only of one variety. In a way, we are lucky that there are five of us which means that we can try a few different sausages and share, but this was an issue when I came with the GD. The answer is to order the sausage tasting plates and mash as a side, but this gets a bit expensive and I’m told the portions are smaller on the tasting plate. I’ve been told by other visitors that the sausage limitations are a matter of efficiency, with only one chef it tends to become difficult to keep track of what to cook for each order.

Smoky Texan Beef, with Parmesan Mash and Rosemary Gravy ($21)

Tali3sin went for the Smoky Beef sausages with Parmesan Mash and was very happy indeed, the sausages were not spicy, although I expected them to be. The mash was great although tended to pale in comparison to the others.

Honey Chicken and Macadamia Sausages with Balsamic Eschallot and Goats Cheese Mash ($18)

Beef, Wild Mushroom and Garlic sausages with Balsamic Eschallot and Goats Cheese Mash with Mushroom Gravy ($21)

Both The GD and The BotW went for the Mash of the Month, Balsamic Eschallot with Goats Cheese and it was incredible. I was filled with Mash envy and TBotW gave up on the sausages so she could finish the mash. It was smooth and creamy and the flavours were incredible. The GD was kind enough to share a sizable portion of his Mash with me.

TBotW had Honey and Macadamia Chicken sausages and thought they were great, although I found them to be a bit too sweet for me, the others thought they were fabulous.

The GD had Wild Mushroom, Garlic and Beef Sausages and these were a clear winner for me in the sausage stakes. The chunks of mushroom and the garlicky flavoured beef were a great combination.

Chicken, Cheese and Baby Spinach Sausages with Traditional Mash($18)

Although I am sure he would not agree with me, Warlach had the least exciting combination. The Chicken, Cheese and Baby Spinach sausages just seemed a little bland to me. Although Warlach was quite happy with it, and Plain Mash just seemed like a waste with everything else on offer.

English Pork Sausages with Bacon and Leek Mash and Mushroom Gravy ($18)

I chose English Pork Sausages, it’s been an ongoing conversation with my British and Irish friends and family as to where good quality home style Pork Sausages can be found. The general consensus is that the Aldi variety come the closest, but these certainly do give them a run for their money. Whilst just plain old pork sausages (it’s the white pepper that makes them stand out) they were perfectly comforting in that familiar homey way.

The Bacon and Leek Mash is a firm favourite in the regular menu, although I hold out hopes that the Balsamic Eschallot and Goats Cheese Mash will become a regular menu item, if it’s not available, this is the mash you want. The buttery leeks and crispy bacon pieces make this an incredible treat and like The BotW, the Mash wins out for me over the sausages.

If we could perhaps make one suggestion to the team at Smash, it would be a Mash Tasting Plate…

The verdict amongst the whole group though, was that multiple return visits will be made, particularly coming into the colder months.

When The GD and I were planning our trip to Istanbul where I would meet his parents for the first time, he asked me if there was anything in particular that I would like to do whilst we were there in the melting pot of Asia and Europe.

My response was not expected, ‘I want to go and have Ladurèe Macarons.’

The GD was slightly baffled,  after all they are indeed a French delicacy and not something that Turkey has ever been known for, but as Ladurèe has expanded, my opportunities to sample these delights have grown and my trip to Turkey marked the first time these must haves and I were in the same city.

Unfortunately, the store is located on the outskirts of Istanbul at Istinye Park and we do not have time to go. (A second store has now opened mere minutes away from our hotel.)

When my wonderful friends and former roomies, The Little Wifey and Sirius Black announce their wedding will be in Ireland, I am thrilled for them and their upcoming celebrations and honoured to be asked to take part, but the voice in the back of my head whispers that there is a Ladurèe store in Dublin, in Brown Thomas department store. This is it. My opportunity to finally get my hands on these little morsels.

Thanks to some unavoidable problems my trip to Ireland is limited to a single week which is taken up nearly entirely with wedding plans. But The Little Wifey and her soon to be husband are insistent that I must get my day in Dublin and if macarons are what I wish, then I shall have them.

We spent the morning at the Guinness Storehouse at St James Gate (a must visit for anyone headed to Dublin,) before ambling through Temple Bar towards Grafton Street where we would find the Macarons.

A quick time check made us realise that we were in fact going to miss the pick up for the men’s tuxes if we did not pick up the pace and so from there it was a sprint down Grafton Street and into Brown Thomas where a very dour young woman directed me to Ladurèe.

As I turned the corner, there it was, although there was a slight hitch. It was nearly 5pm on our arrival and nearly all the Macarons were gone.  At this point nearly all the seasonal specials were gone, except one lone squashed strawberry and mint. Luckily, by this point The Little Wifey had arrived to help me choose.

Camera in hand I began snapping pictures of the charming store front within the department store. This was a big faux pas on my part, no photos. The young man behind the counter became very stern. Baffled, I questioned the reasoning behind this and received a very convoluted and condescending response about the store design and how they would take my camera at Harrods and not give it back (Not true.)

The incredibly rude young man aside, I chose my Macaron flavours, Pistachio, Rose Petal, Orange Blossom, Double Chocolate, Raspberry and of course, the squashed Strawberry Mint.

The store front at Brown Thomas - The sneaky illegal photo

My box of happiness

(L-R) Raspberry, Strawberry Mint, Double Chocolate, Orange Blossom, Pistachio, Rose Petal

I couldn't help myself - Orange Blossom

I opened the box and I had planned to eat half of each Macaron and save the remains for later. Unfortunately, sometimes eyes and hands and bellies just won’t do what your brain tells them to and before I could stop myself I had taken a bite of the Orange Blossom macaron. And oh, just oh wasn’t it perfect. It was everything I had ever wanted in a macaron, the flavour was subtle and layered, the shells were very lightly flavoured, the ganache more so and it was just perfection. I managed to stop in time to snap the picture, but then the rest of it was gone.

Raspberry

Strawberry Mint

The Raspberry and the Strawberry Mint were both had a jam filling, which wasn’t as impressive as I thought it would be. I loved the flavour combination of the Strawberry and Mint and the raspberry packed a massive flavour, but the shells did not respond well to the jam centre. They were softening and it was slightly disappointing.

Double Chocolate

The Double Chocolate was dusted in cocoa and it was decadent. I am so glad I only got one of these, even one was a little much. It was so very rich and the ganache was incredibly thick and sweet.

Pistachio Interior

Rose Petal

Pistachio and Rose Petal were both sublime. The flavour in these was incredibly strong, almost too strong in the Rose Petal, but the thick creamy ganache was lovely and the shells were perfectly crisp. Oh I could have eaten dozens of these two alone.

But then of course…I might not have fit into my bridesmaids dress at such a wonderful wedding. The Little Wifey was a beautiful bride and the whole day was wonderful and the food at the wedding was amazing, trust the Irish to have three kinds of potatoes in one meal. Heaven.

The Little Wifey and Sirius Black with the rest of their wedding party.

I must also say, that anyone travelling to Ireland should stop by Hillview B&B in Brockna (Kiltegan/Blatinglass) in Wicklow. Mammy Hanbidge (mother of Sirius Black) runs the B&B and it is situated on their dairy farm, and is just a magical place to visit, with cows and chickens wandering about in the fields. Not to mention the incredibly warm hospitality.
 

Last year in the weeks leading up to my birthday The GD decided he wanted to take me somewhere special for dinner. With that thought he rang Quay to get a booking for the night of my birthday, October 22nd. They very politely informed him that they had no bookings until mid-February. Remembering that our anniversary was in fact ‘sometime in February.’ he felt he had done well out of the encounter nonetheless.

Come February our dinner at Quay was nearly upon us and I was excited. I was disappointed for the first time in a few months that I was no longer blogging. I had been looking forward to this night, in part so as to be able to share it. Our arrival at the restaurant and a look at our view and I couldn’t help myself. I took the camera out of my bag. We hadn’t decided before arrival which of the two menus, the eight course tasting menu or the four course dinner menu, but decided to wait and see what exactly was on offer with a specific focus on the dessert menu. I am not a sweet lover, but I have had my eye on one dish at Quay that I desperately want and has not been advertised on the eight course menu, that item being the eight texture chocolate cake.

I must admit that I am rather giddy upon entering the restaurant. I’ve been waiting for so long to come and now I am finally here. I am surprised to see so many empty tables. It is almost completely silent inside and it feels a little like a museum. We are lead upstairs to our table and I can’t help but wish that the massive cruise ship parked next to the restaurant would leave and stop spoiling what is a truly beautiful view.

Suspicions confirmed regarding the dessert menu, we decide for the five course menu rather than the tasting menu. First to arrive is our amuse bouche, Tuna Sashimi.

I am not the biggest fan of raw fish. My days as a lover of sushi ended with a particularly bad experience that I have never been able to overcome, until now. The tuna is meltingly soft and the textures of the three elements are silky smooth and incredibly flavoursome. I am in awe.

For our first selection the GD has chosen poached marron with a citrus-esque accompaniment. The bergamot marmalade intrigues me. I can’t help but notice that the marron on the tasting menu is served raw and I wonder if our poached medallions are the leftovers from yesterday. The dish is rather disappointing. The bubble of anticipation has popped. The citrus flavours are overpowering and the delicate marron is lost in the rather boring and uninspiring dish. The GD is incredibly jealous, because I have ordered the congee.

Neither of us are huge congee fans, this is not something we would ever order outside of Quay, but we have heard the tails and we must try it. It is marvelous and moreish and sharing becomes difficult. The poor marron is even further undermined by such a masterfully light and perfectly balanced dish. I could happily have just eaten a very large serving of this.

The GD has gone with the smoked and confit pig cheek, which makes me wonder why it is referenced as a jowl in one dish and cheek in another. Am I wrong in my assumption that they are the same cut? Naming pedantry aside, we are both impressed with this dish. The crisp jerusalem artichoke shatters in the mouth and the pork melts along with the shaved scallop and such a simple looking dish seems to cycle through a series of flavours. The pork falls apart with the lightest touch. This is the highlight of the night for me.

In all my research I have heard so much about the slow cooked quail breast and so it is a must have. Whilst it is deliciously moist and the addition of truffle butter makes it feel even more luxuriously rich, I do not enjoy the mix of grains, The Gd however scoops up every last morsel with a smug grin.

I stand alone in judgement of the next dish. I did not find it at all exciting. I found the beef to be less than tender and somewhat sinewy. The GD was enamoured of the beef, but less keen on the oxtail consomme.

The side salad was lovely and crisp, but considered by both of us to be a waste of stomach space. With three courses already down, I was wondering how I’d manage what was surely a very rich desert.

My order of the pig jowl with maltose crackling was possibly one of the most amazing things I’ve ever eaten. The toffee crisp fine crackling is salty sweet and shatters at the touch. It makes a wonderful cracking sound when I whack it with the back of my fork, which feels ridiculously childish and fun, like blowing bubbles in a milkshake. The meat is incredibly tender and whilst I loathe and detest prunes, I find them to be perfect accompaniment in their pureed form. The GD is hoping that I will be disappointed and that he will get more of this, it is a vain hope.

When my dessert arrives I am reliving my earlier giddiness. The waitress holds a small jug of hot chocolate sauce, the eighth layer of the cake. She pours it at the table and the solid disk on top melts to allow it to fill the centre. It is delightful to watch.

The interior is a beautifully light construction that is in no way overwhelming or difficult. It’s strange to be eating something that tastes so rich and yet has such a distinct light mouth feel. The highlight for me is the chocolate whipped cream and the ganache, oh really, the whole thing was lovely. I may have to change my stance on desserts.

The GD just as eagerly awaits his delivery of the famed Snow Egg, when he cracks it open he makes ecstatic mouth noises like Meg Ryan in the deli scene. Considering how wildly popular this dessert is, I expected something completely different. The textures and flavours worked well, it was nice, but I was completely underwhelmed. The GD disagreed and eagerly scraped the bowl (glass?) clean.

I feel though, that it is hard to know what to say about Quay, given it’s reputation it’s easy to have ridiculously high expectations. I couldn’t help but compare the meal to other fine dining restaurants, and in particular Sepia, and preferring the other. But none of those establishments came with such high praise as Quay does and I feel perhaps this is the downside to such accolades. Do your incredible dishes come off slightly disappointing to someone with ridiculous expectations? I feel perhaps in my case and when compared to The GD’s take on our meal, perhaps I have been guilty of this.