Sydney 2013: Mamak @ Goulburn St, Chinatown

With our Sepia dinner finishing at 11pm, we needed to test Sydney’s proclamation to being one of the world’s best culinary destinations for the last time.  Eateries are still aplenty at this hour but typically consist of Chinese venues and sloppy Pub food.  One word, Boring.  But there was just one thing which Sydney has that Perth do not, and it is not called the Opera house or the Harbor Bridge, it is called Mamak.  This Malay-Indian fusion culinary subculture might be rare in Australia but is a common food enjoyed by fellow Malaysians back home.  Food usually sold includes various type of Roti, curry, satay, nasi lemak and the list goes on.   So when someone who lacks experience in such food comes and decides to quantitatively give a “1 hat” score to this restaurant, I became admittedly, suspicious. 

Flipping Roti to get it spread thinly is vital to making these beautiful food.  When cooked, these little pockets of air forming within each subsequent layer (which have been folded) gives the basic Roti a crisp and fluffy consistency.  The finish though requires painful effort where one slams the piping hot Roti to give it that final smash that creates airways to quickly cool and crisp the layers.

 

At Mamak, the Roti came crisp and fluffy.  It had the basic condiments which includes a small serve of sambal, dhal (vegetarian curry) and a meat curry (sauce only).    For me, the Roti was good and fresh such that it was light and not dense like those frozen ones.  Definitely a game changer although their curry was OK only.  But what is OK for a Malaysian would be a good thing here.  Especially when Sydney is many thousand miles away from home.

 

The next Roti we had was the one with red onions and egg.  Succulent onions in a Roti is already a charm by itself, but having eggs help complete this omelette tasting Roti.  Unlike the basic one, this do not carry the same fluff and lightness but one can distinguish between a good and bad one by identifying the inconsistencies found in the wrapping.  The one at Mamak was decent in flavor though from the half I shared with Andrew, I found large pieces of flour stuck at several areas.

 

The last big dish was an important one, not only to the Mamak food culture but to all Malaysians.  The Nasi Lemak with fried chicken!#Take 1

This delicious rice dish is easily a national icon. Many Malaysians love this true and true with the increasing population of dieting girls being its only enemy. Its rice is simply fragrant with coconut milk and pandan leaf which not only gives it a great flavor, but a certain richness too. Usual condiments are hard to fault with although many will argue on which is the right sambal. Some like theirs spicy, some sweeter and some wants a strong hint of acidity. But lets all settle for; there is no right one. Each race in Malaysia creates a different sambal which changes depending on the places it comes from. North, South, East, West. They are all different. For me, the one at Mamak was good enough to be called Malaysian with its sambal having potent spiciness and saltiness rather than sweet. Anchovies were serve crisp and the roasted peanuts were fresh. This relinquishes the disgusting left-over oily smell that plagues this dish at times.

#Take 2.

The fried chicken came out suspiciously orange and fragrant which made me wonder what was used in the batter.  Maybe a mix of turmeric and curry powder?  The chicken here had a very tasty batter but felt like it needed a bit more sitting time to allows the flavors to seep in.  Still a good bite nonetheless.

 

Over all, my meal at Mamak was a good one.  As a Malaysian, it might be worth 6.5-7.5 out of 10, but as a Malaysian living in Australia, this place settle comfortably for a 9.  While the hype in Sydney revolves around fine dining establishments like Quay, Est., Tetsuya’s, Marque, Sepia and such, it is ultimately such simplistic yet culturally significant places like Mamak and Bourke Street Bakery that keeps the community eating.  It is cheap, good, and convenient.  After all, how many 4 hours meals can one do sustainably? 

 

WenY

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Sydney 2013: Sepia @ Sussex Street, Sydney

Our meals at Bourke St. Bakery along with Tetsuya’s help turbocharge our memorable day of being gluttons.   With us at our high from all the food consumed, we had no intentions of slowing down.  As the day turned dark, gravity played an essential role in preparing our stomachs for the next meal.  Our dinner tonight happened at Sepia in the CBD.  Why Sepia you might ask?  Well, I personally found its cuisine’s description to be the most special compared to the other offerings around town.  I was further convinced when I saw a review written by a fellow friend and foodie, Glenn.  See his post on Sepia here. 

 

Ranked among the top restaurants in the country and given a 3 hat score in the Good Food Guide 2013, Sepia is not short on accolades.  The restaurant as I have seen is motivated to use the best seasonal produce and draws inspiration from Japan.  Our meal was a $160 dollar degustation (also available with optional courses of oysters and cheese for an extra charge).While I decided to not try any oysters that night, Andrew, Bel and Jordan did not hold back.  These freshly shucked Sydney Rock oysters they said were one of the freshest they have had to date.  To add to the compliment, they enjoyed the white wine vinaigrette that accompanied the oysters! 

 

Amuse bouche; Smoked ocean trout consommé, smoked roe, smoked eggplantThis amuse bouche for sure did not lack a wow factor.  It was beautiful to look at and its flavors were unique.  While it was hard to complement its distinctive taste on my first bite, I enjoyed it more as I savored it in my mouth.  The smokiness really lived through the whole experience and it packed mystery in its ingredients.  Some of which I would not have expected if it was not stated on the menu.

 

First course; New Zealand whitebait, braised ox cheek dashi, heart of palm, yuzu, sea samphire, mitsubaWhile I only knew what half the ingredients were in this dish before looking the rest up on the internet, it did not stop me from enjoying it.  The Japanese inspirations in this dish were clear. For me, the highlight here was the perfectly cooked white bait.  I have eaten others which tasted horrible.  The dashi broth here was clear and provided a salty-sweet flavor to the fish.  Also present in this dish was a mild citrus tone that induced a slight liveliness to this dish courtesy of the yuzu!  To finish off, there was a melt in your mouth braised ox’s cheek which sat at the bottom :)!  It was joy~!

 

Second course; Beetroot butter, goat milk chevre, rhubarb, apple balsamic, rye, goat milk crispWith its description so cleverly put together so as to deceive, it made Andrew eat a cheese he did not know exist haha.  For me, this course was visually captivating but its textures and good combination of flavors were even better.  The earthiness of the beetroot along with the sweet apple balsamic help compliment the tart flavors of the cheese. And while, the crunch of the crisps were not necessary it was still a good nice touch that gave the dish a honeycomb feel in your mouth.

 

Third course; Miso black cod smoked over Japanese charcoal, wasabi cream, smoked rice vinegar tonburi, nori, garlic, chive.Firstly, dear Nobu fans please do not even start because the black cod fish at Sepia was amazing.  Having it smoked over Japanese charcoal might seem like an overuse of the smoking technique, but oh boy, cooking seafood over charcoal always help bring out the sensational flavors of seafood.  This was no exception! Just imagine the fish meat flaking of layer by layer each tasting buttery with a hint of miso and smokiness. OMG!  Also, the wasabi cream seemed like a lot at first but when I considered its potency which was very subtle, the cream was such joy that I went back for more and more each time. 

 

At Sepia, the bread course is served as an intermediate course.  Bread n’ Butter!

Whilst the butter looked amazing, its flavors were nowhere near the sensational black truffle butter from Tetsuya’s.  It was just OK.  In fact, it fared slightly under as I found it lacking in the buttery flavors I wanted. EMO:(!  What felt like a bigger disappointment were the rolls itself.  It was hard on the outside and on the inside, it was not fluffy and super soft like I thought I would normally eat.  Not a good bread course IMHO.

 

Fourth course; Butter poached spanner crab, shellfish mousse, pomelo, tarragon, fried garlic and quinoa, noriNow, where do I even start on how awesome this was?  Well firstly, the shellfish mousse was faultless. It was perfectly flavored and its natural taste was still present.  I can tell it was fresh.  Buttery spanner crabs flesh had only a slight resistance when bitten through, proving that it was perfectly poached.  Oh a boring super grain quinoa was made fabulous.  This is a typical plain Jane becoming the hottest girl in school with the addition of spice.  For what it was worth, I’d take my hats off to the chefs.  But first I need to earn one.

Fifth course;  Seared rolled David Blackmore wagyu beef, nameko mushroom, roasted red onion juice, wasabi fried potato and kombu crumb, citrus soy.While all the culinary skills made this dish perfect, it was ultimately the wagyu beef that made my dinner kickass.  It was simply delicious.  It was rolled and seared beautifully on the outside while keeping it medium rare inside. Eating it slowly, the meat was so tender it melt in our mouths. Red onion juice, mushrooms and the crumbs all helped intensify my enjoyment but they were mere elements to a bigger picture.  But then again, it was the effort from all that made this dish memorable.  Definitely the second best dish of the lot from Sepia with only  a marginal difference compared to the shellfish mousse.

 

Sixth course; Seared Mandagery Creek venison, chocolate boudin noir, shichimi pepper, Hachiya persimmon, coconut yoghurt.

Having felt so full and sleepy, part due from the light but mainly the food, the waiter’s description of the food reached my ears like a string of rubbish.  No it was not him, just me.  On the plate was without a doubt another meat course cooked to perfection.  Its meat was nice and red with its consistency simply being tender.  But with a unique combination of fruit, cocoa and spices as condiments, my taste buds verified each individual flavor as boring.  Conversely, as a trio, it tasted slightly curry-ish.  But it was quite enjoyable actually.   Definitely special though not outstanding.

 

Palate Cleanser'; Apple and BlackcurrantWhile Tetsuya’s set a standard for the sorbet palate cleanser, Sephia does something else.  It goes one step ahead and entices its dinners.  A ball of frozen blackcurrant shell filled with an apple-blackcurrant sorbet that was every bit decadent.  All of this oozed out as I cut the sphere into half. It was superb!  The sorbet or maybe not a sorbet was very light and airy.  Flavor wise it managed to grasp the balance between its fruity sweetness and the berry acidity! It was great!  And at the bottom was some toffee which gave good flavor though I would have personally done without it. 

Apple and blackcurrant

 

Seventh course; Coffee cream, mandarin, crisp yoghurt sponge, elderberry, lavenderThe dessert looked simple but do no judge a book by its cover.  Here, the coffee cream sets the stage for a musical with the dehydrated mandarins and crisp yoghurt sponge releasing a delicious crunch that not only served as a textural component, but as a flavoring too.  The elderberries are another important element as it featured its popping berries with great acidity.  All of which take place simultaneously whilst the lavender gently floats in the air.  Put it in this way, it excites all the right senses which makes something great.  Texture, flavor and smell.  And hey, I ate coffee. Something I normally do not do.  Till this day, I am still a coffee virgin.  Have not had a single cup in my entire life.

 

Eighth course; Autumn chocolate forestWhile its ingredients spanned two lines too long, a simple description suffices.  I have eaten a few variations of this but am surprised by the lukewarm reception for Sepia’s Autumn chocolate forest.  Sepia’s rendition of a chocolate forest is extremely good IMHO.  It had all the varying textures of chocolate which were rich and very chocolaty, but at the same time quite well-balanced thanks to a variety of aromatics like the orange and thyme cream.  The sour cherry sorbet itself was light, refreshing and fruity.  It was extremely hard to fault with it although I do not blame some who might criticize it for the lack of being special as this dessert is increasingly being overused by restaurants, some good, the rest horrible.  This was definitely one of the better ones!

 

Petite foursWhile most establishments serve macarons, truffles, bite size cakes and what not, Sepia does chocolates.  It was good to have something different as I am now a little over such typical and unpredictable petit fours.  This was way better.  Each chocolate bits had the flavor we expected.  There was a chocolate and a very good green tea one.  I only sampled two as we were only entitled to two each.  It was such a deprivation I must insist!!  My tongue craved to try all the other flavors!  Unless, we were only meant to have onside of the chocolate so that we could have tasted all.  But then again, that would be rather retarded as the fillings would be one-sided! 

 

While other’s have judged, why not let yourself be the judge?  With countless of praises and mentions, this establishment is easily anyone’s favourite.  Their food is consistently special from start to end though their bread leaves much to be desired.  For me, this is what I came to Sydney for.  Food that is good looking, fine tasting and over all, creates a memorable experience.  No one on this table will forget the palate cleanser or even the beef as well as the shellfish courses.  It was THAT good.  So is Sepia a 3 hatted establishment?  Of course it is.  Maybe even Michelin 2 star if not 3.  This was a great meal which everyone one thought was the better of the two fine dining meals we had in Sydney!

 

Lastly, a description taken from their website http://www.sepiarestaurant.com.au/.

“….describes the cuisine as: "smoky, sweet, crunchy, creamy, soft, gentle, toasty, scented, clear, brothy, earthy, floral. The focus is on texture and contrast even more than taste - there's always a crunch, always a cream. It's like the love-child of Tetsuya Wakuda and Rene Redzepi of Noma; a Nordic kaiseki.”

 

WenY

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Sydney 2013: Tetsuya’s @ Kent Street, Sydney

Following our meal at the Bourke St. Bakery, we took a trip around the city to see famous landmarks like the Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Opera House.  While it took us almost an hour to reach it was worth the trot.  More importantly, I can now say that I have seen these two very popular tourist attraction.  Apparently it is a big sin to go Sydney and not see them =.=!  For me, the highlights were probably the other things I saw along the way such as Hyde Park, the Botanical Garden and St. Mary’s Cathedral.  But still, it was a food trip so buildings and landmarks were secondary compared to my next restaurant which was Tetsuya’s.  Let’s put it simple: Chef Tetsuya Wakuda is the most prominent Japanese Chef in Australia with his restaurant’s consistently ranking among the top 100 in the world.  Also, he has been awarded top scores in Sydney for close to two decades.  But records, wins and awards are no more than figures if it does not live up to its hype, no? 

When we walked into Tetsuya’s on 529 Kent Street, I immediately felt like this was a different place.  The restaurant felt like someone else’s house with a Japanese stone garden.  As we reached the entrance, the waiters kindly offered to keep our bags before escorting us to our table.  In terms of service, I will say that I have not had better service anywhere else in the world but here. The waiters were keen and our cups were never empty despite only ordering water only. It was that good.  So then comes the food.

 

The start of this degustation and one of the key points which I judge restaurants (especially those who claim to associate themselves with anything French), is the bread course

The butter with chopped black truffles and white roll.  Our first bread was cold but the butter was simply stunning.  It had the lovely buttery flavor infused with a prominent black truffle fragrance.  It is one of the few pleasures in life that can be so very simple yet extremely satisfying.  But it was not until when we had the second roll served warm where we truly felt indulgent.  The small amount of steam seeping from whatever heat that was left melted the butter that was spread on it.  Even Andrew who dislike cheese and butter was sold.  Needless to say, we were left impressed and wanting more!

 

Next came the Amuse Bouche

Chestnut Soup with crème fraiche.  The soup by itself was smooth and according to my past conversation with fellow blogger ChompChomp, such soup is common in France especially during winter.  This was a treat but did not feel extremely special.  I would have liked it to be a little more runny.  As it was, the soup felt a little thicker than necessary.

 

The first course; Scallop like Oysters with Roasted Rice Vinaigrette

In this dish, finely diced oysters were wrapped in thinly sliced scallops before being arranged with micro herbs and a drizzle of Vinaigrette.  While I found joy in the mild acidity of the vinaigrette, I found it hard to appreciate the dish.  There was some taste of the scallops but it was mainly the taste of oysters that pervaded my palate.  This dish felt like an impressionist rather than a mouth pleaser.

 

Second course; Salad of the Sea

With such simple flavors, it is almost impossible to hide anything.  In this dish, Tetsuya’s combined the nigiri with salad.  It was simply stunning.  I enjoyed the fresh and clean flavors of the plate.  All of the fish were really awesome with the exception of the white one which I assume is King Fish? haha.  Not too sure.  But the marinated ocean trout belly and salmon were top notch product.  Also present on the plate were so many other element which gave the whole dish a lively texture where you get the crunchiness of the vegetables to compliment the softness of the fish.  Yums!  This was strongly preferred compared to the former course although it did not last for long.

 

Third course; Marinated Scampi with Walnut Oil & Egg

As Jordan and I snapped our cameras busily, Bel took a bite and paused.  She was like OMG. And so I went and had a bite. I too went OMG.  It was not long before both Jordan and Andrew went OMG too.  Enough said, this dish was just superb.  I am not sure how the egg played a great role in this dish but it did along with the walnut oil which coated the scampi giving it a light nuttiness and a smooth texture.  Also, the scampi had unparalleled freshness as it still had a slight bounciness to its flesh! The cream on top was a nice touch.  This dish was by far the best scampi dish I have ever had!

 

Fourth course: Confit of Petuna Ocean Trout with Fennel, Unpasteurized Ocean Trout Caviar

Long hailed as the must try dish at Tetsuya’s one can easily tell why.  Sitting on the plate, it looked sensational.  The presentation was flawless with the seasoned crust made from konbu, sea salt and chives so well thought of.  Even the dots of oil concoction was so neatly done.    For me, I started on the thin end where my knife cut through the flesh like a hot knife melting through butter.  The chemistry between the savory crust and the buttery confit was delicious. Fennel salad was refreshing and it was simply great.  My biggest issue with this though is that this sensation felt diminishing as I continued my feast.  The middle bit felt tougher than the thin bit.  Was it because the thin bit cooked more easily?  I am not sure.   Also, Bel thought that the horseradish cream under the fennel salad was a little powering and tasted licorice like.  Nevertheless, Jordan who loves strong flavors absolutely enjoyed the cream.

 

Fifth course; Snapper with Soy Butter & Nameko Mushrooms

This dish was damn good if you look past the recognition of Tetsuya’s.  Not everyone can pull of something so delicious.  However, if you put in all the awards, talk, hype and what not, this becomes a little underappreciated.  The flesh of the fish was cooked just right with the buttery soy giving it a distinct flavor.  Mushrooms were well cooked and gave it a little earthiness.  But that was about it.  I felt like I expected something more mind blowing as this dish comes from a Tetsuya’s kitchen.  Perhaps a really crispy skin?  That might have made a different albeit little.

 

Sixth course; Poached Spatchcock with Asparagus & Morel

The highlight here for me was the perfectly poached game bird which can be a total flop in a matter of minutes.  High protein foods like birds tend to overcook very easily.  Seeing a shiny glaze was achieved with a tender inside was awesome.  Also, among the morel and other greens hid a speck which was very tasty!  I asked the sommelier and he said it was cured in house.   As a dish it was nice, but not great.

 

Seventh course; Lamb Backstrap with Seasonal Vegetables & Sheep’s Yoghurt.

Last dish before the dessert was a lamb course.  Once again, I cannot help but feel that every course plated so far was so manicured it looked too good to eat.  This was no exception.  To complement it, the lamb was nice and tender though it was not melt in your mouth.  Smoked tomato puree which it sat on, tasted nothing like its description.  The vegetables and yoghurt were OK but when mixed together with the tomato puree created much more of an impact!

 

Palate cleaner; Pear Sorbet

This was probably the best sorbet I have ever tasted.  In our first spoonful, everyone felt over the moon.  It was smooth, super fruity and the sweetness was just right.  To us, it has rightfully claimed its position as Tetsuya’s palate cleanser.  If only we had more than 2 petite scoops.  When asked Andrew what was the best thing at Tetsuya’s he said “sorbet”. I was like =.=

 

Eight Course; Apply Granite, Mine Ice Cream & Basil Jelly

With a thin slice of what I perceive as a dehydrated apple slice,  this dessert that stood in a martini glass fits all the requirement for a fine dessert.  It had texture, complexity and layers of flavors.  For me, I really like the pairing of the sweet apple along with the refreshing mint ice cream and basil jelly.  I think Bel and Andrew found the taste of the mint and basil a little too taxing but was ok.  I have had several variations of dessert which mixed strong flavors like basil and mint, but this was by far the best pairing.  And it suits the color theme  too i.e. green :)!

 

Ninth Course: Chocolate & Hazelnut Marquise with Cognac Ice Cream

Just looking at the level of perfection once again was kick ass! Clearly defined layers!  Not to mention the ice cream which sat on the crumbs which looked like a bird’s egg in a nest!  The chocolate was not lacking in any richness for sure!  Fortunately, it was no more than a thin slice!  Anything more and I would have been done for.  Most people know I am not a big fan of alcohol and I found the cognac ice cream to be not a big hit.  It did complement the chocolate but I would have preferred something else.  Something less sophisticated.  I am still a self-proclaimed kid after all :P!

 

Petite Fours!

Meringue, truffles, meringue nut, and profiteroles.  They were all good but from memories only the profiteroles were memorable.  Yes it is simple, but at least it is different!

 

At the end of the meal, it was no surprise why Tetsuya Wakuda’s skills were unparalleled when it comes to Japanese cuisine.  With consecutive back to back 3 hatted scores for close to twenty years, he still has heaps left to offer.  However, knowing that he lost his 3rd hat 2 years ago and until today is unable to retain it makes me ponder why.  Was it for the reason that my friends and I felt a slight dissatisfaction at the end of the meal?  Several of the courses today as I have mentioned above were really good.  The salad of the sea, scampi with walnut oil & egg, as well as the confit and dessert were all plausible highlight of the day.  However, a certain something felt lacking at the end of the meal.  It felt like several dishes like the snapper, lamb and Spatchcock  could have been more special.  It needed that one extra element of surprise. 

 

Our lunch was a good meal but perhaps just need to go one notch up considering its heft tag of $210pp. So, does Tetsuya’s Japanese cuisine with classic French techniques have what it takes to knock off Le’ Atelier’s French food?  Not quite but close although the bread and butter here is definitely “one to rule them all”.  Is Tetsuya’s worth a revisit?  I have to say maybe yes.  Especially when the third hat comes back.

 

WenY

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