The Macleay Valley suckling pig comes in two parts. We are told that they are all custom made by three Australian potters and the whole process of creating the restaurant's plates took about a year in total. We all comment on the plates when the mains come out. Macleay Valley suckling pig, heritage apples, cippolini onions It is quail with a malted grain porridge, garlic custard, funghi and a rich smoked broth. This was perhaps the heaviest entree of the four with strong smokey flavours. Quail, malted grain porridge garlic custard, fungi, smoked broth 'This dish is all about the texture of the squid and noodles and the backbone of flavour comes from the smoked pork, sesame and peanuts,' says Rob Cockerill, Chef de Cuisine. The noodles are tossed in a coating of roasted sesame, peanut, fermented mushroom and konbu seaweed powders. My favourite entree is this one though with buttery tender line caught Southern squid caught between Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia atop a layer of single origin wheat noodles made using wheat from the Flinders Ranges. Single origin wheat noodles, smoked pork, line caught squid, peanuts, sesame They are paired with clams, pippies, onion shoot, bean blossoms and tissue paper thin guanciale (pig's jowl) that is beautifully crispy on top. We try a bit of everyone's dishes and this is a very generous serving of Spring Bay mussels which are small but succulently tender mussels. Mussels, clams, pippies, onion shoots, bean blossoms, crisp slow cured guanciale The bug meat is succulent and the chilli is flavoursome without being hot. We explain that the bug isn't a bug, it's like a lobster tail. I don't think you could think up a more photogenic dish to embody Australian food. My choice is the Lady Elliot Island bug tail with fermented Korean chilli on a bed of organic turnips and radishes. It's beautiful outside and since it is Friday I think everyone had checked out mentally for the weekend. Our entrees arrive very quickly although we're in no hurry.

Grilled Lady Elliot Island bug fermented chilli, organic turnips & radishes 'I've never eaten so much bread in my life,' says chef Charles who concedes that the bread here in Sydney is excellent (although they have avoided the Vegemite on the bread - 'What is in Vegemite exactly?' asks Cynthia). 2 courses is $95 with 3 courses at $125.īread is brought out and it's a crusty white sourdough with a squirt of soft butter. The good thing about dining with food lovers is that everyone is eager to share. We take our time deciding on what to order. He is in the kitchen today and is busy doing a photo shoot. We see executive chef Peter Gilmore walking past. Our lunch starts at 12 o'clock and at that time the restaurant is about a third full. When they received it, it was a blank canvas and they set about designing the kitchen (more on that later!) and the restaurant floor. Now Quay's Peter Gilmore has taken over the space. Bennelong is the fine dining restaurant for the Opera House and it was closed for about 14 months after chef Guillaume Brahimi left. People were walking around in tshirts and shorts and the shy shone blue. Although it is Winter, it blessed us with a glorious 19C/66.2F day. 'Please be sunny!' I muttered to myself that morning knowing that we were going to visit Bennelong at the Sydney Opera House. If you'd like to wake up to a delicious email just enter your email address below. Oy vey!Įvery morning I send my friends the latest restaurant, recipe or travel story from my blog. And to add to it, one of them is a former personal chef to American president Bill Clinton. In this case the concern was doubled or tripled because the lovely people that I am meeting are from Hawaii where it currently perfectly sunny. I want to show them the best of Sydney and when they ask me where to eat, I labour for ages trying to think of a place that will suit their personalities as well as wow them. There's a certain responsibility that I feel when catching up with overseas visitors and friends. There's the creme brulee vs mille feuille or his takes on the Australian lamington and pavlova.

Much ado has been made about their desserts and they are special indeed. Chef Peter Gilmore and the Fink Group put their stamp on the space with a 2 and 3 course menu that serves up Grilled Lady Elliot Island bug fermented chilli, organic turnips & radishes and Roasted John Dory, served on the bone, orach, turnips, kailan, umami butter. Bennelong 2015 celebrates modern Australian cuisine with a concerted focus towards Australian ingredients. It has been over a year since the Sydney Opera House's Bennelong restaurant was open.

Sydney opera house restaurant