Sydney Eats 2009
On Plates Now
Fish
Certain snapper love warm summer waters and now’s the time to eat the gold band variety. Even though they have a new head chef, it seems The Boathouse still has its famous snapper pie on the menu. That’s probably a good thing — a mutiny is never pretty.
Although Atlantic salmon’s available year round, it peaks from October through to April, so it’s good right now. Don’t let it choof past on the Sushi Train (316 King St, Newtown, Ph 9557 4435) where thin slices are draped across warm sushi rice. Alio chargrills a fillet and serves it with a stuffed zucchini flower, asparagus and anchovy and rosemary dressing.
Mud crabs are in now, too, and they make a fine, messy feast at Palace Chinese (Shop 38 Level 1, Piccadilly Tower, 133–145 Castlereagh St, Sydney, Ph 9283 6288) with chilli and XO sauce. Ditto blue swimmer crabs. Try them at Deus ex Machina for dinner in an entrée where they’re worked into a tart and served with radish salad and shellfish cream.
Meat
Lamb prices are at a record high for this time of year and ewes are twice as expensive at market as they were this time last year. That’s bound to translate into higher menu prices or fewer appearances, but for now they’re serving seared lamb tenderloin at Mission with baby spinach, caramelised onion, chorizo and olive tapenade. Rump of lamb comes with beetroot relish and silverbeet at Deus ex Machina, where you can satisfy your revhead fantasies while you eat surrounded by gleaming motorbikes.
Heavy rains throughout northern NSW and Queensland have been welcomed by cattle producers following a long period of drought. Tropical Cyclone Olga brought even more rain and an optimistic outlook for the year ahead. Japanese interest in our beef is up slightly in the past month, but we like what they do with it here. At Ainoya, chefs marinate it, barely cook it, slice it thinly and serve it with a “special sauce” in their entrée of gyu tataki. Deus ex Machina has a way with it, too; the grass-fed sirloin there with porcini butter and kipfler chips is very hard to beat.
Fruit
Although we’re only a month away from autumn, February seems to be the hottest month and, happily, the one when watermelon reaches its peak. Never was there better timing. At Fix St James (111 Elizabeth St, Sydney, Ph 9232 2767) they make a refreshing watermelon granita, which is as good as biting into a chilled wedge of fruit but without the drips.
Early pears like Williams have started and will be found served with French toast, walnuts and maple syrup at La Grande Bouffe. They also do the classic salad teaming pears with Roquefort and, again, walnuts. Now, we’re not saying they’re fixated on the combo, but it shows up again at dessert in a pear and walnut pudding with warm toffee and cinnamon icecream. If it works, flog it I say.
Peaches are on the way out, so it might be a good idea to get in while you can with a peach Melba at Alio. Stone fruit are often better cooked than fresh — it intensifies their flavour somehow — and here the peaches are poached and served with vanilla icecream and fresh raspberry sauce.
Vegetables
The markets are flooded with zucchini this month and they’re really cheap. They can be bland little buggers if not prepared properly, but even kids will eat them grated and turned into zucchini fritters. There’s a good, petit version at Mission Restaurant and Bar (3 Little Queen St, Chippendale, Ph 9318 0815) where they’re served with minted yoghurt.
Pumpkins are peaking, too, and, in a dish that hints at autumn just weeks away, Alio is making ravioli of roasted pumpkin with sage butter and chestnuts. Lucio’s is slipping butternut into caponata, that most summery of Mediterannean dishes, and serving it alongside veal medallions and red wine sauce.
Red capsicums are plentiful and cheap and work nicely with a yabby salad at The Boathouse with gazpacho and capers. Ratatouille featuring red capsicum, zucchini and eggplant is served with Deus ex Machina’s pan-roasted barramundi with steamed mussels.
Article by: Stephanie Clifford-Smith
