Quay Restaurant – OPT, Sydney
Wow haven’t posted in yonks!!! Been uber busy with things ><
So decided to post something rather gastronomical!
For my mother’s birthday she requested to go to Quay Restaurant located on the 2nd level of the beautiful Overseas Passenger Terminal. Went a little while ago so I am going to do my best remembering what each dish was (as poor quality as my photos were). It is one of the few lucky restaurants with an incredible view of the Opera House and Circular Quay. Below are some of the dishes we tried as part of a degustation of 5 courses. Though we all tried to get different things – some bits on the menu just stood out more than the others!
Here Comes the Food! (i need a better camera… wish list for birthday hahaha)
Sashimi tuna seaweed jelly, cucumber, fennel, samphire, lime crème fraiche
This little tasty beauty was given as a amuse bouche to start the night plus 3 variety of breads as sides. The jelly cubes and lime were just – dare I say it – sublime and it was so fresh that it did clean the palate beautifully. Breads were freshly baked and incredibly light.
Quay’s Signature Cocktail (Can’t remember the name!!)
Since it was a birthday – why not celebrate it with a smooth cocktail from the bar! It had a beautiful vanilla flavour with star anise and a fruity taste as well. It is a shame that I can’t remember what it was called but it did involve a butterfly in its name lols Highly recommended!
Salad of baby beetroots, eschallots, goats curd cigars,
violets, red garnet, truffle honey
When this came out – it was the most visually appealing meal I had seen in ages!!! The colours were so rich and interesting that one couldn’t help but not want to take a bite into it as it was to beautiful to destroy! But I did… and I am glad I did! It was a marvelous combination of fresh and appealing flavours all at once. Quite overwhelming – and thoroughly enjoyed.
Sea Pearls
Sashimi tuna, aquaculture caviar, sea scallop, smoked eel, octopus, mud crab, abalone
$20 supplement
WARNING!!! these balls will explode in your mouth – EXPLODE WITH DELICIOUSNESS THAT IS…. They say that each ball is crafted by one chef each. It is so specialised that only one experienced chef can handle it. If you want to fork out some extra dosh – then this is the one!!!! (according to my brother)
Italian summer truffle risotto, fresh palm hearts
Risotto – creamy, truffly and oh so good! This creamy little number is a must try if you want to pick something out that is vegetarian on the menu to try.
Five textures of Southern rock lobster
Okay this was my little splurge + $20 dish and omg I am glad I did!!! The dumpling was soo soft and the tastes so gentle in the righ hand bowl, with little tapioca lobster cakes and some other little gems. The bowl on the left had a bisque and some sort of a custard or pudding of lobster – bit on the salty side but when shared with someone very eat-able!
Uber Blurry…. Crisp confit of pig belly,braise of abalone and cuttlefish, handmade silken tofu, Japanese mushrooms, chive flowers
The best thing about this dish was the silken tofu – was the best tofu I have eaten in ages… mind you the box stuff is the only stuff I ever eat hahahaha It is a rare find to taste freshly made tofu! Just beautiful, and all the other parts were so thoughtful and complemented nicely!
Slow braised milk fed Suffolk lamb,
sheep’s milk fromage, heirloom baby carrots,
Arbequina olives, capers, nasturtiums and rosemary flowers
Mmmm some red meat – can’t go wrong really! Nicely cooked and kind of melts in your mouth sort of taste!
24 hour slow cooked rare breed, suckling pig, Pedro Ximenez prunes,
cauliflower cream, black pudding
This is actually a great dish though.. the black pudding and prunes are an acquired taste – so beware! Fortunately I can stomach both!! And I found the tastes interesting and unique – something a bit different for people to try at this restaurant 
Poached fillet of rosè veal,
slow braised veal cheeks, white carrot cream, nuts, grains, seeds, funghi
This is the one I had and I found it a very hearty meal – like something your mother would make for a sunday roast nice feeling hahahaha And I ate up every last piece to!
Bass Groper, parsley crust, slow braise of baby abalone, periwinkles, sea scallop,
winter melon, hasuimo, oyster cream, green tea and seaweed consommé
Now this was something intersesting! I really liked the parsley crust and the consomme!! Brilliant ideas at work and flavours that really scream green.
Now my favourite part…. Dessert!!
Interestingly enough on the menu they just put down the flavours and not what they actually are, wach flavour makes up a certain element on the plate.
Pistachios, rose, watermelon, vanilla
There was a jelly, ice cream, turkish fairy floss ^^ and jubes! Yummy as!! I love having these fresh flavour after a fairly heavy meal.
Florentine
Surprise!!
A visual treat indeed! Crafted with such technical detail – no one wanted to break it open… but for the good of our sweet teeth we did. Chocolate, nuts and wafers oh my!
Strawberry guava and custard apple snow egg
This was sooo cute!! and very tasty to – I love a snow egg with some fruity flavours!
Eight texture chocolate cake, featuring Amedei ‘Chuao’ Chocolate
This is a killer!! For those that can handle a heavy heavy heavy chocolate cake – this my friends is the one you are looking for! I had one bite and almost died… my brother and sister had one each… I am sooo soft!!
Hope you guys enjoyed the visual feast! Hopefully will start posting again this half of the year ^^
Bon Appetit!
Cupcake^^
Quay
Overseas Passenger Terminal, The Rocks, Sydney 2000
Phone: (61 2) 9251 5600
Email: reservations@quay.com.au
July 29th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
oh the 8 texture chocolate cake looks yummy i saw photos on lili’s blog as well, we were going to eat here for me & Richards bdays, but i dont eat seafood anymore, & Richard can’t eat shellfish!
But i still want to go sometime, its still on my to eat list hehe
July 29th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
lol i thought this was a ffichiban post, and when i read ‘my brother and sister had one each’, i was like..huh????? confuzzlement.
ANYWAY, omg yum. those sea pearls look and i bet, taste ‘O’!!! (keke)
July 29th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Ohmygosh that’s an epic dinner! I love the way you described the Sea Pearls… EXPLODE!
July 29th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
great post. Quay is high on my list to try again. I thoroughly enjoyed their Good Food Month 2008 meal http://simonfoodfavourites.blogspot.com/2008/10/quay-23-oct-2008.html and will definitely be booking another table this year if they are on the list again. looks like some fantastic choices of dishes but i’m thinking it doesn’t matter what you order, it should all be great. i’m not a fan of black pudding at any time but i’m glad you have the stomach for it.
July 29th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
*sigh* it all looks delicious and yes yes yes to the optional sea pearls course! In fact that’s the dish I’m the most fascinated with!
July 29th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
Oh my gwad, the sea pearls looks fantastic!
I heard that they have gotten rid of crazy carpet/drape… is that true? LOL
July 30th, 2009 at 1:15 am
Everything looks so fantastic!
July 30th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Yayayayayayayaya – I am going here in October and can’t wait!!! Thanks for the post. It looks absolutely fantastic! (I have the same birthday wish as you – a nice new camera)
July 30th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
oh damn! Howard was supposed to take me to Quay for my birthday… hahah thanks for reminding me. Btw this place looks good. I love the look of the suckling pig… ooooh crispy skin
July 30th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Yum… Those seas pearls. Heard so much about them, yet to try it myself. *sigh* Perhaps the next special occasion we’ll go there..
July 30th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
I keep wishing I was one of those (wealthy) people who don’t have to wait for a special occasion to eat at Quay. I could have those sea pearls every week and not get sick of them!
July 31st, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Re betty: yes the 8 texture choco cake is diabolical on the hips and a sin for the tastebuds hahaha very much worth it! No worries about seafood – lots of other options
huzzah! Hope you get round to getting there for your next birthday!!!
Re tomatosalsa: hahahaha yeh ffichiban does write like a girl sometimes (i jest!) – and the sea pearls did!! Hehehehe
Re Trisha: there was def no other way to describe it! Glad u enjoyed my one moment of literary stardom
Re Simon: I’m so sad i missed out on good food month last year! I was overseas on a placement *tear* – but hopefully will go this! Black pudding is indeed an acquired taste – I am slowly trying to get use to some different stuff and appreciate it but somethings… eg durian … i don’t think I will ever stomach!
Re Lorraine: the sea pearls are sooo unique to that restaurant !! I hope someone is able to arrange a blogger day with those chefs – that would be awesooommmmeee
Re Yas: 10/10 for the sea pearls on presentation yeh? I did not see any crazy carpet or draping… maybe I was to dazed by the amazing view hehehehe
Re Y: Pictures (even my uber poor blurry ones) say 1000 words hehehe Quay produces one fine dish after the other – truly a place that is all about quality!
Re Anita: OOO!!! Hoorah!!!! I hope you get a fantastical camera and a gastronomic experience!!! Post up ur pictures after!!!
Re Linda: my dad is a sucker for suckling pig (no pun intended) – he said it was rather crispy indeed! Hahaha I love popping calendar reminders for people ^^ tis a service!
Re Forager: Special occasions are always a good excuse for a fine feed
Re Belle: I know what you mean!!! *Sigh* one of my other aims in life – wealthy enough to eat at quay restaurant almost every night – hahahaha
August 20th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Going there tonight.
Fingers crossed it will be just as good!