Lunch at Tetsuya’s

Yesterday Michael and I had lunch at Tetsuya’s here in Sydney, a restaurant ranked fifth in the world by Restaurant Magazine (just after The French Laundry).  It was a singular meal and our thanks go to the Berenses and the Musils for the recommendation and generous wedding gift that helped to finance the experience.  It’s always nice to dine with benefactors.  *smile*

A bit of background before a presentation of the menu and my impressions of the food.  Tetsuya’s is tucked away on what is otherwise a busy street in Sydney’s downtown CBD.  Once inside, it’s easy to forget you’re in a bustling city.  The two wings of the restaurant overlook a Japanese garden and pond.  The tables are set rather close together for this caliber of dining, but that is certainly the case in restaurants in general here in Sydney, so not entirely surprising.  Tetsuya offers Japanese-influenced modern Australian cuisine using French techniques.

2007 Henschke Joseph Hill Gewurtraminer – Eden Valley, South Australia
sweet corn soup with saffron & vanilla ice cream
raw oysters on the half-shell with ginger & rice wine mignonette
smoked ocean trout tartare with scallop mousse & sevruga caviar
crab & leek custard with parsley oil
blue eye tuna sashimi with shiso blossoms & radish

2005 Pierro Chardonnay – Margaret River, Western Australia
tasmanian ocean trout confit with fennel, konbu, daikon & salmon roe
raviolo of spanner crab & basil tomato vinaigrette
grilled baby barramundi with fennel confit

2006 Felten Road Pinot Noir – Central Otago, New Zealand
roasted duck breast with walnut & orange oil
veal with wasabi butter & tarragon jus
french lentils & comte gruyere
poached white peaches & vodka sorbet
miniature summer pudding
banana mousse & caramel ice cream
chocolate terrine with mascarpone & cognac crème anglaise
espresso

petit fours

 

In my opinion, the stand-out courses were the oysters, the ocean trout confit (Tetsuya’s signature dish), the veal and the chocolate terrine.  These four courses alone would have made for an excellent meal.  The oysters arrived pre-dosed with mignonette and sprinkled with the tiniest chive “micro-dust.”  I cannot imagine how man or machine could produce this volume of impossibly miniscule but impressively consistent cross-cut snipped chives.  I admire that kind of insane dedication.

While the meal overall was exciting and a real pleasure, there were a few courses that, for me, did not make the mark.  The blue-eye tuna sashimi fell a bit short for me.  The tuna was not the sashimi grade fish I expected and the dressing and garnish were not impressive.  Also, I was confused by the decision to have two fish courses of ocean trout in a similar preparation – both essentially raw and with caviar/roe garnish.  Ocean trout is very rich, so to have two courses with similar presentation was a misstep in my mind, especially given that Sydney does not lack for fresh and unusual seafood.  That said, the chocolate terrine was a triumphant finish – a dense, chewy, fudge-like cube of dark chocolate under a crisp cocoa-dusted wafer nestled in a moat of cognac infused crème anglaise – color me happy.

The meal was well-paced.  We were there for three and a half hours, but we never felt bored or rushed.  I will say that the wait staff served courses while diners were up from the table – at our table and others – which is a pet peeve of mine and, I believe, a breach of dining protocol.  In general our servers were knowledgeable and open to questions.

A wonderful way to spend an afternoon in Sydney.  I recommend it to anyone who finds themselves down this way (though reservations, while not impossible to get, should be made well in advance).