Modern Australia

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Coogee Common – Coogee, WA – Friday 19 April 2024 – Lunch

Very rarely do I go out to a restaurant without knowing the first thing about it. In this case, Catherine had long ago aimed to dine here, and I went in blind but confident. If there is anyone who can be trusted to find a great meal, it is my wife.

We arrive on the non-beach side of Cockburn Road, greeted by a beautiful heritage building, along with my Mum, Sher, Sue, and Heinz, who are all well dressed for a fancy meal. I had little idea, but catching up with my family in Perth is always exciting, and they do tend to dress well!

What I now know is Coogee Common has a garden surrounding the restaurant that provides much of what is utilised by the kitchen. There is certainly a bountiful array of fresh produce, and it is beautifully appointed in the creations of the chefs. 

Seated at a large circular table with a terrific vantage point on the corner windows inside, we are beginning at 11.30am and for a moment have much of the restaurant to ourselves (but not for long). There’s plenty of room for the dishes we are about to share, and there’s plenty of time to catch up before we even think to order.

The wine list has the diversity you’d expect at a fine dining establishment, along with some delicous cocktails, and mocktails. Catherine really enjoyed her Spring Fling, and my first glass of wine, a Slate Farm Fiano from Clare Valley, shows vibrancy. My other taste is of the Montague Chardonnay from closer by in Margaret River. For me this is a lesser known producer, highlighting the intelligent building of the wine list with sensible points of difference.

It was tough to narrow down the food options, but with Catherine and Heinz’s help I eventually ordered for the table. I’d start with the highlights, but it was difficult to call out one or two dishes, as the quality across the board was outstanding. Perhaps the surprises are best to mention? The most exceptional dish in my mind was the beetroot salad. Not only superbly roasted (and pickled) by the kitchen, but fresh from the garden, the red beets in particular were some of the best you could hope for.

Almost on a par was the spice roasted carrots, which for me is often a vegetable hard to top. Earlier, gluten-free crispbread and a “garden dip”, along with prawn skewers, and pastrami, for the table, was all superb. The surprise was how delicious the jalapenos and other pickled vegetables tasted on the pastrami plate.

For the larger dishes we had a couple of fillets of snapper go around the table, and besides being perfectly cooked, the skin also remained crisp. I enjoyed the accompaniments, especially the addition of pine nuts and fennel, but Catherine did mention the skoralia (potato and garlic puree) was too strong for her. Lastly, the medium-rare steak was again showing the quality of the kitchen. Not a single mouthful was left, and we had enjoyed a lot of food. There may have been a battle to finish the seaweed and leek left on the plate, which is unique.

Throughout, service had been good, although I didn’t have a seat with a view to the floorstaff, so sometimes was searching for a wine. In comparison with other restaurants during our 12 days in Perth, and Rottnest, this was definitely far above the baseline on service.

For dessert we ended up getting a few, and none of us were disappointed, including Sydney with his chocolate ice cream. In fact, we were very pleased, with Mum even trying the vegan chocolate mousse and prickly pear sorbet and loving it, which is unusual because she rarely has dessert. As I earlier mentioned, fennel is one of my favourite ingredients, so the fennel ice cream grabbed me. Served with a white chocolate draped combination of ricotta and quince, this was a fine end to a terrific meal. Catherine’s pumpkin creme brûlée also tasted as good as it looked.

Garden to table dining is not new, but being so close to the city is novel. It’s exciting to see the risk that Coogee Common has taken, re-establishing a heritage property and planting an entire garden in 2018. Now it is paying dividends with the quality of the outcome. We’d love to be back here on our next visit to Perth.

Coogee Common
https://coogeecommon.com.au
371 Cockburn Road, Coogee
Monday to Saturday 11.30am to late
Phone: 0451 830 371
Email: info@coogeecommon.com.au

Bentley Restaurant + Bar – Sydney City – Tuesday 6 June 2023 – Dinner
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Bentley Restaurant + Bar – Sydney City – Tuesday 6 June 2023 – Dinner

It doesn’t matter how much I love an experience at an expensive restaurant, the chances of me going back are slim because of my propensity to try something new. As I approach Bentley Restaurant + Bar, the question is have I ever really been here?

In a different building, in a different suburb, with a distinctly different feel, the past decade (and a bit) since I have been here must have some stories behind it. Some aspects are similar with a seven course menu offered, and the same team behind the food and wine leadership. It goes to show how important the brains behind a restaurant are, and the ability to change and adapt to a restaurant scene that is incredibly demanding.

I didn’t see Sydney during the pandemic; it was hard enough to leave my postcode in Melbourne! As Vivid Sydney goes on in the background, there is no obvious impact of the pandemic in the numbers moving around the CBD, or in this dark, restrained, dining room.

Dining alone, and not being a huge eater, I decide on the three course menu (plus snacks, and petit four for good measure) at $150. For me, the amount of food is more than enough, and the variety is superb. But let’s start with the wine given the long time celebrity of Nick Hildebrandt’s wine lists.

Exceeding my lofty expectations, I drank extremely well tonight, and took home some extra knowledge too. In particular my extra learnings about the Savoie region of south eastern France, with its tiny plots, and particular love of wines made from the Altesse / Roussette white grape. The 2020 Maison Bonnard ‘De Montagnieu’ Roussette is stunning, and from my searches since is clearly a wine that is difficult (not impossible) to put on a list (or find for home!)

Not to be completely outdone, the 2015 Keith Tullock ‘Museum Release’ Semillon, grabs me on the list of white wines by the glass. Aged Hunter Semillon is a thing for a reason, and I think should be an option at more bars and restaurants. Later with my pork neck, the 2022 Murdoch Hill ‘Vis-A-Vis’ Cabernet Franc from the Adelaide Hills is a wonderful demonstration of a varietal that too often is smothered by Cab Sauv. As another option, a Dolcetto d’Alba was also provided to taste, which was a nice touch.

Speaking of the pork neck, it comes from Bangalow, served very generously with an unusual Chinese lettuce called “celtuce” with a macadamia puree. The pork neck is strong and rich, cooked delicately. I find myself going for some of the celtuce with each bite to temper the indulgent neck, and the macadamia allows some complimentary softness.

Earlier I’d started with snacks that were mainly superb. In particular the tender kangaroo striploin could be served at the end of a banquet and you’d still want more, and more. The tiger prawn, finger lime, and grilled hispi (cabbage), combination is also delightful. On the flipside, I didn’t appreciate the pearl meat, which may be an acquired taste. It was definitely enhanced by the charred grape underneath, but it was the lowlight of my entire meal.

In between the snacks and pork neck, coral trout is barely touched, prettily sitting in a disk with bright orange roe, and a jamon broth surrounding. Helped along by the Savoie, I enjoyed the combination of flavours, but found myself wanting for some contrasting texture towards the final bites.

Wait service, especially wine service, had been great through the evening. The dining room is full, but nicely spaced, and there are diverse groups, including some young adults with their parents (lucky things!) There is nothing awkward about dining alone, and gladly the staff do not try to compensate by spending more time at my table than others.

For dessert I am served the liquorice custard. Inside is white chocolate and mandarin. Here the softness makes complete sense; the sweetness is balanced; and the flavours all work with each other. Even better is the cold petit four following. When has ice cream covered in chocolate ever been passe?

I’m back at Bentley after a long time and just like the last time I want to come back again. It’s when not if, but with so many offerings in the stable of Brent Savage and Nick Hildebrand the question is whether I will make it before I try Monopole, Yellow, or Cirrus, on a future trip to Sydney?

Bentley Restaurant + Bar
https://www.bentleyrestaurantgroup.com.au/bentley-restaurant-bar
27 O’Connell Street, Sydney
(02) 8214 0505
Dinner Tues – Sat; Lunch Thurs & Fri
info@thebentley.com.au

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Hazel – Melbourne, City – Tuesday 2 November 2021 – Dinner

There are not too many people who would rather style over substance when it comes to food. Sure, there is a place for the fancy, but genuine flavour is prime. While some of my favourite dishes I’ve had are beautiful to look at, the reason I remember them is the taste, which is the sense that dominates when it comes to dining, even though visuals are also important.

Here, at Hazel, the style is strong, but the substance is palpable. Is it crazy to say my favourite dish was the barbecued potatoes with shoyu (Japanese style soy) and saltbush. To say these potatoes are cooked perfectly is a tremendous understatement. Like most of us, having had potatoes in the many forms, many times, this one had me thinking of the perfect consistency of Attica’s “potato cooked in the earth it was grown”. It was that good that to call it a side is offensive. I could happily have these on the bar on their own prior to my other favourite dish of the evening.

Before I get to my dessert, with the potatoes, Catherine and I also tried the chopped salad, and scotch fillet with mushroom butter. The chopped salad, you may find humorous, was epic. It is hard to describe why, and how, it was so great, and I’ve tried a few times to blank looks. In summary it is a combination of the most gorgeous fresh vegetables chopped in a small and rustic fashion. If I could get this in my repertoire I could win friends with salad.

The scotch fillet was very nicely cooked, and the mushrooms really shone. Somehow the steak took a back seat to our “sides” but was still excellent. Earlier we had a pig’s head croquette each, which were rich and delicious, topped with some nettles that had seemingly been pounded in a mortar and pestle. The charred octopus could have been a little more charred for my taste, but the broad beans were superb, and featured in the chopped salad too.

Back to dessert. The honey tart is quite simply stunning. Paired with cultured (sour) cream to balance the sweetness of the honey, this is a meticulously created dessert, from a technical perspective primarily, but because of the perfect technique, the result is a dish that I want to eat again now.

This ode to farm-to-table dining in the city is not in a rustic space. The dining room is sleek and stylish, with pale tones, and a bar acting as the centrepiece of the main room, with other spaces upstairs and next to the main room. There is a minimalist feel, with artistic touches, such as the sketch on the menu, which captures your attention immediately on being seated. The location in Richard Allen & Sons on Flinders Lane near many polished restaurants such as Kisume and Supernormal, is a smart choice from management.

We recognised one of our waitstaff who worked at places such as Bistro Gitan, and had a great manner about her. Generally service was good, and there is no stuffiness, even though the whole venture is very professional. When we entered early after Melbourne Cup day at Flemington, there was one table with a little baby enjoying herself (but very well behaved), and when we left a couple of hours later the whole restaurant was full on a Tuesday.

Catherine had discovered Hazel because the head chef, Brianna Smith, worked at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in upstate New York. We haven’t been to that three Michelin star masterpiece, but we’ve been to the city sister restaurant in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village and Hazel captures some of that vibe. Though in the end, the only vibe we needed is what was captured on our plates during a delicious meal, showcasing the best local producers and their seasonal produce. The low waste cooking, and sustainable sourcing, adds even more weight to the script.

Hazel
164 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
https://hazelrestaurant.com.au/
+61 3 9070 4938
info@hazelrestaurant.com.au

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The Bridge Room – Sydney, City – Saturday 4 April 2015 – Dinner

Moreton bay bugs, roasted chilli paste, tamarind, endive, apple, celery salt

Moreton bay bugs, roasted chilli paste, tamarind, endive, apple, celery salt

Unpretentious is not a word often associated with the cream of Sydney’s restaurants. Yet it sums up many of my lasting feelings of our experience at The Bridge Room in the pointy end of Sydney’s CBD. Stepping back, there are many positive aspects, and some less positive aspects behind this lack of pretension.

The overall experience is excellent so my primary focus is on the best parts. The room itself, and the facade of the building, is warm and classical. The art deco architecture is accentuated to provide full impact. Inside it is not classically spaced for fine dining, but is certainly not spaced like a bistro. Touches such as the candlelight and soft furnishings create intimacy juxtaposed with the noise of a restaurant full of happy customers.

Slow roasted organic beetroot, radicchio butter, palette jam on iberico, sheeps milk curd, beetroot juice, pomegranate crumb

Slow roasted organic beetroot, radicchio butter, palette jam on iberico, sheeps milk curd, beetroot juice, pomegranate crumb

The menu is quite simply exciting. There are at least four entrees and mains that I cannot choose between, leading to quite a lengthy deliberation. Eventually Catherine is ready, but I am still not even close. Enter our waitperson to solve my ordering issues.

On the way to this assistance it would be remiss to not mention some comical errors from the floor prior to ordering. First the poor person about to serve the bread was literally pushed away because we had not yet ordered (it seems there is a rule here), next the person who pushed him away poured still water in our sparkling (we noticed half way but it was too late), and lastly Catherine got an explanation about there being no strawberries available for her cocktail – which she had not actually ordered or even enquired about. We are not stuffy diners and laughed it off, but in the same laugh, it is important for the top echelon of restaurants to get these things right because other diners are not so forgiving.

Victorian Murray cod, steamed winter melon, new season ginger, cloud ear mushrooms, chinking black vinegar

Victorian Murray cod, steamed winter melon, new season ginger, cloud ear mushrooms, chinkiang black vinegar

I had been pointed towards the Moreton Bay bugs for entrée and that is all I needed as a prompt. Our waitperson could not have recommended a better dish. Absolutely divinely grilled bugs, beautifully presented under ingredients that enhanced the deep but subtle flavour, and a roasted chilli paste that was even more decadent than the bug meat. Catherine too loved her slow roasted organic beetroot which was perfectly cooked, smacking of flavour and bettered with the accompanying ingredients.

Ocean trout, crisp skin, silken eggplant, roasted tea broth, sesame, puffed rice, organic soy sauce, grilled rock kelp

Ocean trout, crisp skin, silken eggplant, roasted tea broth, sesame, puffed rice, organic soy sauce, grilled rock kelp

The entrée, along with the dark rye and sourdough bread offered, led to high expectations for the rest of the evening. I had again taken the recommendation of our waitperson for main. The Victorian Murray Cod was indeed superb, but I couldn’t help but feel doing the seafood double left part of me a little empty. On the positive the fish was cooked beautifully and complimented by the ginger, melon and mushrooms. Similarly, Catherine’s Ocean Trout was also cooked perfectly. Presentation wise, the grilled rock kelp made a statement on the plate, and added a definitive Asian accent along with organic soy, roasted tea broth, and sesame.

At this stage it is worth mentioning how good the assistance on the wine matching was. In particular the elegant Chablis by Domaine Louis Moreau which we both enjoyed with our mains. While the wines by the glass are not cheap, they are not outrageous for this type of establishment.

Whipped black sesame, toasted sesame powder, melon, puffed black rice, coconut sugar

Whipped black sesame, toasted sesame powder, melon, puffed black rice, coconut sugar

Turning to dessert, we were hoping for the same excellence as entree. In between it was interesting to find no amuse offered to begin, and no palate cleansing or intriguing course offered to enter into dessert. I had my eye on four out of the five desserts. Guess which one our waitperson recommended! So I tried the black sesame whip and it was three out of three. It was actually a revelation in its creativity and deliciously executed technique. The puffed corn in particular didn’t just offer the requisite texture; it was one of the key elements on the plate. The whipped black sesame was mousse like, rich in flavour, and would be hard not to order on our next visit to The Bridge Room.

Aerated passionfruit, roasted nougatine, passionfruit ice cream, passionfruit seed powder, glass biscuit

Aerated passionfruit, roasted nougatine, passionfruit ice cream, passionfruit seed powder, glass biscuit

Equally Catherine loved her dessert. It was the best presented dish of the night, with perfect “glass biscuits” surrounding the other elements. The flavour of the passionfruit starred through the dish, with its various textures all marrying together in harmony, and with the nougatine adding further oomph. We had ordered peppermint tea, and an espresso, to have with our dessert, and they were up to scratch. However, given they didn’t come with any petit fours we thought $7 for a tea and $7 for an espresso was a bit rich. Our reasonably generous tip was reduced to compensate but really should have gone to the staff.

There are aspects lacking at The Bridge Room but those oversights are eclipsed by the beautiful food and genuinely helpful floorstaff. This is a restaurant that is working towards the top of its game. Some of the excitement is where it could be in months and years to come. One thing is for sure, on our next visit we will be sharing three desserts!

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