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SYDNEY FAVORITES

Where to Eat in Sydney

Published on Manila Bulletin Lifestyle, March 3, 2016

Looking at my calendar last January, I realized I had one whole week of free time - no important meetings, no commitments, no dinners planned. I decided to take off for some much-needed me time. My destination was an easy choice. I looked up San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants blog for Laura Price’s article on the five foodie cities to visit in 2016 and picked one from the list. I had already been to Seoul and San Sebastian. Chile and Mexico would require more than seven days. Sydney was perfect.

I flew Philippine Airlines, which had the best schedules. I left Manila at 10:05 in the evening, slept like a baby on the plane and arrived Sydney 9:30 the next morning, refreshed and ready to eat my way through the city. On my last day, after a quick breakfast, I took the 11:15am flight out and arrived home at 4:30pm, with enough time to unpack, decompress and get myself ready for work the following day.

PAL's very spacious cabin with fully reclinable seats. I slept like a baby!

Food was delicious on both flights. My favorite was this gambas al ajillo on quinoa salad 

by Chef Fernando Aracama

I ate so much in Sydney. It was my first time in the capital of New South Wales and my goal was to try everything I could get my hands on. And I succeeded. 

My very first photo in Sydney with The Opera as my backdrop

Sharing with you my favorite gastronomic experiences:

SYDNEY FISH MARKET

This place is paradise for all seafood lovers. The freshest lobsters, shrimps, oysters, scallops, salmon, ocean trout, yellowfin tuna, swimmer crabs, abalone… you name it, they’ve got it! There were many suppliers at the market but I bought everything from Peter’s which had the most attractive selection. I enjoyed my lunch of a dozen freshly shucked oysters, three jumbo scampi sashimi and scallop aburi al fresco, overlooking the calm waters while I shooed away seagulls that were waiting to attack my food. Bring wet tissue. 

Seafood galore! You name it, they've got it!

My lunch of freshly shucked oysters, prawn sashimi, and scallop aburi

Sydney Fish Market: Bank St & Pyrmont Bridge Road, Sydney

Sydney Fish Market Website

SEPIA

Each course was so exquisitely presented I hesitated a little before digging into my plate. Sepia is the perfect date place, wines were lovely and service excellent. The most unforgettable dishes were the rolled sake jelly stuffed with crabmeat in a brown butter emulsion, the roasted Aylesbury duck breast served with sheep yogurt and boysenberry vinegar, and the excruciatingly tender Blackmore wagyu karubi in miso mustard, Japanese pickles and pea shoots. 

Seared scampi, smoked bone marrow, cauliflower, yuzu koshu,  toasted milk bread,

citrus soy, sobacha

David Blackmore wagyu karubi cooked over bincho-tan, miso mustard, japanese pickles

Sepia: 201 Sussex Street, Sydney

Sepia Website

LuMi BAR AND DINING RESTAURANT

Open kitchen to your right, the wharf to your left, and a thousand light bulbs shining above you like twinkling stars. It was such a romantic setting for a degustation dinner where Italian and Japanese flavors blend beautifully in every course. The beetroot covered in black sesame cream was phenomenal, as was the lamb rib grilled in red miso that I devoured hungrily with my bare hands. 

 Open kitchen at LuMi

 Beetroot with black sesame and cream

LuMi Bar and Dining: 56 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont

LuMi Bar and Dining Website

ROCKPOOL BAR AND GRILL

I came here for a late dinner of Blackmore full-blood wagyu burger which was outstandingly orchestrated. The patty was thick, chunky and juicy, topped with peppery onions, zuni pickles, bacon, cheese, and sandwiched between a toasted brioche bun. The bar design was truly magnificent I ordered a smoked peanut old fashion so I could stay longer to stare at the 6,500 Riedel wine glasses suspended in air.

 The bar at Rockpool Bar and Grill

 David Blackmore wagyu burger

Rockpool Bar and Grill: 66 Hunter Street, Sydney

Rockpool Bar and Grill Website

BLACK STAR PASTRY

What can I say that has not already been said? The iconic watermelon cake lived up to all the hype and was the most special dessert I ate this trip. Layers of almond dacquoise, whipped cream, watermelon, strawberries, rose cream, topped with a generous sprinkling of pistachios and rose petals. Tasted as pretty as it looked. 

Cakes, breads, and pastries heaven at Black Star Pastry

 The famous watermelon cake tasted as pretty as it looked

Black Star Pastry: 277 Australia Street, Newtown

Black Star Pastry Website

GELATO MESSINA

So many interesting flavors like apple pie, banana split, coconut & lychee, white chocolate hazelnut, pear & rhubarb, poached figs in marsala, panna cotta with fig jam and amaretti biscuit, yogurt & berry, and the list goes on. I sampled so many and finally settled on milk chocolate peanut butter fudge. So rich and decadent, so worth the sore throat.

 My server recommending his personal favorite flavour

 Milk chocolate peanut butter fudge gelato

Gelato Messina has several locations across town

Gelato Messina Website

GUMPTION COFFEE BY COFFEE ALCHEMY

A bustling little café with fantastic coffee and in such a beautiful setting, too. I came here almost everyday and my piccolo latte was always consistently good, smooth and strong. One of the things I miss most about Sydney. 

 Gumption Coffee

 My smooth, strong and velvety piccolo latte

Gumption Coffee: Shop 11, The Strand, 414 George St, Sydney
Gumption Coffee Website

BOURKE STREET BAKERY

Everything in this Sydney institution is hearty, comforting, full of love - the lamb almond harrisa sausage roll, beef brisket red wine mushroom pie, and almond croissant. The ginger creme brulee tart is like nothing I’ve ever had before and must not be missed. 

Hearty beef pie from Bourke Street Bakery

This heavenly ginger creme brûlée tart is not to be missed!

Bourke Street Bakery: 633 Bourke Street, Surry Hills, Sydney

Bourke Street Bakery Website

HAIGH'S CHOCOLATES

One stop shop for pasalubong hunting. You can find all shapes and sizes of chocolates, almond and macadamia nougats, and my favorite discovery - orange slices covered in dark chocolate. Addicting stuff!

All things chocolatey at Haigh's

My favorite at Haigh's - orange slices covered in dark chocolate

Haigh's Chocolates has several branches across town

Haigh's Chocolates Website

Four Hands Dinner by Chef Mauro Colagreco and William Mahi at The Tasting Room ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Published on Manila Bulletin Lifestyle, November 19, 2015

Tasting Excellence at The Tasting Room

A very rare four hands dinner by Chefs Mauro Colagreco and William Mahi

I didn’t know what to expect from the Argentinian-born Italian-Spanish chef who proudly claims he is Basque, honed his skills in France, first under Bernard Loiseau at Côte d’Or in Saulieu, and then under Alain Passard at L’Arpege in Paris.

I only knew Chef Mauro Colagreco was awarded his first Michelin star just 10 months after he opened Mirazur in Menton on the French Riviera, and was named “Chef of the Year” by the Gault Millau guide not long after. His second Michelin star came in 2012, along with the 24th ranking in San Pellegrino’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Mirazur is presently the 11th best in the world and the number one in France.

I suspected the chef must be very, very good. But nothing could have prepared me for the excellence I experienced in every single dish he served at the Tasting Room.

Amuse bouche of bacon chip, truffle goat cheese with bacon crisp,

cepes jelly, and foie gras lollipop

My first spoonful of his corn textura, none of the stars and accolades mattered anymore. To me, Mauro Colagreco was simply my newest favorite chef. I still dream about that bowl of sweet corn with farofa chips, polenta, freshly shaved truffles, and a surprise egg yolk confit hiding under the delicious mess. Its gooeyness added another dimension to the airy, creamy, crispy party going on in my mouth. It was sublime.

Corn Textura

Surprise egg yolk inside

 Dom Perignon 2004

And then came the visually stunning plate of wild salmon trout, French mussels, sea urchin espuma, oyster leaves, salmon roe, lemon, and lime zest. Eaten together, it was all the salty, briny, sweet goodness of the sea.

Wild Salmon Trout

Louis Jadot Meursault 2013

It was not my first time to enjoy the cookery of Chef William Mahi, I had relished a great number of his dishes before this dinner, and I knew I was in very capable hands. The chef de cuisine of The Tasting Room after all boasts 19 impressive years of culinary experience in Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris, Lyon, Beirut, Shanghai, and Istanbul. He was awarded Best Apprentice of France in 1998, Running Chef of the Year in China for 2011, and Best Hotel Restaurant in Turkey for 2012. Before coming to Manila, he earned two Michelin stars as chef de cuisine for Spondi in Athens.

I never had fish like the pagre in our next course. I don’t know how a piece of sea bream prepared in the simplest way could taste so luscious, but apparently, Chef Mauro has mastered the skill. The meat was pristine and moist, and served with a side of intoxicating black garlic puree, sweet lily bulb, a single stalk of charred leek, and a special béarnaise made with licorice. I noticed the chef’s use of very few elements in his dishes, giving focus on bringing out each ingredient’s flavor. What a painfully simple yet incredibly exquisite plate!

 Pagre

Perfectly moist and pristine 

 Catena Alta Chardonnay 2010

Not to be outdone was the milk-fed veal filet that followed. Impossibly tender, clean-tasting, and pink but nary a trace of blood, the generous portion of meat was as warm and comforting as a giant bear hug. The purple artichoke on artichoke puree and bagna cauda were beautiful accompaniments to quite possibly the best piece of veal I’ve ever had.

 Veal Filet

As tender as a newborn baby!

 Michelle Chiarlo Barolo Cerequio 2009

Chef William’s lollipops were an absolute delight! The ball of passion fruit and mango sorbet gave my palate a refreshing cleanse, and the lemon sorbet made me beg for more.

Lollipop

Dessert was called Naranjo en Flor or “orange blossom” in Spanish. Tangy orange sorbet tamed by a nutty almond milk espuma, and made more exciting with the crunch of the nuts. Taken together with the slight bitterness of saffron cream and sweet and crisp broken crystalline pieces, it was a fresh, light, and fantastic ending to an incredible dinner.

Naranjo en Flor

Antinori Muffato della Sala 2008

It was evident how chefs Mauro and William share the same principles in the kitchen, championing quality ingredients and preferring not to do too much to the food to celebrate its true flavors. The result is a confident, genuine, fresh, and delectable cuisine that reflects the qualities I admire most in the two chefs—warm, unassuming, and earnest.

With Chefs Mauro Colagreco and William Mahi

Before leaving the restaurant that evening, I wanted to personally thank Mauro again for the incredible experience, but was told he had already retired to his room to spend time with his son Valentine. Now on my bucket list: Mirazur in Menton, France.

Until then, I am most happy to enjoy exquisite dinners by Chef William at The Tasting Room.

The Tasting Room is located at Crown Towers, City of Dreams Manila, Aseana corner Macapagal Avenue.
Tel: 02 800-8080

City of Dreams Manila Website

City of Dreams Manila Facebook

City of Dreams Manila Instagram

A King's Feast: Lafite Wine Launch at Nobu

 

A King's Feast

Published on Manila Bulletin Lifestyle, February 26, 2015

 

The outdoor cabanas at Nobu turned into a magical place on the evening of February 16, with Manila’s food and wine-loving people chitchatting away in jubilant spirits while enjoying free-flowing wines from Domaines de Barons Rothschild (Lafite).

 

 Nobu at night

 

 

Free-flowing Domaines de Barons Rothschild (Lafite) wines all night

 

 

Spicy tuna on toasted rice

 

 

Crispy pork tacos

 

 

Fresh oysters with yamamomo

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chateau Lafite Rothschild is probably the most powerful wine label known to the world. Upon Maréchal de Richelieu’s return to Paris in 1755, King Louis XV told the governor, “Maréchal, you look twenty-five years younger than you did when you left for Guyenne,” to which he replied, “Does his Majesty not know that I have discovered the Fountain of Youth? I have found Château Lafite’s wine to be a delicious, generous cordial, comparable to the ambrosia of the Gods of Olympus.” Soon after, Lafite was labeled the “King’s Wine” and was served at royal receptions 

Of course, a King’s Wine comes with a king’s price tag, the most expensive being Chateau Lafite’s vintage 1787 at $156,450. Gulp!!! Chateau Lafite Rothschild was the start of the Domaines de Barons Rothschild (DBR) Group. Since acquiring it in 1868, the Rothschild family has expanded its properties and operations to include Château Duhart-Milon, Château Rieussec and Château L’Evangile, and continued to move beyond the Bordeaux region with Viña Los Vascos in Chile, Domaine d’Aussières in Languedoc, and Bodegas Caro in Argentina. It also produces a more affordable range of wines in the Bordeaux appellation under the brand “The Collection.” There is now a bottle of DBR wine accessible to everyone, every day.

 

 

DBR Wines

 

 

In his welcome speech, DBR Export Director Michel Negrier announced with pride, “Our wines are elegant and special because of the attention to detail we put into producing them.” Each bottle is marked with the DBR logo which represents excellence and finesse based on a rich past and tradition rooted in the Bordeaux soil. “Wines should be enjoyed with good food,” Negrier added, and the delicious 7-course feast we had was prepared by no other than Nobu’s celebrated Executive Chef Zachary Hillberry.

 

DBR Export Director Michel Negrier giving his welcome speech

 

 

 Nobu Manila's Executive Chef Zachary Hillberry

 

 

“Drink wine and be friends,” Negrier said to signal the start of dinner. 

And so we drank the night away and became friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our first course of Seafood Ceviche was marinated ever so quickly in lime, calamansi and chili to showcase the freshness of each ingredient. The Los Vascos Sauvignon Blanc with its acidity and lime notes was an easy and delightful pairing. Produced from 100% sauvignon blanc grapes without the use of oak, it immediately greeted my palate with pure, fresh and clean flavors.

 

Seafood Ceviche 

 

 

Los Vascos Sauvignon Blanc 2013

 

 

The Tartare of Salmon, which was a fish heavy in oil, needed a wine with body and richness. The creaminess of the Aussieres Blanc Chardonnay provided a perfect match, its roundness complemented the spiciness of the soy dressing and tamed down its wasabi character.

 

Tartare of Salmon

 

 

Aussieres Blanc Chardonnay 2012

 

 

Probably the most challenging pairing, and admittedly Chef Zach’s favorite, was the Sashimi Salad with Legende Pauillac. The French Bordeaux is most commonly paired with lamb and other red meats, but after trying out 20 different wines, “we chose the Pauillac because of the food synergy. The karashi miso dressing which had lot of onions, black pepper, soy and sesame really complemented the tannin. Taken by itself it is a very heavy wine, but with the salad there was a beautiful balance. Searing the tuna also added to the smokiness of the wine,” marveled Hillberry.

 

 Sashimi Salad

 

 

Legende Pauillac 2011

 

 

Again, an unorthodox but very successful move was presenting the Los Vascos Grande Reserve with yet another seafood dish - Balsamic Teriyaki Chilean Sea Bass. Malbec is a very spicy grape so aside from the bold and sweet teriyaki sauce, the chef had to add a lot of black pepper to the fish to achieve harmony in the pairing. The richness of the sea bass also held up to the structure of the Los Vascos, one of the best Chilean wines made by the French.

 

Balsamic Teriyaki Chilean Sea Bass 

 

 

Los Vascos Grande Reserve 2011

 

 

No fork and knife was necessary for the extremely tender Brandt Angus Shortribs. The sweet and fruity Blason d’Aussieres and the elegant and spicy Chateau d’Aussieres both complemented the richly marbled meat and the earthy eringi mushroom truffle salad.

 

 Brandt Angus Shortribs with Eringi Salad

 

 

Blason d'Aussieres 2011 and Chateau d'Aussieres 2010

 

 

With the big and fabulous Amancaya Gran Reserva Malbec, the chef served Niman Ranch Lamb that was slow broiled for 12 hours and seasoned with two of Nobu’s signature sauces – the spicy anticucho and sweet miso – to give body to the lamb’s subtle and sweet flavor. The Argentinian wine was full-bodied, strong and very drinkable, the malbec brought the fruits, the cabernet sauvingnon brought the structure. It was the most unforgettable course of the night for me.

 

Niman Ranch Lamb in Anticucho Miso

 

 

Amancaya Gran Reserva 2011

 

 

The arrival of DBR wines marks an exciting time for all the wine enthusiasts in the country. Some wines are very drinkable now, a few have to wait. This makes me very excited for what’s now and what’s to come. 

 

Had the best time at our table with Cheryl, Roxanne, Margaux and Nana

 

 

All the ladies with Chef Zachary

 

 

Domaines de Barons Rothschild (Lafite) wines are distributed by Artisan Cellars and Fine Foods. Tel: 632-521-7392; Website: www.artisan.com.ph 

Nobu Restaurant is located in Nobu Hotel, City of Dreams Manila, Entertainment City, Aseana Avenue, Paranaque. Tel: 632-800-8080