#hattedrestaurant

To conclude my visit, I simply have to visit Firedoor to experience the wonders within the hidden village of fire led by Chef Lennox Hastie, the undisputed master of his domain.

1st express lunch course : Bread with smoked butter and sprouted rye.

To the uninitiated, this course might seem trivial. But you will be surprised at the wonderous mix of the soft butter on warm bread with crunchy rye. Its memorable without overpowering your senses, preparing you for one of the best meals that you will ever experience in Sydney. 

2nd express lunch course : Burratina, peach, smoked tomato.

Silky smooth burratina accentuated by mellow sweetness from the peach and tomato filled me with so much joy that I could not stop smiling and dancing in my seat, amusing those around me.

3rd express lunch course  : Barramundi, cabbage, anchovy.

The salty anchovy paired with the perfectly cooked juicy barramundi was a masterstroke from the fire maestro. The chef's careful manipulation of salt and fire with an attention to detail simply astonishes me.

4th express lunch course : Black market chuck tail, leeks, horseradish.

The main highlight of my meal arrives with a powerful punch to my senses, overwhelming me with wave after wave of umami. Each bite is just packed with so much flavor and complexity, made possible only by a team of fire masters dedicated to their craft.

5th express lunch course : Wood fired rum baba, smoked creme diplomat.

I am simply at a loss of words with this dessert as it is lit up before my eyes. The smoked creme beautifully complements the sweet alcoholic rum baba, helping to draw a perfect close to my best meal in Sydney over the past two weeks.

My last surprise of the day : A roasted marshmallow with a hidden sweet tangy surprise in the centre.

After a long challenging day at work, it was time to reward myself with a visit to the famous three hatted restaurant Sixpenny to experience a magical dinner.

Although I did not have a reservation, the service team gladly accommodated my sudden appearance.

My dinner symphony started with a beautiful opening act consisting of malt cracker with dried tomato and pai tee with tuna. 

1st course : Cured Bonito with Citrus Pepper & Lime.

A worthy introduction to the specially curated menu with a delicate balance that is refined and comforting.

2nd course : Kangaroo Tartare with Sweet Potato & Dried Cheese.

This dish managed to give me a new perspective, making me fall in love with a tartare that simply melts in my mouth and covering my senses with a mellow warm feeling.

3rd course : Squid with Peas and Tomatillo.

Crunchy, refreshing, gentle, and fragrant: This dish continues the flavor profile of its predecessor, lifting my spirits and bringing a ray of sunshine to my day.

4th course : Bass Grouper with Lemon Myrtle & Champagne.

This dish combines the two greatest love of my life into a melodious cheerful tune as the flavors dance happily on my taste buds, reminding me of the time when I first fell in love with cooking and writing.

5th course : Borrowdale Pork Loin with Malted Barley & Black Garlic.

Compared to its siblings, this dish is straight forward in its delivery with strong powerful flavors, raising the meal to its eventual climax.

6th course : Mead Vinegar Custard with Frozen Raspberry & Strawberry Consomme.

The first dessert of the night with a playful waltz on your senses, punctuated by frozen tangy notes, leading you to the closing act of the night.

7th course : Pear Ice-Cream with Salted Caramel & Caramelised White Chocolate.

It has been a long while since I wrote an extended piece for a meal as my expectations for what constitutes a great experiences keeps getting higher and higher.

However, I felt truly inspired today by a meal that I can only describe as magical at Automata featuring a 7 course menu.

The magic began with a trio of starters: Little gem lettuce with spiced pumpkin, and pepitas, scallop with arame seaweed, gamtae and ginger, and storm shell clam, xo chili and red vinegar.

The starters were small morsels of heaven that lifted our tired spirits and energized us for the fantastic meal ahead.

1st course : Stracciatella cheese with preserved lemon, capers, and herbs.

Light, creamy, stringy, refreshing, and perfect with the freshly baked warm bread.

Although my dinning buddy had her reservations about it, she happily cleared her place and waited in anticipation for her next miracle.

2nd course : Coral prawns with leek, bug roe sauce, smoked salmon, and caviar.

The prawns were fresh, plump, crunchy, and swarm beautifully in the oceanic medley.

3rd course : Spanner crab and fermented chili pasta with black lime and marigold.

As mentioned by my dinner buddy, it is the most luxurious noodle dish she has ever tasted. The rich tasting pasta never grew tried on our taste buds as the fermented chili with black lime provided the tangy twist to create a wonderful flavor contrast.

4th course : Barbecued quail with black barley, cherry, and salted black bean.

Cooked to perfection, the quail was juicy and tender while its grainy base added an extra texture to the dish that allowed diners to keep chewing with every bite to release even more umami onto our taste buds. 

5th course : Black angus hanger with jalapeno, grilled cucumber, and shallot.

Having enjoyed an excessive amount of wagyu for the past few days, I was pleasantly surprised to experience a new take on the prized meat thanks to its vegetarian companions and savory sauce.

6th course : Set jersey milk with burnt watermelon juice, and olive oil.

The most surprising dish of the night which blew away all of my expectations. The olive oil is like the yin to the yang that is burnt watermelon juice, creating a balance that I have not seen for a long time. It was elegance accompanying beauty in the form of the set jersey milk.

Even with a full stomach, this dish went promptly from mouth to stomach in minutes.

7th course : Yoghurt, yuzu, grape, burnt meringue and lemon myrtle.

Below is a quick review of some of my favorite hatted restaurants in Sydney:

1. Spice Temple : 10 Bligh St, Sydney NSW 2000

After a long day in the office, it was time to return to the Spice Temple to enjoy my favorite Chinese dishes:

1. Fried eggplant with spicy ginger and garlic dressing.

2. Hunan style pork ribs with black bean and chili.

3. Stir fried wagyu brisket with baby eggplant and chili paste.

4. Yunnan style hotpot with fresh shiitake, oyster, enoki, and wild Chinese mushrooms.

As always, the fried eggplant and the mushroom hotpot stole the show from its meaty counterparts.

Note to self: Only order vegetarian dishes during my next visit.

2. Mr Wong : 3 Bridge Ln, Sydney NSW 2000

After a couple of misses, I finally got a seat at Mr Wong, the hatted restaurant which is renowned for serving delectable Cantonese cuisine in a lavish French colonial setting.

My weekend dim sum session featured pork and prawn shumai, pork xiao long bao, and Peking Duck. The dishes lived up to expectations with an outstanding display of crispiness and flavors by the famous Peking Duck.

It is truly well worth the wait so get in line before seats run out. 

3. ester : 46-52 Meagher St, Chippendale NSW 2008

For Sunday brunch, I decided to take a long walk to visit ester , a cozy hatted restaurant specializing in wood fired dishes.

After surveying the menu, I decided to indulge in a blood sausage served on a slice of soft white bread, a small wood fired cauliflower with almond cream and mint, and a beautiful moreton bay bug served with shrimp butter and native tamarind.

Each dish is outstanding, bursting with juices and flavors from careful preparations in their wood fired oven. The moreton bay bug was the best I have ever had and the dish gave me a new found appreciation for the crustacean.

Please do yourself a favor and visit the restaurant for an unforgettable culinary experience.

4. Sokyo : Level G, The Darling The Star/80 Pyrmont Street, Pyrmont NSW 2009

Today is a special day indeed as I finally found a dining buddy to accompany me to Sokyo to savor its innovative Japanese dishes.

Dinner began with the refreshing Kingfish Miso Ceviche followed by the crispy Shiitake and Eggplant tempura.

With our appetite whipped up, it was time to welcome the heavenly Miso Glazed Toothfish followed by Tuna Crispy Rice Nigiri and Queensland Sushi Roll featuring Spanner Crab with Spicy Aioli and Avocado wrapped in Soy Paper.

Our dinner adventure concluded with Salmon Belly Aburi Nigiri and Maguro Tataki.

With all five senses completely satisfied, my dinner party walked out of the restaurant discussing our next visit. It was just too good not to try it again and again.

5. Cho Cho San : 73 MacLeay St, Potts Point NSW 2011

Since it was my last day in Sydney before my flight back home, I decided to indulge in two meals for the night.

First stop of the night is at Cho Cho San with a playful izakaya set that began with edaname in nori and togarashi followed by eggplant miso stick and scallop with ikura and ponzu.

I ended my quick visit with a tangy Japanese tonkatsu curry and a cooling green tea soft serve. 

As day turns to night, my next stop beckons as my tummy yearns for more delicious dishes.

6. Bennelong Cured and Cultured :  Bennelong Point Sydney Opera House, Sydney NSW 2000

After planning for a few nights, I have finally arrived at Bennelong Cured and Cultured to sample its famous tasting menu at Cured & Cultured.

Each bite is simply a work of art, honed to perfection from its rock oyster and red claw yabby to its king prawn and sesame toast, floral salad, and suckling pig sausage roll.

I feel a sense of peace and delight as I ended my perfect night with a white peach bellini while admiring the beautiful skyline by the harbour.