Firefly: Jump On It Deluxe Banquet Deal, Walsh Bay (4 April 2011)

On the promenade, Pier 7, 17 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay NSW 2000
http://www.fireflybar.com.au

A banquet without dessert

Restaurant group buying daily deals seem to be all the rage these days from websites like Jump On It, Spreets, Cudo and Ouffer to name just a few, if you can sift through the abundance of skin beauty deals. I’ve recently discovered All The Deals which consolidates many of the offers to just one email subscription a day which might help simplify your inbox. The Firefly deal for 2 was worth $137 including a bottle of wine for just $59 and ended up having an impressive 2601 customers jumping on it which I’m sure kept the kitchen busy over the offer time. I thought it was a good chance to try a number of the restaurants more popular dishes.

Due to popularity of the venue there were two sitting times which thankfully seemed to give ample time to enjoy the banquet without feeling too rushed since service was quite efficient. The 2009 Invivo Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough NSW ($49) was one I’d probably pick anyway from the menu list which was nicely quaffable. The Deluxe Banquet Menu ($44) included 8 preselected savoury dishes but unfortunately no sign of a dessert dish. Due to the lack of availability of the Spanish Anchovy Bruschetta it was substituted for a Goats cheese tarts with fig, honey and hazelnuts although I think I would have preferred the former. The Salad of shaved beetroot, goats curd, pine nuts & caramelised garlic crouton had some nice flavours but wasn’t a particularly easy dish to share, especially when trying to work out what to do with the lettuce. Perhaps presenting it as a bruschetta canape would have been more to my liking. Sharing the Yoghurt flatbreads, mushroom & barley ragout was equally a little haphazard but flavours were nice.

The Calamari fritti with fresh lemon and herbs was cooked with a nice crisp and perhaps could have benefitted from some aioli on the side. I liked the interesting combination of the Haloumi with watermelon, mint & almond which I'd probably have again. Bite sized Lamb and pork meatballs came in a flavoursome sauce that I wished I could have soaked up with some bread. A simply presented Pino's organic sweet pork chorizo came with a Romesco sauce that I was expecting to be a bit more robust in flavour and the chorizo to be grilled with more of a smokey char. Baked prawns with smoked tomato & chilli relish were served in their shells so a few messy fingers were to be had. Nice sauce but I generally prefer prawns to be peeled unless their crispy school prawns like from District Dining. Since no dessert was included I was tempted by the nicely presented Raspberry & choc mille fieulle ($15). Good combination of flavours although not the easiest dish to eat with any elegance due to the resistance of perfectly crisp pastry.

Other visits to Firefly:
• 6 April 2011 - Jump On It Deluxe Banquet menu
• 31 July 2010 - Panna Cotta

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Intimate and romantic, Nice ambience and music setting, Water views, Friendly service

CONS: Limited seating, Wine could be considered expensive, No free street parking, A little bit off the beaten track to get to, Toilets are located about 50 metres away

MUST TRY: Raspberry & choc mille fieulle

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Salad of shaved beetroot, goats curd, pine nuts & caramelised garlic crouton

Yoghurt flatbreads, mushroom & barley ragout

Calamari fritti with fresh lemon and herbs

Haloumi with watermelon, mint & almond

Goats cheese tarts with fig, honey and hazelnuts

Lamb and pork meatballs

Pino's organic sweet pork chorizo with Romesco sauce

Baked prawns with smoked tomato & chilli relish

Raspberry & choc mille fieulle ($15)

WORTH TRYING :-)

2009 Invivo Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough NSW ($49)

Deluxe Banquet Menu ($44/person)

Next to the water

Water view and boats

Seating above and below

Table support is in the way of a comfortable feet position for me

Toilet key holder

The toilet is located about 50 metres away

Outside

On the waters edge


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