Simon Food Favourites: Crab

10 November 2010

Kingsleys Steak & Crabhouse: Bloggers Dinner, Woolloomooloo (9 Nov 2010)

Restaurant 10/6, Cowper Wharf Road, Woolloomooloo NSW 2011
http://www.kingsleys.com.au

Grab a crab or two and enjoy

Thanks to Sarah Ashmore from Pacific Restaurant Group for inviting me along to this generous four course dinner with matching wines and sides to sample some of Kingsleys menu. Even though Kingsleys may be better known for their steaks it was the Alaskan King Crab Legs ($55.90 600g) that stole most of the attention. The pre cracked shell made it easier to excavate the fresh tasting chunks of crab meat — one of the better samples of Alaskan King Crab I've tried. Last weekend it was retailing in the Sydney Fish Markets for around $60/kg but the quality wasn't as good as the one I had tonight at Kingsleys. To start the night off I chose the Mai Tai cocktail ($21) since I've recently come back from a holiday in Hawaii. The taste was nice (and clearly alcoholic) but I thought it was a little overdressed with mint leaves and perhaps a bit too overfilled with ice for my liking. I tried some Little Creatures Single Batch Oatmeal Stout with its chocolatey notes and it was easy to drink.

I was keen, yet also reluctant, to try the Steak Tartare ($17.90) for the first time with truffle aioli and sourdough crostini. Thankfully the chef premixed it for me which can also be ordered plain with a selection of condiments to mix up yourself. I was very happy with the balance of flavours and was so glad it didn't just taste like raw meat. I'd happily order again to perhaps share as an entree. The Baby Octopus with chilli, salt and pepper ($18.50) was nicely presented but perhaps not as tender as I'd hoped — flavours were nice though. The silky soft Burrata mozzarella salad, heirloom tomato and basil ($21.90) is finished off at the table and was quite delicious. For main course of Beef Wellington ($68.90 for two) was carved up at the table Lars Svensson the Group Executive Chef. The eye fillet was moist and tender as hoped which went well with the selection of mustards and horseradish — the outer puff pastry was cooked particularly well.

Out of all the side dishes I really loved the simplicity and crispness of the Iceberg salad, radish and blue cheese ($11.90). I'd happily order the reasonably priced Zucchini, peas, mint and persian fetta ($9.90) and Charred new season asparagus, parmesan ($9.90) as well. Matching wines were of high quality and very drinkable but my favourite was the 2009 Botrytis Viognier Yalumba 'Hand picked' Wrattonbuly SA ($51/bottle) with a lovely bouquet and good depth of sugary flavour to compliment the desserts. My Creme brulee ($13.50) possessed a good shell crack factor and the smooth custard combined well with the sticky blueberry compote. The Toffee cheesecake ($13.90) bordered on panna cotta consistency which made it delightfully much lighter in texture than your usual, sometimes heavy, cheesecake. A traditional looking Chocolate brownie and banana sundae ($13.50) seemed to be a table pleaser as well. My cappuccino was thankfully not bitter but perhaps could have been a bit more robust with its depth of flavour and creaminess but still a good one to finish off the meal. A bounty of delicious Chocolate coated coffee beans were available for those in need of more caffeine and sugary goodness.

Other visits to Kingsleys Steak and Crabhouse:
• 17 Aug 2011 – Grasslands Launch
• 4 Dec 2010 - Alaskan King Crab, Singapore Chilli Crab, Iceberg Salad, Aged Rump, Caesar Salad, Butterscotch Pudding
• 9 Nov 2010 - Bloggers Dinner: Alaksan King Crab, Steak Tartare, Baby Octopus, Beef Wellington, Burrata Mozzarella Salad, Iceberg Salad, Creme Brulee

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Nice decor, Water views, Quality ingredients, Good quality wines, Some reasonably priced dishes considering the location, Professional and friendly service

CONS: Not the safest area to park your car on the street, Not the cheapest place for a steak

MUST TRY: Steak Tartare, Alaskan King Crab, Iceberg salad, Creme Brulee, Next time hopefully Mud Crab with Singapore Chilli

—

Bread and butter — unfortunately didn't get to try any.

Steak Tartare with truffle aioli, sourdough crostini pre mixed ($17.90)

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Steak Tartare condiments for unmixed version

Baby Octopus with chilli, salt and pepper ($18.50)

Burrata mozzarella salad, heirloom tomato and basil prepared at table

Burrata mozzarella salad, heirloom tomato and basil ($21.90)

Alaskan King Crab Legs ($55.90 600g), served chilled with lemon and mayonnaise although I think I'd prefer with a seafood sauce.

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Beef Wellington 400g Eye fillet, mushroom duxelle in puff pastry ($68.90 for two, pre order only)

Charred new season asparagus, parmesan ($9.90)

Zucchini, peas, mint and persian fetta ($9.90)

Iceberg salad, radish and blue cheese ($11.90)

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Toffee cheesecake with praline icecream ($13.90)

Creme brulee with sticky blueberry compote ($13.50)

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Chocolate brownie and banana sundae ($13.50)

Cappuccino

Sugar and chocolate coated coffee beans

Mai Tai cocktail ($21)

Little Creatures Single Batch Oatmael Stout

2009 Pinot Noir Stonier Mornington Peninsula ($63/bottle), 2009 Pinot Gris Man O' War ($48/bottle)

2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Punters Corner Coonawarra ($71/bottle)

2009 Botrytis Viognier Yalumba 'Hand picked' Wrattonbuly SA ($51/bottle)

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Lars Svensson, Group Executive Chef

Lars carving up the Beef Wellington

Tim Muschamp, Restaurant Manager

Michael Byrne, Assistant Manager

Charlie Casben, Bar Manager

The menu

Cutlery for crab

Alaskan King Crab details

Goodie bag: 2006 Sally's Paddock Redbank Winery Pyrenees Range, VIC, 500g Grain Fed Riverine Premium Beef OP Rib Marble score 2, Chocolate coated coffee beans

Outside seating

Inside seating

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18 October 2009

Kuali: Malaysian, Lane Cove (27 Sept 2009)

1st Floor, 115 Longueville Road, Lane Cove NSW 2066

http://www.kuali.com.au

Messy finger-licking crab time

I have a love/hate relationship with crab. I love the sweet tasty meat but hate how it's such hard and messy work to separate the meat from the shell. Kuali promotes their curry crab as it's signature dish [why are the signature dishes usually the most expensive item :-)] so I had to try it because I'm always looking for the best crab in Sydney although when it comes to paying over $70/kg for seafood I'd prefer to be able to actually first see and pick my own live crab out of a tank like at Golden Century and know how much it weighs — all this is done behind-the-scenes in the Kuali kitchen so I'm actually not even sure if it's even a live crab (there's no mention of 'live' on the menu) — I know, I'm such a skeptic. The curry sauce is very tasty which goes well with some roti chanai and the meat is quite nice although I found a lot of the meat wanting to stick to the shell like in the claw which made it extra hard to get to.

The reason for checking out Kuali was due to reading about the satay from One More Bite and using a complimentary voucher which runs til 30 Nov 2009. The chicken satay was tasty and a decent size — came with cucumber and onion although still no sign of authentic compressed rice cubes. The vegetable spring rolls looked promising but were a non eventful for me and I found them rather bland and a touch dry. The Honey Pepper Beef Fillet was quite tasty and tender and the Lamb Hot Pot I think was just another name for Mongolian Lamb. The Durian Ice Cream Pancake had shavings of frozen fresh durian and the chef wanted us to try his Durian Panna Cotta which would definitely appease the durian lovers out there. Now what's the story with handles on tea cups instead of Asian tea cups like Bambusia also uses — I'm thinking is this to cater to the Western/Anglo market? — not authentic in my books and the handle was too small to put your fingers in it anyway. Also needed to ask for chopsticks, at first we thought they just didn't use them.