Simon Food Favourites: Sydney Harbour Bridge

11 October 2012

Cloudy Bay Pop Up Lounge Launch, Bennelong Point (3 Oct 2012)

Opera Kitchen, Lower Concourse Level, Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000

http://www.operakitchen.com.au

Views ahoy with Cloudy Bay

Thanks to Fiona Milliken from This Is Mango for inviting me to the launch of the Cloudy Bay Pop Up Lounge in conjunction with Opera Kitchen which will run each Thursday from 4 October til 1 November 2012, 11 am til 11 pm daily. On a perfect weather evening rock oysters from Merimbula were freshly shucked by Patrick Ma while Cloudy Bay kept the 2012 Sauvignon Blanc flowing. A great vantage point for view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House. During the pop up lounge fish and chips with a glass of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2012 will be available for $29. With a glass of wine on the menu worth $14 that means you're only paying $15 for your fish and chips which seems like pretty good value considering the view.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Great water views of the harbour, Apparently free oysters will be served between 5.30 and 6.30 pm, Enjoyable wine with oysters or fish and chips

CONS: Weather permitting, Don't get too close to the waters edge after a few drinks

MUST TRY: Arriving at 5.30 pm to try the free oysters

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Cloudy Bay Pelorus Brut

Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2012

Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir 2010

Merimbula Sydney Rock Oysters freshly shucked

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Patrick Ma shucking oysters

Fish and chips event canape

Only got one chip thought :-(

Sushi event canape

Salmon event canape

Mini wagyu burgers

Nice candle lighting

City views

Comfy cushions

Speech time — great backdrop

Drew Lambert (Wine Writer), Nikki Goldstein, Josh Horner

Les Hill (left)

Max Markson, Kanchi Williams, Simon McGorman, Simone Drewry

Chef Gérald Touchard (centre)

Opera Kitchen service team. Event seemed to run very smoothly — well done!

Louis London band were great

Official photographers in action

Goodie bag — one for the fridge

View Larger Map

07 September 2012

Launch: Wolf Blass Luxury Collection Release 2012 at Quay Restaurant, Sydney (4 Sept 2012)

Upper Level, Overseas Passenger Terminal, The Rocks, Sydney 2000

http://www.quay.com.au

Wine in wolf's luxury clothing

Thanks to Tessa Kerestes from Liquid Ideas for inviting me to the media launch of the Wolf Blass Luxury Collection Release for 2012 held at Quay Restaurant. Nice timing with the announcement of Quay as ‘Restaurant of the Year’ by Good Food Guide. Uninterrupted views towards the Harbour Bridge and Opera House were spectacular from the function room matched with three-hatted canapés and no shortage of wines selected from the White, Gold, Grey, Black and Platinum Labels. Mr Wolf Blass was quite a jovial character and celebrated his birthday in good spirits with a large chocolate mud cake decorated with an eagle. Guests could play spot the TV celebrity with a small entourage of MasterChef contestants joined by My Kitchen Rules winners, Tracey Spicer and Kerri-Anne Kennerley minus the dancing.

Savoury and dessert canapés were served starting with the Sea scallop pearl, lime, cucumber, fennel — scallop sashimi in a ball I guess. I only tried one but I should have tried more to better appreciate the flavours. The Crostini of smoked ocean trout, crème frâiche, lemon marmalade was a win for me with its simplicity that hit the mark as a bite-sized joy and I could have happily munched my way through a tray of Peking quail, peanuts, sesame, cinnamon, hoisin, pickled cucumber. Dessert canapés were the highlights of the night though. The Salted caramel, prune, walnut tart and Lime curd, meringue tarts had exceptional shortcrust pastry — I suspect a pastry god must have been in the kitchen. Quay has been on my wish list to dine since October 2008 when I tried their Let’s Do Lunch. Since then the famed snow egg and eight-texture chocolate cake has been calling my name — matched with some Wolf Blass dessert wine perhaps?

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Stylish canapés and friendly event staff, Quality ingredients, Enjoyable wines supplied by Wolf Blass

CONS: There was a large break between some of the canapes leaving me quite hungry at one stage, Would have loved the wines and food to be paired up for better appreciation

MUST TRY: Returning to Quay to try their a la carte menu
VERDICT: Great function space with spectacular harbour views but I'm sure it doesn't come cheap

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