14.03.10 – Taste Festival 2010

Yummmmmmmm! I was looking forward to this event for some time and was glad when it finally rolled around. We attended the extended lunch time session on the last day which worked out well for us as the rainy weather from the days prior had cleared up. We made sure we were there ready to be let in at noon which was great because it was quite a bit more crowded by the time we left at 2 – 2:30pm. I don’t have snaps of all the things we ate (oh lawd, there was just too much excitement!) but we did manage to exercise a bit of restraint to capture a few pictures :D

Sydney rock oysters with Vietnamese dressing, crispy shallot and baby coriander – Assiette

Saddle of Suckling Pig with Garden Peas and Smoked Bacon Jus – Restaurant Balzac
I  have never been so willing to eat peas in my life… I think this might have had something to do with  the Smoked Bacon Jus that they were swimming around in ;)

Chilled Vichyssoise, Salmon Caviar, Hawkesbury River Oyster Beignet – Berowra Waters Inn
Yummm! I love anything creamy (huge veloute fan, here!) so this creamy foam was an instant hit with me. I had no idea what vichyssoise or a beignet was but I knew I had to have this when I saw it floating around. I have always wanted to head to Berowra Waters and this just confirmed it.

Organic Grass Fed Wagyu Beef Burger – Plan B
Now, you’re probably wondering why I am posting this blurry, unfocused photo. It is because, my friends, this is how it appears in my memory. Quite frankly it wasn’t that special but maybe I’m being harsh in my judgement because…

… of the freaking HAIR I found sticking out of the pattie! I wanted to get a shot of this but David compulsively yanked it out before I got the chance. Needless to say, I was pretty turned off which is a shame because we have always wanted to eat at Becasse/Plan B. You sort of have higher standards for restaurants of this calibre. I’m sure though, that this was just a one off…

The outdoor dining and entertainment area

I spotted a pirate! Arrrr!

I  have to make a mention of the following dishes I didn’t document because they were damned good!

  • Waygu Beef Daube with Paris Mash (Guillaume at Bennelong). Mmmm, didn’t even need a knife because the meat fell apart with just the prod of my spork!
  • Vanilla panna cotta with lavendar honey and fresh pomegranate aka the booby pannacotta (Jonah’s at Whale Beach). Awesome. The combo of flavours was fantastic! I can’t even describe it.

We had a few ‘Crowns’ (festival currency) left so I decided to buy a cocktail with it. Man, I forget what it was – rum of some sort with pomegranate and lime but BOY did it pack a punch. I couldn’t finish it. The few sips I had, I’m pretty sure, would have burnt away my stomach lining if I hadn’t just eaten so much food throughout the day, haha.