Absynthe - A trip down memory lane

Those of you who can spell will realise this is not a treatise on the booze-inspired artistry of 19th century France. This is me returning to 2009, for the first and best degustation experience I have had. Sadly, there was no actual absinthe involved, but that was only because by the end of the meal my stomach was bursting and I was the epitome of cheerful intoxication.

Eating at Absynthe is the only great thing I've done on the Gold Coast, and thankfully, it's amazing. The decor is tasteful and modern, the service is friendly from the get-go, and as soon as you sit down, Absynthe reveals a unique trade secret: bread. You see, Absynthe operates a nearby bakery of the same name, which produces bread of excellent quality. And they serve it at the restaurant. As much as you want. And even when you're full, you can't say no. It's just that good.

What? Filling up on bread at a degustation? Fortunately chef Meyjitte Boughenout crafts a creative menu that ensures the fun never stops. We opened with an exciting egg based creation ("Golden Egg, Cucumber Gelee, Soft Green Olive & Vanilla Crouton"), which was delightfully beautifully balanced in taste and texture. I then discovered that eggplant ice cream works really well with tomato, 'nuf said. The seafood dishes were beautifully balanced, the lamb tender and delicious. And the desserts did not disappoint, the first being an exciting set of textured foams flavoured with various berries, and the latter an exciting yoghurt "bubble" accompanied by a variety of floral flavours (including actually flower petals). Check out the menu below for details.

On the wine front, I must admit I knew very little about food/wine matching at this time, but I found them enjoyable and they seemed to make sense. Perhaps the winos among you can fill me in here. Crucially, the waiters won a special place in my heart by cheerfully refilling glasses when I finished the wine before I'd eaten half the matching dish. No stinginess. Awesome. I got drunk. I may be biased as a result.

One bad point, which I didn't actually care about, was that the restrooms are located out the back of the restaurant, so you actually walk outside to get to them.

I thoroughly enjoyed this experience, and would recommend the degustation to anybody. Recent reviews still indicate the degustation is excellent. 4.5/5

DISCLAIMER: Do not buy vouchers for this restaurant. If you read other people's reviews, it looks like the chef is an arrogant French dick, and only treats people properly if they order the degustation. Arrogance does mean he makes good food though...

Damn I'm sad now.

Sake Restaurant & Bar Review

Name: Saké Restaurant & Bar

Cuisine/Style: Contemporary Japanese

Location: The Rocks, Sydney

Price range: $60 per person for 3 courses, Sake $3-6/taste

Cool and elegant, the decor of Saké radiates sophistication without being stuffy or wanky, an enjoyable fusion of japanese decor and the dark stone of the Argyle building. The service was very good, showing definite engagement with the food and the sake, and we were able to learn a little about the interplay between the two.

The food was thoroughly enjoyable in itself. The sushi maki rolls now common in Japanese restaurants (e.g. spider, nixon, dynamite rolls) were exquisitely crafted. The sashimi was married with flavours both exciting and creative, yet carefully thought out and never overstated. The restaurant's true uniqueness lies, as the name suggests, in its sake. Our waiter was an enthusiast of the menu, and was able to recommend appropriate sakes for each dish, which were provided in tasting quantities at reasonable prices. We make no claim to any understanding of sake, but in our humble view it was wonderful and this restaurant was a fantastic introduction to the stuff!

To top it off, Sake boasts some very solid desserts, generally of a western style but tempered again by a cautious approach to flavour which complements the meal as a whole. Furthermore, we enjoyed sampling the extensive cocktail list, which can also be had at the bar without a sit down meal.

The reasonable prices allow one to eat well here with matching sake for the dishes at about $60-70/head, but if you want the full monte (dessert and cocktails) look at $100. Sharing between two or a group of friends is both well accommodated and highly recommended!