THE DEVONSHIRE
Cuisine: Modern Australian
$$$ per person spent inc drinks: $100
OK we must admit, that in actual fact, we didn’t spend $100 each on this
spoil… There was a deal on Ouffer for the degustation menu for two people at
half the price. BUT we do feel that we should point out what it would have cost
us, so that it gives you an accurate expectation if you were ever to go. The
restaurant is neatly tucked away on Devonshire street, closer to Crown street
than the ever busy Elizabeth St. The restaurant is quite small but cosy, and
has been decorated modestly. We hope you enjoy our review our fellow fouchey’s
:D Remember to follow us on Twitter @SydCulinaryClub for more inside scoop!
AMBIENCE
Dels says ‘Cute
and cozy little place. That’s all I have to say.’
DKay says ‘Nice
& cosy. Nothing special but had a warm vibe.’
Kaan says ‘Small and well decorated.’
Bron says ‘It was
nice, small and cosy but nothing I could rave on about.’
FOOOODDDDD
We ordered:
Degustation menu
1. Salt fish brandade with caper sauce
2. Warm salad of heirloom tomatoes, Woodside goats curd, olive biscotti, basil and almonds
3. Cold smoked Black Angus tartare, poached Enoki mushrooms, asparagus and quail egg
Steamed Ora King Salmon, squid ink noodles, summer daikon, pickled ginger, and radish
4. Prawn raviolo, curly kale and roast prawn oil
5. Roasted pork belly, slow cooked pork neck, fricassee of brussels sprouts, chorizo and scratchings
5.a Dels had this substituted for: Fennel and bocconcini risotto cakes, pickled carrots and parmesan
6. Raspberry panna cotta, poached peaches and biscuit crumble
7. Bittersweet chocolate mousse and sorbet, salted caramel parfait and hazelnut
Dels says ‘Fluffy
and flavoursome.
DKay says ‘Delicate
& tasty. Though more potato than fish I thought.’
Kaan says ‘this dish was a nice start to the degustation menu. It set the scene.
Which was not mind blowing but still very good!’
Bron says ‘Tasty
yes, nicely plated, and a nice way to start. But nothing I haven’t tasted
before’
2. Warm salad of heirloom tomatoes, Woodside goats curd, olive biscotti, basil
and almonds
Dels says ‘Very tasty, fresh and light. Great dish to start
with.
DKay says ‘Nothing too exciting to be honest. I think the
fact that the tomatoes weren’t full of flavour naturally didn’t help.
Kaan
says ‘I absolutely loved this dish, I think it was very
well balanced. The warm tomatoes where very sweet and citrusy and the curd
nicely balanced it out with its creaminess’
Bron says ‘Again, this to me was nice, and tasty, but
honestly… been there done that’
Dels says ‘Thoroughly enjoyed this dish. The tartare was
tasty and went well with the accompaniments. The asparagus added much needed
crunch.
DKay says ‘Loved this. Enoki mushrooms were a great
complement to the tartare. Kaan
says ‘I enjoyed this dish but it’s not something I
would go out of my way to re-order. The quail egg was black and pickled so many
dinners might not be jumping over the moon for this dish’
Bron says ‘I really enjoyed this – it was tasty, something
different and the whole dish was well balanced! Quail egg – tick!’
Dels says ‘The squid ink noodles make this dish, added a sweet/soy
element to the salmon. All elements together on the fork is the best way to
experience this dish.
DKay says ‘Salmon was cooked perfectly. Had on it was own,
it was a little bland but combine it with the sides on the rest of the plat, it
was perfect. Great dish.’
Kaan
says ‘Now this was a dish that would of got this
restaurant that one Chef hat! It had the wow factor. Just hearing from our
waiter on how they managed to make the
squid ink noodles by reducing the ink so it became a gelatine
Bron says ‘I can fully appreciate the effort the chefs must
have put in to make this dish, and it was lovely. But would I order it again?
No… squid ink or not, those noodles weren’t the best’.
Dels says ‘The prawn oil didn’t add any flavour to the dish.
The prawn ravioli was pleasant but there was something missing from the dish.
It didn’t do it for me. It was too… prawny.’
DKay says ‘No no no. Prawn filled ravioli with more prawns
chopped up and thrown on top = prawn overload & really unnecessary. Lack of
sauce too made the dish a total dud. Very disappointing.’
Kaan
says ‘YUCK & double YUCK! I normally love any dish
with prawn. This dish for the first time was a complete overload of prawn
flavour! Seriously, I’m getting flashbacks typing this blog, and trust me I
wish I could erase this flashback from my memory permanently!
Bron says ‘I will still taste that sea-prawn taste in my
mouth on my deathbed. This was AWEFUL!’
DKay says ‘It was ok but nothing to rave about. Pork was
soft but I expected it to be more off the bone. A little too salty for liking
too.
Kaan
says ‘I’m normally not a pork belly fan but I actually
enjoyed this dish. I think the chorizo & scratchings were the heros of the
dish! If you are a pork belly fan, I would say you need to try this dish!
Bron says ‘Thank goodness this dish came out as I was really
getting disappointed. I really love pork belly and this was just beautifully
cooked and perfectly balanced with the chorizo and the brussel sprouts.
OMNOMNOM!’
Dels says ‘The risotto cake was extremely tasty and the
salad brought out the flavours of the peccorino however the fennel was too
plentiful and overpowered the taste.
7. Raspberry panna cotta, poached peaches and biscuit crumble
Dels says ‘Absolutely delicious. Could have eaten another 5
easily.
DKay says ‘Yum. More panna cotta & less crumble would
have been nice. But that’s a personal preference.’
Kaan
says ‘What an amazing panna cotta! WHY did they serve
it in a small shot glass! Honestly, probably one of the sexiest panna cotta
dishes I have had in a long-time. I could have had a bucket of this and it
would be worth every calorie!
Bron says ‘Yum yum creamy panna cotta I loved this dessert!’
Dels says ‘Chocolate lovers beware, you will drool! Both the
mousse and sorbet were top notch, the salted caramel and broken biscuits on the
bottom added to the dish.
DKay says ‘This was soooooo good. The chocolate sorbet was
amazing. Perfectly combined with the salted caramal parfait. Yum yum yum! Great
way to end.’
Kaan
says ‘Just the name of the dish is a winner! Yes – it
was a very chocolaty dish but the way it was constructed it got away with it.
The choc sorbet was probably the best I have had. It even put Messina on show!
Bron says ‘Again, so yummy – that salted caramel parfait: I
could have a bowl of that!! Oh my goodness, take me back for that!’
OVERALL TEAM
VIEWSSSS
Dels says ‘I expected more from this place however I was
still satisfied with the experience. I enjoyed the variety of dishes and
ingredients. I found the staff friendly and attentive.
DKay says ‘It was pretty ok for the price we paid. But if I
was dining full price, I would have been disappointed. I expected all dishes to
be of good to high quality and that was definitely not the case. The prawn
ravioli was truly disappointing.’
Kaan
says ‘I enjoyed my meal overall. I just think the
ravioli ruined it a bit for me!’
Bron says ‘Overall I would give the Devonshire a 6 or 7 out
of 10. Basically the food was good, the setting was nice… but there was no WOW
factor for me.’
KAAN WILL SHELVE (i.e. not very good)
1. Most definitely that terrible prawny prawn ravioli!
AND THE HIGH TEA AWARD GOES TO:
Dels says ‘Bittersweet chocolate mousse and sorbet dessert.’
DKay says ‘The bittersweet chocolate concoction. Give me
some now!’
Kaan
says ‘I keep choosing deserts for last couple of places
so this time again it was close call between a savoury or a desert dish but I
think ingredients where just too good to ignore! So I choose the ‘Warm salad of heirloom tomatoes, Woodside
goats curd, olive biscotti, basil and almonds’ my favourite dish. I think the
simple nature of the dish with the produces being allowed to shine through was
the big seller for me
Bron says ‘It goes to that beautiful panna cotta and the
caramel parfait equally for me!’
Team meets late March…
Hint : Etc.
Date we visited The Devonshire:
27 February 2013
