Australian Gourmet Traveller – September 2019

ThethingsthatoncemadeTetsuya’ssuchacovetedbookingmayno

longerbeasrevolutionaryforanationalpalatenowmoreattunedto

Japaneseflavours,butthatdoesn’tmeanthefoodisanylessalluring.

It’sstillathrilltobeholdthesignatureconfitoceantrout,draped

elegantlyovermatchsticksofgreenappleandwitlof,tofeelthepop

oftheunpasteurisedtroutroe,tosavourthelengthofflavourinthe

crumbledkombucoating.Elsewhere,sharpPacificoystersdressed

withsoyandricevinegarmightbe$12apop,butthisisaplacewhere

classicpleasures(extendingtoanelegantwineselection,lushcarpet,

polishedserviceand,yes,valetparking)comefirst,eveniftheycome

ataprice.Platesrangebetweenrawandpoached,sashimikingfish

accentedwithdashicreamandcucamelon,perhaps,orlambcooked

sous-videandservedwithwatercresspuréeandcharredleek.Sound,

ifalittlesafe.Abalonewithoysterdashiandwakameismorelikeit,

nicelytothebiteanddressedupwithiceplantandseablite.Thisis

cookingrenderedwithasmuchattentionastheZengardenthatanchors

therestaurant.Justimagineifitcouldtrainbotheyesonthefuture.

529 KentSt,

Sydney,NSW

(02) 92672900

tetsuyas.com

+ LunchSatnoon-2pm;

dinnerTue-Fri

5.30pm-9pm,

Sat6.30pm-9.30pm

+ Bookingsessential

+ Licensed

+ Tastingmenu$240

+ CardsAEDCMCVEFT

+ Privateroom

+ ChefsTetsuyaWakuda

&JoshRaine

35 Tetsuya’s V AUSTRALIAN

ApostcardfromBeechworthin 2019 mightread,“Spentthedayon

aNedKellytour,visitedlocalbrewery,apick-your-ownappleorchard

andaJapanese-ishrestaurantintheoldBankofAustralasia.”Fine-diner

ProvenancemightseemanunusualfitforaGoldRushtownnearthe

NewSouthWalesborder,butMichaelRyanseesthingsothersdon’t.

Sothere’skangaroo,Fernet-Brancaandhouse-madetofuonthemenu

andthemarvelofaone-twoumamihitoftomatoandseaweedpaired

withfilletsofblue-eye.Aroundyou,couplesenjoythelow-keyluxuryof

theheritagebuildinghandsomelyrestoredinbluesandgreys.Thedishes

arelesssubdued,whetherit’sroastedMutsuapples,picked 10 minutes

away,sweetenedwithamisocaramelandservedwithtreslechescake,

oraknockoutentréeofcrabandcharredleekinanalmond-milkbroth

enhancedbyshiokoji.Everyelementaddsuptoadeeplyflavoured

andcomplexwhole.PerhapsRyan’srealskillisstorytelling,showing

uswhereAustralianpalateshavebeenandmightbegoing.It’sastory

withaveryhappyending.

86 FordSt,

Beechworth,Vic

(03) 57281786

theprovenance.com.au

+ DinnerWed-Sun

6pm-9pm

+Bookingsrecommended

+Licensed

+ 2 courses$75, 3 courses

$95;dégustation$125

+CardsAEMCVEFT

+Wheelchairfriendly

+ChefMichaelRyan

36 Provenance V AUSTRALIAN

First,Ariaisanambassador.There’stheviewstraightdownthebarrel

oftheOperaHouse.Thewinelistthatpositionsexceptionallocalbottles

alongsideinternationalbenchmarks.Themenuthatshowso¦pristine

Australianproduce,andachef,JoelBickford,setonekingthevery

bestfromthem.Butasmuchasthishasalwaysbeenaplacethatsets

abarforAustraliandining,thathasn’tmeantstandingstill.Aria 2019

isarestaurantofkangarootartareconcealedunderdelicatefoldsof

beetroot,ofyabbiescurledintomatobrothwithribbonsofjamón,of

skinnedsnapperfriedcrispandservedwithbeachgreens,fingerlime

andalickofbeurreblanc.Desserts–andacourseofMoretonBaybug

withcongee,broth,shiitakemushrooms,andsilkysheetmadefrom

smokedscallop–canhavealotgoingon,buttheflavoursareclear,the

presentationrefined,andwhenthingsaregood,they’respoton.Sure,

floorsta¦canmissdetailsandbedistractedbyshinythings,butglossand

sparklehavealwaysheldswayhere.Andwhocanarguewiththatview?

1 MacquarieSt,Sydney,

NSW,(02) 92402255

ariasydney.com.au

+LunchSun-Frinoon-

2.15pm,Satnoon-1.30pm;

dinnerMon-Fri5.30pm-

10.30pm,Sat5pm-11pm,

Sun5.30pm-10pm

+Bookingsrecommended

+Licensed,bar

+3-4courses$150-$175;

tastingmenu$210;

weekdaylunch$90-$120

+CardsAEDCMCVEFT

+Privateroom

+Wheelchairfriendly

+ChefsMattMoran

&JoelBickford

37 Aria V AUSTRALIAN

GOURMET TRAVELLER 87

PHOTOGRAPHY COLE BENNETTS
ARIA, LOUISE LISTER
TETSUYA’S, ELLEN MORGAN
AFRICOLA & OSKAR ROSSI
FICO.

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