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Staff greeted and had us seated promptly, with the Harbour on our side. We ordered our cocktails shortly after, which arrived in record timing. I won't lie - I didn't make note of the names of the drink mixtures or their particular tastes, but I do remember being pleasantly happy to sip it along with my dinner. Service throughout the night was relatively consistent but did die off towards the end after mains, with the failure to clear tables until prompted to (we were conscious that we would get kicked out before finishing our desserts as it was closing in on our two hours). Regardless, our waiters were quite pleasant throughout the night and gave a good run down of each course that came out.
Entrees
Spanner Crab: Nesting within a bed of warm, smooth polenta and creme fraiche emulsion. Complemented with a young corn puree on the bottom, the sharp salty notes were brought back with a light sweetness. A light crumb like consistency of perhaps sunflower seeds and 'popcorn' broke up the soft textures.
Double Island Point Scallops: Fresh and perfectly seared, the finger lime gave a dance of acidity as did the lemon puree. The thin cauliflower chips were nice and crisp - adding a lovely light crunch. Dory roe added a succinct layer of seasoning to balance the zesty tones.
Roasted John Dory on the Bone: Perhaps a touch overdone, with the flesh of the fish a little too dry in areas. The native greens wilted a little, and had an enjoyable bitter note. The umami butter lacked the balance it required with the saltiness overbearing more than anything. The integrity of the turnips whilst they had been boiled, were somewhat still the same and carried a thick, somewhat neutral flavour.
Arkady Grass Fed Lamb: Perfectly pink and tender, profiling well with the barletta onions and nasturtium leaves. An excellent winner with the eggplant cream, which had a lovely, silky consistency that married with the lamb.
Desserts
Winter Trifle: Deconstructed play on the tradition. The ice cream a catalogue of aroma on the tongue (I think we were told it was rum), paired with a lovely Muscovado sugar sponge which had been soaked in muscat fortified wine. Decadent yet not too heavy. Some while there were notes of alcohol, it kept the sweetness well in check. Perhaps my favourite for the evening.
Pavlova: A symphonic plating paying its respects to where where Bennelong inhabits. Light, mesmerising texture of the meringue - where the whites had not been taken too far. Piped vanilla bean (?) custard and meringue with a citric pool, this iconic looking dessert had Bubba smiling and finishing his dinner on a sweeter note.
All in all, Peter Gilmore's Bennelong did play a wonderful host to us that evening. While it did not reach the high sensations I had hoped for, it does a great job at the catering to a larger demographic audience. It is somewhat fine dining, but not to the extent where it rules out someone who wouldn't necessarily go for a 'fancy' feed. The main attraction would have to be the the building itself. The a la carte is enjoyable but could possibly do with further refinement or thought into the flavour portrayal. Nevertheless, the pure surrealism of the Opera House and company has allowed me to place Bennelong as a special memory, bookmarked for future consideration.
Bennelong Restaurant
A: Bennelong Point, Sydney Opera House, NSW 2000
Ph: 02 9240 8000