Because I was going to be in Sydney for 2 years for my overseas (work) stint, I decided not to be (too) aggressive in checking out the dining scene in Sydney. I guess one could say I was also trying to go easy on my waistline and purse when I self-imposed the ‘1 atas splurge meal per month’ rule. But!!! Who would have known dining out was actually an activity most have taken for granted. :(

When COVID-19 restrictions were eased and dining at restaurants was allowed, I made reservation at Tetsuya’s for a Sunday lunch.

There were 2 seating areas. And I liked how the seating areas were built around Tetsuya’s on-site garden such that everyone had access to the view of the Japanese garden. Although I also overheard 1.5 to 2 months of advanced reservation was required for a window table.

Tetsuya’s had a wine-pairing course to go with the degustation menu, but I decided to go by the glass instead. And after taking my drinks order, I commenced my 8-courses degustation lunch, AUD250 with:-

1) Oysters, AUD15 (above) – From Tasmania, served with ginger & rice wine vinaigrette.

2) Dish #1 (above) – Sashimi of Hiramasa kingfish with sesame leaf and daikon. So good!

3) Bread, Complimentary (above) – Organic sourdough and kombu scroll, served with truffle butter. And the pastry of the scroll was buttery and flaky. Almost similar to that of a croissant.

4) Dish #2 (above) – NZ scampi tails with vanilla and lemon zest. And I loved the attention to the small details. The flesh was detached from the shell till the tail for ease of consumption. And I noticed the kitchen also drizzled dressing onto the shell such that not just the top side but also the bottom/non-exposed side of the scampi flesh was seasoned. This dish made me realise this was truly fine dining at its best. Loved it!

5) Dish #3 (above) – Confit of Tasmanian ocean trout with salad of apple and witlof.

6) Deep-fried golden mushroom with roasted mushroom broth, Complimentary (above) – Got a surprise when the waiting staff came up to me and said “Chef arranged an additional dish. Our chef likes to spoil single diners if you don’t mind.” Oh my god! Was definitely not expecting that.

7) Dish #4 (above) – Patagonian toothfish with cannellini beans and TAS black truffle.

8) Dish #5 (above) – Snowy mountains squab with charred onion broth and enoki.

9) Dish #6 (above) – And because I don’t take beef, they replaced it with spatchcock. Paired with shiitake mushroom and char-grilled red cabbage.

10) Palate cleanser (above) – Yuzu, chartreuse, apple.

11) Dish #7 (above) – Chocolate stone with honey and milk. I tried different renditions of ‘pebble dessert’ at various restaurants, and this certainly impressed. I wasn’t expecting the ‘pebble’ to be so complicated! Loved it!

12) Petit fours (above)

13) Coffee, Complimentary (above) – And as always, I went with latte. Keke.

I left Tetusya’s very happy and I highly recommend one to check them out in Sydney. Food was great, but the service was better! When I was looking at the drinks menu before my meal started, I had shortlisted 2 whites that I wanted to try. And when I was still on my first, the sommelier came up and generously poured me a glass of rose to go with my ocean trout. And I really appreciated it because the white that I was having tasted quite weird with the trout! And when I was onto my second glass of white, I was touched when the sommelier (yes! again!) poured me a glass of shiraz (that’s specially made for Tetsuya’s) because he really wanted me to try it with my main. I mean, 1 glass on the house is already much appreciated. But 2? Wow.

Now… In my recent bid to know my wines better, these days I would request to take picture of the wine bottles. And when I was taking picture of the third wine bottle, the sommelier was holding it in his hands. Though that’s actually because I had too many glasses on my table and there was no space for him to place the bottle beside the (original) glass. As I was taking the picture, he asked “do you want it on the table?” How cute! And I really appreciated it because that simple gesture was an example of how Tetsuya’s waiting staff understands and tries to anticipate the different requirements of their customers.

If it wasn’t for my secondment, I would have missed out on a great meal because I didn’t visit Tetsuya’s when I was holidaying in Sydney back in 2017. But! I didn’t then because I wanted to dine at restaurants which served Australian cuisine. But yes! Tetsuya’s is worth visiting for its Japanese-French cuisine. To be exact… As taken from their website, Tetsuya’s degustation is based on the Japanese philosophy of using natural seasonal flavours, enhanced by classic French technique and utilising the freshest possible ingredients.

Would I recommend Tetsuya’s. A big yes. I am definitely making a return trip. In fact, I am thinking Tetsuya’s should be given 3 hats by Australia Good Food Guide (2020) instead of 2 hats.