Sydney: Tetsuya’s
Phone: 03 9267 2900
Tetsuya’s is a place that restaurant fans often read, hear or enthuse about, but never go. We all vow that we’ll get there one day, but weeks, months and even years pass by without sampling Tetsuya Wakada’s modern fusion cuisine. We deprive ourselves even as the accolades continue to flow in, like Tet’s being named the fifth best restaurant in the world in 2007 by Restaurant Magazine.
In December 2006, we decided the excuses were over, and secured a booking at arguably Australia’s most famous restaurant in late March 2007 (yes, you do need to book ahead). The months passed and finally the time arrived for our pilgrimage to Sydney. With fame and glowing reviews come expectations, and we certainly had ours. After one sublime evening for dinner, Tet’s met and surpassed some of these expectations, but fell below on others (more later).
The first surprising element of Tet’s was its location in a quiet section of Kent Street. From the outside, the restaurant resembled an embassy compound, complete with electric security fence. Not knowing if we had arrived at the correct address, we nearly walked past it. Only when the fence automatically opened for us did we realise that we had indeed arrived at the right place. A short driveway led to the front entrance, where we were greeted warmly by the maitre’d.
The second surprising element of Tet’s was the boisterousness of the place. Perhaps owing to Tetsuya Wakada’s background, we had half expected a serene, tranquil and Zen-like ambience. Instead, the restaurant was filled with the din of patrons enjoying themselves. We didn’t mind it though, and liked the somewhat informal vibe that Tet’s exuded, helped by the friendliness of the wait staff.
Tet’s is divided into two main dining areas, with several private rooms. A lovely Japanese-style rock garden provided a beautiful outlook for diners. An impressive wine storage facility is obviously a main attraction, with patrons constantly popping in for a look at the array of amazing wines. We were seated in the second dining room, which provided our first quibble. We were seated on a table designed for four, and sat facing a wall. It felt a little strange to not sit facing one another, or to face out into the room. This was a minor point, however, and did not detract too greatly from the experience.
We plied ourselves with glasses of Winston Churchill’s favourite bubbly, Pol Roger, whilst perusing the extensive wine list that lists the wines by label. Unable to choose, we consulted the very friendly sommelier, who recommended a few glasses of wines to accompany the degustation to follow.
To keep the hunger at bay whilst waiting for first course, a choice of rolls - crusty Italian or sourdough - was served with a black truffle and parmesan butter. The scent and taste of truffle was amazingly pungent, and paired excellently with the faint blush of parmesan. As the butter was unsalted, one couldn’t help but add an extra sprinkle of salt flakes.
First course was a chilled sweet corn soup with a small quenelle of basil ice cream. The soup itself was incredibly silky and tasted entirely of young sweet corn, and a slick of pouring cream added an extra dose of decadence. The basil ice was mild, but an interesting flavour combination. And it looked a treat served tall in a martini glass.
A tartare of tuna on sushi rice with avocado was wonderfully interesting. The tuna was top notch - despite being diced tartare-style you could tell there was excellent fat distribution. The pile sat on a puck of sushi rice, which itself lay in a lake of the most velvety, luscious avocado cream studded with small islands of caviar.
We had been given instruction by the waiter “…get your fork in there, break it up and make sure you get a bit of everything.” As much as one wanted to be ever so dainty in deconstructing it, we did as directed. The entire mouth feel was fantastic - the silky avocado cream, the meltingly tender tuna, the soft sticky sushi rice. And then the real delight - little pops of salty caviar that exploded between the teeth. It was absolutely divine.
Next course paid homage to our fishy friends, and was (mostly) a wonderful example of keeping things honest. To the left, a skewer of rolled tuna marinated in a soy and mirin dressing, topped with a curl or two of spring onion. In the middle, a sliver of ocean trout, heady with the flavour of smoke, draped languidly over a spear of crisp asparagus. Finally, marinated NZ scampi sitting on a chicken and walnut parfait.
Now whilst the scampi was enjoyable, we felt it wasn’t honest to the integrity of the dish. The parfait was perhaps a little too overpowering considering the simplicity of the prior two examples. It obliterated the subtle flavour of the crustacean with the overwhelming tang of parfait. It just didn’t make sense.
Next up was the dish that Tetsuya is renowned for - his signature - confit of Petuna Tasmanian ocean trout with konbu, daikon and fennel. The first mouthful was almost too much; too flavoursome, too salty, too umami. The konbu (dried kelp that coats the trout) was a real kick to the tastebuds. It was actually quite disconcerting. But the sensation soon died down, and the other flavours - that of the trout itself, the daikon and fennel soon came through. It was visually stunning on the plate and a nice play on textures, again.
The ravioli of Queensland spanner crab with tomato and basil vinaigrette was the dish that most impressed us. The tender pasta parcel contained flakes of sweet, sweet crab meat which sat on a concasse of precisely diced tomato flesh (no skin, no seeds) and then garnished with a chiffonnade of basil and a piquant balsamic and olive oil dressing. It captured the essence of its’ ingredients in a very clean and fresh way. Its simplicty was exquisite.
A twice cooked de-boned oh-so-tender spatchcock was the next impressive dish that obviously showed the amazing skill and technique of Tets merry band of chefs. The bird itself balanced precariously on a thick disc of braised daikon, and to the side, a serving of wonderfully green edamame and a hand turned potato. A light but flavoursome bread sauce finished off the dish. It was lip smackingly good.
By this stage we were both feeling rather full, but one certainly has to suck it in for the grilled wagyu beef with asian mushrooms and citrus jus. The wagyu had been sliced ever so thinly and rolled into a divine little scroll, and cooked to medium rare. The dish was quite stunning, but we don’t know whether it was the wagyu, the mushrooms or the amazing jus. All the flavours was merged, and it was a partnership that worked superbly well.
Our first course of dessert acted as palate cleanser, which was a good touch after the last two full-on dishes. A mouth puckering pineapple sorbet was served to the left, and to the right, Tetsuya’s take on the Strawberry shortcake - a fluid deconstruction of the classic.
Second dessert course was a vanilla bean ice cream with white beans, dates and a sprinkle of praline. Now this was interesting. You can’t go too wrong when you play around with voluptuous flavours like cream, vanilla and dates. The white beans didn’t provide too much flavour in the taste department, but they offered a density and bite to something that would otherwise just be melted in the mouth. And the praline added another textural and taste (nutty toffee) component to the dish.
Our third course of dessert was a floating island (meringue) with a well executed praline and vanilla bean anglaise.
Inside the floating island was a vein of dark chocolate and raspberry coulis, which was a stunning visual surprise. Unfortunately the surprise didn’t follow through in the taste - the expected bitterness of the chocolate or sourness of the raspberry, which would have been a welcome delight, was just too lost in the sweetness of the anglaise. The dessert ended up tasting rather one-dimensional.
The petit four were rather disappointing too; sweet potato balls coated in dark cocoa powder and coconut date balls. Now it wasn’t that they were inedible or foul tasting - it just appeared that they could have been knocked up by a five year old kid. There wasn’t a lot of skill, and there wasn’t a lot of taste. One expects to be delighted with petit four (..and anyone who has been to Vue de monde will know this). In this case, there was just no “eyes-closed and pursed-lips in absolutely delight” moment, which is so how you want to end a great meal.
Despite this, Tetsuya’s was an amazing dining experience. The floor staff were suave and professional and worked the room smoothly and with a minimum of fuss. The food was exceptional and creative, the only real disappointment being the dessert/petit four. But perhaps one does need to wonder whether this creativity is stagnant, as he appears to be serving pretty much the same dishes as he was serving two years ago.
The pilgrimage was well worth it though, and we were so very glad to have finally had the Tet’s experience.
Entry written by ElegantGourmand and Mellie
Written by mellie on
April 28th, 2007 | Tags: restaurants, Sydney | Category: Uncategorized
| 
Print This Post
| 
Email This Post
| Subscribe to comments | Leave a comment | Trackback URL
April 30th, 2007 at 2:02 am
Oh what a brilliant post and such fantastic photos too!
I haven’t been there in years but I really should start saving my pennies. Well done for whipping out your camera so you could share this fantastic experience with us.
April 30th, 2007 at 2:38 am
Hehe truffle, Mel doesn’t go anywhere without her camera! I’ve learned a lot from her
I have to say, I don’t think I’ll ever make the pilgrimage to Tetsuya’s. A great review, wonderful pictures, but I don’t think it’s the place for me. Still, was great to read about it!
April 30th, 2007 at 6:48 am
Thanks Mr T and Mel
It doesn’t look to have changed too much in the 5 years since I was there (thankfully) and it is still ranking among the world’s best on all reputable league tables. Gourmet Traveller had an article on Ducasse coming out to Sydney and requesting Tetsuya cook for him.
I just wish there were more here like Tetsuya.
Tip: for Australia’s top restaurant, you might be surprised to discover they do BYO (or did 5 years ago) with reasonable corkage. So that ultra special bottle you’ve been hanging onto can be got out for that special visit to Tetsuya.
April 30th, 2007 at 11:33 am
“I will go there one day, I will”.
Repeats three times and clicks his shoes together.
“Why has nothing happened. I’m still at my computer drooling at the photos only. Why aren’t I at Tetsuya’s?”
Looks utterly fantastic. Give me a year or so when I next go to Sydney and I’ll make sure to book early.
April 30th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Hey there truffle - EG and I thank you for the compliment on both the words and the photos
It was actually quite dark in the restaurant, so I’m glad the images actually turned out okay.
Hiya anna - I’m sure there is a name for the psychological condition of whipping out your camera at whim to take photos of what you eat
Ciao riccardo - yes, we would do well to have more places like Tetsuyas in this country, in particular Melbourne so I don’t have to fork out an airfare to get there!
Hi thanh7580 - I know how you feel. I think I dreamt about going to Tetsuyas for about five years before I finally went! Just set a date, get the airfares, and go!
April 30th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
Hi all,
I do find that the World’s Best Restaurant is just bizarre and unfair.
This very same ranking puts ‘Drum in 30-odd position twice a couple years back.
VDM is what Flower Drum used to be.
What could have made them not do the same and put VDM up there this year?
Ok, outranking Tets may be questionable . However VDM being ranked lower than Rockpool just doesn’t look right…..
May 1st, 2007 at 6:50 am
I, too, am surprised the food is still so remarkably similar. At least that means I don’t have to pine for another appearance any time soon (phew, says the bank account!)
May 1st, 2007 at 8:01 am
Tetsuya’s.. sigh. One day. I will get there. Pity about the desserts, but the rest of the courses looks fab!
May 1st, 2007 at 9:57 am
Hi anon - uh huh, I agree. In my extremely humble opinion, VDM more than does it for me over Tets and Rockpool. I can’t imagine how it didn’t even get a look in.
Heya Helen - well, at least he is consistently good! I too won’t be venturing back unless he markedly changes the menu. I do like to be surprised
Hey there ilingc - *sigh*…which to me was a great disappointment considering I am such a dessert girl
May 1st, 2007 at 11:01 am
The repeated menu items are not a new thing, but I guess it must be a catch 22 for a restaurant like Tets. People want to experience the known signature dishes when they go, but perhaps not again and again… Hard to win.
I’ve been to Tetsuyas twice, once at Rozelle, once in the city. Loved the experience and would go again but I agree with you Mellie the expectations are a killer. You should try something similar and easily just as interestingly amazing, Yoshi’s in Sydney. Have his dego, its a bit more Japanese angled than Tets has evolved to be but remarkablely similar.
Anonymous should read Espresso from todays Age. http://www.theage.com.au/news/epicure/espresso/2007/04/30/1177788007114.html?page=2
Hints at the politics of the Worlds Best Restaurants and that the regional deciding panel funny enough features the prize winning chefs…
Jack
May 2nd, 2007 at 8:20 am
I came across your review (and also Helen’s older one) because I’m doing some research in anticipation of my second trip to Tetsuya’s in under a year. I had a great time last time but I am a bit worried about the lack of variety in the menu. My research (looking at various reviews such as this one and flickr photos) indicates, as other commenters have noted, that the food does not change much.
I’m toying with the idea of asking for a vegetarian menu. I am what I describe as ‘aspirationally vegetarian’ or a ‘meat minimiser’ and I would normally make an exception for this kind of food. But I am quite keen to try something new and am a bit worried about being served up the same dishes as last year.
Has anyone had experience with the vegetarian menu? A friend’s ex-gf had it once and raved about it but she’s no longer around for me to consult.
Cath
PS Yes, I would like to try something new but the choice of restaurant in this case is not up to me.
May 2nd, 2007 at 10:38 am
Hi Mellie,
Mike & myself are heading up to Sydney soon. Having worked at Neil Perry’s Wockpool in Sydney years ago, we are tossing up between dining at his Rockpool or at Tetsuya’s. Time (& budget) won’t allow both.
Have you experienced Rockpool? and if so, which would recommend? Yes, we are putting you on the spot, but why not….?
ps great review!
May 3rd, 2007 at 10:11 pm
Hey guys, Great review. I loved reading this post. It’s like I was experiencing it for myself. I have to confess to being one of the masses who promises themselves on making the trip to Tet’s but haven’t yet… sigh… one day!
May 5th, 2007 at 10:10 am
Hiya Jack - yes, repeated menus can be a comfort for some (I hear Fat Duck is similar in this respect). I do have a preference for eating something new and exciting on return visits. And thanks for the Yoshii tip - I’ll put it on the list:-) Hmm…I read that article re: Worlds Best 50 in The Age. It all sounds rather sus, huh? But it really doesn’t surprise me at all.
Hey Cath - go for it! I would certainly go the vegetarian option as it would give you a whole different experience. I’m not sure if that means the whole table would have to take that option. Perhaps discuss it with the restaurant when you book. I would be really interested to see what he does. Actually, that might actually make me go back
Hey gourmand - oooh, you’re hitting me with the tough questions
Having done Rockpool a couple of times, and Tets only once, I would probably sway more towards Rockpool. I don’t know why I say that. They are both exceptional in food / service / feel (though they vary differently in service and feel). Perhaps it’s because Rockpool does kickarse desserts 
And ooh…their Tastes of the Sea are absolutely unforgettable.
Hi cherrie pie - thanks for your comment! Glad you enjoyed reading it. It is good to have dreams and aspirations. But following through on them is often the best bit
May 7th, 2007 at 8:35 am
Hi Mellie,
Thanks for the advise. Desserts are very important to me and Mike has a sweet tooth. And to be honest, that description of the petit four had made up our minds.
Keep up the gret reviews!!!
Ps. We’re going to try Vue De Monde for lunch soon, and we’ll keep you informed.
May 7th, 2007 at 8:51 am
No worries gourmand - you are more than welcome.
EG and I are off to Vue de monde for dinner at the end of the week. And we scored the chef’s table! So stay tuned for my review too
And if petit fours are your thing, you will absolutely BLOWN AWAY by the ones at VDM. I still dream about them.
May 9th, 2007 at 10:50 am
Hey guys,
A great review again! Just the reading about the black truffle and parmesan butter makes me want to going back there again….
The dishes you enjoyed, besides the Trout Confit and the Floating Island, were completely different from what we had 5 years ago.
However, it seems that they still maintain the same phenomenon that they are weaker at desserts. Last time we had really nice cheese though. You didn’t mention about cheese. Did you have any at all?
May 9th, 2007 at 10:59 am
Hey there skymist - yeah, I must admit to be a lil’ disappointed over the desserts. And no, we didn’t get a cheese course either (despite the fact I just ADORE cheeses). Though I doubt we could have fit it in - we were stuffed!