Well last night the Mrs and I went to Rockpool. We had a great time, everything was great. The service, the food, and the surroundings. I got grilled octopus for entree and for mains I got the 36month rib-eye on the bone (awesome beef) Also got mushrooms and side salad.

Thanks for the recommendation.

Glad you enjoyed it The grilled Occy is superb, and i've had the same steak that you ordered. The steak there tastes very different to other places doesn't it?

I didn't think the service was all that good though ... at those prices I shouldn't be having to ask for my wine glass to be refilled and I would expect the sommelier to know a bit more about the wines in the cellar. Very minor complaints but the food more than makes up for it.

I want me one of them there steaks!! with the mushrooms sounds splendid!!!!

Well we went to Rockpool again tonight. Here is a mini review

Entree: Grilled white asparagus with mushrooms and escargots

Simply amazing. The escargots and mushrooms were grilled to perfection such that the edges of the escargots were just so slightly caramelized, which contributed to an incredible depth of flavour. This was balanced by the sauce which had a hint of acidity to lighten up the dish. The asparagus spears were probably cooked a little beyond al dente for my liking but there was nothing wrong with the dish otherwise.

Entree: Steak tartare on lettuce with chips

Before I ordered this I wanted to be sure that it would be light. Previous dining experiences at Rockpool has taught me that the entrees are substantial enough to be called mini mains in their own right. After getting an assurance from the waiter I ordered it. I was surprised when they plopped down a very generous serve of tartare! The waiter said that she was surprised when she saw how large it was.

So once again I tried to analyze the tartare to see what was in it (so I can replicate it at home). Egg yolk, finely chopped beef, chives, a touch of dill, red onions, and some peppercorns. But obviously there was more - I could taste but could not see. The tartare was slightly less delicate than tartares I have had elsewhere, but when eaten with the lettuce and radicchio the flavour became much more balanced.

Main: 36 month old ribeye, aged 45 days, chargrilled to medium rare (750gm - shared for two)

An old mainstay of ours. These guys are so good at making steak that every time we have visited, it is done exactly the same way - outside charred with a delicious smoky aroma, about 2mm of steak which is well done, and the rest a delicious pink-red with all the juices still in the meat. They are so certain that the focus should be the steak that they serve it simply - white plate, steak in the middle. They have resisted the temptation to overload the dish with garnish. There is nothing else on the plate.

How the steak is done is a mystery to me - if I attempted to cook it that pink at home, the steak would still be tough and stringy. Not here, it is melt-in-the-mouth. Cut the steak, and the juices don't come out. The juices are only released when you bite into it. I know to rest my steak but it still does not come out like this.

Side: Zucchini with garlic, mint, and burnt butter

The zucchini was cooked to perfection with only the slightest hint of mint on the nose. It was very nice, but even the best chefs cannot make me love zucchini and I wish I had ordered the mushrooms, or the carrots, or the potato-cabbage gratin which I have previously had (and were very nice).

Dessert: Raspberry Bombe

The first of our killer desserts. You really go to Rockpool to try their innovative appetizers and desserts, and this dessert was out of this world. A core of raspberry ice cream with a hint of bitterness (citrus zest, maybe?), with a lemon meringue and egg white coating, flambeed with Cointreau. This had many flavours which really should not go together, but was somehow assembled with such skill that everything was perfectly balanced. You can imagine that if they added a touch too much bitterness, or a touch too much lemon, the dish would be ruined. After I finished the dessert I marvelled at how they managed to achieve this balance. Truly impressive - the highlight of the night.

Dessert: Cherry Trifle

Served in a glass with brandied cherries at the bottom, a jelly and biscuit (?) layer, with a brandied cream on top. Ground pralines (I think?) were added for some contrast in texture. Once again, a masterpiece. The flavours were not as contrary or as unexpected as the Raspberry Bombe, so this dessert is not as daring or exciting on the palate. Once again, this was culinary perfection.

The wine was a 2005 Chateau Simon Bize Burgundy - a real Burgundy which means Pinot Noir. Smooth and elegant but without much nose or length. Cheap for a Burgundy Pinot served in a top class restaurant at $95.

Well we went to Rockpool again tonight. Here is a mini review [/b]

Hi

An excellent review Keith - We tried the old Sydney Rockpool and had a similar experience but I thought this thread was about seafood restaurants - I guess the escargot must a bin marine then ....

Cheers

Mick

An excellent review Keith - We tried the old Sydney Rockpool and had a similar experience but I thought this thread was about seafood restaurants - I guess the escargot must a bin marine then ....[/b]

Well yes but it changed into a Rockpool thread

The table next to us had the $160 lobster - a massive crustacean was served on his plate and judging by the oohs and mmm's it must have been pretty tasty.

How much was it without the wine? Whenever I go, I go to the bar and have the wagyu burger or the spag bol.

How much was it without the wine? Whenever I go, I go to the bar and have the wagyu burger or the spag bol.[/b]

It would have been $170 for the food alone. Beverages were another $110, and then there was the 10% surcharge for visiting on a Sunday.

Hi Keith,

Sounds like a wonderful culinary experience and you are braver than I am for trying escargot and steak tartare!

Was this some kind of special occasion or do most women expect to be taken out to such expensive restaurants on a regular basis? Might explain why I am single () and have more money to spend on hi-fi and music ().

Aaron

Aaron, the woman brought me out for dinner because it was my birthday last week. We didn't go anywhere special so it was her treat

BTW, you actually have more money when you are settled down with a woman ... it's only when you are dating that it is expensive! With a dual income and living together, money goes further. I mean, you pay the same cost to keep your fridge running - with two people in the house the cost is halved.

It would have been $170 for the food alone. Beverages were another $110, and then there was the 10% surcharge for visiting on a Sunday.[/b]

Oh, less than I thought/ expected. Only problem with your approach for me is that MrsG and I have opposing tastes in meat - I'm a very rare kind of guy and she is medium - so a shared steak isn't a goer

Actually I asked the waiter if it was possible to cook one half of the steak medium and the other rare. Just to see the look on her face She unhesitatingly said that can be done, because it was a large cut of steak! It's actually a bit cheaper to get the ribeye for two - $90 for 750gm. A 350gm ribeye is $49.

Keith: are you an Aquarian?

A.

Keith: are you an Aquarian?[/b]

Yes - why do you ask?

Just answers a few questions, that's all.

I'm one as well.

Wouldn't be surprised to find a whole lot of us here.

Ever seen the profile of a typical Aquarian?

Ever seen the profile of a typical Aquarian?[/b]

Err, no ... what does it say?

Intractable and contrary

Perverse and unpredictable

Unemotional and detached</span></div>

</span></span>

Sounds like i've got all the negatives of being an aquarian without any of the positives :blush:

Just to present another perspective on this, I checked the only reference to star signs I bother to consult: It's called "What the stars really say"......not sure where it comes from as I copied it decades ago. At the time, Mrs M was a bit put out to hear "Pisceans do terrible things to small animals"

Anyway, this is the entry for Aquarius:

"AQUARIUS (January 21-February 19) You have an inventive mind and are ingenious and possessive. You lie a great deal. On the other hand you are inclined to be reckless and impractical, therefore you make the same mistakes over and over again. People think you are stupid."

:biggrin:

Cheers

Tony

I wouldn't say that....

Your posts indicate to me that you are the Compleat Aquarian par example!

Sounds like i've got all the negatives of being an aquarian without any of the positives :blush:[/b]

Some reflection should be given to the Chinese signs as well , when both signs are taken into consideration together

the writing on the wall becomes little bit clearer

Some reflection should be given to the Chinese signs as well , when both signs are taken into consideration together

the writing on the wall becomes little bit clearer[/b]

Hmm not sure why this reply is in a seafood restaurant topic , Though Ive got in the fridge 1xkg of king island rib eye an 1xKg of king island porterhouse that I brought home on the 12th of jan an am waiting for a couple more weeks to pass

before some of it hits the BBQ.

Just to present another perspective on this, I checked the only reference to star signs I bother to consult: It's called "What the stars really say"......not sure where it comes from as I copied it decades ago. At the time, Mrs M was a bit put out to hear "Pisceans do terrible things to small animals"

Anyway, this is the entry for Aquarius:

"AQUARIUS (January 21-February 19) You have an inventive mind and are ingenious and possessive. You lie a great deal. On the other hand you are inclined to be reckless and impractical, therefore you make the same mistakes over and over again. People think you are stupid."

:biggrin:

Cheers

Tony[/b]

Geez guys

I practically live on seafood (expense accounts are capitalism's greatest invention for those lucky enough)

My question is; as a cusp Leo/Virgo, is this permissable?

Or should I just suck it up and eat ribeye? :wink:

Geez guys

I practically live on seafood (expense accounts are capitalism's greatest invention for those lucky enough)

My question is; as a cusp Leo/Virgo, is this permissable?

Or should I just suck it up and eat ribeye? :wink:[/b]

Umm suck it up , and keep some room for some rib eye as well . Seafood is very tasty as entries

An also goes well as a sauce for steaks

Aaron, the woman brought me out for dinner because it was my birthday last week. We didn't go anywhere special so it was her treat

BTW, you actually have more money when you are settled down with a woman ... it's only when you are dating that it is expensive! With a dual income and living together, money goes further. I mean, you pay the same cost to keep your fridge running - with two people in the house the cost is halved.[/b]

Dual income? I can only wish!