Quay
Contemporary$$$$
Rarified luxury that leaves a lasting impression.
Nowhere else is the marriage of considered sourcing, an obsession with texture and the ability to harmonise flavours more memorable than at Quay. Forget the view or the surprisingly entertaining spectacle of a cruise ship pulling up alongside: as soon as the courses start to land, there’s only one place to look.
Snacks range from a crystalline tart shell filled with smoked eel cream and katsuobushi jelly to one overloaded with marron and yuzu cream topped with a marigold. Peter Gilmore’s Oyster Intervention now presents as a white-on-white flower garden concealing Murray cod roe, pearl meat and precious penshell razorfish.
The White Coral dessert snaps and cracks, aged vinegar brings deep dimensions to a comforting bowl of Southern squid and koshihikari rice, and the drinks – led by gun sommeliers Amanda Yallop and Steven Pietersma – still shine as brightly as the Opera House sails. One of the all-time greats.
Good to know: You can nab a late-evening slot just for dessert and a glass of Champagne, plus optional extras – bookings recommended
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