Tetsuya’s Saturday 2/23/08

This was John’s day. Wherever we have traveled there has always been one very, very special world-class restaurant that John has had on his list to visit. In the three months of this trip there is only one, Tetsuya’s. Tetsuya Wakuda is not only Sydney’s most acclaimed chef, but he is also known world wide as one of the true food innovators working anywhere today. Back in November we tried to make a reservation for dinner anytime during this week in Sydney, and the earliest dinner opening they had was April. However, they are open for lunch on Saturday with the same menu and they could squeeze us in. Today is it.

Brekkie is one little breakfast bar this morning to leave room for the big lunch. Our rental agent, Michelle shows up at 8:30 with a cell phone for our use during the week. After what appears to be much negotiation with her boss, she gives us her cell phone with a new sim card and our own number. We’re not sure what took place but we have a phone in our apartment now and Michelle may need a new plan.

We leave for lunch at 11:30 and, with only a 4-block walk we are very early for our noon reservation so we explore a little before heading in. There is a gate controlled by the doorman so you have to announce yourself to get in to the restaurant—keeps the riff-raff out. There is no menu. They tell you that there are twelve courses for lunch today and would you like to order a wine or select the 9-course wine menu to accompany the food? Tetsuya is Japanese, learned to cook in France and moved to Sydney 20 years ago, so his style is a combination of all of those cultures. The room is very understated in a Japanese sort of way with ponds, rocks and bonzai trees outside a full-wall window.

We started with a bowl of cold corn soup with a little scoop of saffron ice cream floated in the center, and finished with a chocolate terrine with Mascarpone and cognac anglaise. Somewhere in between there was trout, caviar, crab, tuna, duck, barramundi, veal, salads, seaweed, puddings, butters, custards, mousse, breads, plenty of wine and even a blast of sake. We sat down at 12:00 and got up at 3:10 feeling that it was time and money (two lunches for the same price as two of nephew Mike's hockey sticks) well spent. One of our servers (there were many) made a list of restaurants to fill out our week so we are not without food choices. Where to go for dinner tonight? Yeah, right.

We dress down at our apartment and venture back down to Circular Quay to see the brand new Queen Victoria that has docked today. This thing is a monster and we would love to see it move. The big deal this weekend is not only this first visit of the Queen Vic to Sydney Harbor, but also the final visit of the QE II which enters the harbor tomorrow. They will pass each other sometime on Sunday, a somewhat historic occasion. We also take this opportunity to stroll around the outside of the Opera House and get a full view of the surrounding water, hills, boats, and about a million people.

We grab a Belgian beer at a Belgian beer pub and decide that this is all the fun two people can have in one day. We find a grocery store on our way back to the apartment to stock up on some breakfast and snack stuff, nibble on crackers and cheese for dinner, and watch a stupid movie on TV. A very worthwhile first full day in Sydney.

Today's local headline: The game's up Sydney Morning Herald (New South Wales Premier admits rotten donations culture must end)