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French lessons
Where:
Phone:
Other degustation menus pale in comparison when you've been to bilson's
Tetsuya Wakuda is widely touted as Australia's most successful chef - but food devotees know that Tony Bilson taught Tetsuya many of his tricks. During a 35-year career, Tony Bilson has contributed greatly to Sydney fine dining.
Today he resides in his eponymous restaurant at the Radisson Plaza. With an impressive three hats, Bilson, along with executive chef Manu Feidel, turn out dishes that have been described as: "the closest you'll get to France without hopping on a plane".
The venue is elegant and hushed. Bilson's personal art collection warm the walls and the waiters and sommelier are just too good at their jobs to come across as pretentious.
We're here to try the fin Bec: a six-course degustation menu of imagination and skill. Many restaurants in Sydney have picked up on the degustation idea but Bilson stays true to the traditional French approach.
We begin with a Kangaroo Island marron and... read on below advertisement
Murray cod cooked slow and on low heat in a cryovac bag (shrink-wrapped, so none of the flavours are lost) is a delicate base to the robust octopus braised in red wine. The red wine-matched course is a tender grilled breast of Grimaud duck with green olives.
With regret, we are on to the cheeses too soon. I don't want these tastes and textures to end but my spoiled taste buds are hushed by an assiette of dark, bitter chocolate and a glass of treacly Jerez sherry.
Alas, there is no room to write about more of the sublime wine matching by Andrew Cullen. Gastronomes: do yourself a favour and book a table so you can find out for yourself.
Where: Bilson's, Radisson Plaza Hotel, 27 O'Connell Street, Sydney
Phone: 8214 0496
We ate: Fin Bec, $135; with French wine, another $90; Australian wines, $65
Tetsuya Wakuda is widely touted as Australia's most successful chef - but food devotees know that Tony Bilson taught Tetsuya many of his tricks. During a 35-year career, Tony Bilson has contributed greatly to Sydney fine dining.
Today he resides in his eponymous restaurant at the Radisson Plaza. With an impressive three hats, Bilson, along with executive chef Manu Feidel, turn out dishes that have been described as: "the closest you'll get to France without hopping on a plane".
The venue is elegant and hushed. Bilson's personal art collection warm the walls and the waiters and sommelier are just too good at their jobs to come across as pretentious.
We're here to try the fin Bec: a six-course degustation menu of imagination and skill. Many restaurants in Sydney have picked up on the degustation idea but Bilson stays true to the traditional French approach.
We begin with a Kangaroo Island marron and... read on below advertisement
dashi consomme with puffed wild rice and caramelised apple. The boudin of red mullet is beautifully balanced in the powerful punch of a rich bouillabaisse sauce with cubes of squid ink glass noodle.
Murray cod cooked slow and on low heat in a cryovac bag (shrink-wrapped, so none of the flavours are lost) is a delicate base to the robust octopus braised in red wine. The red wine-matched course is a tender grilled breast of Grimaud duck with green olives.
With regret, we are on to the cheeses too soon. I don't want these tastes and textures to end but my spoiled taste buds are hushed by an assiette of dark, bitter chocolate and a glass of treacly Jerez sherry.
Alas, there is no room to write about more of the sublime wine matching by Andrew Cullen. Gastronomes: do yourself a favour and book a table so you can find out for yourself.
Where: Bilson's, Radisson Plaza Hotel, 27 O'Connell Street, Sydney
Phone: 8214 0496
We ate: Fin Bec, $135; with French wine, another $90; Australian wines, $65
Story: Hannah Rand
