What: Zest
Where: 16 Stockton Street, Nelson Bay
Prices: Two courses, $65; three courses, $75
Chef/owner: Glenn Thompson
Wines: Well chosen list of premium labels from Australia, New Zealand, France and Italy, 15 by the glass
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday from 6.30pm; Sunday and Monday by special request for group bookings
Extras: Warm sourdough with truffle-infused cultured butter ($5 for two), or with warm Nicoise olives and parmigiano reggiano ($10 for two); pomme mousseline, $9; roasted baby carrots with truffle-infused labna and dukkah ($8); salad of heirloom tomatoes with soft cheese and micro herbs ($8)
Bookings: 4984 2211
Bottom line: Entrée, main and dessert for two - $150 without drinks
It's one thing to attain one-hat status in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide; it's something else to maintain that standard year after year. One way to guarantee this is with a chef who is also the owner, as is the case with Glenn Thompson at Nelson Bay's Zest.
But maintaining a hat can have a lot to do with points of difference. And where better to start than with sourcing excellent produce, whether it's seafood from Port Stephens, pork belly from Byron Bay or venison from Mandagery Creek, near Orange. The menu also maintains comforting consistency but does change with the seasons and produce availability.
The ubiquitous scallops with pork is given a twist. Two golden, luscious scallops each rest on a pork "torchon" - twin pucks of melt-in-the-mouth shredded pork encased in a golden crumb crust. Streaks and jewel-like dobs of glistening apple puree and a swirl of truffle-infused mayonnaise pull the dish together.
Thompson's sophisticated cooking incorporates the occasional high-tech gadgetry, nowhere better than in the slow-cooked duck egg wobbling seductively on a disc of smoked eel, kipfler potato and baby cress, bound with a grainy mustard dressing and scattered with more cress.
Rabbit is a perennial favourite. Tonight the thigh is boned and rolled, then together with the drumstick, wrapped with prosciutto before roasting to juicy perfection. Sauce agro dolce, tiny preserved figs and currants provide a suitably sweet-sour note and cut the richness of the dish. Al dente baby carrots sit prettily but a side of pomme mousseline is needed to balance the protein and make short work of mopping up the juices.
There's no need for any extra potato with sliced Wagyu bolar blade and braised garlic snails, which has its own pool of pomme mousseline. Full of flavour, well rested and fork-tender, the beef contrasts with the garlicky, chewy but plump snails. Bright green pea foam, a squiggle of meat jus and a line of double-shelled broad beans complete a balanced dish.
Desserts list a range of indulgences; panna cotta with Middle Eastern overtones, apple and sour cherry mille feuille with tarragon ice cream, or a decadent chocolate delice with popcorn ice cream and salted caramel sauce.
The passionfruit soufflé is one dessert that can't be removed. A wait of 15 minutes is no problem. It seems sacrilege to break into the soaring, airy structure and blend its creamy centre with some intensely ruby-coloured, smooth-as-silk raspberry sorbet which melts into a tangy sauce on contact with the soufflé.
Pear tarte Tatin also needs 15 minutes but is worth the wait. Golden tender pastry supports buttery, caramel-coated pear slices.
With nice ambience, enthusiastic service and impeccable food, this restaurant is aptly named.
Email a friend