Graze-Pyrmont
Memories of year ten chemistry came flooding back as I watched Lee Hardy, Head Chef of Graze, the latest restaurant in Pyrmont. Unlike my year ten teacher, Lee was standing over a cloudy bowel of liquid nitrogen freezing tomatoes instead of squash balls. Fortunately this was one science experiment we were actually allowed to eat!
Opening end of September and less than three months old, Graze is possibly Sydney’s best kept secret. This split level restaurant has a sophisticated and comfortable interior. Designers in the City were responsible for the fit out and the clever use of space makes the restaurant feel open and inviting. The exposed timber and impressive light fittings give the downstairs room an intimate and comfortable feel.
-196 Chilli & Oyster
Taking their seats and embracing the tradition of mask wearing at Secret Foodies our guests appeared to be intrigued by the white cloud forming at the table in front of them. The theme of the evening was ‘Liquid Nitrogen’ and our unique gastronomic journey started with -196 Chilli & Oyster. We then had +1000 Scallop & Prawns. Both dishes were a marvel, fresh from the markets that morning.
+1000 Scallop & Prawn
For those who didn’t eat seafood there was the Pickled Baby Vegetables, Woodside Goats Curd, Candied Olives. A delicious combination with beautiful presentation. The candied olives and goats curd was amazing.
Pickled Baby Vegetables, Woodside Goats Curd, Candied Olives
For entrée we had Iced Tomato & Basil Salad, Goats Curd with Pedro Ximenez Nitro Dressing. I’ve never had a dish like this and was a hesitantly curious. The sound of iced tomato seemed odd. It certainly was unusual but I was pleasantly surprised. It reminded me of the first time I tried home cooked gazpacho in Granada, Spain.
Iced Tomato & Basil Salad, Goats Curd. Pedro Ximenez Nitro Dressing
Our mains did not touch the liquid nitrogen and considering I had the 42 Hour Slow Cooked Spring Lamb, Heirloom Carrots & Peas I was relieved. As you would expect after 42 hours the lamb melted in your mouth. The alternate drop was the Maple Smoked Ocean Trout, Local Asparagus & Sea Vegetables, Lemon Coral. Visually this dish was the most impressive of the evening. The plating told a story. The trout was served on a maple board, the foam and greens resembled a slice of beach right there on your plate. The flavours were just as impressive and the fish was cooked perfectly.
42 Hour Slow Cooked Spring Lamb, Heirloom Carrots & Peas
Maple Smoked Ocean Trout, Local Asparagus & Sea Vegetables, Lemon Coral
Our vegetarian foodie had the pleasure of trying the Spring Pea Risotto, Smoked Morel Butter. He kindly offered tasting to those around him. Had I been given this dish I may not have been so generous. Risotto is a dish that can so often be the boring fall back for vegetarians but at Graze this dish is a stand out. The pea foam on top of the risotto is unique and adds a soft texture to the rice. The smoked morel butter leaves a delicious taste in your mouth.
Spring Pea Risotto, Smoked Morel Butter
It would be sacrilege not to order the Crispy Kipfler Potatoes, Truffle Oil & Parmesan. Don’t question it, just make sure you order these as a side no matter what you order. From someone who usually declines potatoes on the table trust me when I say you will not be disappointed. The smell of truffles alone will make the meal one to remember.
Crispy Kipfler Potatoes, Truffle Oil & Parmesan
All good things come to an end and for me this meals finale was unforgettable. The entire team came out from the kitchen, lined up with plates with raspberries on them. Lee then scooped chocolate fondant and dropped it in the Liquid Nitrogen for a few seconds. The result was puff of frozen chocolate on the outside and a soft gooey chocolate inside that melted in your mouth. The Nitrogen Poached Chocolate Fondant & Raspberries is a must try on the menu.
Nitrogen Poached Chocolate Fondant & Raspberries
Graze is still waiting on their license so we were fortunate to have Wine IQ supply us with an amazing array of wines for the evening. Starting with a Punt Road Chardonnay I then moved on the Eden Valley Riesling, my favourite wine of the evening. I look forward to hearing what our foodies thought.
Graze offers a fresh and unique approach at an affordable price. There are a handful of kitchens in Sydney offering this type of menu. With mains starting from $20-$28 you will struggle to find the same quality at such an affordable price. I predict Graze won’t be a hidden gem for much longer. I will certainly return and have already started spreading the word!
But enough about what I think, let’s hear what our foodies have to say…
182 Harris St, Pyrmont
02 9518 5025
Open Wed-Sun 6pm-10pm
Category: Inner West
i don’t think the best kept secret is secret any more
LOVED all the courses, but if I had to choose a favourite, I’ll go with the 42 hr slow-cooked lamb (my pic from the evening – http://twitpic.com/3cfprw) — The way it just fell apart was mouth-watering, and has anyone had lamb so succulent??
Thanks again Alex for an awesome evening, and big props to Lee and his team too!
An absolutely wonderful experience. Definitely ticked all three boxes – atmosphere, presentation and taste!
From someone who is relatively new to Sydney and just introducing themselves to seafood the prawns and vanilla mayonnaise were beautifully paired and Maple Smoked Ocean Trout was good enough to steal of the plate beside you (which I did!) The Iced Tomato & Basil Salad was an eyebrow raiser and just as fascinating to dissect as it was to eat. Potatoes were a nice side indulgence and the chocolate & raspberry sealed the deal for another visit!
A most enjoyable evening – we were certainly spoiled for choice! I can say that it was a night of many first experiences and for a foodie who loves a little adventure and something a bit different, Graze, certainly delivers. The iced tomato dish was a refreshing suprise, a bit sour, very cold and bursting with flavours that marry perfectly (basil tomato goats cheese). I loved that it was a new take on an old favourite! Quite a taste sensation indeed. The trout was astonishing and the presentation of this dish blew me out of the water (or sea, pardon the pun), some people are truly gifted! Such a carefully constructed dish and so visually appealing one is hesitant to ‘dig in’. Being a sucker for a sweet something – my favourite was the chocolate dessert. Ticks every box for me (even thou mine was more minature frisbee (i.e flat and disc like) than giant sized (for lack of a better option) button mushroom, round and full. I suppose you can put those few differences in final product down to using an unconventional cooking method, in front of a live audience with camera and videos, whilst trying to maintain speed and efficiency. Many many ticks all round from this critic for the entire evening! p.s it’s a good thing i took iphone photos to help me explain these creations – the security at the bavarian beer cafe didn’t believe me until i showed the proof. Then they wanted all the details to try for themselves! Camilla
Well well, where to start. I just really can’t wait to go back. Highlight being the ‘art of cooking’. Cooking with Liquid Nitrogen. I really think that often eating out we forget to think about the effort, sweat and hard work that goes into each and every food creation that hits our table. At Graze we got to see first hand the effort that 3 chefs put into the dishes as they cook literally in front of our table. It was entertaining to watch.
I have a few favourites, the Maple Smoked Ocean Trout, this was an amazing creation both visually and taste wise. But worth sharing between two as the trout is very strong so can be overpowering. I also tried some of the vegetarian dish the Spring Pea Risotto, this was something I hadn’t had before and a great combination of flavours, well done! And I can’t miss the Crispy Kipfler Potatoes..another mouth watering dish. Finally the Nitrogen Poached Chocolate Fondant & Raspberries, just look at the photos nothing more to be said. Wine was also great, I had a lovely Riesling to match.
I would highly recommend Graze. Fabulous food, well priced definitely for those wanting to try something new with food cooked in Liquid Nitrogen. Get in before the crowds. Looking forward to the outdoor tables to come. Thanks !