Twine Restaurant, Hunter Valley Australia

ถ้าใครเคยไปออสเตรเลีย  ซิดนีย์  คงเป็นจุดหมายปลายทางที่หลายคนเคยไปมาแล้วทั้งนั้น  สถานที่ท่องเที่ยวต่าง ๆ อย่างเช่น Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Darling Harbour, etc  คงไม่ต้องกล่าวถึงหรือแนะนำอะไรอีก  คงไปเที่ยวกันจนปรุแล้ว

ขับรถจากซิดนีย์ไปประมาณ 1 ชั่วโมง  Hunter Valley  คือจุดหมายที่ฉันอยากจะแนะนำ  บรรยากาศระหว่างทางสวย ๆ  เพลิดเพลินกับวิวทิวทัศน์ไปตลอดทางอย่างไม่รู้เบื่อ  ไร่ไวน์ในเขตนี้มีประมาณ 70 แห่งที่เปิดต้อนรับนักท่องเที่ยวให้เข้าเยี่ยมชม และชิมกันอย่างจุใจ    

ร้านอาหารที่ฉันอยากแนะนำเป็นร้านอาหารธรรมดา  บรรยากาศดี  ร้านอาหารส่วนใหญ่ในออสเตรเลีย จะออกแนวเรียบโมเดิร์น ทันสมัย  ขาว สะอาดตา  ร้านนี้ก็เช่นกัน  วันที่ฉันไป  ช่วงบ่ายมีคนมาเหมาปิดร้าน  จัดงานแต่งงาน  ฉันจึงมีรูปโต๊ะที่ตกแต่งเตรียมไว้สำหรับงานแต่งมาฝากด้วย

อาหารออสเตรเลียเป็นอาหารที่ได้รับการผสมผสานส่วนผสมระหว่างเครื่องปรุงของชาติตะวันตกและเครื่องเทศของเอเซียได้อย่างลงตัว  ทำให้อาหารออสเตรเลียมีรสมีชาติมากกว่าอาหารฝรั่งทั่วไป  อร่อยถูกปากคนเอเซีย  เพราะมีกลิ่นอายของเอเซียแฝงอยู่  ขณะเดียวกันก็ทำให้อาหารออสเตรเลียมีความแตกต่าง  และโดดเด่นกว่าอาหารตะวันตก  รวมถึงการตกแต่งอาหารอาหารที่นำเสนอได้อย่างน่าสนใจ แสดงถึงความใส่ใจ  ว่าไม่เพียงนำเสนอแต่เพียงรสชาติอาหารที่ปรุงมาอย่างพิถีพิถันเท่านั้น  ความสวยงาม หน้าตาของอาหารก็เป็นสิ่งสำคัญไม่แพ้กัน

If you have been to Australia, chances are Sydney was one of your destination.  Popular tourist spots such as the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Darling Harbour probably won't need any further introduction or mention.

About an hour drive away from Sydney, "Hunter Valley" is a spot I would like to recommend.  Enjoy yourself in the picturesque country scenery along the route and the 70 vineyards in the area that warmly welcome you for a visit or a tasting.  

The restaurant I would like to suggest is an ordinary one with a pleasant atmosphere.  Most restaurants in Australia tend to lean toward modern and contemporary -  white with clean lines, and this restaurant is no different.  Its name is "Twine".  The day I visited, the restaurant was reserved for an afternoon wedding reception - as you can see in a couple of pictures of the tables settings and decorations below.

Australian cuisine is a perfect harmony of sauces and ingredients from the West and Asian spices, making Australian food more flavourful than most other Western cuisines and quite favourable for Asian taste palate.  With the hint of Asian elements, Australian cuisine is distinguished and highlighted from the other western cuisines.  The beautiful and interesting presentation of each dish rivals only the carefully crafted delectable.

Twine Oyster Platter

Twine Style Chili Mud Crab with Coconut Rice

Crisp Skin Snapper Fillet on Pea and Taragon Blini,

Petit Blue Swimming Crab Salad and Shellfish Bisque

Hunter Valley Cheese Selection

Strawberry Daiquiri Granita with White Balsamic Ice-cream, 

Citrus Frosting and Almond Biscotti

http://www.twinerestaurant.com.au

MONA Library; Museum of Old and New Art

     When we were in Hobart, Tasmania, we visited the MONA Library.  It is located in "Moorilla Estate" Winery.  FREE ADMISSION.

     

     After we stepped into the gallery, we received the devices which looked like ipods.  They are very hi-tech.  By pressing the button, when we were in front of the art piece, they searched the location where we were and found out the details of that art piece.  We can press love or hate and see how many people have same the feelings as us.

     This place is very interesting!!!  Let's take a look at what they have to offer:

The guide device that i talked about

The Bar

Bit_Fall 

2006-7 by Julius Popp

Coffin of Iret-Heru-Ru

26th Dynasty, c. 600-525 BCE

This one reminds me my painting class

Art piece or Real person?

Untitled (White Library)
2004-6 by Wilfredo Prieto

Snake

1970-1972 by Sidney Nolan

Fat car
2006 by Erwin wurm

"Quay" @ Sydney, No. 26 The world's 50 best restaurant award 2011

     We had booked the Quay for 3 weeks in advance since we knew that we were going to Sydney.  Rare chance!!  We were on waiting list.  Finally, we got the table with a fantastic view.  The Quay has just got the rank of 26 from the world's 50 best restaurant award 2011 and has been the best restaurant in Sydney for long time...

     We tried the tasting menu again and here they are:

  

                                                         Our table with fantastic view 

Complimentary from Chef: Caviar 

Sashimi Hiramasa Kingfish,
pickled kohirabi, octopus, nasturtiums, white dashi jelly

Black lipped abalone & grey ghost mushrooms,
braised in seaweed & oyster juices, ginger milk curd, purslane

Native freshwater marron,
rose salt, organic pink turnips, jamon de bellota cream, oloroso caramel, almonds, society garlic flowers

Butter poached coturnix quail breast,
pumpernickel & elthical foie gras pudding, walnuts, quinoa, truffle custard, milk skin

My substitute dish: No quail; Carrots

 They served "Clear Soup" before main course

Slow braised Berkshire pig jowl,
maltose crackling, prunes, cauliflower cream, perfumed with prune kernel oil

Wagyu beef,

poached in an oxtail and morel reduction, mole puree, farro & ezekiel crumbs

Jewels in the snow: Yoghurt ice-cream with some shaved ice with dried fruits and tiny meringues

Caramelised white chocolate walnut
palm blossom sugar brioche, prune sorbet

My substitute: Chocolate cake

Coffee, Tea Petits Fours

G' Day in Sydney

     April in Thailand, we have the longest holidays because it is Thai new year.  We  are going to Sydney, New Caledonia and Tasmania.

      We arrived Sydney in the morning, checked in The Four Seasons Hotel.  We walked along the Rocks, took pictures with the Opera house while i was waiting to see my old school friend, Lek.  Now, she lives in Sydney.  We haven't met each other for more than 10 years.  I was a bit excited to meet her.  We planned to meet around the Rock and had lunch at "Water Front".  After, we met, we talked, talked, and talked. @^__^@  My hubby was a good listener then.

      After lunch, we walked up to the hill for some sweets.  Lek recommended the "Pancake on the Rocks".  The restaurant was lively and crowded.  We ordered Chocolate pancakes and Crepes.  Crepes was superb!!!  Very rich and delicious!!
    The Museum of Contemporary of Art, Sydney was our next destination.  "Annie Leibovitz" Exhibition is there.  It was awesome.  Don't miss it if you are in Sydney.  She is the American photographer for Vogue, Vanity Fair and so on.  She has taken pictures for many many famous, celebrities and actors.

     The highlight for me was Dinner.  We went to "Rockpool".  My hubby wanted to try the tasting menu which was the 8 courses.  I had asked for some changes because I don't eat quail so I changed   it to be duck and for dessert, I asked for Date pie.  They remarked it was original since 1984.  It was no disappointed.  So Yummy!!

Here is the 8 courses menu at "Rockpool".

Sterling caviar with prawn toast

Chirachi sushi of kingfish, bonito, prawn and squid

Green lip abalone, red braised thirlmere goose, chicken crisp and fine noodles with no dressing

John dory and scampi with macadamia, bamboo pith, scampi broth and tofu made at the table

Eight treasure hot pot of quail, white fungus, gingko nuts and quail tea egg

My substitute dish (Duck with sea urchin sauce)

David blackmore's wagyu scotch fillet with old skin stir fry, 

snake beans, soy milk skin and hakka nam yee sauce

Green apple sorbet with bircher muesli

Jasmine candle scented brulee with quince, grapes and almonds

My Best dish ever!!  "Date Pie"

Coffee and petits fours

http://waterfrontrestaurant.com.au/
http://www.rockpool.com/
http://www.pancakesontherocks.com.au/home
The museum of Contemporary of Art, Sydney