I’m back at The Star this time to sample Black by Ezard for Mother’s Day. Having making his culinary mark in Melbourne with Gingerboy and Ezard, Teage Ezard brings his contemporary approach to grilling to Sydney.
Wine list on the Ipad – über cool
Complimentary bread
As soon as we are seated, a cute little loaf arrives. Cutting into it, it’s still warm and the butter melts into the brioche. We polish off one and the attentive wait staff asks if we would like another. As a bread lover, it was an offer I couldn’t refuse.
We ordered entrees to share. First up was the oysters. The Asian inspired dressing of yuzu and wakame clearly showed the Asian undertones from Teage’s familiar Gingerboy restaurant. The yuzu enhanced the sweetness of the oyster I thought as it was less tart than using lemon juice. Even though the lemon was provided, none was needed and I thought it tasted better without it.
Oysters with Yuzu and wakame jelly – $12 for 3
Within minutes, our table was covered with our entrees, so much so they had to serve for us the spanner crab. There was an abundance of delicate spanner crab pieces and being served on a lettuce leaf, I showed great restraint by not picking it up with my fingers and rolling it up like a sang chow bau.
Spanner Crab green papaya, jicama, peanut caramel, citrus aioli – $31
I was very much looking forward to this entree as it has all ingredients which makes me go weak in the knees. The slow cooked organic egg is encapsulated in brik pastry with potato cream acting as a moat and iberico ham doubling as a scoop up the creamy goodness.
Organic Farm Egg Potato cream, truffles, iberico ham, herb salad – $36
Having heard they sous vide the steak before finishing off on the grill, steaks are what we are here for tonight. Being ambitious, I ordered the striploin with chimichurri sauce. Steak being sous vide confirmed my suspicion of making the meat being too tender and as such losing the texture. Never less, the steaks were a delight to eat and the striploin retained more of a meat flavour when compared to Mr Dough’s Ribeye on the bone. Mr Dough’s marrow sauce with the steak came in a cute little sauce pan with floating white bits (oh yes! It’s marrow!)
Striploin Grain fed angus 350g – $55
Ribeye Dry aged grass-fed angus 400g – $54
Marrow and shallot sauce – $4
Argentinean chimichurri – $4
The beans were on the oily side and I had to wipe of most of the sauce. This however should compensate for the fact, the potato gratin was deliciously light. The potato was shredded and baked/pan-fried with shavings of parmesan cheese on top. The bacon bits was reminded me of a posh version of the fake bits you used to get at Sizzler!
Potato gratin – $10; Beans with anchovy, tarragon and quail egg – $14
Could we fit dessert in? Well…just. I totally forgot about ordering the chocolate ganache as I was looking for something light. The mango sorbet was refreshing on the palate with little chunks of sago on the bottom. Reminds me of chinese mango pudding!
Passionfruit Cream Macadamia financier, mango sorbet, dried coconut
All in all, I had my doubts on sous vide steak but it sort of works if you really enjoy tender meat. There are many other things which catches my eye, if that is not enough, the brioche will entice me back.
Black by Ezard
The Star
Level G, Harbourside
80 Pyrmont St,
Pyrmont, NSW 2009
H: Thursday – Friday 12pm- 3pm (Lunch)
Tuesday- Sunday 5:30pm – 11pm (Dinner)
P: 1800 700 7o0
