By Leigh O’Connor.
There’s something about a waterfront restaurant that quietly offers promises of succulent seafood, views and a chance to take time out from a busy life to simply relax.
Last week, I had the opportunity to lunch at Ormeggio at the Spit at D’Albora Marina in Mosman with AGFG Sydney correspondent, Marie-Antoinette Issa – it didn’t disappoint!
This Chef-hatted venue ticks the boxes from all angles – white linen napkins on blond wood tables, a stunning vista of waterfront homes along the Spit and the kind of service that makes all the difference.
For once, my flight was early along with my ride, meaning I arrived about an hour before our reservation…no problem. Restaurant Manager, Jan-Broder Timm seated me at our table, brought a cold glass of pale pink French rose and the Chef’s cookbook to peruse while I waited for Mai to arrive.
Once she was seated, the conversation flowed as easily as the rose as we caught up on all things from work to food and music.
Both pescatarians, we ordered the Ormeggio Classics set menu and began our culinary adventure with roasted Brussels sprouts, charcoal corn, walnut Hollandaise and fried kale.
The corn purée was silky with pops of corn throughout while the roasted sprouts and fried kale added texture with crunch and crackle – a great start – complemented by organic sourdough and butter.
What followed was my favourite course – line-caught New Zealand snapper crudo, with orange, mandarin oil and trout roe. I’m a sucker for a great crudo or ceviche and this one hit the mark.
The orange segments and emulsion added a citrus bite to the melt-in-the-mouth snapper, with the trout roe adding a pop in the mouth to complete the dish – pescatarians in heaven!
As colourful on the plate as the palate, the housemade tagliolini pasta, with beetroot, goats’ cheese and Amaebi prawn crudo was a burst of flavour and colour, matched by the sweetness of the prawn.
Not to be outdone, the swordfish cotoletta alla Valdostana arrived – my favourite fish, to me this is like having a steak. It was crumbed and fried, served with cured tuna loin, cheddar, sage Hollandaise and a fresh tomato and caper salad.
Those who know me well will be surprised when I say the dessert was not to be missed. Not a sweet tooth, I rarely partake in desserts but this time I couldn’t say no to lemon gelato with candied lemon and torched lemon meringue.
The theatrics of the dish were perfect, brought to the table and torched in front of you…however, it was the first bite that really stole the show. The citrus freshness of the gelato was broken up by the sudden burst of candied lemon, sublimely paired with the fluffy meringue.
This was a lunch to savour – water views, delicious seafood and great company – and we did!
