First Year Anniversary (2) Aria Restaurant

Surprise number 2 was dinner at Aria Restaurant. After a misleading walk around the toaster and looping back around we entered the restaurant at 6.30pm.

We were seated on the Macquarie st side, close to the bar. The restaurant had a great view of the harbour.

Menu! We decided on the 3 course meal ($89 pp, pre theatre menu).

First course K got the Peking duck consommé with duck dumplings, mushrooms and shaved abalone.

I got the Kurobuta pork belly with pork croquette and caramelised apple.

After the first mouthful of my pork croquette I knew the meal was going to be fantastic! The pork was succulent with perfectly crisped crackling and was beautifully complimented by the caramelized apple and sauce.The croquette was crispy but not at all oily.

Looking over at K told me he was having a similar experience with his duck consommé. One sip of the soup and I could taste the sweetness of the shaved abalone and flavour of the duck all swimming together in it's tasty tasty broth! I couldn't wait for our mains!

First out, roast lamb rump with garlic soubise, baby fennel and mint gel.

Next grass fed scotch fillet with lyonnaise potatoes, green asparagus with bone marrow and cornichon sauce.

And a side of potato mash with truffle oil! Oh the buttery goodness

All the flavours where so rich and not too overpowering. The mint gel that came with the lamb was so minty and sweet it was surprising how much flavour they could get into those small dabs of gel. As expected it was a great addition to the lamb.

Both the lamb and scotch were tender and perfectly cooked medium rare. It was definitely maintaining a "best place we've been to so far" status.

Dessert! Mango souffle with coconut ripple ice cream.

Milk chocolate and passionfruit dumplings with yuzu (my favorite Japanese fruit!) curd and passionfruit sorbet.

I love it when they write messages on my dessert plate. It so special!

The dessert dumplings were warm and crisp on the outside with a fantastic burst of flavour when I bit into the center! The rest was also fantastic but the dumplings were my favorite.

The meal was finished with a serving of petit fours. My favorite was the coconut which is strange because I usually don't like shaved coconut.

All in all an excellent dinner!