Sepia

I once went running over Sepia’s roof.

I didn’t know it at the time, of course,

Or I might well have dropped in for a bite

And drink or two. It’s quite a tour de force

Of haute couture and class, to tell the truth

(The roof I mean). The restaurant’s also quite

Enjoyable despite the dearth of light

 

Which I’m fond of but bloggers sob about:

“What horrid planning! Made me bring my flash…”

But all in all, it’s not like other joints

Where anyone who looks a tad slapdash

Is slain on sight. Jeans and a t-shirt flout

The rigmarole that fine dining’s main point

Is dressing up. And Sepia’s got some clout

 

When dealing in fine restaurant stakes (and steaks).

To dine in constant rapture for four hours

Is not something you’d do just every day.

But while your wallet wets its hide and cowers

In your pocket, take stock of what makes

This ten-course degustation just so fey.

Too lazy? Let me help you out, I pray:

 

The Amuse Bouche‘s a uni-lover’s dream,

Despite not bearing union-led discounts;

Take nori, add some monstrous Scallops and

You get a dish upon which food-snobs pounce;

The Tuna Tartare quickly wins esteem

With tuna raw and egg-yolk which demand

Attention like a naked marching-band;

 

To cap the entrées comes a Crab Risotto

Which foams with rabid glee at its success;

Some Hiramasa Kingfish topped with Scampi

Begins the mains with tantalising zest

Which, even if you were completely blotto,

Would lace your drunken haze with dreams of scampi.

Why did I choose to end that line with scampi?

 

The Beef with mushroom foam and paste disproves

The theory that “meat and two veg” be dull;

The Venison is just a little weird -

One really could the cocoa powder cull

For when it comes to meat, nothing behooves

It more than simply “medium, rare or seared?”;

Perhaps it’s meant as segue to revered

 

Dessert-time! Not a second steak this time,

Instead, this Jelly Thing to freshen up

With tart gelato and a drop of red;

And then upon Spring Forests we do sup

Redolent with choc twigs and fingerlime,

Topped with fresh sorbet royally-born and bred

To cool the jaded diner’s sleepy head.

 

I traversed Sepia’s roof in quite a hurry

For I was racing ninja wannabes

To show them that I was a force to fear.

If I had known of Sepia under me,

My focus would have surely gone a-flurry

With thoughts of good food, good friends and good beer.

I’m glad I finally made it back here.

 

 Amuse Bouche (Sea-urchin, wooden spoon, other cool stuff)

‘Scallop Sushi’ – nori-rolled scallop, pickled ginger, puffed sushi rice, avocado cream

Tartare of yellowfin tuna, poached egg-yolk, soy & wasabi sprouting caviar lentils (!!!!!! seriously!!!!) , amaranth grain

QLD spanner crab and buckwheat risotto, mustard butter, shellfish essence

Spiced roasted poetically-awkward scampi tails, roasted Hiramasa kingfish, scampi cream, baby fennel lemon, saffron + shiso + shellfish jus

Char-grilled pasture-fed completely-bossing Angus beef tenderloin marinated in Hatcho miso shiitake  (magic without a capital M) mushroom custard, nameko (??), miso mustard, barley miso

Cocoa and sansho-seared Mandagery creek venison, baby beetroots (not the band), rhubarb chocolate (?!?!), beetroot and boudin noir crumb

Pre-dessert (cucumber gingersomething sorbet somethingsomething jelly etc etc) (thanks, Moonfairy)

‘Spring Chocolate Forest’ – Soft chocolate, chestnut, native fingerlime honey cream, blackberry sorbet, blackberry candy, green tea, (very subtle) licorice, chocolate twigs, berries, crystallised fennel fronds (thanks, Moonfairy)

Sepia Restaurant and Wine Bar

Location: 201 Sussex Street, Sydney NSW 2000

Taste-type: Contemporary Australian

Price: $150 for ten course degustation

How to get there: Train to Town Hall or bus to QVB, then walk down to Sussex Street. Sepia is just next to Darling Park (PriceWaterhouseCoopers office).

Contact: 02-92831990

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