Quay is regarded as the top restaurant in Sydney and I was excited to review the new ‘The Quay to Lunch’ menu, a more affordable option priced at A$160.
The original Quay opened in 2001 and by 2018 it was ready for a refresh, which resulted in the contemporary restaurant we see today. This restaurant has held Three Chef Hats, the Australian equivalent of Michelin Stars, for an unprecedented 18 years under Executive Chef Peter Gilmore.
Quay is located in the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay with million dollar views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. However, during my Sunday lunch a Holland America cruise ship was berthed so the views were limited to the Harbour Bridge.
In this post:
Quay Restaurant Sydney Review
The remastered restaurant is a beautiful space with contemporary decor featuring warm woods and dark leather chairs.
Tables are no longer dressed with a white tablecloth, previously mandatory in serious restaurants, and the seats comfortably upholstered in soft leather.
The Quay To Lunch Menu
The Quay To Lunch is a new four course seafood set menu available exclusively at lunchtime on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
THE QUAY TO LUNCH
Hand harvested seafood
Virgin soy, seaweed, aged vinegar
Steamed mud crab custard
Lady Godiva squash seeds
Murray Cod
Shaved squid, oyster cream, coastal greens
Moo
Amuse Bouche
A perfectly formed little tartlet arrived as an amuse bouche, which had good texture and primed the tastebuds.
Hand Harvested Seafood
The first dish was Hand harvested seafood with Virgin soy, seaweed, aged vinegar. Prior to the dish arriving, the table was set with a spoon and Quay-branded tweezers!
The idea with this dish is to create a perfect mouthful with each spoonful, and engage the diner as though they were the chef.
The scallops were served sashimi style and the accompanying seafood worked beautifully with the soy and seaweed, a wonderfully fresh yet subtle flavour.
Steamed Mud Crab Custard
The second course of Steamed mud crab custard with Lady Godiva squash seeds was again beautifully subtle, with the diner invited to pour the finishing touch themselves. Very similar to a chawanmushi but with fermented shiitake mushrooms instead of egg. A generous serving of sweet crab made the dish.
Crumpets With Smoked Salmon Roe
Up next was an unexpected bonus course of crumpets with smoked salmon roe was delivered to the table. The crumpets were served in a dish resembling a toaster, and were beautifully golden brown too.
A wooden spatula was provided to spread the cream.
And finally on goes the smoked salmon roe! This was easily the best crumpet I’ve ever eaten and felt like a supersized caviar and blini combination.
Once the crumpets had been enjoyed, a hot towel was provided.
Murray Cod
The main course of Murray Cod with Shaved squid, oyster cream, coastal greens was delicious. Served on a bed of noodles that on closer inspection turned out to be shaved squid and in a rich oyster cream source, it was a most satisfying dish.
Moo
Finally, the intriguingly named Moo arrived as dessert. The cream and dulce de leche complemented each other, and the crispy biscuits on top added texture and crunch.
Was it as visually spectacular as the world-famous Snow Egg or as decadent as the Eight Texture Chocolate Cake? Not quite, but it was a refreshing and comforting way to end the meal.
Petit Fours
Actually, just as we thought the meal was over a plate of petit fours arrived with tartlets and salted caramel canelés! I was introduced to canelés at Le Bernardin in New York so I was delighted to have them again.
Quay Restaurant Sydney Review Summary
The new ‘The Quay To Lunch’ menu offers the full Quay experience at a reasonable A$160. Four courses are just about right and the bonus crumpets were delightful.
Service was friendly yet polished and our main waiter met us at the entry to the restaurant to present the gift below containing handmade Valrhona chocolates and a copy of the menu.
