Review: Foveaux

65 - 67 Foveaux St
Surry Hills

Lunch
Thurs - midday til 3pm
Dinner

Tues - Sat - 6pm til late

Foveaux Restaurant in Surry Hills has long been on our radar as a dining destination, but for some reason we have never quite made it there.... until recently. Nestled amongst a myriad of discount outlet stores for luggage, lingerie and manchester sits this little gem of a place that also houses the rather funky little cocktail bar The Red Door. 

The interior is long and narrow with generous sized tables, comfortable seating, moody lighting and exposed brickwork. We are led to the table, peruse the menu and ponder our choices.

I'm thinking I need to choose heavy dishes as the last time I had a Darrell Felstead experience (many moons ago) at the Three Weeds Restaurant in Rozelle I do recall rather 'petite' portion sizes.  I opt for the Caramelised Pork Belly with Black Pudding puree, ceviche prawn and shiso and prawn cracker.  I have to admit I am very surprised to see the rather generous portion size that comes my way. The pork belly is excellent; moist and unctuous. The flavour of the black pudding puree and the texture of the cracker also adds to the completion of the dish both in terms of flavour and crunch.

Squeak selects the Duck terrine with Peking duck jelly, abalone, pickled shitake and rice cracker. This too is genereously aportioned and the flavours are phenomenal. Meaty, silky and light with richness and acidity. She enjoys it immensely and we are feeling good about what is to come.

I rarely order fish in a restaurant as I am often let down by it, (two exceptions to this have been a rather delicious fish with a divine butter sauce from Manu at L'Etoile and some other crusted fish delight by Phillip Searle at Vulcans in Blackheath).  On this occasion however I decide to throw caution to the wind and order the Roasted Mulloway with a bouillabaisse foam, white polenta, black olive and tomato. The dish looks amazing when it arrives with an interesting pastry crisp encasing the bouillabaisse foam which gushes over the roasted fish and polenta when released. The fish is cooked beautifully with a delicious crispy skin and while the black olive is meagre in quantity, is perfectly balanced with the other flavours. I personally didn't like the flavour of the bouillabaisse foam, but this could just be a personal taste issue.

Squeak orders (just for a change) a Braised wagyu shin with potato puree and mushrooms. This dish is what belongs on every plate on a winter's day. It just warms you to look at it! The wagyu shin is soft and rich while the potato puree is creamy, buttery and smooth. The mushrooms add that classic earthy match that she loves so much.

We always want to order a cheese course when we eat out, being massive lovers of cheese (thankyou The Larder Epicerie Fine for opening close by!), however we rarely can manage it. We decide to live like it's our last and do it anyway.  A  punchy blue arrives with a creamy Fire Engine Red with lavosh, grapes and a fruity toast which, while not the most imaginative cheese course going around, satisfied the urge all the same.

I am excited about dessert! I know within moments of glancing at the dessert menu that the Ginger Sponge with cream cheese icecream, carrot marmalade and walnut powder is for me! I love, love, love gingerbread! This lighter version of it, paired with the revelationary cream cheese ice cream and carrot marmalade is a clever, hearty and delicious deconstructed carrot cake and I love it.

Squeak selects a lighter option with the Strawberry Parfait, pistachio wafers, peppermint tea jelly and strawberry sorbet.  The parfait is divine. Really creamy with a true starwberry flavour and the zingy freshness of the sorbet and the crisp pistachio wafer makes it an ideal end to the meal. The peppermint tea jelly is genius.

We are however, not quite done. We do like to laze over a coffee following such an indulgent meal and accompanying these ones comes a selection of petit fours. There is a dainty lemon curd mini cupcake as well as toasted marshmallow for each of us. The marshmallow is sticky and sweet but that cupcake!!! Ohhh... the lemon! So few places really commit to the lemon flavour in a curd or tart ... but no such restraint here from Mr Felstead!  This cupcake was one magnificent mouthful.

So, for a restaurant that we had been wanting to visit for some time this one certainly did not let us down. They also offer a really well priced tasting menu of 6 courses for $80 and a fabulous lunchtime special (with more limited options) of 3 courses for $35! What a baragin for such great food.

Pardon the gushing, but for a meal that wasn't excessively priced we think the food at Foveaux deserves it.

Buggles