Review: Sixpenny

83 Percival Rd

Stanmore

T. 9572 6666

e. info@sixpenny.com.au

Wed-Sat

Dinner from 6pm

Sat-Sun

Lunch from 12pm

I am having a 'Tom Cruise' moment right now - you know, one of those fist pump, jump on Oprah's couch kind of moments. 

This moment has come about courtesy of Sixpenny and the stupendous lunch we experienced there recently.

Let me take you back to that day and how it all began...

We have been wanting to dine at Sixpenny for positively ages - I was tweeting the boys on a semi regular basis asking when they were going to open, were they taking bookings yet, etc. etc. 

When they finally did open, we never seemed to get our act together and actually book, and then before long, the rave reviews started & securing a table became a little more tricky.

...So this day started off as most Saturdays have for the last 4 months - up at the crack of dawn to get the house ready for inspection.

Then with inspection number 112 over, we fire up the Mazda & make the very short trip to Sixpenny.

The room is a lot smaller than expected, with around 9 well spaced tables all up, it is an intimate space, that feels really warm and comfortable.

We have decided on the 8 course degustation today and things kick of brilliantly with a largish sourdough loaf and a mound of crispy, wafer thin, malt vinegar chips.

The sourdough loaf is a credit to its 'mother' Bob - it has a gorgeous crust and a great 'sour' hit to it, matched with the creamy house made mascarpone butter it goes down a treat. 
The Malt chips are a revelation, thin and transparent they pack more flavour than you think would be possible, the best salt and vinegar chips you will ever eat.

Next up we have  Cheddar Cheese and Onions; Fried Mussels; Rye Bread with virgin butter; Duck Tongue and Knuckle Sandwich, these are matched with NV Centennial Blanc De Blanc Southern Highlands.

The Cheddar Cheese and onions is simply amazing - an intensely flavoured cheese oil (achieved by boiling cheddar cheese then collecting the fats and oils that rise to the surface), sits within the blanched onion and the combination is magical. The essence of the cheese is captured so perfectly in this dish.

The slightly grainy virgin butter is quite a surprise, it has great flavour and is not overwhelmed by the dark rye bread. 
The fried mussels are oustanding, crisp on the outside and all plump, salty and juicy within. A real standout.

Buggles got to experience duck tongues at Vue de Monde and raved about them, so we are both quite looking forward to sampling them here. We are not let down. Served simply on a gem lettuce leaf the tongue is seared to crispy perfection, the interior however, is tender and somewhat creamy. Quite spectacular.

Finally, the Knuckle Sandwich - pork for Buggles and jerusalem artichoke for me. Both are served with apple jelly on toasted brioche and both are truly divine.

Milk chips and green strawberries w/ 2011 Andrew Thomas Six Degrees Semillon Hunter Valley.

This is quite an interesting dish. The melt in the mouth, wafer like Milk Chips do indeed taste like chips made from milk. While this dish doesn't pack a flavour punch, texturally it is very interesting and a great start.

Crab, Silky Macadamia and Camomile w/ 2010 Mount Majura Chardonnay Canberra District

Oh my God - this dish is sublime. The sweet crab meat is enhanced by the gorgeous macadamia milk. The flavours are clean, with each component very well defined. We love the different textures as well, with the silky smooth crab combining nicely with the crunch of the macadamia nuts. Truly memorable.

Roast Sweet Potato, Fish Roe and Whey Sauce w/ 2007 Patina Fume Sauvignon Blanc Orange

Another winner here, with the perfectly roasted and slightly caramelised potato, enveloped in the lovely whey foam - the fish roe is subtle is flavour and certainly does not overpower the dish.

Snapper/Pumpkin, Pumpkin Seed Cream, Soft Leeks w/ 2011 BK Wines Pinot Rosé Adelaide Hills, SA

Buggles and I veer off the same path for a moment, as she has this dish with snapper, while I take the vegetarian route and go with the pumpkin. Both versions are equally successful, the snapper is soft and silky, while my pumpkin is roasted and beautifully caramelised. We love the pumpkin seed cream topped with a generous smattering of very salty, crushed pumpkin seeds. This dish is one of my favorites.

Coorong Hanger, Smoky Cabbage and Mustard Leaves w/ 2010 Grove Estate Nebbiolo/Primitivo Hilltops

The hangar steak is seared perfectly, leaving it wonderfully rare. The meat packs a real flavour punch and is probably the most gamey of all beef cuts. The smoky cabbage puree is not overly strong, the balance between it and the meat is spot on. Totally delicious. 

A pre dessert of candied rhubarb and whey macarons is a great way to transition to the dessert component of our meal. I love the rhubarb in particular, with its chewy consistency and incredibly tart flavour.

Ginger Root


Another fave of mine. Jerusalem Artichoke poached in ginger syrup sits alongside some diced candied ginger and a soft ginger pillow. Not a fan of ginger at the best of times, I however, love this dish. The heat from the ginger is quite mild and the flavour is astonishing.

Beetroots, Mead, Steamed Brioche and Honey Ice Cream w/ 2010 Lerida Botrytis Pinot Gris Canberra District

A firm favourite with Buggles, this dish is astounding. The beetroot (poached in mead) has a slight chewiness to it which is quite pleasing, the brioche is sweet and airy and honey ice cream is rich, creamy and a little flowery.

Frozen Rye Milk w/ Bethany Old Quarry Frontignac Barossa Valley. 

Probably the biggest surprise of all, is this dish. Who would have thought that rye could taste so good. The frozen rye milk is a bit like white chocolate in texture, the rye 'ganache' within is very creamy and the crumbs on top are very reminiscent of eating Milo straight from the tin. Spectacular.

We finish of with  tea and coffee and the cookie jar, consisting of house made versions of lamingtons, monte carlo, kingston & ginger snaps. Each one so much better than the original it replicates.

To complement this amazing food journey, Sixpenny has some of the best service we have experienced in a restaurant thus far. The waitstaff are incredibly knowledgeable, they take the time to engage in conversation & explain dishes in a little more depth - and  while I don't profess to know that much about wine, I found the mainly New South Wales wine matches to be very good and most enjoyable.


Sixpenny is a restaurant we are bound visit again and again.


Squeak