The Berry sourdough bakery is a perfect spot for a stop-off if you’re driving down south for Sydney. Owned by Joost and Jelle Hilkemeijer – their philosophies and influences are “Quality ingredients, time and simplicity”, and they couldn’t be more correct. Set in a rustic country house with terracotta floors and old wooden furniture, this isn’t your average bakery. All the breads here are handcrafted organic sourdough loaves, made from local organic food products without the aid of moulding machinery. The cafe menu is also packed full of interesting food, using as much local produce as possible – and always at their freshest. I was most impressed with the dishes created here – it’s possibly one of my new favorites! The service was also very relaxed, friendly, yet extremely professional. I never give ratings but they are at least 8/10 in my books!

Local Oysters with red wine and eschalot vinegarette

Homemade chicken liver parfait with sourdough toast with papaya salsa

Zucchini, haloumi fritters with cured ocean trout, roe and cucumber


oozing with deliciousness… oh my god.

Spinach and ricotta ravioli (?) with Mittagong tunnel mushrooms – perhaps my memory will come back to me, as this was an amazing dish

I have been searching for Mittagong tunnel mushrooms everywhere as I’ve heard such raving reviews about how tasty they were. And they were right!

Address: 23 Prince Alfred Street, Berry, NSW, Australia.

Phone: (02) 44641617

the(sydney)magazine
Food Hall of Fame Dinner
Tonight’s menu incorporates seafood from Christie’s Seafoods, vegetables from Fratelli Fresh and cheese from Jannei Goat Dairy.

Canapes
Freshly shucked oysters with shallot vinegar
Pistachio and goat’s cheese pesto tartlet
G.H. Mumm Cordon Rouge NV champagne, France

Menu

Duo of Hiramasa kingfish and ocean trout
with Victorian white asparagus and wasabi emulsion
2007 Bloodwood riesling, Orange, Australia

West Australian marron
with braised fennel, tapenade, figs, tomato and balsamic vinaigrette
2005 Jean Manciat Macon Charnay “franclieu” chardonnay, Burgundy, France

White River veal rack roasted on the bone
with speck, broad beans, spring garlic puree, pomme parisienne, truffle and jus gras
2006 Rusden “Driftsand” shiraz cabernet, Barossa Valley, Australia

Raspberry soufflé
with pistachio ice-cream and raspberry compote
2005 Grande Maison “cuvee des anges”, Monbazillac, France

Very interesting dinner where food is paired with Cognac. It was done beautifully, to my surprise!

Salt Cod & Rouille

Hennessy VSOP, Muscat Grape & Lime

Rock Oyster with Vadouvan Salad

Hennessy VSOP & Sparkling Water

Spring Lamb Samphire & Asparagus

Hennessy XO on the Rocks

Bouillabaisse

Hennessy XO Neat

Fresh Curd, Strawberry & Rhubarb

Kouign-amann & Pineapple Chocolate Truffle

Hennessy Paradis Neat

The steaks were all cooked to each person’s specification, as there were no complaints from anyone. There were Wagyu options (both marble score 7 and marble score 9), but I honestly have tired myself from eating wagyu – it’s great once in a while, but just really not very healthy for the heart to consume an excessive amount of fat. For dessert, I really enjoyed the ‘Five textures of Mandarin’ from the crispy pastry shell, to the ice cream, to the jelly, the coulis, and the syrupped segments with sweet fragrant citrus undertones.

Strip loin on the bone, dry aged, grain fed, 500g, with horseradish cream $46

Sides: “mac & cheese”, creamed spinach, shoe string fires $6

Berry mascarpone trifle, redcurrant jelly $18

Five textures of mandarin $18

Valrhona chocolate raspberry delice, chocolate sorbet $18

And the table next to us, Justin Hemmes himself - if it’s good enough for him for a Wednesday afternoon, it’s probably good enough for us. Thank you, company expense account!

Checked out Rambutan on Oxford st – the usual overpriced modern Thai fusion, but it was a nice feed. The lounge downstairs has a great tropical fish tank which I can stare at all day… and the cocktails were inventive.

 

I’m itching to go to Cambodia in December for one week. I’m currently looking at Intrepid travel – I’m not a fan of group travel but the ‘independant’ style is a customized itinerary for 1 or 2 people (link). It sure makes travelling alone a lot less scary.

Unless someone wants to come along?

And the company was even better.

We had the opportunity to have Sunday lunch (dressed like we were heading to church) in the private dining room. And Raj, our friendly waiter even gave us a tour of the kitchen (I was lost for words) afterwards, and what an amazing kitchen it was! The size of the kitchen was almost larger than the size of the restaurant. No photos of the kitchen though, as I didn’t think it was appropriate.

So this may have been the most I’ve ever spent on lunch for my two favorite New York ladies (with a $1000+ bill) but I really have to say that it was worth every penny. Nothing in Australia is even close to the quality, skill and taste to what we ate at Per Se. Isabel witnessed my triple food orgasm with tears of joy. It was a 15 course prix fixe menu but the chef sent us a few additonal treats.

Shall We Start?

Gluttony – my favorite sin

Choose this over sex? HELL YEAH.