Bird Cow Fish

This is a funky East Sydney restaurant located not far from Billy Kwongs in Crown Street. Kim chose this restaurant because it had been written up in the Sydney Morning Herald and got a rave review about it's cheese platter.

Joining me on this culinary escapade were the, now, regulars. Brenda, Kim, Paul, Elaine and her sister with apologies from Gavin. Despite the fact that this was the latest restaurant that we have been too I had the most difficulty remembering what we all had because I had the best culinary experience with just one dish and it has completely overshadowed everything else.

I do know that I had the perch with lentils as my main and I have to say I was disappointed with it. I don't know if it was because the entree was just so phenomenal I couldn't taste it or if it was because it was, actually, a bit tasteless. I felt that it was lacking an acidic quality. It needed something to lift it from the lentils. It was cooked perfectly and the textures were a great combination but as I said it was lacking. It tasted bland to me. Others at my table had the fish stew and raved about that. There was a nice combination of seafood from squid and mussels and fresh fish and was in a nice tangy tomato stew. Others had the chicken and said that was great but as I said earlier I can't remember what it is that they actually had. I became self absorbed in my entree.

Which brings me to my entree! There is a god and he is in the hands of the chef who designed it! It was a duck and pork terrine. It came in a little white bowl and at first it looked empty because the layer of fat on the top was so perfectly white and liquid. It was accompanied by a shredded salad of cabbages with nuts and other ingredients I couldn't identify but every now and then you would stumble across a little gem of a current which would explode against the other ingredients. It was served with the cow bird fish fresh baked rye bread. When you combined all three, the terrine, the salad and the bread every bite was magnificent. In all my culinary experiences I have never been so rapturous about anything I have eaten.

Added to this I had a white wine off the menu that had a name something like wandering goose. That was also spectacular. It had a slight hint of passionfruit and complimented the entree magnificently.

I can't tell you what it was about this entree that was perfect. The duck and pork, I was told, was pickled before being shredded and then potted in the terrine. Nothing unusual in that but, dear lord, I loved it! We didn't get to the cheese platter. We were all too full for anything other than coffee.

About the restaurant itself. As I said it was funky and east Sydney. Lots of blonde wood, ambient candles and bright lights and white tables. The service was great and our waitress was witty. I dont remember what it cost but again I know it wasn't over $70 a head.

I have every intention of going back to the restaurant and trying other things on the menu. Well on the main menu, there can be nothing else on the entrees other than that terrine for me ever again and if they attempt to take it off the menu I may have to take drastic action.

I can only tell all people who love food to go to this restaurant, have the terrine and if they have the white wine, then choose that as well. You will not be disappointed.