Sydney - #1

Our posts are hopelessly out of whack - haven't finished writing Tasmania but have a few Sydney posts done.....so.....here we go - mainly food!

Drove from our Tasmanian country cottage to Hobart Airport at 5am.  It was an interesting trek - very twisty mountain roads, tandem log trucks moving through the passes at 100Km, frequent fog patches and the occasional kangaroo wandering home late from the pub.....and in Tasmania it's very dark at 5am.  We made it unscathed.  Pleasant flight to Sydney and now ensconced in a marvelous all-suites hotel that Liz found us near the Harbour District - large living/dining room, fully equipped kitchenette, balcony, AC, comfy bed and high speed internet - so we'll try to catch up before we're off on our Scuba Diving cruise.

At first glance it seems Sydney has done infinitely more with its waterfront location than Toronto has ever dreamed about.  Acres of parkland, fountains, playgrounds, an aquarium, museums, the Opera House and a restaurant row ranging from fast food to high end......and how do they solve the problem of essential elevated highways? (AKA - the Gardiner) - they just build the park under them and enjoy the shade - trees and all

We walk for an hour - heat and humidity are brutal.....and this is Fall!  Before Richard melts we take shelter in a restaurant at the end of a renovated dock - Flying Fish.

The view of the Harbour Bridge and Harbour are postcards - as always we love the new Australian architecture across the channel - and we come across one of our favourite birds - a pair of Ibis seem to have morphed from the hieroglyphics on a Pharoh's tomb

Our waitress is wonderful - knowledgeable, fun and charming - a Minnie Driver look alike and sound alike.  It is a memorable meal enhanced with some lovely wines.

For starters we share two entrees - 3 Seafood Tapas (very lovely to look at, pleasant to eat, but not sensational) and a provocative dish - lightly seared tuna with pork/pork crackling and pink grapefruit.  Bizarre combination and it works.  Who would have guessed that tuna and pork are complimentary?

And then, the best crab we've had since Tofino - 3.5 pounds of crustacean.  They serve it in Oriental sauce, salt and pepper crust or salt and pepper and curry crust.  Our waitress recommended the latter and we comply.......but what is crusty crab? (Other than the place where the cognescenti know that SpongeBob works)

Simply described it is a very large crab; briefly steamed, cleaned, separated, covered with a very spicy batter and then deep fried.  It is a flavour triumph!

We root around in our  crab bowls like happy porkers.  The napkins, bibs and table cloth will never be used again.  We order more wine and have even more fun.  Side orders of grapefruit relish (succulent), monster chips (really good after we get a further side of aioli) and salad (we are way behind on vegetables at this stage).

While all this gustatory over indulgence is unfolding, Sydney is putting on another display apparently just for our amusement.  First, Tubby the Tug Boat appears - 50 feet from our table

Then, it seems Tubby is towing something.......note the towline

Then it is quickly revealed that Tubby is towing a Car Freighter that is much larger than the restaurant we're in and very, very close to said same restaurant.  Our respect for Tubby increases by orders of magnitude

We then watch while Tubby, other tugboats and the huge car freighter perform a water ballet as the freighter is moved to a new dock

As we wander home we pass a number of very heavy duty racing sloops that our sailing friends would enjoy

All in all a good start to our time in Sydney - and liz has obtained reservations at Tetsuya - the Visa card is at risk.  We're in Dining Mode!!

Comments

[Arthur]

Wow! Serious boats! Or is that ships? Corporate sponsorship is the only way.

I’m amazed at your ability to be able to focus a camera and take a picture when presented with the succulent dishes that are placed in front of you! I’d be feeding my face with all these tempting dishes before the first click of the camera.

[Paul]

Hi Liz,
I got this link from your reply to my post about chinese restaurants in Sydney (Fodorites). I see that you are from Toronto (I have family there) and I am sure you know about chinese food much the same as we do here in San Francisco.
I was intrigued about your crusty crab at the Flying Fish. Where exactly was that restaurant - at the end of which dock?
I will look forward to your Tasmania site as we will visit Tasmania as well.
Thank you,
Paul

[Stuart Midgley]

Paul,

Flying fish is at the end of the Jones Bay Wharf, in Pyrmont.

Google maps link: http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Flying+Fish+restaurant&sll=-25.335448,135.745076&sspn=37.058614,67.675781&ie=UTF8&ll=-33.862612,151.198461&spn=0.016856,0.033045&z=16&iwloc=A

It's a great restaurant, and their outside bar is a great place for a late after-dinner drink as well.