28th July 2007
Ottoman
I have recently visited two great spots reviewed in the Sydney Morning Herald by Simon Thomsen. I loved both. This is like when your friend says it's the funniest movie I've ever seen' again, and the last time you saw one of his funniest evers' you left before it finished. Except in reverse. I think Simon Thomsen may be my gourmet guru.
So, in homage to Simon Thomsen 1.
On a dark, glittery night in July I visited Ottoman with my two significant others (AKA my Mum and my DC.
Ottoman, as Guru Simon told me, is the sibling of Ottoman Cuisine in Canberra (Australia's nominal capital) and has had an A$5 million fit out. It had that totally understated A$5 million feel to it - two-tone metallic-wallpaper feature wall, amazing chandelier (someone told me, I didn't notice it), warm, cosy, comfy chairs and vintage glass lamps in the main dining room. I wondered idly whether the A$5 million included the Fink water jugs (pictured) which we have admired in galleries elsewhereoh - the food, the food, that's why we were there.
Our young but knowledgeable waiter (turns out he has worked in the Canberra branch for years) asked whether he could put together a tasting menu for us, or whether we'd like to choose from the extensive and very tempting menu. We opted for his tasting menu, with a few choices of our own from the menu. I noticed that at other tables nearby where diners had also ordered the tasting menu that they all appeared different - I was impressed.
Now I have to be honest, I can't quite remember what was on each of the plates, but every mouthful was delicious and perfectly cooked. There was veal wrapped in thin pastry, quail and couscous, tiny, succulent mouthfuls of dressed salad, cabbage rolls, and Turkish Delight in three flavours to finish.
The balance of the meal meant that we were comfortably full at completion, totally Goldilocks - not too full, not too empty.
If you're visiting Sydney, or you're local and want somewhere different and special (and not outrageously expensive), Ottoman is your place.
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