My Birthday - Day 4

All good things must come to an end. I always feel glum like a child on the last day of camping, when we come to our last morning in the Hunter Valley. Reluctantly, I would fold and play tetris with our clothes in the luggage. The rain was still quite steady and strong so again, we stayed in watching tennis until check-out time. Because of the hedonism over my birthday weekend we decided to skip breakfast and save our hunger for lunch. I took one last Pokolbin vineyard photo first.

We did some wine tasting (and purchasing!). Then, lunch was at Muse cafe (between the restaurant and Hungerford Hill cellar door is a smaller space of cafe tables). I don't know what it was, (the fact that I skipped breakfast? The knowledge that we were going back home? Or simply the amazing food?) but I absolutely, utterly savoured every last morsel, drop, flake and crumb... and washed down with a healthy glass of Shiraz of course.

I just had to have Muse's amazing gnocchi yet again!
This time with speck and Swiss brown 'shrooms

2010 Hungerford Hill Shiraz
I already have a bottle at home, but this
makes me feel all warm & fuzzy inside!

Pan-seared Canadian Scallops with an Asian Salad

Duck Tortellini - I melted.

See what I mean?

Braised Beef Parcel

The Pièce de résistance for me - a Strawberry Eton Mess
It was such a simple dessert, but it's one of life's indulgent little pleasures
Broken meringue, strawberries, strawberry jam,
Chantilly cream and baby basil leaves to set it all off

Petit fours before we hit the road home
L-R: lemon tart, raspberry macaron, caramel slice

Almond frangipane tart on the left

 We drove through Mt View again on our way back to Sydney. It was just too breathtaking for me not to see it a second time before leaving - even if it was raining. So tempted to look at real estate in the area!!

Low hanging rain clouds. It still did not stop raining!
Rain and dirt roads gave me a muddy car to wash later on.

Until we meet again, Hunter Valley...

My Birthday - Day 3

After that stinking hottest ever recorded in Sydney day, we woke up in the Hunter Valley to a beautiful overcast and 20 degree morning! Perfect for a walk through the beautiful vineyards :)

We had breakfast at Cafe Enzo - we originally wanted to try Peterson's Champagne House but didn't realise you'd need a booking (for breakfast? really??) - I suppose the hot air balloon people book out the place for breakfast upon their return. Anyhow, it was meant to be because not only do Cafe Enzo serve Campos coffee, I got to enjoy my breakfast to the smooth sound of Sia's voice followed by Thom Yorke in Atoms for Peace (he's the lead singer of Radiohead if you didn't know!!) I love a cafe with fantastic taste in music!

My coffee came with a Tiny Teddy! I thought
it was an adorable touch!

Delicious eggs benedict on ciabatta with wilted spinach

For lunch we went to the beautiful Muse Kitchen - the head chef Troy of Muse Restaurant at Hungerford Hill winery (our favourite place on the planet) recently opened this intimate restaurant on the picturesque grounds of Keith Tulloch winery. Their doors weren't open for long before he was awarded yet another chef's hat!

Sashimi with Ruby Red Grapefruit, Soy & Ginger Dressing

The homey decor of Maine meets Provencale

The gnocchi at both Muse and Muse Kitchen are
the most delicious I have ever eaten

QLD Banana Prawn with truss tomatoes grown by the chef

Salad of Young Leaves with Radishes and Roast Macadamias

Iced Milk with Gingerbread Crumble and Cherries

The Beautiful Estate of Keith Tulloch Winery

The weather went from one extreme (the day before being the hottest recorded day) to the other - it began to rain. And pour it did. Which was unfortunate because there wasn't much we could do except stay in and watch the Australian Open on TV!

Well for dinner we drove down to Mount View - named so for a reason! The place was so stunning I want to move there. There is a small B&B at Tallavera Grove called "Little Orchard" and we had dinner at Bistro Molines - chef hatted for 3 consecutive years. Like Muse Kitchen, their cuisine is rustic French food.

Carpaccio of Kingfish on a Bed of Daikon Radish

Battered White Bait

Clam Linguine - I really enjoyed this

Pomme Frites :)

Rack of lamb with Petit Ratatouille Provençal,
roasted tomatoes, rosemary & garlic jus

Pan-seared Jewfish with King Prawn, Snow Pea Medley
and Saffron Cream

Chocolate Mousse Mille Feuille - Divine!

Chocolate Fondant with Caramel Ice Cream

I can't complain ;)

My Birthday - Day 2

I decided to break my normal tradition of having breakfast at Pancakes on the Rocks when I stay overnight in town. So we took a (burning hot) stroll to The Fine Food Store in the Rocks. Yes, it was the hottest ever recorded Sydney day. Something like 46 degrees. The car dash displayed 50 degrees at one point!

Yes, I know this is naughty for breakfast - Brioche French Toast
with Vanilla Gelato, Macadamias and Dulce de Leche Sauce

Reuben Sandwich

Campos Coffee - the most important part

It was so wrong for there to be butter
served on the side of this croissant
.... yet so right ;)

Thank goodness for air conditioning in cars - we spent the good part of that stinking hot afternoon driving up to the Hunter Valley. We stayed at the Leisure Inn Resort - my parents have a Wyndham vacation time-share thing and gave us accommodation for the weekend. After checking in and battling with trying to turn the aircon up as high as possible, we had dinner at Muse restaurant. We come here again, and again, and again, and again.......

Amuse Bouche: Salmon Mousse

Pork Belly with Crab & Apple Salad
The green sauce was a wasabi from New Zealand

Pan-seared Canadian Sea Scallop with Squid Ink Gnocchi,
Fennel and Orange

Nukalba Chicken Breast with Liver Parfait,
Egg Yolk and a "Truffle"
(an Arancini ball coated in black truffle)

Slow cooked Milly Hill lamb with Jerusalem Artichoke,
Watercress, Broadbean, Almond, Jus

Palate Cleanser: Ginger Sorbet and Basil

Dessert: Vanilla bean crème brûlée with banana, date,
malfroy's honeycomb and brown butter

This dessert won a competition (judges were 3:1)
between the Muse head chef Troy Rhoades-Brown
and a chef from Sydney

My birthday - Day 1

This post is overdue but I have only just now had a chance to sit down and recount my birthday weekend! (From January 17-20th) Thanks to my wonderful hubby, turning 28 didn't have to be so ordinary!

I had enjoyed Galileo Restaurant at the Langham Hotel (previously Observatory Hotel) before and so thought we were due to return! Again, they did not disappoint! Because it was a Thursday night, it was a pleasant, quiet evening in the restaurant. A pianist entertained with many jazz favourites (many Gershwin classics, a real birthday treat for me!).

We stayed the night at the Four Seasons Hotel - we got upgraded to a full harbour view room thanks to Paul's work colleague's sister who works there!

This Crustacean salad with King crab and Balmain Bug
was presented so attractively on the plate!

Seared yellow fin tuna with tamarillo chutney,
crispy shallot and lemon oil jus

Tajima Beef Tenderloin with heirloom tomato, olive
tapenade and natural jus - the beef melted in your mouth

Dates Clafoutis with Pistachio Ice Cream
& Campari Syrup

My birthday petit fours - macarons, delicious chocolate
mousse pyramid and a brownie!
(Did someone mention I like chocolate?)