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