Hats Off Dinner at Becasse

The Sydney International Food Festival in on again and as part of the festivities a number of Sydney's top restaurants are doing Hats Off Dinners where they "let their imaginations run wild with menus mad and marvellous".
Becasse's contribution is "A night inspired by our culinary heroes." A menu inspired by some of the top restaurants in the world from Spain, France, Japan, England and the USA.
We came to the last Hats Off at Becasse last year and it was sensational. After perusing the menu for tonight's degustation we knew we were in for a treat.

YAMADA CHIKARA – Tokyo
Tomato and olive ‘Martini’
The 'Martini' was a cold tomato consomme and the 'olives' were little gel balls of intense olive and tomato flavour. Truly an inspired dish/drink.

ALAIN DUCASSE LOUIS XV – Monte-Carlo
La fougasse Riviera

JOEL ROBUCHON L’ATELIER – Hong Kong
Palourde farcie à l’ail violet et aux champignons
Baked clam with purple garlic, mushroom and spring herbs

MUGARITZ – San Sebastian
Pearly threads of crab, jelly of prawns, flowers and pistils of saffron


NOMA – Copenhagen
Langoustines and Sea Flavours
Scampi tails, oyster and parsley emulsion, dried seaweed powder, rye bread crumble

PIERRE GAGNAIRE – Tokyo
Grillé de boeuf
Grilled Japanese beef, watercress and seaweed puree, soubise onion with sea urchin

THOMAS KELLER PER SE – New York
Sweet pepper sorbet, kaffir lime, coriander gastrique


RAYMOND BLANC LE MANOIR – Oxford
Forest still life
This deserves a comment, not that the other dishes weren't sensational. They were. But this may be one of the best desserts I've ever had. The dirt was chocolate and full of amazingness (not a real word). The mushroom stems were meringue with the caps being creme fraiche and chocolate mousse.


MARTIN BERASATEGUI – Gipuzkoa Basque
Liquid petits fours


Overall another orgasmic night at Becasse. Bring on next year's Hats Off Dinner. We'll probably back in the mean time though.

Becasse has been awarded two Good Food Guide Chef's Hats and is at 204 Clarence Street, Sydney.

Training it home

Becasse 5

Later edit: I've updated the earlier posts with descriptions of the dishes and who the dishes were inspired by.

I'll update this with what we had and how it was later. But to sum up quickly now. It was awesome. Faith has been renewed in Hatted restaurants. Thanks Becasse.

The dinner was called Heroes and Masters. The menu states, "This is a tribute to our heroes and masters and the dishes we've enjoyed over the years. Some we've endeavoured to replicate and others we've taken the inspiration, but all pay homage to these great chefs and amazing temples of gastronomy - Enjoy!"

And enjoy we did. This was awesome. I think this was our 4th visit to Becasse and we are yet to be disappointed. Lately we've become disillussioned with a few of the hatted restaurants both here in Sydney and in Melbourne but Becasse has shone. Next week we're off to the Four In Hand restaurant for their Hats Off dinner. They've called it, This Little Piggy Went To Market....

Petit fours and coffee. I was so stuffed I couldn't even finish Michelle's P4s.

Becasse 4

Raymond Blanc, Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons
2 Star Michelin, UK
Soupe a la fraise avec un sorbet au lait
Strawberry soup on a meringue with creamy vanilla sorbet on top... droooool. Slobber. I...

Alain Ducasse, Louise XV Monaco
3 Star Michelin, MC
Louise XV chocolate praline
2007 Mas Amiel, Maury, Roussillon
This is almost as good as the signature chocolate dessert at Quay. Did I say almost? It is as good. Most def. Aai. Divine rich chocolate and salty sweet gooey caramel praline. Jesus this is good.

This was sublime. Thank you Sydney food festival for motivating these top restaurants to put on these fabulous dinners. The two desserts were among the top 5 best desserts I've ever had.

Becasse 3

Marc Veyrat, Le Ferme de Mon Pere
3 Star Michelin, FR
Le bar eclate, laitance de chocolate blanc, sirop de citron vert et citronnelle
2005 Darling Park Reserve Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula
This was an exquisite piece of fish. So delicate sitting on a white chocolate sauce. What better to top off this work of art than a paint brush to paint on the citrus syrup. Michelle called this the peche de resistance... Heh heh heh.

Andoni Aduriz, Mugaritz
2 Star Michelin, SP
A piece of veal, roasted and perfumed with vine cuttings and embers, cinders and salts
with Joel Robuchon's Paris mash
and Marc Veyrat's forgotten vegetables
2006 Poonawarra Estate The Cuttings, Eden Valley
When this came out I heard a bloke say it smelled like a bushfire. And it did. You would think that being covered in essentially ash it would taste like... well... charcoal and ash and smoke. If you thought that you would be wrong. This was that over used word again... delicious. And tender. The mash was divine.

Becasse 2

Joel Robuchon, L'Atelier Paris
2 Star Michelin, FR
L'oeuf de poule cocotte et sa creme legere de champignons des bois
2006 Domaine Champalou Vouvray, Loire Valley
Quite possibly the best dish ever. Amazing mushroom mousse type thing on a poached egg over some herb thing. Delicious.

Pierre Gagnaire, Paris
3 Star Michelin, FR
Ormeau, palourde, amande et moules d'Espagne aux cepes seches, Bouillabaisse mousseuese et gelee d'oursin
2007 Yves Cuilleron Viognier, Vin de Payes des Collines Rhodaniennes, Rhone Valley
Seafood and bouillabaisse mousse. Not what I was expecting when they said bouillabaisse. Again delicious.

Becasse - Heroes and Masters

As part of the Sydney International Food Festival Becasse is participating in Hats Off. Tonight we having the Heroes and Masters degustation. It is a tribute to Justin's heroes and masters and the dishes they've enjoyed over the years.
1. Bread

2. Thomas Keller, French Laundry and Per Se
3 star Michelin, US
Oysters and Pearls
1996 Lanson Gold Label, Champagne

3. Heston Blumenthal, The Fat Duck
3 Star Michelin, Uk
Beetroot and Orange - Oooh this is weird but delicious.
I got a top up of the Champagne... heh heh heh.