Sydney Eat Street: Best truffle dishes to enjoy while in lockdown
The hunt is on for the ever-elusive truffle, and we’ve dug up some of the best options to get your fix of this culinary black diamond. Also, take Sydney Eat Street’s takeaway replate challenge.
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Madame Truffles
They’re highly sought after, fickle about their surroundings and only around for a brief period — Madame Truffles’ pop-up shop in Chippendale.
Oh, and the same can be said for the rare and elusive Black Périgord Truffle, aromatic nuggets of culinary joy, which grow only during winter in a very particular cold weather climate.
Since opening in 2011 — a mere 12 years after the first Australian truffle was unearthed in 1999, eight years after its initial cultivation — Madame Truffles has been the go-to for premium truffles, first with an outlet in Melbourne before moving north.
Since day one, they’ve hunted high and low, coast to coast, to find a wide variety of Australia’s best truffles, and despite ample obstacles, they’re at it again this year.
Madame Truffles’ Sarah Kinghorn says: “The one thing we’ve all realised over the past 18 months is that the challenges of lockdown and isolation are eased when you have something to look forward to.
“For our customers, there is the excitement of choosing a truffle and then, with same-day delivery, the thrill of opening the glass jar to discover the individual truffle’s aroma. There is the anticipation of planning dishes and then, of course, eating those dishes.
“This season, a lot of truffle fans who would normally seek out specialty menus and degustation to try have decided to take matters into their own hands.”
Though many people associate the black diamond with high-end restaurants and posh meals, Sarah explains: “Truffles are one of the world’s most luxurious and mysterious ingredients; it’s actually really easy to cook with: if you can grate cheese, you can cook with truffle.”
She even applauds the particularly easy Indomie (instant noodles) which, “with shaved truffle has been popular”, or, sticking to the simplest path, and so has ordering UberEats and then shaving truffle on top.
“We’re always available to chat on Instagram, email or WhatsApp to help pair you with your perfect truffle,” she adds.
“We’ve also seen home-cooked meals to rival TriBeCa’s dining hot spots, such as lobster broth with shaved truffle and lobster oil, truffle negroni and truffle macarons.”
Truffles come in fresh every Thursday (through to August 22) then posted online and in-store.
Delivery is available within 25km of their pop-up shop at Handpicked Wines in Chippendale; $15 (10km radius); $25 (10-25km radius); or you can pick-up pre-orders Thursday-Saturday, 12pm-6pm
— 50 Kensington St, Chippendale; madametruffles.com.au
Viva la Truffle
The NSW Truffle Trail has hit the Covid speed bump this year — just like everything else.
That should have been a full-on truffle-fest throughout the Southern Highlands, Viva la Truffle, a gastronomic weekend celebrating the culinary diamond with food fairs, truffle dinners, celebrity masterclasses, and the launch of the first-ever NSW Truffle Trail has detoured to a virtual path.
Growers have remained resilient through a couple of very tough seasons, with drought and bushfires reducing crops. Considering the Australian truffle industry is barely 20 years old, that’s a pretty significant gap.
But just when the harvest had bounced back with the industry expecting an abundance of premium truffles, lockdown closed the doors to much of the restaurant trade — truffle growers’ lifeblood.
Disheartened the planned showcase, which would have seen growers from all over NSW come together for one big weekend at The Loch in Berrima, adversity led to innovation, thus the Viva la Truffle virtual experience.
“If we can’t get people to the farm, we’ll take the farm to their door,” says Brigid Kennedy, co-owner of The Loch.
The Viva la Truffle to Your Door box ($99) comes with a piece of freshly-harvested black truffle from one of the growers along the Truffle Trail and a bottle of premium Southern Highlands pinot wine from one of 10 wineries.
Wayne Haslam, from Blue Frog Truffles, adds: “It’s a bit like red wine. Truffles have a distinctive nose and flavour depending on the terroir and conditions where they’re grown, and every person will discover their own preference as they explore the many variations this region now offers on the NSW Truffle Trail.”
Eastern Australian Tablelands truffles (EAT) have a particularly intense aroma and flavour as they’re cultivated in a climate similar to the European regions known for quality truffles.
Besides the truffles, many of the growers were also keen to share their farm experience, including the opportunity to participate in an actual truffle hunt — which, contrary to popular beliefs, is actually sniffed out by trained dogs as opposed to pigs who’d sooner eat them than share.
“We love seeing people light up as they take in the beauty of this part of the world and discover all that’s happening here,” says Dick Groot Obbink, president of the Eastern Australia Tablelands Truffle Association (EAT), and along with his wife, Virginia, own Durran Durra Truffles.
While initial highlights of the weekend included masterclasses with Fast Ed (Halmagyi) as he worked his way through three different truffle dishes with tastings along the way, the Viva la Truffle box gives you a virtual substitute as it also comes with a link to Fast Ed’s masterclass along with the recipes and shopping list so you can follow the step-by-step instructions at your pace.
After the cooking component, Rob Geddes, Master of Wine, will share his Highland Wine-and-Truffle pairing prowess with you, bringing a bit of country culture straight to your doorstep.
IIKO Mazesoba
When it comes to ramen, it’s not all slurps, drips and drizzle, as, with Mazesoba, a broth-less variant, sloppy soup and thin noodles are switched out for thick and chewy ones that you mix with a thick Unami soy sauce.
It’s a concoction that is particularly well-suited to truffles.
“The fresh ingredient and fats in the dish help bring out the truffles’ flavour,” IIKO Mazesoba owner Michelle Widjaja says.
“Our mazesoba acts as a base to make the truffles the star of the dish. Then we use ingredients such as cream, cheese and mushroom to enhance the truffle flavour.”
More than just noodles, IIKO has a whole truffle menu including congee, karaage, cheesecake, and tiramisu, all available for pick-up and delivery (within 15km radius).
There’s also a DIY Truffle Mazesoba Twin Pack – home delivery only – including two portions of noodles (160g each), Soy Sauteed Mushroom, Cheese, Fresh Cream, Truffle Mazesoba Sauce, Kombu Vinegar, Chilli oil, and toppings along with 10g of First Grade Australian Winter Black Truffle which is included as a whole piece rather than shaved or sliced which Michelle explains may affect shelf life, should you choose to hold off preparing it right away.
Follow the instructions on the package, and the rest is up to you. Slurping optional.
— SE13, 86 Hay St, Haymarket; mazesoba.com.au
Happy Belly Chinese Restaurant
While other restaurants are whipping up pasta dishes with heavy cheese sauce Joann Kim notes Happy Belly has a rather unique way of celebrating truffle season.
“Custard buns are very common yum cha, but you won’t find truffle-infused custard buns anywhere else,” she says.
“We came up with the idea because we want to showcase this beautiful Australian produce, the Australian winter black truffles on Chinese food, particularly, the dim sums.
“Using truffles from Madame Truffles, we are doing five truffle dishes — a standout is dim sum chef Sik Kwan Tsui’s truffle-infused custard buns — mushroom-shaped steamed buns filled with lava of truffle-infused custard and egg yolk and topped with fresh truffle slice.”
There are also more traditional dishes, such as the dry noodles with prawns and pork wontons topped with WA black truffles and the prawn pot stickers with truffle-infused mayo.
Or work your own magic and add 5g of shaved truffle to any menu item for an additional $15.
— 85 King St, Newtown; facebook.com/happybellychineserestaurant
The Valley Specialty Coffee Cafe
Her chocolate truffle crumpet dessert is legendary, but chef Jacqui Ektoros, also has a savoury side and it’s on full display at The Valley Cafe.
Tying for top pick, it her signature Peking duck pasta with truffle or the humble gruyere cheese and truffle toastie, but then again, the braised beef cheek and ham hock croquettes are winners as well.
— Shop 8/35 Coonara Ave, West Pennant Hills
Chiswick
Winter calls for hot soup and warm sandwiches, but at Chiswick they’ve taken that comfort fare and kicked it up a notch with two truffle toasties and 1L of creamy pumpkin soup. ($49, serves two.) Available for pre-order pick-up and delivery.
— 65 Ocean St, Woollahra; chiswickwoollahra.com.au
Cucina Espresso
The menu has always featured authentic Italian with a twist, but this truffle-infused pivot is only around for a few months a year.
Their signature baked eggs, already a customer favourite, get a little extra love and attention with the addition of black truffle to the creamy white sauce with porcini mushroom. And because eggs are one of the best bases to carry the truffle aroma and essence, the porcini omelette is a win as well.
— 89 Majors Bay Rd, Concord; cucina-espresso.com.au
SOUL Deli & Dining
This year, SOUL Dining and SOUL Deli kicked off their truffle season digging in the dirt. Literally.
The teams behind both venues headed to Robertson Truffles to search for and experience this year’s truffles that they’re using in the various dishes and drinks. And customers are in for a treat! Overseen by executive chef Daero Lee, the teams have created some amazing dishes that incorporate truffles.
At SOUL Deli they have all been inspired by Korean street food; at SOUL Dining there are Korean and European inspired flavours (perfect for blending with truffles) – including SOUL Dining’s most decadent truffle dish so far, Truffle Wagyu Pot Rice.
— SOUL Deli, Shop 1, 185 Campbell Street Surry Hills; souldeli.com.au; SOUL Dining, 204 Devonshire St, Surry Hills; souldining.com.au
New Shanghai
This authentic Shanghainese cuisine and dumplings restaurant is celebrating truffle season with a trio of seasonal specials: Black Truffle Xiao Long Bao, Truffle Pot Stickers, and Chicken & Mushroom Fried Rice with Shaved Truffle. Multiple locations. Delivery via UberEats, Menulog and Deliveroo.
Frenchies Brasserie
Why bother with pixie dust when a bit of shaved truffle taste so much better. At Frenchies, head chef Jeremy Pace says: “We’re offering truffles in our Home Dining packs, and customers can also choose to have them added to the main dishes that are part of our takeaway menu – like boeuf bourguignon, pan-seared fish of the day, or our signature steak and frites.”
Or just things simple and opt for mashed potatoes.
“Truffles are also perfect for our Paris Mash,” he says.
Frenchies will also sell this season’s truffles retail, so customers can use them in their own cooking or add atop their own dishes.
— Shop 3, 54 Kalang Rd, Elanora Heights; frenchiesbrasserie.com.au
The Mayflower
There’s no messing with success. This year’s truffle harvest has been one of the best so there’s no need to get it overdressed, rather it’s the simpler dishes where this culinary diamond truly shines such as chef Jiwan Choi’s Croque Monsieur with jamon Serrano, gruyere, bechamel, smoked mozzarella, and truffle paste; and the Mac and three-cheese macaroni with truffle bechamel, and chestnut porcini crumbs.
— 2/3030A Liverpool St, Darlinghurst; the-mayflower.com.au
Winter warmers to celebrate the season
Everyone is happy to see the sun peeking through the clouds, but winter’s not all bad. Bid farewell to the colder days with one last hurrah of warming fare.
Sniffing out Sydney’s best truffle desserts
Save the best for last. As truffle season comes to a close, be sure to indulge in some sweet treats featuring the annual earthy gem.