Sydney Eat Street: Where to find the best use of truffles in Sydney
To truly appreciate the global adoration for these culinary gems, spoil yourself with a high-quality feast, perhaps after an immersive outing foraging for them.
Eat Street
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To truly appreciate the global adoration for these culinary gems, spoil yourself with a high-quality feast, perhaps after an immersive outing foraging for them.
Take a tour of Sydney’s best eateries with The Sunday Telegraph’s Eat Street. Are you hungry for more inspiration? Follow us on Instagram or Twitter. #SydneyEatStreet
ARIA
Tom Gorringe, Aria’s executive chef, is determined to deliver a dinner that encapsulates every nuance of truffle season.
With this seven-course tasting menu, he showcases the truffle’s versatility with such dishes as Maremma duck, celeriac, truffle & pioppino mushrooms; wagyu, Jerusalem artichoke, truffle & malt; and WA black marron, potato, truffle & hollandaise.
His dessert emulates the truffle hunting experience – a chocolate truffle-shaped shell filled with silky gianduja (chocolate -hazelnut mousse) positioned atop a dusting of chocolate “soil”, punctuated by hazelnuts.
1 MACQUARIE ST, SYDNEY; ARIASYDNEY.COM.AU
NEW SHANGHAI
While their xiao long bao (soup dumplings) are a definite fan favourite all year round, come winter, the Shanghainese dishes with locally-sourced black truffles get all the attention.
Rest assured, the juicy soup dumplings are included in the annual truffle banquet, but they’ve been given a luxurious twist with black truffles used in the dumplings’ fillings and infused into the broth.
Also included in the menu is truffle honey fried chicken and XO truffle & mushroom fried rice.
NEWSHANGHAI.COM.AU
HOTEL MORRIS
This extravagant two-day truffle adventure begins with an overnight stay at the elegant Hotel Morris, a boutique art deco-inspired hotel in the heart of Sydney.
Sleep well, then it’s off to RedGround Truffle Hunting Lodge, a world-class truffle farm in Oberon, two and a half hours south of Sydney. Atsuko Asano, Hotel Morris general manager, says, “Our truffle adventure is perfect for both truffle enthusiasts and those new to the delights of these revered fungi.”
Upon your return, enjoy a six-course truffle-centric dinner at Bar Morris then head to bed and relish the late check-out.
This experience includes a two-night stay at Hotel Morris, a return trip to RedGround, and a six-course truffle dinner. (Prices from $1499 for two people.)
412 PITT ST, SYDNEY; BARMORRIS.COM.AU
BORRODELL VINEYARD
Truffles are hard to find but when your buddy is nearby, in this case Buddy the truffle- hunting dog, luck is on your side. The odds are in your favour at Borrodell Estate’s Forage and Feast Lunch, where Buddy and dog trainer Teneka Priestly lead diners in a quest for these culinary gems.
When you return, Jack Bennet, head chef of on-site restaurant Sisters Rock, will prepare a three-course lunch starting with a glass of their mulled heritage apple cider followed by a fish pot pie with dill and black truffle salad; smoked duck breast, Dupuy lentils, baby beetroot, Jerusalem artichoke purée, and shaved black truffles; and to finish, warm cardamom and almond milk cake with brandied cherries.
BORRODELL ESTATE, 298 LAKE CANOBOLAS RD, ORANGE; BORRODELL.COM.AU
ROCKER
This sleek neighbourhood restaurant and bar has their winter truffle dinner on August 10.
Featuring a five-course share menu, head chef Stuart Toon showcases the versatility of Australian black truffles (from Manjimup, WA) with dishes such as Wagyu beef tartare, truffle mayo and shoestring fries and truffle-glazed parker rolls with local burrata and truffle salami. 5/39-53 CAMPBELL PDE, NORTH BONDI; ROCKERBONDI.COM.AU
LUNAS PETERSHAM
A new entry to this year’s truffle scene is Lunas, a Portuguese cafe in Petersham. While this may be the eatery’s first fungi-focused offering, its co-owner, and head chef Jose Silva (Guillaume, bibo) is well acquainted with the culinary diamond.
He’s taken that knowledge and applied it to more casual fare with twists on the Francesinha and Bifana, two popular Portuguese sandwiches.
Francesinha has layers of bread, cured meats (typically ham, steak and sausage), melted cheese, and a rich tomato, beer and whisky sauce.
The Bifana (pork sandwich) is made with thinly sliced marinated pork, cooked to perfection, and served between two slices of soft bread, often accompanied by mustard.
316 STANMORE RD, PETERSHAM; LUNASPETERSHAM.COM.AU
DEVON CAFE
Come winter, talk among fine-dining chefs turns to truffles, and while most plan premium menus, Devon’s chef, Zachary Tan (Guillaume Brahimi), began a more casual approach.
“This is our 10th year serving our truffle menu,” he says.
We try to create dishes with flavours that act as a canvas for the truffles to shine.”
Fans will be glad to know the soft serve, mie goreng, and egg sando remain, but there are some newbies, including the wagyu bowl with truffle slices, French toast katsu, and snacks such as Hervey Bay scallops.
SHOP 19, 200 BARANGAROO AVE., BARANGAROO; DEVONCAFE.COM.AU
LA FAVOLA
Whether it’s a Michelin-starred restaurant or a casual diner, Fabio Stefanelli, head chef and co-owner of La Favola in Newtown, will tell you that it’s often the unassuming and uncomplicated dishes that are the most flavourful. It’s those dishes that best carry the essence of fresh black truffles.
“We’ve chosen simple dishes for our truffle menu,” says Fabio. “Too many ingredients just hide the truffle’s flavour.”
A highlight of the season is the truffle cacio e pepe, made with housemade spaghetti, cheese, pepper and truffle.
170 KING ST, NEWTOWN; FAVOLA.COM.AU
MAPO
When Matteo Pochintesta (MaPo’s owner) brought authentic Italian gelato to Newtown, he did it with total transparency, ensuring customers would be able to watch the entire production process, including his use of locally sourced premium ingredients, each of which is listed on the menu board under its respective flavour.
The same goes for the truffle-flavoured gelato.
Matteo says, “This is our fourth year doing the Truffle flavour with the guys from Madame Truffles. People start asking for it in April”. Regarding the flavour profile, Matteo explains, “Truffle and cream are a classic match but mostly in savoury dishes”.
To sweeten things up, Matteo adds a pinch of sea salt and Malfroy’s wildflower honey.
123 KING ST, NEWTOWN; 64-66 CAMPBELL PARADE, BONDI BEACH; MAPONEWTOWN.COM
FICH
Sustainable seafood restaurant Fich has added a bit of decadence with shaved black truffle on top of their signature seafood chowder – a creamy potato soup with monkfish, barramundi, salmon and winter vegetables.
Additionally, fans of the popular sustainable ling fish burger can make it with black truffle mayo.
SHOP 3, 98-106 AUDLEY ST, PETERSHAM; FICHPETERSHAM.COM
NOMAD
Truffle brunches are back every Sunday through July from 10am-11.45am with and ala carte menu of sweet and savoury truffle dishes, including baked eggs with smoked mushrooms and the fan-favourite wood roasted leek and truffle filo pie.
For your weekday truffle fix, head to Nomad’s sister venue up the road, Beau, for freshly baked manoush topped with shaved truffles available during “Blue Hours” from 4-6pm Tuesday - Saturday
16 Foster St, Surry Hills; nomad.sydney, Beau, 1 Fracks Ln, Surry Hills; beau.sydney
ANVERS
Art abounds at this casual Darling Square Cafe, where a creative flare is applied to everything from the captivating murals to the aromatic coffee and French/Asian-inspired menu.
This attention to detail gives Auvers its inviting ambience, but come winter, the truffle dishes get all the attention, particularly their renowned mushroom kway teow - flat rice noodles with mixed mushrooms and truffle-infused cream.
It’s not just lunch and dinner that is blessed with the black diamond as you can start the day with the truffle brekkie (sourdough, smoked ricotta, white truffle-infused mushroom cream sauce, an On egg and shaved truffle) or come around at night for the Jameson and orange truffle cocktail, which of course goes best with their truffle-centric dessert.
Shop 4/12 Nicolle Walk, Haymarket; auverscafe.com.au
SWEET BELEM CAKE BOUTIQUE
When it comes to decadent desserts, custard tarts rank high on the list, but after trying Sweet Belem’s Free Range Portuguese tarts, you’ll find that they become your ultimate and only option. Co-owner Jose Silva (Guillaume, bibo Wine Bar) uses an age-old family recipe passed down from the previous owner for creating the tart’s perfect sugar and egg yolk balance, though Jose credits the locally-sourced free-range eggs for much of the rich and creamy custard filling, which is made all the more indulgent with topped with truffle slices.
This year, in addition to Sweet Belem’s famous tarts, there’s also a range of truffle-infused treats at Sweet Belem, including a custard vanilla slice and a truffle crème pat-filled brioche doughnut finished off with delicate truffle shavings.
35B New Canterbury Rd, Petersham; sweetbelem.com
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.