Food Porn Nation

Ormeggio at The Spit is located at D’Albora Marinas and enjoys stunning views of Middle Harbour and Pearl Bay. The restaurant is headed up by Executive Chef Alex Pavoni and serves up Italian food in a traditional way but with a contemporary twist. In the last two years, Ormeggio has claimed 2 hats by the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide in 2013 & 2014, and has been awarded the hatted honour since 2009.

From 6pm every Sunday, Ormeggio at the Spit hosts a Stressless Sunday Dinners where you can enjoy a 6 course degustation menu for $69 per person. The 6 menu items are taken from their al la carte menu and can change week in and week out. Thank you Chris, MAB vs Food blog for putting me on to it.

To start, the biodynamic veal tonnato (veal tartare) sets the scene with its magnificence and it is literally quite mind blowing. The veal pieces arrive with dried capers and dried anchovies. Something I have not had before giving it a brilliant crisp wafer crunch and saltiness to the velvety veal. The tuna mayo was deliciously intense and creamy with the shaved bottarga giving it a delectable oceanic touch.

The ling fish baccala was equally an outstanding dish. Baccala is a traditional Mediterranean dish where the fish is salted and rested for 24 hours in milk. It is then poached and topped with cacao and pepper resulting in a milky tender piece of fish. The ling baccala underwent this traditional method and was served inside a puddle of potato foam, crunchy polenta croutons pieces, enhancing the textural feel of this dish. A smooth, light and fluffy feel with sporadic bursts of crunchiness.

The tortelli really showcased their handy work. Hand made to perfection and handcrafted to an exact thinness, these tortelli cases housed chunks of tender beef cheeks that melted sublimely in the mouth. This was also served with delicious dollops of fresh sheep’s milk and shaved aged ricotta, the latter taking on a very parmesan quality. Along with zucchini, zucchini flowers and a green shallot sauce.

A sous vide piece of fish always gets me excited, as it always brings out the most flakey and melt in your mouth texture. The hapuka fish was simmered at 52 degrees for 1.5 hours and the end result was sublime. This was served with fresh peas, chervil cress and a side of charcoal tuna consomme.  Simple yet subtle, this was a great following act after the richness of the beef tortelli.

The wagyu beef flank also undergoes the 12 hour sous vide treatment imparting a brilliant rich red centre and tenderness to the beef. This dish is a very earthy dish with the heirloom carrots roasted in coffee bread crumbs, red vein sorrel and mint oil. I feel like I am eating mother earth with each bite!

The chocolate hazelnut torta caprese is the perfect finish to this amazing meal. In it you will find a hazelnut crumble, chocolate mousse, caramel gel & blackcurrent sorbet.

If you haven’t made your way yet to Ormeggio at the Spit, I would highly recommend you do so. This meal is absolutely unbeatable for a 2 Hat Restaurant. At such great value, the whole experience was flawless, a complete 3 hat experience.

http://www.ormeggio.com.au