O Bar and Dining, A Gault and Millau event, Sydney CBD

I was recently invited to a Gault and Millau (pronounced GO-MEO) dinner at O Bar and Dining. Gault and Millau is an independent french restaurant guide and gourmet food community and they are opening their wings to the food blogging community. While O Bar and Dining slowly rotates with stunning 360 views of Sydney City; I start chatting away with the Gault and Millau Australian representatives as well as my foodie friends.

As Matt is away for work, my foodie date Andy Quan and I enjoy sipping on the lemon meringue pie cocktail and the canapes made by Head Chef Darren Templeman and his team. What a beautiful venue.

The foodie group is then directed to a private dining room. It's beautiful and I enjoy the view. The menu for the Gault and Millau dinner looks amazing. It begins with... the seeded bread.

I snack on the seeded bread and butter and enjoy the 

amuse bouche which is a seared scallop, seeded labneh, fermented freekeh. The scallop is beautifully presented and perfectly cooked. The freekeh is an ancient grain and is a cereal food which brings a slight crunch texture. The seeded labneh brings the creamy touch but it's the scallop in it's natural glory that tantalises my tastebuds.

Next up is the twice cooked parmesan souffle, cauliflower puree, oberon truffle sauce. The souffle is light, fluffy and almost like the texture of a savoury Japanese cheesecake. The rich tasting oberon truffle sauce oozes of meaty  bold tones. The souffle soaks up the oberon truffle sauce.  I chat away with Grab Your Fork's Helen and Choc Suez as we enjoy the parmesan souffle. Andy Quan makes for stimulating conversation. 

I sip on a refreshing, light pinot gris as the next dish arrives. It's the Split and grilled WA marron, fermented black bean butter and perserved lemon salsa. This delicious Marron has slightly sweet and tender flesh. It's the bold and incredibly rich flavours from the black bean butter that dance on your tongue and the contrast from the refreshing lemon salsa balances out the bold flavours. I opt to push the black bean butter and preserved lemon salsa aside so I can enjoy the natural flavours of the marron.

We are all blown away by the Marron but Andy's favourite dish of the night is the seared wagyu, rib blade, green onions, collard greens, french girolles, fresh truffle. The wagyu rib blade lays on a rich sauce. The rich french flavours dance on my tongue as I enjoy the collard greens and fragrant truffles. Delicious! Choc Suez also enjoys this dish and comments on the lovely flavours.

For dessert, we are treated to our second souffle for the night - the Passionfruit and chocolate bon bon souffle, with passionfruit sorbet. My incredibly light, fluffy and sweet souffle is creamy. The chocolate lid adds for that additional sweetness to the passionfruit souffle. The sorbet is refreshing and sits on a bed of crumbs for additional textures. Delicious!

We are also treated to a Box of O Bar and Dining Petit Fours, which we share. I'm lucky enough to take an additional box home to Matt to show him a glipse of what he's missed out on. He would be so insanely jealous.

Summary: What a wonderful night hosted by Gault and Millau who are looking to spread their good word of independent food reviews and gourmet food community. The food at O Bar is top notch, of rich and bold flavours and perfect execution and of understated elegance.

I'd highly recommend if you are looking for gourmet fine dining with amazing views. Check it out!

Price: 3 courses for $115

Location: Australia Square, level 47, 247 George St, Sydney CBD

Opening Hours: 
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday 5pm to 10:30pm
Wednesday, Thursday 5pm to 11pm
Friday 12pm to 12am
Saturday 5pm to 12am

Weekend Food Escapes dined as guests of the venue or their representatives. All photos, opinions and words are my own.