The Ambassador Training Restaurant, Ryde (Buffet night)

 

Life has been busy between work, my child starting preschool and left field things that life throws at you! As a belated mini celebration, I head back to the Ambassador Restaurant which is a training restaurant for the Corden Bleu School. 

You need to book ahead as there are set dates in which the schools open up to the public to book. I booked Friday 13th June for dinner. 

As I decided to look up the menu for the night, I realised it was a buffet night. 

Here are a few happy snaps I managed to take of the students. They were incredibly polite, professional and lovely to talk to. I think food is much more enjoyable if you can speak to the chefs involved. I enjoy speaking to them about the dishes and the preparation involved. What a great new generation!

The Ambassador Training Restaurant in Ryde typically serves a set menu style experience but tonight it's buffet style. There's a U-Shape set up where the students stand behind the dishes and explain what the dishes are and help serve up some of the dishes.

There's a huge basket of bread on each table with salted butter. For entree, you can choose from:

• Vegetarian Beetroot salad: Beetroot Confit, Goats curd, Asapargus, Hazelnut and brioche crumb
• Country Style Terrine, Salami & Prosciutto With piccalilli With piccalilli
• Chicken & Leek Rillettes Bean & Shallot Salad, Almond Puree
• Seafood Platter: King prawns with sauce marie rose, Sydney rock oysters with daikon, Seared scallops with salsa verde. smoked salmon & sour cream
• Mezze Platter: Babaghanoush, haloumi, tabouleh, marinated olives, labne balls, Roasted capsicums

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For entree, I try a small dollop of babaganoush, oysters, prawns, scallop and a slice of haloumi. 

The food was very well prepared. I also try a medley of vegetables which put together in a very beautiful and artistic fashion. 

For mains, there's the:

• Masterstock Braised Pork Belly, Noodle & Apple Salad

• Roast Sirloin of Beef with Yorkshire Pudding, Onion Jus

• BBQ Snapper, Radicchio, Fennel Orange & Walnut Salad

There was also a lamb dish and quail not listed on the menu. I am so tempted to try everything however I only have limited stomach space so I opt to have some of the roast beef with the onion jus. Mr Weekend Food Escapes comments on how lovely and flavoursome the onion jus is. He says he wishes they offered some onion jus into his english pudding.

I am in agreement, the roast beef with the onion jus is divine.

The second protein main I choose is the lamb dish with another divine sauce, beans, tomato, capsicum gravy. It's absolutely delicious. It's my favourite dish of the night.

For dessert there's the

• Lemon Tartlets

• Chocolate Bavarois & Pistachio Cantucini

• Sour Cherry Frangipane Tart, Sauce Anglaise

• Rose Petal Panna Cotta, Turkish Delight

• Mango Jelly, Cointreau Sabayon

The desserts looked amazing, but again, I only had so much stomach space. I tried the lemon tart, the sour cherry tart and a little bit of the chocolate bavarois. The desserts were the perfect sweet end to the night. My favourite was the cherry tart.

Summary: Overall, I had a really nice dinner. The buffet style was a bit different and a good opportunity to try a wider range of dishes. My favourite dish was the lamb, I also liked the oysters and cherry tart. All the dishes were amazing and I would have though these dishes were cooked by professional chefs. 

Location: Don't enter via Blaxland Road, go behind via Parkes st for parking in Ryde. The parking entrance is approx opposite 56 Parkes St in Ryde.

Price: I paid $55 per person for the buffet

Opening Hours: Don't exist and will vary because it's a training school. Just go to open table and look for any spots.

Booking via OpenTable:

The Ambassador Training Restaurant Online Bookings | OpenTable

 

Spaces are limited, so bookings are essential. Payments are made by EFTPOS or credit card only (except AMEX).