Big Fish ain't the only thing they serve here

I told myself I would try something new, but my resolve crumbled as memory took me back to the seafood platter for two ($49.95), a refined yet voluptuous combination of grilled fish chunks, Morton bay bugs, mussels, clams, squid and prawns which I had last sampled a year ago.
 
Accompanied by baked rice and golden fries, the 2007 dish was missing the Australian scallops which made last year’s platter a little more luxe, but it was nonetheless a sight to behold for the gourmet as well as the simply gluttonous. (Learning from the past, though, I resisted the temptation to throw in a dozen juicy oysters to start with.) 

The delicate dressing of herbed butter complemented the lightly charred surface of the grilled fish and enlivened the shellfish flavours, never overpowering the natural taste-of-the-sea freshness of the ingredients. The Morton bay bugs (a kind of cross between scampi and crayfish) and the fish were grilled to tender perfection, although the squid rings were a tad rubbery – and their aftertaste a smidgen less sea-fresh than their compatriots. The baked rice was rather pedestrian, and a good dose of saffron or truffle oil, perhaps, would have done wonders for it. 

Nonetheless, the platter was a successful balance of plenty and refinement. The juicy grilled peppers and the fresh salad leaves balanced the seafood with their crisp flavours, while the herbed butter sauce was used sparingly. Throwing etiquette to the winds, however, one can dip the complimentary herbed bread into the tiny pools of bisque-like liquid at the bottom of the platter to create morsels of pure delight. 

A bottle of Australian MadFish Premium White (2005) ($52.00), expertly chilled, was just the thing. A blend of Chardonnay, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, it had a bright fruity character which was great on its own but graceful enough to take on a supporting role to the diva of a seafood platter. It was also a refreshing drink to settle all that seafood before the arrival of the dessert, a curiously light crème brulee made with real vanilla ($8.95). - DT