Surviving Down Under
October 2003
My 83-years-old father (Sam Shaya) lives in Sydney with his wife (Lara) for the last 20 years. Back in 1988 we visited them there. I last saw my dad when he visited Israel some 10 years ago.
After a three days stay in Singapore, we arrived in Sydney. The family reunion was exciting, and I was really happy to see that my father is in a very good shape.
We spent 15 days in Australia, wining dining and generally having a great time together. Nine days in Sydney, a couple of days in the Hunter Valley and finally four days in Melbourne.
Sydney
There is no doubt that Sydney is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The scenic harbor, the Pacific Ocean and the hilly terrain all contribute to picture-perfect views almost regardless of where you are.
Sydney Opera House |
Harbor Bridge |
We settled at a 5-star apartment hotel ("Quay Grand") situated on the Circular Quay promenade. Our apartment offered absolutely stunning views of the Opera, the harbor and the city.
The "City" |
View from the Park |
As the aim of our visit was to spend as much time as possible with my father, we did not do our usual hard-labor touristic see-all do-all thing. Still, we managed to see one opera production [Bizet, Pearl Fishers], stroll the streets around the harbor, take ferry trips, visit the Manly (a 12 km ferry trip from the city) Art Gallery and Ocean World Aquarium and more.
On a ferry |
From a ferry |
Not to speak of the intensive dine and wine the four of us indulged in constantly...
As I mentioned on the root page, I managed to lose my all-important little book where I keep notes of wine and food. All I can do now is mention some of the more significant wines and restaurants we sampled.
Naturally, most of the wines we drank during our stay were Australian. I have very limited experience in this vast field, and I don't even remember the names of most wines we drank.
The best red we had was probably a superb 1991 Penfolds Bin 707. The best white was an astounding 1980 Hunter Valley Semillon (see below).
As for restaurants, we have dined among others at the two top ones in Sydney:
Rockpool - An elegant and extremely expensive restaurant with many accolades. The food was very good, though not memorable. The service was bordering on the mediocre. The wine list exorbitantly expensive and the "sommelier" close to a joke. We drank a fine 1995 Alsatian Gewurztraminer and the lovely 1998 Alion by Vega Sicilia. The bill came to US$800 for four, way too much for what you get. Not Recommended
Testsuya's - An exotic restaurant belonging to a Japanese chef. We had a divine Degustation dinner where every dish was an exquisite celebration on the palate. The food is so unique that it cannot be dubbed by any genre, though oriental influence is evident. We drank several wines by the glass as offered to compliment the dishes. About US$750 for four, but worth every penny. Highly Recommended
Another good place we ate is called Kelly's. I don't know if it is really "The Best Steak In Town" as their card claims, but the steaks we all had were indeed excellent. US$170 for four, including a good bottle of wine. Recommended
Tower Lodge
For the weekend we left Sydney for the Hunter Valley. A well known wine region about three hours drive north west of the city.
There we stayed for two nights at an extremely beautiful place called Tower Lodge. A high-end, peaceful and lavishly appointed 12 room hotel of utmost elegance.
Tower Lodge is owned by Len Evans, the celebrated bon vivant winemaker and even more so - Australia most famous wine 'marketer' for the world.
On Saturday morning he came to meet us and brought with him a white wine carefully decanted beforehand so that we won't see the bottle. Upon tasting it I was sure this is a very old Grand Cru white Burgundy. With a wry smile Mr. Evans told me I should not feel ashamed, as many Masters of Wine mistook this 23 years old Hunter Valley Semillon for a Chardonnay... I forgot the name of the vineyard or producer, but drinking this rich deep and vigorous 1980 Semillon was a revelation.
Len Evans (middle) |
Me and Dorit |
Melbourne
For our last four days in Australia we flew to Melbourne. If Sydney is blessed with breathtaking views, Melbourne is the epitome of elegance. Almost European in appearance, the city is vibrant with art music and festivals.
We stayed at the ultra modern, very central superb Westin Hotel. Definitely among the very best hotels I ever been to. Beautiful spacious rooms and public areas, but above all, warm genuinely friendly yet professional service.
The focal point of the city is the architecturally daring Federation Square. Imagine a Centre Pompidou spread over several asymmetric buildings, all made of different materials textures and colors. Semi-integrated, semi-loose structures that house shops, restaurants, exhibitions, galleries and whatnot.
The Westin Bar |
Federation Square |
A car trip around the city reveal majestic neo-classical colonial buildings alongside modern architecture. Sea side fashionable entertainment centers near quiet streets adorned with coquette-ish small houses.
As for restaurants, two are worth mentioning:
Flower Drum - A posh, highly-acclaimed and expensive chinese restaurant that proved to perform far below its reputation. My parents swear this used to be the best chinese restaurant in Australia, but the previous owner apparently sold out and right now it is just an overpriced mediocre place. Not Recommended
Attica - A fashionable and very good mid-priced 'ethnic' fusion restaurant with north african and mediterranean influences. Tasty large dishes in cosy (if you sit in the private room) or noisy (otherwise) atmosphere. Recommended
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yak@yakshaya.com
Copyright 1996-2003.
Jacob "Yak" Shaya.
