Oncore by Clare Smyth is one of the most anticipated restaurant openings of 2021. After keeping us waiting for 2 years the restaurant finally opened in Dec 2021. I recently braved Covid, dressed up, and dropped by to try out their tasting menu.
Who is Clare Smyth?
To understand the hype one must first know who Clare Smyth is.
She is one of the most successful UK chefs and holds 3 Michelin stars. She hails from Northern Ireland and holds the prestige of being the first (and only) British female chef to be awarded three Michelin stars. She has previously held the chef-patron position at the Gordon Ramsay restaurant and has since opened her own award-winning Core Restaurant in London, UK (currently the 2nd best restaurant in the UK)
Her long list of accolades aside from the Michelin stars includes World’s Best Female Chef 2018 by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. She also achieved a perfect score in the 2015 edition of the Good Food Guide.
With this in mind let me run you through the tasting menu and my thoughts
Entrees
- Pea and Mint Gougères
- Jellied Eel, toasted seaweed, and malt vinegar
- Smoked Chicken wing, lemon, and spices
- Chicken Liver Parfait and Madeira
The entrees (much like the rest of the menu) were plated and presented with lots of greenery and foliage. A few flowers were used as well giving it a touch of femininity reflective of the owner herself.
The level of detail in the hand bite-size entrees showcased the level of culinary skills we are to expect for the rest of the night. Do not be deceived by the size of the entrees as they pack a serious burst of flavors from the pea-green cream in the gougères, the smokiness of the chicken wings, to the creaminess of the parfait.
Mains
- Kingfish – sea vegetable nage, radish and perilla
- Potato and Roe – seaweed beurre blanc, herring and trout roe
- Murray Cod – Mussels, clams, coastal herbs and lovage
- Lamb Carrot – Braised Lamb, sheep’s Milk Yoghurt
- Beef and Oyster – Shiro Kin Wagyu Beef and Sydney Rock Oysters
First off, I loved that the dishes do not shy away from the core flavors of the main ingredient. You would get that umami and fish flavors with the kingfish and the cod. You would immediately taste the flavors of the lamb and carrots from the first bite. And don’t even get me started on the wagyu, it was perfectly cooked!
Much of the menu pays homage to Chef Clare Smyth’s Northern Ireland roots and the Potato and Roe dish is a perfect illustration of it. The potato slice is slow-cooked and topped off with herring and trout roe. It is not hard to see why this dish is much talked about at her Core Restaurant. This and the lamb carrot were my highlights of the mains.
The level of skill it must’ve taken to arrange the kingfish dish is mind-boggling. I was almost sad to pull it apart. Putting the cod as the middle dish was also clever as it cleansed the palate a little before the lamb and the beef were served.
We were pretty full at the end of this but we still had desserts!
Desserts
- Core Apple
- Pear and Lemon Balm
The core apple is yet another wonderful example of their attention to detail. The apple was tinted both red and green (like the apple that sent Snow White to doom). The outer shell encased a light mousse that was simply refreshing
The pear and lemon balm looked like a bingsu to me. It consisted of meringue, sorbet, and jelly. The intricate construction of these 3 elements is like art, it was almost shameful to have to pull it apart
Final Verdict
I loved that the decor was reminiscent of London, it made me miss traveling. The lighting, decor, and food presentation were very genuine and reflective of the Chef herself. It certainly gave me an insight into not only Northern Ireland cuisine but into Chef Clare Smyth herself.
And at the end of the day isn’t that the hallmark of any good restaurant worth going to?
Restaurant: Oncore by Clare Smyth
Location: Crown Sydney, Level 26/1 Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo NSW 2000
Menu and Online Bookings – https://www.crownsydney.com.au/indulge/oncore-by-clare-smyth
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