Vanessa: Set amongst the “business end” of the CBD and beneath the Museum of Sydney is The Governor’s Table. The restaurant boasts a charming interior with its mix of sandstone and timber as well as covered outdoor seating which allows you to watch the passers-by.
Team FFS gathered for a mid-week rendezvous and settled into a seat outside . We were quickly greeted by our waiter who explained that there was a new menu on offer, as the menu changes seasonally. We opted for to share a number of dishes between us to get a good sense of what The Governor’s Table has to offer.
Being the carb-lovers that we are we couldn’t go past starting the meal with some good ol’ bread and butter. Three substantial slices of sourdough were set down before us with some unpasteurised Pepe Saya butter ($3pp). You can’t go wrong with really fresh bread and good quality butter, so we were happy!
It was the olives that really had us talking! We were actually wowed by how good the Sicilian green olives in lemon oil ($8) were . The olives were plump and juicy with the strong flavour of lemon from the oil, definitely a recommended snack whilst you wait for your meal.
Next up was a selection from the small plates section of the menu. The Paella Croquettes with lemon & parsley aioli ($14) were crunchy, sweet and not overly fishy. A nice alternative to a meat-based version.
The grilled asparagus & burrata Mozzarella served with tomato & Pumpkin seed oil($17) was a crowd-pleaser. The burrata was creamy and fresh and the tomato gave a real sweetness to the dish. It is also a nice and light option.
The Marinated Lamb Ribs, Oregano, Garlic, Thyme & Lemon($18) had strong, bold flavours but was a little heavy for me, particularly as the ribs were on the fatty side.
We had a little bit of reprise to catch up on the day’s event before our selection of dishes from the mains arrived.
Again choosing to share eliminated any sense of food envy we may have felt but also gave each of us a chance to sample the options.
The Tortellini of pumpkin, ricotta, spinach, brown butter & sage ($29) had Alex and I salivating as soon as we saw it on the menu. Plump pillows of tortellini filled with a sweet pumpkin and ricotta interior and drizzled in a rich butter and sage sauce was a winner. The tortellini was ever so slightly under cooked but it didn’t detract from the flavours of the dish.
The Roast Chicken Breast, Baby dandelion, Cannellini Beans & Sobrassada ($ 28 )is a safe choice and we were all impressed at how juicy and moist the chicken, given it was breast fillet. Paired well with the sides, this was a fairly un-adventurous dish but a tasty one none the less.
The Bangalow Pork Belly, Roast Cherry Tomato, Liquorice, Asparagus & Crackling ($29) was juicy and had some super crunchy crackling, always good to see. The liquorice flavour was subtle and paired well with the tomato and asparagus.
A side dish of fried chat potatoes ($8.50) were crunchy and delicious as well as a uniquely spiced Roast Cauliflower tossed with tahini & dukkah ($8.50)
Of course we weren’t going anywhere until we had sweet fix. Although we had chosen to share two dishes between us the chef kindly brought us out a third so we definitely ended our experience on a sugar high!
My favourite was the summer Pudding, whipped custard & elderflower jelly ($13). This was slightly tart, not overly sweet and reminded me of a trifle. Visually it was striking with its rich red colour and the whipped custard was sensational.
For lovers of Jaffa lollies or choc-orange, this is a must. The Jaffa Dome consisting of Orange Semifreddo, Chocolate & freeze dried mandarin ($13) was beautifully presented and had very strong flavors of chocolate and orange.
Finally the dish the Chef surprised us with, the Raspberry Ice-cream Sandwich, Grilled Peach & Lemon Myrtle ($13). The ice-cream filling was delicious not overly sweet and good way round off a heavy meal.
We were very impressed by not only the quality and creativity of the dishes but also the presentation. Great detail had been paid to ensure that the dishes were visually striking the minute they were set down. Knowing that their menu changes seasonally, is even more reason for us to return to sample it again. The location of Governor’s Table is also very appealing given its proximity to Circular Quay. Next visit will be to try the brunch menu!
Enjoy!
Vanessa
Photos by Alex
*For Foods Sake dined as guests of The Governor’s Table, all opinions however are our own.
