Universal
By Franz Scheurer
Christine Manfield and her partner Margie Harris are no strangers to the international dining scene and their professionalism shows. Nothing is left to chance. The food is carefully selected, very Chris Manfield, and the service is slick, professional and friendly. Everything runs like a well-oiled machine.
The colours in the restaurant are like a sunset over the Australian Outback, or, if you want to use the Spice analogy: chilli, turmeric, coriander, saffron, paprika and sandalwood. The room’s slated ceiling, old fashioned bar and modern, hard surfaces highlight the white-clad tables, and the front is open (thankfully featuring lots of black heaters in the ceiling for that cold night) to the square, highlighted by a huge Disneyesque statue and row of trees.
The menu offers a selection of dishes and the diners are able to eat as little or as much as appetite and budget allow. Expect dishes such as ‘five spice pork, squid and cashew salad’, ‘turmeric lemongrass broth, shiitake mushroom dumplings’, ‘steamed spanner crab pancake, spiced coconut crab soup’ and ‘smoked eggplant and beancurd cake, star anise soy beans and chilli jam’, all well prepared, very presentable, punchy and full of flavour yet not too challenging, heat-wise, for the average diner. On our last visit, four of us managed to order almost 20 dishes and I must say we enjoyed them all. The ‘asparagus and lotus root tempura, samphire and wasabi avocado’ was an absolute treat, while my dish of the night was ‘veal tenderloin with porcini crust, white truffle noodles, celeriac and morels’. Desserts are good and have strong visual appeal (what else would you expect from Chris Manfield?).
An excellent wine list features something for everyone and if you look closely there are some real gems. Australia, France, Portugal and Spain are well represented and even Greece gets a look in. Make sure you have a look at the Reserve Wine List, too. To see a Pichot Vouvray Sparkling by the glass is impressive (although we opted for the Rockford Black Shiraz, which copes admirably with the spiciness of some of the dishes).
Service is slick. The staff are everywhere and seem to see everything. They are happy to explain anything on the menu and knowledgeable enough to do so well.
Universal is a terrific addition to the Sydney dining scene and I have absolutely no doubt that it will continue to be a popular one for some time to come.
Score: 8/10
For more information:
Universal
Republic 2 Courtyard
Palmer Street (between Burton & Liverpool)
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
Tel.: 02 9331 0709