Vulcans
By Franz Scheurer
20th June 2009
Phillip Searle is one of the most gifted chefs in this
country and he values lifestyle over anything else, these days. "I only
open three days a week for 9 month of the year and spend the rest of my time
painting or in retreats in India. This way I really enjoy cooking and as I
don't have apprentices anymore I spend the whole time in the kitchen".
Barry is on the floor making sure everything runs smoothly service-wise and the
small, intimate restaurant is always full and you need to ring ahead to make
sure you get a seat.
Vulcans has always been terrific and it just keeps
getting better and better. Most dishes are cooked in the old bakers' oven at
the back of the open kitchen and there's a separate prep-kitchen outside. The
whole room is a curious mix of old-fashioned country charm and practical
functionality, with laminex, unclothed tables and lots of hard surfaces with
walls painted in an attractive terra cotta colour. The walls are adorned with
Searle's paintings and really lift the room.
The menu is short: 4 entrées, 4 mains and 4 desserts,
a couple of side dishes and bread. Value for money is fantastic and the BYO
policy helps keeping the prices down, as well.
We tried the 'Spicy Fish Soup with Marinated Squid
& Vegetables' a glorious broth with tender squid, lots of coriander and a
bit of a kick. The 'Hard, Soft & Silken Tofu' cooked with ginger, soy and
Shiitake mushrooms was sheer genius with lots of different textures, deep, dark
flavours and a mix of toasted white and golden sesame seeds. Our third entrée
was the 'Glazed Duckling Sausage with Pickled Beetroot' a dish that has been on
the menu for eons and is simply wonderful. For mains we enjoyed the 'Spinach,
Lentils & Cèpes, layered, with Polenta, Gnocchi and Ricotta' and although
we know just how good Phillip Searle's vegetarian dishes are, this one stands
head and shoulders above anything else. The 'Pot Roasted Oyster Blade of Beef,
with Lemon Greens & Kaffir Lime' was fall-apart tender and gelatinous and
the serving was generous enough to satisfy the biggest appetite. Our sides,
vegetables and roast potatoes, were served in a lovely copper pot and the salad
I saw going to another table looked substantial. The bread, which is Vulcans’
Organic Sourdough is crusty and slow-baked and it is so good you could make a
meal of it with lots of fresh butter.
Desserts at Vulcans are always an experience and I can
happily report that the 'Chequerboard ice Cream' is still one of the world's
best desserts. The bombe of the day was 'Crème Fraîche Ice Cream, Caramel
Parfait & Iced Passionfruit' and it was sublime and the 'Semolina &
Vanilla Bean Pudding with Rhubarb and Intense Orange Sauce' was a terrific
contrast of hot and cold, creamy and grainy in a way only Phillip Searle seems
to be able to do.
Entrées are $19.50 each and Mains $33 each, with
desserts $14 each. Corkage is $5 per person and bread $2 per serve.
Vulcans is easily my favourite destination restaurant
around Sydney and if you're a young chef who has not eaten Phillip Searle's
food before, then you need to get into your car or onto your bike and hightail
up up to the mountains and eat there!
Score: 8.5/10
For more information or bookings:
Vulcans
33 Govetts Leap Road
Blackheath NSW 2785
Tel.: 02 4787 6899