Yellow

Hot off the press, chef Brent Savage has just won the 2015 Good Food Guide Chef of the Year award and there are plenty of reasons to celebrate. Yellow, is Savage's newest venture in Potts Point taking a more conventional approach to Australian bistro dining. Meanwhile, his flagship restaurant, molecular gastronomy haven of Bentley Restaurant & Bar has taken a more imaginative turn jettisoning into the Radisson Blu in Sydney's CBD. The restaurant scene has been quite tumultuous lately, to say the least with fresh names popping up every second day, abrupt closures and chef's hats flying left, right and centre. Only a year ago, I was reviewing an entirely different restaurant at this exact address (a pop-up mind you, but still). How bizarre!

First thing's desserts. Talk about wow factor: an intergalactic sphere of chocolate, passionfruit curd & coconut marshmallow. A fantastic combination and the wafer thin dark chocolate was delicious. A note on the curd though, which was probably closer to a custard (with a more soupy texture) - quite different from what you'd expect from the menu

With the experience of Savage and a toque already in it's holster, Yellow sets to fill the gap between fine diners looking for a matched wine degustation and the lucky few who can secure seats at the eternally popular Monopole wine bar (also on Macleay St). This new iteration of Yellow House circa 2013 suits Potts Point locals to a tee. Open 7 days a week for dinner and brunch on weekends, there's something here for everyone.

Another extraordinarily dimly lit eatery. Energy efficiency to extremes?

The dining room is another Pascale Gomes-McNabb creation, an architect and long term collaborator who seems to be leaving her mark all over this town. With cutout mirrors and a jigsaw of shapes adorning the walls; it's a cross between an Eames aesthetic and geometry class but it gets the job done. The menu is a straight forward affair with relatively limited options compared to some of the tomes out there (first. world. problems.). The wine list however, is a different kettle of fish. Presumably on loan from Monopole a few doors down it is in a word, EPIC. I will note however that there is no dedicated vegetarian main. One would be forced to order a series of vegetable side dishes to make up for it. Shame.

For starters: char-grilled pork neck, prawn, black pudding purée & orange. This was probably my favourite dish of the evening. The pork was meltingly tender and gelled really well with the prawns which, mind you were verging on undercooked. A thoughtful and standout dish early on

Cured snapper, avocado and mullet roe (left) and roast cauliflower with mustard leaves and parmesan (right). The snapper was a deliciously tiny morsel. It's not often you see snapper cooked this way. The cauliflower was cooked in several ways but seemed to have an overpowering creaminess and richness about it. More of the roasted/shaved cauliflower might remedy this

Corn-fed chicken, charred carrot, buttermilk and cavolo nero. Sous vide chicken with a charry black carrot purée. A new 'chef-y' twist on the Sunday roast

O'Connor Scotch fillet with Jerusalem Artichoke and mustard. A very nice and well cooked piece of steak. I did find myself missing more of a sauce which was basically pan juices. Always a fan of jerusalem artichokes, the combination of roasted and shaved slices worked well. 

Mulloway with celtuce & shimeji mushroom (left) and baby kipfler potatoes, sour cream and shallot powder (right). The fish was cooked to perfection, a very simple dish at its heart, but executed well. The potatoes were instantly reminiscent of sour cream & chive crisps (but infinitely better)

DOLCE

Magnifique, non?! Melon sorbet, macadamia & dates. On reading the menu, a list of ingredients in each dessert gives nothing away. To see this presented, a vision draped in a veil of translucent melon was a real treat (the mandolin strikes again!). A macadamia crumb sits atop melon slices and a quenelle of sorbet on a delicate slice of date cake. A match made in heaven

Apple with green raisins & buttermilk chantilly. This dessert looks rather unimpressive on the surface but the combination is good one. A pile of crumble, may be a little stingy?

Yellow, as a new venture in a difficult climate is a laudable effort. Savage and his team function like a well-oiled machine delivering seasonal dishes designed for the individual, but you'll get away with trying a bit of everyone's. For me, there were a few highlights and no particular low-lights but that's just it. I was looking for a little bit of magic, a dish that I would return for again and again (the pork-neck was nearly there) or a new and inspired idea. In terms of fulfilling the brief, sure Yellow has it down and I can't argue with the full house night after night but I'm looking for something a little bit extra. Call me crazy.

"And it was called, Yellow..."

Thanks for reading chickens!

xGourmand