Sean's Kitchen, Pyrmont

Duck fat chips. This is the main reason why Yas and I find ourselves at Sean's Kitchen for a pre-show dinner.

We're seeing David Sedaris at the State Theatre - not a huge walk between that and Star City Casino - but it's the promise of duck fat chips that clinch our decision. We're easily swayed.


Sean's Kitchen

It's my third visit to Sean's Kitchen, the first at the launch of Sean Connolly's TV series My Family Feast, then a brief interlude for lunch during the World Chef Showcase for the Sydney International Food Festival.

We arrive at 6.00pm and are seated in the alcove dining room, quieter and a little more romantic than the main area, although the huge red-tinted glass doors unfortunately make me feel as if I'm entering some sort of stylised bordello.


Sean's Kitchen enclosed dining room

A framed black-and-white portrait of Sean looks over the dining room, a past entry submitted for the Shoot the Chef photography competition. The linen is crisp, the glassware is elegant and the wait staff are quietly attentive. There's a seriousness to the service, perhaps amplified by our waiter who has a thick French accent. At a nearby table, one woman takes great pains to repeat everything back to him, complete with Aussie drawl, to make sure she has understood everything he has said.


Cultured butter

Its proximity to the Lyric Theatre means staff are well-prepared for patrons in a hurry, and the pre-theatre menu is significantly cheaper than the a la carte version. Two courses are available for $50, three courses for $65, with five options listed under entrees, mains and desserts.


Bread platter

I'm still enamoured by the curved and elongated bread plate, but I'm in love with the cultured butter even more. Peeling off the cow print wax paper on top is a bit like opening the world's best Christmas present, the cheerful pat of batter so good I put literal slices of it on my crusty slice of bread. Truly I could have eaten just bread and butter for dinner and been more than satisfied.


Tartare of Crystal Bay prawns and avocado with beetroot gazpacho

Entrees however, are far more interesting. My tartare of Crystal Bay prawns arrives as a delicate quenelle topped with tiny slices of beetroot in the middle of a broad-brimmed bowl. In his other hand, the waiter holds a silver jug, which he solemnly tips over until the thick puree of beetroot gazpacho creates a crimson moat around the tartare island.

The beetroot gazpacho isn't as strongly flavoured as you'd expect, more of a muted raw beetroot flavour, and we both notice a slight oily residue on the tongue. The prawn tartare is magnificent, with the kind of intense and super-sweet prawn flavour that you find in Japanese ebi sashimi. Eaten with the prawn tartare, the beetroot gazpacho forms a pleasant backdrop, but there seems a little too much of it overall.


Chicken liver parfait with toasted brioche

I'd been eyeing the chicken liver parfait but in the interests of diversity, I'd chosen differently from Yas. The parfait arrives in a glass, elegantly presented although its relatively high walls make it a little difficult to scoop out with a knife.

The parfait is divine - smooth, silky, buttery and rich. I slather huge chunks of it on the toasted brioche bread. A passerby could tell how could it was by the evil looks of delight in our eyes.


Lamb chops with parsley mint and caper sauce

Yas orders the lamb chops for mains, three artfully stacked piece alongside a green daub of parsley, mint and caper sauce, smeared and scraped in that terribly trendy way so it looks like a hoon has gone gunning down your plate.

The lamb chops are succulent and tender, cooked sous vide to retain the moisture inside. We relish the chops (and Yas delights in savouring each mouthful of fat too) although we both find the parsley sauce a bit at odds with the lamb, like a blended up version of tabbouleh. I keep craving peas instead.


Meat loaf, 4 cuts of pure wagyu, vine-ripened tomato sauce

I'd been intrigued by the wagyu meat loaf, touted to contain four cuts of pure wagyu, the menu proclaims. It arrives looking much fancier than any meatloaf I'd ever eaten as a kid, a chunky slice flash-grilled, slathered with tomato sauce and sprinkled with gremolata.

The meat loaf, made with a coarse mince, is discernibly fattier in flavour and texture. A few gristly bits are presumably from the use of wagyu brisket. The vine-ripened tomato sauce is a highlight, adding an intense tangy sweetness. It's a rich dish that probably needs a side of vegetables to be better enjoyed, a tip that waitstaff should probably pass on.


Duck fat chips $8

Because instead of vegetables, we'd ordered the duck fat chips. They arrive in a battered measuring cap, the peeling red paint adding rustic charm. The fat cut chips have a golden edge, the insides creamy and dense.

As we eat the chips, the imprint of two hanging ducks is gradually revealed on the paper collar inside the cup. I can't help thinking about the dead ducks and their contribution to the fat soaked in our chips. Perhaps this is why we barely make our way through half of them, although in the interests of our cholesterol intake for the evening, this is probably a good thing.


Lemon tart and mandarin sorbet

The lemon tart is a narrow wedge, the filling tangy with citrus although the shallow filling means the crust seems to dominate the flavour. Mandarin sorbet is light and refreshing.


Duck egg crema Catalan

Yas had had to settle for the lemon tart because I'd gotten first dibs on the crema Catalan. I break the glossy surface with my spoon and, upon tasting, widen my eyes and fall silent. Yas looks at me, laughing, until he too takes a spoonful and does the same thing.

"You want to close your eyes don't you," I say. He nods, slowly at first and then vigorously speeds up in agreement.

The custard is every superlative you could think of and more. Cooked to a delicate wobble, it glides effortlessly down the throat. The dark caramel sauce is tempered by a touch of bitterness.
It's quite a large portion too - I would come back for this dish alone.


David Sedaris at the State Theatre

We managed to have three courses in just over 100 minutes (including excessive photo taking) which means a brisk walk over the Pyrmont Bridge to the State Theatre. We arrive flushed but on time to see David Sedaris who regales us with short stories (and one very funny email), revealing that he learnt Australian songs like Kookaburra, Waltzing Matilda and Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport in elementary school. He's witty, funny, self-deprecating and a master with words. A brief Q&A reveals his proudest moment - being featured as a clue in the New York Times crossword puzzle!



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Sean's Kitchen
Level 2, Star City Hotel
80 Pyrmont Street
Pyrmont, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9777 9000

Opening hours
Monday to Friday 12pm - 10pm
Saturday and Sunday 6pm - 10.30pm


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