Restaurant Balzac, Randwick

Restaurant Balzac's special Friday lunch menu has been on my list for a long time now, finally one Friday in February I got to try it out :)

It has been so long now that I don't even remember why I wasn't working that day.....hmmm......I'm pretty sure there must be a legit reason why....I hope....LOL

(It's bugging me though that I can't recall why.....)



Inside the restaurant ; Friday Lunch Menu



Like other restaurants in Sydney that does specially priced Friday lunches, you get a full 3 course meal with just a fraction of the regular price, $39.00 p.p. here at Restaurant Balzac.

Choosing what to have was easy, I'll just pick the opposite of what my friend decided to have, then we get to try everything on the menu ;) 

Sourdough & Salted Butter

Yellow Fin Tuna, "Ceviche" Vinaigrette

My starter was a colourful row of pink yellow fin tuna, topped with tomato and cucumber cubes with a lovely tangy lemongrass scented dressing.

The fish was very fresh and the dressing though full of flavour didn't overpower the fish itself.



Baked Beans, Poached Egg, Truffle Oil



My friend's chose the baked beans starter, which is a bit odd for lunch I think....but anyways...it tasted good, though I'm not a big fan of beans so I'm glad she chose this instead of the ceviche :P

The earthy aroma of the truffle added something extra to good ol baked beans, complete with oozing poached egg and crisp bacon.

Onion Tatin with Sherry Caramel, Goat's Cheese, Witlof & Rocket Salad

The horror on my face when the main arrived...so much goats cheese !! Two generous slices of the cheese, which is great if you are a fan of it, which I'm obviously not....-___-;

The onion tatin was delicious though, the pastry was crisp and fluffy and the sweetness of the sherry caramel help make the goats cheese go down easier. The bitter witlof and the peppery rocket balanced out the richness of the creamy cheese.

Despite not able to finish all the cheese, I enjoyed this dish, to my surprise !

Whole Rainbow Trout with Roast Aubergine & Smoked Tomatoes

The shock on my friend's face was for a totally different reason LOL

I think we underestimate the word "whole rainbow trout" on the menu....surely they can't be serving a whole fish....

Well....we were proven wrong....one whole rainbow trout....head and all.....

The trout was cooked very well indeed, the pink flesh was moist and tender and the roasted vegetables was a lovely accompaniment to it.

Needless to say, she was struggling to finish it, even with me helping.

Cherry, Mascarpone & Hazelnut Trifle

The chocolate mousse based triffle was topped with brownie bites, crunchy hazelnut and pistachio brittle, a dollop of mascarpone and chocolate curls.

A perfect dessert for chocoholic :)

Caramelized Apple Terrine

The apple terrine was a stack of thinly sliced apple, still retaining its crispiness and a nice balanced of tartness from the apple itself and the caramel, laid on a pond of Cointreau creme anglaise.

I prefer this one compared to the trifle, its more refreshing and light :)

We thoroughly enjoyed the lunch here, excellent value with such generous portions on some of the dishes.

Now...which restaurant's special lunches should I try next ?