I don’t have a particularly sweet tooth – so it takes one of the best desserts in Sydney to lure me into the sweets section of the menu.
These five dishes certainly fit the bill – they are some of the most delicious things I’ve eaten in the past 12 months, sweet or savoury!
Quince, Preserved Lemon, Blood Orange Bentley Restaurant & Bar
The savoury notes and acidic tang are all the things I love in dessert. Quince (poached with honey, ginger and lemon) sits between a base of buffalo milk stracciatella and quenelle of preserved lemon sorbet. Fennel pollen and a sprig of bronze fennel add a touch of anise.
Mango Sorbet, Cherry Salad, Liquorice Boronia Kitchen
I don’t even like liquorice, but I’m so glad the striking look of this dessert tempted me. Slices of fresh mango encircle a cherry salad and ball of super smooth mango sorbet. Thankfully, the fine liquorice net added more crunch and colour than flavour.
Fruits en Surprise Restaurant Hubert
Even the menu title of this playful dish is fun. Fruit-based sorbets and ice creams are piped back into real fruit shells and served on a bed of crushed ice: lemon, passionfruit, green apple, banana and strawberry. All delicious!
Rosemary Ice Cream, Hazelnut, Rhubarb Cirrus (CLOSED)
I love herbs used in sweets and the rosemary in this ice cream really tickles my savoury palate. Add a crunchy topping of hazelnuts, toasted oats and puffed candied sorghum and a tangy rhubarb, blood orange and star anise sauce – and I’m in heaven!
Cheesecake, Lemon Myrtle, Buttermilk Magill Estate
I couldn’t help squeezing in this out-of-towner, a creamy monochrome delight that’s one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. A base of buttermilk foam topped with a dome of cheesecake ice cream, crisp nuggets of nitrogen-chilled lemon curd and shortbread crumbs add crunch, and lemon myrtle ‘pearls’ and dust add a herbal note.
Published 3 Aug 2019