We have a new favourite restaurant in Sydney for 2020; Automata ✨.
This was such an amazing culinary experience from the gastronomy to the staff to the vibes. We want to shout out to Immaree for her excellent service and conversations, who no doubt made our night more wonderful.
Automata is a fine dining restaurant in Chippendale, Sydney, focusing on a movable approach to Australian and European cuisine. They’ve been awarded two hats for the past 3 years, equivalent to two Michelin stars.
We got the extended menu for $195 pp and one beverage pairing for $100 pp.
This was such an amazing culinary experience from the gastronomy to the staff to the vibes. We want to shout out to Immaree for her excellent service and conversations, who no doubt made our night more wonderful.
Automata is a fine dining restaurant in Chippendale, Sydney, focusing on a movable approach to Australian and European cuisine. They’ve been awarded two hats for the past 3 years, equivalent to two Michelin stars.
We got the extended menu for $195 pp and one beverage pairing for $100 pp.
Entrée
Our first entree was an angasi oyster cream, white asparagus & caviar. It arrived in this beautiful iridescent shell dish and it tasted so effin’ delicious 🤤. This was definitely both of our favourites of the lot.
The oyster emulsion was smooth and flavourful, with a natural oyster taste. The overall bite was mainly acidic, with a slight tang from the lemon juice the white asparagus was cooked in. The caviar added a boujie saltiness to the bite that made it super addicting. By the end of it, we were licking our shells clean with beaming eyes.
The oyster emulsion was smooth and flavourful, with a natural oyster taste. The overall bite was mainly acidic, with a slight tang from the lemon juice the white asparagus was cooked in. The caviar added a boujie saltiness to the bite that made it super addicting. By the end of it, we were licking our shells clean with beaming eyes.
On this entrée was the spring green tart, the quail leg lollipop and the grilled octopus…
Our second favourite entrée was the succulent quail leg lollipop, black garlic and blackberry. Like ooft, this was divine! The black garlic sauce had so much depth of flavour with a mild saltiness and hints of umami. The meat was very tender and juicy for such a small piece of bird. It was so satisfying sucking the flavours off the bones. We even used the bone to lick up all the sauce too 🤣 #savage but so good!
This spring green tart, lemon myrtle and sheep’s curd was surprisingly delicious and voted number 4 on our list. We were actually nervous seeing “sheep” on the menu but there was barely any stench! It was balanced, both savoury and refreshing. The sheep’s curd was not overwhelming at all and well-infused with the lemon. The tart had a perfect crunch that contrasted well with the soft filling.
This was the grilled octopus, bean paste and osmanthus and unfortunately ranked last out of the 6 entrées for us. It had a nice smokey, charcoal flavour from the grill. The osmanthus flower had a subtly sweet aroma. This dish was a decently warm and chewy bite that just paled in comparison to the other dishes.
These little balls were the crumbed anchovy olives. I’m not a fan of either so these are Mick’s words: the olive inside was fresh and salty. The anchovies had been turned into a thin, crispy batter layer that brought forth a subtle fish and oceanic flavour to the olive. He loved it. Ranked 5th out of the entrées.
Coming in number 3 was the storm shell clam, xo chilli and red vinegar. This was an additional dish, part of the extended menu. And we were so glad we levelled up because this clam was delicious!
The vinegar and XO sauce was well balanced. XO sauce is usually the dominating factor of a dish but the vinegar used here cut right through, allowing the clam flavour to shine. It had an overall acidic taste profile. The clam had a chewy texture.
The vinegar and XO sauce was well balanced. XO sauce is usually the dominating factor of a dish but the vinegar used here cut right through, allowing the clam flavour to shine. It had an overall acidic taste profile. The clam had a chewy texture.
MAIN COURSE
Our first main dish was the warmed scallop, black rice, ginger, red rice sake kasu, paired with a glass of Mukai Shuzo Ine Mankai 2019 (Kyoto).
Food: This was a notably balanced dish with an umami flavour profile. The scallops were soft and melted on our tongues. There was a sweet note in the aftertaste of the sauce. The black rice was squishy with a slight chew, mellowing out the sauce.
Beverage: This junmai red rice sake was made from the first female brewery in Japan! It had a sweet aroma and was very easy to drink. It paired perfectly with the dish, complementing the umami flavours.
Food: This was a notably balanced dish with an umami flavour profile. The scallops were soft and melted on our tongues. There was a sweet note in the aftertaste of the sauce. The black rice was squishy with a slight chew, mellowing out the sauce.
Beverage: This junmai red rice sake was made from the first female brewery in Japan! It had a sweet aroma and was very easy to drink. It paired perfectly with the dish, complementing the umami flavours.
OH CHEESES, THIS WAS HEAVENLY DELICIOUS! 😍😍😍 This was the steamed hapuka, roe emulsion, kombu butter & laver paired with a glass of Les Fruits – Jus de Nature ‘Rudy’ 2019 (Adelaide).
Food: The butter was so friggin’ good!! It was love at first taste; check out Mick’s reaction hahaha. The butter was very creamy, smooth and rich. It was god tier and elevated the taste of the hapuka to another level 🤤.
For presentation, the fish was covered in seaweed and we got to unravel it with our forks. The seaweed brought a salty touch, balancing the richness. The fish was tender and succulent, having absorbed all that buttery goodness.
Beverage: The wine had a creamy and oak balance with a citrus profile. It cut through and enhanced the butter, leaving this perfect aftertaste. By the end of it, we were licking our plates and begging Immaree for the recipe 🤣.
Food: The butter was so friggin’ good!! It was love at first taste; check out Mick’s reaction hahaha. The butter was very creamy, smooth and rich. It was god tier and elevated the taste of the hapuka to another level 🤤.
For presentation, the fish was covered in seaweed and we got to unravel it with our forks. The seaweed brought a salty touch, balancing the richness. The fish was tender and succulent, having absorbed all that buttery goodness.
Beverage: The wine had a creamy and oak balance with a citrus profile. It cut through and enhanced the butter, leaving this perfect aftertaste. By the end of it, we were licking our plates and begging Immaree for the recipe 🤣.
The instant look of satisfaction on Mick’s face 😂.
This in-house wholemeal bread and whipped butter arrived with our next dish. The bread was very fluffy ad airy. This butter, although not the same kombu butter as the previous dish, was so creamy and light. It had a mild butter taste with a hint of goat cheese.
This next main dish was the sand crab and fermented chilli pasta, black lime and marigold paired with a glass of Sam Vinciullo Cowaramup – Sauvignon Blanc 2018 (Western Australia).
Food: This was a moderately al dente pasta with a strong fermentation smell and taste. The fermentation rose from the chilli aroma and was not spicy at all. The lime cut through the fermentation, balancing the dish well. The crab piece was an entire leg and very tender. Mick said this dish was good but not the best, however, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It had a unique, almost exotic, taste to it.
Beverage: The white wine had a very strange colour of white, yellow and green. It had a zippy smell and a strong acidity taste. It was a great combination with the pasta.
Food: This was a moderately al dente pasta with a strong fermentation smell and taste. The fermentation rose from the chilli aroma and was not spicy at all. The lime cut through the fermentation, balancing the dish well. The crab piece was an entire leg and very tender. Mick said this dish was good but not the best, however, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It had a unique, almost exotic, taste to it.
Beverage: The white wine had a very strange colour of white, yellow and green. It had a zippy smell and a strong acidity taste. It was a great combination with the pasta.
The next dish was part of the extended menu; the roasted quail, pickled muntries, charred eggplant & caper leaves paired with a Manon APQ Cider 2019 (Tasmania).
Food: The quail was soft but not tenderized; there was a bit of a chewiness to it. It was moderately flavourful. The sauce had a sweet and sour taste from the goji berries. This brought out the acidity and spice of the dish. The eggplant was a charred paste and very creamy. Overall, a delicious and balanced dish.
Beverage: We couldn’t believe this cider was $75 on the menu 😱 It was an apple, pear and quince cider. We also were amazed the restaurant chose a cider for their beverage pairing because most restaurants would pair their food with wines.
Manny (sommelier) knew this dish had hints of spice and didn’t want to add an acidic drink (such as wine) to overdrive that flavour so he balanced it with a refreshing, fruity cider 👏🏻
Food: The quail was soft but not tenderized; there was a bit of a chewiness to it. It was moderately flavourful. The sauce had a sweet and sour taste from the goji berries. This brought out the acidity and spice of the dish. The eggplant was a charred paste and very creamy. Overall, a delicious and balanced dish.
Beverage: We couldn’t believe this cider was $75 on the menu 😱 It was an apple, pear and quince cider. We also were amazed the restaurant chose a cider for their beverage pairing because most restaurants would pair their food with wines.
Manny (sommelier) knew this dish had hints of spice and didn’t want to add an acidic drink (such as wine) to overdrive that flavour so he balanced it with a refreshing, fruity cider 👏🏻
Our last main dish was the black angus rib eye, grilled cucumber, jalapeño and herb sauce paired with a Massimo Rivetti Barbera d’Alba Superiore Froi 2017 (Italy).
Food: This delicious rib eye was cooked medium rare and melted in our mouths. The spring onion oil instantly reminded us of Vietnamese cooking because this is a common condiment we use. The jalapeño sauce was light with a sassy kick. Everything eaten together gave us a homey vibe.
Beverage: This red wine had a cherry taste with a herbaceous aroma, complementing the jalapeño in the dish. It was a very easy-to-drink red with no tartness to it. It was really nice and reminded us of our lovely dinner in Rome when we were high on travelling and love.
Food: This delicious rib eye was cooked medium rare and melted in our mouths. The spring onion oil instantly reminded us of Vietnamese cooking because this is a common condiment we use. The jalapeño sauce was light with a sassy kick. Everything eaten together gave us a homey vibe.
Beverage: This red wine had a cherry taste with a herbaceous aroma, complementing the jalapeño in the dish. It was a very easy-to-drink red with no tartness to it. It was really nice and reminded us of our lovely dinner in Rome when we were high on travelling and love.
EXTRA
At this point, we were moderately full but still comfortable in our pants so we ordered the ossau Iraty, rye cracker, rosemary for an extra $14. This had a moderate goat-flavour aftertaste that Mick found too overwhelming. It was not a strong stench but he’s sensitive to that flavour. The crackers were salty, thin crisps. The pear quince was fruity and fresh, cutting through the goat flavour.
DESSERT
Moving on to desserts, we have the set jersey milk, burnt watermelon juice and virgin olive oil paired with a glass of Antica Formula 1786 Vermouth (Italy).
Food: The first bite would have been overpowered by the burnt watermelon juice but the olive oil cut right through, creating an interesting taste that might not appeal to some. The jersey milk custard underneath was milky and smooth, like a flan. It was very delicious when we separated the burnt taste.
Beverage: The paired Italian fortified wine did a great job hiding that burnt taste and elevating the jersey milk underneath. It was a great combination.
Food: The first bite would have been overpowered by the burnt watermelon juice but the olive oil cut right through, creating an interesting taste that might not appeal to some. The jersey milk custard underneath was milky and smooth, like a flan. It was very delicious when we separated the burnt taste.
Beverage: The paired Italian fortified wine did a great job hiding that burnt taste and elevating the jersey milk underneath. It was a great combination.
This dessert was part of the extended menu; the caramelised pineapple and liquorice cheesecake paired with 1 part of Tissot Macvin Blanc du Jura (France) and 2 parts of Ratafia Champenois: Specialities Dumangin (France).
Food: This cheesecake was more cheesy than cake, with a spongy texture. There was sweet and juicy pineapple cream hidden inside. Sorry, I forgot to take a photo of the cross-section. We were so focused on the wine, we thought this dessert was actually the counterpart, not the spotlight 😂
Beverage: Manny (sommelier) is a genius. Who would have thought to combine two wines for a pairing? And to top it off, the Tissot Macvin Blanc du Jura is actually a limited-edition wine, with the last 3 bottles in the hands of Automata. Mick was beaming knowing he was sipping an exclusive alcohol #sucker HAHAHA. The Ratafia Champenois was a fortified wine, described as liquorice, nutty and sweet.
Food: This cheesecake was more cheesy than cake, with a spongy texture. There was sweet and juicy pineapple cream hidden inside. Sorry, I forgot to take a photo of the cross-section. We were so focused on the wine, we thought this dessert was actually the counterpart, not the spotlight 😂
Beverage: Manny (sommelier) is a genius. Who would have thought to combine two wines for a pairing? And to top it off, the Tissot Macvin Blanc du Jura is actually a limited-edition wine, with the last 3 bottles in the hands of Automata. Mick was beaming knowing he was sipping an exclusive alcohol #sucker HAHAHA. The Ratafia Champenois was a fortified wine, described as liquorice, nutty and sweet.
Our final dessert was the pumpkin seed sorbet, soft meringue, seed oil, mandarin and dried plum paired with a Heiwa Shuzo Tsuru-Ume Nigori Umeshu (Japan).
Food: This pumpkin sorbet was light and creamy with the softest crunch, It was almost like eating a Twix, but lighter. The honeycomb pieces were moderately flavourful and not overpowering.
Beverage: The paired umeshu elevated the sweetness of the dessert in a perfect match of honeyed heaven. It was a great way to end the meal.
Food: This pumpkin sorbet was light and creamy with the softest crunch, It was almost like eating a Twix, but lighter. The honeycomb pieces were moderately flavourful and not overpowering.
Beverage: The paired umeshu elevated the sweetness of the dessert in a perfect match of honeyed heaven. It was a great way to end the meal.
I DID NOT EXPECT THIS BUT OH MY CHEESES, they brought out this additional dessert with a friggin’ candle. I got to be 1 again 🤣 I was honestly shaken. We’ve never had a restaurant go this far and beyond for us, a customer (except Est. but they’re closed now – LINK). Most of the fine dining restaurants will scribble happy birthday in chocolate over one of the dessert dishes or give us an extra petit four BUT WOAH! THEY MADE ME A WHOLE DAMN DESSERT.
Food: This was a coconut sorbet with sesame drizzle and honeydew balls. It was sooo good; a mix of sweet and bold. It was really delicious and I ate it so fast, I almost licked the bowl. I hope Automata puts this on their menu soon 🥰🥰🥰.
Food: This was a coconut sorbet with sesame drizzle and honeydew balls. It was sooo good; a mix of sweet and bold. It was really delicious and I ate it so fast, I almost licked the bowl. I hope Automata puts this on their menu soon 🥰🥰🥰.
SERVICE
Manny (sommelier) did a great job picking the perfect drink to match the delicious dishes. There were a few times when Immaree (server) would give us an extra glass of wine and for that, we are so thankful 🥰😆
Immaree was the best server we have ever had. She was top tier in the ranks with Juan, the Front of House at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay (LINK). Our conversations had a personal touch. She had so much knowledge, not just about the food and drinks served at Automata, but also about how to run a restaurant, her experiences at other fine dining restaurants in Sydney and how gastronomy works.
We were seated upstairs, the furthest away and yet there was not a single moment during the night when we felt forgotten. All the staff were attentive and the dishes arrived in a timely manner. We never sat without food at any time.
Immaree was the best server we have ever had. She was top tier in the ranks with Juan, the Front of House at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay (LINK). Our conversations had a personal touch. She had so much knowledge, not just about the food and drinks served at Automata, but also about how to run a restaurant, her experiences at other fine dining restaurants in Sydney and how gastronomy works.
We were seated upstairs, the furthest away and yet there was not a single moment during the night when we felt forgotten. All the staff were attentive and the dishes arrived in a timely manner. We never sat without food at any time.
REVIEW
Automata were top notch ⭐. Every single dish and beverage choice was balanced, hitting all the right taste buds. The gastronomy was on point and there was not a single fault we could find. Some dishes did alright because we were comparing it with the others, but on its own, it was still an appetizing meal.
The quality of the food was amazing. The course order was great, mixing acidic dishes in-between rich ones. We thought the extended menu was a great value: 3 extra dishes for another $30. We were quite full by the end of dinner, finishing our meal at midnight.
The quality of the food was amazing. The course order was great, mixing acidic dishes in-between rich ones. We thought the extended menu was a great value: 3 extra dishes for another $30. We were quite full by the end of dinner, finishing our meal at midnight.
Our final verdict, we love Automata. It has jumped up our ranks and is now our favourite restaurant in Sydney. We’re already excited to go back for their next seasonal menu. We feel this is an underrated restaurant that deserves more attention so give it a try when you get the chance.
Thanks for reading! Happy eating! 💕
Thanks for reading! Happy eating! 💕
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