We went back again to taste Nel’s magical creations with his annual Once Upon A Time: a fairy tale and Disney-inspired menu 🏰✨. This is one of the most innovative and fun restaurants in Sydney because they change the entire themed menu every 3 months.
Our first O-U-A-T visit, Chapter 2 in 2020, was very captivating (LINK) and the Christmas menu 2020 warmed our souls 🥰 (LINK). We both agreed this third visit was definitely the most delicious and gastronomically amazing visit of them all.
The Chapter 3 tasting menu included an 11 degustation course for $145 pp.
The wine pairing was $105 pp but Mick opted for the premium wine pairing for $195 pp.
Our first O-U-A-T visit, Chapter 2 in 2020, was very captivating (LINK) and the Christmas menu 2020 warmed our souls 🥰 (LINK). We both agreed this third visit was definitely the most delicious and gastronomically amazing visit of them all.
The Chapter 3 tasting menu included an 11 degustation course for $145 pp.
The wine pairing was $105 pp but Mick opted for the premium wine pairing for $195 pp.
Entrée
Our first entrée was the Day of the Dead, based on the movie Coco. This was a bite-sized explosion of chimichurri, corn, sun-dried tomato cocoa butter and parsley. It was very refreshing, with strong citric and savoury flavours. The colourful petals made for great decoration but were unfortunately not edible (I tried one 😅).
The Dead Man’s Chest was my favourite presentation, inspired by the Pirates of the Caribbean. The red treasure chest was so adorable 😍. This was a beautiful bite of tenderised cooked squid, served with beetroot and black garlic. It almost tasted like vegetarian meat, in both flavours and textures, with its enjoyable sweet and savoury tones.
This succulent, juicy little thing was the Man’s Red Fire, from The Jungle Book. It was a slow-cooked lamb served with crushed cashews and five spices. Absolute W-O-W 🤤. It was soooooo tender, it literally fell off the bone in one effortless motion as I pulled it gently with my teeth. A perfect savoury and flavourful one biter of delicious lamb; made spectacular by its hot, fiery entrance 🔥.
We love Nel’s creativity of the staple bread and butter. This year B&B was inspired by 101 Dalmatians, titled Black & White. It was a Mantou-style steamed bun served with rosemary, olive oil and butter.
The bread was a pleasant hot temperature with a crispy crust and the softest, pillowy insides. There was no difference in flavour between the black and white bread. This was complemented well by the cool and creamy butter. Even though the butter tasted thick and heavy, it surprisingly had the airiest texture to it.
The bread was a pleasant hot temperature with a crispy crust and the softest, pillowy insides. There was no difference in flavour between the black and white bread. This was complemented well by the cool and creamy butter. Even though the butter tasted thick and heavy, it surprisingly had the airiest texture to it.
Main Course
Our first main dish was inspired by Moana: You’re Welcome. This was a serving of sliced kingfish with pineapple reduction, coconut sauce, taro and jalapeno. This had a great mix of crunchy and soft textures. The thick cuts of kingfish were very fresh, complemented well by the sweet and fruity pineapple and coconut flavours. The jalapenos added the right amount of kick, balancing the bite.
Wine: The first glass was a white 2016 Little Francis Luchsinger from California. Created in the Napa region by a female Australian living abroad with over 6 years of experience, this first glass was a soft and fresh start. It was light and mild, neither tart nor acidic, and it dragged out the flavours of the dish very smoothly, like a beautiful echo.
Wine: The first glass was a white 2016 Little Francis Luchsinger from California. Created in the Napa region by a female Australian living abroad with over 6 years of experience, this first glass was a soft and fresh start. It was light and mild, neither tart nor acidic, and it dragged out the flavours of the dish very smoothly, like a beautiful echo.
This was my favourite one in the creative department. Street Rat, inspired by Aladin, was presented with a beautiful golden lamp pour of blue tomato consommé. This was a Mediterranean inspiration (Genius! as Aladdin is from the area) cooked with cheesy rice, pistachios, dates, basil, and fresh tomatoes. The decorated edible flowers were a nice touch. The consomme was very sour, balanced by the spices of the rice and the acidity of the wine. It tasted like eating a rich tomato congee 😂.
Wine: This was paired with a 2019 Thibaud Boudignon Anjou Blanc from Adieu, France. It was a rich, bright and fresh white wine. Made from unripped stone fruits, there was a spark of electricity on the back of the palate.
Wine: This was paired with a 2019 Thibaud Boudignon Anjou Blanc from Adieu, France. It was a rich, bright and fresh white wine. Made from unripped stone fruits, there was a spark of electricity on the back of the palate.
We were actually discussing if Flounder was actually a flounder before this dish came out 😂 It’s a Flounder, from The Little Mermaid, was a curry and cauliflower fish (yes, a flounder), surrounded by this delicious airy flavoured foam.
One lick and a burst of cauliflower, chilli flakes, cumin and turmeric seasoning wrapped around our tongues, despite licking what essentially felt like air. Impressive!
The fish was tender and flavourful, with a crispy skin. All the curry flavours were well-infused into the foam so all we got was a strong mouthful of fish. This was definitely the best gastronomy dish of the night. It reminded us of their 2020 Little Mermaid dish.
Wine: Matched with a 2018 François Carillon Puligny-Montrachet, this was an oak Chardonnay with integrated creamy, buttery flavours. Made from stone fruits, it had a floral and zest minerality. The taste lingered after each sip and actually left a spice aftertaste. It was perfect with the dish as it invoked our smell too.
P.S. He’s a Guppy fish 🐟.
The fish was tender and flavourful, with a crispy skin. All the curry flavours were well-infused into the foam so all we got was a strong mouthful of fish. This was definitely the best gastronomy dish of the night. It reminded us of their 2020 Little Mermaid dish.
Wine: Matched with a 2018 François Carillon Puligny-Montrachet, this was an oak Chardonnay with integrated creamy, buttery flavours. Made from stone fruits, it had a floral and zest minerality. The taste lingered after each sip and actually left a spice aftertaste. It was perfect with the dish as it invoked our smell too.
P.S. He’s a Guppy fish 🐟.
Our main dish Hundred Acre Wood was inspired by Winnie The Pooh. This was an English slow-cooked Piglet 🐷 (pork belly), with pork jus, honey and smoked carrots. Absolutely A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!! The pork was a fat, succulent and flavourful piece, with a delectable crackling skin and the most tender body we’ve ever devoured. It broke apart with our forks! And the honey marinade made every bite taste like every food lover’s wet dream.
We were actually more impressed by the smoked carrots! The natural sweetness of the vegetable was enhanced by the honey charred side, allowing it to cut through the pork fat. It brought an overwhelming deliciousness to the flavour profile. As cruel as it sounds, it kind of tasted like the woods being burned down 🤣.
Wine: The first and only red of the evening, a glass of 2018 Girolamo Russo Feudo di Mezzo from Scillicy, Italy. Grown and made with volcanic minerals, this fragrant medium-bodied wine had fruity notes from strawberries followed by a hard tone of blackberries. It complemented the pork so well.
We were actually more impressed by the smoked carrots! The natural sweetness of the vegetable was enhanced by the honey charred side, allowing it to cut through the pork fat. It brought an overwhelming deliciousness to the flavour profile. As cruel as it sounds, it kind of tasted like the woods being burned down 🤣.
Wine: The first and only red of the evening, a glass of 2018 Girolamo Russo Feudo di Mezzo from Scillicy, Italy. Grown and made with volcanic minerals, this fragrant medium-bodied wine had fruity notes from strawberries followed by a hard tone of blackberries. It complemented the pork so well.
Desserts
Our first dessert arrived in this cute coconut. I’ve Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts is from The Lion King, filled with amazing bursts of flavours and elements like honeycomb, brown sugar, coconut jelly, kaffir lime, coconut pieces and rum. It was an exciting mouthfeel, with every bite being a mini adventure into gastronomy.
Wine: The dessert wine 2017 Marcel Deiss Pinot Gris was from the borders of France and Germany. It was a strong honey and bees waxy taste – very sweet with rich tones.
Wine: The dessert wine 2017 Marcel Deiss Pinot Gris was from the borders of France and Germany. It was a strong honey and bees waxy taste – very sweet with rich tones.
Boo’s Best Friends was such an interesting combination of flavours. Comprised of white chocolate, mint, cucumber, yuzu and fairy floss, this Monster’s Inc dessert was one of the most unique desserts we’ve ever had. It was very refreshing and satisfying.
Wine: The last glass was a 2019 Prophet’s Rock Vin de Paille. It had a concentrated flavour of sweet grapes, achieved from the straw drying method of the wine. This was very enjoyable on its own however the weakest wine pairing when eaten with the dessert.
Wine: The last glass was a 2019 Prophet’s Rock Vin de Paille. It had a concentrated flavour of sweet grapes, achieved from the straw drying method of the wine. This was very enjoyable on its own however the weakest wine pairing when eaten with the dessert.
The last dish was a bite-sized treat made of nutmeg, vanilla, milk, cinnamon and cocoa. Crème de la Edger, from The Aristocats, was a refreshing flavour explosion that cleansed the palate and left a finale impression. This was the size of a 50c coin.
Drinks
Nel and his team created a whole page of fairytale cocktails, martinis and whiskeys for this menu. All the drinks were $22.
The left one was James P Sullivan, made from a mix of Poor Toms Sydney Dry Gin, blue fino sherry and Strangelove tonic no. 8. It was very strong and fizzy so I had to wait until some ice melted to dilute the taste. Still enjoyable but this was more of a man’s drink 😅.
The Poison Apple (right) was sooo much better. Made from Distillery Botanica vodka, Cardamon Grenadine and green apple soda, this was a fruity and sweet concoction.
The left one was James P Sullivan, made from a mix of Poor Toms Sydney Dry Gin, blue fino sherry and Strangelove tonic no. 8. It was very strong and fizzy so I had to wait until some ice melted to dilute the taste. Still enjoyable but this was more of a man’s drink 😅.
The Poison Apple (right) was sooo much better. Made from Distillery Botanica vodka, Cardamon Grenadine and green apple soda, this was a fruity and sweet concoction.
Service
The staff were spectacular. They went above and beyond to present each dish with an animated voice, retelling the story and inspiration of each dish to every patron 😲. That’s a lot of effort! Service ran smoothly and efficiently too.
Review
We always love the gastronomy of Nel’s menus but this was by far, the best one of all. Everything was well thought of, fun and delicious. We’re already excited for our next visit, hopefully, their English-themed one.
Thank you for reading! We hope you get a chance to try Chapter 3 of Once Upon a Time 😘 Happy eating!
P.S. Apologies for some blurry photos! The camera is getting old (6 years now) and has been through too much shit (remember -20C in Norway guys?) so it can’t autofocus like it used to anymore 😭😭 Also I’m getting to a stage in my life where I focus more on ~living in the moment~ so I’m only taking 3 shots max for each dish now.
Thank you for reading! We hope you get a chance to try Chapter 3 of Once Upon a Time 😘 Happy eating!
P.S. Apologies for some blurry photos! The camera is getting old (6 years now) and has been through too much shit (remember -20C in Norway guys?) so it can’t autofocus like it used to anymore 😭😭 Also I’m getting to a stage in my life where I focus more on ~living in the moment~ so I’m only taking 3 shots max for each dish now.
