When I got up this morning I was so excited because the sun was shining and it seemed just the right kind of autumn weather for a day by the water. Plans were for a tweet up – that’s a twitter meetup as us digital food folk call it - at dedes restaurant (@dedesrestaurant). Well what started as a (simple?) dessert degustation turned into an even more lavish affair with sumptious seafood platters followed by the luscious desserts (#dedesdesserts). Tweeting away was the organiser Denea @gourmetrabbit with @spicyicecream @heneedsfood @bonvivantblog @gourmantic @simonleong and @gastronomous_a
By the time we arrived it was raining and grey yet the view from Dedes restaurant at Sydney Rowing Club was still stunning. Even though I live quite close I didn’t even know about this baby until Denea invited me. The large 200 seat restaurant has sweeping floor to ceiling glass on two sides and stunning views. And one of the best seafood platters I’ve seen for a while. Both hot and cold arrived together today due to all the desserts that were to follow, but restaurant manager Kelly Payne told us they usually serve them separately with the cold first. What a super idea so that oysters and prawns and the like can be slowly savoured and then the hot seafood can be eaten at its best. The surprise of the platter was the angels on horseback (is that right?) ahh no the menu says horseback prawns they were delisshhh.
dedes hot and cold seafood platter
cold – marinated octopus, oysters, prawns and smoked salmon
hot – baked barramundi, bbq prawns, salt & pepper calamari and crayfish tail, scampi, horseback prawns with hand cut chips
2009 Watershed Unoaked Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia
While Denea was incredulous ( as we all were!) about the size of those hand cut chips, it wasn’t all chips and seafood as Con Dedes’ yiayia said we had to have greens. So in what was a really special part of our day she sent us two platters from home. One was chicory so I lapped that up. I love my chicory! Her theory is if we have them with seafood it lowers our cholesterol. (apparently).
Then it was time to move on to the original purpose for our afternoon – desserts.
desserts created by pastry chef Jason Langthorne
strawberry creme brulle & vanilla bean shortbread
NV Moet & Chandon Champagne, Champagne, France
chocolate truffle dacquoise, almond praline & turkish delight ice cream
frangelico frappe
flourless citrus cake, lemon semi freddo & orange caramel
piccolo latte – cinque stelle espresso by Vittoria
baked rhubarb tart, cinnamon crumble & toffee apple icea cream
NV Galway Pipe port
petit fours
peppermint tea
All of the desserts were just super stunning – the perfect afternoon delight – so compliments to chef and his team. What was really amazing though with all these desserts that the beverage matching was incredible so (as I understand it) applause to Kelly Payne for not only the matching but the variety and progression of the dessert beverage. You did a mighty fine job.
There was a quick quiz at the end and I think we all agreed? that the flourless citrus cake was sensational. I just loved the little hint of a layer of lemon curd hidden within and say wow to that turkish delight ice cream.
But the treat of the day had to be the other extra that yiayia sent us – the delicious sweet pumpkin inside her hand made phyllo (filo) pastry.
Dedes Restaurant
613 Great North Road,
Abbotsford Sydney NSW 2046 Australia
+ 61 2 9712 5503
Would you repeat your awesome-voting-ness for @gourmetrabbit pretty please? VIDEO blog #thefrenchjob 
April 11 2011 at 1:11 am
Hi. I saw all of the tweets about this tweetup and was VERY jealous of your desserts. That said, the seafood platter really takes my fancy. YUM!
April 11 2011 at 1:44 am
Was nice to do devils on horseback with you! Thanks for the laughs x
April 11 2011 at 6:25 am
I think they called them angels? but I’d prefer to be a devil anyday … *wink* x
April 11 2011 at 8:01 am
hehe that’s me with a camera in my face
April 11 2011 at 8:02 am
i’m still on a sugar high!
April 11 2011 at 11:36 am
Such a marvellous and delicious day. And it was great to meet you too Miss Becca! Love the camera faces!
Looking forward to the next tweet up – The other Becca!
April 11 2011 at 10:38 pm
it was so lovely to finally meet you! great write up! and i do love the last photo of us
just the camera – no face!
April 13 2011 at 10:13 am
Great to relive the afternoon through your post, and a pleasure to meet you