BLACK by ezard, Pyrmont

BLACK by ezard is a an upmarket, contemporary fine dining restaurant with sleek interiors and great food to match. Just earlier this week I had the pleasure of dining with Teage Ezard, Teage is more well known in Melbourne (where he has three restaurants) than in Sydney but in the five odd years since BLACK opened and after numerous appearances on Masterchef, Teage is increasingly building his profile in Sydney.

Spanner Crab – squid ink cracker, kaffir lime mayo, apple, fennel
Fennel – persian fetta, celery custard, smoked croutons

To start off the meal we were served two small starters which set the tone for an evening of good food. The spoon of fennel was flavourful and hit the right notes while the zesty spanner crab was just as delicious.

If I had to describe the type of dishes served at BLACK, I would have to say first and foremost it’s a steakhouse but it also does some very good seafood. I usually prefer my scallops lightly seared but this dish which was served as sashimi was also quite nice.

I absolutely love beef tartare and I’m happy to say that the beef tartare at BLACK, which is a staple dish on the constantly changing menu, was simply divine. Interestingly, the heirloom beets in this dish are served in the form of a thin jelly which covers the beef tartare and gives it a hint of sweetness.

Our main course arrived in the form of whole rotisserie chickens served with numerous sides and truffle shavings on top. The sides are very substantial and I certainly underestimated how large the servings were, they’re also quite good (especially the mash!) and I could easily consider them small dishes on their own.

The second round of main dishes were individually served steaks. The beef was cooked perfectly and the marbling is score is top quality, giving the meat a soft tender texture. They simply melt in your mouth.

I absolutely love cheesecakes and I was delighted to see this one on the menu and it certainly didn’t disappoint. The bergamot sorbet was a unique concept, bergamot is used as a key component in earl grey tea but I’ve rarely seen it on any menu let alone in the form of sorbet.

The Poire William was a great dessert but I have to admit the cheesecake was hard to top. The dish itself is heavier and more substantial than the cheesecake and unfortunately it just didn’t quite go to my liking.

There’s really not much to say about BLACK by ezard as I’m sure the pictures say more than I could ever write. I was actually so happy with the meal (and the beautiful venue with great views) that I actually booked a second visit for a later date in the middle of this meal so I will definitely be returning soon!

The Food Diary dined as guests of BLACK by ezard and Kate & Co PR.
All views and opinions expressed in this post are our own.