Blanc Haru

It was a Saturday evening and my fiancé and I had only hours earlier gorged ourselves on a seafood buffet, but inevitably as dusk approached we were once again feeling hungry.  Perusing through the throngs of Sydney restaurants we came across Blanc Haru.

 

Situated in Elizabeth Bay, Blanc Haru is a fusion between French and Japanese cuisine.  The head chef and owner, Mr Haru Inukai has worked with the likes of Tony Bilson, who as you know is easily recognisable as one of Australia’s ‘godfathers’ of French cuisine.

I hesitantly made an enquiry for a reservation for later that evening, expecting a restaurant of that calibre to be completely booked out.  Instead we spoke directly to Mr Inukai who confirmed he did indeed have one free table.

Mr Inukai greeted us at the door by name, much like you would to an old friend.  It immediately set the tone for a warm and friendly atmosphere.  The restaurant is moderately sized which lends itself towards the intimate dinning space.

Perusing through the menu, my fiancé and I couldn’t go past the degustation menu.  It looked spectacular and for such a reasonable price ($68 per person) it seemed like the obvious choice.

The seven courses in the degustation menu had been well considered and each dish worked cohesively with the one before it.  Overall, I would say the dishes were more French influenced than they were Japanese, but given the head chef’s previous qualifications it is understandable why.

My favourite savoury dish of the evening was the clam broth with silken tofu.  It may seem an unusual choice but I assure you, if you had given me a bowl of this for dinner I would have been very content. The broth was sweet and creamy and gently infused with the flavours of the ocean.  As you reach for a spoonful of the broth, you are met with the silken tofu, which lines the bottom of the cup. The dish has been garnished with bright orange and green pearls of caviar which delightfully pop in your mouth, contrasting beautifully with the smoothness of the tofu.

My favourite dish is always the dessert and this dessert did not disappoint! Whilst often a dessert at the end of a degustation meal makes you unable to stand up because you are so full, the dessert in this degustation menu had been carefully considered.  It was light, yet full of flavours and textures.  If you closed your eyes you were transported from the bleak winter in Sydney to the warm weather of the tropics. It was a beautiful mixture of panacotta laced with sweet slivers of pineapple and topped with a sumptuous coconut ice cream.  

If you are in the area or even if you have to make a special trip for it, I would definitely recommend Blanc Haru. The service staffs are attentive and above all the food is amazing.  We will definitely be visiting this one again!  

Below is the five other courses: