Yellow

Yellow is the best vegetarian restaurant in Sydney, hands down. Yes yes, I know I should be more circumspect - "one of the best", "top three"... but I'm going to throw caution to the wind and say that Yellow is the best. Part of the Bentley group, you know you are in safe hands. Oh and what a feast we had - so delicious and satisfying that I'm pretty sure if all vegetarian meals were like this one, I would never miss meat again.

Charred sourdough, $3 each 

The first thing on the menu immediately is a surprise - when I ordered bread, this was not what I had expected - but I am so very happy with this oiled, charred and steaming hot morsel. This immediately sets the tone for our meal: expect the unexpected.

Fig + chipotle + coriander + buckwheat, $22

This is a flavour bomb. The sweetness of the fig (which is in season right now, praise be) is perfectly set off by the slight tartness of cherry tomatoes, earthy buckwheat and smokey chipotle - this is a dish I would happily consume by the spoonful.

Macadamia tofu + grape + daikon + kelp, $26

Clearly influenced by Japanese cuisine, this clean-looking and clean-tasting dish was very enjoyable to me, though it isn't a must-order-again for me. The macadamia tofu is silky and has that lovely richness typical of the nut; balanced by the juicy freshness of the daikon, grapes and kelp. It is rather mild in flavour - but then again, it is what a tofu dish is supposed to be.

Sugar snap peas +  green orache + citrus soy, $28

Reading the menu, I had pictured something incredibly light and brothy (a little like the tofu dish) but instead we got a beautifully creamy and gently savoury dish bursting with a feeling of springtime. Prior to Yellow, I had never even heard of orache - but apparently they can be sustitute for spinach or sorrel, as they are used here. They are light, fresh, and mild-flavoured; a little more buttery in texture than spinach.

Eggplant + charred scallion + almond, $29

Baby eggplants were used in this dish - unlike the heavily sauced grilled eggplants I am used to, this use of eggplant is delightfully fresh and features a gentle charred flavour (contributed by the scallion, no doubt).

Onion + stracciatella + tonburi + eucalyptus, $32

In this context, the stracciatella is not the chocolate chip gelato flavour we are familiar with, but an Italian soup made of egg and cheese. It is creamy, with the flavour of a cream cheese. Onion is cooked until sweet, and the tonburi (a herb) acts as substitute caviar - it does not have the saltiness of caviar, nor does it burst like bubbles, but it does add an interesting texture to balance the creaminess of the dish. The flavour of eucalyptus is extremely mild - so I wouldn't worry about it tasting like a forest at all.

Sugarloaf cabbage + chickpea miso + tangerine vinegar, $30

I am always amazed by how skilled restaurants can make even the simplest food - a quarter of cabbage, in this case - taste heavenly. Cooked to absolute perfection: soft and creamy, slightly charred, the gentle sweetness of the cabbage works very well with the tart saltiness of the miso and vinegar.

Shitake mushroom + carrot & black olive xo + potato, $36

The Chinese influence is clear in the use of an "xo sauce", which usually gets its umami deapth of flavour from seafood such as dried scallops. At yellow, the umami depth comes from black olive. The fried potato threads adds an interest texture to the dish, balancing beautifully with the fleshiness of the shitake mushrooms.

Toasted Licorice Bread, $11

Ah, the famous, inky-black licorice bread. It is a thing of wonder. First, for those who dislike licorice - fear not, it is not strongly licorice-flavoured; but rather just a hint of aniseed. Trust me, it is delicious (I'm not usually a licorice-eater). Served hot, with butter and generous sprinkling of sea salt, this baby does sweet-and-salty well. The texture is what I love most: chewy in a caramalised way.

Coconut + licorice pear + pine nut, $18

I wasn't able to discern all the different components listed in the menu - I didn't think the gelato tasted particularly strongly of coconut, I still have no idea what a licorice pear is, and well, the pinenut were hidden in the earthy "soil". As its appearance would suggest, this dessert is earthy, nutty and toasty.

Honeydew sorbet + yuzu curd + peppermint, $18

This one is delightful. So bright and light, the honeydew sorbet is refreshing as anything, balancing the tartness of the yuzu curd wonderfully - and the honeycomb is a great addition to an otherwise citrusy dish. A perfect ending to a surprisingly rich and decadent meal.

Score: 5/5
Price: approximately $70-$100pp (excluding alcohol)
Address: 57 MacLeay St, Potts Point NSW
Website: https://www.yellowsydney.com.au/