Alchemy 731

By Franz Scheurer

Alchemy 731 is probably the lower North Shore’s best-kept secret. The food is superb, they allow BYO any day of the week, its eminently comfortable, bright and friendly. First impressions: it’s a typical neighbourhood restaurant. Reality: they over-perform and over-deliver and I wish they were in my suburb.

The menu is short and concise and there is a ‘specials menu’ on the wall, listing the special steak offerings and whatever other specials available on the day. As they allow BYO (and believe me, this is a big thing in Mosman) the wine list has been paired back and there is a good selection of wines by the glass.

We loved the complementary amuse gueule of a spicy, cold ‘soup’, served in laboratory test-tubes held on a scientific-looking wooden rack. It tasted a little like a marriage between a Gazpacho and a Virgin Mary.

For entrées we ordered ‘Pan-fried scallops with sumac, avocado and grapefruit’ ($25), ‘Crème fraîche and date cigars, grilled Belgian endive, sauce vièrge’ (vegetarian) ($20), ‘Duck liver parfait with brioche, pine nuts and bitter orange puree’ ($22) and ‘Boudin blanc, apple puree, hazelnut crumble’ ($23). They were all terrific and presented very well. The boudin was probably the hero, but only just. For mains we tried ‘Cutlet and braised shoulder of W.A grain fed lamb, shepherd’s pie’ ($33), ‘Woodside goat’s cheese charlotte, caponata, baby herb salad’ (vegetarian) ($29), and from the Alchemy Prime Steak Menu ‘Tajima Wagyu rump 250g, NSW/ Vic marble score 9+, herb butter’ ($46) and ‘Tournedos Rossini 250g, Cape Grim, Tasmania, MSA, organic pasture fed’ ($45). The deconstructed shepherd’s pie was sensational and both the Wagyu and the Tournedos superb. I love the pieces of quality foie gras lobe placed on top! The meat was cooked to perfection (and how it was ordered) and the accompanying mash excellent.

Chef, Derek Baker, told me an amusing anecdote on how the Tournedos Rossini was named: Rossini comes from the Italian composer Gioacchino Antonio Rossini in the 1800s, who was also known for his love of food. Tournedos Rossini is said to have come about when the composer was in for dinner one night and asked for truffle and foie gras with his fillet. The waiter was so shaken by this request that he served the dish ‘behind the backs of the other customers’, which gave name to the (French) ‘dans le dos’ or ‘tourne-dos’, ergo Tournedos Rossini). Another legend has it that Rossini made the chef prepare a dish at the table and when the chef complained about the maestro’s constant interference, Rossini apparently told the chef: Et alors, tournez le dos! (So turn your back). Regardless which version is correct, Derek’s Tournedos Rossini deserves an encore.

A bottle of Coldstream Hills Chardonnay 2004 ($50) and a superb and very reasonably priced Burgundy, Pinot Noir Domaine Bernard Moreau et Fils 2006 ($60) went well with the food and kept us rather happy. We shared a couple of terrific deserts ‘Tropical fruit trifle with peach sorbet‘ ($17) and ‘Lemon meringue pie with red wine strawberries and vanilla bean ice cream’ ($17).

Service was friendly and attentive and I love the fact that they leave my bread plate, regularly ask if I wanted more bread, automatically replace the butter and refill the glasses. It’s considered service and it makes you feel comfortable. I am surprised that Derek Baker is able to serve his food at such a reasonable price level.

Let’s use it not lose it!

Score: 7.5/10

For more information and bookings:

Alchemy 731

731 Military Road

Mosman NSW 2088

Tel.: 02 9968 3731