Sunday, November 1, 2009

Review: Sugar Hit at Grace Hotel, Sydney

Nearing the end of the Sydney International Food Festival month, it was natural that another Sugar Hit take place before the end – although the popularity of Azuma Kushiyaki has prolonged that particular option for an additional month so you may all anticipate a post about that soon! I had heard from several people that Grace Hotel had one of the largest selections on their dessert platter offering and upon seeing the plate, this was very much confirmed.


Brown Brothers Dessert Wine

The large rectangular platter had seven little desserts including: Turkish Delight with Fairy Floss, Walnut and Fig Biscotti, Sticky Rice with Custard, Pavlova with Berries and Cream, Tiramisu, Mango Sorbet in a Brandy Snap Basket, and Vanilla Bean Brulee Tart. A very detailed description of the desserts which I otherwise wouldn’t have known – as I am still a foodie-in-training – had I not done a quick search on Grab Your Fork. The waiter and waitress who served us were not only incapable of properly (by that I mean gently) setting down our plates of dessert and glasses of dessert wine, but didn’t even try to explain to us what we were about to eat. With such a large selection before us, I would have expected at least an explanation of which dessert was which, if not a brief spiel about how we should progress to give our tastebuds the maximum pleasure!



Dessert Platter

Disregarding the poor service, the dessert itself didn’t wasn’t particularly special to making my impression of this Sugar Hit any better. The basket holding my sorbet was disturbingly soggy and the tiramisu lacked the familiar flavour and aroma that makes it usually one of my favourites. For tonight’s Sugar Hit, the pavlova was honestly the only item I could say I ate without frowning or feeling a bit let down by. Although we were offered to most here, compared to the other Sugar Hits, I was quite disappointed at both the quality of service and that of the dessert which we were served.


The Grace Hotel
77 York Street (corner of King St), Sydney
Tel: (02) 9272 6636

6 comments:

  1. It doesn't look like ordinary fairy floss - it looks like 'Pashmak', also referred to as 'Persian' or 'Iranian' fairy floss.

    Yummo!

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  2. I'm pretty sure it's pashmak as well. I've never tasted the stuff though. Is it very different?

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  3. Haha, thanks for the the enlightenment Just. :) Do keep it up - I am honestly a foodie-on-training-wheels!

    I haven't tried other Pashmak, but this particular sample didn't really taste great. Once I expand my pashmak tasting experience, I'll get back to you :) Thanks again!

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  4. I absolutely love Pashmak - especially the rose, vanilla or pistachio flavours. Not super keen on chocolate personally. It's definitely a treat though.

    Wenxi, it's completely different to regular fairly floss. It's also quadruple the price (approx $15 for 200g) - especially when you buy it from stores like The Essential Ingredient or The Fine Food Store in Rozelle. The brand I buy is 'Pariya' and they also make an amazing sour cherry Persian nougat (http://www.pariya.com).

    I find the difference is three fold. Firstly, it's not the sickly sickly sweet over-artificially-coloured American product that has enough preservative to let it outlast religion. The second is the texture - as you can see it's almost woolly and threadlike. Third is the flavour. It's far more aromatic - especially flavours like rose than your typical fairy floss.

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  5. damn whyd u go to grace hotel haha
    all the food blogs say it was poo
    and that place has pretty bad reviews i think
    would like to try that persian fairy floss tho
    i hear good things about it all round

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  6. @ Just: I've seen all those bags of Pashmak around - especially when I amble through David Jones Food Hall. I never picked one up thinking "gosh, they're charging an awful lot for just fairy floss?!?" Looks like I have to try some for myself. Rose flavour did you say?

    @ peter: I think it was because it was towards the end of the SIFF month and most places were booked out. You'd have to ask AY about it. I've been to the brasserie upstairs for lunch at the Grace and it was fairly decent - must say I was pretty surprised when I read all the reviews of Sugar Hit on other blogs.

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