{"id":12244,"date":"2010-10-03T12:38:38","date_gmt":"2010-10-03T11:38:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/noexpert.co.uk\/?p=12244"},"modified":"2021-10-31T21:02:30","modified_gmt":"2021-10-31T21:02:30","slug":"becasse-cellar-night","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/?p=12244","title":{"rendered":"B\u00e9casse Cellar Night"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<h6>A post from No Experts Australian Correspondent<\/h6>\n<p>I joined the Sydney Wine group several months ago, but seemed to keep missing the monthly events, because of previous engagements. An off \u201cpiste\u201d Cellar night at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.becasse.com.au\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">B\u00e9casse<\/a> was a fabulous opportunity to meet some of the members for the first time. I love the concept that you can take your own wines to a restaurant to match a pre-published taster menu. With 10 in our group, this allowed a very generous couple of bottles per course. We kicked off with a couple of fabulous\u00a0 champagnes, including a 2002 vintage Veuve Cliquot. The Canap\u00e9 tarts were accompanied by lovely soft, warm artisan breads.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-12244 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/tn_IMG_0146.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/tn_IMG_0146-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/tn_IMG_0130.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/tn_IMG_0130-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/tn_IMG_0131.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/tn_IMG_0131-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/tn_IMG_0132.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/tn_IMG_0132-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/tn_IMG_0128.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/tn_IMG_0128-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/tn_IMG_0144.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/tn_IMG_0144-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/tn_IMG_0140.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/tn_IMG_0140-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/tn_IMG_0141.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/tn_IMG_0141-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/tn_IMG_0145.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/tn_IMG_0145-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>Three courses stood out for me, \u00a0Our first course of a delicately flavoured Civet of Cloudy bay clams, prawn and scallop. This French Broth was delightful, if a little cold, due to the wait for our whites to be opened.\u00a0 The 2nd course of Cobia which is a meaty fish, and accompanied by lightly battered Oyster Beignets that just simply melted in the mouth. Both were accompanied by a beautiful German Riesling and the lovely Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon that, had layers and layers of complexity.<\/p>\n<p>Lastly our cheese course of Holy Goat La Luna with preserved rhubarb and toasted <a title=\"Kugelhopf\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gugelhupf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">kugelhopf<\/a>, a fruit cake\/bread that is believed to be of either Austrian or Alsatian origin. Legend has it that the kugelhopf recipe was brought to France by Marie Antoinette who was born in Austria.\u00a0 Regardless of it\u2019s origin, the toasted kugelhopf made a lovely accompaniment to our slightly warmed goats cheese.\u00a0 The caramelised apple tart deserves a mention too, however I felt that the veal dish was a little dry, although the sweetbreads and roast garlic accompaniments were delicious. The Wagyu beef rib, was a little tough.\u00a0\u00a0 This may have been because my dish was sitting under lights to keep it warm, while I had popped to the loo, or simply because the accompanying wines were so magnificent that the courses accompanying them, simply paled into insignificance. Our host had very generously provide a bottle of Penfold\u2019s Grange 91, which was still showing a fair amount of American oak! A description offered by one of my fellow diners of \u201cpop corn\u201d proved very apt!<\/p>\n<p>Our increasingly rowdy group, didn\u2019t seem to bother the other diners too much, although normally you cannot here a pin drop in this hushed establishment. Staff were friendly and jumped through hoops in order to double decant our wines, and assist with crumbling corks! They were extremely helpful and accommodating, although some might argue that with a 15% service charge, they should be! Adding a service charge is not common practise in Australia, although I always leave some sort of tip if the service is good.. Overall a superb evening, and I will certainly return for another cellar night!<\/p>\n<p>The Menu<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>Canap\u00e9s<\/div>\n<div>B\u00e9casse artisan bread<\/div>\n<div><em>Veuve Cliquot 2002 and Champagne Grand Cru Marie-Noelle Ledru 2006<\/em><\/div>\n<div>Civet of Cloudy Bay clams, scallop and prawn<\/div>\n<div>Seared fillet of cobia with horseradish and baby gem butter, oyster beignets<\/div>\n<div><em><a href=\"http:\/\/corkscore.com\/wine\/100551#reviews\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Schartzhofburger Kabinett Reisling <\/a> and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/corkscore.com\/wine\/100552#reviews\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mount Pleasant Classic Semillon 1996<\/a><\/em><\/div>\n<div>Fricassee of 12 hour cooked veal shank, tendon and sweetbreads with beetroot and roast garlic gnocchi, beetroot shoots<\/div>\n<div><em><a href=\"http:\/\/corkscore.com\/wine\/100547#reviews\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Echezeauz Grand Cru, Alex Gambal 2004<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/corkscore.com\/wine\/100544#reviews\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nuits St Georges, Domaine Sylvain Cathiard 2008<\/a><\/em><\/div>\n<div>Roast rib of Gundooee organic wagyu beef with parsnips en papillote, Tuscan onion rings<\/div>\n<div><em><a href=\"http:\/\/corkscore.com\/wine\/100546#reviews\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Antinori Tignanello 1995<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/corkscore.com\/wine\/100545#reviews\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wendouree Malbec 2006<\/a>, \u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/corkscore.com\/wine\/100543#reviews\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste Premier Cru 1979<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/corkscore.com\/wine\/1453#reviews\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Penfolds Bin 95 Grange 1991<\/a><\/em><\/div>\n<div>Holy Goat La Luna with preserved rhubarb and toasted kugelhopf<\/div>\n<div><em><a href=\"http:\/\/corkscore.com\/wine\/100550#reviews\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Chateau St Estevee d&#8217;Uchaux Cuvee Therese 2003<\/a><\/em><\/div>\n<div>Caramelised apple tart fine, chewy apple sorbet and brown butter veloute<\/div>\n<p>Marks out of 10<\/p>\n<p>Food 7.6<\/p>\n<p>Service 8.2<\/p>\n<p>Ambience\u00a0 8.0<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Update June 2012 &#8211; The group of restaurants run by Justin North which includes Becasse, have gone into administration.\u00a0 See <a title=\"scartical\" href=\"http:\/\/www.smartcompany.com.au\/food-and-beverages\/050118-the-heat-is-on-in-the-kitchen-acclaimed-sydney-restaurant-group-with-150-staff-collapses.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Smartcompany artical<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"Top page - Noexpert.co.uk\" href=\"https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\">Return to top page<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A post from No Experts Australian Correspondent I joined the Sydney Wine group several months ago, but seemed to keep missing the monthly events, because of previous engagements. An off \u201cpiste\u201d Cellar night at B\u00e9casse was a fabulous opportunity to meet some of the members for the first time. I love the concept that you &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/?p=12244\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;B\u00e9casse Cellar Night&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[411,323],"tags":[402,409],"class_list":["post-12244","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-2-gfg-chef-hats","category-australia","tag-becasse","tag-justin-north"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12244","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12244"}],"version-history":[{"count":64,"href":"https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12244\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29807,"href":"https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12244\/revisions\/29807"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12244"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12244"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.noexpert.co.uk\/food\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12244"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}