Rockpool - Chef's Tasting Menu

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Oh wow!!!!! The best dinner ever - Rockpool's (in The Rocks, Sydney) Chefs' Tasting Menu - 12 courses by Neil Perry!!! Each was bite totally over the top amazing!!! Tim took me out fior my birthday...Some courses came with their own special cutlery, otherwise we kept getting fresh entree cutlery until the 'main' course. Mussel, Saffron, Lemongrass and Galangal Soup with Toast and Aioli (the toast was melt-in-your-mouth perfection!!!) Sterling Caviar with Tuna Tartare and Ginger Jelly (My favourite savoury course - and I don't usually like ginger!!) Squid, Iberico Ham and Parsnip Salad with Nitro Black Pearls - Inspired by Heston Blumenthal (Rockpool's signature dish - we read about the nitro pearls in the newspaper a few weeks ago - the frozen pearls are sprinkled on the salad by the waiter at the table and melt fairly quickly) (Tim's favourite savoury course) Salad of Abalone, Mussels, Clams and Tea Smoked Oysters with Truffle Oil and Mushroom Soy Dressing Grilled Quail, Pork and Prawn Pie, Sichuan Pickled Vegetables and Red Curry Sauce Stir Fried Lobster with XO Sauce and Fine Noodles Crisp Snapper with Cafe de Paris Butter and Spinach Sauce (I was a bit excited about eating this one and forgot to take a photo until after we had started eating - it was sooooo tasty!!!!) Chinese Roast Pigeon with Prawn Stuffed Eggplant with Black Vinegar Dressing Whipped Brie de Meaux with Pear Salad and Almond Straw Vanilla Pannacotta Cream Cup with Strawberries and Rose Granita and Dried Strawberry Garnish (Palate Cleanser - I loved the rose!!) (Tim's favourite sweet course) "Mandarin" - Mandarin sorbet, mandarin 'cloud', and a white chocolate mousse and mandarin marmalade sugar tube (My favourite sweet course - the white chocolate mousse in the sugar tube was sensational!!!) Birthday Cake (Chocolate Mousse and Cake encased in dark chocolate) surrounded by spun toffee (which melted as the birthday candle inside burned!) A surprise!!! Coffee with Sweets - We couldn't believe the 'sweets'!!! Passionfruit marshmallow (the best marshmallow ever), home made toffees, little mandarin chewy biscuits, chocolate cherry jelly truffles (which even Tim raved about!!) - not to mention awesome coffee (or in my case, a 'strong' hot chocolate....Wow!!!