Flying high in Pyrmont

About eight or nine years ago I spent a fruitless Saturday morning looking at units to rent in Pyrmont, described in real estate speak as one of the “up and coming inner-city locales”. With a half hour to kill between viewings my then-boyfriend and I decided to grab a coffee. And that was when we noticed the tumbleweed rolling down the main street.

Pyrmont may have been up and coming but at that stage it hadn’t come far enough – there was literally nowhere open for us to get our much-needed caffeine jolt. If there was even a convenience store we couldn’t find it (and there’s always a convenience store). Where would we buy milk, we asked each other? Surely we wouldn’t have to get in the car? What’s the point of living in the inner city if you have to drive?

Shaking our heads in disbelief, we decided to stick with Surry Hills, which we’d already called home for about six years, and where a decent espresso and a croissant (or a needle exchange van, if you were that way inclined) were only ever a short stroll away.

For one reason or another I’ve been over to Pyrmont a half dozen times in the last few weeks and oh my, haven’t times changed? Harris St in particular is one long smorgasbord of eating options, ranging from hole in the wall cafés to funky Asian restaurants and moodily lit bistros. According to the Pyrmont Village website, http://www.pyrmontvillage.com.au/, there are now 58 places to eat in the “village”.

One of the best regarded is Flying Fish (which has one chef’s hat in the SMH Good Food Guide 2009), my destination last night.

Putting out a call on twitter for recommendations for tasty dishes to try, one wag suggested chef Peter Kuruvita, a regular on Foxtel's Lifestyle Food Channel. While I’ll readily admit I like a little bit of eye candy as much as the next girl (dessert?), Peter also makes exceptional food.

Although the menu isn’t large (unlike the wine list, which is dizzyingly long), deciding what to have, when each dish sounds better than the next, was an agony of indecision. According to the Flying Fish website, http://www.flyingfish.com.au/, Peter’s philosophy on food is to bring together the best fresh spices, flavours and influences from around the globe, and it shows.

The quality of the ingredients in my Seared Yellow Fin Tuna with Ruby Red Grapefruit and Sweet Crackling Pork entrée was obvious and the fresh peppery citrus sauce complemented the rich, oiliness of the tuna beautifully. A slice of sweet, succulent pork was a pleasant surprise and added depth to the dish. Steamed blue eye in a chicken consommé with black funghi, chestnut, fresh broad beans and a corn foam, while a less memorable dish overall, was generous in both its flavours and size. For my dining companion Soft Shell Crab Hand Rolls with Avocado and Roe were a high point (they don’t make ‘em like that at Sushi Train). The restaurant also receives extra brownie points for serving a complimentary green salad with the mains, all too rare these days, when sides can cost up to $16.

While the fact that it was a school night kept us from lingering over dessert, the cries of delight from the table next to us, all but swooning over Peter’s Sri Lankan Curry with King Prawns, convinced me I need to go back. Anyone want to join me?

Oh, and don’t forget to put the Pyrmont Good Living Growers Markets, held in Pyrmont Bay Park, in your diary. It’s on from 7-11am, on the first Saturday of every month.