Refined chic at Cara and Co
The other week, I went to a fantastic restaurant called Cara & Co, which is an interesting concept restaurant in the back of an insanely expensive store in the fancy Westfield mall in the middle of the city. I had with me one of my favourite people in Sydney and we went as part of a Groupon-esque deal. Normally these types of deals are actually really sub-par in Sydney especially compared to the States, where I found Groupons to be quite reliable. Here the food and/or service is typically not that great, which has made me stop getting various Groupons because I haven’t been impressed at all. However, this one actually ended up being a great deal and the restaurant itself was fantastic, so it was quite a pleasant surprise. For a tiny restaurant at the back of a shop, the food was visually striking as well as tasty, and the colours, textures, and overall presentation were whimsical and far above my expectations. Only in Sydney can you find a fine dining restaurant in the back of a shop in a mall. Here are a few of the dishes we sampled…
Beef tartare with a chive foam, potato crisps, and quail egg
Salmon gravalax with a lime and apple sorbet. The little crisps were like savoury biscuits that were filled with a savoury mousse that matched perfectly with the fish. I was really impressed and loved the different textures as well as the contrast of temperatures
Wagyu beef with a horseradish cream and quinoa and radish pilaf
Lamb with a red wine jus, edible flowers, figs, and carrots
The lovely dessert – a chocolate truffle with a lime centre, hazelnut gelato, and a lime cheesecake-like filling on the bottom of the plate. I loved the deconstructed nature and how well all the ingredients worked together when you combined them on a spoon. I am definitely a total sucker for the deconstructed food method.
Overall, since I had gone in with fairly average expectations, this restaurant was a delightful surprise, and I would definitely go back. The service was great and the overall vibe was sophisticated but fun. Totally my type of place!
merrifood 