I know that technically we aren’t in a recession but from all reports and behaviours, the restaurant scene is indeed experiencing one. A friend works at one of the top restaurants in Sydney and she told me that patronage is down a whopping 70% at her restaurant. Add to this the specials coming thick and fast, from March into Merivale, Glass, Marque, Bentley, Foveaux and Quay offering their own version of the Parisian style set lunch. And we are more the happier for it.
Today I’m lunching with Mr Gatsby who, being a keen food lover, has alerted me to what has to be Sydney’s best lunch deal. For $30 on a Friday, you can get a 3 course meal at the one hatted Assiette restaurant. Yes. Three courses. And they’re goodies too. I was looking forward to this having tried Assiette’s loin and crumbed belly of lamb with basil mayonnaise and a tomato olive jus at the Taste of Sydney event.
The kitchen-yes that’s the entire space!
I’m struck at how small the kitchen is. It’s a room that seats 50 and the kitchen seems tiny for the amount of people that they would need to cook for. Mr Gatsby assures me that it indeed proceeds at a flaming pace on a booked up Saturday night.
We’re shown 3 menus, the a la carte, the degustation and the Prix Fixe menu for $30. The Prix Fixe menu has some fine sounding dishes there so we order that happy in the knowledge that no children or bodily organs will need to be sold to pay for this. The menu appears to be Modern Australian ingredients with French techniques.
The crunchy sourdough bread is warm and in the traditional sourdough pointed shape.
Sweet corn and basil veloute
We’re served our entrees. Mine is a creamily delicious corn veloute with tiny basil croutons floating on top and finished with a basil oil. It’s delicious and I spoon this slowly and appreciatively.
Thai style crispy pork with chili lime dressing
Mr Gatsby says that his asian style salad with coriander and green salad leaves is delicious and succulent and I love the distinct layer of crispy crackling.
Confit of chicken leg with polenta and field mushrooms
Our mains arrive and mine is the confit of chicken on creamy polenta with field mushrooms. It’s a mouth watering sight and I take my requisite photos quickly so that I can partake of it. The chicken is delicious, crisped brown skin on top,the meat tender as tender can be and the creamy polenta field mushrooms are a perfect accompaniment.
Mussel, spring onion and broadbean risotto with herbed sour cream
Mr Gatsby’s risotto with mussels is I’m told a winner. The risotto grains have a little bite back and it appears rich with mussels. So far, great.
Mango Eton Mess with mango sorbet
A little break and our desserts arrive. Mine is the Mango Eton Mess which I am very pleased to see has crunchy meringue pieces submerged under thick cream, mango slices and a small ball or mango sorbet. It’s decadent and creamy and sweet, all you could dream of in a dessert.
Selection of fruit sorbets
And before I’ve finished half of mine, Mr Gatsby has finished off his sorbets pushing away his martini glass with a “that was really good” exclaim. They’re roughly the size of golf balls and the creamy lime ice cream is one that he particularly notes as being good.
Yes, $30 for 3 fabulous courses is indeed the best deal to be had. Let’s hope more restaurants follow suit.
Assiette
48 Albion St, Surry Hills, NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 9212 7979
www.restaurantassiette.com.au
Lunch: Friday, 12pm – 3pm
Dinner: Tuesday – Saturday, from 6pm
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35 Comments | Add your own
What amazing value! The place looks deserted, did it fill up eventually? Thanks for the tip, now I really want to go
nice restaurant
It’s so pretty. But if I would have joined you I would have probably knocked the bread into the soup and caused complete chaos. Sigh. Unless a five year old can’t screw it up, I have issues!
What a delicious lunch! I would love a taste of that corn veloute!
That is great value – with no compromise on the lovely food, nice find! It’s only morning, but I want that lovely ice cream and sorbet…
I wish someone would take me to a lunch like this. I’ve heard the Marque Friday lunch ($45) is good, and Restaurant Sojourn has just started to offer the same thing. Why couldn’t they do this when there was no recession?
Wow, such generous portions. That chicken looks delicious!
Thanks for the tip off, thats around the corner from my work, i think i Friday lunch date is in order….
i’d heard about this during Warren’s talk at Taste, but hadn’t figured out how to get around there on a Friday in between work & whatnot. good to see the meals looking substantial and that the quality hasn’t faded just because of the price
Looks great! I’m off to .est on Thursday for a March into Merivale lunch!
Looks delicious and great value! Oh, to be allowed to use my corporate card again… Might just have to treat myself
It sounds like all of it was lovely. I like the way you made sure you tried everything between the two of you. More photos for us that way
Great reporting, NQN. $30 is stupidly good value for that meal. The risotto looks particularly delicious.
And the degustation is also wonderful.
I wish I worked in the city so I could take up some of these bargains!
Everything looks devine especially the Thai style crispy pork.
Wow that’s ridiculously cheap! I wonder what other restaurants are offering these days? Thanks for the heads up
Dahhling, I don’t know how you stay so thin! Everything looks so good.
Been meaing to head to Assiette for ages. Such a great deal and the food looks great. I think I’m a stickler fror tradition though, and would much rather have had Eton mess with strawberries
Wow! The food looks delicious and at such a great price too. The sorbet looks yummy.
MMMMM….The food looks interestingly yummie:)!!! Wow!!! What a yummie restaurant!! Lovely pictures too!!
OOOhh 30 dora 3 course on Firday XD Does this mean I get to cross off another restaurant on my list ^^!?
Do you know how long this is going for?
THe food looks sooo gooddd btw mmmm and I am craving an Eton Mess right now!
The sweetcorn & basil veloute looks amazing, have to make myself some.
$30, that is a great deal, will have to head to Assiette when i’m in sydney next. Hope the recession will still be on…
Looks like great value. I want the mango Eton Mess!
love, Love, LOVE Eton messes of any sort, what a lovely way of enjoying the last of summer’s mangos!
Wow, everything looks so good. I want a bite, a taste, a nibble, a little lick, please……. It is places like this that reminds what a little rinky dinky town I live in.
The menu sounds interesting, and for $30 (I guess it’s an Australian $)? I suppose it’s not bad at all.
Cheers,
elra
something about a bed of polenta just makes me happy. frankly, i think i’d like to sleep in one myself.
You’re lunch lady extraodinaire, Lorraine!
$30 for 3 courses is amazing value!
That little sorbet selection looks great. This looks like a place I would really enjoy.
Fantastic, In a way the economic down turn is a bit of a bonus for us foodies. Alot of restaurants around melbourne are doing this set lunch course for a reasonable price, I think its all win win. I wish I could try that mango mess though, it looks delish!
Hi lili-It’s great value indeed
It didn’t fill up which is a pity but I don’t think people know about it. Otherwise it would be full! 
Hi snookydoodle-It was!
Hi Blond Duck-hehe I’m so clumsy myself so I wouldn’t have noticed
Hi 5 Star Foodie-I’d love to recreate that, it was so gorgeous and creamy!
Hi Anita-I know, you usually get less than stellar courses for that price. hehe I know what you mean!
Hi belle-Perhaps a work Friday lunch?
I know, whilst the recession is bad, there is one silver lining at least I suppose!
Hi Christie-The chicken was so soft and delicious and I adore polenta
Hi sarah-fabulous! I don’t think you’ll be disappointed
Hi shez-Maybe bring your colleagues. As long as your boss is there you can’t get in trouble!
Yes that’s really important to me that quality isn’t diminished 
Hi Reemski-fabulous! Can’t wait to read all about it
Hi Forager-I know, oh for the times of the economic boom. But then again they probably wouldn’t have offers like this
Hi Arwen-It was fantastic.haha such is the life of a food blogger!
Hi Jobe-Thanks so much!
I wish I lived closer too 
Hi michelle-Oh yes the layers on the pork were so tempting!
Hi Karen -It seems most of them are looking to offer these which is better than having am empty restaurant!
Hi justJENN-haha it’s hard when food is this tempting
Hi Helen-It’s well worth it. Ahh well wait til you try the mango one, it’s very good!
Hi foodie-central-It’s an amazingly cheap deal indeed
I like the sizes too, like tasting sized scoops 
Hi Sophie-Thanks! Yes it was fantastic
Hi FFichiban-yup! No excuse not to go hey at that price!
I don’t know how long it goes for though. Maybe try and get in quick! 
Hi porkygourmand -Good idea! I’d love to make one too as I know that hubby would love it too
Cool! Well hopefully the recession will be over but the specials will continue 
Hi Cakelaw-Hehe yes good choice!
Hi Moya-Me too, I love the crunchy meringue, sweet fruit and cream
Hi BethieofVA -Hehe good idea!
Awww a visit to Sydney is in order perhaps? 
Hi elra-Yup $30 australian. It’s a phenomenally good deal as their mains are more than $30!
Hi grace-Me too! I always gravitate towards any item with polenta
LOL at literal bed of polenta.
Hi Y -I’d like to sign up to be a Lady that lunches
It is!
You’re lunch lady extraodinaire, Lorraine!
Hi Beth-it’s great! Such cute little tasting serves too
Hi Maria-Yes I agree, there are some silver linings indeed! I actually think they should offer set lunches all year round like they do in Paris and Tokyo! But then again I’m thinking of my stomach and wallet
That is great value indeed! Interesting to see another tiny kitchen in a decent restaurant—the kitchen at The Fat Duck is probably slightly smaller than Assiette, believe it or not!
Everything looks wonderful but my eye is drawn to the desserts. That mango Eton mess is absolutely irresistible!!
Hi Angela-Oh really! I can’t imagine that
I never pictured a small kitchen for Fat Duck 
Come mango season for you, will you be making one? 
Oh, the Fat Duck’s kitchen is seriously tiny. There’s no room in the kitchen for anyone to wash dishes, so you can actually see the (very smartly dressed) kitchen porter washing up as you eat. (Depending on where you are seated, of course.)
And yes, I am very tempted to make this when mango season gets under way. Presuming that I can find good mangoes—the last one I had was the horrid fibrous sort. Such a disappointment!
HI Angela-Ah what a pity I won’t get to visit Fat Duck with the health dept scare
Ack, fibrous mangoes are not good. We have one called R2E2 here which is not stringy and very nice here. Do you get those near you?
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[...] It was my birthday last week (Yay for getting older…) and I was given the choice of where to dine that day. Since I am a very typical asian, I am very indecisive and would spend hours thinking about where to go for such an occasion even when my list of restaurants to eat at is a few pages long haha. I finally decided to try out Assiette, after drooling over their food at Taste of Sydney and the sound of a $30 recession lunch at a place like this sounded awesomely worthy (from NQN). [...]
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