Since Australia has technically avoided a recession I should really rename this the GFC busting lunch. For a year, Marque restaurant in Surry Hills has been offering Friday lunch diners a 3 course Prix Fixe menu for $45. As a 4 course meal can set you back $95, it’s a great, inexpensive way to try Mark Best’s outstanding cuisine. I’m joined for my first visit to Marque by my dining companions Teena and Gina.
Amuse Bouche: Beetroot macaron with foie gras centre
I’m excited to see the reappearance of the beetroot macarons which I first tried at the Taste of Sydney Media Launch. They’re light as air alongside the pale, moussey foie gras and collapse when bitten into.
Bread and butter
The serving size of the bread is generous with 2 thick slices given to each of us. Teena and I prefer the brown bread with aromatic fennel seed whilst Gina prefers the white.
Appetiser: Chaud froid egg with salted grissini
An appetiser that has us fascinated is the Chaud Froid Egg served with salted grissini. The waitress tells us that we are to taste hot, cold, sweet and salty when we dip the grissini in and it’s true, it’s a delicious all over the palate sensation. There is a moussey layer on top of the egg yolk and they need to be combined or you end up spooning up egg yolk with your tiny spoon once you’ve finished with the grissini.
Entree: Tiny Potato Salad
The tiny potato salad features of course, tiny potatoes (not an extremely small potato salad as we were wondering). It’s lightly dressed and sprinkled with caviar, slices of onion, dill, fish floss and a wafer. The fish floss is like a light dust similar to pork floss in texture and is made on the premises using pulverised, dried jewfish. Interestingly, the little purple potatoes are baby purple congo potatoes which taste fairly much like regular potatoes but lend visual interest.
Main: Barossa Chicken with Sea Lettuce
The Barossa chicken is very moist and the “sea lettuce” is blanched iceberg lettuce served with an oyster emulsion and seaweed.
Pre dessert:Liquid Nitrogen Fruit salad with yogurt sorbet
If we were suffering under any delusions that this wasn’t already a fabulously priced and exciting menu, the pre dessert arrives. It’s a Fruit Salad with Yogurt Sorbet but the presentation would tell you otherwise. The liquid nitrogen fruit has the texture of a cold ice cream but in little multicoloured shavings. The glass itself has been given the liquid nitrogen treatment too which helps the shavings stay cool for longer. The yogurt sorbet is delicious and lightly crunchy with crystallised honey.
Dessert: Burnt milk custard with cumquats and orange granita
The dessert is a dish that I find deliciously comforting with the rich milky custard, sweet candied cumquats, toasted chestnuts and granita giving it sweetness although it’s not what you would call an excessively sweet dessert. It’s ideal for those non sweet tooths that want to finish with something different.
Petit fours:Bitter bon bons and salted caramel chocolates
We order coffees and the petit fours we are presented with alongside the coffee are an interesting concept indeed. The waiter explains to us that the 3 jube like looking items are Bitter Bon Bons and are filled with liquid so he warns against biting into them due to the very liquid centres. We’re intrigued. Gina kindly donates her to the cause (i.e. the blog) and I try the yellow one which is the Gentian flavour, a herb that aids in digestion, and the brown one which is the Cynar flavour, a bitter Italian aperitif made from 13 herbs and plants. Teena tries the red one which is a Campari. The outer is interesting: it’s hard and like a thin coating of crystallised sugar. The salted caramel chocolates are also a big hit with the table.
Chef Mark Best
We’re chatting over our coffees and by now the restaurant has emptied with people returning to work. We spy the chef Mark Best. He walks over and sits down and after introductions we have a chat about twitter, facebook and liquid nitrogen. He explains to us the process of making the bitter bonbons which involved sugar and cornflour and chemistry. He stays for a good 20 minutes chatting to us in what I would consider the 7th course of a fantastic lunch.
Tell me Dear Readers, what’s your most impressive but well priced lunch venue?
Marque Restaurant
355 Crown Street, Surry Hills, NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 9332 2225
Lunch: Fridays only from 12:30pm
Dinner: Monday to Saturday from 6:30pm
http://www.marquerestaurant.com.au
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45 Comments | Add your own
Those beetroot macaroons look delicious! That is great value, I might need to take a day off work to head down and pay a visit haha.
looks like a great taste sensation lunch
All of that for $45? :O :O :O And you got to meet the chef too? That is amazing!
Wow, the presentation, not to mention the food, looks fantastic. And so nice of Mark Best to chat with you. I wish I could take Friday afternoon off to take advantage of this great deal!
Man looks like he knows what he’s doing. I like that. Will most certainly book there for a Friday lunch.
All that for $45? That’s just brilliant! The liquid nitrogen fruit salad sounds so great, reminds me of playing around in chemistry class haha. And it’s so lovely how the chef came out and chatted with you!
Wow, you got a 7th course
Loving the pic of the bon bons – it makes me crave those salted caramels…
wow! I am going to tell my friends who live down there, that they MUST go! Wish I could!
WOW! Very impressive AFFORDABLE meal & you got to chit chat with the chef. Brillant. So jealous. Wish I lived closer!
Looks like a fantastic value lunch! I might have to treat myself towards the end of this month when the work pressure eases off and allows me to have a lazy lunch again..
I think I died and went to heaven. Everything looks ethereal, esp that savory macaroon! amazing!
Thats such great value. Can I ask how long in time from arrival to last course? It’s not far from mu office but I’m not sure i can take so much time out of my usual workday (unless i have clients…hmm!!!)
Lunch really seems to be the best time to try out impressive venues. It’s wonderful that you got to chat with the chef too! I wonder if they freeze the fruit and then shave it, or shave it then freeze it? I love the sound of the sorbet with honey!
Amazing great value lunch at $45 and 20 minutes of Mark Best as the 7th course of your meal. One word to summerise my feeling: JEALOUS! lol!
WOW, that certainly value for money! I just love the recent trend in experimenting scientifically with food (big Heston Blumenthal fan here!). Wish there was more of this kind of thing going on over here…
Everything looks so fabulous – a very light, but tasty looking lunch. And I kept eyeing the liquid nitrogen shavings – what an interesting (pre)dessert!
Wow, that’s really good value! I wish I had the time on a friday to pay it a visit! I like the sound of the pre-dessert – am i immature to compare it to the ‘dipping dots’ ice-cream that existed ages ago?
it all looks very pretty, but it’s not my idea of a great meal, i’m afraid. nothing against Mr Best (he’s obviously very talented) – i just prefer a more rustic, down to earth style of food.
Wow, what an excellent lunch and such a great value! The beetroot macaroons with foie gras looks excellent and I would also love to try the liquid nitrogen fruit salad!
What great value for money! That looks wonderful! I’d love to try those little bon bons…interesting concept.
sobs…
I live in Adelaide and there is NOTHING like this here.
Ooh like the look of the chaud froid egg and the burnt milk custard mmm!
That tiny potato salad looks very very very tiny tho!
You had me at “bitter bonbons”, “oyster emulsion”, and that chaud-froid egg at the top! And the quenelle of yoghurt sorbet? Beautiful!
OMG such great value! The food looks incredible.
This is DEFINTELY going down on my list of places I have to visit when I come to Sydney soon.
Along with the Zumbo cafe.
Well that is only two on my list but it’s still something 
OMG, this looks stunning, I truly hope the beetroot macarons will still be available by the time I make it there!
How fantastic! I’m adding it to my very long list of dining venues…
Looks fascinating as well as tasty. I dig the desserts.
I’m confused as to how you don’t get ‘burnt’ by the liquid nitrogen fruit, but wanna try it!!!
Hmm-hmm all dishes looks amazing and how generously priced! I haven’t yet visited Marque – definitely on my to-visit list!
Hi Mr Taste-Hehe definitely! At least an afternoon off
Hi Simon-It was indeed!
Hi Brianna-hehe yes! Can you believe it? Fantastic deal isn’t it
Hi Belle-It was a really nice surprise! I think you could do it within a couple of hours if that helps
Hi Mike-He does, sounds like a good plan!
Hi Steph-I know, great isn’t it!
I wish we had played with liquid nitrogen 
Hi Tina-Hehe yes! Well if you could the in between courses
They were a lovely and intriguing ending!
Hi Kristen-Hehe they’ll thankyou I’m sure!
Hi Paula-I wish all restaurants were like that!
Hi Forager-Definitely, it’s perfect for a lazy lunch and Friday is really the best day to leave early
Hi Sophia-Hehe maybe when you visit Sydney?
Hi Sarah-I know, it’s fabulous isn’t it. r Hmmm we took our time as we didn’t have to get back to work so we left at around 3:30pm? But others left around 2 or 2:30pm with the prix fixe lunch. But I like your thinking about bringing clients along-that way you can stay longer!
Hi Arwen-It is definitely
I’m not sure, we should have asked him but I didn’t know if he wanted to spill all his secrets! 
Hi Ellie-Hehe it was great I can’t say otherwise!
Hi Angela-it definitely makes things interesting when something so unexpected comes to the table
Aww what a shame there isn’t more near you!
Hi Trisha-I know, it was so unusual and unexpected but in a wonderful way!
Hi Chris-Yes finding the time is hard I admit. I never tried the dipping dots but I think it’s a similar principle!
Hi the projectivist-really? What a shame, it was very fine food indeed. I have room on my palate for all types of food!
Hi 5 Star Foodie-I bet you could whip up something brilliant along those lines!
Hi Alexandra-I know, although I don’t know if they’d be available outside of a restaurant as they’re so delicate!
Hi Sarah-Aww no! Maybe you could put it on a list for a trip to Sydney?
Hi FFichiban-Hehe we were really quite full afterwards so it’s not that tiny!
Hi Midge-Hehe great! Perhaps a venue for a Friday lunch?
Hi Esz-You’ve got two great choices!
Hi Moya-I hope they are there for you!
Hi KT-Good idea!
Hi Bethie-It was indeed-I could do with one of those desserts right no!
Hi Tara-I’m not sure, I hadn’t really thought about that to be honest!
Hi Yas-It was fantastic value! Definitely one for your list
this notion of pre-dessert is certainly something i could get behind. i think all meals should include one–the more dessert-type things, the better.
Tiny potato salad SHOULD be tiny and served in a shot glass!!
The barosa chicken is by far the #1. The lettuce…it all just looks too good.
I can’t get over how you eat beetroot foie gras, while I fry everything.
What gorgeous Macarons!!! Such a beautiful colour! I am loving those desserts too – the liquid nitrogen fruit salad sounds very interesting
is it coincidence that SMH review this restaurant too? http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/06/15/1244917985251.html i thought of your Marque post when i read this article this morning
Hi, have you seen the Good Living in SMH today 16/6 – check out page 7. Now everyone knows about this little gem, booking will be harder now.
Finally got round to trying a recipe from NQN and have to say the Carrot & Ginger ‘Detox’ soup is yummy!! don’t let the word detox put you off!
Hi grace-I agree! Why can’t all meals include a predessert? Even home ones!
Hi justJENN-Ha well it could have gone either way but perhaps it would be an amuse bouche otherwise people would complain!
Hi The Duo Dishes-It was delicious and so soft and juicy!
Hi Blond Duck-Hehe hey your food looks great too! Just different!
Hi Anita-I was so excited when I saw them brought out! It was so interesting
Hi Trisha-haha how funny is that timing? Although from the food that they ate, they must have visited on a different day!
Hi Linda-Hehe yes it’s funny timing indeed. Well it’s been going to about a year so it’s not really a secret
Good on them if they’re booked up though. it’s a great deal!
Hi Jo-That’s fantastic Jo! So glad that you liked it and thanks for letting me know!
I haven’t been for a while but one of the best value lunches I’ve had was at The Brasserie by Phillipe Mouchel at Southbank (http://www.thebrasserieatcrown.com.au/. The macaroni and cheese was to die for.
Top of the list though would have to be the fixed price lunch at Cafe Di Stasio in Fitzroy Street, St Kilda. Best Italian food I’ve eaten anywhere.
Both are at the $30.00 mark for two courses plus a wine.
I’m currantly studying diploma of events at Nowra TAFE and we hold a celebrity dinner every year, this year Mark is joining us and we could not be more excited! I’m putting together his bio for the progamme and these reviews have inspired me to inform everyone attending not only what an amazing chef Mark is but how he has the talent to take you to another world with just one bite.
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