When is a pop up lunch, a different definition of a pop up lunch? It is when the pop up lunch actually involves a celebrity chef popping up at one of his restaurants to cook rather than a temporary structure set up as a restaurant to serve food, however fleeting that may be. I’m on my way to check out Rockpool’s newest offering, a pop up lunch where chef Neil Perry “pops up” at the Rockpool in the Rocks to cook lunch with their head chef Phil Wood. Rockpool in the Rocks has been, for the last three years, a dinner only venue and opening up for lunch, particularly in the people thick area of The Rocks during Christmas seems like a popular idea. The restaurant is full and even sports stubbly actor David Wenham at the large front table holding court.
Each lunch, and this is the third with the next on February the 24th, has a theme and it is usually based on the produce featured – last time there was suckling pig and there was also Richard Gunner’s lamb. The idea was inspired by the California restaurant Chez Panisse. The idea today is that Neil cooks one course and then Phil another and the restaurant is full today. Buxom Wench and I are sitting at the sweet spot, right in front of the pass watching them cook and then watching staff collecting plate after plate of food to give to eager diners. The price for three courses is $75 excluding beverages.
House made spelt and honey loaf with house made butter
I’ve been on a low carb diet so I had to do all I could to not pop this in my bag and run. The butter is house made (there’s even a great post on the Rockpool blog on how they make butter) and when you taste the warm, crusty bread and the butter, well you might just hole up with a loaf of it and a ramekin of butter one night.
Canape: roasted beetroot with goat’s cheese and saba
Buxom Wench asks “What is saba?” I’ve seen it on other menus but can’t recall and a question to the waiter is asked. Saba is an Italian musk vinegar that they’ve mixed with cubes of roasted beetroot and a light, creamy goats cheese. The saba gives it a tanginess while the beetroot gives the canape sweetness and the goats cheese creaminess-a nice balance.
Spring Bay mussels with salt striped trumpeter, charred bread and rouille
With soft, plump Spring Bay mussels with no sign of chewiness, tender tendrils of octopus and firm cubes of salt striped trumpeter the seafood was served with a rich, thick tomato based reduction. My undoing was the charred bread with that intoxicating aroma of char and the rouille, like a mayonnaise made with potato was spicy and creamy.
Roasted Thirlmere chicken with Blue Mountains vegetables, garlic sauce and potato puree
The roasted chicken was well seasoned the chicken breast slices so tender and I think that Buxom Wench and I both contemplated licking the plate. In fact she leaned over to me and said “If I weren’t in such a nice restaurant I would lick this plate.” You see why we’re friends don’t you? The vegetables ranged from tiny, itsy bitsy carrots to ones that weren’t longer than a finger. There was also a delectably thick pommes puree that was a doppelganger to Joel Robuchon’s lauded pommes puree and a slice of chicken which was spongey and soft. This was succulent and layered with three types of chicken-the skin on top and bottom, the leg meat and then in the centre thigh meat.
Side salad with lovely sweet vinaigrette dressing
South Australian Strawberry Shortcake
Buxom Wench and I were smitten with this immediately-there was a layer of buttery shortbread biscuit, expertly cut large strawberries and then a diced strawberry salad and cubes of shortbread adorning this as well as a buttermilk sorbet. The only criticism was that the shortbread was too thick to cut into with a fork and spoon – I don’t like that sound when you slam cutlery against a dinner plate. Because you know, that’s what sometimes happens to me when I try and zealously get to food 
. Other than that, I’m sure I don’t need to sell you on the concept of beautiful strawberries and cream.
Chef Neil Perry
After the food comes out, Neil makes his round and talks to the various patrons who seem eager to talk food with him-including Buxom Wench and I who have questions for him about the strawberries!
So tell me Dear Reader, how do you feel when chefs come out to talk to you? And what do you tend to ask them? And have you ever dined at a restaurant where there has been a celebrity dining too?
NQN and Buxom Wench dined as guests of Rockpool
Rockpool
107 George Street The Rocks NSW 2000
Tel: +61 (02) 9252 1888
The next pop up lunch is on February 24, 2012
If you enjoyed this post, why not share it with your friends?
What is NQN up to now? 
NQN on Facebook
RSS
47 Comments | Add your own
I think it’s a great idea where the Chef’s pop in to cook
I’d love to meet Neil Perry in person hehe ~
How come your on a low-carb diet lately? I’ve been trying to stay away from too many white carbs too lol too much indulgence before ~ trying to shed the birthday kilos off
Even though I love meeting the chefs at restaurants I get really nervous because I’m not sure how to behave and what to say to them
I once dined next to an extremely famous person in HK! I didn’t even recognise her lol my sister had to tell me before i realised ~ I couldn’t help but periodically glance at her table and see what she was eating and doing
This is a wonderful post! I was “drooling” over the mussels and the rest…
A great place…haven’t been back here in so long! The food still looks fantastic. I don’t mind a visit from the chef as its always nice to see the face behind the food. What do I say? Mostly I just compliment the food if I’ve enjoyed it.
I had lunch with Jon Voight in Las Angeles once. He was at the next table and Roger Moore walked past our table in Monaco.
What clever strawberry shortcakes! I’d never heard of a pop-up meal before. What fun! If the chef is genuine and not just full of him- or her-self, then I welcome a chance to chat. As for celebrities…Many years ago when I was living in London George Michael and his black-clad crew of musicians came into the Japanese restaurant I was in and another time the older actor Alan Bates sat beside me sharing a milkshake with his son. I tried not to stare in either case!
Looks like it was all gorgeous food – what fun!
oooh fun!!!!
Sounds more like a pop-in restaurant than a pop-up restaurant
Here in Canberra we often see politicians, and valentines day 2 years back we ate dinner beside Julia Gillard. Hubby had forgotten to book a table (of course) but we were squeezed onto plastic picnic chairs outside on the footpath- so was Ms Gillard! Nice to know there’s no special treatment- or maybe the restaurant owner just doesn’t like her politics!
I think it is good if the chef comes out because you can give him/her direct feedback about the meal.
yes I did have a meal once were there was a celebrity but it was so many years ago I can’t remember who it was.
I think it great when the chef comes out to chat. It shows that they really care what the diners think.
Never been at a restaurant but I actually saw Liev Schreiber at Wildlife World a couple of weeks ago haha.
Love the shot of the stairs
Food looks fab
This looks perfect. I love Neil and his food. Nice looks like you had a great time with buxom wench, I could do to borrow her at times when I go to restaurants
I haven’t had too many chefs come to talk to me
. While I was on a cruise ship recently the chef came out nearly every night. The only time I wouldn’t like it was if the food was awful. I’m not good at giving negative feedback.
I wonder if its pop up when a chef pops up in his own restaurant (assuming Rockpool is Neil Perry’s restaurant)? Nevertheless technicalities aside looks like good food!
Looked like a very enjoyable meal: not too fancy or fussy and quite Neil Perry’ish
! Yes, I have spoken to a number of chefs thru’ the years and feel variably about the practice of coming out for a walkabout. Would have enjoyed meeting Neil P tho’! Travelled the world on business for some three decades, so inevitably came upon some famous names. Most memorably perchance sat opposite Salvador Dali and could not get my eyes of THAT moustache. Felt kind’of tickled pink when the King of Sweden leaned over from the next table to ask should he order what I had! Fun memories . . .
That chicken! yumyum!
I’ve been meaning to check out the pop-up lunches! The last time I dined at Rockpool, Neil Perry was dining there two tables from me haha. I didn’t ask for a photo or a chat since he looked like he was having a serious conversation
Met Matt Moran when I was dining at Aria and Matt Kemp for a uni thing I was involved with. There are a few others but I always find myself fumbling with words ^^”
It sounds like an interesting concept
What a fab idea! It’s always nice to see a celeb chef in action in their own kitchen
I LOVE when chefs come out of the kitchen too!
WHOO HOO!
That personalised touch is always appreciated by me too!
Always something to ask, definately something to comment on and learn on the day!
Would welcome more pop up lunches in all states of Australia…ok?
Well, now that you mention it, I was at a function recently and David Wenham was there as well – he does get around! I do like the look of that beetroot appetiser and the strawberry dessert. Great food from a great establishment.
I tend to shower them compliments and give some constructive criticism.
I had lunch with Michael Caine and his wife in Vietnam…at least they were at the table next to mine
Love this post – almost ate at Rockpool last weekend but had already had plenty of other treats – will save it for the next visit, the food looks better than I ever imagined! Lovely to see you on Friday Lorraine, take care : ) x
It’s always nice to see owner chefs work in their restaurants, and we had the pleasure of observing Neil at the mast of the Melbourne Rockpool B&G a few months ago. Also in Melbourne, Guillaume Brahimi was working hard behind the scenes at his Bistro and popped out to say hi to diners and even signed a copy of his book for me, it was great! The menu looks fantastic, and who can’t say no to a quality produce lunch?
I think it’s great to be able to chat with a chef about their food. I went to a cooking class with Peter Shepard at Caveau (down in the ‘Gong) and it was brilliant.
What a wonderful post, Lorraine -I think it’s a great idea when chefs pop in to cook and say hi. Although I think I would get too nervous and tongue tied!
that picture of the bread is beautiful!
Yum! Over the years I’ve accidentally eaten with a few celebs, though breakfast next to Joe Cocker in Melbourne at the Como was the most surprising. Surely it was too early for a fully fledged rocker to be eating a cooked breakfast, and in their restaurant rather than in bed! Recently had dinner at the same place as a 1980s movie legend who was barely recognizable thanks to all the surgery. Someone needs to tell her that she’s had too much collagen implanted to her lips – and to stop now before hear lips explode!
I think Neil Perry’s a good sort. David Wenham too, for that matter!
I love the picture of strawberry shortcake. It’s very cute and gorgeous!
I love the restaurants where chefs actually care about who dine at their own restaurant and have some conversation.
Ahhh I haven’t yet had the pleasure of dining at this “posh” Rockpool.. but the Bar & Grill is lovely. that shortbread looks SO good!
Ohmygod, I’m sorry, I completely lost the ability to concentrate on the food once you said that Diver Dan was there. *dreams*
I love pop up meals! And Rockpool Sydney is so completely different to the one here in Melbs
Ah if only I dined in fabulous restaurants with celebrity diners & celebrity chefs!
Believe it or not, I still haven’t been to Rockpool! It’s an embarrassment…must make it a must do when I head back to Melbourne.
And the strawberry shortcake! I really want to take a bite of that.
Had nvere heard of a pop up lunch before – what an inspired idea!
That spelt bread with homemade butter looks divine…
I love honey butter.
Lunch looks fantastic, which is expected from Rockpool. I am more impressed with Chefs that don’t schedule their pop ins but make the effort to pop in regularly.
I was at the River Cafe in London with my parents and a friend when Hugh Grant walked in. We were so insanely overexcited that we walked up to the other end of the restaurant pretending to look for the toilet (which was near to where we were sitting) just so we could take a closer look!
Your meal sounds great – one of the first restaurants I ever went to in Sydney was Rockpool so can only imagine what the pop up was like.
A lot of chefs are either too busy or too shy to come out. I like it when they do. Have actually learned about a new restaurant in Miami from a chef who came out to talk to us in St. Lucia.
I am loving those beets, Lorraine.
u r on a low carb diet? I am sorry to hear that…u r going to miss all the fun!
The Roasted Thirlmere chicken looks very interessting, I d like to order that. (if I ever reach australia)
I wouldnt mind the chef to pass by and say hi, but only if it isnt too akward. of course I d ask a lot of questions, sooo better they dont come to my table! lol
I didnt dine in a restaurant where there was a celebrity, but I met some few sports celebrities at the after ski bar. does that count?
Every once in a while (typically during Sundance), I will be in a restaurant where a celebrity is dining. Usually it’s over in town and someone who has come to Park City to ski. I actually don’t like it very much. I’d much rather just enjoy my dinner without all the hoopla!
Unless, of course, it’s Robert Redford who lives near here and makes my heart go pitter patter!!!!!
xxoo,
RMW
Ooooh I always get nervous if the chef pops out to talk to us. Especially a cute one… what a wonderful lunch and concept – everything is so beautifully simple. And I dream of being called Buxom Wench. Seriously.
I’m sure I could not think of one intelligent question to ask a celebrity chef if s/he came to my table. Quite some years ago we were having dinner at the Shiki Restaurant here in Adelaide and Billy Joel was there with his entourage having dinner.
I love the popup concept. I would love it even more if I could get a reservation for one. Damn LudoBites is impossible to get into.
Isn’t it fabulous when the chef comes to for little chat. It really makes the whole dinning experience so much fun.
Love the pictures here…
Post a Comment