There are certain events that I won’t invite Mr NQN to. Well, I’ll run them past him but I always know the answer. High tea and art galleries are two that he isn’t interested in. But luckily for me I have friends that are interested in both and rather than sit through hours of him sighing and fidgeting like he did when we saw “The Queen” I’d much rather invite a friend who will appreciate it a bit more. So when I was invited to sample the Art Gallery’s Picasso menu and have a look at the exhibition I asked Queen Viv and she responded with enthusiasm. Phew! I had chosen the correct dining partner.
There are some tables that are the most coveted at the Art Gallery restaurant. These are the three north facing tables with a view of the botanic gardens and Woolloomooloo wharf. Queen Viv and I settle into the corner one at 6:30pm on a Wednesday when the art gallery is open late for “Art After Hours” and they hold these dinners. There is a set menu with 2 courses for $55 a person and there is also a deal where you get entry and the two courses for $75.
As befitting the Picasso exhibit, the food is Spanish inspired and there are three choices in the mains and desserts. The set menu also includes a glass of wine, beer or soft drink. Service is friendly and unobtrusive. We are both drawn to the pork belly but we thought that we should stick to more Spanish sounding dishes although it does prompt me to wonder out loud “Who in their right mind says no to pork belly?”. While we wait for our meals we watch the boot campers downstairs. “Poor ants” Queen Viv says observing them sympathetically.
Bread
Bread arrives and it comes as four thin slices with a lovely olive oil.
Pearl barley, wild mushroom risotto, zucchini flower, murcia al vino
The mains don’t take long to arrive and I try the pearl barley and wild mushroom risotto topped with a single deep fried tempura zucchini flower that is stuffed with murcia al vino cheese, a soft goat’s cheese that has a lovely texture not dissimilar to regular goat’s cheese. The pearl barley risotto is full of flavour as are the mushrooms (and does anyone ever order wild mushrooms and think of that recent sad story with the death cap mushrooms or is that just me?).
Pan fried barramundi fillet, pimento, confit cuttlefish and fava beans
We both love eating fish but I was tipped off to a problem when Queen Viv started sprinkling a lot of salt and pepper on her half of the dish. When I tried it I had to do the same as it just wasn’t seasoned and even when we seasoned it it really didn’t have a lot of flavour. The confit cuttlefish was nice and tender but the fava beans were very hard too so alas this dish was disappointing.
Warm almond cake, honey roasted figs and saffron ice cream
All was turned around with this dessert, a rectangle of moist, warm almond cake, strong in almond and served with lovely soft honey roasted figs and a divine saffron ice cream which had just the right amount of saffron in it. This is a dessert to eat by yourself under the covers after a hard day at work-it hugs you back.
Crema Catalana
We chose this because I know that Queen Viv loves a good creme brulee. The top has a nice, thin, crackly crust and the flavours of citrus and cinnamon are excellent although the custard isn’t as silky as one would want and at a guess, possibly wasn’t strained in a sieve. It came with a crunchy nutty biscotti.
We are then off to the Picasso exhibition and they have timed tickets for entry because of the queues to go in so you are best to book online and specify the time that you want. Not a bad idea as you don’t want to jostle others to get the magic spot in front of your favourite Picasso painting or sculpture. It’s a large exhibition and shows how his work has changed and how he developed his style as well as his influences. I was quite taken by La Celestina, one of his striking early works.
So tell me Dear Reader, do you go to art galleries or museums often? And do you tend to go with friends or your other half?
NQN and Queen Viv dined as guests of Trippas White
The Restaurant, Art Gallery of NSW
Art Gallery Rd, Sydney, NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 9225 1819
Lunch with Picasso, every day throughout the exhibition from 12 midday. Dinner with Picasso, Wednesday evenings. High Tea with Picasso every day throughout the exhibition from 2pm.
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46 Comments | Add your own
love the saffron ice cream !!Cheers Pierre
I love going to museums and art galleries but don’t get the chance to go much
The sad thing is…neither of my friends or Mr Bao are that into ‘art’ or ‘history’ lol while I did an arts degree so I’ve already been interested >_<
But Mr Bao is nice enough to go with me occasionally ~ the food looks nice enough for a gallery but it is disappointing that it wasn't seasoned properly.
I do not become worried about wild mushrooms. Though I become worried when eating eggs from my neighbour’s chickens. They’re so yellow and fresh that I think there must be something wrong with them (I am used to eating pale supermarket eggs)
I go regularly to the art gallery in Brisbane. They do a great job there, particularly at GoMA. The exhibitions there are amazing and it is within walking distance of my home in Brisbane, lucky me.
I think the food looks really good and wonderful how they themed it with the current exhibition. I love pearl barley risotto. Shame you turned down the pork belly for the fish! My husband is very arty so going to exhibitions is something we love to do together.
I wish I went more! When travelling we went a lot. I tend to go with Ben. It’s a nice outing! Oh & I LOVE creme catalana. it’s a new love.
Heidi xo
What lovey event!!!
You know I think most of the men don’t enjoy art events, I remember going to one with my hubby… God it was such a dull night together… LOL
Lorraine, I have to tell you dear, I have spend last 1hour or so here at ur space and and girl I love it.Trust me I do this almost everyday, I am such in love with your work… You really inspire me.
I actually love going to museums and galleries alone. I did 5 of the museums of the Smithsonian by myself because I don’t like being rushed or waiting around for someone. And pork belly seems very Spanish to me, but I don’t know what the menu looks like.
I really want to see this exhibition . Thanks for the reminder
I sometimes go with Pete to see art exhibitions but my best friend & mother are often more enthusiastic about them. I love the sound of the almond cake and saffron ice cream it looks delicious and huggable 
And now I am properly jealous this early Sunday morning! Since art galleries have always been an essential part of my life I actually got an invitation to this combo. It appealed SO much but logistics were against my going
! The food does not look so very special, but the idea of eating in situ and then viewing would combine two of my very faves. Yes, both of my husbands were 100% + into art: we used to go to all the gallery openings in Sydney and oft Melbourne and later I was to be a chief volunteer guide at the Gold Coast Art Gallery the years I lived up there – a wonderful memory 
! Museums: depends what kind!
I used to get to museums and art shows more when I lived in Montreal, but I never had the chance to eat a fancy meal in one!
I would always go with my Mr., which was fun but he is an artist and knows a lot about art history, so it involved a lot of innocent bluffing on my part…ahem. Lovingly, he never let on.
Thanks for the post, I am excited to have discovered your blog. (I am probably among the last to not have known about you!)
hi… sorry to be pedantic… but you will find (through simple google search) that CREMA CATALANA is not creme brulee at all, it is ‘creme caramel’, and they have totally different taste and recipe. The other name for crema catalana is ‘FLAN’ *pronounced flAhn like Arch, not flan like fan*.
I love creme caramel but do not like creme brulee.
Lorraine, I went to Picasso with a friend, and it was so much fun. Love the look of the almond cake with saffron icecream.
Hi Ann-sorry but I think you are incorrect
Crema Catalana is much closer to creme brulee than it is to creme caramel which is close to flan.
LOVE going to museums and art galleries, TRUE!
Something DH is not keen about too!
LOVE Museum of Natural History and of course the MET!
I could get lost for days in the Smithsonian…on that would have my heart set
Love Art Galleries and Museums in any city, anywhere in the world! All time fav has to be Smithsonian Museum in Washington, you could spend a month there and still not get to see everything.
I have to agree that Crema Catalana is to me the spanish version of the french Creme Brulee.(My pick of the dessert menu every time we eat out)
Miss Kimbers, we have eaten eggs from our 9 chickens for the past 2 yrs and never got sick. Plus I grow my own mushrooms in
a box in garage, so don’t have
to worry about where they originated from.
Really enjoy your blog Lorraine.
Those honey-roasted figs got my attention!
I love going to museums–one of my favorite things to do alone when travelling, or with friends. Husband doesn’t have so much patience with them, whereas I can stay for hours if it is worthy.
You’re not the only one who thinks about the mushroom story. I’m from Canberra and just had a wild mushroom dish the other day and with the first bite, thought “I hope they didn’t get these from the roadside” Beautiful dishes althrough sad about the lack of seasoning.
Ah the boot campers – your meal must have been all that more enjoyable knowing that you weren’t down there with them!
I go to exhibitions when there is something on that I really want to see. The last one that I went to was the Terracotta Warriors exhibition because I find them fascinating but I wished they had more stuff on show!
I haven’t been to the art gallery in years but it’s such a lovely place. Your dinner looks so good in the photos. I think I could eat both of those desserts and a few other dishes too!
Mr. NQN and my Meat Boy husband must have been separated at birth. He doesn’t care much for high-tea or museums, either. As for dessert buffets? He’d rather have an all-meat-madness buffet.
My Art & Museum partner is younger daughter Gabriella who topped her class in Arts in yr 12, she also shares my love of food , so it’s a win win situation. Hubby prefers to stay home , his love being the four-legged variety Art in motion…GG’s!
Have eaten here again with Gabriella and we had a lovely meal but apart from your dessert the ‘Picasso’ menu doesn’t do it for me.
Lorraine, anytime Queen Viv can’t come with you , I will gladly be your partner.
creme brulee is my achilles heel. I have yet to master it, my custard always a runny mess so I ALWAYS order it when I am out.
When I get out, which is once a year. heh
How I envy you your closeness to AGNSW. I lived in Sydney for 26 years and used to go there at least once per fortnight. Since retiring to Hobart my opportunities are limited, and even with the best of plans it is not always possible to travel there for a special exhibition.
I’ve actually been to the National Gallery and The Portrait Gallery quite a few times lately; there’s one benefit to living in the national capital
I adore the look of the pearl barley risotto!
I miss Sydney with a passion. It is wonderful looking through your photos of familiar haunts like the Art Gallery of NSW. I used to be a volunteer member and loved the cultural highlights of not just the art exhibitions but the venue itself. I especially loved the walk there from the ferry, through the gardens. My heart belongs to Sydney always.
I love the idea of dinner themed with the exhibition, great idea!
Here in Canberra there are public service ads with photos in the paper, local rags, and even school newsletters warning of those mushrooms. What a sad story indeed.
The company I keep depends on the occasion, sometimes gal pals are better
We go to local museums at least once every few months, but love to explore new ones. Increasingly, the good is getting better but I’ve never found it great.
I love the look of that pearl barley mushroom risotto. I really enjoy barley risottos as a break from rice based risottos. The creme catalana looks amazing too.
Every time I used to go to Sydney and caught up with my best friend we would always go to the art gallery. It’s one of my favourite places to go in Sydney. Having said that though, the art gallery here in Brisbane is quite disappointing, and I think I’ve only been twice in the 8 years I’ve lived here.
J is actually more into art galleries than I am!
We were supposed to go to Picasso this weekend but ended up cancelling our Sydney trip.
I haven’t been to a gallery for ages. I do like them but I’m more of a quick tour through rather than linger at each item sort of person.
I would love to visit more galleries.
I visited Picasso this week aswell. Enjoyed his works! Didn’t think of dining around the area though, a shame – could’ve tried a creme brulee!
That looks lovely! Ahhh so many places to visit in Sydney!!! And I get what you mean about events.. there are some that the Boy just simply won’t attend
What an elegant meal – and those strong Spanish/Catalan flavors go so well with Picasso’s strong lines and vivid ideas! And I would certainly love a slice of that almond cake.
I went past that museum last time I went to Sydney! I didn’t know you can dine in there. The cream brulee looks great, shame that it wasn’t as silky…
I don’t really go to museums often…but I have been on a few occasions and they were all with friends. It’s actually quite fun I thought, often having different opinions about which ones we liked and even argued over it!
the risotto looks amazing, and I always get tempted with tempura zucchini flower!
I found a out a while ago, it wasnt a good idea to bring hubby, he gets quite bored of it within a short time!
Funny about flan that doesn’t rhyme with fan. I suppose when discussing Picasso, there deserves a bit of controversy. I went to Picasso museum in Paris. It was astounding and I have a print in my living room, titled, Women Sitting on Toilet. (You really can’t tell that by looking at it, though).
Thankfully, my other half does enjoy art galleries. And, we love to go on odd days when they’re empty. Too bad the fish dish wasn’t seasoned well. I hate it when a dish looks fantastic but the taste doesn’t match the look. The saffron ice cream and cake look divine!
I go Museums/galleries whenever I can. I regularly go to the Art Gallery of NSW because I live in Sydney but also get down to Canberra and Melbourne for major exhibits. And when overseas, I always seek out something interesting. I love going with my partner because luckily he appreciates art (modern especially). But I still enjoy going by myself because that means I can spend more time in the art gallery shop at the end!
I haven’t been to an art museum to entertain myself since kids were born. I enjoyed those quiet and cultural time sometimes. I’ve never tried saffron ice cream. Sounds very interesting. I’d love to try honey roasted figs with it too.
I love the art gallery restaurant! my boss takes us here for our annual review
I don’t go to art galleries nearly enough.
I suspect I would if the visits came with the crema catalana though
Honestly, I do not go to galleries, my husband doesn’t like it, we go only when a relative make an exposition (we have some artist at the family). Ok, we can go to a museum when there is a special exhibition, but never related to paints.
Such a shame about the fish
and yes, I too think about the mushrooms that way – just goes to show that you just never know
We went to see the Picasso exhibit and were quite impressed. I also saw The Queen and did not fidget (though I struggled to stay awake through The September Issue).
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