Pei Modern, Sydney CBD

My mother (who is Indonesian) loves eating fish heads – it’s actually her favorite part of the fish. I can’t say I feel the same way about fish, or any other edible item on the dinner table for that matter. When we order half a Holmbrae chicken at Mark Best’s newest venture Pei Modern, I’m slightly creeped out by the chicken head and foot splayed out and spilling over the pan it’s served in. No matter, this is seriously juicy chicken right here (which has been brined and smoked, we’re told) and the smoky flavor is right on. The crispy fried saltbush on top adds texture.

Another highlight is the burrata with kohlrabi, broadbeans and egg yolk jam, which is fresh and summery. I could probably go without the steak tartare with (small amounts of) sea urchin on toast, but I’m smitten with the casarecce with chicken dumplings. The reggiano sauce is all rich and awesome, reminding me of a light gravy. Note that the chicken dumplings contain offal, and there’s also offal strewn into the pasta dish (which you can opt out of if you want to). The simple side of a butter lettuce salad cuts through the richness of our mains perfectly, so I’m glad it was recommended to us. Otherwise, we ordered way too many dishes and couldn’t finish the food by any means.

Even though we were bursting at the seams, we decide to share a dessert anyway because DESSERT. I pick the sorrel sorbet with honeycomb for its uniqueness. The vividly green sorbet is tangy and reminds me of a citrusy froyo for some reason, while the honeycomb adds chewiness and a delightfully sweet honey flavor.

Ignore the heinous puns on the menu (‘Bigger Bites, Share or go Cray-Cray’ and ‘Fromage to ewe’ – eek) because the food is much, much better than that.


Pei Modern

Four Seasons Hotel, 199 George St, Sydney, NSW
Mon – Fri 12pm – 3pm, Mon – Sat 5.30pm – 10.30pm

pei modern burrata
Burrata, kohlrabi, broad beans, yolk jam
pai modern burrata 2
Gooey burrata
pei modern tartare
Steak tartare with horseradish and sea urchin on toast
pei modern bread butter
Sourdough bread and cultured butter
pei modern casarecce
Casarecce, chicken dumplings, offal, reggiano sauce
pei modern chicken
Half Halmbrae chicken, Jerusalem artichokes and squash
pei modern chicken lettuce casarecce
And some butter lettuce in the back
pei modern sorrel sorbet
Sorrel sorbet with honeycomb

 
Pei Modern on Urbanspoon

9 Comments Add yours

  1. chocolatesuze says:

    woahhh i need that steak tartare

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    1. Haha because sea urchin? 😉

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  2. Next Stop: Food says:

    the casarecce with chicken dumplings sounds delish 😀

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    1. So good! Casarecce is my favorite type of pasta, too 🙂

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  3. Alas we weren’t really as wowed. Perhaps the kitchen had had an off night but we left before dessert!

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    1. Oh that’s a shame 😦 I definitely enjoyed our meal!

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  4. Was dessert listed under yolo? lol. You know I’m totally drawn to the casarecce with the offal though! And that tartare!

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    1. Bahahaha. That would have cracked me up. No, it was called ‘The Sweet Spot’.

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  5. bugglesandsqueak says:

    We really enjoyed our meal here…. It was better than we had expected… The steak was probably the best we’ve had in Sydney for a very long time.

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