Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24 – Sugar Hit Me Baby, One More Time!
It’s that time of year again. Yes, is Sugar Hit time! Since we had so much fun last year, running amok in Sydney CBD trying to taste as many Sugar Hit as we could in one night, so I thought why not we do it again this year and let’s get high on sugar?! Thanks to Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24 to make one’s crazy dream a reality, it happens all over again! The rules are simple – eat as many desserts as we could, then blog about it all within the 24 hours time frame. Crazy?! You betcha!
This time I’ve invited The Pom, Helen from Grab You Fork and Suze from ChocolateSuze to be the sugar fairies, my partners in crime. Helen had done this with me last year, so she is shock in disbelief when I told her that we are going to do it again this year. Since ChocolateSuze is notorious with her imbalance and sugar overload diet, so she is the perfect candidate but no one else for this inhumane challenge.
Our best record from last year is 5 restaurants within 2 hours, and it was an absolute torture. Hence, we decided to slow the pace down this year, and give ourselves enough time to really enjoy and appreciate the complexity of each dessert.
Grace Hotel - the tasting plate of dessert of the World
8:00pm – Grace Hotel
Our first Sugar Hit is at the Grace Hotel. It is a last minute decision, as we simply couldn’t wait until 9pm to start our sugar marathon. The Sugar Hit event usually runs between 9 to 11pm, but this year there are a few exceptions, Perama‘s starts from 10pm to midnight for instance, and Grace Hotel also runs a little earlier from 8pm – 10pm I’m told when I called in to book a table.
We arrived at the restaurant right on time, and seems like I am the only person who reserved a table for the Sugar Hit. (Super keen or what?) Grace Hotel is offering a Tasting plate of Desserts from all four corners of the world. Someone on Twitter mentioned that the serving is huge and worth a try, but alas size doesn’t always matter and it is the most disappointing Sugar Hit I’ve had to date.
Clockwise L to R: Tiramisu; Turkish delight jubes with Persian Floss; the not so pretty look of the tasting plate; the first Sugar Hit completed
The compilation of cakes and sweets on the plate indeed makes one gasp for air, but presentation wise is rather on the tacky side – Does it really need a chocolate sauce frame on the plate as a guideline for plating? Not to mention the whole dish looks rather messy and dirty with chocolate powder dusted all over.
Where to start is the question. I work my way up from the least favourite to saving the best for last, so rice pudding is the first pick. The overcooked sticky rice becomes a lump of dough, mushy and bland. The brulee tart is nothing but a custard tart without a toffee topping, bouncy with a gelatine based custard. Biscotti is crunchy but also rather soapy with too much baking soda in it. A petite pavlova is actually not so bad among them all, nice crumbly meringue and creamy custard inside. The colorful cubes of Turkish Delights are tasty but also hard and chewy like cheap jubes, although I am quite fond of the Persian floss on top. (I’m sure you get the idea by now that I really dislike the whole tasting plate) Then is the tiramisu, how disappointing to find that the cake is not made with mascarpone but greasy cream icing. I am so glad there is a scoop of refreshing mango sorbet to wash off all the disappointment.
Overall, the whole tasting plate seems like someone has been cutting corners and put it together cheaply. The Pom sums it all in two words – Michel’s Patisserie. I concur. Helen and Suze think so too.
(~End Rant~)
Glass Brasserie: chocolate assiette: white chocolate and pandan parfait, chocolate fondant, raspberry marshmallow bitter chocolate fondue, Earl Grey tea ice cream rolled in cookies and cream biscuit
9:00pm – Glass Brasserie
We got off to a bad start, but that doesn’t dampen our spirit for more sugar. Off to the second Sugar Hit we go at Glass Brasserie, located on the second level at Hilton Hotel. This is my first time visiting Glass Brasserie and I am totally in awe by the stunning interiors designed by world-renowned New York designer Tony Chi. Two massive featured glass walls housing thousands if not millions bottles of wines, act as dividers between the wine bar and the restaurant.
We are soon seated in the corner not far from the kitchen where all the action is. The service is rather a hit and miss tonight, as it takes quite some time for the waitress to come around to take our orders. Then another long wait for the food and drink to arrive. But the wait is definitely worthwhile.
Clockwise L to R: The toasted raspberry marshmallow sitting on top of a chocolate fondue shot; Earl Grey ice cream wrapped in cookies and cream biscuit crumbs; warm chocolate fondant with gooey chocolatey goodness; we have no trouble with this dessert and polished them up clean
The chocolate assiette is a decadent tasting plate focuses on chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. The presentation is simply elegant, love at first sight. I first try the Earl Grey tea ice cream which is very subtle in flavour, rolled in cookies and cream biscuit for that extra texture. It sits proudly on top of the white chocolate and pandan parfait which I absolutely adore. To the left, is the toasted marshmallow like a seared scallop on skewer clinging on top of a shotglass of raspberry bitter chocolate fondue. The smokey marshmallow brings a smile to my face but we all find the shotglass of chocolate fondue impractical and a challenge to eat it with a tablespoon that doesn’t even fit. The chocolate fondant is rich and moist, although I found the taste and texture a little eggy. Nonetheless, the chocolate assiette has definitely made up the disappointment at previous venue. I think Suze and Helen agree with their comments below:
The money shot - Chocolate suze pours the brown sugar syrup into the vanilla ice cream
9:45pm – Azuma Kushiyaki
As soon as I saw the other foodbloggers talked about their Sugar Hit experience at Azuma Kushiyaki, I instantly mark this place down as my number one pick. The Azuma Kushiyaki is tucked away at the back of a mall hidden away from the public. But the location is obviously not an issue because even chef Tetsuya Wakuda often find himself dining at this restaurant where he declares the food here reminds him of Japan.
Helen and Suze have actually already been here for the Sugar Hit. Since they were so impressed with the desserts, they are more than happy to come along for the second tasting with me. The restaurant is absolutely buzzing with customers, some are here for dinner and others are like us looking for something sweet. The service is top notch here, the waitress is very attentive and helpful. The Sugar Hit menu are presented to us as soon as we sat down and explains to us what’s on the menu. It is also the only restaurant where the waitress that actually cares and explains to us about the Brown Brothers dessert wine that pairs with our sweets. Then the moment that I’ve been waiting for has come…
Clockwise L to R: Dessert sitting nicely in the wooden bento box with handle; two squares of vanilla cheesecake and Belgian chocolate mousse; the vanilla ice cream with mochi rice balls and the brown sugar syrup in the background and seaweed cat's tongue and greentea rolled cake with chestnuts in the foreground; ChocolateSuze and Helen struggling to finish their desserts - FAIL!
The East Meets West dessert platter comes in a beautiful two tier bento box! With handle! Yes! Even the amount of cakes in each tray are very generous too. I start off with the shotglass of vanilla ice cream, which we’re instructed to pour some of the Japanese brown sugar syrup and stir until well combined. The two grapes are slowly coated in sweet syrup as I slowly pouring it into the glass. The creamy vanilla ice cream and the sweet brown sugar syrup is a sinful combination. A sprinkle of Kinako soy powder adds the nutty texture, while two white mochi rice balls hidden beneath brings a chewy happiness.
There are also Japanese version of cat’s tongue biscuits in the tray. The two brittle biscuits are very similar to Milano cookies, but interestingly infused with seaweed freckles which gives it a unique oriental flavour. I actually quite like it. Next I am onto the Vanilla Cheesecake, a gelatin based Japanese cheesecake which is surprisingly light and not overly sweet and still able to taste the milky cheese flavour in it. This cheesecake really brings back the memories from my last Japan trip, which we had one of the most amazing cheesecake I’ve ever tasted in Kobe.
The greentea rolled cake with chestnuts is probably my least favourite. I actually couldn’t taste any of the matcha flavour in this cake which is also a little spongy for my liking. The icing inside gets a little heavy after a few spoonfuls with very few chestnuts bejeweled inside. I save the richest cake among them all for last, and the Belgian chocolate mousse is something that needs to be savour slowly. Mine has collapsed on the side a little due to its airy lightness, but its velvety smoothness is absolutely divine. The Pom declares that the chocolate mousse is the best of them all and happily eats it all in one go. I concur again.
And I think there are no objections from Suze and Helen either based on their positive comments below even though this is their second time here for the Sugar Hit:
I am also glad that we only did three Sugar Hits this year, because by the time we finished the third one, I am absolutely sugar overloaded and feeling a little sick in the stomach. I also found the tasting plates at certain restaurants are much bigger portion compare to those from last year. Although this year’s effort is not as overwhelming as last year, we sure had a lot of fun going down the sugar lane and crawl our way back home.
Now, pass me that insulin!
Thanks to Foodbuzz once again to make this event a success.
Sugar Hits are on offer at selected hotels and restaurants every night in October as part of the Sydney International Food Festival. To avoid disappointment, bookings are essentials for all Sugar Hits. You can check out the full list of available Sugar Hits for 2009.
Also don’t forget to enter A Taste of Peru competition and win a Hamper of Peruvian ingredients used by Chef Saravia!
A Table For Two (ATFT) is Billy Law's food blog that features best eats in Sydney and around the world with drool-worthy food photography to salivate your appetite. I also throw in a smidgen of my food and travel photography for good measure. Billy Law also happened to be a contestant on MasterChef Australia 2011. 
Wow, I’m surprised how different the Grace Hotel tasting platter looks to the one I had, which was really delightful. They’ve probably been struggling to keep up with the demand. I need to get myself to Azuma pronto, I’ve been craving their Sugar Hit all month!
Pity started off with a disappointment but yay for the other two! I’m thinking you guys could’ve done 5 again this time tho
noice! i was wondering if you’d do the same thing again but was expecting you to do more this time around. oh well, there’s always next year. i like your breakout quotes in the blog. noice work!
i think last year some of the places extended their sugar hits into the next month because it was so successful, but i could be wrong and delusional — it happens. 
.-= Simon Food Favourites´s last blog ..Aria Restaurant: SIFF 2009 Let’s Do Lunch, Sydney (7 Oct 2009) =-.
I’ve only managed to go to one this year, Glass. Which I agree with you on everything. It was delicious and gorgeous, but really wished there was more considering I was paying $20 for it. But how on EARTH did you make your shots look like they were taken at 11am in the morning?!?! My pics were dud and can’t even bother doing anything with them.
everything looks beautiful! i’m loving that sugar syrup poured onto the vanilla syrup. what a sexy dessert
wish i were in sydney.
.-= diva´s last blog ..Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24: Come Dine with Us at Angela Hartnett’s Murano =-.
Wow, what a sugar overload for sure! Some of those dishes look lovely though – Earl Grey tea ice cream? Yum!
That is one crazy fun concept, but I think I seriously would have been sick after the first stop.
I guess I’d never make the Sugar Hit club.
Better have veggie overload this week to make up for it.
.-= Emily´s last blog ..Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24: A night of local food =-.
great sugar fest! First time I’m at your blog and I’m really loving your photos, your site logo and overall design.
.-= noobcook´s last blog ..Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24: Rustic Singapore – Buying & Cooking with Local Produce =-.
5 in 2 hrs :s
.-= betty´s last blog ..Coda Bar & Restaurant =-.
What a wonderfully written article! I savored every last word and imagined tasting every last bite. I think we need to take a hint from Australia and adopt Sugar Hit. :
Awesome! The dessert plates are beautiful – who wouldn’t want to try them!
.-= HoneyB´s last blog ..Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24: A Grown-up Halloween Party =-.
Yes, wasn’t that happy with Grace’s effort. I actually do not think there is a demand, hence the lack of creativity. Azuma is good, you will love it.
We could, if the budget allows.
Hence 3 was good enough.
I know, time and budget wise, 3 is sufficient enough.
Not sure the extension, perhaps you are thinking the Merivale Winter Feast?
Glass is good, I actually prefer Glass over the other two. The dessert at Glass is more sophisticated and elegant than other two. $20 for sugar hit isnt too bad, but I can’t justify the $35 lunch actually. So far, I havent seen any good Let’s do Lunch posts with best value for money food from other bloggers. Hehehe…regarding to the photos, someone said I used dark-magic! LOL
Yeah, it is novelty yet tasty too! I think probably the highlight of the whole dessert.
Heheee… crazy things that we do for the love of food…
The earl grey IC is unfortunately a little bland in taste, although it will taste awkward to blend it with the pandan parfait.
hahahah no way! one stop is never enough!!!
Mind you some of the portions are pretty small, and they are all so pretty and tasted so good, how can u stop after one!? 
Thanks for dropping by noobcook! Now let me go and give some love at your blog too!
That’s so last year, only 3 this year though
Thanks Rachel
I am sure you can get much better festivals over your way!
Heheeh true true, I just wish I can go to more of them.
hai billy! thanks so much for letting me join the sugar hit marathon! it was so much fun!
.-= chocolatesuze´s last blog ..singapore part 1 [1] =-.
Hhehe we have to do it again next year! LOL
The hubs and I were just talking about a trip to Sydney next year… seems like October might be the time to visit and get in on this Sugar Hit!
.-= ValleyWriter´s last blog ..Sierra Grille – Little Bites, Big Fun! =-.