Amanda's first birthday in the Southern Hemisphere

My birthday was Sunday 5 September, and it's the first time I've had a birthday in springtime!

On my birthday, we had breakfast at a restaurant called Danks Street Depot, where they're all about slow food, using fresh, local ingredients, etc. It was very yummy!

Afterwards we went to the Marrickville farmer's market and saw our friends play a bit of music there. Mark lived in Ireland before moving to Australia, and he learned to play the Uilleann pipes, the Irish bagpipes. Here's Mark playing the Irish pipes with his friend Chris playing the concertina.


Afterwards, we went to Jennifer and Mark's house and had a lovely time just talking over cocktails, then had dinner with their family.

Then last night (Monday), Matthew took me out to Guillame at Bennelong, a very fancy french restaurant at the Sydney Opera House.


We did the 7-course degustation menu with matching French wines, and it was one of the best meals I've had in my life. Everything so carefully prepared and complimented each other so well. By the end, I was sooo stuffed, though! We were each served our own chocolate souffle, which was a little pillow of yumminess, but I couldn't finish it. Then, they brought us even more desserts - tiny little macarons, truffles, etc. I could barely waddle out the restaurant, thank goodness we could take a taxi home!

The restaurant was dimly lit, so I didn't take many photos, but I couldn't resist taking at least a couple.
Here's the 6th course - deboned rib eye of Wagyu Beef from South Australia with field mushrooms, baby spinach, confit of shallot and merlot sauce and pureed parsnips.


Lots and lots of wine glasses - there were eight wines all together.


My individual chocolate souffle with a spoonful of sour cherry ripple ice cream melting into it and a glass of french dessert wine.


This was the degustation menu:
king salmon sashimi with riesling from Alsace
veloute of globe artichoke with chenin blanc from Loire Valley
seared scallops with chablis from Burgundy
blue eye trevalla fish with a sémillon and sauvignon blend from Bordeaux
braised oxtail with syrah from Rhone Valley
deboned rib eye of Mayura Wagyu beef with red Bordeaux blend
soup of seasonal fruit with an extra white not on the menu!
chocolate souffle with grenache from Roussillon
petits fours with coffee.