Christmas and New Year are a time for celebration, a time to catch up with family and friends, and a time to indulge in good food and wine. Ideally, it is best to combine all three. Dining out is one way in which this is possible, and it lets everyone relax and enjoy the occasion. The problem can be choosing where to go. The restaurant needs to have a warm, inviting and elegant ambience, combined with memorable fare for a reasonable price.

Azure Restaurant Slash Bar offers all these and its new and passionate chef will impress you with both his Christmas and New Year menus. Chef Joe has an instinctive sensibility for stunning plating, inspired flavour combinations and unexpected ingredient pairings, and it shows in these special menus.

A Memorable Menu

The first indication of a memorable Christmas meal is the amuse bouche, Coffin Bay Oyster Shooter with Parmesan Foam topped with a sprinkle of dashi, chive and gold leaf. Coffin Bay are a consistently good oyster and the ones at Azure are at the top of their class; they have the "wow" factor. The saltiness of the oyster is balanced by the sweet parmesan cream, and you can add an interesting counterpoint by eating the shiso leaf it is served on. 

It successfully excites your palate for the next course of Duck Foie Gras Pate, Confit Cherry Tomato, Caramelised Fig, or Scallop & Taro Croquette with Endive Salad and Lychee Vinaigrette. The foie gras is marinated in brandy for 12 hours, before being cold smoked with applewood and then steamed. Topped with slightly caramelised pistachio it is bursting with flavour and textural variety. It pairs beautifully with the tomato confit, the fresh fig and the pretty salad with its tartness from the balsamic dressing. The plating begins to be thoughtful and impressive with this dish and continues throughout the meal. 

The sweet Hokkaido scallop rests in a cradle of deep fried taro that excites because of its contrast in texture; topped with black truffle. It is also an example of the chef taking different elements from the East to add to Western dishes. However, this is not fusion, it is creating something that is new and inspired. By the chef's own admission this is a difficult dish to execute so that the outside is crispy, yet the scallop is not overcooked. The salad with home-preserved lychee vinaigrette a perfect counter. Sweet, flaky and earthy this is a decadent dish that will leave you longing for more.

Smoked Salmon Vichyssoise with Beetroot Reduction & Crème Fraiche follows. The leek and potato soup is enriched with smoked Salmon from Norway, with a little crème fraiche, and colour from the beetroot reduction swirl.

Tradition with Modern Touches

There is a choice of three fabulous mains: Turkey Two Ways - Sous Vide Breast & Confit Turkey Leg with Traditional Stuffing & Pumpkin Puree, Wagyu Flank Steak with Pomegranate Reduction, Tomato Compote & Gorgonzola Polenta, or Pan Fried Lobster with Cardinal Sauce, Haricot Verts & Blue Crab Risotto. 

Traditional meets modern describes the turkey dish. A comforting dish that has all the flavours of a Christmas roast turkey meal but the sous vide and confit techniques elevate the meat so that the breast is succulent and moist and the dark meat almost melts on the fork. Having been slowly cooked for over 48 hours it may be the best turkey you have ever eaten.

The steak option's plating features all the colours of Christmas, and as the colours complement each other so do the ingredients on the plate. The uber tender Wagyu flank steak merges into seamless decadence with the creamy gorgonzola polenta, and the richness is balanced by the sweet tang of the pomegranate reduction and pieces, with bursts of freshness from the crunchy beans.

The fresh Boston lobster is the one to go for if you love seafood. The half-lobster is pan fried and topped with a truffle béchamel sauce and served with sautéed French beans. Its companion is the blue crab risotto with its intense flavour that comes from cooking the rich rice in a lobster stock and the sweet pieces of crab.

Dessert is the playful Snow Man with Chilli Chocolate Ice Cream. This dessert will delight the mind, the eyes and the taste buds. There is a spectacular table-side presentation factor to the dessert that should remain a surprise for maximum impact. Lift the snowman to reveal a mini christmas pudding that is moist and warming to eat with its notes of cinnamon. The chilli chocolate ice cream has just a hint of spice and is served with a meringue, and a homemade gingerbread cookie completes this creative Christmas feast that will find favour with lovers of inspired cuisine.

New Year's Indulgence

A quick peak at the New Year's menu reveals further signs of the chef's talent. Awaken your palate with the Capsicum Mille-Feuille with Fresh Goat Cheese & Bird's Nest Rice Paper amuse bouche. Tri-coloured pieces of roasted and crunchy bell pepper are contrasted with layers of tangy goat's cheese from France, delicately dressed with extra virgin olive oil and garnished with fresh basil and topped with a mini pickle.

Follow this with Swordfish & Chorizo Salad with Pickled Peppers & Eggplant Caviar or Foie Gras Tomato Aigre-Doux - Terrine of Foie Gras with Caramelised Tomato & Balsamic Reduction. Both are guaranteed to please with their combinations of flavours and thoughtful pairings.

Crème Dubarry is the soup course. A light and creamy cauliflower soup with has been given bold notes from the addition of bacon and a touch of cream. Refresh the palate with Gazpacho with Lemon & Basil Sorbet.

The three rich main choices are: Chicken Ballontine with Black Trumpet, Macedoline & Mornay Sauce; Baked Miso Black Cod with Shimeji Mushroom & Japanese Pickled Daikon; or Tournedos A La Perigueux - US Beef Tenderloin with Winter Truffle & a Port Wine Reduction. It really is just a matter of chicken, beef or fish, as all dishes are as delicious as they sound.

The chicken consists of rolled breast that is given depth with the addition of the fantastic black trumpet mushrooms and coated with caul for further richness. It is paired with a medley of vegetables and béchamel cheese sauce. The Japanese inspired black cod is brushed with miso paste and baked, and is accompanied by sautéed Shimeji mushrooms and pickled Japanese daikon for contrast in texture and taste.

Truffle and beef are a classic pairing and in the beef dish the unctuous beef tenderloin with its port wine demi glaze, is served with black truffles, orzo pasta salad and sautéed baby carrots with a hint of white truffle oil. Fabulous.

Finish this excellent and exciting meal with Vanilla Panna Cotta with Molten Chocolate Crunch.

Book Early

The Christmas menu will be served on both Christmas Eve and the evening of Christmas Day, while the New Year menu is available on New Year's Eve. Both menus are available from 6.30-11pm and are priced at $888 for four courses or $1,288 for six courses, including a glass of the exquisite Dom Perignon 2000. Places for these gourmet dinners are expected to fill fast so please ensure that you make a reservation on 3518 9330. 

For those that may be reading this after 1 January never fear, Azure's a la carte menu is filled with Chef Joe's culinary masterworks.