The hotel Capella Sydney is having its first chef in residence collaboration and this time it's with Lode Pies. The cult pastry shop is helmed by chef Federico Zanellato of LuMi dining and their first collaboration features two bespoke savoury pies all served in Capella's stunning Aperture restaurant.
It's a Friday night when Sophia and I make our way to Capella Sydney. The last time I was here for my birthday and there's nothing but warm memories evoked. I show her my favourite art pieces in the hotel before we arrive for dinner at Aperture restaurant with the floral kinetic sculpture called ‘Meadow’ by Amsterdam-based art duo DRIFT overhead. The pies are served here from Monday to Friday from 5pm-7pm. You can just come along or you can also pre-book.
For $45 you get a Lode pie, salad and creamed spinach and a drink of your choice (Young Henry’s Sandstone Lager, or a choice of house sparkling, red, or white wine). We are the first to arrive at 5pm but soon after the open air lobby restaurant will become fuller. Capella Executive Chef Gabriele Taddeucci explains that a lot of people come by for an after work meal. Some arrive just before 7pm for the pie but start with drinks and then have the pie for dinner before heading home. The collaboration started as a way to offer a more dynamic offering at Aperture and Gabriele and Federico have been friends for 15 years so he was his first choice.
Sophia and I are sharing so that we can try both of the pies. We start with the truffle and comte pie where truffle is baked into the potato dauphinoise with crisp, tiny potato straws on top. It is served with a cheese fondue sauce at the table and there is also the option to have fresh truffle grated over it for $15 which we do. The truffle is currently from Manjimup in Western Australia but will soon be from Tasmania and NSW. We cut the pie in half and we can see all the perfectly stacked potato layers inside. The comte cheese and truffle adds a wonderful umami savoury flavour to the pie filling while we like the crunch on top from the potato shards.
The beef pie is made with Blackmore wagyu rump with mushroom and is served with a chianti red wine jus. The height of the top of the pastry is impressive with all of the individual layers made using French butter. The pie is deliciously rich but the flavour of the butter in the pastry really shines with this pie. What is surprising is that each pie is equally as popular as each other. They expected the beef pie to be more popular but the lightness of the vegetarian pie is just as loved.
The pies come with a side dish of creamed spinach with a crumb topping and a creamy nutmeg spiked sauce which is comforting and rich. The pies also come with a winter salad made with picture perfect bitter leaves like radicchio from Ramarro Farm in Victoria with a chardonnay vinegar style dressing with Sicilian olive oil that provides the rich pies with a sharp, bitter balance.
So tell me Dear Reader, do you think you'd order the potato and truffle pie or the beef one? Have you ever tried Lode pies?
NQN and Sophia tried the pies as a guest of Capella Sydney but all opinions remain her own.
Capella Sydney
24 Loftus St, Sydney NSW 2000
https://capellahotels.com/en/capella-sydney
This collaboration is available until the 9th of August, 2024.
Reader Comments
Loading comments...Add Comment