Catalina, Rose Bay

Foie gras with candied walnuts

C recently had his birthday and to celebrate, we both took a day off work to enjoy the sunshine with a lunch at Catalina.  Being a birthday club member, Catalina sends us a special discount voucher every birthday, so what better excuse to enjoy the sunshine, impeccable food and a glass of wine!  If you ever find yourself at Catalina, do ask them about being a birthday club member - it's a great feature and at no cost!  The only down side is that the meal is only available on weekdays for lunch or dinner but like us - it can be a good excuse to have a day off and enjoy each other's company.  

Entrees: K had the foie gras for entree (pictured above) and C had the pork belly (pictured below).  After a terrible experience of foie gras in Hong Kong, K was nervous about ordering this.  It was not disappointing at all.  The sweet crunchy candied walnut really offset the richness of the foie gras.  We cannot remember now what formed the base of the foie gras (note to self: take a photo of the menu next time!) but it added a nice contrast along with the balsamic vinegar reduction. Yum! Unfortunately this is a daily special so it does not regularly appear on their menu. If you see it, order it!



Crispy skin pork belly, honey glazed parsnips, lentils, parsley oil and red wine jus

C actually had the pork belly the first time we came to Catalina as well (surprise surprise).  This time, it was much more impressive than the first.  It had a right proportion of fat to meat and very generously portioned for an entree. 




Fettuccine nero with lobster, tomatoes and chilli infused lobster oil

Main: This was the hero dish and the reason why we came back to Catalina again after our first experience.  The plate is generous with large lobster chunks and there is a decent amount of chilliness to the dish.  We found the dish a bit more watery than the first time we had it (as you can tell from the photo) but nonetheless very very tasty!  It's definitely a bit pricier than other mains on their menu but well worth the money. 




Champagne jelly with fresh raspberries and pomegranate; raspberry ripple ice cream

Feeling a little stuffed, we decided to share a dessert between the two of us and opted for something lighter.  The champagne jelly was amazing!  You could definitely taste the champagne and the pressed pomegranate beneath the row of fresh raspberries was like adult roll-up!  I found the raspberry ice cream a little too creamy and would have preferred a fruiter ice cream but I think that is just a matter of personal preference and when eaten together with everything else on the plate, it was really tasty. 

NB: Catalina currently has a Winter Special Menu - 2 courses for $49 from Monday-Thursday lunch or dinner (or 3 courses for $60).  A good opportunity to check out this place if you haven't already!