Mizz B'z

Following an industry career of thirty years, Stuart Page and his wife Bubpa have finally opened their own place. Although the restaurant name Mizz B'z is actually a derivation of her nickname it does kind of have a Sydney CBD ring to it - doesn't it? And that's exactly where the new restaurant is located, at The St James Centre in the city north business end of town. With its Joel Rubechon 3 Michelin star and Iron Chef Sydney pedigree the B'z is not just for the business folk though, it is for anyone who want an amazing Sydney dining experience.

Executive Chef Masahiko Yomoda assimilates all aspects of his culinary heritage to delight us with his idiosyncratic Pan Asian food.

In this collaboration Mizz B'z offers some amazingly new takes on classics. With the main menu divided into five sections, one of the most fascinating of the tasty twists which resides within Raw & Smoked is of steak tartare. Drawing upon the French standard then bathing in new Asian flavours, we were enamoured with the little hand cut parcels, housed with long thin strips of leek, bedded down with the textural sesame dressing. Suitable as a plated starter for one, we chose to follow the theme of the menu, and to share. For those in our club, who adore the classic, who adore steak tartare, this is a worthy diversion and even adversary to the traditional.

Before that winner, we were tempted by a couple of plates from the Starters To Share. Yomoda showed his finesse with the toppings and the toast, of Asian mushroom bruschetta. There was interest and layers. It tickled. It played. And it did the job of a first plate, to whet the appetite and set the scene of things to come. Alongside it a fine polished sake helped it slip down. Also from starters we indulged in a truly fabulous melange of Foie Gras mousse, Parmesan crisp, fig and port wine jelly. Little morsels toyed with colours textures flavours, each component a well crafted execution, and together a palate of uplifted French tradition. And now it was time to explore the wines by the glass.

Yet the star of the night - Mizz B'z salmon,  chilli & coriander marshmallow - looked surprisingly simpler. Cured and cold smoked in-house, the salmon was as close to perfect as you can get. To the eye the flesh showed itself as firm and fresh. For the palate the smoke was present, at the front, but not overbearing, the salmon still singing and the hero. Then there is the fun of sweet gooey playfulness as a unexpected sideline.

Larger plates to share and mains may seemingly more straight up as was the generous plate of Yamba prawns. The bigger dishes as with the starters swing to and fro between the Japanese and French background of Yomoda with a sprinkling of other Asian influences. Drunken chicken, green mango, chilli salad. Pork katsu, pickled red cabbage, baked baby Granny Smith. Pork belly, garlic mash, kimchi. Slow cooked lamb shank, black garlic, massaman cream. We're still to try these but gosh do they sound tempting.

After the savoury, we did manage to share something sweet. Perhaps it was the first time we actually debated before ordering. I'm not often impressed with crème brulee so needed persuading. Yet it was a worthy choice, adorned with its extras, and with a change up that would be hard to match.

Mizz B'z also has a bar, and a bar menu, so without the leisure of strolling through the cocktails, we couldn't but help to finish with one. One each. And half each. While the cocktail menu has some exciting original sake sensations we stayed pretty classic and were to say the least as with the rest of our night impressed.

A fit for all seasons, Mizz B'z is a marvellous choice for date night, for a long celebration dinner, for a night out with friends, for a long or short business meal or just to pop in for a drink, or two, or three.