When Alessandro Pavoni of Ormeggio at The Spit declared his new waterside restaurant at Crown Sydney to be a return to the glamorous, service-oriented dining rooms of the past, the words Oh dear came to mind. The last thing we need, I thought, is a big, expensive, pretentious restaurant.
Certainly, a Mare is big, with two levels of dining (downstairs is best) and a broad terrace laid out before the bay views across to Balmain.
At last count, the floor staff numbered 100 and they re still hiring. If you re not careful, you ll be greeted by four different smiling people at the door, and escorted to your table past white-suited bartenders who call out cheery greetings.
1â Ground white pepper
Instructions In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the linguine until al dente, about 9 minutes. Using tongs, lift the linguine from the water to drain, and then remove 1 cup pasta water and reserve. Add the lobster claws to the pot of boiling water and cook until the shells are bright red and the meat is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Drain and crack open the claws, and then roughly chop two of the claw meat pieces; discard the claw shells. In a 12-inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Working in batches, add the head and tail pieces, meat side down, and cook, turning once, until the meat is browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer the pieces to a plate and return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the thyme, chiles, and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, about 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and cook until reduced by half, about 4 minutes.