Sugar Hit 2012: Sofitel Sydney Wentworth

How could you resist a Sugar Hit billed as:

“A chocolate dessert feast with opera slice, chocolate and cocoa nibs tartlet, chocolate macaroon, chocolate mousse and a chocolate éclair.”

Sofitel have not participated in Sugar Hits for a good 5 years now, but Monsieur Poisson cannot stop raving about when they last did – it was a Lenôtre gateau opéra. So with Sofitel reappearing on the menu this year, it was chosen mainly because Monsieur Poisson and Mistress both love gateau opera. We made our way to Sofitel as a group of four, and this is when things started to get a little unusual.

With Sofitel’s Lobby Lounge and Garden Court restaurant both serving Sugar Hits, there was a mix-up with the location of my reservation. We were kindly offered a table regardless but were told there weren’t sufficient dessert components for four full Sugar Hits.

My dessert plate had the most substitutions with a lemon meringue tartlet as well as a chocolate madeleine. As for the intended Sugar Hit, the standout for me was the éclair, being still crisp and filled with a chocolate cream. Monsieur Poisson loved the opera slice for its intricately even layers and texture without a hint of dryness. The mousse, which was served in a chocolate cup in two of our Sugar Hits, was silky and deeply chocolaty. The macaroon turned out to be a macaron, and I felt the tartlet could have done with a slightly thinner shell.

And while the night was a bit of a comedy of errors, Sofitel staff were kind and apologetic and threw in one of our desserts for free. A respectful effort, I reckon.

Sofitel Sydney Wentworth

61-101 Phillip St (near cnr Bent St), Sydney

Tel: (02) 9230 0700

happy eating!