How do you define a 10/10 experience? The amount of effort that goes into creating a particular dish? The quality of the produce? The service? And the cost… is it actually worth the money?

At Audrey’s in Sorrento, the answer is a resounding yes. For $150, the degustation menu is an experience worth indulging in.

Let me tell you a little about Audrey’s — it’s part of the $120 million refurb of the Intercontinental Hotel (there’s the hotel of course, a new pool deck and multiple dining options, plus the public bar) and the space is STUNNING. Audrey’s features gorgeous green marble, comfy velvet chairs and picture perfect postcard views across the bay.

Date night. Tick.

Ladies lunch. Tick.

Milestone birthdays. Tick.

Audrey was the name of chef Scott Pickett’s (Smith St Bistro, Estelle) grandmother, who instilled his love of cooking. And there is a lot to love here.

The first dish we tried is bread with a trio of butter — miso, seaweed and cultured. Moorish. This was followed by small morsels, including a scallop tartare with wasabi and bonito, Coopers Island oysters, smoked eel and rhubarb choux and kingfish, ham and honey pickles.

Next, we enjoyed Port Phillip Snapper with cucumber jalapeno and kelp. There’s a delicacy to all of these dishes that makes them oh so memorable.

Dish of the day was the squid noodles, with shitake XO sauce. Locally-caught squid, as the name suggests, is the “noodle” part of the dish — silky and salty and just the most perfect balance of flavours. This alone is an experience you would return for, again and again. King George Whiting, slippery jack, celery and sunflower seed make up the predominantly seafood menu.

For an extra $40 dollars you can add the Great Ocean Road duck with Hawkes Farm potato, cherry and beetroot. (You might remember Hawkes Farm being voted Melbourne’s best chips!) Desserts include strawberry with bergamot and basil, the Audrey’s peach melba and a selection of truffles.  I often wonder how top-end restaurants manage to produce such magnificent dishes for what they’re actually charging, and I’ve never thought that more than when dining at Audrey’s.

The service was wonderful, the space was refined but not stuffy and the food was truly memorable. I’m sure Audrey would be very proud indeed of her grandson.

Audrey’s
The Continental Hotel
1 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento
thecontinentalsorrento.com.au/audreys

See Jacqui’s past reviews HERE.