Maze

29th November 2010

The third restaurant crossed off the list was my favourite so far. A late night at work and a 10pm game of basketball at MSAC meant little time for going home and eating so I decided to swing through to Maze in between.

Despite making a booking and running about 5 minutes late, was forced to wait in the bar area for about 10 minutes waiting for my table. Not a great start but the service from that point onwards was everything you would expect from a 1 Hat restaurant and a Gordan Ramsay restaurant.

Staff were knowledgeable and offered full knowledge of the menu. Usually eaten as small plates with about 3-4 plates eaten. However as i had a big lunch and had to play a basketball game later, i settled on one course and the requisite desert.

Starting with some warm crusty bread and flavoured butter was a great way to start the dinner and an unexpected and delicious extra.

The main course was a new experience for me as i order Ox "Tongue and Cheek". Having never had either ox tongue or cheek i eagerly anticipated the meal. A cheek that fell apart with a waft of the fork and a flattened disk of a tonque that was easy to cut showed the expertise of the chef. A meat jus and a smooth rich and creamy horshradish pomme puree completed the dish and made it a memorable main course.

For desert i had to go with the signature Maze 'Lamington'. A deconstruction of the lamington featured a coconut covered chocolate ganache that was rich and superb. Combined with a smooth rosella jam, cocunut cream sorbet, a sponge and crisp tuille. I thought it couldnt improve on the main course but was pleasantly surprised. Combined it tasted like a rich better lamington than you could ever imagine.

A final touch to the meal involved another additional item. Strawberry ice cream petit fours. Lovely and flavourful strawberry ice cream encased in white chocolate. An amazing way to finish an amazing display of precise, technical cooking accompanied with polished service.

Easily my favourite restaurant so far with extra touches that added the little extra that you would expect from a hat restaurant.