Ezard

14th September 2011

Coming into the last few months of my list, it is getting to the business end of the restaurants with some of the bigger names still to come, including number 38 being Ezard. Having been around and awarded 2 hats since 1999 the restaurant is renowned for its strong flavours.

Having been excited about this one for a while due to my love of strong bold flavours and spice, i had done a little bit more research on this one than some of the others and was torn between choosing the degustation menu or the signature dish of the restaurant (masterstock fried pock hock). I decided that i would prefer the degustation but would request a switch of one of the main dishes to the signature dish. I figured given the similar price between the main courses that it wouldn't be a problem.

However after being seated in the dark downstairs basement dining room and being offered a bottle of saporo, this request was declined. This was a little disappointing and i feel some of the other top end (2 & 3 hat restaurants) would have been more flexible.

However after that initially disappointment the service was very good and very professional, efficient and engaging. The courses came out in fairly quick succession but not so quick you felt rushed and they wanted your table for a future diner.

First up was a plate with both an appetiser and the first course. The appetiser was a salmon tartare with cucumber foam served on a Chinese soup spoon. Awesome light cucumber flavour mixed well with salmon tartare.

This was accompanied by the first course of an oyster shooter floating in reduced sake and mirin with a strong chili hit and the palate perfectly cleansed by the accompanying nori roll. A first hint of the powerful but clear flavours to come.
This was then followed by the bread accompanied by Parmesan, garlic and rosemary infused olive oil and a selection of three spices to go on top; a schewan pepper, roasted chili and rock sugar and a crushed nori. all great flavours but the combo of the sweetness of sugar and the after hit of chili was the best and was amazing and didn't hold back with the chili hit.

The next course featured a sesame crusted kingfish sashimi with creme fraiche custard, black garlic and a citrus and hazelnut dressing. A very small dish but quality sourced fish with clean flavours and well matched dish.

The third course was my favourite dish of the evening. Crab dumplings in a tom kha broth with salmon roe with the broth poured at the table. The broth was rich and powerful and but did not overpower the great crab flavour in the dumplings. Amazing combo.

Unfortunately my favourite dish was followed by my least favourite dish. A salad of asparagus, Persian feta and witlof with poached egg and hazelnut dressing. It looked beautiful but the Persian feta completely overpowered the other more subtle ingredients. It still tasted good but for me not a well constructed dish.

Dish number 5 was a dish of mulloway, mushrooms and a plum wine dressing that was also poured at the table. The fish was perfectly cooked and fell apart gently when provoked. The broth was also very rich and good, maybe a slight bit too sweet. However a great dish.

This dish was a dish comprising of the simple combo of apple and pork but done in a Asian inspired way with fantastic results. Sweet pork belly with peanut dressing and apple slaw salad. The pork belly was great cooked to be soft rather than crunchy and crisp. This was a great dish but i probably prefer the apple and pork dish served at The Point.

Now the penultimate dish and the last of the savoury courses. Here you are offered the choice of 2 dishes. Either the Chinese roast duck or the wagyu beef. Having had plenty of steak at other restaurants i choose the duck. (Also the wagyu beef was an additional $20). Perfectly cooked pink duck with a hint of schewan spices and accompanied by a green chili and oyster sauce (beautifully rich and powerful) and creamy coconut rice. Bold powerful flavours that enhanced the duck and created a memorable dish.

Before the desert course, there was a pre desert palate cleanser of rockmelon, a type of lemonade and a sprinkle of Vietnamese mint on top. A very good palate cleanser and nice flavours although little substance.

The final dish was the sweet dish of chocolate and passion fruit torte with blood orange sorbet. (Also available was a desert tasting plate - extra $15). Having had a work lunch and birthday cake i wasn't feeling up to challenging the desert tasting plate. The chocolate and passion fruit torte featured a passion fruit puree centre encased in a chocolate mousse then covered in dark chocolate and with a little chocolate base.

The light blood orange sorbet was the perfect complement to the rich dark chocolate and passion fruit torte. This dish worked beautifully and am glad i choose just to have this one rather than stuffing myself with the tasting plate.

Some great moments and some bold rich and aggressive flavours made for a great evening out and an appreciation and realisation of why this restaurant had been so successful and received recognition for the last decade plus. However some of the dishes didn't work for me and as such this restaurant failed to force its way into the top 5 of my favourite places so far and will have to settle for top 10.