Matteo's

13th October 2011

On a non descript part of northern Brunswick Street in North Fitzroy, i headed out on a Thursday night for dinner at Matteo's to complete number 45 on my list. (15 to go in the next 11 weeks before my deadline). With the outside being rather inauspicious outside, the inside was a complete contrast. a very theatrical dapper dining area with a purple chairs, fine cutlery and beautiful wallpaper and heavy curtains separating the function areas.

After being offered a comprehensive drinks list, i decided to start with a Sapporo beer before heading on to a Scorpo Pinos Gris later in the night (very nice wine). After toying with the idea of al a carte options i decided i would let the chef tell me what i should be eating by selecting the 4 course tasting menu. The 4 courses each featured multiple different parts served on the one plate.

The first course consisted of three elements for the one course. A tartate of citrus cured salmon with avocado served between 2 crackers and topped with salmon roe, a sichuan pepper & garlic prawn tempura on a bed of seaweed salad and finally a wasabi pea crusted yellowfin tuna tartare with a Tokyo turnip and a smoked eel mayo. The tuna had a beautiful crust with just enough wasabi pea and was light and well balanced and my favourite of the three. The tempura was very crisp and had good flavour but lacked any kind of punch or boost from the pepper or garlic. The final element was the cured salmon and the combo of the salmon and avocado worked well together. As a combo the three dishes were presented exquisitely on the plat and the combo of two light and fresh parts and the one cooked tempura part was an excellent contrast.

The second course was again a combo of dishes (in this case 2) served a the one plate. One a crab meat dim sum with gingered wombok cabbage and XO sauce. The other a tempura zucchini flower filled with feta served on a square block of watermelon.
The Zucchini flower had a crisp tempura batter that offered a great contrast between the cool watermelon and salty feta. Quality technique and flavours.
The crab dim sum could be smelt as they served the plate to me and it smelled amazing. Soft delicate crab meat in a soft casing. (not your average dim sum). The XO jam wasn't quite as flavourful or strong as i would have liked (It may have taken over the dish if it was too powerful) but the overall dish was great.

The third and main course was 2 element; one being a twice cooked master stock quail ballotine filled with duck and pork sausage with pickled cabbage and BBQ sauce and the other a Panko (Japanese flaky breadcrumb) lamb cutlet with snow pea and daikon and wasabi mayo. These were both solid dish and showed a great display of technique and mastery of balancing Japanese inflections with European technique but they were only great dishes and lacked a wow factor to take it to the next level. However the wasabi mayo was amazing and the crumbs on the lam cutlet were excellent.

If the main course lacked a slight wow factor then they must have kept it all for the desert. Two amazing deserts. The first a folded orange crepe roulade topped with a creamy and delicious chestnut cream. Accompanying it was a tangerine ice cream with a chocolate wafer on a bed of chocolate soil.
The next was served in a glass on the plate and was a strawberry trifle featuring layers of strawberry jelly and white chocolate and vanilla cream. Combined with framboise macerated strawberries, marshmallows and a crisp macaroon. Well balanced and perfectly executed it offered a re imagining and updating of a classic dish for the 21st Century.

Great concepts and execution and matching of European and Japanese flavours and technique throughout the meal. Throw in good service and it was a memorable meal. Some elements of various dishes lacked a little flavour at times but the finesse and quality of the dishes was outstanding and evident throughout. The desert however were a highlight and a great way to finish the meal. A place in the bottom half of the top time is appropriate for now but with Vue Du Monde on Saturday and a couple of big names to come, it looks like it will drop out.