30th November 2011
Unfortunately this restaurant has the misfortune of being my least favoured so far, despite a warm wrap from a work colleague. Despite being a great night out with my father and brother it was due to the many laughs rather than the exquisite cooking. Busy even on a Tuesday night, we were lucky to receive a table due to its prominent location in crown casino and a no booking policy. (A most infuriating trend with some classier restaurants). The first thing you notice about the restaurant is the dark and often disjointed decor in the place.
We were shown to our seats and our waitress, who seemed eager to help, seemed apologetic about the confusing menu. Broken in different sections based on food type rather than sequential order it made for a long and difficult decision on the format of the meal and the dishes to be ordered. Probably designed to create options for the dinner, it provided too many options and i believe in the creation of menus that a less is more approach is preferable.
After a long deliberation we decided to go a shared first course of Gorgonzola, Pancetta and Polpelette. Whilst the Gorgonzola and pancetta lived up to our expectations they were the result of an ability to source good produce rather than quality cooking. The Polpelette was decent with good flavour and texture but failed to deliver any wow factor or a belief that this wasn't something that could be created at home.
On to main course and the selection of three very different main courses and one of the most inexplicable yet humorous decisions. My choice involved the same work colleague's recommendation and i went for the Berkshire sausages with pickled capsicum. I found the sausages to be bland and tasteless and the combo with the pickled capsicum was not to my tastes. Normally one to finish everything on my plate and potentially others, i found myself not wanting to finish the albeit generous portion.
My father's choice - the Rib Eye (roughly Sliced) with Rocket, Green Peppercorns, Chilli and Spring Onions was a decent cut of meat and well cooked but nothing exciting or particular extraordinary.
On to my brother's choice. Having read the menu the usually more conservative in his choice of food somehow decided on the offal section and in particular the Pig's trotter. We explained to him that it would actually be a pig's foot but to no avail. He had decided on it and was sticking to his choice and decided to try something new. His stubborn refusal to change made the look of horror on his face all the more sweeter as a large pig trotter and nothing else was set in front of him.
Despite his reservations about eating a whole foot, the meat inside was the best part of the meal if you could get over the fact that you were eating meat out of a pig's foot - which my brother could not.
For desert, being a Chocoholic, i could not go past the first item on the desert menu - the baked chocolate pot with chocolate pearls. The chocolate pot was almost mousse like and the chocolate pearls were nice and a playful addition. It was a decent way to finish the dinner but nothing that would have me recommending it or heading back for more.
Overall a disappointing adventure with some sometimes bland, uninspiring cooking and a confusing set up. In my opinion the restaurant was unworthy of the 1 hat bestowed upon it and a lesser option to a non hatted restaurant (Bottega) that i visited the next day.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
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.
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.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Centonove
26th November 2010.
As a farewell house cooling, my two housemates, another friend and I went to Centonove for dinner on friday night. Already packed, the Restaurant had to turn away three people as i waited for our table to be cleaned and prepared.
A relatively small and popular restaurant which a brick plain building, that most people walk by without noticing a restaurant is there, belies a polished interior and service.
We chose to forgo a starter and order main course along with some additional sides and desert.
I choose the Roast duck breast and Confit leg for main course and we shared Sauted Broccolini and Provolone, pear and rocket salad.
The Duck breast was well cooked, slightly pink and fatty with the leg coming away easily from the bone and meat breaking off easily. The Broccolini was well seasoned with olive oil, garlic and a hint of chilli. The provolone, pear and rocket salad provided an interesting contrast between the salty provolone and slices slices of pear and rocket.
For desert i settled on the Chocolate parfait, honeycomb and honey and walnut ice cream. A deliciously chocolatey parfait with soft silky smooth texture but the star was the tiny pieces of crunchy honeycomb scattered across the plate.
Accompanied by a good and reasonably priced bottle of wine and a few beers, it was a memorable night and a great last dinner together as housemates. Would highly recommend this - excellent quality food with good sized portions and good value.
As a farewell house cooling, my two housemates, another friend and I went to Centonove for dinner on friday night. Already packed, the Restaurant had to turn away three people as i waited for our table to be cleaned and prepared.
A relatively small and popular restaurant which a brick plain building, that most people walk by without noticing a restaurant is there, belies a polished interior and service.
We chose to forgo a starter and order main course along with some additional sides and desert.
I choose the Roast duck breast and Confit leg for main course and we shared Sauted Broccolini and Provolone, pear and rocket salad.
The Duck breast was well cooked, slightly pink and fatty with the leg coming away easily from the bone and meat breaking off easily. The Broccolini was well seasoned with olive oil, garlic and a hint of chilli. The provolone, pear and rocket salad provided an interesting contrast between the salty provolone and slices slices of pear and rocket.
For desert i settled on the Chocolate parfait, honeycomb and honey and walnut ice cream. A deliciously chocolatey parfait with soft silky smooth texture but the star was the tiny pieces of crunchy honeycomb scattered across the plate.
Accompanied by a good and reasonably priced bottle of wine and a few beers, it was a memorable night and a great last dinner together as housemates. Would highly recommend this - excellent quality food with good sized portions and good value.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Abla's
The first restaurant and our first dinner out with friend after she got back from overseas took us to Abla's. With 5 of us heading out, we decide to sample as many of the dishes as possible.
Starting with Mix Dips; Soft warm flat bread served with a lightly eggplant baba ghannooj, Delicious hummous and a cool yoghurt.
Following was a series of starters, including Makaneek, ladies fingers and silverbeet rolls. The Makaneek was spicy and soft and well cooked. The ladies finger filled with lamb, pine nuts and spices surronded by crisp pastry were good as well.
However the only dissapointment of the meal were the silverbeet rolls. Only lukewarm with poor texture and minimal flavour and wet rice was a very large disappointment and the worst dish of the evening.
The main courses were the star of the evening with the Chicken and Rice being the best dish of the night. Rice Pilaf mixed with minced lamb, chicken and rice and perfectly spiced i would fully recommend this dish to anyone who visits Abla's.
For desert some simple but exquisite Turkish Delight, Halwa and my personal favourit Baklawa. Packed with nuts and covered with a sweet syrup. A great way to finish a good but not great dinner. Solid homey foods cooked well but nothing ground breaking. Worthy of a 1 Hat but definately not any more.
Starting with Mix Dips; Soft warm flat bread served with a lightly eggplant baba ghannooj, Delicious hummous and a cool yoghurt.
Following was a series of starters, including Makaneek, ladies fingers and silverbeet rolls. The Makaneek was spicy and soft and well cooked. The ladies finger filled with lamb, pine nuts and spices surronded by crisp pastry were good as well.
However the only dissapointment of the meal were the silverbeet rolls. Only lukewarm with poor texture and minimal flavour and wet rice was a very large disappointment and the worst dish of the evening.
The main courses were the star of the evening with the Chicken and Rice being the best dish of the night. Rice Pilaf mixed with minced lamb, chicken and rice and perfectly spiced i would fully recommend this dish to anyone who visits Abla's.
For desert some simple but exquisite Turkish Delight, Halwa and my personal favourit Baklawa. Packed with nuts and covered with a sweet syrup. A great way to finish a good but not great dinner. Solid homey foods cooked well but nothing ground breaking. Worthy of a 1 Hat but definately not any more.
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