10th April 2013
After organising a trip to Dubai for a work conference, i looked at a variety of different restaurants for the first night when i arrived and had spare time on my own. After some research i found a restaurant that intrigued me, Indego by Vineet, opened in Dubai by the only Indian man (Vineet Bhatia) to acquire 2 Michellin stars. I was intrigued about how much better Indian food could be than regular local Indian curries.
Located in a fancy hotel (Grosvenor House) in the Dubai Marina area, i walked to the reception area and was greeted by a host dressed in traditional Indian attire. The reception was beautifully furnished with a small fountain filled with Indian flowers which opened up to a spacious dining room with tables set far apart and with traditional and elegant furnishing. I was led to a table with fine dining linens and cutlery before being offered a hot hand towel to refresh and the extensive drinks and food menus.
As i was on holiday i decided to go full out with the 5 course tasting menu. I was also offered 3 types of spice level, mild, medium and hot. I went for medium but was also provided a side of hot sauce for added spice. As a rule the food didn't shy away from a hit of spice or flavour.
Before the first course they provided some roasted papadams with 3 types of dips. Crisp tasty papadams with amazingly flavoursome dips, Beetroot raita, Mango Chutney and Mint & Coriander chutney. The dips, especially the Mint & Coriander which had a little bit of kick, were truly amazing.
The first course was a Crab and Lentil soup with a crab fritter on the side. Served piping hot with a very decent spicy hit filled with chunks of crab meat and the crab fritter was crisp and full of flavour. A great starter.
The second course was a two part dish served side by side on a slate tile and is one of the signature dishes of this restaurant and of Vineet Bhatia in general. The first part was a gigantic (possibly on steroids) prawn flavoured with lemon and tandoori spices and the second being a Home smoked tandoori salmon. Both were steeped in a grainy mustard and honey marinade. Both were perfectly cooked and balanced of flavour with the prawn being so juicy and fresh and the Salmon fall apart delicate. Well worthy of being a signature dish and my favourite dish of the dinner. Ridiculously good.
We then moved onto the first of the main courses and a very classic Indian dish interpreted into a magical dish. A classic tandoori chicken breast, cooked sous vide until it was amazingly soft and moist and then simmered in a rich and buttery tomato sauce. It was served on top of a saffron pulao that was perfectly cooked. Better quality ingredients, cooking and flavour than you usual corner Indian restaurant could ever make a Butter chicken.
The second main course was a pot roasted ginger lamb chop served with corn and morel korma laced with truffle oil. The first thing i noticed was the beautiful aroma of truffle oil that wafted from the dish. The next was the amazing cooking of the meat and it just fell from the bone. The korma was a little small but was excellent and the lamb had a nice ginger flavour and the meat was so good.
Before desert i was offered a palate cleanser of an orange and rose petal sorbet that was topped off with champagne. An excellent contrast to the heat of previous dishes that refreshed and took away the spice and was a tasty and delicious dish on its own.
The final dish was desert and was broken into 3 parts. A mini chocolate samosa which was crisp and filled with a rich dark chocolate. The samosa was sitting on a bed of white chocolate soil which was perfect. The second part was a steamed yoghurt topped with a red currant jelly. The final part was my favourite, an amazing combo of pistachio and mint ice cream, subtle but full of flavour and the combo of pistachio and mint was a surprising winner.
A mix of old school service dining room and service and new innovative cooking techniques and ideas that has ruined all other Indian restaurants for me. Amazing mix of flavour, heat and technical cooking. Combined with exemplary service and very decent value (less than $180 for the tasting menu at a Michellin star restaurant compares with the top restaurants in Australia).
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Monday, May 6, 2013
France-Soir
27th March 2013
With the whole family in town for James' wedding, we decided to head to an old favorite in France-Soir (one of our first fancy restaurants visited in Melbourne). Located in Toorak in a small, thin building it was as usual a bustling busy and loud dining room where a booking doesn't mean your table will be ready at that time.
After finally being seated, we were offered drinks from the extensive drinks list featuring both french and Australian wines ranging from reasonable to extreme on the price range. The waiter also explained the specials (only written in French) and we selected our three courses.
With our first drinks we were given some traditional french bread served in a basket. Served with rich french butter, it was very good and a good start.
For first course i went with the Quail, Kipfler potatoes and parsley. Quail, deboned and cooked well and combined with small square blocks of potato and cooked in a mountain of butter and parsley. A solid, rustic and homely dish that offered little subtlety but was a quality and comforting dish.
For main course i settled on the special of the Rabbit of the day - Lapin de Andalusian (much . A saddle of amazingly soft rabbit combined with a ragu of white wine, peppers and tomato. A great combo with the rabbit being the real standout.
For desert i choose was the Crepes Suzette. Served hot and smelling amazing with a strong Grand Marnier tone. Cooked perfectly and full of flavour a simple but classic mix of crepes with orange Grand Marnier sauce and a few slivers of candied orange peel. Classic french cooking.
Overall a meal worth going back for with simple classic french cooking and classic french service (not a compliment). But having been there for ages you are well aware of its faults and heights and it is well worth a visit every time.
With the whole family in town for James' wedding, we decided to head to an old favorite in France-Soir (one of our first fancy restaurants visited in Melbourne). Located in Toorak in a small, thin building it was as usual a bustling busy and loud dining room where a booking doesn't mean your table will be ready at that time.
After finally being seated, we were offered drinks from the extensive drinks list featuring both french and Australian wines ranging from reasonable to extreme on the price range. The waiter also explained the specials (only written in French) and we selected our three courses.
With our first drinks we were given some traditional french bread served in a basket. Served with rich french butter, it was very good and a good start.
For first course i went with the Quail, Kipfler potatoes and parsley. Quail, deboned and cooked well and combined with small square blocks of potato and cooked in a mountain of butter and parsley. A solid, rustic and homely dish that offered little subtlety but was a quality and comforting dish.
For main course i settled on the special of the Rabbit of the day - Lapin de Andalusian (much . A saddle of amazingly soft rabbit combined with a ragu of white wine, peppers and tomato. A great combo with the rabbit being the real standout.
For desert i choose was the Crepes Suzette. Served hot and smelling amazing with a strong Grand Marnier tone. Cooked perfectly and full of flavour a simple but classic mix of crepes with orange Grand Marnier sauce and a few slivers of candied orange peel. Classic french cooking.
Overall a meal worth going back for with simple classic french cooking and classic french service (not a compliment). But having been there for ages you are well aware of its faults and heights and it is well worth a visit every time.
Friday, February 15, 2013
Albert St Food & Wine
5th January 2012
After some house inspections around the city and some other tasks i decided to treat myself with a lunch at a new Hat Restaurant, Albert Street Food & Wine. Set up in the heart of Brunswick on Sydney Road, it was a fairly low key venue.
Very open with high ceilings and with a minimalist wood interior, the building was broken into two sections with the shop filled with wine, cook books and produce for sale (which i wandered through and nearly bought the excellent desert cook book) and the main dining room separated by the kitchen.
After taking a seat at the bar i decided to really treat myself with 3 courses (although some slightly healthier options) but no alcohol given my recent health kick. I started with a Sprite and settled in to read the moderately extensive menu that was broken up into several sections - Charcuterie, To Start, Pizza, From The Grill, Pasta, Other Mains, Sides and Cheese & Deserts. The drinks list was very extensive and the menu itself had the separate wines by the glass and beers included.
For entree i started off with a dish of spicy fried cauliflower, baby peppers and tahini yogurt. Crunchy vegetables and a very nice tahini yogurt were excellently balanced, although the spicy was a tempered paprika spice rather than chili spicy. A very well balanced dish and a good start.
The main course i went for the special of chicken breast and leg with very crisp skin, roasted peach and peach jus and witlof salad with a side of kifler potatoes. The chicken was perfectly cooked and wonderfully moist (very likely use of a sous vide machine) but still maintain a crispy skin. Balanced with the roasted peach flavours and the salad it was an excellent dish. However the kifler potatoes were not as crisp as they should be and fell flat and a bit soggy.
Desert provided a little bit of a disappointment followed by a solid recovery. Initially my reason for choosing to come to Albert St was the fantastic deserts offered in particularly the famous PS Snickers. After looking at the menu i was disappointed to see it nowhere to be found and was told it was an occasional special that wasn't available today.
Instead i went for the Mandarin & Chocolate Marquise which was far from a disappointment. Layers of chocolate mousse and mandarin (grand marnier) soaked sponge was an exquisite delight. Combined with a mandarin sorbet, mandarin segments and sugar coated rind, it was a masterclass in desert cooking and technique. Truly Amazing.
Some teething problems with some of the main that may be worked out in the upcoming months as the restaurant hits it's stride (had been only open for a few months) but as is it was a quality showing and worthy of a hat. Desert as you may expect from a chef renowned for deserts was amazing and the food was very reasonably priced and good value. Service was charming and efficient and it was a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
After some house inspections around the city and some other tasks i decided to treat myself with a lunch at a new Hat Restaurant, Albert Street Food & Wine. Set up in the heart of Brunswick on Sydney Road, it was a fairly low key venue.
Very open with high ceilings and with a minimalist wood interior, the building was broken into two sections with the shop filled with wine, cook books and produce for sale (which i wandered through and nearly bought the excellent desert cook book) and the main dining room separated by the kitchen.
After taking a seat at the bar i decided to really treat myself with 3 courses (although some slightly healthier options) but no alcohol given my recent health kick. I started with a Sprite and settled in to read the moderately extensive menu that was broken up into several sections - Charcuterie, To Start, Pizza, From The Grill, Pasta, Other Mains, Sides and Cheese & Deserts. The drinks list was very extensive and the menu itself had the separate wines by the glass and beers included.
For entree i started off with a dish of spicy fried cauliflower, baby peppers and tahini yogurt. Crunchy vegetables and a very nice tahini yogurt were excellently balanced, although the spicy was a tempered paprika spice rather than chili spicy. A very well balanced dish and a good start.
The main course i went for the special of chicken breast and leg with very crisp skin, roasted peach and peach jus and witlof salad with a side of kifler potatoes. The chicken was perfectly cooked and wonderfully moist (very likely use of a sous vide machine) but still maintain a crispy skin. Balanced with the roasted peach flavours and the salad it was an excellent dish. However the kifler potatoes were not as crisp as they should be and fell flat and a bit soggy.
Desert provided a little bit of a disappointment followed by a solid recovery. Initially my reason for choosing to come to Albert St was the fantastic deserts offered in particularly the famous PS Snickers. After looking at the menu i was disappointed to see it nowhere to be found and was told it was an occasional special that wasn't available today.
Instead i went for the Mandarin & Chocolate Marquise which was far from a disappointment. Layers of chocolate mousse and mandarin (grand marnier) soaked sponge was an exquisite delight. Combined with a mandarin sorbet, mandarin segments and sugar coated rind, it was a masterclass in desert cooking and technique. Truly Amazing.
Some teething problems with some of the main that may be worked out in the upcoming months as the restaurant hits it's stride (had been only open for a few months) but as is it was a quality showing and worthy of a hat. Desert as you may expect from a chef renowned for deserts was amazing and the food was very reasonably priced and good value. Service was charming and efficient and it was a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Coast (1 Hat Restaurant in Hervey Bay, QLD)
29th December 2012
After my parents sold their place in Brisbane and permanently moved to Burrum Heads in Queensland (3 hours north of Brisbane), we had our first Christmas at their new place.Whilst up their i was keen to try the only Hat Restaurant in about 100km and my parents had planned for a lunch on the 29th December which i secretly hoped would be at Coast.
After keeping it a secret on the drive into Hervey Bay, we finally arrived at a beach side restaurant that was open with views out to the beach and two sections, one of fine dining and a more casual area. They both were serving the same menu so we decided given the heat, lunch time dining and the warm weather outside that we would sit in the more casual area of Coast.
With a shared menu, we went for a few dishes to share for entree, some larger dishes and individual deserts. After much discussion we settled on one from the "straight up" section (small bites), 3 dishes from the "In Between" dishes (entrees) and 2 dishes from the "Meat" section (mains) with 2 sides to accompany the meats.
The first item our was the Steamed Pork buns. Excellent moist meat stuffed into a spongy but excellent bun with a slice of cucumber and some excellent hoisin sauce. Nearly as good as the ones i tried at Golden Fields and an excellent start to the meal.
The entrees all arrived at the same time and there was debate and decision to be made over which one to go for first. I went with the half serve (Meat course that we had as a half serve for entree) of bourbon glazed beef short ribs. Fall apart meat that was superbly cooked but was lacking a little in the bourbon glaze to give it a big flavour hit and wow factor.
The next dish i went for was the crisp fried chicken served on a bed of pickled cucumber, radish and srirachi mayo. Crisp pieces of deep fried chicken contrasted with pickled vegetables and a slightly spicy sauce. Excellent balance of flavour and spice and excellently cooked and even better presentation.
The final dish was surprisingly my favourite dish of the day. A sweetcorn tart with an avocado creme fraiche and red pepper relish. Beautiful to look at with vivid and contrasting colours, the taste did not disappoint either. Delicate, perfectly balanced and the pastry was superb. Exquisite combo and a knockout dish.
We now moved on to the Meats sections of the lunch. Whereas the entrees were mostly beautifully presented and stylish dishes, the Meats section clearly catered to a different audience (although the skill was no less modern).
The first was a slow roasted lam shoulder, a big chunk of fall apart meat that was superbly cooked and had big robust flavours and taste. The tomato relish was a decent accompaniment but a interesting choice for a hearty chunk of meat but the red wine jus was perfectly in tune with the dish.
The Other Meat was a roasted pork collar with excellent crackling throughout the dish and again cooked perfectly. This dish had more of an Asian feel to it and was accomanpanied by rice, lettuce, kimchi, red chili sauce and spring onion. The matching of the Asian themed dish with the pork collar was an interesting choice but it definitely worked (although both meats worked equally well the next day without the extras).
As sides we had some crushed chat potatoes with parsley and chives and a dish of green beans, lemon oil and toasted almonds. Both solid dishes with the lemon oil and almonds adding some extra flavour to the green beans being the better of the sides.
After completing the main courses to the best of our abilities (taking home some of the Meat for the next day), we moved onto the deserts. I went with a dish of dark chocolate brownie, peppermint mascarpone, Oreo crumble, mint coulis and a milk chocolate granache. Where the mains had been been robust and old school, the deserts were masterpieces of modern cooking and techniques. However where they aligned with the meats was in the boldest of flavours used and quality of ingredients. A truly amazing desert with excellent balance between the mint and rich chocolate with the peppermint mascarpone being an amazing element.
Overall a triumph of quality cooking, ingredients and flavours. A limited menu but each dish we tried was great with a few being a level above and a real gem in coastal Queensland. Quality value (even if i didn't pay) and decent portions made the experience even better with friendly wait staff even if they definitely were of the more casual slower pace of Queensland. Well worth a visit if you are near Hervey bay.
After my parents sold their place in Brisbane and permanently moved to Burrum Heads in Queensland (3 hours north of Brisbane), we had our first Christmas at their new place.Whilst up their i was keen to try the only Hat Restaurant in about 100km and my parents had planned for a lunch on the 29th December which i secretly hoped would be at Coast.
After keeping it a secret on the drive into Hervey Bay, we finally arrived at a beach side restaurant that was open with views out to the beach and two sections, one of fine dining and a more casual area. They both were serving the same menu so we decided given the heat, lunch time dining and the warm weather outside that we would sit in the more casual area of Coast.
With a shared menu, we went for a few dishes to share for entree, some larger dishes and individual deserts. After much discussion we settled on one from the "straight up" section (small bites), 3 dishes from the "In Between" dishes (entrees) and 2 dishes from the "Meat" section (mains) with 2 sides to accompany the meats.
The first item our was the Steamed Pork buns. Excellent moist meat stuffed into a spongy but excellent bun with a slice of cucumber and some excellent hoisin sauce. Nearly as good as the ones i tried at Golden Fields and an excellent start to the meal.
The entrees all arrived at the same time and there was debate and decision to be made over which one to go for first. I went with the half serve (Meat course that we had as a half serve for entree) of bourbon glazed beef short ribs. Fall apart meat that was superbly cooked but was lacking a little in the bourbon glaze to give it a big flavour hit and wow factor.
The next dish i went for was the crisp fried chicken served on a bed of pickled cucumber, radish and srirachi mayo. Crisp pieces of deep fried chicken contrasted with pickled vegetables and a slightly spicy sauce. Excellent balance of flavour and spice and excellently cooked and even better presentation.
The final dish was surprisingly my favourite dish of the day. A sweetcorn tart with an avocado creme fraiche and red pepper relish. Beautiful to look at with vivid and contrasting colours, the taste did not disappoint either. Delicate, perfectly balanced and the pastry was superb. Exquisite combo and a knockout dish.
We now moved on to the Meats sections of the lunch. Whereas the entrees were mostly beautifully presented and stylish dishes, the Meats section clearly catered to a different audience (although the skill was no less modern).
The first was a slow roasted lam shoulder, a big chunk of fall apart meat that was superbly cooked and had big robust flavours and taste. The tomato relish was a decent accompaniment but a interesting choice for a hearty chunk of meat but the red wine jus was perfectly in tune with the dish.
The Other Meat was a roasted pork collar with excellent crackling throughout the dish and again cooked perfectly. This dish had more of an Asian feel to it and was accomanpanied by rice, lettuce, kimchi, red chili sauce and spring onion. The matching of the Asian themed dish with the pork collar was an interesting choice but it definitely worked (although both meats worked equally well the next day without the extras).
As sides we had some crushed chat potatoes with parsley and chives and a dish of green beans, lemon oil and toasted almonds. Both solid dishes with the lemon oil and almonds adding some extra flavour to the green beans being the better of the sides.
After completing the main courses to the best of our abilities (taking home some of the Meat for the next day), we moved onto the deserts. I went with a dish of dark chocolate brownie, peppermint mascarpone, Oreo crumble, mint coulis and a milk chocolate granache. Where the mains had been been robust and old school, the deserts were masterpieces of modern cooking and techniques. However where they aligned with the meats was in the boldest of flavours used and quality of ingredients. A truly amazing desert with excellent balance between the mint and rich chocolate with the peppermint mascarpone being an amazing element.
Overall a triumph of quality cooking, ingredients and flavours. A limited menu but each dish we tried was great with a few being a level above and a real gem in coastal Queensland. Quality value (even if i didn't pay) and decent portions made the experience even better with friendly wait staff even if they definitely were of the more casual slower pace of Queensland. Well worth a visit if you are near Hervey bay.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Scusami
21st December 2012
After selecting a restaurant in the Good Food Guide for the end of financial year dinner, my work again selected one for the Christmas lunch. With views of the river and Melbourne and easy access to pubs for after lunch drinks, the selection of Southbank restaurant Scusami was a solid choice from a location point of view.
After catching the bus to our location, we were shown through the main dining area to the private dining section in a private corner with views our towards the river from our own private balcony. Combined with a perfectly sunny day, it was a great view and an excellent setting for our lunch.
After starting with a cocktail of our choice (mine was a fairly potent Mojito) and much chatter, we sat down and had our entree orders taken. We were selecting from a slightly limited selection due to the large group. After debating whether to go for the calamari, i went with the mushroom and shredded lamb risotto. Before the entree arrived we were also served some bread with a side dish of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. A well cooked bowl of risotto full of flavour and substance.
After the entree, we were offered a choice of 4 mains. I went with the Duck which was a half duck served in its elements (Breast, leg etc.) The rich duck was offset by some sweet quince, muscatels and braised sweet red onions which provided an excellent complement. We also has side dishes of a side salad of wild rocket with Parmesan shavings and lemon dressing and crisp potatoes. A solid well cooked traditional dish that well put together and hearty.
Also one of our work colleagues had to leave after she had ordered desert so i got to sample her Bistecca alla Fiorentina. A substantial T-Bone steak that was char grilled (unfortunately a little to much char from my liking) served with truffled creamed potatoes with Sangiovese sauce. Very decent unsophisticated food that filled the stomach and provided great flavour with the potatoes being my favourite part of the dish.
After a short break for exchanging of gifts, we moved onto desert. I went with a raspberry chocolate mousse. A chocolate mousse with a solid chocolate base filled with a raspberry gel and topped with more raspberry gel and some gold leaf, it was a well put together dish and a great balance of flavours.
Overall a very satisfying meal that provided good traditional Italian food and plenty of it. Solid interpretations of classic Italian dishes were present throughout the menu but little deviation from the standard left little wow factor. However it was good solid food worthy of a visit but missing something extra to bring it to hat status.
After selecting a restaurant in the Good Food Guide for the end of financial year dinner, my work again selected one for the Christmas lunch. With views of the river and Melbourne and easy access to pubs for after lunch drinks, the selection of Southbank restaurant Scusami was a solid choice from a location point of view.
After catching the bus to our location, we were shown through the main dining area to the private dining section in a private corner with views our towards the river from our own private balcony. Combined with a perfectly sunny day, it was a great view and an excellent setting for our lunch.
After starting with a cocktail of our choice (mine was a fairly potent Mojito) and much chatter, we sat down and had our entree orders taken. We were selecting from a slightly limited selection due to the large group. After debating whether to go for the calamari, i went with the mushroom and shredded lamb risotto. Before the entree arrived we were also served some bread with a side dish of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. A well cooked bowl of risotto full of flavour and substance.
After the entree, we were offered a choice of 4 mains. I went with the Duck which was a half duck served in its elements (Breast, leg etc.) The rich duck was offset by some sweet quince, muscatels and braised sweet red onions which provided an excellent complement. We also has side dishes of a side salad of wild rocket with Parmesan shavings and lemon dressing and crisp potatoes. A solid well cooked traditional dish that well put together and hearty.
Also one of our work colleagues had to leave after she had ordered desert so i got to sample her Bistecca alla Fiorentina. A substantial T-Bone steak that was char grilled (unfortunately a little to much char from my liking) served with truffled creamed potatoes with Sangiovese sauce. Very decent unsophisticated food that filled the stomach and provided great flavour with the potatoes being my favourite part of the dish.
After a short break for exchanging of gifts, we moved onto desert. I went with a raspberry chocolate mousse. A chocolate mousse with a solid chocolate base filled with a raspberry gel and topped with more raspberry gel and some gold leaf, it was a well put together dish and a great balance of flavours.
Overall a very satisfying meal that provided good traditional Italian food and plenty of it. Solid interpretations of classic Italian dishes were present throughout the menu but little deviation from the standard left little wow factor. However it was good solid food worthy of a visit but missing something extra to bring it to hat status.
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