Bites: Plain Bread @ Bread In Common, Fremantle

Bread In Common on Pakenham Street is a name I often hear where iconic dining is concerned in Fremantle along with the likes of Cicerello’s and Little Creatures bar.  It actually surprises me to hear that this fairly new eatery had already achieved a reputable status in Fremantle over a short period. Just before Yobi and his girlfriend headed to Cicerello’s I decided that we should all have some light brunch here to understand what the hype was.  

Walking in, I liked the interior which was quite simple but carried a lot of substance.  I noticed how well the wood on wood combination and the light bulbs presented in a minimalistic cable X bulb combination worked nicely together!

To start, we could go no further than the homemade bread with two dips.  One was a sausage dip while the other was a zucchini sesame one.   I had also asked the other bread staples which was butter and olive oil.  It was an all out affair on this one.

The bread here have all the perks of a homemade bread but unfortunately that was where it all ended.  It was simply nothing outstanding and felt all too plain.  The centre of the bread was not as expected.  But more disappointingly were the dips which were really quite mediocre.  Between the two, the zucchini one was more outstanding than the other sausage one.  Taste wise, I would not be such a hard critique but considering the price we paid for what I perceive as “1 large table spoon” of each, it was really quite disappointing.  I think Brika does a better deal with their dip when you have size X price X taste considered in the equation.

Our shared meal was a poached salmon with cauliflower, goji berries and some herbs scattered around the top.  While the salmon was poached to perfection, everything else in this dish could not be anymore boring than white paper.  The salmon carried little seasoning which was good to enjoy the delicate protein, but when it came to remainder of the plate, that cauliflower finely diced to act as a staple carbohydrate was absolutely terrible.  In fact, a little too raw for my liking.  I preference would be to have it blanched longer to make it soft and fluffy.  Basic seasoning of salt and pepper would have been much appreciated.

But hey, it was not the end of the world.  The duck fat roasted potatoes was probably the second best dish I have had this weekend.  It was bloody good.  Loved the bits of caramelised garlic that came with the potato.  Bloody sweet.  Homemade ketchup was a nice touch that did not carry the same artificial sweetness the bottled ones do.  Over all, this had to be my biggest like walking away from this place ;0!

The service here was OK but hardly commendable.  On that not so busy Saturday, we asked two different waiters thrice for a refill of bread to come with our non-existent butter and olive oil with a constant reminder that an order had already been placed before.  It took them a long time only to appear with two orders of bread which we could not finish.  With more than 80% approval and 800 odd likes, I was expecting a whole lot more from Bread In Common.  I do not believe that I am asking for  a lot.  Simple plating  with a balance between substance and value would definitely have sufficed.  Yay or Nay?  Definitely nay for me.

WenY

Bites: Spring Time Decadence @ Harvest Espresso, Victoria Park

The last time I dined at Harvest Espresso, I felt happy but not quite the rockstar feeling I got from their menu in the past.  Coincidentally, Heston Blumenthal the world’s most popular gastronomy celebrity has priced his Fat Duck degustation at Crown Melbourne at a jaw dropping $525.  This had me thinking of Harvest Espresso’s Spring Menu just released last week and I soon realised that you can feel awesome for some really small dollars.

Just look at this beauty.

It did not take long for XL to decide what she wanted.  Spending the last few months in Melbourne did not lure her away from the temptation of re-visiting her favourite brunch place in Perth while she was in town last week.  The mushrooms were her choice.

Perfectly sautéed Mushrooms ($19.50) served with two slices of rye arrived looking exceptional.  Each mouthful had the juicy mushrooms bursting in flavour with a mild sweetness from the tarragon cream.  Absolutely stunning.  Just what Spring needed.  

I decided to call the melt-in-your-mouth Beef Tongue ($21.50) served atop a creamy Polenta cake, all of which came dressed to impress.

It looked so damn refined sitting there.  I will be honest. I get bored when something is too simple and when its complicated like that I really enjoy it although I do not understand what I am eating.  But was I buggered?   Hell no.  The textures from the crumbs to the creamy polenta with the jus of the beef tongue, it all simply worked.

At the end of the meal, I feel the same like I would have felt after a degustation.  Filled to the bream, and  extremely satisfied.  This time around, with my pockets still full.  Harvest Espresso’s spring menu certainly adds colour to Spring with their great flavours and sophisticated pairing.  It is probably close to 2 or perhaps 3 years now since Harvest Espresso first started.  No signs of complacency.  Truly a great brunch spot!

WenY

Melbourne: Brunches of 2014 (Hammer & Tong)

Hammer & Tong at Brunswick St, Fitzroy.

My last brunch spot after a skiing trip was at Hammer & Tong.  Still trending on the Melbourne’s top 10 eating list, this place sports your usual Fitzroy vibe with a simple fit out and hipster dressed crew.  As Hammer & Tong was the brainchild of a ex-Vue de Monde chef, my expectations were rather high.  Or if you prefer, astronomical.  

My first dish was Hammer & Tong’s classic Soft Shell Crab burger ($14).

Crispy, with a slight hint of roe between this fluffy bun, it was no surprise that the Soft Shell Crab burger is an instant hit among diners.  It was not because it was unusual, but rather, the combination is a no-brainer. Who hate deep fried stuff between buns!?  Pair that with some mayo and refreshing coleslaw, it was just sensational. to The biggest merit is the deep fried crab which was not dripping in oil!  For $14 bucks though, it was a microscopic meal which means more food required, so I ordered the zucchini and corn fritters ($18) to my meal.

At Hammer & Tong, the fritters were actually crisp unlike the one I had at Mart 130 before!  With one poached egg to merry the lot with the avocado, parmesan and homemade tomato chutney, it was actually a pretty good eat.  BUT, it was again, another microscopic meal.

XL on the other hand ordered the ramen.  Translucent onsen egg, mushrooms, bacon, spring onions on a bacon dashi base.  The intent here was clear from start to end.  Hammer & Tong's use of bacon not only provided a saltiness to the dish, but at the same time a sense of smokiness. A truly unusual dish, but with two bacon elements together, it felt too salty for my liking. But for an brunch place, it was a good attempt.  

Breakfast Ramen; 62c hens egg, bacon, oyster mushroom, spring onion, bacon dashi

At Hammer & Tong, the menu is creative with unique ingredients making their way to the menu.  Soft shell crab, ramen, and duck eggs to mention a few.  But at the end of the day, this place still presents brunch at a level already available in town.  Least to say, brunch here was satisfying.  My biggest dislike though were the microscopic serves.  Without two meals, you go home feeling half the man you were before you walked in. If I had to queue to get in (most did) which was probably gonna be very long at peak hours, I’d be gutted to be served that a burger that pathetic size.  Yay or Nay?  Yay, but with caution.

Looking for Brunch?  Check out my Melbourne Brunches in 2014

Operator 25, CBD

Hardware Société, CBD

Seven Seeds, Carlton

LE MIEL et la lune, Carlton

Breakfast Thieves, Fitzroy

WenY

 

Bites: A Foodie Affair @ Lamont's Bishop, Perth CBD

Understanding my parents’ preference for good food without the fuss of modern gastronomy techniques, I brought them to Lamont’s Bishops for dinner.  Known as one of the most established restaurants in fine dining and wine scene, I have heard many good things about this place.  Such that the food is consistently good, the service courteous and setting impeccable.  Needless to say, a walk through the lush gardens to the building entrance all felt very grand.  Housed in a heritage building, its fittings were suited to a gentleman from the 70s.  But for foodies like my family and I, it was all about the food.

Walking in, the waitress was very accommodating.  XL was offered a spirit mix sample prior to ordering one for herself.  The waitress’s favourite the Hendriks Gin and Tonic suited XL well and she immediately ordered one of that.  My sister ordered an in-house sweet wine, the Rosé.  But for me who dislike the taste of alcohol, nature’s gift i.e. water was all I needed.

For tonight, our pick was the degustation.   The description of the dishes promised a fancy yet traditional fare.  First up was a typical bread course.  But unlike typical bread, this was a lobster roll.  Did I not say it was fancy? :)!  The flavours of the lobster were quite subtle and meat succulent, however I did not quite get the natural sweetness of a lobster.  Potato wafers were the thinnest in the business and crisp.  Kimchi though were not typical Korean.  The one at Lamont’s felt more like a toned down coleslaw. 

Rock lobster and prawn roll with potato wafers, kimchi

The next dish looked a little clumsy but luckily it was big in flavour .  Generous sized meatballs covered in a mushroom cream topped with a crisp pancetta.  This dish was every bit tasty but small eaters like my mom and sis found it a little too rich.

White rocks veal and leek polpetti with porcini cream, crisp pancetta

The next dish of game bird was rather special.  Whilst it looked spectacular, it did not meet my expectations.  The quail was decently cooked but still felt a little tough.  That though was not my complain.  The low point would be the black pudding.  Something with so much body felt very under seasoned.  I was expecting more flavour and spices to shine through the black pudding.  Instead it felt a little raw.  Mom did not even touch hers.  Luckily, the little roasted juniper pear was a nice touch.  

Grilled quail with juniper roasted pears with fried black pudding, sherry vinegar

The next dish was one from the sea and it was probably one of my most preferred courses of the night.  My fish was well-cooked and I just love the combination of the crushed pea-broad bean that came with it.  The colours had good contrast and the presentation was no less spectacular.  It was very minimalistic this dish with nothing to disrupt its true flavours.  Simple fish, greens and a well toned sauce.  But dad found that his fish was not cooked well.  His skin for example was slimy as the fish was only browned flesh side.  Not a good impression I must say.

Snapper, crushed pea and broad bean with squid ink beurre blanc

The last main course to come was a carbohydrate dish.  From the menu, I was expecting a spectacular end to the night. The pasta was called Caramelle pasta with duck confit ragu, orange and rocket salad. Whilst I could let you google up the word “Caramella pasta”, it simply is to me, a ravioli shaped as a candy.  

For me, this was where the excitement ended.  This dish was for me, one of the worst pasta dishes I have ever eaten.  I found the approach very similar to the fish.  A purist dish.  In a dish like this, execution is key.  Looking back, I lamented the elements of the dish.  For example, the pasta was not rolled thin enough.  I had doughy bits in mine.  As for the duck confit ragu, hmmmm perhaps I did not see the word “confit”.  I was expecting tender duck mince but obviously this one was going to be shredded.  Its flavours were rather boring to end the night.  This dish itself could be a palate cleanser.  Because it was that boring.  The only thing that tasted right was the rocket salad.  So sorry for the harsh words but no one around the table was amused =/.

But that was ok.  It was not the end yet.  For the night, Lamont’s served us a dessert of chocolate and caramel tart.  I was happy with what this dish had to offer.  Texture, visually, flavour balance and technique.  So many things so different yet able to work harmoniously together.  Crust was short and the caramel had just the right amount of salt to trigger the happy feeling.  Raspberry sorbet was sour but because of the sweetness of the caramel, it worked well for me.  All in all, this was rather commendable.

Textures of Valrhona chocolate, caramel tart, raspberry sorbet and bark

The dinner tonight was pretty decent tonight when it comes to flavours.  There were hits and misses but some definitely left more of an impression than the rest.  While I liked the veal, fish and dessert, the damage left by the pasta was pretty bad.  At this level and price of dining, it was ok to be average but not bad.  Service here was decently nice with the way the waitress was always there to ensure our cups were full and the plates cleared.  One big thing missing though was that professional touch when a dish arrives and every element on the dish is explained in a quick, logical manner.  Here, there was none.   It was plates on the table and off she goes. I only realised that when I got home.  Dad and mom are not really used to things such as black pudding.  Imagine their face when I had to explain what it was later on. LOL.  Oh well, all is a good and it was a good night out with the family.

WenY

Bites: Fine Dining @ 1907, Perth.

You know you are onto something special when you are greeted by a charming smile.  The movement from door to table was uninterrupted, courteous and classy.  Paired with a clever interior formed between a mix of classic and modern touches made it remarkable.  Especially the quirky re-interpretation of a unicorn by the entrance.After quickly deciding on the prestige degustation, the ladies settled for the lemon meringue cocktail, a concoction of liquor topped with a generous amount of meringue.  Simply phenomenal.  The meringue was to die for.  The same though, cannot be said about the liquor which I abstain from as always:P!

Then came the assortment of bread.  It had a good mix of fruit bread, herbed ones as well as some with cheese.  Over all, the choices were interesting but I cannot help but feel that the bread were not treated with enough love.  It was as if the assortment of breads were left out for a little too long.  I would have loved them to be warm instead.  

Next came the Amuse Bouche, three selection of vegetables from 1907’s very own farm in Toodyay along with a spiced popcorn.  I did not quite buy the concept.  Bloody Mary Jelly with Celery came tops but it was barely impressive, Ginger Glazed Carrots where rather ordinary and the Turnip had a bitter aftertaste, all of which did not live up to my expectations.  Alas, it was the trusty popcorn that packed the most kick.

Then came the first course of thinly sliced venison Carpaccio.  After weeks away from Perth, I finally got my first slice of heaven.  It was just perfection on a plate.  The preparation of the veal was simply exquisite and the combination was sensational.  The layers of flavors from the biscuit, wine fermented cheese and condiments made every bit of this course enjoyable.Venison; Margaret River venison Carpaccio, tonka bean mayo, pickled walnuts, fromajo cioc al vino rosso.

The next course was a small meal of marron.  WA’s signature protein when cooked right has an unparalleled sweetness.  In the hands of 1907, it was another dish done well.  The combination from start to end was spot on.  I approached a small piece of marron with the pea emulsion topped with caviar. After polishing the marron, I progressed to the fennel apple salad topped with a battered bone marrow.  Simply wow! Marron; Manjimup marron, fennel apple & lemon salad, pea emulsion.

A meal of spatchcock arrived next.  Prepared three ways when most cannot even prepare it right in one way, 1907 was definitely out to impress.  The flavours of the sous vide was only average at best but I loved the balanced tones of the drumettes glazed with a mild mixture of soy as well as the sausage that was very well seasoned.  A steamed bun stuffed with what seemed like a parfait sealed the deal.  Spatchcock; Sous vide breast, glazed drumettes, sausage, steamed bun 

The Entremet, or a course in between courses prepared us for the mains.   As the smoked poured out of the glass it reveal a juicy scallop, minute seared on a bed of what I perceive as curried lentils.  I loved the scallop but the textures of lentils did not pair well for me.  I wanted something more subtle in texture.Scallops; Minute seared scallops, curried lentils.

The 4th course was another product from the sea.  As impressed as I was with the preparation of the seared scallops and marron earlier, I was not blown away by the fish.  It was overcooked, dry on the edges with it's flesh feeling a little too firm for my liking. Brioche crisp was ok and I did not like the anchovy one single bit. This for me, was not a winner.  The flavor as a whole was very clean and did not really appeal to me.Fish; Fish of the day, baby vegetables, black olive, white anchovy, brioche crisp, marron bisque.

There have been several beef dishes that have wow-ed me beyond words during my eating career.  Some were fine dining, and one was at random county inn from the South West region. The preparation of the beef at 1907 was good but fell short of spectacular.  The tenderloin despite being cooked to perfection, was missing something.  I wanted more.  Maybe a good sauce like a red wine reduction paired with a seared slice of foie gras.  I needed to be elevated once more.  Bring on the French, bring on the modern.  While the cooking was hard to fault with a perfectly medium-rare tenderloin and a fall-off-the-bone braised rib, it needed more.  I wanted the peppers to blistered to bring out the sweetness more.  Perhaps too demanding haha.  Beef; Cape Grim beef tenderloin, braised ribs, Brussels sprouts, coriander and pepper salad.

After a palate cleanser of champagne butter and strawberries, our dessert came.  It was any chocolate lovers heaven.  On the plate, 4 different chocolates came to marry.  Decadent, creamy, and rich. Sadly,its downfall here was an over-pressed tart base which hindered an otherwise perfect tart.1907 Chocolate plate; Cherry & milk chocolate tart, dark chocolate glaze, blond chocolate custard, white chocolate, cherry ripple ice-cream.

Then came a large cheese platter to share.  Amazingly, fish man and xl stood up to the challenge of having 6 different cheeses to end the night.  There were so many I cannot even name them all.  But the cheese coming from France, Spain, Australia and the UK made this course a memorable one.  From the full-bodied blue cheese to the stinky half ripen goat milk’s cheese till the mellow red wine matured one, every bite was a journey to remember.  A happy one.  Délicieux.

 

The night ended with petit fours and drinks.  A pleasant meringue and a chocolate slice topped with crystallized violet.

Just as we left, we were handed a little surprise from the restaurant.  A bag of goodies for tomorrow.  2 bread, chocolate truffles, a muffin and a breakfast muesli.  How courteous!  1907 that night stood as a restaurant worthy of the title "one of Perth’s best" in the fine dining scene.  The food, a combination of modern Australian and French was fulfilling with a bit of hit and miss but mainly perfection.  Its Pledge was poor but the Turn was every bit spectacular.  The marron, and the venison were clear winners that night.  It had technique, balance and complexity. Such is the requirements for dining at this level.  If your expectation is molecular gastronomy, I would clearly steer clear of 1907 as the food today fell in the region of being more traditional rather than pushing the boundaries of the conventional.  Service was every bit courteous and to have a wait crew as knowledgeable as the chef made the evening complexities a smooth journey. 

 

WenY

Bites: Five Bar @ Mount Lawley

Mount Lawley has always been a treasure throve for foodies.  From my epic fine dining at Jackson’s to the best tapas at Cantina’s 663, there was very little to hate on this happening street.  In fact, if budget is a concern do not be put off by the likes of Must Wine Bar, Beaufort Street Merchant or Jackson’s as there are plenty of others in town that could feed for $20 or less.  I spent student days eating at a little Japanese shop called Tan PoPo while I discovered Mr Munchies Sushi’s a year or two ago.  And now, Five Bar on 560 Beaufort Street was my latest haunt.  Believe it or not, it was definitely a place that can feed for a moderate amount of money.  Here is my lunch experience.

 

First up were the Ham Hock & Cheddar Croquettes with Chutney  for $12.  Golden brown croquettes are best enjoyed right away.  It was crispy with a subtle hint of smokiness from the ham hock bits.  More decadent were the occasional bites of gooey melted cheddar :)!   My only dislike was the chutney.  When eaten it had a bitter taste instead of a fruity bite @@!

 

Next up was the Beef Tartare with Horseradish, shallots and brioche for $17.  While my beef intake has been quite occasional, coming across such a promising dish felt too hard to give a miss.  Fortunately the beef tartare was absolutely moreish with all the bits of pickle giving it a very intense flavor which was a mix of salty, sweet and sour.  Having the tartare with some horseradish and a sprinkling of shallot was a perfect pairing.

Beef Tartare with Horseradish, shallots and brioche.

 

 

FIVE’S Philly Steak Sandwich was around $15.  It was a nice bread with decent chunks of steak and caramelized onions all held together by a slab of melted cheese.  Now, if only we could get a little more sauce in there?! The first bite was good, but by the second one it turned bland.  More flavor and more sauce please!   This could have been a bad ass sandwich that could turn the biggest bread haters to lovers.

 

FIVE’S Bahn Mi Roll ($13) was another bread dish shared amongst the three of us that day. Hoisin pulled pork, coriander, mayo and chili in a ciabatta. Could this Five Bar’s rendition on the classic Bahn Mi best its predecessors?  It really depends on how you feel a Bahn Mi should be.  For me the combination used at Five Bar lacked the necessary flavors which I dubbed the South East Asian kick.  A kick where each mouthful should bowl you over with a salty, sweet, and sour flavor with hint of heat.  Not to mention a refreshing bite that keeps you wanting more and more! I liked the coriander and chili bits but found the pork a little unenthusiastic and the use of the hoisin sauce unnecessary for such a bread classic as it feels a little cloying.  Or perhaps unnatural.  

 

 

Last but not least on the table were Noona’s Meatballs ($14)

At Five Bar, a serve of Noona’s will get you 6 tasty meatballs topped with a rich tomato sauce, cheese and a sprinkling of herbs.  Honestly, was would there be to complain about?  Simple pleasures for sure!  Worth ordering! But I wished they would have given a few toasted ciabatta on the side with a little more sauce to go with as it was not very filling for $14.  Saying that, I remember the yummy meal I had at Ace Pizza awhile ago! 

 

 

Our bill totaled to $96 dollars including a few rounds of drinks for my companions, but the meal itself would have been slightly over $60.  If you are an OK sized eater like myself, it is definitely enough to fill you up.  While there were a few ups and downs throughout the meal, I would thoroughly recommend the croquettes, beef tartare and meatballs which were delicious!  In terms of bread, I could have tried Five Bar’s highly rated Reuben Sandwich instead of the Bahn Mi or the Philly Steak.  But as I am a trigger happy person when it comes to ordering, I have no regret whatsoever.  Despite disliking the Bahn Mi or the Philly Steak, they were hardly a bad eat and would fall in the upper end of my “OK” scale.  Service was prompt and the environment at Five Bar is so laid back on a Sunday afternoon it feels right to come in and chill out.  There is also a pool/snooker table if you are keen.

 

 

WenY

Bites: Trustee Bar & Bistro @ Perth (revisited)

Having had a stellar meal just a few months back, Yv had massive cravings for the lovely Chateaubriand we had before.  Since she was going back to Malaysia, we decided to pay a visit.  Coming in for our reservation at 8.30pm, our seats were still occupied but we decided that we were not that hungry and could wait.  However, the noise in the establishment was just atrocious which would probably be a Friday night norm.   Nonetheless, we were not any quieter anyways haha.  We ordered a whole lot of food to share with the Chateaubriand the centerpiece of our meal.

 

First up the table were 3 serves each of the liver parfait and tuna steak tartare.

The parfait was OK, but with the relatively strong contention in the parfait category around town I could barely praise the offerings on the table.  It was creamy as, but somehow the accompaniments did not feel as strong as the ones I get from Cantina 663 or Old Crow.  So for me, it did not leave the best impression for sure. And while I was expecting huge flavors from the fish tartare, it turned out OK but nothing much to rave about.  The highlight was probably the unique addition of the sorbet which was rather nice but other than that it did not quite hit the sweet spot.

 

Next up was the shiitake and prawn linguine.  The appearance was rustic with the ingredients all chopped up into random odds and sods but hmmm.  In my first bite, it struck me that the flavors were rather bland.  If anything at all brought this dish to life, it was the parsley which was extremely refreshing as well as the occasional burst of shitake juices which have soaked up all the flavors of the pasta sauce.We also called another beef pasta which was significantly better than the prawn one but still lacked an impact big enough to change the course of the night.  What exactly do I mean?  Well read up my meal at No.4 Blake Street where I had one of the best pasta courses which totally set my horrendous meal on a road to recovery. See my review on No.4 Blake Street here.

 

Last main for the night were two humungous serves of Chateaubriand. It came in two large trays looking as glorious as it did before. But, does it taste as good? While I would love to say yes, I could not. The beef in terms of cooking came out perfect. The middle was still red and moist while the outside has some really beautiful charred marks. But something about the beef today.. it felt quite bland. I am not sure whether Trustee usually dry age their beef slightly before cooking, but it just did not taste as good as it did before. Some even found the middle to be a little mushy. Is that even possible?Then comes the sides of bread and marrow.  The bread were quite nice little things to eat but it just did not go well with the beef.  The marry my old favourite were plenty this time but tasted horribly raw this time.  All those who came with me to the Trustee before remembered it to be very nice, with all the crumbs and herbs stuff onto it.  This time, it was just appalling.

 

By the end of the night we had ordered 6 appetizers, 4 pastas, 2 chateaubriands and a bill of large numbers for this table of 8.  Satisfied we were not. In fact, while many have lamented the service, it was pretty good as we only came in at 8.30pm and by 9.30pm, most had already left by then.  But the food, oh boy!  I really wished it could be better.  If I had to choose the star for the night, it would be a little bit of everything.  Some parts of the beef were stellar, but the whole cube was not.  I love the shitakes in the linguine as well as the prawns bits but not the mildly bitter leaves which I forgot to mention earlier.  The sorbet on the tuna tartare was nice, but the seasoning was plain.   In the end, it was hard to really say and to be honest with everything so half-baked, the night ended in a mess.  But was it as good of an eat as it was a few months back?  Definitely NO.  A big NO.  Thankfully as always, the company was awesome!  Which brings me to the ultimate question of my visit to the Trustee Bar & Bistro, am I still loving it?  While it will be too hard to write them off completely, I am high skeptical about a place when I have to pay top dollar to roll the dice, and hence, I will feel less interested to pay a visit in the future.  This meal was totally different compared to my stellar meal back in May.

 

Bites: Trustee Bar & Bistro @ Perth

WenY

Bites: No. 4 Blake Street @ North Perth

Ever since the opening of No.4 Blake street, I have seen many positive reviews that swear by the quality of the food this place churns out.  Having missed the Press Invitation on launch day, it was safe to say that I felt rather down to know how I have missed out on such a sensational event.  But all is not doom and gloom as the day has come where I can have my chance to try out the offerings of No. 4 Blake street.  It goes without saying that I was super excited.

 

Starting with the bread, it came in two flavors which was the plain bread and the olive bread.  To get the best of the butter I opted for the plain one.  When it came to the texture, I found it to be a little dense and not as fluffy as I hoped it to be.  Plus that lingering sourness after each bite made it hard to appreciate the butter.  And while the trio of butter looked amazing whilst seated on the plate like that, it was ultimately the truffle and caviar one that had enough flavor to be eaten with the white bread.  With 5 courses coming up, I only had the plain one and left the olive one in the capable hands of my dining companions.  For the olive bread, they commented that it was a little over salted and hence, it was more suited to the orange zest and the other one, which I am guessing was pistachio.  Not the best breads in town for sure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The amuse bouche for the night was a shot of turnip froth with beef jus and a side of crumbled tendon.  In this dish, I found that every element despite complementing each other, did not work by itself.  The turnip froth was mildly bitter and the jus extremely salty.  But when eaten together, it pronounced a good concoction along with the chewy tendon covered in a crisp batter.  Though not bad as a whole, I was not sure whether it built a good enough first impression.  It felt lacking the in your face factor.  Needed something to lift the whole mood.

 

As for our appetizers, the first one was the buttered yabbies, blood orange gel, “boudin noir”, purple potato crisp.Buttered yabbies, perfection.  Sweet, moist and perfectly cooked. Fruit and seafood? Acceptable though some of my dining companions found the orange gel a tad too strong.  Then comes the “boudin noir” or the black pudding.  So ignorantly did we order this dish without trying to decipher its ingredients.  For me, having the pudding which was made out of blood was very physical, bold, heavy and to a further extent uninviting.  A massive clash of identities which I did not like.  Fruits, and seafood for me translates to foods which are light, fresh and naturally sweet without much need for too much.  Anyways, this for me was a case of too many things on the plate.

 

Seared squab, green buckwheat, crisp apple, endive.Whilst the meat was well-cooked for a small bird, it suffered from a massive salt overdose.  The sautéed buckwheat sauce was just overly seasoned and killed the squab in an instant.  Definitely something which could have been easily outstanding if not for the salt overdose.

 

The last appetizer on the table was the Venison pie & fresh tartare, quail yolk, petite salade.The venison pie was definitely not my favourite.  The pie crust felt doughy and the taste was over all very mundane because it was bland.  Paired with the liquor gel, it was an even harder bite to swallow.  But its pairing just on the other end of the plate was out of this world.  The tartare was fresh and the use of a small yolk to sit on the tartare was just sensational.  It tasted fresh and light despite being so very meaty.  In the end I found it funny how this was paired.  One was so very good such that it was to die for but on the other end was a sad looking slice of pie.  I was bombed.  No idea what happened right there.

 

After the appetizer, No. 4 Blake street adds a personal touch to the dinner by introducing a course called Al Dente, a pasta course to showcase the chef’s best skills with pasta.  One of the lovely things that night was how we had our dietary requirements met by the helpful staff.  Very considerate!  Before serving this course, the waitress reconfirmed that some of my friends were not able to eat shellfish.  For them, their Al Dente course for the night was a Gnocchi ala Funghi.The gnocchi in No. 4 Blake street is flawless.  Fluffy little pillows of pasta made this a winner course.  But the mushroom sauce was a tad too salty.  For XL who ordered the squab and had this after, her eyes was seen rolling in salt-coma.  Even Jim felt so too.  However, for the rest of the table who was lucky enough to have the crab gnocchi, it was simply fantastic.  The crab was sweet and the tomatoes ripe.  The bisque was super rich and for some, it might be a tad too strong.  But I like strong flavors and this for me, was the perfect accompaniment for those fluffy gnocchi.  This was my sister’s highlight of the dinner at No. 4 Blake Street.Gnocchi with Crab, Tomatoes and a Seafood Bisque

 

With the mains, we were spoilt for choices.  There was fish, beef, and a whole other variety of proteins.  But upon hearing how the duck was their signature dish, my mind was decided. Duck pave, smoked breast, duck fat Brussels sprout, sprout kraut, chestnut veloute.Seeing the ingredients, you would expect a few things.  A slightly crisp duck, salty at the same time and hope for the best that the Brussels sprouts has not gone grey so it all works together.  The chestnut typically I would expect it to be naturally sweet with the sprout kraut bringing some acidity.  But was it what I expected?  Well the duck pave for me was right.  I thought it could be a tad more tender on the inside but no.  Small issue.  The Brussels sprouts came out green but a tad bitter.  Bad on that, but it’s a natural trait.   For me, the biggest problem was the strip of ? running across the plate.  It was thick, bland and with the chestnut seasoning left minimal, I found that the flavors of the dish were very light and felt lacking as the thick strip of puree that ran across the plate killed the dish.  Textural wise it hit all the right notes but without the right flavors, satisfaction was rather low and left me wanting for more to be done.

 

Ranger valley beef flank, textures of parsnip, candied kumquats, brandy braise Textures of parsnip? Checked.  Tasty beef?  It left those who ordered this wondering.  After a spell of strong salty flavors from the start, it left them wondering where did it go this time around.  But the beef itself was cooked to perfection which gives the middle a beautiful pinkish red.  Over all, not bad.

 

Pan fried Coral Trout, smoked sardine pate, mussels, Chenin emulsionA special touch when the mussels are topped on an edible shell, doused with wine emulsion.  The boys liked this bit but found the trout a little tough with the sardine pate a little mushy.  Over all?  They still thought it was nice.

 

Palate cleanser was a table pleaser.  Refreshing :)!

 

As for our dessert, we worked our way through several of their offerings.  For me, I had the fresh pear, Pedro, pistachio sponge, wild figs, bay and white choc sorbetThe mild bitterness of the Pedro put a mature touch to this dish.  Its presentation was sophisticated but mixing it all up together gave it a pleasurable bite.  The springy pistachio sponge went well with the aromatic sorbet and Pedro mousse.  Crunchy cocoa powder and fig matched the textures this nicely.  Not a love at the first sight, but it was something that I learned to like and love spoon by spoon.

 

Winter Jar: Tonka bean and vanilla panna cotta, burnt orange jelly, malted crumb, cinnamon ice creamA moment of suspense arose when the waitress said “I will be back to finish the dish.”  It made us wonder for a moment about what was going to happen.  She then comes back to spray the perfume which sets the scene for the winter jar.  If you are a big fan of spices you would be blown.  This dessert has a strong cinnamon and nutmeg flavor from the Tonka bean and the ice cream.  Good balance of flavors but definitely not a simple man’s dish.  The girls who were more used to sweet, fruity desserts or plain chocolaty desserts found this a little hard to finish.  Funnily, all three of them ordered the same dessert. @@!

 

Passion fruit parfait, chocolate gel, passion fruit caviar & curd, chocolate shardsJim’s choice of dessert for the night was the textures of passion fruit.  The passion fruit came in the form of a crisp, a mouse, caviar, dust and something else. I officially voted his dessert the best one of the night.  I voted for its fruitiness and lightness as well as a balanced sweetness courtesy of the rich bitter chocolate.  Definitely a winner this one.  He too loved his dessert but wished that the chocolate was sweet instead of bitter.  I guess that is what you would expect from a sweet tooth hahaha.

 

Rhubarb, white chocolate cremeux, orange ash, blood orangeThis was easily the night’s second best dessert if all you want for the night is something simple, refreshing and not too cloying.  The rhubarb is a natural sweetheart and when used in desserts, have one of the best flavors of all time.  The white chocolate cremeux was creamy and not overly sweet.  For fishman who ordered this, he found the pairing just spot on.  He truly enjoyed his dessert!

 

At the end of the night, the satisfaction around the table seemed somewhat mixed.  A few of us had a good time while a few people, in particular, my sister found the food here rather average.  It is true even for XL who had a salty pairing all the way till her main.  To the extent that at one point, it felt rather sickening.  From the olive bread to the squab followed by the mushroom pasta, it was all too much salt.  The appetizers here were definitely not a strong point but as the meal progressed, things started changing and I found the desserts here to be outstanding along with their pasta course, the Al Dente.  But is it truly worth the hype?  I find it rather questionable.  It was OK and with the bad start evened by the good end, it falls right in between.  Even then, it really depended on what you chose.  On my side, I found that my main had the most potential to be the game changer.  It was nice to see all the different things on there but it could be a tad simpler with more seasoning in the veloute to counter balance that bland strip of rich puree.  Even for the yabbies, it definitely could do without the black pudding.  Sometimes, less is really more.

 

WenY