Bites: Re-evaluating my favourite degustation @ Petite Mort, Shenton Park.

When I last visited Petite Mort, I loved it. The food was good and course after course I was consistently vowed by their presentation and composition.  Last week, I returned with my tongue a little keener, fussier, and meaner after my escapades in Singapore and Cambodia.  Was I still impressed by Petite Mort’s offering?

To understand where Petite Mort has evolved over the last couple of months, I decided to re-visit their degustation menu.

To start, was Petite Mort’s ever so buttery Brioche and another Sun dried tomato pastry.

Onion Thyme Veloute, Ham Hock w/ Manjimup Truffles

I pondered on whether the truffles were worth adding to this course.  But when the waitress said that these were the best in W.A., I decided to go with it.  It came out so fragrant that I was impressed by the smell itself.  But when the smooth Veloute was poured in, it felt as though the impact of the truffles were no longer as apparent.  Was it the right combination?

Cured Salmon, Cuttlefish & Ponzu, Wasabi Sorbet, Yuzu Jelly.

This was a reminiscence of my last visit.  But this time around, the cured salmon provided a more buttery finish to the course.

Pork Belly, Pig Head, Slaw, Apple

A pork belly slow-cooked for 37 hours before being seared, a cheek meat shaped as a cube and minute fried to crisp and condiments as you know it.   Topped with a crisp crackling, this dish is everything you thought you knew, but you did not know.   There are hidden inspirations from a British classic as well as a German one in this course.  The slaw was a sauerkraut to pair with the very tender, fatty and crisp cheek.  A good re-interpretation of the Pork Knuckle and Sauerkraut.  Meanwhile, the apple jelly paired perfectly with the meaty pork belly to reveal a meal of Pork Chops and Apples.

Chicken, Rocket, Porcini, Cassoulet

Sous vide chicken roulade with a sensational plating.

My main consisted of a beef flank, crisp shallots and the tastiest potato gratin.  Sensational.  So good that I forgot the picture! Lol.

Death By Chocolate 

My choice of dessert was similar to the one I had before.  The satisfaction was no less than when I first had it.  Petite Mort’s Death by Chocolate is every bit as delicious as it needed to be.  With all the textures, it was something that triumph Jaan’s Chocolate dessert with no questions asked.  It was that good.

Soufflè, Yuzu, Custard, Yoghurt

XL’s choice of dessert.  A show of amazing alchemy and precision cooking.  I still re-call the moment the waitress poured that vial of yuzu custard and the whole Soufflé rose.  Sensational.

The degustation ended on a sweet note with the Petite Fours

The meal at Petite Mort was exactly as I remembered it to be with each course satisfying all my senses.  To be impressed twice shows that  Petite Mort made several strong refinements which were especially impactful.  The buttery salmon was one of them.  But it was the intricate thought of the Pork which impressed me the most.  After my dinner at Petite Mort, I was happy yet I could not help but wonder whether Petite Mort has played it a little too safe.  Was Petite Mort on the same level to complete with International Chefs from Jaan, Le Atelier de Joel Robuchon or Sepia?

First Visit to Petite Mort

WenY

Bites: A little Choux @ Chu Bakery, Highgate.

I love my desserts but the ones I like are usually balanced in sugar, not over the top in appearance but potent in flavours that could either be complex or simple. Chu Bakery is the new kid on the block.  Located opposite Hyde Park in Highgate a group of fresh faced entrepreneurs are bringing a new dimension of pastries to this side town.  

Whilst I packed a box of goodies for my friends, I only really tried the Choux Pastry and the Chocolate Eclair.

Needless to say, the presentation here was top notch.  But what tickled my fancy even more was how everything was produced with such refinement.  Just when you thought you have tasted it all, you get blown away by the silky smooth chocolate in the eclair.  The rich chocolate filling was spot on and everything was simply yums!

The Choux pastry itself tasted rather ordinary but in a way that was ordinary good.  Slightly crusty and chewy outer bit with a fluffy inside.  But the cream filling was all the rave for me. It was so rich, and creamy yet it felt very light all at the same time.  Then Chu Bakery's geniusly crafts little blocks of jelly which gave the Choux a different kind of consistency and an extra punch of flavour.

To Marco White’s pleasure Chu Bakery seemed more intent on refining the item and not reinventing the wheel.  I was fortunate to try some of their offerings in the short period of time I was at Chu Bakery.  With its promising offerings, it is only a matter of time before I return.  Next time, I will most definitely try their Choux Pastry with Matcha!

WenY

Bites: The Best Gelato ever @ Whisk Creamery, Subiaco

Before my meal at Subidoo in Subiaco, I stopped by one of the town latest dessert favourite, Whisk Creamery.  No IG feed is complete without a friend posting one of Whisk Creamery’s tantalising desserts in the last few weeks. so just before dinner I decided to stop by Whisk Creamery for a bite with a couple of friends.

Whisk Creamery pitches a philosophy of using nothing but the freshest ingredients and a traditional family recipe.  But those words to me are no different from the cliche of putting big words like “dynamic”, and “self-motivated” only to under deliver.  Did Whisk Creamery deliver?  

Rocky Road ($13) - Anglaise, flamed marshmallow, PEANUT BUTTER gelato topped with milk chocolate pieces and another flamed marshmallow.

I would describe the individual elements of this dessert a mixed batch.  I did not like the day old waffle and neither did I get the skimping of the creme Anglaise that barely made its presence.  Chocolate bits and flamed marshmallow was an essential part of a Rock Road and they were good. But then came the most important product of a Gelato Shop.  The Gelato itself.  The quality of the Gelato was absolutely top notch. Creamy, smooth, and that unmistakable taste of peanut butter was there. The sugar level was well-toned and the balance between the sweetness and saltiness was all just right.  The topic of balance is something subjective that defers from one individual to another.  But this for me was simply perfect.

Caramel Sandwich ($13) - Cronut, BLACK SESAME gelato, salted caramel sauce topped with whipped cream and more salted caramel sauce.

This was another flamboyant dessert that put together some of the biggest dessert craze in town which includes the Cronut,  an Asian Flavoured Ice Cream and Salted Caramel.  Of the main elements, they aced 2 out of 3.  Which failed me?  The Cronut.  Again, this felt day old and the consistency of the Cronut served to me was no Cronut.  It was no more than an ordinary doughnut!  Perhaps the waitress failed to inform me. But other than that I loved everything else on the plate.  The complex flavours of the black sesame was simply superb and it was very fragrant too. Pair it with the delicious salted caramel and this was something drool worthy!   I personally enjoyed this more than the Peanut Butter Gelato!

Whisk Creamery is the quintessential Gelato shop to me.  Out of the two flavours which I have tried which were the Black Sesame and Peanut Butter ones, I felt like the former came out best of the lot.  Yes they were both equally creamy and well-made but the flavours of the Black Sesame felt more apparent in each bite.  While their creations did not blow me of my sock, I would not mind visiting Whisk Creamery just for their Gelato again!  Two flavours does not constitute a population big enough to judge an entire shop yet I can still confidently claim Whisk Creamery's Gelato represented the perfect example of what a Gelato should be exactly.  It was simply superb.   Other Gelato attempts at Gusto Gelato or Il Gelato did not leave me as satisfied.  However, if there is one shop though could beat Whisk Creamery it would be Freddo’s in Melbourne.

WenY