Petit Mort is a Modern French restaurant in the heart of the leafy Shenton Park suburb. With an impressive degustation menu documented among my peers, I was the last to visit but was ready to be impressed.
The start of the meal begun with the staple bread course. Coming into a French restaurant, the pastries are always expected to be stellar. The brioche at Petit Mort made a good first impression with its buttery notes carried through its pastry’s fluffy consistency.
Brioche
A dish served to whet the palate. I loved the hint of coriander through the sweet-earthy Veloute that was consistently creamy and finished by the crispy chicken skin.
Sweet Corn Veloute, Coriander, Chicken Crisp
Raw produce of the sea paired with wasabi is synonymous with the Japanese culture, but with a different approach things can be rather interesting. Ponzu jelly and wasabi sorbet were not the most inventive condiments in town but I have to say, it served as a tasty summer treat when paired with the slices of fresh snapper and cuttlefish!
Snapper, Cuttlefish & Ponzu, Wasabi Sorbet
Scallops and Pork with Apples is another classic combination. Hard to fault but often abused. Quality pork is a must and technique is vital. While the technique here was flawless, the table was not too convinced with the pork belly and its crispy skin. It smelt somewhat, porky.
Scallop, Pork Belly, Pig Head, Apple
Have you ever eaten sweetbreads so delicious? I have not. The textures across the plate is interesting and the flavours felt some what chic provincial. Its interesting summer plating is worth noting too.
Lamb, Sweetbread, Caperberry, Asparagus
My main is quite a common one. Steak and chipped topped with fried egg. The steak was not a life changing bite but the quirkiness in plating was made for art. From a top, it look somewhat liked a Lego artwork. Petit sized chipped injected with ketchup, a small fried quail egg and little dollops of béarnaise. Swag.
Steak, Egg & Chips
My other companions around the table did not quite enjoy their final course with the same level of satisfaction I had with my steak. The presentation, faultless. But what is the point of something that looks good but tastes blend. The preparation on the plate was minimalistic but could do with a good amount of seasoning. A basic seasoning of salt would have been much appreciated.
Salmon, Ash, Root Vegetables, Horseradish.
Pre-dessert
Death by Chocolate. Death literally felt instant on this plate. Whether it was the rough edges truffles to the quenelle shaped mousse, there was simply too much to like on this plate. I am not a big fan of chocolate but this is a rarity that I have learned to enjoy at Petit Mort. After all, any dish if done well is delicious. Fantastic dessert to end!
Death by Chocolate
Petit Fours -Pistachio macarons with a cherry filling.
Petit Fours -Pistachio macarons with a cherry filling.
Petit Fours - Bourbon filled chocolate
The approach Petit Mort had to celebrate good modern French did not quite reach the proportions of the legendary Joel Robuchon but it did not disappoint in anyway. From the new approach to the Japanese staple, to the Steak and Chips art piece and even the finale of decadent Death by Chocolate, it was an impressive feat one after the other. Each course carried the essence of satisfying the senses of sight, touch and taste. It was probably a better meal than the one I had at Amusé the day before.
Regards
WenY
