Good to be home

Highlight of the 2010 MFWS - Massimo Bottura & Matt Preston

Hello friends,

Spent the past couple of weeks back home in Melbourne. As soon as the wheels landed on the Melbourne tarmac, I had a great sense of feeling it is great to be home.

Food wise, it was fantastic to be home. To provide a summary of my last 2 weeks in Melbourne, I will recollect my trip by order of my top 10 food experiences:

1. Melbourne Food and Wine show masterclass weekend
2. Private room at Jamie Oliver's Fifteen in Melbourne
3. Red Spice Road experience with fantastic curry, good entrees and the lamb shoulder!
4. Banquet at Gingerboy
5. Memorable breakfast at Birdie Num Nums
6. Tjanabi - Indigenous cuisine
7. Kim Chi Lunchbox - surprisingly good and cheap
8. Han Guuk Guan Korean and Chinese restauarant (also happened to be half price BBQ Monday)
9. Los Amates Mexican Kitchen
10. Tied with revamped Oriental Spoon and tapas at One Fitzroy St

I would probably squeeze the dinner party night (Chilli con carne with mango bacon salad, Mary Berry's Chocolate traybake with ganache) and homemade sausage roll night in between #5 and #6

My Melbourne trip was finished off by a lovely young thing with an amazing nose. I arrived in New Zealand, collecting my bags at the airport, when a beagle decided to endlessly jump on me. I began to panic when after a firm and repetitive "put your bag on the ground, put your bag on the ground", the harmless looking mutt decided to sit. Having watched Channel 7's border security, I knew I was likely to be in trouble when an airport hound sat down, as it is a subtle way of the dog indicating he has detected the scent of the substance he is sniffing for. After sniffing around every single inch of my bag, multiple times, I found out it was a meat sniffing dog, and he had detected the chicken curry puffs that were packed for consumption at the Melbourne airport. Good for me my stomach beat the dog to it. When I got the all clear, I packed up my innocent bag, and I discovered the food products I brought back to NZ (like dark brown sugar I can't seem to find anywhere, and various spices and food products - which were all declared thank you) had now picked up a scent which smelt awfully similiar to my late dog's rarely-ever-washed dog bowl in summer. I was strangely angry at the dog, but have now come to the more calm realisation that this beagle was a talented customs official that would have to exercise huge self control in having to do all the ground work of sniffing out meat and not eating it. Well done dog!

More detail to come in upcoming posts, so stay tuned!

Changes to TP

Hello TP readers,

Sorry for the lack of posting - the year has started very busy, and maintaining a blog means time commitment! As a result, to save both you and I time, I will be presenting a new template for my restaurant reviews, called "Restaurant on a page".

Basically it is inspired by the corporate world - a "one pager" which is given to high level management who don't have the time to get into the details, but allowing them to read a quick summary so they are aware of the scenario.

I've noticed that with the less time I have, when I read other food blogs, I am starting to skim read. To address that, "Restaurant on a page" will be a simple review that shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes to read.

It is broken up into 4 headings

1 - BEFORE THE MEAL

2- THE MEAL

3 - THE RATING

4 - THE VERDICT

I hope this will make it a lighter read, and will bring a consistent way of reviewing restaurants. Every now and then, a feature restaurant will be reviewed, which will be a more in depth review. Also, I keep forgetting to bring my camera to take pictures of the food, which makes me not write up a review, so for now, I will just be using my phone camera, which means the photos won't be as good, but the review will be written and posted. Hope you find the changes overall to be an improvement. If not, your feedback is welcomed.

The other change is that TP Big Brother has moved from Melbourne to Auckland. My plan is to discover this new city through its restaurants/food/wine, and to conquer the city by doing the Auckland marathon.

It's good to be back on Twin Palates. Enjoy

- TP Big Bro

Restaurant on a Page - Mai Thai, Auckland

Mai Thai

Cnr Victoria & Albert Street

Auckland Central

Ph: 09 366 6258

.

=====BEFORE THE MEAL

I see a place on the corner. Painted outside are words saying the restaurant has won a good food award in 2007. I see the words "famous thai cuisine", so I give it a shot. Once I am seated, I am immediately hit with the reknown good service this place gloats about. I feel comfortable within the authentic Thai setting, with the traditional looking table ware, and thai decor. I want this food to be exceptional so I can write a really good review. I order from the separate "signature dish" menu

=====THE MEAL

Appetiser - Tod man pla - light curry flavoured fish cake - $9.50

The good
- Authentic thai flavour
- Not too oily

The bad
- nothing that special

Main - Gaeng ped yang + rice - roast duck with red curry and thai lychee - $23.50

The good
- Authentic thai flavour
- range of flavour - hot, spicy, salty, sweet (lychee), sour (pineapple)

The bad
- way too salty
- duck quiet chewy (overcooked)


=====THE RATING

5 - Exceptional
4 - Great
3 - Average
2 - Mediocre
1 - Never again

=====THE VERDICT
Worth it / Come again?
A bit pricey for what it was, but food was pretty authentic and the service was excellent. The lady saw that I was reacting to the heat of the curry, and asked if it was too spicy. I said "a little but it's not bad". She then proceed to fill up my glass whenever it was empty (probably had 3 or 4 glasses when eating the curry), and she told me at the end that next time I can ask to make the curry less spicy. I'll be coming back to try other items on the menu

El Bulli closing for 2 years

No news is good news

I have breaking news. Its bad. The best restaurant in the world is closing for 2 years

My El Bulli post
http://twinpalates.blogspot.com/2009/09/chasing-el-bulli-part-i.html

Read it for yourself
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1956713,00.html?xid=rss-topstories

Molten - New Zealand

by TP Big Brother

I've been travelling on business for the past couple of weeks, and have been meaning to post for a while now. I was in Auckland last week (currently in coastal Otago), and I have been trying to experience the city through its restaurants. But with so much selection and so little time, I was at odds as to where to start.

On the 3 and a half hour plane trip from Melbourne to Auckland, I strategically planned my time carefully to take advantage of the plane's on demand video. I watched a movie and spent the remaining time selecting New Zealand documentaries, hoping to uncover some hidden gems I could visit and experience.

One particularly good travel show was the New Zealand specific B-guided, hosted by the gorgeous Sierra Reed. Sierra visited a restaurant called Molten, and I decided to write the name down after she described the interesting taste combinations at the restaurant. It was also a recognised restaurant, with a laundry list of awards, including Cuisine magazine's Best Neighbourhood restaurant award.

I managed to get a table on the night I make the reservation. The first thing I notice as I arrive at the restaurant, is that it is a lot smaller than it was on the show.

I am led to a small and intimate side table, right next to the kitchen. I am sitting on a high kitchen table and stool, and I start to get excited. I recall the b-guided special and think that Sierra must have sat on one of these chairs. I look to my left and see the chef in action.

Chef-owner Michael Van de Elzen

I eagerly look at the menu. The waiter explains the starters called the "untouchables". Molten has been operating for around 5 years, and these starters have been so popular, they have been permanently kept on the menu. I order the untouchable Waikanae crab.

Waikanae crab. Spinach & ricotta linguine w pernod cream & crunchy shallots, $20.50

The dish had a very creamy, almost carbonara like taste that was quite subtle. While I couldn't really taste much crab, the dish was flavourful and nicely seasoned.

For the main, I order a salad and the recommended game fish dish.

Red salad. Radicchio, baby red chard, roasted beetroot & a vine tomato $7.50

Game fish with ham risotto $34

The game fish really made the dish. It was an amazingly meaty fish that had a beautiful soft texture. I liked that it was a heavy fish but it had a very delicate flavour that managed to come through, despite the strong flavour of the risotto. The risotto carried a very smoky and salty taste, which reminded me of cheap vacuum packed ham from Woolworths. But the game fish and salad combined captured my tastebuds and overall, I would say it was a successful dish.

At this stage, I was full. I felt slightly underwelmed and decided to look at the dessert menu. Then I saw it.

The famous dessert.

Immediately I forget my bulging stomach and ordered it.

Valrhona chocolate torte. Whisky ice cream, tobacco syrup and raw cocoa runouts $16.50

This was one of the signature dishes of Molten and highlighted the Molten approach to flavour combinations. The tobacco syrup was adored by the chain smoking Anthony Bourdain, who dined at the restaurant on his 2005 NZ tour for his Les Halles Cookbook. The syrup I'm told, is a caramel which is later infused with tobacco leaves. When I tasted it, the syrup was sweet with an almost alcoholic taste, followed by a very light bitter note from the tobacco. The torte was bursting with deep flavour from the dark french chocolate which expanded across a chewy biscuity and melting texture. Too often am I let down by a signature dish, but I can say with full confidence that it truely can be classified as the restaurant's signature dessert. In fact, it was one of the best desserts I've had all year. To finish off the meal with that dessert elevated my Molten dining experience to a new level.

I later had a chat with co-owner Belinda Van de Elzen. Belinda, who happens to be a trained chef, was very lovely, waxing lyrical about the restaurant and the world of food, while viligantly monitoring the front of house. She told me the tobacco syrup was inspired by a recipe she found in Ireland, and that Anthony Bourdain stunk up the restaurant's private room with cigarettes (The NZ government banned confined area smoking years before Australia). I was inspired by her plans for a cooking school, and a restaurant in the country, and after a record $12,000 Friday and 5 years of dedicating everything to the restaurant, she was starting to get tired and worn down. Her passion for good food showed when she not only welcomed me back next time, but she also recommended other good restaurants, such as Sidart.

Highly recommended if you are in Auckland.

Open for Lunch: Tuesday – Saturday from noon. Dinner: Monday – Saturday from 5.30 till late.
422 Mt Eden Rd, Mt Eden, Auckland, New Zealand
Ph 09 6387236
Prices are in NZ dollars

Vue de Monde

by TP Little bro

There’s nothing like the excitement and anticipation in the lead up to something special. This event came in the form of a last minute cancellation which paved the way for a special Twin Palate experience in arguably the best restaurant in Melbourne. Vue de Monde. I need not say more.

From the moment you walk through the door, everything screams out "Three Chefs Hats". The staff are warm, inviting and immaculately dressed, the decor is new age, daring and classy.

I glance around the restaurant while being seated and notice there are two types of tables. A large rectangular table with a generous amount of "arm room" and the much smaller round table for more intimate meals. I am led to the larger table. I feel like royalty.

Having been seduced by all the buzz this place has generated, I buckle in and prepare to have my mind and body wowed by the upcoming gastronomical affair.

Three chef hated restaurants need to bring more than just meals to the table. They need to take an ordinary meal, weave through their own individuality and uniqueness and transform it into a magical experience. One piece of individuality Shannon Bennett has brought to the table is the element of surprise. There are no menus at Vue de Monde. Instead, there are approximately 60 dishes which, depending on how many courses are ordered, are tailored to each table.

The hardest decision you’ll make for the night is picking a number. “Will it be five courses or nine?” the waiter asks. We ponder. The waiter continues in his French accent, “Five courses has no dessert. To experience the full Vue de Monde experience, we recommend nine courses”. TP Big brother’s eyes light up. Without a moment of hesitation, an executive decision has been made. Nine it is. The experience begins…..

The first step is to stimulate the palates. The amuse bouche served is a Confit egg with white asparagus, bread crumbs and a wood sorrel puree. The egg is creamy with a hint of zest and the bread crumbs are the surprise packet of the dish with a flavoursome crunchy texture. My bouche has been amused.

The first course arrives and is being smoked before our eyes. Ocean trout with horseradish and baby beetroot, covered, with a burning truffle to smoke the fish. The trout is rare and combined beetroot, horseradish and the burnt truffle, make for a contemporary French way of eating sashimi.

While eagerly awaiting the next course, a waiter leaves a trail of smoke as he walks past our table holding two large cigars in heavy glass ashtrays. We are immediately intrigued. We discover the fine pieces of culinary artwork are foie gras stuffed “cigars” and quietly hope the dish served to us later in the evening.

The second course arrives. No cigars but a mushroom risotto garnished with the king of all truffles – the rare and highly coveted Alba white truffle, roughly selling for around $12,000 per kg. Putting the price tag of ingredients aside, I hoped the sum of its parts would taste far greater than the market value of the truffles. The first spoonful is intense. The risotto has a wonderfully rich creamy mushroom flavour. The shaved truffles just melt in your mouth and add another level of flavour that only truffles can do. Not a five figure flavour (does such a thing exist?) but pretty darn good and one of my favourite dishes of the night.

Course number three is the dish containing foie gras and unfortunately it’s no cigar. They must have strategically chose another dish to serve us to entice another visit. We are served a terrine of ox, foie gras and Puy lentils served in the shape of cute little cubes with equally cute pillows of crunchy brioche. The three layers of the cube bring out a wide spectrum of flavours which slowly develops, while staying true to the richness and heaviness of the foie gras.

We across where we see a waitress brewing a consommé at the very table the diners are eating from, using an old 1950's coffee percolator. Interesting. Another table is being served their food on a oversized river pebble. The absence of a menu has become one of the highlights of the night.

Course number four showcased four different cooking techniques that produced four different ways of eating tuna. It was Tuna tartare, rillette and seaweed salt, blue fin tuna stock infused with kaffir lime, fennel and tarragon flowers. This plate lacked punch but won technical points for the techniques used.

Next, it was time to take a break and cleanse the palates with some liquid verjus served at - 8°C mixed with a dash of cranberry juice.

After intermission, course five had no numeric symbolism. Three cuts of Western plains pork (tenderloin, rib and my personal favourite, pork belly) with crispy panchetta and flavours of earth. The pork on the bone was so tender, it fell off the bone.

The flow of the dishes was textbook, gradually becoming heavier and richer with each course and avoiding the pitfalls of feeling too full too early. Thank God. If the food was going to be this good, feeling full would be the last thing I would want!

Next up was the Wagyu Beef with Roquefort ravioli, swede, parsley, horseradish purée and beetroot oil. The thin strip of Wagyu was juicy and well cooked. The Roquefort Blue cheese ravioli gave a flavour hit with an instant tang followed by a gradually intensifying flavour. Combining all ingredients together left a lingering flavour on my taste buds that made me want to close my eyes, take a deep breath and savour for as long as I could.

Once we had finished our main courses, we were pleasantly surprised when our waitress offered a tour of the kitchen. Grabbing the opportunity with both hands, we were introduced to Flo, a sous chef, who took us on a journey of the fish, meat, cold food and the serving stations. We were even privy to some of their nifty contraptions. One of which is a Japanese refrigeration unit which they stock with bottles of distilled water. The temperature is regulated at a constant minus 8 degrees and to prevent the bottles of water freezing, another part of the machine sends through waves of vibration. Flo then proceeded by taking a ordinary looking bottle of water from the unit, shook it up and the once very liquid water froze into particles of ice.

Returning to our original seats, we received one last palate cleanser before the desserts began to arrive. Berry Zabaglione topped with a frozen kiwi fruit lollipop lightly glazed with chilli. My palate felt refreshed and ready for dessert.

Traditionally, our next course was meant to be a serving of cheese. Wanting to please our sweet tooths (teeth) and given our delightful experience with the Roquefort Blue Cheese in the last main course, we decided to replace the cheese dish with another dessert.

And this paid very big dividends. Our first dessert was nothing short of a treat. The Poached rhubarb with cheesecake mousse and raspberry bubbles. Deconstructed desserts are so interesting as it replaces the conventional way of serving a dish with a contemporary one using all the same ingredients. The cheesecake mousse was smooth and rich. The rhubarb, frozen with liquid nitrogen, was sweet and refreshing. It was just like eating a really tasty cheese cake but so much more fun. Seeing each component of the dish, tasting them individually and all together. I was the chef and the diner all at the same time.

When our dishes were taken away, the waiter mentioned that he had replaced our cheese dish with a Cheese cake. Clever.

Up next was Lemon meringue soufflé. It was light, fluffy, and very tart (just how I like them). Topped with crushed biscuits and with crunchy granules of sugar sprinkled throughout, it was beautifully executed.

Another glance across the room and we spot yet another interesting dish. A couple is being served their dessert - 3 different types of custard served in 3 half egg shells in an egg carton! We are like little boys in a museum and cannot believe the creativity before our eyes.

Our final course for the night was the Michel Bras' classic self-saucing chocolate biscuit with chocolate sauce, milk powder and milk ice cream. Slowly working my way through the crumbling chocolate exterior, I finally break into the inner sanctum and am rewarded with warm chocolate sauce oozing out of the centre. Heavy and richly chocolately, the ice cream plays a great part in mellowing the richness and leaving me wanting more.

With all nine courses cooked, plated and served, TP Big Bro and I do a pretty good job, wiping virtually all of the dishes clean and subtly telling the kitchen to keep up the good work.

Then came the most incredible platter of petit fours I had ever tasted. All of them were amazing, tasting just as good as their pristine appearance may have indicated. From left to right: Blood orange jelly with a touch of sherbet, Vanilla macaron, Toffee & Vanilla Cream, Frozen lychee lollipop, Merange with berry tube.

As a final palate cleanser, we are given "space rocks", which despite their charcoal looking exterior, melt in your mouth and are refreshingly minty.

Five short hours later and with not another diner in sight, the night was officially over. Or was it? After saying goodbye all but one waiter, we made our way to the exit. When suddenly, our waiter who had disappeared, magically reappeared with one final surprise. A breakfast bag containing a small loaf of brioche, chive seeds, 2 eggs, 2 cookies and a small package of loose leaf tea. Our night was complete and armed with our bag of goodies, we walked away feeling like we had dined at a truly deserving 3 Chef Hatted restaurant.

Vue de Monde. 430 Little Collins Street, Melbourn., Ph: (03) 9691 3888

Revisting Ryo's

by TP Little bro

Ever since writing the last post about Ryo's noodles, I have struggled to get their speciality ramen out of my head. I wanted it everyday, so much so that after I having dinner one night, I was in the area and decided to swing by for a bowl of ramen. Unfortunately, it was 9.15pm and the closed sign was painstakingly on display as if to say "Sorry buddy, you snooze, you lose". The next time became Saturday night where we tried to get in early to avoid disappointment (and the long queues) and thankfully, it was open. After saying I would order something other than ramen in my last post, the thought of the delicious strands of noodles soaking in the pork soup was an offer I couldn't refuse. So I caved and ordered the Soy Sauce Tonkotsu ramen (again). My only saving grace was someone else at the table went off my suggestion to order Miso bolognaise and I also generously shared some of my ramen (easier said than done). This left room to try the two dishes which interested me.

Miso bolognaise ($13)



Ramen covered in a miso bolognaise, shallots and sesame seeds gets your attention because it's a dish you don't see everyday and when you think about, may actually work. And it does. It's just like eating Japan's version of spaghetti bolognaise with less tomato, less spaghetti, more miso and much more yummy noodles. Thumbs up but against the Soy Sauce Tonkotsu Ramen, falls short (it's an unbeatable dish).

Fried chicken ($6)

The flavours are amazing the first time the chicken touches your taste buds. The chicken is crispy and well seasoned on the outside, moist on the inside. But be warned, the fried chicken gets the fantastic crispy texture from deep frying. The consequence? Lots and lots of oil. As mentioned in an earlier post, it doesn't matter where you go but deep fried chicken is best shared between at least 3 people to enjoy the indulgent flavours without the heavy sick feeling of your arteries clogging aftewards.

The two dishes may have been a short detour off course but Mission Accomplished! I managed to try something different. With that out of my system, I'll be happy to order Soy Sauce Tonkotsu Ramen for all future visits. I can die in peace.