Simon Food Favourites: Venison

Showing posts with label Venison. Show all posts

17 February 2012

Cotton Duck: Valentine's Day Feast, 9 course set menu, Surry Hills (14 Feb 2012)

50 Holt Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010
http://www.danksstreetdepot.com.au/page/cotton_duck.html

Valentine's Day at Cotton Duck

A seemingly reasonably priced Valentine's Day Feast menu attracted me to choose Jared Ingersoll’s Cotton Duck restaurant for the special day offering a 9 course set menu for $65 or with matching wines for $95. It was good to actually see him working in the kitchen. Choosing the 6 pm first sitting the room was filled with only couples as you’d expect. I liked how there was a reasonable amount of space between the tables providing a certain privacy and intimacy to each group and there was no annoying table supports getting in the way of my feet — I like. To start the Bellini ($16) with cranberry juice and lychee juice was good and the bartender's recommendation of the Rhubarb cocktail ($18) of homemade rhubarb jam, gin, Aperol & citrus soon became mine as well. A light yet flavoursome Walnut, Pumpkin Seed Cracker with Taramasalata started the menu. Just a bit more cracker would have helped finish the tasty dip. I really enjoyed the Oyster Beignet, Seared Scallop & Beetroot Puree with its nice combination of flavours although I was hoping for one larger single scallop than the two tiny ones served with each crispy coated oyster.

I loved the chicken skin in The Roasted, Pickled & Raw Beetroot, Delicate Herbs, Crunch Chicken Skin & Beef Jerky Tea — more of that please, and the broth had a good depth of flavour. A single Duck & Crab Dumpling each had more duck than crab taste to me. By this time we’d received our third matching glass of 2007 Tertini Southern Highlands NSW which was very nice but it was hard keeping up with finishing the wines before the next one — I think a little bit more spaced out would have been preferred. The fennel seed with the Seared Kingfish gave an interesting but welcomed taste to the dish. I found the enjoyable flavours in the Roasted Venison, Mole, Corn & Avocado became my favourite dish of the night. Meat was really tender although I wasn’t quite sure about the use of popcorn crumbs which got stuck too easily between the teeth and gave an unwelcomed crunch at times to my palate.

For dessert I wasn’t sure if I’d like the Sherbert & Sweet Goat's Cream but thankfully the goats cream was subtle enough in taste and all the flavours seemed to work nicely together. A decadent and richly flavoured Chocolate & Tonka Tart was enough to share by this stage. I liked the accompanying rhubarb ice cream but my preference would have probably been a vanilla bean ice cream to help cut through the chocolate. To help wash down the sugars was a Bartholomew's Sweet Forest Mead which was quite unusual and perhaps an acquired taste. I wasn’t a huge fan of it and would have preferred something more like a Noble One or a French sauterne perhaps, or even a port. To finish the menu the Organic Berry & Verjuice Jubes were strong in flavour, perhaps too strong for my liking and the ordered Filter Coffee ($5) seemed to have way too much grounded coffee making it very difficult to allow the hot water to get through to the cup. We found it very bitter and in the end couldn’t really drink it — I think we should have just ordered a normal flat white to be safe. Overall it was a very pleasant night of dining helped by the friendly service, ambience and comfortable seating.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Interesting dishes with good technique and quality ingredients, Nice decor and tables were set a good distance apart, Personable service although at times seemed a little green, Nice choice of ambient music and volume

CONS: Really didn’t enjoy the Filtered Coffee and it was awkward to make it work, Matching wines didn’t seem spaced out enough during the menu (or perhaps we couldn't drink fast enough)

MUST TRY: Roasted Venison, Mole, Corn & Avocado (minus the popcorn perhaps), Rhubarb cocktail

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Valentine's Day Feast menu — 9 course set menu for $65 or with matching wines for $95

Bellini with cranberry juice and lychee juice ($16), Rhubarb - Homemade rhubarb jam, gin, Aperol & citrus ($18) SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Walnut, Pumpkin Seed Cracker with Taramasalata

Oyster Beignet, Seared Scallop & Beetroot Puree

Roasted, Pickled & Raw Beetroot, Delicate Herbs, Crunch Chicken Skin & Beef Jerky Tea

Duck & Crab Dumpling

Already behind on the drinks by 7.07 pm

Seared Kingfish, Fresh Fennel Seed with Sweet Vinegar Tomatoes

Roasted Venison, Mole, Corn & Avocado

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Sherbert & Sweet Goat's Cream

Chocolate & Tonka Tart, Rhubarb Ice Cream

Organic Berry & Verjuice Jubes

Filter Coffee ($5) — too bitter and didn't enjoy at all

Hot Chocolate ($5?) — wasn't really available but kitchen managed to make one for me somehow, was good except for the unfortunate spillage en route

NV Borambola Blanc de Blancs, Gundagai NSW; 2011 McGuigan Shortlist, Eden Valley SA; 2007 Tertini Southern Highlands NSW; Bartholomew's Meadery Sweet Forest Mead Denmark WA

Bill $229 for two

Chef spotting in the kitchen, Jared Ingersoll (right)

Spacious table seating for two — I liked!

Restaurant seating

Bar area for a cheeky drink before dinner

Ceiling feature — crazy designers!

Chilli and micro herbs display

Table supports allow uninterrupted foot space — I liked!

Clean toilets — although some helpful directional signage would have been nice when you exit the restaurant to find them (turn left)

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22 March 2011

Mezzaluna Ristorante Italiano: Jarno Trulli Welcome Dinner, Potts Point (21 Mar 2011)

123 Victoria Street, Potts Point NSW 2011
http://www.mezzaluna.com.au

Jarno Trulli wines it up

Thanks to Georgia McKay from Horizon Communication for inviting me along to this special dinner event with guest of honor Jarno Trulli, Formula One Driver for Lotus. I hope his jet lag clears up in time for the 2011 Formula 1 Qantas Australian Grand Prix happening this week in Melbourne. His passion also extends to a variety of wines which were served throughout the night. I mostly liked the fruity overtones of the Jarno Bianco and the nice bodied Podere Montepulciano with only subtle tannins. Arriving to a glass of Paparazzi Prosecco and canapés of prosciutto stuffed with ricotta, taggiasche olives and leek certainly helped warm the heart from the torrential rain outside flooding the streets.

The restaurant is a lot larger than you’d expect from the comparatively smallish street entrance. Set on two levels with an upstairs bar and a downstairs main dining area. Those lucky enough to sit on the covered terrace were fortunate to take full advantage of the panoramic views of the city skyline once the rain had subsided and the plastic curtains raised. At the kitchen helm Head Chef Fabio Pappagallo was in charge of the six course degustation ($165) with his trusty team of Italian chefs that worked fairly quietly with dedication. The accommodating and hard working service swiftly brought out the Canapé tasting plates as a starter. It was an eclectic mix of nicely presented savoury and sweet items which I think would have been better served by simplifying to one of the savouries as an amuse-bouche and keeping perhaps the sweeter Baby pears [fig?] poached in cognac and blackcurrant with zabaglione cream as a palate cleanser after the main. For me there just seemed to be too much happening on one plate to take in and fully appreciate.

The cold served Entrée con Trebbiano of Pearl meat tartare marinated in cumquat juice was served with pomegranate seed aspic and a pink grapefruit and green chilli sorbet. Quite light and refreshing on the palate although I found the pomegranate seeds the dominant taste which overpowered the very subtle flavour of the pearl meat tartare. It was a more sweet than savoury dish which bordered on dessert for me. I’m actually not even sure what pearl meat is but it had a similar texture to chopped prawn meat. Next was another cold Entrée con Rose of Poached turkey with ginger mayonnaise and limoncello sauce. This was certainly the most challenging dish of the night for me to appreciate. Apart from simply looking like deli cut sliced turkey arranged on a plate I struggled to find a balance in flavours, especially with the limoncello sauce often overpowering the taste buds. I didn’t mind the ginger mayonnaise but perhaps it would have better suited seafood like grilled scallops, fresh salmon or prawns, or even crumbed calamari minus the limoncello or just used very subtly. At this point I felt I was still looking for the Italian cuisine I was expecting to find.

Thankfully a warm dish was served last of Grilled venison noisettes with layered sweet potatoes, leeks and chestnuts. A quality cut of tender meat cooked about medium rare which surprisingly didn’t taste too gamey. The side of sweet potatoes had nice flavours and my only real gripe was the bowl it was served in making it a little awkward to cut — and some extra jus would have been nice. To finish a plate of three flavoursome cheeses were served with accompanying chestnut honey, pâté and nuts, and a yellow peach jam. I liked the creamy smoothness of the taleggio cheese the best. For those staying late a plentiful supply of petit fours arrived including a chocolate mousse which I think probably would have been better presented through the piping bag with a star nozzle. With so many enticing Italian dishes on the normal a la carte menu I unfortunately left the night feeling like I hadn’t really had a chance to fully appreciate the real ‘Italian’ Mezzaluna but as a function and wedding reception space it would be an ideal venue if the food matches its prime location and spectacular outlook.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: City skyline view, Nice décor and lighting, Accommodating and hard working service which seem to enjoy working as a team, Available for functions

CONS: Some of the dishes were a bit of a hit and miss for me, Toilets located upstairs from dining room, Didn’t get to try more traditional Italian dishes including pasta

MUST TRY: Maybe revisiting to try the a la carte menu

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The food