Persimmon - Melbourne - NGV

Name: Persimmon at the National Gallery of Victoria

Address: Ground Level, NGV
180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne
Call NGV and follow prompts - 8620 2222

Food: ModOz
Average price: Entrée - $14-16, Main - $23-32, Dessert - $14-16.

Complimentary: Chef Terry Clark is visiting back home, so while he is away Chefs Jahdre' Hayward, Nick Bennet and Ben Greis are running the kitchen.

3 pieces of bread with salted butter, and salt and pepper

Once again the bread was comfortingly warm,with a generous amount of butter. There was my favourite, sweet and salty brioche with its perfect buttery-ness as well as the sour dough caramelised shallot and a pumpkin seed, both lovely.

Watercress soup, goat's curd gnocchi, grated nutmeg

R really enjoyed this, I found it leaning towards the bitter, which I don't really enjoy. Otherwise the soup is velvet soft, there was also olive bread which lent it texture and taste as well as a herb emulsion.

Pumpkin gnocchi, Gorgonzola, macadamia, beetroot shoots, shallot, gingerbread

Simply divine!!! The gnocchi had that perfect chewy, browned exterior that encase the softest, and tastiest filling - perfect texture. The flavours were all perfectly balanced -the Gorgonzola was soft and modest but still provided that 'bite' to counter the sweetness of the pumpkin and shallots. The macadamias added a wonderful crunch and butteryness and the shoots added that touch of 'cleanness' you get from green leaves. To top ot all off you get that wonderful warmth of spices from the gingerbread. Hubby said' it makes you feel all warm inside.'

Mango and grapefruit cannelloni, lime ice cream, lemon meringues, yoghurt

This was very refreshing - for those who enjoy lighter desserts. It also contained violet rocks which I love - the mango is mellow and super smooth whilst the grapefruit is cubed and offers bursts of juicy bitterness. The lime ice cream is strong and tart and the meringue is soft as is the yoghurt. Not a sweet dessert at all, but very enjoyable.

We ordered:

Entrée: Salmon 'mis cuit', avocado, beetroot, horseradish - $17

The salmon is cooked at 68C(?) for 8mins so it looks raw but flakes beneath the fork. R really liked it, he loved the beetroot chips, and although the flavours were unusual they all complimented each other in an interesting way, even the Nasturtium leaf.

Side: Roast Dutch carrots with spiced gingerbread crumble - $8.50

I will now be scouring the net trying to find a similar recipe so that I can make this at home. Even children would love this. The gentle warming spices compliment the caramelised carrots so perfectly.

Mains: Pumpkin gnocchi, gorgonzola, macadamia, beetroot shoots, shallot - $28



I was looking forward to this after the previous sneak taste and I was soooo happy to have it again. Simply delicious - the gnocchi is perfection and there's not much else I can say that I haven't already said. 

Desserts: Apple pannacotta, cinnamon crumble, green apple sorbet, vanilla and cinnamon cloud - $15



This was not what I expected. I loved the martini presentation wtih the crispy but still flavourful dried apple ring. The 'pannacotta' was a mixture of the above plus a jelly with apple pieces - it was unusual but full of flavour. The crisp, clean apple was everywhere in the cold, refreshing sorbet, and in small chunks in the jelly. The cloud was feather-light and delightful, with only a hint of cinnamon. There was also another white, firmer component but I can't recall what it was. Overall, this is not a sweet dish, although sweeter and more decadent than the mango cannelloni. I really enjoyed it. 

Bitter chocolate fondant, mint ice cream, chocolate pop rocks - $17

Next time i am ordering one of these since R always gets it to himself. Perfect lava to cake ratio once again without being overly chocolaty. The alteration this time was the mint ice cream, which hubby thought was 'very minty'. 

Cost: $118 for 1 entrée, 2 mains, 1 side and 2 desserts. 

Service: Perfect. The service is always flawless. 

Atmosphere: Lively but very relaxed. The interior is a mixture of black, red and white with a modern minimal feel. There are textures of plastic, steel and leather with one slate wall surrounded by panoramic windows that allowed us to view landscaped Grollo Equiset gardens. There are leather and fabric booths with red leather chairs, or small black veneer tables with Perspex chairs. The window seats are lovely as the booth seating is very comfy and the view of the gardens is really calming. It can get a little noisy when full but the tables are well spaced so you never feel cramped or listened in on. The dark interior helps to frame the gorgeous outside surroundings.

Parking: Limited as car spots are generally taken - although a tram runs along St Kilda rd, and Flinders station is not far down the road. We managed to get a car park a block down the road and there are side streets you might get lucky with. There is also underground gallery parking which is $12 for non-members.

Website: http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/ngvinternational/persimmon.html 

Hours: Daily 11am to 4pm (except Tuesdays).

Would I return: Yes. Again and again,