1: Pumpkin gnocchi, Gorgonzola, macadamia, beetroot shoots, shallot, gingerbread - Persimmon @ NGV
I have eaten this three times and each time it was a pleasure.
2: Potato with purple basil and candied lemon - L'Arpege
A taste revelation for me, certainly elevates the simple spud.
3: Poivrade artichoke in a touch of thyme with tomato confit - Joel Robuchon
A flavour explosion - artichokes have never tasted better.
4: Sautéed Shredded Potato in Vegetarian X.O. Chilli Sauce - Lung King Heen
Highly addictive!
5: Brownie - $12.90 - The Pier
Chocolate heaven.
6: Mushroom Tart - Persimmon @ NGV
Delicious, light and satisfying.
7: Tomato soup & tartare - Guy Savoy
Seaweed ice anyone?
8: Slow cooked egg yolk, truffle pomme mousseline, and sesame soldiers - $19 - Cafe Vue
Truffle and egg - classic.
9: Banana Three Times - Absynthe
Finally, the banana done elegantly, and well.
10: Fines ravioles potagères; consommé végétal - beet, smoked vegetable ravioli in broth - L'Arpege
R's:
I will always remember this dish. I did not want the dish to finish. I wish I was stuck in ground-hog day on the day I had this dish! Its hard to describe the flavours, but there is something about the hibiscus that just cut through the dish and made me moan with pleasure. Sex on a plate might be the best way to describe it.
The perfect balance of Apple Puree Vs Pork. Trying to order the same thing from other restaurants 2 or 3 times this year leaves me dissapointed.
Best desert I've had. Wish I lived closer to Ripponlea so I could have it once a week!
5: Bitter chocolate fondant, mint ice cream, chocolate pop rocks - $17 - Persimmon @ NGV
Ordered 5 or so times. The best fondant around!
6: Cooked tomatoes - L'Arpege
I will always remember getting this plate in front of me and thinking "is that it? We are paying 300 euro and we are just getting cherry tomatoes". Boy did I eat my words, or my thoughts I should say.
Best tasting tomatoes ever, with bursting flavour with every bite. Amazing.
7: Braised Shark's Fin with Fresh Crab Meat - Lung King Heen
The couple of drops of vinegar that where added to this made this amazing.
8: Mushroom arancini - Huka Lodge
Just a appetiser, but there had to be something good about considering I had 6 or so of them.
9: Berthillon Ice Cream
One flavour didn't stick out more the other for me. But when someone asks you "what's the best icecream you have ever had" I know my answer. It just tastes what proper icecream is meant to taste like!
10: Peanut butter parfait, caramelised banana, bitter chocolate - $15 - Persimmon @ NGV
Eating a desert that looks like a present...awesome.
Is it just me or do you lean slightly (granted, not always) to the pretentious? Hopefully 2011 will continue the trend of good honest, fresh, robust and (thankfully) unponcy food that's more about cooking and less about science, art and constructing geometric conundrums on a plate....hopefully? I'm all for the joy of eating and it appealing to multiple senses but sometimes it can (quite often) lead to disappearing up one's own....well, you get my subjective drift. Less is more, like the tomatoes above.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest with you I don't think the above list is pretentious at all? There's a bowl of potato chips, a cup of ice cream, a plate of tomatoes, a side dish of potato gratin etc - not particularly artfully presented either. Even the desserts are unpretentious - a brownie slapped on a plate with a scoop of ice cream, so I'm not sure what you consider 'poncy' about that.
ReplyDeleteThe dishes that made this dish were chosen on taste alone; it's all good and nice to look pretty, but if there's no substance, it fails.
Although some of the dishes above not only taste great, but are also gorgeously presented, which I think is a bonus. If a dish can taste great and look great, then all the better.
It's not pretentious if it delivers on flavour as well as looks in my opinion.
It doesn't matter where we had the dish, it doesn't matter what it cost, it doesn't matter what it looked like.
ReplyDeleteIt's only pretentious if it doesn't taste great.
I think you are assuming too much, because everything above tasted fantastic.
Looks like Persimmon and your trip to Hong Kong and France was a major success for 2010! I've loved reading your reviews... see you soon in 2011!!!
ReplyDeleteI don't know where to start! This list just looks divine. It must have been fun to trawl through your year of amazing eats and select this list. I adore each and every selection, a feast for the eyes! I can only imagine how amazing it all tasted. I have a particular fondness for #2, 8 & 10 on your list, & #1, 6 & 9 on R's. Lovely.
ReplyDeleteHeidi xo