Down Under

I don’t claim to know much about food…all I know is what I like and new things I want to try. With that in mind, here are some of the places I visited while on my Foodie Trip to Australia and New Zealand (May-June 2008). I tried to take pictures of all my meals and some of them may even have my own take on how I enjoyed it.

Quay Restaurant, Sydney, Australia

Chef Peter Gilmore, 4 Course Tasting, 17 May 2008

Amuse Bouche: Bonito Sashimi with creme fraiche atop a cucumber-ginger gelee

Course 1: Salad of Masterstock Chicken with shaved sea scallops, eggplant, Chinese mushrooms and sesame (Domaine de Triennes Viognier, Provence, France, 2004)

Course 2: Slow cooked Quail breasts with with baby radish, eschallots, olorosso, truffle infused milk custard and milk skin (Te Tera Pinot Noir, Martinborough, New Zealand, 2006)

Course 3: Crisp pressed confit of Suckling Pig with Pedro Ximenez prunes, cauliflower cream and bitter chocolate black pudding ( Teusner Grenache/Shiraz/Mataro, Barossa Valley, South Australia, 2005)

Course 4: Creme caramel with Sauterne jelly, caramel ice cream (Banyuls Mas Cornet “Mise Tardive”, Languedoc, France, 2002)

The Manse Restaurant, Adelaide, Australia

19 May 2008

Amuse Bouche: Canneloni of asparagus with white bean cannelloni

Course 1: Scallops and Boudin Noir with cauliflower puree, asparagus, lemon ganache, beet au jus

Course 2: Blued Eyed Trevalla with pearled parley, colonovera, celeriac puree and fennel with chives

Lou Miranda’s, Adelaide, Australia

Lunch, 20 May 2008

Course 1: Rocket salad with roasted parsnips, shaved Parmesan, vanilla vinaigrette, roasted almonds, green apple slices

Course 2: Prosciutto wrapped Quail stuffed with pancetta and rosemary, roasted vegetables (pumpkin, shallots, potatoes)

Jacques Reymond, Melbourne, Australia

Chef Jacques Reymond, 7 Course Tasting, 21 May 2008

Amuse Bouche: Gougères

Course 1: Soup of crunchy lettuce like minestrone with a Parmesan foam and truffled salsify (Toolangi “Jacques Reymond Selection” Chardonnay, Yarra Valley, 2007)

Course 2: Black lasagna of Blue Swimmer Crab and Wasabi Thai salad (Toolangi “Jacques Reymond Selection” Chardonnay, Yarra Valley, 2007)

Course 3: Tasmanian Ocean Trout with soy, sake, marin and vanilla pasta (Farr Rising Pinot Noir, Bannockbum, Geelong, 2006)

Course 4: Prime eye fillet of beef and kohlrabi with carrot and daikon salad (Farr Rising Pinot Noir, Bannockbum, Geelong, 2006)

Course 5: Western Plains suckling pig slow cooked with fresh lemon pasta and broken juices (Dalwhinnie Shiraz, Pyrenees, 2001)

Course 6: Raclette as in the French Alpes, Raclette cheese, spunta potato and organic prosciutto (Louis Sipp Guwerztraminer, Alsace, France, 2005)

Course 7: Spiced pineapple and ginger cream, chocolate, lemon myrtle and bush pepper berry ice cream (Terte du Lys d’Or Sauternes, France, 2002)

Course 8: Petit Fours

Yering Station, Melbourne, Australia

Lunch, 22 May 2008

Main Course: Barramundi with lemon-chive sauce atop spicy curry pumpkin and tomato confit

Side Course: Salad of Boston lettuce with avocado and bacon in a vinaigrette

Vue de Monde, Melbourne, Australia

Chef Shannon Bennett, 7 Course Tasting, 22 May 2008

Amuse Bouche: Pea and jamon soup with a jamon tartare served with a confit quail yolk on a lettuce raft

Course 1: Salade de Jicama et Ormeaux – Jicama and braised abalone with yuzu noodles and Sterling caviar (NV Ranman Reiryo Ginjo-Shu, Akita, Japan)

Course 2: Risotto Aux Truffles – Classically inspired truffle risotto (Barbeito Sercial 10 years old Madeira, Madeira Island, Portugal)

Course 3: Terrine de Langue de Boeuf – Terrine of ox tongue, foi gras and Puy lentils with a jelly of Pedro Ximenez sherry (2005 Rene Mure Riesling Clos St Landelin, Alsace, France)

Course 4: Kingfish Poele – Kingfish fingers crusted with potato scales and served with broccoli couscous and broccoli cannelloni, currant puree and a curried brown chicken jus (1006 L’Olivera Missenyora Macabeu Costers Del Segre, Spain)

Course 5: Consomme Froid a la Tomate – Delicate tomato consomme with gazpacho jelly

Course 6: Roti de Porc – Roast White Rocks pork belly with pork rillette pancake and panada stuffed baby apple (2005 Alvaro Castro Pape, Dao, Portugal)

Course 7: Fromage – Goats curd served with sugared rose petal, rose jelly with goats curd ice cream (2007 Santa Rita Moscatel late Harvest, Valle del Limari, Chile)

Course 8: Salad de Fruits – Fruit salad

Course 9: Pullet Eggs – Prune and Armagnac eggnog, pistachio custard, orange and white chocolate mousse, served in an egg carton

Course 10: Souffle Rothschild – Demoulded Grand Marnier souffle with an apricot sauce (2006 Yves Cuilleron La Rousselliere MMVI, Rhone Valley, France)

Course 11: Notre Seelction de Cafes, Thes, Infusions et Petits-Fours – A selection of coffee, teas, infusions and petits-fours

The Press Club, Melbourne, Australia

Chef George Calombaris, 23 May 2008

Course 1: Quail Dolmathes with a tahini mustard vinaigrette, vegetables a la Grecque

Course 2: Lamb spit with fennel baked lemon potatoes in a Greek morney sauce

Rockpool (Fish), Sydney, Australia

Chef Neil Perry, 24 May 2008

Course 1: Freshly shucked live Tasmanian bay scallops with black bean and chili dressing

Course 2: Seared snapper fillet with “elBulli” crust and roast tomato sauce

Course 3: Panna cotta with quince, pomegranate and pistachio

Golden Century, Sydney, Australia

Lunch, 25 May 2008

Course 1: Crisp chicken with ginger and shallots

Course 2: Stir fried gai-lan

Manee’s Thai, Christchurch, New Zealand

Dinner, 26 May 2008

Course 1: Tom yum soup

Course 2: Choo Chee Fish

Logan Brown, Wellington, New Zealand

Lunch, 28 May 2008

Course 1: Celeriac vichyssoise drizzled with truffle oil (Alpha Domus Viognier)

Course 2: Saute scampi tails with spiced eggplant puree, pea shoots and pine nuts

Course 3: Crispy confit duck leg with maple pumpkin mousse and Calvados jelly

Course 4: Burnt lemon tart with ginger poached orange and lime mascarpone

Martin Bosley’s, Wellington, New Zealand

Chef du Cuisine Martin Bosley, Head Chef Stephen Mahoney, Lunch, 29 May 2008

Aperitif: Tequila, ginger beer concoction

I forgot to take a picture of the aperitif, but I did take a picture of the bread just because it looked so pretty on my table

Amuse Bouche: Pickled Shitake mushrooms with sesame seaweed

Course 1: Mixed Field leaves with palm sugar vinaigrette (Porters Pinot Gris 2006, Martinborough, New Zealand)

Abid had a Tomato Concoction: Tomato Gazpacho Soup, Tomato ‘Sponge’, Shaved Pear-Tomato Seed Salad, Sourdough Croutons, Vegetable Caviar, Celery Salt, Mustard Seed Vinaigrette

Course 2: Grilled Bluenose Fish, Mustard Gnocchi, Poached Bone Marrow, Morel Mushrooms, Mushroom Consomme, Parsley ice cream and Hazlenuts

Abid had a yummy tortellini

Course 3: Dessert Tasting Plate (Johner Noble Pinot Noir Gladstone 2007, Wairarapa, New Zealand)

• Coconut Creme Brulee
• Hazy Shades of Winter: Chamomile infused pears, poached quince, pumpkin poached cranberries
• Candied tomato, Champagne rose petal marshmallow
• 3 Reasons to Love Apples: Baba au Calvados, apple mint ice cream

Cibo, Auckland, New Zealand

Chef Kate Fay, Dinner, 30 May 2008

Course 1: Tom Yum soup with prawn dumplings and mussels

Course 2: Herb and spice crusted Snapper with cauliflower cream, roasted tomato, chickpea salad and anchovy dressing

Course 3: Baked caramel flan with Indian spiced ice cream and gingerbread soil

Dine, Auckland, New Zealand

Chef Peter Gordon, Dinner, 31 May 2008

Course 1: Grilled Firstflight Wagyu boneless short-rib with eggplant moromi, miso relish and caper mustard (Isabel Estate Pinot Noir 2006, Martinborough, New Zealand)

Course 2: Roast Hawkes Bay lamb chump on minted feta and chilli lentils with broccolini, toasted macadameias, grilled baby leeks and tamarind caramel

Course 3: Mixed leaf salad

Course 4: Hazlenut Frangelico panna cotta and espresso jelly with gianduja shortbread and whipped cream

And here is everyone else’s desserts: