The Lobby - Wedding Reception (Lunch)

As most of you might know from the previous post that i haven't been updating this blog in ages! I do apologize for that but October has definitely been a hectic month for me. Things are getting better since i have just submitted my book as part of the Nuffnang August Competition and finished my friend's 21st birthday cake (a post coming soon)

During the busy month of October, i had been able to witness a beautiful wedding that took place at the Gold Creek Chapel followed by a lovely lunch reception at The Lobby (King George Terrace, Parkes). It was such a marvelous day that everything was just so perfect - beautiful day, beautiful chapel, stunning bride and groom, nice restaurant and food! I haven't been to a great deal of weddings but i reckon that The Lobby serves great (wedding) food, if not the best so far, of all the weddings that i've been to.

They had an alternate service menu but i still managed to taste almost all the dishes. We started with a round of entrees which were the Togarashi tiger prawns with a citrus and summer berry salad and Beetroot cured ocean trout with snow pea and caper puree, potato crisps with orange sabayon. I got the ocean trout entree and it was simply beautiful. The skin was crispy and the fish was cooked just the way i like it - simple but still moist and flavoursome. The beetroot added a subtle sweetness to the fish and the puree enhanced the ocean trout's delicate flavours. The prawn was cooked nicely but i think the togarashi overpowered it.

Togarashi tiger prawns with a citrus and summer berry salad

Beetroot cured ocean trout with snowpea and caper puree, potato crisps with orange sabayon

After some touching speeches we started having our mains which were: Herb crumbed eye fillet with a panache of vegetable, caramelized onion vol au vent & mustard cream and Gingered pork cutlet with sweet potato puree, apple sage compote & English spinach. I had the eye fillet and it was nice and lovely with the mustard cream and the vol au vent was alright. In regards to the pork dish, I have to say that it was very delicious and the portion was very generous. The pork cutlet itself was tender and moist, and every component of the dish complimented each other well.

Herb crumbed eye fillet with a panache of vegetable, caramelized onion vol au vent & mustard cream

 Gingered pork cutlet with sweet potato puree, apple sage compote & English spinach

After our mains, we were greeted with some beautiful desserts: Lemon curd tartlet with warm nectarine salsa, vanilla marshmallow & mint syrup and Espresso and Tia Maria semi freddo with baby macarons & choc mint slice. I didn't try the latter one as it contained alcohol (at least it seemed to from the name), so i had the lemon curd tartlet dessert. I immediately loved the colours of the dessert, the yellow colour from the lemon curd looked lovely next to the white marshmallow and pink-ish nectarine salsa - such a pretty spring dessert. The tartlet was good and not too sweet, and marshmallow was very light and fluffy. The sweetness and acidity of the nectarine salsa together with the minty syrup held the entire dish well, making it deliciously refreshing. I didn't try the semi freddo but i heard that it was delicious too!

 Espresso and Tia Maria semi freddo with baby macarons & choc mint slice

Lemon curd tartlet with warm nectarine salsa, vanilla marshmallow & mint syrup

What is a wedding without the wedding cake? Of course they had one!

The wedding cake looked very cute and fun with two little teddy bears and hearts on the top tier. The cake was dense but moist and i especially liked the base!

The pretty and cute wedding cake

Forgot to mention about the restaurant but it is lovely and elegant place with tall glass windows all around and stunning views to the beautiful gardens. The meal was lovely, the speeches were touching, the dancing was sweet and most importantly, the bride and the groom were both gorgeous. SMB wishes the best to the both of you and may you two live a happily ever after life, just like in fairy tales!

3rd Annual Truffle Degustation at Parlour Wine Room

Having missed almost the whole Fireside Festival (due to my Hong Kong trip) i was very happy when i managed to come back in time for the 3rd Annual Truffle Degustation at Parlour Wine Room (16 Kendall Lane, NewActon Pavilion). I've never been to the previous two years' truffle degustation, so i was definitely looking forward to it.

It was a cold and windy night and i was so glad that upon arrival, we were seated right next to the fireside and in tall tables too. Parlour Wine Room has a rustic Victorian decor with lovely Victorian armchairs and sofas and beautiful lamps. The piece that i liked the most was the center blue ceiling lamp because it was quite unique and it looked like a lot of blue-shaded balloons held in a cage. The night started with a welcome speech telling us a bit about the truffles used (which are grown in the Canberra region) and the matching wines for the dishes in the degustation menu. Then we were offered some drinks and bread (accompanied by truffle oil and paprika).

The degustation started off with a Shiitake & Truffle consommé which was nice considering that i have not had a decent consommé in ages. The shiitake taste was quite predominant but it had subtle hints of truffle too. The next entree, the Kingfish Ceviche with Shavings of Truffle was simply lovely. The fish was fresh and its subtle sweetness went well with the truffle.

Shiitake & Truffle consommé

Kingfish Ceviche with Shavings of Truffle

The Truffle Scented Milk Curd with House Made Lavosh was something different since it's not the usual type of entree that i would order. I liked the crispy house made lavosh and as for the curd, it was alright - something different.

The next dish up was the Seared Scallop, Smoked Duck, Cauliflower Puree and Truffle Paste. As usual, i love my scallops and this one was no different. It was juicy and nicely seared. Even though the Smoked Duck had was a bit dry, it still had a nice flavour and it went well with the cauliflower puree and truffle paste and also the vinegared enoki mushrooms.

The first main was the Truffle Scented, Mushroom Ragu Paella. I thought it was a funny name for the dish because it looked and tasted more like a risotto than a paella. I quite liked the dish and was delighted by the use of a variety of mushrooms in the paella. Lovely dish!

Second main was the Stuffed & Smoked Pork Trotter, Apple & Truffle Mayonnaise and Wilted Romaine. The pork was nice but i didn't fancy its flaky texture. The mayonnaise was definitely IT, it helped to bring all the components of the dish together.

Before the final entry of our dessert, Poached Pear, Truffle Pastry with Almond & Truffle Honey Cream, we got our palate cleanser which was a Mango Sorbet on a Bed of Olives with Fennel Sherbet. I don't want to sound overly excited over a Mango sorbet, but it was definitely a very fine one. Unfortunately the olives didn't do it for me but the fennel sherbet added that exciting fizziness to the sorbet. The final dessert overall, for me, was a bit disappointing. Firstly because i am not a big fan of poached fruit desserts and secondly (perhaps the main reason) because the truffle was too overpowering in the cream that made the whole dish 'fall apart' - i did like the truffle pastry though.

Mango Sorbet on a Bed of Olives with Fennel Sherbet

Poached Pear, Truffle Pastry with Almond & Truffle Honey Cream

The dinner was enjoyable and the staff was very attentive and efficient. Definitely loved the decor of Parlour Wine Room and there were certainly a few memorable dishes from the truffle degustation menu such as the Kingfish Ceviche, the Mushroom Ragu Paella and the delicious Mango Sorbet! Looking forward to the 4th Annual Truffle Degustation next year!

Watersedge - Canberra

Yey to the 100th post! Thanks to all of you who have been reading my blog and for leaving all the encouraging comments! I really appreciate it and yes, i do read ALL of them =)

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I have recently dined at the Watersedge (Commonwealth Place, 40 Parkes Place) and was delighted by the fact that now, i have tried all the sister restaurants of Courgette: Watersedge and Sabayon. Watersedge is a relatively small restaurant which boasts full-sized glass windows overlooking the scenic views of Lake Burley Griffin. The view at night is beautiful and it certainly made the overall dinner experience quite pleasant. Watersedge has recently been awarded one hat by the 2010 SMH Good Food Guide and it offers a Modern Australian menu.

The staff was polite and the service was efficient. Before our entrees arrived, we were served some amuse-bouche which was duck on a circular toasted bread served with apple chutney.

For entrees, we ordered:

Scallops boudin and scallop ceviche, fennel and squid salad with anise dressing: i was slightly disappointed with this entree because the amount of scallops were minimal. The scallop boudin had the texture of an Asian steamed egg and it didn't really enchance the dish overall. On the other hand, i quite liked the squid and fennel salad.  

Pan fried Salmon fillet cold smoked, pencils leek, baby fennel, steamed Kipfler potato, fish emulsion: this dish was quite similar to the one we had at Sabayon (main). The salmon was beautifully cooked and the skin was very crispy. The roe was quite scattered which made it hard to savour them with the rest of the dish.

Next up, were the mains.

Char grilled grange beef fillet, blue cheese gnocchi, confit garlic, porcini butter, watercress puree, red wine jus: The beef fillet was cooked to medium-rare and it was nicely pink and tender (just a tiny bit burnt on one side of the fillet though). i could definately taste the blue cheese in the gnocchi and gladly it wasn't overpowering.

Duck trio: Duck breast, pressed leg confit, foie gras with toasted brioche served with braised lentils, globe artichoke and kumquat marmalade: the duck breast was lovely (even by itself) and i also liked the pressed leg confit. I wasn't particularly fond of the foie gras in this dish though.

Duck Breast

Top: Foie Gras with toasted brioche Bottom: Pressed Leg Confit with globe artichoke

We were served a cardamon and tropical fruits sorbet before the arrival of our desserts:

Custard apple and coconut semi freddo, fresh strawberry and mint salad, glass biscuit, coconut and berry sorbets: I was truly amazed at the size of this dessert! It was quite big and with so many elements here and there, i really didn't know where to start. I started with the semi freddo in the middle and it was quite solid and cold. It tasted nice with pieces of fresh coconut and some nuts (maybe pistachios?). Loved the berry sorbet but wasn't too fond on the coconut one and the glass biscuits were nice and crisp!

Mandarin and White Chocolate mousse millefeuille, Mandarin caviar, Mandarin and Black pepper sorbet

I really liked this combination. The mandarin sorbet was good and refreshing but i couldn't really taste the black pepper in it. There weren't many layers to this millefeuille but the white chocolate made a good combo with the mandarin. Sadly, the mandarin still had seeds in them.

Overall we had a lovely dinner at Watersedge and the beautiful scenic views just added to the dinner experience.

The Ginger Room

I was invited to a dinner at The Ginger Room (Old Parliament House, King George Tce, Parkes) on a particular weekend to celebrate a special occasion. I was utterly excited because the last time i went there (1.5 years ago), i missed the opportunity to blog about this place as i did not own a blog yet. The Ginger Room is located in the Old Parliament House and surrounded by the stunning Old Parliament House Gardens, which has an extensive range of beautiful roses. It's worth getting there early to visit the rose gardens and allow some time for photos.

The Ginger Room definately grabs your attention from the very first minute you walk in as you are faced with a big, bright red wall. The interior decor is quite modest and relaxed. The staff is very polite, friendly and also smartly dressed with a subtle uniform bearing the restaurant's logo. The Ginger Room focuses on bringing an Australian Modern menu with an Asian influence.

We decided to go with a 5-courses menu (you can choose from 2 - 5 courses or the degustation menu) and the good thing is that you are able select your own entrees, mains and desserts from their a la carte menu. Before the entree arrived we were served with a complimentary amuse bouche: sushi with japanese seaweed and a selection of three bread rolls: plain, lime & pepper and parmesan & pinenut.

Parmesan & pinenut bread roll

These were the entrees that we ordered:

- Half shell scallops with pumpkin, sage and bacon: very fresh with clean flavours to accentuate the scallops

- SPECIAL: Rock oysters with a hollandaise infused with lime sauce: quite different but i prefer my oysters au naturalel

- Pambula rock oysters with mignonette dressing (no photo): nice and fresh

- Brie de Nangis twice baked soufflé with watercress and pinenut salad: the soufflé was soft and moist. Beware to not burn your tongue like i did!

- Poached scampi tails with confit tomatoes, crisp prosciutto and verjuice beurre blanc: simple and clean flavours, nicely presented.

Clockwise: Half shell scallops with pumpkin, sage and bacon;  Rock oysters with a hollandaise infused with lime sauce; Poached scampi tails with confit tomatoes, crisp prosciutto and verjuice beurre blanc; Brie de Nangis twice baked soufflé with watercress and pinenut salad

Not long after the round of entrees, we were served with our mains:

- SPECIAL: A marron dish that i can't remember the name! (maybe because the red plate was too striking): all i remember was that the marron was very fresh and cooked to perfection! The sauce enhanced the marron well.

- Beef fillet Wellington deconstructed (medium) - the beef was tender and soft, perhaps the pastry was a bit too big for the dish.

- Confit duck leg with braised red cabbage, potato dauphine and anise jus: it was my least favorite dish of the night because the duck was a bit dry and the potato dauphine made the dish a bit too rich. The cabbage was nice though.

- Ragout of mussels, cod, scallops and scampi in a bouchée pastry case: the ragout was nice and this dish was generous and filling.

- Rolled saddle of rabbit served with braised rabbit leg, glazed baby turnips and roasted parsnip purée: i didn't get to try this one but my friend said it was nicely done. It only needed a bit more sauce.

How can a lovely meal be complete without the desserts? It kinda feels like an unfinished business, if you know what i mean...so...it's DESSERT TIME - this part can never be ignored! Here is what we ordered:

- Boysenberry icecream bombe with marbled brownie: althought it wasn't flambéed, it was still my favorite dessert of the night! The boysenberry ice cream and the meringue weren't too sweet and went well with the brownie. It looks like a porcupine, doesn't it?

- Chocolate soufflé with macerated strawberries: the soufflé was delicate and soft! The strawberries complemented well with the not-too-sweet chocolate soufflé.

- Poached peaches with peach icecream and vanilla tuile: pretty dessert and addictive vanilla tuile.

Here is our Petit Fours:

Overall, we had an enjoyable and lovely dinner and the service, i must say, impeccable.

Pistachio Dining at Torrens

It's been quite some time that i've been wanting to try out Pistachio Dining at Torrens (the first solo venture of an acclaimed local chef, David Keeley, who used to work in Courgette, Aubergine and Sabayon)  and after about 8 months, here i am! Been looking forward to this very special day...not to mention it was Valentine's too *hehehe. Like most restaurants, they have a set menu for Valentine's Day.

Left: the menu.wine glasses.1pistachio Centre:Drinks Right: butter.pistachio shells

The dinner started off with a canape - Sydney Rock Oysters - it was lightly deep-fried with what i believe tasted like a balsamic reduction with chilli flakes. It wasn't the au natural way that i was expecting so it did take me by surprise. Liked the combo but i still prefer my oysters au natural with a squeeze of lemon.

It was followed by the first entree - Seared scallops with salt cod fritter and pea and mint vinaigrette - it was my favorite dish of the night! The scallops were seared beautifully and it went well with the pea and mint vinaigrette. Loved the pea and mint vinaigrette, which is unusual because i am not a fan of mint...chocolate & mint is a no-no for me.

The second entree - vine ripened tomato minestrone with roasted Tasmanian salmon, basil pesto and hand cut pasta - the salmon skin was perfectly crispy and i hoped the minestrone had a bit more flavour and more pasta.

The third entree, yes the THIRD entree - Duck and braised sweet bread terrine with in house smoked duck breast and salad leaves - the duck terrine was nicely wrapped with prosciutto, a good balance of fat and meat in the smoked duck and i think a bit more sauce would have made the dish better.

My main was a more robust dish - Milk poached pork, onion and apple cream, smoked bacon, cos lettuce and scratchings - and i have to say that i was looking forward to this dish. From the day the booking was made, i kept wondering how a milk poached pork would taste like. Couldn't taste any traces of milk but perhaps the milk makes the pork belly super soft, that just disintegrates in your mouth. The components of the dish were good individually but it was a bit too much for me. Again, a bit more onion & apple cream would have been better. Was happy with the scratchings though =P

The other main was Grain fed Beef Tenderloin with potato and garlic mousseline and mustard green beans. The mousseline was nice and tasty and it complemented well with the beef tenderloin, my favorite of the two mains.

Before the last dish came out, we were served a raspberry sorbet to clean our palates. As i waited eagerly for the last dish, obviously a dessert, i didn't know what to expect because it simply said: Dessert Tasting Plate to share, not much clue in that. Three small-sized desserts? Well, it didn't take long before the dessert came! TA-DA! It looked so yummy and with so many options, i didn't know where to start! 

This tasting plate consisted of chocolate and hazelnut brownie with a heart-shaped shortbread, raspberry jam with tapioca served in a shooter glass, panna cotta with stone fruits, cinnamon doughnuts, pistachio cake with youghurt sorbet, fig & pistachio crumbs, chocolates with cream & fig jam centre and lastly a rich chocolate mousse wrapped by chocolate cake and topped with a creamy chocolate ice-cream. The last one was probably my favorite.