INCA SOCIAL still super save for a few things (4-17-24)

 After our fabulous introductory meal at INCA SOCIAL in Arlington we returned with friends a week ago and had for the most part, a pretty wonderful meal. Our server Franklin was helpful and attentive, although, when things started to come out wrong or only portions of our order, it got a little frantic. It did not help that our birthday party of 6 was seated right next to an even larger birthday group; indeed, our chairs were back-to-back, so the din was a tad nuts.

As always, we started with wonderful Pisco Sours then moved on to wines; Will had a spicy margarita. The white was Chateau Vartel Sauvignon Blanc made for Ambar(Restaurant) from Moldova, which was very good, although we did not realize there was a relationship between Inca Social and Ambar!  As always photos are on FB!!

Ceviche is almost a must here and we ordered a variety including a sampler (classic, Aji-amarillo and Rocoto cream) and a Leche De Tigre, which always has a great kick.  Some folks are not fond of the Peruvian Sweet potatoes, but I love them in the ceviches as well as that giant white soft corn from Peru!! Chicken Empanadas were ordered as was a Causa Sampler which had three wonderful causa(shrimp/avocado/lime with golf Inca sauce; chicken salad with avocado lime sauce; and veggie with beets and corn with avocado, lime sauce & Inca sauce) all of which we marveled at.  there was a starter special of SCALLOP ANTICUCHOS that was spectacular with chalaca, onion, cilantro and lime with the scallop still in shell; sadly, the foot was missing!! Another bravado Anticucho were the Beef Hearts skewered with roasted potatoes, choclo, Inca sauce and chimichurri sauce. WOW!! 

We moved on to a Trevenezie 2022 Pinot Noir from Salvalai that was nice but not very huge bodied, so after that ended up with the Romulo Malbec 2021 from Mendoza(we also tasted the Impero Merlot 2022, not as big body either).

The mains went from fabulous to mediocre. Next came AL OLIVO, a divinely huge portion of Octopus with black olive sauce, avocado and our Inca sauce.  Salmon Andino with balsamic reduction, parmesan risotto, quinoa, asparagus and white corn as well as the Pescado(mahi-mahi) a lo Macho topped with calamari, shrimp, mussels, octopus, seafood sauce and white rice both got raves. The Huachana Burger was chorizo with fried egg, tomato, lettuce, onion, avocado sauce and rocoto sauce, while the Cordera a la Norteña was a stew-like braised lamb in cilantro, aji amarillo sauce, canario beans, white rice and salsa criolla. The dud was my Lomo Saltado that was steak with fries, rice, oyster-soy sauce and onion that was as dry and overcooked as it possibly could have been. The dish is way too carb-heavy as well. I could not figure out what went wrong with this and was really disappointed.

We ordered one Tres Leches which was very nice, and a complimentary combo dessert arrived as well as a chocolate birthday slice for our birthday boy!

NYC's HAV & MAR has it all (4-5-24)

 We had a leisurely evening free before a weekend chock full of opera and Broadway and settled on HAVE & MAR, owned by the famed Marcus Samuelsson but helmed by James Beard Award nominee Chef Fariyal Abdullahi. We arrived for happy hour at the bar and chose their signature HAV & MARtini drink made with Tito's vodka & gin, pickled red onion, gentian, vermouth & blue cheese olive which I loved, but Will was not nuts about. The dozen oysters were superb as well.

We settled into our table and Kent proceeded to explain the menu and what he suggested. There was so much to choose from we simply opted for the Chef's Four Course tasting for $95 and gave him some of our favorite likes. We ordered a bottle of Domain Reverdy-Ducroux Beauroy Sancerre which was superb and went with all the various items that came first, but before that, Kent hauled us to the kitchen to meet the chef who was an absolute gem. She hails from Ethiopia but is well-versed in dozens of cuisines which really showed on our journey through the evening!!

Frist came warm Teff (the world's smallest grain!) Biscuits with honey butter that melted in our mouths(all fotos on FB). First came Tuna Tartare with miso, shishito aioli, aji amarillo, crsipy injera and walnut oil which was accompanied by Hamachi with Black Ceviche(basically the black ash oil from what is scaped off the oven!!), cippolini onions, Granny Smith apple and fennel. We loved them both but the hamachi really won if comparing. 

Pan Seared Scallops with Sunchoke Puree, crispy sunchokes, celeriac, turmeric, pickled fresno chile was a revelation as the richness of the puree was foiled by the kick ass spice of the fresno pepper! At this point we switched to a red wine, but I seem to have failed to note which one. It should be noted the wines all run $60-80 by the bottle.

Our "mains" were many from the HAVatini which is bucatini pasta with crab, shrimp and an uni butter truly decadent and rich rich sauce! Banana Leaf Snapper came with Coconut Rice, Dill Salsa Verde ad crispy Brussels sprouts and treated the fish like royalty with a wonderful crispy skin. A side of Oxtail Rice with Fermented Beans, egg, sesame oil, chile and teardrop peppers was a complete revelation when it comes to rice; we had specifically asked for this. Addis York is Ethiopian fried chicken where Chef Abdullahi is not afraid to splash on the chilies. It comes with Doro Wat which is stewed chicken inside a sauteed or fried injera that was like a spring roll on crack, ayib (Ethiopian cheese) & soft-boiled egg and was a dish we shall always go back for again and again.

Chocolate Layer Cake and Yuzu Lime Tart were both delectable desserts that we could not resist, but to soften the sweetness, Will had a Lagavulan, and I had Carcavelos 1997 Quinto Dos Pesos dessert wine.

The location just off the Hudson River on 11th Avenue is quiet and offers super high ceilings but that did not make it too noisy. There is a huge bar in the center and that Happy Hour runs from 5-7pm!! Oysters are $3 each! 

Kent was a superior server giving us tons of time in between the courses and the entire team was really perfect. Easily on of our new NYC faves!!

Alexandria's VERMILION is victorious and Chef Tony Chittum tantalizes (3-30-24)

 Our first dinner our after returning from our 8-weeks away was at VERMILION in Alexandria as we saw that Chef Tony Chittum had returned there after a long absence and totally turned around the menu. We were thrilled to see Chef in house and chat with him and find out that he still maintains his position and ownership at IRON GATE in DC as well!

We were warmly welcomed by our server Tucker who brought over some glasses of sparkling wine for us as a treat as we perused the menu and tried to make choices as you can go a la carte or family style here and there are so many options!

We went a la carte, and everything was delish, even the yummy fresh radishes that came out complimentary with a wonderful, caramelized onion dip(photos on FB) which were so delightful, I wanted to head right to the farmer's market, which I did the next morning! We ordered a 2018 Williamsburg Viognier from Virginia, and I was also thrilled to see the huge Virgini wine list as well as many other places offering so many options. First came BETTIE's BUNS, a family recipe that has yeast rolls in a cast iron pan served with whipped sorghum butter and some pickled chiles. The three buns were gone in seconds as they melt in your mouth and come piping hot. 

Starters were so varied and indeed novel such as the CRISPY CHESAPEAKE OYSTERS with sweet and sour apple remoulade, celery root puree and pickled mustard seed. I could have eaten a dozen of these! It was a nice change from all those amazing fresh oysters we had Down Under and reminded me that a cooked oyster can be terrific.

New Frontier Bison Tartare came with preserved oyster mushrooms, porcini aioli and St. Malachi cheese and I was only yearning for a hint more of mustard or spice to give it an extra kick that I always like.

We moved on to a Shenendoah Ox-Eye 2021 Cabernet France that was out of this world. We always like Virginia Cab Franc's and this one is a standout.  My main was BUTTER BASTED SCALLOPS with Pork "Scrapple," Braised Shell Beans, Lacinato Kale and two mustards. This dish is unlike any scallop preparation you have ever had. It is a huge and rich dish loaded with flavors that surprisingly do not overwhelm the tasty mollusks. The "scrapple" is really like hush puppies on crack! The wine was ideal with this as you would always tend to white with scallops, but this dish was so hearty and indeed a great winter dish(it was chilly if spring)! SMOKE IN CHIMNEY TROUT came with black salsify, potato, crispy ham bits, leeks and a creamed clam broth that got raves and the DOUBLE RAVIOLI was filled with melted cabbage and golden potatoes with crispy Brussels sprouts, green apple and Valley Thunder Aged Cheddar Cheese offering a wonderful veggie dish that is sure to please!

Dessert was a Butterscotch Custard with salted caramel, whipped cream, chocolate crackle cookies that I tasted as I am not a fan of butterscotch--sorry. I was so full and happy anyway I did not need another bite.

What a great meal for our first time out back in the USA!

Ubud, Bali's SAYAN HOUSE is super (3-20-24)

 Seems I skipped one posting about our penultimate night in Bali at Sayan House just a couple of blocks down the road from the Four Seasons where we stayed. Like the Four Seasons the location is on the top of the Ayung River Valley but at the very end of the valley so our view was a bird's eye one indeed just over all the properties hanging on the valley edge including the Four Seasons, and the sunset was indeed spectacular.

It is an outdoor setting like almost every place in Bali, but the cool breeze from the valley permeated so we did not melt like the night before. There were fans as well and the setting was quite remarkable.

Hibiscus Margaritas were fabulous, and a fun amuse arrived of Potato Salad(with mustard and mayo) on a Potato Chip arrived; odd, but quite tasty. Will & I decided to share starters and it was a great idea as we loved the huge NIPPON SALAD with Romaine, Tomato, Cucumber, Avocado, Bacon, grilled Chicken, Prawns, Egg, Radicchio & Lettuce with a Fab Kombu Dressing. The CEVICHE DEL MAR was also huge and superb and loaded with tuna, salmon, octopus and prawns in a salsa Veracruz with Green Tabasco, ohban leaf, soy and shiso oil. You may have noticed the food style here is not Indonesian, but the chef does a fusion of Japan and Latin America! Our wine was a new find called TWO ISLANDS because the grapes come from Australia, but the wine is vinified in Bali! we had a glass each of the Limestone Coast Chardonnay from South Australia which was more on the minerally side than vanilla or oak and was superb with the salad and ceviche.  We had a bottle of the TWO ISLANDS Reserve Shiraz 2020 from the Barossa Valley which came ever so slightly chilled--almost a requirement for red in Bali due to the heat--and we adored the spicy finish. 

Our mains were Yuki's Ribs for Will with a Chipotle Sauce, Yukari-Cilantro Rice, Grilled Veggies and I loved my Duck Teriyaki which was a nice breast with teriyaki-Balsamic glaze with green onions, peanut and wasabi mashed potatoes. It was super indeed and cooked to perfection unlike the super-dry crispy duck the night before.

A refreshing palate-cleanser was a granita of dragonfruit, mango and something else. Our server Made was very sweet and indeed helpful, but sometimes it is difficult to parse the English of some Indonesians as it is not their primary language. Indeed, many of them speak multiple languages, so it's something I don't push if I miss something on the second explanation!

We decided to split a dessert and while the EL DAIFUKU was refreshing with Yukimi Daifuku Coconut Soup and marinated fruits, vanilla ice cream, palm sugar and sweet bean paste. A sticky rice mochi was a very goopy rice cake that was not remarkable.

It was a pretty great meal and we left very full knowing we had to rise the next day early for a full day of touring followed by a 30 hour trip home!

AUYUNG TERRACE at the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan is super (3-21-24)

 Our final meal before heading home was at our beautiful hotel on the AUYUNG TERRACE overlooking the resort and river valley. It's a nice setting and we had enjoyed wonderful breakfasts here every morning of our stay as well. The food is indeed typical Balinese/Indonesian but we did have to ask them to bring the spice levels up as it does seem to cater to foreigners. 

We decided to split a starter and it was a smart move as the Cakalang Sambal Bongkot was four huge slices of beautifully seared tuna with Ginger torch, shallot relish, raw crunchy green eggplant and peanut crackers--we loved it.

The Lombok Lobster was cooked to perfection with Thousand Spices and came with a raw sambal that had a slight kick, just right for the light shellfish. The side was called Morning Glory and was a magnificent seared Asian greens with fried shallots. All the dishes came with rice which, of course, we ladled the yummy spicy sambal olek onto. Will had the Woku Belanga, a seafood agglomeration of scallop, octopus, mussels and snapper all in a turmeric lemon basil sauce.

A bottle of Barossa Valley 2022 Rawson Retreat Chardonnay was simply perfection!

We loved it all and while we loved Bali, we were happy to load our bags into the car to head to the airport and now are about to return home after an amazing 8 weeks in Australia, New Zealand and Bali!

The DINING CORNER (at the Kayu Manis Resort) in Ubud, Bali is delicious save the duck (3-19-24)

 Our second night in Bali took just down the road to the nearby Kayu Manis Resort and their Indonesian outdoor dining spot, The Dining Corner. On arrival we waited for an escort from the small outdoor reception lobby to the "corner" of the resort (about 4 minutes away) where the restaurant is located around their pool on a balcony literally in the middle of the jungle. We were offered a bug spray, which we quickly used, but really it was not an issue. What was a tad weird were the deep screechy sounds of the small geckos and then the fruit bats flying in the nearby trees looking for food; they were not small. We got some videos(all on FB with the food) and settled in with the menu as we enjoyed their night antics. Will ordered the Bintang local beer which he likes alot and I chose a carafe of white local wine from Bali called Plaga which was akin to an off-dry Riesling and went quite well with the spice in the food, albeit the heat was so oppressive, the wine, beer and even iced water was warm within 5-10 minutes; we were indeed dripping.

The menus here all seem to have burgers and pizzas for the tourist but we found many Asian dishes and settled in on particular Indonesian local dishes to try.

I have always loved Lumpia Goreng, the wonderful spring rolls filled with chicken, and these were indeed delicious and had a wonderful spicy dipping sauce, but I totally burnt my mouth as they came to the table scalding hot from the deep fryer! The Ote-Ote Udang Jagung is a Fried Prawn and Corn Cake that is quite tasty and comes with a sweet chili, sambal, soy dipping sauce.

Next was the Nasi Goreng Mawut, as Nasi Goreng is pretty much the national dish of stri fried rice with egg noodles and here came with some prawns in the mix, cabbage, box (spelled that way) choy and two large grilled prawns on skewers that were superb, as well as rice crackers. The dish was superb, but I am getting over-riced a tad.

We both wanted to try the famous local Crispy Duck or Bebek Goreng with comes with vegetable urab (a kind of mix of beans with spice and other veggies) in a chili lemongrass sauce and chili sambal. Indeed, there were three condiments on the side plate: the traditional red Sambal Olek, the green less spicy Sambal and then a chili/ginger/garlic mix, also not super spicy. We loved them all but sadly the duck was dry and there was not a lot of meat on the two small pieces; we felt cheated.

We left full as we had had two large Indonesian meals that day--the lunch was a delicious single Indonesian platter(check out the FB picture) loaded with everything.

Hoping to discover more good food tonight after a super Indonesian breakfast of spicy broth with chicken, noodles and a poached egg on top--very ramen-like.

Bali's APERITIF is amazing Michelin-starred European-style/Indonesian/Asian flavors in an extremely elegant setting (3-18-24)

 We arrived in Bali from our cruise and set off to our private pool villa at thew Four Seasons at Sayan, near Ubud in the foothills of central Bali. It's much quieter that the beach resorts and allows access to many wonderful sites and experiences of the beautiful Balinese culture. After resting all day poolside, we headed over to the Viceroy Bali, another 5-star luxury resort and their fining dining venue, Aperitif. The restaurant is in its own pavilion complex with a monstrous bar area (inside and out), pool table and more plus a huge, elegant dining room and open kitchen. We were royally greeted and chose to sit on the terrace overlooking the resort and jungle as we sipped our Aperitif Negroni made with Raku Japanese Gin, Vermouth di Torino, Campari, Sandalwood and Ylang-ylang...we loved them.

Three gorgeous canapes arrived which shamed the ones we had been having on Silversea for the last month: 

-Cured Red Snapper with Ponzu and yogurt that was super light and refreshing

-Chicken Liver Mousse with Balado & Shallot which was creamy and rich

-Charcoal Puff with Smoked Mackerel cream that was revealed under a smoke dome tableside and with so creamy and rich and indeed divine.

We were escorted to the large, elegant dining room with about 20 tables of various sizes with crisp white lines, silver and crystal. There seemed to be dozens of staff all over the place. We took a table for two facing the large open kitchen where there had to be over a dozen staff under the constant eye of Belgian chef Nic Vanderbeeken. Keeping in mind all these people, only 8 people were dining at Aperitif on Monday including us!

There is a choice of two menus: Signature and Avant-Garde both priced the same at 1,690.000 rupiah each +21% tax and service(tipping not necessary) which comes to $130 for 8 courses! The wine pairing was an additional 1,000,000++ or about $77, a real steal considering the large pours and amazing quality of the imported wines.

JB, the Sommelier, from Nimes, France, was amazing and explained each wine in detail and it was apparent he chose them all with great care as each one match each course brilliantly.  Each wine arrived just before the course was served so we could taste it first, and the entire meal was spaced to perfection and lasted from our 630pm arrival and 715pm move into the dining room until our 1030pm departure.

Chef Vanderbeeken was in Tokyo prior to opening this magnificent establish just before covid and the menu shows that. There are also many additional items that you can add (at fairly high costs) such as caviar, lobster, truffles, Wagyu main course and more, but our choice was just enough food indeed.

The amuse of Chawanmushi(Japanese egg custard) with Mushroom and Dashi was a brilliant concept to have the dashi surround the custard to cut the richness.

We watched the kitchen as some 6 staff hovered around the chef prepping our first course of Japanese MUROTSU BAY OYSTER(all photos on FB) with Dabu-Dabu sauce(a local chimichurri-style sauce, but not spicy), watermelon and Kemangi(edible flower). The one oyster was huge and an amazing treat while the Henri Bourgeois Sancerre "Les Baronnes" 2022 from the Loire Valley had us almost forget those we had in New Zealnd and Australia!

A bread cart arrived that might have been much smaller than that of Stierereck in Vienna, but just as impressive with many breads and they were all served warm with three butters: Sourdough, Truffle and Salted. I had never heard of sourdough butter, but it was interesting indeed with a slightly yeasty flavor. There were baguettes, focaccia, amazing onion rolls, sourdough bread, but the best was the local black rice bread!! WOW!

Course #2 was WAGYU served in the Japanese style of Tokusen Roast Carpaccio that means just barely seared on the edges. It came with a Black Garlic & Bone Marrow Emulsions and Mustard Seeds that made the dish superb. The paired Chateau d'Astros Minuit(menaing midnight as the grapes are harvested at night), Rose from Cotes de Provence 2021 uses Syrah, Grenache and Carignan and was magnificent, not to mention JB poured it from a monstrous Jerobaom bottle!

Next came and additional course which JB offered complimentary, and we jumped at the chance to try to huge local SUMBAWA PRAWN, again barely cooked and served on a Jerusalem Artichoke Puree with Cucumber and a light Coconut-Soy Dressing. JB even paired it with EDDA Chardonnay/Fiano from Puglia 2020 that was oaked lightly and paired perfectly with this divine local crustacean.

Course #3(no photo), really #4 was a Perfectly seared Hokkaido Scallop in a light Clam Chowder with Baby Clams and a wonderfully lightly-spiced Pineapple Sambal that in no way overpowered the delicate scallop. M. Chapoutier Bila-Haut "Occultum Lapidem" (meaning gemstone), Cotes de Roussillon was a combination of White Grenache and Vermentino with an uber mineral nose and taste that Will compared to licking rocks. JB said the stony soil does make the terroir so apparent in this unique wine.

Spring Chicken sounds simple but this steamed version came with a Tori Paitan Sauce(local Indonesian) with Koya (dried milk with garlic?) and Bumbu Kuning(Turmeric condiment that resembles aioli). We had truly moved to Bali for this dish paired with Pascale Jolivet Attitude Pinot Noir 2021 from the Loire, a beautiful unoaked but medium-bodied Pinot!

Our main was Venison (from New Zealand) Wellington with Foie Gras(from France), a lighter than usual yet super tasty, lightly spicy Rendang Sauce and sweet potato puree. This dish was as close to perfect Wellington as it gets, and the venison was as tender and lean as could be. The wine was a magnificent The Chocolate Block Syrah(with Viognier) 2021 from Franschhoek in South Africa.

A palate cleanser of Pomelo/Yuzu frozen yogurt with crisp and flakes was delightful and oh so refreshing and the JB arrived with the cheese trolley(included in the dinner!!) laden with gorgeous cheeses.  We called this the Grand Finale first night in Bali!

Our choices were 

-Camembert

-Fourme d'Ambert(blue)

-Muenster

-Aged Chevre from France and we had a choice of two condiments from poached apples, raisin puree, strawberry chutney(great with the blue), fig jam, walnuts, cashews and grapes! JB suggested a Dr, Loosen 2-21 Riesling which I liked, but Will passed on and got some Churchill 2017 Vintage Late Bottled Port, which JB poured for me as well; what a treat!

The dessert was a truly novel dish called PB & J with a home made biscuit (and a giant "A" on it for Aperitif) with a Peanut Mousse & Raspberry-Blackberry Jam. Will hates peanut butter, but managed to eat this!!

Mignardises were presented as well, and they included: Smores/Snickers/Passionfruit Fudge/Pistachio/ Sesame and Orange Sponge...check out the video on FB! These were served with Manco a local hot chocolate/tea drink with soy and sesame as well!!

Needless to say we were full, but thrilled with our first night choice in Bali! On to more local food now!!

Darwin's SNAPPER ROCKS really rocks for seafood, wine and more (3-14-24)

 Our last port on this 32-day cruise and final stop in Australia before heading to our final destination Bali was Darwin, capital of the Northern Territory. For a small city, it has a lot going for it and we decided to pop off the ship for a final dinner ashore as we were overnighting here. Our new friends, Priscilla and David, joined and we walked across the waterfront to the very busy and active dining spots just off the wharf. We chose SNAPPER ROCKS as the menu was quite varied and had, yes, OYSTERS. We really wanted some local ones, but the featured ones here were from Coffin Bay in South Australia, but we loved them as well. A couple dozen later we were thrilled as we chose them plain and also with finger lime "caviar" (really just a dash of these amazing limes from Queensland) and shallots ....what a great way to end our oyster journey.

We chose a Hahndorf Hill Grüner Veltliner from the Adelaide Hills in South Australia to start and it was ideal with the yummy bivalves having great acidity and also superb melon and tart apple flavors. Our second wine was the D’Arenberg ‘The Sun Surfer’ Fiano from McLaren Vale, also in South Australia which we all loved and never heard of, as I assume the Fiano grape is not exported to the USA from this well-known winemaker. Wines are not produced in the north as the temps are so high and they have a huge wet season which is just about to end followed by a dry season; no way for grape vines to survive.

Priscilla said we had to try the "Fish Wings" which are actually grilled cheeks from the local snapper seasoned with peri-peri sauce that we all loved. Next came the "Bugs," the famous large crayfish in Australia that here came from the nearby Gulf of Carpenteria and simply grilled with lemon, butter & garlic. These crayfish are the size of lobster tails and taste truly magnificent. Fried Loligo local squid was lightly battered with Geraldton wax, salt, leaves, and were served with a remoulade/aioli. we loved it all!! 

We decided to try the local specialty main: Whole wild-caught local Snapper with cashew sauce, papaya & coriander. The meat came off the bones beautifully and we all loved the dish which also came with a not-spicy-at-all Green papaya salad. Our sides were yummy Crispy Potatoes with rosemary & salt as well as super tasty Sauteed Snake(string) Beans with chillis and shallots.  For the wine we moved to a super light-bodied Serafino ‘Bellissimo’ Montepulciano, also from the McLaren Vale, South Australia.

The four of us waddled back to the ship knowing that this wonderful fresh fish meal would stay in our minds and hearts for a long time. It was even better sharing it with our wonderful new friends.

Kaikoura, New Zealand's HAPUKU KITCHEN is a killer cooking experience not to be missed (2/23/24)

 When a Kiwi friend of mine told me about the HAPUKU KITCHEN experience over a year ago, I started to check out this renowned location on a remote corner of the South Island and learned that the couple who created this amazing place in their home were pioneers of New Zealand modern cuisine and also just great folks. I knew our ship was scheduled to stay into the late evening in Kaikoura (which means "eat crayfish"!!) so we planned to do the cooking lessons in the afternoon followed by dinner as a private event for just Will and me.

As is the issue with all well laid plans, the ship decided to curtail the later evening tenders and a day prior we were scurrying to reschedule. Luckily it all worked out perfectly in the end.

Chefs Fiona Read and her husband Chris have lovingly built a home around their kitchen, gardens and homestead for many years after previously having worked at the luxury Hapuku Lodge just up the road. Their plans were a tad delayed with Covid, but now they welcome small groups and individuals for group cooking lessons and meals which had to be one of the best things we have done on this entire trip Down Under (and that includes some pretty momentous stuff!).  We were warmly welcomed by Chef Fiona and her amazing co-chef Jerusha(all the photos are on FB) and immediately seated with cups of coffee and home made Anzac biscuits(cookies) as we discussed the menu and what was to follow and compared notes. We headed out into the gardens to forage for herbs, veggies and more and visited with the pigs, ducks, chickens and whatever else flew by during our outing. Back in the kitchen, Jerusha brought out the best-ever home made cheese scones and we began to prepare what was to be our dinner:

-Ravioli with whipped Ricotta, Black Garlic ,Sorrel, Sheep Cheese & Sage Butter

-Kaikoura Crayfish with Miso & Herb Butter & Foraged Salad

-Plum & Ginger Galette with whipped Mascarpone, local honey & rosemary

This may all sound quite simple, but we spent a couple of hours preparing this and Will actually made the ravioli for the most part and may have even gained an interest in cooking! I did most of the pastry dough for the galette and then Chef Fiona taught Will how to use the pasta machine(watch the amazing videos on FB). The gorgeous local Kaikoura crayfish are a delicacy in this region, and we spiced them up with some chillis as well and all the ingredients (for the most part) were all local or regional and largely sustainable. I do have to say that I don't think I ever saw more butter used in a meal for two people anywhere on earth, but then if you are in New Zealand butter is indeed essential in most every dish!

You will see from the FB photos that our meal was dreamy, and the wines were excellent as well--we had several. Our dinner was outside in the gardens where the native birds flew by, the ducks waddled around, and the dogs came by for an occasional pet. We had arrived at around 1245pm and had our dinner early at about 430-5pm so as to be able to get back to the pier by the new last tender time of 630pm. It all went swimmingly smoothly well, and we waddled back on the ship having had the best meal in New Zealand for sure....that we helped to cook. We have the recipes and maybe we shall try to replicate them, but nothing can match the experience of this wonderful team, the love they have for cooking and patience they have for teaching. Brava to Chef Fiona and to Jerusha as well as Fiona's husband Chris who joined us later as he was setting up for a huge local event in Kaikoura coming the next day! I can assure you that when we are next in this region, the first event we shall plan is a return to Hapuku Kitchen!

Hobart, Tasmania's FICO is fabulous for fusing Australian & Italian!!(2-17-24)

 Two weeks ago as we began our 32-day cruise we stopped overnight in Hobart, the exciting capital of Tasmania where we had two brilliant days and also afforded for off-ship dining on our night in port. FICO (Italian for "fig") is an intimate setting in downtown with maybe a dozen local wood polished tables that are far apart from each other offering a very spacious feeling. The room is quiet, even when full (when did you last experience that?) and there is an open kitchen with a small bar/tasting table around it for some folks as well. The shelf around the top of the room had hundreds of empty wine bottles showing off the wonderful rare wines they offer from all over the world.

We were warmly welcomed by Mohed and after perusing the tasting menu (there is no choice here) we asked him about pairing local wines with the nine courses and he said he would be able to do that easily, but had to bring in some foreign wines for certain pairings; we agreed and at $120AUD($78US) we were thrilled, and the pours were very generous as well. 

There were some additions and we both agreed we had to add the local Pipe Clay Lagoon Oysters (from nearby southeast Tasmania) which were creamy and oh so subtle; indeed some of our favorites on the entire trip. (I have to add we have had oysters four times as well in New Zealand and they are also all excellent). Anim "Hairy McLary" Sauvignon Blanc 2022 from Coal River Valley in Tasmania was an ideal wine and it also paired with the next course of Carrot Gazpacho with orange oil, cumin and capers.

A magnificent freshly baked hot loaf of sourdough arrived with Fig leaf oil mixed with Tasmanian sea salt and Aged Balsamic which we tried to resist, but alas, it was gone very quickly.

Holymar Chardonnay 2022 from Tasmania's Tamar Valley was a wonderfully minerally chard that we loved and was paired with Bluefin Tuna (from Maria Island in eastern Tasmania) served with Horseradish, Beurre blanc and Suzi's Herbs. The herbs of tarragon, mint, flowers come from 75-year-old Suzi who supplies them from her gardens, but it was the Jogn Bignell supplied horseradish from midlands Tasmania that had to be the best horseradish we have ever had on earth. The combination was beautiful but also award-worthy.

Sea Urchin Risotto(local from Tasmania of course) was bursting with lemon and hints of Thai basil and Mohed had to bring an Italian wine for this from Friuli: 2021 Isonzo Fiore di Campo F2 from Lisneris had a wonderfully high acidity to complement the richness of the risotto.(remember all the photos are on FB!)

Our favorite dish of the night was easily the Tortellone which was one giant ravioli stuffed with Hare Bolognese sitting on a bed of Porcini Mushroom custard and Lovage Puree. Mohed offered shaved summer truffles from Tasmania and we could not resist, especially at about $10US for what would cost 3 to 5 times that in the USA!! The entire dish was heavenly indeed.  Stargazer Rada 2023 Pinot Noir & Pinot Meunier from Piper River in the north and Coal River Valley near Hobart was a super wine with an intense nose and so complex we wanted to buy a case!

The main course was Venison alla Brace that was cooked superbly and deliciously peppery with Charred Eggplant Puree, Baby Zucchini with its flower and Game Jus (which sounded like "Gay Jew"!!). The locally grown venison is less gamey than ours in the US and more subtle indeed, but lovely nonetheless. The wine was a Hughes & Hughes 2022 single clone Syrah from Penna also in Coal River was very French in style(hence the use of syrah instead of shiraz).

Cheese was next and came in the form of Tongola Goat Curd "Panna Cotta" which is from Marion's Bay in the east. It was a deliciously cheesy custard that came with an onion reduction, which I thought sounded weird, but the taste flavors were perfect. We called this "goat cheese on crack!!"  Mohed paired this with a sparkling Eric Bordelet Poire, pear cider from Normandy which was simply brilliant.

Two desserts followed: "Strawberry Tart" with "Leatherboot"(local) Honeycomb Gelato was a caramelized honey/strawberry tart with creme diplomate in puff pastry with honey gelee all in a strawberry consomme. I love fruit desserts and pastries and this one was a dream. "Braida" Brachetto d'Acqui 2020 from Piemonte was a nice pairing. The final dessert was Cassis & Yogurt which was simply a super Cassis meringue macaroon-like sandwich filled with vanilla yogurt! What a great taste to take home as we headed back to the ship!

All the team at FICO made us feel so welcome and indeed everyone here Down Under (save the luggage lady for Jetstar Airlines at Melbourne Airport) are all SOOO nice.

Melbourne's CHINCHIN makes for awesome Asian (2-14-24)

 Those of us who know restaurants and fine dining always say to try and avoid eating out on New Year's Eve, Mother's Day and Valentine's Day as the menus are often inflated and not very good. We had no choice being in Melbourne for our last night before boarding a 32-day cruise to places in Australia, New Zealand and Bali. We checked with various dining establishments and when we saw the menu for ChinChin we confirmed and paid a month ahead(nonrefundable!) and it was the perfect choice indeed.

There were two menu choices, and we went for the 130AUD "Celebration Feast" which is a super reasonable $85 eight course menu (which includes tax and most folks here do not tip big--but we did!). We added Coffin Bay Oysters with Red Nam Jim to start but passed on the wagyu upgrade; they were plump and super but again we scraped off some of the spicy topping as the oyster needs to star, not the sauce! Our super server Freya turned out to be an aspiring opera singer to boot. She sent over Julian the sommelier as we told him we wanted amazing local wines and he was BRILLIANT. We talked a lot and settled on a 2023 Art Series Leewin Estate Riesling made by Paul Atwood in the Margaret River region of Western Australia, where we visit on our next trip Down Under in 2026! It was brilliant with all the spicy food as ChinChin is known for its multiple-pan Asian cuisine that kicks the spice indeed.

Course #1 was a Hervey Bay Scallop(diver) with curried corn, Thai basil and crispy shallot and we begged for more. Next was a Kingfish Sashimi with lime, chilli, coconut and Thai basil that starred the fish in a ceviche way that was so simple yet simply perfect.

Tartare of Wagyu Beef was included in this menu and came with Sriracha Caramel, Soy and had these fabulous Sesame Crackers to eat it on. This dish was smokey and sinewy and indeed a truly novel tartare for us that we fell in love with immediately. We were moving on to heavier dishes and after another chat with Julian we opted for a Terlato &  Chapoutier "Malakoff Vineyard" 2016 Shiraz from the nearby Grampian Mountains in Victoria. This wine made by the famous Rhone wine grower Michele Chapoutier was so subtle and so French, smooth yet full of fruit and had aged to perfection. It was divine with the Wagyu tartare and ensuing Crispy Duck served with Chilli Jam, Pancakes and Slaw. Crispy Duck here is a super tender confit duck formed into a brick and then deep fried and was a marvelous way to prepare a meat in the most novel of ways. 

Wine #3 was Torbreck "Steading" 2018 GSM (Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvèdre) that we had tasted a couple of days earlier at the winery in Barossa Valley and it was a dream pairing with Larb-Spiced Roasted Beetroot with Cucumber & Mint Raita which came next; a vegetarian dream indeed with the yogurt raita balancing the kick-ass spice of this "salad."

The last savoury course was Yellow Curry of Coconut-Steamed Toothfish, Zucchini, Squash and Tomato. One might think it odd to have a fish dish at the end, but this was a spicy curry indeed loaded with veggies as well and toothfish is the Australian kin of the sea bass.

Dessert was Dark Chocolate Mousse with Coconut Ice Cream, Coffee and Salted Peanut Brittle Meringue.

We went home thrilled with our brilliant dining choice for the last night on land in Australia and were so happy to meet Freya(our new FB friend) and feature her in the fotos all posted there!

If we have to admit, when we arrived the music was loud, LOUDER, LOOUSEST but it kind of mellowed as the evening went on to fun 1980's disco. It was also very cold and Freya got the a/c set better as well--they really loved us! AND my one big complaint--paper napkin. 

That said, the evening was super fun, super food and we would go back in a flash and hope to when in Melbourne again in 2026!

--

IDES in Melbourne is magnificent (2/13/24)

 We had three nights in Melbourne, but the first night we drive in on the Great Ocean Road all day and had a quick Greek dinner at IPSOS in Lorne on the coast which is nothing to write about. The next night we chose IDES(pronounced as in "Ides of March"). we arrived and the small bar was in a room by itself with two couples drinking and James pioured us some Rhubarb Juice as we perused the bar menu for cocktail choices. Will decided on the Frozen Gibson which is a pre-made martini of their own make and I went for the Frozen Dirty Vodka, also pre-made with local Melbourne vodka. These are pre-mixed and bottled and kept ice cold for fun.

We were escorted through several doors into a small room next door with about 9 tables for two or 4 people and it was a very serene quiet setting with some neat art(one painting was abstract, but I saw Chasidic guys in it!). Liam was the sommelier and he said they do offer a wine pairing(alas not all Australia) so we agreed and then chose some extra options like starting with the yummy Merrimbula New South Wales Rock Oysters topped with chorizo vinaigrette. This was an interesting choice of topping and was okay, but took away from the yummy oyster, Huon Valley Tasmania Sparkling from Barrington Wood was delicious, and it was nice to have all Reidel crystal as well (just as most of the wineries in the Barossa Valley did for our multiple tastings!). 

Next came Nori (cup) with Carrott Confit which is thickened with stock and had wasabi and sesame. The next course was Creamed Corn custard smothered with Smoked Caviar from Spain with Tonburi & Rosemary Oil that was served under a dome with a smoke emerging for the reveal (all on video on FB). This was a divine creation and one of the best courses we enjoyed anywhere so far on this trip. On the side was the Parmesan Doughnut that looks like a coconut doughnut but is savory as it is made with corn and is akin to a cheesy corn fritter. We must have switched wines, but I do not seem to have it my notes.

Superb Steamed Rockling (whitefish)from Tasmania was in a Chive & Shiso Seed Sauce that had chicken infused but was more like a gel or consommé on crack; it was topped with scallop and nigella seed. Served with local Melbourne Sake called Tachiminori, it was a fun pairing. On the side was a charred zucchini flower stuffed with edamame that was amazing.

The "main" was Roast Pork Loin with Mustard Sauce and came with a row of condiments: Apple puree. Sorrel pesto with perilla(Japanese basil), Pumpkin seed, Cauliflower puree with pork crackling and while these were all fun and nice, the pork itself was unexciting and completely tasteless without the mustard sauce or condiments. Accidental Red Syrah/Merlot blend 2023 from Dhillon from Glenhope Vineyards in the Macedon Ranges of Victoria(the state Melbourne is in) had a nice acidity but was fairly light.

Duck Liver Parfait Tart was another dream dish that was gone in two or three bites and paired wonderfully with Barbeitto Madeira 10 year old made from Verdelho grapes.

Next was Perilla(Japapnese basil relation) & Plum Jelly (oops, forgot the photo), followed by a conquering Caramel Cake with Dark Chocolate & Peanut was a really wonderful dessert with the intense chocolate coming from the Daintree Rainforest where we visited the week before. Dos Maderas Triple Aged Rum made with 5-year-old Manzanilla and 5-yr-old Pedro Ximemez Sherry Casks hailed from Jamaica and was a beautiful finish to the evening.

Adelaide's BOTANIC will blow your mind, mouth and beyond impress (2-9-24)

 Our second and final night in Adelaide was at BOTANIC, aptly named as it sits in the magnificent Botanic Gardens of Adelaide and the team actually forages through the gardens for various ingredients and produces some of the most novel ingredients used for a meal that indeed impresses.  Chef Justin James, who came over and chatted with us extensively at one point during out 4-1/2 hour journey, hails from Detroit and it's indeed a long story how he ended up in Adelaide!  His team of Julius from Munich, Elle from the UK and Ruby & Chris(locals) were on top of everything for the 21+ course meal which actually included over 40 different dishes! Wine pairings were fabulous and since Will was not in the mood for booze, he chose the amazing Temperance Pairing. There is a huge open kitchen with a bar surrounding it for a view of the chefs all night. These guys often yell out like some kind of rugby team announcing something, but we never figured it out. The 15 or so tables are all surrounding the kitchen looking both ways as the entire pavilion is glass enclosed overlooking the gardens. Even the loo has bird sounds in it!

This oiled wheel works so well serving what we had to declare as the best meal indeed in Australia, and one of the top ten in the world!

I-Garden Flower and Green Ants was a bouquet of flowers with a marigold at the center over a parsley-water poached fuji apple that is fermented for 3 months with crunchy ants on top(Will, actually ate these in Queensland right from the tree and they have a very lime-y flavor indeed!). The apple had a blackened leathery flavor that was mild but unique.

II-Abalini from Port Lincoln(related to abalone), Botanic Curry Paste & leaf, Pickled Myrtle Buds had a punch and was as tender as could be--we have indeed found they know how to cook abalone here!

III-"Lick the Rock" features a rock coated with Wattle Seed & Celeriac Yogurt thst you actually lick off. It is here that the pairings also begin:  Poire Authentqiue Normandy Cider from Eric Bordelet was fruit intense but not sweet while Will had Fuji Apple tea/juice were for courses III & IV.

IV-Rock Lobster was accompanied by a corn-husked "boat" filled with Corn Puree, Tarragon & Anise Myrtle that you dipped the lobster into. YUM! 

V-Green Tomato was filled with Avocado & Tuna, Tomato gelee, Native Ginger and Atherton Almond and Mountain Pepper. For this and next course the wine was a 2022 Sauvignon Blanc Moonambel "Quartz Branco" from Latta in the Pyrenees of Victoria was an amazing wine that gets malolactic and lies treatment.

VI-Tomato & Lemon Aspen Broth was a deliciously rich unctuous soup that had toasted oak sticks in it.

VII-Raw Sharp Bay(Western Australia) Scallop covered in Salmon Roe/Foam with Seaweed & Samphire with Scallop Chips was another revelation as each dish was more impressive than the previous. This course and the next was paired with La Bastid Cosecha 2020 by Olivier Riviere, a Frenchman who makes his wine in Rioja from 70%Macabeo(Viura) and 30% Grenache Blanc with a creamy, rich mineral finish that shows off the terroir.

Will got a Shisho & Blackened Lime Kombucha!

VIII-Freshwater Northern Territory Croc Wrapped on a Branch with fermented honey garum(Tasmanian sea urchin bottarga), Geraldton Wax and Tree Green Ants(that lime!) was next was another tender novel meat served with Koshihkari super yeasty sake made in Melbourne and will got green tomato, strawberry gum, non-alcoholic sour beer!

IX-Tempura Perilla(miso-ish hibiscus) Leaves filled with Smoked Crocodile Rib & Sea Urchin was a sandwich with BBQ croc tempura and native finger lime also with the urhcin bottarga. Forget about any sandwich you have ever eaten--this WINS!

We say that alligator is like chicken, but croc is more like a meaty fish, but really has no comparison.Towels were provided after!

X-Kangaroo Chawanmushi, Native Cherry, Mango & Tarragon is the famous Korean custard on crack with flavors out of this world.  This and the next course were paired with Fleurie Origines 2021 from Gregoire Hoppenot was a brilliant Beaujolais Gamay pairing. Will had a raspberry, wattle seed coffee that was quite sweet. 

XI-Wagyu Glazed in Ants & Chilli on a hot rock was a load of fun with tender loin strips and all the condiments cooked on the rock with Japanese white oak and sorrell.

XII-School Prawns with pickled Kadaku Plum, Desert Lime, Oyster & Saltbush has us back with white wine in a Chenin Blanc 2022 old vine from Blewitt Springs in nearby Adelaide Hills/McLaren Vale. Will had apricot nectar with horseradish, pickled basil and seeds. School prawns are small shrimp that travel in giant schools, and these were served grilled in an oyster shell with a tomato/prawn hot sauce.

XIII-Marron(the local crayfish that is like a lobster) was cooked in Botanical leaves with Brown butter, Lemon Myrtle and Fermented Chilli Sauce and while Will got a Marigold Verjus that was sweet, I had the divine sparkling Deviation Road, 2018 Adelaide Hills which is 50% chard/50% pinot noir infused with botanicals from the garden and made exclusively for the restaurant and indeed this dish.

XIV-Saltbush Seed, Wattle Seed & Mountain Pepper Flatbread arrived next with 

XV-Clam butter & clam jam for the bread 

XVI-"one bite wonder" was Davidson Plum sorbet with Lemon Verbena with a casing or skin from the plum with mountain pepper that was quite leathery but fun.

XVII-was a super rich Bonito, cured Bush tomato, sunrise lime and Botanic reserve Beluga caviar that was paired with Tasmanian Freycinet 2021 sparkling while Will got Passionberry sherry that was sour, spicy and gingery!

XVIII- and 19 paired with Ngeringa 2021 Adelaide Hills "Iluma Vineyard" Syrah was smooth and delicious and with no acidity while Will had a Bunya Bloodline pine-roasted bitter orane/native thyme/beetroot drink. 

XVIIIB-Juniper Smoked Emu was with fermented Apricot & macadamia, and this was served with four surrounding dishes:

A-Warrigal Green, Kangaroo Caramel, Emu Liver & roasted kelp

C-tender Kangaroo barely cooked with Camel Hump Lardo

D-Maitake Mushroom cooked medium rare with black garlic was very soy-tasting.

E-Illawrra Plum rolled in Ants and Coriander that had an intense lime flavor from those ants!

Another multi-course arrived:

XIX-A-Mt. Gamba Muntari Sorbet & plum Granita with hint of native basil & hibiscus leaf

B-Jasmine with Strawberry Gum and a Bundle of Flowers(spoon)

C-Garden Tea and Graden Vodka drinks were paired as an herbal palate cleanser

XX-Fallen Bunya Branches were roasted with Native Thyme & Wattle Seed 

Lemaro Amare with caramelized lemon was for me and a Brulle bitter lemon for Will and I got the yummy Disznoko Takaji 2019 Late Harvest

XXI was a multitude of desserts:

A-Chocolate Covered Lemon Balm with Botanic Seed

B-Shitake Fudge with dried pickled mushroom--WAS THIS WEIRD

C-Kangaroo tendon with salted koji(caramel)

D-Quandong(local stone fruit) Brulee that was our fave dessert

E-Duck Egg & Blood Lime--a vanilla-like drink from the egg

F-the whole Finger Lime--cooked 7 hours with yogurt and quite bitter-limey

That's all folks and yes all the photos are on FB.

This definitely rates and one of the most unique and wonderful meals EVER!!

Bravo to the entire team!!

Adelaide's FISHBANK is fab for fish and more (2-8-24)

 Our next stop in Australia was Adelaide, South Australia and we chose FISHBANK, literally across the street from our hotel as the fish here is so amazing everywhere. FISHBANK is actually in an old, converted bank and has super high ceilings, creating large noise reverberation, but a fun setting with a huge open kitchen at the rear set up more like a bar and with a video screen some 30feet long above it with watery video features. There is a cute bar at the center surrounded by stools and many tables oddly some with nice white tablecloths and some without! Our table was next to a noisy woman, but she left soon, and we were fine. It is hard to avoid the noise din here. The chairs also come in two types, very comfy and horrid, the banquettes are fine though.

Will ordered a Negroni to start and I chose a carafe of Akishika Shuzo 888 Sake as I know we were ordering sashimi here for sure.

Adristi explained the menu and was most helpful and we decided to order in groups so all the food did not come out, that kind of made the meal longer and delayed as we waited a long time for her to return to take the second order because so many larger groups had arrived. 

We ordered the Kingfish Kombu Jime which is yellowtail sashimi marinated for 3 hours in seaweed and served with finger lime, Tasmanian wasabi and pickled ginger. The Fresh Tuna Loin came with the same condiments as well as soy sauce. The dishes were excellent and oh so fresh and tasty. We ordered a bottle of Yalumba 2021 "Samuel's Collection" Viognier from Eden Valley in South Australia which had some acidity and went superbly with all the fish. We moved on to oysters trying the famous briny Rock Oysters from Wapengo in New South Wales and comparing them to the local Pacific Coffin Bay from South Australia; the latter won as they were so rich and creamy! They came with a wonderful peppery mignonette as well as Nuoc Cham sauce which would have totally overpowered the yummy mollusks.

Will ordered a Sesame Prawn Toast (I tasted it) with sweet chili sauce that was delightful and very prawn tasting with lots of chunks in it. We then shared a superb novel dish called Whipped Scallop with Swordfish Biltong and Mushroom that was indeed a scallop mousse, if you will, that seemed to have no mushroom but was topped with dried swordfish slices that were amazing; someone has to package these!

We shared a superb dish called KFC-Korean Fried Cauliflower that also had pickled cauliflower and garlic butter and while a bit spicy was a perfect vegetable creation.

Will opted for a Tuna Slider with Smoked Bacon on a Toasted Brioche which I tasted and it was yummy but quite rich and I was getting full; he declared it delicious.

We shared a Citrus Tart with snap fruits and cultured cream for dessert and all the photos are on FB including those of the toilets in the vault below the bank!

Tonight is BOTANIC the dining experience considering one of the most exotic and finest in all Australia!!

--

Sydney's ARIA is simply awesome (2-7-24)

 Our last night in Sydney was another elegant space opposite the opera house and appropriately called ARIA. 

There are no more than two dozen tables in this small space surrounded by circular glass and very comfy leather seats overlooking the Sydney Opera and Harbour Bridge. We settled in with hickory smoked Patron silver  madecocktails with Ferrand dry Curaçao and black salt rims which packed a punch.

It turns out the sommelier Kyle comes from the Bronx, and he gave us magnificent suggestions. Our white was a Yangarra Roux Beaute from the Claire Valley made from Rousanne and offered a creamy mineral finish. The half bottle of Ati Rangi Crimson 2022 Pinot Noir from Marlborough in New Zealand needed bit more heft for our duck course...we shall stay with Australian wines from now on.

Since we had had such a large lunch, we opted to not take the tasting menu and instead had the a la carte four course meal which was still a huge event that lasted 3-1/2 hours! Our tastes are so similar that we both chose virtually all the same courses.

Amuses arrived in the form of a gougères smothered with gruyere cheese, but they were oddly room temperature. The duck liver parfait was divine, but odd that they said it had cranberry after just asking us if we had allergies and told them we avoid grapefruit, cranberry and licorice!!

Our first course was a divine K'gari Spinner Crab with tomato, fermented chili consommé poured tableside and yummy green strawberries. The broth had a slight spice to it and the entire dish was truly wonderful. We get very spoiled with the best crab in the world from Maryland, but this was pretty damn good stuff.

Parker house rolls from Sonoma bakery(outside Sydney, not California!) arrived warm with cultured butter and a decadent kombi-chicken jus butter that I wanted to take home!

Our server Giovanni was from Napoli and he also was super helpful and Kyle kept checking in to make sure we were happy and the wine was poured.  Coral Prawn Ravioli with Tarragon, Lemon and Espalette was served by one of the chefs and will pinned his southern UK accent within miles. He poured the rich Sauce Americaine which was a decadent lobster reduction made with a hint of crime fraiche. Not only were the raviolis stuffed with huge chunks of amazingly tasty prawn but also there were five or six pieces of prawn in the dish itself around the ravioli and in the gorgeous sauce.  Luckily there was one roll left to finish off the superb sauce!

Our main course was the crispiest and most flavorful Maremma(named for the dogs that herd them) duck aged 14 days and served with Cavallo Nero or Tuscan kale, Wit-Lof, which is the local name for endive, which was  stuffed with duck confit and the dish was topped of with cherries and cherry gel. An onion purée rounded out this amazing dish that was one of the best ducks ever.

Since I wanted to try the cheese course for dessert, we decided to split that first and it came with a nutty Crunchy dry cheddar, as well as a cheese called Holy Goat LaLuna which was gooey and heavenly,  a Long Paddock blue as well as a wash rind cheese that was so fabulous I wrote the name down to try and find it again-- Woombye from South Queensland. This was our first really fabulous Australian cheese plate and it came with honeycomb, Pickled figs, Calvados infused apricots and flatbread.

 A pre-dessert arrived first in the form of strawberry sorbet olive oil coconut cream and lemon curd which was a great palate cleanser.

We split the desert as well, which was a Chocolate Mousse cake with chocolate ice cream, Caramel Passion fruit gel and Valhrona cocoa crumble.

We loved every bite of this our last meal in Sydney until we return in a month on the cruise..off to Adelaide next.

Shangri-La's ALTITUDE in Sydney will take you to new heights (2-7-24)

 Yesterday afternoon for lunch the sales manager of the Shangri-La hotel invited us to the 36th floor, the top floor of the magnificent Shangri-La Hotel where we were staying all week ,for a fabulous lunch which is served in Altitude with magnificent sweeping views over the entire City and Sydney Harbour. While our suite was 2 floors below and the views were similar, there was no way we could cook up a magnificent meal like the team at ALTITUDE did.

The lunch and dinner menu here is quite varied with many options from a la carte to tasting and set courses, so I thought I was being smart by just asking for two small dishes and started with a magnificent Wagyu Pastrami MBS 6+( which stands for the marbling level here in Australia). It was served with textures of corn, a rouille saffron crisp, orange, almond and basil oil. What a treat, and the meat was as lean as it gets with magnificent marbling, but not really fat, The wine was a 2022 Riesling from Frankland Estate in Western Australia called "Isolation Ridge" which we fell in love with up in Uluru.

My next course was a super tender Kangaroo Tatami with Cultured Yogurt and Lemon Leaf, Kutjera Bush Tomato Chutney, BBQ kohlrabi, macadamia nuts and Nasturtium leaves that just melted in my mouth. The chutney using the amazing local bush tomatoes was miraculous. A magnificent 2015 Torbreck(we shall visit the winery this weekend!) "Descendant" Shiraz from Barossa was awesome.

Will started with the Roasted Cauliflower and Turnip with Za'atar, almond, pomegranate, capers and green herb vinaigrette and finished with the same pastrami I started with. Fasi, our supreme host, had the tuna tartare and sirloin.

It was a wonderful meal but way too much food for the middle of the day and we  tried to hike it off at the Australian Museum!

Sydney's FISH at the ROCKS is a tad on the rocks (2-4-24)

 Back in Syndey after a full day hiking through and exploring the magnificent Blue Mountains to the west with our super guide Norman we were pretty hungry and headed around the corner for some fresh fish at FISH AT THE ROCKS. It's a small unassuming place with maybe twenty tables. The woman at the counter asked if we had a reservation and we did, but she could not find it. I looked at the computer and saw Will's name mispelled(Stephenson) as well as 745pm, not 7pm. They seated us and we noticed the couple behind us said they had a reservation as well and nobody could find it; they were finally seated after she produced the email confirmation. It was confusing.

We ordered a bottle of Vasse Felix Premier 2022 Chardonnay from the Margaret River region in Western Australia which we had up north and loved its nice acidity and slightly oaky flavor. We had questions on the menu, but the woman who was serving seemed confused. We finally asked where she was from, and it turned out she was French from the Alps and had only worked there for a couple of weeks. 

We got some answers from the woman who seemed to be in charge and ordered. Will did not choose as well as I did, and while the food was very good for me, his was just okay. My starter was Queensland Panko-crusted Crab Cakes with a Gochujang Mayo (more of that would have been nice) which came with a julienne salad which was basically 2 tablespoons of slaw. The crab cakes are a tad creamier here than what we like at home, but were quite tasty. Will had the Crab & Prawn Spring Rolls with Asian Slaw(same as me, but a tad more) and a Nuoc Nam(fish) dipping sauce, which again there could have been more of. we noticed the starters (called entrees here) run in the 20$AUD(about $15-18US) and mains are only a tad more at $30-45AUD($20-30US). 

Will's main was Fish & Chips made with local Flathead, beer batter chips(fries) and Lemon Tartare Sauce. He was hoping for those thick cut UK-style chips which did not come and he said the fish had too much batter and did not live up to UK standards.

My BBQ'd Moreton Bay Bugs (I had to enquire as to what these were) were fabulous. These specialties are somewhere between a giant prawn and lobster tail and came with a kick ass XO dipping sauce and a nice-sized Greek salad on the side. I would order these delicacies again anywhere, even at the $90AUD($60US) price as it is more than a full-size lobster as I got 7 of these yummy bugs! I let Will finish the Chard and had a glass of Ponting 127 Shiraz 2021 from Barossa as my dish was quite strong and these guys stood up well to a big red with that XO sauce.

We were full and exhausted so headed back to our suite with no dessert.

Sydney's QUAY comes up with views, consummate cuisine and wins (2-4-24

 Back in Sydney after our treks to the outback and rainforest, we settled into our magnificent suite overlooking the city and headed just down the block for dinner to QUAY which sits in the cruise terminal at the very end overlooking the Harbour Bridge, the Sydney Opera House and Walsh Bay. We were in heaven with the view and when our server Aynsley explained the menu we locked into a tasting menu(there are two choices) that was shorter, but ended up adding the cheese course and paired Australian sommelier wines for each course. It was an amazing journey that Chef Peter Gilmore and hi team took us through touching on all local ingredients that never stopped delighting and tantalizing our tastes buds.

Amuses arrived in the form of two unique treats: A Kombu seaweed tarte with creme fraiche and caviar and a totally wild Salted Savory Whit Chocolate "snail shape" filled with Oyster Cream and caviar!! Our mouths were in heaven.

Our first wine was Western Asutralia Frankland Estate 2011 Riesling "Isolation Ridge" from the Frankland River region that we never heard of. It had intense mineral and limestone taste and was as dry as can be and paired amazingly with our first course of Wild Tasmanian Blacklip Abalone, Young Bamboo, raw Aborlhos Island(extreme western Australia NW of Perth) scallops with seaweed and aged vinegar. This dish was all about the fish and featured the abalone and scallop brilliantly (unlike the same scallop we ha the week before smothered in lamb ragu!).

Our second wine was richer, but with an acidity to cut the food that worked as well: Cirillo Semillion 2019 from Barossa (where we head this weekend!) "Ancestor Vine 1850." The second course was Smoked Eel Cream with Sea Cucumber Crackling, Murray cod roe and flowers and the richness of the dish needed the wine indeed. (all photos on FB!!)

Course #3 was a "bonus" not on the menu of gorgeous crumpets (think English muffin on crack_ with a decadent truffle butter...then towels came to wipe our fingers! It was served with a Junmai Sake Kirei 92 from Hiroshima that we loved, but could have been a tad colder.

Course #4 was Southern Squid with Pipis(a local barnacle-like animaL0, Chrysanthemum buds, Barletta onion, Hispi(cabbage) stems, boiled pin-striped peanuts(the chef brought these from Brazil and grows them here), Umami Custard (made from shitakes), Shmaltz(YES!!) and Garum(fermented anchovy). We adored the Southern Australia Sauvignon Blanc from Terre a Terre (owned by French champagne-maker Bollinger!) 2012 which may be old but drank like a dream.

Native freshwater Marron is a local shellfish akin to crayfish and came with Bone Marrow Pasta, Summer Squash and Fresh Peita, It had a great lemony flavor and was paired with Solero No. 2 Wild Savagnin(another new grape) from Yarra Valley.

Our main course(no photo) was New South Wales 7-day aged pasture raised Duck with roasted lettuce, black garlic, Agretti(an unctuous saltwort!!) and it was paired with Murry River Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 from Voyager Estate.

Our cheese course was totally wild and was paired with Yangarra Shoraz 2015 from McLaren Vale, but we were totally confused by the description, taste and presentation. Very outre indeed. One was a goat with walnuts, the other a kind of cheese layered Napoleon.

Dessert was a gorgeous presentation of White Coral made from lychee, rose, vanilla and nectarine and was paired with Chalmers 2021 Moscato Giallo "Appasiamento" from Heathook in Victoria.

What a night!!

More treats came as we wobbled home up the hill to our hotel.