Fresh bread, lovely spreads (tuna in olive oil, Echire & passion fruit butters).
Amuse bouche of bouillabaisse, capsicum crisp & lobster ice cream (a bizarre sorbet-ish item with the flavour of chilled lobster).
Oyster shooters (French Tsarskaya in vanilla margarita, a blend of sauza tequila, vanilla & fresh lime, alongside French Fin de Claire in absolut vodka, tomato & celery). A slippery treat that should be slurped down all at once.
Roasted monkfish loin with fava bean cassoulet. Similar to one of Pacifica's offerings during last October's MIGF promo, except that this monkfish came with potato gnocchi and was soaked in a superbly flavourful star anis broth, instead of the MIGF version's unmemorable Madeira broth. Tweaking a recipe can produce more satisfying results after all.
Boston lobster poached in its own oil with cucumber vinaigrette. Fresh-tasting and succulent; also a variation of an MIGF item, but with an additional side of lightly battered lobster with a horseradish-laced, densely textured mousse.
Halibut fillet steak with Cafe de Paris butter sauce, chanterelle mushrooms, oxtail tortelloni & lettuce chiffonade. A complex combo, though the fish was not the star of this platter; we preferred the pleasantly earthy mushrooms, as well as the tortelloni, which provided a beefy meatiness to complement the firm, fleshy fish.
Chocolate oyster (Albaco choc shaped as an oyster, filled with green tea crumble, vanilla custard & Meyer's lemon jelly). A creative dessert, with a sweet, powerfully rich flavour.
Sauvignon, Marques de Riscal, Rioja (Spain).
Pacifica,
Mandarin Oriental.
