LuMi Bar & Dining

Hello Munchkins!
I'm back and I must confess it was a little harder than usual to get back into the blogging groove. This year has been fast paced, hectic and jam-packed with foodie amazing-ness that I can't wait to share. And how is it already May, pray tell?! First up is my peek at LuMi Bar & Dining, which has revived the obscure Pyrmont wharf where it can be found. P.S. get ready to feel zen at this incredible absolute waterfront that money can't buy (especially not in this town).

Veal tartare: a technicolour treat of veal, tarragon emulsion, roasted capsicums and buckwheat. Such a stunner, one of my favourite dishes of the night, brought to life with the textural buckwheat and astringent tarragon purée. You already had me at tartare...

Your first task is to locate this little restaurant, where few Sydneysiders have ventured before. It is tucked away with little signage from the main walkway along the water but the glow from dozens of light globes may be a clue (like a moth to a flame). The dining room clearly takes a leaf from the Scandinavians (devotees to minimalism), with a simple, modernist fit-out in hues of purple and green and looong open kitchen. The galaxy of bulbs that glow above you during your meal are more than perfect for the aptly named restaurant (which actually combines the names of Chef Zanellato's daughters Luna and Mia).

"You are confined only by the walls you create" - a window safety warning gets all philosophical on us. Now this is a room with a view

Chef Federico Zanellato had been honing his skills as head chef at top notch restaurant Ormeggio at the Spit before paddling out to have a crack himself. I think Italian-Japanese fusion is an interesting point of difference although Zanellato plays to his strengths with strictly Italian flavours (and I'm grateful for that). Although, the spin on chawanmushi was pushing the boundaries a little too far for me. With plenty of carbohydrates to keep myself happy, the eight course tasting menu flowed seamlessly and the service was outstanding.

Some snacks to accompany the first round of cocktails: cheese tartlet and corn, pistachio and horseradish on cos lettuce and potato and rosemary focaccia (left). Salt and vinegar rice chip (left). A few tasty morsels to get the tastebuds going - the rice crisp was by far the best

Chawanmushi: a Japanese inspired steamed custard, that brings together classic Italian flavours of tomato and basil. Mind-bending but I can't go past the original I'm afraid!

White cucumber with apple and sour cream. Someone has gone to town with a disc cutter here! A gorgeous dish that evokes Disney princesses and fairytales.  A lovely and light salad with sweet and sharp notes

Spelt ravioli with pumpkin, burnt butter, avruga (caviar, darling) and chives. Isn't this simply spectacular?! The pasta was definitely the star of the show, little translucent delicacies that explode their pumpkin filling in the mouth ¡Ay, caramba! 

Spaghetti alla Chitarra: scampi, bottarga (salted fish roe) and orange beurre blanc. A rich and creamy spaghetti that is not for the faint hearted. The scampi, scarcely cooked singing with notes from the sea (thanks to the bottarga). The pasta itself, silky and jet-black. So. Delicious.

Pork jowl with spinach, celeriac and quinoa. After those pasta dishes that took the cake, it's hard to keep up that level of excitement (for me anyway). The jowl, although cooked perfectly was a little lack lustre in terms of the completeness of the dish. It misses that imagination and creativity captured so well with other dishes. The portion size was also rather small

And then there was, DOLCE.

'Evergreen' - sorrel, lemon basil, mint shiso and parsley (left) and ginger ice cream, white chocolate, passionfruit and yoghurt crumble (right). The first dessert went a little stir-crazy with all the herbaceous inclusions. Although keeping to a theme, each element was competing on the plate and clashed. It needed another element to mellow everything out. The ginger ice cream was definitely a step up with a subtle, more muted flavour. Just a trace... 

LuMi Bar & Dining certainly sets its heights high with a bold fusion menu that intrigues. Chef Zanellato and team have ambition written all over this project and are to be commended on their efforts. The pasta dishes were easily a stand-out and show off the obvious talent in the kitchen. LuMi is an exciting addition onto the Sydney scene that is groaning with all the burger joints and barbecues cropping up everywhere. Enter a class act with plenty of finesse. Prego!

Thanks for reading gang!
xGourmand

Ippudo Central Park

A shrill "Irasshaimase!" rings out as you step through the curtained doorway. An instantly recognisable welcome, Ippudo is about to debut its second Sydney restaurant. Ippudo Central Park, along with several other ramen establishments have swooped onto the Sydney dining scene and swaddled us in a blanket of tonkotsu and egg noodles. Oh my! Set to open in early October, their second venue joins in the vertical garden fun at Central Park in Chippendale. Shiny and new, this outlet will likely do as well as their first restaurant; delivering pork buns and ramen soup noodles to exacting standards.

Ippudo's slick panelled interior, with everything just so

Since 1985, what first started as a noodle shop in Fukuoka, Ippudo has expanded greatly now with outlets across Japan and the world. The menu offers a nice selection of noodle soups, predominantly using a tonkotsu soup base (made from slow cooked pork bones). But if Ippudo is known for one thing, it would have to be their pork buns - made from a fluffy sweet dough, each has a slice of pork belly and is a delicious morsel with a dash of Japanese mayonnaise.
Sadly, on this visit the pork buns were unavailable! Something I had been looking forward to as well. What a shame!

How refreshing, a place that is actually lit! Nothing worse than having to divine the menu...

With quick and efficient service, each dish came out as if carefully choreographed from the kitchen. The service on the night was impeccable, something that the Ippudo staff pride themselves on. The choice was easy, each soup noodle has a "Special" option which includes additional pork belly, boiled egg and toppings. Top tip: highly recommended for a man-sized meal! If you're looking for value for money, perhaps Ippudo is not the best choice. A bowl of ramen (albeit a BIG one) can cost you close to $25. The staff will also ask how you would like your noodles cooked - this was something new and a nice touch.

Seared salmon sushi: temari salmon sushi served with mentai mayo sauce and avocado. This dish was a good one and highly recommended. Super fresh salmon wraps sushi rice and a generous dollop of sauce, a burst of flavour with each mouthful

Another glorious close up. Hungry yet?

Miso Tonkotsu Ramen Special: pork broth infused with red miso, topped with pork belly, cabbage, bean sprout, bamboo shoots and corn. This dish is new on the menu, the soup was rich in flavour but on the saltier side. The pork, cooked perhaps slightly over

Shiromaru Special: original tonkotsu broth with thin noodles, flavoured egg, simmered pork belly, roasted seaweed, flavoured black mushrooms, flavoured bamboo shoots and spring onions. This is a classic Hakata dish - a very light broth with subtle pork flavours and toppings galore! The pork belly was nice and tender, and rather fatty!

Ippudo Central Park certainly succeeds in giving us a Japanese ramen restaurant for a quick and easy meal. Perfect for a cold winter's day this is comfort food at its best. Might I add that the little roasted sesame seed grinder is a brilliant addition to the table, making for  delicious seasoning (which I became slightly obsessed by). For all the perks, occasionally the noise emanating from the kitchen and wait staff can become quite clamorous, particularly at the peak of service. Ippudo is set to become a staple amongst Chippendale and Chinatown residents regardless. I suggest you give it a whirl, if at least once. And, hello food baby!

Lights, camera, action! October 2nd is the official opening

Thanks for reading!
xGourmand

Gourmand dined courtesy of Ippudo Central Park (Level 1 RB07, 28 Broadway, Chippendale). Thank you for having me!

Cho Cho San

Jonathan Barthlemess and his assembled A-team have taken Macleay St by storm, again. This time with a touch of Japanese flair, Cho Cho San has taken over the former Shogun restaurant site replacing old world Japanese with new. Potts Point has always been a delectable melting pot of restaurants and bars so a new opening like this is always looked keenly upon. Strolling towards the restaurant, CCS is lit up like a beacon, attracting hipsters like moths to a flame. The media has certainly done a great job creating a stir around this place. I was almost surprised not to see a mob at the door clamouring to get in.

Skipping straight to dessert! The rather lush steamed yuzu pudding, perfect for this cool blustery weather. The yuzu in this dish served as a little palette cleanser. Topped with cream to seal the deal

Let me just put it out there that this is a gorgeous restaurant, with minimalist hues of white, birch ply and bare concrete. Employing once again, the services of interior designer George Livissianis who has rendered one of the most photogenic restaurants in town. The backlit ceiling is punctuated with perforated beams which hide the air conditioning and audio system, also acting as sound absorbers. The soundtrack, as if straight from my own playlist (weird) features SBTRKT, Glass Animals and Lorde. So far, CCS is getting big ticks.

The geometry of the table settings; the food is certainly designed to share

Following the successes of The Apollo, Cho Cho San takes loose inspiration from Japanese cuisine which has been rejigged into something rather new and exciting. Combining the very best seafood Australia has to offer with more traditional techniques of pickling (all. the. rage.) and grilling over a hibachi; Barthelmess has created a menu that is adaptable. Be it for some casual drinks at the bar with snacks or a veritable feast, it all works. Mind you, the good stuff doesn't come cheap (but what does in Sydney these days). What's more, they open 7 days so you can maximise your chances of getting a table (so not kidding here). Failing that they're also open for lunch Fri-Sun. 

Down the barrel, communal dining at its best. The bar seats have little bag hooks so all your devices are within easy reach, haha Credit: Hayley Morgan for Two Thousand

Already, in its early days there are some crowd favourites. I had read the high praise for the fried chicken alone (done) in Gourmet Traveller and seen their soft-serve cones all over Instagram and the like. Initially a vibrant green tea version, the ice cream and the menu have had a few seasonal tweaks to change things up. The service was excellent, and staff were happy to accommodate for dietary requirements at the table. It was all good fun going through the procession of dishes we had ordered (crazies), almost like a custom degustation. Roll up!

From the raw bar: Petuna ocean trout, black pepper and wasabi (left) and Tuna, avocado and pickled eggplant (right). Both of these dishes were delicious, not only because I am a total sucker for sashimi. Sliced to order, the fish was of phenomenal freshness and quality. I probably could have polished them off myself!

Fried Chicken. Simple in name but there are some subtleties to delivering one this good.  There's a lot more finesse involved in creating a dish like this. Tender and juicy chicken, still succulent and piping hot with a familiar crispy, crunch on the outside. Be warned, the wasabi mayo is addictive

Prawn buns (left) and fried miso eggplant (right). No boa for us, these prawn buns were super tasty, I think fresh prawns and kewpie had a lot to do with that. But at $9 a piece...REALLY?! The eggplant was a nice dish but I tend to prefer the more traditional version  of nasu dengaku (miso glazed roasted eggplant)

Japanese charcoal chicken, read: spatchcock. The bird was cooked really well, with a delicious black charry crust (the best bit). Finger lickin' good

King crab omelette, Japanese curry. A very mild curry flavour allows the crab to shine through. The egg was also nice and soft, not overcooked and dense

Teriyaki T-bone, onion salad. Simply delicious, mop up the dark soy sauce and let the meat do the talking. Thank goodness it came ready carved

Miso cod, celery, ginger (left) and brown rice, shitake mushroom, egg (right). The former dish sort of faded into the background compared to some of the more tasty dishes. The cod was cooked well but none of the miso really came through over the burnt crust. And at $40, was rather meagre. The fried rice was respectable, and a good way to marry everything together

Two green lights: banana soft-serve cone, peanut, caramel. I make no apologies for the amount of food we managed to order. The ice cream was the perfect way to finish the meal. The salted caramel was perfectly balanced but still allowing the banana flavour to come through. Bringing out the inner child in each of us - a triumph!

Cho Cho snow: ginger custard topped with shaved ice, jackfruit. A nice little number but I was a bit distracted by the ice creams. Sorry

In all its bright and spangly newness, Cho Cho San is the place to be. An oasis all in white and timber, CCS represents a rather exciting venture in Potts Point. Offering a rather watered down version of Japanese cuisine, this is dining for the well-to-do masses. Ultimately, the variety of dishes and balance in flavours wins you over - it's almost all too easy. When The Apollo burst onto the scene, critics were quick to sing its praises for bringing a renewed energy and innovation to the dining scene. I think it might be time for round two! 

Cho Cho San, positively glowing Credit: Tom Ferguson for Yellow Trace

Thanks for reading!

xGourmand

Sushisamba

If there's one venue in London that's been hit by the hype machine, it's Sushisamba. Seats have never been such hot property than at this fusion restaurant nestled near the top of Heron Tower. Downstairs to its decidedly tame buddy Duck & Waffle, Sushisamba lets its hair down in a tumble of bamboo and hanging light globes. If you're confused by the name, you're not alone. Describing itself as blending Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian influences I see this going only one of two ways: to soaring heights or a crushing low. And so the bar is set, and it's about 39 storeys high.

Yellowtail Sashimi Tiradito with lemongrass and jalapeño. The yellowtail was a bit on the fishy side for me i.e. could be fresher (shame!). The dipping sauce gave a nice spicy kick however

The Sushisamba name has officially gone global with venues also in Miami beach (well, duh) and Vegas. As you stroll casually into this vast space, you feel like you're at a nightclub in broad daylight...Ou est le dancefloor? CetraRuddy who took charge of the interior design really went to town with a restaurant floor bordering on the excess. I do appreciate the leather 'luggage strap' seats, they look great (and are really comfy). This is a restaurant designed for A-listers and Ibiza-type party people, and I notice the lounge area perfectly positioned for people watching. As for me? I'm hoping there's a bit of substance amongst all this style. I just want some decent nosh (it's all I ask for)!

If it's wow factor they were going for, they have it in spades. The rather dramatic bamboo and light feature sets the scene for a different kind of dining experience... Source: Pure Consult

One glance at the menu and you know it's not for the faint hearted, not only for the unusual flavour combinations but also the prices. Prepare to do some serious damage. If you fancy trying the ishi yaki (grilled) wagyu it'll only set you back a tidy 49 pounds ;) And the serves are not big here, let me tell you. If there's one thing that I will give credit for, it's concept. All those preconceived ideas about food in London being dull and lifeless are about to come crashing down.

Crispy taquitos: wagyu, avocado and shichimi mayonnaise. These were a standout of the meal for me. Delicioso! The combination of wagyu and avocado were divine. This was the perfect dish with a generous squeeze of lime. Must. Try.

Tuna seviche with pomegranate leche de tigre (say what?), maiz morado (translation?), wasabi peas and basil. I thought this dish looked stunning when it came out, like edible artwork. Although the foam was rendered a bit superfluous once it disappeared. After a while the flavours in the seviche sort of amalgamated together, so it ends up all tasting the same with an overwhelming, vinegary aftertaste - am I painting a picture here?

Ezo samba roll: soy marinated salmon, asparagus, onion, chive, sesame, tempura crunch, soy paper and wasabi mayo. Who needs nori when you've got soy paper? This was quite an interesting element. I could happily have eaten this roll with raw salmon (instead of seared). A bit more mayo would have been ideal

Pork ribs, BBQ miso, pickled yuzu apple. What can I say, you can't go wrong with meat that pulls of the bone like this did and a bit of stickiness from the glaze that coats the fingers...yes.

Teriyaki poussin, japanese-style mayonnaise, yuzu kosho. Poussin is basically a fancy name for a young chicken. The salty soy hit from the teriyaki sauce went beautifully well with the mayonnaise (which was itself a high point). A good effort, and the meat was well cooked

The Brazilian-Peruvian-Japanese fusion thing is admirably conceived and executed. As if going through some sort of identity crisis, the only similarity I can see between those cuisines is the use of raw fish (i.e. sashimi and ceviche). It still remains a little on the weird side and 'niche' for me, but I have to applaud the effort of it all. The plating for one is some of the best I've seen; full of vibrancy and delicate touches. Perhaps this has come at the expense of developing flavour. The more traditional Japanese dishes, the sushi and sashimi were nothing to write home about sadly. But look, it's difficult to criticise this emerging empire which is doing so fantastically well i.e. book well ahead. As a unique dining 'experience' Sushisamba certainly gets top marks; just be wary of becoming a victim of the hype.

My rather amateur photog effort - I'm blaming the equipment here! Haha

Thanks for reading!

xGourmand

Ume (Eat Art)

If the Eat Art Food Truck were to have a stationary cousin, Ume would surely be it. Opened in 2012 by husband & wife team Kerby Craig and Hiroko Muranishi, this Japanese establishment has taken over the old Bistrode site on 478 Bourke St (talk about prime real estate!). Ume, translating to plum in English has achieved quiet success in true Japanese fashion earning a well deserved One Chef's Hat in the 2014 SMH Good Food Guide. 

From an inconspicuous shopfront in Surry Hills hides this dynamite Japanese restaurant - who'da thunk it? That cherry blossom mural is the real deal, beautiful.  Photo credit: Ume

There's no need for white tablecloths, the vibe is decidedly casual but there is room for a bit of a Saturday night dress up. Muranishi does a fantastic job navigating the front of house staff. Every table gets your undivided attention, all delivered with a cheery smile. Crack open a cold Kirin or be adventurous and go for a tokkuri of premium sake (and burn from the inside). Perfect for date night, if you ask me!

Now, to the business end:

This dish needs no introductions, it has been splashed proudly across all forms of media. Seared scallop carpaccio: soy brown butter, finger limes, young sorrel, dulse (red seaweed). A dream to look at and a dream to eat, if you're into raw molluscs (I pretty much polished off the whole thing...whoops). The flavours here are completely harmonious and the herbs/roe add a nice textural overtone (off I rant). Order this dish okay, I BEG YOU.

The 'Shiki no salad' is definitely no slouch: roast heirloom carrots, fried brussel sprouts, dashi custard, wild herbs, soy & ginger dressing. This dish was certainly an unexpected pleasure. The health benefits of Brussels sprouts are properly nullified by chucking them in the fat fryer but OMG YUM. The dashi custard was a brilliant addition to a total work of food art. Bow.

I mean, come on. How can you even eat that? It is too gorgeous, the Tako: Fremantle sustainable 'giant' octopus, shio koji potato, baby sun rose, pickled lime juice and soy. I really like the idea of the small plate at Ume, feel free to order a bit of everything - or let the kitchen choose by doing the 6 course degustation for a measly $80. You'd be a fool (like us, actually) to say no!

Wagyu 'sukiyaki style' (Ryugin 2010): David Blackmore Wagyu 9+, yaki dofu (grilled tofu), shimeji, nasturtium, soy-mirin reduction, onsen tamago (boiled egg). By this point we were a bit soy-sauced out (if that's even possible). The flavours were quite mild but after a while all the soy-based dressings started to meld together.  As an aside, who knew that wagyu marbling scores went up to 12? Not I. Have a squiz at this truly impressive pdf about Wagyu Grading Standards. Scary stuff.

And to round off the evening, a spot of DOLCE:

The dessert known by one name: Mandarin. Mandarin tofu, frozen green tea, dehydrated cocoa mousse, mochi, mandarin sorbet. I'm sorry to say this dish was a bit of a downer. All the elements ended up a bit confused on the plate and didn't necessarily suit. This is a classic example of the contrived constructed/deconstructed (which is it, pray tell?) dessert.

Making moves in a shoe-box. Ume keeps doing its thing with minimal fuss, which provides a refreshing change from all those hipster taco/burger joints spreading across Sydney like wildfire. It just shows you the power of 'trending', doesn't it. Photo credit: Ume

I must say, my dinner at Ume was thoroughly enjoyable. For the most part I was getting good vibes, especially from that delicately flavoured and balanced Japanese fusion menu. Props must go to the Craig and his kitchen. It's a great spot to keep in mind. Welcome to the 'hood Ume, enchantée.

Thanks for reading
xGourmand

Sepia

I must be a sucker for punishment.
This was going to be my 2nd degustation in 2 days. Yep, I must be mad. Presenting, gastronomic blowout #4!

I was headed to Sepia to celebrate a friend's birthday. Yes, Sixpenny would be a hard act to follow but how could one refuse? It would be rude not to. Anyway, the timing was impeccable. Sepia is just one of those restaurants, easily up there with Sydney big-guns Marque & Quay. I have always wanted to go there and now I had my chance. I was going for the culinary (degustation) trifecta. Wish me luck!

The grand entrance: great big double doors welcome you into one of Sydney's culinary institutions. Photo credit: KE-ZU

Since opening in 2009, the Sepia mantlepiece has gotten rather crowded with all those hats and stars jostling for position. Sepia has retained 3 hats (SMH Good Food Guide) for the past 2 years and bespectacled Chef Martin Benn has previously been Chef of the Year (Good Food Guide 2011). Numerous Young Chefs of the Year have also issued from Sepia's doors. More recently Sepia was named #3 restaurant (after Marque & Quay, funnily enough) in the country by Australian Gourmet Traveller Magazine (2013). I could go on forever here but I'll spare you ;)

The dining room was a relatively simple affair, dark timber dining tables (on the larger side, I felt I was leaning in all the time) and comfortable chairs. I was surprised that we were 'sans' tablecloths here, but that's fine. Times are a changin' and laundering bills can cost a mint! And I wouldn't be dining in Australia if it wasn't very very dark in the restaurant (um, someone here would really like to be able to see the food?) ...that box was well and truly ticked.

The first obstacle was hit when were each given a wine list to leisurely "peruse". Jeepers, the thing was a 36-page tome. Thanks must go to Sommelier of the Year, Rodney Setter (Good Food Guide 2013)! Scheiße. I was way out of my depth here. So I had no hesitation in enlisting the help of the trusty sommelier. HELP! I'm quite easily convinced when it comes to wine recommendations. Must go to more wine tastings to fix this...

My dining companions hopped on board to tackle the degustation with matched wines. I abstained, not wanting to do myself in after last night's feasting episode. The Riedel glasses were on high rotation at our table (that is a heck of a lot of washing up). The sommelier was an extremely busy man, dashing like a headless chook between tables and was kitted out with a very impressive looking trolley decked out with decanters, ice buckets, half opened bottles and candle (??). Prior to each wine course, we would get a little spiel, where they came from (we traversed the globe many times over) and with way too many adjectives. I was also straining to hear as they verbal diarrhoed (ah, lol) at an almighty pace. A lot of the descriptions were way over my head - oaky and fruity I can grasp but 'silky' and 'notes of spice'? Sorry pal, but I'm out.

Let me give you a run down of our night (all 10 courses of it)!
1. Reverse nigiri, toro, soy wasabi, sushi rice, nori - the ultimate amuse to get us going. This little tuna morsel was delicious, might we have more? The Japanese style is miles away from the contemporary Australian of last night but I can't complain!

2. Kingfish bacon, citrus soy, olive oil, smoked trout roe - a little Heston trickery to throw into the mix. The roe was da bomb (English has suddenly escaped me). 


3. Beetroot butter, sheep milk chèvre, rhubarb, apple balsamic, rye, goat milk crisp - so so pretty. The creaminess of the beetroot butter/puree and the cheese was divine. Unfortunately we were given the wrong dining implements, a clunking Japanese wooden spoon to tackle this dish...uh how do I eat this?

My my my, ain't it stunning? The shards are too cool for school.

4. Poached Queensland tiger prawn skinn, white asparagus, samphire, sea parsley, hijiki citrus dashi - the texture of the prawn completely blew my mind. I'm definitely admiring the amount of work that has gone into this. 

My socks were just knocked off. I was a bit chuffed when I recognised the samphire garnish - boo yeah.

As we were getting into the swing of things we noticed that were had some very enthusiastic waiters. We heard "Sorry to interrupt" many times as the degustation rolled on. Otherwise it all went very smoothly. Have I used the well-oiled-machine analogy too many times now? At times the wait staff were so anxious to explain the dish that they were jittery and bumbling a little. I was tempted to tell them to calm down a little! It is O-K. I'm sure people don't mind slash care too much.

 5. Glazed and smoked freshwater eel, yuzu curd, green almonds, tapioca, licorice watercress and nasturtium = my favourite so far. I'm such a sucker for an eel dish. The yuzu curd was a sort of lemon curd that worked really well, surprisingly. The tapioca pearls (old mate), give a little nod to the Snapper @ Gastro Park.

Le Eel, C'est chic: a photo captured in no-light conditions can't do this dish justice I'm afraid.

 6. Saikyo miso braised pork belly, Corella pear, pickled water chestnuts, spanner crab and crackling, garlic flowers - this dish comes a very close second. The textures of the pork and the water chestnuts are bang on (to borrow a Jamie Oliver-esque phrase).

Each dish was but a 'taster' but you had so many flavours for your palate to contend with, it's quite unbelievable.

7. Seared rolled David Blackmore wagyu beef, chestnut mushrrom, roasted red onion juice, onion cream, wasabi, fried potato and kombu crumb, citrus soy -  served with a salad of micro greens on the side (with this adorable little wooden tongs), this wagyu was naturally cooked very well. The potato crumb was a nice addition but there wasn't much else to recommend here - the eel and pork were too good!

The rather tiny main event: the boys were dismayed at the meagre portioning of this dish i.e. where's the rest of it/my steak?! 

8. Pre-dessert #1: Caramelized honey mousse, lemon sorbet, camomile and lemon granita, white chocolate and toasted oats - sounds like a lot but it's all rather compact in a degustation. A nice palette cleanser for us to soldier on!

9. Pre-dessert #2: Mulberries, pineapple, buttermilk and tarragon, shortbread - a great combination. You don't see mulberries around all that much!

10. IT. What a way to finish, with the famed "Spring Chocolate Forest". Soft chocolate, hazelnut and almond, rose geranium cream, sour cherry sorbet, blackberry jellies, green tea, licorice, chocolate twigs... Did you get that? This is Sepia's most triumphant dessert, striking a delicate balance of sweetness with bountiful varieties of textures. For the birthday girl, a single candle was lit on plate with a piped chocolate "Happy Birthday" on the rim! I'm sure they get a lot of birthdays/occasions, why else would you be at Sepia? The candied dill (white speckled stuff) was a nice touch. The sorbet and those little perfectly cut cubes of jelly have got to be my favourite. I'm very sensitive to 'sweet' at the moment and by the end of all that chocolate soil I was hitting struggle town. But the show must go on!

The one and only: the perfect exclamation mark to end a fabulous meal. Like a dessert artwork, it was hard to know where to start (yeah, not really).

And in the blink of an eye, it was all over! What felt like only 2 hours was more like 4 (a positive marathon in food circles!). The food was very pleasing, to say the least. Benn's dishes follow that Japanese philosophy of precision, technique and the pursuit of perfection (pretty damn close!). For a time we sat looking at one other and smiling, luxuriating in all that food gloriousness we had just experienced. I was totally won over. Surprise surprise, I was not actually that full. I must be adapting to this way of dining (danger!). The matched wines might have tipped me over the edge  into treacherous food coma territory. 

When we got the bill, there were several discreetly gaping mouths. At least I came prepared! Paying such astronomical sums for dinner is rather a guilty pleasure. I could get used to this, when my salary drastically increases that is. I found it hilarious that there was a strategically placed ATM en route to the bathrooms. So if on receiving the bill you're suddenly feeling nauseous...! Thank goodness they also gave us a copy of the menu (could not have done the post without it!). We were ushered out of the restaurant at close to midnight - crazy (good)! Now that I've had a (another) proper taste for fine dining, I might not be able to go back. Oh well!

Thanks for reading! x