Taste Test - Blackbird

Tonight we say good bye and good luck to my girlfriend RL who is moving to Melbourne.  RL, we're going to miss you heaps but more importantly remember to keep a spare room so we have somewhere to stay when we visit. 

Anyway, RL chose Blackbird for her farewell dinner because of positive reviews on Urbanspoon and also because she couldn't get a table for a large group elsewhere (we had 15 people).  We were told we had to have the set menu at $65 per head because we were a large group.  Between the 15 of us, we managed to order everything that was offered on the menu.

The menu
Warm petite baguette, Paris butter

Entrée (choice of)

• Beef carpaccio, smoked tomato, mustard aioli
• Cauliflower soup, cumin croutons, persillade, truffle oil
• Scallops in shell, tomato béchamel, bacon crumble

Mains (choice of)

• Pappardelle, mushrooms, pocini cream, oregano
• Slow cooked lamb shank, red cabbage, paprika potatoes
• Fish and mussel chowder, garlic croute

Dessert (choice of)

• Orange and almond cake, chocolate ganache, crème anglaise
• Whiskey cheddar, crackers, cherries, quince

The last time I went to Blackbird was about 3 years ago and I remember the food was very ordinary so I wasn't expecting too much, but was hoping to be surprised.

Food and presentation - 2.5/5
The food at Blackbird was disappointing especially for the amount of time we had to wait and the price.  The baguettes were the type that cuts the roof of your mouth but apart from that it was nice and warm. 

Warm petite baguette, Paris butter

I chose the scallops for entrée and they were overcooked and slightly chewy, the sauce was also nothing special.  Hubby had the beef carpaccio which was again pretty ordinary and I found the presentation very messy, like they didn't wipe the dish properly before serving.  However, those who had the cauliflower soup said it was delicious. 

Beef carpaccio

Cauliflower soup

Scallops in shell

For my main, I settled for the fish and mussel chowder which was just a bit too salty for me but other than that it was okay.  The lamb shank was a bit dry and quite tasteless, paired with some very salty potatoes and lastly, those who had pasta said that it was nothing special.

Pappardelle, mushrooms, pocini cream, oregano

Slow cooked lamb shank

Fish and mussel chowder

We had a choice of sweet or savoury for dessert.  I chose the sweet option of course and hubby went for the cheese so that we could have a taste of both.  The orange and almond cake was not bad and definitely had the aromas of orange and almonds.  As for the cheese, you can taste the whiskey in the cheese and I didn't mind the quince, although some of my friends really didn't like it.

Orange and almond cake, chocolate ganache, crème anglaise

Whiskey cheddar, crackers, cherries, quince

Service - 2.5/5
Our food took forever to arrive and I am not exaggerating...well maybe a little bit.  Entrées took around an hour to come out and mains another 45 minutes to an hour; at least desserts only took 30 minutes to arrive.  Considering it was only a three course meal, we were there for almost 3 hours which is definitely not acceptable;  that's about the same time it takes for a six to eight course degustation.  They were not busy for a Saturday night, they still had some empty tables, yet our food took a very long time to come out and we received no updates or apologies from the wait staff.  Thank goodness for good company!

Our waitress did not smile once and looked grumpy (the other waitresses were friendlier and polite).  However, our waitress did everything a waitress in this type of restaurant should do, that is, she topped up our water and wines although a few times we had to top it up ourselves.  She was also rude to RL when RL told her that the entrée put in front of her was not what she ordered, quote "You did order this."  Surely RL can tell beef carpaccio from scallops, right? Well, the waitress didn't think so.

Lastly, an observation.  When they bring out our dishes, they bring out the same dishes together, but eventhough I'm sitting next to TW who ordered the same dish, our waitress served TW her dish first then went to the other end of the table to serve another friend and then the other side of the table to serve another.  I had to wait for the second round which was fine, I didn't mind but her thought process intrigued me.

Atmosphere - 3/5
We were sat outside and it was very cold that night, luckily I parked myself strategically next to the heater.  Apart from the cold it was nice overlooking the man made pond and fountain.  I didn't take any photos inside the restaurant as I don't like to disturb other patrons when they are trying to enjoy their meal and I wasn't sitting inside.

Value for money - 2.5/5
$65 per head for a three course meal is actually okay but I didn't feel that it was value for money purely because the food was so average, the wait was so long and the service not so good.

My friends and I will not be returning to Blackbird.

Taste Test Total Score - 10.5/20

Taste Test - Fuku Omakase and Teppanyaki

Fuku Omakase and Teppanyaki has been on my list of restaurants to try but I had not made my way there yet as I was saving it for a special occasion.  However, I ended up checking it out tonight as I was invited to blog about the restaurant.  I was exciting because this was a first for me.

Fuku is owned by the same people as Tsunami Japanese Restaurant which is right next door.  Fuku means fortune, luck or blessing in Japanese.

The menus at Fuku changes regularly and there are four menus to choose from.  The first being a 'walk-in' menu (or make-your-own (MYO) menu) for $75, where you get to choose 5 dishes out of a pre-set list.  The 'good' menu at $100 includes 4 dishes, the 'better' menu at $135 includes 8 dishes and the 'best' menu at $220 includes 10 dishes with one of the dishes being crayfish.  We were served the $135 'better' menu tonight as well as tastings of 3 different sakes.

Our menu

• Kawa Ebi and sun dried crispy nori sheet
• Small morsels (otsumami) - tempura oyster with ginger salsa, smoked wagyu with sesame dressing, marinated fish and octopus and tempura soba noodles
• Sashimi - salmon, tuna, prawn, snapper wrapped around Japanese pickle
• Quail - barbequed and wrapped in a light pancake
• Scallop, prawn and crispy prawn head with uni butter
• Fish of the day
• Wagyu (full blood) sirloin steak Mayura Station grade 9+, Friend rice with wagyu flavour
• Yuzu Cheesecake, Chocolate drink and Mountain Peach

Drinks

• Harusjika Sakura - Imanishi Kiyobe Sake
• Koshino Homare Nami Sake
• Tsukasa Botan Hana Sake
• Tropical Paradise - lychee based cocktail (non alcoholic)

Needless to say I was excited but I'm not going to be biased!

Food and presentation - 4/5
The food at Fuku ranged from average to amazing.  Although I didn't come to Fuku with any expectations, it's usually nice to start with an amazing or capturing dish, however the first two dishes, the Kawa Ebi and the small morsels, were unexciting and dampened my excitement slightly.  Don't get me wrong, it was nice but nothing special, amazing or captivating.  When the sashimi came out I was happier because the fish were so fresh, sweet and melted in your mouth.  The tuna was really fresh and you don't find that very often at Japanese restaurants.  The snapper wrapped around the Japanese pickle was an interesting combination - the sweetness of the fresh snapper and the sour taste of the pickle tantalised my taste buds, I enjoyed it.

Kawa Ebi and sun dried crispy nori sheet

Small morsels (otsumami)

Sashimi

From here onwards, the food just kept getting better.  The quail was prepared by roasting on a barbeque, then it was wrapped in a light pancake with tomato and cucumber and served with a black pepper sauce on the side.  The quail was perfectly cooked, still slightly pink, very tender and very tasty.

Quail

The next dish was the scallop, prawn and crispy prawn head cooked with uni (sea urchin) butter.  I love sea urchin but unfortunately it is very hard to find fresh sea urchin at Perth restaurants.  The taste of the uni butter really made the dish and of course being Asian, crispy prawn heads are most welcomed.  I wanted more!

Scallop, prawn and crispy prawn head

The fish of the day was red emperor which was very fresh and perfectly cook.  It was served with a mini eggplant which I have never seen before and looked like a mushroom (I wasn't the only customer fascinated by this eggplant).  The fish was finished with a yuzu (Japanese citrus fruit) sauce which I found a bit overpowering after a few bites.  The last dish before dessert was the wagyu beef and fried rice which was amazing.  I requested my wagyu to be served medium; it was a melt in your mouth moment and the garlic flakes just completed it.

Fish of the day

Wagyu sirloin steak

Fried rice with wagyu flavour

Dessert was average but definitely interesting.  It took a few bites before I became accustomed to the yuzu flavoured cheesecake and I'm still unsure whether I liked it or not.  The wasabi whipped cream went well with the cheesecake but I wasn't sure how well the chocolate drink blended in.  I liked the dessert, I think?

Yuzu Cheesecake, Chocolate drink and Mountain Peach

My stand out dishes were the scallop, prawn and crispy prawn head, the quail and the wagyu beef.  Yum!

Our sakes

Service - 4/5
Our waiter and the only waiter in the restaurant was great - he was friendly, topped up our water and sake at regular intervals and served us our dishes once the chef placed the dish on the benchtop in front of us.  However, I do think they need an extra wait staff because most times we ended up taking the dish down ourselves as our waiter didn't get to us fast enough.  It didn't bother us but for a restaurant of this calibre it would have been nice.  

Atmosphere - 5/5
How can you not love dining at a teppanyaki restaurant?  The excitement of watching the chef prepare your dishes in front of you and mesmerising you with fire displays, circus tricks and a beating fried rice heart, it's awesome.  I took heaps of videos but you need to go and experience it yourself but here's a sneak peak of what you can expect. 

 

 

 

I loved that the restaurant only seats 16 people because it feels so much cosier and the service is more personal.  I also loved the décor especially the sake wall display.

Value for money - 4/5
Yes, it is expensive but I think it is worth the money for the quality ingredients they use for their dishes and for the entertainment value.

I'll like to say a big thank you to Mr Milan Rai (Events Manager for Fuku and Tsunami) for inviting my hubby and I to taste test Fuku Omakase and Teppanyaki.  It was definitely a fun experience and we will happily return.

Taste Test Total Score 17/20

Taste Test - Friends Restaurant

Tonight hubby took me out for dinner at Friends Restaurant for a belated birthday celebration.  It also officially marks the start of my Entertainment Book Project, as this is the first review of a restaurant from the 2013/2014 Entertainment Book.

We arrived at 6pm and the restaurant was empty which is to be expected, who eats so early?  We were attended to immediately and shown to our seats which overlooked Langley Park with the Cirque de Soleil Big Top, and were given menus and asked if we wanted still, sparkling or tap water once we were comfortably seated in our chairs.

As it was my birthday dinner, I chose the 'Best of Friends Seasonal Tasting Menu' at $100 per head for food only.  You can enjoy this menu with wine pairing for an extra $40 for 3 star wines or an extra $75 for 5 star wines.

Our menu

• Chilled eleven vegetable soup enhanced with fresh herbs and sautéed scallop, roasted peanut oil
• Citrus cured Tasmanian salmon served with pickled carrot, dijonnaise and a blue swimmer crab and mascarpone salad
• Roasted quail salad on warm green asparagus, quail egg and truffled quail jus
• Rankin cod fillet spiked with chorizo, presented with onion compote and turnip lasagne
• Fillet of Harvey beef with crispy oxtail terrine, pumpkin and potato puree and root vegetables with a port and rosemary sauce
• Apple tarte tatin caramelised with sea salt presented with grapefruit-marjoram sorbet

Drinks

• Cape Mentelle Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2012 150mL $12
• Green tea x 2 $12 ($6 each)

Food and presentation - 3.5/5
The food at Friends Restaurant was nice except for the dessert which was disappointing.  I usually love apple tarte tatin but the one served tonight has put me off tarte tatin for a while.  The sea salt just didn't work with it especially since it was not evenly distributed throughout the dish, it was also not caramelised properly, the texture of the apple was not quite right - the dessert was just not right.  I didn't have a stand out dish as everything was just so.  For those who like to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee after their meals, you'll be pleased to know that it comes with petit fours.

Amuse bouche - Mushroom arancini & Cheese parcel

Complimentary bread - wholemeal and onion

Chilled eleven vegetable soup

Citrus cured Tasmanian salmon

Roasted quail salad

Rankin cod fillet

Fillet of Harvey beef

Apple tarte tatin

Green tea with marshmallow and panna cotta petit fours

Service - 3.5/5
Although the service was impeccable, there was no warmth.  The wait staff were very professional and polite, they folded your napkin when you left your seat, they topped up your water automatically and they cleared away your dishes as soon as you finished but it just felt very cold.  They didn't ask whether you enjoyed the dish, they just take the empty dishes away, they don't tell you what the dishes are when they bring it out (except for the amuse bouche and petit fours which were not on the menu), smiles were scarce and the owner also was not particularly friendly until she opened the door to let us out after we paid.  I can't dispute that their service is professional but they can do with some smiles and warmth.

Atmosphere - 3.5/5
The furnishing at Friends Restaurant reminds me of an old granny's house, particularly the curtains and the chairs (although the chairs are very comfortable).  Apart from that, the setting is great for a romantic dinner especially if you are able to get the window seats. 

 

Value for money - 3.5/5
$100 per head for a 6 course menu at a fine dining restaurant isn't too bad especially when the food is nice and the servings are not too small.

Probably won't be back for a while.  The food is good but the service was just not very welcoming.

Taste Test Total Score - 14/20

Entertainment Book 2013/2014 Information

Section A - Fine and Contemporary Dining

Page - A29

Offer - 25% off the total bill up to $45 value

 

Taste Test - Entertainment Book Project 2013/2014

I've decided to start a little project this year and it involves eating.  Yes, I'm serious more eating! 

Most of my friends and colleagues and probably your friends and colleagues buy the Entertainment Book every year, and most of the time you don't know if the restaurants are any good, so this year I'm going to review a restaurant listed in either section A, B or C of the Entertainment Book once a week and compile a list of whether they are worth going at all.  I know you get discounts with the Entertainment Book but some restaurants are not worth destroying your taste buds for. 

So please keep following my blog and feel free to suggest which restaurants you want me to try and/or which restaurants I shouldn't try (please think of my taste buds too). 

Thank you and wish me luck!

Taste Test - Mr Munchies Sushi

It's taken me a long time but I finally made it to Mr Munchies Sushi to find out what all the fuss is about.  I've tried to get in once before but they were full and I was too hungry to wait.  This time I thought I'll be organised and book a table but unfortunately they don't take bookings for less than 6 people. Luckily when I arrived a couple of tables had just finished and were on their way out so I scored a table within 5 minutes of arrival. 

The first thing I noticed was that you can design your own sushi which is pretty cool and explains the Subway style set up of the counter. The second thing was the mural on the back wall with Godzilla and Astro Boy.  I love Astro Boy so that was a big plus for me.

SA and LT arrived shortly after I was seated and as they had been before I sat back and let them decide on what to order.  We ordered the small size (4 pieces) for each style of sushi, and yes it was so we could try more styles.

Our order

• Katsu Kilpatrick Roll (Pork (or chicken) katsu with bacon, cheese served with our BBQ and mustard sauce) $9
• Crunchy Chicken Roll (Chicken katsu, iceberg lettuce and potato salad topped with chilli mayo and fried shallots) $9
• Mexican Roll (Grilled tenderloin, avocado, cheese and roasted capsicum, served with wasabi aioli and tomato salsa) $10
• Mango Chicken Roll (Chicken and prawn fritters topped with coriander, sweet chilli sauce and diced mango) $9.50
• Hawaiian Roll (Pancetta, fresh pineapple, tamagoyaki served with house tomato sauce and grilled cheese) $10

Dessert

• Mr Munchies Crème Caramel (served with black sesame ice cream) $7.50
• Lemon Green Tea Cheesecake (served with seasonal fruits) $8.50

Drinks

• Green tea x 3 $7.50 ($2.50 each)

Food and presentation - 3.5/5
The sushi was pretty average.  It was definitely different and interesting but the taste was average.  Presentation was pretty standard, nothing particularly special and they could make the sushi ends look a bit better before plating.  My stand out sushi rolls were the Mexican and Katsu Kilpatrick.  Dessert was nice but again it didn't really do much for me.  I am not sure what all the fuss is about, did I miss something? Do I need to go again? 

Mexican Roll $10

Crunchy Chicken Roll $9

Mango Chicken Roll $9.50

Katsu Kilpatrick Roll $9

Hawaiian Roll $10

Lemon Green Tea Cheesecake $8.50

Mr Munchies Crème Caramel $7.50

Service - 3.5/5
They were busy when I stepped in and it took a few minutes before I was attended to but apart from that, food came out quickly, our tea was topped up automatically at regularly intervals and the waitress that served us was polite and had a lovely smile on her face.

Atmosphere - 3.5/5
Love the mural, the lights and the set up of the place.  It's casual, cute and lively.

Value for money - 3.5/5

Cheaper and individual sushi size is bigger than some of their competitors but I don't think taste and presentation is as good.

Won't be rushing back but happy to go again.  Definitely worth a try for the interesting combinations or to create your own.

Taste Test Total Score 14/20