Event @ Interlude

Tonight Vogue Entertaining and Travel and the Champagne Information Centre is holding a Champagne Dinner at Interlude. Al and Elle have joined us for this event and for their first visit to Interlude.

I'll get the annoying part of the evening out of the way first. When booking we were told "6.30 for 7" and most of the diners tonight can tell the time and arrived when they should except for a self-absorbed 10 who decided it was far more important to be fashionably late and arrived close to 7.20pm. If that wasn't bad enough these people during the course of the night proved to also be loud and obnoxious - I personally don't believe banging your cutlery together is appropriate behaviour for adults - perhaps it is more indicative of their mental age of two.

The restaurant was in a difficult position, they couldn't start as scheduled and the room was left drinking sparkling water. Unfortunately, the delay also affected the scheduling of the courses with a way too long break between the amuse and the first course. Maybe they should apply "theatre rules" in the future - don't show up on time, you get locked out.

With that said, time for the food.

The amuse...



we were told to eat these from left to right and first up are a white chocolate, lycee and caviar bonbon - next was a breaded cube of macaroni and cheese and lastly, a beetroot surprise.

The beetroot surprise was a liquid beetroot filled raviolo topped with braised mince that you must place fully in your mouth before biting - it's quite the surprise as the beetroot shoots out.


Because of the tardy ones there's a long gap between the amuse and the first course.



Olive our Twist
Served with NV Boizel Brut Reserve

The Brut Reserve is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier (30:55:15) and was served from Magnums. This is very much a perfect aperitif style champagne and easily handles the robust salty flavours of the dish.

Olive our Twist is a dish we've enjoyed before - a twisted strand of olive jelly, studded with olive oil shards, dots of roasted capsicum and olive paste, toasted herbs crumbs, rosemary and anchovies.



Alphabet Soup
Served with NV Drappier Val des Demoiselles Brut Rosé



This is a 100% Pinot Noir Champagne sourced from one plot, the Val des Demoiselles. It is made using the traditional saignée method which we were told is rather unusual these days. Most Rosé is made by adding red wine to the champagne to ensure a constant colour. With the saignée method the colour is obtained by leaving the skins in contact with the juice - unfortunately this makes getting a "brand" colour difficult.

The Alphabet Soup is a signature dish and as it was served on a glass plate we could now work out what was holding the letters in place - they are set on a low-temperature parmesan jelly that dissolves as the rich tomato broth is poured over. Interestingly, the letters harden on contact with the hot broth.


Interlude Sushi
NV Agrapart Terroir de Champagne Blanc de Blancs

A 100% chardonnay champagne that showcases the mineral elements of its regions soil.

This was served with a new dish which is still evolving - Interlude Sushi. The premise is to reinterpret the flavours of sushi. At the base of the bowl was a "creamed rice" fleckled with a scattering of pink pearls of pickled ginger and a dusting of wakami powder. Slices of  Marinated Tuna and Seared Kingfish were draped across the top.

An exciting dish and one we look forward to trying again.



Pork, Smoked Potato, Truffle
NV Jacquesson No.732

Two textures of pork - slices of pork loin and a slab of slow cooked pork belly. The pork belly was tender and gelatinous and was everything you expect from a well cooked pork belly. The smoked potatoes added an earthiness to the dish that was well complimented by the truffle and mushrooms.



Lighting isn't easy so please don't complain about the photos - Paalo has cleverly resorted to using the menu to direct light onto our pre-desssert



A lovely mouthful of mint ice-cream on a buttery berry friand

Last course of the night - 


Rhubarb Crumble and Custard
NV Duval-Leroy Pink Lady Dry

Duval-Leroy also uses the Saignée method to produce their rosé and it proved to be an excellent match to the rhubarb crumble. Cylinders of rhubarb ice cream lay interspersed between moulds of thick custard and crumble topping.

I have no trouble convincing Elle to come here for the dessert degustation after this dish!

Apart from the issues mentioned earlier, we did enjoy the evening.

The details:

Interlude
211 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Phone: 9415 7300

Open:
Lunch: Tuesday to Friday 12-3pm
Dinner: Monday to Saturday 6.30pm to late

web:
www.interlude.com.au

Lunch @ Interlude

Shh, don't tell anyone but we've ducked out for lunch.

Two options are available - limited choice a la carte (2 courses/$30 3 courses/$40 with a glass of Punt Road Wine) and a five course tasting menu. Just to be different we've opted for the a la carte option.

We both couldn't go past this dish for our starter:


Wagyu Tartare, Smoking Cinnamon

A dish where its presentation equals its taste. The cinnamon smoke doesn't flavour the beef, it rather just perfumes the air. The cubes in the tartare are fried potato and a savoury jelly.

A little treat courtesy of the kitchen comes out next


Pumpkin Risotto with Perigord Truffle - even without the truffle this would be a perfect risotto. Creamy rice and sweet pumpkin this is extremely moorish.

Onto mains:


Paalo has the slow cooked lamb shank, roasted potato, brussels sprout leaves, celeriac puree. The meat just dropped off the bone, lusciously tender and full of flavour that only time can bring out.



I have the Venison loin, red cabbage puree, roasted pear and potato. The red cabbage puree is an eye-opener especially with it's underlying vinegary tang.



The venison certainly deserves a close up - you really couldn't prepare it any better than this.





Another lovely surprise from the kitchen, this time Pierre has a pre-dessert for us to enjoy



Rye bread tuille, pear sorbet and cinnamon meringue - this has all the flavours of a pear crumble and brings all those elements of comfort you would associate with this combination of flavours.



We both ordered the same dessert which was the broken plum friand with pistachio, jelly and creme anglaise. 


Once again, it is another stunning dessert from Pierre. Seriously we must come here for the dessert degustation!

Petit Fours - balsamic meringue, bergamot truffle, caraway marshmallow, chocolate coated griottines

If you're looking to kill a few hours over a superb meal then head over to Interlude, you won't be disappointed. 

The details:

Interlude
211 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Phone: 9415 7300

Open:
Lunch: Tuesday to Friday 12-3pm
Dinner: Monday to Saturday 6.30pm to late

web:
www.interlude.com.au

Dinner @ Interlude

It's taken much longer than we had planned to return to Interlude and with the end of the financial year approaching, why not celebrate it in style.

The photos are not the best, low lighting is the culprit so I can only say that if you want to see the full glory of the food - head off to interlude and experience it for yourself.


Olive Our Twist
NV Manzanilla Sanluca de Barrameda, Barbadillo "Solear"

We tasted this dish as part of the Capaldi dinner here - this is a starter that is full of strong flavours, the salty robustness of olives and anchovies team with the rich sweet notes of roasted capsicum and olive oil toffee shards. This is a dish to not only grab hold of your taste buds, but slap them around and make sure that they won't be missing any nuances from the dishes to follow.


Yam Chowder, Smoked Tofu, Char Grilled Squid
2006 Kabinett Riesling, Selbach-Oster

At the base of the bowl in a piece of smoked tofu - the tofu is actually made in-house and does a great job of being a flavour carrier. The chowder is silky and thick and is complimented by the tender squid.


Fish out of Water
2006 Rias Baixas Albarino Lusco do Mino

With this next dish you get the chef himself coming out to pour the broth and explain the components. A separate bowl of "fish food" comes with this and it's a mix of wakame and flavourings that you get to sprinkle over your broth.

Wrapped around the breadstick straw is whiting which has been seared.



It is a fun dish as you use the straw to draw up the broth and even if you take bites off the fish end it doesn't affect its ability to work as a straw.


Rabbit, Lentis, Liquorice Beignets
2006 VDP Collines Rhondaniennes, Syrah Y Cuilleron "Sybel"

Slices of gently cooked rabbit are placed amongst two liquorice beignets - the jelly set into the base of the bowl just dissolves in the heat of your mouth, filling it with the flavour. The final touch is the mustard which just cleans the palate.


Oyster, Horseradish, Passionfruit - Inspired by the Fat Duck
2006 Toscana, Teruzzi & Puthod "Terre di Tufi"

A most interesting dish - the passionfruit walks on that fine line of tartness but never crosses, it's pulled back into place with the horseradish shards and the salty creamyiness of the oyster. Basil seeds are also used to mimic the passionfruit seeds.



Blue Eye, cooked in Roast Chicken Jelly with Trimmings
2005 Pyrenees Chardonnay Dalwhinnie Moonambel

Part of the trimmings are real baby asparagus of the type you just never see in the markets - there's also some fresh chanterelles and baby carrot. The blue eye is surrounded in a roast chicken flavoured jelly which works wonderfully with the fish - the jelly also has a low melting point to dissolve in your mouth.


Lamb, Coffee, Redcurrant, Fennel
2004 Rioja Palacio Remondo "La Montessa"

There are two types of lamb here - the lamb sirloin and a slow cooked lamb neck, the coffee takes its place in a coffee couscous.


Rhubarb, Rosewater
2007 Barossa Valley, Tobreck "The Bothie"

The pre-dessert is a study in pink - two quenelles of ice cream, the darker one at the bottom is rhubarb ice cream, the lighter one is a delicate rosewater ice cream. Rosewater can be a bit overpowering but the innate tartness of the rhubarb helps to pull in the rosewater.


Chestnut, Hazelnut, Rosemary, Gianduja
2001 Wachau Auslese Gruner Velrliner, Weingur Knoll

One of my favourite desserts - hazelnut, chocolate and the haunting flavour of rosemary, certainly not a herb you'd usually associate with a dessert but it works so well here.


Chocolate, Beetroot, Coffee, Pannacotta
NV Muscat Campbells

Ever since I first tasted beetroot jellies back in Fenix, I was a convert to beetroot being used in dessert and this dish keeps me firmly in the beetroot camp.



Banana, Golden Syrup, Coconut, Pinenuts
2003 Sauternes, Chateau Roumieur-Lacoste "Leon Dubourdieu"

It's the coconut that brings a lovely freshness to this final dish of the evening.



To finish a selection of petit fours.

It's been another fascinating evening with dishes that satisfy all the senses - they can challenge orthodoxy but they can also bring a touch of whimsy to the table. Each plate is a study that shows not only the quality of the ingredient but the quality and care of the people in the kitchen and those on the floor.


The details:

Interlude
211 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Phone: 9415 7300

Open:
Lunch: Tuesday to Friday 12-3pm
Dinner: Monday to Saturday 6.30pm to late

web:
www.interlude.com.au

Dinner @ Interlude

As I was sipping my coffee at Prahran Market this morning it suddenly dawned on me what day it was. As I started the mental arithmetic I realised it was indeed something to celebrate. The problem would be finding some place special at the last minute on a Friday Night.

Perhaps there is something very special about this number as my long shot came through and I managed to get a booking at Interlude.

We began our evening with glasses of Champagne Jacquesson and



nibbled on the malt vinegar chips with salt and vinegar dipping foam and beer-flavoured nuts.

It didn't take us long to decide on the Chef's Dégustation with matching wines.

Alphabet Soup
Wine: 2006 VDP Cuilliron "Lybel' Syrah Rose, Northern Rhone, France

Guaranteed to put a smile on your face, the word Interlude look up at you from the bottom of the bowl. The broth, with a deliciously rich tomato aroma and flavour is poured at the table. The letters rise and float about on the surface and to my great surprise I managed to spell something rude




Snail Trail; Mushroom, Parsley, Garlic
Wine: 2005 Rías Baixas, Albarino Palacio e Fefinanes, Galicia, Spain

This is the dish we enjoyed during Monday's dinner but now you can see it a lot better!

On their journey along the plate the snails have nibbled on the vegetables in their path. The sauce trails, from left to right, are garlic, parsley and butter - I especially enjoy the garlic sauce. The mushroom meringue shells are especially light and soft, almost disappearing in the heat of your mouth. The snail at the right has run head long into mushroom air while the middle is just short of meeting a little pickled vegetables.


Mulloway, Violet, Scallops, Chicory Cake, Malt
Wine: 2001 Gewurztraminer, Trimbach Réserve, Alsace, France

The pan-seared mulloway sits atop a rectangle of chicory sponge cake and is accompanied by caramelised chicory and sticks of treviso radicchio (?) - violet dust brings a pleasant perfume to the dish. The fish is very moist and pleasantly earthy and breaks into large soft flakes. Hiding under the mulloway is a half-seared scallop.


Veal Sweetbreads, Eucalyptus, Rosemary Cookie, Purple Congo Puree
Wine: 2005 Anjou Villages, Château Pierre-Bise "Sur Schistes", Loire Valley, France

This is a new dish and one in which we were asked to give our opinion on. Paalo and I disagreed on one thing and that was the intensity of the Eucalyptus foam - I thought it was a little overpowering whereas he thought it was just right. We both agreed that this was the best sweetbread we'd tasted. The dish itself was quite sweet - caramelised almond skins and the rosemary cookie but it was fascinating to see how well these flavours combined with the sweetbread itself. It's surprises like this that makes going out all the more interesting.

Lobster, Coconut, Lobster Consommé
Wine: Lethbridge "Allegra" Chardonnay, Geelong, Victoria

The lobster consomme is poured at the table


4 litres of lobster stock is reduced to just 750ml - I need not explain just how wonderful this consomme was.

It is served with lobster crackers - and that orange parcel resting on the lobster pieces is a coconut jelly filled carrot raviolo - the carrot skin is itself is an ultra thin jelly sheet.



Something Fun

I don't know why it is but you can be guaranteed that grown men will behave like 9 year old boys when offered this dish - Paalo excluded.

Inside the tube from right to left is cauliflower puree, caviar, apple sauce and chervil jelly and you simply inhale from the cauliflower end.


Roast Chicken, Roast Egg, Leek
Wine: 2006 Kelvedon Pinot Noir, East Coast Tasmania

It's a faux egg and it's filled with what I can describe as roasted chicken juices - cut the white and the juices run out like a perfectly soft poached egg.
The chicken ball is simply chicken breast - shaped in this manner to facilitate even cooking and it is served with black pudding puree - the puree is like a thick, spicy gravy, delicious with the chicken.


Bacon and Eggs
Wine: NV Lustau Dry Amontillado "Los Arcos", Jerez, Spain

I can't tell you how much I love these slow cooked eggs and all that's missing are chunky toast fingers to mop up that luscious yolk. The eggs are served in a bacon broth with puffed wild rice and a wafer thin slice of crisp bacon.


Wagyu Sirloin, Horseradish, Roasted Onion Puree, Potato Croquette
Wine: 2006 Marchese di Gresy Martinenga Nebbiolo, Piedmont, Italy

Stuffed inside the cylinder of potato croquette was braised oxtail - the paler dots on the plate are horseradish cream. Wagyu was I think 8+ marble score and a pleasure to eat - the roasted onion puree providing the thread to pull the dish together.


Almond, Rhubarb, Celery
Wine: 2006 Konrad 'Sgrun' Noble Riesling, Marlbourough, NZ

Almond milk, Almond Financiers, Rhubarb Jelly, sliced celery and coriander leaves. A very pleasant way to begin the transition from savoury to sweet.


Semolina, Blueberries, Cashew
2005 Yarra Valley Viognier Serrat, Victoria

Halved blueberries intertwined with Semolina Cream, roasted Cashews and Muscovado sugar.


Date, Ginger, Milk, Rapadura Sugar
2005 Moscatel Fusta Nova, Valencia, Spain

At the centre, reduced milk ice-cream and on each side a mix of date pudding and ginger beer jelly. Topped with rapadura sugar and crushed chocolate biscuits.


Apple, Mint, Raspberry, Sour Cream
Wine: Dr Loosen "Urziger Würzgarten" Auslese Riesling, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

To end the meal, a dish with light and refreshing flavours - the mint ice cream works as a cleanser.

To finish with coffee - petit fours

salt and vinegar chocolate sticks, balsamic meringues, chocolate coated griottines, salted caramel



A fascinating meal in which it's almost impossible to pick a favourite - the pacing was spot on giving you enough time to enjoy both the food and wine and chat. The service is also attentive without being intrusive.

To finish, we are given the menu to take home - that is a very nice touch and we are treated to another sampling of Pierre's Chocolate and Coconut Pudding.

If you want to see how the pudding turns out look here.

The details:

Interlude
211 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Phone: 9415 7300

Open:
Lunch: Tuesday to Friday 12-3pm
Dinner: Monday to Saturday 6.30pm to late

web:
www.interlude.com.au

Dinner @ Interlude

Full details later but you can check out our moblog for real time photos

Desserts @ Interlude

Last night at the end of the special dinner at Interlude we were given this



As you can see on the label it is an Instant Chocolate and Coconut Pudding made by Interlude's Pastry Chef Pierre Roelofs.

The instructions are very simple - place the contents into pan



and whisk in 140mls of cold milk. Over a gentle heat, continue whisking until it reaches boiling point.

Pour into two small bowls and allow to set.



It's quite a rich dessert so it's more than enough for two to enjoy.

Event @ Interlude

Interlude has recently been holding a series of dinner and this one certainly got our attention:

Join Raymond and Robin for an eight course degustation with matched wines on Monday the 28th April.

Raymond has always been a proponent of molecular gastronomy and some of the techniques that Robin uses at Interlude.

It promises to be an amazing and inspiring night with unique food interpretations matched with wines selected by Interlude sommelier Jason Tozer.

With the opportunity to sample the menu from these two innovative chefs it's pretty obvious that we would be there.



While the dining room has great lighting for dining it is not really conducive for taking good photos of the food and as I'm not about to use flash or bring a tripod and the nikon d80 these rather dim photos will have to do.



To get things started we are offered a small bowl of beer flavoured nuts and these chips served with an aerated creamy malt vinegar sauce. The beer flavoured nuts certainly did live up to their name while the "salt and vinegar" chips were a playful way to awaken those tastebuds.

The first course is a dish from Interlude


Oliver our Twist
To drink: NV Manzanilla Sanlucar de barrameda, Delgato Zuleta

The jellied strand made from green olives runs diagonally along the plate and it's crossed at both ends by toasted breadcrumbs from olive bread. Shards of olive oil toffee are placed randomly along the length. There are dots of roasted red capsicum and hints of anchovy.

The second dish is from Ray



Scampi, roasted, Almond Tripe, Oil
To drink: 2006 Kremstal Riesling Salomon "Undhofkogl"

This is just the type of dish you expect from Ray - the flavours are clean and well-balanced and the dish is devoid of extranegeous elements. The texture of the almond tripe was quasi-gelatinous and provided a contrast to the scampi while highlighting its natural sweetness.

The third dish is from Interlude


Snail Trail
To drink: 2007 Mornington Peninsula Pinot Gris, Paradigm Hill

I wish the light was better in this photo so you could really appreciate the presentation.

There are three snails racing up the plate - their "trails" are representations of the traditional accompaniments. The snails themselves are wrapped in a mushroom puree and topped with a meringue snail shell.

The fourth dish is from Ray


Sous Vide Hapuka, Orange Zest, Green Crab May-Vin, Leeks, Hazelnuts
To drink: 2006 Bourgogne Chardonnay Paul Pillot

The consistency of the Hapuka itself was incredible - tender and gelatinous.

The fifth dish is also by Ray



Slow Cooked Pork Cheek, Pickled Apple, Cinnamon, Organic Earth
To drink: 2000 Alsace Gewurztraminer Reserve Trimbach

What looks like a cinnamon stick is actually rolled filo that is flavoured with ground cinnamon - the idea is break the stick over the pork.



The pork itself is as tender as butter and actually quite lean.

The sixth dish is from Interlude



Duck, Bacon, Foie Scramble, Short Stack
To drink: 2006 Langhe, Nebbiolo Marchesi di Gresy "Martinenga"

Another dish where I wish the light was better - there's a lot happening on the plate.

This is a new dish from Robin - the short stacks are those four small discs which are mousse like in consistency but do taste like pancake. The foie scramble looks a lot like scrambled eggs and it's served alongside cubes of roasted duck. There's quite a sweetness to the dish but the bacon comes into play providing a salty foil.

The seventh dish is by Ray



Molecule of Light
To drink: 2006 Moscato d'Asti, La Pinetta "Bricco Quaglia"

One bite of this and we were back in Italy eating this. There's the unmistakeable taste of smoked buffalo milk.

The eight dish is by Interlude



Total Eclipse
To drink: NV Seppelt Rutherglen Grand Muscat

This dish was a study of chocolate in various forms.

The final dish is by Interlude



Coconut Canyon
To drink: 1996 Vouray Modelleux, Dom Pichot


The final course are the petit fours



which you should always leave room for!

At the end of the night we were given a wax-sealed menu



and also a little something that we can eat later



To see how the Pudding turned out - look here.

There will be another dinner on Monday 26th May and if you missed this one then make sure you book early for what will be a brilliant night of stunning food and wine.

The details:

Interlude
211 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Phone: 9415 7300

Open:
Lunch: Tuesday to Friday 12-3pm
Dinner: Monday to Saturday 6.30pm to late

web:
www.interlude.com.au

Lunch @ Interlude

The last time we walked through the doors of 211 Brunswick Street it was called Diningroom 211 - a couple of years later, a change of owners, a good dose of praise and notoriety we finally return to sample the wares of Interlude.

For an opening salvo we opted for some bubble - of the three available by the glass we opted for the one we hadn't tried - NV Champagne Philipponnat Réserve Rosé.

Rosé wouldn't normally be our first choice but this proved to an excellent drop. It has quite a deep pink hue along with excellent beading - there's yeast on the nose but not a lot of residual sweetness - a perfect choice for an aperitif.

For lunch, there are usually two options a fixed price limited choice menu (2 entree/2 main/2 dessert) and a regular a la carte menu (3 entree/3 main/3 dessert) but we managed to arrange a "quasi" degustation that included items from the regular menu and a couple that form part of the dinner degustation options.


Cauliflower, Herring Roe, Apple
from left to right: apple jelly, apple puree, herring roe and cauliflower puree all encased in a glass tube. To eat, you suck on the cauliflower end, the jelly ensures correct suction is maintained so nothing is left behind.


Blue Swimmer Crab with Variations on Sweetcorn
Wine Match: 2005 Crawford River Young Vines Riesling
a blue swimmer crab salad sits underneath a corn jelly sheet, along with a corn ice cream and toasted corn kernels.
The ice cream is a knockout, wonderfully sweet and creamy; the crab wasn't as sweet as yesterday's and probably a little too wet.


Beetroot Horseradish Veal Shin
This needs to be eaten in one go - the centre is liquid beetroot. For such a small item, it's exceptionally flavoursome.


Red Emperor, Peas, Spaetzle, Foie Gras Consommé
Wine Match: 2005 Ocean Eight Pinot Gris
The consommé is poured at the table, under the fish are fresh baby peas, tiny cubes of foie gras and spaetzle.


Slow Baked Lamb, Onion Puree
Wine Match: Castagna Sauvage (Shiraz Viognier Sangiovese)
The smear running down the plate is roasted onion puree, to the left and underneath the lamb sits a simple diced tomato salad and to the left, roasted couscous



Cherry Splice
Wine Match: Mount Horrocks Cordon Cut
Just like a splice, there's a white core to this cherry cylinder - it's accompanied by crumble topping.


Petit Fours
Carmel filled Chocolate, Nougat, Caraway Seed Toffee and chocolate filled truffles (behind the toffee and out of sight)

The details:
Interlude
211 Brunswick Street
Fitzroy
Phone: 03 9415 7300

Open:
Lunch: Wednesday-Friday 12pm - 3pm
Lunch (December): Monday-Friday 12pm-3pm

Dinner: Tuesday-Saturday 6.30pm to late
Dinner (December): Monday-Saturday 6.30pm to late