We started with the Potted Smoke Trout and Fresh Baguette which was paired with some Prosecco and I felt like I was transported to Barcelona. I had fond and wonderful memories attached as I smeared the smoke trout generously on the baguette. I only chose to eat two servings so I could pace myself for the night. I've always been that guy to carb up early and fail by dessert.
Next to arrive was the Asparagus, Lemon, Quail Egg with Jamon. The dish was well balanced with the fresh asparagus complimenting the saltiness from the Jamon and creaminess of quail egg and cheese.
One dish I thought I wasn't going to enjoy was the Rotisserie Sliders - Pork with apple sauce. I was surprisingly taken back at how balanced the burger was. I normally find as burgers decrease down to sliders, proportions of ingredients get lost in the mathematical complexity. These might have just restored my faith in sliders again.
If there's one dish that you must try, for me it has to be the Lamb from the Rotisserie. Lip smackingly delicious. I loved the well proportioned slices of lean and fatty meat as it melted in your mouth... and drizzled in that sauce... just yum... a definite must....
The dish complimented well with a side of Watercress, Pear, Celeriac and Honey Dressing. Simple, elegant and refreshing. My only complaint was there wasn't enough.
We also sampled their Chicken, Gravy, Thyme, Spinach & Macadamia. Though some of the pieces looked dry, I was surprised by how succulent and juicy most of the pieces were. If I had to write any complaints... the chicken was a tad too salty for my liking.
An oldie but a goodie is their Roasted Potatoes and Garlic Butter. Everything a growing belly needs!
For dessert we started with some hot churros that were so fluffy and moreish. I've had my fair share of churros in my time and this was by far the best...
Then we moved onto a Passionfruit Sorbet soaking in white wine. I think everyone was in agreement that we could have smashed down multiple cups of these.
And to finish up an Espresso Martini. A nice balance of bitter and sweet to top off a fantastic meal.
One of the highlights was meeting Steve Rockmann. It was great to see the passion as he explained the meal we were going to have. There's more to it than just a passion for food but a drive to create an overall balanced meal. It gave me hope that people like him will bring a great future for the Canberra food scene. I also managed to peer pressure him into a photo =)
The restaurant sits quietly below a hotel and across from a pub. It appears to be like any other hotel restaurant but it's really a treasure in plain sight. I like how it's not in the main part of Manuka yet the people in the know still come to enjoy what this place has to offer.
What's fantastic is that the food also appears to be quite simple but it's obvious that there has been a lot of planning and perfecting gone into making each dish so well balanced. I'm so glad I had a chance to dine at the Ox Eatery and can't wait to bring some Sydney-siders to sample what the capital has to offer.
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