Decided to try the chef's tasting menu at Richmond Station. We didn’t have any trouble booking a table last minute on a week night. Service was unobtrusive, friendly, and welcoming.
As far as the food goes, here is a quick breakdown:
The meal started with an assortment of canapés. All of them were very tasty, and a nice introduction to the rest of the meal.
The first course was scallop sashimi, which was one of the standout courses. It was exceptionally fresh and delicate – absolutely delicious. I usually order red wine when we go out to eat, but we decided to try a bottle of dry Riesling instead, and it paired perfectly with this dish.
Next came a bowl of potato velouté which was complex and full of umami. It was fantastic, and a wonderful contrast to the freshness and lightness of the first course.
The third course was braised venison ravioli. It was served with a parmesan mousse and an intense mushroom broth reduction. The broth almost flirted with being too salty, but it was delicious, and I loved the rich intensity of the flavours.
The last course was a kind of rabbit sausage, with morel cream, spring onions, and black trumpet mushrooms. It wasn't our absolute favourite course, but it was good. Like the second and third course it leaned heavily on umami, and rich, earthy flavours.
Before dessert arrived, they brought an amuse bouche of Brie sandwiched between a crispy, caramelized wafer.
Dessert was Black Forest mousse, with preserved cherries. It consisted of both white and dark chocolate mousse, and was very decadent and delicious.
Finally, we were served a selection of petit fours on a two-tiered serving platter. It was like a dessert version of the canapés, and a nice way to end the meal, although I might have preferred a cheese course, since the chocolate mouse was already pretty over-the-top, and satisfied my dessert craving.
All in all it was a great meal, and I'd definitely give it another try for a special occasion.
by WanderingMinnow