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Fava bean
Smooth and warm, this was a good start to the evening. The herb purée in the centre gave it plenty of freshness, with the paprika giving a slight kick.
Amuse-bouche
A strong selection of four interesting bites. Starting off with the bottom left, the mussel with tomato was expertly encased in a crispy shell – fresh and playful. Then, on the bottom right, the beef tartare was layered on a delicate potato waffle thin. The mayo here was a bit too tart for me, though. Moving to the top left, the seaweed marinated with wasabi had a great texture with ample poignancy and a lasting aftertaste – perhaps just a tad too much so. Finishing off on a high note with the final morsel, the mushroom tart with crème fraîche was rich yet balanced: the initial earthiness was mellowed out, but not extinguished. Marvellous.
Bread course
Apparently, only Chef himself is allowed to make the bread. The high level of mastery is evident: the grissini were about as thin as capellini, and the sourdough had a phenomenal crust without the usual unpleasant bitterness. Paired with a decadent olive cream and great quality olive oil, this was great to snack on occasionally for the rest of the evening. We were more than happy to take some home when offered…
Oyster
An amazing first course. The oyster had the perfect texture, contrasting beautifully with the crunchiness of the algae-dusted beetroot. The herb extraction brought this dish to the next level, bringing a significant but not overwhelming freshness. The Riesling complimented the dish very well here, breathing continued life into the refreshingly herby aftertaste.
Foie gras royale
This was truly something extraordinary. The foie gras royale itself was silky smooth and extremely rich, but the odd passion fruit seed would occasionally cut through with a refreshing tang. The shrimp crudo laid atop gave a freshness to complete the dish; each resulting bite had a pleasant mouthfeel and effortlessly exuded umami. Already a star-worthy dish, the brioche on the side was not to be ignored: claimed to be more butter than anything (which I wholeheartedly believe), tearing it apart revealed luscious layers of flaky goodness. Originally thinking that this combination of rich and richer, so to speak, would be overbearing, I was proven wrong – providing a contrastingly crisp and airy texture, as well as another layer of flavour (thanks to it being topped with flaky salt), the brioche opened up a brand new dimension for this dish.
Bell pepper
The roasted Carmagnola peppers were cooked well: crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. The flavour was intense with a lasting aftertaste, rounded out by the hollandaise on top. The wine pairing for this course clung on to the lingering spiciness of the peppers for just a bit too long, but by itself was quite nice.
Fusilli
Easily the weakest course of the menu. The idea seemed promising: why choose between land and sea when you can have both? The chicken foam was as flavourful as can be, and the promise of a red prawn head reduction below lured me in deeper. However, after a thorough mix (as recommended), the only taste that could be detected was that of yuzu – usually pleasant, but here, unequivocally overwhelming and acidic. The perfectly springy texture of the cuttlefish should still be praised, though.
Risotto
Another standout course from the evening. The risotto base did not use butter or parmesan (which I had a hard time believing!), instead opting for another traditional method whereby hazelnuts are grinded into a paste, then incorporated into the sauce. The nuttiness – persistent, but gentle – was delightful and matched perfectly with the zinginess of the wildcurrant sauce and freshness of the herb purée. Then came the snails, finished on to the risotto tableside: fattened in-house and cooked for the better part of a week, they were unbelievably soft and added an intense umami to the dish. Simply divine. As for the orange wine pairing, I may be biased as I am not too inclined towards them, but the strong tartness didn’t really do much for me.
Red mullet sorbet
A palate cleanser before the two mains, this was a creative and delightful bite. The red mullet sorbet itself was a combination of flavour, texture and temperature that was completely new to me; yet, it instantly clicked. Along with the zucchini carpaccio and red mullet broth, this was a nice refreshment that showcased the creativity behind the kitchen doors here.
Red mullet
My favourite course of the meal. The fillet was poached in a butter sauce and finished in the pan with a brioche crust (the very same from the foie gras royale). This was executed perfectly: the fillet was flaky and came apart with a mere prod of the fork. The crispy brioche crust added a very nice crunch and just a tiny hint of that buttery goodness from earlier; although it looked slightly too dark, there was no residual burnt taste at all. Coupled with alternating bites of asparagus and beetroot, every morsel was harmonious in both flavour and texture – absolutely phenomenal. The Burgundy that came with this really "dotted the eyes on the dragon": its complex aroma, which eventually gave way to a bright finish, further enhanced the freshness of the dish.
Veal
Served with a watercress salad, the veal fillet was tender and delicate, cooked to a beautiful medium rare. Dotted with plum sauce, this was a perfectly fine course, but not on the level of the rest. The Sardinian red that paired with this was impressive, boasting notes of dark chocolate and dark fruit.
Yuzu and white chocolate
This pre-dessert was a simple but delicious mouthful of sweetness and creaminess, but perhaps slightly too heavy as a prelude.
"Breakfast"
Figs glazed with olive oil. Spiced apricots. Strawberry and lime sorbet. Granola waffles. Ricotta and yuzu foam. The medley of flavours was complex, to say the least: differing levels of sweetness from the two fruits along with the nuttiness of the olive oil, the slight acidity from the sorbet, as well as the creaminess from the foam all came together for a truly special dessert. The interplay of textures here was also masterful – you could get crunchy, soft, chewy, and airy all in one bite without it feeling like too much. The two dessert wines, one fruity and one caramel-y, definitely erred on the sweeter side, but were very fragrant and gave a satisfying finish.
Petit fours
After four sublime hours, our final bites for the evening (now nearing morning) arrived. The mango and chocolate sphere at the very back was described as "dangerous", and indeed it was – the inside was filled with a gooey fruit reduction, ready to burst forth at a moment’s notice.
by c_ynest_a

2 Comments
Sounds amazing – I also love the plating. Very pretty.
tbh, very impressive for being “only” 1 star