Aria Brisbane - Review

Nessun Dorma? Lakme? Or even -  I am the Very Model (of a Modern Major-General)?  Nope we are not talking opera here folks, but rather the fine dining restaurant run by well-known Sydney chef Matt Moran.  He sensibly decided he needed a riverside outpost here in Brisbane.  The restaurant is located on Eagle Street Pier overlooking the Brisbane River, with wonderful night-time views towards the Story Bridge.

splendid glass frontage at the entrance  

you can just make out the sparkly Story Bridge all a-glow
 (the old paddle wheeler looks ghost-like, doesn't it?)         

My Melburnian cousin (and her mum) was up on business, and suggested we check out Aria.  She has been to the Sydney version, so wanted to compare them.  (Brisbane came out on top she said - of course).  It was Monday night so we were a bit worried that it may not have been open but success! -  Aria is open 7 nights a week.  I booked for 6.30 p.m. (none of us like late nights and it was a "school" night).

We were welcomed warmly and led to a table which had fabulous views over the river.  Our waitress quickly provided us with sparkling water, which was kept filled all night.  My cousin and aunt were having plain water; the staff cleverly did not forget for one minute which was which.  Gorgeous little wooden rounds were soon on our table, displaying the amuse-bouche. Sadly, I have forgotten what it was exactly, but there was a squid-ink element to the crispy prawn cracker base (?), and I can just say it was delicious!

delicious if mysterious squid-ink amuse-bouche with a creamy dollop of unknown nature:)   

Well, we wolfed that down and waited in anticipation for the dinner to come.  My cousin and I had a glass of Sauvignon Blanc from the Yarra Valley ($14).  My aunt and Mr P. stuck to water (the Coke he ordered never came).

sour dough and butter were very tasty

I chose oysters naked and juicy $4.50 each      

buffalo milk haloumi with date, witlof and and lime salad $33        

Mr P. and the Cuz both had this, and found it "bloody good", quoting Mr P.  He said the haloumi was smooth and flavoursome, and probably the best he had ever had.  (I am quoting here).

hand cut chips $9-of course delicious!

roast duck breast with greens and toasted buckwheat $52 

Delicious duck with a crispy skin, and flesh just a teeny bit too well-done for me but still fabulous.

smoked Wagyu short rib $54 

Sauces for the beef came along separately in small dishes; the diner chooses which one (s) they want. The Cuz and aunt enjoyed the tender and perfectly cooked beef.  My aunt was very happy that there were no quibbles about her wanting it well-done.  I was informed very nicely that the duck came out medium-rare which is my preferred option anyway.  It was a leetle overdone for me, as I often find when restaurants insist on a certain way, ironically:)

Mr P. had King Salmon with broccoli, and rye puree $53  

I had a small taste and found it a bit dry, but Mr P. liked it.  He said the  presentation was beautiful, but he felt there wasn't quite enough on the plate.  The fish itself was tender according to Mr P., and the flavour spoke for itself - i.e. - like salmon, which he enjoyed.

steamed greens with sherry vinegar and Chinese sausage $12 

I didn't get around to trying the greens but I assume they were tasty as I didn't hear otherwise. Another time I would love to try the truffle mash; it sounds decadent.  We even managed to squeeze in dessert; well, it was our duty really:)

I had the Hazelnut dessert-with caramel and popcorn ganache and hazelnut ice cream $23  

I was a little uncertain of my dessert; I am not a big fan of popcorn, and felt that it did not really fit in with the dish.  I was not super-keen on the ganache either; it was a bit gummy, and surprisingly not very flavourful.

Valrhona chocolate pave w/- banana and choc sorbet, and salted caramel peanuts $25

The Cuz liked her dessert, and clearly had none of the reservations that I had.  I think it looks more tantalising than mine; my own fault really for picking a popcorn dish.

what do you call the amuse-bouche at the end?  Anyway it was so delish that I had to snaffle hubby's piece of sweet crispy thing!

The crisp was flavoured with peanuts, and I think black sesame seeds (or Nigella seeds?).  I instantly thought I had to try making it at home, so you may see it in a later post.

this cute box with tiny macarons was given to each of us at the end of the night

They made a fabulous breakfast bite the next day!  We all thought this was a lovely touch to finish off our night.  Service was very friendly and impeccable (except for the missing Coke); the food was flavoursome and well cooked, and overall we had a really enjoyable evening.  We wrapped ourselves in coats and scarves (can you believe there was a cold wind blowing down the street in sunny Brisbane?) and headed out into the night, well fed and content.

Aria has an award-winning wine list, changes their menu regularly according to the seasons, and also offers a tasting menu at $125 for 4 courses and $165 for seven.  There was a function in the private dining room on the night we were there, which we were sitting very close to, but there was no extraneous noise or bother at all.  In fact, the whole restaurant was beautifully peaceful and quiet, thanks partly to the carpeted floor.  How lovely not to have to yell at each other as you often do these days in the hard, concreted spaces so many cafes and restaurants inhabit.  You can book online very easily, and you can even buy Matt's books at the restaurant.  I have read some reviews which suggest that Matt plays it safe with his menu, but who said that is a bad thing!

Konigsberger Klopse

Try saying that with your mouth full:). I think it means the Mountain King's meatballs in German though there seems to be a few stories as to what and why they are called this.  But let's just stick to what we know - they are meatballs and they are delicious and worth a bit of fiddling around.  I am joining in again this month with The Cookbook Guru book club, and this month's book is by the well-loved Margaret Fulton who is cracking 90 not out.  Her family has produced 3 generations of cooks, including her sister Jean Hatfield, with her granddaughters taking over the mantle in recent times. Their mum Suzanne Gibbs, Margaret's only child is also a well-known cook.  A real family dynasty of fabulous cooks! This recipe is from Margaret's Encyclopedia of Food & Cookery, first published in 1983.  So, long before all the TV shows and the celebrity chefs, Margaret was travelling and searching out new recipes, and demonstrating new dishes in department stores.  (Have a look at her autobiography; it is a great read.  She was a bit of a naughty girl!).  There are anchovies in this dish, which must have sounded pretty wild at the time - in meatballs? - but they are only noticeable as an added saltiness, not a fishy slap in the face.  I am mad about sauerkraut, and always serve these with it as suggested by Margaret, but you could just have mashed potatoes, and some steamed greens.
Margaret's recipe actually calls for simmering the meatballs in a pan of stock, but I like the added flavour and the ease of just whacking them into the oven to bake.   I have also added a few extra flavourings to give it a bit more of a modern twist.

ingredients:

for the meatballs:

750g. of beef mince (or you can ring in the changes by using a mixture of veal, pork and beef)
3 slices of stale, white bread soaked for 10 minutes in cold water, then squeezed out with your hands
1 onion finely chopped
5 anchovy fillets, mashed with a fork
2 eggs
2 tbs parsley, chopped finely
1/4 cup Cornflake crumbs
1/4 tsp lightly dried chilli flakes (optional)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
a few dashes of ground nutmeg
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp salt
about ten grinds of black pepper

for the sauce:

30g. butter
1/3 cup diced onion
1+3/4 tbs flour
800mls stock - take your pick - I used chicken but use whatever takes your fancy
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs capers, rinsed and shaken dry
2-3 tbs sour cream

Method:

Grab a large bowl- in goes the minced meat and all the other ingredients for the meatballs
Give this a really, really good mix with your hands (I use gloves)
Shape into golf-ball sized globes (you should get about 24 meatballs)
Place on a baking tray lined with paper (you will need 2 trays)
Bake for 20 mins. at 180C

Sauce:

Melt the butter in a large saucepan
Add the onion and fry till golden but not brown
Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture, and give it a good stir
Keep stirring while the roux thickens - make sure it doesn't burn
Cook out the flour for a few minutes
Pour in the stock and stir, and keep stirring for a few minutes more till it has thickened
Add the lemon juice and capers
Gently drop the meatballs into the lemony sauce and allow to simmer away for 15 mins., giving it an occasional stir
Stir in the sour cream and serve with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes

gathering ingredients 

ready to mix up and make into balls   

lots of squelchy squishing

here come the balls:) 

rolling rolling rolling, keep those balls a-rolling 

rolled and ready to bake

baked!

Yes they are a bit leaky 'cos I ran out of lean mince and had to use some of the mince I normally feed to the kookaburras!  And why the King and Queen, you may ask?  The Mountain King of course!

saucy ingredients 

adding flour to the butter and onion  

stirring in the flour 

stock added and simmering away  

dropping the meatballs into the sauce (excuse fuzzy night-time shot)

spooning in the sour cream to finish off the dish    

serve with sauerkraut and mash for a very hearty winter's meal 

(Remember that song we all used to sing as kids?)

On Top of Spaghetti

 

On top of spaghetti, 
All covered with cheese,
I lost my poor meatball, 
When somebody sneezed.

It rolled off the table,
And on to the floor,
And then my poor meatball,
Rolled out of the door.

Don't let this happen to you:)

(Lyrics by Tom Glazer).

My Sunday Photo 7 June 2015

this sculpture is called Maddie and Mike and is set in the Broadwater Parklands QLD 

The Balfour Kitchen - review

A former work colleague and I recently tootled off to see a Peter Churcher exhibition, which included that incredibly moving portrait of his mum Betty as she lay dying in hospital.  She instructed him to make it realistic, so he has depicted her looking weary, but unafraid of death.  Many of the paintings were of young, half-naked men in streams of glorious light.  As my friend pointed out, these looked brilliant when you stood at a distance and took in the splendid glow.  After absorbing the beautifully executed artworks, we then decided to head to The Balfour Kitchen nearby which is part of the Spicers Balfour Hotel in New Farm.  They cater for hotel guests and casual visitors, so we were able to partake of the delectable dishes on the menu.  The restaurant (and hotel) is in a lovely old Queenslander house, set in a leafy garden. Even though it is close to the CBD, and near a busy part of Brisbane, there was a sense of serenity and calm as we settled down to lunch.  I took delight in checking out the other patrons; among others, there was a couple consisting of a younger (married) man - (I saw his ring), and an older woman who did not appear to be his wife.  I watched them surreptitiously, though I did see her glance my way once or twice.  Maybe she thought I was taking photos of them, rather than the food!  The hotel is painted dark grey, which sounds odd especially for sunny Brisbane, but in fact it worked well, somehow making the green leaves of the trees stand out even more.

the lovely front door

the light in the front verandah     

green and leafy front garden     

Interestingly, they had linen table napkins, but paper table-cloths.  And very sensible too!  My lean friend is on a special eating plan (to do with health rather than weight), so I indulged alone in main and dessert while he stuck to a main.  You can see why he is lean, and I am mmm...not.  He ever so sensibly started with a pot of tea while I had a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

such a pretty little pot $4

I love a good glass of Sauv Blanc. $13

delicious crunchy potatoes with mango chutney aioli $12

Wild Barra with kale and chickpea salad $33 

lamb fillet with sweet potato crisps $35

petite rosewater and lychee brulee $8  

I love the flavours of rosewater and lychee so this was a real winner for me.  And it was "petite" so no need to justify having dessert:)  Not that I ever feel the need to do that.  Yes there was the dreaded kale, but not too much so I managed to scoff it down.  Service was unobtrusive, and friendly enough.
The chef brings an interest in Indian food to his dishes, so there was a slight leaning to exotic spices and Indo-Pacific hints.  We both enjoyed our meals, which were well-cooked and tasty.  The Kitchen is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, every day except Sunday night.



 

How Alice fell down the Rabbit Hole and ate (Chocolate) Cake

Alice? White Rabbit? Mad Hatter? Cheshire Cat?  Yep, you know I mean Alice in Wonderland.  I have an ancient copy of my mum's that she must have loved too.  And for something different, I also have a copy with the wonderfully quirky illustrations by Yayoi Kusama.  It seems that artists never get tired of re-inventing Alice, and Wonderland is a fave for costume parties.  Mr P. and I were off to a book-themed night with Alice being our tables' literary muse.  Mr P. hired a White Rabbit suit, and organised an express delivery from China of a Cheshire Cat onesie for me.  He never does things by halves!  We had massive amounts of fun decorating ourselves and the tables.  Sadly we lost out to a spectacular Hogwarts table who took out the prize for best decorated.  My food contribution was chocolate patty cakes with lashings of buttercream icing.  I like about equal quantities of cake to icing:)  You just make up any chocolate cupcake recipe you have, then add oodles of icing. You can flavour it how you like, and make it any colour you like too!  Here is my method for decorating these little beauties.

buttercream icing:

ingredients:

230g. butter - softened
480g. icing sugar or mixture
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbs cream
1 tsp pillar box red food colouring - yes you read me right - one teaspoon!

method:

Place the butter and icing sugar in a high-sided medium bowl (you don't want it all over your kitchen)
Beat on a low speed with your electric beaters for a couple of minutes till the icing sugar starts to be incorporated into the butter
Turn up the speed and keep beating for around 5 minutes more till it goes all smooth and creamy. For a while there, you think it will never come together but hang on, it does
Add the vanilla, cream and colouring and beat again till you have a gorgeous, deep pink icing
Spread generously over the tops of your completely cooled patty cakes

Some recipes suggest you can use margarine - urgh!, and some say to use unsalted butter but I like salted in my sweet recipes.  Heard of salted caramel before?:)   Happily use icing mixture here; let's not be precious.  Go for it with the colouring.  Why not?  Be bold.  And slather the icing/frosting on top of your cakes.  Personally I can live without the cake bit; just give me luscious icing to lick off.

ingredients 

butter and icing sugar in the bowl  

after a few minutes it looks like this

after a few more minutes, it looks like this!  

look at that gorgeous rosy hue 

getting ready to decorate 

take a small paring knife and cut into the centre of the cake

cut out a little triangle 

stuffing in the M & Ms as a surprise  

now take off the wrapper  

get slathering 

and more slathering  

pretty as a picture 

rows of cute cakes ready for the party 

what the heck! I couldn't resist one more photo 

my tatty and well-loved copy of a 1946 edition  

guess who!

Mr P. as the White Rabbit with a bunny friend