Zucchini flowers are just gorgeous when they’re stuffed and deep fried. They’re so delicate and pretty and the perfect vehicle for the cheese stuffing.

Haha yes I think I am obsessed with the crispy exterior/soft interior contrast. It’s always so nice to bite into something and be pleasantly surprised by the inside texture. The Pommes Dauphine sound divinely decadent! Forget low carb then most definitely I don’t’ deep fry anything myself as I am terrified of getting oil splatter on me but my mum loves deep fried food so I just ask her to make it. She doesn’t have a deep fryer though she uses a regular heavy based scanpan.

Ahh ok, you see I’d vote for scallops over prawns only just. I adore seafood though so I’m happy to eat almost anything. If you get a really well cooked fat and juicy scallop, well I feel like I’ve won the jackpot. But there’s nothing worse than when a restaurant cuts a fat scallop in halves or thirds and serves that to you so that you think you’ve gotten more scallops than you actually have (cough cough Garfish!).

I’m not sure why they doubled, or in fact trebled up on the Valdeon cheese. I don’t know how many Spanish cheeses there are out there. Surely there can’t be that few good quality ones?

Yes I agree, the tortilla does look like a crepe. It wasn’t filled like one though and it was more omelette than crepe so you might have been a bit disappointed after an initial excitement

Can I be so bold as to say that I think that the chickpeas under the pork with the aioli might be able to persuade you to revise your stance on chickpeas as a support act? They were really good!

Yes I’m sure Gordon would’ve had a field day with the soil. And I’d have to say I agree with him!

Only once, at Rise restaurant they just asked us not to use flash for other guest’s enjoyment but they didn’t ask us to stop taking photos. I didn’t mind, it would’ve been quite distracting as the flash would’ve gone off like mad at it was so dark so I understood. However a large party walked in after we left and they were taking lots of photos of each other and they didn’t say anything to them. Hmmm?

Thank you for sharing this birthday dinner I love that canvas on the wall. I don’t know if it’d have the same effect on me in real life.. but I find it kind of peaceful. It reminds me of being in a plane, looking down on the clouds (one of my favourite type of moments.. especially at sunset).

I wouldn’t have been able to pass-up that zucchini flower dish.. and I’ve actually *never* eaten them before, but both my husband and I are very keen to try them. Especially done exactly like this.. the way you had them.

Mmmm, croquettas (or croquette’s).. I just love anything that seems to be wrapped in a crepe.. crumbed and fried.. with a lovely soft filling. I had a ‘Pan roll’ last night (Indian takeaway)..and loved that it reminded me of a croquette. Another dish I really loved once that shares that crispy exterior/soft interior was from my cookery studies days and I was taught to make “Pommes Dauphine”.. mashed potato mixed with choux pastry and deep-fried… Gosh.. I don’t think I had ever tasted anything so good. I have never made it since and I don’t know why! I don’t have a deep-fryer for starters.. but I know I could improvise. Maybe I should try it one day soon? Sorry.. got carried away because of the croquettas!

My hubby is a huge fan of scallops but can give prawns a miss easily. I’m the other way ’round being a big fan of prawns and I find that though scallops are very nice.. I usually give them a miss. Maybe because I have ordered and received substandard scallops far more than when I’ve ordered prawns? That scallop dish looks divine. *Well described* with the jamon dotted like exclamations!

I’m with you on the bitter leaves.. and regarding that cheese platter… For some reason I never like it when one ingredient keeps popping-up all over the menu, just like how you mentioned the Valdeon cheese appeared more than once. ie. If a restaurant is economising by slow braising cheap cuts of meat and then marking it up by 500% because it might have a vanilla bean in it, then fine.. I can still have the illusion I’m buying something special. But when I see one ingredient being economically utilised across a menu.. it’s just too in-my-face. Mr/Ms Restaurant manager, don’t show me how you’re saving a buck when I’m paying near $20 for an entree.. that sort of thing. Don’t use your cheese 3 ways and reveal that on the menu. It makes my mind wander.. “Did someone give them a damaged wheel of cheese for half price”? That might sound spoiled or extreme.. but I just don’t like it in a fine dining atmosphere.. or even a fine-ish dining atmostphere. ((Gets off soap box — though I noted the quinces featured twice too!)) I thought that date and walnut roll was black pudding actually.

My eyes were drawn to that tortilla because it looked like an upside down crepe dish.. like the bottom of a Miss Marple.. baked with some heavenly filling. A very interesting sounding dish!

Interesting also is how the squid tentacles were done in a tempura batter..and sat on top like a garnish! I made stuffed squid once. I bought the squid tubes because they were reasonably priced and I had to come up with a recipe. This was over 15 years ago.. so there was no internet. I think I borrowed from a Hungarian stuffed capsicum recipe..(being Hungarian myself). I parboiled the rice.. and mixed that with a garlicky pork mince mixture.. and stewed it for ages in a red capsicum sauce. The dish (if I do say so myself) was perfect, I was a bit gobsmacked and wished I had been cooking it for guests or something. I was convinced I wouldn’t be able to do it again.. I didn’t write down the recipe as it happens either. But somehow the pork and squid and the sweetness of the sauce worked.

I’ve come to the realisation that I don’t really like chickpeas IN a dish as the support act. I love hommus.. I love chickpea curry’s and chickpea patties.. But yeah.. they don’t really appeal otherwise. I’ll eat them..but I’ll be wishing they were something else. I like to munch on roasted/seasoned chickpea’s too.. like chips!

I’m trying to imagine how many ‘f’ words Gordon (Ramsay) would use being served a beef dish with coffee soil. It sounds like a nice combo of ingredients.. like something that would be great over some creme fraiche or over a cheesecake (or some icecream) possibly.. but yeah.. I think they were just being too fancy with that one. I’m yet to try wagyu beef.. so that’s on the ‘to do’ list too.

Poor Patatas Bravas… it didn’t stand a chance.. lol!

Has anyone ever asked you to stop taking photo’s before in a restaurant situation?

The soil seemed odd, I didn’t like the sweetness against the Wagyu, I thought it needed salt as ours was underseasoned. Perhaps, they liked the idea of putting “soil” on the menu as a conversation point? It might be more successful with the churros where coffee soil would would very well. Haha well if it was his Churros, he wouldn’t have shared them with you!

Hi Popeye-Hehe yes alas it was tapas but they were reasonable sized for Tapas. Sometimes you get the small bowls and you think, “Wow, that’s pretty tiny for $15″

Agree that the wagyu beef was lovely but didn’t understand the reason for the ‘soil’. Oh, and I had the churros for dessert which was delicious, except that Philippe decided he liked it too and ate half of mine