Or I could subtitle this story as “Mr NQN’s favourite restaurant meal” such was his adoration for the food served to us this day.
” Look, he’s actually cooking here!” I grab Mr NQN’s arm when I see the familiar curly grey flecked hair of New Zealand export to London Peter Gordon. I mean I knew this was one of his lunches but he was well and truly cooking in the kitchen and not just here in name only. I had seen Peter speak at the World Chef Showcase only the day before and he had told us of his upbringing involving plastic corks and a pet lamb which they ate. It was a very much Hunter Gatherer lifestyle typical of NZ at the time. He recalls the first time he had an avocado and the pleasure they had eating it.
Martin Boetz from Longrain
Peter Gordon
I have a quick chat to Peter before he gets started and he talks about the restaurant scene in London. I ask if the GFC has hit his restaurants, The Providores and Tapa Room and he says that it hasn’t much at all, they’re open for breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days a week and on the ground floor there’s the Tapa Room (named after the large traditional Rarotongan Tapa cloth made from block printed and hand beaten paper mulberry bark on the wall) and on the 1st floor there’s The Providores restaurant. Even since the GFC, in a city as badly hit as London, they’re busier than usual. And this is the man who owned The Sugar Club who Calvin Klein said was his favourite restaurant yet he had never visited and who made headlines when they turned Madonna away.
Martin Boetz and Peter Gordon met in New Zealand when doing a Leukemia event together and the plans were always on the table to cook together here in Austtalia. Boet’z cuisine is more Thai whereas Gordon’s is fusion. We are to have a “Sunday roast with a twist”. The veal is 15 months old and hung for 21 days. New York based patissier Pinchet Ong is in the audience as is a proud, patriotic bunch of New Zealanders.
“You can buy the recipe in my book” Peter says “But I look a bit chubby on the cover, it [the cover photo] is a bit squashed” he says to laughs all around. All wines are from Marlborough, New Zealand with 2009 Hunky Dory Sauvignon Blanc, 2008 Huia Pinot Gris and a 2007 Huia Pinot Noir.
Hot and Sour salad of roasted suckling pig with Vietnamese mint and roasted rice
Martin Boetz of Longrain’s moist and tender slices of suckling pig with crispy crackling sits beside a pile of a fragrant coriander, Vietnamese mint and bamboo shoot salad. It’s sprinkled with ground roasted rice and has an overall sweetness to this dish which goes nicely with the pork.
Asparagus, tomato and duck egg salad with a tamarind and sesame dressing
Boetz’s spears of slender white and green asparagus sit under half of a duck egg which has been boiled and then coated lightly and deep fried. It’s a lovely dish with the soft, orange hued yolk still slightly gooey.
Whole roast baby lamb on minted peas, wing beans and gai lan with buttered soy shiitake
The rest of the courses are from Peter and I’m excited to finally try his cuisine having missed out on it while in London. The baby lamb with minted peas, wing beans and gai lan come out first and they are accompanied by a soy shiitake. I know New Zealanders have a way with lamb, perhaps it’s an instinctive thing or something borne from eating so much of it but this is so, so good and so, so soft. The mint with minted peas are restrained (which is a good thing, I’m not big on minted peas) and they’ve set down the smoked kumara and potato mash for the next dish and we find that the both of them go so well together. In fact I take my alloted half (I usually give MR NQN a bit more of these dishes) as the gorgeously smooth and perfectly smokey mash (and make secret plans to make a similar smoked mash).
Braised shoulder and grilled leg of veal with smoked mashed kumara and potato
Braised in a miso sake paste, the veal is incredibly soft. Sliced in thinnish pieces the sauce that it sits in is rich and heady and one that’s just begging for some potatoes to soak it up. Luckily we have some of the fabulous smoked sweet potato and potato mash that does the trick nicely.
Coconut Tapioca with Avocado,mango, yuzu sorbet, passionfruit mango salsa and sesame praline
Now this was a really good example of the special dessert tank. I thought I was full after the lamb but when I tried the dessert my eyes, brain and stomach decided I wasn’t done yet. The coconut laced tapioca is perfectly done, with exacty the right amount of coconut. The avocado, mango and yuzu sorbet is incredibly refreshing and the 3 flavours go so well together so you could never detect which 3 fruits were in it and the passionfruit and mango salsa is fresh with mint and the sesame praline, which I initially thought didn’t have enough sesame just from the look is perfect. The sesame seeds are toasted and it gives it just the right amount. And you can be sure I ate every little bit of this generously sized tapioca.
Mr NQN is a man of few words, a bit of a strong and silent type but when he finishes his meal he says simply “I think that was my favourite meal ever”.
NQN and Mr NQN attended as guests of Tourism NSW
Longrain
85 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills, NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 9280 2888
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27 Comments | Add your own
That meal looks so delicious! Duck egg salad, baby lamb, and coconut tapioca would certainly make my day!
Mr NQN’s response to the mal is what I hope for every time I go to a restaurant. I think Shaky Tables in Pokolbin was the very best that I have had….
What a delicious selection of food! Great recap.
I can see why he liked it so much- nice cuts of meat cooked well and generously portioned- definitely the way to a man’s heart and stomach!!!
Cant wait to hear how your smoked potato and kumera mash comes along.
All those looked yummy (even the ones that I could see coriander in…I’m not a fan of the taste, but I love the smell!)…
I’m weird, aren’t I? LOL
Yum! Any hints for those of us going to London in the UK summer for good but cost effective places to eat? And how long in advance we need to book at them?
That sounds like a wonderful expierence!
Wow, this brings back memories. Over 5 years ago now, I used to live & work in Marylebone and Providores was well frequented, especially for a glass of champagne at the end of the working week. I remember having a fabulous meal there too… Ahhh, wish I could go back
Potato mash is such a familiar comfort food that fiddling with it is like trying to reinvent the wheel. But smoky, creamy AND buttery? Oh, yes please!
Cool! I love Peter Gordon’s cuisine! Of course we’ve been to The Providores in London and in his restaurant Public in New York. My brother-in-law worked with him in London and he was Public’s Chef de Cuisine before moving to Florida few years ago!
Sounds divine. I’ve been a Peter Gordon fan ever since buying his Vegetables book!
Hi Lorraine
This is the dessert who takes all my attention ; here it is pouring and cold and I need exotism so thank you to sahre this adventure !
cheers from cold Paris ! Pierre
Haven’t heard of Peter Gordon before though that meal looks delicious, I love a simple perfectly cooked meal.
Yummm…another place to visit on my list if I ever go to NSW!
Everything looks AMAZING! the roasted suckling pig, lamb, coconut tapioca…yum!!
wow… that’s a big statement from Mr. NQN! Must’ve been amazing! If only they had this menu & peter gordon all the time! The dessert sounds fabulous too!
Yum! I can understand Mr NQN’s restraint…My partner is the same. He doesn’t usually say much and if I think something is great he’s just like “its okay”.
I must admit I skipped all photos and went straight to the dessert. Oh avocado, how I love thee!
Oh! To have been a fly on the wall in his kitchen and learn all their recipies and techniques.
what amazing food. is kumara another word for sweet potato? i haven’t seen it before. i also haven’t seen ANYTHING like that dessert in my life–incredible creation, obviously!
Ive seen peter gordon on TV here in the UK, on some old Nigel Slater shows. He is an amazing chef. I’d love to eat some of his food one day
Hope you are having a fab weekend.
*kisses* HH
ooh this is making me so hungry! looks delicious!
I really need to get to Longrain – still haven’t managed it.
Wow. I can totally understand Mr NQN’s response. Wow.
I think my brain melted from the shock of seeing such glorious dishes. The salad with the semi-molted duck egg and the whole roast baby lamb have set my heart a-flutter.
Hi joey-It was amazingly good! I think I’d better seek out more of his meals
Hi Amy-Haha yes that’s true for most of us!
Oooh good to hear!
Hi Julia-Thanks so much!
Hi sandra-Yes I have to say it really ticked all the boxes for me too
Haha I just need to learn how to smoke it! 
Hi Liv-No not at all, a lot of people don’t like coriander!
Hi Ellen-I went during Summer and in many places (except Gordon Ramsay Royal Hospital Road) we were able to book a week or two in advance. For some a day or two was fine!
Hi Blond Duck-It was !
Hi Pimi-Ahh what lovely memories! I’d love to go there!
Hi mlle délicieuse-Oh yes but wait til you try it!
Most things shouldn’t be messed with but that was a goodie! 
Hi 5 Star Foodie-How fantastic! So you’d definitely be familiar with his cuisine
Hi Sarah-I really should check out more of his books!
Hi pierre -Hehe well this dessert will definitely do it then
You’re welcome and I hope you keep warm! 
Hi Tim-I think it was just that, perfectly cooked and simple!
Hi BowsNHearts-Great stuff!
Sadly Peter won’t be cooking then though 
HI pigpigscorner-It was oh so good!
Hi Betty-I know! And he’s such a man of understatement
I know, I wish! 
Hi Esz-Hehe maybe it’s a man thing!
Hi Trisha-Hehe that’s cool! That dessert was phenomenal!
Hi sia-I know! I should have just watched
Hi grace-Yup sure is
Oh it’s amazing girl!
Hi Heavenly Housewife-I didn’t know much about him I admit but it is so good! Xxx
Hi Sarah-Hehe it was really wonderful
Hi Cakelaw-Yes do!
Hi Conor-I can too
Hi Midge-I know, how lovely is that duck egg? I’ve been searching for them for ages! And the Nzers definitely have a way with lamb
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