I was taking a nap in the hotel room and I was moaning a bit. My flu had morphed into bronchitis while I was in Melbourne and I had only intended to lie down only to find myself minutes later dreaming. I awoke with a start. I was dreaming about food (as you do) and my internal clock reminded me that I had a meal waiting for me. “You were moaning a bit” Mr NQN told me as I roused from my two hour nap. I didn’t have the guts to tell him that I was moaning about dreamt food.
We go upstairs to the 28th floor of the Crown Metropol where there are complimentary drinks for guests between 5:30pm-7pm. I have a sparkling wine and Mr NQN has a red wine. There are also spirits and soft drinks available.
Soon after we arrive at Cutler & Co in Fitzroy where we meet Kirsten. With two hats in the 2010 Good Food Guide, recently voted as the restaurant of the year by Gourmet Traveller magazine and a Chef of the Year crown to its name, it’s packed on this cold Sunday evening. The space, particularly towards the back, reminds me of a cross between an art gallery, stables and a warehouse. All done up very nicely with lighting fixtures that remind me of stormy dark clouds and luxurious booths. Service is serious but pleasant.
Angassi Oysters $4 each
I recall hearing about the rare flat Angassi oyster at the Narooma Oyster festival where oyster grower David Maidment tells me that the Angassi is a close breed to the New Zealand Bluff oyster. They come out natural with lemon and I enjoy the enormously flat slightly smokey flavour of them.
Mandarin Duck $26
The Mandarin duck was a crispy leg portion with a smoked fillet and they had kindly given us an extra foie gras cigar so that we could each have some. The texture of this is crunchy and crispy but still moist and the foie gras cigar burst like creamy liquid on the tongue when you bite into the thin outer. I particularly enjoy the textures to this dish.
Abalone Soup $22
The spanner crab, abalone and sweet corn soup comes with a frozen corn powder which we are to scoop up with each spoonful. The cloud ear mushrooms lend a nice subtle crunch to it and the soup is flavoured with ginger and chives and is light but still filling with a generous amount of crab and abalone.
Snapper $40
We chose the snapper as it was a line caught local snapper which comes out with a romesco sauce with a lovely crispy skin and a small sprinkling of strong and slightly bitter orange dust to the side. It’s accompanied by a small copper saucepan of braised surf clam, chorizo and fregola which is similar to an Israeli couscous and has some lovely flavours of the sea from the clams and bold flavour from the small chorizo pieces.
Pheasant $48
Now this is my kind of dish. I think in fact that this was the dish I was dreaming about when I was moaning in my sleep (and actually I have had dreams about the future that have come true!). This dish is slow roasted pheasant, brussel sprouts, chestnuts and quince. The pheasant has three different cuts with three different treatments. A mustard breadcrumbed leg, a a sous vide breast and a pancetta wrapped pheasant scattered with chopped chestnuts. The crumbed dark leg meat is gorgeously soft and crunchy whilst the sous vide breast and pancetta wrapped portion are tender and pink. There is super crispy layered potato stack, quince puree and crispy brussel sprouts.
Suckling Pig $43
Said to be as close to their signature dish as could be, the roast suckling pig, mustard puree, a white balsamic reduction, braised greens and pearl barley is delectably good. There is a crunchier than thou crackling on top of the melt in the mouth pork. It is what everyone tries to do with their pork. the white balsamic reduction is aromatic and sweet and the pearl barley is a warming and suitable accompaniment and the mustard puree is mild.
Pre dessert
We cleanse our palate with a pre dessert of a shot glass with sour cream, finely diced rhubarb and a verjuice and black pepper granita which is cleansing yet intriguing.
Steamed Quince Pudding $18
Inhaling deeply I relieved to see that I still have my sense of smell for this dish. It is a steamed Quince and suet gingerbread, rosemary jelly, chestnut ice cream. The quince and suet gingerbread is warm and soft and sits in a pool of syrup, the rosemary jelly adds more aroma and texture. The gingerbread crumbs add crunch and the chestnut ice cream is sweet and delectably good (mental note: make chestnut ice cream while we still have chestnuts!) . I find myself questioning my sense of smell and taste due to my cold and I swear that I am tasting candied….fennel? We ask and it seems like we are. Phew I thought I was going mad for a moment.
Violet Ice Cream $18
Kirsten and I both loved the sound of the violet ice cream-I realise that we did order a lot of ice creams and that in itself is peculiar given the Antarctic winds that we were experiencing but when violet ice cream pops up on a menu one just has to order it as it rarely does. On this plate, in a meandering line there is violet ice cream, almond sponge, thin tiles of clove meringue, chocolate ganache and sour cherry puree with a fine powder that melted on the mouth.
Ice Cream Sandwich $18
The Chocolate ice cream sandwich filled with vanilla parfait in a molten liquid pool of salted caramel was delicious and the salting was just perfect. The only issue was cutting it up as the chocolate biscuit (which was more like a thin cake slash biscuit) which was a bit hard to cut with a fork or spoon.
Vanilla poached apple $17
Well you may know that I adore apple desserts and it was with regret that I passed up the vanilla poached apple, fromage frais and crumble. Thankfully someone in the dessert kitchen is looking out for me and sends us out the vanilla poached apple dessert. I had originally not ordered it as I had mistakenly thought that it was less unusual than the others but it ends up being my favourite for it’s comfort factor. It’s perfectly cooked apple pieces, a buttery crumble, and a dollop of creme fraiche.
Ahh ok Melbourne, you’re definitely making me want to stay!
So tell me Dear Reader, do your dreams ever come true?
NQN and Mr NQN travelled to Melbourne and dined at Cutler & Co as guests of Tourism Victoria
Cutler & Co
55-57 Gertrude St, Fitzroy, Victoria
Tel: +61 (03) 9419 4888
www.cutlerandco.com.au
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51 Comments | Add your own
Like the idea of a pre dessert
I am definitely going to this one next time I am in Melbourne. I can see why it won the award. They serve my sister’s wine – Curly Flat – another good reason to go.
Moaning about dreamt food sounds about right, lol. That pheasant dish looks like it’s definitely something to moan over! I love all the flavors and textures involved.
Fregola looks interesting, I have never seen it before.
Ah I really want to have a proper dinner at Cutler & Co! I’ve been to the bar for drinks and nibbles which were exceptional.
That looks amazing. Fiona loves this place and has wanted to take me there since my last visit to melbourne.
The pheasant dish looks really good and I’d love to try the foie gras cigar as well. Looks like I’ll have to stay extra few days in Melbourne just to make my rounds to all these amazing restaurants!
Sadly my dreams involve me becoming a vampire and Jasper from Twilight falling in love with me… lol
the orange duck looks great and the pheasant even better!I love assiette dishes and I love game, so difficult to find in restaurants in Australia.
Oh dear…, where to start. I’ve been in foodie heaven as I read & looked at all these wonderful dishes, mentally tasting each one. I absolutely must get to Melbourne to Cutler & Co. Thanks for sharing Lorraine.
Wish we had gone to this place instead of VDM! I love how the plate of oysters look like peering eyes
xo B.
they sometimes do! I have to say, I dream about things that I didn’t know I knew or about faces I never remember consciously i.e people from Kindy.
The vanilla poached apple looks divine.
Love that restaurant, also love his other joint, Cumulous (?spelling) in Flinders Lane.
I’m all for the generous ordering of ice cream. I don’t think I could pass up a violet one either!
I was lucky enough to score a sneaky last minute sunday dinner booking here last year. We had the degustation menu and it remains the best meal I’ve ever had. Thanks for prompting me to reminisce!
Oooh I’m so glad I’ve booked to go there when we visit Melbourne in November. The food looks amazing, esp the suckling pig. How to choose??
The pheasant and pork dishes look fantastic, but the desserts have made me hungry – at 9.30am!!
As to dreams coming true – sometimes. There are some I wish would come true and never seem to though!!
Sounds delicious Lorraine! I’m embarrased to admit I don’t often dream about food. But I make up for it by thinking about it ALL the time!
And to be disgusting and soppy, Frank is one of my “dreams come true”… *gag* x
I love Cutler but I prefer Cumulus Inc. which is a relax atmosphere. But the food in both places are amazing.
Stay in Melbourne!
The food looks devine, but ouch! The price tag!!! If I went, I’d go for the suckling pig with the quince pudding. You and I can swap – I was in Sydney for the last 4 days, and with that glorious weather and impossibly bright sunshine, I didn’t want to leave.
Wow, that’s my kind of food!
The oysters look curious – I’m normally a fan of a creamy, plump Sydney Rock, so I’d be interested to try these flat ones – they look reminiscent of the oysters I used to knock off the rocks by the lake as a kid..
My dreams don’t usually come true. This is not a bad thing, as I have very involved, vivid dreams, but they are totally CRAZY. My husband thinks I have a touch of mental disturbance when I report back on my loopy dreams. I often dream about food though, and wake up hungry.
Another Melbourne restaurant I have yet to visit!! Those desserts look sooo delicious
Oooh, violet ice cream! I’ve had and enjoyed violet chocolate, so I reckon I could go a big bowl of that… with a jug of the salted caramel on the side…
I love Mandarin Duck. Did u try the white sourdough? Its divine !
That ice cream sandwich looks sooo good it brings shivers down my spine.
Lorraine,
I love your photography and presentation of the story as always… The view from 28th floor is incredible and exciting and the lighting amazing…
Yes, all my dreams are coming true!
This is a gorgeous menu and such a great post. Thanks for sharing all these goodies with us. That frozen corn powder in the soup sounds very interesting….as does everything. xo
I can really understand dreaming about the pheasant and the pork and the violet ice cream! If I dream about those tonight and it comes true, I will be most happy
PS: thanks for providing the maps – makes it easier to find new places.
Oooh lovely! Somewhere new to try…maybe for a special occasion.
It’s awesome that you got to try Cutler & Co., it’s been on my to-try list for the longest time, but we never seem to get the time to during our hurried trips to Melb. But now with the many many stamps of approval, we definitely have to go there asap!
you look like you had a fantastic time! i went when i was there and to be honest, i wasn’t really a fan! although they didn’t have the suckling pig on the menu or i would definitely have ordered it. glad you had a good time though!
Reading this after a somewhat sketchy lunch, I nearly fainted when I saw the suckling pig.
And the Mandarin duck.
AND those foie gras cigars.
T_T (weeps)
You had me at Mandarin Duck!! I’ve picked my menu – start with the duck, then suckling pig and finsished with the ice cream sandwich.
I’m hoping to head to Melbourne at the end of the year to see Hairspray, so hopefully I’ll be able to make it to Cutler & Co.
I love quinces and I’m glad to see it in both savoury and sweet dishes as it really is an allrounder. I would just have to order the violet icecream, I’m a huge fan of florals.
You’re in Melbourne!! Aww – the skyline photos make me homesick. Cutler & Co is one of the many great places that have sprung up in Melbs in the last few yrs since I moved to London – and I struggled to get a spot over Christmas due to trading hours. Your review is the next best thing – I feel like I was there!
Violet is one of my fav flavors, I have made violet icecream using my extract and also the Monin violet syrup you can get here in Australia and it’s always delicious. Your pics look lovely as always.
Looks like a delicious meal! As much as my loyalty is 150% with Sydney, I do love eating in Melbourne!
Everything looks delicious! I like the sound of the ice cream sandwich, and even better to have yourself if it’s too difficult to divide and share hehe
Cutler and Co is one of the restaurants on my ever growing list of places to eat at. Those oysters look divine!
Ohhh, I like that top photo very much, Lorraine. So often cityscape photos don’t turn out so well at night, but I love this one.
i’m still so traumatized by the name ‘suckling pig’…it seems so cruel.
My sister and I had already vowed to go here on our next trip to Melb in January, and you have just strengthened our vow!
The restaurant looks quite special, I love the interior!
The food looks magnificent!
You do travel a lot!! Lucky you!
that appple dessert looked so secret!
So jealous… I can’t get a booking for when I’m there next month…
Can’t recall my dreams ever coming true but that meal is seriously GOOD. I need to go ASAP to Cutler & Co. the next time I travel to Melbourne.
Ah that pig! mmmm!
Looks like a great meal – just enough unusual elements to be interesting without being wrong!
Ohh have only heard many great things about Cutlet & Co, will have to go when we ever visit Melbourne again. You know… I think the smell of food cooking has the power to wake me up! It did the other day when I was napping!
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