-->MUCH like many of my peers, I am not immune to the current
trend of celebrity chef fandom.
With the explosion in mainstream media in recent times of cooking shows, competitions, books etc, the names of top-class chefs are now peppered in every day vernacular (see what I did there?).
To tell you the truth, I had to prepare the little monkeys for daddy and mummy’s alone time i.e our ‘date’ at Salt Grill a few weeks before departure. It was strictly an adults-only dinner, and they’d have to deal with being in Kids Club for two hours. Yes, there were protests, and now I feel a little guilty I didn’t organise it better as they completely missed dinner that night. They did however join us at the very end to share (devour) our desserts, so the mummy-guilt isn’t weighing too heavily. And they got burgers and pizza at the Grill on the Lido deck close to midnight.
Me: I always order scallops if they’re on a menu, but my eyes spied the dukkah-crusted lamb and my tummy told me to stick with the Middle-Eastern flavoured theme kicked off at appetiser. I was not disappointed. The delicately sized lamb fillets were elegantly arranged with roasted pumpkin, feta, rocket, olive paste and harissa yoghurt dressing. The strong flavoured meat matched the more subtle pumpkin and dovetailed nicely with the salty, creamy feta and spicy rocket. Surprisingly, it was quite a substantial entree (where entrees are concerned). I enjoyed the harissa yoghurt which added a lasting impression.
Him: He loves sashimi and only slightly hesitated before ordering. I know he wanted to order the scallops so I could try them (God love him), but I told him to order for him. The kingfish sashimi was aromatically accentuated and beautifully presented. I think it took him about 23 seconds to wolf it down.
Him: The man lives for his pork, and he chose the pork chop with mashed swede and pears. I saw a slight eyebrow raise when it arrived (due to the pear), but he was soon won over by the surprising combination. He said it was the best pork chop he’d ever had and thoroughly enjoyed the smooth texture. We both had the red win jus on our mains (as recommended by our waiter).
Me: I’d saved up all cruise for a chocolate hit, and the tart with grilled banana, caramel ice cream and honeycomb was scrumptious. As I mentioned before, I had gone to fetch the kids, and I managed to score two memorable mouthfuls of my dessert. That honeycomb was amazing! Literally dissolved as soon as it hit my tongue.
The weirdest thing was getting up and walking out back into reality. For just under 2 hours, we had an out-of-ship culinary experience, and now we were forced back to the reality of life without truffled potatoes.
P.S Sorry about the quality of the photos. It was quite dark and I didn't want to paparazzi-out on the food.
With the explosion in mainstream media in recent times of cooking shows, competitions, books etc, the names of top-class chefs are now peppered in every day vernacular (see what I did there?).
While I’ve never met Luke Mangan, I know his name and have
seen him on the tele. I know of his influence on modern Australian cuisine and
I’ve dined at Glass Brasserie, at Hilton Sydney –
only once though. Fine dining is usually reserved for birthdays and
anniversaries in my household, so it was a real treat. But, I’m not here to
talk about Glass.
To tell you the truth, I had to prepare the little monkeys for daddy and mummy’s alone time i.e our ‘date’ at Salt Grill a few weeks before departure. It was strictly an adults-only dinner, and they’d have to deal with being in Kids Club for two hours. Yes, there were protests, and now I feel a little guilty I didn’t organise it better as they completely missed dinner that night. They did however join us at the very end to share (devour) our desserts, so the mummy-guilt isn’t weighing too heavily. And they got burgers and pizza at the Grill on the Lido deck close to midnight.
It was quite exciting getting ready, to
be honest. I got dolled up and strapped on the heels – I know it sounds silly
as we weren’t actually going anywhere, but the room looked so beautiful, I
wanted to fit my surroundings. I had heard so much about Salt, and I didn’t
want to be disappointed. The room next
door, which I call the Red Room, (I think it was supposed to be the Salt’s bar
but was more of a lounge area) was my favourite spot on the Eden, so I had stolen my fair share of
peeks walking past.
The first impression you get is the
quiet ambiance. A ship is quite a noisy place, not complaining as I like the
bustle, but you are immediately transported to a little retreat. I felt as I
was in a little secret, secluded, member’s-only hideaway, something to savour
for just long enough to enjoy a special meal – in peace!
Next, the decor. Red soft furnishings,
black-and-white chequered tiles, trendy bird cages. Crisp linen and subdued
lighting completed the look. And, very comfy chairs. We were seated at a
two-person table near the heavily-curtained window (a slight panic washed over me,
then I remembered we were a twosome tonight, not a quintet). The waiter and maitre’d knew our names and
beautifully introduced themselves, ensured we were comfy, and glided away to get our menus.
I will be upfront with you all here.
I’ve never really felt comfortable having waitstaff wait on me in an ultra
formal manner. I didn’t grow up dining at 5-star establishments – the local Chinese buffet was our treat as kids – and even though I’ve reviewed
countless meals and eaten at the best Sydney restaurants, I still feel a little
awkward. Maybe it was the fact that I couldn’t see any other diners in Salt
while were there, but I felt we got some extra special attention. Again, not
complaining, but I felt a tad embarrassed. I had to stifle a giggle when the
waiter came over with our bottle of still water (I couldn’t stomach any more
wine) and presented it to us like a $200 bottle of Crystal.
But, I get it, there’s a standard to
meet – the service, food and all the extra bells and whistles are meant to stand
out as a notch above the rest of the eateries on the ship. And certainly Salt
is at a different standard, a higher level, and well worth the extra bucks
you’ll fork out for a very nice meal.
The lovely waiter explained the menu to
us, and reiterated that we could order as many sides that we needed to
accompany our mains. We started our meals with an appetiser of freshly baked
za’tar bread, with olive oil and dukkah. I tired to make a joke to the waiter
that I eat za’tar every day for breakfast, but I don’t think he got my attempt
at lighthearted humour. Moving on….
N.B For those who don’t know what
za’tar is, it a mix of toasted sesame seeds, thyme, sumac and other spices.
Each family and country across the Middle-East has their own recipe. It has been
around since time immemorial. It is eaten by dipping bread in olive oil then
in the spice mix. You can’t stop at one mouthful.
Entrée
Me: I always order scallops if they’re on a menu, but my eyes spied the dukkah-crusted lamb and my tummy told me to stick with the Middle-Eastern flavoured theme kicked off at appetiser. I was not disappointed. The delicately sized lamb fillets were elegantly arranged with roasted pumpkin, feta, rocket, olive paste and harissa yoghurt dressing. The strong flavoured meat matched the more subtle pumpkin and dovetailed nicely with the salty, creamy feta and spicy rocket. Surprisingly, it was quite a substantial entree (where entrees are concerned). I enjoyed the harissa yoghurt which added a lasting impression.
Him: He loves sashimi and only slightly hesitated before ordering. I know he wanted to order the scallops so I could try them (God love him), but I told him to order for him. The kingfish sashimi was aromatically accentuated and beautifully presented. I think it took him about 23 seconds to wolf it down.
Main
Me: While I was already eating red meat (I
didn’t want to confuse my stomach - yes I have issues), I decided on the Scotch fillet. I wouldn’t
buy a grain-fed, marble score three steak for myself to cook at home, so this
really was an extravagance. It was a large 300g cut, cooked medium and delectably
tender. I struggled to finish it, but I did. I could never waste this gorgeous dish.
Him: The man lives for his pork, and he chose the pork chop with mashed swede and pears. I saw a slight eyebrow raise when it arrived (due to the pear), but he was soon won over by the surprising combination. He said it was the best pork chop he’d ever had and thoroughly enjoyed the smooth texture. We both had the red win jus on our mains (as recommended by our waiter).
Sides
Truffle mash potatoes – just get a vat of
these delicious spuds and leave me alone. Every mouthful was decadent and
filled my mouth with a luxurious blanket of deliciousness. I almost ordered
another bowl, but that would make me a glutton.
Heirloom tomato salad with feta, onion
and feta – tangy but a little too over dressed. Tomatoes were a little sad. It
didn’t disappoint or excite me.
Steamed Mixed veggies with lemon olive oil –
the lemon olive oil was the shining star in this.
Dessert
Me: I’d saved up all cruise for a chocolate hit, and the tart with grilled banana, caramel ice cream and honeycomb was scrumptious. As I mentioned before, I had gone to fetch the kids, and I managed to score two memorable mouthfuls of my dessert. That honeycomb was amazing! Literally dissolved as soon as it hit my tongue.
Him: We were advised to try Luke’s
signature liquorice parfait with lime syrup and tuile, so that was hubby’s
pick. It’s hard to imagine two strong
flavours such as lime and liquorice to complement each other, but they did! I
think it was that the texture and temperature of the parfait softened the
liquorice flavour. The lime syrup was not too tart and had a perfectly measured sweetness.
The weirdest thing was getting up and walking out back into reality. For just under 2 hours, we had an out-of-ship culinary experience, and now we were forced back to the reality of life without truffled potatoes.
Why oh WHY didn’t I buy a bottle of the truffle oil?
Thank you Luke. I appreciate the
thought you put into the menu and each dish, the creativity to deliver, the use of local produce and the expertise and care put into cooking our meal.
Do you want my score? I’d give Salt
Grill by Luke Mangan 9.5/10.
P.S Sorry about the quality of the photos. It was quite dark and I didn't want to paparazzi-out on the food.
P.P.S I forgot to mention the price, $49pp
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