Food tastes best with friends

Firstly, thank you everyone who gave me this wonderful 21st gift! I was not expecting it at all and this would be for me, an experience I can't repeat for many, many years. I'm so grateful for this present guys and I love you guys so much. Hugs for each of you and eskimo kisses around!
Secondly, I want to thank my partner in crime Leach for accompanying me to this wonderful meal. There's noone else I know who appreciates food as much as you do and enjoys it unashamedly. Love you very much!! *kisses and hugs*

So on Saturday at noon, I took the Tetsuya's voucher (you wonderful, splendiferous, absolutely stunning ladies) and partner in crime Leach, ready to eat to our heart's content.

Walking through the gates and up the stairs into the very classy restaurant, greeted by all the waiters and seated at our table in the corner with a view of the small waterfall and pond outside. We were asked whether we've been to Tetsuya's before and welcomed warmly, and I said that I'm here for my 21st birthday lunch (Yays!!). I also had the menu and wine list typed up for me so I wouldn't have to write everything down :D

So we asked for matching wines with the courses and all up it would've been 600ml each. That's a bloody lot considering I'm an eaaaaasy drunk. Thank goodness Leach was here ;)So we were first offered the choice of Italian white or Sourdough roll. Sourdough for us ;) with a black truffle and reggiano butter. Sooo good, a delicious, tangy, warm and crusty roll. The butter was salty and at room temperature so it was easy to slather on.

First course: Sweetcorn soup with basil ice cream. This was very sweet, for such a small amount it really packs the flavour. Leach (L) says "I could eat a bucketful". The basil ice cream gives a great contrast in the herb and the sweetness of the corn. Sooooo good. Wish the portion was bigger than a small martini glass.

Extra course: Pacific oysters with ginger and rice vinegar. Ohhh my goodness. We were served sake (I don't remember the name) but it was very smooth, very light to drink (I'd never tried sake before and I don't think I can go for cheap sake now). L: "The sake gives off warmth at the back of your throat. Not potent tasting aftertaste." So the oysters, the mirin packs a punch and the chives give it an extra boost, and it's salty, but not too salty. L: "I hit the creamy jackpot..."

Second course: Tartare of tuna on sushi rice with avocado. Yellowfin tuna was L: "so fresh, can't taste the fishiness and at the right temperature". It was very tasty with the marinade of the tuna and very smooth avocado soup. It's recommended to mix the tuna, rice and avocado and eat together. The texture of the avocado, melt-in-the-mouth tuna and the soft sushi rice, ooooh, so nice. L: "the caviar gives a bit of texture to the very smooth avocado, which they must put in a blender for 10min". I'm not sure about the caviar myself, so for me, it may be just an extra luxury to have the caviar in it, coz I couldn't taste it over the salty tuna. L: "Mmm... pureed avocado... I feel like a baby!!! Mmmm. Just short of licking the bowl clean..."

Third course: Tuna marinated in soy & mirin; Soft smoked ocean trout with asparagus; Marinated NZ scampi with chicken parfait & walnut oil; 2006 Freycinet Riesling, East Tasmania. Firstly L thinks the wine is sweet. I thought the wine was quite nice, not too sweet and not too sour either, not too crisp. Tuna: L says it's slimey, but in a nice way. I said it's kinda like the dish before, warm temperature (room), and it does very well with the wine, the fattiness of the tuna does very well. Ocean trout: this was my favourite in this set of 3, asparagus was perfectly cooked, crisp and very creamy trout and the texture against the asparagus makes it feel less fatty. We both thought the riesling went better with the tuna. The scampi L said it was slightly chewy. I said the parfait is much stronger in flavour than the scampi. Walnut oil makes it quite fatty in taste, which is coincidentally wiped out by the riesling ;)

Fourth course: Tetsuya's signature dish, Confit of Petuna Tasmanian Ocean Trout with Konbu, Daikon and Fennel. Matched with 2005 Henschke Joseph Hill Gewurztraminer, Eden Valley, SA. Served with Seasonal green salad perfectly lightly dressed with balsamic vinaigrette. L says "rough texture (the unpasteurised roe), looks raw but is cooked!" It's definitely cooked through even though it appears otherwise, it's like cutting through soft, fresh butter, so soft, the daikon gives a good textural contrast in the butter soft trout and crispy slices. L says "wrap a piece in a lettuce leaf and the flavour will burst out on you in surprise *laughs in delight*". This dish was excellent, the roe gives it such a saltiness, the separate ingredients really give a great contrast in flavour and it's such simple flavours as well. We didn't say anything about the wine!! All I remember is it was very easy to drink, more tangy in a way, but good to match.

Fifth course: Ravioli of Qld. Spanner Crab with tomato & basil vinagrette. Matched with 2004 Pierro Chardonnay 'For Tetsuya', Margaret River, WA. Oh my goodness, I was getting heady by now, but Leach marches on (I swear woman, Edinburgh has trained you well). L: "sea-ness". The wine was getting sweeter, easy to drink. The dish was quite crabby, the vinaigrette was sweet just like the crab meat, it was kind of oily.

Sixth course: Grilled breast of Duck with braised witlof & orange jus. Matched with 2004 Bass Phillip Pinot Noir 'For Tetsuya', Gippsland, Vic. L says "Delicioso". The duck was tender and pink, the salty skin had a lovely flavour and texture with the sweet, crisp yet tender witlof. L: "Soooooooooooooooooo yummy! Flavoursome, salty". I have to agree, the duck was great, I would've loved some more of that. The pinot noir went excellently with it, but I was so heady from the white by now, Leach had to finish off my little bit *looks shamed* ;) But considering I don't drink pinot normally, it was truly lovely.

Seventh course: Seared fillet of veal with wasabi butter (and tarragon jus). Matched with 2002 Mosswood Cabernet Sauvignon 'For Tetsuya', Margaret River, WA. I was very, very heady by now. And I really struggled to put the piece of veal into my mouth, I swears, it was beautiful, but gaahhhh... my head... L: "wine is sharp, tannic. Easy to down [not meaning I did] I LOVE wasabi, let us go live in Japan [I am drunk :P]. Veal: good stuff, tender tasty. Pun, why are you taking so long to eat? Are you trying to make me jealous?"" Pun says "wine is very sharp""No, no, I just don't eat much anymore *trails off*" LEACH!!! I JUST READ WHAT YOU WROTE!! Admittedly, the wine was very nice, even though I left my share on the table, since I only drink excellent Cab Sav, that was very nice, but still too heady.

Page in notebook. "I'm really heady ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... weeeeeeeeeeee ... ... ... ... ... ... ..."

Eighth course: Beetroot & blood orange sorbet; Strawberry shortcake. This was my favourite dessert course, possibly I've every tried, actually considering it, this has got to be my favourite desserts ever now. I couldn't stop saying how good it was whilst eating it. So sweet, beautiful cool sorbet, not bitter at all, and very light, especially with little pieces of sweet beetroot on the bottom of the shot glass. L says "Strawberry shortcake sssooo sweet Yommy!" The shortcake layer was sweet and very creamy, beautiful, absolutely beautiful! The puree of strawberries was fresh and sweet, slightly tangy and sour so it was great in contrast to the shortcake, and there were little chunks of strawberry! L: "YUMMY!!!!"

Ninth course: Vanilla bean ice cream with white beans & date. Matched with 2005 Wellington Iced Riesling, Coal River Valley, Tas. L says "Iced riesling SUPER SWEET! (like really sugar sweet)". I'm ashamed I couldn't drink any more, I was sooo heady I was... not feeling that well, so I didn't have any of the iced riesling, even though it's on my list of "must-try", my head just wouldn't have been able to take it and would've been very unwise. But L says about the ice cream "Wow, this is a weird as a dessert since the white bean isn't sugary at all, date same texture as the beans!! Wow that's talent." I had some too, the ice cream was very sweet and yes the beans and dates were of the same texture but the dates were slightly, only slightly chewier. I couldn't finish mine off so "Oh yes!" *Leach hisses as she swaps her empty glass with Pun's (half) full one*.

Tenth course: Floating Island with praline & vanilla bean anglaise. I didn't have this last course so Leach finished it off for me, these are her words "YOM! Fluffy and light. Almost like it doesn't take any space at all. Come on Pun you can take this, it's like eating fairy floss. Mmm. Chocolate and raspberry centre, bitter chocolate and sweet, sweet raspberry inside."

It was already 1650 by the time we hit the green tea and petit fours. I was drinking my green tea trying to settle my throat and head whilst watching Leach enjoy the meal. It really does make me happy seeing one enjoy their meal, it's lovely to watch! :D The chocolate and sweet potato petit fours were melt-in-your-mouth. And the coconut peitit fours crumbles! Mmmm. Leach took the petit fours home but the chocolate ones melted on the way back. But I had 2 of the coconut and whatever left of the choc-sweet potato one after I took 2 panadol (at Leach's).

So , then off to Alex's Hens Outing at the Loewenbrau, then moved onto the Cruise Bar where we got the Hen a Coconut Daiquiri and wrote some (considerably censored) pearls of wisdom (Vivian! You dirty girl!! ;P). Then to the Uberbar at the Loewenbrau to dance our little hearts out, and watch a particularly drunk guy try to feel Alex and all of us up. Alex is getting married in a week!! So happy for you, if you need any help this week Alex, just sms or call me and I'll be glad to help if I can make it :D

So Wong, Leach and I headed to City Extra for dinner (at 0100) and had Fish & Chips, Wedges, BBQ chicken wings, and a bowl of strawberries with cream, oh yes and lemon bitters.
Then we walked along the foreshore to our old haunt facing the harbour, sat around chatting, taking silly photos and then taking a taxi back to Leach's, getting back around 0440. I miss sitting on the benches facing the harbour, it's so peaceful at that time, no noise, all the couples are down near the Opera Bar so we had the benches to ourselves. Let's do it again :)

Link to the complete photos is on My Photos.