Om Nom
Where? Om Nom (Melbourne CBD, Melbourne, Australia) Map
When? Tuesday December 30, 2014
Who? Just Me, Again. #foreveralone
Food Style? Artistic Desserts with a Magic Touch
Who can resist the allure of a restaurant called "Om Nom"? Situated in the Adelphi Hotel on Flinders Lane, just down the road from Chin Chin, Om Nom boasts intricate desserts, where every plate is a work of art. I'm here in the dimly-lit but cosy restaurant by myself, again, because this place is so insanely popular that bringing a group of people reduces the chances of getting a table. I arrived at 6pm on the dot, just when their full dessert menu becomes available, and it is quite empty at the moment, however previous attempts to get in after dinner time have been unsuccessful.
Today I am having dessert first and dinner later, because I am a responsible adult. I've been walking around half of Melbourne, visiting the southern end where the Rod Laver Arena and the Botanical Gardens are, and only a few hours ago was I stuffing my face full of delicious hawker-style food from Chin Chin. Nevertheless, the appetite is back and I'm ready to see what's on offer. As I'm sitting, I can catch a whiff of some caramel aromas. It's wonderfully tantalising. I'm the only single person at the table; everyone is paired up and I'm getting a little self-conscious. The apathy will kick in once I get my dessert.
Sure enough, a wooden block with several components arrives and I'm treated to a full explanation of the dessert and how you're supposed to eat it. As the waitress talks, she pours a small dish of Bacardi over the dessert and flambés it.
Exciting!
At the end of her spiel, I blow out the flame (after taking a photo, of course) and I tuck into Om Nom's finest.
Smoked Banoffie
Banana, smoked caramel, gianduja, rum, chocolate, almond, vanilla, passionfruit, hazelnut, caramelised white chocolate and popcorn
Oh my goodness. The first bite was amazing. The bitterness of the alcohol immediately gave way to the smokey banana and caramel. It was like a perfectly toasted marshmallow. I began to combine all the components to mix flavours; the hazelnut truffle, popcorn and caramelised white chocolate. Each part added so much more complexity to the dessert and my only regret was how small it was and how quickly the happiness was gone.
Absolutely fantastic if you have $25 to $30 to spend on a dessert. I could not stop gushing over how impressed I was to the waitress as I paid, and I was so elated after that experience that I couldn't stop smiling all the way home. A momentous way to mark the end of 2014.
Posted by Jeremy at 10:28am on Sunday March 15, 2015 :: 0 comments :: 