WOAP2015: Matterhorn
Where? Matterhorn (Wellington CBD, Wellington, New Zealand) Map Menu
When? Friday August 21, 2015
Food Style? Contemporary European
I've previously raved about how good Matterhorn was, so my parents were eager to try out the Wellington version of the restaurant. I was supposed to be joined by Rob, Jill and Juliann, but all three bailed on the day for various reasons, so I'm here with just my parents in the classically smokey and dimly-lit interior of Matterhorn. For Wellington on a Plate, they've served a four course meal.
Entree: Waikanae crab served in various consistencies and textures
Crab salad, crab gel, crab roe ice cream and crumbed crab ball
Starting from the left, the crab salad had a lovely coconut aroma and delicious. Good acidity and whatever that crispy thing was, it was delicious. The crab gel was an odd texture but full of flavour. I found it unusual because it was cold. The crab ice cream had a strong and rich roe flavour, but the fact it was cold and creamy really confused me. My brain just could not process savoury ice cream and I was not enjoying this. My dad thought it was really good though, so you can take his word for it. Finally, the crumbed crab ball had some great spices and plenty of crunch, my favourite of the four textures.
Mains: Wharekauhau Texel lamb rump
With smooth Jerusalem artichoke, confit dates, lentils and Lot Eight olive oil refined sauce
Beautifully pink and tender, the natural meatiness of the lamb is well respected. The gravy (so I'm told) is emulsified with olive oil to give it a much smoother texture. Combined with the savouriness of the lentils that have soaked up the sauce and the sweetness of the artichoke, the dish has a lot of depth and complexity beyond what you can see in the photo. Each element plays a significant and purposeful part to the dish, and for me it's the best dish I've had so far.
Savoury Dessert: Zany Zeus savoury cheesecake
With candied quince
Interesting but confusing set of flavours. The cheesecake is salty and peppery like pâté. There's an apricot sorbet with fennel on the top and a tomatoey jam on the base with candied walnuts. It's sweet and savoury and the combination is thought-provoking, but I'm not a fan.
Dessert: Yoghurt panna cotta
With Flight coffee ice-cream, Matterhorn rooftop honeycomb and chocolate rocks
Not normally a fan of coffee, but the honey granola took the edge off the bitterness, so it was quite nice. The pannacotta was smooth and nicely done, but as a whole, the dessert wasn't as mind-blowing as the mains.
Overall, not a bad meal but their menu last year definitely felt stronger. I think their desserts let them down (even if I don't really like coffee), but the entree and mains were excellent.
Posted by Jeremy at 11:09am on Monday August 31, 2015 :: 0 comments :: 