Gochu

Where? Gochu (Britomart, Auckland, New Zealand) Map Menu

When? Wednesday February 15, 2023

Who? My Parents

Food Style? Korean Fusion

A newcomer to Auckland’s food scene, Gochu boasts modern, stylish NZ fare with Korean influences in a casual space in Commercial Bay. Gochu of course, means chilli pepper in Korean, which is where we get gochujang, the chilli paste, from. They've got a well-structured degustation with ten dishes, showcasing great pairings between protein and vegetables, and that's what my parents and I are going for tonight. Their menu is matched with an extensive list of alcoholic drinks, but I've opted for a mocktail since I'm the driver for the evening.

Mocktail

Something Fruity - pineapple, cranberry, passionfruit, lime, soda
Yeah it’s fruity alright. It’s got a nice tartness to it, the cranberry really coming through. It looks very pretty.

Appetiser

Rice crackers with tofu cream
The tofu cream is really odd and is essentially mayo with a distinct tofu flavour. It takes a while to get used to the taste, it's missing that egginess and body that mayonnaise has.

First Course

Grilled pork belly ssam
This has a really nice savoury flavour from the gochujang. It's tasty and reminds me of a nigiri. The cabbage has been pickled to balance the richness of the pork.

Second Course

Cured kingfish, apple and anchovy consommé, chilli, shallots, crispy seaweed
That broth is fantastic and vibrant, there's lots of acidity to go with the seafood. It's very appetising. The amount of chilli is perfect, the fish is smooth and satisfying.

Third Course

Seared scallops, smoked crème fraîche, apple, finger lime
The smoked crème fraîche is very odd by itself, but it pairs well with the scallops and helps to accentuate the charred taste from the sear. It's creamy and balanced well by the tart elements like the granny smith apple and lime.

Fourth Course

Fried chicken slider, gochu mayo, korean pickles
That sauce is amazing, this is fusion at its finest - a pairing of two different cuisines coming together harmoniously. The chicken itself is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, the bread is soft and buttery. I'm having a really good time, and I want three more of these.

Fifth Course

Crispy eggplant, doenjang glaze, tofu cream, sesame
The eggplant has a great texture, and the tofu cream is more suited with this dish than with the rice crackers. Doenjang is a bean curd paste that is similar to miso, the glaze here is tasty and savoury, but not as orgasmic as the Gochu mayo in the sliders.

Sixth Course

Chargrilled pork ribs, soy glaze, spring onion kimchi
This has a beautiful, intoxicating smell. I love the crispiness of the crust and how succulent it is on the inside. That spring onion kimchi elevates the perfectly cooked meat. It's one of those dishes that begs the use of hands over utensils, and I'm determined to get the most out of these ribs. It's definitely finger licking good.

Seventh Course

Heirloom tomatoes, fennel, korean mustard, chilli
I love the vibrant, summery colours - this shows good use of local, seasonal produce. The fennel provides a nice pepperiness, and I'm a big fan of the mustard and chili oil combo, but it doesn’t quite match the flavour of the tomatoes and fennel.

Eighth Course

Wagyu skirt, soubise, pickled shiitake, crispy oyster mushroom, perilla
The wagyu course takes a while to come out but it’s very good. It's got a delicious umami taste, and is very meaty and satisfying. The crispy oyster mushrooms are surprisingly good, and I don't even like mushrooms. I love the crunchy perilla; it’s like a refined teriyaki sauce that isn’t sweet, and it’s very good and beefy. The rice is a much needed starch to soak up that sauce.

Ninth Course

Grilled brocollini, doenjang, rice crumb, lemon
There's a lovely crunch from the puffed rice. I've seen this vegetable done with almonds, but using rice is more on point for this style of cuisine. The sauce is light and doesn’t clash with the wagyu sauce.

Tenth Course

Burnt cheesecake mousse, basil, crispy rice, rhubarb granita
This is a very strange combination of flavours and textures. There's the sweet component from the mousse, which tastes deliciously caramel-like, and is more the texture of smooth peanut butter. The rhubarb granita is quite tart and doesn't match the flavour of the mousse at all, and then there's the crunchy rice. It’s not unpleasant, just very perplexing. I think this would have been better if they had used a flavour like injeolmi instead of rhubarb, which is a flavour I find in many of Toronto's bingsu stores. In fact, they do serve a bingsu here, it's just not part of the degustation.

All in all, a very strong meal, with a slightly disappointing dessert to end the night.

Posted by Jeremy at 2:03pm on Tuesday March 5, 2024 :: 0 comments ::