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 :: 
Milse
Where? Milse (Britomart, Auckland, New Zealand) Map
When? Wednesday December 30, 2015
Who? My parents
Food Style? Dessert
Honestly this place makes me so happy. The menu changes quarterly to reflect the seasons and whatever fresh fruit is currently available, and that only serves as a bigger incentive to go there multiple times over the course of the year to see what's on offer. Limited time events at its finest. I'm back with my parents, who, despite not being big dessert fans, almost always have a good time here.
My Choice
Apple: Brown butter, prune, toffee
Full of great traditional flavours: spiced apple, brown sugar, dates and great textures and crunch that bring out the main fruit. A really nice and warming dessert that hits the soul.
Dad's Choice
Triple Chocolate: Hazelnut, grapefruit, graham cracker
Decadent and rich, chocolate is well celebrated with a variety of interesting flavour combinations and textures: soft, moist, crunchy, silky, gooey. The chocolate spaghetti was a fun addition on the plate, but in reality it was just chocolate piping. A real work of art and a lot going on here. It was my favourite of the three desserts we ordered.
Khim's Choice
Citrus: Pistachio, elderflower, mascarpone
Well balanced tart and bitter flavours, with some clear citrus notes present only in the second spoonful I had. I thought the meringue added a good amount of sweetness and texture. Quite reminiscent of Muse's Textures of Mandarin dessert that they won from Wellington on a Plate 2014.
Posted by Jeremy at 11:04am on Monday September 26, 2016 :: 0 comments ::
Back to Milse
Where? Milse (Britomart, Auckland, New Zealand) Map
When? Wednesday December 24, 2014
Who? My parents
Food Style? Dessert
My parents had never been to Milse (they aren't particularly big dessert fans) but after hearing me rave about how elegant and light their desserts are, they decided to give it a try. They were certainly busy on Christmas Eve of 2014, but we did manage to secure a table just around 9pm. It was good to see a fresh change in their menu, incorporating some great seasonal flavours and fruits. I love when restaurants are constantly inventing new dishes and actively expanding their menu, and especially when they take advantage of what's readily available in local markets. It shows an extra layer of expertise and dedication.
My Choice
Blueberry: Caramelised White Chocolate, Sorrel and Olive Oil
When I went to Milse with Mike and Mel, we were amazed to see a gigantic ball of awesome being served on one of the plates. We discovered that it was the carrot cake dessert and we vowed to have it the next time we came to Milse, so when I came here with my parents, I immediately asked if I could get the carrot cake one with the large ball on top; the waiter replied that they've actually shifted the large ball to the blueberry dessert, so I chose that instead. No regrets at all - great summer flavours, refreshing and creamy, subtle olive oil cakey bits with a good variety of textures showcasing all the different styles of dessert. The presentation of this was stunning and most impressive.
Dad's Choice
Kalingo 66%: Chocolate, Salted Caramel, Hazelnut, Kiyomi and Jasmine
Essentially the same as what Mike chose last time, and similar to how I remember it tasting - still odd with a hint of orange peel piercing the dark chocolate. The 66%, we learned, refers to the percentage of cocoa in the dark chocolate. I really loved the hazelnut finish on this, and wish it was stronger.
Khim's Choice
Bahibe 43%: Chocolate, Cherries, Macadamia and Vanilla
Another immaculately presented dish, the Bahibe had a nicer chocolate and nut flavour than the Kalingo. Again, there was a good variety of textures that gave the dish depth and complexity. Good to see the use of cherry in here, giving the dessert a great summer essence.
Posted by Jeremy at 1:43am on Friday February 6, 2015 :: 0 comments ::
Milse
Where? Milse (Britomart, Auckland, New Zealand) Map
When? Saturday September 20, 2014
Who? Mel and Mike
Food Style? Dessert
I had heard a lot of great things about this fancy dessert place in Britomart, so still a little hungry from the Orphans Kitchen meal, Mel and I headed down to Britomart to see if we could get a table at Milse. Forty-five minute wait, they said - no problem, I said! We ended up rescuing my workmate Mike from the Green Party's election night party and bringing him to Britomart with us. The entire ordeal of driving from the waterfront area to K Road, finding a park, navigating through the greenies, grabbing Mike and heading back down to Britomart pretty much filled the waiting time, so when we got there, they had three seats for us. The place is quite tiny and cosy, seating at most maybe twelve people, but they are moving to a bigger place in the near future.
As we were lead down the corridor, I noticed the rows and rows of amazing pastries and colourful desserts in the takeaway cabinets, and I knew I would be in for a good time. Our seats were right up against the bar, looking directly into the kitchen and preparation area where the chefs were assembling their desserts. This was probably half the experience - seeing the meticulousness and care that goes into creating artforms like this. The three of us chose a dessert each and opted to share amongst ourselves.
My Choice
Valrhona Ivoire 35%: Lemon, Olive Oil, Thyme, Almond
The lemon and thyme sorbet was the central focus of this dish, and was accompanied by the soft white chocolate frozen foam at the top, and olive oil slices throughout. It was absolutely amazing, a perfect balancing of sweet and sour that sent shivers up my spine. The almonds and biscuit added some depth to the textures. This was my favourite of the three we ordered that night, and luckily so, because it was my choice.
Mike's Choice
Valrhona Kalingo 65%: Jasmine, Hazelnut, Caramel, Kiyomi
Wonderfully rich and totally smitten by the caramel, hazelnut and chocolate flavours prevalent in the dish, but ever so slightly confused by the jasmine and mint presence. It was nice, just very odd.
Mel's Choice
Kumquat: Kumquat, Lemon, White Chocolate, Cardamom
The objective here is to present the kumquat in several different textures and with matching accompaniments. There's kumquat cheesecake and dehydrated kumquat, with the lemon gel and lemon sorbet, the white chocolate ganache and the cardamom crumble. Brilliant citrus flavours and complex textures, but just didn't have that wow factor that the Valrhona Ivoire had.
As we ate, we watched more desserts being prepared in front of us. The one that caught our attention was the carrot cake dessert - it had a giant frozen orange ball filled with cream, and that looked the most spectacular. Definitely one to come back to so I can try everything, and also look at taking away some gifts too! Again, I ended up talk to the lady at the front counter and just really appreciated her passion for what she did and the way she talked about the food. I mentioned I was from Wellington and talked about Louis Sergeant, and that itself sparked a fresh new conversation about patisseries and delicious things. Absolutely blown away by the fantastic presentation and solidly enjoyable desserts, it's easy to see why Milse is so popular.
Posted by Jeremy at 8:48am on Sunday October 12, 2014 :: 0 comments ::