Orphans Kitchen
Where? Orphans Kitchen (Ponsonby, Auckland, New Zealand) Map
When? Saturday September 20, 2014
Who? Mel
Food Style? Contemporary
I always enjoy my foodie excursions with Mel, she shares the same excited tone of voice when talking about food as I do, and for some weird reason, she enjoys how my face goes from a pensive "I'm thinking really hard about the complex flavours in this dish" to an ecstatic "oh my goodness this is amazing". Mel recommended this place to me, and I had heard good things about it, so we gave it a go. We were greeted by a man with a very fine moustache, which made it feel just like the Wellingtonian hipster scene - I later learned that this was Josh Helm, one of Orphans co-owners. We sat down and chose the Chef's Menu - a six course sampling menu.
First Course
Trumpeter Fish, Pear, Witloof and Pomegranate
It's a little difficult to see, but the fish is sitting just near the pear on the right. What stood out to me in this dish is how beautifully sweet the pomegranate seeds were, a fantastic complement to the fish. The witloof and pear were delightfully crispy, and the fish had a really nice bite to it.
Second Course
Piper, Radish, Shallots, Watercress and Olive Oil
The piper reminded me of sardines - similar texture, the meat kinda breaks away quite easily and it had heaps of small bones strewn throughout the fish. Not particularly a fan, but I think the simplicity of the dish won me over. The ingredients were fresh - the radish being especially crispy and sweet.
Interlude
House-baked Ciabatta with Burnt Butter and Ash Salt
The only other restaurant where I have taken pictures of the bread is Logan Brown in Wellington. Not only was I blown away at how soft and heart-warming the bread was, I was amazed at the concept of "burnt butter". It had a wonderful caramelised flavour to it, with some great smokey essences that were brilliantly highlighted by the ash salt. It was seriously the best bread and butter combo I've ever had.
Third Course
Braised Venison, Beef Brisk, Rainbow Chard, Feijoa Chutney and Mash
The venison is wrapped inside the chard and I didn't have the heart to take a second picture of the dish with the leaves opened. The meat is incredibly tender and the feijoa chutney was an interesting addition to the plate - it was perhaps a bit too sweet for me or felt misplaced. The beef brisk was much like jerky, but the thin strips there made it feel more crispy than chewy.
Fourth Course
Beef Skirt, Kale, Red Cabbage, Black Garlic
This was absolutely delicious. The black garlic dollops on the side were incredibly tasty and I could not get enough of that stuff onto the beef, which like the venison, was incredibly tender and beautifully cooked. The kale was crispy and light, and I loved the crunchy texture that it brought to the dish.
Fifth Course
Yam with Kawakawa Mayonnaise
Just some good, wholesome deep-fried carbs with a rich sauce.
Dessert
Kawakawa Marshmallow, Kiwi Fruit Sorbet and Malt Crumb
I loved the presentation of the dessert. The kiwifruit flesh is replaced by the icy sorbet and is coated by the fluffy marshmallow. Mine was a bit too frozen, and it was a little difficult to dig out - Mel's seemed fine though. The malt crumb took the edge off the tartness of the kiwifruit and gave the dessert more body.
Fantastic meal overall. Each dish they brought out was accompanied by a short spiel about the dish's ingredients, and I appreciated the way the waiting staff presented their little excerpt. I mentioned to one of them that I was from Wellington and talked a bit about Wellington on a Plate, and I said the culture at Orphans reminded me of the philosophy that many Wellington restaurants have. It's about the food and the local produce, and what's in season and what's fresh. The flavours are so varied and eclectic yet they've been brought together in ways I wouldn't have imagined would gel, and I really enjoy being challenged like that.
Posted by Jeremy at 8:09am on Sunday October 12, 2014 :: 0 comments :: 