Est has been on our bucket list for a long time. We dined there on the 15th of June 2018 to celebrate our 4th anniversary. Lucky for us, it was chef Peter Doyle second last night in the kitchen and we got to taste his delicious artwork. The restaurant had earned 2 Hats (equivalent to 2 Michelin stars).
entrée
To start, we had the in-house bread and a half dozen freshly shucked rock oysters with ponzu sauce and white sesame oil.
The bread had an amazing, crispy, thin outer layer that was light and sweet from the honey glaze coating, and a soft, moist middle that made the flavours blend together. I almost ate the entire loaf because it was one of the tastiest bread I had ever eaten.
The oysters were creamy and fresh; the sauce was a burst of umami and citric flavours that gelled together very well. I’m a huge fan of oysters and wish I could have chowed down more of these bad boys 🤤.
The bread had an amazing, crispy, thin outer layer that was light and sweet from the honey glaze coating, and a soft, moist middle that made the flavours blend together. I almost ate the entire loaf because it was one of the tastiest bread I had ever eaten.
The oysters were creamy and fresh; the sauce was a burst of umami and citric flavours that gelled together very well. I’m a huge fan of oysters and wish I could have chowed down more of these bad boys 🤤.
first course
Mick got the handpicked crab, kohlrabi, yuzukosho, chive blossoms, buttermilk, dill oil. We could really taste the intricate and delicate flavours the chef extracted from the crab to build into this fortress-of-a-presentation that trapped the mixture of buttermilk inside. The buttermilk flooded the dish with flavours, elevating every singly delicious bite. The yuzu was light, refreshing, and complemented the creamy buttermilk.
Everything melted in our mouths, with bursts of fresh saltiness when we bit into the roe. The presentation was delicate. We really appreciated the effort that went into building this amazing dish 😍. If we had to pick our winner for the night, this dish would take home the prize for being the most interesting flavour, texture and deliciousness.
Everything melted in our mouths, with bursts of fresh saltiness when we bit into the roe. The presentation was delicate. We really appreciated the effort that went into building this amazing dish 😍. If we had to pick our winner for the night, this dish would take home the prize for being the most interesting flavour, texture and deliciousness.
I got the potato agnolotti, guanciale, white beer, braised onion, clam butter, coastal greens. The potato agnolotti was soft and warm, and the freshness of the pasta had absorbed all the flavours. The cold braised onion was such a contrast in temperature and texture, it made the bite very unique and extravagant. I found the potato slightly overwhelming at times, and the carbs made it hard to finish the dish but I still loved the way everything was cooked here.
SECOND COURSE
The wagyu 9, eggplant, toasted sesame, miso, garlic chive was light and savoury dish we found a little underwhelming when compared to our other dishes. Mick found it slightly mild in flavours as degustation dishes are usually focused on the appreciation and intensity of flavours. The wagyu was very tender, as if it had been massaged during the cooking process too. The miso and wagyu combo brought back Japanese nostalgia for us. The eggplant and toasted sesame combination was a very interesting and strong sauce for the meat.
Wow 😍😍😍!!!!! The Moreton bay bug tail, burnt carrot, harissa, purple basil, carrot, shellfish butter really wowed us. The bug tail had a beautifully creamy and sweet flesh. Its soft warmth and the slight crunch of the carrot, mixed with the harissa puree and the watery texture of the butter was so friggin delicious.
It was such an amazing experience enjoying all forms of the textures and the wonderful flavours swirling inside our mouths. I adventured out of my comfort zone picking this dish, as this is normally a dish that Mick would select. Now I’m a lover of bug tail. I was really sad when the dish ended too soon.
It was such an amazing experience enjoying all forms of the textures and the wonderful flavours swirling inside our mouths. I adventured out of my comfort zone picking this dish, as this is normally a dish that Mick would select. Now I’m a lover of bug tail. I was really sad when the dish ended too soon.
third course
Mick picked the john dory, squash, zucchini, pumpkin seeds, capers, tarragon, bottarga for his third dish. The fish was succulent yet crunchy on the outside with maximum flavour, freshness and breadth of the ocean. There were a light tangy sauce and a little crunch from the squash which added so much depth into this magnificent dish. You can tell he loved it because he only took one shot 😆.
The beef bavette and slow-cooked cheek, radicchio, radish, truffle, rye was my choice for my final dish. Instantly you can see that this dish not only satisfied my taste buds but also my visual consumption. It smelled amazing too!
The beef was medium rare, with a light glaze on the outside. The green/white piece in the middle was very interesting; a soft chewy bit with a slightly sour taste. The multitude of textures and flavours combining with each other was creating so much layers with each bite.
The beef was medium rare, with a light glaze on the outside. The green/white piece in the middle was very interesting; a soft chewy bit with a slightly sour taste. The multitude of textures and flavours combining with each other was creating so much layers with each bite.
dessert
I am a lover of mousse. This is the valrhona chocolate mousse, banana caramel, quandong, black sesame ice cream. Both the mousse and ice cream flavours were light, airy and not too overwhelming. The cake texture was a bit too rich, making my mouth feel dry and thirsty after a few bites. I guess this is how they get you to drink more cocktails, ayeeee.
“This was the best feuilletine I have ever had” – Mick.
Feuilletine of slow-poached quince, guava, Poire William ice cream, apple vanilla sauce. The quince was in season and everything in this dish was vibrant and fresh. The crispiness, the melting of creams and the beautiful fragrances of each layer was out of this world.
This was truly a masterpiece of a dessert dish. The moderately warm crunch was drowned out by the refreshing texture when consumed together with the vanilla sauce. It was amazing!! I was a little jealous Mick got to gobble this up within minutes of it arriving on our table 😂.
Feuilletine of slow-poached quince, guava, Poire William ice cream, apple vanilla sauce. The quince was in season and everything in this dish was vibrant and fresh. The crispiness, the melting of creams and the beautiful fragrances of each layer was out of this world.
This was truly a masterpiece of a dessert dish. The moderately warm crunch was drowned out by the refreshing texture when consumed together with the vanilla sauce. It was amazing!! I was a little jealous Mick got to gobble this up within minutes of it arriving on our table 😂.
A complementary gift in celebration of our 4th anniversary.
Thank you for such a fine dining experience, Est! ❤️
Thank you for such a fine dining experience, Est! ❤️
service
The server was super nice and funny, and we wished her all the best for her newborn as she was 7 months pregnant that night! All the waiters/waitresses gave us descriptive information about our food and patiently waited for our cameras to be ready. Everyone made our anniversary extra special and for that, thank you so much.
review
It was such a fantastic meal and one we will never be able to have again 😭 We wish they were still open so we could visit again.
Thanks for reading my post. Happy eating!
Thanks for reading my post. Happy eating!
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