Beansprout's Cafe: Merivale Winter 2009

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Teppanyaki @ Merivale Winter Feasts

After read about Teppanyaki from Pigged-out at night, I quickly texted Ayla asking whether she is interested and lucky she said yes. I even dreamed about it that night.. haha.. So there were 4 of us, Ayla, Gladys, Hema and me.

It was our first time we went into Ivy, the dark area is quite confusing. (maybe only for us?) But we finally can find the restaurant :)

Inside is very beautiful, classy with a dim mood lighting, after I was very pleased by the decoration, I was then worried how my picture will turn out.. (haha... just like every food bloggers )

The Winter Feasts deal consists of 3 courses (plus glass of wine or James Squire beer) for $35.

We were lucky sitting next to the preparation area. (I don't know its good seats or not but I like it cuz we can see the cooking by chefs).

They served us the Miso Soup Tofu, wakame and shallots. Good that the miso soup should be.

Snapper Yukke : Snapper sashimi served in a crisp lettuce cup with spicy miso, nori seaweed & lotus root

I really like this, the snapper was very fresh and well seasoned. First time I had the crisp lotus root, thumbs up.

Wagyu Penny Burger (2 pieces)
Mini wagyu beef burgers with cucumber, tomato and spicy house sauce

Ayla ordered this, I tried a bit. The meat was surprisingly salty. It tasted nice, smoky smell and good with the soft and warm bun.. But again, it was way too salty.

King Fish Shabu Shabu: Slices of King Fish, cooked in the hot dashi broth (poured at table), with fresh wakame, enoki mushrooms and shallots

Ayla doesn't eat anything raw and she ordered this.. haha. We didn't know that it came raw, we thought it will came with the shabu pot. (Obviously can see from the menu but because I was only focusing on beef and pork dish, didn't even look at the fish dish but maybe Ayla also forgot to read carefully.)

but we forced her to tried and said that it was cooked..haha

Free Range Pork Belly : Twice cooked pork belly with shaved fennel, apple and caramelised black vinegar

Hema and I ordered the pork. I got this dish before I came here.. It looks really divine in the blog. Unfortunately, my dish was not as good as I expected, not very tender but not bad.

Wagyu Striploin 100gr : Oakleigh Ranch marble score 5+ sirloin with wok tossed shiitake, buckwheat & soybean

Gladys's dish.. AMAZING ! Now I understand when people said the waygu beef is melt in your mouth.. It was exactly true ! I was so regret ordering pork.. I don't mind come again to have this delicious beef. The veggies and the sauce were also very tasty.

Gladys and Hema.

Some sauvignon blanc.. couldn't catch the name. It was very beautiful white wine. I was really enjoy it.

The dessert, the menu said its for sharing. We were 4 and allowed to choose only 2 dishes T_T

Banana Tempura with Sake Chocolate fondu

The batter was very crisp and light. We were curious about sake chocolate sauce, couldn't taste sake but felt like cointreau instead .. Its very nice by the way. About banana, of course, I never like banana in Australia, not sweet and floury flavour.

Black Sesame Panacotta with a Strawberry Coulis

Very interesting taste. I personally like black sesame so I like it. Anyway, we had to share the glass. What if 2 gentlemen come together, they have to share this o_O?