If you are up for a long and fulfilling night having a supreme quality degustation and happy to spend a premium price for it, then this is the place to be. Only 2.6 km from the CBD and some of the finest food that Perth has to offer, this is a definite place to visit for those who enjoy the finer things in life.
From a conversation we overheard that the couple next to us started at 6.30 PM and they left around 11.30 PM. We started around 8.00 PM and by the time we finished all our courses it was 1.30 AM. So we can safely say that the average duration is about 5 hours. They did not rush you out to close the restaurant which I thought made this place extra special and somewhere you could really enjoy each meal with the company of others.
The restaurant is very narrow and the seating is limited therefore, booking in advance is a must where we booked two months in advance.
Degustation Menu
The menu consists of a seven course degustation with a choice of the mains. The waiter was very pleasant and attentive. The service could not be faulted. Each wine and dish was introduced upon serving with a brief explanation. Each dish has a matching wine where we opted for the premium selection. Initially, a different waiter served us with the standard wine when we had ordered the premium however, we realised this straight away and therefore, it is important to clarify whether you are getting the right one.
Similar to any other degustation, bread is served as a starter with a combination of cheese, sourdough and herb bread. This was light and not too filling.
Surprise dish 1 - Anchovy cornet with feta mousse and gazpacho sorbet
To our surprise this dish was served to us as a palate cleanser where the combination was unique with salty yet sweet flavours were emitted from this combination. The cornet was light and crisp and the filling was icy cold.
Boston Bay hiramasa kingfish ceviche
Babo Bianco L'lsolano 2009, Sicily
(p) Wittnian Silvaner 2008, Rheinhassen, Germany
This dish consisted of raw fish covered in rich coconut cream topped with shavings of red onion, pineapple, capsicum and parsley. I thought the combination of flavours was tropical and worked well. The parsley was slightly overbearing in flavour but it was very light and the fish melted in your mouth.
The wine, Wittnian Silvaner 2008, Rheinhassen, Germany had pear and apple notes which was refreshing and acidic.
WA rock lobster & drunken chicken wings
Edetana Blanco 2010, Terra Alta, Spain
(p) Chateau Mont-Redon Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc 2009
There are two components to this dish. First, the WA rock lobster tail was covered with a butter sauce and was accompanied with seaweed and sesame seeds. The flavours worked well but it was slightly chewy but I wished the serve was larger as I wanted more. Second, the drunken chicken wings was in a form of sushi with rice embedded into the roll. The flavours were Asian inspired where you could taste the soya sauce and fish sauce absorbed into the chicken. The flavours were stronger than what you would find in a normal sushi roll.
The wine, Chateau Mont-Redon Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc 2009 was dry and complimented the Asian flavours of the dish.
Dish 3
Victorian smoked eel pie floater, apple & bacon
Thompson Estate Chardonnay 2010 Margaret River, WA
(p) Christian Moreau Vaillon' Premier Cru 2009, Chablis
Initially I was sceptical about how eel could be made into a pie but I absolutely adored this dish. The crust melted in your mouth and the buttery flavours of the pastry crumbled with each bite. I really liked the apple and bacon condiments which complemented the smoked eel. The eel had absorbed the smokiness quite well and the bacon seemed to accentuate this. The mashed peas on the bottom made this dish look more appealing with the bright contrast of green.
The wine, Christian Moreau Vaillon' Premier Cru 2009, Chablis was perfect and had woody undertones making it the perfect complement for the smokiness of the dish. This was my favourite wine of the night as it was a complex wine with a plethora of flavours.
Surprise dish 2 - Sausage slice
Another surprise dish was provided which was so tasty and delicious. This reminded me of a barbecue, gourmet style. I wanted to have more!
Dish 4
Baked baldivis rabbit, mushroom & thyme
Domaine de la Vougeraie 'Terres de Famille' 2009, Burgundy
(p) Picardy Tete du Cuvee ' Pinot Noir 2008, Pemberton, WA
I really liked the rabbit and Prosciutto surrounding the rabbit. This gave it a slightly smokey flavour and the rabbit meat was very tender. I didn't particularly enjoy the Chinese mushrooms and I generally don't like them due to their strong flavour but this gave the dish an Asian twist and was enjoyable.
The wine, Picardy Tete du Cuvee ' Pinot Noir 2008, Pemberton, WA was slightly spicy making it the perfect compliment.
"Something extra" - Lime and coconut sorbet
For "something extra" we opted for the lime and coconut sorbet as a palate cleanser before the main meal. Another flavour of Jasmine Tea and Lemoncello was also available. This was very refreshing and the coconut made the sorbet extra creamy.
Mains
Dish 5
Margaret river venison & foie gras toad in the hole
Even Keel Shiraz 2008, Canberra District, ACT
(p) Bests Thomson Family' Shiraz 2008, VIC
The venison was cooked medium rare and was very tender and worked well with the Shiraz. This came with a potato slice, foie gras toad in the hole (liver) and Yorkshire pudding. I didn't really enjoy the foie gras toad in the hole but I also didn't know what I was eating at the time either. I had a slightly chewy texture a bit like a mince ball but made with liver which is a French speciality. I liked potato seasoning and the Yorkshire pudding which was light and fluffy.
OR
Dish 5
Tandoori spiced amelia park lamb loin, rib & shoulder
Estezargue s 'Cuvee de s Copains' Grenache 2010, Rhone
(p) Rene Barbier Clos Mogador 2007, Priorat, Spain
This dish was nice with a spicy twist but a little bit ordinary for the price paid.
Dish 6
Cropwell bishop stilton, beetroot, walnut & chocolate
Mas Amiel 'Cuvee Speciale' Vin Doux Naturel 10yo, Maury
(p) Henriques and Henriques 5yo Madeira, Portugal
Chocolate and cheese, what could be better? This consisted chocolate in its raw form and was bitter in taste. The cheese had slightly nutty flavours and the walnuts were to die for! They were candied, crunchy and delicious. The wine was similar to a port wine with oak tones.
Surprise Dish 3 - Peanut butter macaroon
The strong taste of peanuts made this a winner. Light as air on the inside and crisp of the outside. It was a perfect macaroon. It just melts in your mouth.
Dish 7
Pandan leaf panna cotta
Bella Ridge Late Harvest Viognier 2006, Swan Valley, WA
(p) Itsas Mendi 'Urezti' 2006, Bizkaiko Txakolina, Spain
The pandan pana cotta did not have as strong flavours as I expected but it was creamy and enjoyable. The vanilla ice cream was combined with black rice pudding and it was okay. The Kuih Dadar (coconut pancakes) was nice and light. This was a Malaysian inspired dessert.
The wine, Itsas Mendi 'Urezti' 2006, Bizkaiko Txakolina, Spain was sweet and golden yellow in colour. It was complex and had flavours of overripe grapes, orange, pear and honey and was slightly spicy.
Surprise dish 4
Raspberry and cream shot glass
As the very last dish I didn't not expect yet another surprise which consisted of two layers of raspberries and cream served in a shot glass. This was the perfect way to end the night on a sweeter note and it compensated for the slightly savoury desserts that were on the menu.
I highly recommend this place for a degustation and I will be back in the near future. This place is definitely on the top of my list and the service was exceptional.
Restaurant reservations
Phone: (08) 9328 1177Fax: (08) 9228 1144
Opening hours
Monday to Saturday
7pm till late
http://www.jacksonsrestaurant.com.au/
2 comments:
Thanks for the review & all the info. It appears to be a fantastic place. My wife & I are going there real soon.
That's great to hear you will need to inform me of how it goes.
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