Fine Dining

While still uncommon, it's been in vogue for a while now to use vegetables in ice cream. The flavour on this one's subtle, with the nutty sweetness of the root vegetable barely registering. What it is though, is well-executed ice cream, spiked with fermented strawberry gel and sandwiched between Salted & Hung's signature honeycomb burnt butter tuille and a dark chocolate cracker.
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Taste: 3.5/5

Inspired by childhood memories of his family's farm back home in Australia, this dessert from chef Drew sees lacto-fermented apple brunois and crumble garnishing a sharply refreshing ginger & apple sorbet, which in turn sat atop a beautifully pearly white sphere of ginger semifreddo. I loved the palate cleansing combination of fresh fruit and iced confectionery, but found the semifreddo a little powdery and dry.
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Taste: 3/5

Probably the most straightforward of courses during our lunch so far, but no less delicious for it. Stupendously good Wagyu beef cheek that literally melts in your mouth, its meaty unctuousness lavished in savoury jus. Alongside it, a disc of creamy salt baked potato blanketed in vinegar cream and a dollop of caviar. There was also a refined yet punchy garlic puree to accompany the beef. A more luxurious steak and potatoes I have not had in recent memory.
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Taste: 4.5/5

Summer sang from this plate of the sweetest scallops adorned with translucent discs of paper-thin daikon and pear, whose crunchiness played off the soft shellfish beautifully. Buried under, discreet dobs of apple gel added spikes of fruity tanginess, whilst the modern art-esque riot of green and yellow lemon herb cream sauce was the perfect zesty and bright counterpoint to the raw seafood.
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Taste: 4/5

Whilst the firm and fleshy barramundi was impressively well-cooked, it was almost upstaged by the glorious ode to umami that was the shellfish emulsion it rested in. Light and frothy yet intensely punchy, I could not help but wipe the plate clean long after I had no more fish left to accompany the sauce. The ebi dust sprinkled atop was a small yet well-thought out touch that elevated both the flavour and complexity of the dish even further.
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Taste: 4/5

Like a bejeweled crown of ruby shards and tangerine pearls, the atypical combination of Yarra Valley trout roe and frozen grapefruit provided simultaneous bursts of briny fishiness and semi-sweet bitterness, playing off the salty umami-ness of the creamy soy panna cotta below.
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I must admit my taste buds were initially confused, but I was quickly won over by the refreshing coldness and harmony of flavours in each spoonful. To seamlessly weave such seemingly disparate components is no easy task, but here it is achieved with masterful aplomb.
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Taste: 3.5/5

Punching way above their diminutive weights were these gorgeous golden balls. Inside the crisp deep-fried sourdough batter spheres sat on mounds of celeraic puree, was unctuous slow-cooked pork with onion, just bursting with an intense, sweet, meaty savouriness. Probably one of the most memorable amuse bouches I've had at @saltedandhung.
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Taste: 4/5

The beginning of our final meal at Salted & Hung was bittersweet, as they shuttered their doors for good two days later. It only took the news of their imminent closure to finally bring us back there after almost half a year.
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To start, a trio of amuse bouche triplets, first amongst them a delightful raw shrimp and creme fraiche springroll shell tart topped with luxurious Russian caviar.
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Taste: 3.5/5

Two precious pieces of absolutely tender and juicy Iberico pork that have been slow-cooked and charred, served with a meaty jus and accompanied by a delicate medley of hazelnuts, blueberries and cauliflower puree that serve only to accentuate the centrepiece protein. Salted & Hung's gastronomical creations have only gotten better over the years.

Taste: 4/5

Medium-rare as requested, I could find nothing to complain about the 250g Australian grain-fed steak. The trio of sauces which accompanied it were also well-executed, with the vegetal chimichurri the standout amongst the bearnaise and green peppercorn (also good).

Taste: 3.5/5

Its crisp, outer breaded shell gives way to fresh and flaky layers of sweet jumbo lump crab flesh within. Paired with a spiced pepper dip and a good squeeze of lemon, this is probably one of the best crab cakes I've had in recent memory.

Taste: 3.5/5

I've always been enamoured with bone marrow, but try as I might, I simply could not enjoy this. The rich unctuousness I usually crave, is here, simply overwhelmingly greasy. Perhaps a touch more Maldon salt might have helped, but perhaps not.

Taste: 2.5/5