So we’ve done some raving of late about one of our favourite dining locations in the city, Bistro Dom (we can’t help it, it’s that good). We’ve told you of their incredible new dream team and their unbelievable value for money; but we haven’t laid out the most important part: the food! On Tuesday night we sent Glam girl Hannah down to indulge in their ever-changing five course menu to ensure our Glam readers really know what goes on behind those doors.
Being greeted by name upon arrival is always a wonderful thing. Like walking into Cheers (where everybody knows your name) but with far less pints of beer, and a well dressed Maitre D’ that doesn’t look in the slightest like Rhea Perlman. But how could you expect anything less from Martin O’Connor? The man who won Maitre D’ of The Year in 2014 and oozes a comforting sophistication.
He lead us down the narrow dining passage, past walls covered in the stunning works of local artists, to our table. This love for locality flows on through the menu too. Martin took his time to explain the passion Head Chef Shane Wilson has for foraging and how it helps shape their continually evolving menu.
Squid ink crackers with mussels
He informed us that the staff, both kitchen and front of house, go out together to collect ingredients for the dishes that are presented each day. Growing, picking and foraging the kitchen’s ingredients means truly understanding the source of this wonderful produce. It means that the waiter serving your meal has a depth of knowledge that far exceeds just knowing what has been popped on a plate. It creates a passion for the whole story and helps them pass on that passion to us as diners.
To begin with we were treated to some squid ink crackers (not dissimilar to a prawn cracker, but black of course) topped with pickled mussel and linseed crackers with pea flower and beetroot puree. A delightful little treat to get us going, paired of course with a sparkling to start the wine flight.
The first official dish was smoked kingfish with kohlrabi, oyster cream, wild garlic, pork crackle and finished with some toasted crunchy almonds. The flavour and texture combinations in this dish were just spectacular. The smokiness of the kingfish and powerful oyster cream was balanced out by the refreshing light kohlrabi, and the salty crunch of the pork crackling and almonds rounded this starter out perfectly. We were off to a fantastic start.
Chicken liver parfait, pickled onion, wild rice and orange marmalade
Next up was the chicken liver parfait, pickled onion, wild rice and orange marmalade. As a lover of all things parfait and pate, this dish just sung to me. The smooth and creamy parfait was simply brilliant (honestly just give me a tub of that with a spoon and I’ll be a happy girl)! The puffed wild rice added a light and crunchy texture, almost like your traditional cracker element when eating pate on toast. The pickled onion created bite, but the surprising element was the orange marmalade hidden underneath the parfait. The sweet sticky gel just brought everything together, like the finishing bow on a delicious present.
The McLaren Vale Beach Road Greco Martin had paired with this dish was equally incredible. On the nose this white was completely different to on the palate, and transformed once again when drunk with the parfait. Martin’s skill and knowledge as a sommelier (although never in doubt) really shone here and reinstated that wine pairing is truly an art form… one that others may not have yet mastered to this degree.
The next dish really compromised our perception of ingredients. The small ball was squid, wrapped in raw Devon beef with a smoked chicken broth and sorrel. Now we can hear your brain ticking over at the thought of those flavour combinations (ours did too) but it really has to be tasted to be comprehended. Shane later told us this was a kind of ode to an asian noodle soup. Breaking through the encapsulating raw beef revealed the squid, which was cut into thin strips. It was so fresh it tasted almost like al dente rice noodles. The smoked chicken broth that the waiter poured over at the table, had a sweet and sour complexity that you wouldn’t ordinarily expect from a chicken broth. He informed us that this sweetness came from extracting the juice from slow roasted pumpkin. Who would’ve thunk it? This only further highlighted that the finer details that join these dishes together have been so carefully thought out.
Squid, wrapped in raw Devon beef with a smoked chicken broth and sorrel
For the main we enjoyed a beautifully tender Hay valley lamb rump with beetroot, fermented radish and rosemary. The traditional flavour of red meat and beetroot just works together so well, with the pop of fermented radish adding a great twist. Shane’s ability to construct each individual element only further elevated this dish. And of course what would a lamb dish be without a bold and hearty glass of red to wash it all down with? The Jericho Syrah from the Adelaide Hills really emphasised the beetroot’s vibrance.
Then we got to taste a little something the pro’s like to call ‘pre-dessert’. Personally I believe all meals should be served with a pre-dessert, possibly even a post dessert too. Why not stretch the magic out even longer? This refreshing little palate cleanser comprised of beef fat, fig leaf, coconut cream, walnuts and desiccated coconut. We’re with you, it sounds bizarre, but it totally worked. It was just the right amount of salty and sweet, almost like a salted caramel effect, balanced out by light and fluffy coconut cream that didn’t weigh you down.
Hay valley lamb rump with beetroot, fermented radish and rosemary
Dessert itself was chocolate pudding served with coffee ice cream, honeycomb, dehydrated chocolate mousse and a chocolate gel. Not for the faint of heart, but certainly a chocoholic’s heaven. Decadent, rich and comforting leaving us almost horizontal in our seats. The wine match with this dish was a Hungarian Tokay. I can’t say I’ve ever sipped on Hungarian vino before but this certainly won’t be the last time. It was sweet but not sickly and syrupy like you find with so many dessert wines. Another expert pick.
We ended up being the last ones in the restaurant, chatting away with Martin and Shane about our shared love of food and the brilliance of the SA food and wine industry at the moment. It was wonderful to converse so openly with people who share our passion at Glam.
Chocolate pudding served with coffee ice cream, honeycomb, dehydrated chocolate mousse and a chocolate gel
The experience at Bistro Dom is like nothing else I’ve tried in the city of late. The exceptional quality of the food and the extremely high level of service rivals even some of Adelaide’s most prominent venues. Underneath it all though you can see there’s just a whole lotta love for the craft, and that’s what will keep us coming back time and time again.
Stunning images by: McFuzzlebutt’s Manchen
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