"So this is Christmas..."

... as the great John Lennon sang, "And what have we done?" Our answer is eaten ourselves to a stupor! As 2010 draws to a close, we reflect on the special meals we shared with family and friends and thank each and every one of you for being a part of our lives for another year. A word of caution, I hope you've got yourself a cup of tea and a few biscuits and you're sitting comfy on a lounge because this is going to be quite a long read...

Part 1: Dinner at Etch.

Circumstances having kept us from organising our annual (birthday) degustation dinner earlier in the year, we settled on this well frequented venue. Entering via a recessed doorway in the lobby of the Intercontinental Hotel, we meet up with friends in a small waiting area populated with low lounges. The dining room looks busy and well patronised.

The food is certainly well presented, each dish was a work of art and we almost felt guilty hoeing in.


This night, the menu consisted of:

Beetroot cured Petuna ocean trout, horseradish cream, baby beetroot.

Easily my favourite of the evening, the trout was reminiscent of Tetsuya's signature dish but with a smaller portion, less overwhelming and not fatty in the least.

Duck Terrine, pickled cherries, coffee reduction.