Amaru
Amaru is a modern Australian fine dining restaurant located on High Street Armadale. High Street is filled with many unique boutiques and cafes but the hassles and bustles calmed down at night apart from Amaru. A very warm welcome by the staff as we stepped in. The room is dark but lit with warm amber lights... concrete walls, velvet curtains drape at the back wall which echos with the fabric seating and cushions... stylish and cozy!
We were sitting on a comfy spot at the front near the windows so didn't have a chance to see any action in the open kitchen at the back performed by Chef Clinton McIver and his team. All the beautiful dishes were being timely served and the charming Ali and the sommelier were attentive throughout the night.
The degustation menu we had for the night was a combination of six shared starters and seven individual dishes. Here are some of the highlights.
Eel / Onion / Pickles
A beautiful presented starter of mini sweet biscuits topped with smoked eel mousse and onion pickles.
Trout Pearls / Hazelnut Emulsion
Another starter... not the ordinary fish roes. The trout pearls are indeed bigger and burst with flavour. A nice combination of the salty trout roes with hazelnut mousse and crispy sweet potato chips.
Artichoke Skins / Fresh Walnut / Activated Nuts & Seeds
Starter No. 3 & 4... a lot of goodies in the bowl! Loves those crispy thin crackers with the artichoke pieces. The nuts & seeds biscuits are yum too.
Swede / Natural Yeast / Blood Sausage
Starter No. 5... mini swede bread topped with powdered blood sausage. Again, just admiring the creation and flavours.
Chawanmushi / Mud Crab / Onion Juice / Horseradish
The main courses now...
Love Japanese steamed egg custard and this one is exceptionally delicious. Tender crab meat with silken egg custard topped with sweet onion juice... and a kick of hot horseradish / wasabi!
Organic Hen Egg / Celeriac / Sea Butter / Truffle
Soft poached egg covered by delicious creamy-buttery celeriac and topped with freshly shaved truffle by Chef McIver. The star ingredient of course is the truffle... don't we love truffle at the moment!
Western Australia Cobia / Shaved Squid / Sea Grapes
Beautiful fish accompanied with other flavours of the sea... squid & the ink sauce and the sea grapes just burst with flavours in your mouth.
Pork Neck / Porcini / Chestnut
Porcini, chestnut and succulent pork... no argument with these classic ingredients can easily have another serve of this hearty dish.
Dry Aged Duck Smoked in Hay / Leek Hearts / Burnt Rock Oyster / Charred Leek Oil
The smoked duck breast is very tender and goes very nicely with the crispy leek. The burnt oyster itself tastes amazing.
Toasted Hay / Apple Vinegar / Unfliltered Olive Oil
How artistic is this dessert! The signature ice-cream... hay infused Emu egg ice-cream topped with apple vinegar & unfiltered olive oil. So incredibly smooth & creamy. Love the contrasting flavours of the sweetness and the slight hints of sourness at once.
Musquee de Provence Pumpkin / Frozen Mandarin Pith / Toasted Milk / Liquorice
Another wow dessert... bursts with flavours! Pumpkin parfait with mandarin pith, sunflower seed biscuit, milk meringue & liquorice. Complicated dessert with so many different flavours all go along with each other.
Espresso Martini
Between the four of us we did have a few bottles of nice European white and red wines but simply cannot recall them now. For me, instead of having a dessert wine I prefer to finish off the beautiful dinner with my favourite espresso martini... just delicious!
My favourite savoury dish - Smoked duck breast
My favourite dessert - Pumpkin tart
We had a wonderful dinner at Amaru. An evening well spent chatting away with friends and enjoying some seriously good food and wine. The degustation menu showcases a fine definition of modern Australian food in terms of ingredients, textures, flavours as well as the playful presentation. Definitely we will be visiting again.
Amaru
1121 High St, Armadale VIC 3143
(03) 9822 0144
