Maze by Gordon Ramsay, Melbourne

I've seen him in Hell's Kitchen. I've seen him in Masterchef US. I've drooled over his countless cookbooks. And I finally ate in one of his many restaurants.
 
Being super-excited, me and my mum we the first ones around for lunch! The perks? The service was good and the food arrived a nice leisurely pace.

Bread with seaweed butter & salt

 

We started off with the softest bread you'd get (besides Lafite's buttery brioche). The seaweed added a wonderful touch to the creamy butter and it was almost impossible to stop smearing my bread, loading each bite with a generous amount of butter...

Yellow fin tuna tartar with white radish, yuzu & black garlic

Every bite was different. Exciting. New. With so many elements, there was a different taste & texture in each bite! A bite of crunchiness, a bite of citrus-y-ness, a bite of creaminess. And the star of the dish, the tuna was certainly not forgotten among everything.

Foie gras and chicken liver parfait
Madeira, mulberries, toasted sourdough

This was amazing! Spread on a piece of toasted sourdough, both of us couldn't get enough of this dish. Flavours were bouncing around my taste-buds, textures were playing in my mouth & the dish itself was a delight to the eyes.

Toasted sourdough with a dash of oil & a sprinkle of salt

Lobster bisque
octopus, bay scallops and fennel cassoulet

 Is it possible to feel like you're eating lobster without actually eating it? Well, it was certainly what I felt! The deep flavours tingled my senses and left me wanting more.

Crispy Pork belly
calvalo nero, soybeans, dashi

Seaweed butter, white radish & yuzu, soybeans, dashi. The hint of Japanese influence in some dishes surprised me but hey, I'm not complaining! :)

Both of us agreed that the broth was the star of this dish. It added a depth of flavour to the pork. And the pork belly? Beautifully cooked- crispy & crackling skin with moist & tender meat.

King George whiting
smoked paprika brandade, black olive

This dish has everything I love! Perfectly cooked fish, a slight saltiness from the olives & smooth, creamy brandade. Now, I just need to figure out a way to lick my plate clean in a restaurant...

Quince trifle

I've had bad experiences with quinces before but I'd figured that they deserve a second chance. And boy, I'm glad I gave them a try! Every layer added something extra and summed everything up in a bite.

Rhubarb compote,
yogurt & freeze dried raspberry

It was creamy, sweet, sour, crumbly, comforting. And to my surprise, there was a generous amount of crumble nicely tucked under the yogurt! A wonderful way to end an amazing meal.

We walked out with a smile on our face and needless to say, I'll definitely be back for more.

Crown Metropol, Level 1, 8 Whiteman Street
Southbank, 3006

www.gordonramsay.com/mazemelbourne