Omotenashi Hobart

I had booked a few months ago for a birthday date with my father. I had no idea at the time what we could possibly be in store for, or how incredible an experience we would have waiting for us. 

A week before our dinner was due I received a text confirming my booking. I looked at the text thinking, "do I still know how to enjoy a fancy dinner? Am I still THAT Beck?" I replied to the text yes, that we would be attending, but had a gnawing anxiety.

What did I know about Omotenashi? I knew it was in a car showroom. I knew it was around 15 courses of seafood and vegetable heavy kaiseki style dining. I knew the seating was only for 10 people.

We drive into Hobart to get in by 5pm. The restaurant requests a prompt arrival by 6.30, so we stop into Grinners Dive Bar for an aperitif. I have a Dr Edge Chardonnay. Fun fact, I spent 2 days onsite at Dr Island wines which is a colab of Dr Edge and Small Island winemakers, learning all things winemaking. The chardonnay was delicious.

We then head to the Lexus showroom.

We make our way down a side alley to a discreet door, we enter, are offered tea and told we may make our way freely through the showroom at our leisure. Inspecting some very lovely Lexus while taking in the ambience. 

We are introduced to one of the owners and chefs, Sophie who gives us a brief rundown of how the night will go and then shown to our table.

Photography: Courtesy of Omotenashi/Luke Burgess

Owners and chefs Lachlan and Sophie are our hosts and welcome us like family. We are introduced to them, their vision and what to expect from the rest of the night. Being such an intimate setting, we the guests all introduce ourselves and before long the guests and hosts are interacting freely and without worry.

The crockery/lacquer wear is all antique, sourced from Japan, including our Sake cups and we are invited to select our favorite from a tray. Matched sakes are included and we are invited to request as many refills as we like by placing our cup on the bar and not to be shy about doing so. 

We watch in awe as Lachlan prepares the starting courses before our eyes with all of the skill and ease of a master sushi chef.

We begin with sashimi scallop, with apple from the Huon Valley and strips of okaka, thinly sliced and dried bonito.

Next up we have abalone, with liver sauce, vegetables and artichoke sushi (rice ball). It is my first time trying abalone which is highly prized in Asia and although sourced in Tasmania, most of ours does make it's way to the Asian market. It was lovely and the umami liver sauce was rich and delicious. The vegetables were were lightly blanched and their fresh flavours shone through. The addition of Chilian Guava berries was delightful and the first time I had seen them on a menu. The sushi was excellent. Can we also talk about the outstanding presentation and addition of wattle flowers?!

Following on was a bowl of warm and I must say, warming dashi broth.

We are then introduced to the sashimi courses. Whiting, rock lobster and bonito.

The whiting is served only with river salt which we are informed is to provide crunch. The fish is excellent and the crunch really elevated the dish,

Rock lobster or crayfish as we call it in Tasmania is not uncommon, especially around Christmas time. I had never had it raw before. It was incredibly delicate. Having sashimi with no sauces or extra accompaniments also really spotlights the flavour of the fish.

I had to google bonito: it's a fish in the same family as tuna and mackerel and looking at it now I can see it in the flesh of the sashimi and also how bonito flakes and dashi have such a meaty flavour. This bonito served with egg yolk and dashi was absolutely wonderful. One of my meal highlights.

To follow we are made individual maki rolls of bluefin tuna. The crunch of the nori sheet sourced from Kyoto is delightful.

We commence our next set of dishes with Chawanmashi, a steamed egg custard. Which is super light but also warming and hearty, if that makes sense?

The sake pairings are excellent and possibly the first time I had tried/enjoyed quality sake. The intricacies of sake is fascinating and the tasting notes are as many and varied as that of wine or whisky.

Following on from this is our second whiting of the evening, served grilled. Whiting is an excellent fish and not one I have eaten much of since the move south.

The next three dishes I think would be considered our main/s. And flavourful mains at that. The first was, I would almost describe as a warm potato salad with brocolli fleurettes and mushroom and was very very moreish.

The hotpot bowl of dashi, vegetables and the most wonderful grilled moshi (another highlight of the meal.

And the gohan dish of scallops on rice which had a flavour which isn't unfamilar to me but difficult to describe The scallops were perfection and the garlicy rice was [insert happy, yummy pleased sound here]. It had that feeling of 'home' when you ate it. And on a cold winter night these three dishes really warmed the cockles.

Then we move onto desserts: Meyer lemon ice cream with lemon curd. Presented in such a perfect capsule. Sophie announces that she could only present it like this to us as we've had such a fun night as a group. The mother of pearl spoon apparently conducts the temperature differently to metal and will affect the taste accordingly.

All I can say is the dessert definitely tasted amazing.

And to round out the night, a rhubarb and matcha mochi .

Dad and I were beyond amazed by this dining experience. The hosts , the food, the experience, the location and even the addition of our fellow guests just made this a once-in-a-lifetime evening (though I hope I can go again soon). I made a statement recently in that this was in the top 3 dining experiences of my life with the 3 Michelin starred Restaurant Gordon Ramsay click here to read and the Michelin starred Number One at Balmoral here. I still can't believe how lucky I was to have had the opportunity to dine here. I don't know If I'm still a fine dining Beck, but I had a most wonderful night.

Sophie and Lachlan are amazing and I wish them all the luck in the world. In any other capital city, I imagine this restaurant would have a 3 to 6 month waitlist and charge $500 a head. I'll just count my blessings that I live in Tasmania.

Cost $300 per person.

Omotenashi

Lexus Showroom

Elizabeth Street Hobart

The Agrarian Kitchen Eatery Revisited

We drive from my house to our local town of New Norfolk. Snow has dusted the peaks. The main difference is the addition of my best friend Dizzle, who has blessed me with her presence on a visit from Brisbane. Another blessing: she is taking me on a belated birthday lunch to one of my favourite restaurants.

She has let me choose the venue, the wonderful Agrarian Kitchen Eatery. I first visited the year before for my birthday. I promise her it will be a lovely time. I think she trusts me.

The menu, as always is a set lunch menu. All food is locally sourced and/or grown or made on site. 

Dizz selects a local sparkling Rose. I say I am feeling like something tart and refreshing and without ado they make me a gin fizz cocktail.

Before long, our first, beautifully presented morsels arrive: Oyster sandwich, little potato cubes, fresh veg with an umtious mayo and the most pretty Danish you'll ever see.

turnip, kohrabi and burnt onion

Vegetables are garden fresh and the mayonnaise is velvety. 

Danish, broad bean flowers and cured egg

Buttery flaky pastry. Rich cured egg yolk.

potato, lamb salt and thyme | angasi oyster sandwich 

The oyster sandwich has a lovely tempura style oyster, mayo in white bread. There is a Japanese essence and something very comforting about this little mouthful. The potato is layer upon layer of paper-thin potato which I think was confit and was simple and elegant and went beautifully with a smear of mayo.

Next round is burrata, sourdough and cured cold cut made from the pig's head.

burrata and smoked paprika

Beautiful mild mozzarella style cheese with a cream filling.

coppa di testa, blood orange and parsley

The coppa di testa is beautiful, however I thought the dressing of blood orange was slightly too strong for the very delcate flabour of the meat. However the love and respect shown for this animal is clear.

kefir butter

I love when butter is presented as a work of art.

mushrooms, fermented parsnip and egg yolk

Our main plates are brought out one at a time, the mushroom and parsnip, broad beans and asparagus and pork, garlic and corn and initially we question this.
However we realise that each one of these dishes is exceptional. I've heard people express their love for in-season asparagus and thought to myself, how can someone love a vegetable so much. But now I know. Each one of these dishes could have been an amazing main by itself and it they all came out together I don't feel that I could have appreciated the perfection of each individual element on each plate.

broad beans, asparagus and hot sauce

braised pork, green garlic and corn

Rich, tender, juicy pork with an sumtuous fattiness. The corn was a bit surreal. It had been dried and then rehydrated and the texture was something else.

yoghurt and honey tart

Beautiful creamy tart with a sharp honey sauce.

coffee liqueur

elderflower pate de fruit

Jubes!

buttermilk gelato and rhubarb

Creamy, lovely finish to a gorgeous meal.

 

I just love the unpretentiousness of this restaurant, locally sourced, made with love fine dining.

This post is dedicated to my best friend, Carly (Dizzle)