WHEN Australasia was about to open last year Confidential was lucky to get an exclusive preview of the quality on offer. The food was exceptional.
That was in May. In June when Gordo returned to review and score the restaurant, the high standards had been maintained.
Then the chef, Paul Greening, who had largely dreamt up and developed the menu abruptly left. Some of the detailing in the food disappeared – cute little edible flowers in the salad for example.
We thought we might have been hasty in our judgement.
Given the theatre of the place, the approach of the staff, the craft of the food, Australasia will make a special occasion feel special.
I was back last week to dine for the first time in six months. No worries.
The venue was as smooth looking as ever, the service as sharp and friendly, the food as lovely and the buzz and atmosphere as entertaining and engaging. It was a lush, luxurious and impressive experience.
The menu had been tweaked since the last time I was in but I still went for the tempura soft shell crab (£12.50). This came with ‘courgette flowers' and was 'chilli seasoned’. It was superb, all crunch, snap, soft succulent flesh, and that strange sense of well-being over how bounteous and giving is Mother Nature when allied with the alchemy of cooking.
Soft shell crab and prawns
My dining partner started with prawns, red chilli and lime salt (£8.50). Again an exquisite preparation with the fatness of the prawns given punch by the red chilli, and lifted with the lime. They looked good, as usual - presentation being an Australasia hallmark.
Edamame beansMore crunch was provided by a big bowl of edamame beans. These had been fried with chilli, garlic and ginger (£4), all of which came through as a palpable but subtle presence. Moreish things edamame beans, it took me a while but I’d done 'em all by the end of the meal.
Speaking of lime we’d started off drinks-wise with the infused lemon and lime (£2.95) before moving on to wine with a punchy Rioja. These infused waters are the ultimate in refreshing and palate cleansing drinks. I do a version at home, which probably costs about 27p, but then I don’t have the theatre of Australasia in my kitchen. Not during weekdays anyway.
The ocean trout fillet with pancetta, caramelised onion and Madeira shallots (£18.50 - our main picture at the top of the page) was simply beautiful. The fish was perfect - sonnets could be written to celebrate it. Then there was pancetta and 'shrooms to add complementary contrast and a gooey edge of shallots enriched by Madeira. Not sure so much foamy yoghurt veloute foam was needed on top of the fish although it added a gentle nuance and colour to the flavour. Doing fish properly can be a difficult juggling act but this dish didn't drop a ball - so to speak.
The sea became the unplanned theme for the evening. My dining partner had the roasted barramundi and mitsuba toast (mitsuba is a Japanese herb) with scallops, clams and vegetable noodles (£19.50). Bunching the ingredients up on a fork and taking a bite released an explosion of proper savoury variety, rich fun for the food lover.
Barrimuni and Barry Mitsuba
Sweet potato and rosemary mash (£4) was a fine accompaniment to the mains. If I'd been given a spoon, I would have gobbled it up like one of grandma's trad trifles.
Instead we had the passion fruit marshmallow, roast pineapple parcels and pineapple sorbet for £7. I should have gone for my favourite mango souffle instead. Or my gran's trifle.
Busy puddingThe passion fruit thingy was more OTT than the conversation-stopping bodice on a young lady a few booths down. The sweet and tart balance (I'm talking about the dessert not the bodice here) had been spoilt by over-complicating the issue.
It gets expensive at Australasia. The sides, the infused waters, the bits and bobs here and there all add up. When combined with mains, starters and pudds this is top-Manchester-whack.
Doing it properly with wine for two means you’ll be more than a £100 lighter on leaving the restaurant.
Hardly a surprise given the quality and style of the restaurant but for most people this puts the meal into the special occasion category. In a way that's just as it should be and every city needs places like Australasia, but it means the restaurant attracts all manner of snobbery, both inverted and not.
Asked by a man - let's call him Tosh - the following Saturday about my favourite restaurants in the city, he stated that he disliked Australasia because it was "full of WAGS".
There's a bit of that, of course, but mostly the clientele are all ages, probably comfortably-off people, with a desire to try new food. At the same time they appreciate a lively atmosphere. It's a sassy place. Latin guests love it.
I asked absolute Tosh if he'd ever been in Australasia.
"No," he said, "but I know the type of place."
Typical.
His type of place turned out to be the newly opened Bakerie in the Northern Quarter and others like it. Wholesome, unpretentious. I like Bakerie too (click here), I like all sorts of places. It's a joy Manchester has such variety.
Given the theatre of the place, the approach of the staff, the craft of the food, Australasia makes a special occasion feel special. It's great to have it in the city.
You can follow Jonathan Schofield on Twitter here @JonathSchofield
ALL SCORED CONFIDENTIAL REVIEWS ARE IMPARTIAL AND PAID FOR BY THE MAGAZINE. £1000 to the reader who can prove otherwise, and dismissal for the staff member who wrote a review scored out of twenty on a freebie from the restaurant.
Australasia
1 The Avenue
Spinningfields, M3 3AE
Rating: 17.5/20
Food: 8.5/10
Service: 4.5/5
Ambience: 4.5/5
