As we had been strolling down the Esplanade in Lakes Entrance, Victoria, Australia, we noticed a restaurant referred to as Sodafish on a ship and had a take a look at the menu. We had been shocked to see a degustation menu with wine pairing. The menu regarded good, so we booked a desk for dinner that night, relatively than cooking within the camper.
The restaurant is true subsequent to the Lakes Entrance fishing fleet, and acquires the freshest seafood immediately from them. Moreover à la carte there are two tasting menus: 3 programs for AU$ 59 or 6 programs for AU$ 95 with wine pairing (AU$ 45 for six half glasses). We opted for the latter.
The primary coarse was a Broadwater oyster with a traditional mignonette of shallots and vinegar, scallop tartare with kimchi and toasted grains of buckwheat, and focaccia with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The buckwheat was barely chewy, however the scallop tartare with what was referred to as kimchi was scrumptious and the focaccia was wonderful. I personally would have most well-liked good additional virgin olive oil with out the (white) balsamic. This was paired effectively with a 2021 Rob Dolan Blanc de Blanc glowing wine from Warrandyte South, Victoria (Australia), 100% Chardonnay, charmat methodology.
The second course was uncooked kingfish with walnut, cumin, and marigold. The mix of walnut and cumin with the kingfish was scrumptious and the kingfish impeccably recent. This was paired effectively with a 2022 Match Level Rosé from Rylestone, New South Wales, Australia, mix of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The wine was very elegant, however the texture labored effectively with the nuts.
Subsequent was a fish finger with herb salad, pickled onions, and hollandaise with herbs. The fish finger was crammed with a combination of fish and potato to present it a extra tender and fluffy texture. This was paired very effectively with a 2023 Vickery Riesling from Eden Valley, South Australia. The herb salad and hollandaise gave a really good tart distinction to the crispy and fluffy fish finger and the wine introduced all of it collectively.
The menu continued with BBQ’ed octopus with capocollo (Italian charcuterie), harissa, and olive. The flavour of the condiment was terrific, however sadly the octopus was relatively bland and really chewy. It appeared just like the octopus had been BBQ’ed uncooked, whereas parcooking octopus to tenderize it first is completely essential. With the sauce the flavour of the dish was nonetheless very good, and a very good pairing with the 2022 Narkoojee Pinot Noir from Glengarry, Victoria (Australia). Regardless that the wine was served barely too heat, it was an amazing wine with velvety tannins and ripe fruit, and a surprisingly good pairing for the dish.
The ultimate savory course was pink ling (some type of white fleshy fish) with a sea lettuce curry, deep fried samphire, and crème fraîche with herbs. The fish had a really good sear however was nonetheless juicy and labored very effectively with the opposite parts on the plate. It was paired with a wonderful 2022 Merrill Chardonnay from a vineyard very near the restaurant, Tambo Vineyard. I’d have appreciated a full glass with this wine with the dish.
The dessert was a pleasant crispy madeleine with wild coast honey, mascarpone, granny smith apple, and mountain pepper. It was not paired with a vermut from Spain, Fot-li 31 botanicos. The wine is macerated for 3 weeks with 31 completely different herbs and spices, and aged in a solera system for 40 years. Though the vermut wasn’t candy sufficient for the dessert, it was nonetheless a pleasant pairing.
The meals was wonderful and of an sudden excessive stage that for me definitely classifies as ‘tremendous eating’. All the things was scrumptious with unique and balanced flavors, wonderful recent components, and excellent technical execution (apart from the toughness of the octopus). The parts had been enough, however a bit extra bread would have been good to forestall leaving hungry. The wines and wine pairings had been additionally wonderful. Sodafish provides nice worth for cash.
The service was definitely not on the stage of tremendous eating. The service was pleasant they usually had been doing their greatest, however clearly didn’t have quite a lot of expertise. The wines had been poured on the bar; we by no means noticed any bottles, and the glasses had been carried by the glass relatively than by the stems. With the primary course, the meals arrived earlier than the cutlery , in addition to the wine. Kees didn’t eat the octopus in any respect and despatched it again to the kitchen, however nothing was completed about that. After we requested for some extra bread, the waitress requested whether or not we want the dessert wine with the bread or with the dessert (?!) and mentioned it will be additional. This was after we had requested her whether or not she was going to do something in regards to the inedible octopus (she mentioned she had talked about it to the kitchen, as if that might be adequate). When the supervisor got here to our desk on the finish and we talked about this, she was very sorry and supplied us a cocktail to make up for the octopus. As we’re not cocktail individuals, we mentioned it will be adequate if the extra bread can be on the home.
Regardless of the glitches with the service, for the standard of meals and wine, Sodafish is strongly really helpful.
