Despite an unfortunate reduction in the number and quality of participants each year, Good Food Month can still be counted on to produce some extremely interesting and well-priced culinary adventures. By far the most exciting event of 2017 Good Food Month is a journey through Italian cooking hosted by Lot 1 Sydney.
A one-off event, the five-course dinner with matching wine showcases the regional delights of Italy in an intimate, industrial-chic setting.
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| Swordfish Carpaccio di Pesce Spada |
Representing the beautiful Sicilia is the swordfish carpaccio - swordfish being plentiful in the region. I am very fond of raw fish - no better source of protein in my view. This one is paired with a grapefruit and blood orange jelly, and washed down with a fresh, light grillo parlante white wine, also from Sicily. Maybe it's the choice of fish, or the preparation, but I have often found carpaccio to be a tad too fishy for my taste; though I can see how that is precisely the charm of the dish for many others. The combination of sweet and savoury is a genius stroke.
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| Burrata Affumicata |
Easily my favourite dish of the evening, representing the region of Puglia is a delicate cheese paired with a chardonnay / fiano / malvasia blend. The Burrata is a stretched mozzaella filled with curd, so that when you cut open the parcel liquid cheese spills out to combine with the slightly smokey capcicum puree. The paired wine is also my favourite of the evening - a lovely white wine with a strong floral note, a light acidity and a touch of honey.
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| Gnocchi ai Quattro Formaggi |
The pasta dish of the evening represents Alto Adige - a light, fluffy, pillowy gnocchi in four cheeses. Quite a "stinky" and rustic dish, the best part of it are the balsamic pearls and crispy pancetta. I have never been a gnocchi or four cheese fan, I find both too heavy. The paired wine is also my least favourite white wine - a chardonnay.
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| Porchettina |
The Porchettina fro Abruzzo is a wonderfully hearty dish. Amazingly savoury, this firm-textured pork sirloin almost has the taste of a semi-cured meat, and is eaten with gorgeous bread like a sandwich. It may be too salty for some people's taste, but I found it hearty, filling and very, very satisfying. Paired with a relatively light red wine - made from the montepulciano variety of grape that Abruzzo is well known for - the low acidity of the wine and the pork worked perfectly together.
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| Sorbetto al Limone |
The final dish of the evening is surprisingly refreshing - a lemon sorbet representing Sardegna. I say surprising because the dessert wine is extremely heavy and porty - a mirto rosso; so I thought the dessert would be something very heavy. The most genius part of the dish is the bed of lemon myrtle popcorn, which has a fragrant yet delicate flavour to balance the sharpness of the sorbet. The wine, I'm no fan of. It tasted like a particularly thick cough medicine.
Score: 4/5
Cost: $85pp - an absolute steal.
Address: 18 York St, Sydney
Website: http://lot1sydney.com.au/
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