Heavily advertised by Hayman Island Resort as THE event to attend, I was a bit apprehensive, as this costs more money than Tetsuya’s, and Slokky had to pay the same price even though he wasn’t drinking the wine. But, my motto being, you won’t know until you try it out, so we booked our spot nice and early. And we certainly weren’t disappointed.
Food
We were greeted warmly and seated at the Club Lounge. Before too long, they delivered a class of Don Perignon champagne. Now, I think it might be just me, but I seriously couldn’t tell the difference between this and another decent champagne that costs half the price. We were offered an oeuvres d’oeuf of kingfish tartare, to be our only starter of the night actually. It was a bit plain and didn’t really do it for me, so just as well.
Well, the real thing was about to start. We were led into an area of the kitchen that has been especially set up. Executive chef Glenn Bacon (hehe!) introduced himself and his team, and told us a little about each dish and the matching wine. And so it begins…
- steamed Brunny island oysters with sake - I slurped up every last drop of the oyster juice, then downed the room temperature sake. The oyster was gently steamed and retained its natural flavour. I great start to the evening.
- fresh rolls - because I had down so much alcohol by this stage, I was lapping up the freshly baked rolls.
- mud crab and green papaya salad with plantains - this was an interesting dish. Plantains is like seaweed, and imparted a “sea” flavour to the crab. It was nice, the salad had great texture, and really memorable.
- 2006 Henschke “Coralinga” Sauvignon Blanc from Barossa Valley SA - a pleasant enough wine, I thought it was a bit strong to be paired with the salad.
- Guinea hen, savoy cabbage, black pudding and pork hock compression - was presented as an interesting terrain. Being a fan of black pudding, this one really hit the spot, especially with that really generous piece of truffle that was served on top.
- 2006 Haan “Prestige” Viognier from Barossa Valley SA - this was my favourite wine for the night.
- Hiramisa kingfish with baby abalone, enoki and pearl barley “risotto” - this was another highlight for me. The flavours were individual, but married very well together. Yup, it’s not really a risotto, but chewy barley.
- 2005 Dog Point Chardonnay from Marlborough NZ - I won’t comment except to say I like it!
- Pave of wagyu nine score with snail tart and Montpellier butter - oh my god, this was heaven. It was the BEST steak I have ever had, even better than those wagyu steak from Kingsley Steak House and Prime. The meat was really meat in your mouth, it had that slightly charred taste, it really didn’t need anything else. The snail tart has the real snail flavour, and the pastry, like those from breakfast, was again first rate.
- 2001 D’Arenberg "Coppermine Road" Cabernet Sauvignon from McLaren Vale SA - ok
- Purple carrot gelle and sherbet - looked absolutely spectacular. Glenn explained to us how you get purple carrot and the flavour difference. Well, I couldn’t really taste any "carrot" as such, but the flavour was wonderful nevertheless.
- Variations of orange – chocolate tart, blood orange sauce, flourless orange and almond cake with mascarpone, crème on sale biscuit - yum, yum and yum. My favourite was the actually the mascarpone cream. Smooth and luscious, with a hint of bitterness.
- 2004 De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon from Riverina NSW - I had recovered from my tipsy stage and was able to savour the flavour of this one, but I was so full I couldn’t finish it.
All in all, a wonderful experience, the courses nicely paced and the right size – it was just the wine that was extra indulgent!
Rating - 8.5
Atmosphere
We certainly felt special and exclusive. We were seated in the Club Lounge, where we were given champagne and canapés, before we were called in pairs to sit in the special kitchen area.
They had set up a special long table there, with only 12 guests. Flickering candles provided the only light so the atmosphere was surreal. Extravagant floral display ran along the table, and there were wine glass galore!
Our table mates were entertaining too. We were as usual, the youngest people there by about 20 years, but as they all shared a love of food, we had no problems with discussions. We bumped into some the these people for the remainder of our stay too.
I love looking at the spacious kitchen, and we got a special tour visiting all the areas, including the chocolate room! We talked to a few of the chefs and visited the special wine cellar.
Rating - 3
Service
We were personally introduced to every course and their accompanying wine for Glenn Bacon, Executive Chef and the chief Sommelier. Service was, of course, the best we’d experienced on the island. Everything was paced just right. They were able to make special accommodation, including a lady who hwas allergic to seafood, who had her own special menu, and Slokky who didn’t drink the wine, got a special mocktail.
Rating - 4.5
C-factor
They only charged Slokky $100 for the meal because he didn’t drink the wine, but he did have juice and a mocktail, so I thought that was very nice of them. The wines cost $145. They were very generous with their portions, and kept topping up the wine. I didn’t get full value out of that of course but I saw a couple of people really lapping that up. All the ladies also got 6 pieces of chocolate as a gift. This was absolutely fabulous. It was expensive, but it was an experience I won’t forget.
Rating - 1.5
Brownie Points - 17.5
Info
Hayman Island Resort
Hayman Island
Great Barrier Reef
QLD 4801
Phone (07) 4940 1234
Website
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