Pinbone degustation

From the first time I read about Pinbone, I wanted to go there to eat the breakfast corn with fregola dish. Then a few months ago I somehow got the idea that it should be a celebration dinner after exams finish – and what a great instinct it was. The chef’s selection (small for $65, large for $85) is a fantastic way to try a range of dishes, and I relished the opportunity to try a “small” vegetarian selection (which turned out to be a lot of food).

  Snacks

The mushroom popper was the vegetarian alternative to the chicken popper. It looked so simple – a butter lettuce leaf, some shredded carrot, a fried mushroom, a bit of sauce – but the flavours just explode in the mouth. The miso & corn grugere was like a savoury profiterole with an interesting interplay of the most unlikely flavours. Smoky, cheesy thing was absolutely the perfect snack, a little jacket potato filled with heavenly smoky cheese.

Avocado with olive tapenade

This was a simple dish, a row of avocado slices topped with a green olive tapenade and some sort of herby leaf I didn’t recognise. The whole thing tasted light green.

Roasted carrots with macadamia puree

These impossibly cute tiny carrots were well caramelised and perfectly sweet. It was well paired with a rich earthy macadamia puree, which was so good we licked the rest off the plate.

 Asparagus, toasted sesame

The asparagus was char grilled with a strong smoky flavour, then rolled in a mix of black & white sesame seeds, again an interesting combination. 

 Tofu with heirloom tomato salad  

This felt inspired by agedashi tofu with a light crispy batter and a soft, almost gelatinous interior. The baby heirloom tomatoes were intense bursts of tomato flavours, leading one to ask – where do you source such amazing tomatoes!!

 Mushroom, kale, red cabbage, sichuan pepper

The flavours and textural contrasts in this dish were quite intense – a mix of wild mushrooms, shredded red cabbage and torn up bitter kale. If anything, it was over seasoned and less soy sauce would have allowed the mushrooms to sing more. 

 Raw zucchini, lemon, pecorino

I’m not a huge fan of raw things, but this was just awesome. Such a simple dish with grated zucchini perfectly seasoned and balanced with a hint of lemon, resting under a blanket of fine pecorino. I could have eaten a whole plate of this.

 Roasted eggplant, caramelised yoghurt, leeks

This was probably my favourite dish of the night. The eggplant was deeply roasted, velvety smooth and full of smoky flavour. The accompaniments of braised baby leeks and thick caramelised yoghurt with an almost pungent flavour were simply perfect. 

 Pumpkin, pepitas, silverbeet

Again a very simple but well executed dish. The toasted pepitas lifted this dish to another level. 

 Pasta special with taleggio, cavolo nero and edamame

I was told a few times (but still forgot) what this actual pasta was called – it is like gnocchi but made from whole wheat flour and has a much firmer texture. It is also pressed from a wooden board to create the ridges. It arrived at our table slightly stuck together – the cheese had melted and held everything together in one clump. A little mix though and this dish really sang with the hearty pasta, strong (stinky) flavours from the cheese and the sweetness of edamame. Who would have thought edamame would be a tasty addition to pasta?

Blueberry granita, white pepper parfait & pinenut brittle

We were groaning by this stage but dessert beckoned. This was a huge plate that looked somewhat like a mess when it was set at our table, but we quickly fell in love. The three elements of this dish are quite intriguing – the blueberry granita was so clean tasting that at times it resembled ice (except much softer), yet it balanced perfectly the rich creaminess of the parfait, and the pinenut brittle gave bursts of crunch and sweetness. Altogether the flavours dance in the mouth, and though we were totally stuffed, we managed to finish this entire plate.

Overall Pinbone was a lovely experience. The atmosphere is fine dining but relaxed enough for a weekday dinner, and the staff were quite friendly and helpful. The food is well designed, well prepared and had interesting variety for a vegetarian. The degustation is amazing value and I am surprised it is not more popular!