Perth is such a lovely place and nothing beats a family dinner when I’m back.
I stumbled upon this restaurant after searching for a replacement for Jacksons (which recently closed – here is my final review of the place)! Petite Mort is a Modern French restaurant just outside the city. They are perfectly located for a pre-dinner stroll in Kings Park, so you can soak up the amazing views before your meal.
So we get seated and opt for the full degustation menu. They don’t seem to do matching wines (which is a problem). We start with a bottle of Poachers Ridge Riesling to pair with the first few courses. The wine has a beautiful citrus fragrance with a light sweet fruit flavours and balanced acidity.
Brioche and tomato bread
A light start to the evening with a soft flaky sweet brioche with an egg glaze on top. The savoury potato bread is a little tart but offers something a little different to the brioche.
Potato Veloute, Ham Hock, Bacon
The first course is an interesting dish. The hock and bacon are served in a empty bowl and the veloute is poured over. The crispiness of the bacon and the salt provided by both the bacon and the Ham Hock combine well with the creaminess and richness of the Veloute. The veloute has a nice velvety texture which makes this a nice dish to kick-off the evening.
Cured Snapper, Octopus & Ponzu, Wasabi Sorbet
The snapper is amazing. It has this succulent (but reasonably firm) jelly like texture which is paired with the octopus which has the distinctive “sea” taste. The discernible bite of the wasabi adds a sparkle to the dish with the tartness of the ponzu rounds out the dish. There is also the noticeable kick of the ginger which shines through the dish.
Scallop, Pork Belly, Pig Head, Apple
The oil and textured fat of the pork belly meat is paired with the crispiness of the outer skin which gives the dish an array of textures. The tender succulent scallop is amazing and is finely balanced on the beautiful finely shredded pigs head (brawn) which has the richness of the natural oil and associated textures (jelly, tender shreds of meat and bits of cartilage). The crunchy crackling and soft mushrooms in the centre farewell the dish in style.
To go with some of the red / game meats we decide to switch wines. I select two wines (Sandalford Estate and Leeuwin Estate) both of which are not on the menu. Our waitress then suggests the Stella Bella ISCA Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot. There is a gentle bite from the tannins on first taste but it seems to disappear quickly. It’s a lovely wine with a full taste of blackcurrant and blueberries and light hints of spice to finish and well balanced acidity. It’s a beautiful wine.
Confit Duck Thigh, Breast & Croquette, Fig, Garlic
The gamey and richness of the duck shines through this dish, whether its through the meatiness of the breast or the soft “fall apart” confit thigh base or the one encased as a croquette. The sweetness of the figs interacts well with the duck meat while the creamy garlic flavoured potato puree provides a rich savoury touch to the dish.
Sparkling Orange, Ginger Water
This a palate cleanser with the bitter/sweet peppery ginger flavour filling the straw before you confront the sharp citrus flavours in the orange foam.
Huon Salmon, Horseradish, Beetroot, Carrot
We get a choice for the mains… Salmon or Steak. I went for the steak, but here is the Salmon. If you want to know what it taste like shoot a message and I will ask and tell.
Steak, Egg & Chips
The steak is called the “Steak, Egg & Chips”. It seems so simple, but here’s the thing – it’s absolutely amazing. It is the dish of the night. The flank steak is perfectly done with full flavour of the juices retained within the succulent meat. The quail eggs adds a richness to the dish. The crisp potato chip and onion add texture and are full of flavour, while the creaminess and richness of the mayonaise / aioli is quite something – I don’t think I have tried a mayonaise as rich and creamy as this one.
All up… flavour, texture, aesthetics and creativity. This has it all.
Pre Dessert
A light pear sorbet and yogurt introduces us to the main course.
Death By Chocolate
The Death by Chocolate comprises:
- White chocolate mousse with white choc coating
- Chocolate macaroon;
- Chocolate ganache;
- Chocolate truffle (dusted with cocoa powder);
- Chocolate mousse mixed with pop crackle; and
- Frozen mousse.
I won’t describe it to you, but think massive sugar hit with creamy textures throughout…. oh and I forgot to mention its all on top of a bed of caramel.
Coffee and Macaroons
A little bitterness of espresso is need to balance the chocolate. The coffee comes with even more sugar… Toffee, Campari, Lemon, Passonfruit Macaroons.
Petite Mort is quite a lovely place, it’s not classical dining, there is a modern flair and a level of casualness to the place. The girl who looked after us was lovely…service with a smile! There is a variety and creativity in the menu – which gets a tick. Only suggestion was if you’re going to do degustation menu an option to choose a matched wines should be offered.
