Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Stephen Downes Big Call
Early 2009, Anthony Bourdain visits Melbourne and declares that Dan Hunter's food at the Royal Mail Hotel is worthy of Michelin stars, even going so far as to say it's the best food in Australia.
Fast forward to November 2010 and the Herald Sun's food critic, Stephen Downes, writes that the Asian influenced Easy Tiger would win 3 Michelin stars based solely on their dessert of chocolate and pandanus leaf dumplings.
I like a big call and that's one of the biggest I've ever seen.
Wonder what some of Melbourne's better chefs would think about that? Shannon Bennett or Ben Shewry for instance. What would the doyen of Thai cuisine in Australia and real life Michelin starred David Thompson make of it?
Does a single amazing dish garner a restaurant one of the highest awards going around?
Fast forward to November 2010 and the Herald Sun's food critic, Stephen Downes, writes that the Asian influenced Easy Tiger would win 3 Michelin stars based solely on their dessert of chocolate and pandanus leaf dumplings.
I like a big call and that's one of the biggest I've ever seen.
Wonder what some of Melbourne's better chefs would think about that? Shannon Bennett or Ben Shewry for instance. What would the doyen of Thai cuisine in Australia and real life Michelin starred David Thompson make of it?
Does a single amazing dish garner a restaurant one of the highest awards going around?
6 Comments:
That's a BIG call but many great chefs have a signature dish that is the ultimate. So maybe you've discovered the the next big thing. Cheers
Given that Stephen has been known to take points off for a lack of fabric napkins....who is he kidding to think he'd be taken seriously anyway?
But the desserts at East Tiger are very very good - Duck Egg custard I think is better than the pandan dumplings, but I can still taste them both.
to answer your question Neil I can say yes.
Last week the Michelin inspectors were in Cygnet, to date no Australian restauarants are Michelin starred.
This will change.
Word had spread about the RVL's big brekkie and Michelin have decided to award us three stars on the back of it.
Dare to dream!
Yes, well Steve you do at least deserve a star for your cheese platter. I concur with essjayeats having been there twice. They are good but not that good.
Stephen has two biases - French and Thai - and once gave David Thompson a perfect 20. So go to a Thai restaurant and eat French chocolate in the Thai dumplings and what do you expect?
Hi mary, too true, many chefs have an exceptional dish or two and I've even seen restaurants based on a single dish.
Hi essjayeats, it's beginning to sound like desserts are the big thing with Easy Tiger.
Hi steve, stephen downes paid you a visit?!!! Even if he doesn't give you 3 stars and I'm sure he would, there would be elephant stamps involved at the very least.
Hi ed, I guess we all have our biases, nothing wrong with that, especially when it makes for a bit of an over-the-top moment. Maybe he succeeded in a cunning plan - he got me to read his entire review twice.
Howdy Neil, this is Greg, and V says she went David Thompson's restaurant in KL, $200 per person with alcohol, and she reckons she can cook better Thai. Better ask her for an invitation! Love your egg parma mate. Hows the Eureka cake project? Cheers
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