Progressive sophistication at Cloudstreet

I love weekday lunch treats. They feel like small pockets of indulgence in the middle of the day. A break from the hustle of the morning and the later half of the day goes by a lot quicker too. One Friday, we decided to have a mini celebration at Cloudstreet for my other half. With two boys in tow, such lunches are a rare treat for us too.

Helmed by Chef Rishi Naleendra and Gareth Burnett, Cloudstreet is "an amalgamation of thoughtful, expressive food, artisanal, progressive wines and warm, immaculate service." Now that's quite a mouthful that I literally ripped from their website, but there is a lot of truth in that too. The dishes were interesting and unexpected, while service was ranged from personable to cheeky.

Beetroot, Smoked Goat’s Cheese, Puffed Quinoa

Pickled Mussels

I really enjoyed our "snacks" - goat's cheese and pickled mussels. One bite wonders that reeled you in for more. 

Singapore Stout and Licorice Bread

Dense, sweet and absolutely glorious slathered with butter - This was one loaf I wanted to pack up, take it home and savour over the week. 

Smoked Japanese Tomatoes, Burrata, Olive Oil 

The perfect balance of creaminess and tang.

New Zealand Venison, Pickled Cashew, Zucchini 

The tartare was gamey yet refreshing. Quite a feat, I must say.

Pork Loin in Nori, Pumpkin Curry, Baby Leek 

Barbecued Turbot, Brindle Berry, Saffron honey

KW chose the pork loin while I went for the turbot. Funny enough, we both preferred the other's main. The succulence of the pork was dreamy while KW liked the flavours of my turbot.

Yogurt, Parsnip, Pear

To be honest, desserts took a while to get used too. They reminded me of sour plums - not my favourite flavour profile. That said, I didn't mind the puckery nuttiness of the dish by the time I was done with the dish.

Petit Four - Vegemite Toast

Fun and mildly absurd - a suitable finish to our meal at Cloudstreet.