British chef Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck pop-up in Melbourne, Australia is officially open and the menu is quirky. Blumenthal and his staff have set up shop at the Crown hotel for the next six months, where they will whip up playful dishes for diners who dropped $525 AUD ($475 USD) on a ticket. The diners had to enter a ballot system to win one of the 14,000 seats available.
As for the food, Blumenthal promises that it is a 15-course "multi-sensory gastronomic journey of history, nostalgia, emotion and memory." Dishes include items like a red cabbage gazpacho with mustard ice cream and salmon poached in licorice gel served with vanilla mayonnaise.
The Guardian writes that while eating the whimsical dishes, diners will have the chance to gaze upon an eight-meter-long long "jigsaw puzzle" featuring a picture of Blumenthal wearing a cap that will be "progressively completed throughout the six-month stay." Check out the menu and some non-flash photography photos below:
THE FAT DUCK MENU
AERATED BEETROOT
RED CABBAGE GAZPACHO
Pommery Grain Mustard Ice Cream
NITRO POACHED APERITIFS
Vodka and Lime Sour, Gin and Tonic, Campari Soda
SAVOURY LOLLIES
Waldorf Rocket, Salmon Twister and Feast
JELLY OF QUAIL, MARRON CREAM
Caviar Sorbet, Oak Moss and Truffle Toast
(Homage to Alain Chapel)
SNAIL PORRIDGE
Joselito Ham, Shaved Fennel
ROAST MARRON
Shiitake Confit, Kombu and Sea Lettuce
MAD HATTER'S TEA PARTY
Mock Turtle Soup, Pocket Watch and Toast Sandwich
"SOUND OF THE SEA"
SALMON POACHED IN LICORICE GEL
Endive, Vanilla Mayonnaise and Golden Trout Roe
LAMB WITH CUCUMBER
Green Pepper and Caraway
HOT & ICED TEA
BOTRYTIS CINEREA
THE NOT-SO-FULL ENGLISH BREAKFAST
WHISKY WINE GUMS
Savory Lollies:
Red Beet Gazpacho; Savory Lollies:
Up first #FatDuckMelbourne pic.twitter.com/LCveKKb97U
— Ronnie Murray (@ronniepastry) February 3, 2015
Roast Marron; Salmon Poached in Licorice Gel; Lamb with Cucumber:
Next sounds of the sea #FatDuckMelbourne pic.twitter.com/3UMVJs2pij
— Ronnie Murray (@ronniepastry) February 3, 2015
Jelly of Quail, Marron Cream:
Fine dining heist! Tech expert rigs Fat Duck ballot and secures 50 tables: http://t.co/pzMcbS8F9Y #fatduckmelbourne pic.twitter.com/FWxnHVOQ7g
— The New Daily (@TheNewDaily_) November 17, 2014
Mad Hatters Tea Party:
Then a bit of tea #FatDuckMelbourne mad hatter pic.twitter.com/e931TbbyFc
— Ronnie Murray (@ronniepastry) February 3, 2015
"Sound of the Sea":
Wine Gums and a few puzzle pieces:
Whiskey map #FatDuckMelbourne bacon & egg pic.twitter.com/ac0ZlXZlsB
— Ronnie Murray (@ronniepastry) February 3, 2015
From the sweets shop:
Then we got into the sweet shop #FatDuckMelbourne pic.twitter.com/q2Pv2E5wTk
— Ronnie Murray (@ronniepastry) February 3, 2015
The queen of hearts with thin layers of raspberry/strawberry and white chocolate tks @hewlett26 #thefatduckmelbourne pic.twitter.com/y2PZfSrRmj
— TABLE181 (@idyllelee) February 3, 2015
The dining room: