When the time came, like the cop who mutters “I’m too old for this shit” as he grabs his badge and gun for one more case, I couldn’t say goodbye quite yet.
I’ve been toying with ideas for revitalizing the site, including simplifying the review process considerably, dropping ratings, removing all the recommendation types. We’ll see what comes of it.
Tukka - Dinner service, Wednesday 14th April 2010
Short and Sweet
One of my top five restaurants finally gets a review!
Truly unique Modern Australian dining awaits you in Brisbane’s West End. The food is top notch, the flavours are experimental and made from entirely native ingredients, just leave your baggage about Australian wildlife at home! However, that might not be the only baggage you might have to leave at home…
Total Score - 8.5/10
Food: 5.5/6 (fantastic and flavoursome produce, bit rich at times)
Service: 2/2 (no complaints)
Ambience: 1/2 (lovely venue, atmosphere somewhat ruined by the locals)
Full Review
I love Tukka.
I’ve eaten here perhaps six or seven times and have been extremely remiss in not reviewing it before now. Everytime someone asks me about a place to dine for something different I always throw out Tukka as one of my go-to venue for a culinary change of scene. It reminds me of places back in Scotland which featured local specialities like wood pigeon and chicken stuffed with haggis and whisky pepper sauce.
Anyway, I’m often surprised that many people (Australians mostly) are extremely squeamish at the idea of eating their native animals. Kangaroos are considered fairly ordinary by most standards these days, but mention Emu… It’s practically the national bird!! You’ve got to be kidding!! … or Crocodile … What are ya?? Mick Dundee?? … or Possum … *blank look* Get f*@#$d!!
All of which is a shame, of course, because I don’t think anyone should be closed off to new culinary experiences - I do draw the line at cooked insects, but am game to try lambs brains, chicken feet, and that sort of thing, though I’d again draw the line at entrails and raw meat (steak tartare, I’m eyeing you suspiciously!).
It’s doubly shameful in this instance too because the food is so exceptional that you’re really missing out.
The amuse bouche of pork and possum rillette paved the way for my choice of entrée: Confit Possum served with a Lemon Myrtle sauce and glazed pear. It was stunning. If you love Confit of Duck, prepare to have your mind blown. This dish was so good I considered buying a .22 on the way home to start picking the little buggers off from my tin roof when they rattle over it at night. The meat practically melted when coming into contact with my fork and the glazed pear provided just the right level of sweetness to offset the tart lemon myrtle, all of which complimented the rich savoury flavour of the possum.
I sampled my wife’s choice of the “strawberry gum tonka bean cured crocodile”… if you think the name is mouthful, wait until you get a load of the food itself. It has a unique texture, like a mix between chicken and overcooked calamari - if it doesn’t sound very appealing, it wasn’t to me either! - but my wife enjoyed it. It has a sort of strange flavour too, with a mild seafood aftertaste. I also tasted the mushroom trio entrée, which was extremely rich in the way that only button mushrooms cooked in wine served alongside a porcini cream-like substance and crispy japanese shimenji can be! Neither of these entrées were for me, but there was a high standard of flavour and stylish presentation.
For the mains we were all extremely pedestrian and selected the seared Kangaroo. I was tempted by the coffee and cumin crusted Emu, but I figured when I ordered I’d balance my more exotic choice of Possum with a conventional one. It wasn’t a mistake, because as always the Kangaroo was cooked to perfection, oozing gamey flavours that meshed well with the creamy butternut puree and braised leeks, but I will definitely venture into more unusual territory when I return (which I will; foregone conclusion).
I don’t typically do desserts as I’ve said many times before, but I felt like something and decided on the lemon myrtle pannacotta with goosberry compote. It was the straw that broke the camel’s back though, I struggled too finish the rich and creamy desert and it was a case of eyes bigger than belly - though to be fair, I think there is a correct balance between moreish flavour and richness that isn’t entirely being struck with their menu. My dining partners both enjoyed the dark chocolate torte with native mint, this was like a bittersweet ganache that was rich - again! - in cocoa. Gorgeous flavour and texture, but I’m not sure how they finished it.
Now, for the rub, at several points during the entirely pleasant meal the chatter around the tables was punctuated by half-mad angry screaming. If you’re not a West End regular (I am), and many others dining at Tukka were not, then these sudden bursts of aggressive shouting proves to be a highly disruptive and intimidating presence in the restaurant.
What am I talking about? Some locals, many of whom live rough around the West End, who take up residence in a few spots around the place - one of which happens to be only a half dozen or so meters from the entrance of Tukka - get quite rowdy and if you aren’t used to it (and who is, really), it can considerably detract from the dining experience.
To end on a more positive note, for a fine dining establishment Tukka is very open and receptive to young families. We’ve been at least half the times with our young daughter and on this occasion it was with Evie and her 5 month old brother Sean (in stroller, no less). We were accommodated with pleasure, and that’s not all - the chef has made a special nod to our daughter each time in his selection of amuse bouche and palate cleanser, always a little on the sweeter side for her.
In fact, two years ago when we were there for a mother’s day dinner, Evie was a bit grumbly due to some teething troubles and the chef sent out a sorbet for her. It’s impressive when a restaurant has its staff obviously feeding info to the chefs regarding the clientele and adapting their presentation/food for them, very impressive indeed.
