Cutler & Co is considered one of the best restaurants in Melbourne and offers a tasting menu. It’s in Fitzroy which is two steps and a skip from Brunswick bars.
Cutler & Co decor is really great and modern with its open kitchen. We arrived after a long day of sight-seeing and I was starving. After having Grossi, I really wanted to see what else Melbourne had to offer in culinary art. My cousin and I decided on the tasting menu. Actually, he didn’t have much of a choice. I told him we were getting the tasting menu and he couldn’t say anything about it since I’m the older one and I was paying for it.
Well, that or I was going to tell his mom he has expensive taste and he made me pay for Cutler & Co.
- Tuna Tartare – This came with Fromage Blanc and Bottarga. To be honest, this wasn’t really impressive. The texture of the tuna wasn’t as I anticipated. It wasn’t as nearly as delicate as some of the omakase I had in my life where it just melted in your mouth after two bites.
Tuna Tartare in stockOtel.com - Pickled Mussels – This dish was accompanied with cuttlefish and vegetables. The presentation was great but it didn’t taste like it was pickled at all. The veggies definitely saved the dish. It was crisp, fresh and very earthy.
- Flounder – The Flounder fish came with Black leek and pickled onion. I’ve noticed that Aussies love their Flounder fish and lamb. Every tasting menu I had in Oz had Flounder fish and Lamb on the menu. Anyway, this was definitely one of my favorite dishes on the menu. The seared fish had a crispy outer shell and the texture of the Flounder fish was delicate. The flavor was sweet and easily broke apart in flakes.
Flounder Fish - Smoked Duck Breast – The Duck breast was tender and full of flavor. It wasn’t gamy and I definitely enjoyed this dish. It was accompanied with salsify, prune and radicchio. The radicchio was great.
Duck - Dry Aged Lamb Saddle – Aussies and their lamb. It’s very hard to cook lamb and not have it come out gamy. The lamb was kind of tender and full of flavor but it was just too gamy for me. I think it had a lot to do with the size of the cut. The cut was almost two inches thick, which in my opinion is too large. Maybe they should try to sous vide it.
Lamb Saddle - Melon, Cucumber and Buttermilk Ice Cream – This had an interesting flavor. I was expecting sweet but I got sour. Kind of like how when you first start dating someone. The sourness kind of hits you out of nowhere like a person bitter at their life’s choices.
Cutler & Co service was good but it wasn’t extraordinary. I don’t know why it wasn’t extraordinary. Maybe it had to do with our attire. Overall, it was a decent dining experience and the dishes all had interesting flavors. The flavors were definitely unique to Australia. I would totally recommend Cutler & Co when you’re in Oz. However, I don’t think it’s quite there to compete with some of its counterparts.
Check out our other Melbourne articles here.
- Service - 6/106/10
- Presentation - 5/105/10
- Flavors - 5/105/10
- Ambiance - 6/106/10
- Decor - 4/104/10
Summary
Cutler & Co was a decent showing; however, it lacked any memorable dishes and the progression of the courses were a bit boring. The flavors were uninspiring like its decor. Unfortunately, I don’t think it’ll be making the World’s 50 Best restaurants anytime soon.
