Corella - Woolloongabba

Valentines day last month we decided to get dinner at Corella, sister store of La Lune, which is also situated under an Aria property, the Drapery in Woolloongabba. With all the valentines day specials going on, Dr L and I both decided that we didn't really want to be cornered into ordering a set meal and wanted to be able to order a la carte instead, which is why we decided to try out Corella.

Having made a reservation early on, we arrived at 6. The place was completely booked out, even though we were the third table to arrive. The setup was quite similar to La Lune. 

 

We really liked the setup of the menu with larger options as well as a tasting menu for those who couldn't choose. Having tried out the tasting menu on several occasions at La Lune, we opted for a la carte this time.

Starting off with a glass of rose each, this was the Supernatural Summer Skins from Tasmania. Compared to the usual dry rose that I drink, this was fairly sweet and mellow.

Bread to start was fluffy and well toasted. Served with olive oil it made for a delicious and wholesome appetizer.

Our first entree to share was the Quail Ballotine with Sweetcorn Salsa, Almond and Corriander. I really enjoyed how smooth and silky the texture of the quail was and how it was roasted to a perfectly moist texture. This meaty goodness was contrasted well with the crunchy corn and almond.

Our second entree was the Crab with Brioche, Daikon and Seaweed. Although it was an entree, it was still very small, especially when shared between two people, we only had one bite each. Having said that, the crab meat was very fresh with delicate flavours that complimented the seaweed perfectly. The brioche was thin and crisp which we liked too.

Our mains arrived very quickly after, especially given the number of people who were dining in that day. This was the Pork Belly served with  Broccoli, Pear and Marjoram. As a main, I found the serving portion to be a little smaller than expected, but we did have two cubes of pork belly. The meat itself was soft and moist with a crisp crackling on top. 

Our other main was the Wagyu with Confit Potato, Radish and Warrigal Greens. This was my favourite savoury dish of the night. The beef had a perfect pink centre and melted in our mouth. The flavours were deep and rich which meant that it was soaked up well by the hearty confit potato. 

As both dishes were fairly saucy, we also had a side of Roasted Potatoes with Horseradish and Chives. Compared to your average roast potatoes, this was not only comforting but also had the added spice that horseradish offers. I really enjoyed it.

 

Simply speaking, desserts were phenomenal. We had the Chocolate Nemesis with Coffee and Blueberry and a Lychee with Vanilla Sponge, Gin Granita and Preserved Lime to share. The Chocolate was rich and bitter without excessive sweetness whilst the added blueberries added tartness to the dish for balance. By contrast the Lychee was light, sweet and delicate. I really enjoyed how the vanilla sponge soaked up the gin granita for a boozy touch. The desserts here are definitely some of the best I've had lately.

Price Range: $80 - $100pp

Taste: 9/10
Value: 8/10
Service: 9/10
Environment: 9/10