Lodger - Albion

Another Saturday and we were on the hunt for lunch, this time in his home suburb of Albion, far far away from the southside that I am familiar with. Being familiar with all of his local restaurants, he decided that Lodger would be a great option for a relaxing weekend lunch.

Promoting comfort food with a fine dining twist, I was definitely keen to try it out. Our waitress was super friendly and menus were nondescript and leather bound, comprising of a few options for each course. It didn't take long for us to decide.

 

Starting off with drinks, Adam had his usual iced long black, and I my espresso martini. Both caffeinated, but I'd have to say that mine was the better choice ;).

Our first entree was the rabbit terrine, a rabbit, pork and pistachio terrine served with crusty bread and house pickle. Served chilled, it was a little difficult to spread on our piece of bread until we cut it up to small pieces and put it on top of our bread instead. The texture was interesting, both smooth but also containing considerable meaty sinews, reminding me a little bit of spam. The pickles to the side were a sharp tangy touch to the dish.

Second shared entree was the gazpacho, tomato, watermelon and jalapeno chilled soup. Perfect for a hot summer's day, I expected it to taste more like juice due to tomato and watermelon elements, but due to the saltiness, it was actually more like cold tomato soup, with added watermelon chunks. It was light on spice and we loved the added texture of croutons.

Our shared mains came shortly after.

First up and the meatier option, his pick of the lamb loin, black garlic, nasturtium, potato gratin, pea puree and jus. Plating was beautiful, with the three cubes of lamb cooked to a wonderful pink. Texture was tender and lean, just the way I like it. Black garlic smear in the middle was fragrant and tasty. I also really enjoyed the decadent layers of potato, soaking up the delightful meat juices. A familiar homey style dish but served up in a very refined manner.

My choice of main was the slow braised rabbit, fennel, orange, rocket and pomegranate dressing. Expecting a piece of rabbit with salad on the side, I was surprised to see hand shredded rabbit mixed in amongst the salad. As the dish suggests, it was a light and leafy combo, with the braised rabbit having a texture very similar to tuna, but without any fishiness to it. 

My choice of dessert comprised of the affogato, with fonzie abbott espresso, vanilla bean icecream and liqueur. Like an espresso martini with ice cream, it was sweet, caffeinated and brought me so much joy.

Being the dessert fanatic that he is, Adam had not one, but two desserts. First up was the Eton mess, containing meringue, black sesame, hibiscus poached pear, summer fruits and fresh cream, it was creamy and fruity at the same time. A slight change from strawberries in the usual eton mess, the berries provided deep and rich contrast to the airy light meringue.

His second dessert was the rich and decadent chocolate fondant cake with honey buttercream, honeycomb, tonka bean icecream and cocoa nibs. Like a lava cake, it was solid on the outside with a melty chocolate interior that just flowed out when opened up. Served warm, it clashed with the chilled buttercream and ice cream to provide a contrast of temperatures. Smooth and rich, the honeycomb added contrasting textures to the dish, a messy affair that he really enjoyed.

Espresso and Matcha got to enjoy this complimentary meal by freeloading off FoodieAdam's invite. But as always, my opinions are solely my own. 

Price Range: $25 - $45pp

Taste: 7.5/10
Value: 8/10
Service: 9/10
Environment: 7.5/10