The Lion Hotel

The Lion restaurant on Urbanspoon

Place is a warren of different eating areas, ranging from pub to fine dining.

So many things here I don’t eat. Ceviche, foie gras, mussels, pork belly, coriander. Enquiring about what matured steak tastes like. Apparently very tender. But served with chips. Not acceptable in a meal costing $30+. They have to cater to chip-quaffing plebs here too I guess. :] Will try something else.

HERB RICOTTA GNOCCHI
7/10

With taleggio, roasted pears, zucchini blooms, walnuts and truffle.

Bread arrives after main course. Will be deducted from bill, where a simple bread roll with oil shouldn’t be in the first place.

I thought a plate of gnocchi would be boring, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. This was like a bizarre journey through the undergrowth. Under the canopy of rocket, parmesan, and (what I can only imagine are) pumpkin flowers, was the gnocchi. It was in little cubes that didn’t taste like regular gnocchi, but more like the ricotta and herbs they were infused with. On the forest floor were also tiny purple sprouts, and unknown green beans. There was also a slightly peppery, milky sauce. As I progressed through the dish from left to right, I also encountered walnuts lurking inched depths of the sauce, and right in the middle, cubes of pear that looked exactly like the gnocchi. I decided early on that identifying the components of this dish would be impossible, and that I’d just eat whatever emerged from within the forest.

RASPBERRY PANNA COTTA
4/10

With pecan friand, jelly and maple syrup.

With friands like this, who needs enemies? ;D

This panna cotta was sour, like a handful of mashed up, slightly sour raspberries, with nothing added. The little cake was nicer. It was moist, and had honey through it.

Deducted from bill of $49. :)