Elements - Chef's Table

We had waited with eager anticipation for the Chef's Table at Elements. Sean Gould, the manager, had emailed through the menu so we could advertise on our blog.
It was disappointing for Sean to see that he had not filled the tables; last minute cancellations dwindling the numbers.

The advertised menu was changed slightly, with cheesecake being offered as the dessert. A truly delicious cheesecake, one that brought questions for the chef at the end of the night. Unfortunately he was forced to admit that he had not cooked the cheesecake, and that it had been bought. This I felt was a massive blunder on their behalf. When showcasing your staff's culinary expertise you should only serve dishes that have been cooked on site. The cheesecake blunder  made me shake my head in despair.

The evening had started off on a better note. The Deluxe Canapes had interesting toppings. Salami with kiwifruit, tomato salsa and mustard cream; Camembert cheese, strawberry and sweet balsamic vinegar; ham, cucumber, and salsa with chilli lime pesto. Interesting flavours that complemented each other. It was a shame though that all three canapes were on bread bases. If different  base options had been chosen we would have experienced a different taste sensation with each one.

Our entree was Marinated Tasmanian Salmon, Avacado Prawn Maki and Asian Slaw with Wasabi Lime Cream. It was presented beautifully, the salmon and Maki tasted great together, and with just a touch of Wasabi it wasn't overpowering.  I'm not a great fan of salmon but I found this entree palatable. The Asian Slaw was really interesting.

I would have to say that I was disappointed with the main meal. The Middle Eastern Spiced Pistachio Crusted Lamb Terderloin was massacred. Yes, the pistachio crust was crunchy and very tasty with its mild curry - clove, cardamom and cumin. The lamb, however had been overcooked. All three of my pieces were chewy, to say the least. After asking the diners on either side of me I ascertained that out of nine pieces of lamb, only one was tender. The presentation was elegant, and the vegetables were edible. I particularly enjoyed the snow peas.

A fish course was offered to those who did not want to try the lamb. A huge slab of fish was presented for their enjoyment. A little overcooked being a little dry in places, however it was enjoyed immensely.

I had been looking forward to the Mixed Berry Mousse with Saffron Mango and Pears, but alas that was not to be. As stated previously, I did enjoy the dessert. In fact, this to me was the best course of the evening. And as it turned out, the one course not fully prepared by the chef at Elements. They did make the chocolate basket with fruit, which I would have to say was interesting. The basket tasted like Oreo chocolate biscuits. I felt it was a mismatch though, the white chocolate sauce didn't quite match the lemon cheesecake.

We had been served with a different wine with each course. Trilogy champagne to complement the canapes, 2006 Barossa Chardonnay to complement the entree, 2007 Cabernet Merlot or 2009 Barossa Valley Grenache to complement the main meal, and 2008 Botrytis Semillon to complement the dessert.  I'm not a wine fanatic, so can't make a lot of comment on them apart from the fact that the Semillon was heavenly.  Kain Fowden, from Pernod Ricard Australia, assured us that we would be able to purchase these wines locally, from the Hub.

I expected a culinary adventure in a semi  formal atmosphere with a little wine to taste with each course. I got instead an abundant amount of wine, in a casual, party atmosphere. We were treated to tippets of information relating to the food and wine. Diners were asked to comment and  it was interesting to note that those present were more inclined to speak about the wine. Not a lot was said about the food. A lot of wine consumed and a lot of stories told at our table, some of these stories were just a little over the top, especially when coming from the manager.

When the food and beverage staff came out at the end of the evening we were allowed to fire our questions at them. Once the chef  admitted to buying the cheesecake I was disappointed but somehow not surprised.

(Photo removed by request from the Free Spirit Resort Staff)

I'd like to thank Sean and his staff for putting on the Chef's Table. You didn't quite pull it off this time, but I'm sure that in the future you will not make the same mistakes.

Elements

Elements is located at the Free Spirit Resort, right beside BP Palms, close to Palmerston.

www.darwinfreespiritresort.com.au

ph. 08 8935 0888

Due to Christmas Eve being a Friday evening we decided to dine out early this week, hence we lobbed at Elements on a Tuesday evening. As it turned out, Tuesday evening is Sri Lankan night, $19.95, all you can eat, including salads, hot meals and dessert.

 None of us would have ordered these meals ordinarily, but we saw it all laid out in the bain marie and the delicious curry aromas were very alluring. Lamb curry, chicken curry, rice, fish and eggplant were on offer. We tried a bit of everything, then went back for seconds for the ones we liked in particular. A delicious meal, one that we all enjoyed immensely.

The salad bar had an interesting mixture of salads and accompaniments.

A traditional Sri Lankan pudding was on offer. The look of it didn't appeal to me, however, I'm glad I took the plunge and tasted it as it was absolutely delightful. They also had a traditional plum pudding, one that tasted very much like it was home cooked. They had a delicious syrup to complement the plum pudding. Lots of healthy fruit salad was also on offer.

One thing that impressed us was the professionalism of the staff. Chef kitted out in traditional  "chef wear." All the staff dressed smartly in their uniforms. All the staff were very pleasant and hospitable. Even the chef came out and spoke to us, asked us if we had enjoyed our meals. We were waited on like royalty.

Water served at the table and a strong, tasty cappuccino went down well with the meal.

We checked out their standard menu, some interesting meals to be had there and quite reasonably priced. They also offer children's meals, one of which is  roast, including vegetables. Well done!

There was only one thing that I didn't like - the number of flies hanging around the food. They really do need to find some way of covering the bain maries.

 Elements is an open air restaurant, we were lucky on the night that it wasn't too hot. Plenty of fans overhead made it very comfortable.

This is a great place to eat. You can enjoy a swim in the pool, as long as you are spending your money either at the bar or in the restaurant. So far I can only vouch for the Sri Lankan food but I think you should  go and check it out, I'm positive you will be pleased.