While in Sydney, I booked myself into Koi for the ‘Just Desserts’ degustation ($65 for 5 courses). There was choice of a drinks pairing for an additional cost, but as I needed to find dinner later on, I was happy with dessert only. It was 5.30pm on a week night so the upstairs dining area was empty except for me. Most people were downstairs enjoying the desserts from the main cake cabinet.
I was asked if I wanted sparkling or still water, and whether I was ready for the degustation to commence. It wasn’t long when the first course was brought out. The Down the Rabbit Hole, consisted of umeshu, shiso, bergamot, elderflower and lychee. This was presented as a transparent plastic tube filled with lychee and elderflower jelly. A card lay beside the tube with some instructions on what to do. My waitress also advised to put my lips around the tube and suck it in, like a straw. The jelly easily came out of the tube. As I’m not a fan of alcohol, I didn’t appreciate the umeshu (Japanese liqueur) mixed in with the jelly, so this was my least favourite course.
Course 2 – the Magic Mushroom with porcini, espresso, smoked chocolate and matcha. This looked amazing and delicate, and actually worked really well together. The porcini gelato on its own was rather strange – it wasn’t too sweet and definitely tasted like mushroom. Not something I would willingly choose a scoop of though. I loved the espresso cremeaux cap, and the chocolate gelato and mousse stem.
Course 3 – Tweedle Dee no Dum – earl grey tea, mandarin, oats and almond. This was presented as an almond biscuit ‘nest’, with a mandarin sorbet ‘egg’, egg pudding, earl grey tea mousse, a scoop of oatmeal gelato, toasted oat meal, and freeze dried mandarin. Another lovely dish.
Course 4 – Red Queen – jasmine tea, pickled strawberries, yoghurt, yuzu and berries. This was presented as a card of hearts with a slightly torched sliver of meringue on top. Although I couldn’t really taste the jasmine tea in dish, I thought this was a nice light dessert. The yoghurt mixed with pickled strawberries (underneath the card) gave a nice tartness to the dish. The ‘hearts’ were like a berry fruit roll-up. Nicely balanced.
Course 5 – The End – Palmyra sugar, chocolate and macadamia. The last dessert was presented like a small chocolate on a stick, filled with chocolate gelato.
My glass of water was refilled regularly, and much needed with all the sugar. The dishes were explained to me when they arrived at the table, and cleared promptly after I had finished. Noting it was a weeknight, there was fast and polite service, good presentation and interesting flavours. Something to try if you have a sweet tooth!
Koi Dessert Bar
46 Kensington Street, Chippendale, Sydney, NSW
Opening hours:
Tuesday to Sunday: 10.00am – 10.00pm.
‘Just Desserts’ from 5.30pm only
Foodgasm 7/10
Value for money 7/10
Service 8/10
FPJ score 22/30
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