I've read a lot of reviews about Cutler&Co. Andrew McConnell's famed Cumulus Inc along Flinders Lane has also been receiving rave reviews for his inventive dishes. Cutler&Co is his latest franchise. As opposed to Cumulus Inc where it has a no reservations policy, Cutler&Co oozes sophistication, elegance but still has that rough edge.
Stepping into Cutler&Co, I immediately felt welcome and ushered to my seat. My table is huge, perhaps good for four people but since I'm only one, they still managed to pull off a table for me. I almost wasn't able to get a reservation at Cutler&Co, but the nice server said that if I came in at 6pm and leave by 8:30pm, he will be able to squeeze me in. That's more than ample time for me to enjoy my three-course meal.
The interiors of Cutler&Co is basically a gradient from white to grey to brown to black, all well incorporated together. Your eyes would shift from the white ceilings and walls to the greyed cushioned sofas and chairs, down to the dark wood tables and floors. It seems like everything is well thought of and planned out for aesthetics and convenience of both diners and servers. It is amazingly well-lighted too, as I was able to take crisp pictures of my food, unlike some dinner places where the light is sparing and you have to squint to take a good look at your food.
Entree: Wood-roasted quail with foie gras parfait, celeriac and hazelnuts. This is truly an inventive dish and the best I've tasted in my long line of adventurous eating here in Melbourne. There is a lot happening on the dish. From the perfectly roasted quail breasts and drumsticks, to the foie gras parfait filled pastry, to the celeriac, hazelnuts, mashed potato-ey creaminess and the sweet glaze that's part of the sauce. Underneath all that is another brownish, miso like consistency of a sauce. Really, all that works together and fits like a glove. The unexpected bit though is the hazelnut. Now, it is starting to feel that any savory dish with hazelnuts seem to work out well.
Main: Roasted sucking pig with shallots and sherry vinegar. This is porky heaven on a plate. Coming from Manila, I am no stranger to the delicious roasted pig known as lechon. This dish truly elevated this roasted deliciousness into classy level. Instead of the usual liver-based gravy that is common to the Philippines, Cutler&Co created a sweet sherry vinegar reduction to accompany this sumptuous pork belly. It almost tasted like home, only that the sauce is light and sweet enough that I kept wiping the pork meat onto it. The best part of the dish though, is the ever-so crispy skin--crunchy and thin, it almost melts in your mouth along with the soft layer of fat then moist meat.
Dessert: Ginger granita, coconut sorbet and fresh lychee. After all that richness, I opted for a lighter dessert, something that is fresh and sweet. This one hits all the right notes. My tongue tasted the spicy ginger granita and was a bit shocked but with the coconut sorbet, fresh lychee, and tapioca pearls cooked in coconut cream.
Cutler&Co has certainly lived up to its standards on fine quality food topped with 5-star service. My experience when dining out alone hasn't always been great but at Cutler&Co, I was never left unattended. There is always a pair of eyes watching after my every need, catering to my every whim. My server is very attentive when it comes to recommendations and making sure that the meal and my overall experience is memorable. Cutler&Co is most definitely on my list of restaurants to return to before I go back to Manila.
Stepping into Cutler&Co, I immediately felt welcome and ushered to my seat. My table is huge, perhaps good for four people but since I'm only one, they still managed to pull off a table for me. I almost wasn't able to get a reservation at Cutler&Co, but the nice server said that if I came in at 6pm and leave by 8:30pm, he will be able to squeeze me in. That's more than ample time for me to enjoy my three-course meal. The interiors of Cutler&Co is basically a gradient from white to grey to brown to black, all well incorporated together. Your eyes would shift from the white ceilings and walls to the greyed cushioned sofas and chairs, down to the dark wood tables and floors. It seems like everything is well thought of and planned out for aesthetics and convenience of both diners and servers. It is amazingly well-lighted too, as I was able to take crisp pictures of my food, unlike some dinner places where the light is sparing and you have to squint to take a good look at your food.Entree: Wood-roasted quail with foie gras parfait, celeriac and hazelnuts. This is truly an inventive dish and the best I've tasted in my long line of adventurous eating here in Melbourne. There is a lot happening on the dish. From the perfectly roasted quail breasts and drumsticks, to the foie gras parfait filled pastry, to the celeriac, hazelnuts, mashed potato-ey creaminess and the sweet glaze that's part of the sauce. Underneath all that is another brownish, miso like consistency of a sauce. Really, all that works together and fits like a glove. The unexpected bit though is the hazelnut. Now, it is starting to feel that any savory dish with hazelnuts seem to work out well.
Main: Roasted sucking pig with shallots and sherry vinegar. This is porky heaven on a plate. Coming from Manila, I am no stranger to the delicious roasted pig known as lechon. This dish truly elevated this roasted deliciousness into classy level. Instead of the usual liver-based gravy that is common to the Philippines, Cutler&Co created a sweet sherry vinegar reduction to accompany this sumptuous pork belly. It almost tasted like home, only that the sauce is light and sweet enough that I kept wiping the pork meat onto it. The best part of the dish though, is the ever-so crispy skin--crunchy and thin, it almost melts in your mouth along with the soft layer of fat then moist meat. Dessert: Ginger granita, coconut sorbet and fresh lychee. After all that richness, I opted for a lighter dessert, something that is fresh and sweet. This one hits all the right notes. My tongue tasted the spicy ginger granita and was a bit shocked but with the coconut sorbet, fresh lychee, and tapioca pearls cooked in coconut cream. Cutler&Co has certainly lived up to its standards on fine quality food topped with 5-star service. My experience when dining out alone hasn't always been great but at Cutler&Co, I was never left unattended. There is always a pair of eyes watching after my every need, catering to my every whim. My server is very attentive when it comes to recommendations and making sure that the meal and my overall experience is memorable. Cutler&Co is most definitely on my list of restaurants to return to before I go back to Manila.
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