When Greg Malouf says he will bring you on a journey, he WILL bring you on a journey. As I and some other people who will be dining at Momo entered the lift and pressed the button next to Momo, the lift dimmed and Middle Eastern music played. I thought that the lift got stuck and braced myself. "Is everybody ok?", asked one of the people in the lift. Aside from a hungry stomach and jittery nerves, sure.
Jittery nerves aside, I was ushered to my table. Entering Momo was a wondrous experience but, interior-wise, I was expecting more. Sure, there was the sparkling Swarovski crytals and plush velvety chairs but I was expecting the place to be more spacious. On another point, I wanted to make the most of my experience in Momo, so I asked the maitre'd to select a few dishes. Jacques, the in-house wine connoisseur, also suggested wines in half-glasses along with the appetizers and mains.
My journey began with fresh peppered crunchy vegetables with olive oil and pomgranate molasses as a dip, with Turkish bread baked in-house. It was lovely and a good appetizer for vegetarians. The bread was airy and soft, like warm powdery pillows.
This is my first time to have wine pairing, so I've decided to write the names of the wines along with the paired dishes.
Entree#1: Turkish style mussel and prawn Pilaki cooked in a parchment with parsley salad paired with Livio Feluga Sharjs Italian Chardonnay. Pilaki is a concentrated seafood soup made with a tart tangy (tomato) flavor. There was a piece of prawn and a piece of mussel, just enough for one. It was simple but it packed a lot of flavor. It was a bit spicy as well. The wine was light and subtle but very fragrant. It melds with the spiciness of the soup which "flattens" it out. A good start.
Entree#2: Musakhan – spicy quail baked in mountain bread with spinach, chickpea’s and melting shallots paired with Javillier Savigny Les Beaune. I was actually looking for the award-winning veiled quail but Greg Malouf opted for a different version of the dish. The quail wasn't spicy at all but it was wrapped smuggly inside a warm, silky mountain bread. I loved the sauce. It was made with macademia nuts, some pistachios and creme fraiche. Lovely. The wine pairing was amazing. The wine itself was delicious. When Jacques described the wine was having a residual sugary after taste, that was exactly what he meant. But when drank with a savory dish, the sugar melts away. I was amazed as to how this wine does not have a hint of after taste or acidity. Best of its kind.
Main#1+Side#1: Spiced roasted hapuka with crunchy Serrano ham, new season vegetables, clams and preserved lime butter with Nicola potatoes, baby beets and courgettes gratinéed with cumin Gruyere paired with Zind Humbrecht Pinot Gris. The hapuka has a touch of sumac, if this is the first time you're having anything with sumac, it won't be an entirely pleasant experience at first. But you have to have it with a multiple of other ingredients of tastes, so make up for that sour almost artificial taste. I liked the combination of crunchy Serrano ham with the sumac then the melt-in-your-mouth texture of the hapuka, then the lovely citrusy melted preserved lime butter surrounding it. The hapuka was a delicate dish but snapper will work as well. The side was also well-paired with the main. I'm addicted to anything that is gratineed, which means, there's cheese. What amuses me at this point was the combination of potatoes and beets. Potatoes and beets? Please give it a try. You won't regret it. Wine-wise, the pinot gris was fresh but a bit strong to accompany the light and crispness of the fish.
Main#2+Side#2: Aromatic duck with Freekeh, mushrooms, artichokes and Hrous - Tunisian chilli and onion relish with Creamed Yarra Valley feta spinach with Turkish pepper with Paradigm Hill Shiraz. The duck was served two ways: the leg was well-done and the breast was still pink inside. The freekeh was cooked in a rich masterstock. You have to take a bite of the duck with the onion relish, it pulls the taste up a knotch with some kick and more flavor. I loved the freekeh, which was firm and cooked just like. It almost tasted like barley but without the earthy after taste. The feta spinach was a good combination with the duck. 
Dessert plate:
Tangelo, winter strawberries, pistachio halva and passionfruit sorbet - tonight it was lemon sorbet, blueberries and strawberries. Simple and fresh.
Leatherwood honey and tahini ice cream, toasted oats, pear and sugar floss - I loved the tahini ice cream. It was creamy and light. It is not yoghurt. Imagine a smooth, light, sweet ice cream but without the vanilla flavor. The oats added a muted crunch and the sugar floss was sublime.
Warm chocolate cake with cardamom, chilled mulberry zabaglione and Jeannie wafer - Of all the desserts, this one was my favorite. Who could resist an airy chocolate cake with zabaglione? The mulberry actually tasted like pungent dark cherries. The Jeannie wafer had a toffee crunch to it. Yum.
Mandarin and yoghurt crème caramel with cherry-seed short cake - I'm not too sure out yoghurt creme caramel but I liked this one the least of all. I like mandarin and yoghurt but when combined, it's not the best tasting dessert. Still, a valiant effort in terms of uniqueness and flavor.
I had my dessert with Fresh tea, a combination of peppermint, spearmint and lavender leaves. I have to say that my overall experience at Momo was fantastic and different. Service was excellent and of 5-star quality. But something is missing. I have to digress by reminiscing my experience at Jacques Reymond. I happened to find out the name of the gracious maitre'd, Chris Young. He was always smiling and vibrant, eager to help and inform. I missed people like him at fine dining restaurants. The maitre'd at Momo, though he made good recommendations for my meal, was probably having a toothache that night. I wish he could have given more smiles, people would appreciate that. Aside from that, everything was close to perfection. For my first experience at Lebanese and Syrian food, this was really a top-knotch experience.
Jittery nerves aside, I was ushered to my table. Entering Momo was a wondrous experience but, interior-wise, I was expecting more. Sure, there was the sparkling Swarovski crytals and plush velvety chairs but I was expecting the place to be more spacious. On another point, I wanted to make the most of my experience in Momo, so I asked the maitre'd to select a few dishes. Jacques, the in-house wine connoisseur, also suggested wines in half-glasses along with the appetizers and mains.
My journey began with fresh peppered crunchy vegetables with olive oil and pomgranate molasses as a dip, with Turkish bread baked in-house. It was lovely and a good appetizer for vegetarians. The bread was airy and soft, like warm powdery pillows. This is my first time to have wine pairing, so I've decided to write the names of the wines along with the paired dishes.Entree#1: Turkish style mussel and prawn Pilaki cooked in a parchment with parsley salad paired with Livio Feluga Sharjs Italian Chardonnay. Pilaki is a concentrated seafood soup made with a tart tangy (tomato) flavor. There was a piece of prawn and a piece of mussel, just enough for one. It was simple but it packed a lot of flavor. It was a bit spicy as well. The wine was light and subtle but very fragrant. It melds with the spiciness of the soup which "flattens" it out. A good start.
Entree#2: Musakhan – spicy quail baked in mountain bread with spinach, chickpea’s and melting shallots paired with Javillier Savigny Les Beaune. I was actually looking for the award-winning veiled quail but Greg Malouf opted for a different version of the dish. The quail wasn't spicy at all but it was wrapped smuggly inside a warm, silky mountain bread. I loved the sauce. It was made with macademia nuts, some pistachios and creme fraiche. Lovely. The wine pairing was amazing. The wine itself was delicious. When Jacques described the wine was having a residual sugary after taste, that was exactly what he meant. But when drank with a savory dish, the sugar melts away. I was amazed as to how this wine does not have a hint of after taste or acidity. Best of its kind. Main#1+Side#1: Spiced roasted hapuka with crunchy Serrano ham, new season vegetables, clams and preserved lime butter with Nicola potatoes, baby beets and courgettes gratinéed with cumin Gruyere paired with Zind Humbrecht Pinot Gris. The hapuka has a touch of sumac, if this is the first time you're having anything with sumac, it won't be an entirely pleasant experience at first. But you have to have it with a multiple of other ingredients of tastes, so make up for that sour almost artificial taste. I liked the combination of crunchy Serrano ham with the sumac then the melt-in-your-mouth texture of the hapuka, then the lovely citrusy melted preserved lime butter surrounding it. The hapuka was a delicate dish but snapper will work as well. The side was also well-paired with the main. I'm addicted to anything that is gratineed, which means, there's cheese. What amuses me at this point was the combination of potatoes and beets. Potatoes and beets? Please give it a try. You won't regret it. Wine-wise, the pinot gris was fresh but a bit strong to accompany the light and crispness of the fish.Main#2+Side#2: Aromatic duck with Freekeh, mushrooms, artichokes and Hrous - Tunisian chilli and onion relish with Creamed Yarra Valley feta spinach with Turkish pepper with Paradigm Hill Shiraz. The duck was served two ways: the leg was well-done and the breast was still pink inside. The freekeh was cooked in a rich masterstock. You have to take a bite of the duck with the onion relish, it pulls the taste up a knotch with some kick and more flavor. I loved the freekeh, which was firm and cooked just like. It almost tasted like barley but without the earthy after taste. The feta spinach was a good combination with the duck. Dessert plate:
Tangelo, winter strawberries, pistachio halva and passionfruit sorbet - tonight it was lemon sorbet, blueberries and strawberries. Simple and fresh.
Leatherwood honey and tahini ice cream, toasted oats, pear and sugar floss - I loved the tahini ice cream. It was creamy and light. It is not yoghurt. Imagine a smooth, light, sweet ice cream but without the vanilla flavor. The oats added a muted crunch and the sugar floss was sublime.Warm chocolate cake with cardamom, chilled mulberry zabaglione and Jeannie wafer - Of all the desserts, this one was my favorite. Who could resist an airy chocolate cake with zabaglione? The mulberry actually tasted like pungent dark cherries. The Jeannie wafer had a toffee crunch to it. Yum.
Mandarin and yoghurt crème caramel with cherry-seed short cake - I'm not too sure out yoghurt creme caramel but I liked this one the least of all. I like mandarin and yoghurt but when combined, it's not the best tasting dessert. Still, a valiant effort in terms of uniqueness and flavor.
I had my dessert with Fresh tea, a combination of peppermint, spearmint and lavender leaves. I have to say that my overall experience at Momo was fantastic and different. Service was excellent and of 5-star quality. But something is missing. I have to digress by reminiscing my experience at Jacques Reymond. I happened to find out the name of the gracious maitre'd, Chris Young. He was always smiling and vibrant, eager to help and inform. I missed people like him at fine dining restaurants. The maitre'd at Momo, though he made good recommendations for my meal, was probably having a toothache that night. I wish he could have given more smiles, people would appreciate that. Aside from that, everything was close to perfection. For my first experience at Lebanese and Syrian food, this was really a top-knotch experience.
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