Last night I joined other foodies for Dinner in the Dark at Royal on the Park in Alice Street, Brisbane. The Walnut Restaurant is now under the control of new Executive Chef Gary Farrell who is pumping out some seriously good food. Gary has done dinner in the dark before and describes his menu as ‘The Science of Deliciousness’. The concept is that dining in the dark challenges sensory perception and heightens the focus on flavours. It worked for me!
Guests described the 10 course dining experience as the ‘Barry White’ of dinners. We ate in the dark lit by glow sticks to the sounds of rainforest birds, an incredibly relaxing and intimate experience. The menu, which was matched with wines from Cloudy Bay, included some outstanding tastes like Tasmanian salmon with liquorice and a 65c ‘blue’ egg with maple smoked belly (dried with a hair dryer) and chanterelles. The smoked Asian duck with blueberry jelly was another favourite.
Gary Farrell and The Walnut Restaurant is a place to watch! The next Dinner in the Dark is on Wednesday, November 12.
The Walnut Restaurant, Royal on the Park, Cnr Alice & Albert Streets
Brisbane 07 3112 1650 www.royalonthepark.com.au