KAZUKI'S

1 Camp Street, Daylesford - (03) 5348 1218

Oh, wow, Kazuki's.  Where to begin...maybe one of the best dining experiences I have had.

I was lucky enough to be taken here by BF on a surprise outing to the beautiful country towns in North West Victoria.  I had no idea where we were going and with no expectations, I was absolutely blown away by the thoughtfulness of the food and amazing service.

When we arrived for our 9pm reservation, our table was not ready yet.  We sat at the bar for about 10 minutes where we started with a glass of wine each.  I was pleasantly surprised how attentive the staff were to us even though we hadn't been seated yet.

Once at our table, we decided on the five course Seasonal Tasting Menu ($90 per person).

Here are our dishes:

Beef tataki, anchovy, radish, potato, yuzu

This first dish, agreed by both of us, was the star dish of the night.  It was just perfect.  Smooth and tender beef with a contrasting garnish adding a delicate crunch.  Absolutely delicious.

Moreton Bay bug dumplings, sake emulsion, ponzu jelly, rainbow chard

Another wonderful dish.  It really reminded me of the sea with the foam and little hints of saltiness.  This was BF's equal favourite dish.

John Dory, cuttlefish, scampi, cauliflower

The John Dory was beautifully cooked.  I really liked the dish, however BF wasn't a huge fan of the cuttlefish.

Duck - breast, braised leg, fig, witlof, foie gras

As a lover of all things figs, this was a beautiful dish.  The duck breast was cooked to perfection and the roll of braised leg was a definite highlight.

Strawberry, goat milk, liquorice, clafoutis

If I could be nit-picky, then the only negative I encountered was with the dessert.  Don't get me wrong, it was nice, however with four outstanding dishes before it, the dessert had a lot of pressure riding on it.  I thought that the goats milk sorbet-like component wasn't set enough so when it arrived at the table, it was already half melted.  It was just a little awkward scooping up the now liquid goats milk from the plate.

Overall, I would highly recommend Kazuki's restaurant.  It's definitely one of my favourites now (even though I hadn't even heard of it before going.)  The menu and dishes are very well thought out, clever and delicious.  The staff were absolutely delightful, friendly, but at the same time professional.  I'd be more than happy to come back again and again.  If you are after a dining experience to remember, in a good way, check out Kazuki's.