DENGON NET

特別な日やゆったりした気分で食事がしたい時の店選びは、料理はもちろん、店の雰囲気、スタッフの対応、そして店から見える外の風景にも気を配りたい。そんな条件をすべて満たしてくれるのが、The Atlantic。ヤラ川沿いにあり、どことなく豪華客船を思わせる広い店内、スタッフの対応もスマートで気持ち良いとくれば、料理に対していやがうえにも期待が高まるもの。国内外の名立たるレストランで腕をふるった、エグゼクティブ・シェフDonovan Cookeさんお勧めのメニューをいただいた。

心地良い日差しを浴び、ヤラ川を眺めているところに登場したのが、スターター2品。色鮮やかなDuo of Yellow Fin Tunaは、鮪を3種類の胡椒と共にサッと表面だけに火を通したもの、スモークした鮪を自家製ブラックオリーブ、ケイパーと共にタルタルにしたものの2種類の鮪料理が楽しめる。柚子風味のソースやカラマタオリーブから作る自家製のブラックオリーブオイルなど、細部のこだわりまで味わえるひと皿。

Duo of Yellow Fin Tuna  $27

可憐な装いのPan Seared Scallops and Calamariは、良い具合に火の通ったイカ、セロリの一種Celeriacとリンゴのシャキシャキサラダ、イカ墨のマスカルポーネが美しいハーモニーを奏でている。帆立も本来の甘みをグッと引き出す火の入れ加減で、思わず唸ってしまった。

Pan Seared Scallops and Calamari $26

メインは、一番人気のOlive Oil Confit Ora King Salmon。サーブされた時は「生鮭の切り身!?」と、内心ビックリしたが、実は50℃に保たれたオリーブオイルで調理するため、生のような見た目になるのだとか。食べてみると、確かに調理されているが、限りなく生に近いとろけるような食感で、今まで体験したことがない不思議な感覚。是非お試しを。

Olive Oil Confit Ora King Salmon $40

食後は、シャンパンと苺の甘酸っぱさが絶妙なChampagne and Strawberry Parfait。添えられたバジルのアイスも病み付きになること間違いなし。こってりとしたデザートがお好みなら、濃厚なチョコレートのValrhona Manjari Chocolate and Mandarin Deliceが、お勧め。

Champagne and Strawberry Parfait $22 & Valrhona Manjari Chocolate and Mandarin Delice $23

厳選した食材、手間と時間を惜しまない調理法、新しい食材を取り入れる柔軟性で、オリジナル性のある料理が楽しめる。今回は、シーフードばかり紹介したが、肉料理もあるので、シーフードが苦手な人も安心を。人数に合わせたプライベートルーム、地下には食前食後に使えそうなカクテルバーThe Denが併設されているので、さまざまな用途で使えそうだ。日中の日差しを浴びながらの食事も良いけど、次回はヤラ川にキラキラ光る夜景を見ながらの食事を楽しもうかな。ごちそうさまでした。

When choosing a restaurant for a special occasion, you want to make sure that not only the food is good but also the atmosphere, the staff, and the view outside too, are special. The Atlantic is a restaurant that satisfies all of these requirements. On the bank of the Yarra River, with a spacious interior reminiscent of a luxury ocean liner, and with smartly turned-out staff, I can’t help but have high expectations for the food. I try some recommendations of the executive chef, Donavan Cooke (who honed his skills in well-known restaurants both here and overseas). 

As I gaze out at the Yarra, basking in the pleasant sunshine, two starters arrive. The brightly-coloured ‘Duo of Yellow Fin Tuna’ allows you to enjoy two kinds of tuna dish: one seasoned with three kinds of pepper and seared on one side only, and the other smoked tuna tartar, with home-made black olives and capers. You can taste the attention to detail, from the citrus used in the tuna tartar to the black olive oil made from kalamata olives. The ‘Pan Seared Scallops and Calamari’ is a beautifully harmonious combination of perfectly cooked squid, a crunchy salad of celeriac and apple, and squid ink mascarpone. The scallops, too, are seared just enough to bring out their natural sweetness, earning an involuntary sound of approval from me. 

My main is the most popular dish: ‘Olive Oil Confit Ora King Salmon’. I was startled when it arrived, thinking, ‘Is this really raw salmon?’ But actually this salmon has been cooked in olive oil at 50℃, and thus retains its raw appearance. I try some   it definitely tastes cooked, but the texture is extraordinarily similar to that of raw salmon. It’s a curious sensation I’ve never experienced before. Definitely one to try.  

Lastly, I have ‘Champagne and Strawberry Parfait’, an exquisite balance of sweet and tart. And make no mistake   the basil ice cream accompanying it is addictive. For those who prefer a richer dessert, I recommend the ‘Valrhona Manjari Chocolate and Mandarin Delice’. 

At the Atlantic you can enjoy food with originality. The ingredients are carefully chosen, the cooking methods spare no time or effort, and they have the flexibility to introduce new ingredients. Today I focused just on seafood, but they also have meat dishes so people who aren’t fond of seafood need not worry. There are also private rooms to suit different sized groups and in the basement sits a cocktail bar, The Den, that could be good to spend time in before or after your meal, making the Atlantic suitable for many kinds of occasions. It’s nice to eat while basking in the daytime sun, but maybe next time I’ll enjoy a meal while gazing out at the glittering lights of nighttime reflected on the Yarra. Gochisosama deshita.

The Atlantic
8 Whiteman St. Southbank
03-9698-8888
Lunch : 7 days 12-3pm
Dinner : 7 days 6-11pm
theatlantic.com.au