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Break the bank: decadent degustations
The degustation dinner might not be a new concept, but it's something of a new dining frontier for many casual diners and wannabe foodies. Sitting down to a three-course meal and a bottle of wine is positively puritanical by the standards of some of the more hedonistic eateries in town. Instead try a standard eight courses, with some places going up to a mind-boggling, stomach-straining 20 courses - with matching wines for each dish, naturally.
It goes without saying that eating out like this takes commitment - and not just in terms of time, though this is an excellent way to pass an entire evening. An enormous appetite is compulsory, a decent alcohol tolerance is advised and an expense account is highly recommended; these gastronomic epics don't come cheap.
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Three One Two
Carlton
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Andrew McConnell came to his own venture fresh from the kitchen at Circa, the Prince, so expectations were understandably high. However, Three One Two seems to have surprised even already converted fans with its quality. The degustation is as brilliant as one would expect, however with the inspired wine matches, it's transcendent.
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Vue de Monde
Melbourne
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This restaurant has copped a lot of flak for it's (some would say) extortionate prices. While it's true that this is no destination for tightwads, this once-in-a-lifetime dining experience is worth blowing your tax return on. Chef Shannon Bennett's degustation starts at $150 for five courses, with $15 tacked on for each extra course.
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3
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Interlude
Fitzroy
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Chef Robin Wickens is a hardcore advocate of the degustation, shunning old-fashioned a la carte menus entirely. On the bright side for pocket pinchers, lunchtime set menus are still reasonably priced, while even the deluxe 17-course degustation comes in well under $200. In return you'll get such utterly amazing (if slightly offbeat) dishes as jellied eel with white beer foam; or corned duck with bubble and squeak, and clove air.
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4
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Tetsuya's
Sydney
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If you've got a lazy $200, there's really only one place to spend it. While Sydney restaurants generally have the degustation down, Tetsuya Wakuda has made it an art form. His 10-course menu doesn't include booze (that's extra) but if your Amex can stand the strain, it's worth it.
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5
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Becasse
Sydney
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Becasse's eight-course degustation seems quite restrained compared to some, but an eight-course meal of Justin North's rich French food is really enough to have diners clutching their sides. There's an a la carte menu available as well, but the degustation is recommended to avoid the inevitable anxiety that occurs when pressed to make an order.
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6
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Grange Restaurant
Adelaide
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Chef Cheong Liew gets imaginative with his degustation menus; there's a straightforward eight-courser for initiates, which introduces newcomers to Liew's signature style. Then there are themed menus, such as his 'river fish' degustation, or menus based on certain regions of Australia.
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