[**DISCLAIMER: I SUFFERED SEVERE FOOD POISONING AND THIS IS ONE OF TWO MEALS IN WHICH THAT COULD'VE BEEN THE CAUSE**]
[PART I - FIRST BITES]
Wistoria is a beautiful Michelin star restaurant located on the bank of a quieter canal on the island of Venice. Their plates features a theme of smart cooking techniques such as featuring the same ingredients through several lenses in a single dish to reduce food waste, which highlights the culinary aptitude and care for sustainability. In the first bites, we saw this through the asparagus dish which was a home run.
(i) Hibiscus Kombucha -- lovely floral herbaceousness that perfumes the palette
(ii) Spring Greens Tartlet -- layered with visual and flavor complexity, vibrant with flavors from the garden
(iii) Raddachio -- difficult to eat, but the curry flavor spike on first bite is very pleasant
(iv) Mussel -- stuffed to give a 'wow' first impression, oozing with creaminess and freshness, balanced in a fish broth, seaweed, and extra crispy bread
(v) Bread and EVOO -- piping hot sourdough, which absorbs all those extra sauces and purees so beautifully
(vi) White Asparagus -- poises itself on picture perfect elegance; the trimmings used to make an asparagus cream is so melodic; the lime and licorice reduction is a very wise flavor booster; green herb oil adds a beautiful herbaceousness
Another paradigm common to the Wistoria menu is the deconstruct and reconstruct framework, highlighted in the oyster dish particularly well with both the oyster and beetroot, adding onto the list of intriguing techniques to elevate the same ingredient.
(vii) Oyster - highlighted by the use of beetroot three ways: powder, pickled, and dry aged and rehydrated; pickle adds beautiful sweetness; dry age gives such a developed flavor that isn't too intense; powder adds a beautiful color
(viii) Flank - served tataki style in a comforting rich beef jus, the pickled onion contrasts so beautifully in acidity and sweetness; love the pickled celeriac which added such a beautiful flavor booster; the dish is plated as beautifully as a garden in bloom
(ix) Snail Pasta - if I had to pick a dish that caused my food poisoning it would be this one*; this dish draws out the flavors of the snail with a briny intensity pesto like pairing chickpea based sauce and a snail shaped pasta; I can see where the palette is going with this, although I'm not sure if it's intentional -- what I am for sure though is I do not enjoy this flavor profile
Onto the last of the savory-forward courses, which I found the sauce work to be the star as it was truly exemplary. I did find the food to be rather aggressively salted, which is a surprise given my salty palette to begin with.
(x) Prawn Tagliatelle - the prawn is coated in a fresh vibrancy coming from that light coconut lime dressing; the pasta was rather saline forward, but the crab is evident in the sauce
(xi) Eel - risky choice given the heaviness of the protein, but it is so well cooked even with crispy skin, it is as light as can be; the real heroes are the different sauces -- pigeon demi glace, the spicy buckthorn sauce, and the intense garlic green oil which all serve as different flavor bombs on the plate
(xii) Artichoke Heart - cooked tenderly, and pairs well with its puree; the cherry sauce surprisingly not sweet but adds a refreshing acidity; the mint granita adds a lingering freshness
The final bites consisted of a sequence of sweets, which I felt served the sweet component well, but within constraints by using other flavor profiles to add complexity.
(xiii) Apple Sorbet - the varied use of apple including a candied apple, pickled apple, in addition to the refreshing sorbet is a delightful sight; foam has been dated for a while, but the rhubarb foam adds a pleasant herbaceousness
(xiv) Strawberries - the strawberries were so intensely sweet it was magical; love the wasabina sauce that adds an earthy spiciness and brings the garden into the dish; I feel that the chocolate component could've been left out as it added a decadent note that was unnecessary
(xv) Finishing - the candied radish-like potato was paired with an intense black garlic flavor, which help reset from the sweetness of the previous courses; the virgin pina colada is a pleasant surprise with coconut butter shell and a bright pina colada inside which beautifully concludes the meal; to pair, I ordered a moscato, which had a beautiful sweet intensity and a raisiny back kick
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(Overall: B) - In spite of likely acquiring food poisoning from this establishment, it is hard to say for certain. Before those tragic events occurred, I really enjoyed learned from the staff throughout the meal of the various culinary techniques used to construct the menu. The staff were professional and happy to share the beauty of the kitchen, which is a joy to see.
Food: -1
Presentation: +2
Price: E
Atmosphere: E
Service: E
Menu: +2 read more