Had not caught up with a few foodie friends for a while and we decided to try the Festival Dish at Jano’s. Interestingly enough, it seems like it has become a habit to come to Jano during the WOAP festival. However, instead of having the normal three-course meal we decided to attempt their WOAP 6 Course Digestation with Louie de Palma attempting it with the wine match.
Jano’s Canned Spaghetti
Tomato, Spaghetti, Parmesan, Truffle
This was an interesting dish with it being served with an empty tin can covering the food like a cloche. When the can is lifted you get this awesome array of colours. This dish really represented what it was meant to be. It tasted like canned spaghetti but to a gourmet level. The flavours were nice and as was the thin gratings of the truffle. Great execution!
At the Beach
Seafood, Corn, Saffron, Rēwena Bread
This was presented as a dry dish with the reduction in a little jug and the rewena bread served in a little bowl. Then at the table, they pour the reduction onto the food and add the rewena bread croutons on top. The seafood consisted of smoke salmon and paua, and the carrots replaced the corn (I think). This dish was really fantastic and when you combined all the elements together it really tasted like you were at the sea smelling the sea breeze.
BBQ: Festival Dish
Beetroot, chickpeas, quinoa, watercress, L&P
This was presented like nothing I have seen before. It came to a table with a lid it was taken off at the table, where smoke billowed out. The whole dish looked like something being cooked on an open flame. On the grill was a chickpea and quinoa sausage with an L&P reduction. All of the elements went really well and I really enjoyed this aspect of the BBQ. Below was Beetroot, edible dirt, L&P jelly, and macaroons that looked like burnt wood. It all tasted really nice with the earthiness from the beetroot and the sweetness from the macaroon and the L&P jelly. Overall a very clever dish.
Friday Night Takeout (inspired by classic takeout favourites)
Organic Chicken, Prawn, Potato, Gochujang, dangmyeon
This dish also looked very impressive. There was chicken breast with bacon and prawn crumb on top, a chicken croquette, some kimchi, mash potato, a deep-fried dangmyeon (noodle made from sweet potato) and some gravy at the bottom. The chicken with the crumb was really nice with the crumb had a nice crunch, The croquette was filled with chicken, the potato was very fine and very smooth, the kimchi had a real good punch to it, and the dangmyeon added a nice texture to the dish. When you add all the elements together this was a fantastic dish. Well executed and very homely.
Pavlova
Mānuka Honey, Almond, Milk, Kawakawa
This was very impressive when it came to the table. A pavalova made with kawakawa and honey, chopped add almonds and crushed biscuit at the bottom, and a lemon curd in the middle with something else. This was a fantastic dessert. The kawakawa added a nice lightly peppery taste to the dessert and was very well balanced.
Flat White
Flight Coffee, Whittaker’s 72% Dark Ghana, Soy
This was a very cool when presented to the table. A Chocolate dessert presented like a flat white, with a chocolate and coffee brownie. With your name written on the cup. The froth was very light and there was chocolate at the bottom of the cup. I was lucky enough to have two and I decided to mix the contents around the second time and it was so much better. It was very light and it also had some puffed rice. A very clever dish.
Overall a great degustation from Jano. The food was very good and well presented. I loved how they based their dishes on the theme of Kiwana. I really did enjoy the “Flat White” at the end of the meal. Also, I did try some of the wines that came with the dishes and they were very well matched. What I did discover was a coffee liquer made by Quick Brown Fox in Dunedin. This was really nice and I will have to go buy a bottle. Favourite dishes where the BBQ, Friday Night Takeout, and the Pavlova. Yummy!
Previous Visits; March 2016, April 2016, WOAP 2016
Address; 270 Willis St, Te Aro, Wellington
Website: Jano Bistro
Trencherman's Travels 