It takes confidence to write a menu with “koshihikari rice, turnip, pumpkin” as one of (just) three main course options. Then again, Seth James isn’t a chef short on confidence. Or ideas. So the rice is cooked in a shiitake dashi, the butter-poached pumpkin cut into micronised cubes, and this next-gen pilaf is finished tableside with a fermented vegetable broth for maximum pow. When it comes to more-is-more cooking, Frui Momento’s tightly composed plates are among the west’s best. “Tagliatelle” dressed in a rockmelon and chicken sauce is, in fact, strips of finely cut cuttlefish while a blood-orange broth is the outré yet inspired match for grilled quail. Bitter chocolate mousse cloaking stewed pears ends things on a high. The ambition of the kitchen is matched by the soigné chalet-inspired dining room, manicured grounds and a heavyweight cellar stacked with global stars and sharp wines from Larry Cherubino, James’s business partner.
This review was made independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide’s reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way. To learn more about the process, click here.
Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide 2023
Our guide gives a yearly snapshot of the best restaurants to eat at right now. The best-rated restaurants, as judged by the reviewers’ first-hand experience, form our national Top 82.
