Chin Chin x Yalumba Event | Barossa Valley
A special event offered by Tasting Australian and hosted at Yalumba winery in the Barossa Valley, Chin Chin was recommended to me by a friend, however, the Asian fusion restaurant is only currently established within Melbourne and Sydney, so when the opportunity arose to try the menu of this restaurant my interest was more than piqued.
I was very privileged to be able to experience this dining event, which I would like to state before the rest of the article unveils itself. Being able to afford this price point and even being exposed to this event in itself is a privilege many are not able to afford, and for that, I am very thankful.
The overall dining theme of Chin Chin had a strong Asian influence, however, the dishes presented on the night were not complimentary of one another and felt like a new cuisine was introduced with each plate, almost juxtaposing one another. The table service was a little lacking, but understandable due to the proximity of customers to one another, the table wasn't that accessible and the volume of the venue was quite loud which made it hard for everyone to hear one another at times. With this being said, patrons were served of relatively equal time to one another which can be difficult to coordinate at such events. Before entering the event customers were greeted with an iced Gin and Tonic, which was bright and refreshing. The menu started with two canapes; Sesame rice crusted coffin bay oyster, shiso, yellow bean & mandarin as well as a Southern rock lobster dumpling with roasted duck broth, tapioca & Thai basil. These were presented to arriving diners at the entrance which wasn't most accessible, as many of us had our hands full with handbags and the like, however, the flavours were bold and a great introduction to an Asian fusion menu, especially with such cold weather, the warmth was much appreciated from the food.
The canapes were likely to be the best flavour combinations of the night, with stunning southeastern flavours within each bite. The execution of these dishes resulted in a perfect balance of unique tastes that were sure to entice the most discerning of palates. The oyster canape was prepared differently from most oyster dishes I have experienced in the past, almost appearing to be deep-fried in batter coated with a delectable yellow bean sauce that complimented the taste of the oyster itself and didn't mask the oceanic flavour. The lobster dumpling dish exceeded expectations and despite being a canape, it comprised a multitude of components that flawlessly came together to create a balanced collection of flavours. The duck broth, in particular, was a delightful addition, imbued with a pleasant and rich taste. The dumpling itself had a subtle and nuanced flavour profile that was perfectly proportioned, however, what truly caught my attention was the tapioca resting at the bottom of the cup, providing a playful and wholesome finish to the dish.
Following a brief introduction from our head chef and the renowned establishment of Yalumba and staff, guests were presented with the second course of the evening; Kingfish sashimi, paired with notes of lime, chilli, coconut and Thai basil. It appeared after the serving of canapes, all dishes henceforth were a shared plate. While the overall balance of flavours were slightly skewed, it was evident that the dish was thoughtfully prepared with the appropriate elements in mind. The kingfish, of exceptional quality, was a notable highlight of the dish, but the offset of the flavours did drag this dish down a little. The lime was a very intense acidic component and made this dish quite sharp, an inclusion of more coconut would have given this dish more balance overall.
The next course introduced was the Hot smoked bight redfish & late harvest Yalumba grape nahm prik. Being introduced to this dish the night before when studying the menu, I was unsure of what to expect and was still unsure when it was before me at the table. The plating itself was quite odd, surrounded by a multitude of raw vegetables that were frankly inedible, was not only a waste of produce but also not very flattering. This dish also had an odd balance of flavours, nevertheless, the redfish flavour was present at times but was mostly overpowered. Others around the table murmured thoughts about the dish and there appeared to be a communal dislike due to the aforementioned reasons, and to my dismay, a bone was also found within this dish. The most enjoyable part about this dish was the texture of the grapes that burst with flavour and seeds on bite.
BBQ quail with Thai basil chimichurri, smoked eggplant & toasted rice was served shortly after, partnered with another dish containing Asian mushrooms, chilli jam, soft boiled egg, and sawtooth coriander. At first sight, the dish was quite disappointing as it was listed as a main but such a small amount was presented. Nonetheless, the flavours presented on the quail dish complimented the overall dish nicely, even so, my personal highlight was the smoked eggplant. The breast part of the meat was prepared perfectly although the leg portion was not as tender. The chimichurri was also a stunning addition to the overall flavour as well as the inclusion of the chilli pieces on the plate, giving diners the ability to adjust spice levels to tasting preference. The toasted rice alas was not to be seen on the plate, if so, not in large enough quantities to be recognised as an additional component to the dish. The Asian mushroom dish on the other hand was quite contrasting, with very strong flavours and an intense heat. The egg was prepared well however the inclusion of another egg would help to balance the overall flavours to counteract the chilli, as well as more of a crunch element present on the plate. Overall it was texturally pleasant although, between the two of us, we were unable to finish this dish due to too much intensity of the chilli and stronger flavours sabotaging the potential of one of the more favourable dishes of the night.
The final savoury dish of the night was quite hyped up during the introduction by the chef himself due to his personal love of curry, and left many in anticipation; the Green curry of Penola station oyster blade with apple eggplant, krachai & Thai basil was partnered with four smaller dishes, charred corn with sesame butter, Yalumba garden salad, steamed wild rice, and roti. All of the smaller dishes relied on the flavour of the curry and didn't provide anything on their own, which was disappointing, as small inclusions of traditional southeastern flavours would have helped to elevate each individual dish and the experience as a whole. The meat itself fell apart on the first bite however the flavours were very similar to that of which you could find at a local corner Indian store, and the inclusion of the apple eggplant was quite confusing as it was very hard and similar to the raw vegetables in the previous dish. The initial hype at the start of the event eluded very high expectations and frankly, I was disappointed.
The concluding dish of the night was the unique Pumpkin flan with caramelised popcorn, mandarin sorbet, and toasted pumpkin seeds. The flan could have been silkier, although most flavours present on the plate counteracted this and gave the plate substantial balance through the symphony of complimentary flavours. I found that the mandarin sorbet didn't pair as well with the other flavours within this dish although my partner disagreed with me, however, I also found the sorbet to be the star and believed it would have been better served in a side dish with an option to include small amounts to elevate the dish in small bites as it provided a cold element to the dish as well a bold flavour that tasted similar to sherbet, adding a playfulness to the dish.
Overall most dishes did not live up to what was expected of a high-priced dining event, as I was quite disappointed with the quality of the dishes presented. As a Food and Wine event, I had higher expectations and although I understand the difficulty for a team to come interstate and collect a bountiful harvest to be able to work with and feed over 600 people, the flavours were unbalanced and in some dishes not even present, although the saviour for many dining customers was the wine, continuously topped up throughout the night providing customers exposure to a range of Yalumbas wines; viognier, rose, grenache, shiraz, and the signature cabernet sauvignon and shiraz. I do not currently drink more than one glass a meal, although my partner with me at the event found the establishment's sample selection to be exquisite and favoured the signature wine. I had the rose and found it pleasant to pair with all my dishes throughout the night.
Most disappointingly, however, was the serving size of all the dishes throughout the night, which can be seen in the below images. With a price point of $225 per head, my partner and I paid $450 total, and only a shared dish for every dining couple at a food celebration event was quite infuriating. Although the consistent wine top-up and exposure to a generous selection of wines was obviously included within this price point, it seems quite ridiculous when having previously dined at other establishments around similar price points where the food standard is exceptionally higher. Leaving hungry is quite disappointing at any establishment however my partner was happy enough to fill the rest up on wine. Those less inclined to drinking should have been accommodated towards more and perhaps a drinks package could be added to ticket prices for the future, as I assumed paired tastings were to accompany the dining experience. It feels as if it was almost a drinking event partnered with food.
While this experience is not a solid representation of Chin Chin and its menu, however, it does waiver my excitement for visiting.
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| Sesame rice crusted coffin bay oyster, shiso, yellow bean & mandarin |
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| Kingfish sashimi, lime, chilli, coconut & Thai basil |
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| Hot smoked bight redfish & late harvest Yalumba grape nahm prik |
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| BBQ quail with Thai basil chimichurri, smoked eggplant & toasted rice partnered with Asian mushrooms, chilli jam, soft-boiled egg, and sawtooth coriander |
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| Green curry of Penola station oyster blade with apple eggplant, krachai & Thai basil partnered with Roti, Steamed rice, Charred and baked corn, and Yalumba garden salad |
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| Pumpkin flan with caramelised popcorn, mandarin sorbet, and toasted pumpkin seeds |
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