Truffle Festival lunch at Senso Restaurant, Canberra

Head chef and owner, Jan Gundlach, breathes in deeply

EDIT: Senso Restaurant has closed.

Truffles. Is there are food more veiled with gastronomic intrigue and romantic mystique?

We headed to Canberra's first Truffle Festival to find out first-hand the allure of the truffle, a road trip that detoured via Berrima for scones, before arriving at Senso. for a four-course truffle lunch.


Pumpkin pickles with lemon and pepper

Senso. sits on new premises at the Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets. Located above the hubbub of the square that contains fruit and vegetable shops, delicatessens, bakeries and butchers, Senso is a scene of tranquility, a large and narrow open space that has a dining area on one side, with an uninterrupted view into the kitchen.


The open kitchen

When we first sit down, the waiter presumes we want the Flying Buffet lunch menu, and at $29 for three courses, we're almost tempted. On the day we dined, $29 would've gotten you homemade breads with pumpkin pickles and goats fromage fraiche; fennel soup with orange; slow-cooked ocean trout with tarragon mustard sauce; osso bucco with herb polenta; and poached quince with lemon ice cream. The Flying Buffet menu changes daily, using ingredients sourced from the markets.

Despite the alluring menu, we're adamant we've driven 280km in search of truffles. The three course truffle menu is a very modest $75 and includes a glass of wine.


Salted and unsalted butters


Goat's fromage frais

The presentation of our appetisers is impeccable, a tear-drop shaped bowl of sourdough slices alongside serves of bright orange pickled pumpkin cubes and a snowy white mound of goat's fromage frais. Two types of butter necessitate intensive tasting (of course!). It's a pick-and-mix combination of flavours, and whilst I love the trail of salt flakes on the plank of salted butter, I'm enamoured by the pale sweet creaminess of the unsalted version.


Pots on the stove


The crockery shelves


Jann adds the finishing touches

The open kitchen provides a welcome show of gastronomic theatre. The plating is all done at the front counter, a sight that is both fascinating and mesmerising, making me a poor conversationalist amongst friends as I constantly desert our table for photo opportunities.


Fennel soup with orange and truffles



Our starter is a fennel soup with orange and truffles, a light and creamy soup topped with snow-white foam and garnished with straws of fresh truffle.



I find myself using the spoon to eat the truffles on their own, trying to preserve their flavour and relishing their slight stickiness. Their flavour isn't overwhelming, althought they do seem to add a slight earthiness to the soup.


Plating our entrees


Celeriac, chestnuts and truffle puree

Our entrees is a disc of baked celeriac, topped with toasted chestnut pieces and a quenelle of truffle puree. There's a interesting contrast of textures, the crunch of chestnuts against the smoothness of the truffle puree and the caramelisation and slight chewiness of the sweet celeriac.


Truffle and truffle plane in the kitchen


Pouring the beef stock at the table

Our main of beef tenderloin, cooked sous vide, arrives, a second waiter quickly stepping forward with a carafe of beef stock that is poured like a honey-coloured cascade over the top of our meals.



There's a lovely sense of sophistication and decadence associated with such personal service, not to mention the wonderful visual of steam and the heady aroma that bathes each diner, both from the stock as it's poured out, as well as the truffle and beef and the hot liquid is absorbed.


Beef tenderloin 'sous vide', beef stock reduction and truffles

The thick carving of beef tenderloin, cooked in a vacuum sealed bag in water, is incredibly moist and tender. The star of the dish is the truffle, thin shavings that showcase the spidery white lines inside for which the truffle is known. Eating the slivers of truffle is another revelation, its satiny texture and musty flavours much more evident.

Bright green buttons of edamame beans add colour and creaminess, and the earthy theme of the truffles is echoed in the slippery stalks of shimeji mushrooms.


Adding truffles to the pappardelle


Pouring over the spiced jus


Pappardelle, spiced jus and truffles

We conclude with pappardelle, spiced jus and truffles. I love the fat silky ribbons of pappardelle, roughed up with the dusting of shaved parmesan, the refreshing zing of lime zest, and straws of fresh truffle. The pasta is slinky and sensuous, and whilst some at our table aren't keen on the lime zest, I find it adds an uplifting counterbalance to the smouldering flavour of truffle.


Coconut macaroons and macarons


Macchiato

Complimentary petit fours include coconut macaroons and macaron, both delicious and made in-house. I'm impressed too, with the coffee, which has plenty of intensity and body.

Four courses of truffle later, I'm no expert on truffles but I can certainly see the allure. It's hard to describe the flavour of truffle, and whoever said they smelt like "old socks and sex" is not far off the truth. There is an earthiness to its flavour, a musty, sweet, mushroomy meatiness that exudes the cool dampness of a rainforest floor.

Oh yes, now I'm starting to see the appeal.

Read the next Canbera post: National Portrait Gallery, Fyshwick Markets and dinner at Mecca Bah




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The Capital Country Truffle Festival continues in Canberra until July 11, 2009. Check the events schedule as well as the list of participating restaurants for more.

Senso will be running a truffle cooking class on July 9, and Jan's Table Truffle Dinners on July 11 and 18. Contact Senso direct for more information or to make a booking. Truffles are available for sale from Senso whilst the truffle season lasts.

Senso Restaurant and Culinary Studio
EDIT: Senso Restaurant has closed.
Level 1
Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets
Corner Dalby and Mildura Streets,
Fyshwick, Canberra, ACT
Tel: +61 (02) 6295 7722


Opening hours
Thursday to Sunday 9am-11pm


Related Grab Your Fork posts:
Canberra Truffle Festival Part 1: Truffles for breakfast, scones from morning tea
Canberra Truffle Festival Part 2: Truffle lunch at Senso Restaurant
Canberra Truffle Festival Part 3: Dinner at Mecca Bah

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