Detour Restaurant

Not my first time here, as it’s always a fairly reliable spot. It is however, for me, one star shy from out-of-this-world as there is always one dish that is a bit of a let down. I won’t mention previous occasions as they are no longer on the menu but this time it’s their smoked pumpkin. The smokiness penetrates far too deep into this poor humble vegetable that at the end all I could taste is a smoked liquidy mash. I find it difficult to explain … but perhaps you will know if you try it.. but don’t. I do believe that it’s best not to bet on the Kent pumpkins (where its liquidity and sweetness can vary greatly even when they appear the exact same on the outside). Perhaps in another variety (such as the smaller kabocha squash) it would be more suitable. I must mention however, that the smoked salmon and ants (oh don’t be a chicken!), beetroot tartare, emu tartare, wagyu brisket are all superb and I would be very keen to have them again.

Take a detour here! The food here is absolutely divine and offer a unique experience. Absolutely recommend the Coal Roasted Broccoli. The broccoli is soft and captures the smokiness from the coal and the crunchiness from the fried(?) quinoa provide a textural experience. Each dish was a flavour experience. And I found it quite enjoyable to experiment with each meal, whether it was assembling the Pork Belly Pancakes or mixing and matching the Gunpowdered Wagyu Brisket with the sides provided. Would definitely come back here again.