Video Credit : Expat Choice Asia
Image Credit : Prawn cocktail — at The Masons Table
Stepping in to this very eclectic restaurant I could almost smell the 100 year old wooden floors. The Masons Table is a wonderful spot for events, where the bar and cosy room seat up to 40 pax and the main dining could easily do more than 60 pax.
I could visualize myself doing a luncheon talk to the clink of glasses as people sipped their wines and enjoyed the delectable food.
As a reviewer of Expat Choice I was entertained to a sharing menu. We started with a charcuterie platter which paired fantastically well with the Pinot Grigio priced at a reasonable $13 / glass. Served chilled on a sunny Friday afternoon this was also complementary to the herbed butter escargots.
A hot favourite starter according to staff was the buttermilk fried mushrooms which could be addictive with jugs of beer on the side. I can see why it is so popular with the lads!
My top choice for the entire meal was the Balik style salmon served with poached egg, asparagus and Hollandaise sauce. If you are wondering what Balik style is (as I was and had to Google mid-way through lunch) here we go.
Selected from the finest deep water Atlantic salmon, then slowly smoked in small batches over a blend of fruitwoods and hardwoods, each fillet is hand trimmed to procure the premium tenderloin cut of the salmon. This cut at The Masons Table was traditionally reserved exclusively for the Russian Tsar and his court. The texture was moist and firm I can see how it was fit for royalty. Priced at only $18 it is a must try!
Moving on from fresh light salmon to pan seared foie gras (which is something I love but never order as it's too calorific for my waist line), I enjoyed the rich and full flavour it affords. Paired with a glass of Dolcetto I am glad I moved to the red grape. Some people enjoy foie gras lightly seared but this was fully cooked which was my preference.
I do judge a good restaurant by their ability to do a perfect duck confit, crispy skin with moist meat. This was cooked true to perfection and served with braised pear. I thought it was very well priced at $24 considering the ambience laced in history of this restaurant.
To lighten the pace of food coming at us, we were served a light vegetarian pizza. I felt the thin crust found only in good restaurants, was outstanding. Remembering by this time, I had stuffed my face with rich and heavy meals.
As always looking forward to dessert, I had a quick glance at the menu. Making a mental note I felt I might give the steamed vanilla pudding a miss. How wrong I was! It didn't turn out to be a pudding as such, more a light cake with a not too sweet caramel sauce. Divine! I ate almost all of it as I love a palette cleanser and this did the trick.
The chocolate fudge cake was also lighter than expected but the stunner here was the accompanying raspberry sorbet which happens to be my favourite fruit flavour and sorbets (in my mind) the best dessert anyone could have.
To round it up a cup of coffee and Bob’s your uncle as we say in Australia! A must try for anyone in the Coleman Street area. 2-course and 3-course set lunches priced at $28++ and $32++ respectively it is a real steal, reprieve from the noise of the city.
Perfect for a birthday celebration or a small party of 12, there was a group of 25 Masons lunching there. Perfectly located in the tourist area, I would recommend The Masons Table to friends after a Museum Tour or any of the tourist sites around there.
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