Cucina di Esposito (Nth Carlton) 03/2014

Formerly known as Esposito@Toofeys, the sign is still outside the door, 

as is the menu, this has been a fine restaurant for many yeas. Perhaps because of the Melbourne Food Festival, which is just finishing, they have recently offered a special lobster based degustaion menu at a greatly discounted price through Groupon.  
 The meal began with a pleasant glass of N.V. Clover Hill Cuvee before the first course, clear broth of Southern rock lobster with zucchini flower fritters and crustacean oil.  I loved the dish but it would have been nice to have had more than a teaspoon of broth. There was a zucchini fritter but the flower was no where to be seen. Never mind it was a delectable little dish.

The next course was also quite small. Fluffy egg white lobster omelette with green asparagus and
shaved truffles It also had excellent flavour. I would have preferred the omelette a little less firm personal preferance, but again the flavours were excellent. The truffle taste was there but I saw no sign of shaved truffles.

Mrs Esposito, Maurice's mum sure knew how to cook magnificent gnocchi.  Maurice’s Mum’s potato gnocchi with wilted tomatoes in lobster sauce came next. It's not easy to get these just right but these were perfect. There some small bits of lobster in with the sauce and again the flavour was light, sweet and distinctly lobster.
 
Carpaccio of cone Bay barramundi with smoked eel, lobster reduction and black rice foam was a surprising combination that worked well with nothing dominating. Rarely have I enjoyed a meal more.
 
 Potato-crusted lobster tail with Yarra Valley salmon and reduction, balsamic though, not lobster, was the last lobster course. Not really potato crusted, the potato being separate from the lobster, this was another quite small serve but again really full of fine flavour.  

This was a smallish meal but a lot went into the making of it and it demonstrated high quality of creativity successfully matching a variety of sea food and bringing out great flavours. A fine exhibition of cooking skills of a high order.
A bargain at $90 for two. 
Score: 16.75/20