My reply dissapeared. Eek! First thought was wondering if you could taste the prawn with all those flavors? Next was ”beat poetry”, and perhaps this maximal style of food, with random broccoli and ?treacle? on fish, requires raprochement to appreciate. It does sound like all those flavors on one fork could create an explosion on the tongue, or maybe it's meant to be a different experience in every bite. Last thought was Coco Chanel, ”Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and remove one accessory”.

Or maybe stoner food for tokers who've blown out their tastebuds?

I really don’t think

“Or maybe stoner food for tokers who've blown out their tastebuds?”

applies to this restaurant, the prices, chef, staff, view etc. But I certainly agree with the analogy

“Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and remove one accessory”.

No. It looks a mess. I prefer the type of cooking where a great ingredient is sublimed.

Thank you IC for stating how I really feel. Just too many ingredients meaning nothing has a chance to shine. Totally OTT IMHO.

Everything that was said and also, a restaurant that is trying to be very high quality should be using seasonal vegetables. Where on earth do you get parsnips in early summer?

Explains the empty restaurant. Would never have eaten/paid for that. Not my "cup of tea", I guess!

great presentation

Hmmm. The first one looks nice, and the third, but overall I think you’re being generous here.

I don’t mind a mix of interesting and unexpected ingredients in order to create an explosion of flavors but most of this looks and sounds a bit carelessly thrown together.

But in fairness to the restaurant, if you’re preferring a red wine jus and roast potatoes with your beef, you guys might simply not be a good match!

What’s atop the shrimp toast? (Edit - guessing a preserved lemon mayo or similar?) I keep going back to that picture as the one course that looks and sounds delicious to me.

Lacyvail - Neely is in Australia; I’d imagine most if not all is seasonal?

First, you "eat" with your eyes. Creating anticipation by a beautiful presentation is a truly wonderful thing! However, it does not have to be that convoluted to have a beautiful and exciting presentaion .

Certainly not a minority opinion - that all seems like way too many ingredients/flavors to me as well - what a mish-mosh!

All I can think of is indigestion...

^^^Jerusalem artichoke had me thinkjng along those lines, too! 😂

Well you are both right about the indigestion Foas and carolb… not me but poor DH had an unpleasant evening.

And Yes Foas the shrimp toast was tasty… not sure what the white creamy ’stuff ’ was, with the mint leaf on top.

The third dish of the lightly smoked sword fish was actually delicious as were the dollops of lime creamy ’mayo’.

To be fair, it was an interesting meal but as I mentioned in my OP there wasn’t one dish that I would like to eat again nor would I recommend the restaurant, though perhaps I would to one particular foodie I know. I would be interested to know what she thought.

At least, there’s pickled celery to try to recreate at home.

It is interesting to see the dishes and the descriptions. It seems to be middle eastern accented offering, based on the choices and combinations.

I enjoy unusual, challenging or new combinations in a journey of discovery of tastes in an extended fixed or tasting menu. But even in places with rather complex dishes, the additions are done in moderation, as accents. These seem to be heavy-handed, both in presentation and flavor proportions, in particular the side dishes like the eggplant, which had enough choices for two separate sides.

Waaay too much "stuff" on everything. I like spices, but there was much more spice than the item, be it a vegetable or meat or fish. There was no way to appreciate the star of the dish.

Maybe ONE dish with that much on it, but not the entire meal.