Embrasse Restaurant

LOCATION
The old Drummond Street home of Three One Two and Mrs Jones.

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
Embrasse is very much a labour of love for chef/proprietor Nicholas Poelaert. At this restaurant he is able to marry the aesthetics he acquired under the tutelage of triple Michelin-starred Michel Bras with his own passion for provincial French cuisine and quality, home-grown produce. It results in exciting dishes that lie somewhere between rustic Gallic fare and modern, highly conceptual fine dining. The menu is built around fresh seasonal produce from specialist growers and augmented from Poelaert’s own garden.

Fresh and visually appealing dishes include a salad of heirloom tomatoes garnished with fresh herbs and edible flowers or the home-grown “meli melo” (mixture of flavours) of vegetables, sprouts, herbs and flowers, and an assortment of herb emulsions which exemplify the restaurant’s focus on vegetables. It’s a light antidote for those who associate French cuisine with rich, heavy sauces and seasonings. But comfort food is at hand here too, in the guise of slow-cooked beef cheek, poached for eight hours and served with pumpkin, chards, tapenade and a deft garnish of pink garlic and nasturtium. Team it with a glorious serve of the cheesy potato mash aligot for a true taste of southern France. Desserts include fresh berries from Poelaert’s garden and a deconstructed DIY chocolate parfait which consists of a pile of chocolate gateau crumbs, coconut jelly, mango puree and balsam mint.

Angela Costanzo