Dish Cult Dines: Around the world in 12 dishes at Amethyst

Inspired

Taking a seat at the unique, jagged amethyst-designed table (above) that seats just 21, you’re intimately positioned in front of the kitchen where you can watch Carlo and his team at work. With the low lighting in the restaurant and the lit-up kitchen, it almost feels theatrical with the cooking taking centre-stage.

The tasting menu at Amethyst is inspired by Carlo’s experiences and travels around the world. Hailing from Naples originally, it’s his time spent in India, Mexico, North Africa and Japan that finds its way into his dishes.

To begin with, there’s a wonderful oyster with tomato fermented sake, wasabi caviar and coriander oil. This awakens your palate, which is convenient because there are two other small plates that have accompanied the oyster: a croquette with liquorice, tarragon and parmesan cheese, and a magnificent briouat filled with nettle and almond and topped with Baharat honey.

Seafood

The next two dishes are seafood based. The scallops come first, decorated with caviar, galangal and matsutake. This ceviche-like dish is fresh and has a nice zingy cut through its taste thanks to the galangal, which is closely related to ginger.

Next up is Carlo’s signature dish: foie gras with rose petal salmon, yuzu and Piedmont hazelnuts. Never have I ever seen salmon this colour – a vibrant red as opposed to the soft orange-pink hues we’re familiar with – and never would have I ever thought to combine foie gras with raw fish. Yet, as well as being aesthetically beautiful, it’s also a taste sensation and a perfect marriage in textures, too.

Homage

The wild chamomile gazpacho is a gorgeous flavour, as well as being a spectacular green colour. This follows the Mexican barbecue corn and jalapeño bread – an innovative take on Mexican cuisine.

The butterfly is an homage to Carlo’s home country. Butterfly shaped pasta is cooked with bone marrow (wow) and borlotti beans; an interesting combo that surprisingly works very well. This dish is finished with a sherry caramel that compliments the bone marrow, so it doesn’t feel too rich or heavy.

The gyoza with Nasu Nibitashi (aubergine), Myoga tea and sake is another homage to travels in Japan. Again, this was another new experience with introductions to alternative ingredients and masterpiece fillings.

Burnt hay

The next two dishes were probably my personal favourites. Black cod coated in burnt hay with caramelised miso and Naganegi dashi was unlike anything I’ve ever seen or tasted. Visually, it’s totally black and looks burnt – but that’s the point. Cut into it and take a bite, and I guarantee you’ll be as blown away as I was.

The beef with Ras el hanout, Medjool dates and beetroot ketchup was simply incredible. Everything on the plate worked harmoniously. The beef was tender and cooked to perfection, while the sweetness of the dates was a masterstroke. Put simply, I loved it.

Sweet

Rounding off the unforgettable journey was a Gariguette with rum daiquiri, strawberry and basil. This was a refreshing palate cleanser; I particularly enjoyed the addition of the basil as this made sure it didn’t become too sweet.

The final dish was the Amethyst Geode – an homage to the name of the restaurant itself. This purple coloured dome was filled with praline and white chocolate, and sat on a lovely bed of feuilletine. It was almost too beautiful to break into, but I was thankful that I did because it was a triumphant dessert that was a stunning way to round off such a memorable dining experience.

The tasting menus here are available in three or five courses for lunch, and six or 12 for dinner.

To book your space at the 10-metre long chef’s table shot through with rivers of real amethyst and quartz stone, simply click on the button below.