For my boyfriend's birthday I was invited to attend dinner with his family in Rustic Stone. The main attraction is the piping hot stone presented to you on which you cook your own beef or fish to your liking. This is not your average restaurant. Despite the infamous steak on a stone, it offers a wide and really interesting vegetarian menu that is not to be overlooked. Not only are the flavours complex and (made from unique combinations), the presentation is absolutely beautiful. Each dish, even a small plate of four olives, bursts with multiple flavours and vibrant colours, nothing is overlooked. The presentation alone deserves praise! (Well done Mr McGrath)
As starters for the table we ordered olives, as I mentioned, and bread with dips. The bread was presented on a bridge like platter accompanied with houmous and baba ghanoush. Iv never tasted baba ghanoush like this before, it was so full of flavour and rich... I couldn't believe it was aubergine! My boyfriends father ordered a cucumber and frozen avocado broth. The presentation was beautiful. Two shell like glass bowls, one filled with crushed ice and the other sitting on top held the avocado, were presented with a round glass beaker of cold cucumber broth for pouring.. It looked like something out of The Little Mermaid (pictured below).
For the main course a mix of tuna and halibut steaks were ordered for cooking on the hot stone, while I opted for the truffle pasta. Presented in a wide rimmed bowl the pasta was covered in a vail of parmesan shavings which hung off the side like (silk), I thought it was a really pretty idea. Truffle oil, yogurt and creme fresh.. So simple and yet so good. The smaller portion was more then enough, it was so hearty and filling. A selection of sides accompanied the steaks, truffle chips, pesto chips and polenta chips (pictured below). I loved the presentation of the pesto chips, a wooden stick kebab of chips drizzled in parmesan hung over a bowl of pesto, or truffle cream, for dipping.
I was so full by the end of my pasta i felt ill, but I just had to finish it! Despite having inhaled the whole table of goodies we couldn't not look at the dessert menu! Wow, i'm glad we did. Panacotta, chocolate soup, fruit sushi, fruit salads... heaven! I had the fruit sushi; sweet sticky rice, exotic fruits, (caramel) soy sauce, (carrot) pickled ginger and (pistachio) surprise wasabi. The chocolate soup looked amazing as well, presented like the cucumber broth, part of the fun was pouring it yourself.
I'd definitely recommend this restaurant to any vegetarians out there with carnivorous families. The menu is large and has lots options, the real attraction is cooking with the stone though (it looked like so much fun). The portions are large and most of the dishes are reasonably priced. The real draw for me is the presentation. Each dish was carefully designed to be both tasty and aesthetically pleasing, you can tell a great deal of care is taken in the kitchen which makes every bite feel special. My only regret is not taking any of my own photos!!
Search #rusticstone on intsagram to get an idea of the atmosphere, food, cocktails and restaurant itself.
