In Japanese, Koi is a verb meaning “come”, or via another written form, (romantic) love. It also happens to denote the carp fish, which is a common tattoo seen on the backs of Japanese Yakuza members. Yeah, it’s lovey-dovey, as well as badass.

Masterchef 2015 contestant Reynold Poernomo has mostly-aptly named his long-awaited dessert bar after this versatile word – this is a dessert with a fresh attitude. For the sugar lovers – there is no question but to come to Koi Dessert Bar!

Date Last Visited: 8/6/16 10/1/2016
Address: 42-44 Kensington Street, Chippendale, Sydney
Recommended Dish(es): chocolate mousse sphere, coconut panna cotta

Koi Dessert Bar – June 2016 Visit

Five months later, the desserts have undergone radical changes (spoiler alert: they’re better than ever). What hasn’t changed as much are the three ways you can approach Koi:

1) Buy counter pastries (walk-in option). You do not get access to the dining/plated desserts. In my opinion, the plated desserts are where it’s at.
2) Partake in a 4-course desserts-only menu for $65. Bookings required.
3) Partake in a dinner with savoury snack/entree/mains, plus 3 desserts. Bookings required.

While I’m a fan of the savoury dishes as written in the January visit, we felt that Koi’s raison d’etre is to dish out the sweet stuff. As such, we opted for the 4-course desserts-only menu on this particular visit. You get one extra dessert, and that outweighs the three savouries any day.

Without further ado, say hi to the dessert master’s current menu!

Honey rosemary gelato, honeycomb, mandarin, burnt butter sable & parsnip

Starting off is a fresh and light plate of honey rosemary gelato. As is the case with Reynold’s style, multiple elements are executed perfectly on their own and combine to create a sum greater than their parts. The sorbet itself is surprisingly milky in taste, but remains light and not too creamy. The parsnip crisps added something akin to an earthy, vegetal taste – not unlike vegetable chips (and those are delicious!). The honeycomb is crumbly and sweet for the most part, with some areas a bit more chewy and tough (like the bad part of a Crunchie chocolate bar), but that’s a small niggle in a dessert I could otherwise not fault.

More please.

“Moss” – Pistachio mousse, caramel gel, white chocolate matcha dulce cremeaux, pistachio sponge, matcha moss, apple blossom jelly, nitro lime & yoghurt and green apple

The Moss should look familiar to viewers of this year’s Masterchef. It’s a dessert challenge Reynold set for one of the challenges (pressure test), and while I didn’t watch the episode, the recipe might just give a bit of an idea of its difficulty.

Hours to make, seconds to demolish. This is absolutely a “wow factor” dessert. The chocolate ball is where it starts. The shell is perfectly proportioned with absolutely no variation in thinness. To my pleasure, it is indeed also quite thin to begin with – so that there’s never too much such that it overwhelms the mousse inside. It fractures with satisfying cracks, and is just as delightful on the palate – especially with that hint of matcha bitterness that I so love.

The pistachio mousse on the inside is a bit firmer than I had expected, but other than that is fully redolent of pistachio – nobody will complain that there isn’t “enough pistachio flavour”, as is so often a complaint levied on lesser desserts.

The green apple sorbet perhaps adds the most contrast to this dish – it has surprisingly strong vegetal overtones, all the while maintaining its base, acidic apple flavour. I loved it. The sponge is the last thing I remembered about the dish – just as light and fluffy as I first remembered from Reynold. It is still to date the lightest sponge I’ve tasted.

There were other aspects to the dessert, but enough of the over-analysing and on with the enjoying of this absolute beast of a dessert!

Rhubarb strawberry, yuzu curd, matcha, shiso & compressed watermelon

Coming off the high of The Moss, the rhubarb strawberry & compressed watermelon made much less of an impression on me. My perspective is that this is “just” a few pieces of compressed watermelon with a hint of shiso flavour, a very creamy and matcha-rich ice cream (best part of the dessert), and a thick rhubarb/watermelon sauce that wasn’t too sweet – which made it quite drinkable. However, the flavour combination wasn’t really to my palate – there’s something about the earthy rhubarb that didn’t meld with the watermelon.

Post-pour

As for the yuzu curd, I found it to be a bit too rich and heavy for the dessert, thus throwing the dessert off.

This dessert’s not quite to my palate.

Beetroot, coconut yoghurt, passionfruit sphere & rose

The last dessert is a loamy finisher of beetroot & coconut yoghurt. Quite a fascinating dessert, especially with the passionfruit sphere which resembles an egg yolk. Indeed, that “yolk” was remarkably yolk-like, exhibiting all of the sticky, viscous properties of actual egg yolk. However, its taste is very much of a creamy passionfruit, that when mixed in with the milk ice and beetroot, create a taste sensation I can’t quite describe, but is very satisfying. It’s like eating a cold breakfast dish – that happens to be fully dessert. Chilly shaved ice, tart passionfruit, and a creamy coconut yoghurt at the bottom of the bowl all contribute to this feeling. I was halfway to throwing in some extra milk and some weet bix. Weird, but I like!

Koi, and Reynold, have clearly still got their sweets mojo. I’m as excited as ever to try out what the team will produce next, and yes, I think the menu is better than ever. I’ve never thought of myself as much of a sweets person, but Reynold & the folks at Koi are doing a mighty fine job of changing just that!

The Good:

• Koi’s desserts are better than ever – there’s no sign of slowing down

The Bad:

• The same inflexible menu structure can still be a bugbear for some
• You do pay a premium to enjoy fancy sugar
• I’m not a fan of the round tables at Koi – they’re far too small given the size of the plates the desserts get plated on

The Ugly:

• If you don’t like dessert, you can put all sorts of ugly here

I have a new scoring system! Read all about it here.

Most important takeaway – three separate scores for food, service and ambiance to give the final score. The new system is not compatible with any score given prior to 11/11/2014.

F8 | S3 | A2
7/10 Caesars

Koi Dessert Bar – January 2016 Visit

We visited Koi as paying customers. However Reynold being the top bloke he is, we received two additional desserts on the house. Because being safe is better than sorry, here’s The Usual Disclaimer.

You can’t miss it – it’s where the the crowds are at

When Reynold was eliminated from Masterchef (much to the grief of many fans, myself included), it would be an absolute rort to think that he didn’t have a bright future ahead of him. That he would one day open Koi Dessert Bar was a given, but what I was most surprised at was the speed of this trajectory.

In just a matter of months post-elimination, he ran a series of very successful dessert pop-ups. Having had the luck to secure a booking with some homies, I was able to vouch there and then that despite being fully amateur, Reynold definitely walks the walk with his desserts. At the age of 22, few are as accomplished as him.

A spacious interior

That’s why when Koi finally announced its grand opening in Chippendale on January 10th, a booking was inevitable.

Thing is, it’s not just a one man show – Reynold has teamed up with his brothers Arnold and Ronald to run Koi. Arnold oversees savoury fare, and Ronald runs the overall operation. I have to say that despite a fresh opening, things are working with surprisingly few hiccups – service for the most part, is already quite satisfactory for a new kid on the block.

Not to mention a beautiful venue!

Now, let’s talk about the menu, and how the dessert bar works. A visitor to Koi can do three things:

1) Buy ready-made pastries (at the counter) and eat them at the outdoor seating area (walk-in option). You do not get access to the dining/plated desserts menu.
2) Sit on level 1, and partake in a five-course menu, which consists of two savoury/three desserts for $77. Booking recommended.
3) Sit on level 1, but choose dishes a la carte. Booking recommended.

Note that for option 3, there are several desserts from option 2’s 5-course menu you cannot order a la carte. This is actually a bit of a problem, and it’s something I’ll return to at the end of the post. For now, enjoy the adventure!

Skip to the desserts

Koi Dessert Bar – The Savouries

“Sambal” – compressed tomato, cold sambal terasi, micro greens and prawn cracker

An amuse bouche of compressed tomato, sambal terasi & prawn cracker lines up the first “course” to get the palate going. Upon first bite, I was quite impressed with its tasting notes. The tomato is bright, fresh and bursting with juicy sweetness. There’s just enough shrimpy sambal to impart a chilli hit that has a prolonged finish, and the prawn cracker is very light, airy and featherlight crispy.

Front up view

I always thought that the savouries were really just there to prepare the diner for the dessert, and perhaps to make it look better – but I couldn’t maintain that view, especially with the savouries to come next. Sorry Arnold, I’d better stop doubting you.

Steamed barramundi, poached prawn, dashi broth & quinoa parsnip porridge

A bowl of barramundi, poached prawn & dashi makes its way to our table only a matter of minutes after the tomato sambal. I’m liking the speed at which these dishes come out, even more when I take a bite out of that barra.

Once again, it’s a savoury that exceeds expectations. We’re here for the desserts, but our table could not help but remark on how appetising (and surprisingly healthy!) this dish is. The barra is tender, the dashi is fragrantly umami, and the quinoa & parsnip porridge at the bottom of the dish adds a dimension of density to the dashi that reinforces a feeling of satiety.

There was just one problem – the dish’s menu description stated “poached prawn”, however no one on the table got one. There are several ways of looking at this – I’ll give the benefit of the doubt. It is literally their first day, after all, and the dish does not disappoint even in the absence of a stated menu ingredient.

Poached chicken breast w/toasted nuts, brown rice & grains in spiced coconut veloute

The second (technically third) and final savoury is a generous column of chicken breast w/brown rice & spiced coconut veloute. By the time this dish was polished, we were sold – Arnold Poernomo is a whiz at savoury cooking. The chicken breast is poached pretty much perfectly, the toasted oats and nuts on top add a much-desired crunch, and the brown rice is soft (not to mention a healthier alternative), and soaks up the coconut “curry” well.

I loooove chiggen

The chicken itself didn’t have too much flavour, however this was somewhat mitigated by the fragrant coconut veloute, which we collectively described as a mild curry. Sapid, and very light – no feeling of greasiness or heaviness here.

I feel if I were to eat these dishes again, they may lose some of their initial impact as the flavours aren’t too punchy, but it is a strong segue into the dessert. Koi Dessert Bar has proven its clout on its savouries (thanks Arnold!), but now the true test begins. Reynold, you’re up!

Koi Dessert Bar – The Desserts

Lime cucumber sorbet, fermented mango & cucumber w/shiso & pink pepper corn

And here we are, with an absolute mind-screw. Ever grown bacterial colonies in a petri dish before? This brings me back to those high school biology days when we did exactly that. I’m not quite sure what Reynold’s angle is with this lime cucumber sorbet, but eliciting memories of high school science is both highly amusing and admittedly ever so slightly off-putting.

More than anything, it’s a daring dessert – I’m pretty sure it’s served in an actual petri dish, for just that extra bit of realistic impact.

Eating a science experiment

The overall look of the dessert, with the cucumber strip laid over the sorbet, resembles something like a nigiri sushi, but in dessert form. And yeah, you saw this coming – it tastes really good. More a palate cleanser than a full-blown dessert, the refreshingly sweet and zesty lime & cucumber sorbet is the perfect way to pivot through to the heavier desserts to follow. That fermented mango is also a bit of a hit in and of itself; like I said, daring.

To further differentiate himself, Reynold’s included a thin layer of what I believe is sweetened agar jelly on the bottom of the dish, which bolsters the dessert’s image as a bit of a science experiment. This also added volume to the dish, which was much appreciated as the portioning might otherwise have been a little too small.

I’m not fully sold on this dessert, but it’s the most interesting on the menu, by far.

Chocolate mousse, raspberry gel, consommé jelly, chocolate almond soil, ganache & strawberry

It is almost axiomatic that when pictures of chocolate spheres surface, the collective internet of foodies will lose their sh*t. Most people visit Koi and order the chocolate mousse, and I’m happy to confirm that most people should order the chocolate mousse – even if you are, like me, not that much of a fan of chocolate desserts to begin with.

Say whaaaaaaaaaat.

Oh, what a baller

The thing is, this dessert works on many levels:

1) the portioning is sized in a way, such that you don’t feel like you need to run a marathon afterwards. Secondary bonus: it will be finished before it gets a chance to become “too rich”, like many other excellent chocolate desserts which possess this flaw.

2) Reynold’s chocolate mousse is probably one of my favourite, period (Dinner by Heston has a pretty darn good one too). It’s much lighter and easier on the palate, to the point where I could actually eat a ton of the stuff before tapping out. It’s also not overly sweet either – chalk up another win.

3) The raspberry gel exhibits the right acidity levels, and is present in the correct quantity to offset the chocolate. In a previous dessert at Reynold’s pop up, I found the use of raspberry to be a bit too overpowering – this has been fixed.

I’d better stop talking now, and show you the prize shot:

Exposed

Yuh-huh. It tastes as good as it looks. As a final kicker, the crumbly chocolate soil adds that crunchy texture for which I repeatedly declare my love. Oh, and let’s not forget the chocolate shell itself – *crack* and it’s defined crunch all the way!

True chocolate lovers might find the dessert to be not rich enough, but to me, this is Goldilocks level. It’s not my absolute favourite chocolate dessert out there, but it is technically perfect.

At least, mine was. The Lady reported her chocolate soil wasn’t particularly crumbly, and was rather moist and chewy, thus lacking a significant textural element on the plate. If you get “wet” soil, know that it’s not meant to be that way! Ah, consistency issues…

Passionfruit curd, meringue, saffron pineapple, almond crumb & mint dust

The last dessert on the five-course menu is an “eton mess” of passionfruit curd, meringue, saffron pineapple & almond crumb. I’m more of a stickler for fanciful presentation when it comes to desserts, so the deliberately chaotic delivery exhibited here doesn’t really float my boat. It’s also somewhat incongruous to Reynold’s normally meticulous plating, which is perhaps another reason why it rubs me the wrong way.

BUT, let’s get onto a positive note – it’s the taste that does the talking.

Smoothest curd ever

I say “smoothest curd ever”, and indeed, it’s as smooth as they come. Having tried nine of Reynold’s desserts (4 @ the pop-up, 5 @ Koi), I’ve realised why he is as good as they say – to me, it’s his skill with texture. That choc mousse was light and airy, and the curds in this dessert are velvety smooth.

It also happens to be a well-balanced dessert – the sugary meringue is countered by acidity of the passionfruit curd, it’s creaminess is foiled by the crunch and nuttiness of almond crumb. I personally could do without the herby mint dust, but I know for some it delivers a whiff of freshness.

In all of this, I had totally forgotten the impact of the saffron pineapple – I guess some things will be inevitably lost to the mob of flavours.

That, dear readers is the five-course menu (+ amuse bouche). As Reynold was feeling particularly generous, we were able to try the remaining two desserts from the a la carte menu (not on the 5-course) on the house. As a result, in my solemn duty as a guy who can’t stop eating, I present the remainder of Koi’s dessert offerings:

Coconut panna cotta, black sesame sponge, yuzu curd & mango creme w/toasted meringue

For those who have been following Reynold’s journey for awhile, the coconut panna cotta is a dish that is full of history, and ought to be close to Reynold’s heart. He produced a similar offering for his Masterchef audition, which was subsequently improved on when he ran last year’s pop-up. Now, it’s been reinvented again – ditching the pineapple, and introducing a black sesame sponge for some serious colour contrast. The plating is also significantly prettier.

I love negative space plating

I relished the coconut panna so much at last year’s pop-up, I considered it my favourite dessert. Now, it returns in triumphant fashion, and while it’s not quite my favourite this time (that honour belongs to the chocolate sphere), it takes a solid second. The panna cotta itself is still the absolute best when it comes to creamy, slippery smooth texture. It easily steals the show.

Having said that, the toasted meringue holds its own – meringue is devilishly notorious for being “that extra bit of sweetness this dessert didn’t need”, and here…it’s still a little bit of that. However, toasting it does add a bit of a smoky aroma that dials down the sweetness a little. Meanwhile, the yuzu curd and mango creme dance the balance ballet – between acidic and sweet.

As for the black sesame sponge, I felt it was there more to add a different texture and colour contrast to the dish. Had it not been there, I’d have been just as happy.

It’s all about that coconut panna cotta man.

Poached peach, brown butter sable, rosemary yoghurt w/rose

The last dessert on Koi’s menu can no longer ignore the wow factor that liquid nitrogen evinces from diners. The poached peach & brown butter sable is the “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” dessert, arriving at the table billowing out the nitrogen. Of course it’s not just for show – that frozen yoghurt snow is a direct byproduct.

As far as the rest of Koi’s lineup goes, I preferred this dessert much less than the others. The main culprit was the snow – it didn’t have much flavour, with only a slight hint of rose as the dominant aroma. That let it down for me, though the crushed brown butter shortbread was quite enticing, texturally speaking. The dehydrated apple was also a bit incongruous, texturally speaking, with the rest of the dessert. It almost felt like an obstruction when trying to enjoy the fragile creaminess of the snow.

From above

The poached peach is quite nice by itself – fleshy and sweet, though it was really just a piece of fruit in the end. I’m no dessert master, however I simply felt that this dessert doesn’t work as well as the others.

The dessert king himself!

If you’ve read up to here, congratulations – clearly, you’re already keen in Koi-ng to Koi. For a grand opening, Reynold, Arnold and Ronald are doing mighty fine. Sure, there was a missing element in a savoury, and you will have your personal likes and dislikes of the desserts. If anything, that goes to show that desserts are about as subjective as it gets. For me, I’m very pleased to say that for the most part, the menu is very much to my liking. Nitpicks notwithstanding. I would return, repeatedly.

In my mind, the biggest issue in the current arrangements goes back to the menu structure – there are several desserts you can only get if you order the five-course menu. On the other hand, there are some desserts that are a la carte only. Thus, if you wanted to visit Koi to try out a “full dessert” experience, you have to spend well over $110 to order the 5-course and the extra a la carte desserts. Not that the savouries are to sniff at – they’re delicious – but it may not be every visitor’s intention.

If Koi were to consider offering a dessert-only experience, or allow customers to customise what desserts they get in the 5-course menu, much more flexibility would ensue. I know I’d personally be pretty happy about that!

A second piece of feedback is that if you are expecting a full dinner in the 5-course, rethink it. Do not visit Koi on an empty stomach – we had a second dinner at Spice Alley downstairs as Koi is not filling enough by itself. I suggest having a light dinner beforehand, and then dutifully visit Koi as you would for a dessert after dinner.

But that’s just me being me. On the whole of it – well done to Reynold and co! It’s been a long time coming, and Sydney’s all the better for having you here to sweeten things up. I can’t wait to see what you’ve got next.

This post is based on an independently paid visit to Koi Dessert Bar, with additional desserts provided for free by Koi.

How keen are you to try out sweets by the dessert king? Let me know your thoughts below!

The Good:

• The dessert king has a permanent location, and he brings the goods
• Koi Dessert Bar fills a gaping hole in Sydney’s sweets scene – there just aren’t that many dessert bars in our fair city
• The savouries are just as good as the sweets

The Bad:

• An inflexible menu structure
• It isn’t clearly made out that the five course menu isn’t substantial enough to count as a full dinner
• It’s on the pricier side for desserts
• The aircon is quite cold upstairs!

The Ugly:

• If you go now, be prepared for potential teething issues. I didn’t encounter too many, but your experience may vary!

I have a new scoring system! Read all about it here.

Most important takeaway – three separate scores for food, service and ambiance to give the final score. The new system is not compatible with any score given prior to 11/11/2014.

F7.5 | S3 | A2
7/10 Caesars