In a world where our next sensory fix is often served via an Instagram post designed to satiate our appetites, we’re encouraging you to go beyond the digital realm and engage your senses by indulging in a little tantalising of the taste buds.

Have you ever stopped to think about why a juicy steak ignites your taste buds, or why a tangy lime awakens your senses? The answer lies in a fascinating dance of five basic flavours: sweet, salty, sour, umami and bitter (which we’ve replaced here with spicy for its tasty and compelling properties). These profiles, detected by our taste buds, are far more than just sensations; they are deeply woven into our biology, wellbeing, and even our history.

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Sweetness, a primal pleasure trigger, signalled readily available energy for our ancestors. Salt, crucial for regulating bodily fluids, became a precious commodity in early nomadic societies. Sourness, with its cleansing properties, may have helped guide our ancestors towards potentially nutritious fermented foods. Spice, once scarce and potentially medicinal, now excites our palates and boosts circulation. Umami, the essence of savouriness, provided a satisfying richness to protein-rich foods.

Over millennia, these taste preferences evolved into culinary traditions. Today, chefs leverage this knowledge, crafting dishes that tantalise our taste buds while subtly influencing our health. A perfectly seasoned steak might be both delicious (umami) and a source of protein and iron (salty). A vibrant Thai curry might entice with its sweetness and spice, promoting digestion and blood flow.

This exploration of taste is more than just a foodie adventure. It’s a journey into the intricate connections between our senses, our history, and the symphony of flavours that define a truly satisfying meal. Here, we introduce dishes that will help you appreciate the world of taste. By understanding these five flavour profiles, we can become more mindful eaters, appreciating the intricate dance of tastes that chefs have created in each dish, ultimately making for a balanced and truly enjoyable dining experience.

Enhancing a savoury dish, salt isn’t just a seasoning, it’s a classic technique used to elevate dishes and tantalise our taste buds. It boosts flavour, adding a savoury intensity that lifts any dish to new heights. Think of the satisfying richness it brings to meats, the depth it adds to cured seafood, or the way it makes fries and buttery sauces sing. It’s a crave-worthy characteristic that keeps you coming back for more.

MoVida

Artisan Anchovy on Crouton

These cured anchovies pack a powerful salty punch, balanced by the acidity of the smoked tomato sorbet for a truly unique flavour experience.

Queens Rooftop

Line-Caught Fish Schnitzel

The naturally salty fish shines through its crispy coating. This foundation is further enhanced by a curry butter and a shellfish beurre blanc — a creamy butter sauce infused with seafood stock, adding another layer of briny depth.

Huami

Crispy Duck Wonton

Every element contributes to the salty symphony: the crispy wonton wrappers themselves, the savoury duck filling, and a final flourish — a touch of soy sauce.

Non Solo Pizza

Tuscan T-Bone Steak

The magic lies in the Salmoriglio marinade, a classic combination of lemon, garlic, and olive oil that infuses the steak with a salty and savoury depth. The finishing touch of sea salt ensures a crispy, mouthwatering finish.

Not to be relegated to just the dessert menu, sweetness adds subtle complexity, balancing richness and highlighting savoury notes. Think of the caramelised sweetness of roasted vegetables, the sweet-smoky glaze on grilled meats, or the way it enhances the fruitiness in certain sauces. These dishes showcase how sweet notes can be incorporated into savoury creations, adding depth and unexpected complexity.

Hello Beasty

Prawn and Crab Toast

The sweet and sour sauce is the star here. Its tangy sweetness complements the richness of the seafood and the savoury sear of the steak, creating a delightful contrast.

Bar Magda

Fig and Whipped Goats Cheese

While not a dessert, this dish uses sweetness strategically. Fresh figs offer their natural sweetness, perfectly complemented by the honeydew melon. The longaniza crumb, a sweet and savoury sausage crumble, adds a surprising but delightful sweet note, creating a truly unique flavour profile.

Sìso

Glazed Lamb Ribs

The sweetness isn’t just from the glaze. Black garlic offers a complex, almost caramel-like sweetness that plays off the tangy pop of pomegranate. Green harissa adds a touch of heat to balance the sweet and savoury dance.

Andiamo

Leek and Truffle Honey Pizza

This pizza is a symphony of sweet and savoury. The caramelised sweetness of charred leeks pairs beautifully with the earthy sweetness of walnut pesto. A drizzle of truffle honey elevates the dish with its luxurious touch, adding another layer of delightful sweetness.

Metita

Crispy Skin Pork Hock

The sweetness comes from a surprising source — the pineapple vinegar glaze. This tangy-sweet glaze balances the richness of the pork hock, while sapa (coconut caramel) offers another layer of complex sweetness, adding a touch of tropical flair.

While not an official flavour profile, spicy still deserves major recognition for its complex dance that ignites taste buds, stimulates circulation, and adds depth. Think of the fiery warmth of chillies, the tingling sensation of Szechuan peppercorns, or how it complements savoury sauces and cuts through the richness of curries and stir-fries.

Cassia

Lamb Fritter

The heat comes from a double threat: fresh green chillies for a burst of freshness and perilla leaves with their subtle peppery bite.

Soul Bar & Bistro

Salt & Pepper Squid

This dish offers a customisable heat experience. The classic combination of salt and pepper provides a base, while the chilli oil allows you to control the intensity. The creamy almond skordalia — a garlicky potato spread, offers a cooling counterpoint.

Ahi

Hunter Hills Wallaby Tartare

This dish is a symphony of spice. The fermented hot sauce adds a tangy kick, while the puffed wagyu tendon offers a textural contrast and a touch of rich flavour.

Sìso

Spanish Fried Chicken

‘Nduja, a spicy spreadable salami, infuses the butter with fiery depth. While the romesco, a sauce traditionally made with roasted peppers, adds a smoky sweetness that balances the heat.

Azabu

Spicy Pork Gyoza

The name says it all. Szechuan peppercorns deliver a unique tingling sensation, while aji amarillo, a Peruvian chilli pepper, adds its fruity heat.

The elusive fifth taste is the heart and soul of savoury dishes, delivering an explosion of rich and deeply satisfying flavours. It’s the essence of “meaty” or “brothy” flavours, triggering a satisfying sensation on the tongue. Think of the luxurious depth in aged cheeses, the intense savouriness of perfectly cooked mushrooms, or the way it elevates stews and braises to a whole new level.

Somm Cellar Door

Braised Short Rib

Slow braising coaxes out the natural umami of the short rib, while the bordelaise sauce, traditionally made with red wine and bone marrow, adds its own complex savoury notes. Pickled walnuts offer a contrasting tang, but their bitterness complements the overall richness.

Soul Bar & Bistro

Crayfish Crumpet

The umami party starts with the miso butter, a fermented soybean paste known for its intense savoury depth. The bisque, a rich seafood stock, adds another layer, while the crayfish itself contributes its natural sweetness.

Ebisu

Eggplant Dengaku

Miso takes centre stage again, this time in the Tama miso glaze, coating the eggplant and infusing it with an intense savoury character. Bonito flakes, (cured tuna flakes known for their umami punch), add another layer of depth.

Origine

Pappardelle Lamb Ragù

Amano’s star of the menu is arguably the lamb ragù, a slow-cooked meat sauce bursting with umami. The use of Hawke’s Bay lamb adds its unique depth of flavour, while the pangrattata (toasted breadcrumbs) provides a satisfying textural contrast.

Origine

French Onion Soup

Slowly caramelised onions are the foundation of this classic soup, offering a rich sweetness that transforms into umami. The slow-cooked oxtail adds its own deep, meaty flavour, further intensified by the savoury Comté cheese. This dish is a masterclass in building umami layers.

Sour flavours are not just the realm of lemons. Acidity is used to create depth, balance, and an unexpected vibrancy in dishes. The vibrant acidity cuts through richness, brightens flavours, and awakens the palate. Think of the tangy zing in citrus sauces, the refreshing bite in fermented foods like kimchi, or the way it balances the heaviness of an otherwise rich dish.

Bar Magda

Tocino of Pork Belly

The Granny Smith apple’s vibrant acidity counters the savoury pork belly, while the yellow sambal adds a touch of sour heat for an exciting flavour explosion.

Jervois Steak House

Roasted Bone Marrow

The rich bone marrow finds its perfect foil in the sharp bite of pickled onion gremolata, making for a delightful contrast.

Gochu

Cold Noodles

A symphony of sour elements — white kimchi’s tang, pickled radish’s crunch, and the fiery kick of Gochu sauce — creates a refreshingly complex experience.

Masu

Wagyu Kimchi Gyoza

The sour power of kimchi shines through in these delectable dumplings, balanced by the contrasting richness of the wagyu beef and the piquancy of pickled cucumber.

Bivacco

Pork Cotoletta

The tangy surprise comes from the pineapple-black pepper mostarda, a sweet and spicy condiment that cuts through the richness of the pork and parmesan.