Ben's Good Food Blog

Supernormal

2016-01-11T17:20:00.001+11:00

30th November 2015

Whilst in the city looking for some early Christmas shopping, i decided to drop in and grab some food at Supernormal. This is a similar venture to Golden Fields that was previously in St Kilda by the same owner, Andrew McConnell who has a series of restaurants throughout Melbourne. Located in the corner on the ground of an all glass multi storey office building, the location is an interesting choice and weirdly contrasts the interior of wood, blank white walls and occasional LED signage.

The night i went was packed and loud for a Monday night (rather than a quiet break from shopping) and i was lucky to get a seat at the counter tops overlooking the customary Andrew McConnell open kitchen.

The menu is a modern Australian version of Asian food and cuisine with an emphasis on sharing and snack food broken up into several sections.

I decided on 2 small dishes and a slightly larger dish followed by a similar desert i tried and loved at Golden Fields. (I resisted the desire to order the White Cut Chicken with Sesame, Wombok and Chili Oil salad as i have previously had it at Golden Fields and recently at Taste of Melbourne). As I was dining by myself they offered the option of half serves of their dishes which allowed for more variety.

I started with one of the specials - a half serve (single piece) of Beef Yakatori served on a wooden skewer and flavoured with pepper sauce. Well cooked beef with a slight hint of peppery seasoning and flavour was a decent and tasty start.

The next dish up was Pan Fried Spicy Beef Bun. Served piping hot, a crisp bun packed full of shredded beef that had been marinated in a rich sauce which added a good flavouring and decent hit of spice to the fall apart meat.

The last savoury dish i choose was another of the daily specials, Buttermilk Chicken with a variety of sauces. A little fiddly with the bones intact and only chopsticks to eat with (i probably could have asked for other cutlery), so i mostly used hands (although the food was again piping hot). A crispy outer shell encasing the chicken was excellent and the sauces were great too.

After the savoury dishes i moved onto the desert which was an old favourite from Golden Fields, smooth and delicious Peanut Butter Parfait surrounded by a sea of Salted Caramel sauce with a scoop of decadent and rich Soft Chocolate and covered in a smattering of crushed peanuts. Excellent balance of flavours and a simple but perfect dessert that i could eat forever.

Along with a couple of glasses of beer, the tab came to less than $60. Good helpful and informative service that despite the busy dinner service was always there when u needed it. A similar venture to an old favourite and well worth a visit.

Roving Marrow

2015-10-24T22:10:00.003+11:00

10th October 2015

For my 32nd birthday i organised for me and friends and family to head out to a new restaurant that i had heard good reviews of and had been awarded a Hat in the latest 2016 Good Food Guide. Located in the back of the recently renovated Astor hotel in the northern part of Lygon street on the corner of Elgin Street, the restaurant was a small section located past the bar in the back corner. Simple and sleek decor, furniture and plates, glasses and cutlery.

After an initial drink in the bar, we headed through to our table in the restaurant. Whilst trying to decide on our approach for our meal, we decided to go with some snacks of Oysters with condiments (which i didn't have) and a Cigars of chicken liver parfait, date and salted peanut. A crisp shell filled with rich chicken parfait and topped with date puree and crushed peanuts, it was a great start to the meal (although my brother Joe would not agree).

After much debate and helpful advice from our waiter, we settled on four different shared dishes with sufficient to share between the 8 of us. We ended up with half of the dish each.

The first dish was Mozzarella 'pasta', peas, chevre & basil. Mozzarella fashioned into fettuccini style pasta with excellent flavour and complemented by the flavours of the peas and peas and basil puree.

The next dish was my personal favourite, expertly cooked pieces of roast duck, roasted brussel spouts and crisp nuts. Warm, rich and decadent with excellent flavours and perfect balance.

The next dish was the Chinese roasted pork belly, perfectly cooked and crispy and covered in a layer of red peppers and red cabbage. It was an excellent dish with perfectly cooked individual components and worked well together.

The final main course was chunks of Cape Grim beef and mixed with slices of sweet onion, turnips and radishes. The beef was cooked perfectly and the dish was homely warm and delicious.

For dessert i choose the Passionfruit dessert with a bowl made of white chocolate and coconut filled with passionfruit puree, liquorice sorbet and shaved white chocolate over the top. Excellent flavours and textures

I also finished with a dark chocolate truffle cover with black sea salt. Was very rich and a great mix of sweet and salty and a great way to finish the meal.

All the dishes were a perfect mix of quality ingredients, great cooking with a mix of precise modern techniques and homely warm feeling dishes.Also at $15 for main course they came in at a bargain for such high quality food even if you do need a few mains to fill you up. Combined with a diverse and long drinks list with our bottle of wine coming in at $50 and quality and helpful service this was a rare treat of a night out with the meal all up for my appertisers, mains, desserts and wine coming in at $65.

Mr Wolf

2014-09-28T17:21:00.002+10:00

5/9/2014

With having to work late to finish some work on a Friday night I decided to offset that by treating myself to some takeaway food from a Good Food Guide restaurant. As I was having a craving for Pizza and with Mr Wolf (14.5 out of 20) within a 10 minute walk from the office I decided to order a take away pizza and a dessert.

After ordering on the phone, i headed over to Mr. Wolf. Located on Inkerman Street on a busy corner in St Kilda with a dark but clean dining room with a long bar along the back wall in front of the kitchen.

For the Pizza i went with the Calabrese pizza (tomato, mozzarella, parmigiano, salami, peppers & chilli - no olives). Thin crisp slightly charred base with sparse but flavourful toppings, it was a slight cut above regular pizza. However it was also at a higher price point than most restaurants.

Whilst the pizza was good, the best part of the food was dessert. An amazing mix of Chocolate semifreddo, smothered in salted caramel sauce and a scattering of pistachio toffee popcorn. Rich smooth decadent chocolate with an amazing caramel sauce and offset in texture by the crunchy popcorn, it was a great mix of tastes and textures. Also whilst the pizza was on the pricey side, the desert was a bargain at less than $10.

Overall the pizza was a cut above but the main star was dessert. Worth a visit with helpful staff, quality food and a quality location and dining room.

The Grand

2014-08-04T21:44:00.001+10:00

25th July 2014

For Oli's bday I headed back to The Grand for my first dinner out at a Hat Restaurant in Melbourne for a while. The Grand has retained its 1 Hat status each year since I last went in May 2011. Still located in an old pub on quiet residential street in Richmond, the main bar had seen an update since i was last their with new tables and a smarter less daggy interior. The Restaurant was still located through a small side entry door through the main bar which lead to a mix of old school dining with new school touches.

After being seated at a long table for 15 we were told that our host had organised a selection of entrees for us. On the selection was a sizable antipasto plate with a selection of excellent cured meats, buffalo mozzarella, pickled vegetables and bread sticks, whole char grilled calamari with parsley, capers and a wedge of lemon to drizzle over the top and finally the favourite of Potato gnocchi with brown butter and sage.

For my main course i went with the pan seared loin of venison with truffled honey & vincotto served with miniature king oyster mushrooms. Soft delicious perfectly cooked meat with the rich gamey meats offset with the sweeter accompaniments. The main course was accompanied by 2 sides generously provided by the host including oven roasted garlic and rosemary potatoes and a Rocket, pear, walnut and Parmesan salad. Excellent side dishes with the main and in their own right especially the salad.

I was a little disappointed that one of the desert i had eyed from the menu on the Internet was not on the menu in the restaurant but not too disappointed as the alternative was Bombolini - Italian doughnuts filled with crema pasticcera and served with honeycomb and caramel ice cream. Delicious!

Again service was good and dining room was nice. Wine list (which i didn't participate in) was extensive and varied and as with last time it was well worth the trip out of the way in Richmond.

Rosetta

2013-12-14T16:53:00.002+11:00

5th December 2013

After discussing going to Rosetta with Em for at least 6 months and one cancellation we finally headed for dinner with Matt as well. Located at Crown it is the latest of Neil Perry's 3 restaurants at Crown with all three having a distinct different cuisine (Rockpool being the first with contemporary produce based cuisine, Spice Temple as a modern Chinese cuisine and Rosetta an old school Italian restaurant).

An old school classical restaurant located in a square box outside the front of Crown towers that has been decked out with no expense spared with a elegant foyer and entryway through to the main dining . (there was also a private dining area around the other side past stairs down to the bathrooms). The main dining room featured old school photos, old school chandeliers, drapes and comfy old chairs and banquettes. Also a old school new York style bar (but with some new school gadgets including a machine to melt block of ice and shape them into perfect circles of ice) and an extensive list of cocktails.

Old school dressed, confident and knowledgeable waiting staff that were maybe a bit too involved in the dinner at times but provided opinions and knowledge about wines drinks and food. After taking a seat ( i choose the really comfy banquette) and after much talking and not much looking at the menu we finally decided on drinks and dinner.

I decided on just a main course with a side and desert whereas Matt and Em went for a couple of antipasti items along with a main course each and after Em complained she was full she still finished off a desert as well.

Before the ordered courses came out we were offered some very good bread and excellent olive oil and there was plenty of refills of bread as we devoured it.

Em and Matt started with 2 antipasti that i tried a piece of each. The first was a dish of 3 decent sized meatballs along with a rich tomato sauce and a generous helping of shaved Parmesan. Very decent rich and flavoursome meatballs with good sauce and cheese.

The other antipasti was 2 thick triangular chunks of black pudding (blood sausage) which has been pan fried, maybe a little too much, with an excellent salsa Verde. The salsa Verde was excellent and cut through the richness of the blood sausage. However the blood sausage was a little too dry and a bit bland in flavour but a decent dish overall.

My main course was a dish of wood fired roasted lam loin served with a deliberate decent amount of fat and served slightly more cooked than usual as a result. This was an amazing cut of meat and combined well with a mixture of fregola, almond and preserved lemon. Great mix of flavours and a delicious dish.

This was accompanied by a side of extremely crispy potatoes with garlic and rosemary salt which were excellent. Didn't really match with the dish I choose but were delicious not the less.

For desert i went with a dish i have identified for a while and hoped they hadn't changed before i got to go to Rosetta. Described as Frozen chocolate, peanut and coconut semi freddo it was even better than described and expected. A peanut and coconut semi freddo covered in toasted coconut with a disk of frozen chocolate on the bottom surrounded by a pool of coconut custard. All the elements of the dish were amazing and perfectly measured both individually and as a whole. A good mix of wonderful technique, quality ingredients and a well thought out dish.

Overall the restaurant lived up to most of the top billing it receives. Quality produce and ingredients cooked simply but expertly and with some imagination, perfect technique and with good presentation. Dishes were on the pricey side and definitely a restaurant for the grand occasion rather than a weekly experience but it was certainly special when combined with the service, extensive drinks list and a dining room that meets its mark. Very worth a visit and the wait.

Long Apron

2013-11-05T14:47:00.001+11:00

19th October 2013

As a birthday celebration for my 30th and my dad's bday (whilst i was up to visit my parents), we went to The Long Apron (2 Hats in Queensland Good Food Guide) for lunch. Located up the top of part of the Blackall Range it was part of a hotel with superb surroundings and views albeit a bit of a queasy ride up.

The restaurant was set facing out onto the gardens and our table was located on the terrace with uninterrupted views but under the shade.

After being seated we were offered a wine and drinks list and the food options. The drinks list was decent with a good mix of prices and wine by the glass if not thoroughly extensive. The food was offered in 5 sections with 3 choice in each. This was offered in a variety of ways though - as a tasting menu (7 courses selected by the kitchen $125), or 2 ($75), 3 ($85) or 5 ($105) courses (selected by the diner).

We all wanted the choice but were still hungry and all decided on 5 courses. Despite the menu being broken up into 5 sections leading you to believe that it was a requirement to select one from each section, they were quite flexible with this (although they did specify only 1 main and 1 desert). As such i skipped the vegetarian second section and added a second meat entree.

Before any of the actual courses arrived we were served a selection of amuse bouche. The first was a watermelon sashimi, wafer thin and folded into delicate parcels, and accompanied by soft delicate cheesy Gougeres.

In addition was delicious bread with a crisp crust and soft moist inside. To top off the initial dish was a strange but delicious flourish of creativity and flavour. Made to look like a garden served in a clear dish was a Lemon and Eucalyptus mouse topped with an olive and Gribache soil with grisini made to look like branches sticking out the top. Excellent presentation, imagination and amazing flavours.

The first of the courses was a dish the initial fish course with Hervey bay scallops, sea greens, bone marrow and grilled leaks with a roasted celeriac jus. Wonderfully presented and full of contrasting flavours.

The first of the two meat entree courses was a Wagyu tartare with a charred bell pepper with a quail egg. Good meaty flavour and quality ingredients and combined with an interesting and pepper that was soft on the inside but with a chary covering.

The next dish was the one everyone agreed on and all had together and was the last entree course and my second meat entree. It was a roasted duck breast combined with pear, honey, fennel, duck ham and grilled shallot. Perfectly cooked duck and well matched with the pear. The duck ham was also excellent and a dish that came together well.

For the final savoury course and the designated main course, I decided to double up on Wagyu beef with this course being a Rump cap served with aligot (smooth potato puree mixed with cheese), confit vegetables and a mild horseradish cream. Pink medium rare beef with a slightly charred outside and combined with an impossibly smooth and cheesy potato puree made for an excellent dish.

The desert course reminded me of the Forest floor I had previously at the now closed Embrasse (now available at Brooks where the chef has gone). Light fluffy mint sponge with 3 delicious chocolate truffles, crisp sheets of meringue and a ball of mousse with a glaze. Mint and chocolate flavours matched well together and different textures and tastes blended well together. Impressive technique and quality cooking created a magic dish.

A wonderful location and setting for a destination dining experience. The quality didn't stop with the location as the food was well thought out, wonderfully presented and full of flavour. Service was good and food was great value and with a great wine list everything comes together for a excellent meal. Well worth a visit and an excellent place to celebrate a special birthday and well worthy of the 2 hat bestowed on it.

Estelle Bar & Kitchen

2013-11-02T15:22:00.002+11:00

4th October 2013

After going to Vue Du Monde and Steer for the last 2 years for my birthday I needed another fine dining restaurant for my 30th bday. After looking at various different places I settled on Estelle Bra & Kitchen in Northcote, much to the approval of Em and Matt.

Given the amount of people coming we were forced to take their private dining area. Located upstairs and through the Kitchen (literally I had a couple of the chefs stand aside to let me through the tiny kitchen) in what was the converted living area. The private dining area was very nice, fancy but cosy as well. I was met by our personal waiter and he ran me through the wine list and stayed for a chat before anyone else had arrived.

After everyone had arrived and grabbed a drink we were offered some appetisers served on a wooden plank - cured melon wrapped in edible paper and black rice cracker with a puree. Excellent presentation and great flavours to be had whilst we continued to chat around the table.

After a little while we all took a seat and continued on to the main part of the meal. We first selected our drinks options, of which I went for the adventurous matching drinks option ($70) to match the 7 courses ($90) we had selected earlier. The chefs would select an aperitif, wine, sake or mini cocktail to accompany each of the courses. They also offered the opportunity for matching wines or normal selection of drinks from a reasonably large list.

The first course was a dish of sweet corn, goats cheese and roasted rice puffs. Sweet corn was slightly charred but very fresh and the combination was excellent.

The next dish (shown above) was a Crab mornay, delicious with big chunks of crab meat and a rich creamy sauce topped with toasted crumbs even if it did look like a big mess.

The next dish was a generous chunk of salmon cooked perfectly and matched with an avocado snow and yuzu. Interesting techniques, flavours and served cold made for a delicious, refreshing and surprising dish.

The next was a hearty chunk of pig jowl combined with caramelised cauliflower with coffee and chocolate gels. Juicy, rich and fatty and combined with the decadent gels was slightly too rich but still very good.

The final savoury course was a juicy perfectly cooked piece of steak combined with a ox cheek cigar, beans and onion. Excellent steak and cigar and topped off with an excellent jus.

The first desert was one of the signature dishes of Estelle. Soft, extremely light sponge combined with salted caramel, frozen sour cream and pumpkin seeds. Light and airy and not too heavy but with great flavours and textural combinations.

The next desert and final course of the dinner was a combination of chocolate, lemon and toasted nuts. The previous desert was light whereas this was the complete opposite and was rich and decadent. Soft chocolate, chocolate mouse, lemon sorbet and toasted nuts formed an excellent finish.

A well thought out 7 course dinner with balance and the individual courses matched well together to provide variety, balance and not feeling too full or over rich decadent foods. Individually each course was also excellent with quality techniques, textures and flavours. Matched with an interesting combo of drinks, quality service and an excellent private dining area, this was a excellent way to celebrate a birthday.

Pure South

2013-09-17T12:59:00.003+10:00

15th September 2013

After recently being elevated to one Hat status due to a new chef returning to Australia after a stint at a 2 Michelin star restaurant in London and some subtle tweaks to the menu and presentation of dishes, i was keen to try this restaurant again after many years. So on a surprisingly warm Sunday afternoon and after building a decent hunger after a Crossfit class, i headed to Pure South for a relaxing late Sunday afternoon lunch.

After taking a seat outside in the more relaxed casual area (menu was the same for both areas) i was offered an extensive drinks menu and food menu that was broken down into entrée, main, beef and finally desert and cheese. After i had settled in a waitress came around with warm bread fresh from the oven which was crisp on the outside and soft inside and accompanied with very nice butter.

After my first choice drink was not available (Moo Brew Czech pilsner) i went with a glass of Stoney Chimney Pinot Gris. A very nice glass of wine.

I decided to forgo entree and head straight for main course. After reading about this main in the latest good food guide, i went for the Rabbit saddle served in 2 circular perfectly cooked blocks with a seared and slightly crisp outside on a bed of broad beans and peas with a meaty rabbit jus. It was also served with a separate rabbit Sheppard's pie with moist delicious chunks of rabbit with peas, carrot in a warm delicious gravy and covered with fluffy, creamy mash. Perfect and delicious comfort food and well worthy of the highest praise.

I asked the waitress whether the above main would be sufficient or whether a side would be needed and this is the only part where i was steered wrongly. The above dish was more than enough especially given the richness of the food. However the side of triple cooked chips where perfectly crisp and delicious but decided not to finish them all.

I would need room for the desert of Chocolate & praline mousse with mandarin gels and a crumble of roast hazelnuts. A rich decadent bar of chocolate mousse with a base of praline base was topped off by candied and fresh mandarin and served with intense blobs of mandarin gel and a pile of toasted hazelnuts.Great flavours matched with quality plating and great technical mastery showed off a desert and chef at the top of its game.

Quality high end comfort food and excellent surroundings and service, probably the only quibble was due to being on Southbank the prices were on the more expensive side ($35 mains $18 deserts) but that did not detract from a very enjoyable lunch.

Mamasita

2013-09-12T13:47:00.002+10:00

8th September 2013

After Crossfit and then shopping in the early afternoon and before a basketball game at MSAC in the evening, I had some time to kill. Rather than head home for a short time before heading back out again I decided to stay and try a restaurant that i had been waiting to try since it opened, Mamasita.

Always packed when i have been past before, the 430 pm on a Sunday time seemed as likely as any to provide me with the opportunity to try it out without having to queue for an hour or more for a table. I still decided to go despite reports of it being overrated and better less crowded Mexican restaurants around.

However i decided to push ahead (also limited options on a Sunday at 430 pm) and see if it is worth the hype and queues. After heading up the narrow stairs to an interesting mix of dining room with some nice features but a dodgy school dining room floor.

After being seated at the window with views out to the street, i was served by friendly staff who were quick to refill water and offer other drinks. A decent drinks menu offered a variety of options but I settled on a simple Pacifico beer.

The menu was also reasonably extensive and offered a variety of different ways to go representing its sharing philosophy. As it was just me i decided just to try some smaller items and therefore experience a little bit of everything it had to offer.

The first 2 dishes came out together with one being a single serve of Ceviche de Yucatan served in a shot glass and filled with market fish, green tomato, chili, mint, lime and coconut milk. Good fish with nice flavours and contrast of the milk and sharp lime.
The next was a Fish Taco with a very fresh mix of grilled fish, lime, red onion salsa and chipotle mayo. Good fresh flavours and hint of spice and sharp lime provided a good mix. However were no better than tacos from Paco's Tacos (although they were about the same price).

After a slight break the next dish was my favourite dish and was a crusty rolled filled with pulled pork, pickled onion and refried beans. Served on a big plate that was "drowned" in a spicy tomato sauce. Good flavours and bold mix it was very good.

This was served with a side of Sauteed sweet corn marinated in chili & lime. I mixed this with the above dish and was great flavours if a little too much lime. However generous bowl of sweetcorn and worked well.

I had heard about a desert that involved a Sweetcorn ice cream so i thought i would try this out and see if it worked. Served in a normal cone filled with Sweetcorn ice cream and topped with caramel and popcorn. The caramel and popcorn consisted of a few kernels on top that were gone within the first bite and while nice added little to the whole dish. The Sweetcorn ice cream was actually a little blander than i anticipated and was a little underwhelming. It was nice but nothing exciting or boundary pushing.

Overall the flavours and dishes were good if nothing boundary pushing or amazing and the service was decent (however it was on a relaxed low key Sunday afternoon - I would imagine it would be different when packed) and a quality drink list. It was a decent meal that was worth a trip given my experience just not worth waiting for or the hype surrounding the place. Much better restaurants, both Mexican and non-Mexican that you don't have to wait for.

Longrain

2013-09-12T13:18:00.003+10:00

29th August 2013

After missing out of having lunch with either parent at Momofuku, my father was down in Melbourne for a job interview for a couple of days and me and James decided to catch up with him for dinner. At the demands of James we were forced to go for something with a little spice and after heading along Flinders Lane to see a number of the restaurants packed, I suggested we head to Longrain as I had wanted to go back for a while now and also it filled the criteria of spice.

After walking for a while we were hungry by the time we got to Longrain and were happy that they had space and were lead to the end of the long communal tables in the dining room. Having been there before I took the lead with ordering but we each choose a dish and shared along with the Thai Jasmine rice.

First out was my dish that I insisted on and one that I had previously, the Filled eggnet with pork, prawns, peanut, caramelised coconut and a side of cucumber relish. Lots of flavours and generous size it remains a favourite and is a must for me whenever i go to Longrain.

The 2 other dishes were served together with the rice. The first was a slow cooked duck with crisp ginger, mint and Thai basil. Well cooked duck with zingy full flavours with a hint of spice. Excellent dish.

The final dish was a red curry of sliced beef and kifler potatoes. This again was more tingling rather than full spicy but was well cooked and full of flavour.

After a look at the desert menu we decided again any desert which is a disappointment of Thai cuisine that the deserts are not usually to my taste. We therefore just finished with the 3 mains shared between 3 people but the portion size was substantial enough to leave us relatively full. Decent prices (food was about $100), good service and a cool vibe to go along with the flavour packed food meant that it was well worth a return visit.

Momofuku

2013-09-02T13:10:00.001+10:00

20th July 2013

After months of discussions and many attempts to book a spot at the new and exciting 3 Hat restaurant spot in Sydney, they finally expanded their booking policy to 20 days and I was able to snag a lunchtime booking for 2 people at Momofuku.

Unfortunately the booking for 2 people eventually became one, as first my mother, who birthday present this was got sick, forcing my father to change the flights to him, only for Virgin to cancel both his Friday night flight and his replacement Saturday morning flight meaning he would have been unable to get to Sydney until 4pm which left a very tired and angry man stuck in Brisbane unable to join me for lunch.

At least Momofuku were considerate as they waived the cancellation fee they normally charge for last minute cancellations. So what started as a birthday lunch for my mum ended with me having a lunch on my own. With the initial disappointment of not getting to share this experience with anyone, I was ploughed ahead and was rewarded with a magical lunch.

Located in 'The Star' casino opposite Zumbo (which I may have stopped in to pick up some cakes to take home), the restaurant was spacious and would have been a chef's dream with a large open kitchen. The view from my seat at the bar stools along the kitchen edge provided an excellent view of the chefs at work in separate neat stations. The decor and vibe of the place was nothing if not cool, hip and ultra modern with hip hop and urban beats pumping from the speakers.

I was given an encyclopedic drinks list with a variety of different drinks including wine, from around the world, sake and cocktails. No food menu given the degustation only approach but the drinks offered more than enough choice for today. If I hadn't been alone I may have been tempted by the matching drinks which matched not only wines but the full range of alcoholic options. There was also a juice pairing. As it was lunch time the lunch menu is supposed to consist of 8 courses ($110) with a lunch beverage pairing ($75) or Juice Pairing ($40).

I decided to just have a glass of Pinot Gris ($22) that was a substantial glass and excellent.

Whilst the lunch was supposed to be only 8 courses it evolved into 10 course + petit fours extravaganza. Despite the 10 courses, they were delivered in rapid succession so that you didn't feel that you had been eating for half the day and had time for other activities (although not so fast that you felt rushed and hurried).

The first course was a spectacular opening that set the tone for the delicate, thoughtful, intricate but full flavoured approach that maintained a constant theme for the whole meal. The first course was a smoked potato purée encased in a crisp cylinder shell with an apple gel and apple snow. Wonderful flavours, textures and quality of dish.

The next dish was one of the signature dishes that David Chang bought across from his other restaurants, Steamed Bun filled with Pork Belly.A fluffy steamed bun filled with delicious and perfectly cooked pork belly served with cucumber, hoisin and a bottle of Sriracha sauce (chili).

Following was the first of the Trumpeter courses (and the first I thought to take a photo of). Sashimi of striped trumpeter with slivers of pickled celery and mustard oil. Well balanced flavours, top quality sashimi and a quality dish.

The next dish was a mix of sweet and savoury with confit potato, fried parson's nose (the fatty part of the tail of a chicken), quondong (native Australian fruit which was sweet and tart) and watercress.

The next dish was one of my favourites with a eel dashi (jelly that was delicious), baby octopus hidden underneath and radishes topped off with almond flakes. The eel dashi was full of flavour and an interesting texture and the octopus was perfectly cooked.

The next was an amazing dish that rivalled the previous for favourite status. A slow cooked poach egg yolk (which was cooked whole and individually removed the shell and any trace of white), which spice and fried cauliflower and covered with a generous helpings of black truffle. The egg was superb - rich and full of flavour and complemented by the spiced cauliflower and nutty black truffle.

The next dish was the second version of trumpeter. A fillet cooked well and with crisp skin combined with a squid ink purée and shaved fennel and dill. A more subtle dish compared to some of the big flavour dishes previously but no less superb.

The next and final savoury dish was a slab of pork neck with marinated squash, kombu and thin slices of eggplant. It was served with the hunting knife showed below and the meat needed a little bit extra. The combo and flavours were good and pork neck was excellent.

We now move onto the sweet dishes with first being a bridge between desert and savoury with a cheese course. However rather than the normal cheese and accompaniments on a plate or board this was in the form of a dollop of soft goats curd with intense blackcurrant syrup and mint oil and topped off with some toasted sweet crumbs. The flavours of the blackcurrant and mint were very intense but offset the goats curd well (although were a little overpowering). The best part were the toasted crumbs.

The last official course of the dinner was slices of pear with a delicious honey cream, muntries (native Australian fruit) and toasted milk crumb. The milk crumb was amazing as was the honey cream. The pear was good and the dish worked extremely well as a whole. Not too sweet but a good balance of flavours, textures and contrasting elements.

We finished with Petit fours just before the bill arrived to sweeten you up. A superb salted caramel with a little pepper on top and a Canele which was extremely crisp on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside. A perfect finish to a wonderful meal. However I was a little disappointed to get to try to caramelised pork shoulder than had previously been the signature and much talked about Petit four.

For the quality, intricacy and thought put into every dish the final price of $132 offered very decent value with service that was on point and efficient without feeling rushed. With cutlery changes required for each dish this was a smoothly run team but they were never unavailable to discuss wines or general discussion.(I did cancel an additional wine due to the speed of dishes and its slight delay). Amazing food and a cool vibe and the cheapest 3 Hat experiences in Australia I would be more than happy to head back. If only someone will be able to make it to join me the next time.

Virginia Plain

2013-06-17T18:49:00.000+10:00

28th May 2013

With one of my friends now seeing a key member of the team and a 50% off voucher in hand, I was invited to a family dinner with Em and her family and Matt at Virginia Plain (as it turns out shortly before it closed and was reinvented as a bar and casual eatery called Mercy Bar + Eatery).

With Matt working in the restaurant the ordering was left to him with some alterations made for allergies and dislikes. (I choose against the oyster shooter snack and went for 2 alternatives). Located on a massive first floor, it had sparsely spaced tables with a long bar and high ceilings with a simple white and wood outfit with a dark bar type feel.

After settling in with drinks at the bar first we moved to our table nearest the kitchen by facing back across the dining room. Matt proceeded to order several dishes from the various parts of the menu (bar snacks, small dishes, medium dishes and large dishes). We did amend the amount he ordered down and cut a couple of the large dishes as we did try and eat as many dishes as we could from the menu.

The other started with the Dashi Oyster shooter and Grilled Sardines with Capponata but as neither of these were my favourite and i had my eye on a couple of other bar snacks, i went in a different direction.

I therefore ordered the Machego beignets with mojo sauce. Crisp outside shells filled with soft warm cheese and combined with a spicy mojo sauce. Very good although i would have preferred the outer shell to be a harder crisp rather than soft.

Next up for me was the Braised Beef Brisket Bun. 2 mini slider burgers filled with shredded beef in a delicious sauce in a sweet white bun. These were delicious and if not for the outrageous amounts of food to come, i would have been happy to wolf down plenty more than 2 of these bite sized delights.

We then transitioned from individual bar snacks to the real menu and the small sharing plates. We had one dish of each and shares out different portions between the 6 dinners so we could try as many dishes as possibly.The first small sharing plate was a dish of Hay baked Artichokes, cep puree & goats cheese. A good combo of flavours.

The next dish was the Ceviche of Kingfish, campari and sea grapes. The Kingfish was expertly prepared with a little crust on the edge and was very nicely flavoured.

The procession of small courses continued with a Steak Tartare with a nice smokey flavour, combine with quail egg yolk and traditional garnishes. Not normally a dish i would try, it however was delicious even if there was insufficient toast to go around.

The Quail and mushroom terrine also suffered from not enough bread (this time sourdough) but was rich and gamey and combined with a delicious raisin puree that made you forget about the lack of bread.

The last small course was one of the signature dishes and billed as a must have by Em and it did not disappoint (and has been retained by the new entity). A quality but interesting combo of scallops and black pudding stuffed pigs trotter with an amazing jus. Wonderfully conceived and executed with an unusual combo of ingredients.

We then moved on to our our only medium dish, a thyme, slippery jack and pine mushroom risotto. This one was not for the Mushroom adverse and had a bold mushroom flavour that would have overpowered some palates but i loved it. Rich, warm and delicious if slightly too salty, it was homely and comforting even if made with the usually creamy goodness.

We then moved on to the large dishes and accompanying sides. We had ordered 3 but with most people slowing down significantly, we cut that back to one. A dish of a giant Pork cutlet served with kale and razor thin slices of honey turnip, it was a very decent but unspectacular dish that failed to wow me.

This was accompanied by 2 sides, a big wedge of iceberg topped with sage, pancetta and anchovy dressing. It was OK but nothing special although i despise anchovy. The other was a greater triumph. A Pearl barley and pomegranate salad. A mix of nutty barley and sweet pomegranate was a winner in my books.

With the rest flagging, it was left to only me and Em to power through desert. We both went with the chocolate & pistachio terrine and it was well worth it. Rich chocolate and terrine with small perfect circles of pistachio terrine in the bottom with a chocolate crumb base and sides of chocolate pieces it was a technical masterpiece but also felt comforting and most of all was a flavour sensation.

Overall a restaurant with a lot more hits than misses and will be sad to see it closed on the 17th June. However the new incarnation should provide some of the old favourites with new ideas. The service was very good, knowledgeable and accommodating, although having one of the staff at your table helps. And thanks to the voucher softening the blow, it was very decent value at $60 each.

Bar Pulpo by MoVida (Airport)

2013-05-27T17:55:00.000+10:00

31st March 2013

With a 10pm flight to Egypt and having not been on an International flight since the renovation to Melbourne Airport, I decided to try one of the Airport versions of some well known Melbourne restaurants. After trying to decide between The Movida and Shannon Bennett (Vue Du Monde, Bistro Vue & Cafe Vue) outposts, i decided on Bar Pulpo by Movida.

The menu followed some of the same patterns and elements of the regular MoVida experience, with a selection of tapa and raciones. They also had a selection of sandwiches to eat in or takeaway. The decor and aestheticwas built to replicate the style of the original with wooden chairs, a main bar with stools and separate tables. Obviously it had less of a dark and clubby feel being in a brightly lit airport terminal but the concept was similar.

After taking a seat at one of the high tables, i decided on a mix of old favourites and new items for my dinner. I decided on 4 different tapas with 3 being old favourites from previous Movida visits and one being a new item i hadn't tried before.

The first was the chicken escabache on a crisp crouton. Slightly spiced chicken in a creamy spicy mayo between two crisp croutons. Delicious and as good as remembered.

The next was the new dish called Viera. It consisted of a Oven baked scallop served inside on the half shell with Jamon and Potato foam. Unfortunately this will not be added to the list of favourites from Movida although i can appreciate the attempt of the dish. However the potato foam was too dense and would really not be classes as a foam whilst the other elements were too salty for my taste.

The next was the Bocadillo De Calamares, fried calamari served inside a warm roll with peppers and lemon. Again very good and a fair effort compared to the original Movida.

The last item was The Bomba and this is where it was a let down compared to the original. Something was just off and whilst nice was nowhere near the taster explosion of the original. A potato bombe that was still crisp on the outside and filled with chorizo which lacked punch and the sauce brava also was a bit on the plain side. Normally a stunning dish but a bit of a letdown at this venue.

I decided to skip desert due to the likely high amount of sweet and fatty foods i would have whilst on holiday. Whilst not as good as the cooking at the original restaurant it was a very nice meal and much better than the usual airport and airplane food that you normally have to endure. Coming in at less than $50 with a couple of drinks was decent value as well and the service was fair especially given the location.

The Point

2013-05-27T13:08:00.002+10:00

30th March 2013

With both me and my father having gone to this restaurant previously and my dad having a relationship with the owner and the fantastic views (and photo opportunities), my brother and his now wife decided to head to the Point for their Wedding Reception. We ended up with the downstairs private dining area with its own outdoor are and opportunity before for photos on the upstairs balcony, it was an excellent venue for a function just based on the location.

However the obviously most important part of any dining experience out is of course the food and in that regard The Point also did not disappoint.

After welcome drinks and canapes we were seated at one long table with fine white linen and fancy cutlery. Given its was our private area the service was good and the service pleasant and efficient (after falling short of the minimum spend James and Alexia received some takeaway Champagne).

Given that it was a function we had a limited menu but still had a selection of 3 different dishes for each of entree, main and desert.

The first course i choose was a variation on a dish i had previously had at The Point. A classic combination of Pork and Apple with a delicious brick of Pork belly combined with various textures of apple and some pistachio crumbs. A first rate entree.

For main course i decided to forgo the usual specialty of Steak (i had the Beef Tasting plate last time which was excellent) and went for the confit duck leg, sweetcorn puree, freekeh and barberry salad. Duck was cooked expertly and the combination of rich gamey duck meat, sweet puree, nutty freekeh and sour barberry was an interesting but pleasant combo and the individual elements were great.

The mains were accompanied by two different sides which were both excellent. A side of baby cos lettuce and Roquefort dressing and a cauliflower gratin and truffled breadcrumbs. I do often find it odd when sides accompany all dishes but these were we very good and matched reasonably well with the dishes.

For desert i went back to my favourite ingredient of chocolate and went for the Chocolate Silk Tart. Rich, chocolaty and delicious it was accompanied by a simple dollop of King Island double cream. Simple food but of good quality.

Again The Point didn't disappoint and a glorious occasion was met in quality by the food, service and location.

Indego by Vineet (Dubai)

2013-05-12T19:42:00.001+10:00

10th April 2013

After organising a trip to Dubai for a work conference, i looked at a variety of different restaurants for the first night when i arrived and had spare time on my own. After some research i found a restaurant that intrigued me, Indego by Vineet, opened in Dubai by the only Indian man (Vineet Bhatia) to acquire 2 Michellin stars. I was intrigued about how much better Indian food could be than regular local Indian curries.

Located in a fancy hotel (Grosvenor House) in the Dubai Marina area, i walked to the reception area and was greeted by a host dressed in traditional Indian attire. The reception was beautifully furnished with a small fountain filled with Indian flowers which opened up to a spacious dining room with tables set far apart and with traditional and elegant furnishing. I was led to a table with fine dining linens and cutlery before being offered a hot hand towel to refresh and the extensive drinks and food menus.

As i was on holiday i decided to go full out with the 5 course tasting menu. I was also offered 3 types of spice level, mild, medium and hot. I went for medium but was also provided a side of hot sauce for added spice. As a rule the food didn't shy away from a hit of spice or flavour.

Before the first course they provided some roasted papadams with 3 types of dips. Crisp tasty papadams with amazingly flavoursome dips, Beetroot raita, Mango Chutney and Mint & Coriander chutney. The dips, especially the Mint & Coriander which had a little bit of kick, were truly amazing.

The first course was a Crab and Lentil soup with a crab fritter on the side. Served piping hot with a very decent spicy hit filled with chunks of crab meat and the crab fritter was crisp and full of flavour. A great starter.

The second course was a two part dish served side by side on a slate tile and is one of the signature dishes of this restaurant and of Vineet Bhatia in general. The first part was a gigantic (possibly on steroids) prawn flavoured with lemon and tandoori spices and the second being a Home smoked tandoori salmon. Both were steeped in a grainy mustard and honey marinade. Both were perfectly cooked and balanced of flavour with the prawn being so juicy and fresh and the Salmon fall apart delicate. Well worthy of being a signature dish and my favourite dish of the dinner. Ridiculously good.

We then moved onto the first of the main courses and a very classic Indian dish interpreted into a magical dish. A classic tandoori chicken breast, cooked sous vide until it was amazingly soft and moist and then simmered in a rich and buttery tomato sauce. It was served on top of a saffron pulao that was perfectly cooked. Better quality ingredients, cooking and flavour than you usual corner Indian restaurant could ever make a Butter chicken.

The second main course was a pot roasted ginger lamb chop served with corn and morel korma laced with truffle oil. The first thing i noticed was the beautiful aroma of truffle oil that wafted from the dish. The next was the amazing cooking of the meat and it just fell from the bone. The korma was a little small but was excellent and the lamb had a nice ginger flavour and the meat was so good.

Before desert i was offered a palate cleanser of an orange and rose petal sorbet that was topped off with champagne. An excellent contrast to the heat of previous dishes that refreshed and took away the spice and was a tasty and delicious dish on its own.

The final dish was desert and was broken into 3 parts. A mini chocolate samosa which was crisp and filled with a rich dark chocolate. The samosa was sitting on a bed of white chocolate soil which was perfect. The second part was a steamed yoghurt topped with a red currant jelly. The final part was my favourite, an amazing combo of pistachio and mint ice cream, subtle but full of flavour and the combo of pistachio and mint was a surprising winner.

A mix of old school service dining room and service and new innovative cooking techniques and ideas that has ruined all other Indian restaurants for me. Amazing mix of flavour, heat and technical cooking. Combined with exemplary service and very decent value (less than $180 for the tasting menu at a Michellin star restaurant compares with the top restaurants in Australia).

France-Soir

2013-05-06T22:07:00.001+10:00

27th March 2013

With the whole family in town for James' wedding, we decided to head to an old favorite in France-Soir (one of our first fancy restaurants visited in Melbourne). Located in Toorak in a small, thin building it was as usual a bustling busy and loud dining room where a booking doesn't mean your table will be ready at that time.

After finally being seated, we were offered drinks from the extensive drinks list featuring both french and Australian wines ranging from reasonable to extreme on the price range. The waiter also explained the specials (only written in French) and we selected our three courses.

With our first drinks we were given some traditional french bread served in a basket. Served with rich french butter, it was very good and a good start.

For first course i went with the Quail, Kipfler potatoes and parsley. Quail, deboned and cooked well and combined with small square blocks of potato and cooked in a mountain of butter and parsley. A solid, rustic and homely dish that offered little subtlety but was a quality and comforting dish.

For main course i settled on the special of the Rabbit of the day - Lapin de Andalusian (much . A saddle of amazingly soft rabbit combined with a ragu of white wine, peppers and tomato. A great combo with the rabbit being the real standout.

For desert i choose was the Crepes Suzette. Served hot and smelling amazing with a strong Grand Marnier tone. Cooked perfectly and full of flavour a simple but classic mix of crepes with orange Grand Marnier sauce and a few slivers of candied orange peel. Classic french cooking.

Overall a meal worth going back for with simple classic french cooking and classic french service (not a compliment). But having been there for ages you are well aware of its faults and heights and it is well worth a visit every time.

Albert St Food & Wine

2013-02-15T13:33:00.001+11:00

5th January 2012

After some house inspections around the city and some other tasks i decided to treat myself with a lunch at a new Hat Restaurant, Albert Street Food & Wine. Set up in the heart of Brunswick on Sydney Road, it was a fairly low key venue.

Very open with high ceilings and with a minimalist wood interior, the building was broken into two sections with the shop filled with wine, cook books and produce for sale (which i wandered through and nearly bought the excellent desert cook book) and the main dining room separated by the kitchen.

After taking a seat at the bar i decided to really treat myself with 3 courses (although some slightly healthier options) but no alcohol given my recent health kick. I started with a Sprite and settled in to read the moderately extensive menu that was broken up into several sections - Charcuterie, To Start, Pizza, From The Grill, Pasta, Other Mains, Sides and Cheese & Deserts. The drinks list was very extensive and the menu itself had the separate wines by the glass and beers included.

For entree i started off with a dish of spicy fried cauliflower, baby peppers and tahini yogurt. Crunchy vegetables and a very nice tahini yogurt were excellently balanced, although the spicy was a tempered paprika spice rather than chili spicy. A very well balanced dish and a good start.

The main course i went for the special of chicken breast and leg with very crisp skin, roasted peach and peach jus and witlof salad with a side of kifler potatoes. The chicken was perfectly cooked and wonderfully moist (very likely use of a sous vide machine) but still maintain a crispy skin. Balanced with the roasted peach flavours and the salad it was an excellent dish. However the kifler potatoes were not as crisp as they should be and fell flat and a bit soggy.

Desert provided a little bit of a disappointment followed by a solid recovery. Initially my reason for choosing to come to Albert St was the fantastic deserts offered in particularly the famous PS Snickers. After looking at the menu i was disappointed to see it nowhere to be found and was told it was an occasional special that wasn't available today.

Instead i went for the Mandarin & Chocolate Marquise which was far from a disappointment. Layers of chocolate mousse and mandarin (grand marnier) soaked sponge was an exquisite delight. Combined with a mandarin sorbet, mandarin segments and sugar coated rind, it was a masterclass in desert cooking and technique. Truly Amazing.

Some teething problems with some of the main that may be worked out in the upcoming months as the restaurant hits it's stride (had been only open for a few months) but as is it was a quality showing and worthy of a hat. Desert as you may expect from a chef renowned for deserts was amazing and the food was very reasonably priced and good value. Service was charming and efficient and it was a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Coast (1 Hat Restaurant in Hervey Bay, QLD)

2013-01-25T13:45:00.002+11:00

29th December 2012

After my parents sold their place in Brisbane and permanently moved to Burrum Heads in Queensland (3 hours north of Brisbane), we had our first Christmas at their new place.Whilst up their i was keen to try the only Hat Restaurant in about 100km and my parents had planned for a lunch on the 29th December which i secretly hoped would be at Coast.

After keeping it a secret on the drive into Hervey Bay, we finally arrived at a beach side restaurant that was open with views out to the beach and two sections, one of fine dining and a more casual area. They both were serving the same menu so we decided given the heat, lunch time dining and the warm weather outside that we would sit in the more casual area of Coast.

With a shared menu, we went for a few dishes to share for entree, some larger dishes and individual deserts. After much discussion we settled on one from the "straight up" section (small bites), 3 dishes from the "In Between" dishes (entrees) and 2 dishes from the "Meat" section (mains) with 2 sides to accompany the meats.

The first item our was the Steamed Pork buns. Excellent moist meat stuffed into a spongy but excellent bun with a slice of cucumber and some excellent hoisin sauce. Nearly as good as the ones i tried at Golden Fields and an excellent start to the meal.

The entrees all arrived at the same time and there was debate and decision to be made over which one to go for first. I went with the half serve (Meat course that we had as a half serve for entree) of bourbon glazed beef short ribs. Fall apart meat that was superbly cooked but was lacking a little in the bourbon glaze to give it a big flavour hit and wow factor.

The next dish i went for was the crisp fried chicken served on a bed of pickled cucumber, radish and srirachi mayo. Crisp pieces of deep fried chicken contrasted with pickled vegetables and a slightly spicy sauce. Excellent balance of flavour and spice and excellently cooked and even better presentation.

The final dish was surprisingly my favourite dish of the day. A sweetcorn tart with an avocado creme fraiche and red pepper relish. Beautiful to look at with vivid and contrasting colours, the taste did not disappoint either. Delicate, perfectly balanced and the pastry was superb. Exquisite combo and a knockout dish.

We now moved on to the Meats sections of the lunch. Whereas the entrees were mostly beautifully presented and stylish dishes, the Meats section clearly catered to a different audience (although the skill was no less modern).

The first was a slow roasted lam shoulder, a big chunk of fall apart meat that was superbly cooked and had big robust flavours and taste. The tomato relish was a decent accompaniment but a interesting choice for a hearty chunk of meat but the red wine jus was perfectly in tune with the dish.

The Other Meat was a roasted pork collar with excellent crackling throughout the dish and again cooked perfectly. This dish had more of an Asian feel to it and was accomanpanied by rice, lettuce, kimchi, red chili sauce and spring onion. The matching of the Asian themed dish with the pork collar was an interesting choice but it definitely worked (although both meats worked equally well the next day without the extras).

As sides we had some crushed chat potatoes with parsley and chives and a dish of green beans, lemon oil and toasted almonds. Both solid dishes with the lemon oil and almonds adding some extra flavour to the green beans being the better of the sides.

After completing the main courses to the best of our abilities (taking home some of the Meat for the next day), we moved onto the deserts. I went with a dish of dark chocolate brownie, peppermint mascarpone, Oreo crumble, mint coulis and a milk chocolate granache. Where the mains had been been robust and old school, the deserts were masterpieces of modern cooking and techniques. However where they aligned with the meats was in the boldest of flavours used and quality of ingredients. A truly amazing desert with excellent balance between the mint and rich chocolate with the peppermint mascarpone being an amazing element.
Overall a triumph of quality cooking, ingredients and flavours. A limited menu but each dish we tried was great with a few being a level above and a real gem in coastal Queensland. Quality value (even if i didn't pay) and decent portions made the experience even better with friendly wait staff even if they definitely were of the more casual slower pace of Queensland. Well worth a visit if you are near Hervey bay.

Scusami

2013-01-10T13:10:00.001+11:00

21st December 2012

After selecting a restaurant in the Good Food Guide for the end of financial year dinner, my work again selected one for the Christmas lunch. With views of the river and Melbourne and easy access to pubs for after lunch drinks, the selection of Southbank restaurant Scusami was a solid choice from a location point of view.

After catching the bus to our location, we were shown through the main dining area to the private dining section in a private corner with views our towards the river from our own private balcony. Combined with a perfectly sunny day, it was a great view and an excellent setting for our lunch.

After starting with a cocktail of our choice (mine was a fairly potent Mojito) and much chatter, we sat down and had our entree orders taken. We were selecting from a slightly limited selection due to the large group. After debating whether to go for the calamari, i went with the mushroom and shredded lamb risotto. Before the entree arrived we were also served some bread with a side dish of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. A well cooked bowl of risotto full of flavour and substance.

After the entree, we were offered a choice of 4 mains. I went with the Duck which was a half duck served in its elements (Breast, leg etc.) The rich duck was offset by some sweet quince, muscatels and braised sweet red onions which provided an excellent complement. We also has side dishes of a side salad of wild rocket with Parmesan shavings and lemon dressing and crisp potatoes. A solid well cooked traditional dish that well put together and hearty.

Also one of our work colleagues had to leave after she had ordered desert so i got to sample her Bistecca alla Fiorentina. A substantial T-Bone steak that was char grilled (unfortunately a little to much char from my liking) served with truffled creamed potatoes with Sangiovese sauce. Very decent unsophisticated food that filled the stomach and provided great flavour with the potatoes being my favourite part of the dish.

After a short break for exchanging of gifts, we moved onto desert. I went with a raspberry chocolate mousse. A chocolate mousse with a solid chocolate base filled with a raspberry gel and topped with more raspberry gel and some gold leaf, it was a well put together dish and a great balance of flavours.

Overall a very satisfying meal that provided good traditional Italian food and plenty of it. Solid interpretations of classic Italian dishes were present throughout the menu but little deviation from the standard left little wow factor. However it was good solid food worthy of a visit but missing something extra to bring it to hat status.

The European

2012-11-20T22:55:00.001+11:00

21st October 2012

After a few errands in the city, i decided to finish my weekend with lunch at The European. Recently upgraded to a Hat Restaurant in the recent good food, i was intrigued that it would be increased to Hat status after years of being just short.

When i arrived it was pretty crazy with a show about to start next door and the wait staff were pretty stressed and rushed in their service. However once the initial rush settled down, which would have pushed any restaurant, the staff settled in and provided good and efficient service.

For my final meal before starting a diet, i went for the full three courses. Before ordering food i looked at the extensive drinks list including some quality European beers, including favourites Budvar and Leffe Blonde.

For entree, i went with the smoked eel and jamon croquette. Three balls of beautifully crisp croquette filled with smoked eel and jamon. Combined with a puree and topped with bean sprouts and a slice of lemon. It was very nice but nothing extraordinary.

Next up was a Pork Cotoletta with Italian Coleslaw, a big chunk of pork with the bone still attached covered in bread crumbs and with a great coleslaw. Again simple food, done well.

I finished with my favourite part of the meal, a desert of chocolate salty caramel, peanuts and yoghurt gelato. A scoop of chocolate salted caramel encased with a crisp shell of dark chocolate. Combined with a dark chocolate stick covered with crushed peanuts and surrounded with both caramelised and chocolate covered peanuts and a smooth and contrasting yoghurt gelato. This was the mix of quality home style cooking and innovation, technique and imagination that is expected of a hat restaurant.

Good quality food and service but, with the exception of desert, the dishes did have the wow factor of a hat restaurant. Still a decent meal and good value with quality ingredients and techniques that will never have you leaving hungry.

MoVida - Return Visit

2012-10-27T23:44:00.001+11:00

13th October 2012

With the Melbourne Marathon the next day, i was staying in the city and had a full day with no plans so i decided to have a big lunch before having carbo heavy snacks and food and drinks for dinner. After getting into the city about 2 and checking in, i needed a restaurant that was open all day Saturday. With limited choice i still decided on one of my favourites in Movida.

There was a reasonable amount of people in the restaurant for 330pm on a Saturday but nothing like the 3 month waiting list for the premium slots on a Saturday night. I was shown to a seat at the bar and offered a drink. I settled on the idea of having one beer and then water and went for a Moritz lager from a small list of Spanish influenced wines and beers but with some french and Australian wines.

I decided on two tapas and one raciones and a desert. As well as the normal menu they had a number of specials, of which i ended up ordering one tapa and one raciones. I started with the special of rich pheasant terrine encased in a crisp crouton shell and served with a beautifully sweet sherry puree and some pickled onions. Great combos of the rich earthy terrine and sweeter fresher elements.

The next tapa was one of my favourites from a previous visit to the various Movida establishments, the Pollo Escabache Al Miguel. Chicken smothered and marinated in a spicy mayo like sauce and sandwiched between two crisp crouton pieces to make a beautiful dish that will remain a favourite and a recommendation for anyone who goes to Movida.

We then moved on to the raciones which i decided on a special of confit rabbit leg which had been deboned and placed in a ceramic bowl and combined with whole almonds, carrots and a beautiful rich and decadent jus. Wonderfully cooked rabbit that was so moist and the bold rich flavours were definitely a winner. One special that i wouldn't mind being made a permanent dish.

I thought about another racione but decided that with the marathon the next day i decided to just go for desert. I went with the Pan con Chocolate, rich dense chocolate parfait between 2 pieces of toasted brioche and combined with a olive oil sorbet. Great balance and flavours and a worthy finish.

After this visit Movida still remains one of my favourite restaurants with a great vibe, good service and wonderful food that borders the line between innovative, homely and sophisticated. As last time the prices range from $5 per tapa item up to $20 for the bigger raciones but overall the cost is very reasonable and the bill was well under $100. Movida remains a top quality draw as a restaurant and well worth a visit.

Steer

2012-10-16T14:25:00.001+11:00

5th October 2012

After heading out to Vue De Monde last year for my birthday dinner, i decided to head out for another extravagant dinner to celebrate my birthday. I settled on a place that i had yet to go to and had received a Hat in the latest Good Food Guide 2013, Steer. Steer, as the name suggests, was focused on beef and was a throwback to the great traditions of New York steakhouses but with some modern touches and embellishments.

After arriving early to catch up with Joe, my brother, we were escorted upstairs to the separate bar. Located in the Olsen hotel, the dining room had a dark modern feel with modern art hanging and lots of glass and black fittings. The restaurant was punctuated with a black wooden Steer to meet you at the door. The upstairs bar had a separate feel and also headed out to the hotel.

After selecting 2 beers (budvar) from the extensive and varied list, we settled down into some stools and had a chat whilst everyone else arrived. After a few arrived we were moved down to our table. Our table was located at the back of the restaurant and slightly secluded from the rest with the wine cellar to one side. Wood tables and wooden block holding our ornate cutlery (including a very nice steak knife) and matching well with the ultimate steakhouse theme.

After everyone had arrived and was seated we were instructed to flip our place mat by our charming, confident and quirky waitress to show our menu for the evening. Unfortunately with the size of our booking, we were forced to pre select only three dishes from a range of 10 entrees and five mains. We were also offered in advance the choice between 2 or 3 course which i opted for 2 and left desert up to individual dinners. This was a slightly disappointing draw back.

With the entrees, i selected for the 3 options - a Crisp Calamari and Pork Belly, hummus, dukkah and pomegranate; Buffalo Ricotta Gnudi and Miso Roast Scallops, pork crackling, Japanese spices and daikon. I went with the Crisp Calamari and Pork belly. Perfectly fried pieces of calamari and fatty cubes of pork belly with great flavour and texture were perfectly matched with the smoky hummus, nutty dukkah and contrasted by the sweet pomegranate seeds.

For main everyone had the choice of 3 dishes being a Scotch Fillet, Eye Fillet or Market Fish with werribee artichoke barigoule and asparagus. The steaks were served with roast bone marrow and spring salad. Everyone ordered a steak and forgo the market fish but i had previous organised with the staff for a special bday steak, a David Blackmore 900g Wagyu Rib Eye steak served on the bone (for a proposed supplement of $109 - however they only charged an additional $30 bringing the total to $109). The meat was magnificent - ridiculously smooth, silky and buttery, perfectly cooked with a pink inside and a slightly charred outside with nice grill marks criss-crossing the meat. Was also a massive cut of meat and i was definitely not hungry afterwards. Would have been worth the exorbitant price quoted but for the lower price was a steal.

As part of the 2 course menu offer, the steak was also accompanied by a number of sides - Steak chips, salad, spring greens, Asparagus and the best of the bunch Onion rings. The chips and salad were great but the standout were the extra crisp batter and great flavour of the onion rings. A must for anyone who ventures to Steer.

We then moved onto the important decision of the evening. Must to the horror of my brother, i declared that yes i would like the desert menu (after demolishing the 900g steak). As this was not part of the set menu we were offered the full desert list. The deserts also stuck to the new york style theme with a version of Reece's peanut butter cup, donuts, new york cheesecake, bombe Alaska and my desert - a Strawberry Bakewell Tart / Ice Cream Sundae.

Two deserts in one, with a slice of moist bakewell tart with a layer of strawberry jam running through the middle. Accompanying this was three scoops of ice cream and this was accompanied by meringue blobs, strawberries, strawberry gel and square blocks of chocolate fudge. Decadent, beautiful (presented on a wooden board shown half eaten below), full of flavour this was a great desert and was well worth stuffing down after steak.

Overall a fantastic night out with great company and superb food. A real focus on quality produce and ingredients, especially the steak, but with some quality and refinement in the dishes. The cost of the meal varied on the quality and expense of the steak chosen but the other items were very reasonably priced ($79 for 2 courses and extensive sides - Entrees $14, sides $8 and deserts $12 on al a carte menu) and you would never complain about portion size or not being full at the end of the meal. For an amazing steak and some outstanding cooking i would fully recommend a trip to Steer.

Akachochin

2012-09-27T14:00:00.003+10:00

11th September 2012

Having head into the city for a work meeting, i decided to try a new restaurant that made it into the guide this year (Score of 14) before heading out to Vic Gardens to watch Expendables 2 with some friends. So with a friend who worked in the city in tow, i headed to the waste land of South Wharf to try Akachochin.

Located on the South Wharf Promenade in a converted shed, along with some other restaurants, it is a new area of the city that hasn't really caught on as a place to go out except for people staying at the Hilton or at the convention centre. High ceilings, wooden floors and marble counter tops at the sushi bar where i was seated and a busy vibrant atmosphere greeted me. (was very busy due to the food and wine convention at the exhibition centre next door and several people were turned away. Would probably be nowhere near as busy on a normal Tuesday.)

Billed as an izakaya, or Japanese tapas restaurant, with smaller dishes offering a wide variety of choice and the ability to try more of the extensive 7 page menu. However to start with i was offered a one page beer and wine list as well as a list of Sakes (there is no wine list for this restaurant due to its desire to stay true to traditional Japanese style - however the sharing house list from next door can be requested).

I went with a beer and ended up with a Kirin Larger in a can imported from Japan. Along with the beer came a free appetiser of Asian vegetables in a sesame sauce. Very decent and good fresh clean flavours.

I started with an initial dish of fish chips. Thin crisp sheets of fish (consistency of prawn crackers) with a decent fish flavour and topped off with liberal helping of salt and AO nori. Very good and definitely addictive and left u wanting more.

I however resisted and moved on to the next course of Quail Karaage to Manju which consisted of quail cooked 3 ways. The first was a slow cooked quail egg with a delicious yolk centre and perfectly cooked. The second was quail breast braised and had a beautiful coating and great flavour. The third was a potato croquette filled with minced quail. Served extremely hot (i may have burnt the roof of my mouth) but had a soft crisp outer casing, soft potato inside and excellent quail mince inside. Excellent.

The next up was chicken wing dumpling. A deep fried chicken wing with a dumpling ball attached to the end and deep fried and stuffed with chicken mince and herb and spices. Also served a smidgen too hot but very good flavours and textures. I especially enjoyed the crispy batter on the wing and dumpling.

The final dish was a yakimono dish of Wagyu beef, thinly slices and perfectly cooked with a slightly pink inside and slightly charred on the outside with a spicy teriyaki sauce that was beautiful and perfectly balance with the meat. A simple but wonderfully executed dish.

After deciding on whether i would bother with a Japanese desert (or go somewhere else), i decided to give desert a go. I settled on a Black Sesame Panna Cotta with green tea ice cream, red bean paste and slice strawberries. The flavours worked well but just wasn't for me and added into my dislike of Japanese deserts.

Overall the night was good. Efficient and speedy service and a menu designed for speed and a snacky dinner rather than a long languishing dinner extravaganza, it was decent food with a few rough edges. The cost was well under $100 and service was decent if somewhat brash at some stages. Good for a quick nice meal but not Hat worthy.

Easy Tiger

2012-09-04T17:53:00.002+10:00

24th August 2012

Before heading out to my brother's second EP launch (Panoptics - check them out) i decided to have a late dinner nearby. Given the gig was on Johnson street i had a range of restaurants available to visit including an old favourite in Cutler & Co. but decided on a newly crowned hat restaurant (2013 Hat winners were announced on the 27th August) in Easy Tiger.

Located on Smith Street just up from the busy corner with Gertrude Street, the restaurant was a modern but cool and relaxed fit out with both large shared tables, individual small tables and an outdoor patio area out the back.

Having arrived early at 830 for my late 845 booking i was told my table was not ready and shown to the outdoor area. Wooden tables, chairs and waiting benches, i was seated and offered an palate cleanser of subtle green tea. Fresh, hot and subtle it worked well.

They also offered me the drinks list and food menu to peruse while i waited. After a couple minutes they returned and they suggested i have some taro chips with chili salt whilst i waited and that a lager would go well to accompany them. Obviously some great minds work at Easy Tiger cos i was thinking the same thing. I went with a large Singha beer. The taro chips had a good hit of chili, were crisp and delicious and very addictive. I went back for seconds after being shown to my seat inside.

I was seated inside near the front at a low table with leather couches and candlelight. Having looked online before leaving and having looked at the menu whilst waiting i had already decided on my dishes when the wait staff came around but let the waiter tell me about the specials and recommendations in case he swayed me from my original choices. I decided on 2 small snack dishes, one main with a side and desert.

The first snack was a double serve (2) of Ma Hor. A mixture of prawn, pork and chicken mince combined with peanuts and cooked in palm sugar and then rested on a small disk of watermelon. Perfect execution, great balance of flavours with the meaty and nutty flavours balanced by the fresh sweet watermelon. A winner and a great start.

The next snack was a dish of classic Thai fish cakes with sweet chili sauce. Great, bold flavours and a slight kick of chili and were good. Maybe i shouldn't have expected more than what was stated but given the inventiveness of the menu, i was expecting a twist or something extra. But a solid dish.

The next was a main of stir fried duck with snake beans, hand main egg noodles & chili oil. Big bold flavours with a substantial hit of chili it was a superb dish and was perfectly accompanied by a side of big fluffy, perfectly cooked rice. I also went with a further side of a 'son in law egg'. Runny yolk in the centre of a slightly crisp outside batter. Excellent side dish and well cooked.

To accompany the main course i went with a moorooduc estate pinot gris which was ok but nothing special but was reasonably priced and part of a smaller (2 page) but intriguing wine, beer and cocktail list.

I then went on to desert and the desert that first attracted me to going to this restaurant. The waitress didn't even need to hand me the menu as i had known for months if i went to Easy Tiger, this would be my desert. The desert was the chocolate and pandanus dumplings, melon and salted coconut cream. The dumplings were green in colour and great in flavour and filled with a rich decadent dark chocolate. There was also small round melon balls and a layer of coconut cream that had only a slight salting. The dumplings were the standout and i would have preferred more of these than the melon but only because the chocolate was so good. Excellent dish and due to a slight delay (the waitress didn't immediately put the order in but corrected it before i noticed the time delay or even thought that it was delayed) this dish was give for free.

Definitely worthy of the hat that was recently bestowed and loved the style and atmosphere of the place. Amazing food, excellent friendly service and very decent value (snacks, 2 entrees, main and side and desert with a giant beer and a glass of wine for well under $100 - although the desert was free and would have pushed it close to $100). Would definitely go back with a group of friends to show off a very cool, hip and quality restaurant.

Newmarket Hotel

2012-08-29T21:49:00.001+10:00

28th July 2012

In between looking for houses i decided to head out for lunch in St. Kilda. After thinking about heading back to some old favourites in St. Kilda (Circa, Golden Fields), i decided to head somewhere new and headed to Newmarket Hotel.

A mix of pub and fine dining with lots of glass, wood and high ceilings and open space and was a very excellent setting for both a fine lunch or a relaxing daytime drink with friends (potentially both). I decided on a selection of dishes.

First up was a special for the day which was a calamari and chorizo sopes. A crisp shelled taco bowl filled with tender pieces of calamari and rich, fatty chorizo and combined with some fresh salad ingredients it was a decent start.

Next up was a soft taco filled with beef cheek that was well counterbalanced with spicy jalapeno and fresh salad. Very decent food and good balance of flavours.

That was followed by a selection of dishes that came out together. The first was potato bravas - crisp potatoes topped with a chipotle sauce and an aioli. Potatoes were soft in the middle and a little crisp on the outside.

One of the other items to come out was corn on the cob smothered in chili flakes and a tarragon creme fraiche. A little spicy but offset by the cool creme fraiche and the corn was well cooked. This was my favourite dish.

The last of the savoury dishes was a flat bread topped with chorizo, calamari and padron peppers. Very good flavour combos and quality bread and substantial portions.

After the savoury courses, i went with a desert of a Latin style chocolate pot with Dulce de leche. Nice flavours and quality cooking but very simple and nothing outstanding.

Decent quality but nothing spectacular or noteworthy about any of the dishes. The service was very good and the atmosphere was very lively and fun. However with 2 drinks the above dishes ran up over $100 so decent but not great value and whilst an acceptable place to go for drink or lunch or dinner there are better restaurants serving better quality food for cheaper.