Gastrology

Restaurant Review: Virginia Plain

2013-05-24T05:06:00.004-07:00

Location: 31 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9290 0400
Link: http://virginiaplain.com.au/
Cuisine: European
Overall Impression: 7.5/10

The fruit of Marco Santucci’s vision, Virginia Plain is anything but.

Under the guidance of head chef Andy Harmer (ex Vue de Monde group head), the restaurant serves modern European cuisine in a tasteful, relaxed environment. The dining room (which can only be described as vast) is framed on two sides by a long bar and an exposed kitchen. The mood lighting is perhaps a little too "moody" in places, but those with better than average vision should be able to make out what is on the menu.

We were so impressed by our first visit to Virginia Plain that we decided to return a mere 2 weeks later. Unfortunately, our return visit was a little disappointing (but more about that later).

Quite simply, our first dining experience was brilliant. Andy Harmer's pedigree was obvious, serving flawless dishes in comparatively unassuming surrounds. The food was innovative and stylish, cooked with the skill and precision usually expected from restaurants with much higher price tags.

Unfortunately, our second visit revealed that Virginia Plain is not perfect. One of the dishes we ordered was a steak. Despite it's appetising appearance, the steak was completely inedible due to it being comprised entirely of sinew, gristle and fat. It is no exaggeration to say that we were unable to consume any part of the steak.

Disappointed, we informed our waitress who listened attentively to our concerns and took the steak back to the kitchen. She returned shortly afterwards and informed us that the chef had acknowledged that the steak was not acceptable. Unfortunately it had escaped their quality control processes due to the apparent difficulty in assessing large pieces of meat. We were immediately offered a replacement dish.

We were very impressed by the way the kitchen handled our dissatisfaction. There was a clear acknowledgement of the error (which was by no means deliberate) and they did their best to rectify the situation. It is also worth noting that this particular cut of steak appears to have been taken off the menu now.

Fundamentally, Virginia Plain is capable of greatness. Whilst we have had 2 contrasting dining experiences, the restaurant must be commended for its consistently flawless and friendly service. We are excited to see how Virginia Plain evolves and develops over time.

Mexi-Mart

2013-05-23T03:52:00.000-07:00

Location: 2 Acland Street, St Kilda
Phone: (03) 9536 1175
Food-to-go menu: http://www.aclandstcantina.com.au/pdf/ASC_TOGOPosters.pdf

The Acland St Cantina Mexi-Mart is a brilliant new one-stop shop for lovers of real Mexican food that are in the mood for a night in.

The Mexi-Mart is overflowing with the building blocks of Latin fare, including Maseca masa flour for homemade tacos, a variety of dried Mexican chillies ranging from spicy to mind-numbingly powerful, La Chinata smoked paprika and the enchanting San Miguel huitlacoche (the rare fungus that grows on ears of corn after an errant rainstorm and is valued as a luxurious addition to quesadillas).

There is also a brilliant supply of seasonal recipe kits which are very well priced. These kits include a detailed recipe, as well as all of the ingredients required for the dish – brilliant!

And if you’re looking for a night in but can't find the energy to cook, there are plenty of sweet and savoury takeaway options.

Lovers of fine chocolate will rejoice at the Mexi-Marts selection of Valrhona and Willie's Cacao chocolates. We have been massive fans of Valrhona and Willie's Cacao chocolates for quite a while - they are without doubt some of the finest chocolates in the world.

And if you're feeling thirsty, the Mexi-Mart stocks a wide variety of Latin American beers and wines to cap off your Mexican night in.

Using a few things we picked up at the Mexi-Mart, we made ourselves a quick lunch…

Our attempt at a mole fish taco

The Mexi-Mart is a fun destination for Latin food and flavours at home that has a brilliant range of ingredients and take-home Mexican meals. Enthusiastic cooks who desire authenticity in their tacos, tortillas and tamales should definitely pop down and pick up everything for a great night in... including a block (or ten) of some of the world's best chocolate.

Want a Mexican night out instead? Check out our dinner review of Acland St Cantina here!

Event Review: Pork and wine night at David’s

2013-05-22T17:58:00.000-07:00

To pay homage to China’s favourite meat, David’s in Prahran put together a menu celebrating all things pork.

The dinner featured five courses with matching wines selected by Bibendum Wine Co.

Gastrology bloggers were privileged to be invited to attend this feast.

Pork & Chive Soup Dumpling

Matching wine: 2012 Von Buhl Qba Riesling (Trocken- dry) Pfalz Germany

Tasting note: Crisp and refreshing with a core of lovely zingy but ripe Riesling fruit.

The dumplings were beautifully crafted and were our favourite dish from the night. They had a thin and delicate skin encasing a tasty pork and chive filling and sumptuous broth. It was a great start to the dinner.

Crispy pork back strap ﬂash fried with seaweed & spring onions

Matching wine: 2011 Pazos de Lusco Albariño Rias Baixas Spain

Tasting note: Mid weight aromatic white with pulpy texture, white stone fruits and mineral notes on the ﬁnish.

The pork was a succulent classic, given an interesting twist by the coating of seaweed. A thin blanket of crispy batter encased the moist pork - pure comfort food.

Slow cooked pork belly in soy, ginger & Chinese’s wine served with signature ﬂuffy open baos & condiments

Matching wine: 2010 Rockburn Pinot Noir- Central Otago NZ

Tasting note: Luscious deep coloured cherry dominant Pinot with a plump juicy fruit spectrum and bright acidity.

Sweet and sticky, the braised pork belly was full of flavour. We particularly loved the baos – they were fluffy and light, like soft cushions. The Rockburn Pinot Noir was the wine of the night. Beautifully complex, it was a wonderful example of what makes New Zealand Pinot so appealing.

Pork Ribs marinated & cooked in sweet & salty red bean curd sauce served with rice

Matching wine: 2011 Luke Lambet Crudo Shiraz, Yarra Valley VIC

Tasting note: Beautifully weighted savoury, earth, minerally and meaty notes.

The pork ribs were beautifully marinated and had a good balance of sweetness and saltiness.

Steamed white chocolate dumpling

Matching wine: 2011 Domaine Plageoles Mauzac Roux, (Muscadelle) Gaillac, South West, France

Tasting note: Delicious dessert wine with a luscious, unctuous but not cloying mouthfeel and a tropical fruit spectrum

The dinner ended on a sweet note with delightfully chewy steamed glutinous rice dumplings that had been filled with luxuriously rich white chocolate. It was a wonderfully modern take on a traditional Chinese dessert.

As expected from a dinner at David's, it was a wonderful evening. The expertly chosen wines complemented each pork course perfectly. Unfussy food with staff that make you feel at home, David's emphasises beauty in simplicity.

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of David's.

Touché Hombre launches ‘Livin on the Vedge’ Mondays

2013-05-20T23:20:00.000-07:00

Vegetarians rejoice! Touché Hombre has just launched ‘Livin on the Vedge’ Monday nights with a menu featuring tasty new vegetarian and vegan-friendly dishes.

A selection of our favourite places to celebrate the end of a working week...

2013-05-19T13:30:00.000-07:00

As we draw near to the end of a working week, we thought we should share some of our favourite spots for Friday night celebrations...

Fog Bar and Restaurant

It's a Friday night and FOG Bar and Restaurant is bustling. While most are toasting to the end of another working week, the work is just beginning for the FOG team...read more

Acland St Cantina

A sexy, gritty space devoted to the worship of Mexican food and drinks, combined with tunes from resident DJ Happy Juan, means Acland Street Cantina (ASC) presents a seductive Friday night proposition...read more

Ayatana

Melbourne is filled with Thai restaurants but Ayatana manages to stand out from the crowd. The decor is modern and relaxed, with grey and white dominating the colour scheme. Pictures of Thailand hang proudly on the walls, as do decorative rows of wine bottles, which is no surprise given Ayatana professes to be a wine bar and restaurant... read more

Red Spice Road

...It was great being able to wind down with these cocktails after dinner. They were amply sweet and had beautiful subtle flavours. We ordered one of their latest post-dinner cocktails and were very impressed by how sophisticated it tasted. To our delight, they were also very generous with that volatile substance we love. A good cocktail should always have a decent Alcohol By Volume (ABV) reading and these did not disappoint... read more

Dikstein's Corner Bar

...What this bar is perhaps most famous for is its gourmet pizzas. Down to $6 in the evenings, they have a nice mix of pizzas with adventurous toppings and conventional pizzas... read more

Maedaya

...This Izakaya-style restaurant authentically resembles the Japanese izakaya experiences J and I have had during our time in Japan... read more

Royston Hotel

Hand pumped, cask conditioned beer. This is how beer used to be (before big corporations started pasteurising and carbonating it) and how beer should be.

After years of mass produced, artificially carbonated beer flooding the market and becoming the new ‘norm’ in Australia, hand pumped beer is beginning its resurgence thanks to breweries like the Holgate Brewhouse in Woodend, and temples of beer worship such as The Royston and the Great Northern Hotel... read more

Restaurant Review: 400 Gradi

2013-05-18T00:23:00.000-07:00

Location: 99 Lygon Street, Brunswick East
Phone: 03 9380 2320
Link: http://www.400gradi.com.au/
Cuisine: Italian, Pizza
Overall Impression: 8/10

No stranger to the Melbourne foodie scene, 400 Gradi is one of the best pizzerias in Melbourne.

Owner, Johnny Di Francesco is Victoria’s first member of the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association (an international body established to protect the heritage and tradition of the Napoletana pizza).

toscana (fi) firenze 20 - pizza in bianco, fior di latte, mushrooms, goats cheese, rocket

paesana (cz) catanzaro - san marzano tomato, fior di latte, sausage, broccolini, fresh cherry tomatoes

Every pizza is perfectly made with classic, tried and true flavour combinations that impress any pizza-snob. The dough that forms the base of the pizzas is particularly impressive. The base is made from only 4 ingredients- yeast, flour, salt and water. The base has the perfect “puff” from the oven being run at the perfect temperature - not surprisingly, 400 Gradi (400 degrees).

400 Gradi continues to be a well-regarded Melbourne culinary institution. If you love pizzas – you’ll love 400 Gradi.

Launch party - The Grain Store

2013-05-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

Location: 517 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9972 6993
Link: http://www.grainstore.com.au/
Cuisine: Breakfast/Brunch, European, Coffee
Overall Impression: 8/10

With a name that pays homage to the days when many buildings in the area held grain shipments, The Grain Store is a lovely cafe tucked away on Flinders Lane.

Gastrology bloggers were privileged to attend the launch of The Grain Store with two of our favourite people, R and M.

We were presented with a beautiful assortment of canapés created by head chef Ingo Meissner.

The canapés drew inspiration from Igno's European heritage and were a marriage of French and Mediterranean cooking. Beer, cider, wine and bubbly from local Victorian producers was served alongside the canapes.

The dining room is casual and contemporary, dominated by light wooden furnishings and white surfaces. The exposed roofing and low hanging lightbulbs cultivate a trendy "loft apartment" style ambience.

Chef Ingo's fondness for rustic, traditional European fare with modern techniques was clear, as was the love and attention that had gone into the preparation of the food.

The wait staff were lovely and warm.

As part of the launch, we were given an exciting Master Class by Ingo on how to make a delicious steak tartare.

The Grain Store delights with delicious, honest food, delightful staff and a modern, chic ambience. All four of us truly enjoyed the launch and can't wait to return.

Friday nights @ Acland Street Cantina

2013-05-16T01:00:00.000-07:00

Location: 2 Acland Street, St Kilda
Phone: (03) 9536 1175
Link: www.aclandstcantina.com.au
Cuisine: Mexican
Overall Impression: 9/10

It is not surprising that its lofty bar side stools and dining tables are rarely vacant.

Gastrology bloggers returned to ASC to celebrate the end of the working week and test drive their drinks list and selection of "masa delicacies" (tacos, bocoles, empanadas, tamales and quesadillas).

The word "masa" refers to the dough used to make tortillas and tamales, and the "masa delicacies" selection features a variety of constantly evolving and alluringly tasty morsels that are a delight to indulge in over a few relaxing beverages.

The drinks list has a distinctly Mexican focus - from tequilas, cocktails (and of course tequila cocktails) to imported beers and wines, the range is wide ensuring there is something to suit all tastes.

Blue corn tacos with prawn, wild mushrooms and epazote

The strong herbal perfume of the epazote permeated the fresh prawns and wild mushrooms. The beautiful blue corn tacos added earthiness and texture.

Black bean bocoles with veracruz salsa and seared scallops

The black bean bocoles were beautifully crispy on the outside and were deliciously savoury and creamy on the inside. The scallops were sweet and fresh. This is one of our favourite dishes from ASC.

Wild mushroom and huitlachoche quesadillas with goat's cheese crema

Drawing inspiration from a simple Mexican snack food, ASC has transformed this dish into something quite special. The lovely warm tortilla acted as a soft blanket enveloping what was a flavour explosion of wild mushrooms, earthy huitlachoche (Mexican truffle) and creamy goat's cheese crema.

Bohemia braised lamb short rib empanadas with mission fig black mole

One of our all-time favourites! The wonderfully flaky empanadas are filled with melt in your mouth slow cooked lamb and drizzled with sweet mole sauce. Topped with jammy figs, the empanadas are just beautiful.

Spanner crab tamales with adobe sauce (sweetcorn dumplings, spanner crab and smokey chipotle sauce

Served in classic Mesoamerican style, the tamales arrived tucked in corn husks. Generous amounts of sweet spanner crab flesh were dispersed throughout the sweetcorn dough. There is something about the sweetcorn dough used to make the tamales that is simply moreish.

Our savouries ended with our favourite mole - red mole with Tallabrook goat.

Our Friday night ended with a decadent bang.

Triple chocolate and chilli trifle with passionfruit

Relatively light, the dessert is well-balanced with the perfect hint of tartness (courtesy of the passionfruit) to cut through the creaminess of the chocolate. The chilli provides a nice warmth and rounds off the dessert nicely.

Spiced chocolate caramel with peanut butter ice cream

The spiced chocolate caramel paired with the buttery ice cream was a match made in heaven.

Milk chocolate and peanut sublime, candy bar style

As the name suggests, this dessert was certainly sublime. The candied nuts provided a lovely textural element and counterbalanced the smooth chocolate "candy bar". Rich and decadent, this was a naughty dessert.

Salted caramel ice cream churros tacos

The salted caramel ice cream churros taco is ASC's dessert pièce de résistance. Piped into a flat "taco", the churros were puffy and light on the inside and deliciously crisp on the outside. And what other word can you use to describe velvety, decadent salted caramel ice cream apart from yum?

While there are many Mexican restaurants serving caricature, fast food versions of Mexican cuisine, the dishes at ASC display a sophistication, authenticity and attention to detail that makes it unrivalled in Melbourne.

The chefs bring a polish and precision to Mexican cuisine that is rare in Melbourne - every dish we have ordered from our numerous visits has been perfectly seasoned and consistently excellent. ASC is definitely one of this year’s ‘it’ restaurants.

Start your boozy night on the tequila right here. With a wonderful drinks menu and a mouthwatering menu, ASC is brilliant for a Friday/ Saturday night celebration. And to tempt you further, there are weekly cocktail happy hours that run from 9 - 11pm ($10 cocktails, $25 cockjugs). We will keep you up to date about future events and specials from ASC!

Restaurant Review: Chinta Blues

2013-05-14T00:30:00.000-07:00

Location: 6 Acland Street, St Kilda
Phone: 03 9534 9233
Link: http://www.chintablues.com.au/
Cuisine: Malaysian, Asian
Overall Impression: 6.5/10

Chinta Blues is a popular Malaysian restaurant in St Kilda with a band of loyal followers.

The restaurant serves authentic Malaysian hawker food.

My favourite dish from Chinta Blues is their Sambal Kangkung. It is consistently full of flavour and uses a good dose of belacan.

Chinta Blues is great for a casual outing with friends especially if you’re on a budget. A lot of their menu items come under the $20 mark and the portions are generous. The service is friendly and the food is of a reasonably good standard.

Breakfast @ Cumulus Inc.

2013-05-13T00:30:00.001-07:00

Location: 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9650 1445
Link: http://cumulusinc.com.au/
Cuisine: Coffee, Wine Bar, International
Overall Impression: 7.5/10

Lisa, Alice, Mr Alice, Grace and I were due for a catch up. This time around we decided to meet bright and early for breakfast on Saturday morning at Cumulus Inc.

This place has been blogged to death (especially their breakfast menu) so I won't bore you with too many details.

Suffice to say, the brunch at Cumulus Inc ticks all the boxes for a relaxed breakie/brunch.

The breakfast menu is simple but tasty and features items ranging from organic muesli to a full English breakfast (bacon, blood sausage on toast, fried eggs and smoked tomato).

Bircher muesli, grated granny smith apple and almonds

Grilled Lyonnaise sausage, smoked hock, braised beans and 65/65 egg

House smoked ocean trout, rye waffle, cucumber & mustard crème fraiche

strawberry friand

Madeleine filled with lemon curd

The highlight of my breakfast were these lovely madeleines filled with lemon curd. There is a 15 minute wait for these but they are well worth it! Perfectly shaped with a crisp exterior from being baked in moulded pans, the madeleines were fluffy and light. The lemon curd that oozed out of these had the perfect level of tartness - yum!

Event: Pork and Pinot dinner @ Middle Park Hotel

2013-05-12T00:30:00.000-07:00

Middle Park Hotel is kicking off the Winter Wine Series with a William Downie Pork and Pinot dinner on Tuesday the 14th of May.

Together, Chef Paul Wilson and celebrated winemaker William Downie have developed a menu to bring out the best of the pork on the plate and the pinot in the glass with a 5-course dinner with matched wines.

Pairings include the 2011 SOS Chardonnay with King prawn saltimbocca with chestnuts and roast chicken juices followed by the 2012 Yarra Valley Pinot Noir matched to apple wood spit roasted Downie Estate Berkshire suckling pig with heritage apple marmalade and fennel salad.

Pork and Pinot has been a favourite event for many years now at the Middle Park Hotel and has developed some what of a cult following.

Restaurant Review: Suri Suri

2013-05-11T21:42:00.000-07:00

Location: 601 Little Collins Street, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9629 9797
Cuisine: Japanese, Korean
Overall Impression: 6/10

Suri Suri is a relatively new Japanese/Korean restaurant located right next door to the very popular Brim CC Cafe.

The menu features a good variety of Japanese and Korean favourites and is well priced (with most dishes around the $10 mark). The service is prompt and friendly.

Event: David's Pork and Wine dinner

2013-05-10T23:18:00.001-07:00

To pay homage to China’s favourite meat, David’s in Prahran has put together a menu celebrating all things deliciously pork. At just $75 per person the dinner will feature five courses with matching wines selected by Bibendum Wine Co.

Gastrology bloggers will be attending this wonderful dinner - stay tuned for our review of the event!

Event review: 2013 Melbourne International Coffee Expo

2013-05-08T13:30:00.000-07:00

In the midst of the excitement building around the World Barista Championships that will be held in Australia for the first time in history, Gastrology bloggers were invited to a one-of-a-kind presentation last night to witness what makes Matt Perger Australia’s top barista.

Having won coffee competitions at the state and national level, Perger will be representing Australia at the World Barista Championships where he will be competing against over 55 other national champions at the Melbourne International Coffee Expo from 23 -26 May 2013.

For the competition, Perger has to prepare four espressos, four cappuccinos, and four coffee-based “signature drinks” for a panel of six judges – all in just 15 minutes!

We witnessed Perger show off his coffee-making skills at this exclusive media event and were privileged to hear Perger discuss the training it takes to become a Barista Champion, and the stardom that could follow if he takes the world title. With a history of success behind Perger (having placed third at the 2011 World Barista Championships in Colombia) we know he will do Australia proud.

Australia’s reigning Brewers Cup Champion Lachlan Ward was also present and demonstrated what exactly an alternative brewing method is.

Both Perger and Ward work for St Ali Coffee Roasters.

Images courtesy of BeanScene Magazine

Ben and Jerry's Scoop Shop

2013-05-06T05:37:00.000-07:00

Location: 151 Chapel Street, Windsor, VIC 3181
Link: http://www.benandjerry.com.au/

Brilliant variety of delicious Ben and Jerry's ice cream!

Restaurant Review: Meetbowl

2013-05-02T00:13:00.002-07:00

Location: 95 York Street, South Melbourne
Phone: 03 9696 4412
Cuisine: Indonesian ,
Overall Impression: 6.5/10

It’s Indonesian-style fast food - simple, MSG-laden but delicious. Meetbowl is great for a really (really) casual meal with people you don’t need to impress.

My favourite item on their menu is the curry laksa. It’s like your usual laksa but on steroids – scrumptious!

Restaurant Review: Monkey Bar

2013-05-01T05:41:00.000-07:00

Location: 10 King Street, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9614 5354
Cuisine: Asian, Thai, Malaysian
Overall Impression: 5/10

Average and well-priced Malaysian fare without any frills.

Restaurant Review: Shnitz in the CBD

2013-05-01T00:35:00.000-07:00

Link: http://www.schnitz.com.au/

Location: 203 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9606 0388 ,
and
Location: Level 2, Dining Hall, Shop K264, 211 La Trobe Street, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9606 0388

Serving up made-to-order, pan-cooked schnitzels, Schnitz is a great and relatively healthy (if you’re comparing it to other schnitzels) lunch option. We loved the flavour but just wish the portion sizes were bigger.

I-Spicy

2013-04-30T05:48:00.000-07:00

Location: Hawthorn and Richmond (details below)

Overall Impression: 5/10

With one restaurant in Hawthorn and the other in Richmond, I-Spicy is a reasonably good Thai dine-in and takeaway that serves authentic Thai food at fair prices.

The food is consistently of a good standard and the service is prompt and friendly.

Event: Claremont Tonic opens its doors to raise funds for Think Pink

2013-04-29T18:34:00.000-07:00

Claremont Tonic will open its doors tomorrow (30th April 2013) to hand out complimentary dishes to raise funds for Melbourne based charity Think Pink and showcase its new lunchtime offering.

From 12:00pm to 2:00pm commuters, local workers, residents and the like will have the chance to check out the fresh new dishes, designed by recently appointed chef Sean Judd, including his roasted pumpkin miso ramen, barramundi green curry and grilled chicken rice bowl.

Claremont Tonic is handing the power the the people, asking them what they believe the dishes are worth once the meal has been savoured, with their donations based on the level of enjoyment.

All proceeds from the Open Day will go to Melbourne based charity Think Pink.

Restaurant Review: Grill'd has a brand new music festival themed restaurant

2013-04-28T20:58:00.000-07:00

Location: Next to V/Line ticket booth at Southern Cross Station, Melbourne
Phone: 9670 4100
Link: http://www.grilld.com.au/
Cuisine: Healthy burgers, salads
Overall Impression: 7/10

One of our favourite purveyors of fine burgers, Grill'd has debuted a brand new music festival themed restaurant in the heart of Melbourne’s bustling transport hub, Southern Cross Station.

The newly imagined and completely unique Southern Cross restaurant brings a little bit of festival fever to the hustle and bustle of city life.

It is clear that a lot of thought has gone into this unique festival interior from white picket fences and picnic tables to the astro turf floor and an eye-catching mural featuring festival-goers from across the world.

We loved this new Grill’d dining experience!

Instead of ordering at the counter, in true festival fashion, patrons order from a vintage 1959 Airstream which also forms the centrepiece of the restaurant. This new Grill’d restaurant also pays homage to the best festivals of 2012 and 2013 by lining the walls with iconic festival posters to mark the era the restaurant was established.

The new Grill’d music festival themed restaurant is a winner. The unique surroundings are a great way for Grill’d fans (e.g. J and I!) to enjoy delicious and healthy burgers.

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Grill’d.

Cafe Review: Freestyle Espresso

2013-04-27T21:59:00.000-07:00

Location: 6 Union Street, South Melbourne
Phone: 03 9696 4396
Link: www.freestyle-espresso.com.au/
Cuisine: Coffee, Breakfast/Brunch, Bakery
Overall Impression: 6/10

Freestyle Espresso is a lovely cafe in South Melbourne.

Tucked away in an alley way (in a very Melbourne sort of way), Freestyle Espresso delivers fresh and delicious lunchtime options in a casual and relaxed ambience. The coffee is lovely and the staff members are friendly.

Event: Cinco De Mayo @ Acland St Cantina [May 1 - May 5]

2013-04-26T00:06:00.000-07:00

Acland St Cantina celebrates 'Cinco De Mayo' with a 5 day Mexican Fiesta.

From Wednesday 1st May - Sunday 5th May, ASC will be celebrating with Pacifico and Corona beers, Margarita's and Fiesta street eats. All for only $5!

The bar will house a pop up tequila bottle shop and mezcal tasting bar by Mr Mexico, with live Mariarchi bands and Latin DJ's.

A $25 Barbacoa feast is available for lunch and features prawn and quinoa quesadillas, wild mushroom Tlayudas and ASC’s famous Tres Leche Cake.

A $55 5-course Barbacoa feast is available for dinner and features rare breed lamb, suckling pig and Turkey Black mole and home-made lime and tequila pie for dessert.

Check out our review of Acland St Cantina here.

Restaurant Review: Rosetta Ristorante

2013-04-25T00:30:00.000-07:00

Location: 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank
Phone: 03 8648 1999
Link: http://www.rosettaristorante.com/
Cuisine: Italian
Overall Impression: 4/10

As you walk through the large swing doors of Rosetta, you enter another world. The dining room immediately transports you to Italy. It is luxurious, elegant and restrained. Large chandeliers hang from the ceiling and the mahogany walls and sofa style seating scream luxury. It is hard to fault the décor of Rosetta. The same cannot be said about the food and the service.

Put simply, the service was arrogant and cold. The air of superiority exuded by the waiters was bewildering, unimpressive and unacceptable.

We initially shared some pasta and antipasto dishes.

Gnocchi $21

with olives, basil and tomato fresca

The Gnocchi was delicious. Soft, fluffy, fresh and flavoursome - classic flavours executed perfectly.

Funghi Marinati $21

Charcoal grilled marinated mushrooms with pecorino

The mushrooms were deceptively delicious. They appeared incredibly simple on the plate, but were infused with the most delectable smokiness, courtesy of Rosetta's wood fired oven.

It was certainly an enjoyable start to the meal. But it was also, the end of our enjoyment.

Despite their hefty price tag, the mains at Rosetta are not served with any sides. This is only acceptable when the quality of the dishes is exceptional - they were not.

On the contrary, they were cynically priced and highly unimpressive.

Agnello $42

Slow cooked lamb rack with braised peas

Fettuccine $65

Lobster roasted tomato, mint and chilli

($65 for entrée size. We ordered the main size for this which was 1.5 times the entrée price)

Osso Buco $39

Veal shin braised in Vermentino

Anatra $45

Wood fire roasted duck, mattone style with poached figs

The Osso Buco lacked depth of flavour. The Agnello (lamb) was bland, under seasoned and coated in unrendered fat. Continuing the trend of unrendered fat, the layer of skin on the Anatra (duck) was rubbery and inedible. The duck meat itself was cooked well, but the sweetness of the dish was overpowering. And the only thing exceptional about the fettuccine, was the price.

Carote $10

Organic baby carrots with ricotta salata

Verdure $10

Broccolini with lemon and olive oil

Our dinner ended abruptly with our waitress telling us without a skerrick of sincerity that we had “unfortunately run out of time for dessert”. Whilst we had been warned when we booked the table that we would have to be out by 8.30 pm, we would have preferred to have been asked to leave with a touch more tact - especially after having already spent over $500 (including 2 bottles of wine).

Through its rude, superior staff, Rosetta cultivates the notion that patrons should be grateful to be granted the "privilege" of dining there. The incredibly overpriced and poorly executed food simply adds insult to the injury of being herded in and out like cattle.

Neil Perry continues to harp on about sourcing fresh, high quality ingredients. Unfortunately for Rosetta, simply buying good produce isn't enough. You have to cook it properly.

Restaurant Review: U-Village

2013-04-23T00:30:00.000-07:00

Location: 1/29 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda
Phone: 03 9537 1129
Link: http://www.u-village.com.au/
Cuisine: Asian, Malaysian, Thai
Overall Impression: 8/10

A successful chain in Malaysia since 2003, U-Village has now landed in Melbourne.

Having opened 6 months ago, U-Village aims to satisfy Melbourne’s unquenchable thirst for South East Asian cuisine in the heart of St Kilda.

The dining room is casual and contemporary with subdued grey walls complimented by comfortable light wooden furnishings. Pot plants provide a clever accent, as do the differently shaped light bulbs that hang from the ceiling.

The menu features modern South East Asian flavours with an Australian twist. Speaking to Mr Kai Yee (the owner and proprietor of U-Village), it is clear that he is passionate about food. This passion translates into the dishes that flow out of the kitchen - each dish was full of flavour and unique.

Satay prawns with cucumber reddish with peanut chilli sauce

Crispy Sardines with spicy sauce and lettuce

Five-spiced prawn, sambal, lime, caramel sugar on perilla leaves

The five-spiced prawns were absolutely delicious and were the dish of the night. The gorgeous, plump prawns were bursting with freshness and cooked perfectly. The flavours were complex and harmonious. There was the perfect amount of heat from the sambal, a wonderful tartness from the lime and a lovely sweetness from the caramel sugar.

Curry spiced crusted soft shell crab, thick red rendang, kaffir lime leaves, thai basil

U-Village's soft shell crab curry was decadent. The full-bodied, pungent rendang gravy and lovely notes of Thai basil paired beautifully with the crispy, juicy soft shell crab. The chunky hunks of eggplant and long beans were the perfect addition to the rendang.

24 hours braised sweet vinegar pork belly, cinnamon, chilli, black peppercorns with mango salad

The pork belly was another decadent dish. The acidity from the young mango salad and jammy, sweet vinegar sauce paired perfectly with the juicy pork belly.

Pineapple, crabmeat, prawn, shallots, spring onion and egg fried rice

The pineapple rice was authentic - the rice was fluffy, the cubes of pineapple were sweet and there were generous pieces of seafood throughout.

The desserts were beautiful.

Pandan creme brulee with salted honeycomb

Deep fried taro wrapped vanilla ice-cream with gula melaka sweet and tangy sauce

Our favourite was the ice cream in deep fried taro. The taro dough was thick, sweet and crispy and contrasted well with the cold vanilla bean ice cream.

U-Village presents a refreshing take on Modern Asian cuisine whilst remaining true to its South East Asian origins. With food this good, a delightfully casual atmosphere and prices this reasonable, U-Village is great for a catch up over cocktails with friends or a decadent feast with the family.

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of U-Village.