Public House

Elegant and approachable, Public House impresses with a delicious menu that spans a wide range of world-inspired dishes.

The moody colour scheme and lighting accented by Art Deco detail within an industrial design create a relaxed ambience that is perfect for socialising. 

The kitchen is in safe hands under the guidance of Head Chef Paul Muir. Muir’s talent is palpable, courtesy of a successful career in Victoria’s epicurean scene, having previously headed the kitchen at Bacash and Stones of the Yarra Valley.

In line with Public House’s social setting, the menu items are designed primarily for sharing. 

Tempura battered zucchini flowers filled with Persian fetta & mint

The tempura zucchini flowers stuffed with Persian fetta and mint and served atop a dollop of luscious hummus were excellent.  The batter encasing the zucchini flowers was ethereally light and crisp while the stuffing was rich and flavoursome.  Combined with the creamy hummus, the dish was a delight to eat.

Grilled Hervey Bay scallops, waikami, salmon roe

The scallops were perfectly seared and bursting with sweetness - further enhanced by the restrained savouriness of the waikami. 

Fried soft shell crab tacos, corn & avocado salsa, kewpie mayo

We adored the beautifully crispy and juicy soft shell crab. The deep fried crustacean pieces were coated in a semi-thick crisp batter that encapsulated firm, sweet flesh. With a touch of freshness from the sweet corn salsa and fresh herbs, it was a playful and delicious dish.

Grilled Calamari, du puy lentils, chorizo, parsley sauce

The grilled calamari was another crowd favourite. Tender ribbons of beautifully grilled, unbelievably tender calamari were enhanced by spicy chorizo and fresh parsley sauce. The calamari was beautifully cooked and perfectly seasoned with a distinctly Spanish influence.

Crispy pork belly, hoi sin, Vietnamese herbs, picked vegetable salad

Each pork belly slice had been succulently roasted to retain a porky juiciness and retaining a healthy layer of melt-in-the-mouth fat in the process. The accompanying salad featured dazzlingly fresh ingredients which blended harmoniously, resulting in a clean and bright dish with balance.

Pork Belly Bao

The pork belly bao was wonderful. Featuring the tried and true flavour combination of hoisin sauce and crispy pork belly, it truly hit the mark. The outside of the bun was pan fried, resulting in a crisp exterior which echoed the crispy pork belly within.

Ricotta gnocchi, roasted pumpkin, walnuts, shaved parmesan, basil oil

Our favourite dish of the night, the house made ricotta gnocchi was simply superb. It was a faultless dish of light, fluffy gnocchi with a crisp exterior combined with sweet roasted pumpkin, crunchy walnuts and wonderful freshness from the basil oil.  

Rhubarb & frangipani tart, soft meringue, vanilla bean ice cream

This striking dessert of Rhubarb and frangipani tart was an explosion of flavour. The soft meringue was addictively sweet and melted in the mouth. Paired with the exquisitely short crumbly pastry, gooey rhubarb centre and vanilla bean ice cream, it was a beautifully balanced dessert.

Chocolate & Nutella pave, saffron pear, mascarpone 

Featuring rich chocolate and Nutella, the pave was a decadent end to a decadent meal. The saffron pear was desirably tender and fragrant and paired well with the chocolate, as did the mascarpone.

Selection of truffles (white chocolate, lemon & coconut, cherry & dark chocolate, almond & dark chocolate, pistachio & dark chocolate)

Located in the heart of Richmond, Public House delivers on all fronts - the dishes are bold and diverse, the staff friendly and the environment modern and relaxed.

Location: 435 Church Street, Richmond, Melbourne

Phone: 03 9421 0187

Link: http://publichouse.com.au/
Cuisine: Modern Australian

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Public House.

The Racecourse Hotel

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of The Racecourse Hotel.

Established in 1858, The Racecourse Hotel has a long and rich history with the locals in Malvern East.

The pub is located on the corner of Waverly and Dandenong Road directly across Monash University and is within walking distance from the Caulfield Racecourse. Its location makes it easily accessible by tram or train.

The venue has recently been refurbished, boasting a new dining room which is ready to serve the locals with pub classics, modern fare and excellent service. 

Caramelized scallops with prosciutto & cauliflower cream

The bistro is opened 7 days a week from midday til late. The chefs have developed a menu that features pub favourites as well as signature dishes to ensure there is something for everyone.

Lamb kofta w pearl cous cous, smoked eggplant relish &coriander leaves

We started with entrees of Caramelized scallops and Lamb kofta. The scallops were plump and worked well with the creamy cauliflower puree. The Lamb Kofta on the other hand was a simple and tasty starter that was packed with flavour.

Eye fillet – 200gm Served with chips & house made tomato relish w your choice of sauce

Veal saltimbocca with prosciutto, fried sage and burnt butter w nicola potatoes

The veal was our favourite course from the evening. Beautifully tender, the veal had a melt in your mouth consistency. The prosciutto added a delightful salinity to the dish while the fried sage delivered a mouth-watering aroma. 

We enjoyed the option of having Greek coffee with our desserts.

Rhubarb and pear crumble

The Rhubarb and pear crumble consisted of syrupy morsels of rhubarb and pear which harmonised with the biscuit-like crumble.

Chocolate fondant

The chocolate fondant was lovely and featured an oozy chocolate centre. 

With a clean fresh look that honours the stories told by this significant structure; Racecourse Hotel and its people are here to make your visit a memorable one.

Location: 895 Dandenong Road  Malvern East

Phone: 03 9571 2154

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

Cuisine: Pub Food, Modern

The Wolf and I

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of The Wolf and I. Mention this review when you book for a special complimentary surprise.

Combining Scandinavian-inspired interior, great Aussie pub grub and a firm focus on affordable hospitality, the Wolf and I is a great addition to Windsor’s bustling food precinct.

The venue sits upon a historic site which occupies the former old Swan Hotel and is split into three distinct areas:  front bar, dining room and casual seating areas. The ambience is warm and inviting with stylish furnishings and fittings, exposed brick walls and timber ceilings. 

The kitchen is in safe hands with Head Chef Daniel Groom leading the charge. Groom had his most recent stint at Leftbank Restaurant and Bar and has a decade worth of experience at impressive dining establishments in the UK and Denmark.  

The menu features Modern Australian fare as well as pub classics. 

Duck cigars with chilli jam sauce

An Asian take on the cigar, the mouth-watering pastry cigars were delightful. Biting through thin, crunchy exterior pastry, our taste buds were greeted with a flavoursome concoction of tender duck, carrot, coriander and crisp shallots. 

Quinoa salad

An enlivening salad of quinoa, roasted pumpkin, sunflower seeds, Danish feta, candied walnuts, parsley and brought together with a basil pesto dressing, the salad was a medley of exciting flavours and textures which will appeal to even the most carnivorous individuals.

Barramundi, carrot puree, bacon lardons, barramundi croquettes, israeli cous cous, sweet corn & red wine jus

The quality of the barramundi was exemplary. The skin of the fish was perfectly seared to be very crisp while the flesh was delicate and moist. It was a wonderfully simple dish that allowed the natural subtle sweetness of the fish to be enjoyed.

Lamb rump, broad beans, pea puree, lamb beignets, gratin potato & balsamic jus

The lamb rump was an excellent dish. The lamb was very tender and fell away easily with the weight of our forks. Coated with a beautiful balsamic jus sauce, both items were very enjoyable to consume. The accompanying balsamic jus was beautiful, as was the pea puree which was creamy and well-seasoned.

Sticky date pudding with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream

Mastering the perfect amount of sweetness, this dessert was a truly ambrosial version of the classic sticky date pudding. The pudding was well made and decadently coated in copious amounts of luscious caramel sauce.

Chocolate fondant, mascarpone cream, hazelnut crumbs and pistachio ice cream

Well made with a rich billowing chocolate centre and a slightly crisp cake exterior, this dessert would delight any chocolate lover.  The pistachio ice cream which accompanied the fondant matched it well and was refreshingly light and fragrant.  

The Wolf and I offers uncomplicated, affordable, masterfully executed pub favourites as well as Modern Australian dishes within a highly contemporary fit-out which combines the best of old and new. 

Location: 152 Chapel Street, Windsor 

Phone: 03 9510 1819

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

Cuisine: Pub Food, Modern Australian

Don't forget to mention this review when you book for a special complimentary surprise!

Italian Yum Cha @ The Grand

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of The Grand.

The Grand is celebrating The Age’s Good Food Month by bringing an Italian twist to the Chinese classic way of doing lunch - Italian Yum Cha.

Like all good Yum cha you just sit back, relax and wait for the food to come to you with the added bonus of being able to order off a delectable list of special dishes from their a la carte yum cha menu.

The award-winning dining room at The Grand serves up simple, authentic Italian food with an emphasis on both quality ingredients and value and their Yum Cha maintains that high standard. It is no surprise that they are currently one of only two AGFG chefs hatted Pub in Australia - an honour that has been bestowed upon The Grand 9 times now.

The Grand comprises distinct spaces. There is the elegant dining room, the chic lounge bar and three function rooms (each named after towns on the shores of Lake Como) which range from the Bellagio Room which sits up to 16 persons to the Como Room which accommodates up to 80 persons. 

Aperol Spritz "tea" with house-made bread, olives and white bean puree

One of our favourite dishes was the braised ox cheek with baked polenta (pictured above). An excellent homely dish, the braised ox cheek fell away easily with the weight of the forks. Coated with the earthy braising sauce, it was most enjoyable when eaten with the decadent and well-seasoned polenta. 

Crudo with egg yolk, pickled enoki mushroom and cress

The thick slices of very fresh crudo were served with pickled enoki mushroom and cress. The dish was notable for the quality of the fish and the interplay between the tartness of the pickled mushroom and the richness of the creamy egg yolk. It was a simple but well executed dish. 

Left: Spanner crab in bread crumb pasta parcels

Right: Wild boar lasagne

The spanner crab pasta was beautiful.  Within the layer of superbly cooked bread crumb pasta were soft shreds of sweet spanner crab.  The tomato and saffron provided fresh flavours to complement the delicious crab meat.

The wild boar lasagna was yet another highlight. Each layer of superbly cooked pasta was adorned with delicious cheese and tender meat. The tomato veloute provided fresh flavours while the cheese brought all the elements on the plate together in a cohesive fashion.

Ox tongue with frizze, capers and mustard fruit

The centrepiece ox tongue possessed a beautiful depth of flavour, with the salinity in the capers helping to alleviate the richness of the decadent tongue.

Left: Potato gnocchi with brown butter and sage

Right: Chargrilled marinated tuna skewers

The light gnocchi captivated with its delightfully pungent truffle aroma and its lingering rich brown butter flavour while the chargrilled marinated tuna skewers were perfectly cooked.

Seared scallops on squid ink zucchini spaghetti

A positive highlight, this dish showcased complex but well balanced flavours.  The scallops were perfectly seared and bursting with natural flavour, a flavour further enhanced by the subtle sweetness of the zucchini spaghetti. It was a magnificent dish.

Left: Italian doughnuts with crema pasticcera

Right: Cannoli

Noughart semifreddo

While all the desserts were beautiful, the Noughart semifreddo was a stand out. Possessing a lovely smooth texture, the right level of sweetness and crunch, the semifreddo was well made and bursting with flavour. 

Combining the 2 things we love: Italian food and Yum cha, this was always going to be a success story. It is clear that the chefs have been having a great time rethinking Italian food from a yum cha prospective and the results are simply delicious. 

When: The first four Saturday and Sunday lunches in November

Where: The Grand Dining Room, 333 Burnley Street, Richmond

Cost: Pay for what you eat

Bookings essential: 03 9429 2530