Restaurant Review: Great Northern Hotel

Location: 644 Rathdowne St, Carlton North
Phone: 03 9380 9569
Link: gnh.net.au
Cuisine: English/Irish
Overall Impression: 7/10

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.

Holgate ESB

This genuine, English style of beer shows greater complexity and depth of flavour than its artificially carbonated and pasteurised competitors. A pint of this brings J and I right back to the time we spent in the UK. We were glad to hear that they recently installed a second hand pump!

Apart from excellent beer, Great Northern Hotel provides good food at reasonable prices.

Asian Style Beef Salad

Marinated and fried beef strips, cucumber, chilli tomato, and bean shoots with a soy and sesame dressing

Veal Parmigiana oven baked and served with a choice of beer battered fries and salad or vegetables and baked potato.

Spaghetti Bolognaise a rich red wine and beef sauce, nestled in fresh cooked spaghetti and topped with shaved parmesan

Our visits are always satisfying so it is easy to see why Great Northern Hotel has been gaining a cult following in recent times.

Restaurant Review: Dessert House Eatery

Location: 313 Swanston St, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9663 2284
Cuisine: Hong Kong Cafe Style food
Overall Impression: 5/10

This place is great for their Hong Kong style cafe food. Of particular note is the Lemongrass chicken. With friendly service and a well-priced menu, the appeal is obvious.

Restaurant Review: Portofina

Location: 984 Doncaster Rd, Doncaster East
Phone: 03 9841 7922
Link: portofina.com.au
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Overall Impression: 4/10

My bosom buddy, G and I decided to catch up at Portofina, mainly because of my limited driving skills. Portafina is a few kilometres straight down the road from where she lives. I was picking her up in my car and I didn’t want to have to drive very far or make too many turns without my GPS because I have no sense of direction and cannot read a map.

After looking at the menu and deciding on what we would like, we made our orders to an incredibly impatient and rude waitress. G and I were immediately put off by the place (hence the thumbs down in the picture).

Quiche and salad

Chicken parma burger

Our food arrived and it was of a passable standard. The older lady that brought our food to the table was much nicer so I wouldn’t say that the service is bad all round. The food itself was at best ordinary. To the restaurant’s credit however, the menu is popularly priced, with none of their lunch items costing over $10. Unfortunately, that does not do much in terms of gaining G and I’s patronage in the future.

Restaurant Review: Taiwan Cafe

Location: 273 Swanston St, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9663 6663
Cuisine: Taiwanese street food
Overall Impression: 5/10

Celebrating Taiwanese street food, this little eatery has become increasingly popular. Having come to our attention due to the long queues we had been seeing, we were curious to see if the hype was justified.  

Pork Dumplings with Hot & Sour noodle soup

The dumplings in my noodles were pleasant but the hot and sour soup was neither spicy nor sour enough. It lacked that punch synonymous with Taiwanese street food.

Bento Box

As far as Taiwanese bento boxes go, this ticked every “box”!

All in all, this is a nice eatery that I would revisit but only if I could get a seat easily.

Restaurant Review: I Love Pho 264

Location: 264 Victoria St, Richmond
Phone: 03 9427 7749
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Overall Impression: 6/10

Boxing Day sales were upon us. It had been a tiring but productive day. J, with my help, (looking for sizes was a nightmare!) managed to get a sexy, well-fitting black suit for 40% off the RRP. We had also successfully “net-worked” randomly with another couple over pre-dinner drinks at a trendy bar in Southbank. This was particularly victorious on my part because I was born socially awkward. I’m not sure what happened but somewhere between finishing the first half of my glass of wine to heading off for dinner, we had exchanged business cards. It was reason to celebrate!

Not wanting to stuff our faces for the umpteenth time this week, we decided to have a light dinner to celebrate. Having heard of the aptly named “I Love Pho” (a sentiment I share) from food blogging circles, we decided to make our way there.

The place was buzzing with Pho-lovers.

Prawn and pork rice paper rolls

As customary in every Vietnamese restaurant that J and I have been to, we decided to start the meal with Pork and Prawn rice paper rolls. We were glad we did. These were the best that we have ever had. The beautifully thin and delicate rice paper encased fresh herbs and ingredients. The sauce was of particular note. It was incredibly scrumptious when eaten with the rice paper rolls. It had the perfect hint of spice from a chilli sauce that had been added right up the top. It was a great appetiser and a wonderful start to our meal.

Rice noodle soup: sliced beef and brisket

Rice noodle soup: shredded chicken

Both the Pho dishes were lovely. The broth was a lot more delicate and subtle in flavour in comparison to your run of the mill Vietnamese pho. The flavours appeared to be far less intense to our “local” Vietnamese eatery, Codo. That said, the broth tasted a lot more real (i.e. made of real chicken and beef stock as opposed to laden with MSG). It was certainly pleasant to eat.

Although slightly overrated, the appeal of I Love Pho is certainly easy to see. With a clear focus on rice noodle soups, it looks like a lot of heart and soul has gone into the food, making it a notch above the rest.

Event Review: The Stokehouse and Schweppes Foodathon

Location: 30 Jacka Blvd, St Kilda
Phone: 03 9525 5555
Link: stokehouse.com.au
Cuisine: Modern Australian

 

J and I were fortunate enough to be invited to an exclusive Nuffnang Foodathon event at the iconic Stokehouse in St Kilda on Thursday the 8th of December. This intimate event brought together some of Melbourne's finest food bloggers. I felt extremely privileged to be a part of it. Whilst enjoying the serene sun set over St Kilda beach, our taste buds were spoilt with delicious desserts matched to delectable Schweppes cocktails. The kind people at Schweppes also provided us with all the cocktail recipes. I have reproduced these below for you to try at home! The following are pictures from the evening consisting predominantly of the glorious food and cocktails we were fortunate enough to indulge in.

Cocktail: Creole Crush

Matching dessert: Watermelon sorbet

Creole Crush Recipe:

Ingredients

45 ml gin

Cubed water melon

100 ml Schweppes Agrum Citrus blend

3 lime squeezes

3 sprigs of coriander

Method

•    Place the leaves from the coriander into a sturdy highball glass with    watermelon cubes

•    Crush and add ice and gin.

•    Pour in the Schweppes Agrum Citrus blend and stir well

•    Garnish with a lime wedge and a coriander tip

Cocktail: Mojito

Matching dessert: Mango, rum & chilli, mint sorbet, coconut wafer

Mojito Recipe:

Ingredients:

60ml White Rum

6 mint leaves

20 ml fresh lime juice

10 ml sugar syrup

Schweppes Soda Water

Method:
1. Add mint into a highball
2. Add White Rum, lime juice and sugar syrup
3. Add crushed ice and stir
2. Top with Schweppes Soda Water

Garnish: Mint sprig

Cocktail: The Golden Grape

Matching dessert: Passionfruit mousse, brandy snap

The Golden Grape Recipe:

Ingredients:

45ml Brandy

3 pieces of pink grapefruit

8 green seedless grapes

10ml golden syrup

60ml Schweppes Agrum White Grape & Passionfruit

Method:

1.         Add pink grapefruit and grapes into a mixing glass. Muddle.

2.         Add golden syrup and Schweppes Agrum White Grape
            & Passionfruit.

3.         Add ice, shake and strain into a cocktail glass.

Garnish: Grapefruit peel

Interlude: Pizzas and chips

Cocktail: Miyagi Kyo

Matching dessert: Poached pear, honey ginger biscuit & mascarpone

Miyagi Kyo Recipe:

Ingredients

30ml Scotch

½ nashi pear (diced) or regular pear if unavailable.

20 ml maple Syrup

Lemon wedge

100 ml Schweppes ginger ale

Method

Crush lemon wedge, nashi pear, maple syrup in the base of a sturdy container with a muddler, or end of rolling pin till all ingredients are well mixed. 

Add ice and shake well, strain through tea strainer or fine sieve into a tumbler with ice.

Garnish with nashi pear slice

Cocktail: Blood Orange Cosmo

Matching dessert: Lemon ricotta cake, lemon curd

Blood Orange Cosmo Recipe:

Ingredients:

45ml Vodka

15ml Cointreau

10ml Fresh Lime juice

2 drops Bitters

30ml Cranberry Juice

30ml Schweppes Agrum Blood Orange

Method:
1. Add all ingredients into a Boston Glass
2. Add ice, shake and strain into a cocktail glass
3. Top with Schweppes Agrum Blood Orange

Garnish: Burnt orange zest

Cocktail: Elixer Honey Gin

Matching dessert: Hazelnut Chocolate ice-cream, strawberry sorbet, honeycomb

Elixer Honey Gin Recipe:

Ingredients:
30ml Gin

10ml honey water

15ml orange juice

Method
Add Gin
Top with Elixir

Squeeze orange wedge garnish

Build & stir highball

Thank you Nuffnang, Schweppes and Stokehouse for a lovely evening of indulgence!

Restaurant Review: Dunyazad Lebanese

Location: 329 Doncaster Rd, Doncaster
Phone: 03 9857 8778
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Link: dunyazad.com.au
Overall Impression: 8/10

Aunty M was kind enough to take us all out for a wonderful feasting at Dunyazad to celebrate (THANK YOU, AUNTY M!). And what a feast it was!

MEZZA $17.00

An assortment of dips including Hommus, Baba Ghannouj and Labneh with Tabouleh

We started our meal with a lovely assortment of dips served with freshly baked pita bread. The dips were some of the tastiest I have ever enjoyed. The Babba Ganoush in particular was incredible, with its beautiful smoky flavour.

Every single main dish we ordered was delicious. The Shish Kebab lamb fillets were perfectly cooked- juicy and delectable. The Kafta Bi Tahina lamb mince patties were bursting with flavour. The Shah Rayar lamb fillets were tender and immersed in a rich and hearty curry and the Dunyazad chicken fillets were moist and well-seasoned.

DUNYAZAD (DEJAJ HARR) $26.00

Stir-fried chicken fillets with tomato concasse, chilli, garlic, herbs and lemon juice

SHAH RAYAR $26.00

Lamb fillets cooked in a tomato and curry concasse chick peas and seasoned with a special mixture of Middle Eastern herbs & spices

KAFTA BI TAHINA $25.00

Lamb mince patties mixed with parsley, onion herbs & spices topped with tahina

SHISH KEBAB $24.00

Char-grilled marinated lamb fillets served on skewers

Each main came with two mouth-watering sides: almond and pine nut rice pilaf with loubieh beans. Each course came in generous proportions. It was a feast even though we had opted for the a la carte menu. The four of us struggled to finish what we ordered. As I really did not want the food to go to waste, I plucked up the courage to ask if I could take away the leftovers. I was pleasantly surprised when our waiter graciously packed everything neatly for me to take home. Let’s just say I had an awesome lunch the next day.

Dunyazad delivers on all fronts. It has great well-priced Lebanese food, and the service is impeccable. The wait staff members are incredibly friendly and helpful without being intrusive in the slightest.  This may be my first time at Dunyazad but it certainly will not be my last.

Restaurant Review: Espressino Coffee and Pizza Bar

Location: 68-70 King Street, The Rialto, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9620 4774
Link: http://www.rialto.com.au/espressino.html
Cuisine: Italian
Overall Impression: 6/10

I grew up with the most amazing sister. She is incredibly intelligent, athletic and beautiful both on the inside and out. Growing up, I have always been L’s little sister. People knew me as the younger sister of that really hot chick. I guess that is how Espressino feels, as the sister restaurant to the famous +39 Pizzeria.

The truth is, the pizzas are just as good. And I don’t mean it in a metaphorical, “I am just as good as my sister way, so please love me.” In all seriousness, this is where the comparison departs (my sister and I could not be more different!).

Iced Coffee

Salads – Insalata

Rucola

With Rocket, Avocado, Cherry Tomato & Fresh Pecorino Cheese

Pizza: Gamberi

With Mozzarelle, Zucchini, Prawns & Cherry Tomato

The pizzas served at Espressino are of the same quality and standard to that served at +39. Both eateries rate very high on this blogger’s scale of deliciousness. Notably, their menus are almost identical!  

So, if you like +39 Pizzeria, you will like Espressino – unless there is something about the +39 Pizzeria venue that you particularly love.

Pizza: Salsiccia

With Tomato, Mozzarella, Italian Sausage, Porcini Mushroom & Parmesan

The pizzas are very much what you would expect from a pizzeria in Italy – delicious without being overly complicated with a beautifully thin crust.

Restaurant Review: The European

Location: 161 Spring St, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9654 0811
Link: theeuropean.com.au
Cuisine: European
Overall Impression: 7.5/10

Our resident office foodie Ms L was in charge of the group’s Christmas party this year so we all knew we would be in for a treat. When I found out we were dining at The European I started counting down the days to the event. I adjusted my expectations though – function menus are never particularly impressive. In fact, when they are of a passable standard, it is reason enough to celebrate.

Our party was in the Tea Room, up the stairs from the ever so popular Melbourne Supper Club. The Tea Room is a great function space. With natural light pouring in through the little windows on the side, you see the hustle and bustle of the city as you peer out. The first thing I noticed was the attentiveness of the wait staff. Upon entering the wooden panelled doors, within seconds I was asked if I would like a drink.

Roasted Moreton Bay bug, crispy chicken, cabbage & chervil

Vitello Tomato

The food was of a very high standard. This entrée was beautifully fresh. It was the perfect summer salad. The pieces of Moreton bay bugs were tender and succulent. The slices of crispy chicken were (as its name suggests), crisp without being dry on the inside and well-seasoned. The acidity of the light dressing complemented the freshness of the salad. It was certainly an appetizing dish that was clearly a crowd pleaser.

Roasted eye fillet, Bourguignon garnish

My roasted eye fillet was flawless. Beautifully charred and sealed on the outside and immaculately pink in the middle. The meat was tender, juicy and delicious. The mushroom pie that was served alongside the eye fillet was reasonably good but the eye fillet was clearly (as it should be) the hero of the dish.

We were given two sides. A Roquette salad and some roasted Kipfler potatoes. The Roquette salad was pleasant and acted as a lovely side. The potatoes were unfortunately under-seasoned. However, the moment I added a little salt on them, they came to life. There is something so hearty and comforting about a simple plate of roasted potatoes with generous amounts of rosemary – very Christmas!

Everyone was pleased by how gratifying the dining experience was. Ms L has certainly outdone herself! I am certainly not exaggerating when I say, function-menu wise, this was by far the best food I have ever been served.

Restaurant Review: Naked For Satan

Location: 285 Brunswick St, Fitzroy

Phone: (03) 9416 2238

Link: www.nakedforsatan.com.au

Overall Impression: 6/10

It had been a crazy day and I was in desparate need of some alcohol. So before heading to our dinner venue, J and I decided to stop by Naked for Satan for some vodka infusions and pintxos. We were there on a Tuesday night so the pintxos were a mere 80cents each. Pintxos are basically snacks served in bars, resembling tapas. These snacks, we discovered, were certainly capable of being a meal. A very enjoyable and delicously economical meal.

It was surprising to see that the place was bustling on a Tuesday night but with great snacks and a variety of vodka based drinks, it makes sense.

Another thing we noticed was the variety of pintxos on offer. And while you remain seated, a host of hot pintxos are presented to you and you may choose to accept.

The food is simple and delectable, the service is.. well, it's self-service so, make it as prompt or as laid back as you like. We cannot wait to go back!

Restaurant Review: Bottega

Location: 74 Bourke St, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9654 2252
Link: bottega.com.au
Cuisine: Modern Italian
Overall Impression: 7/10

Located in the CBD, this little Italian eatery is a gem. Celebrating Modern Italian cuisine, the dishes are contemporary without losing the appeal synonymous with classical Italian robust flavours.

We arrived right on time and were promptly greeted by a lovely Maître d'. The restaurant was not surprisingly empty for a mid-week lunch. We benefited from this as the service we received was impeccable.

The dining menu is separated into 4 sections: Entrée, Pasta, Main and Sides. On this occasion, I decided to order pasta and a main.

High-end Italian restaurants usually serve good olive oil with bread and Bottega is no exception. The extra virgin olive oil was delicious. It made waiting for our dishes to arrive very enjoyable.  

House made ricotta gnocchi, cherry tomatoes, fava beans, burrata & light pesto $24

The ricotta gnocchi had the perfect texture. The ingredients were fresh and tasty. Commendably, the flavours in the dish were very well-balanced. It was a perfect summer dish.

Twelve hour roasted goat, burghul, mandarin, fresh dates, almonds, yoghurt dressing $38

The goat was incredibly tender and moist. The flavours were subtle but very pleasant. The only criticism I would make would be with regards to the condiments that were served with the goat. They were quite sweet and overpowered the subtle flavours of the goat when eaten together.

Bottega means “artist's workshop” in Italian – appropriate, given the culinary artwork produced.

Nasi Lemak House

Location: 113 Grattan St, Carlton
Phone: 03 9348 1572
Link: nasilemakhouse.com.au
Cuisine: Malaysian hawker food

Mere minutes away from Melbourne Law School, J and I used to be regular customers at Nasi Lemak House. Now that uni life seems like a distant memory, we rarely visit. On our recent visit, it does not look like things have changed, the furniture looks the same and the menu is still heavily nasi lemak focused. The food always comes in more-than-you-can-finish portions and the service is always prompt. Nothing revolutionary but it certainly satisfies.

Right: Malaysian Loh Mein [$9.80] - Hokkien Noodles, Seafood and Chicken in a Rich and Sour Soup.

Left: Penang Char Kuay Teow [$9.80] - Stir Fry Flat Rice Noodles with Prawns, Cockles, and Beanshoots.

Golden Dragon Palace

Location: 363 Manningham Rd, Lower Templestowe
Phone: 03 9852 4086
Link: goldendragonpalace.com.au
Cuisine: Chinese, Yum Cha
Overall Impression: 6/10

I have visited Golden Dragon Palace for dinner on several occasions and have always been impressed with the food. My all-time favourite dish is their chilli crab. 

Last weekend, we all decided to visit Golden Dragon Palace for a yum-cha brunch.

There was a very good variety of yum cha dishes on offer. Everything was of a good standard.

Desserts: Egg Tart and Tau Fu Fah

Overall, this was a pleasant yum cha experience.

Restaurant Review: Walter's Wine Bar

Location: 12 Southgate St, Southbank

Phone: (03) 9690 9211

Link: www.walterswinebar.com.au

Cuisine: Modern Australian
Overall Impression:
After-work drinks (wine and canapes): 9/10
Restaurant dining experience: 6/10

J has become quite a regular at Walter's Wine Bar. Popping by for after work drinks, he is always impressed with the selection of wines they have on offer. The food that we had was unfortunately not as impressive as their wine list.

Glass of Virgin Hills [Cab Sav, Shiraz, Malbec, Merlot, 2000 Kyneton]

Cabernet & Blends Wine Flight 3 x 60ml $23

A half of 3 Cabernet Blends from 3 wonderful regions in Australia

Entree: Olives & bread $12

Entree: Roasted Hervey Bay Scallops with prosciutto, chilli and garlic butter $26

Entree: House made gnocchi with mushroom sauce, parmesan & white truffle oil $25

Entree: Blue swimmer crab omelette with watercress and oyster sauce $32

Main: The wine bar beef & pork burger, gruyere cheese, green tomato pickle, baby cos, fries and aoili $29

Main: Orange and cardomom glazed half roast duck with fondant potato and cherry sauce $42

The highlight of the meal was the duck. Although it was slightly over cooked, the flavour combinations were beautiful. The luscious pieces of sweet cherry contrasted deliciously with the rich and amply salty and tangy glaze. The portion size for this main was incredibly generous. It was literally half of a whole duck so the descriptions on the menu were by no means a spin on the truth.

Fish wrapped with filo pastry on a bed of tabouli $38

The fish was delicious and perfectly cooked.  And that tabouli was simply the best I have ever had. 

300g “Pure South” grass fed porterhouse, hand cut chips, red wine butter, pepper sauce 45

The steak was slightly overcooked. In terms of taste, it was incredibly ordinary. 

Even though there were clear shortcomings, all in all, it was an enjoyable meal. The level of service we received was impeccable and the staff members were particularly knowledgeable in terms of the wines on offer. However, the items on the menu are dear for what they are - with entrées around the $30 mark and mains around $40. I would therefore, enthusiastically recommend this restaurant for drinks (like I said, they have an impressive wine list!) and canapés after work but not for an incredible dining experience.

Restaurant Review: Terminus Hotel

Location: 492 Queens Pde, Clifton Hill
Phone: 03 9481 3182
Link: terminus.com.au
Cuisine: Steak House
Overall Impression: 8/10

The Terminus Hotel is an unassuming little pub that takes its steaks very seriously. The menu boasts an array of high quality meat selections.

Both J and I have been looking high and low for a good steakhouse that would satiate our carnivorous desires and were hopeful that the Terminus Hotel would be “the one”. J's best friend H.R. (known for his doing it live philosophy on life), had recommended the pub to us.

250g sirloin grain fed with pepper sauce cooked medium with beer battered chips $33.90

300g scotch fillet grass fed with horseradish cream cooked medium rare with hand cut chips $36.90

The steaks arrived promptly and they were absolutely perfect. Both the steaks we ordered were cooked to the way we had requested – Medium and Medium Rare. Each steak was perfectly seared on the outside and beautifully juicy and pink on the inside.

It was evident that the meat sourced was of a good standard and there was great pride and care taken in the preparation of the simple-looking but outstanding dishes.

Vanilla pannacotta with passionfruit sorbet $9.90

Eaton Mess $9.90

The desserts were slightly pedestrian but enjoyable nonetheless.

Desserts? Meh.

Steaks? Awesome.



Restaurant Review: Annie Smither's Bistrot & Produce

Location: 72 Piper St, Kyneton,
Phone: 03 5422 2039
Link: http://www.anniesmithers.com.au/
Cuisine: Classic French bistro with a twist
Overall Impression: 7.5/10

Upon entering the restaurant, the bar area is the first sight that greets you. The mood is upbeat and sexy. Within mere seconds, we were greeted by a welcoming Maitre d' who ushered us into the dining area. It is at once a lot warmer and calmer. The exposed brick interior design is natural and rustic, almost homely.

The wine list is not particularly large but there are a good variety of Australian reds on offer. To the restaurant’s credit, there is a lesser than usual mark-up on the wines. Perhaps this is a feature of country restaurants (we experienced the same thing when dining in Rutherglen).

Annie Smithers Bistrot stands out for its garden to table approach on food. We are told that about 90% of the food served is from their garden nearby.

Entree: Mushrooms $19.50
sauteed locally cultivated mushrooms, poached bantam egg, balsamic vinegar

This dish was beautifully simple. It reminds you of how delicious home-grown food can be. The flavours are far more intense and yet natural at the same time. The egg was perfectly poached, with luscious yolk oozing out from the piercing of its albumen by my knife. The mushrooms were palatable and the balsamic vinegar brought just the right hint of acidity to the dish. Simple and to the point.

Main: Fish $36
pan roasted snapper fillet, potato puree, spinach, blue swimmer crab bisque

The snapper was cooked to perfection. The skin was perfectly crisp and the flesh was tender and juicy. The blue swimmer crab bisque was intensely dense in flavour. It was heavenly.

Main: Duck $36
free range corn fed duck, confit leg, spaetzle, spinach, dijon mustard

Main: Lamb $36
slow roasted central highlands lamb leg, bean ragu, potato puree, rosemary

Some pieces of the lamb were unfortunately sinew-ridden. This was forgiven by the fact that the pieces that were not were mouth-wateringly good. It is pertinent to note however that this dish was particularly small compared to the other mains we had ordered, which was disappointing. 

Main: Gnocchi $36
chervil and tarragon, gnocchi parisienne, asparagus, broad beans, creme fraiche, parmesan

Overall, this was a very good dining experience. The calibres of the chefs were clearly on display in every dish we were privileged to devour. There was commendable attention to detail in terms of execution and every dish was well-balanced and full of flavour.

Cafe Review: St. Ali

Location: 12/18 Yarra Pl, South Melbourne
Phone: 03 9686 2990
Link: stali.com.au
Overall Impression: 9/10

J has become quite the coffee enthusiast of late. We find ourselves walking through the most obscure alley ways for coffee. St Ali is J's favourite place for a caffeine hit and it needs no introduction. One of the most distinguished Melbourne institutions for quality coffee, St Ali is a gem. Single origin, house blend, short, long, even siphoned – you are certainly spoiled for choice.

St Ali’s house blend is ultimately my favourite. Subtle without losing its delicate characteristics, it is well-balanced and certainly pleasurable. J and I enjoy it the most in the form of a short macchiato.

Siphon Coffee has been gaining quite a cult following lately. Fashionable back in the 1950s, its popularity has experienced stark ups and downs over the decades but it looks like the trend in favour of it has hit Melbourne like a storm in recent times.

Although delicate and inoffensive, it certainly has not replaced my love for a simple and good short mac. Don’t get me wrong, I can certainly see its appeal but I need my coffee with a little more “POW!”. That said, as far as Siphon Coffee goes, St Ali’s single origin style is the most pleasant we have tried.

It is definitely worth walking through the most obscure alley ways for coffee of this stature.

Restaurant Review: Enlightened Vegetarian Cuisine

Location: 113 Queens Brg St, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9686 9188
Link: ecuisine.com.au
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Overall Impression: 6/10

Good vegetarian places are hard to come by. I remember eating at a vegetarian restaurant off Nanjing Road in Shanghai that was absolutely amazing during my short visit. The faux fish and meat tasted even better than the real thing. It was strange and awe-inspiring at the same time. It was fit for any carnivore or vegetarian who was in denial. Since then, I have been searching for a similar restaurant in Melbourne. The menu on Enlightened Cuisine’s website looked promising so J, HR and I decided to dine there recently.

Beef Rendang

$18.90

Slow cooked beef in coconut milk and flavoured with our house-blend of Asian spices

The Rendang starkly differed from the ones I have eaten in Malaysia and Indonesia. This Rendang has a lot more coconut milk and has a much more fluid consistency. It was pleasant but I would describe it as a "curry" more than a "Rendang". In terms of taste, this dish was the most delicious course we ordered. 

Asam Fish  
$17.90

"Fish" prepared with brinjal, tomato and pineapple, enhanced with a hint of chilli and complimented by our own special hot and sour tamarind sauce

Ginger Duck
$17.90
"Duck" in ginger sauce

Kung Po Chicken in Nest

$20.90   

Chilli spiced "chicken" with mixed vegetables and cashews served in a potato basket

All in all, this was a very pleasant dining experience. It is notable that all the faux meat and fish tasted exactly the same, which was rather disappointing. As such, the food did not live up to my dining experience in that Shanghai restaurant. That said, the food was very much enjoyable to eat and the service was prompt and friendly. We will certainly return in the not too distant future

Restaurant Review: Meat and Wine Co

Location: Freshwater Pl, 3 Queensbridge St, Southbank
Phone: 03 9696 5333
Link: themeatandwineco.com
Cuisine: Modern Australian, Steakhouse
Overall Impression: 7/10

An hour lunch break simply isn’t enough for dining at a restaurant. This is where express lunches come in. They guarantee you will be in and out in a jiff when you feel like giving yourself a little treat without eating up more than the 45 minutes you have.

As far as express lunches go, the one offered by Meat & Wine Co is a bargain. For $25 you receive a delicious main and a glass of wine. In our experience, the food is consistently good. The following are our two favourite mains from the express lunch menu:

Pork Belly

"Twice cooked pork belly with sticky soy caramel, served with crispy shallot rice, roasted peanuts and Asian salad dressed with kaffir lime and chilli dressing"

This is very well-prepared. The pork belly has a good crackling and the salad is balanced and fresh.

Eye of Rump

"200g Eye of Rump grilled to perfection in our in-house basting and served with super crunchy chips"

The steak is always perfectly cooked - juicy, tender and absolutely scrumptious. Their famous "super crunchy chips" are everything you would expect - Yes, super crunchy.

Restaurant Review: Jacques Reymond

Location: 78 Williams Road, Prahran VIC 3181
Phone: (03) 9525 2178
Link: http://www.jacquesreymond.com.au/
Cuisine: French
Overall Impression: 10/10

Perfect. Jacques Reymond is awe-inspiring on every facet you could possibly imagine. The service, execution, and presentation of the dishes are faultless. Even the order that the courses come in is perfect.
Their 8 course degustation with matching wines is luxuriously sumptuous and designed to please. And please, it certainly does! This option will set you back a hefty $285 a head but is certainly well worth the experience. Each course is perfectly balanced and delicious. There is extraordinary attention to detail. It is apparent that everything has been intelligently designed. It is no coincidence but the work of mastermind, Jacques himself. Of course every good meal must be accompanied by good wine and in this instance; we were pleased to see that the wines perfectly matched the food. This truly added a whole level of enjoyment to the meal. I would liken the degustation to being taken by Jacques on a culinary journey. The following is a list of the courses we were privileged to devour and the matching wines we had, with pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Choux pastry on arrival

We were given several choices of bread to choose from.

Lemongrass, spinach and rock lobster soup, fragrant Tiger prawn, sweet potato and turmeric ice cream

Matched with: 2004 Tyrrell’s HVD Semillon, Single Vineyard, Hunter Valley, NSW

Sandwich of spanner crab, mirin and fresh wasabi jelly, lacquered Petuna ocean trout, black bean and sweetcorn dressing

Wild barramundi, almond and bush mountain pepper caramel, yoghurt and black garlic, kaffir lime and lemongrass espuma

Matched with: 2009 Toolangi Estate ‘Jacques Reymond Selection’ Chardonnay, Yarra Valley, Vic

Peking duck and Hervey bay scallops, peking juices, spiced marshmallow like a crêpe, ginger sesame and pandan oil

Matched with: 2007 Bass Phillip ‘Jacques Reymond Selection’ Pinot Noir, SE Gippsland, Vic

Highland venison like a warm carpaccio, horseradish mustard dressing, butternut pumpkin with honey and bitter chocolate beignet

Matched with: 2006 Dalwhinnie ‘Jacques Reymond Selection’ Shiraz, Pyrenees, Vic

Western plains suckling pig and tamarind, celeriac and bitter almond, dashi apple veil, dancing bonito flakes and rosella chutney salad, cavalo nero

Matched with: 2007 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Clos du Mont Olivet, Les Fils de Joseph Sabon, Rhône Valley, France

Pacific Rim martini of pineapple, passionfruit and banana, liquorice ice cream and honeycomb
As far as pre-desserts go, this surpasses them all.

Millefeuilles of chocolate: white chocolate mousse, pure Caribbean chilli ice cream, dark chocolate mousse and praline ice cream

Matched with: NV SeppeltsField Grand Tokay (Topaque), Barossa Valley, SA

Coffee and petits fours

And I am still in awe.

The thing about dining at Jacques Reymond is that it takes dining to a whole different level. If you want to be awed and taste delicious flavours you never knew existed, this is where you want to go. Although some of the dishes are somewhat unconventional, the flavours ultimately match each component and what you get is one amazing dish after another. Expect everything to be cooked to perfection. And yes, everything will taste even better than it looks on the plate.