Restaurant Review: Sushi Monger

Location: 17/ 309 Bourke Street, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9663 0899
Cuisine: Sushi, Japanese
Overall Impression: 7/10

Believe the hype. With an appropriately simple and fresh menu, Sushi Monger ticks all the right boxes. With an emphasis on fresh and high quality ingredients, it certainly aims to please and does! Their house-made miso soup is certainly commendable and a notch above the average MSG-ridden stuff.

3 sushi rolls and miso soup $6.80

Teriyaki Salmon $9.80

Sushi Monger is one of the best under $10 lunch options in the CBD. The food served is fresh and the prices are very low. There is always a long queue during the weekday lunch hour rush but the staff are efficient enough so everyone gets fed pretty quickly.

Melbourne Comedy Festival event review: Girl Going To Hell

Gastrology bloggers attended a show by New York stand-up Abigoliah Schamaun tonight. Schamaun has been making quite a splash with her Melbourne International Comedy Festival show, “Girl Going To Hell”, receiving great reviews last weekend in Herald Sun, Yawp and Crikey.

Schamaun will be performing every night at 9.45pm at the Tuxedo Cat, 17-21 Wills St, Melbourne, until April 9th (inclusive). 

Gastrology bloggers attended, ‘Girl Going To Hell’ courtesy of Jameson PR

Restaurant Review: Best Food Gallery

Location: 599 Station Street, Box Hill
Phone: 03 9897 1448
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
Overall Impression: 5/10

While it is hardly a “Best Food Gallery”, the food is of a reasonable standard and incredibly well priced.

We opted for the $60 banquet which more than amply fed the five of us. The banquet included a cold entree, soup, 3 meat dishes, 1 vegetarian dish and dessert. There was plenty of food to go around. The ambience is not great but the service is friendly and prompt. 

Restaurant Review: Dainty Sichuan Food (Bourke Street)

Location: Level 2, 206 Bourke Street, Melbourne

Phone: 03 9650 2188

Cuisine: Chinese, Sichuan

Overall Impression: 6/10

The warnings from my visit to the original Dainty Sichuan apply - It is not for the faint-hearted (not surprising, given Dainty Sichuan Food is the sister restaurant to Dainty Sichuan).

Serving up authentic chilli, pepper and garlic laden Chinese cuisine from the Sichuan province, the food is delightfully complex and flavoursome. Our only disappointed was that our favourite item on the original Dainty Sichuan menu, Fish flavoured Eggplant, was missing but it gave us the opportunity to try different things.

As expected, the dinner featured some of the spiciest dishes I have ever encountered. As with the original Dainty Sichuan, the food was delicious although potently spicy.

All in all, Dainty Sichuan Food delivers a fiery experience much like Dainty Sichuan. But given it is missing my favourite eggplant dish, it comes second best in my books.

Restaurant Review: Wood and Chimney

Location: 332 Clarendon Street, South Melbourne
Phone: 03 9699 6199
Link: http://www.woodnchimney.com.au/ 
Cuisine: Italian, Modern Australian, Pizza
Overall Impression: 6/10

Wood n’ Chimney on Clarendon Street is family-friendly restaurant. Their menu features a good variety of items that will suit most. 

Aubergine Fingers 

parmesan crumbed eggplant fingers served with remolade 

Lamb Tagine 

slow cooked lamb w moroccan spices served w cous cous salad 

Thai Beef Salad 

pan seared beef strips tossed in thai dressing, mix lettuce, capsicum,carrots, mango, coriander, fresh chilli 

Nutella Calzone

The highlight of our dinner was definitely the nutella calzone. It was light, fluffy and absorbed the indulgent nutella and chocolate sauce. The fresh strawberries inside the calzone were also a lovely touch. It was a great way to end our meal. 

Although we were not particularly impressed by the food we ordered, overall, it was a good dining experience. The service was friendly and prompt and we liked the casual and relaxed ambience Wood n’ Chimney has.

Restaurant Review: Shanghai 1930

Location: 959 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill

Phone: 03 9899 8666
Link: http://www.shanghai1930.com.au/
Cuisine: Chinese
Overall Impression: 7/10

J and I recently had a 10 course banquet dinner at Shanghai 1930 that featured delicious Chinese delicacies like lobster served with noodles and ginger sauce abalone. 

We were pleasantly surprised by how good the food was. Each dish used good quality ingredients and had great flavour. Unfortunately, the overall dining experience was let down by the service. While the waitstaff were polite and willing to help when help was requested, there was a general lack of attentiveness. We found ourselves having to stand up quite a few times over the course of our dinner for things like more tea or water. 

Restaurant Review: Man Tong Kitchen

Location: Southbank Crown Entertainment Complex, 8 Whiteman Street,  Southbank
Phone: 03 9686 9888
Link: http://www.mantongkitchen.com.au/
Cuisine: Chinese, Yum Cha, Dumplings
Overall Impression: 7.5/10

Sister restaurant of Hu Tong, Man Tong is a fabulous new addition to the Crown casino restaurants precinct. Meaning “full house” in Chinese, the restaurant celebrates the Chinese tradition of having a house full of family members and friends sharing in a feast together. 

Steamed Pork Dumplings (6 pieces) (North China) - $11.80 

Deep Fried Boneless Chicken with Dry Chilli (Chong Qing) - $29.80 

 Braised Enoki Mushroom, Gluten and Vegetables in Clay Pot - $28.00 

Diced Eye Fillets in Tea Flavour (Fujian) - $33.80

The food was authentic and featured popular dishes from the different cities in China. Every dish was executed well and used good quality ingredients. Man Tong certainly delivers and is a great way to explore Chinese cuisine.

 

Event Review: FOG's American Regional Cuisine Monthly Dinners

Location: 142 Greville Street,  Prahran
Phone: 03 9521 3155
Link: http://www.fog.com.au/
Cuisine: Modern Australian, Wine Bar, Breakfast/Brunch
Overall Impression: 8.5/10

Just off Greville Street in Prahran, FOG Bar and Restaurant (FOG) immediately transports you to a world of old school luxury, combined with a dash of the ultra-modern.

The moody colour scheme and lighting create an ambience of subdued elegance, accented by pairs of small Art Deco style lamps that sit at regular intervals along the vast wooden bar lining one side of the dining room. A wonderful contrast is provided by the bright red flocked twig chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and skilful use of mirrors. 

Gastrology bloggers were privileged to be invited to FOG’s (first of ten) American Regional Cuisine Monthly Dinners. 

The 10 monthly dinners celebrate the increased awareness of American Regional Cuisine in Australia and showcase the enormous variety from the many states and regions of the USA. 

Jeremy Sutphin, Executive Chef at FOG (left) and Sam Frantzeskos, owner of FOG (right) 

Originally from Montgomery Alabama, Jeremy Sutphin (Executive Chef at FOG) worked under Mark Miller at New Mexico’s renowned Coyote Café, famed for inventing southwest cuisine. Staying true to his roots, Sutphin has designed a modern Australian menu drawing heavily from the flavours of south-western USA. 

The resulting flavour combinations, whilst unashamedly avant-garde, work. Each course was well thought out, wonderfully balanced and interesting. Sutphin’s classical French training is also clear as each course is presented with elegance and finesse. 

Ahi tuna poke, sriracha aioli, raw soy, spring onion, cucumber & wakame

Beef tataki, ponzu sauce, green papaya, Thai basil, chilli, capsicum & crispy shallots

The two main courses were particular standouts. 

Miso glazed hapuka fillets, black rice, broccolini & coconut kaffir lime broth

The miso glazed hapuka fillets were soft and moist, and when combined with the black rice and coconut kaffir lime broth, yielded a stunning explosion of flavour. 

Ginger beef eye fillet, shitake mushrooms, miso baby bok choy & wasabi potatoes

The ginger beef eye fillet was beautifully tender and perfectly cooked. The use of miso was a masterstroke, resulting in the dish being loaded with umami - absolutely moreish. 

Haupia, coconut pudding, caramelised pineapple & dark rum sponge cake

Green tea crème brulee with macadamia nut cookies.

The service at FOG was just how it should be - extremely attentive, warm and unobtrusive. 

FOG Bar and Restaurant delivers excellent, unique food in a wonderfully understated, elegant setting. It provides a perfect backdrop to meet with friends over a cocktail (or three) and treat yourself to some of the good things in life.

The next American Regional Cuisine Monthly Dinner at FOG is on Thursday the 4th of April. This dinner will feature New England cuisine which originates from the Northeastern Region in the United States. The menu features mouth-watering items like Grilled New York strip steak, succotash, braised chard & “old bay” demi glace and “Boston cream pie”!

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of FOG.

Acland St. Cantina Launch

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

“Not another Mexican restaurant!” I hear you say. But far from being just another new Mexican eatery serving average fare and cashing in on the trend, Acland St Cantina is the real deal.

Gastrology bloggers were privileged to be invited to the Acland St Cantina official launch party and were blown away by the quality of food served.

The space embodies the heart and soul of Mexico with a modern twist. It is divided into several sections such as a shop, cafe and bar/dining area - each with their own distinct feel and mood. 

The menu features both classic Mexican cuisine and some other less common delights – all of which are fresh, delicious and affordable. The dishes have obviously been crafted with great care and attention and exhibit a degree of innovation and authenticity lacking in many of the Mexican restaurants opening up all over Melbourne. 

Paul Wilson, Chef Director of the Melbourne Pub Group and Nick Giannopoulos, Actor/Comedian

Get in sooner rather than later - Acland St Cantina is the next big thing. It is a wonderful addition to the Melbourne Pub Group and the St Kilda dining scene and we will certainly be returning with friends.  

Images courtesy of Anthony Licuria of APL Photography 

Restaurant Review: Afghan Masala

Location: 247 Thomas Street, Dandenong
Phone: 03 9791 2226
Link: http://www.afghanmasala.com.au/
Cuisine: Afghan
Overall Impression: 6/10

I recently had a conversation with a taxi driver who informed me that Dandenong has amazing Afghani food. According to him, all I had to do was visit “any” Afghan restaurant in Dandenong and it would be great. So, when J and I found ourselves in Dandenong on our drive back from Mount Martha, we knew we had to stop by for some Afghan cuisine.

We walked along Thomas Street, stumbled upon Afghan Masala and decided to venture in. 

The restaurant menu is divided into Indian and Afghan cuisine. We ordered a few things to share from the Afghan cuisine section and were both very pleased with the food we received. 

Of particular note was our eggplant with minced beef dish. It was an explosion of delectable flavours. The eggplant was succulent and delicious. 

Our meal ended on a sweet note with a selection of desserts from the counter. These were by far the best Indian/Afghan sweets we have ever had. Everything tasted incredibly fresh.

Afghan Masala is a lovely Afghan/Indian restaurant that serves honest food – simple and to the point. The service is warm and friendly and the menu is very reasonably priced.

Restaurant Review: Beasley's Tea House

Location: 196 Warrandyte Road, Warrandyte
Phone: 03 9844 1777
Link: http://www.beasleysteahouse.com.au/ 
Cuisine: Breakfast/Brunch, Modern Australian, Coffee
Overall Impression: 7/10 

Set within a nursery in leafy Warrandyte, Beasley's Tea House is a welcoming restaurant that exudes an air of calm and tranquillity.

The dining area is furnished tastefully in a casual and simple style, with wooden furniture and a view of the beautiful nursery fostering a feeling of warmth and cosiness. 

This is further reinforced by the friendly and courteous service.

The menu comprises many breakfast favourites and delicious lunch options, along with Merle Beasley's famous scones. 

The steak was excellent. It was perfectly cooked (medium) and was paired with a delicious red wine jus and lovely wilted spinach. This was a simple dish that was perfectly executed - delicious. 

The fish tasted incredibly fresh and was again cooked to perfection – tender, juicy and full of flavour. Each element on the dish complemented the other. It was lovely. 

The desserts from the counter were of a similar high standard.   

The carrot cake was a particular standout. The cake was moreish, moist, perfectly balanced and beautifully textured as a result of the ground walnuts. 

The flourless orange cake had a delightful tartness and was again, very moist. 

Beasley's Tea House over delivers in every respect. The ambience is relaxed, the service courteous and the food is simple, very well priced and perfectly executed.

 

Restaurant Review: Fu Long

Location: 942 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill
Phone: 03 9890 7388
Cuisine: Chinese
Overall Impression: 5/10 

Fu Long continues to draw in the crowds because of its value for money proposition. The yumcha carts are filled with generous serves of dumplings and other deep-fried favourites that are all very well priced. 

Both the food and the service is of a relatively good standard. 

In their a la carte menu section, is their lobster noodles that are served with plump lobsters and more than enough noodles. Again, at lower than average Chinese restaurant prices.

So, if you feel like getting bang for your buck, Fu Long might just hit the spot!

The Wise Tapas Bar & Restaurant Launch

Location: 173 High Street, Prahan
Phone: 03 9533 7791  
Link: http://thewise.com.au/ 
Cuisine: Spanish, Breakfast, Coffee, Tapas 

Located just off iconic Chapel Street, The Wise is Prahran’s newest tapas bar and café. 

Gastrology bloggers were privileged to attend the launch of The Wise last night.

The venue resembles an old study, a professor’s office if you like, with walls endowed with posters of academic greats like Albert Einstein and Leonardo DaVinci. 

Old newspapers, typewriters and academic memorabilia dispersed throughout add to the vibe of the place. 

The painted ceiling is littered with famous scholastic quotes from philosophers and poets of yester year. 

During the day, The Wise is the perfect scene for interesting conversation over organic fair trade coffee (made by the Barista, Bobby) or a relaxing Sunday brunch with the family. 

At night, the mood lighting creates a funky vibe and The Wise transforms into a sexy bar with a cocktail menu that will tempt any scholar, philosopher or poet. 

The Wise’s tapas menu is delightful and allows you to select dishes from around the globe. 

The tapas menu ranges from Andalusian Pescado, Pollo al Chilindron to traditional Spanish Paella. 

Jessica Dalziell and Gregory Young

Owners Jessica Dalziell and Gregory Young are clearly passionate about the business and source products of the finest quality for use in their kitchen. 

The Wise is certainly an exciting new addition to Prahran’s culinary scene.

Images courtesy of Anthony Licuria of APL Photography 

 

Cafe Review: 2Pocket Fairtrade Espresso Bar

Location: 277 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Link: http://www.twopocket.com.au/
Cuisine: Coffee, Bakery, Organic
Overall Impression: 6/10

2Pocket Fairtrade Espresso Bar and Store is one of Melbourne’s most exciting new cafes. With the aim of supporting disadvantaged producers improve their lives through business and commerce, this cosy little café has an ambience as lovely as its purpose.

The signature coffee blend is velvety and nutty with a brilliant aroma. I highly recommend their long macchiato. However, if you like your coffees milkier, you will find that they do an excellent cappuccino as well.

Cappuccino

Hot Chocolate

Certainly worth a visit!

Cafe Review: Snow Pony

Location: 95 Whitehorse Road,  Deepdene (Balwyn)
Phone: 03 9816 8911
Link: http://www.snowpony.com.au/
Cuisine: Breakfast/Brunch, Modern Australian, Organic
Overall Impression: 5.5/10

Snow Pony is a trendy little café in Balwyn.

The menu features brunch and lunch items alongside a few sweets (of particular note is their famous banana bread with coffee mascarpone and crushed pistachios).

Spiced roasted cauliflower, chickpeas and organic quinoa salad with almonds and feta

Slow cooked shoulder of lamb with carrot and mint salad, harissa dressing, grilled flatbread

While the food is generally of a good standard, the service can range from friendly to downright rude which is a real pity. 

Review: Peppers Mineral Springs Retreat & The Argus Dining Room

Location: 124 Main Road, Hepburn Springs
Phone: 03 5348 4199
Link: http://www.theargusdiningroom.com.au/
Cuisine: Modern Australian

Peppers Mineral Springs Retreat is located in and amongst scenic Daylesford and the Macedon Ranges.

The surroundings are serene, making it the perfect venue for a relaxing weekend away. 

In terms of foodie delights, the Argus Dining Room which is located within the grounds of Peppers Mineral Springs retreat boasts delicious Modern Australian fare with a focus on freshly sourced regional produce. 

I was fortunate enough to enjoy a lovely dinner catered by The Argus Dining Room at the Conservatory. 

Tartar of salmon, with olive and green apple 

Istra smoked ham hock, 63 degree egg and pea soup 

Wild Barramundi fillet, black bean, asparagus and hollandaise 

Birch Estate Lamb 2 ways, heirloom carrots, salted lemon and garlic 

Buttermilk, rhubarb, strawberries, cracked pepper

Honey poached pears, ginger bread, pollen, royal jelly and honeycomb 

The dining experience was very pleasant. Each dish showcased local produce that was executed very well. We were impressed by the good balance of flavours and nicely added textures that came with every course.

Restaurant Review: Gekkazan @ GPO

Location: 28g Postal Lane, 350 Bourke Street, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9663 7767
Cuisine: Japanese, Vegetarian, Sushi
Overall Impression: 8/10

From the people that brought you Kenzan on Flinders Lane, Gekkazan @ GPO is a delight.

The menu features the most authentic and fresh tasting Japanese food which justifies the slightly dearer prices.

I can never go past the spider sushi – the crispy morsels of tempura soft shell crab are to die for. 

The only downfall is its popularity. It is almost impossible to get a seat during the weekday lunch hour rush but if you don’t mind takeaway, Gekkazan certainly delivers. 

WIN A DOUBLE PASS TO 'AROUND AUSTRALIA IN SIX WINES' AT CHADSTONE!

To celebrate Chadstone running Masterclasses from February 15 – 17, 2013, Gastrology and Chadstone are giving away one double pass to AROUND AUSTRALIA IN SIX WINES which will be presented By Ben Knight of benandwine & Boutique Le Vin. 

This Masterclass will allow you to taste your way around Australia. Take your senses from the Limestone Coast to the Barossa, the Yarra Valley to Margaret River and many more wine regions!

As part of this giveaway, you will receive  x1 double pass to attend AROUND AUSTRALIA IN SIX WINES on Friday the 15th of February 2013 from 6-7pm at Chadstone (Lower Level, Outside Lindt, Chadstone The Fashion Capital). 

For your chance to win the two tickets, email us at gastronomicalgastrology@gmail.com by 1pm Wednesday the 13th of February 2013 with your name, preferred email and your favourite wine variety!

Restaurant Review: Chin Chin

Location: 125 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Phone: 03 8663 2000
Link: http://www.chinchinrestaurant.com.au/ 
Cuisine: South East Asian, Thai
Overall Impression: 6/10

Chin Chin Restaurant needs no introduction. Its increasing popularity is clear for all to see. With their no booking policy (all groups of less than 10 people are on a walk in basis), avid fans are willing to wait for up to 2 hours to indulge in their delicious South-East Asian fare. 

Alice, KM and I headed down to Chin Chin for dinner on a Sunday night where the wait wasn’t at all reduced. After an hour, we received a text message saying our table was ready. 

The menu encourages sharing and features a variety of South East Asian hawker food. As expected, the food was a delight to indulge in. 

Chin Chin pork “roll ups” Red braised suckling pig with pancakes, slaw and sour herbs

Spicy hot green papaya salad with chargrilled red chilli, prawn floss and peanuts

Green curry of grilled chicken with salted duck eggs and Thai basil

Everything tasted fresh and had beautiful flavours. Despite the menu items having been tweaked and modernised in comparison to their original counterparts, the dishes retained authentic South East Asian characteristics. 

Crispy skinned duck, pickled cucumber & ginger salad with sesame salt and fresh lemon

Grilled banana roti bread with sweetened condensed milk and cinnamon sugar

GoGo bar

Leading the way for Modern South East Asian cuisine, Chin Chin Restaurant satisfies Melbourne’s lust for spicy and flavoursome street food. While the value for money proposition is questionable, my dining experience was thoroughly enjoyable. However, the no booking policy and resultant queues mean, unfortunately, I will have to think twice before returning.

Foodie Masterclasses at Chadstone

Chadstone is running Masterclasses from February 15 – 17, 2013. This series of hands-on cooking classes allows participants to learn how to create restaurant quality dishes at home thanks to the help of Celebrity Chef Martin Boetz of Longrain, Chris Badenoch from Masterchef and Chadstone Fresh Food and Dining Chefs.

Chadstone has invited Gastrology to attend one of these Masterclasses and we will be blogging about that class very soon!

For more information visit http://www.chadstoneshopping.com.au/febmasterclasses/