Restaurant Review: Sugardough Panificio & Patisserie

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Location: 163 Lygon Street, Brunswick
Phone: 03 9380 4060
Cuisine: Coffee, Modern Australian, Bakery
Overall Impression: 6.5/10
Sugardough is a lovely café in Brunswick.


Sugardough serves good coffee and brunch and has the most tempting array of cake selections. However, due to its popularity, the café is frequently packed which means there might be a bit of a wait before you are seated. 

Sugardough Panificio & Patisserie on Urbanspoon

Restaurant Review: Virginia Plain (now known as Mercy bar + eatery)

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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 (a 500g Free range Gippsland grass-fed Black Angus rib eye with bone marrow sauce). 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.

Virginia Plain on Urbanspoon

Mexi-Mart

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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

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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.

David's on Urbanspoon

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of David's.

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

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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
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 Red Spice Road
..It was great being able to wind down with these cocktails after dinner. 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
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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
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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
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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
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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


Maedaya

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

Restaurant Review: 400 Gradi

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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.

400 Gradi on Urbanspoon

Launch party - The Grain Store

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

The Grain Store on Urbanspoon

Friday nights @ Acland Street Cantina

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

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.

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!

Acland St. Cantina on Urbanspoon

Shinssi Hwaro Korean BBQ Restaurant

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Location: 535 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9670 2466
Link: http://www.shinssi.weebly.com/
Cuisine: Korean, Barbecue, Buffet
Overall Impression: 6/10
Shinssi Hwaro offers reasonably priced and authentic Korean Barbeque.
We loved their delicious sauces (which we are told are house-made). Certainly a great place for a casual catch-up while barbecuing away your meal. The service is consistently polite, friendly and helpful.

Shinssi Hwaro Korean BBQ Restaurant on Urbanspoon

Restaurant Review: Chinta Blues

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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. 

Chinta Blues on Urbanspoon

Breakfast @ Cumulus Inc.

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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!

Cumulus Inc. on Urbanspoon

Event: Pork and Pinot dinner @ Middle Park Hotel

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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.

Middle Park Hotel on Urbanspoon

Di Bella Coffee Roasting Warehouse

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Location: 19-21 Leveson Street, North Melbourne
Phone: 03 9329 2973
Link: www.dibellacoffee.com.au
Cuisine: Breakfast/Brunch, Coffee, Modern Australian
Overall Impression: 7/10

One of my favourite places for a short macchiato, Di Bella Coffee Roasting Warehouse is an excellent cafe with a wonderful vibe. 

Popular for weekend lunches, the menu features a good range of breakfast delights to suit most. The staff members are also friendly and helpful.

Di Bella Coffee Roasting Warehouse on Urbanspoon

Restaurant Review: Suri Suri

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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.

Suri Suri on Urbanspoon

Event review: 2013 Melbourne International Coffee Expo

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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

Restaurant Review: Meetbowl

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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! 


Meetbowl on Urbanspoon