The Bavarian

The Bavarian recently launched at Highpoint Shopping Centre in Maribyrnong. With the restaurant planning six weeks of festivities from Saturday, 22 September, it truly is the perfect place to celebrate Oktoberfest in Melbourne’s North West side of Melbourne.

Located outside Highpoint Shopping Centre on Level 1 at The Junction, The Bavarian is a 500-seat restaurant that offers a little taste of Oktoberfest every day of the year with a menu of Bavarian classic dishes complemented by 17 beers on tap, including imported Bavarian favourites Lowenbrau, Franziskaner, Stiegl and Hofbrau and locally crafted brews that can be served in signature 1-litre glass steins.

In addition, The Bavarian Highpoint will dial up the Oktoberfest spirit from Saturday, 22 September to Saturday, 27 September when special set menus, five limited-edition Oktoberfest beers, fun foodie challenges and group packages are available in honour of Munich’s annual festival.

To share we recommend the Alphenhainer camembert. Think Chia & Panko Crumbed camembert wheel deep fried such that it is oozy in the middle and served with pickled beetroot and lavosh crackers. Just yum!

For mains our top pick from the menu is the famous crispy pork knuckle. No diner will go hungry taking on the crispy pork knuckle served with creamy mash, sauerkraut, bier jus and apple compote - an absolute stand out (and must-have!). The Bavarian has truly mastered the art of pork roasting. The pork knuckle was succulently roasted to retain a porky juiciness, achieving a healthy layer of melt-in-the-mouth fat in the process - combining flawless texture with equally superlative flavours. Each moreish morsel was tender with the crackling, possessing the ultimate crunch.

The Bavarian Tasting Platter (designed for one) was yet another showstopper to what was a fabulous meal. It comprised of a respectable assembly of crispy pork belly, sausages, schnitzel as well as sides and sauces (sauerkraut, red cabbage, mash, granny smith apple compote and bier jus).

Location: Highpoint Shopping Centre, 120-200 Rosamond Road, Maribyrnong

Phone: 03 8538 1511

Link: http://www.thebavarians.com/the-bavarian/

At a glance: Archie Green

In truly Melbourne style, Archie Green is tucked away in a laneway. Venture in and your eyes will be greeted with a slick all-day dining venue which boasts plenty of splashes of greenery (as its name would suggests). We loved the two dishes we sampled from their lunch/dinner menu. The dish of star anise cured swordfish, green and red tomatoes and crème fraîche was a wonderful melange of sweet, savoury and tartness blended beautifully together. The Millas Farm duck breast was similarly delicious. The slices of duck breast were cooked to perfection with the sweet and sticky nectarine and textural toasted freekah and wilted mustard greens providing the crowning elements to this luxurious dish. 

Stay tuned for more about Archie Green - We'll be heading back in early March to do a full writeup! 

At a glance: Rockpool Bar and Grill

Whilst the steaks at Rockpool are the talking piece, we were particularly impressed with the amazing array of seafood and pasta options available. The side dishes are also a real treat - try the broccolini (delicious!!). For dessert we recommend the creme caramel.

At a glance: Waterslide Bar

Southgate's plethora of premium restaurants makes it the perfect destination to enjoy hearty winter feasts.

To welcome the arrival of winter, Gastrology were led on a culinary journey through Southgate as the chefs and bartenders showcased the best of what the season has to offer.

...

Final stop: Waterslide Bar

Waterslide Bar is located in the precinct’s opening onto the spiral staircase overlooking the Princes Bridge and city skyline.

The bar is a tribute to the colourful area once known as “near Princes Bridge”. Favoured as a circus location and outdoor playground since the 1870s, Princes Bridge was Melbourne’s entertainment hub until well into the 20th century. Just metres from Southgate’s spiral staircase, adventure seekers used to hop into a water chute taller than the skyscrapers of the time. They would then be propelled down a wooden waterslide, fully dressed to the nines!

Various elements from the history of the cocktail were an inspiration in the concept with added contemporary quirky characteristics like, swing seats, lounge nooks, dramatic bottle display, rocking chairs and rotating stools as subtle touch points for customers to draw to.

Our favourite cocktail of the night was The Baller - magnificent! Not one for the faint hearted, the cocktail was a heady combination of Hennessy VSOP, Cynar and Bruichladdich Octomore, stirred and served up to deliver a smokey yet complex drink.

Read more about Southgate Welcome Winter Feast here..

At a glance: Ena

Southgate's plethora of premium restaurants makes it the perfect destination to enjoy hearty winter feasts.

To welcome the arrival of winter, Gastrology were led on a culinary journey through Southgate as the chefs and bartenders showcased the best of what the season has to offer.

First stop: ENA Greek Street Food

Translating to number one in Greek, ENA serves up rustic offerings that are inspired by the streets and beaches of Greece. The use of communal dining spaces and a focus on share plates nods to the venue’s strong roots in Greece, where meals are a fun, social and a celebratory affair. 

We enjoyed tasting the menu. Of particular note was the grilled octopus - incredibly tender while retaining a robust structure courtesy of being expertly cooked. The Roasted Beetroot, prosciutto and poached figs salad was another winner.

Read more about Southgate Welcome Winter Feast here.

At a glance - Mezz

Chadstone shopping centre has been well known as the fashion capital, but now can also lay claim to being one of the thriving food hubs in Melbourne. Last year in October , Chadstone underwent a major redevelopment , and as a result, the shopping centre now boasts two dining precints consisting of well known establishments such as the Burger Project, New Shanghai and Fonda. Along with these restaurants, there is also Woodstock Pizzicheria, New Shangahi, Mama's Buoi, Marae Izakaya and Mezz, which shows that Chadstone offers a high caliber of food offerings for all visitors. 

To celebrate the plethora of offerings, Gastrology attended Chadstone's progressive dinner which allowed us to taste dishes from all the restaurants. 

Mezz Food and Wine is a n ew to market, unique venue where families can relax and enjoy fresh food combined with great service. They serve craft beers on tap with a rotating seasonal menu, together with diverse menus covering breakfast, lunch and dinner. The entire bar and kitchen is styled in a gazebo setting with the seating area offering a ‘garden feel’.

We loved their decadent desserts! Think Bannoffee Cheese Cake – Baked banana cheese cake with duel de leech and cr eam;  Chocolate and Salted Caramel Tart – Soft caramel centr e with
chocolate ganache Strawberry and Rhubarb Cupcake; and  Vanilla cupcake base with
strawberry buttercream and rhubarb!

At a glance - Mama's Buoi

Chadstone shopping centre has been well known as the fashion capital, but now can also lay claim to being one of the thriving food hubs in Melbourne. Last year in October , Chadstone underwent a major redevelopment , and as a result, the shopping centre now boasts two dining precints consisting of well known establishments such as the Burger Project, New Shanghai and Fonda. Along with these restaurants, there is also Woodstock Pizzicheria, New Shangahi, Mama's Buoi, Marae Izakaya and Mezz, which shows that Chadstone offers a high caliber of food offerings for all visitors. 

To celebrate the plethora of offerings, Gastrology attended Chadstone's progressive dinner which allowed us to taste dishes from all the restaurants. 

Mama’s Buoi creates a u nique dining experience that evokes the adventurous side of all those who step foot in the door. It boasts an authentic, yet modernised menu, taking you on a c ullinary journey of all that Vietnamese cuisine has to offer. Inspired by Mama Hoang’s home recipes, the Mama’s Buoi concept encourages diners to ‘eat food like family’. The open plan kitchen allows guests to watch the chefs as the prepare the dishes that Mama’s Buoi has become famous for, using fresh ingredients delivered to the restaurant daily.

We enjoyed the Beef betel leaf par cels, fragrantly seasoned, grilled rolls of beef and the Crispy coconut tiger prawns with kaffir lime coconut dipping sauce.

At a glance - Fonda

Chadstone shopping centre has been well known as the fashion capital, but now can also lay claim to being one of the thriving food hubs in Melbourne. Last year in October , Chadstone underwent a major redevelopment , and as a result, the shopping centre now boasts two dining precints consisting of well known establishments such as the Burger Project, New Shanghai and Fonda. Along with these restaurants, there is also Woodstock Pizzicheria, New Shangahi, Mama's Buoi, Marae Izakaya and Mezz, which shows that Chadstone offers a high caliber of food offerings for all visitors. 

To celebrate the plethora of offerings, Gastrology attended Chadstone's progressive dinner which allowed us to taste dishes from all the restaurants. 

At well renowned Fonda, we were treated to their famous fish tacos which were washed down with the delightful and refreshing "Victoria" Beer straight from Mexico and only available at Fonda. With fresh tunes, and a casual environment, Fonda is a great place to grab a meal whilst shopping the day away! T

At a glance - Woodstock

Chadstone shopping centre has been well known as the fashion capital, but now can also lay claim to being one of the thriving food hubs in Melbourne. Last year in October , Chadstone underwent a major redevelopment , and as a result, the shopping centre now boasts two dining precints consisting of well known establishments such as the Burger Project, New Shanghai and Fonda. Along with these restaurants, there is also Woodstock Pizzicheria, New Shangahi, Mama's Buoi, Marae Izakaya and Mezz, which shows that Chadstone offers a high caliber of food offerings for all visitors. 

To celebrate the plethora of offerings, Gastrology attended Chadstone's progressive dinner which allowed us to taste dishes from all the restaurants. 

As pioneers of wood‐fired pizzas in Melbourne and Australia-wide, the Woodstock
restaurants have become an icon with numerous awards and industry recognition.

Their traditional Sicilian dishes and signature Roman style pizza creations have been passed on to owner Tony Cannata from his family since their migration to Australia dating back to the early 1920s. Chadstone is the fourth and largest venue for the restaurant, with interiors designed by STUDIO Y, the space features a unique, rustic cantina dining area for up to 12 people.

chadstone.com.au/stores/woodstock-pizzicheria

At a glance - Tipo 00

Taking its name from the flour traditionally used to make pizza and pasta, Tipo 00 has taken Melbourne by storm. With its slick fitout and simple, wonderfully executed Italian dishes flowing freely from the kitchen, we would love to return. 

At a glance - Little Rogue

LIttle Rogue is a cute little cafe with delicious coffee. They also do a range of other drinks including their popular matcha lattes. One of our alltime treats is the butterbing cookies which we love to have with their flat whitel. YUmmm! 

At a glance - Market Lane

I love Melbourne. We have a proud coffee culture that fortunately translates to boutique cafes satisfying patrons with quality coffee. It is not surprising that Market Lane Coffee has gained a significant cult following. The coffee is exquisite. Fortunately for its fans in the CBD, a new store opened last week in Victoria Market, offering the same service to the original store at Prahran Market. Don’t try ordering a skinny anything or a mocha.  It is an insult to pure coffee. And more practically, they simply do not serve coffee in that fashion. They take their coffee seriously and for very good reason.

The ambience is quaint, humble and modern. Wooden benches bring a sense of warmth and earthiness to the bustling cafe. 

Alongside serving delicious espresso beverages and pour over coffees, there is a minute selection of cakes and pastries on offer. 

They also sell a range of coffee-related products.                                        

The coffees were beautiful with very apparent floral and fruity notes.

At a glance: Burger Project

As its name suggests, this place is all about hearty, juicy, delicious burgers! The menu features 14 hand-crafted burgers showcasing 36-month, grass-fed Cape Grim beef from Tasmania, free-range Lilydale chicken, as well as a delicious vegetarian crumbed confit mushroom option.

Chips can be salted and sauced-up in a range of tempting flavours, while house-churned softserve is the hero of a range of ice cream desserts.

Classic shakes, sodas and iced teas are all shaken, spritzed and brewed in-house, in keeping with Burger Project’s commitment to making everything from scratch.

Sea Salt

Sea Salt Fish and Sushi pleases with stunning traditional fish and chips as well as a delectable selection of Japanese inspired delights and the latest craze to hit Melbourne… sushi doughnuts!

We loved tasting our way through Sea Salt Fish's menu.

To start we enjoyed Sea Salt's sashimi platter. An impressive selection of raw seafood including oysters, salmon, tuna, kingfish, mackerel and roe - each wonderfully fresh and delightful to eat with the accompanying sauces and the essential soy and wasabi condiments. 

Next up was Sea Salt Fish and Sushi's pretty-as-a-picture sushi doughnuts. These sushi roll shaped like a donut thing may be the newest craze when it comes to sushi-creations but it's good looks are backed by a ton of flavour. Seafood is used to dress moist sushi rice atop layers of crunchy wonton skin and nori. The soft shell crab sushi donut was our top pick. We loved 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 which went beautifully with the umami-laden toppings and rice.

For something heartier and absolutely perfect for the lowering Melbourne temperature, there is the hot platter. Think battered flake, calamari rings, grilled lobster tail, scallops, whitebait, juicy grilled prawns, a ton of mussels over a bed of potato rings. This plate has everything and is perfect for seafood lovers.

The best part about Sea Salt is that everything tastes exceedingly fresh and is prepared with care and respect for the ingredients. Visit to jump on the sushi doughnut band wagon or simply to have some well-prepared delicious seafood. You'll be sorted either way.

At a glance: Vegie Bar

To celebrate UberEATS first year in Melbourne, UberEATS threw the food party of the year with a rooftop food festival at St Jeromes featuring some of Melbourne's favourite restaurants. 

We loved tasting what Vegie Bar had to offer. One of our favourite vegetarian restaurants of all time, these guys pleased with their umami laden soba salad which featured slippery organic Japanese buckwheat noodles tossed with a seaweed medley (of arame, wakame and hijiki), cucumber, snow peas, baby spinach and avocado in a white miso dressing before being finished with sesame seed and nori crisps. Simply. YUM.

At a glance: On It Burgers

To celebrate UberEATS first year in Melbourne, UberEATS threw the food party of the year with a rooftop food festival at St Jeromes featuring some of Melbourne's favourite restaurants. 

We loved tasting what On It Burgers had to offer!

We enjoyed the On It was an almighty burger with a large grass fed beef patty, American cheese, pickles, red oinion, lettuce, tomato and smokey On It sauce all squeezed into a fresh, toasted brioche bun. Yum!

For something a little different from the beef patty, we recommend their Black Beard burger which is filled with tempura soft shell crab and sriracha slaw.

At a glance: Bagelicious

To celebrate UberEATS first year in Melbourne, UberEATS threw the food party of the year with a rooftop food festival at St Jeromes featuring some of Melbourne's favourite restaurants. 

We loved sampling what bagelicious had to offer.

Bagelicious offers bagels with just the right combination of crispy crust and chewy inside, and a brilliant selection of fillings to please just about anyone.  

The haloumi bagel was a delicious option. Served with charred haloumi, fresh pesto, slightly tart beetroot dip and our requested add on of chicken breast, the bagel tasted wholesome.

The breast bagel was just as good. The chicken was tender and went well with the well-roasted capsicum, luxurious avocado dip and crisp lettuce. It was a healthy bagel option which ticked all the boxes.