Restaurant Review: The Ginger Room

Location: Old Parliament House, King George Terrace, Parkes ACT 2600 Australia
Phone: (02) 6270 8262
Link: http://www.gingercatering.com.au/
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Overall Impression: 8/10

Was looking through my phone and discovered these photos. Notably the quality of the pictures leave much to be desired so I debated with myself about whether or not I should post these on Gastrology. Well, long story short, here are the pictures!
Pan seared scallops, crispy shredded pork belly and blood plum jelly Beef fillet, Saint Agur dauphinoise potatoes and glazed shallots Crispy skinned duck breast, soy fired potatoes and tamarind sauce Soft shell crab Louisiana style, sweet corn capsicum salsa and Creole dressing Poached blood plum green tea sorbet coconut cone Lime and lemongrass parfait with palm sugar wafers and raspberry chilli jam
Had the opportunity to dine at this lovely restaurant last month. What a great reason to visit Canberra!

Delicious, well executed Modern Australian food, delightful staff. These mobile phone pictures do not do this place justice but the ones on this post certainly do : http://snowdropm-berries.blogspot.com/2010/04/ginger-room.html.

Restaurant Review: Kam Fook

Location: Level 2, Westfield Shoppingtown, Doncaster
Link: http://www.kamfook.com.au/
Phone: (03) 90051888
Cuisine: Chinese

Kam Fook? A bit forward... but it was a proposition I could not refuse. Conveniently located within Westfield Doncaster where we knew parking is rarely a problem, my family and I decided to try out this year old Cantonese eatery. How we wish we had not. Seafood claypot Beef with xo sauce Steamed Fish Fillet Traditional Chinese Style Chicken claypot Pork ribs Banana fritter with ice cream Deep fried ice cream
The food was fine. Nothing spectacular. Just average.
Would I Kam Fook again? No.
The service was appalling. The moment we arrived we were greeted with a very annoyed maitre'd who asked us, "Someone booked for window seats. It's sunny today but that's what you asked for." Right. I'm not sure what that was suppose to achieve but thank you for the warning. We told one of the waitstaff we were ready to order and after waiting a while and asking another waitress, for about half an hour later, our orders were finally taken.
The restaurant was certainly not at capacity and there appeared to be many waitstaff lazing around the restaurant but for some odd reason, it was difficult to get an appropriate level of service. It was such a hassle getting attention for simple requests such as having our teapots re-filled or ordering more rice. The waitstaff made it very clear that it was a burden to serve us.
So, no thank you. I will not be back.
Overall Impression: 4/10

Restaurant Review & Store Review: Suzuran

Location: 31 Chambers St, South Yarra
Phone: (03)9804 7396
Link: http://www.suzuran.com.au/
Cuisine: Japanese
Overall Impression: 8/10

Our hearts go out to the Japanese at this difficult time. J and I love Japan. We have very fond memories of the time we spent there. The people, the culture and the food are captivating. There is such an emphasis on perfection that we admire. And as such we have been having Japanese themed days every once in a while to reminisce.Suzuran's sushi bar impresses us everytime when we visit during one of our 'Japanese' days. It consistently delivers good quality, fresh and authentic Japanese sashimi and sushi. A must have is their surf clam sushi. It is amazing. Seaweed salad, Sake and Sake cups also from Suzuran
On this Japanese themed dinner, we also bought some delicious cloudy sake. I love cloudy sake in particular, it really packs a punch when it comes to depth of flavour. But on the other hand, clear sake has a clean crispness that I also enjoy.
I guess I just love all sake.
Even the lower grade sakes tickle my fancy. I'm not a big drinker in general but when it comes to sake… bring it on! Yes. I am a sake-aholic. The only problem with buying sake in Melbourne is a) it is not readily available and b) when it is, it is often over-priced compared to what we were able to get during our time in Japan. We accept that this cannot be helped and as such, Suzuran remains our favourite Melbourne outlet for sake shopping. Suzuran at the very least, stocks sake of varying grades and has a decent variety.
All in all, a great Sushi bar, and a good Japanese grocer with a wide range of Japanese ingredients, snacks and sake.
 

Restaurant Review: Tutto Bene

Location: Midlevel Southgate, Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9696 3334
Link: http://www.tuttobene.com.au/
Cuisine: Italian
Overall Impression: 8/10 Tutto Bene has long been J's favourite risotto and gelato place in Melbourne. Although Tutto Bene has built up quite a fan base for its consistantly perfectly cooked and delicious risotto dishes, its lovely gelatos haven't had the same appeal. On this occasion, we decided to have the Walnut gelato as well as the Licorice gelato. It was surprisingly a lot more subtle in flavour then the other flavours we had tried before, which was disappointing but nontheless still pleasant. The consistency, as usual was perfectly creamy and smooth. It was such a treat, sitting back and taking in the view of Southgate and the Yarra River. And we cannot wait to go back!

Restaurant Review: Kinya

Location: River Front, 70 Lorimer St, Docklands - 64A River Esplanade, Yarra’s Edge
Phone: (03) 9646 2400
Link: http://www.kinya.com.au/
Cuisine: Japanese
Overall Impression: 6/10 Wagyu beef tataki Lightly grilled thinly marble texture sliced beef with special kinya's soy sauce Perfectly refreshing. The wagyu was tender and beautiful with the quail egg and soy sauce. Golden Fish Grilled marrinated snow fish with chef's special miso It was described as a signature dish and 'a must try'. I found it very similar to the miso cod fish served at Nobu, at a much reasonable price. The intensity of flavours were not as strong as what J and I had experienced at Nobu but Kinya's version was executed equally as well. The fish was cooked to perfection, the snow fish has such a silky texture and the charred bits of caramelised miso on the bottom of the fish were delectable. Sashimi Moriawase Variety of sliced raw fish One of the distinguishing factors of a good Japanese restaurant is the chefs' sushi and sashimi preparation skills. The sashimi was cut well but it lacked the refinery of other Japanese restaurants/eateries we had sampled such as Nobu and Suzuran. The sashimi was however, very fresh. Green tea, red bean and black sesame ice cream The ice creams were beautiful. Intense in flavour and brought us back to the Japanese ice creams we had the chance to indulge in at Ikebukuro's Ice Cream City in Tokyo.

As far as Japanese food goes, I would recommend Kinya. It is a quality establishment that serves up good Japanese food at a reasonable price.

Restaurant Review: The Palace by Luke Mangan

Location: 505 City Rd, South Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9699 6410
Link: http://palacehotelmelbourne.com.au/
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Overall Impression:6/10 Gastropubs have been popping up like mushrooms in the Melbourne cullinary scene. It is no wonder, celebrity chef, Luke Mangan has decided to extend his empire to include this niche offering. J and I decided to have a lazy lunch at The Palace because we love the idea of simple pub fare executed with perfection. A quick glance through the menu would automatically suggest an offering of dishes that are in every sense a portmanteau of gastronomy and pub, with complex gourmet meals served alongside traditional comfort foods at a single table.

As soon as you enter The Palace, there is no mistaking Luke Mangan's hand in the establishment. Products bearing his name surround the dining area. It screamed of narcissism which slightly detracted from the dining experience.

It was nice to be able to see the hustle and bustle of the kitchen through the glass window.Our meal started with warm crusty bread, fresh from the oven, extra virgin olive oil and dukkah. The bread was nice and toasty and the olive oil was very good.

Roasted Skate Wing, cherry tomatoes , caper berries, preserved lemon, baby spinach, burnt butter sauce.

The Skate Wing was perfectly cooked. The cherry tomatoes, caper berries and preserved lemon brought a nice acidity to the dish and the baby spinach was wilted, buttery and soft. The burnt butter sauce really brought the whole dish together. Perfectly salty with a hint of caramelisation. Great flavour combinations.

Braised chicken leg, ragout of chickpeas, pancetta, Parisian potatoes, mushrooms, peas and taragon. The chicken leg was tender and juicy. The tarragon (such a beauriful herb with, a flavour similar to anise), really gave this dish a very wholesome feel. Everything tasted so rich and comforting on the plate.

Strawberry Eaton mess with baby mint

Eton mess or Eaton mess, traditionally an English dessert consisting of a mixture of strawberries, pieces of meringue and cream. At The Palace, it was no differrent…apart from the baby mint which freshened up this classic dessert. The level of sweetness was on the money. Very enjoyable.

Bitter chocolate tart, mascarpone cream and orange compote

This tart was beautiful. The crust was so buttery and crumbly, it literally melted in my mouth. The chocolate was rich and dark. The mascarpone cream was just the right consistency and went perfectly with the bitterness of the chocolate. The orange compote gave this rich dessert a pleasant twang. A highly recommended dessert.

Overall, a very pleasant lunch that met all our expectations.

Restaurant Review: Pettavel Winery & Restaurant

Location: 65 Pettavel Road (corner of Princes Highway), Waurn Ponds 3216
Phone: 03 52661120
Link: http://www.pettavel.com/p_rest/rest.html
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Overall Impression: 9/10

Pettavel recently lost a chef's hat in the 2011 Good Food Guide but please don't let this deter you from visiting this lovely restaurant. It is a gem! This Geelong winery is more than worth the 74.6kms drive from Melbourne. But be warned, the staff don't seem very big on their wines. (Maybe because the awesome restaurant overshadows the winery?) In fact, there wasn't even a push to order more wine etc. We had a beautiful glass of their sauvignon blanc each. It had beautiful passionfruit notes. Again, like I have repeated on many of my blog posts, - I don't know anything about wine… I can only tell whether I liked it or not so you probably shouldn't take my word for it… but if you want my uninformed opinion, I really liked it. =) We opted for the 9 course degustation. Each course was beautifully balanced and elegant. The only thing that I could possibly fault them on was that there was too much fat on the Lamb Rump dish, which should really have been trimmed off. And even that is a tiny tiny flaw. The service was excellent. The waitstaff were so welcoming and explained each dish in an informed manner, without being intrusive. Ohhh and I actually took my boyfriend there for his birthday and they PERSONALIZED the menu! The menu was dated and wished him happy birthday on the top! What a lovely touch. We got to take home a copy too =) That's great service for you! I will definitely be back.First Course: Calamari LaksaSecond Course: Parsnip with Pear, Blue Cheese and HorseradishThird Course: Prawns with Celery and QuinoaFourth Course: Local Bay Snapper with Scallop, Ham Hock and Celeriac Fifth Course: Lamb Rump with Eggplant and Capsicum Sixth Course: Pheasant with Quince, Artichoke and Bone Marrow

Seventh Course: Ox Cheek with Tomatoes and Serrano Ham

Eighth Course: Deconstructed Chocolate Ricotta cheesecake with Rhubarb Sorbet

Ninth Course: Pandanus Jelly with Peanut and Toasted Coconut Sorbet
 

Restaurant Review: The Strand

Location: 1 THE STRAND, WILLIAMSTOWN, VICTORIA 3016
Link: www.thestrandrestaurant.com.au/
Cuisine: Seafood, Modern Australian

Freshly Baked Crusty Campagne Baguette with Cannellini Bean, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Aged Balsamic

Beautiful bread to start. I've never had to pay for bread at any fine dining restaurant but for $3, this was well worth it.

Whole Baked Snapper, Piquant Red Curry Sauce, Fried Shallots and Pickled Watermelon

The pickled watermelon was a miss. I suspect they were trying to do some 'fusion' thing by having the pickled watermelon. Traditionally, curry is served with raita, a Pakistani and Indian condiment based on yoghurt and used as a sauce or dip. So, maybe they thought instead of raita, which is sour, let's go with something else that is sour like.. umm.. pickled watermelon? Let's not.

Oven Roasted NT Wild Barramundi Fillet Crusted with Peanut, Corriander Pesto, Sauteed Mustard Cress with Soy Ginger Dressing

The barramundi was beautifully fresh. Nice and simple.

Overall Impression: 5.5/10 Prompt service. Great location that overlooks the harbour.

Restaurant Review: Bistro Guillaume

Location: The Riverside at Crown
Link: http://www.bistroguillaume.com.au/
Cuisine: French

I was surprised with a 5 course degustation at Bistro Guillaume. I had high expectations when it came to the dining experience since I had been told it was the perfect place to take a date because the venue shouted romance and the food was to die for.

Freshly shucked oysters with shallots and red wine vinegar

This was my FIRST fresh oyster experience. I have only ever had baked oysters and I've always been afraid to try them raw but was very ready to take up the challenge. There were very good flavours. The red wine vinefar and the lemon juice really took away the 'fishy-ness' of the taste and the shallots made soft textures of the oysters more prominent. By the time I had finished the second oyster, I found myself enjoying the dish. Its true, oysters really do taste like the sea. Having said that, this is not something I would order again.. at any restaurant. Oysters just aren't my thing.

Sashimi of Hiramasa kingfish, parsnip puree and pommes allumettes

This was so beautiful and fresh. The flavours were subtle but this emphasised the freshness of the sashimi. The parsnip puree was delicate and mousse-like in texture. The pommes allumettes (in English, this can be directly translated to 'matchstick potatoes') went beautifully with the dish because it was crispy and brittle, in contrast to the other elements of the dish. They did not taste like your every day chips. Very refined, just the right amount of saltiness. Overall this dish had beautifully subtle and fresh flavours.

Pan seared Suzuki Mollaway, fricassee of squid, cockles, prosciutto, shellfish and parsley buillon

This dish was slightly dissappointing. Don't get me wrong, everything was cooked to perfection and it was a good dish but after the sashimi, this was a slight let down. There didn't seem to be enough prosciutto to go around - as the dish tasted its best when everything was eaten together, this definitely made a difference.

Beef tenderloin on a bed of Paris mash, braised shallots and merlot sauce

My taste buds got a shock when I took a bite out of this. The flavours were soooo strong. The merlot sauce was the real deal - rich and bold. Half way through the steak, I realised the flavours I had initially thought were strong had mellowed down and everything tasted balanced and lovely. The acid from the merlot sauce balanced nicely with the creamy mashed potatoes and the braised shallots had a nice tangyness to it. And as would be expected, the steak was cook to perfection. Pink inside, flavours seared, meat incredibly tender. With regards to my sudden change in opinion of the course, my dinner date suggested that this may be due to the fact that the previous courses we had been served had very subtle flavours and as a result, the flavours of this course had been heightened. But if this course had been consumed at the start, my taste buds would not have been in such shock.

Bistro Guillaume may have benefited from introducing palette cleansers between the courses?

Fondant au chocolat, soft ganache in the middle, glace a l'orange

Did I just die and go to heaven? Amazing. I doubt words will do it justice, but I'm going to try anyway. The beautifully hard and thin chocolate casing, snaps as my spoon breaks through it with a soft 'crack!', revealing the softest and smoothest chocolate ganache and a crumbly biscuit base. I make sure some of that delicious looking vanilla ice cream goes on the top of my spoon and I run my spoon full of sin over the orange glaze. Result: AMAZING The balance of flavours? Perfect. The chocolate case was dark (just enough of cocoa bitterness) balanced with the acidity of the orange glaze, which went perfectly with the creamyness of the icecream and soft chocolate ganache. Oh, and the chocolate they used was Varlhona chocolate!

Petit fours

Overall Impression: 7/10

The waitstaff could not be faulted for lack of effort but they lacked the refinery that one would expect. Apart from that, service was prompt and polite. Lovely ambience (not as romantic as I had imagined but still nice). Very very good dining experience.

Restaurant Review: Maze by Gordon Ramsay

Location: Level 1, Crown Metropol Corner of Whiteman and Clarendon Streets
Phone: +61 (0)3 9292 8300
Link: http://www.gordonramsay.com/mazemelbourne/
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Overall Impression: 8.5/10

To read our review of our second visit to Maze, click here.

J and I decide to celebrate a meaningful milestone at Gordon Ramsay's Maze. Gordon Ramsay has always been one of the very few celebrity chefs that J has respect for (contra Jamie Oliver). Proof is in the pudding. He has been awarded a total of 12 Michelin Stars! To be honest, I didn't have very high expectations. I expected the food to be good but not fantastic... I expected hit and misses But I was in for a treat!Being familiar with the dining style at Maze, we opted for the 7 course degustation menu plus an additional dessert from the a la carte menu. delicious bread with seaweed butter and salt...Marinated beetroot with goats curd,cabernet sauvignon vinaigrette, toasted pine nutPan seared scallops, caramelised kelp,samphire, mussels, ChampagneSeared yellow fin tuna,white radish, yuzu, enoki mushrooms, black garlicMarlborough King Salmonhearts of palm, grapefruit, fresh almondsPan roasted snappercarrots and ginger, spanner crab tempura

Gisborne duck breastsweet corn, cracked wheat, cherries

Ox “tongue and cheek”,caper and raisin, carrots, horseradish pomme purée

Exotic fruit vacherin,passion fruit and banana sorbet

maze “lamington”, rosella jam

Hot chocolate fondant, Cherry yoghurt ice cream

Chocolate oozing out of the fondant

White chocolate coated raspberry ice cream

Everything was executed beautifully and was delicious! The theme appeared to be simple, to the point but perfectly done. Gordon Ramsay's philosophy of respecting the ingredients and produce was clear. Well balanced flavours and textures, beautifully presented.

The only dish we could fault was the dish: Pan seared scallops, caramelised kelp,samphire, mussels, Champagne. The scallops were not seasoned sufficiently and the foam it was served with had quite an overpowering chorophyll taste that we thought did nto match the flavour combinations for that particular dish.

A definite highlight dish was the Ox and Tongue cheek! It was absolutely delicious! Food wise, the standard and quality is equivalent to the 2-hat restaurants J and I have tried in the past. In our opinions, the nature of the service was the only reason they were awarded 1-hat instead of 2. I can see what they are trying to do with the service and personally, we both really liked it. They don't do the whole place your napkin on your lap or quickly fold your napkins nicely again the moment you leave the table to go to the restroom type thing. The service was prompt but very deliberately unobtrusive.

What a lovely dining experience. Very highly recommended.

Restaurant Review: The Court House

Location: The Court House, 86-90 Errol Street, North Melbourne
Link: http://www.thecourthouse.net.au/
Cuisine: Modern European After hearing so much about The Court House from wine-loving friends who had gone on and on to me about their extensive wine list and amazing food, I decided to go there. I thought this might be a good learning experience since my palette for wine is so unrefined, I am happy to drink out of a cask. I had a Pinot grigio simply because, the waitstaff told me it would match what I was having. The bread was freshly baked and arrived at our table. I love sourdough bread. This was delicious! We were told it came straight out of the oven.

Grilled Asparagus Salad with White Truffle Oil

A simple dish done well. The crunchy macadamia nuts worked very well with the rest of the dish and the beautiful aroma of white truffles permeated the dish. Very refreshing dish =)

Braised Globe Artichokes and Celeraic Velouté

It was sooo light! Creamy and yet not too heavy. Beautiful balance of flavours.

Confit Duck leg caramelised onion, pumpkin and thyme jus

This was far too salty for my liking. The duck skin was beautifully crisp and everything else was cooked quite well but as a whole, I wouldn't recommend this dish.

Pan Fried Atlantic Salmon Filletroasted Tuscan red onion, watercress, olive and caper salad

The fish was cooked to perfection. Crispy skin, beautifully tender inside. I've had bad experiences with Salmon where chefs have overcooked it but this was perfect. The roasted Tuscan red onion, watercress, olive and caper salad accompanied this dish harmoniously. Very pleasant.

Orange Cremé Caramel

Beautifully presented, and the taste certainly didn't dissapoint. The Cremé Caramel just melted in my mouth.

Overall Impression: 5.5/10

Extremely helpful staff. The staff had great knowledge on all the wines on offer. Gave us lots of advice on what would be appropriate for our meal. Excellent service - great attention to detail. Food was pleasant but quite average for a once hatted restaurant.

Note: This review was written in early 2010 and things may have changed since then. Please refer to comment below!

Restaurant Review: The Brasserie by Philippe Mouchel

Location: Riverside at Crown
Link: http://www.crowncasino.com/site/load/1146/the-brasserie-by-philippe-mouchel
Cuisine: French Bread to start off.

Entree: Calamari and prawn salad [$22.00] quick –seared, sweet cherry tomatoes, cucumber and basil

This was perfectly done. The calamari was chewy and delicious without being stringy at all. The texture was excellent and the prawns were very good as well.

Main: Gold band snapper [$37.50] pan-fried, eringi mushroom, crushed potatoes

Main: Beef tenderloin (200gr) with braised wagyu ox cheek, parisienne mash [$40.00]

This was seriously one of the best steaks I have ever had. The wagyu ox cheek quite literally melted in my mouth. I'm not a big wagyu fan but having it sandwiched between two very solid (I'm not sure how else to describe it?) cuts of meat were just divine. The beef tenderloin was cooked to perfection. Medium, the way I love it =)

Side Dish: Oven-roasted vegetables Provençale [$8.00]

This was just so-so. Just tasted like veggies baked in cheese. Really, not very exciting. But then again, it *is* a side dish and it served that very purpose.

Dessert: The brasserie’s dessert tasting plate [$17.00 per person]

We couldn't decide on what to order and everything on the dessert menu looked very very good so we decided to go with the dessert tasting plate. Everything was quite good but it wasn't spectacularly good. The best thing on the plate was definitely the nougat. I've never had nougat in ice-cream form before and this was delicious! Not sure what its called... but it was divine!

Overall Impression: 6/10

Extremely good service. Relaxed and romantic ambience. Remember to book though, I was there on a Saturday night and it was a full house.
 

Restaurant Review: The Press Club (Bar)

Location: 72 Flinders Street
Phone: +613 9677 9677
Link: http://www.thepressclub.com.au/
Cuisine: Greek

I have a not so secret crush on George Calomboris. I find his passion for food and fine dining adorable and his role in MasterChef very clever. So, I was very excited to finally dine at The Press Club, his 2 hat baby. Lovely ambience

Greek Soda!

My dining companion had just returned from Santorini, Greece and said it was the exact same sodas that had there =) Nice touch, George! ;)

Entree: Mezethes board

Entree: Half shell scallops, garlic skordalia

This was AMAZING. The flavours were perfectly balanced. The best scallops I have ever had. I've never been a huge scallop fan until NOW. The saltiness of the garlic skordalia was just perfect and the raisins (or what tasted like raisins) added just a touch of sweetness to the very fresh scallops. The scallop was beautifully tender and cooked to perfection. And the after taste was a salty creamy feeling that lingered on my pallette.

Main: Chicken rotisserie, white bean skordalia, lemon potatoes, marouli salad

The chicken was incredibly tender. But then again, they hadn't used chicken breast or anything, so I guess its not so incredible that the texture was such. This dish burst with rich and wonderful flavours. I really liked the lemon potatoes. Perfectly seasoned and brought a nice citrus-y element to the dish.

Main: Fish of the day, properly garnished 'Greek style' Our fish of the day was atlantic salmon.

Dessert: Baklava

Traditional baklava. To the point. A traditional dish done well. Wasn't as good as the entree and the main which was slightly dissapointing but it was still pleasant.

Bar Area

Overall Impression: 7.5/10

Great dining experience. Wonderful food. Staff clearly had good knowledge of the wines on offer and definitely helped us match the wine we ordered to our food etc but there was an air of arrogance in the service which I didn't appreciate. The service was prompt (although they did forget to fold my napkin when I went to the ladies at one stage...:P). Apart from that, highly recommended!

Restaurant Review: Taxi Dining Room

Location: Federation Square, Corner Flinders and Swanston Streets, Melbourne
Phone: +613 9654 8808
Link: http://www.transporthotel.com.au/
Cuisine: Contemporary, Fusion
Overall Impression:7.5/10

I have always been a little sceptical about places that offer 'fusion' cuisine. What does that even mean? Is it sort of like running out of hokkien noodles for your stir-fry and substituting it with spaghetti, hoping everything will work out? Luckily, at Taxi, it all came together for me and I'm beginning to understand the whole Fusion theme. My lovely dining date, J, was recently offered an amazing job and since Taxi Dining had been, for a very long time, on his Restaurants-to-try List, we took this opportunity to celebrate with some fine dining there.

Fairbank Sutton Grange Winery, Syrah '05

Brandade filled zucchini flowers tempura with green papaya salad 

C'est parfait! It could not have been better. The balance of flavours was just right. The tempura batter was light, crisp, had just the right amount of saltiness and was not greasy in the slightest. The zucchini flowers were beautifully sweet and juicy. What I suspect to be Japanese tartare, that accompanied the dish brought an element of tanginess to the dish. The creamy brandade filling was delicious and added emphasis to the crunchy tempura batter. The green papaya salad was extremely refreshing and made the dish remind me of good times under the warm Summer sun.

Fillet of Atlantic salmon with sorrel & King prawn salad, shellfish dressing

To be perfectly honest, my first impression of this dish was not very good. I saw the shallots and thought.. raw onion-y goodness? I think not. And to add salt to a wound, I noticed that the fish looked like it had been poached and the salmon skin had been removed. What was the idea behind this? Wouldn't the missing skin take away from what would have been a good contrast in textures? I.e. crisp salmon skin vs melt in your mouth flesh? I was quickly proven wrong. The beautiful purple shallots were not overpowering at all! I'm not sure what had been done to them, but they were just a touch of honey on my palette. They were still crisp and that contrasted beautifully with the creamy brandade and deliciously moist salmon flesh. The large sour-tasting sorrel with a hint of garlic oil garnish somehow reminded me of a lovely steamed fish dish I have had in Malaysia and it worked so well with the salmon. The dish tasted Asian... but not. And at that point, I sort of understood. The little purple shallots instead of the usual french onions (that would not have been as sweet and delicate), using coriander-like sorrel as garnish. It just worked. Delicious! Fusion? I like. The King prawn salad was pleasant but it was clear that the salmon was the star of the dish.

Crispy Szechwan duck with lime pickle, Vietnamese salad & sesame tamarind 

Everything about this dish was bold. The lime pickle was strong and flavoursome and the duck was heavily flavoured and the skin was crisp. Unfortunately the duck was overdone and therefore a bit dry.

Layered pannacotta with raspberry jelly & vanilla foam with almond crumble

The flavours were perfectly balanced. We ran our spoons right through, cutting through every layer before placing the layers into our mouths. First your taste buds are excited by a delightful hit of vanilla, that quickly disappears and then you start crunching into the sweet almond crumble which has just the right amount of saltiness and then the taste of fresh raspberries fill your palate. And when that disappears, what remains is a smooth pannacotta finish lingering on your palette.

'Giancarlo' Cuppucino by Grinders

The only thing I could fault them on is portion size. I want MORE...pretty please? Excellent food, very professional staff and what a great ambience - view of Flinders street station and the bustle of Southbank.

Restaurant Review: Cafe Di Stasio

Location: 31 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda
Phone: 03 9525 3999
Link: http://www.distasio.com.au/
Cuisine: Italian
Overall Impression: 8.5/10 J surprised me with dinner at the highly acclaimed, 2-hat establishment, Cafe Di Stasio! =)

I was very very excited to sample the dishes as I have only ever heard excellent reviews for this restaurant (apart from the occasional groans about the size of the bill).

Entrée: MOSCARDINI AFFOGATI

Baby octopus slow cooked in red wine and chillies The baby octopus was tender and busting in flavour. I've never had baby octopus served like this before and it was delicious. Entrée:CAPESANTE GRATINATO

Scallops oven baked in the shell with a gratinee of bread crumbs, parmesan and parsley I love scallops! And these were just beautiful and so fresh. Delicate balance of flavours that linger on your palate. I've eaten many scallops and have had many bad experiences but these were awesome. One of the best scallops I've ever had. Main: Wild Boar dish. I think it may have been Cinghiale in Umido

The flavours are rich and intense. Slow cooked to the point you can eat it with a spoon. What a great dish! Definitely one of the best highlights of the meal. It was a special for the day. This should definitely be on the a la carte menu.. PERMANENTLY! Main:SALTIMBOCCA CON GNOCCHI

Pan fried escalope of baby veal with prosciutto, fresh sage and semolina gnocchi The semolina gnocchi blew my socks off. It was al dante, chewy and soft in the middle. And went perfectly with the deliciously tender baby veal. The fresh sage and prosciutto made this well balanced. Again, everything was smacked full of flavour. Highly recommended. Sides: Rocket Salad Dessert Menu Dessert: Almond and Honey Tart

And what a great end to a beautiful meal. Lovely lovely dessert. Overall, I thought it was a particularly pleasant dining experience. The food is very homely. I know that this is a weird way to describe food… but it makes you feel warm and incredibly loved. But don't expect anything crazy and unexpected. Café Di Stasio sticks to the basics with dense and delicious flavours you recognise and executes each dish with perfection.

Event Review: Docklands Community Flood Relief Fundraiser [24 February 2011]

J and I had the opportunity to attend the Docklands Community Flood Relief Fundraiser on the 24th of February 2011. It was held at Watermark Bar. A bar located on The Promenade in Victoria Harbour. It started at 7 and finished at 10pm. There was such a buzz about the place, with an open bar and delightful canapés being served all night. To raise funds, there were silent auctions (pictured above) as well as public auctions. We all drank and talked all night, while enjoying the harbour views. Public auction booklet. Corey was up for auction! We were fortunate enough to have a photograph with him. Live entertainment: Headlined by the fabulous Bobby Valentine andthe popular Very Tall Show featuring TracyBartram, Geoff (Coxy) Cox and Wilbur Wilde. Corey "Homicide" Williams on auction! His bid got up to $170. Thank you, Watermark for a lovely evening.

Restaurant Review: The Point

Location: Aquatic Drive, Albert Park Lake
Phone: 03 9682 5566
Link: http://www.thepointalbertpark.com.au/
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Overall Score: 7.5/10 The Point is a wonderful place to celebrate a special occasion.

We were recently there for a friend's hens day and these guys are really seasoned with group functions. Everything went smoothly and seamlessly. We all enjoyed the food and the breathtaking views.