Recipe: Good Vanilla bean ice cream

We finally got to use Snowy, J's brand new ice cream machine. J finished work a little later than he had hoped but we both decided that we would push on and make ice cream last night. It turned out to be a late night but it was well worth it. The following is the recipe for the delicious vanilla ice cream we made.

Ingredients:

• 2 vanilla beans
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• yolks from 3 large eggs

This recipe makes about 1.5 litres of ice cream

1) Place cream and milk into a pot.

2) Halve the vanilla beans lengthwise. Scrape the seeds and put them in the pot.

3) Bring the mixture almost to a boil but never let it start boilling. Stir it occasionally and remove it from heat.

4) In a large bowl, beat the yolk of the eggs with the sugar until it forms a thick custard.

5)  Pour the cream, milk and vanilla mixture slowly into the large bowl, stirring continuously. This will form a custard.

6) Cook the custard over a low heat until the consistency of the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon.

7)  Pour the custard into a clean bowl and leave it to cool for at least 3 hours or until cold (maximum of 1 day).

8) Switch on the ice cream machine. Pour the cooled custard into the ice cream machine.

9) Wait for it to churn for 40 minutes.

10) The ice cream should be ready at this stage. Transfer the ice cream into an airtight container and put in freezer to harden.

Vanilla pods

Custard being poured into Snowy.

Little Snowy churning away...

 And soon Snowy had made us a delectable Vanilla bean ice cream

 Good job, Snowy!

Cafe Review: Animal Orchestra

Location: 163 Grattan St,Carlton

Phone: (03) 9349 4944 

Cuisine: Cafe-style

Overall Impression: 5/10

It was strange to be back again after so long. The last time I was here, I was finishing my final year at university, finishing a degree that no longer exists -  it was eaten up by the Melbourne model's JD program. I remember this place having the best soup *ever*, so I thought I would re-live the memories.

Beef Goulash

And how things change. It was not what was on offer that had changed (I don't think). It was me. As I looked down at my very watery Goulash and looked for any traces of beef I could find, I was very disappointed. It was more a clear vegetable soup than a hearty Goulash. Suffice to say, my opinion of Animal Orchestra has changed dramatically.  It probably has the best soup on the Melbourne University campus but that is all. The soup itself was a nice tasty soup. If only it had been marketed to me as a vegetable soup made from beef stock.

Restaurant Review: The Hungarian

Location: 362 Bridge Rd, Richmond

Phone: 0421 993 132

Cuisine: Hungarian

Overall Impression: 6.5/10

The Hungarian has been slowly but surely, gaining a cult following in the Melbourne dining scene. Having had the opportunity to dine there last Saturday night, it is easy to understand why. Set in a small dining area, the setting makes you feel immediately warm and very much welcome. It almost felt like I had been invited over for dinner by a Hungarian friend, whose nagymama was busy in the kitchen preparing us a hearty meal.

Having said that, as with home-style cooked food, the dishes were undoubtedly one dimensional when it came to flavour. Not that that was a bad thing. Everything was hearty, well-seasoned and had beautiful flavours. However, that said, the variations that appeared from dish to dish were slight. Everything tasted quite similar.
The soups were not what I had expected. What was named on the menu as "The heartiest Lentil soup in the world' was surprisingly thin in consistency but again, was smacked full of flavour and well seasoned.

The desserts were good. The Sour apple strudel was delicious with the ice cream. Even though on the menu, the ice cream is optional, I would highly recommend paying that extra $1 for it because it really balances the otherwise very sour strudel.

The prices were very reasonable. With entrees around the $10 mark, soups around $10, mains around $20 and desserts about $7.

The following are pictures of the dishes we had with the descriptions per the menu. Enjoy!

Entree: soft rolls with potato and beef - four petite crumbed soft spring rolls with creamy beef, mash and delicate spices

Entree: Csirkeraguleves (chicken and vegetable soup)

Entree: The heartiest lentil soup in the world

Main: The secret of Buda - This secret is not out yet, so DO NOT ASK! We make it, you eat it, full stop. ***

Served with Rice or Noki.

Main: The Drunken Pig - A less subtle, masculine dish; a robustly spiced paprika-pork casserole, concocted with a lot of heavy Hungarian Dreher beer to save you on alcohol.
Served with Rice or Noki.

Main: Hungarian Goulash

Served with Rice or Noki.

Dessert: Sour Apple Strudel served with a ball of ice cream

Dessert: Hungarian ground walnuts and cinnamon crepe

All in all, The Hungarian delivers what it promises, good, hearty, wholesome-tasting, home-cooked Hungarian food. It does not however, go any further. Which, in this case isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Restaurant & Event Review: Dracula's Cabaret Restaurant

Location: 100 Victoria ,Carlton

Phone: (03) 9347 3344

Link: http://www.draculas.com.au/

Cuisine: Pub-style

Overall Impression: 5/10

I must say I was fearful of what was to come. No, not of the vampires or draculas I would face. Instead, it was all the warnings I had received about the Dracula's establishment. My foodie friends had warned me of inedible food accompanied with entertainment that was downright tacky and devoid of any entertainment value. But on the other hand, I had also heard that even so, it was something worth experiencing during one's life time nontheless. So, against my better judgment, I decided to take J there as one of his birthday presents. I really wanted to take him out for a meal so I gave him the choice of having dinner at:

a) a hatted restaurant; or 

b) Dracula's.

I remember asking him over the phone and the silence that came after. Finally, a few conversations later, he decided he would prefer to go to Dracula's because, (I quote) "it would be hillariously bad".

So, we were finally there, with the tickets in our hot little hands and to my surprise the queue was ridiculously long. I was suddenly very excited to see what it would be like inside. Unfortunately, photography is not allowed inside so I cannot share my journey with you through pictures this time.

And soon it was our turn to enter Dracula's abode. It was wonderfully themed. Everything fitted into the blood-sucking/Vampire theme. And to my surprise, everything worked really well. Yes, the show was tacky, but it delivered everything it promised. It would be unfair to compare the performances to the likes of The Phantom of The Opera. Such a performance would be in a completely different league. As such, like should be compared to like. And for a bit of fun, I thought Dracula's was an enjoyable night out. So long as you're not looking for something amazing that might awe you with theatrical exuberance. So, with the right frame of mind and level of expectation, it was very much enjoyable.

The Menu

Entree: Crispy wonton cupfilled with asian-spiced chicken, served with a mild capsicum relish and dried spring onions

Main course :Grilled prime eye fillet steak

Served on a bed of creamy potato mash and seasonal vegetables, topped with a brandy and peppercorn jus

Main course :Glazed pork cutlet

With herb-roasted chat potatoes, seasoned greens, fruit chutney and sweet potato shavings

Dessert:Death by chocolate

A decadent dark chocolate coffin occupied by a sinful mix of butterscotch schnapps mousse, honeycomb and freshly dug chocolate ‘dirt’

The above was what J and I had ordered from menu. Let's just say, I would highly disagree with the phrase written on bold and in large fonts on the website: "The food alone is worth the ticket price". No. It. Is. Not. At best it is of the same standard as an average meal I would get at a food court. That said, it was definitely not inedible. In fact, I quite liked the Glazed Pork Cutlet. It was juicy and well cooked. The pork itself was well seasoned and had a good flavour to it. The accompanying elements were however, insipid and lacked basic seasoning. I would not recommend Dracula's for a fine culinary experience but my point is that the food was OK. Not great, but OK.

As a whole, however, the experience was a good one. If you are looking for a stress-free, fun night out with nothing too fancy or elaborate, Dracula's might just be the sort of outing you are looking for.

We even got ourselves a little coffin-shaped souvenir to remind us of the fun we had!

Event Review: Catering by The Signature at The Plaza Ballroom

Location: 191 Collins St, Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9299 9860Link: http://www.marrinertheatres.com.au/venue_plaza.html

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Overall Impression: 7/10

Mark Haynes is the executive chef behind The Signature, the catering service provided at the Plaza Ballroom.

Entree: Tapas of saffron prawns, tomato and chorizo with a white bean puree and candied chilli

This cold entree was simple and to the point. The prawns were perfectly cooked. The salty chorizo alongside the creamy puree was a good match. As a whole, it was a pleasant entree.

Main: Roasted sage and rosemary lamb rack with a tagine eggplant, capsicum and lentil du puy

The lamb was cooked to my liking- medium, which meant it was juicy and tender. Beautifully presented, the rack of the lamb was frenched and the plating was simple but effective. The lentil du puy was delicious and matched the lamb very well. The tagine was a let down as it did not go well with the other elements on the plate.

Main: Slow cooked oven roasted chicken with lemon and herbs, pickled red cabbage and a fine cauliflower puree 

This was delicious. The chicken was juicy and tender and everything on the plate worked well together. The sweetness of the cauliflower puree, the touch of sourness from the lemon infused chicken and the pickled red cabbage made this a well-balanced course.

Dessert: Trio of tastes

Quenelle of lemon myrtle and white chocolate ganache

Champagne sorbet topped with strawberry compote

Pistachio and chocolate truffle slice

The dinner ended on a high, with this beautiful dessert. The Quenelle of lemon myrtle and white chocolate ganache was a highlight for me. Sour and sweet it was texturely chewy (not dissimilar to Konyaku jelly) and went beautifully with the creamy white chocolate that accompanied it.

This dessert on the other hand, was at best passable. Made from Agar Jelly with a fruit based syrup poured over it, it was uninspiring and texturally boring.

Petit fours

Overall, I was pleased with the quality of the offerings. Good food is hard to come by when a large group is catered for. So, this was, as a whole a good experience. The Plaza Ballroom is a beautiful venue with an elegant and formal ambience.

Restaurant Review: Claypots

Location: 213 Barkly St, St Kilda

Phone: (03) 9534 1282

Cuisine: Seafood

Overall Impression: 6/10

Having been to the restaurant part of Claypots and having had a satisfying dining experience, I was surprised to hear about the $5 seafood Paella at the bar section of Claypots. It invoked my curiosity, so J and I decided to check it out last Sunday night. The Paella is available 7 days a week from 6pm to 7pm. The trick is that only one giant paellera is cooked and served per night. It is on a first come first serve basis.

$5 Seafood Paella

The Paella was delicious. Every element was cooked very well. The calamari was tender and delicious, the prawns and mussels tasted fresh. The dish as a whole was perfectly seasoned and was smacked filled with flavour. But as would be expected, the serving is small, as you can see.

Overall, Claypots serves consistently good seafood (even when it comes to $5 paellas at the bar!). Nothing spectacular or revolutionary but it is nontheless, good and honest seafood.

Cafe Review: Cacao Green

Location: 285 Swanston St, Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9654 9674

Link: www.cacaogreen.com.au
www.facebook.com/CacaoGreenAUS

Cuisine: Desserts

Overall Impression: 8/10

Fair trade and organic, I thought Cacao Green might be too good to be true. Known as Red Mango in other parts of the world (300 stores all up), I was glad that Cacao Green had finally opened its doors in Melbourne. This is the brand's first Australian store. I was keen to sample the menu on offer.

Brightly lit on bustling Swanston Street, J and I headed there for the first time on a Saturday afternoon.

We were pleased to see that there was an array of choices on the menu. The menu included Organic Frozen Yogurts, Parfaits, Smoothies, Yogurt Drinks/Frappe, Organic Brazillian Chocolate drinks, tea and coffee. For those with a sweet tooth, it was a welcome sight.

And who could forget the choice of toppings available for just that extra bit of excitement on your yogurt!

The thing that I noticed immediately was how prompt and friendly the waitstaff and the environment was - which is always good when you're in a hurry. And in a sense we were because J and I were going to a costume themed ball that night and J still had not found what he was going to wear! *sigh* Men...But I digress. Now back to the toppings:

Toppings: seasonal fresh fruits, compotes, granola and a variety of nuts (I tried honey macadamia and it was delectable!) and cheesecake bites.

Our yogurts soon arrived. The following are the latest seasonal flavours. The flavours change throughout the year so be quick if you want to sample these.

Frozen yogurt: Matcha (green tea)

The yogurt was beautifully creamy and there was an ample amount of sweetness that did not overpower the twang that comes with a good frozen yogurt. The green tea flavour was surprisingly light. The thing to note is that green tea frozen yogurt is very different from green tea ice cream so don't expect something dense that is smacked with green tea flavour. This is a lighter much more refreshing version. I personally, really liked it but J thought it was a little strange for his liking. We both however, agreed that it tasted very creamy and natural. 

Frozen yogurt: Chocolate

This was a lot more mainstream. Extremely pleasant and delightful. It tasted like a premium chocolate soft serve with a beautifully smooth and creamy yogurt texture.

Frozen yogurt: Italian Original

This was a winner.

It was their pièce de résistance.  

It is no wonder that this is Cacao Green's signature flavour. I was delighted with every moreish mouthful that melted in my mouth. The sweetness and the tangyness of the yogurt was perfectly balanced. Thankfully, unlike the other two aforementined flavours, this is a constant. Highly recommended!

J and I were both extremely surprised to find out that the frozen yogurt contained a mere 0.5% fat. And rest assured, it does NOT taste low in fat. In fact, it was unbelievably creamy and tasted incredibly natural. Like I said, it is a winner!

Gourmet Waffles: Blueberry Almond and Walnut Waffle

Believe it or not, the waffle tasted better than it looked.

The crispy waffle crust and the soft fluffy insides slowly soaking the sweet blueberry compote - delicious. The best waffles are light, airy, sweet and crisp. The gourmet waffles at Cacao Green ticked all those boxes. The roasted crispy almond flakes provided a good textural element to the plate and it was GOOD.

We finished our gastronomical adventure at Cacao Green with a 60% Cacao Hot chocolate.

It was obvious that the hot chocolate was made from good quality chocolate. I soon discovered that it was made from Brazillian organic chocolate- AMMA

It was beautifully balanced - bitter and sweet with hints of walnut and fruit flavours. In contrast to the hot chocolate ordinarily found around Melbourne (e.g. Koko Black), this was much lighter. That is not to say that the chocolate was not intense. It was, in every sense chocolatey and rich but it was not dense. And I believe that this is a matter of taste and preference. On this occassion, given I had just had yogurts and a waffle, this was perfect.

The delicious 60% dark hot chocolate residue

Looks like they weren't lying about using real chocolate. None of that powdered crap, thank you very much.

And I cannot wait to go back. Especially for the Italian Original Frozen Yogurt!

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Cacao Green and Nuffnang Australia.

Cafe Review: N.Lee Bakery

Address: 62 Little collins street, Melbourne

Phone: (03) 9419 9732

Overall Impression: 7/10

After being recommended by a colleague to try the Vietnamese pork rolls at N. Lee Bakery, P and I headed down Collins Street to give it a go. My lovely P recently got engaged over the weekend! So after some serious ring shopping/hunting, we grabbed a quick lunch here. The Vietnamese pork roll was very nice. It came with home made mayonnaise, pate and sauces and was filled with a fresh salad that included corriander and chilli. It had a great flavour to it and was very enjoyable to eat. It's nothing spectacular or revolutionary but it is basic, nice food.

And for the price you pay, its worth every dollar.
Great place for a casual lunch/take-away!

Restaurant Review: Gold Class Cinema Doncaster (catered by Pearl Restaurant)

Link:http://villagecinemas.com.au/Cinemas/Gold-Class.htm

Overall impression of dining experience: 4/10

 ---

Pearl Cafe

Phone: (03) 9427 1307

Address: 599 Church St, Richmond, 3121

Link :http://www.pearlrestaurant.com.au/

 

The Gold Class cinema experience has been marketed as quite an upmarket product. I have seen ads depicting women in cocktail dresses sipping on champagne and enjoying a fine dining experience in a comfortably large reclining seat alongside exclusive cinema patrons.

I have had my "Gold Class experience" a few times but it is never remotely close to the sensationalist marketing that we see on the telly. Last night, my bosom buddy, G, surprised me by taking me for dinner and Super 8 at Gold Class Village Cinema Doncaster. As I had heard that the catering is now being done by Pearl Restaurant, I was quite excited to see what the menu would be like and how it would fare in the scheme of things. Unfortunately, the food was at best, run of the mill café fare. To be fair, I should be more specific - Decent café standard.

It was unfortunate that it bore no resemblance to the food that I had had at Pearl. No, not even the more casual Pearl café. The prices were however, slightly steeper than the average café.

We started the night off with lobby drinks. I've made my mistake ordering wine/coffee from the cinema before so I decided to order a chai latte and it was very nice.

Soon it was time for the movie!

entree: chorizo arancini $14

risotto balls, chorizo

The arancini balls were perfectly seasoned, crusty without being overly greasy on the outside and chewy in the middle. The only problem was the fact that the chorizo as described was notably absent.

 Main: roast pumpkin pizza $21
roasted butternut pumpkin, feta, spanish onion, mozarella, fresh rocket

main: Chicken ceaser panini $22
poached chicken breast, crisp bacon, caeser dressing, baby cos lettuce
turkish bread, shoestring fries

The chicken breast was pleasantly moist. But the bacon was slightly 'soggy'. I suspect the juices from the poached chicken breast may have caused it so an error in assembling the pannini is probably to blame. The turkish bread tasted slightly parched but was very much in good (as oppose to in mint) condition.

dessert: sticky date pudding: warm rich butterscotch sauce, gippsland dairy double cream $15

The sticky date pudding was a winner for me. Unlike the usually dense and indulgent sticky date puddings, this one was light and fluffy but still very moist. Every morsel was moreish and the butterscotch sauce was applied generously across the plate, making it a very hearty dessert inspite of the lightness of the pudding itself.

dessert: baked cheesecake $15

classic new york style cheesecake , berry coulis, gippsland double cream

And we left the cinema replete, after what turned out to be a large meal for the both of us.

All in all, when it came to the dining experience, it was a disappointing one. Not that the food was unpleasant it just lacked the finesse one would have expected from Pearl. I guess in the same way, the dining experience at one of Neil Perry's restaurants do not translate to the food you get on board a Qantas flight, the dining experience at Pearl does not translate to the food you will be served with at Gold Class.

I do not take offence to cafe-style offerings. It is merely the manner in which the dining experience is held out that I find fault in.

Nevertheless, it was still an enjoyable experience as a whole. And I thought Super 8 was a very enjoyable film, although G and I both agreed that the ending was somewhat ridiculous.

Thanks my bb for a wonderful night out!

Restaurant Review: European Bier Cafe

Location: 120 Exhibition St, Melbourne
Link: http://www.europeanbiercafe.com.au/
Cuisine: Australian pub fare [traditional favourites] and many dishes with a strong European twist.
Char-grilled Kangaroo Loin Fillet cooked medium rare with honey roasted sweet potato, Spanish onion and capsicum coulis

The kangaroo was cooked to perfection. Beautifully tender. I have had bad experiences with Kangaroo so I weary of the fact that there may be a prominent gamey taste but fortunately, it did not. It was lovely and the meat was obviously fesh to have avoided the haut goût taste. I personally, really liked the way it had been cooked. Unfortunately, due to the clear lack of seasoning using basic salt, the kangaroo's flavours were not allowed ro shine to its full extent. Overall, it was still a pleasant dish that I would not hesitate ordering again.

Spanish Pub Paella, saffron and paprika infused rice with chorizo roast chicken, capsicums and prawns baked then served

There was a great amount of flavour in the dish as a whole but it was nevertheless rather disappointing. I had expected the dish to be served in a paellera (paella pan). And as it was served on a plate, it didn't have the beautifully crusty/slightly burnt bottom and it didn't have the infused aromas of being cooked over an open fire. It tasted like a nice risotto. Pleasant but like I said, disappointing . In hindside, I should have read the descriptions on the menu properly because the chef really did deliver what he/she had promised. In any event, it was still better than my paella experience at Simply Spanish.

Overall Impression: 5.5/10

Nice, relaxed ambience, good food.

Restaurant Review: Yarra Valley Country Club

Location: 9-15 Templestowe Road, Bulleen
Link: http://www.yarravalley.net.au/dining.html
Cuisine: Australian pub

From the 'Specials' board: Grilled fish fillet served with crispy golden chips and salad

Simple dish.

From the main menu: Char-grilled Porterhouse with Mushroom Sauce served with crispy golden chips and salad

Cooked to our liking.

Overall Impression: 4/10
The staff were extremely friendly and the service was prompt. The food was however, passable at best.

Restaurant Review: Teppansan

Location: 179 Russell St, Melbourne
Cuisine: Japanese

Entree: Miso Soup

Main: Zaru Soba

A cold noodle dish served with sauce and thinly sliced cooked beef

This dish was served with soba tsuyu, which is a dipping sauce. The tsuyu had very strong kaeshi flavours (a sweeter version of the chinese soy sauce) and a hint of mirin. The way to eat this dish is to take some of the soba using chopsticks and dip it in tsuyu before eating it. It is also a good idea to mix wasabi into the sauce for added spice! I love cold soba on a hot day. Its incredibly refreshing and you can really taste the texture of the soba when it is chilled (the texture is quite different when you cook soba in soup because the noodle absorbs the soup). Teppansan does this dish quite well.

Main: Beef in Wafu sauce served with rice and vegetables

Overall Impression: 5.5/10
Casual dining. Friendly and quick service, very good value. Oh, and they make a delicious Okonomiyaki!

"The prices here make you think the restaurant has made a bill error in your favour."- Matt Preston, 5 February 5 2007

Restaurant Review: Ramen Ya

Location: Shop 25G Melbourne GPO 350 Bourke St, Melbourne

Phone: (03) 9654 5838 
Link: www.ramenya.com.au
Cuisine: Japanese

Overall Impression: 5/10

There are good friends. And then there are good friends. Well, V is a good friend. She's always had my back and shared in all my highs and lows. As her birthday fell on a working day, we decided to grab a quick lunch together before her party (of sorts) over the weekend. We had planned on having lunch at Kenzan GPO but as usual it was packed filled with patrons and we did not feel like getting take-away so we settled on the Japanese restaurant next door, Ramen Ya.  

I had bought her a present and a nice card to go along with it but stupidly left it at home and in a brief moment of panic, decided to make her, what turned out to be the ugliest card at work so she would forgive me…

We were both very happy with the ramen with had. Nothing  special but it was not bad and for about $10.00 it was fair. There is something so different about ramen in Tokyo though. I went to one right next to the Tokyo Dome Stadium and it was delicious. The soup was itself was thick and tasty and tasted "real". SO thick that every strand of ramen was coated with the beautifully flavoured soup. Every mouthful was heaven.The ramen at Ramen Ya does not hold a candle to the ramen stores in Japan but it still does the job. All in all, it was an enjoyable meal - nice ramen, prompt service and great company.

Cafe Review: Earl Canteen

Location: 500 Bourke Street (enter via Lt Bourke), Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9600 1995 
Link: www.earlcanteen.com.au
Cuisine: Gourmet sandwiches
Overall Impression: 7/10

After hearing the hype surrounding EARL Canteen, I was extremely skeptical. I mean, a sandwich is a sandwich. Let's not get *too* excited. Nevertheless, as the saying goes 'don't knock it til you've tried it', J decided to "surprise" me by taking me for a quick lunch there. I had been adamant about not wanting to try it as a protest against over-hyped sandwiches (in hindsight, I'm not sure what my problem was) but J pretended that he just wanted me to accompany him so he could get a take away but instead suddenly ordered 2 sandwiches, hence the "surprise".

The place was bustling with patrons. We arrived at 12.15pm, what most would consider a considerably early lunch time, but the place was packed. There was already a substantial queue. So we decided to join it while J decided what he would get for the two of us (unbeknownst to me).

Everything looked delicious. True to the philosophy behind EARL canteen, the menu certainly reflected 'restaurant quality' sandwiches. At this stage, I was still doubtful as to whether or not it would come through in the tasting.

 We got the following sandwiches to share:

Mushroom & Goats’ Curd $11.5
Roast field mushrooms, goats’ curd, pesto, chestnuts, rocket, ciabatta

There was a generous amount of goats' curd and its creamyness was a delicious match for the salty, nutty pesto. The mushrooms were roasted beautifully and perfectly seasoned.

Duck Confit $16
Confit duck, caramelised figs, walnuts, onion jam, radicchio, watercress, ciabatta

The duck was so tender and the caramelised figs brought a nice sweetness to the whole sandwich. The walnuts gave it a beautiful textural element. The only downside was.. *dramatic music* there was a huge duck bone. In fact, if you zoom into the picture above, you can see it very clearly. But as it was obvious enough that I saw and immediately removed it, such that it did not detract from my enjoyment of the sandwich, I'll let that slide.

All in all, the quality of the offerings were outstanding. The bread itself was delicious and for good reason too as they are sourced from what is known to be the best bakery in Melbourne, Dench Bakers in Fitzroy North.

These were excellent sandwiches. Overrated? Yes. But still easily the best sandwiches I have ever had. So, yes, I'm glad J convinced me to eat before I speak.

Restaurant Review: Brunelli Bar Restaurant Cafe

Location: 87 High St, Doncaster

Link: www.brunelli.com.au
Cuisine: Italian, cafe
Overall Impression: 5/10

For our more recent review of Brunelli, please click here!


Long weekends are great. That is, unless you have to study for an exam. I always thought I would leave the world of dreaded exams the moment I finished university and embarked into working life. Evidently this has sadly not been the case. Years later, I find myself cramming amongst salty crispy snacks and piles of legislation at my desk with my third cup of instant coffee wondering how I'll remember anything. I decided I needed to just get out of the house, at least for a little bit.
My best friend, Grace was lovely enough to keep me company.

my Cuppucino

It was 5pm when we arrived at Brunelli. All we wanted was some coffee but from the moment we arrived (although the place was empty), we got the sense they thought that we were there for dinner. Consequently it was awkward when we were presented with the dinner menu. We thought we might just order something to nibble on whilst sipping our coffees because we felt bad that we were not planning to stay for dinner.

Garlic Wood-fired foccacia

extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic & oregano

And it was very good foccacia. So good, I decided to have dinner there the next day and it was a simple but enjoyable meal.  We shared a few pizzas and they were all very nice. This place is casual and cosy. The service was prompt and friendly.

Restaurant Review: Sarti

Location: 6 Russell Pl, Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9639 7822
Link: www.sartirestaurant.com.au
Cuisine: Italian
Overall Impression: 8/10

Having heard about Sarti from different reliable sources, we were excited that we finally had the opportunity to dine there. It was J's birthday a week ago so this was part of his birthday celebrations (the week after I baked him the giant red velvet cupcake) with me as his date. We made a booking for 8.30pm as we both weren't sure if we would be able to get out of work early that Friday night. I had only rung the day before for a booking. The restaurant was fully booked apart from after 8.30pm (just as well, as we could not have made any other time!).

The whole place was bustling. There were people having Friday night drinks at the bar and the restaurant area was filled with patrons. It's nice going out on a Friday night. The atmosphere is always so much more lively. We were promptly seated at our table by a very friendly waiter that took very good care of us the rest of the night.

We decided to spoil ourselves with the degustation option and it turned out to be an excellent decision.

Bread served with extra virgin olive oil 

We knew we needed to get a bottle as this was one of the few occasions J was not driving. [Don't worry, I wasn't driving either.] So, J decided to get a bottle of Mount Langi Ghiran Billi Billi Shiraz which turned out to be a great choice - it was a very nice bottle of wine! Good job, hun! J wasn't sure about getting this particular bottle of wine because he has a theory that big wine companies that are particularly famous for their top of the range wines try and flog off drags with their cheaper range because they know it will still sell due to brand recognition. Fortunately, on this occassion, his theory did not apply.

First course: Wild duck and ‘provolone polpette’, pistacchio, aniseed myrtle

 Second course: Calabrian chilli crab, ‘n’duja’ crumble, ‘neo nati fritti’

Third course: Marsala glazed homemade sausages, whipped white polenta

Fourth course: Camel ‘carpaccio’, native pepper soil, toasted macadamia nut, bush tomato

And every dish was delectable. The entrees were hearty and rustic. The Camel was the only entrée that had more of a modern twist. I couldn't say Camel is now my favourite but it was definitely an enjoyable experience and if anyone could pull off serving raw camel, Sarti surely could and did.  Everything was seasoned perfectly, and had a lot of familiar flavours and struck a good balance on the plate.

My favourite entrée was the soft shell crab. It had just the right amount of spice for that little kick without overpowering the subtle flavours of the sweet crab flesh.

Fifth course: ‘Gnocchi al forno’, black leek, scallops, mussel, ‘cavolini di bruxell’

The gnocchi was simply amazing! The mussels were delicious. They were beautifully fresh and juicy and so were the scallops. Perfectly seared and perfectly cooked. And back to the gnocchi. Al dente, creamy and yet with a bit of bite. The gnocchi itself was perfectly seasoned (I could have eaten it by itself). And together with all the other elements of the dish, it was presented beautifully, maintaining an air of refinement on the palate and yet still tasted hearty and comforting.

 Sixth course: Braised veal cheeks, purple cauliflower cous cous, prociutto consommé, black rice

The flavours of this course came as a bit of a surprise to me. When I read it on the menu, I had imagined something with quite intense flavours, much like the Ox tongue and cheek I had at Maze. Instead, the Braised veal cheeks had very subtle flavours. The prosciutto consomme really brought the whole dish together, but it too, was crisp and clean. Everything had very subtle flavours but together, it was a marriage made in heaven.

Side dishes:
‘Patate mille erbe’and Mixed salad, ‘aceto della casa’

Soon it was time for dessert, we were excited to see what our desserts would be as we had told the waiter to surprise us. (That's another great thing about Sarti. Unlike a traditional degustation, if you are extremely picky, they let you decide every course! And ofcourse you can leave all the decisions in the capable hands of the chef if you prefer.

Seventh course: ‘Pistacchio panna cotta’, caramel salted popcorn

This was delectable. I savoured every moreish morsel. The perfect melt-in-your-mouth panna cotta with a lovely pistachio scent and flavour contrasted beautifully with the saltiness and crunch of the popcorn. It was such a beautifully balanced dessert and it had the perfect level of sweetness so every element of the dish was clearly present with every mouthful.

Eighth course: ‘Amarena gelato’, frozen liquid biscuit, cherry gel & hazelnuts

This was also a beautiful dessert. It was sweeter than the panna cotta and was much more indulgent. The biscuit was so short and quickly crumbled and melted in my mouth. And the gelato was smacked with cherry infused flavours. It was a great end to an excellent meal.

Sarti offers one of the better value degustations in Melbourne. At $90 a head, it delivers on all fronts - excellent service, food and great ambience. I cannot wait to go back.

Restaurant Review: Yuki Japanese Restaurant

Location: 1901-1903 Malvern Rd, Malvern East

Phone: 03 9885 7833
Cuisine: "Japanese" 

Overall Impression: 5/10*

In contrast to the amazing dining experience we had had at Sarti the night before, we had an awkward one at Yuki (pronounced Yucky, ok, no it is not) Japanese Restaurant in Malvern. Clearly J and I like to mix it up a bit. And you know what? It was actually a pretty enjoyable night out, apart from the food, that is.

But yes. From the moment we arrived we noticed how empty the restaurant was. It had been such an effort making a booking for the restaurant. I had rung several times and had been told that they were booked out for about a month so we actually booked a month in advance. Needless to say, it was extremely weird to see the restaurant looking quite so empty.

Neither of us had actually heard of this restaurant until J decided to have a go at buying a voucher advertised by Deals. It was advertised as follows:
Spectacular Japanese Banquet! Pay only $29 for TWO PEOPLE for amazing ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT Japanese Banquet including Sushi, Gyoza, Tempura, Yaki Udon, Chicken Katsu, Desserts and much more! Normally $80 from Yuki in East Malvern

From the kindness of his heart, my dear J decided to buy the voucher and take me along for a Japanese treat. When he had first bought it, we were both excited at the thought of reminiscing the time we had both spent in Japan.  

It turned out, however, that the ad for the "Japanese" banquet was both misleading and deceptive. It was neither Japanese and not was it amazing.

Prior to going to the restaurant, we had actually been reading horrendous reviews of the restaurant. No one seemed to have anything good to say about Yuki. So, we were slightly apprehensive at the thought of dining there. All in all, it was not nearly as bad as the reviews had suggested. That is not to say that either of us will ever be returning, merely that the food was in fact edible although not Japanese.

The "tempura prawns and vegetables" were deep fried prawns and vegetables that you would expect from your local fish and chip shop. You know what? It's probably not worth going into detail about the food. Suffice to say, it was not very good. But it was very much edible run of the mill food court level "Japanese" food served by non-Japanese.

Now, for the positives.

Yes, there were some.

It *is* in fact all-you-can-eat. The waitstaff were extremely attentive in making sure we always had food on the table. Although they frequently mixed orders up, they tried their very best to provide the best level of care. We received every single dish we had ordered. The unagi (eel) was actually very nice.

As the meal costs J $29 and included sake (pictured above) and fed the both of us with more than ample portions of food, it was fair. I would not however had been too pleased if that meal had cost $80. My advice is to use up your voucher soon if you still have it. It is really not that bad, but do it with a sense of urgency because it is unlikely that Yuki will be around for very much longer.

*The overall impression score is based on using a voucher. My understanding is that if a voucher had not been used, more dishes would have been available and the full price per person would be $40.

Restaurant Review: Plume Chinese Restaurant

Location: 546 Doncaster Rd, Doncaster
Phone: (03) 9840 1122
Link: www.plume.com.au
Cuisine: Chinese

Overall Impression: 5/10

My mum loves yumcha. She loves being able to have a variety of little dishes to snack on over some Chinese tea. So she was thrilled that my sister decided to take us all out for a lazy Sunday brunch at Plume. Dinner at Plume is a much more formal affair. I have attended a Chinese wedding banquet at Plume and remember being very impressed at the quality of the dishes they had on offer, but I digress.

The yumcha experience (as is the case with most yumcha experiences) was fairly informal. The restaurant was bustling and packed with patrons. I found the dishes above average. The egg tart was especially good. But Plume does charge a premium for their service. The bill for the three of us came up to about $150. So, I'm not sure if the particularly good egg tart was worth it.

All in all, good but all things considered, pricey for what it offers.

Restaurant Review: Mountain Goat Brewery

Location: Corner North St & Clarke St Richmond
Link: www.goatbeer.com.au
Cuisine: Beer, pizzas, beer and more beer

Ever wondered how beer is made? On top of serving premium beer and delicious pizzas, Mountain Goat Brewery runs free tours.

The bar:

The pizzas were delectable - Thin and crispy crusted and simply delicious. Overall Impression: 7/10

Delicious beer and great pizzas. What more could you ask for? The tour of the factory was a good experience. It is no wonder this place has gained such a cult following.

Restaurant Review: Bluestone Restaurant bar

Location: 349 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Link: http://www.bluestonerestaurantbar.com.au/
Cuisine: Modern Australian/Pub
Overall Impression on the restaurant: 7/10
Overall Impression on the bar: 5/10

Dining at the Bluestone Restaurant a few weeks ago was a lovely experience. The Modern Australian style cuisine was fresh, beautifully presented and tasted equally as good.

For entrees, we shared the following dishes:

-salmon and horseradish panna cotta, brioche grissini, gazpacho, lemon dust (GF)

-baked hervey bay scallops, capsicum salsa, parmesan and herb crust, micro herb garnish with fennel and prosciutto

-quail, fig and spiced plum wonton, vietnamese mint, soy and walnut dressing

The salmon panna cotta looked particularly strange. I was puzzled at the thought of a savoury panna cotta. Such was my curiousity that I just had to order it even though I had my doubts as to whether or not it would taste remotely good. To my surprise it was a pleasant, well balanced cold entrée.

The mains also came out beautifully. All three of us were very happy with what we had ordered.

And for dessert, we had the bluestone dessert plate to share. And again, everything was delicious.

Seeking  a casual lunch this time around, we decided to venture Downstairs and sample Bluestone's Bar Menu.

It was a stylish but simple, New York-style basement fit:

We decided to order a few wood-fired pizzas to share.

My favourite was a smoked salmon, tiny capers, goats cheese and fresh dill pizza. The pizzas were quite good. Nothing spectacular but definitely met all our expectations.