Cafe Review: Be-Hive Cafe Bar

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Location: 459 Collins St, Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9614 0019
Overall Impression: 5/10
Be-Hive is known for its salads. No, they are not your traditional I-am-on-a-diet type salad. These are salads that are harsh on the waist line but easy on the hip pocket. Think slivers of juicy deep fried chicken on a bed of creamy Caesar salad. There is nothing delicate or refined about the salads at Be-Hive but they certainly satisfy. Starting at $8.00 for a choice of two salads from their salad bar, it is a bargain. The portion sizes are incredibly generous.     
Choice of 2 salads from the Salad Bar: Roast Chicken and rice Salad [left] and Chickpea salad [right] $8.00
Lamb Risotto $16 from the a la carte menu

I have tried items from their a la carte menu but have not found them particularly impressive. However, as all the items on the menu are kept under $20, it is no doubt, reasonable.
Be-Hive Café Bar on Urbanspoon

Restaurant Review: Maedaya

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Location: 400 Bridge Rd, Richmond
Phone: (03) 9428 3918
Cuisine: Japanese
Overall Impression: 7.5/10

I have visited Maedaya on numerous occasions and have been impressed each time. This Izakaya-style restaurant authentically resembles the Japanese izakaya experiences J and I have had during our time in Japan.

An izakaya is a typical Japanese bar that serves food that accompanies Japanese drinks very well. Maedaya has a great range of sake available, impressive cocktails made from sake and the usual plum wine and various other Japanese liquors.
Savoury pancakes
delectable soba noodles
one of the sauces of the day to accompany the grilled meat...
This has remained one of our favourite Japanese restaurants for a while now. It is always nice to indulge ourselves with good sake and delicious food here whilst reminiscing our Japanese adventure back in 2010. Everything is delicious, fresh and of high quality. I highly recommend Maedaya for a nice casual dinner or after work drinks at the bar area.
Maedaya on Urbanspoon

Restaurant Review: Tiamo 2

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Location: 305 Lygon St, Carlton
Phone: (03) 9347 0911
Link: www.tiamo.com.au
Overall Impression: 5/10

Lygon Street restaurants have a bad reputation of serving up carricature Italian food to unsuspecting tourists. I have heard on numerous occasions that Tiamo 2 is an exception to that rule. Dining here, I found the hype about this place, unfortunately overrated. Although dining there did bring back good memories from Melbourne Uni student life, it was the only highlight of my dining experience here.
The gnocchi was far too salty and lacked any depth of flavour. The octopus salad was similarly disappointing. The saving grace for this restaurant is the lovely ambience and the friendly staff.
Tiamo 2 on Urbanspoon

Restaurant Review: Gurkhas

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Location: 258 Lygon St, Carlton
Phone: (03) 9663 3119
Cuisine: Nepalese
Overall Impression: 5/10 
Every dish was smacked full of flavour and very enjoyable. Although nothing surpassed our expectations, we would definitely not hesitate revisiting. Hearty, simple and to the point, this place is great for a casual dinner outing. Ambience-wise, it is quite noisy but not unacceptably so. 
Gurkhas on Urbanspoon

Restaurant Review: Hotel Lincoln

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Location: 91 Cardigan St, Carlton
Phone: (03) 9347 4666
Cuisine: Traditional pub-style in the bar area and Modern Australian in the restaurant area
Overall Impression: 7.5/10

This unassuming bar delivers much more than it promises. With traditional pub grub at the front bar section and delicious fine dining in the restaurant area at the back. It is the best of both worlds. Here are some pictures from the various time that I have had the privilege to dine here. Well priced and well executed, this is a local favourite of ours.  
Hotel Lincoln on Urbanspoon

Cafe Review: Koko Black

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Location: 167 Lygon St, Carlton
Phone: (03) 9349 2775
Overall Impression: 8/10

I have been spending way too much on chocolate lately. Koko Black's single origin chocolates are incredibly addictive. After our third time in the store this week, we decided to try the Ice cream plate for two ($22.00) that came with an Ice cream spoil plate to share and two hot or iced chocolates.
nom nom nom...
Koko Black seriously has the best hot chocolate. The ice cream was enjoyable but definitely not exceptional.
Koko Black on Urbanspoon

Restaurant Review: Rockpool Bar & Grill (Bar section)

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Location: Crown Casino 8 Whiteman St, Southbank
Phone: (03) 8648 1900
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Overall Impression: 8/10

For a review of the restaurant, please click here.
I am so over Neil Perry. The Qantas ads, the various appearances on MasterChef. And then walking through Crown to go to either J's or my brother's place I see his establishments Spice Temple, The Waiting Room and Rockpool.

Bla bla bla. So much hype for one man, but I digress.
The focus of Rockpool is on its beef. Its delicious succulent beef. Aged? Wagyu? Grass fed? Grain fed? They've got a cut to suit everyone, but at a price.

J has been talking about taking me to Rockpool for a long time now but I have been very sceptical. A high quality piece of meat, cooked well, will always be delicious. That is a fact. What I don't like is the idea of paying through the nose when little effort has been put into the preparation of the food I am served.

I understand that it is locally sourced produce and that the meat is of the highest quality, but at the end of the day, all they do in the kitchen is sear it on a grill, chuck it on a plate and what? I am supposed to be blown away?

J convinced me to have lunch with him there. Despite my initial reservations, curiousity got the better of me. 

I decided to order the Cape grim dry aged 36 month old in a Fillet Minute Style with Cafe De Paris Butter. As it did not come with anything other than the steak, we decided to share some sides. The side dishes were good but not exceptional.

The steak, however, was delicious. Although it did not look like much on the plate, it exceeded all of my expectations. This is the first time I have ordered a minute steak and it has actually been cooked to my liking: medium rare. Delectably juicy and tender. Simple but perfect.
I now see that there is certainly value in dining at establishments such as Rockpool. Of course, Heston Blumenthal type molecular gastronomy can be mind blowing and amazing, but sometimes when you nail the basics it can be just as impressive.
Guess we will be going back for dinner at the restaurant.

Cafe Review: Little Cupcakes

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Location: Shop 7, Degraves Street, Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9077 0413
Link: www.littlecupcakes.com.au
Overall Impression: 6/10

Cupcakes are popping up everywhere. Personally, I am not a fan. The hype is evident but I fail to see the reason why. This is simply a sad case of how looks can be deceiving. There they are, absolutely gorgeous looking but take one bite and there is neither substance nor depth. It may vary in the level of sweetness but that is all. Much like that ex you dated for a while (until you came to your senses) because he was a nice man-bag.  
But as far as pretty cupcakes go, those from Little Cupcakes are some of the better ones that I have tried. So, if you must, these, at the very least have some interesting flavours. Oh, and the online ordering system is fantastic!
Little Cupcakes on Urbanspoon

Cafe Review: Pie Face

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Location: Various Phone: 0430 093 677
Link: http://www.pieface.com.au/
Overall Impression: 4.5/10
I have tried the pies at  both the Elizabeth Street and Flinders street stores. At the very least, there appears to be consistency in terms of the standard of the pies served at both of these stores. There is however, no distinguishing features in the pies served that would make them any different from say, a pie I could buy at seven eleven. They do not taste particularly good or have special pie fillings that I would struggle getting elsewhere. At $5.75 a pie, it is also not particularly cheap. Unfortunately, Pie Face goes into my ‘neither here nor there’ bin.

Pie Face Little Collins St on Urbanspoon
Pie Face on Urbanspoon

Restaurant Review: Berth

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Location: 45 New Quay Promenade, Docklands
Phone: (03) 9670 0199
Link: www.berth.com.au
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Overall Impression: 6.5/10
 
 
 
Entrée: Kalamata olives – served warm with chorizo sausage and turkish bread $12
This was simple and well executed.

Entrée: Soup of the day – with toasted bread $9
I wasn’t feeling particularly well and had been craving soup all day, so I opted for the soup of the day. Having had countless disappointing experiences, I was pleased to see that my luck had finally changed. The soup of the day was a pumpkin and cumin soup served with beautiful sourdough bread. The soup was thick, hearty and smacked full of flavour. It had very middle eastern/Indian flavours to it.
Main: Roasted half duck – with sautéed spinach, crispy polenta and a balsamic glaze $29
The duck was slightly overcooked but still quite moist. Flavours-wise, it was well seasoned and enjoyable to eat.

Main: Grilled kangaroo fillet – on kipfler potatoes finished with rocket and a red wine glaze $26
The kangaroo was perfectly cooked. It was deliciously charred on the outside and pink on the inside.  The beetroot brought an element of sweetness to the dish that balanced the red wine glaze. As a whole, it was a very good main and I look forward to ordering this again during my next visit.

As you can see, the wine glasses used are most unimpressive.
Dessert: Cookies ‘n’ cream – vanilla bean ice cream topped with crumbled pieces of choc chip cookies, homemade honeycomb & hot chocolate sauce $12
Dessert: Lemon tart – with freshly whipped cream and citrus sauce $12
Both the desserts were very pedestrian. But like the rest of the meal, it was also enjoyable.

Berth serves up decent, honest food. The food is simple and meets expectations. We both had a very enjoyable casual dining experience. The location is lovely. We were seated right next to the window. Peering out, it really felt like we were on a ship sailing away. It is a great place for a date that will certainly not break the bank. For all the food we had, the bill came up to $100 exactly (sans wine).
Berth Restaurant & Bar on Urbanspoon

Restaurant Review: Giuseppe Arnaldo & Sons

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Phone: (03) 9694 7400
Location: Crown Entertainment Complex, Southbank
Link: www.idrb.com/giuseppe_main_flash.html
Cuisine: Italian
Overall Impression: 6.5/10
Z, JL and I decided to catch up over a working day lunch at Giuseppe. The service was prompt and friendly. The whole place had a really modern vibe to it. 
Seriously delicious bread for the table.
"Ravioli alla Marchigiana"
Ravioli Filled with a Five Hour Ragu of Pork & Veal in a Burnt Butter, Sage Sauce, Finished with Black Truffle Pecorino (Available Lunch Only) $36
Spaghetti“Arrabbiata” Crab, Tomato, Chilli
Baked in a Paper Bag   $33
Mezzi Rigatoni, Our Own Pork Sausages,
Sage, Tomato, Garlic, Chilli  $28  

All in all, the food was rustic and delicious. The pasta was al dente. Everything was well seasoned and very hearty. That said, at over $30 for a bowl of pasta, you would very well hope so. This is my second time at Giuseppe and although the food is delicious, I am still not sure whether the high end prices are justified. Perhaps a 3 course dinner in the future would give me more perspective and change my mind but at this stage, for a casual lunch, I would say it is good but I would not be rushing to go back.
Giuseppe, Arnaldo & Sons on Urbanspoon

Event Review: Louis Vuitton afternoon tea

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Location: 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank
Phone: 1300 883 880

J and I were delighted with an invitation to a private Louis Vuitton ("LV") afternoon tea. They had just launched some new textiles that were not yet available to the public so this was an opportune time to see what was new in the fabrics scene at LV.
Sneak peak
 We were treated to a lovely cheese platter and delicious sour dough bread.  
The hidden room inside the LV store was beautifully decorated with comfortable furnishings and all sorts of LV-related goods.
Every luxury house serves tea exclusive to its VIP guests and LV is no exception. The LV tea was deliciously fragrant with floral notes.
It was a wonderful afternoon and we all felt extremely spoiled and welcomed. Sipping glasses of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Rose and browsing through the new collection it was a treat for all the senses.

Thank you for a great afternoon, to the Southbank LV team!

Restaurant Review: Jimmy Watson's Wine Bar and Restaurant

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Location: 333 Lygon St, Carlton
Phone: (03) 9347 3985
Link: http://melbourne.citysearch.com.au/E/V/MELBO/0036/95/75/
Cuisine: Italian
Overall Impression: 6.5/10
Jimmy Watson’s felt like a secret find. No one apart from the birthday girl had ever heard of the place. Browsing through the menu, we noticed that everything was incredibly well priced (with mains around the $20 mark). Notably, this place is great for group bookings. The place is well spaced and the service is warm and friendly without being intrusive.   
Antipasto platter
Crispy Skin Seasoned Chicken Breast with Sweet Potato, Silverbeet and Harissa $21
Slow Cooked Osso Bucco with Butter Sauteed Potato Chats $21
Pasta of the Day $19
Overall, every dish was very pleasant. It was humble, rustic food. Everything was well-seasoned and enjoyable. And for what we paid, we were all more than satisfied. Note however, that given it was a wine bar/restaurant; the wine list was surprisingly quite limited, comprising predominantly of Jimmy Watson labels.
Jimmy Watson's Wine Bar on Urbanspoon

Bar Review: Carlton Yacht Club

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Location: 298 Lygon St, Carlton
Phone: (03) 9347 7080
Link: www.carltonyachtclubbar.com.au
Overall Impression: 5/10

A good cocktail is one that taste delicious without the burn (that harsh taste that comes with hard liqueur) but delivers a good level of intoxication.

Many cocktails taste incredibly alcoholic which makes it not very enjoyable to drink. But the worst of all is a cocktail that does not taste alcoholic because there is barely any alcohol in it.
The cocktails at the Carlton Yacht Club (“CYC”) the night of SR’s birthday drinks were such. E.g.:
Death by Tim Tam
A nutritionist’s nightmare concoction of Vanilla Vodka, Baileys, Creme de Cacao and Butterscotch Schnapps blended with caramel syrup, choc syrup, ice cream and Tim Tam biscuits served tall with a frozen Tim Tam garnish. A modern CYC classic.

Although delectable, it had no effect. And when someone as easily intoxicated as I am says they have no effect, the cocktail must have well and truly lacked any volatile substances.

So there. Rant over.

Carlton Yacht Club on Urbanspoon

Cafe Review: Cacao

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Location: Shop 7 / 525 Little Collins St, Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9629 4955
Link:www.cacao.com.au
Overall Impression: 7/10

Please read our latest review of cacao here!
Having noticed the hype surrounding the macarons at Cacao, J surprised me with a bunch of them on a lovely afternoon. Even though I still maintain that the macarons from Emerald Deli are the best I have ever tasted, the macarons at Cacao are very good. They are smacked filled with flavour but due to their delicate sizing, the gooey centre is somewhat lacking. I would say it is the same problem La Belle Miette has with its macarons.
Nevertheless, at $2.50 each, it is definitely a worthwhile treat.

This time we opted for the salted caramel and pistachio flavoured macarons.

Salty Caramel and Pistachio
The salted caramel is a winner with its beautifully balanced flavours.

Cacao Fine Chocolates & Patisserie on Urbanspoon

Cafe Review: Market Lane Cofee

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Location: Victoria Market, 109-111 Therry Street, Melbourne
Email: hello@marketlane.com.au
Link: http://www.marketlane.com.au/
Overall Impression: 8/10
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.
Market Lane Coffee on Urbanspoon

Event Review: The Micro Kitchen by Broadsheet & A Friend of Mine

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http://www.broadsheet.com.au/melbourne/food-and-drink/article/micro-kitchen-broadsheet-friend-mine
JA prides himself in finding little niche spots around the inner urban areas of Melbourne. He spends his non-billable hours thralling through his artsy readings and lurking in exclusive wine bars, whilst sipping a glass of red and nibbling on a cheese platter with sweet Mimsy, the love of his life. Yesterday, JA was kind enough to invite S and myself along for a glimpse of one of his newest findings.
Unfortunately, this finding will cease to exist after tomorrow.
Broadsheet has combined renowned Melbourne chefs and designers in a temporary kitchen adequately named ‘The Micro Kitchen’.  
The schedule for the week:

Monday 25 July: Trent Jansen (Industrial Design) and Matt Wilkinson & Damien Styles (Pope Joan)

Tuesday 26 July: PAM (fashion and product design) and Andrew McConnell & Josh Murphy (Cumulus Inc.)

Wednesday 27 July: Edwards Moore (architecture) and Kate Holloway (The Premises)

Thursday 28 July: Susan Cohn (jewellery) and Maurice Esposito (St Peters)

Friday 29 July: A Friend of Mine (graphic design) and Joseph Abboud (Rumi)
Blacked eyed bean, Newmarket smoked ham hock, winter vegetable and baby spinach by Edward Moore and Kate Holloway (The Premises)

We were both thrilled to see this side of Melbourne. For $5 you will receive a soup of the day, which reflects the designer’s practice and the chef’s cooking style. To top that off, you receive a slice of fresh sourdough bread from Loafer Bread. There is also coffee from Sensory Lab for those who crave some delightful caffeine and local craft beer from Thunder Road.
Thanks for sharing this with us, JA!
The Premises on Urbanspoon

Restaurant Review: Bimbo's Deluxe

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Location: 376 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
Phone: (03) 9419 8600
Link: www.bimbodeluxe.com.au
Cuisine: Gourmet Pizzas
Overall impression: 7/10

During certain hours, Bimbo’s presents you with an offer difficult to resist.
Any pizza on their menu for a mere $4! The great thing about the $4 special is that it isn’t during insane or impractical hours. They appear during regular lunch and dinner hours, wonderfully enough.
At the moment, the deal is valid during the following times:
Sun – Thurs 7 - 11pm
Weekdays 12 - 4pm
Saturday 7 - 9 pm

These gourmet thin crusted pizzas are delicious. For $4 they are everything you would expect and more. And if you really want to spoil yourself, for an extra $4, indulge in a dessert pizza to finish the meal off. It will give you that extra stomach lining in preparation for the alcohol you are about to consume.
Bimbo Deluxe on Urbanspoon