Restaurant Review: David & Camy Noodle Restaurant

Location: 605 Station St, Box Hill
Phone: 03 9898 8398
Cuisine: Chinese
Overall Impression: 5/10

It's cheap. And that is perhaps the most obvious reason why people keep coming back. The dumplings, noodles and rice dishes all have their flaws but at the end of the day, it is certainly a place that meets expectations. There is no pretence - don't expect to be treated as a valued customer. The menu boasts cheap Chinese delicacies and everything else is secondary (service in particular). The dumpling dough is incredibly thick and the meat is slightly dubious but when you consider the price, it is hard to be too critical.

Restaurant Review: Passionflower

Location: Shop 2, 168 Bourke Street, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9663 0033
Link: passionflower.com.au/Home
Cuisine: Asian-influenced desserts
Overall Impression: 5/10

Passionflower serves Asian influenced dessserts. Their ice cream range is commendably substantial with exotic flavours such as sticky rice and durian.

The music was extremely loud during our visit and the songs kept getting skipped half way through. It certainly appeared as though the cafe was being run by teenagers.

The ice cream style appears to be very similar accross the various flavours. They are all very creamy and milky. There is a good density to the ice cream and they all taste luscious.

While their ice creams certainly fall short of being revolutionary, their exotic ice creams in general are of a reasonably good standard. A standout flavour is their durian ice cream. It had incredibly intense durian flavour and tasted 'real' (often durian ice creams taste of a strange durian flavouring and lack depth and complexity).

Whilst Passionflower is an interesting new addition to Melbourne, it is clearly experiencing a few growing pains in relation to the manner in which the cafe is run. In terms of the desserts themselves, they are reasonably good although a tad overpriced for what they are. 

Restaurant Review: Nyala

Location: Level one, 356 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Phone: 03 9419 9128
Cuisine: African
Overall Impression: 6.5/10

Nyala African restaurant is a brilliant African restaurant on Brunswick Street. Don’t let the entrance deter you from entering though. It certainly looks a little scary on the outside (all you can see is a dirty glass door and a flight of stair behind it) but should you dare to enter, you will find at the top, a charming African restaurant. 

The décor is unmistakably African influenced. Cotton fabrics with floral-like motives adorn the tables and African themed paintings brighten the pale white walls. The ceiling is wood with fans hanging from them. There is a glorious array of colours from the lantern-like lights and it seriously puts you in the mood for an African feast.

Mountain Bread

J and I were disappointed to find out that you needed at least a table of four to have the banquet but we soon realised we could make our own little banquet if we chose the “combination” entrees and mains.

Mixed Combination Entree of Baboutie, Deberja, Ful and Lentils

For entrée we chose the Mixed Combination (any Four combination of dips and entrees) – We chose the Baboutie, Deberja, Ful and Lentils. Our favourite was the Baboutie which is a South African specialty made from mincemeat, fruit Chutney, sultanas, almonds and other spices. It was full of flavour and went beautifully with the delicately thin mountain bread it was served with. There was depth and complexity in the flavour of the Baboutie. It had a hint of sweetness that complemented the overall savouriness of the dish. The almonds added a nice textural element to the dish and the spices brought a lovely flavour and were well balanced. Like all of our courses, it was also very hearty. It was certainly the highlight of our evening.

Meat Mixed Combination Main

For mains we chose a combination of meat and vegetarian courses. Our meat courses consisted of Kuku Na Nazi (A Kenyan dish of chicken, coconut, curry and mild spices), Beg Tibs (Marinated and spiced lamb sizzling cubes sautéed with fresh Tomato, Rosemary and white wine) and Nyala Special (a traditional Ethiopian stew of lean, boneless beef, finely chopped fresh ginger, garlic and homemade peri peri with other spices). These were all good and had very familiar flavours (they reminded me a lot of Indonesian and Indian curries) but we were surprisingly full from our entrées to really enjoy this. It was strange but we found the food to be very substantial even though the serving sizes were relatively normal. In fact, we took away what we couldn’t finish for lunch the next day and experienced the same thing!  

Vegetarian Mixed Combination Main

Our Vegetarian dishes included Furari (a Tanzanian vegetarian dish of cabbage, potato, carrot and seasonal vegetables cooked with mild spices, topped with coconut milk) and Gomen (freshly cooked silver beet and potatoes with garlic, ginger and other spices). These were delicious. They really do know how to immerse and infuse flavour into their vegetables. Each vegetarian dish was different in flavour but they all shared one thing in common - all the vegetables had been cooked to the point where they simply melted in your mouth and were incredibly tender. The flavours from the herbs and spices were unique and very enjoyable to eat. 

Couscous

Injera

The Injera that we were served was beautifully light and fluffy and sponged up the delicious sauces from our mains.
As full as we were, J and I did not want to leave without having tasted their desserts.  I preferred the Tafach Mooz over the Sweet couscous but neither of the two truly impressed. Although pleasant to eat, the desserts were very one dimensional in flavour.

Sweet couscous – Morrocan speciality. Delicious fine semolina dish, served with slivered almonds, sultanas, icing sugar, unsalted butter and served with ice cream.

Tafach Mooz – East African favourite. An exotic name for “sweet bananas”, is a product of layers of bananas, brown sugar, cream cheese and cinnamon, lightly baked.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable dining experience. I only wish the dishes were not as filling because it was difficult to resist the temptation to overeat even though I could feel my body telling me I had had more than enough. Apart from that minor detail, the service was warm and friendly, the ambience was great and the food was more than satisfying. I will certainly be back again (so I can get my hands on more Baboutie and Injera).

Restaurant Review: Zara

Location: 168 Sydney Rd, Coburg
Phone: 03 9384 1415
Link: zararestaurant.com.au
Cuisine: Turkish
Overall Impression: 5.5/10

In terms of ambience the restaurant is unnerving at first instance. The carpets are worn out and the tables and chairs look like they have not been replaced since the 1980s. Perhaps our experience would be different if we were here on a weekend when belly dancers would grace the very wide dining space. But on that weeknight, the restaurant appeared quite lifeless.

To balance the awkward mass of space between diners is a charming older gentleman who served us throughout the night. We suspect he is also the owner of Zara. He talks to us like we are guests in his home and immediately we feel a lot more comfortable.

We opted for the King’s Banquet ($30 per person) which was described as follows:

“For people who want to try a bit of everything. This menu includes unlimited soft drinks , two different types of Turkish Pizza , Rice & Salad , A Large Variety of Dips , Doner Kebab ,Chicken & Lamb Skewers , Lamb cutlets.”

Dips

Turkish Pizza

Doner Kebab

Chicken and Lamb Skewers

Lamb Cutlets

Turkish Delights and Baklavas

Turkish Coffee

Ultimately, it is the warm and friendly service that truly makes Zara tick. The food itself while pleasant to eat doesn’t go too far beyond ordinary. That said, for $30 a head, it is certainly a value for money proposition. We found the food homely and hearty with authentic Turkish flavours.

The banquet was appropriately generous and we all left with our appetites satiated. Zara is a good introduction to Turkish food and as far as banquets go, this is one that certainly won’t break the bank.

Product Talk: Heinz Squeeze & Stir

A package filled with goodies from Heinz arrived in the mail for me - It's time for another Product Talk by Nuffnang...

It's not your ordinary powdered cup soup, these babies come in individual sachets filled with a rich concentrated paste that you simply add boiling water to. Really handy to stash away in your office desk. I've just had the  Ripe Tomato & Vegetable soup, whilst obviously not as delicious and hearty as mum's but for a quick and convenient soup, I found the flavour and taste to be much more natural and real than the powder soup alternative. It's made from fresh ripe tomatoes, low in fat, no artificial colours, flavours and has no preservatives - looks pretty good to me.

Restaurant Review: Dench Bakers

Location: 109 Scotchmer St, Fitzroy North
Phone: 03 9403 5333
Link: denchbakers.com.au
Cuisine: Bakery, Brunch
Overall Impression: 7/10

Dench Bakers is one of the most highly regarded bakeries in Melbourne. A premium stockist for bread, Dench Bakers is a supplier to well known Melbourne establishments such as Richmond Hill Café & Larder, Earl Canteen and Market Lane Coffee.  

The coffee is great and the food is delicious. Simple, to the point and well executed. Our focaccia (salami, pesto, asiago & rocket) and sandwich (pulled pork, rocket & apple sauce) were both delicious.

sandwich - pulled pork, rocket & apple sauce

focaccia - salami, pesto, asiago & rocket

beesting

flourless orange cake

The desserts were equally as impressive.

We couldn’t go home empty handed so we bought a lovely olive and rosemary loaf and a traditional baguette, both of which were beautiful. 

This little eatery is the perfect place for a Sunday brunch. If the good coffee and food doesn’t win you over, the lovely cost ambience and friendly staff just might.

Restaurant Review: Yong Green Food

Location: 421 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
Phone: 03 9417 3338
Cuisine: Vegetarian, Korean, Asian, Vegan
Overall Impression: 6/10

Boasting animal-free goodies, Yong Green Food is proudly Vegan in its offerings. Tucked away on lively Brunswick Street, this humble eatery has gained considerable popularity over the years. Run by two lovely Korean sisters with a passion for food, the restaurant has a sense of warmth and cosiness. 

The highlight of our meal was the Rawsagna – their take on what a lasagne would be in a vegan world. It was absolutely delicious. The decadent cashew sauce paired with the delicately sliced zucchini and marinated eggplants made for a delectable combination of flavours. It would have been the perfect summer dish.

Tuna served with brown rice and steamed vegetables

Korean Stir-fry "beef"

The other dishes we ordered were far more simple and unfortunately, lacked seasoning.

Blueberry Cheesecake

Pecan Pie

Chocolate Brownies

We were excited when it came to dessert time and at the risk of appearing greedy, decided to order three desserts to share between the two of us. Considering the desserts had to omit common ingredients like eggs or dairy products (think cheesecake without cheese) we were curious to see what they would taste like. We were pleasantly surprised by how good the desserts tasted. They were very different to their “original” counterparts but were unique and delicious in their very own way.

All in all, Yong Green Food delivers all that it promises to both Vegans and non-Vegans. I know I will certainly be back for their Rawsagna (especially when the weather is warmer).

Restaurant Review: The Bond Store

Location: 1 Riverside Quay Southbank
Phone: 03 9686 9007
Cuisine: Brunch, Coffee
Overall Impression: 5/10

Bond Store serves reasonably good food at fair prices and the coffee is of a good standard.

In terms of cafes around the Southbank area, it is certainly one that is worth a visit.

Restaurant Review: Comme Kitchen

Location: 7 Alfred Pl, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9631 4000 CBD
Link: comme.com.au
Cuisine: French, European
Overall Impression: 4.5/10

An ex-Michelin star restaurant sous chef and now Orthopedic surgeon (and dear friend) that G and L met during their 2 years in Europe was visiting. We all decided to take him to a French restaurant to see his views on the Melbourne take on French cuisine.

Being a born and bred French man himself, he was very sceptical about how authentic the execution of the French cuisine would be but was also excited to see what French cuisine in Melbourne had to offer. I had read that Comme Kitchen was a brilliant French restaurant and had consistently earned a chef hat for several years now in The Age Good Food Guide so we thought it would be a fair reflection of a reasonably good Melbourne French restaurant. Neither, J, G, L or I had ever visited Comme Kitchen prior to this occasion. Unfortunately, neither of us will ever be coming back.

The place is unconventionally set out but aesthetically, it works. There is a relaxed elegance about the place and based on first impressions, it was certainly a place we liked instantly. 

We commenced our night with cocktails at the bar while waiting for our table. When we were finally seated, our French guest ordered a few beautiful bottles of wine. We had been drinking for a while and were becoming incredibly hungry. Our orders had been placed an hour ago and we all wondered whether the kitchen had forgotten our orders. It was perplexing given the restaurant was far from full.

Our five entrees finally arrived. All five, minuscule in size. We thought, given these were entrees, it might be a good way to work up an appetite for the mains.

Our mains arrived in half an hour after our entrees. To our disappointment, they were the size of a normal entree (i.e. although bigger than a Comme Kitchen entree, trifling for what would be expected of a normal sized main). It was clear that the restaurant was suffering from a serious case of 'big plate syndrome' - tiny portions on a giant plate. A phenomenon common in the ancient past that was indicative of  restaurants with "class". Something fine dining establishments in the twenty first century (bar a few) have realised does not induce patronage.

To the restaurant's credit, ignoring the portions, in terms of the food itself, our dishes met our expectations. They were reasonably well executed as a whole and had good flavours that were well balanced and pleasing to eat. My highlight of the evening was my entree of 'Escargot Bourguignon, button mushrooms, lardons & parsley cream'. Although, the flavours of the dish were quite strong and slightly overwhelmed the subtle flavours of the snail, that did little to detract from the fact that the snails were tender and melted in my mouth. 

The desserts were the most adequately sized of all the courses.

They were a sweet end to the meal.

As a whole, it was an incredibly underwhelming dining experience. The unreasonable wait for the food to arrive and the ridiculous portions were the main downfall. The main waitress that served us was lovely and accomodating but every other staff member we encountered during the night was defensive and rude. The food itself is of quite a good standard but for a hatted establishment and the high end price tags, we would have expected much more.

Restaurant Review: Bamboo House

Location: 47 Little Bourke St, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9662 1565
Link: bamboohouse.com.au
Cuisine: Chinese, Cantonese
Overall Impression: 7/10

Chinese wedding banquets are always a delicious experience. It really is all about the food. No one ever leaves hungry.  If you're not unbuckling your belts by the end of the night, something has gone terribly wrong.

Crispy Roast Pork & Assorted Cold Platter

Dragon Phoenix Bird's Nest

Stuffed Crab Claw

Chicken & Shark Fin Soup

Lobster with Ginger & Spring Onion

Braised Abalone

Sichuan Tea Smoked Duck

Steamed Barramundi with Lotus Leaf

Red Bean Sweet Syrup

The standard and quality of the food served at Bamboo House was commendable. We were delighted to see that every course was executed well despite the volume. Whilst Bamboo House is already a very popular restaurant for dumplings, the wedding banquet experience has definitely sparked an interest in me to better experience their menu. Needless to say, J and I will certainly be back for more.

Restaurant Review: Shark Fin

Location: 52 and 131 Little Bourke St Melbourne
Phone: 03 9662 2681 (Shark Fin Inn), 03 9663 1555 (Shark Fin House)
Link: sharkfin.com.au
Cuisine: Chinese, Yum Cha
Overall Impression: 7/10

In terms of Yum Cha, the Shark Fin group certainly has it all down pat.

There is a brilliant variety of dishes and we were delighted to see that they were, in general, well executed. We ordered as much as we could physically eat and the bill came up to a very reasonable $30 per person. Shark Fin is certainly one of the better Yum Cha places in China Town.

Restaurant Review: Touché Hombre

Location: Cnr Tattersalls Lane & Lonsdale St, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9663 0811
Link: touchehombre.com.au
Cuisine: Mexican, Latin American
Overall Impression: 8/10

We were privileged to dine at Touché Hombre 9 days ahead of the official launch (on the 26th of April 2012) featuring Australian street artist Beastman (who let loose on the walls of Tattersalls Lane) and seňor Casper (an actual Donkey to add to the Mexican flair).

The place was bustling with patrons. The crowd consists predominantly of young urban professionals of the trendy sort. We are told by Owner and Designer himself, Davis Acacia Sky (born Davis Yu) that all this came into fruition in a month. Apart from his talent in running restaurants (he is also the proud owner of The Millswyn in South Yarra); his eye for interior design is commendable.

The scene is clearly set – Touché Hombre is trendily and impeccably restrained “grungy“. The tables, shelving and the bar top are adorned with wood salvaged from Princess Pier. Naked bulbs hang from the ceilings and the splashes of neon at the entrance create a distinctive chaotic night time feel that compliments the Mexican street inspired menu. 

La Margarita de octubre 1941

Tostaditos - Spiced Chicken, mango jam, toasted sesame & chipotle mayo

The food itself is of a high standard. It is Mexican soul food – simple, to the point and executed well. The flavours on every dish are well balanced and full of flavour. It was clear that quality ingredients had been sourced. The menu boasts a selection of tostaditos, grilled corn, fresh ceviche and a wonderful list of delectable tacos. My favourite savoury dishes of the night were the soft shell crab taco and the fatty lamb ribs.

Ceviche· Diced fish, mussels, cilantro, chilli, red onion, tomato & guacamole with tortilla chips

Blood orange madagascar

Fatty lamb ribs - merquen, cilantro, lemon, honey

La Paloma

De Jaiba - Soft shell crab, corn cream, pea shoots, lime and mint

Breakfast Taco - omelette, salchicas, Egmont cheese, beans, avocado, salsa, fried onions with habenero cream

Michelada Bitchin’ Mexican Beer Cocktail

Del Coronel - Chargrilled Chicken, chimchurri & toasted pepitas

The drinks menu, compiled by Bar Manager, Johnnie Kai certainly shows the capabilities of Touché Hombre on the beverage front. His signature cocktail, La Margarita de Octubre 1941 is a classic margarita made with the original Damiana Mexicana. It is rough around the edges, a little left of centre and seductively strong. 

Ice Cream Sangas: Rice Pudding & Cinnamon

We indulged in the lovely ice cream sangas. The chocolate and chilli peanut cookie was divine. The spiciness of the chilli (not for the fainthearted) complemented the luxurious chocolate and indulgent cookie and ice cream. It was a match made in heaven. 

Ice Cream Sangas:  Chocolate & Chilli peanut cookie

Ice Cream Sangas: Dulce De Leche

Davis Sky’s passion and enthusiasm translates into a memorable dining experience as Touché Hombre delivers on all fronts - great food, brilliant drinks, excellent service coupled with an ambience that has a hell of a vibe.

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Touché Hombre.

Weekend in Phillip Island and Restaurant Review: Rustic Water Brewery

I used to love going to Phillip Island as a child - waiting impatiently to see the little penguins emerge from the sea and waddle across the beach to their sand dune burrows was particularly exciting. Things look so different coming back here now. The last thing I wanted to do was be a part of a dense crowd waiting to see penguins. I wanted this to be a relaxing two days. We arrived on Saturday evening and decided to go down to the pier and take in the sea breeze before dinner.

The next day, we lazed around a lot and visited a few places.

Phillip Island Chocolate Factory

Churchill Island

We ended up doing most of the cooking at our rented holiday accomodation.

Location: 1821 Phillip Island Rd, Cowes [Phillip Island]
Phone: 03 5952 1666
Link: rustywaterbrewery.com.au
Cuisine: European, Modern Australian
Overall Impression: 5/10

We passed by the Rusty Water Brewery on our way to our accomodation so we decided to pop in for lunch.

J enjoyed several beers as I volunteered to take over driving duties for the day. He was quite pleased with the beers on offer.

Rusty risotto $27.90 - our famous rusty risotto served with smoked chicken, mushrooms (oyster, swiss and portobello), prepared in our own homemade vegetable stock

Warm Thai beef salad $21.00 - tender sliced eye fillet beef, rice noodle, coriander, vietnamese mint and onion topped with nam jim dressing 

We found the food extremely pedestrian and bland in terms of flavour. The risotto was slightly soggy and the Thai beef salad lacked seasoning and flavour. The portions were also smaller than we expected. To the restaurant's credit, however, the service was of a good standard and the pub had a nice and relaxed ambience. Perhaps, this is a venue we would have enjoyed much more for a Saturday night drink rather than a Sunday lunch.

Event Review: 3rd anniversary of Heide Museum and Yering Station's partnership

J and I were delighted to attend another event hosted by Yering Station and Heide Museum - this was the third anniversary of their partnership. It was a delectable afternoon of lovely Yarrabank sparkling and delicious Café Vue sweets.

Thank you, Yering Station, Heide Museum and Café Vue for a wonderful afternoon!

Restaurant Review: Whirrakee Restaurant and Wine Bar

Location: 17 View Point, Bendigo
Phone: 03 5441 5557
Link: whirrakeerestaurant.com.au
Cuisine: French
Overall Impression: 8/10

Whirrakee Restaurant and Wine bar is certainly the best dining experience that Bendigo has to offer.

The ambience is cosy and romantic and the service is warm and friendly without being intrusive in the slightest.

amuse bouche

Our bread arrives promptly and we browse through the delicious looking menu items.

Kitchen tasting plate Featuring pate, terrine, smoked breast and rillets w/ condiments

Pan seared sea scallops Served with fennel puree, garden peas, verjuice dressing and gaufrette potatoe

Erindale farm lamb loin Served with stuffed eggplant, tomato puree, sweet basil and jus gras

Roasted duck breast Served with savoy cabbage and confit leg braise, roasted sausage and tarragon jus

Minted pea and shaved fennel risotto Served with confit leeks and a shed goats cheese

pre-dessert sorbet

Fig and Hazelnut clafoutis Served with port glaze and leatherwood honey ice cream

Expression of Valrhona chocolate Featuring Ivoire and raspberry Brulee, Pur caraibe fondant with prune and Armagnac ice cream, Guanaja and hazelnut mille feuille and Manjari parfait with crystalised orange  

Passionfruit jelly served with banana sorbet, cheesecake, mousse and mango salad

petit fours

We were amazed as each course arrived impeccably executed. It was clear that the food was skilfully prepared and the ingredients used were from quality sources. Every dish had well-balanced flavours with elements that accorded to traditional notions of flavour combinations that clearly worked. We enjoyed every course from the entrees to the mains to the desserts (and even the lovely petit fours). Whirrakee Restaurant is certainly a Bendigo gem.

Restaurant Review: Mail Exchange Hotel

Location: 688 Bourke Street, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9903 6880
Link: mailexchangehotel.com.au
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Overall Impression: 5.5/10

Linguini - prawns with chilli, rocket and extra virgin olive oil

The pasta was simple and enjoyable.

Baked Salmon - Atlantic salmon fillet topped with miso paste and served with Asian greens and bad boy chips

I asked for more vegetables instead of chips and the restaurant kindly obliged. My salmon was perfectly cooked and the vegetables were flavoursome.

It's a little rough around the edges but Mail Exchange Hotel certainly meets expectations. The ambience is enjoyably relaxed and the food arrives promptly. The food itself is pleasant and they are certainly accomodating and adaptable with patrons making slight changes to what is on the menu.



Restaurant Review: Chef Lagenda

Location: 16 Pin Oak Crescent, Flemington
Phone: 03 9376 2668
Cuisine: Malaysian Hawker
Overall Impression: 6.5/10

When it comes to restaurants competing, it doesn't get any more aggressive. Abiding by the saying, 'keep you friends close and your enemies closer', Chef Lagenda has placed itself competitively next to its rival Laksa King. Rumour has it that the original chef from Laksa King is the owner of Chef Lagenda. Whilst I cannot verify this rumour (and am probably further perpetuating a rumour that may be completely false), I love a little cat fight between restauranteurs.

So, "whose cuisine reigns supreme?"

J, R and I venture down for an eating adventure at Chef Lagenda to see how it would compare to Laksa King. We decided to base the winner on their curry laksa. Afterall, that is what Laksa King is ultimately famous for.

After a couple of good and authentic tasting entrees, our 3 bowls of curry laksa arrived.

Upon initial inspection, it was clear how generous they were in terms sizing. There were a lot of noodles, meat, seafood, yongtofu and plenty of broth to go with it. To the restaurant's credit, every protein in that bowl was cooked well. The prawns tasted juicy and sweet and the chicken was beautifully tender. The broth itself, however, lacked heat. There was also a lot more coconut cream in this laksa which meant that the spicyness of the laksa broth was further masked. That said, the broth had a lovely flavour. It was a pity that it was not spicy enough.

In terms of how it compares to Laksa King, we all agreed that the Laksa King broth itself had more depth of flavour and its chilli content, was far more on the money. However, in terms of the toppings that went inside the curry laksa, Chef Lagenda's was far more generous and also cooked their toppings very well. 

Here is what Malaysian food expert, guest blogger, R had to say:

"In terms of authenticity, I  would give Chef Lagenda a 5/10 (with a score of 10/10 being eating in a good hawker stall in Malaysia). Firstly, there was mint and eggplant in the curry laksa. The mint, in particular should either have been omitted or been present in a far more subtle manner. The satay sauce we had was too smooth and it was not served with the traditional ketupat."

The desserts were lovely. I highly recommend their sago dessert (pictured below).

If you prefer a milder curry and want value for money, I would highly recommend Chef Lagenda. However, if you like your curry laksa with a bit more kick, the laksa broth at Laksa King will do the trick. As much as we enjoyed dining at Chef Lagenda, we all agreed that when it came down to the laksa broth itself, Laksa King is still, well, the Laksa King.

Read Gastrology's Laksa King review here!

Restaurant Review: Pho Bo Ga Mekong Vietnam

Location: 241 Swanston St, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9663 3288
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Overall Impression: 4.5/10

Popular among tourists and locals, Mekong is a Melbourne institution. The popularity is evident. We were here at 11.30am on a Sunday and the place was absolutely packed.

Whilst the food served is of a reasonable quality. It is difficult to ignore the poor levels of service. The restaurant is perpetually understaffed and for the staff on duty, there is no system of "first come, first serve". You can very easily end up sitting at your table, waiting for your order to be taken and watch as other patrons that arrive much later be served ahead of you. I used to love Mekong but that was 10 years ago. As this restaurant steadily increases in popularity, it appears its charm is quickly fading at the same rate.

Bar Review: Red Spice Road

Location: 27 McKillop Street, Melbourne

Phone: (03) 9603 1601
Link: http://www.redspiceroad.com/
Cuisine: South East Asian influenced, Fusion
Overall Impression: 7/10

So, we know Red Spice Road serves delicious food (read my review of the restaurant here), but how does the bar compare?

Of late, Red Spice Road has been gaining quite a reputation for its cocktails. The cocktail section of the menu is impressive, with a range of cocktails to suit most.

R, J and I were delighted to have the opportunity to find out if they would live up to the hype surrounding them.

It was great being able to wind down with these cocktails after dinner. They were amply sweet and had beautiful subtle flavours. We ordered one of their latest post-dinner cocktails and were very impressed by how sophisticated it tasted. To our delight, they were also very generous with that volatile substance we love. A good cocktail should always have a decent Alcohol By Volume (ABV) reading and these did not disappoint.

The bar is certainly an intoxicating experience.

Restaurant Review: Dainty Sichuan

Location: 176 Toorak Rd, South Yarra
Phone: 03 9078 1686

Cuisine: Chinese
Overall Impression: 7/10

Dainty Sichuan is not for the faint-hearted. Serving up authentic chilli, pepper and garlic laden Chinese cuisine from the Sichuan province, the food is delightfully complex and flavoursome. To celebrate the start of the long weekend, R, J and I after a lot of drinking at Campari House on Hardware Lane decided to head down for a "heated" affair at Dainty Sichuan. We were thankful that we had made a booking as the queues were frightening. 

We feared our levels of intoxication might slum to dangerously low levels, so we immediately ordered our beers before looking through the menu.

Fish flavoured Eggplant $19.80

The fish flavoured eggplant was certainly the dish of the night. Pristinely deep-fried and covered in a gooey caramelised chilli sauce, it was brilliant! The spice was perfect. There were hints of sourness, sweetness and ample amount of saltiness. The flavours had depth and complexity and were all well-balanced. It was delicious.

Fried Pork Slices $27.80

Our second course was also deliciously deep fried. (One thing you should expect from Sichuan cuisine is plenty of oil and chilli). This dish is probably good for those that cannot take too much spice. It was very tame compared to the other dishes we had. Again, there were a copious amount of flavours.

Spicy Ribbon Fish $18.80

The Spicy Ribbon Fish was our least favourite dish of the night. Although the flavours were pleasant and interesting, every bite of the preserved and salty fish fillets was filled with mini, utterly annoying fish bones. As such, the dish was left mostly untouched.

Chongqing Chilli Chicken $27.80

The infamous Congqing Chilli Chicken caught me by surprise. It was by far the spiciest dish of anything that I have ever encountered. And trust me, I eat and can take a lot of spice. It was delicious although something about it tasted potent. I could feel my lips and tongue swell with every mouthful but there was something addictive about this dish as well. The main flaw of the dish is the fact that the chicken pieces weren't exactly slices of chicken. They were all little bits of chicken ribs. Every little morsel was filled with bones. There was hardly any meat. We had to work very hard for the delicious spicy chicken bits.

I'm not sure if it was the beer or the ridiculous amount of chilli we had just devoured, but our dinner at Dainty Sichuan ended with R challenging J to two spoonfuls of pure chilli from the Chongqing chicken dish for a $100. It was a challenge J could not resist and suffered greatly for over the next 24 hours. R on the other hand, thought it was the best $100 he had ever spent and kept replaying his footage of J eating the chilli and his facial expression as he quickly came to the realisation that he had made a big mistake.

All in all, Dainty Sichuan is a fiery experience that I would highly recommend.