Restaurant Review: Red Spice Road

Location: 27 McKillop Street, Melbourne

Phone: (03) 9603 1601

Link: http://www.redspiceroad.com/

Cuisine: Asian, Thai, Vietnamese

Overall Impression: 7/10

Check out our review of the Red Spice Road bar (where we enjoyed a few yummy cocktails) here and our first visit to Red Spice Road here.

Betel Leaf with Chicken, Crab, Coconut, Chilli and Kaffir Lime

Red Spice Road continues to draw in the crowds with its South East Asian influenced offerings. While the food on offer is perhaps not entirely “authentic”, the menu boasts South East Asian cuisine that thankfully retains authentic characteristics like robust flavours and the generous use of spices. A year and a half from our first visit, we are pleased to see that Red Spice Road has continued to deliver on all fronts.

 

We particularly enjoy their banquets which are great value and a brilliant introduction to Modern South East Asian cuisine for first timers. 

Ocean Trout Tartare

Twice Cooked Lamb Ribs with a Tamarind and Coconut Relish

Pork Belly with Apple Slaw, Chilli Caramel and Black Vinegar

 

 

The Red Spice Road pièce de résistance, the famous pork belly continues to please. Each morsel bursts of flavour. The pork belly skin is delightfully crispy and the meat is tender and succulent. That pork, the tangy black vinegar marinade, paired with the accompanying luscious caramel sauce with a dash of heat from chillies is a match made in heaven. 

Prawn, Snowpea, Baby Shiso, and Red Radish Salad and Lemon Grass

Beef Cheek Massaman Curry with Kipfler Potatoes and Baby Onions

Crispy Fried Chilli, Turmeric Chicken with Beansprouts and Cucumber Ginger Relish

Pandan Cream with Coconut Jelly, Peanut Praline, Puffed Wild Rice, Tapioca Pearls and Coconut Ice Cream

 

 

Their desserts are delicious.

Choc, Chilli, Mint Parfait with Salted Peanut Caramel, Rice Puffs and Pineapple Sorbet

 

 

My favourite dessert so far is the Choc, Chilli, Mint Parfait with Salted Peanut Caramel, Rice Puffs and Pineapple Sorbet. The parfait is perfectly smooth and indulgent. The salted peanut caramel layer has the right balance of saltiness and sweetness and the hint of chilli is invigorating.

Ice Cream Sundae – Black Rice Ice-Cream, Coconut Jelly, Zen Liqueur, Papaya and Honeycomb

 

Red Spice Road offers a menu that is incredibly fresh, vibrant, full of flavour and beautifully presented. The communal dining style ensures your palate is treated to a variety of tastes and flavours which is great for those who enjoy trying a bit of everything.

 

 

Cafe Review: Bunyip Cafe

Location: 313 Coventry Street, Melbourne

Phone: 0411 968 650

Cuisine: Modern Australian, Breakfast/Brunch, Coffee

Overall Impression: 5/10

 

Bunyip Café is a cosy café in South Melbourne with a warm and inviting space. It was the first day of spring and South Melbourne market and its surrounds were packed with people enjoying the warmer weather. J and I were glad to stumble upon Bunyip Café as it appeared to be the only place that did not require a reservation that Saturday afternoon for lunch.

Toasted focaccia – chicken, avocado, salad and mustard mayo

Samsun pide – wood fired pide filled with minced lamb, onion and herbs

 

Long macchiato

The food is of a reasonably good standard and the coffee is pleasant. The staff were friendly and the food arrived promptly. 

Brad Pitt is killing them softly...

There's a new Brad Pitt movie arriving at our shores on the 11th of October 2012 - "Killing Them Softly".

The movie is about an illegal card game being held up, stalling underground criminal activity and the mafia's call to Jackie Cogan (Brad Pitt) to bring things back to the previous status quo.  

See Killing Them Softly at your nearest Hoyts. Mine is Melbourne Central Hoyts cinema! Don’t forget to check out their Xtremescreen, Director’s Suite and the Bean Bag Cinema!

Restaurant Review: Williams Bar & Cafe

Location:1 William Street, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9296 8862
Link: http://www.clarionsuitesgateway.com.au/williams-bar-cafe/
Cuisine: Modern Australian, Pub/Bar Food, International
Overall Impression: 5/10

William’s Express lunch menu is great value for money. From $10, you receive a meal that includes a drink (a glass of house wine, pot of beer, soft drink or juice) which is served promptly so that you are well and truly within your lunch hour break!

Potato and leek soup

Potato, leek, onions and cream served with garlic croutons

Skinny latte

 

Restaurant Review: Tonik Bar

Location: 524 Macaulay Road, Kensington
Phone: 03 9376 9928
Link: tonikbar.com.au 
Cuisine: Breakfast, Modern Australian
Overall Impression: 7/10

On weekend mornings, Tonik Bar transforms into a casual dining space that serves a brilliant breakfast. Perfect during these warmer months, there is alfresco seating where you can bask in the pleasant warmth of the sun. 

Toasts – bacon and cheese 

Eggs Benedict – toasted English muffins with smoked salmon, sautéed spinach, “bubble and squeak” bacon and topped with hollandaise 

My eggs benedict with hollandaise on the side was beautifully cooked. The yolk oozed out as I cut through the egg. The sautéed spinach it was served with was flavoursome and the muffins were perfectly toasted. 

Ricotta hot cakes with poached raspberries, maple syrup and vanilla ice cream 

The ricotta pancakes were light and fluffy and the poached raspberries matched beautifully. The dish was the perfect combination of sweet and tart. 

Sides - baked mushrooms, house made hash browns, chorizo sausages 

Tonik Bar is a neighbourhood gem. The standard of the food served is high and the service is impeccable. We found the staff friendly and helpful. Apart from being a great bar on Friday and Saturday nights, Tonik Bar delights with its good weekend breakfast.

Restaurant Review: Binh Minh

Location: 40 Victoria Street, Richmond
Phone: 03 9421 3802
Cuisine: Chinese, Malaysian, Vietnamese
Overall Impression: 6/10

Binh Minh is one of the most popular eateries along Victoria Street. And for good reason. 

We decided to pop in for dinner on a Saturday night to celebrate my gorgeous friend, Junie’s visit to Melbourne (a special bi-annual event we all look forward to). 

The restaurant not only serves traditional Vietnamese fare, it also serves Malaysian and Thai food that is executed well. The menu is fresh and vibrant. Their most popular dishes include “Yummy Chicken wings” and their Beef Pho. 

I particularly enjoy their Beef Pho. The broth is beautiful. It is full of flavour and tastes incredibly natural and comforting. 

In terms of service, Binh Minh is a notch above the other eateries in the area. The wait staff are friendly, accommodating and have a cheeky sense of humour. They really go out of their way to make you feel at home. The restaurant is dimly lit (which is a welcomed change from the usually fluorescent-lit Vietnamese eateries close-by). 

The restaurant allows for BYO for corkage of a mere $3 per bottle. So, J and I brought a bottle along to share. It was wonderful to drink, eat and catch up with Junie and reminisce the parts of our youth we spent together and also hear about Junie’s juicy love affair! 

The only real downside to Binh Minh is how popular it is. The restaurant can get very busy and noisy. 

Binh Minh is a fabulous eatery for a South East Asian feast. The servings are generous and the extensive menu means you will be spoiled with choice.

Restaurant Review: Camy Shanghai Dumpling

Location: 25 Tattersalls Lane, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9663 8555
Cuisine: Chinese
Overall Impression: 6/10

Camy Dumpling House has inadvertently become a well-known Melbourne culinary institution. The dumplings may not be the best but they certainly deliver what they promise. The menu is invariably greasy (literally) and features a wide variety of dumplings, noodles, rice dishes and stir fries. The main reason for its popularity is the very low price tag. Hell, for $15 you can opt for their all-you-can-eat adventure that of course includes dumplings. 

Ambience-wise, Camy Dumpling House looks like that caricature dodgy-looking Chinese restaurant in a China Town somewhere in the world. In terms of service, the staff can be quite rude and dismissive but the idea here is to persevere and remember that customer service is not their forte. 

All in all, Camy Dumpling House is a bit of fun and is great for a (very) casual get together with friends. The staff are disinterested and the dumpling meat is dubious to say the least but given the good memories I have had there I do feel an odd sense of loyalty to this Tattersalls Lane restaurant. With an unusual choice of oldies music that is played on repeat and the frequent intermission for the “Happy Birthday” song (which is played extra loud), Camy Dumpling House promises at the very least an “interesting” dining experience.

Restaurant Review: Ajisen ramen

Location: 130 Bourke Street, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9662 1100
Link: ajisenramenmelbourne.com.au
Cuisine: Japanese
Overall Impression: 4.5/10

Founded in Japan, this Japanese chain eatery has seen international expansion with branches all over the world. Their speciality is ramen (as the ‘Ajisen Ramen’ would suggest) served in tonkotsu soup which is a hearty and flavoursome pork broth.

Chargrilled Beef Ramen Ramen served with Char-Grilled Beef, Egg & Vegetables

 We both ordered the chargrilled beef ramen and were extremely disappointed. While the noodles were cooked perfectly and the broth had a beautiful flavour, the beef itself was inedible. As rare as it was served, it was chewy and sinew-riden and perhaps the toughest piece of meat I have ever had.

 

While Ajisen Ramen has hit the nail on the head with their ramen in tonkotsu soup, it is a pity that the protein element of the dishes are given much less care.

 

Product Review: Golden Circle Healthy Life Fruit Juice

Heinz has just released a new product called Golden Circle Healthy Life that is filled with a good dose of dairy-free probiotics. As our usual sources of probiotics are dairy goods like yogurts and fermented milk drinks, this new juice is particularly handy for anyone who is lactose-intolerant (or have kids that simply cannot stand the taste of yogurt!).

Golden Circle Healthy Life Fruit Juice is currently the only probiotic juice of its kind in Australia. The juices taste just like regular Golden Circle fruit juices because the probiotics don’t add any flavour at all. And just like regular Golden Circle fruit juices, they have no added sugar, no artificial colours or flavours and are very high in Vitamin C.

The juice comes in 2 conveniently sized packs (300ml and 1L) and is available in 2 delicious flavours - Breakfast, and Apple and Mango. 

What is so good about probiotics?

Probiotics are good bacteria that help our digestive system and enhance our immune response to protect us from environmental stresses. The Golden Circle Healthy Life Fruit Juice has a unique blend of probiotics Lactobacillus paracasei 8700:2 and Lactobacillus plantarum HEAL 9.

This is a Product Talk by Nuffnang

Restaurant Review: Peko Peko

Location: 181 Wells St, Southbank
Phone: (03) 9686 1109
Cuisine: Modern Taiwanese

Overall Impression: 6.5/10

Peko Peko is a cosy Taiwanese eatery that serves Japanese-inspired cuisine and authentic Taiwanese fare. The restaurant is decorated with framed pictures of cartoons and comics which gives it a very relaxed and fun vibe. 

The Pop Chicken (which is beautifully battered and crispy morsels of chicken served with steamed rice and two sides) is one of the most popular items on their menu along with the Peko Box (which is the house rendition of a bento box) and Beef About (a Taiwanese beef noodle soup). 

While options for desserts are limited, their Earl Grey tea panna cotta and black sesame ice-cream (when it appears on the specials board is a brilliant choice). 

Given its popularity, the main thing you have to bear in mind about Peko Peko is that this restaurant is almost always packed to the brim. So either show up without a reservation and be prepared to have to opt for the take-away option or make a booking at least a day in advance.

Read our first review of Peko Peko here.
 

Restaurant Review: India Delights

Location: 59 Mahoneys Road, Forest Hill
Phone: 03 9877 7593
Cuisine: Malaysian, Indian, Asian
Overall Impression: 6/10

India Delights is a Malaysian/Indian (Mamak) eatery in Forest Hills that serves deliciously cheap fare.

Dhal

Lamb Briyani

Roti

 

The roti has a crisp finish with a moist interior, making it the perfect canvas for the decadent curries.

Chicken 65

 

Their Chicken 65, Dried Mutton Curry and Beef Rendang dishes are a standout.

Dosa

 

The food in general is very authentic and full of flavour.

Teh Tarik

 

The Teh Tarik was a beautifully sweet end to the meal.

 

 

India Delights is a no-frills hawker-style eatery that offers the soundest bang for your buck. The service is friendly and prompt and they accept credit cards (which is rare for restaurants in this price range).

Restaurant Review: Thy Thy House

Location: 118 Victoria Street, Richmond
Phone: 03 9429 8668
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Overall Impression: 5/10

Thy Thy House is one of the many Vietnamese eateries along Victoria Street. 

The menu boasts a range of well-priced Vietnamese delights including beef pho, broken rice, rice paper rolls and drop rice noodles with crab meat. 

While the food served at Thy Thy is hardly revolutionary, the food is consistently of a good standard. Thy Thy gets my tick of approval especially when it comes to dining out with children. The restaurant is spacious and extremely family-friendly. The staff are helpful and the service is extremely prompt.

Event: Melbourne's most loved food trucks are coming to McIntyre Lane!

Cafe Review: Brunswick Street Alimentari

Location: 251 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Phone: 03 9416 2001
Link: http://www.alimentari.com.au/
Cuisine: Italian, Coffee, Middle Eastern
Overall Impression: 7/10

Situated on bustling Brunswick Street, Alimentari is quite the Fitzroy culinary institution. Starting its life as a local deli thirteen years ago, it has grown amidst a band of loyal followers that swear by their rustic Mediterranean and Middle Eastern offerings.

Long Macchiato

Orange Polenta Cake

Pistachio and rhubarb cake

Alimentari is one of J and I’s favourite lazy Sunday afternoon destination. This eatery serves fresh and seasonal food and has brilliant coffees on offer. They also have a fabulous selection of treats to satisfy any sweet tooth.

The Age Good Food Guide 2013

Congratulations to all the winners!

Vittoria Coffee Restaurant of the Year: Vue De Monde

Citibank Chef of the Year: Michael Ryan

Regional Restaurant of the Year: Provenance

Best New Regional Restaurant: Gladioli

Plumm Wine Glasses Best New Restaurant: Pei Modern

 The Age Young Chef of the Year: Mark Briggs of Sharing House

 Champagne Louis Roederer Sommelier of the Year: Travis ‘Cougar’ Howe at Coda

 Service Excellence Award: Ainslie Lubbock

 Epicure Sustainability Award: Colin McLaren from Villa Gusto

 Vittoria Coffee Legend Award: Alla Wolf-Tasker

 Citibank Best Short Wine List: Casa Ciuccio

 hermomix Award for Innovation: Joost Bakker

 Regional Wine List of the Year: Ten Minutes by Tractor

 Brown Brothers Wine List of the Year: Coda

 Samsung Diners’ Choice Award: Ezard

 BYO restaurant of the year: Ladro

 The Donlevy Fitzpatrick Award: Vernon Chalker

 

Three Hat Restaurants

Vue de Monde, Jacques Reymond, Attica, Royal Mail Hotel

Two Hat Restaurants 

Flower Drum, Stokehouse, Matteo’s, Cutler & Co, Café Di Stasio, Ezard, MoVida, The PressClub, Rockpool Bar & Grill

 

One Hat Restaurants

Easy Tiger, Sarti, Circa the Prince, The European, Pei Modern, Cecconis Cantina, Moon Under Water, Albert St. Food and Wine, Grossi Florentino, The Point Albert Park, The EstelleBar & Kitchen, Steer Bar & Grill, Embrasse, Dandelion, Bistro Vue, Church St Enoteca, Maha, Tempura Hajime, Cumulus Inc, Mercer’s, Becco, GillsDiner, Donovans, Coda, The Italian, Bistro Guillaume, Shoya, Koots Salle e Manger, Golden Fields, Terminus

 

Regional Two Hat Restaurants

Loam, Tea Rooms of Yarck, Stefano’s, Lake House, Ten Minutes by Tractor

 

Regional One Hat Restaurants

The Long Table, Teller, Annie Smithers’ Bistrot, Montalto, Bella Vedere, The River Grill, Gladioli, Sunnybrae, A la Grecque, Chris’s Restaurant, La Petanque, Scorched, Neilsons, Eleonore’s, Villa Gusto



Ex- Hat Restaurants

Abla's, The Atlantic, Centonove, Cicciolina, Comme, Livingroom, Sapore, Oscar W's, Port Phillip Estate, Simone's Restaurant, Whirrakee Restaurant

Check out The Age Article, 'Who's up, who's down, who's in, who's out ... '

Restaurant Review: The Press Club

Location: 72 Flinders Street, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9677 9677
Link: thepressclub.com.au
Cuisine: Modern Greek, Modern Australian
Overall Impression: 8/10

Being big fans of George Calombaris, J and I were excited to revisit his flagship restaurant, The Press Club.

 

Umame bread

The Press Club serves Modern Greek cuisine. We opted for the Symposium degustation menu with matching wines. Given it was truffle season, we had the option of receiving an extra truffle course for $35 per person - a proposition we could not refuse. 

 

Epanomi “Glykadia”- sweetbread

The degustation menu took us on a Hellenic gastronomic journey where the techniques executed were modern and contemporary but the food retained authentic Greek cuisine characteristics that had a lot of heart and soul.  

 

Mouzaki “Aiginares Artichoke”

The courses started with subtle delicate flavours. As the dinner progressed, the flavours increased in intensity, working its way up to the main – the Thraki “Moschari – Beef” which was the highlight of our evening. 

 

Karpathose “Xifias - Swordfish”

Crete “Psari – Hapuka” 

Tasmania truffle, Bannockburn chicken girolles

There was one downside to our dining experience at The Press Club and it was the additional truffle course. While the dish had commendably generous shavings of truffle, the truffle unfortunately lacked flavour and aroma. As a result, the truffles played a small supporting role instead of being the hero of the dish. It was however, difficult to be too critical given the fact that the other elements of the dish had been executed perfectly.

Epirus “Elafi – Venison”

Thraki “Moschari – Beef”

This was the dish of the night. The morsels of beef were the tenderest pieces of meat I have ever had. It melted in my mouth and was incredibly soft but not to the point where it had lost its texture and integrity as beef. It was brilliant. The flavours were beautifully intense and delicious.

Corfu “Refreshing”

Athens “Sokolata – Chocolate”

The Press Club is great for a relaxing dinner or a celebration. The ambience is lively and classy - the dining room is endowed with black marble, chandeliers and wooden panels. The service is attentive and friendly without being intrusive. Each dish was executed perfectly - each course had flavours that were well balanced coupled with a beautiful mix of textures. It is no wonder The Press Club remains one of the most highly regarded dining establishments in Melbourne.

Restaurant Review: Cruzao Arepa Bar

Location: 365 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Phone: 03 9417 7871
Link: cruzao.com.au
Cuisine: Venezuelan, Latin American, Tapas
Overall Impression: 7/10

Venezuelan food is far from mainstream but that is precisely why J and I were excited to have our first try of it at Cruzao Arepa Bar.

A must try is the arepa which is a fluffy corn flour pocket that is slightly crisp on the outside from being cooked on a hot grill. It is usually enjoyed with fillings. To fill it, all you do is pry it open and fill it as you please.  

 

Basket of arepas, guasacaca (creamy avocado paste), salad (we received a fresca salad – beetroot, mint and feta), cheese and your choice of fillings (we chose shredded beef, pork leg and black bean)

 

We decided to order the ‘Platoes’ which came with arepas, an avocado paste, a salad, cheese and our choice of fillings. We decided to get the shredded beef, pork leg and black bean fillings. The carne mechada was a winner. The beef had been beautifully slow cooked in a tomato salsa and shredded. It was incredibly tender and delicious. The pernil (pork leg) was also very good. It was decadent and had a strong garlic and red wine flavour and a hint of sweetness from the use of sugar cane. The black beans were also delectably good. 

Salad: Palmilo – palm heart and artichoke salad

 

We also ordered a side of Palmilo which is a palm heart and artichoke salad. This was deliciously fresh and went incredibly well with our arepas. 

 

The food at Cruzao Arepa Bar is fresh, vibrant and healthy. The ambience is relaxed and friendly and the staff are lovely. It was certainly a brilliant introduction to Venezuelan cuisine. J and I cannot wait to go back for more.

Cafe Review: Little King Cafe

Location: Shop 4/209 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9654 0030
Link: littlekingcafe.com
Cuisine: Coffee, Sandwiches, Cakes
Overall Impression: 7/10

I was catching up over coffee with my favourite ex-colleagues. As usual, JA was left with the gripping task of deciding where we should go. I knew we were in good hands since JA is quite the coffee enthusiast. On this occasion, JA suggested Little King Café.

Little King Café is a delightfully snug little café hidden beneath the archways of St Paul's Cathedral. The tiny space is humble and calming. The windows are adorned with lace curtains that add a touch of nostalgia. Perfect, given we would all be doing a lot of reminiscing.

Long Black

Long Macchiato

Latte

The coffee, as expected, was brilliant. The waitstaff were warm and friendly and the service was desirably prompt. Little King Café is the perfect scene for a lazy afternoon with good friends and good coffee.

Restaurant Review: Melba Brasserie

Location: 1 Southgate Avenue, Southbank
Phone: 18 0064 1107
Link: melbarestaurant.com.au
Cuisine: Buffet, International, Asian
Overall Impression: 6/10

Melba Brasserie serves what is arguably the most highly regarded buffet in Melbourne. Incorporating food from a diverse range of cultures and various interactive features within the dining experience, it is easy to understand why Melba Brasserie has become as popular as it is.

The ambience is surprisingly informal although the waitstaff sincerely try to provide an elegant dining experience. It is however, due to the plain fact that guests are for the most part up and about, not easy to be attentive. We had to request for our wine glasses to be filled a few times over the course of the evening. Whilst this would have been unacceptable at a fine dining establishment, as it is a buffet it is difficult to be too critical.

There is an elevated platform at the centre of the dining hall which features a good variety of seafood and salads. In terms of quality, these were of a high standard.

There are a few “interactive cooking stations” that are a popular choice among diners. These stations are interactive in the sense that you can choose what you would like prepared for you. We were spoilt with choice – on offer were hand rolled sushi, sashimi, Asian stir fries, dumplings, pastas, various curries, roasts and much more.

The sashimi and sushi served were of a particularly brilliant quality. They tasted very fresh and were all sliced perfectly with skill and precision.

The dessert bar also featured a wonderful array of choices.

Located within the Langham Hotel, Melba Brasserie has stunning panoramic views. As you peer out the large glass windows you see the beautiful glistening Yarra River and the city skyline.

Our dinner costs us approximately $130 per person (the buffet itself, excluding drinks, costs $94.90 on a Friday night). While the value for money proposition is questionable, Melba Brasserie is certainly the best buffet I have ever been to. All in all, it was an enjoyable dining experience although given the accolade that the restaurant has received, slightly underwhelming. 

Cafe Review: Macchiato On Collins

Location: 446 Collins Street, Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9602 4658
Cuisine: Japanese
Overall Impression: 5/10

Despite what the name “Macchiato On Collins” would suggest,this Collins Street cafe is much more a Japanese eatery than it is a coffee place.It serves decent coffees but it is really the Japanese food that brings peoplein during the CBD lunch hour rush.

This little eatery has a good array of freshhand rolled sushi. They have fresh salmon, unagi, spicy beef and spicy chicken sushi (just to name a few). My favourite of these is the Unagi (eel) sushi. The morselsof unagi are generously laid within the sushi and the unagi is tender andbursting with flavour.

While there is definitely better sushi around the area, thisplace continues to be popular because the menu is very well priced.