King Chooks

After the gym one week night we decided to find something quick and nearby for dinner as we were starving! So we hopped onto Zomato and came across a charcoal chicken shop called King Chooks in Blackburn with very good reviews.

Being a charcoal chicken joint, you don’t really expect much so the outside was the usual tacky looking shop and the inside was no different. But of course we were not there for ambience and great decor. We were there for the food!

We both ordered Chook Combos, and I ordered a quarter chicken with scallop potatoes and the beetroot salad. Davin ordered a half chicken with chips and the caesar salad. The chicken was quite impressive! The skin was thin, crispy and flavoured to perfection – not too salty and not too plain. The chicken itself was really nice and moist, and fell of the bone. My scallop potatoes were creamy and flavoured well too. The highlight however was Davin’s chips! They were so crispy on the outside, and soft and fluffy on the inside. The seasoning on the chips was also perfect and we couldn’t get enough of it!

Davin’s caesar salad was also good however my beetroot salad was so sour. Yes, sour! I think they drenched it in some sort of vinegar dressing and overdid it which is unfortunate because if it wasn’t for my beetroot salad it would have been a perfect meal.

Overall however, great chicken and perfect chips so we’ll definitely come back when we’re in the mood for some charcoal chicken!

King Chooks
Approx $15 AUD per person
Address: 9/96-98 Canterbury Rd, Blackburn South VIC 3130
Phone: +61 3 9878 9688

King Chooks Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

The Fish & Burger Co.

We were recently invited to the VIP launch dinner at The Fish & Burger Co. in Doncaster. The restaurant was rocking when we arrived and it was very modern and spacious with plenty of tables and chairs.

We were provided with a range of different dishes to try which included the beef, chicken and prawn sliders, mac and cheese croquettes, nacho waffle fries, chilli cheese fries, crispy fried chicken, grilled calamari and salads.

The sliders were delicious and so easily scoffable! The chicken sliders were particularly good as the chicken was crumbed with a nice slaw and ranch sauce.

We also loved the mac and cheese croquettes. They came out piping hot, crispy on the outside and oozing of the lovely mac and cheese components on the inside.

The chilli cheese fries were also nice and full of flavour. It had large chunks of jalapenos and spring onion throughout and the chips also came out fresh and crispy. The nacho waffle fries were a bit too soft and doughy for us so we much preferred the fries.

Our least favourite dish was probably the fried chicken as it was quite salty. It had a sweet and spicy marinade with sesame seeds, spring onion and a chilli mayo sauce. However all we could taste was the salt.

There are a range of salads to choose from and we had the quinoa, pumpkin and pomegranate salad and the kale and roasted sesame salad which are both good options if you are looking for something a bit healthier.

We were also invited to try their mains which included burgers and seafood plates however we were too full after trying their smaller dishes so we moved straight onto dessert!

Right at the front of the restaurant and as soon as you enter, there is a gelato and shake bar for those with a sweet tooth. I ended up getting the expresso gelato in a cup and Davin ordered the lemon sorbet in a cup. The gelatos were nice but probably a bit sweeter than the gelatos we’re used to. Having said that we are not the biggest sweet tooths so some may love that it’s sweeter. Overall if you’re looking for a cool place to hang out and enjoy some burgers, seafood and gelato, check it out!

The Fish & Burger Co.
Approx $40 AUD per person
Address: 1001 Doncaster Rd, Doncaster East VIC 3109
Phone: +61 3 9842 1011
Website: thefishandburgerco.com

The Fish & Burger Co Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Belleville

We were recently invited to Belleville, a restaurant and bar located in a rustic warehouse type building near Chinatown. Think dim lights, chandeliers, scuffed walls and floors, loud music and a DJ to create a casual vibe.

Davin and I started off with a couple of drinks and I ordered a dry martini with olives, and Davin ordered a glass of the Champagne Collette.

For starters we ordered the duck ham with taleggio cream, pickled black berry and sour dough crips. We’ve never had duck ham before but the texture and flavours were nice. Davin thought it was probably on the salty side. We also got the chargrilled calamari with ‘ndjuda, cavalo nero and mussels. This was a really nice dish and the seafood was fresh.

With mains we decided to order the Tasmanian salmon with cauliflower, golden raisins and citrus beurre blanc, and their famous rotisserie free range chicken with jus and miso butter. The salmon was nice and cooked well. The rotisserie free range chicken however was a bit of a let down. The chicken skin was on the salty side and tasted more like one of those charcoal chickens you could get from a takeaway shop. It didn’t stand out for us.

We also ordered sides with our mains and got the rotisserie sweet potato with creme fraiche, aged gouda and chives. This was delicious! It came out piping hot and we loved it. We also loved the chargrilled greens with citrus butter and pecorino. It was so flavoured and the greens had a lovely crunch to it.

Overall, Belleville has a great vibe for if you want to have a couple of drinks and food with a bunch of friends in a casual setting.

Belleville
Approx $45 AUD per person
Address: 1 Globe Alley, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: +61 3 9663 4041
Website: belleville-melbourne.com

Belleville Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Bensons on Martin

Tapas is the best cure for indecisive people, which was the category that Helen and I fell into on a weeknight. It’s hard to keep the budget down on weeknights without opting for Asian food, but ya gotta splurge sometimes! We were interested to find that Brighton had a tapas restaurant called Bensons on Martin with some decent reviews. Brighton is not the first suburb I think of when it comes to a tapas restaurant, but this was the exact reason why we decided to try these guys out.

First thing I noticed walking in was that it didn’t have the buzz of a tapas restaurant. I’m used to a packed house, people chattering, music playing, etc. This was not the case here ,as we even got to pick where to sit. I’m not complaining but it just felt unusual. This was a weeknight after all, so maybe they get busier on Fridays/weekends. We decided to sit by the window to give these guys some free advertising.

The decision was made to get an assortment of tapas and then reassess our fullness. We were off to a flyer with the mussels with white wine broth! Plump and juicy mussels, the broth had heaps of flavour and character. I could also taste the onion and herbs coming through as well, this was a delicious dish. There just wasn’t enough though as I could have done with 6 more, such a tease! The other two dishes I really enjoyed were the scallops wrapped in bacon and lamb cutlets.

Some of the other dishes we had here were a bit hit and miss. It’s interesting because I’m not referring to the whole dishes as a miss, but specific components within the dishes which did not hit the mark. For example, the caramalised onions were overwhelming the stuffed mushrooms, it felt like I was eating caramalised onions on a small plate as I couldn’t taste the mushroom at all. The crispy pulled pork was good for the first two bites before it go so sickeningly sweet that we couldn’t finish it, and the smoked salmon in the carpaccio tasted like it was from a packet at the supermarket. It’s not that I don’t like packaged smoked salmon from the supermarket, but it’s just that for the price we’re paying, we kinda expected a bit more.

The tapas didn’t fill us up fully so we decided to get a roasted duck breast risotto to finish off. The risotto itself was amazing, but once again the inconsistencies shined through as the roasted duck breast was extremely tough. If I had dentures, I’m sure this duck would have ripped it out of my mouth!

Bensons on Martin does some dishes really well but they also a healthy amount of not very enjoyable dishes. The ratio is too high to warrant a return from us unfortunately. If these certain components in the dishes could be improved, then the customers would be in for a stellar experience! We hope that they take some of the feedback on board and continue to improve, and we wish them all the best.

Bensons on Martin
Approx $45 AUD per person
Address: 146-148 Martin Street, Brighton VIC 3186
Phone: +61 3 9596 0443
Website: www.bensonsonmartin.com

Bensons on Martin Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

The Cricketer’s Neighbourhood Eatery

When we were invited to The Cricketer’s Neighbourhood Eatery, we had one big question on our minds – are these guys a pub? The name hints it’s a pub, and numerous sources online also describe these guys as a pub. Now you’re probably wondering… “why the hell does it matter whether these guys are a pub or not!?!?”. Allow me to borrow a verse from Wham! – Last Christmas, ‘Once bitten and twice shy’. We had experienced some less than ideal meals from pubs in the past, so we were a bit doubtful to say the least. Well let me tell you, it has never felt so good to be so wrong. We had a fabulous experience here at The Cricketer’s!

The menu looked amazing, there were so many foods on there which we wanted. We realised that this could be something special, so we ordered some fancy shmancy drinks in anticipation, an Old Fashioned and a Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut. We kick started the night with some char-grilled corn cobs. These cobs were sweet and juicy, and the combination of brown butter, feta cheese and lime mayo was just what the doctor ordered. They must have used a really high quality feta cheese because it was delicate and not salty at all, very enjoyable!

Helen and I decided to share a barramundi fillet and a hanger steak. We also got a serve of organic sautéed greens and a baked Mac ‘n’ cheese to go with it. The barramundi fillet was absolutely divine! Crispy skin, perfect doneness inside, and the Beurre blanc sauce was so good we couldn’t stop sipping on it! This was one of the best barramundis I’ve ever had and it tasted like it belonged in a fine dining restaurant. The hanger steak was also cooked perfect medium rare, the chimichurri sauce had a great herb flavour and the chips and salad were both equally high quality. The steak itself was a tad chewy, it could be the cut itself, I’m not too sure as I don’t have hanger steaks often.

The sautéed greens turned out to be broccolini, my favourite! I cook broccolini all the type at home, so I know a great broccolini when I eat one. This one they served had great texture and a garlic and sundried chilli sauce to die for! It was at this moment where we noted that all the sauces here were spectacular, certainly one of their strong points. We felt the Mac ‘n’ cheese didn’t have enough cheese flavour, but the crispy crumb was done beautifully. We finished off the night with a sticky date pudding and what a great choice that ended up to be! It was soft, moist and the caramel sauce wasn’t overbearing like a lot of other ones we’ve had.

A great night overall, the food more than exceeded our expectations and we wouldn’t hesitate to come back. The atmosphere here was lively but wasn’t so loud that we couldn’t have a conversation. Parking was also relatively easy to find which was a huge bonus! We were greeted by a friendly Maine Coon cat on our way back to the car, the cherry on top to go with our dining experience!

The Cricketer’s Neighbourhood Eatery
Approx $40 AUD per person
Address: 69 Cruikshank St, Port Melbourne VIC 3207
Phone: +61 3 9676 2004
Website: thecricketersport.com.au

The Cricketers Neighbourhood Eatery Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Matilda 159 Domain

For those of you that know me, you will know that Scott Pickett’s Saint Crispin restaurant has been one of my favourite restaurants for a long time. It’s one of those restaurants that I normally recommend when people ask me where they can get a taste of some quality food with great ambience, that’s not too ridiculously expensive.

So saying I was excited was a real understatement when I found out that Davin had booked for us to dine at Scott’s newest restaurant, Matilda 159 for my birthday. Located in South Yarra, where Saint Crispin is more upscale, this particular restaurant has a focus on food cooked over open fire and hot coals providing a more casual and feeling of comfort.

We were seated at the lovely bar where we could watch the bartender work away on mixing cocktails and drinks. We ordered some red wine and perused the menu. Everything looked amazing on the menu and I wanted to try it all! But we finally settled on a few starters which included some oysters with bone marrow crust, a salmon roe tartlet with bonito cream and the ox tongue with horseradish and sauce gribiche. Not surprisingly, every dish was assembled together with so much precision and care. They were beautiful dishes visually and tasted even better!

We also ordered the kangaroo tartare and dressed spanner crab with prawn butter and flat bread. The tartare was really good, but the spanner crab was the true highlight. It was so deliciously soft, juicy and buttery. We couldn’t get enough of it and felt like we needed one each!

For mains, we ordered the whole tiger flathead with fennel and squid ink, and the Rangers Valley wagyu bavette 7+ with burnt carrot and wattleseed. We also ordered some broccolini with aged cheddar and marble potatoes cooked in hay for side dishes. We couldn’t really fault any of the dishes. They were perfect in flavour and presentation. The fish was cooked well and wasn’t dry, the beef had just the right pinkness inside. All the carefully chosen ingredients to complement the mains went so well together.

Finally for dessert, we could not resist ordering their popular Pink Lady apple tarte tatin with smoked vanilla bean because it was all we could smell throughout the night! It was the most amazing, sweet and buttery pastry smell that kept wafting by us every time someone would walk by to serve this dessert. And when it was finally placed in front of us, it did not disappoint! The pastry was so crispy and light. The sweetness of the apples and the smoked vanilla bean made each bite heaven!

Overall we had such a great experience. From the food and ambience, to the service. It was amazing and we will definitely be back!

Matilda 159 Domain
Approx $80 AUD per person
Address: 159 Domain Rd, South Yarra VIC 3141
Phone: +61 3 9089 6668
Website: matilda159.com

Matilda 159 Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Macelleria

Helen and I have not been eating steaks out that much lately. There are two main reasons for this… [1] my cholesterol has been high so I’m keeping my red meat intake to just once a week [2] since we’ve bought our sous vide machine, we’ve been making better steaks at home. It’s crazy isn’t it.. we used to mock our parents all the time for saying they cook better at home, now look what we’ve become! You wouldn’t think that I would be saying all this to undermine Macelleria would you? That would just be cruel. The truth is Macelleria is one of the places which we’re still visiting to eat quality steaks. Their combination of meat quality, preparation and price makes it worth the drive to Richmond!

You can call up and make a booking here but I’m not sure how well this system works because every time I’ve made a booking, it still feels like I’m queuing with the rest of the people when we arrive. Luckily there’s a massive display cabinet to keep me occupied, it displays the steaks/sausages/lamb cutlets/skewers available for the day. Funny enough I’ve noticed that the steaks which they cook don’t come from this cabinet, they come from inside the kitchen.

There’s two main choices to make here. If you’re after a steak with a higher fat content, and that distinctive ‘wagyu taste’ go for the Tajima Wagyu. On the other hand, if you’re after a steak that’s clean tasting with natural beef flavours, then go for the Cape Grim Angus. I personally enjoy the Wagyu more, but we do like to throw a Cape Grim in the mix for maximum palate variance. Raised on green pastures with some of the world’s cleanest air, hormone/antibiotic/GMO free, 100% grass fed, Cape Grim cattles live a life many of us can only dream of!

 

Every time I’ve asked for medium rare, I’ve got medium rare at Macelleria. I understand that they don’t have 2hrs to sous vide a steak like I do at home, but I do appreciate the consistency they’re able to achieve using their hot plate grill. I don’t normally like to put any sauces on my steak, but the mushroom sauce here is decent. The rustic fries here are a must try here, way better than their mashed potatoes. The thickness of the fries and the seasoning is just perfect. Make sure you get the large serving because you’ll end up saving money in the long run. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve got a small serving and realised I needed more! The seasonal greens are cooked well with a nice crunch, but it’s quite pricey for what you get, the salads are better value.

Well there you go… my steak place recommendation away from home. Not only are the steaks top notch, but the price is also ridiculously good. Under $30 for a Wagyu is just crazy value! They can get busy but the wait is never too bad. Do yourself a favour and pay these guys a visit, you’ll be rewarded with some beefy goodness!

Macelleria
Approx $35 AUD per person
Address: 87/89 Swan Street, Richmond VIC 3121
Phone: +61 3 9425 9393
Website: macelleria.com.au

Macelleria Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Mjølner

If you’re looking for a unique dining experience in the Melbourne CBD, then look no further! Mjølner is a fairly new restaurant which offers the diner a Viking themed experience while you get to feast on succulent and juicy meats cooked on their rotisserie and deliciously thought out dishes. The restaurant has two levels with their beautiful bar downstairs and a bustling restaurant upstairs. There are plenty of historic Viking features throughout the modern restaurant such as horns, ancient looking knives, axes, and even Thor’s hammer!

On this night we dined with the lovely Bearabbit, Feed with Gusto and their partners. We started off with cocktails and a complimentary shot of amber vermouth, mead and honey – from a glass horn as the shot glass! Yes, a glass horn! We were taught to cheers and yell out “skål!” in true Viking form!

In preparation for our meal, the waitress brought out a selection of different Viking style knives. We all got to pick one to use as our cutting knife for dinner.

The menu is made for sharing so we ordered a range of dishes which included the roast bone marrow, venison loin, the free range chicken, the O’Connor’s pasture fed short ribs and the roast porchetta. We also added the roasted cauliflower and potatoes with goats cheese, cornichons and shallots as sides.

The roast bone marrow was a real highlight. It came with some bread which you could use to dip and scoop up the delicious marrow straight from the bone. After you’ve cleaned up the marrow, they offer you a whisky shot which you drink straight from the that same bone after they’ve torched it. Again another pretty special experience and it was fun to do with a group of friends!

We also loved the O’Connor’s pasture fed short ribs. The meat was so soft and flavoured. Also the brussel sprouts that went with the ribs were perfection!

The venison loin and chicken were also lovely dishes with great flavours, although the chicken was quite pricey for chicken!

The roast porchetta was also nice however for $60 we thought the portion was on the slightly smaller side.

We also ordered some beers which came out served in these huge Viking horns which was pretty cool!

For dessert we decided to order all of them except for the cheese selection. We ordered the malt parfait, bombe alaska and custard tart. All three desserts were delicious but the bombe alaska was definitely the highlight because it came with flamed mandarin liqueur, and the dish was on fire!

Overall we had an awesome time and it’s a great place to just have fun with a group of friends, and feel like you’re in a different world while feasting on some great food. The service was also fantastic. Our waitress was very attentive, efficient and informative. We highly recommend if you’re looking for a great night out with a unique experience.

Mjølner
Approx $75 AUD per person
Address: 106 Hardware St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: +61 3 8393 9367
Website: mjolner.com.au

Mjølner Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Hobba

We’ve fallen in love with Prahran lately, probably because its market is one of the few that stays open until 5 PM which is perfect for us!

One weekend we decided to head to Hobba for brunch before we did our usual weekend shopping given it was on the way for us. We managed to find a parking spot right outside and entered the cafe. The cafe itself is quite a large space and reminds me of a warehouse turned restaurant with the brick walls, high ceilings with wooden beams and hanging plants. It was also PACKED! But surprisingly we were seated straight away.

We started off with some fresh juices. I ordered the Healthy Hawksburnian which had cucumber, apple, beetroot, carrot and ginger. Davin ordered the Detox Refresher with apple, cucumber and lemon. They were both super refreshing and quench thirsting.

For meals I zeroed in on the French Toast dish. Now I don’t normally order French Toast when we go out because this dish is generally served as a sweet breakfast and I always favour the savoury dishes. But on this occasion I noticed that this French Toast dish was served with cheese, bacon, asparagus, green romesco, pickled jalapenos, cheese foam and cured egg yolk. Yes please!

The dish was presented beautifully and tasted just as good as it looked! The bacon was cooked perfectly and not too overly salty, the cheese French toast was fluffy and flavoured, and the cheese foam and green romesco combined with the crunchy asparagus made each bite heaven.

Davin ordered the Mushroom dish which consisted of potato galette, mushrooms, pistou and capsicum caviar. We loved the contrast of all the mushroom flavours and textures, but we especially liked the dehydrated enoki mushrooms which added a more robust flavour to the whole dish. The capsicum caviar was also quite interesting but worked!

Overall we had a great experience at Hobba and will certainly think about this place when we drop by Prahran again which no doubt will be in the very near future. We have yet to try their coffee so we’ll have to do that next time!

Hobba
Approx $25 AUD per person
Address: 428 Malvern Rd, Prahran VIC 3181
Phone: +61 3 9510 8336
Website: hobba.com.au

Hobba Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Shanklin Cafe

We’ve had Shanklin Cafe on our ‘to try’ list for a while now and finally got around to checking it out one weekend for brunch. Located in a more quiet area of Hawthorn where there isn’t as much competition with other eateries, Shanklin Cafe is a cute cafe embedded in with other residential houses, with the exception of the exterior of the building painted a dark grey so that it stands out as an invitation to come in and eat!

It was bustling and very busy when we walked inside however it wasn’t long before we were seated quite efficiently at a table. Davin and I ordered a couple of lattes to start off with and we were impressed already of the quality of the coffees. They were good strong lattes, something we don’t quite often get these days as we find they can be weak and too milky. But not these! They were strong and served at the perfect temperature.

For food I ordered the baked eggs shakshuka which included red peppers, cherry tomatoes, chorizo and goat cheese served with sourdough bread. This dish was SO good! I’ve had many baked eggs dishes during my brunch life and this one was top notch. I loved how it bursted with the flavours of the tomato and the saltiness of the chorizo, balanced out by the perfectly runny eggs. I was also surprised that for a dish that can generally be quite heavy, it was light and didn’t make me feel too overly stuffed. I certainly lapped up every last bit of the sauce with my bread.

Davin ordered the acai superbowl which was blended with banana and topped with seasonal fruits and granola. It was such a pretty dish and presented in a lovely bowl on a wooden serving board. It was also delicious! Davin gobbled it up pretty quickly and from the few bites I had, it was really refreshing and not too overly sweet.

I also ended up getting some freshly squeezed juice which consisted of apple, carrot, celery, ginger and orange. It was so thirst quenching and had the perfect balance of ingredients.

Overall we were very impressed with Shanklin cafe and will definitely be back to check out their other menu items and for their great coffee!

Shanklin Cafe
Address: 500 Tooronga Rd, Hawthorn VIC 3123
Phone: +61 3 9882 7549
Website: shanklincafe.com.au

Shanklin Cafe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Oscar Cooper

One sunny weekend we decided to head to Prahran Market to buy some quality rump caps for a steak night (they are hard to come by locally!).  Anyway we thought we’d have some lunch around there before we did our grocery shopping and stumbled across Oscar Cooper! Nestled in the trendy Greville Street of Prahran, it looked like a popular hang out spot so we were drawn to it.

Staff were super friendly and asked if we wanted to sit outside or inside. We opted to sit inside and perused the menu. We straight away zeroed in on the all day cocktails for just $10! Bargain! So I ordered the Coopers Margarita and Davin ordered the Jamaican Me Thirsty.

For food, Davin ordered the cured salmon salad with fresh herbs and broccolini, avocado dressing, egg, nuts, seeds and beetroot puree. The ingredients were fresh and flavoured well. It was a really enjoyable dish.

Now I had every intention of ordering one of their brunch dishes but then they had ‘Damn fine jaffles all day’ noted on their menu and it peaked my interest. On their specials board their list of different jaffles sounded amazing so I ended up ordering the chicken, chive and gruyere jaffle. It was SO good! It came out piping hot and the lovely gruyere cheese just oozed out perfectly with each bite. In fact it was so good that Davin ended up ordering one for himself!

So we’ll definitely be back to check out some of their other dishes. The layout and atmosphere of the place also makes it a really great place to catch up and chill with friends while enjoying some good food and drinks.

Oscar Cooper
Approx $20 AUD per person
Address: 160 Greville St, Prahran VIC 3181
Phone: +61 3 9529 5670
Website: oscarcooper.com.au

Oscar Cooper Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Lord Cardigan

Lord Cardigan…. what a name, it’s certainly got a ring to it! Established in 2007, this restaurant was started by a husband and wife combination, John Singer and Dominique Bolger. There’s only one reason why I would go to the effort to read the ‘About Us’ page on their website, it’s because I freaken love this place! What started out as a filler dinner, ended up being one of the best dining experiences for me in 2018. We’re still early in the year, so Lord Cardigan better put the brakes on a bit to allow the others to catch up!

The restaurant welcomed us to vinyl seats, wallpaper and hanging pot plants from the ceiling. There were also pictures of flowers on the wall. Had we jumped into a time machine and gone back in time!? We looked around and we were by far their youngest customers. Amidst feeling a little weird at the start, I soon relaxed and embraced an era beyond my years.

We were greeted by some of the friendliest staff ever, who guided us through the menu in a warmly fashion. It was a great menu indeed, as we really struggled to pick what we wanted. The confidence shines through, and I could tell that these guys were not afraid to ‘do it different’. After much pondering we finally settled on some oysters, various ‘taste’ dishes, the Flinders Island lamb shoulder baked in filo pastry, and the ocean trout fish special. The taste dishes were bite size and $7.50 each. It’s a great concept because it gives you the opportunity to try more dishes without having to spend a fortune.

The Pacific oysters were extremely fresh, with the mignonette dressing and lemon providing the perfect acidic touch. At this stage I was impressed, they got fresh produce and can make a mean sauce, but I was eager to see what else they could do. They respond to the challenge by punching out some of the best bite size dishes I’ve ever had! You know the competition is fierce when the most perfectly seared scallop loses out to quail wrapped in ham. This quail was boned and wrapped in Kaiserfleisch ham with a truffle and balsamic dressing. It was oh so tasty, so make sure you grab one when you come here.

Little did I know that the best was yet to come… it was so good that it’s made it to my top list of fish dishes in Australia. I had given up hope of eating a fish as good as a flounder I had at a particular restaurant in the Melbourne CBD. It was cooked so beautifully, I almost cried! I stared at this ocean trout in awe, as I couldn’t believe how good it was. Being the supportive wife she is, Helen left me alone to savour this moment between myself and this fish. The skin was ultra crispy, with the meat inside just barely cooked. Which chef dares to push the boundaries like this with a fish!?! I’m convinced there’s a madman lurking somewhere in the kitchen! The Asian inspired sauce accentuated the sweetness of the ocean trout. As it’s a special, I may not get to try this fish again. However the memories will live on for many years to come, this I can guarantee.

On our trip back home, we couldn’t stop talking about the memorable experience we had at Lord Cardigan. These guys really are the real deal, and we cannot wait to come back. No ifs and no buts people, Lord Cardigan is a MUST TRY!


Lord Cardigan
Approx $60 AUD per person
Address: 59 Cardigan Place, Albert Park VIC 3206
Phone: +61 3 9645 5305
Website: lordcardigan.com.au

Lord Cardigan Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Atlas Dining

There are a lot of things I respect about Atlas Dining. For one, the food is inspired by chef Charlie Corrington’s travels. I love the fact that he has brought back pieces of his travels, and is now sharing it with us in the form of food. Let’s not forget that he is only 24 years of age. The menu at Atlas dining changes every 4 months to the cuisine of another country. This concept is not only brave, but it shows that they are not scared to push the boundaries. Helen and I had a chance to experience their Peruvian menu, read on to find out what I thought of our experience!

Walking inside, the interior was very warm and comfortable. It had a Scandinavian feel to it, with the use of light coloured wood around the restaurant. The stained stone wall and big mirror on the feature wall was the X Factor. As we sat down, we noticed the leather cutlery pouch straight away. As much as I appreciated the attention to detail, this leather pouch turned out to be a massive confusion! My cutlery was faced in a different direction than Helen’s, so the cutlery on my left side turned out to be on her right side. It was a guessing game which cutlery we were supposed to be using for each dish. Another thing to note is that they love their stoneware here. It felt like a stone exhibition after a while. After scraping on stone with my cutlery for 7 courses, I really missed porcelain dinnerware!

The menu itself was simple enough, $70 for 5 courses or $95 for 7 courses. I was warned beforehand by my trusted adviser that there was no way 5 courses was going to be enough for me. Therefore we opted for the 7 courses, but little did I expect the 7 courses to be so short on food! More on this later. The food itself was very creative and I got to experience some new flavours here. My favourite dishes were the flathead ceviche and lamb arroz. The ceviche was the perfect starter. I had never had flathead this raw before, and didn’t realise it could have such a nice texture. The lime juice punches through and the result is an extremely appetising dish. The lamb arroz was like a savoury rice pudding, with chewy bits of lamb ‘jerky’. They probably don’t call it jerky, but it tastes exactly like it! I thoroughly enjoyed this dish.

Some of the other dishes I wasn’t a fan of was the potato, and duck dish. The potato with Ocopa and Aji sauce was simply way too dense for me. It started congealing in my mouth and I could barely swallow it. The sauces were good though. The duck was bland, which was a shame because it was cooked perfectly. The eggplant and charred beans did very little to help out.

Before I finish up, we need to come back to the portion sizes. If I was to use universal clothing sizes as a guideline, the portion sizes here would be XS! The extra two dishes did very little to fill us up, and I do speak on behalf of Helen because even she expressed the same views. I feel that for the price, they could have provided a bit more food. Unless you’re coming off a lemon juice diet, it’s hard to imagine anyone even getting close to ‘content’ on the 5 courses. I think one should come here expecting to spend $95 per person minimum for the 7 courses, and even then I felt more suppressed than content.

Overall, Atlas Dining opened my eyes to a wide range of Peruvian dishes. Even though the dishes were a bit hit and miss for me, I appreciate the experience nonetheless. One final thing I’d like to say is that the service here was fabulous! The waiting staff were kind and attentive. Their attention to detail was second to none, and we were well looked after. If any of you are reading this review, keep up the good work!

Atlast Dining
Approx $110 AUD per person
Address: 133 Commercial Rd, South Yarra VIC 3141
Phone: +61 3 9826 2621
Website: atlasdining.com.au

Atlas Dining Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Meletos

If you’re heading out into the Yarra Valley for a day trip and you’re looking for a place with great food and wine, then Meletos might be just the spot for you! We’ve been here to dine on a number of occasions, but most recently we were here for a birthday lunch.

It’s always a lovely drive to Meletos, particularly on a sunny day and the scenery is so picturesque leading up to the restaurant and even more so when you arrive. There are crabapple trees and raised vegetable beds right out the front. The restaurant itself are a collection of century old farm buildings which have been developed into the restaurant it is now. It is beautifully rustic inside with floor to ceiling windows offering views of lush greenery outside.

It is always bustling with people inside and on this occasion it was no different. For drinks we started with a couple glasses of the 2015 Rob Dolan ‘Blanc de Blanc’ Sparkling Chardonnay. We’ve been really getting into sparkling lately and this was lovely and crisp.

All the dishes were ordered for sharing and some of the highlights for the starters included the marinated white anchovies which were delicious and not too salty, and the Yarra Valley goats curd with truffle honey and grilled bread. The goats curd was amazing with the truffle honey!  We also had the hand cut cacciatore mild salami.

For mains we ordered some wood-fired pizzas on their menu which included the Cotechino sausage, San Marazano tomato and Roast pumpkin. We also shared the whole market fish and wood-fired rotisserie free range chicken. Oh and we can’t forget the french fries with smoked paprika and manchego. These came out so fresh and crispy! To be honest none of the dishes really disappointed. It was a great meal and perfect when you feel like trying a number of different things.

We then ended the meal with a couple of Four Pillars gin and Fever Tree tonics which was so refreshing and perfect for a warm day! They came out in these lovely glasses and I am definitely going to have another one of those next time I’m there.

Attached to the restaurant is the Napoleone Brewery so you can also order paddles of beer or cider to enjoy at your table.

Overall, we highly recommend checking Meletos out if you’re after some good food. Whether you’re there to just have a few small dishes and drinks or a proper lunch, this place can cater for it because of their variety of dishes, small and large. And how can you say no to the lovely scenery?

Meletos
Approx $70 AUD per person
Address: 12 St Huberts Rd, Coldstream VIC 3770
Phone: +61 3 8727 3030
Website: meletos.com

Meletos Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Melba

Oh Melba… we have shared so many fond memories together. I still remember vividly one of the times when I ate for over 4hrs straight, and I saw fear in the eyes of the lady at the Sushi bar. I didn’t think she could believe that a single person could eat so much, and I nearly had to be stretchered out on that particular occasion! The reason for my madness is because everything tastes so damn good and I just want to eat it all! In case you haven’t realised, Melba is a buffet restaurant.

Walking past The Langham lobby and up onto the podium level, you’ll be greeted by the grand entrance of Melba. It’s quite a classy looking affair inside with massive windows and a magnificent view of Southbank. Growing up, I’m used to eating at buffets filled with a lot of families, fighting over the first batch of prawns to come out of the kitchen! No such dramas here. As a matter of fact this would be a great place to take your date and have a romantic dinner. There’s very few buffets where I can make this claim.

Personally speaking I adapt the same strategy for all buffets. Line my stomach with carbs and hot foods before I attack the cold seafood dishes. I find that hitting the seafood too hard at the start makes me feel extremely sick. Everyone is different and it’s best to find a strategy that works best for you. Forget the notion of trying to eat your money’s worth, it’s simply not going to happen. It’s good to note that the seating times here are generous so you get the luxury of working through the food systematically.

Well onto the food…. where do I start? To begin, I would recommend starting off with either the peking duck, lamb/beef roast or the freshly cooked noodles. Pay close attention to the roasts, you can generally tell which ones have been dried out by the food warmer. Trust your instincts and move onto something else if this is the case. Roast is a good start as it allows you to accompany it with some of the many salads on offer. I like to then move onto the freshly cooked Wagyu steaks. These are high quality pieces. Since they are so thin, I generally opt for them to be cooked rare since they always end up medium rare by the time it hits my plate.

After this it’s seafood time! The oysters are really fresh here, with a creamy texture. The crabs are a bit of work to eat, because I’m lazy I prefer to peel prawns instead. The sushi bar is my favourite hang out spot in the whole restaurant. One serve of sashimi (salmon, tuna, kingfish) is roughly 3-4 pieces, so feel free to ask for double or triple servings if you don’t want to make too many trips. Finish off with some fruits/desserts/cheese.


Obviously this is my routine, so eat and do what feels best for you! The important thing to remember is that you cannot expect an absurd variety like some of the Asian buffets, but there’s more than enough variety to suit even the fussiest of eaters. The prices varies but you’d be looking at around $94 for dinner, cheaper for lunch. There’s no doubt that this is on the expensive end of buffet dining, but it’s truly a case of quality over quantity (I’d never thought I’ll be using a phrase like this to describe a buffet restaurant). I highly recommend going to Melba and eat till your heart’s content!

Melba
Approx $100 AUD per person
Address: 1 Southbank Ave, Southbank VIC 3006
Phone: 1800 641 107
Website: melbarestaurant.com.au

Melba Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

O.MY

For Davin’s birthday this year, as per the usual custom, I made a reservation at a fine dining restaurant. Any excuse to eat somewhere nice we always say! This year I chose O.MY, a two chef hat restaurant in Beaconsfield which looked really promising.

It’s their philosophy of respecting the earth, for what they grow, and their commitment to sustainability and minimal waste which drew me to them. They have established a large garden at a nearby farm to grow the produce for their restaurant and are passionate about growing and using fresh, seasonal produce as well as sourcing other ingredients required from local suppliers. Because Davin’s taken a real keen interest in growing his own vegetables and herbs lately, I thought this would be the perfect dinner place for him!

Once a butcher’s shop, it has been transformed into a 25 seat restaurant, another reason why I was drawn to it. With only 25 seats, you know that it’s going to be a real intimate experience. Right outside the restaurant there are herbs and vegetables being grown out front, and I picture the staff coming out throughout the day to pick what they require for their kitchen.

Upon reaching the entrance to the humble restaurant, the door instantly opened for us and a friendly staff member greeted us and promptly seated us at our reserved table. We started off with a couple glasses of proseccos which came out really quickly and then they checked in to see if we had any dietary requirements. The concept at this restaurant is that they offer a seasonal menu for $115 per person and the menu is determined by what their garden offers so don’t expect a menu that you can peruse. Perfectly fine for us because we eat everything and we love surprises!

To talk about every single dish will take all day and night because there were so many! However I’ll talk about some of the highlights. Each dish was presented carefully and lovingly on beautiful crockery made from either wood, ceramic or stone. Here were some of the dishes.

Diamond tomatoes, labna, zucchini seed tart shell

Corn barbecued in its husk

Beet leaf shell and fermented beetroot mousse

Beef fat butter, house made butter, garden salt and house made bread. The beef fat butter actually tasted like a steak! It was amazing.

Freshly sliced apple, verbena powder, almond milk sauce and onion top oil

Basted beetroots with cherry juice, meat jus, beet juice sauce, buttermilk gel and sheep sorrel

Steamed zucchini with ricotta, seeds, puree, grated salted egg yolk, pickled coriander berry and borage flowers. It came out looking like a pumpkin but it was zucchini!

Potato puree, chicken jus, black garlic sauce, egg yolk, chicken skin powder, beans and flowers. This was one of our favourites and was so full of flavour!

Dry aged scotch beef with jus and fresh tomato varieties. The steak was probably more well done than we would have preferred however the tomatoes were deliciously sweet

Cucumber granita, compressed mouse melons, honey labna, sunrose leaves, mint leaves and cucumber flowers. So refreshing!

Soil. This is their special dessert which represents their passion of growing their produce from their garden. It had farm honey icecream, a soil of spent grain from beer making, burnt citrus, balsamic powder, chocolate and mini nasturtium

Overall the dishes were beautifully presented and were very unique. The staff here are really trying to utilise their produce in the best possible way and they certainly push the boundaries with flavour combinations. Because they are mainly showcasing their garden produce however, the dishes are mainly vegetarian and the meat dishes were minimal. I think this would be great for vegetarians but for the people that love their meats, don’t expect that here.

The service was top notch and staff were very attentive, always ensuring our water was topped up and taking away our empty dishes almost instantly. What we also loved was that every staff member that came around to our table were really sociable and were happy to have a chat, whether it’s about the dishes or just about things in general. I think that’s really important in today’s day and age. Having such great customer service really makes a difference in terms of your experience. So if you’re ever looking to venture out and fine dine at a unique and intimate place, check out O.MY.

O.MY
Approx $115 AUD per person
Address: 23 Woods St, Beaconsfield VIC 3807
Phone: +61 3 9769 9000
Website: omyrestaurant.com.au

O.My Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato