The Meat & Wine Co

The Meat & Wine Co have been around for some time and we’ve heard a few good things about them but it’s taken us quite a while for us to finally check them out! The main reason being is because we’ve been lucky enough to have found a number of great steak places in Melbourne. However on this occasion it was time to give it a go!

We visited the Southbank restaurant (there are also franchises in Hawthorn and South Yarra) and upon entering staff were really friendly. We didn’t make a booking that day and just walked in to see if there was any availability for two. They advised us that they would be happy to accomodate us if we gave them some time and took us up to their bar for some cocktails while we waited which was perfectly fine for us.

The bar and overall restaurant was very classy, with dimmed lighting providing that intimate feel and modern furnishings. We ordered a couple of cocktails and after some time we were seated at our table.

 

Of course both Davin and I ordered a couple of steaks. I ordered the 200g fillet and Davin ordered a different 300g steak. Both steaks were ordered rare and came with large cut chips. Sauces were extra however given I love my sauces so much I had to order some! So I got the garlic cream sauce and Davin got the black garlic butter sauce. Davin’s black garlic butter sauce was really nice and had this lovely sweetness to it. My sauce was just okay. Our verdict on the steaks? We thought it was nice, however the steaks didn’t blow us away. They weren’t as soft as steaks we’ve experienced elsewhere and was probably pricey for the quality that we got.

We also ordered the the wedge salad which was really nice and flavoured. We liked the honey bacon, fresh tomatoes, blue cheese and ranch dressing. For wine we got a half bottle of the Saint Clair Pinot Noir.

Overall, the service and ambience was great, the steaks were good however for the price we think there’s probably better out there.

The Meat & Wine Co
Approx $80 AUD per person
Address: 3 Queensbridge St, Southbank VIC 3006
Phone: +61 3 9696 5333
Website: themeatandwineco.com

The Meat & Wine Co Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Butchers Diner

We have had a flurry of great cheap eat places lately! Great for our wallets, and great for our stomachs, it’s truly some amazing times. The latest addition to our collection is a relatively new eatery called Butchers Diner. It may be fate that I found this place because we were desperate for some late night dining. The reason being I slept till 10PM from what was supposed to be a late afternoon nap! We didn’t feel like the usual fast foods / kebabs, so decided to see what else was open. To our surprise Butchers Diner is open 24/7, yes these guys never close! With our sights set on their lovely looking cheeseburgers, we ventured to the city to try these guys out.

Being on the Spring Street side of the CBD, parking was a breeze. We parked on Spring Street, a quick 300 metre walk and we were right on their doorstep! You’d easily miss this place if you’re not paying attention, as they are fairly low key without any big flashy signs. We walked past the narrow door, and the tables, and was greeted by a massive fridge with dry aging beef. I personally love watching beef being dry aged, I reckon it’s such a fascinating process and would always stand in awe looking at the meat! The aromas of the dry aging filled the diner, and we would have loved to eat inside. However we spotted a table just outside of the diner which had a lamp right over it. We couldn’t resist because it’s rare for us to get such good lighting for our food photos! I guess you could say we have different requirements compared to others.

Wasting no time we quickly withdrew money from the ATM right outside the diner (they are cash only). Lucky our card has no ATM withdrawal fees, otherwise we would have been stung with a $2.50 fee. We ordered a steamed dim sim, cheeseburger with house bacon, Creole salmon cutlet, warm organic potato salad and duck heart yakitori style. With full intentions to get the cheeseburger, I changed my mind at the last minute to get the salmon cutlet. I was not disappointed at all! The salmon was cooked beautifully and the Creole flavouring brought me back to New Orleans. Creole always pushes the boundaries with saltiness, and this salmon cutlet was no different. It was perfectly flavoured but I could tell just a bit more salt would have tipped it over the edge.

Helen’s cheeseburger was pretty awesome! The beef patty – my oh my, it was still pink inside and was bursting with beef flavour. Bun wasn’t too sweet, and even the tomato and lettuce was breathing with freshness. We were happy to pay the extra $2 for the crispy bacon as it went so well with the burger. All this goodness for only $14.50! A quality burger for under $15, now that’s a rarity these days.

I have to pay my respects to them putting offal on their menu. Offal is so underappreciated it’s not funny, and we’re glad to have tried the duck heart yakitori style. We’ve never had duck hearts before, only chicken hearts. The texture was different compared to chicken hearts as it was a more bouncier. We enjoyed the new experience and would gladly order it again. We might even try the ox tongue and gizzards next time.

The two fellas running the front of house were so friendly. I was brought out a warm chicken roll instead of the warm potato salad. Could have been my fault or their fault. But who cares because when I told them, there was no kicking up a fuss or any blame game. He just said “sorry i’ll fix this right up for you”. PERFECT! The guy that took my order even recommended the communal water so I could save some money on a bottle. Seriously how good is that!?! In poker, we have a term called ‘implied odds’. It simply means the odds are based on not how much you could win immediately, but how much you can win in the future. With him suggesting the other water, he may not have got $2.50 off me on the night, but I can guarantee that we’ll be coming back and spending a lot more in the future.

I have nothing bad to say about Butchers Diner. The fact that they can serve such high quality food for the price, and be open 24/7 is mind blowing. Doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a late night dining, dinner, lunch or breakfast place, you can rest assured these guys won’t disappoint. Two thumbs up from us, and we recommend giving Butchers Diner a go if you haven’t done so already!

Butchers Diner
Approx $25 AUD per person
Address: 10 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: +61 3 9639 7324
Website: butchersdiner.com

Butchers Diner Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Woodland House

Davin and I will use any excuse to celebrate by eating out somewhere nice. So recently when it reached the mark of 13 years since we’ve been together we quickly agreed we needed to celebrate through some fine dining! Forget the presents, we just want to eat something amazing! We ended up making a reservation at Woodland House in Prahan.

For those that don’t know, this restaurant was formerly known as Jacques Reymond, one of our favourite 3 hat restaurants during its time. We were lucky to have dined there and met Jacques before he decided to step down in 2014.  So of course we were super excited to return to a place we really enjoyed, even though it was under a new name and ownership. We knew that Woodland House had 2 chef hats and the reviews were very positive.

Upon entering we saw that they had kept the restaurant looking like the house that we remembered it a few years ago. We loved that about the restaurant, that it has this modern, homey and intimate feel to it. We really felt like we were dining in someone’s home. The staff were super attentive and friendly, opening doors, pulling out chairs and checking on us. They were also SO quick! They asked us if we preferred tap or still water, and as soon as we said that tap water was fine within a few seconds they were back pouring us our water. We ordered a couple of glasses of champagne to start off with and a bottle of red for dinner and within an instant the drinks were there! We barely had time to take a few snaps before they were back to serve us!

The menu offered a tasting menu or an a la carte. From Tuesday to Thursday they also offered from the a la carte of 4 courses for $90, 5 courses for $110 or 6 courses for $130. It allowed us to pick any of the dishes on the a la carte menu which was great because it meant if Davin and I got a few different dishes each we had more to try! Being as greedy as we are, we opted for the 6 courses. Now we don’t want to bore you with every single dish that came out so we’ll just talk about the highlights. But before we go into that, we have to say that hands down every dish was fantastic. Every single dish was cooked to perfection, flavoured and presented beautifully. We could not really fault any of the dishes and it is clear how meticulous and carefully thought out each of the dishes were.

The Murray Cod, spanner crab and smoked sour cream dish was an exceptional dish. We absolutely love cod and have had this fish a number of times especially when we were in Europe. It has such an interesting texture for a fish, almost like a scallop. And this is probably why Woodland House ingeniously presented the cod to look like a scallop! It was cooked to perfection and the lovely sauce poured over it was flavoured but not too intrusive. It complemented and ensured the cod was the hero of the dish.

The green peas, cured pork fat, abalone and sardine dressing dish was a truly balanced dish. The sardine dressing was like a silky smooth sauce and flavoured well. Again it didn’t overpower the star of the dish, the abalone which was paper thin and the softest we’ve ever had!

The Sancho kangaroo, pickled beetroot and currant reduction was also another highlight. The kangaroo was cooked perfectly, rare to medium rare, and they had these cute little mushrooms we’ve never had before which had a lovely bouncy texture to it.

The corn fed duck, grilled octopus and sweet pepper was also another amazing dish. The skin on the duck was so crispy and flavoured. The grilled octopus was an interesting combination with the duck but it worked.

The Cape Grim short rib, witlof, preserved plum and horseradish dish. The beef was cooked for 7 hours and it was melt in your mouth soft. The bitterness of the witlof gave it an interesting flavour.

We also had a number of desserts which included the chestnut with sesame, beetroot and yoghurt sorbet, and the pear souffle with salted liquorice icecream and star anise. Both desserts were delicious and presented beautifully.

We were also served some complimentary additional desserts. What stood out from this for us was the miso butter icecream which was SO good! It was light and buttery with a subtle strawberry jam which was not too sweet. To add to the delightful experience they allowed us to take home the remainder half bottle of our red wine.

We were thoroughly impressed with Woodland House. From the attentive service, to the top quality presentation and well balanced flavour of the dishes, it is truly an all out experience that we would highly recommend to anyone that wants to fine dine or celebrate something special.

Woodland House
Approx $130 AUD per person
Address: 78 Williams Rd, Prahran VIC 3181
Phone: +61 3 9525 2178
Website: woodlandhouse.com.au

Woodland House Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Mediterraneo Charcoal Restaurant

We were at home watching ‘Steak Revolution’ on Netflix whilst not eating steak! This steak documentary is great by the way, they filmed all around the world discussing and eating different beef. Immersing ourselves in food is what we’re all about, and this documentary made us crave for steak bad! We decided that the next night we were going to get our fix, however we had one little problem. We had overspent a little bit for the week, which meant that we had to find a bang for buck restaurant. This ruled out pretty much all the top steak houses, and this is where Mediterraneo Charcoal Restaurant came to the rescue.

A restaurant name that’s straight to the point plus numerous good reviews on various sites, gives us nothing but confidence to dine here. The biggest plus of all was without a doubt the exceptionally reasonable steak prices! For example, a 250g porterhouse or scotch fillet is priced below $30. We are literally talking about pub/RSL prices, if not even cheaper. Not to mention that the mainstream steak franchises would easily be more expensive than this. Now none of this would matter if the steaks weren’t any good, but thankfully they are! But first, let’s talk about the entrees..

Helen and I started off with the Australian calamari, stuffed with crab meat chargrilled, served with a potato salad. We followed this up with a chargrilled quail served with wilted spinach, butternut pumpkin and Portabella mushroom. Let me tell you, these entrees were absolutely flawless. I was shocked because I thought I came for steaks. Both the calamari and quail were cooked superbly, paying respect to the produce. The stuffing complemented the calamari, boosting the seafood flavours of the dish. The marinade used on the quail was really special and was a nice break from the Asian flavours which I’ve been used to.

Now for what we came here for, the steaks! I ordered a Goulburn Valley T-Bone steak with aged muscat and mushroom sauce, I believe Helen may have got the special, looks to be a rib eye with burnt butter, garlic and cream sauce. These were some high quality meats with robust flavours. We deliberately didn’t go for the eye fillet this time, in order to try some different cuts. The T-Bone cattle was grass fed and the difference was noticeable. Cooked medium rare, the steak was tender and seared beautifully. If you’re a sauce person, the aged muscat and mushroom sauce was the pick of the two. However you won’t be disappointed enjoying the steak as is.

Did we get our steak fix? You bet we did! We were both stuffed after our steaks, with the waiter acknowledging our incredible eating abilities. To put the nail in the coffin, we even managed to fit in another lemon lime panna cota with cinnamon poached pear! I was very happy with the amount of the bill, considering the amount we ordered. You’d expect to pay at least 30% more at another restaurant of equivalent quality. We’re extremely grateful to have found and dined at Mediterraneo Charcoal Restaurant. We came here fully focused on eating steak, but after our experience with the calamari, we’re intrigued to try their seafood platter next time!

Mediterraneo Charcoal Restaurant
Approx $50 AUD per person
Address: 116 Birdport St, Albert Park VIC 3206
Phone: +61 3 9690 5155
Website: mediterraneo.com.au

Mediterraneo Charcoal Restaurant Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Rockpool Bar & Grill

Rewind it back to 6 months ago, I received an SMS from Helen with a picture of a David Blackmore Wagyu grade 9+ steak from Rockpool. The feeling that ran through my body was one of complete utter betrayal! She was supposed to be my life long food partner, and I could not believe that she had gone and enjoyed this steak without me. She was equipped with the knowledge that I had never had this steak from Rockpool before, let alone stepped into the main dining room, but not an ounce of remorse from her! To my surprise, she had made plans to go again with her friend without me. There comes a time in one’s life where you have to put your foot down, and I wasn’t going to let her have this steak without me again!

As I walked into the main dining room, I realised that Rockpool looked a lot more glamorous than the bar area where I normally eat. I had already looked at the menu weeks before this occasion, trying to work out what steak I was going to get. Frustratingly, their menu changes all the time! Their steak menu changes constantly based on availability, but Helen, myself, and her friend all got the David Blackmore Grade 9+ wagyu sirloin. At $125 a pop, it was the best steak on the menu, cream of the crop. Self admittedly, I had never paid this much for a steak in my life, but I’ve eaten David Blackmore steaks before and have never been disappointed. You know it takes something special for Cape Grim steaks to be the cheaper option on a menu, as they are highly regarded in Australia also.

A few cocktails to ‘cleanse’ the palette, then we had a bottle Cab Sav ready for the arrival of our steaks. We ordered a few side dishes to go with it – potato and cabbage gratin, organic carrots, mushrooms, and heirloom tomatoes. My favourite was the potato and cabbage gratin, it’s a bit weird eating potatoes which taste like cabbage, but it works and was damn tasty! My excitement levels rose as soon as I saw the steak placed in front of me. It looked simplistically beautiful. The sirloin was cut into 4 pieces and had a wedge of lemon next to it. We got some horseradish cream and Bearnaise sauce to go with our steaks, but I had always preferred to eat it without sauce. I slid a piece out and saw all the wonderful marbling glistering in the light. I took a bite, and thought to myself ‘I was expecting this steak to be softer’. I probably felt this way because the last Wagyu beef experience I remembered was the Kobe beef in Japan, which was pure melt in your mouth.

Was I a little disappointed from my first bite? Probably. My next bite I decided to focus more on the taste, and it was at that moment I understood why this steak was so good. They say that fat is flavour, and this statement couldn’t be more true when it comes to this steak. The fat around the steak and the marbling was just bursting with flavour! This truly was a special experience. I went through my first two pieces way too fast, it wasn’t until we joked that each piece was worth $30, that I realised I needed to slow it right now! I understood that I had initially done this steak a huge injustice by trying to compare it to the steaks in Japan. The ones in Japan are purely bred for texture, and while you do get wowed by how buttery soft it is, the beef flavours are miles better with this David Blackmore sirloin. It’s hard to not think of the price, because it is a ridiculously expensive piece of meat, but I felt it was worth it.

We all slumped into our chairs after the steaks, floating on cloud nine. Nothing could wipe the grin off our faces, it was a joyous night indeed. We polished off some small desserts, but they were never going to be the star of the show. We all had a great experience at Rockpool, the service was top notch as always. We talked about making this a yearly event in the future, certainly no objections on my part!

Rockpool Bar & Grill
Approx $100 AUD per person
Address: Crown Entertainment Complex 
8 Whiteman St, Southbank VIC 3006
Phone: +61 3 8648 1900
Website: rockpoolbarandgrill.com.au

Rockpool Bar & Grill Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Punch Lane

Snapseed

We have been going to Punch Lane now for quite a number of years. It’s been one of our favourite go to places and one that we always recommend to people when asked for suggestions. Nestled on Little Bourke St in the CBD, Punch Lane is the ideal restaurant for an intimate first date.

Snapseed(5)

Upon entering you will step into a cosy, dim lit place with leather chairs and wooden decor. It gives you a very classy, European feel. Staff are extremely alert, efficient and friendly here so they’ll look after you straight away.  But of course we come back here time and time again because of the food! The quality of each dish is top notch and they have never disappointed us. The menu does change but some highlight dishes over a number of recent visits include this amazing cured salmon, twiced baked cheese soufflé, venison tartare, pan roasted scallops and their duck! They recreate their duck dish so it’s slightly different every time we go but still so delicious!

Snapseed(3)

Snapseed(2)

Snapseed(1)

Each dish is carefully and beautifully presented, and the flavour combinations of each dish is faultless. Nothing is ever too salty or too sweet. They offer a set menu of 5 courses where you can put yourself in their hands to feed you and give you a bit of a tour of their menu. They also have a great selection of wine and cheeses, if you can fit it in! Overall we highly recommend Punch Lane if you ever want an intimate setting for a date with fabulous food! You will definitely not be disappointed!

Snapseed(4)

Punch Lane
Approx $80 AUD per person
Address: 43 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: +61 3 9639 4944
Website: punchlane.com.au

Punch Lane Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

The Perfect Drop

Snapseed

Happy New Year everyone! We hope you had an awesome holiday and celebrated it just like how you wanted it. For us, we took a road trip and spent our NYE in Daylesford dining at an amazing restaurant called The Perfect Drop in our true foodie style!

As soon as we parked outside we were awed by how lovely and quaint the restaurant looked from the outside. I loved it! Inside it maintained that homey and intimate feel with a fireplace and tables scattered across a number of the rooms. The ambience was perfect.

Snapseed(1)

Staff were very efficient and attentive, seating us right away and providing us with the menu. Given it was NYE, it was a set menu of 7 courses and a glass of bubbly for $125 AUD per person. We started off with a zucchini veloute with almond foam. Basically it was like a soup in a small shot glass. It was a nice start to get our appetite going.

Snapseed(5)

Then came the quinoa and tomato salad in a vegetable soup with goats cheese mousse. All the flavours of this dish just bursted in our mouth and our taste buds were hyped!

Snapseed(3)

The scallop carpaccio dish came next, and this was certainly one of the highlight dishes for us. The fresh scallops sat on a bed of apple, celery and vanilla salad, with a scoop of oyster icecream on top. Yes you heard it! Oyster icecream! At this point we were thinking wow this place is brave. They were pushing the limits of ingredients and we loved it. The whole dish worked. The icecream really tasted like oyster and the sweetness of the apple salad balanced out the rest of the dish. It was a fantastic dish.

Snapseed(6)

The next course was the scampi with confit tomato in a bisque with red berry granita. The scampi was cooked to perfection and the tomato was so deliciously sweet. Combined with the bisque each bite was heaven. We could of have a lot more of it!

Snapseed(2)

The final main was the lamb loin and shoulder with ratatouille cannelloni and crispy mash. This was also a well thought out and delicious dish. Both the lamb loin and the shoulder was cooked beautifully medium rare. But I also really enjoyed the complements of the crispy mash and the ratatouille cannelloni which was so different but worked. They were both presented like little cigars with a surprise inside.

P1050557

Finally with dessert we were served a raspberry sangria with rosewater foam. This was served in a little glass and it was a nice little taster to prepare us for the main dessert.

Snapseed(7)

The final dish of the night was the chocolate sphere with salted caramel and passionfruit icecream. It was to die for and presented so beautifully. The sphere was made of lovely dark chocolate with delicious fresh cream inside. The passionfruit icecream also complemented it so well. We probably ate this dish too quickly because it was so good!

Well after the final dish, we both agreed that we really couldn’t fault this place at all. The food was spectacular and every dish amazed us. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience, from the food, to the ambience, to the service. So if you’re ever in Daylesford and you want to do some fine dining, check it out!

Snapseed(4)

The Perfect Drop
Approx $125 AUD per person
Address: 5 Howe St, Daylesford VIC 3460
Phone: +61 3 5348 1100
Website: theperfectdrop.com

Perfect Drop - Wine Bar & Food Lounge Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Arbory Bar & Eatery

Arbory Bar & Eatery is a fantastic place to hang out for some drinks and quality food. It’s located right next to Flinders Street Station – they literally share a fence! Huge savings can be made by not having to take an Uber or taxi home.

P1040371

Having grown up in Melbourne my whole life, sometimes I forget how lovely our city looks. On the other side is the Yarra River, and the light reflections on the water creates a stunning view. There’s plenty of cover available at Arbory for the constant rain in Melbourne as of late. The bar is fully sheltered with gas heaters scattered around the whole place. In between the gas heaters, are metal barrels with fire breathing out of them, a very cool sight indeed! Another thing that’s striking is just how long this place is, it feels as though you could walk forever till you get to the other end.

P1040361 P1040362

The food at Arbory is not what you expect bar food to be. The addition of the word ‘eatery’ in their name should give you an indication that these guys are serious about food! Even though the atmosphere feels casual, the food is restaurant quality. There are smaller items to go with beer and wine, however Helen and I went for the full food experience! We got the New England lobster roll, mushroom & truffle Arancini, white fish ceviche, sirloin steak and a side of chilled green beans. We were off to a flyer with the lobster roll! The lobster was fresh and succulent, mayonnaise was light and delicate, and who can resist a sprinkle of fresh chives. The roll wasn’t overly sweet which was a huge bonus in my books. The sirloin came with a silverbeet tart which was interesting, the horseradish sauce complimented the meat perfectly. It was cooked rare, exactly how we like it. Funny enough, my favourite dish of the night was actually the chilled green beans! These were possibly the best beans I’ve ever had. Perfect crunch, and the Merlot vinegar dressing was just to die for. Along with the feta, mint and almonds, it was a tasty textual delight!

P1040357

P1040358

The only little negative thing about Arbory is that it’s so packed! Seems like the whole of Melbourne knows how great they are, and they really swarm here. Fridays  after work can be chaotic and finding a table to enjoy dinner could prove difficult. If you’re someone who’s bothered by large crowds, then you may want to avoid coming on Friday and Saturdays. Personally, I will eat standing up if I have to, cause the food is delish!

P1040355

Arbory Bar & Eatery
Approx $35 AUD per person
Website: arbory.com.au
Address: Flinders Walk, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: +61 3 8648 7644

Arbory Bar and Eatery Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Saint.Urban

Saint.Urban are brought to us by the same team as Punch Lane. To say that we had high expectations of Saint.Urban is an understatement, because Punch Lane ha​s​ served us high quality food consistently for years. Sometimes we forget what a difficult task it is for a restaurant to maintain food standards of high quality, yet able to constantly change their menu. Punch Lane is a restaurant who has achieved this, and we can honestly say that we’ve never had a bad dish there. As we have found out, Saint.Urban has kept with this trend.

Located on bustling Swan Street in Richmond, Saint.Urban ​is​ on the quieter end. However this did not help us much on a Saturday night, as we couldn’t find any parking and found ourselves parked 600 metres away from the restaurant. Not a big deal for us as a bit of cardio couldn’t hurt, but you should be mindful if you’re someone who leaves the house at the last minute.

IMG_7017

As soon as I walked in, I instantly fell in love with the decor of the restaurant. The use of arches were prominent throughout the restaurant. It was used from their ​menu ​specials board to their windows. Speaking of which, I sat in awe as I watched how the windows opened up! Each arch has the ability to open up to let air in, I have never seen this design before, it was beautiful. Raw exposed concrete walls provide the perfect backdrop.

Well as for the food, it was exceptional! I’d say it more than exceeded our expectations. The Wagyu bresaola had some of the most intense beef flavours I’ve ever experienced from Wagyu beef. It was also a generous serving for the price. The sheep haloumi with peppered beetroot compote was a brave dish, but boy did they pull it off! Who knew beetroot and cheese could taste so good, the texture and sweetness of the beetroot blended seamlessly with the haloumi. The beetroot also served it’s purpose of taking away the gamey edge of the sheep haloumi. The mains dishes, confit duck and snapper were equally satisfying. Neither were overcooked, and the honeyed pear looked stunning on the plate, well played Saint.Urban!

P1040263

P1040264

P1040267

Saint.Urban has firmly planted themselves as one of the best culinary eateries in Richmond. Over 20​ ​yrs of experience at Punch Lane has been carried over to Saint.Urban, and the results speak for themselves. Two thumbs up from me, and I can’t wait to go back!

P1040270

Saint.Urban
Approx $45 AUD per person
Website: sainturban.com.au
Address: 213 Swan St, Richmond VIC 3121
Phone: +61 3 8456 0933

Saint.Urban Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Rita’s Cafeteria

img_6558

Rita’s Cafeteria was introduced to me as one of the places to go to for great pizza, funny enough I don’t even rate the pizza that highly. I had stopped ordering the pizza after the second trip. I found the pizzas to be quite thick crusted which I don’t prefer and although the ingredients of the toppings were special, I didn’t think they were worthy of the hype.

img_6555

It was actually because of this, that I was fortunate enough to discover their main dishes! They are really tasty with a nice rustic style presentation. Prepared by a trendy hipster in the kitchen, he also uses a lot of micro greens for decoration. The menu is always changing and I love coming back to try out the new dishes on the menu. Prices range from high $20 to low $30.

img_6560

Some examples which I’ve tried and loved include the pickled octopus salad, the spatchcock, caprese salad which consists of tomatoes, basil and buffalo mozzarella, radiccio salad, and the risotto with prawn, crab, peas, lemon and marscapone. So simple and yet it tastes so good! As the menu is always changing, you’ll probably won’t get the same dishes. However, it’s great to know that you can enjoy something different every time you come back!

img_6559

I really like Rita’s Cafeteria because they provide very tasty dishes, with special flavours that I can’t find anywhere else. I would highly recommend anyone to try out their main dishes, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. Oh and their house red deliciously goes well with the food!

img_6562

Rita’s Cafeteria
Approx $35 AUD per person
Website: ritasabbotsford.com.au
Address: 239 Johnston St, Abbotsford VIC 3067
Phone: +61 3 9419 8233

Rita's Cafeteria Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Stokehouse Q

IMG_2439

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend a conference with a few other colleagues in Brisbane. A dinner was booked at Stokehouse Q in Brisbane’s Southbank precinct for the 8 of us on our first night. Being the foodie I am, I instantly looked up the restaurant and could see quite a few positive reviews so I was excited to check it out!

Now before I get into it, I have to apologise in advance if the photos aren’t up to our usual standards as I didn’t think to pack my proper camera. So all these photos were taken from my trusty ol’ iPhone. I didn’t want to use flash for obvious reasons but mainly so that my colleagues didn’t think I was ‘that crazy photo taking colleague whom we’ll never invite again’. So these were quick snaps without holding everyone up from eating!

Stokehouse Q is located in a great location, right along the river and was no casual affair. It had very classy decor with the white table cloths, dim lights and gorgeous views. Staff there were very friendly, attentive and accommodating. We started off with some bubbly to celebrate and then perused the menu which looked absolutely amazing. One of the staff also brought out a whiteboard and talked us through the specials for the night.

IMG_2438

For entree I ordered the Moreton Bay bug, mussel and clam chowder with Jerusalem artichoke, guanciale and paprika. This was so delicious! I really had to resist from eating it too quickly because it was so good. The flavour combinations of the seafood mixed with the saltiness of the guanciale was perfect.

IMG_2441

For mains I ordered the charred wagyu intercostal with cipollini onions, salt bush, shaved squid and mustard seeds. This was cooked sous-vide style and oh my gosh, the wagyu was so soft! I have to say it was one of the softest cooked beef I’ve had! I also loved the generous green sauce that came with it. That with all the other elements on the plate made it a beautiful and enjoyable dish.

IMG_2444

By the time dessert came around I was so full so we all agreed to order just a few to share. I picked the The Bombe – frozen white chocolate parfait, strawberries, toasted meringue. From memory we also ordered the chocolate and hazelnut cremeux, tonka bean cream, mixed nut ice-cream, crumble and the vanilla cheesecake mousse, poached rosella, mandarin sorbet. All desserts were scrumptious!

Overall, it was hard to fault this place. Amazing food, great service and perfect ambience. What more could you ask for? I highly recommend Stokehouse Q if you’re ever in Brisbane, whether you’re looking for a venue for a work function or a romantic, intimate dinner for two.

IMG_2440

Stokehouse Q
Approx $90 AUD per person
Website: stokehousebrisbane.com.au
Address: Sidon St, South Bank QLD 4101
Phone: +61 7 3020 0600

Stokehouse Q Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Farmhouse

P1030217

Every once in a while, a restaurant just comes along and blows you away. Their execution is precise and yet they do it so effortlessly. Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to Farmhouse, our favourite restaurant of 2016 thus far. I know we’re only early into 2016, but it would take a miracle to topple Farmhouse as our restaurant of the year.

When we recently went to Sydney, we made it our mission to not only revisit some of our favourite restaurants there, but to also expand our horizons in search of something fresh. When Helen told me excitedly she booked a restaurant called Farmhouse for my birthday, I was more than intrigued. She told me this mythical story about a place that brings the country to the city. Country style cooking using fresh produce and everyone sits on a large wooden communal table. That was all I needed to know, and I never looked up the menu or any photos as I wanted to be surprised by what they had to offer.

To my amazement, I found out they were located at Kings Cross! Not the sort of place I’d expect a restaurant with this theme to be located at, however once we got there, I realised that they blended in so seamlessly with their surroundings that I actually forgot where I was. A top notch restaurant should be able to take you on a journey, a place that makes you forget where you are, and their food capable of bringing back vivid past memories, this is what Farmhouse does so well.

IMG_5532

When we arrived we were greeted with an earthy and wooden, rustic feel. Their Farmhouse name was actually etched on a wooden palate outside the entrance – how cool is that?! There were 3 seats available away from everyone else at the bar, that looks into the restaurant itself. However, our preference was always going to be the communal table! Once inside, more rustic wooden cabinets to the left and the exposed wooden beams really set the place off! Due to us being a little late for the 6:30PM session, we were a little bit behind with the first course. This wasn’t a problem at all, as they quickly brought the food out to us, and we soon caught up to the others with our lightning eating speeds!

P1030206

Farmhouse hits that magical sweet spot of $60 AUD per person for their 5 course set menu. Even though Helen and I spend a lot of money eating out, it still feels a bit expensive when the food is $100 or above per person. This price is exceptional value for the quality of food you get here.

Whilst all the dishes were great, there were 3 dishes which really stood out. The spanner crab with a light corn soup, asparagus and radish, the whole baked Rainbow trout with mash, farmhouse tabbouleh, wasabi/sour cream condiment, zucchini & pine nut salad and the cold ‘apple pie’ were the cream of the crop! The texture and sweetness of the crab meat is boosted when combined with the light corn soup. The whole rainbow trout was really fresh, and I love it when fish is served whole! I think we tend to forget what fish looks like at times due to us eating so many fillets. Texture was soft and tender, the wasabi and sour cream condiment gave it a nice little kick. The colours of the whole carrots, the thin slices of zucchini and the rough scatter of dill shows that this is indeed country style cooking.

P1030208

P1030219

P1030223

I was most skeptical with the cold ‘apple pie’, as I don’t generally like apple pies much. This turned out to be one of my favourite desserts of all time… this cold and deconstructed apple pie was very creative as it had granita on top. The combination of the crumble was crunchy and every bite sent chills up my spine! Delicious.

P1030226

Our visit to Farmhouse has been an eye opening experience. By creating a set seasonal menu, the chef is working around the fresh produce. I don’t believe it should ever be the other way around as no chef could make bad produce taste good. By having a set menu it presents everyone with the same foods, therefore people don’t get to pick their own dishes. Whilst this may sound negative, I believe it opens up people to foods which they otherwise would not order. This is a form of food education and I like the fact that it takes people out of their comfort zone. For example, I would have never ordered a cold ‘apple pie’ if I saw it on the menu, but because I got it as part of this set menu, it became one of my favourite desserts of all time! Funny how sometimes having a choice can hinder your food experiences.

P1030229

Chef and co-owner Mike Sung also came out to have a chat to us and even gave us free dessert wine for my birthday. Farmhouse really is the complete package and I’m so happy to have enjoyed this experience. I cannot wait to revisit next time I’m in Sydney. Until then we wish Mike and his team all the best!

P1030215

Farmhouse
Approx $60 AUD per person
Website: farmhousekingscross.com.au
Address: 4/40 Bayswater Rd, Rushcutters Bay NSW 2011
Phone: +61 448 413 791

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

Rockpool Bar and Grill

P1020985

A lot of the restaurants at Crown come with a lot of hype but not much substance. I’ve been stung many times before with various restaurants in the complex, so I actually avoided Rockpool Bar & Grill for a long time, thinking that they’d just be overpriced and underwhelming. I would never have thought that they would be one of my favourite and ‘go to’ restaurants!

Even though I have been here on numerous occasions, I have never ventured into the main dining room. The reason for this is because the ‘bar menu’ is just such good value, and you get full access to the proper menu also. So the rules are simple, you come and ask to sit in the bar area, the area is strictly for walk ins only and they don’t allow for booking. They will either ask if you want to sit at the bar for a drink or you can go and wait at Spice Temple. Spice Temple are owned by the Rockpool Group so either way they’re going to make some money off you. If you do choose this option, they will make a phone call to Spice Temple to grab you when a bar table is ready.

With the bar area you’re not actually sitting at the bar, but there’s another section with a little partition to seperate from the main dining room. You still get to sit on at a table with some comfy chairs, so you don’t need to stress that you’ll be sitting on bar stools! When it gets busy, you do have to wait a while… my longest wait was nearly an hour. However generally 15 to 30 mins, a table will be ready.

P1020987

There’s an adequate amount of options on the bar menu. What’s my pick of the lot? The Mishima burger of course! Mishima is a special type of Japanese cattle which David Blackmore breeds. This burger is not available all the time, so it can be a bit of a gamble whether it’s available or not. Sometimes when I’m really craving for it, I would call them up first to ask if the Mishima burger is on the bar menu. Otherwise I just wing it and hope for the best! This is my favourite gourmet burger in Australia and it’s truly amazing. The meat patty is cooked medium rare – when the meat is freshly minced, you can have a medium rare patty no problems. The meat is not only juicy and succulent but also has that strong beef flavour. The pickled zucchini and onions just top it off as it adds some acidity to the taste. They even seperate the tomato and cos lettuce so you’re burger doesn’t get soggy, how’s that for consideration!

IMG_3669

I’ve also had other dishes such as the Minute steak, fish stew, cured ocean trout on brioche and the steak tartare. Speaking of the steak tartare, this is another stand out dish which you must get! It’s served with fat cut chips which surprisingly goes really well with the tartare. These two dishes are my favourite but I cannot fault any of the other dishes here. They all taste great and you won’t be disappointed. I used to also get a quail entree but they’ve since taken that off the menu. I’m quite upset the quail is gone… Rockpool if you’re reading this, please bring the quail back!

IMG_3668

Service here is proper and professional. They don’t seem to smile much and they do take their jobs very seriously. They don’t really get anything wrong and I find them to be on the ball at all times. I did get a warm and bubbly waitress last time I was there which was a nice surprise, but generally the service is not like that. Depends what you prefer really, I’m someone who likes to have a chat and have a joke around with the waiting staff. There’s no right or wrong I guess. If you’re someone who loves proper and professional service, then you’d like the way they go about their business at Rockpool Bar & Grill.

IMG_5335

Rockpool Bar and Grill
Approx $50 AUD per person (bar menu)
Approx $100 AUD per person (full menu)
Website: www.rockpool.com/rockpoolbarandgrillmelbourne
Address: Crown Casino, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank VIC 3006
Phone: +61 3 8648 1900

Rockpool Bar and Grill Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Steer Bar and Grill

DSCF1676

We both love a good steak. We make them at home and will happily go out and pay good money for it. So when we heard from a number of people that we needed to check out Steer Bar and Grill for their steaks, of course we couldn’t resist! We made a reservation for dinner and off we went.. and then went again not long after!

Located in South Yarra just off Toorak Rd, it looks like quite a formal affair with the modern décor, white table cloths and all that jazz. As soon you enter through their doors the reception desk is right there with someone to greet you. To the left is a glamorous bar which you can sit at for some pre-drinks. We haven’t yet experienced it as we normally show up right on time and get seated straight away.

P1020238

For starters we’ve ordered the Kyoto style oysters which come with tobiko, shiso kewipe, light kombu and pickling sauce. The oysters were very fresh and the Kyoto style flavours were quite nice and didn’t overpower the oysters at all.

We have also ordered their Tataki style O’Connor premium Angus / Hereford tenderloin meats which were flamed over Japanese maple and served with Japanese pickles, radish, ponzu and wasabi. The meats were exceptional and presented on this lovely pink stone. We love rare meats and these were exactly that as they were very briefly flamed on the outside and then thinly sliced. They were oh so very soft! Dipped in the light sauce it was heaven.

P1020242

For mains we ordered the David Blackmore Full Blood Wagyu oyster blade, 250 grams which was $72. I have ordered the Sher F1 Wagyu eye fillet before however it was not as soft as the David Blackmore and so this time we both ordered it. We were actually quite shocked at how soft the steak was the first time we tried it considering it was an oyster blade cut! It had a good meaty flavour to it, was really soft and practically melted in my mouth. You also get a selection of varied condiments to choose from to go with your steak and I normally get their horseradish cream and bearnaise sauce.

We also normally order some greens and their ‘Cafe D’ Paris’ mashed potatoes which are to die for! The mashed potatoes are so creamy, we couldn’t get enough of it.

DSCF1687

By the time we were done we were so full so we decided to share a dessert. Being a sucker for citric desserts, I chose the lemon tart which came with sorbet and fruit. The tart had the perfect tang to it with a lovely smooth texture.

Let’s not also forget to mention the staff, who were very attentive, professional and friendly. They were happy to provide recommendations and chat about how particular steaks should be cooked to appreciate them. I highly recommend you try Steer Bar and Grill if you are craving a good steak and want the whole experience – great quality food, service and ambience!

P1020244

Steer Bar and Grill
Approx $100 AUD per person
Website: www.steerbarandgrill.com.au
Address: 15 Claremont St, South Yarra VIC 3141
Phone: +61 3 9040 1188

Steer Bar and Grill Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

The Moat

IMG_3931

We recently discovered this gem of a place and loved it so much we had to share this with you! The Moat is located in the CBD and is tucked away under the State Library. When you walk down the stairs you first reach the outdoor area which is a lovely place for drinks on a warm day, or even on cold day as they have the outdoor heaters to keep you warm if it’s chilly.

In our true spontaneous style, Davin and I did a quick search and just rocked up without a booking. On this particular day they were packed because they had a function on so there were no available tables however the waitress was very friendly and told us if we were happy to wait, we could enjoy some drinks in the outdoor area until a table was available. So we did just that! I ordered a glass of red and Davin got the Martin Miller’s Gin Martini with an olive.

IMG_3922

It was quite a bit of a wait before a table was available inside however since we didn’t make a reservation we couldn’t complain. They were nice to give us the menus in advance for our perusal so that by the time we were called in we knew exactly what we wanted.

Finally a table was available so were able to view the inside of the restaurant! Upon entering it almost feels like you’re walking into a medieval cave with the dim lighting and uneven stone walls. With the additional touch of bookshelves with books and wine bottles, it’s quite a romantic ambience and setting.

IMG_3940

We ordered the Spanish Cuca sardines picante served in a tin with crispy bread and kasundi as a starter which was really nice. The kasundi relish really complimented the sardines and made it a really tasty dish.

IMG_3933

We also ordered the blowtorched salmon with beetroot prosecco gel and a celeric lime salad. This was a lovely, refreshing dish and presented very prettily.

The baked cauliflower with raddichio, lemon and zucchini, labne with a walnut and parmesan crumb looked interesting so decided to get that too. Although the dish was quite nice, it was probably our least favourite out of everything we ordered because the other dishes were so amazing. So onto our two favourite dishes of the night!

IMG_3935

We ordered the pulled BBQ beef brisket which came with roast corn salsa, chilli sour cream and corn tortillas. The ingredients were de-constructed so you could wrap as much of what you wanted in your tortilla, and let me tell you, it was SO GOOD! The beef brisket was so unbelievably flavoured! Combined with the roast corn salsa and chilli sour cream, each bite with the tortilla was just a burst of flavours. It was my favourite dish of the night and probably one of the best beef briskets I’ve had to date!

IMG_3936

Davin’s highlight was the chipotle spiced chicken ribs with smoked garlic aioli. This was pretty amazing, It was so amazing that we ended up ordering a second serving! The chicken was so flavoured and moist, coupled with the smoked garlic aioli it was divine! We are a big fan of smoked dishes and loved it with aioli.

IMG_3942

For dessert we really wanted to try the coconut panna cotta with limoncello syrup however it was unfortunately sold out. We were so disappointed because we wanted to compare it to the one we had in Venice. Oh well! We settled on their creme brulee which was their special that day. It was very nice as was all their dishes that night.

Overall, The Moat provided us with a great experience and we have to say that this was our favourite restaurant for 2015! The service was great, the food was top notch (I’m still thinking about that beef brisket and the chicken ribs) and the ambience was really nice. Whether you’re looking for a place to have a drink or to have a great meal, I highly recommend you check it out!

IMG_3930

The Moat
Approx $50 AUD per person
Website: www.themoat.com.au
Address: 176 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone:+61 3 9094 7820

The Moat Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

The Tippler & Co.

This was a restaurant Helen and I discovered upon returning from our first Europe trip. Trip Advisor is the preferred review site overseas, so out of curiosity I looked up what the top Melbourne restaurant was on Trip Advisor. To our surprise, it was The Tippler & Co! We had never heard of this restaurant before, so we were very curious as to why The Tippler & Co. were rated so highly by our international and local visitors. We made an online booking and when we got there we realised that a booking wasn’t really necessary. This continued to be a common pattern even until today. Out of habit I still call up to make a booking every time just in case. If you’re someone that links how busy a restaurant is to the quality of their food, The Tippler & Co. will throw that theory out the window because their food is amazing!

DSCF1760
Pan Fried Gnocchi with sweet potato, sage burnt butter, lemon, pine nuts, goat’s chevre

The food is based on a sharing plate menu. They have a wide variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods which will appeal to a wide range of people. The menu also changes regularly so we do get excited when something new is added (and equally get disappointed when a great dish is taken off). I can tell when a restaurant gets their food right when I really enjoy their vegetarian dishes. I’m usually the type that goes looking for meat in a dish but I actually look forward to the veggie dishes here. As a matter of fact, one of my favourite and long standing dishes here is the roasted cauliflower salad! It consists of cauliflower, green beans, pine nuts, goji berries, quinoa, and tahini yoghurt. This salad is just so appetizing and I love how they just lightly roast the cauliflower. I’ve lost count of the amount of times other places have charred the cauliflower. Everything just goes so well together and being so healthy makes me feel good too. That’s until I move onto the smoked chicken ribs! Oh these were so good we ordered another serving last time we were here. They have a nice woody and smokey flavour that’s been fully embedded into the meat, it’s topped off with a barbeque sauce glaze. These are guaranteed to make you want to lick your fingers!

DSCF1755DSCF1756

 

 

 

 

 

Their pan fried gnocchi is another stand out. Sage burnt butter with lemon forms the basis of this dish. How can any dish go wrong with these two ingredients together? It’s just not fair! Then sweet potato, pine nuts and little balls of goat cheese are added in. While you’re enjoying the perfectly cooked and fluffy gnocchi, the goat cheese just bursts in your mouth. As the goat cheese flavour mellows down, the sweetness of the potato takes over. The problem with a lot of gnocchi’s is that it can feel a bit heavy and bloated, no such problem here even with the goat cheese. Other dishes such as the spatchcock and the chunky beef & wild mushroom pie were also exceptional. And this is what The Tippler & Co. does so well, they just understand how food should taste. It’s never bland or overseasoned, they just hit the mark consistently and they do it so effortlessly. Their dishes remind me of some country style dishes. Whilst there are similarities with the taste and ingredients used, what I’m really thinking of is the way the food here makes me feel. The food here gives me this warm and fuzzy feeling, the same feeling I get when I’m having hearty country style dishes.

DSCF1757
Chunky beef & wild mushroom pie – smoky cheddar scone, roast tomato ketchup

Now the big question on your mind right now is probably… price? Well it’s our go to place to take our friends because the prices here are really reasonable! The last thing we want is to make anyone feel uncomfortable with high food prices. The smaller items such as the roasted cauliflower salad and smoked chicken ribs are around the $10 mark, and the larger meals such as the pan fried gnocchi, pie and spatchcock are in the low $20 price range. Excellent value considering all the dishes come in very decent portions.

The service has always been excellent at The Tippler & Co. They seem to really enjoy their jobs and it shows in their level of service. They are attentive and also break down the waiting staff / customer barrier. My impressions of them are that they are honest and down to earth. If we over order they will be the first to let us know. Their menu knowledge is also impeccable and can pretty much answer any questions you may throw at them. All while still making the effort to come and have a chat with us about a wide range of topics. This is the service I feel most comfortable with and I really appreciate their efforts. One minor disadvantage of The Tippler & Co. is probably the location, it’s situated in East Melbourne and therefore a little far away from the CBD walking wise. However there is a bar here serving a wide range of spirits and beers which should make for a pretty good night! A part of me doesn’t want to give away this hidden gem of a restaurant, well what can I say, guess I’m just a generous person. Do give The Tippler & Co. a try and I’m sure they’ll fulfill your heart with warm and lovely foods.

DSCF1766
Ginger and date pudding – salted butter caramel and fried ice cream

The Tippler & Co.
Approx $35 AUD per person
Website: www.thetipplerandco.com
58 Wellington Parade, East Melbourne, VIC 3002
Phone:+61 3 9416 0618

The Tippler & Co. Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato