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

Tommy Ruff Fishbar – Mordialloc

Tommy Ruff Fishbar had always been a favourite of ours, and recently my family and I have started eating at their Mordialloc location. They’re located on the busy strip in Mordialloc, and it’s always buzzing here. Even though there’s a lot of car parking available, you may have to occasionally camp for a bit in order to get a spot. Turning off on the smaller side streets, parking is plentiful and generally not too hard to find a spot. The best thing is that the parking is FREE! Considering they’re putting meters everywhere these days, really can’t complain.

Going inside they’ve pretty much kept the same theme from their Elsternwick restaurant. They are really busy here most of the time and the place always feels alive. Whilst this is the case, it’s never too noisy to talk amongst ourselves. They also have an outdoor sitting area available if there’s no tables inside. I rarely opt to eat outside because of the damn flies! However it’s not bad eating outside at Tommy Ruff, I don’t find myself swinging my arms like a mad man.

My dad loves his seafood, but have always complained that he can cook it for a lot cheaper at home. Valid argument I’d say, because eating seafood outside is so damn expensive! The fact that he keeps coming back to Tommy Ruff, shows that these guys are great bang for buck. The staple dishes to get here are the chef’s platter for 2+ and the seafood chowder. We’ve started venturing out to some of their other great dishes. The salmon with soba noodles, Poké bowl and the blue swimmer crab are some of the new dishes we’ve added to our order these days. As usual, all the seafood is fresh and cooked perfectly. I love how the chef platter constantly changes depending on what seafood is available. An example of Tommy Ruff working with their fresh produce and tailoring their platters accordingly.

The service here is fantastic, the waiting staff are on the ball and nothing is too difficult for them. They’re always cheery and smiling with zero attitude, It’s a pleasant place to be eating in. So next time you’re around the area, pay these guys a visit. You can even take away some fish and chips and enjoy it at the beach!

Tommy Ruff Fishbar
Approx $35 AUD per person
Address: 574A Main Street, Mordialloc VIC 3195
Phone: +61 3 9580 2525

Tommy Ruff Fish Bar 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.

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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.

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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!

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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!

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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

Caffe E Cucina

A nice Italian restaurant is always the perfect entree to a movie! When all we could find was a 9:40PM movie session at Jam Factory, we just knew that the stars were aligned for an Italian meal. Caffe E Cucina is one of the top rated Italian restaurants in the area, so the decision was an easy one.

Caffe E Cucina was opened in 1988 with a vision to introduce Italian hospitality to Melbourne. For a restaurant to be open for 30 years is a feat rarely achieved. Helen and I have witnessed numerous restaurants close down throughout the years, many which we considered of high quality. The restaurant business is truly cut throat, with everything having to work in harmony to have any chance of survival.

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After visiting Caffe E Cucina I can understand how they stood the test of time. The service first and foremost was simply impeccable. Our dedicated waiter was quite a charmer, and had a constant smile that threatens to take your woman away. We experienced this service in Italy as well, the charm, the wittiness, and the smoothness. They make you look foolish for not tipping. Our waiter also remembered our whole order without writing anything down, and did not get one thing wrong. He was always on the ball to the point where our wine glasses were never dry, but we didn’t even notice him pour the wine!

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Helen and I don’t place a huge emphasis on food authenticity, but if you’re someone who prefers authentic Italian food then Caffe E Cucina certainly delivers. The produce from the cured meats to the seafood was fresh. I couldn’t fault any of the dishes, there was nothing that steered me the other way. Picking any favourites here would come down to personal preference. I particularly enjoyed the swordfish carpaccio and linguine with seafood! The swordfish with the acidity from the grapefruit, pomegranate and tomatoes was fine tuned to perfection. An appetising entree that leaves you craving for more. The linguine with seafood was probably one of the best pastas I’ve had. Seafood already has so much natural flavour, so it’s always best to let it shine. That’s exactly what Caffe E Cucina has done. They haven’t overcomplicated this pasta and I was rewarded with fresh clean flavours. The linguine was cooked just right resulting in great texture. The respect paid to the ingredients was evident in all their dishes.

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Now I did notice a little outdoor balcony outside where I was seated. This was apparently the ‘Rolls-Royce’ spot of the restaurant! It’s so special that it only fits two people. Helen and I would love to give this balcony experience a go in the future, but it does lead me to my one and only minor criticism: $230 minimum spend! I understand that they may not want two people out there sipping on water for 3 hours, but $230 sounds a bit steep indeed…

Apart from this minor criticism which technically hasn’t even affected me yet, Caffe E Cucina really is the place to be for Italian cuisine in South Yarra. These guys are without a doubt the real deal, and we cannot wait to head back!.

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Caffe E Cucina
Approx $65 AUD per person
Website: caffeecucina.com.au
Address: 581 Chapel St, South Yarra VIC 3141
Phone: +61 3 9827 4139

Caffé e Cucina Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Peruvian @ Pastuso

It’s not every day that Helen and I get asked to go to a Peruvian restaurant. To be honest, I had to do a quick Google search to make sure I knew which country it was from, Peru – yes of course. Our friend aka ‘The 3rd wheel’, invited us to go to Pastuso. Cool name, new restaurant and new cuisine for us, we were never gonna say no!

Located off Flinders Lane, Pastuso represents the classic Melbourne laneway experience. Nestled in the corner of the laneway, the entrance looks grand, yet it’s also low key at the same time. You would expect a place like this to be smack bang in the middle of the city. There’s a certain confidence which Pastusco emits, as if to say “you want us, come find us”. Or maybe I’m just overanalysing things again, it could be for the simple reason that the rent’s cheaper.

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Walking in we were welcomed with funky colourful tiles and a beautiful bar with gold trimmings. Dimly lit lights complete the picture of an intimate and relaxed atmosphere. Being our eager selves, we arrived early and were escorted to the bar area for a quick drink while we waited for our table. Without much hesitation, I opted for the Pisco Sour while Helen got the Cucumber Chilcano. I’ve had Pisco Sours in the past but this one is without a doubt that best I’ve had!

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We were handed the menus by one of the smiling and friendly staff and off we went. This menu was the gateway to our Peruvian food experience and I really liked what I saw, I wanted nearly everything on it! With us eating out so much, some menus are starting to look pretty boring. Brunch menus spring to mind, as most of them are roughly the same ingredients just repackaged. Pastuso’s menu in contrast was a whole new experience to what we’re generally used to. Ingredients such as marlin and alpaca captured my undivided attention. I had only seen marlins jumping out of the water on TV fishing shows, and alpaca… how many people can say they’ve tried alpaca before!?!

We found ourselves stuck in the ceviche section of the menu, and struggling to progress. Normally we’re lucky to get one ceviche on the menu, but they had six at Pastuso! Overwhelming as it is, we powered on and got the Corvina (lightly smoked black kingfish), salmon, and of course the Marlin Nikkei ceviche. The ceviche quality here was in a league of it’s own, and I would recommend coming here just to try some of these out. Instead of tasting just like lemon or lime juice, the ceviches here all had their very own distinct and unique characters. I couldn’t really fault any of them, but the one that stood out had to be the Marlin Nikkei. For such a huge fish, the texture was never going to be soft or mushy. It had a bouncy texture and was just the perfect fish for a ceviche. The braised shitake mushrooms and rice wine vinegar dressing worked its way in beautifully with the fish. Who could resist the pronounced mushroom flavours which shiitakes bring, the soft and subtle acidity of the rice wine vinegar to round it off. Thoroughly deserving of the best dish of the night award. My only criticism was that for such a massive fish, I was kinda expecting a bit more!

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The Carpaccio de bife was also another highlight dish, it’s a shame that it’s from the specials menu so will most likely not be there next time. I would have loved to see this dish featured permanently. Now onto the meat which I had looked forward to the whole night – the alpaca ribs! These were 8 hour braised ribs with a honey glaze. I had all these perceptions on what I would think it would taste like, but it ended up being different to what I had ever imagined. Well basically it tasted like…. nothing. The meat itself didn’t have any character and was highly dependent on the sauce for flavour. I soon learnt that alpaca is a really lean and healthy meat which is low in fat and cholesterol. I was expecting a more gamey flavour. The honey glaze was not too sweet and just lightly coated each rib. I was very happy that I had the opportunity to try a new meat.

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To be honest, after all the food we ate, dessert was an absolute blur to me. I felt like I was just going through the motions and I guess I should have left more space to really appreciate it. Oh well, over ordering is still something we’re heavily working on! The service at Pastuso was flawless. All the waiting staff were friendly and had a smile on their face. They were attentive and always down for a chat. They also showed great professionalism and always demonstrated their ability to take a joke, in response to our sometimes inappropriate conversations amongst ourselves! All it takes is a frown or judging eyes from the waiting staff to kill the mood, but these guys were really cool.

I highly recommend Pastuso for a special night out or anyone looking for a new food experience. Their food and flavours are uniquely different and will most likely leave a lasting impression. I know we’ll certainly be back especially for the ceviches. Now I do mention it’s best for a special night out because I did feel that the food was a little pricey, and the portions could be bigger. However, I do feel as though the food is high quality and the service is outstanding. An alternative would be to have a cheaper dinner elsewhere and come for the ceviches to finish off, best of both worlds!

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Pastuso
Approx $70 AUD per person
Website: pastuso.com.au
Address: 19 ACDC Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: +61 3 9662 4556

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

Korean / American fusion @ Little Oscar

We were recently invited by Little Oscar to come check out their restaurant and were of course delighted and accepted! Thank you again Little Oscar for the awesome food and great hospitality, let’s get straight into it!

Little Oscar is very new and only opened a couple of months ago in Brunswick, specialising in  Korean-American fusion. Yes, you heard right! Our interest was piqued, and boy were we pleased!

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We loved the layout of the place as soon as we entered. From the rustic bricks, modern wooden decor and ropes woven throughout the restaurant, to the live band that was performing; it had a really chilled out vibe about it.

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Our waitress was super friendly, talked us through the menu and took our orders. The food also came out really fast. We ended up ordering the Little Oscar Burgers, which consisted of a wagyu beef patty, cheese, lettuce, onion jam, pickles, tomato and their Little Oscar sauce, the Gangnam Style was the Korean influenced burger with fried chicken, Asian slaw, kimchi and roasted sesame seeds. Both were mini burgers and served in lots of two. They were both really nice, the wagyu beef patty was well flavoured but the fried chicken burger stood out for us. They do their chicken exceptionally well, crispy on the outside whilst soft and moist on the inside.

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So of course we had to get their popular KFC (Korean fried chicken) which was sooo good! Again it was crispy and moist but the flavours of the seasoning was just spot on too. It wasn’t overly salty or sweet so we could devour heaps of it. We also got their Little Oscar’s battered onion rings with their special chilli creamy sauce. They were probably the best onion rings we’ve ever had! They were freshly deep fried and so crispy and flavoured, we couldn’t stop eating them! To complement the mains, we ordered the sweet wekame (seaweed) and organic silken tofu salad which provided a healthy acidic touch to our meal. Tofu was silky and textured.

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Finally for dessert we ordered the Hwarang which had sweet wekame seaweed and sesame jelly with mango, coconut ice cream with pomegranate and desiccated coconut. Again it didn’t disappoint and we scoffed this dish up pretty quickly! The combination of fresh fruit and sweetness was perfect.

Overall we were really happy with the food, service and vibe and would highly recommend this place to anyone. Staff were so nice and Lorance in particular was so great and informative to chat to. Little Oscar is a young but upcoming place to eat good food, drink and chill. They’ve got all the core elements in place to make a successful place blossom and we have no doubt they will do well!

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Little Oscar
Approx $25 AUD per person
Website: www.littleoscar.com.au
Address: 41 Lygon Street, Brunswick VIC 3056
Phone: +61 3 8383 3165

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