Delhi Streets

There is an abundance of delicious lunch venues opening up in the CBD at the moment, and Delhi Streets is no exception.  Offering more than just the standard curry, Delhi Streets prides itself on serving up Indian street food that is fresh, affordable and tasty.

As expected with any good Melbourne lunch spot, the venue was bustling and had a line out the door.  Whilst Delhi Streets offers a take-away option, it only took 10 minutes until we were seated by the exceptionally friendly and welcoming staff.

To eat I ordered the samosa chaat (fried samosas filled with potato and peas, served with chickpeas and sweet and spicy chutneys) and the tandoori chicken pizza naan (topped with chicken tikka, baby spinach, coriander, cheese, capsicum and onions).

I couldn't decide which one to order - so I just went with both - although one for lunch would have been plenty.  With their vibrant colours and fragrant flavours, both dishes were absolute taste sensations, and the hardest choice I will have going back is which one I'll choose.

My dining companion had the mix thali (choice of two curries with rice, naan, pappadum, raita and salad) which unfortunately didn't meet the standard of my two dishes.  The curry was bland and was served in very small portions. 

As such, if going to Delhi Streets for lunch, I would highly recommend ordering items from the "Street Chaat" or "Wraps and Burgers" sections of the menus, rather than go for their traditional curries.

Venue: 4/5
Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Total: 12/15
Verdict: Love - get around to trying it soon.

Black by Ezard

Black by Ezard in a word? Perfection.

Not only does Black by Ezard offer modern Australian cuisine using only the finest seasonal produce, it is also spectacular value - $125 for a three course Moët lunch on the weekend (with free flowing Moët champagne until 3pm).

Joining the likes of Melbourne's Ezard and Gingerboy, Black by Ezard is one of Teage Ezard's latest creations, situated in the Star Casino in Sydney.

Whilst not usually an oyster fan, Black by Ezard offers oysters like no other. Fresh from Port Douglas, the generously plump morsels were served natural, needing nothing more than a squeeze of lemon or a dash of red wine vinegar to improve their natural goodness. Accompanied by the free flowing Moët champagne, it was a match made in heaven.

The entrée of prawns with white polenta, smoked tomato and corn, pork crackling and mixed herbs was both textual and flavoursome, and an exquisite start to the three course lunch.  

The wagyu flat iron with roasted cauliflower, pearl onion salad and gremolata was without a doubt one of the best steaks in Sydney if not Australia.  Cooked perfectly so the meat just melted in the mouth, the wagyu beef was beautifully complimented by the natural creaminess of the cauliflower and the freshness of the pearl onion salad and gremolata.

Poorly done deserts can often erase the hard work of the first two courses, leaving a diner feeling sickly full and on a sugar high.  However, with its tart blueberry components offset by the creaminess of the cheesecake,  Black by Ezard's cheesecake with lavender honey, blueberry sorbet and sable crumble did not fall into this category.

The staff of Black were an attribute to the restaurant - thoroughly across not only the menu but the individual produce Black by Ezard serves, they were clearly passionate about their jobs which showed throughout the entire experience.

An experience within itself, Black by Ezard is an absolute must if you find yourself in Sydney.

Food: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Venue: 4/5
Total: 14/15
Verdict: The new fave - put it as number 1 on your 'To Do' list.

Purple Peanuts

Purple Peanuts is no stranger to the Melbourne foodie scene - serving up nutritious, delicious and ridiculously cheap Japanese cuisine to its patrons for years.

With its wooden features and hand written menus adorning the walls, the venue has a homely feel and offers both an eat in or take away option.

For only $8.90, you can get yourself one of their iconic rice balls (vegetarian or tuna) with choice of salads. As all of the salads looked mouth-wateringly good, I didn't hesitate to ask to try them all and the staff were more than happy to accommodate. Whilst some of the vegies were slightly undercooked, overall, all of the four salads were exceptional, offering an array of colours, textures and flavours. 

The tuna rice ball itself was cold (which surprised me) but was still delicious - and was even better with the optional hot sauce.

Whilst Purple Peanuts hasn't frequented my lunch repertoire until now, with its crave-worthy salads and even better price tag, it will definitely be featured in my lunch breaks more often.

Service: 4/5
Food: 4.5/5
Venue: 4/5
Total: 12.5/15
Verdict: love - go out and try it soon.
 

Wonky Trolley

With a name like Wonky Trolley, this North Melbourne establishment seemed fitting seeing as we were off to the Comics Lounge later.

With its no frills sterile looking décor, this fast food burger joint lets its food speak for itself, offering both a take-away and an eat in option.

To eat I ordered the Cheesy B burger with beef, cheese, pickles, tomato sauce, aioli and American mustard ($9.90) and the poutine ($9). With its beautifully cooked juicy meat patty (slightly pink just the way I like it) and lashings of sauce, the Cheesy B was delicious.  It was, however, small and would not be enough to fill someone with a large appetite. Luckily Wonky Trolley offers a double meat patty option for an extra $4.00.

The poutine was nice, but nothing to write home about - the chips could have done with some seasoning and the cheese would have benefited from being melted.

Whilst not the best burger joint I have ever been to, the Cheesy B was delicious and definitely a burger I would come back for.

Venue: 2/5
Service: 3/5
Food: 4/5
Total: 9/15
Verdict: like - get around to trying it at some point.
 

Top Paddock

Top Paddock is a Melbourne institution and it is easy to see why.

As is the way with many of Melbourne's best brunch spots, there is a wait to be seated.  However, our 20 minute wait was quite reasonable considering it was such a gorgeous Melbourne day and we had requested outdoor seating. 

The venue itself is not what I expected.  What I had expected was a nook in the wall along a line of shops, not a freestanding venue with exquisite wooden features, an abundance of outdoor seating and a homely cottage feel.

To eat I ordered Top Paddock's iconic blueberry and ricotta hotcake.  I am not usually a sweet tooth, but I had seen a number of pictures of this dish before, and it had been on my list of things to try for awhile. Luckily, it didn't disappoint. Filled with tart blueberries and gooey ricotta, this fluffy hotcake was well balanced and not overly sweet. Topped with fresh berries and edible flowers, this dish was not only beautiful, but a delicious l way to start the day.

Whilst our waiter was absolutely lovely, it took forever for us to get our meals.  This in part can be forgiven seeing how busy the venue was, however, I'm not going to lie, I was definitely on the edge of being hangry.  However, the wait was well worth it and it was a delicious way to start to the day.

Venue: 4/5
Food: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Total: 11/15
Verdict: Love - get around to try it soon.

Maha

Maha is without a doubt one of my favourite restaurants in Melbourne.  Brought to you by chef and restaurateur Shane Delia, this enchanting Bond Street venue specialises in Middle Eastern cuisine.

Recently renovated, it's not just the restaurant which has had a facelift  From its revamped website, to its menus and Maha branded products, there is now a common theme of gold and (almost) Tiffany blue running through all aspects of the experience which gives it a luxurious and exotic vibe.

On this occasion we shared the 4 course set menu ($85):

First

 

Local olives, fel fel

 

Roast pumpkin and cinnamon hummus, chicken, cashews, sage
 

Chemen cured swordfish, kewpie mayo, preserved lemon and shallot

 

Olive oil poached potato, spring onion, grilled octopus

 

Second

 

Pig's head croquette, almond, preserved lemon jus, black garlic

 

Lebanese couscous, scallop, mussel, cinnamon, radish

 

Third

 

12 hour roasted lamb shoulder, smashed radish, smoked pepper and almonds, mint

 

Roasted heirloom carrots, Iranian figs, basturma, pickled onions

 

Winter leaf salad, pumpkin seeds, fennel dressing

 

Cracked wheat pilaf, carrot, apricot, dill

 

Fourth

 

Turkish delight filled doughnuts, rosewater, honey

 

Maple syrup and rosemary pearls, chocolate soil, raspberry sorbet

 

Argan oil chocolate brownie, orange and cinnamon ice cream

 

 

Whilst there were a number of allergies on our table, the staff were more then happy to accommodate us and substituted a number of the set menu items with just as delectable looking items. 

 

The first course was served with freshly made bread - perfect for mopping up the delicious hummus (which melted into the warm bready goodness) and the fragrant remnants of the olive oil poached potato. The flavours of the Chemen cured swordfish were also incredible - light and zesty, it was a beautiful start to the menu.

Chemen cured swordfish
 

The flavours of the pig's head croquette were delicious, but for me it was the Lebanese couscous which was the dish of the night. With its beautifully cooked seafood, light and zesty dressing,  crunchy discs of radish and nutty couscous, it was both a textual and flavoursome delight.

Pig's head croquette

Lebanese couscous

 

The mains were exceptional and, with its sweet bursts of apricots balanced with the nuttiness of the cracked wheat,  I could have easily eaten a bowl of the pilaf on its own.  The meat was extremely rich (almost too rich), but then when balanced with the pilaf and the winter leaf salad, the flavours worked well. The only disappointment of the night were the heirloom carrots. While you want your carrots to have some bite, these carrots were undercooked and verging on raw. 

 

12 hour roasted lamb shoulder

 

The Turkish delight filled doughnuts were the highlight of the deserts - warm, gooey and just oozing with flavour, these delicious melt in the mouth morsels were not overbearingly sweet and a delectable way to finish the night.

Turkish delight filled doughnuts

It's the small touches that make Maha such an exceptional dining experience - when receiving our bill at the end of the night, we each received a Maha branded seasoning pack to take home with us to create our own Middle Eastern masterpiece.  Simple, but effective, and reflective of why its one of my favourite restaurants in Melbourne.

Food: 4.75/5
Venue: 4.75/5 (Almost a little too dark)
Service: 5/5
Total: 14.5/15

Verdict: The New Fave - put it as number one on the to do list.

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Santiago

To put it simply, I have a love / hate relationship with Middle Park's Spanish restaurant Santiago at the moment.

It was the first time I had tried this quaint little Tapas Bar and, on ordering the 7 course degustation menu with matching wines ($85), I went in with high hopes and expectations.  However, whilst there were exceptional aspects to our night, there were a number of flaws that I just couldn't get overlook.  In times like these when I can't decide one way or another, I always find it helpful to write a list - so here it goes:

Cons

• We were only served 6 courses, not 7 as promised.
• Overpriced and small portions (note the pictures below - it was one plate per course for all three of us) - even after spending $45 on the food portion of the degustation, I was still hungry and went back home to eat again.
• There was a thick black hair in one of my dishes (but note the exceptional way they handled it below).
• The three of us were crammed onto a pokey little table and, when we asked whether we could move to a bigger table, we were told that they were booked (however, at 10:00pm when we left, the tables were still empty).
• The prawns and the cheesy chicken drumsticks were cold and uninspiring:

 

Pros

• The staff were incredibly welcoming and gave the place a family-owned feel.
• When I complained about the hair on my dish, the restaurant gave me a $50 voucher for my next meal which I thought was extremely generous.
• The matching wines were exceptional.
• The goats cheese ball I had was incredibly delicious and was just bursting with flavour. The spicy chorizo and manchego rolled in jamon with tomato and black olive was also delicious and well cooked: 

So as you can see, I am on the wall with this one, but I may be tempted to give it a second chance at some point in the future.

Service: 4/5
Venue: 2.5/5
Food: 2.5/5
Total: 9/15

La Camera Southgate

With its hanging meats and cheese display, there was promise of an authentic Italian experience. However, like many of Southgate's dining options (think World Bar, Left Bank etc.) the food at La Camera's was average and overpriced.

La Camera is positioned in an exceptional location on Southgate overlooking the Yarra.  However, if not seated on the beautiful outdoor balcony, the venue on the inside is dark and un-inspiring.

To start with we shared the beef and cheese arancini ($11.50) and a cheese and garlic pizza ($18.00). Unfortunately the flavours of the arancini were one dimensional and could have done with a boost of seasoning.  The garlic and cheese pizza however, was delicious and had a beautifully thin crust (but come on, how can you really muck up herb and cheese?).  But for $18.00, it would have been nice if the cheese and garlic went a little closer to the edge and was not so concentrated in the middle.

 

 

For main I had the chicken parmigiana with coleslaw dressed in an apple cider and honey vinaigrette ($28.50). For $28.50, it would have been nice if the parma came with chips, but alas, I had to order a side for $6.90 - and to be honest, I shouldn't have bothered as the chips were hard and floury. The chicken itself was cooked beautifully, but the tomato sauce that topped it tasted like something from a can of SPC. The coleslaw was also rather disappointing - bland and lacking the promised acidity.

Whilst we may have just hit La Camera on a bad day, with so many other incredible Italian options in the city (think Trattoria Emilia, Rosa's Canteen, Tipo 00), its not worth the visit.

Service:2.5/5
Venue: 2.5/5
Food: 2.5/5
Total: 7.5/15
Verdict: don't bother - not worth the calories

Trattoria Emilia

There seems to be an abundance of exceptional Italian restaurants popping up in the CBD at the moment, and I'm far from complaining. The latest venue is Trattoria Emilia - situated where Gills Diner used to be and indeed, opened by one of the very same owners.

The venue: Italian rustic. The menu: the epitome of spring and just bursting with seasonal produce. 

For lunch I ordered the speck and asparagus lasagne with scamorza cheese ($27). The dish was beautiful - the asparagus still had bite and the lasagne sheets were cooked al dente. The only thing missing was an element of acidity - a few roasted cherry tomatoes would have bought the dish up to perfection.

I was also lucky enough to have a taste of one if my fellow diner's dishes - a goats cheese filled tortellini with prosciutto and asparagus. While the little morsels of goodness were definitely tasty, the tortellini could have been packed with more of a goats cheese punch. .

With its mouthwatering seasonal menu, delectable food and delightful staff, Trattoria Emilia is perfect for a weekday lunch and has definitely made it onto my recommendation list. 

Food: 4/5

Service: 4/5

Venue: 4/5

Total: 12/15

Verdict: love - go out and try it soon
 

Prahan Hotel

With its iconic round windows, dining table come dance floor and gorgeous outdoor courtyard, Prahan Hotel is a favourite among Melbournites - but would you ever eat there?  Well we certainly did and, in a word, it was 'nice'. 

After finding ourselves a seat (please book if you want to eat there!) I decided to opt for the more traditional pub fare and went for the chicken schnitzel burger with cheese, slaw and hot sauce ($23). The chicken was cooked well but could have done with more seasoning, and the burger itself was sparse on the spicy sauce, making it lack in the necessary zing to liven up the dish.  However, the chips that accompanied the burger were well seasoned and delicious and the overall meal definitely filled me up. 

Whilst I may have just been a victim of poor ordering, the meal I had at Prahan Hotel was rather underwhelming for the $23 price-tag.  That being said, if you're feeling peckish after an afternoon of drinking and you find yourself there anyway, what's a bit of hot sauce between friends when your taste buds are tipsy?

Food: 2.5/5

Decor: 4/5

Service: 3.5/5
Total: 10/15

Verdict: like - get around to trying it at some point.
 

What Da Pho

With a venue as funky as its name, this South Melbourne Vietnamese hawker style restaurant has been an instant hit with its patrons since it opened its doors a year or two ago.

Whilst the pho doesn't quite make it under the $10 mark (Wat Da Pho's classic beef pho sitting at $10.80) its definitely still value for money. With its fragrant broth (that's not too salty!), generous lashings of tender thinly sliced beef and all the usual sides - this dish is one that's definitely worth coming back for!

With its vibrant colours and abundance of fresh ingredients, the lemon grass beef salad also looked like an exceptional option. 

Whilst Summer doesn't necessarily conjure up cravings of a big hot steaming bowl of pho, Wat Da Pho's outdoor seating area is definitely a draw card for the warmer nights - but then perhaps one of their delicious looking salads will be a more tempting option. 

Food: 4/5

Decor: 3.5/5

Service: 4/5

Total: 11.5/15

Verdict: love - get around to trying it soon 
 

Mr Nice Guy

Mr Nice Guy is a café-style restaurant which just oozes with character. With its mosaic tiled tables, assorted coloured chairs and rustic mirrored walls, the venue dishes out a funky vibe as soon as you walk through the multi-coloured panelled front door.

Unfortunately the food on this occasion was not as memorable as the décor.  To eat I had the Thai Green curry with brown rice.  Whilst the curry sauce itself was delicious and fragrant, the vegetables were undercooked (anyone have a steak knife handy?) and the chicken was terribly gristly - overall, a very average dish! Although, kudos on having the option of ordering brown rice over white (hint...hint fellow Melbourne Thai restaurants).

Whilst I have never had been to Mr Nice Guy for dinner, word on the street is that it is a very different dining experience to that of the lunch sitting. Lifting the menu to the likes of crispy pork belly with oyster sauce foam (that's right, foam!), it is definitely on the list to try in the future.

Service: 2.5/5
Décor: 4/5
Food: 2/5
Total: 8.5

Verdict: Like - get around to trying it at some point (but perhaps stay away from the Thai Green curry and opt for their delicious take on Pad Thai!)

The Hardware Societe

The Hardware Societe is without a doubt a Melbourne institution for breakfast goers.  Following in the steps of true Melbourne form, it is situated down a quaint little laneway just off Lonsdale Street. 

Being such a Melbourne icon, it came to my surprise that there wasn't a line of people queuing out the door on the morning that I went (indeed, the venue was only half full). That being said, it was a blistery cold morning, and a Monday at that, which likely explains the lack of patrons. This fact, however, was only a bonus for me as within seconds of my arrival I was seated and had ordered a strong coffee and a croque monsieur.

The coffee was exceptional as always (instant death in Melbourne if that's not the case).  However, the croque monsieur was unfortunately tasty but not exceptionally delicious. The overall sandwich was a tad dry (a dash more béchamel would have helped) and lacked in any sort of acidity to offset the  richness of the dish (tomatoes in the side salad perhaps). Nonetheless, it was a satisfying meal that kept me full well into the day.

 

The venue itself is not the cosiest of places (albeit, this probably wasn't helped by the fact that I was placed right beside the constantly opened front door).  With its sterile colours and butterfly feature walls (which remind me of a children's hospital ward), the odd attempt at quirkiness (e.g. teacup lined walls) failed to give the venue a homely feel. Overall, though, it was a pleasant experience and not a venue that I would be opposed to going back to in the future.

Service: 3.5/5
Food: 3.5/5
Décor: 3.5/5
Total: 10.5/15
Verdict: Like - try it at some point.

Captain Baxter

Situated within the St Kilda Sea Bath's complex, and overlooking St Kilda beach, Captain Baxter is often coined one of Melbourne's top destinations for a hot summer's night.  However, with its incredible views and mouth-watering menu, it seemed like Saturday-night-worthy option for a cold winter's (well, technically Spring's) night.

With its indoor DJ, dimmed mood lighting and standing area at the bar, Captain Baxter definitely rocks a weekend vibe.  This is beautifully complimented with the stunning light features and orchard adorned wooden tables that make up the main dining area. 

Captain Baxter's Asian inspired menu is designed to be shared (luckily, considering the number of delectable items to choose from) and, in the sharing spirit, we started with the scallop and shitake dumplings with black vinegar and sesame chili oil ($12). Unfortunately the dumplings were incredibly salty and lacked in any great amount of scallop -  not a dish I would recommend.  

To follow we had the Vietnamese fried fish tacos with pickled veg and wheat tortillas ($24.50) and the glazed duck pancakes with cucumber, spring onion and spicy plum sauce ($25).  The flavours on the fish taco platter were amazing - think spicy wasabi mayo, paired with tangy pickled radish and avocado cream. However, the fish was unfortunately over battered and over fried, meaning that there wasn't much fish left in the crunchy little morsels.

In clever move by Captain Baxter, the glazed duck pancakes came out with the duck still on the leg for us to shred, leaving the meat tender and juicy coming straight off the bone - well played Captain Baxter! However, the pancakes themselves were extremely disappointing -  thick and floury, they took away from the brilliance of the rest of the dish.

The staff at Captain Baxter were one of the highlights of the night - friendly, attentive and helpful, they were  across the restaurant's food and wine menus and were a definite attribute to the restaurant.

Whilst the food on this occasion was underwhelming, and the cold wintery weather gave it a subdued vibe, Captain Baxter's remains a promising Summer night drinking hole (but may keep this place in the pocket for the warmer months only).

Food: 2/5
Service: 5/5
Décor: 4/5
Total: 11/15
Verdict: Like - worth a try at some point
 

Jinda Thai 

It's no secret that Jinda Thai is one of Melbourne's best Thai restaurants. Nestled in an alleyway near North Richmond station, it would be easy to blink twice and miss this bustling Thai establishment.

With its exposed brick walls, large white wooden framed windows, packed share tables, and modern open steel kitchen, this industrial style venue has a homely but lively dinner vibe. 

Filled with popular Thai curries, stir-fries and rice noddle dishes (all at a very reasonably price), the menu itself is what you'd expect from a traditional Melbourne Thai restaurant. But the food itself was far from the every day Thai - fresh, vibrant and just bursting with flavour.

Whilst a curry puff is generally just a curry puff - Jinda Thai's curry puff ($7.90) took the dish to a whole new level.  Crisp on the outside and delectably spiced on the inside, the little puff was far from oily and was complimented beautifully with its accompanying peanut sauce.

 

For mains we shared the Thai green curry ($16.90) and the chicken and cashew nut stir-fry ($16.90).  Whilst the stir-fry usually came with 'crispy' lightly fried chicken, the staff didn't hesitate to accommodate my fellow diner's gluten intolerance, replacing the chicken with a non-fried version.  The fried chicken, however, definitely was not missed, as the crispness of the fresh vegies added the needed dimension of texture to the dish. 

The Thai green curry was up there with one of the best I have had in Melbourne - fragrant and deliciously creamy, (but not overpoweringly so) with the perfect amount of heat that was left lingering on the tastebuds.

 

Jinda Thai is famous for its pandan and milk tea cakes ($8.50).  Considering that I wasn't even sure what pandan was (I have since discovered it is a tropical plant), I thought I should definitely give it a try.  Accompanied by coconut ice-cream (which was actually my favourite part of the dish) the cake was soft and gooey with an interesting, almost green tea like flavour.  I enjoyed it, and admired it for its uniqueness, but by no means am I in a rush to go back to try some more.

Bucking away from the Melbourne trend, Jinda Thai takes bookings for lunch and dinner sittings.  As the secret has long been out as to the quality of its food, I would highly recommend making one if wanting to avoid the long line of people queuing out the door.

Service: 4/5

Venue: 4/5

Food: 4/5 

Total 12/15
Verdict: Love - rush out and try it soon