Biggie Smalls

There seems to be a trend in Melbourne at the moment where some of our biggest names in the food industry (think Neil Perry and George Columabris) are openingt up more affordable, take-away style joints (The Burger Project and Jimmy Grants). So I was bouncing with joy to hear that one of my favourite chef's, Shane Delia of Maha, had decided to do the same.

Keeping in tune with the Middle Eastern theme of Maha, Biggie Smalls in Collingwood serves up a range of souvas and sides. But these aren't your ordinary souvas - serving up flavours such as The West Coast (with shrimp, lettuce, cucumber and Harissa Mayo) and The Juicy with beef, cheese, onion, mustard and Mayo) they are definitely a refreshing take on the usual suspect. 

After much debate I decided to go with the East Coat souva with pork, crackling, raw slaw, coriander and spiced peanut Mayo. To my dissapointment it was pork sausage rather than shredded pork (which was dry), but the crackling definitely added a nice crunch.

Recently Biggie Smalls 'hot crinkle' chips were voted among the best chips in Melbourne by the Good Food guide, so there is no surprise that I was going in for the crunch with high expectations. Unfortunately though, the chips didn't deliver.  Overcooked and (if even possible) over seasoned, between the three of us we couldn't even get through one bowl.

Whilst I'm usually a Mac n cheese fan (potentially in the top 3 fans of Melbourne) the 'Return of the Mac' (aka Mac n cheese fritters) were definitely more on the bland creamy side rather then the cheesy side and to be honest, probably not worth the calories.

However, no matter what you order, make sure to save room for desert as the P-Nutty (salted caramel and peanut ice cream sandwich) was the star of the show (and don't even think about sharing one!)  

If I were to go back to Biggie Smalls, I'd definitely be hitting up the Dirty South (fried chicken with lettuce, pickled onion and garlic and lemon aioli) -  one bite of my friend's souva and it definitely gave me a reason to come back for. 

Food: 2.5/5

Venue: 2.5/5

Service: 3/5

Total: 8/15

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

86 Smith Street, Collingwood
 

The Black Toro

Being the sister to one of my favourite restaurants in Melbourne, Sezar, I went into The Black Toro with high expectations. Luckily, it didn't disappoint.

Situated on Kingsway in Glen Waverly, I was surprised to find how bustling the street was for a Sunday night - giving it almost a holiday feel. The restaurant itself was no less bustling, with the venue having a warm (and almost romantic) vibe.

The $68 Feed Me option is not for the faint hearted - stuffing you with delicious treats until you can't move, it's definitely a good option if you want to try nearly everything on the menu (well not quite everything, but a lot of it at least!).

The coconut kingfish cerviche with young coconut, tomato, cucumber and chilli was the highlight of my night. The kingfish just melted in the mouth and the elements were paired perfectly to give the dish the perfect balance of spice, acidity and creaminess.

If you don't like your meat really rare, the wagyu beef sliders with shaved ice berg, American cheese, cucumber pickle and TBT special sauce are not for you.  However, if you like your meat on the pinker side, these little morsels are absolutely delicious and very moreish after just one bite. 

The spicy pulled pork taco and the spanner crap tostadas come out looking magnificent -  however, if you like your food with a bit of spice, make sure you ask for their bottles of green and red chilli sauce to give these little treats an extra kick.

If  you're feeling a tad hungover (or just really like fried potato goodness), the potato, jalapeno and cheddar croquettes with whipped goats cheese are an excellent choice (although, personally I wouldn't have minded more of a jalapeño hit). 

The crispy pork hock with guajilo chilli, caramel, green apple salsa verde and butter lettuce are one of those dishes which were made for Instagram. Whilst the pork was slightly difficult to shred, and the rice was an odd addition, the flavours were spot on and the presentation was beautiful. 

However, make sure you save room for desert as the desert tasting plate comes with it all.  We're talking deconstructed peanut butter cheesecake, passionfruit tart, chocolate brownie with salted caramel popcorn and coconut rice pudding.  For me, I couldn't go past the deconstructed peanut butter cheesecake.

The Black Toro is definitely a must if you find yourself in Glen Waverly.  But being a busy little joint, I would recommend to try and plan ahead and make a booking.

Service: 5/5

Food: 3.5/5

Venue: 4/5

Total: 12.5/15

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

The New Fave dined courtesy of The Black Toro
 

Short Black Cafe

Short Black Cafe is a family friendly restaurant on Burke Street in Camberwell. Serving up authentic Italian cuisine, the biggest draw card of this restaurant is definitely its staff - warm, welcoming and thoroughly across the menu, they will make you feel at home from the minute you walk through the door.

Often at Italian restaurants, the hardest part is picking which pizza flavour to choose. Luckily at Short Black Cafe this is not a problem. Offering a 'Tapas Pizza' option, Short Black Cafe let's you choose three flavours across three mini pizzas from their extensive menu. The Prosciutto, Chicken Primavera and Diavolo (salami) are all excellent options. 

Whilst I like my creamy gnocchi with a touch more cheesy bite, the Gnocchi Al Forno, infused with sage and then baked in light pana parmesan and pancetta sauce, was beautifully presented and had the most perfectly cooked little parcels of home made light and fluffy gnocchi.  

It won't be hard to save room for desert - patrons are presented with a cabinet full of delicious looking cakes, muffins and slices as soon as they walk through the door. After much debate, we couldn't go past the carrot cake which tasted as good as it looks! 

Warm, friendly and with delicious Italian food, Short Black Cafe is definitely an excellent option for a meal (or even a coffee and cake) if you find yourself in Camberwell.

Service: 5/5

Food: 3.5/5

Decor: 3.5/5

Total: 12/15

Verdict: love - get around to trying it soon 

The New Fave dined courtesy of Short Black Cafe

761-767 Burke Road,Camberwell, Melbourne, VIC