Pablo Honey

The chorizo and cheese fundido with hickory corn chips on Pablo Honey's reasonably new re-vamped menu is what foodie dreams are made of - warm, gooey, and oozing with delicious goodness - the sharpness of the cheese is a marriage made in heaven with the mildly spiced chorizo. A dish I could easily sit down and eat all day!

The chargrilled wallaby fillet with guindilla chili, charred leeks and salbitxada is also a new addition to the menu - it's hard to believe that such a delicious dish could actually be so healthy - but the meat was cooked to perfection and the sauces a well balanced accompaniment. 

A work of art in itself, the Dulce de Leche Mousse was born to be on instagram - absolutely stunning and also delicious. The Caramalised Milk Pudding with Coffee ice cream and hazelnut toffee, whilst definitely the ugly duckling in comparison to the Dulce de Leche Mousse, is by no means the weaker sibling in terms of flavour and is definitely a must for someone like me who is a pudding lover. 

Consistently delicious food with a menu that just bursts with flavour - Pablo Honey is still one of my new faves on Acland Street. 

Food: 4/5

Service: 4/5

Venue:4/5

Total: 12/15

Verdict: love - get around to trying it soon

68A Acland Street, St Kilda 

 

Brae

Brae in a word? Underwhelming. It didn't help that it had just been awarded Regional Restaurant of the Year by The Good Food Guide - I was obviously going in with too high of expectations.  It's not that the dishes weren't technically perfect - because they were - some of them just didn't have much of a wow factor (the hapuku and roasted beetroot dishes were borderline bland) and I was hoping that I wouldn't leave the venue feeling like I could go order myself a pizza.

Situated in the quaint but very charming town of Birregurra,  from the man who once bought you The Royal Mail in Dunkeld, Dan Hunter's venue is modern but homely - you definitely feel like you're miles away from the city as soon as you step through their doors. Priding itself on using fresh and local produce - the menu changes to suit what's in the garden (and indeed, it's quite the vegie patch they have!) The menu on this occasion consisted of:

Brook trout and nut butter crisp

Crimson pearl potato and smoked eel sandwhich

Prawn, nasturtium, finger lime

Iced Oyster with beef tendon and mountain pepper

Beetroot with bone marrow and juniper

Calamari and black lip abalone, broccoli and blue mackerel

Eggplant and salt grass lamb washed with sweet onion juice, fragrant and acidic plants

Hapuku, turnip and mustard greens, fish roe whipped with onion

Crayfish and shitake with Brae farm egg yolk, meat broth and seaweed

Aged pekin duck wood roasted on the bone, pumpkin cream and walnut

Quince simmered with vanilla, sheep's milk and Brae farm honey

Parsnip and apple

The dishes of the day for me were actually the starters.  The brook trout and nut butter crisp, the crimson pearl potato and smoked eel sandwich and the prawn, nasturtium (there was a lot of nasturtium going on) and finger lime parcel were all bursting with flavour. The iced oyster was also a highlight - pushing the boundaries Heston style, the texture was akin to "oyster ice-cream", but it surprisingly actually worked.  

Brook Trout and Nut Butter Crisp, Prawn, Nasturtium and Finger Lime

Crimson pearl potato and smoked eel sandwich

Iced Oyster, Beef Tendon and Mountain Pepper

The Crayfish and shitake with Brae farm egg yolk was my fellow diners' favourite dish, where as I quite liked the calamari and black lip abalone - with the calamari sliced as thinly as rice noodles (and deliciously just as soft and tender).

Crayfish and Shitake with Brae Farm Egg Yolk, Meat Broth and Seaweed

Calamari and Black Lip Abalone, Broccoli and Blue Mackerel

The duck was cooked perfectly - but in terms of flavours and texutres, it wasn't quite in the same league as the duck dish I had recently at Montalto.

Aged Pekin Duck Wood Roasted on the Bone, Pumpkin, Walnut

Unfortunately, the fish and mustard greens were indeed just that - fish and mustard greens which could have done with a touch more seasoning.  The roasted beetroot with marrow, and the quince simmered with vanilla were nice, but were borderline bland and were along the lines of "take it or leave it".

Hapuku, turnip, mustard greens, fish roe whipped with onion 

Beetroot with bone marrow and juniper

Quince simmered with vanilla, sheep's milk and Braw farm honey

The parsnip and apple desert was the much more inspiring desert of the two.

Parsnip and Apple

Unfortunately, $190 later, I was still hungry. On the table asking for another slice of bread each (to try and feel the empty holes in our bellies) you would have thought we asked for another slice of duck! And even after asking two different staff members whether we could some butter with our bread, the butter never arrived.

There were definitely some exceptional highlights to the menu - however it was by no means the new fave. 

Food: 4/5

Venue: 4.5/5

Service: 3/5

Total: 11.5/15

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

4285 Cape Otway Road, Birregurra, VIC

Pepper Lunch

There's something about a sizzle plate which adds an incredible element of theater to a meal - and the  the sizzle plates at Pepper Lunch in Hawthorn are no exception!

Taking patrons food orders at the front counter, the venue feels like a cross between a fast food joint (think McDonalds / Hungry Jacks) and a mid-range Japanese restaurant. The Japanese inspired menu is extensive, offering everything from hamburg to teppan pasta.

The Japanese chicken curry is an absolute must. Served on a sizzle plate, the curry sauce is served on the side so that you can pour it on yourself  - the sizzle plate is also an excellent way to keep your dinner warm!  Sizzle aside, the chicken was juicy, the sauce rich and flavorsome and the corn added a delicious taste and texture to the meal.

But if you're heading to Pepper Lunch, I'd recommend sticking to the sizzle dishes - the teriyaki beef was cold and lifeless and was quite drab in comparison to their Japanese curry.

If you're in the area and craving some Japanese Curry - then I would say definitely head to Pepper Lunch.

Food: 2.5/5
Venue: 2.5/5
Service: 3/5
Total: 8/15
Verdict: like - get around to trying it at some - but stick with the sizzle plates.

The New Fave dined courtesy of Pepper Lunch

Tacco and Tosca

Every suburb needs its own Italian eatery and for Middle Park this is Tacco and Tosca.  Situated just off the main stretch, Tacco and Tosca serves up more than the usual Italian suspects - from Gnocchi All'aragosta (gnocchi with lobster in Napoli sauce, diced fresh tomatoes, garlic and chilli) to "La Puccia" (a traditional pizza pocket), the menu is extensive but delicious.

On this occasion (for only three of us!) we ordered far too much.  To start with we shared the "Meatlovers" woodfired pizza with a side of chips.  The chips, surprisingly, were some of the best  chips I've had in awhile - goldenly crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside, with a generous amount of sauce. The base of the Meatlovers pizza was light and crispy, but unfortunately the toppings came off quite one dimensional and all the meats almost tasted the same.

On seeing the table next door to chow down on the Pappardelle Alla Chiantigiana  (homemade fresh pappardelle tossed with slow cooked beef ragout in Chianti wine)- I knew it had to be my main order. The sauce itself was rich and flavoursome, however the pasta underneath tasted slightly like cardboard.

Was it the best Italian I've ever had? No. But the meals were generous, the menu was extensive and the service was friendly.

Service: 4/5
Decor: 3/5
Food: 3/5
Total: 10/15
Verdict: like - get around to trying it at some

251 Richardson Street, Middle Park
 

Southside Social

Southside Social is yet another American diner-esq venue to pop up in Frankston - but does it have what it takes to compete with the likes of Bobo's, Humdinger and Big Dog Diner.

The venue itself is surprisingly huge - offering both indoor and outdoor seating. The menu contains all of your American diner classics - from Mac n cheese croquettes to a variety of loaded fries. 

The mac n cheese croquettes were absolutely delicious and definitely worth the copious amount of calories - whilst some Mac n cheese croquettes fail for being too creamy, these little babies definitely had enough of a cheesy bite to cut through the crumbed fried coating. 

As an unusual (but delicious) twist - the fried chicken burger contained flavoursome brown meat rather than the usual white breast you get in a fast food chicken burgers. The jalapeño sauce and the brioche bun were also delicious touches to this rather unattractive burger. 

The taco loaded fries, however, were on the underwhelming side - the cheese wasn't melted (it's the chunks you can see on the top) and the guacamole tasted like the cheap avocado dip you get from a supermarket.

My order was probably one of the more tamer options from the menu - with offerings such as the "Antisocial Burger" which consists of a quad stack of patties, maple bacon and cheese, smothered in bbq mayo and serviced between two giant potato cakes.  Obviously with burgers such as these, Southside Social caters for those who definitely can't be called the faint hearted! 

Food: 3.5/5

Service: 3/5

Venue: 3/5

Total: 9.5/15

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

433 Nepean Highway, Frankston, Melbourne, VIC

 

Bobo's Diner

Offering up American diner-esque food, expect large portions, decent food and smiling service when visiting Bobo's Diner in Frankston.

The parma's are so big that they come with a warning - "BOBO'S KING PARMA'S ARE HUGE -DARE TO FINISH ONE". Challenge accepted. So to eat I ordered the Buffalo Parma with hot wing sauce, jalapenos and cheese. Was it the best parma I've ever had? No - but it was definitely cheap, decent and generous on the jalapeños.

Although parma aside, next time I visit Bobo's I will definitely be ordering the fried chicken burger - a bite of my sister's proved it to be mouthwateringly delicious - the chicken was juicy and well spiced, the bun was light and fluffy and the lettuce gave it the required crunch. 

The service at Bobo's Diner is definitely the highlight of the place - friendly, helpful and full of smiles, our waitress was absolutely exceptional.

Bobo's in Frankston is a good place to head to if wanting  a casual (huge) inexpensive lunch - just don't be going there on a diet!

Food: 2.5/5

Service: 5/5

Venue: 2.5/5

Total: 10/15

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

 

Dinner by Heston

There's no need to give Dinner by Heston an introduction - if you haven't heard of Heston Blumenthal and his magical culinary creations by now,  you may have been living under a rock. Nonetheless, after missing out on a ticket to dine at the Fat Duck when it was in town, the day had finally arrived where I was able to try Heston's Melbourne dining venture - Dinner by Heston.

Arriving at Dinner by Heston for lunch, I was instantly enchanted by the long dark hallway that led to restaurant's door.

The five course lunch menu, available from Friday to Sunday, will set you back $160 per person (with the option of adding accompanying wines for $120 per person). The menu on this occasion consisted of the following:

Hay Smoked Ocean Trout 

Pickled lemon salad, gentleman's relish, wood sorrel and smoked roe

Meat Fruit

Mandarin, chicken liver parfait 

Rice and Flesh

Saffron, curried kangaroo tail, red wine and amaranth

Chicken cooked with lettuces

Grilled onion emulsion, barilla leaves and spiced parsnip sauce

Tipsy Cake

The ocean trout was the dish of the day - a divine balance of textures and flavours, it tasted as exquisite as it looks. 

The meat fruit (appearing on Heston's menu at his Flagship restaurant the Fat Duck and recognised worldwide for its ingenuity) looks like a mandarin, but actually consists of chicken parfait - this little dish was not only a treat on the senses, but was insanely delicious. 

The kangaroo tail was the dish I was most nervous about - I mean, who ever thought of eating the tail of Australia's iconic roo? But to my absolute surprise, it was probably the best price of meat I had ever tried - juicy, tender and full of flavour - definitely opt for trying this part of the animal if you ever have the chance. 

The chicken and lettuce whilst technically perfect, but failed to excite me as at the end of the day, it was just that - chicken and lettuce. 

The Tipsy Cake was one of the best desserts I've had in Melbourne - warm, buttery and creamy, this little pudding was absolutely magnificent.

Is it my favourite restaurant? It's up there - but it didn't quite make the new fave. Was it technically perfect and worth the money? Absolutely. When going to Dinner by Heston, you're not just paying for the food - you're paying for the absolutely incredible service and an experience which can last all afternoon. 

Food: 4.5/5 

Venue: 3.5/5

Service: 5/5

Total: 13/15

Verdict: love - get around to trying it soon

Crown Melbourne, Level 3, 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank, Melbourne