Entrecôte

French inspired restaurant Entrecôte in South Yarra has always been famous for its steak frites - but what about its breakfast menu? I mean it makes sense for it to serve breakfast with its gorgeous European-esque courtyard out the front which is ideal for some morning sunshine. And as soon as I heard that there was a breakfast burger (with frites!) on the menu I knew I had to give it a try.

Although on the occasion I went, I wasn’t quite hungover enough to fully appreciate the breakfast burger, so instead I went for the omelette with herbs and Gruyere, with a side of smoked salmon. Whilst it was quite dry around the edges, and the herbs were clumped in the one spot, it was still soft and gooey on the inside, and the salad on the side was nice touch.

My fellow diner had the croissant with ham, bechamel and Gruyere. Whilst it was overcooked, after flicking off the burnt bits, it was actually quite tasty. 

The service was slow (but friendly) so perhaps it's not the best place to go if you’re in a rush. And you’ll be seated quite close to your fellow diners, so its also probably not the most appropriate place to discuss your Saturday antics. But what it does offer is a little slice of Europe at your back door.

Food: 3/5

Service: 3/5

Venue: 3/5

Total: 9/15

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

Izakaya Kuuraku

Izakaya Kuuraku on Bourke Street in the CBD is a spacious, modern eatery that offers up an extensive and drool-worth Japanese inspired menu. On this occasion, my friend and I were lucky enough to be invited to sample their omakase (chef's choice) dinner which they plan to introduce in  November - and from our experience, it's definitely worth a visit when they do.

With the omakase consisting of 15 courses served up in a special room out the back (with front row seats to your chefs at work) it's nothing less than an adventure of sights, sounds and flavours. Starting strong, the mixed plate of the chicken liver (some of the best I've had), oyster with fish roe (I could easily have a plate of these) and beef tataki was an absolute stand out.

And whilst all of the dishes were presented elegantly, the prettiest dish of the night had to be the assortment of sashimi - fresh, elegant and simple - everything you want your sashimi to be.

The best dish of the night however (and I'm talking so good you sit back in your chair and just think "wow") was the salmon nigiri with truffle oil. 

But what Izakaya Kuuraku is really famous for (or at least it should be) is its yakitori - serving up multiple varieties including chicken and leek, chicken and truffle and terriyaki beef -  Izakaya Kuuraku even offers up a sake (exclusive to Kuuraku) which is made to be paired with yakitori.  If you're lucky enough to get a seat out the back, you'll even get to see the master at his work.

Whilst all the yakitori was incredible, my the asparagus yakitori wrapped in pork fat  had to be my favourite - fresh and creamy on the inside, crisp but still juicy on the inside, this dish was absolutely incredible.

And of course, what dinner is complete without a desert.  Whilst I am not the biggest fan of matcha or tiramasu, the fact that I actually enjoyed this matcha tiramasu speaks wonders for this desert.

An absolutely outstanding meal - I look forward to heading back to Izakaya Kuuraku when they introduce their chef's choice menu in November.

Service: 5/5
Food: 4/5
Venue: 4/5
Total: 13/05
Verdict: Love - get around to trying it soon

Pho Victoria

With what seems to be a Vietnamese eatery on every corner of Melbourne at the moment, you would think that it would be easy to get yourself a ridiculously delicious bowl of steaming pho.  Unfortunately, that's not always the case.  However Pho Victoria, on Victoria Street in North Melbourne, is a great example of how it should be done. The broth had a full bodied flavour (and came out steaming hot), the sprouts and herbs were fresh and the meat was melt-in-your mouth tender.

The plates of fried rice and noodles coming of the kitchen out also looked delicious, and my dining companion was quite pleased by her choice with the chicken satay.

Pho Victoria is everything you'd want from a good pho place - friendly attentive service, clean venue, free flowing tea, and all your favourite pho condiments on every table - it's easy to see why this place was packed to the brim on a wintery Tuesday evening.

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

Sushi and Nori

Food court meals don't necessarily have the best reputation.  Indeed, throw Japanese cuisine into the mix and some would say you have the perfect recipe for food poisoning.  However, to my pleasant surprise, Sushi and Nori in the food court at Emporium was actually quite tasty.  Offering both quick take away options, and a seat at the sushi train, the highlight for me was definitely the free flowing ginger and wasabi.

As with most sushi trains, picking up dishes that are meant to be hot is always a risk. Unfortunately our agadashi tofu was stone cold - and could have been really tasty with some heat in it.  However, we were lucky enough to see the fried chicken placed freshly on the train - which was crisp on the outside, juicy on the inside, and absolutely delicious.

And of course, what sushi train experience would be complete without a serve of sushi - the tempura vegetable sushi being an excellent choice.

Really friendly service, free flowing wasabi and ginger, and tasty food - Sushi and Nori is definitely a good choice if you find yourself hungry at the Emporium.

Food: 3.5/5
Venue: 3.5/5
Service: 4/5
Total:11/15
Verdict: Like - get around to trying it at some point.

Radio Mexico

After eating at Radio Mexico, I was rather shocked by its high Zomato rating. Whilst Radio Mexico wasn't terrible, it was below average and just did not hit the mark. 

To start off, the service whilst friendly was slow - it took approximately 15 minutes of me trying to catch the waiter's eye (who was happily chatting away to various individuals) to get our bill to leave. 

And the food? Disappointing. The flavour in the Picoso Chilaquiles (spicy red chilli based red sauce with guacamole and crema on corn chips) was completely one dimensional (with the guac running out too soon), and got boring after about the second bite.  And whilst I personally love my spice (being known to eat jalapenos out of the jar like candy) this dish should have come with a warning for people with normal tastebuds, with my fellow diner struggling to handle the spice (which was extremely spicy).

The baja tacos (with pico de gallo and slaw) were just as disappointing - whilst the fish was cooked well, it was overall incredibly dry. 

Despite serving up top notch margaritas, I will not be back. 

Food: 2.5/5

Venue: 3/5

Service: 3/5

Verdict: Don't bother - there are better Mexican restaurants in town.

 

Izakaya Jiro

There's nothing quite like going to a restaurant where they serve you dishes that make you sit back in your seat and think "wow" - Izakaya Jiro is one such place. Situated on Glenferrie Road in Hawthorn, Izakaya Jiro's exposed brick walls, dark wooden features and Japanese artwork, gives the place a casual but warm and inviting vibe.

Whilst Izakaya Jiro offers all of the usual Japanese culprits (think edamame and okonomiyaki) you'd be crazy to go past trying their assorted sashimi (which came out as pretty as a picture and was incredibly fresh) and the spicy crab ball (which couldn't have packed more flavour if it tried).

However, the dishes that really made us sit back and think "wow" were the tempura eel (the dish of the night for me - crispy on the outside, but rich and buttery on the inside) and the spicy salmon and avocado salad (if I could have salads this good every day, I would be half my size).

And another hot tip - try not to be the designated driver. Izakaya's range of plum wines and sake are not only extensive - they are absolutely delicious.

Delicious food and even better service - if you're in the mood for Japanese in Hawthorn than you can't go past Izakaya Jiro in Hawthorn.

Food: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Venue: 4/5
Total: 13/15
Verdict: Love - get around to trying it soon

The New Fave dined courtesy of Izakaya Jiro