Dukkah Restaurant

Between their twist on Kunafa and their fel-fel dip, Middle Eastern inspired restaurant Dukkah is a little slice of the Middle East on the main strip of shops in South Kingsville.

Expect service that is warm, passionate, knowledgeable and welcoming – all of which creates a strong sense of community in the venue. Also expect a wine list that has been carefully curated to only include exclusive wines that aren’t available at your local Dan Murphys. Just as much care has been taken with their menu, with many of the dishes including spices that have come directly from Egypt.

The trio of dips ($17) is a must to start, consisting of lemon turmeric hummus topped with dukkah, caramelised beetroot and yogurt, and fel fel which is a blend of char grilled capsicum, cream cheese, sweet paprika, walnuts and chives.



The Mixed Grill ($28) also can’t be missed, serving up one of the best lamb cutlets I’ve had in Melbourne.



But whatever you do, make sure you save room for Dukkah’s twist on Kunafa ($11). For those of you who aren’t familiar with this dish, the traditional dish is borderline controversial – consisting of melted cheese and pastry doused in incredibly sweet rosewater. However, Dukkah takes all the best parts of the dish creating a desert that consists of fine shredded angel hair pastry, mango, cream, pistachio dust and rose petals.



Delicious food, great service and a great sense of community – Dukkah Restaurant is definitely worth a visit.



Food: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Venue: 4/5
Value for money: 4/5
Total: 17/20
Verdict: Love – get around to trying it soon


The New Fave dined courtesy of Dukkah Restaurant

Elektra

I have found my new favourite burger in Melbourne. And no, it’s not along the lines of your Betty Burgers, or your Stacks or 8Bits – it’s the cheeseburger with shitake ketchup at George Calombaris’s new restaurant Elektra.

Situated in The Press Club’s old home, Elektra is a more relaxed (and cheaper!) experience than its predecessor, while still offering the same exceptional fine dining service.

As already alluded to above, with its melt-in-the-mouth beef and flavoursome toppings, the cheeseburger with shitake ketchup ($25) is a must, and is almost too good for sharing. 

The vintage beef tartar ($22) is also a good choice, especially if you can get past the distracting thickness of the sourdough and the minimal serving of roast bone marrow. 

 

Unfortunately the Lune butter chicken Vol-au-Vent ($25) wasn’t such a hit, and fell on the “miss” list. It wasn’t by any means bad, but when I heard that a Lune croissant was being combined with butter chicken (two of my favourite things) I headed in with high expectations.  However, while the croissant was cooked to perfection, the butter chicken was borderline bland and the dish came out cold.

Bad butter chicken croissant aside, the burger alone is enough to get me through Elektra’s doors again, and the impeccable service is not to be missed.

Food: 3.5/5

Service: 5/5

Venue: 3.5/5

Value for money: 3/5

Total: 15/20

Verdict: Love – get around to trying it soon 

 

Marameo

Marameo is akin to a newly released Gucci bag – completely on trend at the moment and the talk of the town – but clearly also a classic that won't go out of fashion and will withstand the test of time.

Marameo is one of the newest Italian restaurants to hit Melbourne’s food scene, replacing the once much loved classic, Sarti. 

The warm and welcoming service is definitely one of its highlights.  With their personal touches, and in depth knowledge of their menu and wine list, they manage to make every patron feel like a VIP.  

It wouldn’t be an Italian restaurant in Melbourne without burrata appearing on the menu, and Marameo is no exception. It’s burrata with heirloom tomatoes, basil and pine nuts ($19) is a fresh and zesty start to the meal which will leave your taste buds excited for the next course.  

 If you’re in the mood for pasta, the cavatelli with pork sausage and broccoli is hard to go past ($25) – a generous serving of perfectly cooked al dente pasta which balances the saltiness of the pork, with the freshness of the rich and creamy broccoli. 

 

As soon as I walked out Marameo’s doors, I couldn’t wait to return again soon – that’s what makes it the New Fave.

Food: 5/5

Service: 5/5

Venue: 4/5

Value for money: 4.5/5

Total: 19.5/20

Verdict: The New Fave – put it as number 1 on the To Do list. 

 

Manhattan

Whilst Indian food is generally know for being cheap and oily - Manhattan in Toorak is the perfect example of how to use Indian flavours to create exquisite dishes that leave you feeling light but still satisfied.

In a creative twist, Manhattan serves its Pani Puri in shot glasses - sending you on a flavoursome journey as you work your way down the board.



Manhattan’s goan prawn curry is fresh and flavoursome - boasting the fragrant spices of Indian food while not being too overpowering to drown out the delicate prawns.



Keeping with the creative flair of the Pani Puri, Manhattan’s most notable desert is their Pot of Surprise - a sweet biscuit and foam desert at the bottom covered by chocolate "soil".



If you’re in Toorak and in the mood for Indian, Manhattan is an excellent choice. 

Food: 3.5/5
Service: 3/5
Venue: 3.5/5
Value for money: 3.5/5
Total: 1/3.5
Verdict: like - get around to trying it at some point





The New Fave dined courtesy of Manhattan

Two Birds One Stone

With its friendly staff, drool worthy menu and excellent coffee, it’s no surprise that Two Birds One Stone is bustling to the brim on a Saturday morning.

Two Birds’ menu embraces the Instagram age with items such as ricotta pancakes with rhubarb and raspberry compote, vanilla mascarpone, seasonal fruit and toasted pistachio ($18.50), while still staying true to classics such as eggs your way on toast ($11).

Long blacks are served with sparkling water (as they should be) and staff are quick to ask whether you’d like another coffee (when is one ever enough on a Saturday morning?)

The baked eggs with chorizo, capsicum, feta and olives with warm crispy pita ($23) are an excellent choice - especially if it’s a cold Wintery Melbourne day.



The sautéed mixed mushrooms with cauliflower, kale and goats cheese ($23) are another excellent choice - especially for all those mushie lovers out there.



A delicious brunch spot that ticks all the boxes - Two Birds One Stone is definitely on my recommendation list to check out soon.


Food: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Venue: 4/5
Value for money: 4/5
Total: 17/20
Verdict: love - get around to trying it soon.

The New Fave dined courtesy of Two Birds