Half Acre

Bottomless brunches are becoming as Melbourne as our graffitied laneways, or our love for wearing black.  Half Acre’s bottomless brunch is no exception.

$69 will get you bottomless cocktails and Proseccos, as well as much as you can eat from their extravagant buffet table which is akin to a (classy and refined) medieval feast.  On one end of the table are your savory options, which includes a range of exquisite meat and Ottolenghi worthy vegetable dishes, including grilled chicken with mustard dressing, and cabbage with torched goats cheese and chimichurri. 

The other end of the table will satisfy your sweet tooth – with the likes of a pavlova station to ensure you leave on a sugar high. 

 

The venue itself is wedding worthy – with its exposed brick, generous greenery and glasshouse-esque main dining room, its nothing short of charming.  

While the crowd (and the dress code) will make you feel little like you’re heading into a night club rather than a brunch spot, if you don’t mind a room of squawky and excitable drunk females, given the quality of food  Half Acre is definitely a great option for a bottomless brunch.

Food: 4/5

Service: 3/5

Venue: 5/5

Value for money: 4/5

Total: 16/20

Verdict: Love – get around to trying it soon

 

Hazel

With cafes such as The Kettle Black and Top Paddock under its belt, the Mulberry Group is no stranger to Melbourne’s food scene. So when it opened its first restaurant Hazel late last year, it’s no surprise that there was a buzz of expectation. Although I’m pleased to say, after dining at Hazel myself last week, it did not disappoint.

Situated in a historical building on Flinders lane, the venue itself – spanning across 2 levels – is nothing short of exquisite, blending sophistication with a welcoming sense of Hamptons charm.

Being such an exquisite venue, it only seemed appropriate to commence our meal with just as an exquisite starter – so fresh, plump, juicy oysters with salted chilli mignonette had to be on our menu.

With a whole section of their menu dedicated to toast, we knew we had to give at least one toast a try.  The beef rump tartare on toast with anchovy sauce was without the doubt the best tartare I’ve had in Melbourne.  Smooth, tender and rich with flavours, it’s the sort of dish that people will make plans to come back for.

For mains we shared the Eggplant Putttanesca, grilled zucchini, creamed corn and why scalloped potatoes.  While none of the dishes were standouts, all of the dishes were tasty and left myself and my fellow diners feeling satisfied.

With its exceptional service, delicious food and exquisite venue, I’d highly recommend checking out Hazel soon.

Food: 4/5

Service: 5/5

Venue: 5/5

Value for money: 4/5

Total: 18/20

Verdict: Love – get around to trying it soon

 

Betty Burgers

There’s certain places in Melbourne where you’d expect to see a long line of people waiting – I’m talking along the lines of your Mamasitas, Chin Chins and fave dumpling houses.  But a burger restaurant? When I saw Betty Burgers constant lines, I knew it was worth checking out.  And Betty’s Burgers didn’t disappoint.  

Offering a range of chicken, beef and veggie burgers, I couldn’t go past trying their ‘Spicy Chicken’ with Southern Fried Chicken, bacon, spicy pickles, lettuce, tomato, cheese and siracha mayo.  While I didn’t love the bacon in the burger, the Spicy Chicken was otherwise delicious and definitely a repeat order (sans bacon).

It would be rude to go for a burger and not have a stab at the fries, so Betty’s fries (with special sauce!) and onion rings were also the menu.  While they were some of the best onion rings I’ve had in Melbourne, I’m sad to say that the fries were on the disappointing side.

The icing on the cake for Bettys? It’s licenced so the ideal place if you’re in the mood for a cheeky beer or wine.

If you find yourself in the CBD craving a burger, Betty Burgers is definitely worth a try.  

Food: 4/5

Service: 4/5

Venue: 3.5/5

Value for money: 3.5/5

Total: 5/15

Verdict: Love – get around to trying it soon

Chilangos Mexican Cantina

Before you think I’ve gone completely mad by blogging about Chilangos Mexican Cantina let me just point out 3 things:

1. It serves beer AND some of the best margaritas I’ve had in Melbourne;
2. The food is actually quite tasty; and
3. It’s in the Docklands, so let’s face it, there’s still not a great deal of competition.
   

Chilangos serves up all the usual Mexican culprits - think burritos, tacos, nachos etc. If you get in early enough, you might even be able to grab one of their enchiladas with the special filling of the day - pictured below was the beef enchilada and I am pleased to say I was not disappointed.

The venue itself has plenty of seating, and the staff are incredibly friendly and accommodating. So while your meals will be served up in cardboard boxes, it’s hard to go past ordering tasty Mexican accompanied by delicious margaritas if you find yourself in the Docklands looking for somewhere for lunch.

Food: 3/5
Value for money: 3/5
Service: 4/5
Venue: 3/5
Total: 13/15
Verdict: like - get around to trying it at some point 

 

Il Caminetto

Leaving Italian inspired restaurant Il Caminetto in Moonee Ponds, my fellow diner and I turned to each other said “What more could you want” – and I couldn’t think of a better way to sum up our experience.

As soon as we were served up warm fresh bread (made on the premises) and offered Aperol Spritz’s (on tap!) I knew we were in for a great experience. 

For starters we shared the seared scallops served with cauliflower puree and fish croquettes ($19), the eggplant parmigiana ($16) (a strong favourite for me) and the special for the evening, fried cod balls.

 The Cassunziei All’Ampezzana ($25) served up for our main, however, was my fellow diner’s favourite dish of the night – consisting of traditional pasta filled with beetroot and parmesan served with burnt butter, sage and poppy seeds.  For me, however, it was all about the Black ink risotto with grilled calamari and seared scallops – which was a complete surprise to me as I’m never usually a big risotto fan – but the flavours in this dish were just bursting from the seams and the seafood was cooked to perfection.

It’s Il Caminetto’s clear passion for food and great service, in a casual but welcoming setting, which is what makes it the new fave.

Food: 5/5

Service: 5/5

Venue: 4/5

Value for Money: 4/5

Total: 18/20

Verdict: The New Fave – put it as number 1 on the to do list.

The New Fave dined courtesy of Il Caminetto

 

Monou

Sister restaurant to South Melbourne’s highly popular Japanese restaurant Kuu, Monou is the more fancier sibling of two, offering Japanese cuisine with a modern Australian.

Monou offers the usual Japanese culprits (think edamame, gyoza and miso soup) as well as some more original twists on Japanese favourites - including the Kobore Chirase Sushi.

The sashimi special of the day ($48) was fresh and presented beautifully. So too was the pork katsu ($22) - and while we thought the Katsu could have done more sauce, the staff were only too happy to accommodate when we asked for more.





For desert, it’s hard to go past their matcha ice cream ($8) - with the matcha being sourced from Japan. And if you’re looking for an instagram worthy dish, the plum wine cheesecake ($14) is an excellent choice.

 



While relatively new, the venue already has a mildly outdated vibe, and was eerily quiet for a Summer’s Friday night. However, given the quality of the food, Monou is a tasty choice if you find yourself in South Melbourne in the mood for Japanese.

Service: 3.5/5
Venue: 3/5
Value for money: 3/5
Food: 4/5
Total: 13.5/20
Verdict: like - get around to trying it at some point