Daughter in Law

With its pink neon lights, colourful decor and buzzing vibe, Daughter in Law in the CBD serves up what the restaurant calls "Australian Indian", with items such as Aussie Lamb Ribs and Papadan Chaat on the menu. 

Daughter in Law's Colonel Tso's Cauliflower ($20) is one of their signature dishes - I was hoping for a bit more of a flavour punch, and for the larger pieces of cauliflower to be cooked through, but still a tasty option if you find yourself at this restaurant. The Balls of Happiness ($3.50 each) are another popular choice, coming out as pretty as a picture - although for me the best part of the dish were the savory and light crunchy balls sitting beneath the balls on the bottom. 

For mains we shared the butter chicken (some would say a boring choice, but I would rather call it a classic) ($30) and the Vegan Chana Masala ($20) which consisted of chickpeas cooked with green mango powder, crushed pomegranate and crushed ginger. With it's unique and delicious flavours, even if you're not a vegetarian, I would highly recommend opting for the Vegan Chana Masala for one of your dishes. 

Service was friendly but a bit patchy - we didn't get our bottle of wine (that we ordered within minutes of our arrival) until after the entrees were served.

While I wouldn't say it was one of the best Indian restaurants Melbourne has to offer, it still definitely has some highlights - including the delicious raita and roti- and is still worth a try. 

Food: 3/5
Service: 3/5
Value for money: 3/5
Venue: 4/5
Total: 13/20
Verdict: Like - get around to trying it some point

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

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. 

 

Shanghai Street

It’s no secret that my favourite place for dumplings in Melbourne’s CBD is Hutong, but my favourite dumpling dish is a whole another story. Whilst chili wonton’s are far from a stranger to the dumpling scene, Shanghai Street’s pork and prawn chilli peanut wontons take it to the next level - the rich and creamy nutty sauce paired with the spice of the chili oil will makes it hard for you to stop to going back for more.

What Shanghai Street unfortunately doesn’t excel at though (well at least on this occasion) is their xiao long bao. The dumpling wrappers stuck to the baskets and broke to smitherreens the minute we tried to move them - meaning that all the delicious soup stored inside was quickly lost to the bamboo basket.



With Shanghai Street having four locations across the CBD, it’s definitely worth popping in to give their chilli peanut wontons a try.

Food: 4/5
Service: 3.5/5
Venue: 3/5
Value for money: 5/5
Total: 15.5/20
Verdict: love - get around to trying their chilli peanut wontons soon