AMBA

AMBA on Chapel Street is a cosy oasis tucked away from the blistery cold - with its modern lighting, sporadic greenery and wooden features, this breakfast/brunch venue is both trendy and inviting.

Eggs benedict isn't usually the most beautiful dish on the menu, but somehow AMBA managed to take the cake. The eggs were poached perfectly, the salmon generous and the hollandaise sauce was rich and creamy - delicious!

A breakfast is not complete without a side of hash browns (especially when a mild hangover is involved) and AMBA managed to again deliver. Crunchy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside - these golden little morsels were an absolute gem. 

Whilst only 6 or so months old, with such a beautiful decor and menu, AMBA will definitely be sticking around.  

Food: 4.5/5

Service: 4/5

Venue: 4/5

Total: 12.5/15

Verdict: love - get around to trying it soon 

497 Chapel Street, South Yarra

 

The New Fave dine courtesy of AMBA

Misuzu's

Misuzu's is without a doubt an Albert Park institution. Known for its signature lanterns dressing up the trees just metres from its doors, Misuzu's has been serving up Japanese cuisine to its patrons for years.

Whilst we didn't have a booking, Misuzu's still managed to squeeze us in on a Friday night in the upstairs room (which, unfortunately, lacks some of the warmth and vibe the downstairs counterpart has to offer).

To eat we shared the spicy tuna sushi, the eggplant with sweet miso, the prawn wontons and for a main, the spicy wagyu beef.

The starters were the stand out - the prawns in the wontons were plump, juicy and fresh, the sushi full of flavour and the eggplant just melted in the mouth (although the tofu sitting on top was a peculiar addition).

The main was pleasant but lacked in any form of spice - if you are trying to sell yourself as the "spicy" wagyu, at least try and carry a tiny kick of heat. 

Misuzu's is by no means a cheap night out (and has terrible lighting for photos), but with such potential in the starters, it will remain on my list of candidates for a local night out.

Food: 3.5/5
Service: 3.5/5
Venue: 3.5/5
Total: 10.5/15
Verdict: Like - get around to trying it at some point. 

7 Victoria Avenue, Albert Park 

 

San Antone

Having a Texan father, if you promise me a Texan BBQ, you had better deliver! Luckily for San Antone, they passed the test.

Firstly (and some would say most importantly) they have red and white wine on tap - and it's actually pretty good. A litre beaker of the Shiraz will only set you back $46.

But the highlight of the night was the desert. Whilst it's no secret that I'm not usually the biggest desert fan, the Peach cobbler and the Banana cream pie are definitely worth saving room for. 

As for the rest of the meal, we shared the elote corn crema, the Texas beef chilli, chicken jalapeño and cheddar sausage, pork rib tips, Mac n cheese and coleslaw.

Coming out as a bubbling cauldron of roasted corn, charred poblano and melted string cheese, the corn crema was a highlight of the night. The soft tortilla wraps that came with it was an odd match though and it would have been paired better with a something along the lines of a crunchy tortilla.

Surprisingly the chicken, jalapeño and cheese sausage was another highlight of the night - full of flavour, I would highly recommend including one in your order. The rib tips however were the low light of the night. Whilst the flavours were by no means unpleasant, the bones scattered throughout the timade it difficult to eat and the meat wasn't exactly tender.

With staff that make you feel right at home from the minute you walk through the door, San Antone is definitely on the repeat attendance list. However, they do take bookings and I would highly recommend you make one as they often have a line weaving out their doors.

Food: 4/5

Service: 5/5

Venue: 3.5/5

Total: 12.5/15

Verdict: love - get around to trying it soon!

Crown Melbourne, 8 Whiteman Street,Southbank, Melbourne

 

Eat'aliano by Pino

Authentic Italian eatery, Eat'aliano by Pino, has recently opened its doors to Windsor. With its exposed ceiling, hanging plant boxes, open kitchen and wines and meats on display, the décor is chic modern, meet authentic Italian, with a setting so trendy it could easily belong in an episode of The Block.

Whilst the menu itself has many of the Italian culprits, in a clever twist, the mains change daily to make the most of fresh and seasonal produce.  The cocktail list is also a must go-to, with the cocktails changing seasonally.

To start with we tried the Panzerotti vegetariani (fried pizza dough stuffed with friarelli and mozzarella) and prosciutto crudo D.O.P.  Whilst the Panzerotti vegetariani didn't look overly inspiring, it was actually my favourite dish of the night. The light and crispy fried dough contrasted beautifully with the warm and gooey mozzarella centre - topped off with a fresh and flavoursome tomato sauce, these little parcels were an absolute delight.

In an enchanting touch to the night, the Margherita Pizza arrived with a story behind its name - in 1988, during Queen Margherita's visit to Naples, chef Raffaele Esposito and his wife created a pizza resembling the colours of the Italian flag (tomatos for red, mozzarella for white and basil for green) and named it after the Queen.  Unfortunately the pizza was not quite as enchanting as the story. Whilst the tomato sauce was bursting with fresh flavours, with such a thin crust, by the time the pizza arrived at our table the dough had become soggy.

The veal shank was the perfect example of good simple food made delicious - with only a few elements on the dish, the produce was cooked well and the flavours were the stars of the show. The meat was tender and fell off the bone, the gravy rich and flavoursome, and the mash was so smooth it was almost the consistency of butter. 

Unfortunately the desert was on the dissapointing side. The tiramisu, whilst by no means awful, tasted as though it had been sitting pre-constructed in the fridge for a couple of days and definitely was not a highlight of the night. 

Offering fresh, seasonal produce, and with staff as warm and welcoming as the venue, I'd highly recommend keeping Eat'aliano on your radar if looking for an Italian eatery in Windsor. 

Food: 3/5
Décor: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Total: 11/15
Verdict: Like - get around to trying it at some point.

 

122 High Street, Windsor

 The New Fave dined courtesy of Eat'aliano

Ponshu Kiroro

After a string of bad restaurants, I was starting to lose faith in the Melbourne food scene (did I just have too high of ?!?). But then came along Ponshu Kiroro - offering delicious Japanese fusion cuisine, this quaint little restaurant situated on Katherine Place has become the new fave.

The venue itself is casual-elegant with a drool worthy menu offering twists on the usual Japanese culprits. For instance, edamame is a staple on most Japanese menus, but Ponshu takes it to the next level, stir frying the beans with chilli and garlic.

The "Three Addictive" consists of three components - fried chicken, pickled cherry tomatoes and marinated salmon.  The chicken was juicy and well seasoned, the marinated salmon fresh and full of flavour and, surprisingly, the sweet and juicy cherry tomatoes were my favourite component on the plate - absolutely delicious.

The raw tuna parfait, however, was my favourite dish of the night. Served atop a bed of bean curd rice and seaweed rice, it was a little bowl of happiness.  The "Juicy Kurobuta Pork Belly" was also delicious and melted in the mouth - the perfect showcase of simple but elegant flavours.

For desert, we were recommended the Sapporo Snowman Monaka. The red bean paste and ice-cream were delicious and the dish was very cutely presented - my only (minor) criticism was that the apple tasted chalky. 

Overall, with its incredible food, fantastic service and inspiring menu, Ponshu Kiroro is definitely the new fave.

Food: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Venue: 3,5/5
Total: 13.5/15
Verdict: The New Fave

The New Fave dined courtesy of Ponshu Kiroro

 

Seamstress

I have never been one to mind spending money on food - indeed, I would probably have a house deposit by now if I didn't spend hundreds of dollars feeding my food addiction each week.  However, I only don't mind splashing out the cash if the food is worth the price that you're paying for it and, dissapontingly, with Seamstress this wasn't the case.

Seamstress has long been on the Melbourne food and wine scene. Set across three levels, there's a bar at the top, a more formal dining in the middle and a function space down below.

The waiter we had was exceptional - recommended a brilliant bottle of wine, guided us through the menu and saw to our every need. The food, however, was not so memorable (or indeed it was, but not in a good way).

To eat we ordered the sticky duck betal leaf with balinese sambal and dried shallots ($15), the mapo tofu, shitake and enoki mushrooms ($15), Cantonese style BBQ chicken, maple bacon, lettuces and szechuan dressing ($25), braised short rib ($26), Asian herb salad ($10) and steamed rice ($5). 

The duck betal leaves and the beef ribs were by far the most disappointing dishes of the night. Firstly, query whether there was actually any duck in the betal leaf which had an overwhelming taste and texture of moist breadcrumbs.  And the beef ribs? Well, they were so tough that at first we thought there was a bone through it.  On figuring out that no, it wasn't a bone, just a tough piece of meat, we cut through to find a rib so dry that the meat had turned grey.

The BBQ chicken was also dissapointing.  Whilst the meat was tender and juicy, the dish mainly consisted of bones and the flavours were one dimensional. 

The Asian herb salad was okay, but was lacking in any sweetness, sourness and/or spiciness - the beloved trademarks of many Asian dish. The rice was good - ok, I am grasping here for something good to say - but it was good rice!

Another positive of the night was the flavours in the mapo tofu which was the stand out dish of the night.  But even then, the shitake mushrooms were too chewy for my liking. 

Often I will go to a restaurant, dislike the food, and STILL finish my plate as I am so hungry. But In this case, the food was actually so bad that most of it was left behind.  And for a $48 a head JUST FOR FOOD, ridiculous! I don't know how Seamstress earnt itself such a great rating on Zomato - those diners obviously had a different dining experience to me.

Food: 1.5/5
Decor: 3/5
Service: 4/5 - such a pity the food didn't match the service!
Total: 8.5/15
Verdict: don't bother
 

El Sabor

 Whilst the Mexican food trend is 'so yesterday', to me, a good Mexican restaurant will never go out of fashion. El Sabor, a Mexican Cantina located in North Melbourne, is one such restaurant.

Reservations at El Sabor are possible, but definitely not necessary - for a Thursday night the restaurant was practically empty. This, of course, was a concern at first - I mean, if this place was any good, where were all the people?? But luckily the food didn't disappoint.

To eat we shared the large nachos with beef, white and blue corn chips, cheese, guacamole, sour cream and salsa brava ($16), the chicken fajitas ($25), the beef enchiladas with Mexican rice ($22) and the quesadillas with cheese, chorizo and mushroom ($15).

Nachos can often look incredible but taste disappointing - El Sabor seemed to have the opposite problem. Whilst the nachos came out looking quite grey and dismal, they were actually bursting with fresh and vibrant flavours.

The enchiladas and the fajitas suffered from a similar infliction - a far cry from a Mexican fiesta, the dishes came out looking dry and lifeless.   But just as with the nachos, each element of these two dishes (down to the Mexican rice beneath the enchiladas) were just bursting with flavour and the proteins were cooked well.

The biggest disappointment of the night was the quesadillas.  Whilst none of us could put our finger on the strange taste which had engulfed the rest of the flavours, it almost tasted like gas and ruined the entire dish.

Located in the perfect spot for a quick dinner before heading to the Comics Lounge, El Sabor is definitely worth returning to.
 

Food: 4/5
Décor: 3.5/5
Service: 4/5
Total: 11.5/15
Verdict: Love - get around to trying it soon