Tacco and Tosca

Every suburb needs its own Italian eatery and for Middle Park this is Tacco and Tosca.  Situated just off the main stretch, Tacco and Tosca serves up more than the usual Italian suspects - from Gnocchi All'aragosta (gnocchi with lobster in Napoli sauce, diced fresh tomatoes, garlic and chilli) to "La Puccia" (a traditional pizza pocket), the menu is extensive but delicious.

On this occasion (for only three of us!) we ordered far too much.  To start with we shared the "Meatlovers" woodfired pizza with a side of chips.  The chips, surprisingly, were some of the best  chips I've had in awhile - goldenly crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside, with a generous amount of sauce. The base of the Meatlovers pizza was light and crispy, but unfortunately the toppings came off quite one dimensional and all the meats almost tasted the same.

On seeing the table next door to chow down on the Pappardelle Alla Chiantigiana  (homemade fresh pappardelle tossed with slow cooked beef ragout in Chianti wine)- I knew it had to be my main order. The sauce itself was rich and flavoursome, however the pasta underneath tasted slightly like cardboard.

Was it the best Italian I've ever had? No. But the meals were generous, the menu was extensive and the service was friendly.

Service: 4/5
Decor: 3/5
Food: 3/5
Total: 10/15
Verdict: like - get around to trying it at some

251 Richardson Street, Middle Park
 

Southside Social

Southside Social is yet another American diner-esq venue to pop up in Frankston - but does it have what it takes to compete with the likes of Bobo's, Humdinger and Big Dog Diner.

The venue itself is surprisingly huge - offering both indoor and outdoor seating. The menu contains all of your American diner classics - from Mac n cheese croquettes to a variety of loaded fries. 

The mac n cheese croquettes were absolutely delicious and definitely worth the copious amount of calories - whilst some Mac n cheese croquettes fail for being too creamy, these little babies definitely had enough of a cheesy bite to cut through the crumbed fried coating. 

As an unusual (but delicious) twist - the fried chicken burger contained flavoursome brown meat rather than the usual white breast you get in a fast food chicken burgers. The jalapeño sauce and the brioche bun were also delicious touches to this rather unattractive burger. 

The taco loaded fries, however, were on the underwhelming side - the cheese wasn't melted (it's the chunks you can see on the top) and the guacamole tasted like the cheap avocado dip you get from a supermarket.

My order was probably one of the more tamer options from the menu - with offerings such as the "Antisocial Burger" which consists of a quad stack of patties, maple bacon and cheese, smothered in bbq mayo and serviced between two giant potato cakes.  Obviously with burgers such as these, Southside Social caters for those who definitely can't be called the faint hearted! 

Food: 3.5/5

Service: 3/5

Venue: 3/5

Total: 9.5/15

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

433 Nepean Highway, Frankston, Melbourne, VIC

 

Bobo's Diner

Offering up American diner-esque food, expect large portions, decent food and smiling service when visiting Bobo's Diner in Frankston.

The parma's are so big that they come with a warning - "BOBO'S KING PARMA'S ARE HUGE -DARE TO FINISH ONE". Challenge accepted. So to eat I ordered the Buffalo Parma with hot wing sauce, jalapenos and cheese. Was it the best parma I've ever had? No - but it was definitely cheap, decent and generous on the jalapeños.

Although parma aside, next time I visit Bobo's I will definitely be ordering the fried chicken burger - a bite of my sister's proved it to be mouthwateringly delicious - the chicken was juicy and well spiced, the bun was light and fluffy and the lettuce gave it the required crunch. 

The service at Bobo's Diner is definitely the highlight of the place - friendly, helpful and full of smiles, our waitress was absolutely exceptional.

Bobo's in Frankston is a good place to head to if wanting  a casual (huge) inexpensive lunch - just don't be going there on a diet!

Food: 2.5/5

Service: 5/5

Venue: 2.5/5

Total: 10/15

Verdict: Like - get around to trying it at some point.

 

Dinner by Heston

There's no need to give Dinner by Heston an introduction - if you haven't heard of Heston Blumenthal and his magical culinary creations by now,  you may have been living under a rock. Nonetheless, after missing out on a ticket to dine at the Fat Duck when it was in town, the day had finally arrived where I was able to try Heston's Melbourne dining venture - Dinner by Heston.

Arriving at Dinner by Heston for lunch, I was instantly enchanted by the long dark hallway that led to restaurant's door.

The five course lunch menu, available from Friday to Sunday, will set you back $160 per person (with the option of adding accompanying wines for $120 per person). The menu on this occasion consisted of the following:

Hay Smoked Ocean Trout 

Pickled lemon salad, gentleman's relish, wood sorrel and smoked roe

Meat Fruit

Mandarin, chicken liver parfait 

Rice and Flesh

Saffron, curried kangaroo tail, red wine and amaranth

Chicken cooked with lettuces

Grilled onion emulsion, barilla leaves and spiced parsnip sauce

Tipsy Cake

The ocean trout was the dish of the day - a divine balance of textures and flavours, it tasted as exquisite as it looks. 

The meat fruit (appearing on Heston's menu at his Flagship restaurant the Fat Duck and recognised worldwide for its ingenuity) looks like a mandarin, but actually consists of chicken parfait - this little dish was not only a treat on the senses, but was insanely delicious. 

The kangaroo tail was the dish I was most nervous about - I mean, who ever thought of eating the tail of Australia's iconic roo? But to my absolute surprise, it was probably the best price of meat I had ever tried - juicy, tender and full of flavour - definitely opt for trying this part of the animal if you ever have the chance. 

The chicken and lettuce whilst technically perfect, but failed to excite me as at the end of the day, it was just that - chicken and lettuce. 

The Tipsy Cake was one of the best desserts I've had in Melbourne - warm, buttery and creamy, this little pudding was absolutely magnificent.

Is it my favourite restaurant? It's up there - but it didn't quite make the new fave. Was it technically perfect and worth the money? Absolutely. When going to Dinner by Heston, you're not just paying for the food - you're paying for the absolutely incredible service and an experience which can last all afternoon. 

Food: 4.5/5 

Venue: 3.5/5

Service: 5/5

Total: 13/15

Verdict: love - get around to trying it soon

Crown Melbourne, Level 3, 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank, Melbourne

 

Biggie Smalls

There seems to be a trend in Melbourne at the moment where some of our biggest names in the food industry (think Neil Perry and George Columabris) are openingt up more affordable, take-away style joints (The Burger Project and Jimmy Grants). So I was bouncing with joy to hear that one of my favourite chef's, Shane Delia of Maha, had decided to do the same.

Keeping in tune with the Middle Eastern theme of Maha, Biggie Smalls in Collingwood serves up a range of souvas and sides. But these aren't your ordinary souvas - serving up flavours such as The West Coast (with shrimp, lettuce, cucumber and Harissa Mayo) and The Juicy with beef, cheese, onion, mustard and Mayo) they are definitely a refreshing take on the usual suspect. 

After much debate I decided to go with the East Coat souva with pork, crackling, raw slaw, coriander and spiced peanut Mayo. To my dissapointment it was pork sausage rather than shredded pork (which was dry), but the crackling definitely added a nice crunch.

Recently Biggie Smalls 'hot crinkle' chips were voted among the best chips in Melbourne by the Good Food guide, so there is no surprise that I was going in for the crunch with high expectations. Unfortunately though, the chips didn't deliver.  Overcooked and (if even possible) over seasoned, between the three of us we couldn't even get through one bowl.

Whilst I'm usually a Mac n cheese fan (potentially in the top 3 fans of Melbourne) the 'Return of the Mac' (aka Mac n cheese fritters) were definitely more on the bland creamy side rather then the cheesy side and to be honest, probably not worth the calories.

However, no matter what you order, make sure to save room for desert as the P-Nutty (salted caramel and peanut ice cream sandwich) was the star of the show (and don't even think about sharing one!)  

If I were to go back to Biggie Smalls, I'd definitely be hitting up the Dirty South (fried chicken with lettuce, pickled onion and garlic and lemon aioli) -  one bite of my friend's souva and it definitely gave me a reason to come back for. 

Food: 2.5/5

Venue: 2.5/5

Service: 3/5

Total: 8/15

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

86 Smith Street, Collingwood
 

The Black Toro

Being the sister to one of my favourite restaurants in Melbourne, Sezar, I went into The Black Toro with high expectations. Luckily, it didn't disappoint.

Situated on Kingsway in Glen Waverly, I was surprised to find how bustling the street was for a Sunday night - giving it almost a holiday feel. The restaurant itself was no less bustling, with the venue having a warm (and almost romantic) vibe.

The $68 Feed Me option is not for the faint hearted - stuffing you with delicious treats until you can't move, it's definitely a good option if you want to try nearly everything on the menu (well not quite everything, but a lot of it at least!).

The coconut kingfish cerviche with young coconut, tomato, cucumber and chilli was the highlight of my night. The kingfish just melted in the mouth and the elements were paired perfectly to give the dish the perfect balance of spice, acidity and creaminess.

If you don't like your meat really rare, the wagyu beef sliders with shaved ice berg, American cheese, cucumber pickle and TBT special sauce are not for you.  However, if you like your meat on the pinker side, these little morsels are absolutely delicious and very moreish after just one bite. 

The spicy pulled pork taco and the spanner crap tostadas come out looking magnificent -  however, if you like your food with a bit of spice, make sure you ask for their bottles of green and red chilli sauce to give these little treats an extra kick.

If  you're feeling a tad hungover (or just really like fried potato goodness), the potato, jalapeno and cheddar croquettes with whipped goats cheese are an excellent choice (although, personally I wouldn't have minded more of a jalapeño hit). 

The crispy pork hock with guajilo chilli, caramel, green apple salsa verde and butter lettuce are one of those dishes which were made for Instagram. Whilst the pork was slightly difficult to shred, and the rice was an odd addition, the flavours were spot on and the presentation was beautiful. 

However, make sure you save room for desert as the desert tasting plate comes with it all.  We're talking deconstructed peanut butter cheesecake, passionfruit tart, chocolate brownie with salted caramel popcorn and coconut rice pudding.  For me, I couldn't go past the deconstructed peanut butter cheesecake.

The Black Toro is definitely a must if you find yourself in Glen Waverly.  But being a busy little joint, I would recommend to try and plan ahead and make a booking.

Service: 5/5

Food: 3.5/5

Venue: 4/5

Total: 12.5/15

Verdict: love - get around to trying it at some point.

The New Fave dined courtesy of The Black Toro
 

Short Black Cafe

Short Black Cafe is a family friendly restaurant on Burke Street in Camberwell. Serving up authentic Italian cuisine, the biggest draw card of this restaurant is definitely its staff - warm, welcoming and thoroughly across the menu, they will make you feel at home from the minute you walk through the door.

Often at Italian restaurants, the hardest part is picking which pizza flavour to choose. Luckily at Short Black Cafe this is not a problem. Offering a 'Tapas Pizza' option, Short Black Cafe let's you choose three flavours across three mini pizzas from their extensive menu. The Prosciutto, Chicken Primavera and Diavolo (salami) are all excellent options. 

Whilst I like my creamy gnocchi with a touch more cheesy bite, the Gnocchi Al Forno, infused with sage and then baked in light pana parmesan and pancetta sauce, was beautifully presented and had the most perfectly cooked little parcels of home made light and fluffy gnocchi.  

It won't be hard to save room for desert - patrons are presented with a cabinet full of delicious looking cakes, muffins and slices as soon as they walk through the door. After much debate, we couldn't go past the carrot cake which tasted as good as it looks! 

Warm, friendly and with delicious Italian food, Short Black Cafe is definitely an excellent option for a meal (or even a coffee and cake) if you find yourself in Camberwell.

Service: 5/5

Food: 3.5/5

Decor: 3.5/5

Total: 12/15

Verdict: love - get around to trying it soon 

The New Fave dined courtesy of Short Black Cafe

761-767 Burke Road,Camberwell, Melbourne, VIC