Cupunda

Being situated at the bottom of student accommodation at the outer edges of town, let's be honest,  newly opened dumpling house Cupunda could have gone either way.  But to my pleasant surprise, the food at Cupunda was absolutely delicious. 

The xiao long bao were the perfect size - one of my pet hates is when they come out so big that you can't fit them in your mouth in one bite, meaning that you lose half the soup - but Cupunda's xiao long bao fit right in the mouth without feeling like a complete fatty. And being served in two stacks meant the soupy goodness in the bottom stack of xiao long bao stayed nice and warm. 

The Shanghai Vegetarian Fried noodles were fresh and flavoursome - tasting more than just soy sauce which is often the risk at dumpling houses.  The chicken and prawn pan fried dumplings were also full of flavour - having real chunks of prawn in each little morsel. 

And it wasn't just the food that impressed me - the venue itself was light, spacious and most importantly clean, the service was friendly, the fresh ingredients were out on display and the glasses of wine were so big each glass was basically a bottle. 

Definitely worth the trek to the outer edges of town. 

Food: 4/5

Service: 4/5

Venue: 3.5/5

Total: 11.5/15

Verdict: Love - get around to trying it soon 

 

Carousel Cafe

You would be forgiven for thinking that at a place like Carousel Cafe, the food wouldn't be all that great.  I mean, as a cafe why would you even need to try when you are situated in such an incredible location overlooking Albert Park Lake. But Carousel Cafe's food and service came as a complete surprise - quick, delicious and all at a very reasonable price.

After seeing it being served up at the table beside me, I couldn't go past ordering the slow cooked lamb souvlaki with pita, lettuce, tomatoes, olives and chips with chili salt. The lamb was tender and juicy, and the chips were crunchy and well seasoned - overall an excellent choice.

My friend went for the tumeric roasted cauliflower with baked pumpkin, tahini and herb freekah salad and barberries, which she also said was an excellent choice.

It's the little touches at places like these that win me over - and for Carousel Cafe it was their water jugs filled with fresh lemon and cucumber - a delicious way to hydrate a lap of the lake.

Great food, great service and great view - I can't wait to go back to Carousel Cafe.

Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Venue: 4/5
Total: 12/15
Verdict: Love - get around to trying it soon

Cheek

From the team that bought you 'Dexter' in Preston (that became famous for it's pig's head buns and hot meat doughnuts) comes the newly opened CBD restaurant 'Cheek'.  Serving up an American, Chinese and Korean BBQ inspired menu, Cheek coins itself a "non traditional meatery" - and it's quickly easy to see why, with an abundance of delicious options for vegetarian diners, including the sweet'n'sour cauliflower, battered and served with miso ranch.

Luckily for me, I was not restricted to a veggie based diet on the night - otherwise I would have missed out on trying their mapo tofu empanadas with 'cheek' bulldog sauce. With possibly the flakiest, butteriest pastry I've ever eaten, it was the perfect marriage between Spanish and Chinese cuisine.

Cheek also excels in its crackling making skills, showcasing it's talents with the well seasoned pork dish that was a special of the day. However, as a tip for future patrons, if you're looking to impress your fellow diners, perhaps the 5 day half duck with smoked hoisin is not the way to go - with the meat around the bones stuck on so tough that the only way to get it off is to gnaw at it with your hands straight off the bone.

One dish I didn't quite get was the dirty cream corn - I found it lacked in flavour and was rather watery. Luckily however, with its' crispy coating and tangy sauce, the sweet'n'sour cauliflower with miso ranch was a resounding success.

Cheek's service is also one of its highlights - friendly, attentive and helpful, they are a prime example of what good service should be.

With its great service and tasty food suitable for both vegetarians and meat eaters alike, I'd recommend trying newly opened 'Cheek' at some point.

Service: 4.5/5
Food: 3/5
Venue: 3/5
Total: 10.5/15
Verdict: Like - get around to trying it at some point

Saxe

The thing about service is that it can make or break a dining experience - unfortunately for Saxe it broke the experience. Not only was it slow, it was rude - with our waitress making a number of snide comments and rolling her eyes at our table on a number of occasions for no good reason - inappropriate, and rather embarrassing for our client lunch.

This was rather a shame, as the proteins in the dishes were cooked to absolute perfection.  However, both the lamb with sweet peas, freekah, yogurt and lemon myrtle, and the Lakes Entrance Dory with squid, mussels and leeks could have done with a squeeze of citrus or a dash of seasoning, or something else to give the dishes a lift of flavour. 

The highlight of the lunch however were the duck fat potatoes - golden and crunchy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, they were some of the best potatoes I've ever had. A close second had to be the desert of Kensington mango with Brillat Savarin cheesecake, fig leaf and tapiaco pearls. Rich, creamy and not too sweet, it was the perfect desert.

Whilst the food was tasty, the bad service was a disappointment.

Food: 3/5
Venue: 3/5
Service: 2/5
Total: 8/15
Verdict: This is a tough one, but on the chance you get better service, I'd say give it a try at some point

Nobu

Originating in New York, Nobu has created itself a global empire, with restaurants from Dubai to the Bahamas, and from Tokyo to Milan. So it's probably no surprise to you that the Melbourne restaurant is located on the golden strip of restaurants in front of the Crown Casino complex.  

Offering a separate lunch to its dinner menu - for lunch you can choose from their pre-designed bento boxes, or pick from their extensive al a carte menu. If opting for the al a carte menu, the prawns with spicy garlic sauce are a must - fat and juicy on the inside, light and crispy on the outside, and smothered with a tangy and flavorsome sauce, they are seriously moreish. The Nasu Miso eggplant is also non negotiable - sweet, rich and creamy - it’s potentially the best eggplant I’ve ever had.

The hand rolls, however, can be a miss. Whilst there was nothing wrong with them, there wasn’t anything overly special about them either, and for the price tag you’re paying for them at Nobu you’d be better off heading to a good sushi joint in a food court.

As with most fine dining Japanese restaurants, raw fish isn't the most filling cuisine - but definitely comes with a high price tag - so perhaps best to attend here on a work lunch so that someone else can pick up the bill. 

Food: 4/5

Service: 4/5

Venue: 3/5

Total: 11/15

Verdict: love - get around to trying it soon

Frankies Top Shop

Situated in the backstreets of St Kilda, Frankies Top Shop is a favourite amongst the locals - and it's easy to see why. Offering both indoor and outdoor seating, this quaint, lush, and incredibly inviting cafe will immediately make you feel at home.

Using seasonal produce wherever possible, Frankies' menu consists of breakfast, brunch and lunch items such as the potato roesti with smoked salmon, cucumber salad, horseradish creme fraiche and poached egg, and the Reuben sandwich on Elwood sourdough. It also offers a range of take home meals (lasagna, family pies, chicken meatballs), daily specials, and of course (as should any good local cafe should) sweet treats.

On this occasion, I couldn't go past the special of the day being pan fried salmon on a bed of Thai salad. Let's just say that  if I could cook salmon as good as Frankies', there is no doubt that it would be a more regular staple on my home menu.

My fellow diner went for a regular culprit on the menu - the Green Goodness Bowl with green vegetables, avocado, jalapeno kraut, detox salad and poached egg. It's fair to say that she was incredibly happy with her decision.

Frankies is the sort of place that makes you leave feeling wholesome, even though you have ordered a cake, milkshake and a cookie to go.  It's definitely on my recommendation list for cafes in St Kilda.

Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Venue: 4/5
Total: 12/15
Verdict: Love - get around to trying it soon.

Tazio Birraria Pizzaeria & Cucina

I never thought I was the biggest risotto fan - until I tried Tazio's Prosciutto Risotto with tomato, basil and Meredith's goats cheese. Whilst with most risottos I get sick of the same taste and texture after about 5 mouthfuls, Tazio's risotto (whilst a bit of an ugly duckling) packs enough flavour that it still excites the taste buds with each mouthful.

Tazio also offers a range of your usual Italian culprits - from pastas and pizzas, to croquettes and antipasto platters.  The Vendure pizza with tomato, mozzarella, roast pumpkin, artichoke, peppers, pine nuts and ricotta is a bit of a miss - with my fellow diners and I coming to the consensus that it lacked any punch of flavour - however, if you're a truffle fan, than the Ramano with mozzarella, fior di latte, pecorino, fresh rocket, mushrooms and truffle oil is the way to go.

If you're in the CBD, in the mood for pasta, and all the usual Italian favourites are booked out (i.e. Lupino, Tipo 00, Il Solito Posto, Waiters Club), then Tazio is a tasty choice.

Food: 3/5
Service: 3/5
Venue: 3/5
Total: 9/5
Verdict: Like - get around to trying it at some point