21st April 2012
Having traversed the city starting in Malvern, going into the city and ending up in Fitzroy, i decided to complete one of the restaurants on my 2012 list, Huxtable. Having checked the website whilst travelling i saw that they were open from midday until late. Unfortunately when i arrived (at 3pm) they stated that whilst they were open but only offered the bites menu outside lunch (12-3) and dinner hours (6-1030).
I still decided to sit down and grab a selection of bites. The bites menu had about 10 selections and the mains were broken down into sea, land and earth with about 5 options in each.There was also a set menu option for a very reasonable $50 per person. I was then offered a drinks list which was limited but decent and a couple of speciality beers on tap including the Thunder Road pale lager i choose.
I decided to have 4 different bites options.The first to come out was 2 jalapeno and cheddar croquettes. Molten cheese with a strong hint of jalapeno spice encased in a very crisp casing. Amazing flavours and contrast of textures. Amazing and a must have.
The next option was equally as must have. A slightly sweet XO bun filled with a mix of crab, jalapeno and a Thai basil mayo. Warm bun that was superb and the filling had a great flavour and a little jalapeno bite.
These first two came out very quickly and there was a short break between the first 2 and the next 2 options. The next one was a crisp filo log of lamb puttanesca with a lemon yoghurt. This had a nice lamb flavour and crisp stringy pastry. The lemon yoghurt was decent but an interesting mix with the lamb and pastry.
The final bite was a tempura eggplant prawn fritter and served with a sweet chili sauce. Served extremely hot and a good mix of prawn mixed with eggplant covered with a light tempura batter. The chili sauce was mild but decent and worked well together.
They did allow me to have the full selection of deserts. I decided on the chocolate and peanut delice (a choc and peanut set mouse in a semi circle encased in dark chocolate), with a slick of salted caramel, lines of hazelnut praline and peanuts and a chocolate sorbet. Put together in front of me, it was a work of art, looked amazing and tasted equally so.
Overall a bit disappointing that there was no mention of the limited service on the website but the bites and desert were exceptional. A bit of a mix of cuisines and a casual relaxed service and style of food but the food worked well. I would have enjoyed the full menu and may come back to try the main courses. Coming back is made more palatable given the excellent value for money. Well worth a visit and would be a great place for casual lunch or dinner with friends.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Bistro Guillaume (Return Visit)
6th April 2012
Before catching a flight up to Brisbane to catch up with the family over Easter, i headed into the city early before catching Sky bus to the airport. However forgetting that on Good Friday everything pretty much shuts down left me with little to do. So after looking at a couple of restaurants that i still hadn't been to yet (which were also not open), i decided to go back to a restaurant i had previously visited, Bistro Guillaume.
Located in crown, i knew that it would be open and had one of my favourite deserts from my lists (raspberry macaroon). The restaurant was fairly full despite the day and time and always seems to have a flow of people in the restaurant. After being seated i choose a Kronenborg on tap without seeing the wine list. The menu had a selection of 15 or so wines by the glass of good quality.
After being served the beer, i also received some amazing french bread served warm with a crunchy outside and soft inside and served with rich french butter and rock salt. Excellent quality.
For main course (no entree) i went with the Berkshire pork belly with lentils and tarragon vinaigrette. A big single slab of perfectly cooked pork belly with a reasonably crispy top and great flavour. Combined with the well cooked lentils and the tarragon vinaigrette provided a strong contrast to the pork belly. Accompanied with a side of fries (which i was advised i would need but probably didn't) that were crisp and very good quality.
For desert they didn't have the raspberry macaroon on the menu (i would assume it would be seasonal) so i went with the chocolate delice with hazelnut praline and coffee ice cream. The delice was good with a chocolate brownie base, chocolate mousse middle and a chocolate glaze on top. Topped with sprinklings of crush hazelnut praline and the rich coffee ice cream. Quality desert and technically perfect even if it wasn't at the heights of my preferred desert.
Again perfectly executed, assured and confident french cooking. Great dishes and very sizable portions and value with mains at low $30s and deserts at $15. I enjoyed my second visit to Bistro Guillaume nearly as much as my first.
Before catching a flight up to Brisbane to catch up with the family over Easter, i headed into the city early before catching Sky bus to the airport. However forgetting that on Good Friday everything pretty much shuts down left me with little to do. So after looking at a couple of restaurants that i still hadn't been to yet (which were also not open), i decided to go back to a restaurant i had previously visited, Bistro Guillaume.
Located in crown, i knew that it would be open and had one of my favourite deserts from my lists (raspberry macaroon). The restaurant was fairly full despite the day and time and always seems to have a flow of people in the restaurant. After being seated i choose a Kronenborg on tap without seeing the wine list. The menu had a selection of 15 or so wines by the glass of good quality.
After being served the beer, i also received some amazing french bread served warm with a crunchy outside and soft inside and served with rich french butter and rock salt. Excellent quality.
For main course (no entree) i went with the Berkshire pork belly with lentils and tarragon vinaigrette. A big single slab of perfectly cooked pork belly with a reasonably crispy top and great flavour. Combined with the well cooked lentils and the tarragon vinaigrette provided a strong contrast to the pork belly. Accompanied with a side of fries (which i was advised i would need but probably didn't) that were crisp and very good quality.
For desert they didn't have the raspberry macaroon on the menu (i would assume it would be seasonal) so i went with the chocolate delice with hazelnut praline and coffee ice cream. The delice was good with a chocolate brownie base, chocolate mousse middle and a chocolate glaze on top. Topped with sprinklings of crush hazelnut praline and the rich coffee ice cream. Quality desert and technically perfect even if it wasn't at the heights of my preferred desert.
Again perfectly executed, assured and confident french cooking. Great dishes and very sizable portions and value with mains at low $30s and deserts at $15. I enjoyed my second visit to Bistro Guillaume nearly as much as my first.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Chester White
31st March 2012
With a busy day running around the city and heading into work to pick up some papers, i decided to reward myself by starting my journey with lunch at Chester White. Located just off the busy section of glenferrie road in Hawthorn it was very empty even for a Saturday afternoon.
Clean white and wood dining room with big glass windows with a view out onto the street. Friendly staff greeted me as i entered (although they may have just been happy that someone had come in). They offered me a reasonably good beer, wine and cocktail list. I went with the Pilsner Urquell that was served in a chilled glass. As it came out i was served with bread (cold) served in a bowl and accompanied by pink rock salt and good butter.
I decided to miss the entree and head straight to main course. The menu was decent but slightly limited and provided a selection of pizzas and 6 of each entrees and main course. I chose the wagyu rump steak (sliced, perfectly cooked, pink middle slightly charred and peppered crust) combined with a good red wine and shallot butter and hand cut chips (very big but extra crisp outside and soft inside).
After the main course i decided to have a desert of a chocolate pot with salted caramel and shortbread. Served in a glass jar with a bottom layer of gooey almost treacle like salted caramel, then a big layer of chocolate mousse and topped with chocolate shavings and cream. With a shortbread biscuit on the side, it was very decent desert.
Quality, simple food but didn't provide anything new or exciting but was well executed and offered good value with 2 beers, entree and main for less than $60.
With a busy day running around the city and heading into work to pick up some papers, i decided to reward myself by starting my journey with lunch at Chester White. Located just off the busy section of glenferrie road in Hawthorn it was very empty even for a Saturday afternoon.
Clean white and wood dining room with big glass windows with a view out onto the street. Friendly staff greeted me as i entered (although they may have just been happy that someone had come in). They offered me a reasonably good beer, wine and cocktail list. I went with the Pilsner Urquell that was served in a chilled glass. As it came out i was served with bread (cold) served in a bowl and accompanied by pink rock salt and good butter.
I decided to miss the entree and head straight to main course. The menu was decent but slightly limited and provided a selection of pizzas and 6 of each entrees and main course. I chose the wagyu rump steak (sliced, perfectly cooked, pink middle slightly charred and peppered crust) combined with a good red wine and shallot butter and hand cut chips (very big but extra crisp outside and soft inside).
After the main course i decided to have a desert of a chocolate pot with salted caramel and shortbread. Served in a glass jar with a bottom layer of gooey almost treacle like salted caramel, then a big layer of chocolate mousse and topped with chocolate shavings and cream. With a shortbread biscuit on the side, it was very decent desert.
Quality, simple food but didn't provide anything new or exciting but was well executed and offered good value with 2 beers, entree and main for less than $60.
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