27th August 2011
On a reasonably sunny and warm day i headed down to Albert park and finished number 33 on my list at The Point Albert Park. A staircase entry upstairs lead to a glass window dining room with beautiful views out towards to the lake and hotels.
Relaxed service but the wait staff were knowledgeable and explained the 2 menus and wine list well.
After ordering entree and main, i was presented with a free appetiser of Wagyu Bresola with mustard cream, radish and breadcrumbs. Delicate, fresh and well balanced flavours, it was an excellent start to the meal.
After this they offered a choice of herb or olive bread. I went with the herb bread which was served warm and served with butter and creme fresh. I was also offered a plain bread roll to accompany the entree.
The entree i choose was the Otway pork, pistachio crumbs, apple and white balsamic vinaigrette. Classic combination of apple and pork done in a magnificent way. Foams, purees, poached apple, an apple crisp combos with a high quality pork belly. Soft delicious flesh with a crisp top.
For main course i went with the beef tasting plate. 5 quality meticulously sourced cuts of beef - 2 grain fed, 2 grass fed and a wagyu cuts. Quality produce, beautiful tasting meats with my favourite being the grass fed eye fillet (fuller rich flavour) and then the Wagyu with a more complex subtle flavour. Exquisite presentation served with salsa Verde, sauce Bearnaise and mushroom sauce.
A side of chips with sauce chauron. Chips with grated cheese and herbs coated chips - crispy outside and soft inside with great sauce.
After ordering desert, they also offered a pre desert meal of orange gel with strawberry granita. Fresh fruit flavour and light dish.
For desert i have a blood orange souffle with a white chocolate semi freddo. Soft light souffle with a subtle blood orange flavour. The real star was the white chocolate semi freddo. Great white chocolate flavour with a sweet biscuit top and a biscuit on top and orange slices.
Both amazing quality produce and exception technique combined with beautiful views , an impresive dining room and quality service means this restaurant has definately understood "The Point" of fine dining. Well worthy of the 2 hats and one of the top 5 restaurants so far.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Comme
24th August 2011
After doing some study at work, i decided to reward myself with a trip to another hat restaurant (32), Comme Kitchen. Located in a lane way entrance on Alfred place with an adjoining bar and upstairs private function room, the dining room was located in the back under the staircase leading up. A homely dining room with a fireplace in the corner and a dimly lit romantic feel with wooden tables but still fine cutlery and place settings.
I showed in by the host who noted me by name without having to check the booking and let me to a table in the back corner. Immediately offered a drink list and a choice of tap or sparkling water i went for a schooner of Kirin (although it is Melbourne - who serves a schooner?).
Accompanying the drink was a wooden bowl of crusty french bread with soft spreadable amazingly creamy butter.
For entree i went with the entree sized portion of the soft delectable veal sweetbreads served with peas and featuring a consommé which added a bold flavour to a superb dish.
This was followed by a masterclass of french cooking for a main. Herb crusted lamb accompanied with a gratin dauphinoise complemented with minted peas and 3 tiny garlic croquettes. The meat was tender and well cooked and the herb crust complemented it expertly. Served with a excellent jus and a box of potato with cheese. The garlic croquettes were an added bonus and an extra flourish onto of a superbly crafted and executed dish.
A slight delay before desert (only noticeable cos the first two courses came out swiftly) but nothing too extended. But the desert was worth waiting for. A white chocolate mousse covered in liquid salted caramel wrapped in a white chocolate cylinder served with a mandarin ice cream and cocoa soil. It was exquisitely presented and tasted even better, i loved it and would recommend it just for the desert.
A modern french bistro with all the homely feel and exquisite, technical but warm french cooking make for a well deserved and well appreciated break from a hard days work and well worth the hat bestowed on it. Good value as well with the three courses and glass of beer coming in at $80.
After doing some study at work, i decided to reward myself with a trip to another hat restaurant (32), Comme Kitchen. Located in a lane way entrance on Alfred place with an adjoining bar and upstairs private function room, the dining room was located in the back under the staircase leading up. A homely dining room with a fireplace in the corner and a dimly lit romantic feel with wooden tables but still fine cutlery and place settings.
I showed in by the host who noted me by name without having to check the booking and let me to a table in the back corner. Immediately offered a drink list and a choice of tap or sparkling water i went for a schooner of Kirin (although it is Melbourne - who serves a schooner?).
Accompanying the drink was a wooden bowl of crusty french bread with soft spreadable amazingly creamy butter.
For entree i went with the entree sized portion of the soft delectable veal sweetbreads served with peas and featuring a consommé which added a bold flavour to a superb dish.
This was followed by a masterclass of french cooking for a main. Herb crusted lamb accompanied with a gratin dauphinoise complemented with minted peas and 3 tiny garlic croquettes. The meat was tender and well cooked and the herb crust complemented it expertly. Served with a excellent jus and a box of potato with cheese. The garlic croquettes were an added bonus and an extra flourish onto of a superbly crafted and executed dish.
A slight delay before desert (only noticeable cos the first two courses came out swiftly) but nothing too extended. But the desert was worth waiting for. A white chocolate mousse covered in liquid salted caramel wrapped in a white chocolate cylinder served with a mandarin ice cream and cocoa soil. It was exquisitely presented and tasted even better, i loved it and would recommend it just for the desert.
A modern french bistro with all the homely feel and exquisite, technical but warm french cooking make for a well deserved and well appreciated break from a hard days work and well worth the hat bestowed on it. Good value as well with the three courses and glass of beer coming in at $80.
Updated Time Frame
Due to the amount i have left and a desire to got to more Hat restaurants, i have stepped up the time frame for completing the list by a whole year. I will now attempt to complete the list by the 31st Dec 2011 rather than 2012. Thankyou to all those who have already come out to the restaurants and those booked in to come in the next few months especially those coming to Vue Du Monde.
If anyone would like to join me at any of the specific restaurants, let me know and i will hopefully be able to accomodate.
Ben
If anyone would like to join me at any of the specific restaurants, let me know and i will hopefully be able to accomodate.
Ben
Cafe Di Stasio
21st August 2011
On another Sunny and slightly warmer Melbourne sunday i again headed down to St. Kilda with a friend in tow to try another hat restaurant. Now past halfway and looking to complete the lis before New Year i have to step up my efforts.
Today we were headed down to Cafe Di Stasio for their lunch special - 2 Courses of seasonal slow cooked food, a glass of wine and tea or coffee for $35. A real bargain!
After being meet by a white coat waiter at the door i decided that i would rather sit outside on Fitzroy street in the sun rather than be inside in the dining room. The outside tables still had a formal white table cloth and the dress of the waiters spoke to a formal dining experience. The waiters and service was knowledgeable and well delivered and efficient without being impersonal and the table next door was matched with wines to meet their preference of the top of the waiters head.
For the two courses i choose the main and desert courses and for main i went with the braiseed venison in red wine with baby beets. Slow cooked fall apart meat with an excellent red wine jus and nice beets. Quality cooking and worked well together. Only issue was that the serving was not massive.
For desert i choose the dloce di giorno which was a strawberry and mascopone tart. It was simple; both in presentation and execution but the flavours were delicious.
A real bargain matched with the quality of this food was a real winner. May return for the whole menu at some stage as the quality was outstanding.
On another Sunny and slightly warmer Melbourne sunday i again headed down to St. Kilda with a friend in tow to try another hat restaurant. Now past halfway and looking to complete the lis before New Year i have to step up my efforts.
Today we were headed down to Cafe Di Stasio for their lunch special - 2 Courses of seasonal slow cooked food, a glass of wine and tea or coffee for $35. A real bargain!
After being meet by a white coat waiter at the door i decided that i would rather sit outside on Fitzroy street in the sun rather than be inside in the dining room. The outside tables still had a formal white table cloth and the dress of the waiters spoke to a formal dining experience. The waiters and service was knowledgeable and well delivered and efficient without being impersonal and the table next door was matched with wines to meet their preference of the top of the waiters head.
For the two courses i choose the main and desert courses and for main i went with the braiseed venison in red wine with baby beets. Slow cooked fall apart meat with an excellent red wine jus and nice beets. Quality cooking and worked well together. Only issue was that the serving was not massive.
For desert i choose the dloce di giorno which was a strawberry and mascopone tart. It was simple; both in presentation and execution but the flavours were delicious.
A real bargain matched with the quality of this food was a real winner. May return for the whole menu at some stage as the quality was outstanding.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Becco
13th August 2011
On a saturday afternoon i found myself in the city doing some shopping and stopped for lunch at Becco. Located down a laneway at the top end of the city off bourke street it was surprisingly quiet and secluded. The interior was an interesting choice of pale yellow panels matched with wine table clothes.
After intially being seated i was offered a choice of drinks and the wine menu. The wine menu had a good range of wines and also a good range of prices starting at about $40 and heading all the way up to the expensive vintage champagne.
The service was ok. There was a good explanation of the specials and the menu generally but the service seemed rushed and impersonal even though there was limited people in the restaurant. However at the end of the meal, even though i was the last person in the restaurant they were in no rush to move me out and wait till i asked before providing the bill.
I started with an entree of chilli flour dusted calamari. Served very simply with a pile of calamri covered in a few chopped chillis and on a bed of rocket with a small bowl of tartare sauce and lemon on the side. A good, above normal quality calamari dish but nothing amazing or new and lacked a good chilli hit.
The main course i went for the Veal Scallopini with vino blanco and prociutto. The veal pieces were well cooked but the dish was overwhelmed slightly by the salty prociutto and the vino blanco had a slightly bitter flavour. However was a decent dish but was very simple and homestyle italian food.
Desert, however took a distinct turn away from the simply cooked food with a Dark chocolate mousse with aero bar, chocolate gingerbread pieces, dehydrated pinneapple, passionfruit foam and yoghurt granita. This was my favourite dish by far and was a more elegent portrayal of the skill of the chef. The rich dark chocolate mousse with tiny pieces of chewy pinneapple pieces, aerated chocolate and the gingerbread pieces were all excellent . The passionfruit foam was fluffy and delicious but the yoghurt granita whilst nice added little to the dish. This was a wonderful display of technique, presentation and innovation as well as a delcious combo of flavours and textures.
Overall the food was decent and service was reasonable and it offered good value but not one of my favourites and would be ranked low on the scale of restaurants sampled so far.
On a saturday afternoon i found myself in the city doing some shopping and stopped for lunch at Becco. Located down a laneway at the top end of the city off bourke street it was surprisingly quiet and secluded. The interior was an interesting choice of pale yellow panels matched with wine table clothes.
After intially being seated i was offered a choice of drinks and the wine menu. The wine menu had a good range of wines and also a good range of prices starting at about $40 and heading all the way up to the expensive vintage champagne.
The service was ok. There was a good explanation of the specials and the menu generally but the service seemed rushed and impersonal even though there was limited people in the restaurant. However at the end of the meal, even though i was the last person in the restaurant they were in no rush to move me out and wait till i asked before providing the bill.
I started with an entree of chilli flour dusted calamari. Served very simply with a pile of calamri covered in a few chopped chillis and on a bed of rocket with a small bowl of tartare sauce and lemon on the side. A good, above normal quality calamari dish but nothing amazing or new and lacked a good chilli hit.
The main course i went for the Veal Scallopini with vino blanco and prociutto. The veal pieces were well cooked but the dish was overwhelmed slightly by the salty prociutto and the vino blanco had a slightly bitter flavour. However was a decent dish but was very simple and homestyle italian food.
Desert, however took a distinct turn away from the simply cooked food with a Dark chocolate mousse with aero bar, chocolate gingerbread pieces, dehydrated pinneapple, passionfruit foam and yoghurt granita. This was my favourite dish by far and was a more elegent portrayal of the skill of the chef. The rich dark chocolate mousse with tiny pieces of chewy pinneapple pieces, aerated chocolate and the gingerbread pieces were all excellent . The passionfruit foam was fluffy and delicious but the yoghurt granita whilst nice added little to the dish. This was a wonderful display of technique, presentation and innovation as well as a delcious combo of flavours and textures.
Overall the food was decent and service was reasonable and it offered good value but not one of my favourites and would be ranked low on the scale of restaurants sampled so far.
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