25th July 2011
Para número veinticinco (25) we are headed back to Spain with a trip to MoVida Aqui the second of the Movida franchise in the Good Food Guide with this being the one hat variety. Substantially bigger with a more open air and less clubby feel, it still had the MoVida bustling busy vibe (even on a Monday night) with seats at the bar and an open kitchen . However this kitchen was much bigger and therefore able to offer a greater variety of cuisine and able to offer the Spanish classic paella and a host of daily specials.
However as i had headed in on my own to do a bit of reading and get some work done, i was advised that the paella would be too big (and i wanted to try a greater variety of dishes).
I choose 3 tapa and one raciones from the specials menu.
The first tapa to come out was the grilled calamari sandwich. Crumbed calamari pieces held in a soft bread roll combined with a peppers and a spicy sauce. It was a great start as the calamari was cooked exquisitely and the flavours matched beautifully.
Next was the sardine on toast a tomato, spring onion and herb salsa on top. Good flavours and a good combo but lacked any kind of wow factor to take it to the next level.
The final tapa was the Bomba. Having had this at Movida next door i was intrigued to compare the two. This one had slightly more potato and less chroizo filling and a little bit less spiciness. I preferred the previous attempt but still very good.
The raciones was the cured pork loin (shaved into thin slices), truffle salami (also thin slices) and chicken liver morcela (blood sausage) accompanied by pickled peppers. Easily may favourite was the chicken liver morcela with a good mix of strong flavours combining for a rich bold flavour that delighted. The truffle salami was also good but the cured pork loin was a bit disappointing.
For desert, having already dined at Movida and Movida next door i noted that all three had very similar desert menus with only subtle variations on each, including an amazing looking desert tasting plate here (people sitting next to me had it for 3 to share.) Having had the churros and ganacha, i went for another Spanish classic - Flan. Amazingly rich and creamy it was the best Flan i have had (including in Barcelona).
Accompanied by a glass of Moritz beer and great service from the bar and serving staff it was a excellent meal that took less than an hour from start to finish without it feeling rushed. However despite some of the benefits (more variety, larger space) the quality of the food was not quite on par with the original and the difference of the chefs hat was noticeable. However it was a great meal and worth trying another movida experience.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Verge
23rd July 2011
Going to lunch with a friend, we originally were headed for Becco, but walking from the car we saw Verge and decided to try to go for lunch there. We needed have worried about being able to get a table as there was no-one at all in the restaurant. Glass windows with contemporary funky fit out, we were seated next to the window with a view of the nearby government park, the green 'grass' floor was designed to make you feel were on the 'verge' of the park and a part of the outside surroundings. With loud hip hop and r&b music it had a similar funky vibey feel to cumulus inc. (Although this may have been toned down if the place was full).
The wine and beer list was relatively small but i went with a couple of glasses of Sapporo on tap. The menu offered an interesting concept which for a small number of guests was excellent. They offered a tasting menu of 5 courses for $95 each but rather than the chef choosing the menu, we got to choose the 5 courses for the table. This consisted of 4 savoury and 1 sweet course. As well the savoury courses could have been any combination of entree or main courses. We decided on 2 from each.
With all the courses there was a strong use of contemporary molecular gastronomy techniques including soils, burnt and raw vegetables, aerated foods and juices. These added beauty and complexity to the plate but what was also noticeable was that beneath all these additional flourishes was perfectly cooked main ingredients that shone. All the dishes stayed in the mouth after they finished in a great way without being overpowering.
To start we were also offered a pre entree. Served in a small glass, it consisted a veal tartare, pickled fig and puffs. Clean flavours and the pickled fig was great.
The first entree was the green tip abalone with cucumber and asparagus and a whole load of different extra items included pearls, snow and soils. Presentation was unique looking and it was a complex dish but a dish with great flavour. The pearls were truly amazing in flavour.
The second entree was a dish of soft chewy pork belly with garlic rice crispies and juices flowers and roots. Amazing presentation, different colours and textures that worked well together along with a great flavour.
The first main course was the dory with mustard seeds and lotus roots. This was my favourite dish of the whole meal. Perfectly cooked fish with a lemon glaze and excellently combined with the mustard seeds and the lotus roots and burnt onions.
The final savoury dish was a square brick of shredded pressed duck with a thin coat seared skin on the outside. Combined with melon, turnips, radishes and a small container of olive oil broth served at the table. Great rich shredded duck and combined well with the light fresh other ingredients.
For our sweet course we went with a dish of aerated white chocolate and salted walnuts, with passonfruit and a lemon balm and edible silver. The soft crumbly white chocolate and separate salted walnut pieces were great in flavour and the different textures of the dish were great. If was a really balanced dish with the flavours matching well to create a great dish.
Complex dishes and beautiful presentation but it was the flavours that brought a smile to the face. With good service that was attentive and friendly when required but invisible when not required. (although there was only 2 of us in the restaurant). The overall package of food, presentation and service was on the 'verge' of perfection and this was one of my favourite restaurants so far.
Going to lunch with a friend, we originally were headed for Becco, but walking from the car we saw Verge and decided to try to go for lunch there. We needed have worried about being able to get a table as there was no-one at all in the restaurant. Glass windows with contemporary funky fit out, we were seated next to the window with a view of the nearby government park, the green 'grass' floor was designed to make you feel were on the 'verge' of the park and a part of the outside surroundings. With loud hip hop and r&b music it had a similar funky vibey feel to cumulus inc. (Although this may have been toned down if the place was full).
The wine and beer list was relatively small but i went with a couple of glasses of Sapporo on tap. The menu offered an interesting concept which for a small number of guests was excellent. They offered a tasting menu of 5 courses for $95 each but rather than the chef choosing the menu, we got to choose the 5 courses for the table. This consisted of 4 savoury and 1 sweet course. As well the savoury courses could have been any combination of entree or main courses. We decided on 2 from each.
With all the courses there was a strong use of contemporary molecular gastronomy techniques including soils, burnt and raw vegetables, aerated foods and juices. These added beauty and complexity to the plate but what was also noticeable was that beneath all these additional flourishes was perfectly cooked main ingredients that shone. All the dishes stayed in the mouth after they finished in a great way without being overpowering.
To start we were also offered a pre entree. Served in a small glass, it consisted a veal tartare, pickled fig and puffs. Clean flavours and the pickled fig was great.
The first entree was the green tip abalone with cucumber and asparagus and a whole load of different extra items included pearls, snow and soils. Presentation was unique looking and it was a complex dish but a dish with great flavour. The pearls were truly amazing in flavour.
The second entree was a dish of soft chewy pork belly with garlic rice crispies and juices flowers and roots. Amazing presentation, different colours and textures that worked well together along with a great flavour.
The first main course was the dory with mustard seeds and lotus roots. This was my favourite dish of the whole meal. Perfectly cooked fish with a lemon glaze and excellently combined with the mustard seeds and the lotus roots and burnt onions.
The final savoury dish was a square brick of shredded pressed duck with a thin coat seared skin on the outside. Combined with melon, turnips, radishes and a small container of olive oil broth served at the table. Great rich shredded duck and combined well with the light fresh other ingredients.
For our sweet course we went with a dish of aerated white chocolate and salted walnuts, with passonfruit and a lemon balm and edible silver. The soft crumbly white chocolate and separate salted walnut pieces were great in flavour and the different textures of the dish were great. If was a really balanced dish with the flavours matching well to create a great dish.
Complex dishes and beautiful presentation but it was the flavours that brought a smile to the face. With good service that was attentive and friendly when required but invisible when not required. (although there was only 2 of us in the restaurant). The overall package of food, presentation and service was on the 'verge' of perfection and this was one of my favourite restaurants so far.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Il Bacaro
16th July 2011
After some morning tasks in the city , i decided to stop by Il Bacaro. A traditional Italian cafe/restaurant on little collins street, white table clothed tables with clean lines with a bar in the middle of the restaurant.
For entree i started with the rabbit and mushroom piesitting on top of a pearl onion puree with baby leaks and mustard fruits. A crisp pie casing with tender shreded rabiit and rich mushroom filling. The onion puree was decent and the vegetables were crisp and delicious. Excellent flavours and contrasts of texture and taste lead to a good start.
Given the cold i decided to go for some warming a hearty italian food and ordered a big bowl of thistle quadretti with barised wagyi beef cheef with baby carrots and parmigiano reggiano. Big sheets of square green pasta with a big rich beef flavour and hearty flavours.
To finish off the meal i went for an amzing sounding desert - a chocolate and hazelnut praline pudding matched with an aerated chocolate block, orange puree and mascarpone ice cream. Amazing aerated chocolate block like the best aero you will ever have and the pudding was a delicious soft pudding with a molten centre. Only dissapointment was the orange puree which was not a great flavour and didnt really match with the rest of the desert.
Not really imaginative or ground breaking food but hearty and delicious Italian food and a great way to spend lunch on a cold melbourne winter day.
After some morning tasks in the city , i decided to stop by Il Bacaro. A traditional Italian cafe/restaurant on little collins street, white table clothed tables with clean lines with a bar in the middle of the restaurant.
For entree i started with the rabbit and mushroom piesitting on top of a pearl onion puree with baby leaks and mustard fruits. A crisp pie casing with tender shreded rabiit and rich mushroom filling. The onion puree was decent and the vegetables were crisp and delicious. Excellent flavours and contrasts of texture and taste lead to a good start.
Given the cold i decided to go for some warming a hearty italian food and ordered a big bowl of thistle quadretti with barised wagyi beef cheef with baby carrots and parmigiano reggiano. Big sheets of square green pasta with a big rich beef flavour and hearty flavours.
To finish off the meal i went for an amzing sounding desert - a chocolate and hazelnut praline pudding matched with an aerated chocolate block, orange puree and mascarpone ice cream. Amazing aerated chocolate block like the best aero you will ever have and the pudding was a delicious soft pudding with a molten centre. Only dissapointment was the orange puree which was not a great flavour and didnt really match with the rest of the desert.
Not really imaginative or ground breaking food but hearty and delicious Italian food and a great way to spend lunch on a cold melbourne winter day.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Rockpool
3rd July 2011
As a reward to myself after a 30km run into the city i choose to tick off one of the more expensive restaurants from the list and go to Rockpool. Located in Crown, it featured a classy and stylish entry way and restaurant.
Having been seated at a table near the window with view of the outside walkway and river, i was offered an array of drink options with an excellent selection of wine, beer and other drinks spread over a 56 page book. Of which i chose the Truman Pilsner from Austria and a glass of Domaine Bernard Defaix chardonnay. The knowledgeable waiting staff then went through the extensive menu in particular the extensive selection of cuts of beef.
For starter i went with a ceviche of scampi, kingfish, cucumber and jalapeno. Beautifully presented on a thin plate with a vibrant mix of colours offered a preview for the bold and vibrant mix of flavours. Fish flavours mixed with bold lemon and lime juice and crunchy vegetables and a kick from the jalapeno. It was an amazing dish that showed both flair in presentation and a boldness in flavour that showed the quality of cooking.
For main course i decided that if i was going to do Rockpool, i was going to go all out and went with the Wagyu Rib eye steak. With the rich wagyu flavour, slight charred outside and perfectly cooked pink medium/rare centre and marbling texture it was a beautiful cut of meat ruined slightly by a sliver of fat running through the middle of the steak and average presentation. Overall it was an excellent steak but not sure given its price it was so much better than other steak to warrant the extra cost.
Also as the steak came on its own apart from a choice of sauces i ordered 2 sides to accompany it from the vast selection of sides (about 20 in total). First i went with the onion rings - a single ring of Spanish onion covered in a crunchy batter they were excellent. The second choice i enlisted the help of the waiting staff to find a side that complemented the first 2 choices. He recommended a fresh salad and went with the chopped cob with capsicum, croutons and a healthy dash of a zingy juice to top it off.
I rounded off the dinner with a truly amazing desert. The chocolate jaffa mousse cake was both intricate and delicious. The base was a ring of meringue covered with a jaffa jelly upon which rested the rich yet light jaffa chocolate mousse with a chocolate biscuit base and covered in a dark chocolate glaze. An amazing dish to put together and even better to taste, it was an amazing way to finish the meal.
Quality service and knowledgeable waiting staff and quality ingredients and cooking, however came at a hefty price. Come with your eyes wide open that there are few bargains on the menu (Tell your credit card to watch out as it will be hit) but the highest quality ingredients cooked expertly and well worth a visit if only for a special occasion. It was worthy of the 2 hats but would be at the lower end of that category for me.
As a reward to myself after a 30km run into the city i choose to tick off one of the more expensive restaurants from the list and go to Rockpool. Located in Crown, it featured a classy and stylish entry way and restaurant.
Having been seated at a table near the window with view of the outside walkway and river, i was offered an array of drink options with an excellent selection of wine, beer and other drinks spread over a 56 page book. Of which i chose the Truman Pilsner from Austria and a glass of Domaine Bernard Defaix chardonnay. The knowledgeable waiting staff then went through the extensive menu in particular the extensive selection of cuts of beef.
For starter i went with a ceviche of scampi, kingfish, cucumber and jalapeno. Beautifully presented on a thin plate with a vibrant mix of colours offered a preview for the bold and vibrant mix of flavours. Fish flavours mixed with bold lemon and lime juice and crunchy vegetables and a kick from the jalapeno. It was an amazing dish that showed both flair in presentation and a boldness in flavour that showed the quality of cooking.
For main course i decided that if i was going to do Rockpool, i was going to go all out and went with the Wagyu Rib eye steak. With the rich wagyu flavour, slight charred outside and perfectly cooked pink medium/rare centre and marbling texture it was a beautiful cut of meat ruined slightly by a sliver of fat running through the middle of the steak and average presentation. Overall it was an excellent steak but not sure given its price it was so much better than other steak to warrant the extra cost.
Also as the steak came on its own apart from a choice of sauces i ordered 2 sides to accompany it from the vast selection of sides (about 20 in total). First i went with the onion rings - a single ring of Spanish onion covered in a crunchy batter they were excellent. The second choice i enlisted the help of the waiting staff to find a side that complemented the first 2 choices. He recommended a fresh salad and went with the chopped cob with capsicum, croutons and a healthy dash of a zingy juice to top it off.
I rounded off the dinner with a truly amazing desert. The chocolate jaffa mousse cake was both intricate and delicious. The base was a ring of meringue covered with a jaffa jelly upon which rested the rich yet light jaffa chocolate mousse with a chocolate biscuit base and covered in a dark chocolate glaze. An amazing dish to put together and even better to taste, it was an amazing way to finish the meal.
Quality service and knowledgeable waiting staff and quality ingredients and cooking, however came at a hefty price. Come with your eyes wide open that there are few bargains on the menu (Tell your credit card to watch out as it will be hit) but the highest quality ingredients cooked expertly and well worth a visit if only for a special occasion. It was worthy of the 2 hats but would be at the lower end of that category for me.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Spice Temple
19th June 2011
With my parents last night in Melbourne before they left for Brisbane, we decided to meet for a third meal for the weekend and met brother and his girlfriend came in for dinner. We had a walk down from their hotel to Crown and decided to try Neil Perry's new Chinese restaurant, Spice Temple.
We walked in and enquired about a table. Even though it was a Sunday night we had to wait in the downstairs bar for them to set up a table. Downstairs was a cool bar, however it was very dark and difficult to read the menu for some of our party (although i mostly blame that on parents having old people eyesight).
An extensive wine list and wide selection of drinks that you would expect from a Neil Perry restaurant and with Rockpool next door it was hardly a surprise. Halfway through our first drink we were ushered up to the main dining room. Not quite as dark as the bar the room was elegant but still dark and clubby but with simple quality wooden table and wooden blocks featuring chopsticks and soup spoon.
Given the design of the menu, the fact there was 5 of us and that the waitress stated that the dishes do not all come out together, we decided to all choose one entree and one main each and share the food. We possibly should have consulted each other as given our family's love of spice, we choose a lot of the red dishes on the menu (designated extra spicy).
The entrees which came out in various orders consisted of Smoked Bacon & Chili Hunan style egg noodles (great flavours and a hint of chili in between a healthy serve of quality egg noodles), Lamb & Cumin pancakes with a chili paste (pancakes had good flavour and were crisp on outside and the chili paste was also good), hot & numbing dry Wagyu beef (quality aged and dried wagyu beef with a spicy marinade that left the lip tinging a little bit), crispy quail in 5 spice (soft delicious and heavily spiced quail pieces left on the bone) and my favourite Caramelised Pork spare ribs (juicy tender meat with a excellent caramelised sauce with toasted sesame seeds).
A great selection of entrees each offering a different flavour and offering quality cooking - a major step up from a standard Chinese restaurant.
Next up was the main courses. This is where some collaboration on the spiciness of the dishes may have suited us better as we ordered 2 hot & numbing dishes (Pork and duck) as well as a dry spiced Kung Pao chicken that came served with a mountain of red chilis and some black chilis that we were told not to eat even though the black chilis stuck to the chicken & cashews. There were comments about why the dish would be served with the chilis especially the black ones which did indeed seem to stick to every piece of food that we tried to eat and someone accidentally did eat at one point.
However all three spicy dishes were cooked extremely well and offered a quality of flavour and texture and offered a decent hit of spice that few restaurants would be brave enough to attempt. The duck was beautifully pink and my favourite of these dishes. We also had 2 less spicy options and unfortunately these were served as some of the last dishes out. I am not sure if this was a factor as the spice diminished the more subtle flavours of stir fried beef with black beef and Guangxi style pork belly with coriander, peanut, red onion and sesame seeds. These 2 were my least favourite dishes as the pork belly didn't seem to match well with the coriander and red onion and the beef was obviously quality and cooked well but came in a big slab (difficult to eat with chopsticks) and the flavours of black bean offered very little.
I then followed this with the desert of Cherry Jellie & Peanut chocolate bar. The cherry jellie was the true star and the presentation being wrap in paper was great. The chocolate was good but there was little peanut flavour. However i thoroughly enjoyed it and despite the chili being present and tingling the lips whilst eating the main course, i had subsided by the time the desert came.
A very good meal and a big step up from regular Chinese restaurants. As Spice Temple opened after the 2011 Good Food Guide was published i would not be surprised to see it in the 2012 Guide and worthy of 1 Hat. (Note; As of the 2012 Good Food Guide this has been awarded 1 Hat)
With my parents last night in Melbourne before they left for Brisbane, we decided to meet for a third meal for the weekend and met brother and his girlfriend came in for dinner. We had a walk down from their hotel to Crown and decided to try Neil Perry's new Chinese restaurant, Spice Temple.
We walked in and enquired about a table. Even though it was a Sunday night we had to wait in the downstairs bar for them to set up a table. Downstairs was a cool bar, however it was very dark and difficult to read the menu for some of our party (although i mostly blame that on parents having old people eyesight).
An extensive wine list and wide selection of drinks that you would expect from a Neil Perry restaurant and with Rockpool next door it was hardly a surprise. Halfway through our first drink we were ushered up to the main dining room. Not quite as dark as the bar the room was elegant but still dark and clubby but with simple quality wooden table and wooden blocks featuring chopsticks and soup spoon.
Given the design of the menu, the fact there was 5 of us and that the waitress stated that the dishes do not all come out together, we decided to all choose one entree and one main each and share the food. We possibly should have consulted each other as given our family's love of spice, we choose a lot of the red dishes on the menu (designated extra spicy).
The entrees which came out in various orders consisted of Smoked Bacon & Chili Hunan style egg noodles (great flavours and a hint of chili in between a healthy serve of quality egg noodles), Lamb & Cumin pancakes with a chili paste (pancakes had good flavour and were crisp on outside and the chili paste was also good), hot & numbing dry Wagyu beef (quality aged and dried wagyu beef with a spicy marinade that left the lip tinging a little bit), crispy quail in 5 spice (soft delicious and heavily spiced quail pieces left on the bone) and my favourite Caramelised Pork spare ribs (juicy tender meat with a excellent caramelised sauce with toasted sesame seeds).
A great selection of entrees each offering a different flavour and offering quality cooking - a major step up from a standard Chinese restaurant.
Next up was the main courses. This is where some collaboration on the spiciness of the dishes may have suited us better as we ordered 2 hot & numbing dishes (Pork and duck) as well as a dry spiced Kung Pao chicken that came served with a mountain of red chilis and some black chilis that we were told not to eat even though the black chilis stuck to the chicken & cashews. There were comments about why the dish would be served with the chilis especially the black ones which did indeed seem to stick to every piece of food that we tried to eat and someone accidentally did eat at one point.
However all three spicy dishes were cooked extremely well and offered a quality of flavour and texture and offered a decent hit of spice that few restaurants would be brave enough to attempt. The duck was beautifully pink and my favourite of these dishes. We also had 2 less spicy options and unfortunately these were served as some of the last dishes out. I am not sure if this was a factor as the spice diminished the more subtle flavours of stir fried beef with black beef and Guangxi style pork belly with coriander, peanut, red onion and sesame seeds. These 2 were my least favourite dishes as the pork belly didn't seem to match well with the coriander and red onion and the beef was obviously quality and cooked well but came in a big slab (difficult to eat with chopsticks) and the flavours of black bean offered very little.
I then followed this with the desert of Cherry Jellie & Peanut chocolate bar. The cherry jellie was the true star and the presentation being wrap in paper was great. The chocolate was good but there was little peanut flavour. However i thoroughly enjoyed it and despite the chili being present and tingling the lips whilst eating the main course, i had subsided by the time the desert came.
A very good meal and a big step up from regular Chinese restaurants. As Spice Temple opened after the 2011 Good Food Guide was published i would not be surprised to see it in the 2012 Guide and worthy of 1 Hat. (Note; As of the 2012 Good Food Guide this has been awarded 1 Hat)
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