The Moor's Head

The Moor's Head

The Moor's Head (owned by the Rumi folk) opened quietly in Northern Thornbury in 2011 but quickly built momentum for its fantastic food. Thanks to a very favourable review in the 2012 Age Cheap Eats, it is now a book-a-week-ahead kind of place.

The Moor's Head serves inauthentic pizza (it's words, not mine) and they are flavour sensations! Eggplant, spiced chicken, bastourma, fetta, nuts, fresh tomato, the list goes on. The accompanying salads are also special, as is the service. If I ordered takeaway from here as often as I desired I would be the size of a house. Enough said!

Royal Hotel Clifton Hill

Royal Hotel

I have been eating at the Royal Hotel on a semi-regular basis over the past year. It is nothing short of a divine find. (You don't get reviews like this from the fussy Urbanspoon community unless you are seriously impressive)

The Royal does steak well. A big cut of scotch or porterhouse with hand cut chips for $29-34. Green beans on the side ($8 for a two person serving). They also do pastas and risottos of the day plus plenty of fresh market priced fish- all food is of the standard of a classic gastropub, but the Royal has savoured its low-key vibe which makes it an extra pleasurable place to eat, no pretentiousness, just extra friendly and attentive staff and a killer beer list. Walks all over the nearby Terminus any day of the week.

St Jude's Cellars

St Jude's Cellars

St Jude's earned 10 points automatically for their booking system. I was looking for somewhere nice for a Saturday night dinner for four with two hours notice (terribly ambitious). They use Dimmi and I was able to make a booking for 8.15 at 6pm with no fuss, and, miraculously the table was ready for us when we arrived. We shared a platter (nice but unremarkable) and I had a steak for my main. I loved the salad and the hand cut fries but I wasn't blown away by my beef, pre cut for me (the nerve!). Overall, the place was pretty good, the service was friendly and professional and the price was fair. My biggest gripe was with the positioning of the bar tables for the drinkers. I do acknowledge that it was Saturday night but my dining buddy had to put up with standing patrons leaning into him/over him/next to him while he tried to eat his meal. Not good.

Masons of Bendigo

Masons of Bendigo

Bendigo has a new eatery! Masons was positively buzzing- even as someone who has never lived in Bendigo I am aware of how desperately the local dining scene has needed a spot like this for years.

The service was almost flawless, prices fair and the food was outstanding. We started with fried chicken ribs (something akin to KFC yet strangely delicious), Harvey Bay scollops with Skipton Eel and a creamy sauce (almost as good as the jamon scollops I have dreamed about every night since first visiting Movida years ago).

For our 'bigger' dishes we ate beef cheeks with celeriac mash and octopus with chorizo (pictured) and a salad. Presentation wise, the octopus looked a bit busy on the plate but worked well- the beef cheek was probably the winner of the day. Slow cooked, rich, balanced, exquisite.

Highly recommended.

Cutler & Co

I attended a sponsored dinner and Cutler & Co when it first opened a few years ago and I loved everything about it- the food, service, layout and location. With that memory in mind I had high expectations when I booked in for their four course Sunday lunch ($75) recently.

We were given a menu which allowed us to see what we would be eating for appetizers and entrées (prescribed but flexible for dietary requirements) and offered choices for a main and dessert (there were three options for each).

The first two courses included mini dishes such as; oysters, fried green tomatoes, leeks, baby beetroot, home made pickles, smoked ocean trout and buffalo haloumi. These dishes were all perfectly portioned and presented.

I chose the duck (confit of leg accompanied by tender breast, turnips and onions). The dish was too meat heavy and needed a salad or green vegetables to balance it. My partner ordered the seafood main which was a better choice- Leatherjacket with mussels, clams and salsa verde.

The dessert options included cheese (my dining partner assured me they were delicious) and tapioca. I ate a chocolate grenache with ice-cream and grapefruit gel- it was a stand out dessert.

The service at Cutler and Co is very good- something I notice at all Andrew McConnell restaurants. There is a very obvious hierarchy in their wait staff and this seems to work well for them. The biggest let down is that we left the restaurant without so much as a goodbye from anyone- it is a menial detail but one which I find important at a restaurant where you have just spend hundreds of dollars (and left a decent tip!)

Set course Sunday lunches are available at many of the best Melbourne restaurants and are a more affordable way to experience a multi course meal- I look forward to trying other restaurants in Cutler and Co's class to see how they compare.

Gingerboy

Gingerboy, owned by the people of Ezard's has been whispered (lets face it... shouted) about since it's opening several years ago. Tonight, three friends and I had our first dining experience there.

One of the first things you notice about Gingerboy when taking your seats is the size of the tables! How refreshing to have a small dining space fitted out with tables with enough room for each diner to move their elbows from the sides of their stomachs every once and a while! The biggest plus was the food. Fresh seafood covered with Asian flavours and vegetables; filling fragrant curries and perfect silken tofu... The list goes on. It is safe to say that Gingerboy do great Asian influenced food! The price is reasonably friendly too. A note: When dining, take the wait staff's recommendations about food portions and then make up your own mind. We were completely full after eating about 70% of what our waiter recommended. It was a pity though, we would have loved to have fit more in.

8.5/10

The Press Club.

The Press Club, in the last three years has gone from being the best new restaurant in the Age's Good Food Guide, to a publicly demoted one hat restaurant and back again at the hands of the now super famous masterchef George Calombaris. This makes for one tentative diner! Considering its as expensive as many other restaurants in its class, should one bother? Perhaps the safer and smarter choice is to go with another eatery a little more consistent in its food and service?

Well.... I am glad I didn't as I was quite blown away with the Press Club. The ambiance is wonderful, the oysters were sublime, the fish and beef we shared was fresh and full of a perfect combination of flavours.

The staff were attentive if a little distracted, and our budget was somewhat misjudged when the waiter presumed we would pick a wine by the glass without knowing the price. (Lucky we found out as the recommendation was $34 for a 100ml pour. Fine for some but I am not sure that wait staff should expect people to want to pay that much for a glass, particularly when considering how much they have marked up the bottle.)

Aside from that though, it was a lovely experience. I would certainly dine here again.

Movida Next Door.

Movida and its little sister Movida Next Door have been frequented by me on numerous occasions and have always impressed. The food is quick, service is efficient and friendly, and the price is on the right side of affordable and justifiable. Movida Next Door is the kind of place one might come before or after a movie/show in the city or for a light snack with a friend. My partner and I went for dinner last week. The biggest downside to the place is that, on any day of the week at about dinner time (5.30-8.30) you are almost certainly going to face a wait for a table. (There is no bookings at Movida next door.) On this cold Wednesday night at 8ish, we were lucky to only wait 15 minutes at the bar with a vino. Other times though, I have waited over half an hr.

The food is amazing, particularly the Tapa. The tiny mouthfuls are smacked with different flavours and are so rich that often one of them is enough. Lucky then that staff do not bat an eye-lid when one of something is ordered. ( How many other places would take an order like this to the kitchen 'ah, we will have one oyster, one scallop, one of the sardines and two of the croquets. Yes, thats all.')

The one thing that I think is missing from the menu at both restaurants is greenery. The menu is very protein and salt rich. Although delicious, you find yourself dreaming about a salad on your way home.

8.5/10

Bistro Guillaume

Bistro Guillaume was the good food guide’s 2008 best new restaurant so my two friends and I were rightfully expecting good things on a Wednesday night visit.
The entree’s were fabulous. We had a large share plate of homemade pate’s and pickles. The main courses let the place down a little for me though. There was nothing remarkable about my fish and for $38 I would expect there should be. My twp partners reviews were also lukewarm on the food, although we were impressed by the fish and chips (see picture.)
Unfortunately the service was disappointing. The restaurant was understaffed and so we were left waiting long periods for food, drinks and the bill. I had not been to Crown since a serious of high end restaurants have parked there but as I expected the vibe was a little artificial. It reminded me more of a cruise ship where adjoining rooms are painted and decorated differently to give the illusion that they are separate ‘restaurants’ that don’t in fact share the same kitchen. (Not that I am insinuating Guillaume and Perry are doing anything like that.
Since I visited the restaurant has been demoted to one hat status which is consistent with my view. Quite unremarkable. 5/10

Pettavel Winery and Restaurant.

I visited Pettavel for a lazy Thursday lunch with a friend. I wasn’t familiar with the restaurant as it is in Geelong but drove down there with enthusiasm Thursday midmorning for a 1.30pm sitting. Naturally, we were late and arrived at ten to two.
The first thing you notice about Pettavel is the view out the window! It is only ten minutes out of Geelong city but feels a world away. The dining room is large but there are not many tables making the place feel romantic and private. Although my friend had mentioned that the lunches are long I couldn’t believe that the compulsory 5 courses took nearly four hours to get through! Luckily I was driving or I would have been on my third bottle of wine by the end. It worked well for us as we had a lot to catch up on but I certainly wouldn’t recommend going there with someone you don’t particularly like or have much to say to as you’ll be staring out the window for hours.
The food was nice. The chef chose the first three courses followed by a main and dessert of our choosing, my meal included; local carrots served cold with middle eastern spices, loin of lamb, beef cheek on a bed of mash potato with a salad and a chocolate mousse and honeycomb dessert. The dessert was amazing. My main was good too but a little too rich overall.
Pettavel’s wines can be bought by the half glass, a great way for drivers to sample a few different wines over the course of the degustation. We drank both red and white varieties, none were overwhelmingly memorable.
The staff were good. Unfortunately I tend to find when you move out of the city restaurants seem to have more trouble employing service professionals and end up with young women who involve themselves in exchanges like this one from the same geographical area two years ago

me ‘What is this?’ (Pointing to a delicious puree of green vegetables.)
Waiter ‘I don’t know.’ (Smiles and proceeds to pour our wine and walk away.)
Me ‘Um, could you ask the chef?
Waiter ‘Yeah sure.’ (Still friendly although I am sure she feels like I am asking far too much of the kitchen to tell me what I am eating.
Waiter ‘He says it’s like um, like, smashed up peas.’
Anyway, this is about Pettavel! Great place, well priced too ($100 for the five courses and a couple of glasses of wine.) Especially considering they book each table out only once each day. Unfortunately I got a speeding fine on the way there I found out later which made the whole event infinitely more expensive.
Pettavel. 7/10

Fifteen

Fifteen
A friend and I turned up at Fifteen without a reservation as our plans to visit Movida Next Door had been thwarted when it was closed for 2 weeks. After about a forty minute but not unpleasant wait at the bar with a glass of rose, we were seated. I have been inside fifteen before, but never eaten anything but bar food. I have to say it has about the best ambiance I have ever experienced at a restaurant. The lighting is low but not too low, the noise is noisy but you can sit opposite someone and speak without raising the voice. The staff were unpretentious and fairly attentive, although we did have to wait a while to get our glasses refilled at one stage and we left the restaurant unacknowledged. This may have been due to minor under-staffing as the place was full. For a Thursday night it was surprising in Melbourne to see people queuing up to be seated at 9.30pm. I had smoked eel gnocchi with brussel sprouts with a side of beans and bacon. My dining partner had lamb which she assured me was 10/10. The gnocchi was outstanding to begin with but was one of those dishes that is a little too much after the half way point. Combined with the kilo of butter on my beans I walked out feeling like my blood had turned to oil. You expect to blow your diet when fine dining but this was a little too much for me. Overall though, I was very content. I found the home made bread with the most fantastic olive oil I think I've ever tried, particularly outstanding. For the price, Fifteen is certainly worth a visit. 7.5/10
Fifteen is off Collins st, Melbourne.

Bosisto's

Just visited Bosisto's for breakfast this morning. I had heard a few good things about it via Epicure but had not had a chance to go since it opened last June. I am glad I finally did because it is surely going to be my new brunch house. I had the most delicious panini with pancetta, rocket, tomato and aioli for $9. It was full of flavour and was generously sized. My dining partner had a traditional take on bacon and eggs with pancetta, poached egg, mozzarella and tomato.
The service was friendly and polished and overall made the entire experience a very good one. I will have to report on the coffee next time as I was drinking tea, although I have no doubt they will pull it off with the ease of everything else they do.
The place is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks all day and I would recommend it without hesitation.
8/10 (for breakfast.)
Bosisto's liquor bar is on Bridge Rd in Richmond

Comme

Comme is a place I have always loved. The building is sensational which is always important. It has a lot of wines on display and an open cellar which I would like to live in. On Valentines day I went there again, the first time for my partner. In the comedy of errors that marred the beginning of the night, when we walked in to take our reserved seat expecting to have a light meal and a glass of wine and it turned out that we had missed the details and it was a seven course tasting menu matched with wines at $145 a head. Undeterred and with the next month’s pay allocated to the bill, we went ahead on our culinary adventure. We sampled first class oysters, a delicious 'shot' of smoked pea and bean soup, (very similar to the pea and ham I do myself which is not at all a negative.) We ate eggplant, two serves of fish and then the grand bigger course of baby chicken, wagyu, salad with peach and wagyu fat potatoes, followed by panna cotta. Overall I was happy but not thrilled. The first time I went to Comme as part of the Melbourne food and wine festival last year I came away in love with everything about the place. This time it was just upper average, especially considering the price. The wines were ok. This was our fault for deciding to go with their set wines. (This part was optional.) We are not huge white drinkers and out of the four wines we got two were white and one a champagne. It also didn't help that I had been to Grossi Florentino's for lunch and was only prepared for the one course I had planned on getting. Normally with a degustation of this size I don’t eat for a week or two beforehand! Overall we were happy. The staff were accommodating and fair to us (the youngest couple there by 10-20 years.) I would thoroughly recommend Comme for a meal. It has a great bar and is very sexy. I am not sure I would do a tasting menu there again though as for that price I could visit a few other eateries that I find a cut above. 6.5/10
Comme is on Alfred Place in the city of Melbourne

The Kingston

The Kingston hotel is a beautiful old pub situated on a leafy street in Richmond. Whilst the food here has always been well priced and good, it made it in to the 2009 Age Good Food Guide representing an improvement in the menu.
I have eaten at the Kingston numerous times as it is quite close to my house and an enjoyable experience. The chef creates a great menu which changes monthly. The place is packed particularly on a Wednesday night when they do a $12 steak. Aged fat Porterhouse with a rocket and parmesan salad and chips. It is good value at it's regular $23 so it is no surprise people wait an hour for it once a week.
Unfortunately, the place seems to have a problem getting orders out in order. Out of the 15 or so times I have eaten there, my docket has been lost three times! And whilst they are always gracious and offer a bottle of wine once alerted, the free bottle just isn’t worth waiting one hour and fifteen minutes for dinner.

Overall I would still highly recommend the place. Just be aware that if you’ve been waiting a bit too long and you think they may have forgotten you they probably have.
(Try the pasta it is always special.)
Considering the average main price of $23 the Kingston deserves a hearty 7/10
The Kingston is on Highett street in Richmond.

Verge

I visited Verge for a weekday lunch as part of the food and wine festival. The first thing to impress me was the venue. Sleek. It did help that the particular day was a balmy 27 degrees or so which allowed the bright sun into the open windows of the restaurant. I like what they have done with such a small space.
The food festival allows diners to sample 2 courses, matched with a glass or red or white wine for $35. It is a real bargain, and unfortunately some restaurants shouldn't participate because they don't seem to want the business. This was my overall experience of Verge. Whilst a table across from me was attended to superfluously, I had to get up from my seat to find someone to refill my water. This may seem trivial but there is nothing worse than spending 5 minute trying to get some attention from a waiter when you would really rather be enjoying your meal.

Another gripe was that when I asked what sort of beef I had just eaten the waiter said it was 'probably fillet.' Thanks for finding out for me!!

The food on the other hand was very good. It was modern, and edgy, and a bit daring, and largely successful. I had an antipasto themed entree and pork belly with mushroom for my main.

Despite the set up and the enjoyable food I wouldn't visit Verge again. I like my dining experience to be memorable and being treated like an inconvenience didn't sit well with me
4/10
Verge is on Spring St, Melbourne city.

Cumulus

Cumulus was a little different than I expected visually. The reviews have been so grand I was surprised at how small the building was. I had a bit of a problem with the hollow floor combined with small and not-so-sturdy tables which vibrated as people were walking around, but the lighting, decoration and general ambiance were good. The food on the other hand was terrific. We began with wagyu bresaola with celery and parmesan which was a simple but fantastic dish. The bresaola virtually melted in the mouth and although it was quite salty, the crunchy celery gave the whole dish a break from the heavy flavours. Up next we had spiced cauliflower with goats curd. The tiny florets of cauliflower were tasty and well spiced, if not a little overcooked. The pine nuts, of which I am normally not a fan, were toasted to perfection and did add to the dish. The dish presented quite nicely and was colourful, although it wasn't particularly memorable or groundbreaking. We then had the seafood escabeche. This worked. The fish was good quality and well cooked, still firm. The mussels were delicious. The whole dish was ruined for me by the pickled carrot dotted everywhere which I hate. Lastly, we had the slow cooked pork strap with cabbage salad. The cabbage was great, the pork good too but I am a little done and dusted with 5-10-20-200 slow hour roasted animals. I drank a great Firbank 2008 Voinger and a glass of Bishop shiraz which at $16.50 a glass was pretty disappointing. Overall the staff were polite but distracted. It didn't help that we were in at 4pm on a Friday when they were preparing for the after work crowd, but it is a pet hate of mine to spend time when I want to enjoy my meal and conversation trying to make eyes at the staff, particularly considering there were more staff in the place than patrons! 7/10 The food was pretty fantastic and well priced. I would go back for that
Cumulus is on Flinders Lane, Melbourne.

in the beginning

This is my food blog! I tend to find the reviews of established food writers good but not entirely accurate because all established eateries know who they are dealing with as soon as they walk in the door! Here are the honest opinions of a foodie who does fine dining on a budget. Enjoy