• Added: 19th of August 2007
• Area: Melbourne
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

Melbourne 3121
(03) 9421 2808

nicolavanlaar said
Bustling Cafe, Fromagerie and Deli
I have recently learned that gastronomer Stephanie Alexander is no longer involved with the RHCL, which could go some way to explaining why I was a bit disappointed with our breakfast there, and had had such high expectations in the first place.

All my interactions with RHCL prior to our Sunday breaky over the phone from Sydney were excellent, and we knew we couldn't book and to be there before 9am to grab a table. We duly arrived, after another exciting adventure with Melbourne's taxi community (an orange Maxi Taxi this time dear readers), and no queue had formed out the door yet.

Is it just me, or do the Melb wait-industry have something to justify the attitude we received all weekend (excluding Italy 1)??? Yes, I do realise that 5 is an odd number to easily seat and we didn't do it on purpose! ;)

Our over-peroxided waiter huffed about us taking up the 8-seater bench table, when a booking was due to ocme in at 10:30am, and we assured him we would be gone by then as we had lots to do and planes to catch home.

After heeding his warning, we had to wait ages to place coffee orders, which seemed an anathema to us! I ordered the rich real hot chocolate ($5) in the Nougat flavour and was told 'sorry it was not available' only after everyone else had received their coffees and juices. Again holding them up time-wise.

The meals came out quickly enough. Philippa had the Bircher Muesli (quite nice and creamy). Lisa had the pancakes with cardamon/clove spiced pears (a bit much) and blood orange curd (delish). Cassandra had the avocado, goats cheese, chilli, mint on toast with a side of bacon (excellent and easy to recreate). Tamara had the fruit toast and the coriander corn fritters (a bit doughy and not very corriandery) with smoked salmon. I had a croissant with the RHCL orange chocolate reduction and just bacon and mushrooms on toast.

Overall, really good produce, a great buzzy cafe vibe, good coffee, but let down by the service. So we didn't linger to shop in the fromagerie, deli or look at the books.

www.rhcl.com.au

• Added: 19th of August 2007
• Area: Melbourne
• Category: Restaurants

Melbourne 3000

nicolavanlaar said
Pillar of Melb's dining community still strong
Our girl's weekend in Melbourne had now grown to five of us, with the addition of Lisa, for the Saturday night dinner at Flower Drum.

Our taxi driver was bloody useless and dropped us off back at our hotel. Thankfully I had printed off a whereis.com free map and could direct our second uselss cabbie, to the corner of Bourke St (major shopping precinct in the City) and Russell St, and we hoofed it the rest of the way in the drizzle.

Really, the restaurant has only been opened and critically acclaimed for over 30 years, how difficult can it be to find 17 Market Lane off Bourke Street???

It is an unassuming building, with a door down a darkish side laneway. You head up some stairs (or use the lift) and come upon a large open dining room with strategically placed screens and large floral arrangements.

We found it easier for the purposes of rapid-fire conversation (such as, "if you could be buried with only one book, what would it be?") to just order the 6 course plus fruit Chef's Degustation Menu for $150 per head and move on to a Gin & Tonic. We sorely needed them after the taxi-debacles! :)

The menu included:
1. A delicious mild creamy Crab concoction, served in the whole crab shell.
2. San Choy Boy - quail I think...
3. Salt and Pepper Red Emperor fish on deep-fried Enoki mushrooms, which we arranged to have some squid included.
4. Two generous serves of Peking Duck Pancakes.
5. Black Bean Balmain Bugs cut up in the tail shell.
6. Eye Fillet steak cooked medium rare (and quite chillied), with steamed Boy Choy and fried noodles. This pushed us all over the edge, was a bit disappointing and none of us could finish our portions!
7. A gorgeous light, refreshing fruit platter to share and home-made almond biscuits.

The service was extremely professional and polished. There was an excellent diner/waiter ratio and every need was anticipated. Nothing was too much trouble.

Unfortunately, we now know why they lost a hat recently and dropped out of the top 100 World's Best list. The food was good but not great. There wasn't any star ingredients used or luxe products or unusual combinations to wow us. We felt we could get the same Chinese food in Sydney... although we were pretty happy with the simple fruit platter at the end, which is saying something!

• Added: 19th of August 2007
• Area: Melbourne
• Category: Restaurants

Melbourne 3000
(03) 9654 4430

nicolavanlaar said
Cosy quaint Italian nook warms Sydney-siders
It was late on a cold, windy Friday night in August and four Sydney gals were hungry (late thanks to Jetstar Avalon) and looking for some warm, soul food in Melbourne.

Thanks to Rochelle, Cass' office manager, we found Italy 1 down the George Parade side lane at about 9:30pm (next door to Jamie Oliver's 15 or 16 who knows the #? restaurant) and settled into the ambient window seat.

We were gently told (by let's call him 'Fred') we could only have 1 course due to our tardiness and the lateness of the booking. We ordered with gusto (could also be due to the nice Pinot we ordered) and the generously proportioned dishes arrived quickly.

Philippa had a nice spinach and black truffle paste risotto with lashing of grated parmesan cheese. Tamara and Cassandra both had a delish looking linguini marinara with lots of fresh, plump seafood. I had a fabulous duck (a whole confit leg was shredded into it), pancetta, spinach and porcini mushroom risotto. The pasta and risotto dishes were in the high AU$20's. Although nice and filling, we couldn't help ordering the Italy 1 mash aswell...

Here we almost came undone Sue, when we were noticed photographing the Chef's food. Nice 'Fred' came to enquire why and Tamara and I hastily extolled the virtues of trusted places.com!

After some wheedling and begging, I was able to order the Tiramisu dessert ($12) with our coffees. Yes, sadly the other girls whimped out and did not order dessert. Go hard or go home I say!

It was a family recipe kept secret by one of their apprentices, who was being made the very next day, and it was heaven! It came in its' own large white domed bowl with lashings of chocolate all over the top. Coffee, liquer and choc in one hit = what more could you ask for?

Great food, moderate prices, excellent produce, good wine list and professional, funny, good-humoured service made this dining experience a real winner and a great start to a girl's weekend away in Melbourne.

P.S. Unbeknownst to us, they also have an Italy 1 at Camberwell and a Bistro 1 at 126 Little Collins St.
www.italy1.com.au
www.bistro1.com.au

• Added: 26th of July 2007
• Area: Sydney
• Category: Restaurants

Sydney 2089
02 9904 0499

nicolavanlaar said
Modern Australian restaurant
Sadly disappointing!

Six of us booked for dinner at about 8:30pm after seeing the new Harry Potter 5 film at the Cremorne Orpheum. We got there 5 minutes early or so as it was just up the main road, and had to squish into a front table for awhile, while we waited for others to vacate our table.

We were sorry we did, as we got the last booth table (joined to a twin round table - obviously the modern decor doesn't cater to the massive number of 6 people at one sitting) near the rear door out to the toilets (it jambed every time and it was cold!) and the cash register.

The signature dish, the beef, was sold out, but the kindly maitre'd (who was run ragged on his own) let us have the last well-done one that was pre-cooked and just sitting there toughening up, for gratis as a table entree.

The chicken breast with spinach and feta bake topped with warm basil dressing was nicer than it looked Cass said.

Dave was happy with his lamb and the pic looks quite nice.

Alot of us had the Blue Eye Cod wrapped in Dorsogna prosciutto served with wilted spinach, tomato and garlic/fennel mash. It was quite good too!

I think the nicest things were the side salads to be honest... None of us stayed for dessert or coffee and that is saying something at our table!

The service, timings etc... really needs to be worked out with the kitchen staff and maybe an assistant or runner added to the team. Things just took too long.

Good location, I think we took our own wine, friendly service and in the Entertainment Book, but we won't be going back.

• Added: 8th of July 2007
• Area: Pokolbin
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Pokolbin 2320
02 4998 6968

nicolavanlaar said
Funky restaurant and cafe in the Hunter Valley!
Six of us dined last night at Rock restaurant, in the Pooles Rock Vineyard, in Pokolbin in the Hunter Valley, for our friend Tamara's birthday.

After reading glowing reviews in Vogue Entertaining & Travel and SMH online, we thought, let's give staid Robert's at Pepper's a miss this time and try somewhere new. Boy were we glad we did! :)

The restaurant at night is called Rock and the cafe during the day is called Firestick. There is also a nice bar area to the side with comfy armchairs. Rock looks like a modern corrugated iron warehouse from the outside. Inside it is one big open-plan modern structure with the back wall all glass overlooking the vineyard. The bathrooms are interesting with square toilet "bowls" to match the square hand basin and running bathroom theme.

The beauty of Rock (apart from not doing two dinner sittings) is that each scrumptious menu offering can be taken as a Tasting, Entree or Main size. So you order what you feel like, when you feel like it and dependant on how hungry you are at the time and no-one rushes you out the door.

The charming and professional Maitre'd Adam, will advise and guide you through the choices. The wait staff use individual touch-screens. For example, we were served bread and complimentary blue eye cod choux pastry puffs to start. Then we asked to see the dessert list, so we could gauge our hunger.

We ordered 3 tasting plates each and two bowls each for the table, of the steamed broccolini with almonds and roasted garlic and rosemary potatoes, which were an extremely reasonable $7 each.

We had gorgeous New Zealand white and red wines and a cheeky Moet rose for initial birthday bubbles. Then we ordered a dessert each, which came in two size choices and finished off with a divine French sticky. We were also served coffee delice meringue and orange curd muffin petit fours at the end of the meal. I'm afraid I can't review the coffee here, as we were all abit tipsy for coffee by this stage, but they did serve Mariage Freres teas I noticed!

If you are sensible enough to make the drive here, the stand-out winners to order, in my opinion are;
* Duck breast stuffed with truffle (lots of it from W.A.!), apple, raisin and hazelnut on buttered zucchini and liquorice sauce.
* Venison with king mushroom noodles beetroot fondant and snow pea and zebra tomato salad.
* The grilled Wagyu rump (Aussie Blackmore's), roasted jerusalem artichoke puree and fine herb salad was tasty enough, but we all found the beef a little bit too chewy and disappointing, despite being cooked Medium-Rare.
* The quince tart tartin with a quenelle of Marco Polo M.F. tea-infused Sabayon was to die for! You need to allow 20-25 minutes for this dessert (and the prune and VERY cognac souffle) to be cooked.

Overall excellent and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! Small oversights included; one 's' on the dessert menu, no Sydney Rock oysters available and no decoration to Tamara's dessert plate or singing or birthday fanfare...

www.rockrestaurant.com.au

• Added: 1st of July 2007
• Area: Sydney
• Category: Restaurants

Sydney 2062
02 9365 4924

nicolavanlaar said
Gourmet dining in a relaxed beachside locale
We went to Sean's Panorama last Friday night, with gastro-friends Brett and Lisa, for an early dinner at 6:30pm, as they take 2 sittings and they are tiny. They are open for lunch 12-3pm Saturday and Sunday and dinner Thursday to Saturday 6-9:30pm.

It was just as well we did, as when we were leaving, Brett overheard the kitchen saying four upsetting words, "we're out of duck"! Well upsetting for the later diners perhaps, as I'd already devoured mine! :)

Located at the North end of Bondi Beach, there's no view at night-time, but the atmosphere of the tightly packed little restaurant is friendly and homey.

The staff are extremely professional and friendly. I asked for a Bellini, but was declined as "sorry, peaches aren't in season at the moment".

Entrees were not anything fabulous... three of us had chickpea coated calamari deep-fried with aioli and Brett had a prawn bisque soup with cauliflower dumplings. Although the bread rolls were delish!

The food is what you wish you could make at home, delicious but a bit overpriced at $38-$42 for a main. I had the duck two ways, which was a crispy-skinned breast sliced and a leg confit with a potato rosti. Lisa had the veal scallopini with mushrooms and spinach. Steve and Brett had the pork special which was on the rack, fennel encrusted, then sliced and served on winter vegetables with a strip of crackling. Yummo!

The desserts were good too. Brett had Jenny's baked custard tart with rhubarb. Steve had a divine mandarin and ruby red grapefruit sorbet. Lisa and I had the chocolate puddings with double cream.

For the four of us, with a pre-dinner drink each, 3 courses and a very delicious Yarra Valley Macforbes Coldstream Pinot ($68), the bill came to $450 = not cheap, but we had a delightful night and were out of there before 8:30pm!

• Added: 13th of June 2007
• Area: Sydney
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

Sydney 2089

nicolavanlaar said
Great brunch cafe
Thelma & Louise's is a groovy little cafe at the bottom of Hayes Street, right next to the Ferry Wharf. The beauty of this cafe, is it's small deck with 3 tables for 2, hangs out over the water next to the wharf. There are 2 big glass sliding doors which give nice views out to the Harbour to about half the tables inside.

I only ever go here for brunch with my girlfriends (Mandy lives in the Street), as it can get quite boisterous with conversations bouncing off the floorboards and the lunch menu from 12pm doesn't tempt me as much.

The service is always friendly (eg. my 3 year old was given highlighters and paper and a lovely chocolate hundreds & thousands covered heart today) but one waitress in particular is very hit and miss.

For example, Mandy's sausage side came as bacon, Natalie's side of spinach didn't turn up and they have been out of coffee loyalty stamper cards for a week now. You also have to specify which type of bread to get the good toast. Something has gone seriously wrong here recently and they use 1.5 slices of some thin, soy/linseed bread. They used to use thickly -sliced and turkish toast - much preferable!

Today Natalie had the salmon benedict and said the smoked salmon was very good. I had eggs benedict on bacon. There was a good portion of bacon but it was not the good short cut or middle rasher and could have been of better quality. Also the bearnaise sauce was a bit runny and bland and probably could have used more egg yolks in it.

Other than that, it is super convenient for us (or anyone catching a ferry), the coffee is always good, the staff friendly, prices reasonable, they have a gift store a few shops up and it has a killer view. So we keep going back despite the hiccups. :-)

• Added: 13th of June 2007
• Area: Leura
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

Leura 2780

nicolavanlaar said
Winter chocolate warmer
Again with favourite foodie friends Dave & Tamara, we arranged to meet to eat in the Blue Mountains, on the Queens Birthday Public Holiday.

We met in Leura on a crisp Monday and promptly looked around the Mall (main drag) for somewhere to eat. Being a Public Holiday everywhere was packed but we managed to get into the compact Cafe Josophan's.

We initially sat outside and ordered a couple of Ploughman's lunches ($16) and one chicken/avo/mayo sandwich with tea. I think there could have been more variety on the plate, but the leg ham off the bone was great quality and there was lots of crumbly vintage cheese, 4 pieces of french stick sliced, pickle relish and white cocktail onions (80's camp!).

The weather turned so we moved inside. You quickly realise that their specialty is in chocolate. There is a retail choloate shop front selling specially-shaped chocolates like The 3 Sisters. A revolving cake stand. Old Cadbury's chocolate signage and paraphanalia. A belgian chocolate fountain from which you could buy a 4 marshmallow dipped skewer ($4) or 4 strawberry fondue skewer ($6).

We ordered some hot chocolates (Dave had the chilli one and said it wasn't "hot" chilli-wise) and cakes. The Mexican chocolate cake was a bit dry and the White chocolate cheesecake had a very granular texture to it but had a good flavour. Happily all plates and mugs were drizzled from the chocolate fountain.

The staff were lovely and donate all tips to a number of charities listed on their website. They are also in the Entertainment Book and you don't need to book.

• Added: 9th of June 2007
• Area: Sydney
• Category: Restaurants

Sydney 2088

nicolavanlaar said
Bather's - for breaky in the cafe side
Bather's, at the gorgeous Balmoral Beach on Sydney's Lower North Shore, has views to die for straight through North Head. Bather's is also a very different place for breakfast, lunch, high tea and dinner and on the informal cafe side (where you can't book) versus the more structured and expensive restaurant side.

We went for breakfast this rainy old winter morning with another young family. We always pick the cafe side and this morning we didn't have to wait and we got a beachy booth with pillows!

We all went for hot breakfasts this morning at approximately $22 each. Lisa had Eggs Benedict, Steve had the Big Breaky (which is shrinking in my opinion) and Brett and I had Poached Eggs with avocado on corn/spring onion fritters (more corn needed less spring onion me-thinks).

The service is always efficient, professional and friendly here and we were provided with colouring in items for the kids and water without asking. The bathrooms are very luxe too and there is a special tiny tots separate junior toilet.

Afterwards you can take a stroll on the promenade, go upstairs and check out the local art gallery or get a take-away coffee from the newly-opened Bather's Kiosk on the Eastern side. Another plus = it's in the Entertainment Book! The only minus = parking is a killer in Summer.

• Added: 8th of June 2007
• Area: Sydney
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Sydney 2062

nicolavanlaar said
Warm, Masculine-style beer cafe
For us, Epoque BBC is our local pub, being a 2 minute drive away. It's just handy that it has so many imported specialty beers, well for the beer-drinking boys amongst our party anyway...

Epoque (and its' sister BBC, the 'Heritage' in the Rocks) is a medium-priced, warm, cosy, masculine (think big beer tankards, lots of mahogany and oak furniture/booths and beer paraphanalia), buzzy (sounds bounce off the floor-boards) beer cafe - well restauarant really!

Last night, we went with the family ( 3 year old and 4 month old) and some friends of ours. We skipped entrees and instead ate the 3 year olds chips and ordered drinks and garlic bread. Of the four of us, three ordered the Twice-cooked Crispy Pork Belly for $26.50 and the odd-one out (my husband!) ordered the Flemish Beef Stew cooked in Beer $22.50 that comes with chips and mayonnaise.

The stew was a little bit below the usual par last night, my husband said the gravy is usually darker and more flavoursome... The rest of us were very happy with our streaky (we cut the centre line of fat out), crispy (the crackling was excellent), pork strap on creamy, garlic mash, with a dollop of apple sauce and a glob of finely grated sauerkraut with juniper berries on the side.

I was the only one to have dessert, the Raspberry Crepes for $10.50, which were quite nice but not outstanding - but then again I have extremely high dessert standards! It was two crepes filled with a not too sweet raspberry coulis, folded into quarters with belgian chocolate sauce drizzled on top and a scoop of vanilla bean ice-cream.

If you like mussels (their specialty with chips and mayo), I can highly recommend the white wine mussels in the pot!

The staff were excellent, helping with the pram, providing colouring pencils/paper, patient and friendly. They take bookings and there is some easy, free council parking in the carpark out the back through the rear entrance! Though it is also on the Miller Street bus route.