April 2011 - David's Prahran

Charlies Choice

Special Guests - Will and Katie

What a disappointment. A restaurant that came recommended would defiantly not be recommended by the dinner club. After visiting we did talk amongst friends, finding out that a handful of them had visited David's in the past all experiencing the same lack lustre and expensive meal experience.

Arrived at 7.30pm on a Friday night to an empty and overly bright restaurant, the tables quickly filled up, the lights were never dimmed! Some of us arrived 10 minutes late, the early guests had drinks already and we weren't even acknowledged for at least 20 minutes. For an empty restaurant you would think we would get noticed. Wine was ordered a red and a white, the waiter didn't even ask who was having what and poured just one glass, the others had to wave him down for a pour. We had to ask for extra menus, we decided on the "David's Deluxe Banquet" and two serves of dumplings to get the night cracking.

The banquet was a hit and miss mess, as was our under enthused waiter who smashed a wine glass, dropped a bottle of wine and had to be reminded constantly for refills as the wine bottles aren't kept on the table. The final straw for me was when we were leaving, once again the restaurant was empty (10pm) all the waiters were standing around the bar doing what not and as we were walking out you would think that at least one would say goodbye and thank you - NOTHING and at $100 a head I find that ridiculous. Thank god for the company, we still laughed and had a great night all knowing that we would never return.

The deluxe banquet includes; $49 per head

• Mixed seafood San Choi Bao
• Salt and Pepper Calamari
• Peking Duck (2 pancakes each)
• Stir fried fish fillet with snow peas in coriander, light ginger and garlic (served with steamed rice)
• Pan fried tender eye fillet steak with seasonal vegetables in secret ginger soy sauce with a side of lightly stir fried Shanghai spinach and bamboo shoots (served with fried rice)
• Golden Almond Pudding served with vanilla ice cream

Prawn dumpling, I eaten my fair share in prawn dumplings and these are up there with some of the best I've had. Consensus from the table was the same.

 Lets play spot the seafood, for a mixed seafood san choi bao I found it hard to find the seafood it was in a sea of snow peas! Also I hate restaurants that are stingy with the hoison sauce, put a little ramekin of it on the side.

These can recommended, Pork Shu Mai dumplings, I didn't have one after a bad experience with the "soupy dumplings" from a place in the city. The table said they were delicous, however all the soup dripped out by the time it got to your plate.

After the san choi bao it was the salt and pepper calamari, i'm sorry I don't have a picture of this it was too tasty and we had all gobbled it up before I realised. The calamari was soft and the batter was light a perfectly seasoned, a little bit more chilli and I would have been a happy camper.

The peking duck was also lovely, however the hoison sauce fell to the bottom of the pancake so your last bite was predominatly sauce.

The fish fillet looks like what it tasted and it was COLD, not only were we seated in the brightest part of the restaurant we were seated directly under two airconditioning units. By the time the waiter "showed" us what we were eating and served the proportions up the meal was cold. (Emphasis on show, he hardly communicated what it was and to get our attention he would just put the meal in front of us). It was ok, im not one for ordering fish at chinese restaurants its usually powdering rockling. The steamed rice was also hard and cold.



The eye fillet was a win, this was really nice but once again it came out cold after finally being served up. It was exactly how it was described, tender and the sauce was tasty. Would have been even tastier if it was hot.

Dessert - i'm not even going to explain this disgusting thing. I couldn't even be bothered getting my camera out to take a picture. I can't beleive they served it to us. It was a slab of orange almond pudding dusted with almond meal and a triangle block of vanilla icecrem straight from the safeway freezer. It was also presented on a side plate, making it even more obvious that no effort was put into the last meal. Maybe they hope people will be too full to eat dessert. The consistancy of the pudding was like hard turkish delight.

I don't think I would have been as negative in this review if we had at least five minutes of service throughout the night. When you are paying $100 a head for dinner you expect to walk away from the restaurant happy with the whole experience, we left having no feelings. I guess you win some and lose some, it was the dinner clubs first flop. Still a great night out though, good friends and cocktails at Vodka Borsche and Tears will do that.

To yum things up: wait staff are terrible, don't order a banquet, wine list is great, dumplings are a must, don't come here for a special occasion, request a table in the raised dining area, how they get a chefs hat from The Age each year baffles me.

4 Cecil Place

Prahran VIC 3181

03) 9529 5199

side dishes for breakfast

Cumulus Inc - Melbourne City

I think I can call myself a breakfast aficionado, I have been going out for breakfast nearly two to three times a week since 2004. I've tried everything and anything, and I am starting to get bored. You can only have so many muffins, muesli's and eggs before things start to get stale. So it was refreshing to be stumped when the breakfast menu arrived at Cumulus Inc. No bacon and eggs on this menu. This place is hip, they don't even have Herald Sun's to read only The Age and Australian!! If you are just with two sit up on the bench overlooking the kitchen, it makes the start to the day even more memorable. I live about 30 minutes out of the City so I hardly visit (shame on me), but since visiting we have been back three times for breaky. Things are no longer stale.

Sardines on toast with red onion, roma tomatoes, fresh herbs and the crunchiest yummiest bread.

65/65 egg with smoked salmon, dill, apple and again the crunchiest yummiest bread. The egg is slowly poached in its shell then carefully removed, producing the runniest egg I have ever eaten. This was an extra bonus for me, I can't go near eggs if the yolk has gone hard. No hard yolks at Cumulus!!

What's breakfast without a made to order Madeline and another latte.

People who sleep in waste the day and miss out on beautiful breakfasts.

To yum things up: get in early - before 9am, bring your own Herald Sun if that's what your into (on weekends I am!), be prepared for a menu that is left of centre, order a Madeline and enjoy the quietness of the morning.

45 Flinders Lane

Melbourne, 3000

03) 9650 1445

March 2011 - Grossi Florentino (Grill)

Hannahs Choice

Special Guest - Katie

Oh what a decadent day I've had. Breakfast at the Little Ox then off to the worlds longest lunch put together by The Age and Gabriel Gate, churros at Movida for afternoon tea then pre drinks at Madame Brussels. Bloated yet - no way! Tonights restaurant was a surprise. Who doesn't love a surprise? After a pitcher of a summery punch it was off to wine and dine. Just a quick walk from Madame Brussels and there we were at one of Melbourne's most iconic restaurants.  Grossi's. A few years back I went to a private function upstairs for the Italian Chamber of Commerce (I worked for a PR company that organised the event) Guy Grossi cooked us a meal using all the products the chamber import and wish to import. Sitting next to me was the gorgeous Bob Hart (food critic) and his wife, what a spectacular night I had. Tonight had some expectations to live up to.

The pictures of our entree don't do the food justice so I decided not to include them. A selection from the antipasto menu defiantly got our taste buds going. Duck liver parfait, fried mozzarella sandwiches, sausage and olives, and saffron arancini balls. I'll let your mind salivate.  

Add cap

Everyone ordered a different main, nothing i hate more than going out to dinner with people who all order the same thing BORING. From the grill - Quaglie alla diavola - boned quails with a lemon, chilli and oil marinade paired with delish polenta.

Paisleys main - Costolette di agnello - crumbed lamb cutlets with goats cheese, and a pea, mint and mache salad.

Charlies main - Filetto di vitello arrosto - veal fillet with braised lentils, bacon shallots and parsnip.



Hannahs main, a self confessed spaghetti marinara nut couldn't go past this dish. The plate was clean but she said she has had better!!

Katies main - Cacciucco in bianco -Fish and shellfish braised "In bianco", garlic, olive oil,white wine, chilli, with bruschetta. Dish of the night.

Sides - cauliflower gratin (will order two next time, it was a fight for a second serve), salad of shredded mixed leaves and salted ricotta and Italian fried potato's with rosemary of course!

Dessert - tiramisu served at the table, WIN

Sorbets, affagatos and espresso martini's for the rest of the table. My expectations were defiantly lived up to.

To yum things up: request a seat in the window when booking (very romantic), come on a Friday or Saturday night and really enjoy your night out, order entree, main and dessert, don't need to order fancy wine the house stuff does the job, order sides and extra of the cauliflower gratin mmmm yum!

80 Bourke St

Melbourne, 3000

03) 9662 1811

side dishes at the local thai

Thai Saffron - Brighton

An oldie but a goodie, the must do Thai place in Bayside. Famous for its yellow curry with chicken, I believe its won an award in The Age.

Just popped in for a quick meal with the ladies. Once again you will most likely have to book or you'll get stuck upstairs and miss out on the buzz of the downstairs restaurant. Whether its for take away or eat in Thai Saffron never disappoints. I do prefer to get take away from here, the acoustics aren't right and its hard to hear the person next to you.

Entree: Thai fish cakes with sweet dipping sauce, I love my fish cakes chewy with the slight hint of fresh herbs. 

Main: THE FAMOUS YELLOW CURRY, chicken, potato, onion and natural yogurt. No matter what time of the year it is, this with a bit of rice and roti makes the heart strong.

Main: Stir fry with chicken and cashew nuts

 PAD THAI - another tasty dish from Thai Saffron and a must order at any thai!

To yum things up: a perfect take away meal for any night of the week, good priced meal for a catch up with friends, BYO, book a table - request one in the window.

135 Church St

Brighton 3186

03 9592 9097

February - I Carusi

I came back, for a romantic Valentines Day dinner with my substitute boyfriends! I'm a bit behind in blogging about this lovers dinner but the menu at the rustic I Carusi hasn't changed in a while. No leaking roof this time, just a table dressed smartly in white linen on the footpath of Barkley St. The sun was out and romance was in the air, tables of two everywhere. I wasn't envious at all, I was on a date with two hotties with no awkward silences or hand holding.

What's more romantic than sharing a meal, stunningly simple antipasto to begin, a substantial serving of meat, vegetables, olives and crunchy herb bread. The eggplant and capsicum has been roasted so it melts in your mouth.

The pizza sizes are just enough for three people if you order two and have had antipasto to begin. Il gamberi and a salami, fresh basil and tomato were the pizza choices for the night. Thin bases, homemade sauce and the produce is so fresh it makes you cringe to think people eat pizza hut pizzas! These two choices were Delicious, however there was so much tomato going, I would order one or the other. The pizza menu is extensive so there will be no difficulty choosing another one.

To yum things up: they take bookings here now (did i just let the secret out), wine gets served in latte glasses - try the pinot grigio DELICIOUS



Antipasto for four - enough for three if your hungry!



Pizza with fresh basil, salami, and sliced tomato

Gamberi

231 Barkly St

St Kilda 3182

03 9593 6033