Modern Australian

Public Inn

Roast duck breast, heirloom carrot, aged balsamic and bergamot, beetroot, kohlrabi

I initially mistook the carrots for chillies. Those tricky carrots.

★★★★☆

Ocean farmed cobia, green beans, miso and black garlic, sweet potato, ice plant, fermented chili and bisque

★★★☆☆

Rare Wagyu sirloin, smoked olive and Parmesan, lemon, thyme, potato beignet, beef gratin pastry, fennel

★★★★☆

Lemon and vanilla wild rice, black pepper ice cream, caramel popcorn, apricot syrup

The ice cream on its own was very peppery and needed to be eaten with the sweetened rice to balance the flavours out.

★★★☆☆

Overall:

Located in what was once Castlemaine’s original fire station, Public Inn is a charming bistro and bar that offers marvellous food and exceptional service. Certainly worth a visit if you are in the Castlemaine area.

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Public Inn

26a Templeton St, Castlemaine, VIC

(03) 5472 3568

http://www.publicinn.com.au/

Percy’s Aeroplane Cafe

Matcha Hotcakes

(green tea hotcakes sandwiched between a Nutella brioche donut drizzled with chocolate ganache, pistachio and a dollop of whipped cream served with fresh and reduced red berries)

Deliciously decadent without being excessively sweet.

★★★★☆

Percy Thyme

(roasted mushrooms infused with thyme and garlic, tossed through baby spinach and served on smashed avocado and multigrain toast, served with dukkah, goats curd and a poached egg)

A good solid dish however the serving size of this used to be larger.

★★★☆☆

Pulled Pork Benedict

(poached eggs smothered in apple cider hollandaise, apple, roast pumpkin, onion, garlic and carrot, resting on a toasted pan de mie bun)

The toasted bun was surprisingly incredible! Generously buttered, soft in the middle and ultra crispy around the edges. The rest of the dish was also quite tasty however the rubbery overcooked eggs were a disappointing let down.

★★★☆☆

Matcha latte

Weak and watery.

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

A friend of mine suggested this place for a recent catchup and I was pleasantly surprised with our experience. The atmosphere was comfortable and although we were seated by ourselves all the way in the back room, the service was great as the wait staff continually checked up on us to refill our water and ask if we needed anything. What I also liked about this place was the staff’s interest on customer feedback. Apart from asking the usual question of whether or not we enjoyed our meals, we were asked about our thoughts on the Matcha Hotcakes, which were a new menu item (eg. Was the serving size adequate? Was the dish sweet enough?). Serving sizes in general could be improved, but I’d still return if I was in the area.

Percy’s Aeroplane Cafe

96 Denmark Street, Kew, VIC

(03) 9939 7642

Morries Anytime

Fried Cauliflower

(chili, garlic, bean sprouts, coriander, peanuts, soy dressing)

A bit heavy on the soy dressing otherwise this was really delicious.

★★★★☆

Beetroot Gnocchi

(house-made gnocchi, pine nuts, citrus ricotta, kale, confit, tomatoes, almond garlic puree)

Wonderful flavours and textures, however the gnocchi was a little dense and chewy.

★★★★☆

Tempura Whiting

(apple, pine nut remoulade, lemon)

Crispy deep fried batter, fresh crunchy salad.

★★★☆☆

Overall:

We visited this popular place during lunch to take advantage of their $25 lunch special which included any lunch main with a glass of wine or beer. The service here was efficient, while the decor was modern and sleek. Definitely worth a visit if you are in the Margaret River area.

Morries Anytime

Shop 2/ 149 Bussell Hwy, Margaret River, WA

(08) 9758 8280

http://www.morries.com.au/

Little Creatures Fremantle Brewery

Roast pumpkin, pepita, pesto and ricotta woodfired pizza

★★★☆☆

Garlic chilli prawn, red pepper and salsa verde woodfired pizza

★★★★☆

Beef nachos, guacamole, jalapenos

★★★☆☆

Grilled chorizo

★★☆☆☆

Grilled chicken skewers, honey, chilli

★★☆☆☆

Charred corn cobs, manchego

★★★★☆

Overall:

Located in an enormous shed that was formerly a crocodile farm, the set up here is rather impressive as diners are surrounded by an array of massive beer tanks. No big surprise that this is the birthplace of Little Creatures Brewing. So not only is this the perfect place for grabbing a drink, the food here is pretty tasty and well portioned too. The lively atmosphere was great however the service was so-so. Getting the attention of the wait staff was a bit tricky as the place was so busy but at least the food came out in fairly good time.

Little Creatures Fremantle Brewery

40 Mews Rd, Fremantle, WA

(08) 6215 1000

https://littlecreatures.com.au/

Lot 3

Soda fountain with house-made sodas

Yuzu Soda

Zesty and aromatic, this soda was undeniably refreshing.

★★★★☆

Chai Latte

Creamy, subtly sweet and spicy.

★★★★☆

Refried Pasta In Red Sauce

Hearty with a delicious sweetness from the caramelised onions.

★★★☆☆

Pressed Pork Jowl In A Bun

Fantastic combination of flavours, crunchy tender pork.

★★★★☆

Eggplant Parma In A Bun

A very palatable burger except the eggplant was extremely soft and just went everywhere with every bite.

★★★★☆

Overall:

Located in the former train master’s house at Ripponlea Station, Lot 3 is a unique eatery that offers uncomplicated quality food. The owners previously worked at Attica and take pride in hand making almost everything on their menu here at Lot 3. Although there are only a handful of items on the menu, the menu does change weekly. The staff were lovely and the space is small and simple with only 16 seats available. I envy the commuters of Ripponlea Station and their easy access to this gem of a place.

Lot 3

3 Glen Eira Ave, Ripponlea, VIC

(03) 9972 9523

Morris Jones

Oysters with Champagne Granita

House-made Beer and Caraway Seed Bread with Honey Butter

Salt and Vinegar Saltbush Chips

Morris Jones Salmon

Champagne Poached Salmon, Yuzu Seeds, Candied Chilli, Honey Pumpkin

A close up of the salmon

Southern Fried Quail, Turnips, Szechuan-pepper, Quince

Wild Barramundi, Broccoli Couscous, Chicken Skin, Champagne Veloute

Otway Crispy Pork, Wilted Kale, Cloudy Bar Clams, Masterstock

Le Delice Triple Cream Cheese, Honey, Quince, Truffle Oil

Nitro Violet Crumble

(honeycomb, violet ice cream, popping candy, chocolate)

Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial Champagne

Overall:

I recently had the pleasure of attending the launch of Morris Jones’ Moet & Chandon Champagne Lunch. Head Chef Matthew Butcher has previously worked under a number of world renowned chefs (ie. Gordon Ramsay, Shannon Bennett of Vue De Monde and Ryan Clift of Tippling Club in Singapore), so I was really looking forward to the his lunch menu creations. And I was not disappointed! Each dish was original, beautifully presented, and tasted incredible. I don’t think I could pick a favourite dish as I relished everything we sampled and would order it all again. However a special mention is needed for the salt and vinegar saltbush chips. Who would have thought that leaves could taste this awesome?!?! These unique chips are a must try!

Champagne lunches are now available at Morris Jones on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (2 courses for $35 and 3 courses for $45 which includes a glass of wine).

Morris Jones

163 Chapel St, Windsor, VIC

(03) 9533 2055

Home – Current

*Disclaimer: I dined as a guest of HRPR and Morris Jones.

The Roving Marrow

Manuka smoked duck breast, liver parfait, caramel apricot

Well cooked duck with a wonderful combination of flavours.

★★★☆☆

Mozzarella pasta, peas, goats cheese

The mozzarella pasta was so amazingly smooth, while the fresh peas and goats cheese added incredible taste and texture.

★★★★★

Whole wheat sour dough with burnt butter

Quality butter and delicious sourdough fresh from the oven.

★★★★☆

Hen’s egg, smoked potato, shiitake, mushroom

Small but tasty.

★★★★☆

Potato chips and dip

These triple cooked chips were ordinary however the wasabi aioli dip was seriously top-notch.

★★★☆☆

Skull island prawn, creamed corn, kimchi salt

More delicious prawns please!

★★★☆☆

Strawberries, meringue, lychees, fragrant watermelon jelly

If only this strange watermelon jelly sheet contained something that looked and tasted more inspiring.

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

Sleek decor, attentive service, exceptional quality food. A place I would happily return to.

The Roving Marrow

418 Lygon St, Carlton, VIC

(03) 9347 7419

http://www.theastorcarlton.com.au/restaurant/

Brae

Asparagus, sea butter, olive plant

Raw pea & lemon aspen tart, Brook trout & nut butter crisp

Prawn, nasturtium, finger lime

Iced Oyster, Beef tendon & mountain pepper

Chilled broth of broad bean, green almond, strawberry, fig leaf & yoghurt whey

Sourdough (made from hand milled wheat and baked on site) & freshly churned butter (made from locally sourced jersey cows)

Calamari, black lip abalone, broccoli & blue mackerel

Artichokes & salt grass lamb washed with mussel juice & citrus

Potato & jerusalem artichoke crisps served with a single poached yolk

Bass groper, cured back fat, walnut & butter braised turnip

Aged Pekin duck wood roasted on the bone, quandong, dried liver

Milk, honey & mandarin

Parsnip & apple

Rhubarb, pistachio, blood & preserved blackberry

Overall:

I visited Brae late last year so this post is a bit overdue.

Impressively ranked at number 87 in the world’s 100 best restaurants list of 2015, Brae is undeniably a place where you will find quality food and innovation. Located 130km southwest of Melbourne in the small town of Birregurra, our visit to Brae was indeed a fun little road trip. As soon as we arrived we noticed some construction happening right next to the parking lot. We later found out that this was to become six on-site accommodation suites which will open from February 2016.

As we stepped into the simple weatherboard farmhouse, we were warmly greeted and guided to our seats. Service throughout our meal was exceptional (as to be expected), with the staff being friendly, courteous and efficient. The origins of each dish was diligently explained and all my random questions about the food and the restaurant were happily answered. The atmosphere in the dining area was bright and comfortable, and we were also able to get a glimpse into the kitchen from our table which was nice.

A great deal of care and attention to detail was seen with the presentation of each dish, and although I throughly enjoyed sampling everything on their degustation menu, I did have my favourites and my not-so-favourites. My not-so-favourite was easily the asparagus. Sure it was fresh and crisp, but a single stalk of asparagus does not get me salivating. Luckily the asparagus was served first because it all went uphill from there. The absolute stand out dishes for me were the prawns and the iced oyster. The prawn heads and the prawn parcels bursted with amazing flavours, while the iced oyster turned out to be sweet and creamy, similar to a deliciously smooth ice cream with a gentle hint of oyster.

Our visit to Brae was a lovely experience and it is a great place to head to for memorable world class food.

Brae

4285 Cape Otway Rd, Birregurra, VIC

(03) 5236 2226

http://braerestaurant.com/

Scarvelli Cafe

Wood Fired Salmon

Torn wood fired smoked salmon, caramelised onion, minted pea and caper frittata, rocket, avocado and tomato corn salsa, poached egg

Ample salmon, fresh ingredients and a perfectly poached egg made up this colourful dish.

★★★☆☆

Milawa Chicken

Poached Milawa free range chicken breast, organic soba noodle salad, nori sesame dressing

The chicken was slightly dry but overall this dish was light, fresh and very filling.

★★★☆☆

Orange, Watermelon and Apple Juice

★★★★☆

Iced Chocolate

★★★★☆

Overall:

A cheery comfortable cafe with flavoursome food and a newly revamped food menu. There wasn’t a drinks menu when we visited however the usual range of drinks were available along with a variety of juices that you can mix and match yourself. Service was friendly however we did have to wait a long time for our food to arrive (during a non busy period), so perhaps there are still some kinks in the kitchen that need to be worked out.

Scarvelli Cafe

143 Whitehorse Rd, Balwyn, VIC

(03) 9816 8887

http://scarvellicafe.com.au/

*Disclaimer: I dined as a guest of Scarvelli Cafe.

12’s Cafe & Co

Gold Sticker

(pan fried dumplings with crispy flake)

These light and crispy dumplings were tasty on their own so I didn’t even need the chilli dipping sauce.

★★★☆☆

Potato Pocket

(crispy potato croquette filled with crab, corn and creamy sauce)

Predominantly potato.

★★☆☆☆

Chicken Ribs

(crunchy panko crumbed chicken spare ribs)

Fantastically crispy and well flavoured.

★★★★☆

Crackling Crackle

(roast pork crackling chips)

Lightly salted, non greasy and satisfyingly crunchy.

★★★☆☆

Char Siu So

(BBQ pork in puff pastry)

Delicious yum cha fusion.

★★★☆☆

PC 007

(potato chips with 7 herbs and spices)

Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, nicely seasoned.

★★★☆☆

Peking Duck

(12’s Peking duck with salad greens, pickles, cucumber, served in a twister roll with plum sauce)

A fresh take on the classic Peking Duck Pancakes. The succulent duck and the crispy skin was simply moreish.

★★★★☆

Crispy Hainanese Chicken Salad

(steamed chicken with crispy skin served on cold soba and salad with 12’s soy and sesame dressing)

★★★☆☆

Tempura Soft Shell Crab

(soft shell crab served with cold soba and salad with 12’s soy and sesame dressing)

★★★☆☆

Pork

(slow cooked pork belly in master stock served on rice cake with Thai green apple salad)

This pork belly was seriously amazing! Cooked in an 80% steam oven, the fat is rendered out allowing the stock to completely infuse leading to incredible melt in your mouth pork minus the grease! I wasn’t a fan of the rice cake however which was very chewy and sticky, and would have preferred regular rice.

★★★★☆

Chicken

(grilled chicken fillet braised with house blended sweet soy sauce, served with shiitake mushroom rice and wafu salad)

Tender chicken that was full of flavour.

★★★☆☆

Green Tea Latte

A tad grainy with too much foam for my liking.

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

Opening a cafe has always been the dream for owner Jack Kwan. After venturing to Hong Kong to learn all the techniques associated with Hong Kong barbecuing, Jack decided to open up 12’s Cafe & Co, which fuses Chinese barbecue together with Modern Australian cuisine.

Although the place appears small and unassuming at the front…

the beer garden out the back was quite spacious and certainly impressive!

They even have a ping pong table which also functions as a dining table that seats up to 16 people. 12’s Cafe & Co is a great addition to the Camberwell area however opening hours are somewhat limited with the place being closed on Sundays and between 3-5pm on all the other days.

12’s Cafe & Co

207 Camberwell Rd, Hawthorn East, VIC

(03) 9042 3986

http://12s.com.au/index.html

*Disclaimer: I dined as a guest of 12’s Cafe & Co.