Wine Bar

Cumulus Up

Oysters

= ★★★

Fried chickpeas with spiced salt

= ★★★★★

Olives and pickles

= ★★★

Smoked ocean trout, Jerusalem artichoke and lemon

= ★★★★

Kitchen charcuterie selection (smoked brisket, prosciutto, salami)

= ★★★

Cracked wheat & freekeh salad with barberries

= ★★★

Lentil Salad

= ★★★

Duck waffle, foie gras, prune

= ★★★★

Roast potatoes and confit garlic

= ★★★

Lettuce and candied walnut salad

= ★★

Confit duck leg, parsnip and sauce Bourguingnon

= ★★★★

Chocolate ice cream sandwich, salted caramel

= ★★★

Overall:

I got really excited as soon as I saw ‘Fried chickpeas’ on the menu as I’ve had them before at Cumulus Inc and found them to be totally amazing. Looking through the menu there were so many things that we wanted to try so we decided to go with the Chef’s Selection. Now this turned out to be the best decision ever as the food was sensational and there was just so much of it! The staff were helpful and professional, and the decor was rustic yet very sleek. If you like Cumulus Inc then you would no doubt like its smaller upstairs sibling. This is certainly a place I would happily return to.

Cumulus Up

45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

8658 3110

http://cumulusinc.com.au/up

Double Happiness

(left to right)

No. 1 – vodka, orgeat, lime, pineapple juice. No. 3 – sparkling ale, lemon juice, sugar syrup, peach bitters. No. 6 – plum wine, mint, lime, cloudy apple

Overall:

How could I say no to bubble tea cocktails? Each delicious cocktail came in a familiar sealed plastic cup and was served with coconut jelly and popping boba. I am now convinced that popping boba will make any cocktail taste better and of course be more fun to drink. If only more places added them to their cocktails. This place had a strong Chinese communist theme going on but the general vibe was really cool and relaxed so I stopped noticing the decor after a little while. Unfortunately there is limited seating at this intimate bar however reservations can be made for groups.

Double Happiness

21 Liverpool St, Melbourne

9650 4488

Sun Moth Canteen & Bar

Fried bread, green olives, lemon, chilli, garlic and percorino

These crunchy little morsels were very addictive.

★★★☆☆

Duck liver parfait, salted figs and candied walnuts

Solid parfait that initially refused to come out of the jar but ended up being quite tasty.

★★☆☆☆

Sweet corn and chicken soup with buttermilk dumplings, spring onions and greens

A light Asian style soup with gnocchi-like dumplings.

★★☆☆☆

Mushroom, olive and barley risotto

This hearty risotto was perfectly cooked and had a delightfully rich mushroom flavour.

★★★★☆

Overall:

Enjoyable food, chillaxed atmosphere, clean and simple decor. A great place to unwind.

Sun Moth Canteen & Bar

28 Niagara Lane, Melbourne

9602 4554

Sun Moth

*Disclaimer: I dined as a guest of Sun Moth Canteen & Bar and the team at Zomato.

Tipo 00

House made focaccia with ricotta and basil oil

★★★☆☆

Gnocchi di patate

(braised duck, porcini mushroom and pecorino pepato)

Perfectly textured gnocchi that was light, smooth and springy, while the duck and mushroom sauce was simply delicious .

★★★★☆

Verdura

(green beans, snow peas, witlof, goats cheese and almonds)

★★★☆☆

Riso carnaroli

(moreton bay bug risotto)

Well cooked risotto, strong distinguishable taste of moreton bay bug.

★★★★☆

Overall:

Named after the finely ground flour used to make pizza and pasta, Tipo 00 is a place that offers simple yet quality Italian fare. No wonder it was one of Melbourne’s best new restaurants of 2014 according to the Good Food guide. I highly recommend getting the chef’s menu which allows you to sample a delicious range of starters, pasta and dessert.

Tipo 00

361 Little Bourke St, Melbourne, VIC

(03) 9942 3946

http://www.tipo00.com.au/

The Collection

Cucumber Gimlet (cucumber infused gin, lime, elderflower syrup, orange bitters shaken and charged with sparkling wine)

★★★☆☆

Nilla Killa (vanilla vodka, apple, strawberry liqueur, vanilla shaken and served tall)

★★★☆☆

Mac and cheese croquettes with hog crackling crumble and cajun aioli

★★★☆☆

Buffalo chicken wings in hot sauce with blue cheese dressing

★★★☆☆

French fries with slow cooked chilli beef and cheese sauce

★★☆☆☆

New England lobster rolls (crayfish, baby cos lettuce, kewpie mayo)

★★☆☆☆

Southern fried chicken, country gravy, cornbread waffles, whipped maple butter

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

Brilliant cocktails, good variety of dishes, prompt service, charming decor.

The Collection

328 Bridge Rd, Richmond, VIC

(03) 9429 8333

http://thecollectionbar.com.au

Lorem Ipsum

Tomato and mozzarella macaron

Crab, corn, yogurt and yuzu sake canapés

Scallops, black pudding, triple-cream mash

Sticky pork pancake, sweet pickle, togarashi mayo

Beef brisket, sauerkraut and secret sauce on brioche

Braised lamb, caramelised shallot puree, pickled onion, salt bush

Passionfruit tartlet

Hidden at the far end of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, this impressive pop-up gala event space is the first of its kind in Melbourne and aims to create an experience unlike any other. Lorem Ipsum is a space that captures Melbourne’s creativity, design and culinary culture. The space features stunning chandeliers, spectacular floor-to-ceiling gold pressed panelling, state-of-the-art audio and visual as well as the single largest outdoor area of a function venue in Melbourne. In fact Lorem Ipsum has the capacity to host gala dinners or lunches for 500 to 1200 people and cocktail functions for up to 2000 people. This unique space is available for end of year gala events from Thursday 3 December to Tuesday 22 December inclusive. For bookings or more details visit http://www.loremipsummelb.com.au.

Lorem Ipsum

*Disclaimer: I was invited as a guest of Lorem Ipsum.

Punch Lane

House smoked tuna, goats curd, pickled fennel, mustard seeds

This entree was originally served on a different plate and our waiter divided up the contents, hence the careless presentation. The creamy goats curd, sharp fennel and spicy mustard seeds were perfect accompaniments for the wonderfully smoky tuna.

★★★☆☆

Roasted quail, almond cream, grape bath, vine leaf, red grapes

Crispy tender quail with extremely sweet grapes.

★★☆☆☆

Roast baby snapper, cauliflower, capers

★★☆☆☆

John Dee Black Angus scotch fillet, roasted shallots, harissa and watercress

The harissa was quite mild and did not overpower the tender scotch fillet

★★☆☆☆

Peanut butter parfait, dulce de leche, peanut brittle

The parfait itself was delicious but remarkably rich. Sharing this dessert would be a good idea.

★★☆☆☆

‘A bit of a mess’: strawberry sorbet, frangipane, custard, meringue, Antico Rosso jelly

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

I first ventured here almost a year ago and I remember being truly impressed with the food. Thus I decided to once again order the five course menu however this time I left feeling disappointed. The food was good but not outstanding (like my previous visit) and the portions served were TINY. (The tuna and quail each took all but three small bites to finish). In fact we ended up having a second dinner someplace else that night. I understand that fancy places tend to have smaller portions and I wouldn’t be grumbling so much had the dishes been more superlative. Perhaps things will be different with the next menu change. On a positive note the service was wonderful and the atmosphere was lively. I really do hope that Punch Lane was just having an off night with their food.

Punch Lane

43 Little Bourke St, Melbourne, VIC

(03) 9639 4944

http://punchlane.com.au/

Coombe – the Melba Estate

675 Maroondah Hwy, Coldstream 9739 0173

A little while ago I had the opportunity to attend a private garden tour and morning tea at Coombe – The Melba Estate. This stunning property was once home to Dame Nellie Melba, Australia’s first world-famous opera singer.

The 2.8 hectare garden was designed by William Guilefoyle, who also designed Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens.

Hedge

Six hundred metres of beautifully manicured cypress hedges can be found here. By getting into a crouching position and slowly shuffling forward, I was able to squeeze into this particular hedge opening and experience being inside of an enormous hedge. It was pretty cool.

Not only does this spectacular garden contain plants (including rare ones), it also contains…

an old English oak tree (estimated to be over 180 years old)…

Victoria’s oldest swimming pool (built in 1913)…

vegetable gardens…

chickens…

a croquet lawn…

and much more. So after our garden tour, it was time for morning tea!

Top Tier: Fresh baked scones, Peach Melba Jam, Clotted cream

Middle Tier: Lemon meringue tartlet, Strawberry tartlet, Dark and white chocolate truffle, Friands

Bottom Tier: Pork and apple sausage rolls, Leek and Persian feta quiche, Coombe Farm pate on Melba toast, Asparagus dill cream cheese pinwheel, Smoked salmon ribbon sandwiches

Overall:

The restaurant is located within the restored motor house and historic clock tower, having a design that cleverly incorporated old and new. I found the huge glass windows that overlook the gardens to be particularly impressive. The morning tea served was good but nothing outstanding. Perhaps the brunch or lunch here is more delectable as seasonal and estate grown produce are used. Nevertheless I loved the history of this estate and the calming picturesque gardens. It’s amazing how after more than a century, this estate is now open to the public. Note that this place is available for weddings and private functions.

*Disclaimer: I was invited as a guest of Two Hands Agency. All food ratings & review are purely based on my own experiences and how I felt about the service, food and quality at the time of visit.

Mister Jennings

Frozen kangaroo, wasabi, nashi

As soon as I began chewing this icy cold dish, I realised that frozen meat is not something I enjoy. The idea is for the meat to thaw in your mouth thereby changing its flavour and texture. It was an interesting experience but not for me.

★☆☆☆☆

GMS sirloin

★★☆☆☆

Pork, lime pickle, silverbeet

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

Small portions, efficient service, orderly decor. Not a place I am likely to return to.

Mister Jennings

142 Bridge Rd, Richmond, VIC

(03) 9078 0113

http://misterjennings.com.au/

Breslin Bar & Grill

3 Southbank Boulevard, Southbank 9686 2110

Pork Ribs (half rack)

Fantastic melt in your mouth ribs covered in a sweet sticky sauce

=★★★

Wagyu Beef Burger with Twice cooked thick cut chips

(wagyu beef, Swiss cheese, caramelised onion, truffle mayonnaise, tomato, baby cos lettuce)

= ★★

Chorizo Croquettes

= ★★

Overall:

A friend of mine mentioned how great the ribs are at Breslin Bar & Grill and thankfully I was not disappointed. The ribs here are slow cooked for 16 hours and are then char grilled over a wood fire. A must try for those who are a fan of ribs. Ambience was great and the service was prompt.