The Gem Bar and Dining

Ranch style beans with brisket ends

Sweet and spicy.

★★★☆☆

Mac & cheese, Zesty coleslaw, Potato salad

★★☆☆☆

Southern style cornbread

Extremely crumbly with corn kernels and pieces of capsicum.

★★☆☆☆

(from L to R)

Smoked Angus beef sausages

These were tasty however the casings were tough and chewy, and once these sausages had cooled down, each bite left a pool of oil in our mouths.

★★☆☆☆

Pork, fennel and chilli sausages

Smoky, spicy, slightly dry.

★★☆☆☆

Pork belly

Marginally dry.

★★☆☆☆

Beef brisket

Salty, not particularly smoky.

★★☆☆☆

Pulled pork

Tender, lacked flavor.

★★☆☆☆

Lamb ribs

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

Casual atmosphere, average service, unexceptional food. I’d probably go elsewhere for American BBQ.

The Gem Bar and Dining

289 Wellington St, Collingwood, VIC

(03) 9419 5170

http://thegembar.com.au/

Mork Chocolate Brew House

Peanut Brittle Brownie Ball

Tremendously rich and decadent, with a fudge-like centre and a sweet crunchy exterior.

★★★☆☆

Original Dark Hot Chocolate (70% cacao)

Quality cocoa powder, thin slightly powdery drink.

★★☆☆☆

Layered Chocolate (chilled chocolate, warm orange zest and vanilla bean custard)

The chilled chocolate tasted like regular chocolate milk however the custard was simply amazing. Not only was it delicious but it was also light and airy which meant that it was able to sit on top of the chocolate layer. We were told not to mix the chocolate and custard together but to drink it as it was, allowing the chocolate to carry through the custard with each sip.

★★★★☆

Overall:

Expect to find quality chocolate drinks and rich desserts at this popular little place. We were told that the wait for a table was 40 minutes so decided to get takeaways instead (because who in their right mind would wait that long for a hot chocolate?) We were told that the Chocolate Soda, A Chocolate Bar and the Campfire Chocolate were not available as takeaways which was a shame because I really wanted to try the Campfire Chocolate as it is served with actual smoke. Service was friendly however due to the limited seating and pricey menu items, I won’t be in a rush to come back here any time soon. I’d rather buy some Mörk chocolate powder and enjoy it at home.

Mork Chocolate Brew House

150 Errol St, North Melbourne, VIC

(03) 9328 1386

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Mazzitelli

Pan fried gnocchi with ricotta, napoli and mozzarella

The gnocchi itself was on the dense side however the sauce was light and full of flavour.

★★★☆☆

Risotto with roast duck, porcini mushrooms and red wine

Delicious flavours, well cooked rice, super crispy duck, fabulous comfort food.

★★★★☆

Layered eggplant lasagne with 24 month Grana Padano

I am a fan of eggplant and no doubt found this dish to be very tasty. If only there was a bit more eggplant and a bit less sauce.

★★★☆☆

Cheese Board – Mauri Gorgonzola, Tallegio and Grana Padano served with house made fig and walnut toast

★★☆☆☆

Buttermilk Panna Cotta with strawberry, basil and housemade biscotti

Light and creamy, slightly tart and yogurt-like from the buttermilk.

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

Fantastic service, warm intimate atmosphere, enjoyable Italian fare. Note that the pasta and risotto dishes here constantly change which means something new and exciting to try at every visit.

Mazzitelli

144 Bridge Rd, Richmond, VIC

(03) 9427 1887

http://www.mazzitelli.com.au/

Muskaan K Indian Gourmet

Garlic Naan (flour bread with crushed garlic)

Butter Chicken Curry (chicken in tomato cream sauce)

Aloo Baigan (eggplant, potato, tomato, onion, coriander)

Chilli Cheese Naan (flour bread with cheese, green chilli, coriander)

★★☆☆☆

Goat Curry

★★☆☆☆

Mango Lassi

Sweet, yogurty, refreshing.

★★★☆☆

Overall:

After reading so many fantastic reviews about this place, I left feeling a little bit disappointed. The food was unexceptional and the place was more like a takeaway shop than a dine in restaurant. Nevertheless the service was great as were the prices.

Muskaan K Indian Gourmet

3/273 Huntingdale Rd, Huntingdale, VIC

(03) 9544 9005

http://muskaankindiangourmet.com.au/

Moroccan Soup Bar

Hummus, yoghurt, olives, potatoes, eggplant and pickled carrots served with flatbread

Roasted eggplant, yogurt, rice, almonds

Tomato rice, yogurt, eggplant, salad, almonds

Rice and vegetables (cannot remember what this was exactly)

Chickpea bake (sumac, almonds, yoghurt, chickpeas, crunchy pita crisps)

Stewed pumpkin

Rice and salad (cannot remember what this was exactly)

Turmeric rice, lentils

7 Vegetables with couscous

Fried doughnuts, coconut date balls, pistachio baklava

Mint tea

Black coffee

Overall:

Whenever I used to think about Moroccan Soup Bar, I always thought about their chickpea bake. I had it for the first time a few years ago and I remember being blown away by how deliciously crunchy and creamy it was. I was seriously looking forward to sampling it again. The first thing I noticed about the chickpea bake this time around was was how oily it was. A lot of oil pooled on top of the yogurt and the pita crisps were also quite oily. I could only eat so much before I had to stop. Don’t get me wrong it’s still a nice dish, but I definitely did not enjoy it as much as I did previously.

A verbal menu is used here and this usually results in people choosing the easiest option which is a banquet. A $23 banquet includes dips, mains, dessert and coffee while a $28 banquet includes starters, dips, mains, dessert and coffee. We chose the $28 banquet which offered a good variety of dishes that were average to good, as well as extremely sweet desserts. The mint tea served reminded me of toothpaste while the coffee was nice and strong.

Service was average and the atmosphere was pleasant and homely. A few things to note: this place is closed on Mondays, bookings can only be made for 6 or more, and you need to bring your own containers if you order takeaway.

Moroccan Soup Bar

183 St Georges Rd, Fitzroy North, VIC

(03) 9482 4240

http://www.moroccansoupbar.com.au/

Chez Dré

Duck Sandwich – confit pulled duck, onion jam, red cabbage, grated apple, truffle mayonnaise and panini

A delicious combination of ingredients (including a considerable amount of duck) sandwiched between crispy panini bread. Seriously one of the best sandwiches that I’ve had in a long time.

★★★★★

Salmon Rillettes – beetroot relish, caperberries, poached eggs, beetroot crisps and toasted sourdough

Perfectly poached eggs, tasty salmon, piquant beetroot, briny caperberries.

★★★★☆

Prana Chai – masala blend with honey, black ceylon tea, spices and ginger

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

It’s been a few years since I last visited Chez Dré and my only regret from this visit was being too full to fit in any of their amazing desserts. I have to get an eclair the next time I come here! And a cheesecake…and a tart…possibly a macaron. Either way I must come back soon.

Chez Dré

Rear of 285-287 Coventry Street, South Melbourne, VIC

(03) 9690 2688

http://www.chezdre.com.au/

Kenji

Sushi Bento Box

California deluxe rolls, nigiri sushi, gyoza, chicken karaage, croquette, crumbed fried prawn, calamari ring, edamame, salad

★★☆☆☆

Prawn, scallop and seared salmon nigiri

★★☆☆☆

House Special roll

Tuna, yellow-tail, prawn and cucumber, wrapped in salmon

★★☆☆☆

Green Tea Thickshake

Tasted like vanilla ice cream with occasional lumps of matcha powder.

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

Warm and inviting atmosphere, lovely service, extensive menu, typical Japanese fare. Note that this place is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Kenji

Burwood Arcade Shop 10, 1405 Toorak Rd, Camberwell, VIC

(03) 9889 1084

Rudimentary

The Burger – soft shell crab, chili mayo, green apple, celery and mint

Flavoursome crab covered in crispy batter.

★★★☆☆

Organic Zeally Bay bun with smoked brisket, kimchi and asiago

Unexpected burger filling that would have been more enjoyable had the brisket been less salty.

★★★☆☆

Overall:

Footscray is not the first suburb that springs to mind when it comes to coffee and brunch. The owners of Rudimentary have done an excellent job at creating this earthy hipster cafe that makes you forget that you are in Footscray (that is until you look up at the high steel fencing surrounding the place). The cafe itself is cheery and vibrant with large open windows and clean neutral tones. From inside you would never guess that the building is in fact a couple of shipping containers welded together. Service was very efficient and I loved the fact that we were able to leave a name and contact number and be called when our table was ready. The menu here is quite small and has clear Asian influences (crispy pig’s ear anyone?). Everyone on our table decided to get a burger and the first thing we noticed was how incredibly thick the burger buns were. Not only were they thick but they were also quite dense making it impossible to squish down and fit into your mouth. I don’t know about you, but a cut up burger to me doesn’t taste as good as a burger I am able to hold in my hands and bite into.

In any case Rudimentary is a great addition to Footscray and I really hope that they continue to do well.

Rudimentary

16-20 Leeds St, Footscray, VIC

0497 058 173

Squires Loft Albert Park

300g Scotch with creamy garlic sauce and chips

★★☆☆☆

200g eye fillet with Danish blue cheese sauce and a baked potato

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

It’s been years since I last ate at a Squires Loft and couldn’t recall what the steaks were like. And that’s the thing, the steaks here were satisfactory, making them unmemorable to me. Squires Loft wouldn’t be the first place I would think of when I get a steak craving, but I also wouldn’t have any opposition coming here (if I happened to be in the area that is).

Squires Loft Albert Park

St Kilda Road Towers, 1 Queens Rd, Melbourne, VIC

(03) 9863 7700

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Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen

There’s a new ramen place in town Melbourne! Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen is a well known ramen chain based in the Philippines and this particular restaurant is in fact the first that has been opened in Australia. I recently had the opportunity to attend their soft opening event and was quite impressed with the decor (particularly with the wall paintings and Japanese calligraphy).

I’m not the biggest fan of sake…

But once it’s mixed with juice, it becomes refreshing and tasty!

Yakimeshi (Japanese Fried Rice)

Simple and light.

★★☆☆☆

Gyoza

These were really good: crispy on one side, soft on the other side, with a delicious filling.

★★★☆☆

Spicy Tobanjan Tonkotsu

Ramen with mildly spicy Tobanjan paste, pork, green onion, egg, black fungus, bean sprouts and dried seaweed.

★★☆☆☆

Ikkoryu Original Tonkotsu

Hearty Tonkotsu ramen with pork, green onion, egg, black fungus, bean sprouts and dried seaweed.

★★★☆☆

Overall:

I have always liked places where you can customise your own ramen. Now although the ramen here was good, it certainly wasn’t the best that I’ve had in Melbourne. The broth could have been creamier and portions could have been somewhat larger (considering the prices of these bowls). Nevertheless I think Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen has the potential to become a great izakaya with its delightful space and snack varieties on offer.

Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen

Basement, 27 Russell St, Melbourne

(03) 9659 3708

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*Disclaimer: I dined as a guest of Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen.