Ricotta

Alimentari

Toasted muesli, baked granny smith, lemon thyme yoghurt

The steaming hot apple was nicely unexpected however the muesli to yoghurt ratio could have been improved (more yoghurt, less muesli).

★★★☆☆

Fried eggs, harissa baked beans, braised greens, whipped feta, flat bread, olives, hash browns

Fantastic combination of flavours with the whipped feta being the highlight.

★★★★☆

Hash brown, baby spinach, poached eggs, bacon, hollandaise

A reasonable dish that could have been bigger in terms of portion size.

★★★☆☆

Spanikopita, ricotta, mixed greens, dill, feta, poached egg, with hash browns on the side

With flakey delicate pastry and a tasty ricotta filling, there was a lovely homemade quality about the spanikopita.

★★★★☆

Pan fried ricotta gnocchi, broccolini, garden peas, lemon, fresh ricotta, chilli

Fresh and zesty with delicious light clouds of gnocchi.

★★★★☆

Overall:

Pleasant staff, warm atmosphere and quality food with a beautiful deli at the front. Whatever you decide to order, make sure you get a side of their fantastic hash browns!

Alimentari

251 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, VIC

(03) 9416 2001

http://www.alimentari.com.au

Legacy

Hokey Pokey hotcakes with honeycomb, orange, ricotta, vanilla bean crème fraîche, pomegranates and strawberries

These hotcakes had a nice crispy outer ring but had to be eaten with the crème fraîche as they were a bit dry. The pomegranates provided good texture and the sticky honeycomb added a great element of sweetness.

★★★☆☆

Sweet potato, kale and amaranth fritters served with goat’s cheese, Kaiser bacon, cherry vine tomato chutney and a poached egg

Delicious fritters, fantastic bacon, terrific chutney, perfectly poached egg.

★★★★☆

Overall:

Outstanding menu, tasty food, simple decor with a strong brick theme. We were originally seated at some bar stools along the large communal table that took up most of the place, but asked to move as soon as one of the smaller tables became free. I usually don’t mind bar stools but when there isn’t a hook for your bag or anywhere to put your coat, it can get tricky balancing everything on your lap.

Legacy

347 Camberwell Rd, Camberwell, VIC

(03) 9041 1796

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/

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 Kettle Black

50 Albert Rd, South Melbourne 9088 0721

House-made coconut yogurt with gluten-free grains, seeds and nuts, Toorak Station prickly pear, rhubarb, citrus powders, fruits and flowers

This beautifully presented dish was fresh, healthy and surprisingly filling

= ★★★

Hotcakes with house-made ricotta, blueberries, pure maple, double cream and seeds

I’ve previously had this dish at Top Paddock and was looking forward to ricotta hotcake heaven.

Regrettably I didn’t find the hotcake here to be as good as the ones I’ve had at Top Paddock. Don’t get me wrong, this hotcake was still sweet, fluffy and delicious. It’s just that comparatively the edges weren’t crispy, the centre was a little bit soggy and the strawberries still had their stems on (which I know you can eat, but I just prefer my strawberries to be stemless).

= ★★★

Overall:

Half located on the ground floor of a modern apartment building and half in a classic Victorian terrance, the decor here is a stylish combination of modern and homely. A noteworthy team of people own the place including Jesse McTavish (chef from Top Paddock), Nathan Coleman (Top Paddock owner), Ben Clark and Diamond Rozakeas (also from Top Paddock), Tim James (former manager of Two Birds One Stone) and Sam King (ex-Seven Seeds and Place Holder). The menu here is fresh and innovative and the staff are very welcoming. While I don’t think this place rivals Top Paddock, it is still worth stopping by if you happen to be in the area.

Montalto Restaurant and Winery

33 Shoreham Rd, Red Hill South 5989 8412

Ricotta dumplings, roasted pumpkin, oyster mushroom, kale & pinenuts

Beef eye fillet, celeriac puree, asparagus, glazed shallots

Three pepper duck breast, whitlof tart

Overall:

The views that can be seen of the vineyard are simply stunning, and there are plenty of interesting sculptures scattered around the estate. Service was a bit slow even though they weren’t particularly busy at the time (weekday lunchtime). The food was beautifully presented although portions were smaller than what I would have liked. The dishes we ordered used fresh ingredients and were good but nothing spectacular. Would I come back just for the food? Probably not. But would I come back for the amazing views, unique sculptures and the wine? Perhaps.

The Grain Store

517 Flinders Lane, Melbourne 9972 6993

Apple, rhubarb & ricotta pancakes

Chilli & fennel sausage, winter vegetable hash

Lemon meringue pie

Thoughts:

Pancakes – Extraordinary! The combination of tangy rhubarb curd, sweet apple puree, crunchy oat and honeycomb crumble and the fluffy ricotta pancakes was simply fantastic = Excellent

Chilli & fennel sausage – the egg was perfectly poached and sat upon the winter vegetable hash which was a mix of potato and sweet potato chunks. The chilli and fennel sausage was ordinary but the pear and cider relish was quite tasty = Good

Lemon meringue pie – lemon curd, marshmallow, tamarillo salsa, basil and two squares of buttery pastry made up this deconstructed pie. Despite having all the right ingredients there on the plate, I couldn’t help but feel that something was missing = Not bad

Overall:

A wonderful brunch place that is hidden among dull office buildings found at the west end of Melbourne’s CBD. The food here is fresh, local, organic, and not to mention beautifully presented. The staff are friendly and there is a relaxed country kitchen feel here with its light open space and naturally colourful decor (fruit, vegetables, plants, flowers) that can be seen throughout the dining area. Best of all, this place takes reservations!