I am lucky that I have the opportunity to eat and drink at a lot of different venues. With a young boy, time has not however been on my side to write about each of those venues. With that in mind, I have been thinking about how I best document my culinary travels more regularly.
Don’t get me wrong. While I like sharing my travels, both locally and elsewhere, normally I am writing as much for me as a journal, as for anyone that comes across my writing, or some of my more regular readers.
As part of this, I haven’t decided yet how I’ll cover my experiences, and in what detail and completeness, but I’m looking forward to what eventuates. For this edition, I’m going to cover my main memories of December 2023, to early February 2024.
As always, please send through your questions and comments. I’m keen to have a dialogue, and would be happy to be recommended your favourite places, or hear about new venues.
Yakimono – Melbourne, City – @yakimono_au
My catch up with previous colleagues who are now close friends for pre-Christmas was at Yakimono, which offers an extraordinary lunch experience. At $66, Yakimono provides several diverse courses of Japanese tastes, plus 90 minutes of unlimited drinks!
My initial thought was that the drinks must be pretty basic, but in the end I was drinking decent prosecco, and a Bright Brewery lager, so that was a surprise. Others were enjoying the two cocktails on offer (one a Highball), or the equally decent white and red wine option. The staff were kind enough to pour our last glass with a minute to go of the 90, so they were not tight either.
The food is excellent, though those with larger appetites might be looking for an afternoon snack shortly following. Favourites like karage feature, along with some nice sushi, yakitori skewers, and several other dishes (all small) to share, plus a lot of edadame.
Lillian – Melbourne, City – @lillianbrasserie
Just prior to entering Yakimono I got to try Lillian (front bar to Society, and connected to Yakimono by a lift). The olive martini here is a signature, and is utterly exceptional to the point I have brought it up in conversation several times since. The focus in this relatively straightforward cocktail is tremendous, with an olive oil infused vermouth, and the use of the Four Pillars olive gin (that I love). The extra olives served on the side are a nice touch too.
https://societyrestaurant.com/lillian
Etta – Brunswick, Melbourne – @etta_melbourne
Catherine and I were back at Etta recently, with another couple, Downesy and Lisa. There was a new menu, and the main waitperson assisting us was not knowledgeable enough yet on it, meaning our service experience was not as strong as the food coming out of the kitchen. From Catherine’s gluten intolerant perspective it was a shame that several dishes still on the menu now had the addition of gluten (without any taste difference in my opinion, especially on the already delicious crispy rice).
The tuna crudo was great, but not as good as the last version. The abalone skewer is still one of the best snacks I’ve eaten, and is unmissable, but I’m told the scallop is just as superb. Our larger plates, in particular the lamb, were beautifully executed. In between the crispy duck is new to the menu, and anyone who enjoys duck should be eating this.
The let down is the two dessert choices, which for such an impressive dining experience, ends with a whimper. The olive oil cake was nice, but not as consistent as the last time I tried it. These things can happen early in the year so it doesn’t turn me off at all, but at a minimum there really should be one more choice.
My previous review is here, along with more details about Etta
Donna Maria – Flinders, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria – @donna_maria_flinders
The second experience I’ve had here, and it is one I enjoyed enough to write about. My review is on benleekong.com but as a summary I find Donna Maria to be one of the best restaurants on the Peninsula. The main difference is that unlike many of the winery restaurants, it is more of a dinner destination, and on the main strip of a town. The pasta is the primary reason for coming, with a good wine by the glass list. I should say for completeness that service is a laid back Italian/country style, which is entirely consistent with an Italian restaurant in regional Victoria, but at the prices some may expect a little more.
My review has just recently been published from our experience in late December – click here to read
Gray and Gray – Northcote – @grayandbreadandwine
It’s been a while now since an early December outing to Northcote to catch up with one of my best mates for some bread and wine, and later negronis!
I really enjoyed Gray and Gray, and have since written about the experience. It is not your classic wine bar with food, but it is not uncomfortably different. My only regret is not living closer, which would allow me to visit more often and sample some more of the diverse wines on offer.
Click here for my review of Gray and Gray, along with more details about the venue
Butcher’s Diner – Melbourne, City – @butchersdiner
We have fond memories of Butcher’s Diner. It is the late night place of our first meal post the birth of our boy Sydney, with its proximity to Epworth Freemasons being the key! Tonight we were back, prior to a gig at The Forum for Milky Chance, which was superb by the way.
These days Catherine was forced to change to a gluten-free diet, so the main change is the lettuce bun. The burger is great, which has consistently been the case for years, and the chips are fresh. This is a terrific spot to have on your list as it is reasonably priced, operates 24 hours, and maintains good standards. The half bottles at reasonable prices are cute, and perfect for a quick dinner.
Little Lon – Melbourne, City – @littlelondistillingco
Little Lon is in a cute spot near Little Lonsdale Street on the eastern side of the city near Spring Street. The heritage building holding the bar is tiny, and most enjoying the drinks and snacks are seated outside. They have a stable of gins, and make a nice non-traditional negroni. Catherine’s peach fizz was delicious, with the right balance of booze.
https://littlelondistillingco.com
Jamsheed – Preston – @jamsheedwines
The suburban cellar door and restaurant of Jamsheed is incredibly charming. One unplanned afternoon saw Catherine, Sydney, and I, rock up post a day at the beach. The entree style share dishes we tried were first rate, and the wines here are very well made. With a gathering in mind in coming days we grabbed a few bottles and were on our way, but not before playing some pool and hungry hippos with Syd upstairs!
Mr Burton – Ashburton – @mrburtonashburton
Another adventure day during this up and down Melbourne summer saw us driving east in search of a pool. Having earlier decided on the wave pool at Glen Waverley that we frequent, we deviated having come across a nice kids pool at Ashburton, although with no waves. It was a bonus because we wanted to try Mr Burton.
With the sun in the courtyard not biting too much, on a table in a busy cafe that was only partially covered, we enjoyed our experience. Catherine and Syd enjoyed their juice and smoothy, and breakfast was nice. When compared to some cafes closer to our home in Cremorne, it would be a stretch to make this a cafe we’d travel to (as we often do to places like General Food Store, Red Door Corner Store, or Mr Hendricks when it was better back in the day).
Wide Open Road – Brunswick – @wideopenroad.coffee
It has been a very long time between visits, but I’ve always enjoyed Wide Open Road (my review from 2015 here). Today the cafe fare is excellent, especially the presentation on Catherine’s thyme roasted field mushrooms, topped with fried enoki mushrooms. As cafe fronts for roasters should be, this is exceptional coffee, and is worth the trip out to Brunswick.
https://wideopenroad.com.au/pages/venues
Rossi – Prahran – @rossibar
The old Ladro is still very strong on the pizza game, and has become one of Catherine’s favourites for gluten-free bases. I first went here with my old work friends, and the pre-drink out the front was a big part of the attraction. On this occasion we were seated out the front, and enjoyed the pizza as usual. The bar does a good job, and we’ll keep coming back.
The Railway Club Hotel – Port Melbourne – @railwayclubhotel
If the Mitre Tavern is a city slicker’s gentleman’s steakhouse, The Railway Club Hotel is the blokes version. It is clean and tidy, but the fit out is from another time, and all the fuss is about the steaks, which on this occasion (and several others) are fantastic. The special today with béarnaise, potato gratin, and a pear and walnut salad, is attractive enough for most of the table to order. The wine list is more akin to a suburban pub, than a quality steak restaurant, but on the positive side there is a TAB in the front bar, and plenty of outdoor space for nice days.
https://www.railwayclubhotel.com.au
Fox Friday – Richmond – @foxfridaymelbourne
A recent catch up that would normally be at the Cherry Tree Hotel, turned into a sticky-beak at the new Fox Friday in Richmond, described as a “Tap House”. I haven’t yet eaten here, but from the look of the food and the crowd, I’ll be back to try. There are about a dozen beers on tap, and plenty of other options, so it is not playing the exclusivity type game. The fit out is interesting. It is very nicely done, out of the usual disused warehouse, but unlike many other brewhouses it has been kept to a reasonable size, giving it some intimacy in comparison. The vibe, and the beers, are compelling.
https://www.foxfriday.com.au/pages/melbourne-taproom
Santoni – Hawthorn – @santonipizza
Santoni has been a go-to pizza place for a group of us who used to work nearby in Richmond. The staple remains a good quality pizza for lunch. What is unfortunate is the price these days. To start, I looked up the bottle of rose we ordered and it was a 300% mark-up, which is outrageous (and $16 a glass to boot which is only another half glass shy of a bottle). And on top of that, the pizza starts at $27 for a simple Margherita (with an extra $7 if you happen to require gluten-free). I’m not someone who goes out of my way to make price comparisons, but when you have the option to instead go to Rossi (see above) for a Margherita at $22 (+$4 GF) and the rose is at 225% (still not great), the choice is simple.
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