PM24 - A Blend Like No Other

"Philippe Mouchel at 24 Russell Street" in case you were wondering is the meaning behind the name of this French restaurant which is part of George Calombaris's Made Establishment of Melbourne eateries. Head chef Philippe Mouchel has been at the helm of this French-inspired restaurant since 2010 and is located at the old Murasaki site for those that remember back to that bygone dining era. Mouchel was head chef at The Brasserie at Crown Casino before PM24 was launched. After his departure from The Brasserie, it became Bistro Guillaume after Guillaume Brahimi took over that restaurant for trivia purposes.

You experience a rustic French ambiance after entering the restaurant and are quickly greeted by the staff. A high ceiling, light colours and reminders that the chef has a cookbook for sale as it is on display at various strategic places confronts your senses at first along with the wonderful smell of the kitchen. This would prove to be my second extended dinner at PM24. I had every intention of writing a review after my first visit as I was impressed by the food, drink and service but the comprehensive French wine list got the best of me and I was barely in a state to get home and I did not remember all of the nuances from the previous experience. It was a pleasure to be returning again after only a couple of months and fortunately for those that read this blog, I left with my memory intact despite enjoying a few bottles of wine and cocktails this time around.

As I was entertaining someone from Sydney, there was no excuse not to run the whole gamut of not only the food menu but also start with an apéritif. I ordered a Kir Royal ($21) which is a French cocktail made with blackcurrant liqueur and champagne. Along with San Pellegrino water ($6) we were suitably hydrated when we placed the first of our food and wine orders. A bottle of 2011 Jamsheed Roussanne ($68) along with orders of sardines, snails and oysters which were all deemed suitable to start the evening off after previously enjoying beer at both the newly renovated Duke of Wellington and also Ponyfish Island. 

The tin of French vintage sardines ($18) was served open with a side of bread. The little fish are easily spread onto the bread, full of flavour and possessed both a beautiful texture and smell. I prefer French sardines over Spanish ones in general just because they are so easily manipulated. The Roussanne proved to be light, balanced and showed some citrus undertones and proved to be a good match for the first of our three starters.

Twelve oysters were delivered next. Six were Petite Claire ($4/each) and six were Rusty Wire ($5/each) which both varieties proving to be slightly acidic and salty with a mild taste. One of the Petite Claire oysters smelled a bit strange however the restaurant was happy to take it away and not charge us for it. The Roussane from Beechworth, Victoria, proved yet again to be a good match with the oysters and there was no regret ordering a local wine despite so many wonderful foreign vintages being available.

A tray of escargot - snails served in a garlic and parsley butter ($16.50) was the last of our starters. Snails are one of my favourite things to eat and the kitchen did not fail me. Served nearly sizzling filled with potential energy and at a temperature of 100c in a metal tray, I had to constrain my enthusiasm for the gastropod just so that I wouldn't scorch my mouth and take away my ability to taste the wine, which when paired with this garlic-laden mollusk was really nice. At one point the server poured a wine that belonged to another table into my dining companion's glass by accident, effectively making a new blend which he tasted and did not like at all. The glass was quickly replaced and a new pour of our Roussane was enjoyed. Mistakes do happen.

Having vacated the bottle of Roussane, we moved on to a Pinot Noir next. A 2005 Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay ($245) which although was complex and meaty, which proved to be a good match for our next dish, the steak tartare ($35.00) could have used a few more years aging in the bottle. The sommelier was indifferent as to whether this vintage should be decanted so I am now intrigued as to how much the wine would have changed if it was allowed to open up. For a pinot it was a good wine though and when matched with the raw hand diced beef wagyu which I scooped up using pommes frites made for a good bridge and an opportunity to turn up the conversation a notch. I would have enjoyed the tartare a bit more if it was spicier or served with a tabasco sauce but that is just a personal preference

As our pleasant conversation seemed to draw out, so did the patience of the kitchen so we were quizzed that if we wanted to order one of the made to order special rotisserie meats, either the chicken or the lamb. After being prodded we opted for the lamb mainly because we had a half a bottle of pinot to enjoy still. The rotisserie rack of lamb was delivered about thirty minutes later with vegetables ($39.50) and was simply beautiful. My eyes and nose loved it but not as much as my mouth. A perfect medium-rare with flavours that were only enhanced by the wine and vice-versa paired with the vegetables proved to be a hardy yet beautiful course.The lamb and chicken are considered signature dishes and for good reason that I discovered.

Finishing off the evening with a Hendricks gin and tonic ($13) was a nice way to digest a great meal and get the courage to take on the elements on the wild and wanton Melbourne streets. We ended up being the last ones in the restaurant and after four hours of eating and drinking, we bid everyone a fond farewell and retreated to the Croft Institute for cocktails. I enjoyed my second trip to PM24 more than my first but that is probably because I remember the whole experience. There were a few technical difficulties with service but nothing that caused alarm where the quality of the food in general supersedes any brief disappointment that was experienced with the noisome oyster or the special wine blend.

PM24 was awarded one chefs hat in the 2012/2013 The Age Good Food Guide.

PM24

24 Russell Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
(03) 9207 7424

http://www.pm24.com.au

My Rating: 15/20

Service: 3/5

Ambiance: 4/5

Quality: 4/5

Value For Money: 4/5

Twitter: @epicurean3006

e-mail: epicureanofsouthbank (at) gmail (dot) com

web: www.epicureanofsouthbank.com

At the time of this post, 87% of the reviewers on Urbanspoon also like PM24.

Borsch, Vodka & Tears + Burch & Purchese = Chapel Street Ampersands

Some consider it a Chapel Street institution; a stalwart that has withstood the test of time and numerous intoxicated patrons after they indulged upon the niceties of their extended vodka list. Many consider it a place to get hardy polish-inspired food (and other morsels from that countries neighbours) however I think of Borsch, Vodka & Tears on Chapel Street as a fun place that you really can't take too seriously. Not in the sense that the food or anything is a joke per se, but because it is a fun atmosphere that doesn't try to exude an attitude or be something that they are not.

A heavily stocked bar with vodka from both Poland and the general area around its borders greets you before service tends to. Most of the time you are left to choose a table to your liking however it is a small dining room so the few choices by the window will either be already taken or dirty, which was the case when I turned up on a recent visit. A seat was happily taken in the rear of the restaurant which is a bit more calm as if you sit too close to the door you are subjected to the foot traffic entering and exiting, people paying their bill or just being a nuisance of themselves in general.

The staff ask to take drink orders quite quickly. In my case I barely had the chance to begin inspecting the 100+ entries on just the vodka menu before I was quizzed. I ended up ordering a standard shot ($6.50) of vodka whilst deliberating the short menu. Ultimately after being asked a few times if we were ready to order and placating, or should I say, buying some additional time to chat and review the menu further by ordering another vodka, we thought the vegetarian Russian Pierogi ($17) and the Potato Blintzes ($11.50) would be a good way to start. The Pierogi are potato dumplings of sorts with baked cheese, fried onions, sour cream, mint and a few minced gherkins. This was tasty and very filling and perfectly matched after taking on the cold and blustery climate outside. It wasn't an explosion of tastes as you can't really do exciting things with a potato (unless you are Ben Shewry) but it made for a good starter and lined the stomach for the never ending shots of vodka. The potato blintzes are "traditional" potato pancakes with sour cream and dill. The blintzes are not as exciting as the Pierogi, which doesn't say much really, and really reminded me of the potato cakes that you get from the Maccas in the morning and brought back memories of getting loaded with carbs first thing before hitting the slopes of Thredbo.

We both thought the Hungarian Lamb Ragout ($15) would be appropriate and fit in well with the general theme. Served with rye bread, this dish of lamb, peppers, tomatoes and sour cream is something homely that you would expect in Budapest or even the wartime era. It is very hardy and very filling however bland and I found myself adding sea salt which was provided on the table. More vodka helped take off the edge and service was happy to top up my shot glass at the table whenever it was empty.

This is a fun and vibrant restaurant where you can't take anything too seriously. Music plays from all different eras and various oddities hang on the wall that are there to amuse, such as:

First Dr(i)nk For Health
Second For Pleasure
Third For Tears
Fourth For Madness

The hefty list of vodkas and associated cocktails is impressive. My drinking partner ordered the "20 Cent Lemonade" and thought it was brilliant - so much a second was ordered however I think that he was just trying to keep up with the shots that I was enjoying.

There is outside street dining available which is draped in plastic so there is some protection from the elements and of course is an option if you are a smoker however the volume of foot traffic on Chapel Street would make for dining outside a bit annoying, but that is really just my opinion. Being seated close to the bar ensures that your glass is always filled with alcohol and that you are not left to go wanting.

After the heavy and rustic food enjoyed at Borsch, Vodka & Tears, we staggered begrudgingly two kilometers toward the river and the serenity of Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio, also on Chapel Street. This is the place you want to go for chocolate, ice cream, custom cakes and assorted jams. Although I was on a mission to purchase a bottle of spicy pineapple jam ($14) I couldn't help ask for an "explosive" raspberry ice cream, milk chocolate and pop rocks ($8.00) on a stick. I needed something cold and frankly something with a very sweet taste to counter the food (and vodka) that was enjoyed earlier at Borsch, Vodka & Tears. Burch & Purchese is one part store and one part laboratory led by owner and one of the more prominent pastry chefs in Australia, Darren Purchese, where his team prepares their confectionery on-site. Despite cooling down thanks to the sublime ice cream covered in chocolate, being greeted at the door with samples of popcorn honeycomb chocolate crumble was not only nice but could easily lead to an addiction. This place puts the typical "cake shops" in neighbouring St Kilda to utter shame and your life in Melbourne will not be complete unless you visit Darren's studio.

The aforementioned are two contrasting places that can be visited on Chapel Street should you have the time and strength especially after indulging upon the demon drink but it is a rather inexpensive and worth while journey, that for me at least is always worth the effort.

Borsch, Vodka & Tears

173 Chapel Street, Windsor VIC 3182
(03) 9530 2694

http://www.borschvodkatears.com

My Rating: 12.75/20

Service: 3/5

Ambiance: 3.25/5

Quality: 3.25/5

Value For Money: 3.25/5

Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio

647 Chapel Street, South Yarra VIC 3141
(03) 9827 7060

http://www.burchandpurchese.com

My Rating: n/a

Service: n/a

Ambiance: n/a

Quality: n/a

Value For Money: n/a

Note: Online ordering is now available.






Twitter: @epicurean3006

e-mail: epicureanofsouthbank (at) gmail (dot) com

web: www.epicureanofsouthbank.com

At the time of this post, 85% of the reviewers on Urbanspoon like Borsch, Vodka & Tears. A further 91% of the reviewers also like Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio.

Claypots Seafood & Wine St Kilda - Space Oddity

There are still a few places around Melbourne that when I admit that I haven't visited after living here for over a year currently actually draws a gasp from the questioner. One of the most recommended places is Claypots Seafood & Wine on Barkly Street in St Kilda that I admit that I haven't visited until recently. More than a handful of people have told me to dine at this place and to put the Chilli Crabs high on my must-do list. Far be it for me not to accept a recommendation.

This is a strange place. As the entrance to the dining area is through a wine room, the first time we entered the space, there was nobody in attendance of the bar area and not a customer in sight. I thought it was strange that the front door was open but nobody was home so not wanting to be accused of anything, we left and went to Lau's Family Kitchen, which turned out to be a great experience as an aside. The second time that we attempted a visit to Claypots, we entered the wine bar area once again however there was a lady behind the bar this time. She looked at us incredulously and after inquiring about eating, she took us through the door leading to the dining room cautiously as I dawdled to look at the piano and notice a sign on the wall saying that an Elvis impersonator would be performing there at some point. I stopped to admire the fresh fish in the glass case in the dining room before sitting. An impressive selection of fish was on ice on display however the front of house seemed like she was on another planet so I refrained from asking questions about the curious things that I had just observed.

After taking a table and being provided a bottle of tap water, we were advised that the menu was on the wall along with some wines that were added as graffiti as a bit of an afterthought to the formal wine list that was presented that had nothing too out of the ordinary articulated from within its pages. As the Chilli Crabs ($55) came highly recommended, an order was placed for one serve of the crustaceans and also four Garlic Tiger Prawns ($10/each) which seemed like a reasonable amount of food for two people to share.

I went exploring and found an outside area where you can smoke however for half of the year I wouldn't want to be stuck out there eating considering the cold inclement weather. Sitting near the door that accesses this garden of sorts would also be an inconvenience for those that do not want to be bothered by second hand smoke.

After returning to the small table, the prawns were served in a thick metal bowl and were bathing in a sizzling garlic sauce. The oil and garlic hot bath made for a great dipping liquid for the hot fresh bread that was provided. We began the task of shelling the mighty beasts and removing the black intestinal tract. Although it doesn't hurt to eat this, I would prefer not to and the exposed flesh looks much better without it. Ultimately the prawn meat, the garlic bath and the bread combined to make a great starter. I am not a huge fan for working for my food and rarely will get prawns that require me to remove their shell manually but the effort was worth it in this case.

When the crabs appeared on a large long dish, stacked up on a bed of rice, with approximately twenty mussels, I was surprised and uttered blasphemy. The stack of seafood looked great however as the discard bowl, crab cracker, finger bowl and stack of serviettes appeared, we ran out of room on the table. We could have moved to a larger table at this point but it just seemed easier to get on with it.

As you can expect, when you start fiddling with the crab, it is a messy exercise. I wouldn't recommend visiting this restaurant on a date or if you need to do business as getting the crab meat from the shell is not a simple or clean task. After we each excused one another's bad manners, we employed every trick in the book to extract the beautiful crab meat using hands, utensils and frequently licking our fingers like hounds lap up food in a bowl. There was no point in being meek or timid as recovering the crab meat proves fun yet tedious and the product was well worth it. The mussels were obviously fresh when they were cooked and served with both the beard removed and the meat slightly exposed from the gasping shell. I really liked the mussels and were some of the best that I have had.

The dining room has some interesting artwork on the wall. One painting was a variation of an image that I studied in University. A giant squid with a naked woman along with some other oddities were used as decorations. Besides the large off-white painting canvass which was bare besides for the name of the genius who produced it, who's name was scribbled in the corner, the circuit breaker box was exposed on the dining room wall. The chef even appeared at one point to reset a circuit as he seemingly lost power somewhere that was near and dear to him.

What was a standout was the seafood however the other bizarre aspects like service and the ambiance made for an "interesting" experience. Specialising is one thing however when you are left talking about weird aspects of the service and fit-out it leaves amusing memories for all of the wrong reasons.

Claypots Seafood & Wine

213 Barkly Street, St Kilda VIC 3182
(03) 9534 1282

no web site

My Rating: 13.5/20

Service: 3/5

Ambiance: 3/5

Quality: 4.5/5

Value For Money: 3/5

Twitter: @epicurean3006

e-mail: epicureanofsouthbank (at) gmail (dot) com

web: www.epicureanofsouthbank.com

At the time of this post, 89% of the reviewers on Urbanspoon like Claypots Food & Wine at St Kilda.

Gazi Restaurant - Calombaris Rising Further

George Calombaris has been busy shaking up his restaurant empire. His flagship restaurant, The Press Club, is closed for renovations and its little sister, which was more than just a bar, Little Press has been transformed. A metamorphosis of sorts has been completed in the old Little Press dining space and Gazi Restaurant was born as of yesterday. Even the stately Press Club plaque affixed to the cold stone wall on the exterior of 2 Exhibition Street has evolved now prominently displaying Gazi's name, transposed on top of its siblings.

At times when you enter a sushi bar, the staff shout their greetings. This is an act that no longer surprises. When this happened as we entered Gazi and no less than ten members of the team welcomed us, gave salutations in Greek and provided a sense of general enthusiasm and utter excitement that I haven't seen in a restaurant in quite some time I was a bit taken aback. In fact the energy exuded by the staff instantly put us both in a happy and excited mood ourselves and this was quite difficult considering that we were both experiencing the after effects of excessive alcohol consumption from the previous night so until the finality of the many warm greetings, mustering energy to be excited was difficult but the team and ambiance quickly sorted out those general feelings of malaise.

With an abundance of clay pots hanging from the ceiling, I was pleased that the new quirky blue plates depicting an evil eye, known as μάτι (mati), which is a charm of sorts that according to superstition and dates back to 6 BC in Greece, wards off bad luck. I was pleased the eye was watching over me as I certainly did not want one of those pots falling on my head. Given the popularity of both the restaurant on the day of its launch and the fact that George's star continues to shine from his pedigree of being The Age Young Chef of the Year from 2008 along with hosting duties on MasterChef, I do not suppose that much bad luck will befall this new buzzing establishment. Even when a guest dropped a glass on a the floor during service, it simply bounced off the ground and remained intact so the place must be charmed. The mati was watching.

A thoughtful Greek "street food" menu that certainly requires a fair amount of consideration, especially by patrons such as myself that have not classically been the biggest enthusiasts of Greek fare in the past was presented. Once again I spotted the mati looking at me on page 1, not far away from the list of dips and the Hellenic "dirty food" and as superstition stated, effectively warded off the envy that I had for others dining around me so after the loquacious staff introduced the menu and gave a very detailed breakdown of everything with a smile, we decided that the ten dish sharing menu ($69 p/p) aptly called "Doing it Greek Style" would give the best representation of what was available as it was far too hard to chose. This is a nondescript degustation of sorts so you are left to put your trust in the kitchen and hope that the mati is looking your way. Getting into the mood further, we ordered Mythos beer ($9.00) from the second largest Greek brewery (which is also available at Dan Murphy's) which is a slightly sweet lager that I found appropriate to match with the food that would quickly appear.

Two dips with accompanying soft bread were provided to tide us over until the first two and only dishes from the "Hellenic Dirty Food" menu arrived, the Salmon Tzataki a la Grecque and the Saganaki Kumquat Mustard Glyko. The Greek sauce livened up the fish that on its own would have been boring and it was a light way to ease into the menu. I was trying to keep perspective and attempt to see what Calombaris was attempting to showcase with this dish and uncover the story that it was trying to tell, instead of simply comparing it to other dishes that I have had. The Saganaki, which is a fried melted cheese appetizer was highlighted by the kumquat - a sweet but sour citrus flavour that really brought out the taste of the cheese. I really enjoyed this cheese appetizer and I am sullen that I didn't bother inquiring as to what type of cheese it was as I want to procure some. Fortunately the restaurant remains very active on Twitter so I will have to ask them later. (Update: George Calombaris sent a tweet and advised that the cheese used in the awesome Saganaki is in fact "Kefalograviera" which is a mix of cow and sheep milk. You can buy it from Elco foods or Bills Farm.)

The kitchen wasted no time in moving into the serving of the King Dory, sourced locally from Portland, Victoria, which was fresh from the wood fired grill. I really liked this fish, the way it looked and ultimately the taste as it easily fell apart when prodded with my fork. The taste of the grill was an added bonus and when combined with some additional dips and bread, was one of the highlights of this tasting menu for me. A salad was also presented that were leaves that held very thinly sliced radishes, Santorini capers and lentils. This was another surprise hit proving that you can not judge a book by its cover. What looks unremarkable is filled with flavour. I especially liked the use of the healthy serve of lentils but also the capers from the volcanic island of Santorini was indeed a winner.  

Besides a wood fired grill, the kitchen is fitted with a wood fired spit. We were both surprised and thinking of our already bulging stomachs when the Chicken was presented next. This chicken had an amazing crispy skin and remarkably not a very salty taste. This was yet another dish that perplexed me in a playful way as this too I decided that I wanted to try to re-create at home however I fear that I would burn my unit down in the process. Having previously reset my expectations to what I would think Greek "street food" should be, I suspect this is it. Along with the chicken, the white beans and the tirokafteri added a hint of additional flavour but I just could not get over the skin of this chicken. Yet another highlight of this degustation which I was pleased that I decided to order as the kitchen was not disappointing. In between having more bottles of beer appear and also a bowl of Tiganites potato chips with feta, the table became crowded with food and almost foreboding. You will certainly not go hungry in this restaurant.

The desserts were next. A Pavlova with ruby red grapefruit curd and cream highlighted by the use of mastic - dried pieces of sap from a tree. This is one of my dessert highlights for the year and regular readers of this blog know that I am not big into desserts. All of the flavours just worked well together and the use of the mastic was bold and brilliant. Loukomathes, deep fried small donuts accompanied the pavlova, and once spruced up with the sugar that was provided in a small bowl made for a sweet end to a very large meal.

After having spent upwards to eight hours enjoying degustation menus in the past elsewhere, I was impressed that the restaurant was able to accommodate so many dishes in such a constrained amount of time as my dining partner had to get back to Sydney on an afternoon flight to show off the photo that he got taken with George, just to make his missus upset. Although I wanted an Ouzo to assist in digesting this huge meal and be left to rub my stomach like a pregnant woman would, I was left to finish my beer and exit past the phalanx of happy faces of the staff which were all still exuding energy and a sense of true enthusiasm. Ten courses for $69 dollars is great value for money considering the amount of good and honest food that you receive and is probably one of the better offers going in Melbourne at the moment. I want to return when I really have more time to enjoy some of the cocktails which looked quite intriguing on paper but also be able to spend the time at the end of the meal to digest it and take in the ambiance however for now I am left with fond memories of a degustation that works well, great service, a buzzing atmosphere and an introduction to Greek "street food" which I suspect will become a prolonged love affair.

Gazi Restaurant

2 Exhibition Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
(03) 9207 7444

http://www.gazirestaurant.com.au

My Rating: 16.25/20

Service: 4/5

Ambiance: 3.75/5

Quality: 3.75/5

Value For Money: 4.75/5

Twitter: @epicurean3006

e-mail: epicureanofsouthbank (at) gmail (dot) com

web: www.epicureanofsouthbank.com

At the time of this post, 90% of the reviewers on Urbanspoon also like Gazi however there is only a small sample of votes, so I expect this to fluctuate wildly.

Nine Elephants Docklands - Ring of Fire

Sometimes my hedonistic tendencies cross into sheer and utter stupidity and like a child playing with fire, when I am asked "how spicy do you want that?" I can never resist proclaiming I can take any amount of spice that you can offer. Like my love affair with sake (the Japanese alcoholic drink, not the restaurant) large amounts of spice always seem like a good idea at the time, however I tend to suffer later. After ordering a plethora of food at Nine Elephants, the question of spice was asked and answered with my usual affirmation. Despite the consequences the next morning, the taste was worth it.

The Drunken Chicken ($7.50) was the first to arrive after placing an ambitious order for two people. Three small drumsticks that did not display any taste of alcohol however there was a faint taste of ginger. The vegetarian-friendly Chive Dumplings ($9.50) was the next course of sorts. A delicate rice pastry that contained chives, herbs and a gentle amount of spice that encouraged me to start drinking Singha beer ($6.50) at a faster rate despite knowing that it would not eradicate the burning sensation in my mouth. Four Spring Rolls ($6.50) accompanied a serving of Roti Bread ($4.00) and despite being predictable in taste, assisted in differentiating the flavours inherent in the dumplings and offset the spice a bit.

Leaving the land of entrees and entering the valley of mains was the difference between night and day. Khao Ka Nah Mooh Grob ($15) included stir-fried pork belly with Chinese broccoli, minced chilli and garlic along with the requisite jasmine rice. The vegetables were fresh and crisp and the pork belly was fatty. The levels of spice were extreme and I was left taking an intermission, which almost left me sleeping on the floor holding my bottle of beer whilst I waited for the sting and raging inferno to die down in my mouth. This is when I knew - absolutely knew - that I would be suffering the next morning, but I didn't care. I had liquid courage and some damn good food. Beside the pork belly, we ordered a Gang Dang ($13.50), another vegetarian option that is incidentally also gluten-free, which is a simple beef red curry which left my mouth and tongue tingling, my nose running and required yet another Singha to artificially cool the burn. Torturing my already abused body paid dividends as in the end, we both wanted spicy Thai food and we got what we wanted.

Located on Village Street near the Platform 28 Bar and Etihad Stadium, the restaurant can easily be overlooked because of the awkward street frontage. The room itself holds about forty people and has what seems to be a dispatch box on an elevated floor. You are almost left to wonder if Peter Slipper was going to come out of the toilet and take his place in the box to direct proceedings. Service as a whole was kind and attentive and in general helped make for a relaxed experience. With the construction in the area, the corporate types and of course Etihad stadium, a trip to this restaurant should be planned so that you are not inconvenienced by the large lunch crowds, traffic, closed roads or masses of people. Some proper planning though will lead to an enjoyable experience at what is certainly a shining star in the relatively dull Docklands precinct.

Nine Elephants

67 Village Street, Docklands VIC 3008
(03) 9670 9909

http://www.nineelephants.com.au

My Rating: 13/20

Service: 3.25/5

Ambiance: 3/5

Quality: 3.25/5

Value For Money: 3.5/5

Twitter: @epicurean3006

e-mail: epicureanofsouthbank (at) gmail (dot) com

web: www.epicureanofsouthbank.com

At the time of this post, 89% of the reviewers on Urbanspoon like Nine Elephants.

Lau's Family Kitchen - Mao Zedong Weeps

Much like a penguin, I can get easily distracted by shiny things so when I am in the area of the Prince complex on Acland Street, it is rather hard to resist the siren's call and either end up eating and drinking at either Circa, Acland Street Cantina or the Prince of Wales itself. Knowing that Chef Paul Wilson doesn't look much like a beautiful siren even on the best of days, with courage and a fair amount of intestinal fortitude, I managed to resist my carnal desire for mole and tacos and make my way just metres away up Acland Street to Lau's Family Kitchen which is often overlooked because of its location off of the colourful Fitzroy Street and of course away from the skagboys.

Being greeted at the door, you would never think that this restaurant specialises in Chinese fare or that its pedigree is from the eponymous Flower Drum on Market Lane. There are no cats waving at you, Chairman Mao's face is not staring at you and most surprising, the colour red can not be found - anywhere. This is a cozy small place far removed from what you would expect in Chinatown, which is not only refreshing but it set up so that the customer is comfortable. There is a decent amount of space between tables which are not arranged like a phalanx of soldiers, but are interchanged which took some foresight.

Water was quickly poured whilst the menu was read. The wine selections are an addendum of sorts to the proper food menu which was nice. After reading War and Peace at Rococo in the recent past, I wasn't prepared for Crime and Punishment so what was on offer was not only clear and concise but ultimately easy to interpret and was impressive.

We started with a bottle of 2012 Oceans Eight Pinot Gris, which was an excellent pair with the special crispy chicken wontons ($13.80) that started proceedings. Oddly we agreed that all of the courses articulated on the front page of the menu, the "Specials" page, needed to be sampled and we ended up making short work of everything on offer. The six crispy wontons were excellent. It isn't too often that you have wontons that are intentionally crisp however when bathed in the vegetable sauce and finished off by the residual sugars that were clearly evident in the wine, made for a great way to start.

Quail for me is something that I love to hate, mainly because so many places stuff it up. This wasn't the case at Lau's as the follow-up to the crispy wontons was the breast and thighs of the small ugly bird ($13) dressed simply with salt and pepper. Perfectly cooked and thoughtfully presented where you were able to enjoy the meat and once again, paired very well with the Oceans Eight.

Although my dining partner did not feel as adventurous, after having a chat about Flower Drum and the politics of that particular restaurant no longer serving shark fin soup, I was in the mood for the special "Seafood Soup" ($15) which proved to be full of flavour and considering the cool day was very appropriate. This seafood consommé was not only rich, but it effectively distracted me from the prizes found inside this pool of wonder - a big meaty prawn, a mussel and a scallop. None of the seafood was overcooked and all the offerings were tender, complimenting the soup itself instead of the other way around. When I finished this, I was left wanting more.

Yet another special, the duck in honey and lemon sauce ($24) appeared whilst I was still eating my soup. There was plenty of room on the table so this was not a big deal and once the bowl was vacated, I quickly had chopsticks in hand and was sampling the battered duck breast. As this was simply the breast, you were not left with any cartilage to contend with and the sweet sauce just proved once again to be an excellent match for the wine, which was fully consumed during this course. The duck however remained a standout mainly because it was not only simply presented but because of the overall taste after thoughtful preparation and the inclusion of the complementary honey and lemon sauce.

Although we originally intended to order two mains so that we didn't have to share any of the duck leg with sour plums ($34) service suggested that we share it. Being an only child I do not like to share, but the advice proved worthwhile as a fair amount of duck was served for this main. The sour plums once again complemented the duck and it was a completely different taste compared to what was enjoyed previously with the honey and lemon sauce. The duck leg was poached for two hours and served with steamed rice and was enjoyed with a Beefeater gin and tonic ($12) which turned into a three-drink love affair as I sat back and enjoyed the ambiance.

I liked everything about Lau's Family Kitchen. The service remained attentive, helpful and amused by our dining style. At times I forgot that I was within spitting distance of the Prince of Wales complex and the madness of Fitzroy Street so the restaurant did its job well - very well in fact of transporting us to another place, where the only thing missing was a embrace from Gilbert Lau.

Lau's Family Kitchen

4 Acland St., St Kilda VIC 3182
(03) 8598 9880

http://www.lausfamilykitchen.com.au

My Rating: 15.75/20

Service: 4/5

Ambiance: 4/5

Quality: 4/5

Value For Money: 3.75/5

Twitter: @epicurean3006

e-mail: epicureanofsouthbank (at) gmail (dot) com

web: www.epicureanofsouthbank.com

At the time of this post, 88% of the reviewers on Urbanspoon like Lau's Family Kitchen.

Rococo - People Are Strange When You Are A Stranger

My fascination with all things St Kilda continues, which is evident with a recent trip to Rococo on Acland Street. Known for its Italian fare with a sort of specialty with pizza, we managed to hold back our curiosity for it mostly because of a recent trip to Innocent Bystander winery where perhaps one of the best pizzas I have ever had was enjoyed on the deck. I assumed that anything pizza related would have disappointed after the aforementioned experience and considering the absolute volume of the Italian-themed menu, there were many other items to choose from.

Despite outside seating being available, considering the skagboys that were skulking about, and of course the weather that was intermittently pleasant at times, we decided to take refuge inside and the front of house was happy to seat us in the middle of the restaurant. A large menu of food and an equally large list of wine was presented for review and I had the equivalent of a  university course of reading material to digest and ultimately be quizzed on.

After recent trips to not only the Barossa but also the Hunter Valley wine regions, I was not too interested in ordering a bottle of wine. This may sound odd because of the nature of this blog and my dining and drinking habits but after reviewing the wine list, I was a bit put off as nothing was very special. I quickly spotted bottles of wine that I had previously purchased at the cellar door and was reminded of the markup and despite it being a comprehensive list, I just wasn't excited. Water was fine as my only source of hydration for a change, which was quickly delivered to the table without being asked.

Wanting a bit of variety, we decided to start with antipasti, which you can choose five from the menu for $30 (or other quantities with proportionally higher prices) which seemed liked the right thing to do because of the plethora of choices. Prose at the top of the menu suggests that diners may want to consider ordering antipasti during the busy times as there may be a delay in your main offerings. At this point in time, the restaurant was rather dead and we ordered antipasti because it seemed like good value for money instead of a way to tide us over.

Both the Calabrese - a spicy pork salami with chilli, cayenne pepper and paprika along with Siciliano - a mild pork salami with hints of garlic, wine and pepper were really nice meats and when added to garlic and herb bread with melted mozarella ($8.50) and a sliver of Mozzarella di Bufala - cheese from Campania, Italy, made for a great merging of flavours and was really nice. Both the meats and the cheese are considered anitpasti options, and I was pleased with these three choices. Denominazione di Origine Protetta (DOP) Prosciutto San Daniele was the final compliment of meat and it was equally good. The final dish was a grilled prawn and calamari skewer with lemon, chilli, garic, breadcrumbs with a Romesco sauce - which should be a nut and red pepper-based sauce from the area around Catalonia, Spain. The sauce was just flat and was devoid of flavour. The calamari was dry and it just wasn't nice.

Being distracted by other patrons speaking on their phones in the restaurant and pretending to be important, it gave me the opportunity to spy on what other people were ordering. Mains of pasta were popular and the servings were absolutely enormous. Not really being in the mood for a large main and rather annoyed by the diners around us, we decided to pull up stumps. Despite asking for the bill and waiting a good ten minutes, we decided not to wait and just pay at the kiosk near the door which was also managing the takeaway coffee requirements of the occasional diners.

Despite one of the servers being very switched on and taking our order (detailed above) without finding the need to write it down and consult on the menu as a whole, service was rather lax and only engaging when multiple personalities pressured us to order a main. One of my pet peeves is being hassled to order mains and having pleasant conversation interrupted, especially when you are still holding the menu. Perhaps because of the harassment and the rude diners around us, we were put off. Perhaps it was the very awkward soundtrack that they had playing. At times it was relaxing dining music, almost what you would find playing in a lift, other times it was hip hop intermixed with classic party tunes. All very strange but it fits into the whole theme associated with Acland Street - quirky and different, I suppose.

Rococo

89/91 Acland St  St Kilda VIC 3182
(03) 9525 3232

http://www.rococo.net.au

My Rating: 12/20

Service: 3/5

Ambiance: 3/5

Quality: 3/5

Value For Money: 3/5

Twitter: @epicurean3006

e-mail: epicureanofsouthbank (at) gmail (dot) com

web: www.epicureanofsouthbank.com

At the time of this post, 85% of the reviewers on Urbanspoon like Rococo.

Bluecorn Mexican, St Kilda - Big Me

Being in the mood for Mexican-inspired fare since Cinco de Mayo celebrations were just around the corner, I found myself meeting a mate at Bluecorn Mexican Restaurant just off Acland Street in St Kilda. As I had some spare time before this long lunch was planned, I walked to the venue from Southbank via Beacon Cove and Beaconfield Parade, so by the time I fronted up, I not only brought my weary body but a raging thirst and appetite.

The first thing that I noticed at this place was a fair amount of food abandoned on vacant tables which sounded warning bells in my head. Service was happy to seat us and clean up a table with some sort of chemical in front of us so it effectively smelled like the back room of the dry cleaner. Perusing the blackboard specials and also drinks menu did settle me down a bit and the fatigue from the 10km stroll started to set in. We ordered a litre of the Bluecorn Punch, which was a concoction of vanilla tequila, midori, (fresh) strawberries, pineapple and soda ($24.50). This drink had a bit of a kick and provided the needed refreshment and courage that I needed to order one of the specials - a chorizo and scallop taco with chipotle salsa ($14) which honestly scared me. The "taco" wasn't presented as a traditional taco which you can pick up and eat, but more like a tostada, where so much product was placed on top of the fried dark corn tortilla that you had to eat 50% of the fillings off of it before you had any chance of picking it up. When I finally got the "taco" into a manageable state, I picked it up but a fair amount of juice from the scallops and chorizo started running off and onto my plate. This was a messy dish and obviously not meant to be finger food. The substantial amount of product made for a hefty salad-esque start though. The chorizo was fine, as were the scallops however I got the feeling that these two elements were paired for dramatic effect and not because they taste good together.

Wanting to try more flavours with the litre of beverage, I ordered the "sizzling 'chile' chicken enchilada with guacamole and sauce" ($28) and wondered how a simple enchilada could cost so much. In fact, this is the first time since I started writing this blog that I mused that everything was just so expensive. When this dish was presented I understood why it cost so much, it was massive amount of food. Like the taco, which was really a tostada, this enchilada was not presented like an enchilada, but a burrito, with red sauce around it. I cut into this burrito of sorts and started eating the chicken filling, beans and rice and found it tasty at first but after the twentieth taste, I started to get bored. This is a vexed problem with the restaurant that I found. Massive amounts of food are served with an equally high price tag. It is nearly impossible to enjoy any sort of variety because of the sheer volume of food associated with each dish so you are constrained to one or two dishes at most.

My dining companion ordered the Chicken fajitas ($30.50) and also was not able to finish the dish. When we finished the alcoholic punch we were unable to get the attention of service to get a refill so we decided to pull up stumps and waddle out with full stomachs and much poorer for the pleasure. The one thing that annoyed me is that along with the high prices, when you pay with a credit card, regardless of type, you will incur a 2% surcharge. After spending $97 on three dishes and a litre of beverage, I wasn't too pleased about this.

We understood why so much food was abandoned on the table by other patrons. It isn't because it was bad per se, but because of the amount that you are provided. I really hope at some point that this restaurant decides to cut the portion sizes by half, along with the prices so customers can enjoy more of this Tex-Mex fare with a California twist but until then, I will find other places to placate my need for the fare.

Bluecorn Mexican Restaurant

205 Barkly Street, St Kilda VIC 3182
(03) 9534 5996

http://www.bluecorn.com.au

My Rating: 10.75/20

Service: 2.75/5

Ambiance: 3/5

Quality: 3/5

Value For Money: 2/5

Twitter: @epicurean3006

e-mail: epicureanofsouthbank (at) gmail (dot) com

web: www.epicureanofsouthbank.com

At the time of this post, 83% of the reviewers on Urbanspoon like Bluecorn.