Tuesday, November 29, 2005

ezard at the Adelphi

Introduction: In the basement of the Adelphi in Flinders Lane close to Swanston St. There is plenty of off street parking close by. Access for the wheel chair bound is extremely difficult
Ambience: Refurbished about early 2005 there is more carpet now and a small private dining area at the front of this rather long narrow room. Dark with added lighting from small enclosed candles - quite romantic!

Service: Very slow when asked for butter instead of oil for the bread but generally tried very hard to please
Food: We indulged in an eight course degustation menu. i will give the a la carte
prices for these dishes as I describe them

japanese (ezards menu has no capital letters!) inspired swordfish shooter - a wasabi flavoured dumpling in a sweet Chinese wine with a small nori wrapped sushimi accompaniment $4.5. An interesting starter
pepper and soy cured tunaw purple asparagus, thai basil and blood orange $21.5 Another interesting combination but I would not have liked a large serve.
wild mushroom dumpling, spiced short soup just a tiny cup - disappointing very strong taste of coriander and mushroom no delicacy here
crispy fried zucchini flower with goats cheese, panzanella salad, balsamic syrup and basil oil $20.5 a totally delicious creation
steamed tiger prawn rice noodle roll, chinese wine, ginger soy dressing $23.5 was rather ordinary although the dressing was excellent
humpty doo barramundi, red nam jam, thai salad, corn cakes $39.5 a delicate succulent dish
crispy skin duck, green chilli and shallot sauce silk melon, coconut rice $39.5 another quite superb dish my favourite
banana parfait with cinnamon wafer and passion fruit sauce $18.5 an excellent finish to the meal
t2 tea $7.5 or gravity xtc coffee $6.5 is a bit of a hot price
I should add the their bread is warm and fresh, the oil aromatic and spiced and there a three additional "spices' on the table worth tasting - sweet and hot, a ground pepper and a mixture ? what flavoured with sesame seeds
Wine: We enjoyed eight wines chosen by a restauranter not generally available so I am unable to comment on the wine list

Price: Expensive

Comments: Since my last visit a couple of years ago I think ezard has become less 'fussy' and his flavours are now clearer and more to my taste. You can have a brilliant meal here if you choose well or be awfully disappointed if you choose badly

Score: 16.5/20

Monday, November 28, 2005

Monsoon

Introduction: Another modern Asian High St Armadale restaurant
Ambience: Carpeted room w well spaced tables, linen tablecloths and servietes, plain decor. Very pleasant

Service: Prompt informed and attentive

Food: Extremely pleasing. Entree ($11.5) of Thai Chicken parcels was delicate and juicy preserving all the flavour of the chicken. Prawn dumpling also very tasty. they are also well known for their "Monsoon Oysters" lightly grilled and spiced. For mains the Crispy Thai fish a small whole snapper I think, with a tangy capsicum red sauce was excellent as was the Wafu steak cooked as requested.

Wine: Licenced or BYO wine We brought our own ($7 corkage) and I regret that I did not look at the wine list
Price:About $36 per head. There are several very good value degustation or banquet menus starting at $40
Comments: A very good meaL well worth a visit - and a revisit!

Score: 15/20

Sunday, November 20, 2005

Maxy's

Introduction: A large open room with a wall of glass panels that can be moved to open on to Glenhuntly Rd a short walk from the Classic Cinema
Ambience: Pedestrian furnishings, cutlery and crockery. Good lighting A family style restaurant

Service: Can be slow specially on Saturday when they can be very busy. The menu is posted outside and they don't appreciate patrons getting their own!

Food: Known for the large size of the serves the quality was better than I expected. A large flounder (about 10 cm across) and very nicely cooked served with a mass of thin crisp chips, coleslaw and red cabbage salad ($29) was enough for two ordinary diners. Spaghetti Marinara ($22) as a main was filled with scallops mussels and prawns filled a large plate.

They are also well known for their middle eastern salads
Wine: a small inexpensive list with a House South Aust. Cabernet blend for $4 a glass or $15 a caraffe. If you want a really good wine BYO and pay a mere $1 per head corkage

Price: If you share meals very inexpensive. Mains start around $20
Comments: A good place to go and share a dish or two with friends after the cinema or for a square meal if you haven't eaten for a few days!
Score: 13.5/20

Saturday, November 19, 2005

Chine on Paramount

Introduction: Apocraphilly rumoured originally to be run by staff recruited from the Flower Drum CoP managed to maintain a level of delicacy of flavour that marks it as above the average of its Little Bourke Street competitors
Ambience: Well appointed pleasantly unhurried
atmoshere with what I suspect is a background of Chinese Muzak
Service: Attentive

Food: Quite by accident we enjoyed several dishes which are not on the printed menu. Deep fried battered oysters and steamed scallops in a ginger sauce was delicious. The vegetarian san chow bau was fully up to expectation and the Bailing mushrooms with bokchoy, broccoli and snow peas is a superb vegetarian dish. The atlantic salmon with battered snow peas another unusual dish. Sweet and sour prawns were distinguished by the fine balance in the sauce and the crunchy very fresh prawns. Finally the crispy boned duck with plumb sauce was extremely tender, looked good, tasted good and had excellent texture. Generally I am not impressed with Chinese desserts. There are no pretensions about the icecream its Rickitts and its very good rich creamy and full of flavour

Wine: The 21 page wine list should satisfy most patrons. Plenty by the glass. Bottles from about $35 upwards. We enjoyed an O'Leary Cabernet Merlot @ $38 a bottle

Price:
Quite expensive but you can eat cheap if you wish - there is a pre show dinner $25 Bit like a business lunch We paid $45 per person for the food and ate really well
Comments: Top quality

Score: 18.5/20

Sunday, November 06, 2005

L'Aperativo

Introduction: Situated at 340 Glenhuntly Rd Elsternwick the signage announces that this is a "Fine Italian Cafe" The last word is right.
Ambience: Crowded bustling and happy

Service: When the waitress asked if the Cabernet Savignon was red I suspected I might be dealing with an amateur!

Food: Quite tasty although totally lacking refinement. Good size serves. Fish and chips a nice peice of whiting in batter a small green salad and a mass of crisp thin chips was cheap at $13.50 and the Fettuccini Calabrese with chicken and mushroom in a white sauce reasonably satisfying
Wine: Licenced or BYO If you want something good

Price: About $45 for two courses for two

Comments: Open for breakfast lunch and dinner and serve 'till about 11.00pm probably best for Breakfast or supper

Score: 13/20

Friday, November 04, 2005

Treasury

Introduction: At 394 Collins St in the National Trust listed building which originally housed the first Bank of Australia this bears no resemblance to todays banks!
Ambience: Rather dark (they need a cherry picker to change a light bulb) but filled with the feel of an elegant old building. The original bars sparating the tellers from the public are still in place. Enormously high ceilings are well in proportion with the very large eating space. A very comfortable space.

Service: Very patchy. Our waitress, apparently having just moved from breakfasts, had very little idea about looking after our wine needs but tried hard

Food: There is a good range of fish and meat dishes on the menu $25-34 supported by interesting entrees $16-21 and very good desserts about $15 Very tasty well presented, good size serves, steak cooked as requested. I thoroughly enjoyed the Raviolo entree and the prawn salad was also well received. The twice cooked duck (breast and leg) with shitake mushrooms and green vegetables with reduced master stock could hardly have been better. The filet steak on a bed of parsnip puree was tender and the grilled Barramundi praised by my guest.

Wine: Inexpensive small range by the glass and modest range by the bottle

Price: About $100 for two plus wine

Comments: It was a pleasure to have such a good meal in such fine surroundings. I'll happily recommend it to my friends

Score:15.5 /20