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

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

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

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

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

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

Le Gourmet

Introduction: At 366 Albert St opposite the park this quiet restaurant belongs in the fine dining class
Ambience: Large carpeted room in which everything speaks of modest uncluttered quality
Service: Professional
Food: I had the Spring Degustation menu ($98)
Salad of asparagus with tallegio, caramelised walnuts and parsley in walnut dressing Delicate and tasty
Steamed Moreton Bay bugs with shaved apple, watercress, fennel and Meyer lemon salad Rather dominated by the lemon
Terrine of pork hock, white beans & chorizo wrapped in bacon w baby leaves and radishes
A light Cappuccino of fresh morels dusted with porcini powder
Grilled cutlets of spring lamb on artichoke & dutch carrot stir fry w risotto fritters & thyme glace Surprisingly tough lamb
Selection of cheeses with condiments "Salzburger Nockerl" Hot souffle w hazelnuts, chocolate chips served w icecream, fruit & hot chocolate sauce.
A la carte there is a good range of entr'ees ($15-23) Mains ($27-34) Desserts($13-17) and soups and side dishes.
Wine: Good range reasonably priced with the exception of Fred's Red a ridiculously cheap ($22 a bottle) cab/sav which is acceptable though neithe the connosseur or the wine buff would find it satisfactory
Price: As above
Comments: A good place for a special night out tho' a bit on the expensive side.
Score: 14.5 - 15/20

Recenly revisited restaurants

THE ANGLIS Looks much better than it is. Special Chef's dinner was very poor value expensive and little better than ordinary food. left hungry! 13.5

Attica Underrated initially worth a third try 3rd time lucky fabulous now 17.5/20

BALA DA DHABA Yet again! Retains all it good things and all its faults I still like best or takeaway

Bamboo House Wonderful food in a tired setting

Bistro Moncur Not quite as good as I first thought 13.75/20

C'EST BON It sure is

DADA NOI I liked it before I LOVE it now 16.5/20

ezard at the Adelphi So very good

IMPERIAL KINGDOM 10 times at least! Retains an even, very good, standard !6/20 for Yum Cha 14/20 for A la carte Not any more Slipping 14/20 perhaps!

FLOWER DRUM Despite John Lethlean and the AGF Guide remains a really good restaurant

FRANCE- SOIR Very very good 16.5/20

FENIX Three times Up with the very best 17.75/20 and yet again! Now closed I'm waiting for Raymond Capaldi to open at the former Mercy Hospital in East Melbourne

JAQUES REYMOND Very very good 17.5/20

RIPPLES Great for Yum Cha but I wouldn't rush there for a la carte

Ru Inn maintains a good standard


SAUCIER 3 times Service remains too slow 15/20 for food 12/20 for service

SILKY APPLE 13/20

STONES OF THE YARRA VALLEY Excellent

SUNGS KITCHEN RESTAURANT (YUM CHA) 16/20

SUPPER INN Little change in 20+ years not quite as good as ever Still need to queue at 10.30 pm They now take credit cards

VUE DE MONDE 7 times and counting! and as good if not better than ever 18/20

Fenix

Introduction: Close to Victoria Gardens on Victoria Street Richmond This is one of the "new wave" restaurants serving adventurous dishes - French international but out of the usual mould.
Ambience: Linen serviettes and table cloths, good quality cutlery and crockery, attractive original paintings interestingly framed by the wood surrounds make for a pleasing atmosphere

Service: Faultless
Food: We started with the Liquid Nitrogen palate cleanser, a parfait of green tea, lime, vodka and egg white poached at the table in a bowl of liquid nitrogen which was both fun and effective ($12) The entrees were quite magnificent the caramelised pork belly with Thai style coconut spaghetti is delectable and the 6 large scallops grilled on the shell topped with cheese mornay style and grated parmigano equally excellent. The troncon of greenback flounder was very well prepared but not as exciting as the rabbit leg stuffed with black bean and bacon served on a bed of rich creamed potato and surrounded by wild mushrooms. The dishes are not skimpy and even their bread is hard to resist so by the time it got to desserts there was no room to enjoy their 'best dessert of 2005' a Tuille of turbinado sugar, bell pepper jam and cucumber white chocolate. Next time!
Our waiter was happy to explain the way dishes were prepared and translate the French terms on the menu but there is also a glossary at the foot of each section of the menu
Wine: Modest range available by the glass $8-12 Reasonable range by the bottle.
Price: About $140 for a really good dinner for two
Comments: This is another excellent restaurant in the same league as Circa and not far behind Vue de Monde
Score: 17.5/20

Well things have changed at Fenix. A $1.2 mil uptade has left the decor more like a bistro than a top restaurant (no table cloths now!) BUT, fortunately, the food is as good as ever and the waiters are as attentive as it isposible to be with out being in your face.They now have an eight course tasting menu $125 or $165 with matched wines as well as their a' la carte menu.Of course we had to go for the fancy stuff and how very good it is. Served on specilly designed plates with somewhat unusual cutlery these were superb small dishes

The follwing photo's show most of the courses.

Above Is a smoked Tuna broth with field and dried mushrooms
These Yabby tails in sago and loganberry were extraordinary

Lightly cooked Barramundi with a delightful Turnip mash and vegies

Above the right pic of medium rare rump of lamb on an eggplant mash with baby honeyed leeks

Desserts - Above Pear with deconstructed apple crumble and olive ice cream and on left Frozen marshmellow and Tea ice cream








All this followed by Petit fours and coffee.

The asymmetric plates are not the result of my indifferent photography!!

Worth every bit of 17.75/20

Wong's Cafe

On Glenhuntly Rd a few doors toward the beach from Orrong Rd This is a fairly typical suburban Chinese restaurant.
Service: Efficient, bordering on obsequious
Food: Varied from less than ordinary to very nice. The sweet and sour battered pork fellinto the former category the fried rice very ordinary whilst chicken and vegetables was quite acceptable and the beef in oyster sauce was very tasty and delicate. Desserts are extremely simple e.g. fruit salad and icecream or bannana fritter and icecream.
Wine: BYO or small inexpensive range by glass or bottle
Price: Cheap. A small banquet for 2 - soup 3 mains fried rice dessert and tea/coffee $23 or a slightly smaller banquet for $16/head. A la carte also very cheap
Comments: Handy for an inexpensive meal if you are in the area
Score: 13/20

Sung's Kitchen Restaurant

Introduction: Close to Victoria Market at 118 Franklin St. patrons can enjoy a surprisingly inexpensive meal of very good quality.
Ambience: There is a quiet private room upstairs and a large open space downstairs dining area Generally pleasant
Service: We were well looked after by Eric, the"Major Domo" and a team of attractive young waitresses
Food: The Gatronomic tour of China would need special arrangements as some of the dishes need 24 hrs notice to prepare. This is what we had: Shanghai specialties: Juicy Pork Dumpling succulent somehow retaining chiken soup in a pastry pocket, Beggars chicken stuffed with mushroom and herbs wrapped in a lotus leaf and foil and cooked for 8 hours in a clay pot (at some restaurants you are invited to smash this open with a hammer) de-licious! From Sichuan Hot and sour soup as good as any being at the same time hot sour sweet salty and piquant, Spicy prawns slightly glazed almost as crunchy as an apple and Sichuan string beans prepared with pickled turnip dried prawns and pork and cooked in a very hot wok 'explosive cooking!' From Xian: Shrimp roe tofu - evidently there are hundreds of ways of making tofu, crunchy shredded beef with leek and shallots. From Beijing Lamb roast (pre slow boiled for 6 hrs to reduce the fat before roasting, served with sauteed Tianjin cabbage and from Hong Kong Egg Fu noodles and a sweet dessert soup with sesame paste balls.
Served with Lichee tea and steam rice.
Wine: It did not really go with his meal but we had a bubbly Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier Chardonnay followed by a Pinot Grigio 2004 a Patrice Chardonnay 2002, a Tampranillo 2003 and a Patrice Shiraz 2002 all from Brown Bros. The bubbly and the Tampranillo were most suited to the meal. No I did not drink all of them and drive home
Price: The General menu is extremely inexpensive with most mains about $13 to 18 with some above and below that.
Comments: Sung is a master Chef This is a must go to restaurant for any lover of Chinese food who wants to get something more than well prepared Cantonese style food
REVISIT
This North Chinese Yum Cha is quite different from the Cantonese style served at almost every other restaurant. Choose from some 30 dishes on their menu - they are prepared on the spot.
Accompanied by an aromatic rose tea I particularly enjoyed the Szechuan spicy dried beef, the mustard cress w dried bean curd, the fresh crab meat dumpling, the Peking souffle prawns and the emporer meat dumpling.
Nothing changed my view that this is one of the most underrated Chinese restaurants in Melbourne
Score: 16/20

George's Greek Tavern

Introduction: As you enter Malvern restaurant you pass a large refrigerated cabinet displaying prawns, snapper, crabs, octopus, flounder, sea perch, garfish and a variety of other fresh and attractive seafood. An encouraging start.
Ambience: A very clean almost sterile but friendly atmosphere in this large wooden floored room
Service: Casual!
Food: Plain well prepared dishes Nothing fancy We had a mixed dip and fried eggplant both very tasty entrees accompanied by a loaf of oven heated bread followed by lamb souvlaki and a whole barbecued baby snapper both served with roast potato and a large salad. Portions are good size a liitle overcooked for my taste but I should have said how I wanted the lamb cooked
Wine: We brought our own (which happened to be excellent) and there was no charge for corkage - probably an oversight
Price: Entrees $6-7 Mains $17 to 25 except crab
Comments: A no nonsense very good suburban Greek restaurant
Score: 14/20