Giuseppe, Arnaldo & Sons, Melbourne

Last Sunday, I enjoyed a quiet lunch with J at Giuseppe, Arnaldo & Sons prior to heading to the movies to see Tomorrow When the War Began.

Reading a few other blogs and some reviews, it seemed that Giuseppe, Arnaldo & Sons was a really good traditional Italian restaurant.

It was cold and rainy outside so some comfort food and probably some pasta seemed like a great idea. We arrived just before midday as we wanted to be able to take our time and enjoy our lunch. We ordered a 1/2 litre carafe of the Crittenden Estate Pinot Gris while we took a closer look at our place mat menus.

To begin with we decided on the mixed marinated olives served warm and the Burrata - unspun cow's milk/cream mozzarella with hot focaccia and lemon.
The mixed olives included - Australian Gordal Green, Australian Wild Brown, Manzanilla Black, Salt Dried Kalamata, Arbequina Black, and Taggiasche Black. The salt dried kalamata were probably my least favourite but the gordal green were to die for!

The Burrata was probably the highlight of the entire meal. Presented quite simply on the plate, a little 'sack' of mozzarella drizzled with some olive oil, some hot bread and a wedge of lemon. Although the menu described the cheese as a cream mozzarella, little did I know that when I cut into it that this creamy goodness would ooze out. We squeezed on some lemon and dug in. Creamy and subtle with the lemon and olive oil zing to balance it out. I could have eaten three of these and had nothing else!

Next, onto our mains. J ordered the Spaghetti "Arrabbiata" with crab, tomato and chilli baked in a paper bag and I ordered the Bucatini with squid, tomato, chilli, red wine and pancetta. I must admit, I wish I had J's pasta. Mine was really tasty and very traditional however J's was incredibly good. Decent amount of crab, right amount of chilli and the pasta was cooked perfectly. J has Italian heritage and even made the comment that the sauce tasted like her Nonna's. Looking at the picture below, it looks like a big old mess, but looks can be deceiving!

Excellent for a slow Sunday lunch with a warm pasta and some wine. Especially on a cold day. Will definitely be returning.

Matsu Hashi, Clifton Hill

Well as promised, we had dinner at Matsu Hashi on Friday night and I have something to write about!

Sushi has been a hard one for me to conquer. I wasn't a fan of thick sashimi slices, and the smell of the nori sheets made me feel quite ill. But it always looked so pretty and tasty and I am a bona fide lover of all seafood*, how could I not like sushi? So, I would continue to try it every now and then until I found something I liked.

What I ended up discovering was that I don't like old sushi, hand rolls that are prepared in the morning, or the night before and are left sitting in a fridge all day. Japanese fast food. I like my sushi made on the spot, with the freshest fish, which in essence is what sushi is supposed to be all about. I don't like overly thick sashmi slices, for me, the thinner the better and when you order this in a place where its made on the spot, you can request thinner slices if you prefer.

Well Matsu Hashi did not disappoint and I'm overjoyed with the fact that it's BYO wine and walkable distance from home. The interior is cosy and not too dark, still keeping simplistic Japanese styling as opposed to some crazy Japanese shop that sells Hello Kitty everything.

We ordered a bottle of Pirie South Pinor Noir 2009 (Tasmania). Not a bad drop, we managed to drink the whole bottle either way. The wine list was quite small but very reasonably priced.

Pirie South Pinot Noir 2009

The menu is extensive, large sushi bar, hotpot options, soups and teppanyaki. With so much to choose from, we wanted a little bit of everything! So what do we do in that situation? Of course we ordered a Banquet! P and I are suckers for banquets even though most of the time we almost need to be rolled out of the restaurant. But we decided on the Sappora Set. At $35 per person for 6 courses, what a bargain!

We started off with Miso Soup. It was light and flavoursome, and made from scratch. No sachet miso soup here. Topped with fresh sliced mushrooms, not dried and then re-hydrated mushrooms, it was the perfect addition to a perfect soup.

Next came the sushi and Californian rolls. We had king fish and salmon sushi and obviously some Californian rolls. On the side, wasabi, pickled ginger and Japanese mayo. The king fish sushi was my absolute favourite. The fish was fresh and the rice held together really well, I could bite half off and still have the remaining half balancing nicely in my chopsticks, all in one piece. The salmon was also very fresh and not cut too thick, just how I like it. P isn't usually a fan of Californian rolls, but he said that he actually really enjoyed these ones, and so did I!

Sushi and Californian Rolls

Miso Soup

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
After finishing that course I was starting to feel a little full from all the rice, but they left enough time in between for us to get our appetites back. I also think this is just Japanese food, it's filling immediately after you eat it but the feeling wears off pretty quickly, and we are ready for the next course!

The Gyoza Dumplings were large and juicy, probably some of the best I have had, you could taste the real pork with that really nice hint of the cabbage. I really could have eaten a plate full of these if I wasn't in anticipation of the rest of the meal! The Yakitori Skewers were your typical teriyaki chicken, reminiscent of my days at my old job where my friend G would order two Yakitori skewers and one Japanese pancake with extra mayo for lunch almost every day, how I loved to steal his food when he wasn't looking!

Next we had Tempura. Prawns, zucchini, pumpkin and carrot. As always, Tempura carrot is just my absolute favourite! The carrot is soft and sweet and the batter really light and crispy. We also enjoyed eating the fanned soba noodle garnish flecked with crunchy bits of tempura batter.

Tempura

Gyoza and Yakitori

Eye fillet Teppanyaki, served with stir fried vegies on a sizzling iron plate. The steak was incredible, thick slices, cooked medium rare as asked by our friendly trainee waiter. This really was superb.

Eye Fillet Teppenyaki

P was not a fan of the Green Tea Ice Cream with Red Bean Paste, I enjoyed it that much that I forgot to take a photo and realised once it was half gone...

Since Friday night I have been back already! Really a fan of this place. Would recommend a visit to any lover of Japanese food!

*With the exception of jellyfish. How can anyone like something that can only be described as slimy crunch?

Left Bank Melbourne

Prior to heading out to the movies a few Saturdays ago, J and I decided to have dinner at Left Bank.

The design and layout of this place is just beautiful! It's relatively new, its a bar as well as a restaurant and has been set up really well. There is a balcony area for alfresco dining, something I look forward to enjoying in the warmer months. The restaurant area is directly in front of you when you come through the main entrance and to your left is a stunning bar area. Along the window of the restaurant there are tables that can be separated by silver organza curtains, transparent but can still give you a feeling of privacy. We were seated along the other wall in a little couched area, low tables, and lots of cushions. It was so comfortable, and great for sitting around after if you just want to chill out, have some cheese, wine, or even cocktails (which also sounded fantastic). They have somewhat of a tapas menu too if you are just feeling a little snacky.

The menu looked great as well, with a 5 course degustation for $65 (excluding wine). The waitress basically told us that you let the chef know of any allergies and he will prepare a five course meal that explores the entire menu. Sounded so great, but I was feeling a little off that night so we decided on sharing an entree and a main each.

We decided on the mixed seafood wontons with XO sauce for entree. These were plated up so well, cute and very easy to eat with a little toothpick for each one. I found they tasted a little like Thai fish cakes in wonton wrappers, with some spicy dried chilli mix and spring onions on top.

For main I had the soy lacquered duck with asian greens and shitake mushrooms. There was so much duck on this plate! Which is unusual considering most places will just give you a small breast piece. The skin could have been a little more crispy, but the duck itself was flawless. I just wished I had felt better and been able to eat the whole dish, because I just love duck! The asian greens were cooked perfectly and were still crisp. The shitake mushrooms were maybe a little salty for my liking, however with the duck being soy lacquered, the whole dish had a certain degree of saltiness.

Overall, nice place, nice food and definitely would like to return when not feeling so under the weather.

Something I learnt...

My photography skills are not getting any better!!! However, I have begun teaching myself a few things using tutorials and tips from some great food photography blogs. Here's hoping my photos will only get better from here on in.

A few things I wish I had written about but didn't...

Taste of Melbourne 2009
A delectable journey through some of Melbourne's best restaurants all under one roof.

Best Bits?
Turkish Delight filled Doughnuts glazed with honey and crushed pistachios from Maha, I did not want to share! We also met George Calombaris and Gary Mehigan the second we walked in.

My friend A, George & Me outside the The Press Club & Maha Taste Kitchen.

Me, Gary & A outside The Boathouse Taste Kitchen.

How's your hip pocket?

EMPTY! It's an expensive day out, but worth every penny. Get a few friends together and share the dishes you purchase, you'll taste more and get better value!

Details

Taste of Melbourne 2010

26-29 August 2010

Royal Exhibition Building

Carlton

http://www.tastefestivals.com.au/australia/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=43&Itemid=68

There's also one in Sydney, however its already done for 2010 - http://www.tastefestivals.com.au/australia/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=65&Itemid=83

King Valley Shed Wine Show 2008 & 2009

A small wine show for an amazing wine region where the public become the judges! 2008, held at Gracebrook Vineyards saw record attendance pushing 2009 to a new venue, the Swinburne Pavilion in Whitfield. The new venue was not ideal, however the event is always fantastic. For anyone who needs a helping hand, the King Valley Vignerons are there to teach you all about wine tasting and judging. With entertainment and food all day too, its a great day out!

Gracebrook Vineyards - 2008 Venue

Best Bits?
Making a full weekend out of it, camping with friends and visiting some wineries on the way home. The Whitfield Pub also gets a mention, always ready to serve up huge (and delicious) pizzas on a Friday night after the 3 hour drive up. We also witnessed a calf being born!

Little Calf just after it was born... Mumma was very cautious about us!

How's your hip pocket?
The show or weekend if you choose is cheap cheap cheap! $15 per head gets you entrance to the wine show, all the wine you can taste and a glass to drink from. If you don't mind roughing it, you can camp at Gentle Annie for approximately $10 per night (there are shower and toilet facilities too)

Details
King Valley Shed Wine Show
First Saturday in October
http://www.kvv.com.au

Rubicon, North Melbourne

If you remember the scene where Carl and Roberta Williams meet for the first time in the original Underbelly, this restaurant is where the filming took place. Despite its claim to fame, and the Melbourne Crime Tours stopping out front, I enjoyed a casual lunch with my girlfriend J, just this Saturday gone.

It was definitely one of those memorable experiences where you sit down for lunch and a few glasses of wine but you end up hanging around for hours, several wines later, and you realise the waitress who has been serving you has long since knocked off.

The way this place this run is the way I would run a restaurant if I had the time and/or patience. Not only was the food lovely, the service fantastic and we left knowing the owner on a first name basis.

It is just your standard wood fired pizza and pasta place with a little bit extra. Not expensive and the decor is warm and inviting, there is also a large bar if you are just keen for a drink or two.

I ordered the Kangaroo Fillet with wilted spinach, mash and a red wine jus. The best thing about Kangaroo is its high in quality protein and low in total fat (less that 2%). How can something that good for you taste so great? The kangaroo was succulent and just about fell apart in your mouth. J ordered the Fettuccine Gamberi, king prawns, fresh tomato, garlic, chilli and olive oil.

To drink I had a glass of the Riverstones Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, slight lemon flavour on the palate, fine little glass of wine.

The service. What to say?! Our waitress was friendly and on the ball. The owner brought over a complementary glass of wine for each of us and hung around for a chat. I love this kind of place where you feel that you can return and always feel that little bit special. That's the way customers should be treated, and the business reaps the rewards when you tell all your friends what a fantastic time you had!

Will definitely be returning, thanks Teddy!

Rubicon Cafe & Bar

50 Errol Street

North Melbourne

Tramcar Restaurant, Melbourne

Anniversary = I get to go out for dinner and not have to pay... This year my partner took me on the Tramcar restaurant, the poor thing is running out of restaurants to take me to.

Taking into consideration all our surroundings, and the workspace for the tramcar staff, Here's my thoughts on food, drinks and service. Apologies for the lack of photos, camera was unfortunately left on the bench!

First up, we were greeted by friendly staff who directed us to a clean tram stop and the tram arrived on time. We boarded quickly and within a few minutes of being seated we were served a glass of sparkling. On the table, a roasted capsicum dip and a chicken liver and cognac pate with pink peppercorns, served with wafer crackers and poppy seed lavosh. The dip was as you would expect, tasted (and looked) like a typical dip you would pick up at the supermarket, but I would be lying if I said I didn't like it. The pate on the other hand was fantastic. We had a little pot of it and devoured the lot. It was smooth and creamy and the cognac flavour was strong but not overpowering. I loved this pate so much I was even thinking about it sitting in traffic on my way to work this morning.

We began our very slow tour around Melbourne as our Maitre'd introduced himself, the chef, our waiter and proceeded to explain the menu.