Matteo's

As the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival comes to an end I can't help but think it's best for my waistline. My final stop was organised by the lovely Shen from work who arranged for our department to lunch at Matteo's. I'm rather fond of this place. It was the scene of one of my first dates with The Writer. If you like what follows you'll be pleased to know they offer a similar deal for $35 Monday-Friday throughout the year.

With a rather large group we were able to sample almost everything on offer. My co-workers were kind enough to tolerate me snapping away like a delirious tourist.

The entrees included kingfish carpaccio, chickpea soup with blue-eye cod brandade and curried yabby tails and pork belly with apple and coconut salad. In hindsight the entrees were probably more innovative than the mains but today I was strictly a mains and dessert girl.



The five spiced duck leg confit red-curry laksa with steamed coconut rice (try saying that after two glasses of wine!)came with a few unexpected lychees that weren't an unwelcome pairing. There was nothing spectacular about this and it veered towards being overly rich. The far more virtuous choice appeared to be the trout with steamed Vietnamese rice paper rolls but then again I've never been one for restraint.


This was evident when the dessert platter of chocolate panna cotta with Persian fairy floss (what else would you find atop a dessert in 2007?), warm apple crumble with cinnamon ice cream and chilled candied fruit nougat parfait hit the table. The cheese option of twice baked gorgonzola soufflé, dried fig salsa, taleggio on toasted fruit and nut loaf and marinated Meredith fromage blanc would probably also have been worth a try. The dessert platter was more pleasing to the eye than the palate but the generosity of the serve was commendable.




I'm not convinced I like Brendan McQueen's emphasis on Asian flavours in his savoury dishes. To me it feels a little like Pearl comes to North Fitzroy. This one hatter is nevertheless a beautiful restaurant with wonderful service and well worth a visit!

Matteo's
533 Brunswick St North Fitzroy
Open: Lunch: Sun-Fri noon- 3pm. Dinner: 7 days 6-10pm
Phone: 03 9481 1177
dine@matteos.com.au
www.matteos.com.au

The Longest Lunch

I like anyone free from restraint so unsurprisingly Libertine is a bit of a favourite of mine. I'm rather pleased this one-hatter isn't surrounded by hype making it perfect for intimate dinners. During the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival it's also perfect for a bargain lunch. The Restaurant Express Menu gets you two courses, a glass of wine and tea or coffee for $30. With our three hour stint I can't help but gleefully calculate that to be $10 per hour. Like Grossi Florentino, Libertine offered those beloved special touches such as the warm sourdough. John Lethlean it seems they've heard you. This was an excellent loaf.

The downstairs has a dark cosy bistro feel, a perfect escape on cold winter nights. Upstairs the feel is lighter with white walls, vintage wallpaper, ruby crystal chandeliers and a great soundtrack full of fabulous French clichés.



Because there are a few of us we decide to spread out our two courses and sample as much of the menu as possible. The entrée I sampled, the crispy river prawns with sauce gribiche, is a stack of sweet soft shelled prawns surrounded by a gorgeous tomato and prawn stock infusion that in my opinion outshines the gribiche.




Our table is split between those ordering the entrecôte béarnaise with salad and pommes frites and the moules marinière with aioli. The mains aren't exciting but are classics done well. Inferior to the exceptional food on the normal menu but it's hard to offer roast duck breast with quince or steak with truffles and foie gras at these prices. It's worth noting even à la carte both the mains and exceptional European wine list are well priced.




We finish by sharing plates of Roquefort with quince paste and toasted walnut bread and strawberry and crème chantilly sablé. Each generous cheese portion is easily enough for four people. The sablé are delightfully buttery yet lovely and light.




The outstanding sweet treat are the complimentary petits fours- a bite of dark chocolate mousse encased in chocolate. I finish with a pot of Darjeeling filled with a very impressive leaf indeed. The tea is characteristically light in colour yet becomes bitter if left too long in the pot- a sign that it's pure Darjeeling and not mixed with other leaves as is all too common. This isn't a place that takes short cuts and it's all about the special touches. Chef Nick Creswick (ex-Attica) and wife Zoe Ladyman (ex-sommelier at Ezard) certainly have a winning formula. A real gem.






The details:
Libertine
500 Victoria St, North Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9329 5228
Lunch midday-3pm Mon-Fri; dinner 6pm-10pm Mon-Sat

Posh Rice

Risotto was the first thing I learnt to cook. My father placed me in front of the stove with firm instructions to keep stirring. I carefully ladled warm stock onto the rice, anxiously waiting for the grains to become plump. Accordingly it seems it was about time I made it to Simon Humble’s (ex-Scusami) risotteria Tutto Bene.

A friend and I arrive with an 8pm booking with not a table to be spared. We’re seated outside to peruse the menu and offered what later turns out to be complimentary drinks while we take in the Southbank views. Tick, tick, tick.




After a 20 minute wait we’re finally seated. The interior is warm, romantic and intimate, a little too intimate in some ways. Tables are rather close so if you enjoy a bit of eavesdropping, this is the place for you. Definitely not the place to break up with someone.

The bread is pleasant but the apparently award winning olive oil bearing the Simon Humble label sets it above average. You can take your very own bottle home for $22. Although there’s a wide selection of non-risotto options I’ve come with a mission. My friend’s risotto Isola – pork, veal and chicken with cinnamon and rosemary (18.50) is incredibly flavourful and so different to the usual risotto options that grace most menus. My only criticism is that the temperature seems to suggest the plates are spending a little too much time at the pass.




Without hesitation I decide on the anatra, funghi e salvia - braised duck, porcini mushroom and sage (20.00). It arrives heady with the aroma of porcini but seems to also contain another mushroom. I dare not ask what it is after reading about The Age reviewer who enquired about the type of mushrooms used at an Indian restaurant. The waiter returned after some time to announce “They are Coles mushrooms Sir.”




We finish with the Zabaglione (14.00) which is presented at the table with the waitress whisking the warm mixture in a copper bowl as she pours it over the crushed amaretti biscuits. It’s served with a scoop of ice cream that almost cuts through the intense richness. There's also the gelateria if you want your dessert to go.




Tutto Bene is ideal for a first date or long overdue catch up with friends but with rice this good, who needs a reason to visit?

Tutto Bene
Mid-Level Southgate
Southbank
Ph: (03) 9696 3334
http://www.tuttobene.com.au/

The Soup Bowl

I don't think I'm a naturally adventurous person. It would explain why I'm terrified of abseiling and always need to consider a restaurant's menu online before making a booking. When I'm struggling for dining inspiration I always seem to end up with a bowl of pho and a plate of rice paper rolls. I have my favourites at Springvale, Richmond, Footscray and Swanston Street. Well it was time to break the habit and so one Saturday I ventured to Victoria Street, Richmond determined to find a new place to eat and a new order.

Thanh Phong, 240 Victoria Street Richmond bears encouraging signs like a mention in The Age Cheap Eats Guide. At around 2pm on a Saturday the place is packed with large groups of Vietnamese students. The waiters seem to be bringing out a constant stream of steaming soup bowls. The staff are warmer and more helpful than average for the sub $10 per person restaurant market. The menu has all the standards but I avert my eyes from the pho and rice paper rolls and decide to sample something a little different. The Prawn and Pork in Tamarind Noodle Soup ($8) fits the bill perfectly.
My father opts for the Thanh Phong Seafood Rice Noodle Special (also $8) which arrives looking particularly decorative with a crispy garnish. The broth is not as flavourful as pho and I'm disappointed not to get the heavy tamarind hit I was expecting. It's pleasant and disappears quickly enough but I don't imagine the craving for it is likely to hit anytime soon. Sometimes it's nice to try something else just so you can be reassured your standard places are your favourites with good reason!

Tiba's

I am tempted not to blog about this because it’s one of those delightful treasurers I’d rather like to keep to myself, like the greedy only child that I am. Rather ravenous at 9pm on a Saturday night I ventured in on a recommendation and find myself (reluctantly) making one of my own. Tiba’s at 504 Sydney Road, Brunswick is everything you could want in a local Middle Eastern restaurant. It’s the Mama’s Spaghetti and Meatballs of Lebanese food.

There’s nothing thrilling about the façade or décor but if you’re an oinker like me you’ll be too busy with the contents of your plate to notice. The rice stuffed vine leaves ($1.30 for two) are delightful warm little fingers. Due to our famished state I confess a few were consumed before I remember to whip the camera out. The cheese pie and mince pastry ($1 each) are comfortingly doughy. Perhaps not worthy of a repeat order but they certainly helped keep the hunger pangs at bay. Unsurprisingly this place graces the pages of Cheap Eats.



It would be an understatement to say servings are generous. For $8.50 you get a platter filled with your meat of choice, dollops of hummus and tzatziki, pickles, rice and little mountains of tabouli and garden salad. Before we could say "we should have ordered bread" a large basket of delightfully soft pita arives to mop it all up. This is not so much a main course as a feast. One plate could easily feed two but at these prices, why limit yourself?




The Lebanese sausages certainly didn’t come up short in the flavour department and while not overly rich were paired perfectly with the zesty salad. The lamb skewers was meltingly tender and pleasingly pink inside. This is not your standard post-pub kebab, which incidentally they do sell in the front part of the establishment. In the rear restaurant section our fellow diners all seem to be regulars that are onto a good thing. Hasan Tiba is no Greg Malouf but certainly knows what he's doing. The food is not adventurous like the latest Middle Eastern dining hotspots but I have a sneaking suspicion this place will outlast them.

The New Face of Yum Cha

Perhaps I've been sheltered. I'm accustomed to the standard sticky rice parcels, pork spareribs and fried squid but it appears the face of the yum cha trolley has changed. No longer is the humble prawn dumpling simply a crescent shaped delight but rather an art form!




I am ready to admit that yum cha is highly subjective. I am inclined towards the seafood and the steamed while His Highness has a penchant for pork. His Highness has always been partial to the Shark Fin Inn while I'm a firm supporter of the Ocean King, a relatively undiscovered treasure. Nevertheless I was pleased to discover I no longer need to trek across town for some quality trolley action.




Ripples Seafood & BBQ Restaurant at 40 Glenferrie Road Malvern is yum cha with a twist. Like Matt Preston I did find the staff rather surly but anyone who can make a squid out of a dumpling wrapper surely gets a few brownie points.



The dishes are a good balance of old school standards like chicken feet and some clever little innovations such as goldfish shaped taro puddings. Presentation is clearly a priority here but there is no lack of substance either. The crabmeat dumpling laced with sharks fin and roe is gloriously pleasing and the pork spareribs are meaty little morsels. The prices are reasonable, the variety excellent and the food is constantly flowing. A pretty good find no matter what your yum cha preferences.

Grossi Florentino

I'm not ashamed to admit I am taking advantage of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival Restaurant Express deals. For $30 you get two courses, a glass of wine and tea or coffee. Some the restaurants will even let you have a peek at what's on offer. It kicked off today and runs until the end of March.

Unsurprisingly Grossi was at the top of my list. My understanding is that during the week you get to eat in the restaurant and at the weekend you are in the grill. Given that mains in the restaurant are in the $35+ range I jumped at the opportunity to dine there. Do you get the normal quality of food and service? No. Is it fantastic value for money? Absolutely.

As a curious sort of girl the approach I recommend is to share an entree and dessert with a dining partner so that you essentially get to sample three courses. Of course you should always have a taste of their main if you want the widest possible sampling experience!




Now for the good bits. Grossi Florentino goes above and beyond the package with grissini, bread with olive oil and butter and biscotti with your coffee. Amazing what a difference the little things make! The staff were quick to correct mistakingly charging for the coffee (at $8 a cup no less!) and were warm and attentive despite clearly being run off their feet. Surprisingly Guy Grossi was gracing the room with his presence. I was sure he would be at the World's Longest Lunch but no complaints!

To start I shared the entree Taglierini with calamari braised with white wine, garlic and tomato. It didn't make for a pretty picture and was slightly over-salted but major bonus points for dividing the serving into two without us needing to ask. The flavours are nothing to write home about but the calamari is tender and the pasta had a beautiful texture.

For mains I had the veal scaloppini pan fried with marsala and herbs and served with mash. The mash was glorious and perfect with the rich juices from the veal. I was also lucky enough to taste the Stico d’ agnello, braised veal shank with red wine and beans, with polenta. On the day the shank was actually lamb and what a fine piece of meat it was too! Neither main was mind blowing but both were perfect wintery comfort food on the first rainy Melbourne day in weeks. I can't think of anywhere better to spend a grey day than in that richly wood panelled room.




For dessert the red wine and raspberry gelato with fresh berries and almond pastry seemed to be without the promised red wine but perhaps this was for the best. The sorbet was punchy and while the serving was small, it made for an excellent finish to the rich meal.





It would be amiss of me not to mention another sweet highlight, the biscotti served with excellent coffee. They were studded with pistachio and cranberries with a strong orange zest flavour. Lovely.




Perhaps what really made the meal was knowing there would be no unpleasant surprises on the bill. I headed next door to the fantastic bookstore Hill of Content to spend those saved pennies.

Unsurprisingly I have many more restaurants to sample over the next few weeks. Join me as I explore Melbourne's restaurant scene on a budget!

The Italian Job

My better half announced he wanted Italian for lunch. I declared I wanted to eat somewhere we hadn't been before. 1.25 hours later we both got what we wanted.

My first thought was to head for Enoteca on Lygon Street, Carlton North. Just to prove the grass wasn't greener on the other side we headed to Rathdowne Street, the touristy end of Lygon, the less touristy end, Gertrude Street, Brunswick Street, St. Georges Road, Smith and even Sydney Road. Yes we did them all and ended up where we had started, Enoteca on Lygon. I'm not convinced the grass wouldn't have been greener elsewhere.

It's hard to put your finger on it but somehow it just didn't make for a satisfying lunch. The service is fine, the produce excellent but there was a strong feeling that this was a meal you could make at home after a quick visit to the Mediterranean Wholesalers and you'd be certain to avoid a bill on the wrong side of $100. I love a good meal out as much as the next girl but inevitably feel disappointed when I don't get my money's worth.

We started with one of the assaggini- potato croquette with smoked mozzarella. My better half declared it reminded him of dining hall meals during his university days. Probably not the desired effect.

His pasta of rocket, sausage and cherry tomatoes was simple and comforting but would probably have been more at place eaten in front of the TV. My saffron risotto with veal shank didn't have a whiff of saffron about it and when you're nearing the $30 mark it probably wasn't the time to get stingy with the veal. There was nothing complicated about the preparation to justify the prices.

We finished with a beautifully presented but disappointing tiramisu which pretty much summed up our experience. This place has a great feel and it's hard to fault the concept but the food left me thinking perhaps the grass was greener on the other side. Rathdowne Street anyone?

Happy Holi

This weekend is my favourite Indian holiday. Holi is best known for the colourful dyes that strangers splash each other with and in my opinion it is the most visually appealing holiday of them all.

To celebrate I decided to indulge in the treats from the Southern part of the sub-continent. If you’re searching South Indian food in Melbourne I generally suggest heading to Dandenong but today was the exception to the rule when I sampled the food at Barwarchi (20 Station Street, Moorabbin). By night you get the standard North Indian curries and tandoori but on a weekend from 11am South Indian food is the go.

My father who spent some of his youth in Madras (now Chennai) pronounced the fare here to be more authentically South Indian than the more Ceylonese style dishes you get in Dandenong. The prices are similar so I suppose it’s just a matter of personal taste. For me Barwarchi came out on top when the chef allowed me to put my head into the tandoor oven so I could eye the chickens roasting away within. I was considering the possibility of a tandoor for my home until the staff told me theirs cost $10 000. You could buy a lot of takeaway naan with that sort of money!

If you’re not familiar with South Indian food I wouldn’t recommend Barwarchi as the menu descriptions border between confusing and misleading. The staff more than make up for this, however. We were off to a good start with the idliis - hot fluffy steamed rice cakes served with a spicy sour dahl and a coconut chutney (3 for $5) and a round of lassis ($3). The masala dosa ($7) was everything you would want. A thin crisp pancake stuffed with delicately spiced potatoes sprinkled with fried lentils. I’m told the fried lentils point to authenticity. For an extra 50c you get it brushed with (extra) ghee.



We finished with a dhai bhalla ($7) which to me really evokes that magical sweet/sour/salty combination we associate with Thai cuisine. Lentil patties are topped with perfectly balanced sour yoghurt, sweet chutney and salty masala spice. The owner’s mother in law is hard at work in the kitchen and producing excellent results. I think I've been converted.

"The favourite child of St Kilda's Acland Street"...

is the status held by Cicciolina (130 Acland St, St Kilda) according to The Age Good Food Guide 2006. This one-hatter deserves the title and I'm one of the few that quite likes the no bookings policy. If you don't like to be kept waiting I recommend a late Sunday lunch.

Service is excellent from the willingness to convert the table for four by the window to one for two to the prompt refilling of the bread basket. The staff provide just the right amount of attentiveness, always a fine balancing act.

There is an enticing list of specials and a decent selection of wines by the glass (starting from $6.00), crucial for any long Sunday lunch. The spaghettini alla vongole ($17.50) arrives at the table bringing with it a tempting aroma of garlic and chilli. My better half looks on enviously as I tuck into the generous serve. He is pleased, however, by the little bowl of grated Parmesan accompanying his penne ($16.50) for one who is heavy-handed with the cheese. This is simple, comforting food done well.



The dessert list is tempting but we retire to The Galleon Café (9 Carlisle St, St Kilda) for coffee while perusing the papers. It is the perfect ending to a lazy summer weekend.

Beyond the Food Court

I confess to liking the changes made in recent years to Melbourne Central. I'm quite aware I should perhaps feel ashamed but in these changes I of course include the new dining spots such as tonight's destination; Chilli Padi (Menzies Alley, next to Max Brenner).

On my initial visit soon after their opening I was showered with attention. Tonight it couldn’t have been more different. I know they're busy on a Friday but there seemed to be some timing issues. The waitress kept coming to the table at 1 minute intervals to get our mains order yet happily left our dirty dishes on the table for 10 minutes. I don't expect much from a spot that charges $10 for mains but it would be nice to be asked if I wanted another drink. Luckily my dining partner shares my service expectations.

I would suggest skipping the starters if you’re looking for good value. The satay skewers ($6 for 3) couldn't have been smaller if they tried and I wasn't quite sure how to respond when the waitress asked "isn't the dipping sauce great?". I personally found it more oily than flavourful. At least drinks were a bargain at $4.50 due to happy hour. What more could a girl want on a Friday night?

The chicken laksa ($10) was a great balance of flavours by my tastes and I couldn't slurp up enough of those noodles. The only downfall was... well the chicken. Perhaps the duck or seafood options would have been better. The beef penang with roti chani or rice ($10) was smaller but equally flavour packed. The green tea dessert ($6.50) we finished with was surprisingly delightful for something that had been sitting in the cake display. Next time I'd love to sample the black sesame ice cream.

The menu is dominated by Malaysian food with a few South Indian options. If you're looking for something a little different from McD's or the standard food court kebab this is your place.

A Far Cry from the $5 Counter Meal

When I was younger to accompany your beer you got a fatty chop, some fries and something resembling a vegetable for the princely sum of $5. I of course never had the pleasure of ordering this but on the odd beach holiday it did cross my parents' minds to stop for a pub lunch.

These days it seems both the quality and price of pub grub has increased exponentially. A case in point is the Railway Hotel in South Melbourne. It is one of the more reasonable Gastropub destinations. The Butchers Plate which contained the usual selection of sausages and cured meats along with some duck and kangaroo products and a lovely pate for around $15 was a nice starter to share. I struggled to pick the kangaroo and I would have preferred a crusty baguette rather than Turkish bread with my pate but it was pleasant nevertheless.

The selection of terracotta pots are a bargain light meal. Again accompanied with the Turkish bread these little dishes are filled with either a pork and clam braise, chorizo in red wine or a vegetarian chickpea option. The pork and clam and the chorizo went down well at our table, as did the risotto.

It certainly didn't hurt that we were the lucky Trivia winners for the night. There's always a good chance you'll make a return visit when you know your next meal will be on the house.