Wednesday 28 December 2011

Claypot King

72 Kingsway
Glen Waverley, VIC 3150


I’m feeling rather lazy, so today’s post will be short and sweet.

After a lazy morning at home, I met Chris in Glen Waverley for a lazy (see a trend here?) lunch. We would usually head straight for the dumplings in Glen Waverley but because we have plans to have dumplings later this week, we ate at Claypot King instead.

Spicy and Sour Seafood Sizzling Noodles ($12.5)

I ordered the spicy and sour seafood sizzling noodles ($12.5) in an attempt to wake up my tastebuds. In reality, the noodles were less spicy and sour, and more sweet and coconutty; sort of like a soup-less laksa. It wasn’t half bad but it just wasn’t what I was looking for. They were pretty generous with the seafood though.

Pork Spare Ribs Claypot Rice ($12.5)
 
The boyfriend went for the pork spare ribs claypot rice ($12.5), which was once again, sweet. The spare ribs were tender and tasted like char siu, but we did miss the crunchy rice that’s supposed to line the claypot. 

Bit more expensive than its neighbours, claypot manages to serve up an enjoyable, if not fabulous meal. Hit or miss? You decide.

Rating: 11.5/20 – enjoyably average


Claypot King on Urbanspoon

Friday 23 December 2011

Pellegrini's Espresso Bar

66 Bourke St
Melbourne, VIC 3000

Exterior
 
There are two schools of thought concerning change. One group thinks that if a formula works, it should be kept that way, whilst the other believes that there’s always room for improvement. Pellegrini’s Espresso Bar falls strictly into the former category, for better or for worse. Armed with every review under the sun from ‘disgustingly outdated’ to ‘charmingly old-school’, Chris and I set out to see for ourselves just what Pellegrini’s is like.

Interior

I’ve been here a couple years back with a friend for coffee (very strong but not fantastic), and the place hasn’t changed since. Heck, most people are convinced that nothing’s changed since the day Pellegrini’s opened. They probably guess rightly too – the long narrow space with chequered floor boards, wooden menu board (no prices), and various memorabilia looks like it’s been here since the 50’s.

Lasagne (approx. $15)

There’s no concrete menu here at Pellegrini’s; instead, you can order almost any combination of pasta and sauce, and they’ll probably be able to make it for you. There are also certain things, such as the gnocchi, which are only available on certain days. Hearing rumours about enormous portion sizes, we ordered a Lasagne (approx. $15) to share. Our order was called out from the bar about five minutes later, and we were handed a generous, though not gargantuan serve of pasta along with a slice of buttered bread. As you can see, the presentation is nothing to shout about, and the pasta sheets were soft beyond repair. Yet we were both happy to overlook all of that, simply because the lasagne was rich, meaty, and piping hot. If all the patrons were happy to have a bowl of pasta for lunch on a 32 degree day, then they must be doing something right here.

Watermelon Granita (approx. $3)

Walk into Pellegrini’s in summer, and odds are that nine out of ten people will be clutching one of the famous Watermelon Granitas (approx. $3). Refreshing and sour, with a genuine watermelon taste, it was the ideal drink to serve with a steaming bowl of pasta.

I won’t lie; the pasta at Pellegrini’s, as pleasant as it was, did not impress me nearly as much as the loud, raucous and entirely Italian vibe did. Don’t come here with high expectations of the food, it’s the kind of nosh your Italian friend’s mum would make on a weeknight. You can however expect a good hearty (if not a bit slap-dash) feed, and a little slice of 50’s Italy.

Rating: 13/20 – come for the experience


Pellegrini's Espresso Bar on Urbanspoon

Tuesday 20 December 2011

Maha Bar and Grill

21 Bond St
Melbourne, VIC 3000


I always look forward to the end of the year. The combination of Christmas, Chris' birthday, and our anniversary gives us an excuse to really splurge on something special. Last year we celebrated at Movida Aqui, but this year we decided to go Middle Eastern and indulge at Maha Bar and Grill.

Exterior/Shisha Lounge/Interior

Maha is situated in an empty laneway with nothing to distinguish itself from the surrounding grey, other than a rectangle of red with the restaurant name engraved in it. So we were surprised to find ourselves in a richly carpeted, masculine space filled with wood and leather when we descended the stairs. On the way down, we passed a small cushioned lounge; the infamous shisha lounge, judging by the shisha pipes lining the walls.

We already had our eyes set on the Four Course Soufra ($45pp, $35 for matching wines), but we took a peep at the menu anyway. Considering that some of the more extravagant mains were hitting the 40 dollar mark, the soufra was definitely a good way to go, as it allowed us to sample most dishes from the menu.

Mezze (Small Cold Dishes)
Labne/Red Bean Dip/Saffron Pickled Vegetables/Olives with Fel Fel

Minutes within deciding on the soufra, the Mezze (small cold dishes) were brought out on a wooden platter, and each element was explained to us by the attentive waitress. The olives with fel fel were coated in a bread and chilli oil that was reminiscent of the chilli oil used in southern China, and they were given the nod of approval by Chris. The saffron pickled vegetables consisted of tangy sweet and sour cauliflower florets topped with coriander and a note of saffron (well, obviously); they were quite herby and a good wake up call to our palates. Our favourite mezze was without a doubt, the red bean dip. Creamy and smooth with a squeeze of lemon and drizzle of good olive oil, it ended up slathered on most of the soft and warm Turkish bread. And the remainder of our Turkish bread was topped with Labne, yoghurt cheese balls covered in zaatar (spice mix), the only spicy dish of the lot.

Tempura Zucchini Flowers with Ricotta
Caramelised Quail with Allspice on Coriander Rice with Candied Walnuts

There was a small break between the courses as our used plates and cutlery was exchanged for clean ones, which is great for a messy eater like me. After that, our second course, the Sahen Zghir (small plates) was brought out without delay. This course consisted of two beautifully plated dishes – tempura zucchini flowers with ricotta, and caramelised quail with allspice on coriander rice and candied walnuts. Both of these dishes were simple but faultless. The zucchini flowers were encased in a light yet unbelievably crispy batter that gave way to smooth ricotta under my knife. The herbed, almost risotto-like rice was the perfect accompaniment to the four small pieces of quail, which were smoky and tender, and glazed with a sweet and sticky sauce. I regret not stealing Chris' portion of the candied walnut; it was brittle, nutty, and incredibly moreish.

Sahen Kbeer (Large Plates)
Sides of Pilaf and Fattoush Salad/King Salmon with Panko and Citrus/Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder

The third course, the Sahen Kbeer (large plates) is a substantial one. We were served slow roasted lamb shoulder with pistachio and green olive tabouli, king salmon with panko and citrus, and sides of fattoush Lebanese bread salad, and pilaf of tomato, dill and pine nuts. The lamb was so rich that I could have sworn that I was losing feeling in my legs. It was possibly the most unctuous and tender lamb I’ve ever had, and a squeeze of lemon was definitely needed. The planks of salmon were yummy, though not spectacular. I found it to be too rich when served alongside the coronary-inducing lamb. Thank goodness for the fattoush, a simple garden salad served with crunchy bits of pita bread. Its lightness was very welcome, even if it was much too salty. We would have liked to have finished the pilaf, but unfortunately there was no stomach space left in either of us by that point.

Helwayet (Sweets)
White Chocolate Tart/Turkish Delight Doughnuts/Rose Water Sorbet with Cherry and Chocolate Biscuit

It was a relief that there was a longer gap between the big plates and the Helwayet (sweets), because I don’t think either of us could have had any more food straight after the last course. The desserts were once again served on a wooden platter, and we were spoilt with white chocolate tart with lemon yoghurt ice cream, little shot glasses of rose water sorbet with cherry and chocolate biscuit, and Maha’s famous Turkish delight doughnuts. The white chocolate tart was our favourite of the lot, being sweet and buttery, and perfect served with two scoops of the surprisingly tart ice cream. The rose water sorbet was flowery and refreshing, but the elements didn’t quite come together. The doughnuts were unfortunately more chewy than fluffy, but the ruby droplet of Turkish delight inside, although tiny, was lovely. We were actually fonder of the nutty crumble that the doughnuts were served upon.

Bill/Hand Wash in Toilet

The meal was ended with a squirt of Turkish lemon cologne to our hands, and a beautifully presented bill in a hollow book. Even the bathroom is worth a mention, smelling nicer than my room ever has thanks to the scented candles. 

Despite the delicious food, despite the friendly and helpful waitresses, and despite the exceptional atmosphere, I left Maha feeling underwhelmed. It’s like they tried to shoot for the stars, but landed at the awkward in-between of good honest food and fine dining. I would happily come back here, but only if I wasn’t the one paying. 

Rating: 14/20 – delicious but underwhelming


Maha Bar and Grill on Urbanspoon

Friday 16 December 2011

Chong Qing Hot Pot

Shop 18 Village Walk
Glen Waverley, VIC 3150


Too often, restaurants serve up flaccid and lifeless renditions of traditionally fiery Chinese dishes, leaving my family disappointed and barely breaking a sweat. Thank goodness for Chong Qing Hot Pot, where they are not afraid to use copious amounts of oil, chilli, and peppercorns, which is perfect for our southern Chinese palates. Even though most people tend to come here for the hot pots, we prefer to order a la carte for a nostalgic meal that reminds us of home.

Even though the restaurant is big and spacious, the out-of-the-way location means that Chong Qing Hot Pot is never as busy as we feel it deserves to be. On the other hand, this makes for much more relaxing dining than at places whose goal is to just pack as many people in as possible. The wait staff here are all dressed in waistcoats, and their friendliness and attentiveness is something one doesn’t usually expect from Chinese eateries. 

Complementary Peanuts

Tonight however, service is a bit more scattered than usual. Three different waiters came to take our order, one of our dishes was unavailable, and it took a good half hour before our first dish was served. We were given a small scoop stewed peanuts to snack on as we wait, and they tasted just like the kind mum stews at home, with a strong aniseed flavour.

Fish-Flavoured Pork ($19.8)

The first dish to arrive for the night was the Fish Flavoured Pork ($19.8), which is a common order of ours. The first thing we noticed is that the portion sizes are no longer as generous as they used to be, and digging through the decent variety of vegetables (which includes capsicum, black fungus, bamboo shoots, and a few more), we found less meat than we would have liked. Flavour-wise, it’s still a yummy dish to have with rice ($2 per person), but it no longer has the lip-tingling heat we know and love.

Fried Eggplant with Pork Mince ($16.8)
 
Now I don’t know what happened to the picture of the Fried Eggplant with Pork Mince ($16.8), other than it turned out really, REALLY ugly. The actual dish consisted of slippy soft strands of eggplant that were fragrant from caramelisation and a generous hand with the oil, and topped with a salty pork mince. This was another heavy dish that’s best had with rice.

Green Vegetable with Tofu Soup ($12.8)

The Green Vegetable with Tofu Soup ($12.8) was the surprise dish of the night. The first thing you have to know about this soup is that the serving is incomprehensibly huge. There’s enough for 10 people to have a bowl each, with some left over. And despite looking very bland with chunks of tofu and shredded bok choy, it was actually very tasty thanks to the pork soup base, which gave the soup a subtle meaty and umami flavour.

Stewed Pork with Tofu
 
The last dish to arrive in a rustic earthenware pot was the Stewed Pork with Tofu ($19.8). Despite looking forward to it all night, my dad found this dish to be disappointing. The tofu was dry and flavourless, and the fatty pork belly, which should traditionally be soft and melty, was disconcertingly chewy.

Honey Lemon ($2)
 
And before I forget, my sister also ordered a Honey Lemon ($2) to drink. Made with real honey and real lemons, this was a touch on the too-sweet side, but it was light and refreshing when diluted with a bit of iced water.

It’s always sad when a favourite restaurant takes a turn for the worst. Tonight’s dinner left us craving for more heat and bigger portions. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they’re just having a bad night, and I’m hoping that they’ll be back to their former glory on our next visit.

Rating: 12.5/20 – normally 14.5/20


Chong qing hot pot on Urbanspoon

Monday 12 December 2011

Rice Paper Vietamese Restaurant

245 Swanston Street
Melbourne, VIC 3000


Rice Paper Vietnamese Restaurant is a relative newcomer to the Swanston Street eating scene. Just like most of its neighbours, it serves a myriad of Asian dishes that have been westernised to differing degrees. Normally I wouldn’t be caught dead eating anywhere along Swanston Street (unless if it’s at DonDon), but a bright sheet of paper on the window boldly proclaiming a $5.8 Special lured us in. 

Surprisingly Nice Interior

The owners have clearly made an extra effort when it came to decor, in an attempt to differentiate itself from the restaurants nearby. Not only are there colourful lanterns and lily-shaped lights, but the walls are also lined with small pictures and mirrors all the way to the back of the long narrow space.

Lemongrass Beef with Rice ($5.8 special)

The first special was the Lemongrass Beef with Rice ($5.8 special). A modest serving of beef slices were topped with shallots, served with a mound of rice and a small bowl of fish sauce. The beef looked dry but it was actually right the opposite. Although there wasn’t much of the tang of lemongrass, there was a steadily building heat from the pickled chillies. Luckily the spiciness of the beef was easily tamed by a dip into the fish sauce followed by a mouthful of fluffy jasmine rice. 

Chicken Curry with Rice ($5.8 special)

The other special was a Chicken Curry with Rice ($5.8 special). Unlike the beef, this was actually creamy and delicate, with tender chicken chunks floating in the broth. Sweetened by coconut milk and lemongrass, this curry surprised both of us with how not-bad it was.

I’m going to have to say that I wouldn’t pay the normal $9-ish for these dishes, as much better food can be had for a couple dollars more. But at just $5.80, it’s certainly a cut above the similar food served nearby for almost twice the price.

Rating: 12/20 - $5.80 special. all day, every day.


Rice Paper Vietnamese Restaurant on Urbanspoon

Friday 9 December 2011

Auntie's Dumpling

68 Koornang Rd
Carnegie, VIC 3163


It’s as if my long-lost love has come back to life. Two years after the closing of Bob’s Kitchen, I still find myself wistfully thinking back to the good old days, when their dumplings were the best in town, when my family and I could just pack into the car and be tucking into a plate of hand-made noodles within 20 minutes. So you can imagine my delirious happiness when I found out that Bob’s Kitchen has a (supposedly even more delicious) sister restaurant, Auntie’s Dumpling, in Carnegie. And when I saw that the billboard outside used the exact same font as Bob’s Kitchen did, I swear a tear almost came to my eye.

Stepping inside, I found Auntie’s Dumpling to be more spacious, and cleaner, compared to its former brother, and it was nice to see wooden tables as opposed to sticky laminex. The chairs however are still obligatorily minimal and uncomfortable. But the dumplings are what we’re here for. 

Shanghai Fried Noodles ($8.3)
 
Before the dumplings however, I had to have a plate of my favourite Shanghai Fried Noodles ($8.3). Slivers of pork hid amongst knobbly hand-made noodles slathered with sesame oil and sweetened with soy sauce. We continued putting mouthful after mouthful of the slippery strands and crunchy vegetables into our mouths long after we were full.

Boiled Peking Pork Dumplings ($8 for 15)
 
Then came the pièce de résistance, the Boiled Peking Pork Dumplings ($8 for 15). I know most people would rather have these babies fried, but I’ve always preferred the lighter boiled version. These enormous meaty parcels housed a light gingery mince, and breaking with tradition, were encased in a skin that was neither too gluggy nor too thin. I ate these coated in the toasty chilli oil and doused with black vinegar, whilst Chris loved them just the way they are. The bottom line is, these huge juicy (As in, really juicy. Chris couldn’t stop commenting on how juicy they were) dumplings are delicious no matter how you choose to eat them.


Oh and what the heck. Here’s another picture of the Chris' omnipresent hairy arm delicious food.

If you come to Auntie’s dumplings, don’t expect gourmet cookery, because fine dining this ain’t. The food is heavy, and the staff could use a crash course in draining oil from the dishes. But you can’t deny the appeal of a delicious, diet-destroying feast of carbohydrates for just over 15 dollars.

It feels good to love again.  

Rating: 14.5/20 – best dumplings in melbourne

Auntie's Dumpling on Urbanspoon

Monday 5 December 2011

Maedaya

400 Bridge Rd
Richmond, VIC 3121

‘I’m eating at Maedaya with My-Dear’, chortled Chris with another low-quality pun as we walked into the popular izakaya in Richmond. After a hectic week and more shifts than a full time worker, I decided that I could do with a bit of a treat. Being an izakaya, Maedaya isn’t so much a restaurant as it is a Japanese bar serving a huge selection of food and sake. What’s special about Maedaya is the charcoal fire grill they have right next to the bar, where they cook up the izakaya’s signature dish, grill skewers

Interior/Bar/Signage

It may seem small when you first walk in, but Maedaya has a larger upstairs section housing charcoal grills on the tables for larger groups of customers. The ropes stretching across the ceiling and the sake bottles lining the bar make me feel like I’m in the ship cabin of an alcohol-loving captain.

Bridge Connection ($7.5)
 
I originally hadn’t planned on ordering any drinks; the idea was to save stomach room for the food to come. But the Bridge Connection ($7.5) was too good to resist with its promise of lychee, ruby grapefruit, and umeshu (plum wine). I was very grateful for this drink later down the track, as its refreshing sweet and sour notes helped cut through the richness of some of the dishes (I’m looking at you, pork belly!). For the more serious drinkers, Maedaya also has an intimidating list of sakes, shochus, and umeshus.

Lotus Root Chips with Edamame Dip
 
Here at Maedaya, they go one step beyond the complimentary bread and butter. Instead, they serve up an appetiser of Lotus Root Chips with Edamame Dip. One taste of this and I was immediately hooked. The crunchy chips were the perfect vehicle for the salty, chunky dip. It was a shame that Chris ate all of it whilst I was busy taking photos.

Kawa (2.5)/Tsukune ($2.3)/Yakitori ($2.5)/Pork Asparagus ($3.5)/Guy Kushi ($3.8)

Within about few minutes of ordering, out came a platter of skewers hot off the grill. From the 20 or so available, we chose five skewers to share. The Kawa (chicken skin, $2.5) was crispy and fatty in a way that’s oh-so-good for your tastebuds, but oh-so-bad for your waistline. The Tsukune (chicken balls, $2.3) and Yakitori (chicken thigh, $2.5) weren’t outstanding, but they were tasty and delightfully charred by the charcoal grill. The Pork Asparagus ($3.5) was a long crispy spear wrapped in a thin but fatty slice of pork, negating any health benefits the asparagus had, but doubling the deliciousness. And finally, the Gyu Kushi (beef loin, $3.8) was juicy, tender, and still pink in the center. These were an excellent hands-on starter to the meal, and I’ll wager they’re also good accompaniments to a drink or two. And for the less carnivorously inclined, there’s a reasonable selection of vegetarian skewers, including tofu and shiitake mushrooms.  

Kawari Tuna Sashimi ($12.8)
 
We were halfway through our skewers when the Kawari Tuna Sashimi ($12.8) was placed in front of us. Slices of half-cooked tuna sashimi with coral undersides were draped across a mound of shaved daikon, seasoned with sesame oil and teriyaki sauce, and topped with wasabi mayonnaise. This dish tasted as good as it looked. The slices of seared salmon were cooked just enough to become melt-in-the-mouth tender, but still managed to retain some of its firmness. The wasabi mayonnaise drizzled on top gave the usually light fish a much creamier, and subtly spicy taste.

Buta No Kakuni ($8.5)

I exhaled in awe as the next dish – the Buta No Kakuni ($8.5) arrived. Quivering cubes of slow-cooked pork belly sat in a light ginger soy broth. These rich sticky morsels are mostly fat, with just a few thin streaks of meat soaking up the sweet broth at the bottom. Despite being almost too decadent, our chopsticks still fought for the last few morsels. Now if only I had a bowl of fluffy white rice to spoon the broth over.

Teriyaki Chicken ($14.5)
 
Our last savoury dish for the night was the Teriyaki Chicken ($14.5). Arriving at our table still sizzling in the pan, these generous strips of chicken were tender and sweet. The crunchy vegetables at the bottom were some welcome relief to the almost completely carnivorous meal we’ve had so far.  

Maedaya Panna Cotta ($4.5)
 
We originally wanted to get the Marugoto Lemon Sorbet ($4.2) as well, but had to settle for just the Maedaya Panna Cotta ($4.5), as they were unfortunately out of the former. The panna cotta was described as a ‘silky soy milk panna cotta topped with mixed berry sauce’, but in reality, it was so much more. Looking for the world like simple, home-made dessert, I can’t even begin describing how unbelievably perfect it was. Light yet impossibly creamy, and topped with a couple of berries in syrup, this rivalled Movida’s Caramel Flan for the position of my favourite dessert ever

Bill with Lollies

After all our pigging out, our bill came to a very reasonable $62.50. Presented in a cute little wicker basket with a couple of lollies, it was a sweet ending to a very enjoyable meal. And before I forget, it’s also worth mentioning that the staff at Maedaya really do go the extra mile to make the experience as good as it could possibly be. It was some of the friendliest and most helpful service we’ve ever received.

Rating: 15/20 – it’s hard to overstate my satisfaction


Maedaya on Urbanspoon

Thursday 1 December 2011

Mrs Parma's

25 Little Bourke St
Melbourne, VIC
3000

Being in Mrs Parmas really made me wish I liked beer. Watching glass upon glass of amber refreshment in every shade parade past our table was almost enough to make me order one for myself.

Interior
 
Even though it's a bar, Mrs Parmas also specialises in (you guessed it) parmagianas. It was good that we made a booking because this sleek, dark bar is incredibly popular – we witnessed a group of girls turned away at just 12:20pm!

Despite the assortment of toppings, as well as the delectable-sounding special (the Christmas Turkey parma), we decided to try the Original Chicken Parma ($23) – a basic cheese, ham and napoli covered version that leaves no room to hide.

It was a surprise to be told that if we wanted to share the parma (as we did), it will be $14.50 a person instead for the extra salad and chips. When we said to the waitress that we didn’t need the extra sides, we were informed none-too-nicely that ‘they will have to charge us for the extra plate anyway’. Oh well, no matter, extra sides are always nice.

The experience continued to go downhill when our food arrived. For what was supposedly ‘extra salad and chips’, there were but a few chips and a measly pinch of salad on the plate. And on top of that, the chips and salad were also sitting halfway under the parma. Not that I usually have an issue with that sort of thing, if it weren’t for the fact that it specifically states on their website that according to the ‘art of parmologyinvented, taught, trained and perfected by the chefs at Mrs Parmas’, the sides are never placed under the parma to avoid wilted salad and soggy chips. It was almost as if we were treated with lower standards simply because we didn’t spend 23 dollars each.

Original Chicken Parma (Half Serve, $14.5 ea)
 
Luckily, the disappointing service was somewhat redeemed by the parma itself. Beautifully golden and crunchy, and slathered with chewy cheese and tangy napoli, I had no choice but to admit it was one of the best parmas I’ve ever had. The chips were unsurprising, but the simple garden salad was fresh and crispy in a light vinegarette. And despite servings that seemed rather small, we were both full when we finished. How anyone is able to finish a full parma is beyond me.

I did enjoy the food here; the parmas are good enough to convert almost any skeptic. However, the experience left me feeling less than satisfied. I’m not usually one to complain of bad service, but it’s one thing to be snapped at when ordering a 7 dollar plate of dumplings, and another to be treated with sub-par standards when paying almost 25 dollars for a simple parmagiana. I like getting what I paid for, and that includes the service.

Rating: 10.5/20 – expensive (but excellent) parma, disappointing service.


Mrs Parma's on Urbanspoon