Time to de-stress with a long lunch at Church Street Enoteca.
For starters:
mixed mushrooms, 60º egg yolk, parsley puree
This is always a good option from the menu - flavourful but not too heavy and that egg yolk is perfectly runny
quail and mushroom pie on pea puree
How pretty is that? Fact is that it tastes even better than it looks. Inside that beautiful pastry case is a mix of good sized quail pieces and mushrooms. The pie sits on a base of tasty pea puree and a rich and thick jus.
For mains:
We both opted for the same dish from the Day's Special Menu
Wagyu sirloin, horseradish cream, ox tail ragu sauce
A generously sized wagyu ribeye - oh so incredibly tender. Easily one of the best pieces of meat we've enjoyed.
The details:
Church St Enoteca
527 Church Street, Richmond
Phone: 9428 7898
Restaurant Open:
Lunch: Monday-Friday 12-3pm
Dinner: Monday-Saturday 6pm to late
Web:
www.churchstenoteca.com.au
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Dinner @ Koots Salle A Manger
Posted by
Haalo
It's a last minute decision but we've managed to snare a booking at Koots Salle à Manger.
As usual we begin with a couple of glasses of 1999 Pol Roger - which proves to be an excellent match to the amuse
of Oyster with vodka, ginger and lime granita and salmon roe.
For starters:
Black angus beef tartare with condiments & a fried quail egg
Unlike the previous version Paalo enjoyed here, this one comes with the accompaniments mixed into the beef and is served as a large, flattish disc - for a change it is topped with a barely fried quail egg. It certainly gets those taste buds going.
Slow-cooked green lip abalone served with and crispy confit pork belly, raspberry vinegar glaze
My turn to enjoy this dish. Last time I didn't get to try the pork as it was Ash Wednesday so I didn't know what I was missing out on. This has to be one of the best examples of pork belly I've had in quite a while - the skin almost caramel like while the flesh just fell apart. While the abalone are fabulous, the pork is certainly just as good.
For mains:
Roasted Golden Plains pork fillet with braised Mt Zero green lentils, pomme fondante & stuffed pig’s trotter
The stuffed pig trotter is presented at the far right of the plate - a compact cylinder, the trotter skin is wrapped around the meat based stuffing. A wonderfully lickable, dense and sticky sauce is drizzled over the components.
Free range chicken leg cooked two ways with “poule au pot” vegetables
A rather plump leg stands in the center of the plate, underneath are thick slices of a stuffed chicken leg. A very honest dish where the quality of ingredients and their natural flavours are allowed to speak for themselves.
Cheese:
Pont l'Eveque at the front, Comté Gruyere to the right and at the back, a french goat cheese
Dessert:
Dessert Plate to share:
white chocolate sponge with strawberry salad; creme brulee; madeleine, chocolate ganache; panna cotta, sorbet
The details:
Koots Salle à Manger
479 Glenferrie Road
Kooyong
Phone: 9822 3809
Open:
Lunch - Tuesday to Friday
Dinner - Tuesday to Saturday
web:
www.koots.com.au
As usual we begin with a couple of glasses of 1999 Pol Roger - which proves to be an excellent match to the amuse
of Oyster with vodka, ginger and lime granita and salmon roe.
For starters:
Black angus beef tartare with condiments & a fried quail egg
Unlike the previous version Paalo enjoyed here, this one comes with the accompaniments mixed into the beef and is served as a large, flattish disc - for a change it is topped with a barely fried quail egg. It certainly gets those taste buds going.
Slow-cooked green lip abalone served with and crispy confit pork belly, raspberry vinegar glaze
My turn to enjoy this dish. Last time I didn't get to try the pork as it was Ash Wednesday so I didn't know what I was missing out on. This has to be one of the best examples of pork belly I've had in quite a while - the skin almost caramel like while the flesh just fell apart. While the abalone are fabulous, the pork is certainly just as good.
For mains:
Roasted Golden Plains pork fillet with braised Mt Zero green lentils, pomme fondante & stuffed pig’s trotter
The stuffed pig trotter is presented at the far right of the plate - a compact cylinder, the trotter skin is wrapped around the meat based stuffing. A wonderfully lickable, dense and sticky sauce is drizzled over the components.
Free range chicken leg cooked two ways with “poule au pot” vegetables
A rather plump leg stands in the center of the plate, underneath are thick slices of a stuffed chicken leg. A very honest dish where the quality of ingredients and their natural flavours are allowed to speak for themselves.
Cheese:
Pont l'Eveque at the front, Comté Gruyere to the right and at the back, a french goat cheese
Dessert:
Dessert Plate to share:
white chocolate sponge with strawberry salad; creme brulee; madeleine, chocolate ganache; panna cotta, sorbet
The details:
Koots Salle à Manger
479 Glenferrie Road
Kooyong
Phone: 9822 3809
Open:
Lunch - Tuesday to Friday
Dinner - Tuesday to Saturday
web:
www.koots.com.au
Monday, April 20, 2009
Lunch @ Church St Enoteca
Posted by
Haalo
For starters:
Niçoise Salad (Daily Market Special Menu)
I love those circles of tuna - browned on one side only and those soft runny yolks, a really great version of Niçoise.
Octopus, slow cooked in olive oil, warm salad of chorizo and kipflers, parsley, garlic, lemon
For mains:
House made potato gnocchi, ragu of braised ox cheek, peas, gremolata
Very impressive gnocchi, pillowy soft with a great potato flavour. The ox cheek ragu is beautifully rich, the cheek as tender as the gnocchi.
Stuffed duck breast, parsnip puree (Daily Market Special Menu)
The details:
Church St Enoteca
527 Church Street, Richmond
Phone: 9428 7898
Restaurant Open:
Lunch: Monday-Friday 12-3pm
Dinner: Monday-Saturday 6pm to late
Web:
www.churchstenoteca.com.au
Niçoise Salad (Daily Market Special Menu)
I love those circles of tuna - browned on one side only and those soft runny yolks, a really great version of Niçoise.
Octopus, slow cooked in olive oil, warm salad of chorizo and kipflers, parsley, garlic, lemon
For mains:
House made potato gnocchi, ragu of braised ox cheek, peas, gremolata
Very impressive gnocchi, pillowy soft with a great potato flavour. The ox cheek ragu is beautifully rich, the cheek as tender as the gnocchi.
Stuffed duck breast, parsnip puree (Daily Market Special Menu)
The details:
Church St Enoteca
527 Church Street, Richmond
Phone: 9428 7898
Restaurant Open:
Lunch: Monday-Friday 12-3pm
Dinner: Monday-Saturday 6pm to late
Web:
www.churchstenoteca.com.au
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Dinner @ Vue de Monde
Posted by
Haalo
It's my birthday and we're off to celebrate at Vue de Monde. Normally this would be an absolute highlight but unfortunately as it happens, the cold and eye infection that I've been trying to hold off has begun to take charge. I suppose I could have stayed home and go out next week but that would be a rather miserable way to spend your birthday. So even though my sense of taste has been affected, I'd rather go out to dinner.
Because of this reduction of taste I'm not going to say too much about the dishes on offer.
We begin with glasses of an incredibly rare 1996 Yarra Yering Late Disgorged Blanc de Noir. It was recently discovered at the winery and has spent 12 years on lees!
Amuse Bouche:
Cold Pressed heirloom tomato consommé served with a tomato tart, cured Spanish mackerel, topped with baby basil
Crabe Sauté accompagné de Caviar
King Crab, sautéed, served with clear bisque ravioli, Osetra caviar and noodle
Drink: 2007 Wittman Riesling Morstein Grosses Gewachs
It's the first of several dishes where distillation plays a part. There are various textures and preparation of crab, the clear jelly of the ravioli are formed from a bisque distillation, the darker jelly noddle formed from the liquid remaining after distillation.
Linquine et Risoni Aux Champignons
Linguine and Risoni cooked in cep stock served with shimejji mushrooms
Drink: NV Barbeito Madeira Sercial
The linguine are coloured and infused with flavour from their cooking in cep stock.
Textures of Tuna
Foie Gras en Cigare
Foie Gras cigar and edible charcoal
Drink: 2006 Franz Hass Traminer Aromatico
This is a dish that had as all confused. You see, this looks exactly like one the desserts we've had here before - a smoking chocolate cigar served with edible charcoal and it's too early for dessert
This "cigare" is filled with a foie gras mousse!
Filet de Saint-Pierre aux Douze Epices
Fillet of John Dory crusted with potato scales served with vegetable carpaccio and twelve spice sauce
Drink: 2005 Chestnut Hill Chardonnay
Jus au verjus - Liquid Verjus at -8ºC
This is a dish you have to watch closely. When the glasses are set before you, there's a frozen ball of pomegranate at the bottom of the glass - when they pour over the liquid verjus over it, the ice crystals start to grow, magically forming a tall pyramid in the glass. Hard to describe, really intriguing to watch
Déclinaison de Boeuf
Four textures of beef, chequerboard of white polenta and beef shin, crispy chilli intercostal, confit of sirloin and flank, with pumpkin and yuzu stuffed baby squash
Drink: 2006 S C Panell Nebbiolo
Quite the impressive dish - I loved the way the white polenta and beef shin shared the same texture, the intercostal counters with crispness and spice.
Canneloni a la Bolognaise et Lievre Poché
Hare bolognaise filled cannelloni served with poached loin and pea purée
Drink: 2004 Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon
Roti de Porc
Roast Kurobuta Pork Belly with pork rillette pancake and panada stuffed baby apple
Drink: 2004 Kanonkop Paul Saurer
Fromage
Chevrot goat's cheese served with mushroom soil and baby beetroot
Drink: 2007 Santa Rita Late Harvest Moscatel
The baby beetroot are in the pot and are skewered on liquorice bark
Salade de Fruits
Orange Raspberry snow crystals topped with Marsala Zabaglione
Sago au Cassis et Fruits des Bois
Deconstructed cassis sago pudding with berries and bubblegum ice cream
Drink: 2006 Bella Ridge Estate Kyoho
Tartare de Figues et Chocolate Blanc Chaud
Tartare of figs with white chocolate and marscarpone mousse, finished with warmed honey oil
Drink: 2006 Rivera Moscato di Trani
Finally I get to try this dessert! It comes to the table with a white chocolate lid - the warmed honey oil is then poured over, melting the chocolate virtually on contact.
The details:
Vue de Monde
Normanby Chambers
430 Little Collins Street
Melbourne
Phone: 03 9691 3888
Open:
Lunch: Tuesday - Friday Bookings:12.00pm-2.00pm
Dinner: Tuesday - Saturday Bookings:6.30pm-9.30pm
web:
www.vuedemonde.com.au
Because of this reduction of taste I'm not going to say too much about the dishes on offer.
We begin with glasses of an incredibly rare 1996 Yarra Yering Late Disgorged Blanc de Noir. It was recently discovered at the winery and has spent 12 years on lees!
Amuse Bouche:
Cold Pressed heirloom tomato consommé served with a tomato tart, cured Spanish mackerel, topped with baby basil
Crabe Sauté accompagné de Caviar
King Crab, sautéed, served with clear bisque ravioli, Osetra caviar and noodle
Drink: 2007 Wittman Riesling Morstein Grosses Gewachs
It's the first of several dishes where distillation plays a part. There are various textures and preparation of crab, the clear jelly of the ravioli are formed from a bisque distillation, the darker jelly noddle formed from the liquid remaining after distillation.
Linquine et Risoni Aux Champignons
Linguine and Risoni cooked in cep stock served with shimejji mushrooms
Drink: NV Barbeito Madeira Sercial
The linguine are coloured and infused with flavour from their cooking in cep stock.
Textures of Tuna
Foie Gras en Cigare
Foie Gras cigar and edible charcoal
Drink: 2006 Franz Hass Traminer Aromatico
This is a dish that had as all confused. You see, this looks exactly like one the desserts we've had here before - a smoking chocolate cigar served with edible charcoal and it's too early for dessert
This "cigare" is filled with a foie gras mousse!
Filet de Saint-Pierre aux Douze Epices
Fillet of John Dory crusted with potato scales served with vegetable carpaccio and twelve spice sauce
Drink: 2005 Chestnut Hill Chardonnay
Jus au verjus - Liquid Verjus at -8ºC
This is a dish you have to watch closely. When the glasses are set before you, there's a frozen ball of pomegranate at the bottom of the glass - when they pour over the liquid verjus over it, the ice crystals start to grow, magically forming a tall pyramid in the glass. Hard to describe, really intriguing to watch
Déclinaison de Boeuf
Four textures of beef, chequerboard of white polenta and beef shin, crispy chilli intercostal, confit of sirloin and flank, with pumpkin and yuzu stuffed baby squash
Drink: 2006 S C Panell Nebbiolo
Quite the impressive dish - I loved the way the white polenta and beef shin shared the same texture, the intercostal counters with crispness and spice.
Canneloni a la Bolognaise et Lievre Poché
Hare bolognaise filled cannelloni served with poached loin and pea purée
Drink: 2004 Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon
Roti de Porc
Roast Kurobuta Pork Belly with pork rillette pancake and panada stuffed baby apple
Drink: 2004 Kanonkop Paul Saurer
Fromage
Chevrot goat's cheese served with mushroom soil and baby beetroot
Drink: 2007 Santa Rita Late Harvest Moscatel
The baby beetroot are in the pot and are skewered on liquorice bark
Salade de Fruits
Orange Raspberry snow crystals topped with Marsala Zabaglione
Sago au Cassis et Fruits des Bois
Deconstructed cassis sago pudding with berries and bubblegum ice cream
Drink: 2006 Bella Ridge Estate Kyoho
Tartare de Figues et Chocolate Blanc Chaud
Tartare of figs with white chocolate and marscarpone mousse, finished with warmed honey oil
Drink: 2006 Rivera Moscato di Trani
Finally I get to try this dessert! It comes to the table with a white chocolate lid - the warmed honey oil is then poured over, melting the chocolate virtually on contact.
The details:
Vue de Monde
Normanby Chambers
430 Little Collins Street
Melbourne
Phone: 03 9691 3888
Open:
Lunch: Tuesday - Friday Bookings:12.00pm-2.00pm
Dinner: Tuesday - Saturday Bookings:6.30pm-9.30pm
web:
www.vuedemonde.com.au
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Lunch @ Church St Enoteca
Posted by
Haalo
There's quite a few new dishes on the a la carte menu and naturally we can't resist trying them.
For starters:
Quail - boned and filled with pork, chestnuts and shiitakes, steamed in cavolo nero, quail consommé
This is quite a delicate offering, the consomme is very light and soothing
Octopus - slow cooked in olive oil, warm salad of chorizo and kipflers, parsley, garlic, lemon
The octopus has just the most amazing texture, I don't think we've enjoyed one this tender. The octopus and kipflers have been sliced into discs and you'll be hard pressed to decide which is more tender. Make sure you have plenty of bread - you'll want to mop up those lovely juices.
For mains:
Pork and Fennel Sausage Risotto with Lentils
Duck breast & mushrooms
Cheese:
Ironstone Cheddar, Lochleilan Kaarimba and Strzelecki Blue
The details:
Church St Enoteca
527 Church Street, Richmond
Phone: 9428 7898
Restaurant Open:
Lunch: Monday-Friday 12-3pm
Dinner: Monday-Saturday 6pm to late
Web:
www.churchstenoteca.com.au
For starters:
Quail - boned and filled with pork, chestnuts and shiitakes, steamed in cavolo nero, quail consommé
This is quite a delicate offering, the consomme is very light and soothing
Octopus - slow cooked in olive oil, warm salad of chorizo and kipflers, parsley, garlic, lemon
The octopus has just the most amazing texture, I don't think we've enjoyed one this tender. The octopus and kipflers have been sliced into discs and you'll be hard pressed to decide which is more tender. Make sure you have plenty of bread - you'll want to mop up those lovely juices.
For mains:
Pork and Fennel Sausage Risotto with Lentils
Duck breast & mushrooms
Cheese:
Ironstone Cheddar, Lochleilan Kaarimba and Strzelecki Blue
The details:
Church St Enoteca
527 Church Street, Richmond
Phone: 9428 7898
Restaurant Open:
Lunch: Monday-Friday 12-3pm
Dinner: Monday-Saturday 6pm to late
Web:
www.churchstenoteca.com.au
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Lunch @ Les Boucheries Parisiennes
Posted by
Haalo
It's been a little while between visits so it's time to redress the situation.
For starters:
Cheese Soufflé, pineapple & ginger chutney, parmesan tuile (from Lunch Menu)
You really can't go wrong when you order the soufflé - the interior is deliciously soft and creamy
Appetiser Plate - top row - Cheese Soufflé - Oysters with Salmon Roe - Caramelized Scallops potato blini, mushroom duxelle, horseradish foam
bottom row - Duck Liver Parfait toasted brioche, blood orange reduction - Escargots de Bourgogne gently cooked in garlic butter - Atlantic Salmon basil & tomato spaetzle, olive tapenade
I did manage to nibble on a few of these - Paalo generously handing over one of those fantastic scallops.
As a treat, the kitchen very kindly sends out this next dish for us to share
Soft Shell Crab zucchini & lemon spaghetti, smoked tomato gazpacho
I just love soft shell crab and this was an exceptionally good specimen - a great combination of crisped shell and fleshy interior, the smoked tomato gazpacho is quite special.
For mains:
Chicken Breast parma ham, forestierre mushrooms, pomme rosti , truffle jus (from Lunch Menu)
The fantastic presentation is equalled by the taste. The chicken breast is stuffed and rolled, served in thirds that sit on small potato roesti rounds.
Merguez Sausage Diced beef and lamb, cracked pepper & sea salt, Red paprika (from Speciality Menu )
This comes served with pommes frittes and scissors to cut through those excellent meaty sausages.
The details:
Les Boucheries Parisiennes
268 Toorak Road, South Yarra
Phone: (03) 8256 1636
Open:
Lunch - Tuesday to Sunday: 12pm to 2.30pm
Dinner - Tuesday to Saturday: 6pm to late
Web:
www.lesboucheries.com.au
For starters:
Cheese Soufflé, pineapple & ginger chutney, parmesan tuile (from Lunch Menu)
You really can't go wrong when you order the soufflé - the interior is deliciously soft and creamy
Appetiser Plate - top row - Cheese Soufflé - Oysters with Salmon Roe - Caramelized Scallops potato blini, mushroom duxelle, horseradish foam
bottom row - Duck Liver Parfait toasted brioche, blood orange reduction - Escargots de Bourgogne gently cooked in garlic butter - Atlantic Salmon basil & tomato spaetzle, olive tapenade
I did manage to nibble on a few of these - Paalo generously handing over one of those fantastic scallops.
As a treat, the kitchen very kindly sends out this next dish for us to share
Soft Shell Crab zucchini & lemon spaghetti, smoked tomato gazpacho
I just love soft shell crab and this was an exceptionally good specimen - a great combination of crisped shell and fleshy interior, the smoked tomato gazpacho is quite special.
For mains:
Chicken Breast parma ham, forestierre mushrooms, pomme rosti , truffle jus (from Lunch Menu)
The fantastic presentation is equalled by the taste. The chicken breast is stuffed and rolled, served in thirds that sit on small potato roesti rounds.
Merguez Sausage Diced beef and lamb, cracked pepper & sea salt, Red paprika (from Speciality Menu )
This comes served with pommes frittes and scissors to cut through those excellent meaty sausages.
The details:
Les Boucheries Parisiennes
268 Toorak Road, South Yarra
Phone: (03) 8256 1636
Open:
Lunch - Tuesday to Sunday: 12pm to 2.30pm
Dinner - Tuesday to Saturday: 6pm to late
Web:
www.lesboucheries.com.au