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Sunday, December 31, 2006

Dinner @ Fenix

It's fitting that we end 2006 at Fenix for their New Year's Eve dinner.

We start the night with Champagne Ruinart.

corn
Vichyssoise of Sweet corn - ile flottante of smoked milk

tomato

Confit cylinder of tomato, basil sorbet, candied olive tuile

salmon
Sashimi of Atlantic Salmon, white chocolate, wasabi, grape jus

Raw salmon belly, wasabi paste, pickled grapes and deep fried eggplant

barramundi

NT wild Barramundi, pea broth

lamb

Rolled and stuffed loin of Ascot Lamb, carrot puree, fondant potato

manchego

Manchego, "wool" and quince paste

berry

Berry sorbet, pistachio crumbs

blackforest

Deconstructed black forest cake

petit fours

Petit Fours - mango jelly and salt and vinegar chocolate truffles

The details:
Fenix
680 Victoria Street Richmond
Phone: (03) 9427 8500
Open: Tuesday - Sunday for Lunch; Tuesday - Saturday for Dinner

www.fenix.com.au

Friday, December 22, 2006

Dinner @ Fenix

For our last dining experience before Christmas we've headed back to Fenix and as a treat we're given our own degustation with dishes that aren't on the menu. Interestingly, we're offered Ruinart to start with.


soup

Milky cheese soup - hard to describe, quasi yoghurt-like. There are sliced cherries and the Nasturtium leaves give it a little peppery kick.

salmon

Raw salmon with slightly picked grapes and deep fried eggplant pieces in a light wasabi syrup = there's also a gently spiced wasabi paste. An instant favourite.

fish

Northern Territory Barramundi topped with wild beluga caviar, grated raw cauliflower, quenelle and fried shallots. Luxury on a plate. The caviar just warmed by heat of the seared fish.

lamb

Ascot Lamb - cooked at 56° for 36 hours. It's just meltingly soft.

cheese

Slice of manchego cheese with "wool" and quince paste.

berry

Strawberry spaghetti, strawberry mousse and basil sorbet.

cake

Deconstructed Black Forest cake.

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Petit Fours - mangopops, salt and vinegar chocolate straws and jelly

The details:
Fenix
680 Victoria Street Richmond
Phone: (03) 9427 8500
Open: Tuesday - Sunday for Lunch; Tuesday - Saturday for Dinner

www.fenix.com.au

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Lunch @ The Press Club

We return to The Press Club for our "christmas work lunch" and we opt for the lunch Kerasma (degustation) with matching wines, beginning with a glass of Ruinart Champagne.

Now we haven't taken a photo of everything had - so head here and here for our other Press Club meals.

oysters

Part of the cold antipasto platter - smoked oyster wrapped in Kataifi pastry on caramelised onions served with shot glasses of greek salad smoothie.

These weren't those tinned smoked oysters, they are smoked in house and have a most delightful aroma. They are to be eaten with the shot of greek salad smoothie - the smoothie wasn't liked by all.

Not photographed - Stuffed zucchini flowers with spanakopita and ouzo mayonnaise and the deep fried Quail (which you can find in this post)

The zucchini flowers were simply fantastic and the quail just perfect.

scallops

Grilled half shell scallops, atherina and baby prawn coleslaw - atherina are those tiny whitebait. Just an excellent combination of flavours and textures.

chicken

Rotisserie Chicken under a crust of pistachio, lemon and breadcrumbs served with roasted garlic potatoes.

It would be impossible to convey how good this chicken was - succulent doesn't do it justice and the topping was something you'd want to make sure you've eaten every last bit of.

Desert, as usual was the Dessert mezedes.


The details:
The Press Club Restaurant and Bar
72 Flinders Street
Melbourne
Phone: 03 9677 9677
Open:
Lunch: Monday-Friday
Dinner: Monday- Saturday

www.thepressclub.com.au

Sunday, December 03, 2006

Lunch @ Canvas

Canvas is an odd creature - located on the second floor of what is basically an office block. It also is one of these multipurpose venues - there's a large outside area, a formal dining room and a bar/cafe area.

It's also opposite another place, The Undertaker, that seems to be doing the same thing.

For today's lunch, we're in the formal dining area - there's another menu for the bar/outside area.

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Butter, Dukka and Olive Oil

In the dinning room the bread along with this dish of butter, dukka and olive oil is gratis - in the bar/outside area you'll have to pay $4.50 for it.

quail
Sauteed marinated quail with peppers, deep fried olives and herb salad ($16) - Quite a nice dish though the quail isn't as good as The Press Club.

tart

Slow braised shallot tarte tartin with goats cheese and red wine syrup ($14.50)


beef

Roasted rump of lamb with braised fennel and spiced sausage ($29.50)

duck

Pan fried duck breast and leg confit bastilla with honey and jasmine ($29.50) - not sure where the jasmine was in this dish though the bastilla was the star of the dish.

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Pistachio creme brulee with vanilla and honeycomb ice cream ($12)

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Saffron Poached pear with Cinnamon pannacotta ($12)

The details
Canvas Restaurant and Bar
Levil 1, 302-320 Burwood Road
Hawthorn
Phone: 03 9819 2200

Open - Restaurant:
Monday - Friday: 10am - late
Saturday: 9am for breakfast; lunch/dinner until late
Sunday: Closed

Open - Bar:
7 days until late (1am license)

web
http://www.canvasrestaurant.com.au/