Dinner @ Bistro Vue

It's a last minute thing but Elle and Al are joining us for their first visit to Bistro Vue. It's actually only our second dinner time venture having enjoyed many a lunch here previously.

For starters


Slow cooked Duck Eggs with cepe puree and pancetta grissini - yes I ordered this again.



Pissaladiere - Al's selection - a crisp flattened disc of puff pastry topped with caramelised onions, anchovies and olives.



Assorted Oysters - 2x Angnassi, Clair de Lune, Rusty Wire





House smoked Salmon with toasted brioche - Elle's choice which comes as show above, an extremely generous serving of salmon, complete with accompaniments, capers, herbed creme fraiche. The brioche wasn't quite to her taste as she prefers something less soft.

For mains:


Lamb Wellington for Elle




Gratin of Pork with three cheese crust for Al - we were all lusting after this dish




Lamb special for Paalo and oops I forgot to take a photo of what I had which was the Chargrilled Wagyu Rump


For desserts we decided to share a few dishes:



Red berries with honey jelly, warm white chocolate mouse and raspberry praline



Tarte tatin



pistachio nougat glace


and if that wasn't enough, a special treat to enjoy with our coffee


petit four plate from VDM

The details:

Bistro Vue
430 Little Collins Street
Entrance via New Chancery Laneway

Phone: 9691 3838

Open:
Monday-Saturday: 11am until Late

Lunch @ Fifteen

As we're staying at the Adelphi Hotel for a few days we've taken the opportunity to explore a couple of new places, one of which is Fifteen.



Although Fifteen has been opened for about 3 years, this is our first visit.



There's a good view of the action in the kitchen from this room - there's another dining area to the right. The menu is divided into six sections: Antipasti, Primi, Secondi, Contorni, Dolci and Formaggi.

We begin with three Antipasti dishes:


Grilled bruschetta of first season heirloom tomatoes, basil and Giorgio's burrata

A classic combination of flavours, it's good to see burrata is starting to find its way on menus



Plate of duck braesola with purple figs, honey, watercress and Fifteen's olive oil



Tasmanian ocean trout pastrami crudo, 'gardinera' vegetables and celery cress



For mains:


Potato gnocchi with smoked Skipton eel, parsley, new season brussels sprouts and Fifteen's olive oil

The smoked eel really comes through but the parsley helps to bring it back into check - while the gnocchi are tender they are on the rather large size.



Ravioli 'al Sole' (Mangalli Creek's bio-dynamic ricotta and egg yolk) in a truffled butter broth with shaved mature pecorino

The signature pasta dish for Fifteen - the ravioli were very good except for a few places where the seam between the two layers was a little thick resulting in slightly undercooked pasta. They are difficult as you can't cook them too long as the yolk would harden.

for a side we choose:


Green beans, back bacon and herb butter




For dessert - we decided on the Dessert Tasting Plate



Poached yellow peaches with vanilla panna cotta and frosted almonds; Frozen sauternes zabaglione with homemade chocolate paste and biscotti



Cane sugar grilled apricots with smashed amaretto biscuits and vanilla ice-cream; White chocolate cheesecake tart with raspberry semi-freddo




A look into the kitchen



and the curved bar



and the lovely private dining room.

The details:

Fifteen
Basement, 115-117 Collins Street
(Enter through George Parade)
Melbourne

Reservations: 1300 799 415

Open:
Monday to Saturday: 12PM to late

Lunch @ Church St Enoteca

To fortify ourselves for the week ahead we're treating ourselves to a late lunch far from the maddening crowd.



We've chosen dishes today from both menus today - two are from the Special Lunch menu which varies weekly (it's a 2 courses for $24.50 offer) and the other are Specials of the day from the a la Carte menu.


We begin:



silverbait with aioli (from Special Lunch menu)


followed by:


truffled poached egg, asparagus, zucchini ribbons and peas

the asparagus were sliced on the diagonal and still retained a good crunch, mimicking the role of toast fingers - a delicious decadence.

For mains:



crusted veal, peas, king oyster mushrooms, cauliflower puree, asparagus spears

beautifully cooked and tender rib of veal, silky smooth cauliflower puree - tastes even better than it looks.

As a side dish we choose this:



panzanella salad (from the special lunch 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

Lunch @ Cafe Latte

It's Australia Day so we're celebrating the best of Australian cuisine - Italian food! As it is a national holiday a lot of places are closed but Cafe Latte it seems, is always open.

To help wash down our Australia Day meal we choose the 2007 Poggio Argentiera Bellamarsilia Morellino Di Scansano.

We begin


with an antipasto platter - roasted red peppers, the most delicious stuffed zucchini, frittata, mixed olives, arancini, prosciutto and mozzarella

For mains:


Paalo does Sam Kekovich proud and orders lamb - Lamb Cutlets on mashed potatoes with salsa verde




while I enjoy the Veal Scaloppine with bresaola, cherry tomatoes and sage.

To finish off:



some good Italian cheese - gorgonzola, tallegio and heavenly truffle pecorino

The details:

Cafe Latte
521 Malvern Road, Toorak
Phone: 9826 5846

Open:
Mon - Sat: 8am til Late (Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner)
Sun: 9am - 3pm (Brunch)

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

Lunch @ La Luna Bistro

We haven't been to La Luna since last year, well since Grand Final Day, so it's about time we checked in again. Since that time, Adrian Richardson has published his first cookbook, fittingly called Meat and for those so inclined, you can get signed copies at the restaurant.

We decide on a red to drink and the 2007 Planeta La Segreta Nero D'Avola Merlot fits the bill nicely.

For starters:



Paalo orders the Hand Cured Meat Plate - in this offering we have lombo, sicilian salami, veneto salami, capocollo and fromage de tête (brawn) - it is served with olives, pickled shallot salad, wholegrain and toasted ciabatta




I order the grilled Cotechino served with on a bed of sauteed onions and mushrooms - it's smoky and gelatinous and oh so delcious.

For mains:



Paalo orders the House Aged Rump served with Mashed Nicola Potatoes and Grilled Mushrooms - it turns out to be one of the largest slabs of meat we've seen in quite a while. The meat is, as you would expect, cooked as it should be - the aging bringing out the flavour and tenderness of the beef.




I order the Gnocchi in a creamy mushroom and chives sauce and topped with truffle pecorino. Apart from the gnocchi being on what I would consider the large size, they are soft and light and taste as they should, of potato.


The details:

La Luna Bistro
320 Rathdowne Street, North Carlton

Phone: 03 9349 4888

Open:
Lunch: Tuesday - Friday: noon-3pm
Dinner: Tuesday - Sunday: 6pm - 10pm
Brunch: Saturday - Sunday: 11am - 3pm

Web:
www.lalunabistro.com.au

Lunch @ Church St Enoteca

We've managed to sneak away for another long lunch at CSE



We start again with the antipasto plate






close up of the escabeche with saffron



too slow - the other arancino has already been eaten by paalo.

For mains:


Seared scallops on cauliflower with capers, fried sage leaves and chive sauce (entree from the daily specials)


inside scallops - cooked perfectly.



Grilled Cotechino with lentils and mustard fruits (from lunch special menu)



caprese salad - from the lunch special menu


scrumptious duck fat roast potatoes with rosemary and garlic



Textures of Chocolate - bitter chocolate mousse, white milk and dark chocolate, salted caramel, peanuts, chocolate paper

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

Lunch @ Les Boucheries Parisiennes

A new menu is coming soon to Les Boucheries Parisiennes so we've headed over to sample a few more dishes from their current menus.

For starters:


Gruyere cheese soufflé, spiced pear chutney, hazelnut biscotti (this is from the Lunch Menu)

One of my favourite soufflés - the taste of toasty cheese on the outside with a soft fluffy interior.



Sesame seed crusted tuna loin, cucumber & orange spaghetti, Red pepper coulis (from the A La Carte Menu)

Another lighter option for a starter, tuna loin is just seared on the outside enough for the seeds to toast lightly while the loin remain raw in the center. The cucumber and orange spaghetti are quite refreshing.



Atlantic salmon, leek & mushroom ragout, champagne beurre blanc (a teaser from the Lunch Menu)

A little surprise from the Kitchen - a gorgeous cube of salmon, skin wonderfully seared and crisp while the interior is still slightly pink. The ragout proved to be an excellent companion to the fish while the beurre blanc just rounded off the dish nicely

For mains:



Char-grilled beef sirloin, ratatouille, pommes frites, niçoise jus (also from the Lunch Menu)

As always, the meat was perfectly cooked, tender and well flavoured.



Open steak sandwich, onion jam, horseradish mayonnaise (from the Express Lunch Menu)

If you worked nearby it would be hard not to have this everyday - top quality at a steal.

To drink with mains: 2005 Tim Adams Tempranillo Reserve

For dessert:



Paalo has the French Apple Tart



and I have the mango pannacotta with pineapple donuts and pineapple and mint salsa.


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