Showing posts with label The Undertaker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Undertaker. Show all posts
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Lunch @ The Undertaker
The Undertaker hasn't had the easiest life - since it opened in 2005 it seems to have muddled through trying to find some kind of niche in which it could settle. Its latest reinvention sees it turning to Chef Paul Wilson as its "Food Director". The upstairs dining room is now gone, which after our last visit, isn't that surprising. The focus now appears to be on the downstairs space and creating a "progressive cafe" called Social. I hope this progression includes getting rid of their horrid Com Media designed website.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Dinner @ The Undertaker
It's been quite a while since we last dined at The Undertaker and many things have changed - the most obvious is that the dining room has moved from the ground to the first floor.
While perusing the menu at times I had to remind myself that I wasn't across the road at Canvas. The Italian menu has certainly vanished and been replaced by one that is more middle eastern inspired - a change that makes perfect sense once you note that new chef, Ian Alexander used to be head chef at Momo's.
For an amuse,
we are offered these goat cheese stuffed filo tubes, which are served sitting in a spiced tomato sauce. A lovely tang of goat cheese works well with the crisp filo.
For starters:
Seared scallops, crushed peas, taramasalata, bastourma
I find it very hard to resist scallops and these make resistance quite impossible. A well constructed and well executed dish.
Warm Mt Vikos haloumi, beetroot, preserved orange, pinenuts
The haloumi sits on crisp filo and is coated in beetroot dust. Pickled and fried beetroot sit among the mix of orange, pinenuts and beetroot shoots. The haloumi itself has quite an unusual texture and I'll be keeping an eye to see if I can find it in the stores.
For mains:
Angus rump, ox tongue, carrots, chickpeas, salsa verde, mushrooms
Paalo makes up for his vegetarian starter with a good slab of beef.
Western plains pork, Zaatar crumbed shoulder, roasted loin, celeriac puree
The Loin, on the left, comes presented as to two thick slices, served pink - very tender and with good flavour. The cube of zaatar crumbled shoulder is the star of the plate, it's shredded meat that has been reconstructed to form the cube, chock full of flavour, the meat just melts in your mouth.
For dessert:
Lebanese doughnuts, chocolate and orange ice cream, orange syrup
Poached peach tart, almond cream, raspberry sorbet
Our only negative of the night had nothing to do with the food or the service. It was the atmosphere. Unfortunately, with the bar downstairs and rowdy patrons, no matter how refined you try to make the dining area, the noise travels straight up the stairs and absolutely kills the mood. It's hard to have a quite conversation when tipsy bar patrons are screaming at the top of their lungs.
The details:
The Undertaker
329 Burwood Road, Hawthorn
(03) 9818 3944
Open:
Dining Room
Tuesday - Friday: Noon - 3pm
Tuesday - Saturday: 6pm - 10pm
web:
www.theundertaker.com.au
I don't often write about websites but The Undertaker has one of the more painful restaurant websites out there. If the objective is to absolutely frustrate your prospective customers then congratulations you have succeeded and I'm sure you're certain to win next years "best website award" from the shonky food guide.
While perusing the menu at times I had to remind myself that I wasn't across the road at Canvas. The Italian menu has certainly vanished and been replaced by one that is more middle eastern inspired - a change that makes perfect sense once you note that new chef, Ian Alexander used to be head chef at Momo's.
For an amuse,
we are offered these goat cheese stuffed filo tubes, which are served sitting in a spiced tomato sauce. A lovely tang of goat cheese works well with the crisp filo.
For starters:
Seared scallops, crushed peas, taramasalata, bastourma
I find it very hard to resist scallops and these make resistance quite impossible. A well constructed and well executed dish.
Warm Mt Vikos haloumi, beetroot, preserved orange, pinenuts
The haloumi sits on crisp filo and is coated in beetroot dust. Pickled and fried beetroot sit among the mix of orange, pinenuts and beetroot shoots. The haloumi itself has quite an unusual texture and I'll be keeping an eye to see if I can find it in the stores.
For mains:
Angus rump, ox tongue, carrots, chickpeas, salsa verde, mushrooms
Paalo makes up for his vegetarian starter with a good slab of beef.
Western plains pork, Zaatar crumbed shoulder, roasted loin, celeriac puree
The Loin, on the left, comes presented as to two thick slices, served pink - very tender and with good flavour. The cube of zaatar crumbled shoulder is the star of the plate, it's shredded meat that has been reconstructed to form the cube, chock full of flavour, the meat just melts in your mouth.
For dessert:
Lebanese doughnuts, chocolate and orange ice cream, orange syrup
Poached peach tart, almond cream, raspberry sorbet
Our only negative of the night had nothing to do with the food or the service. It was the atmosphere. Unfortunately, with the bar downstairs and rowdy patrons, no matter how refined you try to make the dining area, the noise travels straight up the stairs and absolutely kills the mood. It's hard to have a quite conversation when tipsy bar patrons are screaming at the top of their lungs.
The details:
The Undertaker
329 Burwood Road, Hawthorn
(03) 9818 3944
Open:
Dining Room
Tuesday - Friday: Noon - 3pm
Tuesday - Saturday: 6pm - 10pm
web:
www.theundertaker.com.au
I don't often write about websites but The Undertaker has one of the more painful restaurant websites out there. If the objective is to absolutely frustrate your prospective customers then congratulations you have succeeded and I'm sure you're certain to win next years "best website award" from the shonky food guide.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Lunch @ The Undertaker
It may have only been a few weeks since we ate here but a new menu awaits. We end up ordering a starter to share from the Bar menu and our mains from the cafe menu.
Three dips with toasted bread - a choice of mushroom, spinach and fetta and eggplant dips.
Wild Boar cooked in red wine and vegetables and served over soft polenta.
After not seeing wild boar on any menu we now see it twice in the matter of a month. The boar is quite a dense meat and seems very low in fat but the long slow cooking ensures a tender product. Paalo thoroughly enjoyed this dish, the polenta providing an excellent vehicle to enjoy those braising juices.
Boned Quail served with a mushroom and goat cheese roulade.
Obviously my choice as I find it almost impossible to not order quail. This is an entree and quite a generous size. The quail was well flavoured, the skin lovely and crispy - the roulade is cold but is packed with flavour.
Roasted Potatoes with garlic and rosemary
Fragrant and wonderfully crisp - you couldn't really prepare this dish any better than this.
Paalo took the time to have a good look at the wine list - it's actually quite an interesting list with many unusual wines on offer. It's also refreshing to see that the wines offered by the glass are also not those mainstream standards. All the wines available by the bottle are over $35 bar two that were around $32.
The details:
The Undertaker
329 Burwood Road, Hawthorn
(03) 9818 3944
Open - Ground
Monday - Thursday: 7.30am - 10pm
Friday: 7.30am - 11pm
Saturday: Noon - 11pm
Sunday: Noon - 9pm
Open - Level One
Tuesday - Friday: 5pm - late
Saturday: 6pm - late
web:
http://www.theundertaker.com.au
Three dips with toasted bread - a choice of mushroom, spinach and fetta and eggplant dips.
Wild Boar cooked in red wine and vegetables and served over soft polenta.
After not seeing wild boar on any menu we now see it twice in the matter of a month. The boar is quite a dense meat and seems very low in fat but the long slow cooking ensures a tender product. Paalo thoroughly enjoyed this dish, the polenta providing an excellent vehicle to enjoy those braising juices.
Boned Quail served with a mushroom and goat cheese roulade.
Obviously my choice as I find it almost impossible to not order quail. This is an entree and quite a generous size. The quail was well flavoured, the skin lovely and crispy - the roulade is cold but is packed with flavour.
Roasted Potatoes with garlic and rosemary
Fragrant and wonderfully crisp - you couldn't really prepare this dish any better than this.
Paalo took the time to have a good look at the wine list - it's actually quite an interesting list with many unusual wines on offer. It's also refreshing to see that the wines offered by the glass are also not those mainstream standards. All the wines available by the bottle are over $35 bar two that were around $32.
The details:
The Undertaker
329 Burwood Road, Hawthorn
(03) 9818 3944
Open - Ground
Monday - Thursday: 7.30am - 10pm
Friday: 7.30am - 11pm
Saturday: Noon - 11pm
Sunday: Noon - 9pm
Open - Level One
Tuesday - Friday: 5pm - late
Saturday: 6pm - late
web:
http://www.theundertaker.com.au
Friday, April 06, 2007
Lunch @ The Undertaker
In between the Easter madness we take time out for a quick lunch at The Undertaker - so named as the building in a previous life had been a funeral parlour. After a multi-million dollar renovation in 2005, it's now a four level multi-function venue with cocktail lounge, restaurant and wine bar, lounge bar and private dining room.
This is the ground-floor restaurant and wine bar where we had lunch.
The bread rolls look like donuts and are served warm - lightly flecked with caraway seed they are soft chewy and delicious.
The menu offers appetisers, entree and mains - we decide to start with two appetisers
Served on one plate but they are two separate menu items: to the left are a Trio of Bruschetta (roasted red pepper and fetta, tomato and basil and creamy mushroom) and to the right are 3 beef cheek and bone marrow croquettes (wonderfully rich and a treat to eat).
For our mains (which are both entrees):
I have the White Veal Tortellini with Beurre noisette - very hearty and I would find it extremely difficult to actually have this dish as a main. The Beurre noisette hadn't quite achieved the "noisette" characteristics.
while Paalo has the Trio of Tarts
comprising of a caramelised leek and taleggio tart (the standout), asparagus tart and roasted tomato tart.
We decide to share a dessert -
Italian Donut with cherry ice cream on Crème anglaise- the donut takes about 10-15 minutes, a welcome pause especially for me.
Light and lovely - the ice cream heavily studded with sour cherries - I would come back to have one to myself!
The details:
The Undertaker
329 Burwood Road, Hawthorn
(03) 9818 3944
Open - Ground
Monday - Thursday: 7.30am - 10pm
Friday: 7.30am - 11pm
Saturday: Noon - 11pm
Sunday: Noon - 9pm
Open - Level One
Tuesday - Friday: 5pm - late
Saturday: 6pm - late
web:
http://www.theundertaker.com.au
This is the ground-floor restaurant and wine bar where we had lunch.
The bread rolls look like donuts and are served warm - lightly flecked with caraway seed they are soft chewy and delicious.
The menu offers appetisers, entree and mains - we decide to start with two appetisers
Served on one plate but they are two separate menu items: to the left are a Trio of Bruschetta (roasted red pepper and fetta, tomato and basil and creamy mushroom) and to the right are 3 beef cheek and bone marrow croquettes (wonderfully rich and a treat to eat).
For our mains (which are both entrees):
I have the White Veal Tortellini with Beurre noisette - very hearty and I would find it extremely difficult to actually have this dish as a main. The Beurre noisette hadn't quite achieved the "noisette" characteristics.
while Paalo has the Trio of Tarts
comprising of a caramelised leek and taleggio tart (the standout), asparagus tart and roasted tomato tart.
We decide to share a dessert -
Italian Donut with cherry ice cream on Crème anglaise- the donut takes about 10-15 minutes, a welcome pause especially for me.
Light and lovely - the ice cream heavily studded with sour cherries - I would come back to have one to myself!
The details:
The Undertaker
329 Burwood Road, Hawthorn
(03) 9818 3944
Open - Ground
Monday - Thursday: 7.30am - 10pm
Friday: 7.30am - 11pm
Saturday: Noon - 11pm
Sunday: Noon - 9pm
Open - Level One
Tuesday - Friday: 5pm - late
Saturday: 6pm - late
web:
http://www.theundertaker.com.au
