Dinner @ Maha

Having just mentioned Elle and Al, we're joining them for dinner at Maha. Our booking was for 8.30 and having arrived early we found a spot at the bar where we could enjoy our pre-dinner drinks.



It was a considerably more pleasant experience then our wait at Nobu and at 8.32 we were escorted to our table.

We'd pretty much decided before hand that we would be trying the Soufra menu which for $70 a head you get a selection of small cold dishes, small hot dishes, grilled meat and fish and dessert. You basically get what the kitchen decides but you can ask for certain dishes to be included. Dietary requirements and/or Allergies are also catered for.

The first course comes out on a large board



roasted red pepper and feta dip, deep fried school prawns, chicken liver mousse, sumac coated cauliflower



assorted marinated olives and lemon and saffron soup. This also came with a large plate of pita bread which was refilled during the course of the evening.

The second course



Ma'ahani sausages served with cumin roasted pumpkin



and ravyul malti - semolina and ricotta ravioli, toasted hazelnuts, cumin and tomato braise



Third course:



Vine leaf wrapped sardines stuffed with chermoula and served with a chickpea, tomato and mint sauce



Lemon and Coriander crushed potatoes and fattoush salad



and Rabbit Tagine

Sweets Course:



liquorice ice-cream, watermelon with rosewater cream, jallab jelly (in glass), chocolate coffee mousse (in cup)



turkish delight filled doughnuts, rice pudding



Orange blossom lemonade with pinenuts and mint



and lastly Baklava.

I think it's pretty obvious that you won't be going away hungry - the quality of the dishes are excellent and the service is pretty sharp too, something it shares with sister restaurant The Press Club. With a full restaurant and a lively buzz, it definitely has that winning formula.


The details:

Maha Bar and Grill
21 Bond Street, Melbourne

Phone: 9629 5900

Open:
Lunch: Monday to Friday - noon to 3pm
Dinner: Monday to Saturday - 6pm to 10.30pm
Supper: Thursday to Saturaday - 10.30pm to 3am

www.mahabg.com.au

Enoteca Sileno

We didn't just have coffee at the Enoteca - the cakes on offer were just too tempting.


Paalo had the Panettone Pudding - served warm there was no sharing of this one



and I had the Pistachio tart



which I wasn't going to share either! I don't know what I enjoyed more but those toffee pistachios were sinfully good.

The details:

Enoteca Sileno

920 Lygon Street, Carlton
corner of Lygon and Richardson Streets
Phone: 03 9389 7070

Open:
Monday: 8am - 4pm
Tuesday - Saturday: 8am - Late
Sunday: 9am - 5pm

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

Lunch @ La Luna

We've always had a good meal at La Luna so when I heard of a less than stellar dining experience from our regular dining companions Elle and Al, I was very disappointed. 

I'm at a loss to explain what happened but I think it is something that needs to be considered. Because one person has a good meal doesn't meal that everyone will and the reverse is also true. Posts like these and reviews from the revered "media" are only guides - a snapshot only for that particular meal. The quality of a restaurant shouldn't be based on one meal but on consistently putting out good meals.

Now I don't know if standards dropped because they were doing double sittings but I hope that isn't the case. It's far better to say you're booked and hope they will book for another night than to have customers vowing not to return after having a bad meal.

With that said, I shall return to today's meal

For starters



I have the Elk Sausages with Potato Aioli and Parsley salad - two chubby little sausage sit happily upon the potato aioli surrounded by a rich jus. The sausages were quite dense filled with a chunkier grind.






Paalo has the Hand Cured Meat Plate, served with olives and pickled cherry and a generous basket of bread. The prosciutto was especially flavoursome.

For mains



I have the Five meat bolognaise (beef, veal, pork, chicken and prosciutto) with organic Nicola potato gnocchi and shaved truffled pecorino.

This is one the dishes that Elle had and she described her dish as gnocchi soup - overcooked gnocchi at the base of the plate with the sauce dumped over it.

The dish I had is the polar opposite - the gnocchi were perfect, tender but still with a little resistance. You couldn't really ask for any better. 



Paalo has the Grilled Bullboar Sausage, champ potato, onion and mustard jus. All very tasty and well presented.


for sides we have green beans with feta and yoghurt dressing

it might be interesting to compare the same dish from Elle's dining experience



We decide to skip dessert this time and head off to the Enoteca for a spot of shopping and a good coffee.

The details:

La Luna

320 Rathdowne Street, North Carlton

Phone: 9349 4888

Open:

Lunch: Tuesday to Friday - Noon - 3pm

Dinner: Tuesday to Sunday - 6pm - 10pm

Brunch: Saturday to Sunday - 11am - 3pm

web

www.lalunabistro.com.au

Dinner @ Attica

We're back at Attica to try out the special Tuesday night menu where new dishes are offered in a 5 course (plus cheese if desired) tasting menu. As the food is new, wine matches aren't offered but they are more than happy to help advise you.

Lunch @ The Press Club

I was right to think Paalo was a bit jealous of my solo lunch at the Press Club so it's no real surprise that we've come here for Sunday Lunch.

The structure of Sunday lunch has change somewhat - you don't need to choose the number of courses anymore.

The meal begins with soup:


a hearty bowl of lentil and vegetable soup.

It is quickly followed by this large platter of assorted dishes



Clockwise from bottom right: Bastourma (air dried beef with "curry" spice notes - served warm), Marinated Olives, Red Capsicum Dip, Greek Salad, Pickled Cabbage.



Hot dishes follow



Simple grilled garfish fillets



deep fried school prawns with a spicy honey and almond dressing



and tomato stuffed with dill rice

Our final savoury dishes consist of


a large cast iron pan of Spit-roasted Lamb with Potatoes


and simple roasted Chicken pieces.

Dessert is served with a nod to the quantity of food that preceeds it - it comes packaged in a take away box!



Inside the box we had, honey soaked Greek donuts, chocolate semolina slice and baklava.

If you are looking for a decadent Sunday lunch that won't break the bank, then it's very hard to go past this feast from The Press Club.

The details:

The Press Club Restaurant and Bar
72 Flinders Street
Melbourne
Phone: 03 9677 9677

Open:
Lunch: Monday - Friday and Sunday
Dinner: Monday - Sunday

web
www.thepressclub.com.au

Dinner @ Church Street Enoteca

I should begin with a postscript to our previous dining experience. Last time we made mention of the Prosecco and that it wasn't to our liking. There was good reason for that as it turned out that a batch of the Prosecco was "off" so to speak. We tried it tonight and it was like night and day - this one was alive and fresh and we'd happily drink it in the future. So I think the lesson is that if you think something isn't right with a wine then you should say something about it.

We begin with a treat, compliments of the kitchen and I must admit we both were considering having this as our starter



Deep fried zucchini Flowers stuffed with marinated Persian feta and coated in a potato and rice flour batter - served with hazelnuts, watercress and 30yo balsamic vinegar

The batter was perfect - crisp but oh-so-light, the stuffing at the cusp between solid and liquid. It was good the stamens were removed, it's bothersome but well worth it.

Onto starters:


I chose the plate of Prosciutto and Salami - assorted prosciutto (local and Italian) served with salami made in-house along with grissini and slices of rye toast. To the side a small dish of truffled potato salad.


Paalo chose the Sauté of Autumn Mushrooms served with a crisp fried egg, parsley puree and parmesan cream.

The egg was coated in grated parmesan and fried - I must try that at home!

For mains:



I have the Farmed Gippsland Rabbit which consists of discs of rabbit leg meat sausages and thick slices of the prosciutto covered loin. It is served with a cannellini bean puree and a rabbits favourite veg, carrot.

The sauce served with this was utterly morish which is a common feature of all the sauces we've had here.



Paalo has the Green Mountain Veal Rib served with a velvety parsnip puree and sautéed cavolo nero. Horseradish, speck and truffle finish the dish.

Instead of dessert we pick something a bit lighter - a selection of housemade biscuits and torrone



The torrone was very stick and soft with a heady flavour of honey - delicious. The assorted biscuits were equally satisfying.

The details:
Church Street 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