sgw

Over the past fortnight I have dined at Melbourne’s entire 3 hat restaurants bar Flower Drum, and every time I have been left feeling disappointed. The first meal was at Pearl. Now I have eaten at Pearl on a number of occasions, but this was the first since it has been elevated to its 3 hat award. What has changed I ask. I have always had a nice meal at Pearl but never anything amazing. It’s hard for me to even remember what we ate. The service was ok and it’s a nice looking restaurant, but is it really the best Melbourne has to offer. The next meal was Vue de Monde. This was my first trip to the new premises. I have to say it’s nice, and we had an enjoyable experience, but at a price. The meal was nearly $380 a head. The food was average at best. Everything was cooked ok but again nothing was exciting. Truffle risotto, pea soup, this was pretty boring stuff. On the few occasions the kitchen tried anything different I’m afraid to say they failed. The flavors didn’t mix well; the presentation was too much etc, etc. This brings me to last nights dinner at circa. Again I have eaten here on numerous occasions. I love the room; it has a great wine list, but the food. We had the degustation menu, which turned out to be such a disappointment. I mean a freshly shucked oyster as an amuse is hardly ground breaking, and it went on from there. We had to send two courses back as they were cold. The food was drastically under seasoned and once again boring. In my estimation a 3 hat restaurant should not have off nights, especially charging these prices and should not leave you feeling disappointed. I think Melbourne lacks any restaurants of this caliber, no-one prepared to push the boundaries, think outside the box, like other big world wide cities. Anyone agree or think of a restaurant that actually deserves the much coveted 3 hats.

I didn't pick up the bill, or loook at the wine list. But we had some nice bottles. The menu is set price. I think 2 courses was $65, 3 courses was $79 Thanks for the welcome

Finally Melbourne has a new gastro destination. After the sad closures of Pomme and Ondine I have been on the lookout for my new fav restaurant. I was delighted when my boss said he would take me out for diner one Friday night, when he suggested Interlude i have to say that i wasn't really expecting to much. I had heard of the restaurant and chef, as he was awarded the young chef of the year award from the age. But after the last two years recipients the bar hasnt been set to high. We were greated in the small, sleek and modern room by some of the happiest and nicest waiters i have encoutered. It was after we recieved some canapes that i knew this was going to be a special night. Canapes included a clear smoked eel and apple jelly and a stunning rocket cocktail. A perfect start to a meal. Looking at the menu it was obvious this place was different, think Fat Duck or NY"s WD50 but with a sense of humour. We ordered a la carte menu, we ate Clam Chowder, a large clam shell, one side containing fine dice of potato and onion the other a flavoursome chowder foam, the whole thing dusted with a bacon powder. Absolutley delicious. Entree- Veal Sweetbreads baked in Brioche- cramy veal sweetbreads set in a alcoholic jelly then encased with the bread dough, it was served with a small square of fig terrine some onion jam and a truffled Mayo thing. The presintation was amazing and all the flavours went so. well We then recieved an extra course from the chef "just because he felt liked it" of what the waiter decibed as 'Perfect Scrambled eggs'. It was served in a tall shot glass, the eggs were so smooth and it was topped with a beetroot foam. Not sure if it was perfect but very close. Main Course- Fish and Chips- This was amzing, the fish, barramundi i think had been cut into thick chips and pan fried golden, Mashed potato had been shapped like fish, battered and deep fried. It came with lovely mushy peas and a interesting lemon mousse. It was so good. Must mention my partners main course was beef with flavours of a burger, which too was amazing, a chargrilled steak with all the flavours of a burger it looked so good. We then had a palette cleanser of a lightest lemon foam. Pre dessert was a chcolate bar served in an Interlude Wrapper filled with a spicey mousse. Very clever and fun. Dessert- Banna clafoutis with a frozen pina colada the clafoutis came in a tart shell and was rich and delicious then in a martini glass was a pina colada made from different sorbets and granitas. Wow, we only order 3 courses and ended up having a seven course degustation. The food was amazing such attention to detail. I was first turned onto to good food living in New York and have eaten all around the world. This was one of the best food ive eaten . All the staff seemed to love their work and we were made to feel very welcome. We got to meet the chef at the end, who was absolutely lovely and very cute!!! MY favourite restaurant in Melbourne.