Saturday lunch and it was getting on to about 2pm where places start to quieten down and lose their buzz or shut shop completely.
Steve and I found ourselves at Gill's Diner and yes the place was quiet but we didn't feel like after thoughts and we certainly weren't just served what was left at the bottom of the pan! The welcome was warm and we had our choice of tables. We deliberately chose a larger one so we could spread out the with newspaper and just enjoy each other's company without any communication!
Steve and I found ourselves at Gill's Diner and yes the place was quiet but we didn't feel like after thoughts and we certainly weren't just served what was left at the bottom of the pan! The welcome was warm and we had our choice of tables. We deliberately chose a larger one so we could spread out the with newspaper and just enjoy each other's company without any communication!
We decided to start with a shared portion of spanakopita with a beetroot salad. I quite fancied sharing something else such as the leek and potato soup and other delights but as always, Steve is sold on a dish if there is beetroot. The addition of cheese and pastry just makes it better for him!
We didn't have to wait too long - long enough that we knew the food was fresh and not just reheated! We split the golden pastry down the middle and immediately enjoyed the clean creamy goodness of mild cheese and spinach and the crunch of golden pastry. The salad was heavily dressed and the savoury dressing seasoned the delicate flavours of the spanakopita. Very enjoyable and not drowned in grease as can be the case or overly dry. Great proportion of pasty to filling ratios.
We didn't have to wait too long - long enough that we knew the food was fresh and not just reheated! We split the golden pastry down the middle and immediately enjoyed the clean creamy goodness of mild cheese and spinach and the crunch of golden pastry. The salad was heavily dressed and the savoury dressing seasoned the delicate flavours of the spanakopita. Very enjoyable and not drowned in grease as can be the case or overly dry. Great proportion of pasty to filling ratios.
I went with the special of spaghetti marinara and thoroughly enjoyed the garlic and chilli spiked salmon chunks, prawns, mussels and pippies The seafood was generous and so fresh. The mussels were plump and the pippies large. The chunks of salmon were cooked perfectly so they were still juicy and creamy. The only slight criticism would have been a little too much oil for it to feel light and healthy (which it most certainly was not) but the upside to that was it was great to dunk the soft white rolls of bread in to mop all the final flavours.
Steve decided to continue with the pastry theme and went with the beef and burgundy pie with chips and peas. It looked inviting and the chips were golden and rustic. I enjoyed a sneaky few dunked in the tomato relish that was supplied. The peas were good although quite soup like - peas in a pea soup almost. The pie was deemed to be good but more beef and mushroom than beef and burgundy and it looked a little dry and apparently tasted a little too. Nothing a little jug of gravy couldn't fix though!
I really liked the feel of Gill's Diner and it would be a great place for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It's very Melbournian and would appeal to many a friend so definitely one to remember.
Steve decided to continue with the pastry theme and went with the beef and burgundy pie with chips and peas. It looked inviting and the chips were golden and rustic. I enjoyed a sneaky few dunked in the tomato relish that was supplied. The peas were good although quite soup like - peas in a pea soup almost. The pie was deemed to be good but more beef and mushroom than beef and burgundy and it looked a little dry and apparently tasted a little too. Nothing a little jug of gravy couldn't fix though!
I really liked the feel of Gill's Diner and it would be a great place for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It's very Melbournian and would appeal to many a friend so definitely one to remember.
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