A pre theatre meal on a Wednesday and we decided to take advantage of the all you can eat tapas at the Long Room for $25 per head.

I like the Long Room as a bar. On a Friday night it's good value with $5 wine and $10 cocktails. It's dark and romantic and comfortable. This Wednesday evening it was busy enough to have some atmosphere but certainly far from overcrowded. Mainly groups of girlfriends and even a family birthday.

Our waitress was friendly and we pretty much worked our way through the whole tapas menu. $25 per head - we got our money's worth. The saganaki was good and came on bread so kind of like cheese on toast. Also enjoyed the pork belly although parts of it was very fatty. Chorizo was delicious too. There was a roti and red beef curry. The roti was good, the curry less impressive.

All in all, some things were good. Others were less successful but the food came quickly and it was decent value for money. I can imagine it would be an acceptable place to gather a few friends for a post work bite.

After dinner and later on in the evening, we found ourselves very thirsty so there must have been lots of salt and / or MSG in the food.

One of our favourite South Melbourne lunch spots. It's had a little change in that the blackboard has gone and there's a printed menu now with a wider choice of dishes.

Today we enjoyed a cassoulet with mussels and Trevally fillet. Sweet and filling beans, plump mussels and sweet fleshy fish. The spaghettini with anchovy was a bargain at $8 for a large bowl. Salty, vinegary and flavoursome. As Steve said would be a great lunch for someone working in the area.

The crispy John Dory was certainly crispy but the flesh remained moist. The gingery salsa it came with was delicious.

The chilli king prawns were as usual as brilliant as ever as were the oysters.

Menu change but no change to our levels of enjoyment.

Rainy and cold Saturday and what better than to hole up in a pub and fill the belly with food and wine. I'd heard about this new place of Andrew McConnell and given our love of Cumulus and Golden Fields though it prudent to try this place out.

Booking a table for 2 for a late lunch was easy in that there was space for us and we didn't have to go for a date far off in the future. It was made more difficult as I was put on hold during the first call and then cut off. Second call straight after getting cut off, I was told that I should leave my name and number and someone would confirm by later that afternoon. It got to about 16:30 and no one had called so I called for the third time and was told my booking had been taken and they knew about it. Unfortunately I didn't but all sorted.

Our friends Claire and Martyn decided to join us and I called again on the day and asked to increase the number for our booking and this was arranged very easily.

Four people means more coverage over the menu. Excellent! We started off with some pig ear scratchings and the olive toast with Ortiz anchovy and pepper.

The scratchings were crispy and seasoned with salt and a hint of chilli. Great beer snack. The good thing was they did not feel greasy or oily and there was no fatty reside left in the bowl or on the fingers once they'd been eaten.

The olive toast didn't appeal to me on the menu but the others wanted to try and Steve shared his piece. I actually enjoyed it more than I thought it would as the olive tapenade wasn't too strong and had a nutty flavour and texture to it. The anchovy was salty and meaty and the pepper added a freshness.

We also enjoyed:

• Sea Bounty mussels with saffron and aioli
• Buffalo milk halloumi with chickpeas, salted lemon
• Whole rotisserie quail - best eaten with fingers
  

The mussels were plump and just cooked so they were juicy and tender. The saffron and aioli gave an almost Thai like flavour but with no chilli heat. We asked for more bread to enjoy the juices.

The halloumi and chickpeas was another good combination and the green blob of avocado mousse type stuff added a richness to the flavours.

Steve and I really enjoyed the quail which was simply seasoned and roasted and yes we dug in with our hands as prompted by the menu. The meat was tender and juicy and there was a smokey charred flavour coming through from the rotisserie.

Our main courses were the two rotisserie dishes; a half free range chicken and rack of pork with crackling and lemon.

The chicken came on a creamy sauce with some greens, carrots and chicken jus. The pork came as two cutlets with a strip of belly pork with crackling, crispy sage and creamy barley risotto.

Both meats were soft and tender retaining moisture and succulence. They were very simply cooked with clean seasoning and no fancy frills or twists. They fitted in with the simple white surroundings of the dining area.

Our side dishes were crispy chips which were indeed crispy, steamed baby potatoes and a chopped broccoli and freekah salad. I particularly enjoyed the freshness of the freekah salad which had a tart zing running through it cutting through the richness of the meat and heaviness of the two potato side dishes.

After much deliberation and discussion, we girls convinced the boys to join in on dessert.

I chose the steamed suet pudding, lemon, brown sugar and runny cream. The pudding was crumbly and moist, sweet with sugar and tart with lemon. Absolutely delicious and the boys needed no convincing to join in.

Claire went with the chocolate prune pudding, vanilla ice cream and whisky sauce. Light on the whisky but heady on the cocoa and prune, this was also demolished very quickly.

We enjoyed the simplicity and freshness of the food. This lunch triggered our curiousity as to what the restaurant will be like when it opens. Will it take this simplistic and pub traditions to another level or go in a completely different direction?

In spite of the ease we had in securing a table at relatively short notice (maybe 3 or 4 days in advance) the place was pretty busy with no spare tables. And I can imagine it will get busier.

It's a shame that initial reviews are shaky. We found service to be friendly enough, warm welcome by front of house. Subsequent service by waitstaff was a little frazzled but I can imagine over time this will cease. Surroundings were still very clean and untouched - fresh paint smell still lingering. It's bright and white yet the food is far from sterile.

Another delicious steak meal at the Station Hotel. I'm impressed by the value and quality of dining here. Our group of 4 enjoyed oysters and a charcuterie plate to begin with followed by 4 steaks and 2 wonderful desserts. We also enjoyed two bottles of very good Heathcote shiraz but we prefer not to dwell on that! The previous time we went we had no room for dessert but this time we managed and dessert is as good as the other courses.

The Vahlrona chocolate cake with vanilla bean icecream was soft on the inside with a crunchier crust and heady with the fragrance of cocoa yet still remained light. There was a hint of fruit in it; the menu online says it's rhubarb and we can't recall what it said on the actual menu. It tasted cherry like but indeed could have been rhubarb. Whatever it was it added another taste dimension to the cake and the light fruit touch kept the dessert from being too heavy.

The creme brulee was creamy and vanilla scented. Both great finishers to a yummy dinner. Good food, good company; great place.

Mid week dinner with our visiting friends meant a quick trip to Lygon Street. As anticipated parking was the usual problematic obstacle.

Finding a restaurant was pretty easy. No one had a particular preference and with Lygon Street it was just a case of taking a punt. Sadly DOC which is probably the best was too busy for us so we settled with Café Cavallino.

Service weas prompt enough, prices were acceptable. Steve and I started with bocconcini bruschetta. I was very hungry and this disappeared very quickly. The bread was soft and buttery, more microwaved than grilled and the bocconcini was more rubbery than creamy but the whole thing whilst far from gourmet was edible and inoffensive.

Steve and I shared a mixed pasta dish. We had spaghetti bolognese, penne with a creamy tomato, chicken and avocado sauce and linguine carbonara.

The positives were that the pasta was well cooked and al dente which I enjoy. The bolognese was certainly pleasant enough.

The chicken one was probably a little too heavy so it was a good thing we were sharing a portion.

The carbonara was a little synthetic for my tastes. The bacon could have been crispier and of a better quality as it was a bit bland.  All three pasta dishes were like meals I could knock up at home quite easily which on the one hand was disappointing as when eating out it's nice to have something so yummy it's not like what we eat at home. But then on the other hand it was pretty comforting to eat something familiar especially on a cold evening.

I was informed by our dining partners that the pumpkin soup (vat of it), cannelloni and pizza were pretty tasty.

The reasonable prices for the food helped my positive perspective on this place. I'm not desperate to return but nor was I put off to the extent that I would never return.

Friday evening with our visitors - James, Christine and baby Charlotte. We wanted to eat somewhere close by that was moderate in price and had enough room for Charlotte's chariot.

We decided to give La Camera a go. Steve and I had walked past a couple of days beforehand and made a reservation.

We were impressed by the large menu. Our waiter was friendly and sorted us out with some garlic bread with cheese whilst we decided on what else to eat. Wine seemed reasonably priced with a decent selection. I went with a cocktail and the boys share a bottle of Heathcote Shiraz.

Garlic bread was quite heavy with a strong garlic bite to it. I think a touch more seasoning would have improved it.

Main courses was gnocchi for me, risotto for the men and Christine went with lamb shank.

The gnocchi was with slow cooked oxtail, pancetta, basil, chilli, vegetable and mushroom ragú, topped with shredded Grana Padano. It was a pretty substantial portion with three or four bits of oxtail and a whole heap of ragu. The gnocchi was light and doughy and the whole dish was great comfort food.

Steve's risotto con agnello basically with lamb fillet, mushrooms, roasted capsicum, pine nuts and spinach,finished with veal stock and topped with shredded Grana Padano. Again a good size serve and enjoyable.

Christine and James enjoyed their dishes too as well as a chocolate cake / gateau dessert thing. We found service to be acceptable; a few uncertain trainees here and there and an Italian waiter who couldn't understand Chris' request for some salt but overall there were no major problems.

The place was buzzy and we had sufficient room for the pram. It's a family friendly place or somewhere to bring a large group. Prices are good; probably the cheapest in Southbank and the food decent. It's not the most romantic of places so if it was just Steve and I we would probably go for Tutto Bene or Scusami or Walters which are all a little more intimate. La Camera is about the bigger group. The fact it does 25% discount for locals one night of the week may well entice us back though.

Innocent Bystander / Giant Steps is our preferred lunch spot on a Yarra Valley wine tasting day. We find the casual atmosphere, good food and friendly service a winning combo for taking friends.

We were introduced to this place by friend and manager Jacqui (she lives close by) and we enjoyed a lunch there a while back along with her cute twin boys. Family Davis, the Barnes and the Barleys had a great lunch together sat in one of the giant booths and the kids enjoyed the pizza and the ice cream.

Since then we've been back a few times always taking another couple (or more) and enjoy it every time.

Steve and I usually go for the house baked turkish pide with poached corn‐fed chicken, bacon, brie, pear, rocket & aioli and one of the wood fired pizzas which we split 50 / 50 and also some fries. Usually we manage to order the truffle fries with Parmesan and the hand cut chips with aioli for the table and get to enjoy both.

Perfect for soaking up the wine that follows.

Recently we had visited with Tim and Lorraine (visitors from UK) and sat outside in the sun on a weekday and it was quiet and pleasant. We kicked off proceedings with champagne and freshly shucked oysters with seaweed dressing. Absolutely delicious!

And last weekend we were there with James, Christine and baby Charlotte. Steve and I did our usual thing and we also enjoyed the potato, chorizo and manchego croquettes with bravas sauce.

Each time I come here, I always leave happy and satisfied and our pals seem to enjoy it too.

Saturday lunch took place at the Palace. Steve had been there a couple of times previous when it was still under Luke Mangan and had enjoyed it so we'd always talked about going. Sadly the last time I was going to go, wine tasting in advance but an end to that intention!

It was a sunny day so we sat in the courtyard and as it was a late lunch there was no one else around. In spite of this lack of ambience I quite enjoyed the quietness. I also lacked the powder blue and wood decor of the dining room and on a busy evening it would be a nice place to enjoy dinner.

Steve started off with scallops done with some pancetta and breadcrumbs and on a buttery sauce. The crunchy crumbs and butter flavours were great, The scallops looked impressive; large and plump but they actually lacked flavour and that sea sweetness of a good scallop.

I had the salt and pepper squid with an Asian salad.  I enjoyed the flavours but they were very subtle. There was some sweet and sour elements to the salad a little bitterness from the chicory. The squid itself was a little bland and the proportion of salad v squid was heavy towards the salad. I had heard ravings about the calamari salad from the Luke Mangan days and I wasn't convinced this was it or as good in spite of it being pleasant enough.

Steve went for braised ox cheeks with a broth and beans. Two huge hunks of meat - how big must a cow's head be to have cheeks so meaty? The meat was very tender and the broth deep and flavoursome. I used some as a gravy for my roast porchetta which came with colcannon, apples and snow pea shoots.

The dish didn't need gravy as it was moist enough. The porchetta was juicy enough and the colcannon helped keep it wet but the "gravy" helped with the flavours as the pork was a little underseasoned. The crackling was great, the pork meat was dense and the colcannon was a good accompaniment. First time I've had capers in colcannon and whilst I enjoyed it I'm not sure I'd be rushing to buy capers for my mash.

Terra Rossa was the venue chosen for a work get together recently. No one had tried it although we'd probably all walked past it. I guess it gets overlooked what with Cumulus, Coda, Chin Chin, Cecconi's and even Movida all being in the area.

Anyway given we wanted find somewhere close to the office where we could sit at a table, have some drinks and get some food at 4pm meant that options were limited.

Anyway we arrived just after 4pm and after a brief moment of confusion where they were expecting us at 5pm we were quickly seated at a long table. The ambience was nice with chandeliers and dark wood decor. Quite Italian in feel. Our long table had a narrow trough running down the whole length filled with little pebbles. At first this was quite novel especially as people had written little messages on the stones but then it was quickly realised that they were probably pretty dirty and germ infested!

Service was attentive. Our glasses were kept full and we were asked regularly if we needed to order any more drinks. They were out of a number of bottles of sauvignon blanc but we were able to find something acceptable.

Our boss and leader had made the food selections so had the easy job of merely sitting and waiting to be fed. First things to come out were some garlic pizza bread and a big, warm, chunky loaf with some paprika oil and a tangy tomato salsa. Our bread connoisseur Karly declared it good bread.

There was also calamari, chicken skewers, duck quesadilla, belly pork with some morcilla, garlic mushrooms, octopus and prawns on skewers. The majority of the tapas was good. The calamari needed a good shaking of salt and the octopus didn't seem too popular. I think that's because it was octopus but also it was a little bland.

As if that wasn't enough, next came pizzas - basil pesto, fior de latte, toasted walnuts and also chicken, pumpkin, pine nuts, pecorino as well as lots of bowls of chunky chips with aioli. I think by this stage we were pretty full so we didn't do justice to the pizzas. The pesto pizza needed more seasoning and I found it dry. The chicken pizza was better but just too full. The salty chips went down well though.

Overall Terra Rossa did what we needed it to. It's not a destination I would hurry back to because there are better places close by but it was pleasing enough.

We've walked past Koy a million times and eaten there a couple of times now. It was one of the last places we hadn't tried on the South Melbourne market strip as we'd always be enticed by Claypots or some of the other places.

The first time we went we opted for different dishes to share and since then we've also had other items too. It's a relaxed place with outdoor seating. It's nice to sit in the sunshine with the free newspapers and enjoy a relaxed weekend brunch or lunch.

The spinach and cheese gozleme is made on premises by an authentically Turkish old lady and it comes with a yoghurt dip. I love the warm doughiness of it. The cheese is barely there though so I'd love it more if there was more of a cheesy flavour. Great bread to dip in sauces and soak up cooking juices though.

The Mantar Dolması - oven baked field mushrooms filled with halloumi cheese, spring onions, dill and spices is one of my favourite dishes as it's well seasoned and yummy. Cheese and mushrooms - what's not to like?

Bıldırcın - quail wrapped in pastrami with pomegranate molasses is like upmarket KFC and pretty tasty.

Kabak Dolması - zucchini boats stuffed withh ricotta, goat’s and parmesan cheese is a nice vegetable dish. Cheese and vegetables - what's not to like?

We've enjoyed it the couple of times we've been here. We have always found service to be friendly enough. Yes they have been forgetful at times and we haven't had water or cutlery but it's corrected pretty quickly and once it's brought to their attention.