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La Camera Southgate

27/4/2012

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.

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Innocent Bystander / Giant Steps

25/4/2012

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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.

Giant Steps / Innocent Bystander Winery on Urbanspoon

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The Palace

21/4/2012

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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.

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Terra Rossa

20/4/2012

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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.

Terra Rossa Restaurant Bar on Urbanspoon

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Koy

15/4/2012

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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.

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Olla Messa

13/4/2012

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We've had takeaway from Olla Messa and enjoyed the pizzas. The dough is homemade and it's thin and crispy with decent toppings so when there was a Scoopon deal for a seafood platter with chips, rocket salad and a bottle of wine we decided to give it a go and dine in.

It was easy to get a reservation so Steve and I headed there on the Friday evening. We took a table amidst others and left ourselves in the care of the waitstaff and kitchen.

The food didn't take long. A platter of mussels, white fish in tomato sauce, a couple of prawns, a few scallops and some calamari was deposited on our table along with some fries and the salad.

The seafood platter was ok, the fries were crunchy, the salad was good so all in all it was an acceptable meal. The seafood was probably frozen but it wasn't offensive. The entire meal would not have cost the $139 it purports. The deal cost us $50 given that wine, chips and salad would probably be nigh on $40 there is some value there.

We found the service a little haphazard as water glasses were left unfilled for a while and our plates weren't cleared by the time we left. There was another table who had had the same food as us and they'd finished their's way before we did and their plates were still hanging around. We weren't asked about dessert.

This place is close enough to be convenient. I would stick to the pizzas but this average experience hasn't put me off or enthused me enough to put it on my list of faves or places to avoid.

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The Terrace

7/4/2012

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For our Easter getaway, Steve and I headed to Rutherglen for some fresh country air and some strong wines. Whilst researching the area, it appeared that The Terrace at All Saints Winery was probably the best place to go for fine dining and so we decided to spend the Saturday evening there and took advantage of the free transportation.

Our driver arrived on time and we were shown to our table. Unfortunately I didn't like the location of our table as it was right by the main entrance to the restaurant so it felt a little in the way and there was a draught. I almost asked for another table but it was just about bearable so kept quiet. Plus after we were seated, service was frantic and it was hard to catch sight of a passing staff member.

It took a while for menus and drinks to be taken care of and we immediately felt that too many of the staff were new or were casual staff called to assist during the holiday weekend as there didn't appear to be anyone in charge or that knew what they were doing. Later discussions over the rest of the weekend with some Rutherglen locals confirmed this to be true. There was one lady in charge but early on during our arrival she was waylaid with other things and only became visible towards the end of our meal.

There were times wait staff brought out dishes to the wrong table or weren't able to recommend dishes or advise. When this happens its not really relaxing as I don't feel looked after so on this front we expected more and were disappointed.

We started off with some whipped goats cheese with breadsticks and this took a long time to arrive and it was offered to the table next to us who had already eaten their order of it causing confusion. Finally it made its way to our table. It's not a dish that needs cooking really and its more about sourcing the right produce. The cheese was ok but I didn't find it flavoursome enough. It lacked creaminess, saltiness and sweetness and was too bland. Shame as there are some amazing goats cheeses around and a better job at sourcing them would have been well received.

Onto our entrees. Steve had pancetta wrapped scallops, cauliflower puree and white balsamic dressing. The scallops were sweet enough but the pancetta lacked smokiness and saltiness. The cauliflower puree could have done with going through a seive as it was a bit globby. I ordered quail with salsa verde, beetroot and whipped goats curd. The dish was a little unbalanced in that the greens were very salty yet the salsa verde and quail was bland and tasted unseasoned. The beetroot was underdone and hard which was a shame as the sweetness and earthiness really did give the flavours a good kick.

Main courses fared better. Steve had the Rivalea roasted pork belly with cauliflower puree, caramelized shallots and slaw and I went for twice roasted half duck with estate oranges.

Both dishes were decent. They weren't remarkable but the true flavours of the produce came through and the favour combinations were classic and enjoyable. I think with the duck I can cook to the same standard at least so that took it down a notch. It would have shown more culinary skill or at least impressed me more if the leg had been done roasted and the breast done so that it was still pink whereas in this case the whold half duck was roasted. It still tasted good but like I say, I can do that!

We enjoyed some side dishes, roast potatoes and a salad if I recall correctly and were full enough that we declined dessert. Also the fact that we hadn't been blown away by our meal meant that we weren't curious enough to try anything.

In summary, it was a nice enough meal but this place wouldn't be good enough in Melbourne. There's much less competition in Rutherglen so it can afford to be a bit hit and miss although we struggled to find the hits and it was more along the lines of acceptable.

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Pickled Sisters

7/4/2012

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During our wine tour in Rutherglen we opted to have lunch at Pickled Sisters with a view that a substantial meal would help soak up all the strong fortifieds and other wines we'd have been sampling.

Four wineries before lunch certainly meant that we needed significant sustenance! A quick tasting at Cofield Winery next door and we settled down to eat.

The café is bistro like - light and airy and given it was Easter Saturday it was buzzing and busy. Waitress service was friendly although food did take its time to come up and after all that wine it meant I almost fell asleep waiting for it!

We shared a plate of fried zucchini flowers with a lentil salad. They looked a little overdone but luckily didn't taste burnt. The batter was almost like a breadcrumb than a batter perhaps a coating of polenta or cornmeal as opposed to batter. The zucchini flowers tasted light and fresh and the crispy coating was crunchy and not greasy. Enjoyed the soft cheese stuffing too. The lentil salad was an interesting contrast to the light flowers as it was strong in earthy flavours with a sharp tang of tomatoes. I think I prefer a sweeter accompaniment and perhaps the more traditional flavour combination of such zucchini flowers with either something lemony or honey. Having said that the salad was very tasty.

I chose the roast rump of Riverina Lamb with Mediterranean herbs and a Tuscan bean ragout. It was a decent rustic plate of food with robust flavours. The lamb was overdone for my tastes but the ragout had some great tomatoey and herby flavours and the lamb itself was of good quality. I enjoyed the heartiness of this dish.

Steve went for crispy skinned fillets of Brimin Lodge Murray Cod on a warm potato salad with crisp prosciutto, mustard mayo and green beans. Again it was rustic looking and a good portion size. The fish could have been crispier. We found the Murray Cod to be quite muddy in flavour so not my preferred fish but apparently this can be the case.

Overall it was a good place for lunch with decent food. I think we'd hoped for more though and our expectations were somewhat higher given the write up in the Good Food Guide. Had we just stumbled across this place without reading about it, I think we would have felt less disappointed.

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La Camera Southgate

Innocent Bystander / Giant Steps

The Palace

Terra Rossa

Koy

Olla Messa

The Terrace

Pickled Sisters

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