I'm going to be controversial and upfront! I'm not a fan of The Townmouse which is Embla's sister restaurant. I haven't enjoyed the food the two times I've been there and I don't find it a comfortable place to eat. I almost gave up on the little stool I had at the bar to eat standing up...

But many people have urged me to give Embla a go and we found ourselves there for a pre theatre feed on Saturday. It was just after 6pm and there were a few seats left. We chose to sit at the kitchen bar, just to the side of the wood fired oven to try and stay a little cooler and it was a great seat. I'm so pleased to say that the stool was comfy and there was a little ledge to support my short legs. Great start Embla and I like you already!

We found the welcome warm and friendly and there was a good pace to the food coming out; leisurely enough to be enjoyable but speedy enough to keep the momentum going. The service is friendly and personable and again, when ordering drinks midway through the meal they arrive promptly which is well received.

We start off with:

• Snapper carpaccio, sour peppers
• Whipped nduja (unpictured)
• Whipped cod roe

The snapper is so thinly sliced, it almost looks like charcuterie and there's a pretty pinkness to it. It's so fresh and clean tasting with the tang and smokiness of capsicum.

The whipped nduja is much more robust and punchy and with the crispbreads it's a great alternative.

And the cod roe on soft warm flatbread is salty and creamy and again provides another taste dimension. We're a fan of all three dishes and just lapping up the flavours and the feels of this wine bar that offers sensational food.

Next up come:

• Stracciatella, anchovy, basil and fermented zucchini
• Duck leg, yoghurt and ratatouille

We can't see the anchovy on the stracciatella but there's a distinct saltiness that is offset by the cool creaminess of the cheese and then there's a tangy touch of pickled zucchini.

The duck leg is sliced and on top of a bed of Mediterranean vibrant ratatouille. The meat and the sweetness of the vegetables with a hint of yoghurt is a simple, homely but so satisfying combination. I defy anyone not to enjoy this!

And we continue with the journey of enjoyment as our final dishes come out:

• Black Angus flank steak, tarragon salsa verde
• Tomato salad with smoked goat's curd

Perfectly cooked beef with a flavoursome crust of char and a blushing pink centre. The beef is tender and so flavoursome with such intense 'beefiness' and a delicious richness that lingers in the mouth. The salsa verde is quite strong with the tarragon flavours and I only need a teeny bit. I love the beef so much I don't want to overpower it.

The intensity of the beef goes so well with the fresh tomatoes that are zingy and fruity enhanced and amped up by the addition of the smoked goat's curd.

Undeniably this was a delicious meal. Watching the busy kitchen and seeing that wonderful wood fired oven that just cranks up the flavour notes in the dishes is delightful. In some ways, the cosy, intimate, wine bar feel makes it perfect for couples but the delicious food and generous flavours means the hospitality needs to embrace groups of more than just two! Embla creates a certain magic that just works.

• Murray cod, tomato, green friend rice, black garlic
• Confit duck leg, Puy lentils, smoked speck, port sauce

We decided to go main course and dessert given it was later in the evening and a school night! Steve had the duck and I went with the fish. We didn't have to wait too long for a food considering it was busy but I think we arrived at the tail end of evening service. It wasn't the quickest but for freshly cooked food it was probably about right.

The fish dish was one piece of fried and one piece grilled on top of some garlicky rice. Clean flavours, simple ingredients - a good bistro dish on a plate.

Steve's duck was amazingly tasty. The Puy lentils and accompaniments were as expected but the duck itself was just so delicious. This was the standout.

We planned dessert so we were going to have our cake and eat it!

• Rhubarb and beurre noisette tart, rose and strawberry
• ​Basil scented creme caramel, blood orange, olive oil cake

Both desserts were prettily presented with vibrant fruit colours and clean flavours. Steve enjoyed the rhubarb tart, I thought the pastry was great but the rose flavour a touch over powering. The basil creme caramel was smooth and creamy and the fresh orange flavours cut through some of the sugar sweetness of the caramel. The pieces of olive oil cake disintegrated with all the moisture on the plate into grainy mush but the chunkier pieces I managed to salvage were tasty.

Syracuse is a decent bistro type restaurant that is pretty good value and a nice place for a date or a girly catch up. It may not have the glitz or the glam of some of the other CBD establishments but it has bags of charm joie de vivre!
​

Located in new St Collins Lane precinct, Runya promises so much through her front windows. Delicate cakes, fine china, bottles of Veuve indicate a European style tea room - fancy and fitting for two ladies spending a Sunday afternoon shopping in the city. Lured in by this we decided to rest and recuperate with soul restoring tea and cake.

And the picture makes afternoon tea look attractive. Pink and gold tea set, cute little cakes but what the picture doesn't show is that we were seated next to the serving hatch with a view into the kitchen and it's not a kitchen reflective of the patisserie we were hoping. Think fried chips and grilled burgers! Alas, Runya is a little confused - part tea room, part lunch cafe...

I'm a fan of beer battered chips but perhaps not when supping English Breakfast from a pretty china tea cup. Call me old fashioned or traditional but I think I'd have preferred it if Runya was either a tea room or a cafe. For me Veuve and chips is something I do when camping and not what happens in St Collins Lane!

The tea itself was reviving. I chose the strawberry and vanilla frasiere and it was a light sponge with berries and cream. My companion had the cheesecake and it was a bit cloying. The base was the best part. All nice enough but we don't feel the need to revisit. Brunetti's, Hopetoun are better choices.

Had a Friday morning breakfast meeting and this place is close to the office. I'd never been but had walked past the blackboard on the main street signalling to turn down a Melbourne alleyway.

We descended down into this basement cafe and it's quite large by Melbourne cafe standards with some quirky, shabby chic and eccentric decor stuffed in the nooks and crannies and a bright mural on the wall. There's definitely a sense of individuality and a cheery personality.

In some ways it reminded me of a Mediterranean taverna and in other ways it brought back memories of hippy style student cafes from my 90s yourh.

Service was friendly and prompt too and the food came out quite quickly meaning we were back at the office in an hour.

The speciality seems to be dips or stuffed bread bowls. I had the Mediterranean shakshouka with a side of bacon and my dining companion made up a breakfast of eggs, bacon, hashbrowns and some other random things. I don't think she knew what she was going to end up with! Coffees were long and strong and piping hot.

The hash browns were unusual and not the pre made stuff. They were seasoned with spices - cumin and maybe some others and were really quite delicious. Like a cross between a falafel and hash brown. I enjoyed my bread bowl although it was quite large so I left the lid. The bowl was softer than I thought it would be but it still held its shape. The tomato ragu was intense and punchy and went well with oozy eggs and salty bacon. It's all quite homely and rustic which is sometimes welcome especially in the cold weather, The generous serves meant we were set up for the day!

Admittedly we are latecomers to Dinner by Heston; maybe it's the grudge I hold for not being able to secure places at the Fat Duck when it was in town! That's not true by the way; the grudge that is not the fact we weren't able to make it Fat Duck. The lack of Fat Duck in my life is very true and then there are those that made it more than once...the unfairness of life prevails...

Where was I? Yes, so I did have a reservation earlier in the year and it was going to be for my birthday lunch but it clashed with our tickets for the Aus Open so I postponed and so we ended up here on Saturday.

It's a bit strange as it's located next to the Crown Spa so as I enter I see people padding around in towels and bath robes but as we walk down the darkened corridor towards a light display, the white terry towelling we've just witnessed melts away. There's a moment of confusion as the automatic door slides open as there's the reality of the door but also its reflection. We find the right entrance as opposed to walking into the mirror and enter a light, bright, dining room that is elegant yet approachable. There appears to be a lot of wait staff but they're all ever so obliging. We're early but our table is ready and we're shown to seats with a window view of the city landscape.

The charcoal and teal uniforms with other variations are classy; there's a quiet calm about the place and it's all very understated but at the same time impressive.

There is a set lunch menu which we thought was well priced but it didn't have a lot of the things we wanted to try so we went a la carte. We also had to order the acclaimed Tipsy Cake then as it takes an hour for it to be ready.

• Meat Fruit (c.1500) | Mandarin, chicken liver parfait & grilled bread
• Savoury Porridge (c.1660) | Garlic & parsley butter, grilled abalone, picked beetroot & fennel

We start off in the same way as nearly all the other tables with that ubiquitous Meat Fruit. Endless wooden board after wooden board with perfect mandarins parade out of the kitchen with single slices of toast all with perfect char marks. The taster I had as it was Steve's Meat Fruit, which he made very clear, was creamy and dreamy, rich and without a glitch. The need for extra toast was anticipated before he was done with the first slice and more appeared. I don't think many decline extra bread as the mandarin is pretty hefty. I thought it might be too much, too rich but Steve declared he could do another so I guess not!

My Savoury Porridge was like a garden on a plate - so pretty, so fresh and green. I loved the fragrant garlic and herb notes and I don't like fennel but the curls of fresh fennel added crunch and sweetness contrasting the pickled tang of the beetroot. The abalone didn't add so much in flavour, more an additional chewy texture. I liked the lightness and brightness of this pretty plate.

Our main courses were:

• Lamb & Cucumber (c.1830) | Roast best end of lamb with cucumber heart, sweetbreads, broad beans, barilla & mint
• Black Angus Ribeye (c.1830) | Mushroom ketchup & fries

I was dubious whether there was enough lamb for Steve as the two pieces didn't look that big especially when the thick layer of fat was stripped off but he assured me there was thickness to the meat. I tried a bit and it was soft and sweet with great lamb flavours contrasted by the slightly tangy cucumber and a fresh minty gel. The sweetbreads were crumbed into two small balls of savoury crunchiness. This was like Spring on a plate.

The steak was so flavoursome but also tender not far off from a filet so best of both in terms of flavour and texture. The mushroom ketchup was HP sauce like in appearance with morsels of mushroom and I expected it to be spicy and tangy but it was actually just like ketchup. And when I was running low, I was offered more. The waitstaff are so observant and responsive! 

Triple cooked chips are actually a little wrinkly looking and not as appealing as they could be. They look a bit stale but they are super crunchy and moreish. Just not as pretty as everything else. The smaller ones are pure crunch with little filling but the bigger ones manage crispiness and potatoeyness much better.

Two little jugs of jus accompanied our plates of meat and boy that jus was good. Savoury and reminiscent of what gravy should be like; all we needed was Yorkshire pudding! We had side dishes of mash and cabbage with onion. The mash was perfect ripples of snowy silkiness hefty with cream and butter. Pure decadence, pure joy.

At this stage, once we'd enjoyed our main courses Steve and I had a quick reflection on our meal so far. Definitely a lot more restrained, understated and classical than we expected. Traditional and homely flavours but refined and made elegant. It's comfort without being rustic. Fine dining that is made familiar and oh so approachable.

At this stage we contemplate what happens after mains but upon the advice of our waitress we decide to indulge in the Tipsy Cake before plotting another path. And along said path we discover our bottle of wine is empty so we go for a half bottle. A weekend boozy lunch is such a good thing.

• Tipsy Cake (c.1810) | Spit roast pineapple
• The Cheese Board | British and Australian cheeses, pear chutney, oat cakes & seeded crackers
• Nitro Ice Cream Served Tableside

The Tipsy Cake arrives in all its fragrant glory - vanilla, butter, sugar and a touch of citrus with a hint of grown up booze. It's golden, it's beautiful. As the spoon squishes the soft brioche, golden rivers of speckled custard ooze out. It's sweet without being cloying, buttery without being heavy. And the piece of golden, roasted caramelised pineapple adds a tropical tang. I hadn't notice the roasting pineapples when we entered but Steve pointed out the medieval looking contraption and I could see the chain going round with the hand crank on the outside. Very cool!

On a sugar high we decide we can take on the cheese so we opt for a small serve and choose 4 out of about 8 different British and Aussie cheeses. The cheese is good and served with some tasty crackers.

And in a nod to the origins of molecular gastronomy of course we have to indulge in some nitrogen effects. A trolley with what looks like a cross between a Kitchen Aid and a Singer sewing machine arrives and our waiter cranks the churn to create two ice cream cones for us. The cones are made of fragile brik pasty (think one sheet of filo) rolled in fine sugar crystals and there's some strawberry compote spooned in to make the final mouthful a sweet treat. The ice cream is speckled with vanilla and so smooth and the perfect balance of sweetness and creaminess. We don't need it to be overly rich after the meal we've had so this light ice cream is the cloud like solution we need. And we get to choose two out of three intriguing toppings. I go with freeze dried raspberries and some apple popping candy. 

We've had a wonderful afternoon - window seats, deliciously well executed food and service that is exemplary. It's a true treat. It's expensive but I don't begrudge the bill - it's worth it. We're worth it!
​

An unexpected email arrived around 3pm on Friday from my beloved Steve which informed me dinner was booked at Merricote for 8pm that night. No flowery language, no romantic words, no emotional sentiment but I could feel the love!

The Merricote dining room is a charming space lovingly adorned with a stag's head, giant bronze pig and the odd piggie touch here and there - napkin rings, bookends. It's that combination of shabby homely kitsch with elegant high ceilings and trendy single lightbulbs hanging from the ceiling.

We deliberated a long time whether to go tasting menu or make our own choices and in the end decided to go with tasting as they were kind enough to organise a change for Steve who doesn't particularly like trout.

First up was:

• ​Veal ’Bitterballen’, Dijon 

Now I'm not a huge mustard fan but I think the milder stuff is beginning to grow on me. And the slightly sharp tang and warm heat really offset the meaty flavours of this little croquette. Not too dense but satisfyingly comforting this was quite delicious.

The follow up was:

• Port Arlington Mussels and Chorizo Piperade

Delicately presented in a bowl with reds,yellows and greens it was a vibrant dish and I enjoyed the smoky chorizo, fruity tomato and salty sea mussels with the crunchy croutons adding texture and soaking up the juices. Steve wanted more oomph and spice from the chorizo but I liked the gentleness of the dish and the fact the mussels weren't overpowered.

• Garlic Custard, Heirloom Tomatoes, Laver 

I was intrigued by this dish when I saw it on the menu. Silken like tofu and more solid than a chawan mushi but still far from dense the garlic and tomatoes were a great combo. Light and bright, this was creative and unusual but still very enjoyable.

• Glazed Eggplant, Freekah, Lime, Zucchini ​

Steve was treated to this dish as a replacement to the trout which I had. Asian inspired it looked like a piece of lacquered pork belly. Deliciously and meltingly soft and creamy with a sweet miso like sticky shine this was a perfectly executed dish that is memorable yet understated. The eggplant skin was fried into wafer thin crisps. Definitely unsung hero status worthy!

• Poached Trout, Kohlrabi Remoulade, Leaves and Roe

Poached trout conjured images of dry pink fish, 80s dinner party or buffet style so I was a little apprehensive but this was definitely more confit and was slippery and silky. The kohlrabi remoulade offered a little creaminess to add some richness, there was a sharp zesty gel to cut through the oiliness of the fish and the sea vegetables were a lovely salty seasoning. Maybe not quite as creative as the eggplant but still highly enjoyable.

• Warialda Beef Chuck, Braised Shin, Rye, Scorched Salad 

The main course was another attractive looking dish with a beautiful blushing piece of girello from the beef chuck. The braised shin was a crumbed square of a croquette and the barley was a tasty accompaniment. Not sure that scorching the cucumbers added that much flavour wise but the caramelised onion puree was amazing. Sweet and smooth it just added to the meat flavours.

And Steve cannot turn down a visit from a cheese trolley. There's a wide choice; they're pretty strong cheeses so a cheese wuss like me didn't find much for my tastes but for Steve it was a very fruitful experience as he chose 3 to chow down on. Generous serves with bread, crackers and fruit based accompaniments, it's definitely one for the cheese lovers.​

• ‘Gevallen Citroen Taart’

After a short break, out came dessert. Deconstructed tart and almost crumble like there was a scoop of lemon parfait like goodness with plenty of crunchy, nutty accompaniment, some soft scorched meringue and licorice gel. Now I'm not into licorice as I don't like aniseed so I avoided it but I didn't mind the slight scent of it coming through the crumb.

Service was attentive throughout (although I ordered some tea that was forgotten but I wasn't desperate). The attention intensified as others diners left and by the end we were almost friends!

This is classic and creative cooking in one. It's a step above a neighbourhood drop in bistro although it retains all the positive attributes of one. The chef's hat award is well deserved as it is that little bit more special but at the same time is highly approachable and charming.

We took a table out on the street and deliberated over the kebab menu. I went to place our order inside at the very clearly labelled order kiosk:

• A-rab - Lamb, smoked hummus, leaves and pickled bits
• East Coast - Maple glazed pulled pork, crackling, peanut butter hummus, leaves and pickled bits
• Hot crinkle chips and harissa mayo
• Corn dogg - Turkish sausage corn dogg with smoked mustard mayo

All that food came plus two soft drinks came to less than $50 so it's in line with gourmet fast food prices.

Food arrived quickly and we dug in. There were three corn doggs (not sure why it's spelt with a double gg) per serve and that was generous and we couldn't get into the third. Pretty tasty with crispy outer, soft mash encasing a salty, spicy sausage.

The main stars are obviously the kebabs and they were hefty in size. I had the pulled pork and enjoyed the sweetness of the meat and the tang of the pickles. Pretty messy eating! The pita was soft and pillowy. I couldn't taste the garlic yoghurt or spicy sauce much and it was just shy of being well seasoned.

Steve's lamb one was better. Big chunks of tasty lamb that was juicy and meaty. The chips were crunchy and I liked the spicy seasoning on them. The two mayos we had weren't that exciting and a small part of me might have just preferred ketchup!

In summary, nice enough and worth a try but we both personally have a preference to Jimmy Grants offerings. Sorry Biggie! We just feel Jimmy wins out by a whisker in terms of flavour and the friendliness of the wait staff.

It was such a wet night and the rain just kept on pouring. Steve and I sought refuge and warm comfort with Eastern European cuisine which is a relatively new restaurant on Brunswick Street and a stone's throw from home. The initial welcome was warm and I was shown to a corner table. It wasn't particularly busy; maybe 3 or 4 tables. I did have to wait a while before water and menus arrived.

Inside it reminds me of a little place in Prague so it feels pretty authentic. There are a lot of things to choose both food and drink and the range of European beers is pretty impressive including one of Steve's favourites; Bitburger.

It was a shame that our drinks stayed on the bar counter for quite a while before a member of the wait staff could bring them over. It wasn't busy but for a moment, no one was working on the floor! So the drinks just stayed there. Finally they came over and we placed our order.

We ordered the crumbed Camembert with beetroot dip to share and 4 little golden pyramids came out. The oozy cheese was creamy and gooey with a crunchy crumb and the fruitiness of the beetroot went well. We did think it was pricey at $12 for 4 little nuggets though.

Steve had the Hungarian schnitzel stuffed with sausage and cheese and I had the Transylvanian veal shnitzel which was topped with ham, cheese and a tomato sauce. It was pretty impressive when it came out and looked huge. It was actually battered very thin though so in spite of the surface area the proportion of veal probably wasn't as much as one would think. It was tasty enough but more about the tomato sauce, ham and cheese than the schnitzel. 

Steve and I found the dollop of mash, or peasant potatoes as they were called was gluey and not really to our liking. 

In all, this was hearty food which was pleasant against the downpour but we felt that it was over priced as the local pub does a good parma for half or a third of the price.

We share some prosciutto, pate, chorizo and steak tartare. I think there were also some croquettes thrown in for sustenance.

It's a very pleasant grazing lunch. The food is good enough but it's more about the surroundings. This place is a destination whatever the weather, whenever the season.

There was a period of time about 6 months ago that several people recommended Sezar one after the other and it was on the "must do" list. But it fell by the wayside, eclipsed by the move to Fitzroy and the excitement of going local.

But CBD dining is always relevant and we decided to go one Friday night and luckily were able to secure a reservation booking only the day before.

We were surprised that it was the "new St Peter's" and that St Peter's was no more. We'd said we'd return to St. Peters but it never happened and I guess that sort of feeling must have been common for it not to have survived. So from we head East of Italy and enjoy a taste of Armenia.

We were shown to a table for two and granted we arrived amongst others but our welcome was a little lack lustre and the table next to us who arrived after us, were given menus and told the specials before we were. Our drinks took a while and when they were taken, the waitress assumed we were ready to order but we hadn't been given our intro into the menu as yet so it was all a bit uncomfortable.

But I think the wait staff realised we had been overlooked as things improved after we ordered and warm Armenian hospitality was the order of the day.

We commenced our Armenian journey with a selection of deliciously described small plates:

BASTOURMA & EGG - Armenian air dried beef, quail egg, toasted brioche & garlic jam
SEARED HERVEY BAY SCALLOPS - Cauliflower puree, cumin caramel & zaatar
CRISPY POTATO & SOUJAK KOFTE - Red pepper aioli
SPANNER CRAB MANTI - Armenian dumplings, sumac yoghurt & chilli oil

The bastourma and egg was reminiscent of the Movida Cecina dish with the truffle foam and bresaola but this was in canape form and the brioche just gave a yummy toasty sweetness note that lingered after the saltiness of the bastourma and the richness of the egg. Definitely a success.

The scallops were as they should be and the spicing of it was delicious and the same goes with the kofte / croquette. The little dumplings were noteworthy. East meets West in that the filling was very Chinesey as was the paper thin wrapper but the yoghurt dressing firmly takes us back to Eastern Europe.

Defintely a good start to the meal and these little small plates were perfect appetisers in that they set us up to be ready, open and willing for more...

I also wanted to try something more traditional and the waiter suggested he reduce the usual serve size of three to two for us and we appreciated the flexibility.

SPINACH & FETA BOREG - Aleppo mayo

Flaky pastry, no oily residue, spinach filling seasoned by the mayo, this little spring roll was pretty good. Not quake in your boots, this has reshaped the World good, but good enough.

We moved from the small plates to the medium plates and worked our way through:

PULLED LAMB NECK - Tabouleh, tahini & steamed pita
BBQ SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS - Grilled haloumi, shallot & spinach cream
TWICE COOKED CHICKEN WINGS - Pomegranate glaze & crushed pistachios
BBQ WAGYU TENDERLOIN - Garlic yoghurt & lavash

The steamed pita in the pulled lamb neck was interestingly the Asian type bao which was a surprise. The meat itself was a touch overcooked so overconcentrated almostso the flavours were strong, intense but not clear or vibrant. The tabouleh and tahini could have helped but there wasn't enough of it. So the summary is decent but not repeatworthy.

We didn't actually order the mushrooms but an oversight in the kitchen meant we were gifted this plate. We thought it would work but something extra was needed to bring it all together. The mushrooms were a little bland and the haloumi wasn't salty enough to season them. The spinach cream was grassy but quite rough in texture so each element had its own flavour and nothing quite brought it together. A little bit strange that one.

The chicken wings brought us back to food Heaven and we could have eaten more. Golden and crispy, juicy and tasty meat covered in a sticky sweet glaze with a sharp hit of citrus and pomegranate every odd bite to pierce through the stickiness.

At this point of our Armenian journey we were pretty satisfied but were umming and aahing about squeezing in another dish. Good job there are dishes of different sizes at Sezar and our waiter helped us select the skewers of tenderloin. One mini kebab each later seasoned with a zesty garic yoghurt and we were fully replete!

Fully replete over savoury dishes that is! No way could Steve resist baklava even if it's non traditional and the suggestion of salted caramel just tips him over the edge! And I go with something that sounds lighter and fruitier.

NEW STYLE BAKLAVA / Crispy filo, walnut toffee ice cream & salted caramel
VANILLA PARFAIT / Strawberries, pistachio & rose water syrup

I enjoyed my very prettily presented sweet dish and the hint of roses takes me to the Ottoman times. Unfortunately Steve was very disappointed in his baklava because it wasn't baklava. Nothing essentially wrong with the flavours and nothing not to like about that but fundamentally apparently it's an ice cream sundae and shouldn't be called baklava! So that ended Sezar's good run in Steve's opinion which is probably a bit harsh but I guess he's a baklava traditionalist!

Sezar offers some lipsmackingly good dishes - the bastourma on brioche, the dumplings, the chicken wings. No dish was a bad dish - weird maybe but not bad. It's definitely a contender for Middle Eastern / Eastern European cuisine.