Our first visit to Faraday's Cage wasn't quite as successful as we'd hoped and it appears that owners Kim and John felt the same way after reading the review. Consequently, they took on board the comments with the most gracious of attitudes and very kindly invited Steve and I back to experience their improvements. Lots of respect to them for the way they take on feedback.

​The first review is below this one.

The warm hospitality started from the moment we sat down. Kim offered us a croissant to start proceedings accompanied by a choice of 3 jams from the Yarra Valley. The croissants are pretty big but they're not heavy on the tummy as they are super light and airy and aren't greasy or overly buttery. We've had the joy of sampling croissants from all round Fitzroy and our comments are that that the offering from Faraday's Cage don't have the gloss of Lune but they're still pretty damn good and there's no queue! Babka croissants have a bit of chew about them which depending on preferences can be appealing but they are more filling and greasier.

Like the previous visit the dishes were very prettily presented with lots of vibrant colours, They're also generous in size. This time the flavours were a lot cleaner and clearer. Sweetness and spice in the fritter dish really came through and that crispy cream cheese filled jalapeno popper was so delicious we were sad to have to share! If these make it on the menu as an extra, fill your boots and add them to every dish! In fact just order a bowlful...

The mushrooms were heady with truffle. I left my half of the crispy poached egg too long so it lost its crispiness and the coating became more gluey and gelatinous so if you go for this dish, eat the egg quick.

And then we were onto the final course...the pancakes were fluffy and light. I loved the pairing of the burnt white chocolate and the strawberries. In spite of having eaten so much, we were able to finish this off because it was so delicious.

We had a problem with the tea last time and I'm pleased to say this time it was piping hot and flavoursome. 

We were sent on our way with some more pastry goods and a baguette which Steve used to make sandwiches for his packed lunch and declared it good!

Thank you Faraday's Cage for inviting us back and treating us with such warm hospitality and to some great breakfast fare. We love the fact we can book a table which is rare for brunch places and will take advantage in the future. Thank you for receiving feedback so graciously and for acting on it. You deserve every success!

The review below reflects our first visit. We were invited back later and our thoughts on the second visit appears at the top of this page.

Faraday's Cage is really close to home but we've never quite made it there so we decided to try it out one Sunday morning after a pilates class. Peak time to rock up for brunch but we are able to secure an outside table underneath a heater so we settle in and order.

First drinks, orange juices arrive pretty quickly but our second drinks, English Breakfast teas take so long and I actually ask to cancel them as we're at the end of our meals but I'm assured they're on their way and it just takes a bit longer to make teas! I'm confused by that statement but I wonder if it's because they like to brew them longer but when the teas arrive, they are so weak that is far from the truth and it's hard to extract flavour as the water is not boiling hot. Fail on the tea front!

So onto the food:

• Eggs Benny - 12 hour pulled pork shoulder, poached eggs, chipotle hollandaise, bacon crumb and pickled chilli
• Chilli Scrambled Eggs, Persian feta, sourdough toast and bacon

The dishes are attractively presented and generous in portion size. Given how busy it is, they don't take too long to arrive. Steve and I both feel that they look better than they taste. My Eggs Benny could do with some better seasoning and just a general whallop of more flavour. And Steve says the chilli scrambled eggs could do with amping up on the flavour front. We conclude that the other neighbouring competition such as Sourdough Rustica, Addict, Sir Charles all fare better.

The waitress we had was very apologetic for the tea. She was also very apologetic to the neighbouring table as she had to convey the message from the very busy kitchen that there could be no alterations to dishes but for dietary requirements they would alter dishes...some flawed logic there I think or a situation that could be taken advantage of...Anyway she tried hard.

Unlike the waitress who took our money at the till. I'd heard so much about the sausage rolls here we decided to order some to take home and I also spied a pastry on the end but didn't know what it was and so I asked. The response was to the effect of that she didn't know or know how much it was and the chef had left for the day so there was nothing more she could really do or help on that front...strange situation! Again she was apologetic and friendly but it was a bit awkward and ineffective. 

So in all, I was a bit disappointed with Faraday's Cage. It's a nice space but the food and their tea making skills lacked lustre.

The menu is mainly chicken; brined and marinaded for 48 hours in spices and dark beer, smoked and chargrilled on site. The smoker is an impressive shelved cupboard behind the counter and yes, it smokes enthusiastically so it's not just the chicken that gets a good smoking but anyone and anything within 10 feet!

There's also 4 tyopes of empanadas, fries and condiments, some tasty sounding salads and ice cream. Although the machine looked like it was out of action and someone was tinkering with it when we were there so no ice cream for us.

Steve placed our order at the counter and sat and waited. The food wasn't particularly quick and our empanadas didn't materialise so I'm guessing there's still some teething to be teased out. It was pretty obvious, Chef was training one of the guys behind the counter and we saw some fries get thrown out for not being prepared correctly.

So the chicken arrives first because our empanadas got lost. It looks dark and juicy and it is delicious. It has a kick of spice to it so it's probably not one for the kiddies; and although the place seems family friendly I'm not sure how many kids would actually enjoy this chicken as it's quite adult in flavour...maybe an idea is to have a toned down, non spiced version for the little ones?

The fries (unpictured) are super crispy and also delicious. I love the herby, garlicky chimichurri. We also have the chicken salt but I find it's not necessary with all the other flavours going on already.

The empanadas are good - my fave is the chicken. They're filled nicely and the pastry is a great texture. But the chicken is better. And at $26 for the whole chook it's pretty good value. If I'm to be super picky, I like the look of the earthernware / terra cotta dishes but the feeling of using the knife against it is like nails on blackboard and it cuts right through me. All the more excuse to dig in with the hands right?

I'm definitely a fan of this new neighbour; that chicken is yummy. Hopefully with a bit more time to bed things down the food will come out quicker, empanadas won't go missing and ice cream will be available. In the meantime, I'm happy enough with that chicken to forgive the rest!

Called in after dinner on the way home to try this healthy plant based, sugar free dessert. There were a couple of people in front of us in the queue, and one of the two servers stopped serving people in the queue to work on some Uber orders so progress was slow.

I saw someone order the grown up choc top and it looked impressive so followed suit. The ice cream choices in the chiller cabinet didn't really appeal. So the verdict; I enjoyed that it was light and not sweet. I found the coconut aftertaste not unpleasant but not delicious either. It was the texture I found unappealing...it's a bit too airy and for some reason wasn't very cold. I also felt it left a bit of a film in the mouth. So as someone who is not vegan or vegetarian or lactose intolerant, I've got to say I would not choose this over other ice cream.

Steve felt much the same and sadly we didn't get through the whole thing as it was just not for us. 

So for those that have dietary requirements and need an ice cream substitute, go for it. But not for me!

Bontempo doesn't seem like it's been in the friendly Fitzroy neighbourhood for long but it's been longer than we thought. Since April apparently and we finally made it one Friday evening. It was a bit impromptu but the restaurant was pretty empty. There were a few girlfriend dates, some families and some couples. It's a roomy dining room with the pizza oven being an impressive centrepiece.

We start off with the stuffed mushrooms wrapped in prosciutto and the Spaghetti Calabrese as an entree size. They arrive pretty quickly. Rustic in appearance; we enjoy the flavours and it's all well cooked. The serve of mushrooms does seem pretty small.

Steve starts off a little hesitant and and thinks it's decently average but he admits it all grows on him and by the end of our first two plates; he declares enjoyment and satisfaction.

We order two small pizzas as our main courses. The Fitzroy which is a veggie and meat mix and the Bont which is pulled pork.

The team of wait staff seem confused as we have ordered our food in two sections. We are asked a couple of times if we're ready for dessert or if we have enjoyed our meal. It's not particularly busy so perhaps they need to understand what's happening with the customers and see where they are at before asking about dessert. It certainly confused me as I wasn't sure our pizzas were on their way!

The wait staff are friendly and they try hard; I think there's a little inexperience or they might be new so it's not as slick as it could be. It's clear there is one guy in charge and he seems to have it more under control and has to lead the rest of them.

But onto the most important part - the pizza. I really love the pizza. The dough is just the right balance between thick and thin. Thin enough for some char and blistering but not crispbread thin. And thick enough to have some chew but not too heavy for the tummy. The toppings were delicious so all in all, thumbs up.

Two entrees and two small pizzas were a great amount for us. We found it well priced and good value. It's a family friendly, no fuss but still impressive Italian and we're glad it's our new neighbour!

 Friday night comes round and Steve and I decide to get off the tram a little bit earlier and wine and graze our way home. After a drink and some charcuterie at Marion we find ourselves outside newly opened Amarillo and decide to give it a whirl.

We are shown to a great corner table even though we initially say we just want a drink. We're then tempted by the menu and the charry smells coming from the kitchen behind. The tables are mostly full and there's a pleasant laid back kind of buzz to the place.

The small menu does tempt us so we start off with some Spanish charcuterie which comes with some bread and pickled vegetables. They meat is salty and spicy and the pickles wonderfully fresh, zingy and crunchy. We also have the anchovy on toast which is bite sized with delicious salty anchovy and capers, some zingy pickled onion and fresh parsley to clean the plate from that intense briny saltiness.

The charred broccoli and stracciatella is exactly what we need as our next dish and goes down well.

We definitely enjoyed our sojourn at Amarillo. The food was good, the service personal and warm. It should become a neighbourhood gem and we'd certainly like to see it go that way. Show me the way to Amarillo!

So Hammer and Tong is no more and in its place is Nomada offering breakfast tapas. The layout is the same but it seems brighter and calmer. We secured two seats at the bar and service took a while but we got there in the end.

Offering a wide range of beverages and 'breakfast tapas', the menu can be a little daunting in terms of thinking what goes with what and how many dishes should we order. There are different sized plates costing $5, $9, $15 and $19. There are also some sweet dishes thrown in amongst the menu items too.

Don't worry about it or think too hard; just order what you fancy. We ended up ordering in two rounds and the couple next to us in three. The food comes out pretty quickly so just start with a few dishes and then add a few, throw in a drink or two and you'll come away pretty happy!
 
Our first order was for about 6 or so items. Actually we ordered two toasties, the one we got being the boquerones and the one that didn't materialise which was the jamon but we had enough to go on so didn't mind too much. The food was delicious so we ordered a second round of three dishes.

• Coal blistered tomatoes, sherry, herbs and manchego
• Chorizo with chilli powder
• Seasonal mushrooms and pickled celery
• Nomada bacon with potato sauce and mushroom powder
• Quail eggs with cumin salt
• Blue Eye croquetas with fennel emulsion
• Boquerones and Mahon toastie
• Jamon Serrano, cured yolk, fresh curd and pear
• Flinders saltgrass lamb on the coals, tomato, yoghurt, eggplant, garlic puree and chilli

We loved the bacon which were two thick cut bacon steaks and were quite mellow compared to the spicy chorizo so both pork but different. Yum! The quail eggs were creamy and rich. Loved the anchovies and Mahon cheese in a toastie; cheesy and umami and crispy and golden. Croquetas were plump and golden brown with a creamy tasty filling. Not one dish was a bad dish. There was oodles of respect for the ingredients and they came together like a symphony in spite of us just ordering haphazardly. Out of confusion came delight!

I also enjoyed the strawberry lemonade and the tea we had was also well made. 

Whilst we initially found the service a little offhand, it improved and we were rewarded with friendly smiles by the end.

We have found a new neighbourhood favourite. Nomada, yesmada!

A new addition on Brunswick St; I popped in for a late lunch on Friday afternoon. Given there was only one of me I decided to forego dumplings and have a hearty plate of Ma Po Tofu on rice and a serve of spring rolls.

I was pleasantly surprised by the spring rolls which seemed home made and reminiscent of what my Dad makes. Crispy golden with shredded meat and Chinese mushrooms they were pretty darn good. The plate of rice and Ma Po Tofu was generous and hearty; packed with flavour and a good chilli kick.The tofu was silky and soft and melted into the rice. I couldn't actually finish all the tofu.

The pot of tea was probably the down point as it was pricey and the little cups to pour into are more for aesthetics than practicality. I ended up pouring the tea into my water glass.

My first experience here was definitely on the more positive end of the scale so I think I'll have to go back for the dumplings.

I had my favourite kamo seiro with chilled soba noodles. It comes out on a tray with a hot bowl of duck broth, the bamboo mat of chilled noodles and a small bottle of the shichimi togarashi to spice things up. I love the chilled version because the noodles retain their bite whereas the hot version I find overcooks them. The broth is so flavoursome with slices of pink duck breast and pieces of eggplant and some enoki mushrooms.

Steve had the teriyaki chicken set lunch which is a small bowl of teriyaki chicken on rice and a plate of either warm or chilled soba noodles. He went with chilled and thoroughly enjoyed it.

It was a tasty lunch that feels light on the tummy but satisfies the tastebuds. Welcome to the neighbourhood Shimbashi. We're going to be great friends. 

The white table cloths and old world decor make it an occasion type restaurant for family birthdays where generations come together or grown ups night out or an intimate date. It's not stuffy, far from it, but it is classic.

We loved the sound of the dishes on the Tasting Menu so it was easy to go with that. The dishes came out promptly. Service was friendly although the one waiter who serviced our area was a little stretched when we were at maximum capacity and it wasn't always easy to get his attention. When we did manage to attract him, his response was speedy so it wasn't a bad experience.

The formula of the Tasting Menu hasn't changed from our previous visit. We started off with a series of small bites:

• Oyster shot with mirin and sake
  
• Ora King salmon and kingfish tartare
  
• ‘Black truffle’ potato croquette
  
• Tempura zucchini flowers with goat’s milk fetta
  
• Wagyu bresaola, enoki mushrooms, pickled daikon

The oyster shot was a yummy blend of sweet and salty with a deep savouriness to the liquid. Oyster shots are never the most attractive of dishes, reminding me of the animals preserved in liquid formaldehyde found in old museums and high school biology labs and this was the same. I guess the clear brown consomme like liquid and the shot glass contributed to this! But at least it tasted good!

Next I worked on the warm tempura zucchini flower which was a classic rendition with familiar flavours that have been proven to work and ever consistent, worked again.

The bresaola was well balanced in flavours too with some saltiness from the cured meat, a tang and a crunch from the pickle and then the earthy mushroom.

The salmon and kingfish tartare on a cracker was pleasant enough but need a little citrus kick I feel.

​The small disappointment was the small croquette that looked like a black truffle but didn't have much flavour to it and I found the filling a bit mushy and gluey. A small morsel though so not bad enough to have a huge impact on the overall enjoyment of this first course.

I didn't take a photo of the next course because it was more a dish of foam so it wasn't easy to see the individual tortellini:

• Mushroom wonton-tortellini, peas, truffled Parmigiano-Reggiano sauce

Where the previous fish dish was light and bright, this pasta came with a punch. Flavour wise the cheese foam was intense and rich. The tortellini filling was creamy and decadent and the peas added intensity with a sweet finish. It was delicious but I couldn't eat more than the three pieces served and for me the sauce was just on the side of manageable. Any more cheese in it would have been too overwhelming for me.

It was a little weird to have the noise of a 21st birthday party come through to the refined dining room and even weirder when I wen to the ladies' bathroom and could barely get in with all the young ladies vying for the mirror, reapplying lip gloss and spraying hairspray and perfume. I was transported back to the 90s when I would have been one of them which was a strange sensation given I'd just had a very grown up and civilised meal. This little experience just didn't quite sit with the whole fine dining package.

There are three, two hatted restaurants all within 15 minutes walk of home for us - Cutler & Co,, St, Crispin and here. At all three the food is of a strong standard. I struggle with the darkness of the dining room at Cutler & Co. on an evening and here I felt the ambience especially with the nightclub ending of our meal was also a little off. I think my favourite for food and ambience would be St. Crispin but it's a pretty tight two hat race.

Friday night feels in a BBQ joint...The run up was a little fraught; long day at work, no parking to be found but we made it and it was worth it.

The hospitality is warm, and so is the temperature in the room so be prepared especially when gorging on trays of meat. The whole eating business can get a bit hot but that's what the drinks are for right?

I dined with my friend Viv and boy did we go for it:

• Chopped brisket, chilli cheese fries with jalapenos and sour cream
• Rangers Valley Black Onyx brisket
• Oak smoked chook
• Hot smoked Berkshire Pork belly
• Apple, kohlrabi and coriander slaw with sherry mustard vinaigrette
• Jalapeno cornbread with maple butter

The food comes out presented on large trays feasting style and it's all about digging in. The chilli cheese fries are delicious and unmissable. The maple butter on the cornbread really makes it elavating it from boring cornbread to lipsmacking deliciousness. The slaw was fresh and light which we welcomed but we found the dressing a little sweet and could do with a squeeze of lemon or something with a bit of an acidic tang.

In terms of meat; we really enjoyed the brisket which was tender with slivers of tasty fat running through it keeping it juicy. The roast chook was bigger than I thought comprising of thigh and drumstick and I liked the crispy skin and succulent meat. The pork belly had nice flavour and it was denser than I was expecting but the thick layer of fat that hadn't rendered down wasn't too appetising.

And with all that we were stuffed and needed a walk round the block before dissolving into the sofa in a food coma! The desserts sounded amazing but we just couldn't do it.

Out of the BBQ joints I've been to I have to say Bluebonnet takes the blue ribbon. The meat was so much tastier and better executed and the sides were delicious. I loved seeing what came out to the larger tables; platters and trays heavily laden. The sausage looked particularly good. Such a great place for large groups who want a good feed. But even as a small group of two we enjoyed some variety and certainly some great flavours. I'm looking forward to round 2!