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!

Quick stop here on my way home from an appointment in Carlton. The coffee is good, the matcha latte is good, the service is warm, personal and friendly and the food arrived quickly. Ticks all the boxes. The Uncle Benne I had which was poached eggs atop pulled pork with a harissa hollandaise was small but had punch and zip.

A good local gem with the Melbourne hipster twist of lattes in green, gold and red (matcha, turmeric and beet red velvet). One to visit and adopt into the regular rotation of breakfast and coffee eateries.

We start of with a smoked mozzarella crochette each. The night before we had a smoked mozzarella spring roll at Ricky and Pinky which went down a treat and had set a high bar. This was different though with a crispy crumb outer and the filling was a soft cheesy paste. Lighter and fresher than the spring roll it was still a treat. I think maybe a fruity chutney might have added another welcome flavour contrast.

We shared a couple of entrees:

• Smoked octopus, artichoke, almond
• Sopressa, pickled chilli, charred bread

The smoked octopus was clean and fresh with some delicate and subtle flavours and crunchy nuts. Where the octopus was light, the sopressa packed a flavour punch. Salty cured meat and tangy, piquant chilli with a hint of vinegar; there was a great balance of strong flavours.

And we were able to fit in dessert...or so we thought!

• Tiramisu
• Semifreddo, Amaro, blood orange, fennel biscuit

I had the tiramisu and it was such a generous serve. The same with the semi freddo. The desserts although large weren't overly sugary sweet which helped. We felt the desserts were more homely with less clear cut flavours and clarity compared to the previous dishes. Just slightly clumsy which was surprising following the positive execution of the earlier courses.

We really enjoyed the warm hospitality and tasty food. Pinotta is a true neighbourhood gem and one that we would love to befriend and become closer to.

I arrived a little bit earlier but the table was ready. It was around 7pm on a Friday and the pub was already busy and tables filled with ​happy revellers seeing in the weekend.

The rest of the group soon arrived and drinks were ordered and as we perused the menu we ordered some nibbles to aid the decision making.

• Sweet & sour pork skin & crackers
• Salt & pepper squid

We ordered these from the Snacks menu and they are small. So small we immediately requested another serve of the squid as soon as the first arrived! The squid was piping hot, crispy and well seasoned so the perfect snack with an aperitif. The sweet and sour crackers were a modernisation of the familiar prawn crackers and day glo, hot pink, gloopy sauce but far more appetising and attractive. Both dishes have that fingerlickin' good quality!

We were tempted by the banquet menu but ended up ordering a la carte. Plenty of delights to choose from meaning a repeat visit is definitely required to sample more - XO pippies, five spice chicken, drunken chicken. noodle salad, mapo tofu....yum!

We start with two interesting entree dishes:

• Scamorza spring roll, plum sauce
• ​Crispy rice cake, homemade Chinese sausage

The spring roll looks pretty standard but the filling is pretty much salty, stretchy smoked mozzarella and it's delicious. It's not exactly Asian but who cares when it tastes good?

I had high hopes for the rice cake as we used to love the version at Golden Fields when it existed. It looked great and the Chinese sausage was cooked perfectly so it was slightly crispy but still chewy. Flavours were good but texture was a bit soggy and it kind of disintegrated. A little more hold and a crispy bottom would make this dish amazing.

The prawns themselves were a touch mushy and overcooked so didn't really showcase them as an ingredient which was a let down.

Ginger sponge was probably the one dessert that didn't exceed expectations. A little denser than it could have been.

We wanted to end the evening on a fortuitous note and no better way than with a fortune cookie and Ricky and Pinky make a XL version. Made fresh to order they're crunchy and crumbly and so not fancy that they're amazingly delicious.

So Ricky and Pinky, you're too cute not to like. Sure, some things aren't perfect and you're pretty rambunctious and noisy but there's also a lot to like and a lot left to try and I like you enough to try again!

Having said that, we were blessed with sunshine on Saturday and we decided to call in for a glass of rose which became a bottle of rose and as we made our way through the bottle we decided to enjoy a coupe of plates of food. I've never eaten at Marion - never been quite sure the small menu would provide enough choice for an indulgent lunch or dinner but let me say, having enjoyed this snack of a meal recently, I will return for more tasty goodness!

We ordered the:

• Asparagus, Comte custard and Cured Egg Yolk
• Broadbeans, Peas and Stracciatella
• Venison Tartare with Saltbush

Each dish came individually which given we had the whole afternoon to while away was perfectly well received but if you prefer to dig in and feast and have shorter proceedings you may want to let the wait staff know.

Presentation of the food was flawless. The vegetables looked fresh and vibrant. The tartare had the colours of Autumn. As we leave Autumn and enter into Spring, our food choices were a perfect representation of the changing seasons and I loved it!

The Comte custard was like a cheese sauce and the clean asparagus flavours were a perfect accompaniment with the cured egg yolk gratings adding richness and depth. The peas and broadbeans were like Springtime on a plate with the soft, milky tang of the mild Stracciatella.

The venison tartare did take its time to reach our table but we didn't feel the need to chase but one of the wait staff noticed and followed up. Well seasoned and spiced it was a good way to end our "snacking" experience.

I loved sitting outside and enjoyed the drawn out pace of food and drink. I'm not sure what it would be like inside - probably a bit more cosy as the tables look quite close together. I'm quite keen to get to know Marion better though so I'm sure I'll find out!

Bon Ap' is in our neighbourhood so it was high time we gave it a go. I feel there has been a renaissance of French cuisine in Melbourne in the last 12 months from the casual (Bon Ap') to the unusual (Oter) to the old school classic (Phillipe).

We arrived with no reservation on a Friday evening and were warmly welcomed and shown to a cosy table towards the back of the dining room next to the spiral staircase. It certainly has a French wine bar feel and I feel like I could be in Paris or on the set of Allo Allo!

We start off with:

• Escargots in garlic butter
• Housemade Toulouse Sausage, Shallots & Armagnac

I wanted to try the steak tartare too and the charcuterie and pate also looked great coming out of the kitchen and going to neighbouring tables.

The escargots come with the neccesary implements. The butter is rich and garlicky just how I like it but the dish is under seasoned and there's no table salt. The Toulouse sausage is much better in terms of seasoning and the jus in the dish is a flavour hit. I like the texture of the sausage which is coarse but there are some small bits of gristly cartilegey stuff in there which is not so appetising.

​The chicken is a small Maryland that comes in a cute square crockpot. The trout is presented on a retro square plate. Both look quite small in size and we have debate on whether it's value for money or not. The price point is not particularly high at around $20 per main dish but the servings are not large and they don't come with sides.

Having said that, as we worked our way our dishes, I found that there was actually a decent amount of trout on my plate and the chicken is very rich with the truffle cream so it's probably the right size.

The taste I had of the chicken was good, comforting, creamy and rich. Personally I think mashed potato or even just steamed baby potatoes would have elevated this but Steve didn't have a problem using the fries to soak up the delicious sauce.

The trout I had was delicately flavoured and just on the right side of being over cooked. The brown butter wasn't brown enough for my liking and stopped just before it turns nutty so it was more melted butter. To me butter tastes good in all forms so it didn't stop me from enjoying the dish but browner butter would make it better butter! I do like a tongue twister! Like the escargots it needed a bit more seasoning but the chips were very well seasoned so I just had to mix everything up a bit.

After all that butter and cream we were too full to tackle dessert but the classic offering of tarte tatin was very appealing.

Bon Ap' is a nice local restaurant. It's not somewhere I would travel far to but I'm pretty pleased it's around and I'd like to try breakfast there too. It would also be a great place for a lunchtime charcuterie plate and accompanying wine so it's a welcome addition to Brunswick Street.