Steve and I had a Saturday night date at Camus recently. I know at least two people who have been recently and they raved about the food and they are people whose food opinions I respect. The French Algerian slant was something we'd read about and were intrigued by so we were excited about what lay ahead.

We walked into what appears to be a cosy and buzzy neighbourhood restaurant. The first waiter I catch the eye of doesn't offer to help nor does he greet us so I speak first and enquire about our reservation. He doesn't respond particularly warmly and says to me that I need to speak to someone else. Luckily that someone else promptly appears. I guess the roles and responsibilities are pretty clearly defined here and you don't do someone else's job but a warmer reception wouldn't have gone amiss.

Anyway, we're here for the food and not to make friends so let's continue...

Drinks orders are taken quickly and they arrive pretty promptly too. In fact, in spite of the rocky initial welcome, we find the service responsive and quick although it's not particularly informative. Our waitress and the other wait staff in our section and friendly but they just don't seem to have the slick experience that normally comes with restaurants in Melbourne. There's nothing particularly wrong; it just feels lacking in personality and that personal touch.

Anyway, like I said we're here for the food rather than making lasting friendships and I've already digressed..

Our starters are:

• ​Marinated quail, radicchio, dry fruit salad, argan oil
• Seared scallops, oxtail, preserved lemon

And the food doesn't disappoint. The plates are presented attractively and there are some wonderful fragrances rising from them of spice and fruit. The tang of the pomegranates in the quail and the bitterness of the radicchio work a treat against sweet flesh of the little bird. The scallops are also delicious - sweet seafood against the rich meat of the oxtail and then the sharp saltiness of preserved lemon to lift it up.

Main courses arrive pretty quickly. In fact the whole meal happens quickly. We didn't feel rushed but the kitchen must be operating like a machine churning out food.

• Braised beef tagine
• Duck bastilla, almonds, fruit chutney
• Crushed potato, lemon, za'atar (unpictured)

The beef tagine was exactly how it should be. Heady with spice and tender fork soft meat; no surprises but it's good to stick with classic. The duck bastilla was delicious and so pretty to look at. Packed full of meat and enhanced by the sweetness of the fruit chutney, it didn't feel dry in spite of there being no sauce.

Going to Bayte was Steve's brainwave. We work early on Saturday and finally there was sunshine and we had no plans. It was easy to to decide to postpone household chores and the supermarket shop to Sunday and opt for a boozy lunch instead. And the sunny weather meant a pleasant stroll to Bayte.

As a frequent passenger in the car I knew exactly where this was but always thought it was African. As the driver of said car, Steve hadn't registered where this was; he takes eyes on the road very seriously. Anyway an impressive Urbanspoon score and a tempting Broadsheet review meant we called up to make sure there was room for us.

It's a light bright affair with a pretty Morrocan style light in the middle of the dining room .The outdoor courtyard also looks inviting and we are served by a really friendly waitress who manages to be warm but not over familiar and we enjoy being looked after by her.

Given our commitment to do nothing for the rest of the day I decide to start off with an espresso martini. Coffee is a morning drink right? And the waitress comments that it's a perfect drink any time of the day and I have to agree. This is a one good, traditional style espresso martini. I don't like the versions with tequila and other non purist spirits so this really hits my high notes and the fact it's presented in a coffee glass excuses the fact that it's barely midday!

We start off with:

Hummous bi Tahini - chick pea, tahini, garlic and lemon dip
Jibeen ma' Mrabba el Teen - house made fresh white cheese with fig jam

The warm flatbread is the right side of doughy and with the nutty hummous it really is a great pairing. The hummous has distinct notes of sesame, garlic and citrus and the there's a coarseness in the texture adding interest. It really puts the supermarket tubs to shame.

The fresh cheese looks a bit like mozzarella but there's no rubbery chewiness. It's fresh, light and milky and the sweet and slightly spiced fig jam with it is really quite divine. Hot bread, cold cheese, sweet fig is a delight.

We also have the raw lamb kibbeh which is like a steak tartare but rather than the French flavourings of capers and cornichons it's blended with Middle Eastern spice. The crunchy flatbread is nice enough but I prefer the warmth and softness of the bread that came with the dips.

This is a great opener to our Lebanese feast and are appetites are whetted and we are ready for more brilliance to come!

We share two skewers:

Lahem Meshwi- spiced lamb backstrap and onion
Djej Meshwi bi Toum - garlic chicken glazed with pomegranate molasses

The lamb comes with a red capsicum yoghurt and the chicken has a puddle of garlicky labna.

The lamb is beautifully cooked, Charred on the outside and rare on the inside. The meat is lean and juicy and I love the fact it's good meat and not fatty, gristly stuff as can often be the case.

The chicken has been well marinaded and the garlic and tangy pomegranate are great flavoursn

We continue on our exotic journey and enjoy stuffed spatchcock with pomegranate molasses. The spatchcock is easily carved up and the rice stuffing has some lovely flavours of spice and sharpness running through. The chicken meat is tender and the tangyness of the glaze really enhances the meat. It's a rich dish as the rice stuffing is quite dense and sticky but the fresh fattoush salad really cuts through cleansing the palatte.

We are as stuffed as the spatchcock but the lure of baklava and homemade chocolate and almond ice cream is too much to resist. After all we will be walking home so why not?! Steve prefers the baklava with more sugar syrup so it's stickier and wetter but minor thing really. The ice cream is lovely but entirely unnecessary.

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Lebanon and are really excited to have this lovely gem of a restaurant in our 'hood. It would have been nice to see some Lebanese wine on the wine list I think but really that's just a minor tickle of a grip!

We're big fans of Jase Jones and the little cantina on Brunswick Street since it's inception at the end of last year so when we had a party to attend in South Yarra close by to big brother outpost B'Stilla we decided to pop in for a quick dinner before heading to partytown.

There's a spacious terrace, seats at the bar and the usual 2 - 6 people type table arrangements. Having not booked and it being 7pm on a Saturday we did think we would struggle but the friendly host showed us to a bar height ledge with folding windows splitting it down the middle with seats on one side on the terrace and seats on the other inside. The folding windows, I can imagine, can be opened up so that the separation is eliminated but on a wintry evening probably best to keep them there.

Given that we wanted to keep things light and speedy, we were advised to avoid the banquet and ideally the large dishes as they could take some time and there was already a rush on in the kitchen apparently as everyone had arrived at the same time.

We stuck with the small plates and sides and went with:

Merguez - duck sausage served with spiced lentils, pomegranate molasses and fresh pomegranate
Lamb ribs, red dukkah, lime and date
B'stilla - duck and chicken pie, almond, cinnamon and saffron (unpictured)
Cauliflower, pine nut sauce, ras el hanout and herbs
Beetroot, chilli labneh and walnuts

Our food arrived pretty quickly in spite of the rush of orders and although we'd been told about the pressure the kitchen was under, it certainly didn't feel stressful in the dining area. The light, bright and spacious dining area was comfortable and friendly with a mix of diners from families to couples on dates and groups of friends.

The duck sausage was well flavoured and the sweetness and sharpness of the molasses cut through some of the dense richness of the meat.

The lamb ribs were sticky and spicy in terms of fragrant aromatics as opposed to chilli with a sweet finish.

The salads arrived next and both were slightly warm which was nice. The beetroot and chilli labneh was a great flavour combination. The larger chunks of beetroot were slightly undercooked so a little harder in texture but this didn't compromise flavour.

The b'stilla was a cute little octagon covered in icing sugar and densely packed meat and nuts formed the filling. I thought it might be dry but it was just on the right side of dry and the almonds added a really good crunch.

We were in and out in less than an hour so this visit really provided us with what we wanted on this occasion. That being said, I'd love to be able to spend a bit longer and enjoy some of the slow cooked meat dishes but the fact we could have a lighter, grazing type dinner shows the versatility of the restaurant.

B'Stilla is like the grown up, more refined version of the B'Stilla Cantina which is definitely more wayward teenage child. There's no mashed potato sandwich for a start but then the South Yarra clientele is probably not that way inclined unlike the Fitzroy massiv! So just like siblings, there's room for both children in a mother's heart!

Steve had read about Jason Jones' gas problem in Broadsheet and we had wondered what was going to replace the San Churro shop on Brunswick Street. We found ourselves at a loose end this lunchtime and the heat meant we really wanted something fresh and light. We decided to take a look at B'Stilla Cantina and lucky for us there were no other customers and we had our pick of seats. Seafood and oysters appealed to our tastebuds so we decided to stay.

We took the prime bar stools and were welcomed with warm smiles by Jason and (I think it was) his partner Amy. Until the gas supply is connected and the meter is installed the menu is all about fresh oysters, cured fish, ceviche, charcuterie and roti wraps. The liquor licence is also pending but even when it is granted, non alcoholics are treated to teas and mocktails.

There's a temporary menu and the place has a temporary name of "Waiting for Gas" and come next week B'Stilla Cantina will arrive.

We started off with 8 oysters (yes I know we're supposed to do these in odd numbers but we're rulebreakers!). There were two types available - Pacific and Sydney Rock and they came in 4 ways. There was natural, shallot vinagrette, cucumber sorbet and chipotle lime. We had 4 of each type of oyster and went with the cucumber sorbet and the chipotle lime.

Really interesting how these two different types of oyster tasted so different. The Pacifics were creamy and plump and sweet and the Sydney Rock were salty, briny and less meaty but both were good and spankingly fresh. We both loved the cucumber sorbet and the chipotle lime. My slight preference was the heat and the tang of the chipotle lime and Steve slightly preferred the sweetness and icy coolness of the cucumber sorbet.

We then moved onto the ceviche which was snapper, lychee, corn and coriander. There was coconut milk and tomatoes too. This was so delicious. Fresh and zingy on the palette and then textures of crunch, fish, fruit and corn. Lychee can be overpowering but this was so well balanced that it really just added a hint of fragrance and sweetness. Reminiscent of the ceviche at Mamasita, it is apparent where this little place's heritage lies!

We'd chosen to go with the small charcuterie and it arrived with chorizo, Serrano ham, bresaola, house made pickles, beetroot and horseradish and some toast. I loved the thick sliced bresaola and that with the dukkah impregnated bread that had a smear of butter on it, slapped with some of the beetroot and horseradish was a spiced sensation with hints of toastiness and rye. So delicious! And then the housemade pickles cut through all the saltiness of the cured meats.

Did I Say we wanted a light lunch? Well if that were the case, we should have stopped here but instead we continued our Morrocan influenced journey and had two of the roti wraps. There was "Mechoui" lamb, slow cooked for 12 hours Jason explained (I think it was 12 but anyway for a long time) in butter, lots of butter and rolled up in a roti with sumac, mint, onion and preserved lemon creme fraiche. The other was duck sausage "merguez" with an almond and apricot coleslaw, harissa mayo and lime.

They came sliced in three generous rolls, warm and golden. I started with the lamb and loved the richness of the flavours (that butter!) and the freshness of the accompanying herbs and creme fraiche. Steve loved the duck sausage except for the fact that said sausage kept slipping out but the sweetness of the apricot and the duck meatiness were a winning combination. I was impressed that the duck sausage was juicy and wasn't over spiced. I've had duck sausage before and it was a bit dry and dense and overpowered with pepper and herbs. Jason explained he has a butcher that makes the sausages to his recipe.

Both rotis were winners and what topped them off was the roti itself which was flaky and delicious.

Having had such lipsmacking delights, I felt it would be a real shame to lose these offerings when B'Stilla Cantina comes but Jason assured us the oysters would stay as would ceviche and the best is yet to come!

We had a great lunch and really hope this place does well but not so well that we can't get in! It will be so tempting after work to jump off the tram and into the welcoming arms Morocco. Open lunchtime through to late at night, this is a great addition to the neighbourhood. Fitzroy welcomes you Jason, Amy and B'Stilla Cantina!

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.

Lunch with a view; always a winner and after a very smiley welcome we were shown a window side tables.

Menus, drinks, order taken happened very quickly and efficiently which I love. I make decisions quickly and I like prompt service. There's a balance between prompt and rushed and being left to rot. I think prompt and rushed is differentiated by a smile and a genuinely hospitable manner and then being left to rot...well when that happens, as a customer you know it. And there was none of that on this sunny Sunday.

Our waitress really helped us decide on the amount to order and what was good and her help was invaluable.

Zeally Bay Sourdough sticks, dukkah spices and "Camilo" extra virgin olive oil came out first. Soft breadsticks, still warm with a golden yellow olive oil that was unusually buttery and almost creamy. A very welcome start!
Fried school prawns, chilli salt and lemon arrived next and these little morsels were a delight. Popping with spice and then salt and then sharp tang of lemon with a crunch and then briny prawny flavours these were so moreish. And they whetted our appetites for more delights.

We cannot resist halloumi, saganaki or other fried, melted cheese and so we pounced on the vine leaf baked haloumi, lemon and za'artar. I didn't know what za'artar was but we ate it and enjoyed it! I now know it's a Middle Eastern spice mix and tasty it was. The sweet raisiny, pine nutty topping with the salty, gooey, milky cheese was just so yummy.

As well as being weak for halloumi, we also cannot resist quail so we had to have the roast quail wrapped in vine leaves, grapes, pine nuts and sumac. Tasty, tender meat dripping juiciness and then sweet grape and salty cheesy yoghurty creaminess from the dollop of white dairyness on the plate (not sure what it was but sure tasty).

Little duck pies and the Middle Eastern coleslaw came next. The little duck pie was a delicate triangle of filo type pastry dusted in icing sugar and cinammon and then an almost sweet curry duck filling inside. The sweetness was enriched with the sultanas in the Middle Eastern coleslaw which was delicious and light and saved everything being overly sweet with a spiking tang of dressing.

Spiced chicken, smoked almonds and chargrilled sweetcorn was our final savoury dish. Fragrant with spice but not so it overwhelms the true flavour of the chicken or affect the texture as sometimes dry rubs can this was just delicious. No other words.

Chocolate torte, orange, figs and baklava crumbs
Middle Eastern mess, berries, meringue, rose

Our dessert choices were so different. I loved the mess - it was creamy and luscious but not overly so as there was the sour tang of yoghurt and the freshness of the strawberries sweetened by the fairy floss, Turkish delight and strawberry jelly then kissed by rose petals.

The chocolate torte was also good but I preferred the freshness of the mess. The chocolate torte was a rich smooth ganache like mousse cut through by the orange and finished off with seasonal figs. Accompanied by tea for two this was a beautiful way to end a wonderful lunch.

Anniversary celebrations took place at the Flinders Hotel. We enjoyed spending the day in one of the hotel rooms on site before heading to the dining room. The whole complex is a little like a conference centre and the casual bar has the feel of an upmarket RSL. Having said that it's still all very enjoyable to spend time in.

The dining room is  a regular rectangular shaped room and reminiscent of a hotel dining room at one of the big chain 4 star hotels. Again not unpleasant but somewhat sterile. So will the food provide us with the unique experience we seek?

Our waiter was a young gent who was very eager to please and offer assistance with the wine. I thought perhaps he showed his lack of experience by recommending one of the most expensive local pinots immediately without checking budget etc or perhaps that was just youthful enthusiasm. Nevertheless Steve and he found mutual ground that was  cheaper. 

The amuse bouche arrived and it was a Dry Broadbean Soup with Cayenne Pepper with a
Mushroom Filled Borek. The mushroom pastry was delicious - flaky pastry with a creamy mushroom filling was chunky enough to add some texture. The soup left a dry feeling in the mouth so its name was certainly fitting. I'm not sure of the techniques involved in getting a soup to have a dry texture but whatever was done must have worked and it was certainly unusual and memorable. However the flavour of it was quite bland and it lacked the depth and savouriness that I've tasted in other soup amuse bouche.

I think that to have something as simple as soup as a course, it really needs a strong and concentrated stock that has been home made and lovingly brewed up with layers of flavour and this soup lacked that body and depth.

I opted for the Seared Yellow Fin Tuna, Steamed Vermicelli, Crab Bisque. It came with a deep fried quail's egg which was a great touch and the oozy egg worked really well. I was expecting a kind of laksa inspired dish and the colours certainly contributed to this.  The tuna was perfectly cooked and was rare in the middle. Again similar to my comments about the soup though, I felt the bisque lacked gumption and rather than being bold in flavours it failed to live up to its colour and was more a moisture provider than a flavour enhancer. And if I'm going to be pernickety the noodles weren't really vermicelli but more like egg noodles. All in all, it was fairly enjoyable but just lacked guts. Pleasant enough but not a lasting impression.

Steve went with Roasted Pigeon, Crab Bastilla, White Cabbage, Date Sauce. Now that I'm asking him about it almost 3 weeks later, he is struggling to recall it which probably says a lot. Oh and now I've jogged his memory, he says he remembers it being tasty so that's good. We did agree on the night that his choice was better in terms of bigger and bolder flavours.

Next up, Steve followed on the pigeon with Wagyu Brisket, Jerusalem Artichokes, with Prunes, Pea Puree. This was a generous serving of meat that was cooked very well so that it was tender. The prunes were actually a good accompaniment adding a welcome sweetness that was not at all overwhelming.

I had the Roasted Lamb 3 Ways, with Cinnamon and Chermoula. The waiter told me there was leg of lamb, braised lamb shoulder and lamb fillet but that wasn't quite the case. I actually received a lamb cutlet which he didn't mention, some leg of lamb and maybe some shoulder but it wasn't actually braised. Well not my interpretation of braised, roasted maybe but not braised.
 
Anyway semantics aside. As well as the lamb was a lovely triangle "samosa" of spinach and cheese like the Greek spanakopita and that was delicious. Given my previous thoughts of lacking flavour and seasoning, this very simple pastry was beautifully seasoned so that the natural flavours of spinach and creamy mozzarella type cheese were enhanced. The lamb itself was also delicious and the spices gave it a beautiful perfume that was Middle Eastern inspired.

We went with one side dish of Spiced Brussels Sprouts, Chestnut, Shanklish. The veggies were al dente which I enjoyed. Who likes a mushy sprout anyway? I liked the use of chestnut to sweeten and Shanklish for some saltiness. I think the sprouts had been par boiled before being roasted or pan fried. However I think the par boiling resulted in a bit too much moisture still in them so the caramelisation didn't come out enough.

For dessert, we decided to share the Morrocan Donuts, Apricot and Prune Compote but before they arrived we had some petit fours which consisted of a lollipop each. One was strawberry ice cream covered in white chcolate and the other was a salted caramel. Both were delicious.

The donuts also were plump and fluffy and warm and sugary and pillowy and non greasy and just delightful! I didn't need the accompaniments and in fact.not being a prune fan anyway was happy with just the donuts. I don't really know what made them Morrocan but whatever it is, I like it!

We enjoyed our little visit at the Flinders Hotel. Dinner started off average but blossomed and the time away from the city was exactly what we needed. Welcome respite in a busy life.

It's been a while since I'd been to Maha for dinner and I've always thought what with its cocktail list and I was right.

We started and finished with cocktails that were heady and delicious. We started at 6:30pm and the food came out pretty quickly that it occurred to me that perhaps we were being rushed out but I was assured not later and we were able to sit until 11pm.

The Scottish sommelier was delightful as were other wait staff. The poor waitress sounded like she said the same thing over and over again which she does and had got into that sounding like a parrot situation especially with the hand cologne and giving us the low down on the menu. Not sure what can get you out of that.

When Steve and I have been we've done the 8 course sultan but always been incredibly full so Kim and I decided to go with the 6 course latifah. Usually I have a fear of missing out so always go for the biggest menu option but I couldn't see that we'd be missing out too much; maybe a dessert and a meat dish but I could live with it!

What with chit chat and laughing I forgot to take a lot of pictures. The ones I remembered to take are:

chicken kibbeh - jamon butter, corn and coconut, flowers, cresses
walnut crusted beef cheek - freekah, leek, preserved lemon, sweet onion

I really liked the opening course of the chicken ball and corn soup which was fragrant with herbs. Inside the ball of chicken was the melted butter like a chicken kiev which was delicious.

The beef cheek was probably my least favourite but I know if Steve had been here he'd have loved it. I'm not a huge fan of beef cheek as I find it too rich and heavy. Here the meat was packed into a croquette with a crust. I really enjoyed the freekah salad though and the lemon notes kept it lighter than it could have been.

The other stand out for me was dessert. Frozen baklava  - cashew parfait, tahini soaked sponge, burnt butter icecream, baklava crumbs, orange blossom foam . Oh my, one of the most memorable desserts I've had in a long time and I'm not even a baklava fan! I loved the buttery sponge and the hint of salty sesame and then the creamy burnt butter ice cream and crunchy crumbs. Oh I didn't intend to eat the whole thing yet somehow I did...

Yep, Maha is still proving to be consistently good. Must not forget about it as a restaurant option. Must remember to give it love!

In the last fortnight I have been lucky enough to eat at 5 of the 7 MADE establishment restaurants probably better known as eateries that Calombaris has ownership of. It wasn't intentional to participate in such a pleasurable endurance test but things just turned out that way.

It all started as my in laws (mother, father and brother aka known as mo, fo, bro) paid us a visit from UK and were keen to try a little of the George magic so we decided to take them for a family feast at Hellenic Republic and then some fine dining at Press Club over lunch which we thought would give them a taster of both ends of the scale.

Our visit to Hellenic Republic was on a Wednesday evening and the place was as busy as a Greek taverna in the Summer. We had a very enthusiastic waiter look after us. Only minor gripe was air con was turned up a notch too much for us so it didn't quite feel like a Mediterranean Summer but seriously it was a minor gripe and once the food came we soon warmed up.

Rather than go with a fixed menu we chose what we fancied and with guidance in relation to volume from our friendly waiter, we think we did pretty well.

We enjoyed a few nibbley small plates to begin with including some bread and dips (tzatziki and fava the split pea one with truffle), saganaki with peppered figs and the grilled asparagus, broken egg, anchovy mayo, tsoureki crumbs.

The meat dishes - lamb, chicken and pork were all seasoned well with the true flavours of the meat coming through but enhanced by char grill and some herbaceous notes. Our sides of Cypriot salad of grains, pulses, nuts, yoghurt and the potatoes fried in olive oil, oregano, salt were also moreish and flavoursome. I particularly like the grain salad and the sweet tang of the pomegranate elevate it above the much loved freekah salad at Cumulus in my humble opinion. Both are great though, don't get me wrong!

We shared various desserts including the Hellenic Mess, Greek doughnuts, vanilla custard pastry and baklava. I enjoyed the doughnuts with some ice cream - too sweet without it. Custard pastry was like a spring roll / vanilla slice. My father in law seemed to love the Hellenic Mess but the rest of us prefer the more traditional style and I don't need Ouzo in my strawberry sauce. Sad to say baklava was a little disappointing and Steve prefers the one from Steve's Deli at South Melbourne market.

Overall it was a great family feast where we could chatter and share food and catch up and share food and enjoy each other's company and share food. It's all very care free and like a Greek holiday. Great as a first reunion dinner for us.

Our Press Club visit was highly anticipated and it really did have a lot to live up to. It was quiet when we arrived but soon filled up with a mix of business people and others obviously enjoying a leisurely Friday lunch like us.
There are various lunch options to choose from  that suits a range of budgets and time available for lunch from a simple 2 courses at $38 per person (3 courses at $45) to a family style sharing a la Maha or Embrasse on a Sunday when it was open at $50 and then the most expensive mini symposium or degustation at $85.

After much umming and ahhing we decided to go with the degustation and also opted for an additional Wagyu beef course that was described in such delectable detail that we couldn't refuse.

We'd have loved to have sat at the Chef's Table but with 5 of us that wasn't possible. However we were able to look over and watch all the activity over this busy lunch service.

We loved our food and were lucky enough to be able to taste some additional courses too. As luck would have it, and it was unexpected the table next to us assigned to two former colleagues and now friends of mine (Kim and Greg) so we enjoyed some banter over the food.

What did we enjoy? All of it but if I were to summarise some highlights they would be:

• Freshness of the first green asparagus dish which was crunchy and herbaceous with a cold tang of horseradish contrasted by the natural warming heat of it
• Beautiful tuna tartare with a lovely contrasting cube of seared tuna 
• Sweet, creamy and unctuous crab with fresh almonds and a salty sea note running through. This was a surprise course for us.
  
• Surf and turf - fleshy barramundi with a heavy braised beef cheek accompaniment. Surprisingly the dish held up the heavy and hearty meaty goodness.
• Another surprise course served in a paper bag -  a chiko roll like one from a fish and chip place but made with wallaby. It was like a yummy Greggs pasty for those UK readers. The wallaby theme continued to another surprise course.
  
• Beautiful rare wallaby with a strong gamey flavour sweetened by beets and bitter chocolate
• Lamb with a lovely ratatouille of eggplant but I felt the middle eastern spicing was a not my thing. The goats milk bubbles were very unusual and exciting though.
  
• The Wagyu was really special. Melted on the tongue, incredibly rich and succulent. Almost spongey in texture unlike anything I've had before
• Sweet saganaki dessert was a talking point especially as it was sweetened by beetroot and the sweetness cut through with a yoghurt ice cream. Like the Wagyu, it was something so different to anything we'd had before but this time it was because it was created that way whereas the Wagyu is a natural product that is just so different

We also enjoyed the Zeus chocolate dessert that Steve and I have had previously and our waitress was kind enough to bring some extra vinegar chocolate sticks that we love so much.

George popped into the restaurant and he found some time to come over and say hello which was very good of him making us feel welcome and valued.

I love the combination of cleverness and creativity that the Press Club brings out but also that it sticks to familiar flavours and its roots are traditional so whilst there are unusual and things that raise questions and causes dinner table discussions, there is no denying it's still delicious.

Following the Press Club, I was invited to a business lunch by a supplier at PM 24. It wasn't my choice so don't go thinking I'm a mad GC fan and every meal I have has to support him! Having said that I was pleased with the decision.

There were 5 of us at the lunch and we had main courses and desserts. My companions all decided to go with the signature rotisserie chicken and in my bid to be different I went steak frites with bearnaise sauce.

It was classical French cooking and we appreciated the superior produce and traditional execution done well. My frites were more the traditional Aussie hot chip and not the crispy shoestring fries of France so perhaps there's something there to think about but they were good chips so not really a point of criticism more a point of consideration.

Service was efficient and unobtrusive. Clever that they bring the tray of desserts to the table as saying no and declining becomes far too difficult. I went for the pretty fruit tart and the others opted for a coffee cream and the rum baba. Comments were that the rum baba packed a powerful punch of rum. The coffee cream was coffee flavoured and creamy so pleasant enough. My fruit tart was a little dry but because it was small the dryness wasn't too much of an issue.

Lunch at PM24 was followed by a last family dinner with mo fo bro at St Katherine's. My father in law chose to go there so Georgie C seems to be a Barley fave. During their trip here we had some epic meals and went to some great places and we let my father in law have free reign as to where he wanted to go for our last supper before they left and St Katherine's was his choice so off we went on Wednesday evening.

It was unexpectedly busy. I think because it's based in Kew and it's a school night it wouldn't be but tables were full when we arrived and we had quite a late sitting. Admittedly it quietened down a lot by the time or main courses arrived but by then it was almost 9pm so not surprising.

We deliberated over their feast menus or to come up with our own and we decided to go with our own instincts and choose what we wanted.

The dips were as per the previous time we had them, delicious. The fava one wasn't on the menu and was replaced by a carrot and pumpkin one which seemed the least popular on our table. I'm not a carrot fan so didn't expect to like it anyway. The bread went down a storm and I think in the space of three minutes we chowed down 4 bagfuls!

Grilled halloumi was good but apparently not as good as the saganaki with peppered figs at Hellenic. Lamb sausage was a bit too dense and meaty for me but the men liked it. I loved the KFC which was pure meat with a moreish BBQ sauce and Kewpie mayo. Also have to mention that the packaging at St Kat's is always fun with bright stripey tubs and paper bags of bread.

The grilled John Dory was one of my favourites with a zesty and herby flavouring to it. We also shared the ribs and the mixed dish of chicken and lamb. Chips and tarama was passed around and my wariness of the tarama turned into delight. It wasn't overly fishy and was more creamy and salty so a good alternative to aioli. I also enjoyed the rice pilaf and corn salad as per the last visit.

Dessert time consisted of a couple of the Mrs Whippi's and some panna cotta. Mrs Whippi was a success. The panna cotta I felt was a little mediocre. The raspberry flavours didn't really come through and there wasn't a lot of panna cotta - just a few blobs scattered around. The lemon although delicious by itself overwhelmed the rest of the components of the dish so all I could taste was lemon.

Discussions over dinner was that St Kat's is quite similar to Hellenic Republic in its family sharing style.  I personally prefer the taverna vibe at Hellenic as St Kat's is a little bright and refectory like for me but the food at St Kat's floats my boat more. The overall verdict was that food preferences laid with St Kat's but the saganaki at Hellenic Republic is the best dish between the two overall.

Following this dinner, a few work colleagues and I had lunch at Maha the next day! Not my idea ok!? We went for the two course soufra for $35 and it was great. We started off with some bread and mezze consisting of some whole almonds with cumin salt, olives, a walnut dip and some radishes in honey, black pepper and coriander. Who knew almonds had a furry coating like a peach? The bread was warm and soft and after one roll each, a second one came out soon after.

Our main course was a piece of Spanish mackerel done sous vide on top of some wilted spinach and the signature 12 our lamb with some mushroom rice and a fresh salad. The quality of these dishes is very good and the price tag makes it such value for money. No one could not enjoy mackerel cooked well and soft tender lamb.

We were well looked after and food was served within the time frame we requested and we all left with full bellies and smiley faces. Winner!

So that was my Calombaris endurance test and what a one it was. Friends have said that I wimped out and really should have fitted the other two in. I guess without sponsorship I wasn't able to finish the course!

Friday night feed required and Steve managed to get us a late table at St Katherine's. We did ummm and aah as to whether 21:15 was just too late but after a few post work drinks and a taxi ride the timings worked.

However weary souls that we were, we needed food that was quick and tasty, a place where we wouldn't be judged by our day long attire and working week crushed spirits!

I'd gone past St. Katherine's on the tram and knew it was a big airy restaurant, fairly casual and about sharing food. I think Steve thought it would be a little more formal than it was but actually the informality of the place suited us on this occasion.

Our waiter was a bit here and there but more to do with his personality than anything else. Where he lacked focus and was more about the chat, there was a very sharp and very slick lady who was in total control and had a smile for everyone so where our waiter was slow on the uptake, she'd compensate and appear out of nowhere and take a drinks order or sort us out.

We began with some delicious soft bread served in a paper bag with:

Mahammura roasted sweet pepper dip, walnuts, pomegranate molasses
Hummus smoked almond dressing
Fava split pea dip, caper, shallot, sherry vinaigrette

All three were delicious. My faves were probably the sweet pepper dip and the fava. Two extremes - one sweet, tangy with a piquancy to it and the other soft, mellow, almost creamy without being fatty and very savoury. The hummus was good; classic and traditional and always a goodie but fairly mainstream.

I thoroughly enjoyed the grilled halloumi with apricots, pinenuts, mint. I love grilled cheese and this version with the sweet apricots and raisins and the nutty pine nuts countered by salty cheese was excellent. Only downside is it gets cold quickly and once cold the cheese gets a bit squeaky and polystyrene like so eat as soon as it comes out!

Turkish lamb dumplings garlic yoghurt, sumac, dried mint were are final entree. Fragrant of lamb but not actually meaty these were like light pasta parcels in a sharp yoghurty dressing. Probably a touch too much yoghurt for us and erring just on the too creamy and too tart side but we still ate it all so it can't have been too bad! I loved the lightness of them though - like pillows of lamb scented dough!

We progressed to our mains and shared the sticky pork ribs pomegranate molasses, sesame as well as the puffed & BBQ corn salad smoked almond dressing, herbs, shaved red onion.

Both were good choices. The ribs were smokey, sweet, falling off the bone with a heavy spice element from coriander seeds and peppercorns. Being a coriander fiend, I loved the generous amount of fresh coriander to chomp on along with the succulent meat. Steve found this tasty but perhaps over smoked and over flavoured for his palette.

The corn salad was inspirational. Loved the mix of onion, chargrilled corn, chives and all the different textures. We will try to reconstruct this at home. Great salad accompaniment to grilled meat and BBQ food.

Having shared one main we felt strong enough to tackle dessert and I chose the 'Fully Sticky' date pudding, vanilla ice cream, warm salted caramel custard. Loved the gooey centre and smooth ice cream. The custard probably could have been a little saltier to cut through the sweetness. Overall I enjoyed it enough but it was very sweet.

Peanut butter parfait chocolate sorbet, baklava crumbs, orange blossom foam was Steve's choice.

I didn't like the orange blossom foam - too perfumed for me but he enjoyed the crunch and the flavours.



St. Katherine's is a great local neighbourhood restaurant and I can imagine if we lived closer we'd drop by more often. There's lots on the menu to try, it's not pretentious and we thought it was pretty good value for money.