A generous selection of snacks arrived very promptly. We enjoyed the pace of the courses for the whole meal and never felt that proceedings dragged or we were left waiting.
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• Parmesan and buckwheat, squid ink
• Pepper spiced kangaroo fillet
• Fried duck tongue with bamboo salt
• School prawn
• Gravlax of rainbow trout and its consomme
• Parker pretzel with sour cream and chive tofu
• Slimy mackerel, olive and tarragon

The table was filled with these appetite inducing morsels of delight. The buckwheat cracker with the salty parmesan melted in the mouth with a lingering seafood flavour from the squid ink; umami galore.

I enjoyed the fatty indulgence if the fried duck tongues - a bowlful with a beer on a hot day would be an amazing experience but they'd be heavy on the tummy but then again so is pork crackling and no one would complain about beers and pork crackling!

The Parker pretzel is like a pull apart brioche; the coming apart of the segments reminded me of the heady delights of the Tipsy Cake at Dinner by Heston. This is like the savoury version and not as indulgent. The tofu dip is interesting with an airy foamy lightness in the texture.

Pepper spiced kangaroo fillet served rolled up on a skewer was delicious. Perfectly seasoned so the natural game flavours of the kangaroo come out and cooked rare, it was so good. Perfect protein.

My least favourite was the gravlax, I thought the trout was a touch underseasoned and the cold fish consomme was just not that appetising. I think I'd prefer it warm but it's usually my personal preference for broth and soup to be hot.

First course was:
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• Murray cod, cuttlefish, ham stock, radish

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The Murray cod was sashimi style which I wasn't expecting. The sticky almost gluey ham stock was poured over the rosette of fish. As sashimi goes, I wasn't 100% convinced Murray cod is the best. It was certainly fresh but the texture was a little bit too chewy and it isn't the most flavoursome. The savoury ham stock helped with the clean flavours though adding some depth. I would have really loved a spoon to scoop up the ham stock that I couldn't devour with a fork. Steve said he would have loved some bread to do the trick!

My photo of the final course seems to have disappeared and it was a very festive red sight perfectly timed with lunar new year. Delicious chocolate nougat ish type chunks on top of caramel sauce and then the sugar whalloping hit is softened by the sour cherry in the form of granita. Definitely a crowd pleaser!

We had room for dessert especially after hearing my favourite, Tete de Moine was on offer! I found the triple cream a little bitey and ripe for me but I'm a cheese wuss. I liked the American goat's cheese and of course the carnation like ruffle of Tete de Moine was a wonderful way to end this sophisticated meal.

Woodland House is classy, elegant and a wonderful place for an indulgent celebration. It's worth of its two hat accolade. The food is refined and the service faultless. We found it approachable but with a sense of decorum and occasion befitting of its white tablecloths and and smart bow tie wearing owner working the floor!

We chose to wine match as it was just too much like hard work to make the decision ourselves and we really enjoyed the selections. The 2015 Simao & Co 'Old Vine' Shiraz from Rutherglen was a silky smooth treat to have with the Sher Wagyu and we also particularly enjoyed the 2015 Dappled 'La Petanque' Chardonnay from the Mornington Peninsula with the lobster.

The manor house in Prahran has not lost any of its former glory since when we visited last in its predecessor state, nor is it a carbon replica of days gone by. It has its own personality; discreet, strong but also understated and worthy of respect.

When in Canberra, it appears Monster is a place to befriend. Housed inside Hotel Hotel which is located on the corner of a what feels like a dual carriageway, it oozes cool architecture and design. 

We enter the hotel and greeted by reception staff who advise us to head towards the iPad in the far corner of the room. It's a little strange that as soon as we enter the hotel, it opens out into a dining / bar area and there is Monster in all her glory. I keep looking for an iPad but struggle to find it. Turns out, I'm taking things too literally and it's not an iPad but a laptop. I guess literal and creativity aren't necessarily seamless in this place!

We're early for our table so take a seat on a fancy green sofa and wait a while before someone takes our drinks order. And it takes a while again for the drinks to arrive but we're advise it's because they're searching the store room for a mysterious ingredient that is crucial to my cocktails...

We drink our drinks, once they finally arrive and we're not asked if we want another nor is our table followed up...and it ticks past 8pm and when it looks like no one is going to help us or keep us hydrated, I ask and one of the wait staff tries to help us out but we're advised to keep on waiting as the previous occupants finish up.

Finally we are seated but that whole waiting theme continues...we wait a while for menus, for round 2 of drinks...and during our meal for our wine glasses to be topped up. Yes, it's busy and the size of the dining room means the wait staff have a lot of ground to cover and I suspect they are under staffed this evening which means service is thin on the ground.

We start off with:

• 38 hour pork neck bao, cucumber, kim chi
• Crispy fried quail, house made togarashi, kewpie, sriracha

The pork neck is a little cylindrical croquette and combined with the fermented and tangy flavour of the kim chi is pretty tastebud pleasing. The quail is also lipsmackingly good with an exciting tongue tingling heat from the spices and sriracha. So far so good.

And in spite of the service blips, we enjoy our corner seat in the banquette where we can people watch and although the wait staff are stretched, the atmosphere still manages to be relaxed and comfortable.

• Asparagus, baby leek, soft egg, burnt butter, nori and capers

This is a far more generous dish than the asparagus offering we had at Eightysix the night before although, granted it is $5 more expensive but I'd rather pay the excess and enjoy the "generous hospitality." The salty buttery liquid drips and flavours the chargrilled vegetables and balances that greeny yumminess of asparagus.

In terms of "main" or shared dishes as they're called at Monster, we go with three:

• Blood pudding, apple, radish. anchovy
• Pulled lamb shoulder, pistachio, yoghurt, vine leaf, pomegranate, brik
• Black Angus, flat iron, chimichurri, fried okra (unpictured)

The blood pudding is a generous slab and served on grilled bread. I enjoy the flavours but find the anchovy a little overpowering. I love anchovies and I love black pudding but I'm not convinced I love them altogether although the toast and the zippiness of the apple and radish salad help lift the heavy flavours.

The pulled lamb shoulder is a true crowd pleaser. The meat is tender and delicious large chunks flaboured with nutty pistachios and sweet and sour pomegranate seeds, softened by the labne.

The Black Angus also goes down well. It's a good steak already carved into misshapes and the fried okra has a delicious salt and vinegar seasoning to it.

I ordered one of their non alcoholic drinks, orange, passionfruit, elderflower & soda but request a spike of vodka and the barman enthusiastically responds but when my drink arrives it doesn't taste very much of vodka and later on the bill, we see we are not charged for the shot so it was probably forgotten. 

Onto food...we order to share between us:

• Duck bun with hoisin
• D'Affinois wafer
• Smoked chicken wing, maple glaze
• Cured kangaroo, horseradish, beetroot
• Asparagus, fines herbs & aioli
• Ghetto beef w salsa verde, rocket & parmesan
• ​Potato and gravy

Our comments are that the duck bun was tasty enough. Nothing particularly stand out but well received by our tummies and tastebuds.I think it would have been better if there was more filling. The D'Affinois wafer is effectively a piece of that creamy, lovely cheese sandwiched between two crumbly wafers and seasoned with some spices and a fruit chutney. Again a tasty morsel but not ground breaking.

Ground breaking though were the chicken wings. Giant wings that must have come from a chicken dinosaur, the glaze came separate so it didn't make the skin soggy. I've had plenty of wings in my life and these come up tops.

The kangaroo dish was as it sounds and again we had no problems consuming it. The asparagus was disappointing in that it was 4 slender pieces of asparagus and fines herbs to me means finely chopped herbs but this was a mound of herbs whole and chunky and certainly not "fines". So I guess it was more a herb salad with a smattering of asparagus. The lemon aioli was tasty but too much for the little asparagus we were served.

Ghetto beef was 4 slices of rare beef, thicker than carpaccio but far from steak...maybe sandwich steak thickness. I quite liked the beef with the rocket and parmesan but my tastebuds weren't quite so enamoured with the salsa verde. I found the texture a but gluey and the flavours not my thing.

Where the beef dish was light and summery, the mashed potatoes and gravy was much richer and definitely comfort food category. The potato was rich and creamy and the gravy salty and intense. It probably didn't quite go with the beef but we still consumed it all!

We were pretty tired by the end of this food and although the desserts sounded yummy and looked great coming out of the kitchen we decided to call it a night. Steve found the ambience too frantic and couldn't relax which probably didn't help to make us feel like staying for the sweet stuff.

For us, Eightysix was average. It's certainly popular and boy, I'd return just for a whole plateful of chicken wings but everything else just hit the average scores.

We started off with some snack like proceedings:

• Pork crackling, toasted fennel
• Wok tossed garlic shoots, spice salt

The crackling crackled and then melted in the mouth and was light and tasty with the spices sprinkled on it. The garlic shoots had a tasty char to them and were liberally doused with something tongue tinglingly warm. Both dishes were great to share with a glass of wine and a street view.

Steve and I chose to move away from sharing for the next course and ordered a little amuse bouche style canape each:

• Spanner crab, bun rieu mayo, brioche toast, finger lime
• Vietnamese blood pudding, ginger, cosberg

I had the crab which had the texture of scrambled egg and then little pearls of sharp finger lime burst on the tongue. The crab and brioche was sweet with the brioche adding a layer of toastiness. This was delicious.

The blood pudding was like a lettuce wrap and again very flavoursome.

We went back to sharing and indulged in:

• Smoked beef rump carpaccio, green chilli, soybean sprouts
• Drop noodles, duck, celtuce, curry vinaigrette

I really enjoyed the sesame oil notes in the rump carpacio and the pickled almst fermented like soybean sprouts that were covered by the blanket of beef slices. The green chilli dressing certainly packed a punch of heat. Another tasty and successful dish.

The drop noodles were the follow up punch. The curry vinaigrette is more like a curry paste that the noodles soaked up and the duck meat was tender and tasty. To me it was more Malaysian than Vietnamese which tends to have more delicate flavours but this was still a very welcome course which was well received.

The chicken had great char flavour but wasn't dried out. The dipping sauce added that moreish acidic hit. The flathead was generous in size; we had to watch out for bones given it was effectively a whole fish just with the head cut off. Steve had been unsure about creme fraiche and fish sauce - he's not too keen on creamy sauces but I felt this worked a treat. It wasn't so much creamy but more buttery and the sauce went with the sweet fish flesh so well especially with the tang of the juice from the lemon cheek.

We loved the strong flavours of all the savoury dishes we had and we felt that every course was of a consistently good standard. We had to wait a little while for our mains because we were behind a couple of larger tables. We were also offered to move to two high stools at the bar if we wished as a party hadn't showed up at the time but we didn't think it would be any more comfortable there. The wooden stools are a little hard after a while if I am to be critical. 

My other comment would be that with all the great flavours, sauces and glazes with the dishes we had as our main course, I'd have loved a little steamed rice just to soak everything up.

And pretty much just as our dessert was cleared away, we caught sight of a couple walking past the weekend who are our friends so a tap on the window and they came in. The front staff team welcomed us and let us move to the high bar which by now was pretty empty and we were able to enjoy a couple of glasses of wine as a foursome as we enjoyed the impromptu catch up so we're thankful for the flexibility and hospitality the team offered.

Great evening, great and interesting food that is really very tasty. I'd definitely come back.

Ranked 4th in the recent Herald Sun delicious.100 top Victorian restaurants, we turned up with expectant hearts, minds and tummies. We loved the timber decor and whilst it looked dark and moody from the outside, the interior has a Scandi smokehouse kind of feel crossed with some Australian earthiness that is light, bright and airy. It's a good blend of styles and very comfortable to dine in.

Dining options are a 5 course or 8 course degustation with matched beverages, mostly wines, an option. The wine list is affordable too which is good to see with some unusual options from as far afield as Uruguay and as close to down the road.
​Dishes are not described or revealed until they are at the table and are have deceptively simple 3 ingredient monikers. 

Courses are set at a good pace with no dragging out of time but we're also not rushed. Before long the bread comes out which is a saltbush roll with cultured cream. Toasty and nutty with some hefty density it's appetising and served slightly warm. And the roll is quickly followed up with our selection of snacks. 

• Roe on chicken skin
• Salt and vinegar saltbush
• Zucchini flower stuffed with a mussel
• Lardo on a stick
• Duck on a stick
• Air dried local beef with radish

Our first bite is the slightly warm, very juicy stuffed zucchini flower and it's delicious. Soft, slippery mussel encased in a slightly charred zucchini flower with a green cleansing flavour. The salt and vinegar saltbush remind us of the same we had at Brae and it's just so moreish; that zingy savoury flavour. The sticks of rye provide a yummy wholemeal flavour against the charcuterie saltiness of the lardo or the smoked duck but the stand out for us is the roe on chicken skin. So fragile and so unassuming in appearance, the savoury umami flavours are a decadent hit. More please!

And the red wine is poured...a delicious Tommy Ruff Mourvedre and Merlot blend entitled Sunday by natural wine innovator Tom Shobbrook. It's super easy drinking and a perfect Sunday smasher and it compliments our first meat dish:

• Jerusalem artichoke, Wagyu, potato

Jerusalem artichokes cooked overnight in the embers are sat in a potato sauce enveloped in pink and white marble slices of paper thin cured Wagyu. The artichokes are sweet with a BBQ char mellowed by the potato and then seasoned with the meaty saltiness of the delicious Wagyu.

There are usually around 20 dishes on the go per sitting and each degustation is tailored combination per table taking into consideration dietary requirements and what the adjacent tables are having. They like to play and create food envy across the diners...I'm not sure I like that as I am definitely disappointed to have missed out on dishes! But I guess that just means we have to return!

About a year ago, Steve and I enjoyed Simon Tarlington's cooking at a private dinner where we were served some wonderful meat...lots of meat. Since then we have always talked about trying Highline but it's taken us a year to get there. It is South of the river after all - ha!

So on Saturday evening we made that journey. We were a little early but were prepared to have a drink at the bar but our table was actually ready. The Railway Hotel and Chapel Street was pumping as expected for a Saturday night and the Highline offered a dark enclave to shelter from the beat of the hipster drum.

We strapped ourselves in for the 8 course farm adventure and wine match and made ourselves comfortable which was easy in the dining space of muted colours and natural soft furnishings; think Australian natives for flowers and rings of wood on the tables.

Service is personable and slick as the courses come out and and delivered to the table. We're never waiting for the wine to catch up with the food or the food to catch up with the wine. It all works seamlessly and enjoyably.

Pea and Ham is served first and the consomme is poured at the table. Clear and dark amber in colour it's salty and delicious and the fresh sweet pea cuts through that umami. Steve and I choose different wine pairings and we try one standard and one premium. Turns out I'm a cheap date as I seem to prefer the standard offerings! In this case it's a really crisp and fresh Willie Smiths Organic Cider from the Huon Valley served delightfully cold. Great start!

Next course was the:

• Smoked Oak Valley Lamb, Sea Flakes, Broad Bean and Beetroot

For this dish I preferred the premium wine pairing which was a deliciously silky 2014 Cos Frappato, Sicily. I think the sea flakes were shaved, translucent slices of dried scallop. The lamb was tender and delicious. We found the servings generous which we welcomed warmly. I think it's lovely when a restaurant is generous to its customers. It adds positivity and hospitality to the whole experience.

From the clean white dish of panna cotta we moved to the darker dimensions of chocolate:

• Daintree Chocolate, Strawberries

A pretty sphere of goodness ready to be smashed revealing mousse and berries and cocoa nibs. Delicious classic blend of chocolate and strawberry; fun to eat and delicious. Winner!

Good value, plenty of deliciousness and creativity - this is Melbourne at one of its finest and most fun!

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!

Sunday lunch and where better than to have it at home? Or at least somewhere as close to home as possible given we're on the other side of the World! Northern Git transports us back to Northern England and randomly the map on the back of Steve's menu is the exact snippet that has both our Northern home towns depicted on it. What a reminder.

The other reminder is the beer list and the presence of a hand pull which is so rare in Australia and the beer is served in a glass tankard. "A proper pint," as Steve says.

The menu has some classic English dishes but the Australian is ever present too. We starte with:

• Black Pudding, Cauliflower Puree, Crispy Onions, Chives
• Chargrilled Quail, Bacon, Lentils, Bitter Greens, Pecorino

The black pudding is very flavoursome and as Steve keeps telling me, not packed with oats as a filler. It's a little soft in texture and I like a bit of crispy edge but the crispy shreds of onion help with that.

Chargrilled quail and Pecorino cheese isn't something you'd see in Northern England but it is very tasty. The little bird is well cooked remaining juicy with some tasty char grill, barbecue flavours. The accompanying lentils, greens and Pecorino is a little intense and salty for me but not terribly so.

It's served on a bed of what we think is cauliflower puree and I think he'd prefer potato mash but there aren't many complaints as he chows down. Although the pie is deeply rooted in British culinary heritage, it's a steak, bacon and cheese version which isn't very English and probably more Australian but we are in Australia so we are embracing and I'm just pleased they haven't served me a salad on my plate of Sunday roast. Don't scoff, it happens!

• Brussels Sprouts, Bacon, Onion

We go for a side of Brussels and they are well cooked with chunky blocks of tasty bacon. There's some lemony flavours running through it which while pleasant when the veggies are eaten in isolation jar with my Sunday roast flavours.

In all, we enjoyed the Northern hospitality. It warmed the cockles of our hearts and provided us with an endearing reminder of home.

Ides opened up officially earlier in the year in the old Lee Ho Fook space after various pop ups. There was a bit of hype surrounding Peter Gunn and his ex Attica pedigree and fuel was added to the fire when Dan Stock wrote a scathing review in The Age, when Ides was three weeks old.

Steve and I had followed the tale of Ides from its beginnings and finally got round to writing our own tale of experience following our own visit.

We were a little early for our table but it was available and we soon settled into the calming slate grey tones of restaurant minimalism. It feels neutral and discreet but with a definite male influence - no soft tones or bright splashes of colour, it's all very muted and understated.

There's also a sense of serious industriousness as some of the dishes are plated up at the bar by Peter and one of his sous chefs. No kitchen histrionics though - it's all very zen and precise.

Some of the earlier concepts of not receiving a menu until after the event and receiving emails with video attachments pre and post meal seem to have fallen by the wayside. I agree with taking the direction away from that sort of novelty gesture and letting it be about the food.

So we are shown drinks menus and a food menu and my aversion to blue cheese which I provided with the booking is raised and acknowledged by the FOH Manager who is clearly a professional and an old hand at this hospitality game.

Sesame Roll with Peanut Butter comes first and that salty butter flavoured with peanut butter is deliciously moreish and goes so well with the warm seeded roll. We are offered bread throughout the meal which can be a sign that quantities of food will be small as was the case with our recent Automata experience in Sydney but not here. It is genuine generosity and I'm glad we declined because it meant we had more room for what was to come.

• Sweet Potato Soup with Spring Onion and Celery

Expecting a traditional, thick orange soup perhaps served in a small espresso cup as an amuse bouche, we were totally played! And looking at our dining neighbours' reactions we weren't the only ones. A clear, amber broth is poured into our bowls by Peter and his sous chef and we're advised to give it a stir to mix the celery and spring onion before eating. It's a delicious broth - very savoury and reminiscent of an Asian broth. It's pretty salty and probably just at the edge of being over seasoned but undeniably tasty.

• Crumbed Avocado - Prawn Tails with Avocado, Finger Lime and Fried Bread Covered in Brazil Nuts and Dried Currants with a Red Capsicum Syrup

This next course looks like a dessert or perhaps even a muesli bar and there's a fun throwback to the 70s feel about it with it being a cold prawn cocktail like dish. The capsicum syrup is almost sweet chilli sauce like and the avocado and prawn is a classic and delicious combo with the nut crumb adding some much needed texture. And Steve and I agree that it's a generous serve and they could get away with a 3/4 size but I like the generosity and welcome it.
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• Rainbow Trout and Zucchini Rings - Roasted Rainbow Trout Stuffed with Chorizo and Seasoned with Rosemary, Raw Zucchini and a Blood Orange Sauce

The rainbow trout is perfectly cooked so it's still rare in the middle giving way silky flakes of fish that are seasoned with a subtle chorizo that doesn't overpower but does make its presence know. There's some spicing that's tongue tingling - sancho pepper we are told and the blood orange sauce gives it an intense citrus zing to cut through the richness of the fish. I enjoy this dish; Steve's not a huge trout fan and feels it all tastes quite "muddy" but I think that's more to do with his tastebuds reacting to pink fish rather than this dish itself.

• Lamb Wrapped in Parsley - Lamb Neck Cooked in Wax Flower Oil, Glazed with Mint and Wrapped in Roasted Parsley with Pumpkin, Peas and Mustard Seeds

The lamb is sweet in flavour partly due to it being a naturally sweet meat but also the cooking of it with the wax flower oil which enhances that flavour note. The meat is tender and the fat is rendered out of it so there's no unpleasant jelly bits or gristle.

• Blueberries Macerated in Rose with Cinnamon, Honey and Coconut

The first dessert is one we have watched Peter plate up during our time at our table and there's some dramatic blow torching and setting fire to cinammon sticks before a pretty wreath of berries and what looks like granola is presented to us. The wreath and the waft of cinammon is so Christmassy and who doesn't enjoy a reminder of that most wonderful time of the year? Flavour wise it's like granola and berries and it's light and refreshing so it also cleanses the palatte.

• Brown Sugar or Banana Ice Cream with Fried Basil and Matcha Sherbet

Final course is a scoop of each of the two ice cream flavours. Apparently the kitchen team liked both and couldn't choose so didn't and we get the two! Steve has the brown sugar ice cream and I have the banana both liberally sprinkled with fried basil leaves. It's very playful as the brown sugar ice cream has some sneaky pieces of banana in it confusing us and the banana ice cream has some sharp kiwi in it when we expected it to have banana! 

In spite of the grown up decor of the restaurant there are hidden jokes / plays on the mind that are evident and that is an unexpected delight. I love the flashback to the 70s and Christmas and the soup that is a broth and the ice cream switch. It's classic cooking, classic flavours but creativity abounds.

We ask about how often the menu changes and apparently dishes do rotate off every two weeks or so and records are kept of diners so repeat visits are not repeated adventures. There's a lot of care and consideration taken at Ides and I respect that. 

We can't help but compare Ides to a recent dining experience at Automata in Sydney which has two hats to Ides one. It's a similar concept in that it's a fixed 5 - 6 course menu and Ides is more expensive by about $25 but it's so much more satisfying both emotionally and in generosity.

We were looking forward to our dinner at Automata in the company of 4 friends we hadn't seen in a long long time. We'd had a good meal the night before at Kensington St. Social just next door and heard such good things about Automate that expectations were high.

When presented with the menu, nothing looked too unapproachable. Duck hearts would be a test and we expected our dining group to be divided on this one but hey, something to talk about.

We started off with cocktails and the Cher Pear one was very popular. Well balanced it was strong enough without being overpowering.

We started off with some "snack". A piece of asparagus each and a Wagyu beef roll. The asparagus was covered in something and tasted quite sharp and pickled. Unusual, not delicious but not off putting. The Wagyu was delicious - melt in the mouth meat and some enoki mushrooms.

We were also served bread throughout the meal with whipped anchovy butter. At one point the waiter provided us with a plate of three slices when we're a group of five which was strange but one of the more experienced wait staff spotted this and commented that it was a strange thing to do so evened out the numbers and brought some more bread so we could all have a piece.

• Raw Scallop, Cured Roe, Tamarillo, Yukari

The scallop was presented in a pretty purple shell which resonated with the yukari being a purple ish shiso salt. I enjoy raw scallop and this was all about that. It was pretty small but it was our opener dish so not the end of the World.

• Bug Tail, Eggplant Puree, Rhubarb, Dulse, Capers and Tamari

Tasty and complex, this dish was about how seafood can be rich and not always the "lighter" option but the size of this kept it light even though it was rich in flavour. Tasty but could definitely have done with more. At least there was bread...

• Duck Hearts, Onions, Black Garlic, Fermented & Raw Mushrooms, Thyme

I expected the duck hearts to be polarising but actually we all agreed this was the highlight; an unexpected highlight but definitely the stand out dish. So flavoursome with a creamy, silky smooth mushroom source and a tang form the onions and black garlic this was unarguably so clever a dish in terms of flavours. But again, small in size.

• Steamed Pork Belly, XO & Red Vinegar Sauce, Turnip Flowers

The piece of pork belly was hidden beneath greenery and we expected this to be the crowd pleaser when we received the menu but actually this was the one that not everyone liked. I didn't mind it but could see the argument that the pork was a bit fatty and gelatinous and the sauce a touch too sharp. I actually like acid flavours so liked the contrast with this and the natural sweetness of pork but have to say that it wasn't an entirely flawless dish unlike the duck hearts.

• Fleur du Maquis, Cherry Miso (plus $12)

We all opted for the cheese course which was well received and enjoyed by all and really given the small volumes of food, much needed.

And sadly, that's how we feel about Automata. It didn't really do it for us. Yes, it's two hatted and yes, there's plenty of supporters out there but we found it underwhelming.

There's some clever cooking, duck hearts being the example but one stand out dish in a $100 per head menu is just not enough. And it's not just the cooking but the generosity and hospitality. I didn't feel a sense of generosity and it's never good when just before dessert, a dining group readily agree on going somewhere else for something else to eat! Hospitality was professional but not personal so in all, not a place I'd really want to return to.

Incidentally, we had a meal at Ides in Melbourne which is one hatted and has a similar 5 - 6 course fixed menu and there we experienced some great cooking, some great hospitality and a lot more warmth and generosity so it can work and we can be pleased but Automata just didn't do it for us and that actually saddens me as I really really wanted to like it.