Donovans, Melbourne

Last night, I dined at Donovans in St. Kilda.  It's a charming beach house styled restaurant; with comfy oversized cushioned benches and an eclectic mix of wooden chairs.  White dressers line the long side wall, arrangements of framed photographs sit next to a large wooden framed mirror at the end and an assortment of candles help to soften the lighting. 

The staff are in dressed in pastel green check shirts and beige trousers under long orange aprons.  In keeping with the pastel green and orange theme, the dressers are dressed with the same coloured drinking glasses.  The atmosphere is one of casual, relaxed and of course, by the beach.

The food menu is vast - starters, salads, pasta, from the bbq, main courses, on ice (oysters), dishes for two (such as a whole roast duck), side orders, desserts and the cubby menu for kiddies.

I decided to start with some oysters, a mix of Pacific and Sydney Rock ($3.50 each).  As one would imagine, the Pacific oysters tasted more like the sea - delicious! 

My fellow dining companions had the 'four tastes' tasting plate ($21)and the Donovans 'home smoked salmon with a blini, salman caviar and dill sour cream' ($25).  The blini was no shrinking wallflower, it looked like a generous fishcake.  The salmon looked wonderfully moist.  The four tastes were a stuffed mushroom, roast beef, smoked trout and unfortunately I cannot remember the fourth.  But I did try the mushroom and roast beef, both were good.

For mains, I chose the 'Sicilian-style swordfish with pesto, mint and melting onions' ($42) from the bbq.  My dining companions chose the 'Black Angus T-bone of beef from the Western District' ($45), again also from the bbq; the 'Double lamb chop flavoured with chicken and herbs served with creamy mash and ratatouille vegetables' ($44) and the 'Roasted Berkshire pork cutlet with sauce charcutière and creamy mash' ($45) from the mains.

My swordfish wasn't overwhelming which was good.  The onions were wonderfully softened and full of flavour.  It also came with a side of lightly dressed cos lettuce leaves and crispy rosemary roasted potatoes.  A gorgeous light meal.

Below is the 'Black Angus T-bone steak'.  Again, it came with a side of lightly dressed cos lettuce and rosemary roasted potatoes. 

The double lamb chop with chicken and herb crust looked rustic, generous and well cooked.

The pork cutlet was a generous size with a dollop of mash and the charcuterie sauce.

Service was attentive, polite and informative.  We felt very much at home in this wonderful beach house restaurant.  I can see why people love Donovans, it was spectacular to watch the sun setting right by the beach whilst enjoying a delicious meal. 

Although this place isn't cheap, it is well worth it for a special occasion.  The food is good, ingredients fresh, service exemplary, and the views are lovely.

Donovans
40 Jacka Boulevard, St. Kilda, VIC 3000
Tel: +61 (0)3 9534 8221

Mon-Sun: Lunch and Dinner

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Kookaburra Bar & Bistro, Halls Gap

I was on the road last week and stayed over in Halls Gap.  There isn't a huge choice of eateries in Halls Gap, so when I walked past this place and observed the menu, I thought "why not?".  There was a good choice of light meals, entrees and mains. 

It doesn't look like much from the street, and with a huge 'Beer on tap' banner hanging on the outside, one could be mistaken for thinking that this place was just a regular drinking hole.  How wrong could we have been?!

Four of us reserved a table for the evening and arrived in good time.  A friendly lady showed us to our table and a waiter came by with menu's for us all.

The menu has a good selection of meals to choose from including fish and kangaroo.  There's even a kid's menu as well.  Tonight there were a few specials and we decided to share an 'Asparagus timbale with spears'.  Put simply it was described as a melt in your mouth asparagas custard baked slowly and served with new season's asparagas spears and reduced cream and rosemary sauce. 

Well, as you can clearly see, the tips are actually green bean tips...not asparagas.  We think they must have run out of asparagas in the kitchen...Nevertheless, it was well presented and we didn't complain as it tasted absolutely devine. 

For mains, I chose the 'Blackened barramundi' - coated in Cajun spices which blacken when grilled.  It comes atop mashed potato with a couple of poached prawns in a fish stock, tomato, wine and cream sauce. 

It was simply devine.  The fish was cooked just right - still soft and flaky.  The sauce was deliciously tasty and the prawns added to the overall Cajun inspired dish.  A thoroughly enjoyable meal. 

Service was attentive and friendly; the food was delicious and the portions were generous.  A great place to come to if you are visiting Halls Gap.

Kookaburra Bar & Bistro
125-127 Grampians Rd, Halls Gap VIC 3381
Tel:  +61 (03) 5356 4222 

Lunch: Midday-3pm Sat & Sun
Dinner: 6pm onwards Tue-Sun


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Spoons, Port Fairy

This cute little town certainly boasts a few good eateries in The Age 2010 Good Food Guide.  There's the Merrijig Inn, The Hub, Portofino's, and The Stag. 

We started at The Hub, who politely told us that they were full but to perhaps try our luck at the Merrijig Inn or Portofino's.  Following their instructions, we all walked towards the wharf and eventually found the Merrijig.  Again, they told us that they were full.  So we decided that it was onto The Stag.  Again, this proved a fruitless task - it was closed tonight (being their one night off in the week). 

From the evening's event of trying to get into a restaurant, it almost felt like being in a Nativity play; "sorry, no room at the restaurant tonight".

The four of us decided to wearily walk back into the main street and passed a little cafe style restaurant with white linen covered tables and a few diners inside.  All famished and hungry, I stepped inside to ask if they had a table available for four.  The waitress asked me to hold on whilst she had quick look around and pointed to a lovely table in the front room.  Hoorah!  We were going to get a meal tonight...

The table had already been set up with linen napkins, silver cutlery and wine glasses.  It was as though we were meant to have this table. 

The waitress wasted no time in presenting us all with a menu each.  The choices looked good and being extremely hungry tonight, my eyes went straight for the 'Eye fillet on pea and wine risotto with wilted spinach and a red wine jus'. 

Whilst our mains were being prepared, we decided to start off by sharing some warmed olives.  They were certainly yummy and we polished them all off pretty quickly. 

Unfortunately, our mains seemed to be taking rather long to come out.  So long in fact, my companions had polished off a bottle of wine and were onto their second.  However, seeing as we had been turned away from so many other restaurants beforehand, a long wait for our food didn't seem too much of a hardship considering.

Nevertheless, after a good forty-five minutes (just as our patience was being tested), our meals arrived.  OK, so they looked good, but boy, they could have hurried them up...

My eye fillet looked so good.  Like a pig on steroids, I grabbed my cutlery and literally started wolfing it down.  The steak was beautifully cooked to medium, the risotto was velvety smooth and creamy, and the combination of spinach and red wine jus made it oh so delectable.  I've never had steak and risotto together before, but I think I will have to try it when I get back to my kitchen at home.

One of my companions had the belly pork with potato and balsamic reduction.  Again, it was very well presented and very well received. 

The waitresses are polite, friendly and attentive.  Spoons is a great little cosy cafe which turns out excellently presented evening meals that are truly good enough to rival the more established restaurants. 

Despite the long wait for our food, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this place - with warning of course.  We even went back for breakfast and fortunately we didn't have to wait long for our scrambled eggs and coffee. 

Thus, I can safely say that this was a great stumble-upon find.  A simply gorgeous little gem in Port Fairy.

Spoons Cafe
42 Sackville Street, Port Fairy, VIC
Tel: +61 (0)3 5568 3452

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Mr Tulk, CBD, Melbourne

On the North-Western corner of the grand Victorian building that houses the State Library of Victoria sits Mr Tulk.  This licensed espresso cafe feels all light and airy apart from the rapturous sounds of chatter emanating from the informal dining room.

To the left of the entrance is a large counter that does takeaway coffees and food, affectionately referred to as 'Tulk Junior'.  And to the right is the sit down dining area known as 'Mr Tulk'.  With a large central wooden communal table in the middle, there is strategically placed seating around the edge of the room.  Not forgetting the outside seating as well, this place is often overspilling with patrons. 

Inside Mr Tulk is a large board listing wines and beers.  They also have a specials chalkboard for wines.   

There is also a 'specials' menu for food which changes all the time I am told.  My friend and I decided to share the 'Asparagas with labna, poached egg and bastourma'.  Bastourma being an air-dried cured meat, hailing from Turkey and the Middle East.  We also chose the smoked salmon bruschetta with capers and dill.

The waiter went off with our order and proceeded to take away the menu's as well.  We couldn't help but notice how all the Mr Tulk staff were men and the women were behind the counter in the Junior Tulk part.  Not sure if this is done on purpose or it was just a coincidence...

Still,  we received our two dishes.  The poached egg with the bastourma and asparagus was done to perfection.  The labna (yoghurt cheese) was sitting right under the poached egg.  The dish was executed and presented so well.  I wish that there had been more of it...

The smoked salmon bruschetta was also perfectly executed.  The ingredients were fresh and tasty.  The ciabatta was toasted just right.  Again, I wish there had been two pieces instead of just the one!

We both finished off with coffees.  The coffees of which I have to say were excellent - strong and hot, just how I like it. 

I give this place gold stars all round for the food.  I will however say that our first waiter was rather unfriendly.  Perhaps he was having a bad day...although not an excuse to be unfriendly, especially when working as a service waiter.  The others however, (of which we had a different one each time bringing us out the food and drinks) were pleasant enough. 

Still, I would come back here again and I might even try it on a Friday evening with some friends after work or for brunch on a Saturday.

Mr Tulk

328 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000

Tel: +6 1(03) 8660 5700

Mon-Thu: 7am-5pm
Fri: 7am-9pm
Sat: 9am-4pm

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The Mill, CBD, Melbourne

Amongst the many restaurants on Hardware Lane sits 'The Mill', which offers contemporary a la carte in a beautiful setting. 

With comfortable, modern seating indoors as well as 'al fresco', this place is right in the heart of the Northern end of this no traffic, bricked lane.  

Sunday evenings sees this place ringing with live jazz from six-thirty onwards.  So, tonight we reserved an outside table for an earlyish six-thirty dinner.

I was a little surprised to see that this lovingly restored lane wasn't bustling tonight.  Nevertheless, I preferred the fact that it wasn't full as it made for the most relaxing of evenings. As the live jazz tunes danced their way out onto the pavement, it all suddenly felt like being on holiday.

The menu is modern Australian with a few bits of Asian and European thrown in here and there.  The specials sounded rather good tonight and between the four of us we ordered the 'Seared Atlantic Salmon fillet on steamed bok choy with chilli caramel and pickled carrots', the 'Rosemary and palm sugar smoked lamb rump with boulangere potato and minted jus', and the 'Special beef fillet with mashed potato and bacon stuffed mushroom'.

We had ordered some 'Rosemary and orange marinated olives with sourdough' to nibble on.  Unfortunately I didn't take a picture.  Having never had warmed olives before, I can say that they were deliciously tasty and something that I would like try at home.  The bread itself served as a good filler whilst waiting for the mains.

My Atlantic salmon came out looking beautifully crisp and fresh.  The pickled carrot laces were crunchy with just a little sweetness.  The salmon itself was cooked to perfection.  The skin was crispy and delcious - just how I like it.  The bok choy was perfectly cooked - still slightly crunchy in the middle.  All in all a very lovely dish and a definite thumbs up for a lighter main.

The rosemary and sugar palm smoked lamb rump arrived looked absolutely devine next to a generous serving of potato boulangere.  It was a little fatty, but the meat itself was sweet and tender.  Another good choice made by two of our party.

And the most salivating looking dish (or at least I thought so), was the beef special.  With a lovely green salad on top, it all looked utterly sublime.  My dining companion seemed to enjoy it as much as I liked the look of it.  I certainly had a little bit of food envy tonight...

We decided to peruse the dessert menu seeing as we all like to finish off a lovely meal with some cheese or sweet treat.  Two of my dining companions went for the cheese plate.  It came out looking gorgeously rustic on a wooden board with slices of three different breads - ciabatta, white french stick and raisin bread.  A small bunch of both green and red seedless grapes, slices of green apples, a handful of walnuts, a bowl of herbed olive oil and a generous serving of chosen cheese.  I had nibbles of this one...

One of us ordered the 'Glass chocolate tart with mesh orange blossom, chocolate ice-cream and pashmak'.  Not knowing what pashmak was, the waitress told us that it is Persian candy floss.  How curious was I?!  Very!!!

It came out on a rectangular plate with a scoop of chocolate ice-cream, a carefully sliced strawberry, the chocolate tart and a ball of Barbie pink pashmak. 

Pashmak looks more like unwoven wool than traditional candy floss as I know it.  It's also not as sugary sweet, but still melts wonderfully on the tongue.  The chocolate tart was deliciously rich and smooth.  A winner of a dessert.  I know what I'm going to have if I come here again.

We all enjoyed our meals tonight and the background jazz only added to the ambience of the place and the lane itself.

The staff seemed to huddle together by the entrance podium, which I guess is where they can all catch up on the goss on a quiet evening.  Our waitress was polite and attentive, so I'm not complaining. 

I would definitely recommend this place for a lovely evening meal.  If you want good Modern Australian food in a lovely setting (be it inside or outside), The Mill has it all.  A thoroughbred of restaurant.

The Mill
71 Hardware Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000
Tel:  +61 (0)3 9600 1454 

Mon-Fri: 12 noon-late
Sat-Sun: 5pm-late

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Cafe Republic, South Yarra, Melbourne

On what I am told, is an unsually warm mid November evening (having had a scorching hot day) in Melbourne, I made my way to Cafe Republic in South Yarra.

An affluent neighbourhood where tree lined streets are home to some beautiful fronted houses and apartments.  It's got a groovy grown up feel to it and dare I say, it's like a refined version of Ladbroke Grove in London. 

Cafe Republic sits on the corner of Toorak Road and Osborne Street - almost opposite South Yarra station.  As a modern casual eatery, it's certainly relaxed.  There is also plenty of outside seating on both sides of its corner location.  It prides itself on modern Italian fare.

We started with the perfect sharing plate - a 'Trio of dips'.  The dips were olive tapenade, a green aubergine (eggplant) dip and some sort of bean dip.  I couldn't work out whether the aubergine dip was aubergine or not, but confirmation from the waitress cleared up my confused tastebuds.  I'm clearly not cut-out for a Masterchef food taste challenge. 

The bread was toasted garlic rubbed ciabatta.  It was so delicious that we asked for more bread and they proceeded to bring out a basket full.  I guess they presumed that we were all extremely ravenous or rather thoroughly enjoying it - of which we all were.   

For my main, I ordered the 'Spiced Lamb Salad'.  When it arrived, I was astounded at the sheer enormity of it.  For a moment, it looked as though I had a whole lettuce.  For $19.50, they definitely give you the dollars worth.  Portion size aside, it came with pieces of feta, slithers of red and yellow pepper (capsicum), slices of cucumber, halves of greek olives and thin slices of red onion.  It was lightly dressed and tasted absolutely divine.  The lamb was well spiced, tender and had not a trace of fat.  Just how I like it!  I ate all but a small morsel - I felt it too piggy to eat the whole lot!

The other mains ordered at our table tonight were, the delicious looking grilled chicken caeser salad with a perfect poached egg on top.

Penne vodka with prawns - doesn't it look so yummy??  Apparently it was.  I think I will have to go back to try this dish. 

And finally, the 'Vegetarian risotto', again another very generously sized portion.

Needless to say, I think we were all pretty stuffed by the end of it.  Having eyed up the cakes in the background, my 'dessert head' was telling me to try one, but my stomach was saying "enough!"  Although I normally love to finish off a good meal with something sweet, tonight I was really too full. 

The portions here are certainly very generous indeed, one could almost describe them as 'man-like.'  This is a great place to have a spot of lunch or dinner with friends; it's unpretentious; service is polite and attentive; and they certainly make sure that customers don't leave hungry.

Cafe Republic

160 Toorak Road, South Yarra, VIC 3141

Tel:  +61 (0)3 9820 0800 

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