Restaurant Review: MoVida Bar de Tapas VS MoVida Aqui and Terraza

MoVida Bar de Tapas
Location: 1 Hosier Ln, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9663 3038
Link: movida.com.au
Cuisine: Spanish, Tapas
Overall Impression: 8/10

MoVida Aqui
Location: Level 1, 500 Bourke St, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9663 3038
Link: movida.com.au/aqui.html
Cuisine: Spanish, Tapas
Overall Impression: 8/10

When I think of Spanish cuisine, I always think of tapas – little bowls of appetisers or snacks that come in many varieties, both hot and cold.

I enjoy the concept of having tapas for dinner. You get to taste a whole bunch of little dishes so your taste buds will be spoilt with the variation in flavours and there is something just so casual and fun about it. Being familiar with the 2 hat Movida bar de Tapas, we decided to have dinner at their 1 hat sister restaurant, Movida Aqui.  The main difference between the two is that Movida Aqui has a much more relaxed and casual setting. Having said that, the quality of the food served at both venues is remarkably of a similar standard. So, don’t expect a duller version of the menu from Movida bar de Tapas at Movida Aqui! In fact, the menus are very much alike, to say the least. But then again, so is the price tag.

Surprisingly, the broccoli dish we ordered out of a sense of guilt (trying to meet our 5 serves of vegies a day target) was the biggest crowd pleaser. If only broccoli tasted as amazing in “real” life.

The following are the lovely dishes we were privileged to indulge in:

Menestra De Broccoli $11.50

Organic broccoli braised with Iberico jamon, tomato and garlic

Fabada $23.50

Butifarra $19.50

House-made Catalan pork and pepper sausage with chickpeas and house made morcilla

Sardine special $16.50

Sardines on white bean puree with tomato and olive oil

Bomba $4.50 each

Catalan Potato bomb filled with chorizo

Bocadillo de calamares $7.00 each

Calamari sandwich with Basque guindilla and mayonnaise

Romesco con Conejo $23.50

Postre Para Compartir $30.00

Share plate of flan, churros, sopa inglesa, chocolate marque and olive oil sorbet

I highly recommend this dessert platter. It is a great way to eat through their dessert selections!

Each dish was beautifully flavoured, down-to-earth and uncomplicated, reflecting the heart of Spanish cuisine.

Move aside, Movida bar de Tapas, Movida Aqui is “aqui” (English: Here)!



Restaurant Review: Noir

Location: 175 Swan Street, Richmond
Phone: 03 9428 3585
Link: noirrestaurant.com.au
Cuisine: Modern Australian, French
Overall Impression: 6.5/10

Relatively new to the Melbourne dining scene, Noir is sleek with a dash of old school chic. The dining room is as its name suggests - black. The room is romantically lit and the waitstaff are appropriately adorned in black to match the theme. The service is impeccable. The lady that waited on our table was both professional and attentive without being intrusive in the slightest. Our table of seven decided to opt for the “surprise tasting menu” for $80 per person.

freshly baked bread served with delicious garlic infused olive oil

premium pacific oysters served natural with champagne granita

eye fillet of tartare, waldorf salad and crisp bread

stingray and baby tomato salad with pink grapefruit, basil and garlic croutons

ocean trout cured in Hendricks gin with dill, cucumber, lime and rose

As Noir’s reputation preceded it, we had unashamedly high expectations. By the end of our first 3 courses, those high expectations were left unmet. However, after this juncture, we quickly understood why Noir had built the cult following it had.

crisp pork belly with apricot and sticky wine sauce, peas and prawns

The pork belly had a beautiful crusty crackling and the flesh was tasty and tender. The sticky wine sauce (though incredibly sticky) bound the dish together. The sweetness of the apricot added a beautiful hint of acidity and freshness to the dish. The prawns and peas were perfectly cooked. It was a very sophisticated and well balanced dish.

caramelised atlantic scallops with oxtail tortellini and cauliflower puree

The scallops were perfectly seared and well cooked. They were mouth-watering and fresh. The tortellini was al dente and the beautifully cooked oxtail within it melted in my mouth. The cauliflower puree was well balanced (often overly sweet, Noir’s rendition was perfect).

Roast rack and braised shoulder of lamb with fondant potatoes, caramalised onion, garlic and parsley

The roast rack was pink and tender. The flavours were surprisingly subtle but when eaten together with the caramalised onion and fondant potatoes, was delectable. The braised shoulder of lamb was incredibly tender. It tasted not dissimilar to the tortellini filling from the previous course but was enjoyable nonetheless.

side salad

cheese

Crème caramel

Chocolate fondant

The chocolate fondant was a heavenly end to the dinner. Incredibly indulgent dark chocolate oozed out of the centre.

Hot Chocolate

Albeit a slow start, our overall experience at Noir was certainly a pleasant one.

Cafe Review: Patricia Coffee Brewers

Location: Cnr Little Bourke St & Little William St
Link: patriciacoffee.com.au
Overall Impression: 7/10

Proving that good coffee places can only be found in the most obscure of laneways, James took little Scotty, sweet Canadian Christina and myself on a little walk down to Patricia.

It was good catching up over a delicious caffeine hit.

You can choose from Proud Mary or Seven Seeds coffee.

One word - brilliant!

Restaurant Review: La Luna Bistro

Location: 320 Rathdowne Street, Carlton North
Phone: 03 9349 4888
Link: lalunabistro.com.au
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Overall Impression: 5/10

Adrian Richardson is the owner and chef at La Luna Bistro. No stranger to Australia’s culinary scene, his popularity has sprung in recent times from guest appearances in “Jamie’s Kitchen Australia” and regular appearances on the TV series “Ready Steady Cook” and “good chef bad chef’ (as a replacement for Gary Mehigan). La Luna Bistro has been thriving under this “Adrian Richardson” brand. La Luna Bistro is cosy and trendy at the same time. There is a clear “Gastropub” edge about the place. We are seated next to the window which extends right on to the footpath – so you have people walking literally centimetres away from where you dine albeit separated by a thin sturdy glass.

We ordered some cocktails and half a bottle of wine, which was served in a measuring carafe (for good measure – literally).

Tempura zucchini flowers stuffed with goats’ cheese and ricotta on a home-made chilli sauce

Cured kingfish, pomegranate & quinoa salad

The appeal of this dish was undone as there were segments of fish that tasted quite ‘fishy’. This was unfortunate given the beautiful flavour combinations for the parts that were not.

Pork cheek croquettes, artichoke aioli

The best croquettes that I have ever tasted have been from Movida. It was difficult not to compare these with those. These were inferior to that of Movida’s  as they lacked any complexity. Although pleasant, they were merely fried pork-filled pieces of dough.

Crackling wrapped roll of roast pork, slow cooked beans, cabbage & fennel

There were parts of the pork crackling that were absolutely divine. The rest (and dominating parts of the crackling) were sadly rubbery. The pork meat was ambrosially flavoured with aniseed and fennel but was slightly dry and overcooked.

Crisp duck legs, orange, cherry tomato, Danish feta & lentil salad

The duck was an absolute stand out. It was perfectly cooked – extremely tender on the inside with a beautifully crisp and flavoured skin. The portions were generous. The bed of lentils and feta that accompanied the duck were scrumptious. This was certainly a highlight of our meal at La Luna.

Fish of the Day, chickpeas, tomato, zucchini, olives, basil & mint

The fish was cooked beautifully - well-seasoned and fresh, it was delicious. My enjoyment of the dish was however, extirpated by the sad looking vegetables it was served with. Clearly an afterthought, it certainly raised questions about attempts to upsell side dishes by serving incomplete mains.

The wilted spinach side we ordered was incredibly mundane. Regrettably soggy, bland and literally soaked in water. Described as having chilli and garlic, we could taste neither to any real extent.

Ricotta Bombolones served with liquor ice cream

The bombolones left much to be desired. The word 'pedestrian' comes to mind - they were literally fried balls of dough drizzled with syrup. Fortunately, the liquor ice cream was delicious. It was creamy and had a lovely density to it.

Ice cream bomb alaska, caramel & blackberry coulis

I was looking forward to having their bomb alaska but perhaps it was this anticipation that led to an even greater disappointment. It was neither a traditional rendition nor an improvement on the traditional. The beautiful looking meringue was far too sweet and the filling was certainly not traditional. Instead of a layer of sponge followed by ice cream in the centre, behind the meringue layer was what tasted like a sponge and ice cream blend.

The entire experience as a whole was disappointing, given the "celebrity chef status" attached to the restaurant. We were also horrified by the level of service afforded to us by a male waiter who was unnecessarily rude to our table. The dishes were thrown onto the table and when he served our coffees at the end, he flung J's coffee so hard that some of it spilt over. And there was not so much as an apology.

Daylesford trip: The Heritage Restaurant review and Red Star Cafe review

Grange Bellinzona
Location: 77 Main Rd, Hepburn Springs 3461 VIC
Link: http://www.grangecc.com.au/default/bellinzona_dine_with_us
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Overall Impression: 6/10

There is nothing quite like a weekend away in the comforts of a cottage in spa paradise, Hepburn Springs. A mere couple of hours away from Melbourne, it feels like you’re miles away from home. You quickly forget the cares and bustle you have left in the city and settling down with scones and a pot of tea seems like the natural thing to do. My two night stay in Bellinzona was brief but extremely enjoyable. They have a wonderful pool and a heated spa that you can enjoy (a privilege I certainly took advantage of).

As guests of the Grange Bellinzona retreat, we were catered for well. I particularly enjoyed their breakfast during the two mornings I ate there. The 3-course dinner experience I had was however, very average. The stunning Edwardian style guesthouse was an ideal dinner location but I was slightly disappointed with the food.

Duck Salad

My duck salad had lovely flavours but the duck was unfortunately overcooked.

Eye Fillet served with mash and greens

The steak was juicy, tender and cooked well but the mashed potatoes were lumpy and the vegetables on the side were clearly and afterthought.

Lemon Tart

The dinner concluded on a high with a beautifully decadent lemon tart. The acidity of the lemon flavoured filling was perfect as it cut through the beautiful sweetness of the buttery and indulgent pastry. It was a delectable end to the meal.

Note: I dined here on a Friday night and we were specially catered for as the restaurant is only open on Saturdays for dinner, as such, my experience is not representative of the food served on Saturday nights.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my relaxing stay and was impressed by the hospitality of the staff and the comfort of my cottage.

Red Star
Location: 115 Main Rd, Hepburn Springs
Phone: 03 5348 2297
Link: theredstar.com.au
Cuisine: Breakfast/Brunch, Coffee
Overall Impression: 5.5/10

Berry Smoothie

We stopped by this lovely café before heading back to Melbourne. The weather was brilliant so we all sat outside. Everyone was raving about their delicious milkshakes and iced coffees and I certainly enjoyed my berry smoothie.