Restaurant Review: Dunyazad Lebanese

Location: 329 Doncaster Rd, Doncaster
Phone: 03 9857 8778
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Link: dunyazad.com.au
Overall Impression: 8/10

Aunty M was kind enough to take us all out for a wonderful feasting at Dunyazad to celebrate (THANK YOU, AUNTY M!). And what a feast it was!

MEZZA $17.00

An assortment of dips including Hommus, Baba Ghannouj and Labneh with Tabouleh

We started our meal with a lovely assortment of dips served with freshly baked pita bread. The dips were some of the tastiest I have ever enjoyed. The Babba Ganoush in particular was incredible, with its beautiful smoky flavour.

Every single main dish we ordered was delicious. The Shish Kebab lamb fillets were perfectly cooked- juicy and delectable. The Kafta Bi Tahina lamb mince patties were bursting with flavour. The Shah Rayar lamb fillets were tender and immersed in a rich and hearty curry and the Dunyazad chicken fillets were moist and well-seasoned.

DUNYAZAD (DEJAJ HARR) $26.00

Stir-fried chicken fillets with tomato concasse, chilli, garlic, herbs and lemon juice

SHAH RAYAR $26.00

Lamb fillets cooked in a tomato and curry concasse chick peas and seasoned with a special mixture of Middle Eastern herbs & spices

KAFTA BI TAHINA $25.00

Lamb mince patties mixed with parsley, onion herbs & spices topped with tahina

SHISH KEBAB $24.00

Char-grilled marinated lamb fillets served on skewers

Each main came with two mouth-watering sides: almond and pine nut rice pilaf with loubieh beans. Each course came in generous proportions. It was a feast even though we had opted for the a la carte menu. The four of us struggled to finish what we ordered. As I really did not want the food to go to waste, I plucked up the courage to ask if I could take away the leftovers. I was pleasantly surprised when our waiter graciously packed everything neatly for me to take home. Let’s just say I had an awesome lunch the next day.

Dunyazad delivers on all fronts. It has great well-priced Lebanese food, and the service is impeccable. The wait staff members are incredibly friendly and helpful without being intrusive in the slightest.  This may be my first time at Dunyazad but it certainly will not be my last.

Restaurant Review: Espressino Coffee and Pizza Bar

Location: 68-70 King Street, The Rialto, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9620 4774
Link: http://www.rialto.com.au/espressino.html
Cuisine: Italian
Overall Impression: 6/10

I grew up with the most amazing sister. She is incredibly intelligent, athletic and beautiful both on the inside and out. Growing up, I have always been L’s little sister. People knew me as the younger sister of that really hot chick. I guess that is how Espressino feels, as the sister restaurant to the famous +39 Pizzeria.

The truth is, the pizzas are just as good. And I don’t mean it in a metaphorical, “I am just as good as my sister way, so please love me.” In all seriousness, this is where the comparison departs (my sister and I could not be more different!).

Iced Coffee

Salads – Insalata

Rucola

With Rocket, Avocado, Cherry Tomato & Fresh Pecorino Cheese

Pizza: Gamberi

With Mozzarelle, Zucchini, Prawns & Cherry Tomato

The pizzas served at Espressino are of the same quality and standard to that served at +39. Both eateries rate very high on this blogger’s scale of deliciousness. Notably, their menus are almost identical!  

So, if you like +39 Pizzeria, you will like Espressino – unless there is something about the +39 Pizzeria venue that you particularly love.

Pizza: Salsiccia

With Tomato, Mozzarella, Italian Sausage, Porcini Mushroom & Parmesan

The pizzas are very much what you would expect from a pizzeria in Italy – delicious without being overly complicated with a beautifully thin crust.

Restaurant Review: The European

Location: 161 Spring St, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9654 0811
Link: theeuropean.com.au
Cuisine: European
Overall Impression: 7.5/10

Our resident office foodie Ms L was in charge of the group’s Christmas party this year so we all knew we would be in for a treat. When I found out we were dining at The European I started counting down the days to the event. I adjusted my expectations though – function menus are never particularly impressive. In fact, when they are of a passable standard, it is reason enough to celebrate.

Our party was in the Tea Room, up the stairs from the ever so popular Melbourne Supper Club. The Tea Room is a great function space. With natural light pouring in through the little windows on the side, you see the hustle and bustle of the city as you peer out. The first thing I noticed was the attentiveness of the wait staff. Upon entering the wooden panelled doors, within seconds I was asked if I would like a drink.

Roasted Moreton Bay bug, crispy chicken, cabbage & chervil

Vitello Tomato

The food was of a very high standard. This entrée was beautifully fresh. It was the perfect summer salad. The pieces of Moreton bay bugs were tender and succulent. The slices of crispy chicken were (as its name suggests), crisp without being dry on the inside and well-seasoned. The acidity of the light dressing complemented the freshness of the salad. It was certainly an appetizing dish that was clearly a crowd pleaser.

Roasted eye fillet, Bourguignon garnish

My roasted eye fillet was flawless. Beautifully charred and sealed on the outside and immaculately pink in the middle. The meat was tender, juicy and delicious. The mushroom pie that was served alongside the eye fillet was reasonably good but the eye fillet was clearly (as it should be) the hero of the dish.

We were given two sides. A Roquette salad and some roasted Kipfler potatoes. The Roquette salad was pleasant and acted as a lovely side. The potatoes were unfortunately under-seasoned. However, the moment I added a little salt on them, they came to life. There is something so hearty and comforting about a simple plate of roasted potatoes with generous amounts of rosemary – very Christmas!

Everyone was pleased by how gratifying the dining experience was. Ms L has certainly outdone herself! I am certainly not exaggerating when I say, function-menu wise, this was by far the best food I have ever been served.

Restaurant Review: Naked For Satan

Location: 285 Brunswick St, Fitzroy

Phone: (03) 9416 2238

Link: www.nakedforsatan.com.au

Overall Impression: 6/10

It had been a crazy day and I was in desparate need of some alcohol. So before heading to our dinner venue, J and I decided to stop by Naked for Satan for some vodka infusions and pintxos. We were there on a Tuesday night so the pintxos were a mere 80cents each. Pintxos are basically snacks served in bars, resembling tapas. These snacks, we discovered, were certainly capable of being a meal. A very enjoyable and delicously economical meal.

It was surprising to see that the place was bustling on a Tuesday night but with great snacks and a variety of vodka based drinks, it makes sense.

Another thing we noticed was the variety of pintxos on offer. And while you remain seated, a host of hot pintxos are presented to you and you may choose to accept.

The food is simple and delectable, the service is.. well, it's self-service so, make it as prompt or as laid back as you like. We cannot wait to go back!

Restaurant Review: Bottega

Location: 74 Bourke St, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9654 2252
Link: bottega.com.au
Cuisine: Modern Italian
Overall Impression: 7/10

Located in the CBD, this little Italian eatery is a gem. Celebrating Modern Italian cuisine, the dishes are contemporary without losing the appeal synonymous with classical Italian robust flavours.

We arrived right on time and were promptly greeted by a lovely Maître d'. The restaurant was not surprisingly empty for a mid-week lunch. We benefited from this as the service we received was impeccable.

The dining menu is separated into 4 sections: Entrée, Pasta, Main and Sides. On this occasion, I decided to order pasta and a main.

High-end Italian restaurants usually serve good olive oil with bread and Bottega is no exception. The extra virgin olive oil was delicious. It made waiting for our dishes to arrive very enjoyable.  

House made ricotta gnocchi, cherry tomatoes, fava beans, burrata & light pesto $24

The ricotta gnocchi had the perfect texture. The ingredients were fresh and tasty. Commendably, the flavours in the dish were very well-balanced. It was a perfect summer dish.

Twelve hour roasted goat, burghul, mandarin, fresh dates, almonds, yoghurt dressing $38

The goat was incredibly tender and moist. The flavours were subtle but very pleasant. The only criticism I would make would be with regards to the condiments that were served with the goat. They were quite sweet and overpowered the subtle flavours of the goat when eaten together.

Bottega means “artist's workshop” in Italian – appropriate, given the culinary artwork produced.

Nasi Lemak House

Location: 113 Grattan St, Carlton
Phone: 03 9348 1572
Link: nasilemakhouse.com.au
Cuisine: Malaysian hawker food

Mere minutes away from Melbourne Law School, J and I used to be regular customers at Nasi Lemak House. Now that uni life seems like a distant memory, we rarely visit. On our recent visit, it does not look like things have changed, the furniture looks the same and the menu is still heavily nasi lemak focused. The food always comes in more-than-you-can-finish portions and the service is always prompt. Nothing revolutionary but it certainly satisfies.

Right: Malaysian Loh Mein [$9.80] - Hokkien Noodles, Seafood and Chicken in a Rich and Sour Soup.

Left: Penang Char Kuay Teow [$9.80] - Stir Fry Flat Rice Noodles with Prawns, Cockles, and Beanshoots.