Ishiya Stone Grill, CBD MELB

Having walked along Little Bourke Street on numerous occasions, I very rarely enter a restaurant located along the Chinatown end of the street as I find a lot of the restaurants are either overpriced or lacked quality.

One of the many man date locations of WL and a first for me. There is a lot to choose from the menu but I think for a restaurant to proudly associate itself with a stone grill, surely it would be worthwhile to sample on one for dinner.

Mashed potato - almost a compulsory and complimentary entree in most Japanese restaurants.

From memory, this was a scallop salad, a light option on the palate.

Soft shell crab salad - am a big fan of soft shell crabs and found this to be decent. Would have liked a bit more dressing/ ingredients added into the salad though.

Baked sea scallops with creamy miso mushroom sauce - an indulgent item that both of us had easily lapped off without a second thought.

There are so many stone grill options to choose from be it purely carnivorous or a seafood/ meat mix platter. We have selected a few different cuts of meat and had fun cooking them on our hot stone grill plate. Timing wise, it was difficult to manage as each piece of meat required a different cooking time. Eventually, we got the hang of it.

Comes served with a few types of dipping sauce to which, we experimented with. Favourite cuts of meat for me would be the scotch fillet and wagyu pieces, hands down.

Fried rice is served to complete the set meal and it was actually quite yummy. In short, it would not be a meal that I could have on a weekly basis but one that I would consider for future events.

The Fish & Burger Co, Doncaster East MELB

I like having burgers, chips and milkshakes every now and then as a break from the usual routine. When WL suggested heading here after receiving positive feedback from his friends, I was more than happy to give it a try. And secretly fatten myself up with chips and sauce, such is the sinful life I lead.

Packed full of hungry customers but also plenty of seating to accommodate every individual, customers are basically seated first and when ready, head to the counter to order their meals. It was difficult to pick a favourite because all of the options sounded delicious. Thankfully, WL and I have been sharing food lately..both good or not so great :p

Gaytime milkshake - told WL to surprise me with whatever he wanted to have. I am not a proactive milkshake drinker but am game to try anything. This one was loaded with caramel, dusted with chopped peanuts and topped with generous bits of honeycomb and cubes of marbled cake. A meal on it's own and one that I am currently drooling over again as I channel my thoughts here.

Onion rings - always a big fan of onion rings and found these ones to be spot on yummy. Crisp batter? Tick. Softened onion pieces? Tick.

Double chilli cheese - Two beef patties, American cheddar, lettuce, pickles, jalapenos, Spanish onion, ketchup, mayo and chilli cheese sauce. One of the better cheese burgers I have tried. Meat was juicy and prepared medium to well done. Generous amounts of cheese utilized here.

American waffle fries - I love waffles and fries but have never had this combination before. Worth every calorie, especially when drizzled with oozing, melted cheese.

Lady Boy - such a dodgy name (no ideal what's the train of thought behind it) but again, another delicious number delivered by the Fish and Burger co. Grenadier had a lovely, even panko crust around it and it was lavishly coated in Sriracha hot sauce and kewpie mayo. Loved the addition of coriander and mint for added freshness.

A cross section of both burgers that we had. Highly recommended and worth a second visit even if I have to spend hours in the gym burning it off over the next few days.

 

Industry Beans, Fitzroy MELB

Very rarely do I venture into suburbs located just next to the CBD area as I find it such a hassle to hop onto a train and then onto a tram to get my destination. Am secretly glad WL is an expert around the area else I would be extremely lost.

Having said that I did have this brunch spot on my radar and finally got to tick it off after such a long time. Crowded like any other brunch spots but thankfully, customer turnover is decent and so, seating is less of a chore in smaller groups.

Boba iced coffee - skeptical as always, I hesitated at the prospect of it turning out to be a nightmare but when WL's sister ordered it and I managed a sip, I changed my mind. Reminded me of traditional bubble teas, except more refined and sweetness level has been toned down a few notches.

Latte - strong, just the way I like it when I am weak and in great need to be caffeinated.

Marinated rare beef - puffed quinoa, pickled onion, sriracha aioli, peanut crusted eggs and fried capers. A protein packed meal perfect for feeding the muscles after an intense gym session. Would have liked the meat to be served warm but I suppose it is akin a salad, no?

Cinnamon dusted brioche - tonka bean creme patisserie, chard pineapple, maple roasted peanuts, strawberry gel and coffee caviar. Was I glad WL's sister wanted to try this (and share it with the rest of us) because I would never be able to stomach this much sugar in the morning. Am a big fan of cinnamon and brioche so this was a no brainer favourite of mine. Not overly sweet and fruity flavours were quite evident on the palate.

Truffled eggs - zucchini ribbons, enoki mushroom, pea panna cotta, artichoke crisps, coffee cornbread crumbs, almond cous cous and pesto. Panna cotta was delish and provided a good backdrop to the otherwise complex flavoured dish. One can only wonder about the amount of time spent on preparing each individual component of the dish and presentation wise, it was worth the effort. Perfect play on textural elements here.

Amba, South Yarra MELB

I was invited to visit Amba for lunch and despite the less than desirable weather, I found it somewhat comforting to be under the shelter with probably one of the most amusing characters I have met thus far.

Being a soft spoken individual that I am, I seek solace in cafes that enable me to carry out conversations without needing to raise my voice too much. Kai and his team were quite attentive towards us and made us feel very much at home in our little corner. Having a bouquet of freshly plucked pink lilies nearby was bonus too.

Hot chocolate and latte -

Linguine with seafood and seared salmon - Portion size was decent and this would be the dish any seafood lover can consider ordering. I liked how the thin slices of parmesan provided a pleasant sharpness to the overall dish and was light enough to enjoy without worrying about it being too moreish for lunch.

Soft shell crab salad - I actually liked how fresh this was on the palate which boiled down to having crisp slices of green apples, lettuce, juicy cherry tomatoes and thin slices of sweet onion. Would have liked a bit more soft shell crab pieces on the dish but aside from that, no qualms whatsoever.

This review would not have been made possible without the generous invitation from Amba's management.

Breizoz French Creperie, Fitzroy MELB

I have a tendency to favour French desserts such as creme brulee, macarons and to a lesser degree, crepes. The best crepe I had was at Mont St.Michel amidst the swarm of tourists hovering around us as we wolf down our snack. Standing outside the busy restaurant, we sank our teeth into a flavourful piece of warm crepe that is light and fragrant on the palate. No extra toppings required except for a small drizzle of syrup over it, lending a touch of sweetness.

Fast forward, I have since then discovered a few cafes serving this yummy French dessert and recently became acquainted to another place that would probably be one of my places to go to when I am in the area.

We had their homemade praline ice cream which was packed full of the mild praline aroma and was not overly sweet nor bland. Highly recommend trying this out:)

Beurre caramel with mango ice cream - simplicity at it's best. The French sure do know how to utilize butter and this was a perfect example of that. Again, not overly sweet and had a lovely buttery aroma to it.

Praline and cointreau - flambee is the name of the game for a selected few types of crepes. Pick a favourite and behold, a mini flame party dancing on your crepe, which would eventually disappear, of course. Pretty yummy too although my favourite would still be the beurre caramel :p

Japan: Fugetsu restaurant, OSAKA

Reknown to be Japan’s kitchen, Osaka is an excellent hub for sampling various Japanese street food snacks, all usually located within walking distance from each other in Dotonbori. Large shopping streets, a congress of both accessories, clothing and food shops, provides a bit of shelter from the heavy human traffic dispersed along the entire Dotonbori pathway.

When we got told to come back a bit later for our Matsusaka beef fix, the sister suggested we reward ourselves with okonomiyaki, a type of Japanese pancake, at a busy restaurant located in one of Dotonbori’s shopping streets.  We patiently waited for about 10 minutes before being ushered downstairs into a restaurant, no bigger than the width of two king sized mattresses, plastered by a bright coloured orange wall on one side and an assortment of Japanese calligraphy on the other.

 There is a minimum spend per dine-in customer and after surveying nearby tables, it appeared that the okonomiyaki served, be it added with seafood or poultry, can be quite a big meal for small eaters like us. Determined, we went ahead and ordered ourselves one serve of it with a small side of chicken appetizers. Our waiter returned after about 5 minutes with a bowl of finely shredded cabbage, possibly lightly coated with flour and begun to rhythmically beat in an egg before pouring the mixture onto the heated hot plate in front of us.

Throughout the cooking duration, the waiter returned after a few minutes to check on the okonomiyaki’s doneness and flipped it over when due, topping it with a handful of fine shreds of bonito. Once both sides have been cooked, he then brushed over a sweet, sticky looking brown coloured sauce over it followed suit by a lashing of mayonnaise.

Piping hot yet still holding a firm shape, we slowly consumed this humble Japanese dish before jetting off to meet our other friend. Consisting mostly of fiber, one may see it as a healthy meal, quite tasty when combined with the sweet sauce and a touch of cheesy tasting mayonnaise.  

The Meat & Wine Co, Southbank MELB

The Meat and Wine Co is one of the most raved about restaurant among my group of carnivorous friends, be it friends from Adelaide or from Melbourne. Having been to a few restaurants serving steak as part of their core menu, I was secretly wondering if it would be worth the hype.

A good piece of steak requires minimum seasoning or additional flavouring, relying a lot on the grill to work its magic. Our waitress kindly reminded me that cooking times for each steak is different and to extract the full flavour of the steak, this has to be spot on. For example, a wagyu is best cooked medium to well done, allowing the marbled fats to freely flow between each strand of protein.

Portuguese prawns - seared prawns in a creamy Portuguese sauce with brown rice, lime and lemon balm pilaf. I rarely have rice at non-Asian restaurants but found their version to be extremely flavourful and pairs well with the sweet, milder flavour of the prawns.

Beef carpaccio - Wagyu beef slices served with parmesan cream, green dressing, pickled shallots and herb. An interesting play on flavours, combining saltiness from the cheese, acidity from the pickles and earthiness from both the meat and dressing.

Wagyu rib eye - between the two of us, we shared the wagyu rib eye and New Yorker, both equally good but the rib eye gets my vote. Both had the right amount of chargrilled flavour on it and were succulent to taste, with the rib eye being slightly more tender to bite. In my humble opinion, both did not require any sauces although if sauce is a must, I would recommend the Portuguese, a spicy peri peri, cream and garlic mix.

Chips - because what's a meal without chips :)

Apple pie - I was very much looking forward to dessert and found it extremely difficult to pick a favourite. Fried apple cigar with apple liqueur toffee, sour apple gel, mascarpone ice cream and smoked maple syrup. I loved this dish as much as I had enjoyed WL's company. The apple cigar was crisp and stuffed with fragrant pieces of cooked apple, probably simmered in a cinnamon and star anise mix. Could have finished this myself but decided not to be greedy that night hehe.

Having dined here almost two weeks ago, I hesitated with penning my thoughts about the restaurant, not because the restaurant failed to meet my expectations, rather, it was a start of a new life chapter for me. Looking back at my earlier blog posts helped me to recall fond memories and this blog post is one that I will remember in the future. Hence the lengthy time it took to conjure the words best fitted for it. That or I do have writer's block.