The Merrywell
Fun, yet daring with a twist

Sharing is caring at The Merrywell, with American duo Sammy De Marco and Grant MacPherson bringing their casual American cuisine to Melbourne's Crown Casino.

 



Paying homage to their American roots, this merry gastro pub is a tribute to cool burgers, old school faves re-invented and more.

Dishes are designed for sharing across two levels of expansive dining spaces. Upstairs, you'll find table service, sitting room style nooks and an outdoor balcony with city views. Downstairs, a burger bar serves up as the name suggests, burgers. This is real dude food!

Add a DJ on deck spinning tunes, good times are on tap at the Merrywell.

With Americanised fare gaining popularity in Melbourne, this pub is a destination for all things delicious - with flavours you will remember. Reserve your seat today!

Heading out west, check out The Merrywell Perth, the newest addition to the ever increasing plethora of restaurants at Crown Perth.

 

Eat: There are several menus on offer with the upstairs dinner menu sampled on this occasion.  Select from grazing plates (for 2 or more), salads, pub grub or something from the grill. The fish (rockling) and (skinny) chips with tartar sauce ($28) is beer battered and oven baked with love. The Angus pub burger with pork belly, egg and lemon aioli ($26), is more of an over sized open sandwich. Nevertheless it will take a mean feat to get your gob around it for the first bite. A side of Merrywell chips or french fries wouldn't go astray.

For the KAPOW factor, allow 40 minutes and go the caveman 1200g aged rib-eye, wet aged (for 2) served with crisp onion rings and house steak sauce ($99). The Fred Flintstone portion of meat is presented to you at the table, dinosaur bone and all, before being taken away for plating up. 

Fish & chips with tartar sauce
Photo: M.Elizabeth

 

Angus pub burger
Photo: M.Elizabeth

Drink: The novel 1-2 lt jugs of sangrias ($30-45) are something to been seen and tasted.

Acknowledgement: Thanks to M. Elizabeth for food styling and taking the foodie pics.
 

Village Project (formerly known as the Belgian Beer Cafe)

Beer garden brimming with Belgian delights

Located in the grounds of the former Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind (RVIB), the Belgian Beer Cafe, has been transformed into the Village Project. The name change brings with it an urban cultural community hub of an evolving range of quality and innovative food and drink.

Eat: Inside, the Village Brasserie boasts an impressive menu designed to share. Renowned for moule frites, steamed mussel pot, frites and mayonnaise, along with liege waffles (Belgian style), you could easily be mistaken for being in little Brussels.

Outside, beer food awaits. I note classic frites and mayonnaise are a crowd favourite.

Moule frites
steamed mussel pot, frites and mayonnaise
Photo: City News, www.citynews.com.au

Drink: In the fridge, cellar and on tap, a vast selection of domestic and international beers and wines were available. We enjoyed Belgian's Fruli strawberry beer. If you like the Cantillon Kriek (coming soon to the Village Project), this berry cousin is equally as delicious (if not better). 

Little Creatures
Revisited
 
A few months on from my last visit to this dining hall, I was invited to a banquet dinner that went from strength to strength with each dish that came out of the vast open kitchen. The space is pure beer and buzz. 
 
DRINK
This time round, I kicked things off with the highly recommended Pipsqueak Best (apple) Cider, just a pony. It's pear cousin was too sweet for an aperitif. I soon switched to New Zealand's Phoenix organic cranberry and lime, with cola as an available alternative.

HIGHLIGHTS



Salmon gravlax, beetroot, crème fraiche

Pan fried calamari, citrus & fennel salad

Barramundi, kipfler potatoes, roast tomato, roquette

Moon Under Water

Ideal pub at arm's length to the Builders

It has only been a hop skip and jump from when I was last at The Builders Arms Hotel, that the September Age (Melbourne Magazine) reader dinner event is held at Moon Under Water. I have been quietly following this restaurants progress, since opening, with great anticipation of its success. The venue, not to mention the menu, did not disappoint. Like a George Orwell essay, the restaurant's namesake, I am continually amazed by chef's McConnell and Murphy culinary craft. 

FOOD
The crowd favourite was the second course of Moreton Bay bugs, asparagus and almond cream.  McConnell took us on a journey of its creation, particularly the delicate handling of the bugs, steamed (outside of its shell) above 80 degrees of light simmering water. True artistry! The almond cream tantalised a fellow dinner, for its simplicity and subtle flavour.

My favourite, without a doubt, was the third course, Cape Grim*. When I was first introduced to this beautiful meat, my love affair began. Where can you buy it? I've been trying to source it via a local butcher and have found four in town that stock it. Note that several more restaurants have it on their menu.

HIGHLIGHTS 

First Course
Leeks, fresh curd & smoked anchovy, lemon oil
2007 Domaine Jacques Tissot Arbois Savagnin, Jura, France
Photo: M.Elizabeth

Second Course
Moreton Bay bugs, asparagus, almond cream
2010 Daniel Crochet Sancerre Plante des Pres, Loire, France
Photo: M.Elizabeth

Third Course
Peppered Cape Grim strip loin
Chateau Segries Lirac Rouge Cuvee rResrvee, Rhone, France
Photo: M.Elizabeth



Fourth Course
Poached meringue, buttermilk ice cream, rhubarb granita
2008 Marc Tempe Gewurztraminer Zellenberg, Alsace, France
Photo: M.Elizabeth

DRINK

Heart & Soil wines were matched with each course.

 

On weekly rotation, the four course prixe fixe menu is sure to keep you from claiming any favourites. This enables McConnell and his team to use seasonal produce, purchased on Wednesday and on the menu the following Monday, and create innovative dishes, which is challenging.

 

*Also try Robbins Island Wagy Beef and King Island beef .

Little Creatures
From hop brewery, this dining hall has real bite

For hoppy beer lovers, Little Creatures Dining Hall is the watering hole for you.Beers are plentiful, but don't worry, ciders and a generous wine list are a welcome alternative. Check out The Beers Are A Changin' for everything you ever need to know about beer. 

The no reservation policy is not to be feared as the dining hall seats many with a clear vantage of the open kitchen from any view.

When in Rome, we kicked things off with one of the house tipples, the Little Creatures Rogers Beer.  Not as sweet as a Belle-vue kriek cheery beer, but more comparable to a Hoegaarden.

Eat: The fresh cut chips were highly recommended and lived up to their praise. Crunchy and french-inspired, I could have downed the whole bowl and two sides of aioli (guilty pleasure) myself. A gold star for the eggplant pizza which surprised with its sweetness and savoury undertones.

Fresh cut chips, garlic aioli (half eaten)

Drink: Little Creatures Rogers Beer.