Italy 528

Pizza and pasta, that's amore!

Walk in to this pizzeria e cuccina and walk in to descend on the Spanish steps of Rome. BJ deCastro's custom made painting adorns the wall, however is void of any people with the exception of a few.  Italy 528 aspires to fill its restaurant, like its steps, full of people to enjoy their food.

The modern fit out is homely, with family portraits lining the fireplace mantle. The white walls and high ceiling do wonders for the acoustics.

This casual suburban eatery is a hit among locals for its traditional dishes and use of seasonal produce.

Staff are warm and welcoming and prove helpful in guiding you through the pizza dominant menu - there are more than 20 varieties to choose from!

There is a sense of familiarity, yet nuance about this place.  Italy 528 is sure climbing the ranks of my favourite dining locale.

Eat: The a la carte menu is well balanced with Antipasti ($8-22), Le Pizze ($13-23), and Insalte ($8-15). Artisan favourite, Pizza Daniele ($19) is recommended. Ask to hear the pasta (imported from Italy) dishes of the day, it will be worth your while. If dining in is not your thing, there is an equally impressive takeaway menu. Fancy a glass of vino with your pizza?  Enjoy both for $25 from Tuesday-Thursday. Leave room for dessert and expect Italian favourites rich in cultural history.     

The menu which also serves as a place mat.

Pizza Zucca
Fiore di latte, roasted pumpkin, rocket, goat's cheese and pine nuts

Penne bolognese

Pei Modern
Bistronomy at its best

Nestled in among Collins Place is Pei Modern, Mark Best's first foray on the Melbourne food scene. Reeling off the success of Bests' Sydney restaurant Marque, his Melbourne counterpart equally celebrates fresh and uncomplicated cooking with modern elegance.

Architects delight as the former post office interior has been redesigned (by Helen Rice from Rice Architecture) to reflect a common familiarity, a place where food can shine. Head chef Matt Germanis (ex MoVida and MoVida Aqui) dazzles with fresh produce and polished cooking techniques.

Pei Modern is not pretencious. Named after architect  I. M Pei (responsible for the Louvre’s glass pyramid), there is an innovative sleekness about the place.

I arrive fashionably late, a restaurant faux pas when a booking has been made, and am set at ease by 2013 Maitre d of the year, Ainslie Lubbock. Both manager and sommelier, you're guaranteed the full service of this consummate professional. As I perch myself at the bar, order a Watermelon Who Haa, I observe Ainslie glide across the restaurant floor with ease.

A modern masterpiece, this bistro is truly deserving of its 'Paris end' location in town. Bon appetite!

Eat: Menus change daily to reflect market produce. The dinner menu is concise, with six entrees ($18-24), four mains ($32-37), with four offerings from the wood fire grill ($25-39), along with sides and desserts. In a hurry? The Eat! Pei! Quick! (or Eat! Quick! Pei!) menu ($39pp) is available daily for lunch or pre theatre dining. Let Pei decide with a five course dinner degustation ($80).

We started with a recommended entree of peppers de padron, octopus and garlic puree ($20), which burst with freshness. Two mains followed, casarecce chicken dumplings and reggiano ($32 and allow 25 minutes) and whole snapper ($42), which reflected a great combination and balance of flavours. A side of butter beans, almonds and white anchovy ($9) completed this shared dinner for two.  Leave room for dessert as we didn't.  This only meant that a return visit would be imminent.

Peppers de padron, octopus and garlic puree

Casarecce chicken dumplings and reggiano

Whole baby snapper

Drink: Watermelon Who Haa Cocktail ($18).



Mama Baba

Cute cafe culture
embraces nostalgic flavours

By George he's done it again! Calombaris and Made Establishment (the group behind Maha, Hellenic Republic  PM24, St Katherine's and The Press Club) bring you a taste of old world Greece (Cyprian) and Italian (Sicilian) in their latest venture, Mama Baba. 

The dining room, a former industrial space, is informal and inviting with little reference to Calombaris' heritage - the notable glass pasta room the exception. Staff are friendly and attentive and bring to the table some modern fun.

My favourite in his ever expanding culinary collection, Calombaris has returned to his old school charms with Mama Baba.

Eat: The dining menu is simple and digestible. With a feature glassed-in temperature-monitored cool room, pasta is the way to go. At the helm is chef Dominic Pipicelli who is the master of pasta.

Mama and baba know best with their very own selection of distinct dishes drawing on their cultural roots. From Mama's (pasta) side the Tortellini ($28) are morsels of prawn saganaki, fried chickpea, jamon, feta which are lovingly embraced in silky, handmade pasta. The recipe for this signature dish can be found here. Baba (pasta), Orecchiette ($29) is tenderly served with braised wagyu, peas, lemon, and pangrattato.

In the vain of many new restaurants hitting the scene, the wave of accessible food is gaining trend.  Can't decide? The Mama Baba menu ($55pp) eliminates any choice with four banquet style courses. The group menu is set, however does allow scope for seasonal produce.

Bread basket with butter

Tortellini with prawn saganaki, fried chickpea, jamon and feta

 



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.
 

Mamasita

This Mexican taqueria is one hot babe

Opening its doors in 2010, the former site of The Recorded Music Salon has transformed into an authentic and modern Mexican taqueria. Ever since, there has been a buzz about Mamasita with the growing popularity in Mexican fare.

 

 

Located in the Mexican quarter of the Paris end of Collins Street, bee line for the door at number 11 where you will be greeted by a staff member, with clipboard in tow. This hot babe is a walk in. Find yourself 8-10 dining companions and you may qualify for a group sitting. The reservations policy is detailed (check it out the website). Otherwise be prepared to wait, anywhere from 30-90 minutes. Brace yourself as the staircase that leads to the first floor dining room is tight. Conversations and iPads are rife. Alternatively, arrive early, 4.30-5.30pm to avoid the queues or opt for lunch from midday-4.30pm. For the night owls, the kitchen closes at 2am on Friday and Saturdays and midnight most other nights.

Melbourne's food culture is changing and the casualisation of dining has taken a stronghold. Think Baby, Chin Chin, and Longrain. Fancy foods make way for share-style dishes. Authenticity of flavours juxtaposed with contemporary offerings has favourably shaped the rapidly growing interest of Mexican cuisine in our city.

Eat: No selfies here, the share-style menu is as stated, designed to share. Staff are on hand to guide you the Mexican way. A primero to start. Half a cob of the most succulent and mildly spicy corn ($4.90) awaits. A board of tostaditas ($16), four per serve, follows. The bite sized tortillas with crab meat are our favourite. If only they made them bigger! Don your sombrero and dig into the tacos ($5-7 each) and split a quesadila ($14-16 each). The postres (desserts) draw on that old Mexican staple, tequila. The flavoured ice-cream ($6-10 each) is presented in a cone and stand which makes it interesting if sharing. Give the sweet stuff a miss and focus on the bulk of the menu, you cant go wrong.

 

L-R: Mamasita Margarita, de Cangero (crab meat, avacado, cucumber, tamarind mayo & habanero),  Elotes callejeros ("street style" chargrilled corn, queso, chipotle mayo & lime) 

de Huitlacoche
Huitlacoche, queso criollo, mushrooms, corn, epazote, pico de gallo & queso fresco

Flautas dulces de calabaza
Bluecorn flautas, pumpkin mousse & praline

Helado de maiz
Sweetcorn icream cone, caramel, popcorn

Drink: Tequila is liquid gold here and Mamasita proudly promotes this noble spirit. For an education on their extensive range along with a preview of  their other drinks, check out the drinks menu.

 

 

Squires Loft (Essendon)

Revisited

This steakhouse continues to be a local favourite in Essendon as word spreads of their house speciality, the steak!

I visited the Squires Loft in October and upon devouring a delicious eye fillet steak ($34/200g), a return visit was imminent.

Meat lovers revel in delight as your carnivore tastes will be satisfied.

Eat: On this occasion, my meat parcel of gold delivered once again. Flavoured with the house baste, the grill marks speak for themselves.

The porterhouse ($25.50/200g) is equally as delicious.

Eye fillet with mushroom sauce and chips

 

Tom Phat

Casual dining with contemporary Asian fusion
 

Local Brunswick institution, Tom Phat, delivers on all fronts of the surging 'casualisation' of contemporary dining.  Focusing on breakfast, try the famous roti omelette, the menu extends to both lunch and dinner and reins supreme on the liquid gold stuff; organic teas and fair-trade coffee.

 

From the bar, try one of the house classic cocktails or draw on the extensive wine list.  For the warmer months, there's even 'summer in a jug'.

 

With Buddha looking down on you from a corner of the bar, the dining space is warm and welcoming.  The service is equally as good. 

There isn't the novelty factor of Chin Chin, rather a traditional wok of delicious balanced tastes. 

 

Eat: Staple Thai dishes including Pad Thai and green papaya salad feature on the 'eat me' menu. Don't ignore the specials where you can find duck, calamari and beef that exemplify creative cuisine flair.

Calamari curry served with rice

Drink: Eye of the Tiger, fresh ginger muddled with lime & lychee juice shaken with white & dark rum.

Ladro

A pizza renaissance at modern trattoria

There is still an air of coolness about Fitzroy favourite Ladro (meaning thief in Italian) as it continues to deliver versatile and flexible food.  

Since emerging on Melbourne's inner city eatery scene, the fan base of artisan wood fired pizzas have stood strong. You won't be mugged of flavours with an assortment of toppings, thin crisp based pizza crusts and home made pastas. It's no wonder this trattoria has been awarded one chef's hat, (The Age Good Food Guide) seven years running 2005-2011.

Can't get a seat amid the hip deco on Gertrude, try your luck at Ladro Greville (Street) in Prahran.  There's also a takeaway menu that's popular among locals.

Best pizza in town? Ladro certainly serves up a fine slice.

Eat: Fresh seasonal ingredients are sourced to deliver a feel good menu, highlighting Italian cuisine. First up on the Gertrude Street dinner menu is the Pizze (pizza). One, along with a Primi Piatti (side) of beans drizzled with honey, is ample for two. Leave room for dolci (dessert) as the Tiramisu is a must.

Beans drizzled with 'love'

Scout's Pizza
Tomatoe, taleggio, caramelised onion, dressed rocket, parmigiano

Tiramisu

Drink: Campari with blood orange.

Taxi Dining Room

Shhh...Secret Dining Society

Covert, coveted and exclusive, Jude Smith's second Secret Dining Society dinner triumphed at Taxi Dining Room. 

 

 

Launched in July 2012, 10 guests, drawn by ballot, were lucky enough to enjoy a private four course dinner, with matched wines, at the Little Press & Cellar. None other than George Calombaris was at the helm.

On this occasion, Taxi's executive team, led by Tony Twitchett, hosted a decadent dinner party for 30 guests on the roof top deck of Transit. 

The menu was seasonal and innovative; wine was plentiful and matched each dish perfectly (thanks to head Sommelier Jackson Watson on hand to guide us through each vineyard); and the company of my 29 new friends was simply delightful.

Venue manager, Kieran Spiteri and his team, created a unique dinning experience, and a seamless service.

With weather on our side, the vista from the third floor was short of spectacular. 

Secret Dining Society is sure to flourish amid the social media landscape of emerging foodie trends. It definitely will not remain a secret for much longer.

Eat: The menu reflected Twitchett's passion for contemporary fusion of Japanese and Australian cuisine. The crispy cone bay barramundi with a yabbie curry sauce was the standout of the five course feast. A variation of this dish, features on Taxi's regular menu.

Snapper sashimi with pickled myoga & miso crumb
Chandon Rose, 2008

Taxi's sticky pork with crispy quail & black pepper caramel
Dr Burklin Wolf " Wachenheimer" Riesling, 2010

Crispy Cone Bay barramundi with a yabbie curry sauce
Even Keel Chardonnay, 2010

Stockyards Wagyu porterhouse, marble score 7+ with horseradish cream & yakiniku
Sanguine Estate " Progeny", 2010

'Ecuador' dark chocolate ganache with mandarin, star anise & cardamon
Mas Amiel Maury Rouge, 2009

Drink: A range of wines were matched with each course. Kudos to Watson for returning to some simple classics. A shout out for Heathcote's Sanguine Estate " Progeny", 2010.

Squires Loft  (Essendon)

Steakhouse with bite

There appears to be a formula in the delivery of speciality steak as demand for Squires Loft has led to a franchise of 13 restaurants nationally, with six in Melbourne.

The secret is all in the Squires Loft baste. Whether it's the chicken breast fillet kebab, eye fillet or tiger prawns, all mains are flavoured with the house speciality.

Eat: Steak, steak and steak! Sauces and baste, with salads and sides and a little bit in between. There's even a vegetarian option, but it's all about the meat here. 

The baked garlic mushroom and fetta entree cleansed the palate in preparation for the main event, the eye fillet. Cooked to order (in fact to perfection), the meat was succulent an flavoursome.  The mushroom sauce, served on the side, made for an ideal marriage.

Eye fillet with mushroom sauce and chips

Drink: Heathcote Cravens Place Shiraz 2007.

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).