Dining Reviews
Purpose of the Restaurant Review Section to the website
Our aim in this new section is clear and simple: to share positive dining experiences with other food and wine loving individuals. The decision to set up this section on our website came as a result of regular requests to provide family, friends and other business contacts information on good places to wine and dine.
We are naturally drawn to our own client’s cafes, bars and restaurants as we like to show them support in return. We also know they will have good wine on their lists, and we make it a rule never to order the wine that we supply.
So you won’t find ratings and you won’t find damning reviews but you will find bright and breezy overviews commenting on the food, service, ambience and of course wine!
If you have a recommendation yourself for a venue we may not know about please let us know. Also, should you act on one of our reviews and have a great time we would like to know too.
Cheers and happy dining!
Hell of the North - Fitzroy
Date: Wednesday 21st March 2012
Restaurant: Hell of the North
Address: 135 Greeves Street, Fitzroy
Phone: 03 9416 6660
Commentary : Sarah Andrew
‘What’ you say - 'never heard of it'….intrigued by the name….you should be! This bar come bistro may well be the hottest thing Melbourne has seen in a while, and it is backed by brothers Adam & Christian Ferrante and Mark Grixti. I have known Mark for some years now, and have been patiently waiting for this venue to open, mind you that is nothing on what the guys behind the business have been through - however the wait has been worth it!
SUD Food & Wine - CBD Melbourne
Date: Wednesday 21st March 2012
Restaurant: SUD Food & Wine
Address: 219 King Street, CBD Melbourne
Phone: 03 9670 8451
Commentary: Sarah Andrew
We just snuck in one last ‘Express Lunch’ offered during the Melbourne Food and Wine. This time I booked at SUD Food & Wine, an intimate dining room tucked between Little Bourke and Lonsdale Street. I had arranged to meet a good friend there who had not dined at SUD before, but I was confident he would enjoy the experience……and I was right! SUD (s’ood) is Latin for South and the venue offers lunch and dinner Monday to Friday. Private and corporate functions can be catered for offering an intimate setting.
The French Brasserie - CBD Melbourne
Date: Friday 16th March 2012
Restaurant: The French Brasserie
Address: 2 Malthouse Lane, CBD Melbourne
Phone: 03 96299222
Commentary: Sarah Andrew
Embracing the ‘Express Lunch’ offered during the Melbourne Food and Wine, myself and three friends descended on the restaurant for a 1pm booking. Two guests really had to ‘express’ whilst two of us were able to take a more leisurely approach to the experience…..I was one of the lucky ones!
Mercer’s Restaurant - Eltham
Date: Friday 3rd February 2012
Restaurant: Mercer’s Restaurant - Eltham
Address: 732 Main Road, Eltham
Phone: 03 9431 1015
Commentary : Sarah Andrew
It was with much anticipation that after a very busy week, Friday afternoon arrived and I remembered I was meeting friends for a birthday celebration at Mercer’s Restaurant in the evening. The anticipation came from the fact that I had already decided on my choice of dessert - very unlike me as those that know me would vouch!
The French Brasserie - CBD, Melbourne
Date: Friday 16th December 2011
Restaurant: The French Brasserie, Melbourne
Address: 2 Malthouse Lane, CBD Melbourne
Phone: 03 9629 9222
Commentary : Sarah Andrew
The journey begins from the moment you step inside this contemporary and very chic CBD restaurant. The staff present as bright, friendly and super attentive and the vast space with soaring ceilings and glass create an atmosphere where time becomes irrelevant. This is a venue not to be rushed and by that I mean don’t book a ‘quick’ meal as you will miss out on the whole experience.
Claypots Evening Star, South Melbourne
Date: Wednesday 28th September 2011
Restaurant: Claypots Evening Star, South Melbourne
Address: Stall 101, South Melbourne Market
Phone: 03 9645 5779
Commentary : Sarah Andrew
This relatively new venue is located at South Melbourne Market. This is an iconic seafood bar, whose success in St Kilda and Fitzroy is well known. Owner and chef Renan Goksin has gone for a Teppanyaki style restaurant on this occasion, drawing from super fresh seafood, which is all on display in the centre of the restaurant.
Pope Joan - East Brunswick
Date: Wednesday 24th August 2011
Restaurant: Pope Joan - East Brunswick
Address: 77 - 79 Nicholson Street, East Brunswick
Phone: 03 9388 8858
Commentary : Sarah Andrew
This venue is always busy….seriously busy! Opening in July 2010 by Ben Foster and Matt Wilkinson, time has not stopped. This venue offers breakfast and lunch Monday to Sunday (7:30am - 3:30pm - ish). You will find somewhere to sit and sip out front, inside and out back in the garden. Whether driven by popularity or an original master plan, there will be extended hours and a bar offering in the near future.
Mercers Restaurant - Eltham
Date: Wednesday 27th and Thursday 28th July 2011
Restaurant: Mercer’s Restaurant - Eltham
Address: 732 Main Road, Eltham
Phone: 03 9431 1015
Commentary : Sarah Andrew
It was with much anticipation that I arrived on a cold Wednesday evening to the first of two ‘Alternate Varieties Dinners’ that I would host in conjunction with the staff at Mercer’s Restaurant. Stephen (chef and joint owner with wife Ute) and Alison (restaurant manager) had joined me earlier in the year at a similar dinner and decided that the focus on alternative grape varieties would be fun for the kitchen and customers alike.
The Crimean - North Melbourne
Date: Sunday 3rd July 2011
Restaurant: The Crimean - North Melbourne
Address: 351 Queensberry Street, North Melbourne 3051
Phone: 03 9329 3353
Commentary: Sarah Andrew
The Crimean is the place to go - seriously! This old pub (former Sir Robert Peel Hotel) may look bland from the outside, but brace yourself for when you enter as you will be taken on an Eastern European journey. The bar is beautiful; inviting, exciting and somewhere you would feel comfortable to go on your own - trust me I have done that twice in the last month! This is a new joint venture between Frank Moylan and Melissa Macfarlane (former owners of The Royal George in Kyneton) and Lazlo Evenhuis (think Gills Diner and Carlisle Wine Bar to name two venues well worth mentioning) and they have not had time to pause since opening in May.
La Piazza Bar & Restaurant - Bendigo
Date: Wednesday 29th June 2011
Restaurant: La Piazza Bar & Restaurant - Bendigo
Address: 2 - 4 Howard Place, Bendigo
Phone: 03 5444 4499
Commentary: Sarah Andrew
La Piazza’s owner, Carlo Barri has worked in the hospitality industry for over 33 years and built a reputation for excellence and quality in customer service. I first met Carlo at The Sandhurst Club which he managed for 14 years before launching his current venture La Piazza at the end of 2009. Carlo is a chef by trade, and with experience of cooking in France and Italy, he has a passion for Mediterranean cuisine. His focus on wine is to source the very best locally, offering excellent regional examples of wine and a selection of imported wines.