Posts Tagged ‘Tapas’
June 10, 2009 | 
Author Movida
1 Hosier Lane, Melbourne
03 9663 3038
Movida has been one of my favourite restaurants, but in the recent times I felt that the standard has slipped a little… or maybe I’ve tasted better food these days and have higher standards. Sure the oyster is still extremely fresh ($3.8) but there seemed to be a heavy-handed use of salt in several other dishes, which is quite disappointing and everything seemed to be a tinge smaller than before…GFC perhaps? There’s quite a number of empty tables on the 6pm booking.
Scallops ($4.80) with jamon and potato foam. The scallop seemed to be of a smaller breed, although it still tasted great, especially the potato foam.
This is the first time I’ve ordered this. Wagyu tartare $17.50 is extremely fresh, beautifully presented with a raw quail egg. The tartare has a good balance of flavours- slightly vinegary, pepper, parsley and onion yummmm and of course the thinly sliced toasted baguette adds a crunchy texture to the softness of the dish. Yum Yum!
Cecina $17 is the air cured wagyu beef thinly sliced with a truffle foam and poached egg. It seemed smaller than last time I blogged this and a bit saltier also. I still love it though, the truffle foam is really fragrant and I love the eggy-ness with the thin wagyu.
Fideos $21.50 Braised Cadiz style pasta with saffron, calamari and Tasmanian clams- this is a disappointing dish. Last time I blogged about this, Hubby doesn’t like it, but I forgot and ordered it again, and this time it was horrible. First of all, it’s $3 more than the one I ate in Feb- why $3 more I have no idea. It was so salty that it felt like I am eating spoonfuls of seasalt, and as I was typing this I am drinking litres of water. Some of the seafood is not fresh either. Mmmm… not happy. 7/10
Gusto Da Gianni
Cuisine: Italian and Spanish
Portside Wharf
Gusto Da Gianni sits along the Portside Wharf promenade and features a menu of pizza, pasta and tapas style food. Its the kind of place where it is a good idea to have at least one or two other people who are happy to share “a bit of everything” with you. That way you can order all the tapas that sound enticing (a lot of them) and not feel like you’ve missed out on something. Luckily for me I had just the right dining companions!
Before I continue this post let me apologise for some of the mis-focused photographs. I recently acquired a new camera (thanks very much to Min Wye) because of a silly accident with my G9. This was the first food test of the camera but we were so excited when the food came out (and my companions so hungry) that I hurriedly snapped away so we could dig into the food. I think I need a bit more practice with the digital SLR before I venture out again.
Most of the tapas are $7 to $8 for the “tapa single” serves and either $17 or $21 for the bigger “racion shared” serves.
Zucchini Flower with Goats Cheese and Olives
Octopus Gallega Style, Potatoes and Sweet Paprika – Tender octopus sitting on a yummy potato slice.
Cipollata and Chorizo Sausage – Slices of sausage in a tomato and onion sauce.
Home Made Meat Balls served with Tomato and Peas – These were really nice meat balls cooked in a very tasty tomato sauce. I think we all but licked this plate clean.
Patatas Bravas served with aioli – Fried potato pieces with an aioli sauce, we are potato fiends, so of course we loved this one.
Marinated Sardines with Cabernet Sauvignon Vinagrette – Tom really liked these and I was happy to let him have most of it.
Fried Calamari and Zucchine – Very nicely cooked calamari and zucchini fries. We shared this one amongst four but I could have had one to myself … maybe.
Black Mussels cooked in a white wine chilli sauce – The white wine chilli sauce was not that spicy (to me, though that’s saying something). I remember someone commenting that something was a bit spicy for them but I’m not 100% sure if it was this dish. The mussels were plenty and fresh and somehow I was left with the task of eating most of them. I’m happy to say I did my duty.
Organic soft Polenta and mushrooms served with italian sausage – This was the least favourite dish of the night for anyone who tried it. The Italian sausage was nice but we felt it was the only part of the dish with flavour. The polenta was mushy and tasteless and while the mushrooms were okay, we felt that the whole dish was missing something.
Most pizzas are $21.50.
Pizze Bianche (Olive Oil Based), Campagnola – Caramelized Spanish Onion, Mozzarella, Lemon Thyme & Italian Sausage. Gusto’s pizzas are made on a thin light base, almost like a pita bread. There is a definite taste of olive oil as expected on the olive oil based pizzas and while it seems like the toppings are scant they are packed with flavour and you won’t find yourself disappointed.
Pizze Bianche (Olive Oil Based), Al 4 Formaggi – Dolce Latte, Stracchino, Buffalo Mozzarella and Caprino Cheese.
Tagliatelle All’Abruzzeese – Slow cooked white veal mince ragout and mushroom pasta.
On another occassion I have tried the potato pizza and also one with porcini mushrooms and they were a huge hit with our table.
I enjoy eating here, especially with a group who like to share dishes but there is the tendency to want to order almost everything off the tapas menu. Not that you’ll regret it, you just might have to sit there a bit longer to finish it all.
Longrain
44 Little Bourke St, Melbourne
(03) 9671 3151
Longrain is our first stop for the Crawl- we were pleasantly surprised by the drinks- red or white wine- as we didn’t expect there to be drinks included. What a great way to start a Tuesday night 
!
Seamstress
113 Lonsdale St, Melbourne
03 9663 6363
Off we go to Seamstress- on the way we can see other groups hurrying to their Crawl and Bite destination- I almost wanted to give them high-fives- this is feeling every bit like Amazing Race- with yummie food and friendlier people 
We were expecting 2 dishes in this round but off we go again. Awwww 
I suppose technically Longrain gave us 3 bites (tom yum, cuttlefish salad and pork belly) and Seamstress gave us the same, it’s just that Longrain gave it to us in two lots so it felt a bit more substantial
Trunk
275 Exhibition St
03 9663 7994
So we decided to thank the friendly hostesses who have guide us around without getting lost, skip the chance to go to Canary Club for a Sangria, and head down to Harajuku for a big nice crispy banana, custard and chocolate crepe to end our Crawl and Bite evening 
Posted in Melbourne | 
Tags: Asian fusion, Italian influenced, Melbourne, MF&W Festival, Tapas | 
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78 Williams Rd, Prahran, VIC 3181
(03) 9525 2178
Excuse the bad pics, I thought that they don’t allow photo taking, until everyone starts using flash -_- …and then my camera started to half died (the lens didn’t fully open)… Anyway back to the food.
As an appetizer we were served this Beard Papa puffy cheese thing, this is obviously much fresher, slightly warm, crunchy on the outside and soft and melt in your mouth on the inside. Yummm
We selected a degustation menu, $150 per person, good thing is we got the Entertainment Book- and we get up to $50 discount- Whooo hooo!
Dark chocolate- really really yummie, although Hubby thinks it’s a bit too sweet
Lemon tart is very citrusy- only for people who likes sour
Currant jelly- soft and squishy- very sweet
The raspberry something is very light, very yummie
Overall the food is very very tasty, I am a fan of rare cooking, so bloody meats don’t faze me, however some guys complain that it’s too rare. Service-wise, most of the waiters are very smooth and attentive, unfortunately there’s one lady there who is extremely obnoxious. She only acknowledge the presence of Hubby but not myself, when I ordered sparkling wine she assumed I wanted the cheapest, Yarra Block whereas I would like a Moet Chandon. One of the pleasing thing is to meet Jacques Reymond himself, who greeted each table so warmly. Oh and Hubby wanted more comfy chair, cos his arse was numb after a 4 hour dinner 9/10
Movida
1 Hosier Lane, Melbourne
(03) 9663 3038
I’ve always wanted to blog Movida, cos the food is soooo yummie. Movida is always bustling with activity, you’ve got to book months in advance for weekends.
San Jacobo de Cordoniz $7.50-Hunter Valley Quail, partially deboned, crumbed & filled w/jamon & Mahon Cheese- this was really good, the cheese all squish out when you bite into it- be careful of the bone though! It’ s only partially deboned!
Patatas Agrugadas $11.00- Canary Islands new season wrinkly salted potatos w/ spicy Mojo picon. Doh Just realised I didn’t take a pic of this. This is a dish where even the potato lover, Hubby, is not impressed with. Potato is a potato, no matter where it comes from, boiled potato with some sauce shouldn’t cost $11
Sorry Canary Island potato with maybe some exotic sea salts
Hot Ganache $12.50- served w/ vanilla bean ice creammmm & nougat- OMG… the hot ganache is HOT and Yummy! Crispy outter layer, molten hot dark chocolate inside, coupled with subtly sweet vanilla icecream, even Hubby who claimed that he’s totally full grew another stomach and ate more than half of that dessert. Noice.
Service is good, smart waiters changed our dirty dishes at appropriate times. 9/10 again- too bad for the ordinary potatoes
Posted in European, French, Melbourne | Tags: Degustation, French, Melbourne, spainish, Tapas | 2 Comments »
Salon European Dining
Cuisine: European, Tapas
www.salon.net.au
Shop 5A
Cnr Florence, 110 Macquarie St
Teneriffe, Brisbane, 4005
Phone: +61 (0)7 3252 3911
This restaurant made me want to buy a place in Teneriffe and eat there every day Their menu is not very extensive, but I love the food and the decor and the atmosphere. You can relax and spend a whole evening there without putting a huge hole in your pocket.
Salon is a place of sharing, and they generally advised you to order 2 share plates per person for ultimate enjoyment. We worked out if you wanna try a whole lot of food, you need 5 people cos most things comes in fives. We have three people today which means we can almost try two of each- which is pretty good too
We started off with
Those who have “enjoyed” supermarket bought salmon would know that it has this huge fishy taste, but this house cured Altanic Salmon is really fresh, absolutely melts in your mouth, with a hint of saltiness from the capers makes this a perfect dish.
Very simple dish, but very powerful when everything is fresh. It’s a make-your-own so you can put as much or as little as you like.
You can have a beer or their huge selection of cocktails and wine and spend a whole evening devouring this. We are totally arguing that zucchini fries is much healthier than potatos fries so dig in! This is a suprising rich dish but it is lightly salted and beautiful with the lemon aioli.
Now to the mains, or what they called shared plates:-
Deep fried balls of risotto and wild mushroom- I was moaning with pleasure upon the first bite (mmmm sounds a bit porno but true!). The outer layer (aka deep fried goodness) is not as good as Solarino, but the creamy risotto and mushroom is just perfect.
By now you must know I love mushroom and I’ve just tried the best mushroom salad with a perfect balance of earthiness and sweetness. 10/10!
This dish has a good balance of lemoney and chicken flavour and it does have a tiny bit of chilli kick in it. I reckon to make this dish 10/10, more chilli would be nice, and it would also be nice to debone the chicken so us ladies don’t have to eat this dish by hand.
Almond pannacotta with fresh strawberry syrup and strawberries – $12.00
We are EXTREMELY full by that point but Monkylicious had insisted that we should try with pannacotta. There wasn’t much insisting after our first bite as we enthusiastically devoured the creamy vanillary pannacotta with a hint of fresh almond flavour. Fresh strawberries dotted the dish, making it creamy yet surprisingly light and refreshing. This dish is a perfect end to our feast.
Overall, the service was very friendly, the food is great and the bill came down to approx $90 for the 3 of us. 10/10 and a must-go if you’re ever in Teneriffe!
To read about Monky’s Salon experience – Click here
Salon
Cuisine: European, Tapas
www.salon.net.au
Shop 5A
Cnr Florence, 110 Macquarie St
Teneriffe, Brisbane, 4005
Phone: +61 (0)7 3252 3911
When I was small enough to still get children’s meals, Teneriffe was the home of Paddy’s Market and derelict woolstores and warehouses. Today the woolstores are still there, but inside they have been converted into stylish apartments and the river is lined with more homes (that I cannot afford).
So tucked behind some trees, underneath an old woolshed is Salon. Inside there’s a bar and a warm glow bounces off burgundy and cream curtains. Outside you feel like you are sitting in someone’s garden filled with fairy lights and candles. The benches have comfy cushions and even though you are only a few metres from the street, you feel like you are hidden away.
It was a warm night when we were there and while we were sitting outside, the breeze was coming from the wrong direction. Happily though I realized that this is what the drinks menu is for.
One Strawberry Soda, with Chambord, fresh strawberries, lime & Vodka O, muddled and served tall. Oh and some mint, which made this almost like a strawberry mojito, refreshing and sweet.
The Salon menu is made up of mostly sharing plates for tapas style dining. They recommended 2 sharing plates per person, but it was difficult to pick only 4. Instead we opted for their FEAST! For $50 per person (or $95 with wines, $80 with beers) it seemed reasonable and we would then get to try almost everything on the menu.
Our first course was a scrumptious “make your own” bruschetta. Fresh sourdough bread (soft on the inside with a crispy crust) with vine ripened tomato slices, basil and Persian fetta.
Three more dishes were then brought out as our second course.
House cured Atlantic salmon, mayonnaise and baby herbs. I don’t eat a lot of salmon… but I loved this melts-in-your-mouth salmon.
To your left, baked ricotta tartlets with caramelized onion, cherry tomato and shaved prouscuitto. While these were tiny, they were packed with mmm’s. Another tick for Salon.
To your right, wild mushroom risotto cubes with aioli. The outside was crisp, the risotto inside was perfectly cooked and oh I want more! But no, if you have committed to the feast, you need to leave lots of room for the other dishes.
Maybe the chef absent mindedly cooked too many items, or perhaps we made so much mmm’ing and ooo’ing over the other dishes, but when our very friendly waiter presented us with our second course we were given a nice surprise. “The chef has decided to give you extra.” It took a lot of self-control not to simply scream out “Woohoo!” but we said thank you gracefully and turned to the food to work out what to eat first.
Roast pumpkin and goats cheese ravioli with spinach, almonds and beurre noisette (which I now know means a brown butter sauce). The pumpkin, cheese filling was sweet and the pasta was soft and of course delicious!
Italian meatballs with tomato coulis, full of flavour and meat of course.
Spanakopita – filo pastry layered with spinach and Greek feta served with minted yoghurt. Oh I was so happy that the chef was kind enough to give us extra of these. This was my favourite of this set of three.
Course three, and first there was the seared king prawns in chilli garlic and butter sauce with herb salad.
Next up, Portuguese spiced chicken cutlets with lemon and herb dressing. Yummy chicken, just remember to dip it into the bed of dressing.
And our favourite of this three, the sautéed Swiss brown mushrooms with roasted shallots and a truffle rocket salad. Very tasty mushrooms and the shallots were soaked in the flavour from them.
The final course before dessert was the rosemary lamb souvlaki, baby Greek salad, Tzatziki and grilled flat bread. By this point we were struggling a bit, while we love the chef for giving us extra bits along the way, it means you need more stamina for the end. We managed to get through most of this, to leave just enough room for…
Churros with chocolate sauce!! Soft and cinnamon-y, and we tasted a hint of citrus. Was it in the sauce we wondered as we each took a spoonful, no.. oh, its in the churros!
Finished off with a tea or coffee of your choice (mocha for me thank you), it was a lovely way to end our three hour culinary journey at Salon. Yes, we were there for three hours, though we barely realized it until the final hour and by then we were just appreciating the little rest we were given before the final courses.
It was such a beautiful evening and to be honest I’ve decided to bring a couple friends to lunch there on Saturday. I will let you know how it goes, or you could try it yourself if you like.
Posted in Brisbane, European, Sharing Plates | Tags: Brisbane, European, Tapas, Teneriffe | 3 Comments »
Simpatico bar bistro espresso
Cuisine: Modern Australian – with Asian and Mediterranean influences
“Mains”: Each dish we ordered was between $12 an $16.
Sides: The side we ordered was $6
Desserts: I think they were mostly about $10
(I’ve listed a breakdown of what we paid below)
Cnr Given & Latrobe Tce (Go down the street off this corner, next two Cocoon – across the road from Harem)
Paddington Qld 4064
Ph: 07 3367 1117
sim·pa·ti·co (s?m-pä’t?-k?’, -p?t’?-)
adj.
- Of like mind or temperament; compatible.
- Having attractive qualities; pleasing.
Scallops with wakame seaweed and sesame oil: $12
Maybe next month.. 
Posted in Brisbane, Modern Australian, Sharing Plates | Tags: Brisbane, Mod Oz, Paddington, Tapas | No Comments »