Will there be any Batter? - Tempura Hajime

It was the second time we loitered near its inconspicuous entrance. The first pass we walked straight by wondering if we’d misunderstood the seemingly clear instructions for the rendezvous. Glancing around furtively over my shoulder at the surrounding deserted office district, I pressed thumb on buzzer and the door clicked open in acknowledgment. Why the espionage? Were we about to be handed a stolen manuscript detailing each and every Mystery Box ingredient to be used over the entire series of Masterchef Australia? Or perhaps a draft copy of the Federal Budget leaked three months in advance?

Palate cleansing Sashimi of Ocean Trout, John Dory and Kingfish served with freshly grated wasabi root prior to the tempura courses

No, instead we’d finally got ourselves to Tempura Hajime, that widely lauded yet reclusive den for fine tempura in Melbourne. That is, the real deal. Nothing like those roughly battered and gluggy ebi tempura dunked unceremoniously into foodcourt bowls of udon that we’re more familiar with, or so our expectations assured us. We were led though a darkened bar area that looked like the waiting rooms at either my dentist's or tax accountant's. Neither had ever provided me with fond anticipatory memories so perhaps just as well we weren’t given the option to linger, but directed straight through and out the other side. We may as well have stepped though Alice’s looking glass. The famed tempura bar! In contrast this room was brightly lit, drawing immediate attention to the dominating blondwood-panelled U-shaped bar surrounded by 12 stools. Yes many will know that the restaurant only accepts 12 “clients” per night. For those that hadn’t known, it’s true, and also why a booking for an evening of choice generally needs to be secured at least a month in advance and probably much earlier if on a weekend. Our 7.30 Saturday evening spot for two took just that, though demand may have tempered as the current economic crisis continues to extend its reach. Separate bookings are staggered at 15 minute intervals so as to ensure that equal attention can be paid to everyone. Proprietor and tempura supremo, Daisuke Miyamoto is the one and only chef and master of ceremony. Surprisingly, he does not possess a domineering personality. Quietly efficient, meticulous and softly affable would be more accurate descriptions for both host and hostess. This made for relaxing and comfortable dining despite sitting pretty much face to face opposite the chef for the entire meal.

Okay I couldn't stop myself...smile Daisuke san, smile

Tempura Hajime must be contender for the most hyped about niche eating venue in 2007/2008 though the noise seems to have died down. For awhile there, the image of Daisuke san over his copper woks was perhaps the most photographed profile-in-action captured by awestruck food bloggers. There is no need to decide over the food, the $72 per head menu is fixed though you'll be asked if there's anything you're allergic to or won't eat. If this includes seafood my suggestion is to forget about the place and save your dining-out splurge for elsewhere. And it’s mainly all about tempura, albeit tempura done with pedantic attention to detail. Plus it’s all delicious though we agree with most who've dined there (and written about it) that it's really about the experience and aesthetics, from its atmosphere of covert exclusivity, to its meticulously presented food, to the delightfully quirky one-of-a-kind Japanese stoneware used in service. Personally, I was fascinated with the whole observable ritual that went into producing each piece of grease-free, airily coated and perfectly crispy tempura. I won’t detail here each and every masterpiece that was proferred for tasting but the famous and sexy tempura scallop stuffed with uni (sea urchin roe) and shiso is shown below. As a caution, I do believe some surprise in this aspect would add to one's own experience but if you must, others have detailed each morsel likely to be offered in all their glory here. Incidentally we weren't too wowed by the scallop as the 'bitey' fresh shiso somewhat overpowered the delicate mollusc, have read that nori is used instead at other times.

Definitive proof that the term 'Food Porn' is by no means inappropriate or overused

So is the experience worth it? For us we certainly walked away happy, but we do pretty much consider it a once-off (or once in a very long while) dining experience. If not exactly one-note then certainly a very focussed specialist Melbourne fine-dining offering. Don’t be fooled by the ‘tempura bar’ misnomer, a cheap meal out won’t/can't be had here. Yes it’s probably the finest tempura to be had in town but at the end of the day, a stick of asparagus is still a stick of asparagus no matter how many superlatives are used to describe it, and same goes for the prawn. It certainly can't be judged on the same food value scale as say The Press Club or Maha, but Tempura Hajime does offer a different, quite unique experience and yet another choice for those of us fortunate enough to eat in Melbourne.

Chilled sake served by Dumbo the earthern despenser

I've read around the blogs that the proprietors of Tempura Hajime may be moving on (back to Japan?), but the restaurant was still around when I checked back in April 2009. If it sounds like it could be your thing, experience it while you can! That is, if you can figure out how and where to get in...

Food: 17/20 - Innovative procession of tempura for Melbourne.
Service: 17/20 - Charming, welcoming and personable as are essential for the small space.
Value: 15/20 - Depends how much you love fine tempura in all its forms.
R-Factor: 13/20 - May be too focussed given Melbourne's choices for fine dining.
Spot Score: 16/20 - Overall interesting with a sense of occasion.

Tempura Hajime
60 Park Street, South Melbourne VIC.

Resistance is Futile - Pearl Restaurant Richmond

We sauntered into the bar and mess lounge of recreation deck at last. It was welcomed relief after a hard day down at Engineering, recalibration of the antimatter injectors had been, well, downright anti-matter-of-fact! And Chief La Forge breathing down my neck didn’t add to the fun either, that man’s VISOR misses nothing! A quick scan of the room had the effect of calming familiarity plus Guinan wasn’t at the bar, some unrecognised staffer instead. Good, I could do without her well intentioned but often overly baffling philosophising this evening. We were escorted to our banquette edged table for two but couldn’t get comfortable. Surely they could space these tables apart a little further, this was a big goddamn ship after all! Aren’t these supposed to be the intimate seatings? Hmph, only if I’d wanted to sneak a hand across to the neighbour’s and steal a swig of that Aldebaran whiskey that I've never been able to justify the credits on. Maybe I should have, it was a smooth talking Ferengi trying his repertoire of moves on his yet unwary dining companion. Our less than ideal placement was not a big problem however, a simple request was all it took for a change to a larger table towards the middle of the room. No complains from the ever efficient crew here, just a quick flurry of rearranged silverware performed with smart and beaming 24th century efficiency and we were settling back into the comfortable white leather upholstery. This was better, room to stretch and relax. From force of habit I strained my ears for pitch changes that may hint at plasma imbalances in the Warp Core. I should have known better. The room was too well fitted with sound proofing, softly padded wall panels and rubber gridded flooring. Not a distant mechanical hum to be heard, only the murmur of muted conversations in relaxation mode. “Enough!” I chided myself, time to peruse tonight’s menu. We agreed that we deserved something more than usual fare tonight, something decidedly old-school with uncommon heritage ingredients, something genuinely Earthly in origin to bring back memories of less challenging days at the Academy so many light years away. Let’s give the replicators a real challenge!

Well past the risk of revealing myself as a complete nerd, but with its stylised steel-sculptured lights, muted cream colours that contrasted against glistening wall features and ultracool retro-modern fit-out, the imagery that first struck me as I entered Pearl Restaurant Richmond was that of a set out of Star Trek. Aside from a few dark timber trimmings which spoilt the illusion a little, I probably wouldn’t have blinked twice if its fabulously efficient wait staff had wandered about in body-hugging bi-coloured spandex. Thankfully however, they were simply and more conventionally attired in smart blacks and whites. And yes, at a time when many of us commonly complain about the lack of appropriate service even at fine dining establishments, the staff at Pearl needs to be credited for being great! The team on our visit still worked to the adage of nothing is too much trouble, let’s see if we can help you out with your requests, and all with a smile. These days seemingly rare as a pure seam of crystalline dilithium!



Bread rolls with lemon infused olive oil were a good appetite starter, as were oriental spoonfuls of a tangy shaved cucumber and sesame pickle. Ordered entrée was half a dozen large Smoky Bay Pacific Oysters ($24) shucked to order and served with a limey dressing of Mint and Green Chilli Nam Jim. These were glisteningly plump and fresh enough to convince us that they could have been plucked from the distant ocean, thrown into a transporter and beamed straight into the kitchen. If it doesn’t spoil your meal and you looked closely, you could probably still see their muscles twitching. But you can get two dozen of the same from the markets at that price and they’ll be just as fresh and lively, though I guess that really isn’t the point. We couldn’t really go past Pearl’s famous signatures on a first visit, so it was the Roast Red Duck Curry, Crispy Fried Egg, Shallots, Mint, Sweet Fish Sauce and Coconut Rice ($42). A dish inspired from Thai home cooking roots but now evolved into an impressively stylish fine dining offering. It’s not hard to imagine that if I’d hankered for nostalgia and voiced “Duck Curry” into the speech recognition module of some food replicator of the future, Pearl’s interpretation would be exactly what would have materialised. A somewhat redundant five minute tutorial to instruct us on how we should tackle the dish basically summed up into ‘mix everything together and enjoy’. The curry was certainly decadent. Meaty, sticky and rich but somehow lacked the effortless subtleties of genuine sauces from SE Asia that may have been its inspiration; it lacked chilli zing and the combination of a heavy-handed rendering of palm sugar, accompanying coconut rice, and fried runny egg eventually proved slightly challenging in its richness factor. It also got overly salty. Though we did share between us, perhaps it was yet another example of Asian inspired dishes that are meant to be passed around a shared table not translating well into one dish per person dining.

Now, request “Fish” from that replicator and you’re likely to get something looking like One Side Only Seared Yellowfin Tuna, Sweet Smoked Fish Salad with Galangal and Kaffir Lime ($38). This was more to our tastes, the rare ruby-coloured tuna fillet was perfect and inclusion of faintly sweet young coconut flesh into the combination of flavours was inspired. A simple Caprese style salad of Tomato, Mint and Buffalo Milk Mozzarella with Aged Balsamic Vinegar Dressing ($12) rounded up the meal and a White Peach Souffle with Vanilla Ice Cream and Vanilla Crumble, Caramel Lace ($22) was a delightfully airy bookend. Plaudits to chef Adam D’Sylva (and his team) who according to Pearl’s new (but less evocative and inviting) website is currently in New York furthering his career.

An architecturally perfect and subtly delicious White Peach Souffle to complete the evening

Whichever way you look at it, dining at Pearl is not cheap. Let me reiterate that, eating here is expensive! Fortunately for us, we visited with a $150 voucher courtesy of KB’s friends and ex-colleagues as a generous parting gift from her previous place of work. An unexpected benefit from folks around us knowing of our love for good food!

The barman smiled and nodded in acknowledgement as we made our way to the exit, then reached for a switch under his counter. The heavy opalescent glass door slid silently open by itself to let us out. Very cool...but oh so 21st century!

Food: 4 Spots - Innovative Pan-Asian inspired cuisine.
Service: 4.5 Spots - Exactly what I had been expecting.
Value: 3.5 Spots - Pushing the envelope too far, but for a special night out..?
R-Factor: 3.5 Spots - Perhaps we’ll wait for an opportunity for Pearl on the Peak.
Spot Score: 16/20

Pearl Restaurant and Bar
631-633 Church Street, Richmond, VIC.

Disclaimers:
I am not a Trekkie.
Apologies to Trekkies; all quotes and references used here are likely to be inaccurate, implausible and totally out of context so please keep your phasers in your holsters, or at least set only on stun. Blame and flame my main source of reference instead at Memory Alpha.
Apologies to all others; once I started, I found it hard to stop.

A New Patch on the River - Seagrass Restaurant

Regrettably this post had been languishing forgotten in draft for quite some time so hopefully our experience hadn’t become too redundant. But the restaurant is still quite new so it’s worth posting about. It is obvious that we at Spot4Nosh have a fondness for seafood. So it didn’t take much time for us to hear about a new seafood-centric fine diner that opened in the city during the latter part of 2007 and it didn’t take much longer after that to find an excuse to visit, given that decent restaurants with such a focus are rather scarce in Melbourne. That the occasion was to celebrate a new job offer with anticipated salary increase made the pleasure all the more guilt free. Seagrass Restaurant had opened for about 7 weeks when we visited a few days before Christmas, which might be just enough time for it to get over any teething problems and settle into some sort of rhythm. The new restaurant is actually a spin-off of ‘Pure South’, a pre-existing Southgate resident located immediately downstairs that spouts an admirable dedication to cuisine prepared from Bass Strait and Tasmanian sourced produce. Both restaurants apparently share the same owner-managers but are operated as independent entities with respective dedicated head chefs.

Classy interior with heavy comfortable white leather-bound chairs

Seagrass can be entered from either the ground level or the floor above (the mid-level) from within the Southgate complex at Southbank. We walked in from the river promenade at ground level and were led moth-like up the stairs by the mesmerising feature column illuminated by thematic multihued panels of aquamarine blues and yellows. The dining room itself however was in calmer relief, clean modern lines of glass, timber and concrete, dominated on the river side by large tilt-windows that provided a bright airy feel and good views out to the Yarra River below. We were led to a window-side table and with the big frame tilted open to let in the early evening breeze, it was almost as good as dining on an outside veranda. A handsome shimmering chandelier called attention to a separate function area dressed in opposing colour scheme and cordoned off by a glass wall. The overall feel however, was more corporate ‘clinching-a-deal’ diner than an intimate ‘special meal-for-two’ venue although the cosiness factor improved as daylight faded into the glittering night-time atmosphere of Southbank promenade and the city across the river.

The menu naturally concentrated on modern preparations of fish and other seafood dishes, although a couple of amusing entrée choices labelled as “refined classics” offered re-interpretations of the now out-of-fashion prawn cocktail and Oysters Kilpatrick. I suspect that as a consequence of the fresh seafood focus the menu could alter quite suddenly in response to the availability and quality of the provenance, which is not really a bad thing. On our visit even at an early sitting, we were apologetically informed that coral trout on the menu will have to be substituted for an alternative as the quality of remaining supplies no longer met chef’s expectations, and later on in the evening we overheard other tables being told that the John Dory (which I had) was also out. In those early days though, this could have been due to the kitchen still refining their supply and demand requirements. Following orders, really good sourdough baguette slices with a truly delicious crust were offered. An accompanying ramekin of good soft butter was also notable as it made a pleasant change from the ubiquitous pour of so-so vinegared olive oils that have pervaded everywhere else these days. There was also a complimentary taste-starter of a faintly smoky and very moreish salmon-based spread or rillette which called for more bread, happily supplied. I was sufficiently inspired by this to have attempted to recreate it for dinner guests at home!

Delicious slivers of 16-hour cured Petuna ocean trout

Our proper entrées consisted of the special of Slow Cured Petuna Ocean Trout served with Horseradish Cream ($16.90) which was pleasantly oily, ruby coloured slivers of premium ocean trout cured gravlax style to impart a delicious mix of rich, sweet and tart flavours highlighted by bitter points of dill. A good value and impressive starter considering the very generous serving. We also tried the Roast Quail, Boudin of Chicken, Herb Salad, Shallot and Sherry Dressing ($17.50) to detour slightly from the fish courses. Another successful call with crispy skinned quarters of roasted bird contrasting well with cute little creamy chicken sausages, roast potatoes and fresh salad dressed with a faintly sweet and tangy salsa. Of the Mains, there was Pave of Atlantic Salmon, Moreton Bay Bug Tails, Crushed Kipfler Potato, Crustacean Oil ($34.90), a perfectly pink tile of salmon saddled over a textured mix of waxy potato and diced crustacean meat. On a similar fish over spuds and crustacean theme was my Crispy Sautéed John Dory, Yabbies, Silky Potato Puree, Zucchini Flower, Saffron Jus ($37.90). For a fish with a quick tendency for tough dryness if not done with care, the couple of dory fillets had been cleverly pan-roasted to produce a nice crispy golden skin yet retaining flaky tenderness and moisture in the flesh. Accompanying the fillets were a good piping of creamy mash potato, a nicely tempura’d zucchini flower stuffed with what was possibly goat’s cheese, and shelled yabby tails that may have been briefly roasted, the lot arranged over a saffron jus which had the deep rich flavour reminiscent of a reduction over roasted crustacean shells. We also shared a refreshing herbed salad ($8.50) of sliced cucumber, baby cos, radish and extremely flavourful cherry tomatoes, testimony to the attention paid to the sourcing of quality produce.

An outstanding and hearty entrée of roasted quail

Service was unobtrusively friendly and helpful and mostly provided by the same waiter dedicated to our corner of the restaurant. The wait staff at seagrass were smartly uniformed but could look just as comfortable re-glueing soles back on your shoes as they did waiting on tables, their grey-brown striped three-quarter length aprons reminded us of a team of old-school cobblers. Our overall impression of the food at Seagrass however, was a determined attempt by the kitchen to ensure that quality seafood can be showcased if unadulterated by careless preparation. Dishes were uncomplicated with the main focus certainly being the fish on offer. No precariously balanced Jenga-like stacks of bits and bobs on plates here although that being said, at this fine-dining end of the price range perhaps a little more imagination is needed in plating than the same final fingerful of mixed salad leaves on every dish?

Perfectly crisped skins on John Dory fillets over saffron jus

Back to that evening though quite full and content, we were nonetheless persuaded to try the dessert special ($16.50), a pot of luscious dark chocolate ganache served with a refreshingly bitey pineapple granita and a lightly scorched (blowtorched?) toffee-topped banana half. Like the dishes that preceded it, this was eye-openingly delightful in its simplicity.

Food: 4 spots – Finely done seafood with good choices of fish.
Service: 4 spots – Professional and amiable.
Value: 3.5 spots – Good value entrées, Mains definitely at fine dining territory.
R-Factor: 4 spots – Worth a return visit to see how it has settled.
Spot Score: 16/20

Seagrass Restaurant
MR6 Mid-level Southgate, Southbank Melbourne, VIC.

Edit: Spot4Nosh regretfully believes that the Seagrass Restaurant at Southbank is no longer in business.

Spicing up a Sultry Evening - Bismi Restaurant

Cravings for a meal of curry led us on a lengthy stroll up Sydney Road one recent warm and sultry Friday evening. The first aim of the walk was to shake out the work-week cobwebs from our heads by soaking in the free urban sensory rush dealt out by this cosmopolitan stretch of Melbourne suburbia, but our end-goal for trekking towards the Coburg end was to get to Bismi Restaurant to satisfy those curry needs.

Respective bowls of Bismi's chilli chicken, prawn masala and vegetable curry enjoyed with roti paratta

The Sydney Road (and original) branch of Bismi serves up tantalising varieties of South Indian, Malaysian and Singaporean influenced spicy dishes and curries. On entry you'll be greeted by some of the staff that hold fort over the large curry bain marie which leads into a smallish front dining space. This room basically consists of a jumble of small tables and wobbly seating cubes that would give any typical dilapidated student sharehouse a run for their money, but no one seems to mind. We're all here for only one purpose, and that's to indulge in the cheap and tastily spiced food. If there are no free tables left in the front room, which is quite typical, you may be led further into the building where more dining space is available. Once we'd achieved a comfortable balance on our stools during this visit, we chose a Mixed Vegetable Curry ($5), the Prawn Masala ($8), and a Chilli Chicken dish ($6). More than enough for a filling meal for two. The two wet curries were heady with cumin, cardamon, mustard seed, and curry leaves, the vegetables in a mild and creamy green-style sauce while the chilli red prawn masala had a hint of vinegary tang. The winner for me however was the chilli chicken, dangerously red chicken pieces that had been marinated with tamarind and a richly spiced chilli coating. Hot stuff in every sense! A plate of plain basmati rice and several of Bismi's flaky and justifiably famous Roti Paratta (Prata/Paratha) ($2 each) were the perfect accompaniment to the curries. A glass of Mango Lassi ($3) helped temper the inevitable sweating and chilli induced lip numbness. Service from the mix of hired help and Indian students was of the untrained variety and easily distracted but all requests could be sufficiently met despite the restaurant's constantly hectic environment. Again, at these prices as long as food was brought to the table nobody seemed to be bothered in the least!

Food: 3.5 spots - For tasty spicy SE Asian and South Indian style curries.
Service: 2.5 spots - Orders are taken, food arrives, leave it at that.
Value: 4.5 spots - True cheap and tasty.
R-value: 5 spots - Definitely returnable.
Spot Score: 16/20

Bismi Restaurant
848 Sydney Road, Brunswick, VIC.

A1 Pizza! - A1 Bakery and Store

In the middle of yet another patchy grey Melbourne Sunday afternoon, KB and I popped into the Middle Eastern quarter of Sydney Road to hunt for some exotic spices and ingredients (inspired by our recent Lebanese feast). In contrast to Saturdays or the weekdays it was relatively quiet and we had no problems getting a park right at the epicentre of interesting shopfronts, and only a few doors away from our primary destination at A1 bakery and store. We had a look around the grocery aisles at A1 and managed to find what we needed and a few other interesting Middle Eastern tidbits besides, but we couldn't really leave without grabbing something to eat at the bakery counter. Unlike the street outside this was as busy as ever, with a line of hungry customers ordering or waiting for their food. Fellow food bloggers have raved about the quality and great value of the Lebanese breads, pizzas and pies here, so there's nothing much we can add except agree with no reservations whatsoever!

Actually we'd stupidly already eaten before getting here so we settled on simply sharing an A1 Special pizza ($6), which was basically the medium-sized vegetarian option with-the-lot. I'll warrant that you won't see a more mouth-watering pizza anywhere, whether it be Lebanese or of any other origin. As Lebanese pizzas go, A1's delicious bread base was thickly smeared with a truly aromatic za'atar spice paste (oil, thyme, oregano, sumac, roasted sesame seeds and salt) on which was layered tomato slices, spinach leaves, seeded black olives and a deliciously crumbly feta. A loose sprinkling of mozzarella before toasting under the grill and there you have it. One word...yum. We almost went back for a second one and only the queue discouraged us from over indulging. So we contented ourselves with finishing our tall glasses of spiced herbal teas ($2.50) instead.

A1 bakery and store comprises mainly of its Middle Eastern groceries section which divides the bakery and hot food counter located at the back of the shop, from the cafe located out front. This sit-down section has a few tables spread along the glass frontage and was the perfect place to bask in some sporadic sunlight with our pizza and teas. The delightfully friendly service afforded by the busy A1 staff certainly added to its charm. Many customers ordered food for take-away but if eating-in was the choice, you'll be given a number and food brought to your table when ready. As far as ambience goes you're basically eating in a grocery store but with it's busy somewhat domestic atmosphere and fascinating stacks of merchandise, we found it a great stopover for a quick (second) Sunday lunch.

Food: 4 spots - Quick, tasty savoury meals of Lebanese breads and fillings.
Service: 3 spots - Casual and friendly.
Value: 4.5 spots - Great value for both quality and quantity.
R-Factor: 4 spots - Now I just need to quickly use up these spices for an excuse to return.
Spot Score: 16/20

A1 Bakery & Middle Eastern Food Store
643-645 Sydney Road, Brunswick, VIC.

Fish at New Quay - Fish Bar

We got the chance to give the fish'n'chips from Dockland's Fish Bar a taste test over the weekend. It was a rare sunny couple of days after continuous weeks of miserable wintry weather so not wanting to miss any opportunity to bask somewhere in some sunshine, we got ourselves down to Docklands to have a wander round late-ish Sunday afternoon. We seldom find much cause to visit the Docklands district, Melbourne's waterfront homage to high-density urban living for the wealthy and centre of gravity for graduates from the cold and soulless school of modern architecture. But there are points of interest here for average folks like ourselves, such as the city's much maligned second home (stadium) for Aussie Rules Football. There are also some interesting sculptural installations and more importantly from the current point of view, a quite eclectic collection of restaurants and eateries.

The Docklands area is frequently a howling maze of wind tunnels and last Sunday was no exception. We did manage a brief dalliance with the sun along the boardwalks but once it'd lost its standoff with the lengthening shadows of the surrounding apartment highrises, we were eager to find somewhere sheltered for a bite to eat. Fish Bar is a liquor-licensed fish and chippery (love that term) and sushi bar that occupies an impressive new-age kiosk-like structure seemingly perched over water at the NewQuay precinct. Seafood cooked to order can either be taken away, or eaten on premises on light aluminium furniture set up within a large shaded area outside. By luck or design, the area outside Fish Bar offered a calm enough spot away from the brunt of the rather icy winds while still remaining outdoors so we were persuaded to stop. We ordered the Seafood Pack ($17.50) which consisted of a serving of chips topped with 3 large crumbed calamari rings, 2 each of battered scallops and prawns, and a fillet of generic fish (the ubiquitous blue grenadier). We also got an additional fillet of Flake (gummy shark) ($5.95) to fill in the gaps. The fish could be cooked either battered, crumbed or grilled so we chose to try ours battered.

As far as a civilised meal of Fish and Chips go, what we had at Fish Bar was pretty good. The seafood served casually on open cardboard-containers was not too greasy and had spent just the right amount of time in the fryer...clean tasting cottonseed oil is used. Our fillets of fish were lightly veiled with a crisp, almost tempura-like batter which we thought was excellent, and the fish were obviously fresh with tasty flakes of moist flesh. The rest of the seafood was also quality; firm plump scallops with rich coral still attached, fresh tasting prawns and large but tender rings of real calamari. The traditional square-cut chips didn't let the pack down either, crispy exteriors and soft inside...no pedestrian over-fried shoestrings anywhere in sight here!

It was past the meal-time peak and quiet when we visited but the counter-cum-kitchen staff were young, efficient and amiable, one cheerfully helped me bring our meal to the table outside. Fish Bar also offers a choice of salads if you desire something green with your fry-up, and beers and wines are available to accompany your meal. Not exactly fish'n'chips on butcher's paper at the beach with a shimmering ocean as backdrop but not a bad spot for some people watching over fried seafood all the same.

Food: 4.5 spots - Good fish and chips.
Service: 3.5 spots.
Value: 3.5 spots - Not bad for upmarket fry-up.
R-Factor: 4 spots.
Spot Score: 16/20

Fish Bar
25 NewQuay Promenade, Docklands, VIC.

Kill the...(Large Black)...Pig! - de Bortoli Winery Restaurant

Earlier in the month, KB and I spent a leisurely weekend at Victoria's Yarra Valley wine region to celebrate a quiet birthday. It's late autumn here now though you wouldn't know it with the continuing warm weather we've been having. But what a lovely time of year to have a meander through the wineries, catching the vines in the midst of slipping from their greenery into the lemony and amber tones of the season. As an added bonus we even had a rare sprinkling of celebratory rain. Just enough to freshen and polish the thirsty landscape. It's remarkable how we all miss the rain, almost a vague and abstract concept as the country struggles through another year of record breaking drought. Hope we'll have more soon...the weathersayers tentatively tell us the signs are promising.

As part of our little weekend retreat, we had a Saturday dinner booking at the Italian style restaurant of the renowned De Bortoli Yarra Valley Winery. We'd visited this winery for wine and cheese tastings a few times before during our previous sojourns into the region, and had always made a note to ourselves that one day we'll try the restaurant. Well a quick call earlier that week, whilst desk-bound at work and daydreaming of everything else but, had secured us our opportunity! On our evening, it was already well into darkness and cool with gusts of wind and a slight drizzle as we pulled into the long dirt drive of the estate. The glow of lights from the red-bricked villa in which the restaurant is housed was welcomed indeed. Inside was even more cosy, radiating warmth from cream coloured walls and a simple but elegant arrangement of timber furnishings and white linened tables. Large lattice-paned windows throughout suggested that day-time visitors will be rewarded with great views of the surrounding vineyard, but we were happy enough just to be out of the dark as we were shown to our table. Despite De Bortoli's relative isolation from the nearby townships, restaurant staff were already being kept lively with the initial sitting. I guess with dinner bookings only being offered for Saturdays, people have to grab the chance when they can.

The menu was comprehensive enough to encourage a slow second read-through and some self debate over choices. I salivated over most (if not everything) on the list, which offered a selection of provincial Italian inspired fare tweaked to modern fine-dining standards and head-chef Cameron Cansdell's homage to local (Yarra Valley) produce. We decided on contrasting entrées of Pippies and Mussells in White Wine, Saffron and Tomato...($17) and a Salad of Figs, Gorgonzola, Rocket and Hazelnuts with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Red Wine Vinaigrette ($17). I very nearly couldn't go past trying the Pork Terrine with Lentils, Lambs Tongue Lettuce, Capers and Mustard Vinaigrette ($17), lured by the accompanying chef's note of "...a very special technique of cooking the black pigs head in white wine and aromatics for a long time to achieve a clean and complex tasting terrine". Who as a curious foodie, would not find that hard to resist? But pork derived from the imaginatively named breed known as the Large Black Pig (okay I guess the pig IS large...and black) seems to be the star produce in Chef Cansdell's arsenal, and so I'd decided to reserve it for my main event. Crusty strips of bread (actually it WAS really only the crusts, which was a bit stingy bread-wise) and a saucer of extra virgin olive oil arrived soon after orders. The oil was something else...luminescent, heady, piquant and delicious; quality stuff. We regret not having asked where it was sourced so we can get some more of it, and were still happily sopping it onto our crusts when our salad and bowl of shellfish arrived. The classical salad combination was a well assembled contrast of sweet fresh figs, sharp blue cheese, peppery leaves and a thankfully light drizzle of dressing, and we both couldn't get enough of it...more-ish indeed. The molluscs made their appearance nestled within opened shells in a light tomato-based broth sweet with their briny liquor. Fresh, uncomplicated, unadulterated, and just how we like it. Thankfully a fresh basket of crusts was proffered so we could mop this up to the last drop too! I do however, have my reservations as to whether pippies (small surf clams) have any claim to a place in higher-end, expensive dining. Perhaps the addition of a scampi half or two would have increased the value quotient even though it would've meant detracting from the molluscan theme.


Very Large...and very Black...Pigs!
(Images taken from the
UK Large Black Pigbreeders Club website).

The restaurant unashamedly sold the eating virtues of the Black Pig, in its Menu notes and in case you missed that, it's further spruiked by the wait-staff. Apparently this traditional English breed is in danger of facing extinction due to a modern preference for white porcine breeds that are better suited to intensive high-density meat production. However a small number of specialist producers, one of which is located in the Yarra Valley (Eastwind Rare Breeds Farm) have committed themselves to maintaining the breed and supplying its high-quality meat using organic free-range farming practices. Basically happy pigs are raised which are reflected in the quality of the pork! Well my highly anticipated main of Roast Local Black Suckling Pig with Mostarda d'uva, Roast Fennel, Rosemary and Garlic ($34) certainly did not disappoint. I often find pork rather bland but the carefully roasted meat in this case was tender and succulent with the right amount of fat infusing it with plenty of flavour. Then there was the deliciously thin, smooth and crunchy crackling that could only have come from a very young pig. The rest of the dish also delivered full rustic flavours, from the roast fennel and garlic to the sweetish chutney-like accompaniment. Devouring a rare breed of pig down to the last morsel may not seem like the proper or expected thing to do but apparently the more people like us know about the tasty virtues of non-intensively farmed breeds like the Large Black, the greater the demand and hence returns for niche producers to continue to maintain them. I for one, am happy to contribute my part. Our other main, a duck duo of In-House Duck Sausage and Confit of Duck Leg... ($32) was also full of hearty robust flavours. We found the confit of leg to be melt-in-your-mouth and not at all greasy although just a little on the salty side, but that was probably to be expected from the style of preparation. Surprisingly though, the sausage was perfectly tasty without being too salty. Platings for the mains were quite generous so we only had room enough to share dessert, the Warm Quince & Walnut Upside Down Cake with Vanilla Anglaise and Granny Smith Apple Sorbet ($13). The moist baked tartlet was true comfort food but the scoop of sorbet made it memorable, each spoonful reminiscent of the tartly-sweet crispness of KB's favourite green apples! Haha, she said it was a pity we had to share.

As would be expected the wine list comprised of offerings from the various De Bortoli wineries. I stretched out a glass of young Gulf Station pinot noir over dinner and of course, had to sample a glass of the famed Noble One botrytis semillon to accompany dessert and coffee. Prices by the glass were as expected. Attention to service fluctuated through the evening but was efficient enough. The waiter designated to our table was attentive and chatty up until orders were taken, then lost all interest. However our needs were sufficiently attended to by him or others when called upon. All in all a truly pleasant evening in a cosy fine dining winery restaurant serving unpretentious food prepared with great respect for the quality local Yarra Valley produce. I look forward to my next opportunity to do my part in saving the Large Black Pig from threat of extinction...it's only responsible.

Food: 4 spots - Unpretentious but thoughtful fare dedicated to quality local produce.
Service: 3.5 spots - Unobtrusive though attention to tables could be better.
Value: 4 spots - Expected prices for this type of restaurant but did not feel bad or guilty after.
R-Factor: 4 spots - There are other Yarra Valley restaurants to try but will not mind returning...and we do have a responsibility!
Spot Score: 16/20 - Recommended.

De Bortoli Yarra Valley Winery Restaurant
Pinnacle Lane, Dixons Creek (Yarra Valley), VIC.