When: Monday-Friday 12pm-late, Saturday 6pm-late Sundays: December, functions.

Where:27 Mc Killop Street Melbourne

Contact: (03) 9603 1601

Banquet is not vegetarian friendly

CC & EFTPOS available

 My first initial impression of Red Spice Road was mixed; it was huge and with the majority of the space occupied by a few single monster tables, it felt more like a function venue than a restaurant. Chic as it may be, practical as I’m sure it is the whole boarding-school dining-room feel was not enticing for me. To be fair however, the noise level from the patrons sitting right next to me was surprisingly non-intrusive as it absorbed into the large space. Tasteful trip-hop pulsing crisply through the air couldn’t have hurt either. Visibility was comfortably low; the dining room illuminated softly by large hanging orbs. So I was subdued by the beauty of the place and so was able to handle sharing my table with the entire restaurant.

 My partner and I made an early booking to take advantage of the ridiculously good value out-before-7pm weekday special. Diners all receive the same appetiser then select three of five available mains to share. This is all ordered from a special banquet menu (but the pork belly features on the main menu). Watch out vegetarians, there’s nothing here for you in this banquet. Steamed Jasmine rice is included and dessert is five dollars extra. All this is twenty-five dollars per person for a minimum of two people. Our choices of mains were as follows, Pork Belly with Chilli Caramel, Apple Slaw and Black Vinegar. Chicken Larb- Minced Chicken Salad with Coriander, Mint, Chilli, Kaffir Lime and Roasted Rice Powder. Beef Rendang- Malaysian Beef Curry with Coconut, Potato and Cucumber Relish.

Beef Rendang- Malaysian Beef Curry with Coconut, Potato and Cucumber Relish

We didn’t think that the serves would be generous but they were and could have easily fed a third person. You know that feeling when something is so tasty your mouth and your tummy are at war over whether to stop or continue eating? Well that happened. Good old Red Spice Road knows how to please a glutton. While the betel leaf appetizers (topped with tiny chicken morsels, chilli, coriander and lemongrass) were mere mouthfuls, yet delicious. The mains were generous bowls piled high, all presenting a good proportion of vegetables or salad to meat. People rave about the pork belly at Red Spice Road and I’m no different. Sitting in a palm-sugar caramel syrup with spicy Vietnamese mint salad, this meat was so tender and creamy that it felt like butter in my mouth. The edges were a little charred which added a welcome smokiness to the dish.

 Then there was the beef rendang; something usually so hard to get right. It was fantastic to enjoy this curry without it being too salty or too sweet yet still full-flavoured. The beef was very fatty though, and because it was disguised in the gravy I couldn’t anticipate which pieces were going to have a layer of fat on them or not, which meant that I ate much less of this dish than the others. I was glad that there were wholesome chunks of potato to snap up too. The cucumber salad with coconut on the top was a welcome refreshing crunch.

Pork Belly with Chilli Caramel, Apple Slaw and Black Vinegar

Chicken Larb was our third main and probably the least interesting of the three, although nothing about it was unpleasant. Just a little on the salty side and not as complex in flavour as the others.

 After all of this I was actually really sad that I didn’t have room for dessert. For an extra five dollars the Pandan Cream Coconut Jelly, Peanut Praline, Puffed Wild Rice, Tapioca Pearls and Coconut Ice-cream sounded dreamy. We did however blow some money on drinks. I had the Cherry Martini which was delicious but not very strong.

 I was really happy with the service at Red Spice Road. I was worried we might somehow be treated differently for coming in for the cheap dinner special but the vibe is surprisingly casual for a deluxe sort of eatery. We enjoyed lightening fast service, and genuine, friendly faces. I would definitely come back for the $25 special or an inventive cocktail (which may not knock you flat but still keep manage to interesting). It is a shame I can’t bring my vegetarian friends to the banquet, but at least I can tell them all about it.

Cherry Cocktail (Martini) $17

Food: 4/5

Service: 5/5

Ambiance: 2.5/5

When: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner during the week

Where:296 Russel Street Melbourne

Contact: (03) 9671 4815

Licensed

Grilled Beef Satay ($8)

I don’t know about you guys but I have lost count of the times I’ve had bad satay in Melbourne. Fortunately that’s all changing and you can now get great satay at (almost) rupiah prices at N’s Satay Bar in town. The restaurant is a square little room (more seating upstairs) with a communal table in the centre and chunky wooden stools snuggled up to a long, snaking ledge. If you pick one of the stools facing the window into the kitchen you’ll be able to watch your satay being cooked. And it’s quite a performance with their two-grill process; the satay are cooked on an initial grill and attentively brushed with several sauces, next they’re transferred to a smoking grill where they’re enveloped in a flavour-haze for several minutes. I ordered the Grilled Beef Satay for $8 and the result was tender, smoked perfection.

Fried wontons ($7)

Satay aside, there are plenty of other tasty options on the menu. I picked out the fried wontons ($7) and Nasi Uduk ($9.50).  While the wontons were a little on the bland side they did the job and had plenty of fleshy, crispy bits. The Uduk promised coconut rice, fried chicken, fried egg and a chicken soup and at $9.50 you may be forgiven for thinking this meal would be modest, but really it was a generous size and very decent quality. The rice was richly fragrant, the chicken not too oily and the soup had plenty of punchy flavour. It may occur to you that I’d over ordered, and you’d be right. Fortunately the price tag allows for as much gluttony as you like. I even had a Bintang too, because I could.

Nasi Uduk ($9.50)

With its flat-screen T.V. and bizarre electric-blue lighting, N’s Satay Bar isn’t as cool as Misschu down the road but rest assured that its cuisine is more authentic than its décor. With sweet, respectful staff and a real passion for genuine satay, N’s is head-and-shoulders-above most in it’s price range.

Food: 4/5

Service: 4/5

Ambiance: 2/5

Where: 453-507 Docklands Drive, Melbourne

When: Saturdays 10am-9pm (currently closed for Winter, back soon!)

Contact: (03) 93646631

Vego :)

Licensed

While this isn’t exactly a restaurant review, People’s Market at Docklands offered plenty of culinary options to be enjoyed. Heading down on a grey Saturday morning was still plenty atmospheric even with the trademark Docklands winds howling down at us. If you can handle giving up two dollars, you’ll be able to park your car within a few seconds walk of all the market action. Because the establishment is still wet behind the ears, there aren’t a huge number of stalls but what’s there is generally good. Think country show crossed with southbank market and a festival. There’s some organic fresh produce and gourmet cheese, wine, olive oil (we bought the locally-pressed garlic oil for $12) as well as jewellery, clothing and toys. Get a tarot reading, buy some art or stuff your face. There’re plenty of food options to choose from housed in shipping containers and food vans (so hot right now). A lot of thought had gone into to the feel of the market, which was much more like Melbourne bar favourites like Section 8 and (the late) St Jerome’s. Party lights arched over the main food square and tasteful music cranked-it from ample speakers. Hipster bar ₤1000 Bend had a set-up too, which I imagine would go off when the sun goes down.

So finally, we can talk about the food. We sampled dumplings from Wun Hung with their special homemade sauce. A very far cry from anything Asian, the meat was a bland chicken mix and the sauce a gloopy sweet n’ sour concoction which tasted like something you’d get with chicken nuggets. A real shame because the staff were so friendly. Perhaps you could just visit them for a chat.

Lamb gozleme and steamed dumplings

Alongside the dumplings we branched out to Turkish with some gozleme from the shipping container labelled “Turkish Gozleme”. Served by a little old lady with a head-scarf this place felt like the real deal. We chose the lamb gozleme ($10) which was came piping hot drizzled with yogurt and chilli (optional toppings). Perfect comfort food on a blustery morning, the gozleme’s simple, traditional flavours hit the spot.

Post food we then managed to nibble on as many free samples as we could find. The organic chocolate stall proved to be a good choice with all their products fair-trade and plenty of vegan-friendly options too. Try the dark chocolate and jaffa, it’s a winner. We walked away fat and happy. Fappy.

While the People’s Market till has some growth to do, it kept us amused for a good hour and was worth the $2. One of the few markets open from morning till late with a party vibe; this hits a new niche for Melbourne.

Food: 2.5/5

Service: 4.5/5

Ambiance: 4/5

Where: Shop 10, 530 Collins St (enter via Little Collins St)

When: Mon-Fri Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. Weekends: Private Functions

Credit Cards avail.

Dine-in

Vego :/ somewhat friendly

Contact: (03) 9614 4500

Mr. Mason, a new restaurant in the Collins Street Stock Exchange Building strives to give the Business Lunchers something ritzier than food court take-away. However one need not traipse any further than the Little Collins St Food court to get a hearty hot meal and wine to match. Mr. Mason seems as equally passionate about their wine and champagne as their food, and perhaps their label of “French Inspired” makes more sense when you read the drinks list than the menu. Dishes available are more Modern Australian than anything else; classic meat and veg and standard salad and chips available as sides as well as some interesting smaller plates to start.

While Mr. Mason is surely at an advantage in terms of accessibility to its business punters, it does have to make do with a fairly unsophisticated front at the entrance to the mall. While they do well to create a cosy hide-away from the bright lights of the food court, their clientele are constantly reminded of their location when they’re forced to exit the restaurant to use the public toilets across the corridor. Nevertheless the venue has pitched its market well, and will no doubt experience a good turnover with business lunches and after-work drinks.

Semolina Crusted Calamari with lemon and aioli ($12)

With a menu changing weekly, there’s always something new to try. We sampled the Semolina Crusted Calamari with lemon and aioli ($12), Charcuterie- homemade pate, terrine, rillets, bresaola, pickles, charred toast ($28) and the Roasted Lamb Rump, bacon lardons, braised lettuce, broad beans, potato dumplings ($32). The staff was very friendly, absent of any stuffiness and knowledgeable enough that I’d happily leave them to order for me. It was also a nice touch how our sparkling water kept flowing, rather than having to purchase a bottle to sit on the table.

While waiting for the food to arrive I took in the interiors which were dark and woody, with a very 70’s pebbled wall as a centre piece in the lounge area. While the carpet in the dining area wasn’t very sexy it did help to absorb the noise, something which the architecture seemed to consider with three segmented areas amongst the venue.

When the calamari arrived we were shocked by the generous portion of the “small plate”. The semolina batter was a nice barely-crunchy casing for the creamy meat, which was accompanied by a mild aioli and fresh watercress. The Charcuterie wasn’t as impressive as its predecessor, hampered by the quality of the bread, a bland pate and dried-out pickles. The terrine had a summery minty infusion and the caramelised onions were delicious but still not enough to redeem this dish for me.

Charcuterie- homemade pate, terrine, rillets, bresaola, pickles, charred toast ($28)

Our final installment was the lamb rump which while was a little rare for my tastes (I ordered it ‘medium’) was very satisfactory. A rich beef reduction generously enveloped the meat and tender baby vegetables. Perhaps most stunning were the potato dumplings; a little Eastern European influence done very well, the doughy discs slightly charred and crispy on the outside.

While the cuisine at Mr. Mason wasn’t particularly innovative, its hearty meat dishes are done nicely and would please many. It would be good to see an improvement in the quality of the cold meat dishes, perhaps a signature Chef dish to sample on the Charcuterie as well. I would definitely try a cocktail upon returning, with names like Grilled Pineapple Daiquiri and Daft Punk, it’s hard to say no.

Roasted Lamb Rump, bacon lardons, braised lettuce, broad beans, potato dumplings ($32)

Food: 3.5

Service: 4/5

Ambiance: 2/5

Lunchosaurus dined courtesy of Mr.Mason

Where: Cnr Latrobe and Swanston Streets, Melbourne

When: Mon-Thurs 10am-10pm, Fri-Sat 10am-12am, Sun 11am-9pm

EFTPOS Available

Take-away/ Very limited dine-in

Vego :/     (1 main option available)

Contact: (03) 9639 6544

I’m just as vulnerable to a tasty new fad as anyone else and in case you haven’t noticed, Melbourne is getting sausage-happy at the moment. While the Bratwurst shop at QV Market has been bustling for years, it is just recently that new sausage businesses are popping up around town. Snag Stand, tacked onto the North-East shoulder of Melbourne Central is one of them. Originally from Sydney, they have a new store here in Melbs, this time with some particularly hardcore opening hours (open till midnight fri-Sat). Not only are they catching the walk-by lunch crowd, they’re cashing in on the after hours drinking crowd too. Smart no?

Snag Stand proudly state that they only use “Australia’s most respected and awarded artisan butchers”. They’re also pretty fancy with their sauces; with the likes of truffle aioli and a BBQ one made from Coopers’ Pale Ale. They have plenty of interesting combinations all around the $9 mark. There’s also an option to just purchase a “snag in a roll” for $6.90 with toppings at an additional $1 each. I decided to tuck into the Backyarder described as “Classic Aussie beef and tomato sausage on a rustic roll with creamy coleslaw, Coopers Ale BBQ sauce and cheddar cheese” ($8.90).

I was curious to find out whether Snag Stand was more gourmet BBQ or over-priced fast food. I’m disappointed to say it was the latter; with the “rustic roll” remarkably similar to the sugary buns at the golden arches and coleslaw so laden with chemicals that it practically stung my eyes, I felt swindled. The sausage itself was great, I’ll give them that, but tarting it up with the cheapest bread and toppings they could source was a very bad move. As for the Coopers Ale BBQ sauce, I couldn’t distinguish it from the sharp tang of the coleslaw. 

I can only imagine myself returning to eat at Snag Stand under very specific conditions; very late at night after far too much to drink and an unusual amount of money left in my wallet. Snags, I’ll see you then.

The Backyarder ($8.90)

Food: 1.5/5

Service: 4/5

Ambiance: 1/5

Where: 273 Exhibition St Melbourne

When: Mon-Fri 7.30am-4pm, Weekends 8am-4pm

Contact: (03) 9663 7994

Payment: EFTPOS and CC

Dine in/Take-away

Vego :)

If Trunk Bar and Restaurant is too fancy pants for you, then you’ll dig its stingy little sibling; Trunk Diner. The philosophy behind the Diner is “food that people really love to eat”, meaning all that comfort stuff with none of the stuffiness. Even the Diner’s construction; a semi-permanent structure with plastic sheets for walls, appears to shake off the fancy frills of Trunk Restaurant just centimetres away. There’s a Mexican slant to the food and décor with a short quesadilla menu and a bucket of various hot sauces on each table. The cuisine even dabbles in Deep South with Buttermilk Fried Chicken Wings ($12) and Waffles ($11) but brings it all home with imaginative vego options and Melbournite favourites like pulled pork and Wagyu beef burgers.

The clientele are mostly city-workers, who appreciate the fast service and reasonable prices. On a weekday morning during breakfast peak hour, we got our meals quickly, only our second coffee orders lagged behind. That said, they didn’t charge us for them. The staff were great and looked like they were enjoying themselves too, a good indicator of a quality place here to stay.

Scrambled eggs with bacon ($11)

So for breakfast we had classic, scrambled eggs with bacon ($11) and the Gluten-free Brookfarm muesli with poached pears and vanilla yoghurt ($7). The eggs were creamy and hot and the bacon had char-grilled stripes and plenty of fleshy parts (less fatty ones). Serves weren’t gut-busting weekend breaky-style but they weren’t too small either. Generally I got the impression that all the meals were practical and simple. The muesli was more than I could finish, and when I had eaten all of the yogurt on top I was offered more by the waiter. I would say that because the poached pears, yogurt and muesli were all sweetened, it was bordering on sickly sweet. A tangy yogurt or less sugary poached fruit would’ve perfected it.

Trunk Diner serves St Ali coffee, which is alright, but they use large cups so my cappuccino was milkier than I liked. While the coffee is a standard $3.50 the prices on the menu are cheap enough for regulars to eat here everyday and with far better quality than the cafés at the bottom of anyone’s office buildings. I don’t think much of the Diner’s plastic sheet walls, but they do have plenty of heaters and I’m sure it would be great in the height of summer. Next time I need an affordable feed with a smile I’ll be at Trunk Diner.

Brookfarm muesli with poached pears and vanilla yoghurt ($7)

Food: 3/5

Service: 5/5

Ambiance: 2.5/5

Location: 300 Smith St, Collingwood

Contact: +(613) 9417 1377

Dine in & Take-away available

Pricing: Breakfast approx $14, Sandwiches approx $9, Mains approx $17

Hours: Tuesday-Sat 8am-12am Sunday 8am-1pm

Payment methods: Mastercard, VISA, EFTPOS

Vego :)

Vegan :(

This review was originally written for and published by Aduki Independent Press, which is a small press located in Melbourne and dedicated to publishing issues which are not covered in the mainstream media. In this case, Aduki asked Lunchosaurus to review a vegetarian option in a non-strictly-vegetarian restaurant. 

Cavallero’s large floor-to-ceiling windows beam out at the Smith Street traffic but you’ll need to pass through an iron gate and creaky old door to get inside. The interior is minimal and smooth with a warm colour-scheme of woody surfaces and slightly grubby, white walls. The combination of the clean lines of the long dark bar (complete with sweet little bag hooks), chocolate leather stools and a grungy brick wall make for an enjoyable experience. The place has a converted warehouse feel to it thanks to hard brick walls and high ceilings which are a panelled with gorgeous cherry-brown boards. The defining feature is a mounted deer head jutting out of the empty white wall behind the bar. It’s beautiful brown and white coat mirrors the colours of the venue, but it is perhaps not the friendliest gesture to a vegetarian diner.

We arrived at Cavallero at lunchtime on a Saturday, the service was friendly and water provided straight away, which saved me the awkward “I’ll just have water thanks” low-income-earner line. Speaking of low income, Cavallero seems reasonably priced but when the food shows up, it’s more a snack sized. Value-for-money this place is not. The menu is separated into Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner although I’m sure the Breakfast stretched into the afternoon. The best value options would almost definitely be the sandwiches served with bouncy, thick bread for around $8-$9. The vegetarian options were the soup of the day (pumpkin), a fresh tomato and ricotta sandwich or cauliflower fritters with poached egg, wilted cavelo nero and burnt onion yoghurt, the latter being my final decision.

Before our food arrived we enjoyed a latte and a cappuccino, both looked good but failed to deliver any kick. The weak flavour disappointed us, the only consolation being the high quality chocolate dusting on the cappuccino. There was little time to dwell on this though, as our meals arrived promptly.

As mentioned, the food portions were small, and while my dining partner was happy with his $8.50 sandwich, I was pretty surly about forking out $17 for three fritters the size of a baby’s hand (pictured). The fritters, though small were quite good. They had a softly sweet flavour though this was predominately overpowered by the curry taste of cumin. The burnt onion yoghurt tasted exactly like burnt onion yoghurt, which I’m still unsure about whether this was a good or bad thing. If anything it was risqué but worked well smeared over the fritters. The cavelo nero was probably too bizarre a choice for me, the texture was thick and rubbery with a strong bitter taste suited more appropriately to Asian food. Fortunately the dish came speckled with cold little pieces of chopped tomato and a light dressing. This brought a freshness to the heavy starch of the fritters and the strong onion yoghurt. I personally found this dish a little on the weird side, but I definitely think that many people would appreciate this factor. The meal was edgy and sophisticated but it wasn’t easy for me to get into. Perhaps it was appropriate that it was only a small serving, as the blending of flavours was so unusual.

Cavallero looks more than anything like a bar, and a bar I would like to have a drink at. Unfortunately for me though, if I drink in the day I need to write off the entire afternoon and perhaps the evening. Yet many should take advantage of the long bar and nice selection of beers. Cavellero’s flashy, open, feel draws comparisons to Cookie in the CBD, but far less noisy. However if you are looking for a hearty feed this may not be your place, especially if you’re a vegetarian. 

Food: 3/5

Service: 4/5

Ambiance: 4.5/5