Belleville is a restaurant and bar which specialises in their signature rotisserie chicken. Before heading to Belleville I was given high expectations from a friend, which described their chicken as "the best roast chicken in the city", which is very high praise. The entrance itself is hidden down Globe Alley in Melbourne's Chinatown and even after I found the entrance, I still had some trouble finding my way up to the restaurant.
Belleville - Globe Alley
Quarter rotisserie chicken $9.00
Unfortunately, as I was hyped up about the chicken at Belleville, I left with some disappointment. The miso-butter glaze worked quite well, but the chicken was overcooked and dry. A large amount of the skin had burnt to a char so it was hard to discern the flavours. For the sauce, I chose the "HOT AS F#@K" sauce also known as the "Liu Kang Fireball". The sauce itself packed quite a punch and was extremely spicy, but the flavours were still pronounced. Definitely not for the faint-hearted.
Tony Jaa taco $7.00
Named after legendary Thai martial artist Tony Jaa, the Tony Jaa taco had char-grilled octopus and prawns with freeze-dried mandarin, nam phrik and an "Ong Bak herb salad". Ong Bak is one of Tony Jaa's most well known films and in a way can be used to describe the fragrant yet aggressive Thai flavours of the taco.
Lobster bomb $4.50
The lobster bomb was a tasty treat on its own, however as it is supposed to be a dish based on lobster mac and cheese, the cheese was very overpowering. The Japanese mustard was a good touch and lifted the dish up a little.
The experience was fun with helpful and friendly staff, however even though most of the food was good, the roast chicken which they are known for was a little disappointing. I quite enjoyed myself there so hopefully it was only a once off problem, as I would like to return to try more of the menu.
Food Rating 7/10
Overall Rating 7.5/10