Platform 3 is a cafe, bar and restaurant located inside the busy Box Hill Central shopping center. They offer a little bit of everything, from a brunch menu to a dinner menu as well as being one of the only bars in the Box Hill area. Their location near major public transport hubs, such as the Box Hill bus and train stations, as well as the 109 tram makes it very easy to drop by for a visit.
Platform 3
Bar area
Affogato
Long macchiato
Overall the coffees were prepared well, the ice cream for the affogato was sufficiently cold and the milk foam to coffee ratio in the macchiato was good.
Snow White
I ordered the Snow White, as it was an incredibly hot day and I am a huge lover of coconut. The rich coconut milkshake by itself was extremely refreshing, and the layers on top were great treats which added some extra dimensions to it. I especially enjoyed the texture of the toasted coconut that was added to the top.
Spicy squid rings
The spicy squid rings were the first dish that was served to us, which was perfect as the crispy morsels of squid were a light snack to get our appetites going. Although the dish itself was delicious, I felt that a dish which is presented as "spicy squid rings" should have more of a kick behind it.
Flying pigs
The flying pigs were the most intriguing item on Platform 3's menu. The dish consisted of chicken wings that had been de-boned and stuffed with Japanese kurobuta pork. Although the concept behind the dish was interesting, I don't feel like the pork added very much to the chicken and that although the dish was not bad, it was a little gimmicky.
Calabrese linguine
The calabrese linguine, although simple, was my favourite dish of the meal. The linguine, which is the most important part of the dish, was cooked to a perfect al dente, which left the pasta with a firm but pleasant bite. The sauce and toppings for the dish were also very well balanced and seasoned excellently, which made for a great main dish.
Similarly to the linguine, the lamb was also seasoned very well and radiated an amazing flavour. The lamb skewers themselves were very tender, but just slightly overcooked, causing them to be a little dry. This was not a problem though, as the flavour and quality of the dish more than made up for it.
The staff at Platform 3 are also quite friendly, accommodating and were very helpful during our visit. While I have overlooked Platform 3 in the past while visiting Box Hill, their food and service definitely warrant more visits in the future. If you are in Box Hill looking for something different, then Platform 3 may be worth looking in to.
Similarly to the linguine, the lamb was also seasoned very well and radiated an amazing flavour. The lamb skewers themselves were very tender, but just slightly overcooked, causing them to be a little dry. This was not a problem though, as the flavour and quality of the dish more than made up for it.
The staff at Platform 3 are also quite friendly, accommodating and were very helpful during our visit. While I have overlooked Platform 3 in the past while visiting Box Hill, their food and service definitely warrant more visits in the future. If you are in Box Hill looking for something different, then Platform 3 may be worth looking in to.
Food Rating 8/10
Overall Rating 8.5/10