Dexter

456 High Street, Preston

Dexter is a restaurant which is known as a "non-traditional American BBQ" restaurant. Although Dexter is located out of the way in Preston, it has somehow found itself known as one the best American BBQ restaurants in Melbourne. With the amazing reputation that it has amassed, we had to drop in for a snack while we were in the area.

Dexter

Hot meat donuts

The hot meat donuts are a well known favourite of many of the patrons from Dexter. The snack is especially popular during the times they are open for lunch, as the crispy and doughy outside, as well as the flavourful filling is an amazing combination.

Pulled pork bun

Although the pulled pork bun was very messy to eat, it was very delicious. The pulled pork was juicy and had a lovely flavour which was enhanced by the sauces and complemented by the pickles and slaw.

Dexter definitely lived up to my expectations of it and I would definitely recommend a visit here for any BBQ connoisseur. I will definitely be back to try more of their menu, especially their smoked meats. 

Food Rating 8.5/10

Overall Rating 8.5/10

Good Heavens

Level 2, 79 Bourke Street, Melbourne

As one of many rooftop bars scattered around Melbourne's inner city, Good Heavens boasts a beautiful view of the city skyline. Located directly above Fancy Hank's, we visited Good Heavens to share some drinks and snacks while we waited for our table at Fancy Hank's to be prepared.

View from the rooftop

Oysters with green tobasco

I absolutely adore oysters, they are one of my favourite things to eat and I love discovering what different flavours can be enjoyed with them. So while the oysters at Good Heavens did not have many negatives, they really had nothing to make them stand out from the crowd.

Nachos, brisket mole, queso

The nachos with the brisket mole and queso was possibly some of the best nachos that I have ever tried. The dish had all the positive points of a nacho dish without the negatives, such as the mixture of textures and flavours, as well as being an amazing dish to share with drinks. 

Fries with BBQ seasoning

The fries were also done quite well, with a lovely crunch and even distributiion of the BBQ seasoning. These were a treat to go with the rest of the dishes and set up our appetite for the main course.

Although we only came to Good Heavens to wait for our table at Fancy Hank's, the atmosphere and offerings were quite different. I will definitely be returning to Good Heavens, whether or not we intend to visit Fancy Hank's.

Food Rating 8.5/10

Overall Rating 8.5/10

Huxtaburger

681 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn

Ever since Huxtaburger came to Melbourne, it has been the go to place for good quality burgers without having to spend a fortune. With five outlets in Melbourne, many of my friends and colleagues regularly recommend a visit to Huxtaburger when I talk about the different burger options in Melbourne.

Clean and bright interior

 Strawberry milkshake

 The Theo

The Theo is a burger containing double grass fed beef patties, double cheese, bacon, BBQ sauce, mustard, mayo, lettuce and pickles. The balance of the flavours is done quite well, especially considering the different sauces that are used and the beef patties are juicy and flavourful. However, since the sauces are placed on the bottom and the double patties are quite juicy, the bottom of the bun disintegrated while I was eating it. 

Chips

Although the structural integrity of my burger was questionable, the flavour and composition of the burger was excellent. With that in mind, I would definitely visit Huxtaburger again, but I would most likely choose a smaller burger, such as the classic "HuxtaBurger".

Food Rating 7/10

Overall Rating 7/10

Six Slices Pizza Bar

117 High Street, Kew

Six Slices Pizza Bar is the new venture by the same team responsible for Zero95 and Zero95 express. While Zero95 is defined more by their use of traditional techniques and recipes, as well as the home of the best margherita pizza in the world, Six Slices looks more to innovate and push boundaries while still drawing inspiration from their traditional roots.

Six Slices

Aperol Spritz

Grilled octopus, crab meat croquettes

Eye fillet carpaccio, wagyu meatballs

Although Six Slices is primarily focused on their signature pizza, their other menu offerings are also solid dishes and definitely not to be outdone. My favourite of the starters would definitely have to be the crab meat croquettes, as the texture of the croquettes was very pleasant and the flavours worked well together.

Six Slices prawn pizza

Six Slices salmon pizza

The pizzas served at Six Slices differ from the Napoli-style pizza served at Zero95. Their pizza is an evolution of tradition backed up by solid Italian flavours. Unlike the traditional pizzas, each slice is crafted individually so there is an even distribution of flavours from the high quality ingredients.

Tagliolino spanner crab and calamari pea puree

Six Slices sweet pizza

The launch of Six Slices was an amazing event and not only for the food, as the staff were incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about what they did. Although it was definitely a bit different than what I would expect when having Italian cuisine, Six Slices is a must try for any foodie that enjoys discovering new things.

We were invited by and dined courtesy of Six Slices Pizza Bar.

Food Rating 8/10

Overall Rating 8/10

Zero95

904 Doncaster Road, Doncaster East

Having won the title of "Best Napoli style pizza in the world" in 2016, Zero95 is undoubtedly the place to go for high quality pizza in Melbourne. I have the luck of living quite close to Zero95, so have been visiting for quite a while and we all know nothing can satisfy a craving as much as pizza.

Zero95

Doncaster East location

Smoked salmon salad

Home-made gnocchi alla Sorrentina $26.00

The Gnocchi alla Sorrentina is one of my favourite non-pizza dishes served at Zero95. The fluffy and perfectly cooked potato gnocchi is complemented with the well seasoned tomato sauce and cheese, to make a great dish. Although the dish was quite expensive it is definitely worth it.

Margherita $18.50

Although I have visited Zero95 multiple times in the past, getting to try the winner of the best margherita pizza in the world is something that always excites me. Traditional Napoli style pizza is strictly defined by multiple rules, including being baked for 60-90 seconds in a 485°C stone oven with an oak wood fire. The cooking process makes it so the pizza is softer and more elastic than other types. Although I enjoy the softer base of the Napoli style pizza, our visit to Zero95 this time included a pizza with a base that was softer than usual. This made it so it was difficult to eat the pizza, although the toppings were still of an amazing quality.

I would definitely recommend a visit the Zero95 if you are a lover of pizza. Although our visit this time was slightly worse than usual, we still had a great time. Apart from the food the staff are amazing and if you are lucky you might see the world champion at work!

Food Rating 7/10

Overall Rating 7.5/10

House of Hoi An

1/40 Green Street, Windsor

House of Hoi An is the new iteration of Vietnamese cuisine in Melbourne. As the first overseas venture by the internationally renowned chef and restaurateur Ms Trinh Diem Vy, who is known as the face behind Taste Vietnam, House of Hoi An brings with it her decades of culinary experience and tradition. 

House of Hoi An

Tones of red

Bar area 

Fried wontons with crab meat - Hoanh thanh chien $18.00

Duck Salad - Goi vit $18.00

The duck salad was a combination of duck, cabbage, green mango, onion, mint, sesame and Hoi An chilli sauce. The duck salad was possibly one of the best salads that I have tried in recent years. The combination of multiple textural elements with fresh flavours, lovely duck and a hint of spice worked wonders together.

BBQ Chicken and lime leaf - Ga nuong la chanh $28.00

The BBQ chicken and lime leaf was a solid dish with well cooked elements. The chicken was tender with a little touch of extra flavour from the grill and the coconut rice, sauce and salad were fresh additions that added an extra touch.

Sauteed prawns in coconut - Tom rim nuoc dua $34.00

Although there were many elements in this dish, the king prawns still managed to shine through as the main attraction of the dish. While I find that some dishes served at other restaurants tend to mask the flavour of their main ingredient with many unnecessary elements, the king prawns in this dish were actually elevated with the use different flavours and textures.

Frozen banana in 3 types of coconut - Kem chuoi $15.00

Usually I avoid ordering desserts, as I find myself disappointed more often than not. However, the frozen banana and coconut dessert was phenomenal. The contrasting textures of the coconut and the frozen banana created a very pleasant mouthfeel, which accentuated the creaminess of dish. 

House of Hoi An brings something new to Melbourne's Vietnamese culinary scene. Many of the Vietnamese restaurants in Melbourne have just been churning out the same type of Vietnamese food for many years and while some of these restaurants do it better than others, it can be a bit tiring. House of Hoi An uses similar Vietnamese flavours, but instead of going down the same path, they have created a fresh approach while still adhering to tradition. I would definitely recommend everybody who enjoys Vietnamese cuisine to give House of Hoi An a try!

We were invited and dined courtesy of House of Hoi An.

Food Rating 9/10

Overall Rating 9/10

Pappa Rich

540 Doncaster Road, Doncaster 

Although when I first started dining at PappaRich they were still a relatively unknown name in Melbourne, they are now the largest and best known Malaysian chain restaurant in Melbourne. PappaRich specialises in a variety of Malaysian cuisine favourites, ranging from snacks to their special toasts, as well as many noodle and rice dishes.

Coconut paradise

Mixed satay skewers

The mixed satay skewers were a decent dish, but a little on the expensive side. The skewers themselves had a decent amount of flavour to them, which was quite pleasant and the satay sauce had a very distinct nuttiness to it.

Seafood curry laksa

The seafood curry laksa at Pappa Rich is definitely not up to the standard that I would expect from a Malaysian restaurant. While I did enjoy the fried bean curd and eggplant in the dish, the flavour of the soup was weak and the noodles were overcooked and mushy.

The service we received at PappaRich was sub-par at best. This was especially disappointing, as the exceptional service of the QV PappaRich restaurant was what kept me as a loyal customer. Overall the experience was disappointing, however if you are looking for a quick Malaysian fix, then PappaRich is definitely a place worth looking into.

Food Rating 5.5/10

Overall Rating 5/10

Platform 3

Box Hill Central, Shop 48, 1 Main Street, Box Hill

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.

Food Rating 8/10

Overall Rating 8.5/10