Fonda Chadstone

1003/1341 Dandenong Road, Chadstone

When it comes to Mexican restaurants, Fonda is one that I speak of a lot. Other than being one of the larger chains of Mexican restaurants in Melbourne, they also serve good quality food at a decent price in a relaxed atmosphere. Which is why I find myself visiting their one many restaurants whenever I need a Mexican fix.

Tortilla crisps

Char-grilled corn

Char-grilled corn is a must-try dish whenever visiting any Mexican restaurant, as nobody can resist the temptation of some juicy char-grilled corn, as well as slight kick from the chipotle aioli and queso. As usual, the dish did not disappoint us, and after finishing it up quickly, it made me want to order more.

Pork quesadilla

Fish tacos

Fish tacos are usually something I avoid ordering when I dine out, as I usually have sub-par experiences with them, however I decided to give it a go as I haven't really been disappointed by any of the other dishes from Fonda. Luckily this would remain true, as the fish taco was anything but a disappointment. The fish itself was quite delicate, which paired well with the slight acidity from the lime and pickled vegetables. 

As usual I was not disappointed by my visit to Fonda in Chadstone. The staff were efficient in finding us a table even during a busy hour and the food came out quickly. The consistent good quality of the food and the service which I receive no matter which branch of the restaurant I visit, are just some of the reasons that I consistently visit Fonda.

Food Rating 8/10

Overall Rating 8/10

Nishikian

425 Springvale Road, Forest Hill

Nishikian is a Japanese restaurant that I have seen hundreds of times but never had the chance to visit. They are located on Springvale Road in Forest Hill, directly on the way to Glen Waverley, which is one of the reasons I haven't had the chance to visit them, as Glen Waverley is one of the biggest restaurant destinations in the east.

Kaisen don

Pork belly skewer

Beef tataki

The food at Nishikian is a mixture of traditional Japanese flavours and some odd new dishes with different techniques. While some of the food we found on their menu was closer to traditional Japanese dishes, you would be hard pressed to find some of the others in any other Japanese restaurant. While I do appreciate creativity in restaurants, sometimes it doesn't work out quite as planned. I personally did quite enjoy some of the dishes, such as the beef tataki and the skewers, however, some others were less impressive, such as the tuna roll and the hot pot.


Although Nishikian is located quite a distance from many other Japanese restaurants, with the closest being in Glen Waverley, I don't think I will end up visiting them again. While our meal at Nishikian was definitely not bad, the quality and number of other amazing Japanese restaurants in Melbourne means that there really isn't a reason for me to visit them.

Food Rating 6.5/10

Overall Rating 6.5/10

Rock Sugar

477 Malvern Road, South Yarra

Usually when I am planning on visiting a restaurant I like to do a little research before hand to see if anything special catches my eye. In Rock Sugar's case, although the menu looked amazing at first and I was incredibly excited to try one of their special cocktails, what really caught my attention was their website, which displayed a gif of one of the best movie scenes ever, Jean-Claude Van Damme dancing in Kickboxer. After seeing this, I knew that I was in good hands, as the people at Rock Sugar clearly have impeccable taste.

Rock Sugar

Sriracha butter corn on the cob

Beef short rib

The most memorable dish of the meal was definitely the beef short rib. The tangy dressing and the hint of spice was balanced perfectly, and the meat quite literally fell right off the bone as we picked it up, and melted in our mouths.

Fried chicken ribs

Red curry - Duck leg, pineapple, young bamboo, snake bean, thai basil

When I ordered the red curry, I was expecting something a little more intense, but instead the curry was actually very light. Although I usually do prefer stronger flavours in curries, the lightness of the red duck curry was actually a pleasant change, as many of the starters we ordered had quite intense aromas and flavours. 

Spicy papaya salad

The spicy papaya salad was a great side dish to order with the curry and other dishes. Usually I'm not a big fan of ordering too many salads and sides, as you can often lose track of how much you have ordered. However, the change in texture from the shredded papaya and the tartness of the salad provided a contrast to the heavier dishes, which was very pleasant and appetizing.

Coconut ice-cream

Mango tango

It is no secret that coconut is one of my favourite things in the world, which is why I was so excited to see two different desserts featuring coconut on the menu. While the coconut ice-cream was quite light on the coconut flavour, the coconut panna cotta in the mango tango was barely distinguishable. This definitely comes down to an issue of personal taste, as I would have preferred it if the coconut came through more, but the way it was presented at Rock Sugar allowed the mango to shine.

I was very happy with the meal overall, and although I did feel like there were a few things I would definitely have changed, those were things that came down to personal preference over anything else. Even though there are an amazing range of restaurants to choose from in the area, I would definitely say to give Rock Sugar a go, their easy to share menu and range of amazing cocktails are sure to satisfy!

We were invited by and dined courtesy of Rock Sugar.

Food Rating 8.5/10

Overall Rating 8.5/10

Cucinetta

Shop 4, 3 Murphy Street, South Yarra

From the outside, Cucinetta looks like any other small restaurant around the South Yarra area. However, they are one of only a few Italian restaurants in Melbourne to offer the "cheese wheel pasta". Apart from this specialty dish, they also offer a variety of Italian dishes on their ever changing menu.

Cucinetta

Cheese wheel pasta - cacio e pepe $23.00

Cacio e pepe is one of my favourite Italian pasta dishes, along with the Roman carbonara. Although it may seem like a relatively basic dish at first glance, cacio e pepe is a rich dish with defined characteristics, which allows you to enjoy the flavours of the cheese and pasta with a hint of cracked black pepper incorporated into it. 

There really isn't much to say about the cheese wheel cacio e pepe at Cucinetta, other than to simply give it praise. The pasta was cooked perfectly so that when it was finished, there was just the right amount of resistance, and just the right amount of cheese coated each of the rigatoni noodles after it was finished in the cheese wheel. Some black pepper and a small grating of cheese on top finished the dish perfectly, with the option to add truffle oil on top for an extra three dollars.

Although I have never visited Cucinetta for their other dishes, after just trying the cacio e pepe, I am more than happy to recommend people with a love for cheese and pasta to book a visit to Cucinetta.

Food Rating 8.5/10

Overall Rating 8.5/10

Yami Yami

1D Bank Street, Box Hill

Although Yami Yami has 3 restaurants throughout Melbourne, I have only ever visited their Box Hill location. They mainly serve a large variety of Korean comfort foods, which makes it a great place to visit if you aren't quite sure what you want to eat. But as they are a Korean/Japanese restaurant, if you look closely at their menu you will notice that they also serve some Japanese favourites, such as takoyaki and karaage.

Bulnak jeongol

There really is nothing better than a spicy Korean stew to warm yourself up during the cold winter days. While I usually go for the budae jjigae, or Korean army stew, I am also a fan of seafood, so I chose to have the seafood variant instead.

I am a bit divided when it comes to the food at Yami Yami. While I was quite pleased with the stew we were served, as it was an incredibly cold day, looking back on it there really was not much that was special about it. I would definitely not say it was bad, as I did enjoy it, but I felt like I would have enjoyed a stew at any other Korean restaurant just as much.

Despite this, I would still recommend visiting Yami Yami for some solid Korean dishes, as not only was the food enjoyable, but the staff were friendly as well.

Food Rating 7/10

Overall Rating 7/10

Brooklyn Depot

Shop 4/399 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne

Brooklyn Depot is a casual restaurant and bar which was inspired by old Brooklyn. They serve a variety of hand-crafted burgers, hot dogs, salads and desserts, as well as boasting a fully stocked bar and great bar food.

 Brooklyn Depot

 Fun guyi $14.00

Coney island $13.00

I chose to try one of their hot dogs, as the last time I visited Brooklyn Depot, I had a horrible burger experience. The Coney Island dog was actually a pretty basic chilli dog when compared to other establishments. Although I did describe it as basic, this is not always a bad thing, as some dishes are better off being basic instead of unnecessarily flashy.

Apart from my somewhat mediocre experiences at Brooklyn depot, my friend had quite a few good things to say about his mushroom burger. Other than the food, the service was also friendly and the atmosphere was relaxed. Brooklyn Depot would definitely make a great place for a hangout and some drinks, but I may think twice about returning only for the food.

Food Rating 6/10

Overall Rating 6.5/10

Ribs and Burgers

1/862 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn

As the name suggests, Ribs and Burgers is a nationwide restaurant specializing in Ribs and Burgers. They have four locations in Victoria alone and their website claims to be the best burger restaurant in Australia. 

 Old school cheese

Although I would not call myself a "purist" when it comes to burgers, I definitely enjoy something basic over one of those burgers that are so packed that eating them becomes a challenge. The old school cheese burger is a shining example of one of these more basic burgers, with an amazing char-grilled beef patty topped with cheese, onion, pickles and sauces.

Small rack of ribs

In contrast to the old school cheese burger, which had an lovely char-grilled flavour and aroma, the ribs were a slight letdown. Although the ribs were tender with a slight bite to them, the sauce they used, which they describe as their "signature bbq basting" was actually quite weak and not at all what I expected.

The food at Ribs and Burgers was definitely of a higher quality than I had expected. Even when I visit more established and well known burger restaurants I often find myself disappointed with the offerings, so I was happy with how the old school cheese burger at Ribs and Burgers turned out. If for nothing else, I would visit them again just for the burger.

Food Rating 8/10

Overall Rating 8/10

Tien Dat

3 Carrington Road, Box Hill

Tien Dat is one of the older restaurants in Box Hill, as well as being the first Vietnamese restaurant in Box Hill, since opening in 1983. Unlike many of the other Vietnamese restaurants in Box Hill, Tien Dat offers a more diverse range of Vietnamese dishes instead of choosing to specialise in a specific style. 

Broken Rice

Vietnamese vermicelli

I decided to order some of the more well known Vietnamese dishes so I could get a better scope of their overall flavours. Unfortunately I found that the dishes were a little weaker in the flavour department than I would expect from Vietnamese cuisine, as I usually find Vietnamese food to be full of strong, yet balanced tastes from ingredients such as lemongrass, various herbs, as well as fish sauce.

Although I did find the food at Tien Dat to be slightly dumbed down in a sense, when compared to more traditional Vietnamese food,  it is definitely far from bad. For those of you who perhaps aren't as accustomed to the strength and pungency Vietnamese food, or even if you are just looking for some good comfort food, Tien Dat is a visit that you should consider.

Food Rating 7/10

Overall Rating 7/10

The Moldy Fig

120-122 Lygon Street, Brunswick East

Located in the heart of Brunswick's Lygon Street in the vicinity of some big names in the dining scene such as Rumi, The Moldy Fig brings us a side of American cuisine which is somewhat under-represented in Melbourne. Although there are some restaurants in Melbourne that incorporate flavours and techniques from New Orleans style cooking, The Moldy Fig has gone one step further and not only based their entire menu off of New Orleans style cooking, but also incorporated a jazz theme into the entire restaurant, including a reference in their name.

 The Moldy Fig

Southern Fried Shrimp Po'boy

Beef Brisket Po'boy

We started off the night sampling some of the Po'boys that they offer at The Moldy Fig. We chose to try the Southern Fried Shrimp Po'boy and the Beef Brisket Po'boy so that we could try two different flavours. The Po'boys themselves were great, with perfectly cooked shrimp on mine as well as a great balance of the slaw and remoulade. If I had to be picky though, eating the Po'boy was quite difficult, as it was completely packed with the fillings, which made eating it really messy.

 Homemade Cornbread

 

 Ribs of the day

 Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo

Deep fried Southern Bites

After we sampled the Po'boys we had the chance to try many of their main dishes, such as the Prawn and Chicken Jambalaya, Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo, Turkey Meatballs, Deep-fried Southern Bites and Ribs of the day. 

These dishes were a great showcase of the New Orleans style of food, many of which I had not tried before. Many of their dishes were great and full of flavour, such as the Chicken and Sausage Gumbo and the Ribs of the day. The ribs basically fell right off the bone from the slow cooking process, and their homemade BBQ glaze and dry rub gave them a slightly caramelized sweetness. While we did enjoy most of the dishes we tried, I did find some small faults with some of their food, especially the turkey meatballs which where dry and under-seasoned.

Passionfruit and Pomegranate Hurricane

Surprisingly, while we did enjoy our meal, it was actually the drinks they had on offer that impressed me the most. Before visiting The Moldy Fig, I was expecting most of the emphasis to be on their unique offering of New Orleans cuisine. However, after trying their signature cocktail, the Passionfruit and Pomegranate Hurricane, as well as a unique twist on the classic whiskey sour I realised that their bar was also first class.

The Moldy Fig is like nothing that I have tried before. With their unique menu and amazing drinks as well as a snazzy jazz theme, live music and accommodating staff and venue, why wouldn't you want to visit them and give them a go?

Food Rating 8/10

Overall Rating 8.5/10

Bergerac

555 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne

My first experience with Bergerac was many years ago when the restaurant was still located on Melbourne's King Street. I was quite disappointed when I went to visit them again, only to find that they were no longer there. However, while looking for new restaurants in the city I happened to stumble upon their new Lonsdale Street location. Eager to try them again, I dropped my plans and visited them for dinner soon after.

Magret de Canard

Magret de Canard was a dish comprised of oven-roasted duck breast with potato fondant, served on a bed of braised red cabbage in a black cherry jus. I actually really enjoyed the flavour components of the dish, especially how the jus and the duck came together. I do wish that the duck was cooked slightly better as I did find it a little overcooked, however this was only a minor issue.

Lamb special

Pear and frangipane tart

Creme brulee with berry compote

I've been served my fair share of terrible creme brulee, from the incredibly burnt, to the overcooked and grainy. Luckily the creme brulee served at Bergerac was exactly what I would expect to be served from a nice French restaurant.  The thin burnt sugar coating lent to the mouthfeel and texture of the creamy and well balanced custard base, as well as adding a little extra sweetness. If I had to fault this dish, I would have to say that compared to the quality of the creme brulee, the berry compote did not seem to add much to the dish.

With the rise in popularity of all the modern and fusion restaurants around the city, there are a smaller number of the older style and more traditional restaurants left. With some of my favourite restaurants closing in recent times, I feel like giving some of the older restaurants, such as Bergerac some love is definitely something worth doing.

Food Rating 8.5/10

Overall Rating 8.5/10

48H Pizza & Gnocchi Bar

15 Gordon Street, Elsternwick

48H Pizza & Gnocchi bar is a popular Italian restaurant located on Malvern Road close to one of Melbourne's most well known dining districts, Chapel Street. The name 48H comes from how long they leave the pizza dough to sit and rise, as the owners believe that pizza dough should be left for a minimum of 48 hours, although most of the time they leave it for even longer, around 72 hours.

Earlier in 2017 they expanded by opening their second restaurant in Elsternwick. Not only is the Elsternwick restaurant a pizza and gnocchi bar, but they also have a delicatessen offering premium and boutique goods to customers.

48H Pizza & Gnocchi Bar

The Kitchen

Margherita

I am usually quite a harsh critic when it comes down to margherita pizzas, as they are one of my favourite things to eat. I was quite impressed by the margherita at 48H and although the toppings were quite standard when compared to other great pizzerias, the dough base was done perfectly. Most likely the result of the amount of time they allow the dough rest, the base was the perfect thickness and chewiness with a slight char which added flavour to the pizza.

Organic stradelle, coffin bay vongole, zucchini flower, black garlic, pink pepper

Black and white gnocchi, zucchini flower, Patagonia wild prawn, goat cheese, Italian saffron

Being one of their specialties, I was expecting the gnocchi dish to be quite spectacular. The gnocchi themselves were amazingly made, with a consistent texture and a firm, yet tender bite. Although the gnocchi were well made and the dish was quite nice as a whole, I would really have liked to have seen more emphasis on certain ingredients. I felt as though the Patagonia wild prawns were hidden and that the zucchini flowers really didn't add anything to the dish.

Tiramisu

Tiramisu is one of my favourite desserts and although I don't usually order too many desserts, I always have to try a tiramisu when I see it on the menu. The different layers of the tiramisu at 48H were intriguing. While they were not distinct layers, the sponge fingers lining the top of the glass were only half soaked, so there was a pleasant and light coffee fragrance, while the sponge fingers lining the bottom were saturated, creating an intense coffee burst with every bite.

Although the newer Elsternwick location of 48H Pizza & Gnocchi Bar is somewhat out of the way for me, it was definitely worth it to travel for the visit. If you are looking for a traditional Italian style meal, then you should definitely give 48H Pizza & Gnocchi bar a visit!

We were invited by and dined courtesy of 48H Pizza & Gnocchi Bar.

Food rating 8.5/10

Overall Rating 8.5/10