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

Woodstock Pizzicheria

Chadstone Shopping Centre, 1341 Dandenong Road, Malvern East

Woodstock Pizzicheria has been around since their Nicholson Street store first opened in 1994. Since then they have expanded to different locations such as Brunswick, Essendon and their most recent location, at the Chadstone Shopping Centre. As Woodstock Pizzicheria was introduced to Chadstone along with Chadstone's massive renovation and the opening of the new dining terrace, they recently celebrated their 1st birthday. We were lucky enough to be invited to share in this celebration event with them and to meet some of the people behind Woodstock Pizzicheria, as well as try some of their food.

Woodstock Pizzicheria

 Aperol Spritz

 Chef at work

 Bite-sized pizza

During the night there were many different types of appetizers as well as samples of the pizza and pasta dishes. While a lot of people are quick to dismiss food found in shopping centres, Woodstock Pizzicheria is quick to disprove this thought. The food served here would definitely be worthy of any traditional Italian restaurant, which makes it a great place to visit for the thousands of shoppers at Chadstone every day.

We were invited by and dined courtesy of Woodstock Pizzicheria.

Food Rating 8/10

Overall Rating 8/10

Souk

13 Bligh Place, Melbourne

It has been over 6 months since Souk first opened in Melbourne, during which they have reinvented the way some of us see Middle Eastern cuisine. Recently, Souk released their new Spring menu featuring many different smaller and larger dishes, such as the Kuwaiti Fried Chicken and Manti, as well as a DIY kebab station.

Zeytinyagli Fasulye 

KFC - Kuwaiti Fried Chicken

The Kuwaiti Fried Chicken was by far our favourite dish of the night. Fried chicken is one of my favourite guilty food pleasures and as such, I have tried the dish from many different restaurants. However, the fried chicken at Souk was levels above what I had tried before. With perfectly cooked chicken which is accentuated with a kick by their spiced pita crumbs, I would visit Souk again for this dish alone.

Icli Kofte - Kibbeh

Fattoush Salad

The fattoush salad was possibly the only disappointing dish we sampled that night. The salad was served in a pita cone as a twist on the fried pieces that are traditionally in the salad. Unfortunately, the fattoush salad could not stand up to the strong flavours present in the other dishes we were served that night, resulting in something that was slightly bland. 

Adana Meatballs

Lamb Shwarma

The lamb shwarma was another stand-out dish of the night which combined great flavour profiles into a whole meal on a plate. Although the dish was definitely a winner, it was served at the end of the banquet, which made it a bit hard to enjoy it in its entirety, as we were almost full.

Souk's new spring menu was something we enjoyed immensely. We were shown a broad range of dishes with strong flavours and fragrant aromas, as well as a contender for my new favourite fried chicken dish. Other than the food, Souk also boasts an extensive list of wines from different regions, beers and stunning cocktails. Combined with the friendly service and funky atmosphere, Souk is definitely a food destination to put on your map!

We were invited by and dined courtesy of Souk.

Food Rating 8.5/10

Overall Rating 8.5/10

Good Ovening

Shop 3, 200 Queen Street, Melbourne

Many of the Melbourne CBD's Korean fried chicken restaurants often find themselves full of customers along with a packed waiting list. Being a relatively newer name, Good Ovening isn't quite as packed as the other restaurants, however they still boast a great range of Korean dishes and drinks and definitely rate as one of my favourite Korean fried chicken restaurants! 

Garden platter

The garden platter is one of the special dishes that I really enjoy ordering at Good Ovening. The oven roasted chicken thigh had an intense flavour from the herbs and slight char, which was quite pleasant when paired with the vegetables, sauces and radish. This made for a dish that was both tasty and fun to share and eat.

 Korean Fried Chicken

First and foremost, Good Ovening is a Korean Fried Chicken restaurant, so you would come to expect their fried chicken to be the best item on their menu. Unfortunately the chicken we ordered was only decent, with a small serving size when compared with other fried chicken restaurants.

Carbonara chicken

The carbonara chicken was another one of the unique dishes from Good Ovening. Although the sauce left some of the chicken with a soggy crust, the flavour was still good and definitely something that was new to me.

Corn cheese

Chilli cheese chicken

Good Ovening has everything that makes a casual restaurant great, which makes it my most recommended Korean fried chicken restaurant. Although we didn't find anything that set apart their fried chicken, every other aspect was well above expectations. The wide range of different Korean food offerings, as well as their range of drinks, atmosphere and friendly service definitely keep me coming back for more!

Food Rating 8/10

Overall Rating 8.5/10

Rococo

797 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn

First launched in 2005, Rococo brings both classic and contemporary Italian flavours to the table and with two locations, St Kilda and Hawthorn, they are a great place to visit for some modern Italian flavours. When travelling down Hawthorn's Glenferrie Road, it is difficult to miss Rococo. The large signage accompanied by the even larger restaurant will definitely catch your attention.

Since we were not very hungry, we chose to order one pasta dish and one pizza dish to share between the three of us. Although the pizza was enjoyable, with a good balance of flavours within the toppings and a slight char on the crust, I would have to say that we enjoyed the pasta at Rococo a lot more. The reason we enjoyed the pasta more than the pizza was not because of anything incredibly special, rather it was the lack of mistakes that a lot of other large Italian restaurants often make. This includes aspects such as how the pasta is cooked, to the ratio of ingredients and sauce to the pasta.

Although Rococo would not be my first choice if I were looking for an authentic Italian style meal, they would definitely be my choice for a solid meal with Italian flavours, in a relaxed and spacious environment.

Food Rating 8.5/10

Overall Rating 8/10

Ampang Tofu

13 Village Avenue, Doncaster

Ampang Tofu is a popular Malaysian restaurant located within Village Avenue in Doncaster, along with a selection of other small restaurants and take-outs. I find myself visiting Ampang Tofu quite often, as a good friend of mine lives in the area, but it is often quite hard to find a table available, as I have never seen Ampang Tofu when they aren't busy.

Ampang Tofu

Ampang Yong Tau Foo - Dry

Ampang Yong Tau Foo - Tom Yum

Ampang Tofu is one of my favourite places in Melbourne for Yong Tau Foo, which is a dish found in many Asian countries which consists of stuffed tofu and vegetables along with other various items, such as fish balls and dumplings. I chose to have the tom yum soup as my base since it was best of the choices available. Although I was impressed by the flavour of the soup and the balance of the dish, the real star of the dish was the various pieces of stuffed tofu and vegetables.

Although I have had better variations of this dish overseas in Hong Kong, Ampang Tofu has delivered some of the best and most consistent Yong Tau Foo that I have tried in Melbourne. Unfortunately, they are a bit out of the way, but if you ever find yourself in the eastern suburbs with a craving for Asian food, I would definitely give them a try!

Food Rating 8.5/10

Overall  Rating 8/10

Portello Rosso

15 Warburton Lane, Melbourne

Portello Rosso is one of the Melbourne CBD's most popular and well regarded Spanish restaurants. Their menu focuses on their range of small dishes which are great for sharing, but also offers some slightly larger dishes as well. As a specialty, Portello Rosso also offers a variety of amazing paella, as well as a selection of Spanish and Australian wines.

We decided to try a few of their more well known dishes, such as the patatas bravas, which is a staple in Spanish tapas, as well as the paella for which Portello Rosso is known for. The patatas bravas were a great dish which we enjoyed snacking on. The potatoes were crispy on the outside, yet still soft on the inside and the generous amount of sauces, as well as the slight kick from the spice gave the dish an amazing flavour. 

The paella was the dish that we were most looking forward to, as we had heard much about it. Though our expectations were exceeded when the large paella dish arrived and the aroma wafted over us. Each individual element of the dish came together wonderfully and created a harmony of flavours and textures. The favourite part of the dish for me though was definitely the small pieces of crispy paella that had formed on the bottom of the hot pan.

We went to Portello Rosso with high expectations, as the restaurant had quite a good reputation and we were definitely not disappointed. The strong and exotic Spanish flavours, as well as the range of wines and friendly staff make for a great restaurant experience.

Food Rating 8.5/10

Overall Rating 8.5/10