TASTE TESTING
Taste Testing - Luxury Travel Magazine
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Taste Testing | |||||
| By: Merry Kirkwood, Issue 32 – Spring 2007 | |||||
| (Australia) | |||||
| JUST LIKE DEATH AND TAXES, THE NEED TO EAT OUT WHEN TRAVELLING IS INEVITABLE. SO HOW AND WHERE DO YOU SOURCE INFORMATION ON FABULOUSLY FRESH-FACED RESTAURANTS. | |||||
| So: ‘fess up. Is it word-of mouth, reviews in esteemed magazines and guidebooks, or the internet that you rely on to uncover the latest, greatest places to eat when travelling? Or, a mix of all three? We turn it around and road test some real-life options in Melbourne, and also compare with what’s being said online. | |||||
| Scusami | |||||
| Executive chef, Jonathan Alston, is a well known face in Melbourne, but right now it is what he has in his hands that is the issue: a chunk of dark, rooty WA truffle. The peculiar aroma is floating around like a mysterious veil of smoke that you can’t quite make out. The mix of diners at this riverside table in Melbourne’s Southbank is silent in anticipation of the rare opportunity to hold this ‘black gold’ – albeit briefly. Momentarily it is whisked back to the kitchen to be finely diced and sliced into the evening meals. More than just the chance to touch and feel this revered culinary treat, it is witnessing Alston’s enthusiasm and encyclopaedic knowledge of his produce and providores that is special, and speaks volumes of the way he goes about business. A local gourmet favourite, with views to the Yarra, this 35-seater serves reliably good modern Italian food and has an extensive wine list. What actually arrives on your plate, is more like a colourful piece of art – so savour every mouthful. Scusami: Bookings, 03 9699 4111. | |||||
| Healesville Hotel | |||||
| Why not take a drive into the Yarra Valley, fall in love with a typical main street hotel replete with stately arches and timber verandahs, soaring ceilings, an outdoor area in need of a little love and attention, and (perhaps) a few locals who struggle to know the difference between fine dining and greasy take-away? Why not, you ask, since that is exactly what Kylie Balharrie and Michael Kennedy did in 2001. The rest, as they say, is history and after a labour of love the award-winning restaurant, (Country Restaurant of the Year, 2006), has been extended into a culinary ‘centre’ with a Dining Room, Private Dining Room, Harvest and Wine Room and eclectic nearby Produce Store and Café and now Kitchen and Butcher, all of which make the hotel a local favourite serving delicious seasonal delights such as pine mushrooms and quinces - and now a worthwhile destination in itself. Wanting to stay overnight, (since this is just over an hour’s drive from the city)? No problems, there are hotel rooms and the nearby Harvest House to choose from. Healesville Hotel: www.healesvilleshotel.com.au. Bookings, 03 5962 4002. | |||||
| Melbourne Tasting Room | |||||
| Presenting a modern glass-walled setting for diners to indulge in that favourite pastime of ‘pick and choose’ rather then to ‘eat yourself silly’, the new Melbourne Tasting Room, centrally located in the Queen Victoria Building’s courtyard (corner of Swanston and Lonsdale Streets), is food-grazers heaven. With a menu of around 30 cleverly presented light dishes squarely focussed on Tapas style culinary creations, chef Mark Zelman and gourmand Luca Bove have recently created a labour of love that offers both scrumptious Italian food and wine, with over 40 local and Italian wines on the list – often by the glass. Evening diners might choose to enjoy cocktails or a spot of jazz, but for my money the specialty hot chocolate menu (think chilli flavoured, or scrumptious tiramisu cream) hits the spot. Melbourne Tasting Room: www.melbournetastingroom.com.au. Bookings, 03 9663 3797. | |||||
| Details: Dine Online | |||||
| Menu Log www.menulog.com.au - A quick and easy reference, giving restaurant ratings and menu details. Restaurant Guide www.restaurant.org.au - Highlights ‘Savour Australia’- certified restaurants. Your Restaurants www.yourrestaurants.com.au - For Sydney and Melbourne diners. Sends you to the restaurant’s own website. Best Restaurants www.bestrestaurants.com.au - Run by De Groots. Simple, and to the point. And for the record, not all of these sites carried information on our three road-tested locations. Clearly, new restaurants take a while to be included; the Melbourne Tasting Room was not often there. Having said that, some material was very helpful, particularly the Menulog site for Scusami that was clear, accurate to our experiences, and quite thorough. (As always on the Internet, it is a case of user-beware, and word-of-mouth - and clever magazines - may be your best source.) | |||||
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