Hi, my name is Alex Beazley, and I’m a Movidaholic.
MoVida (the original, at 1 Hosier Lane, Melbourne).
Rain, hail or shine (in this case rain), whenever I touch down in Melbourne, I make tracks for MoVida. I maintain I hold the quickest Airport to Movida time bar none. I am also well and truly happy to fight it out with the plethora of lonely planet guide holding Scandinavian tourists, the various and ethnically diverse wedding processions rolling down Hosier Lane, the hooded graffiti artists, and finally the horde of regular Movidaphiles usually lining out the door. I don’t even get a table. But by hell or high water I will be squeezed onto a bar stool, next to a drunken Irish man, and between a pair of too cool for school Melbourne-ites. Yes, I really do rate this place quite highly.
Eating at Movida should be easy, but many people get it wrong. The less time you spend faffing about the better, it’s a busy place and the staff, despite being excellent, have a lot on their plate. This is how I do it. Sit down, yes you heard me, bums on seats please, the toilet, phone call, domestic disturbance outside can and will wait. Ask for a glass of dry sherry/beer/white wine, whatever is good/would usually take your fancy. Next, ask for one of every tapa on the menu. It’s that easy. Suddenly, despite being the most recent person to sit down, you will have a drink, bread (for $1, which is donated to charity) and tapa with banging flavours arriving all around you. This will be much to the envy of those ‘indie’ hipsters beside you who decided to google translate every Spanish word on the menu. Sure thing buddy. 
Technically, the food and the flavours are not overworked or overcomplicated. It’s not ground breaking stuff, but rather consistent, flavoursome and genuine food. Since my last visit earlier this year the menu had changed and yet all of my favourites had remained. Perfect. My favourite Movida dish by far is the Caballa Ahumada ($6) or cold smoked mackerel with pine nut gazpacho sorbet. The smoky, nutty, sweet thing going on here is something I can still taste to this day. The Sopa ($4) or garlic soup with calamari was not nearly as garlicy as it sounds, and the Anchoa ($4.50) or anchovy crouton with smoked tomato sorbet was another main stay menu item for all the right reasons. Braised salt cod tripe ($4) is not for the faint hearted and for a small dish packs in the flavour. All in all there were 11 tapa on the menu as of late September, and none of them disappointed. My sampling of the larger dishes included the Bistec Tartare or wagyu tartare ($18.50) and Pulpo or chargrilled octopus ($25.00). These were equally successful in the taste department and certainly reasonably portioned. I did, and much to the amazement of staff, splash out on a further 3 desserts, of which the salted chocolate and olive oil ice cream was the one I remember most fondly. 
It would be easy for a popular place like MoVida to start slacking on the little things, but as far as I could see, the toilets were clean, the cutlery and crockery polished, the food was simple but well-presented and the staff remained cool, friendly and informative from start to finish. If you haven’t eaten at MoVida yet, I’d hop to it. And for those in Sydney, I hear the MoVida there is just as good!
Final words:
Bookings for a table is essential, but ‘walk-ins’ (let’s say no more than 3 people) can often find bar space.
MoVida Bar de Tapas - 1 Hosier Lane, Melbourne Open lunch and dinner 7 days a week: 12pm to late For bookings: +61 3 9663 3038 - See more at: http://movida.com.au
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Attica
Eleven Basils, Eight Courses, Four Diners, One Great Attica Experience.
This was my first dining experience at Attica. I don’t usually float around the words ‘dining experience’ unless it was truly something more than simply eating and drinking. Attica had it all from stunning, organically presented food to faultless, informative service and a wine list, which covered all the necessities and so much more.
Attica probably isn’t the sort of place to go on an awkward first date, or if you have no real interest in food, as I suspect was the case on a few tables around us. The macho, well dressed, Hugo Boss model lawyer types, with their scantily clad, fake tan, blonde bimbo girlfriends, probably don’t get as much from the ‘Attica experience’ as you or I. It is, without question, an involved process. You may find yourself rolling your own sorrel leaves, in a weird foods junkie joint, kind of way. You might also be whipped away to the herb garden out back to chat about their 11 different kinds of basil, drink cider and roast marshmallows with a chef who, as proudly claimed, certainly looks like the type of bloke to graffiti the outside wall with his cooking inspirations.
The Blonde, the Giant, the Business Partner and the Queenslander represented a table with varying degrees of ‘food experience’, but we were all willing and able participants for the ‘Attica experience’. The pre-dinner snacks ranged from beautiful glossy pickled carrots, deep-fried mussels, to oysters and sorrel leaves. Needless to say, these simple ingredients were as tasty as they come. We eventually all chose the 8-course degustation menu (opposed to the 5 course which operates Tuesday-Thursday only) with matched wines, except for the blonde, who was tasked with rolling us all home. She initially improvised with a mocktail, and then furthermore by ‘refreshing’ it with her sparkling water, as if to now resemble the mocktail’s ugly sister in-law. Table etiquette was temporarily suspended.
In reality, the whole menu was a highlight. The “Crab, Shitake, Eleven Basil” dish (yes there was 11 different types apparently!) started the night off on an extremely refreshing note. “A simple dish of Potato cooked in the earth it was grown” (insert) was not only intriguing to read on the menu, but also to eat, talk about and reminisce on for many weeks to come (just think the most outrageously awesome baked potato of all time). “Whiting in Paperbark” was the dish which generated the most table-to-waiter conversation, if not for the sheer audacity of serving a dish wrapped in paperbark. Attica’s ability to achieve the balance between simplicity and subtlety of flavour, whilst remaining utterly delicious, kept us all enthralled. The crowd favourite, however, went to the “Flinders Island Wallaby, Scorched Macadamia, Ground Berry” (although given it was served with the first red wine of the night, some biases may be observed).
Desserts continued to wow, “Fresh Curd Ice Cream and Blueberries” (cheekily served fresh and dried) was marginally ahead in my books as the winner in the dessert. The final course named “Plight of the Bees” certainly fitted in the ‘interesting’ column, combining pumpkin, mango, honey and several other unusual flavours (made less discernible admittedly, by the now ever apparent effects of wine matching).
This blog has been a little more food orientated than some previous, because the food really is the biggest talking point about Attica. Sure the décor is smart, the service and wine matching superb, but without paying huge respect to this kitchen team would be a sin. Having said this, special mention must go to the three floor staff who; lined up the next day at 7:30am for the Court of Master Sommeliers Course and Exam. At around $300 with matched wines, I consider the Attica ‘experience’ better than many washed out music concerts, candy fuelled theme parks adventures and shoe shopping splurges many of us engage in. Although caution to readers, pick your company wisely, it mightn’t be for everyone.
Need to Know
This is the sort of place you were your suit to, take ‘the one’ to, or have a fun foodie experience with friends at. It is not the sort of place you order rum and cokes at, take ‘the mistress’ to, or demand your wallaby cooked well done at.
Alex Beazley
Food Critic without a Face
Nationally recognised on paper, but never by his face.
With a long history in food, he lives for fine consumption; join his adventures.
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Food Critic without a face - Alex Beazley
From zooming in an elevator to the umpteenth floor, to the well suited wait staff who glide around with impossible charisma and then the sudden urge to proclaim “yes, my martini will be shaken, god damn it”!
Vue de Monde probably wins the award for the most expensive restaurant I have ever been to in Australia, and I’d do it all again in a heartbeat. Indeed Vue de Monde probably wins several ‘most expensive awards’ e.g. most expensive views in Melbourne (and they are breathtaking), most expensive cutlery (rumoured to be over $600 apiece), most expensive decorative table pebbles, most expensive bathrooms, most expensive cellar, most expensive kettle chips/dipping puree and the list goes on...
Located on the 55th floor of the Rialto South Tower, Vue de Monde is a ‘special occasion’ type of place. So when the waiter asked if there was an occasion for the evenings meal, the Blonde’s response of “I woke up today... you know how it is”, probably wasn’t what he was fishing for. Dressed in our best refinery, the Blonde, the Business Partner and the Queenslander (who actually donned a tie for the occasion) all agreed that dinner plans at Vue de Monde was a special occasion. We were fortunate enough to literally have a window table (at sunset too), but the floor space is so thoughtful, that even ‘back’ tables would find it hard not to feel as though they had the best seats in the house. It’s rarity for a restaurant in Australia to be in the position, where they can focus on the small details like these.
Moving away from my usual drink of choice, the Negroni, I was tempted by the waiter’s suggestion of Champagne. Not just any champagne, but one of my favourite ‘grower champagnes’ Larmandier-Bernier. These types of Champagne differ from so-called ‘Grand Marques’ e.g. Bollinger, Ruinart etc because they are typically more terroir or crufocussed, a more recent but exciting phenomenon in Champagne (just for your information!). Naturally, we chose the degustation menu with matched wines, and it didn’t disappoint. Amuse kicked off almost immediately, including Salt Cured Wallaby, Smoked Eel, Kettles with Macadamia, Natural Oysters, and a most pleasantly unusual dish of Peas, Pistachio and Strawberries which required you to literally crack into it. Very fun indeed; it certainly kept the Blonde and the Business Partner busy and brimming!
A dish of Roasted Marron and Tarragon Butter really got my juices going, but it was the Melbourne Onion Soup dish’s combination of flavour, theatricality and sublime wine pairing (2009 Domaine Huet ‘Clos de Bourg’ Vouvray) which hit the highest note. Duck Yolk, Broad Beans and Mint was also fondly received by the table as was a dish of Lamb, Anchovies and Mustard, all of which played a gentle symphony of well balanced, but pronounced flavours.
To be honest, desserts were our least favourite although still very much exceptional. A chocolate soufflé with crème analgise might sound a little generic, but this was a ‘proper’ soufflé. Fluffy, rich and well risen, it made for a delicious albeit slightly heavy final course. A plate of petit-fours to finish showed real imagination and despite being completely and utterly full, I obliged for research purposes. Tough gig.
To be honest, desserts were our least favourite although still very much exceptional. A chocolate soufflé with crème analgise might sound a little generic, but this was a ‘proper’ soufflé. Fluffy, rich and well risen, it made for a delicious albeit slightly heavy final course. A plate of petit-fours to finish showed real imagination and despite being completely and utterly full, I obliged for research purposes. Tough gig.
Above all, despite the sometimes ‘show off-y’ presentation of the food, the produce and their flavours remained the focus. The obscure foams, drops, puree swirls and seemingly random smacking of petite herbs was kept to a minimum and if used, deliberately and thoughtfully done so. Again, the produce was clearly first rate and amalgamated to create well conceived dishes with a strong sense of Australian provenance.
Vue de Monde is a fantastic example of what ‘Mod-Aus’ dinning actually is. At around $500 per head the bill was by no means cheap, but I can’t think of many places I’d rather spend that sort of money. The breakfast bag on departure was a nice touch too and as the Blonde folded the Business Partner and myself into a cab home, even she exclaimed that "It was the best dinner we've done yet".
Need to Know
Bookings are essential. I mean, very essential. Did I say Essential?
Dress for the nines or the ten's if you can.
Alex Beazley
Food Critic without a Face
Nationally recognised on paper, but never recognised by face.
With a long history in food, he lives for fine consumption; join his adventures.
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Food Critic without a face
Alex Beazley
Stealthily sneaking into your hatted restaurants and reviewing your smooth, food moves.
SYDNEY BRISBANE MELBOURNE PERTH ADELAIDE HOBART
Catch him if you can, but he will only answer to a Negroni.
Keep it confidential.
A.B is out there.
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Brisbane, Queensland
The food critic without a face - Alex Beazley
The shock change
Every now and again the restaurant world is swept away with rumour, and
like a bunch of giddy school girls we all participate. So when the long
standing head chef of Urbane and QLD 2012 Good Food Guide Chef of the year, Kym
Machin, announced his almost immediate departure last year, the restaurant
world was abuzz. After an extensive, worldwide search, Alejandro Cancino stepped in
the kitchen of Urbane. Without rattling off his entire resume (conveniently and
modestly displayed on Urbane’s webpage), Cancino recently won Best New Talent
in the prestigious 2013 Australian Gourmet Traveller Awards. And oh, by the
way, he had only been in the country for 6 months. Such is the esteem in which
his food is being held.
At a Glance
The dinner table for the
evening comprised of the Blonde, the Blonde’s Cousin, the Blonde’s Business
Partner and the Queenslander (who really has nothing Blonde about him
unfortunately). Upon arrival the meet ‘n’ greets were swift as attention turned
to more important priorities. Soon the wine was swirling, the Negroni’s were stirring
and the Champagne was popping. At the time of visiting Urbane offered a 4, 7
and 11 course Degustation menu (although I believe this is changing) with
matched wines and all that jazz! The décor confirms the elegance of the menu, with
clean shades of white, leather feature wall pieces, brick and polished wood, imparting
a contemporary if not slightly serious mood to the dining room.
After agreeing on the 7 course
menu, a flight of appetizers steadily began arriving at the table (as is all
the fashion at the moment). The highlight here was a consume of duck, with
dried duck tongue. The Blonde still quacks on about it. The first course of
Octopus, Green Strawberry and Rye certainly set a high standard, but it just
kept getting better. Murray Cod, Chicken Liver, Portobello and Yeast Cream
paired with a 2010 Curlewis Syrah from Geelong was my personal favorite, but
the crowd vote went out to the Wagyu, Sugar Snap, Watercress and Horseradish.
Desserts finished well, but unfortunately the wine match (Valdespino El Candado
PX) for the final course of Macadamia, Chocolate and Coffee was simply an ‘easy
option’ for the final course of such an outstanding meal (I know some restaurants
that cook with this Sherry!). Otherwise the service was spot on, consistently
friendly and humorous whilst remaining polished and efficient.
So where is Urbane you might
be asking? Surprisingly, this Gem of a
restaurant is in Brisbane. So whilst you may have to share the dinning space
with the kind townsfolk of the river city, the food is certainly pitching at a
more international level.
Need to Know?
For the vegans amongst us,
look out for Chef’s Vegan nights (Cancino himself if a vegan)
Urbane’s sister restaurant The
Euro, is directly next door if you are after something less formal, and their
cocktail bar The Laneway upstairs is well worth a pit stop (but just remember
you do have to get back downstairs eventually).
Dinner:
Tues – Sat: 18.00 – 24.00
Kitchen open 18.00 – 22.00
Address: 181 Mary Street, Brisbane 4000
Phone: (07) 3229 2271
Tues – Sat: 18.00 – 24.00
Kitchen open 18.00 – 22.00
Address: 181 Mary Street, Brisbane 4000
Phone: (07) 3229 2271
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The Old Library
Cronulla, Sydney
The food critic without a face - Alex Beazley
Where the Cool Kids Go
Cronulla isn’t exactly known for much more than its beaches,
babes and barefoot locals. So I was surprised when my cousin, one of these
locals, suggested I try a trendy new restaurant called The Old Library. Indeed
the Old Library used to be the old Cronulla library and it appears the locals
are finding far more use from the updated restaurant/bar version. Hardly
surprising really.
At a Glance
The venue is positively gorgeous. It fits
in with the casual beach thing going on in Cronulla, but adds something more
elegant. Accompanied by a cool bar area, the restaurant is perched off above
the street and open to the sea breeze. Oak tables and comfy cushiony couches
complete the picture. The menu certainly reads well too, suggesting an Italian
flare, although the wine list will disappoint serious wino’s.
So on a pleasant Cronulla night, the Blond and I decided to
investigate (such hard work at that). Even from the get go, the wait staff were
consistently friendly and genuine. Our allergies, time restrictions, questions
and quirks were handled with the sort of professional humour that, in my
opinion, defines good Australian hospitality. The Blonde was also suitably
impressed with the waiter/her continual choice of good house cocktails. Soon no
topic was too taboo at this dinner table.
The menu offered a good selection of pastas, salads,
antipasti, desserts, share plates etc. Cleverly catering for most of Cronulla’s
dining public i.e. a salad for the plastics, seafood for the surfers, pasta for
the kiddies and so on. The menu certainly suggests an Italian theme, but in
parts seemed to be just for the sake of it. For example, an antipasti of citrus
cured snapper Carpaccio, baby beetroot and blood orange granita was very
flavoursome, but perhaps too much of a stretch from the traditional Venetion
dish. A minor quip perhaps. Saffron spaghetti, swimmer crab and sage butter was
okay but did not prompt any immediate calls for seconds. Unfortunately, we
didn’t have time for dessert.
The wine list was, however, completely and unquestionably
wanky. Expensive wines were listed under the subheading of “How Much Do You
REALLY Love Her?” and the remaining wines certainly played it safe (I suspect
some contracts are at play here too). It’s all just a bit too commercial for my
liking, although the Cronulla dining public probably disagrees or simply
doesn’t care. Fair enough.
Last words. The Old Library is fun. Despite my
winging at times above, it was packed full of atmosphere and all the other
stuff I’m sure trendy Cronulla diners like. If I wasn’t looking at it so hard, I
would struggle to mount a serious criticism for what the restaurant offers as a
whole.
Need to Know?
Open Thursday to Sunday, 12pm till late.
Have the decency to wear shoes please.
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Rockpool
Bar & Grill Melbourne
The food critic without a face - Alex Beazley
Delivering
on its Concept
A Blonde, a Pilot and a Queenslander walked into a bar. The
Pilot grumbled, the Blonde re-powdered, and the Queenslander looked around in
awe. But this isn’t the start of a bad joke, this isn’t just any bar. Here, the
smell of dry aged beef lingers, the wine pours more than it rains outside, and
the dining room oozes with an impossibly relaxed yet classy atmosphere. This
place could only be Neil Perry’s acclaimed Rockpool Bar and Grill Melbourne.
At
a Glance
Rockpool Bar and Grill Melbourne is located in the colossal Crown Complex and is far more than an upmarket steakhouse. Rockpool Bar and Grill boasts an impressive menu which is heavily driven by quality Australian produce. The restaurant also provides its diners with possibly the most extensive wine list in the country. Even a non-wino can surely see the amount of effort that goes into a wine list like this, if not by the sheer weight of the bloody thing! The diversity of varietal, expression, region and vintage must be applauded. The staff are unobtrusively attentive and knowledgeable, I recommend conversing with them about both the menu and the wine list.
Rockpool Bar and Grill Melbourne is located in the colossal Crown Complex and is far more than an upmarket steakhouse. Rockpool Bar and Grill boasts an impressive menu which is heavily driven by quality Australian produce. The restaurant also provides its diners with possibly the most extensive wine list in the country. Even a non-wino can surely see the amount of effort that goes into a wine list like this, if not by the sheer weight of the bloody thing! The diversity of varietal, expression, region and vintage must be applauded. The staff are unobtrusively attentive and knowledgeable, I recommend conversing with them about both the menu and the wine list.
Meanwhile, a steady stream of beer and cocktails had already
begun whilst we waited for our Final Guest to arrive. As we loosened up a
little, the Blonde begins to make some off the cuff comments about the apparent
lack of dress sense amongst some fellow dinners; indeed wearing the hotel curtains
will surely be the next big thing! The influence of being located in the Crown
Complex I’m sure. Needless to say our Final Guest arrives in her
finest summer wear and we are promptly seated.
The menu certainly trends toward the
grill, but what consistently stood out was the produce. A crudo of kingfish and
ocean trout entre was so simple, yet so delightfully fresh (insert). Likewise a main of pigeon,
entwined in radicchio and cherries was also wonderful, albeit slightly
lacklustre. The Blonde and the Pilot were similarly impressed with their meals from
the grill. Desserts are a modern twist on more classical fare, including an
amazing chocolate tart. Unfortunately our Final Guest was in dismay by this
stage, remaining transfixed on the prices of the wine and food we had ordered
(it was just not the same value as Nando’s apparently). By the time tea and
coffee rolled around, the Blonde and the Queenslander were in hysterics
(perhaps inappropriately so), the Pilot was well grounded, and our Final Guest was
joined by a fellow Nando’s enthusiast - good for them.
The point is, you get from Rockpool Bar and Grill what you
put in. Counting your pennies here is not advisable because it’s not cheap by
any measure. This is the sort of restaurant you go to have fun at, regardless
of the price. Order a bottle of wine (or two, or three) that you have never
heard of before, or just give the sommelier your price range – and for heaven’s
sake someone order the rib-eye wagyu ($115)!
Last Words?
Rockpool Bar and Grill delivers on its concept of providing a simple, uncomplicated menu sourcing excellent produce. An exceptional wine list, great service and luxurious dining space are equally welcome attributes for this outstanding venue.
Rockpool Bar and Grill delivers on its concept of providing a simple, uncomplicated menu sourcing excellent produce. An exceptional wine list, great service and luxurious dining space are equally welcome attributes for this outstanding venue.
Need to Know.
Opening hours:
Lunch Sunday to Friday; Dinner 7 Days
Reservations
(recommended) +61 3 8648 1900
Crown Complex
Southbank VIC 3006 Australia
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