Member Review by Gary

Whacko! Extraordinary food and wine at one of the 'THE places to be'in Melbourne at the moment. After some after work drinks at one of the best stocked bars in town we wandered to the other side of the wrought-iron barrier for a meal.

As we had a head start with the drinks, we went through an impresssive wine list and chose one very well priced, well aged premium Victorian red -served the way it should be by someone who knew wine service (a declining skill in our fine city!)

On to the food - a Chef's tasting plate to die for as a starter, with various combinations of seafood, meat, cheese and vegetables that each represented a dish on the menu... I had wished that I was more hungry to get more of everything.

The mains were stunning; my beef and her gnocchi were served with style and accompaniments that suggested this is Italian influenced, but the work of a chef who believes in something that is their personal cuisine. The gnocchi came with grapes, cheese and toasted almonds and I was told that this was the best gnocchi ever consumed by my partner... that is a rap when I reckon my own is pretty good and she has had gnocchi in numerous Italian restaurants - in Italy.

My beef is hard to describe; the abundant flavours of garlic, spinach, a luscious red wine-based sauce and a cooking technique that seemed to combine sautee and roasting to an effect that I couldn't describe. Mouth watering stuff!

The reasonable prices for food of this quality - at around $20 for entrees and $30 for mains - were offset by the lack of tablecloths, which some might expect given the standard of everything else. I had to replace my rickety chair which was not that flash either - but this is a place with tons of personality, a hint of style and a kitchen with passion. I'll be back - well recommended!