The Roving Marrow @ The Astor

One of Melbourne’s buzziest food strips welcomes back a local icon as The Astor on Carlton’s Lygon Street reopens with an innovative new restaurant and bar concept. 

Within The Astor is The Roving Marrow dining room, which was formerly Percy’s Bar and Bistro run by four–time Carlton premiership player Peter ‘Percy’ Jones. The Roving Marrow is a significant part of The Astor’s transformation by restaurateur Darran Smith and head chef Hayden McMillan. The menu is produce-driven and features contemporary European cuisine with interactive, yum cha-style service. 

The result is a unique dining experience that aims to break down the formality of fine dining and bring the fun back to food. The menu is designed to share with a wide assortment of smaller dishes served via trolley and tray and more substantial mains, as well as cheese and dessert, à La Carte. 

The kitchen is in safe hands under the guidance of Head Chef Hayden McMillan. McMillan is a young gun of New Zealand’s epicurean scene, having previously worked with renowned New Zealand chefs Michael Meredith and Simon Wright and was made head chef of Auckland’s Tribeca restaurant very early in his career. Most recently McMillan returned from San Francisco where he headed up the Waiheke Island Yacht Club pop up for the America’s Cup.

The Astor’s interior is focused on preserving the hotel’s original character with a modern refresh. The atmosphere is moody courtesy of being grounded in dark wood with rich finishes in brass and mirror that are hardwearing and age gracefully.

We commenced our dinner with a number of delicious small dishes from the “yum cha” service. 

Our favourite entree, the shortrib dumplings in masterstock was flavoursome, well-seasoned and boasted rich flavours.  It was a perfectly executed, expertly balanced and intelligent dish. 

Yet another highlight was the dish of duck salad. The slices of duck breast were cooked to perfection with the beautifully crisp hazelnuts and caramelised brussel sprouts adding texture and the bits of bacon adding salinity. 

Continuing the trend of stunning dishes that preceded it, the dish of Flinders Island lamb rump, charcoal eggplant, ricotta and brie impressed. The lamp rump was cooked perfectly to a tender and juicy pink. The charcoal eggplant boasted a wonderful smokiness which paired exceptionally with the ricotta and brie. A wonderful finale to our savoury courses.

Our first dessert of Granny Smiths, butterscotch, buckwheat and cardamom was an interplay between interesting textures and seductive aromas.

The striking dessert of passionfruit, white chocolate, liquorice and coconut was an explosion of flavours. The layer of meringue was delicately thin and crisp and paired beautifully with the mellow and luxurious white chocolate. The tartness of the passionfruit produced a balanced dessert.

The Roving Marrow’s approach to food stands out from what is commonly available in upmarket restaurants. Thought-provoking but not pretentious, The Roving Marrow is a welcome addition to Melbourne’s food scene.

Location: 418 Lygon St, Carlton

Phone: (03) 9347 7419

Link: http://www.theastorcarlton.com.au/restaurant/

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of The Astor.

Dock 37 Bar and Kitchen @ Hilton South Wharf

Hilton Melbourne South Wharf has unveiled its stylish new restaurant and bar, Dock 37 Bar and Kitchen.

The 150-seat dining space embraces its riverside setting and complements the sea meets land concept. The result is a sophisticated and inviting dining room resplendent with warm timber walls, a striking suspended wine gantry in black steel, soaring ceilings, and full length windows maximising the South Wharf Promenade view.

Dock 37 Bar and Kitchen has a long bar with pull-up seating, communal tables and cosy couches to enjoy. The area is complete with a short and tailored menu full of bar-food classics available late into the night. A comprehensive selection of drinks are also offered from well-known classics to a tempting selection of custom-created cocktails, wine housed in the suspended gantry above the bar and dozens of beers on tap.

The menu is divided into user friendly sections with many dishes complemented with fresh produce from the hotel’s own rooftop garden. The garden is passionately tended to by Glenn, who has been with the hotel since its opening six years ago and has headed up the kitchen since 2011.

Smoked Duck Breast Served with a cabbage, citrus and celeriac slaw and a wasabi dressing

The slices of duck breast were cooked to perfection with the slightly tart cabbage, citrus and celeriac slaw allowing the rich flavour of the duck to transpire.  The accompanying wasabi dressing provided the crowning element to a wonderful dish.

Quinoa Salad - Popcorn-dusted goats’ cheese, roasted baby carrots, beetroot, kale and a pepian salsa

An enlivening salad of quinoa, popcorn-dusted goats’ cheese, roasted baby carrots, beetroot and kale all brought together with pepian salsa, the salad was a medley of exciting flavours and textures which will appeal to even the most carnivorous individuals.

400gm, grain fed, Victoria Rib eye w/ Red wine jus

We could not resist getting both our mains from the “Grill” section of the menu. Both our fish and beef were simple and beautifully cooked. Each served with our choice of sauce (there are more than 10 sauces to choose from, all made in house).

Whole Baby Barramundi w/ green chilli sauce

The Whole Baby Barramundi in particular impressed us. The quality of the barramundi was exemplary. The skin of the fish was perfectly seared to be very crisp while the flesh was delicate and moist. It was a dish that allowed the natural subtle sweetness of the fish to be enjoyed. 

Our dinner concluded with 2 well-conceived desserts that exhibited flawless flavour combinations and textural diversity. 

Walnut tart with blood peach foam and vanilla bean ice cream

The luxurious vanilla bean ice cream offset the accompanying rich bittersweet walnuts banana while the blood peach foam added a desirable touch of sweetness. Texturally, the crunchiness of the walnuts, silkiness of the ice cream and melt in the mouth foam ensured that each bite was as titillating as the last.

Chocolate brownie with hokey pokey, banana coulis and raspberry sorbet

The Chocolate brownie was similarly well devised. The decadent chocolate brownie was matched with velvety raspberry sorbet and harmonised with banana coulis - delicious!

Enviably positioned at the edge of Melbourne’s CBD on the banks of the Yarra River, Dock 37 at the Hilton Melbourne South Wharf offers an approachable and relaxed dining for all occasions and adds an exciting new element to the Hilton Melbourne South Wharf guest experience 

Location: 2 Convention Ctr Place, South Wharf, Melbourne

Phone: 9027 2122

Link: http://hiltonmelbourne.com.au/dining

Cuisine: International, Modern Australian

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Hilton South Wharf.

Rae's Restaurant @ Balgownie Estate Vineyard Resort & Spa

4 ½ star Balgownie Estate Vineyard Resort and Spa in the heart of Victoria’s Yarra Valley recently released its new winter menu for 2015 with a strong focus on local regional dishes.

Each menu at the resort’s Rae’s Restaurant varies from season to season in order to take full advantage of the wealth of fresh produce in the Yarra Valley, with many of the herbs and vegetables sourced from Balgownie Estate’s very own kitchen garden.

Having lunch rather than dinner ensures that you are afforded a picturesque view of the sundrenched pinot noir vines and its leafy surrounds.  The floor to ceiling windows which encase the dining room, allow warm sunlight to billow in and provide a bright, airy and spacious atmosphere – a spaciousness underscored by the generous apportioning of space to each table.

  

The focal point of the restaurant remains the outstanding wines. Known for their ability to age, we enjoyed glasses of the 2010 Balgownie Estate Cabernet Sauvignon that had been highly recommended to us. 

Hand rolled Potato Gnocchi, Smoked ocean trout, fennel, minted pea puree, Balgownie Estate chardonnay cream

The gnocchi was a beautifully rich dish which was highlighted by the light gnocchi.

Lamb fillet, Fried eggplant, tomato and zucchini ragout

The high quality pieces of lamb were cooked perfectly to a tender and juicy pink. The accompanying eggplant and tomato and zucchini ragout made this wonderfully flavoursome dish.

Tasmanian Atlantic Salmon, Thai red curry marinated, baked cashew nut, coriander and Vietnamese mint

The perfectly seasoned curry broth possessed the customary punchy flavours exhibited by South East Asian curries and was a great match for the oily texture of the salmon. We loved the inclusion of crunchy baked cashew nuts and fresh coriander and Vietnamese mint.

Broccolini, soy ginger glaze and crispy shallots; Crumbed button Mushrooms, herb pesto

Vine Smoked Chargrilled Boneless Rib-eye, Crispy fries, green beans, Bordelaise sauce

The steak was delicious. Cooked to our liking (medium rare), the steak was delectably juicy and tender. The accompaniments to the steak were each delicious – the crispy fries were perfectly seasoned and wonderfully flavoured and the green beans provided a thoroughly enjoyable freshness.

Warm Red Wine Cake, Balgownie Shiraz, cinnamon ice cream, sultana compote

For dessert, the Warm Red Wine Cake was a delight. Fluffy and moist with aromatic cinnamon ice cream, this cake was a deliciously sweet end to our visit. 

Overlooking Balgownie Estate’s pinot noir vineyard; the rolling hills and expansive views, Rae’s Restaurant affords the perfect backdrop for a lovely meal to be enjoyed over award-winning wine. 

Location: Melba Hwy, Yarra Glen

Phone: 03 9730 0774

Link: balgownieestate.com.au

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Balgownie Estate Vineyard Resort & Spa.

Hotel Lincoln

MoVida Aqui’s ex-manager, Iain Ling has taken over historic Carlton pub, Hotel Lincoln. While the iconic pub’s architectural features have remained the same, the food offerings have been revamped. 

Having assembled a dream team with Lachlan Cameron (Supernormal, MoVida Aqui) running the kitchen, Emma Ramos (Le Bon Ton, The Everleigh) behind the bar and Paul Guiney (most recently floor manager for Brooks) running the floor, Ling has breathed new life into the Lincoln with a menu that pushes pub boundaries.

We were pleased to indulge in a specially curated dinner featuring some of their most popular dishes.

Spanner crab, corn crackers

Atop the perfectly crisp corn crackers lay soft shreds of beautifully sweet spanner crab.  We loved this delicate start to our dinner. 

Coffee-cured trout with radish and nashi pear

The cured trout was delicious. A wonderful mélange of flavours, the cured ocean trout slices boasted a distinct coffee taste and aroma. We loved the addition of radish and nashi pear which added a delightful freshness to the dish.

Beetroot, pickled green tomato, farro, goats’ cheese

We were particularly pleased with this dish of perfectly balanced flavours. Luxurious goat’s cheese paired beautifully with the slight acidity from the beetroot and pickled green tomato which brought a lovely tanginess that cut through the creaminess of the cheese while the farro added a lovely textural element. It all came together beautifully.

From left: Triple cooked chips; Brussel sprouts, nduja, slow cooked egg

Lamb shoulder, pickled fennel, rocket

The lamb shoulder was superbly slow roasted and was incredibly tender and went very well with the well-conceived side dishes.

Chocolate & beetroot pudding, crème anglaise

The desserts at the Lincoln were similarly well devised. Our dessert of Chocolate & beetroot pudding was well made with gooey chocolate centre and a slightly crisp cake exterior. The classic combination of citrus (in the form of dehydrated orange zests) further enhanced the dark chocolate flavours while the addition of beetroot in the constituent batter ensured the pudding was beautifully moist.

Having earned a nomination for ‘People’s Choice’ at the Time Out Melbourne Pub Awards, our recent visit has certainly helped us understand why. The Lincoln is reaching exciting new heights that go above and beyond what you would expect. 

Location: 91 Cardigan Street, Carlton

Phone: 03 9347 4666

Link: http://hotellincoln.com.au/

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Hotel Lincoln.