golden fields.

Golden Fields
2/157 Fitzroy Street  
St Kilda VIC 3182
Tel: +61 (03) 9525 4488
Website: http://goldenfields.com.au/
Having been to Andrew McConnell’s Cumulus Inc. and Cutler & Co. on my previous visits to Melbourne, I made sure to include Golden Fields on my dining list when I was in town for a wedding. The menu at Golden Fields has an Asian slant and I was keen to find out how it fared against his other establishments considering that the rest focus on modern Australia type cuisine.

As expected, McConnell’s newest venture is hip and cool, just like the other 2 establishments he has. The dining room is contemporary and large. Somehow, all of McConnell’s restaurants have an edge – the high ceilings and the sleek décor. Golden Fields has a fairly large amount of bar seating that is ever so popular today and we were lucky enough to plonk ourselves on those high bar stools to watch the chefs at work.

 Fresh Sea Urchin, Flat Bread, Crisp Lardo, Escabeche

honeycomb.

Honeycomb
354 Liverpool Street
Darlinghurst, NSW 2010
Tel: +61 2 9331 3387
Website: http://www.honeycombrestaurant.com.au/

A case of indecision and bad traffic brought an unexpected visit to Honeycomb one night. And I think it turned out to be a night of pleasant surprises. Honeycomb, opened approximately 6 months ago, is owned and run by Andy Bunn of Café Sopra fame. He was known for creating Sopra’s straightforward Italian (with a modern Australian twist) menu. And where do I begin about that famous Banoffee Pie?!

mighty bouche with claude's + the dip.

Claude's
10 Oxford Street
Woollahra, NSW 2025
Tel: +61 (02) 9331 2325
Website: http://claudes.com.au/

The Dip at GoodGod
55 Liverpool Street
Sydney, NSW 2000
Tel: +61 (02) 9283 8792
Website: http://thedip.com.au/

It’s funny how I’ve never been to Claude’s on days when the regular menu is served. The first time I visited was over a year ago for a special Hakka dinner during the Crave Food Festival which you can read about here. Then I returned again a couple of nights back for one of the special dinners that’s leading up to their closure for renovation. This time, it was an American-themed dinner which featured a collaboration with Andrew Levins from The Dip. There seemed to be quite a bit of hype built up for the event probably because it was mentioned on the papers. To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect in terms of the type of food that was going to be served. And because of that, I was pleasantly surprised to see a menu of American favourites when we got to Claude’s.

chiswick.

Chiswick
65 Ocean Street
Woollahra, NSW 2025
Tel: +61 (02) 8388 8688
Website: http://www.chiswickrestaurant.com.au/

I’ve seen a whole lot of Matt Moran on TV but have never tried the food at his restaurants. However, when I learnt about the impending opening of Chiswick, I got excited. The menu isn’t fancy but what you will find there are comforting favourites and are pretty much the kind of food you could have all the time, again and again. And that was enough to catch my attention. You see, as much as I like to wine and dine at the fancy places, I love a casual place where I can just enjoy the food (especially over lunch) and the atmosphere with good friends. And I think Chiswick fits the bill here.

paddington arms hotel.

Paddington Arms Hotel
384 Oxford Street
Paddington, NSW 2021
Tel: +61 (02) 9360 9668
Website: http://www.paddoarms.com.au/home.aspx

 

 Fish & Chips with Mushy Peas & Tartare Sauce

 

I visited Four in Hand 1.5 years ago and to be honest, I wasn’t completely bowled over. However, I like what Chef Colin Fassnidge has done with his newest venture, Paddo Arms. The space at the back of the bar enjoys good light, has high ceilings and is an extremely inviting and cosy space. It just has all the makings of a great place for Sunday lunch with good friends or family.

 Roast Bone Marrow with Celeriac Remoulade & Grilled Bread

 Special: Roast Chicken with Roast Vegetables

The food was on the whole, pretty enjoyable and had reasonable prices. I loved the celariac remoulade that came with the bone marrow and the fish wasn't overcooked. The only criticism I have is that the Onion Rings and Fish and Chips were a tad too oily. Perhaps, the kitchen could have left the oil to drain a little before putting the dishes on the plate because the chips that sat under the fish became soggy as a result of the excess oil. That said, the food was straightforward and comforting. Kinda like the food that you want to have when it’s gloomy and rainy outdoors. If you live around the area, this is the ‘local’ that you’ll want to go to again and again.

 House Made Onion Rings with Hot Sauce & Coleslaw

And maybe, a return trip to Four in Hand is in order.

greek at hellenic republic.

Hellenic Republic
434 Lygon Street
Brunswick East
Victoria 3057
Tel: +61 (03) 9381 1222
Website: http://www.hellenicrepublic.com.au

A failed attempt at getting us a table at The Press Club left us with a reservation at Hellenic Republic, another one of George Colombaris’ establishments. It only seemed apt to have a taste of Greek cuisine considering that we were in Melbourne which has the largest population of Greeks outside of Greece.