Cutler & Co Dining Room & Bar, Fitzroy

Shopfront - Cutler & Co

Behind this unassuming facade lies Melbourne's Best New Restaurant as bestowed by The Age Good Food Guide 2011. Andrew McConnell's posh, yet casual dining experience is full of classic dishes with a smattering of "molecular" techniques.

In fact, it is a little bit of Heston Blumenthal's outrageousness in Melbourne.

Il Fornaio, St Kilda

They must get it a lot. Silly, ignorant, wishful customers hoping for a taste of The famous Snickers, by Queen of Desserts Philippa Sibley, at all hours of the day. Well, I can confirm that they don't serve it at breakfast, even if the polite waitress humoured me by "asking the kitchen", and then feigned empathy when she told me the bad news.

Prestissimo Lunch - The Grill, Grossi Florentino

A celebratory lunch demands a nice venue, and The Grill at Grossi Florentino is certainly nice. They also understand the need for prompt and cheerful service so that we can get back to work on time.

Calamari Fritti
Fried Calamari with borlotti beans, marinated eggplant and radicchio

Cattivo Cafe, Camberwell

Cattivo is a nice little cafe in the unoffensive, boring cafe-land of Camberwell. There is not a lot of choice, but the pizza and tortellini we had was done well.

Prosciutto, Provolone, Mushroom Pizza AUD9.50

Bella Vedere, Coldstream

We've been wanting to visit Bella Vedere ever since we've read reviews as far back as 2005. For one reason or another, we've never made it there. This time on the way back from Mt Buller, we made a slight detour and we were pleasantly rewarded with a rustic farmhouse filled with glasses clinking and diners chatting and customers walking in as late as 3:30pm having lunch!

The Grill - Grossi Florentino

We have heard many reviews on the famous Grossi Florentino so we decided to give the modern Italian “The Grill” a try when mum visited us.

Both Harry and I went for the pre-theatre $35 menu with 2 courses, a glass of wine and coffee/tea. Harry got the calamari ragu, which was a dish of smooth al dente pasta with a rich ragu. It did have a bit of a fishy whiff to it, but not overly so. Perhaps a touch more garlic would have made it a more rounded dish.

Bun Rieu - Thanh Tam

Bun Rieu - Thanh Tam AUD8

After having an eye-opening Bún riêu in Hanoi, I was eager to try the Melbourne versions. After a long search, I was rewarded with a bowl of light fish soup with slices of tender pork leg, tofu puffs, a slab of silky egg custard with dried shrimp, meatballs and cubes of pig blood. The light fish broth wasn't as interesting as the Bun Rieu Cua Kho dry Hanoi version with it's shrimp and chilli paste topping moistened with a little pork broth, but it was more fragrant and more complex compared to the Bun Rieu Cua Nuoc soup version.
I was initially tossing up between the Bún riêu and Bún Mắm, so I asked the waitress which one was better. Without hesitating, she replied "Bún riêu". Bún riêu it was, as I was very satisfied with this dish.

Banh Cuon Thanh Tam Restaurant (previously 青霞 Banh Cuon Thanh Ha Restaurant)
(03) 9429 8130
Shp 1/ 172 Victoria St
Richmond VIC 3121

More photos: Banh Cuon Thanh Tam Restaurant - avlxyz/Flickr

Reviews:
- Thanh Ha - Mietta's