Brae, Kappo among Dan Stock’s top five Melbourne restaurant reviews
DAN Stock may have ruffled some feathers with his latest review of Melbourne’s revered Flower Drum Chinese restaurant, but they haven’t all been bad. Here are his top five.
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DAN Stock may have ruffled some feathers with his latest review, of Melbourne’s revered Flower Drum Chinese restaurant, commenting it was so far from world class, it was an insult to our best restaurants.But his reviews haven’t all been bad.
Here are his top five rated restaurants. Tell us what you think by commenting below.
TIRED FLOWER DRUM FAR FROM WORLD CLASS
BRAE
It’s one thing to be crowned the best, quite another to wear it.
Dishes such as potato and Jerusalem artichoke crisps served with a single poached yolk and a cheesy, salty sauce of comte and vin jaune poured at the table, a highlight in a meal of many.
Warm ricotta studded with chicken skin and brassica crisps; even the excellent bread served with tangy “wet” house churned butter, is the stuff of dreams.
Brae is one of the best restaurants in Australia, at home on the world stage. Full review
Where: 4285 Cape Otway Rd, Birregurra, 130km southwest of Melbourne
Phone: 5236 2226
Rating: 18.5/20
KAPPO
Simon Denton’s new Japanese restaurant, Kappo, also scaled the heights, as did the shiitake tofu dish chef Kentaro Usami served as part of the ever-changing tasting menu. In a soupy bowl of sesame comfort, a silken cube of tofu, upon which a single juicy mushroom sat, sang of Japanese simplicity and was most exquisite example of bean curd I’ve ever known.
Where: 1 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Phone: 9639 9500
Rating: 17/20
WOODLAND HOUSE
Thomas Woods and Hayden McFarland have refined their vision for the restaurant in the historic Williams Rd mansion they took over from their mentor and former boss, Jacques Reymond. The pea bavarois, part of the vegetarian tasting menu, signifies this new confidence in direction. A vibrant, perfectly airy mousse is served with chestnut puree and grilled pear. A few pea tendrils finish a dish that is at once sweet and earthy, fresh and clean — much like autumn itself. Full review
Where: 78 Williams Rd, Prahran
Phone: 9525 2178
Web:http://www.woodlandhouse.com.au
Rating: 16.5/20
STOKEHOUSE CITY
Spot on service. Food that’s clever, beautiful and seriously delicious.
The Jurassic quail saltimbocca is an evocation of winter on the plate.
On a terrifically textural pumpkin seed and faro “risotto”, the hefty bird, blushing pink, wrapped in cured pig, is teamed with a puree of sweet earthy chestnuts and slivers of roasted celeriac. It is gloriously gnaw the bone good.
Perfectly executed, clever combinations that hit delicious on the nose — it was almost lick the plate good. Full review
Where: 7 Alfred Place, Melbourne
Phone: 9525 5555
Web:http://stokehouse.com.au/city/
Rating: 16.5/20
LUCY LIU
The crunchy crab, the velvety pancake, Vietnamese basil and a little heat — it’s a temperature, texture, taste triumvirate, and it’s excellent.
But then so, too is the kingfish sashimi, where hot mint and daubes of aerated coconut enliven thickly cut slices of firm flesh.
Lucy Liu is a sophisticated package that’s great fun to boot. Full review
Where: 23 Oliver Lane, Melbourne
Phone: 9639 5777
Web:lucylius.com.au
Rating: 15.5/20
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