Bistrot Bisou: by Luke Mangan at Hotel Indigo Melbourne

Stepping into Bistro Bisou is such a divine, transportive experience.

You know when you arrive at a restaurant, plonk yourself down, and just exhale...

That's how you feel from the second you immerse yourself at Bistro Bisou.

It almost feels like a location shoot in one of those movie where a rendezvous happens between friends, or lovers, or a mother/daughter post-shopping date.

It's little wonder this place is all class: it's the freshest pick from the stable of Luke Mangan restaurants, and follows the stylish template of a bespoke restaurant housed within a unique, boutique hotel chain.

Bistro Bisou is inside Melbourne CBD's Hotel Indigo, on bustling Spencer Street, and here you will experience classic French fare - just as Luke has done with his successful restaurants inside Hilton Hotel Sydney with Glasshouse, Kimpton Margot Hotel Sydney, and Pylon Lookout inside the Sydney Harbour Bridge (yes!). And: Hotel Indigo in Sydney's Potts Point has the beyond impressive French-Japaense Luc-San, which is adjacent to the hotel.

With this iteration at Bistro Bistro, this 96-seater gem features an open kitchen - you can sit at the bar and enjoy your meal while admiring the chefs cooking up a storm - or slide into a sexy banquette, order a cocktail, and relaaax.

And you can expect to see the classics on this concise, authentic menu:

French onion soup (menu special), steak frites (sirloin, veal jus or café de Paris butter), steak tartare (served with egg and potato crisps), house smoked salmon (with crème fraîche), chicken liver and bacon pate (with pear and shallot relish and charred sourdough).

And freshly baked sourdough bread (with whipped butter), smoked pork terrine (with orange chutney, pickled onion, and charred sourdough), and confit of duck leg (with bacon, peas, and mint sauce), wood roasted poussin (with butter beans, champagne, tarragon, and beurre blanc), and a memorable rare seared tuna niçoise, served with tuna, green beans, potato, and olive dressing.

Feast your eyes on what we dined on:

Dessert has to include: apple tarte tartin (and it did!), and a vanilla crème brûlée, and imperial mandarins, and it's such a delightful end to a serene, relaxed, classy French experience.

The decor is instrumental in this experience, too.

Tim Davey (the restaurant and bar manager who hails from French Saloon) looked after us beautifully, and he has created an impressive cocktail list for Bistrot Bisou, which includes eight martinis, a slew of signature creations, and an impressive list of French aperitifs.

The wine list features a stellar selection of French and Victorian wines, and the non-alc options are just as lovely. Try the 'Dirty Lime Rickey', with lime juice, olive brine, syrup, sparkling water.

Our executive chef was Rory Kennedy, and its kudos to for a flawless dining experience.

"We want this to feel like a second home for guests, whether they're Melbourne locals or visitors wanting a relaxed place to dine after a long day of sightseeing," says Luke Mangan.

"The French bistros of Paris have an ambience about them no matter what time of day or night it is, which is what we are creating here."

This is exactly how we felt... a French haven.

I can't recommend this place enough, it'll be my go-to for each time I travel to Melbourne.

To book and to see menus and more, click HERE.

PARKROYAL Monash Melbourne: Ginger

PARKROYAL Monash Melbourne has just revealed its new in-house restaurant: Ginger.

In exciting Melbourne restaurant news, this new offering is a vibrant and welcome addition to the southeast Melbourne culinary scene.

Ginger’s layout has been cleverly designed around the restaurant’s open-concept kitchen, which serves as the venue’s key centrepiece. Look jaw airy and light filled this looks:

With stylish and subtle interiors and a beautiful minimalist décor, which incorporates sleek, modern marbled tables and soft lighting, it creates the perfect relaxed ambience for any dining experience.

Showcasing a European-influenced menu overlaid with traditional oriental flavours that pay homage to both the eclectic city of Melbourne as well as Ginger’s Southeast Asian roots, your tastebuds are about to go on a trip with dishes that beautifully reflect the region’s rich culinary heritage with a deliciously modern twist. Think: traditional Malaysian Rendang served on polenta (wow!), edamame risotto with crispy lotus root, and to finish, milk tea pannacotta.

The freshest local ingredients and produce are used throughout in every dish, and Australian sourced seafood including barramundi and clams, premium Aussie beef and lamb, and homegrown Asian greens and spices all come together in a marriage of flavours and aromas that just work. 

Put Ginger on the must dine at list: it's set to be a game changer on the Melbourne Southeast corridor dining precinct.

PARKROYAL Monash Melbourne's General Manager, Jason McGowan, says, "Monash and its surrounds form one of Melbourne's key technology, educational and manufacturing hubs. Ginger will support the area's growth and brings the vibrancy of CBD casual fine dining to the area for locals and visitors.

"Ginger adds something unique to Monash's dining landscape. The area is perfect for a restaurant of Ginger's calibre, and we have no doubt it will establish itself as a popular favourite with both locals and visitors alike.

"Located in within the vibrant M-City complex, Ginger welcomes hotel guests, corporate events as well as independent diners and local residents."

Why not try Ginger for a modern breakfast buffet, open Monday to Friday, 6.30am to 9.30am.

And, Saturday to Sunday and public holidays, 7am to 10am.

À La Carte dinners, Monday to Sunday: 6pm to 9.30pm.

To see more and book your dining experience, click HERE.

PARKROYAL Hotels & Resorts are part of the Pan Pacific Hotels Group.

See my Pan Pacific Melbourne hotel review HERE.

Dock 37 Bar And Kitchen: NEW MENU

Have you visited Pan Pacific in Melbourne, as I have? (See that review HERE).

Well, it's time for a revisit.

See this enticing pic below... then read on for more...

Dock 37 Bar and Kitchen has just debuted its innovative new menu featuring the finest Australian native ingredients and locally sourced farm-fresh produce.

Crafted by Chef Deepak Mishra, Pan Pacific Melbourne’s award-winning Director of Food & Beverage & Culinary Operations, the finely curated menu is a delicious new addition to Melbourne’s always exciting restaurant scene. 

 

The exquisite selection of dishes will allow diners to experience a culinary journey of international flavours, while keeping us engaged in enjoying the best of Victoria’s local produce.

Chef Deepak has given the restaurant’s modern Australian menu his unique interpretation, by drawing on his extensive global experience with influences from Singapore, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

 

“I always go with my instincts when combining ingredients and there are many different flavours in one of my dishes,” Chef Deepak says.

 

“The kingfish on the menu, for example, has a distinct flavour. For me its all about the flavour of a dish, and when you taste something that’s been created with several different spices, the flavours dance in your mouth.”

And dance you will, I mean look at this dish above. Gosh I adore kingfish, could easily eat it daily.

 

The Humpty Doo barramundi Grenobloise and Gippsland lamb rump with crisp saltbush are set to excite your tastebuds with their myriad of texture and flavours. My fave part of it is the super relaxed, comfy, yet classy vibe that is Dock 37 Bar and Kitchen - world class dining in a chilled and kinda zone. 

 

Pan Pacific has now become a fave for me when coming along to Melbourne for a short trip, for work or pleasure, and Chef Deepak’s dishes are a drawcard at Dock 37 Bar and Kitchen.

While I've dined recently, next time I am leaving room for dessert.

I mean, look at it, below!

Think: decadent 24-carat gold, mandarine crème, raspberry crisp with macadamia ice cream, or intrigue your palate with a native desert lime and meringue tart, served with crème fraiche ice cream. Oh my!

 

All dishes - from entrée to dessert - are made to the highest standard and with the finest ingredients one would expect from a chef of Deepak’s pedigree.

He hails from Orissa, India - and as we know, food evokes childhood memories. Lucky for us, his palate was finely tuned in his formative years, and his dishes always feature dishes made from the freshest of local produce.

 

Chef Deepak says, “Everything we cooked and ate as a family came from our farm – it was a true farm-to-table way of enjoying the local produce.”

I love that so much. Heritage is EVERYTHING.

 

The new Dock 37 Bar and Kitchen menu is inspired by the fresh produce of local farmers, foragers and fisherman, and will be regularly updated to feature newly created dishes. A focus 

of the new offering will be an ongoing collaboration with the local suppliers, to reflect an evolving seasonal menu.

 

Their distinctive walk-through wine gantry, with its extensive selection of premium wines sourced from local vineyards, will allow for the perfect paring with the menu to truly enhance the dining experience at Dock 37 Bar and Kitchen.

 

Book this place if you want to impress - it's the perfect choice of dining venue for work events, couples getaways, and friends trips enjoying a staycation.

Dock 37 Bar and kitchen is open for à la carte dinner, from Monday to Sunday, from 5pm to 10pm (last orders at 9.30pm). The bar, from Monday to Sunday, 4pm until late, with a bar snack menu available.

                                                                 

For more information or to make a reservation at Dock 37 Bar and Kitchen, go right HERE.

Beckett's Glebe: REVIEW + Truffle Dinner

Beckett's is not just a restaurant... it's a destination.

Your first time will be a full experiential moment, not just a meal.

Come dine at night and it's a sultry place to share the eclectic Beckett's menu. Eat here in the daytime, and you'll see the rustic venue in an entirely different way, with its light filled, earthy ambience.

Beckett's is such a discovery right now that if you've not dined there yet, you'll feel like you're missing out... and you are! (You can make up for it by booking their truffle dinner, happening on Thursday July 28, 2022. Read on for details...).

Located on Glebe Point Road, the moment you step foot into Beckett's - with its dramatic gated entrance and wine bottle lined wall - you're transported to this dichotomy of old world charm meets new age atmosphere.

It immediately transports you: it's an oasis in the beautifully bustling Sydney suburb of Glebe. If you're a longtime restaurant writer as I am, you'll remember this site as Darling Mills. I enjoyed dinner at this very site over 20 years ago... I remember walking in and been blown away by the dramatic sandstone walls, and an intimate ambience.

This certainly remains today, and is elevated with its luxe interior, low lighting, and long corridor in amongst softly lit tables for two or many more.

The sub-basement sandstone beauty is lined with bricks that have been repurposed from the burnt down Glebe Abbott. With the foundations of Saint John’s Bishopthorpe stunning gothic-style sandstone church erected in 1870, later gutted by fire, a dentist and Glebe local would take 11 years digging out the garden of his home and (as owner of Beckett's, Executive Chef and Beckett’s co-owner, Jeff Schroeter recounts), each brick was carried to transform it to what Beckett's is today: an incredible restaurant, essentially in his own front yard.

Okay, now that we've completed the interesting history lesson, more on THAT menu.

On the night my dining partner, Jason from Spooning Australia, did the ordering, alongside Jeff - and our very experienced waiter - which suits me fine! I don't mind others in the know taking the lead...

Here is what we ordered:

• Wild Tasmanian Belon Oysters – 10 years old (YES!), hand-dived, and shucked to order. Sweet chardonnay vinegar mignonette. The oysters were HUGE!
• Escargots en Cocotte – Snails baked with garlic butter, tomato, and spinach, with a puff pastry lid
• French Onion Soup – Gruyère cheese croutons, thyme and a splash of sherry
• Roasted Sea Scallops – Petit pois à la française bottarga, with artichoke crisps
• Strawberry Foie – Seared foie gras 80g, local poached strawberries, aged balsamic, paired with a glass of Baumard Coteaux du Layon (late harvest Chenin blanc)
• Bouillabaisse – Provincial fish stew of select fish, crustaceans, saffron and tomato, served with rouille and sourdough
• Slow Cooked Pork Cheek with Truffled Cider Sauce – Gorgonzola soft polenta, roasted green olive cheeks and speck
• Coffee Crème Brûlée
• Fancy Poached Pear

Desserts below, exceptional!

The stand out dish for me?

ALL OF THEM!

If I must pick some faves, the slow-cooked pork cheek - served on a bed of gorgonzola polenta, it was such a beautiful marriage of flavours... anything with that distinct Gorgonzola tang... I am IN!

The French Onion Soup – so wonderfully warming, and substantial.

The Strawberry Foie – such an unusual taste sensation, with the soft poached strawberries in aged balsamic: sweet meets tangy, for those who like to challenge their taste buds to something unexpected.

I snuck in a cheeky cocktail, and of course, even that is next level.

I had the: 

Habanero Pineapple Margarita: Habanero infused Blanco tequila, fresh pineapple, agave, citrus and cardamon.

The highlights were... the whole entire experience!

At the truffle dinner, not only will you experience the “black diamonds” (truffles!) of the food world supplied by award-winning Orange, NSW Trufferie, Borrodell, for a one-night-only and Sydney-FIRST five-course Becketts x Borrodell Truffle Dinner.

 

You'll also see the vision of celebrated Executive Chef Jeff (who hails from Bistro Moncur, Bayswater Brasserie) come to life.

Supported by Borrodell’s, with Luisa Machielse joining as co-host as she shares her intimate truffle knowledge with guests, this stunning five-course truffle menu with multiple matching wines is one not to miss and set to be THE truffle dinner of the season.

Fresh on the heels of Borrodell’s cult truffle event, the Black Tie and Gumboot Truffle Hunt and Dinner, truffles will be freshly foraged by local forager Teneka Priestly and her truffle-hunting-trained rescue dogs, dusted off, and brought directly to Beckett's for Schroeter to show off his magic.

Jeff, who hails from a small country town near the Riverina of NSW, says that this will be a truly exceptional night for truffle aficionados and novices alike. He says, “My passion for local and seasonal produce is ingrained, having grown up eating food from the farm and foraging in surrounding lakes, rivers, and forests.

 

“We couldn’t think of a better ingredient to launch our ‘Town & Country’ series by showcasing NSW’s very own ‘black diamonds’ and honouring the pioneers of the truffle movement in Australia. This will be a very special and decadent evening and a first in a successful and long term collaboration between us all.”

Borrodell has hosted some of the biggest Sydney chefs at their truffle events for years - Justin North, Giovanni Pilu and Rockpool’s culinary director, Corey Costelloe, amongst others, but this is the FIRST time they have brought their prized-truffles to Sydney for a dinner of this calibre.

Machielse says, “At Borrodell, everything we grow is based on our strong ethical land conservation philosophy. We love that this is appreciated by the top chefs and drink makers in the country, who go well out of their way to come to Orange to source our produce. We love being a part of Sydney's icons of dining and our collaboration with Jeff Schroeter and his Beckett’s team is one we are delighted to support and be part of.  We are truly looking forward to it!” 

Borrodell Estate, based in Orange, NSW is as famous for its brilliant cold climate wines as it is for its orchard and trufferie.  The estate truffles come from the oldest oak trees on the Australian mainland with master truffle hunter, Teneka Priestly, using locally trained rescue dogs to guide in the specialised hunt it is recognised as the Trufferie of the Australian mainland.

 

This is the first event in Beckett’s ‘Town & Country’ culinary series which aims to showcase guest chefs and the best of regional Australian produce. 

 

WHAT: Beckett’s Truffle Dinner with Borrodell Estate 

 

WHEN: Thursday 28 July 2022

WHERE: Beckett’s Private Wine Cellar, 134A Glebe Point Road, Glebe

WHO: Hosted by Exec Chef, Jeff Schroeter, and Borrodell’s, Luisa Machielse

TIME: 6pm – 10pm

TO BOOK: https://www.beckettsbardining.com.au/whats-on/truffle-dinner-2022

Beckett’s is a must visit, even if you miss this truffle dinner.

The historic site in Glebe, with the heritage of the Sydney’s farm-to-table pioneer Darling Mills. Jeff and Wendy are bringing to life this perhaps forgotten venue with revived bistro classics, an exceptional wine list, and a cocktail bar designed by the world-famous drinks ambassador, Charlie Ainsbury, are all the many elements which have invigorated this spot, and turned it into a new jewel of the restaurant scene.

BOOK IT NOW!

Go right HERE.

Taste Food Tours: REVIEW

Want to live like a local and know the secret spots to eat and get your freshest groceries?

The long-running Taste Tours is your little foodie friend.

I experienced a Taste Tour for the first time around ten years ago, and I finally went back for more recently.

On a warm Sunday morning I headed over to the suburb of Cabramatta (which took all of five minutes; I am lucky to live 'out west') and I took heed of the cautionary 'leave enough time to find parking' tip, as Cabramatta is absolutely notorious for grid lock traffic and limited parking at any time, though especially on a Sunday when families are doing their food shopping, going our for yum cha, and enjoying their time doing Sunday things.

There are parking stations but even getting there is futile as the line up is huge, so my insider tip is to park in a residential street, and walk. It'll cost nothing, and you will be so grateful for your escape when the tour is over.

Onto the actual tour!

My best advice before you event start is: come hungry!

If your tour has a morning start, don't even bother with breakfast.

That's what I did and I was still SO FULL by the end.

The thing about doing a taste tour is that you get to absolutely immerse yourself in the suburb, the people, the culture, and the very heartbeat of the place you are visiting.

Want to know where to shop, to get the cheapest possible groceries?

Doing one of these tours means that you get the insider tips from people in the know.

And when your tour director takes you to visit all the food stops, you will meet the people behind the business and get the backstory like never before, and you'd likely not get the opportunity to do so if you were simply dropping in unannounced.

If you're that foodie in your friendship group and want to be able to recommend delicious food spots as someone who has genuinely experienced it, this is yet another reason to take part in a Taste Tour.

Here is more about the tour Taste of Vietnam - straight from their website:

• Enjoy classic Vietnamese dishes, banh mi, pho, banh xeo, Cafe sua da, sugarcane juice, and much more. Healthful deliciousness.
• Discover the sights, sounds, scents & shopping that are part of a bustling authentic Vietnamese market town experience, without the airfare.
• Generous local food specialty tastings at cafes, restaurants and shops. Food equivalent to a generous meal (or more). Arrive hungry!
• Knowledgeable local guide will share the colourful history & stories of Cabramatta, and recomendations for future visits.
• Medium easy walking through crowds. Vegetarian and gluten-free options available (just let us know ahead of time!)

What I have always loved about a Taste Tour is the variety of cuisines on offer, the value for money, and just how satisfied you feel post event - your belly is full, and each vendor feels validated and lovely... who doesn't want to tell their story, and have a captive audience listen and understand their whole journey.

Beautiful!

A Taste Tour is also an EXCELLENT gift for the person who has everything... or simply someone you know will appreciate a gift with a difference.My 'Taste of Vietnam' your in Cabramatta was 3.5 hours long, and costs: $99 for adults, $89 for concession, and a Youth ticket is $79 (for ages 12-18), while a child ticket is $55 (ages 5-11).

See all the current Taste Tours on offer here: www.tastetours.com.au