19 replies to this topic

[kunalraiker]

I need some recommendations on a hip restaurant for my wedding anniversary:party

Priority1: Great Food
Priority2:More Great Food
Priority3:Decent Ambience

Obviously surrounding suburbs are fine to travel if the restaurant is up the mark.

Cuisine, Modern Australian preferential.

[el toro]

You can't get hipper (or better!) than Cumulus Inc. IMHO.

No bookings, but I've never had to wait too long to get in. Usually you can have a drink at the bar and watch the chefs at work until a table comes up.

[Mr_Gimlet]

How much are you prepared to spend?...

Cumulus is great but it's probably a bit casual, from the hospitality school of "you've finished your meal now piss off". Lots of options in Melbourne, from Cumulus' big brother Cutler and Co to the esoteric cheffydom of Attica. So a lot depends what for you makes great food.

If it were me, I'd suggest a drive to the country to Loam on the Bellarine.

[kunalraiker]

Spending, not sure depends probably around $200.00 for food.

[Milo]

Hi KR, don't know if this is fancy enough for you, but what about the Sky High Restaurant on top of Mt Dandenong?
Spectacular views of Melbourne suburbs at night. I proposed to my wife at the top of Mt Dandenong at the lookout outside the restaurant (12 years ago now) - she thought it was very romantic!

http://www.skyhighmtdandenong.com.au/

[Mr_Gimlet]

Oh, 200 is fine for everywhere with the possible exception of VdM. A three hat degustation will not break 150. Attica is the only Melbourne restaurant in the top 50 global list, but it can be a bit up itself - the wine is very well priced though, and the food is very good in a modern deconstructed Noma kind of way. It's a one visit restaurant, and it is on a scruffy shopping strip in Ripponlea. To make it work, it would have be food above everything.

I'd still recommend Loam though.

[kunalraiker]

Hi KR, don't know if this is fancy enough for you, but what about the Sky High Restaurant on top of Mt Dandenong?
Spectacular views of Melbourne suburbs at night. I proposed to my wife at the top of Mt Dandenong at the lookout outside the restaurant (12 years ago now) - she thought it was very romantic!


http://www.skyhighmtdandenong.com.au/

I know that place, infact I almost booked it for New Years Eve one time, but they were booked out
I'am not sure about the food there though as the last time I checked they didn't have a very diverse menu.But you are absolutely right about the view, it is second to none.

Oh, 200 is fine for everywhere with the possible exception of VdM. A three hat degustation will not break 150. Attica is the only Melbourne restaurant in the top 50 global list, but it can be a bit up itself - the wine is very well priced though, and the food is very good in a modern deconstructed Noma kind of way. It's a one visit restaurant, and it is on a scruffy shopping strip in Ripponlea. To make it work, it would have be food above everything.

I'd still recommend Loam though.

Thanks, I will research the places you have recommended.

[el toro]

Another couple of options;

Syracuse - lovely Euro 'salon' kind of vibe. Mediterranean inspire menu that does lots of little share plates (but it's not tapas...) Ripper wine list. http://www.syracuser...1_home/home.asp

La Luna - a meat focussed menu with a french/italian bent (but not obnoxiously 'steak house'...). Adrian Richardson dry-ages his own beef and is pretty picky about it. Nice, smallish room (bistro vibe rather than stuffy) - a decent pick for an anniversary unless the missus is a vegetarian!
http://www.lalunabistro.com.au/

[kunalraiker]

Research So Far:

La Luna- Nice but not much choice in the menu predominantly because my wife and I don't eat beef.
Syracuse- Again, looking for a little more fancier, gamier menu.Seems a little orthodox.
Attica- Wow, this one is cool, don't even disclose their menu but sure to be surprised, unfortunately they are closed from this weekend for the rest of the year, does not help me.
Loam- Can't seem to get hold of anyone, left couple of messages will wait and see, but looks promising if they are open next week.

Apart from the above, anyone else has any experience or recommendation in fine dining for us from Melbourne.

[vinyl-eye]

Had a great meal at Rockpool a while ago.

A lot of Beef on there menu though but there seafood was very good.

Very nice wine too and great service.

http://www.rockpool.com/melbourne

[vinyl-eye]

LOL, Never eaten at Attica but i'm not sure about the images in on there website of them foraging for food to serve from the alleyways and beside city train tracks.
http://www.attica.co...lery/Album&id=4

[kunalraiker]

Had a great meal at Rockpool a while ago.

A lot of Beef on there menu though but there seafood was very good.

Very nice wine too and great service.

http://www.rockpool.com/melbourne

Been there for one of my wedding anniversaries already , but agree its a nice place.
My wife reckons she's not had a lamb steak till date that beats rockpool.

[warrengday]

I've eaten at Rockpool 6 times, wonderful in every respect, only twice wasn't I blown away.

[kunalraiker]

Ok, Loam is also out of the picture as they are closed on tuesday.

[houdinifangs]

I enjoyed eating at The Brix in Fitzroy on the weekend. Very modern and very hip. The 5 course set menu is excellent.

[tsquare]

check out ezard, pm24 and cecconis

[Zammo]

The Estelle in High St Northcote. Very well priced degustations with or without matching wines. Modern Australian.

[Mr_Gimlet]

I'd like to try the Estelle and Brix. Nearly went to Huxtable but it looked a bit up itself.

OP, didn't realise you were looking at short notice - you probably wouldn't have got into Loam or Attica. Attica's menu is on their website.

[JohnA]

I've eaten at Rockpool 6 times, wonderful in every respect, only twice wasn't I blown away.

unlucky me had an average experience there on my first visit, which has made me not want to go back again

[kunalraiker]

Thanks everyone for all the recommendation.
We finally ended up going to The Smith Restaurant in Prahran
http://www.thesmithprahran.com.au/

I should suggest the Tune there was a show stopper, we did the 5 course degustation, advised the waiter that I didn't eat beef and that I was looking forward to the duck and the rabbit.Least to say, he did look after us well !
The service was impeccable, apart from a waitress you randomly was bringing out someone else's food to our table, she did at one time refer to us as "you ladies" coming from my back side. It was a little shocking as there is absolutely no question to be raised about my masculine looks
The food was very good, the service (apart from that waitress) was good too !
The only negative points could be the sitting, didn't really like the small table we had and the other guests were fairly close to us too, but that was how the restaurant is setup as a whole.
It also is a little noisy, but I guess that makes the place a little lively !