I visited here last night for only the second time, and it was a very good experience overall. The…read moreonly two "complaints" I have are minor and one isn't really even the restaurant's fault ... After booking here for my birthday dinner, I suddenly realised that of course it's upstairs and my mother has a bad knee and I couldn't remember if there was a lift/elevator. I sent an email to restaurant and was replied to promptly and courteously saying that yes, they have a lift. Great. We go to use it to get upstairs, and some kids were playing in it going up and down and not letting us in. Their parents were oblivious to the bratty behaviour, and so she had to climb up a steep staircase. That almost set the tone for the night, but what made up for it, was the great service. Everyone was friendly and attentive. We were told of the specials for the night (which was seafood and not everyone can eat seafood - a fact not every restaurant realises), and given our menus in reasonable time. Food came out promptly and everything was delicious. Before the entrees came out, there was hot bread given to the table and it was sooooooo yum. I ordered the Fish 'n Chips for main, and fish was so incredibly white, fresh and moist; just perfect. The batter was crisp and tasty. The chips though, were less than a handful of thick wedges and we felt this may not be enough so we ordered a side bowl of shoestring fries (a way to make you fork out more money and possibly the only disappointing "fault"). Everyone enjoyed the meal they had. Desserts all sounded tempting, and the presentation when it came out was beautiful. I had asked for a component to be left out since I don't like coffee flavoured foods, and they accommodated and even came back out with a substitute suggestion. It was scrumptious. Throughout the night we were treated to a magnificent view of Melbourne city and the bay. It's a stunning location for a great celebratory meal. I know it would be even better in summer, but then again it would probably be stifling hot too. I loved going there in winter, and with the food and service being as excellent as it was, I'll definitely be going back again. They do apparently do breakfasts (and lunch?) and would love to try a breakfast there while the area isn't yet too busy. If you're looking for a great place to have a wonderful night or day out, then this is it. I highly recommend it.

setting is so beautiful, but red wine we were served had gone bad, and drinks were very average -…read morewhat a shame as this used to be a great spot!

Great good earth food. Popped in here for a quick lunch and was thoroughly comforted by its great…read moretaste, pride-of-the-earth food. Had octopus for my entree. It was tender and juicy, with grand flavours of the sea. Not to be missed. The main was slow-cooked lamb, complemented by an earthy mint dribbling and accompanied by a small swig of fresh turnip. The lamb was tender and comfortingly earthy. Lunch was concluded with with a dessert dish comprising of donut balls and accompanied by lemon curd. Lovely conclusion to a great lunch Ambience of the place was good too, with nice sunlight flooding through the big glass windows surrounding the room. The nearby sea outside the windows adds a further component to a relaxed afternoon at St Kilda

I've visited Circa on a number of different occasions - for big lavish dinners with pre and post…read moredinner cocktails, light lunches with the girls, meals in the bar, and even just stopping past for a G & T on the way home. With an inside vertical garden and a peephole to the kitchen, the restaurant proper is a lovely space to sit. Do be sure though to wear your cutest dress, ladies, because you will feel like you are very much 'on show' in this space! For more laid-back, though still very chic dining and drinking, head to the bar where you can get a glass of wine from the Enomatic, or a martini to go along with something from the more casual bar menu. My pick? Take a friend, order a few bits and pieces and then splash out on a bottle of something delicious from the wine list. The sommelier will guide you through and won't even bat an eyelid when she realises that you plan to match it to the (legendary) Circa Burger.

Cafeteria look and feel. Good thing spectacular view…read moreovershadowed the less than mediocre food.

Well, didn't think much of the menu once we were seated, and we had a pillar in our way which…read moreblocked off most of the view. But in saying that, I was very delighted with the evening. Waiter was Grant and was very friendly and very professional so a thumbs up to him. We had a piece of homemade bread with whipped butter as a complimentary starter, it's was ok. Skipped the entree and headed straight to mains. Well was not disappointed at all. I had the special which was a steak with truffle sauce, grilled beans, garlic butter and garlic flowers which tasted great. The whole meal was cooked to perfection and tasted amazing. My wife ate the Duck breast with baby fennel and seasoned veggies and truffle sauce, it was amazing also. Supporting our meals with a Italian beer each and then a bottle of Yarraloch Pinot Noir which tasted great. Dessert was amazing!!! The flavour of my rocky road and the different textures on the plate was sensational. The elderflower parfait was the choice of the wife and she loved it. Overall a great night and very pleased with our choice of venue and food and drink. Cost of the evening $200 exactly!

Ever since the change, green park used to be Saint Ali North. It has been gutted, revamped and just…read moreincredibly put back together. When they first opened they had a pianist whom played during lunch but because it's a very busy time they have changed it so that a band plays on Sunday nights where it is calmer and the music can be more appreciated. The food is a great variety of people's favourites with a twist of awesome and then you have their more exotic plates where the chef gets to let loose allowing customers to have something different. Breakfast, brunch, lunch and now even dinner... Green park opens for dinner. Having only a small portion of the restaurant open in the evening along the bar, it's an intimate affair. Here the menu options are truly explored with a selection of beverages to match. As for staff, they know their stuff and if you take a second to get to know them they are really great people. As for the decor it is incredibly up to scratch... The seating area has been designed to have one end for individuals eating alone with booths for small groups and as you work your way toward the back the seating becomes more family friendly with seating outside for mothers with prams so that they can see their kids in play area right outside. The discrete soundproofing in the ceiling makes a great difference to dropping the noise level when it gets really full. I loved it before... I love it even more now!

Green Park is quite easily one of my favourite venues in Melbourne. I have been there for…read morebreakfast, lunch, dinner and just drinks and have never once been disappointed. Last night was my first time indulging in dinner and BOY did we indulge. We started with a charcuterie board, which if you have any interest in charcuterie you simply *must* try. It includes four different meats with the highlight being the lemon and salt cured pork belly. I drool just thinking about it. On the particularly evening we dined I had a serious hankering for steak, so naturally I went for the Wood-grilled Murray Grey sirloin and braised short rib. It was so incredibly tender and juicy and melt-in-your-mouth delicious that I would happily have it for dinner for the rest of my life. We finished up with an apple tart with cinnamon ice cream. Now I am not normally a tart kinda gal but for some reason it leapt out at me from the dessert menu. I am not even kidding, we licked the plate clean within three minutes of the tart arriving in front of us. THREE MINUTES. The staff were both shocked and impressed by our efforts. Green Park has the perfect mix of relaxation and sophistication. It simultaneously makes you feel like you're at a fancy venue for an expensive dinner while still remaining casual and affordable.

This is somewhere I pass by many times, yet never stopped in. I finally tried it recently, and…read morefound it to be nice and enjoyable, but would I rush back? Read on ... The premises themselves are nice and modern. Everything is clean and sleek, and each table has a cute vase of flowers on them. However when the menus came out, they were just A4 sheets of paper. Nothing flash, and some quite dog eared and a bit dirty. I ordered the Eggs Benedict and it came on a potato rosti. I was very disappointed in the rosti; it was congealed and gluggy and had an oily taste, but the eggs were cooked well, the salmon fresh and the hollandaise quite tasty. Everyone else at my table liked what they ordered too. Everything came out in reasonable time, and items were well priced. The staff were friendly and attentive as well. The one thing that bugged me, but to a degree is somewhat out of the hands of the owners, is that the fresh flowers seemed to attract unwanted attention from fruit flies and little bug thingies. One even flew into my hollandaise and died there. I know they can't help little flying bug things, but it was the flowers and subsequently the food they were after and it is annoying eating while shooing away pests. Having said that, this quaint little spot is definitely worth a try at least once. I'd go back again if a friend in the area wanted to meet, but otherwise would maybe look to choose somewhere else.

Located on Waverley Road in Malvern East, Little Oak Eatery is a friendly neighbourhood café that…read morehas been around for about a year now. But last month, a new management has taken over and has bought about quite a few changes to make it the perfect neighbourhood and family friendly café in the area. We walked into Little Oak Eatery rather late for lunch, around 3pm. As we entered, one of the staff informed us that they would be able to serve us only coffee as the kitchen has closed for the day. We were a bit disappointed as the timings of the café said they were open till 4pm. She apologized and said that coffee, pastries and similar accompaniments were available but since we hadn't had lunch, we stepped out saying that we will return at another time. Within seconds, the owner of the café came out and invited us back inside saying that he can serve us lunch. He said that the kitchen was just beginning to close and since they hadn't put anything away, they can still accommodate our orders. And so we were back inside and seated for lunch. Loved the customer service, the friendliness of the staff and their willingness to go that extra mile and serve us with a smile. The café has a very inviting ambience; large windows ensure that the area is well lit. With plenty of space inside and outside, it is the perfect place to relax and stretch out your legs. A great space for families and also to catch up with friends over coffee. Soon the drinks and lunch menu was bought out. Normally, I would try out the coffee but this time I was in the mood for something lighter and refreshing so ordered the Lemongrass and Ginger tea. And I was glad for it because it was a good quality tea brewed to perfection. Little Oak Eatery has an all day breakfast menu that is served till 3pm daily and also a lunch menu. There are also daily specials depending on the fresh and seasonal produce available. They also have a small kids menu which has all the familiar comforting classics that you wish to see in your neighbourhood café. So the little fellow ordered Egg Soldiers; nothing gets him more excited on a weekend than runny eggs. The dish arrived in style; two perfectly done eggs placed on an egg carton and a few pieces of good quality toasted sour dough bread, the whole thing placed on a rustic wooden board. Apart from it tasting delicious, I loved the fact that an everyday breakfast dish was presented in such a beautiful manner that even a child would appreciate it. My choice was the potato rosti with smoked salmon and pickled mustard served with two poached eggs. Loved everything about this dish. Clean flavours and good quality ingredients; a fine example of not much cooking required when you have good produce. The rosti was crispy outside and soft inside and paired deliciously with the heat from the mustard and the smoky saltiness of the salmon. And perfectly poached eggs to elevate it to a hearty meal. And the hubby chose to have the crispy grilled salmon with assorted veggies and salsa verde. The salmon was cooked beautifully; crispy skin with soft flaky flesh (would have preferred a slightly bigger portion though). Really fresh veggies cooked to perfection and the tangy, herby salsa verde to tie it all together. Overall, it was a delicious and highly satisfying meal. The owner mentioned that he was still adding more dishes to the menu to cater to a wider audience. He also said that he was planning on getting a liquor licence so that the café could operate on weekend nights too (that would be really great). If you are taking a look at their menu on the website, it reads rather limited but the in house menu has much more to offer. We would definitely go back, especially on days when we just want to relax and indulge in simple yet delicious comfort food.

Very close to the parliament building in Melbourne is a restaurant, The European, with a great…read moreoutdoor area with tables and friendly, helpful, knowledgeable service. We had delicious steaks, fries and salads and a couple of glasses of wine. Very nice place for a comfortable outdoor lunch.

Food was delicious, we tried four things off the menu and all were terrific. Service was good. A…read morelittle pricey but you definitely get your moneys worth in quality. Desert was delicious too. The setting is a little odd to be honest but once the food came out that small inconvenience quickly became an afterthought. Lamb faggot and steamed cod were impeccable. Finished off with a chocolate mousse with mandarin sorbet that was absolutely delicious. Highly recommend, I don't mind the price when the taste justifies it.

The best food The variety…read more The atmosphere is amazing In the summer you can sit outside

Situated in an old fire station, The Firehouse is one of the most upscale dining experiences East…read moreof the city. As the Urban sprawl envelopes the area, it's only logical that the demand for places like The Firehouse would pop up, and from what I've seen, the place is in high demand. Every time I have been here it has been fully booked up, and deservedly so. The food is fantastic, the service is quite good, and the menu boasts dishes you won't find anywhere else in Ringwood. For an experience such as this however, there is a cost. The Firehouse is also one of the most expensive places to eat in the area, with a lunch consisting of one meal, one drink and a coffee chalking up an easy $40. I was there last week, and had the omelette for lunch, with a beer and a coffee. The omelette was sensational, full of Italian cheese and sautéed mushrooms. Not oily or overly salty, it was a good lunch size and left room for me to check out the superb dessert menu. With a group of 8 of us, I must note that the service was great until the desserts came out, and we were given another tables order. This left a couple of us with no dessert, and the staff were forced to come and apologize, then leave those without dessert waiting until well after the rest of us were finished until they received theirs. We were compensated with free coffee though, which was nice.

I can't say that this place was technically normal when I visited, probably because there isn't…read moresuch a thing as normal these days. I ended up visiting this cafe during that brief period of time when we would actually go out and sit in a cafe (or outside as the case happens to be with this particular place) for a nice cup of tea. The service was pretty good, and quite prompt as well. The also made a pretty awesome pot of tea as well. Yeah, I did quite like this place.

Terrific local cafe. Great inside or out. Breakfast or lunch both really good food. Highly…read moreRecommended.