MONTALCINO RISTORANTE

820 Ferntree Gully Road
Wheelers Hill

http://www.montalcinoristorante.com.au/

Montalcino opened its doors several months ago on the site of the old Sofia’s Pizza and Pasta Restaurant.  Of course comparisons between the two establishments were made straight away.  We heard feedback from several friends who complained how expensive it was and that it was no longer a good place for kids. 

Looking for a new place to try, J and I decided to give it a go and see if the negative feedback was warranted.  Well weren’t we in for a pleasant surprise?  The service was friendly and efficient and the value for money excellent.  Yes it is expensive compared to Sofia’s prices but no more so than any other decent Italian restaurant serving pizza/pasta and mains.  Children were more than welcome and the price of the kids meals even included a pencil and colouring pack to keep them amused...always a good thing!

And be warned...the servings here are huge!  Unless you’re a professional sportsperson and need to load up on carbs, the entree size pasta is plenty big enough for the average person.  The desserts are massive too...your best option is sharing unless you’ve deliberately left room!

WE ORDERED
For starters we ordered a Herb Focaccia with Cheese – Homemade focaccia pizza style -

J had an entree size of Fettuccine Gambero – Prawns and scallops in a creamy garlic and herb sauce -

I had a main size of Gnocchi Pollo Funghi – Chicken in a creamy mushroom sauce -

For dessert J had the trio of icecream -

I had the Chocolate Mousse -

WE THOUGHT
The focaccia was really tasty with the middle pieces being moist and cheesy and not at all dry.

We both loved the homemade pasta, you could really see and taste the difference in quality.  J couldn’t fault her Fettuccine Gambero and particularly loved the sauce.  Light and pillow like, I thought the gnocchi was some of the best I have ever eaten.  And the sauce was to die for.  I shudder to think how much cream might have been included but I didn’t find it oily or heavy at all.  Unfortunately the size of it got the better of me and regretfully I had to leave almost half of it behind.

J was impressed that the icecream served was Norgen-Vaaz.  You could select which flavours you wanted and when one of the flavours she originally ordered was unavailable, a waiter kindly returned to our table and listed all of the flavours left that she could choose from.

I had originally been going to go for the Triple Choc Mint Cake but one look at it in the display and I knew that I would only be able to devour a few mouthfuls...it looked so inviting but so rich!  When I am really too full for dessert but want to order it anyway, Chocolate Mousse is always my pick.  Sometimes it can backfire by being just as rich as a piece of cake, but Montalcino’s was beautifully light and fluffy and I was easily able to get through it although I was relieved it wasn’t any bigger!

WE LIKED
The quality of the food.  Lots of parking.  Would be particularly good for large groups.

WE DISLIKED
Tables were a bit too close together.  I had to swap chairs with one at another table when I first sat down as mine had a very wonky leg.

WILL WE RETURN?
For sure.  Great service, food and value for money mean we’ll definitely be back.  I hope more of the locals give it a try and realise that it is worth paying more to get good quality food, service and value for money.

8/10

SETTE BELLO

540 Springvale Road 
Glen Waverley

http://www.settebello.com.au

Ever since Herald Sun restaurant reviewer Stephen Downes ventured out to Glen Waverley and reviewed the newly opened Sette Bello a few years ago, I knew it must be something special.  It’s not often that food critics make the trip out to the south eastern suburbs so when they do, you know they are usually on to something.

Rather bizarrely located in the middle of the Brandon Business Park on the corner of Springvale and Ferntree Gully Roads, Sette Bello has a captive market of business people by day and knowledgeable locals by night.  Hubby and I decided to give it a try on a recent Saturday night and see if it lived up to the hype.  There are two sittings on Friday and Saturday nights – 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.  Needing to be back at a reasonable hour to pick up Miss Three, we went for 6.00. 

The menu is Italian based with some Modern Australian leanings.  Complementary bread is served and water glasses are constantly filled by the wait staff.

On the whole, we had a great night.  It was nice to see quite a few families with children dining here too, despite the fine dining menu and prices.

WE ORDERED

For entree, I had the Porchetta; Crispy skinned rolled pork belly with a fennel and citrus salad and a Pedro Ximenz reduction (this could also be ordered as a Main Course).

Hubby had Hervey Bay (Queensland) scallops in the half shell 2 ways with a capsicum chilli salsa, and gratinated gremolata and ceviche of mint, lime, chilli, cucumber and avocado.

For main course I had Duck and wild mushroom risotto with Barolo wine and shaved parmesan

Hubby had WA king prawn and crab meat risotto with crustacean bisque and fresh tomato

For dessert I had Spinge - Italian doughnuts, honey, vincotto and rum raisin ice cream

Hubby had Callebaut Belgium chocolate fondant with a white chocolate milkshake and vanilla bean ice cream

WE THOUGHT
I was slightly disappointed with my entree pork...it was slightly dry in parts and the skin was more chewy than crispy...but the flavours of the dish were excellent, especially those of the accompanying salad.  The risotto was full of flavour...not as good as the similarly flavoured one I'd had at Tutto Bene but close.  The Italian doughnuts were great but it was a bit difficult to eat them without a knife.  I thought they needed some sort of filling...they were a little doughy and could have done with some jam or custard.  The rum raisin ice-cream they were served with was excellent.

Hubby found the scallops with the salsa slightly too tangy but thought they were balanced well by the gremolata ones.  He would also have liked some shaved parmesan on his risotto (I gave him some of mine).  He thought the Chocolate Fondant filling was very rich but well balanced by the ice-cream and milkshake (these were both highlights and full of flavour).

WE LIKED
Overall the food was of a very high standard.  The service was excellent and we were really made to feel welcome by every staff member.  It was nice to experience a fine dining menu and service in a casual atmosphere.  There is lots of parking...no need to drive around frantically looking for a spot here!

WE DISLIKED

The tables for two were slightly too close together for my liking.  It also got a bit noisy later in the night. 

WILL WE RETURN?

Absolutely.  With its excellent food and service and ample parking, we’ll definitely be making a return visit.  This is a real gem...newspaper reviewers should venture out to the suburbs more often!

8.5/10

MOCHA JO'S

87 Kingsway 
Glen Waverley

http://www.mochajos.com.au/

Many restaurants have come and gone in Glen Waverley’s Kingsway strip since the arrival of the Village Cinema complex reinvigorated the area in the late 90’s.  Mocha Jo’s has been a staple of the area since 2000 with its prime corner location guaranteeing a steady flow of customers from breakfast through until dinner.

J and I decided to pop in one recent Sunday and see what was on offer.  What follows is one of the more bizarre dining experiences I have experienced.  Waiter 1 seated us right in the doorway so J asked if it was possible to have a table further inside.  We were taken to a corner booth but told it was booked at 2.00 p.m. so we’d have to be out by then.  That was no problem – it was 12.25 so we were happy to comply.

Once seated, Waiter 2 approached and enquired if we were having breakfast or lunch.  I asked if we could look at both menus.  “Well we’re only serving breakfast for another 5 minutes as it finishes at 12.30”.  “Well in that case we’ll order lunch” I replied.  “Well I’ll just let you know that there’s a 20-25 minute break between when we stop serving breakfast and start serving lunch so the kitchen can prepare”.  Ok then. 

Ten minutes later, Waiter 1 approached and we thought he was going to take our order...wrong!  “I’m sorry girls but I’m going to have to move you to another table...this table is booked at 2.00 and you’re not going to be done in time”.  Well it would help if someone would take our order I thought, but we nodded politely.  We assumed he would move us when another table became available...he never came near us again – what the?

Waiter 2 then arrived with our drinks and quickly exited.  Perhaps the break between breakfast and lunch means they don’t take any orders during this time, we thought?  He eventually arrived back to take our order at 12.50, 25 minutes after we were seated.  Well at least ours should be one of the first orders to arrive...right?  Wrong!  It appeared that while we had been ignored, the other waiters had all been taking lunch orders from other tables.  For the next 20 minutes we watched as a procession of lunch orders went out to tables that had been seated after us.  Not happy, Jan!  Finally our meals arrived at 1.10, 45 minutes after we had been seated.

Now, even if the kitchen does have a break between breakfast and lunch, if the waiter had taken our order at the start we could have had our meal 20 minutes earlier...and they could have had their table back.  Dessert looked very tempting but with the clock ticking closer to 2.00, we decided not to bother.

WE ORDERED

J had the Lemon Pepper Calamari - Fresh calamari dusted in lemon and pepper seasoning, Thai cashew nut salad, chunky chips, mustard mayonnaise

I had the Camembert Chicken Mignon - Prosciutto wrapped chicken breast stuffed with Camembert cheese served with sage, herb & garlic kipfler potatoes, spinach & shiraz jus

WE THOUGHT
J thought the calamari was nice and tender and the mustard mayonnaise full of flavour.  A very enjoyable meal.

The Chicken Mignon was incredibly tasty and I cleaned the plate, something I don’t often do.  The mignon filling was smooth and creamy, the potatoes crispy and the spinach beautifully cooked, the shiraz jus proving to be a most appetising dressing.

WE LIKED

The quality of the food was fantastic and the menu was very diverse - there were a few things I would like to have tried.  The atmosphere and location make this an enjoyable place to dine.  A water bottle and glasses were brought to our table and topped up frequently.

WE DISLIKED
The erratic service was a big turn off.  Most establishments manage the transition from breakfast to lunch service smoothly and with Mocha Jo’s serving breakfast seven days a week for over ten years, you’d think they’d have it down pat by now.

WILL WE RETURN?

I am willing to give Mocha Jo’s another chance based on the quality of the food alone.  But the service needs to improve.  No customer should be treated like they are an inconvenience and that was how we felt – it also cost them a dessert order.

5/10

WHEELERS HILL HOTEL

Crn Ferntree Gully & Jells Rds 
Wheelers Hill

http://www.wheelershillhotel.com.au/index.html

On a recent Sunday night, J and I decided to squeeze in some quick sister time and head to the nearby Wheelers Hill Hotel for dinner.

The Wheelers Hill has been an institution in the area for as long as I can remember and for good reason.  The main building on the corner was the area’s original post office in the late 1800’s and its heritage listing means it remains whilst surrounded by a brand new hotel built around ten years ago. While the public bar has been a popular haunt for the young of the area, it also attracts the older crowd with its Morning Melodies shows and Seniors Specials.

The main thing the Wheelers has going for it is the atmosphere, with the bistro’s full glass windows taking advantage of spectacular views over the Dandenongs.  A fireplace and comfortable lounge chairs add to the cosiness.  Like many pubs, drinks must be ordered at the bar and meals from the counter.  The menu has recently been relaunched and includes the usual pub bistro favourites along with an extensive grill menu.  Several specials are also available along with a special Kids and Seniors menu. 

WE ORDERED

To share as a starter -

Baked Mini Loaf - Oven baked, accompanied w roasted garlic, herb & semi-dried tomato & basil butters

For main course (both from the specials menu)

J had Vindaloo Prawns - Twelve tiger prawns bound with a mild coconut & vindaloo sauce, capsicum & spanish onion resting upon steamed rice & accompanied with pappadams.

I had Char Sui Pork Belly - Oven baked pork belly served with fries & a salad of cucumber ribbons, wild rocket & cherry tomatoes finished with char siu sauce.

WE THOUGHT

The Baked Mini Loaf was huge and there was more than enough flavoured butter to go around.  The bread was warm and tasty...this was a very enjoyable starter.

J enjoyed her Vindaloo Prawns and thought the sauce had good flavour.

The Char Sui Pork Belly was massive and instead of the usual one piece of pork belly, I had three.  I must admit I forced myself to get through it.  It was a bit tougher than what you might find at a fine dining establishment and the crackling was on the chewy side rather than crispy.  Still the sauce was very tasty and for the price you couldn’t go wrong.

WE LIKED
The beautiful view and pleasant atmosphere.  The big meals which are good value for money.  Those who find pub bistros too noisy may prefer the Wheelers.  With no kids playroom it is much quieter than many other pubs and children are generally better behaved. 

WE DISLIKED

The lowlight of the night was the slow service.  Only one person was working behind the bar which meant a wait of almost 10 minutes for drinks.  The line to order food wasn’t too long as we got in early but if we’d been a bit later we would have been in for a wait.  The meals also took a long time to arrive on a night when the bistro wasn’t full...perhaps they were short staffed in the kitchen?

WILL WE RETURN
Yes.  Apart from the fact it is close to home, the great views and value for money meals mean we will be back, possibly for a family meal next time.

7/10

MISS MARPLE'S TEA ROOM

382 Mt. Dandenong-Tourist Road               
Sassafras VIC 

http://www.missmarples.com.au/

Named after the fictional Agatha Christie detective, Miss Marple’s Tea Rooms wouldn’t look out of place in a stereotypical English village.  Fortunately for us it is located a little bit closer to home at Sassafras, in the heart of Melbourne’s Dandenong Ranges.

Many come for Devonshire tea but on a midweek visit with hubby and Miss Three, we decided to go for an early lunch.  We arrived early as no bookings are taken, although they will put your name on a waiting list if they are full.

The interior of the room is charmingly lit by antique wall lamps with numerous pictures of Miss Marples herself lining the walls.  Shelves covered in various styles of tea pots line the awnings and there are house brand jams and tea available for sale.  An open fireplace burns at one end of the room and the waitresses are dressed as maids in black tunic style dresses with white aprons.

It’s all very quaint and definitely aimed at the tourists but those that like a little nostalgia should enjoy the experience.  On the downside, it is not licensed and the menu is somewhat limited.  They’re certainly not pushing the culinary envelope but that is not what Miss Marples is about.  It’s about settling in, relaxing and enjoying the experience.

WE ORDERED
Hubby and I ordered the Quiche Lorraine (Egg & Bacon) - Served with "hot" chipped potatoes & garden salad.

Despite not being listed, our waitress informed us of a Children’s Menu from which Miss Three ordered the standard Chicken Nuggets & Chips!

For dessert we all shared a Vicar’s Folly - A delicious congregation of butterscotch ice-cream, honeycomb pieces, chocolate, whipped cream and caramel fudge.

WE THOUGHT
Servings were generous and I enjoyed the Quiche Lorraine which had a thick pastry crust rather than the usual crumb type crusts that are often found on a quiche.  Hubby found his a bit oily for his liking. 

Past experience has taught us always to share desserts at Miss Marples and there were no complaints this time around.  It was good value for money and enough to feed the three of us...you can’t really go wrong!

WE LIKED
Pretty much everything.  The service was warm and friendly and the atmosphere cosy and inviting.  Those who visit during late June and July can also try the Christmas in July menu.

WE DISLIKED
The tables here are too close together.  Be prepared for a bit of a squeeze and those with prams/strollers can forget it.

WILL WE RETURN
It might not be to everyone’s cup of tea but it’s all about the experience rather than the food at Miss Marples.  We’ll definitely be back.

8/10

THREE PALMS

154 Ocean Beach Road
Sorrento

http://www.threepalms.com.au/

Whilst planning a trip to Sorrento and browsing through the 2011 Age Good Food Guide we came across a listing for Three Palms. With very favourable online reviews we decided we had to visit and so a Saturday night dinner for two was booked (very easily online).

Three Palms is located in a sandstone cottage on the main street. Dishes are designed to be shared and the menu leans towards modern Asian with a few exceptions. It was lucky we had a booking as people were being turned away as we arrived.

The cottage had a cosy, intimate atmosphere with many of the internal walls still intact, effectively dividing the restaurant into sections.  One of the many things to stand out about Three Palms is the unique ordering system. You are presented with a paper menu and pencil and you indicate which dishes you’d like to order. It was quick and easy and worked well (maybe more restaurants should try this?).

I can’t speak highly enough about the staff. Our waitress was even kind enough to suggest another bottle of wine when we inadvertently ordered a dessert one. The promised ice bucket never arrived but that was the only minor glitch in an otherwise highly enjoyable evening.

WE ORDERED
We selected two Small Plates and two Large Plates to share.

For small plates we ordered -
Prawns wrapped in kataifi pastry with a honey and almond dressing accompanied by an avocado salsa and Duck Wrap with Hoi Sin Sauce.

Unfortunately I don’t have pictures of these two because they were so good that we simply forgot!

For large plates we ordered –

Kingfish Green Curry with Mango -

Pork Caramel  -

and a side dish of Egg Fried Rice -

For dessert E had the Creme Brulee three ways – traditional, coffee & lime & ginger -

 J had the Affogato -

WE THOUGHT
I cannot speak highly enough of each dish that we tried. Everything was jam packed with flavour and we pretty much cleaned every plate. Every element added something and you could taste all of the individual ingredients in each dish.

The prawns were crunchy and sweet and the salsa really hit the spot.  The duck wraps were beautiful and it was a treat to find thin noodles hidden inside each one. 

The Kingfish green curry was melt in your mouth tender with great curry flavour that wasn’t too hot. The Pork Caramel was beautiful and it was great to get some crackling on the dish as well. The Egg Fried Rice was eggy and full of flavour.

The desserts were seriously impressive. I was expecting tiny serves of each flavour of crème brulee, instead I received a decent sized soufflé dish of each flavour along with an additional serving of great tasting vanilla bean ice-cream. Each brulee tasted exactly of its flavour, you would have been able to pick them even if you hadn’t known what they were. The traditional one was a bit plainer than other crème brulees I have eaten but with the strong flavour of the coffee and lime & ginger ones, it was a nice balance. J enjoyed her serving of Affogato which came with Kahlua, coffee and icecream.

WE LIKED
Pretty much everything.  A great warm and intimate atmosphere, excellent food and extremely hospitable staff. Every staff member we encountered was so warm and pleasant and wanted to ensure we were enjoying ourselves.  Considering there was also a private function on, the staff did a terrific job of keeping everyone fed and happy.

WE DISLIKED
Nothing.

WILL WE RETURN
Definitely...I cannot recommend Three Palms highly enough.  If you are looking for somewhere to dine in Sorrento you won’t be disappointed...just make sure you book!

9.5/10

SMASHING BEAN

Shop 1/119- 125 Ocean Beach Rd
Sorrento

When J and I decided we felt like breakfast at lunch time on a Saturday in Sorrento, trying to find somewhere that could accommodate us proved to be very difficult.  Most places had moved on to their limited lunch menus by 12.00 which left us with little hope of satisfying our craving for bacon! Fortunately for us, staff at the third cafe we tried directed us to Smashing Bean who serve an all-day breakfast. We were relieved...until we saw the menu.

Smashing Bean’s breakfast menu is one of the more unusual ones I have seen. If you are a traditional bacon and eggs kind of person then this is not the place for you. As J put it, “this menu is very Sorrento”.  The dishes are unusually titled and there’s no bacon and eggs or pancakes in sight. If however you are watching the waistline or just plain health conscious you will probably appreciate some of the more unusual items and lack of greasy offerings! Obviously there’s enough people out there who do as this place was doing a brisk trade, particularly amongst families with babies and children.

Meals are ordered at the counter and only fried eggs are served due to the size of the kitchen.

WE ORDERED
The closest menu item I could find to my traditional bacon & eggs was the EBC - free range fried eggs, bacon, cheese & rocket served on ciabatta with a choice of tomato relish, fruit chutney or mayonnaise. I went with the tomato relish.

J ordered Fresh baked beans served on turkish toast with marinated goats fetta, avocado & spinach.

WE THOUGHT
I didn’t really enjoy my ciabatta. I had envisaged receiving the eggs, bacon, cheese and rocket on top of the ciabatta but instead it was all sandwiched between another piece like a nicer version of a Subway roll. The bread was so crisp that it was impossible to cut through meaning I had to pull the whole thing apart to eat...very messy! The relish was nice but there wasn’t enough of it.

J felt it was nice that the baked beans were home made, but thought there wasn’t enough sauce and that the dish lacked flavour.

WE LIKED
Drinks were good...my Chocolate milkshake was very enjoyable and J thought the coffee was great, even ordering a second cappuccino. Big glass windows give a nice view over the main street.

WE DISLIKED
I’m a traditionalist when it comes to breakfast. I don’t mind a bit of a variety on a menu but not when it comes at the expense of the more conventional items.

WILL WE RETURN
Nothing majorly wrong here but Smashing Bean would not be my first choice if having breakfast in Sorrento again. It’s a pleasant enough place to dine but the menu was too abstract for these traditional breakfast girls!

6/10