MULGRAVE COUNTRY CLUB - COUNTRY BISTRO

Country Bistro at the Mulgrave Country Club
Corner of Wellington & Jells Road
Wheelers Hill

http://www.mulgravecc.com.au/mcc_bistro.html

A Saturday night family dinner saw E, hubby & Miss Three at the Country Bistro at Mulgrave Country Club.  Changes in local suburb boundaries mean it is actually now in Wheelers Hill but you can’t miss the bright lights of a venue that hosts several sporting clubs, function rooms, bars and gaming areas.

The Country Bistro is a large dining space with several wall and roof-mounted televisions, a “Kidzone” playroom and a stage where there is usually some type of entertainment on offer.  Meals are ordered from the counter and drinks from the bar but the queues moved quite quickly.

It’s not the place for an intimate dinner but is great if you have kids (there are plenty of high chairs) or a large group.  The Kidz Corner menu for Under 12’s had numerous choices and included a soft drink and dixie ice cream for the price.  Service was very quick, particularly with the kids meals, which is always a good thing!

WE ORDERED
We ordered a starter of Toasted Garlic & Cheese Bread...mostly to keep Miss Three happy until her meal arrived.

Despite vowing to order something different to hubby, we both went for The MCC Seafood Platter - Crumbed prawns, flathead tails, crumbed calamari, prawn rolls, oysters natural & cooked prawns with chips & cocktail sauce.

Miss Three chose her usual of Nuggets and Chips (they can also be ordered with vegetables).

Hubby & I shared a serve of Hazelnut Cheesecake with cream for dessert and Miss Three tucked into her dixie cup drenched in Chocolate Topping.

WE THOUGHT
The Toasted Garlic & Cheese Bread was almost pizza like in its cheesiness.  Consisting of four pieces, we actually couldn’t get through it all as it was so filling.

The MCC Seafood Platter was impressive.  The flathead was crispy without being too oily and the chips were crunchy and well seasoned with Chicken Salt.  We both thought the cooked prawns were not cold enough  but in general it was a great tasting and generous platter.

Unusually, Miss Three ate all of her nuggets so we didn’t get to taste test as usual but I’m guessing they were enjoyable as they all disappeared!

Unlike many restaurant cheesecakes, the Hazelnut cheesecake was nice and light with a good hazelnut flavour.  I probably could have got through a serve on my own.

WE LIKED
Kids are very well catered for here.  Miss Three’s meal came out literally only a few minutes after we had ordered.  A waitress also brought out a Busy Nippers Childrens Activity Bag containing crayons, stickers, drawing and puzzle sheets. I had never heard of this business before but I can vouch for the popularity of the bag long after we had arrived home.  A fantastic idea!  The playroom was clean and had a good range of activities.  For those who are anti-gaming, the gaming area is totally separate from the bistro.

WE DISLIKED
The singing duo doing Sade and Michael Bolton covers wasn’t particularly my cup of tea but at least you could hear yourself talk over the music.  I guess it’s hard to make any song sound good when sung in the corner of a bistro on a busy Saturday night!
 
WILL WE RETURN?
Yes, the quality of the meals have improved markedly since our last visit.  It is great value, particularly if you are a Member or have an Entertainment Card discount voucher.  Very good for kids or large groups but I’d consider elsewhere if something more intimate is required.

7/10

DAVID JONES RESTAURANT

Cnr Snedden Drive & High Street Road
Glen Waverley

The creatively named David Jones Restaurant is tucked in the corner of the second floor of David Jones’ Glen Waverley store. Formerly known as Bonbons, the restaurant has recently been refitted and boasts new furniture and a brand new menu from when it originally launched in 1996.

It has always been a popular space. Floor to ceiling glass windows look across to the Dandenongs in the east or you can watch the passing traffic go by from above if you visit on a rainy day like we did. Clientele varies from well-dressed ladies lunching, to grandparents treating the grandchildren, to families and mothers groups. It’s a fairly low key sort of place, even if some of the diners are a little overdressed! 

A selection of light meals and main courses are on offer and they also have an All Day Breakfast menu. A selection of cakes is available for dessert. We visited for Saturday lunch.

WE ORDERED
E ordered the Big Breakfast Stack...scrambled eggs on buttered toast, with grilled bacon, hash browns, mushrooms and tomato.

J ordered the Smoked Salmon Salad with avocado.

WE THOUGHT
I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the Big Breakfast Stack...for $16.50 it was great value.  I’m usually not one for Scrambled Eggs but these were light and creamy and almost enough to convert me to ordering them this way more often.  The hash browns were nice and crisp, as was the bacon.  I thought the mushrooms could have done with slightly more dressing.  A very generous serve for the price.

J had the Smoked Salmon Salad which not only looked appealing but tasted great too.  Very enjoyable!

WE LIKED
The efficient service and friendly staff.  They will try and seat you by the window if there is a table available.

WE DISLIKED
Nothing.

WILL WE RETURN?
Definitely.  Don’t be put off by the fact this place is inside a David Jones store.  Whilst everything in the store might be full retail price, the restaurant offers surprisingly good value and quality for the price.  A great place to stop for a break after a morning of shopping!

8/10

OVERFLOW CAFE WINE BAR

445 Blackburn Road
Mount Waverley

http://hghotels.com.au/hotelbrucecounty/wine_dine.html

Tonight’s dinner saw E & hubby having a childfree dinner at Overflow Cafe Wine Bar, one of the Hotel Bruce County’s two restaurants in Mount Waverley.  Previous visits have always been enjoyable so there were high expectations of a good night.

Dining at Overflow reminds me of being invited over for dinner in a friend’s loungeroom.  A wall-mounted tv screens AFL above an open fire surrounded by couches.  A wine cellar fills one corner and the walls are covered with colourful prints that complement the decor.  It all has a very homely feel and seems to be popular with couples and large groups alike.

I’ve got to hand it to the staff...on a busy Saturday night at almost full capacity they didn’t miss a beat.  The service was excellent with the little touches standing out.  New cutlery was provided after our entrees, the water constantly refilled and we didn’t have to ask for dessert menus or the bill.  There was a slight error with the bill, but this was fixed courteously and promptly. 

WE ORDERED
For entree I ordered the Garlic Herb & Cheese Bread.

For main course I had Slow cooked pork belly with white bean cassoulet & mustard fruit dressing.

For dessert I had Chocolate hazelnut crêpes with candied oranges & chocolate ice cream.

Hubby ordered from one of the two set menus.  For entree he had Salt & pepper calamari on an apple, cucumber, mint & coriander salad with a palm sugar & chilli dressing.

For main course he had the Black Angus burger with mature cheddar cheese, bacon, onion, beetroot, tomato relish and chips.

For dessert he had Individual berry & passion fruit pavlova with chantilly cream.

The Set Menu also included a choice of two side orders so we went with the french fries with tomato relish.

We both ordered Chai Lattes to finish up.

WE THOUGHT
The Garlic & Herb Cheese Bread, a mini loaf full of melted cheese and herbs, was moreish with great flavour.  I could have eaten more!

I can’t go past pork belly on a menu and I was pleased that this version had the crackling intact.  I wasn’t so keen on the white bean cassoulet, it was like a thick minestrone soup, but this was just down to personal taste...beans just aren’t my thing!

The crepes were light and fluffy with fantastic chocolate orange flavour.  The ice-cream was very chocolatey and tasted home-made.  A real winner and a great way to end the meal.

Hubby thought the salt & pepper calamari was tender with the salad being particularly enjoyable.  The burger was slightly dry in the middle but the chips were crunchy with the tomato relish being a highlight.  The pav was great.

I loved the complementary chocolates that came with our chai lattes and thought they were a nice touch.  Unfortunately we both found the lattes to be watery and flavourless, the only letdown in what otherwise had been a top meal.

WE LIKED
The attentive service and good value of the set menus.

WE DISLIKED
The Chai Lattes...but we’ll forgive them seeing as the rest of the meal was so good.

WILL WE RETURN?
Definitely.  If you’re sick of the ratrace that Saturday night dining often entails and you like to hear yourself talk then this is the place for you.  With great food and service and ample parking, Overflow is a cafe that deserves to step out of the shadows of some of its better known but poorer performing contemporaries in the area.

9/10

MOUNTAIN VIEW HOTEL

186 Springvale Rd
Glen Waverley, 3150

http://www.mountainviewhotel.com.au/

A family birthday and Mothers Day saw the whole family at the bistro of the Mountain View Hotel on the corner of Springvale Road and High Street Road for Saturday lunch. Anyone who grew up in the area in the 1980’s would remember this as the site of the former Billabong Family Bistro...ah the memories! Who can forget the playroom complete with giant bus and out of focus video screen? 25 years and several renovations later and the bistro is now a bright airy room with floor to ceiling windows with table service (except for drinks).

For some reason I wasn’t expecting much but I was pleasantly surprised. Our waitress was very friendly and accommodating, bringing our three year old a colouring book and crayons which was a real bonus...mobile phones can only keep toddlers occupied for so long! Everyone enjoyed their meals but we skipped dessert as there was cake to be eaten at home.

WE ORDERED
E had Chicken Boscaiola – a chicken breast served with chips and salad and a creamy mushroom sauce with garlic and bacon.

J had the Beef Lasagne – which looked a lot like a Parmagiana...even the waitress got confused!

Together we shared the entree Asian Food Platter – a basket containing chips, mini dim sims, samosas, spring rolls and wontons.

Other dishes ordered were the Oysters Kilpatrick, Prawn Linguine, Mediterranean Pie, the Mountain Burger and from the kids menu Nuggets & Chips.  From all accounts everyone was pretty happy with their dishes.  My partner thought the Prawn Linguine was under-seasoned and one of the chicken nuggets that I stole was burnt and dried out inside.


WE THOUGHT
The Chicken Boscaiola was tasty...the sauce was creamy with just the right amount of garlic and lots of bacon.  A really nice dish!

The Beef Lasagne was nice and crispy on top and cheesy and meaty in the middle. The serving size was generous. A good lasagne!

The Asian Platter was surprisingly good. From previous experience ordering Asian tasting plates, I half expected everything to be dry and overcooked but this was not the case.  The dim sim filling was moist and flavoursome and you could really taste the samosa filling, it wasn't overpowered by the oil.  The chips were crunchy and seasoned well.

WE LIKED
The table service...so much easier than having to queue like at most pub bistros.  Tables were spaced at a nice distance so no-one was on top of anyone else so to speak. The room was light-filled and spacious...it was a pleasant environment to eat in.

WE DISLIKED
Nothing really. The view over the carpark isn’t all that inspiring but you can’t really complain about that.

WILL WE RETURN?
Yes. Like most suburban pubs, there’s nothing groundbreaking on the menu but if a good pub meal with friendly service in a pleasant environment is what you’re after then this is the place. Good place to take kids but unlike many other pubs there is no play area. Above average for a pub.

7/10

AIRSTREAM CAFE

Century City Walk
285-287 Springvale Road
Glen Waverley

http://www.airstreamcafe.com.au

Trying to find a place to eat in central Glen Waverley on a Friday night without a booking is like trying to get a parking spot at Chadstone on Christmas Eve...in fact getting a parking spot at Glen Waverley is almost as difficult.  After two knockbacks we ended up at Airstream Cafe, part of the Century City Walk complex on Springvale Road.  We’d both been there before on numerous occasions and knew we would probably get in due to the large number of tables...as it turns out we were right.

Airstream has always had a buzzing vibe about it no matter what time of day you visit.  The location is great and the menu is varied with a children’s menu also available.  However, despite the enjoyable atmosphere I’ve always found both the food and service to be somewhat hit and miss.

Unfortunately on this visit both left a lot to be desired.  Our drinks arrived promptly enough, but when our waitress still hadn’t returned to take our order 15 minutes later we were starting to get annoyed.  We weren’t impressed to find her cleaning salt and pepper shakers over at the cleaning station!  Eventually J stood up and almost grabbed her as she walked by our table.  I guess like most young people on a Friday night she would rather have been anywhere else but work...and it showed.  After our meals arrived we never saw her again.  An empty wine glass sat on the table for over 15 minutes and our plates still hadn’t been cleared when we decided we would skip dessert and hit the shops.

WE ORDERED
E had the Honey Mustard Chicken -  grilled tenderloin skewers marinated in seeded mustard served on herbed smashed potatoes with honey mustard sauce and a side salad

J had the Chicken Calzone - crushed tomato sauce, oven roasted chicken, sun dried tomatoes, avocado, mushrooms, baby spinach and mozzarella

Together we shared the Potato Wedges - seasoned wedges served with sour cream and sweet chilli with crispy bacon & mozzarella cheese (you pay $5.50 extra for the bacon and cheese)

WE THOUGHT
The Honey Mustard Chicken was disappointing...the chicken was slightly overcooked, the smashed potatoes were dry and tasteless with no evidence of them being herbed.  The salad dressing was bland and lacked any tang.  The Honey Mustard Sauce was tasty but had the runny consistency of a dressing rather than a sauce.

The Chicken Calzone was burnt on the outside and had a section on the top which was too burnt to be eaten.

The wedges were great, although the $5.50 extra charge for the bacon and cheese seemed excessive.  The sour cream and sauce were ok although tasted commercially prepared.

A large range of cakes is available to choose from for dessert.  We were too full this time around but can vouch for the yummyness of the cakes from previous experience!

WE LIKED
Great atmosphere.  Good place to go before/after movies, catch-up with friends.

WE DISLIKED
Very loud so not the place to go if intimate conversation is required.  Chairs were well worn.  The big projector screen showing Fashion TV was distracting, particularly as we were seated right underneath it.

WILL WE RETURN?
Only if we couldn’t get in anywhere else.  There are much better cafes and restaurants in the vicinity and whilst none seat as many as Airstream does, there are no excuses when you’ve been around for over 10 years.  Average.

5/10