Red Star Cafe

115 Main Rd 
Hepburn Springs, VIC 3461

03 5348 2297

Time off in Victoria's spa country is always a pleasure, but like most places out in the country you need to be in the know if you want to find the real gems. So we asked a lot of locals where they would recommend for breakfast if you were a hung-over-out-of-towner. Almost eveyone we spoke to suggested we try Red Star on Main Rd. It was decided, just before we made the journey home back to reality we would stop off here to fuel up for the drive home.

There was a nice vibe when we walked into this place with it's funky red furniture, shelves filled with books upon books on various topics and kitsch art adorning the walls. Very laid back, infact so laid back that we ordered at the bar and sat where we wanted. There were a few young families and what I can only assume were regulars reading the paper. A definate locals haunt.

Red Star Breakfast with 3 sides $14.50

Red Star Breakfast with 3 sides $14.50 plus extras $3-$4 each

Our breakfast arrived incredibly fast which was perfect considering how hungry we both were. I ordered the basic Red Star Breakfast with 3 sides. The toast wasn't really toasted, more like warmed through and neither the avocado or the spinach were seasoned. On the upside the eggs were perfectly poached and the black pudding was lovely. Hubby did better as he ordered the same brekky but substitued the sides with hollandaise, sausages, beans, bacon and also some black pudding. Pretty good hang over breakfast.
Was it a brilliant breakfast expeirience? No, but it was just what was needed considering the state we were in. Is this really the best in the area, is there nothing else or am I just a pretentious city person that expects too much? I don't know, but the ingredients were fresh and the service was quick, and if I'm back in the area in the same frame of mind, then I'll be back at Red Star appreciating my well needed coffee and wishing I hadn't had that last drink.

Ratings out of 10
Food 5.5/10
Service 5/10

Atmosphere 6/10

Value  6.5/10

Red Star  5.75/10

Would I return? Yes

Lake House

4 King Street
Daylesford, 3460


(03) 5348 3329


I read somewhere that Alla Wolf-Tasker's mother wept when she saw the paddock that Alla had bought right next to Lake Daylesford all the way back in 1980. It was infested with blackberries and rather swampy. Yet this visionary knew exactly what she was doing. This was step one to building her dream of a gourmet restaurant in country Victoria. 4 years later Lake House opened its doors and it was time for Alla to prove that she was not just some crazy lady with a wild dream, but a great chef with amazing foresight.
Today Lake House is regarded as one of Australia's best country restaurants which takes not only immense pride in serving brilliant modern Australian cuisine made from locally sourced produce, but also it's impeccable service, beautiful restaurant and stunning surrounds. The restaurant has won a myriad of awards including Australian Country Wine list of the Year and currently holds 2 Hats from The Age Good Food Guide, so even though it is a bit of a hike(1 hour drive from Melbourne) it is worth a visit.


The day had been spent soaking in the mineral waters, being scrubbed and massaged so taking into account the long drive and all that exhausting pampering, we knew that an early dinner would be the only way to go. This early evening was still warm and the sun still shining, this was a blessing as when we walked into the dining room we were able to see it in all it's sun drenched glory. Cocktails ordered through recommendation and enjoyed on the beautiful terrace overlooking the lake. We didn't even need to see the menus because our meal had been planned well in advance, Eight Course Tasting Menu with matched wines please.

Prints by Alla herself. You talented woman.

House baked corn bread

Oyster

Sashimi mackerel, slow cooked octopus, fennel and smoky paprika

Open ravioli-John Dory, marron, clam, Vichyssoise, apple

Smoked Skipton eel, Istra pancetta, heirloom beets

Boned quail tempura, shiso, umeboshi

Rabbit-loin salad, crumbed croquette, Lydia's cottechino, lentil vinaigrette

12 hour suckling pig, blood pudding, morels

Pre-dessert

Apple, fennel, pistachio

Cheese platter

Selection of petit fours

The corn bread which is baked on site was a fun way to start, especially considering the oyster wasn't great. It's pretty hit and miss when it comes to oysters and unfortunately this one should have been left off the menu.
I love mackerel, but it is one of those fish that has to be super fresh in order to get the best of it, sadly this sashimi was overly fishy.
The open ravioli was for a lack of a better word-wow. The marron was perfectly cooked and teamed with the apple, it was just a beautiful dish. Could of had more and more.
The eel was another winner, not only was it beautiful to look at, it was even more pleasant to eat. The smokiness of the eel, teamed with the salty pancetta and the sweet beets-lovely.
The quail dish was an odd mix of flavours and styles, the quail was cooked nicely enough but it just didn't work for me.
The rabbit was a nice piece of meat and next to a beautiful and soft croquette. The mix of textures made this course a winner. I really enjoyed this dish.
The pig, oh the glorious pig. My only complaint is that there should have been more. The delicious black pudding and the so so sweet morels-yum.
Dessert time. First a sweet creamy number followed a lovely apple dish. The addition of the fennel was spot on by the way.
Cheese, cheese and more cheese. Sadly our daughter has a severe dairy allergy so we don't usually keep any at home, this is why we normal eat up when ever we are out. They offered us a great selection which was immensely enjoyed.
Finally it is the end of our meal and we are presented with a selection of petit fours that seemed truly out of place compared to the rest of the meal. I've been fortunate enough to eat a  few top restaurants here and abroad, and I am usually excited when they bring out the final plate of goodies, but this was a bit of a let down. It looked and tasted like something I would get at the cinemas, in fact I remember eating something similar as a child, we called them 'Lolly Gobble Bliss Bombs'.
In all I truly enjoyed not just my meal here at the Lake House but the whole experience. Not only because of the great food and the beautiful restaurant itself, but also because of the professional yet friendly service which we received. A stunning way to celebrate our well earned night away sans baby and am already looking forward to our next visit.
Sure it was pricey and luxurious at $135 for 8 courses plus the $80 for matched wines, definitely not something that I would do every weekend, but worth it for a special mini break. So book your bed and breakfast, or stay where we stayed Hepburn at Hepburn-it is one sexy bungalow and right across from the Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa, and let Alla feed you. After all everyone has a bucket list, mine is foodie based and slowly I am working my way through it. Vue de Monde-tick, Flower Drum-tick and finally now, Lake House-tic. So many more ticks to go, but I'm getting there.


Ratings out of 10
Food 8/10
Service 8.5/10

Atmosphere 9/10

Value  7/10

Lake House 8.125/10

Would I return? Yes

Koukla

82 Vincent St
Daylesford, VIC 3460

03 5348 2363

Recently my husband and I decided it was time to get out of Melbourne and indulge in a weekend of wining and dining, massages, facial scrubs and body wraps. Where else to go but Daylesford, the undisputed spa capital of Victoria. The journey takes you about an hour by car, so we left bright and early leaving the baby with my mother in law and headed off to freedom.
I had read that Koukla of the Frangos & Frangos group not only had a great reputation for good food, but had also just won awards for best licenced restaurant, best coffee and best barista in the  Golden Plate Awards 2011 in the Ballarat/Daylesford region, so I decided we would go there to fuel up before our weekend of baby free pampering bliss.
There is a real warmth to this place as soon as you enter. The mis-matched furniture, the cosy fire radiating from the wood fired pizza oven, and the quirky staff made me feel quite at home. I sat there waiting to be served, all the while having flashbacks from my uni days when I lived in Fitzroy and thought I was über-cool. Our waitress arrived promptly and we ordered our coffees and food all while admiring the place.

Coffee     $3.80 each

The lattes arrived and were guzzled down quickly as we were tired and needed a caffeine hit and also because they were really good. 2 more please.

Red eggs     $15.90 

Wood fired egg and bacon pizza     $16

Did you see the photo of the burnt pizza? I'll get back to that. 

The eggs were OK, but the potatoes were hard and I was expecting more taste wise because of the chorizo and tomato, but it just failed to pack a punch. The saving grace was in fact the sweet caramelised red onion. That was delicious and I would have been happy with just that on toast. Now back to the pizza. We sat right next to the chef's counter and had a great view of the action and the wood fired oven. So imagine our shock when we see the pizza come out and placed on the plate and it is obviously burnt to hell, honestly no amount of parsley can disguise that fact. The waitress goes up to collects the food., lifts the pizza to look at the base, asks "is this OK?", receives a response of  an almost annoyed "yeah", shrugs her shoulders and brings it out anyway. Now pardon the Gen Y slang but WTF? Maybe the chef and waitress were having a bad day, well I don't care. Take some pride in your work or just do something different. Really disappointing. it ruined all the nice vibes we had gotten when we first walked in and just couldn't wait to get out. Obviously we did not, and could not finish our breakfasts.

This may probably be the shortest review I have ever written, but like most peoples mothers always say "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all"

Ratings out of 10
Food 2/10
Service 3/10

Atmosphere 4/10

Value  5/10

Koukla  3.5/10

Would I return?No

The Cornershop

11 Ballarat St
Yarraville  3013

03 9689 0052

Right across from the Sun Theatre, in amongst the hustle and bustle of Yarraville Village, you will find The Cornershop, a lovely little cafe that has made itself right at home nestled in between the quaint book and homewares shops of Ballarat st. An area that has slowly been gaining popularity since property prices started soaring here in Melbourne.

David Danks (of Public House, Guernica) and Iain Munro (of Cafe Le Chien) have definitely found a gap in the market here in this inner west oasis and have stamped their presence by delivering quality food made from quality produce. 

I had read a lot of reviews that warned about 'The Mummies' and their over sized prams taking over the place, but this didn't concern me so much as I'm usually one of them. I was ready to navigate my way through  the gathering of well dressed mums with their blonde babies and bugaboo strollers, but luckily we picked a good day and time to go, so we were able to just wonder in and sit right down. 

I did have a huge sense of déjà vu when I first stepped into this cafe. Light and airy, vintage furniture, cute tattooed wait staff and the obligatory uber cool barista. It was a site that I had seen many times this year alone, but the things that do set this cafe apart from the newbies setting up here and there and everywhere, are the menu and the pricing. They have incorporated some strong Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Hispanic and Indian flavours into their exciting breakfast menu, and have managed to do it without charging you an arm and a leg. So it's no wonder that people are queueing up here to have something other than dry toast, gooey beans and badly poached eggs.

Breakfast Menu

Baked Eggs w/ Eggplant, Kasundi Relish and Feta   $12

Spanish Braised Beans w/Smoked Paprika on Sourdough   $11
+ bacon and black pudding extra $3.50 each

Oh I was so happy when I saw my baked eggs come out and placed on the table in front of me, not only because I was super hungry, but also because that delicately baked egg looked so perfect and the tantalising smell that was being emitted from that terracotta casuela was making my mouth water. As soon as I took my first bite, I knew that we had chosen the perfect spot for breakfast on this bright sunny day. The lovely sweetness of the Kasundi relish worked so well along side the feta and the egg. My only complaint was the size, however that may only be because I was so hungry.
The beans with paprika may have been a wiser choice, considering my epic hunger on this particular day, as they were well cooked, substantial and packed full of flavour. As an addition my breakfast companion also ordered a side of some bacon and a nice big serve of soft black pudding,
I enjoyed my visit here to The Cornershop. The service was nice, and the seats were comfy which was good because the lovely and bright corner allotment of the cafe made for fantastic people watching possibilities. They also do lunch and dinner which I have as yet not tried, but I sneaked a peak at the menu and the choices are lovely and once again incredibly well priced, so we will definitely be back especially considering that there is a nice little outdoor seating area. I'll be the one enjoying my meal while my child screams and I pretend not to notice.

Ratings out of 10
Food 6.5/10
Service 6.5/10

Atmosphere 6.5/10

Value  8.5/10

The Cornershop  7/10

Would I return? Yes

Flower Drum

17 Market Ln
Melbourne, VIC 3000


03 9662 3655

After years of wanting, I finally had the chance to dine at Flower Drum. A restaurant which has for the last 36 years been a constant in the Melbourne food scene. Truth is, I have wanted to eat there for as long as I can remember. Like most Melburnians(if not all) it is a restaurant that I have always known about. So imagine my joy when my husband asked if I wanted to eat there for our weekly night out. 

We are greeted on the ground floor by an extremely professional host and shown to the ye'olde looking lift. My excitement is growing as is my anticipation. How will the food be? Is the service as good as everyone claims? Most importantly, what will the dining room look like? Then the doors open and there in front of me is the scene that I had pictured in my mind. The plush fabrics, the rich colour palette, the stained wood and the beautifully set tables with immaculately white table cloths. All that was missing was Bruce Lee bursting in and having a fight with many a bad guy, just like in all those Kung Fu movies I loved so much as a child.
Bernie is presented as the man who will take care of us on this night. I am extremely nosey, so through conversation I discover that he has been a waiter here at Flower Drum for over 20 years. A story I totally believe as the man looks past retirement age, but boy is he sprightly. We are in good hands.

Hot and Sour Soup

Baked Crab Shell

Deep Fried Prawns

Stir Fried Crayfish

Peking Duck

+25 for Blackmore's Wagyu Beef

Special Fried Rice

Selection of Desserts

2008 Heathcote Estate Shiraz

We choose the banquet menu for our special evening and this will set you back $185 per person. We decide against the matching wines however. Our drink of choice is the 2008 Heathcote Estate Shiraz at $90 a bottle.
As a starter we are given the choice of the Hot and Sour soup or the Spinach and Crab. I chose the first but wished I hadn't, as I felt that my soup was neither hot nor sour, however I did sneak a taste of the Spinach and Crab from one of my dinner companions and it was lovely and fragrant.
We were next presented with a Baked Crab Shell that held delicate crab meat mixed with turmeric, garlic and onion. it was lovely with subtle flavours.
I was looking forward to the Deep Fried Prawns as the crab was so delicious, but the truth is they weren't great. Don't get me wrong they weren't bad tasting in anyway, just dull. All in all it was an underwhelming dish of 3 prawns on a saucer with snap peas.
Sadly the Stir Fried Crayfish with ginger was also an average dish and it looked so similar to the prawns. it was as though no creativity had gone into the taste or presentation.
It is said that apart form the impeccable service, one should dine at the Flower Drum for the Peking Duck. Perfectly cooked pieces of duck prepared and wrapped at your table. It is quiet obvious that Bernie has done this at least 1000 times and his expertise did not go unnoticed. Oh and that Hoisin sauce...classic.
If possible pay extra for the Blackmore's Wagyu Beef, it is worth every dollar. It truly is a beautiful piece of meat. However is seems a wasted opportunity to come up with something amazing. Great meat but sadly an uninspired dish with a boring vegetable side.
I enjoy Special Fried Rice, always have, but for $185 per person I expect something truly special. Nice enough but like with the other dishes something was missing.
For dessert we shared Deep Fried Ice cream, Deep Fried Banana and some sort of Deep Fried Dumplings. A sickly sweet way to end a meal, but when you are having Chinese it just seems to be the done thing. Although if we had been offered an alternative to Deep Fried things with ice cream, we probably would have chosen it.
The service here really is some of the best I've had in  Melbourne. If I didn't steer my sight away from my table, I would have sworn we were dining in the restaurant alone. Glasses filled and wine bottles replenished seamlessly. Which may account for how 5 of us went through 8 bottles.
I was unfortunately disappointed with the food. There were a couple of courses that I really enjoyed, but the rest were lacking, not so much in taste, but in imagination. For the prices you are being charged you expect more than just nice and OK, You expect to have your socks blown off, not unlike that magical restaurant scene from 'When Harry Met Sally' (you know the one I mean).
I was wondering whether I was expecting too much from Flower Drum, after all it is an institution that was at one stage voted in the top 20 restaurants in the world. Is it that their standards have dropped or  have our tastes developed and moved ahead? All the while they have decided to cling to former glory by standing still. But like a middle aged woman trying to squeeze into her year 12 formal dress, there comes a time when they must realise that what was once fabulous may not be so great today.

Ratings out of 10
Food 6.75/10
Service 8.75/10

Atmosphere 7/10

Value 3/10

Flower Drum  6.3/10

Would I return? No 

Duchess of Spotswood

87 Hudsons Rd
Spotswood, VIC 3015

03 9391 6016

I'm starting to get a little tired of reading reviews on Duchess of Spotswood and about how surprised people are that there is a decent eatery in the western suburbs. Fine, I'll admit that maybe we don't have as many fine dining restaurants, or funky bars and cafes as you may find over the other side of town, but I hadn't realised that the west was meant to be a wasteland, or that there was some sort of invisible gastronomic border control that supposedly hadn't allowed ANY good restaurants , bars or cafes in. It is still Melbourne, it's not the western suburbs of Chernobyl. With that in mind, thank you Duchess of Spotswood for doing so well that it is allowing those on the other side of Westgate to feel brave enough to venture out to our side of the world.

Situated along a small shopping strip in Spotswood, it is actually quite easy to miss the Duchess. An aspect of the place that I adore. It's not gaudy and doesn't have that 'look at me' attitude of some it's inner-south counterparts(yes I said it). It is subtle and discreet, with huge windows that let in the beautiful morning light, and upon each table is a posy of fresh flowers. Effortlessly inviting. 

From the moment I entered I felt at ease here. Maybe it was the bright and simple decor, or the smiling faces from both staff and customers, or maybe it was because I was amongst my people. I don't know, but it was warm and welcoming with the most enchanting breakfast smells wafting in the air. The staff are kind, friendly, they seem to know and are proud of their entire menu and boy are they a chic looking bunch. I almost fell in love with all of them. 

I know that if you are a weekend visitor you may have to wait for a table, but if like me, you are lucky enough to go during a weekday, then you may just be able to rock up and sit right down.

Queen of the Dam     $22.50

The Full English Breakfast     $23

The Duchess of Pork     $18.50

Fried Lambs Brains with Gentleman's Relish     $16.50

Sure I could tell you about how deliciously creamy the scrambled eggs were, with a generous amount of plump yabbies, or how the English breakfast came with tasty and perfectly cooked black pudding, a huge peppery sausage and crispy bacon, I could also tell you that the Duchess of Pork was a well executed dish with an original use of pork cheek as a breakfast dish. The slow cooked cheek being treated with the utmost respect, flaked, pressed into a terrine then sliced and fried, accompanied by wonderful fried eggs and a truffle jus. It was like posh bacon and eggs. I could also write about the fact that the brilliant waitress did a great job selling us on the special. Fantastically crumbed fried lambs brains with the hilarious and almost rude sounding, yet delightfully tasty 'genltlemens relish', which by the way is a lovely anchovy paste. I could tell you, but I won't, I refuse to tell you any of these things because you need to go over there and experience it yourself.
So now that you feel like you can freely walk the streets of Spotswood, try Footscray or Williamstown or Sunshine. Whoa whoa I think I've gone to far there with Sunshine. Baby steps people,baby steps. 

Ratings out of 10
Food 7/10
Service 7/10

Atmosphere 7/10

Value 7/10

Duchess of Spotswood  7/10
Would I return? Yes, it will become a regular