Zante (II)

As soon as you arrive at Zante you are given a jug of water and glasses with the menu.  Which gets a big tick from me & ET.  And in between courses, they automatically take away your cutlery and plates and give you a new set.  Yet another big tick from us.  Luckily the food also gets a tick of approval.  We started with the Char-grilled Calamari.  It was soft and not at all chewy and I could definitely taste that it was grilled (but not in a bad way).  ET said it was "interesting".

On the surface, the Scotch Fillet seems like a bit of an odd choice for a Greek restaurant, but ET really scored with this dish.  He ordered rare and he got a pink piece of steak with no gristle to wrestle with.  Upon clearing away the plates, the waiter took great pleasure in asking how ET enjoyed the steak and appeared very proud of how they professionally prepare such dishes.

Because ET enjoyed the Chicken souvlaki last time we visited, I decided it was my turn to try it.  It was good; I even enjoyed the tzatziki even thought I don't usually eat it with chicken.  And apparently all meat dishes are served on a bed of marinated potato mash.  Just not sure what it's marinated with to turn it orange-y in color (although you can't tell from the pictures - sorry), but it tasted good all the same.

Surprisingly I was up for dessert, and with the help of the wait-staff, talked ET into sharing the Loukoumades with me.  (She was right - the dish was too bit for one).  And as it turned out, ET liked it just as much as me!  These little Greek dumplings were so crispy on the outside that they crackled when you cut into them but were soft and light on the inside.

We ate rather early but were surprised to still find the place half empty when we left.  Although the staff is quite attentive, and the food good, the prices aren't light on the pocket, so perhaps that's what is keeping the crowds away?  After all, I wouldn't think there would be much competition for Greek food in this area.

Zante

1039 Whitehorse Rd, Box Hill

Chef Lagenda

To be honest we just stumbled across Chef Lagenda as the relocated Laksa King (our first choice) was still completely packed at 8pm in the middle of the week.  We managed to snaggle one of the last few tables at Chef Lagenda, and chose the upstairs balcony.  This place looks quite small from the outside and I, for one, was unsure if this was just a takeaway joint.  It seats a few tables downstairs and even more upstairs plus another 20 or more seats on the balcony.

On to the food - the Chicken Satay Skewers was not spicy but I wasn't game enough to smother it in sauce.  Although, since they serve the sauce in a small but very deep saucer, I hardly got any onto my skewer when I tried a bit.  Now that I think of it, we should've just poured it over.  Specially as ET has a high tolerance for spicy stuff.

The Sui Mai is served as 3 pieces so it was hard to share equally.  But when you bite into it, you can see the prawn, and not just prawn mince so I was quite pleased.

A.k.a. steamed dim sims

My Salted Pepper Calamari was actually served between the two entrees but I had ordered this as my main meal so by the time I the rice arrived, the calamari was cold and I'm unsure how crispy it would have been at the beginning. :(

In the background are the used Chicken Satay skewers and the deep dipping bowl

Being a balmy evening, I ordered a Mango Ice Blended drink but the top was so hard to puncture with the straw, even ET had to use brute force to so I could slurp away.

In their world, it's only 2008!

ET found the Sizzling Udon Noodles with black pepper sauce delicious and really enjoyed it although he's not sure why he ordered rice when he knew it was a noodle dish.

A bit of chopstick action going on there

Tea was served as soon as we sat down and there was plenty of chopsticks as well as cutlery on the table, although we did have to steal another table's soy sauce.  Overall the balcony was a pleasant surprise as was the food.  Having read some reviews, it seems the head chef came from the old Laksa King.  So I guess next time we're in the area, we'll be giving Chef Lagenda another go.

Chef Lagenda

16 Pin Oak Cres,Flemington

Strictly Thai

Being relatively busy late on a quiet week night, we thought Strictly Thai  would be a good go.  For starters, ET didn't mind their famous authentic Thai Fish Cakes, but didn't like the Curry Puffs at all. I didn't think it was at all flaky; perhaps it needed to be cooked a little longer? 

The Chicken Curry was also not very hot so ET was disappointed he didn't order the green curry instead.

Luckily my stir-fry chicken with garlic and pepper wasn't spicy like I expected, so I had no complaints.

Overall ET was disappointed with the service and food, which he thought was not authentic and a little pricey.

Strictly Thai

170 High St, Kew

Zante

Zante is housed in what apparently was a former garden nursery.  There was a nice outdoor area but it was a bit cold for us the night we visited.  Plus they gave us a table by the window so we were quite happy to have the small view instead.

Although I requested the whitebait, ET ended up enjoying this much more than I did.  I thought it could have been just a tiny bit crispier.

My dory fillet special looked quite aneamic.  It was ok but quite frankly, the chips needed help.

ET was expecting much from his not-so-cheap chicken skewers.  And he wasn't disappointed.  He really liked this dish.

We quite enjoyed our night out but since then, I've seen a notice board outside the restaurant.  I'm not sure if the owners are selling or what the plans are.  But perhaps we should go again soon so I can try the ET-praised chicken skewers before they disappear.  ;)

Zante

1039 Whitehorse Rd, Box Hill

Enrik's Restaurant (VI)

Despite it's look, I actually quite enjoyed this pizza.  I can't quite remember what's on it, but smearing it in the balsamic (which you can just see on the plate below) made it really delicious.  One dish we must try again once we eventually return to Enrik's.

ET went his usual steak route.  It glistened a bit, but ET said it was good.

I think this was fish (forgive me, but I stopped taking notes for a while).  But if you didn't already notice, it was swimming in sauce!!  I couldn't eat the salad because it was smeared in the stuff.  If only they'd drizzled the sauce over the dish instead of pouring it on the plate, I would've enjoyed this meal.

Although the food isn't bad here, the service is.  We had to wait for the menus, then for someone to take our drinks order.  When they came to clear our plates, we were asked if we wanted to see the dessert menu.  Surprisingly we said yes.  Then we waited.  And waited.  I guess we would still be waiting if we hadn't gotten up and paid our bill at the bar.
Unfortunately, the service is always lacking at Enrik's no matter what time and day we go there.  And for this, they are always our last minute, desperate choice.  I only have one thing left to say - lift your game Enrik's!!

Enrik's Restaurant

25 Railway Rd, Blackburn

Wabi Sabi Salon

We chanced upon a table at Wabi Sabi and started by ordering the Eggplant with Tempei and Okura.  It was quite nice although ET and I were unsure if we were supposed to eat the eggplant bowl that it came served in.

I then chose the Flounder Tempura with Japanese Lime Ponzu sauce.   I must say it was quite a light meal and although crunchy, I left most of the bones uneaten.

 

I believe ET ordered the Karaage Chicken Teppanyaki Style with no complaints.  (It's been such a while since we went that I can't rememer what he said!)

Let me be honest and say I had no intention of taking photos of this dinner. But even with the bad lighting, the eclectic interior should've warned me the food look would look anything but boring.



Wabi Sabi Salon
94 Smith St, Collingwood

Wa Fu

Because ET and I were both starving, not only did we chose the banquet but also ordered the yakitori to start with!

Of course we were also served the obligatory free pickled vegetables that we forgot about until we had already ordered.

To start the banquet we were served miso soup with chicken.  The flavour was subtle with only a slight chicken taste.

The salad was also served the same time as the miso.  My salad had no wilted leaves (one of my pet hates) but it had so much dressing that I could have drunk from the bowl at the end!

ET fared slightly better.

The california rolls were just ok.  Although ET really enjoyed his sashimi, I told him at the start that his looked redder than what I was served.  It wasn't until he ate mine that he realised his pieces were much tastier.

Tempura was served in a fan-type dish which I was real amused by.  The dish itself was nice and light and not laden in oil.

It was nice to see the server wait until the sizzling stopped before putting the next dishes down.

ET's wa fu was good and my salmon was also fine.

We were then served banana tempura around ice cream which was supposed to be green tea, but I think they used up all their supply at the next table because there was no green tea look or flavour to it.  See for yourself...

After the last dish we sat and contemplated whether to ask for our coffee and tea since none seemed to be coming although it was on the banquet menu.  But since it was a big, late night (for us anyway), we decided to forgo the caffeine and just pay up.

Overall it was a nice night out at Wa Fu.  ET & I liked the fact you can order different options (like the salads and sizzling plates) on the banquet menu when other restaurants don't allow you the luxury.  Plus the two staff on the floor worked well.  And considering it was a full house on what is normally a quiet weekday night for most restaurants and cafes, Wa Fu must be doing something right. 


Wa Fu
927 Burke Rd, Camberwell

Sapporo Japanese Restaurant (III)

Because we’ve been to Sapporo a couple of times, we decided to try the Matsuya Set Banquet for a bit of variety.  Firstly we were served the nice, traditional strong-flavoured miso soup.

The Sushi and California Rolls were ok.

Gyozas also passed the test.

The next dish up was the chicken skewers.  This was the first time I tried lemon on my Yakitori, and I must say it does make a difference.  From now the lemon will no longer just be a garnish to me.

Tempura was served with a funny fan-shaped piece.  I wasn’t game enough to try it until I had eaten the other so it was cold and unappealing to me.  I’m still unsure what it is but I think it’s just noodles.  Someone correct me if I’m wrong.

Beef Teppanyaki arrived on a sizzling plate.  The dish had nice big chunks of meat and some of it was still slightly pink if taken off the plate early enough.

Neither ET nor I being huge fans of ice cream, the green tea ice cream was given an ok vote.

Lastly, my Japanese tea arrived in a huge teapot - enough to quench the thirst of 2 other people even though I was the only one drinking it.  (You can just see the spout in the photo below, next to the carafe of half a litre of water).

Sapporo Japanese Restaurant
432 Mitcham Rd, Mitcham

La Q Woodfire Pizza Restaurant

A last minute change of plans saw us walking into La Q.  Being a relatively small place, all the indoor tables were taken by the time we left.  But on to the food.  ET tried the Carbonara Fettucini which was good.

My Gnocchi was also nice, not at all chewy.

Although reluctant to have some at first, ET really liked the Chocolate Pudding with Chocolate Sauce.  I thought it was a bit dry and plating seemed a little old-fashioned;  I don't see why they needed to sprinkle powdered chocolate over the whole plate.

La Q Woodfire Pizza Restaurant
223 High St, Kew

Lazy Moe's (III)

Back again for a quick feed and knowing Lazy Moe's have big servings, ET & I went straight for mains.  Unfortunately ET's Porterhouse had rinds and chewy bits so he thinks he chose the wrong cut.

My parmagiana was ok but ET and I didn't like the cheese on top - it all stuck together and wouldn't cut properly so I pulled most of it off.

The waitress actually asked upon taking our order if we were there the other night.  Of course we were actually there for breakfast.  And although the staff are usually attentive, I don't like that they ask how our meal is right in the middle of it, specially when two people ask within minutes of each other.




Lazy Moe's Forest Hill
320 Canterbury Rd, Forest Hill

Claypots

Claypots show you all their tapas style dishes on a big tray.  ET thinks it strange, but knows it’s a good tactic as not many people would refuse when the goods are all presented in front of you.  So it wasn’t a surprise we fell into that category and chose the Greek type salad that ET liked.  I chose what I believe was dried kelp.  ET thought the flavour was real subtle so it needed some sort of sauce to balance it.

We then went for a Cajun claypot (being it’s namesake, you really got to order at least one of them!).  It had a little spice which people with normal tolerance probably wouldn’t notice.  ET really liked this dish although neither of us saw or tasted the anchovies.  And we had to ask for bread as they serve the claypot on its own.  At least they didn’t charge us for it unlike some other places.

Next we went with grilled fish.  This came with some bokchoy and potatoes which was overcooked and dry, unfortunately.   

Even though we ordered the larger size fish, we still managed to polish it all off minus the head.

Claypots

153 Gertrude St, Fitzroy

An An Vietnamese Restaurant

An An's was half empty so service was quick and staff were attentive.  Firstly they served the Tom Yum soup.  And although it looked hot enough to ET, unfortunately it wasn't.

The chicken and taro An An Spring rolls didn't have enough filling for me to taste properly.  Or perhaps I was still disappointed that the chef’s recommended Shredded Pork Paper Rolls were unavailable.

The traditional Vietnamese deep fried fish cake was one large piece cut into slices, not the patties I was expecting.  ET liked how the pepper on the batter contrasted with the subtle flavour of the fish.

My Grilled Lemongrass Chicken on rice didn't have too much lemongrass flavour which was ok by me.

There was enough rice from my dish to share with ET who ordered Sizzling Mongolian Beef.  The dish was brought to our table with the waitress covering her hands with her jumper (health and safety issues, anyone?).  Plus, all that sizzling left oil splatters all over the table.  Luckily there were serviettes on the table and not the cheap thin tissues found at most Vietnamese Restaurants.

An An Vietnamese Restaurant
598 Station St, Box Hill