# Restaurant Recommendations, Melbourne (and Surrounding)



## zebba (7/1/10)

So, whilst my birthday is still a while away, the wife wants to get the booking in early.

I'm looking for a high-end dining experience, with a degustation style menu, and importantly - a good beer selection (or even ideally a matching beer option, like most degustations with their matching wines).

To give you an idea (for the Melb folks) we went to Vue De Monde last year for the wifes birthday. Fantastic experience. The only beer on the menu that was drinkable though was Duvel - 100 pages of wine, and the beer selection was VB, Crown, Stella and Duvel... Now, I'm not opposed to wine, and indeed I enjoyed a couple that night, but for my birthday, I want beer. Good beer. _Great _beer. Wine is all well and good, but IMO beer is where the variety is.

So far my research has found "fine dining" and "great beer" to be an elusive match. Anyone had any positive experiences they are wishing to share?

(And BTW we will probably be going to Redhills Brewery in the next few weeks for lunch on an unrelated matter - any feedback on there, including which beers to try, will also be welcome!)


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## Fourstar (7/1/10)

Zebba said:


> So, whilst my birthday is still a while away, the wife wants to get the booking in early.
> I'm looking for a high-end dining experience, with a degustation style menu, and importantly - a good beer selection (or even ideally a matching beer option, like most degustations with their matching wines).
> To give you an idea (for the Melb folks) we went to Vue De Monde last year for the wifes birthday. Fantastic experience. The only beer on the menu that was drinkable though was Duvel - 100 pages of wine, and the beer selection was VB, Crown, Stella and Duvel... Now, I'm not opposed to wine, and indeed I enjoyed a couple that night, but for my birthday, I want beer. Good beer. Great beer. Wine is all well and good, but IMO beer is where the variety is.
> So far my research has found "fine dining" and "great beer" to be an elusive match. Anyone had any positive experiences they are wishing to share?
> (And BTW we will probably be going to Redhills Brewery in the next few weeks for lunch on an unrelated matter - any feedback on there, including which beers to try, will also be welcome!)



Myself and SWMBO went to Verge for our X-Mas present to each other and they have a few 'few' beer selections. Best of all it was a warm day and when i got there I wanted a pils so I got an Urquell and i can say it was the freshest Urquell ive ever had so they must have a good supplier and storge methods. The funny thing is the wine we where suggested didnt match as well as the Urquell did on the 1st course. The coffee gravlax trout went supurbly with the Urquell. :icon_drool2: 

Go: http://www.vergerestaurant.com.au/ and click on bar for the beer list.

This is what i had from their 5 course degaustation.

Trout Sashimi, cured in coffee gravlax w/ steamed egg, salmon roe, sweet kelp and pea shoots
Veal Tartare, Apple, slow cooked quail egg, mojama, white anchovy and pear jelly.
slow cooked pork, chorizo, puffed rice, pomegranite, and this crunchy bread thing... tasty.
Barramundi, pea custard, mushroom w/ jurusalem artichoke chips and an olive oil jam/pearls.
Kangaroo, confit potato, smoked eggplant(which went directly to SWMBO) witlof, mixed seeds beer bullion w/side of mixed salad greens..


Cheers! :icon_cheers:


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## WarmBeer (7/1/10)

Attica (in Ripponlea), which I have mentioned previously, currently have the following on their wine list:
- Holgate Mt Macedon
- Pikes Oakbank (not sure about this one)
- Baron's ESB (yum)
- Knappstein Lager
- Coldstream Pilsner (pretty good)
- 2 Brothers Growler (not too fond of this one, some people love it)
- Pilsner Urquell
- Trumer Pils
- Other assorted crap...

Wine list is 12 pages long, so you should find something nice in the vino department, too.

Highly recommended from first hand experience.


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## zebba (7/1/10)

Fourstar - The "create your own" degustation is certainly an appealing prospect! The current beer list looks uninspiring though

Warmbeer - Thanks for the reminder on Attica - I'd forgotten what it was you were recommending (again!). And Rockpool is still well and truly in the mix also


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## SpillsMostOfIt (7/1/10)

Take an evening off the beer and goto the Punch Lane Wine Bar (I'm assuming it still exists).

We have been there lots and having made our food selection, ask the wait-staff to bring us the wine they think would be most interesting against our choices. They often then make us tell them what they've given us.

Lots O Fun. And they have something other than Crown if you must drink amber.


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## Fourstar (7/1/10)

Oh, i just remembered 'Libertine' did a degaustation last year with holgate beers. That might be an option too!


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## zebba (7/1/10)

SpillsMostOfIt said:


> And they have something other than Crown if you must drink amber.


It's not that I "must drink amber". It's that we go out plenty (Vue De Monde again in Feb, for example) and there is _always_ a wine focus. I'm after something with a beer focus, or at least a recognition that beer and food can mix, to give me something different.


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## scrumpy (7/1/10)

go to cookie on swanston street they have a beer menu of 200 plus beers, 10 or so on tap, top shelf liquers and spirits huge wine list and fantastic food!!! the front is more of a bar but there is also a resterunt/ dinning area..


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## eamonnfoley (7/1/10)

Fourstar said:


> Oh, i just remembered 'Libertine' did a degaustation last year with holgate beers. That might be an option too!



Libertine is one of the best places I have ever eaten at in my life! Just brilliant!


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## Fourstar (7/1/10)

foles said:


> Libertine is one of the best places I have ever eaten at in my life! Just brilliant!



I might take SWMBO there when she gets back from Malaysia. Suprise dinner!


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## WarmBeer (7/1/10)

Fourstar said:


> I might take SWMBO there when she gets back from Malaysia. Suprise dinner!


Oh, how I yearn to be child free sometimes.

Spontaneity, plus excess spending money, rather than nappies plus bedtime stories


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## manticle (7/1/10)

Zebba said:


> So, whilst my birthday is still a while away, the wife wants to get the booking in early.
> 
> I'm looking for a high-end dining experience, with a degustation style menu, and importantly - a good beer selection (or even ideally a matching beer option, like most degustations with their matching wines).
> 
> ...




The Press Club seems to have a good range of beers. My brother took me to Vue de Monde (or is it vue II now?) which had great food (except I'm not a fan of the elements of molecular gastronomy involved in some of the dishes) and the wine list was amazing, the beer list incredibly disappointing as you found.


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## zebba (7/1/10)

manticle said:


> The Press Club seems to have a good range of beers.


You're not kidding! This has also been recommended by a friend who has been a few times, although they didn't mention the beer list was so impressive. 

But will I be able to contain my rage @ Julie winning Masterchef? That is the big question!


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## manticle (7/1/10)

Zebba said:


> You're not kidding! This has also been recommended by a friend who has been a few times, although they didn't mention the beer list was so impressive.
> 
> But will I be able to contain my rage @ Julie winning Masterchef? That is the big question!




Just punch George in the nose for all of us.


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## BrenosBrews (7/1/10)

I read something in the epicure part of the Age about Circa doing a beer degustion. I don't know if it's a regular offering though.


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## SpillsMostOfIt (7/1/10)

Press Club also has a decent range of whiskey-like substances. Regale you father with stories and make him jealous.


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## zebba (7/1/10)

SpillsMostOfIt said:


> Press Club also has a decent range of whiskey-like substances. Regale you father with stories and make him jealous.


He has free access to my whiskey collection, so he won't get jealous he'll just get even.

Brenos - I heard The Prince did, and I knew there was another I'd just forgotten what. Anyone got feedback on either of these places? edit: dingdingding - they're the same place. duh!


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## dgilks (7/1/10)

I haven't eaten at Attica but the beer list looks at least acceptable given what you normally get and Ben Shewry is one of the best chefs in Australia. The menu also reads particularly well. Cutler&Co may also be an option but they don't have a beer list on their site so a phone call may be in order.


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## Carboy (7/1/10)

Hellenic Republic
434 Lygon St
Brunswick East VIC 3057
(03) 9381 1222

Bloody Awesome, then head into the city and find a nice bar


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## HoppingMad (7/1/10)

+1 on Press Club. Great food. Have heard Hellenic Republic is great - not as formal as the Press Club I gather, but if you love seafood and greek food in general it's good.

Recently went to Giuseppe Arnaldo and Sons. Run by the guys who have Icebergs in Sydney. Excellent food and had an interesting Italian beer (starting with 'B' that was from a brewery in northern Italy?) I haven't seen in Purvis or elsewhere. Trouble is that it is in Crown Casino and I hate the place. :angry: 

Cutler & Co has a good beer list when I went a year ago - mostly quality micros. Had some 3 ravens myself and some holgate beer. Not as expensive as some of the other options for food. 

Hopper


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## Thirsty Boy (8/1/10)

Melbourne Food and Wine Festival is coming up in March - there are usually and this time around is no exception, a number of beer and/or beer and food events on. I think the Circa one is part of the festival.

http://www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au/

Beer and the Beast looks like the best of it to me - I'll be there just in case that puts you off 

TB


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