A Smart Bar menu indeed! Cutler & Co. Dining Room & Bar

A Smart Bar menu indeed! Cutler & Co. Dining Room & Bar

My colleague from the University of Melbourned recommended Cutler & Co. if I wanted some "smart" bar food instead of a full dinner. That sounded both good and intriguing and it was also on the way back to my hotel.

The ambiance was cool hip with lots of black and chrome and spot lightinng. The host quickly met me at the door and was pleasant and happy for my request for a single table near the bar. Looking over the menu, it was indeed a smart menu with too many tempting choices. I had gone in with the idea of a single appetizer, but everything looked so good, I had to have two.

I created my own "surf and turf" with a selection of three South Australian Kumoto oysters (figured June is really December and hence has a "r" in it), and Wagyu beef ribs. I accompanied it with a Hoddles Creek Pinot Noir.

Service was quick and attentive. The food was amazing. The oysters were strong, and served on a mound of salt (a nice touch); I missed a bit of horseradish with them, but made do with a squeeze of lemon. The ribs were tender and sauced just right.

Highly recommended.

Meal: Light Dinner
Date Visited: 5 June 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 55-57 Gertrude St., Melbourne, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Website: http://www.cutlerandco.com.au

Napiers: Not just the Bogan Burger

2010-05-31-IMG_7857
Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Napiers: Not just the Bogan Burger

My Melbourne connections said that we had to stop by the The Napier Hotel and it's pub since we were staying in the Fitzroy neighborhood. It had the look of a typical pub and, since it was still a bit early, not yet that crowded.

It took me a bit to get the hang of the Aussie pub and how to order. There wasn't wait service, exactly, but rather, you ordered at the bar and then the food was brought to you.

So, what to order? I wasn't that hungry, so I wanted a sandwich and ended up with the Suburban Burger. Not really a burger, but rather a steak sandwich. Quite qood and served with a side of fries. I topped it off with a variety of local beers.

But the hightlight was ordered by a colleage, the Bogan Burger (a bogan is sort of a Aussie version of a redneck, but with more positive connotations). Was is a bogan burger? Well, it's sort of the turducken of sandwiches, comprised of: Steak, Chicken Schnitzel, Caramalised Onions, Cheese, Pinepple, Beetroot, Potato Cake, Bacon, Egg, Lettuce, Tomato, Wedges and served with a salad.

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 31 May 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 210 Napier St, Fitzroy VIC 3065‎
Website: http://thenapierhotel.com/food-drink/