Terminus Hotel - Clifton Hill

We read the hype and we just had to try it. The blogisphere has been full of tales of the rebirth of the Terminus Hotel. A "name" chef had hung out his shingle outside a well loved Clifton Hill Pub. The pub now had a restaurant, and the pub itself had a metamorphous to a "gastropub". A mate of mine quipped, "Did gastropub mean that you got the runs?" What could I do but LOL -- and throttle him. Everyone knows"gastropub", means that you can expect fine food and innovation. And this is what we got, fine food and service.

The space itself tend to be dark as there are no windows and the bluestone exposed wall seems to soak up any light, that said it was not an unpleasant place to be and we particularly liked the welcoming open fire. The tables are well spaced and it is very pleasing to be able to easily hear yourself speak and enjoy conversation with your friends with whom you have chosen to dine.

The wine list was comprehensive and we chose a lovely bottle of shiraz, alas I forget by who and I forget how much it was, enough to say that it complemented our meals beautifully and did not break the bank.

We began our meal sharing some calamari. No frozen rings here, this was the real deal, cut and prepared fresh making it something special. Pub grub people have not been forgotten when the menu was put together, there were the traditional favourites of parmagana and burger with fries. In this case they were made with top quality ingredients and love.

Mr Gen Y had the steak and said it was the second best steak he had ever had, (not sure where he had the best steak), seared to perfection on the outside and melting in your mouth tender on the inside.

Shaun and Vaughan went for the pub favourites, burger and parma respectively. I could not help myself, the chips looked so good I had to taste one, and I was rewarded with one of the best chips I have ever had - chuncky, crisp on the outside and ever so fluffy on the inside.

I went down the fish route and had blue eye with scallops - so fresh I wondered if it had swam in down the Merri Creek.

To add to this fine fare, we shared a large bowl of winter vegetables, carrots, parsnips, brussels sprouts and potato.

The serves were generous and even with four fine appetites between us, we could not finish our winter vegies, nor could Shaun finish his burger. We were in great need of a doggie bag.

Those of us who could find a wee bit of space, squeezed in some of the outstanding flourless orange cake, and of this not a crumb remained.

Would we go back in a hurry? Probably not, this is a place to savour, to go when you want to feel special, the quality of the food and the prices reflect this. However, it was so good that the Cafe Club passed a motion that in 2011, we may transform ourselves into the Pub Grubbers and instead of trying a cafe a month, we very well might try a pub eatery per month. And if any of them come to anywhere near the standard of the Terminus, we will be very happy campers.

Terminus Hotel, 492, Queens Pde, Clifton Hill, Vic. 9481 3182 www.terminus.com.au

LAM LAM - Vietnamese Cafe

A new addition to High Street is LAM LAM Vietnamese cafe, a little bit of Victoria Street, Richmond located a few doors from the Northcote Town Hall. A success from the day it opened early in 2010, Lam Lam is a welcome addition to the High Street eating scene.

As befits a Vietnamese cafe, tables are laminex, cutlery is in a stainless steel cylinder, tea is in the thermos, and a box of tissues serves as serviettes. We enjoyed a feast. First course was soup - I had the Won Ton soup and the other Clubbers opted for the Chicken and Cornflour. Both where delicious. We also shared chicken skewers and spring rolls

For mains we shared, Lemon Chicken, Pork 4 seasons, Vegetables with ginger, Szechuan Calamari, Four Seasons Prawns and rice. Plenty for the five of us. All delicious and all served promptly by friendly waiting staff. And how much did this feast cost us? Less than $20 each.

Value for money is one reason people keep coming back, other reasons include the quality of the food, the speed of the service, and cheery ambience. LAM LAM is not licensed, you can BYO and corkage is minimal. And if you must drink and you forgot to bring your own, pop across the road to the Peacock Hotel and buy what you please.

This is not the place to dally, this is a place to eat and move on. I liked this place so much I went back the week after. Being so close to the Town Hall we were well placed for heading off to the Magic Festival, which was great fun and I will watch our for again next year. But back to LAM LAM, there are no pretensions here, what you see is what you get, a good quality Vietnamese Cafe.

LAM LAM, 209 High Street, Northcote 9482 5258

Sigiri -- It's a good idea to like coconut

Sigiri, is one of those unimposing places that only vaguely register. I have lived in Northcote for what now amounts to decades and I can't remember when it wasn't there. Yet in all that time I have never eaten there nor indeed had I wanted to eat there. Thankfully, due to the Cafe Club I broke out of my rut and had enjoyed the delights that are Sigiri.

The decor is designer proof, it is clear that the owners have decorated the place in a style that suits them, from fringed umbrella's to giant, display size, bottles of cocoa cola. The walls are brick with happy decorations including a wall of masks. But it is not the decor that attracts people to come back again and again - it is the food.

The hoppers are a must - "bowls" made out of a bready coconut mixture that you use to eat with your meal. Ours came and one had a fried egg sitting down the bottom. One with in our group claimed that it looked like a bra on the run.

This place is all about curries. Our favourite was the pumpkin curry, but all were good. We also had the banana pancakes and they were eagerly enjoyed by all.

Prices were reasonable and on the weekends there are buffet nights where you can taste a wide variety of the Sri Lankan cuisine. I do believe that on buffet nights, it is less than $30.

As I mentioned from the begining of this entry. Sigiri is a place to return to again and again, and I am delighted to say that one of our group has, in the few weeks since we sampled this fine establishment, been back twice.

To close a word of warning, you may now be able to get into Sigiri without a booking, but as the word of mouth continues to spread you might find yourself standing in a queue.

Sigiri on Urbanspoon

Bar Idda - It's Italian but where are the Nonnas? -@ L'Osteria??

In April, the Cafe Club extended their territory to Lygon Street, East Brunswick. Bar Idda - the new hip Italian on the block. And very popular it is too. Indeed so popular that you have to choose which sitting you want - 6.30pm or 8.30pm. None of this choosing a time to suit you and staying as long as you like stuff. No this is all about - get the food, have the experience, and go -- hopefully in time for the next batch of punters not to know that you have been there sitting in their seats only seconds before they arrive.

The food is excellent, and the service is friendly, knowledgeable and prompt. But really is this what an Italian Cafe/ Restaurant is all about? I mention this because on Saturday, I went to another Italian Cafe/Restaurant not too far away in Nicholson Street, Fitzroy, L'Osteria, the place has been there for over 20 years and the food is to coin a well used foodie phrase - rustic. But what hits you about L'Osteria and what is missing at Cafe Ida - is the sense of local eatery. That this is, a place that local people walk to, a place for the whole family, Mum, Dad, Nonna and the kids. On Saturday night at L'Osteria nearly every table was occupied by a family- with at least one Nonna. Mother's Day being the next day may have had something to do with this. But somehow I think that even without this much loved celebratory day, L' Osteria, like numerous Italian establishments in the area (Red Olive?) would have been places that welcomed the whole family.

Not so at Bar Idda - unless of course you were a very hip young family with good time keeping skills. No, this is a place for people who want to eat at the new chic spot. The food is yummy. And it is a place to be seen. But is is not a place to settle in, with a group of friends, for a night of easy conversation and plenty of red. For that - go to one of the many family owned and run Italian cafes in the area. They will welcome your patronage and to show you how much they enjoyed having you there, don't be surprised if at the end of the evening they give you a complementary limoncello or grappa.

Wesley Anne - lovely outside - grumpy service

It was a warm March night when the Cafe Club went to the Wesley Anne. One of our cohort is a regular at the place, loves, the atmosphere and the live music. Indeed she says it is one of her favourite places. It was Cait who got there first and made the wise decision to sit out in the rear garden. Not one of those chic courtyards to be found in other establishments, nor it is have the blokeishness of a beer garden. No this was a little bit of out door heaven, trees, tables, pagolas, and of all things a cruddy old caravan. Don't ask me why.

To get food you have to go inside and line up and say what you want, You pay individually and the food arrives as it is ready. This can lead to a rather disjointed mutual dining experience and not to be recommended for people who want to enjoy the feeling of sharing a meal with friends. You may get to watch your friend eat while you wait for your meal to arrive, but really that is not very satisfying, is it?

The food itself was passable and the price reasonable. Would I go back. Umm no don't think so - they just did not make us feel like valued customers. Rather we came away feeling disappointed that we had upset their evening by turning up and creating work. All very disappointing for Miss Gen Y -- as I said earlier it is (was?) one of her favourite places

Second tasty outing: Coco Loco

For the Tasty Dozen's second outing we ventured into the exotic Coco Loco where you can travel to the Argentine without a passport. Chocolate is the passion of the owner (major hunk) and the way he traverses the universe. There are chocolate martini's, hot chocolate, cool chocolate, and crepes. Not your usual crepe, these are made from special glueten free powder and made with love and tender care. Each is a work of art - the banana, the cheese and potato, the pumpkin and last but not least the chocolate and basil pesto crepe. A combination that can only have been created in some kind of dark, smoke filled room full of hookers.

The group for this outing was eclectic, there was our weary baby boomer, snazzy Miss Gen Y, wearing a little french inspired number, White Man Gen Y, and our happy couple -- made of 3, including a budding Mr Spock..... beam me up now Scottie.

The Cafe Club all agreed that we would give Coco Loco a 9/10. Mood lighting, soft jazz, handsome waiters, yummy food, and exotic drinks mean one thing --- take a date and you are sure to get lucky.


Coco Loco, 219 High Street, Northcote, 3070, ph 9482 7033
http://www.cocoloco1.wordpress.com/

Let the Games Begin. Breakfast at Stuzzi -8.5/10

The kick off for the Tasty Dozen, breakfast on Aust Day at Stuzzi. Right in the heart of High Street Northcote. Indeed many people, (ie me) think that it was the creation of Stuzzi that marked the beginning of the High Street, rejuvenation. Prior to Stuzzi, there was the Northcote Arcade, which also formed a link from the rear parking to High Street. To say it was a dead zone is an understatement. Something about the Feng Shui.. it literally sucked energy out of you as you walked through.

The clever thing about Stuzzi (building owned and developed by the Darebin Council) is that it is fully accessible. Good for people in wheelchairs and mums with prams. And it was the mum's with prams who took to Stuzzi with a vengeance and others quickly followed. Those large tables, not too squeezy and excellent loos -- including a baby change room and a special loo for people with a disability. And if that were not enough - there is the set back from the street, lovely to sit outside and watch the world go by. So where Stuzzi began, many other cafes have followed .

It became clear that in future the Cafe Club would need to be in the evening. Only two of our members showed for breakie, the others -- 2 Gen Y's and one Gen X, found 9am on a public holiday just too early.

So it was groovy Gen Y Cait and I (BB elder) at Stuzzi. Here is what is has going for it, great parking, easy access, clean, very good background music, plenty of space, big tables for big groups or little tables for that quiet interchange. And if that were not enough - they have plenty of daily newspapers to borrow.

I had the smoked salmon with fresh dill and poached eggs. It was meant to be accompanied by avocado, but instead came with spinach. It was delicious. The salmon was fresh and of the highest quality, the dill and spinach were likewise fresh and wonderfully aromatic. The two poached eggs were perfectly formed and cooked to perfection. All of this on a thick slice of brown bread. Ms Y and I agreed that it was a 10/10

Ms Y went for an omelette with brie and mushrooms. This also (strangely) came on top of a thick slice of brown bread. She gave it a solid 8.5/10. She thought the eggs were a tad over cooked. I tasted it and thought it was fine, but it was her dish and she gets to give the rating.

Now Ms Y is a woman on a mission. She is looking for the perfect Chai Latte. And I am sorry to say that she did not find it at Stuzzi. Me on the other hand found my coffee very nice - so nice that I went back for another cup.

For breakfast I would give Stuzzi a solid 8.5. Prices were mid range, in all for 1 chai, 2 coffees, 1 omelette and the smoked salmon it was $42. However, while I normally find the service good and very cheerful. On this occasion our waiter seemed to be not a very happy man and I missed the "service with a smile". Maybe he had caught the "dispair virus" that was lingering in the foundations of the old arcade?

Stuzzi Cafe Bar and Lounge.
http://www.stuzzi.com.au


Next month we dip into the exotic world of chocolate at Coco loco http://cocoloco1.wordpress.com/