The quest for a man-boy to find the greatest of melbourne's food.

 

Lunch at No35

The newly hatted restaurant headed by ex-Botanical chef Stuart McVeigh has turned heads all over Melbourne. The venue and atmosphere is to put quite simply, amazing, and the current lunch deal really gives a bang for your buck.

menu

setting

I won’t spoil the suprise by showing you the view, but a lot of people do have the presumption that such a restaurant, 35 floors up in the Sofitel hotel would be extremely expensive. The restaurant could be pricey, but during lunch they have a “Lunch 1,2,3” deal, put simply its a pre-fixe menu incl. $19 for one course, $29 for two and $39 for two with a glass of wine. The value is incredible, especially when the food is of the quality served. 

Believe it or not, the pictures were taken with an iPhone, but the insane natural light at the place actually gave it some photographic prowess.

The one thing you simply must try when you get here is the toilet. I am 100% serious. They have Dyson Airblade hand dryers, impeccably clean floors and… an unexpectedly spectacular view of Melbourne to look at, 35 floors up while you’re piddlin’.

Entrees/Salads:

risotto

salade

Cured Salmon Risotto with Horseradish, Nettles and Creme Fraiche - A wonderful starter, creamy rice with the subtle heat of horseradish and the added texture of beautifully seasoned salmon makes this dish a winner. 

Spring Salad with Salted Ricotta - This isn’t a part of the set course, but I have recently found that salads is a great medium for chefs to showcase their produce. Beautifully fresh and the acidity of the dressing really hits the mark.

Main and Dessert

beefdessert

BM: Corned Beef Cheek, Young Vegetables and Herb “Crumb” - I don’t usually like corned beef but this time it really jiggled my tastebuds. Melt in your mouth beef and that lingering salty feel combined with perfectly cooked turned vegetables is a very memorable dish. I just wish I remembered what that sauce was..

“Pistachio”, Lemon and White Chocolate Cream and Lime Marshmallow - I was a bit skeptical of the named dessert, too many elements and common complaint about the place was that they’re desserts were often uninspiring. This one cleared any presumptions I had. The marshmallow was the best I’ve had and the sweet and nutty cake launched the dish to epic proportions. Divine. 

Definitely go here for the superb food, but if the the experience turns sour, just remember to look out the windows and enjoy the serenity. 

No35 on Urbanspoon

Café Vue at 401

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