Mitch and Co Cafe - Tyabb, Southern Vic.

When you see the term cafe you don't always expect much. Basic food in a a basic shop. Well down in Tyabb Vic. you can expect more. Better food, good and prompt service - with a smile. The cafe interior is basic verging on plane but where they put their efforts is in food and service. Suites me. Plenty of seating inside and a few outside tables. Not much to see outside as you are close to the main road. Good parking and should never be a problem even in busy times.

I’m constantly chasing a good Eggs Benedict for breakfast. After have lunch here, some time back and enjoying it, thought this may be my happy place. Happy to announce the EB was really excellent on so many levels. Soft yoke eggs, on sour dough toast with both spinach and ham. Lots of ham and lots of hollandaise sauce. Perfect. Served in a timely manner and served hot and priced like basic cafe pricing, Im going back real soon to Mitch and Co Cafe. You should visit. 

Bistro Elba - Portsea, Victoria

 Getting out for a drive and lunch some where is what we like to do. Not afraid to spend well for a good or preferably a great meal we seek out better restaurants. In the main street of Portsea, here in southern Vic, is Bistro Elba. You could almost walk past it being little more than a double shop front. Inside is lots of peeling paint and quaint decor to make you feel you have stepped into a little eatery in France. 

There is room inside for quite a few dinners and a compact outdoors out the back tables for a few couples. We chose inside near the main window. If it wasn’t for bottles of wine balanced on the window ledge we would have had a better view into the street. Service for a little slack and the place wasn’t busy. Only one female waitress was dressed like she worked there the others just in casual clothing. Not what I would have expected here or in Southern France. 

Here is the good bit, the food was excellent. No the food was fantastic. I had three courses and the wife two. Cannot complain about food quality, quantity or presentation. Even speed of delivery was on point. The wine and bubbly was very good also. But here is my big gripe, the cost of lunch was excessive. Some would say Portsea prices! Yes the prices were on the menu and the drinks we had weren't cheap. On our rough calacs. for the cost of the meal, we were $100 out. And it hurt. Not that we can’t afford it, just that lunch should not have cost us so much.

If you really don’t care about cost and just want to experience really outstanding food, go. Hopefully service will be better for you snd the staff will dress like they work there. Simply based on the cost to dine here we cannot return but are thankful we had the experience. Maybe go once to at least experience the food. You may feel it good value. 

Botticelli Restaurant and Bar - Brighton, Victoria

 Celebrating the sister-in-laws birthday (again) with dinner out and family and friends. Botticelli’s in Brighton’s main street is the place to go for good Italian food. Traditional, I cant answer that but good eating, you bet. Inside has a European charm about it and there is plenty of seating. We ate outside it being a warm night with only minimal walking traffic going past. Very pleasant. 

Though a quiet night, from a service point of view, our table service, was a little slow. But we got there. Meals are not only delicious but good size. Plenty of Italian wines and beers to choose from and meals selection is OK. I felt though there was not a lot of non meat selections. Veggies are cheap and if the menu contains lots of vegetable based meals, I feel, more profit to the establishment. Regardless I did enjoy my food. 

By accident I ordered two mains which was meant to be entree and main or the waitress stuffed the order. At one point, when meals were being served, confusion of what was shared and what wasn’t and who ordered what reined. Go, go and enjoy good food in a good setting, great night out for all of us. 

Ipsos Restaurant and Bar - Lorne, Victoria.

 I enjoy most European food especially Greek and Italian. I’m lucky to be able to saver both reasonably often and just for a change sneak in some Indian from our local. While in Lorne celebrating my sister-lin-law’s birthday we booked into Ipsos. This is right in the middle of the shopping strip and is a good size restaurant. 

Like most busy eateries these days noise is a real issue with few patrons speaking at reasonable levels. A large room with hard floors and high ceiling makes for a noisy eat. Pick the non-busy times to go. Even the staff were loud. But, but, the food more than compensates for the discomfort. Big servings of very delicious Greek food. Not sure it’s 100% traditional but who cares it was very easy eating and big serves. 

Decor is a little strange not really taking you to Greece or any other country but it was simple and non-imposing on the pleasure of eating. Plenty of parking even in peak times but you may have a short walk back. We were on a table of seven which worried the life out of our waiter who expressed his concerns for timely serving to the birthday girl. Unnecessary and in the end all meals arrived in a timely fashion without any real concerns. 

Food quality, presentation, taste and quantity were all very good. It is a place I would recommended if you want a taste of kalos (good) Greek food. Drinks menu has an extended selection of Greek wines, cocktails and beers etc. You should have no problems picking a partnering drink. Go, enjoy but if you’re on a date and want to impress pick your time to ensure an intimate and quiet dinning experience. 

Longwarry Hotel - Southern Vic.

 As it goes for country pubs this hotel has to be a prime example in looks (inside and out),  service, food and decor. The decor is extremely dated and like most of the interior, tired. There is a bar where I would imagine a half dozen or so of the locals sit at daily, sports section and three dinning area. Also an outside area. A couple of tables near the bar will get you a window seat, we were lucky, it was ours. 

For a sunny Saturday afternoon, except for the bar, it was very quiet. Not much beer selection on tap but the locals have predicted what sells well here. Nothing flashy, just beer. Service at the bar is good and meals delivered to your table. The Longwarry Hotel has the usual pub fare when it comes to meals with a reasonable choice for mains, daily specials and a few entrees. 

The food quality is just OK but not to the standard of other country pubs we have dined at. My wife did say, though, her sauce was good as was my gravy. They are good size meals, you won’t go hungry and wash it down with the tap beer and you will be content. 

Would I rush back for another dining experience, definitely not. From the outside looking up at the pub you feel you are in for a great country pub experience but unfortunately the excitement stops at the front door. With possibly minimal local support and the occasional drop-ins this local probably won’t change. But at least for the locals sake let’s hope its still around in the years to come. 

Hochi Mama - Richmond, Vic

 Not the first Asian fusion restaurant and won’t be the last. In a very rustic setting of bare exposed brick walls and open to the beans ceiling you will be served many dishes. All delicious but like me, you will have your fav or favourites. Menu is set and the choice is large or small. Being big eaters the seven of us went big. There is about six or so dishes which come out in heavy succession. On the table and serve yourself. Most of the time this was easy being single hand scoop-ups and eat. 

I didn’t see a wine list but reds and whites are available and cocktails also for the asking. Here there is a feeling that they are looking for the younger trendies to wine and dine with hiphop music at high levels. Though you can’t get away from the music it never really bothered me. Usually it does. A rustic bare setting with many eat areas and a big bar in the centre. Great service, excellent food and a modern trendy fell Hochi Mama has it all. Pick your day and time though parking could be tight. 

Panton Hill Hotel - Victoria

 At one tine my wife and myself would avoid pubs and pub food. But over the last years we are re-discovering great country pubs and excellent pub food. Not only is the food good but the premises are quite often extensive and well kept. The country pubs we have enjoyed lately have multiple eating areas and often elevated viewing areas looking into bush, rivers or lakes.

Panton Hill Hotel falls well into this group of great pubs with excellent indoor and outdoor eating areas and better than average food. For us it was an interesting, easy, country drive to the hotel with plenty of local parking. Externally the hotel may not have changed much over its 112 year history, still looks the sane but I would imaging a number of renos and paint jobs. Internally and externally there are a number of eating areas plus a functions area. We sat outside on the higher decking with a view across the lake and onto the bush. With a view like that, good service and very good food at more than a reasonable price, country Vic. pubs have a lot to offer. Try one.