Noir - Richmond, Victoria

“Black is black, I want my baby back”. Los Bravos had a hit in 1967 called “Black is Black”. If you want your Veal Parmigiana then don’t visit Noir in Richmond Victoria. Nestled right in the heart of Richmond and on Swan Street. “decored” in a very sombre black Noir is not you big eater’s paradise. No Parmas here baby

Give me five! And that’s what you get. Five courses of tastes, textures and flavours (sorry Teks I just had to say it). Titbits, nibbles and savouries. Thank God for wine. The dinning is fine. Very fine and not to disappoint. Service is fine and very fine and not to disappoint. Food quality is fine and very fine and not to disappoint.

You do not have to go the five courses and I may suggest you don’t. For us quantity was low but other courses may fill. Wine is fine. Very fine and WILL NOT disappoint. If Black is Black then here is where your baby is if not the local may be grey since she went away.

OK but not convinced, Mark.

The Parlor, Milkbar and Kitchen - Beaumaris, Victoria

How many times have you wished there was a restaurant just around the corner where you could simply walk there and have a meal or a few drinks. That’s it, leave the car at home, enjoy the stroll, meal and good company and then wander home after. No booze-bus fears if you kick on, no parking issues or having to pay for packing if you can get it at all. What if the added bonus is this ideal little establishment serves fine food, inside or outside, with drinks prices held at a reasonable level and staff who are friendly and knowledgeable.

Wait there is more. Italian food is on my list of favorite cuisines and this fantasy, neighborhood, wine bar, milk bar, café, restaurant, eat house happens to specialise in YOUR fav. food. Too good to be true? Your good friends, who you love to dine with, share a meal with, have a drink with, and holiday with, just happy to live nearby.  You could meetup, stroll to this idyllic “feel good” place, enjoy time together, feel content and satisfied with great quality food of generous proportions and not have to sell your first born to pay your way. Fortunately my sister-in-law and her husband live near such a place in Beaumaris – The Parlor.

Volpino - Mount Martha, Mornington Peninsula

Feel like a drive to the pleasant little shopping village on Mount Martha beach. You will be greeted with easy car parking and host of shops of all varieties including a number of cafés and restaurants. Looking for better food with a strong Italian influence then you must try Volpino. A Pizza and Wine type of eatery but don’t let this stop you ordering one of the many other mains. For me it was the Rockling followed by the Chilli Chocolate cake.

There is a decent menu and entrée, mains and dessert are well covered. Take a look also at the specials. My food was excellent and the drop of Tassy white I had just finished it off nicely. Wait staff and bar staff, including owners, are all friendly and happy to have a short chat. Being across the road from the beach I can imagine during holidays and in the warmer months, this place will be packed. You can book online and if it is warm and not too winding book for outside. Good food and a pleasant location  - definitely worth the drive.

The Winey Cow - Mornington, Mornington Peninsula

Strange name but an excellent place for a big lunch, a snack, a coffee and cake or a wine. Not sure where the "Cow" comes in but maybe because steak is on the menu. I have no idea exactly how many restaurants line main street Mornington but it is a ridiculously large number. Add to the ridiculous number all the cafes, fast food stores, ice cream parlors in side streets and lane ways and it may well be the biggest concentration of gastronomic outlets on planet earth. Don't believe me, take the walk yourself.

While you are counting drop into The Winey Cow for a feed. Inside or out this is a very nice little cafe\restaurant to do some serious carbs loading. We ate with two others and all meals looked sensational. Better still all means tasted sensational. That's two out of two and possibly the only two real issues which matter. Service was reasonable and friendly and we got a table outside. They don't take booking, they don't need to. Just rock-up 30mins before you want to eat because you may have to wait for a seat. We didn't and got a top street spot.

Generally when cafes have live entertainment it is loud and awful. Not this time, Guitar Slim (my name for him not his name for him), kept the volume low and tunes easy. We only had mains but meals were good size and the food (as I have already said but well worth saying again) was top notch. Eat, drink, watch the human race stroll past while you get back in touch with nature by eating some of it. Forget the counting and Winey Cow yourself. I'm going back.

Ebenezer - Coffee and Wine - Black Rock, Victoria

How things cane change over the years. Where Sandringham and Brighton use to be "the place to live" but always too expensive, Black Rock was the place to go.  Now Black Rock on the beach has bloomed and has become the Lygon Street of the beach-side suburbs. Cafes a plenty line what use to be a very ordinary Beach Road front right near the clock. And a great eating strip it is too with lots of variety.

Bigger changes have occurred for one corner store. What many years ago was a chemist, run by a very friendly proprietor, turned florist and is now a restaurant.  Ebenezer, run be a also very friendly Uruguayan,  and his Manchester staff member, will serve you up some very nice food. Inside or out the dining and ambiance are fine. Outside you sit right up against Beach Road over looking the bay and underneath the clock. It can be a little noisy and a little windy but pick the right day and good food and a good time will be had by all.

We were out with our fine dinning in-laws and went for shared dished for four for entree. Then mains followed. If you are a big eater there is plenty of food. You will not go hungry. Depending when you dine there is street parking so problems there. The wine and beer list is extensive enough for even the pickiest drinker and the menu just sufficient for selections. Make a booking or take pot luck. There are six other eateries if you can't get in. Can't speak for the others but Ebenezer is a good bet.

PUNCH LANE - Melbourne, Victoria

I never seem to tire of trying new places to eat. It is always and exciting time and the anticipation of an outstanding meal and a great time never seems to fade. We were booked into PUNCH LANE for Fathers Day dinner but first we had to travel up from the Mornington Peninsula. The forty-five minute drive was well worth it and the fact we got free parking close by the restaurant was a bonus.

Situated over the Spring Street end of old Melbourne Town this probably over 100 year building may never have seen so much activity. The restaurant is quite dark inside and deep. I would imaging even in broad day light it still would be dark inside. I don't mind this. It makes me feel I have escaped life and the world, if only for a few hours, to go to some unknown foreign place to be papered. Well gastronomically anyway.

The decor is old worldly, the walls lined with empty wine bottles (not sure that is good Feng Shui), an old railway clock and other antique pieces. There are a number of rooms, one large and one a lot smaller. We were in the smaller room with mirrored walls, all very nice. The wait staff were extremely friendly and happy to joke with you. The wine list, as you can image this being a wine bar, is extensive. I went for the house sparkling and then a Merlot blend 1/2 bottle. All very good,

The food here is the real hero and the food was absolutely spectacular. This is fine dinning in a more relaxed, closer, atmosphere. A wagyu tartare for entree and gnocchi for main. I couldn't have picked a better combo and couldn't have enjoyed it more. The light red just lifted an already exquisite dinning experience. Those I was with all greed the food really was outstanding. We must return and soon!

Toros, Tapas and Bar - Darling Harbour, Sydney

Darling Harbour has so much to offer for old and young alike. For me its all about the food and drink. Where better to start the gastronomic tour than at Toros, Tapas and Bar.This delightful little waterside restaurant has a great deal going where each plate is $10. For that you get a plate of lightly fried calamari or two seared scallops plus eight other selections. My son and I tried everything on the "$10 a plate" menu and was extremely pleased with serve size and quality of food. The calamari being tender and fresh the scallops tasty and well presented.

Pick a dry night and sit outside and watch the world go by. The wine list is sufficient and bottled wine reasonable in price. All wait staff  have a strong accent and ours was from Asia, France and Puerto Rico. This just adds to the sheer enjoyment of being somewhere else and enjoying the best of Australia. OK Darling Harbour is a tourist location but roll with this, don't be scared to pay well for good food and a great time will had by all. Put me down for the $10 a plate deal any day.