Le Bouchon French Cuisine - Balnarring, Victoria

After touring through the South West of France and dinning on some of the finest French food we could find, to discovery a truly remarkable French restaurant  right on our door step is just fabulous.  Normally you would think you would have to travel up to Melbourne to experience exceptionally good French food. For too long we have been denied fine French Cuisine on the peninsula but not any more.

We are blessed with some excellent Italian, Indian, Chinese, Argentinian and Greek restaurants on the Peninsula but not French. When the other food styles, particularly Italian, have dominated the culinary landscape it is  about time French made a big return. I'd like to see more Frenchies pop-up!

Le Bouchon is situated in Balnarring, itself a quiet little town just thirty to forty minutes drive from Frankston. The Balnaring shopping center has been established for a very long time but there is a whole new and very European looking addition been built. Le Bouchon itself has a good French vibe. Just what you want when you dine out and feel you are anywhere else but Southern Vic.

I'm not going to go on about my meal or my wife's meal or my in-laws meal I could never do it justice. I must say though on a scale of one to five, five being extreme fine dinning, this French eatery is a definite four and that is with some tough marking. Is this the finest dinning experience I have ever had, in other words a "5"? No. But it was half the price and nearly as good. Value for money - off the planet.

Staff are funny, warm and friendly and knowledgeable and senior staff are French. The owner will probably be your waiter. Parking is easy and dine inside or out. If outside the view is ordinary but inside, on a busy day, may be very noisy. Pick a Tuesday to Thursday night to dine inside and you should have a quiet and exceptional experience. Good French food done well and on the Peninsula. Bon appetite!

Soumah Wines and Restuarant - Yarra Valley, Victoria

As part of a wine tour, Soumah Wines, provided one of tasting. Not only a tasting but they also put on lunch. The whites didn't really excite me but the Cabernet fell in favour. After the tasting of eight or so wines you got a glass of your fav. to have with lunch. The Cabernet was very good and had me go back for another glass, this time I had to pay.

You had a choice of about four different mains. I went for the "Agnello Brasato" (braised lamp). It certainly look extra yum but fell short of the mark by being too dry. There was lots of a weak source to lubricate it but it didn't really hit the mark. Don't let this put you off. A lot of my fellow sippers were quite pleased with the whites and meal.

Staff are friendly and very informative and the winery is idyllic. Good enough reason to try it yourself. Go for a meal and vino and enjoy the drive there and the view. Go anytime of the year as you can dine in or out.

The Pig and Whistle - Main Ridge, Mornington Peninusla, Victoria

The Pig and Whistle is just a little out of place on the Mornington Peninsula Victoria. Doesn't mean to say it ain't nice. It is nice. According to the signs at the entrance this establishment has been here for a very long time. Lets move on. There are a number of English beers on tap and a lot more in the bottle in the fridge. Go nuts.

Not a beer drinker, you're covered. Wines and spirits are available. The food is English Pub orientated; Guinness pie and fish and chips if you get my drift. The place can be real noisy if busy so be warned. Dine and drink in or out. Pick you days and it may really be a great experience. I'd go back.

Fury And Son Brewing Co - Keilor Park Victoria

Don't you just love it when you turn up for a beer and they are brewing it right in front of you. But further more there are other beers on tap and a few vinos. Fury are aggressive about their brewing, done right and done here. I tried their Stout and IPA and really enjoyed them. Now on tap and open.

Add to this if you show on  a Friday night you can select some food to go REAL WELL with that freshly brewed foaming top! Slow coked and well smoked meats are on the menu. Good selections and cooked slow and long. Snap it up!

Fury And Son Co freshly opened "beer on tap and smoked easy eating food" onsite. Get in now and be a part of the action. Slow cooked, smoky meats and fresh brewed local beer on tap. Nice!

Los Argentinos - now at Karingal Hub, Franskton Victoria

I enjoyed this restaurant when it was on Nepean Highway Frankston. It has moved to Karingal Hub only 15mins away and I think better. This night we had been to the movies and now out for dinner. Argentinian steak is all about flavour and this night I wanted the best steak I cold have. I was not disappointed. Not only was the steak hand height and wide it was deliciously cooked over a charcoal grill. Perfect.

If it was only the steak that was delicious you would be happy but as they say in the classics, "there is more". And there was. The whole baked potatoe was also charred and stuffed full or sour cream ( I did ask for more sour cream which was happily delivered). Add to this warmed veggies (just a few), a glass of the house red and your laughing! I was.

So close for us and so nice. This may well be our second "go to" restaurant. For a man who is happy to pay $55 for a steak in the heart of Melbourne, Los Angentinos is a no brainer and a lot cheaper with easy parking. Décor is only fair, staff or barely coping but the food we bring you back. The steak will make you wish you were there every night. Just go.

Geonbae - Korean BBQ, Frankston Victoria

If you want something just a little different how about a BBQ right on your table top in the restaurant. Really the BBQ is sunk into the table and has a large exhaust snoot which is lowered down. The plate is convex and heated by gas flame from below. Your friendly waiter\cook\drinks waiter lines up bowls of food to be cooked then goes ahead and does it all for you. Great idea, novel and really nice food.

Geonbae is a Korean BBQ done right in front of you. The décor is modern diner style with booth style seating, more open general seating or even outside dinning. Not only is there a good variety of food but some great beers and wines to choose from. I tried a couple of the Korean beers and found them excellent. It just adds to the experience.

This restaurant is right on the Kananook Creek which these days has been cleaned up a lot. Plenty of local parking and once you have had your fill you can take a walk to the beach or a creek walk. Don't get too hung up on the quality of the food and you are in for a good. Something different as I said, lots of food cooked fresh and well and a clean modern feel about the restaurant. Go, have a good time, do try the beers and take that walk after.

The Lorne Pier Seafood - Lorne, Victoria

Not hard to imagine a warm sunny day on the coast, looking out across the water, cool breeze blowing and the smell of freshly cooked seafood. If you are outside of Lorne Pier Restaurant this reality is not difficult. In fact it is very real. For my first here visit we went inside, the night was too warm but we did get a window seat.

Boy did it get noisy real quick. Not only patrons, but the staff lifted. Staff smashed down fresh crockery and cutlery at the servery and the diners yelled over the top. Then the cooks, who were elevated, yelled service to the staff below. So loud and such a calamity. Awful.

The food was ordinary, dry, tasteless and poor quality. Staff were efficient and friendly but it didn't make-up for ordinary food. Add to all of this the noise this would not be the venue for a first date. Here is the flip side; sunny day, no too hot, outside taking in the scenery, cold beer and a meal. If you are not a super foodie the meal may just suffice, want better than "just ok", go elsewhere.