Mamma Mia!!!

"This is Italian food as I always imagined it to be", enthused my partner as he sliced off another melt-in-your-mouth piece of baked kid goat off the bone. Svago takes you on an absolutely delightful regional tour around Italy as you hop from your Stuzzichini (bite sized appetiser) plates to your Piatti (entree size plates made to share) plates and then back again with relish. Our Stuzzichini of choice was the bacala (venetian creamed salted cod on potato foam infused with lemon) and the texture of the salt cod combined with the softness of the potato foam and the freshness of the lemon were superb. My partner raved about the Riso al salto nero con gamberi e seppioline in brodetto (crispy sautéed squid ink risotto cake with king prawns & cuttlefish cooked in a bisque). But my absolute favourite was the Scialatielli in guazzetto di vongole ed asparagi (scialatielli pasta from Amalfi Coast with clams & asparagus). Each clam, luxuriating in its own juices, reminded me of the sea, of a far off coast that I had never seen but always dreamed of visiting, of blue skies and an even bluer ocean and taking a dip in that ocean in the morning and enjoying the sea breeze in the afternoon and fishermen bringing their catch in and enjoying a Campari in the evening before tucking into the freshest of the fruits of the sea... The tomatoes made me think of bright red tomatoes ripening in the Italian sun in summer... but I digress. This is honest food - no soup in shot glasses here or garnish masquerading as a dish. It's falling-off-the-bone, slow cooked, super fresh ingredient type of cooking. It's simple but complex at the same time, each flavour so well understood by the chef it's as though he was born with the flavours in his blood, no more and no less than is absolutely necessary to create a stunning dish. And it's food that transports you to a different place. The piatti, happily, are not diminutive plates; the service is refreshing and you are more a part of the family than a customer. Simply one of the best meals I've ever had.

A Taste of Little Vietnam

This little gem is tucked away right next to Jam Factory, perfect for being close to the action of Chapel St but away from the hustle and bustle. The food and service is great, and watch out for the authentic Vietnamese specials, especially the Beef Stew - as authentic as you can get, and rarely found in other Vietnamese restaurants in Melbourne. It's served in a little hotpot with chunky bread on the side. Yummy! LV boasts an absolutely gorgeous outdoor area with a thatched straw roof and lit up with candles, almost Bali-style. Can't wait for when it's warm enough to sit outside on a balmy evening, cold beer in hand... it will be like being on holiday without actually going away. Bring on summer!

High Society

I must confess to owning an Entertainment Book. This year the old Gold Card didn't get much use at all, except in the last week in May. We stumbled across Society purely because of its inclusion in the Ent book, and what serendipity! Society is old school but new school at the same time. It's baroque furnishings without a baroque feel. And the food... is simply divine. Mamma mia!

Went there last night, and as we entered there was a small group of diners enjoying pre (or post?) dinner drinks in the entrance. One of them turned to us, smiling, and asked if we wanted a table. When we said we had a booking, he immediately knew the name we booked under. (Perhaps this is something to do with him being able to match our ethnicity to our surname! nevertheless we were quite impressed at this service).

You rarely have to wait for anything at Society. Your drinks menu comes straight away, followed by bread warm from the oven. Entree pops out almost immediately (maybe not such a good thing - and we were a little disappointed with the sardines we had for entree). Service is faultless. The bill comes as soon as you even think about it. The only thing I had to ask for was the dessert menu. Perhaps this was because I asked for it as soon as they cleared away the mains! Not that this means that mains were diminutive. Hearty servings would be an understatement - how about not one but TWO whopping rib eye steaks of pork? The lamb saddle and lamb shank with garlic mash was perhaps one of the most divine combinations I have ever had the good fortune to put in my mouth. As for dessert... the amaretto ice cream is up there as one of my favourite foods, EVER.

One of the best dining experiences we have had in Melbourne. We'll definitely be back - Entertainment card or not!