Bistro Vue

This is without a doubt one of my favourites at the moment. For lots of reasons. Last Saturday night we dined at Bistro Vue (the bistro behind Vue de Monde) and it was probably our 4th or 5th time there. On every occasion the service and food has been outstanding. Except for one small grip - more of that later.

Entrees were a delicate cepe omelette for me and my wife had the smoked salmon which is gorgeously presented. Probably 8 very thin slices of smoked salmon which I think they do themselves. On the side creme fraiche, some thinly diced white onion and tiny capers. The treat was the house baked brioche which sits in the middle of the wooden plate in the terracotta pot it is just baked in. All of it sensational

Main for me was pork with 4 cheeses - which while delicious was not what I expected. Slowly roasted pork topped with what I thought was a crust of 4 cheeses but was a soft airy pasty like substance. Honestly - has good as it was it would have been better if it was a crust rather than a spongey cheese matter. Makes me wonder how they cooked it ???

No room for dessert this time but in recent visits we have had the pleasure of the chocolate souffle and the tarte tatin - both of which are outstanding.

One criticism. In at least 4 visits over 18 months, the menu has not noticably changed. There is a daily special which always sounds good. But come on guys. If I'm paying $200 for dinner and like it enough to come back then maybe some seasonal dishes. I don't mind the strong favourites staying on the menu, actually I find it comforting. But to replace at most 3 dishes on a 25+ dish menu over 18 months is just taking the piss.

Service is always good - even though I am getting tired of getting served by pasty private school prats who think putting on a shitty french accent somehow adds to the experience.

I committed to going back because we like it - however when I ring to book a table I will be asking if the menu has changed and if it hasn't I will probably go to Bistro Guillaume for French.

Definitely worth going if you haven't been there. Overall it was about $195 which included 3 glasses of VC and 2 glasses of French white. Wine list is pretty good BTW. Here is a link to their website and you can download the menu here. They also have an express business lunch which looks good.

Having been to the bistro a few times and the restaurant twice - I would honestly go to the bistro over the restaurant. But that's just me.

Enjoy!

Some restaurants tire me

Melbourne is spoilt for choice when it comes to restaurants. We can eat anything, from any country, any time pretty much. We have great top end restaurants and the middle layer is quite strong - and probably what makes Melbourne a better place for eating than Sydney.

But it is this middle layer that is really starting to shit me. It seems that any hack chef hang out a shingle and call himself a restaurant. Now don't get me wrong, not every restaurant needs to be a ground breaking experience. Not every restaurant has to break the rules of convention and challenge our palettes, but by the same token not every restaurant has to serve up the same crappy dishes and think they are doing us all a favour.

My pet hate of the moment, "Grilled Atlantic Salmon, served on a bed of spinach, and creamy mash". Give me a fucking break. Next time you are out - count how many times you see this dish, or subtle unimaginative versions of it written up on blackboards all over town.

What the fuck did you people learn at school ? Do you have no imagination at all. Do you all have to do this freaking salmon dish ? Do you all have to have a "Chicken Caesar salad" on the menu? Do you even know that Caesar Salad does not have chicken in it? Call it a fucking chicken salad so we all know what we are getting. I don't want to order a Caesar Salad and not get a Caesar Salad.

When did you rag-arse hacks decide that spaghetti amatriciana has olives and peppers and other shit in it? If it's not a real carbonara then don't call it a carbonara. These names have been around for years - don't serve up crap and think you can get away with it by giving it a traditional name that everybody recognises. When I see something on the menu that has a known recipe then that is what I expect to get. If you're going to change it call it "Spaghetti alla I don't have a clue", then at least we know what we are getting and how much we should trust you.

So in addition to some rather random and intermittent reviews I am going to name and shame restaurants that are showing zero imagination, or that think they are smarter than years of history.

Stay tuned and feel free to share your "favourites".

Jimmy