But when a work contact asked me there for lunch, I thought, ‘why not?’. So off I went. And I’m really glad I did.

Maze’s menu is one of a grazing, tapas style. The lunch special at three courses for $38 or four courses for $49 is very reasonable and one of the great lunch finds in or around the CBD.

There were three of us, so we managed to cover the entire menu, including:

-Marinated beetroot with goat’s curd cabernet sauvignon vinaigrette and toasted pine nuts

-Applewood smoked kingfish with fennel purée and pickled celery globe artichoke and finger limes

-Seared yellow fin tuna with white radish and yuzu and enoki mushrooms with black garlic

-A butternut squash with compressed cucumber and pumpkin seeds

-Ox “tongue and cheek” with  caper and raisin as well as carrots and horseradish pomme purée.

-Smoked haddock veloute with watercress saag aloo with poached quail eggs.

The service was friendly and helpful, the food was of an extremely high standard and any menu built around me shoving as many flavours in my face as possible is always a winner with me.

Atmosphere: 8/10
Service: 7/10
Value for money: 8/10
Food: 9/10

Website: www.gordonramsay.com/mazemelbourne

After much thought, I made the decision to call the restaurant and have a word with the Maitre D. Not only did he listen, he understood, took the complaint seriously and asked us back for a complimentary meal to make amends.

Sometimes restaurants get it wrong – we all do. But the making of a good restaurant is not just whether they can get it right. It’s whether they know how to fix it when they don’t.

So with much trepidation, we ventured back to Taxi Dining Room for our complimentary meal. I’m not going to score the meal, but I’m going to tell you about our second venture. It was one of the best meals I’ve had in Melbourne.

The first dish was scampi with truffle oil, with salmon roe, witlof and chervil. It was an absolute triumph. I adore witlof – the peppery flavour set against the richness and warmth of the truffle oil and saltiness of the roe. The scampi were small, sweet and succulent.

The second dish was smoked mangrove duck breast with apple and Asian mushrooms with balsamic reduction. The duck was juicy and tender and the balsamic wrapped itself around everything like a sweet, sticky, cuddly blanket.

Third up was sticky pork belly with seared scallop, red chilli sauce and a young coconut salad. The rich, fatty pork was lightened up with the fresh, crispy salad and the scallop was completely rare and tender inside – it melted away with no chewing required.

A tom kha with lightly seared kingfish, enoki and chilli was rich and flavoursome. It wasn’t too rich, which is a risk with some soups that have been over-developed. It left me wanting more.

Pan-fried wild barramundi with a cucumber and prawn salad, with king prawn tail and orange miso paste. Barra isn’t my favourite fish, but the dish was good and the serving extremely generous.

Wagyu porterhouse with king brown mushrooms and a yakuniku dipping sauce was completely divine. The meat was tender and soft and cooked rare. But the real triumph was the dipping sauce which made the meat sing with happiness in my mouth. It consists of mirin, Chinese rice wine, nashi, sesame and soy. Divine.

After quick palate refresher of orange and sake granita with strawberry jelly, we were into dessert. The dessert was a strawberry sorbet, cherry granita and strawberry soufflé. The ices were beautiful, but the piece de resistance was the soufflé – classic and utterly perfect. It tasted like an old-fashioned tea party.

We chose a 2008 pinot blanc ($90) to go with the meal.

As I said, I’m not going to rate this meal, because to be fair it would have to be a hybrid review of the first and second visits. But I will say this: they set out to win us back and they did. If this is what Taxi is capable of, then I hope they keep doing it because it was one of our best meals this year.

Also, apologies for the terrible photos – the restaurant was one of the darkest I’ve been to, but the views were phenomenal.

Rosa’s Kitchen is a slice of real Italy, Sicily to be precise, in the centre of Melbourne’s CBD. Located in the CAE building on Flinders Lane, the menu changes every day, based on what Rosa feels like cooking or what’s in season. There is a $39 degusation if you can’t make up your mind. The menu is small, with only around 5 dishes, some of which always sell out early, but it’s all about quality at Rosa’s. Making up your mind is never straightforward here.

But if you’re not sure, you can always ask Rosa herself for a suggestion – she’s an almost constant fixture in the kitchen. Service is usually frenetic but helpful and friendly. Just beware – no cards allowed when it comes time to settle the bill.

On our last visit, my dining companions had lamb with peas & potatoes ($23) and I had what I always have, the antipasto platter ($15/$27). The antipasto platter invariably has a zucchini fritter, a variety of salads and cold meats, some olives, frittata and ricotta. It’s absolutely divine every time I visit. I simply cannot fault it.

For dessert we chose a lemon and marscarpone tart ($7.50) – you’d hate it I’ll have yours.

One of the nicest touches here is also the complimentary stovetop coffee for everyone at the end of your meal. Just like mama used to make. (Well she didn’t, because we’re Jewish so it was usually tea with honey and lemon, but you get my drift.)

Atmosphere: 8/10
Service: 7/10
Value for money: 9/10
Food: 9/10

A friend who was going away to Europe for a few months had a leaving lunch at the WC (note the irony) so I didn’t have much choice but to head on over.

At the bar things always go well. The staff a friendly, funny and always game for a laugh. But head into the dining room and things go well and truly awry.

Heading over to order at the counter, it doesn’t matter what day or time you’re there, the staff are always grumpy, unfriendly, unhelpful and just generally a bit of a pain in the pie-hole. On this occasion, add to that list dim-witted and incapable and you’re starting to get an idea about how badly things worked out.

Almost everyone’s orders were incorrect. And when the female staff member realised this, she got very shirty…with US?! Then, when she thought that she’d under-charged someone, she actually came over to the table and asked for the difference – which she later returned when we pointed out that our guest had, in fact, paid the right amount. It was eye-rollingly bad service.

The next issue was portion size. This place is not cheap, for a pub. It’s a full kitchen that aims to please with more than just a defrosted parma. But if you’re going to charge the prices, I hope you can deliver.

Wild mushroom agnolotti with leek sauce, ricotta and truffle oil ($16/$21) was OK. But the serving was measly. Four agnolotti does not a main course make

The steak sandwich was tasty, according to the diner sitting next to me, but when I dove in to steal some chips (it took me around 35 seconds of strong self-control to resist), imagine my shock that they were cold. Cold and sad little chippies.

The pork belly with braised savoy cabbage, smoky bacon, parsnip puree and caramelised jus ($26) was one of the only triumphs of the day.

I chose a smaller dish of prawn spring rolls with sweet chilli peanut sauce ($10). Surprisingly a generous portion, hot and fresh, but really nothing special.

This is a lovely cosy venue in a great spot away from the hustle and bustle of crazy Chapel Street. But they continuously disappoint with grumpy wait staff and sub-par food or portions. When they get it right, it’s fantastic, but I’m not game to keep trying in the blind hope that they might accidentally score a point.

Beers only for me, thanks.

Atmosphere: 6/10
Service: 2/10
Value for money: 5/10

Food: 6/10

But between falling in love with Hellenic Republic, making Maha among my regular haunts and my latest visit to Press Club, I think I might have to rethink everything I know about Calombaris and food.

My first visit to Press Club was for lunch. We had the roast lunch special, which was chicken, I thought it was incredibly average and dull. So heading back for my second visit, I wasn’t expecting a lot. My dining companions knew heading over, that I had some pretty serious dietary restrictions as a result of some medical testing I was scheduled for the next day. I wasn’t going to say anything, but my friends piped up and the next thing I knew, he was demanding to know anything and everything I couldn’t consume. These included: dairy, gluten, wheat and a host of other essential ingredients.

He ticked me off for being too embarrassed to pipe up for myself, informing me that it’s his job to ensure I have the perfect dining experience, no matter what my restrictions or dislikes. He then proceed to construct a menu for me based on these factors. On the spot. Then he offered me some gluten-free bread to munch on while my companions tucked into some of the more traditional variety.

I started with raw tuna with radish, pickle, watermelon, avgotaraho (sun-dried pressed mullet roe) and flowers ($29.90). Fresh, the taste of spring. Stunning.

Next up was lamb off the spit with marouli salad ($39.90). I had without any of the dairy-laced accompaniments, but it really didn’t take anything away from the dish. The meat was succulent, tasty and tender. All the things lamb sometimes isn’t when it’s off a spit.

But the dessert. The dessert. It is incredibly difficult to make a good, standout dessert without dairy or any of the things I couldn’t eat. Not only did they do it, they freaking rocked the Kasbah. Seriously – one of the best desserts I’ve ever had.

Raspberry and rosewater soup with rose jelly, nitrus citrus, cherries and raspberry sorbet. It was like a glass of pure joy.

While usually I am totally unrestricted with what I eat, what Press Club did that day was an art. They served me a meal of the highest possibly quality, with as many restrictions as a Christina Aguilera concert rider, with no forewarning. They did it with a smile and a flourish and I wanted to kiss each and every one of them. (nothing to do with the food strapping Greek demi-g-ds, each and every one).

Despite this top-class experience at Press Club and my love of Maha and Hellenic Republic, I still hate George Colombaris. For the time being, anyway.

Atmosphere: 8/10
Service: 10/10
Value for money: 7/10
Food: 8/10

Website: www.thepressclub.com.au

I needed a cheap, happy meal that consisted in some way of fish before we headed into the city for party fun-times.

I immediately thought of Thy Thy. So off we went.

A whole steamed flounder with soy, ginger and spring onion ($19), please hold the MSG. And a plate of mixed veggies ($8.8) will do it for me every time and it’s enough food to feed four, with a couple of servings of rice.

The service is curt but always with a sense of humour – especially when it’s someones birthday and they bring out the big guns. Um. Gun.

A single banana fritter, standing to attention with a scoop of vanilla ice cream perched strategically on either side. Always comes with a sparkler in the top and the whole restaurant giggling as they sing happy birthday.

I also love the drinks and I don’t mean beer. Wonderful creations of coconut milk, condensed milk and agar agar jelly, as well as kidney beans or even sweet corn, can double as desserts, if the, ahem, guns don’t take your fancy.

Atmosphere: 8/10
Service: 7/10
Value for money: 10/10
Food: 9/10

There is no country called ‘Asia’. And that is becoming increasingly apparent  as more and more varieties of ‘Asian’ food start to open higher standards of eateries in Melbourne, a lot in the CBD.

For a mid-week lunch I headed off to Es Teler 77 with a friend who had a hankering for a Nasi Goreng. In we walked…and in the first 20 seconds, I knew it was going to be good.

I stood staring at photos and a specials board for at least 15 minutes before I could bring myself to choose a dish. Always a good sign. I ended up choosing Special Ikan Balado ($11.80), which is a small whole fried fish, served with balado and steamed rice, veggies and a clear broth. Balado is a chilli sambal from West Sumatra, which was smothered all over the crispy-fried fish.

This dish blew my mind. Spicy but not so spicy you couldn’t taste the flavours. The soup had a kick but was lovely to wash down the meal and the cucumber slices on the side, clearly intended to be a garnish, actually complimented the flavours perfectly.

My friend chose a vegetarian nasi goreng ($8), which was huge, steaming hot and totally delicious.

There’s no table service here – you wander up to a cafeteria-style window to order and take a number and a seat. The food is prepared on the spot and is always hot and fresh. Forget dumplings. This is the shizz.

Atmosphere: 8/10
Service: 7/10
Value for money: 10/10
Food: 9/10

www.esteler77.com

And whether you like it or not, it’s upped the chic factor by several notches.

The décor isn’t fancy, but it’s certainly got an air of a café that’s grown from adolescence into adulthood, as has the menu, which has been vamped up and made more interesting.

On this occasion I visited for breakfast. I shared the house fry-up with a girlfriend and while it was tasty, at $22 a pop I didn’t feel there was much bang for our buck – they could have been a little more generous with the portions.

Elsewhere on our breakfast table, baked eggs in spicy tomato and bean sauce with multi-seed bread ($15) was delicious, while a BBQ lamb sanga ($16) was also given a nod of approval.

I’ll definitely be back for dinner, with most dishes under $20 a main and a great range of fish, veges or meat.

The staff were friendly, funny and attentive. Tick, tick, tick.

Atmosphere:  7/10
Service: 7/10
Value for money: 7/10
Food: 7/10

Website: www.globecafe.com.au

We were looking for somewhere new, on the south-side to celebrate my dad’s birthday. After being blown away by the degustation at Attica the previous year, we were looking for something special, although given that Attica was for his 60th, perhaps not quite as pricey. We had all heard whispers about Sails and decided that this was the perfect occasion to try it out.

We walked along the beach as the sunset, towards the front entrance of the restaurant. We were greeted by warm, friendly staff (all of whom had a sense of humour) and finished watching the sun set over Port Philip Bay against the front wall of the restaurant, which is made entirely of glass. It was magic.

For dinner both myself and my brother, SuckMai Radish, decided on the Melange – a $70 seafood dinner, with three courses. My dad decided on the venison and my mum had quail.

The cold entree was three oysters served natural, one in bloody mary and one in green tea and sake shots. This was followed by a crab, lemon & basil salad and a wasabi pannacotta & bug tartare with lime foam. The second course was grilled salmon in a sherry and white wine sauce, grilled marlin in a miso broth. The piece de resistance was the final round; wok fried crab, mussels, prawn & scampi with chilli, ginger, coriander & coconut. All were completely scrumptious, as were the dishes chosen by our folks, which we sampled. But we ate so much we didn’t know if we could fit in dessert…

Bwahahahaha! As if we couldn’t cram some dessert in there. Don’t be ridiculous.

The desserts were sucked up off the plates I could even, um, write down what they were or take a photo (how embarrassment).

But this is a night and a meal that all of us enjoyed. While Sails isn’t necessarily on the food map like some of its bigger brothers, it deserves to be.

Atmosphere: 8/10
Service: 10/10
Value for money: 8/10
Food: 9/10

Website: www.sailsonthebay.com.au

This place is hidden at the top of a highrise in the busy Wan Chai district, just near the centre of the island. I was taken here by friends and didn’t even get a look at the menu, so unfortunately I don’t have any prices for you, my little radishes, but it’s not an expensive place.

The first fantastic offering to hit the table were some seriously high-rent sake flasks. The flasks were filled with water down a centre chamber then frozen. The sake is then poured into the main area, with the frozen water keeping the sake frigidly cold.

The first two dishes were a sushi/sashimi platter and avocado rolls. The quality of the fish was high and the presentation stunning.

I simply cannot have Japanese food without an array of delectable Japanese pickles (a mixed pickle plate is known as Oshinko), but imagine my surprise when the most phenomenal array of colours arrived at our table. Purple picked garlic cloves, gobo (burdock root), ginger, daikon and many, many more.

The next two dishes were served in large, hot, stone bowls. One was a rice dish with meat and some vegetables. The second bowl was a large seafood noodle soup dish with tofu and seaweed. Huge crab claws were poking out and the whole thing was ridiculously tasty.

This is a cute little place and almost every dish has a twist – it’s not your straight up classic Japanese. Which makes for a nice change.

Atmosphere: 7/10
Service: 7/10
Value for money: 7/10
Food: 7/10