Thy Thy 1

142 Victoria St, Richmond
Ph: 9429 1104
Open: lunch and dinner, daily

Trying to pick the best place for a feed of Vietnamese in Richmond’s Victoria St is like trying to find that illusive needle in the haystack. Every Melbournian worth their salt has an opinion and it’s not often that two people in the same dining party agree.

For me (after much research I might add) the cream of the Vic St crop are places like Quan 88, Minh Minh and Dan Hung. But last night I decided it was time to branch out and climb the stairs to Thy Thy 1 – a place often recommended but one I’m rarely impressed with.

I think I was hoping for the third time lucky rule to kick in, but unfortunately it just didn’t. Yes, the service was quick. Yes, the place was packed (always a good sign). And yes, it was dirt cheap. But for me, the food just didn’t kick goals.

The vegetables in the san choy bow ($3.50) were undercooked and the meat had a weird, strangely spicy flavour - and not in a normal way. The Mongolian beef ($9.90) was seriously lacking sizzle, in fact it was lukewarm. And the prawns with snow peas ($9.90) were in the gluggiest, most flavourless sauce I’ve ever had the displeasure of eating. The fried rice was ok and thankfully the spring rolls were tasty and served with plenty of fresh iceberg and mint but, let’s be honest, if a Vietnamese restaurant can’t do spring rolls well, there’s bigger issues at hand.
Anyway, I can almost hear howls of dissent at the fact I dare criticise Vic Street’s most loved eateries but for me, Thy Thy 1 has used all of it’s chances.

So my advice is, if you’re one of Thy Thy 1’s many local customers perhaps pop your head into one of the other Vietnamese gems along the strip and see what else is on offer.

Trust me, while Thy Thy 1 is passable, there are better options out there.

5/10

- zoe

New York Tomato

Hi guys.

It's time for another guest blogger - this time our mate Janice. Janice is a Hawthorn local and is also lucky enough to be dating her own personal chef. Janice knows what she's talking about when it comes to food so expect to see her name pop up on kate and zoe from time to time.

Enjoy.

* * * * *

2-6 New St, Richmond

Ph: 9429 0505
Open: weekdays from 8am – 3pm, Sat-Sun from 9am – 2.45pm

JUST when I thought I had pretty much finalised my “top breakfast list”, I stumbled across New York Tomato. Hidden away in the back streets of Richmond, its cryptic name gives the only real clue to its location (it’s located on the corner of New and York streets).

Behind two roller doors sprawls a mismatch of patio-styled furniture, which gives the feeling you are sipping your latte in someone’s front yard rather than a café. The fact that the café was originally converted from a warehouse-style apartment also contributes to this sense of atmosphere.On the Saturday morning I visited NYT was filled with an uber-hip, Boho crowd brunching with groups of their uber-hip friends, uber-hip dogs and even more uber-hip laptops. Even the service has settled comfortably into the laidback groove, although it did remain prompt and attentive.

The food deviates from the run-of-the-mill eggs on toast, and instead the menu is occupied with an eclectic mix of globally inspired dishes, all reasonably priced around $15-$16. Splashes of sumac, tofu and smoked beans give an uplifting twist but for me, it was the twist on the eggs hollandaise: perfectly poached eggs on a bed of nutty, caramelised onions smothered in a well-balanced mustard hollandaise.

My partner - never one to go past the temptation of a fat, bursting sausage incorporated into his breakfast fare - opted for the herby scrambled eggs intermingled with tasty chunks of cheese kranksy, piled atop a lightly toasted bagel.

If the food and atmosphere isn’t enough, perhaps the most impressive characteristic of this café is the sudden awareness when you arrive to pay at the counter, of the incredibly limited space the chefs in the kitchen must work with. Being able to still produce such creative and polished dishes with such a restricted area even left my never-lost-for-words partner (also a breaky chef) open mouthed.

With such a unique menu and relaxed ambience, I am sure this café will lure me back for many return visits, and cement itself into my ever revised “top breaky’s list”.

8.5/10

- janice

Precinct Hotel

60 Swan St, Richmond
Ph: 9429 1633
Open: seven days, noon until late

LET’S be honest. Anything to open on the site of the former Depot hotel in Richmond, would be a fair improvement on the Depot (or, as a former flatmate of mine used to call it, the Des-pot).

But in a stroke of luck for Richmond locals, the Precinct hotel is more than a fair improvement.

In fact, a combination of cozy nooks, open bar areas, a killer beer garden and a separate dining room means the Precinct has become the suburb’s newest and trendiest pub. And, in an added bonus, what’s coming out of the Precinct’s kitchen isn’t bad either.

Head chef Pat Ortuso has put a bit of a modern twist on traditional pub favourites such as his tempura-battered flathead ($24), his Thai red chicken curry ($22) and his beef eye fillet and black pepper stir fry ($24).

On a recent visit I was more than happy with the flavour of Ortuso’s lamb tagine with almond cous-cous and yoghurt ($25) and my buddy had a glorious 400g rib eye with kipfler potato and rosemary and garlic jus ($30). The steak was a mammoth meal and one that clearly satisfied her because she’s still raving about it.

What others are raving about however, is the jewel in the Precinct’s crown…the pie floater.

Yep, you read correctly, a pie floater. And it’s exactly how you’d imagine it would be: a meat pie floating in pea soup with a drizzle of tomato sauce.

But before you think the Precinct is more feral than funk, this version isn’t something you’d buy from a van out the front of a South Australian nightclub at 4am. The Precinct’s classy version features a homemade pie full of tasty chunks of beef and thick gravy. Even though the pub has only been open since January, the signature dish is already a sure-fire hit.

It’s not necessary but if you feel like adding a side dish, the offerings – including a rocket and parmesan salad and beer-battered fries – are a bargain at $5. And if you’ve got room for dessert I can highly recommend the chocolate pudding with vanilla ice cream ($10).

The Precinct is the latest baby of the Darcy family, who we last saw as part owners in Maribrynong’s Angler’s Tavern. The family – including former Bulldogs champ, Luke – has a long history in hospitality, which began in the 70s at South Australia’s Roxby Downs when Luke’s parents, Janet and David ran an outback restaurant.

The Precinct however is far from an outback oasis. What it is, is a nifty, inner-city hotel with a happening vibe, great location and, most importantly, good tucker.

Check it out.

7.5/10

- zoe

Richmond Hill Cafe & Larder

48-50 Bridge Rd, Richmond
Sun-Thurs 8.30am - 5.30pm
Friday-Sat 8.30am - 6pm
Breakfast served until 3pm
Licensed
(03) 9421 2808


ONE of the best things to happen to Richmond was the opening of Richmond Hill Cafe and Larder by legendary restaurateur and food writer Stephanie Alexander.

That was more a decade ago and it cemented Richmond Hill as the special corner of the old suburb that it is.

A stone's throw from the MCG, a hop step and jump from grand East Melbourne and across the road from legendary Vlado's restaurant, the "hill" was an inspired spot.

Alexander and co-owner cheese wholesaler Will Studd have been out of the business for more than five years. But the neighbourly RHCL remains a firm favourite despite it's non-Richmond prices.

We popped by for a quiet brekkie on a Thursday morning so I could farewell my bloke before he jetted off to the Rugby World Cup in France - without me.

Appropriate, as RCHL is French inspired with French/Italian rural menu, comfy wicker seats, al fresco pavement seating facing and Melbourne's first humidity-controlled cheese room stacked with artisan cheese.

By 9.30am it was buzzing with suits, ladies-who-lunch and other relaxed couples.

Exemplary service saw our water glasses refilled within minutes of finishing, and coffees and dishes whisked to and fro with aplomb.

My scrambled eggs topped with flat leaf parsley on Phillipa's extra grainy multi grain toast ($9.50) was sublime. Next time I'll ask for no butter as the toast was smothered with old-fashioned lashings - the devil for maintaining one's figure.

The bloke had two poached eggs on sour dough (9.50) with bacon ($3.50) and roast tomatoes ($3). Serves were generous and admittedly flawless.

On previous visits I've loved the bircher muesli with seasonal fruit ($8.90) or rhubarb and geranium compote ($7.70) with Meredith Dairy yoghurt. Divine. Freshly squeezed blood orange juice is unbeatable. $4.40.

A brunch, lunch or afternoon tea with a menu featuring simple dishes from local seasonal produce is recommended.

Produce can be purchased from the larder, including olive oils, both Australian and imported; local wine vinegars and verjuice, preserves, breads and other treats.

The cheese room is so special it deserves its own blog.

The larder is a treat. 8.5/10

- Kate

The Curry Club

The Curry Club
394-396 Bridge Rd, Richmond
Ph: 9428 6455
Open: Tues-Sun noon-2.30pm; daily 5-10.30pm

WHEN it gets dark at 5pm, the mercury hovers just above zero and there’s flash flooding in the bush there are only a few things that will get me out of the house. A decent curry is one of those few.

Richmond’s Curry Club does a decent curry. It also does decent selection of meat in the tandoor and it does decent stir fries. It used to be a regular of mine but in the past few years my visits have been few and far between. When I recently returned I discovered not much has changed: the tucker is still some of the best Indian I’ve eaten in this town, there are still mandatory linen napkins and wine glasses on the tables and it’s still possible to get out of it for under $20.

One of the Curry Club’s popular options is the Chef’s Choice, a tandoori platter for two ($17.50). With that you can sample tandoori chicken, chicken tikka, moghul kebab, lamb cutlet and mushroom with Delhi salad. As soon as I saw the menu I remembered that dish used to be my fav but this time I decided to share two curries with my buddy.

There were plenty to choose from but we eventually settled on velvet butter chicken ($16.90), chicken korma ($16.90), saffron rice ($3.50) and two garlic naans ($3.50/each). The butter chicken was tikka pieces simmered in cumin-scented butter in a creamy rich tomato sauce and the korma was cooked in yoghurt, cream, nuts and spiced with saffron. Both were to-die-for and we both agreed there was nothing better than scooping up the tasty sauce with our naan.

It was lucky we ordered the naan though because without them, there wouldn’t have been enough rice for both of us. Not that it would have been a problem. One thing that stands out about the Curry Club is the service. We barely would have had to glance at our waiter to order more if required.

Speaking of the impeccable service, water was poured as we sat down and we were checked at least twice to make sure everything was satisfactory.

As well as dine in, the Curry Club does a roaring take-away trade, with a few bucks being knocked off each dish if you choose to eat at home.

But I can think of plenty of places that charge more and offer less than half of that quality of dining experience so why dirty your own crockery?

Eat in and enjoy.

7/10

- Zoe

Timbale

167 Swan Street, Richmond
Ph: 9428 7300
Open: Mon-Thurs: 7am-4pm-ish, Fri: 7.30am-midnight, Sat: 7.30am-4pm-ish, Sun: 8.30am-4pm-ish

MY RELATIONSHIP with Timbale began a few years back. It was during the days of silly drinking when a particular hangover rendered me incapable of finding a recommended café for bacon and coffee. Timbale was the nearest kitchen to our Swan St car park so Timbale it was.

Since then the cozy Richmond eatery has been my hangover refuge. In summer I can sit on the street and air out my smoke-stained jacket from the night before. But it’s in winter when I love my Timbale time the most. Those icy Melbourne mornings are when I curl up in a comfy couch and rehash whatever disgraceful act I/we/everyone seemed to think was a good idea at the time.

A reason for Timbale’s possie on my high-rotation list is that it does the basics well. The oj is freshly squeezed, the tea is loose leaf and comes in real china teacups, the magazine rack is well stocked and the music is easy listening – I got to groove to the Beatles on my most recent visit.

But regardless of the season, I can never seem to go past the Timbale breakfast ($14.50). Two eggs with bacon and tomato on Schwobs toast with an oj and a coffee does me just nicely thanks. The vegetarian breakfast is the same price but it swaps the bacon with spinach and mushroom. I have been known to order vegetarian with a side of bacon when I need to cover all bases and the friendly staff are more than happy to oblige.

Eggs Benedict or Florentine - Ben or Flo - are both on the menu ($10.50) and the BLT is a bargain at $7. I’ve never done Timbale for lunch but it has at least two daily specials as well as nine salad options to have on a sandwich/baguette/foccaccia or Turkish bread. If you’re looking for something sweet, the muffin of the day is $2.50 or Seinfeld fans will rejoice in the $1.50 muffin tops.

Downstairs, Timbale is furnished like a standard café but if you want the true Timbale experience head upstairs where it looks more like the lounge room of my first shared house than it does a café. The couches and armchairs are clearly the result of a highly-fruitful hard-rubbish collection and they can be rearranged depending on how big your group is. I’ve often found myself sharing a coffee table with a similarly hung over stranger, which, come to think of it, is just like my own shared house full of weekend randoms. Love it. Timbale almost makes that hangover worthwhile.

8.5/10

- Zoe

Quan 88

88 Victoria St, Richmond
Ph: (03) 9428 6850
Open: Sun-Wed 11am-10pm, Thu-Sat 11am-11pm

LIKE an old friend, Quan 88 is comforting, loyal and reliable. The only restaurant listed in my mobile phone, the Victorian street Vietnamese legend is a regular haunt.

Not much has changed with Quan 88 in the decade I’ve been visiting for shared dishes with friends and family in a noisy, relaxed setting.

Since I live almost on its doorstep, Quan 88’s kitchen has supplemented ours, especially during recent kitchen renovations.

A combination vegetable and beancurd ($10.50) has been a regular takeaway order, to the point where I’ve overdosed on it’s goodness.

Well it was months since I’d dropped into Quan. My sister was craving Vietnamese, and being tied to her six month old baby and his wheels, a lunch session was going to work. Quan is surprisingly empty on a Monday lunchtime. So no problem with prams and a baby who has just found his vocal chords.


A pot of green tea was served up immediately by Quan's efficient waiting staff. There’s a lunch special of combination sizzling hot pot dishes at ridiculously cheap prices. ($7.50). A choice of chicken, pork or beef with Mongolian, sate, black bean, lemon grass, chilli, sweet and sour or oyster sauce on fried egg noodles, steamed or fried rice or vermicelli noodles seemed good value.

But we tucked into our favourite - vegetarian rice paper rolls. At Quan they are a crunchy mix of vegetables, herbs and vermicelli rice noodles wrapped in beautifully soft rice paper. They are super fresh, served with a tasty peanut dipping sauce. One serve costs $6.50 for six.

The rice paper rolls became our main meal as we tucked into a second serving. The crunchy vegetables contrast beautifully with the soft rice paper.

We then got stuck into a serve of grilled chicken with lemongrass and chilli ($12) on a sizzling hot plate. Not bad. It was tasty, powerfully aromatic and filling.

Quan is BYO and accepts bookings, which are recommended for large groups. It has daily specials, and a very extensive menu with all the Victoria St favourites: salt and pepper squid, sang choi bao and fried combination seafood egg noodles to name a few.

But it's the rice paper rolls we love. And we returned the next week for more, shirking the rest of an extensive menu. We found consistent good quality and freshness.

7.5/10 (but 10/10 for the rice paper rolls!!)

- Kate

Almost French

138 Swan St, Richmond
Ph: 9429 2080
Open: Mon-Sat, 7am-5pm

I GO past Almost French on my tram twice a day and without fail I inwardly drool at the crusty bread and sugary donuts on display in the window. The classic French-style bakery seems out of place in grungy Swan St. But at the same time, every time I go past it seems so right.

Finally I found myself in Swan St on a Saturday afternoon with some time up my sleeve so I popped in. As it was late most of the selections were gone and I hadn’t really had breakfast, let alone lunch, so I was ready to eat.

A scrambled egg and bacon baguette looked pretty good ($7.50) as did the croque Monsieur (ham and gruyere cheese grilled sandwich) and croque Madame (same as Monsieur but with a fried egg on top). After a quick deliberation, I settled on a ham, cheese and tomato sandwich on wholemeal bread ($7.50) with a chai latte ($3).

From the outside, the sandwich looked great mainly because of the bread, which had been thickly sliced. Unfortunately in reality it wasn’t so good. Even though I was attracted to it because it looked so filling, there was just too much bread. I’m not sure of the technical ham/cheese/tomato vs. bread ratio, but in this case it was way out of whack.

The chai on the other hand came in a big glass, was brewed with real T2 leaves (a rarity these days) and was steaming hot. There were funky tunes on the radio, both papers were on the paper stand just waiting to be read by me and the general atmosphere was laid back, which is just what I was after.

While the sandwich didn’t really rock my world, the whole experience only stung me $10.50 so I haven’t totally knocked this one off my list. Why? Well, Almost French has a great selection of sweets in a display cabinet such as baked cheesecake, tiny apple crumbles and glazed fruit tarts. Add a chai latte to one of those and I reckon the Swan St bakery would tick most of the boxes.

Stay tuned and I’ll let you know.

5.5/10

- Zoe