Awesome new bar in Richmond, opened in October 2012 by the owners of Noir (It share a kitchen with Noir, which should give you an inkling of the quality of food).

However, whats more impressive, is the pricing - mains are largely around $22-27, and there are a lot of shared bites, without the exorbitant prices you see for tapas plates. You can comfortably have an after-work drink & something to eat, for about $30-35. All this, at a quality that would rival something out of a top tier restaurant.

Now the wow factor - The zucchini flowers stuffed with a morton bay bug mousse was outstanding, as was the beef tartare. Another favourite appears to be the blood sausage roll, which I will have to try next time. The lamb special looked great, will have to go back a couple of times to try it all.

The fit out is a warm, velvety gray brightened by the huge windows along the front, and at night by antler style chandeliers & wall lights. They also have quirky wine barrels down the centre, presumably a place to put your drink, once the word gets out, and its standing room only.

The wine list, especially by the glass, offers a good selection.

All in all, this place will soon become a favourite with the after work crowd, for a quick catch up.

Approximate cost: $ 25-35 per head

I wish all the "Italian" restaurants in Carlton were like this !

The deli has an amazing array of cheeses, wines, antipasto - You can sample at the counter, and have the selection as a tasting platter. A perfect option to sit outside on a summers day with a glass of wine.

Next door at the cafe, we ordered coffees (great coffee) and an amazing rotolo with buffalo mozzarella & salmon on a rocket salad, and a risotto-like dish made with quinoa, asparagus, lemon, goats curds.The flavours were punchy & such a beautiful meal for summer.

The pasta looked amazing - will give that a try next time.

Give me this over the other options on Lygon street !

Approximate cost: $20-25 per head

They haven't been around very long...and its tiny - 38 chairs! This is what good italian food is all about - great ingredients that shine, carefully prepared, and a menu that incorporates seasonality .
The fit out is charming & intimate inspite of the building being very modern, concrete.
The service is attentive, they ask for your feedback, have a chat with you - which is lovely.
There are all the little touches - a yummy sourdough with a beautiful extra virgin olive oil - as soon as you sit down.
(They also sell a few of their special produce)
I had a duck ragu with gluten free rigatoni(the amazing thing - i would not have known it was gluten free) - it was outstanding. They also do traditional favourites like broccoli & pasta, which my friend said was delicious.
Dessert was divine, it was one of the specials - pannacotta.
If all Italian restaurants were like this, I would definitely be eating more Italian.

Approximate cost: $30-35 per person excl wine

This place is a great lunch time option, where your meal will cost you about $11-13. Its also very popular, and you might have to wait at peak hour, however, the staff are very good at moving people through.

Service is super fast (to ensure people move through quickly).

Its on of my favourites for a quick pad thai, although the thai green chicken is a good choice as well.

Approximate cost: $11-13 at lunch per person

This is my second favourite restaurant in Richmond (Noi Thai is my favourite).
The reason I like it , is that its good for larger groups (think round tables), it has a lot of entree shared plate options(which I like), and the food is great. (Some of it, can be authentically spicy, so be warned)
The fit out is comfortable, service is good, and it also has a thai beer I like - its the one that comes in a bottle shaped like a buddha. Try that with your meal next time.

Approximate cost: $25-35 per person

Red Elephant provides consistently good Thai food.
At lunch, its filled with office goers attracted to the lunch specials that are about $11. Besides the usual suspects, check out the stirfry with thai basil (its my favourite).

The fit out of the restaurant is modern, service is rushed and it can get patchy during peak rush hours.

For dinner, try some of the specials. One of the standouts was a fried whole fish with a lemongrass, kaffir lime & chillie dressing.

Approximate cost: $11 for lunch: $25-30 for dinner per person

Thai Style provides fast convenient lunch options, for the businesses along Church street. The food is good although not exceptional, and the lunch deals are real value, around $10-13. The place is quiet, a bit daggy(think touristy thai), but clean & welcoming

For dinner, they do a lot of takeaway delivery which is free with orders over $20 (Delivery is pretty quick), and hence, is a great last minute option. You can also order online through menulog.

Eating in for dinner, the best value is the banquet, which is not on the menu, but on the specials board.

Approximate cost: $10-13 for lunch; Dinner $20-30 per person

I love the fact that this small takeaway place has specials for dinner as well as for lunch. For about $ 11 you can get a meal, even at dinner time.
Service is quick, however, although they have a basic seating area, it mainly caters for takeaway.
My favourites are the pad thai, the crispy pork, and the thai green chicken curry.

Approximate cost: $11

This is an authentic Italian restaurant/pizza place, in the heart of Victoria street. This is the place I take all international visitors to, to demonstrate how Italian Melbourne is. The pizzas are wood fired, thin crust with a bit of charring, exactly how good pizza should be. I would go as far as to say that this is one of my favourite pizza places in Melbourne. The ingredients are authentic italian - I love the quattro formaggi (the 4 cheeses), its to die for. Also like the bianche pizzas (potato & rosemary is amazing), the antipasto one with artiichokes, eggplant is another stand out.
If you are going with a friend, order 2 small ones, with a sides salad - the rocket & parmesan is a good option, and you have a lovely meal for $20

Approximate cost: $20 per person

This thai place is amazing. The flavours are authentic & I would rate this as one of the best Thai places I've eaten in, in Melbourne.
Whilst a lot of customers rave about the Jungle curry & the massaman, for me it the red duck curry & the special coconut & keffir lime leaf rice. They are out of this world, & I cant get enough of them.
Add in BYO, and this place is a great eating out place, at a reasonable price.

Approximate cost: $17-25