Lunch at Max's Restaurant Cafe & Wine Bar, 3 Leake St, Essendon

Calamari salad. 7/10

Linguine calabrese. 7.5/10

Dinner at Ladro, 224 Gertrude St, Fitzroy

Bianco w parmagiano , figs, gorgonzola prosciutto and vincotto. 8/10.

Bose pear, truffle, honey + shaved pecorino. 8/10.

Pizza Puttanesca! 8.5/10!

Lunch at Palomino, 236 High St Northcote

Love the Italian meatball sandwich. 8/10.

The baked egg was nice too. A little too salty though. 7/10.

Joe's Birthday Dinner at Fifteen (Jamie Oliver's Restaurant in Melbourne).

115 - 117 Collins Street

Melbourne VIC 3500

1300 799 415

6-course degustation menu at $95pp.

Arancini balls with sour cream. 8/10.

 

 Giorgio’s burrata with zucchini flower fritti and olive oil poached vine tomatoes. 8/10.

Crumbled sardines with pine nuts, currants and sherry vinegar dressed baby leaves. 7.5/10.

Vialone Nano risotto with steamed Spring Bay mussels, chilli, garlic, cherry tomatoes and parsley. 8/10.

 Rotolo of baked ricotta, button mushrooms, baby spinach and marjoram with crispy sage, brown butter and parmesan. A little too salty. Still very good. 8/10.

Pan-seared yellow fin tuna with green beans, baby vine tomatoes, rosemary, sardines and crispy battered zucchini flowers. 7.5/10. Didn't like the long beans.

 Black Angus beef tender loin with a tasting plate of mustards and condiments. 9/10. I think this is the best dish for me.

 Palate cleanser.

 Chocolate ice-cream and grappa cherries in a cone. Nice but felt like they came from one of those supermarket ice cream tubs. 7/10.

 Mixed berry crostata with clotted cream. 7.5/10.

Goats' cheese with grissini, Carta di Musica and Fifteen’s fig salami. This was probably my least favourite. Not a fan of goats' cheese and the fig salami was too strong tasting. 6/10.