Trotters - Melbourne - 400 Lygon Street, Carlton

The perturbing thing about trotters when you are asked to sit upstairs is the fact that there is no atmosphere, unlike downstairs, and there is a weird plastic pig standing up on its hooves.

Breakfast here is an institution and dinner, which was on this eve, is quite good.

A lot of variety on the menu - pizza, pasta, meats etc.

We shared a bit of everything and it was all tasty and well cooked.

Around $35 each with a glass of wine.

6.5/10

Adles

Yak Italian Kitchen and Bar - Melbourne - 150 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

This Yak has had many lives.

Started off modern with blue tiles and ok food.

Then middle eastern decor was introduced with no middle Eastern food - weird and unmemorable.

Then it became a premier place for coffe made by good barristas with atomica beans - and still is great.

Now it serves surprisingly good pasta. The best I have had for a while. We tried the lovely rabbit cooked in wine on the bone with taglioni pasta house made. Al dente, melt in the mouth meat with a beautiful juice. We also shared paradelle with braised lamb and broad beans, just simple and oustsanding.

But above all, always a place with space and no pretention for a good after work drink.

Pasta is around $26, very good value.

Clever concept to have affordable food in town that tastes good amongst business people where budgets are getting tight and for pre theatre goers who want a touch of class.

8/10

Adles

Shanghai Dynasty - Melbourne - Level 1, 206 Bourke Street, Melbourne

I do enjoy going out with a group of male work mates for yum cha and boy banter.

Everything at Shanghai Dynastry is top notch.

I call it ornate and decadent. The boys say it is looks like you are stepping back into an 80s bond film but does not quite feel like it. That nuance appears to be very important.

Everything that came out on the turn table was excellent. The dumplings, the pork ribs, the taro fried balls stuffed with pork. It pays to have a couple of Chinese or Malaysian friends at the table.

Then the waiter offered some greens. With women it would have been a resounding yes. With boys it was stunned silence as if, why did you even ask?

And then more banter. The talk and fear of bromance, the importance of eating meat at every meal, the mango pudding that keeps them going back reminding them of the ice cream man from childhood playing Greensleaves and how paying a $3.50 tip is not appropriate for lunch time yum cha.

And on and on and on.

$25 each including a $3.50 tip.

8.5/10

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Rosa's Kitchen - Melbourne - 22 Punch Lane, Melbourne

Gee I like this place.

The atmosphere is warm and eclectic, much more so than any other restaurant in the CBD of Melbourne.

The menu is simple, some antipasto, a few pastas, a few mains and a few desserts. That is all you need if the food is good - and it is - very.

We started with some buffalo mozzarella drizzled with fresh anchovy and oil and a bit of fennel - lovely.

Then followed with a plate of antipasto.

We then shared home made ricotta ravioli and pasta with veal shank.

Cooked al dente and tasty.

Reasonably priced wine - $55 for a nice Italian red.

And the desserts - oh my. The three cheese strawberry tart was sensational and the home made canoli was the best around town.

Service was sensational.

Around $80 with a generous tip.

8.5/10

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Lulo - Melbourne - 798 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn

This was a recommendation from the fella. A place he had been to pre-me - and I must admit I was a bit dubious because he has proclaimed that I have since opened up his world to food.

I was very pleasantly surprised.

Lulos which is a mix of Spanish and South American, dishes up some very tasty food.

The service is very cheerio and so is the atmosphere - very South American.

We started with oysters which were the only disappointing dish for me - too salty.

But the rest was very good.

The snapper ceviche was delicate and had a bundle of different citrus and chilli flavours.

The globe artichokes croquetas with black garlic aioli were crunchy on the outside and moist and flavoursome inside.

Quinoa had a lot of punch and the squid was cooked perfectly.

I will return for sure.

I like it a lot.

8/10

Adles

Sushi Hotaru - Melbourne - Shop 118, 200 Bourke Street, Melbourne

Peoples, I think I have found my new love.

Mr Hotaru-San.

This is a sushi train place like no other. You order on a touch screen and it is ready set go. The dishes come charging at you like samurai swords.

The quality of the fish on the nigiri is superb and the combination of flavours and textures are to die for.

Whether it is tuna with a touch of caviar, seared salmon, spicy tuna or even the soft shell cab and egg in a hand roll - it is all sooooo good.

But the hero is the nigiri seared scallop - hands down below zero - succulent and so fresh and you could eat thousands of them.

And best of all it is hidden up an out the back, by the side door location on Bourke street.

Mr Hotaru-San has many lovers however so let's just hope he continues to perform.

About $20 each including a soft drink.

For the price and what you get, this deserves

9.5/10

Adles

The Deanery - Melbourne -13 Bligh Place, Melbourne

I heard that this place was previously good. Maybe hands have changed and chefs have moved on cos my fish was chewy and the place was empty.

Not great for a $30 lunch. Would prefer a sandwich.

Average

5/10

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