No35

Posted by: forkyou | 11 July 2010, 2.17pm

So, went to No.35 at the Sofitel for dinner last week for my anniversary. Can I just say... LOVELY! Food, service and the little touches were wonderful!

Greeted by a lovely (handsome :P) french host, seated at a picturesque window side table (views, expectantly are gorgeous), promptly our waitress Sara introduced herself and congratulated us (cute touch). We spent a while perusing over the extensive wine list, then the cocktail list, then the remainder of the beverages available... We must have looked perplexed because the sommelier (another handsome man, must be a theme) came across to our table and helped us decide on a suitable champagne - we settled on a bottle of 2006 Champagne Jacquesson cuv?e 733.

We placed our orders, we were then given a amuse-bouche compliments of the chef, which was a light and creamy parsnip and french onion soup topped in the same flavoured foam, duck liver pate & pea sized duck liver parfait pieces. Amazingly complex flavours but still really light.

For No.1 (entree) my partner ordered the BBQ octopus, smoked potatoes, chorizo, mojama carrot puree and boiled duck egg. I ordered the quail, duck parfait, roasted onion and baby beetroot salad (which wasnt really salad, more like sliced filleted quail accompanied by the other ingredients) - so yummy, perfectly cooked and soooo flavorsome.

For No.2 (mains) my partner ordered the wagyu brisket, hazelnut polenta, alsace bacon. I ordered the lamb rump, braised/smoked shoulder roll on toasted buckwheat. Along with organic baby roasted potatoes and a zuchini and tomato gratin-like dish covered in goose fat fried sourdough bread crumbs. Lamb was cooked perfectly to my request, the buckwheat was certainly unique but worked so well. The wagyu didnt loose any flavour and was melt-in-your-mouth.

Sugar No. (dessert) we ordered chocolate, hazelnut and pear - not knowing what it was, i assumed it was going to be a tart, but it turned out to be a milk and dark mouse cake with pear jelly, crushed hazelnut brittle and macaroons - delicious!

Just for a little extra touch they presented us with a platter of handmade chocolates and "Happy Anniversary" etched on the plate in a chocolate brushstroke.

Was a really lovely meal, the only fault I could comment on was the noisy international guests seated near by to us who were quite well 'hydrated' - but thats to no fault of the restaurant itself.

Very impressed!!

Food:			Visit: Sun 11 July 2010 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: Mike_Knight | 16 May 2010, 4.28pm

I heard about No35 through a good friend of mine who eats out as often as I do and he said 'just go check it out, it's great.' So, my partner and I were shown to our table with a stunning view over the city and what followed was nothing short of pure pleasure. Our waitress looked after us well and went through the menu explaining some of the more unusual dishes like spatzle (which is a german noodle apparently?) and a few other things. Being an oyster lover she explained that they are one of the few restaurants in Melbourne with these oysters. These were terrific! I had quail and then venison with some beetroot flavours which were both excellent. The wine guy came over and suggested a couple of wines one of which was a really tasty Pinot noir from Oregon which was pretty pricey at $125 but we loved it with our food. The desserts were a bit experimental, I had some cheese and port to finish.

Overall, the view, the vibe with relaxed and friendly service was excellent. Would I go again? For someone who eats out often, this is as best as I've seen. I guess with places like this, they do push the boundaries a bit but then I liked that they did things a bit differently.

Food:			Visit: Thu 13 May 2010 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: sue and john | 5 April 2010, 6.58pm

We travelled from Brisbane to Melbourne on Good Friday and pre-booked the restaurant for that evening with much anticipation. Great view from our table and very helpful waitress - even explained when asked that 'Caramelised John Dory' is a fish! We struggled with a very confusing and bizarre menu (mulloway with chicken wing?) and finally chose the sirloin ($53) and Lamb Rump ($48/$50. Vegetables were extra ($10 for potatoes). Food OK but not worth the $, sirloin came with 'seasonal onions, fennel and licorice' as well as crumbed medallions which I was told were "bone marrow". Were pleased to see another table of four leave before ordering - we would have done same but did not know if or what else was open - as well as another two tables struggling with the menu. The Chef had prepared a surprise starter which turned out to be Japanese fresh water eel and something else with sea foam. We did try it and sent it back, drinking a lot of water to remove the taste. We were also offered ONE piece of bread each and oil to dip it in. Wine list very good but expensive, did not stay for dessert.

Food:			Visit: Fri 2 April 2010 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: jesswah | 7 January 2010, 3.32pm

Going against the grain here. Stunning views and above average service made for a great special occassion. What the meals lacked in size they more than made up for in flavour. Wine list was great. Dog Point (NZ) Sauvignon Blanc was amazing & the cheeses after dinner was the icing on the cake!

Food:			Visit: Thu 7 January 2010
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Posted by: coral_scarlette | 18 October 2009, 1.03pm

The best word to describe our dinner at 35 would be 'underwhelmed'.

Our waitress was very capable and sweet, and we were given menus immediately. For mains, we had a prawn linguine, blue eyed cod, and vegetarian ravioli. All dishes mysteriously came covered in a salty foam, even the non-seafood option. The blue-eyed cod was simply a chunk of white seafood, seemingly void of any seasoning, and without sauce of any kind. There was a smear of mashed pumpkin under the cod, and a stack of watery cabbage which, again, appeared to be unseasoned. The vegetarian ravioli was rich but extremely bizarre in flavour. Very salty, and reminiscent of uncooked dough. Apparently the seafood linguine was quite good.

We shared two desserts between the three of us due to the exhorbitant prices (from $18 each). We chose carrot cake and the chocolate turron. The carrot cake dessert was laughable, literally. Four circles (the size of 20c pieces) of carrot cake, a small amount of icecream, and bizarely decorated with flower shaped carrot cut-outs. The chocolate turron was very rich and would have been almost inedible for one person alone.

Very disappointing considering the very high prices.

Food:			Visit: Sun 18 October 2009 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: Once bitten | 15 September 2009, 11.42am

We had been regular and happy diners at Cafe La and looked forward to trying no. 35.

Sadly, the service was inattentive and the haughtiness was not appreciated. There were several errors in serving the wrong food to different diners at our table and the music blaring over the loud speaker was distracting.

The food was complicated which can be interesting, but in each course individual tastes failed to shine. We found it difficult to pick a stand out dish at all. This may have improved as I believe there has been a change of chef already.

The view is the only thing that lifted our atmosphere rating to mediocre.

Food:			Visit: Fri 28 August 2009 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: Underwhelmed | 31 August 2009, 8.12pm

This recycled space promises international cusine using the finest organic ingredients. In this aim it largely succeeds but not in a way that leading Melbourne establishments cannot surpass with ease. The problem with No 35 lies not in the kitchen, but the front of house, where you are likely to be met with an arrogant, "we know better" attitude. Pehaps this cuts it with overseas visitors, but Australian diners expect a more mature and professional attitude to customer service. In summary come for the view, but go elsewhere for superior food and first rate service.

Food:			Visit: Tue 25 August 2009 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: Tania Silver | 30 August 2009, 11.39am

Stunning looking restaurant and extremely friendly and efficient staff. The view from our table was incredible. However, our main course although extremely tasty, was poor in quantity. One piece of Ravioli is not what you expect when you order a main course of Ravioli.

Food:			Visit: Sun 30 August 2009 Mealtime: dinner
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