Toofey's has been a Carlton institution, serving exquisite seafood for more than 15 years, but change is inevitable. Luckily for the locals, in this case it has come in the form of well-established Italian chef Maurice Esposito. Esposito hasn't gone to town on this old favourite though. The decor has just had a subtle spit 'n' polish, replacing the rendered walls with smooth white surfaces and adding some funky chandeliers to the mix. The menu retains a strong seafood presence, which ought to keep vintage Toofey's regulars satisfied, but now includes Esposito's signature Italian fare. Devoted fans of this seasoned chef will be thrilled to see such old favourites on the menu as his quail saltimbocca on pear tarte tatin.
Open
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Breakfast
Lunch
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Dinner
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Late
Mon-Fri noon-3pm, Mon-Sat 6pm-10pm
Italian and Seafood
Entree: $19-$26
Mains: $37-$42
Dessert: $12-$19
Payment accepted: MasterCard, Visa, American Express and EFTPOS
Licensed. Wine is available by the glass. BYO (wine only) $15 corkage per bottle.
Vegetarian options available
This venue accepts bookings. It is essential to make a reservation ahead of time. Group bookings are supported.
Gourmet Travller 2009 Australian Restaurant Guide - "Instead of service "lite" and too much noise, Maurice Esposito's restaurant focuses on old-fashioned virtues such as staff that care, and a gentle ambience. Oh, they feed you rather well, too."
Gourmet Traveller Feature Review - "Accomplished chef Maurice Esposito relaunches Toofey's seafood restaurant under his own banner, cooking with care and a personal touch. "
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All reviews and ratings are the expressed opinions of our users, and in no way reflects the opinions of yourRestaurants, its staff and its affiliates.
Posted by:
unpretentious
|
25 November 2010, 7.31pm
a good experience
Restaurant was pretty full for a Tuesday night. The environment and greeting was warm and friendly. However, the service got a bit scarce once the restaurant filled up. Entrees of oysters and open bug lasagne were very good as were the mains we tried of flathead, snapper, and whiting. Chips were thin and super crispy - as good as they get. And of the sides we tried, the green beans with hazelnuts was outstanding. Will definitely go back to this cozy place.
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Visit: Tue 23 November 2010
Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by:
chloe10
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14 November 2010, 10.32am
Dinner for two
The entrees were great. The scallops and open bug lasangne were very good. I was tempted by the rib eye special, but was very disappointed with the dish. Presentation was great, but the cut of meat was tough and had a slight odour. Not worth the $50 price tag! The chocolate fondant desert was over cooked, but the icecream was nice. Overall the service was good, but as soon as they got busy, we were left unattended for a while. Overall an average night.
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Visit: Sat 13 November 2010
Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by:
sporty
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3 May 2010, 2.37pm
Fabulous food minus the desserts
Expected good things of this place and was not mislead. Service was great from the moment we entered the front door to the moment we left. We had arranged to do a degustation and elected on the 5 course version. Of the 5 courses, 3 were the specials. They sounded so good that we ordered as many as we could. This included some beautiful oysters from Tassie, some fresh picked blue swimmer crab and crayfish tortellini. In addition, I picked the scallops from the al a carte menu whilst he ordered the barra. To match, we asked for the sommelier to select an appropriate glass of wine for each course. All were lovely but what was surprising was the red to go with the scallops. Am not convinced but it was nice to try. After eating all of this, I was very tempted by the dessert menu and was immediately seduced by the hot date tart. Alas it didn't deliver as promised. Whilst my partner loved it, I was really disappointed that I couldn't taste nor see any actual dates. All I tasted overwhelmingly was vanilla. Needless to say the other half scored most of that dish. Apart from that hiccup and a slight tendency to not fill water glasses as often as would be liked, this place is the bomb. Food and service are second to none and I would go back there in a heartbeat as the seafood is of great quality.
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Visit: Sat 1 May 2010
Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by:
elwood3184
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2 August 2009, 2.39pm
Esposito
This place is perfect for a small intimate dinner with frends. Service was second to none. From the moment we arrived, our waiter was at hand and made us feel most welcome. I dont think we had to ask for anything all night. Maybe we were just lucky, but our waiter was amazing. She anticipated our every need and was attentive, funny, informative, relaxed, and she seemed to know what we wanted... even before we knew what we wanted! The wine list is great, and has a good selection of wines in varying price ranges. We had an amazing NZ Pinot (suggested by our waitress) and it didnt cost a bomb. The food was much better than we were expecting. Highlight would have to be the John Dory on mud crab crush. Cooked to perfection, yummy crunchy skin, sitting on a potato and mud crab mix that was excellent. I love this city because you can stumble onto a place like this and discover something special. We had such a great night and would definately return. Esposito has excellent food and wine, top service and real value. thanks,
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Visit: Sat 1 August 2009
Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by:
Jackula
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24 January 2009, 6.49pm
NYE dinner
I booked for two for NYE dinner, the lady on the phone was great. At the restaurant, the waiters were very friendly however not as attentive as I would like, instead I had to walk up to the counter to get a waiter, once for drinks, once for the dessert menu and a third time to get the bill.
The main courses were below average, and pretty plain and we couldn't finish our deserts because it was sweet to the extreme. The only reason I didn't give food a two star rating was due to the entree which were impressive, well textured and much better presented.
Atmosphere was something to remember, even the bathrooms were something themselves.
Overall, I don't think I'll return to this restaurant. For $220 for two I wasn't happy with the food nor the service.
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Visit: Wed 31 December 2008
Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by:
seraphina
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13 November 2006, 10.24am
Amazing Night
Had a dinner reservation for our anniversary dinner and it was just amazing. All five stars!
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Visit: Fri 10 November 2006
Mealtime: dinner
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