Name: The Meat and Wine Co.
Style: Western, fine dining
Location: Southbank, Melbourne
Average spend: $18 - 35
I had dinner at this restaurant with Carol and a few mates from church. Stepping into the restaurant from a cold wintery evening, the warmth of the restaurant’s reception area was a welcome change. The receptionists were attending to the customer before us, but paused momentarily to assure us that they would tend to us soon. Within five minutes we’d been shown to our table, a makeshift booth seat using leather sofas with plush cushions. My first thought when I saw this was that I’d have to sit as straight as a ruler to avoid having my dinner two inches under my nose, but the height of the table was just right.
The lower area of the restaurant was actually an open-air section, but during the winter it’s been draped with a large clear tent-like material to keep the wind out. The lower section was also divided into sections for groups of four or more, while tables for one or two were situated on the upper level. The bar was also situated upstairs. This made the group dining area look and feel more lounge-y, and less cramped to boot. The lighting was a little dim but bright enough for me to see my food. Even with the plastic drapes next to me, I did not feel stuffy in anyway, suggesting that the place had good ventilation even though it was filled with people.
On to the important parts; the waiter was friendly and politely asked us if we’d like to have our dinner the traditional 3-course way or head straight to the mains. He did not write down our orders, but repeated it to us accurately before leaving, showing that he was attentive. I’d decided to go light this round due to a slightly moody stomach, so I had the Caesar salad, while Carol ordered the Hawaiian Burger. The food took slightly longer than expected to arrive, but that was because it was delivered all together and a couple of us had ordered steaks. The food was all hot when it arrived at the table (except for the salad, of course), so we were happy to be able to tuck in at the same time without having to wait for one of our meals to arrive.
The salad was fresh, but lacked any significant taste that would’ve set it apart from the Caesar salads I’ve had at other places. The greens were crunchy, but the bacon cuts were either too tough or too soggy. The sauce was slightly watery and i could not seem to make out which part of the salad was egg. It was average at best.
The Hawaiian burger was much better, with a well-cooked patty that was slightly rare at the core, giving the meat some juice and flavour. The top was layered with a ring of pineapple sandwiched between two slices of tasty cheese. It was served with a side of chips and onion rings, which was neither too oily nor too dry. One of the dishes I’d recommend to anyone visiting this restaurant.
I finished off with a flat white coffee that night, which was pretty average-tasting, on par with the one served at Starbucks. Nothing fancy here, just that it costs a tad more than a café’s brew.
All in all, it’s a nice place, with good food and excellent service for its price. Good for if you have a group of four or more for dinner. This is a place worth visiting again.
Food: 7/10
Coffee: 6.5/10
Ambience: 7/10
Service: 9/10
Value: 8/10
Overall: 8/10
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