July 20, 2007: The Light-Green Grocer Ii

Update 27/2/2014: Walking past times the other day, I noticed that The Green Grocer has unopen downwardly too been replaced past times Sixteen 83 Epicerie.

I am even too hence struggling to arrange to a Melbourne wintertime too inside hours of darkness setting inwards I tend to larn lodged semi-permanently on the couch, ensconced inwards a blanket. Michael, meanwhile, suffers bouts of cabin fever every bit I bat away his invitations to company out too about. So it was his prodding that got us to a novel eating seat for dinner on Fri night. Thankfully the conditions was relatively mild on this nighttime too the Green Grocer had a fireplace to greet us at the other goal - if anything the atmosphere was a niggling besides warm too drowsifying for me.

The unmarried page carte du jour is almost meat-free from the appetisers through to the low-cal mains (ranging from $8.50-$18.50), but organic meat dominates the heavier end. This suited me fine - my appetite was low-cal too I figured that i of the larger starters should larn out me room for dessert. Despite my vague protestations, the waitress was concerned that nosotros mightiness non convey plenty to swallow too recommended a plate of staff of life too dukkah ( $5). This was an irresistible suggestion for Michael too he speedily did away alongside almost one-half the plate. Meanwhile I was battling the most strong ginger beer I'd always tasted, too was smothering the flames inwards my pharynx alongside my minute staff of life piece when our mains arrived.

Here's Michael's wild mushroom ragu alongside soft polenta, truffle crude oil too shaved parmesan ($16). He says he liked it, but it got a combat monotonous past times the end. He was to a greater extent than excited almost his drinking glass of carmine (which incidentally tasted terrible when combined alongside the residual of ginger beer inwards my mouth).

I had artichokes alongside a parmesan, parsley breadcrumb stuffing stewed inwards lemon too white vino ($12.50). The showtime few mouthfuls were the best - I could actually gustation the subtle interplay of artichoke alongside lemon. The cheese, breadcrumbs too dressing were used sparingly, allowing the artichoke a top dog exercise throughout. In these proportions it was a low-cal but comforting meal.

Unusually nosotros both constitute room for dessert, too our waitress rattled off the dozen items available - it actually was a long listing to non larn printed on the menu. I eschewed my best friend chocolate inwards favour of the viscid appointment pudding alongside butterscotch sauce ( $12.50). The butterscotch sauce too H2O ice cream (flecked alongside vanilla seeds) were top-notch, but the pudding itself didn't bowl me over. It was pleasant, a combat on the dry out side, too zilch dissimilar from whatever other appointment pudding I've tried. Would you lot believe I didn't fifty-fifty complete it? (The sauce too ice-cream were cleaned up, of course.)

Michael did improve alongside the choc-orange souffle. It was fairly theatre too cakey every bit souffles go, alongside a not-too-intense chocolate flavor that sat side past times side to the orange, rather than dominating it.

All upward it was a pleasant wintertime dinner for two, polished off alongside a walk habitation inwards the cool air. I was glad to hold upward endeavour the Green Grocer's dinner carte du jour but alongside the mouth clocking inwards at $83, the nutrient wasn't quite every bit memorable every bit I felt it should convey been.

(Read almost our previous breakfast at the Green Grocer here.)