I found a reference to this hip restaurant in an issue of Wallpaper* magazine, and since it was just minutes from my hotel, I decided this would be my first stop in my culinary exploration of Melbourne. I've actually put together my own "One Perfect Weekend in Melbourne" guide after spending a few days sampling the local cuisine and watering holes, but I'll save that for maybe later. For now, I just wanted to rave about Taxi.
I was a little early when I stepped into the restaurant, but just in time to see the last golden rays of the sun setting behind the Melbourne skyline.
Seated at the bar counter, I was treated to the frenzied activity in the open kitchen area and the stream of well-heeled diners making their way in. I ordered a glass of champagne to start, and fresh oysters topped with Ahi and caviar in a Japanese punzu dressing to whet my appetite.
Yum! For the main course, I picked the sesame miso cod and zucchini strips with seared scallops over caramelized red onions. I loved the fusion flavors, fresh modern Japanese seafood yet with a lot of Western influence. There was no room for dessert unfortunately, so I decided a brisk stroll to the next bar was in order.
This was definitely the best meal I've had since arriving in Melbourne a day ago, and I was really looking forward to discovering more delicious local cuisine during the rest of my short stay.
This entry begins a series of fascinating discoveries in Melbourne over several days, and I'm including my "One Perfect Weekend in Melbourne" recommendations here:
Start with a hearty breakfast or brunch at Cumulus, where you taste some amazing blood sausages made fresh. Sit by the counter, take in the natural light streaming through the windows and catch up on your daily reading. If you like food and cooking, check out Books For Cooks, a bookstore for the budding chef and any professional looking for cooking references. Amazing selection of books from everywhere. I bought an El Bulli compendium volume here, couldn't resist. Next, take an afternoon stroll around the city, making your way to Brunswick, Gertrude and Smith Streets for a very interesting side of Melbourne life, part Bohemian, part grunge.
To wet your parched lips, walk into Gertrude Street Enoteca for a glass of excellent local wine and some fresh bruscetta, rest your feet, then head across the street to pick up some amazing toiletries from Aesop, the famous Australian skincare brand. Looking for a place for dinner? Try Taxi, a very trendy restaurant in the heart of Federation Square serving modern Aussie/Japanese fusion cuisine.
If you're still up for more exciting discoveries, take a taxi to Der Raum, voted one of the top 10 bars in the world. Order the El Moroccan Blazer, which takes over 5 minutes to prepare, but well worth the wait. They make awesome cocktails here!
The next day, if you still have time to spare, lunch at Rockpool, a very beautiful restaurant located inside the Crown Casino complex, also in the heart of downtown Melbourne. Order the ribeye, it's charred to perfection and wash it down with a local Chardonnay. Federation Square is an interesting area to walk around, sometimes you can catch art performances in the late afternoon in spring. For dinner, Gingerboy is a modern Asian fusion eatery and always very crowded. Food is not very Asian, but do get a seat by the bar and order several appetizers for dinner and wash it down with one of their house signature cocktails.
I was just looking for an excuse to post a photo of this cafe called Cumulus that stumbled upon while in Melbourne, Australia for a few days. It happened to be a Sunday, and I was out hunting for an exciting new place for brunch, and ended up in Flinders Lane, the art and fashion district of downtown Melbourne. Cumulus is a bright and cheery cafe with high ceilings and white washed walls and large glass windows that beckons the morning sun into the dining room, giving it a nice warm inviting glow as you enter the main door. I took a seat by the counter and ordered orange juice, coffee and the blood sausage set. The food was excellent, even though I'm not a fan of anything made of blood, and I did clean off my plate. Staff were very pleasant, the manager came round to chat, and when I told him I was new in town, he offered some recommendations for local sightseeing.
Which led me to Getrude Street Enotica, where I got hungry very suddenly as I entered (and thirsty) and ordered a glass of local chardonnay and a buffalo mozzarella pesto bruschetta. I found a little corner near the back of the wine store, where they laid out a plank as a makeshift bench and a white marble slab for a table. And there I sat, eating bruschetta, drinking wine and resting my feet after an afternoon of walking around Melbourne.
I found a reference to this hip restaurant in an issue of Wallpaper* magazine, and since it was just minutes from my hotel, I decided this would be my first stop in my culinary exploration of Melbourne. I've actually put together my own "One Perfect Weekend in Melbourne" guide after spending a few days sampling the local cuisine and watering holes, but I'll save that for maybe later. For now, I just wanted to rave about Taxi.
Seated at the bar counter, I was treated to the frenzied activity in the open kitchen area and the stream of well-heeled diners making their way in. I ordered a glass of champagne to start, and fresh oysters topped with Ahi and caviar in a Japanese punzu dressing to whet my appetite.
Yum! For the main course, I picked the sesame miso cod and zucchini strips with seared scallops over caramelized red onions. I loved the fusion flavors, fresh modern Japanese seafood yet with a lot of Western influence. There was no room for dessert unfortunately, so I decided a brisk stroll to the next bar was in order. 
To wet your parched lips, walk into Gertrude Street Enoteca for a glass of excellent local wine and some fresh bruscetta, rest your feet, then head across the street to pick up some amazing toiletries from Aesop, the famous Australian skincare brand. Looking for a place for dinner? Try Taxi, a very trendy restaurant in the heart of Federation Square serving modern Aussie/Japanese fusion cuisine. 
When I mentioned my delicious find to a friend who lived in the Mission District after getting home, he said he had an even better place to show me. The next morning found us sitting in Bar Tartine, sister restaurant to the famous Tartine Bakery in the Mission. 
My friend ordered an egg white scramble with asparagus and cheese and it looked equally tempting. Bar Tartine is yet another San Francisco eatery that forges strong sustainable relationships with the local farms, which ensures a constant supply of the highest quality and freshest selections of meat, fish and vegetables for our dining pleasure. 
