The Press Club
The Press Club
72 Flinders Street, Melbourne
And so we begin the journey with our first place being the presitgious Press Club in Flinders street Melbourne. Oh what tantalising morsels awaited us as we decided to order the Symposium “Inspirations from Greece” with complementing wines. A big ask, as this little beauty of 7 courses with matching wines comes at the price of $175 per head. Damn right we’re taking this gastronomic quest seriously! Our appetising expedition starts with a trio of tidbits matched, I must say, perfectly with Champagne. And yes I do mean champagne and not a sparkling. This liquid sensation was a Devaux Blanc de Noirs, from Bar-Sur-Seine in France, which is from the Champagne-Ardenne region. For the ill informed about the light golden, bubbly liquid, rule of thumb, it ain’t champagne if it’s not from the Champagne area. I must also add here, the exquisite sensation of those hundreds, nay thousands of soft bubbles dancing upon the tongue playfully was….sublime. Here endeth the bubble lesson and onto the course it complemented…
…a trio of tidbits bought forth, so very Greek and yet, so very avant-garde in their presentation. Delivered on a small wooden plank-like surface we had; Cuttlefish Baklava, delicately thin slices of cuttlefish,pistachio baklava in a citrus dressing sitting atop a layer of pungent jelly; Meze Kalamaki, marinaded white anchovies and octopus on skewers; and Red Pepper, Sardine Vinaigrette, Tsoureki. For me, the Cuttlefish Baklava truly was a sensation, as the crunchy texture of the pistachio baklava with the soft strips of cuttlefish created a riot on the palette with the jelly binding it all together. Spectacular!
Then onto our next set of dishes, some classic chips, served in the classic chip bucket, with a dollop of Tarama (olive oil couc cous) to dip them into. Yes, must say George’s chips are fantastic and a perfect way to pay homage to the humble potatoe. Served with a glass of Koferhof Sylvaner 2008, Alto Adige, Italy. This little wine was my highlight for the evening. A charming fruity crisp palette that worked well with the starchy potatoes. From chips to fish, as the next plate held an array of raw seafood delicacies accompanied by a glass of Markus Molitor Zeltinger Himmelreich Kabinett ‘Feinherb’ Riesling 2002. Um yes, that would be a German wine…what a mouthful. Must say this was the least impressive dish for me as I am a huge sashimi fan. For me this dish just didn’t outshine any that I had ordered in a good Japanese restaurant. Added to the disappointment was the discovery of a broken bit of shell under my oyster…but I did not complain, (well, not to the staff), and simply pushed it to the edge of my plate. The seafood itself was absolutely fresh. From cold dishes to warm ,and such superb flavours and aromas.
Our first hot meal was Suckling Pig Baklava served with a perfect piece of crackling. Gold right there my friends. The meat was juicy and bursting with wonderful combination of pistachio and citrus flavours, that blended so perfectly with the pork. Served with a Domaine La Roche Bussiere Grenache 2008, Rhone Valley France. Loved the pork, loved the Grenache but felt the combination between the two did not work for me. Felt like a good robust Pinot Noir would have been a better partner. This was perhaps the most debated meal of the evening as the table was split between the food and wine pairing…made for some interesting feedback.
Next on our plate was Slow Cooked Lamb Neck, Beetroot Feta Dip and Horseradish Pomme Puree. Oh sublime and my mouth was watering before even lifting my fork. The lamb was succulent and almost melted away in your mouth. The slight tanginess of the beetroot and feta was a prefect compliment to the soft buttery lamb. Such comfort food, such delicate flavours and so perfectly matched with a glass of Le Vignes Di Zamo Refosco Dal Peduncolo 2007, Friuli, Italy.
The service at The Press Club was absolutely unsurpassed and we had one waiter for the food and one for the wine. Their introduction to each course and each wine was truly an experience and it is obvious that they too are great food and wine lovers. I have never experienced such passion from staff and hats off to them for they create a wonderful environment and inspire the creative side to your meal.
When we tallied up our scores for the evening, it was with great interest that the Maître d’ looked over our rating and when the value for money scores ranked on the lower scale, she was quick to try change our opinion. Our reasonings for the low score was that one of our group is a tall, well built guy and he was still a tad hungry. The Maître d’ assured us that it was The Press Clubs policy that no-one’s appetite is left feeling unsatisfied. Within minutes our table was bustling with staff and we were served two wonderful desserts on the house.
To say the staff was accommodating is an understatement, they surpassed our expectations and yes indeed, we left with bellies full and hearts warmed. The Press Club is in the upper, upper scale of cost, so be prepared. Value for money? Well I was one of the ones who rated it lower because I felt the price of courses are overly expensive for what you are getting. The food is exceptional, the staff wonderful but the price is what will stop me from becoming a regular. Will I return? Yes. For a special occasion, or for the feeling of being treated and served like royalty and of course added into the equation is that the food was truly tantalising.
Eat Critiques Rating: 7.5 (with a sentimental rating for the extra effort and dessert of 9)
INDIVIDUAL SCORES: (6 members)
E = experience. F= food quality, taste & presentation. V = value for money.
Beck: E – 7; F – 7; V – 6 Total individual score: 6.7
Susan: E – 9; F – 8.5; V – 7 Total individual score: 7.5
Tashik: E – 9; F – 8; V – 7 Total individual score: 8
Chloe: E – 9; F – 8; V – 7 Total individual score: 8
Jeremy: E – 8; F – 8; V – 6 Total individual score: 7
Svett: E – 9; F -7; V – 6 Total individual score: 7.3
Jeremy, Beck and Susan at The Press Club - 3 members of Eat Critique who take their work seriously.
Tashik, Chloe and Svett - the other 3 serious Eat Critiquers. Cheers!
The Press Club sommelier - a source a great vino info.
Eatcritique's Blog 
Svett has done a fantastic job of over viewing the culinary experience at the Press Club, so I wont re-hash the meal descriptions. I will however give you my personal view of the night and why I scored as I did.
Unlike the other members, I have been to Press Club numerous times before; hence why it was the restaurant of my choosing. I must say however that my previous experiences have been better. Upon reflection, I am surprised that all my Press Club visits have resulted in the choice of a degustation of some kind. I guess sometimes its nice not to have to make choices, to be surprised and spoilt, especially when you trust the restaurant to deliver. In the past, Press Club has delivered well. On the night of our venture, not so much.
At the end of the 7 course ‘feast’ the tall burly bloke was not the only one left a tad peckish. I too was ready for more food. Now, don’t get the wrong impression – I am a slight 55kg woman. But, regular gym sessions and runs on the beach mean my body churns through food pretty quickly (I only wish it churned through alcohol just as quickly so I didn’t get hang overs). So, my value for money rating on this particular night was quite low.
You’ll note however the sentimental rating from the group was a whopping 9 out of 10. This was a rating we invented on the night in response to the restaurant’s efforts to ensure we left their establishment bursting at the seams. The story should be told that there was some, um, “miscommunication” as to whether or not dessert was included in our 7 course degustation. Needless to say, we all thought it WAS included, whereas the waiter told us it wasn’t. The immediate marking down of “value for money” by the group on the paper table covers is likely what caught the eye of the Maitre d’.
As Svett has pointed out, we were rewarded with two wonderful desserts, both of which were chocolate based which could not have made me any happier! The second of the two was quite special as the waiter made a rich chocolate mousse in front of us at our table. Cream, melted chocolate and olive oil. Mixed and whisked with finesse! Recall the days when your mum made chocolate cake or chocolate pudding and she would mix that gorgeous chocolate runny mixture in a bowl. That special moment when you got to lick the bowl within an inch of its life. Ah yes, such was the Press Club mousse!
So, they managed to redeem themselves somewhat.
The wine choices are also worth a mention. The Sommelier was very good and she was not at all offended we when we questioned one of her matchings. Quite the contrary, she was keenly interested in our view and asked our opinions on what might match better. All the wines were good quality in their own right. My only criticism is that all of them were foreign. I am a personal believer in supporting Australian wine makers and growers. That’s not to say that we should drink only Aussie wine, however to not have a single Aussie wine matched with any of the 7 courses was a surprise and a personal disappointment.
Like Svett, I would go back, but I would not add it to my ‘regular’ list. I find Greek and Italian cuisines to be similar in many respects, and I would say I have had nights as Di Stasio and Sapore that out-class the night we had at Press Club. If you’re not familiar with either of those two restaurants, keep your eye on this blog, I may well choose one of them next!
I don’t expect a restaurant of the calibre of Press Club to ever “miss” however their passion is a pleasure to be around. Next time I go, I will choose al a carte and I can guarantee my main course will be the lamb and dessert the chocolate mousse.
Cheers, Beck “apprentice food and wine snob” O’Brien