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Pastuso

4.0 (46 reviews)
PriceyAmerican
Closed 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM

Pastuso Photos

PASTUSO ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Classy
Good for groups

Recommended Reviews - Pastuso

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Reviews With Photos

Sweet potato on top. Broccolini and greens at the bottom.
Isabel C.

I can usually judge how good a restaurant is by how much it impresses my no-frills non-foodie partner. I give this place 3.85 stars for the points below: Great service: waitress had a striking resemblance to Rooney Mara (not that it matters, just an irrelavant FYI). She was very helpful, didn't hover but somehow managed to fill our water glasses inconspicuously. Cool location: Was relatively easy to find. Only in Melbourne would you have a great resto tucked in a graffiti-covered alleyway; I remember describing the location to Mum and she was aghast. Some bad-ass points won here. Above average food: we only wanted a small meal so went for the chiccharon el pollo, sweet potato and grilled broccolini for sides (don't ask me to recount the names!). Sweet potato was wo~onderful, broccolini was just too acidic which didnt pair well with their signature pisco sour, and the chicken was okay but I couldn't help but keep drawing comparisons to karaage chicken except less crunchy and of milder flavour. Sat on a bed of heavenly lima bean puree though In conclusion, my non-foodie food dining partner was pleasantly pleased but for myself, I had a very high bar set for this place as it was recommended by a colleague but sadly I came away underwhelmed. Maybe if I come back with a bigger stomach, deeper pockets and lowered expectations?

Tres leche with roasted pineapple ice cream.
Mel P.

Ceviche bar. Charcoal grill pit. Full bar with Argentinian wines and pisco sours. What's not to love? There are few things that excite my appetite more than Peruvian cuisine getting popular in Melbourne. So when I heard a new spot had opened on AC/DC Lane it went straight to the top of the list for the next date night. Pastuso is an ideal date night spot. It's expansive dining room is sleek and comfortable, with a nice mellow atmosphere and noise level. The number of tables and mix of bar/table/booth options make it pretty much perfect for anything from intimate dinners to large groups. Service is patient and unobtrusive. I felt like there was a really nice space between each course, allowing us to feel relaxed and enjoy our drinks without feeling forgotten. The wine list is full of great Argentinian wines. Our waitresses didn't know too much about them, but made up for it with a few tastes from the by-the-glass menu to make sure we picked something we liked. As for the food, the usual sharing options with small bites to larger dishes can be found. There's a full ceviche menu that I am definitely keen to try more of, especially if I can nab a table at the bar and watch them work their magic with seafood and a mini blow torch. We tried a dish from each section of the menu and enjoyed all of it. Not quite at the level of dying from how great it was, there are definitely better options around...but couldn't fault anything either. Stand outs were the alpaca ribs (with just a hint of bitter dark chocolate - it works) and the desserts - caramel with port meringue and milk-soaked sponge cake with roasted pineapple ice-cream. This is a great crowd-pleaser of a restaurant and one I would happily dine at again.

Inside - street side of restaurant
Chantee F.

Yes. This. Place. Is. That. Good. Situated down AC/DC Lane (a real place) is where you will find this gem of a restaurant, currently a worthy contender for one of my favourite places in Melbourne. For those unfamiliar with Peruvian food, this is the place where you can take a chance and be sold on every dish. There is the safe bet to get you started, yuca chips with aioli, your standard pub fare. That is probably the most common thing you will find on the menu and they delivered. You must get something from the ceviche bar and I went straight for the red snapper (peruano) that was swimming in a delicate yet tangy citrus sauce with red onion and sprouts. Divine! The calamari was equally as delightful. While the presentation looked spicy in an orange sauce with sliced red peppers, don't be fooled. It had just a hint of flavour without the kick. Tender slices of calamari within a mild escabeche sauce will bring a nice finish to your palate. If seafood isn't your thing, may I recommend the duck confit in a deconstructed tamale. There were slices of radish and pickled cucumber that words could not do justice. Just try it. Trust me. Lastly, if you enjoy sampling new cocktails then your adventurous spirit will love the pisco-inspired cocktails. I went with the "Drunken Llama" which was a creative balance of sweet and savoury (as advertised) with a sprig of rosemary. My mate went with the "AC DC Lane," with an interesting blend of pisco and whisky. Pisco is not every day drinking for me but it was fun to sip alongside the spectacular meal. The last thing I will gush about this place is the ambiance. Despite the exterior alley way leading up to it, Pastuso is very upscale yet personable. Elegant decor throughout the main dining area with a stellar bar as the centrepiece. However, just to the right of the bar you will find an open kitchen and a street style with colourful posters lining the walls. It's hard to find that balance between edgy and elegant, but they sure do pull it off.

As good as ever!
Paul S.

Returned last evening for a team dinner, was good to see standards are still high and the Yucca chips still as good as ever. A few dishes have changed which is great but the loss of some classics (Alpaca tartar) seems like toning down to pander to a larger audience. While not as edgy as it was previously, it's now settled into a comfortable consistent restaurant. It's now a 4 for me, with the competition around pushing the envelope; this little gem feels a bit too settled.

John Bowlsey and butterball!
Jason M.

Pastuso! Awesomeness!! Wow cool place, fit out is very cool! Peruvian pavers in geometric patterns, Peruvian fabrics- hand woven from Alpaca wool! Cool tunes, open kitchen with a massive grill and smoker!! International wine list and great service all adds up to my new favorite. Luckily I live in the cbd

Rollo de Cerdo and Pisco Sour at Pastuso
Kim S.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Paddington Bear story, he originally came from Peru and his real name was Pastuso, which is where the trendy little Peruvian eatery I had lunch this Saturday gets its name. Pastuso is tucked away in ACDC Lane, one of the many little food alleys that run off Flinders Lane in Melbourne's CBD. Competition is fierce around here, and as far as restaurants go, only the BAD die young. Pastuso is still young - it only opened in July last year - but based on my first impressions, it's a stayer. The quite extensive menu can be roughly divided into three sections; ceviches, street food, and grilled meat, and as I'm not renowned for my culinary restraint I decided to try it all. The first thing that grabbed my attention was the "Feed Me" option - a selection of chef's choices for $59. Unfortunately they only offer this for two people, which meant of course I had to order a passionfruit Pisco Sour to sip on while I considered alternatives :) My waitress came up with a suggestion for the appetiser; Ceviche de Concha. This comprised finely diced Hervey Bay scallop served on a shell with black truffle, seaweed and a little sprinkle of sea grape. Very tasty, but also quite subtle. Lovely start. I ordered one of the ceviches next - Tiradito de Pez Espada; slices of swordfish doused with cucumber and Amarillo sauce with little cubes of rocoto jelly (made from a species of capsicum native to South America) sprinkled over the top. This was very refreshing, but a little bland for my taste. The Leche de Tigre (tiger's milk) was more up my alley. This was another version of ceviche, served in a shot glass and made from diced snapper in a mild, slightly spicy pepper sauce which was also made from rocoto. Having ticked the ceviche box (twice) it was time to move onto the street food section of the menu. Everything sounded interesting from the beef heart and swordfish skewers to the marinated pork pastries. But I kept coming back to the meat platter; Peruvian style ham and Alpaca terrine served with pickles and quinoa bread. I mean, how could I pass up the opportunity to eat an Alpaca?? The terrine was slightly gamey, but probably not as tasty as your more pedestrian duck and pistachio variety. The ham, which is made in house, was good and worked particularly well with the quinoa bread. The waitress stepped up again and convinced me to try the Rollo de Cerdo (the aforementioned pork pastry thingy) which resembled a spring roll. Delicious. I'm not a big fan of pulled pork (which is the main ingredient in this little morsel) but this dish has won me over. Delightfully light, crispy she'll filled with really tasty shredded pork, topped with sautéed spring onions and served on a bed of Aji Mirasol (a creamy, spicy sauce whose main ingredient is Amarillo chilli pepper). Pastuso ticks all the boxes; excellent service, up market, somewhat quirky decor, a great location tucked away in one of Melbourne's iconic graffiti-covered alleyways, and of course, good food. This is my first encounter with Peruvian cuisine, and honestly if it's all this good I'm seriously considering emigrating.

Where the food magic happens.
Scott M.

Hello Yelponians! It's been a while since I've written a review for somewhere new to me, and for that I apologise - there are only so many nights in a week and my wife and I tend to frequent our favourite haunts. But all that changes on a long weekend like this; where Thursday is Virtual Friday, and we have several more days of debauchery open in our calendar. Now, Pastuso - it has been on my radar for a few months, largely because we see their business card frequently when we visit sister-restaurant San Telmo on Myers Place. We're regulars there, and it was our intention to get to Pastuso "one of these days" for quite a while. Ceviche is something that I've always loved. Fond memories from years gone by going to a fresh seafood restaurant with a parental unit and obtaining a loaf of sourdough bread and a small bucket of fresh (as in, made minutes ago, fish caught that morning..) ceviche... So whenever I find a spot that claims to have good ceviche, I'm always curious to try. And Pastuso did not disappoint. We had two, the salmon (Amazonian) and the (recently changed from swordfish to) cod (Tiradito). Both were spectacular. I loved the celery in the Tiradito! Sadly, Pastuso was out of alpaca when we visited, which is a real shame, as I was very eager to try. I asked if they served guinea pig, another staple in Peru, but was told that wasn't on the menu. I didn't ask if they served bears transplanted to England. Probably wouldn't have gone over well as a suggestion. Pastuso is also joining the "street food" trend and has a selection of options available which are inspired by, if not literal translations from, Peruvian street food. The cassava chips were spectacular in this category, as was the Rollo de Cerdo - best way to describe that is a spring roll which is filled with some of the best smoked and marinated pork you'll have. Indeed, best to think of the roll as a pork delivery vehicle, there wasn't much flavour to the pastry, but I'm fine with that, as I wanted the deliciously melty porcine goodness contained within. Rounding it all off we went with a special - an OUTSTANDING Wagyu brisket that was served in a Malbec jus; so tender it fell apart with a strong stare. My wife and I didn't speak much during this part of our meal, we just nodded and made that "OMG" look to each other. Delicious. For desert we went with the Huevo de Pascua, a half-sphere of a chocolate shell filled with Yuca cream, cherry, crumbly chocolatey cake and other delicious things I honestly don't recall right now. I should note that the desert was a special as well, and I have no idea how long it will be on the menu. So, what else - it's clear we loved the food, what about the service? Fantastic! Our server was incredibly friendly, talked us through the menu, being the Pastuso virgins that we were, and put up with my teasing her about not having been to San Telmo yet and having been a vegetarian in her past (horrible condition, tragic, really, but thankfully, there's a cure: meat). Our table wasn't quite ideal, right next to the door, which made it a bit noisy and filled with the occasional gust of autumn night air, but we were lucky to get a table without a reservation and we really didn't mind. It's absolutely certain that going back is on our list of things to do. Just need more long weekends to fit in all the outstanding dining spots Melbourne has to offer!

Nice, but slightly pricey for what it was, octopus
Leisha C.

After trying on 3 attempts to get here with friends (our fault we couldn't match our schedules) I was quite disappointed in Pastuso, especially after hearing such good things. Small dishes, quite pricy (food & drink), and a little bit of attitude from the server put me off. (Don't tell me all Ceviche everywhere is spicy when you're barely legal and have probably never ordered it in your life) I tried the alpaca in the form of a terrine, and that was the best dish by far. Fun Fact - there's a Peruvian liqueur they use in their cocktails that is quite strong but tasty

Michelle W.

Amaretto sour is a must! The ceviche are amazing, we had a couple of different ones and their taste were different and amazing, don't leave this place without that on your table. I could not stop munching on the yucas, they do however fill you up pretty quickly. Going with the chef's banquet is also pretty good value, but there are a lot of food, so only do that if you are hungry!

Entrance into a world of meat
Colin H.

What do you expect from the owners of San Telmo a fiery grill and a selection of meats? Well they've delivered it in Peruvian style. Try the Alpaca Shoulder, roast chicken, polenta chips and some Ceviche... The décor is more modern and the bench by the kitchen is a nice place to eat and observe the action.

PiscoSour
Christina C.

I have been here twice now.. Both times was delicious. I love sharing options which allows us to try and share a lot of meals. I haven't been to Peru before so this to me was delicious. It's more on the fusion side I've been told. Our waiter was very attentive almost to the annoying side asking every minute of everything was ok but I guess you can't complain. Although sometimes you just want to have a conversation with your friends without being interrupted. We started of with kingfish & red snapper ceviche - so delicious. I love it all. Very fresh and light. The kingfish was a bit over cooked but I still enjoyed it. Also had the fish and beef skewers. Yum! It was so good. I would highly recommend that. The mains is to die for. We had lamb and beef. The lamb just melts in your mouth. Beef cooked to perfection. The ambience is relax and lots of couples would have their dates here. You can literally see the chefs prepping your food. They also have hanging meat cured in front of you which I find very interesting. Lots of seating but I would recommend to book in advance as they are pretty busy to get a table. It was a bit on the expensive side but all in all the experience and food was well worth it!

Best calamar I've had in a while highly recommend it... great flavor
ERNY L.

Best calamar I've had in a long time, great flavor friendly staff and I highly recommend it..

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11 years ago

Excellent food for my personal taste; we came with my wife and the kids and everybody enjoined the food. It is a family friendly restaurant.

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Review Highlights - Pastuso

So when I heard a new spot had opened on AC/DC Lane it went straight to the top of the list for the next date night.

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Bowery to Williamsburg - Bacon and egg sandwich with side of sausage

Bowery to Williamsburg

4.3(155 reviews)
0.1 kmMelbourne
$$

Food is okay! Coffee was good! Service was decent. I would definitely try again since, 2nd chance…read moreis worth it

The first day in Australia, I was craving a big, hearty sandwich, a rarity in Japan. A quick Google…read moresearch led me to Bowery to Williamsburg. The name suggests a connection to the street or bridge in NYC. Am I correct? Located in the alley between Flinders and Collins, parallel to Russell, it was a bit unexpected to find this eatery here. With plenty of tables on the patio and inside, the atmosphere was inviting. Being alone, I didn't want to occupy a larger table, so I decided to grab my order to go. After glancing over the menu, my eyes locked on the 'Reuben,' thinking 'this can't go wrong.' The staff were kind and friendly. Despite not dining in, they allowed me to sit and wait at a table. After a few minutes, I received my order and rushed back to the hotel because I couldn't wait! Excitement led me to open the box like a treasure chest, revealing a huge sandwich - the portion I had been searching for. In Japan, where I live, the general trend is to reduce portions to maintain prices rather than increase prices to keep portions consistent in the face of inflation. Now you understand how crucial this is. Another crucial aspect - the taste was on point. With a generous portion of meat, it dominated the experience along with the sourness from the pickled cabbage. It was a bit too sour for my taste, but I assume that's how a Reuben usually tastes. Overall, I was really pleased with this place and would love to come back again.

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Bowery to Williamsburg - Communal seating and restaurant vibes

Communal seating and restaurant vibes

Bowery to Williamsburg
Bowery to Williamsburg

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Meatmaiden - Fillet steak

Meatmaiden

4.3(65 reviews)
0.3 kmMelbourne
$$$

What at amazingly remarkable find in the basement!!!…read more This restaurant was recommended by a local of Melbourne! We always try to support local establishments, especially while traveling! I have to say, THIS is by far.... THE BEST recommendation we've ever received! The restaurant was a tad bit difficult to find, having not been to Australia and not being familiar with basement restaurants, lol. It had quite a unique secluded vibe from the moment the door swung open. The atmosphere was almost hypnotic! There weren't too many patrons eating when we arrived .. but we did arrive shortly after opening. By the time we were finished the tables were 75% occupied, I think in part to only being open for dinner Tuesday-Saturday. The food, as well as the service were both TOP NOTCH! I don't typical care for red meat... but I ordered steak and it was extremely well-prepared! So delicious!!! I asked for it to be well done! It DID come out charcoaled so I made a comment to my husband that was over-heard by the chef, himself! Moments later, he personally delivered a new dinner plate to me with a replacement! Now THAT'S what I call top-notch service! I REALLY wish Meatmaiden would expand to the US! That would be the icing on the cake!!!

We have fallen in love with another Melbourne restaurant. We are even thinking about changing our…read morehotel for next year so we can be closer...we actually have! We can't brag enough about our new find. COVID stopped our travels to Melbourne for three years but hopefully no longer. We selected some winners. They were: 1) Grilled Bread with Beef Fat Butter; 2) 350g Westholme Wagu NY Strip; 3) GEM Lettuce salad; and 4) Hand cut chips. - The Grilled Bread was actually a fried bread that was then brushed with honey and lightly grilled on the bbq. The Beef Fat Butter was awesome. My spouse didn't care for it but I adored it. - Grilled Wagu NY Strip was 330+ day grain fed which only intensified the marble and added so much taste. Not a bite left and it was almost 13 ounces of pure meat. It was perfectly cooked to medium rare (-) temperature. It came with a choice of a sauce and we paid for an additional one. The Three Pepper Sauce and the Beef Fat Bernaise. Both were awesome. I need the recipes! - GEM Lettuce Salad with radishes and dressed with a Burnt Grapefruit Vinaigrette. The vinaigrette made the salad. - Hand Cut Chips w/ a Garlic Aioli - another perfect taste. The chips had a great crispy outside with a very smooth inside. And the Aioli was addictive. Do no pass this great place by. We did not have reservations but should have. We got there early and they were slammed. We saw two empty tables and they offered us one by the front entrance. We eyed the other table and they said "if you can be finished in 1 1/2 hours...we laughed and said there would be no problem and probably be out of here in an hour! MeatMaiden was so upbeat. We just kept looking around in awe. Two old ladies eating in a basement. The atmosphere is awesome. Somewhat darkly lit but light enough to see your food. Very high energy crowd. Service was spectacular. Toward the end of our meal the hostess came over and said we could stay a bit longer. We said thanks but not needed. Highly recommend and also recommend making an advanced booking. Enjoy.

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Meatmaiden - Upbeat Vibe in MeatMaiden

Upbeat Vibe in MeatMaiden

Meatmaiden - 350g Westholme NY Strip with 3 pepper sauce and bernaise sauce

350g Westholme NY Strip with 3 pepper sauce and bernaise sauce

Meatmaiden

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Grand Trailer Park Taverna - Salted caramel, bourbon and maple bacon milkshake

Grand Trailer Park Taverna

4.0(49 reviews)
0.4 kmMelbourne
$$

This is your guilty pleasure comfort food, so greasy and amazing!…read moreSome of the best burgers I experienced in Melbourne. Really cool retro decor and upstairs/rooftop patio & they're open late! I overindulged by ordering "The David Chang" which included premium Australian beef, streaky bacon, fried egg, sliced beetroot & tomato, American cheddar cheese, butter lettuce and their special mustard seed burger sauce! I swapped it out on a lettuce bun but you can also get it on the regular brioche bun! Accompanied by their delicious oozing cheesy fries, and a salted caramel, maple bacon and bourbon milkshake!

Visited multiple times, best burgers I've experienced in Melbourne…read moreDiverse range of burgers Good service Cool/rustic venue The dessert menu is reason enough to go ORDERED MAINS The Ivan Drago 3.5. $18 Premium Aussie beef patty, American cheddar cheese, streaky bacon, black Russian tomato, sliced beetroot & McDowell sauce on a toasted brioche bun CB1 2.9. $10 Premium Aussie beef patty, American cheddar cheese, diced shallots & pickles, American mustard & tomato sauce on a toasted brioche bun (Small burger) Atomic 3.5. $18.50 Premium Aussie beef patty, American cheddar cheese, caramelised onion, chilli cheese kransky, streaky bacon, BBQ sauce & truffle, cayenne mayonnaise on a toasted brioche bun DESSERT Waffle Sandwich 3.5 $13 Fresh house made waffle stack, freshly whipped cream, fresh strawberries & drizzled with Nutella sauce. Choices of parfait are: OREO PARFAIT: Garnished with crushed Oreo's and edible flowers Churro Icecream Cup 3.0. $12 Hot churro cup with assorted ice cream, garnished with crushed hazelnuts Oreo Beigent. 2.7. $8.50 Mini doughnuts filled with Oreo, powdered icing sugar, drizzled with Salted Caramel sauce and topped with crushed Oreo's

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Grand Trailer Park Taverna - Burger with mac and cheese croquette

Burger with mac and cheese croquette

Grand Trailer Park Taverna - Atomic burger

Atomic burger

Grand Trailer Park Taverna - The Chunk Double Double

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The Chunk Double Double

Sparrow's Philly Cheesesteaks - And array of spicy goodness

Sparrow's Philly Cheesesteaks

4.2(11 reviews)
1.2 kmFitzroy
$

Great bar! The sandwich was fine, but nothing like a steak you would get in Philly. Roll was way…read moreoff from our bread. Steak was the best part but not enough of it. Orange sliced cheese is non existent in Phila sandwich shop, this was like McDonald's cheese galavanting as whiz. Onions were cut too large so the ratio to meat was wrong. Again, I enjoyed the sandwich, it's just nowhere near authentic. If you're from Philly like me, don't get your hopes up.

I'm so excited that I finally got to cram one of Sparrow's Philly Cheesesteaks creations into my…read moremouth. Doubly excited that they have an entire wall devoted hot sauces and condiments for said creations. Triply excited that, despite their name sake, there are vegetarian options on the menu. But just because it's vegetarian, it makes no pretense that it's healthy. That fried tofu sandwich comes topped with vegetarian chilli and gooey, guilty-pleasure American cheese. Plus the option to have it all seated on top of a big pile of fries. You can save money for more beer at the Catfish bar on Mondays, when the cheesesteaks are only $8 or $10 with fries. Order and pick-up at the back hatch. Then add a little heat with things like the chipotle bbq sauce and tomatillo & jalapeno, or just play it safe and stick with the basic tomato sauce & yellow mustard. There is no way you're walking out hungry after one of these.

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Sparrow's Philly Cheesesteaks - Melted cheese and bacon Yum

Melted cheese and bacon Yum

Sparrow's Philly Cheesesteaks - Menu board

Menu board

Sparrow's Philly Cheesesteaks - Nearly Philly (tofu) with fries and self-added hot sauces!

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Nearly Philly (tofu) with fries and self-added hot sauces!

Ike's Rack Shack - Ike's rack eating heaven

Ike's Rack Shack

4.6(7 reviews)
2.1 kmCarlton
$$

Once again we travel on our hunt around the area for Melbourne's best American BBQ. The last time…read morewe did this was to the Melbourne BBQ Festival at the Victoria Markets where we were immensely disappointed. We were determined on this Valentines Day evening for a Melbourne BBQ redemption, and Ike's did not let us down. We were seated straight away, and our waitress (I think her name was Katie) was an absolute hoot. She had my wife in stitches with laughter. The jokes were just bouncing back and forth until we eventually ordered. I ordered a half pound of pork ribs, whereas the other half went the lamb ribs. Between us, we shared home made cornbread & a salsa dish. I honestly did not have enough time to grab my phone to check in on social media sites, and BANG!!! The food was served. There is no way to describe what sort of party my taste buds were having in my mouth, however this party could have made some serious money on cover charges to this party. The cornbread was nothing like I have tasted before, and after visiting diners in 34 American States which I have visited, this cornbread leaves the rest for dead. The salsa with its secret little ingredients was hard to put down, and then the meat. It just melted in your mouth. When we initially started talking to the waitress she asked if we had been to Le Bon Ton in Richmond as a comparison, where she explained that Ike's is better. Big shoes to fill but they did not disappoint.

The service here is great and I really love it but the food this time round was a slight let down…read morefor me. They had no daily specials so the Brussels sprouts, watermelon salad and corn salad not to mention the bean kimchi accompaniments were all gone. In their place was a potato waffle and chicken gravy which were good but not great and roasted red peppers which I thought was the best thing we ate. Our half pound of pork ribs looked pretty lonely served on some baking paper on a metal lunch tray with some cabbage and I kind of felt a little like I was in jail or a canteen. Whilst it was a bit more practical space wise it really lost it's appeal for me. All in all I had difficulty deciding what to eat from the menu because I don't love the smokiness of ribs and mainly ate the sides which were good just not great. I'd drop it to a 3.5 stars and not too sure I'd be back but my partner gives it a 4 stars.

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Ike's Rack Shack - Full pound of pork ribs

Full pound of pork ribs

Ike's Rack Shack - Pork ribs that melt in your mouth

Pork ribs that melt in your mouth

Ike's Rack Shack - Watermelon and feta salad, corn salsa

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Watermelon and feta salad, corn salsa

Soda Rock Diner - Old school 50s/60s diner

Soda Rock Diner

3.3(29 reviews)
3.4 kmSouth Yarra
$$

We were stuffed from our burgers earlier but there's always room for milkshakes since it's a liquid…read moreand can easily fill in the gaps around the food in my belly, right? I always go for the regular chocolate, one friend had the strawberry and the other had vanilla. We all got to try a bit of each since they gave us our extra from the blend. The shakes weren't bad, we all enjoyed it all, it made us all feel like kids for a moment.

I was looking to take my boyfriend and family out to dinner for his birthday. I wanted a place…read morethat would stand out a little, so I picked soda rock what finding it on yelp. I made a reservation (which was not necessary - I chose a quieter time) and off we went. My father and I are both American so have spent plenty of time in the real thing and we were pleasantly surprised. Atmosphere is VERY cool, it has all the great 50's and onwards hits so you and everyone you go with end up singing to every song. There's little juke boxes on every table (revving that nostalgia) that really work to make the jukebox in the corner play whatever songs you'd like from their "diner" play list. Lovely! I am Vegan and my boyfriend vegetarian, as this is a burger place it's usually very hard to find a meal. However, the buns are Vegan and their Veggie burger is great (mine no Mayo) along with a side of shoe string fries and a cherry coke, I didn't feel I missed out on the experience at all which is very important. The wait staff do a song and dance which is cool (I thought) ride on roller skates and at the end of our meal made a big to do celebrating my boyfriend's birthday, and have him an ice-cream sundae with a candle in it. Was awesome and very memorable! The one gripe is the music is slightly loud and when the pinball machines start, it can be hard to hear. However, this only really annoyed those in my group who were 70+. Great memorable night, made by the atmosphere alone!

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Soda Rock Diner
Soda Rock Diner
Soda Rock Diner

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Belles Hot Chicken - Nashville Hot Chicken

Belles Hot Chicken

3.9(34 reviews)
1.3 kmFitzroy
$$

The manager, a female whose name I don't know, was kind enough to hold our table even though we…read morewere running late due to a tardy tram. This was my daughter's 18th birthday celebration dinner, and the kind manager approached our table, wished my daughter a happy birthday, and asked if she could get my daughter anything special. My daughter asked for apple cider--the first time she has ever tasted alcohol--which the manager gave her on the house. I told the manager that, unlike her friends, my daughter never drank before turning 18, and tonight at Belles, was her first drink. The manager congratulated her, and gave my daughter a fist-bump, which meant so much to my daughter. Thank you for making it such a special night for my daughter.

This was my second time at Belle's as I needed to try the "really f**kin hot" and shared a medium…read moreheat tenders with my boyfriend last time. Came in a group of 8 and the staff were accommodating and got us 2 tables. The tap beer is decent value for money as it's slightly larger than a schooner. Now for the chicken. The wings are actual wings and seems like all the chicken comes in 4 pieces and solid portion of sides. The "really f**kin hot" has a good kick. For me it wasn't melt my mouth hot but still gave a decent chilli sweats. It is heavily coated in the spice seasoning which is rather powdery and sticks to your fingers. The medium is still rather spicy though for those without the desire to die by chilli. The winter is a good side and a slightly spicy seasoning on the fries. The blue cheese sauce was pretty eh. Diffuses the chilli but was more like ranch sauce. I would say it's worth the hype, plus you get to take home any leftovers. Also avoid touching your eyes or sensitive skin after as even hours later my eyes still felt line they were on fire when I took my contacts out

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Belles Hot Chicken
Belles Hot Chicken - Outdoor seating

Outdoor seating

Belles Hot Chicken - Diner with a full bar

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Diner with a full bar

Pastuso - tradamerican - Updated May 2026

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