Mandarin Bistro — Restaurant in Melbourne

The food was absolutely delicious. The quality of the food was very high and the attention to detail was apparent as the flavours were nuanced and balanced in texture and flavour, producing a symphony on the palate. The prices were very reasonable for a such high quality food. The ambience was warm and inviting, and made more welcoming by the attentiveness of the hostess.

We ordered the following:- The pork belly dish -Barramundi dish -Pork jowl croquettes -Lamb ribs -Slow cooked beef -Squid -Stir fried mushrooms with pine nuts and cheese

The stand out dishes (to me) were:

The Pork Belly dish deliciously crispy crackling with tender melt In the mouth meat, with the corn kernels providing pops of freshness and texture, and the caramelised onions offered a melded moreish sweetness to the base of the dish. Would definitely order again.

Barramundi a sweetly tender Barramundi fillet, with a beautifully balanced sauce and perfectly cooked asparagus spears. Really satisfying to savour a dish where all the components are perfectly executed ; would order again.

Lamb ribs fall off the bone tender lamb ribs with a balance of savoury sweetness from the seasoning, the lamb ribs were also unctuously moreish from the slow braising process. Even the husband who usually does not like Lamb ribs proclaimed that these were “NICE!”. Would order again.

Stir fried mushrooms the mushrooms were delicately stir fried with the dollops of cheese providing deepening umami flavours to the dish and the pine nuts added textural contrasts to the silliness of the mushrooms.

We also ordered desserts panna cotta (smooth and lovely) chocolate tart (deep, rich and smooth chocolate tart with a generous salted caramel sauce) red date pudding (the standout favourite of the night, balanced, not too sweet, warm and comforting)

Thoroughly enjoyed the food. We will be back for more. Cheers and thank you,...

Once again we were greeted by lovely and bubbly hostess Belle.We love this little gem in our leafy Vermont ; a fantastic addition to the few restaurants we already had. …and probably the best choice Vermont has to offer ! Loved the wild mushroom composition and the pumpkin pancakes as a nibble, generous serving for 2 people sharing. Then the Baramundy and the twice grilled chicken. Great combination butter/hazelnut on the crispy skin for the fish. King fish sashimi,an excellent choice of firm texture and delicate seasoning. Donuts the size of an apricot,so delicious and reminded me what mum used to make for us as kid after school! Chocolate tart for dessert, excellent chocolate quality !Belle convinced me that I should be able to walk home even with the rich taste of this dessert… Prices are more than reasonable and we are wishing this small team all the best in their business venture ! The restaurant was full tonight but this didn’t affected the great professionalism of Belle the front manager who always has a smile and a kind word for her patrons. We love this place and hope that their hard work will take...

We were very impressed after a meal with friends on a full house Saturday night.

📸 We ordered: 🍄 Stirfry mix mushroom, whipped cheese, pine nuts $14 ✨ 🦐 King prawn cooked in garlic butter, caramelised pineapple $25 🥓 Pork jowl croquettes, garlic aioli $14 ✨ 🍢 Pork neck skewers, green chili, roasted capsicum mayo $22 🍖 Sticky lamb rib, spicy vinaigrette, preserved mustard stem $26 🥔 Fried potato, sofrito, aioli, salsa verde $9 ✨

Presentation is on point 🔥 Dining looks more fine than casual but all the fusion elements work and pricing is decent. Would def return for another visit! Omg the potatoes were the best dish of the night and a last minute order - good call to friend E for ordering it. Skeptical but it was so crispy and fluffy with a delicious sauce - all sauces were delicious and paired well with the ingredients, which can sometimes be hit and miss for fusion food, but everything here was perfect 👌 Lots of dishes were also gluten free, dairy free and vegetarian and vegan friendly.

🔖 Save and share for your next craving for asian fusion tapas in a casual setting ✨

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