MFWF 2012 Express Lunch: Hare & Grace @ Collins St, Melbourne CBD

By On April 13, 2012 · 30 Comments · In By Cuisine, By Location, Food Reviews, Melbourne CBD, Modern Australian Cuisine

“I’m late, I’m late
For a very important date
No time to say ,”Hello, Goodbye!”
I’m late, I’m late, I’m late!”

(The White Rabbit, Alice in Wonderland, 1951)

Hey! Fancy seeing you down here! It’s great in the rabbit warren isn’t it?

That’s how I felt as I trundled down the steps at the Rialto forecourt to meet Ashley.

Pretty bundles of twigs tied up and hung from the ceiling. Mysterious dark corners where I was expecting rabbits to pop out.

Bird cages, pots, water jugs on every nook and cranny.

As we got to the table, Ashley and I immediately started taking pictures of the entire restaurant. Everything was just so damn pretty in here! We loved it!

I had always wanted to visit Hare and Grace (as with a lot of other restaurants) and never had the opportunity until the fateful day I received a text from Ashley asking me to, “please don’t kill me!” for pulling out of our Maha rendezvous with the FPS (Fake Photography Society) gang.

Instead of killing her, I said, “Let’s catch up the day before instead and try somewhere else!”

And that’s just what we did.

Since there were only two of us, and most options on the menu provided only had two items, we decided to go with everything on the menu and opt for the 3 course meal (for an additional $15 for the extra course).

Composites - Entree (Option 1): 1/2 Shell Scallops, Garlic Aioli, Herb Breadcrumbs

This was my winning dish of the day. The scallops were juicy and sweet, and the garlic aioli was light, without being too overpowering as to kill off the freshness of the scallops.

So so so good!

Composites – Entree (Option 2): Heirloom Tomatoes, Pineapple, Herbs, Chilli

Normally offered as a side at Hare & Grace, these tomatoes were an entree choice. We did love the sweet tartness of these juicy tomatoes.

Principals - Main (Option 1): Fish of the Day (Salmon) on Toast

I had the rather lacklustre fish on toast. The salmon was again very fresh and cooked beautifully, but it was a dish I could have easily done at home. Upon further research, I also discovered that this dish isn’t part of their normal menu and was only a special for the Express Lunch options.

Principals – Main (Option 2): Beef Fondant, Seasonal Vegetables, Mash

Ashley had the beef, and enjoyed it. However, she did mention that it needed something more in the gravy. There was an element missing somewhere which she couldn’t pinpoint.

Sweet, Guilty, Vanity – Dessert (Option 1): Vanilla Creme Brulee, Sable

For desserts, we shared both of our options. My creme brulee was so good. With a beautiful and resounding crack, the vanilla creme underneath oozed perfection. The little shortbread biscuits that accompanied it was crumbly and melted in my mouth.

Sweet, Guilty, Vanity - Dessert (Option 2): Chocolate Bar, Sugared Peppers, Raspberry Chantilly

Ashley had the winning dessert of us two however. It took us a while to calm down and enjoy it though, as we were too caught up with the cuteness and prettiness of its presentation!

The sugared peppers were more smoky than sweet, which I liked and the raspberry chantilly was smooth and inviting.

The chocolate bar was a winner all on its own! Dark, heavy, rich and smooth… *dreamy*

Despite the minor setback with our mains, I think we both did really enjoy the atmosphere, food and overall service. We were well looked after, water constantly refilled and were offered separate plates to use when they saw us sharing our food :)

I would love to come back and try their “real” menu so that I can get a better understanding behind the feel of Hare & Grace. If the scallop and the chocolate were anything to go by, I know I would be swooning for more :)

Please note: The Melbourne Food & Wine Festival Express Lunch (Choice of 2 courses, a glass of Victorian wine, and tea/coffee for $35 per person) has ended for 2012 and will return in 2013.

*Disclaimer: All food ratings & review are purely based on my own experiences and how I feel about the service, food and quality at the time of visit

Food/ Cuisine: Modern Australian
Dining Style: Casual Dining (Eatery & Minibar)

Opening Hours:
Lunch: Monday to Friday, 11:30am – 3:30pm
Dinner: Monday to Friday, 6:00pm – late

Address:
525 Collins Street
Melbourne VIC 3000

Tel: (03) 9629 6755

Website: http://www.hareandgrace.com/

Twitter: @HareandGrace

How to get there:

Hare & Grace on Urbanspoon

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30 Responses to MFWF 2012 Express Lunch: Hare & Grace @ Collins St, Melbourne CBD

  1. Iron Chef Shellie says:
    April 13, 2012 at 10:29 AM

    oh the dessert… yes please!!
    Iron Chef Shellie recently posted..Baked Dulce De Leche Cheesecake with Toffee Shards

    Reply
  2. Celeste @ Berrytravels says:
    April 13, 2012 at 12:09 PM

    woh, why have I never heard of this place!? *adds to list*
    Celeste @ Berrytravels recently posted..Review: Just Tickled Pink, Hyde Park, Adelaide

    Reply
  3. Nic@diningwithastud says:
    April 13, 2012 at 12:20 PM

    Such a shame about the salmon. Perhaps the beef was missing some kind of acidic component? Or fresh herbs?
    Nic@diningwithastud recently posted..April’s Sweet Adventures Blog Hop – Lemons

    Reply
  4. Michelle says:
    April 13, 2012 at 12:21 PM

    I pass by this place often but i never thought of coming here!
    Michelle recently posted..Recipe: Kimchi, Mentaiko, Pumpkin and Shiro Miso soup

    Reply
  5. CheezyK says:
    April 13, 2012 at 1:23 PM

    Oh look, there’s that creme brulee again! I think maybe a dessert-for-lunch trip might be in order …
    CheezyK recently posted..For Hannah and Agnes …

    Reply
  6. Sarah says:
    April 13, 2012 at 1:30 PM

    Oh wow, that chocolate dessert looks incredible! I love the incredibly glossy coating on that chocolate bar!
    Sarah recently posted..Goulburn River Valley: Murchison, Kialla West & Shepparton

    Reply
  7. Vien @ We Dare Food says:
    April 13, 2012 at 2:03 PM

    I always think that scallop dishes should come in 4 instead of 3! hehe me and brother always fight for the last one :P But that looks so good I’d have everything for myself!
    Vien @ We Dare Food recently posted..Flashback Friday: Kelantan

    Reply
  8. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says:
    April 13, 2012 at 6:06 PM

    Thanks for the review! I was supposed to go here on my last trip to Melbourne (sheesh, was that over a year ago? :O) and didn’t have enough time so it’s great to know what it is like :)
    Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella recently posted..Creamy (But Low Fat) Crab & Butternut Squash Soup

    Reply
  9. Hannah says:
    April 13, 2012 at 7:09 PM

    My name means “grace” and I was born in the year of the rabbit, therefore this restaurant was clearly named after me and that intriguing chocolate dessert is destined for me belly. (Yes, I do want to try chocolate desserts if they have wacky flavours involved :D )

    Reply
  10. MoMo & Coco says:
    April 13, 2012 at 11:18 PM

    Oh, looks like you were given the bar (not the restaurant) menu…do consider a return visit. We love H&G’s desserts especially, we previously blogged about all of them here. http://momoandcoco.wordpress.com/2012/02/18/hare-and-grace/
    MoMo & Coco recently posted..Stokehouse

    Reply
    • Ms I-Hua says:
      April 14, 2012 at 2:27 PM

      If that was the case, silly them. Express lunches during MFWF should showcase the restaurants offerings, not the bars! But the desserts were truly amazing!

      Reply
  11. Daisy@Nevertoosweet says:
    April 14, 2012 at 3:11 AM

    Still upset that I missed the Express Lunches this year hahaha but thanks for giving honest reviews for so many of the participating restaurants ~ everything here looks AMAZING :) another place to put down on my ‘must’ go list hahaha
    Daisy@Nevertoosweet recently posted..Special Offer – Jam For Joe

    Reply
  12. Libby says:
    April 15, 2012 at 3:06 PM

    I want to go here! Food looks generally decent, though that salmon dish DOES look a tad awkward!
    Libby recently posted..Vivo La Vida

    Reply
  13. Agnes says:
    April 15, 2012 at 7:54 PM

    What’s that green stuff under the salmon? Wouldn’t it have been funny if it was peas (again) :p
    Agnes recently posted..Spoonbill at The Olsen Hotel

    Reply
  14. Ashley says:
    April 15, 2012 at 8:38 PM

    I can’t wait to try the actual ala carte menu myself! :)
    Ashley recently posted..The Duchess of Spotswood

    Reply

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