Church St Enoteca @ Richmond, Melbourne

Despite the rather old rustic appearance outside, inside, is a different story... Beautifully decorated with very interesting vintage posters..

The menu, presented elegantly in a rich black.

Inside, a mysterious and delicious array of dishes.. first up, bread! When you're at this place, do not worry about calories and just enjoy.. the bread was so tasty.. soft inside.. well seasoned on the outside.. absolutely gorgeous.

Next up, entrees.. Snapper and Crayfish Tortellini, AUD  24/32... honestly, I thought it was OKAY.. beautifully presented, nothing great. but loved the small tomatoes that was served with it.. sweet and well cooked.

Snapper and Crayfish Tortellini, AUD 24/32

Next up, what I would call a pleasant surprise.. Hiramasa Kingfish Crudo, AUD 22,  so wonderfully fresh, sweet, tangy, all the amazing sensations in one bite.. tingling my taste buds..  the red onion and scallop salsa, pepperonata, micro leaves and green tomato jelly was indeed beautiful.

Hiramasa Kingfish Crudo, AUD 22

This is Carne Cruda, AUD 21 , grass fed eye fillet, served with an egg yolk emulsion, fried capers, onion rings, parmesan tuille and topped with truffle oil..In my opinion, one or few mouthfuls of this was sufficient.. think the fact that it was raw overwhelmed me after awhile.. eat the components all together and embrace for an interesting delight.

Carne Cruda, AUD 21

Then, it was time for mains.. Umbrain Style Three Layer Pork, AUD 37, served with fava beans, cannelloni beans, fresh herbs and grated pecorino.. This was a tad on the salty side, but the menu did say salted pork! .. the skin was quite chewy.. it was pleasant  but not great. 

This is the steak of the day, char grilled, 500 g.. WOW, don't be deceive by the picture, its actually really big!! meat was juicy.. cooked to perfection I would say, worth it!

Steak of the day (Approx AUD 42)

This main dish was the best of the night.. lamb racks on a bed of well crusted polenta... its tasty. served really hot, from a pan.. the accompaniments were seasoned to perfection.. literally melts in my mouth. LOVE this gorgeous dish!.. .

Lamb racks.. (AUD 38)

Oh ya, I had to order a side of fries.. LOVE my CHIPS. haha.. just look at that seasoning.. definitely fulfilled my carbohydrate intake for the day!

Fries (AUD 7)

Then comes dessert.. no dinner is complete without dessert. Banana, Chocolate, Hazelnut (AUD 17) comes with brown butter ice cream.. This was a chocolate lover's dream.. so chocolate-y and sweet with the nuts cutting through the sweetness.. its a dream. 

Banana, Chocolate, Hazelnut (AUD 17)

Then, tiramisu.. I gotta have tiramisu (AUD 17) everywhere I go if they have it.. especially when it comes with an added treat - DOUGHTNUTS ! This is heavenly.. absolute bliss I would say. The creaminess of it all and the perfectly balanced taste of cheese and coffee.. no complains.

Tiramisu, Coffee and Doughnuts (AUD 17)

And of course, Church st Enoteca's version of  vanilla custard and caramel ice cream AUD 17, presented elegantly.. the cream was so soft, smooth and just a pleasure to eat.

Custard with Ice cream (AUD 17)

And a white chocolate cheesecake.. what can I say, chocolate and cheese .. both my favourite.

White Chocolate Cheese cake (AUD 17)

And a warm custard tart.. This was so pleasant.. and filled with love.. I just kept saying 'mmmm'.. the pine nuts was a beautiful touch.. pastry was baked to brown and golden.. YUMMY. NOM NOM.

Warm custard tart (AUD 17)

Lastly, I apologise for how YELLOW the pictures are..no idea how I edited these pictures but its a complete disaster. forgive me.. but trust me, the food taste better than it looks!

Verdict: A delightful dinner with wonderful company.. some main dishes weren't a wow factor. but desserts and entrees.. everything was just so good. Definitely coming back to try their set lunch menus and of course, have more dessert! Check out more here http://www.churchstenoteca.com.au/menu/dolci.

Ambience: 8/10

Price: 7/10

Service: 7/10

Food: 8/10

Overall ratings: 8/10

Address: 527 Church St, Richmond VIC 3121

Contact number: (03) 9428 7898

Opening hours:

Sunday, Closed

Mon -Fri, 12 - 3 pm and 6 - 10 pm

Saturday: 6 - 10 pm