Vault Cafe Bar Restaurant
13 Ballarat Street, Yarraville
03 8592 6993
Modern Australian
$$$
Food
- Aged Cheddar & Spinach Balls Crusted In Crispy Noodles
- Crispy Skin Salmon With Crispy Shallots Salad, Olive And Fetta Tapenade, Mango And Sesame Seed Salsa
- Grain Fed Scotch Fillet, Sweet Potato Fries, Asparagus, Tiger Prawn With Bearnaise Sauce
- Prawn And Chorizo Linguini
- Grilled Lam Culets With Baby Spinach, Broad Bean And Baby Beetroot Salad
- Moroccan Calamari
- Chocolate Volcano Cake
- Sticky Date Pudding
- Apple Crumble Pie
- Cheesecake With Raspberry Sauce
- Tim Tam Supershake
The Good
The Aged Cheddar and Spinach balls crusted in Crispy Noodles were definitely a pleasant surprise given the unconventional mix of ingredients. Biting open the crispy and crunchy outer ball of fried noodles revealed a flavoursome mixture of light ricotta cheese and aromatic spinach. Combined with the sweet chilli sauce, this unconventional combination of ingredients and flavours worked surprisingly well and proved to be a welcome addition to their new menu.
The standout for me though were the Grilled Lamb Cutlets. Nicely charred, the succulent cutlets exhibited great flavour and texture despite being fully cooked. Eaten along with the fresh and bold salad consisting of sun dried tomatoes that were bursting with flavour and an abundance of goats cheese, this salad was a healthy option that surely didn't disappoint. I also particularly enjoyed the crispy skin chats served on the side. These potatoes were fried to perfection, crunchy and airy whilst being lightly seasoned.
Their Prawn and Chorizo Linguini also proved to be rather delicious. With the finely cut pasta cooked just right, on the softer side of al dante, this pasta dish was already off to a good start. Finishdd with the tomato-based sauce that was bursting with flavour and a great amount of chilli, the abundance of meaty, slightly charred chorizo and whole heirloom tomatoes added further flavour to this unapologetically bold pasta dish and the result was an exceedingly palatable main that quickly disappeared into everyone's tummies.
Their Crispy Skin Salmon must be one of the most unique and beautifully presented dish I've ever come across. Precariously perched on top of the thick fillet was an olive and fetta tapenade that was apologetically bold in olive aromas. Destroying this beautiful work of art and cutting open the salmon revealed pink, juicy protein that's hidden underneath the thin salmon skin cooked to a perfect crisp. While the mango and sesame salsa was undoubtedly pleasant and tasty, the flavours didn't quite work when combined with the salmon. For this beautifully plated work of art, I'd suggest tackling each component separately - akin to having all three courses on one plate.
We were very pleasantly surprised by the desserts and it was a stunning end to an already tasty meal. Served warm, the Chocolate Volcano Cake had a nice crusty outer that enclosed a exceptionally soft and melted centre core that literally flowed out like lava. The chocolate was rich and bold, providing a nice balance in flavour when eaten with the ice cream.
As recommended by Sebastian, our waiter with an ever infectious smile, the Apple Crumble was a must try, and I was not disappointed. Coarse, crunchy bits of crumble topped the humongous piece of pie that was loaded with beautifully cooked chunks of soft, melt-in-your-mouth apple. Heated up once again, this was no ordinary apple pie and was a thoroughly enticing dessert.
As if dessert wasn't enough, we polished off the meal with a huge, fully loaded Tim Tam Supershake. Wit actual chunks of Tim Tams on top, this shake was rich in chocolate flavour and jammed with ice cream within. Not only did it look exceptionally tasty, it definitely tasted as good as it looks too!
The Mediocre
Despite being cooked to a medium rare, the Scotch Fillet proved to be a worthy adversary to our knives, and undoubtedly our jaws. While this was a juicy and flavourful steak, full of quality beef aroma, the protein was disappointingly chewy and tough. The sides though definitely saved the day, with a beautifully flavoured bearnaise sauce that was well complemented by sweet potato fries an an amazingly fresh and lightly grilled tiger prawn.
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
With a new executive chef at the helm, it is clear that Vault has turned a new leaf as the food we sampled tonight bears no resemblance to what's been described by past reviewers.
The great quality food, coupled with the warm service, suffice to say that we left full and extremely satisfied, especially after those gluttonous desserts.
Would Penguin Eat Again?
Definitely. Vault provides a tasty, modern twist to traditional comfort foods, and I'd undoubtedly be back to feast on those sinful desserts here on a nice summer evening on their beautiful patio outside.
I'd like to thank Vault for their invitation to sample the new menu developed by their new, highly experienced chef.