Ettamogah Grill
23-29 Bourke Street, Melbourne
03 9037 4583
Australian
$$$
Food
- Wagyu Steak Tartare
- Skull Island Grilled King Prawns
- Rack of Lamb with Potato and Rosemary Rosti
- Humpty Doo Barramundi Fillet
- Duck Fat Potatoes
- Macaroni and Cheese with Truffle Oil
- Vanilla Panna Cotta
- Dark Chocolate Parfait with Peanut Butter Cream
The Good
It was a pleasant start to our meal the Steak Tartare and Grilled King Prawns. Made with a fresh mince made of grass fed Wagyu, the tartare was incredibly fresh and full of flavour thanks to the aptly fatty blend. This was well accompanied by a runny egg yolk that offered up a pleasant creaminess, while the lightly toasted slices of bread provided a slight crunch.
The Grilled King Prawns were rather delicious. Cooked just so, peeling away the rather heavily charred outer reveals a crunchy and juicy inner that inherited an amazing charcoal flavour that was complemented by lovely prawn juices. Served on a bed of fresh greens, smashed ago and crunchy sweet corn, the flavours just worked so incredibly well together!
Our mains consisted of a Rack of Lamb and Barramundi Fillet. The lamb rack was beautifully presented, it’s charred outer offered up a crunchy experience that led to an incredibly tasty inner that was cooked just perfectly. The still-red protein was succulent, so tender and just bursting with flavour. This was served with a bold mushroom? And red wine jus, as well as a textured potato rosti. Our only gripe with the dish was that the charring felt a tad overdone, which made for a slight bitterness throughout.
The barramundi was also pleasant, though felt more pedestrian in comparison. The fillet was soft yet form, with delicate and tender protein that was juicy, perfectly cooked and wrapped by a crispy skin. This was served with a generous helping of crunchy cauliflower capers and a flavoursome seafood bisque. A light yet tasty dish that’s perfect for any seafood lover.
We concluded the evening with a suitably jiggly and silky smooth Panna Cotta, served with a sinfully sweet syrup and poached peaches. The highlight though, must be the Chocolate Parfait. The parfait was just delightful, just dense enough with a beautiful chocolate flavour and well balanced in sweetness. Coupled with just a divine peanut butter cream that was both nutty and creamy, this was one hell of a dessert that kept us wanting for more!
The Mediocre
Our sides didn’t quite excite our tastebuds like the mains. The Truffle Mac and Cheese could’ve definitely done with a lot more cheese and truffle to bring out the flavour, while the Duck Fat Fried Potatoes needed more crunch and didn’t quite had the richness of duck fat we were looking for.
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
Offering a laid-back environment, Ettamogah brings the old-school Australian pub to the 21st century. Combining modern interpretations with traditional pub fare with simple yet well executed dishes like the Lamb Rack and Pan Fried Barramundi yielded satisfying and impressive results. Coupled with such indulgent desserts to pair and an extensive drinks list, you’d be hard pressed to decide what to choose for your next meal!
Would Penguin Eat Again?
Sure. We’d love to be back for more of that perfectly grilled lamb please!
Penguineats would like to thank Ettamogah for inviting us.