ezard has definitely got to be one of my favourite restaurants in Melbourne. I love the style of food presented at this contemporary Mod Oz restaurant and every dish is always a delight to look at and consume. I recently visited ezard before heading off to see Wicked at the Regent and was lucky enough to sample the pre-theatre menu and a couple of glasses of excellent wine to match.

The pre-theatre menu starts off with a beautiful light course of kingfish sashimi. It is served thinly sliced, layered with a small quantity of creamy sesame custard and a julienne of fresh pears. The plate is finished with a lime dressing and some droplets of sticky caramel. Delightful textures and pretty as a picture. I can't complain about this course.


The next course is this stunning presentation of wild mushroom tortelli. The single pasta cylinder rests upon a rectangle of sweet wagyu salami and the construction is completed with a soft herb salad and a crisp deep fried lotus root chip. The smell is amazing as the dish is finished with real truffle oil and an intense mushroom jus. The pasta is perfect. When broken into a filling of finely diced mushrooms is revealed and together with the truffle oil and salad elements it really is a delight to eat.


The main course presentation is the sichuan peppered duck. Served with a slight pinkness the meat is perfectly tender and has beautifully rendered skin. The accompaniments are some wok-tossed silkmelon, an amazing coconut rice that I probably enjoy a little too much and its all finished with a sweet, sticky coconut and tumeric dressing. The dish has not changed a lot over the past few years, but like a couple of the other menu stalwarts it has been tweaked a little to remain interesting.


The series ends with a light dessert option. A sphere of refreshing granny smith apple sorbet with some apple crisps and a gingerbread crunch crumbled around the plate. A nice way to cleanse the palette and end an excellent meal.


The pre-theatre menu at ezard regularly changes and costs $65 for four courses, which represents fair value. The courses are degustation sized as opposed to what you may receive if you order a la carte and you will consequently leave satisfied, rather than stuffed. All done with impeccable timing as well leaving you with plenty of time to get you to your show.

ezard reamins one of my favourite places to eat. The service is amongst the best in the business, the food is creative and original and the experience is one which I always thoroughly enjoy. Quite possibly my favourite restaurant in Melbourne. Consistently excellent.

MY RATING: 18/20 - Food 9/10 Service 4.5/5 Ambience 4.5/5 - Hard to fault in almost any aspect. Definitely one of Melbourne's best.

Ezard has previously been comprehensively reviewed by Melbourne Foodie here

Labels: Ezard, REVIEWS: Fine Dining