Let me be honest. We weren’t really prepared when we arrived in Melbourne for my Husband’s birthday. We arrived there with no concrete plans of where to go and eat. We arrived with no reservations to any restaurants!! (I know, que horror!) We had inklings, we had ideas, but nothing definite. However, one thing was clear: we hoped to eat good food while we were there.
maze Grill was just the second option to have my Husband’s birthday lunch but it turned out to be the best gastronomical experience we’ve had on the trip. One that I could call a happy accident. I booked lunch at maze Grill a day before and we were lucky to get a table.
Our reservation was at 12:30 but arrived 30 minutes early. We were prepared to wait at the bar or lobby (they had this posh waiting area for customers) but the friendly staff told us it was fine and accommodated us to our table right away.
Gordon Ramsay’s maze in Melbourne is actually two restaurants–one is maze and the other one is maze Grill. maze is a fusion of French and Australian cuisines while maze Grill offers sizzling meat and fish hot off the char grill presented on custom made Australian timber boards.
Stylish interiors and high ceilings were the first two things that I noticed. Although it may seem a little on the formal side, it is actually not. Smart casual is an acceptable attire for lunch at maze Grill.
An open kitchen located at the far end of the restaurant. We can see the chefs cooking our food.
maze Grill offers private dining areas for guests who prefer seclusion while dining. There are only three of this intimate areas so be sure to book beforehand.
Our choice of drinks: white wine for the Mr and orange juice for the Mrs.
We were served Rosemary bread and butter. Very flavourful bread.
For starters, we had Crispy soft shell crab with Harrissa mayonnaise. This was my first time to try Harrissa mayo and I loved it. The soft shell crab was crunchy and fresh.
For our salad, we chose the Watermelon, Feta and Avocado Salad with lime dressing. Refreshing. I never knew that combining three of my favorites, watermelon, feta and avocado, can be this delicious.
The Husband’s main course was the maze Grill burger with a siding of beetroot, avocado and tomato. Perfectly grilled and very juicy on the inside. The best burger we’ve tasted. We noticed a lot of guests ordered this burger and once we’ve tasted how good it was, we knew why.
What’s a burger without French fries?
Whole-grilled Poussin with Lemon and Harissa was a delight to the senses. I smelled it even before it arrived on our table. The combined fragrance of grilled chicken with the hint of spice, cinnamon and lemon wafted through the air, I almost tasted it. Truly an unforgettable gastronomical experience right there and then. And the taste? Chicken heaven inside my mouth. The poussin was tender, juicy and flavourful. Simply a beautiful dish.
There’s not much room left in our tummy but I insisted we at least share a dessert. We ordered Mini Profiteroles with Ice Cream and Chocolate Syrup. In Australia, we call them Profiteroles but in other countries, they are called Cream Puffs.
I was amused with the presentation of this dish. The ice cream was sandwiched between six mini profiteroles. It looked so cute! The profiteroles tasted a bit bland but the ice cream and chocolate syrup made up for the sweetness I hoped for.
I paired our dessert with Peppermint Tea to help in digesting all the great food we ate and enjoyed so much!
Our lunch took two hours….two wonderful hours. We almost forgot about the time. There’s nothing like savouring food and cherishing every moment of a gastronomical indulgence.
I’m grateful for the staff of maze Grill for their hospitality and I commend their chefs for all the beautiful, delicious food they served us. They made my Husband’s birthday celebration a very happy one.
maze Grill Melbourne
Level 1, Crown Metropol
Corner of Whiteman and Clarendon Streets,
Southbank, Victoria 3006
For online reservations, please click here.
A Wife’s Charmed Life visited maze Grill as an anonymous guest on 17 September 2010.
