Nieuw Amsterdam

On a winter Monday night, we braved the cold and decided to try our luck here. Since it has opened it has become very popular in the Melbourne food scene and getting a table on Fridays and Saturdays can be a challenge. We were quite fortunate and were able to get a table with minimal wait. I was quite surprised to see so many dine there on a Monday night. There was a beautiful, casual ambiance to the restaurant, it felt like the perfect spot to 'catch up' with friends.

Being an American influenced eatery I couldn't pass the offer to try the chicken waffles. It came with pate, terrine and crispy chicken skin with orange sauce. It's all things bad for you but it was honestly delicious. The smoothness of the pate, with the crispiness of the chicken skin and that bit of tangy orange flavour. It was divine!

Broccoli and cheese profiteroles were something I have never tried before. The pockets of the pastry were filled with oozy cheese. The goat curd was delicate and not too overpowering, it went well with the broccoli sauce. It's very different from your typical appetizers.

For mains we got the Southern style pork belly chops. We were told that this was their signature dish. The pork belly was soft and full of fat with a crispy skin. Don't get it if you are on a diet. The layers of goodness comes with a lot of fat but otherwise, go wild!

Smoky beef brisket was another signature dish of theirs, the meat was juicy and just the right amount of smokiness. It wasn't outstanding but it was nice.

Final main we go to share was the Grit Fritters. These were sweetcorn fritters by name, but tasted more like sweetcorn gnocchi in flavour and texture. Topped with more sweetcorn, beetroot and cheese, I found myself really liking this dish. I love the light and sweetness the corn gave. This was my favourite, out of all the mains

For a side, we got the Dutch fries. The big potato chunks, came with a sriracha mayo as dipping sauce. If you like crispy, crunchy fries, I suggest you order a different side. This was a very heavy and big chip. I found it quite enjoyable but the party I was with, didn't agree with me. I liked the sriracha (chilli) mayo too, it inspired me to try making it at home.

Dessert, we couldn't decide so we got one of everything. 

Pumpkin doughnuts with bourbon cream didn't jump at me off the menu, but it did jump at me when I tasted it. The fluffy doughnut with the delight bourbon cream was a highlight. I never knew bourbon with cream could taste so good.

Chocolate delice reminded me of milo mousse with honeycomb. It was light and airy with a biscuit base and chunks of honeycomb.

Peanut butter waffle was served with raspberry sorbet and salted peanut caramel. It was as you would imagine it to be. Yes, it was very heavy, lucky we were sharing.

Lastly, there was the lemon mess. Lemonade granita, cream cheese sorbet and ginger crumble. Who knew they could work so well together. I just kept going back for more. It fresh and still creamy and a play on texture with the ginger crumble. Definitely recommend this.

If you don't plan to be as crazy as me and my friends (and maybe if there were less of you). I would pick the lemon mess and pumpkin doughnuts. Yum yum yum!

Overall 15.5/20 I was impressed overall. This is a place I would go back for another visit. There was a lovely atmosphere and the service was excellent, despite sitting in a corner, our waiter was attentive and friendly. If you were to come here make sure to book online via email, as we were told they don't attend to their phones very often.