28 June 2014

it rolled in like a wave

Third Wave on UrbanspoonMy blog that I am oh so fond of has been dormant for nearly a year. It’s funny how life can get frantic and busy and you forget about the things that you are passionate about and enjoy. Finally, here it is - a post that has allowed me to rediscover my passion and hopefully will be the start of more posts to come.

Third Wave http://thirdwavecafe.com.au/prahran/index.php
- 30 Cato Street, Prahran 3181
- Dining at dinner time
- Party of two

A café by day with a very extensive breakfast menu, but by night Third Wave has American BBQ offerings available. Tucked away around the corner from the busy Chapel Street, this would be a choice that does not disappoint. One thing’s for certain, you must bring your appetite as the servings are generous and there are many mouth watering choices on offer. The staff provided impeccable service and are on hand to offer advice or help with the menu. The restaurant was busy, as you would expect on a Friday night in Melbourne, however patrons did have to be turned away so booking is recommended. One thing to be careful of - there are two ‘Third Wave’ cafes in Melbourne (the other in Port Melbourne), so make sure you go to the right one as we did see one unlucky patron turn up at the wrong one. So here goes, the long list of dishes we ordered- yes only for two!


Lamb Shoulder
This dish is described on as “tender and full of flavour”. It is beautifully presented accompanied with two dipping sauces. It was tender. It did have flavour. However it disappointed as it was just that little bit too dry.

Pork Ribs
The star of the night has to go the pork ribs. Described as “melt-in-your-mouth”, these did not disappoint one bit. They were juicy and flavoursome served with two different BBQ sauces. This dish is a must-order if dining at Third Wave.

The Reuben Sandwich
I did not want to leave without trying their slow smoked beef brisket, so what better way to try it than in the Third Wave Reuben Sandwich. The beef had the same danger as the lamb as being a bit too dry however nestled in between Swiss cheese, coleslaw, house made zesty BBQ sauce, layers of pickle and toasted Rye, this decadent sandwich brought the goods. It was delicious and went perfectly with they crispy beer battered chips.

On The Side
There were nine side dishes to choose from on the continued theme of an extensive menu. After some deliberation, we chose three.

The Smoked Mac and Cheese. Mac and Cheese seems to be appearing on many menus around Melbourne. This one had a twist, it was smoked. Perhaps I am a traditionalist but if I had the choice, I’d choose the original ‘mac n cheese’. The Pancetta Peas was our second option, I was sold when it stated on the menu that it is great with all meats especially the lamb. The peas are sautéed in butter with onions and pancetta and complimented with fresh mint. A delicious side for those wanting some green on their plate. And for some more greenery, we chose the Georgian salad which was a mixture of five herbs (coriander, dill, mint, basil and parsley), tomatoes, cucumbers and red onions. It is dressed simply in red wine vinegar and olive oil. This salad is a stunner. Light, fresh and perfect with the rest of our oh so indulgent meal.

To complete our evening we further indulged in dessert. With a variety of options, we decided on the Pecan pie with vanilla ice cream and espresso cream. Served warm, the pie was delicious however the star of the plate was the espresso cream. Super rich and creamy, it truly complimented the pie. Secondly, the caramelized bananas served with a nut crumble and ice cream. The bananas were silky smooth along with the creamy ice cream and the crunchy nut crumble, this dessert is a winner.

After leaving with a very full and satisfied belly, I realised I didn’t choose anything from Thrid Wave’s extensive Paleo menu. That just means I will be back soon to try, and I may just have to order those pork ribs again too.