Mr Burberry, of course, was still celebrating his 30th months after he actually turned 30 but we weren’t really complaining. He picked Imbue in Maribrynong since it was local for the girlies and I would be at the parentals that night. It does get quite busy so make sure you make a booking (we missed out last time). There are few parking spots in the carpark but they do get full real quick so your best bet is to park in Aldi’s carpark. Now back to the venue, it’s dim, it’s comfy and it looks a touch fancy. The staff are really friendly and treats every customer that walks in like they’re a long time friend.
This is Mr Burberry’s second time here and he suggested that we get the majority of the entrees since that was what impressed him last. The three cheese croquettes were creamy and yep, cheesy. Definitely for the cheese lovers out there.
Three Cheese Croquettes – $12
Mozzarella, parmesan, cheddar
The roasted button mushrooms were the BOMB. Garlic-y and truffle-y, they were magnificent!
Roasted Button Mushrooms – $15
Confit garlic, white truffle paste
A recommended dish is the whipped feta with honeycomb and dukkah crostini. Sweet, salty and a little crunchy, it was a winner on the table. The chicken liver parfait unfortunately did not do well on the table. It was a touch grainy and had an aftertaste which we weren’t all fond of which was a shame. Not something I would get again when I come back.
Whipped Feta – $11
Honeycomb, dukkah crostini
Chicken Liver Parfait – $16
Snow pea sprouts, pickles, pomegranate
The grilled octopus was bursting with flavour and had a little spiciness to it from the sriracha mayo. The raw tuna was fresh and mixed with ponzu and chili, gave it a nice refreshing kick.
Grilled Octopus – $22
Sriracha mayo, pickled cucumber, bonito
Raw Tuna – $22
Ponzu, spring onion, chili, rice crisps
The seared scallops with cauliflower puree were fantastic. The scallops were so plump and juicy, the puree was sweet and smooth and the pancetta gave it a nice saltiness flavour. Loved it!
Seared Harvey Scallops – $24
Cauliflower puree, pancetta
Now onto the fried dishes, the fried soft shell crab and the fried chicken. Unfortunately, I found the soft shell crab to be quite oily and there was so much batter on it that I couldn’t really taste the crab which was a shame. The fried chicken, on the other hand, was so juicy and the sticky fish sauce gave it the umami that punches you in the face. Definitely my type of fried chicken!
Fried Soft Shell Crab – $22
Apple, kimchi, mayo, lemon
Fried Chicken – $15
Sticky fish sauce, chili, fried shallots, spring onion
To finish off the night we got the sticky date pudding. The salted caramel sauce was absolutely effing-fantastic. It was smooth, it was rich, it was like I could just swim in this sauce forever. The sticky date needed a touch more date and it came out super warm, just the way it should be. The only downside, there wasn’t enough sauce for the pudding and we found it to be a touch dry.
Sticky Date Pudding – $11
Salted caramel, vanilla ice cream
The service here was amazeballs and the staff are so friendly and attentive, there were a lot of amazing dishes including the whipped feta and the roasted mushrooms. However, I would stay away from the chicken liver parfait (it could just be me though). Definitely grab one of everything on the entree menu and you will not be disappointed or leave hungry. Imbue, we’ll defs be back.
Verdict: π·π·π·π·
Food: π·π·π·π·
Service: π·π·π·π·π·
Value: π·π·π·π·π·
2/419 Gordon St, Maribyrnong VIC 3032
Tel: (03) 9318 8866
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