On a beautiful Autumn Sunday in Melbourne, I had the chance to taste test Taxi Kitchen's
Feed Me Lunch menu.
Located on Level 1 of
Transport in
Federation Square this is a great place to meet your friends and enjoy the fantastic views of the Yarra River, St Kilda Road, and Southgate with great food and drinks.
Taxi Kitchen team – photo courtesy of Taxi Kitchen
The team at Taxi Kitchen have curated a tantalising lunch menu for only $45 per person which is available every day between 12pm to 3pm. It's fresh, it's zingy, and it's the perfect opportunity to grab your friends, a date, or your visiting interstate work colleagues for lunch, in a light-filled and spacious environment, and enjoy a delicious array of small and large sharing plates.
Classic Martini - Shaken or Stirred? - photo courtesy of Taxi Kitchen
Taxi Kitchen also offers an extensive range of cocktails, sodas, sake, beer, and wines from across Victoria and the globe to whet your appetite and make a toast to foodie heaven! On arrival, our wonderful host Innis, explains how the
Feed Me Lunch menu works – 'choose 3 small plates and 1 large plate to share'. Now, you think that is straightforward – however, with the array of sumptuous offerings – the challenge is real!
We ordered a series of recommended plates, and here is our gastronomic journey. (Warning: you will be hungry).
First up, we were served the K-Pop which is a shot of zingy warm miso broth also known as 'Korean celebration broth'. It's a 'palate awakener' with gentle fire elements to warm your Qi (chee) which shoots straight to the back of your throat. Now, I am not normally tolerant of chilli, but this was pleasantly zesty, zingy, and warming.
Hiramasa Kingfish Sashimi – photo courtesy of Taxi Kitchen
Our 'feast' of small plates began with the
Hiramasa Kingfish Sashimi. This dish features a fresh and delicate combination of lemongrass and kaffir lime flavours (ie. like ceviche) with the crispy texture of coconut ice and puffed rice (amaranth) balanced with a subtle chilli unction (oil). The Kingfish was mouth-watering with a tangy vibe and balanced with the soft and sweet crunchiness of the coconut ice and amaranth.
Delectable!
Tempura bug tails with yuzu aioli and sesame – photo courtesy of Taxi Kitchen
Our next small plate was the
Tempura bug tails with yuzu aioli with sesame. This is 'melt-in-your-mouth tempura and the bug tails are perfectly tender (not chewy) and seasoned with nori dust. The yuzu aioli is garnished with sesame seeds flavoured with wasabi, yuzu, and sour plum.
Delightfully smooth and light this dish perfectly complemented the sashimi and readied our palate for the next small plate instalment.
Candy pork belly with pickled papaya salad and red chilli dressing
Like a divine offering the
Candy pork belly, pickled papaya salad, and red chilli dressing was delivered to our table.
Decadent.
Fresh mint and coriander tones complement this sweet and jammy rich pork belly pillow.
To die for!
Larger plates - Roasted eggplant, charred broccolini, chickpea, miso, furikake
The
Roasted eggplant, charred broccolini, chickpea, miso, furikake arrived as our larger plate. The softness of the eggplant with the gentle crunch of popped chickpeas and puffed rice make this dish a lovely main or a great accompaniment to your meal. Gently slide your fork through the hummus and swoop up the chickpeas into your mouth for an earthy and nutty sensation.
Absolutely gorgeous – as a sharing dish or as a main course.
Whole market fish, cripsy kale, charred okra, kimchi butter
Whole market fish, crispy kale, charred okra, kimchi butter
Even though my lunch date and I were satiated from our sharing plates – we could not resist the
Whole market fish, served on the bone, nduja XO, garlic shoots which is not part of the $45 Feed Me Lunch menu. However, our gastronomic curiosity was piqued when our host advised it was 1.3kg Rock Flathead from Coronet Bay on the Bass Coast of Victoria. Local produce – we love it!
Executive Chef Tony Twitchett and team – photo courtesy of Taxi Kitchen
My dear readers – the rest is history. I suggest you find 3 hours in your day to experience this delicious
Feed Me Lunch sharing menu. There is no pressure to turn tables at Taxi Kitchen like other places which offer 'express lunch' menus. This is lunch at your own pace.
The service is poised and seamless to meet your time requirements, which makes it very easy to relax and savour the cuisine. You can also have a decent conversation, as the music is 'ambient', which is important when choosing a place to and catch up with your friends for a good old yarn.
Enjoy!
