Eat. @ The Boulevard

3 Studley Park Rd, Kew ph : (03) 9852 8144

We had quite a lovely dinner out, just Hubby and I, at The Boulevard in Kew the other night.  I'd never heard of the restaurant but decided to give it a go, as Scoopon had a $49 offer for dinner for 2 (my first every Scoopon!).  I was a little apprehensive about the process, but from booking to ordering to paying, the whole thing went very smoothly and we were pleasantly surprised by how well the meal went.  The most difficult thing was getting there as my GPS sent me all over the place, but a phone call to The Boulevard was a great help, and we found that fellow diners also had trouble finding this little restaurant located in Yarra Bend Park when we got there eventually.

The deal included 2 entrees, 2 mains and a bottle of wine to be shared by 2 diners.  Being non-drinkers, we paid for some soft drinks while we perused the menu.

I chose the Sashimi of Ocean Trout on fresh cucumber with wasabi gastrique, slow roasted cherry tomatoes and marinated eggplant. ($18.5)  A fairly interesting fusion dish.  The accompaniments went well together with the trout.  I've only ever had sashimi served in a chunk at one other place (Tao's in Bulleen) but that wasn't an issue really.  The Trout was very pleasant, my only gripe being a small bone I found half way through!

Hubby had Sticky glazed Pork Spareribs in honey, soy, star anise with pickled apple, parsnip and watercress. ($17) Again a fusion dish, the spareribs were succulent and soft, if not a bit heavy due to the fat content.

For mains I chose the Braised Gippsland Beef Cheek on a potato and parsnip puree with a salad of raspberry pickled beetroot, parsley and raisins.  ($36) A good main dish, lovely and comforting on a cold wintery evening. 

Hubby had the Gourmet Boulevard Beef Burger, with slow roasted tomatoes, pickled cucumber, aged cheddar and garlic aioli served with roasted potatoes and tomato relish. ($25)  Yes, a "gourmet" version of burgers and chips best eaten with hands rather than fork and knife.  (Trush Hubby to chose this!)  Again, pleasant enough without being a star.

We had the opportunity to dine without the kidlets that evening, and it was very pleasant.  I noted that there was a table with an incredibly well behaviour 3 year-old-or-so little boy, and also a few other tables with older children.  None of the patrons were bothered by the kids and there were plenty of other couples out for their "romantic" evening out, aided by their scoopons.  For $49 this was a very lovely meal for 2, and while the food is not top-notch fine dining standards, nonetheless it made for a very pleasant and inexpensive night out.

The Boulevard is also a function venue, as well as a kid-friendly place for breakfast, which we must try out at some stage! 

Toilets - Yes