Barrio - Ivanhoe - review

Name: Barrio
 
Address:77 Upper Heidelberg Road
Ivanhoe VIC 3079
(03) 9499 9907

Food: Mediterranean, Enlish
Average price: Entree: $11.90-$19, Mains: $24-$34, Dessert: $10-$15

Complimentary: A slice of bread.

We ordered:
Starter: Mediterranean tasting plate - a selection of house made appetisers, with grilled chorizo, roasted pepper and onion salad,  white fish ceviche, spiced chicken bisteeya - $17.9

The spiced chicken bisteeya very nice but the fallafel a little burnt on the outside.

Mains:  Pumpkin gnocchi with sage burnt butter sauce, marinated goats cheese and rocket - $25

The gnocchi was wonderfully soft but quite sweet. I would have liked more goats cheese to add saltiness and creamyness to cut through the sage oil as well. But all in all, it was a nice dish.

Twice cooked western plains pork belly 'feijoada' style, chorizo and beans, boneless rib on portuguese bbq sauce, sweet carrot, mint and cabbage salad - $29

Mr.M (formerly known as R) thought it was ok.

400g hereford prime m.s.a. grade rib eye, char-grilled with potato puree, glazed shallots and red wine jus  - $34

Both D & A enjoyed this. Large enough to share.

Sides: Rocket, pear & parmesan salad - $7

Simple, but well dressed, would have liked a greater percentage of pear and parmesan though.

French fries - $7 

Desserts: Trifle, seasonal fruit, vanilla sponge, crème patissiere, jelly and crushed meringue - $14

A & K enjoyed this.

Soft-centred chocolate pudding with vanilla bean ice cream, caramel sauce - $14

This was a great pudding; perfectly molten on the inside with a nice chocolate depth. The ice cream was a little too subtle on the vanilla but nicely creamy. The caramel sauce wasn't dark enough and therefore more like sugar syrup.

Rocky road ice cream sandwich - vanilla ice cream sandwiched between chocolate biscuit, home-made marshmallow, cherry, and almond praline - $14

D liked this.

Cost: $218.80 for two starters, 4 mains, 2 sides & 4 desserts.

Service: Not great. Our glasses remained empty for long periods of time and our dirty plates were left on the table too long.

Atmosphere: Typical modern. Set within an old fire station the decor was neutral with some leather booths and black chandeliers to accent. We were in a small side room that made us feel a little disconnected from the main room which had a more lively atmosphere.

Parking: Ample - decent amount of street carparking, as well as a Safeway carpark across the road.

Website: http://www.barriorestaurant.com.au/

Hours: Tue-Sat 12pm-3pm, 5:30pm-10:30pm; Sun 9:30am-3pm

Would I return: Yes.