HOT: Ezard, Adelphi Hotel, 187 Flinders Lane, Melbourne 3000

It seems that the GFC really has hit the fine dining scene in Melbourne, as even two-hatted Ezard is offering a discount voucher in the Entertainment Book this year.

Not one to pass up an opportunity to get a discount on very good food, I suggested that we take RM's uncle Ian out to dinner as a thank you for letting us camp out at his house while our rental nightmares got sorted out.

The service in the dimly lit narrow underground restaurant was impeccable from the start and the wait staff were all dressed stylishly in slim Prada (or Prada-esque) suits. Without too much thought, we decided to splash out on the 8 course tasting menu ($135), starting with a wasabi and sake oyster shooter that required a Heimlich manoeuvre and ending with a classic Chinese style roast duck. On the way, we veered from Japanese to Italian to Thai, with my highlight being the crab wonton resting in a pool of fragrant coconut and lemongrass laksa and sprinkled with tiny pops of wasabi beads and finger limes.

(Unfortunately I can't share any photos to accompany this post, as my official photographer thought that it'd be daggy to take a camera to such a salubrious establishment.)