Bress is an organic and biodynamic wine and cider provedore. They are located in Harcourt, about a half hour before Bendigo.
The vineyard itself has a modest bluestone cellar door where you can order lunch and taste the range. They have available red, white and sparkling wines to sample but I think the standouts are the ciders (yep, cider). Winemaking is a popular Australian hobby but it's rare to find any of them making cider and Bress make two that can substitute for champagne. The staff were friendly, family-folk who trusted me enough to serve myself during the tasting, winking that I looked like I would do the right thing. It's this good-humored familiarity that was endearing and made you feel comfortable about being there.
When I was sampling the wine, my wife took our son to see the wildlife. They have turkeys, chickens, ducks and geese which entertained our little toddler to no end. So, there's fun for the whole family. They also have wood-fired pizzas but alas, no coffee.
If you're ever on your way through the centre of Victoria and want to sample some local vinuous/cider fare, Bress is an experience worth savoring.

Approximate cost: $Wine Bottles start at $20

The trip to Montsalvat was another of our usual day trips. We wanted to look at this artists' community plus, eat at the cafe and look around the grounds.
Montsalvat is set in Eltham, so think bushland, trees and hills. The old building is grand and dining outside is a treat. We had nice sunny weather and our little boy was able to walk around and wonder at the roaming peacock.
The cafe has a foodie reputation, meaning large plates and small, small, small meals. You need to order a few things if hungry. While I thought that the food was inventive, it didn't quite gel. There are better meals but the setting isn't as quaint.
After our meal, we thought of looking through the grounds but thought better of it after seeing the admission prices. In the end, we're glad about visiting but the food was so-so and the price of entry is just a little too high.

Approximate cost: $50+

My work lobbed me off to a conference about a month ago and it was held at the Cleveland Winery. It's a function/conference centre located in rural north west Victoria.
The location is a mish-mash of country charm and urban comfort - modern accommodation is seamlessly matched with the frames of old farm buildings. There were little pocket gardens with herbs, lavender and roses as well as free wi-fi (!). When I arrived early in the morning, you could hear the bleating of their sheep out in the paddocks. They also had alpacas, bulls and other livestock as well as a few vines to add to the charm.
The service was very good; wait staff made sure you were appropriately nourished without being intrusive. It was a pity that the food was terrible. I suppose function food is never anything to write home about but the meals were over-cooked (I had a tough as nails steak one evening) or just had no flavor. I was there for three days and by the end, I was happy to eat just roast potato.
So, all in all, it's a scenic place with great staff. It just has to pick up its kitchen and this would be an amazing place for a conference/function.

One quiet Sunday afternoon, we decided to take the little kiddo out for a drive. We needed somewhere slightly woodsy and far enough for a toddler to doze a little bit. We ended up in Red Hill, home of undulating ... erm... hills and a winery or three. Rather than roll into one of the well populated cellar doors, we saw the sign and drove into Red Hill Brewery.
The first impression of a farm converted into a restaurant with someone tinkering with how to make beer in the barn. It's pleasant and the dining room is covered from the direct elements but open enough to allow fresh air in. It's like a big veranda, where customers can just look out as they eat, what's described on the menu, as some very fine food.
Our first bonus was that they immediately gave us a high chair and a little basket of toys to keep junior occupied. Following that, they suggested some mouth-watering meals that was paired off with one of their signature beers. If we didn't quite believe the matching, we were free to sample their brews at the bar.
We both took turns sampling and my wife ordered the pork belly (paired with their wheat beer) and I asked for the steak sandwich (matched with their scotch ale) - the little boy had fries (go figure).
This is where things went awry. It took them nearly 40minutes to get our orders to us and even then, the food was cold. At this stage, we were too hungry to get them to warm it up for us. We devoured the food. It was scrumptious, even cold. Our main gripe was that despite all the accolades, how could they forget to serve guests on time? It would have been an amazing meal but as it was, just left us incredibly let down. Pity.

Approximate cost: $25

To celebrate our third year anniversary, I decided to surprise my wife and eat somewhere unusual, yet exemplary. Enter Tempura Hajime. This little restaurant (it seats 12) is tucked away amongst the concrete and corporate of Park St, South Melbourne. Finding it is difficult because there are no signs, just a brown wooden door with a little window. Looking in, you can see a small wooden plaque and a logo.
You enter into a small waiting room as the staff ease you into the dining room. The food is exemplary. The chef cooks in front of you, deep frying pieces of prawn, eggplant, fish and sweet potato behind a shield. Eating amongst strangers is unusual at first but the chef is accommodating and keeps an eye on how you're going. At one stage, my wife thought she could eat no more and he quickly mentions that there are only two dishes left, "Could she make it?". It's such great service and amazingly fresh seafood. There's even sufficient mouth-cleansers (melon wine with soda water served in a shot glass with a bolt of ice) to help you going.
Best get in while you can, because word is that the owner is looking to get back to Japan.

Approximate cost: $76

Macs have this wonderful cult following. They warrant a price premium because they do most things better than the alternatives. When it comes to replacing peripherals, it can get pricey.
When my power adapter conked out, I went to the My Mac store in Melbourne. It's centrally located and close to my office. The staff there were quite keen to help me. I brought my machine in and hooked it up to the in-store adapters to make sure I didn't have a hardware problem. When that was sorted, I went to the checkout to pay. That was when I found out that they charged a higher price than if I went to the online Apple Store! Prices are high enough but I didn't feel that they could charge an even higher price. I left without it, called another store (who charged the same price as Apple online), bought it from them.
I'm not sure why they needed to be more expensive than they needed to be.

Approximate cost: $129

For my birthday, my wife booked lunch at the Studley Park Boathouse after reading a review. We were also glad to hear that they were also willing to accommodate our thirteen month old. When we arrived the service was courteous and seeing that we had a child, quickly gave us menus, knowing that we didn't really have much time. I ordered the poached sole and my wife had the salmon with a shared seafood entree.
When the food came, I think the chef was trying to be overly ornate. The entree was ambitious - too many flavors, too many textures. It felt like s/he was trying to show off all his/her skills in a single dish. Our mains weren't any simpler. My poached sole looked like it was a fillet covered in damp newspaper surrounded by cold cubes of panacotta, served over a bed of shredded mango, cucumber and sweet chili sauce. You get the idea - too much soft, crunchy, spicy, creamy being blended together. My wife's salmon was served over a gooey risotto that was both over and undercooked - the odor carried a hint of charred rice, like it was left too long on the stove but had far too much texture to be cooked sufficiently.
We left our meals half eaten and raided the pantry when we got home. Pity because the restaurant has a great view.

Approximate cost: $30+

Out 4 Thai has tapped into a great market in Cheltenham, that of great quality, good value food. This relatively new establishment is always busy; good decor and friendly staff make the visit always pleasant. The fact that they differ from the run of the mill fish and chip, pizza and roasted chicken places in the neighborhood mean they have a small advantage in being different and interesting. A good place to get a meal, to have in or take away.

A weekend drive to the Dandenongs usually involves passing through Olinda. In the heart of it all is Pie in the Sky, a modest cafe/restaurant specializing in ... pies! We got there on a slightly chilly February afternoon and a pie was perfect to warm the insides. The restaurant was full with many other eager day-trippers looking to sample the goods. Although the line for tables was long, it took only ten minutes or so for us to get seated (including baby and high chair).
We ordered pie floaters and they weren't too bad. The pea mush was a tad bland but the pies were crispy and luscious. Nice middle-market fare and tasty on a cold day.

After reading a review in The Age, we thought it would be great for a little weekend trip. On arrival, the service was prompt. Coffee orders quickly taken as well as our little lunchtime temptations. That's when things started to slide. The coffee, while pleasant, was not made to urban specifications.
After waiting another fifteen minutes, the waitress comes back and tell us that one of the dishes we wanted was sold out and if we could quickly make another choice. Soon after, it became apparent that nobody was getting served any food. A table to ten next to us only had drinks; a further walk around the venue revealed very few people having meals (although one of the wait staff was in a corner tucking into a salad!). We knew then that we weren't going to be fed today.
We went to the counter and paid for coffee. They tried to charge us for meals but we mentioned that we never got that far. The guy at the register then openly berated the other wait-staff, accusing them of having a mother's group and inferred that they were responsible for not only us leaving but a bunch of other peopl. Odd that he does this given that they actually don't do any of the cooking.
All's the pity. It was a nice venue and could have been fun. I don't know why he didn't offer us something (a cookie, a free coffee) to have while we toured the grounds until he could fix up our meals. Pity.