The Butchers Bench Restaurant Shines in Glen Waverley
The Butchers Bench is a popular restaurant in Glen Waverley and The World Loves Melbourne was invited along to experience this produce and meat driven restaurant. Like all good meat-oriented restaurants there are excellent non-meat options as well; it's a destination that specialises but has broad appeal. The Butchers Bench at Novotel Glen Waverley has unveiled a fresh, exciting new menu featuring a wide selection of the regions finest quality meats and seasonal Victorian produce.
If you're looking for excellent restaurants in the eastern suburbs The Butchers Bench is a highly rewarding experience. House made bread to start our meal. Check out the beers and the wine list; affordable and excellent range. Service throughout our meal was excellent; friendly, attentive and engaging with apt dish suggestions and recommendations.
Taking on the food philosophy ‘less is more’, the restaurant’s Executive Chef Ross Chapman believes in maintaining the integrity of produce at all costs. ‘It’s all about taste, ensuring each dish delivers a punch of flavour, texture and colour to satisfy our customers,’ says Chapman.
The restaurant’s rustic Australian paddock to plate menu features signature grill dishes including a 400gm flank steak with Chimichurri, a 300gm MSA rib eye on the bone and a Surf & Turf New York steak with grilled garlic prawns and crispy soft shell crab. This was a favourite dish of ours; satisfying the desire for excellently cooked seafood and meat all at once. All are served with a variety of homemade sauces and sides including heirloom baby carrots and steak chips (couldn't get enough).
We enjoyed the touch of butchers paper; staff stamp each strip of paper with the logo each day. We did make a mess on our butchers paper and the kids drew sketches on it, but that's what it's all about! Family friendly!
We also opted for the 2 day marinated smoky Beef short ribs & Jack Daniel's Whiskey sauce and the Crispy Calamari with Szechuan ground spices and citrus aioli (two serves of each between four of us). The Beef short ribs were a highlight; thick melt in your mouth ribs with a sticky glaze. Calamari were also cooked perfectly and crispy with excellent seasoning; for some reason I always enjoy calamari together with chips. There courses are well presented, and as smaller plate dishes they verge on mains. Dishes can be eaten individually but we found we were able to share all dishes on the night.
The locals and corporates love The Butchers Bench with excellent attendance during the week and peak on weekends. It's a convivial atmosphere in the heart of Glen Waverley.
The 300gm 100 day grain fed finished Riverine beef sirloin with mash side and salad was top notch! Juicy with slight char cooked medium rare; how we like it.
Diners can also enjoy a selection of lighter mains such as Miso marinated salmon with pea puree and zucchini threads or green tea smoked duck breast with roasted baby beets, hazelnut crumb and a raspberry glaze. Herb roasted field mushrooms stuffed with truffled polenta, parsnip puree, pickled cauliflower, Persian feta & shaved beets are also a menu favourite.
The BB Platter is another first class dish, decadent and indulgent, with beef rib, lamb ribs, and slow roasted coffee spiced brisket. Melt in your mouth all the way.
When it comes to dessert, the black sesame meringue, lemon curd, puffed wild rice and ginger crumb with raspberry dust is well worth the indulgence.
Originally from the UK, Executive Chef Ross Chapman has worked at a number of Michelin Star restaurants led by high profile chefs such as Gary Rhodes, Phil Vickery and Robert Clayton. After moving to Perth in 1999 he worked for the Duxton Hotel and Ascot Racecourse where he was appointed his first Head Chef role at the age of 25. Ross spent three years in the Maldives running a 5-star resort with multiple restaurants before returning to Australia as Executive Chef of Novotel Glen Waverley.
He brings with him a wealth of knowledge and a passion for the Melbourne food scene that drives and excites the entire team.
The Butchers Bench is located at 285 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley and is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Highly recommended.