Nora

This dinner was so much fun! The staff were great. Excellent, attentive service, but not intrusive or overly formal. The food was so creative and fun. Not to mention delicious! Thai-inspired fine dining that really worked. Again and again I was shocked by unusual sounding flavour combinations that actually worked. This place really blew me away. Something completely different from the usual fine dining scene. I would definitely recommend!

I was given a voucher to eat at Nora for my birthday and, having never heard of the place, was a little skeptical. 2 hours and 12 courses later, I can safely say Nora is unbelievable. Courses included a mix of rice, meat, fish and sweets - all of which were very interesting. Foods you'd expect to be very savoury were sweet and vice versa. Get ready for an experience! The service is excellent too.

Like Thomas Harris's Red Dragon, Nora has undergone a transformation. From the cosy café, it has now transformed into one of Melbourne's best fine dining destination. In a city that is saturated with amazing eateries, it takes something special for a new restaurant to stand out, and Nora does just that. The venue is very intimate, seating fewer than 20 diners. Everyone gets the set menu, which has to start at the same time. You will understand why that is the case as the courses start to come out. More than a meal, we were treated to an experience. One where every detail has been carefully and artfully thought of and put together. The blurb on their website claims that Nora offers Thai food, that has been pulled apart and put back together. And, in many ways, that was what we were treated to. Classic Thai ingredients, traditional cooking techniques and the flavours we all associate with Thai food, just not the way we expect it to look. At Nora, not everything is what it seems, or maybe I should say, NOTHING is what it seems. The most amazing part of the experience is the surprise element, so I don't want to give away too much of the menu. The dishes are innovative and yet pay tribute to Thai cuisine in every way. Every dish was delicious, finding that sweet spot where flavours and aesthetics meet. Every course has been given a name, which is just as whimsical as the food being served. Some examples are "Tagliatelle of Oyster Not Oyster", "Too many Italians and only one Asian" and the pick of the lot, “Daft Punk is playing in my mouth”. The service was exceptional and our waiter was very passionate about the restaurant and the food being served. They have a very small team at Nora and every member of that team was busy at work that night. Overall, this was one of the best experiences we've ever had in a restaurant, anywhere in the world. For a bit of local perspective, Nora is right up there with Attica and Brae as Australia's best. We will definitely be coming back here. Little tip: pay attention to the music. Restroom review: Simple but clean.

COME HERE FOR the smoked pork hock (winter camp fire). Absolutely loved it - flavourful pork which is amplified by the cauli. Very refined. Definitely more to Nora than their famous baked goods. Food and menu ahead of it's time in Melbourne, still finding its niche BUT only filter coffee is served. Menu is small, quirky and can be a little intimidating for the uninitiated OVERALL a lovely unique cafe in Melbourne. With an open mind, you’ll love it as much as I did