Doot Doot Doot 166 Balnarring Road, Merricks North, Victoria 3926

"Creative dishes with nice wine pairing. Impeccable service. Just a bit lost to find the entrance from the cat park in the dark but a friendly staff showed me the way."

"One of the must try regional restaurants people always talk about. First thing - what a ceiling! It dims and glows through the night. Food is pretty good (given the price too - very reasonable cost for a "degustation"). More like a tasting menu to be honest. Nothing really stood out per se, but definitely worth a try if you wanted a night away and some fine dining! Breakfast from here was great as well (nothing brunch fancy but simple and delicious)"

"Why isn't this a 3 hatted restaurant? The food is innovative and delicious. The staff efficient knowledgeable and unobtrusive but ever present. The decor memorable... a must try on the Penninsula."

"Visiting Doot Doot Doot was a bit like seeing the Mona Lisa for us. You try hard to get in, but when you are there you ask, “Is that it? Is that all there is to it?” I should have known. Expectations kill happiness. And our expectations for Doot Doot Doot had been riding high for some time, bolstered by our lack of fate to align our stars with their booking calendar, and friends’ recommendations. When our stars did finally align, I was intrigued by the promise of “yesterday’s bread”, “golden mussels and Foie gras” and “hot and cold tea”. What we did get was a bit of fluffy theatrics feebly cradling a largely one-dimensional palate. Consider the golden mussels. An entrance calculated to wow, the dish arrived as a golden package submerged in a sea of Foie gras foam. But dissect the dish and the awe factor fades away. A dumpling skin the size of a saucer, tinted gold, loosely covering three mussels like a roof over their heads. Together with the foamy Foie gras, the palate was heavy on the salt. This tendency towards the salty was observed on many dishes. “Hot and cold” jasmine tea from the garden. On the rim of the cup, a lone sunflower petal to drink the tea from. We did not get those tactile sensations. But there was a subtle note of sweetness at the first sip through the petal, quickly missed if you were not paying attention and are not a tea or wine geek (which is frankly, most of us, me included). The saving grace of the evening — wagyu steak. This was cooked to a perfect tender texture. A little salty, but my tongue welcomed the pairing with the earthy nuttiness of the broad beans. For want of word space here, head to our “Story Highlights” on our Instagram food blog (IG handle: chufoodieadventures) if you want more about each dish. So was Doot Doot Doot worth the visit? Most of the food did not agree with our tastebuds. Perhaps if we had a saltier palate and lower expectations we would have enjoyed the meal better. The wine list, while extensive, had a level of markup not matched by the level of service from the wine staff. For all that hype it may be hard to book a spot at this place, but we do not think you are missing much."

"Let's start with the service! All the staff are friendly, professional and knowledgeable! Very attentive and able to help us guide us with the order. Food is absolutely amazing!! Everything was so delicious. Especially the lobster!!! It is to die for!! The ambiance and decor is very very nice. Definitely the place to be for any occasion!"