There's no denying that eating your way through Melbourne's ace restaurant scene can take you from richer to poorer in no time at all. Luckily the gang at Ides are here to ensure your fancy winter dining quota won't break the bank, and they're making fine dining a lot more accessible into the bargain.
Chef Peter Gunn is getting creative in the kitchen and you can eat the results every week from Tuesday to Thursday for only $60. When you consider that four courses at Ides usually costs you $90 a pop, and the full experience is $160, this is a stone cold bargain. Plus each week is themed around a certain ingredient so you can become a frequent diner and never eat the same thing twice.
The Winter Sample Table menu this week features chestnuts; on Jun 19-21 it'll be cheese; and from the 26th to the 28th it's all about grilled food. There will also be weeks focussing on truffles, free range pork, celeriac, sancho pepper and one week dedicated to desserts.
The sample menus will run alongside the standard Ides menu, so if you want to opt in for some experimental dining you'll need to book online or call the restaurant to lock down what has to be the fanciest affordable date night in town.
Want more bang for you buck? Try these cheap hacks for fancy Melbourne restaurants.