Market Lane Bar – The Rialto

The Intercontinental is renowned for its great service and friendly staff. I had dined at the restaurant several years ago and food was divine. Thought the high tea would also be just as good, but sadly we were VERY disappointed!
We began our high tea at 2:30 and were greeted by a not so pleasant or friendly staff member (perhaps not impressed by having to work on christmas eve). We advised her that 3 out of the 4 of us ladies could not eat pork. That being said when our goodies came out they were dropped on the table and as we tucked away, we came upon a savoury dish which looked like it had bacon in it (baked eggs with asparagus). Sure enough when we enquired with the staff she confirmed it was bacon.
Secondly, half an hour into our seating she came over and rudely asked if we wanted to finish our food! The place was not even busy at all! To be completely honest i was already wanting to leave. The savoury items were bland and the desserts felt like you were tucking into a bowl of sugar! I definitely would not recommend this place to anyone!

Ladies who High Tea are out and about again! This time, though, there is a twist. We visited Market Lane Bar at the Intercontinental Hotel in Collins St for a High Coffee.
What is a High Coffee? You asked. Instead of daintily sipping tea, we get a potent Espresso Martini to start off with and a coffee to finish, and in between, of course a tiffin laden with sweet and savoury goodies to indulge.
Sounds like fun, until you are met with a less than cool reception, slow service and missed components of the high tea.
Our tiffin got plonked down with a «I suggest you eat the hot food first». No description of what’s on offer (and we didn’t get to see the menu beforehand either).
The hot food included a weird savoury muffin which tasted slightly spicy, a ham and asparagus quiche that I could make better myself and a really really nice beef & mushroom pie I could eat another five of.
The second layer includes some cold hard chicken baguette and smoked salmon bagel. There is also a hybrid cake/​bread thing with cheese (?) and intercontinental’s rooftop honey. This was quite nice and I wish they would give us more honey. That one small dollop made me sad :(
We moved onto the sweets and some palate cleanser and freshly baked scones were dumped onto us without much fanfare or introduction.
The palate cleanser was a raspberry sorbet that has been frozen worse than Elsa’s ice castle and it took a few stabs to chip some off the cup.
The scones, one was chocolate and the other, I since realised was honey, did not need the raspberry jam as it was sweet enough. I wish the waitress had told me what I was eating so I can adjust it to my taste. I love warmed scones and I love how they made it with chocolate but it certainly wasn’t the best I have tried.
As we finished our scones our waitress said that the place is closing soon as if to hurry us up. We haven’t even started our sweet selection yet!
We quickly had a few bites of each and let’s just say it wasn’t up to scratch. The blueberry cheesecake tasted powdery and the other desserts were nothing to write home about.
At the end I thought a coffee was included but they never came to take our order. In hindsight we should probably have questioned it, but I felt so rushed.
Then when the bill came, we almost had to do a song and dance for them to get their attention to take the bill away. $ 55 for such terrible service and mediocre food is just a waste of my time and calories.

While staying at the hotel, we decided to enjoy a couple of drinks before dinner.
Arriving, we sat down at one of the tables and were given a menu. After a while, the waitress came to take our order. We noticed many of the tables were dirty and hadn’t been cleaned from the afternoon tea trade.
I had a cucumber collins (Hendricks, cucumber, lime & ginger ale) which was really nice. After we finished our drinks, we sat, and sat, and sat. The tables were still dirty. Some patrons were chasing staff so they could pay the bill and as more people left, more dirty dishes piled up.
A new member of staff came on and he at least started clearing the tables.
I was then able to flag somebody down, order more drinks and move to a couch (which was now clean).
Overall, the drinks were really nice, but the service was lacking and the place was dirty so only 2 stars.

High Coffee is served daily from 2pm — 5pm, a take on High tea but with coffee and Melbourne’s signature drink, the Espresso Martini! What a way to kick off the afternoon.
The bar has a wide selection of spirits — unlike many hotel bars and is known for having one of Melbourne’s largest whisky selections — over 140! That’s a bit to get through.
Pop in for a taste of five star luxury and service, and to escape the crowds with a whisky by the modern fire place.

Market Lane Bar is nestled in right at the side of the realto, with a stylish outdoor area to compliment the indoor bar.
The venue caters to the professional crowd, and up-​market is a word I’d use to describe the ambiance. In the early evening city workers take up the space in their suits, sipping on happy hour wines and martini’s. Later in the evening a younger yet still sophisticated crowd moves in, and the two mix to create a classy, yet fresh environment.
The décor of the bar is modern with clean lines and a sense of class. It is a part of the Intercontinental Rialto Hotel, and stands in line with their brand of sophistication and style.
Between 2 – 5 pm on weekdays and on Saturdays, an afternoon tea is available, and a bar menu is available all day and into the evening. I havent eaten here mysepf, but the dishes that went by were very well presented. Cant comment on the taste though!
Whether you are looking a casual drink to catch up with friends, or a nice bar to spend your evening out, Market Lane Bar is a stylish yet casual place to do it.

This chic, contemporary and stylish bar in at the Intercontinental Hotel at the Rialto is worth a visit. It attracts mainly the corporate types, however it appeals to nearly everyone. You are meant to feel abundant and prosperous here. The ideal seating location are the couches with cushions, and expect slow but five-​star service. If you want a drink at the bar in a hurry, do not come here.
Naturally the drinks are well presented and the bar is inviting yet salivating if you are in the mood for a slow catch up over an alcoholic drink. Lemon, Lime and Bitters is so not in vogue here.
The best time to come to Market Lane Bar (as I did) is during happy work on weekdays (particularly on a Wednesday) between 6pm-​7pm where popular wine items are only $ 5 a glass. The Cabernet Sauvignon was great to drink for a change, and is enough to knock you out if you are feeling tired. The drink was served in a unusual circular shaped glass which is part of the elegance and upmarket relevance of this establishment. The question is would I come back? Yes I would. Drinking from such glasses will take a bit of time to adjust to drinking from.