Food Fable

Easy Tiger

2011-08-12T15:29:00.000+10:00

Two months in and it has hit me. I hate Winter! It happens every year. At first I think 'oh the beautiful roasts and toasty fires, it will be so cosy' and then all of the sudden I have had enough. The cold weather, the flu, the potato, pasta and more potato...

Last night my neighbours Kate and Ausma and I decided to escape our babies and escape Winter, if only for a few hours. Our little holiday in our own city took us to Easy Tiger. Easy Tiger is a modern Asian diner on my favourite street for eating, Smith Street in Collingwood.

Other reviews I have read mention a lack of seating and as we hadn't made a reservation, I was concerned we wouldn't get a table, alas when we arrived it looked full but then the friendly guy at the door led us through the restaurant and into the toasty warm oasis that is the courtyard. The courtyard immediately transports you to Thailand with the bamboo, bonzai and a woodfire.

Now that I was on holiday, chilled sake in hand, it was meal time. Did someone say Son in Law Eggs? Everything on the menu sounds so delicious you really have no other choice than to share in order to taste as many dishes as you can.

We started with the delicious Son in Law eggs followed by mains of sweet pork, mandarin and cashew salad with lemongrass, coriander and mint, red curry of roasted duck with mangosteen and baby corn, steamed snapper in lemongrass & ginger broth with snake beans & roasted eschallots. The pork salad was my favourite with beautifully balanced flavours of sweet pork and sour dressing it was a perfect accompaniment to the curry which was a lot heavier with richer flavours. The steamed snapper was divine.

Easy Tiger isn't cheap, but it isn't overly priced just don't go expecting the same prices as your local Thai restaurant. The quality of the food and the service is spot on. The street food ranges from $4 to $15 and mains range from $25 to $35 dollars. We drank Payten Vignerons Pinot Noir at $48 with our mains. This was the cheapest red wine on the menu and worked very well with the food that we ordered so don't be afraid to order the cheapest wine on this occasion.

So, if you are a fan of Gingerboy and Longrain, you will soon become a fan of Easy Tiger. The only thing I would change would be to offer a few cheaper wines on the menu.

I will be back at Easy Tiger soon, it is too good to stay away. Next time I will take Nick because I think he could probably do with a little holiday too.

Danish Hot Dog and Chunky Monkey Milkshake.

2011-07-11T22:08:00.008+10:00

Ola,

Foodfables' horribly talented brother here with a slightly American inspired update. Our little sister has just spent five days in New York before heading to Berlin to visit some old friends which has made me incredibly jealous. Now, I have never been to America - I am desperate to visit - but like many, their culture has impregnated itself upon my psyche.

As a kid I used to love watching films like Back to the Future, The Little Rascals and The Sandlot Kids and for some reason watching these films always reminds me of Hot Dogs and Milkshakes. So what happened when I decided to watch Porkys with a giant hangover on Saturday morning? Hot Dogs and Milkshakes.

Because I have never been to the U.S. I decided that I ought not attempt a traditional American Hot Dog through fear of offending an American reader - especially considering the many regional variations they seem to have.

I have spent time in Denmark though - and when it comes to Hot Dogs, the Danes have got it down to a fine art. After a few months in the beautiful town of Viborg when I was in my late teens, I had conquered heavy drinking, precision fluid movement (hydraulics) and Hot Dogs. Many, many Hot Dogs.

In town was the one and only Pølsevogn (Sausage Wagon) and memories of walking the beautiful cobbled streets while nursing a hangover brought on by a rabid determination to out drink every Dane in Viborg towards the waiting embrace of those Dogs will be with me forever.

On Saturday, I made my own.

Danish Hot Dogs can almost be made using only store bought but that's no fun.

First up is pickled Cucumber.

4 Thinly sliced Lebanese Cucumbers

500ml Apple Cider Vinegar

1/2 Cup Raw Sugar

A Dozen whole Black Peppercorns

2 Bay Leaves

1 1/2 tsp Salt

Put everything but the Cucumber in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for a further 5 minutes. While this is happening place the sliced Cucumber into a very, very clean jar. Take the mixture off the heat and pour into the jar. Throw the lid on, give it a shake and put it in the fridge. Best bet is to leave it in the fridge for an hour or so before you use it.

Next is the all important crispy fried Shallots. The Danes use Onions, I like shallots.

12 Shallots, halved and sliced

Plenty of Olive or Canola Oil

2 tbsp Maple Syrup

Dash of Vanilla essence

Put Shallots in a shallow pan and make sure they are well spread out, fill the pan with enough oil to just cover the shallots. Place the pan on medium heat and add Maple Syrup and Vanilla essence. Stir slowly. It should take around fifteen minutes to heat the oil enough to begin browning your shallots (I like to take my time rather than just deep frying the lot.) Once the begin to brown be careful not to let them burn. Scoop your shallots out and place on a paper towel to crisp up nicely.

Finally, its time for the Hot Dogs. Now, I am not going to give you an amount for these ingredients. I don't know how many you want. You have just made enough fried Shallots and Pickles for a lot.

Viennese Sausage

Dinner Rolls - nice little ones - you want the sausage to extend quite a way beyond each side of the rolls

Pickles

Crispy Onions

Condiments:

Remoulade - Bearnaise or Tartar are great too

Tomato Chutney

Mustard - French is best

Anything else that you like. I also used hot Ajvar.

Slowly fry up the sausage in a lightly oiled pan. Heat the dinner rolls in the oven until golden brown. Place your sausage in a bun and serve with condiments, pickles and Shallots.

Last but not least. Chunky Monkey Milkshake!

3 Scoops of Ice Cream

1/2 Banana chopped

1 tbsp Chocolate Sauce - or Melted chocolate if you can be bothered.

1 tbsp Grated Chocolate

1 Shot Espresso

1/3 Cup Milk

Combine and Blend.

Pop some whipped cream on top if you feel like a delicious heart attack.

See you next week. xoxot

Jamaican Goat Tajine

2011-07-04T21:15:00.002+10:00

Ola.

Foodfables' incredibly rugged but still sweetly sensitive brother here again with what I will try - and almost certainly fail - to make my regular Monday night post for the foodfable blog.

I spent most of last weekend in the kitchen in a futile attempt to mark my territory and reassert myself as the alpha male in the house. This chest beating exercise was brought by my parents moving into my house for two weeks while their renovations stride the last legs of their six month marathon.

Now, besides the negatives that this arrangement brought on - including a rather uncomfortable encounter involving a member of the opposite sex - there were some real pluses having them here. The most obvious being a much needed boost to my kitchen stocks.

Tonight I would like to share my Jamaican Jerk Tajine with Goat. Yes, strange I know but trust me. Lets start with the marinade.

1 Chopped Onion

1/2 Spring Onion

2 Chopped Chillies - if you are anything like me and love a bit of heat.

3 tbsp Soy Sauce

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

2 tsp Thyme

2 tsp Raw Sugar

1 tsp Allspice - important

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Pepper

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Crushed Cloves

Dash of Hot Sauce - I like lemon pepper hot sauce

Now the hard part. Blend, add to 1 kilogram of cubed Goat and leave to marinate overnight in the fridge.

Now onto the Tajine. It really isn't important to get this absolutely perfect in terms of quantities just use what you like. But here is a bit of a guide.

1 Banana sliced thinly lengthwise

1 Cup Kidney Beans

1/2 Pineapple Chopped roughly

1/2 Coconut sliced thinly

1 tsp Tamarind

1 tsp sliced Ginger

Toss the lot into the Tajine along with your very lovely smelling marinated Goat and put it in the oven at 140 - 150 degrees for four hours.

Serve with a little Guacamole and a slice of Lemon.

I am sorry I don't have a photo but next time I make one I will put it on. Next week perhaps I will go out for some dinner and let you know how it goes.

Guest Recipe - Rabbit Stew by Tom

2011-06-28T07:47:00.000+10:00

Ola.

I am foodfables' prettier, less talented brother and I have been asked to share with you one of my latest exploits in the kitchen.

It has been so cold of late that I have resorted to beating skyrocketing gas prices by using my oven as a heater. I decided that I ought put something in it at the same time and what better than my new cast iron crock pot filled with delicious Rabbit Stew.

Now this was my first attempt at Rabbit Stew - or even stew in general - so what I would like to do is give you the recipe for what I did on a wing and a prayer and a couple of ideas for what I would do next time.

Ingredients:

1 Farmed Rabbit, jointed (your butcher can do this for you if you flutter your eyelashes in just the right way)

2 Onions, quartered

I would use 6 shallots next time

2 Carrots, chopped

1 Turnip, chopped

2-3 Sticks of Celery, chopped

40 Grams Butter

Water

1 Decent splash of Oil

Half a bottle of Red (Shiraz)

3 Cloves of Garlic

1/4 Cup of Flour

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

1/2 Teaspoon ground Cloves

1/4 Cup of chopped Parsley

6 Button Mushrooms, sliced

Pre-heat your oven to 180

Season your flour with Salt, Pepper and Cloves and lightly coat the Rabbit, I use farmed rabbits because they are bigger and less gamey than wild rabbit.

Put the butter and oil into a nice big frying pan at a decent heat. Add the jointed Rabbit and quickly brown off and place into your crock pot.

Put your Carrots, Turnip, Garlic and Celery into the same pan and cook until onions have began to soften. Add this to the crock pot and give it a bit of a stir.

De-glaze the pan with Red Wine and pour into the crock pot. I used water to cover the rest of the veggies and just cover the rabbit. If I was you, I would use half chicken stock and half water or for a really rich stew, use only stock.

Place the crock pot in the oven for the next hour and a half with the lid on. Remove the lid, add button mushrooms and parsley give it a nice stir and let it spend the next half an hour with the lid off to help it reduce.

Serve on a bed of mash (No, I will not write a recipe for mashed potato) and garnish with some parsley.

If you have more time cook at 160 for three or four hours in total for rabbit that is almost falling off the bone.

Next up if you are lucky is my Saturday Jamaican Jerk Tajine from a very hearty weekend that started with a failed Osso Bucco and ended with a Sunday Slow-roasted Eye Fillet.

Perfect Drop - Daylesford

2011-06-27T11:04:00.000+10:00

Country Victoria is really giving us City Slickers a run for our money and a Perfect Drop in Daylesford is probably the best example of this that I have recently come across.

The three of us have just returned from another fantastic eating fuelled weekend in Daylesford this time joined by Chloe, Tony and Tigi's best little buddy, Max.

The hosts at A Perfect Drop are down to earth, warm and welcoming and make us feel very much at home considering we are wielding two prams containing a couple of very bubbly babies. We are given our own little dining room in the restaurant with a roaring fire and lots of space ensuring we don't spend our whole lunch worrying about disrupting other diners meals. Our host brings us some toys for the babes and more importantly the wine list and menus for us adults (Hmm adult! Is that what I am now?

The dishes can be shared or not...and what I was most impressed with was that I actually walked away feeling as though this meal was worth the money because of the passion and effort put into each dish and also because the prices are reasonable and the portions are generous.

The crew at Perfect Drop pride themselves on sourcing and showcasing local produce and they have definitely achieved this as you will see in my pictures below.

Beef brisket with hamine egg

White anchovies and boiled quail egg on toast, micro herbs

Potato salad with dried beef and poached egg

Slow roasted suckling pig

Baharat spiced crumbed venison and venison sausages, Dutch cream and celeriac mash, local chestnuts and shallot

Chocolate brownie with halva ice-cream and persian fairy floss

Creme Brulee

Well it is obvious that this place is a winner so all I can say to wrap up todays post is that I know there are a lot of good restaurants and cafes to choose from in Daylesford but please, for your taste buds sake dont miss Perfect Drop!

Eat Drink Man Woman

2011-06-21T22:54:00.002+10:00

Since Tigi has been born it has been hard for Nick and I to find time to enjoy each others company without distraction (not that we would wish for it to be any other way!), therefore I have recently introduced, Sexy Night. Sexy Night occurs once a week and starts with a couples workout with our personal trainer, Margie at Vibes fitness and is followed by a nice dinner somewhere on Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. Usually we reward ourselves with a pasta at Mario's but tonight I thought we would try Eat Drink Man Woman.

I am so excited to be living in Collingwood at the moment because I only need to step out the door and I discover a new restaurant opening at least once a month around here.

It is getting late so just a quick review but I wanted to do it whilst it was fresh in my mind.

The place looks amazing, so stylish, I love the blue tiles and the long marble bar that stretches the length of the restaurant and is so wide it acts as both a benchtop for the chefs to cook and a bar for patrons to eat whilst they watch their next cours cook in front of them.

We ate beautiful, tender, char-grilled octopus with potato and green olives to start followed by a delicious serve on beef ribs with a luscious, thick barbecue sauce and a half a juicy char-grilled chicken with smoked pimento, and preserved lemon served with a shared side of Vietnamese coleslaw. Everything was delicious and highly recommended.

The service was perfect and the wine list is uncomplicated and well thought out. Prices are very reasonable, For dinner you are looking at around $15 for an entrée around $23 for a main an $5 for a side. I would recommend getting one side each as I didn't want to share the Vietnamese coleslaw.

The breakfast menu and bar snacks also look really appetising but I haven't tried them yet.

Eating at Eat Drink Man Woman made me very proud to be a Melbournian!

Address: 413 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy

Phone: (03) 9419 0088

Fully Licensed

Bookings: Yes

Apple Tea Cake. Like Your Grandma Used To Make!

2011-06-21T22:24:00.000+10:00

I have been trying to get this recipe right for a while now and this is as close as I have come. There is nothing like a slice of Apple Tea Cake with a cup of tea on a cold Winters Day.

I used to make this with my Nan when I was a kid and I think we sprinkled raw sugar on top with cinnamon and nutmeg but I have changed it up a little because I think the recipe calls for a little extra moisture, which is why I have added the sugar syrup.

The cake I have made in the picture doesn't have enough apple on top this is because I only had one apple left in my fruit bowl.

I think this is a really good recipe for kids and I hope that Tigi helps me make the next one, instead of just banging the wooden spoon on the benchtop.

INGREDIENTS

110g butter
1/3 cup castor sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 large egg
1¼ cups self raising flour
1/3 cup milk
2 peeled apples, thinly sliced
melted butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon icing sugar

2 dessert spoons of orange juice

1 tablespoon of boiling water

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180°C.

I use my Kitchen Aid (you can use beaters or a hand whisk, if you are strong) to cream the butter and sugar then once smooth add the egg and vanilla essence, and beat until combined.

Double sift the flour and add to mixture with milk. Beat until combined.

Grease and line a round 20cm tin with baking paper.

Arrange thinly sliced pieces of apple on top of the poured cake mixture, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with half the cinnamon.

Place in the middle shelf of the oven at 180°C. Bake for around 30-35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Combine 1 tablespoon of icing sugar with 2 dessert spoons of of warmed orange juice and 1 dessert spoons of hot water. Skewer little holes in the cake and pour sugar syrup over the top. Allow the cake to stand for 10minutes before serving sprinkled with a dash more sugar and cinnamon.

Food Fables New Direction

2011-05-23T09:30:00.000+10:00

Sorry I haven't been in action over the last few months. I have been busy looking after my beautiful baby girl, Tigi. Since Tigi's birth, I have eaten at a number of great restaurants and have also had a number of dissapointing meals but there will be more on this later.

I have decided that an easy way to regularly keep this blog happening now that I am a Mum and don't have as much time to eat out or sit at my computer is to write about the meals I have been cooking since becoming a stay at home Mum.

Some days there will be recipes, others there will be pics. Occasionally it will be a dinner party, a new delicatessen or product or simply something interesting I have decided to cook for Tigi or a special meal for Nick who has been working so hard lately and deserves to come home to a beautiful dinner.

I will be using this blog as a diary of our families daily food journeys together.

Naked for Satan

2010-09-13T11:45:00.001+10:00

A Pintxos and Vodka bar reminiscent of a modernised version of what one might find trawling the old town of San Sebastian in Spain has landed with a very welcome thud in my stomping ground of Fitzroy and I couldn't be happier.

Having just finished lugging my fat pregnant stomach around Rose Street Market my brother Tom, Nick and I decided to stroll down and check out Naked for Satan. I had my fingers crossed that it would be good because I have been dying for someone to finally open a pintxos bar in Melbourne.

It is a really interesting space with copper vodka distillers and hand crafted lighting working to create a really inviting, warm atmosphere. Also I am completely obsessed with copper at the moment and have bought quite a few interesting pieces at the markets so it is nice to feel as though I am on trend.

The cold pintxos is served on the bar and regularly replenished to ensure freshness and variety. All pintxos is two dollars each and payment is based on an honour system. It works like this, you pick up a plate and a pair of tongs and choose from the many bite sized offerings available, you can go back as often as you like just ensure that you keep your toothpicks as these will be counted at the end of your meal and added to the bill. Hot pintxos will be bought around by one of the friendly staff at regular intervals.

Of the cold pintxos we enjoyed the rice balls served on cream cheese spread with a red pepper sauce, the jamon served simply on bread was another favourite as was the pickled anchovy, olive and guindilla. From the hot offerings we enjoyed the crumbed sardines and the veal both served on a slice of soft white baguette, yummy!

Naked for Satan is as much about the drinking as it is about the food. There are some great flavoured vodkas on offer and I had a sip of my brother Tom's cider and it was really tasty, not too sweet which I usually find ciders to be. I will be back to try the wine as soon as this bubba arrives in the next few weeks as it looks like they have an interesting variety on offer.

Everything I ate whilst very simply constructed was beautiful and fresh and certainly not boring, the quality of the ingredients is there and I think that these guys have got a very strong business model.

I am looking forward to when they open the Japanese inspired rooftop tapas bar and restaurant next year.

Address: 285 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy

Phone: 03 9416 2238

Bookings: It's more like a bar just arrive and try your luck. A great lunchtime option also

Open: Lunch and Dinner 7 days

Licensed: Fully

Proud Mary

2010-07-21T14:43:00.001+10:00

Nick and I visited Proud Mary, tucked away on Oxford Street in Collingwood about a week ago for breakfast with Sam and Roni, back from Berlin. Most of the reviews I have read commented on the fantastic coffee so I wasn't sure what to expect food wise but sitting at our communal table, reading the menu I think I may have scared off the couple sitting next to us as I must have been salivating at the mouth.
The menu has a good balance of sweet and savoury breakfast options. I don't usually go for the sweeter dishes but on this occasion I couldn't decide between the coconut porridge with caramalised banana and the avocado on toast with roast tomato salsa and pesto so Nick and I came to the agreement that we would order one of each and swap breakfast half way through and I think this was definitely the best idea as both dishes were equally delicious. Sam and Roni ordered poached eggs with most of the extras which I can't comment on as unfortunately am still unable to eat runny yoke due to being pregnant but the curly sausage tasted great. God I can't wait to eat a boiled egg with soldiers!

The coffee which I didn't order myself (I ordered the Chilli Hot Chocolate which was good and spicy....) but did taste was creamy and smooth and a real experience as I have never had coffee like it. I think I am starting to understand Melbourne's obsession with coffee. The only other place that I have had such a pleasurable coffee is Gertrude Street Enoteca.

The Lunch menu looked equally appetising with dishes such as Pork Belly Sandwich and Lamb Shanks which I will definitely be back to try if I can get past the breakfast menu.

The Gem

2010-06-10T09:45:00.000+10:00

The Gem is only a very short stroll from our house. So short in fact that I can imagine some nights will be spent crawling home after a few too many!

As the name would suggest it is a gem of a find at the quiet end of Wellington Street in Collingwood near Alexandra Parade. This pub is oldschool and I love it! It is not a designer pub it is a fantastic local where you would feel comfortable popping in for a quick bite and a pot or spending the day drinking with friends and listening to live music.

One friday evening a couple of weeks ago Nick, Tom Bro and I ventured to The Gem for a little bit of live music a meal and an after work tipple (for them, not pregnant me). I ordered the Brazillian Fish Stew, Nick enjoyed a steak and Tommy the Morrocan Veg Tagine. All meals were very satisfying and affordable my fish stew was the best and I can't wait to eat it again.

The band playing had a bit of a Rockabilly vibe and made meal feel like I was somewhere in the Wild Wild West I only wish I could remember what they were called.

We took the inlaws Max and Wayne for a roast lunch the following Sunday and at $18.00 it was a good roast with the obligatory Yorkshire pudding and a healthy serving of gravy, I would have liked a few more roast potatoes but that is only a small gripe. Wayne had the Berkshire sausages on mash and they too looked really good.

This is a great pub for a winter warmer. If you are looking for something a bit different I think they do a $15.00 roo night on Wednesdays which I haven't tried but looks interesting and I am sure wouldn't dissapoint.

The Gem
Address: 289 Wellington Street, Collingwood VIC 3066
Phone: (03) 9419 5170
Licensed: Yes
Bookings: Probably not necessary

Sunday Roast @ The Grace Darling Hotel

2010-05-18T10:50:00.013+10:00

The Sunday Roast at The Grace Darling did not go according to plan as they are only in week 3 of Sunday Roasts and there is still some fine tuning required. I am going to return to The Grace Darling at some stage over the coming months in order to give them a chance to perfect it.

In the meantime, if you do happen to try it please give me your feedback in the comments section of this post....
Address: 114 Smith St, Collingwood VIC 3065
Phone: (03) 9416 0055
Bookings: Suggested
Licensed: Yes
Hours: Open Daily 12pm - 11pm

Where to find Sunday Roast in Melbourne?

2010-05-12T11:46:00.002+10:00

Now that the weather is starting to cool I have decided that the time has come to find the best places for a Sunday Roast in Melbourne. So I ask you out there in the world if you can please respond to this post with any recommendations. Also let me know if they have live music on Sundays because that is an added bonus. I am going to try a different place every Sunday until I am satisfied that I have found the winner and then I will be content to sit back with my big fat pregnant belly and consume roast until Winters end.

Nick's Friend Johnny is here from the UK this weekend and I thought we might try out the Sunday Roast at The Grace Darling Hotel in Collingwood. If their Roast is as good as their Chicken Parmigiana we may have our first contender.

Idiot-proof Gnocchi (gnudi - whatever its yummy)

2010-05-06T12:41:00.001+10:00

Spinach and Ricotta Gnudi with pecorino, roasted cherry tomatoes, crispy prosciutto and sage (serves 4)

Ingredients
250g baby spinach, blanched, excess water squeezed out
1 egg
500g fresh ricotta
1/3 cup grated parmesan
1 cup “00” flour, sifted
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
Olive oil
150 butter
18 sage leaves
Shaved pecorino cheese
Cherry tomatoes on the vine (maybe about 5 per person)
Crispy fried prosciutto (to garnish)

Chuck your tomatoes in the oven at 150deg (snip them off the vine but leave the green tops on) to slowly roast and fry the proscuitto until crispy.
LIGHTLY Dust a try with flour in preparation for the gnudi.
Whizz spinach in the food processor with egg until smooth. Mix in a bowl with the ricotta, parmesan, flour, nutmeg and zest, season and stir until combined.
Made little quenelles out of the mixture and place on the floured tray.
Bring a pan of salted water to boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook the gnudi in batches until they are firm (5-6 minutes)
Remove and drizzle with oil to stop sticking.
Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid (important for the sauce)
Melt butter in frypan over low heat and fry sage leaves until crisp. Remove leaves.
Whisk in reserved cooking liquid to the butter in the pan. Simmer for a minute or two.
Toss the gnudi through the sage butter very gently.
Serve on the plate dotted between the cherry tomatoes and topped with proscuitto, shaved pecorino and crispy sage leaves.

Gigibaba

2010-04-17T09:03:00.002+10:00

Lazy Lazy Lizzy… I have eaten at Gigibaba three times in the last four months yet I still haven’t written about it. This is not to say that it doesn’t deserve to be written about and that I haven’t enjoyed myself immensely on every occasion, it is purely down to my own laziness. The fact that I keep going back should really speak for itself.

This Turkish Restaurant is still very popular and doesn’t take bookings so I usually try and get there early or otherwise on a school night to guarantee a table or a seat at the bar. The menu changes daily, so every visit is a surprise. The good thing about a changing menu is that you are always forced to try something new rather than just ordering ‘the regular’. The bad thing about a changing menu is that you never know when you are going to be able to have that mind blowing Babaganoush again….

Gigibaba is a hard place to find as it doesn’t seem to have a sign out the front. If you get stuck it is near Wooden Spoon and a pizza place on Smith Street. The first thing that I noticed in the restaurant was the multitude of giant light bulbs hanging from their cords on the ceiling, I will be trying to replicate this effect at my new house. It is a cosy restaurant seating only 25 people with the main focus being the bar. It is highly likely you will be sitting at the bar unless you come in a group of four or more. I personally love sitting at the bar as you feel more involved, can spy on other people’s dishes and smell the aroma of Turkish coffee being brewed in front of you.

The food is fresh and simple with the focus being on the main ingredient. Do not come to Gigibaba expecting to eat an Chicken Tagine with Rosewater, Vodka and Butterfly wings rather you will probably be ordering delicious lamb kofte (I hear it is made by the chefs mother?), sardines on a thin crouton, squab pigeon, cauliflower and pomegranate salad or the chefs own version of an Israeli Shaksouka. I think that there could be a few more adventurous items on the menu as there were when Gigibaba first opened because there is no doubt that the chef Ismail Tosun can cook. I get worried that he might lose his passion and disappear again.

I recommend you go to Gigibaba with one or two close friends that don’t mind sharing and order your courses sporadically throughout the evening over multiple bottles of wine.

Mamasita

2010-04-17T08:56:00.003+10:00

So sorry it has been a while since my last review. I have eaten at a number of great restaurants over the past few months but unfortunately my passion for food was waning due to the fact that I am pregnant. So my dilemma is that I now have an excuse for eating all this wonderful food but I haven’t been inspired to eat anything other than bagels. My decision making skills are shot and eating feels like something that I have to do rather than something that I want to do.

Those of you who have been following my blog know that I have a passion for Mexican Food but I have been struggling to find anything overly authentic in Australia. I so miss those days in London eating beautiful palm sized semi soft tacos at Taqueria or Tiras al Chipotle at my friend Narayan’s wonderful restaurant Santo on Portobello road.

When you step into the restaurant you will immediately be hit with a frenetic vibe and some very loud music. Just the way I like my Mexican Restaurants to be! There is a great list of Mexican Beers to order from and the Margaritas look oh so tempting (damn pregnancy). The staff are quick to take your order and are great at topping up your drinks. The only problem is that the food takes so long and I don’t know why? If they sped up the cooking time they could get more of the hungry people through their doors each evening. I have eaten at the restaurant twice now and both times have waited around an hour to eat. Definitely order some corn chips and salsa to keep you going whilst you wait because the wait is worth it, especially if you order the ribs!

The taquitos which are bite sized crisp tortillas topped with your selection of pulled pork, ceviche style fish, chicken or black bean and corn come to your table served on a wooden board. I suggest ordering a choice of two of these and getting the shared board. Nick ordered the ribs to go with his taquito’s and my god was I jealous, they looked and tasted absolutely amazing, I dare say probably the best I have had in Australia. The first time I ordered the tacos but found them a little bit bland. I think that the size of the tortilla is still a little too big. This time I wasn’t super hungry so I ordered the chorizo and potato quesadilla which was nice but could have done with a little extra chorizo. Mike ordered the chicken quesadilla which was better than mine, Alex ordered some kind of salad with quinoa which was very nice and a great portion size. I am going to Mamasita again soon on a girls night and this time I am going to order from the mains or larger plates section because if the pork ribs were anything to go by there should be plenty more tasty plates to come.

Mamasita has landed in Melbourne with a bang, it is ridiculously popular so don’t be surprised to see a queue spanning the length of the staircase. Melbournites are screaming out for authentic Mexican and it is only a matter of time before we see little Taqueria’s popping up all over the place. I will be heading back regularly to get my Mexican fix.

Athelstane House

2010-02-08T10:21:00.000+11:00

This past weekend I was at my friend Tiffany's Hen's Party in Sorrento and we had pre arranged a ferry trip to Queenscliff to go to lunch at Athelstane House. The day was coming along perfectly, nice weather, great company and a fantastic waitress when we arrived at the restaurant.

We had pre arranged to do the set menu lunch which is $25 for two courses or $35 for the three courses with a glass of wine and a tea or coffee. This was perfect for us as it meant we could eat at the "only restaurant with one hat on the Bellarine Peninsula" instead of going to a pub for a counter meal.

Most of us ordered the prawns for entree and the Grainge sirloin steak with wombok and cherry tomatoes on cauliflower puree for mains. Sounds pretty good doesn't it? Well it wasn't!

The prawns came out butterflied, two per serve and luke warm but tasted reasonable and were of a good size so I wasn't worried yet as I had heard good things about this restaurant. Then came the supposed main course which I was shocked to see was a sliver of fatty steak about the size the palm of my hand and as thin as a minute steak (maybe thinner) served upon a smudge of puree with a sprinkle of raw wombok and one cherry tomato cut into quarters . I was mortified by the tiny size of the dish alone and the worst was yet to come. The dish was awful in both presentation and flavour and seven of us had ordered it. You could literally finish the dish in four bites, three if you didn't fancy the fifty cent piece sized ball of fat in the centre which left you about two centimetres of steak remaining. This was the second worst dish I had ever been served in my life only coming after the bizarre dish of pumpkin ragu on tagliatelle I was served in Austria a few years ago which turned out to be chunks of nearly cooked pumpkin served on hokkien noodles with a squirt of whipped sweetened cream from the can on top.

I am not a complainer and I understand that it was a set menu and was supposedly well priced but I would never serve this in my home let alone a restaurant. The thing is no matter how little you are paying for a meal in a restaurant you expect it to be of a decent quality and enough to satisfy your hunger. This responsibility should be even greater if you have been privileged enough to win awards for your restaurant. It is an insult to other restaurants, bars and cafe's in the area that you should be able to serve such awful food and coffee and advertise your coveted awards whilst they all scratch their heads wondering how the hell you did it.

I mentioned our disgust at what we had been served to the owner on the day and he said that other people had ordered it and thought it was fine. This I sincerely doubt when seven of us rendered it disgraceful.

Next time I will head to the pub and order a steak and chips....

Giuseppe Arnaldo & Sons

2010-01-14T09:26:00.002+11:00

This sassy little Italian number in Southbank has been open for about a year and a half now and business seems to be moving along very nicely. I dined here about a week ago on what was supposed to be the first day of my detox after all of the Christmas eating. Needless to say the detox went straight out the window when our good friends Mikael and Cindy phoned up to say they had a babysitter for the night and wanted to go out to dinner. It was too hot to cook at home anyway!!!

Now I know that some of us locals have issues with dining along the promenade at Southbank but you do have to think of all of the business travellers and tourists that visit this area every day. Don't you want them to come away thinking that they have had a good foodie experience in Melbourne (The food capital of Australia)?

I think GAS is a fantastic option for people wanting to dine somewhere in the Southbank/ Crown vicinity and experience a little taste of Melbourne dining. From the moment you walk in to this beautifully designed space you get a little bit excited, particularly by the waiters walking around in their mad scientist style knee length overcoats and for me the cabinet full of hanging salumi.

We were seated and ready to order from our menus which happened to double as place mats (similar to Wagamama). I was having trouble because I really felt like pasta but the other primi piatti also looked very enticing such as the veal shank braised in milk with mashed potatoes $28. When I was told that the veal shanks were no longer available for the evening my choice was simple I would have the Bucatini pasta with squid, tomato, chilli, red wine and pancetta $21. I am very glad that I did as the sugo was wonderfully rich and the pancetta worked really well with the squid.

Nick also went for a safe option ordering a Tagliatelle “ all Amatriciana” pancetta, guanciale, tomato sauce and his dish was equally as good as mine. So Nick and I were having a very good time woofing down our pasta but unfortunately for Mikael and Cindy their dishes didn't seem to be quite as pleasing to the taste buds or the eye. Mikael ordered the “Zampone” Pigs Trotter filled with house made cotechino $26 which I must say looked like a rather differed appendage than a trotter but apparently tasted okay. And Cindy who had already eaten pasta for lunch ordered a steak which was just that.

Giuseppe Arnaldo & Sons is a great place for the weary business traveller that is staying at a hotel along the river and is really craving a good bowl of pasta and a sneaky carafe of wine it is also a very good option for any locals wanting to take their traveller friends to Crown for the day and still eat somewhere with a bit of class that doesn't cost an arm and a leg but perhaps might cost a trotter.

Address: 25/8 Whiteman St, Southbank VIC 3006
Phone: (03) 9694 7400
Bookings: Recommended
Licensed: Fully

Momo

2010-01-08T08:36:00.001+11:00

We dined at Momo for the LAB Group Christmas party, a very special occasion for Nick and Lyndon as this was the inaugural Christmas dinner marking a successful first year of operation. As the boys have been working so hard this year much to the expense of spending time with their wives, it was only fair that Sharne and I join them for this celebration.

Stepping into the mood lit elevator which was pumping out some sexy music my thoughts were not on the food instead I think I mentioned pressing the emergency stop button and perhaps starting the evening with dessert, if you know what I mean... Maybe the pre-dinner champagne at Cumulus Inc had gone to my head!

I remember Chloe ringing me on her first Wedding Anniversary and asking my advice on a restaurant that they could go to in the city where they could get really dressed up, be pampered and have a romantic evening. As we are so spoilt for choice in Melbourne and there are so many quality restaurants serving 5 star food, people don't tend to get dressed up that often for dinner. If I had have known about Momo then, I would have sent them there. It is great to find a place to eat in Melbourne where you won't feel uncomfortable arriving in your little black dress, pearls and stilettos.

So we are sitting in our cushioned booth with sheer curtains flowing around us and waiters tending to our every want. Sharne and I are feeling very spoilt and special and the boys are feeling as though they have achieved something after a very hectic year. We decide to order the $100 per person Arabesque sharing menu consisting of your choice of two starters, two mains and all of the desserts.

And so we ate.... Veiled quail covered in leaves with chorizo-pine nut stuffing and mustard whipped feta, crunchy zucchini blossoms stuffed with house-made haloumi on tomato and white anchovy salad (Not as good as my home grown zucchini flowers but good none the less. Warm potato salad, smoky paprika and almond tarator dressing, Baby iceberg and asparagus salad, soft cooked egg and preserved lime-Caesar dressing. Farmed rabbit chilli char-grilled with honey, saffron and pumpkin-broad bean stew and roasted duck shredded and served in filo pastry with an icing sugar glaze.

By the time dessert came we had all consumed quite a lot of wine therefore I am not going to try and remember what it was, but I do remember that it looked great.

The food is all very good and you definitely won't leave Momo feeling unsatisfied. My opinion however was that there wasn't a dish that totally blew me away like the goat at Rumi or the smoked eggplant salad that I ate last night at Gigibaba (keep your eyes peeled for that review coming tomorrow.). I would recommend Momo to someone planning a special evening.

Momo Restaurant

Address: The Grand Hyatt, 115 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 9650 0660
Reservations: Essential
Fully Licensed
Open: Lunch and Dinner Mon-Frid, Dinner Sat

Zia Teresa

2009-12-23T08:46:00.000+11:00

It took a while to persuade Nick to walk into Zia Teresa as I think he was a little turned off by the Botticelli-esque artwork and the white table cloths that we could see through the windows. We expected that the meal would be too expensive for a Tuesday night as it all looked a bit Toorak. My gut feeling however was: ‘We must take the plunge and walk through those wooden doors’ and I am very glad that we did.

When you walk into Zia Teresa’s you immediately feel warm and welcome. There is a cute wooden bar in the main room and many happy people guzzling wine and eating steaming plates of seafood and pasta. You will be greeted with a smile and an explanation of the day’s specials, which are written on the board in Italian.

The restaurant is fully licensed and BYO so Nick decided to run across the road the bottle shop and grab a bottle of Shiraz to wash down our meals whilst I perused the menu.

I really felt like eating pasta but couldn’t take my eyes of the meals the gentlemen at the table next to me where eating. I asked the waiter what that meal was as I couldn’t find it on the menu and he exclaimed that it was the fish of the day. Rockling served on fine slices of potato with a mussel, prawn and tomato sugo. Awesome! That is me done, but I will definitely be sharing a plate of that bruschetta first! Nick ordered a main size of the penne with lamb ragu.

The wine was poured and the bruschetta presented and we were starving…. Two minutes later: The first glass of wine had been drunk and not a morsel of bruschetta remained it was delicious, a variety of 2 pieces of your traditional tomato bruschetta along with one roasted eggplant and one wood roasted capsicum bruschetta.

Bring on the mains. For some reason tonight Nick and I were two very hungry little foodies.

The food here is good, very good! I know it is rude to reach across the table and eat other people’s food but Nick and I were putting on a very good show slurping and reaching and devouring.

I know I live in the centre of the main Italian district of Melbourne but I would be hard pressed to find a better traditional Italian Ristorante than Zia Teresa.

Address: 90 Lygon Street (corner Weston Street)
East Brunswick Victoria 3057
Hours: Dinner: 6.00pm - 11:30pm Mon-Sat
Sundays by appointment (30 guests or more).
Licensed and BYO: Corkage $8
Bookings: Yes
Phone: 03) 9380 1218

Parque Mexico - Noosa

2009-12-08T11:50:00.000+11:00

Laura, one of my closest friends and the reason for this latest trip to Noosa. Laura had been working at Parque for the last 5 months and upon being picked up from the airport I found myself being transported immediately to Parque for her leaving drinks as she was about to depart one paradise for another. Yes, Laura was moving to Mexico. Forever. I'm not jealous at all. Really!

Parque Mexico was previously a restaurant called Park serving Mediterranean food but one day following another trip to Mexico the owner decided that what Noosa really needed was something new and having a similar climate to Mexico what better than a Mexican restaurant. In Australia unfortunately we are sometimes cursed with having preconceptions of what a cuisine is, based on what has been sold to us as 'authentic' or 'traditional', this would definitely be the case with Mexican as the majority of people associate Mexican food with cheese and crispy taco's. This is Tex Mex (a la Taco Bill) not Mexican!

In Mexico you will eat an abundance of fresh fish, ceviche of prawns, lime and coriander, soft tacos small enough to fit in the palm of your hand topped with slow cooked shredded pork with chipotle salsa, chicken mole and huevos rancheros to name a few dishes. Now doesn't that sound more appetising?

The crew at Parque, though not Mexican have travelled extensively throughout Mexico and are inspired by the street vendors, taqueria's and the chilled out, friendly party vibe of the Mexican people.

At Parque you can sit down to a delicious meal of char-grilled chipotle tiger prawns served on an avocado, tomato and coriander salad and soft fish taco's with a jug of Sangria or simply perch yourself on one of the cow hide Ottomans outside by the river with a Margarita and some deep fried jalapeno's stuffed with queso (so good!) and perhaps a bowl of tortilla chips with home-made salsa.

Parque will often have live music on a Saturday and Sunday and run a variety of events from their riverside location including a boat cruise with South American barbecue and drinks package with Latino DJ's which is a great opportunity to explore a different aspect of Noosa when you have had enough of sun-baking.

Now I am off to find Laura and remind her that she still owes me three months of free accommodation from the time she dossed with me in London. Mexico here I come!

Address: Parque Mexico, Quamby Place, Noosa Sound, QLD
Phone: (07) 5474 8785
Bookings: Yes
Licensed: Yes

Wasabi Restaurant - Noosa

2009-12-08T10:55:00.001+11:00

You will have to excuse my absence from Food Fable over the last few weeks I have been busy eating my way around Noosa the Foodie Capital of Queensland. Be prepared my next few reviews are all Noosa based.

When I first saw the original restaurant in Sunshine beach a few years ago I thought, ‘I really must eat there’ but it was completely booked for the next three days which is always a good sign though unfortunate for me who had to leave the next day. This time I was prepared and made a reservation well in advance. Wasabi was such a hit with the residents and visitors to the Sunshine Coast that they had to close up shop in Sunshine and move to larger premises next door to Ricky’s in Noosa Sound.

Upon arrival we were welcomed by our host and asked to take off our shoes as we would be sitting in the Tatami area, which was a beautiful space with a hollow under the table for your feet which is a great alternative to sitting cross legged (especially if you are travelling with my husband who keeps reminding me that he is 6 foot 3 and it hurts his knees, poor baby!).

As it was my birthday and I was celebrating it with Dad and Nick I was ready to be spoilt so we ordered the seven course degustation with matching Saki to each course. I have drunk a fair share of Sake in my time but never as a pairing with food and never seven in one night! Some were hot and some were chilled others were room temperature and most were served in different shaped glasses.

We started with a white miso and crab soup. The flavours in the soup were very delicate so as not to take away from the crab. Following this we received a sashimi tasting plate served with chilled sake which was a perfect accompaniment. Hand rolled pork gyoza served with ponzo sauce and warm saki was delicious (not quite as good as the one I make). The finale of Aburi Wagyu ($17.00 supplement) came out lightly seared and served with a Japanese mountain vegetable salad. This dish was a definite hit with the boys and a perfect ending to yet another great evening dining in Noosa.

The cost of our meals was $86 per head plus $17 supplement for Wagyu beef in place of teriyaki chicken. The Sake matching with each course was an additional $35 and we also drank a few beers. I would recommend Wasabi as a great restaurant for a special occasion or for that date when you want to finally clinch fourth base!

Address: 2 Quamby Place, Noosa Sound, Noosa Qld

Phone: (07) 5449 2443

Bookings: Essential

Licensed: Yes

Embrasse Restaurant

2009-11-16T11:20:00.000+11:00

IMPRESSED!!!

I probably can't do this place justice with my limited experience writing restaurant reviews. If ever there was a time when I wished I wasn't against taking photos of food in restaurants then this would be it.

I was fortunate enough to have lived in London for three years and have eaten my way through the degustation menu at many a Michelin restaurant including Claridges in London and Richard et Christopher Countanceau in France. I have eaten at the famous Gramercy Tavern in New York, Ubuntu in Napa Valley and Nobu in Hong Kong. These previous dining experiences may be one of the only things that qualify me to give my opinion on Embrasse.

Nick and I celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary at Embrasse last Thursday night and let me just say the pleasure was all mine!

We started with Champagne (of course!), served by our lovely polish waitress and before we had arrived had already made the decision to order the eight course degustation (they also offer a six and a ten course).

I am not going to go through every dish I will just tempt you with a few. Firstly came the home grown meli melo of vegetables, sprouts, herbs and flowers and herb emulsions. What an impressive start! Perhaps I won't come away from this French dining experience with a stomach ache! The vegetables were all cooked to perfection with all of their individual flavours intact and the colours of the flowers and the emulsions reminded me of what a rainbow must taste like if it were edible.

The king prawns, broccoli, roe broth, prawn nougatine with borage (a prickly leaf plant commonly used to improve the flavour of your tomatoes when planted nearby in your garden) was another stand out dish with the cripy nougatine enhancing not only the texture of the dish but also the depth of the prawns.

The pallate cleansing gentian granita of wild pansy was divine and I was amazed at the vivid flavours that could come from the clear ice crystals. The consistency of the granita whilst crisp and cold also had a slight gelatinous texture to it which only served to make it even more interesting.

All of the dishes were really well executed and had obviously been attended to with a lot of passion which reflected in the success of our dinner date. I loved that once we had finished our gorgeous dessert of chocolate parfait, meringue, chocolate crumb and sorrel granita the chef Nic Poelaert (The Age Young Chef of the Year) came out to ask us how our evening had been and I could tell him it had been perfect.

This restaurant is all about purity, seasonality and simplicity it is modern French and a very good sign that the masters of cookery are moving along with the times.

Address: 312 Drummond Street, Carlton VIC 3053
Phone: (03) 9347 3312
Bookings: Yes
Licensed: Yes

Izakaya Den

2009-11-16T10:04:00.000+11:00

I know I normally only put good reviews on my site however today I feel like writing about my dining experience at Izakaya Den in the hope that it will be better next time.

I was so looking forward to my meal at Izakaya Den to the point that I knew they didn’t take bookings so I got there at 5.30pm on a Friday in order to ensure my table. The space looks great and could upon first glance almost be considered a sure thing. The music was funky and the service was sound.

Chris and I started with a couple of cocktails to whet our appetite whilst we were waiting for Nick to arrive from work. The cocktails were good though not spectacular. We also nibbled on a couple of small plates during our wait and this is where it started to unravel....

Chris asked if they served edamame which they didn’t but they had char-grilled broad beans instead. The broad beans tasted horrible and this is no exaggeration. We even tricked Nick into eating one when he arrived and he had to spit it out. Along with our broad beans we had a dish of deep fried chicken pieces (karaage) which were quite good once we got some Japanese mayonnaise to accompany it.

By now Nick had arrived as had a nice bottle of Riesling and even if we hadn’t been blown away by the food we still held out hope that the best was yet to come.

Reading the menu, I was excited about the potato croquettes with wasabi cream but what came out didn’t taste like potato rather it was a small ball of fried shredded potato (?) that was almost hollow. Not the creamy, luscious croquette I was imagining.

Pork belly skewers with leek. Yum how good does that sound? Well it was just OK. I am one of those people that like my food to be visually appealing as well as taste good and unfortunately the pork belly looked really boring and this reflected in the taste.

What did we have next? By now we were onto our second bottle of wine. I give this place one thing it is a really nice atmosphere to sit and drink. Luckily the next dish of salmon (or tuna) tartare rice paper rolls was good.

The desert menu reads beautifully and is quite enticing. Chris, Nick and I shared the green tea and white chocolate fondue which definitely had the right flavours but could have been a bit thicker it tasted a bit like condensed milk rather than melted white chocolate.

All in all, the vibe is cool, calm and collected and I really enjoyed my time in the restaurant but unfortunately the food just didn't do it for me. I am sure with a couple of adjustments here and there they could turn a really impressive written menu into something that is also enticing for my taste buds. I look forward to returning in a few months time to see whether things have improved as I am sure they will.

Address: Basement, 114 Russell Street, Melbourne CBD
Phone: 96542977
Opening hours: Tues-Sun lunch and dinner
Licensed: Yes

Birdman Eating

2009-11-05T10:24:00.000+11:00

Situated on the ever popular Gertrude Street, Birdman Eating is a very cool establishment filled with lots of characters and hungry customers.

I had heard so much about Birdman Eating yet I hadn’t had the opportunity to eat here until this week Tom decided to take me out for breakfast after a busy morning at the office. We were hungry and luckily our appetites where more than satisfied by the generous portions served up to us.

After much deliberation – the menu is so interesting and scrumptious it makes it very hard to choose – I decided on the baked eggs with beef sausage and sugo (baked eggs are the speciality here) and Tom went for the cheese kransky with bubble and squeak and poached eggs. The baked eggs came served in a frying pan with a side of thick buttery toast and I must say I started to look like a true pan handler when my chai latte also came out sporting a giant handle. I tried Tom’s kransky and it was so evil and tasty that I think I will have to order this next time but only as a treat (followed by a 3 hour workout) because something that tastes that good can’t be good for your heart!

The lunch and dinner menus also read very well and with such a good beverage list I can imagine you could while away many hours at Birdman Eating

I look forward to Many Happy Returns!

Address: 238 Gertrude St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Phone: (03) 9416 4747

Operating Hours: Mon,Sun 8am-6pm; Tue-Sat 8am-10:30pm

Licensed: Yes

Julio

2009-11-05T09:59:00.000+11:00

Hidden away on Miller Street in North Fitzroy is a place you will only know about if you are a foodie or a local. Julio is a gem of a find!

A reformed milk bar you can still imagine the children running to the counter to get their bag of mixed lollies for the week. The counter is still there however now the kids have now grown up and they are ordering the custard filled doughnuts instead.

Julio's menu has a Spanish/Mexican flavour and consists of many of the things I love eating for breakfast including poached eggs with avocado and salsa (go for it!), a fantastic selection of tortillas including the potato and caramelised onion one that Nick gobbled up only last week and a great variety of toasties, I went for the grilled sardines because I love eating fish for breakfast. If only I could find a place that would serve freshly caught flat-head tails on toast the way my Dad makes it I would probably never eat anywhere else again!

My sister Sam who thankfully introduced me to Julio last time she was visiting from Berlin tells me the coffee here is good too, which doesn't surprise me because the crew at Julio seem to have every detail just right.

Bring a newspaper, sit outside and have a good Sunday!

Address: 171 Miller St, Fitzroy North
Phone: (03) 9489 7814

Licensed: Don't think so...

Gingerlee Cafe

2009-11-05T09:56:00.000+11:00

This little spot on Brunswick Street is one of my favourite locals for breakfast, they also whip up a mean lunch. Get in early for or be prepared to wait a few minutes.

For breakfast I usually order the Shaksouka which is an Israeli dish of baked eggs in a spicy tomato sugo topped with dukkah and served with chunky bread and butter. Jade ordered the home-made baked beans last time and they were yummy. Nick prefers the Syrian style French toast with rhubarb and labne which I must say is a popular dish and beautiful to look at but I like savoury for breakfast.

I have also dined at Gingerlee a few times for lunch and can't seem to go past the tuna linguine with pine nuts, parmesan and chilli (I ask for it without sultanas). Nick is a fan of the Hungarian goulash and Chloe is usually a sucker for the meatballs and tapas.

There is plenty of outdoor seating if you are like me and seek the sun first thing in the morning.

The thing about Gingerlee is their dishes are so divine that I tend to crave the same thing every time and can't bring myself to order anything different. I think that is quite an achievement!

Address: 117 Lygon St, Brunswick East, VIC 3057

Phone: (03) 9380 4430

Operating Hours: Mon,Wed-Sun 7am-4pm

Licensed: Yes (I know this because they make a mean Bloody Mary)

Claypots Seafood Bar - St Kilda

2009-10-24T08:30:00.001+11:00

About 4 years ago I met up with a couple of friends for what was to be a quick lunch in St Kilda. This lunch ended up being the longest of my life, continuing until our small group of four had turned into a group of 20, for dinner also. A good dozen or so wines later and countless amounts of beer and I had probably just experienced one of the most random, fun days of my life.

Last Saturday, Nick and I were visiting Chris our beautiful friend that has recently moved back to Melbourne after living the high life in Europe for the last few years. Our breakfast at 181 Domain Café turned into lunch at Claypots, albeit less messy than the last one.

Claypots in St Kilda is a sweet, dark little restaurant with a tiny open kitchen in the middle and a giant refrigerated cabinet full of fresh fish and crustaceans. There is a great sunny courtyard out the back, which is perfect for those warm summer days when you don’t want to sit inside in the darkness.

On this occasion we ordered the mezze as a teaser followed by the chilli crab. The mezze I had never eaten at Claypots before and I must say it was really good and there was certainly enough for the three of us with eight different dishes coming out. There was a fillet of lightly battered Snapper served cold with a lemony sauce. A green bean salad was a nice vegetable accompaniment as were the lightly pickled carrots. My favourite was the calamari.

Following the cold mezze dishes it was time for the hot chilli crab. I love eating crab; it would have to be one of my favourite pastimes!

There were three little blue swimmer crabs cooked to perfection and served on top off a bed of rice covered in a hot chilli glaze. To be honest I could quite easily have eaten all three crabs but I had to share.

The beauty of Claypots is the purity of the place and the astonishingly good prices (we paid $10 each for mezze and $55 for the chilli crab). It is simply seasonal fish cooked nearly any way you would like in a cosy little restaurant just around the corner from the hustle and bustle of Acland Street.

On the odd occasion we have been able to listen to a band over a pint of lager on a Sunday afternoon in the cool bar that Claypots runs next door to the restaurant. This is always a great way to top off what is sure to be a fabulous lunch or dinner!

There is also a Claypots on Gertrude Street in Fitzroy that I hear might even be better than the one in St Kilda, which is a tall ask but I am willing to find out!

Claypots Seafood Bar
Address 1: 213 Barkly Street, St Kilda
Phone: 9534 1282
Address 2: 153 Gertrude St Fitzroy VIC 3065
Phone: (03) 9416 411
Bookings: No
BYO: Wine only (This may have changed)

Da Noi (by Chloe)

2009-10-13T10:42:00.004+11:00

My brother Tom is a great fan of the little cult Sardinian restaurant on Toorak Road, Da Noi, has been for quite a while, and when he sent me a text message from there saying "just had the best oysters of my life" I decided it was time for me to get in on some of the action. With my birthday fast approaching, and me being a huge fan of indulging at any opportunity, this was my moment! All I needed now was twelve friends to indulge with me... easy.

Da noi inside is a quaint little restaurant with lovely welcoming staff, a cosy unassuming interior, and small tables with white tablecloths. But out the back is a beautiful outdoor area with an open fire (where apparently on occasion they will roast a suckling pig)... its like having a little intimate party in someone's backyard, but with your own waitstaff, loungy music and beautiful ambience.

The thing that really turned me on about Da Noi was that there's no menu (well there is, but no one really uses it), they simply ask if anyone is allergic or adverse to anything, and serve you what they think you want to eat. And according to Tom, they seem to always get it right.

This time was certainly no exception! Liz and I (sitting next to each other) started with a Prosecco (or two) and didn't actually move on from there until the main course, they were going down so well. We started to nibble with some homemade herbed bread - delish! Then a number of little antipasti dishes that included some crunchy fried fish, grilled asparagus, tomato baked eggplant, gravlox with a beautiful homemade tartare, pickled octopus and I'm sure a few more I can't remember I gobbled them down so quickly. Each one was so interesting and delicious, completely different in taste and texture, exciting the palate perfectly, which is indeed, exactly the job they are meant to do.

The next course was the Primi Piatti, a delicate pasta with so much flavour, and not too saucy at all. With flakes of salty crab meat through the tiny little Bumbola (Bee shaped-pasta - I googled), a light white wine base with all the right things, sea salt, garlic, butter, and perhaps a hint of sage? It was absolutely my idea of nirvana.

The Secondi Piatti was a rolled piece of lamb with prosciutto and spinach, there were simple flavours but just beautifully cooked and showcased the lamb perfectly. We did decide to move on from the Prosecco for the main event, though, with a rich and silky red (can't even remember what type!) to go with our lovely lamb. The wait staff are very well educated on the right wine choices and in the end, we really all just left it up to them to bring it on, and with complete trust as all their suggestions were spot on.

Did I hear someone say we should skip dessert? No way jose, with the journey my tastebuds have been on there how could I deny them the final leg? I'm riding this baby all the way to the end. So with a macchiato and a beautiful tasting plate of desserts (panna cotta, tiramisu, and pear tart) I blew out my candles on my mini croque en bouche and declared the night just beginning...

Bellissimo!

Oh... one thing I forgot to mention was the price. For a night of pure indulgence, although worth it, it was certainly wasn't cheap, at around $140 a head ($85 for the set menu and quite a fair few drinks)... special occasions only.

Pellegrini's

2009-10-13T10:10:00.000+11:00

Last week was a tough one. It started with me leaving my job and ended with two weddings. Not to mention what happened in between! Thus I have been very slack on my reviews even though I have a couple of very exciting new additions for this week.

I have decided that I will no longer work for someone else and I will focus on building up my catering business. Hopefully this will also leave me with more time to continually try and improve the offerings of my food fable website.

Anyway... Last night after a busy day in the city Nick and I decided to meet after work for some dinner at Pellegrini's. I am sorry to admit that before this I was a Pellegrini's virgin, which must have shown when I decided to order a glass of Pinot whilst waiting for Nick only to be told that they don't serve alcohol. Never mind, as Von Haus - a gorgeous, unobtrusive, little bar with an impressive list of bar snacks and reasonably priced wine by the glass - is right next door in the little alley.

When Nick arrived to meet me an hour later I was very ready for my much anticipated meal at Pellegrini's. We entered the bustling, restaurant/espresso bar and took our seats on the stools in front of the mirror. Pellegrini's is one of those places that make you feel so comfortable you could probably tell the lovely gentlemen behind the bar your whole life story by the time you leave.

We asked the host to order for us as there isn't a menu as such at this Italian instead you will find a board listing a few classic pasta dishes such as spaghetti bolognaise, marinara or napoletana, this should be considered a guideline only as they will pretty much make you any pasta dish you feel like.

We were presented with two steaming plates of pasta, mine a traditional carbonara (no cream) and Nick's a penne amatriciana both equally delicious and I would know as we decided to swap once we had eaten half of each.

Following the pasta we moved to the bar to choose our dessert from the cabinet. Nick chose the raspberry shortcake and I was not given a choice instead the charming host decided to give me a little bit of nearly every cake in a bowl topped with lemon sorbet, ice-cream and watermelon, leaving me thinking 'oh my god, how on earth am I going to eat all of this!'. Luckily I had my vacuum cleaner husband with me who somehow managed to get through both of our decadent desserts.

After being very spoilt for a Monday night meal out we were wondering what the cost of our meals would be as there are no prices. The total cost for our evening was a mere $40, this was definitely helped by the fact that we could not order alcohol or even soft drink. The only drinks that you can order at Pellegrini's are coffee and watermelon granita which I didn't notice until the end so looks like I have to go back again next week to try the granita. Oh well......

Address: 66 Bourke St Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 9662 1885
Bookings: No need, if you are patient you will be seated quite quickly
Licensed: No
Breakfast: Yes but not on Sundays

Bar Idda

2009-09-30T21:20:00.005+10:00

It is not often I stumble across a restaurant that turns me into a poet but this one magically did.

Nick had been working in his new job for a week and proceeded to have a number of celebratory after work drinks on Friday night. Needless to say when I picked him up from the city around 7.30pm he was in great spirits. I couldn't be bothered cooking dinner and I have been wanting to try Bar Idda since I first noticed Rumi had evacuated the gorgeous corner site for a more spacious area still on Lygon street but a couple of blocks closer to the city.

We arrived at Bar Idda and immediately thought our chances were slim to none of getting a table, luckily as the name suggests there is a substantial bar with seating where you can quite comfortably eat a meal and have a chat. The attentive wait staff immediately shuffled everyone down to make room for us.

The Sicilian menu at Bar Idda is short but oh so sweet, consisting of a few antipasti to start followed by a variety of around 5 mains covering most food groups from fish to pistachio crumbed lamb cutlets which I must say are to die for, gorgeous, juicy lamb cooked to perfection (my idea of a good Friday night!). There are a number of creative vegetarian dishes that you could either choose to have as a side or if you don't eat meat would make a more than satisfying main.

We ordered the dolce meatballs, little balls of heaven cooked in a rich tomato sauce with lots of cinnamonny goodness. You could tell this was one of Mama's recipes! Nick devoured the lamb cutlets, leaving me a tiny morsel and we had the most amazing vegetable dish of broccoli cooked with slightly caramelised red onion and anchovies. If only I could have found the broccoli when I was in Italy, I think I craved green vegetables in that country more than anything.

Because we were enjoying having a giggle and a carefree dining experience, we decided to share a chocolate filled cannoli over another glass of wine.

There are about four wines on the menu along with a number of aperitifs and a select group of international beers. The wine can be ordered by the carafe which, let's admit is the only way to drink it if you are going for an authentic Italian experience.

This tiny Sicilian restaurant is full of charm, great value and inspiring flavours. I would have to say it is one of my new favourites. Thank you so much!

Oh, I almost forgot the poem...

L'addition, s'il vous plaît, Il conto, per favore, this is how we say... Can I please pay!!!

Address: 132 Lygon Street, Brunswick East
Phone: 9380 5339
Licensed: Yes
Bookings: Recommended unless you are happy to sit at the bar
Prices: Great Value

Markov Place

2009-09-25T18:25:00.003+10:00

The night started off perfectly. I found a carpark directly out the front of this urbane cool restaurant and wine bar. Little Markov is the name of the bar out the front and once you walk through here you will find Markov Place, a gorgeous looking restaurant with a warm warehouse feel about it.

The first thing that comes to mind when I think back to my dining experience at Markov was not of the food but the light fittings. Occasionally the artist in me comes out but rather than paintbrush in hand it is generally wine glass in hand and this occasion was no exception.

Armed with my $10.50 glass of Pirie, Pinot Noir and waiting for Alex (Sister in Law) to find a carpark I decided that I could easily create a chandelier out of tree branches and decided not to let this fantastic opportunity pass me by. I got out my mobile phone and text myself - "Make a twig chandelier with wire and enamel when you get a chance".

I didn't know what style of food we would be enjoying that evening as the website is a still image with no links to a menu, but I thought maybe it would be Russian if the restaurant was named after the Mathematician. The menu as it turned out had a Spanish influence.

The food comes out sporadically throughout the evening. Alex and I ordered (too much!) sweet potato croquetas which were very unappealing to look at, I think I mentioned 'giant burnt poo' - for the sake of the rest of the review being a relatively good experience let's forget about the croquetas. Following the aforementioned we dined on some lovely juicy scallops on the half shell with a creamy leek, white sauce on the top. I could eat scallops all day! Then along came the Prawns and Chorizo sizzling in a ceramic dish, very garlicky but I love garlic so no problem here and right when we were stuffed to the brim the quail that we forgot we ordered came out. The quail was not the best as it was coated in a lot of mayonnaise (strange).

Try Markov Place to dine or just go and sit in the bar and talk to strangers over a bar snack. If you choose your meals right you shouldn't be disappointed and the atmosphere is so warm and welcoming that I will definitely return, if not to eat then to sit with my ~~paint brush~~ Pinot and ponder creating my next chandelier...

Website: www.markov.com.au
Address: 350 Drummond St
Carlton VIC 3053
Phone: (03) 9347 7113
Bookings: Yes
Licensed: Yes
Value: Not bad

Guest Review of the week - Spicy Masala

2009-09-17T18:27:00.009+10:00

The craving for curry usually comes when you least expect it, but once that thirst for some Indian spices enters your mind it tends to be hard to quell. So it didn’t seem to matter that it was a Monday when we stumbled upon an Indian restaurant and the craving drew us in.

Liz (Food Fable) and I wandered up Nicholson St in Fitzroy North to find Spicy Masala, an Indian Restaurant and Bar also offering Pizza (a strange Italian accompaniment and not something you would expect but we didn’t let it put us off).

Being a Monday night the restaurant was quiet but still had a cosy feel to it and the service was immediately welcoming and friendly. I was most impressed with the Penfolds house red that was on offer for $5.00 a glass. The thing I liked about the menu was that it wasn't too big. I find that some Indian restaurants tend to offer a menu longer than their Imperial history but this one was clear and concise offering all the favourites whilst maintaining variety.

We ordered the Lamb Maas Sohetiya from the Rajasthan province, cooked in yoghurt, with sweet corn and fresh herbs and spices. We also ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala (I know, very predictable but generally a must). I really liked the amount of vegetables in each of these dishes and the way they were presented. You can also specify whether the spice of the dish is mild, medium or hot. For sides we got the usual Garlic Naan, Raita (yogurt with cucumber and carrot) and Mango Chutney and also a side dish of South Indian rice with lemon, coconut and curry leaves which suited the meal very well.

The service and the prices were great and the atmosphere welcoming despite the slurring drunk sitting nearby who was trying to unsuccessfully talk sober to his parents (you know who you are). I always miss London for its good little curry houses. Spicy Masala is a perfect place to go for a curry you won’t be disappointed with (not sure about the pizza's!). I think we just found our local staple curry house!

Spicy Masala
Address: 450 – 452 Nicholson St, Fitzroy North
BYO: Yes
Prices: Around $13 for a main
Bookings: Probably not necessary
Phone: (03) 9482 3345

The Grace Darling Hotel

2009-09-16T07:52:00.004+10:00

It was a Father’s Day without the Fathers. Nick’s Dad, Wayne was in Darwin on business and my Dad, Jon in Noosa soaking up some rays and doing some fishing.

We decided that a good Sunday pub meal was in order but, perhaps something a little more special than your usual pub grub. Off we went in search of The Grace Darling Hotel on Smith St in Collingwood for a lazy afternoon of food, beer and wine. A recent refurbishment to this fantastic old building has made this pub warm and welcoming with fun, passionate staff and a friendly local vibe.

The menu managed to steer clear of being too ‘gastro pub’ by keeping the pub classics such as chicken parmagiana and steak and chips and putting a modern spin on the dishes, this along with using quality produce lent to a much more rewarding feed. You can also expect to find some great fresh seafood options on the menu.

Nick and I chose to sit at the bar and enjoy a few aperitifs and some freshly shucked oysters with lemon and tabasco before ordering our mains. Nick ordered the rump steak with rocket, seeded mustard and chunky chips and I ordered the Chicken Parma. The steak came beautifully cooked and tender, with the bartender Brian’s promise that it was the ‘best pub steak’ he’d had at a pub proving true. There was a beautiful dollop of French seeded mustard with a side salad of walnuts and blue vein cheese.

Having heard a few rave reviews on the parmagiana I couldn’t really go past it and the meal did not disappoint. The juicy chicken breast came served, baked in a terracotta baking dish resting on top of roasted tomatoes with parma ham and seasoned bread crumbs sprinkled on top rather than crumbed and deep fried, which for a girl makes you feel a lot better about what you are eating, especially if you have been a little greedy guts all weekend!

Despite it being a busy father’s day the service was brilliant and the feel of the pub really reminded us of our home away from home, The Regent Kensal Green our previous local in London. We had one of the most entertaining and satisfying meals in a long time listening to the banter at the bar especially when, much to our amusement, some cashed up bogan ordered two McCallums, whiskies with coke and ice at $80 a pop of which the bar tender beggared belief and almost refused to serve. The cash won out in the end....

The Grace Darling Hotel

114 Smith St, Collingwood

BYO – No

Bookings – Recommended if you want to eat in the restaurant section

Phone: (03) 9416 0055

Wednesday Lunch at Marios, Brunswick Street

2009-09-11T09:08:00.004+10:00

Hi followers... I'm Liz's great friend Chloe (the afore-mentioned fellow indulger) and this is my first blog post! Woo hoo!

It was my husband Tony's birthday and I managed to drag him away from the office to have lunch - destination Mario's.

A famous little cafe-style Italian pasta joint on Brunswick Street (number 303), Mario's is very Fitzroy with grungy decor, lots of small tables with white tablecloths and bar stools in the front window where you can people-watch in the best street for it.

Our waiter was very well spoken and smartly dressed and really very very good. The atmosphere was relaxed, but the service bang on - we didn't even look at the menu, we just asked him what he'd recommend.

We started with a couple of drinks and some bruschetta, with a fine layer of beautiful goats cheese (Liz - don't screw your nose up like that!) and thinly sliced roast pumpkin, finished with oilve oil and roquette, simple and fresh, and really yummy.

For our mains, Tony had the Penne Matriciana, one of his all-time favourites, and it didn't disappoint, probably the best I've ever tasted - perfectly balanced, sweet and bitey, just enough spice. Did the tomatoes come from Italy? They were so tasty and I was almost transported there.

I had the roast chicken, pumpkin and pine nut ravioli, with a beautiful white wine, tomato and cream sauce. There were three large ravioli, so light and soft they reminded me of silk handkerchiefs, filled with heaven. The filling was gorgeous with roast chicken, pumpkin and ricotta, the pine nuts giving it crunch and texture. The sauce - oh my god. Divine. I don't even want to know how much butter went in to make it that good. But even Tony, who has such distain for my love of butter, didn't find it too rich. How do they do that?

Honestly it was the best pasta meal I've had as long as I can remember, and with a couple of wines under our belts, we were all set for a lovely afternoon - Tony back to work and me to the hairdressers for three hours of pampering.

I forget - who's birthday was it again?

The Waiter’s Restaurant (AKA, The Italian Waiter’s Club)

2009-09-03T16:40:00.002+10:00

Sometimes I realise exactly how lazy I am on a school night when I want to dine in the city but decide to drive rather than walk because I am too tired and hungry and I want to eat quickly. Of course it always takes me longer to drive in by the time you factor in trying to find a carpark that isn’t going to cost you $10 for two hours in the evening, thus turning that cheap meal into a rather more expensive one.

Tuesday night this week I had been hoping to go to Hutong Dumpling Bar again, even though it has been reviewed about 100 times recently. I thought Nick would appreciate the dumplings and I had a craving to fulfill. Hutong wasn’t meant to be on this occasion as after three days of trying to get a booking, someone finally answered the phone but I was told it was booked out. I got brain freeze. Where else could I eat in the city tonight?

Alex came to the rescue with a very helpful recommendation that we should join her and Mike at The Italian Waiter’s Club for dinner. I had never been and I was looking for a place with some history so off we went.

Hidden away up a dark set of stairs off Meyers Place you will find The Waiters Restaurant, littered with history (even a mafia shooting, at the top of the stairwell), news articles and some artwork that may have been drawn after one too many water glasses of wine. The atmosphere is welcoming and delightfully lived in.

The restaurant doors first opened in 1947 offering a home away from home, where the local Italian and Spanish waiters would retreat to after a busy night’s service for a steaming bowl of traditional pasta and perhaps a mug of vino.

The Waiter’s club is not a restaurant that you would take a prospective client too rather a cosy place to retreat to when you just want to be hugged by a big plate of comfort food.

On the menu you will find your typical pasta dishes alongside mains such as veal scallopine, whole lemon sole, salmon steaks or saltimbocca. There are no prices on the menu board. Expect to pay $25 per person including pasta and an alcoholic beverage.

Yet another hidden gem in the city…

The Waiters Club
Address: 20 Meyers Place, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9650 1508
Bookings: If you wish
Fully licensed

Lentil as Anything

2009-08-26T21:52:00.006+10:00

Lentil as Anything, a not for profit organisation, is a unique restaurant concept that is quickly expanding throughout Melbourne. The restaurants are mainly run by volunteers. The concept is simple, the customer pays what they feel their meal is worth. Some may think 'no way, how could it ever work?' Well it does work and it makes me feel very good.

Whilst people are going on about how violent or racist we have become, Lentil as Anything is solid proof that there are still great, honest people in this world that believe in helping one another and are pro-active in integrating our multicultural society. Lentil as Anything currently support a variety of different causes including giving hospitality training, English lessons, driving lessons, legal aid and emergency housing assistance to those with disabilties, long term unemployed and refugees.

On Saturday Stu, Nick and I had a great day at Lentil arriving for a late lunch around 2pm with a six pack of beer and a bottle of pinot. I hadn't been to LAA since my old hairdressing days with Leeanna, when we couldn't really afford to eat out and couldn't be bothered cooking after drinking a couple of afterwork jugs at The Espy (wow, I was so cool back then!).

We managed to get the table in the little courtyard out the back all to ourselves and settled in to what would be a very fulfilling day of eating and drinking. Stu ordered the mixed curry platter for the three of us. At Lentil due to there being no prices on the menu, when you order this dish ensure that you let them know how many people will be sharing the platter and the size will match accordingly. What came out was a lovely platter consisting of three different curries, including a pea and potato curry, a mixed vegetable Sri Lankan curry and a pumpkin curry with roti bread, brown rice, salad and yoghurt.

The curries were all vegetarian and made using fresh, flavoursome organic vegetables and most importantly they didn't make you feel unhealthy or heavy, which some people find after eating curry. The brown rice is a great addition and should be used more often in other establishments.

We paid $35 for the platter. This was what we thought it was worth and considering none of us had too much money left in our wallets after what has been a very expensive month, I couldn't think of a better way to enjoy eating out on a budget with your best mates on a Saturday.

Lentil as Anything crew, keep up the good work!

Website: http://www.lentilasanything.com/ (note the website hasn't yet been updated with new sites)

BYO: YES

Matsumoto

2009-08-25T19:02:00.004+10:00

I dined at Matsumoto on Lygon Street for the first time on Friday night as funds and jeans are a bit tight at the moment so I figured I would go for healthy Japanese that is close to home and the ever important BYO.

Matsumoto is a great little neighbourhood Japanese with a fairly traditional selection of Japanese dishes at reasonable prices. If you feel like a good vegetable fix, some nice fresh sushi or just something a little different this is a really handy option for those near East Brunswick.

The restaurant itself is very simply furnished on the corner of Lygon and Barkly streets with tall wooden tables and Japanese crockery. It is clean and the service is very quick. They serve a complimentary appetiser of beanshoot salad which I consider a must at any Japanese restaurant.

Chloe was by herself Friday night having just returned from a potato filled trip to Ireland. Nick and I rescued her from her house which had been attacked by falling trees and 12 SES workers with chainsaws and we decided a good cheap night out was in order.

We trecked to the bottle shop attached to the pub up the road to pick up a bottle of riesling and and a Rongopai sauvignon blanc and now we are ready for the eating to begin.

We started with fresh oysters in ponzu sauce, agedashi tofu and beef tataki. The oysters beautifully fresh and full of flavour inspired a weekend long craving for seafood. The agedashi tofu was generous and flavourful and Nick, to my surprise, discovered the joys of beef tataki (a barely seared, raw beef dish served with a raw egg) for the first time.

Instead of ordering a main each we ordered an entree serve of seafood and vegetable tempura which was plenty for the 3 of us and the pork katsu curry to share. The tempura batter was a bit thick, then I have never really liked tempura and the pork katsu curry was another great winter warmer, thus probably the most unhealthy thing on the menu, but well worth it!

The total bill came to $59 for the three of us which is probably the cheapest Friday night out I have had in a very long time. We walked away very happy customers.

Nick and I returned to Matsumoto with our friends Heather and Ben and their four year old daughter Hunter who were down visiting from Noosa last night. Heather ordered a beautifully flavoured vegetable and udon ramen whilst Ben ordered the Seafood hot plate which I didn't get to taste but looked like excellent value at $22. Hunter entertained the lovely staff with a few chopstick tricks a water show and a photo shoot!

I would reccomend this restaurant as a good place to take kids and get great attentive service, maybe a little too attentive if they try and rush you on a Friday night... Twice in a week though I would say Matsumoto is another good option on this side of town.

Address: 48 Lygon Street, Brunswick East

Bookings: Yes

Phone: 03 9380 9288

Licensed and BYO wine

Open: 7 days to late

Gill's Diner

2009-08-19T20:26:00.004+10:00

Today, Nick and I were in the city for a meeting and decided to have lunch at Gill's Diner prior to it starting. Gill's is on the corner of Gill's Alley and Little Collins Street. It is a really comfortable, atmospheric restaurant with a bakery attached to it.

Upon walking into the restaurant, we were seated promptly and offered a bottle of tap water along with receiving the wine list. The wine list is very user friendly and quite similar in design to some of the menus I came across in some of the smaller restaurants during my travel through provincial France, with a few really nice aperitifs. If you are a beer drinker there are a number of good boutique beers on the list at reasonable prices.

The menu is written on a blackboard on the wall with a few specials that the waiter will tell you about. We ordered a main each. Nick had the White Bean Cassoulet with Duck, Rabbit, Pork Belly and Toulouse Sausage $35, whilst I enjoyed the Rabbit, fungi, truffle, and prosciutto roulette served on puy lentils $35. My dish looked gorgeous and tasted decadent, wintry and moist. Every time I eat lentils I think I should cook them at home but still haven’t tried it yet. Nick’s Cassoulet was definitely a man’s meal consisting of lot’s of beautifully cooked meat and some very impressive Toulouse sausage. If I have to say one tiny little thing it is that the bowl/plate things that our food was served in were a very awkward shape for picking up our food (strange, maybe I was just having an unco day!).

We were not planning on having an expensive lunch we just didn't expect the menu to be so pricey during lunch, this is probably due to the fact that recently we have been blessed with so many recession proof, great value restaurant offerings such as Houndstooth and Boire. In hindsight and for your future reference, you could enjoy a meal at Gill's Diner and simply eat an entree and side salad for lunch as the people sitting next to us did and the entrees are quite substantial. My main was so rich and decadent that I haven’t even managed to eat dinner tonight.

I can definitely recommend this restaurant as a place to come to for that cool, eclectic Melbourne vibe, some great tunes and delicious hearty food. Gill’s diner would be a great option to send a visiting guest from Interstate or to come to with your colleagues for a long Friday lunch.

For now all I can say is bring on the summer menus I am nearly Osso Bucco’d and Lamb Shanked out!!!!

Address: 360 Little Collins Street, Melbourne 3000

Phone: 03) 9670 7214

Bookings: I think so

Fully Licensed

Provenance 'How Mushroom is too Mushroom'

2009-08-10T17:39:00.005+10:00

I managed to drag myself out of the dark depths of a hangover to get to our pre-booked dinner at Provenance on Smith St in Collingwood on Saturday night and I am very glad I did!

Dave Hynes is the young gun chef and proprietor of Provenance. Saturday was my first visit to the restaurant and I will be going back there very soon because the passion of the young team was brilliant and you know that they take great pride in delivering quality produce cooked to enhance the flavours of the star ingredient 'mushrooms on this occasion'. So many restaurants lose the passion and chase the money but not Provenance. Our 4 course meal matched with wine and a cheese course to finish was excellent value at $75 per person.

I haven't written a review on a degustation evening before so I figured the clearest way would be to write the menu below with my comments in red. Let me know if you like this format!

The menu for the evening:

An amuse assiette of parmesan, pumpkin, chanterelle and black truffle martini.

Red Hill - Blanc de Blanc

This dish was beautifully presented with a shot of martini a swirl of pumpkin puree and a crisp parmesan chip. The martini had a subtle hint of truffle and wasn’t too intense. The parmesan crisp probably could have been a little finer, though I am never one to complain about too much cheese!

The sparkling wine made from 100% chardonnay grapes tasted like sparkling wine and wasn’t too sharp. A good value sparkling to take along to a friend’s summer barbeque!

Black truffle oil linguine

Red Hill - Reserve Chardonnay

The home-made linguine was cooked perfectly. The linguine was kept simple with mushrooms, truffle oil and truffle salt the 3 main ingredients. Initially I thought it was a bit too salty but this was quickly fixed by stirring the pasta. I love simple pasta dishes and would go back to Provenance just to eat this linguine.

Usually I would have gone for a Pinot Noir with this dish but the oak flavours of the chardonnay complimented the mushrooms beautifully and made me think of the woods in which the mushrooms came from.

Black trumpet and hedgehog tart with cabalo nero and chevre

Red Hill – Shiraz

A pastry shell topped with sautéed wild mushroom with a spattering of goat cheese. This dish was again all about the mushrooms and was a nice dish once I picked out the goat cheese, luckily there was only a little bit! My only qualm with this dish was the pastry could have been crispier. This probably had something to do with being pre-prepared.

The Shiraz was rich and full bodied with hint of blackberries and I enjoyed the feeling the tannins left in my mouth.

Mushroom and chocolate mousse, blood orange and walnut

Red Hill - Rutherglen Muscat

I was so intrigued by this dish when I read it on the menu and when it came out it certainly looked intriguing and my god it was tasty. The presentation left a bit to be desired, I think maybe the mousse didn’t set properly but the flavours of the chocolate and mushroom with the chilled blood orange with the walnuts worked amazingly well together. I am going to have to try and make this.

I couldn’t try the Muscat as I didn’t want any more sweet wine and was still happily drinking my Shiraz but Nick drank mine as well as his and said it tasted syrupy (which he likes).

Delice De Bourgogne, triple cream

For some reason the cheese tasted like soap but was really well presented with a reconnaissance to the theme of the previous two tasting evenings of quince and fig which I thought was a gorgeous way to finish.

Address: 288 Smith Street, Collingwood, VIC 3066

Phone: (03) 8515 0700

Bookings: Yes

Fully licensed

Movida Next Door

2009-08-10T16:00:00.004+10:00

Friday was my last day at the ad agency as I was only on a 5 week contract, which was a shame because I could have worked there forever! After work I met up with my friend Jade at Movida Next Door. Bare with me on this review it starts off a little hectic but finishes with a lovely Potatas Bravas.

I have dined at Movida twice now and have always really enjoyed it, particularly the great service. This was my first time at Movida Next Door and to me it was like the Jan to Marcia Brady. When I arrived I was desperate to go to the bathroom but I couldn't find it so I managed to flag down a passing waiter and was directed to the GIANT silver spoon containing the keys to the bathroom which was outside of MND in that little alley. Yay!

I finally returned to the bar and Jade asked the bartender what wine she could recommend from the list of about 5 reds starting at about $55. The only wine she could recommend happened to be the second most expensive before the $250 bottle and when I asked if any of the less expensive bottles where any good she just shrugged her shoulders. So we ordered the $75 bottle of wine whilst we were still standing at the bar and yes it was a nice smooth red with an undertone of 'looks like I will be eating tinned soup for the rest of the weekend!'.

We were seated at the bar about 30mins after our arrival, which was pretty good considering it was a Friday night and MND is one of the most popular places in Melbourne at the moment. The turnover here is fast however, you will not be made to feel rushed you probably just won't be able to afford another drink.

Jade isn't a fussy eater and enjoys good food so she was a great companion for Tapas. To start we ordered a rabbit cigarillo each $6.00 (I think), these were so yummy, I love rabbit and the pastry was perfectly crisp. Then we each ordered a piece of the pea and jamon tortilla $4 per portion. The tortilla was fluffy but the peas were a bit hard and it felt like I was eating a tart rather than a traditional tortilla. Following the tortilla we had a plate of mussels, $18 for probably a third of a kilo of mussels served very simply with a light white wine broth. I love mussels and these were very nice just not enough of them.

The Pièce de résistance was the potatas bravas at around $9 it was a generous serving of crisp on the outside soft in the middle absolutely delicious potato mess smothered in a rich, spicy sauce with a lovely white creamy cheese on top.

I am going to Movida (Restaurant) in September for a friend’s birthday and am looking forward to it because Movida is fabulous and is one of the places you can guarantee you will walk out of with a big smile and a satisfied tummy. Its little sister had a few downfalls but ultimately left me feeling the same thanks to the potatas bravas.

I definitely think that at Movida you get a lot more bang for your buck than at Movida Next Door so if you have been hanging out to go to Movida and haven't been able to get a reservation or can't wait 3 months, try turning up for a late lunch on a weekday it has worked for me everytime!

Address: 1 Hosier Lane, Melbourne, 3000

Phone: 03 9663 3038

Bookings: No

Food Fable: Houndstooth

2009-08-07T11:49:00.001+10:00

Food Fable: Houndstooth

Pelican

2009-08-07T11:37:00.003+10:00

Pelican has always been a favourite of mine when I am South of the river and looking for some good tapas (not typically Spanish) and a long afternoon of drinking with friends.

The menu here tends to change with the seasons and they always have some really good options on the specials board. I generally order the lamb meatballs and the tzatziki which come with grilled Turkish bread, the roasted cauliflower gratin with truffle infused polenta is really good with the rare beef. We try and order a tuna (or other fish) carpaccio as it is always nice and fresh. The lamb cutlets here are really tender and you can order them by the piece which is always good when there are a few of you.

Pelican generally have a mussel dish on the menu which I find is always great for sharing, especially if some of your group don't like mussels, more for you. The potatas bravas comes sprinkled with good Spanish smoked paprika and home-made aioli. I haven't ordered desert here before but I have ordered from the extensive cheese menu with guidance from the staff.

The service at Pelican is friendly, relaxed and the staff are very competant and attractive, always willing to give advice on wine and how much to order and generally a pleasure to be served by. I only hope that more restaurants in Melbourne can follow the Pelican approach to service.

Pelican also does a ripper breakfast, whether it be fluffy omelettes, eggs benedict, french toast or a bloody mary.

I've been going here for years, I take my family when they are up visiting, I have no qualms in sending my friends to Pelican if they are looking for somewhere to eat in St Kilda and I will continue to go here myself as long as it keeps doing what it does.

Address: 16 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda VIC 3182
Phone: (03) 9525 5847
Bookings: Yes

Houndstooth

2009-08-07T10:16:00.003+10:00

We were on our way to Los Amates on Johnston Street Fitzroy but when we arrived it was empty and the prices were a bit too expensive for a Wednesday night and also too expensive to risk on Mexican food which let's face it Australia is not very good at yet! My cousin Chrissy has been talking about Houndstooth for a while and I didn't know where it was so when I saw it was right near Los Amates and I could get 3 courses for $20 (That's right, 3 courses!)or even 4 courses for $25, if you are extra hungry, I was in their like a shot!

The main dining room was booked so we decided to eat in the courtyard as there was no way I was going to miss out on the Japanese Pumpkin Curry that I spotted on the menu board on my way in. The courtyard was warm and had a nice social atmosphere, I think I would actually prefer to eat out here instead of the restaurant as they have speakers outside playing some cool tunes and you don't have to sit at the big communal tables.

This restaurant aims to give everyone the opportunity to eat well cooked, good quality food at great prices. I ordered a starter of Jamon Iberico Reserve followed by an entree of 2 scallops on the half shell with chorizo and baby spinach and a main of the Japanese Pumpkin Curry. Nick ordered the wild mushroom dumplings as an entree followed by the osso bucco with gremolata and rice as a main and a gorgeous slice of pecan pie for desert. The way we worked it is that we shared the starter and shared the desert, that way we only paid for 3 courses each but we got to taste a bit of everything.

The food was excellent, the portion sizes were perfect enabling you to eat 3 courses easily without making yourself feel sick. My pumpkin dish was really tasty, my only qualm would be that they could have ground the cardamon a bit more and it was a tad lemony. The Osso Bucco was delicious and had a very generous amount of meat with a lovely sauce. The scallops, well I could have eaten 10 of them quite easily and the pecan pie was perfect for me, not too sweet, Nick would have prefered it sweeter because he grew up eating Coco Pops for breakfast...

I can't wait to go back to Houndstooth for a nice relaxed evening drinking wine and eating really good food and not feeling guilty that I have spent too much eating out again.

Address: 36 Johnstone Street, Fitzroy, VIC 3065
Mobile: 0411 404 374
Bookings: Yes, try and book or get there early

Camel Meat Mission

2009-08-05T17:07:00.004+10:00

I am a bit sad about the news that they have to cull Camels in the outback because they are damaging our environment and I am wondering if there is anyway in which I can help to make the camel situation a bit better.

Low in fat and cholesterol and high in protein Camel Meat is a great option for people that wish to eat more red meat but have dietary problems like high cholestrol and diabetes. Camel meat has a similar flavour and consistency to beef and also comes in similar cuts such as scotch fillet, tenderloin and rump.

Camel is good, grilled, roasted, baked or even use the neck to make soup. Camel Sausages are now sold in Australia and I will try to put together a list of butchers that sell Camel.

Yarra Valley Game Meat is the first that comes to mind and I will check out my butcher at the Vic Market and see if I can get him to start selling it. Check out these websites http://www.gamemeats.com.au/other.html and also get onto these guys in Kensignton, Melbourne as it looks as though they sell just about every other meat http://www.wangaragame.com.au/aboutus.html.

I will post recipes as soon as I get my hands on some camel. I am even going to see what it tastes like minced in Bolognaise!

So everybody let's try not to let these Camels die in vain.

Please post recipe suggestions and camel meat providers below.

Food Fable: Foodie Movies

2009-08-05T12:06:00.002+10:00

Food Fable: Foodie Movies

Foodie Movies

2009-08-05T11:00:00.004+10:00

I found a list of foodie movies and signature dishes on star news online but have added a few additions that I feel they have missed out on. Some of these I have not seen as yet but next time it is cold and raining, Chloe and I will have a dvd and cooking day and I will have marked them all off my list!

Julie and Julia (2009)
I loved this book (and now it's a movie, I haven't seen yet but will be in Australia in October) based on Julia Powell attempt to rediscover her life through cooking all 524 recipes of Julia Child's book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. With Meryl Streep playing Julia Child and Amy Adams as Julia Powell, this movie is sure to be my favourite of the year.
'Tampopo' (1985)
Essentially a Japanese noodle western, in which a truck driver tries to help a woman turn her restaurant into an Asian version of pasta paradise.
Signature dish: Ramen, in all its many variations.
'Babette's Feast' (1987)
The 1988 Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Film is about a French woman living in a 19th century Danish village who prepares an elaborate meal for a birthday celebration.
Signature dish: Cailles en sarcophage, quail cooked into puff pastry.
'The Scent of Green Papaya' (1993)
A Vietnamese Cinderella Story. Discover beauty from the most simple things.
Signature Dish: I haven't seen it yet but will update!
'Like Water for Chocolate' (1993)
A bit of mexican foodie erotica. Tita cannot marry as she is the youngest daughter of a traditional family. She promptly falls in love and expresses her passion, sadness and joy through cooking. People who eat Tita's dishes feel what she feels.
Signature Dish: Quail and Rose Petals from Pedro
'Eat Drink Man Woman' (1994)
In director Ang Lee's film, a Taiwanese chef lives with his three grown daughters, and every Sunday he cooks a massive family meal.
Signature dish: Steamed deer spareribs with ginger.
'Big Night' (1996)
Two brothers (Stanley Tucci, Tony Shalhoub) who own a failing Italian restaurant hope the fancy meal they plan for visiting star Louis Prima will rescue their business.
Signature dish: Timpano, a layered pastry dish stuffed with pasta, ragu, meatballs, peas, chicken and mozzarella.
'Chocolat' (2000)
A single mother and her six-year-old daughter move to rural France and open a chocolate shop. First they have to break through some of the strict catholic barriers and enable people to embrace their emotions and feeling good.
Signature dish: Chili hot chocolate

'Mostly Martha' (2001)
A German chef rules over her kitchen until she locks horns with an Italian sous-chef. Remade in 2007 as "No Reservations," with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Aaron Eckhart.
Signature dish: Monkfish l'armoricaine, monkfish tails cooked in a sauce composed of Muscadet, shallots, carrots and other ingredients.
'Tortilla Soup' (2001)
Retired Mexican-American Chef loses his taste for food but not life. Martin a widower lives with his 3 adult daughters and still relishes the tradition of cooking a beautiful sit down dinner each night. A movie about finding love and cooking great food
Signature dish: Obviously Tortilla Soup

'Spanglish' (2004)
Celebrity chef (Adam Sandler) with insecure wife (Tea Leoni) must deal with his attraction to his hot new Latina housekeeper (Paz Vega).
Signature dish: The World's Greatest Sandwich, a BLT made with rustic country bread, fried egg and Monterey Jack cheese.
'Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle' (2004)
Two college stoners spark up a doobie and get the munchies.
Signature dish: White Castle "Slyders," square mini burgers steam-grilled on a bed of onions and served with a pickle on a soft bun.
'Waitress' (2007)
Unhappily married waitress (Keri Russell) bakes wonderful pies and names them after events in her life.
Signature dish: Pregnant Miserable Self-Pitying Loser Pie, a fruitcake mashed into lumpy oatmeal, then flambeed.
'Ratatouille' (2007)
Animated feature about a French rat who dreams of becoming a great chef.
Signature dish: Ratatouille, a French vegetable stew made from tomatoes, garlic, onions, zucchini and other goodies

Food Fable: Thaila Thai

2009-08-03T16:11:00.002+10:00

Food Fable: Thaila Thai

Thaila Thai

2009-08-03T16:05:00.003+10:00

Generally I go here for takeaway any night that I can’t be bothered cooking but still want to eat a reasonably healthy meal. Most of the time it is cheaper for Nick and I to get a main meal take-away from Thaila Thai than it is to cook at home. A main at Thaila is generally around $11- $12. We usually share a main and order a couple of entrees.

The restaurant is BYO (no corkage, that I have ever been charged) and it is quite a fun, bustling environment to dine in, if you can get past the fact that it is not exactly a trendy, modern interior! There is an eclectic group of diners that come to Thaila Thai and they have all been here before, because you won’t get better value Thai in Melbourne. The chicken is tender and fresh, the prawns are a decent size and the beef is good too.

Last Thursday I ordered the Tom Yum Soup with tofu and vegetables $5, the soup is lovely and lemony with a good kick and really good tofu. Nick ordered the Tom Kha Soup with Prawns $6 which was similar to the Tom Yum but with a dash of coconut milk. Following our starters we ordered an egg noodle stir-fry with chicken, vegetables and a sweet chilli and basil sauce $11. The noodles were cooked perfectly the serving was massive (easily enough for two) and I didn’t come away feeling like I had just smothered my face in oil (hmmm attractive!).

When you walk in the door you will be able to see the Thai chef’s working those wok’s like they have been doing it all their lives. You always get a smiley goodbye when you leave and a meal for two people with a bottle of your own wine will only set you back a total of around $25. I suggest you head here on a weeknight as it is generally really busy all weekend.

Just thought it would be nice to share this little place on Lygon Street, Brunswick East with a few more people because it makes me smile and it reminds me of my sister Sam in Berlin, cause it used to be her local.

Address: 82 Lygon StBrunswick East 3057 VIC
Phone: (03) 9387 0659

No deliveries
Cash only

Oakdene Vineyards

2009-07-27T14:01:00.004+10:00

My family and I enjoyed yet another great meal at Oakdene last Sunday for their special Christmas in July celebration. Marty Chichester the Executive Chef and Manager at Oakdene is a Welshman and this showed in the Christmas lunch we were presented with. I must also say that my Grandparents, Hazel and Austin and grandmas sister Audrey looked very English countryside in their tailored jackets and pearls.

We started the lunch with the N.V. Oakdene Sparkling $39 which is a really (I mean really) easy to drink sparkling wine with a nice crisp finish and a perfect amount of bubbles, at that price, who needs champagne!

The staff at Oakdene are always fantastic. They are competent, well dressed, polite and give you the perfect amount of attention. Whilst we were deciding from our 3 course Christmas menu we were presented with the usual homemade warm ciabatta roll and Oakdene olive oil which is delicious and I forgot to take some home again.

Seeing as we were doing the whole English Christmas thing, I chose to eat the prawn and avocado salad to start, followed by the roast Otway prime beef with Yorkshire pudding and gravy and big bowls of roasted vegetables down the middle of the table. For desert I had the cheese plate because as you will soon find out I am not a massive dessert fan and cheese is my biggest weakness. If you really wanted to torture me you would tie my hands behind my back and put a piece of Camembert de Normandie in front of my face, but out of reach!

Of course being that I was at lunch with family, I had no qualms about sticking my fork into everybody else’s food so I got to taste everything including a really good chicken, pork and duck terrine entrée and a lovely moist serving of the roast turkey with chipolatas (it’s an English thing!).

With lunch we drank a bottle of the 2007 Oakdene Shiraz, $45 which accompanied the meats and rich gravy perfectly. Following the Shiraz we returned to the sparkling for dessert.

I got married at Oakdene. We had a cocktail reception with canapés in the beautiful gardens with fantastic music and the most amazing macadamia crusted lamb cutlets (Marty I still want the recipe!). We are very fond of Marty and his staff and I always look forward to spending a long lunch or dinner eating his creative, regional dishes and drinking plenty of good wine.

Website: http://www.oakdene.com.au/

Address: 255 Grubb Road Wallington, Ocean Grove, Victoria 3221

Bookings: Yes

Phone Restaurant: 03 5255 1255

Mushroom & Basil Pesto Linguine

2009-07-24T11:59:00.005+10:00

Guys, this is a really easy weeknight dish that I cooked last night. It takes about 15mins to make and tastes yummy. If you don't like avocado on pasta, simply don't add it, the dish will still taste really good.

Ingredients

½ red onion cut in half and finely sliced
2 cloves of garlic finely diced
1 zucchini cut in half lengthways and then sliced finely
½ tub of basil and cashew pesto dip (If you have more time, make a basil pesto. I will put a recipe in the blog soon.)
1 small red chilli diced w/ half the seeds removed
12 button mushrooms
½ cup of sweet white wine
½ avocado diced
¼ cup of shaved grana reggiano parmesan
olive oil
salt
pepper

250gms of linguine pasta

Method

Heat olive oil in pan add onion, garlic, chilli, zucchini and mushroom and fry over medium to high heat until the mushroom start to turn golden. Season with salt and pepper. Add linguine to boiling salted water and cook until al dente, Pour the wine into frying pan and allow it to reduce. Once the wine has reduced add the basil pesto. When pasta is cooked, strain it and add to the frying pan with the mushrooms, pesto sauce and fry up for 2mins. Serve pasta onto a plate and and avocado, parmesan, salt and pepper.

Serves 2 people

The Provincial Hotel

2009-07-23T16:05:00.003+10:00

A few of us are planning our friend Tom’s 30th which will be held in the Salon at The Provincial Hotel next month. The evening is to be a royal affair and the theme is King Henry VIII. Last night we gathered together to discuss the evenings festivities over a meal in the restaurant area at Provincial.

There is a new menu in both the bar and restaurant but it looks as though they have stuck to a similar format to the previous menu. They are keeping the wood-fired pizzas. There have been a few new additions including the roast duck pizza with red cabbage, red onion and coriander and the ham, potato and fontina cheese pizza.

I really felt like pizza because I had Bimbo Deluxe $4 pizzas in my head, so firstly I ordered a prawn, cherry tomato and chilli oil pizza even though I was intrigued by the sound of duck and cabbage on a pizza. Then everyone looked at me like I was going for the safe option and the waiter told me that the specialty was roast duck (Am I at The Old Kingdom?) so I changed my order to the roast duck pizza hmmm. It was OK but I (can’t believe I am saying this) would have probably added hoisin or plum sauce to it as it was very dry. Would I order it again? No, definitely not but there is a first time for everything and I thought it may have worked. Next time I will order a steak.

Chloe had the ham and fontina pizza which she enjoyed but I am not a fan of potato on pizza. Looks as though the boys won this round!

Nick ordered the lamb rump special which was cooked beautifully and was served with a few seasonal winter vegetables and a well made jus. Damo ordered the roast chicken served in a clay pot with gravy and a side of vegetables and Tom ordered the sirloin steak which was supposed to be served with buttered beans and potatoes but was instead served with zucchini and potatoes as they had run out of beans. These meals were all well executed and satisfying.

We were served by the bar manager who was trying out his serving skills for the first time and he did a great job, with a lively personality and a not too laid back approach.

Next time I come here I will eat in the bar because the food looked just as good, is cheaper and sometimes it is nice to eat a burger or a pie at… The Pub!

Website: http://www.provincialhotel.com.au/
Address: 299 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Bookings: You should be OK (don't hold me to that)
Phone: (03) 9486 9205

Haveli Indian Restaurant

2009-07-23T12:38:00.003+10:00

Last Friday evening saw us venture to Doncaster East to visit our great friends, Chloe and Tony. Chloe is my favourite foodie friend and I tend to do some of my best eating in her company, you will therefore hear her name mentioned often in my blogs.

We arrived at Haveli - the first Indian restaurant in the Eastern suburbs - at about 8pm, just in time for the gorgeous belly dancer (I wish I could shake it like that!). In my experience belly dancers are from the Middle East but Middle East, Doncaster East, why not!

We were sat at our seats by a lovely host in full Indian sari and cracked open our first bottle of wine. Haveli is BYO, my favourite kind of place in these times.

As Chloe had been here before I let her do the ordering (those that know me would realise that I generally wouldn’t trust anyone else to order for me with only a few exceptions). For entrée’s, Chloe ordered the Lamb Seekh Kebab (2pcs) $10.00 and the Chicken Tikka (4 pcs) $13.00. These 2 dishes were just as good as any Indian I ate whilst living in London, the servings were generous and the meat good quality.

For mains we were served a Lamb Saag $17.00, Chicken Butter Cream (Haveli special) $17.50 and a Goat curry special $17.00. To accompany our mains we ordered rice and garlic naan. Personally I love good cheap Indian food made with quality meat and freshly ground spice pastes and on each of these levels Haveli delivered.

I will definitely be returning to a restaurant that is great for a comfortable Friday night among friends drinking wine, having a bit of a dance or in my case watching Nick shake his thang and eating curry.

Website: http://www.haveli.com.au/
Address: 32 Tunstall SqDoncaster East, VIC 3109
Bookings: Maybe for Friday nights
Phone: (03) 9842-9375

Homemade Baked Beans w/ Pork Cutlet

2009-07-20T11:22:00.005+10:00

This is my new favourite Sunday dish. It has a nice kick to it and is so much better than those hideous baked beans you buy in a can...

Excuse the picture, I was hungry and forgot I was going to be taking a photo of it!

Ingredients

1 glug of olive oil
1 large onion finely diced
3 cloves of garlic chopped
2 red capsicums diced
½ green capsicum diced
1 large peeled carrot finely diced
1 red chilli finely diced (I keep the seeds in!)
3 rashes of bacon cubed
1 tin of crushed Italian tomatoes
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
2 bay leafs
2 teaspoons of Spanish smoked paprika
2 sprigs of thyme
1 tin of cannelini beans
1 tin of butter beans (note: you don’t have to use 2 different types of beans)
¼ cup of maple syrup or golden syrup (I think golden is better)
4 - 6 pork cutlets
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 160° Celsius. Fry up onion, garlic, carrot and bacon on stove top until onion is clear. Add capsicum and chilli and fry on medium heat for 5mins before adding the rest of the ingredients except the maple syrup and the pork. Transfer the bean mix to a casserole dish, or a tagine if you have one cover and cook for 4 hours with the lid on stirring once during this time. When the beans have been cooking for 4 hours remove from the oven and add syrup. Increase the temperature to 200°, stir the beans and return to oven without the lid so that the liquid can evaporate for around an hour. 20minutes before you are ready to eat, fry up the pork chops for 5 mins in the frying pan before adding them to the bean mix in the oven for the final 15mins.

Serve on a heated plate.

Serves 4-6 people

A bit extra: If you want you can add some shaved parmesan to the bean mixture it is really good.

Baba Levantine Trading Company

2009-07-20T09:56:00.007+10:00

Saturday night following Australia's defeat at the rugby, my cousin Becky our friend Andrew, Nick and myself walked across the road to Baba Levantine Trading. I have been meaning to come here for quite a while but the joys of dining at Rumi restaurant when I am at this end of Lygon street always win me over.

Baba Levantine is a big open space and looks not dissimilar to a cafeteria in the day light, however come night fall the place takes on a whole new style. When the restaurant is full and the lights are dimmed this place has a rockin' atmosphere, filled with alternatives, families and hipsters. At Baba's everyone is welcome!

Now my memories of this meal may be a little foggy due to a few too many wines beforehand, during and after, but this is what I can remember..... To start we ordered a couple of dips

We ordered the Smoked Eggplant Ezmesi $6.50 and the Beetroot & Basil dip to snack on initially. The dips came with pita bread and I think a couple of pieces of Turkish bread. I don't think the pita was that great as it just seemed shop bought and a bit boring, perhaps they could have toasted it and sprinkled it with dukkah or something!

Following the dips we ate the Salmon tartar w/ mint, shaved onion and evo (whatever that is?) $10.00. This dish was beautifully presented and tasted really fresh and healthy. The portion size was quite good for the price! After this we ate the Carrot & saganaki fritters w/ sumac salt $9.00, these almost tasted like a Turkish version of a croquette. Along with the fritters we ate Char grilled harissa lamb cutlets at $4.50 each, these guys were little pieces of heaven, juicy thick and really tasty yum! The boys were still a bit hungry so we ordered the Wild rabbit & thyme kofte with sumac syrup, baby relish & pilaf $18.00. The rabbit dish was good but I thought it would have been better to serve two kofte rather than one as it was a bit on the small side for sharing.

I will be going back to this restaurant soon when I have a clearer head and I will be ordering the goat tagine a pide and the 6hr slow cooked lamb. Will keep you updated!

Website: http://www.babarestaurant.com.au/
Address: 80 Lygon Street, Brunswick East
Bookings: Recommended
Phone: (03) 93808534

x

Cauliflower Soup

2009-07-18T16:38:00.002+10:00

Hi kids,

So today my head is feeling fantastic! Just thought I would let you in on a little secret of mine called Cauliflower soup. I like to cook this when I am feeling like I need to give something back to my poor punished body and brain. A little vitamin hit some might say!

Ingredients

1 large cauliflower

1 broccoli

1 zuchini chopped

1 potato in chunks

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 little chunk of butter

2 leeks chopped finely

1/2 an onion diced

3 cloves of garlic

500mls chicken stock

1 teaspoon of cumin

1/2 teaspoon of grated nutmeg

parmesan to taste

parsley to garnish

Method

Saute up leeks, onion and garlic in a deep pot with olive oil and butter until soft. Cut cauliflower and broccoli florets and add to the pot along with potato, zucchini and cumin (I like to fry up everything before adding liquid to bring out the flavour). Add chicken stock to pot and stir. cover pot with lid and allow to boil on a medium heat for 20mins. When you can easily put a fork through the potato, turn the heat off and allow the soup to cool a little before blending. Once you have blended your soup it should have a creamy consistency. Put the soup back on a gentle heat, add nutmeg and parmesan and season to taste.

When the soup is hot, serve it in a nice bowl with parsley to garnish and a nice chunk of buttered bread. Voila, a vitamin hit in a bowl. That should make you feel better!

Serves 4 - 6

Hellenic Republic

2009-07-18T14:49:00.003+10:00

Today, Nick (husband) and I met up with his brother and wife for breakfast at Hellenic Republic, George Callombaris's new baby. It is the second time I have eaten breakfast here as I went with Mum last weekend.

I am unsure how I feel about the place as the service is friendly but hopeless. Last week our meals took 40minutes and the people that arrived after us got their meals first. The barista forgot to make our coffee's at the end of the meal and the table next to us was told they had to hurry up and leave as the lunch service was about to start (which is understandable but one of them hadn't even finished eating yet!).

Today the service was a bit better (they had to be reminded twice about our forgotten coffee and orange juice), mind you they forgot to include the attractive young waiter that served us last week.

The food was tasty and well presented. The thing that Callombaris has got right is price and portion sizes are not to big (remember quality not quantity). There is nothing worse than feeling sick all day from over eating at breakfast and I hate having to skip lunch because I am to full!

Last time I ate the Mushroom Gemista (stuffed mushrooms) with Grilled Sourdough $11.50, which tasted good but were perhaps a bit on the dry side. Mum had the breakfast souvlaki served wrapped in paper with Greek recipes on it. The souvlaki was very nice; I liked the traditional souvlaki bread, the same as what you get in Greece which I don’t often stumble upon in Australia for some reason.

Today I decided to order the HR smoked lamb sandwich with a fried egg and kefalograviera (sheep and goat cheese, not dissimilar to parmesan) $10.00. I love a lamb sandwich but expected this to be more like lamb off a spit were as it was almost the same consistency of smoked shaved ham. It was nice but not amazing, this probably down to me comparing it to the lamb sandwiches I have at my parents the day after a roast which are generally unbeatable with a bit of Grandmas homemade relish.

Nick ate the souvlaki and mentioned it could do with some salt. Mike ate the avocado, fresh tomato, feta spread with dench toast $10.50, this dish looks like half an avo, half a tomato and a piece of bread on a plate with a small serve of creamed feta, he enjoyed it and it was a nice simple healthy dish to start the day. Mike’s wife has a penchant for porridge and impressed by the creaminess of her dish, the porridge comes with poached figs and is quite a large serving and again well priced at $9.50.

Overall I enjoy eating breakfast here and people watching. I just hope that George gets in there soon to tidy up the service.

Hopefully soon I will be able to give you an update on the lunch or dinner as I would like to spend an afternoon or evening drinking ouzo and chatting with a nice group of friends whilst grazing on some of the amazing dishes they have on the menu.

Website: http://www.hellenicrepublic.com.au/

Address: 434 Lygon Street Brunswick East 3057

Bookings: Definitely

Phone: (03) 9381 1222

I'm here as a foodie travel guide

2009-07-17T16:13:00.000+10:00

I'm new to this blogging thing but I have been eating at so many great new restaurants in Melbourne since my return from London that I thought I should spread the word.

My blog will talk about the food that I eat both at home and out, the places that I stay and the people that I meet.

Why do I think my opinion matters? I don't think it matters but it may help you to find the right restaurant for the right occasion.

I have travelled extensively over the years in Europe, California, Asia, Mexico, New York, UK and most of Australia. If you ever want any advice on where to eat, what to visit or where to stay, feel free to ask me and I will try and help.

Anyway I look forward to sharing my adventures with you.

Liz x

Boire - 'To Drink'...I think to eat too!

2009-07-17T15:39:00.003+10:00

Met up with a couple of lovely friends yesterday evening for dinner and drinks at Boire on Smith Street in Collingwood.

It's an ecletic little place, with a bunch of interesting characters, a simple design and a few little quirky finishing touches. Look out for the paper towel dispensers located on the wall at each table setting. If you feel like getting creative, the walls are painted with blackboard paint and there is chalk in the bathroom.

The food was simple and homely but cooked to perfection. At Boire you have a choice of 2 starters, 2 mains and 2 deserts along with some small plates including boiled eggs for $3 that you share at your table and fresh walnuts $5 to crack as you please. The olives are delicious, I have been having trouble finding good olives lately as they have all seemed a tad bitter. For mains we were originally going to have the veal shanks however this ran out and was replaced with ox cheeks cooked in their own broth with winter vegetables. The ox cheeks were cooked beautifully and fell apart when touched. We also ordered the vegetarian main of goat curd and silverbeet stuffed onion served upon a bed of puy lentils which was a tad underwhelming but again cooked well.

Following our main meals we decided to share a couple of yummy creme brulee's $10 each. I generally think that most creme brulee tastes the same but always pretty good, it's all about getting the caramel right!

On the whole this is a great place to go for a glass of french wine and a meal on your own or in a group. The mains are $20 which is pretty good but I feel it would pay to have a few cheaper wine options on the menu.

Boire does not accept reservations so I recommend getting there before 7.30pm to secure your table.

Website: http://www.boire.net.au/
Address: 92, Smith Street, Collingwood, 3066
Bookings: They don't accept bookings. Get there at 7 and you should be fine.
Phone: Don't bother, just show up!