Comments on melbourne gastronome: Floating on a Cumulus Inc. in Flinders Lane

my husband & I escaped our 2 kids, sydney resp...

2008-10-16T21:07:00.000+11:00

my husband & I escaped our 2 kids, sydney responsibilities and headed to Melbourne for a 3-day food & drink adventure :)

Cumulus Inc was on the list and we had breakfast at 10am, suffering hangovers from dinner & 2 bottles of wine at Il Bacaro (another great place) . . . I ordered the TURKISH EGGS!!!!!!!! WOW!!!! Served in a cast iron pan were the best baked eggs ever!!! Tomato puree with baby spinach, 2 eggs, herbs & aliol mayo and great grain bread toasted. Worth a trip to Melbourne just for these eggs!!!!

Hi Anonymous - sorry to hear the service was so la...

2008-09-08T10:13:00.000+10:00

Hi Anonymous - sorry to hear the service was so lacking when you went! That sucks about all those 'big name' queue-jumpers, ugh. I guess the rules don't apply to the industry elite, eh??

After a visit to Cumulus Inc. ast week I must say ...

2008-09-05T15:43:00.000+10:00

After a visit to Cumulus Inc. ast week I must say that in general, I agree with your comments. The food, is superb. However, for me, it was the service that was very sadly lacking.
After waiting 2 hours for a table (we really wanted to try it, OK?) and having bigger 'names' walk in the door to be seated immediatley, it was rather frustrating that at no time were we encouraged to begin ordering while we perched at the bar. At no time were we offreed a complimentary drink while we waited.
And then, when finally seated, we recieved indifferent service at the best. I'm not sure if the situation would have been different if it were not the night that the GFG awards were announced, and there hadn't been tables from Press Club, Attica and The Age alos in the resturant???

that's weird because I came across shanklish at an...

2008-07-29T13:20:00.000+10:00

that's weird because I came across shanklish at animal orchestra too - first time i have seen it there although I go there occasionally!

Hey Thanh, thanks! I prefer to keep coy about wher...

2008-07-28T01:17:00.000+10:00

Hey Thanh, thanks! I prefer to keep coy about where I work here on the blog, but I'm happy to talk about it with you next time I see you at a food blogger event :)

Hi Cindy, nice to see you on Saturday! From memory there were about five vegetarian salads and some entrees, but rather a substantial charcuterie and fish/meat selection... if I were you I'd check it out for lunch first.

Hi Johanna, great to meet you yesterday! I first came across shanklish two years ago at Animal Orchestra in Carlton, together with their coddled eggs. Happy shanklishing! :)

I am a little slow at reading posts these sometime...

2008-07-26T17:11:00.000+10:00

I am a little slow at reading posts these sometimes but I see the place you were talking about this afternoon - looks v interesting - well the salads are promising and I only came across shanklish for the first time last week - maybe I will see it everywhere now like your nettles! Nice to meet you this afteroon

Any sense of the range of meat-free options? McCo...

2008-07-23T13:26:00.000+10:00

Any sense of the range of meat-free options? McConnell has a good track record for pleasing us vegetarians. As it is, I might just go for the madeleines anyway... *drool*.

Don't cut back Claire. If you've got the money, by...

2008-07-23T09:29:00.000+10:00

Don't cut back Claire. If you've got the money, by all means, spend it. Good job on your pay rise. If you can say, which firm do you work for?

I wish I got a pay rise too, and an annual bonus. It's looking most likely that we won't be getting any pay rise or bonus as the company hasn't made money this year. :-(

So there won't be too many decandent Thursdays for me. Instead, Thursdays are now Squash Thursday as I need to get fit.

Thanks Duncan! I'll be there again in a few days, ...

2008-07-23T00:29:00.000+10:00

Thanks Duncan! I'll be there again in a few days, might see you there.

Hi Shellie - ooh, I haven't been tagged before! Thanks. I'll try and think up something to write soon...

Sarah, those madeleines are senSAtional. And at $2.50 a pop I can't see how I'll be able to turn down ordering another one next time... don't think I'll ever get around to sampling the "proper" dessert menu! :)

Hi Jack - yes I am most impressed. Good to know they're being consistent early on in the piece, eh?

Hey Thanh - yes I am being rather decadent at the moment, aren't I? I'm just excited about my raise and my annual bonus, I guess. Promise to cut back soon ;)

Hi TMX - it's funny how when you start dining out a lot and reading food media that food trends become so clearly apparent, eh? The raw artichokes were lovely, a good textural contrast to the cooked ones.

Thanks Neil! If it's any consolation to your wife, at least nettles don't stink like, say, blachan! :)

Ah Rumpole, so your lunch at GAS was a success. I still feel pretty disgruntled about my experience there and don't feel like forking over my hard-earned again in a hurry... maybe you could shout me dinner there???? :)

Aw, thanks Agnes! It was a near-perfect dining experience.

Lovely! It all sounds good. So glad that your de...

2008-07-22T23:12:00.000+10:00

Lovely! It all sounds good. So glad that your decadent Thursday went well!

Hmm, what does one expect of oysters - they must t...

2008-07-22T16:09:00.000+10:00

Hmm, what does one expect of oysters - they must taste of salt water, and if they don't someone has probably committed the cardinal sin of rinsing them. They looked and sounded great.

Mutemonkey, having just been to GAS during a relatively quiet lunchtime, where the waiters were extremely professional and the food very good to excellent - try the raw artichoke and lemon salad - I think it's worth another trip.

Glad your decadent day rediscovered its mojo, soun...

2008-07-22T13:28:00.000+10:00

Glad your decadent day rediscovered its mojo, sounded like pure bliss. You have no idea what I had to do to get those nettles into the apartment, though my wife is coming around a bit more now.

Sounds like it was worth the wait.

Nettles ...

2008-07-22T08:49:00.000+10:00

Sounds like it was worth the wait.

Nettles must be this year's belly pork. Recipe in VE+T for Aug/Sept from Sarti.

Love remoulade - I did it on Sunday, (in the TMX of course) so simple, but so delicious.

How was the raw artichoke?

You had me at Wagyu. The food looks really good.
2008-07-21T21:47:00.000+10:00
You had me at Wagyu. The food looks really good.

You have a lot of decandent days Claire. First decadent Tuesday, now Thursday, soon it will be decadent week.

Nettle must be flavour of the month. I always just saw it as a weed.

Fantastic.

I'm looking even more forward to...

2008-07-21T20:38:00.000+10:00

Fantastic.

I'm looking even more forward to getting in there for dinner when i get back.
We had a couple of the same dishes and they look identical, definitely a good sign.
Jack

Omg those madeleines!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

xox ...

2008-07-21T19:30:00.000+10:00

Omg those madeleines!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

xox Sarah

mmmmm those madeleines sound sooo yum!

By t...

2008-07-21T11:10:00.000+10:00

mmmmm those madeleines sound sooo yum!

By the way, I've "tagged" you. To see what that means, there's an explanation on my site when you've got a spare minute.

May your second visit be as delicious and successf...

2008-07-21T00:25:00.000+10:00

May your second visit be as delicious and successful as this first one! I'm enjoying the news about Cumulus Inc... who knows, I might even pop by too!