tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46091387319010199172024-03-14T04:17:52.715+11:00melbourne gastronome<i><b>The musings of a Melbourne gal in love with her city - mostly reviews of Melbourne restaurants and cafes, with the odd home-cooked meal and recipe thrown in</b></i>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.comBlogger405125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-11210602271622616672016-05-09T12:14:00.000+10:002016-05-09T12:14:05.816+10:00My 43 favourite birthday cakes from the inaugural PANDSI Cake-Off<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26855324066/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Robert Robot and Castle"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7180/26855324066_25fa02d430.jpg" width="395" height="500" alt="Robert Robot and Castle"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
<font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2">Over the eight years I wrote Melbourne Gastronome, I wrote several times about my love for the classic Australian Women's Weekly Children's Birthday Cake Book. Waaay back in 2007 I <a href="http://www.melbournegastronome.com/2007/09/australian-womens-weekly-childrens.html" target="_blank">wrote</a> about the Facebook fan group I'd started, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2356371047/" target="_blank">'The Australian Women's Weekly Children's Birthday Cake Book is awesome'</a>, and in 2011 I <a href="http://www.melbournegastronome.com/2011/02/australian-womens-weekly-childrens.html" target="_blank">wrote</a> about the frabjous day when ACP decided to start reprinting the original book from the 80s.<br />
<br />
Well, on the weekend I had the pleasure of attending a fundraising event in Canberra at which all 107 cakes from the AWWCBCB were on display, baked by volunteers. It was such a goshdarn DELIGHT that I was inspired to temporarily pull this blog out of retirement, to post a photo gallery of 43 of my favourite cakes from the event. Behold!<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26821690891/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="PANDSI Cake-Off"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7229/26821690891_b1b5f24940.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="PANDSI Cake-Off"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26283377984/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="PANDSI Cake-Off"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7283/26283377984_690ab6e2d7.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="PANDSI Cake-Off"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
The event was the <a href="http://www.pandsi.org/pandsi-cake-off.html" target="_blank">PANDSI Cake-Off</a>. <a href="http://www.pandsi.org/" target="_blank">PANDSI</a> is an ACT-based charitable organisation that does terrific work supporting mums and dads experiencing perinatal depression and/or anxiety. If you enjoy this gallery, please consider supporting this event and them by donating to their <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/PANDSICakeOff" target="_blank">Go Fund Me account</a>. The Cake-Off was a huge success, exceeding their expectations and letting all of us relive our childhoods in a burst of 80s nostalgia.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26283699714/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="PANDSI Cake-Off"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7296/26283699714_1275a73f92.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="PANDSI Cake-Off"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
A highlight of the day was the presence of Pamela Clark (pictured right), editorial and food director of the Australian Women's Weekly Cookbooks. She was the chief home economist in the AWW test kitchen forty years ago, and the book was her idea! Pamela was gracious and lovely and I was completely starstuck to meet her.<br />
<br />
I also loved meeting PANDSI ambassador Ginger Gorman (pictured left), who came up with the idea for the Cake-Off and wrote a <a href="http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/eat/how-the-greatest-book-ever-written-in-this-country-came-about/news-story/4dd4493ebb173dae3ef0eaa0ed0c1a6c" target="_blank">great article about it on news.com.au</a> last week, and PANDSI president Christine Spicer.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26283711154/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="PANDSI Cake-Off"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7059/26283711154_fdf50787f1.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="PANDSI Cake-Off"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
Okay, let's get stuck in to these cakes, all of which were available for purchase by silent auction. I'm not going to beat about the bush: for me the absolute star was the choo choo train. I mean, LOOK AT IT! All volunteer bakers were given strict requirements for the dimensions of their cake boards, because they needed to be able to fit in the take away cake boxes. So the train baker decided in a stroke of brilliance that if she couldn't go OUT she'd go UP. A judging panel which included Pamela gave this cake the award for the 'Most Original' cake, and who can blame them. Apparently the custom-made spiral cake board was made for her by her dad. <3
<center><br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26284767723/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Choo Choo Train"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7726/26284767723_2202b28aeb.jpg" width="400" height="500" alt="Choo Choo Train"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
Smiley Shark here won the award for 'Most Closely Resembling the Original'. Love the Tic Tac teeth!<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26855453326/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Smiley Shark"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7081/26855453326_b05f9428ca.jpg" width="455" height="500" alt="Smiley Shark"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
And cuddly koala won the official award for the cake baked with 'The Most Love' because awww who could resist a face like that...<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26855236906/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Cuddly Koala"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7402/26855236906_46ca8f2d75.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="Cuddly Koala"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
I was in awe of the tip truck cake. The tilted rear tray! The foil-covered head lamps! The biscuit wheels! I was sorely tempted to bid on this one, but knew that the chances of getting the tilted tray back to Melbourne intact would be slim (not least because I'd be tempted to nick a few of the lollies).<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26283424864/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Tip Truck"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7402/26283424864_5806d216ff.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Tip Truck"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
An equally impressive feat of structural engineering (and equally impractical for interstate transportation): the rocket ship. Excellent use of liquorice and party hat too.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26795407082/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Rocket Ship"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7409/26795407082_e5ee5e2a5c.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Rocket Ship"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
Actually, scratch what I said earlier: I think the helicopter is actually one of the hardest cakes to make. Even though the tail is resting on the ground I still think this volunteer baker did one heck of a job here (I love the wafer propellor and the 'Helicopter Mum' reference, heheheh).<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26616296990/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Helicopter"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7165/26616296990_a036d2e95f.jpg" width="500" height="438" alt="Helicopter"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
A++ faithful rendition of the castle cake, one of my favourites ever since Mum made it for me for my 6th birthday.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26284644513/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Castle"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7713/26284644513_bc87263b34.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Castle"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
JUST LOOK AT THE SMILE ON THIS ADORABLE DORK. I love him so.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26795461312/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Robert Robot"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7668/26795461312_c726c984dd.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Robert Robot"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
I have so much love for the piano cake too. The volunteer baker who made this cake had to order the miniature candelabra from the US via eBay and visit about 12 candle shops before she found candles that fit. RESPECT.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26283384894/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Piano"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7718/26283384894_f50bf5c238.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Piano"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
Duck cake! Everyone's favourite villain, he of the popcorn afro wig and salty chip beak. Another wonderfully faithful rendition, right down to the liquorice eyeliner and enormous daggy bow.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26821472551/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Rubber Ducky"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7073/26821472551_ab777aa975.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Rubber Ducky"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
The jelly 'water' in the swimming pool looked quite shallow, but it was a smart move on the baker's part methinks, given that it had to last all day.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26616264650/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Swimming Pool"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7770/26616264650_4546250570.jpg" width="500" height="429" alt="Swimming Pool"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
I liked that the television was very faithful to the original, but referenced the Cake-Off in the screen.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26795389502/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Television"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7374/26795389502_4b638a52f4.jpg" width="500" height="446" alt="Television"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
Another nice touch: the typewriter's text was changed to Happy Mother's Day, a nod to the fact that the Cake-Off was held the day before Mother's Day. <br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26795398112/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Typewriter"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7721/26795398112_4c2b4ab36d.jpg" width="425" height="500" alt="Typewriter"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
Probably my favourite modernisation was the telephone - keeping the old but also referencing the new. Those iPhone icons!<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26821519661/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Telephone"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7242/26821519661_cdca1e9621.jpg" width="500" height="476" alt="Telephone"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
I'm kicking myself that I didn't take a video of it to show you the movement, but yes: that is an ACTUAL WORKING CLOCK in the hickory dickory dock cake.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26855279536/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Hickory Dickory Dock"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7535/26855279536_0938ec1297.jpg" width="445" height="500" alt="Hickory Dickory Dock"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
All the numbers were there, but the Two, Four and Six were my favourites.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26855384966/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Two"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7498/26855384966_f3ff0db85b.jpg" width="437" height="500" alt="Two"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26616370850/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Four"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7170/26616370850_69b9ea7f02.jpg" width="500" height="461" alt="Four"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26283576914/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Six"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7531/26283576914_a49de8d207.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Six"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
And how good is the racing track? Very nice work on the ramp and the bridge.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26283439584/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Racing Track"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7292/26283439584_7a34f7c504.jpg" width="500" height="425" alt="Racing Track"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
Good ol' Leonard Lion and Timothy Tiger. I love that these volunteer bakers kept them both cross-eyed, like they are in the book.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26283572604/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Leonard Lion"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7363/26283572604_e393db0e10.jpg" width="500" height="480" alt="Leonard Lion"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26889020195/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Timothy Tiger"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7249/26889020195_3771e9a774.jpg" width="500" height="389" alt="Timothy Tiger"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
Great version of the farmyard cake. There were so many cakes with 'grass' on them, it's a wonder Canberra's supplies of green food dye and desiccated coconut didn't run out.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26795551772/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Farmyard"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7094/26795551772_1c4ecc9a2b.jpg" width="500" height="449" alt="Farmyard"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
The giraffe has liquorice eyeliner in the book, but I covet this giraffe's dainty eyelashes.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26821748181/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Giraffe"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7798/26821748181_9aee0edb40.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="Giraffe"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
I remember lusting after both the gingerbread house and the log cabin as a child, mainly because I liked the idea of eating a roof made out of Smarties/Flake bars. More grass!<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26616217560/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Gingerbread House"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7408/26616217560_b9382f6cf6.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Gingerbread House"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26795599152/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Log Cabin"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7490/26795599152_ba1a1bf009.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Log Cabin"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
How sweet is the friendly witch. Y'know, the rubber ducky cops a lot of flak for his salty chip beak but I don't think we talk enough about the salty miniature french fry hair on this little lady.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26795510372/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Good Witch"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7100/26795510372_852072292f.jpg" width="418" height="500" alt="Good Witch"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
The 1980 tugboat gets a nod to 2016 with its Boaty McBoatface name.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26283544554/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Tugboat"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7135/26283544554_6368a2a4a0.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Tugboat"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
A beautifully rendered artist's palette, very faithful to the original.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26795499262/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Artist's Palette"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7635/26795499262_ea548a18ce.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="Artist's Palette"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
When I was a kid I always thought that all of the 'girly' cakes apart from the castle were boring, but it turns out the stove, sweet shop and ballerina cakes were some of my favourite ones to see on the weekend. Look at the level of detail on them!<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26284607363/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Stove"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7360/26284607363_ee131f3391.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Stove"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26821605711/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Sweets Shop"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7544/26821605711_a81dc360cf.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Sweets Shop"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26889048535/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Ballerina"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7108/26889048535_021f10d32e.jpg" width="431" height="500" alt="Ballerina"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
And normally I'm a bit of a fondant icing hater (sorry! I just think it tends to look unappetising and fake!), but these two sweet cakes won me over: aside from the hilarious expression on Humpty Dumpty's face, I like the way the fondant was integrated with non-fondant elements like the sprinkles, Smarties and grass. And I didn't get a good shot of the entire maypole, but this detail gives you a fair idea of what was involved - it was very pretty.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26284808143/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Humpty Dumpty"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7185/26284808143_d410199465.jpg" width="404" height="500" alt="Humpty Dumpty"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26821512701/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Maypole"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7468/26821512701_b180def2ef.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Maypole"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
BLESS YOU, volunteer baker who made the cricket bat, for keeping the name 'Dennis' written in Modern Australian Cursive on the cake - just as it was in 1980.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26795471872/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Cricket Bat"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7183/26795471872_01deb151a2.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Cricket Bat"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
The friendly ghost of 2016 got a Persian fairy floss toupée, and his eyes were biscuits instead of the original egg shells (probably for the best, eh?).<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26283733174/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Friendly Ghost"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7174/26283733174_bfcd84c6a2.jpg" width="500" height="479" alt="Friendly Ghost"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
I'm really glad the volunteer bakers who made the dancing girl and Dolly Varden #2 went to the effort to reproduce the star tip icing dresses from the book - they both looked fabulous.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26821478151/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Dancing Girl"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7279/26821478151_3acf03c92c.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Dancing Girl"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26795661242/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Dolly Varden"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7510/26795661242_a05035b053.jpg" width="387" height="500" alt="Dolly Varden"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
The Mary Jane dolly cake was sweet too - while she looked different to the one in the book, she felt very true to the spirit of the original cake. Great variety of textures.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26283662124/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Mary Jane"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7124/26283662124_8a12e09f5a.jpg" width="385" height="500" alt="Mary Jane"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
<div><font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2"><br />
</font></div><div><font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2">In the book, the dragon cake is basically just a head with party favours: I love that this volunteer baker gave the dragon a body, a fiery tongue and some rather coquettish eyelashes.</font></div><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26889240995/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Dragon"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7548/26889240995_727667dcc4.jpg" width="500" height="418" alt="Dragon"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
In addition to all the cakes made by amateur volunteer bakers, there were ten cakes made by professional bakers that were not part of the main competition, displayed in an adjoining room and sold in a live auction. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Pipandlou/" target="_blank">Pip & Lou</a> made a simple, lovely version of the bunny rabbit cake, a personal favourite of mine.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26616341370/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="White Rabbit by Pip & Lou"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7692/26616341370_c57cb685d9.jpg" width="498" height="500" alt="White Rabbit by Pip & Lou"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
<div><font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2"><br />
</font></div><div>As the MC remarked when this Blythe doll riff on the Dolly Varden cake by professional baker <a href="http://www.cakicature.com.au/" target="_blank">Cakicature</a> went to auction, this work of art in cake form looks like something out of a Tim Burton movie. Love the meta-ness of a cake in which a Dolly Varden is making her own Dolly Varden cake. Cakeception!</div><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26284845013/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Dolly Varden by Cakicature"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7757/26284845013_ff385479b7.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Dolly Varden by Cakicature"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><div><font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2"><br />
</font></div><div><font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2">My other favourite cake from the professional bakers was this friendly witch. Talk about impressive feat of structural engineering! I've no idea how you get a cake to Wingardium Leviosa like that, but I suspect witchcraft was involved. Ten points to Gryffindor, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/surrendertocake/" target="_blank">Surrender to Cake</a>.</font></div><br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26283685264/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Good Witch by Surrender to Cake"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7532/26283685264_fb391a28c7.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Good Witch by Surrender to Cake"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
I realised that if I wanted to bid on a cake and transport it back to Melbourne, I'd need a cake with a low centre of gravity. Ultimately I was successful in the silent auction and secured the happy clown cake, a design I'd always loved because of the bendy lollipops forming his mouth and rouged cheeks. The following morning he had an adventure going through the baggage scanner at Canberra Airport, much to the amusement of airport security staff, but was given the all clear to fly to Melbourne for Mother's Day.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26855537366/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="Happy Clown"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7180/26855537366_d86491c79c.jpg" width="400" height="500" alt="Happy Clown"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center><br />
Thanks for reading! And to those of you who used to read Melbourne Gastronome, thank you so much for your readership and comments over the years. While the blog has retired, I still do the odd bit of freelance reviewing and you can sometimes find me babbling about restaurants I visit around town on my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mutemonkey/" target="_blank">@mutemonkey Instagram account</a>.<br />
<br />
<center><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/26795753182/in/album-72157668125243875/" title="PANDSI Cake-Off"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7471/26795753182_fa5d843395.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="PANDSI Cake-Off"></a><script async="" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center></font>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-72207128641613874522014-12-09T00:24:00.000+11:002014-12-09T00:24:12.571+11:00A weekend in Tasmania, and the Red Velvet Lounge online auction fundraiser<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/15975134765" title="MONA ROMA by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7550/15975134765_7b48f989b5.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="MONA ROMA"></a><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/15974479522" title="Franklin by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8673/15974479522_c65178ac76.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Franklin"></a></center><br />
<font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2">The Guardian asked me to write a short piece about the food highlights from my recent weekend away in Hobart with my partner: <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/australia-food-blog/2014/dec/08/weekend-eating-a-food-lovers-trip-to-tasmania" target="_blank"><b>you can read it here</b></a>! And I don't think I mentioned it here on the blog, but I also contributed a few entries earlier in the year to the Guardian's <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/series/australia-s-unsung-food-suburbs" target="_blank">Unsung Food Suburbs</a> series (read my guide to Dandenong <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/australia-food-blog/2014/apr/02/unsung-food-suburbs-dandenong-victoria" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a>, and about Sunshine <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/australia-food-blog/2014/jul/02/unsung-food-suburbs-sunshine-victoria" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a>).<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/15949382976" title="Masaaki by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8674/15949382976_40d62ab219.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Masaaki"></a><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/15975125825" title="Possum confit by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7489/15975125825_1ae33c0e10.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Possum confit"></a></center><br />
But back to Tassie for a sec: those of you lucky enough to have visited Southern Tasmania's beautiful Huon Valley may have been familiar with <a href="http://www.theredvelvetlounge.com.au/" target="_blank">the Red Velvet Lounge</a>, a fabulous cafe in Cygnet owned and run by the inimitable Steve Cumper. I had a terrific lunch at the RVL on my previous trip to Tasmania in 2012, and Steve's idiosyncratic <a href="http://the-view-from-my-porch.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">blog</a> is one of my favourite chef blogs.<br />
<br />
In November, the Red Velvet Lounge was <a href="http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/blaze-leaves-cygnets-iconic-red-velvet-lounge-in-ruins/story-fnj4f7k1-1227122280855" target="_blank">destroyed by fire</a>, devastating Steve and his team. Friends in the industry have rallied to help get the RVL back on its feet: you can get involved by bidding in the <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/rvlonlineauction/" target="_blank">#assistRVL Online Auction</a></b>. There are some fantastic auction items up for grabs, including: dinners at Hobart's hottest restaurants Garagistes and Franklin, accommodation at various Southern Tasmanian bed and breakfasts, a year’s supply of Bruny Island Cheese, an Agrarian Kitchen cooking class for two, French Black truffles from the Perigord 2015 winter truffle harvest, lots of excellent cases of wine, and the opportunity to accompany John Lethlean as his dining companion for a review dinner for the Weekend Australian. Please get bidding! You can do so on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/rvlonlineauction/" target="_blank"><b>Facebook page</b></a>, or email tori@brunyislandcheese.com.au to place a silent bid.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/15787757988" title="Red Velvet Lounge by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7510/15787757988_b9bfe9f8c7.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Red Velvet Lounge"></a></center></font><br />
clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-58858386688174878232014-09-23T16:01:00.001+10:002014-09-23T17:09:31.405+10:00Tonics and gins: news round-up<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/15141856337" title="Dutch Courage Officers Mess, Brisbane by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3867/15141856337_89a850b948.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="Dutch Courage Officers Mess, Brisbane"></a></center><br />
<font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2">There are all sorts of interesting things happening at the moment in the world of local tonics and gins, so I thought I'd list them all in the one place in this here round-up.<br />
<br />
<b>Blood Moon Tonic</b><br />
<br />
There are just THREE DAYS LEFT to pledge for <a href="http://pozible.com/bloodmoontonic" target="_blank">Blood Moon Tonic</a>, so what are you waiting for?<br />
<br />
If you missed my earlier spruiking of it on social media, Blood Moon Tonic is a new business run by my very good friend Karolina. She's producing Australia's first handcrafted tonic syrups for commercial sale, using whole cinchona bark instead of the synthesised quinine and artificial flavours used in most sugary commercial tonic water.<br />
<br />
For those who haven't tried tonic syrups before, they're a bit like cordial in that you dilute them with sparkling/soda water (or still water, if you prefer) to your desired strength. You can drink it with gin or other spirits, or as a grown-up non-alchoholic beverage, or even use the concentrated syrup as a cocktail ingredient.<br />
<br />
There are three initial flavours: one traditional recipe, one with Australian native botanicals, and one which is wholly unsweetened (ideal for those who are quitting sugar or who prefer to add their own non-sugar sweetener like stevia). I was lucky enough to taste some test samples in June and can confirm they are the bee's knees - I love being able to tinker with my tonic strength depending on which gin I'm drinking. But don't just take my word for it: Mr Max Allen wrote a terrific <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/executive-living/food-drink/karolina-partykas-blood-moon-syrup-is-just-the-topic/story-e6frg8jo-1227055120425" target="_blank">article in The Australian</a> about Blood Moon Tonic and what he thought of the syrups.<br />
<br />
My gal Karolina is doing the whole thing by hand, grinding up spices in her mortar and pestle. To kickstart producing Blood Moon Tonic in commercial quantities, she launched a crowdfunding campaign on Pozible which has been wildly successful (she met her initial target of $10k in less than three days!) and which ends on Friday. Pledge before Friday by pre-purchasing some tonic syrup and you'll be getting numbered bottles from the first batch, delivered just in time for Christmas. Get on it pronto, people! I'll see you at the launch party.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://pozible.com/bloodmoontonic" target="_blank">http://pozible.com/bloodmoontonic</a><br />
<br />
<center><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3840/15141119239_7307aa93b8.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="Blood Moon Tonic"></center><br />
<b>Daylesford and Hepburn Mineral Springs Co.</b><br />
<br />
Also in Victorian tonic news, it's awesome to see that <a href="http://www.localmineralwater.com/" target="_blank">Daylesford and Hepburn Mineral Springs Co</a> has launched what they believe to be the world's first <a href="http://www.localmineralwater.com/our-range/organics/tonic" target="_blank">certified organic tonic water</a>, using their terrific natural carbonated spring water and quinine from chinchona bark (read their lively blog post about the process <a href="http://www.localmineralwater.com/blog/2014/08/www-tonic-org-anic" target="_blank">here</a>). Barely a month since it launched, but already an Australian Made Award finalist at the Fine Food Australia expo last week. I haven't got my mitts on a bottle yet, but am really keen to do so - if you'd like to do the same, check the DHMSCO website for <a href="http://www.localmineralwater.com/stockists" target="_blank"> stockist details</a>.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://www.localmineralwater.com/media/W1siZiIsIjIwMTQvMDgvMjEvNG5lcXltZHRkeF90b25pYy5qcGciXSxbInAiLCJ0aHVtYiIsIjEzMDB4Il1d/tonic.jpg?sha=c4397833a70eaeea" width="500" height="400"><br />
<i><a href="http://www.localmineralwater.com/blog/2014/08/www-tonic-org-anic" target="_blank">Photo source</a></i></center><br />
<b>And in gin news:</b><br />
<br />
- Later this week Yarra Valley distillery <a href="https://www.fourpillarsgin.com.au/" target="_blank">Four Pillars Gin</a> is launching its 'Gunpowder Proof' navy strength gin, which clocks in at a hearty 58.8% booze by volume. The Gunpowder Proof replaces half of the oranges used in production with NSW finger limes (a native botanical also found in Stone Pine Distillery's <a href="https://stonepinedistillery.com.au/tasting.aspx" target="_blank">dry gin</a>) and will be a limited 2015 release, produced only while finger limes are in season. To get your hands on a bottle, place an order on the Four Pillars <a href="https://www.fourpillarsgin.com.au/" target="_blank">website</a> from Friday.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/t31.0-8/s960x960/10542406_550497175079479_2013123186862391853_o.jpg" width="375" height="500"><br />
<i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/FourPillarsGin/photos/pcb.550499195079277/550497175079479/" target="_blank">Photo source</a></i></center><br />
- Sydney has its first local gin! Newtown brewers <a href="http://www.younghenrys.com/" target="_blank">Young Henrys</a> launched their Noble Cut gin on the weekend at the Small World Street Festival in Marrickville (<a href="http://www.broadsheet.com.au/sydney/entertainment/gallery/afternoon-young-henrys-small-world" target="_blank">Broadsheet</a> has photos). As noted by Callan Boys in <a href="http://www.goodfood.com.au/good-food/drink/young-henrys-unveils-gin-at-small-world-street-festival-in-marrickville-20140916-10h0oh.html" target="_blank">Good Food</a>, the Young Henrys Noble Cut gin is made with hops, cascara, Australian green tea, native pepperberry, coriander, bush tomato, juniper, coriander, angelica root and other botanicals. Look out for it soon in discerning stockists near you.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10600643_644422608988863_825069062188975241_n.jpg?oh=b8d05803163a5a858ba4465393f6719a&oe=5485711A" width="375" height="500"><br />
<i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/younghenrysbrewing/photos/pb.207099682721160.-2207520000.1411454323./644422608988863/" target="_blank">Photo source</a></i></center><br />
- Here's a fun upcoming gin event: the <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.au/vic/Home" target="_blank">National Trust of Australia (Victoria)</a> is holding a pop-up gin bar *inside* the Old Melbourne Gaol on Friday 17th October. I went along with friends to a pop-up whisky bar in the Gaol that NTAV ran earlier in the year (pictured below), and we had heaps of fun wandering in and out of the cells, learning about single malts and 19th century penal reform. The $40 ticket price includes two drinks from a selection of gins and gin-based cocktails (or wine or beer, but come ON), with additional drinks available for purchase and an optional Gin Mare masterclass for an extra $15. There'll also be food, a band and uniformed sergeants rattling batons menacingly along the prison railings, to really get you into the gaolhouse spirit. Bookings can be via Trybooking <a href="http://www.trybooking.com/Booking/BookingEventSummary.aspx?eid=96192&bof=1" target="_blank">here</a> (and NTAV will also be getting piratey on 21st November with a pop-up rum bar on the Polly Woodside (!), bookings for which can be made <a href="http://www.trybooking.com/Booking/BookingEventSummary.aspx?eid=96198&bof=1" target="_blank">here</a>).<br />
<br />
<center><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3866/15141661738_09963829d3.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Pop up bar at Old Melbourne Gaol"></center><br />
- Mornington Peninsula distillery <a href="http://www.bassandflindersdistillery.com/" target="_blank">Bass & Flinders</a> has been running a great series of gin masterclasses, both at the distillery in Red Hill and in Melbourne, which give participants the opportunity to not only learn about gin but to play with different botanical distillates to create their ideal blend. At the end of the class you get your own bottle blended to your specifications! The October masterclass held at Southbank's <a href="http://www.winehouse.com.au/events/calendar_WH.asp" target="_blank">Wine House</a> has sold out, but keep an eye on the Bass & Flinders <a href="http://www.bassandflindersdistillery.com/Gin-Experience" target="_blank">website</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BassAndFlindersDistillery" target="_blank">FB page</a> for the November and December masterclass dates that will be announced shortly.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/15328117612" title="Dutch Courage Officers Mess, Brisbane by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3889/15328117612_1345813dd9.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Dutch Courage Officers Mess, Brisbane"></a></center><br />
(By the by, gin lovers: if you find yourself in Brisbane anytime soon you MUST visit the newly opened gin bar <a href="http://dutchcourage.com.au/" target="_blank">Dutch Courage Officers Mess</a> - 105 gins and counting! I was up in Brisbane on the weekend speaking at the <a href="http://www.eatdrinkblog.org/" target="_blank">Eat Drink Blog</a> conference, and went to the bar with Elly from gin blog <a href="http://theginstress.com/" target="_blank">The Ginstress</a> and some other conference delegates. I *ahem* got through five gins - just 100 to go next time...)<br />
</font>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-13471298992575244832014-09-09T00:02:00.000+10:002014-09-09T08:59:46.778+10:00Shortstop Coffee & Donuts comes to Melbourne (batter up)<font face="verdana, helvetica" size="2"><font size="1">Shortstop Coffee & Donuts<br>
12 Sutherland Street, Melbourne (<a href="https://goo.gl/maps/5TNfR" target="_blank">map</a>)<br>
<a href="tel:9642%200807" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="telephone" x-apple-data-detectors-result="0">9642 0807</a><br>
Open Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 4:30pm<br>
<a href="http://www.short-stop.com.au/" target="_blank">Website</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/shortstopmelb" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/shortstopmelb" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1829227/restaurant/CBD/Shortstop-Coffee-Donuts-Melbourne" target="_blank">Urbanspoon</a></font></font><br>
<br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/14993380658" title="Earl Grey and rose by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5554/14993380658_56215597c0.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="Earl Grey and rose"></a></center><br>
<font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2">Yesterday saw the soft opening of Shortstop Coffee & Donuts, a cafe in a sidestreet off Little Lonsdale bringing next-next-level donuts to the hungry masses. Shortstop is the brainchild of Anthony Ivey (who just under a year ago teamed up with the guys from Doughboys Doughnuts to run Melbourne's first <a href="http://www.melbournegastronome.com/2013/10/doughboys-doughnuts-pop-up-in-melbourne.html" target="_blank">coffee-and-donuts pop-up</a>) and his kitchen guru Sinye Ooi. Open Monday to Friday (sorry, weekenders), but with plans to open on weekends down the track.<br>
<br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/15179950455" title="Shortstop Coffee & Donuts by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3924/15179950455_667c8c2855.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Shortstop Coffee & Donuts"></a></center><br>
Much like Anthony's previous longtime employer <a href="http://www.melbournegastronome.com/2009/11/market-lane-excellent-specialty-coffee.html" target="_blank">Market Lane Coffee</a> (which serves specialty coffee, no decaf, no skinny milk, no tea), Shortstop has a similar purity of vision coupled with an absolute dedication to quality. They do excellent coffee and they do excellent donuts, and that's the whole menu. The meticulous consideration that Anthony and his team have given every step of the project - the extensive overseas research followed by months of recipe testing, the selection of flavours and ingredients, the chic fitout, the branding etc - has been evident to those of us who've followed Shortstop's realisation over the last year. The coffee is Market Lane, natch, and you can have it black or with Schultz organic milk.<br>
<br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/14993371898" title="Shortstop menu by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5572/14993371898_a3472ab612.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Shortstop menu"></a></center><br>
In addition to the fluffy yeast-raised ring and filled donuts more commonly seen around Melbourne, Shortstop is serving cake donuts (made from a moist crumb cake batter) and French cruller donuts (made from choux pastry and piped by hand). I tried a few cake donuts on my US trip last year and wanted to reacquaint myself, so I tried the beautifully perfumed Earl Grey and rose: Earl Grey cake with an injection of lemon myrtle and a rose water and rose petal icing. What really stood out for me was the nuanced flavour of the dough - in my experience, some of the other fancy donut places around town tend to coast on the flavour in their glazes or toppings, with somewhat flavourless dough. That wasn't the case here.<br>
<br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/15176955871" title="Earl Grey and rose by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5555/15176955871_e4c1d100eb.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Earl Grey and rose"></a></center><br>
I also had a taste of the banana and chocolate hazelnut cake donut (I'm breaking my usual rule about photos of half-eaten food in order to show you the banana cream custard hiding inside). Shortstop makes its gianduja (Nutella-like spread) from scratch. Totally worth the sugar headache I had later in the day.<br>
<br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/14993408247" title="Banana and chocolate hazelnut by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3902/14993408247_4d010eeac5.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Banana and chocolate hazelnut"></a></center><br>
A heads up before you visit: don't be surprised if there's a queue. And although the generously staffed kitchen will be baking fresh batches of donuts continuously throughout the day, some flavours will probably be unavailable when you saunter in. The good news? To be guaranteed the flavours you want, you can pre-purchase your donuts the day before (orders placed by 1pm can be collected the next day; minimum of 5 donuts per order) via Shortshop's nifty <a href="http://www.short-stop.com.au/order/" target="_blank">website</a>. Everybody wins!<br>
<br>
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/15179588032" title="Shortstop donuts by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3911/15179588032_aa8c1c6bdb.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Shortstop donuts"></a></center></font>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-4065972665206496852014-06-09T14:39:00.001+10:002014-06-09T14:39:47.178+10:00Real cider from Western Australia: Custard & Co<font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2"><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/14192967369" title="Custard & Co Scrumpy cider by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5483/14192967369_dfab6f11ff.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="Custard & Co Scrumpy cider"></a></center>Most of the time I say no when I get offers of promo samples, but I made an exception to say yes to <a href="http://custardco.com.au/" target="_blank">Custard & Co</a> when they approached me because I have FEELINGS about all the sickly sweet <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-wine/drinks/9174967/When-cider-isn-t-really-cider-at-all" target="_blank">RTD fake "ciders"</a> flooding the Australian market. In contrast, Custard & Co is the genuine article: real cider made in southwest Western Australia using local, hand-sorted fruit, their own strain of wild yeast and open top fermentation. You can read more about the processes used by Somerset-born owner and chief cider maker Ian Rayner <a href="http://custardco.com.au/" target="_blank">here</a>. This is their Scrumpy (unfiltered and uncarbonated) and it's bloody DELICIOUS - fermented and full of the flavour of real apples. Melburnians can buy Custard & Co cider at <a href="http://blackheartsandsparrows.com.au/" target="_blank">Blackhearts & Sparrows</a> and <a href="http://www.slowbeer.com.au/buy-beer/cider-ginger-beer-etc/" target="_blank">Slow Beer</a>, and look out for it on the menu at discerning venues like Cumulus Inc, The Town Mouse and The Meatball & Wine Bar.<br />
<br />
Thanks for the free sample, Custard & Co - I didn't drink it on #FlagonFriday so I missed the promo hashtag, but this flagon will go down a treat at today's Queen's Birthday Game of Thrones viewing party.</font>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-79818534416607036462014-05-30T16:41:00.000+10:002014-06-09T14:40:11.031+10:00Melbourne's own Mister Bitters bitters<center><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5158/14301500532_69a517292b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Mister Bitters"></center><br />
<font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2">As my overladen cocktail trolley at home will attest, I'm an ardent fan of good gin and other spirits, and I particularly like to support <a href="http://www.goodfood.com.au/good-food/drink/local-tipple-could-be-just-the-tonic-20131214-2zdh1.html" target="_blank">Australian distillers in the small-batch liquor boom</a>. Lately I've been experimenting a bit more with <a href="http://www.onlybitters.com/tonics/" target="_blank">tonic syrups</a> and different kinds of <a href="http://www.onlybitters.com/" target="_blank">bitters</a>, and was delighted to learn in February that two chaps in Fitzroy were about to launch Australia's first dedicated bitters company.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mr-bitters.com/" target="_blank">Mister Bitters</a> is made by Melbourne bartenders Benny McKew and Jacob Taylor, in a partnership that includes <a href="http://www.lilyblacks.com.au/" target="_blank">Lily Blacks</a> owner Lachlan McAllister. The flavours that they've launched so far are fig & cinnamon, pink grapefruit & agave (a bedmate for tequila if ever there was one - as it happens, it was developed with the guys from Tromba) and honeyed apricot & smoked hickory.<br />
<br />
I was gifted a small sample of each at the Mister Bitters launch last week, and have been playing with them at home since then. Of the three flavours, I'd say fig & cinnamon is the most versatile (it tastes terrific in an Old Fashioned, or really any other old school cocktail that benefits from Christmassy spice) but my favourite is perhaps the honeyed apricot & smoked hickory, which gave my Negroni a smoky extra kick. You can purchase 100mL bottles of Mister Bitters bitters from <a href="http://www.onlybitters.com/mr-bitters-1/" target="_blank">Only Bitters</a>, a Melbourne-based website that every cocktail aficionado should have bookmarked. I encourage you to do so!<br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.mr-bitters.com/" target="_blank">mr-bitters.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.onlybitters.com/" target="_blank">onlybitters.com</a></b><br />
<center><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5481/14300070651_bd8e91b64e.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Mister Bitters"></center></font>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-49539737586324890442014-04-29T12:53:00.001+10:002014-04-29T12:53:15.659+10:00My nonna's sugo<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/2170577963" title="Gnocchi con sugo by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr" target="_blank"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2213/2170577963_e6ac8ab6b4.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Gnocchi con sugo"></a></center><br />
<font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2">Three times over the last fifteen years I've tried to learn my nonna's recipe for making her signature sugo, ragù alla bolognese. I've watched and listened and scribbled in my notebook as she's talked me through the process in a mishmash of English and Italian. Soffritto of garlic, onion, celery, carrot. Herbs and spices. Tomato. Meat. Wine. Time. But whenever I've tried to replicate the recipe at home I've been dissatisfied with the results, no matter how meticulous I've been. There's an intangible spark, an <i>Italianness</i>, that my sauce lacks – which I consider supremely ironic, given that her sugo was created then developed in Australia, rather than in the country of her birth.<br />
<br />
My nonna Livia grew up in a village in the Veneto near Treviso, then lived in Monfalcone, a ship-building town in Friuli-Venezia Giulia that was bombed into ugliness during the war due to its military significance. As the 22-year-old bride of an Istrian Italian disillusioned after his home town became part of Tito's Yugoslavia in the post-war redrawing of borders, Livia boarded a ship in 1950 with her new husband for a new life.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://italyonmymind.com.au/2013/03/24/the-voyage-from-italy-and-an-italian-potato-salad/" target="_blank"><img src="http://italyonmymind.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/mamma-e-papa-a-cinecitta.jpg?w=500&h=350" alt="Nonna e Nonno"></a></center><br />
It was a hard life. For the first six months in Australia, including several weeks interned in Albury's <a href="http://italyonmymind.com.au/2013/03/31/bonegilla-rabbits-spaghetti-sausages-and-cotolette/" target="_blank">Bonegilla Migrant Camp</a>, she cried every day for the parents and siblings she'd left behind. She was disgusted to learn that Australians cooked with dripping, and that olive oil was available only from a pharmacy for presumably medicinal purposes. And for all her continental snobbery, Livia found herself unable to produce dishes that met with her husband's exacting standards. Although her parents had run a trattoria/bar in the shadow of Monfalcone's train station, her duties had been confined to front of house and as the youngest daughter she had never been taught to cook.<br />
<br />
Salvation came in 1952 in the form of a cook book in a language she could read, transported by special request from Italy by her brother when he too migrated to Melbourne. <i>Il tesoretto della cucina italiana</i> by Giuseppe Oberosler was a 600-page tome containing 1,700 'practical, economical and tasty recipes for family use'. She still possesses it to this day, and claims it taught her everything she needed to know to become a good cook.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://italyonmymind.com.au/2012/10/11/my-mothers-cookbook/" target="_blank"><img src="http://italyonmymind.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/version-3-cookbook.jpg?w=500" alt="Oberosler"></a></center><br />
For decades though, she steadfastly ignored the Southern recipes. Unlike most of Australia's Italian migrants who had come from the rural agricultural South, she and her husband came from the industrialised North (albeit from the then-poorest pocket of the North, well outside the industrial golden triangle of Milan-Turin-Genoa). Their staples had been polenta and risotto.<br />
<br />
To my grandparents, who'd left Italy just before the advent of television sped up linguistic homogenisation, most of the Lygon Street Italians with their incomprehensible dialects and love of pizza were completely foreign. My grandparents' social circle was mostly limited to other Northern Italian migrants, and Anglos who'd good naturedly tease them for drinking 'plonk' rather than beer. For forty years Livia's sourced-from-Italy, learned-in-Australia recipes stayed true to her Northern roots, and avoided peperoncino at all costs ('<i>Che schifo!</i>', my nonno would grimace, at the mere mention of chilli).<br />
<br />
Then a curious thing happened. In the late 1980s, they were persuaded by friends to join an Italian social club, the kind where the pipe-smoking men would play card games like briscola or scopa for hours while the women worked together to prepare a hearty communal dinner. For the first time, they were socialising regularly with a large group of Southerners and sharing meals with them. Frequent exposure to Southern Italian cuisine at the club transformed their tastebuds, making them more adventurous diners generally – but above all developing their love of chilli, to the point where nonno would clamour for more and more peperoncino in his sugo.<br />
<br />
And so nonna's sugo, which had been evolving since 1952, underwent its most dramatic change, receiving a turbo boost of chilli. The recipe continues to evolve to this day, though as a widow living alone with declining health she makes it less frequently now. I remain touched that my grandparents were able to adapt and appreciate good Southern Italian food, even at a late stage in their lives. Now let me just nail this damn recipe.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/5499765354" title="Nonna by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr" target="_blank"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5214/5499765354_2c76821450.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="Nonna"></a></center><br />
<i>For more stories about Livia, visit my aunt Paola's excellent blog <a href="http://italyonmymind.com.au/" target="_blank">Italy on my Mind</a> - grazie Paola for letting me use two of your photos. x</i></font>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-11437503160520058062014-03-31T23:59:00.000+11:002014-04-01T10:52:45.154+11:00Top three city venues for ramen in Melbourne<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/13526937385" title="Fukuryu Ramen by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3738/13526937385_6919f78c63.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Fukuryu Ramen"></a></center><font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2"><br />
It pains me to admit it, but the ramen in Sydney has always been better than the ramen in Melbourne. Until about a year ago, going out for ramen in Melbourne was a regular exercise in disappointment: at Kokoro the broths were too salty, at Ramen Ya the egg was hard-boiled (nooooooo!) and the watery broths were often served lukewarm, and at Ajisen the noodles were soggy. Fast-forward to 2014 and the state of ramen in Melbourne has improved a great deal - these are the three venues in the CBD where I will happily order ramen.</font><br />
<br />
<font face="verdana, helvetica" size="2"><font size="1">Fukuryu Ramen<br />
22-26 Corrs Lane, Melbourne (<a href="https://goo.gl/maps/PC8BY" target="_blank">map</a>)<br />
9090 7149<br />
Open Monday to Sunday 11:30am - 2:30pm and 5:30pm - 9:30pm<br />
<a href="http://www.fukuryuramen.com/" target="_blank">Website</a></font></font><br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/13526932345" title="Fukuryu Ramen by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7434/13526932345_e21608988d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Fukuryu Ramen"></a></center><font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2"><br />
Fukuryu ("lucky dragon") Ramen opened just two weeks ago, but I've already dined there multiple times. It's located in Chinatown's Corrs Lane between Brutale and Sichuan House, occupying a large, pristine warehouse space on the second floor with west-facing windows. Jeff and Yenny Tsao have opened the restaurant with partners from Hakata Ikkousha Group Indonesia, a group with ramen restaurants all over Asia. Staff are very polite and enthusiastic.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/13527254164" title="Fukuryu tonkotsu by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3799/13527254164_3eeb996213.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Fukuryu tonkotsu"></a></center><br />
The broth, the broth! It was the best tonkotsu I've had in Melbourne, with plenty of depth and pork and garlic. My friend's miso ramen with butter and corn was also excellent, the noodles were not-too-soggy-not-too-bouncy, and the ajitama (marinated soft-boiled egg) was gloriously gooey. While the bowls are a bit smaller than at other ramen joints, they're priced accordingly ($8.90-$9.90, and you don't have to pay extra for the ajitama) and are a good size for those of us who have to concentrate at our desks after lunch. Fukuryu is gradually rolling out an expanded izakaya <a href="http://www.fukuryuramen.com/" target="_blank">menu</a>, and until 7 April the soft-serve green tea ice cream is free.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/13526945675" title="Fukuryu miso ramen by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7320/13526945675_ed12d16ea5.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Fukuryu miso ramen"></a></center></font><br />
<font face="verdana, helvetica" size="2"><font size="1">Mensousai Mugen<br />
11 Bligh Place, Melbourne (<a href="https://goo.gl/maps/d50WM" target="_blank">map</a>)<br />
9620 3647 or 9620 9000<br />
Open Monday to Friday 11:30am-2:30pm and 6pm-11pm, Saturday 6pm-11pm, closed Sunday<br />
<a href="http://mensousaimugen.com/" target="_blank">Website</a></font></font><br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/13527022143" title="Mugen by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7325/13527022143_84cc125c03.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Mugen"></a></center><font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2"><br />
Yoshi Kurosawa, who owns longtime favourite Robot Bar in Bligh Place, opened Mensousai Mugen just across the way in November. While Mugen offers izakaya dishes and regular bowls of ramen, their specialty is tsukemen (dipping ramen): thicker noodles served cold on a plate with chashu pork, nori and pickled bamboo shoots, all of which are dipped in a thickened, strongly-seasoned sauce made from pork, chicken and dried fish to deliver an umami KAPOW. When you've finished dipping, a delicate dashi is added to the sauce to make a hot, sippable broth. It's a terrific variant on ramen.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/13527236184" title="Mugen tsukemen by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3738/13527236184_5c93ffe333.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Mugen tsukemen"></a></center><br />
The kitchen is at ground level, but the dining area is downstairs in a small, bunker-chic room with <a href="http://www.kozyndan.com/" target="_blank">kozyndan</a> art prints on one wall and looped Kurosawa movies on the other. There's also a good range of <a href="http://www.coedobrewery.com/" target="_blank">Coedo</a> beers, including the Beniaka brewed from Kintoki sweet potatoes.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/13527232214" title="Kurosawa at Mugen by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7112/13527232214_e461f6471f.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Kurosawa at Mugen"></a></center><br />
</font><br />
<font face="verdana, helvetica" size="2"><font size="1">Little Ramen Bar<br />
346 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne (<a href="https://goo.gl/maps/zKBDU" target="_blank">map</a>)<br />
9670 5558<br />
Open Monday to Saturday 11:30am-2:30pm and 5:30pm-9:30pm, closed Sunday<br />
<a href="http://www.littleramenbar.com.au/" target="_blank">Website</a></font></font><br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/13527005523" title="Little Ramen Bar by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2881/13527005523_0580d76dc4.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Little Ramen Bar"></a></center><font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2"><br />
Less flashy than the new kids on the block Fukuryu and Mugen, quiet achiever Little Ramen Bar opened a year ago, occupying a tiny shopfront on Little Bourke Street. They dole out consistently good broths and bouncy noodles - my favourite order is the buttery miso ramen with added ajitama and lashings of kimchi. Prices are up there (ramen $9.90-$14.50 plus any extras) but the ramen servings are enormous, the gyoza are top-notch and there's fresh Sapporo Draught on tap.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/13527009683" title="Little Ramen Bar ramen by Claire MelbourneGastronome, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7138/13527009683_31834a1c83.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Little Ramen Bar ramen"></a></center><br />
Got a favourite CBD ramen joint that isn't listed here? Tell me which one it is.</font>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-89554852289443723752014-02-20T10:51:00.000+11:002014-02-20T10:51:29.992+11:00NORA charcoal tarts, Melbourne<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/12631721435/" title="Coconut caramel and bacon candy tart by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="https://s3.yimg.com/so/7296/12631721435_c034431a66.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Coconut caramel and bacon candy tart"></a></center><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/12631725515/" title="Coconut pandan tart by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7380/12631725515_730b3c5dba.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Coconut pandan tart"></a></center><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/12632175374/" title="Chocolate ganache tart and ginger lemongrass tart by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="https://ycpi-farm3.staticflickr.com/2886/12632175374_372c8fb903.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Chocolate ganache tart and ginger lemongrass tart"></a></center><br />
<font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2">Expect to see these little black-shelled beauties cropping up soon in a discerning cafe near you. Launched just last week, <a href="https://twitter.com/nora_melbourne" target="_blank">NORA</a> is the project of young Melbourne couple Tong and Jean, supplying tarts to cafes around town and with plans to open their own cafe in the future.<br />
<br />
A former artist and photographer, Tong worked for a couple of years in the coffee industry at St Ali, Seven Seeds and Traveller, and more recently turned his hand to cooking with stints at The Commoner and Mr Nice Guy Thai. Jean is a self-taught baker, honing her skills over years of baking at home for family and friends while working in tax and accountancy. The flavours in the tarts draw on the couple's South East Asian backgrounds and use fancy ingredients (including on-trend favourites caramel, popcorn, bacon and popping candy) to marry sweet with savoury, something that Melbourne diners can't get enough of in their desserts these days.<br />
<br />
The five tart varieties are as follows:<br />
- buttered popcorn coconut caramel, topped with candied bacon and butterscotch caramel;<br />
- coconut pandan with toasted puffed rice, coconut flakes and fried shallot crumble;<br />
- lemon and lemongrass ginger brûlée;<br />
- Callebaut 70% dark chocolate ganache with popping candy and navel orange puree, topped with freeze-dried mandarin and pistachio; and<br />
- pumpkin egg custard topped with spiced Kent pumpkin, salted pepitas and hazelnut crumb.<br />
<br />
NORA's point of difference is their distinctive black pastry shells, an effect achieved by the addition of a small amount of food-grade activated charcoal made from coconut shell. Food-grade activated charcoal is safe to ingest and has reported health benefits as a detoxifier; on my recent trip to Japan I saw bamboo charcoal used in baking. NORA's reasons for using charcoal as their signature ingredient are largely aesthetic, but they see any health benefits as a happy bonus. <br />
<br />
You can currently find NORA's tarts at <a href="http://sevenseeds.com.au/" target="_blank">Traveller Coffee</a> in the city and at the newly-opened <a href="http://www.placeholdersmithstreet.com/" target="_blank">Place Holder</a> cafe in Fitzroy, with Tong and Jean looking to expand supply operations in the near future. I've been popping in to Traveller each morning this week to try one: so far my favourite is the lemon and lemongrass ginger brûlée (a terrific Asian variant on <a href="http://bourkestreetbakery.com.au/" target="_blank">Bourke Street Bakery</a>'s most famous pastry). You can follow NORA on <a href="https://twitter.com/nora_melbourne" target="_blank">Twitter</a> or <a href="http://instagram.com/nora_melbourne" target="_blank">Instagram</a>.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/12631730945/" title="Pumpkin egg custard tart by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2839/12631730945_e4c31ca0c7.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Pumpkin egg custard tart"></a></center><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TzbbO3dGSAE/UwU0_MW-LYI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/jACP9PtRHc8/s1600/Nora.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TzbbO3dGSAE/UwU0_MW-LYI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/jACP9PtRHc8/s1600/Nora.jpg" /></a></div></font>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-85326465955023500062014-02-14T13:51:00.001+11:002014-02-14T13:51:40.192+11:00Sydney Gastronome: sensational Korean at Moon Park<font face="verdana, helvetica" size="2"><font size="1">Moon Park<br />
Level 1, 34b Redfern Street (entry via Elizabeth Street), Redfern, NSW (<a href="https://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=34+redfern+street+redfern&hnear=34+Redfern+St,+Redfern+New+South+Wales+2016&gl=au&t=m&z=16" target="_blank">map</a>)<br />
02 9690 0111<br />
Open Lunch Fri & Sun noon-3pm, Dinner Tues-Sat 5:30-11pm<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Moon-Park/170225406506400" target="_blank">facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/MoonParkRedfern" target="_blank">twitter</a></font></font><br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/11322145865/" title="Breakfast wine and rice crackers by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5514/11322145865_061966706d.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Breakfast wine and rice crackers"></a></center><br />
<font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2">On my most recent trip to Sydney I had dinner at Moon Park, and months later I'm still thinking about that meal.<br />
<br />
It's modern Korean, but not modern Korean as you know it. The young trio behind Moon Park have created a restaurant that feels different to every other Korean restaurant in Australia. Formerly at Melbourne's Cutler & Co before his move to Sydney, Ben Sears became head chef at Claude's in Woollahra. He met his girlfriend Eun Hee Ann while they were both working in the Claude's kitchen, and late last year they opened Moon Park as chefs and co-owners with their friend Ned Brooks (ex-MoVida and one half of wine agency <a href="http://www.brooksandamos.com/" target="_blank">Brooks & Amos</a>), who runs front of house. The wine list is supersmart, favouring natural wines from Australia and France without going overboard. My favourite was the Patrick Sullivan 'Breakfast Wine' 2012, a naturalish skin contact Sauvignon Blanc from the Yarra Valley (not a wine I would ever have chosen off my own bat) that went brilliantly with the elegant food.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/11322148905/" title="Cucumber kimchi by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3808/11322148905_535587c8e4.jpg" width="300" height="400" alt="Cucumber kimchi"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/11322231484/" title="Bindaedduk: fried chickpea cake by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5492/11322231484_74697b1f01.jpg" width="300" height="400" alt="Bindaedduk: fried chickpea cake"></a></center><br />
Ah, the food. While some dishes on the menu are quite traditional ("This recipe is so Korean, my partner won't let me make it - only she is allowed to make it", joked Ben to me at one point), others reinvent Korean dishes quite radically. Yeah there's fried chicken on the menu, but it's shrimp brined; yeah there's bindaedduk, but instead of being a mung bean pancake here it consists of narrow bricks of fried chickpea cake ($5, pictured above next to the cucumber kimchi). The Bibim ($20) blends includes pearl barley, asparagus, corn, crab, cured egg and nori served with gochujang (pictured below - NB in our case the crab was served separately because my dinner date was vegetarian).<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/11322240254/" title="Bibim: rice & pearl barley, gochujang, corn, crab, cured egg & nori by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7385/11322240254_a07896f402.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Bibim: rice & pearl barley, gochujang, corn, crab, cured egg & nori"></a></center><br />
In addition to tasting good, the dishes are beautifully plated. The whipped tofu is served with technicolor carrots, buckwheat and shiitake crisps ($15). Carrots also put in an appearance in the imjasutang ($17): traditionally a soup served to royalty, here a salad of delicately poached chicken, pinenut, mushroom, date puree, sesame paste and pickled rose.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/11322298283/" title="Whipped tofu, carrot, shiitake and buckwheat by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7394/11322298283_62a322125b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Whipped tofu, carrot, shiitake and buckwheat"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/11322237094/" title="Imjasutang: royal summer chicken, pinenut, mushroom, date and pickled rose by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5481/11322237094_0ee9ec3c53.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Imjasutang: royal summer chicken, pinenut, mushroom, date and pickled rose"></a></center><br />
Ben was Andrew McConnell's pastry chef at Cutler, so we ordered both desserts. The patbingsu ($13) consists of tiny sugared donuts served with strawberry, fig leaf shaved milk, red bean and omija (five-flavour tea). The "moon pie" ($14) is a deconstructed, utterly delicious combination of poached pear, maesil (green plum) marshmallow, ginger jelly and graham cracker crumbs.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/11322308623/" title="Patbingsu: fig leaf shaved milk, strawberry, fresh donuts and omija by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7434/11322308623_9d3c9016b3.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Patbingsu: fig leaf shaved milk, strawberry, fresh donuts and omija"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/11322311623/" title="Moon pie: pear, maesil marshmallow, ginger jelly, graham cracker by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3711/11322311623_b9b0c70bc9.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Moon pie: pear, maesil marshmallow, ginger jelly, graham cracker"></a></center><br />
The venue is a little tricky to find: the corner building faces Redfern Park, but entry is via Elizabeth Street and the low-key restaurant space is hidden above a decorative arts showroom. My list of places to visit on my next Sydney trip is long, but DAMN it will be hard to resist revisiting Moon Park.<br />
<br />
The other standout meal on my last trip to Sydney? <a href="http://www.cafepaci.com.au/" target="_blank">Cafe Paci</a>. I didn't write about it, but judging from his review (which I highly recommend you read), <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/executive-living/food-drink/cafe-paci/story-fnda1bc8-1226771494331" target="_blank">Mr Lethlean</a> and I had a very similar set menu. They only have a 12 month lease, so make a reservation quicksticks.</font>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-58819888710202357522014-01-30T13:58:00.001+11:002014-01-31T00:14:54.772+11:00Sezar introduces Melbourne to Armenian barbecue<font face="verdana, helvetica" size="2"><font size="1">Sezar<br>
6 Melbourne Place, Melbourne (<a href="https://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=6+melbourne+place+melbourne&hnear=6+Melbourne+Pl,+Melbourne+Victoria+3000&gl=au&t=m&z=16" target="_blank">map</a>)<br>
<a href="tel:9663%209882" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="telephone" x-apple-data-detectors-result="0">9663 9882</a><br>
Open for dinner Monday-Saturday 5:30-10:30pm, lunch Thursday-Friday 12-3pm<br>
<a href="http://sezar.com.au/" target="_blank">website</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Sezar.restaurant" target="_blank">facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/SezarRestaurant" target="_blank">twitter</a></font></font><br>
<br>
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/12082800423/" title="Sezar by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3727/12082800423_0385cab831.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Sezar"></a></center><font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2"><br>
Melbourne doesn't get much exposure to Armenian cuisine. At Sezar, the Armenian restaurant that opened late last year, the front of house staff describe it as a blend of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine (if you'd like some geographic indicators, Armenia borders Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan and Georgia). Judging from the menu, the food at Sezar skews more towards the Middle Eastern than the Med, with an emphasis on fresh ingredients rather than going overboard on spices. The menu also features lots of khorovadz - Armenian barbecue - dishes cooked on a custom charcoal pit.<br>
<br>
Chef and co-owner Garen Maskal (head chef at The Black Toro in Glen Waverley and former sous at Ezard) has drawn on his Armenian heritage in adapting some of his grandmother's recipes for contemporary Melbourne diners, and he's installed fellow Ezard alum Franc Bakkes in the kitchen. The restaurant site (previously Saint Peter's Trattoria and the Canary Club) is tucked down an alleyway in which a street art mural of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayk" target="_blank">Haik Nahapet</a>, warrior-founder of Armenia, points the way.<br>
<br>
As is so often the way these days, the menu is split into small, large and side sharing dishes, with a $65 banquet option. My dinner date and I started with the substantial falafel with spanner crab, iceberg tabbouleh and a drizzle of tahini, served on a spongey Armenian flatbread ($17 for two). We highly recommend this dish.<br>
<br>
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/12082677703/" title="Spanner crab falafel by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3694/12082677703_d41dd4253c.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Spanner crab falafel"></a></center><br>
We ordered a trio of khorovadz dishes to see what this charcoal pit could do: shiitake mushrooms with haloumi and onion on shashlik skewers with grape leaf wraps ($14 for two), lamb kebab with baby gem lettuce and a sour cherry sauce ($19 for two), and eggplant with buttermilk yoghurt, barberries and a fistful of fresh herbs including mint and parsley ($22). We loved the first two (especially with the accompanying grape leaf wraps and the sour cherry sauce) but felt let down by the rather bland eggplant, which needed a salty punch to balance out the buttermilk yoghurt.<br>
<br>
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/12083014126/" title="BBQ shiitake mushrooms by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5495/12083014126_db2f963a8b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="BBQ shiitake mushrooms"></a><br>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/12082751804/" title="Lamb kebab by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2860/12082751804_9435bf1fd4.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Lamb kebab"></a><br>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/12082420415/" title="BBQ eggplant by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7302/12082420415_4b7fe8aafa.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="BBQ eggplant"></a></center><br>
Dessert was a pide (the Armenian version is bread-ier than your usual pide, and pre-baked then warmed rather than cooked to a crisp), covered with a terrific combination of Nutella ganache, hazelnuts, freeze dried berries, white chocolate jelly and fresh basil ($14).<br>
<br>
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/12082836984/" title="Nutella pide by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3716/12082836984_0a122c7048.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Nutella pide"></a></center><br>
The licensed restaurant has the advantage of being open on a Monday night, and on the Monday my date and I visited the joint was buzzing. We enjoyed Sezar's fresh take on Middle Eastern dining and I look forward to their upstairs cocktail bar opening in March.<br>
<br>
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/12082502635/" title="Sezar by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3681/12082502635_01f0b69b06.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Sezar"></a></center></font>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-71503388515002578212014-01-29T15:15:00.000+11:002014-01-29T15:15:53.206+11:00Australian gin, new Melbourne restaurants and food trends for 2014<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/12198855943/" title="Four Pillars Gin CARL still 'Wilma' by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3669/12198855943_80a5248798.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Four Pillars Gin CARL still 'Wilma'"></a></center><br />
<font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2">A few quick updates on what I've been up to this summer:<br />
<br />
- I wrote <a href="http://www.goodfood.com.au/good-food/drink/local-tipple-could-be-just-the-tonic-20131214-2zdh1.html" target="_blank">an article about Australian gins and the use of native botanicals for Fairfax's Good Food/Epicure</a>. At last I'm putting my obsession with gin, and with Australian gins in particular, to good use. Research for the article included visiting Wilma (pictured above), the beautiful CARL copper pot still used to make <a href="http://www.fourpillarsgin.com.au/" target="_blank">Four Pillars Gin</a> in the Yarra Valley. Expect to see more gin-related content on Melbourne Gastronome soon...<br />
<br />
- Although I haven't published any new blog posts lately, I've been continuing to update my <a href="http://www.melbournegastronome.com/p/new.html" target="_blank">new Melbourne venues</a> page and my <a href="http://www.melbournegastronome.com/p/opening-soon-in-melbourne-town.html" target="_blank">upcoming Melbourne venues</a> page. By my count there were 11 new openings so far this month and 23 new openings in December (!!!) so check them out (and, as ever, let me know which ones I've missed).<br />
<br />
- Three weeks ago I was <a href="http://joy.org.au/cravings/2014/01/food-trends-of-2014/" target="_blank">interviewed on JOY 94.9FM about food trends for 2014</a> by the host of the food and drink radio show Cravings, the debonair Pete Dillon. Also on the panel that afternoon was Epicure's Hilary McNevin and former Gastronomy Program Manager at the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, Sharlee Gibb. To find out what trends we talked about - apart from me ranting about fake alcopop "ciders" - download the podcast of the show by clicking on the link above.</font>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-84930921456165120692013-12-09T17:05:00.000+11:002013-12-13T09:47:37.309+11:00The new ACCC guidelines: Australian law and online reviews<font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2"><br />
Last week the ACCC released its first guidance materials relating to online product reviews for businesses and review platforms. The arrival of the guidelines was warmly welcomed by those of us concerned with disclosures and misleading conduct online - in the absence of specific guidance in the Australian legal context, we'd had to look to equivalent guidelines in the US (see the FTC's <a href="http://ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf" target="_blank">2009 Guidance on Endorsements and Testimonials</a> and the updated-for-2013 <a href="http://www.ftc.gov/os/2013/03/130312dotcomdisclosures.pdf" target="_blank">Dot Com Disclosures guidance for digital advertising</a>) and the UK (see the ASA's recent publication <a href="http://www.asa.org.uk/News-resources/Media-Centre/2013/Blurring-advertising-and-blogs.aspx" target="_blank">Blurring advertising and blogs – why it pays to know the ad rules</a>).<br />
<br />
In light of the confusion surrounding the ACCC guidelines from some people online ('So if I only post positive reviews of my wines on my site, is that in violation?!' one wine person tweeted to me) I thought I'd write this post setting out the guidelines, as they intersect nicely between my blogging and my professional expertise relating to consumer law.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O0xeQrbBmMo/UqEzPGyHOsI/AAAAAAAAAbc/0ktNFGn0A_g/s1600/accc.JPG"></div><br />
A couple of initial points:<br />
<br />
- Contrary to what you may have heard, these are not 'new laws' that the ACCC is introducing. <a href="http://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/shopping/advertising-and-promotions/misleading-or-deceptive-conduct" target="_blank">Misleading or deceptive conduct</a> continues to be prohibited under the <i>Competition and Consumer Act 2010</i> (CCA) incorporating the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), punishable by penalties of up to $1.1 million. What the guidelines do is help to identify misleading conduct in the specific context of online reviews.<br />
<br />
- The ACCC guidelines relate to 'review platforms', which are defined as <i>'sites, sections of sites or software tools (eg apps) which publish reviews about a range of goods, services or businesses and whose predominant audience are consumers seeking product or business information to inform a prospective purchase. Review platforms generally publish reviews on their own site. Sometimes review platforms are engaged to collect and publish reviews on another’s site.'</i> The guidelines confirm that the principles equally apply to blogs and discussion threads. It also makes no difference whether the reviews are by experts or 'everyday' consumers (eg Urbanspoon, Yelp, TripAdvisor).<br />
<br />
The quotes below come from the <a href="http://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Online%20reviews%E2%80%94a%20guide%20for%20business%20and%20review%20platforms.pdf" target="_blank">ACCC guidance</a> and the <a href="http://www.accc.gov.au//business/advertising-promoting-your-business/managing-online-reviews" target="_blank">summary for businesses</a> on the ACCC website.<br />
<br />
<b>Disclosing commercial arrangements with reviewed businesses</b><br />
<blockquote><i>Commercial relationships between review platforms and businesses may influence the overall rating of a business on the site. For example, a review platform may allow businesses that advertise on the site to select a review to appear at the top of the page or prevent negative reviews from being automatically uploaded. This may mislead consumers by creating an impression that the business received more favourable reviews than it actually has. Disclosing commercial relationships between review platforms and businesses helps consumers make better informed decisions about the business and its products or services.<br />
<br />
Platforms which allow commercial relationships with reviewed businesses to impact upon the content or presentation of reviews, in particular the inflation of review results, risk breaching the CCA. In circumstances where a commercial relationship does not affect the review results, it is recommended that there is disclosure of this relationship to consumers using the review platform.<br />
<br />
For platforms opting to rely on disclosure, suggestions as to how this disclosure may be made include:<br />
- a prominent explanation of the nature and extent of the commercial relationship and its impact, if any, on the review page of the affected business<br />
- distinguishing review results which are in any way promoted or improved because of a commercial relationship with the platform through shading or other means so that their content is not confused with ‘organic’ review results.</i></blockquote><br />
If you have a commercial relationship: disclose it.<br />
<br />
The guidance goes beyond the obvious point of disclosing advertorials to include the ways in which commercial relationships between the business and the reviewer or review platform may influence in subtler ways, such as the business being able to manipulate review results.<br />
<br />
This <a href="http://www.afr.com/p/technology/accc_blogger_guidelines_add_pressure_wS0WKvi0NTeWbGxi3ejlMJ" target="_blank">excellent article on the guidelines in the Fin Review</a> by <a href="http://lusciousness.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Cha's Kitchen</a> points to <a href="https://twitter.com/stickifingers" target="_blank">@stickifingers'</a> commendable use of the #myclient hashtag when tweeting about her clients.<br />
<br />
<b>‘Consumer reviews’ written by businesses or on behalf of businesses</b><br />
<i></i><blockquote><i>The writing of reviews by a business about itself as though it were a consumer is misleading; as is writing negative reviews about a competitor when the author has not experienced the product or service. Engaging an individual, a search engine optimisation firm or other public relations firm to deliver reviews by persons who are purporting to be, but who are not in fact, genuine consumers is misleading.<br />
<br />
You should not write reviews when you have not experienced the good or service reviewed or reviews which do not reflect a genuinely held opinion. You should not solicit others to write reviews about your business or a competitor’s business if they have not experienced the good or service. The ACCC considers such conduct to be misleading.<br />
<br />
You should not encourage family and friends to write reviews about your business without disclosing their personal connection with your business in that review.</i></blockquote><br />
Re that last point: undisclosed personal connections can also mislead, even if there's no commercial relationship. When I write about places that are run by mates of mine I always err on the side of disclosing our connection (even if it risks making me sound like a pretentious name-dropper).<br />
<br />
<b>Detecting and removing fake consumer reviews</b><br />
<blockquote><i>Businesses and review platforms that do not remove reviews that they know to be fake risk breaching the CCA.<br />
<br />
Whilst it is not always possible to detect every fake review, review platforms should have appropriate processes and procedures in place to detect and remove fake reviews. A best practice approach is to reactively (relying on complaints information) and proactively (using automated or manual internal systems) seek out fake reviews, including after they have been posted.<br />
<br />
There is no precise formula for identifying fake reviews. In relation to the detection of suspected fake material, reviews which may warrant attention include those:<br />
- which are part of a significant ‘spike’ in reviews about a particular business over a limited period of time<br />
- written from the same email or IP address as each other or as the business reviewed<br />
- written about the same business, good or service where the accounts of those who wrote reviews demonstrate abnormal similarities, e.g. similar email addresses, user names, passwords or IP addresses<br />
- which use overly positive or ‘marketing-speak’ writing styles<br />
- which do not make sense<br />
- which use the same exact language as other reviews of the same business or product.<br />
<br />
Reviews may mislead consumers if they are presented as impartial, but were written by:<br />
- the reviewed business<br />
- a competitor<br />
- someone paid to write the review who has not used the product<br />
- someone who has used the product but written an inflated review to receive a financial or non-financial benefit.<br />
<br />
Tips for businesses:<br />
The ACCC considers conduct such as the following to be misleading. You should not:<br />
- encourage family and friends to write reviews about your business without disclosing their personal connection with your business in that review<br />
- write reviews when you have not experienced the good or service reviewed or which do not reflect a genuinely held opinion<br />
- solicit others to write reviews about your business or a competitor’s business if they have not experienced the good or service.</i></blockquote><br />
In their online <a href="http://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/online-shopping/online-product-reviews" target="_blank">advice for consumers</a>, the ACCC also warns consumers to <i>'be wary of reviewers or online contributors whose profile indicates that they have only ever written one review. The profile may have been created to write a fake review.'</i> To their credit, websites like Yelp are going to considerable lengths to try to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/18/technology/yelp-tries-to-halt-deceptive-reviews.html?_r=0" target="_blank">weed</a> <a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2013/09/24/fake-online-reviews-proliferate-fraud-detection-efforts-grow/aWsy3l5xQAfJxczMySMMKL/story.html" target="_blank">out</a> fake reviews.<br />
<br />
<b>Incentivised consumer reviews</b><br />
<i><blockquote>Incentives should only be offered in exchange for reviews of your business (its products or services) if:<br />
1) incentives are offered equally to consumers likely to be complimentary and consumers likely to be critical, and positive and negative reviews are treated the same<br />
2) the reviewer is expressly told that the incentive is available whether the review is positive or negative<br />
3) the incentive is prominently disclosed to users who rely on affected reviews.<br />
<br />
When an online review platform offers an incentive, it should do so in accordance with the three recommendations set out under the guidance for reviewed businesses relating to incentivised reviews. It is recommended that disclosure of any incentive which the platform offers in exchange for a review be placed by the platform prominently on the review page of the business whose reviews are affected by the incentive.</blockquote></i><br />
When provided with an incentive, many people tend to write a positive review: as <a href="http://www.lastappetite.com/i-ate-the-sponsored-food-why-disclosure-isnt-enough/" target="_blank">Phil Lees notes</a>, the Norm of Reciprocity is strong.<br />
<br />
The ACCC's use of the term 'incentives' is sufficiently broad to cover perks like free meals, samples for giveaways and other non-financial benefits.<br />
<br />
An incentive disclosure case study: when Third Wave Cafe in Prahran opened in October, the owner wrote to just about every food blogger in Melbourne, inviting them to come in and have a free meal. Of the <a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1780849/restaurant/Melbourne/South-Yarra-Toorak/Third-Wave-Prahran" target="_blank">32 blog posts listed on Urbanspoon</a> reviewing Third Wave Cafe over the last two months, 27 make some form of disclosure about the incentive they received (ranging from the specific - <i>'sponsored post: our meal was paid for by TWC'</i> - to the vague - <i>'we were invited to visit TWC'</i>). Five of the blog posts are silent as to whether they received incentives (it is unclear whether or not they received the incentive). Of the 27 that did disclose, a handful did not do so until the end of the post (often in the form of an italicised disclaimer). The US FTC <a href="http://getgood.com/roadmaps/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/FTC-Disclosure-blog-example.png" target="_blank">has suggested</a> that disclosures of this nature may not be sufficiently clear and conspicuous.<br />
<br />
In its <a href="http://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/accc-releases-guidance-about-online-product-reviews" target="_blank">media release announcing the guidelines</a>, the ACCC said it was also concerned about businesses artificially inflating their review results by offering consumers generous incentives in exchange for reviews of their products or services. Promotions of this nature may need to be reviewed in the future to ensure they meet the three recommendations set out above.<br />
<br />
<b>The omission of credible consumer reviews, inflated (average) reviews and the ‘big picture’</b><br />
<i></i><blockquote><i>The removal of review content is a regular feature of consumer review platforms and is warranted where it prevents fake, offensive, defamatory or irrelevant reviews from being published. Deleting or hiding reviews suspected of being fake or reviews which are offensive, defamatory or irrelevant is not misleading as consumer review platform users anticipate limited removals to improve the quality of reviews.<br />
<br />
Online review platforms should ensure that the overall impression created by a body of reviews on a review platform is not misleading. Platforms which selectively remove or edit negative reviews because of a commercial relationship with a reviewed business risk creating an overall picture of consumer opinion which is misleading.<br />
<br />
If the total body of reviews doesn’t reflect the opinions of consumers who have submitted the reviews consumers may be misled.<br />
<br />
Content moderation policies of review platforms ensure users and businesses have a clear understanding of when and why online consumer reviews will be removed. It is recommended that consumer review platforms make their policy for publishing and removing consumer content accessible to platform users.</i></blockquote><br />
Note here that the guidelines are referring to reviews on review platforms, rather than reviews of a product on the product's own website.<br />
<br />
The guideance confirms that if you're a blogger who only writes positive reviews then that's your prerogative; if however you went back to edit/remove your old blog posts that were critical of a business because you now have a commercial relationship with that business, that's a problem which may be misleading.<br />
<br />
<center>*****</center><br />
One issue that is indirectly touched upon in the guidelines is the question of bloggers who <i>solicit</i> freebies. Provided that disclosure is made, solicitation probably isn't misleading (just tacky as hell, in the eyes of several who think such behaviour gives bloggers a bad name).<br />
<br />
RELATED: I'm going to be speaking on a panel at next year's <a href="http://www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au/event-calendar/chef-jam-supported-by-hostplus-4621" target="_blank">Chef Jam at the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival</a>. I'll be on a panel with Lucky Peach editor-in-chief Chris Ying and Fool magazine's Per-Anders Jörgensen, debating 'the rise, and rise, of the food blogger'. Wish me luck!</font>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-10128243599580408472013-11-13T09:00:00.002+11:002013-11-13T09:00:45.182+11:00From Red Spice Road to Burma Lane<font face="verdana, helvetica" size="2"><font size="1">Burma Lane<br />
118 Little Collins Street, Melbourne (<a href="https://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=118+little+collins+street+melbourne&hl=en&geocode=+&hnear=118+Little+Collins+St,+Melbourne+Victoria+3000&t=m&z=16" target="_blank">map</a>)<br />
9615 8500<br />
Open Monday-Friday 12-3pm and 6pm-late, Saturday 6pm-late<br />
<a href="http://www.burmalane.com.au/" target="_blank">Website</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/burmalaneau" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/BurmaLaneMelb" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1791761/restaurant/CBD/Burma-Lane-Melbourne" target="_blank">Urbanspoon</a></font></font><br />
<br />
<font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2"> <br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/10825622874/" title="Burma Lane, Melbourne by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5478/10825622874_36d29f74c4.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Burma Lane, Melbourne"></a></center><br />
With the just-opened Burma Lane, the Apples and Pears Entertainment Group promised a modern, Australian take on the best of Burmese cuisine, and it looks like they've delivered. Unlike the Group's other Red Spice Road restaurants, where the emphasis is on sharing large plates, here the menu is structured more in the Chin Chin mould, with several small bites, a few noodles, a few salads, and half a dozen bigger bites in which curries feature prominently. The drinks list includes a selection of lassis, and any cocktail list that includes a 'Margaret Pomeranz' (Tromba Blanco tequila, pomegranate liqueur and lemon juice, in case you were wondering) gets a thumbs up from me.<br />
<br />
I wandered in for lunch yesterday and started with a hard-to-go-wrong kun sar thi ($4.50) betel leaf with shredded chicken, shallot, green mango and Sichuan pepper. And as it's virtually impossible at this time of year to not order broad beans when they're on a menu, I ordered a tasty little broad bean fritter with crunchy broad beans and spinach relish ($4.50).<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/10825525374/" title="Kun Sar Thi by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3690/10825525374_63935366c3.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Kun Sar Thi"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/10825381686/" title="Broad bean fritter by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5538/10825381686_630903f111.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Broad bean fritter"></a></center><br />
For the Kachin beef salad ($16), the beef is slow-cooked and then pounded in a mortar and pestle with the spices and herbs, which include sawtooth coriander, chilli and Sichuan pepper (the northernmost province of Burma, Kachin, shares a border with China). The pounding that the beef takes gives it a wonderfully tender texture, and the fresh herbs, onion and belachan gave it a big flavour punch. Highly recommended.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/10825561314/" title="Kachin beef salad by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3708/10825561314_1aa6762caf.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Kachin beef salad"></a></center><br />
The Little Collins St space that was Mahjong Black was a bit of a tricky site, at once shiny and gloomy. The new owners have lightened the place up, and will continue to tweak the interior over the next year. The main focal points are the Shepard Fairey street arty portrait of Aung San Suu Kyi that watches over the restaurant from above the stairs, and the bird cage chandeliers. The floor staff are skilled at explaining some of the more unfamiliar elements of chef Adam Trengrove's Burmese menu, and the restaurant seems to have all the elements in place that have made its Red Spice Road siblings successful.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/10825472946/" title="Burma Lane, Melbourne by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7345/10825472946_6b84f09ddd.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Burma Lane, Melbourne"></a></center></font>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-24571455896820239872013-11-07T13:53:00.002+11:002013-11-08T07:52:05.343+11:00New openings this week, some special events and an article I wrote for The Guardian<font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2"><br />
Just because I haven't published a blog post for a while doesn't mean I haven't been beavering away behind the scenes here at Melbourne Gastronome. I've finally brought my <b><a href="http://www.melbournegastronome.com/p/new.html" target="_blank">New Melbourne Venues</a></b> and <b><a href="http://www.melbournegastronome.com/p/opening-soon-in-melbourne-town.html" target="_blank">Melbourne Venues Opening Soon</a></b> pages up to date, after the distractions of a five week trip to the US and moving house and being without home internet (HURRY UP, iiNet/Telstra). I've written little snippets about all the places I know of that have opened in Melbourne since 1 July 2013, or are going to open soon. Which ones have I missed?<br />
<br />
This week alone the newbies include Andy Bedford's <a href="http://charliesrestaurant.com.au/" target="_blank">Charlie's Restaurant</a> that opened yesterday in the site that was Marmalade and Soul, and the Van Haandel's Trocadero reborn as <a href="http://fatto.com.au/" target="_blank">Fatto Bar & Cantina</a>, opening tonight. Next week it's South Side Huxtaburger and Gelato Messina - expect huge crowds at both. And I was interested to learn that Dylan Roberts (former sous at Cutler, last seen running the Claremont Tonic kitchen) is consulting on a restaurant soon to open a few doors down from Hanoi Hannah. For more details see <b><a href="http://www.melbournegastronome.com/p/new.html" target="_blank">here</a></b> and <b><a href="http://www.melbournegastronome.com/p/opening-soon-in-melbourne-town.html" target="_blank">here</a></b>, and keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
<center><i><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/10717504696/" title="Pelmeni Kitchen by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3739/10717504696_6c03dc0809.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="Pelmeni Kitchen"></a><br />
Marina at Pelmeni Kitchen<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/10717418375/" title="Uncle fish by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5519/10717418375_6f7dcd1dda.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="Uncle fish"></a><br />
Grilled snapper at Uncle<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/10717699283/" title="State of Grace, Melbourne by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5508/10717699283_35a5cc2ceb.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="State of Grace, Melbourne"></a><br />
WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO YOU, HAROLD?! at State of Grace<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/10718280586/" title="Rene Rezdepi at The Wheeler Centre Melbourne by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5492/10718280586_b10ab1de38.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="Rene Rezdepi at The Wheeler Centre Melbourne"></a><br />
René Redzepi talking 'bout brains at The Wheeler Centre</i></center><br />
One page that I haven't got around to updating yet is the <b><a href="http://www.melbournegastronome.com/p/pop-ups.html" target="_blank">Melbourne pop-ups</a></b> page, but I'll hopefully do so soon. In the meantime, here are some events worth noting:<br />
<br />
- <a href="http://melbourne.goodfoodmonth.com/" target="_blank">Good Food Month</a> has kicked off - I attended the launch party last week and was impressed with Special Guest Star René Redzepi's candour in his speech about the meltdown he experienced over the pressures of going "from zero to hero" with Noma. He gave a great presentation the following night at <a href="http://wheelercentre.com/events/event/rene-redzepi1/" target="_blank">The Wheeler Centre</a> too. Browse the <a href="http://melbourne.goodfoodmonth.com/" target="_blank">Good Food Month website</a> for details of particular events: it runs until the end of November and there are over 300 events to choose from.<br />
<br />
- As a fervent fan of the film CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF (starring Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman at their most smoking), I'm really looking forward to the <a href="http://www.burgermary.com/2013/10/culinarycinema/" target="_blank">Culinary Cinema</a> movie matched dinner my gal <a href="http://www.burgermary.com/" target="_blank">BurgerMary</a> is organising next week on the 14th with <a href="http://www.thebaronsaid.com.au/" target="_blank">The Baron Said</a>. If you're more of a Tarantino fan, they're doing a DEATH PROOF matched dinner on the 30th of November. Click for details.<br />
<br />
- StreetSmart's <a href="http://www.streetsmartaustralia.org/" target="_blank">DineSmart</a> event runs from 11 November to 31 December 2013. I've been a fan of this initiative for years. Diners at <a href="" target="_blank">participating restaurants</a> are asked to make a small donation to StreetSmart on their bill ($2 or more), 100% of which goes to local grassroots charities supporting homelessness.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.streetsmartaustralia.org/"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5477/10717973453_85c0b5915d.jpg" width="500" height="62" alt="13956 SSA Dinesmart Blog Banner - Leaderboard"></a></center><br />
And for those of you who didn't already see me spruik it via social media, I wrote an article a few weeks ago for The Guardian on the <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/oct/10/top-10-budget-restaurants-melbourne" target="_blank">Top 10 budget restaurants and cafes in Melbourne</a>. What do you think of my list? I steered away from the obvious usual favourites like A1 Bakery, but the brief was to write about budget places in areas that are easily accessible by tourists. I decided budget meant all menu items are roughly <$20, and I tried to ensure the list had a mix of cuisines and old and new (though looking back on it now I wish the south side was better represented).
Oh and to the guy who left a sarcastic comment about Thai slaw - it WAS som tam, you twonk.
<center><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/oct/10/top-10-budget-restaurants-melbourne"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7313/10717692953_34bc52d6bc.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="Guardian article"></a></center></font>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-37799402199034048882013-10-08T23:42:00.000+11:002013-10-08T23:42:58.926+11:00Jinda Restaurant in Abbotsford: a Thai gem<font face="verdana, helvetica" size="2"><font size="1">Jinda Restaurant<br />
3-7 Ferguson Street, Abbotsford (<a href="https://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=3-7+ferguson+st+abbotsford&hnear=3%2F7+Ferguson+St,+Abbotsford+Victoria+3067&gl=au&t=m&z=16" target="_blank">map</a>)<br />
9419 5899<br />
Open 7 days, 11am-11pm<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Jindamelb/info" target="_blank">facebook</a></font></font><br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/10115519616/" title="Jinda Thai by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7454/10115519616_c34f232a6f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Jinda Thai"></a></center><br />
<font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2">Krua Thai 2 in Richmond has been on my 'to visit' list for some time now, ever since a Thai friend of mine told me that they serve some of the best <a href="http://www.melbournegastronome.com/2013/07/soi-38-pop-up-tour-of-thai-noodles.html" target="_blank">boat noodles</a> in town. Last week I learned that the same family behind Krua has opened a new, much larger restaurant called Jinda in the side street off Victoria Street between the railway line and Punt Road, behind the little string of Thai restaurants.<br />
<br />
The converted warehouse space (formerly a clothing clearance outlet) is beautiful, with loads of natural light pouring in through the many windows. Gold-framed portraits of the Thai royal family hang above the kitchen and on the opposite wall hangs a portrait of Jinda (the woman the restaurant is named after). Open since mid-July, the restaurant is filled with Thai students and families day and night.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/10115584773/" title="Jinda Thai by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3801/10115584773_ecb5edb65b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Jinda Thai"></a></center><br />
Jinda's specialty is Thai noodles ($6 a small bowl, $9 a large bowl), which I was determined to try on my first visit. Most can be ordered with or without soup, with your choice of noodles (rice stick, flat rice, rice vermicelli, egg or glass). I went with the spicy pork soup with crushed peanuts, chilli powder and chilli vinegar. Savoury, spicy and tangy in equal measures, it was addictive and I wish I'd worked up the nerve to order a second bowl.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/10115415664/" title="Spicy pork soup by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7447/10115415664_1ecf365645.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Spicy pork soup"></a></center><br />
As well as including chilli powder the condiment station offers two types of chilli vinegar: one with simple sliced chillies in clear vinegar, the other in which the chillies are pounded and mixed with other spices.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/10115572703/" title="Thai condiments by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7345/10115572703_d0878b5c2e.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Thai condiments"></a></center><br />
As well as traditional noodle dishes, the menu offers more modern items like larb crispy chicken on rice ($12.90). We didn't order any, but the next table had some pretty amazing-looking 'prawn twisters' - spring rolls whose ends were twisted like Christmas crackers.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/10115515276/" title="Larb crispy chicken by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5480/10115515276_bb9576635d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Larb crispy chicken"></a></center><br />
Minced pork gra pow ($9.90 with fried egg $2 extra), enjoyed on my second visit. You can order all the suburban favourites such as Massaman curry and satay skewers, but I'd advise trying some of the more unusual dishes, such as the guay jab (a pork based brown soup with rolled rice noodles, crispy pork and offal) or the mee gati (rice vermicelli with minced pork, minced shrimp and a coconut cream). I look forward to working my way though the menu over many repeat visits...<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/10115598353/" title="Minced chicken gra pow by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7306/10115598353_2187ec2d3a.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Minced chicken gra pow"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/10115528606/" title="Jinda by night by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5488/10115528606_94341172d2.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Jinda by night"></a></center></font>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-80413901265182339902013-10-04T14:20:00.000+10:002013-12-15T13:38:59.240+11:00Doughboys Doughnuts pop-up in Melbourne CBD<font face="verdana, helvetica" size="2"><font size="1">Doughboys Doughnuts pop-up at Mr Nice Guy Thai<br />
Shop J, 535 Little Lonsdale Street (enter via Healeys Lane), Melbourne (<a href="https://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=Healeys+Lane,+Melbourne,+Victoria&hl=en&ll=-37.813666,144.955877&spn=0.007179,0.009645&sll=-37.813805,144.956239&sspn=0.007179,0.009645&oq=healeys+&hnear=Healeys+Ln,+Melbourne+Victoria+3000&t=m&z=17" target="_blank">map</a>)<br />
9973 1761<br />
Doughboys Doughnuts pop-up open 7-11am Monday-Friday (and maybe weekends in the future)<br />
Mr Nice Guy Thai open lunch and dinner Monday-Friday, dinner only on weekends<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/doughboysdoughnutsmelbourne" target="_blank">website</a><br />
UPDATE: Doughboys Doughnuts ended their pop-up at Mr Nice Guy Thai, but are now having a summer residency at the Mercat Cross Hotel, 456 Queen Street Melbourne - see their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/doughboysdoughnutsmelbourne" target="_blank">FB page</a> for details and opening hours.</font></font><br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/10078787404/" title="Doughnuts by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3826/10078787404_2d058bb4cf.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Doughnuts"></a></center><br />
<font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2">Popping up in the mornings for the next month or two at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mrniceguymelbourne/" target="_blank">Mr Nice Guy Thai</a> (the cute CBD sister cafe of <a href="http://www.melbournegastronome.com/2011/12/southern-thai-cafe-middle-fish-now-open.html" target="_blank">Middle Fish</a>) comes <a href="https://www.facebook.com/doughboysdoughnutsmelbourne" target="_blank">Doughboys Doughnuts</a>, serving $4.80 doughnuts baked fresh from quality ingredients and "dipped on demand" with insanely sugary glazes. Joining them is Anthony from <a href="http://www.melbournegastronome.com/2009/11/market-lane-excellent-specialty-coffee.html" target="_blank">Market Lane Coffee</a>, serving up ML coffee ($4) with characteristic skill and aplomb.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/10078940443/" title="Dipping by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7307/10078940443_d3c41bdefa.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Dipping"></a></center><br />
I recently returned from a five week trip to the US, where I tried the best do(ugh)nuts in Portland and San Francisco (respectively, <a href="http://www.bluestardonuts.com/" target="_blank">Blue Star Donuts</a> and <a href="http://www.dynamodonut.com/" target="_blank">Dynamo Donuts</a>) which came in brilliant flavour combinations like cornmeal rosemary cherry, lemon Sichuan, and dulce de leche with hazelnut. The flavours at Doughboys Doughnuts are not quite as zany, but hoo boy they taste really, really good. Today's flavours were orange-zested vanilla icing with crushed up pistachios, dark <a href="http://monsieurtruffechocolate.com/" target="_blank">Monsieur Truffe</a> cocoa with crushed walnuts and hazelnuts, and lemon and lime zested icing with toasted coconut. They don't come any fresher than this.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/10078797624/" title="Pistachio by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2882/10078797624_4f23de8990.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Pistachio"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/10078836495/" title="Choc nut by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7435/10078836495_1877a01e90.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Choc nut"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/10078800974/" title="Lime coconut by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7456/10078800974_8e36f0829b.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Lime coconut"></a></center><br />
Anthony mentioned to me that depending on how things go, they may end up opening for doughnuts on weekends too. Watch this space, non-city workers. Expect this one to be very, very popular - and if your heart is set on a doughnut you may want to call in advance to make sure they haven't already sold out.<br />
<br />
(*cough* For those who, like me, aren't eating much sugar these days, you might want to approach with caution - I ate the equivalent of one doughnut by sampling the three flavours with two friends, and have been in a light-headed sugar daze for the last few hours...)<br />
<br />
UPDATE: Doughboys Doughnuts ended their pop-up at Mr Nice Guy Thai, but are now having a summer residency at the Mercat Cross Hotel, 456 Queen Street Melbourne - see their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/doughboysdoughnutsmelbourne" target="_blank">FB page</a> for details and opening hours.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/10078832635/" title="Dipped on demand by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2862/10078832635_004f12f4e9.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Dipped on demand"></a></center></font>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-36606731663608862652013-08-08T23:44:00.000+10:002013-08-08T23:44:53.906+10:00For your consideration: New Gourmet Melbourne by Deck of Secrets<font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2"><br />
I'm excited to announce here on the blog that the Melbourne dining guide I worked on earlier this year, <a href="http://melbourne.deckofsecrets.com/" target="_blank">New Gourmet Melbourne</a>, is now available for purchase!<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/9456471475/" title="9781921074202 by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5491/9456471475_23bac61b5b.jpg" width="363" height="500" alt="9781921074202"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/9459255738/" title="iPhone_5_Melbourne by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3676/9459255738_ea7e5ac5dc.jpg" width="249" height="500" alt="iPhone_5_Melbourne"></a></center><br />
Michelle Matthews, jet-setter extraordinaire and creator of the <a href="http://deckofsecrets.com/" target="_blank">Deck of Secrets</a> guides, approached me about collaborating with her on a guide to Melbourne's hottest new restaurants, dining bars and cafes. Having been a longtime fan of the Deck of Secrets, I was only too happy to accept. She and I developed the content together, then I joined the small team of writers (I wrote about a third of the cards in the deck, you'll see my name written on the bottom of each one). As someone who writes primarily online, I can't deny that holding the physical deck of cards in my hand is rather satisfying.<br />
<br />
So if you've been wondering where all my reviews of Melbourne's new dining hotspots are, the answer is they're in the guide. Please buy a copy! The decks of cards retail for around $9.95 and are sold at bookshops and newsagents around town (see the <a href="http://melbourne.deckofsecrets.com/?page_id=43" target="_blank">list of stockists</a> for your nearest option) and online from <a href="http://www.readings.com.au/products/17357296/new-gourmet-melbourne" target="_blank">Readings</a> and <a href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/New-Gourmet-Melbourne-Marinella-Padula/9781921074202" target="_blank">Book Depository</a>. And for iPhone users, if you'd rather a virtual deck there's a <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/new-gourmet-melbourne/id676112317?mt=8" target="_blank">New Gourmet Melbourne app</a> for $1.99. Let me know what you think!<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/9456472727/" title="DoS_NG_Melb_Fronts_Brooks by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5546/9456472727_7a10a7c555.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="DoS_NG_Melb_Fronts_Brooks"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/9456474751/" title="DoS_NG_Melb_Fronts_Hannoi_Hannah by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5457/9456474751_ba773c46a1.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="DoS_NG_Melb_Fronts_Hannoi_Hannah"></a></center><br />
Oh, and just a reminder: although I haven't published any other new blog posts recently, I am frequently* updating my new stand-alone pages dedicated to <a href="http://www.melbournegastronome.com/p/new.html" target="_blank">New Melbourne Venues</a>, <a href="http://www.melbournegastronome.com/p/pop-ups.html" target="_blank">Melbourne Pop-ups</a> and <a href="http://www.melbournegastronome.com/p/opening-soon-in-melbourne-town.html" target="_blank">Melbourne venues opening soon</a> - so be sure to keep checking them. Did you know that THREE places (Jimmy Grants, Shop Ramen and N2 Extreme Gelato) opened last Friday night in Fitzroy alone? Madness!<br />
<br />
*I have been updating them frequently since I published them on 1 July, but having said that, on Saturday I'm heading off on holiday to the US for five weeks. I won't be able to monitor the Melbourne hospitality scene as closely from the land of the free and the home of the brave, so any tip-offs about new/upcoming places that you could send my way (by email, <a href="https://twitter.com/melbgastronome" target="_blank">Twitter</a> or blog comment) would be greatly appreciated...</font>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-6877992890395681292013-07-12T13:51:00.002+10:002013-07-15T08:54:01.109+10:00Soi 38: pop-up tour of Thai noodles<br />
<font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2">Soi 38 is one of the events featured on my new list Pop-ups of Note. To see the full list, click <a href="http://www.melbournegastronome.com/p/pop-ups.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<center><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2819/9267361936_d86e62ec8e.jpg" width="450" height="300" alt="Soi 38 kuay teow bamee bped"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7400/9259746851_abf9aa37f2.jpg" width="337" height="300" alt="Andy and cart"></center><br />
Why have a food truck when you can have a food cart? Andy and Tina from the Thai/Viet Melbourne food blog <a href="http://krapow.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Krapow</a> own a gorgeous little food cart, manufactured in the Bangkok suburb of Thonburi and imported to Melbourne for the specific purpose of introducing Melburnians some of the delicious Thai noodles dishes that aren't so well known here. The <a href="http://www.soi38.com/p/home-page.html" target="_blank">Soi 38</a> team includes Top, a Thai chef whose food at Appetizer and then Tidlom demonstrated his commitment to bringing more authentic Thai flavours to Melbourne. Having Andy and the other Soi 38 team members all sport blue Vin Vin vests, the kind worn by Thai motorcycle taxi drivers, is a lovely touch.<br />
<br />
The Soi 38 cart has already popped up at a few street festivals, but starting next week on 19 July, Soi 38 will have a six week Friday night residency at North/West Melbourne cafe <a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1653200/restaurant/Melbourne/West-Melbourne/Sketch-Tulip-Cafe-North-Melbourne" target="_blank">Sketch & Tulip</a>. From 5pm each Friday night, they'll be dishing up $5 bowls of noodles (you'll want a couple of bowlfuls cos they're so damn good) and beers. Of course, each table will have <i>khreuang puang</i> (condiment caddies) containing fish sauce, white sugar, crushed dried chillies and chillies in vinegar, so that you can tweak your dish to your ideal calibration of hot, sour, sweet and salty.<br />
<br />
The noodles will change each week:<br />
- July 19: Kuay teow reua nua nahm (beef boat noodles)<br />
- July 26: Kuay teow Sukhothai muu haeng (dry sukhothai pork noodles)<br />
- August 2: Kuay teow tom yum muu nahm (hot and sour pork noodles)<br />
- August 9: Kuay teow bamee bpuu (dry crab egg noodles)<br />
- August 16: Kuay teow bamee bped nahm (braised duck egg noodles)<br />
- August 23: Kuay teow tom yum muu haeng (dry hot and sour pork noodles)<br />
<br />
Andy invited me to a family and friends night for a free preview of the boat noodles last week. I've only tried boat noodles in a few Thai places around town, but love the depth of flavour in the broth and the Soi 38 version was by far the best I've tasted! Andy can give you a better rundown on boat noodles than I can:<br />
<br />
<i>"Thai Boat Noodles (kwaytiao reua) are a delicious and intensely flavoured but little known traditional Thai dish. They are associated with central Thailand, and are so called because they used to be sold from small boats along the canals and rivers. These days the vendors have moved onshore and the most famous boat noodle restaurants are found in 'boat noodle' alley near the Victory Monument in Bangkok. <br />
<br />
Each bowl of Boat Noodles starts out with a mound of delicate rice vermicelli noodles and a scattering of water spinach and crunchy bean shoots. Added to this is a trio of gently heated sliced rump, tender braised gravy beef and a springy pork ball. <br />
<br />
The bowl comes to life with the addition of the complex broth exuding notes of cinnamon, soy, star anise, lemongrass, galangal and pandan and more. The finishing touches are then applied with a touch of garlic oil, a few sprigs of fragrant coriander, a sprinkling of finely sliced spring onions and some crunchy fried pork crisps.<br />
<br />
Thai Boat Noodles leave their more well-known South East Asian counterpart, Vietnamese Pho in their wake. Unfortunately Thai Boat Noodles are just not very well known in Australia, it is my dream that Soi 38 will be one of the first small steps in changing that."</i><br />
<br />
Soi 38 is a charming labour of love by people passionate about Thai noodles, and I strongly encourage you to head down to Sketch & Tulip over the next six weeks. Further details can be found on the Soi 38 <a href="http://www.soi38.com/" target="_blank">website</a> and <a href="http://facebook.com/soi38" target="_blank">FB page</a>. If you pay them a visit, be sure to wish Andy congratulations as Tina gave birth to their son on Monday!<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/9258343923/" title="Soi 38 by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3795/9258343923_e07b0286eb.jpg" width="400" height="400" alt="Soi 38"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/9258345243/" title="Boat noodles by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7435/9258345243_151072b0af.jpg" width="400" height="400" alt="Boat noodles"></a></center></font>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-3728174437760941402013-07-01T16:19:00.001+10:002013-07-01T16:24:31.520+10:00New and upcoming Melbourne restaurants, cafes and bars<font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2">Happy New Financial Year! To celebrate, I'm sharing my reference lists of Melbourne hospitality venues that are going to open soon, or have recently opened. Links to further information, reviews and third party sources provided. As these are standalone pages that I'll be updating as new information comes to hand, my hope is that they'll end up acting as something of an historic timeline for Melbourne food and drink openings. Let me know what I've missed!<br />
<br />
For the list of anticipated places opening soon, click <a href="http://www.melbournegastronome.com/p/opening-soon-in-melbourne-town.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
For the list of places that have recently opened, click <a href="http://www.melbournegastronome.com/p/new.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</font>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-47462230246866311972013-06-26T00:35:00.001+10:002013-06-26T09:20:26.709+10:00From New York to Melbourne with love: new cafe Bowery to Williamsburg<font face="verdana, helvetica" size="2"><font size="1">Bowery to Williamsburg<br>
16 Oliver Lane, Melbourne (<a href="https://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=16+oliver+lane+melbourne&hl=en&hnear=16+Oliver+Ln,+Melbourne+Victoria+3000&t=m&z=16" target="_blank">map</a>)<br>
<a href="tel:9077%200162" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="telephone" x-apple-data-detectors-result="0">9077 0162</a><br>
Open 7:30am-3:30pm Monday-Friday, cash and walk-ins only<br>
<a href="https://twitter.com/bowerytowilliam" target="_blank">twitter</a></font></font><br>
<br>
<font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2">It's been a great week for the sandwich lovers of Melbourne's Paris end. Last Tuesday <a href="http://www.earlcanteen.com.au/" target="_blank">EARL Canteen</a> opened its long-awaited second store in the Collins Place food court (directly under Pei Modern). I can't tell you <a href="http://instagram.com/p/axCBiwpA_e/" target="_blank">how glad I am</a> that they're now located a mere block away from my office building.<br>
<br>
And then on Monday a new cafe opened in Oliver Lane, the cobblestoned laneway off Flinders Lane that also houses <a href="http://www.melbournegastronome.com/2011/02/munchies-at-coda.html" target="_blank">Coda</a>. Brought to you by Will and Di (the couple who brought you <a href="http://www.melbournegastronome.com/2009/12/so-you-want-to-have-breakfast-in.html" target="_blank">The Hardware Societe</a>), the cafe is called Bowery to Williamsburg and as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J_(New_York_City_Subway_service)" target="_blank">subway-inspired name</a> suggests, it's going to put Melbourne in a New York state of mind.<br>
<br>
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/9132461985/" title="Bowery to Williamsburg exterior by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2891/9132461985_aed1bb0b24.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Bowery to Williamsburg exterior"></a></center><br>
Will and Di have made three trips to NYC over the last couple of years, planning the Bowery to Williamsburg concept. The care they've taken in realising their vision is evident in the fitout, which is elegantly understated yet cosy even on a three degree Melbourne morning.<br>
<br>
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/9134631346/" title="Bowery to Williamsburg interior by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3766/9134631346_2bb2b3677f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Bowery to Williamsburg interior"></a></center><br>
BAGELS! In keeping with the New York deli theme, there are several varieties of bagel on offer - both savoury and sweet - all made by <a href="http://5dimebagel.com.au/" target="_blank">5 and Dime</a>. Start your day with a sour cherry bagel with a schmear of lemon curd, or perhaps a beetroot and rye bagel with a cream cheese schmear. There are cooked breakfasts too, like poached eggs with maple baked beans and a bacon slab.<br>
<br>
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/9132397637/" title="BAGELS! by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5550/9132397637_751215f7e4.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="BAGELS!"></a></center><br>
Lunchwise, it's one of those sandwich menus you'll agonise over for minutes because they all sound so damn good. Will it be the Reuben, the pastrami on rye? The lox bagel with beetroot horseradish, limed onion, watercress and dill cream cheese schmear? The schmaltz chicken on walnut bread with apple celeriac slaw and prune relish??<br>
<br>
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/9132669177/" title="Menu cropped by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2875/9132669177_4c0060e154.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Menu cropped"></a></center><br>
For a set price of $16.50 you get a sandwich plus a side plus pretzels and a pickle (or pay $12.50 just for the sandwich, gluten free bread available for $1 extra). In the end I picked a sandwich almost at random, winding up with the superb hot smoked salmon on rye with heirloom tomato, fried capers, radish and a caviar cream cheese schmear, with a zingy little side salad of zucchini, peas and Persian feta.<br>
<br>
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/9124693476/" title="Hot smoked salmon by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7439/9124693476_8e21d5f116.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Hot smoked salmon"></a></center><br>
Last but most definitely not least are the sweets, all of which are baked on the premises. It's a veritable AMERICANA CORNUCOPIA, featuring New York cheesecake, key lime pie, caramelised pumpkin pie, vanilla cherry pie, maple pecan pie, s'mores bars and choc-blueberry brownies. I had a little taste of the maple pecan pie and it was heaven.<br>
<br>
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/9132404895/" title="Cakes by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7386/9132404895_c5969dc008.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Cakes"></a></center><br>
The coffee is <a href="http://www.padrecoffee.com.au/" target="_blank">Padre</a>, but you might be tempted by a peanut butter hot chocolate (served with a Reese's PB cup). At this early stage they're only open Monday to Friday, but fingers crossed that weekends will follow soon. Bowery to Williamsburg is a VERY welcome addition to the CBD.<br>
<br>
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/9132439193/" title="Pretzels and a pickle by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3711/9132439193_37bb6275ec.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Pretzels and a pickle"></a></center></font>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-68501461826989456272013-06-04T23:57:00.000+10:002013-06-05T00:02:09.113+10:00No seriously, get down to Hihou to try the lunch menu<font face="verdana, helvetica" size="2"><font size="1">Hihou<br />
Level 1, 1 Flinders Lane, Melbourne (<a href="https://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=1+flinders+lane+melbourne&hnear=1+Flinders+Ln,+Melbourne+Victoria+3000&gl=au&t=m&z=16" target="_blank">map</a>)<br />
9654 5465<br />
Open for lunch Monday to Friday 11:30am-2:30pm, evenings Monday to Saturday 5pm-1am<br />
<a href="http://hihou.com.au/" target="_blank">website</a></font></font><br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8920717996/" title="Hihou - Hassun by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8544/8920717996_7d371f50de.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Hihou - Hassun"></a></center><br />
<font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2">It's been nearly a year since Simon Denton, Takashi Omi and Miyuki Nakahara opened their elegant, Japanese-influenced bar <a href="http://hihou.com.au/" target="_blank">Hihou</a> above their more casual canteen <a href="http://www.namanama.com.au/" target="_blank">Nama Nama</a>. For all of that time, Hihou (an approximate pronunciation is "he-haw" - it means treasure in Japanese) has been a strictly evenings-only affair, serving a compact menu of bar snacks to accompany your Negro-Kan (Negroni with an umeshu twist).<br />
<br />
Recently Hihou decided to take full advantage of its daytime view overlooking Treasury Gardens, and started opening for lunch on Mondays to Fridays. While the menu features freshly shucked Coffin Bay oysters, charcoal barbequed prawns and sashimi, the main focus is the two course set lunch - which at $35 a head represents terrific value, given the attention to detail and quality of the produce on offer.<br />
<br />
Simon invited me as a guest to sample the lunch menu the week it opened, but I went back again last week with my lunch date as paying customers, because we couldn't stop raving about the experience and how perfectly balanced the meal had been.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8920709018/" title="Buckwheat and green tea salt by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7369/8920709018_b185aa8d6d.jpg" width="300" height="400" alt="Buckwheat and green tea salt"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8921281656/" title="Oysters by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3828/8921281656_116dc09fd8.jpg" width="300" height="400" alt="Oysters"></a></center><br />
The set lunch begins with a little appetiser, such as grapes with shiro-ae (a white tofu dressing) and buckwheat, or pickled wombok with kaffir lime and dainty ribbons of wonton crisps.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8920095499/" title="Grapes with shiro-ae tofu sauce and buckwheat by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7389/8920095499_f67ae35c1a.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Grapes with shiro-ae tofu sauce and buckwheat"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8920117641/" title="Pickled wombok by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2847/8920117641_fb189995c5.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Pickled wombok"></a></center><br />
The hassun first course is a selection of cold starters that represent the season. Expect to see sashimi (the John Dory we had on our first visit was exceptionally good) and vegetables, perhaps with seafood-y accents like scallops or miniature house-dried prawns.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8920099955/" title="Hihou - Hassun by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3830/8920099955_0cd5653877.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Hihou - Hassun"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8920120573/" title="Hihou - Hassun by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8124/8920120573_a942cf0300.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Hihou - Hassun"></a></center><br />
For the main course you choose from one of three sets, each made with premium produce. The <a href="http://www.flavourcountryfeedlot.com/2010/01/coffee-talk.html" target="_blank">kodawari</a> set, which I ordered on my first visit, included delicate sous vide Tasmanian red bream and soy beans in a mild gin-an sauce, with miso soup and rice.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8920111141/" title="Hihou - Kodawari set by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2856/8920111141_a9615acf1f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Hihou - Kodawari set"></a></center><br />
The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shichirin" target="_blank">shichirin</a> set, ordered on my second visit, included charcoal grilled (and beautifully tender) <a href="http://www.capegrimbeef.com.au/" target="_blank">Cape Grim Beef</a> rump with green tea salt, grilled daikon, yakiniku dipping sauce, sumashi clear soup and brown rice.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8920742938/" title="Hihou - Shichirin set by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7338/8920742938_3768909c97.jpg" width="500" height="369" alt="Hihou - Shichirin set"></a></center><br />
The set lunch finishes with tea or coffee. I *strongly* recommend shelling out a little more for dessert from the lacquered three-tiered treat box that will be laid out before you. The treat box is filled with all kinds of goodies, from traditional Japanese sweets to Western petits fours with a Japanese spin (such as tartlets filled with yuzu instead of lemon). The treats are $3-$5 each, or a plate of five for $18.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8920129195/" title="Hihou Japanese treat box by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3769/8920129195_f58a503e94.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Hihou Japanese treat box"></a></center><br />
I couldn't resist ordering the sweet potato wrapped in miso paper, and the chestnut and buckwheat steamed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manj%C5%AB" target="_blank">manju</a>. Both were exquisite.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8920114099/" title="Hihou sweet treats - sweet potato wrapped in miso paper and chestnut and buckwheat manju by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7292/8920114099_82cc2565df.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Hihou sweet treats - sweet potato wrapped in miso paper and chestnut and buckwheat manju"></a></center><br />
And how <i>kawaiiiii</i> is this pumpkin-shaped shiro-an (white bean paste) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wagashi" target="_blank">wagashi</a>?!<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8920287181/" title="Hihou sweet treats - pumpkin wagashi and sweet potato in miso paper by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3673/8920287181_aab15f31be.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Hihou sweet treats - pumpkin wagashi and sweet potato in miso paper"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8920751952/" title="Hihou pumpkin-shaped wagashi by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7397/8920751952_11f9010822.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Hihou pumpkin-shaped wagashi"></a></center><br />
It's great to see one of my favourite city bars becoming one of my favourite city lunch spots, and there's talk that in the near future Hihou may also open in the afternoons, offering a Japanese version of high tea. Here's hoping.<br />
<br />
A note for the uninitiated: entry to Hihou is via the (unmarked) first door on Flinders Lane. Press the buzzer and you will be ushered in.<br />
<br />
A note for herbivores: while the three main course options on the current menu contain either meat or seafood, the kitchen will happily provide a vegetarian option.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8920754504/" title="Hihou by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5447/8920754504_101d4af010.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Hihou"></a></center></font>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-51992759707798646932013-05-06T13:35:00.000+10:002013-05-06T15:23:19.382+10:00La Tortilleria in Kensington: the BEST tortillas in Melbourne<font face="verdana, helvetica" size="2"><font size="1">La Tortilleria<br />
72 Stubbs Street, Kensington (<a href="https://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=72+Stubbs+St+Kensington&hnear=72+Stubbs+St,+Kensington+Victoria+3031&gl=au&t=m&z=16" target="_blank">map</a>)<br />
9376 5577<br />
Open Thursday and Friday, 12-2:30pm and 6pm-late<br />
Saturday and Sunday, 11:30am-3:30pm and 6pm-late<br />
Closed Monday-Wednesday<br />
<a href="http://latortilleria.com.au/" target="_blank">website</a></font></font><br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8709794790/" title="La Tortilleria by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8399/8709794790_831e8d430d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="La Tortilleria"></a></center><br />
<font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2">My friend Ben tipped me off last week about the existence of La Tortilleria, a tortilla bakery and Mexican street eatery in a light-industrial pocket of Kensington near the freeway. I'm smitten.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8708671697/" title="La Tortilleria by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8267/8708671697_2216ac15d6.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="La Tortilleria"></a></center><br />
La Tortilleria purports to be the only tortilleria in Melbourne making tortillas according to the traditional Aztec 'nixtamal' method, by stone-grinding fresh wholegrain corn rather than making a dough from processed corn flour and water. I met Diana (one of the proprietors, along with Mexican Gerardo) and she talked me through the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nixtamalization" target="_blank">nixtamalisation</a> process. She explained that the traditional method they use of soaking the fresh corn grain in calcium hydroxide overnight results in significant nutritional benefits, as it releases the niacin (vitamin B3) enabling it to be readily absorbed by the body, improves the bio-availability of amino acids, increases calcium levels and reduces mycotoxin levels - all of which adds up to making them easier to digest and better for you. The Aztecs figured out the enhanced nutritional benefits yielded by nixtamalisation centuries ago because they used to grind the corn on limestone.<br />
<br />
The various modern gadgetry used to make the tortillas is proudly on display, including the tank in which the corn grain is cooked and soaked, the stone-grinding mill that makes the nixtamal masa (dough), and the tortilla machine itself. The tortillas are baked fresh each day.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8708671229/" title="Tortilla gadgetry by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8264/8708671229_94fb16b9e1.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Tortilla gadgetry"></a></center><br />
But it's not just about the health benefits: the nixtamal tortillas also have a noticibly enhanced aroma and flavour compared to their processed-corn-flour-and-water counterparts. As La Tortelleria's <a href="http://latortilleria.com.au/our-story/" target="_blank">website</a> states, the difference in the two methods is like making mashed potatoes from fresh potatoes rather than from instant mash powder! Their tortillas are free of preservatives, additives, gluten, cholesterol, and fats (both saturated and trans). They come sold in stacks, either fresh or vacuum-sealed, by the half kilo ($8, approx 22 tortillas) or kilo ($15, approx 45 tortillas).<br />
<br />
If you'd like to dine in, you can order tacos ($4.50 each) al pastor with pork and pineapple, with carne asada (grilled beef) or with mushrooms and white cheese. They are FRESH and freaking delicious.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8708669167/" title="Tacos by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8551/8708669167_b837a0f25b.jpg" width="500" height="462" alt="Tacos"></a></center><br />
The short menu also includes a few quesadilla options ($4.50 each), guacamole with totopos tortilla chips ($6), and sopes de pollo ($6.50, also available in a vegetarian version). The freshly made totopos were the tastiest tortilla chips I've ever tried, and the sope with beans, lettuce, chicken and crema on a thick tortilla base was equally good.<br />
<br />
Speaking of which, when is a Melbourne restaurateur riding the ubiquitous Mexican wave going to open a dedicated sopes house? It needs to happen.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8708670699/" title="Totopos by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8130/8708670699_9eb69cbff8.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Totopos"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8709792768/" title="Sope by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8417/8709792768_5737c076a0.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Sope"></a></center><br />
There are various Mexigoods for sale in the tiendita operating in partnership with online Mexican groceries retailer <a href="http://guacamalle.com/" target="_blank">guaca Mall-e</a>, a self-serve salsa station (providing pico de gallo and spicier salsas that are homemade using fresh ingredients), and enough stores of corn grain to last the winter.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8709791352/" title="Guacamalle by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8539/8709791352_29b31b7280.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Guacamalle"></a></center><br />
And just in case you needed MORE reasons to love La Tortilleria:<br />
- the meat and eggs they use are strictly free range;<br />
- many of their menu items can easily be made vegan;<br />
- for $40 you can order a huge platter for two, which includes most of the items on the menu;<br />
- they serve Mexican spiced coffee and hot chocolate, and flan for dessert;<br />
- they're BYO; and<br />
- provided things go well, Diana hopes to add chilaquiles and huaraches to the menu in the future (!!).<br />
<br />
Bear in mind that they're closed Monday to Wednesday. There aren't many tables and as word catches on I'm guessing it will become harder to snare one of them, so consider phoning ahead to book.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8708672617/" title="La Tortilleria by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8277/8708672617_68c99a6237.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="La Tortilleria"></a></center></font>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-43302479013333254372013-03-25T00:46:00.001+11:002013-04-22T14:30:01.209+10:00Top Five Events from the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival 2013<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8571444944/" title="MFWF Urban Coffee Farm by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8518/8571444944_a60f9c3f42.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="MFWF Urban Coffee Farm"></a><br />
<font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2"><i>The Melbourne Food and Wine Festival Urban Coffee Farm</i></center><br />
This year was a particularly enjoyable <a href="http://www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au/" target="_blank">Melbourne Food and Wine Festival</a> for me - as you'll see below, one of the events was of special emotional resonance for me and my family - and I wanted to share my top five MFWF events here on the blog, listed in chronological order (for those keeping score, I was a Festival guest at the World's Longest Lunch and a Treasury Wine Estates guest at the Seppelt lunch, but I paid for the other events).<br />
<br />
<b>1. World's Longest Lunch</b><br />
<br />
The Festival kicked off with the World's Longest Lunch, taking place on a glorious Friday afternoon in Fitzroy Gardens. I'd never been to the event before and was surprised at how smoothly it ran and how good the food was, given that 1,230 people were being served a three course lunch in a park simultaneously (kudos to <a href="http://www.peterrowland.com.au/" target="_blank">Peter Rowland</a> for an epic job well done).<br />
<br />
The menu this year was designed by two of the grandest dames in Australian food, Maggie Beer AM and Stephanie Alexander OAM. I was sitting three seats down from them and was appropriately starstruck. Maggie B rocking some killer shades!<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8571435286/" title="MFMF World's Longest Lunch by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8505/8571435286_e54d49e8af.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="MFMF World's Longest Lunch"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8570339335/" title="MFMF World's Longest Lunch by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8091/8570339335_1e680ea1ac.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="MFMF World's Longest Lunch"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8570341759/" title="MFWF World's Longest Lunch by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8378/8570341759_e226a06676.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="MFWF World's Longest Lunch"></a></center><br />
<b>2. Meatopia</b><br />
<br />
The <a href="http://middleparkhotel.com.au/" target="_blank">Middle Park Hotel</a> was home one afternoon to Meatopia, a festival of rare breed meat and beer. I went with my <a href="http://www.wbgbeef.com.au/" target="_blank">Warialda Belted Galloway</a>-smitten partner and a friend of ours, and in addition to Warialda beef and other meat treats we ate some terrific spit roasted Gropig Wessex Saddleback suckling pig in a bun with morcilla and apricot aioli. There was also a BBQ throwdown between Melbourne Pub Group's Paul Wilson and <a href="http://dandelion.ws/" target="_blank">Dandelion</a>'s Geoff Lindsay, with Lindsay narrowly winning the vote and taking home the trophy and the glory.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8571447578/" title="MFWF Meatopia by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8092/8571447578_15de55665c.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="MFWF Meatopia"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8571446994/" title="Camera Roll-1627 by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8242/8571446994_b199e90729.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Camera Roll-1627"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8570352401/" title="MFWF Meatopia by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8100/8570352401_fac802f3af.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="MFWF Meatopia"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8570353881/" title="MFWF Meatopia by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8505/8570353881_64ddf6caba.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="MFWF Meatopia"></a></center><br />
<b>3. The Everleigh Cocktail Tram</b><br />
<br />
Despite never having dined on it, I've had a longtime fascination with Melbourne's <a href="http://www.tramrestaurant.com.au/" target="_blank">Colonial Tramcar Restaurant</a>. So when I saw in the MFWF program that Fitzroy's superlative cocktail bar <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheEverleigh" target="_blank">The Everleigh</a> would be running three nights in the restaurant tram using their new cocktail trolleys, booking tickets was a no-brainer.<br />
<br />
Despite the heatwave the air conditioning in the tram was working just fine, and we settled down into the plush velvet seats and peered out between the fringed curtains. I may have clapped my hands with glee as the tram shuddered into motion, tracing the 112 route down through South Melbourne, Albert Park, Middle Park and along St Kilda's Esplanade and back again. Everleigh owner/manager Michael Madrusan and his dapper team did a great job mixing up Daiquiris, Negronis and Martinis (the Martinis were made using the silky new <a href="http://www.666purevodka.com/main.htm" target="_blank">666 Autumn Butter Vodka</a> from 666 Pure Tasmanian Vodka) to a crackly jazz soundtrack. As my companion J quipped, all we needed to complete the Hercule Poirot ambiance was a MURDER. Perhaps fortunately, the worst that happened was a slight headache the next morning.<br />
<br />
An unforgettable experience.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8570375901/" title="MFWF The Everleigh Cocktail Tram by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8371/8570375901_c163cc5aa3.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="MFWF The Everleigh Cocktail Tram"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8571467456/" title="MFWF The Everleigh Cocktail Tram by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8225/8571467456_4d29c754a4.jpg" width="300" height="400" alt="MFWF The Everleigh Cocktail Tram"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8571463348/" title="MFWF The Everleigh Cocktail Tram by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8387/8571463348_8fbf9c3975.jpg" width="300" height="400" alt="MFWF The Everleigh Cocktail Tram"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8570368819/" title="MFWF The Everleigh Cocktail Tram by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8519/8570368819_c83aaebf12.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="MFWF The Everleigh Cocktail Tram"></a></center><br />
<b>4. Salchicha De Bonegilla</b><br />
<br />
Another event in the MFWF program which caught my eye was the sausage making workshop at the <a href="http://www.bonegilla.org.au/" target="_blank">Bonegilla Migrant Experience</a>, up near Albury/Wodonga. I quickly consulted my parents and my aunt Paola (of <a href="http://italyonmymind.com.au/" target="_blank">Italy on my Mind</a> fame) and booked four tickets for us.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8572300777/" title="Bonegilla Migrant Experience by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8110/8572300777_ee8cf606ee.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Bonegilla Migrant Experience"></a></center><br />
Our reason for being so keen to attend a workshop three hours' drive from Melbourne was the fact that it was being held at Bonegilla, the migrant centre that received and trained migrants to Australia during the post-WWII immigration boom. Between 1947 and 1971, over 300,000 migrants from more than 50 countries called Bonegilla their first Aussie home - including my own Italian grandparents upon their arrival in Australia in 1950. The only section of the camp remaining is Block 19 which now is now a <a href="http://www.bonegilla.org.au/block19/" target="_blank">museum</a>, included on the National Heritage List. The workshop would be the perfect excuse for us to make a pilgrimage to a location that had such special significance for our family, particularly as we'd just marked the first anniversary of my Nonno's <a href="http://www.melbournegastronome.com/2012/03/in-memory.html" target="_blank">passing</a>.<br />
<br />
Visiting Block 19 was terribly moving. I can strongly recommend visiting, even if you're not one of the estimated 1.5 million Australians descended from migrants who spent time at Bonegilla.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8572299429/" title="Bonegilla Migrant Experience by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8513/8572299429_3389e0b508.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Bonegilla Migrant Experience"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8573394364/" title="Bonegilla Migrant Experience by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8107/8573394364_af6644d505.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Bonegilla Migrant Experience"></a></center><br />
Paola has written a wonderfully detailed <a href="http://italyonmymind.com.au/2013/03/24/the-voyage-from-italy-and-an-italian-potato-salad/" target="_blank">blog post</a> filled with photos and anecdotes about Nonna and Nonno's boat voyage from Italy. They arrived at Station Pier in Melbourne on 12 May 1950, and a train whisked them up to Bonegilla the following morning. My Nonna was put in an accommodation hut like the one pictured above (prior to taking in migrants, Bonegilla had been an army barracks), sharing the room with 19 other women. Because the camp was overcrowded at the time, my Nonno had to sleep in a tent with three other men. My Nonna cried every day she was at Bonegilla, desperately missing Italy and her brothers and sisters.<br />
<br />
Nonna's voice is always tinged with dismay (okay, disgust) when she recounts how tasteless she found Australian food in 1950. Everything was cooked with lard/dripping, and if you wanted olive oil you could only buy it at the pharmacy.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8573404730/" title="Bonegilla Migrant Experience by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8516/8573404730_7c51c0a07c.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Bonegilla Migrant Experience"></a></center><br />
It was fascinating to read the original recipes from the camp's Mess Hall. In addition to the mutton stew with lard and "meat salad" recipes below, we winced at descriptions of <i>'breakfast - mince on toast (yield 50 serves)', 'pineapple butter sauce (for tournedos) - add 1/2 cup canned pineapple juice...', </i>and<i> 'add the gourmet touch - mandarine marinade with 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup orange marmalade, 1/2 cup clove or finely chopped garlic, 1/2 levels tspn. powdered ginger'.</i> How times have changed!<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8581686197/" title="Bonegilla Migrant Experience by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8509/8581686197_731a50a044.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Bonegilla Migrant Experience"></a></center><br />
The sausage making workshop was held in Camp 19's mess hall by <a href="http://www.bordermail.com.au/story/1328509/video-how-many-sausages-in-a-sheep-intestine/" target="_blank">Lutz Peters</a>, a butcher from Albury/Wodonga who was born in Germany in 1949. He emigrated with his family in 1952 and spent his third birthday in Bonegilla Migrant Centre, and eventually followed in his father's footsteps and became a continental butcher.<br />
<br />
As you can see from the photos below, we had great fun at the workshop.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8572306657/" title="MFWF Salchicha de Bonegilla by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8366/8572306657_84bd6bb3f6.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="MFWF Salchicha de Bonegilla"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8572307819/" title="MFWF Salchicha de Bonegilla by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8515/8572307819_0c7c35f13f.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="MFWF Salchicha de Bonegilla"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8572309955/" title="MFWF Salchicha de Bonegilla by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8523/8572309955_059a340b0e.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="MFWF Salchicha de Bonegilla"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8572317123/" title="MFWF Salchicha de Bonegilla by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8391/8572317123_7bf45e6b42.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="MFWF Salchicha de Bonegilla"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8572325045/" title="MFWF Salchicha de Bonegilla by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8225/8572325045_325f9ca124.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="MFWF Salchicha de Bonegilla"></a></center><br />
<b>5. Feast Beneath the Seppelt Vines</b><br />
<br />
The final MFWF event I attended was held at <a href="http://www.seppelt.com.au/" target="_blank">Seppelt</a> winery. A group include b-f-K and I were ferried in a coach from Melbourne to Great Western in the Grampians wine region, where we were taken on an extensive tour of the winery by Seppelt's viticulturalists and vignerons: we picked Shiraz grapes in the vineyard, crushed Riesling grapes in a basket press and tasted <a href="http://www.seppelt.com.au/en/Our-Wines/Table-Wines/Foundation-Range/Seppelt-Chalambar-Shiraz.aspx" target="_blank">Chalambar Shiraz</a>.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8573819585/" title="MFWF Feast Beneath the Seppelt Vines by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8392/8573819585_a6590c1eb3.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="MFWF Feast Beneath the Seppelt Vines"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8573821377/" title="MFWF Feast Beneath the Seppelt Vines by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8227/8573821377_e235c80712.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="MFWF Feast Beneath the Seppelt Vines"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8582816976/" title="MFWF Feast Beneath the Seppelt Vines by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8241/8582816976_e1497d5de0.jpg" width="300" height="400" alt="MFWF Feast Beneath the Seppelt Vines"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8574921576/" title="MFWF Feast Beneath the Seppelt Vines by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8107/8574921576_1d84b5b1f5.jpg" width="300" height="400" alt="MFWF Feast Beneath the Seppelt Vines"></a></center><br />
The original vineyard was established in 1865, and what makes Seppelt unique is the underground labyrinth known as the Drives. More than three kilometres of tunnels dug by hand in the soft granite underneath the vines by local miners over 60 years. The Drives have been used for nearly 150 years for sparkling wine maturation, and are capable of storing over 1.5 million bottles.<br />
<br />
Our tour culminated in an exploration of the Drives and a banquet lunch for 70 people in one of the tunnels, deep underground. An incredibly atmospheric dining venue! Despite the challenging catering conditions the food was very good quality (congratulations to the caterers <a href="http://www.rueclermarket.com/" target="_blank">Rue Cler Market</a> on doing a terrific job - loved the local yabby and the pressed duck salad), the mood was jovial and we were treated to some excellent Seppelt wines, including some pre-release 2012 <a href="http://www.seppelt.com.au/en/Our-Wines/Table-Wines/Drumborg-Single-Vineyard-Range.aspx" target="_blank">Drumborg Pinot Noir and Riesling</a>, a comparison of the 2008 and 1999 vintages of <a href="http://www.seppelt.com.au/en/Our-Wines/Table-Wines/Seppelt-Icon-Range/St-Peters.aspx" target="_blank">St Peters Shiraz</a>, and the 2004 <a href="http://www.seppelt.com.au/en/Our-Wines/Sparkling-Wines/Sparkling-Shiraz/Seppelt-Show-Sparkling-Shiraz.aspx" target="_blank">Show Sparkling Shiraz</a>.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8574925526/" title="MFWF Feast Beneath the Seppelt Vines by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8087/8574925526_3d6bdb6a57.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="MFWF Feast Beneath the Seppelt Vines"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8574932818/" title="MFWF Feast Beneath the Seppelt Vines by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8520/8574932818_3ba838f37a.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="MFWF Feast Beneath the Seppelt Vines"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8574930214/" title="MFWF Feast Beneath the Seppelt Vines by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8110/8574930214_1bd566c921.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="MFWF Feast Beneath the Seppelt Vines"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8574926388/" title="MFWF Feast Beneath the Seppelt Vines by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8240/8574926388_457c80255b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="MFWF Feast Beneath the Seppelt Vines"></a></center><br />
All in all, a satisfying and fitting end to a very busy fortnight. What were your highlights/lowlights?</font>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4609138731901019917.post-46099232573610217242013-02-20T14:42:00.000+11:002013-02-20T18:04:47.248+11:00Cumulus Up opens above Cumulus Inc; is excellent<font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2">Greetings!<br />
<br />
I've been away from the blog, busy working on something new that I'm excited about sharing here once it's ready. In the meantime, guess what finally opened last week?</font><br />
<br />
<font face="verdana, helvetica" size="2"><font size="1">Cumulus Up<br />
Upstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne (<a href="https://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=45+Flinders+Lane,+Victoria&hl=en&sll=-37.860283,145.079616&sspn=1.745618,2.469177&oq=45+flinders+la&hnear=45+Flinders+Ln,+Melbourne+Victoria+3000&t=m&z=17" target="_blank">map</a>)<br />
9650 1445<br />
Open Tuesday-Thursday 4pm–midnight, Friday-Saturday 4pm–1am, closed Sunday-Monday<br />
<a href="http://cumulusinc.com.au" target="_blank">website</a></font></font><br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8488018531/" title="Cumulus Up by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8236/8488018531_fdf67b2248.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="Cumulus Up"></a></center><br />
<font style="" face="sans-serif" size="2">There has been talk for several years about what Andrew McConnell & Co would do with the space upstairs from <a href="http://www.melbournegastronome.com/2009/08/cumulus-inc-continues-to-seduce.html" target="_blank">Cumulus Inc</a> (at one stage it was just going be a function room, if memory serves). Luckily for us they decided to turn it into a wine bar, with a beautiful, distinctively Pascale Gomes-McNabb fitout that references downstairs and takes advantage of the abundant natural light.<br />
<br />
It's called Cumulus Up. If it were up to me, I'd've named it Altocumulus - but then I'm nerdy that way.<br />
<br />
There are a dozen interesting wines by the glass and plenty more by the bottle, mainly Australian and European though when I visited last Friday we had a <a href="http://www.andrewguard.com.au/blogs/producers/7129226-lammershoek" target="_blank">punchy South African white</a>. The food menu is pared back and snacky, with most dishes sub-$20. A notable exception is the honking big (800g!) dry aged rib eye to share for $90.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8489110524/" title="Cumulus Up by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8112/8489110524_d61a3d3fe5.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Cumulus Up"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8488020371/" title="Olives and pickles by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8389/8488020371_40c1b2fdd5.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Olives and pickles"></a></center><br />
Melbourne, meet your new favourite snack. The confit duck-filled waffle with dabs of foie gras and prune, $7, bears all the hallmarks of a cult classic in the making (disclosure: unlike the rest of our dishes, the waffle was comped). <a href="https://twitter.com/eatingwithjack/status/302345913886720000" target="_blank">Lobster roll who?</a><br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8489114430/" title="Duck waffle by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8234/8489114430_9d6acbd8db.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Duck waffle"></a></center><br />
My favourite dish we ordered was the hand cut raw onglet with horseradish, capers, onion and sorrel ($16), though the panzanella with octopus, mussels and fermented chilli ($16) was also superb.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8488019209/" title="Onglet by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8373/8488019209_1779864f4e.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Onglet"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8489115290/" title="Octopus, mussel and bread salad by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8109/8489115290_a789229bf6.jpg" width="400" height="300" alt="Octopus, mussel and bread salad"></a></center><br />
The service is as professional as we've come to expect from an Andrew McConnell restaurant, and the atmosphere is relaxed. While the wine bar may be intended to serve as a spillover for those waiting to dine downstairs, I foresee plenty of nights where I'll be making a beeline for Cumulus Up and settling in for the duration.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mutemonkey/8489123122/" title="Cumulus Up by mutemonkey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8103/8489123122_7468575e98.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Cumulus Up"></a></center></font>clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17271464994614942315noreply@blogger.com5