My Top 10 In Melbs!

Savouring Melbourne. 

Melbourne is known for being a food destination as it is full to the rim with restaurants that curl and sprawl down alleys, on river banks and pepper their delicious coffee and mouthwatering morsels of food everywhere from the coastline to the city. The cities 'Fooders' (That is Food Do'ers, not just food appreciators) are leading the way in food innovations for Australia. Always finding new ways to let people experience food by pushing the boundaries of both interior design and quality of menu.

So having had the pleasure of eating in Melbourne on various occasions (I wouldn't call myself a local but having a sister live there for 5 years I'd like to think of myself as a 'Tocal': Tourist Local) I have accumulated a list of must eats for you to salivate over. 

My top 10 places to eat in Melbourne are: (in no particular order)

1. Brunetti (380 Lygon st Carlton)

2. Las chicas (203 Carlyle st st Kilda)

3. The Green Refectory (115 Sydney road Brunswick) 

4. Shanghai Village Dumpling (112-114 Little Bourke St China town) 

5. Degraves st (City- Near Flinders St Station)

6. Blue train (South gate Complex Upper level, South bank)

7. Chin Chin (125 Flinders lane- Worth the adventure of finding don't use maps gets you no-where) 

8. Queen Victoria markets (Corner of Victoria St and Elisabeth St)

9. Falafel House(196 Toorak Rd, South Yarra, Melbourne) 

10. Innocent bystander (336 Maroondah Hwy Healesville Yarra valley) 

Brunetti is the ultimate for Italian pastries, coffee and pizza. In the heart of Lygon st, a well known Ittalian eating destination, Brunetti has recently been renovated into a bigger and better super store that will leave you trailing a drool path as you enter through its golden doors. Pastries are beautifully lined up in the glass cabinets, presenting what could be the definition of food porn. My favorite would have to be the Lobster tail, a crunchy pasty like pastry, almost like pasta, filled with a custard and topped with a liquored cherry. But I don't think you can go wrong with what you choose and partnered with a professionally barrister coffee from their traditional coffee bar you will feel like you're standing in Florence ordering yet another Latte cause its made so dam well. And the pizzas? Out of this world. Perfect base, saucey sauce and quality fior di latte cheese. 

Brilliant Brunetti.

Brunetti Pastries.

Las chicas was the café that made me rethink the standard of my local breakfast spots here in Sydney. Why don't all cafés come with quirky interiors, fantastic service, delicious coffee, value for money meals (meaning big portions), and top notch innovative and fresh food. Situated on Carlyle st in east St Kilda this eatery, i would say,  attracts creative people with its creative food concepts. Once I saw Hamish Blake which made my breakfast all the more tasty- if that's even possible. Las Chicas take the fuss out of eating and give you food that's tasty and exciting. For breakfast try the eggs Benedict,  perfectly balanced hollandaise and it comes on a bagel which speaks to the Jewish influence in the area. Also the pancakes are to die for, but you might need some help with the high rise stack! Smoothies here are also good, I took a friend who knows a good banana smoothie and she said it was the best she'd ever had! 

Las Chicas Breakfast

The Green Refectory. Brunswick is known for being a quirky area. Shops are scattered and spread all the way down Sydney road making it a great place to take a long walk. But to keep your Tummy's amused I would highly recommend this cute cafe style bakery. Cakes decorate the window like they're going out of fashion! Too many to choose from! But nothing beats their vanilla slice. And for something savory? The menu is authentic Australian with bakery items like sausage rolls, but they're matched with a home made tomato chutney that there never seems to be enough of! Definitely my top pick of Brunswick, and affordable prices too! 

The Green Refectory

Shanghai Village Dumpling was where I first discovered dumplings. A menu I can only call the dictionary for dumplings as there are so many options and combinations to choose from. My favourites: spring onion pancake, what i call prawrk dumplings (pork and prawn) and vegetarian.

Degraves Street is a foodified tourist destination. A picturesque lane-way filled with cafes and alfresco dining your sure to get a decent coffee here to start off your morning. While I'm sure the eggs on this street are great i had the fruit and nut toast with ricotta and honey. Most of the cafes serve similar things so its more wherever you can get a table. The people watching is fun too!

Degraves St

Blue Train Southbank is a not so hidden gem. A fresh and vibrant interior boasts high ceilings and stunning views of the city and Yarra river. And the open kitchen makes for some great food entertaining. I would recommend the mushroom pasta absolutely delicious, and childhood memories dessert is like a deconstructed mars bar that will take you back in time and leave your mouth dripping with saliva. A trip to the Crown after is a great night out for some cocktails and dancing.

Childhood memories

Chin Chin showcases street food at its finest. This Restaurant is everything Melbourne is about when it comes to food. Casual dining experience, brilliant authentic food, fantastic service and trendy decor. We tried to get dinner here on a Saturday night but we got there too late, so try to get there at 6 or go for lunch, we walked straight in on the Sunday. The Salmon wrapped in banana leaves is to die for, took me back to sitting on the beach in Jimbaran bay in Bali, smokey but sweet. Absolutely delicious. Cannot wait to go back and make my way through the menu.

Chin Chin Restaurant.

Queen Victoria Markets are the perfect place for a sensory stroll. Smells of fresh fruits and seafood's, sounds of "3 for $4" and "we've got the best mango's there is" and sights that will have your eyes darting from one stall to the next. For an afternoon snack i would recommend making something of a cheese plate. Buy a bit of this and that so as to make yourself a bountiful smorgasbord of yummy foods. but for something right away try the fresh Borak stand, its in the enclosed part of the market where all the cheeses are. A doughy pastry filled with whatever is on offer, i got the spicy beef.

Falafel House Shopping down Chapel street can be a marathon, so for a bit to eat i would try the Falafel house. Its a nifty new style eatery where you can make your own falafel burger or wrap or salad or just buy the falafel's on their own for a snack in between shoe shops.

Innocent Bystander. This is a must. If you have the chance to explore the beautiful Yarra Valley vineyards you must have lunch at the innocent bystander. All breads are made on site and the baguettes are to die for. Partnered with their delicious Moscato this is a fantastic eating experience and while i'd like to say priceless, its not, but its well worth the trip.

So get to Melbourne! 

GO on! On Ya Bike!

Heading North for the Summer?

My Foodified Road Trip of Australia's East coast. 

Sugarcane

Driving from Sydney to Queensland’s Gold Coast should be a rite of passage for every East coast Australian dweller.  For this twelve or so hour drive covers some of the most pristine beaches, rivers, and breadths of land this country has to offer.

But for every foodie comes the critical decision of where to eat! Well I’ve got some of it covered. Stopping at two half way points, Coffs harbour on the way up and Port Macquarie on the way back I managed to find some fantastic eats with fantastic views of our beautiful Pacific coastline.

Coffs Harbour, the coastal town of bananas and roaming goats.This is a town that is directed towards the water. The banana trees line the hills with their canopies of yellow fruit and encircle the town below. A drive up to the lookout is a must, but be careful, we seemed to find the one roaming goat in the whole of Coffs! And trust me, they don't hesitate to get in your car.

Banana Plantations

Break wall view at Latitude 30

Breakfast at Latitude 30

Places to eat in Coffs Harbour… I would recommend Lakiss Jetty Pizzeria  to compliment a long day of driving. Great crust with creative toppings that don’t go too 'over the top'. We had the “Magic Mushroom” which had a variety of delicious mushrooms. My kind of pizza.

Dine in eating? I would have to say Lattitude 30.  Sitting right on the break wall overlooking the ocean and Muttonbird Island  you will not be disappointed.We went for breakfast and ordered an Eggs Benedict which had delicious home-made Hollandaise and accompaniments of spinach and asparagus – delightful! But the most impressive of meals was the man favourite: Big Breaky which came with a big fillet steak perfectly cooked! Not to mention two fried eggs, bacon, mushrooms, tomato and spinach! Just a great meal all in all with delicious coffee from MarcoVianei to finish! And don’t worry if you eat too much. A walk around Muttonbird Island, to overlook the ocean and the town of Coffs, will sort that.

For your classic eats of fish and chips go to the Coffs Harbour Fishermans Co-op. The fish is fresh and you can pick from local cuts caught straight from our North Coast Australian shores.

Fisherman's Co-Op

Leaving Coffs we made a quick stop off in Byron bay for some lunch. And what else is there to have in Byron if not Mexican! The Mexican Cantina does delicious Burritos, 
as well as soft tacos. Not to mention their good value lunch deals which can be sloshed down with some of their house-made Cinnamon Sangria. Deliciously filling.

Crossing over into Queenslad territory we stayed in Coolangatta, a cove that looks out towards the high-rise buildings of Surfers Paradise, but is a quiet haven just far enough away. From here we could venture out into lower Queensland, while also take in the beautiful beach and coastal walks Coolangatta had to offer. I found some fantastic eats here as well as Main beach and Broard beach all on or around surfers paradise.

Kirramusu Coolangatta is a great spot for Brunch. Right on the beach. Good coffee and good sized portions. Simply Thai Cooolangatta has authentic thai food and is right on the beach aswell. They have my favourite, cocunut rice! Good flavoursome curries and great service.

Coolangatta views. 

Pancakes 

Pancakes in Paradise seem to be peppered all across the coast but it is NOT for the faint hearted. If you want simple and cheap pancakes this chain will keep you happy. 9.95 all you can eat pancakes with Maple syrup and butter. Just be careful when you are served the pancakes… that scooped heap of white in the middle of your stack is not in fact icecream but butter. Don’t make the same mistake I did, spread it around!

Main Beach Surf Life-Savers Club is a great spot for oceanside dining and supporting the local surf life savers, its also close to Sea World if you were planning on seeing the dolphins.  Sitting up high and looking over the ocean, you may even see a few whales waving you hello from a distance if it’s the right season. This is a casual eating experience that’s all about the serenity.

Sunset Queensland.

Broad Beach is another eating destination with a variety of restaurants to choose from. This is an area where you can either eat on a budget or go all out. All cuisines are covered and the walk ways are decorated with pretty tree lights to show you the way. For something special try Moo Moo.

But overall I must say I wasn’t overly impressed with the food in lower Queensland, they seem to be missing the boutique factor, leaning more towards chain outlets and same-same food menus. 

In saying that I was in a tourist area, which means big menus with lots of tastes- so as to cater to everyone. So I can’t be too critical.

Making our way back from Queensland we came across something special for the long drive home. Freddos pies are scattered all along the roads heading north and south.  From Kangaroo to Crocodile to beef burgendy this classic Aussie eatery is worth the stop over. Just your authntic pie experience with a range to suit all taste buds.

Driving home we stopped in Port Macquarie to break up the trip. A town that is again all about the water, with a beautiful break-wall that takes you out into the tumbling waves where you can watch the body boarders the town is known for. 

Break-wall Port Macquarie

The Maharaja Indian Restaurant in Port Macquarie is as Authentic as it comes, and with a view of where the river meets the ocean its got a great location too. Mooreish curries, samosas and crisp but chewy nann straight out of a traditional oven.

Rivermark café is not in the centre of Port Macquarie but its worth the small drive. Positioned with an incredible view of hastings river this is a well thought out dining experience. A casual and comfortable enviroment, with food to match. I enjoyed the mediteranean blt. Mushroom, roasted tomato, pesto, poached eggs and crisp prociutto weged between two pieces of toasted ciabatta. The eggs benedict has an olive oil hollandaise which is delicious and suits well with the ambience of being outside. 

Rivermark Cafe.

In terms of food on the go nothing beats the classic bakery and I found a few in my travels. There was the K’pain artisian bakery in Coffs Harbour who have a chewy delicious sourdough bread . And Burkhardets organic bakery Port Macquaire who did amazing crossiants and authentic vanilla slice.

Driving along the sugarcane-hugging roads and getting a real taste of Australia's East-coast was what this trip was about. I recommend it to each and everyone reading this and hope you too will get a taste of our delicious and breathtaking coastline!

Good Food Travels Fast!

Cronut...

CRAZY.

If you haven't yet got your hands on a Cronut, then you are missing out on one of the most talked about foods of 2013. Already 'old news' in New York these layered pinnacles of sweet indulgence have crossed Pacific Shores and made their way into our Aussie Patisseries.

But what is a Cronut? Don't worry I was confused too. When told by a friend that I needed to try one I was ashamed to ask, resorting to google for a quick answer. As it turns out these aren't just a food craze where people have become fixated on re-invented, but done before, sweets. (I.e the cupcake) But the Cronut is in fact a whole new food, a complete invention!  

Basically.....

1 Cronut = 1/2 'Crossaint' + 1/2 'Doughnut' 

The Cronut is made with lamented dough- similar to croissant dough. Lamenation is where you layer butter to flour so that when it cooks it puffs up like an edible spring of airy deliciousness. This dough is then cut into rings, fried like a doughnut and then coated in cinnamon sugar. After this process the 'Almost-Cronut' is cut in half, filled with a flavoured custard and dipped into a glaze of some sort. Giving you a not so heart friendly, but oh so yummy sweet pastry, a Cronut. 

With a queue of 3 hours-or-more the Cronut was Launched into this world, with a definite food obsessed audience, on May 10th at 189 Spring St. New York City at the Dominique Ansel Bakery. French-born now NYC chef Dominique Ansel was the creator of these decedent pastry endeavours, which have now made him the most virally talked about Pastry Chef of 2013! Yes out-weighing even Zumbo! 

Curiously they weren't a mistaken croissant that fell into the fryer. These hybrid pastries, originally topped with a rose glaze and filled with vanilla cream, were tediously developed over 2 months by Ansel. A chef that was a part of the team that brought restaurant Daniel three-Michelein stars and who trained under legendary French institution Fauchon for 7 years. The Cronut was no mistake, in fact i think it had been a life long development on his part. As he says,

"Fauchon was like a think-tank for desserts. There was always innovation and new items for the holidays and seasons.
 I wanted to bring that same sense of creativity to the bakery here in New York. 
I wanted there to be the beautiful holiday and limited edition items I saw people line up for back in Paris in Fauchon."

I would say it was Fauchon that helped him find his way to the Cronut. Which is now a not so limited edition pastry, as it showcases a new flavour a month. This month being coconut, but it has been blackberry and lemon maple as well. The craze has also not dwindled, with daily queues of 2-or-more-hours prior to opening doors to start the day.

Wahroongah Cronuts @Bonjour Patisserie.  

Good food travels fast. And already the Cronut is popping up in markets and cafes all over the world. Here in Sydney it can be found at markets but particularly at  Adriano Zumbos where he serves the Zonut, Glenorie Bakery and Cafe (who were the first to bring it to Sydney) and my local Bonjour patisserie in Wahroongah where they fill their version with a delicious chocolate custard and top them off with a chocolate glaze and almond flakes for just $4.50.

So while i'd love to be able to travel to NYC just for these decedent additions to the patisserie world, it seems something just as amazing is right here on our doorstep! Who said globalisation was a bad thing right? Feel free to go Cronut Crazy!!! 

Pigs Lost Amongst The Vines.

I'm turning over a new leaf (pun intended) on dolmades with a Mediterranean twist of pigs in a blanket. 

Pork and Fennel dolmades! 

It was only recently that I discovered vine leaves at my local grocery store. This gourmet leaf is a convenience food preserved and cooked so they're ready to roll out with whatever fillings you desire.

 Inspired by a recent recipe I did on a food shoot for a lamb shoulder filling, that included pork and rice, I decided to tweak and create something that could instead to be rolled up in my newly purchased vine leaves. 

Dolmades are traditionally vego, but I love the combinations of pork and fennel seeds together. The idea of the two wrapped up in a earthy leaf, so they're bite size and ready to devour, well I just had to give it a go! 

In making the recipe i added some prunes and caramelised balsamic for sweetness, pine nuts for a different texture, and balanced it all with lemon juice and fresh tomato. The result was irresistible and well worth the effort! I even managed to get two thumbs up from a friends mum, who is Lebanese and a crazy good cook!  

So if you can find these vine leaves amongst the huge array of new products hitting the shelves of our supermarkets give these bad boys a go! They'll be the best pigs in a blanket you've ever had! 

Recipe for Pork and Fennel Dolmades.
1 cup cooked rice
500g pork mince
1 onion small dice
2 tsp fennel seeds
80g pine nuts
1 tomato diced
1/2 a bunch of parsley chopped finely
50g prunes chopped
2 tsp caremelised balsamic vinegar
Vine leaves
1 lemon juiced
200ml water
1tbs veg oil
Method:
1. Cook of your onion with fennel seeds and pine nuts.
2. Add the pork mince and brown off.
3. Add your chopped prunes, diced fresh tomato, parsley and rice.
4. Season to taste then add your caramelised balsamic. Sett the mix aside to cool.
To assemble. 
1. Place a vine leaf down flat on a chopping board, then layer on another vine leaf for extra surface area.
2. Pile a small amount at the base of the leaf then bring the sides together, and roll your dolmade into a tight cylinder.
3. Place rolled dolmades into a heatproof terrine mould or tray then pour over with lemon juice and water, so that the liquid can just be seen from above.
4. Cook in a 180 degree oven for 20 mins.
Serve hot

One bite and you too will be lost in the vines with the pigs! 

Cheat Eggs....

Baked Eggs! 

As seen in many cafes baked eggs are a perfect balance of tasty and decedent. 

You can use any kind of pan to bake them in, as long as its oven safe and easy to eat out of, at my old work we even managed to cook them in muffin cases and pop them out on the plate. 

The flavour combinations are endless, you can go all out vegetarian and pop in your favourite antipasto's like grilled capsicum and eggplant, or try an omnivore approach by adding some bacon and cheese as well. 

Baked eggs is one of those classic recipes that will keep evolving because it can be changed it to suit your mood and the seasonal produce available. A great step in building some confidence in the kitchen, as its a hard one to stuff up.

Simply crack two eggs into a greased non stick ceramic pot, or muffin case and top it off with your favourite fillings. The one i've done above has prosciutto. parsley, cheese, grilled eggplant, chives and crunchy golden sourdough croutons-to save me having to make toast. After you've assembled your personalised eggs add a touch of seasoning a splash of decent olive oil and pop it in an oven of 180 degrees for 8-12 minutes- depending on if you like your yolks runny or stiff. 

When its cooked and crispy on the edges serve it with a glossy salad of rocket and tomatoes. 

Magnifique!

Hocks Of Beans!

We've Bean Missing You!

Beans aren't the most salivating of ingredients, we all know the rhythmic tune that suggests beans are some sort of musical fruit. Sadly shaming the 'fruit' for years, as unpopular and gassy. But its about time we get back into the bean, for they are magical, just for completely different reasons-

and no i'm not talking about giant bean stalks with ducks that lay golden eggs. 

These tiny beans are nutritiously bountiful. Packed with protein and dietary fibre, they are silent assassins for anyone needing good sources of packed-full nutritionally sound food sources. These babies just tick all the boxes in my books. 

And with the addition of a ham hock these two ingredients carry off as a dynamite duo. Ham hock being the flavour enhancer and the beans being the side kick absorbers. 

You see as the ham hock cooks slowly, to that point of being easily pulled from the bone, it oozes its marrow goodness into the cooking liquid where our bopping toppling beans bounce around like confetti.

This kind of slow cooking is what winter should be made of. Delicious hearty meals that can be served  all hours of the day, making our efforts of cooking them in the cold even more well spent and worthwhile. 

While most recipes call for cannellini beans, i found them hard to come by. A cheap and easy alternative is Great Northern Beans, which are a smaller variety of the white bean family. But make sure you get the dried beans and re-hydrate them yourself. This way you can cook them in your stocks and liquids and control exactly what goes in, and more importantly what stays out! 

TIP......

Legumes are great "Stretches" for any dish. Which is perfect for big family's or to avoid wastage and make good use of left over sauces and stocks. Simply keep the cooking liquids and cook your soaked beans with them to impart different flavours. 

Here is a recipe for my own Beans, which i have with toast and sometimes even a fried egg if i'm feeling decedent!

Northern beans cooked in a Spicy Tomato with ham hock.
Ingredients:
400g Great Northern Beans (soaked over night in water)
2 small Brown Onions (Sliced)
100ml Red Wine
3 cloves of Garlic (Smashed)
200ml Passada
2tsp Harissa
1 long red chilli chopped fine (Seeds removed if you want it to be less spicy)
1 Ham Hock
Thyme
Oregano
Method:

1. Cook off your onion in a large pot with olive oil for a few minutes until caramelised and translucent.
2. Add a splash more olive oil and add your garlic, chilli and Harissa. And cook till aromatic.
3. Deglaze with the wine and cook off for two-three minutes
4. Add the passada, ham hock, herbs, beans and soaking water. 
5. Bring to the boil then let simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the beans are tender and cooked. 
6. Serve with toast and chopped parsley.

El loco spread...

Wintery slow braised beef and kidney bean Fajitas.

This Winter i have etched a newfound love for legumes and beans! Working as a chef at Google i have seen them used in a variety of dishes. These hidden gems are not only a great source of energy but have a hidden talent for carrying stupendous flavour throughout a dish. Packed with protein, these wholefoods are great additions to soups, sauces and in this case Fajitas! To rehydrate these wonder foods, you can either leave them over night in water or bring them to the boil and leave them covered for 1 hour. Either way its worth using the dried variety as they haven't been sitting in a can for god knows how long. Bizarrely this is the freshest approach.

Fajitas are more or less a wrap and these bad boys are worth every minute of prep time! 

A different kind of winter warmer to keep you full and happy this cold season. 

Enjoy.

Beef and kidney Fajitas with salsa and spicy jalapeno yoghurt:

Ingredients:

12 Tortilla wraps. 

2 porthouse steaks/ sirloin steaks. approx. 500g

Marinate:

1 strip of rind and the Juice of 1 orange

1 Tbs Ground cumin

1tsp Ground chilli

1tsp Paprika

1tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp black pepper

3tbs olive oil.

Sauce:

100g kidney beans- rehydrated overnight in water.

420g can of crushed tomatoes

100ml red wine

1Tbs Red wine Vinegar

2 Garlic cloves

1 red onion

250 ml beef stock

1/2 green chilli 

Salsa:

1 Tomato, seeds removed and diced.

1 Corn cob, corn kernals removed and blanched. (canned can also be used)

1 Capsicum, small dice. 

1 Avacado diced. 

1/4 of a small red onion, finely diced.

Chopped fresh Corriander

1tsp salt

1/2 tsp white sugar

70 ml Fresh lime juice.

50 ml Olive oil.

Jalapeno Yoghurt:

1/2 Bunch of coriander

2 garlic cloves peeled

50 g pickled jalapenos.

250ml natural yoghurt

Method:

To prepare your meat:

1. Marinate beef pieces in orange juice, spices and olive oil for 1 hour, or overnight.

2. Remove meat from marinate and seal-off with 1 tbs of olive oil in a large pot. Then set aside.

3. Cook the onions and garlic in the same pot with some more oil until translucent.

4. Meanwhile mix the red wine and vinegar into the bowl that was used to marinate the meat- this way we get all the spices and flavour into the dish.

5. Return the meat to the pot of onions and add the wine and vinegar mix to de-glaze the pan.

6. Then add the tomatoes, beef stock, kidney beans and chopped green chilli. 

7. Leave to cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Either on a low flame simmering or in the oven at 160 degrees Covered. 

MEANWHILE.

To prepare your tortillas:

Wrap the tortillas up in aluminium foil around 6 per bundle. 

To prepare your salsa:

Put all your cut vegetables into a bowl. And add the lime juice, olive oil, salt and sugar. Softly toss it all together and taste for extra seasoning.

To prepare you jalapeno yoghurt:

Get a food processor and blitz your coriander, jalapenos and garlic to make a paste. In a separate bowl mix the paste with the yoghurt and season to taste. 

When the meat is ready break it up a bit to form shreds. Put the foil wrapped tortillas in a hot oven of 280 degrees for 3 minutes.

To serve have all your condiments out in small bowls, with some extra coriander and lime wedges, and let everyone make their own wraps. 

A colourful mexican banquet for the shared Winter table!