Greedy Gourmets

Chargrilled Rib-Eye Steak 300g - Ilona Staller AUD39.50

2011-11-17T14:20:00.001+11:00

Chargrilled Rib-Eye Steak 300g - Ilona Staller AUD39.50
Originally uploaded by avlxyz

Best. Steak. Ever.
Tender, well-rested, juicy, flavoursome steak with a rich velvety jus that made for an explosion of flavour. I like the little nuggets of silky bone marrow as well, a subtle but nice nod to nose-to-tail eating.

There was also a nice and charry chargrilled crust and the insides were so buttery soft, I wondered if it was done sous vide.

The sauce was so good, I had to mop it up with bread. It didn't take much of a warmed plate to cause some of the sauce to get baked on, hence the streaks. I even tried scraping it off with a fork!

Spicy Pork Bento - Oriental Spoon AUD12

2011-10-31T15:43:00.001+11:00

Spicy Pork Bento - Oriental Spoon AUD12
Originally uploaded by avlxyz

yum yum... quite busy even though it is Cup eve!

Rare Beef, Gouda, Horseradish Tartine - close - Depot De Pain AUD11.50

2011-10-28T16:59:00.001+11:00

Rare Beef, Gouda, Horseradish Tartine - close - Depot De Pain AUD11.50
Originally uploaded by avlxyz

I think I want one now!

Halva - The Queen Vic Deli

2011-02-10T23:58:00.001+11:00

Halva - The Queen Vic Deli
Originally uploaded by avlxyz

Handmade Chocolate and Almond Halva

Deliciously light with a squeeky texture of sesame! Reminds me very much of the 花生贡糖 Chinese peanut candy with a similar layered texture.

Queen Vic Deli
(03) 9328 3645
Shop 36/ Peel St, Melbourne VIC 3000

Cutler & Co Dining Room & Bar, Fitzroy

2010-10-22T23:16:00.000+11:00

Shopfront - Cutler & Co

Behind this unassuming facade lies Melbourne's Best New Restaurant as bestowed by The Age Good Food Guide 2011. Andrew McConnell's posh, yet casual dining experience is full of classic dishes with a smattering of "molecular" techniques.

In fact, it is a little bit of Heston Blumenthal's outrageousness in Melbourne.

Anchovy pastries AUD9

Always a fan of anchovies, I ordered a serve of the Anchovy Pastries to try. They were Ortiz, and they were salty, full of umami and tasted every bit of the sea tempered by a light pastry shell.

Spanner crab, abalone & sweet corn soup AUD22

Andrew McConnell's reputation for serving playful food led us to pick a relatively straightforward item. Not surprisingly, we were quite amused by this delicious soup with a whacky sounding frozen sweet corn powder!

Holding this dish together is a thick rich miso onion soup is hearty but a little on the salty side, but the big oniony flavours were good. It was surprising that the delicate spanner crab wasn't lost in the soup. What the baby abalone slices seemed to lack in sweetness in contrast to the soup, it made up for it by adding a slippery yet bouncy texture. Other textural elements included a mildly crunchy Chinese white cloud-ear-mushroom and little slippery bits of seaweed (sea lettuce?).

Starting out as a pile of frozen sweet corn powder, it soon integrated itself with a sweetness slightly counteracting the savoury onion miso soup.

To top it all off, there was a single lemony sorrel leaf. Julia left it till last and seemed to think that it was a nice palate cleanser. I had it midway through and it seemed to taint the dish with its sourness.

Poached Hapuka, smoked leek, chorizo & romesco AUD42

Sous vide cooked hapuka seemed quite friendly, but we should have known that it wouldn't be chummy with us, given that we prefer our fish as sashimi, or flaky and moist. Sure enough, the translucent flesh was a bit icky, but the smoky romesco and chorizo backed it up with their robust flavours. Perhaps the hapuka would be sweeter if it was cooked through.

Obviously a nod to the Spanish, the trio of smoked leek, as a stand-in for calçot, chorizo and romesco, were definitely a good combination of tried and true flavours.

Roast suckling pig, xo spring onion, garlic & parsley root AUD44

The moment I read reviews of the roast suckling pig at Cutler & Co, I knew I had to try it. At AUD44, the price was a bit steep, but it was good. The moist and tender flesh practically melting in your mouth, and the rich seam of almost ethereal fat floods your mouth with porky goodness. Feeling my heart seize up, I decide to cut away most of the luscious fat, and the pork was still very very good, right down to the crisp crackling.

Dolloped on the side was a creamy rich puree that tasted a lot like parsnip puree, but according to the description it is a garlic and parsley root puree. Amazing flavour and worth licking the plate for!

While I'll admit, this suckling pig might not be as good ones in Asia or Spain, this was definitely one of the greats.

Judging by the mixed review, it seems that this dish, depending on the accompaniments, flits between porky heaven, mere mortal, and blasphemous.

Violet ice cream, chocolate ganache, sour cherry & clove meringue AUD18

A certain wave of mauve seems to have spread through the desserts of Melbourne which is why, I chose the Violet Ice Cream dessert. (Not just desserts - by Larissa Dubecki, The Age, August 24, 2010 chefs have incorporated violet elements into their dishes) I even consulted with our waiter and it seems that it is the dessert of the moment, with the Chocolate ice cream sandwich coming a close second.

My first mouthful of the violet ice cream reminded me of cheap air freshener! Thank goodness for the ever-so-light hazelnut chiffon sponge cake to bring me back to the posh dining room. This was followed by the clove meringue which I hesitated over. Sure enough, it was like a dentists anaesthetic paste :P

Luckily then, there was the chocolate ganache on hand to balance the strong clove flavours with a mellow soothing chocolate, even if it did seem like chocolate moussed to me.

Scattered around the plate were also mounds of chocolate "soil" and splodges of sour cherry, which led some bloggers to remark that this dish could well be a deconstructed Black Forest Cake.

Despite the challenging violet and clove elements of this dessert, overall, the playfulness and humour reminded me a bit of the crazy combinations that you see on Heston Blumenthal's outrageous feasts.

Chocolate Ganache

With our coffee and tea came a complimentary Chocolate Ganache, two cinder black blocks of dense, rich chocolate. It was smooth and sublime, and despite all I had eaten that night, I had no trouble polishing them off!

Cutler & Co Dining Room & Bar
(03) 9419 4888
55- 57 Gertrude St
Fitzroy VIC 3065
http://www.cutlerandco.com.au/

Reviews:
- Cutler & Co - by Larissa Dubecki, The Age, April 3, 2009
- Cutler & Co - UrbanSpoon
- Cutler & Co- Fitzroy - omnomnomnom / brightcopperkettle - Sunday, September 19, 2010
- Cutler & Co - ala Carte - by Catherine, Petit-Miamx, Wednesday, August 11, 2010

More photos: Cutler & Co Dining Room & Bar, Fitzroy - avlxyz

Il Fornaio, St Kilda

2010-10-06T12:35:00.002+11:00

They must get it a lot. Silly, ignorant, wishful customers hoping for a taste of The famous Snickers, by Queen of Desserts Philippa Sibley, at all hours of the day. Well, I can confirm that they don't serve it at breakfast, even if the polite waitress humoured me by "asking the kitchen", and then feigned empathy when she told me the bad news.

Just as well, the breakfast was still as good as I remembered it, and they added Black Pudding as an optional side. Bonus! Perfectly cooked eggs in a pie with tender braised leeks adding sweetness to the salty ham and cheddar cheese. Add to that, a flaky, buttery pastry to die for, and you have a fantastic breakfast.
I added a slab of black pudding to make sure the resultant heart attack would be fatal. Fortunately, the translucent cubes in black pudding were indeed lard. Yum! The liberal use of cumin and spice created heavenly balance with the minerally tastes, but it might ward off cancer though. Can't win 'em all.


Egg, Ham and Leek Pie (AUD 9.50) with Black Pudding (AUD 5.50)

We opted for the plain stack of fluffy buttermilk pancakes, sans egg. You would not believe how light these buttermilk pancakes were, almost souffle-like, even if it was a tad undercooked and mushy in the centre. The contrast of salty bacon and smoky sweet maple syrup resulted in another magnificent breakfast!

Short Stack with Bacon and Maple - AUD13

Beautiful flaky croissants, one with a moreish filling of fragrant almond paste.

Almond Croissant, Plain Croissant - AUD4.80, AUD3.80

II Fornaio
(03) 9534 2922
2 Acland St
St Kilda VIC 3182
www.ilfornaio.net.au/

Reviews:
- Il Fornaio, by Larissa Dubecki, The Age, September 7, 2010
NOT since the invention of the Peach Melba has there been such a kerfuffle about a dessert. ''The famous Snickers'', as the menu at Il Fornaio calls it, and for once I'm inclined not to retch over the food-related use of the adjective. ''Famous'' on a menu usually means the dish in question isn't famous at all - but the Snickers? The Snickers is famous. The Snickers is so famous it should have its own agent, a magazine deal and a coke habit.
The Snickers and its creator, Philippa Sibley, have moved around a fair bit but they took up a new permanent residence recently at this former bakery-cafe in St Kilda, where they've conspired to capitalise on Sibley's reputation (''dessert queen'', ''queen of pastries'', ''passionate pastry whiz'', as Google attests) by trading at night-time primarily as a dessert restaurant (during the day things are far more cafe-like).

- Not just desserts, by Larissa Dubecki, The Age, August 24, 2010
Philippa Sibley’s Snickers dessert needs little introduction. An instant hit when she first put it on the menu at Circa five years ago, her signature dish recently found a new lease of life at her new St Kilda digs, IlFornaio, and through being showcased on MasterChef.
‘‘Oh my god, straightaway it was a monster,’’ recalls Sibley of her take on the peanut and caramel chocolate bar first released by the Mars company in 1930. ‘‘We had a table of five come in and order eight of them, at $25 a pop [the IlFornaio version costs $19]. We sold 700 of them in one week.’’

- Il Fornaio

More photos: Il Fornaio, St Kilda - flick/avlxyz

Prestissimo Lunch - The Grill, Grossi Florentino

2010-09-21T13:45:00.057+10:00

A celebratory lunch demands a nice venue, and The Grill at Grossi Florentino is certainly nice. They also understand the need for prompt and cheerful service so that we can get back to work on time.

Calamari Fritti
Fried Calamari with borlotti beans, marinated eggplant and radicchio

Most of us got the fried calamari. I think it was a good choice! The calamari was fresh and tasty, with a crunchy, light batter. The addition of borlotti beans was quite a nice touch, with a creamy texture contrasting the crunch of the batter and the tender calamari. An acidic lift came from the addition of marinated eggplant and the bitter radicchio and rocket leaves further lightened the dish.

Il Pesce
Salmon with braised peas and burnt butter sauce

For mains, the simple grilled salmon was another popular dish on our table. While it seemed a little underwhelming, everyone agreed that the fish was beautifully cooked, but the burnt butter sauce was a too subtle. I liked the braised peas with the distinctly buttery finish though.

La torta
Ricotta cheese tart

I finished lunch with a rich, moist ricotta tart that ate more like a cake. Filled with diced candied fruits, it reminded me of a cassata, but with a shortcrust.

And I couldn't go past a good strong coffee and crisp biscotti.

Caffee Lungo and biscotti

More photos: Lunch with Nuz 2010.09.21

Grossi Florentino
(03) 9662 1811
80 Bourke St
Melbourne VIC 3000
The Grill, Grossi Florentino

Reviews:
- Grossi Florentino, by Larissa Dubecki, Epicure, The Age September 1, 2009
- Grossi Florentino - Frommer's
- Melbourne Food Review: Grossi Florentino: The Grill (Pre-theatre Dinner) by Kat on 10 September 2009 - Spatula, Spoon and Saturday
- NOT: Grossi Florentino Grill, Melbourne, by Jetsetting Joyce - October 15, 2009 - MEL: HOT OR NOT

Cattivo Cafe, Camberwell

2010-09-04T15:05:00.010+10:00

Cattivo is a nice little cafe in the unoffensive, boring cafe-land of Camberwell. There is not a lot of choice, but the pizza and tortellini we had was done well.

Prosciutto, Provolone, Mushroom Pizza AUD9.50

The prosciutto pizza with provolone cheese was very good. The first thing that hits you is the musty prosciutto, followed by the slightly stinky provolone cheese. In your mouth, the saltiness or the prosciutto and provolone give way to the juicy slices of mushroom and sweetness of the tomato sauce, with a bit of bitterness from the rocket. The drizzle of grassy olive oil was a nice addition balancing all the rich flavours.

Spinach and Ricotta Tortellini in a Chicken Broth AUD14

The yellow chicken broth is a good sign of a nice broth, and it was full of chicken flavour. The little Spinach and Ricotta Tortellini were smooth and filled with a simple spinach and ricotta filling. A bit more nutmeg would have been nice, and a bit of grated parmesan on the soup would also be good.

Piccolo Caffe Latte, Caffe Latte, AUD3 each

Using Genovese coffee, the coffees were good, but not spectacular. Julia' Piccolo Caffe Latte was strong, but not as fragrant as we'd like. My caffe latte was much weaker, but still good.

Passionfruit Macaron AUD2.50

We finished the meal with a passionfruit macaron. While the crisp shell had a nice crunch, it could be lighter, and the center could be chewier. The filling was a passionfruit curd that was on the sweet side and lacking in passionfruit zing. Still, something sweet is always a good way to end a meal.

Cattivo Cafe
(03) 9882 8878
255 Camberwell Rd
Camberwell VIC 3124

More photos: Cattivo Cafe, Camberwell - avlxyz/flickr

Reviews:
- Cattivo - Mietta's
- Cattivo - UrbanSpoon

Bella Vedere, Coldstream

2010-08-29T13:30:00.010+10:00

We've been wanting to visit Bella Vedere ever since we've read reviews as far back as 2005. For one reason or another, we've never made it there. This time on the way back from Mt Buller, we made a slight detour and we were pleasantly rewarded with a rustic farmhouse filled with glasses clinking and diners chatting and customers walking in as late as 3:30pm having lunch!

The food however is far from rustic.

Starting with grassy Dimartino olive oil and three types of good, house-baked bread, we knew we were in for a treat.

First up was the fancifully named Carta Musica, or music sheet, one of the specials of the day. This was described to us as a thin, crisp, fried bread, smeared with tomato sauce and topped with scallops. Raw scallops. Well, we'd have to have that then!

Carta Musica AUD18
Napoli Sauce, Raw Scallops

The textures of this dish was fun, with the crisp bread softened in parts by the warm tomato sauce, against a sweet, cold, melting scallop and the tang of a squeeze of lemon. Had the scallop been sweeter and more intense, and perhaps seared, this would have been an amazing dish.

Fiveways Roast Lamb AUD36
with anchovies, capers, mash

For mains, Julia had the other special, Fiveways Lamb roasted on the bone, with anchovies, capers and creamy mashed potato. The lamb was tender, moist and very flavoursome. All it needed was a drizzle of the roasting juices and the occasional salty hit of anchovies or capers. Together with the comforting buttery mash, this simple dish was stunning.

Zampone alla lenticchio AUD38
Stuffed Pig's Trotters with Braised Lentils

I had a hard time deciding between the tripe and the trotters, both offally good. In the end, I decided that rich tripe would be overwhelming as a main. What followed was a plateful of a single silky, gooey, deboned pig's trotter, filled with a rich sausage, possibly cotechino, studded with raisins and pistachio. Underneath the trotter was a bed of tender puy lentils with a nice bite and nutty flavour. All this was bound together with a rich tomato sauce. I was very glad that the soft gelatinous tendons in the toes was included! The flavours of every part of this dish was intense, from the rich sausage filling with its slight mustiness to the tangy tomato sauce with distinct basil notes, perhaps due to the slightly heavy-handed seasoning to bring out the tastes.

Desserts by the kitchen window

To start off dessert, we were led to the kitchen window laden with sweet delights and each dessert was explained to us. We had already drooled over these on our way in! Chocolate Ganache with Raspberry, Rhubarb Frangipane, Pistachio Tart Kumquat Cheesecake, Pear Tatin, Tiramisu, how could we choose? Why didn't they have a tasting plate with small bites of each dessert? We settled on the pistachio tart.

Pistachio Custard Tart AUD16.50

The smooth pistachio flavoured custard was nicely balanced by fresh egg flavours. A sprinkling of chopped pistachio provided texture, and a dollop of cream for good measure. It was amazing how good the pistachio custard was, with none of nasty pistachio flavouring you sometimes get in dodgy gelati.

I noticed that the shabby chic decor of the rustic bookshelves filled with preserves, oils, and famous cookbooks like Escoffier, Fearnley-Whittingstall, Ramsay extended only to the sugar bowl. Everything else was tres chic.

We'll most definitely be back!

More photos: Bella Vedere - avlxyz/Flickr

Bella Vedere, Badger's Brook Vineyard
(03) 5962 6161
874 Maroondah Hwy,
Coldstream VIC 3770
http://www.badgersbrook.com.au/

Reviews:
- Bella Vedere, by John Lethlean, Epicure, The Age, May 15, 2007
- Bella Vedere - Mietta's
- Bella Vedere, by John Lethlean, Epicure, The Age, July 26, 2005

The Grill - Grossi Florentino

2010-08-26T12:39:00.002+10:00

We have heard many reviews on the famous Grossi Florentino so we decided to give the modern Italian “The Grill” a try when mum visited us.

Both Harry and I went for the pre-theatre $35 menu with 2 courses, a glass of wine and coffee/tea. Harry got the calamari ragu, which was a dish of smooth al dente pasta with a rich ragu. It did have a bit of a fishy whiff to it, but not overly so. Perhaps a touch more garlic would have made it a more rounded dish.

Spaghetti con ragu di calamari
Spaghetti with calamari ragu

Followed by a Sirloin Minute Steak, which was fabulously beefy, tender and moist! It was cooked to perfection, smoky and medium rare.

Paillarda di manzo
Sirloin minute steak with scallop potato

I had the roasted tuna steak - an amazingly buttery piece of tuna quickly seared on the grill and roasted to perfection. The smoky burn marks and the tasty tuna is definitely a sign of a kitchen that respects the fresh produce. The over-seasoning probably contributed to how good it tastes, but still, I prefer my food a little less salty.

Il Pesce
Roasted tuna steak with roasted tomato

Alpha tried their famous Orecchiette con cime di rapa made with wholemeal orecchiette with a nice bite. It was a nice foil to the rich olive oil and crisp wafers of cured pigs cheek. The cured pigs cheek tasted a bit like prosciutto, but the texture seemed finer and the flavour intensified by the baking or frying. In between the chewy pasta were tender kipfler potatoes and the contrasting bite of the cime di rapa.

Orecchiette con cime di rapa AUD22
Hand shaped Puglia style wholemeal pasta, pigs cheek, "cime di rapa" potato, chilli, pecorino

And of course, Alpha can never go pass tripe when he sees it on the menu! Filled with silky strips of tender tripe in a light tomato sauce, this was a dish he couldn't resist! The addition of pine nuts and sultanas gave it a bit of a Moroccan twist. This tripe was obviously in a different style and not as rich as the Trippa alla Parmigiana at North Bondi Italian, but it was good enough for him to mop up all the juices with bread.

Trippa alla Fiorentina AUD22
Ox tripe, white wine, tomato, pine nuts and sultanas

Mum went for the Filetto di vitello arrosto. Instead of anaemic veal, this was a rich tasting fillet wrapped in a thin sliver of bacon that provided a nice saltiness. The creamy parsnip puree was good with the jus. There were also bacon lards that were smoky and bursting with fatty flavour :)

Filetto di vitello arrosto AUD35
Veal fillet roasted, parsnip, braised lentils, bacon, shallots

With so much food in our stomach, we could only manage one dessert to share. Alpha picked the Orta di cioccolato, and it was a rich smooth chocolate cake with a soft centre as promised, but not oozing molten chocolate as I imagined it would. The malt ice cream was very obviously malty and smooth and creamy. We didn't really know what to do with the chocolate shavings. Presumably it should be sprinkled on top of the warm chocolate cake, but it was yummy by the spoonful!

Torta di cioccolato AUD18
Chocolate cake soft centre, chocolate shavings, malt ice cream

The Grill turned out to be a great little Italian. While it may not be as fancy as The Restaurant upstairs, the emphasis on simple food with very fresh, good ingredients is obvious.

Grossi Florentino
(03) 9662 1811
80 Bourke St
Melbourne VIC 3000
The Grill, Grossi Florentino

More photos: The Grill at Grossi Florentino - avlxyz/Flickr

Reviews:
- Grossi Florentino, by Larissa Dubecki, Epicure, The Age September 1, 2009
- Grossi Florentino - Frommer's
- Melbourne Food Review: Grossi Florentino: The Grill (Pre-theatre Dinner) by Kat on 10 September 2009 - Spatula, Spoon and Saturday
- NOT: Grossi Florentino Grill, Melbourne, by Jetsetting Joyce - October 15, 2009 - MEL: HOT OR NOT

Bun Rieu - Thanh Tam

2010-08-25T12:11:00.003+10:00

Bun Rieu - Thanh Tam AUD8

After having an eye-opening Bún riêu in Hanoi, I was eager to try the Melbourne versions. After a long search, I was rewarded with a bowl of light fish soup with slices of tender pork leg, tofu puffs, a slab of silky egg custard with dried shrimp, meatballs and cubes of pig blood. The light fish broth wasn't as interesting as the Bun Rieu Cua Kho dry Hanoi version with it's shrimp and chilli paste topping moistened with a little pork broth, but it was more fragrant and more complex compared to the Bun Rieu Cua Nuoc soup version.
I was initially tossing up between the Bún riêu and Bún Mắm, so I asked the waitress which one was better. Without hesitating, she replied "Bún riêu". Bún riêu it was, as I was very satisfied with this dish.

Banh Cuon Thanh Tam Restaurant (previously 青霞 Banh Cuon Thanh Ha Restaurant)
(03) 9429 8130
Shp 1/ 172 Victoria St
Richmond VIC 3121

More photos: Banh Cuon Thanh Tam Restaurant - avlxyz/Flickr

Reviews:
- Thanh Ha - Mietta's

Stewed Duck Soup with Cambodian Rice Noodles - AUD9

The stewed duck soup seemed a little flat today, tasting more of soy sauce than a complex blend of herbs and spices. Still looked very similar to previous Stewed Duck Noodle Soups I've had here.

Cottage Pie with Cheese-crusted Leeks

2010-08-20T13:37:00.000+10:00

A delicious cottage pie with beef mince topped gratinéed cheesy leeks! Delicious, even if I do say so myself!

I added a good splash of port, used diced fennel bulb instead of swedes in the filling, left out the thyme because I didn't have any, and made a sofrito of tomatoes because I couldn't be bothered using tomato purée. The resulting fragrance of port and cinnamon was quite heavenly and rich, without being heavy. The slightly burnt cheesy leeks gave the pie a nice lift too.

Recipe adapted from Delia Smith online:

Shepherd's Pie with Cheese-crusted Leeks - Delia Smith

Ladro Greville Street, Prahran

2010-08-19T21:02:00.003+10:00

Gamberi e Piselli AUD20.50
tomato, prawns, peas, chilli basil

We have heard a lot about Ladro Gertrude Street in Fitzroy ever since it was voted one of the best pizza spots in Melbourne. So when I read the favourable review on Ladro Greville Street in The Age a few weeks ago, it was almost wrong not to visit it's newer sibling.

Having heard how hard it is to secure a table, we arrived at their doorstep at 12 noon. It was a slight anticlimax to see only 2 table occupied, but it also meant I could have my pick of seating. I chose a spot next to the window to the courtyard to ensure good lighting for my photos :)

With so many interesting pizzas and small sharing antipasto-style dishes (primi piatti in their parlance), we finally settled on the the Margherita and Gamberi e Piselli pizzas, a a dish of the cannellini bean salad with bottarga.

The spartan looking Margherita pizza was quite delicious, especially the buffalo mozzarella. While we would have preferred more mozzarella, I suspect that it would have made the pizza too rich. The first few mouthfuls was a little disappointing though, but I discovered that with a sprinkle of sea salt, the tomato base came to life!

Margherita AUD16.50
tomato, bufala, basil

Loaded with prawns and peas, the Gamberi e Piselli pizza was much "juicier". Both the prawns and peas were succulent and really popped in your mouth. I was glad that the chilli was quite mild and didn't overpower the rest of the pizza.

Having seen bottarga selling for quite ridiculously exorbitant prices, I decided to try it. In this case, the bottarga was shaved over a refreshing cannellini bean salad piled on top of thinly shaved fennel and a drizzle of good olive oil and lemon. Julia avoided the bottarga with it's strong fishy taste, but the umami-packed crumbles were hard for me to resist! I thought was had a flavour similar to belacan shrimp paste, but less fermented.

Cannellini bean salad with bottarga AUD12.50

While we couldn't finish the pizzas, I wanted something sweet. It was lucky that the Brutta ma buono were just the right size. Small, light meringues studded with chopped almonds made a nice end to the meal, especially with a cup of good black coffee.

Brutta ma buono (ugly but good) AUD3

The kitchen staff had no issues with me taking photos either. I'm sure the fairly open kitchen beside the corridor to the courtyard and toilets is part of the show. It's always nice to see a kitchen humming along.

So, was Ladro as good as the hype? Yes, I think so, but you definitely pay for the privelege. And there was definitely no issues with me taking photos of the food, decor and even the kitchen!

Ladro Greville Street
(03) 9510 2233
162 Greville St
Prahran VIC 3181
http://ladro.com.au/

More photos: Ladro Greville Street - Flickr

Reviews:
- Ladro Prahran, by Larissa Dubecki, Epicure, The Age, August 3, 2010 15/20 Tried, tested, trustworthy ... Ladro Prahan.
- Ladro Opens on Greville Street, by Hilary McNevin, Broadsheet Melbourne 16th June 2010
- Ladro in Prahran - I'm so hungreeeeeeeeee, Wednesday, June 23, 2010
- Ladro Gertrude Street - by Veda Wickens, CitySearch Melbourne, January 2006 Pizzas are definitely the top pick of the menu here but there are other options on offer in fitting with the Italian theme.
Getting a table in Ladro is easy if you're prepared to sell your first-born. Expect to be served very good pizza (such as the Verde, with green-olive paste, mozzarella, capers and rocket) and have a waiter breathing down your neck if it looks like you'll spend more than 45min eating. It's a tad overrated, but a quintessential Melbourne pizza experience.

Lonely Planet Publications, July 2007.

Tonkotsu Ramen - Satsuki

2010-08-16T08:50:00.004+10:00

Who would have thought our love for proper Kyushu Tonkotsu Ramen would be satisfied so close to home. We would never would have guessed that our local Japanese cafe was run by a lady from Kyushu! Once a month, she makes big pot of tonkotsu pork bone broth and her little cafe turns into an endless stream of Japanese speakers in the off-peak hours between lunch and dinner, all of them coming for a comforting bowl of Kyushu Tonkotsu Ramen.

And what a bowl of ramen it was. The tonkotsu broth was rich and full of pork flavour, with a minerally pork bone fragrance. On hand was a dish each of sweet pickled garlic, pickled ginger and pickled mustard greens, typical toppings for ramen. While the broth was rich and strong, the noodles were smooth, but perhaps slightly over-cooked. The tender, fall-apart slices of stewed pork with seams of flavoursome fat can't be beat, just like the ones in Japan.

We finished our meal with some desserts, including the rich crème brûlée, heavenly lemon curd tart and apple crumble tart.

Satsuki (previously Asatsuki)
458 Waverley Rd,
Malvern East 3145
(03) 9572 0200
www.satsukicafe.com/
Monday 11am to 3pm
Tuesday - Friday 11am to 9.30pm
Saturday 9am to 9.30pm
Closed Sundays and Public Holidays

More photos: Satsuki - avlxyz/Flickr

Reviews:
- Asatsuki - by Matt Preston, The Age 12 October 2005
- Asatsuki - Mietta's

Paper-Wrapped Sponge Cakes

2010-08-12T08:56:00.002+10:00

Julia made a light and fluffy Asian-style sponge cake typically made in baking
paper cups, which is where the name 紙包蛋糕 Paper-Wrapped Sponge Cake is from.

Instead of cake flour, Julia used all-purpose flour, but reduced it to suit.

Cut up:

Recipes from:
紙包蛋糕食譜 Paper Sponge Recipe
http://kennymelody.mysinablog.com/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=168093
紙包蛋糕食譜 Paper Sponge Recipe
http://kennymelody.mysinablog.com/
何家私房菜 (何太) Kenny Melody MySinaBlogOriginal recipe:
http://www.wretch.cc/blog/pigheadyoyo/5006399
紙包蛋糕食譜 Paper Sponge Recipe
http://www.wretch.cc/blog/pigheadyoyo/

Modified recipe:
材料： (9個份量) Ingredients: (makes 9 cupcakes)
低筋麵粉 Cake Flour 60g (substituted with 55g all-purpose plain flour)
粟粉 Cornflour 15g
砂糖 Sugar 90g
雞蛋 Eggs 5 隻
含鹽牛油 Salted Butter, melted 60 g

正方形牛油紙數張 Greaseproof paper, cut into squares
muffin 杯數個 Muffin cups or muffin tray

做法 Method:
1) 焗爐開 200度，預熱 15 分鐘。 Pre-heat the oven to 200°C for at least 15 minutes.
2) 將牛油紙鋪在 muffin 杯內； Line the muffin cups with greaseproof paper.
3) 蛋白分 3 次加入砂糖打起； Beat egg whites into soft-peaks.
4) 加入蛋黃，拌勻。 Add egg whites to lightly beaten egg yolks and mix lightly.
5) 篩入低粉、粟分，輕手拌勻； Fold in sifted flours, taking care not to over mix.
6) 加入牛油溶液拌勻； Add melted butter mix well. The mixture should be quite light.
7) 全入已鋪牛油紙之杯內，至 8 成滿。Pour into greaseproof paper cups to about 80% full.

8) 入焗爐以 175 度焗 20 分鐘，至面頭金黃色即成。 Reduce oven temperature to 175°C (160°C
fan-forced) and bake for 20 minutes, or until tops are golden.

Baclava French Toast - Demitri's Feast AUD11

2010-08-11T09:55:00.003+10:00

The Baclava French Toast was quite good, even if it was a slightly unglamourous pile of brown stuff. The fluffy brioche like tsoureki Greek bread had a wonderfully caramelised crust of egg, topped with more caramel walnut that tasted good, but was a bit hard, perhaps better as a praline. Flooded in the orange honey syrup and a splodge of thick Greek yoghurt, the French toast was very good!

Not sure if I would call it the breakfast dish of the year though!

We came to see what the fuss was about with Demitri’s Feast being awarded The Age Cheap Eats' 2010 Breakfast of the Year! Suffice to say that it was very good, and we'll be back! It was rather quiet as expected at 09:30 Sunday morning, but started to get busy at around 10:30.

Demitri's Feast03 9428 8659
141 Swan Street
Richmond VIC 3121
www.demitrisfeast.com.au/
Sorry - No bookings
Open breakfast and lunch
Tuesday to Sunday
7.30am to 5.00pm

More photos: Demitri's Feast - avlxyz/Flickr

Reviews:
- Demitri's Feast, Richmond - The Breakfast Blog Saturday, December 19, 2009
it's hard to imagine anything better than the Baclava French Toast at Demitri's Feast. Take a big fat slice of fresh Tsoureki. Dip in egg and fry till golden brown. Drizzle with yoghurt and orange-honey syrup. Sprinkle with blitzed walnuts and serve. Delicious.
- Brekkies with bite, by Nina Rousseau, Epicure, The Age, February 23, 2010
Pull up an olive oil tin and feast on baklava French toast ($11), a Hellenic version of the classic dish with a Greek-style sweetbread topped with cinnamon-tossed walnuts, an orange honey-sugar syrup and citrusy yoghurt.
- 2010 Cheap Eats Champs, by Nina Rousseau, Epicure, The Age, February 23, 2010 - 7:12AM
Best Breakfast of the Year
Demitri's Feast
You'll be hard pressed to order just one of the inventive brekkies at this Hellenic hotspot. The baklava French toast rocks, but they also do good eggs, sage mushrooms and fancy semolina pancakes with a sprinkling of edible Persian rose petals.

- Demitri’s Feast - The Melbourne Social Guide April 7, 2010
- Demitri’s Feast - Melbourne Coffee Review August 20, 2009

Fateh - Oasis Bakery AUD10

2010-08-10T18:01:00.002+10:00

A jumble of chickpeas smothered in smooth, cool, creamy mix of tahini and yoghurt, studded with toasted pinenuts and almonds, drizzled with olive oil, piled atop crisp pita chips. The soggy pita underneath was a bit of a treat soaked in the goodness of tahini and yoghurt.

That is the beauty of having a Middle Eastern Oasis in the middle of Murrumbeena!

Housed in a non-descript warehouse in the middle of suburbia, this Lebanese bakery is a bustling hive of activity. Not only does it have a bakery churning out loads of bread by the truckful, it also has a wonderful cafe with tasty shawarmas, a bain marie full of stews and irresistable desserts!

Just before midday on a Saturday, it was already half full with brunch munching diners. Come lunch time, a wave of parents with kids in sportware and Middle Eastern families pile into the cafe.

Service is brisk with an army in the kitchen dishing up food without breaking pace. Helpful staff describe dishes in Anglo-friendly terms and how it should be eaten. Although, I do like the mystique when it explained with gestures, much hand-waving, and the inevitable misundertanding. That's part of the fun, right?

The decor is modern blonde wood with Middle Eastern flourishes, like the metal lamps in a corner of the dining area and Lebanese music videos on the large LCD TV on the wall, which provided a background to the chatter.

This wonderful discovery is definitely worth visiting again, if only to try the array of dishes and sweets on offer.

Oasis Bakery - Bakery, Groceries, Cafe, Catering
(03) 9570 1122
Unit 9, 993 North Rd
Murrumbeena VIC 3163
oasisbakery.com.au/
Monday - Sunday 8am - 7pm

More photos: Oasis Bakery - avlxyz/Flickr

Mexican Taro Bun

2010-08-10T09:59:00.000+10:00

Having tackled plenty of bread loaves, Julia decided to make a fancy Japanese/Chinese-style 墨西哥芋容包 Mexican Taro Bun. She used the bread machine to knead and proof the dough, but filling and shaping by hand.
The sweet Japanese-style bun was soft and fluffy, but retaining a semblance to real bread, unlike some from Asian bakeries. The crunchy butter cream topping became a golden crust and provide even more richness to the bun.
Inside was a smooth taro puree filling that was sublime!
Despite being so yummy, you wouldn't want to stuff your face with too many or else, the richness would get to you!
As for the name, I have no idea why it is called a "Mexican Bun", but that is what a buttercream topped sweet bun is called, with out without filling.

Recipes:
- Taro Mexican Buns 芋香墨西哥包 - Corner Cafe February 15, 2009
- Japanese-Style Sweet Bun Dough 湯種甜麵糰 - Corner Cafe Aug 28, 2008

Here's a photo before they were baked, with the toppings piped:

Eggplant Gratin with Tofu and Miso Sauce - Harumi's Japanese Home Cooking

2010-08-10T09:19:00.000+10:00

Deliciously creamy sauce with a nice miso flavour and silky chunks of grilled eggplant!
The recipe is a basically a bechamel sauce with butter, flour, milk and pureed silken tofu instead of cream. There's only a small amount of butter and cream for a bit of flavour, but it probably doesn't need it.
Recipe:
- Eggplant Gratin with Tofu and Miso Sauce - Foodista adapted from Harumi's Japanese Home Cooking

Cha Ca La Vong, Hanoi, Vietnam

2010-08-09T16:58:00.002+10:00

Chả cá Lã Vọng is a legendary, but over-priced shop selling only one dish, Turmeric Grilled Fish. So famous, they named the street after it!

Service is gruff, and everyone is directed up steep stairs where people are huddled around a clay brazier topped with a pan sizzling with turmeric-stained fillets of fish.

We are shown a table and given a sign that says "Only one dish in our restauran Grilled Fish price: 120.000VND/person (Not included drink)". Slightly taken aback at the price, we decide to press on and order 2 serves.

Our brazier arrives with the pan, already sizzling with fish in hot oil. Our waitress adds a handful of dill, stirs it around and instructs us to eat. She indicates the rice vermicelli and we were to top that with fish, herbs, peanuts and nuoc cham. Delicious! The fish was tender and loaded with turmeric. The rice vermicelli is smooth and slippery and a great base to carry the nutty turmeric-laden oil and sweet and sour nuoc cham fish sauce.

While there was enough fish, rice vermicelli and greens for the 2 of us, the serving sizes were rather small for the price. (A bowl of pho in similar surrounds is only around VND20000-VND25000.)

Chả cá Lã Vọng
+84.438.253.929
14 Pho Cha Ca
Old Quarter, Ha Noi

More photos: Chả cá Lã Vọng - avlxyz/Flickr

Reviews:
- Cha Ca La Vong on Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmer (YouTube video)
- Cha Ca La Vong - wikitravel
Cha Ca La Vong, 14 Cha Ca Street & 107 Nguyen Truong To Street. This establishment is so famous, the street is named after it, instead of the other way around. There's only one dish on the menu, fried fish in grease, but they've been serving it now for five generations. They have eliminated the traditional shrimp paste recently as well. 90,000 VND for a small portion. 1,000 VND charge per napkin
- Cha Ca La Vong - Lonely Planet Guide
The antiquated atmosphere here is legendary, and its rickety floors, overcrowded tables and gruff wait staff live up to the billing. Head straight upstairs for the full-on experience, and leave behind all expectations of a relaxed midday repast. It's a one-dish sweatshop, specialising in cha ca (fish grilled on your table with turmeric and dill, served with cold noodles and peanuts).
- Cha Ca La Vong - TripAdvisor
- Cha Ca La Vong - noodlepie