all eyes on london

With the 2012 Olympic Games drawing to an end, all eyes have been on the grand historic city that is London.  I have been fortunate enough to have called London “home” six long years ago.  Needless to say I was brimming with excitement to have the opportunity to visit London again pre-Olympic Games at a time where it was buzzing with electric atmosphere.  My first visit since I left, the time was spent with my favourite combination of great friends and delicious food.

An old favourite…

GBK www.gbk.co.uk

Gourmet Burger Kitchen is my favourite burger place in da world!  I am not sure if it is because I discovered it at a time when the food in London was more or less mediocre, or because it is a kiwi initiative, but I can honestly, hand on my heart say, I have never been disappointed by a GBK burger.  Six years on, it had felt like there was a GBK on every corner, having expanded greatly.   It confirms that Brits have embraced these burgers.  When arranging a catch up with some old colleagues, I put in the suggestion for a meal at GBK Canary Wharf.  As a spice lover, I opted for the ‘Habernaro’ – a beef burger with fiery tomato & habanero jam, mozzarella, salad & mayo.  It had the right amount of heat and was perfect washed down with a glass of New Zealand Pinot Gris.

Some new experiences…

Gaucho Grill www.gauchorestaurants.co.uk

I had heard a lot about Gaucho Grill when I worked in London from colleagues who often frequented the local Gaucho for a Friday lunch.  Never having experienced these Argentinean steaks, it was on my list of things to try in my return visit to London.  Fortunately after arriving late in the evening, thanks to our wonderful host, we managed to have a late dinner at the infamous Gaucho Grill complete with a view of Tower Bridge!

The service was friendly and impeccable.  They brought out the steaks to show us the different cuts and provided recommendations for the cooking time variant to each cut.  We chose the 300g Rump cooked to medium rare with smoked garlic hollandaise sauce, chips finished with deep fried thyme and the ‘Gaucho Burger’ - A blend of all four cuts of beef with smoked bacon, cheddar, brioche bun and tomato  & chipotle chutney  - cooked to medium. 

 The Rump was unfortunately disappointing as it was tough and chewy.  I am talking a minimum requirement of fifty chews before being able to swallow – not the melt in your mouth variety of steak that I had high hopes for.  The Gaucho Burger on the other hand was mouth wateringly delicious.  The pattie was bursting with flavour, no doubt from the combination of four different cuts and made up for the disappointing steak.  I would visit Gaucho again if not for the burger but perhaps for a better choice of cut, not to mention the ambience, atmosphere and view from Gaucho Tower Bridge.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal www.dinnerbyheston.com

After speaking to some friends who had recently been to ‘Dinner by Heston’, I thought I would use my London visit as an opportunity to dine at his Knightsbridge restaurant.  Again with the help of my wonderful host, we secured a table for six.  Not until I researched for this post did I realize that this restaurant has in fact one Michelin Star.  My intention for choosing to dine here was for the quirkiness of Mr Blumenthal himself and not for the accolades it has received albeit unknown by myself at the time.  Funnily enough this foodie wannabe has never dined at a Michelin Starred restaurant so I am pleasantly surprised to have ‘Dinner by Heston’ be my very first. 

The menu, besides obviously giving the options of dishes, also contained a section called “Sources of origin” that provided an explanation for the inspiration of the dish.

I started the meal with the infamous ‘Meat Fruit (c.1500)’, mandarin, chicken liver parfait and grilled bread.  It looks like a mandarin but is anything but.  The chicken liver parfait is deliciously light and creamy and went well with the opposing texture of the grilled bread.  The waiting staff luckily made the point that the stalk and leaf were not edible!  I wonder how many people have tried to eat it before they began warning patrons!  All in all, the perfect start to the meal that I had decided on before I stepped foot in London.

Another notable starter was the ‘Hay Smoked Mackerel (c.1730)’, lemon salad, gentleman’s relish & olive oil.  A perfect, refreshing combination to begin a three-course meal. 

I thought I was adventurous in my main course selection opting for ‘Spiced Pigeon (c.1780)’, Ale & artichokes.  To my knowledge, I have not tried pigeon before and I was pleasantly welcomed with the flavours and tenderness of the pigeon.  It was cooked medium rare and the warming spices were challenging to my taste buds.  The artichokes complemented the pigeon in texture and taste.  

After seeing this dessert on the menu, it only took me one second to decide this was the one for me ‘Brown Bread Ice Cream (c.1830)’, Salted butter caramel, pear & malted yeast syrup.  I am a huge fan of salted caramel hence the reason it did not take me long to choose this dessert.  Unfortunately it did not meet my expectations being more on the salty than sweet side.  The dessert confused my palate, perhaps as I expected something completely different to meet my taste buds, however this could be what Mr Blumenthal wanted to achieve.  Despite my disappointment, it was not enough to dampen the experience.

Another dessert, the simply named ‘Chocolate Bar (c.1730)’ with passion fruit jam and ginger ice cream was an exquisitely smooth and shiny chocolate bar.  It was so good; good enough to even lick the plate!  No joke – it did not stop one of our party of six from licking their plate in this fine dining restaurant, this person will remain nameless.

Upon returning to Melbourne, a timely article appeared in the Melbourne newspaper The Age that showed ‘Dinner by Heston’ ranked in the top ten restaurants in the world.  It was the highest new entry, coming in at number nine in San Pellegrino Worlds 50 Best Restaurant Awards 2012.  Mr Blumenthal’s infamous three Michelin Star restaurant ‘Fat Duck’ was notably missing from the top ten.  This affirmed that ‘Dinner by Heston’ was a great choice to highlight my London culinary experience.  The service was outstanding and unpretentious, the setting was stylish and sophisticated and ultimately a most delicious dining experience was had.

Ella’s Bakehouse

When Lorraine Pascale known in the UK for her show “Baking Made Easy” appeared on Australian TV as a guest on Masterchef, I immediately wanted to visit her bakehouse in Covent Garden.  Unfortunately finding the little cupcake specialising store was not as easy as expected, but with the assistance of wi-fi from the Apple store I managed to locate it and indulged in a ‘Malteser’ cupcake.  It was everything I had hoped it to be and more and very much worth the half hour search!  I now place Lorraine Pascale in the same cooking heroine category as Nigella Lawson.

High Tea at the Langham www.palm-court.co.uk/#/afternoon-tea

Set in one of London’s oldest hotels, The Langham’s Palm Court, was the venue of choice for a highly anticipated high tea.  I love high tea and what better place to experience it than its birthplace.  The setting was beautiful, the décor was contemporary and stylish, the armchairs were comfortable and cleverly placed so that the experience felt private and intimate. 

But what about the food?  Unfortunately the best part of the food was its presentation.  This was one of the cases where the looks did not match the taste.  It didn’t even come close.  The bread was stale and there were no notable highlights.  Although it was not all bad, the few positives were unmemorable and definitely dominated by the negatives.  The service was not as polished as you would expect for a restaurant that is a part of a five-star hotel.  I would not hurry back to the Langham for high tea, however would definitely give a different venue another chance if I visited England again.

Spoilt by old friends…

And finally the time in London was completed with old friends treating us to wonderful hospitality and feeding us with local English fare.

My friend Ivonne’s husband Zubin who is conveniently a trained chef took the day off work to cook us a three-course lunch.  We had spiced chicken tenderloins with mango chutney to start.  Grilled Salmon fillet with roasted potatoes, tomatoes, onions and sautéed mushrooms.  And chocolate cake with strawberries to finish.  A meal that was most memorable for delicious flavours as well as invaluable time with most hospitable, lovely friends.

Our friends Dom and Greg treated us to a seafood feast, rising early for the infamous Billingsgate Market.  We had oysters to start, a flavoursome creamy mussel soup, garlicky pan-fried scallops and homemade battered fish.  What better way to catch up than over a great meal with great food and great company.

Lastly, forget Dinner by Heston, how about Dinner by Nutter, our host for the week.  One of my oldest friends put together a hearty meal for our last dinner in London.  It included roast lamb, roast chicken, delightfully crispy potatoes in goose fat, cheesy veggies and roasted veggies.  A perfect meal to end a perfect week in a city that will always hold a special place in my heart.

bon appétit

France is notorious for being a great producer of wine and food, arguably the best in the world.  The French know and understand food.  It may be a cliché however after my recent travels to France, it is a valid one.

It was my fourth time in France however this time I was fortunate to spend a decent amount of time there rather than it being a fleeting visit.  There was one night in Nice, a quick visit to Monaco followed by a road trip to Bordeaux via Cannes, Toulon, Marseille, Carcassonne and Toulouse followed by a week in Paris.  This time I felt I had the chance to experience a variety of culinary delights on offer in this beautiful country known for their traditional cuisine.   

   

To start - Beignets de fleur de courgettes (fried zucchini flowers) @ La Farigoule, 82 rue Meynadier, Cannes.

Zucchini Flowers

In the middle of Cannes where there were restaurants aplenty, a couple of French women enticed us with their three-course meal for only 16€.  They boasted that zucchini flowers were their specialty and strongly recommended to choose it for entrée.   They were the most delicious zucchini flowers I had tasted however admittedly, I had never tried them before as that was the first time I had come across them in my foodie-wannabe experience.  They were lightly battered, deep-fried, perfectly flavoured and scrumptious – a great start to the meal.  The rest of the meal was pleasant but the entrée was hands-down the highlight.  La Farigoule is worth a visit, if not for its zucchini flowers then for its eccentric and entertaining service.

Somewhere to stay and somewhere to eat - L’autre Vie, Chambres d’hôtes, Guesthouse www.autre-vie.com

Breakfast @ L'autre Vie

A simple search in Google for ‘Bordeaux region bed and breakfast’ led me to L’autre Vie, an Australian run and owned boutique hotel and B&B.  After visiting their website and reading reviews on Tripadvisor, I immediately knew that I wanted to incorporate it into my European experience.  Described as “a blend of chic hotel & B&B charm, surrounded by Bordeaux’s vineyards”, it sounded like the perfect place to relax and unwind in a beautiful, peaceful and secluded haven. 

BBQ pack

But what does L’autre Vie have to do with food you ask?  Well, the food on offer is absolutely delicious and perfect to suit any appetite.  From breakfast to a variety of platters or a BBQ pack including both salad and bread, it hit the spot for the two nights we were there.  One notable mention is the salad we chose called L’autre Vie Waldorf including ingredients such as fresh apples, walnuts, sunflower seeds, feta cheese, salad leaves, walnut oil and balsamic vinegar.  It was a refreshingly balanced and delicious combination, the perfect salad accompanying barbequed duck and sausages at the end of a hot, long summer’s day.   

Antipasti platter

If you are ever passing by the area, intentionally wanting to visit the Bordeaux region or longing for a break from a bustling city, then I highly recommend L’autre Vie as the place to escape to.  The area, the food, the wine and the friendly hosts will ensure that you have had a comfortable, relaxing and satisfying time.

   

French gourmet cuisine at its finest - Auberges des Charmettes www.aubergedescharmettes.com

My cousin Willy and his partner Nancy took us to a traditional French restaurant, Auberges des Charmettes, in the eastern suburbs of Paris called Torcy.  We enjoyed a fabulous four-course meal including cheese that rivaled that of Melbourne’s infamous restaurants Vue de Monde – a review of which is coming! 

The food at Auberges des Charmettes was simply amazing and it was there that I finally acquired the taste for blue cheese.  I was never a fan of blue cheese, never being able to get past the smell.  I did once try making a dish that contained gorgonzola and since then, have never given it another go.  When the cheese course was upon us, Nancy convinced me to try just a little bit of which was a mild blue cheese. It was beautiful, the flavour deep and intense that lingered ever so slightly in your mouth.  I am now converted – perhaps it just needed to be French.  As they say, never say never!

Here are some notable highlights from this deliciously satisfying meal.

Croustillant de Saint Jacques, Saumon, Gambas au Buerre Blanc Deglaces au Champage - absolutely delicious.

Tournedos de Filet de Boeuf, Pleurotes, Pommes Chateau.  The most tender, melt in your mouth beef.

Risotte de Gambas Decortiguees Sauce Crustaces - creamy risotto with added flavour punch from the seafood.

The cheese trolley with a mixture of soft and hard, goats and cow cheeses

Profiteroles Maison au Chocolat Chaud - creamy vanilla icecream, light profiteroles covered with  hot chocolate sauce, divine!

A touch of Portuguese in France?  Pedra Alta Restaurants www.pedraalta.pt

Once again spoiled by my fabulous French family, we were taken to a Portugese restaurant Pedra Alta for dinner.  Not really knowing what to expect, although after a fourty-five minute wait as bookings were not allowed, I started to expect a whole lot.  I thought to myself that this place must be good or probably more like it, it had better be good.  It was overflowing with locals in a family friendly restaurant that could easily seat one hundred people. 

We ordered a seafood platter that supposedly was meant to serve three people (it comfortably fed seven adults and two children), a pork skewer dish, a seafood rice dish similar to a risotto and of course chips.  For the sheer volume of seafood that I saw this restaurant serving, it was amazing how well each component was cooked.  Everything on the seafood platter was oozing with flavour, juicy, moist and cooked to perfection.  Although the chunks of pork on the skewers were large, they were succulent, tender and most importantly tasty.  This is a restaurant I certainly long to visit again and a meal I still dream about.

A cheese dish to warm your belly – Tartiflette

Tartiflette is a delicious winter dish that is filling, warming and indulgently good that only the French can justify.  Nancy decided to make this typically winter dish - essentially a Potato Bake - in what was a mild Parisian summer.  She explained and described the dish to me before she made it and it sounded absolutely delicious – the cheese, a lot of cheese, melts on top so that when you scoop it out, you can see it stretch and is all gooey.  I loved this dish, the cheese is so flavoursome, added wine gives it depth and it is very simple to make.  The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients:

500g potatoes cooked (chunks, slices or however you prefer)

An onion diced and sautéed

Half a cup of lardon (or bacon pieces) sautéed

A tub of crème fraîche

Approximately a quarter cup of white wine

Salt & pepper to taste

Reblochon cheese

Method:

Combine the cooked potatoes, onions and lardon in a baking dish and mix in the crème fraîche.  Drizzle over the white wine then top with the block of cheese cut in half.  Bake in an oven preheated to 200 degrees celsius for 15 minutes or until golden and voilà, there you have a scrumptious “potato bake” that is kind to your stomach but not so kind to your waistline. 

My advice – enjoy this dish guilt free as that is how the French would!

And finally to finish with something sweet - Ladurée

Earlier this year when I had the chance to see the Australian Macaron King Adriano Zumbo at work, I knew that while in Paris, I had to visit the place that inspired him to create his style of macarons – Ladurée – the home of macarons. 

It was clear that Ladurée had established itself in the six years since I had been to Paris.  It appeared that its pretty patisseries had popped up almost everywhere.  From the Champs Elysées to department stores Printemps to inside the Louvre, Ladurée was always bustling with people, surely both tourists and locals alike.  In its iconic mint green packaging and with so many flavours on offer I asked for their four bestsellers that were pistachio, chocolate, salted caramel and rose, also opting fort the coffee and licorice flavours.  They were heaven in your mouth, lightly crisp on the outside and creamily flavouful on the inside, this hyped-up establishment did not disappoint.

Ladurée, the French institution is ever expanding with stores in London, New York and excitingly a soon to be open store in Sydney, it emphasizes the worldwide embrace of these delectable sweet treats.

The direct translation for bon appétit is “good appetite” and used to wish the company you are dining with enjoyment of the meal they are about to eat.  The French are passionate and traditional when it comes to food.  The act of eating in France felt that it was not just for the mere function of food but also a complete and respectful experience.  With these recent, fond memories for my taste buds, I feel fortunate to have experienced fabulous French cuisine in France.

glorious greek cuisine - a foodie wannabe hits greece

Being my first visit to Greece, I was keen to get amongst the local cuisine that I had heard so many good things about.  Here are my top three favourite foods in Greece - my mouth is already watering at the mere thought of these!

1. The Greek Salad
Admittedly I was never a fan of the Greek salad however had heard many good things about how tasty these were in Greece. And yes they still call it "Greek salad" even in Greece!  The main ingredients of this salad are: tomatoes, cucumber (always peeled), olives, capers, oregano, red onion, green capsicum, topped with a slab of feta cheese and drizzled with olive oil.  I loved these salads so much that we ordered one with every meal, there were some variations such as the Santorini salad that contained cherry tomatoes and the Athermi salad which contained a lot of fresh oregano and barley husks.  At the end of the day, these salads were equally delicious with the simple reason being the real flavour of the local produce.  The tomatoes were juicy and sweet, exactly how tomatoes should taste.  The cucumber was crunchy and refreshing.   The olives (non-pitted) bursted with flavour and delivered a powerful taste and the feta had the perfect balance of salty, creamy and crumbly.   The combination was needless to say - perfect!

2. Tzatziki
Traditionally a dip made of Greek yoghurt, lemons, cucumber, dill and olive oil, this is my favourite Greek accompaniment. Again, we would order this with almost every meal and I would happily eat it on it's own by the spoonful.  I find it so refreshing with the zingyness of the lemon, the lightness of the cucumber and the smooth creaminess of the yoghurt.  I think that there must be garlic or onion in this also as there is a slight kick. I love tzatziki so much, either with bread, meat or purely on its own!


3. Gyros
The first thing we ate when we reached Athens was the infamous gyros pita which I had heard so many things about from a number of people. It is a pita bread with meat (generally pork or chicken), tzatziki, red onions, tomatoes and the best part: hot chips!   This is a complete meal and for generally €2 - €2.50, it is a cheap one too! This is my idea of heaven and a surprise that I haven't seen anything like it either in Australia or New Zealand. This is the perfect lunch time meal or two for dinner is also perfect!

Recommendations on where to eat:
Athens - Strofi (thanks Ave & Derek) - a beautiful restaurant with an Acropolis view. Exceptional service also. Book for a terrace table.
Santorini - two local taverns in the small village of Megalahori: Gero-Manolis and Tzanakis.  Family run taverns away from the busy tourist areas, this was "authentic" Greek cuisine at its best.

It doesn't surprise me that I am head over heels in love with Greek food, it is so simple but delicious. Also my favourite restaurant in Melbourne is George Calombaris' - Hellenic Republic - the subject of my first post and what gave me that final nudge to start this very blog!

joy to da world

Joy Cupcakes www.joycupcakes.com.au


A few months ago I was on my lunch break when a cute little shop caught my eye.  It was 'Joy Cupcakes' located at Shop E7B, Southern Cross Lane, 121 Exhibition Street.  The sign out front claimed to use "all natural ingredients" and after closer inspection, the flavours on offer were intriguing and incredibly inventive.

My first "Joy" experience was the "Choc Marshmallow" in the "giggle" (small) size.  Although it was a while ago now, the cupcake was deliciously moist and the marshmallow icing was light, fluffy and fulfilled every expectation.  Aesthetically, the cake was a dark brown with the white marshmallow icing, beautifully made with a great taste to match.

The next time I indulged in a sweet treat at "Joy", I opted for the "Strawberry Shortcake" flavour, pictured above.  Again, the cake was perfectly moist and the icing with traces of real strawberries was again light, creamy and not-too-sweet.  These cupcakes are hands-down the best I have had in Melbourne.

After my second visit, I immediately wanted to share this on my blog.  There are so many mouth-watering and original flavours available: "Rosewater & Pistachio", "Fig & Mascarpone" and "Orange Popcorn" just to name a few.  Disappointingly, the city store is not open on the weekend, however there is a store at Westfield Doncaster and they also mentioned that another store would soon be open that is closer to city and opening on weekends.  So if you ever have a cupcake craving to satisfy or just feel like a perfect sweet treat, head to "Joy Cupcakes" where you will not be disappointed as they will hit the right spot.

zumbo-licious

Adriano Zumbo's High Tea

• Fenix Restaurant & Events, 680 Victoria Street Richmond www.fenix.com.au
• Description in the festival guide: This stylish and unconventional high tea will blow your mind when Sydney-based master Adriano Zumbo brings his magnificent macaron madness served with passion, flair and artistry to Fenix.
• Party of two.
• Da cost: Despite a misprint in the guide of $50 per person with first sweet offering and non-alcoholic beverage, it was $25 per person with each item charged separately like a yum char menu.

With the 2012 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival now a distant memory, I guess it is better late than never to share this post about a memorable event for both its positives and negatives.  When my good friend Maya snapped up tickets for a high tea by no other than Adriano Zumbo (of Masterchef fame), at no other than Gary Mehigan's restaurant Fenix, I thought I had died and gone to foodie-wannabe-heaven.  

As the high tea started at midday, I thought I would do the sensible thing and not eat anything beforehand to be ready and prepared to indulge in the sumptuous and delectable treats that awaited me.  We both did not really know what to expect and arrived to find the function room, upstairs at Fenix, dressed like it would be for a wedding, complete with a seating plan. The host was Mr Gary Mehigan himself, who is a very witty and entertaining character and needless to say I was very excited to see him however admittedly I have dreamed of meeting him in the Masterchef kitchen rather than seated in his restaurant!

Gary made a big deal of introducing Zumbo (well I guess it was his event) and he enters the room to a round of applause from very excited (mainly) females.  He proceeds with a cooking demonstration of how to make macarons, it felt like we were in our very own masterclass. The macaron flavour of the day: peking duck macarons with  spring onion and cucumber filling!  Yes, true story, it did sound strange to me but I would be willing to give anything a go.  Unfortunately I was not one of the lucky few who got to sample this macaron that pushed the boundaries of macaron flavours.

During the demonstration, trolleys holding the sweet treats were being pushed around and served.  Well that was what it appeared like.  By the time we even got a waitress, we were told the savory food had run out, not that the waitresses seemed to have any clue what was where or what.  We had already got tick-happy with our yum char like menu and ticked everything we wanted only to be told that certain flavours of macarons had run out including, and yes I'll mention it again, the savoury food. I was just really looking forward to the 'lamb & harissa' sausage roll.

I have to apologise for the state of my photos, we were so hungry by the time we got served, we had already started to share and halve our macarons and other treats!  The macaron pictured that is in tact on its own, is the lychee flavoured macaron.  Lychees are my favourite fruit so I had high expectations for it, it was ok but did not blow my mind.  The notable macaron flavours for me were the milo, cola, salted butter caramel and salted gianduja caramel.  Gianduja is a sweet chocolate that contains 30% hazelnut paste originally from Turin, Italy.  These macarons were the best I have ever had, perfectly bursting with the flavour it was, melt in your mouth and made me want to instantly jump on a plane to Sydney to visit the home of Adriano Zumbo.  The good news for Melburnians is that he is planning on opening a store (or two) in Melbourne soon.  

We also orderded the 'Lemon Meringue' cake that seemed to be missing one major element - the meringue!  The 'Decorated Chocolate Fondant' was very modestly decorated, I was left wishing that I stuck to the macarons and ordered more.  Oh that's right, they had run out!

Despite the lack of food being a disappointment, the energy of the event was fun, casual and interesting.  The audience were able to ask questions directly to Zumbo, where we learnt he trained at Laduree in Paris, and that the correct pronunciation is the French way: macaron, one O only and the other word macaroon is in fact the coconut biscuit!

After the macaron cooking demonstration, there was an opportunity to have Zumbo himself autograph his cookbook.  I don't have his cookbook myself however Maya does so we made our way downstairs to have the book signed and to sneak in a photo with him too.  We also had the opportunity to chat with Gary, who also autographed Zumbo's book, and told us the next season of Masterchef starts end of April and where Maya squeezed in a plug for shy old me and this very food blog to the Masterchef himself!  Although we left with somewhat unsatisfied stomachs, we left with extremely satisfied memories.

the four little pigs

Little Piggy Goes to Market @ Meat Market http://meatmarketsouthwharf.com.au/

• 55 South Wharf Promenade, South Wharf, Melbourne
• Dining at dinnertime
• Party of four
• Da cost: $70 per person

The Melbourne Food & Wine festival is currently upon us and this year it is the 20th anniversary of the three-week long event.  To find out more about the events of the festival, click here.  This is the first year that I have been able to take advantage of the many events on offer (and when I say many, the guide is eighty pages long!).  Unfortunately due to my lack of awareness last year I missed out on a great event as I would have loved to have seen Nigella Lawson - my cooking heroine - in person and in action.  Hopefully I'll get the chance one day.

Anyway, I was more organised this year and managed to book a few events, kicking off with the aptly named 'Little Piggy Goes to Market'.  This event was described in the guide as follows: 'Enjoy a four course feast of free-range Berkshire pork as the experts from Tooborac's McIver Farm Foods join Meat Market to spread the word about old breed pork and taking agriculture "beyond sustainable".'  It consisted of four courses matched with local ciders.  I managed to get the last four tickets for this event with friends who had the mutual love of pork, not really knowing what to expect, nor really knowing what 'Meat Market' was.  Turns out, Meat Market is a relatively new (since November) restaurant in a new precinct that is South Wharf Promenade.  If you're interested, check it out here.

The meal began with a drink named 'Egg & bacon cocktail'.  It was brandy infused with bacon for 48 hours, rosemary syrup, lemon juice, apple juice and shaken with an egg white.  I am not too sure if this flavour combination worked with the flavour of the brandy and rosemary overpowering everything else.  Along with this, we were offered in a brown paper bag, some nibbles that were pork scratchings made from pig ears, lightly battered with salt and pepper.  I must admit although they were tender, there was a lot of salt on these scratchings, but it did awaken my tastebuds.

Up next, was the first real entree.  This was named 'Tete Fromage' - deboned pork cheek with almonds and radicchio.  The bitterness of the radicchio took over this dish, with not so much taste of actual pork.  This was served with an organic French cider (not so local as the guide had suggested) but very nice nonetheless.

Course number two was a 'Potted Pork Shoulder' which was twice cooked in its own fat served with apple, croutons and mini gherkins.  I did not expect the pork in this dish to be cold, however it was, and again, very salty.  It reminded me a little of tuna, in the way it was flaked and in oil.  However it did go very well with the crunchy croutons, apple and gherkins, but it was very rich and I could not finish all the meat.

The filler course, which the waiting staff called a "snack", came at the same time as the cider Bress.  I am not sure if this cider was supposed to compliment the course prior, however, it was a nice fresh but dry, made locally in the Yarra valley, the traditional French way.  The snack however was delicious, it was a pork butter with raw onion on a crouton.  And eaten in one mouthful, the crunchy crouton likened to crunchy crackling!

The main event.  For this course the pork was organic, slow-cooked and soaked in salt brine with star anise.  There were two lots of pork soaked for dfferent lengths of time therefore giving it different levels of saltiness.  Unfortunately, some of the pork was dry and extremely salty.  The flavour of the actual meat was good however would have been more enjoyable with a little less seasoning.  The side that it came with was roasted pumpkin and a green chilli yoghurt sauce.  The chilli was relatively mild to cater for the masses, however the pumpkin was soft and delicious.  It is funny how I enjoyed this side perhaps a lot more than the other courses that actually contained pork!  The matching cider was a pear cider made by 'The Hills Cider Company' from Adelaide.  It was light, fruity and crisp - a very refreshing cider accompanying the generous portion of pork.

And finally to finish: the dessert.  It was apple stewed in rosemary with a Napoleone apple cider sorbet accompanied with a Napoleone apple cider.  This was designed to be like a spider (traditionally made with soft drink and ice cream).  The spider concept was clever, however this was the type of thing I enjoyed as a child, although clearly this dessert is purely adults only, it didn't really hit the spot.  However, the sorbet was silky smooth and once the cider was poured over it, was obviously (if you have had a spider before) very airy.  One other positive thing was it being so light after such a heavy meal of meat.

On the whole, the event was enjoyable and for $70 it was value for money with ample portions and waiters on hand to top up your glass once it was getting noticeably low.  However, one of the main disappointments is that although the pork was flavoursome, albeit over-seasoned, there was a lack of, crackling.  In fact, there was no crackling!  Pork and crackling go together hand in hand and although I had minimal expectations of this event, I did expect crackling!  I am curious about Meat Market with their usual menu, as the ambience, location and service was excellent so those factors are enough to take me back there.