red hill unearthed

Last month’s Melbourne Food & Wine Festival was jam packed with a vast variety of events throughout Melbourne and the wider area – which is only to be expected!  Therefore, there was some deliberation as there were so many choices.  But this year I decided to go for something outside of the city in a region that I have fallen in love with – the Mornington Peninsular.   This is a must visit region for any foodie wannabe, at only an approximately sixty minute drive from Melbourne city, the beauty and of course the food makes it most definitely worthwhile.

The setting for this event was Red Hill and what better place with great local producers of wine and produce available.  The restaurant was The Long Table www.thelongtable.com.au which has One Chef’s Hat by The Age Good Food Guide and not to mention wonderful hosts Samantha and Andrew.  The event was named “Red Hill Unearthed” giving us foodies the chance to “scratch below the surface and discover the essence of Red Hill through a visit to Endeavour Fern Gulley, with dishes and wines inspired by the philosophy of this terra firma.”  

Needless to say I was quietly excited about this event.  Personally, I find there is something warm and satisfying about enjoying, sampling and discovering food from local producers and that is what attracted me most to selecting this event out of the many available.  It was a rainy day last month on Saturday March 16^th when this took place.  The rain however did not appear to dampen the mood even for the morning walk, as it was a great relief from the heatwave that Victoria had just experienced.  As a group of around twenty to thirty people, we met at Endeavour Fern Gully to “experience a walk through one of Victoria’s unsung treasures of the National Trust.”  It was beautiful and peaceful and great to be out of the hustle and bustle of Melbourne city.  The walk was then followed by a multi-course lunch with matching wines and we were certainly in for a treat by Samantha and Andrew. 

We arrived at the Long Table and were offered refreshments that included sparkling wine and locally produced sparkling apple juice.  Samantha looked after the front of house and Andrew took care of the chef duties in the kitchen.  During the introduction, it was clear that this couple were passionate about food, wine and about the local produce of the region they live in.  It was also obvious that a lot of thought and energy has been put into the lunch menu in a way to showcase the amazing produce and variety available in the area. 

A taster being a fennel macaron with tomato was served to kick the palate off.  It was my first time trying a savoury macaron, the fennel certainly provided an interesting flavour and was complimented by the tomato.  The macaron itself had a perfectly crispy shell and was fluffy on the inside. 

The first course was Mussels, yabbies, celeriac, oak & earth.  A clear oak & earth broth was poured over the mussels, yabbies and celeriac and was warming and complex in flavour.  It brought out the flavour of the perfectly cooked mussels and yabbies.  The accompanying wine of 2010 Eldridge Estate Chardonnay also enhanced the oak flavours of the dish.

The main course of lamb shoulder slow roasted in pine, wild mint yoghurt, salt-baked vegetables & wattle seed followed and it was matched with a 2009 Avani Syrah.  There is always something special about slow-cooking meat.  The length of time and care gives it the opportunity for wonderful flavours to develop and for the meat to become beautifully tender while maintaining the natural juices.  And this lamb had all the wonderful qualities of slow-cooked meat.  From memory, it was slow-roasted overnight in local pine.  It was deliciously moist and tender bursting of flavour.  The mint yoghurt complimented it perfectly and the vegetables were also a great side to this lamb that simply shined.

Next up was the cheese course.  Main Ridge Dairy goat’s curd, smoked bark, olives & sorrel.  The goat’s curd was light and beautifully creamy.  It left me wanting more but this was just the right serving for what was already a larger than usual lunchtime meal.   The 2011 Allies ‘Merricks’ Pinot Noir was served with this course and there was also an option of sampling wine made by the host Andrew that I also indulged in. 

The dessert to finish was buckwheat ice cream, orchard apples & pinot juice.  Another eye-opening dish, unique to anything I have ever tried.  The buckwheat ice cream was not overly sweet, it was smooth, creamy and the buckwheat offered a mild flavour.  The apples were cooked perfectly offering tartness to the dish.  It was indeed a lovely way to complete the meal.

From the introduction right though to the tea and coffee to finish, it was inspiring to see Samantha and Andrew’s passion in the service, food and wine allowing all of us that attended to have a glimpse of unearthing Red Hill.  In the comfortable, tasteful décor of their restaurant, while the rain fell on the Mornington Peninsular, this experience of delicious food with matching wines was complete with the welcoming and informative service. This event will always be a wonderful memory and I hope to visit The Long Table again for more of their delicious local cuisine. 

a meal revisited

Chicken cooking on the spit

Welcome to my new look blog!  We are already at the end of the third month of 2013 and my first post of the year is a very tardy one.  There are no excuses other than the lack of the one thing we as humans can never get back, nor get more of….time.  I am continually inspired by food with so many ideas floating around in my head that only time will allow me to share my passion with you.  However, I have decided for my first post of the year to revisit the very place that finally convinced me to create this blog and that is Hellenic Republic.  My main reason is due to the lack of eye candy I was able to provide from what I will confess is my favourite Melbourne restaurant.  So here is the photo story of the simple and delicious cuisine at Hellenic Republic…

Tzatziki - my all time favourite dip!

Taramasalata, white cod roe dip - smooth and delicious

Tyri Saganaki, Kefalogravia cheese with peppered figs - a  must have when dining here

Arni Sto Fourno - Slow roasted shoulder of lamb, garlic, oregano - perfectly tender

Mary's Moussaka - comforting, creamy and full of flavour

Baklava Yianniotiko

Bougasta, semolina custard pie with filo pastry

There you have it, some of the delicious dishes available at this very popular Melbourne restaurant - bookings recommended.  For more descriptions, please click here to revisit my post back in October 2011. I absolutely love food from this part of the world and was so happy to discover that Hellenic Republic offers Souvlaki/Gyros - the juicy lamb or chicken or both, wrapped in pita bread complete with chips for takeaway for only $14.50.  They are absolutely delicious as an easy and simple takeaway dinner however admittedly, I still dream of the gyros in Greece.

happy birthday mum!

Despite my love for fine food and dining out, there is nothing like a home cooked meal.  When talking to some of my peers, colleagues and friends about food, a common theme arises and that is there is something special about the food your own mother makes.  A few people have mentioned how nothing beats the way their mum makes that certain dish and how no other similar dish can compare.  I asked a colleague once, is that because it is actually the best dish you have ever tasted or is it only because that is the way you are used to having that particular dish growing up?  We both agreed that perhaps it is the latter but regardless, mum’s cooking is more or less always the best and for a more apt word - comforting.  This post is dedicated to my mum on her birthday.

I have lived in a different city from my parents for eight years of my life and one of the things I miss most is mum’s cooking.  The weekly ritual of noodle soup or Cambodian style congee as we gather as a family for weekend lunches is priceless.  One thing about my mum is that her fridge and pantry is always overflowing with food.  I think about our family history and how we escaped war-torn Cambodia for a better life in New Zealand.  I think of the people that starved, adults, children, and babies. Then I realise these people are my family.  As someone lucky to be born after the horror that struck my birth nation, I have been told the stories so can only imagine what my family went through.  It is something I can barely fathom but it is a reality.  It is our history.

It is no wonder that the food in our family home is always plentiful and my mum has always fed us well and continues to do so.  She always cooks ample food, more than enough to feed an army and is always very meticulous in the way she cooks.  There is always a “proper” way of making something.  Here are my top two favourite dishes that I crave for and no matter where I go, I cannot find it anywhere where it tastes the same as they way my mum makes it.

Cambodian Noodle Soup - Kuy Teav

The broth that my mum makes for her noodle soup is complex in its making and therefore well-developed in flavour.  She makes it a few days in advance as she tells me that stock gets better over a few days.  I know she uses a lot of bones hence the flavour, the true recipe however is not written down and I have tried to mimic it but have fallen short.  The amount of effort alone does not always fit into my schedule which is why I always appreciated having it almost every week when I lived in the same city.  The one pictured here is her “combination” served with beansprouts, chicken, beef, squid, prawns, pork and some innards.  Topped with coriander, spring onion, chilli sauce, fried garlic and lemon, it is in my opinion the best noodle soup.

Nom Puchok

Nom Puchok is my all-time favourite dish.  It is traditionally Cambodian, the one pictured here is served with literally translated “Khmer Soup”.  Once again, the process for making this dish is time consuming.  Oftentimes mum and a good friend will get together to make this.  It is great to see that not only the eating of food brings people together but the making of it also.  This dish comprises of a lot of fresh vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, cucumber, beansprouts placed into the bottom of your bowl, followed by rice noodles that have been hand twisted into separate mounds, and then the “Khmer Soup”.  To top it off are the optional choices of lemon juice and chilli.  There are other variations of soup that can go with this dish but this one is my favourite.  The main ingredients of the soup are lemon grass, ground chicken, fish and stock.  The flavour of which is very intricate and some would say an “acquired” taste.  However I grew up with this dish and associate it with special occasions – I think due to the difficulty in its making.  That is why it counts as my most favourite dish ever.   While merely writing this description, I can almost taste it in my mouth.  I have not yet attempted to make this dish but for now I will always look forward to when mum makes it.

It is the familiarity of the food that I grew up with that I find comforting as it brings back fond childhood memories.  As far back as I can remember, I always watched my mum cook and helped wherever needed - or ordered - with those tedious tasks of preparation through to cleaning.  But through these experiences is where my cooking skills and my passion for food originated and I will always be grateful for learning these skills as a child to enable me to develop them further as an adult.  Thank you mum for being my food mentor, always feeding us well and of course, happy birthday!

lunch & da city

How time flies, this very blog turns one this month.  I look back on the past year of my foodie wannabe experiences and am grateful to my loyal readers who I am able to share my passion for food with.  This month’s post is aimed at those who need ideas for lunch in the city of Melbourne.

If you’re anything like me and on the odd occasion where you haven’t packed your lunch, then deciding what to eat can be a struggle.  We all know that Melbourne is spoilt for choice when it comes to food however here are a select few of my favourite regular choices to fill that gap in the middle of the day.

My love for sushi…

I randomly came across the ‘Sushi Monger’ on The Causeway (in between Bourke and Little Collins Streets) one lunch hour and noticed the excessively long queue.  Of course this normally can guarantee that a place has to be good. For those of you who are familiar with ‘Sushi B’ on Woodward Street in Wellington, the queue at ‘Sushi Monger’ is of those proportions.   There are a variety of options of hot food as well as freshly made sushi rolls to choose from.  I normally have three rolls plus miso for $6.80 or if I am unusually less hungry the two rolls plus miso for $5.  You can also just select single rolls without the miso and pay per roll.  My three favourite choices of rolls are ‘Spicy Salmon’, ‘Crispy chicken and avocado’ and ‘King Prawn and avocado’.  I have found it hard to find a casual sushi place that fulfils my expectations and was so happy to have stumbled across the ‘Sushi Monger’.  Dare I say it, for Melbourne standards, their sushi is the best and absolutely delicious it fills the spot every time.

And continuing my love for Japanese…

I love Japanese food and one of my favourite dishes is a ‘Katsu Curry’.  Matsuki Japanese Café in Centreway 259-263 Collins Street do a mean ‘Katsu Curry’.  It is only $6.90 for the ample regular size and such a great lunch time hunger filler.  They also have a variety of rice and noodle dishes on offer but admittedly I started and stopped with the ‘Katsu Curry’ and it is the same order every time.  The chicken is deliciously crispy and the curry sauce covering it is full of the balance of flavour that a good Katsu Curry has.  If you are a fan of this dish as much as I am then I highly recommend a visit here.

Vietnamese bakeries…

Throughout the city there is a scattering of Vietnamese bakery chains such as N.Lee or Kenny’s.  I love having a Vietnamese roll or traditionally called ‘Banh mi’ from these places when I feel like a deliciously filled bread roll.  They have options of having the traditional pork loaf, barbequed pork or pork meatballs as fillings amongst other mainstream choices of ham, chicken and salads.  My favourite option is to have a chicken schnitzel roll with the traditional Vietnamese salad, which consists of pickled carrot, cucumber, coriander.   The roll is also buttered and spread with pate and I ask for chilli to give it a kick.  For a roll at N. Lee it is $6.50 and $6.20 at Kenny’s.  The N.Lee Bakery that I prefer is at 61 Little Collins Street and Kenny’s at 190 Queen Street is conveniently located for a quick lunchtime grab.

Da roti wrap…

The idea of wrapping curried meat and salad in a roti is pure genious.  I love a roti wrap and from ‘Spice Kitchen’ in the Galleria food court (enter from Bourke, Elizabeth or Little Collins Streets), they are so good that one is almost not enough.  For $6.95 each it is a bargain and with the choice of chicken or lamb, the choices are simple.  Although the service here is a little slow, for wraps that are pre-prepared, I can look past it as both the chicken and lamb are delicious.  They are toasted upon ordering and I would recommend eating it there rather than take away as on then you will get the two condiments on the side that add moisture to the wraps.  ‘Spice Kitchen’ also offer a variety of mouth watering curries with rice and naan to cater for both meat and vegetarian lovers alike.

So if you are having a lunchtime dilemma hopefully these suggestions will hit the spot or perhaps give you some inspiration when you can’t decide what to eat in the middle of the day.

da vue de monde experience

Vue de Monde www.vuedemonde.com.au

·      Level 55, Rialto, 525 Collins Street, Melbourne

·      Dining at Dinnertime

·      Party of two

Set on the 55^th floor of the Rialto tower offering amazing views of the city as well as amazing cuisine is Shannon Bennett’s Vue de Monde.  A restaurant that was recently awarded ‘Restaurant of the Year’ in the Good Food Guide 2013, it is renown by foodies and foodie-wannabes as the place to dine.  I had been wanting to visit Vue de Monde for a considerable amount of time and was pleasantly surprised and spoilt by my husband as he had sneakily booked us in for dinner a good three months prior to my birthday.

I must devote an entire paragraph to the service at Vue de Monde.  It can only be described as impeccable and meticulous.  From the moment you are greeted on the ground floor, through to taking their private lift straight to level 55, through to being escorted to your table via the impressive wine room, through to being seated in a kangaroo fur chair and right through to having your kangaroo leather covered table dusted of crumbs by staff between each course.  As well as the usual napkin folding when you leave the table, the attention to detail was impressive.  But this is just how the ‘Restaurant of the Year’ rolls, it is their thing and contributes to the experience.

Cucumber Sorbet and Herbs

We were advised of two options for our dining session, the “Freedom” or the “Choice”.  The “Freedom” is the degustation, basically a tasting meal of nine courses that would progressively grace your table over a comparably lengthy period of time.  And at $250 per person, I considered this option to be overly indulgent for the occasion that we were dining for.  To include matching wine it is $15 - $25 per course.  So we opted for the “Choice” menu which is a four course meal where there were several options under each course.  At $150 per person, I felt this option satisfied this particular occasion.

Each course had its in betweeners such as palate cleansers (a Cucumber sorbet with on the spot crushed herbs) and the fancy things you would expect in a restaurant of this caliber. 

"Snacks" to Begin

Salt Cured Kangaroo

The experience began with Oyster, Salt cured kangaroo, Celeriac, Sunflower seed and Smoked eel, white chocolate, caviar.  The presentation and how each item was strategically placed on the table intrigued me perhaps more than the actual food.  However the salt cured kangaroo was exceptionally tender and delicious and was rolled right in front of you.

Trout Belly

Ox Tongue

For entrée we had the Trout belly, smoked eel, nasturtiums, wasabi and to be adventurous I chose the Ox tongue salad, Gascony butter.

Duck, Yabbie, Kale

For the main event we chose the Wagyu beef, onion, mustard and Duck, yabbie, kale, raspberry.  The Wagyu was perfectly seasoned however not as tender as hoped.  The duck however was deliciously tender and the yabbie was so full of flavour.  It was a perfect combination with the crispy kale giving a contrasting texture to the smooth fleshy yabbie and duck.

Wagyu

Cheese Course

Course number three was an Assortment of cheeses, bread, jams.  The chesses are especially served to you from a mobile cabinet of different cheeses after you tell the waiter what kind of cheeses you prefer.  Served with a variety of jams and bread, this course is not something I normally have when dining out however is a pleasant lead up to the sweet finish.

Pavlova

For dessert we chose the Pavlova and Chocolate soufflé, chocolate mousse, crème anglaise.  This course was an anti-climax to what was one of my most unique and special dining experiences.  What we did not realise was the Pavlova would be “deconstructed” and therefore did not meet our longing expectations of crispy meringue and fluffy light egg whites.  The chocolate soufflé was served by the chef where a knife was inserted to create a hole for the crème anglaise to be poured into.  Very nice in theory but so very disappointing in taste.  A lackluster finale to an enjoyable experience.

Chocolate Souffle

Petit Fours

And to round up the meal petit-fours were served.

From booking right through to after the meal where the menu complete with wine choices is emailed to you, It can be described as nothing other than an experience - and a memorable one at that!

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.