Review - Naked for Satan - $-$$ - V

When I visited San Sebastian in the Basque country a few years ago I was most pleased to find that a popular local activity is to go on a pinxtos crawl. Pinxtos are the Basque version of tapas and are served in most bars. Usually it's a piece of bread with some delicious little morsel on top with a toothpick jammed in the middle. The little spear isn't just for holding the food on top though. As you eat the pinxtos you keep the toothpicks and then hand them to the bartender at the end of your feasting, paying for as many pieces as you ate. This means you can just stand around helping yourself and if you're inclined to a bit of thievery you might snap a couple and discreetly drop them on the floor. This of course is terrible Kulinary Karma and will earn you nothing other than a bad sardine and wicked case of food poisoning to teach you a lesson (well that's what I think would happen anyway).

So, why am I telling you all this? Because a pinxtos bar has opened on Brunswick Street. It's got a bit of a saucy name - Naked for Satan - and lots of infused vodkas. I headed there with some friends on Cup Day and we stuffed ourselves silly and drank a fair bit of the bars own ale.
The principle at NFS is the same as the real deal; you help yourself to the cold pinxtos from the front bar and the hot ones are brought around by the waiters. There's little cups on the tables for your toothpicks so you just hand them over at the end and it's job done.
We sampled a LOT of different kinds: prawns on roasted red peppers, meatballs, chorizo croquettes, potatoes with Taleggio and aioli, rice balls with quince paste and cream cheese, eggplant chips on blue cheese, veal schnitzels, tortillas and on and on we went. It was pinxtos madness and Mr Tea had to roll me with a stick down to Labour in Vain afterwards!

The bread gets a bit much after while so we found ourselves just eating the toppings in order to be able to continue our piggery. I also found it odd that when the waiter asked if we'd visited before and we said no, she didn't bother explaining how it all works, she just assumed we knew which might be unhelpful for the uninitiated.
All in all though this is a cracker little bar, perfect for long drinking sessions fuelled by the ability to eat when you feel like it. In the evenings the pinxtos are all $2 each but at the moment there is a lunch special on weekdays from 12-4pm and they are just 50 cents per piece! Obviously at these prices there's no reason to hide your toothpicks - you'll be stuffed for under $4.

Enjoy!

Review - Dr Jekyll - $-$$$ - V

Grey Street in St Kilda is similar to the creepy classic The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in that it can have two very distinct sides; one of them not altogether pleasant (nowhere else in Melbourne are you more likely to see people sans underwear than here). Its seedy underbelly may never totally disappear but there is certainly an abundance of tasteful places popping up around this infamous street.

Making a strong mark on the strip is a cafe named after the 'good' character of Robert Louis Stevenson's story - Dr Jekyll. Run by ex-Orange employees Roy and Matthew this place is hospitality at its finest - you know, the kind where you are treated hospitably? The first thing I noticed as I waited for my coffee (apart from Matthew opening the door for everyone) is the rapport that these guys have with their patrons. Everyone is greeted warmly from the minute they enter. The owners even smile at you.

I perched in the front window to watch the world go by and was a bit bewildered by the lunch menu - prepared in an open kitchen - because everything on it sounded so evilly delicious. Sandwich choices included: house-cured ocean trout with ribbons of cucumber; Shaw River buffalo mozzarella (have mercy) with prosciutto; Istra capocollo with caramelised onions and cornichons. I mean really - what's a girl to do? I opted for what could be considered a 'safe' choice and ordered the poached chicken on sour dough.
The moist chicken was crammed into the soft bread along with avocado, baby spinach and a super creamy chive mayo. This was not your run of the mill chicken sanger, it was flavoursome, filling and obviously made with not only fresh ingredients but with love (I could taste it).

The coffee was so good that one wasn't enough and while I waited for my takeaway Roy and I got chatting. I found it a breath of fresh air that he wanted to know if worked or lived around his cafe, whether or not I enjoyed my lunch, what I was up to for the rest of the day etc. This is a man who cares about his clientele and obviously knows that a smile and some friendly chit chat goes a long way when it comes to repeat business.
And repeat I will! I have the lunch menu to work through and obviously haven't investigated breakfast so I look forward to spending many a lazy brunch in their courtyard and getting to know my new favourite local.



Enjoy!

Review - Mamasita - $$-$$$ - V

Well hello! Excuse my disappearance over the last little while. You see it's birthday time in my world at the moment (in addition to football mania) so I've been doing a lot of eating out in a plethora of celebrations and not much blogging.

The first birthday cab off the rank was Mr Tea's. To celebrate I hatched a cunning surprise for a mid-week mini-break in the city which included dinner at Mamasita.

This Mexican talk of the town does not take bookings for less than 8-10 people (yawn) and I don't line up, so we had a very early dinner there and walked straight in at around 5.45pm on a Tuesday. It was already packed and I think we nabbed the last two seats up at the bench table.
Our waiter only knew about 1 of the 41 tequilas on offer and it was out of stock, so we ordered Bohemia beer and a Paloma cocktail to start and perused the menu while she went and asked the bartender for some advice.
If you're looking for the cheesy-nacho version of Mexican food then don't come here. This is the real deal, simple dishes but made with quality ingredients so the flavours do the work.

We opted to try a few different things to share rather than go for the comida para la familia or main meals. For nibbles we tried the elotes callejeros, street-style corn, which was char-grilled and served with a chipotle mayonnaise and finely grated cheese (similar to these). The smoky chipotle did the trick and I found myself using my finger to smoother it all around the cob - I was eating with my hands after all. Next were the tostaditas de carnitas - corn chips topped with various ingredients and served in 4s on a wooden paddle. Ours were slow braised pork shoulder with a jalapeno slice stuffed into each one. These were the top dish of the night for me, with the pork packed full of flavour and the hot little pepper giving each mouthful just the right amount of kick.

By this stage we were on to the tequila which is served in a wine glass sans salt and lemon because they are for sipping and not for shooting. I can't tell you which ones we had which is an indication of how potent they are...
More food arrived and I think perhaps choosing two dishes that both involved soft tortillas was a bit of a mistake because they were quite similar. The tacos we tried were de pescado (fish) and frijoles con napales (black beans). The punchy pico de gallo sauce the came on the side was a must for the beans because without it they were fairly bland. The fish on the otherhand (which was blue eye) was spectacular; it was moist and the achiote paste, which is made from various ground spices, was something I'd never tried before and it had my taste buds doing a little dance.
The quesadilla we opted for was chicken, but with the two tortillas it was a little bit floury in the mouth, even though the chicken was cooked to perfection . Out of all the dishes this was the most under-whelming but still worthy of trying - just not at the same time as tacos.

I can see why there is so much hype around this food because it's fresh, flavoursome and more authentic than other versions around town and the the prices are very reasonable. We were full enough not to finish the quesadilla but didn't feel like we'd eaten an actual Mexican which is often the case with that lead-belly feeling that accompanies the usual cheese and corn chip fiesta served up by other restaurants.
The service was a bit shabby and even though I enjoyed dinner immensely I wouldn't line up for the average two hours for the chance to do it again - this no bookings malarky that is so popular in Melbourne at the moment is a bit annoying and a half/half policy I think is the perfect solution.

I am due to visit again next month for a party and when you book you are only permitted a set menu so I will be curious to see how it stacks up against the a la carte. I will of course let you know.



Happy Birthday Mr Tea! And arrrriiiiibbbba everyone else!

Review - Monk Bodhi Dharma - $-$$$ - V

My friend Sara is moving to LA soon so she's a bit sad that she's only just discovered Monk Bodhi Dharma cafe. I'm a bit sad that Sara's moving but that's another story.

Tucked down a lane behind one of the stupormarkets on bustling Carlisle Street in Balaclava this cafe is easily missed by those not in the know. As you may have inferred by the name, their menu is focused on vegetarian and vegan food with ayurvedic properties. Translation: it's good for you. It's also filling and pretty damn tasty too. Each day there are various soups and stews on offer for lunch as well as plenty of hearty breakfast fare even without eggs and bacon. (And, there's always super pretty cupcakes on the counter as you walk in the front door, so steel your self-control upon entering if you're trying to be good.)

The premises itself is quite small but the space is well used with a beautiful communal table as the centerpiece and fresh flowers poking out of vases strung from the ceiling. Even the menus are pretty, printed on floral Japanese paper.
I've visited a fair few times recently and have indulged in the world's biggest and most moist piece of banana bread with lemon ricotta and a Moroccan-style stew with chickpeas, minted couscous and some bitey sweet chili relish.

The Monk also roast their own coffee, serve syphon and have a comprehensive list of fairtrade and organic teas on offer. The tea infusion is very precise and the pots and cups differ depending on which one you choose. My most recent choice was based solely on the name - Iron Goddess - which hadn't even made it onto the menu yet.

Regular breakfast degustation mornings are held and you can keep an eye on their blog for other events. I'm also pleased to report that if you forget your re-usable coffee cup and have to have a takeaway it will be served in a biodegradable cup.

Visit the Monk for holistic hospitality at it's best.



Enjoy!

Review - The Estelle - $$-$$$ - V

The Estelle is the perfect place to take a date I think. It's relaxed enough to not feel like a big deal but the menu is fancy enough to show that you care where you take your company to eat.

I took my friend Jussy there on a lady-date. Or did she take me? Doesn't matter because we were both impressed.

The Estelle is on High Street, Northcote; part of the ever-growing strip of hip little eateries and bars that have popped up over the last couple of years. It's retro decor of pink, grey and black supplies a step back in time the minute you walk in the door and the knitted cuts of meat hanging on the walls, like a crocheted butcher's shop, gives it some north-side kook.


This eatery straddles the fine line between being a cafe on the weekends but a boutique bar and restaurant during the week. The menu is a little more high-end than the usual cafes in the area and features a lot of meat. We chose a late lunch time to visit so that we could also partake in the bar menu without feeling like a couple of lushes.


Having never visited before we picked the waiter's brain about what exactly some of the dishes are, for example: 'daily pot of meat' which changes regularly and is, as the name suggests, a pot of meat served with char-grilled toasts.
We decided to start with some freshly shucked oysters and a giant jug of Pimms, full to the brim with fresh cucumber and mint. I made the controversial move to follow up with the lentil pot but was really in two minds between that and some mussels cooked in Pernod and cream. Jussy went for the meat pot which was pork neck served with apple and walnuts. The pots are deceptively filling and good food to natter over while you smear the contents over the crunchy, smokey bread. The pork neck was a little heavy on the pepper but the lentils were delightfully fresh and flavoursome with some sprouts on top for extra crunch.

We didn't feel rushed at all. The place was heaving when we arrived but had emptied out by the time we were ready to head up the road and strap in for an afternoon session at the NSC.
There are some unusual cuts of meat on the menu and the dinner options become quite decadent, which is when the lighting dims and the wine list comes out, showing off The Estelle in her nighttime glory. She looks pretty good by day but I will be back to experience her evening wares.



Enjoy!

Review Cruzao Arepa Bar - $$ - V

There are so many places to eat on Brunswick Street but because I work on the strip I get a little tired of being spoilt for choice and a bit bored with what's on offer. Sucks to be me with all this good food around! The newest kid on our block is Cruzao Arepa Bar and I was very curious to check out the Venezuelan food in the hope of finding a new lunch option.

The bar serves arepas which are flat breads made from corn meal and stuffed with yummy fillings and then grilled. Kind of like a quesadilla but the bread is thicker. There are also nibbles called pasapalos that are for sharing while you down a mojito or Cuba libre and try decide which arepa to choose.

A group of us went for dinner and were the only people in there on what was a pretty foul Melbourne night. It was a little chilly in the bar but nothing some white rum couldn't fix. It was also quite dark (apologies for the photos) and the music a little bit too loud; had it been a full house it wouldn't have mattered.
The waiter-cum-bartender was really friendly and gave us a run down of the menu and what an arepa is. He suggested we start with some pasapalos so we opted for the tostones which are discs of fried plantain served with aioli dipping sauce and grated cheese on top. The garlic sauce was really creamy and not overpowering and the tostones crispy and hot.

We also chose the tequenos which are bread sticks stuffed with cheese and fried (are you sensing a pattern here?). There are 10 served in a an enamel bucket and by the time I whipped the camera out there were only 3 left. These little babies are good! Crispy, salty and cheesy; I could have eaten a whole bucket on my own!

While we were enjoying our starters, a Latin version of Catweasal came bounding out of the kitchen to chat to us. Eyla is one of the owners of the bar and is obviously very excited about bringing arepas to Melbourne. Having never tried them before I asked if they were for sharing. He explained that most people would order one each but he said if we wanted to try all the different ones it was no problem and he got the chef to cut them in half for us as he reckoned it would be too messy if we tried.
There were 6 of us and 7 arepas listed on the menu so we tried all of them except the cheese and avocado one. My favourite was the slow cooked black beans with feta cheese, followed closely by the roasted pork marinated in garlic and red wine. The menu said they were served with a salad but ours just came with more tostones. Everyone was two mojitos in by this stage so the lack of vegetables didn't really matter.

The arepas are really tasty and I liked the char-grilled flavour of the bread. You eat them with your hands, much like a sandwich, and as such there is no cutlery on the tables. The food is definitely more snack-style or better suited to lunch rather than dinner, but this is a bar after all and not a restaurant.
I can definitely picture myself here with a hair-of-the-dog beer and a bowl of taquenos to get rid of a hangover; or popping in to line the stomach and get the party started for a night out in Fitzroy.

The best bit though was the price. We were full and only had to pay $12.50 each for the food - a bargain! I have a feeling arepas will be my new lunch choice on Brunswick Street.




Enjoy!

Review - Ichi Ni - $$-$$$ - V

I hadn't bothered with Ichi Ni before as my very trusted foodie friend had given it a massive thumbs down not long after it first opened. But since then I have heard really great reports and thought that I should make up my own mind and give it a whirl.

We went to see the hilarious Bill Bailey at the gorgeous, and thankfully still standing, Palais Theatre (in your face triangle development!) so it was the perfect excuse to try Ichi Ni.

When we arrived we were greeted with a smilely 'moshimoshi' from the chefs in the open plan kitchen. There's various types of seating at Ichi Ni: a heated deck, booths, regular tables or you can sit up at the bar and watch the masters at work. The decor is all dark wood and red upholstery and drapes, with these great retro printed lanterns hanging above the bar and lots of mirrors and shiny surfaces.

The waiters were super friendly and knowledgeable, their denim aprons add to the relaxed vibe and they explained how best to order without sounding bossy or overbearing.
Being an izakaya the food is meant for sharing and is described as Japanese-style tapas; we were told the two most popular dishes are the ebi mayo - deep fried tiger prawns with Japanese mayo - and the gyoza. I'd heard good things about the gyoza so we ordered both recommendations and added edamame, nama kaki (fresh oysters with ponzu) and vegetable and fish tempura tasting plates.
We also went for some yakitori (skewers) and tried the unagi (eel) and pork belly. When I asked if we had enough dishes for four people the waiter said probably one or two more would be suitable but he suggested we eat and if wanted more we could just order more later.


The food was served quickly and two dishes arrived at a time. There was just enough space between courses and everything was simply delicious. The wasabi that was in the mayo served drizzled over the prawns was just superb. The oysters were so fresh, the spring onion on top providing a nice zing and crunch against the meat of the mollusk.
The gyoza was good but not groundbreaking and the pink tinged pickled radish dipping sauce the accompanied the tempura was also excellent, although the tempura batter was a little soft.
The yakitori has two skewers per serve and they were nice and char-grilled in flavoured.
Our waiter was spot on with his suggestion as to how much food we needed, so extra king prawns and gyoza were needed. What a shame - not!
There is sushi and sashimi featured on the menu, as well as dishes for one if you're not in the mood to share.

I'm kind of sad in a way that I waited this long to visit Ichi Ni but perhaps it took a little while for them to find their groove. I will be trying to convince my friend to give it another try because I think it's great. In fact my friend asked me today where I think he should have his birthday dinner in a few weeks and I suggested it without hesitation, I can't wait to go back!



Enjoy!

Review - Kinfolk - $-$$$ - V

Kinfolk is not your average cafe. It's not the organic produce that sets them apart, nor is it the good coffee or primo service on offer - it's the fact that they promoting ethical consumption and allowing you to 'vote with your dollar'.

The cafe has been open for about 6 weeks now at the Southern Cross end of Melbourne's Bourke Street. It has been set up as social enterprise whereby the proceeds will be siphoned into various charity projects. And you get to choose where your money will go.

Everything about the cafe has sustainability in mind; from the recycled and donated materials used to build it, to the fresh produce and coffee beans. A lot of the staff are volunteers and there is a list of names on the wall giving kudos to all the tradies that helped to literally put Kinfolk together.


The dining room has a high-ceiling and communal tables, as well as a bench up a the giant window if you fancy watching the world go by. A three dimensional artwork of birds sitting in a tree peer down over you as you enjoy your food.

The menu is seasonal and for lunch offers soups, open sandwiches, toasted sandwiches and lots of delicious little cakes. Average meal price is $8.50 and I opted for the zucchini frittata open sandwich with green olive tapenade. The frittata was served cold on rye bread and the tapenade was more like a salsa with capers thrown into the mix. It was super fresh tasting with a really astringent, zingy little dressing that covered the ribbons of finely sliced frittata.
The coffee was spot-on, which was no surprise as the barista from my local cafe was behind the machine! Nice to see a familiar face at a new place, but it was also a clear indication of the calibre of Melbourne hospo peeps that are obviously behind this fantastic enterprise (I don't drink coffee just anywhere you know).

Eenny, meeny, miny, mo...

After my lunch I was given a coffee bean and told to pop it in one of four labeled jars. This how you cast your vote as to where you lunch money goes. Up on the wall in the front of the cafe is a chalkboard listing the various projects that you can choose from which are currently in: Ghana, Rwanda, Palm Island and good old Melbourne town.

On it's own Kinfolk is a great cafe and I would go there for lunch anytime but the fact that they are putting the profits into such worthwhile projects and being so mindful of how they operate is truly impressive. More Kulinary Karma abounds and Kinfolk are leading the way!



Enjoy!

Review - EARL Canteen - $$ - V

There has been so much hype about EARL since it opened I wasn't sure what to expect. It is located at the top end of Melbourne's CBD, tucked into the corner of a courtyard surrounded by big buildings and frequented at lunchtime by (as dubbed by those of us who don't wear them) 'suits'.

Skyscraper gazing

The staff at this futuristic looking sandwich bar are very friendly and advised me on arrival that if I wanted to eat in that full table service would be provided. I did. I sat out in the courtyard where mercifully Melbourne's sun was shining and listened in on very important phone calls being conducted all around me by very important people. Well so I assumed: loud = important yes?

In a controversial move I opted not for the pork belly sandwich that everyone has been raving about but instead ordered the Truffled Mushroom Wrap. It comes in a tortilla with wilted spinach, 'autumnal mushrooms', truffle paste and a soft cooked egg.


The wrap was a little floury for me and even though the egg was cooked well it was a little cold. I'm not sure how you would go trying to eat this as a takeaway? The filling is pretty squishy and the odds on the bottom of the tortilla holding in all the juicy goodness are perhaps not the best. Lucky for me I had a knife and fork and opened it up and tucked right in. It was like eating a forest, which is exactly what I want when I order something autumnal and truffle-y. The flavours were earthy and layered and demanded that I took my time and savoured every mouthful.

A forest masquerading as a sandwich

Once I polished off my lunch I was offered a coffee which I gladly accepted and even though they forgot it to begin with, when it did finally arrive it had been expertly made.
After watching Adriano Zumbo on you-know-what last night I was in the mood for a much raved about macaron to go with my latte but alas there were none! Sold out! Gutted!

These are not your average sandwiches and you don't pay average prices either; city-workers next time the boss says lunch is on them I'd be pitching this place.
The hype piqued my interest originally - the pork belly, the macarons, the handmade crumpets - all of which I am yet to try. So I will return, I need to in order to really make up mind.



Enjoy!

Review - Sirocco Bangkok - $$$$$ - V

Before I tell you about my dinner at this truly amazing restaurant I must apologise, I was so engrossed in the whole experience it was not the time for taking very good photos, so please bear with me. Luckily the menu is online so I can at least give you the details of what we ate, but it changes seasonally so check it out here if you're going to Sirocco.

Sirocco is an open air restaurant, located on the 64th floor rooftop of the Lebua Hotel and State Towers in Bangkok! Stepping onto the domed terrace that looks out over the hot city is a truly breathtaking sight.

From the moment we walked through the door the service was attentive and not at all snooty, which was a nice change from some of the pretentious fine dining experiences I have had in other cities.
We were seated at a raised table that had a gorgeous view of the river and the lights of Bangkok; obviously cocktails were needed to toast the fine view!

To start with I had the cauliflower velouté with white truffle cloud and Provençal crisp - which was velvety and just the right amount of salty. Mr Tea went for the Alaskan king crab with hand rolled potato gnocchi, sage roasted butternut squash and chanterelle mushrooms - there was so much going on on this plate flavour wise it was a little overwhelming to be honest!

Some French bubbles were next and then a sorbet was served to cleanse the way for the mains. I was going to try the tuna but the waiter warned me it would be served rare. Call me uncultured but I like my fish a little more cooked than that so I opted for the pan fried Chilean sea bass with artichokes, balsamic jus and Parmesan emulsion - yep more foam!


Mr Tea went for another pasta-ish choice with seared veal medallion topped with ricotta spinach ravioli and served with potato galette on Pommery mustard sauce. Did you get all that? The veal was truly melt in the mouth and we were both stuffed afterward.
Needing a breather we stretched our legs and had a drink at the bar because we couldn't bring ourselves to leave such a special place. There were all sorts of special things going on around us too: a woman was presented with a giant string of pearls and then her partner proceeded to stage a photo shoot with various poses on and around their table; another woman was whisked passed us to a lower level table after having fainted either from the height or the sheer delight of being at Sirocco!

We split a dessert and had a vanilla bean and lime brûlée served with pineapple salsa. There was a sliver of tempered chocolate ribbon on top that was completely unnecessary but apart from that the brûlée was cracking perfection on top and creamy, delicious inside.

Sirocco is superfine dining and you pay Western prices for the privilege but if you can afford it I so recommend treating yourself to dinner here. You can book ahead online but be warned you need to use a credit card as a guarantee and if you cancel within a month you will be charged USD100.00 which you don't find out until AFTER receiving the confirmation email!
If you can't stretch to dinner you can visit the bar and enjoy the view; again it's Western prices and you will be paying top dollar for a cocktail or imported beer, but treat yourself if you can because it is a once in a lifetime culinary experience.

Enjoy!

Review - STREAT Mobile Food Cart - $-$$ - V

OK Melbournians listen up! This is your social conscience speaking.

It is pretty chilly and wet in our fair city at the moment, which always makes me think about those less fortunate than my lucky self. People who perhaps aren't able to keep warm, or get the food and support that they need. There are various ways that we can help and now it's as simple as buying your lunch.
Yes, you heard right - YOU buy lunch and help homeless youth. It's win win!


Fed Square has become the location for STREAT's first mobile food cart. STREAT is a social enterprise that is providing disadvantaged youth with training and support for long-term careers in hospitality. There is loads of information over here about this amazing organisation.

You will find the cart opposite St Paul's Cathedral on the Flinders Street side of Fed Square, where they trade Tuesday-Saturday, serving up delicious hawker-style food. The seasonal menu is featuring lots winter warming curries and wraps at the moment. By far the biggest bargain is soup and roll for $5!

Just in case you didn't believe me - it really is $5!

On my first visit to STREAT I chowed down on a chickpea, lentil and spinach wrap for $8.50. The wrap itself is roti-like bread full of a mix of lentil and chickpeas and is a little like dahl. It was spicy in a flavour sense, but not hot like curry and the baby spinach inside is fresh and gives a bit of texture and crunch. Best of all it filled me up right until dinner time and I got all warm and fuzzy knowing that every cent of my lunch money was helping out someone trying to make a change in their life.


Next time you're in the city I highly recommend going to grab a bite from the STREAT cart, it's cheap, healthy and delicious - a winning combination for a quick lunch. And you will be helping your community - Kulinary Karma at its finest.
You don't just have to take my word for it either, head over to Penny's and she'll tell you all about it too...


(If you don't live in Melbourne but would like to contribute to this fine enterprise you can do so over here.)



Enjoy!