MFWF – Express Lunch @ The Post Office Hotel

May 7, 2013 Leave a comment

A Melbourne Food and Wine Festival Event

Mr LB:
“Pub (pʌb) [noun] a public house or building with a bar and one or more public rooms licensed for the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages, often also providing light meals.

The pub use to be a place of solitude for men to drink and chat about the agony of life. This public house was welcome to all, but because of its charm (or shall we say, lack off) it became the perfect man cave. It was a mystical place where wives rarely stepped inside and men of all type drank beer and bonded. There was a sense of community with only two beers on tap. These days, the majority of pubs have transform from less grunge to more chic. The gastropub is not only equipped with an impressive kitchen team, but also carefully considered decor, layout and furniture to bring a modern and dazzling experience to its patrons. The Post Office Hotel is one such pub that is making its mark in Coburg. We decided to bring a few friends to try their Express Lunch.

The interior of The Post Office Hotel is simply stunning. The combination of the bare brick walls, industrial wires hanging from the vertical landscape and the ceiling providing ample natural light through its windows in the sky, bring a calm and sophisticated feel. With the high ceiling and seating opportunities, The Post Office Hotel caters for various occasions whilst still creating that wow moment.

Ordering an Express Lunch here can be tricky, as there is always a trade-off. Do I forgo the entree for dessert or do I have the entree instead? The dessert looked very promising and I decided on a main and dessert:

  • Main – Broccoli risotto, thyme & fonlina
  • Dessert - Bris de bourguignon, house made jam & Taylor made lavosh

As the usual way of business, entrees came out first with NR having the Roasted baby beets, shaved cauliflower, mustard cress and pine nuts. The beets had been roasted perfectly leaving a lovely, gentle taste on the palate. The pine nuts were a perfect addition to the salad. The interesting component here was the cauliflower, which NR thought was unnecessary and conversely, I really enjoyed. The subtle bitterness that cauliflower provided reduced the sweet taste of the beetroot.

Broccoli risotto, thyme & fontina

My risotto came out and it didn’t look as appealing as Miss SLs main. On paper, risotto appears to be one of the easiest items to prepare and cook. Having failed on many occasions, I can confidently say it’s the final execution that makes this dish a winner or a loser. The risotto itself was prepared perfectly and was light and fluffy on the outside with a slight crunch on the inside. The broccoli sauce was nice and creamy and it brought the dish together. In terms of flavour, it was very subtle and possibly on the verge of boring. It unfortunately lacked that wow factor and the snow pea leaves thrown on the top didn’t help.

Bris de bourguignon, house made jam & Taylor made lavosh

I love the idea of finish sitting with sugar, but decided that my dessert of choice on this occasion would be of the cheese kind.

The Bris de bourguignon was fantastic. It was a semi-soft cheese that melted in my mouth. I found it was perfect on its own, with the lavosh or when I tried it with the house made jam. The jam was of the right sweetness and texture to easy be scooped up without making a mess, leaving a pleasant aftertaste. It was the perfect dish that was shared by all and everyone agreed it was the perfect cheese dish to finish the sitting.

The Post Office Hotel Express Lunch certainly showed moments of greatness and demonstrated top potential in delivering high quality dishes. It’s always hard to gauge a restaurant from just six dishes, but I do feel that with time The Post Office Hotel will be a high achiever.

Miss SL:

“This post is admittedly months behind schedule, with the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival winding up quite a while ago. Our Express Lunch at The Post Office Hotel, however, was far too good to skip in our review process.

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon when me, Mr LB and co arrived at our destination in time for the late-brunch sitting at 1pm. I pulled up out the front and walked along Sydney road, immediately noticing some inviting, street-facing benches outside the venue. There are two entrances – one to the left (the proper entrance) and one to the right (the bar entrance). Typical me went to the wrong entrance first, eventually feeling my way to the correct one.

The design of the formal entrance to the dining area immediately allured me with its exposed bare bricks and hints of an exciting interior decor. Sure enough, once I stepped into the main space, the feeling of excitement increased as I was welcomed into the beautiful space of The Post Office Hotel.

Exposed walls and ceiling beams, spotlight lights over the kitchen and beautiful timber tables and chairs created a really spacious and open atmosphere that was both elegant and casual. The vibe from the venue instantly lifted my mood.

It was time to get munching though and I was careful to peruse the specially designed menu. As tempting as the entrees were, I opted for a main and dessert combination. Who could go passed Braised Victorian lamb shoulder with potatoes, olives and anchovy and an Orange and vanilla brûlée with amaretto biscuits?

Roasted baby beets, shaved cauliflower, mustard cress and pine nuts

Entrees came out first and I instead enjoyed my Stone Dweller Riesling. NR kindly let me sample her entree of Roasted baby beets, shaved cauliflower, mustard cress and pine nuts. The first thing I noticed about this dish was how beautifully aromatic it was. The scent of fresh beetroot mixed with balsamic vinegar mixed with pine nuts was simply delicious. Although the cauliflower was shaved, it actually had quite a strong presence in the overall dish. I thought it was beautifully executed, and NR felt that it was really fresh and well-balanced.

Next out was mains and my braised lamb looked really interesting. They were cut with a cookie cutter into a circular shape and served on a bed of olives mixed with anchovies and potato. As I sliced through the lamb it revealed itself tender, gently pulling away from the main body of meat. It was cooked simply and the combination of the meat with the perfectly cooked potatoes resulted in a homely, hearty meal.

Braised Victorian lamb shoulder with potatoes, olives and anchovy

Braised Victorian lamb shoulder with potatoes, olives and anchovy

Dessert was next was next and when my brûlée came out I couldn’t help but squeal in delight. The amaretto biscuits were simply beautifully crafted – crisp and crunchy, the flavour of amaretto and almond traveled all the way through this little delight.

Orange and vanilla brûlée with amaretto biscuits

My creme brûlée was deep and the top of it was perfectly seared, creating a caramel layer that made a clinking sound when I gently tapped it with a spoon. As I cracked through the layers, everyone at the table gasped in anticipation of first bites. My spoon went through the brûlée like it were made of silk, and it held its form beautifully – not too thick and not too runny. Hints of vanilla bean specked the brûlée, heightening my sense of anticipation. Everyone was holding their breath as I raised my spoon. The gentle yet immersed flavour of orange blossom immediately washed over my palate as shards of toffee gently disintegrated on my tongue. This was delicious and too good not to share. It was rich and creamy, yet the combination of the amaretto biscuits helped to harmonise the dish and protect the brûlée from becoming too much to handle. Everyone at the table enjoyed this dish.

Orange and vanilla brûlée with amaretto biscuits

The Post Office Hotel has a beautifully sophisticated yet down-played interior design. The service from the staff was excellent and the whole environment in general gave way to a relaxed, afternoon dining experience. I really enjoyed my experience here and am actively thinking about when I shall next return.”

Final thought: “Killer orange and vanilla brûlée“

The Post Office Hotel on Urbanspoon

Filed under CBD, Fine Dining, MF&W, Salad, Strictly Not Brunch Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Confessions of a relapsing Addict – a visit to the Pope

February 20, 2013 6 Comments

Opening hours:
Mon – Sun: 7:30am – 4pm

Coffee: Allpress

See our previous review of Pope Joan here.

Mr LB:
“Watching The Matrix many years ago has made me acutely aware of the fact that humans multiply aggressively (and that we can also be used for energy!). I believe the specific term used was ‘cancer’, but figures don’t lie. It was projected in 2010 that our population of 20.7 million will increase to 35.5 million in 2056 and 44.7 million by 2101. These figures are alarming and raise serious issues that will need to be faced now and in the years to come.  However, there is one first world problem that can’t be avoided – babies. And more specifically, babies at cafes. On one end of the spectrum, some believe that there should be total prohibition, while on the other there are people who have embraced and created food blogs dedicating to finding awesome kid-friendly brunch spots.

Personally, I can see when it can be inappropriate such as when a pusher is blocking the only exit from a restaurant. Overall though, I don’t see the issue. If you’re on baby-minding duties, an escape from the baby fortress would be nice. Hell, it would even be nicer if you could consume great coffee and munch on something delicious. There is one place that is not only decked out to cater for babies and little kiddies, but creates an environment where the adult can feel comfortable while assuming the position of coffee in one hand and baby in the other - Pope Joan.

Since our last visit not much has change in terms of decor and setting. The big change is the opening of The Bishop of Ostia, which has a more enclosed and intimate experience, providing a features wall made up of patterned bricks. Not only are you able to have brunch, but now you can also have a cheeky beverage too.

We had arrived late in the afternoon and with a little luck we were seated within tens minutes with an Allpress Long Black [$3.50]. On this occasion my long black had started strong with a nice fruity overtone. While it was enjoyable at the start with soothing coffee aromas, by the end of it the bitterness did come through.

There hasn’t been any radical changes to the set menu from what I could tell, and nothing had really grabbed me. Lucky for us we were situated smack bang in front of the specials board. I have been perfecting my homemade gnocchi recipe lately, and so when I noticed the Potato gnocchi w tomato, basil sugo + fresh ricotta [$17] I couldn’t resist.

Potato gnocchi w tomato, basil sugo + fresh ricotta

The gnocchi itself was perfectly shaped and sized like little pillows -  light and fluffy on the inside but had a fantastic crunchy texture on the surface. The sauce didn’t dominate the dish as it provided the right subtle flavouring of lemon emanating from the zest. Instead of the ricotta being mixed with the gnocchi it was nicely decorated around the plate. When combined with the other elements, it provided greater depth to the meal. The dish didn’t have to try hard to bring multiple flavours together, but the simplicity made it so enjoyable that I didn’t want to put my fork down.

Pope Joan’s ambiance, decor, coffee and excellent standards in delivering various brunch dishes demonstrates that a café can cater for both young ones and their hipster grown-ups. There is no need to sacrifice coffee and food quality, or provide a layout which feels more like a baby minding facility than a café. Pope Joan has yet again hit the mark and no matter the age group, you’re in for a treat.”

Miss SL:
“If there’s one thing in life I never really saw the attraction to, it is androgyny. The theme is prominent in this modern world of ours. It’s in the forefront of the fashion industry, with women who tout long scraggy hair, masculine jaw lines and boy-like frames as pin-ups for our generation. Celebrities like Tilda Swinston (The Chronics of Nadia, We Need to Talk About Kevin) emanate the look, blurring the reality between masculinity and femininity. Mr LB and I recently spent our New Years at Falls Festival and while watching a great nostalgic band known as Beach House and spent a good 15 minutes trying to work out whether the lead singer was male or female. Her (yes, her) voice hit the low notes a little too well.

It appears that androgyny is not a new fad and has been around longer than we can even comprehend. The legend of Pope Joan, a medieval leader, was treated rather harshly for lacking feminine features. Her true gender was only disclosed when she gave birth to her son, Bishop of Ostia, in public on horseback (unmarried too)! That sure puts public scenes like Britney Spear’s meltdown into shame.

It has been two years since we have reviewed Pope Joan (wowsers!), and we thought it time to see how she has matured over time, found her feet, and how she’s changed her look. The first thing we noticed upon arriving is that they now have a small car park dedicated to patrons across the road. Handy! The next thing that we noticed was that The Bishop of Ostia, their trendy bar counter-part was also in full swing with beautiful, large open windows that reached from the floor to the ceiling. Quirky stencil art at the entrance added the final Brunswick East touches.

Upon entering the venue we noticed there was also some goodies for sale for the fans. Head chef Matt Wilkinson certainly wasn’t afraid to spruik his goods, with copies of his cookbook “Favourite Vegetables” on sale in store. As we turned the corner we noticed that the Bishop of Ostia was connected to the interior of Pope Joan and had a cute bar-front serving beverages to their brunchers. Great idea!

There was very little wait time for a seat and we perused the menu soaking in the outdoors atmosphere. Like any good cafe that has appreciation for produce in season and ‘keeping it fresh’, the menu had changed and everything looked delicious. It was the specials board, however, that particularly sparked my interest. Asian drunken chicken salad, roasted sweet potato, spring onion, chilli, leafs + nuts [$18] seemed to be calling me, and so my mind was quickly made up and the waitress took my order before I could it.

While I waited for my meal I couldn’t help but be reminded as to how utterly peaceful Pope Joan was. With the sun shining and groups of people giggling over the weeks events, this place is a little of heaven.

Asian drunken chicken salad, roasted sweet potato, spring onion, chili, leafs + nuts

Asian drunken chicken salad, roasted sweet potato, spring onion, chilli, leafs + nuts

When my food came out I was quickly snapped back into reality. Pope Joan mightn’t have had very feminine features but the dishes she threw together smelt and looked like they were made with the expert hands of a well-trained mother. The wafting scent of my salad was just incredible and the scent of the chicken and potato made my mouth water. The plating of this dish was superb. The sweet potato and crushed peanuts created a vibrant atmosphere against the sophisticated yet muted plate, which acted as a canvas for the dish. The sweet potato was perfectly cooked – easy to cut and tender without falling apart on my fork. It was sweet and had a slightly crisp layer of skin that was lightly marinated in some gentle spices.

Asian drunken chicken salad, roasted sweet potato, spring onion, chili, leafs + nuts

Asian drunken chicken salad, roasted sweet potato, spring onion, chili, leafs + nuts

The drunken chicken was exquisite and maintained a beautifully crispy, salty skin that protected the soft white flesh inside. It was juicy and tender and the crushed nuts just added that perfect peanut flavour to tie in the various green, white and orange elements together. The drunken salad was a dish perfectly inspired and well-executed.

Mother and son have certainly been busy. Like all good leaders, they have taken the bull by its horns and challenged the perceptions of what a cafe can deliver. Pope Joan and The Bishop of Ostia have raised the stakes and, if their competitors aren’t careful, will quickly rule the cafe scene for the Brunswick / Brunswick East territory.”

Final thought: “An excellent ‘unch’ / lunch option”

Pope Joan on Urbanspoon

Filed under Brunswick East, North, Other Brunch Foods, Salad Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , ,

Getting Hooked

December 20, 2012 2 Comments

Location:
172 Chapel Street
Windsor

Opening hours:
Sun – Wed: 11:30am – 9:30pm
Thur – Sat: 11:30am – 10pm

Coffee: N/A

Mr LB:
“Take away night. It’s any parent’s savior in times when there is hungry and progressively ill-behaved children and a fridge consisting solely of mismatched ingredients. With a yell at little Johnny, the parents announce with reluctance they are having fish and chips, while the kids roar with a cheer. Fried food is known to be deliciously tasty but also oily, fatty and heavy. This trade-off can be drawn back to Charles Dickens where he wrote in ‘A Tale of Two Cities‘ “husky chips of potatoes, fried with some reluctant drops of oil”. Reluctance of getting oily, crummy chips is a thing of the past with the healthy, gluten-free options, sustainable fish and all-round awesome flavours provided by Hooked.

It’s fair to say Hooked has been around for a little while. Having established itself six years ago on Chapel Street, it has grown organically to open up a second location in Fitzroy and are even investigating a third option closer to the city.

We arrived in Prahran to an intimate and narrow dining hall. The decor isn’t your typically chippery, as there is subtle touches which remind me of a fishing out at sea. The interior includes off-white, scraped post railings, a close sign which says “gone fishing” and other little knick-nacks. There is a lovely, fixed communal table that is littered with a great selection of reading material. There is also side tables and outside dining options. One thing you want see at Hooked is the delightfully tacky, battery operated talking salmon.

The menu is located on the side board, but if you’re like me and you can’t take in all the options there is a paper menu available on the counter. Chips are a big thing at Hooked and so I ordered a side [$3.95] (snack size) to go with my Hooked Fish Burger – Japanese panko crumbed fish with mixed leafs, cucumber, Spanish onion, sweet chili & dill & caper tatare with salad [$10.50] (Lunch box special).
Let me just start by saying that these chips are worth every cent. Hooked get two tons of potatoes per week and with their persistent process, deliver a magnificent chip. Not only do these chips gives off food envy, but the crunchy texture was just addictively delicious. There are four sauces which you can choose from and we opted for the recently modified tatare sauce with whole egg mayo and fresh parsley and dill which instantly marries together.

Chips and Salad

My fish burger was equally good. I always find that a good burger is defined by its bun. This bun had a soft texture and was not too sweet. The fish itself was lovely and fresh and the batter had good crunch. It was filling and perfect with the fresh side salad.

Hooked Fish Burger – Japanses panko crumbed fish with mixed leafs, cucumber, Spanish onion, sweet chilli & dill & caper tatare

Hooked is my kind of chippery. Health conscious and promotes sustainable operations. Going to the fish and chip store shouldn’t be done with such reluctance at Hooked.”

Miss SL:
“When the good folk down at Hooked invited us to come down for a visit we couldn’t resist. Months ago when my personal trainer had put me on a ‘fresh food’ diet for a whole month, I became totally addicted to Hooked for dinner. Their food is quick, incredibly fresh, and put plainly – just delicious.

On this occasion, we were met by their lovely PR manager, Leila around brunch time on a Saturday. To the eyes of a newcomer, Hooked‘s layout is welcoming and homely, whilst maintaining a pretty trendy ‘at sea’ vibe. A giant octopus is painted on walls to the left and giant mooring ropes ensure that you feel at sea.

Hooked has marketed themselves as being fresh but what makes it a cut above the rest? Leila explained to us that the owner, Ray (or Captain Ray as the menu fondly depicts him as), is keen to ensure only locally sourced produce is used for the fish and, where possible, things are sourced in a sustainable fashion. “Our house fish, blue grenedier, is farmed and 100% sustainable”, Leila explained to us. My inner hippy jumped with joy! Leila explained to us that the vegetables too, are locally sourced from the markets and are used to prepare their delicious sauces.

Sauces from left: Tartare, Sambal, Chilli, Salsa Verde

One of my favourite guilty pleasures in life is well-cooked and seasoned chips, and while I wasn’t allowed any back when I was on a diet, I have definitely tried them here since.. and they’re incredible! Leila explained to us that the chips are made onsite using an old-school 1950′s device which peels and cuts their potatoes into their deliciously thick shape. They are then triple-fried to perfection using a UK-based batter recipe. If there was ever heaven in a chip, it would be here. Another great things about Hooked is their ability to fully cater for those that are gluten intolerant – from buns to batter!

It was time to try out food from the menu, and I opted for one of the new additions to the menu – Smoked salmon & goats cheese roll – Tasmanian smoked salmon, rocket, goat’s cheese, mayonnaise, sliced tomato & Spanish onion on a soft roll [$9.50]. We had also ordered a Hooked Salad – Mixed leaf, tomato, cucumber, Spanish onion, pickled ginger, bean sprouts, & BBQ corn, with a balsamic dressing [$8.95 for full serve] and some heavenly chips with some Dill & Caper Tartare [$0.95]. The staff informed us that the recipe for the tartare sauce was new and boy was it delicious! The dill and the mayonnaise created a heavenly salty combination that was just incredible against my taste buds.

Smoked salmon & goats cheese roll – Tasmanian smoked salmon, rocket, goat’s cheese, mayonnaise, sliced tomato & Spanish onion on a soft roll

The burger was surprisingly dense. The bun itself was light and not too sweet, while the smoked salmon was lightly smoked and thick-cut. The goats cheese and rocket softened the flavours of the salmon and made for a successfully delicious burger.

Hooked is a privately owned establishment which has built a strong reputation based on good quality food, word of mouth and the odd media clip. If you’re up for something more on the unch side of brunch – I couldn’t recommend a healthier, more delicious place than Hooked.

Final thought: “Best fish and chips that suits any diet”

Hooked on Urbanspoon

Filed under Burger, Fish, Other Brunch Foods, Prahran, Salad, South Tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

Listen to your Sister

May 12, 2012 2 Comments

Location:
118 Bridge Street
Port Melbourne
(03) 9646 1117

Opening hours:
Mon – Fri: 7am – 4pm
Sat: 8am – 3pm
Sun: 8am – 2pm

Coffee: Coffee Supreme


Mr LB:
“I have always found sisters to be a little annoying. Whilst I do have the pleasure of having one sister in my life, I can’t help but think ‘how the hell did I live with her’? This has nothing to do with the fact I caused her emotional stress by using her as a target to launch toy cars at. Or the fact I liked to make her life difficult even to do the simplest tasks. It was the ‘sister factor’ which she had over my parents. It is an unbreakable force and had caused much unfair and unjust punishment towards me. Love them or hate them, it’s what your sister says that matter to your parents. A more forgiving sister resides in Port Melbourne which provides calmness and plenty of brunch desserts – My Sister Says.

There isn’t many cafes I would described as cute, however this is an exception. My Sister Says provides a small and intimate brunch experience with a touch of cuteness. The cutlery resides in a terracotta pot while the cool over hanging lamps provides a warm atmosphere. The complete set of the Wallpaper City Guide sits on the shelf finishing the look. It’s this quirkiness which make My Sister Say a cool place to hang out.

A long black [$3.50] was the remedy needed to make me feel more like myself. The coffee head was impressive with a lovely tanned color. My long black had a rich coffee taste and a surprisingly nice crisp taste. The barista did well to provide a crisp coffee which was enjoyable and satisfying.

Breakfast Salad- two soft boiled eggs, asparagus, crispy pancetta, roasted tomatoes, mayonnaise + gomassio

The choices for brunch at My Sister Says may at first seem limiting, but could be easy divided into two categories – “timeless classics” or “shaking things up”. My choice of brunch dishes are purely determined by my hunger level, which is usually at critical hungry stage. However, I decided on this occasion to shake things up and I ordered the Breakfast Salad- two soft boiled eggs, asparagus, crispy pancetta, roasted tomatoes, mayonnaise + gomassio [$14.50].

What was delivered didn’t align with my expectations and disappointment had settled in. I was expecting the soft boiled eggs to have a gooey yolk center – not boiled. I also wasn’t expecting it to be served with a rocket salad with an ordinary glaze. On the positive side, the asparagus was cooked well with a nice soft crunch which went well with the roasted tomatoes and the pancetta. This dish isn’t suited to the guy with the big appetite. The dish also didn’t ‘shake things up’ as I expected it to. It was more or less like a home style dish with no “cafe wow factor”.

A bad dish can’t and shouldn’t deter the brunch-goer in visiting My Sister Says. One must witness the cute/quirky ambiance created and to try the selection of brunch deserts on offer. For a suburb like Port Melbourne which is slowly turning into a ‘mini Goldcoast’, it’s places like My Sister Says that help to maintain the Melbourne identity.”

Miss SL:
“A little while ago we’d ventured down to Balderdash in Port Melbourne and realised that there was a rather popular cafe across the street from it. My Sister Says is one of those notorious cafes that gets a great wrap from bloggers from the internet, but you’d have to look a little further than Melbourne Gastronome to discover it. As we entered the venue it was rather cosey inside – there were breakfast bar seats along the left hand side wall, with very cool floating bookshelves stuffed with cooking and travel guides. As we took our seats within the corner of the venue, I couldn’t help but appreciate the gigantic, artsy pantry behind the counter. There’s something very eclectic about having so many shelves that you have to wonder what was inside them all.

As I looked around, admiring the giant jars of pickles, Mr LB brought me a paper and the waitress took our coffee orders. I was unusually tempted to order the very healthy Mixed bag brekky, yoghurt topped w/homemade granola, fresh seasonal fruit, soft boiled egg + toast soldiers [$13.50], but the devil on my shoulder won out with French toast w/ bake ricotta, toasted macadamia + raspberry mint compote [$13.50].

My soy latte that arrived as the supporting act to my brunch was average. There was a bitter aftertaste and when I confirmed who supplied the bean with Mr LB, it was little wonder. I’m sorry to say, but Coffee Supreme is not my coffee of choice.

When my meal came out I was drooling. The French toast looked just like how my mum taught me to make it – slightly burnt looking, soaked all the way through and golden in colour. Yum! What my mum never taught me was how amazing baked ricotta cheese and berry compote could be.

French toast w/ bake ricotta, toasted macadamia + raspberry mint compote

The ricotta was light, fluffy and served cold… almost as sinful as whipped cream. There was some sort of zest that ran behind the scenes of the ricotta – be it a squeeze of cheeky lemon or just the natural sourness of the ricotta. The berry compote created harmony in the dish with its sweet flavours and sour undertones, adding a new dimension to the flavours of this dish.

Choc hazelnut friand

I was satisfied but the brunch-desserts were beckoning to me from the counter and window display. On recommendation from the waitress, we ordered a choc hazelnut friand [$6.50]. What was interesting about the presentation of this ‘friand’ was that it was cupcake shaped! Confusing for any sweets connoisseur. The icing was made of sweet, sugary caramel and hazelnut. The friand itself was rich without being too much. The mixture was almost brownie-like and it was a wonderfully quirky way to present it.

As we were paying on our way out, we noticed some cookies that were reminiscent of Three Bags Full sitting in the window. Could there be another competitor in the market for ‘the ultimate cookie champion’? I ordered it take away [$4] to try in the afternoon when my belly was craving a snack. The cookie was nice, but unfortunately it was not as delicious as the friand I’d had earlier in the day. It was dry and crumbled a little too much for my liking. The chocolate was nice though – big chunks that melted in your mouth were a great bonus.

Overall, I think My Sister Says is quite underrated. Sure, they’ve got a bit of work to do in the coffee department, but they sure know how to put together one mean French toast. I know where I’ll be coming back to get my sweet fix.”

Final thought: “Great for a sweet tooth- cupcake shaped friands are a must try”

My Sister Says on Urbanspoon

Filed under Brunch dessert, Eggs (Other), French Toast, Port Melbourne, Salad, South Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Follow the Kamel for a Middle Eastern brunch

December 8, 2011 1 Comment

Opening hours:
Mon – Thur: 5pm – late
Fri – Sun: 8:00am – late (breakfast finishes 12:30pm)

Coffee: Genovese

Mr LB:
“Mohammad and that mountain. We have all heard the saying, “if you can’t bring Mohammad to the mountain, then you bring the mountain to Mohammad”. From my limited research and understanding, Mohammad with his followers had fought an ugly battled on Mount Uhud against the Meccan forces. With the story being passed down for generations, the saying has become quite symbolic. One could say that the Melbourne food culture is a Mohammad and mountain story, as the great migrations and proud multi-cultural society has given Melbourne an ample variety of cuisines. There is the well established and affirmed Italian and Greek culture,with an emerging trend toward Mexican and Middle Eastern cuisines. One restaurant at the forefront of Middle Eastern food at Albert park is Kamel and who also do brunch.

Kamel is located in the picturesque suburb of Albert Park, residing amongst cute cafes and shops on Cardigan Place. There is ample seating inside and outside of the restaurant with modern Middle Eastern decor and a lovely red theme. It’s even more beautiful at night where seating out the front is littered with fairy lights around the surrounding trees. Kamel is suited well for both small and large groups, which is a plus for large brunch loving groups.

Camels are known to go the distance with little more than water and a guide to direct them in the correct destination. Today people (or me at least) only need coffee to put them in the right direction of a given task and yes you guessed it, a long black [$3.50] was ordered. The coffee here was done by Genovese which was a let down for me, however, the general feedback from the rest of the group seemed to be positive. My coffee came with an incomplete head, but it was otherwise nice. There was no really flavour to this coffee but once the initial bitterness had settled the coffee became more enjoyable to drink.

The brunch menu at Kamel looked alluring and innovative with inspiring Middle Eastern Flavours. In hindsight I would have ordered the Turkish Breakfast- cold boiled eggs with cumin salt, fresh tomato, cucumber, marinated olives, feta & Turkish Bread [$14]. However, I had made a rookie mistake and played the safe card, opting for Baked eggs in spicy tomatoes, turkish sujuk & roasted capsicum sauce with warm Turkish bread [$16.50].

My first reaction was ‘wow’, there is a lot of sauce. They had been very generous with the quantity, but being so saucy it had diluted the Middle Eastern flavours. The spicy tomatoes and Turkish sujuk could be tasted on the surface, however once I started eating the dish the spices were lost. The fresh Turkish bread was a nice addition to eat with the sauce and the eggs were prepared well. It was an okay meal, but once the egg had been consumed it just felt like I was eating tomato soup.

Baked eggs in spicy tomatoes, turkish sujuk & roasted capsicum sauce with warm Turkish bread

Brunch at Kamel seemed to be a bit of a hit or miss. The coffee was ordinary but the vanilla milkshake was amazing. My brunch dish didn’t quite seem to work, but others where very impress. I’m not writing off Kamel as I believe it would be a fantastic place for dinner. However, their brunch does need improvement.”

Miss SL:
“It was time for another group brunch, this time at Albert Park’s Kamel. Toy, The Doctor, Mr D and others all arrived within a respectable 15 minutes from our original 11am start, snagging a large table in the courtyard behind the restaurant. I’d wanted to come here for a while, stumbling upon this place online and convinced it would interesting with its strange and exotic sounding menu.With options like Ethiopian spiced fruit & yoghurt toast with butter [$6.50] and Tomatoes stuffed with pine nuts, haloumi, olives, herbed crumbs on spinach [$13] it sounded like it would be a real thrill!

As we joked and laughed around the table, a lady came to take our orders. I was in the mood for something healthy and not too heavy, opting for the Kamel Eggs 1# poached eggs with fattoush salad– cherry tomatoes, capsicum, turkish croutons, herbs [$14]. The menu prompts no alterations can be made to any of the ‘Kamel Eggs’ selections, so just be aware if you’re a picky eater! Toy’s partner ordered a milkshake with his meal, and when it came out we were all envious of him. How dare he have something so delicious that the rest of us never thought of!

Kamel Eggs 1# poached eggs with fattoush salad– cherry tomatoes, capsicum, turkish croutons, herbs

Mine was one of the first few meals to come out, and it looked so fresh and vibrant. As all the meals came out bar two, we began to suspect that meals were forgotten by the kitchen. Staff picked this up after about 5 minutes… a docket mix up had occurred and they quickly got around to putting a priority order on the forgotten meals. We found out later that they were kind enough to omit them from the bill.

Now, back to my salad. My eggs were slightly overcooked but still gooey, dripping over my crisp and crunchy salad. The flavours of parsley cut through this dish, refreshing my palate and readying it for the crunchy cucumbers and juicy cherry tomatoes. The croutons were so well cooked that I couldn’t cut them with my knife, nor pick them up with my fork. I delicately handled the golden brown bread as it crackled in my mouth. Yum! If only the others were enjoying their meals as much…

The Doctor (who had ordered the same as Mr LB add hash brown [3.5])spent the majority of her meal, complaining about how disgusting her hash brown was, and I don’t blame her! It looked like a piece of meat on the side of her plate. Both she and Mr LB complained of how soupy the dish was as well.
Toy said her Kamel Eggs 3# poached eggs on smashed avocado toast topped with macadamia dukkah [15.50] was nice, but nothing particularly special.

Kamel Eggs 3# poached eggs on smashed avocado toast topped with macadamia dukkah

Mr D ate his Kamel Eggs 5# hump breakfast – 2 poached eggs, bacon, mushroom, spinach & stuffed tomato [$18] so fast we’re weren’t sure whether or not it came out of the kitchen, if it wasn’t for the below photo evidence!

Kamel Eggs 5# hump breakfast – 2 poached eggs, bacon, mushroom, spinach & stuffed tomato

Mark’s dish actually looked pretty good – Spanish omelette with chorizo, potato, olives, red capsicum, red onion and toast [$15].

Spanish omelette with chorizo, potato, olives, red capsicum, red onion and toast

Toy’s partner ordered the Big blueberry pancake with maple syrup [$12.50] with extra ice cream on the side (no charge). I did manage to have a cheeky taste of it and dear me, it was rich! The pancakes were heavy and buttery and the blueberries were mildly lost within the richness of the dish. While it was delicious, I definitely would not have been able to finish it had it been my order.

Big blueberry pancake with maple syrup

Overall, responses around the table were mixed. I thought my meal was perfect for my mood, while others were dissatisfied with their selection and presentation. We were a little neglected out the back of the cafe, but not as bad as when we were at Orange. Would I come back? Hmm… probably not. Was it worth the visit? I’d like to think so. While I didn’t walk away from the venue thinking it was ‘the next big thing’, Kamel offered an interesting menu that definitely reflected its Middle Eastern heritage.”

Final thought: “If you go, make sure you select a Middle-Eastern brunch. Don’t play it safe.”

Kamel on Urbanspoon

Filed under Albert Park, Baked Eggs, Big Breakfast, Eggs (Other), Hash brown, Salad, South Tagged with , , , , , , ,

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