Address:
Trunk Diner
275 Exhibition Street
Melbourne

Warning: this post is Strictly Not Brunch (SNB) and will create an increased craving for beer

For those who are unaware, Good Beer Week is upon us. What is ‘Good Beer Week‘, we hear you ask? Good Beer Week (GBW) is a festival that started in 2011 celebrating different kinds of beer. The festival has grown too big to be contained in a week, spanning across 9 days and 115 venues. It is no longer restricted to beer tasting but also includes events like beer and food matching classes, beer chocolate making classes and even beer cocktails!

On Saturday Miss SL attended Trunk Diners’ Rhythm & Brews event held on Good Beer Weeks kick-off day for 2013. The event was celebrating the launch of Trunk Diner collaboration with Bridge Road Brewery and Melbourne City Rooftop Honey very own brew.

For more information on Good Beer Week, click here.

The beers were really beautiful. They were brewed with just the right amount of honey and didn’t have too much wheat, making it easy to have multiple rounds.

Trunk was selling $5 spit pig tacos on the night for those who bought tickets to this event. The pig was really beautiful and full of juice. It was tasty with the meat being really dense but easy to chew.

Spit Pig Tacos

Overall, it was a nice night. The beers were delicious and the food was well matched.

Final thought: “Beautifully craft honey beer that’s easy to drink”

Opening Hours:
Tues – Wed: 7am – 4pm
Thurs – Fri: 7am to late
Sat: 8am to late
Sun: 8am – 5pm

Cofffee: Dukes Coffee

Mr LB:
“Hard work will only get you half way. We can go all ‘hammer and tong’ to strive towards our goals but there are other factors which determine success. A bit of luck, the networks we retain and the opportunities we take or don’t take are some factors that come into play. The locals and foodies of Fitzroy who have a trained eye for great cafes will be aware that before Hammer & Tong 412, there was another. The previous establishment was run by interior designers who designed and developed a cafe space that could only be described as magnificent. There was a beautiful aesthetic to the layout, matched with impressive furniture and fixtures. The only problem was that whilst the owners knew how to attract customers with its alluring designs, they had little knowledge on running a cafe.  Push came to shove and regrettable they exited. Then Hammer & Tong 412 appeared. With their extensive kitchen experience they took the reigns of this space and transformed it.

Hammer & Tong 417 is just off the Fitzroy Road and from the outside there’s nothing too exciting about it. It’s the interior that dazzles its patrons. There are wooden panels acting as feature walls, polished and varnished concrete floors that give a subtle shine, pot pans fixed to roof with over hanging vegetation and all this is tied together with well-selected dark furniture.  It’s not overwhelming to the eye, but it is certainly alluring.

When you move to a new home you can’t help but miss the little things. For me, I have regrettably been drinking less Dukes Coffee. I was quite excited to discover that Hammer & Tong 412 were offering a Dukes house blend [$3.50] and Single origin [$4]. I went for the single origin in a long black and it was certainly a sight for sore eyes. The coffee had delectable tan-coloured head that was beautifully presented in blue-grey cups, creating a harmonious colour balance. The coffee had a  fine taste with a flavour combination of nuts and nectar.

It was the start of a great weekend and looking through the weekend brunch menu there were some winning items to be had. The Truffled duck eggs on toast, Parmesan & grilled asparagus [$18] certainly sounded inviting but my mind was set on the Spiced corn fritters, avocado, sour cream, smoked tomato & fried/poached egg [$17].

Spiced corn fritters, avocado, sour cream, smoked tomato & fried/poached egg

The meal was captivating with the fritters shaped into balls and deep-fried instead of the usual panned fried process. Gently laid in the middle was the perfectly poached egg topped with sour cream, atop a bed of smoked tomatoes.

Spiced corn fritters, avocado, sour cream, smoked tomato & fried/poached egg

Each fritter was packed with spices. The flavours appeared to be from an Indian influence as there was hints of turmeric and cumin. Pieces of fresh corn added subtle freshness and, when mixed with the crust of the fried fritters, was simply delectable. The smoked tomatoes were a delicious combination with the fritters, finishing with a lovely smokey taste and vinegar. This was a solid dish and a perfectly highlighted the fact that brunching at Hammer & Tong 412 wasn’t going to result in an experience of the ‘same-same’.

Turkish Delight soda

With every brunch we review or don’t review, it has become habit for both myself and Miss SL to take photos, upload and tweet before a single spoonful has enter our mouth.  As we were eating and discussing how we intended to use our weekend time, we received a tweet from @AgeGoodFoodU30 telling us to try the Turkish Delight Soda [$5]. I didn’t need any more encouragement, so I quickly found a waiter and ordered one. To my surprise this homemade soda really had the flavours of Turkish delight perfectly. The mint and the vanilla pods surfaced to the top adding the right balance of sweetness. It was super refreshing and was the perfect way to end brunch.

It appears the Fitzroy brunch game has significantly improved over the past year with the likes of Little Creatures, Backstreet Eating and Industry Beans. Now, with Hammer and Tong 417 on their corner, this could make Fitzroy the ideal brunch hub.”

Miss SL:
“Work. Dedication. Time. These are the things that make and break other commitments in our life – family, friends, kids. I work in a demanding industry and the joke in my old company was that you were ‘either married to someone within work or divorced’. Yikes! Work can, in fact, bring together magnificent relationships and shared interests. If you’re lucky, joint venture too. This is exactly what happened to experienced chefs Dennis Ferreira and Simon Ward who met at Melbourne’s favourite luxe foodie destination Vue de Monde,  where they both worked as chefs.

Branching out, the pair opened up Hammer and Tong 412 in what was previously The Brix. Stripping back and adding to, the interior decor was tweaked and prepped for action. What a beautiful job they had done!

When we entered the venue I was automatically relaxed. I peered down the hallway, glimpsing some tropical woodwork and hanging vines that added a very nature-like feel to the environment. 

The menu at Hammer and Tong 412 caters for both the faint at heart and those feeling creative. Dishes such as Coconut black rice pudding w mango [$12] and Berries w rhubarb jelly & whipped yoghurt [$12] were on the menu for choosing. On this particular occasion, I was feeling a little extravagant.

I put in an order for the Truffled duck egg on toast, parmesan & grilled asparagus [$18] and a double espresso [$3.50]. My coffee was full bodied and fruity – beautifully crafted and  not a single bit burnt. 

Our meals were taking a while to come out, but it was then that it struck me – there were shakes – delicious shakes – on the menu! I couldn’t help myself and immediately order a Golden Gaytime Milkshake [$6]. Our friend Carly was also with us on this occasion and she ordered a Tolerable Milkshake [$6]. My milkshake was a bit thinner than what I was expecting, however, the crushed honeycomb really gave that Gaytime flavour. Yum! I had a sip of Carly’s Toblerone and it was substantially thicker and creamier than mine.

Top: Golden Gaytime milkshake, Bottom: Toblerone milkshake

Our meals came out and I had a cheeky taste of Mr LBs fritters – they were too good to miss! They were delicious and moist with flavours such as turmeric and fennel really shining through in perfect harmony.

Truffled duck egg on toast, Parmesan & grilled asparagus

My dish was served with a really beautiful, creamy sauce. It was mayonnaise-like in flavor and went beautifully with the brioche bread. The duck egg was magazine perfect. The egg yolk just oozed out, soaking into the brioche and salty Parmesan. The asparagus was cooked simply and was super juicy. The brioche bread was a nice twist to this dish and created a beautiful, balance with its sweet texture. It was almost like having a beautiful, buttery croissant. The Parmesan gratings were generous and added a lovely oak flavour throughout the dish.

Truffled duck egg on toast, Parmesan & grilled asparagus

So, what happens when you combine all these contradictory flavours altogether in one mouthful? You get an initial striking flavour of saltiness that is followed up with the creamy egg yolk and mayonnaise that is then washed clean by the buttery flavours of brioche. Heavenly.

Overall I felt that Hammer and Tong 412 was inspirational and exciting. The decor was exciting. The menu was exciting. The sodas were exciting for goodness sake. My experience at Hammer and Tong 412 was better than I was anticipating and they delivered above and beyond. Would I recommend this cafe for your weekend brunching? You bet!”

Final Though: “Exceptional execution – will not disappoint”

Opening hours:
Mon – Thu: 7am – 5pm
Fri: 7am – 8pm
Sat – Sun: 8.30am – 4pm

The city. It’s the central hub to any state or country, bearing the torch to its smaller townships of what progress and success looks like. It has the best shops, the best coffee and the best food. Right? Well, not so much in Melbourne. In Melbourne, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Yes, the city touts some pretty good coffee from the likes of Patricia Coffee Brewers, Brother Buba Budan and The Drystore however the inner city suburbs have a wealth more claim to fame – and that includes the brunch department, too. It was for this reason we welcomed with open arms the invitation to attend the opening night of recently open cafe / restaurant Grain Store, located on the corner of Flinders Lane and King Street.

The venue is incredibly homely, with the counter front resembling a home-kitchen fit out with the pantry stocked with purchasable goods. The atmosphere is light, intimate yet casual, meaning the venue transforms wonderfully as a Friday night hot spot for after work drinks.

The Grain Store source their fruit and vegetables locally – within the Victorian region if possible. They pay special attention to what’s in season and adjust their menu accordingly. They take it to the next level by also ensuring that the beverages that they sell are also regionally produced.

We thought for this blog we’d let the food pictures do the talking  as we have every intention to drop by and do a proper review on the breakfast scene here.

We also had the privilege of attending a masterclass here with German head chef and co-owner Inglo Meissner, who showed us how to make steak tata – a recipe we plan to share with you!

Steak tata

Ingredients:

• Finally cut beef strips (aim for high quality)
• Light mayonnaise (preferable whole egg)
• White vinegar
• Worcestershire sauce
• Dijon Mustard
• Parsley (finely chopped)
• Capers (chopped)
• French Shallots (finely chopped)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and Peper for seasoning
• Brioche crust base

Method:

• There are no specific measurements to this recipe as Inglo demonstrated that the flavours are to be adjusted according to taste. For instance, if you are after something saltier tasting then add more capers. If you want a defining mustard texture, then the portion of Dijon mustard should increase.
• With a very sharp and clean knife slice the meat into thin strips. If you are not comfortable with this process the alternative is to use high quality minced meat.
• Combine all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and combine gently. The mixture should have a moist consistency. If not, add more white vinegar and/or extra virgin olive oil.
• Once the mixture is of the right consistency, it’s time to plate up. Place the brioche crust base on a serving plate and with a teaspoon carefully atop each base with a consistent serving of steak tata.

This recipe is a fantastic way to test your flavour senses and determine what you like and dislike. 

Final Thought: “A beacon of light for the bottom end of Flinders Lane”

Address:
Intercontinental Melbourne The Rialto
Market Lane Bar
459 Collins St
Melbourne 3000

Opening Hours:
Sun – Sat: 2pm – 5pm

Coffee: Espresso di Manfredi’s

Warning: This is not your typical brunch review. High tea with indulgent food was consumed in the making of this blog.

“It’s quickly coming that time of the year where we celebrate mums being mums. A significant person to all and in many ways instrumental to how we are shaped as people. Mums have certainly traveled the emotional roller coaster of their children, celebrating the good times and supporting us through the bad. Not only do they have to tackle managing children head on, but also maintain their career, be a cool mum, dodge the increasing amount of social pressures from the little thing call the internet (just Google “mum”), exercise and be a loving wife. We just get tired thinking about it. High Teas are a nice treat for mum, but have you ever considered a High Coffee? It’s a concept very similar to High Tea, offering three tiers of house made savouries and sweets but instead of indulging in different types of teas you substitute it with different ways to drink coffee, including infused cocktails, traditional espresso recipes and grappa-infused espresso. For any coffee loving person it’s an experience worth trying and is now offered at the InterContinental - Melbourne on the Rialto [$55 per person]. More information about the InterContinental Melbourne An Afternoon of High Coffee can be found here.

We arrived on a Saturday at the InterContinental -Melbourne on Rialto. The Market Lane Bar (no association with Market Lane Coffee) was located to the left of the entrance and immediately oozed decadence in an a very masculine, cigar-bar kind of way. You could just imagine characters from Mad Men standing near the bar, whiskey in hand, discussing politics and women. The interesting contrast to the interior decor of chandeliers and wide, brown leather chairs were the simple yet elegant arrangement of high coffee arrangements on the tables designed for two, four or six.

It was time to start working our way through the menu though, which consisted of:

• Espresso Martini
• Cafe Freddo (Iced coffee)
• Mini Scones
• Finger sandwiches
• Warm afternoon savouries
• Palate cleanser (raspberry sorbet)
• Selection of sweets

So the big question is.. what did we think?

Espresso Martini

Espresso Martini
Mr LB: “It was certainly cheeky starting off with an espresso martini, but I wasn’t one to complain. This espresso martini was simply fantastic. It was exceptionally crisp with the crushed ice and carried strong coffee flavours. The coffee and the vodka where both easily identifiable and pleasantly inviting. I was also impressed with the foam surface which retained its texture throughout. It was the perfect starter to get settled in as we chatted away preparing ourselves for the next components.”

Miss SL: “What a way to start the session! My espresso martini was perfectly chilled, crisp and powerful. Two in the afternoon? Why hold back?! There was an immediate hit of caffeine that wasn’t too sharp, followed by the sweet concoction of alcohol and ended with a bit of bite. It was a decadent way to start the session, allowing us to relax into our High Coffee session.”

Fruit and Plain Scones with double cream and home-made strawberry jam

Scones – Fruit and Plain Scones with double cream and our home-made strawberry jam
Mr LB: “There is no High Tea or High Coffee without scones. The scone size was surprisingly small to what I expected, but had the right density. I preferred the fruit scone as it was the lighter of the two, but it was the condiments that shone through. It’s always a balancing act to get the flavours right with cream and jam on a scone.  The double cream was perfect to smear over the scone, providing a lovely, creamy texture. The strawberry jam had the right level of natural sweetness that capped off a well baked scone. My only criticism would be that the scones were a little cold, which was probably our fault as we didn’t start eating them as soon as they came out.”

Miss SL: “When we opened up the cloth revealing the scones I was surprised to see that the scones were bite size. The problem with mini scones is the cooking time – it needs to be just right to avoid being overcooked. Unfortunately they were a little dry, however the good thing was that the rich, thick cream and sweet strawberry jam hid the dryness of the scone itself. I really enjoyed my fruit scone which was laced with subtle spices and it was more moist as a result of the added sultanas.”

From left: Wagyu beef, cucumber relish and watercress panini, Roasted Chicken and avocado with bush tomato relish roll and Smoked salmon on rye with mascarpone and lemon myrtle

Afternoon Sandwiches

• Wagyu beef, cucumber relish and watercress panini
• Roasted Chicken and avocado with bush tomato relish roll
• Smoked salmon on rye with mascarpone and lemon myrtle

Mr LB: “The sandwiches tier certainly pushed the boundaries from the traditional norm, providing non-traditional ‘sandwiches’. My favourite of the three was the Wagyu beef. Carly and I noted that it instantly reminded us of flavours of our favourite Vietnamese rolls. The cucumber relish and watercress was outstandingly fresh and at the time tasted like coriander. The roasted chicken was the most subtle of the three. Whilst the chicken was cooked well and was moist in flavour, I felt it needed some herbs to really shine through. The smoked salmon was full of fresh flavours that married well with the mascarpone bringing out the flavours of the soft bread.”

Miss SL: “I started my tasting plate in the opposite direction to Mr LB, starting with the salmon mini bagels. The bagel was dense and the salmon was nice. The mascarpone was very gentle with the lemon myrtle very subtle. Next up I had the my mini chicken sandwich which was immediately refreshing to my palate. The avocado cleansed all flavours, allowing for the flavours  of the chicken to follow through. Delicious! Finally I had the Wagyu beef rolls. I didn’t get the sense of a Vietnamese roll, but I did enjoy the freshness of the cucumber combined with the beef.”

Homemade beef and burgundy pie, Prosciutto and green asparagus quiches, feta and olice mini muffins

Warm Afternoon Savouries

• Homemade beef and burgundy pie
• Prosciutto and green asparagus quiches
• Feta and olive mini muffins
• Served with Cafe Freddo (ice coffee)

Mr LB: “With the completion of the sandwiches we were provided with the tier of warm bite-sized afternoon savouries. The pastry of the beef and burgundy pie was nice and fluffy with a warm beef filling that tasted like sweet paprika. Whatever this mystery flavour was it was good! The prosciutto and green asparagus quiche was equally as good with its shortcrust base, but it was the feta and olive mini-muffin that got my attention. It was perfect as it was light and fluffy with subtle flavours that would hit your palate at varying times, whether it was the saltiness of the olive, the soft feta cheese or the parsley.  With this tier we were also severed with a cafe freddo (ice coffee) in a double-walled glass. The small crushed ice combined had a good coffee hit. With the creamy foam it was the perfect way to finish the tier. In my opinion this was the best and most exciting tier.”

Cafe Freddo

Miss SL: ”I started off with a mini pie and I was impressed. For such a small item it was packed with flavour that was sweat and meaty with vegetables and beef. The quiche was salty and I found the pastry quite savoury, balancing the flavours. Next I had the mini muffins. My god! This was amazing and by far my favourite item in the entire high coffee experience! The muffin itself appeared to be the colour of corn-bread with a similar texture. It could have been pumpkin though – I wasn’t too sure. I’m addicted to olives and so this little delight played right to my favourites. The combination of olives, parsley and feta were a heavenly combination. Overall, this was my favourite tier during the high coffee. Our cafe freddo came out at the same time as this tier and it was exquisite. The cup that it was served in was light as air, reflecting the nature of this drink. It was light and frothy, with a smooth, creamy texture. It was a really refreshing intermission during this heavy course.”

Seasonal Sorbet (Raspberry)

Palate Cleanser – Seasonal Sorbet

Mr LB: ”The raspberry sorbet was nice with a hint of raspberry and did its job as the palate cleanser for the sweets.”

Miss SL: ”The sorbet was really beautiful. The raspberry flavours were powerful and you could tell that it was made fresh as the seeds were still present in the mixture. I found that this did the perfect job to cleanse my palate in preparation for the final tier – sweets.”

Sweets

• Vanilla and raspberry panna-cotta – The Mocha
• Couveture Chocolate and macadamia nut slice with Chantilly cream – The Espresso
• Pistachio macaroon – The Macchiato
• Mini pavlova with seasonal fruits – The Flat White

Mr LB: “I wasn’t that wowed by the sweet offerings but on a whole it presented well. The vanilla and raspberry panna-cotta wasn’t to my liking. It was a little runny and at times became flavourless. The pistachio macaron was baked well with the outer shell acting like an egg-shell crust, whilst the inner biscuit was soft.  The ganache had a slight pistachio flavour. The brownie was a rich and dense in flavour and by the end found it a little too much. The mini pavlova was well constructed and I thought it was the strongest out of plate. The combination of the soft meringue with the light flavored cream and passion fruit pulp was simple and delightful. This tier was well constructed but in terms of flavour it struggle to impress me.“

Miss SL: “It was time for sweets and I was already full. However, for the benefits of you all, I pushed through. I started off with what I thought was a berry yoghurt but was in fact a panna cotta with a raspberry sauce. The panna cotta had hints of vanilla bean mixed through but it actually wasn’t what I had oped. The sauce was nice but actually tasted more like blackberries rather than raspberries. Next I had the mini pavlova. This was my favourite item on the plate. the meringue was light, fluffy and topped with the perfect dollop of cream and fresh fruit. The passion fruit pulp added additional flavours to the meringue. Next I had the chocolate brownie. It was rich but a little dry. Due to its density I couldn’t finish it all. I ended my sweets with a pistachio macaron, which I think was the right move. The biscuits were perfectly executed – a light crunch on the outside and chewy on the inside. I felt that the flavours of the pistachio were quite strong but not overpowering. It was really beautiful and the way a macaron should be.”

Final Thought: “A unique spin on a High Tea, this High Coffee delivers well-matched beverages throughout the experience”

We also had a sneak peek at one of the hotel suites at the InterContinental and we must say they sure look invitingly cosy and romantic. The basic suites have two option available, one with a balcony that allows you to take in the grand brick structure of the InterContinental [$325 p/night] or without [~$300 p/night]. Either way, the suite is spacious enough to be relaxing without feeling like you’re in a box. There is a well designed desk for those last-minute work touch-ups.

If the aim of the High Coffee is to woo and be romantic, so for staying guests, there is the option of indulging in this experience in your suite.

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“

Opening hours:
Mon: 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Tue: closed
Wed – Thur: 6pm – 10pm
Fri: 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 11pm
Sat: 10am – 3pm, 6pm – 11pm
Sun: 10am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm

Coffee: Clark St Roasters

Mr LB:

“Why go out for a hamburger when you have steak at home?” Mr Paul Newman

“Do you remember when the hamburger was seen as trash food? It was once considered an inferior food, synonymous with obesity. Even the late Hollywood actor Mr Paul Newman, when questioned about his infidelity, compared cheating to eating a hamburger. Ouch! Moving to the present, the once-trashed hamburger is now the food of the month and we are always excited to taste the new and improved versions out on the street. Our itch for a burger saw us back in Collingwood to taste what the good people at Rockwell and Sons had offered.

We arrived on Smith Street for an early dinner. As we approached, I had the awkward feeling of previously passing Rockwell and Sons on a number of occasions with little acknowledgment. My loss! The decor is played down with raw brick walls combined with soft, tanned wooden fixtures. A design feature that I was impressed with was the large, opened front windows with benches looking out onto the street so that patrons may enjoy the cool breeze and unique Collingwood vibe.

Two Birds – Golden Pale

I love nothing more than to consume beer then on a cracker of a balmy night and on this occasion the conditions where just right. Rockwell and Sons has a fantastic and unique selection of boutique beers on offer, providing the perfect opportunity to step away from old favourites to try something new. I went for the Two Birds Golden Ale [$8], brewed in Moolap, Victoria. There was a lovely cold crisp taste to this beer that certainly made it easy to drink and enjoy. At times though it was a little heavy, but it was the perfect beer to complement the food.

Rockwell and Sons are not just known for their delicious burgers, but they dish out some impressive sides as well. With Miss SL already having visited the week before, I was strongly advised to have sides with our burgers. Looking at the sides and share menu options, it was a difficult choice as reading each dish conjured up some serious food gluttony. Considerations and opinions were shared, resulting in three sides ordered:

• Chilli Roasted Pumpkin Seeds [$4];
• Hickory Smoked Onion Rings, Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce [$7]; and
• Pan-roasted Broccoli, Bonito Aioli, Pickled Sultanas [$9].

Chilli Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

If for any reason you find yourself at Rockwell & Sons, even just for beers, the Chilli Roasted Pumpkin Seeds must be ordered. This side is truly awesome! The pumpkin seeds were roasted to perfection leaving a delightful crunch with every mouthful. The combination of the chili seasoning and sea salt was of the right consistency leaving a perfect chili hit that could be doused with beer. This side was the perfect starter to our meal.

The onion rings were battered well and provided a very crunchy texture on the outer surface. The onion itself had not been compromised, leaving a soft sauté flavour. The pepper dipping sauce was a good addition adding further flavour and enjoyment.

Pan-roasted Broccoli, Bonite Aioli, Pickled Sultanas

The pan roasted broccoli was my favourite side dish, being so simple but just full of amazing flavour. The broccoli was cook to perfection with no rawness texture, rather being light and fluffy without its shape lost. Being lightly pan fried provided a delightful subtle crunch on the surface. The aioli was plated in a dobbed like shape and completed the broccoli giving a lovely creamy texture. Complement this with the pickled sultanas creates one hell of a side dish to go with any burger.

Pulled Poon Boon Lamb Sandwich w/ Harrissa Slaw, Smoked Eggplant

Instead of going for the typical burger, I elected for an adventure – Pulled Poon Boon Lamb Sandwich w/ Harrissa Slaw, Smoked Eggplant [$12]. While it looked and tasted like a high-end roll, there was something missing. The lamb was marinated well to highlight the nature flavours and was not dry. It had a subtle taste that was dominated by the Harrissa slaw. While there is no doubt the combination worked well, it did at time taste a little flavorless. I also wasn’t able to taste the smoked eggplant. Overall the roll was enjoyable and satisfying, but having tasted some amazing sides my roll wasn’t in the same ball park.

With hamburgers being given a well needed resuscitation, Rockwell & Sons has certainly put fuel on the fire. If you’re after a new kind of burger experience, then Rockwell & Sons should be on your burger radar.”

Miss SL:
“These days, dining out is an ordeal. Battle through traffic only to arrive at your destination fifteen minutes late. Get put on a wait list because the restaurant doesn’t take bookings. Finally get a table, but have to wait 45 minutes for food to come out. Before you even know it, you’ve spent two or three hours having brunch/lunch/dinner out.

Enter Rockwell and Sons, a burger establishment that dishes up some high-quality food – fast. As it should too. Created by Casey Wall (Cutler & Co, NYC’s Spotted Pig and Le Cirque) and Manu Potoi (Stokehouse, Attica), Rockwell and Sons is a great experience from the get-go. As soon as Mr LB and I entered, we were seated. Shortly after that, we ordered our drinks – for me, a Peach and Cardamom soda [$5]. We also ordered our food – Chilli Roasted Pumpkin Seeds [$4], Hickory Smoked Onion Rings, Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce [$7], Pan-roasted Broccoli, Bonito Aioli, Pickled Sultanas [$9] and their signature dish, the Double patty smash burger [$10]. Within 5 minutes of arrival we were seated and had our orders taken. Now that’s service.

My soda was delivered within a matter of minutes and I was sipping away happily as Mr LB and I caught up on current events. I actually really dislike peach-flavoured things, and so I was surprised that this was just so good. It was zingy and instantly refreshing. The fizziness of the soda was immediate and once the bubbles settled, the flavours of peach and cardamom gently settled on my palate.

Peach and cardamom soda

The chili roasted pumpkins seeds out came out of the kitchen first and I was excited – I’d been to Rockwell and Sons the week before and was totally blown away by this simple yet extremely delicious entrée. Served warm, these little beauties were salty with a definite kick of chili. The heat was addictive and the seeds were deliciously crunchy.

Pan-roasted Broccoli, Bonite Aioli, Pickled Sultanas

Next was the brocollini and it was surprisingly a mouthful of flavour. Crispy and succulent, the brocollini was perfectly accompanied by the sweet sultanas and creamy mayonnaise.

Hickory Smoked Onion Rings, Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce

My burger was served with the onion rings to accompany it and I was one happy lassie. The onion rings were super crispy and the batter was really dense and delicious. The onion inside was juicy and packed with flavour. Quite possibly the best onion rings I’ve ever had!

The big moment was finally here and I was about to tuck into my smash burger – the burger that rivals and exceeds the much-hyped Huxtaburger. The first thing I noticed as I bit into the bun was the density – it wasn’t as light as Huxtaburgers and the bun was a little sweet. The meat was deliciously soft and tender, crumbling in my mouth and melting away into my taste buds.

Double patty smash burger

The cheese used to make this little baby was none other household favourite Kraft. I love that these guys were straight up with their produce! The Kraft cheese was deliciously salty and, when combined with the sauce, had a really addictive flavour. It conjured up similar responses to a MacDonalds cheeseburger. Yum!

When I initially visited Rockwell and Sons I was blown away by the quality of the food produced out of the kitchen. What really pleased me was that when I returned a short while later, I experienced consistently high quality service and food. It’s very rare that when you arrive at a trendy Melbourne food establishment that you can still enjoy the experience of a meal without the high-wait times. Top marks for Rockwell and Sons.”

Final thought: “Best chili roasted pumpkin seeds in town – matched with great burgers”

Opening hours: 
Sun – Fri: 12pm -3pm, 6pm – late
Sat: 6pm – late

A Melbourne Food & Wine Special Event

Mr LB:
“Being French must be hard. There are so many stereotypes to contend with about being arrogant, hating Americans and everyone walking around with baguettes under their arm. Whilst these assumptions might seem unbearable for any French person, I have been lucky enough to visit Paris and can say that these myths are rarely the case. If anything, the people that encourage such stereotypes are extremely jealous of the French living – and why wouldn’t you be?  Living in a picturesque landscape of either the city or countryside, beautiful people no matter which way you’re looking and having a style of cooking that is not only alluring and sophisticated is enviable by any means. My French food experience is limited to say the least, although it’s something I have long wanted to experience. When Miss SL mentioned that PM24 was offering an Express Lunch as part of the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, I had no objections.

The interior to PM24 is designed in an ‘L’ shape with modern decor that has sophisticated touches without being pretentious. There are a lot of clean white walls that are used around the dining room to give a feeling of grandeur. The staff were attentive as I arrived. The waiters were equally attentive with a strong understanding of what the menu had to offer and the appropriate wines to match. Best of all, we were luckily enough to be sitting near the “plating up station” – which for any true foodie is the perfect spot to dine.

Country Terrine – Onion Jam, toasted sour dough, salad

Being a Thursday lunch there was this little thing called work which, like a demanding infant, required my attention. With this in mind, dessert was immediately struck off as a possible dining option and I instead decided on going for the entree and main only. I wanted something traditionally French to start this experience off and went for the Country Terrine, Onion jam, toasted sour dough, salad. The terrine was certainly the center piece to this dish, which had a nice meaty flavour and didn’t have an overbearing offal taste. The onion jam was perfect with the terrine with its sweet taste elevating the flavours of the meat. The salad was also a good addition as it allowed the diner to play around with the flavours and consistency. It was the perfect entree to start off this French adventure.

Pan Seared Salmon Fillet, crushed potato, wood sorrel, lobster vinaigrette

As for the main selection, the Pan Seared Salmon Fillet, crushed potato, wood sorrel, lobster vinaigrette was, in my opinion, the better option. The salmon was perfectly cooked with no dry parts and the skin crackled to perfection. The bed of potatoes was a nice chaser and helped with mopping up the vinaigrette which highlighted the seafood flavours. What puzzled me was that, while all key components of the dish couldn’t be faulted, I found myself not being wooed. In my opinion this dish did take a conservative back step with leaving the flavours as original and pure as possible. Simplistic food can still be amazing, but on this occasion it wasn’t the case.

Overall, I did enjoy the PM 24 experience. It was causal, relax but also retained a special ambiance that can be found in many higher end restaurants. PM 24 wouldn’t be my first choice for a high dining experience, but if your wanting a true, pure flavours, then PM 24 should be considered.”

Miss SL:
“Late last year I took a trip to Europe. I’d landed in Paris and it left an immediate impression on my soul. The grandeur! The excitement! The shopping! The food! My goodness.. the food… Just thinking about it makes me hungry. The French cuisine that I experienced there was simplistic, highlighting the natural qualities of the food of choice. Escargo in a pesto-like sauce, deep fried frogs legs, mussels cooked in tomato – all made very simply and gracefully.

When the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival came around for 2013, I was keen to dine in a few more of Melbourne’s top restaurants. When I noticed PM24 offering an Express Lunch, I booked myself, Mr LB and my friend KP immediately.

Philippe Mouchel is the culinary mastermind behind PM24, aptly named so after its creator and its location on 24 Russell Street in the CBD. Philippe was born in Normandy, working in France and eventually ending up in the kitchens of Michelin star restaurants. So, how does my experience in France tee up to my French-cuisine-in-Australia experience? I was about to find out!

Upon arrival, the maitre de approached us at the door and immediately seated us at a table with a perfect view of the kitchen. The elegant design of PM24‘s interior is almost surreal with the dark colours of the kitchen creating a stark contrast against the white walls of the restaurant.

For the Express Lunch we had a choice of either entree, main and dessert with wine for $55 or two out of three for $40. We were all under the pump at work and so opted for a two out of three option. After looking through the menu I’d decided on ordering the Ora King Salmon Glavlax – Cucumber remoulade, savoury vinaigrette for entree and the Rotisserie Sirloin – Shallot beef jus, potato gratin along with the house white.

My entree came out and I was initially a little underwhelmed with what I saw. When I sliced my delicate pieces of salmon and put it in my mouth, my palate was cleansed by the beautiful freshness of the salmon and the slight taste of lemon from the lemon thyme. The remoulade hid beneath the layers of salmon and provided a lovely creamy sensation. The mini piklet-like item served with this dish was delightful, and crisp.

King Salmon Glavlax – Cucumber remoulade, savoury vinaigrette

I had a taste of KPs entree of the Country Terrine – Onion jam, toasted sourdough, salad and I had to say it was really delicious, however the terrine had a very prominent liver aftertaste. The onion jam was beautiful and I was a little jealous of her entree.

The service was exceptional and the staff were perfectly attentive. As one meal ended, there was a long enough break before mains were served. My sirloin steak was medium-cooked and presented in a very appetising manner. They just kept the meat juicy and succulent, maintaining it as the focus of the dish. The potato gratin was beautiful. It was crispy on the top and cooked perfectly throughout. The peas were succulent and simply prepared.

Rotisserie Sirloin – Shallot beef jus, potato gratin

KP had offered me some of her Pan Seared Salmon Fillet – Crushed potato, wood sorrel, lobster vinaigrette and it was delicious, however a little bland for my taste buds. The salmon steak used was of beautiful quality and KP noted that while it was nice, she wouldn’t be very happy spending the $37.50 that it probably would have cost if it weren’t for this deal.

The beauty of French cooking is that it is not loud like Asian flavours. The products are there to be enjoyed as they deserve to be and the end result is a graceful, eloquent meal. To this extent, I felt that PM24 did a great job. Did the meal transport me back to France? Was I so wowed that I felt the need to come back here immediately with friends? Perhaps not. Did I enjoy the meal, the service and the venue? Yes. I was very satisfied with my Express Lunch at PM24 and very happy to tick it off my to-eat list.”

Final thought: “Celebrates the natural flavours of the produce used”

Opening hours:
Mon – Fri : 7.30am- 4.00pm
Sat – Sun: 8.00am – 5.00pm

Coffee: Proud Mary, single origin

Mr LB:
“City planning is the linchpin in making a city attractive, livable and creating that spark for a love affair. For any dreamy city like London, Paris or New York, the city plan must have the right vision to be relevant for today and tomorrow. Unlike some major European cities that remain in a time capsule and Asian cities that build their skyline with little consideration of its effects, Melbourne is progressing nicely. Sure, there is the undisputed fact that the city boundary lines continue to expand ever so quietly, but overall Melbourne is progressing nicely. Unique spaces such as old port sheds, warehouses and landmarks are being transformed into something unique whilst retaining its history, maintaining the progressive nature of our fair city. Lux Foundry is one such example, taking a decommissioned warehouse and transforming it into a cafe with the history still written on the walls.

Arriving at Lux Foundry, I was taken away by the external breath of the building. It stands very tall and proud around its industrial neighbourhood, with the original building name fading into the brick work. Surrounding the entrance is the necessary ‘cafe’ touches of outdoor settings and garden patches that rub away some of its industrial look, creating an attractive space. The same can be said about the interior, with the paint on the brick wall stripped back and decorated with war inspired decor of cabinets and vintage prints. At the same time there is a modern feel with carefully placed lighting and modern artwork that blends perfectly, creating a genuine old vs new ambiance.

While Miss SL was enthusiastically going around and taking happy snaps, I got myself settled in and ordered our coffees. As I tussled over what was the most appropriate meal before heading to work, my Single Origin long black [$3.80] arrived and it was pure gold. There was a nice clean, smooth taste with the typical and most welcome fruity flavours shining through. Miss SL’s short black provided the full impact of the fruity flavour, whereas my long black had a smooth balance which I enjoyed. Floral and nectar aromas swam through the coffee flavours. No matter the size of the portion, both coffees were of an excellent standard.

Being a lover of brunch, food selection at Lux Foundry was quite difficult – there were too many good options to choose from! While humans are notoriously known for making terrible decisions when presented with too many options, my gut was telling me to go for the Coconut crusted French toast with espresso mascarpone, berry compote, torrone + Canadian maple [$16.9]. While a sugar rush just before work could result in a disaster, I just couldn’t go pass trying the coconut-French toast.
The dish itself was well presented with all of the components neatly organised. The coconut and French toast was a hit on its own as the coconut flakes balanced the sweet egg-sugar batter. The bread was well-soaked, provide that desirable sweet crunch.

Coconut crusted French toast with espresso mascarpone, berry compote, torrone + Canadian maple

The sides were also a success by their own merit. Anything with an espresso flavour is an eye opener to a coffee lover like me and this mascarpone didn’t let the team down. It had been whipped, providing an espresso hit with perfect intensity. The mascarpone complemented the toast as it added an additional layer that maintained the overall experience of the dish. The berry compote, too, was rich in flavour heightening the sweet taste. I really love the innovation Lux Foundry brought to this dish. My only criticism (which is personal preference only) was that I found that having the mascarpone and berry compote combination a little overbearing at times. One element would have been perfect with the maple.

I really enjoyed Lux Foundry, as this cafe had a really fresh approach to brunch. Whilst they supplied the usual menu items they also had other dishes that really pushed the boundaries. To dine in a cool, casual place that is full of history is something not only perfectly Melbourne, but also very unique. Lux Foundry has certainly crept into my favourite brunch places and I would recommend you give them a real good go.”

Miss SL:
“Gossip. It’s strange isn’t it? The he-says-she-says conspiracy that stems from suspicion or dislike and spirals out of control in the blink of an eye. It affects all of us no matter what life you lead, be it in your little social circle or the vicious world of large corporations. Like anything in this world, however, gossip can be wielded and manipulated into serving a positive purpose. For a lot of cafes and restaurants gossip is the main revenue generator, causing droves of on-trend Melbournians to their door. In the case of our latest find, gossip had reached the ears of my trendy co-worker from Sydney, Alison, who recommended we try Lux Foundry.

Mr LB and I decided to visit on our way to work one day, and elected to bike ride as it was reasonably close to my new apartment. The first thing you notice is how large the space is from the outside. The building is quite majestic with its red-bricks and wide space. The courtyard almost has a commercial feel about it, but as soon as you enter this building you’re immediately transported into a much more intimate and relaxed atmosphere. The walls are artfully dilapidated and are made clean by extremely elegant over-sized light bulbs overhanging the front counter.

We sat down and had our coffee orders taken almost immediately, ordering the usual suspects. One thing that really drew me to come here was the menu. With items like Breakfast quesadilla with spiced frijoles, eggmont cheese, nopal cactus, chilli + tomatillo salsa verde [$13.50] and Prawn, zucchini + chorizo scrambled eggs with pea + mint puree on sourdough toast [$15] it’s hard to resist wanting to come back and try out the entire menu.

When my double espresso [$3.50] came out I couldn’t help but enjoy the full-bodied flavour of my coffee. It had a beautiful floral and fruity tone to it, emanating a peach flavour. It was the best coffee I’d had in a while and it was funny how Mr LB had picked it as a Proud Mary blend straight away!

For mains I decided to go for something different, opting for the Crispy poached eggs with chilli caramel jam + coriander with sourdough toast [$13.50]. I was envisioning son-in-law eggs when I ordered this dish and got something quite similar! The eggs were crumbed with what seemed like panko crumbs and were perfectly golden on the outside. My anticipation was building!

Crispy poached eggs with chilli caramel jam + coriander with sourdough toast

As my knife pierced the top of the eggs, a definite snapping sound could be heard as the skin tore and the yolk oozed out the centre of these perfectly round pieces of heaven. The sourdough was cooked perfectly and as I chewed these two elements together there was the definite crunching of the perfectly cooked crumbing. The chilli jam was a lot sweeter than I anticipated but seemed to balance the strong flavour of the coriander.

Something unexpected in this dish was the spicy bite found in the smashed avocado. This was due to lime being used instead of the typical lemon, resulting in sharp, fierce flavour that actually seemed to create a bit of heat on the palate. Something that was quite nice here was that the waiter (who we later found out was the owner) made the effort to stop by all the tables and check on the quality of the food and coffee.

Crispy poached eggs with chilli caramel jam + coriander with sourdough toast

As we finished up our brunch and headed to the counter we ended up chatting to one of two owners – Emilio Rogliano. Both Emilio and co-owner Daniel Amato opened up Lux Foundry nearly 4 years ago, and after a rocky start and a constant tweaking have built a reputation.

“It’s hard for us, because despite having such a big layout and looking like a big cafe, we actually really depend on good word of mouth. We’re actually really impacted by bad reviews because we’re actually still a small business. We’re certainly no Auction Rooms or Proud Mary. That’s why whenever we see a bad review we deal with it personally,” Emilio explained. As he talked it was really obvious how passionate he is about his business and how genuine he was being.

As we left Lux Foundry for our morning ride in to work, I couldn’t help but think how great it was to meet a cafe owner that cared so much for his patrons. The food here was beautiful and if this place had ever had a shaky reputation in the past, we can now confirm that they are rock steady and top quality. I honestly feel that Lux Foundry is a real gem of a cafe and I’m super glad to have found out about this treasure trove of a cafe. This is a cafe worth travelling out of your way for.”

Final thought: “A personable cafe with an exciting menu that delivers great food”

Opening hours:
Sun – Sat: 7:30am-5pm

Coffee: Coffee Supreme

Mr LB:
“Warehouse - [wârhous] noun or verb - A large building where raw materials or manufactured goods may be stored before they are exported or distributed.

A warehouse is a barren land of boxes, shelves and products. It’s certainly not an appealing piece of architecture. However, if you take an abandoned inner-city warehouse situated in a hipster suburb, the ugliness provides a golden opportunity. The demand for an industrial space with potential for restaurant conversion is extremely high. SoJo is yet another cafe operating in a converted warehouse. Whilst you might think ‘argh, not another one!’, this space has a lovely ambiance that goes beyond the typical cafe standard.

As you enter SoJo, you get the sense that no corners were cut in its design. Walking through the dark, narrow hallway we were greeted by friendly staff who quickly got our names down, offering us a bar seat to order our coffees. The interior design and functional aspects have been perfectly executed with plenty of seating, well-placed lighting, unique décor and plenty of art work to gaze at. This attention to service and detail gave me a sense that SoJo was more like a cool restaurant than a café. I personally viewed SoJo as a well-execute hybrid that results in a very unique and very hipster vibe.

I really enjoyed the little touches, such as being able to have brunch on the bar table, having a lounge section to cater for the brunch rush and quirky diagrams depicting where SoJo gets it produce from in the bathroom.

Being a Sunday, coffee is a required sustenance for me to gain some necessary vision for the day. We noticed that their coffee was sourced from Coffee Supreme, who have always tailored their bean selection and roasting method towards a market that enjoys a bitter tasting coffee. My long black [$3.50] was smoother than usual and had a nice nutty after tone. I felt it struck the right balance for those who enjoy the bitterness with a smoother-than-usual texture.

French toast originated as a poor mans food (most noted by the Germans as ‘poor knight’) as a means of using stale bread. Whilst not being in a poor situation, SoJo‘s version – French Toast made with organic brioche topped with blueberry compote, mascarpone and toasted flake almonds [$16.90] had certainly caught my eye. When it had arrived with Canadian maple syrup, it looked heavenly.

French Toast made with organic brioche topped with blueberry compote, mascarpone and toasted flake almonds

The first striking element of this dish was the use of the brioche bread. It was an absolute winner, with its lovely glossy crust that had the right balance of sugar. It perfectly complemented the compote and mascarpone. The berry compote wasn’t as runny as I would have expected. The focus was more on the berries, creating the right fruity texture when combined with the vanilla-flavoured mascarpone. The only let down was that the brioche bread became completely soggy with the compote. Overall, however, the flavours complemented each other to deliver a fantastic and sweet-flavoured French toast.

SoJo is a warehouse cafe that is decked out appropriately and functions like a restaurant with a casual cafe vibe providing plenty of brunch options. Brunching at SoJo will have you fully covered, whether being a weekday or weekend.”

Miss SL:
“About one year ago, Mr LB and I sat down together with a very serious expression on our faces,

“We need to sort this out. We need to work out where we’re blogging for the year and what’s on our hitlist.”

With focus in our eyes, we trawled the internet and created a list of places we wanted to go to. Mr LB had suggested SoJo (“or Soho, or something like that”) and it had immediately come to the top of our list… except for the fact that we couldn’t find anything about it online! Not knowing the name or location made it particularly difficult to track down and as the year went on it stayed in the back of our minds.

In February, Mr LB and I took to separate living arrangements, both on the North side of town (queue celebration cheer for increased blog reviews on the North side!). As we were moving all our furniture we noticed a little cafe with wooden crates out the front and a long, narrow hallway. The sign was black on black and I had to squint to see the name. It was SoJo, or as it was properly known, South of Johnston. CLEVER! Having tacked down this cafe we made it our mission to try it out and we were there to review it within the week.

When we arrived we managed to get a park straight away near the entrance of the venue. There were hipsters milling about, slightly obstructed by the fruit trees growing out the front. Entering through what was once a valve-repackaging factory, I couldn’t help but admire the very dark wooden paneling in the hallway.

Walking into the main dining area I was immediately impressed with the interior, developed by Carver Design. It was much larger than I expected and the reality of the cafes past was well-hidden by the white paint-job over the banisters and ceiling. There is seating to the left, backed by mountains of artwork that transported me to a seaside cafe I’d been to once. In the back of the cafe, there is a chill out zone for parents and those looking for a much less formal dining experience could take respite in modern chairs and sofas.

We took a seat at the bar while we waited for a table to be allocated to us. Before we even had a chance to order we were seated appropriately. By this point I’d decided on the Chorizo Eggs poached and served on a chorizo sausage, kalamata olive and napoli ragou with hollandaise, basil and sourdough [$17.90] and a double espresso [$3.50] to start my day. A good coffee is usually determined by a good barista, and in this case, they managed to make my espresso sing.

When my main came out I was intrigued. Hollandaise and chorizo is not a typical combination. The poached eggs were beautifully cooked – they were perfectly gooey on the inside, oozing all over the ragou and the chorizo. The hollandaise was less zingy and more creamy – a little bit boring on its own but it appropriately balanced the meal when combined with the other ingredients.

Chorizo Eggs poached and served on a chorizo sausage, kalamata olive and napoli ragou with hollandaise, basil and sourdough

The chorizo itself was… how should I put it? Pretty damn sexy. It was rich, smokey and spicy – beautiful when mixed with the sauteed onions and olives in the sauce. My only complaint for the whole meal would be the sourdough used. The bread was too thin and absorbent, becoming soggy and slimy on the palate from the ragou. Switching to something like Noisette or Zeally Bay Sourdough would really complete this dish.

Overall I really enjoyed South of Johnston. The staff were very professional and relaxed, and the cafe itself provided good food and coffee. A job well done to the team! “

Final thought: “Family-friendly with a relaxed atmosphere”

Address:
52 Fitzroy Street,
St Kilda

Opening Hours:
Sun-Sat: 7am – 7pm
Christmas Day: 7am – 5pm
New Years Day: 10am – 7pm

Warning: this post is Strictly Not Brunch (SNB) and will create an increased craving for chocolate

When we think of Easter the first thought that comes to mind is the chocolate egg. Traditionally, the egg was used as a symbol of re-birth, often painted artistically with patterns and handed out to friends and family during Easter. Today, it’s the only opportunity in the year to consume loads of chocolate eggs and enjoy a four-day weekend. While we all enjoy stuffing our face with fancy chocolate, have you ever wondered what the process is in making a delicious high-end chocolate egg? Or maybe you’re ambitious enough to consider making your own? Well, we were lucky enough to be invited to the Cacao flagship store in St Kilda to see first hand how they hand-craft each and every one of their chocolate eggs.

We arrived at the venue a little early, greeted by a table full of our favorite bloggers including Off The Spork, Peach-Water, Iron Chef Shellie and plenty of others.

We started off with a little bit of snacks, including some mini quiches, mini slices of toasted baguette with prosciutto and chutney and mini salmon burgers with dill and mayo. Yum! Our favorite was the prosciutto – the simple addition of a nice chutney made all the difference!

After a bit of a nibble and a catch up with the group, we took a quick sneak peak at Cacao’s Easter display; this was worth the visit on its own!

Everything in the display was hand crafted with love by the Cacao team, taking a whopping 50 hours and 1 tonne of chocolate to make! Insane!

It was into the kitchen for us after that as we rolled up our sleeves to do some learning.

Tempering chocolate
Starting off on a clean, cool marble bench, Tim Clark – our host from Cacao, took us through the tempering process. This needs to happen in this order to make the Easter egg molds and giving that desirable chocolate snapping sound.

Here are some quick tips on tempering chocolate:

• Correct selection of cooking chocolate is crucial – the best chocolate to work with contains a decent amount of butter fat;
• The chocolate needs to be split into two parts – one-third gets cooled on the bench to 28 degrees, and two-thirds remains heated at 42 degrees. This is process is often called seeding;
  
• The best method to cool the chocolate down is to use as much surface space as possible. The thinner the layer of chocolate to bench top (in this case, marble) the quicker the chocolate will cool;
• To determine when the chocolate is at the right temperature, Tim advised to first start with a kitchen thermometer but incorporate your sense of touch. Fingers and lips are the preferred gauge.

Making the mold
Making the mold is fun (but messy!). Before you start, you need to make sure the Easter egg mold is well-buffed to ensure you get a shiny egg without cracks. To buff your mold, use a soft cloth or cotton bud and rub until a shine appears.

To create the egg mold you:

• Fill the mold until level;
• Using the back corner of the spatula (dull side), tap both sides of the mold so that air bubbles rise to the top. This ensures the mold is smooth;
• Use the spatula to remove excess chocolate from the top and sides or the mold;
• Next is the hard part – with a good grip on the mold, flip it quickly so that the chocolate pours back into the main container where your other excess chocolate resides; and
• Using the spatula, scrape excess chocolate away from you, back into the main bowl.

Voila! What you’re left with is a thin coating of chocolate that will form the outer part of the shell.

At this part of the process, we added a little bit of salted caramel into the shell, and then left the chocolate mold sitting upright to set. The mold is left upright to ensure the chocolate doesn’t move into the centre if the shell.

If it’s a hot day, you need to leave the chocolate in a room temperature (18 degree) location to set.

Once set, add another layer of chocolate using the same method. You usually need to do two to three layers to get the shell at the right thickness.

Salted caramel
While the guys at Cacao sorted out making mini-eggs to sit inside our larger Easter eggs, we learnt how to make salted caramel from scratch, and even managed to snag their secret recipe, just for you!

Salted Caramel and Milk Chocolate Spread Recipe

Ingredients:

• 670g castor sugar
• 750g fresh cream
• 2 fresh vanilla beans, or vanilla essence or paste
• 520g unsalted butter
• 6g fluer de sel (sea salts from France)
• 100g milk coverture chocolate

Method:

1. Make a caramel by caramelising the castor sugar in a saucepan, stirring constantly
2. Bring to boil the cream and vanilla bean in a separate saucepan
3. Gradually pour the hot cream over the hot caramel, continuing to stir continuously. Take care whilst doing this to avoid spitting hot caramel
4. Add the butter and continue cooking the mixture to 106 degrees celsius, stirring continuously
5. Once the mixture has reached the desired temperature remove it from the heat and let it sit for 2 minutes before pouring the hot caramel over the chocolate and mix together until smooth
6. Pass mixture through a fine sieve and refrigerate covering overnight in the fridge

Other tips for making salted caramel:

• You can take a brush and coat the sides of the pot with water or vinegar. This stops the caramel sticking to the sides and burning;
• Vanilla beans are expensive, so to maximize fresh beans, slice them down the centre and use the back of the knife to scrap down the centre of the bean;
• Let the salted caramel cool before using.

Mini-eggs
With the egg molds all ready to go, we popped the salted caramel mix into a piping bag and started to pipe them into the mini-eggs. We filled the eggs up to 2/3 of the way with the mixture.

Once filled with salted caramel, we piped some tempered chocolate over the remaining third if the mold. We lightly tapped the mold against the bench to even out the mixture. After a couple of minutes, we the joined two filled molds together to create a little egg! Yum!

Final product
The final product was within sight and we were getting excited! Tim brought out a heated baking tray, which we used to soften the rims of two halves of our egg. It only took a couple of seconds of sliding them around before they were ready for sticking! Before we stuck them together though, we put our completed mini-egg inside as a little treat!

The final product was great!

Final Thought: “Delicious hand-made chocolate”