Grateful for small victories at Small Victories

Ok ... I was all excited about moving from my antiquated 3G iphone to iphone 4 (yes minus the sibilance) with its touch-to-focus screen. But the flash photos are so bright and queasy looking, and have this yellowish tinge which somehow reminds me of the detritus of liposuction.

And what a greeaaat way to start a blog post about food!!

We recently caught up with our good friends for a mid-week impromptu dinner (some amongst our party are lucky enough to enjoy a surfeit of holidays) at Small Victories.

Not quite a year old, this unassuming eatery on Rathdowne Street (which is fast becoming a mecca for foodies and not-so-hip hipsters), is already garnering praise from the uber cool sub-set of Melbourne foodie culture - the Melbourne brunchers!

I can't really comment on Small Victories' brunch offerings as we were there for dinner - its the same sharing plate palaver - but the prices aren't going to give you a wedgie.

We began with a plate of the Ewes Milkc Cheese Croquettes served with Honey ($9). I've written about my inability to computate savoury and sweet together in an equation before, so this tasted like one of those indian milk sweets, usually served in thick sugar syrup, to me. Or like something you would eat to break your fast (for those of you who are in the habit of fasting for religious purposes). Very jarring for me! But I believe that for those without this mental handicap, the combination of the milk cheese was nicely complimented by the smoky sweet flavour of the honey.

Another starter was the Poon Boon Lamb Ribs served with Sesame Salt, Black Tahini and Quince Aioli ($16). The Lamb rib was cooked to perfection, but I'm not sure that the added flavours in the tahini and Aioli really gelled that well. I didn't quite like the lamb with the Aioli, and the Black Tahini on its own lacked a little bit of character. So I'm a little unsure of this dish.

The crowning glory of the "smalls" was the Korean Fried Chicken ($16). This was great and very well balanced. The accompanying sweet syrupy sauce was not overpowering, and you got the perfect umami hit from the batter and crunch of the chicken skin. Will certainly come back for this.

Moving onto the mains, we shared the Char Grilled Quail Breast served with Cherry Escabache, Buckwheat Brioche and Pistachio Crisp ($26). Quail was ignored once, then was briefly on-trend, and now it seems to be receeding quietly in favour. But I think it should become as much a staple on menus as duck was. It is so versatile a meat, and this dish, despite its colourful menu description, is a simple dish with simple flavours. The brioche which had more a texture of stale bread crouton pieces before they are fried was a great touch. And helped to mop up all the yummy juices on the plate.

We also had the Fish of the day (sorry I can't remember what it was) served with celery, scallion (hhmm!!!) and raisin ($26). The Fish itself was cooked to perfection, and celery always lends a heady aromatic counterpoint to white meat, but those raisins were, to put it mildly, off! Unless you are partial to a handful of fishy flavoured raisins, in which case, go for your life. But don't be put off by the raisins, as they do not overpower the dish. You can simply put them to the side and enjoy the rest of it.

For sides, we ordered the Heirloom Tomatoes served with Quark, Basil and Rye Crisp ($14) and the Duck Fat Potatoes served with garlic and herbs ($10). KH commented that for the price and the timbre of the establishment, she found the heirloom tomatoes surprisingly lacking in flavour. I agree in part. If I was putting this dish together I probably would have stuck to one kind of tomato as opposed to using a smattering of different types. Individually their flavours shone through, together ... not so much.

Fat Potatoes in duck fact? Need I say more?

I can't in all honesty say I would be rushing back for dinner. I'd probably treat this more of a casual place to drop by perhaps for a light lunch, a bit of brunch, or as the day comes to a close, a few sharing plates to help with the alcohol. But if you haven't been, then its worth checking out. Don't forget the Korean Fried Chicken!!

Masak Masak - are we playing yet?

Ok ... panic stations!! Less than 2 weeks to go before we step on that Emirates flight to Barcelona, and I still haven't quite worked out our itinerary. I think we are going to have to wing it at some stage! Anyhoo, we still had time to check up on a couple of new eateries, the first one being Small Victories, which I will blog about shortly. The second is the 6 week old Masak Masak on 230 Smith Street, Fitzroy, which I will post about now.

News about a new Malaysian restuarant opening in reasonably close proximity is always met with equal parts excitement and trepidation. Excitement because it is easily ranked as our favourite cuisine, and general consensus is you have to travel farther afield to get the genuine deal. Trepidation because by and large the end result is always slightly dissappointing, or at best, the quality is uneven.

So Masak Masak is unfortunately not likely to buck the trend.

The term Masak Masak, apart from being a rather fey children's game, also refers to the general art of cooking. But do not attempt to corelate the 2 as Malaysian cooking is far from child's play, especially when you want to get it right.

The staff at this establishment all seem frightfully young, which in itself, is not a bad thing. But I get the feeling that in terms of traditional cooking they are further away from the ancestral practices of cooking from scratch, and have grown up with store bought flavours and 21st century fusion. (oh and lard free hawker centre food - I mean really!! What's the point!)

We were extremely excited at the prospect of having Satay from a customised brazier. And Masak Masak's offering comes with cubes of ketupat, raw onion and cucumber (pieces not slices). So 2 big ticks let down by a limpid and unexiciting satay sauce. And let's face it, its the satay sauce that makes the dish.

Their homestyle Otak Otak was closer to its origins, but needed a bit more of a Kafir lime leaf boost. But they came in cute banana leaf wrapped parcels, showing a little bit of skill.

As far as I know, not many other places serve Roti John. A curious dish melding the orient with her colonial past, its essentially a baguette (of the sweet shiny kind) grilled with egg and minced meat (usually lamb), and eaten with tomato sauce. Greasy, eggy, meaty, yummy! The perfect snack.

Masak Masak's offering bucks the religious trend and serves their's with a thick slab of Bak Kuah and crispy lettuce. I'm all for fusion and I'm all for Bak Kuah, but I'd wish they would tweak the menu listing and advise customers that this is their version of a much loved hawker dish. Thats my only gripe, as this dish is moreish and something I would come back for. (Incidentally, in Singapore, you usually find Roti John at Malay run stores, and Bak Kuah is made out of pork ... in-te-rest-ing!)

For mains, we shared the Kon Loh Mee and some Fried Kai Lan (sorry I seem to have lost my photos for these). You have 2 options with the wontons, either fried or served in a soup. Ours came in a soup which was a little tasteless, but some people may prefer their broth that way.

The Noodles themselves had the requisite flavour of Kon Loh mee, but the dish was missing slices of Char Siu, and I would have preferred the noodles a little less lighter in colour and washed in the sauce, rather than cooked or mixed too well in it. Not sure if I'm being clear but there is a difference, at least in my head.

The Fried Kai Lan was served with crispy fried garlic chips, which was a nice touch. And stemmage was suitably crispy.

Masak masak, in summary, is worth checking out. There are some dishes that are not usually found in other Malaysian establishments, and its always worth trying something new.

AA and the Red Light Bunk

Ok ... there was a time when life was all make-believe and teenage daydreams even though we were on the very cusp of adulthood and some of us had experienced things best left for a little later in life. In the meantime in that corner room with the branches of an old tropical hardwood shading the inside from prying eyes, we re-enacted magazine story scenarios accompanied by the latest whatever-tunes we were into, and wondered what it would be like if the other occupants of our floor crashed our little drag soirees.

My drag name was Annie Anus (crass I know)! I won't reveal the extended byline of my gay-de-plume, but one of my favourite numbers was this ... (and I only mimed the chorus really).

Sometimes its the simple things in life ... a lunchtime snack

Ok ... sometimes when you're a little peckish but its too late for brunch, a "light" and savoury snack can be the most perfect thing in the world ... Gozleme served with hummus, chilli and garlic sauces at Fitzroy kebabs ...

Rational Suicide - About Life, Death and Happiness

Ok ... so having to face the possible early termination of a family pet has made me an even more stalwart advocate of Voluntary Euthanasia. Whichever way you cut it, its not an easy decision to make. It was heartening to read the article on Beverley Broadbent in the Age recently. A vibrant still vital 83 year old who decided to take her own life "rationally" in February this year. I trully hope that I will have the luxury of that choice when my time comes. Although I'm inferring that Beverley did come from a slightly elevated social strata (most certainly higher than I'll ever reach) and therefore exposed to a wider range of opportunities. But I'm sure there will be some kind of hotline for me, well at least I hope to get to it before I am totally incapacitated and imprisoned in some godawful facility where I'm once again treated like a child and deemed a social outcast due to my sexuality.

Still, our cat has seemingly turned a corner and is playing the cute card to the max! Although, he isn't quite able to clean himself as well as he once did. And so navigates his way through rooms covered in towels in a fug of stale piss and shit. But still, totes adorbs as they say. We are grateful for every second of his life that remains. Lets just hope and pray that any deterioration that may occur, happens when we're back from our holiday. The same thing applies, unfortunately, to my mother.

And then there's that! 3 weeks in Europe in Spring. I'm hoping that the trip, amongst other things, will rejuvenate the old creative writing cells, well at least the paltry few that I possess. It will at least give me something to write about. And new experiences! God! In an effort to economise in lieu of said impending holiday, we have pretty much hermetically sealed our daily routine from home to work to home to shops to occasional dinner out again local or at mates'. 

 Ciacci Palace - our apartment in Rome

But not long to go peops! And then I will be one of those godawful bores shoving endless photos (and possible videos) and travel soundbites down your already overstuffed broadband pipe. But suck it up. I haven't been on a proper holiday for ages, so you will allow me this little indulgence.


Besides which, I've been watching all these "youtuber" videos of mainly youthful gay americans who spruik up their daily lives and have hundreds of subscribers eagerly lapping up every mundane detail (yours truly included). So if they (admittedly they seem to lead amazingly busy lives) can do it, so can fucking I!

So stay tuned all those who haven't quite jumped ship yet. I will make it as painless as possible. Meanwhile here's something to be excited about.

So new its not even on Urbanspoon yet - Dinner at Malaysian Mamak Kitchen Strathmore

Ok ... first up a confession. I've been cheating on M's diet by devouring sugared braided pastries from Breadtop on a regular basis! Right, now that that is out of the way, let me tell you about Malaysian Mamak Kitchen, so new it hasn't even made a digital imprint yet!

This newly opened Cafe in the northern suburb of Strathmore (8 Lloyd Street) just across the way from the local IGA has a reasonably interesting menu, alot of which sadly were not available to order when we were there - and this was their very first day! So it could either be a massive Fail! Or if we're kinder, we could say something like "oh they're just finding their feet ... give them time".

Service is, shall we say, attentive enough but also a little fraught, but again "finding their feet" is the axiom that springs to mind. Unable to try our benchmark dishes (including their version of Hainanse Chicken Rice), we decided on an entree of Fried Chicken (the one we actually wanted was not available so we had to choose this alternative):

The chicken pieces were on the bone and cut into manageable sizes - big tick. The usual curry powder style marinade had a lovely home-made feel to it. I say entree, it actually came out after the mains - but that is more akin to Malaysian style eating so I shouldn't really grumble.

M had the Char Hor Fun for his main. After our slight misreading of this menu item at another establishment, we decided to clarify whether this was soup or dry. Blank stares and cross cultural mayhem ensued, but we did manage to work out that we were talking about the dry version, although you would be hard pressed to agree from the photo below - but yes it was erring more on the dry side than a soup.

The cook did the right thing by char frying the noodles first before dumping the sauce in the wok - so it had that smoky seafoody hor fun flavour - perhaps a smidge on the salty side, but yummy. I do miss the hot pickled green chilli option, but they did have a chilli oil type sauce of the Vietnamese variety with crispy ikan billis (anchovies) in the mix.

I had the Beef brisket egg noodle - which was pretty good but perhaps a little heavy. When I chose it from the menu, I was hoping that it would be the Hong Kong Noodle House style of dish, and it pretty much was. The Brisket was a little tough but there was a nice balance with the 5 spice and soy flavours. I would have preferred less sauce and a bit more noodle - the blanched cauliflower was an "interesting" touch ... but I would have liked some choy sum instead.

In summation, unless you're local, I probably wouldn't be travelling too far to check this place out. Although I personally would still like to try the benchmarks here (Hainanese chicken rice, beef rendang) before fully committing to a review. Oh and they should really do Teh Tarek!

PS: From now until 13th March, you get 20%!

Edit - 3rd April - it now has an entry on Urbanspoon!!

Its Like being back in the land of the living ...!!

Ok ... now that I am back in the gloss and glam state of iPhone ownership, I've given up one addiction:

Brickbreaker for Blackberry Phones

For another!

Oh the Tile-clacking faceted stone wonder that is Bejewelled!

Random Thoughts 2013 Part Uno

Ok ... so 2 months into the year and what have we got ... quite a lot actually. M celebrated a milestone with catering from Safari Restauarant. (He draws a bigger crowd than I do ... oh!) Our travel bugs are finally back which means yay! pool! And biggest thing of all, we're off to Europe!! Well Barcelona and then quite a bit of Italy. So as you can imagine, the planning has taken up much of my spare time. So let me quickly break some things down for you:

- I dropped my iphone in water (ok I'm fessing up ... it was the toilet bowl) for the second time!! The Shame prevents me from schlepping out to Donnie to "meet a Genius" at the Genius Bar. Besides which they will probably just offer me the same phone at $180, so I've decided to risk all manner of false economies and order an ex-display iPhone 4 online. Only time will tell how wise a choice this was. Fingers crossed. Meanwhile texting has been an absolute nigtmare on the work crackberry! And I miss my music and phone numbers ... thank god for the cloud is all I can say, despite the inherent privacy risks.

- I'm officially over Food Trucks, after sampling White Guy Cooks Thai for the first time in the cutest little park in Seddon ... to all you Seddonites ... I am soooo jealous of where you live! Once the novelty wears off, the food really isn't up to scratch, and doesn't quite warrant all the associated angst of finding out where the damn thing will be on the day, and getting there early before things run out.

 

- I still get a kick out of paste-ups ... but I won't pretend to understand what it all means

- Garamerica over in South Melbourne is not bad at all! May need a post all of its own ... but here's a taster:

- The congee at Huu Huu Thanh in Footscray market is so so good! A definite must have:

 
- So is the Macaroni and Cheese over at Woolly Bully in North Melbourne. Just across the street from 'tude central but a world away as far as service is concerned:

- 80s stalwarts crawling out of retro-anonymity and doing relevant work!! Amazing! 2 of the best so far:

- In May, we will be here!! Entry and exit flights and half of the accomodation have been booked. Next up we need to settle whether its a hotel or apartment in Rome, and which Car rental to use (yes we are attempting to drive in Italy!). So, we fly into Barcelona for a few days, then fly to Venice, train to Milan, car round Lake Como down to Cinque Terra and eventually into Florence. Another few days there, then car through the Tuscan region to Rome which is wear we finish off our Meditarranean sojourn. I can't wait!

 
- I keep garnering subscribers on my YouTube page, which is fantastic. I have to remember to put another video up soon, or I may lose their interest. This video has the highest number of hits so far:

- And I recently discovered this little gem from, wait for it, SINGAPORE!! Who knew that my little hometown that is all about the 3 R's could produce such musical gems like this??!!

- I recently tweeted! But as I have next to zero followers, and don't really have anything interesting to say,  its like a tree falling in a forest, or one hand clapping, oh shit I dunno, insert your own analogy here.

- And I can't really look at our Magnolia Tree anymore, but life, as expected, has moved on. Here's Sascha keeping Finney company:

Saying I love you with Crab! Dinner at Omah's Restaurant

Ok ... I was intending to include Omah's in a sort of Random Thoughts round up on food we enjoyed over the recent holiday period, but I think its good enough to warrant its own little post.

Omah's restaurant is situated on Burwood Road, almost at the corner of Glenferrie, and opposite the imposing Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Even though this is a busy road, in a wealthy suburb, it still does have the touch of the village green about it somehow.

We had a window seat tucked away from the busy kitchen and bar area Nothing suits relaxation better than the colour of an open window mixed with a warm summer's evening.

Proudly spruiking their nonya and hawker culinary skills (and don't they all!), it was the humble Pepper Crab that led us to their door, and Pepper Crab we had.

It was a special occasion and we were prepared to binge. But at $50 per crab, and a choice of 7 different sauces, you could afford to splurge a little. And one crab is more than ample for 2 people.

We began our repast with a number of starters, including one from the specials board - crispy fried kang kong ($6.50) - i.e. kang kong fried in batter.

Quite an unusual idea, but one that I'm not quite sure entirely works. I guess its a good bar snack for a vegetarian? But at the end of the day, you're really just enjoying the batter with that spongy texture of the kang kong. The accompanying coconut sauce was pretty delicious though - tasted like coconut milk with a dash of fish sauce - good combo!

We also had the Crab Omelette ($8.50)! What is it about shredded crab and egg ... lovers destined to be together in a smoky hot wok. Surely it can't be because they both exist within shells that have to be cracked open to release the sweetness inside. If I could I would be whipping them up at least once a week. And unless the crab is so stale that its reformed a shell, even the shittiest omelette maker could not mar this union.
The gingery sauce was the perfect chaperone.

.
Our last starter was the Yam Scallop ($7.50) - lightly seared Scallops on a yam cake base. This was nice. But I was hoping for more of that steam trolley yum cha taste, or perhaps another element to tie the 2 components together. They were oddly separate in flavour and texture.

Then it was time for the piece de resistance (M hates this phrase!) - Pepper Crab. I love my mother's Pepper crab. In fact I prefer it to Chilli Crab (one of Singapore Tourism Board's more successful campaigns). Although the sweet buns they serve at some establishments are to die for dipped in the sauce.
My mother's method is quite simple - butter (lots), garlic, salt and pepper! But the restaurant version throws in a soy and vinegar element (both dark) to the mix.

So $50 doesn't buy you the biggest of specimens, but its more than ample as mentioned previously. And it was done reasonably well. The Crab was fresh and sweet, and the sauce extremely moreish.

Our greedy palates also ordered the Sambal kang kong (Belacan Veggies as its called on the menu - $16.90), which was served with whole prawns, absolutely infused with the breath of the wok. The first few mouthfuls were amazing, you could taste the whole cooking process in a single bite. Oddly enough, although the flavour didn't exactly pall, it sort of diminished in richness. Hard to explain.

Our third main was the Ikan Bakar ($24.90) - fish grilled with mild chilli paste, onion and okra - this was dissappointing. It was lacking in flavour. Perhaps a bit of kafir lime leaf or lemongrass would not have gone amiss. And perhaps a stronger belacan hit in the chilli. I would certainly avoid this. There are other equally enticing dishes on the menu that you might want to check out first - like the Ginger Flower Duck.

We finished off our meal with the Sago pudding - done in the same way, uncannily, as M used to do his. Coloured green with pandan essence and shaped in a little mould of almost exactly the same size.

 
I'm not sure if I'm waxing lyrical about the restaurant or being excited by the act of finding Pepper Crab in Melbourne, but I think in summary I would recommend that you check this place out. You may come away with the same thoughts, or have an adverse experience altogether. But seek the crab out - leave etiquette at the order - and have a great night.

More than a Superstar - Laneway Festival 2013

Ok ... larks its been awhile!! We're already a month past and I'm only just getting round to a blog post. There's so much to catch up on, but death is a cruel mistress and you must give me some emotional room.

Perhaps its fitting then that I start the new year with something that has always given me great solace and fortitude ... music.

Despite the flagrant beer-soaked display of snobbery on the part of my very good friend (questionable!) DL, I still love the West and love even more the fact that her unassuming beauty is host to what I consider one of the better organised music festivals in Melbourne, the Laneway Festival down on the banks of the Maribyrnong.

The 2 bands I was really here to see were Perfume Genius and Bat for Lashes. And I was prepared to go it alone. But Natasha Khan is in my friend DL's Top 5 list pf artists so he had to be there too. And at the 11th hour KH scored a ticket through a work colleague of mine, so what began as a solo venture, with another friend JL in tow, turned into a quartet of music appreciation.

KH and I got in early so that she could catch The Twerp's set. The singer is her husband's cousin. Not really my cup of tea, but a nice way to ease into the proceedings of what was going to be a long day. Our Padre coffee from Footscray Milking Station (they cleverly set up a machine outside for takeways ... you could say they were milking it at the milking station ... boom tish!) certainly helped to gird the loins and toughen our constituitions.

We left The Twerps before they finished so I could get a prime possie at Perfume Genius, which turned out to be quite unecessary as there was still plenty of room. In fact I managed to head right up front of stage, although my pics are still pretty shit.

It was a great set, but I couldn't help feeling sorry for Mike as his music is more suited to intimate venues and loses some of its emotional stridence competing with the elements and general human chatter.

Still it was exactly what I wanted and needed. I sat in the full bore sun and got quietly burnt, oblivious to the exciting turn of events just round the corner.

Next it was time for a toilet stop and a brief sojourn to the Eat your Ears stage for the opposite end of the musical spectrum which was Cloud Nothings, the much feted raucous American quartet serving up a thrash metal wall of sound that has seemingly captured the attention of the young indie crowd. Needless to say we lasted perhaps 3 stanzas short of a song and opted for more prosaic sustenance instead ... Lunch.

Beatbox Kitchen always serves great hamburgers and fries, so it was a no brainer when it came to choosing what we were going to eat ... and there were plenty of choices to be had.

This time round, Beatbox Kitchen served up an even greater more unexpected treat ... Mike Hadreas from Perfume Genius in the queue!!!

It made my day, perhaps even my year.

Meanwhile DL had arrived with JL in tow. So we met up at the River Stage and sampled Minneapolis band, Polica, fronted by elfin-like Channy Leaneagh who throws the cutest shapes on stage. Strong voice too, and not anything like Enya JL, but I will concur with the Cat Power resemblance, KH. With the Bon Iver seal of approval, the band ticks most of the danceable indie boxes.

But we will need to wait for their sophomore album to see if they have the chops to last the distance. Oh and if you had had any doubts about hitting the 90s fashion paylode, check out Channy's T-shirt, cut off denim shorts and boots combo ... Girlie Show anyone?

I was intending to take in Alt-J's set, but the crowd was starting to piss me off, so leaving KH behind to take in Chet Faker, I trundled off to the Future Classic Stage to see Jessie Ware, who I have perhaps unfairly written off as Sade-lite in the past.

I'm not sure if my perception has entirely been altered, but Jessie is a spunky performer, with a great stage presence and repartee, and a suitably tight backing band. And I loved the uk-grimy bling. Its a good soul voice, strong but unadorned. And the grooves are smooth, but perhaps therein lies the rub. It is a little on the Cafe Del Mar side. And there are only so many life situations when a chilled soundtrack like this applies. I left when the Madonna cover came on. (And yes, Melbourne's mayor-in-waiting, Andrew MacConnell got a shout out. Jesse sampled his Lobster Roll over at Golden Fields).

By this stage, DL was freaking out about Bat for Lashes' impending set as the afternoon inched ever closer towards evening. Less than enamoured of the space surrounding the main stage, we formulated a plan to hang out at the peripheries during Yeasayer's set, then slowly work our way up to the front once the shirts-off-fist-pumping crowd left for more verdant climes (I hear that Flume was the hot ticket as far as headline acts were concerned.)
Our plan worked!

We were virtually up the front ensconced with the rest of the "poor and unwashed" as it were, when Natasha and Co took to the stage. Dressed in an oil-slicked pleated cape and matching skirt, Natasha and her band were an absolute revelation, and one of the best live performances I have seen in a very very very long time.

This wasn't just a band playing a set, it was theatre and catharsis and all those other big $10 words you can think of. I didn't expect the sense of creative release that Natasha brings to the fore and goes through herself even as she performs up there on stage, drawing the rest of us into her arcane world filled with fantabulous creatures suffering the gamut of human emotions.

And the girl can certainly get a groove on!! Those shoulder pops and rolls she does, with the little leg kick out the side! Adorably sensual ... is the best way to describe it. And that smile of hers - cheeky, irreverent, genuine, joyful, inclusive yet also exclusive ... and perhaps a hint of relief and wonder that its all going so well and that we the audience were responding so positively.

My advice is, even if you're undecided about their material, go see them live if ever there is another opportunity. You will not regret it. And Laura has to be, has to be, one of the few truly perfect songs.