tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44824931428964228972024-02-20T03:17:23.410+11:00TemasekTemasek:
"A Nervous boy from another town, with a nervous laugh and a concentrated frown"Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.comBlogger902125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482493142896422897.post-52867342579175420382015-03-16T22:53:00.001+11:002015-03-16T22:54:01.495+11:00CBA Friday at newly opened Ovest in Little India, WeFo - are we reaching saturation point?!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok so can we sustain yet another culinary addition to the West? When do we go from "oh wow, we're so spoilt for choice" to "fuck it, I just want some takeout and something mindless on the box"! We may very well be closer to that precipice than we think.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is such a thing as sensory overload; and the mere act of having to decide and choose between a multitude of options can be inherently stressful, leading to almost paralysing bouts of anxiety. The Tyranny of Choice, or the Paradox of Choice as some behavourial economists have termed it. We will all need our very own Choice Architects (believe it or not, they actually exist!) to guide us through this consumerist maelstrom.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It does help if your final choice is an experience that is completely new, as it was with <a href="http://www.ovestwest.com.au/">Ovest</a>, a recent addition to the Barkly Street, WeFo set - a Pizza Bar with a fairly decent wine list and some interesting topping choices.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The joint was already pumping when we got there, but they were happy to fit us in if we could be done in an hour's time. Not really intending to have a languid boozy affair (hello married?), we decided to take the option and sat down to an amazing glass of wine which made us instantly regret our decision.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was the </span><a href="http://www.vivino.com/wineries/matane/wines/puglia-negroamaro-2013" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Negroamaro, Matane</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (2013) from Puglia, which at $7.00 a glass is one of the cheaper options on the winelist. We could have easily sat there nursing a bottle of this red, amidst the frantic yet convivial clangour, in an interior with some slightly odd, almost unfinished design accents.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bottom line is you basically come for the pizza at this joint so there's a limit to the refinery!! There are some interesting starters to be had, and some dubious options amongst the kids menu - the slightly morose blonde one at the table next door clearly was not impressed with his cannelloni which frankly looked an unsavoury orange mess.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you're thinking that you're "man" enough to stomach an entire pizza on your own, let me warn you that the pizzas are large!! Although we managed to finish off one each, regret was waiting round the corner on our sofa!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I opted for the Prawn blond base, with zucchini, chilli, mint, ricotta and fior di latte ($21). I may be wrong, but I think the first time I ever had a Pizza Bianchi of any description was at </span><a href="http://temasek68.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/cba-friday-at-gusto.html" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gusto's</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> just a little further up the road. Since then I've tended to prefer the slightly fresher base to the richness of slow cooked tomato sauce. The mix of flavours on my pizza was spot on, with no individual ingredient overpowering the other. And I loved the slight charriness to some of the zucchini pieces, and the subtle hint of mint was a great touch. Definitely a recommend.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M went for something off the specials list (he generally does I now realise) - Spicy Pork Sausage, with Fior Di Latte, tomato suggo, jalapeno and prosciutto ($21). A slightly richer offering (also another M proclivity); the pork sausage was beautifully herby and the suggo provided a nice almost fruity hit! And there was bird's eye chillies amongst all that Jalapeno giving this a real scoville kick!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ovest definitely warrants a second visit, particularly as we enter the cooler months, and a nice hit of carbs is more than welcome. And certainly a return visit for that Negoramaro if nothing else - and who knows what other hidden treasures on the list!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1932108/restaurant/Melbourne/Footscray/Ovest-West-Footscray"><img alt="Ovest on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1932108/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></span>Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482493142896422897.post-58140929307301379052015-03-07T23:14:00.002+11:002015-03-07T23:14:41.019+11:00Up up and away, in my beautiful balloon<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok so this nearly landed in front of our house.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were getting ready for another dreary day at work when we heard an odd whooshing sound outside - couldn't work out if it was a plane, or a car or bike - it had the sound of a motorised vehicle of sorts but we couldn't figure it out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When you reside off the confluence of 2 busy roads and under flight paths, you tend to block out some of the sudden clicks, bumps and pops that form the aural soundtrack of inner city living.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But this sounded unusual, so we went outside for a steaky beak, and there it was - a big hot air balloon, so low you could just about reach out and shake the hands of its occupants.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maybe one day I'll make it up there - well if I can drag myself out of bed early enough and find spare cash lying around!</span><br />
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Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482493142896422897.post-62741749482254110822015-03-06T22:28:00.001+11:002015-03-06T22:28:09.068+11:00No I don't speak Jamaican and I'm not phonologizing either! CBA Friday at Bax Food Co, Seddon<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok so does anyone remember Gravy Train from the pre-million dollar property days? It used to be one of the rare modern style cafes along this strip of Gamon Street in ... is it still Seddon or Yaraville at this juncture? We went there once, and never went back.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well Seddon/Yaraville is now so crowded with gastronomic choices that the everyday fish and chip/milkbar burger has now become a rarefied luxury. One lazy Saturday afternoon brunching at Lady Moustache, we first noticed that the Greens had vacated their charmingly rustic (i.e. gradually shifting sideways) workers cottage. Then we noticed that Gravy Train was no longer and windows had been papered up sheltering the premise's new tenants in preparation for the big reveal!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a little eugooglizing, the Westie interwebs rumour mill informed us that our snazzy hood was getting its first Jamaican restaurant. As a big fan of a good old spicy smoky jerk anything I was excited.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So when it opened we jumped at the chance of sampling the wares at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/baxfoodco">Bax Food Co</a>. Let me just preface this by saying that the hospitality gods have not been smiling down on us of late. We have had so many forgotten orders, inept service experiences, understocked menus of late, that its hard not to question our loosening grip on humanity. Unfortunately, Bax Food Co didn't quite help to change our losing streak.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The evening started off well. The open front courtyard has been preserved in a fashion and as it was a reasonably cool night, we were glad to be sat outside. A la Pappa Rich, each table has a tin with paper menus and pencils for you to tick your order off. But I think teething problems may have prevented them from sticking to their misguided workflow, and table service was provided instead.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we visited they were still in the process of obtaining a liquor licence, but there were a number of fruit punch like drinks on offer. To get into the spirit of things, I opted for the watermelon which in its spritzy mixture had a very nostalgic and familiar flavour to me. M's had some kind of passionfruit nonsense, a fruit that I truly despise as it combines 2 of the worst things I find in food - slimy and supertart! He liked it which really is all that matters.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The menu is designed to be shared - a little tapas-y in construct. Once they get their liquor licence, you could go to town on this!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We decided to go for 2 selections from the Larger Boss Grub section on the menu. We placed our orders and settled into some heavy conversation as we were both extremely dejected about things at work. We didn't really notice the time flying. Then we were distracted by a couple of our friends walking their dog and we went out for a quick but long overdue catchup, which pushed the hands round the clock a little bit more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When that was all done with, there was nothing further to distract from our rumbling tummies. And the stress levels began to creep up as the tables round us started emptying and filling up again. Then a side of Cassava chips was delivered gratis with an apology for the wait. That helped to appease the <a href="http://temasek68.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/roti-road-to-disaster.html">Roti Road</a> flashbacks somewhat as the Cassava chips were delicious!! You must order a serve when you go! It came with a sticky green sauce perfumed by the sweetness of Jalapeno (I think) and pretty soon we were dunking and crunching no more as the box* switfly emptied.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We then had to prompt the waitress to see where the rest of our meal was. She returned to say that it would be no more than another 10 minutes. So I set the timer on my phone ... YES! I have turned into one of those people!! I am secretly mortified and ashamed ... but in the heat of the moment, all bets are off. But guess what! To the very second of those 10 minutes, our mains actually arrived!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But, and this is one of my many pet peeves, they had run out of one of the elements on the Jerk Platter we ordered, and simply replaced it with another item without first checking!! Thankfully for their sake, they replaced the Chicken Wings (and if you know me, you know how much I love my chicken wings!!) with an extra piece of their Jerk Roast Corn with coconut and jerk Mayo which was heaven!! And would have been way too hard to share. So our Jerk Platter ($25) came with Jerk Chicken, Pork Ribs, and 2 pieces of Jerk corn.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I almost want to say jerk is as jerk is, mainly because I like the sound of it. But the jerk was nigh on perfect for me. The right amount of smokiness with a hint of spice and the rub was well and trully cooked out. There was also a tamarindy sweetness in one of the sauces that worked very well with the rest of the flavours of the jerk. The corn was something else! Grilled almost to the point of slightly beyond burnt - it would never pass muster on Masterchef, but it certainly passed easily down the gullet!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our second main was the Doubles, served with Chick Pea, Potato, side condiments and Saffron Bread ($15). Doubles is like an empanada of sorts, or a rather mangled curry puff - well the version served here anyways. The Chickpea mixture was beautifully balanced and extremely moreish. Yet another highlight of a dish. But probably something best shared as its a little heavy, and just a few mouthfuls is sufficient without one becoming <i>jelak</i> - which is a great Malay word used to describe being sick of a flavour.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As it turned out, or as it was explained to us rather, they had someone call in sick in the kitchen just before doors opened. And I understand that and appreciate that they were honest about the situation. They more than made up for the delays with some amazing food. And such an interesting menu well deserves a repeat visit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1937365/restaurant/Melbourne/Footscray/Bax-Food-Co-Yarraville"><img alt="Bax Food Co on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1937365/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></span>Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482493142896422897.post-30412059196405594552015-02-28T12:51:00.000+11:002015-02-28T12:51:23.567+11:00Its getting crowded in here!! CBA Friday at Quan 888 in Little Saigon<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok ... its getting crowded over here in Little Saigon! But the hood can afford another intrusion if its serving traditional fare such as this - honest, uncomplicated (relatively speaking) and uncompromising.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now that my erstwhile goto bible* of new happenings in the West has recently found its well worn blogging feet again, I clocked the opening of <a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDkQFjAD&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fquan888melbourne&ei=kSvwVIKkMc3e8AXlmoK4AQ&usg=AFQjCNGxK6qbcr9LP_rTH4_XqDWWD_jlIQ&sig2=RLpNwMzXh8z-CIb14C1vtw&bvm=bv.87269000,d.dGc">Quan 888</a> in the Little Saigon market soon after it set up shop.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In fact I do believe we visited this newly minted establishment on the very day the <a href="http://footscrayfoodblog.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/quan-888-little-saigon-footscray.html">post</a> was published. And now that I am a skilful reader between the lines of this particular blogger's nomenclature, I knew we were in for a good night.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And a good night we had ... in part. There are popular dishes on here that sell out fast as we soon discovered. So we had to settle for second choices.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most of the dishes are prefixed with the words Da Nang, a city on the South Central Coast of Vietnam, which is where I gather the proprietors originally hailed from. There are a few familiar dishes like Niem and Bun Xiao, but most of the menu could prove a bit daunting to the western palate, especially the fermentary (is that a word?) condiments and some of the stock bases for their noodles.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In fact the initial mouthful of my Fish Cake Noodles (sorry readers I'm bad with noting down menu titles and descriptions!) was overpoweringly fishy, with a hint of monsoon drain ... HOWEVER, as the flavours started to mix and the bits of pumpkin (yes you read that right) started to soften into the stock, each successful mouthful became ever increasingly moreish. The bowl was dry when I finished with it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M's noodles had roast pork and jackfruit in it and the mere presence of this well loved artocarpus (yes I know how to google!) is enough to illicit a sour lemon pout of the Zellweger variety from me, but I did have a taste. I think there was more artichoke than jackfruit, so I was able to savour the deliciousness of the dish. But you can already surmise that the combination of ingredients is a little unusual at Quan 888.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also had the green papaya salad which like its neighbouring establishment is garnished with that addictive Beef jerky that now seems to be everywhere with the arrival of <a href="http://temasek68.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/cu-thu-quan-another-reason-to-love.html">Co Thu Quan</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For liquid refreshment we had the curious Corn Milk which is exactly what the name describes. Cold milky corn in a glass. Jury is still out on this. I think I would have liked it a little sweeter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And to finish off the meal, we had Ca Phe Sua Dam - strong iced black coffee - dark of colour and miraculously milky?! I'm still trying to figure this out!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On our second visit, we were able to sample the Bahn Beo - steamed rice cakes with toppings of pork and also shredded dried prawns. These were delicious! And well worth going back for.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also tried the Niem which was a little tricky to negotiate. I wasn't quite sure how to actually eat it. There wasn't really much room to try and combine the noodles with the herbs and with the meat. So I ended up eating each ingredient a mouthful at a time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M had the Bun Xiao which is served rather dramatically with a dispenser that lets you wet your rice paper - a kind of DIY spring roll of sorts. It's a fun dish, but we both agreed that the actual pancake was a bit lacking in the taste department. Yes my palate is not as sophisticated - my preference is for punch in the face flavour.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A very welcome addition to Little Saigon indeed!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>*<a href="http://footscrayfoodblog.blogspot.com.au/">Footscray Food Blog</a></i></span>Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482493142896422897.post-63649769970708316772015-02-23T23:01:00.001+11:002015-02-23T23:01:44.393+11:00Random Bites Part II<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok time for a few more random bites before we head back into CBA territory again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First up, we have <a href="http://zigzagburgers.wix.com/zigzagburgers">Zigzag Burgers N Salad</a>! Alright I can see the eye and head roll from here, ... "not another burger joint mum!!!" I hear you cry. And I admit this isn't going to totally blow your mind, but the price points aren't insulting, and the burgers taste good. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Its right near Fancy Coles so you can do a spot of grocery shopping while you're at it. And they open from 10am till 9pm with ample parking.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As it was my first time here, I went for the plain old basic beef burger ($8) - 100% Black Angus Beef
Lettuce Zig Zag Sauce Pickles
Tomato Relish, Toasted Sesame Bun.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nicely charred bun that wasn't too sweet, a decent sized and juicy patty and a deft hand and the pickles and relish serve. All in all a very satisfying morsel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M went a little fancier and ordered the 12 hour slow cooked Beef brisket instead with Havarti Cheese ($8.50) - you can actually choose between the patty or the brisket for all the available burger options.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1v-GxUbdt0EXgoJbLlW6OACV3kW9CxF0Jffrj9PvZXnEcEYbcTJFGzsfuErXdOgaAhM9YthA5j05GHB3AS2a2GKcb5DoQNjjHpLCWs9v9ioPyXMciVRLe6D4sN_Ey2Ifdh16kEII_0w/s1600/IMG_5113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1v-GxUbdt0EXgoJbLlW6OACV3kW9CxF0Jffrj9PvZXnEcEYbcTJFGzsfuErXdOgaAhM9YthA5j05GHB3AS2a2GKcb5DoQNjjHpLCWs9v9ioPyXMciVRLe6D4sN_Ey2Ifdh16kEII_0w/s1600/IMG_5113.JPG" height="586" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The brisket was nicely flavoured if a little on the chewy side. But I prefer a little give anyways, rather than a meaty mush.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The House Cut fries with cheese and bacon ($7.50) was the star. Ok so I have a feeling it was a run of the mill commercially made cheese sauce but you got the right balance of crunchy and soggy on the plate ... unlike a certain other gamely joint closer to the hood!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We'll certainly be going back.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1889325/restaurant/Melbourne/Ascot-Vale/Zigzag-Burgers-n-Salads-Flemington"><img alt="Zigzag Burgers n' Salads on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1889325/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was one of those listless weekdays whilst I was still in the throes of unemployment that we took a walk out to the lesser end of Barkly street to sample the wares of Kebab Surra.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKs0jVpVeLzqLqv2szD1OewEejd0waD0EGtrZyMS4a4yLlXuIdxNW_oY3U0MYh4qqyfLUffr6qM7WkDV5Fp2AFfZGrg2D9uFxMj_DwXgl4LZ2nNRBkCtd-cCr72tDnA2clRu7MH7aJ-OI/s1600/kebabsurra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKs0jVpVeLzqLqv2szD1OewEejd0waD0EGtrZyMS4a4yLlXuIdxNW_oY3U0MYh4qqyfLUffr6qM7WkDV5Fp2AFfZGrg2D9uFxMj_DwXgl4LZ2nNRBkCtd-cCr72tDnA2clRu7MH7aJ-OI/s1600/kebabsurra.jpg" height="640" width="226" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were actually hoping for a street style kebab, all greasy tin foil and dripping garlic sauce. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kebab-surra-persian-restaurant-241-barkly-st-footscry/1488451608062427">Kebab Surra</a> was in comparison a little more refined. Not that that is a bad thing. In fact the refined flavours were wonderful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We weren't super hungry and decided to share their Kebab Special, which turned out to be quite a generous serving at $14 a pop!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I really should pay more attention to geography and cultural history. I'd be hard put to tell you where the owners and their traditions come from ... but clearly there is an overlap with the sort of cuisine served at <a href="http://temasek68.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/temasek-on-safari-in-ascot-vale-cba.html">Safari </a>in Ascot Vale ... our wonderful host brought out a lamb broth as an aperitif very similar in make up. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our Kebab special arrived a-table full of vibrancy and colour. I'm generally less inclined to feast with the eyes ... to put it plainly ... I want that shit in my mouth before I read the bitch ... you feel me?! But the simple plating (my new obsession) was simply appealing!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh and the bread was moreish! Nice and crispy. I could have just kept eating it ... on its own even ... slumped on the couch ... watching some shit reality tv ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You get alot of bang for your buck, so its worth checking the place out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1885832/restaurant/Melbourne/Kebab-Surra-Footscray"><img alt="Kebab Surra on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1885832/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now we travel way out of the zone to M's hometown, <a href="http://www.visitalexandra.com.au/">Alexandra</a>. Lets be perfectly honest, you wouldn't necessarily stop over in this town for any longer than to wet the whiskers (what ... too much?) or perhaps to stock up on important supplies like a bag of chips!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But they have sexed up the Alexandra Hotel - now called the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Alexandra-Hotel-Cafe/743872865661494">Alexandra Hotel & Cafe</a> and its worth a visit. Well only if by a bee dick's of a chance you ever find yourself needing some sustenance in this part of Victoria, then the food is not disgusting and the coffee is more than drinkable. And its a nice spot to chill for a bit ... you could even go a bevvy!! Or two!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVBL8Vh3mUZBZd_patO0DD_95IPDfb09cMcqKHpHPdCVlSVa1Y5LjEnVHtxMdzYmyuSgNr02WvYzLHSvNXxbYmler5GnxNgqC-DaroEMWOo-yQdLf-HF4K4rVT_9lLn3xyP8a2NJUdNw/s1600/alexhotelcafe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVBL8Vh3mUZBZd_patO0DD_95IPDfb09cMcqKHpHPdCVlSVa1Y5LjEnVHtxMdzYmyuSgNr02WvYzLHSvNXxbYmler5GnxNgqC-DaroEMWOo-yQdLf-HF4K4rVT_9lLn3xyP8a2NJUdNw/s1600/alexhotelcafe.jpg" height="640" width="612" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You know they're trying their best when the menu even has sliders!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally, speaking of bevvies, we made it to <a href="http://littlefoot.com.au/">Littlefoot</a>! Oh the build up was exhausting. If you're local and invested, then I won't bore you with the details or the backstory.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Besides which its 11pm and my bed is calling out to me. So let me shorthand it. Its local, it has unusual and yummy cocktails, a reasonable bar menu (not without its missteps mind) and a little stage playing host to a wonderful array of cabaret-esque bands.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So here's how you do it. You join the queue at 8bit and line your stomach with some protein! Then trundle across to Littlefoot for further liquid refreshments and if you are very very lucky, you bump into a local celebrity (*cough* Lauren *cough*) and her Rosamond Pike lookey likey friend J, and have a wonderful night of silly conversation!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1934978/restaurant/Melbourne/Littlefoot-Footscray"><img alt="Littlefoot on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1934978/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aah the West, ever evolving, ever surprising!</span><br />
Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482493142896422897.post-84396887661202864532015-02-12T20:49:00.000+11:002015-02-12T20:49:12.699+11:00CBA Fridays Revamped - accidental evening at Chicco in Seddon<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok ... after a few months of abstinence, I finally get the chance to enjoy a CBA Friday dinner by revisiting <a href="http://www.chicco.net.au/">Chicco</a> in Seddon, which has recently started doing dinner service every Friday and Saturday night. I was a little ambivalent on <a href="http://temasek68.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/you-have-to-take-good-with-bad-seddon.html">my first visit</a> for brunch several moons ago. But the night's repast has changed my opinion somewhat.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The food is tasty and really satisfying. Yes the space does still have a thin veneer of wannabe-ism, complete with touches of old hat Real World tribalism ... I'm betting that the owners own every single volume of those once ubiquitous Buddha Bar compiles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But at least you don't feel cramped. And on a summer's evening, soundtracked by mellifluous acid jazz, its Juan Padilla at Cafe del Mar all over again. The menu follows a similar world view path with a nod to middle eastern cuisine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We started with an entree of the Jawaneh Meshwi ($10) - 5 pieces of grilled marinated chicken wings with garlic and lemon. These were grilled to perfection with just the right citrusy hit without being too overpoweringly tart. Very moreish and a great bar snack.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M had the Spiced Lamb Pizza ($16) - with red onion, feta, roasted pine-nuts, red chilli, dressed with mint yoghurt on a zaatar base. There was perhaps too heavy a preponderance of the yoghurt sauce for my liking so I reckon a few sultanas would not have gone astray to cut the richness. I know!!! I'm the one who has a T-shirt that says "Stupid Raisins Stay Out Of My Cookie!" Still fair dos!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had the Kraidis B'Toum ($19) - Pan-fried Prawns in a garlic and lemon sauce with fresh herbs served on Basmati rice. So the plating is fairly prosaic, almost plonked! But I'm not really one for fancy plating ... in fact I am a little bit over the drizzle, smear, foam, gel crowd! The dish had solid flavours with the Prawns cooked just so and an almost perfect balance of lemon and garlic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm looking forward to working my way through the menu. A real new-old contender in what is slowly becoming a rather overcrowded food and entertainment district. Lets just enjoy it while we can before the franchisees move in.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1659500/restaurant/Melbourne/Footscray/Chicco-Seddon"><img alt="Chicco on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1659500/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></span></div>
Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482493142896422897.post-14607424612221535112015-02-12T20:10:00.002+11:002015-02-12T20:10:55.117+11:002015 doesn't feel all that much different ... yet! So I'm a little late with NY salutations<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok ... I'm not really one for superstition, but I do appreciate ritual to a certain degree. So I'd like to wish all you netizens out there a Happy New Year .... and to collectively hope that 2015 will be a better and more compassionate year for the world at large.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am going to try my very best to not take anything for granted and I want to work on teasing out any latent forms of apathy by replacing my <i>I wish I couldas</i> with more <i>I will bes</i> and <i>I am going tos</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've started the year with a new beginning of sorts, but I have taken a number of steps back as a result. New Job and new adjustments are proving difficult to handle. But I have incredible support from an amazing partner and some pretty fantastic friends. So I'm luckier than most I guess.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So here's to the year ahead. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No more excuses folks! Time is running out!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PS - don't block the blessings!</span>Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482493142896422897.post-43519868622078432092014-12-19T11:00:00.000+11:002014-12-19T11:00:40.098+11:00Random Bites ... to round of a year's worth of eating!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok ... here's a small representation of some of the yummy delights I have had the pleasure of eating this year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Ascot Food Store</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>320 Ascot Vale Road</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Moonee Ponds VIC 3039</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most recently we visited <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ascotfoodstore.com.au">Ascot Food Store</a>, a fairly new addition to the Moonee Ponds circuit, a suburb not quite known for its culinary prowess.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The site's previous tenant was a little known milkbar specialising in Latino smallgoods with some killer empanadas helmed by Melbourne's very own Milkbar Esquivel. Remember <a href="http://www.margaritapracatan.com/">Margarita Pracatan</a>? Well he was the male euivalent - shimmying across the aisles and calling out Baby to all and sundry, trying to offload cartons of black beans and offering slightly suspect cellophane wrapped lollies to young and old. Oh I do miss him!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But don't miss out on a visit to his successor. The menu is interesting, the space is reasonably large and intelligently configured, and staff are friendly. Oh and the kitchen is more than competent. We had the Angus Burger with a side of Chips. Perfect!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1855215/restaurant/Melbourne/Ascot-Food-Store-Moonee-Ponds"><img alt="Ascot Food Store on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1855215/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Shebeen</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>36 Manchester Lane</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Melbourne VIC 3000</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A recent catchup with an ex-colleague and friend saw us at Manchester Lane's cafe/bar with a conscience <a href="http://www.shebeen.com.au/">Shebeen</a>. Be advised that unless you're part of the main lunch time crowd, this place cuts its hipster teeth so sharp that you're liable to be sliced just walking past the outdoor tables. Throw in a soupcon of the fashionista and you're likely to interpret the service here as bordering on the rude.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But persevere, its a great spot for people watching. There are cocktails to be had. And they have sliders that are the perfect size for a bit of lunchtime noshing. Just ignore the pretty young things hanging around. They're too busy talking about happenings, hemlines and homeopathy to take much notice of you anyways.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had the Pork Belly, Jalapeno Jam, Mayo and Coriander Slider as well as the BBQ beef with kim chi, spring onion and Mayo. They're $6 each or $11 for 2. You will need two! They were delicious.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1758152/restaurant/CBD/Shebeen-Melbourne"><img alt="Shebeen on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1758152/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Tom Thoon Thai Noodle Cafe</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>241 Victoria Street</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Abbotsford VIC 3067</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This little section of Victoria Street close to the Railway bridge has always been a bit of a Thai enclave. I remember going to Ying Thai for my fried chicken fix in the early noughties, and picking up the heart stopping fried pork lard snack from the Thai provision shop 2 doors down. There are quite a few Thai additions to this little hub now and with negligible differences in quality it really comes down to which restaurant can fit you in. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tom Thoon Thai is known for its noodle soup combinations which I can also recommend. But its prize star in my books is the Mango and Sticky Rice pudding! Definitely worth the hassle of trying to find a parking spot! Or just catch the train - the station is just across the road. #anytimeofdaysnack!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1499377/restaurant/Melbourne/Richmond/Tom-Toon-Thai-Noodle-Cafe-Abbotsford"><img alt="Tom Toon Thai Noodle Cafe on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1499377/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Dainty Sichuan Noodle Express</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Emporium Lower Level</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>287 Lonsdale Street</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Melbourne 3000</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aah the Emporium Shopping Centre! What an amazing and welcome addition to the cityscape of Melbourne. Not so much for its retail outlets, but for its amazing food choices. The upstairs food court is a must visit. But there are other little food nooks and crannies dotted around the complex, most notably an Express Dainty Sichuan branch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are already familiar with Dainty Sichuan's cuisine, then you know what to expect. I was immediately drawn to the minced pork and chickpea noodle, mainly because I've never really associated this particular legume with Chinese food and I like trying new combinations. This was exactly how I'd imagine it would taste. Definitely worth a repeat visit!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1829749/restaurant/CBD/Dainty-Sichuan-Noodle-Express-Melbourne"><img alt="Dainty Sichuan Noodle Express on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1829749/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Charlie & Co Burger</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Emporium Melbourne Food Court</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>287 Lonsdale Street</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Melbourne VIC 3000</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While you're there you might as well check out Sydney chain, Charlie & Co Burger. Perhaps not so much for the Burgers per se - they are tasty enough though </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">maybe not quite deserving of the gourmet price tag - but for those Parmesan and Truffle chips.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Slightly more than you would comfortably pay and longer than you might like to wait for a standard lunchbreak meal, reserve your visit for offpeak periods and when you have a bit of time to spare.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1841672/restaurant/CBD/Charlie-Co-Burgers-Melbourne"><img alt="Charlie & Co Burgers on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1841672/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Mighty Boy</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>59-61 Gertrude Street</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Fitzroy VIC 3065</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If fusion is what you're all about, <a href="http://www.mightyboyeatery.com.au/">Mighty Boy</a> will tick those boxes across all sorts of levels. No surprises re the fitout given that it is essentially a Melbourne cafe. In addition, the Gertrude Street location gives the joint its "healthy" dose of hipster gravitas. However, this cafe is popular with the hospital and nursing staff from across the road, which does help to cut through the pretension. Service can be a little hit and miss, and depending on your mood and views on cross-cultural eating, the food may be a slightly underwhelming prospect for you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We, however enjoyed our Duck Rice Paper Roll ($6 for 2) - the duck was not unduly fatty and the skin remained crisp. The rest of the flavours were freshly balanced and the hoi sin sauce did not dominate. Good lunch time snack.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I ordered the Crispy Fried Chicken Roti Wrap ($10) served with coleslaw and kewpie mayo. Again, fresh flavours abound and the chicken was actually well seasoned! My only complaint was that the wrap is served flat, with no hope of actually "wrapping" the bread given the size of the roti and the amount of ingredients piled on top.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M went for the Pulled Lamb shoulder Roti Wrap ($10) which was succulent, sweet and not too rich, due to the mild citrusy tones from the lemongrass and the addition of cucumber and a tzatziki styled dressing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1881984/restaurant/Melbourne/Mighty-Boy-Eatery-Fitzroy"><img alt="Mighty Boy Eatery on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1881984/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And there you have it folks! A slightly discombobulated wrap up of this year's food "adventures". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An Honourable Mention:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Maccaroni Trattoria Italiana</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>10 - 12 Manchester Lane</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Melbourne VIC 3000</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just a little up or down (depending on your approach) from Shebeen is this larger than you might think restaurant - <a href="http://maccaronitrattoria.com.au/">Maccaroni Trattoria Italiana</a>. Slightly more rustic in decor than its <a href="http://maccaroniosteria.com.au/">sister branch</a> in Clifton Hill, this is a charming little cafe that serves simple honest Italian fare popular with the business lunch time crowds. My </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pappardelle Funghi e Tartufo ($22) was slippery with a bite and nicely turned over in the Mushroom sauce. And that pistachio cake ... heaven.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1592003/restaurant/CBD/Maccaroni-Trattoria-Italiana-Melbourne"><img alt="Maccaroni Trattoria Italiana on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1592003/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a> </span>Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482493142896422897.post-36446565390729138182014-12-11T11:43:00.002+11:002014-12-11T11:43:43.333+11:00Little Cafe for a Little Man - Little Man Cafe in Seddon<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok ... so I've finally transferred most of my photos from camera to hard drive, giving myself a panic attack in the process at how far behind I am in my posts. Still lets codral on and see if we can't reach an even keel by year's end.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So you know how much I love Seddon, and if you don't, well I do ... and would move there in a heartbeat ... being "just" around the corner no longer cuts it I'm afraid.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ordinarily when somewhere or something new opens in the hood I'm there as soon as I've heard about it! But The Little Man Cafe looked a </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tad on the clinical and obvious side. Bare brick walls given a coat of white paint, blonde wood tops and pastel coloured accents. Mind you they could have Beci Orpined the shit out of it, but thankfully they exercised some restraint. It felt more like a business opportunity with food as an afterthought. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So when we eventually ate there it was more a question of geographical and horological convenience on one of those hectic Saturdays. And we were pleasantly surprised at both food and beverage being churned out of the kitchen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First up I am in love with their water jug! And their salt and pepper shakers for that matter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What seemed obvious and clinical from the outside was light, relaxed and comfortable on the inside. The coffee is 5 senses and done well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I ordered scrambled eggs on toast with bacon on the side. Beautifully fluffy texture, clean flavours, and an interesting touch with a couple of slices of radish, although I could have done without the sprouts!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M went for the Karage Chicken Sandwhich served with a creamy and dramatic layer of purple cabbage. It looked beautiful and tasted great. I can't remember if this was on the regular menu, or if it was a special. But I definitely recommend trying it out if its still available. I do like my fried chicken so I might be a little biased.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all, we enjoyed our brunch here and would probably have made repeat visits if not for all the other places to get to in the hood. Have we reached saturation point yet fellow westies?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1796196/restaurant/Melbourne/Footscray/The-Little-Man-Cafe-Seddon"><img alt="The Little Man Cafe on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1796196/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></span><br />
Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482493142896422897.post-6454215056654927162014-12-02T17:46:00.000+11:002014-12-02T17:46:57.172+11:00Nuevo Latino - A nuevo addition to Little India, Barkly Street WeFo<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok ... <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nuevolatinolosrodriguez">Nuevo Latino</a>, so nuevo that the creases have yet to be ironed out yet but don't let this put you off! Choose a quiet week night and prepare to be patient.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our particular CBA Friday night started off well. It was a lovely evening so eschewing the wheels, we took a leisurely stroll to Barkly Street to check out the latino delights of this newly minted restaurant.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It being just a bee's dick shy of 6pm, we had no issues securing a table, although it started to get pretty packed soon after that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The kitchen, which you can peek into, was already a hive of activity, but the 2 guys manning the floor seemed a little listless. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Given the layout of the entry into the restaurant, we weren't quite sure where to stand and wait to be seated. A stand with the menu just in front of where the bottled water is kept should alleviate some of this confusion. Alternatively staff should give clear acknowledgement to people who have just arrived. So we know to wait until you have finished attending to a table. Sometimes its the little things ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The menu here is exciting. Not quite the lengthy thesis of El Rincons past, but that is a good thing. I prefer a small but well executed menu as opposed to one that reads like United Nations dossier.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As always there is a tussle between ordering too much and not being able to sample enough. A modicum of sanity prevailed and we decided on a couple of smalls, a couple of mains and possibly a dessert.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It took us awhile to get the attention of our waiter in order to place our orders, and then he rather ineptly tried to remember them without the benefit of a notepad. It was almost Fawlty-esque the way in which our water and cutlery were delivered to the table. And our drink order seemed to have disappeared into the ether. We had to change it anyways because the bar wasn't quite set up to do more than unbottle and uncork. Although there were jugs of Sangria going round.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first dish to arrive was a main (?!) - no biggie since we were sharing anyways. Tamales!!! Or is that Tamali? As<a href="http://temasek68.blogspot.com.au/2010/10/los-latinos-for-day.html"> mentioned previously,</a> Tamales are surprisingly hard to find given the glut of tex-mex-latino joints in this town. Nuevo's version is delicious, and comes served with a spicy cabbage mix that shits all over most other tepid coleslaw offerings that are the accompaniment du jour under Melbourne's Dude Food cloud. The accompanying salsa has the beginnings of a great sauce, but could have benefited from a little bit muy picante.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next was the Bacalau croquettes!! I have had a lot of Bacalau croquettes in my lifetime, including my own (which ahem ahem I think are still the best because I use green chillies in the mix) and I can safely say that Nuevo's are pretty darn amazing. And extremely moreish!! I could just kick back with a cold beer and a plate of these on a sunny summer evening and it would be as close to heaven as you could get. (Mental note to self - #makethishappen!).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our next dish of Grilled Corn Kernels claimed equal placing in the deliciousness stakes. I'm not sure whether the intense smoky flavour was a case of culinary serendipity because it was right on the very edge of being burnt! Delicious. Another heavenly beer snack for that warm summer evening!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our final main was the Carne Asada. Now this is not my usual goto dish as I find that the various components that make up this dish are simply plonked on the plate and require very little sophistication in the kitchen beyond that. And the Carne aspect is just an excuse to charge an additional $5 or so. We ordered it this time round because we were in the mood for some protein. And it turned out to be a good choice. Far from being pedestrian, Nuevo Latino's Carne Asada is good!!! The salsa, the salad and the guac all melded together in a refreshing blend of flavours that worked so well with the accompanying soft corn tortilla which was in itself lightly seasoned for a change. In fact, and this is going to sound contradictory, but the skewered meat was pretty much an afterthought, and I could have easily enjoyed the dish without it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We're still missing </span><a href="http://temasek68.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/besito-at-night.html" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Besito</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and that Colombian Hot Chocolate and Cheese stunner. We pondered asking whether Nuevo had something similar, but decided to check out the Churros instead. Perhaps there are regional differences when it comes to this not so humble fried dough decadence. Nuevo's Churros were slightly doughy, almost uncooked. But there was still definite crunch on the outside and the melted chocolate was of quality. I still prefer </span><a href="http://temasek68.blogspot.com.au/2011/07/sabroso-revisited.html" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sabroso's</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, so maybe check out both and see how they measure up for you. Perhaps its a question of personal taste.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyhoo, Nuevo Latino if you manage to maintain the quality of your food, boost your bar offerings and tweak your front of house service a smidge, then you're a welcome addition to this neighbourhood!! For punters who haven't been, give these guys a chance. The food is great so lets be a little accommodating while they find their hospitality feet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1893222/restaurant/Melbourne/Footscray/Nuevo-Latino-West-Footscray"><img alt="Nuevo Latino on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1893222/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></span>Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482493142896422897.post-80092940802940151052014-11-25T12:09:00.000+11:002014-11-25T12:09:48.646+11:00Barcelona - Quiet Contemplation at the Mies Van de Rohe Pavillion - knowing it will never be this way for me!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok ... p</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">lease</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> indulge me a little.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I started the year with good intentions. It was one of my new year's resolutions to document the European trip we took in 2013. And I was determined to wrestle apathy to the ground and continue to be a contributing and productive member of the blogosphere. But fate had something completely different in mind.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes it would have been better to have started as soon as we got back, while the memories were still fresh, but shit got very real soon after that!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">As a result of having nothing more pressing to do, I'm now trawling through half scribbled notes in old diaries, and barely legible jottings on discarded receipts and about a million photos on flash drives galore to try and capture the essence of what it was like stepping out into the Iberian air at the start of a well deserved break from the routine of old.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So perhaps I'll eschew the manic <a href="http://gaudidesigner.com/uk/index.html">Gaudi</a> grandeur, the crowded streets of <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attraction_Review-g187497-d190162-Reviews-Gothic_Quarter_Barri_Gotic-Barcelona_Catalonia.html">Barri Gotic</a> and the tourist traps round <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attraction_Review-g187497-d190163-Reviews-Las_Ramblas-Barcelona_Catalonia.html">L'Rhamblas</a> and start with the sleek, quiet contemplation of the <a href="http://miesbcn.com/the-pavilion">Mies van de Rohe pavilion</a> in Barcelona.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The Pavillion was built in 1929 for the <a href="http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/int-fr29.html">Barcelona International Exhibition</a> and dismantled the following year. It was then reconstructed to exact specifications and re-opened in 1986. All steel, glass and marble, the misleading simplicity of its design and geometry is reflected in much of modern day architecture that we see today. Its almost mind boggling how very contemporary it all looks considering it was developed more than 80 years ago.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Ever the slave to fashion and trends, I was caught up in the brief fascination with designer furniture in the early noughties, but never quite had the financial nous to trully indulge such a passion. So there was a certain anthropological thrill at seeing the Barcelona chair in its original habitat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">There was a time you could walk the grounds and only had to pay an entrance fee if you wanted to enter the building. These days its 5EUR for the lot. So if you're up for some quiet contemplation in amongst the bustle of this busy city, spare a half hour or so and have a wander.</span><br />
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<br />Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482493142896422897.post-60298337563090862092014-11-21T14:51:00.000+11:002014-11-21T14:51:56.556+11:00Brother Nancy - The other other side of Essex Street <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok ... lets try and keep this one short and sharp at least! But not before waxing lyrical about the community spirit inherent in WeFo and its environs ... well thats if you have kids! Or a local business, or work in the community. More of this later on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My first visit to Brother Nancy was brief. Quick enough to order a takeaway coffee and finish three quarters of it a table on the footpath. My initial impression was not promising. I couldn't believe I was actually drinking a Proud Mary roast! Still the main purpose that day was to go for a walk (Essex Street is delightful btw) and to instagram (please to follow me - temasek68 - do it! do it!!). So 2 out of 3 ain't bad.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Second visit was for brunch with M! My first gripe was that brekkie cuts out at a certain time! Which I don't really get, considering that there is hot food options to be had for both the Morning and the Midday sections, which means that the kitchen would have had to be used regardless.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyhoo, moving right along, its a Melbourne cafe, so it has all the standard design touches. It has the perfect location with the bus stop being right outside. I'm sure the morning takeaway business is brisk. This side of Essex Street is decidedly residential, but seeing the renos around here, I'm sure its the right dynamic for a brunch spot! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Going back to my take on the WeFo community spirit, the camaraderie was in full swing when we sat down, but being offsiders, service seemed to us a little perfunctory, or perhaps slightly distracted.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Still the coffee this time round was great. And our Fish and Chip burger ($14.50) was a delight. I'm a big chip sandwich fan, and this was exactly that in a brioche bun with a lovely aioli to boot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think along with the <a href="http://temasek68.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/pod-wefo.html">Sandwich at POD</a>, this is going to be one of my goto lunch dishes when I'm craving simple and honest flavours with just a touch of gastro glam. (Gastro ... what a word!) But is it really that hard to pit olives in a salad? Or at least give your punters fair warning? We're not all spring chickens with perfect teeth round here!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were slightly dissappointed at not being able to order from the Morning menu as the breakfast options looked really interesting on paper. But I guess there's the excuse for a repeat visit which hopefully will happen soon. So in summary, I think Brother Nancy is still finding its feet, but it certainly is a welcome addition to the neighbourhood and in an odd way it is like a little tucked away oasis in what is a surprisingly busy and hectic suburb.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1892512/restaurant/Melbourne/Footscray/Brother-Nancy-West-Footscray"><img alt="Brother Nancy on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1892512/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></span>Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482493142896422897.post-64750013320298357712014-11-20T14:00:00.000+11:002014-11-21T10:12:02.726+11:00CBA Friday at The Hyde Street Hotel Yarraville<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok ... so when it comes to food posts I'm not a fan of combining more than one review into a single post - I'm of the school of essay writing where each paragraph should posit a singular idea or proposition. So coming up is a series of short sharp and quick reviews of places we have eaten in over the last few months. By the way, I'm listening to Curtis Mayfield while I write this, so forgive me if I go a little vintage ghetto on your ass!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Starting with Watermelon!! As in I've been drinking ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not a natural born beer drinker. I don't dislike the taste, but I do worry ... now don't laugh ... about the middle aged beer paunch!! The fear is real people, so don't mock me! Also, I've never been a fan of highly carbonated drinks in any form ... having said that I rarely turn down a good G &T! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I completely surprised myself at how much I enjoyed my glass of <a href="http://moondogbrewing.com.au/">Moondog Brewing's</a> <a href="http://moondogbrewing.com.au/portfolio/galleries/bjorn-to-boogie-spring-summer">"Bjorn to Boogie"</a> beer. This is what they call a Heffeweizen (a german style wheat beer) - and yes I can't keep up with all this new fanglery ... I still go all Miranda Hart when someone orders a piccolo in my near vicinity! Its watermelon based and has a clear and slightly fruity taste ... on its way towards meady but taking a sharp detour to the tropics! Loved it!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were at the <a href="http://www.hydestreethotel.com.au/">Hyde Street Hotel Pub</a> for a recent CBA Friday. Yet another Gastro Reinvention popping up all over the West. You know the drill, once a dive for the locally soused denizens with $3 pots, now all shiny wood and vaguely sculptural light fittings and please to add a 100% inflationary rate to the bill at the end of the night! Not that I am completely against this tide of gentrification, just as long as it doesn't sweep away all the honest charm that was here in the first place. And lets not forget about having some form of quality control please! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Firstly, where are the sound technicians slash acoustic engineers in the design process. If you have a large cavernous room and are expecting to seat a hefty number of punters, then spare a thought about sound absorption, especially in the bistro part of your establishment as opposed to out in the open bar area! We would like to not only enjoy our food, but have a proper conversation as well. This is a frustratingly all too common situation amongst revamped pubs. We had to shift tables at a recent visit to the Post Office Hotel in Coburg, which I will post about later, and a birthday celebration was completely ruined at Le Bon Ton for the same reason.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lets get down to the food. First up its gastro-pub prices so don't bitch!! You know where the door is if you are not happy. Its not like you are not spoilt for choice in this area. As Gastro-pub prices go, this is on the lower end of the scale - i.e. mains are on average between $25 to $30 pp. But there are pizzas to be had and a sizeable list of entrees/shared plates - and they don't all come out of a tin and off a slicer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Craft beers and locally sourced Artisanal wines permeate the extensive drinks list which should keep both the hop obssessed and the budding viticulturists amongst us suitably engaged. My Tar and Roses Pinot Grigio from the Strathbogie Ranges ($9.5) was a delight and very quaffable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As the Temasek household is currently on an enforced regime of austerity, we went straight to mains. I ordered the Swordfish with potato croquettes ($26) from the Specials menu. The fish was nicely cooked and the garnish of pea shoots provided a nice textural and earthy note, but the puree of something or other underpinning the whole dish didn't do much to pull all the flavours together. Some great ideas but maybe something was lost in translation in an effort to gastrofy proceedings. Sill there was not much left on the plate at the end of it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think M may have fared better with his Roasted lamb rump wācrushed kiplers, green beans and sauce vierge ($30). The Lamb had a nice meaty charred flavour and the beans were simply but beautifully cooked with just the right amount of crunch. Again there wasn't much left on his plate and isn't that the ultimate testament?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By this stage me and M had slyly slipped into date mode and were finding humour in the slightest of hooks, so we decided to hang caution to the wind and have dessert! We opted for the Pannacotta which came with some citrusy peanuty praline ($10) type garnish. The Pannacotta was well done but there was a soapy flavour amidst the preserved orange which ruined it for me slightly. Still my Bjorn to Boogie was going down nicely.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This odd little pocket of Hyde Street is rather quaint. There's plenty of street parking and I can see potential for celebratory parties here. Its not going to absolutely blow your mind. But there's certainly a steady hand at the helm here at the Hyde Street Hotel! Definitely worth checking out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PS - woeful menu descriptions were the result of lazy and flawed note-taking and yes this wasn't quite short and sharp! </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23.2000007629395px;">ĀÆ\_(ć)_/ĀÆ</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1828511/restaurant/Melbourne/Hyde-Street-Hotel-Yarraville"><img alt="Hyde Street Hotel on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1828511/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></span>Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482493142896422897.post-21569698509763915302014-11-19T10:20:00.000+11:002014-11-19T10:20:12.542+11:00Its Beginning to look a lot like Christmas - The Christmas window at PID WeFo<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok ... its beginning to look a lot like Christmas now that the shops are festooned with aisles of twinkly baubles, sparkly confectionary, rainbow coloured streamers and led blinkers for days! Oh and the odd dose of lunacy like this giant Lindt ball!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Here at the Temasek household things remain decidedly grim, but spirits must be kept up even as they're kept down to numb the despair.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> So showered and changed, I forced myself out down the road to view Jos Van Hulsen's handiwork in the window of <a href="http://www.postindustrialdesign.com.au/">Post Industrial Design </a>on Barkly Street, WeFo.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHoYO8odvOUIFkroMYBKWk-OWkqeNydC-OWZ0zRsl8g-6l4DNwziw1UL-RR55l69XzVoiOcob6xFkj0NHoSwQrxZiaBtMX6mejnPOkliWMnC_0DKuXHEE8RmJbbhK2aav59qRQ3DJZuo/s1600/IMG_4729.JPG"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHoYO8odvOUIFkroMYBKWk-OWkqeNydC-OWZ0zRsl8g-6l4DNwziw1UL-RR55l69XzVoiOcob6xFkj0NHoSwQrxZiaBtMX6mejnPOkliWMnC_0DKuXHEE8RmJbbhK2aav59qRQ3DJZuo/s1600/IMG_4729.JPG" width="478" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> And I'm so glad I did as it was a very welcome distraction! There is something about a Christmas window that brings out the childish curiosity and wonder in all of us. When I was growing up, every other year or so, Dad would put up a Nativity Scene with a Cotton wool wrapped balsa wood frame instead of a Christmas tree. I would sit there and contemplate each figurine animated by the glow of the blinking lights. I'd invent Christmas stories in my head about hidden worlds round fairy lit corners; conjuring firelit rooms peopled by shiny faced toys and festooned with brightly wrapped presents - each an evenly cornered box with ribbons and bows. I don't think I have ever been that happy since.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFvzmniJ10CNaC_UZ2qJRloQUUS_zx2TCSHHLff8AP0BAX8AYCWTFICV3TCcnB29TLRvON7itRKR9IEMapRCCD_rY5sp7X6sLpIuqGZYelw394Pf60zZonAwW-WmWggFaBvi9JImgVFY/s1600/IMG_4730.JPG"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFvzmniJ10CNaC_UZ2qJRloQUUS_zx2TCSHHLff8AP0BAX8AYCWTFICV3TCcnB29TLRvON7itRKR9IEMapRCCD_rY5sp7X6sLpIuqGZYelw394Pf60zZonAwW-WmWggFaBvi9JImgVFY/s1600/IMG_4730.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Over the years Christmas has lost much of its magic and charm. The passing of time has an uncanny ability of wrenching the joy and wonder out of childhood experiences once held so dear. But as with most things (and this is one of the hardest lessons to learn as an adult) in life, you are unaffectedly the only one who can change this. No one is going to do it for you.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeVVW8xuZ0fcpZjluFj8Efad_dRABWeaeetuq9EfP4uBM9GOTrW__edYevOh_9Jjk1QkuU3hLMngMnqPSvf2QY0ibDySCUq9kxGz5if5av27bacpLR742IlmvrfO2PIyxgjbWWaoP_Bdc/s1600/IMG_4732.JPG"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeVVW8xuZ0fcpZjluFj8Efad_dRABWeaeetuq9EfP4uBM9GOTrW__edYevOh_9Jjk1QkuU3hLMngMnqPSvf2QY0ibDySCUq9kxGz5if5av27bacpLR742IlmvrfO2PIyxgjbWWaoP_Bdc/s1600/IMG_4732.JPG" width="478" /></a></div>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> So why not try mixing things up a little this Christmas. Focus less on the gift giving and more on the opportunities to celebrate with friends and family. Don't waste money on decking the outside of the house in what will only end up as an exercise in replicating a John Waters pisstake. Spend it on oodles of yummy champagne instead. Don't fuss too much about dustbusting every single nook and cranny of your dwelling, but throw the doors open, and let your loved ones in.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="https://www.blogger.com/video-thumbnail.g?contentId=6006e8d0a114a2a5&zx=o4h1868iouy2" /></div>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> And if you are in the hood, gather kids and pets alike or maybe partner and friends, or even just your very own self and take an evening stroll down Barkly Street to PID and spend a few minutes of wonder in front of Jos and Mary's Christmas window. I hear its even more magical at night when the rest of the shop is closed.</span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, lets look away for an instant and momentarily beguile our senses with the high costumery drama that is the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The ticket was a lovely and thoughtful present from good friends of mine so we scheduled a date for a recent Saturday afternoon. Arriving a little earlier (i.e. on time as its the done thing to be fashionably late!) than scheduled we plonked ourselves out front and watched the fashionistas go by. Some people made an effort, including a lucite-heeled rock chic glamourpuss in clear metallic sheen with her equally tousled and sequined boyfriend. And then there were a truckload of breton stripes ... please don't!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The exhibition is split into a number of sections and themes, but you are immediately confronted by the animated faces on some of the mannequins as you first walk in. I'm guessing these are projected and its a nice, unusual, and slightly creepy touch. It gives new meaning to the phrase "and the eyes follow you round the room".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first section houses my favourite of all the tabelaus: the Virgins (or Madonnas) collection, full of intricate lacework, ribboning and bodice ripping gothic romance. The sort of haute coutre favoured by eccentrics like Helena Bonham Carter or perhaps even GaGa. And its in this room you meet the Breton stripe in all its glory. Backlit by a curious almost nightbus-UV blue.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Further rooms reveal a calvacade of garments full of intricate detail with a wealth of historical, cultural and global references stitched into fabric and non-fabric alike, reigns firmly wielded by our cheeky, irreverent but highly articulate gallic sailor boy host. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You'll find corsetry galore in the <i>Boudoir </i>section ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anglophile obsession with an explosion of 70s and 80s era punk and new wave influences in the </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Punk Cancan </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">section ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The <i>Paris-Glasgow-Dehli</i> catwalk, a revolving belt of outfits paying homage to Paris and its multicultural arrondisements ... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bondage and body morphism in the</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Skin Deep</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> section with some amazing ecorche fabrics, backlit like some seedy underground sex club ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take a trip around the world and immerse yourself in the colour and intricacies of traditional craft in the </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Urban Jungle</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> section - take your time here and look carefully as the devil is in the details ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And to finish off, <i>Muses</i> gives you antipodean celebrity overload - all the star-studded touchpoints are here, with the Souffle as worn by Nicole Kidman being my favourite.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The exhibition continues into February next year so you have plenty of time. But don't miss it!! Be prepared for the comedown though ... life seems rather colourless and unremarkable after spending time so very close to all this heightened glamour.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And here's my little slice of the JPG cake which sadly I don't fit into anymore ...</span><br />
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<br />Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482493142896422897.post-30037669737425397602014-10-24T21:00:00.000+11:002014-10-24T21:00:04.293+11:00Bittersweet Beckonings at Brooks in Melbourne <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok ... isn't it funny how people are there for you in words and intentions only, but very rarely in action?? There's nothing like a personal setback to show how much of an obligation you can be to others. And how perfunctory the response in come cases. This is the reason why I have only a small coterie of friends, because I value honesty and true compassion, traits that are very rarely found in the human race these days. Also, I am at a lost to understand how friendships can be broken over an isolated but honest emotional response that in itself is adjunct to the fundamental issue concerned. Did all the many many years past mean absolutely nothing? All the trials and tribulations, and the good and the bad times? All of that so easily come to naught without even an opportunity to apologise and obtain some closure!! People never cease to amaze me. I now appreciate the draw of a hermitic life. And I stand on that cliff edge right now staring into uncertainty but knowing very well that I have a stronger core than this, and that one day I will sit back and reflect with easy notalgia and without punity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Right deep breaths everyone! Why this maudlin dose of literary reflection? Well its because a recent work lunch at <a href="http://brooksofmelbourne.com/">Brooks Restaurant in Melbourne</a> was the very last company hurrah! And I am still missing the camaraderie and the congeniality that took so very long to build and so very little to dismantle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we scraped the barrel that was petty cash to see how much we could spend on our mid-year function (i.e. an excuse to drink good wine and eat great food), what we came up with was certainly not on par with halcyon days gone by. Still those were our parameters so we started working our way through restaurant wishlists, concentrating on lunch specials that would leave us a little over for another 2 drinks each at least.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Settling on Brooks (from my personal wishlist) we opted for a latish lunch which meant that we ended up being the only table for that afternoon. A bit of a buzz kill but we soldiered on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Proceedings started very well indeed with a bottle of <a href="http://www.eminencewines.com.au/the-alchemy-of-the-assembly-our-first-sparkling-release/">Eminence's The Assembly Sparkling </a>from Whitlands, Victoria ($88). This is not an easy bottle to track down as the Vineyard does not have a cellar door, and they mainly supply restaurants and a select number of wine outlets. However if you are in the vicinity of Seddon, head to <a href="http://www.seddonwinestore.com.au/">Seddon Wine Store</a> and hopefully Clare (from the Assembly family) is on shift and she can possibly assist. But grab the opportunity to taste this if you can. As it is with other artisanal champagne (terroir be damned) offerings, this tastes like a combination of cider/whisky/sparkling white! Heaven!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We opted for the 3 course lunch special at $48 a pop. Your other choices being a 2 course for $33pp or a degustation 5 course number for $95pp. The menu consists of a triumvirate of choices - so 3 entrees, 3 mains, 3 desserts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For whatever reason I ended up surfing the waves with my choices, starting with the<i> Cured snapper, yoghurt, oyster cream, dill</i>. Dramatically presented with a ring of dill jus round the plate, the snapper was cured to perfection, but the Oyster cream did overpower slightly. If you were an afficianado of the taste of the sea with all its briny metalicness on the palate, then this would have delighted. I, on the other hand, could be unguardedly critical and say that it did tend to taste a little too fishy (oh yes the irony!).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of my companions ordered the <i>Nicās souvenir of Laguiole; Meli Melo of vegetables, herbs and flowers. </i>So many unpronounceable words; so many needing translation; so many colours on the plate; so many taste sensations ... have a look at the photo - even with my nonexisting shutter skills this looks so inviting and exciting and other sundry feels!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A dish like this is an event. All those gel blobs and purees and unguents and half of Nanna's garden border on a plate. It was fun trying to decipher the different flavours and picking combinations to savour. My final word on this though is that Daisies are simply not edible!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For mains, I chose another seafood number - <i>Fish, ink and verbena, cos lettuce, romanesco. </i>Again high drama with that intense blob of ink on the plate. As with my entree the fish was cooked to perfection; lovingly browned on the outside and meaty flesh with just the right amount of give within. The romanesco looking like something from the little shop of horrors was surprisingly gentle in flavour and the cauliflower and garlic puree set everything else off nicely. I'll skip the wilted cos lettuce as its one culinary method I fail to understand.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh and definitely have the </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aligot - cheesy mash ($16) </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as a side. You won't regret it! Its served rather theatrically at the table by your friendly waitstaff. Two forks go in and a portion is twirled in mid-air before being plonked on your plate. Drama!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And now we come to dessert!! Sadly the "forest floor" Brooks is famous for was not on the lunchtime menu, but something equally as intriguing and bombastic was the <i>Artichoke ice cream, chocolate, hazelnut, candied milk skin, pork crackling.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When it comes to blending savoury with sweet I'm not the most adventorous, but curiosity got the better of me, and I was more inclined to take the risk especially since I wasn't paying. The trick with dishes like these is not to have a scientific approach and sample each component separately. You need to combine the lot to fully appreciate its synchronicity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Still there was alot of tentative chewing going on at the table. And I'm not sure everyone was entirely sold. I think more pleasure was derived from the sense of achievement of having actually eaten the damn thing in the first place. The milk skin in itself could have gone horribly wrong. As it was, the artichoke ice cream was slightly anaemic in flavour, so it needed the chocolate sponge and the hazelnut and yes! the pork crackling to bump it up. Now that I've tried it, does it bear repeating? That is indeed the question.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just like our little lunch group was soon to implode,<span id="goog_1035141903"></span> rumour has it<span id="goog_1035141904"></span> that Brooks now has new owners. What direction this underground space will take next remains to be seen. I suspect that the quality of the food may suffer a little during this transition period, but I think the lunch specials are reasonably priced and the food is exciting and different. Try and check it out soon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1709792/restaurant/CBD/Brooks-Melbourne"><img alt="Brooks on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1709792/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></span>Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482493142896422897.post-91219301635250922272014-10-23T16:14:00.000+11:002014-10-23T16:14:36.839+11:00Don't You know your Queen, cracked, peeling - Perfume Genius!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok ... so this year's musical offerings have been lacklustre to say the least. Nothing really stands out in my mind as being trully remarkable. <a href="https://myspace.com/kewlmagik">Perfume Genius</a>' latest release <i><a href="http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19798-perfume-genius-too-bright/">Too Bright</a> </i>is unlikely to change the landscape that much. It is however great to have a bit of glamour and camp injected into proceedings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>My signed copy - in Gold Vinyl</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Apart from the subtle influences afforded by the involvement of both <a href="http://www.allmusic.com/artist/adrian-utley-mn0000928156/biography">Adrian Utley </a>(<a href="http://www.portishead.co.uk/">Portishead</a>) and <a href="http://www.john-parish.com/">John Parish</a> (<a href="http://www.pjharvey.net/">PJ Harvey</a>), nothing has really changed in <a href="http://www.pitch.com/kansascity/mike-hadreas-perfume-genius/Content?oid=4936226">Mike Hadreas</a>' insular close mic'd world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are still the keyboard based confessionals, opening number <i>I Decline</i> being a case in point, and then there are flashes of the jolly reprobate trying to break out some <a href="http://xiuxiu.org/">Xiu Xiu </a>badness with the wailing banshee chorus (<i>Grid</i>) and the vibrato heavy guitar riffs (<i>Queen</i>).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And if you listen closely, you may pick up on the rumbly parping of a bass clarinet giving some of the songs gravelly organic gravitas.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all, its an album in the true sense of the word, with songs, videos, album cover all interconnected in one glorious golden thrust of a release ... well, in as far as the self depecrating and wickedly funny Hadreas can push!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally an album to actually get excited about, and an album that is not relegated to the petty confines of the ipod shuffle mode - at least not for me. Mike, see you at <a href="http://www.beat.com.au/music/perfume-genius-announces-2015-melbourne-show">The Corner </a>next year! (oh and bitch tell your record label to let me post your song Queen on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRzwpAXgJ4yxdeOCigqDFiA">my youtube page</a>!!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Me and Mike at Laneway Festival</i></span></div>
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Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482493142896422897.post-88998116145185204152014-10-14T18:31:00.000+11:002014-10-14T18:31:41.191+11:00Akshaya - a vegertarian revamp in WeFo<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok ... so much to catch up on! Lets start with a food post from a few months ago. The Braybrook branch of Akshaya's in what some would posit is the middle of nowhere decked out like a celebratory dinner in a bollywood movie circa 1984, left me decidedly warm with its underwhelming promise of traditional South Indian fare. All the usual suspects on that menu but with better versions further up the road, I was never tempted to go back.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Akshaya Mark II is a completely different proposition. Located in WeFo's vibrant Indian enclave on Barkly, its outlook on the street does it no favours. Ineffectual signage and advertising doesn't quite draw the stray punter in. Given the dynamics of the local citizenry in the area, they should be screaming out that they serve delicious, economical vegetarian fare. But there you have it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a particularly uninspiring CBA friday when neither of us could quite articulate what we were in the mood for, so decided to give somewhere new a try. After being seated and given the menu to peruse, it didn't help when I realised everything was vegetarian - </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I do like my protein - particularly when I am starving. However the staff were so welcoming and M spotted his favourite </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirchi_Bada" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mirchi</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, so I reluctantly kicked back and went with the flow.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wise decision! The Mirchi was not its usual heavy grammy mess. It was light, crunchy and very more-ish. And was the perfect starter before the ubiquitous Paper Dosa, which arrived a-tablƩ</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> suitably thin and crunchy with a distinct lack of greasy oil! Also the accompanying sauces were some of the best I have had in a long while, particularly the red chutney, which had a bit of a kick! And wasn't at all of the skin stripper asofoetida variety.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But the star of the meal was their Thali plates. For the whopping sum of $10.90 you get a plate of rice with three curries, raita and a chutney!! And let me tell you every morsel on that metal plate was delicious, the spicy cauliflower being a particular highlight. All fresh clean flavours that complemented each other perfectly. We left feeling sated and healthy, almost as though we had just gone through some kind of body cleansing regime.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Akshaya gets the Temasek seal of approval - wholeheartedly!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1864481/restaurant/Melbourne/Footscray/Akshaya-West-Footscray"><img alt="Akshaya on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1864481/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></span>Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482493142896422897.post-38226353751376364282014-10-14T16:56:00.000+11:002014-10-17T17:44:54.872+11:00Temasek Redux! - A Sordid tale of debt collectors and shoddy lawyers<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok ... I am sat here in an empty office with the lights all turned on even though its just me! Its my last hurrah in the city after a tumultous few months, which also explains the lack of activity on this blog! (Well, it hopefully absolves me in some orthodox catholic way). I have multiple drafts queued to go but I suspect that I will scrap the lot and start again. But to flaunt any form of overt/covert superstition, let me revamp these hallowed/hollowed pages with a precautionary tale - NEVER EVER get involved in accident with a Taxi!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It all started with a ratty piece of paper addressed to M with the name of a debt collection agency and a mobile number to call. We ignored this but when a similar piece of paper was stuck in the fly screen door the next day, I decided to call and find out what the deelio was.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Needless to say, the man who answered the phone refused to speak to me and only wanted to speak to M. So I said that we would have to leave it at that and refused to give him anymore details.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M had no choice but to call. Apparently he was much less professional this time round, but M can be surprisingly immovable and will dig his heels in especially if he senses any undue aggression.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Turns out the taxi company associated with the taxi M crashed into awhile ago was collecting on what they perceived as outstanding debt on the repairs that were made as a result of the accident.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We of course had done the right thing and made the necessary claim with RACV and forked out $500 excess for our troubles! Although we did think that the list of repairs that the Taxi company sent through amounting to about $10000 was a bit excessive. M's car was pretty much a write off, but there was hardly even a scratch on the Taxi as far as he could tell.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Clearly RACV was of the same opinion as they tried to contact the Taxi company several times to verify the repairs and never received any response.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So there we were emprisoned at home on a Saturday morning waiting for the debt collector to arrive to hand us our summons in person ... and he was every possible shade of lovely, starting with a thinly veiled threat of not calling from a visible phone line if we didn't want him to know our number, and then subsequently yelling at us from the street calling us bloody idiots and professing to be just a courier.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All kinds of shade over here at chez Temasek!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At least this time we had the name of the lawyer and his contact details which we passed onto RACV. We were contacted by legal affairs at RACV who subsequently made it all go away. But surely this is not legal? And surely the Lawyer should have known that this was not a legal process? Its all so shoddy and sordid. I feel like I'm an episode on Today Tonight!! Why are there so many scammers out there? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rant over.</span>Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482493142896422897.post-77492066983882431672014-07-08T22:06:00.003+10:002014-07-08T22:08:22.468+10:00Mr Big Stuff ... I think you're going to get that far ... ok that didn't work ... whatevs!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok ... are we over dude food yet?* If we are going to parlez american, then lets get down and ghetto with some soul food. Which is exactly what some enterprising soul(s) did. And we brought on the funk ... ok ... well we tried to ... in our anglo-asian way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I defy you not to think of <i>that </i>song, or <i>that</i> chorus, or see the white suit and fedora hat when I tell you that the name of this joint is <a href="http://www.mrbigstuff.com.au/">Mr Big Stuff</a> .... *who do you think you are* ... sorry I couldn't help it. ... what the hell ... here ... suffer!! (There are worse earworms out there anyways).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lets get on with it. Currently this hot spot is known as much for its fun atmos and staff as it is for its cocktails and food, so its best to book if you want a seat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were lucky to score prime pozzie at the bar on a recent CBA Friday Night. And I'm not exaggerating when I say we fair giggled our way through the meal. There was something infectious about the place, including the CDJ standing in front of a couple of static decks, playing my jams baby! (Anyone who drops Kid Creole in a set can trow-drop me anytime!!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having perused the menu beforehand, we pretty much knew what we were going to order, including our starting cocktails. These were reasonably priced at $12.50 a pop ($8.50 for the kiddies versions). Going the whole ghetto hog I had to have me some waddermalen - the Wicked Watermelon to be exact, comprising of Ketel One Vodka, Cold Pressed Watermelon, Fresh Lemon Juice and Soda - refreshing! (Ok ... at the 5.32 mark).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our friendly waitress who had a bit of a young Scarlett Johanson vibe going on for her, recommended that we start with the Pigs Ears Chips ($8) and the Pickled Okra ($4), both great starting choices. Although I have a preference for the ones served at Builder's Arms, these pigs ears were suitable crispy with a nice salty crunch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love love loved the pickled okra. Not super vinegary, just the right amount of sweetness and tang.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From the Mid-Stuff section of the menu we opted for the Jerk Chicken Wings ($12) and if you know me thats a no-brainer, a side of Corned Bread ($6) and the Mac & Cheese ($12) which was another Scarlett recommendation. Good call Scar-Jo!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mama needed a little more Jerk in her chicken, know what I'm saying!! So this played it a little too safe for it to be trully memorable. We may try the Fried Chicken and Waffles next time instead.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The cornbread was sweet and smooth like the best pikelet you've ever had.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But the Mac & Cheese was the absolute star of the show. Comprising of 3 cheeses including a Comte, this is no plastic Kraft brick in a box number, but something slightly more refined and gourmet, but still willing to bump and grind it with a smattering of crusty ho crunchy cheese bits on the top. I'm ready for another serve right now!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From the Big Stuff section we chose the Blackened Snapper & Clams ($32) which comes served with Black eyed peas ... and you can't get more JJ Adams than that! This was delicious, but as is the case with these things, you guts yourself on the starters and then the main brings you too close to the edge for it to be completely enjoyable. But we gave it a right hot crack and were pleased to find a well-cooked piece of fish in an unctous yet curiously light clam chowdery sauce.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sadly we were too full for the Sweet stuff, so there's yet another excuse for a repeat visit. Can I hear you say Hey Miss Carter??!! Go.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1838288/restaurant/CBD/Mr-Big-Stuff-Melbourne"><img alt="Mr Big Stuff on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1838288/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* If not, can we be??!!</span></i>Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482493142896422897.post-39992615138665435072014-06-26T11:01:00.000+10:002014-06-26T11:01:10.200+10:00The Clever Girls at Clever Polly's <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok ... without giving too much away it was an evening when we needed to clear the air and find some sort of polite distraction in the hours between closing for the day and opening for the night.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had read about this newly opened establishment on Broadsheet and suggested we have a quiet drink to lift our spirits. So that's how we ended up at <a href="http://www.cleverpollys.com.au/">Clever Polly's</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Situated on the border between West and North Melbourne, this is the less travelled end of Victoria Street, which in my opinion makes this wine bar cum store that little bit more special.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The wine list here is carefully curated as is the selection that can be purchased in the store. The staff here are knowledgeable and suitably enthusiastic so don't be afraid to ask and discuss. You can also refer to the Field Guide that they supply you with along with the drinks and food menus.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I absolutely adored my glass of La Distesa Verdicchio (2012) from Marche, Italy. Imagine a honeyed Chardonnay mixed with a crisp cider (yes you got that right!). I loved it so much I had it again on a subsequent visit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M got to try the Vinterloper UWP Red # 1 (2013). This is a wine produced as a result of the Urban Wine Project and the grapes have the dubious distinction of being crushed by the feet of the wider community in Fed Square! For a bit of a hotch potch blend this was surprisingly delicious and imminently quaffable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are a little peckish there is a small selection of vittles to be had. Again you can consult with the staff as to which wine to pair with what food. We had the selection of Cured meats from Salumi Australia </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">($22)</span> which is a good way to start.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also tried the Brioche soldiers with cumin and ricotta ($7) which almost burst the banks, rich as it was - the brioche came in unexpectedly thick slices.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On a subsequent visit we sampled a bit of the Comte on offer. Again I encourage you to ask which is the best cheese for the wine you're drinking or vice versa.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love Clever Polly's and look forward to many impromptu and perhaps not so impromptu drinking dates there. Go go go!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1826545/restaurant/Melbourne/North-Melbourne/Clever-Pollys-West-Melbourne"><img alt="Clever Polly's on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1826545/minilink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a> </span>Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482493142896422897.post-9707800241062611532014-06-25T13:20:00.000+10:002014-06-25T13:20:29.787+10:00Mozzarella Bar - memories of Florence in downtown Seddon<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ok ... I'm working my way through the pile of unfinished blogposts and I've decided to dispense with chronology entirely because ... well frankly the bitch is tired ... so like Tamar Iveri, you just need to suck it up ... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Anyhoo, its always a pleasure to review an eatery in the local hood, particularly one that has finally broken the run of less than satisfactory recent CBA Friday nights.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Covering a fair bit of frontage on Victoria Street, Seddon, <a href="http://www.mozzarellabar.com.au/">Mozzarella Bar</a> a recently opened Italian eatery is already in full patronage swing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are no design surprises as far as the fitout is concerned, although I feel that underneath all that wood veneer lurk the ghosts of neon, chrome and steel pasts.
Still, they do have the prettiest wood fired oven all covered in shiny milky blue tiles.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And I pray to the gods of intellect and sophistication that the accents promulgated by the friendly staff here are genuine as the alternative is a look too far into the abyss.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But lets turn our attention to the food, because at the end of the day, thats what we're here for.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Pizzas coming out of the oven looked and smelt delicious, but as we were both not in pizza munching mode we approached the menu in the same way we did in Italy when we holidayed there last year - i.e. a Primi (shared), a Pasta (each but this time we weren't that hungry so we shared) and a Secondi (shared).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As a Primi we ordered the Gamberini ($14) described on the menu as "Crispy Freshwater Prawns, Spiced, Lemon Rocket & Chilli". There is something about the smell of charring prawn shell ... so wonderfully evocative of holidays by the sea ... or seafood at pre-developed Punggol, embedded clam shells in the dirt crunchy under your feet ... aah ....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But then there's something rather disheartening about Prawns that are overcooked or burnt ... much like the Winter's day outside the window waiting to nip at my extremities as soon as I step outdoors.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Mozzarella's offering is teetering on the burnt side. I had to brighten the photo above considerably and still you can see how brown and dark the shells are, instead of the enticing pinkey orange we're more accustomed to (crispy school prawns being the snack de jour at the mo!). Having said that, there was not a feeler or leg left on the plate by the time we were finished.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For our pasta we shared the Filei di Mamma ($18) - Pine Nuts, Pesto. This simple dish of Florentian styled pasta was simply wonderful. A definite highlight of the meal, and a dish I hope to return to on future visits. I think that with pasta, the simpler it is, the more satisfying. You should definitely check this one out when you go.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Our Secondi was equally impressive. We had the Agnello ($28) -</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Chargrill Lamb Cutlets, Roasted Potatoes, Red Pepper & Eggplant Caponata</span>.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The lamb cutlets and potatoes were cooked perfectly. The potatoes tasted like they were cooked in a stew and then roasted to finish them off. Delicious! And the Caponata was well balanced and a perfect foil to the rich meat. Also another dish I would recommend and hope to have again sometime in the near future.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">All in all, Mozzarella Bar is a welcome addition to the culinary pantheon of the West. Keep 'em coming world!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1829600/restaurant/Melbourne/Footscray/Mozzarella-Bar-Seddon"><img alt="Mozzarella Bar on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1829600/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a> </span>Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482493142896422897.post-60494817673054256832014-06-23T22:22:00.002+10:002014-06-23T22:22:49.626+10:00Facts are fact and Fiction's fiction - Watching the Liars at The Corner Hotel<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ok ... with that motorik shout out the crowd loses it shit ... and I am in very present danger of losing my head as arms flail and bodies thump as hardcore dancing ensues ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I forget that <a href="http://liarsliarsliars.com/">Liars</a> was born out of the fetid swamp of thrash metal and the band has shouldered that sensibility along with some of its fans on its journey into the uneasy world of EDM ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Angus towers above us in his technicoloured woolly balaclava, removing it only to uncover cobain styled root bound blonde tresses (not real) that hides all expression from view ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Julian mans the skins with pithy concentration, his dark bearded looks making me feel all funny ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Whilst Aaron gives off some Nick Rhodes realness as he twiddles knobs and punches keys ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My body spasms involuntarily in time to the relentless beat and in my mind I am the coolest of the cool ... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Meanwhile the hipsters have stayed at home ... aha aha</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/jbrNt-dMDsY" width="560"></iframe><br /></span></div>
Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482493142896422897.post-68014129600266799182014-06-23T21:48:00.002+10:002014-06-23T21:48:28.536+10:00Darkness Darkness - A Random update<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ok ... </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In darkness<br />
Where my dreams are all too clear</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
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Darkness, darkness</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
Filled with all the sounds of fear</span></div>
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I hear voices (don't turn out the light)<br />
Calling faraway</span></div>
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I see shadows (don't turn out the light)<br />
Moving, changing shape</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(An Excerpt from "Darkness" by The Human League)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Not too long a wait for what comes next ... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">*Photos taken at Little Lon - Melbourne Museum</span>Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482493142896422897.post-85301519478845276532014-05-17T21:06:00.001+10:002014-06-15T09:08:06.187+10:00Eat8bit - Finally a burger joint in Footscray - CBA Friday that wasn't a disaster - Phew!<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ok ... so its finally open - Footscray's first ever burger joint - called Eat8bit (or is it Eat8bit ... answers on a postcard). Forgive me for being slightly out of the loop but I still don't quite know what the pun is. I know that 8bit is of significance to gamers, and is slightly retro, slightly vintage ... am I right? Hence all those Hama Beads concoctions of old school video game figures masking as table numbers. Very cute btw, or is that not what you're meant to say in these postpostpostpost modernist times.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This was 8bit's opening night and they were under the pump! They had run out of a few bits and pieces and couldn't offer everything on the menu by the time we got there. BUT, they told us at the very start that this was the case so we were well and trully forewarned. And during the time we were waiting, they came over at least twice to apologise for the wait and offered a free serve of ice cream on the first, and a drink on the next. Other <a href="http://temasek68.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/roti-road-to-disaster.html">newly opened eateries</a> should take note.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Slightly dissappointed at not being able to order the Cheese and Bacon Fries or the Onion rings, we opted for Potato Gems instead and a burger each.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">M had the Altered Beast - Beef, Bacon, Cheese, Grilled onions, Lettuce, 8BIT sauce, BBQ sauce ($9.50). And I opted for the 8bit with Cheese - Beef, Tomato, Lettuce, Red onion, Pickles, Mustard, Cheese, 8BIT sauce ($8.50)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But first up was the Peanut Butter Milkshake ($6.50) which was ... and I'm going to sound like a middle aged tragic now ... da bomb!!! Not quite a thickshake and therefore not so gut churningly creamy, with the peanut butter flavour oozing through like a nice warm blanket of nostalgia. M really didn't want the drink to end. I only had a couple of slurps as a whole one would have killed my delicate lactose intolerant linings, but I think I would suffer a day's worth of painful bloating for my own serve next time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When those burgers finally made it out of the kitchen to our little window bench, I'm not sure if its because we were castaway sized hungry, but that first buttery bite was like a heady shot of dopamine and we couldn't speak until we had at least 3 more bites down the gut.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The patty is the right side of fatty, enough to give it that juciy meaty flavour whilst still allowing the other complements to shine through. But I believe its the 8bit sauce that trully delivers. And could be mildly narcotic because I think their burgers can become a little addictive. Sorry waistline, it is what it is.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We're certainly going to be back at the next opportunity. Quite a few things to work our way through on the menu. Top of the list is those onion rings, and then its the After Burner (Beef, Tomato, Red onion, Lettuce, Cheese, Chilli sauce, JalapeƱos, Chipotle mayo - $9.50) and the Golden Axe (Crispy fried chicken, Cheese, Sriracha mayo, Slaw - $9.50) for me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Oh you are so very very welcome 8bit to the Scray!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1824056/restaurant/Melbourne/Eat8bit-Footscray"><img alt="Eat8bit on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1824056/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
<br />Temasekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14200526730444111994noreply@blogger.com2