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Royal Mail Hotel, Dunkeld

Lauren

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22 March 2016

MELBOURNE | Royal Mail Hotel Dunkeld is situated approximately 3 hours from Melbourne on the edge of the southern Grampians. With the breathtaking country side as its backdrop the Royal Mail Hotel has capitalised on its peaceful surrounding providing luxury accommodation, a venue for weddings, conferences facilities and a multiple award winning restaurant and cellar.

The City Lane was invited to visit The Royal Mail Hotel and discover a little more about the property. As most are aware this venue has an outstanding reputation for the quality of food served at the restaurant. This can be attributed to The Royal Mail Hotel’s ethos of sustainability and the use of seasonal produce. Currently, 80% of the food served at the restaurant is grown/reared on the property as such the menu changes regularly based on what is ready to pick in the garden. This change of menu may even occur mid service depending upon what is available on that day. This way they can ensure the best and freshest produce is served. This idea of sustainability is not limited to the food, and is extended to local fauna.

To further ensure the local fauna is not disturbed by any actions of The Royal Mail Hotel a conservation program has been initiated to help increase populations of local endangered species such as our furry friend below. Tours of the kitchens garden and conservation program are available for all guests. While we were on tour we met the imaginatively named possum “Poss”. He was shy at first but soon came out to say hi and see what the fuss was all about.

Following our tour of the conservation facilities, we freshened up and headed to the restaurant for the main event – a 5 course tasting menu matched with wines from The Royal Mail Hotel’s internationally acclaimed and awarded $2 million wine cellar.

Snacks

To start the evening an array of snacks were served. These included beetroot roll ups with a duck liver parfait and smoked eggplant ice-cream sandwich. All the snacks were delicious however the highlight was the roll up which evoked childhood memories of the school playground. Another highlight was the duck liver parfait which was rich and creamy with an intense meat flavour.

Egg On Toast

Following the snacks we were served a beautiful confit egg yolk on toast. The egg yolk was creamy and somewhat gelatinous in texture which complimented the crunch from the toast and the nutty flavour of the toasted rice. Truly a great combination of textures and flavours – a real example of simplicity allowing the best qualities of top ingredients to shine through.

Carrot Bavarois, Buttermilk, Lovage, Apricot

This dish was light and really highlighted the flavour of the vegetables which were picked earlier in the day from garden. In a common theme throughout the degustation, there was real textural complexity and contrast going on here.

Bread – Donut

A selection of breads were served throughout the meal with freshly made butter. Out of the selection of breads on offer the donut was a stand out. This opinion was unanimous on our table as the base had a light crunch while the inside of the donut was incredibly light and fluffy. It was hard not to fill up on this utterly delicious donut. The other bread options were okay but nothing special – certainly not amongst the best we’ve had when fine dining.

Flathead, Octopus, Pickled Rhubarb, Potatoes, Garlic

The next dish was one of the evening’s highlights. The perfectly pan fried piece of Flathead was accompanied by a sweet slightly chewy piece of piece of octopus which provided a great textural contrast to the dish while the tart pickled rhubarb rounded out the flavour combination brilliantly.

Duck Under The Mulberry Bush

Duck under the mulberry bush was an very interesting dish. Tender duck breast was dressed with fresh raspberries and mulberry leaves from the garden. To ensure the flavour of duck really resonated throughout the dish duck liver twigs were added to intensify the flavour and add a slight crunch.

Royal Mail Lamb, Zucchini, Blossom Gel, Dehydrated Goats Cheese

The final savory dish of the evening was delicious, tender Royal Mail lamb cooked 3 ways with fresh zucchini flowers, blossom gel and dehydrated goats cheese. Everything here served to highlight the quality of the lamb, which was outstanding.

Cherry And Chocolate Black Forest

Finally, dessert consisted of a deconstructed black forest cake. The classic combination of chocolate mousse with chunks of cherry was a very satisfying way to finish off a great meal.

Petit Fours

This was an interesting twist to end the night. All along there was this potted plant with sprouts on the table. Little did we know that the dirt was in fact “chocolate soil” and hidden inside was an assortment of petit fours!

The Royal Mail Hotel Dunkeld definitely lives up to its reputation of great food in a picturesque setting. Its ethos is admirable and there’s a passion that’s evident in everything that’s done from pasture to plate. The quality of the produce is excellent and the highlights were the dishes which served to bring out the innate properties of each ingredient. There was nothing bad here, but the dishes that didn’t impress as much as others were the ones where too much was going on. The only real criticism was, apart from the donut, the lacklustre bread. We’re used to fine dining where it’s hard to resist filling up on the amazing bread and when compared to the high level of everything else here, it was hard not to notice that it didn’t really hit the mark. If you’re looking for a weekend away from Melbourne (or Adelaide for that matter) or are driving along the Great Ocean Road, the Royal Mail Hotel should definitely be on your dining list.

Royal Mail Hotel

98 Parker Street
Dunkeld
Victoria 3294
Australia

Telephone: (03) 5577 2241
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.royalmail.com.au/

Open
Mon – Sun: 7:00am to 9:00am; 6:00pm to 10:00pm

Tasting The Market Trail At Prahran Market

Kirsty

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21 March 2016

0

Tasting The Market Trail At Prahran Market

MELBOURNE | Opened in the 1850s, Prahran Market represents Australia’s premier food market, renowned for its quality fresh produce, expertly skilled traders and unique specialty products. The market stocks only the best seasonal produce, offering organic fruit and veg, seafood, meat and poultry and every sweet treat and spice you can imagine.

The City Lane was given a VIP pass at this year’s Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, allowing me to taste some of Prahran Market’s finest produce. Every tasty delight was served and prepared by the market traders themselves, using exclusively local and regional ingredients.

Our taste tour included 16 vouchers to food and drink stalls dotted around the market. Although I enjoyed every pit stop for individual reasons, I have picked just some of my favourites to talk about. We were invited to start our journey with cider from Napolene Brewery & Ciderhouse and white wine from Punt Road Wines in the outdoor Market Square. The sweet and fruity undertones of the wine in particular complimented the food perfectly.

Hagen’s Organic Butcher: Smoked Biodynamic Wagyu Brisket With Apple Cider Slaw

It is easy to understand why so many people were waiting in line for this particular stand. This organic Butcher uses only the finest produce, which is perhaps why their mini wagyu burgers tasted so good! The glazed brioche bun added the perfect amount of sweetness to compliment the delicious fusion of apple cider slaw and tender wagyu brisket inside.

Claringbold’s Seafood: 2 x Freshly Shucked Oysters

The next stop on our tour was fresh oysters, a stall which attracted quite the crowd. The market trader serving the seafood explained to us the best way to eat the oysters, eager for us to pair them with his tasty homemade oyster dressing. The dressing injected the perfect amount of spice without masking or overwhelming the natural flavour of the oysters themselves.

Cleo’s Deli: Charcuterie Board

Established in 1985, Cleo’s Deli is a gourmet food store, which sells goods ranging from charcuterie to cheeses. During the tour, the deli provided us with a tasting platter of differed cured meats, including jamon, prosciutto and chorizo, as well as gherkins and stuffed olives. The flavours were deliciously fresh, accentuating the quality of the ingredients.

Gary’s Quality Meats: Pulled Pork On A Black Bun With Fresh Slaw

The organic pulled pork burger from this Butcher was undoubtedly my favourite dish of the day, not only aesthetically pleasing, but more importantly extremely tasty. The free-range Berkshire pulled pork and fresh slaw created a delicious fusion of flavours, offset effortlessly by the black charcoal bun – absolute heaven.

Naheda’s Choice Turkish Delight: Hand Made Turkish Delight

And now onto my specialty, the sweet stuff! This homemade Turkish Delight blew every other I have tried out of the water, from the beautifully colourful and detailed presentation to the unique blend of flavours on offer. We were invited to take home a variety of flavours to try. My personal favourites have to be the Popping Passionfruit and Traditional Rosewater, however we also tried the equally yummy Bustling Blueberry, Fresh Lemon, Crispy Apple, Mango and Maldive Mint.

Alba’s Patisserie: Hazelnut Baklava

The texture and flavours of this fresh baklava were on point. With a subtle sweetness which really accentuates the hazelnuts, this baklava provides the perfect treat to satisfy that craving, without being too rich.

Whilst wandering from stall to stall around the energetic and bustling market, it was clear that the traders have a passion for the products they sell. At each stop we were given detailed explanations of the ingredients and processes used to create each dish, and what flavours compliment one another. With good reason, they are proud of the quality of their fresh, local products. Lucky enough to live close to Prahran Market, I will most definitely be a regular customer, and am eager to try out the extensive range of goodies on offer.

Prahran Market

Suite A, Level 1
163 Commercial Road
South Yarra
Victoria 3163

Open:
Tue: 7:00am to 5:00pm
Thu – Sat: 7:00am to 5:00pm
Sun: 10:00am to 5:00pm

Celebrate Gauchito Gil’s Malbec World Day

Paul

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21 March 2016

0

Celebrate Gauchito Gil’s Malbec World Day

MELBOURNE & SYDNEY | There are some things in this world that are worth celebrating, perhaps even devoting an entire day to, and if you’re a wine lover, Gauchito Gil’s Malbec World Day might just be one of them.

But we know what you’re thinking: how am I going to celebrate this Argentinian wine when I’m in Melbourne or Sydney? Well, we might just have the solution for that too, because on April 17 for Melbourne and April 23 for Sydney, you can get the chance to try many many fine Malbec wines, partake in some tango dancing (although we’ll admit your participation may depend on how progressed you are with your ‘tasting’) and enjoy some fine Argentinian food thanks to folks like Piqueos and Casa Ciucco in Melbourne and Porteño in Sydney.

There’s even an award (for Melbourne celebrations only) for the best empanada called the ‘Golden Empanada’, which looks exactly how it sounds and is judged by both event goers and professional critics.

Tickets are $50.00 and include a free wine glass and all the wines you can taste. In fact, the only thing the ticket doesn’t include is a public holiday to celebrate the wine. Best to start campaigning for that now.

Gauchito Gil’s Malbec World Day

Melbourne
Sunday, 17 April 2016, 1:00pm to 6:00pm
Meat Market
5 Blackwood Street
North Melbourne

Sydney
Saturday, 23 April 2016, 1:00pm to 6:00pm
Cell Block Theatre
National Art School
Forbes Street
Darlinghurst

Sam Sam, Melbourne CBD

Paul

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20 March 2016

0

MELBOURNE | Sam Sam Melbourne is one of those places that tend to get ignored my much of the “foodie” set in Melbourne. A place that opens up without fanfare, without a public relations push and without any social media or online presence. One day there’s some construction going on and the next thing you know, there’s a new food venue in town.

Located on Swantston Street means that Sam Sam has the obvious benefit of heavy food traffic and indeed it was while walking past it on Swanston Street last month that the modern frontage and neon lights caught my eye. A few days later I found myself in the CBD with a group of friends, and we decided to make Sam Sam our choice for dinner.

Sam Sam is primarily about one thing – Korean fried chicken. Ever since Gami bought the classic Korean comfort food pairing of Korean fried chicken and beer to Melbourne many years ago, others have tried to replicate its formula with varying levels of success. Sam Sam
On the night we visited the upstairs space was completely full however there were some seats available in the basement level and our group of 5 was accommodated without fuss. Opening the menu, we were faced with a range of friend chicken options as well as a few other sides. On the drinks front, it’s mostly about beer and soju, with some sake and a few other spirits available too.

Half & Half Full Size Boneless Chicken ($33.00)

The fried chicken comes as either on the bone or boneless with your choice of whole, half of wings and with a choice of 4 seasonings/sauces. We went 2 servings of the half/half boneless chicken in order to taste of all the flavours – original, sweet & spicy, soy & garlic, hot & spicy. The fried chicken was moist on the inside and crispy on the outside. Not the best fried chicken in town but certainly acceptable. The sweet & spicy came with potato wedges which we found odd and didn’t really hit the mark flavour wise, nor did the original which was somewhat bland. We all agreed that hot & spicy plus the soy & garlic were the best of the 2, with nice balanced flavours.

Bibimbap ($13.00)

The classic traditional Korean vegetable dish served with mixed rice, egg and a choice beef bulgogi, spicy pork bulgogi, spicy chicken or tofu & mushroom is also offered. The vegan in our group went for the tofu & mushroom option. We all tried some and were impressed with how flavoursome it was. Surprisingly something that we’d all order again.

Kimchi Fries ($12.00)

This was a no-brainer. We weren’t going to leave without ordering this concoction of seasoned chips topped with caramelized kimchi, onion, crispy pork belly, lemon zest sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and jalapeno. Our decision was rewarded with an impressively tasty bowl that delivered exactly what was promised. The elements were all proportioned perfectly and the favours worked really well together.

Service was brisk and efficient – we were seated, given menus, our orders taken and food delivered very quickly with minimal fuss. Sam Sam isn’t a “destination” restaurant and it’s not where you go when you want the best fried chicken in town, but that’s not what it has designs on. What Sam Sam is, is a very centrally located, modern space that offers up perfectly acceptable fried chicken and beer, along with a few other items. Walk in with some friends, order a bunch of chicken, and have an enjoyable time. Simple.

Sam Sam

209 Swanston Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: n/a
E-mail: n/a
Website: Facebook

Open
Mon – Sun: 11:30am to 9:30pm

A Night Of King Island Dairy Cheese

Paul

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19 March 2016

0

MELBOURNE | The City Lane recently attended “King Island Dairy presents A Night Of Blues” as part of the 2016 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival. It was a night that showcased King Island Dairy’s blue cheeses along with cheese inspired snacks, drinks and blues music. The event has been and gone, however all of the lovely cheeses that we sampled are available in supermarkets across Australia. For those who don’t know, King Island is a tiny island situated in the Bass Strait between Victoria and Tasmania. The conditions on the island, with its rich, salty windswept pastures are ideal for cheese making and everything about the process of making the cheese from start to end happens on the island. What does this all mean? Some fantastic tasting cheese. Here’s a rundown of the cheese that we sampled on the night.

Discovery Ash Blue

King Island Dairy Discovery Ash Blue is a complex mix of flavours and textures.

Hand-crafted cheese offers sweet mushroom aromas and a creamy richness
Unique ash coating provides delightful smoky overtones
Mossy veins add a wonderful texture and subtle saltiness that gently bites through the rich body, but does not dominate

Endeavour Blue

King Island Dairy Endeavour Blue is a traditional gorgonzola style cheese with a soft creamy texture and a feisty “blue” flavour with fruity overtones. It is the most complex blue vein cheese King Island Dairy produces, due to its slow maturation process involving careful monitoring. This was one of our favourites on the night.

Roaring Forties Blue

King Island Dairy Roaring Forties Blue is a full flavoured blue with a sweet, slightly nutty character, a rich mouth feel and good aftertaste.

Rindless cheese is matured in its wax coating, which cuts off the oxygen supply, promoting its sweet and fruity flavour
Wax also assists in retaining the blue’s moisture, creating a smooth and creamy texture

Black Label Blue Triple Cream

A blue brie style, Blue Triple Cream can thank the addition of generous lashings of King Island cream for its rich, buttery texture.

After the creamy milk arrives at the dairy, cheesemakers add their original blend of three strains of blue mould spores and culture to it
The mixture is cut and stirred by hand until a robust curd is formed
The following day it is salted and put into the maturing room, then hand pierced, allowing the entry of oxygen which reacts with the mould creating the blue veining

This one was the highlight of the night. So indulgent and so tasty – a great option for those who think they don’t like blue cheese.

Yukie’s Snack Bar At Mr Miyagi, Windsor

Paul

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18 March 2016

0

MELBOURNE | Yukie’s Snack Bar at Mr Miyagi Windsor is literally just the back room at Mr Miyagi but there’s actually more than one would expect to differentiate it from the popular restaurant proper. For starters, the space is bright with white walls and is relatively spacious (but small). This in in stark contrast to the low lit, dark brick walled narrow space of Mr Miyagi. The food at Yukie’s follows the same philosophy as Mr Miyagi – innovative twists on food from across Eastern Asia (predominantly Japan), but the items on the pared back menu differ. The City Lane was invited to try out the food and drinks at Yukie’s and didn’t pay on this occasion, however prices have been included for your reference.

On-theme commissioned street art adorns the laneway wall that is visible from the floor to ceiling window that faces the back of this space which has been described as “not quite a bar, not quite a restaurant”.

There is a good selection of alcoholic drinks at Yukie’s but the highlights are without a doubt the refreshing, light, Asian inspired cocktails. A few of the classics from Mr Miyagi have made there way onto the cocktail list, and there are a few new creations too. Two of the best that we sampled on the night were the Mr M’s Mai Tai ($17.00) with banana, mango, rum, umeshu, yuzu and lime and the Salted Watermelon Martini ($17.00) with gin, apple, watermelon and midori infused watermelon balls.

Japanese Eggplant Rice Paper ($3.50 each)

The food is more snack oriented than that at Mr Miyagi, and the night kicked off with the Japanese rice paper which contained grilled eggplant, miso glaze, cucumber, peppery leaves. This is one of those dishes that you give to people who say they don’t do vegetarian food. Each mouthful is full of fresh Japanese inspored flavour, and the meatiness of the eggplant gives it real body.

Soba Noodle Rice Paper ($4.00 each)

For those who simply must have meat, there ‘s the soba noodle rice paper with master stock poached chicken, lap cheong hoi sin. It’s tasty, but not as flavoursome as the eggplant version. It felt as though something was missing – perhaps it was simply because the eggplant one was so good.

Nori Taco ($12.00 each)

Ok, so this fan favourite isn’t actually on the Yukie’s menu but were lucky enough to be served the nori taco on the night. It’s filled with grilled salmon belly, sushi rice, spicy napa cabbage, Kewpie and chilli oil. Probably the most delicious thing we ate all night. Yes Yukie’s is meant to have an identity of its own but this needs to be on the Yukie’s menu – it’s that good. It’s got so many contrasting textures and flavours and shouldn’t work but it does.

Himalayan Salt Slab Cured Kingfish ($15.00)

Kingfish sashimi is a favourite of ours and this version topped with quinoa, green chilli, coriander, fennel, apple, lemon is fresh and tasty. The topping isn’t overpowering and works well with the fresh, fleshy fish. Just make sure you eat this one relatively quickly, before too much of the salt seeps through the fish.

Wagyu Brisket Betel Leaf ($8.00 each)

Asian-style betel leaf usually goes down a treat but this version falls flat. Filled with wagyu brisket, peanut satay, red chilli, coconut and lime the theory is sound but it doesn’t really work all too well together. Perhaps it’s the ingredient proportions rather than the ingredients themselves? Some tweaking and it could be a superstar.

Wagyu Tartare Pipe ($7.00 each)

Back to winning ways is this 7+ wagyu tartare beef pipe filled with peanut butter, Korean miso, capers, sesame, spring roll pastry. A quite mild dish with all of the flavours working really well in harmony and some nice textural complexity.

Apple Wood Smoked Salmon Tostadita ($8.00 each)

The tostadas bring a Mexican twist to the menu with apple wood smoke salmon, chipotle, nashi pear, fennel, celery, apple salad. It sounds confused when you read it but it works nicely. A bit fiddly to eat, but worth it once the food hits your mouth.

When you first make your way to the back room at Mr Miyagi you’re a bit confused as to what the space is supposed to be but once you settle in things make a lot of sense. The Japanese influenced design is clean and modern, with a few unique flourishes here and there, and this flows on to the food and drinks. If you’re looking to chill out on Chapel street this hidden space is definitely one you should consider.

Yukie’s Snack Bar At Mr Miyagi

99 Chapel Street
Windsor 3181
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9529 5999
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.mrmiyagi.com.au/

Open
Tue – Sun: 5:00pm to 11:00pm

S04E06: Life’s Too Short For Bad Beer

Chris

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17 March 2016

0

PODCAST | In this strangely-informed episode, guest-host Paul from Two Birds Brewery tells us about a beer that perfectly fits an Australian summer, Chris tours the beer selection at several Victorian country pubs, and Paul successfully navigates his way through quite a few Sydney breweries. We also hear about an obscure alcohol law in Sydney that stops a brewery from also selling glasses of its own gin.

Finally, we are incredibly surprised to be mildly knowledgeable about beer thanks to our guest-host Two Birds Paul.

Of special note: We’ll be taking a break for the next month while several members of the Collective are travelling. We’ll talk to you again in April.

Featured beers: Requiem For A Dream by Newstead Brewing Co. and IPA from Watts River Brewing.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Lucky Chip Burgers & Wine, Dalston

Geneveive

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17 March 2016

0

LONDON | A burger that can compete against Patty & Bun? A big call we know, but hear us out. The group behind Lucky Chip, one of the first movers transforming the London gourmet burger scene, have finally given the burger loving public a permanent place to enjoy their amazing burgers. Lucky Chip’s burgers have become massively popular since their stall opened in Netil Market a few years ago, and as excitement spread, burger loving founder Ben Denner started to set up residences at various pubs around London. Lucky Chip enjoyed a long run at the Sebright Arms in Hackney where its cult following started to flourish. Most recently Lucky Chip could be enjoyed at the Queen’s Head in Islingston and Birthdays in Dalston. Mr Denner has now taken things to the next level opening his own space, aptly named Burger & Wine in Ridley Market in Dalston. The view from the street might not be much, but the décor is super welcoming and pays homage to an old school American supper club.

Throughout our meal, we enjoyed a solid musical soundtrack. In addition to its offering of uniquely named burgers, Burgers and Wine offers a selection of Spanish influenced starters. Before getting into the main event, we enjoyed some delicious padron peppers with Maldon Salt (£4.50) and Tallegio & Leek Croquettes (£4.50). The padron peppers were equal to, if not better to the quality we’ve seen in some tapas bars.

The real draw of the Lucky Chip menu is, of course, the 5 uniquely named burgers. In fact, Mr Denner recently found himself in a bit of legal trouble when Mark Wahlberg sent a cease and desist order after a burger was named in his honour. We opted for the Cheeseburger (what it says on the tin), a Kevin Bacon (with apple wood smoked bacon), Royale with Cheese (adds tomato, onion and special sauce). Each of the burgers were divine. The City Lane London thinks Lucky Chip could be a contender for the best burger in London, and the sides are rather brilliant too. We couldn’t resist completing our burgers with French fries covered in garlic and herb seasoning (£4.00).

One of us was very pleased that we opted to splurge (extra £4.00) to upgrade our burger to the 50-day dry aged Galician beef. We knew the Spaniards did wine and cheese, but wow was this beef exceptional. The waitress explained that Galician beef is from cows that have lived a much longer, happier life than the typical burger patty providing cow. Think the Spanish version of Wagyu. One thing is for sure, and that’s that these cows brought increased joy and happiness to the diner who ordered it.

When it comes to drinks, the focus is unsurprisingly on wine. Over 100 wines appear on the wine list, with most bottles landing between £20.00-40.00. We were impressed to see such a huge variety from several lesser known wine producing regions, and used our first visit to enjoy a Blaufränkisch, one of our favourite Austrian grapes that we don’t see too frequently when dining out.

If for some strange reason you aren’t in the mood for a burger, Burger & Wine offer other options such as chicken parmigiana topped with Iberico ham, served with Neapolitan sauce (£12.50) or a Galician steak for two (£49.50).

We can’t wait to see what’s next for the ever expanding Lucky Chip empire and the changes happening along Ridley Road in general. During our next visit we definitely want to try El Chappo burger (bacon, jalapeno, blue cheese and aioli) and continue sampling the exceptional wine offering. If you find yourself in the area, a visit to Lucky Chip Burgers & wine is a must, and if you’re not in the area, it’s worth the trip.

Lucky Chip Burgers & Wine

25 Ridley Road
London E8 2NP
United Kingdom

Telephone: n/a
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://luckychip.co.uk/

Open
Mon – Wed: 5:00pm to 11:00pm
Thu – Fri: 5:00pm to 12:00am
Sat: 12:00pm to 12:00am
Sun: 12:00pm to 10:00pm

Iran: The White Chadors Of Varzaneh

Lauren

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16 March 2016

0

VARZANEH | At The City Lane we’re always looking for off the beaten path experiences, things that you don’t normally find in the travel guides and while travelling through Iran we came across an article about the rural city of Varzaneh that fit the bill. The immediate striking thing about Varaneh is that the woman wear white chadors during Friday prayers rather than the customary black chador that is common throughout the nation. Varzaneh is a small town of 14,000 people situated 105km south east of Esfahan and around 200km from Yazd in the middle of the Varzaneh desert. If you want to visit, you need to make a concerted effort to get out here. There is limited information about this city and we were intrigued to experience the place for ourselves.

There is little information about why the tradition of white chadors has arisen, some information suggests it it to ward off evil spirits, other sources imply it’s due to the hot desert climate and white garments are a lot cooler than black. As we arrived in Varzaneh we weren’t quite sure what to expect. All we knew is that we wanted to see a flock of white chadors, so we parked the bus out the front of the town’s mosque and patiently waited to see the mass arrival of “white ninjas” as we dubbed them. As we sat and waited we noticed how quickly the woman were trying to enter the mosque through its multiple entrances. They were incredibly difficult to photograph hence our playful name of “white ninjas”. It in part became a game, think about one of those old school arcade video games where quick reflexes were essential in order to tag the various characters popping up on the screen. In our case it was find the ninja and photograph.

As Varzaneh is not a tourist town the locals seemed perplexed by the group of about 10 people standing around with cameras and phones waiting to take photos. A group of local children were particularly curious.

While we sat waiting we were approached by a member of Iran’s religious police. We had not encountered the religious or morality police anywhere else in the country but, as in most nations, the more rural and isolated you get, the more conservative things become. At this point we thought we were going to get in trouble for loitering out the front of the mosque but rather a few of the woman in our group were quite sternly asked to “cover-up” as too much (approximately 1-2cm ) of their hair was showing. This was a relief, and with a few slight adjustments we were once again compliant.

After the religious police left our guide spoke to one of the volunteers working at the mosque. He managed to convince the man to allow us to quickly have a look inside the mosque as long as we did not disturb anyone who was praying. The women had to borrow chadors and during prayer time the women and men were separated, with curtains separating the courtyard and interior of the mosque into 2 distinct sections. While inside the mosque we managed to take several photos of some of the women who agreed to have their photo taken. Despite the language barrier there was an understanding and a sense of serenity amongst us all.

Once Friday prayers had ended, the mosque cleared out and we left Varzaneh and headed towards some pigeon towers, content with the fact that we had experienced something quite unique. The town may not be on the way to.. well anything actually, but if you do ever visit, you’ll experience something well worth your time.

San Sebastian Summer Fiesta at Bar Nacional

Kirsty

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15 March 2016

0

MELBOURNE | Last week I was lucky enough to attend the San Sebastian Summer Fiesta at Bar Nacional, a Spanish restaurant located in Collins Square. My invitation included pintxos, paella and sweet dishes from the restaurants’ culinary team. An unlimited supply of house-made sangria and wine were served to compliment the menu, all of which were chosen by Group Sommelier Jeff Salt.

Throughout the evening we were invited to taste a range of pintxos (small bites). These started off with cold tapas, such as jamon serrano with green pepper, honey fig with blue cheese and boquerones, olives and citrus. Presented traditionally on thin slices of crusty baguette bread, each provided a tasty burst of Spanish flavour.

The first of the hot dishes to emerge from the kitchen were crispy zucchini flowers, filled with aioli and bacalao, followed by broccoli and goats cheese croquetas topped with chives and sour cream. These creative combinations created a delicious range of powerful flavours. My favourite dish however, were the choricito sausages wrapped in bacon. Topped with prunes and chives, this pintxo created the perfect mixture of sweet and spicy. It was clear that each dish had been carefully prepared using quality ingredients to establish exciting, creative dishes.

Although I enjoyed each pintxo for individual reasons, it was the seafood, chicken and vegetable paella, which really stole the show. Visually beautiful with its colourful and diverse ingredients, this traditional dish was cooked by the chef right in front of us, creating a gorgeous aroma filling the entire square. Having grown up in Barcelona, Spain, I felt that Bar Nacional successfully captured a variety of classic Spanish dishes and gave them a personal twist, creating unique and powerful flavour combinations.

The seemingly endless trays of pintxos were accompanied by Spanish music and dancing. This paid homage to the traditional celebrations of San Sebastian, creating an authentic, lively atmosphere. As the evening came to a close, we were presented with one of my favourite desserts, warm Spanish donuts topped with sweet cherry jam. A perfect end to the evening!

The San Sebastian Summer Fiesta was a great way to say ‘adios’ to summer, with traditional Spanish music, delicious authentic cuisine and sangria. I would highly recommend Bar Nacional for a fun, sociable evening with friends or family, every Spanish foodies dream!

Bar Nacional

Collins Square
727 Collins Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9252 7999
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.barnacional.com.au/

Open
Mon – Fri: 7:00am to 10:00pm

THE CITY LANEEAT & TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL

THE CITY LANEEAT & TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL

Snacks

Egg On Toast

Carrot Bavarois, Buttermilk, Lovage, Apricot

Bread – Donut

Flathead, Octopus, Pickled Rhubarb, Potatoes, Garlic

Duck Under The Mulberry Bush

Royal Mail Lamb, Zucchini, Blossom Gel, Dehydrated Goats Cheese

Cherry And Chocolate Black Forest

Petit Fours

Royal Mail Hotel

Hagen’s Organic Butcher: Smoked Biodynamic Wagyu Brisket With Apple Cider Slaw

Claringbold’s Seafood: 2 x Freshly Shucked Oysters

Cleo’s Deli: Charcuterie Board

Gary’s Quality Meats: Pulled Pork On A Black Bun With Fresh Slaw

Naheda’s Choice Turkish Delight: Hand Made Turkish Delight

Alba’s Patisserie: Hazelnut Baklava

Prahran Market

Gauchito Gil’s Malbec World Day

Half & Half Full Size Boneless Chicken ($33.00)

Bibimbap ($13.00)

Kimchi Fries ($12.00)

Sam Sam

Discovery Ash Blue

Endeavour Blue

Roaring Forties Blue

Black Label Blue Triple Cream

Japanese Eggplant Rice Paper ($3.50 each)

Soba Noodle Rice Paper ($4.00 each)

Nori Taco ($12.00 each)

Himalayan Salt Slab Cured Kingfish ($15.00)

Wagyu Brisket Betel Leaf ($8.00 each)

Wagyu Tartare Pipe ($7.00 each)

Apple Wood Smoked Salmon Tostadita ($8.00 each)

Yukie’s Snack Bar At Mr Miyagi

Lucky Chip Burgers & Wine

Bar Nacional

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