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Nieuw Amsterdam: Autumn Menu Tasting

Jeff

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14 March 2016

MELBOURNE | Named as an homage to the original name of Manhattan Island, Nieuw Amsterdam Melbourne has been serving American-influenced cuisine since late 2013. We have been fans of Nieuw Amsterdam for quite some time so we were very excited when we were invited to come in and try their new Autumn menu.

Located at the former site of Pugg Mahones on Hardware Street in Melbourne’s CBD which is the site where I witnessed sporting triumphs including Australia qualifying for the 2006 World Cup and Hawthorn’s victory over Geelong in the 2008 Grand Final, the outside of the venue retains the old-style brick frontage that is characteristic of the city’s many laneways.

After heading inside we ventured downstairs and were seated at a basement bar that combines brick, arched windows and soft lighting resulting in a feel that is very characteristic of the iconic Melbourne small bar culture.

The drinks list includes a long list of both Australian and American craft beers and an impressive range of craft spirits, including my current favourite gin from the Margaret River area, the West Winds Cutlass.

The cocktail list is also extensive, consisting of twists on a variety of classic cocktails as well as some house specials – I started of my meal with the ‘Cloudy With a Chance of Rum’ which was an interesting take on the classic Dark ‘n Stormy, using spicy ginger foam in place of ginger beer to give the drink its signature kick.

Upon heading upstairs owner Michael Rozbach welcomed us to the dining area has been fully renovated and bears little resemblance to its Irish pub origins, with simple wooden fittings that create a comfortable and causal dining atmosphere.

French Toast

The menu on the night we visited was a preview of Nieuw Amsterdam’s Autumn offering, which launched on 1 March. The first starter for the night was Nieuw Amsterdam’s take on French toast which was served with house-made tomato jam, goats curd and candied black olives. This was a nice light start to our meal and was done without the usual egg wash making it less sweet and more suitable as a savory entree.

Southern Fried Quail

Next up was the Southern Fried Quail served with romesco sauce and pickled grapes, a variant on a classic dish from the American South. The coating was not too heavy (which is often a problem with fried chicken) and the gamey flavour of the quail meat was balanced well by with the spices of the sauce and we would definitely try this dish again. The quail was paired with the ‘Peas Go Sour’ cocktail which was a pisco sour done with snow pea syrup – the sourness of the drink really helped to cut through the strong flavours of the meat.

Mac ‘n Cheese Waffle

The last starter for the night was the mac ‘n cheese-infused waffle, topped with cheese wizz and bacon jam. This was an interesting dish which reminded me a little of the bacon loaf from Bakers Delight that I used to enjoy as a kid which seemed appropriate given the status of mac ‘n cheese as a staple childhood memory of most Americans. The waffle itself could have been more cheesy but the bacon jam had excellent flavour and the whole dish in combination ‘just worked’.

Curry Spiced Lamb Ribs

Kicking off the main course was the lamb ribs slow cooked in curry and served with cauliflower, eggplant, coriander and lime. The ribs themselves were very tender with a good ratio of meat to fat and were not too rich like other lamb ribs can be, although the curry spices did not really come through as strongly as we would have liked. This dish was matched with the John Mayer Negroni which substituted tea-infused Lillet Blanc for Campari and was a refreshing complement to the meat-focussed main courses.

Beef Brisket

Continuing the slow cooked meat theme was the beef brisket, done with a coffee rub and served with mushrooms and a red wine and blue cheese jus. Although the flavours of this dish were good, given Nieuw Amsterdam’s history we were expecting a dish that was more like a traditional American barbecue brisket, cut relatively thin, pink and tender inside and with a nice charred crust on the outside, whereas this brisket had no noticeable crust, was cut quite thick and was not as tender as we have become accustomed to. Like the lamb ribs we also found that the flavours of the coffee rub had not really infused into the meat. We would suggest that the menu description be quite clear on what to expect so as to not create incorrect expectations for this dish.

The knowledgeable staff at Nieuw Amsterdam suggested that we have a Bleu Carre, a Manhattan made with a blue cheese-infused vermouth, to go alongside the brisket which turned out to be an excellent recommendation – this cocktail also showcased the hand-cut ice which is always a very nice touch.

Tasso Pork

Our final main was the Tasso Pork, which is something of a cross between cured ham and jerky and a staple of Louisianan cuisine (it is also used in dishes like gumbo and jambalaya). The tasso pork at Nieuw Amsterdam is made from a pork neck which is then slow cooked (naturally) and served with a smoked ham stock which really brought out the flavours of the meat. This was the highlight of the meal for me, the slow cooking process compensated for the use of pork neck rather than a juicier cut of meat resulting in very tender meat which was complemented well by the red cabbage and currants it was served with.

Mexican Hot Chocolate

By this stage in the meal we were getting quite full but we were very intrigued when the first dessert arrived. The Mexican Hot Chocolate was a rich spiced hot chocolate mixture, balanced with black petter, cranberry coulis and candied coriander. We found the candied coriander to be a bit of an odd addition but otherwise the combination of ingredients worked well overall.

New York Cheesecake

Cheesecake is a New York classic (and a personal favourite) so we were very pleased to find out this was the second dessert for the night. This cheesecake was served with ice-cream, house-made honeycomb and a Laphroig whisky marmalade. We thought the cheesecake was spot on, just dense enough and not too sweet, our only criticism would be that there was probably a bit too much honeycomb which dominated the cheesecake itself. Paired with this dish was our final cocktail, the Stonewall which matched citrus flavours with Laphroiag whisky and, consistent with the rest of our experience, again demonstrated skills of the staff at Nieuw Amsterdam at food and drink matching.

Overall we were impressed with our preview of Nieuw Amsterdam’s new Autumn menu, the entrees and desserts were all great and the couple of misses with the slow cooked meats were nothing that can’t be rectified. We would definitely recommend heading in and checking them out and if you do we’d suggest asking the staff for a drink suggestion or two – you won’t be disappointed.

Nieuw Amsterdam

106–112 Hardware Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9602 2111
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.nieuwamsterdam.com.au/

Open
Mon – Sun: 12:00pm to late

The Park Hotel, Werribee

Chris

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13 March 2016

0

MELBOURNE | Want to escape the city but still enjoy all the culinary gastropub comforts you’re used to? The Park Hotel Werribee might be the your best move. A 45-minute train ride out of Melbourne city, The Park Hotel, a spacious bar and beer garden, is known for two very important things, an interesting and every-changing menu, and possibly the most-extensive craft beer selection in Metro zone 2.

Let’s start with the menu. To dine at the The Park Hotel is often to break the status quo, usually in the best possible way. While they keep a stable of parmas and burgers on hand for the less adventurous, when we visited we also had the choice of gourmet pizzas, which were a part of the menu for this period. Of course, experimentation comes at a cost, with the pub’s near-legendary macaroni and cheese burger having come and gone from the menu. But this loss is perhaps a small price to pay to try something new. Because, like a good degustation, all this menu experimentation is the perfect match for the modern craft beer culture.

In this case, the burger was perhaps a bit too far on the experiemental side, with the unusual addition of kale instead of lettuce detracting from the otherwise fine quality ingredients.

As for the pizza, it wasn’t too cheesy as the picture would suggest and worked as a more upmarket version of the kind of pizza that you’d expect to find at a pub. This isn’t your traditional wood-fired Italian pizza and in the context of the pub it provides a tasty, filing choice.

Where in the past we all had our signature beer, perhaps a particular brand or style, today’s drinking culture is one of testing and trying, meaning if something new is on offer then something new is what we drink. With this ethos clearly casting a long shadow on the menu at the Park Hotel, it’s not difficult to fathom that this is a pub also known for its craft beer. It has a constantly changing tap list, often with exclusives (or exclusive as it gets without brewing your own), and a pages-long bottle list that would rival many actual bottle shops. There are the standard beers too, should your curiosity be taking a break, but we don’t think you should pay too much attention to those.

We also recommend making the most of your trip out west and stopping by the Junction Hotel. It’s a quick walk from Newport train station and one that you will likely find highly rewarding if you need some sustenance on the way to or from Werribee. You can also visit the good people at Two Birds Brewery located in Spotswood, just up the road from Newport, but we recommend checking their opening hours before planning this stop.

For Melbourne city dwellers it might take a little planning to make this journey, and even more planning to get home, but we think it’s very worth it. The Park Hotel is one of those gems that should have Werribee residents feeling rightly smug about their local.

The Park Hotel

12 Watton Street
Werribee
Victoria 3030
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9741 1441
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://theparkhotel.net.au/

Open
Wed – Sun: 12:00pm to late

Christian McCabe’s Spiced, Smoky Herb Milk Infusion: Recipe

Paul

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12 March 2016

0

The City Lane was recently treated to a 5 course “Anchor Milk Flight” to celebrate the launch of of Anchor’s milk range in Australia. Each dish used milk in interesting and creative ways, and was paired with either plain milk or a milk infusion. Our favourite dish of the night was Daniel Wilson’s (Hutaburger, Huxtable) milk roasted pork belly recipe with warm spices, cauliflower and watercress (you can find the recipe here) and this was paired with an infusion created by Christian McCabe (Town Mouse, Embla). McCabe explained on the night why he created this infusion to go with the pork belly, and you can make it for yourself following the recipe below.

Flavouring milk with sweet spice is common all over the world, particularly in south Asia where it is often consumed with spicy curries. This flight will be lightly spiced with savory spices and smoky herbs to compliment the soft textural braised pork belly dish.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes / Infusion Time: 30 minutes / Serves 8

Ingredients

2ltr Full Cream Milk
20 fresh bay leaves
1 bunch of oregano
1 small bunch of lemon thyme
50ml ricotta whey
half pinch of salt

Method

Gently crush bay leaves in your hand to release the oils.
Add all ingredients to the milk.
Warm the milk up to 45 degrees Celsius, leave to infuse 30 mins approx.
Leave to cool to room temperature.
Add the lemon thyme for fresh herb flavor and half a pinch of salt.
Add 50ml ricotta whey.
Strain, chill and serve in a tall glass

Notes

This infusion may have been created to pair with milk roasted pork belly, but it’s delicious to drink on its own.

Daniel Wilson’s Milk Roasted Pork Belly: Recipe

Paul

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11 March 2016

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Daniel Wilson’s Milk Roasted Pork Belly: Recipe

Daniel Wilson (Huxtaburger, Huxtable) created this milk roasted pork belly recipe with warm spices, cauliflower and watercress for the launch dinner of Anchor’s milk range in Australia. Throughout the night, guests were treated to an “Anchor Milk Flight”, where by Wilson and Christian McCabe (Town Mouse, Embla) created a 5 course meal aimed to show how milk can be used in several ways when cooking. Each dish was paired with either plain milk or a creative milk infusion. The entire meal was delicious, however our highlight was the milk roasted pork belly. Luckily for The City Lane readers, we were able to get our hands on a copy of the recipe so you can try it at home.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes / Cooking Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes / Serves 6

Ingredients

Pork Belly

2 kg pork belly, boneless & skin scored 4mm thick
2 ltr milk
3 cardamom, crushed slightly
2 cinnamon sticks
¼ whole nutmeg, finely grated
4 slices ginger
2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
sea salt
olive oil
2 bunches watercress, picked, washed & dried
lemon oil

Cauliflower Puree

1 cauliflower, chopped
milk to cover
100 g butter
150 ml pure cream
ground white pepper & sea salt to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C. Rub oil & salt onto the skin & crevasses well. Heat a large sauté pan over a medium heat and add a little olive oil. Place the pork belly skin down and cook slowly until golden & crisp, pressing down on contactless areas if needed. Be careful as it has a tendency to spit.
Meanwhile place the milk & spices into a saucepan and warm gently over a low heat. Season the bottom of the pork belly with salt and then place into a high sided roasting tray. Carefully pour the milk & spices into the tray until it comes 2/3 of the way up the pork. Place into the oven & cook for 15 minutes then turn the heat down to 160°C and cook for 1 hour or until tender. Remove from the oven & allow to rest in the pan for 20 minutes.
For the cauliflower puree: Place the cauliflower onto a saucepan & cover with the milk. Cover with a cartouche made from baking paper and cook for 30 minutes over a low heat (as not to scorch the milk on the bottom of the pan) or until tender. Drain well in a colander & discard the milk. Place the cauliflower into a blender and add the butter, cream, salt & ground white pepper to taste. Reserve in a small saucepan with a lid to keep warm.
To serve: Reheat the pork belly for 5 minutes in the oven on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Place some cauliflower puree on each plate. Slice the pork belly along the cuts and place 2 slices on each plate. Scatter the watercress whimsically then drizzle the lot with a little lemon oil and finish with a little salt.

Notes

For a unique beverage to pair with the pork belly, try Christian McCabe’s lightly spiced, smoky herb milk infusion. You can find that recipe here.

S04E05: When Froth Comes To Town

Chris

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10 March 2016

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PODCAST | In this hop-filled episode, Chris wonders what muppet characters would be associated with what hops, Jeff orders shots at a bar and feels apprehensive about it, and Paul lauds an incredibly cool bar in a place he didn’t expect. And more importantly, our charming special guest host, Froth magazine editor-in-chief Emily Day, tells the story of the magazine’s first issue launch party, while on the way to the launch of the fifth issue of the magazine.

We also talk about BrewCult’s excellent Acid Freaks beer as our unintentional third beer for the episode.

Featured beers: Specific Ale Test #2 by Two Bears Brewing and Why So Cereal by Mornington Peninsula Brewery (and secretly, Acid Freaks Balsamic Baltic Porter by BrewCult).

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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Santoni: Breakfast Menu Tasting

Jeff

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10 March 2016

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MELBOURNE | Santoni Hawthorn has been offering traditional Italian food (with a focus on pizza) since 2007 in the restaurant precinct on Glenferrie Road. Conveniently located just a short walk from Glenferrie train station, the first thing that you notice when approaching Santoni is its striking, industrial exterior. We were recently invited to try their brand new breakfast menu and were very interested to see what they would have on offer.

The ground floor dining area is quite the contrast to the outside, with brick, warm lighting and plant life combining to create a homely dining atmosphere.

The first floor dining level offers a similar feel, with the simple wood fittings combining well with the wooden floor and the large floor to ceiling window providing lots of natural light and also a view down Burwood Road.

Speaking of views, upon arriving at the rooftop, which is where breakfast was being served on this occasion, we were greeted by a very funky deck which was a mix of bright colours, stone and plants (similar to the ground floor) as well as extensive umbrella cover and column heaters which are a very sensible idea given Melbourne’s variable weather! The roof deck is walled off by glass barriers allowing an amazing all around view of the area.

The fittings on the rooftop are a variation from the inside, largely a practical consideration given exposure to the elements, with wooden tables and chairs replaced by more weather-resistant materials and a lighter colour scheme more consistent with enjoying one’s meal in the sun as opposed to sitting indoors.

There also a fully stocked bar on the roof (the space is also used for lunch and dinner service) offering the full range of beer, wine and cocktails. Despite it being well prior to noon on this occasion I opened with a Bloody Mary which was excellent and helped to take the edge off what was a relatively big hangover.

Of course normal breakfast items are also on offer – we availed ourselves of both the cold brew coffee and the excellent croissants which were made available to anyone who needed something to tide themselves over before the main event.

The breakfast menu at Santoni is a bit of a mix of Melbourne-style breakfast/brunch dishes including french toast, muesli, baked eggs and the ever-present smashed avocado, although each were done with their own spin and the smashed avo in particular was served with pastry wrapped king prawns and looked amazing. There are also a range of non-standard, and in most cases heavier, dishes including pork belly, a wagyu bresaola with mash and poached eggs and a macaroon with liver parfait and a scotch egg. We didn’t pay on this occasion but have included prices for your reference.

Crumbed Green Tomatoes ($21.00)

We started our meal with the crumbed green tomatoes, a take on a classic dish from the American South, which were served with anchovies, buffalo mozzarella, pine nuts, olive pesto and a fried egg. Despite the ingredient list this dish was surprisingly light with the coating on the tomatoes not being too dense, and the flavours of the other ingredients combining and complementing each other well – the mozzarella added a bit of density to the dish but had a nice subtle flavour, and the anchovies and olive pesto helped to cut through the fried items. A dish we would certainly go back for.

Braised Lamb Shank With Mac & Cheese ($21.00)

Perhaps it is my obsession with American food but I found it impossible to go past a dish which included mac & cheese, despite my brain telling me that it was definitely too early to have a lamb shank. In the end both my heart and my brain were correct, on the one hand the lamb shank had excellent flavour and fell off the bone as it should and the mac and cheese was done with sweet corn and a less punchy cheese which I quite liked as it had the mac and cheese texture and high level flavours without being too rich. On the other hand I did find that this dish was a bit too heavy for breakfast at 9:30am – it would be perfect at brunch or lunch time.

Overall Santoni combines an amazing rooftop space with great food and an excellent atmosphere to create a dining experience that we will be sure to revisit again (perhaps to try their dinner menu which also looked interesting). Our only suggestion would be to note that there were a number of other dishes that looked like they would be a bit heavy for breakfast so perhaps this could be addressed by splitting the menu into sections to inform diners which dishes are more “lunch-like”

Santoni

634 Glenferrie Road
Hawthorn
Victoria 3122
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9819 3000
E-mail: n/a
Website: http://santonipizza.com.au/

Open
Mon – Sun: 11:00am to 11:00pm (Breakfast menu available until 2:00pm)

Interview With Nick Keeling, American BBQer & Mustered Courage Member

Interviews

Paul

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9 March 2016

0

Interview With Nick Keeling, American BBQer & Mustered Courage Member

MELBOURNE | Banjo BBQ returns to Melbourne this month and promises an afternoon of Authentic Texas BBQ and awesome tunes from ARIA nominated Alt-Bluegrass group Mustered Courage. You can read all about it here. We had a chance to chat to Austin native, American BBQer and vocalist/banjo player for the band, Nick Keeling about the food and music. Here’s what he had to say.

Mustered Courage has been described as “the link between Bill Monroe and Mumford & Sons”. For those who aren’t aware of your music, how would you describe alt-bluegrass?

After playing (or picking as we call it) bluegrass for so long I have come to find it as the kind of music that folks don’t really think they will like until they hear it. Hearing it done live and done well usually seals the deal. I always get “I don’t really like bluegrass or country but I like you guys” from unsuspecting festival-goers. As far as alt-bluegrass goes I think its only ‘alt to appease the traditionalists. What we play now is just the natural evolution of the genre, which really took form in the 50’s as a new rhythmic shift on Old timey American, European music and blues. Our usual line up includes banjo, mandolin, acoustic guitar, double bass, along with some keyboards & drums. We have also been known to launch into twin telecaster honkytonk if the urge strikes.

What would you say is the main difference in the scene you play in in Australia compared to the USA? What are some of the challenges that are unique to Australia?

Bluegrass in Australia has a small but dedicated group of fans and pickers that help keep the pastime alive. We sneak over into the country music, indie, and folk scenes and snagged ourselves an ARIA nomination last year for our latest release White Lies & Melodies in the Best Country Album category. We have been lucky enough to be able to take our Aussie brand of bluegrass over to its native home in the USA the past four years in a row and have clocked up over 100 shows across about 43 states. Unlike Australia the USA has the population and density to make touring a bit easier and to better support a niche like what we do. You can pretty much drive a few hours & reach another million people making regional touring more sustainable. Plus there are numerous bluegrass festivals across the country pretty much every weekend of the year. The biggest challenge touring the USA is fitting into the same pants at the end of the run. When you mix being on the road everyday with the huge option of burgers, burritos, & other American sized amazing/junk food, it can really be the battle of the bulge.

Authentic Texas BBQ. Tell us more about what makes Texas BBQ different to the rest?

There are many major BBQ hubs across the Southern & Midwestern states in the US but it is no doubt that in recent years central Texas Style BBQ has emerged as the most popular. I know folks sample the local fare when in Kansas city or Memphis, but I’ve never heard of 6 hour lines or enthusiasts flying half way across the world just to get their hands on some. Austin TX and surrounds has become somewhat of a “BBQ Mecca” attracting hungry carnivores from far and wide. This style of BBQ borrows more from Texas’s rich German settlement history & the key differences would be the use of dry rubs, sausage, lack of pork, and (in central Texas) the popular use of oak wood to smoke the meat. Texans are all about their beef and won’t tolerate anything sickly sweet or drowned in BBQ sauce. Your BBQ joint staples are beef brisket, beef hot-link spicy sausage, Beef ribs, and the occasional turkey.

What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in getting that authenticity you seek in Australia. We’ve heard that sourcing the right brisket is particularly tricky.

The fact that I am a native Texan didn’t give me the ability to cook BBQ from birth but it sure has given me the 20 years experience of eating BBQ in and around Austin to build up a good standard to aspire to. After living down under for long enough I was smoking briskets just to stave of the cravings and homesickness. A few years ago, when I first started cooking BBQ commercially, getting big, grain fed, American cut briskets was almost impossible and I was in the back room of many a butcher shop in Melbourne, slicing my own brisket out to teach the butcher. Now a days, the industry has caught up to the craze and pros and home enthusiasts alike can get their hands on pre-cut, big ‘ol, grain fed briskets if they know where to look.

Tell us more about Banjo BBQ, and the upcoming event at the Retreat.

Banjo BBQ is a unique food and music event where we have combined Melbourne’s appetite for American BBQ with bluegrass music. Both the BBQ and the music are done by the same folks but don’t let that fool you, we do one as good as the other. For about what it costs to eat at one of Melbourne’s “American” BBQ restaurants, you can get Texan BBQ cooked by a real Texan, a concert by ARIA nominated bluegrass band Mustered Courage, all with a mini-festival atmosphere in one of Melbourne’s best beer gardens. You can also pick yourself up a few bottles of our perfect BBQ sauce or even win a bottle in our washers throwing or giant jenga competition that tend to spring up during the show. Feast on 240-day grain fed beef brisket, homemade Texas style smoked beef sausages, and beer-can chicken along with our family heirloom sides & no one leaves hungry.

What’s your favourite American BBQ item to eat?

I love it all but being a Texan I am definitely drawn to the beef. Brisket may be the flagship of Texas BBQ but I am also a big fan of homemade beef hot-link sausages. Minced brisket, a little pork fat, stuffed in a natural hog casing, spiced & cured & then smoked to perfection. I find there is more scope for difference when it comes to sausages across the Texan BBQ-scape & if you are doing a tour of BBQ joints, the hot-links are gonna be your best bet for variety.

Who in your mind is doing the best American BBQ down under?

Ill start by saying that BBQ is a lot of work & many sleepless nights go into coming up with the goods. In Australia its good that many folks get paid a proper wage and before y’all scratch your heads and wonder where I am going with this, I’ll get to the point. BBQ in Australia is gonna be in a higher price bracket of cuisine than it is in the USA and I don’t see that changing soon. Due to that fact, I haven’t got the chance to try all the great BBQ that Melbourne has to offer yet. Probably because I am also a musician and delving deeper into that will completely shatter my previous statement about folks making a proper wage.

Banjo BBQ Brings Texas BBQ & Alt-Bluegrass To Brunswick

Paul

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8 March 2016

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MELBOURNE | Melburnians can’t seem to get enough of American BBQ and on 19 March 2016, there’s an event happening that’s sure to get people’s taste buds watering. Authentic Texas BBQ cooked by Austin native Nick Keeling will be popping up at Brunswick’s Retreat Hotel for “Banjo BBQ”. Even better, Nick’s band, ARIA nominated Alt-Bluegrass shredders Mustered Courage will be playing some live music to really get the thing going. What’s Alt-Bluegrass? We don’t quite know to be honest but it sounds like something that we need to hear.

We love American BBQ at The City Lane (check out our guide to Melbourne’s best American BBQ) and there’s no way that we were going to miss this event, especially when we heard about the Black Angus 240-day grain fed beef brisket that will be served. In addition to the brisket, you can expect to find Homemade Texas Style Smoked Sausages, Succulent Beer Can Chicken, Tangy Texas Coleslaw, Creamy Mustered Mac and Cheese, The Keeling Family Recipe Potato Salad, and Smoked Chipotle Veggie Chili. We’ve been assured that there will be more than enough food to go around and that no-one is allowed to go home hungry!

We had the opportunity to chat to Nick about Mustered Courage and American BBQ. You can read what he had to say here. If you’re interested in attending Banjo BBQ, you can get tickets for this year’s event here but be quick – previous events sold out in a matter of days!

Banjo BBQ

Where: Retreat Hotel. 280 Sydney Rd, Brunswick VIC 3056
When: 19 March 2016, 12:30pm to 5:00pm
Cost: $40.00-$50.00 for food (kids are $15.00). $10.00 for the show only with no food.

Barber Black Sheep, Where Fashion Meets Quiet Sophistication

Mike

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7 March 2016

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Barber Black Sheep, Where Fashion Meets Quiet Sophistication

MELBOURNE | Getting a haircut from your favourite barber is always a good news family story. As I child I can remember my dapper grandfather and father talking about their haircut experiences and as time went on the stories improved, the chewing gum got better, life long friendships were made and I became a part of barbershop tradition.

Circa 2015. Melbourne times, inner city lad, inner city vibe, my hair was getting out of control, I was travelling on the beloved number 19 tram and boom! A pop up barbershop appears on Sydney Road in Brunswick. Really? I should investigate. The man behind Barber Black Sheep is Gus, who is following his passions and identity and the community is better for it.

For over 1,000 years barbershops have been renowned for having multiple businesses within a business and for not being exclusive to just providing services to personal grooming. This heritage was forgotten for a while, but thanks to people like Gus, it’s making a welcome return. Here are 3 things you need to know about what’s going on.

Firstly, Barber Black Sheep is know longer a cool pop up barbershop, its here to stay.

Secondly, Gus imports Japanese men’s fashion to compliment his barbershop.

Finally, the dude and his staff know how to give customers a great haircut. In 2015, GQ Magazine Australia ranked Gus and Barber Black Sheep as one of the top 3 barbershops nationally, so you know you’re going to get treated well and walk out looking stylish.

So what is a Barber Black Sheep haircutting experience like? Moving and worthwhile. After getting haircut at Barber Black Sheep you feel content in the knowledge that life long traditions can continue. The fit out is moody and well thought out, the ambiance and conversation compelling. You can even enjoy a beer, cider or juice while getting your haircut.

With barbering, I look at the style of the person when they walk in, how they speak, and what they do. I want to give them what they want, but I want them to understand what they’re getting too, so I talk them through the haircut as I’m doing it, so they understand what I’m doing.

You can book your appointment for a haircut on Barber Black Sheep’s Facebook page and remember you can purchase cool Japanese threads from Barber Black Sheep too – Gus and his team visiting Japan regularly so you know you’re going to be on the cutting edge. If you see me in the barber chair next to you, say hi.

Barber Black Sheep

149 Sydney Road
Brunswick
Victoria 3056
Australia

Telephone: 0402 233 198
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: Facebook

Open
Tue – Sat: 12:00pm to 3:00pm; 4:00pm to 8:00pm
Sun: 12:00pm to 3:00pm; 4:00pm to 6:00pm

Taxi Kitchen Wine Dinner Series

Lauren

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6 March 2016

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MELBOURNE | Taxi Kitchen started in 2014 as a re-invention of Taxi Dining Room, a traditional fine dining restaurant which was great in its own right however it was not keeping up with the move towards a more casual dining experience. As such Taxi Kitchen was created with a focus on rustic share plates and local ingredients served with Victorian wines in a picturesque yet casual environment.

To continue their celebration of Victorian wines, Taxi Kitchen has created a monthly series carefully matching wines from one featured winery with dishes created by executive chef Tony Twitchett. The first in the series was Dal Zotto winery. Dal Zotto is a family owned and run winery situated in the King Valley. The winery draws heavily upon the Dal Zotto’s Italian heritage as inspiration for the varieties of grapes they have grown hence they produce wines such as prosecco, garganega and sangiovese. As as fan of Dal Zotto I was more than happy to oblige when The City Lane was invited to the first matched 5 course tasting menu.

When you enter Taxi kitchen the first thing you will notice is the breathtaking views of Federation square, the Arts Precinct, Yarra river and the skyline which create a lovely atmosphere for the evening. These events are run in one of the wings of Taxi Kitchen which provides a really cosy environment where you can easily chat with a representative from the winery, the “wine guy” Ben Preston and meet a range of like mind individuals who enjoy food and wine. You never quiet know who you will meet at one of these events, I was lucky enough to meet Ben Preston’s parents who surprised him to show their support. Admittedly I now have a little crush on Ben’s mum she is a rather cool lady. Beside’s Ben’s parents you are able to talk in depth to the people and families behind a wineries. I was sat next to Christian Dal Zotto, the self proclaimed Dal Zotto that “loves to talk”. Christian is truly passionate and proud of his wines, and I suggest you should convince him to show you the photo of him dressed in an ABBA costume – it will give you a good chuckle.

To start the evening we served a scallop with chili mayonnaise topped with Kataifi pastry. The scallop was sweet and tender with just a slight kick of heat from the mayonnaise. It was well balanced textually and flavour wise as the scallop remained the star of the show. This was accompanied by the 2014 Dal Zotto Prosecco. The prosecco’s clean and crisp flavour profile complimented the scallops perfectly.

Following the scallop two share plates were presented. Firstly sake washed tuna with a soybean pesto and daikon salad and secondly smoked Petuna ocean trout, capers, egg yolk, parsley and horseradish. The star of these two dishes was the smoked ocean trout. Visually it was a work of art and when you took your first bite you definitely were not disappointed. The ocean trout was creamy, smoky and flaked beautifully. It was my favourite dish of the evening. The tuna was also lovely, the soft texture of the lightly seared tuna was balanced with the crunchy slightly acidic soybean pesto. Both of theses dishes were accompanied by 2014 Dal Zotto Riesling and 2014 Dal Zotto Garganega. Both wines was great however I preferred the Garganega which Christian described as “more rounded and full bodied”.

To finish of the savory courses a 14 hour slow roasted lamb shoulder with thyme jus and seasonal vegetables was served along with a heirloom tomato, burrata and roasted nam prik salad. The lamb shoulder was heavenly – the juicy, tender meat fell of the bone with no effort. It was an enjoyable dish which very much encapsulated the rustic, family values that represent Dal Zotto as a brand as well as show casing Taxi Kitchen’s more casual approach to food. The tomato and burrata salad was a simple combination which is classic pairing for a good reason. The Dal Zotto 2014 Barbera and 2012 Dal Zotto Nebbiolo were paired with this course. The Barbera had rich dark black fruit flavors, a bit of spice on the palette with a meaty savoriness which worked brilliantly with lamb.

Dessert comprised of a buttermilk panna cotta, blood orange jelly with a olive oil sorbet. I was a little unsure of the dish when I read the menu, I think this stems from the number of bad panna cottas I have experienced over the years. Often they contain too much gelatin, are really sugary or just bland. This panna cotta did not share any of those traits. It was light, creamy, smooth and well balanced. The panna cotta was paired with the NV Dal Zotto Pink pucino which displayed notes of pear and citrus blossom which highlighted the blood orange in the panna cotta.

To finish the evening we were treated to Tasmanian Pyengana Village 24 month cheddar, roasted grapes and grapefruit jam which was served with the 2014 Dal Zotto Sangiovese Cabernet. Simple yet delicious.

I have to say this is one of the most enjoyable events I have been to this year. The food and wine pairing by chef Tony Twitchett and sommelier Ben Preston were flawless.

The next event will occur on the 10th of March during the Melbourne Food And Wine Festival which will celebrate wines from legendary Brown Brothers Estate. Find more details here.

Taxi Kitchen

Level 1, Transport Hotel
Federation Square
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9654 8808
E-mail: n/a
Website: http://www.taxikitchen.com.au/

Open
Mon – Sat: 12:00pm to 11:00pm
Sun: 11:00pm to 11:00pm

THE CITY LANEEAT & TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL

THE CITY LANEEAT & TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL

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