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AmnesTEA 2015: Upcoming Event

Paul

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26 July 2015

Throughout the month of August, Amnesty International Australia is providing a perfect excuse to show off your baking skills, try a new recipe, or just have a tea party for your friends, with the AmnesTEA fundraiser. The official day for AmnesTEA is Thursday 27 August, however events can be held any time, anywhere throughout the month of August. Ruth Wicks, Amnesty International Australia’s Fundraising Manager put it perfectly when she said:

If you support human rights, this is one of the easiest ways to do it, by gathering your friends or workmates together for a tea party in exchange for a donation for Amnesty’s human rights work.

It’s free to create and register for an AmnesTEA event and to raise money by asking for donations for tea and cookies, sandwiches and cakes. Hosts are also encouraged to invite their guests to sign a petition to support one, or both, of the individuals at risk whose cases are being highlighting through AmnesTEA.

Last year AmnesTEA raised $20,000, and this year they are aiming for $75,000 to support Amnesty International’s human rights work in Australia and overseas.

To find out more or to register to host an event simply visit: www.amnesty.org.au/drinktea.

Hosts and attendees are invited to share their event on social media using the hashtag: #AmnesTEA.

Fat Baba, Brunswick

Jeff

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25 July 2015

0

One of the many benefits afforded to residents in and around Brunswick is a plethora of food options across all of the major categories, in particular Middle Eastern and Asian cuisine. Despite this, one country whose food is under-represented (much to Jeff’s lament in particular) is Malaysian. Enter Fat Baba, which opened its doors in June 2015 to attempt to fill this gap by offering authentic Malaysian cuisine, with a particular focus on the Nyonya style which combines Chinese ingredients with traditional Malay and Indonesian cooking techniques.

Located in the northern reaches of Brunswick on Moreland Road, Fat Baba occupies a slightly out of the way space in an area dominated mostly by Indian restaurants which can make it hard to find. Luckily the unassuming frontage is adorned with an easily recognisable sign and a cheery logo presumably meant to represent a ‘fat dad’.

While we were perusing the menu in the window we were welcomed inside by the very friendly staff and once through the front door we were presented with a very spacious dining space – a definite plus compared to many Asian restaurants which seek to cram as many patrons into a given area as possible. The simple white walls and roof combined with occasional bursts of colour and the feature wall at the back were augmented by the venue’s corner location resulting in significant amounts of natural light. extensive use of colourful and cheery art

The rest of the place was adorned with more art and other nice touches giving the venue a very Malaysian feel, including street signs which refer to well known streets in Malacca (Meleka), the third smallest state of Malaysia which is located in the south of the peninsula and is the home to many Nyonya restaurants.

The table settings were clean and simple with black chairs providing a pleasing contrast to the white tablecloths and the butcher paper layered over the tablecloths being both practical and helping to enhance the authentic feel of the venue.

To start with we ordered a couple of typical Malaysian drinks – ‘kopi-O’ (iced black coffee) and also ‘teh tarik’ (pulled tea). The latter, made using condensed milk to offset the bitterness of the tea, is considered the national drink of Malaysia and poured repeatedly from distance between two vessels during the preparation process giving the appearance that the beverage is being ‘pulled’, resulting in a frothy head. This was done well by Fat Baba and definitely reminded us of the teh tarik that we had tried in Malaysia – a great start to our meal.

Turning to the menu, Nyonya food typically uses a wide range of spices resulting in aromatic food that has flavours ranging from sour to tangy to spicy (and often combinations of these). Fat Baba serves up a range of traditional Nyonya dishes such as Asam fish (fish fillets served in a sour, tangy broth), beef rendang (a thick, coconut-based curry), laksa and sambal squid and also other Malaysian classics like Nasi Lemak (coconut rice served with a range of accompaniments) and Nasi Goreng (fried rice). On this occasion a number of contributors to The City Lane and partners/friends were in attendance which allowed us to try a number of dishes on offer.

Nyonya Chicken Wings ($9.50)

For our entree we started with the Nyonya chicken wings – these were marinated with spices and coconut milk and then fried. These were quite small and possibly some of the smallest wings we have eaten but what they lacked in size they made up for with great flavour driven by more than 10 different spices used in the marinade. The spicy sauce served on the side was an excellent accompaniment giving the wings a bit of kick.

Oh Bao ($9.50)

To go along with the wings we ordered the Oh Bao which were grilled tofu stuffed with cucumbers, fish cake and marinated pork belly. Tofu itself does not bring much taste to the table so in tofu-based dishes it is important that the other ingredients and/or sauces are flavoursome to compensate for this. Unfortunately this was not the case with the Oh Bao and we found both the fish cakes and pork belly to be rather bland, meaning that overall the dish did not have the strong flavour that is characteristic of Malaysian food.

Pong Teh/Nyonya Stew ($15.50)

Pong Teh is a signature dish of the Nyonya style and is a stew that consists of meat served in a gravy made from fermented soy beans. This dish has a salty or sometimes a slightly sweet flavour and is usually made using chicken or pork – we tried the pork variety on this occasion. While this was one of the dishes that we were most excited about from reading the menu, the Pong Teh (like the Oh Bao before it) lacked the flavour punch that we would have expected from this style of food, and although the pork was cooked well the dish was overall quite bland.

Gerang Asam/Nyonya Tamarind Fish ($19.50)

Asam fish is another Nyonya staple dish made from fish fillets (and in this case eggplant) cooked in a tangy, slightly sour tamarind-driven broth. Although the last two dishes had disappointed, Fat Baba’s asam fish was spot on – the broth was wonderfully aromatic with the flavours we are accustomed to from eating this dish in Malaysia and the fish fillets were cooked perfectly with firm flesh that stayed retained form in the broth and of itself had excellent flavour. This is definitely a dish that we would come back to again and again.

‘Devil’s Curry’ ($15.50)

Jeff and Paul are big fans of spicy food so when they spotted a dish described as ‘devilishly fiery’ they simply had to try it out. The Devil’s Curry is a dry curry made with chicken and potato which is a traditional dish from Malacca. The curry did was somewhat spicy but we felt that it definitely did not live up to its ‘devilishly fiery’ promise (though this could reflect our relatively high tolerance for spicy food). Combined with chicken that was overcooked and therefore dry, we were ultimately left under-whelmed. We did pass this feedback on at the time and we were told that the kitchen is more than happy to up the spice level on request so we would recommend that any spiceheads out there request ‘extra hot’ if they order this dish. Definitely a dish that has the potential to be great with a little tweaking.

Sambal Squid ($19.50)

To finish off we had the sambal squid which is another Nyonya classic made from squid (called ‘sotong’ in Malay) sauteed in sambal which is a spicy paste made from chilli and a variety of other ingredients usually including shrimp paste, lemongrass and lime juice. The preparation of sambal usually involves grinding the chilli peppers and also burning or frying the shrimp paste which releases the aromas of the key ingredients creating a flavoursome (and usually very spicy!) sauce. This dish was done very well, the squid was tender and not chewy and the sambal had good authentic flavours – although again the spice was not as intense as we would have liked.

Despite a couple of misses, we feel that Fat Baba is making a decent (although not exceptional) attempt at serving up authentic Malaysian cuisine in a bright, casual atmosphere in an area of Melbourne where this cuisine is lacking. The main weakness is that the flavours arenot as ‘punchy’ as we are accustomed to from Malaysian food, however we are keen to come back another time and try the ‘extra hot’ version of the Devil’s Curry and may well revise our opinion in due course. Where Fat Baba succeeds is in the traditional Nyonya seafood dishes which have spot on authentic flavours. We would recommend that anyone living into the area who enjoys the this side of Malaysian cuisine head in and check them out, and have a feeling that given some time to settle in and test the waters, there will be more hits than misses.

Fat Baba

188 Moreland Road
Brunswick
Victoria 3056
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9383 4199
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.fatbaba.com.au/

Open
Mon – Sat: 11:30am to 2:30pm; 5:30pm to 9:30pm
Sun: 5:30pm to 9:30pm

Ham & Pea Soup: Recipe

Lauren

-

24 July 2015

4

I adore a good ham and pea soup. It’s a must make recipe at least once each winter. There is something beautiful about this humble smoky green dish, which is surprisingly fresh and filling. Like many recipes here on The City Lane we like to mix it up – instead of using the classic split pea/plain hock combination we choose to use a smoked hock and frozen peas to give you a different flavour combination that works brilliantly.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes / Cooking Time: 3.25 hours 10 minutes / Serves 6-8

Ingredients

1 smoked ham hock, ~1kg
500g frozen green peas
1 brown onion, diced
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 carrot, cut in thirds widthways
1 stalk of celery, cut in thirds widthways
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bay leaf
15ml vegetable oil
2.5L chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
6 mint leaves, shredded

Method

Heat the oil in a large pot.
Add the bay leaf, carrot, onion, garlic, celery and ham hock and brown.
Add 250g of peas, the potato and mix well.
Add the chicken stock and allow the soup to come to the boil.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and leave simmering for 3 hours.
Remove from the heat.
Discard the bone, carrots, celery, and bay leaf.
Remove the meat from the pot, shred the meat and discard the skin and fat.
Add 150g of peas to the pot and blend until the soup is smooth.
Add the remaining peas, shredded meat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Serve with a sprinkle of shredded mint and some crusty bread.

Notes

Adding a potato into the soup thickens it slightly and adds creaminess to the broth. If you would like a stronger smoky flavour add 15g of smoked paprika to the broth when you blend the peas – this ensures that it will mix evenly through the soup.

New England Brewing Company: Belgian Honey Amber Ale

Beer Reviews

Chris

-

23 July 2015

0

New England Brewing Company: Belgian Honey Amber Ale

Hailing from the New England Brewing Company in Uralla NSW is the Belgian Honey Amber Ale. Coming in at an ABV of 4.9%, this is a seasonal beer from the brewery and is also described by Untappd as being an ‘American Amber / Red Ale’.

We found this to be a very easy beer to drink, although it may not be to everyone’s tastes (see Jeff’s comments below). It also contains mushrooms, but we couldn’t quite find that taste.

It’s is pretty much as the label suggests. It is smashable. You could drink a lot of this really quickly.

– Chris

The one thing you can’t taste is the mushrooms … I don’t know about this one. I recognise why people like it, but it’s not really to my personal taste.

– Jeff

I really like it. I like that this has the honey flavour, but it’s not too sweet. Yeah, I really like it.

– Paul

I’m quite liking it. It is quite easy to drink.

– Ben

Belgian Honey Amber Ale from New England Brewing Company was featured in Season Two, Episode Three.

Thirsty Crow Brewing Co: Road to Ruin

Beer Reviews

Chris

-

23 July 2015

0

The Road to Ruin from Thirsty Crow is a ‘long black stout’ (according to the brewers) that was apparently brewed with 50 shots of espresso, while also packing a real punch at 10.3%. According to the beer’s description on Untappd, this is also known as an American imperial double stout.

We all unanimously found this to be a very well balanced and thoroughly enjoyable beer.

It’s got that barrel aged flavour. This is sensational. It’s smooth and silky.

– Ben

It’s really nice. It is really good. It’s smooth because of the nitro, it’s sweet, but not overly sweet, it’s got that barrel-aged flavour to it but it’s not punching you in the face, it’s not overly alcoholic, and it’s got a nice level of espresso to it. It’s a really well-balanced drink, I like it.

– Paul

It’s definitely got that coffee thing to it as well. This is exactly the style of beer I’m into.

– Jeff

The Road to Ruin by Thirsty Crow Brewing Co. was featured in Season Two, Episode Three.

S02E03 – Season 2, Episode 3

Chris

-

23 July 2015

0

PODCAST | In this beer-drenched episode, Chris drinks a lot of milk stout and dotes on Mornington Peninsula Brewery; Paul discovers an aged bottle of the Double Barrelled Edition of Cockwain’s Courage from Garage Project; and Jeff drinks a lot of dark beers, saunters a little, and falls asleep a lot. Also, our regular guest Ben talks about a craft beer with a great taste and an incredibly uninteresting label.

On top of all this, we celebrate Jeff’s birthday and decide that he probably shouldn’t be given a knife, even if it is to cut his own cake.

Featured beers: Belgian Honey Amber Ale by New England Brewing Company and Road to Ruin by Thirsty Crow (on Nitro).

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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The Roving Marrow, Carlton

Jeff

-

23 July 2015

0

Open in mid-2015, The Roving Marrow Carlton is the latest incarnation of the Hotel Astor dining area at the site that was the home to Carlton establishment Percy’s Bar and Bistro until mid-2014. The loss of yet another of the traditional pubs in the inner-north was lamented by many and continues the trend of long-established venues such as The Empress, The Marquis of Lorne and The Tramway re-inventing themselves to keep up with modern trends and the dining and drinking preferences of the rapidly changing demographic in the area. We were invited to take a look at the refurbished space and menu and were keen to check it out.

From the outside, the only sign of development is a fresh coat of paint and Hotel Astor still remains its original historical look and feel. However, in the 12 months during which the venue was closed the interior of the venue has undergone a complete transformation and would be completely unrecognisable to anyone who frequented Percy’s Bar in the past. Gone are the old carpets, pub-style decor, padded chairs at the bar and football memorabilia – replacing these is a space that is more reflective of the hipster vibe of Fitzroy or Collingwood than ‘old-school’ Carlton.

There has clearly been a lot of thought and effort put into the design of the fresh and modern dining space, which is relatively small but very spacious – which is essential given the method of food service. The extensive use of wood contrasts nicely against the more industrial feel of the bar area to create a warm and intimate atmosphere. The angular floorboards complemented the black X-shaped lighting arrangement that dominated the ceiling which in turn was in keeping with the colour scheme and feel of the simple but classy table arrangements.

Where The Roving Marrow looks to differentiate itself from other up and coming restaurants is through the mode of food service which combines a modern Australian echoes the approach taken in Cantonese yum cha restaurants – in addition to the ala carte menu that can be used to order your dish(es) of choice, the wait staff are also constantly roaming the dining area with either serving trays or trolleys with smaller plates of food designed for sharing. This unique take on modern dining is also not just a novelty as the plates on offer consisting of both regularly changing off-menu items and also smaller versions of main menu items. We thought the latter was a great innovation as it allows one to try virtually the entire menu in a single sitting (which we did!) without eating to excess.

The yum cha-feel of the dining experience is completed by the sheet on each table that is used to record food orders based on the category of each dish eaten and which is then tallied up at the end of the meal – the small plates range from $4.50 up to $17 with most plates being in the $6 to $9 range. As is the case with yum cha it is easy to get overly enthusiastic and lose track of one’s running total so whilst the dishes are reasonably priced it is easy for your bill to gradually add up – a cautionary word for prospective diners.

Dehydrated Kale, Taro & Nori Chips With Goat’s Cheese Dip / Braised Ox-tail Soup

We started our journey through the dishes on offer with the first two plates that were brought out which were a bowl of dehydrated kale, taro and nori chips with goat’s cheese dip and a cup of braised ox-tail soup.

The vegetable chips were a light, pleasant way to start what would end up being quite an extensive meal – the chips were thin but with good structure and crispness and the quite different flavours of the kale, taro and nori all combined well with each other and the goat’s cheese dip.

The braised ox-tail soup was quite a small serving but what it lacked in quantity it certainly made up for in quality of both the ox-tail which fell apart beautifully in the mouth, and also the broth which was warming on a cold Melbourne night and had great flavour without being too salty.

Chicken Liver Parfait / Smoked Duck Breast & Confit Duck Leg

Next up on the roaming serving tray was a chicken liver parfait served with celery sticks and a smoked duck breast and confit duck leg.

We are told that the chicken liver parfait is The Roving Marrow’s most popular dish and after tasting it we could see why – the parfait had a lovely creamy texture, an interesting taste that was a bit sweet and not too ‘livery’ which we quite enjoyed and the slightly sweet crumble on top combined well with the rest of the flavours. More celery sticks are available should you find yourself with excess parfait after finishing your initial allocation (a good problem to have!).

While all of the dishes up to this point had been great we found that, despite the excellent presentation, the duck was a bit of a disappointment. Smoking the breast meant that the ‘gamey’ flavour (which in our view is one of the main attractions of duck meat) of that part of the duck was lost, and the confit leg was overly salty and a bit dry also.

Mussel & Kimchi Pancake / Hen’s Egg With Smoked Potato & Mushrooms / Beef Shortrib Dumpling

The next round of dishes brought around by the ever-attentive staff were probably the most unusual dishes we ate on the night, the mussel and kimchi pancake and the hen’s egg with smoked potato and mushrooms. We also got a serving of the beef shortrib dumplings.

The kimchi pancake is a staple of Korean cuisine and is typically crispy, spicy and served with a variety of meat and seafood fillings – the Roving Marrow’s take on this dish used mussels and was served with finger lime cream on top. Unfortunately we found that this dish didn’t hit the mark for us either, the flavour was good but the texture was soft/’mushy’ rather than crispy and there was no spicy kick. To some extent our view on this dish was probably skewed by our expectations for a kimchi pancake and if this dish was positioned differently then our experience may have been different.

The hen’s egg was cooked at a low temperature for 45 minutes ensuring that the white was cooked but the yolk was still runny and was combined with a smoked potato puree and four types of mushrooms. Despite the seemingly odd selection of ingredients this dish really worked for us – after breaking the yolk and allowing everything to mix through we were pleasantly surprised by how well the flavours combined to deliver a great end result.

The dumplings were done in an Asian style but using beef rib as the filling rather than pork which is more usual. These too were excellent, the beef rib was tender and the masterstock in which the dumplings were served enhanced the flavour of the dumplings without overpowering the dish.

Pumpkin, Freekeh & Yoghurt / Broccoli, Garlic & Macadamia Nuts

For our vegetable fix we tried the pumpkin with freekeh and yoghurt and also the broccoli which was done with a garlic puree and macadamia nuts.

We were going to pass on the pumpkin but were advised that we shouldn’t miss out – this was a good piece of advice as the pumpkin was soft and tender without being either overly mushy or too firm (which is easy to do) with a slightly sweet flavour which contrasted well with the savoury characteristics of the freekeh and the creaminess of the yoghurt.

The broccoli was actually one of our favourite dishes for the night, it was chopped finely rather than being served in chunks which meant it was very easy to share and eat, the garlic puree gave the dish a nice level of richness and the macadamia nuts added extra flavour to a vegetable that can sometimes be a bit bland.

Flinders Island Lamp Rump / Cape Grim Porterhouse

For our final course, we had the Flinders Island lamp rump and the Cape Grim porterhouse. We were actually debating which of these to order from the main menu to share as we were reaching our eating limit when we were informed that both would be coming around on the roaming tray – a great example of how the style of food service at The Roving Marrow really helps diners to have a diverse eating experience.

As you would expect, both the lamb and beef were cooked perfectly, medium rare and pink in the middle and the choice of quality produce meant that the taste was spot on and the condiments were well chosen also. The lamb came with a charcoal eggplant that really enhanced the char on the outside of the meat and the beef was served with a simple mix of swede and miso which is all the dish required – too often an excellent piece of meat can be spoiled by the excessive use of sauces that overwhelm what should be the main focus.

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention at least briefly both the drinks list and the drinks service. Recognising the fact that in the current Melbourne dining scene it is essential to have an array of drinks that matches the quality and diversity of the food on offer, The Roving Marrow offers a reasonably standard selection of beers both on tap and in bottles, but where it really stands out is in its wine and cocktail lists both of which are extensive and of high quality. The staff are also very knowledgeable about the drinks on offer and were readily able to provide suggestions based on our preferences – we were also provided with extensive information about the Harkham Aziza’s Shiraz which we were drinking, including the fact that the winemaker plays soothing music to his grapes as he believes that this enhances the quality of the wine. We were also impressed by the array of spirits on offer which went well beyond the standard offerings in each category – a Four Pillars gin and kombucha was the perfect way to end the meal.

In the end, despite a few misses with specific dishes, we left The Roving Marrow impressed with the quality and range of the food on offer, and also the yum cha-style food service which is done in a way that enhances the experience without feeling ‘gimmicky’. We would recommend The Roving Marrow both as a place for an intimate dinner or a group gathering for people looking for a fresh, somewhat different dining experience – just keep the occasional eye on where your food tally is up to.

The Roving Marrow

418 Lygon Street
Carlton
Victoria 3053
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9347 7419
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.theastorcarlton.com.au/restaurant/

Open
Wed – Thu: 5:00pm to late
Fri – Sun: Noon to 3:00pm; 5pm to late

Kustom Burgers, Thornbury

Jeff

-

22 July 2015

0

The northern suburbs of Melbourne have been flooded by burger restaurants in recent years, so the competition is fierce and the bar has been set high. It was therefore with interest when during one of our recent drinking adventures the crew at The City Lane came across Kustom Burgers Thornbury, which is one of the more recent entrants into the battle for supremacy in the Melbourne burger scene.

Open since May 2015, Kustom Burgers is a ‘vehicular’ take on the American-style diner. The interior of the venue is adorned with an array of car parts and other car-themed fittings, including a number of car hoods, grilles and even an entire pick-up truck! Adding to the American feel are other nice touches such as a gumball machine and candy available from a milk bar style set-up at the end of the relatively small dining area.

For patrons waiting for their burgers to be made (which doesn’t take long), there is also a fully-operational electric slot car track which took us back to our collective childhoods – down to the multi-car pileup on a sharp corner.

The menu is naturally consistent with the overall theme with the names of the burgers referencing cars ranging from the Ford F150 (which is Kustom Burgers’ take on the standard beef burger), to the Hot Rod (their spicy burger) and the Chevy Impala (chicken burger). There is also an Aussie-style burger with egg and beetroot that pays homage to the FJ Holden and the ‘EH Smashed’ which contains a double beef patty smashed flat. Burgers are available on either an ‘old school’ seeded bun or brioche.

Rounding out the food offering are buffalo wings and an array of sides including coleslaw, chilli con carne and fries of the standard and chilli cheese variety. The drinks list consists of a range of local and imported sodas (which pleasingly included A&W Root Beer which is one of Jeff’s favourites), spiders and milkshakes. Unfortunately there is no alcohol available, but for anyone thirsting for a beer Carwyn Cellars is only a few doors up the road.

F150 Kustom Burger ($13.00) and EM Smashed Burger ($14.00)

Seeing as we had a reasonable sized party in attendance we took advantage of the ability to sample a range of the items on the menu. The first of our group who got in line ordered the F150 and the EM Smashed burgers.

The measure of any burger joint is their stock, single patty beef burger so the F150 was a logical place to start our tasting adventure. This definitely confirmed that Kustom Burgers know what they are doing and ticked many of the boxes that we feel are essential in a good burger – the patty was juicy and cooked medium-rare, the evenly melted cheese is imported from the US and is the same as that used by In-N-Out, and the serving of bacon was both generous and cooked soft which is our preference (although some may prefer the bacon crispier) and the bun was soft and not sweet.

The only downside is that the lettuce doesn’t really work in an American-style burger which really should be just meat, cheese and bacon. The house-made Kustom mustard had nice slightly sour, slightly sweet flavour that really complemented the meat and the amount of sauce was pretty much spot on so that it did not overpower the main ingredients.

The EH Smashed burger continued in the same vein and also tasted great, but we would caution anyone looking to try it that the patties are more squashed together than properly ‘smashed’ as is the case with say the Rockwell and Sons double patty smash burger.

Hot Rod Chilli Burger ($14.00)

A spicy burger is more or less mandatory on the menu at burger places nowadays and Kustom Burger’s take on this style came with options of spicy BBQ, hot chilli chipotle or hero chilli sauce – we liked the concept of having a variable level of spiciness as one person’s mild spicy kick is another person’s death sauce. Jeff of course ordered the hero chilli sauce which came with a warning that it is only for ‘serious chilli heads’.

The Hot Rod improved on the standard burger through the omission of lettuce, however we would say that the hero chilli sauce, which is powered by habaneros and chipotle, didn’t quite live up to expectations – there was definitely a noticeable kick, but for something that came with a warning it didn’t light our mouths afire as we were expecting. We would suggest that Kustom Burgers consider adding an extra level above the hero sauce for the true spice fiends out there.

Impala Southern Fried Chicken Burger ($15.00)

Next we tried out the fried chicken burger, which is named after the Chevy Impala, one of the most popular cars in America.

The chicken was (as is suggested by the name) done in the style of the American South with buttermilk and an in-house herb and spice blend and was cooked well throughout without being dry and tasted excellent – one of the better fried chicken burgers we have tried. Accompanying the chicken was the same cheese that is used on the beef burgers (not melted though which was a shame), as well as coleslaw, jalapenos and chipotle mayo. The slaw added a good crunch to the burger and the jalapenos and mayo created a slight spiciness although there was perhaps a bit too much mayo which we found was quite dominant.

To go with our burgers, we also ordered a few sides – the buffalo wings, deep fried pickles and both chilli and normal fries.

Nitro Buffalo Wings ($12.00)

The buffalo wings were not so much buffalo wings but straight out fried chicken wings – this said the chicken was cooked in the same style as the chicken burger and was of the same high quality. We tried the nitro buffalo sauce which we were hoping would give us the spicy hit that we didn’t quite get from the Hot Rod burger, however it was surprisingly a little bland – we would recommend combining the wings with one of the other sauces.

Deep Fried Pickles ($6.50)

The deep fried pickles were served with a tangy sauce and were a perfectly serviceable side dish without being exceptional. There were 2 members of our group who really like pickles, and while they had no trouble finishing these off, they both agreed they had tried better.

Turbo Chilli Fries ($7.50) and Hub Cap Fries ($6.50)

The two types of fries that we tried were a quite a contrast. On the one hand the standard hub cap fries were amongst the best fries that we have had in a burger place – the beer batter was nice and crispy and the seasoning was tasty. In contrast, the chilli fries were disappointing, the chilli didn’t have much flavour and made the fries quite soggy which spoiled this particular dish.

Kustom Burgers is a great addition to the increasingly vibrant Thornbury stretch of High Street that offers a cool vibe in an interesting space. We would recommend that you go for the great range of burgers but give the side dishes a miss except for the excellent fries – but do aim to get there earlyish on a Friday or Saturday night if you intend to eat it as it does pack out.

Kustom Burgers

861 High Street
Thornbury
Victoria 3071
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9484 9316
Website: http://www.kustomburgers.com.au/

Open
Mon – Wed: 11:00am to 9:00pm
Thurs: 11:00am to 10:00pm
Fri – Sat: 11:00am to midnight
Sun: 11:00am to 10:00pm

Eatables, A London Supper Club: Review

Geneveive

-

21 July 2015

0

LONDON | A little over a year ago, we were lucky enough to get on the invite list for eatables – a pop up dining experience in Haggerston. eatables is like a speakeasy, but for food. All across London, supper clubs are allowing food fixated residents to gather in unique spaces to enjoy an underground dining scene. Most supper clubs involve the host transforming a space, generally their home, into a pop-up restaurant. Our most recent visit to eatables got us up to 7 visits, and each time we’ve been we’ve left completely satisfied and eager for the next event.

Here’s how it works. The selected house mates team up with talented chef and butcher Peter Clements to transform their amazing, spacious loft apartment into a culinary mecca. The décor of the chosen flat is always quirky and chic. For £35.00 per person, 20 to 25 guests are treated to a 5-course, seasonally inspired meal, the menu for which is kept secret until the night. Guests are greeted and looked after by the gracious Emily, while Aaron is the well–honed sommelier and barman. Prior to each event, Aaron works closely with the wine merchant The Sampler to carefully select wines to pair with the meal. The seasonally themed menu is artfully crafted by Peter, who is supported by his lovely partner Holly. Together they make an absolutely dynamic duo in the kitchen.

Each event is unique. The menu takes inspiration from the best of Britain, but often one will find influences of their travels abroad. During our most recent visit to eatables, influences from Peter and Holly’s recent travels to Mexico and Central America were evident.

After a welcome cocktail of white wine, rum, mango and fresh fruit (aptly named it “takes two to mango”) we started on the incredible first course. We were served fantastic pulled pork on spelt garnachas with pickled cabbage and crispy corn. Peter uses top quality meat from his butchers in Greenwich which always makes the meat dishes really top notch. More than a few of those in attendance were talking about the pulled pork long after the meal finished.

Next up was a jersey royal soup with nettles. In tune with the recent trend for all things foraged and local, the nettles were foraged in Haggerston Park adding a hyper-local element to the menu. The soup was slightly less photogenic than some of the other dishes but no less amazing. Alongside the soup, we had home made rye crisps topped with smoked mackerel and new potato crisps. Already with the meal off to a mind blowing start, it was going to be a tough act to follow in the second act. As always, Peter and Holly did not disappoint.

The main course contained some of the most delicious chicken I’ve ever had. The pan seared breast of chicken was served on pea puree with summer vegetables, crispy chicken skin and crunchy pearl barley. One of the most incredible things for me about this whole dining experience is that the eatables crew are able to cater for such a large crowd without the luxury of a commercial grade kitchen. Peter uses a slow cooking method for many of his meat dishes and the team start prepping for the meal days in advance. There is no short changing on presentation. Every dish is carefully plated and served with elegance.

Next up we were treated to two courses of dessert, the first of which was inspired by Peter and Holly’s recent visit to Mexico. Our table was provided ample servings of fresh churros coated with chilli sugar, with soured cream and chili mango dipping sauces on the side.

Everyone was extremely full by this point but could not resist round 2 of dessert – classic British strawberry parfait turned up a notch by being topped with fresh strawberries, shortbread pieces, almond mint brittle, strawberry granita and popping candy.

After another eatables event we visited, one of the diners proclaimed “Nearly twenty-four hours later and my tongue still has an erection. Thank you so much. Astoundingly beautiful food, delicious wine and exceptional company.” If that’s not a testimonial I don’t know what is.

All in all our 7th eatables experience was fantastic as always. Every eatables event we’ve attended has featured great combinations of textures and flavours and is an exceptional dining experience that gives the guest a real taste of what’s happening food wise in London. If you like what you see and want to be added to the mailing list for future eatables events, send Peter an e-mail ([email protected]) with your name, sit back and be patient – good things will come your way.

Margaret River Gourmet Escape 2015: Upcoming Event

Paul

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20 July 2015

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Margaret River Gourmet Escape 2015: Upcoming Event

The renowned Margaret River Gourmet Escape presented by Audi returns in 2015 for 3 days in November. Headlined this year by global superstar chef Marco Pierre White, the event features chefs from all over the world, 6 of whom are from restaurants featured in the San Pellegrnio “World’s Best 50” list. With a focus on sustainability and the biodiversity of South Western Australia and of course, amazing food, the Margaret River Gourmet Escape promises to be an amazing event. Below is full list of chefs – if this doesn’t get you excited, we don’t know what will.

Marco Pierre White (headline chef) • Gaggan Anand (Gaggan, Bangkok) • Rick Stein (Chef & Restaurateur, UK) • David Thompson (Nahm, Bangkok) • Jeannie Cho Lee (Master of Wine, Hong Kong) • Enrique Olvera (Pujol, Mexico City) • Sat Bains (Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms, Nottingham) • Ashley Palmer-Watts (Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London) • Rodolfo Guzman (Boragó, Santiago) • Shane Osborn (Acarne Restaurant, Hong Kong) • Vladimir Mukhin (White Rabbit, Moscow) • Ryan Clift (The Tippling Club, Singapore) • Fulvio Pierangelini (Irene Restaurant, Florence) • Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Master of Wine, Singapore) • Richard Turner (Hawksmoor, London) • Ch’ng Poh Tiong (Wine Journalist, Hong Kong) • Chele Gonzalez (Gallery Vask, Manila) • Sam Leong (Forest, Singapore) • Chris Salans (Mozaic, Bali) • Tetsuya Wakuda (Tetsuya’s Restaurant, Sydney) • Matt Moran (ARIA, Sydney) • Jock Zonfrillo (Orana and Street-ADL, Adelaide) • David Moyle (Franklin, Tasmania) • Mark Best (Marque Restaurant, Sydney) • Ryan Squires (Esquire, Brisbane) • Joost Bakker (Melbourne based artist) • George Calombaris (The Press Club, Melbourne) • Guillaume Brahimi (Guillaume, Sydney) • Hadleigh Troy (Restaurant Amuse, Perth) • Adriano Zumbo (Adriano Zumbo, Sydney) • Spencer Patrick (Harrison’s Restaurant, Port Douglas) • Ben Milgate (Porteño, Sydney) • Elvis Abrahanowicz (Porteño, Sydney) • Josh Whiteland (Wadandi man, Margaret River) • Matt Stone (Oakridge Wines, Yarra Valley) • Nick Stock (Wine Writer, Melbourne) • Oliver Gould (Stokehouse, Melbourne) • David Hull (Cullen Wines, Margaret River) • Aaron Carr (Vasse Felix, Margaret River) • Dany Angove (Leeuwin Estate, Margaret River) • Anna Gare (Celebrity Cook, Australia) • Nigel Harvey (Voyager Estate, Margaret River) • Melissa Kokoti (Xanadu, Margaret River) • Poh Ling Yeow (Celebrity Cook & Author, Australia) • Tony Howell (Executive Chef, Margaret River Hospitality Group) • Dan Fisher (Print Hall, Perth) • Daniel Wilson (Huxtable, Melbourne) • Richard Ousby (Stokehouse, Brisbane) • Michael Elfwing (Cape Lodge, Margaret River)

For full details and a complete programme of events, visit the official Margaret River Gourmet Escape website. Tickets go on sale at Ticketek from today.

Margaret River Gourmet Escape

When: Friday 20 November 2015 – Sunday 22 November 2015

Entry: Varies depending on the individual events

Where: Various locations, Margaret River

THE CITY LANEEAT & TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL

THE CITY LANEEAT & TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL

Nyonya Chicken Wings ($9.50)

Oh Bao ($9.50)

Pong Teh/Nyonya Stew ($15.50)

Gerang Asam/Nyonya Tamarind Fish ($19.50)

‘Devil’s Curry’ ($15.50)

Sambal Squid ($19.50)

Fat Baba

Ingredients

Method

Notes

Dehydrated Kale, Taro & Nori Chips With Goat’s Cheese Dip / Braised Ox-tail Soup

Chicken Liver Parfait / Smoked Duck Breast & Confit Duck Leg

Mussel & Kimchi Pancake / Hen’s Egg With Smoked Potato & Mushrooms / Beef Shortrib Dumpling

Pumpkin, Freekeh & Yoghurt / Broccoli, Garlic & Macadamia Nuts

Flinders Island Lamp Rump / Cape Grim Porterhouse

The Roving Marrow

F150 Kustom Burger ($13.00) and EM Smashed Burger ($14.00)

Hot Rod Chilli Burger ($14.00)

Impala Southern Fried Chicken Burger ($15.00)

Nitro Buffalo Wings ($12.00)

Deep Fried Pickles ($6.50)

Turbo Chilli Fries ($7.50) and Hub Cap Fries ($6.50)

Kustom Burgers

Margaret River Gourmet Escape

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