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Hickory Wood Chip Smoked Pork Belly: Recipe

Paul
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8
Hickory Wood Chip Smoked Pork Belly: Recipe

RECIPES | This hickory wood chip smoked pork belly recipe is one of Lauren and mine’s superstar dishes. It’s amazing that it took so long for pork belly to hit the mainstream, given that it’s what bacon comes from and tastes absolutely amazing. What started as a failed experiment for making bacon in our Weber Kettle barbecue has ended up becoming one of the most popular things that Lauren and I cook amongst our friends. Whenever we have people over for a party, this has become the must serve item. It’s smoky, tender and utterly irresistible.

The Jack Daniels isn’t strictly necessary, but we’ve tried this both with and without the whiskey and the extra flavour that it provides really takes things to the next level. Serve this to people and you will become their new best friend.

Preparation Time: 40 minutes          /          Waiting Time: 3 days          /          Cooking Time: 4 hours          /          Serves 10

Ingredients

The Pork Belly & Brine
  • 3kg pork belly
  • 2 tbsp (30g) white sugar
  • 2 tbsp table salt
  • 1 litre water
The Rub
  • 2 tbsp (30g) sweet paprika
  • 1/4 tsp (4g) mild chilli powder
  • 1/4 tsp (4g) allspice
  • 1 tsp (15g) black peppercorns, ground
  • 1/4 (4g) tsp rock salt, ground
  • 1 tsp (4g) cumin seeds, ground
  • 1/2 tsp  (7.5g) mustard powder
  • 1 tsp (15g) oregano, dried
  • 1 tsp (15g) brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp (7.5g) thyme, dried
The Wood Chips
  • 150g hickory wood chips
  • 1 cup (250ml) Jack Daniels Whiskey
  • 1 cup (250ml) water

Method

The Pork & Brine
  1. Boil 1 litre of water to make sure it’s completely sterile.
  2. Allow the water to cool to room temperature.
  3. Mix together the sugar and salt and rub it evenly all over the pork.
  4. Put the pork into a container and submerge it in the water. The container shouldn’t be too big – when you put the lid on it should be completely submerged in the water.
  5. Place the container in the fridge and leave for 3 days.
The Rub
  1. Combine all of the rub ingredients into a pestle and mortar and grind it until you have a finely ground mix.
The Wood Chips
  1. Put the wood chips into a small bowl and add the Jack Daniels and water.
  2. Ensure that all of the wood chips are covered and let it soak for half an hour.
To Cook
  1. Prepare and heat up your charcoal for the barbecue.
  2. Take the pork belly out of the fridge and drain the water.
  3. Place the pork belly onto a a drying rack a let it get to room temperature, while at the same time allowing any excess moisture to drip off.
  4. Once the pork belly has reached room temperature, rub it dry with paper towels. This step is important as you want as little moisture left as possible which will let the outside get nice and crispy when it cooks.
  5. Massage the rub evenly into the pork belly until it’s evenly and completely coated.
  6. Put the hot charcoals into your kettle barbecue. You want to cook this indirectly so make sure that half of the charcoal is on either side of the barbecue, not in the middle.
  7. Also make sure that all of the vents are open.
  8. Place the pork belly into the centre of the barbecue grille, skin side down for 20 minutes.
  9. Flip the pork belly over and add 1/3 of the wood chips to the charcoal.
  10. Wait for 2 hours, and add another 1/3 of the wood chips to the charcoal.
  11. Wait another hour and add the last 1/3 of the wood chips to the charcoal.
  12. After a further 40 minutes (4 hours in total) take the pork belly out of the barbecue and let it rest for 15 minutes.
  13. Carve and serve.

Notes

You can use any whiskey that you want, it doesn’t need to be Jack Daniels but we have found that Jack Daniels seems to give the best taste.

If you want you don’t actually have to use any whiskey. You’ll still get a nice smoky flavour with wood chips soaked in water only.

This pork belly works really well in a roll with my wife’s Apple Cider Vinegar Coleslaw.

Interview With Raj Nagra, Bombay Sapphire Global Brand Ambassador

Paul
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0
Interview With Raj Nagra, Bombay Sapphire Global Brand Ambassador

Gin has experienced a renaissance in recent years, with many people rediscovering this classic spirit. Gin & Tonics are back in fashion and mixologists all over the world are creating all kinds of interesting gin based cocktails. In the spirit of celebrating gin, Bombay Sapphire ran a popup bar “Project Botanicals” in North Melbourne from 19 November to 6 December this year. Guests were served 10 tapas style courses designed by Masterchef’s Gary Mehigan matched with 10 different cocktails, each inspired by one of the botanicals contained in Bombay Sapphire. Things like Juniper Sublime G&Ts were paired with Blue Swimmer Crab Toasts, and Coriander Mules were paired with Vietnamese Yellow Tuna Rolls just to name a few.

I unfortunately had other commitments during this time and wasn’t able to attend Project Botanicals however I heard good things about it from people whose opinion I trust. Despite not making the event itself I did get the opportunity to interview Raj Nagra, Bombay Sapphire’s Global Brand Ambassador who had flown in from New York and asked him some questions about the world of gin and, of course, Bombay Sapphire.

raj nagra bombay sapphire

What is your favourite Bombay Sapphire cocktail?

In the afternoon I do relish a classic Bombay Sapphire & Fevertree tonic with fresh lime, lots of ice, in a tall glass. On a warmer day I quite enjoy a Bombay Collins or an Aviation cocktail. In the early evening or after a long day there is simply nothing better to set the mood, or take the edge off like an icy cold, dry, stirred Bombay Sapphire martini with a twist of lemon.

Have you ever cooked with Bombay Sapphire?

Sure, we’re quite engaged in what we like to call ‘Ginstronomy’, and often time reaching for gin or wine for that matter, to add a little spice or character to steamed cuisine or complexity to a sauce. In fact I’ve been working with chefs around the world on Bombay Sapphire and its uses in food pairing for various events for well over a decade. The fact is that gin lends great versatility to mixing in drinks and food, more so than other spirits and even wine. Most recently we’ve just kicked off pop-up season in Melbourne with Chef Gary Mehigan on a Bombay Sapphire event around food and cocktail pairing over the past three weeks called Project Botanicals.

Are there any new Bombay Sapphire products in the pipeline that you can tell us about?

Innovation is rampant within the universe of gin today, which is adding to combined interest from consumers and bartenders alike.

We at the Bombay Spirits Company are no strangers to innovation with the launch of the Bombay Dry 1761 recipe in 1959 to add some swag and bolster gin consumption in the US, and again with the launch of Bombay Sapphire in 1987, the first super premium gin of its time that is solely responsible for reinvigorating the gin category with its launch. We simply would not be enjoying the gin renaissance we’re currently experiencing were it not for the launch of Bombay Sapphire. It opened the gates for all modern gins since to exist.

More recently we’ve launched Sapphire East in the US and several other markets, as well as Bombay Amber in travel retail. Innovation is in our DNA.

What’s next is a secret…

What do you see as being the biggest trend(s) in gin right now?

The Gin Martini cocktail is making a huge comeback. It’s never been so popular. And I’m not speaking to dirty martinis either.

The gin and tonic is increasingly popular also, with numerous tonic brands entering the market in support of this. We have seen quite the G&T trend happening in Spain over the last few years, which has now reached NY over the last couple of years for example.

Plenty of classic gin cocktails making a comeback also.

I think overall, the awareness and interest in gin is up, making it one of the most exciting categories again this side of the 1950s and 1960s.

Bombay Sapphire recently opened their Laverstoke Mill distillery. How does this differ from the other Bombay Sapphire distilleries?

In opening our new distillery we’re essentially building for the future as well as working productively to be more carbon neutral, in fact 80% more than the industry standard, as well as leaving 60% less of a carbon footprint. We’ve transformed a 300-year-old paper mill with over 1000 years of history within a conservation area and Site of Special Scientific Interest which took patience and dedication. Working with Heatherwick Studio, Bombay Sapphire sympathetically renovated Laverstoke Mill into a state-of-the-art sustainable distillery that showcases the natural beauty and industrial heritage of the site.

With such a rich heritage and natural beauty, Laverstoke Mill is the perfect setting to showcase the unique Vapor Infusion distillation process and the ten exotic botanicals that go into every drop of Bombay Sapphire. The botanicals can be explored in their natural state in the stunning Glasshouses designed by Heatherwick Studio which are a perfect juxtaposition to the surrounding Georgian and Victorian architecture.

It is the 100% vapor infusion process that sets us apart from other gins. Through our unique process, all of the botanicals are allowed to shine, producing a gin that is more complex, with higher citrus and pine notes, and less of the pungent and notes associated with steeped and distilled gins.

Bombay Sapphire is famous for its 10 botanicals, but if you could add one more, what would it be and why?

I really like the new botanicals in our new products. If we look at Sapphire East for example, we’ve highlighted the bright top and spice finish notes in adding Thai lemongrass to compliment the juniper, coriander and lemon, and then added Vietnamese black peppercorn to the two other peppers in cubeb berries from Indo-China and grains of paradise from West Africa.

We also launched a product for travel retail in Bombay Amber, which also has black cardamom, nutmeg and bitter orange and is rested in French oak.

I loved the food and drink scene when I was in New York back in 2011. Artisan doughnuts were just starting to take off back then and 3 years later the trend has finally hit Australia. What’s the “on trend” food item in New York City at the moment?

NY is famous for all kinds of food, as you know. Burgers and mac & cheese can still be found at many of the finest establishments here in NY. Ramen is still popular in part. We’ve seen Australia import and translate Mexican food, frozen yoghurt, cupcake shops and food trucks in recent years.

I would guess the next big thing might be deep fried chicken, although overall people are also eating healthier these days. We’ll see more counter top dining springing up in the coming year.

What’s the best part about your job as Bombay Sapphire’s Global Brand Ambassador? What would you be doing if you weren’t doing this?

Representing such an amazing brand at such an exciting time in its long history. Gin is so incredibly popular today, with industry and consumer tastes evolving globally, it’s great to be a part of this progressive process in unique settings amongst old and new friends alike – people and places!

I’ve grown up in this industry; there is no escaping the nature of the beast! I’ll always have a small role to play in this colourful, character filled screenplay!

Pidapipo Gelataria: Preview

Paul
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0
Pidapipo Gelataria: Preview

Pidapipo Gelataria Carlton started life as a “Test Lab” popup on Faraday Street late last year after owner/gelato-maker Lisa Valmorbida decided to throw in her chef whites and spend some time travelling around Italy and studying at Carpigiani gelato university, learning about the art of making proper gelato.

The popup closed earlier this year as Valmorbida sought to take what she’d learned from running the popup (and another research trip to Italy) and translate it into a more permanent location. Fast forward to 2014 and I was invited to sample some of the gelato flavours and learn about Pidapipo’s story and philosophy prior to this Friday’s opening.

pidapipo carlton preview

The gelato is handmade on site daily, and uses quality local and Italian ingredients. The gelato is stored in stainless steel pozzeti to ensure a constant temperature and texture is maintained.

pidapipo carlton preview

I was a big fan of the smooth and creamy gelato and could tell that the ingredients used were high quality. The gelato wasn’t overly sweet which let the flavours really shine – everything tasted like it was supposed to, never fake. Across the 20 pozetti are a combination of simple flavours like vanilla, pistachio, chocolate, and Nuttella swirl along with more adventurous flavours like the seasonal Christmas pudding and a Coke float inspired creation developed in conjunction with Beatbox Kitchen’s Raph Rashid.

My favourites flavours were the cinnamon, salted caramel, and a ricotta, cinnamon and honeycomb one which used Honey Fingers’ honey produced by bees kept on Pidapipo’s roof and was made from scratch while the event was running.

pidapipo carlton preview

Along with scoops in containers and cones, Pidapipo will also offer gelato filled brioche and a variety of simple sauce toppings to finish things off, courtesy of the impressive looking chocolate tap.

pidapipo carlton preview

There have been some great additions to Carlton’s food scene over the past year and Pidapipo looks set to be another welcome addition to the area. May the revival of Lygon Street continue!

Pidapipo Gelataria

299 Lygon Street
Carlton
Victoria 3057
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9347 4596
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://pidapipo.com.au/

Open
Mon – Sun: 12:00pm to 11:00pm

Pidapipó on Urbanspoon

Osaka: The Eclectic Streets Of Amerikamura

Paul
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0
Osaka: The Eclectic Streets Of Amerikamura

Amerikamura Osaka, known more commonly amongst locals by the name Amemura, literally translates as “American Village” and unsurprisingly is a part of Osaka that’s been influenced by the pop culture of the United States. It’s a popular entertainment and shopping district that’s popular with Osaka’s youth and has an eclectic, energetic vibe.

amerikamura osaka america mura

amerikamura osaka america mura

There are a lot of American themed places in the area – burger joints, diner-like cafes and loads of American vintage and modern pop influenced clothing shops. Need a Harley Davidson jacket, a Lady Gaga t-shirt, or a piece of clothing with some badly translated American catchphrases written on it? This is the place for you.

amerikamura osaka america mura

amerikamura osaka america mura

amerikamura osaka america mura

There are a lot of music stores in the area, and as for the music itself, there’s a lot of American music playing from the various shops.

amerikamura osaka america mura

amerikamura osaka america mura

Given the popularity of Purikura with teenage girls in Japan, it’s no surprise to discover that Amerikamura is full of them. Purikura are photo sticker booths that were first developed by Altus and Sega in 1995. You got in with a few friends and get a few photos taken then apply any number of modifications to the images on touch screens to make the photos more animated and kawaii (cute). My friend who lived in Japan a few years back insisted we go in and it’s certainly an experience you’ll only get in Japan. I may have some photos hidden away somewhere 😉

amerikamura osaka america mura

Americamura is centred around Triangle Park which is a great place to people watch. You’ll see all sorts of wacky and interesting stuff going on around here.

amerikamura osaka america mura

I’ve never been to a country other than Japan where store owners can display goods for sale outside of their store, unattended without having to worry that anybody will steal anything. The level of trust in Japanese society is astounding.

amerikamura osaka america mura

This Alice in Wonderland themed shop’s fitout, both external and internal had a very high attention to detail.

amerikamura osaka america mura

amerikamura osaka america mura

I spent a while chilling out on this corner planning my next moves for the day as the store behind me was playing 2Pac’s Greatest Hits quite loudly which I was quite happy about.

amerikamura osaka america mura

We tried to visit a cat cafe but this one required bookings. There were some very fat, well looked after, lazy cats inside.

amerikamura osaka america mura

Amerikamura is an interesting part of Osaka to walk through. It’s certainly more youth-oriented than neighbouring Orange Street and has a vibe all of its own.

Zucchini & Ricotta Tart: Recipe

Paul
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0
Zucchini & Ricotta Tart: Recipe

This zucchini & ricotta tart is another one of those recipes that began life as a “we need to use what’s left in the fridge” experiment. Lauren’s severe nut allergy means that there are a lot of great things that she’s unable to eat. When we did our road trip up to Victoria’s High Country in October (you can read about it here) we bought some pumpkin seed meal from the Australian Pumpkin Seed Company.

The original plan was to make macarons with it however our attempts, despite making some decent tasting things, didn’t quite work out. We still had quite a bit of pumpkin seed meal left so when Lauren made up this tart, she decided to try and make a pumpkin seed meal casing instead of using flour. This attempt at a lower carbohydrate, healthier casing for the tart was, I can thankfully tell you, a complete success – it had a great flavour to it and crisped up really nicely in the oven.

As for the filling, the ingredients here are very Mediterranean influenced, with the preserved lemon in particular giving the tart a tang that plays really nicely with the sweet and salty elements of the dish.

zucchini ricotta tart recipe

Preparation Time: 30 minutes          /          Cooking Time: 30 minutes          /          Serves 4-6

Ingredients

The Pastry
  • 150g pumpkin seed meal
  • 60g unsalted butter, cut into 1cm x 1cm cubes
  • 20ml cold water

 

The Filling
  • 3 medium sized zucchinis
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/2 a medium sized brown onion, finely diced
  • 5 large (58g) eggs
  • 1 preserved lemon
  • 100g ricotta
  • 15 fresh sprigs of thyme
  • 12 vine leaves
  • Salt & pepper to taste

 

The Topping
  • 100g goat’s curd
  • 50g ricotta
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 tbsp (4g) orange blossom honey
  • Salt & pepper to taste

 

Method

The Pastry
  1. Preheat your oven to 200°C fan forced.
  2. Rub the butter into the pumpkin meal to form a crumbly consistency.
  3. Add the cold water to the mixture and combine it into a ball of dough.
  4. Once the dough has come together refrigerate it for 10 minutes.
  5. Grease a 23cm non-stick fluted flan/quiche tin with butter.
  6. Roll the dough between 2 pieces of greaseproof paper into a 1cm thick slab.
  7. Discard the top piece of the greaseproof paper and transfer the dough into the tin by flipping it upside down, using the bottom piece of greaseproof paper to assist.
  8. Discard the bottom piece of grease proof paper and bake the dough for 15 minutes.

 

The Filling
  1. Grate 2 of the zucchinis to a medium level of fineness.
  2. Place the grated zucchini on a baking tray lined with baking paper and place it in the oven for 15 minutes. To save time, bake the zucchini and the pastry dough at the same time.
  3. Mix together the ricotta, eggs, salt, pepper and thyme (leaves only, you can discard the stems) in a bowl. Set aside.
  4. Cut the final zucchini into 0.5cm thick circles.
  5. Once the pastry has cooked, remove it from the oven and let it cool.
  6. Place the vine leaves in hot water and let them soak for a few minutes.
  7. Pat the vine leaves dry and remove the stems.
  8. Brush the pastry case with some of the egg & ricotta mixture.
  9. Place the vine leaves on top of the pastry casing. Ensure that there are no gaps between the vine leaves – you want a continuous layer.
  10. Brush the vine leaf layer with some of the egg & ricotta mixture.
  11. Scatter the cooked zucchini, onion and preserved lemon on top of the vine leaf layer.
  12. Pour in the egg & ricotta mixture.
  13. Place the zucchini circles on top of the tart.
  14. Bake for 30 minutes.

 

The Topping
  1. Mix together the goat’s curd, ricotta, lemon zest and orange blossom honey in a bowl.
  2. Season with salt & pepper and place it on top of the tart once it’s been out of the oven for a few minutes.

 

Notes

If you can’t get a hold of pumpkin seed meal, you can use any kind of pastry casing that you want, just make sure it’s not too buttery as you want it to be relatively light.

Goat’s curd works really well as the topping but it’s not essential – a salty or neutral creamy white cheese crumbled over the top works really nicely too.

You can use dried thyme instead of fresh thyme but the flavour won’t be as pronounced.

Balgownie Estate Winemaker Dinner: Event

Paul
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2
Balgownie Estate Winemaker Dinner: Event

Rae’s Restaurant at Balgownie Estate in the Yarra Valley has changed things up in recent months. The menu has changed and exhibits the influences of the new head chef, Tasmania’s Graham Taute who has aimed to create a good quality, accessible menu that fits in with the philosophy of the Balgownie wines. My wife Lauren and I were invited to a degustation dinner to sample the new menu and matching wines. All those in attendance also had the opportunity to meet Balgownie Estate’s head winemaker Tony Winspear, who impressed with this deep knowledge of the wines on offer and his passion for the brand.

balgownie estate menu

Lauren and I have been big fans of Balgownie Estate’s wines ever since we first tried them at the Bendigo winery (where the majority of Balgownie Estate’s wines are produced) back in 2012. We also visited the Yarra Valley winery in the same year and, while impressed by the wines that we tried that day as well, the food was merely ok, meaning we were keen on to see how the menu had changed.

We were put up in one of the Privilege Spa Suites for the night and I think you’ll agree from the photo below that the view from the balcony was rather beautiful. The room itself was really nice too – comfortable beds, a huge spa and the most luxurious bath robes imaginable. Enough about the room though and on to the reason you’re really reading this – the food.

balgownie estate menu

balgownie estate menu

balgownie estate menu

Cucumber Foam With Salmon Roe

This dish worked well as a palette cleanser. It really tasted strongly of cucumber and the foam was very light and airy. The salmon roe added just the right amount of saltiness to cut through neutral flavour of the cucumber. This was paired with a glass of the NV Premium Cuvee Brut which was light with noticeable citrus undertones.

balgownie estate menu

Cauliflower & Goats Cheese Pannacotta

The pannacotta was served with a crisp parmesan wafer, baked garlic sourdough and while balsamic infused tomato & fennel. I liked this dish more than I thought I would. There was a decent sized serving of the goats curd pannacotta and the cheese crisp provided some much needed texture to the dish.

This was paired with the 2013 Black label Sauvignon Blanc.

balgownie estate menu

Seared Scallops Served With Corn & Coriander Salsa

The Canadian scallops were well sized and really tasty. We enquired as to why Australian scallops weren’t used, as we are big fans of local produce and the reason given was that in recent years the way that local scallops have been produced in Australia makes consistency a lot more difficult to achieve – the flavour is great but you can’t get the size and consistency of size that you want in a restaurant that does the volumes that are done here.

We actually had a very good discussion with Taute and general manager, Gerald Ackroyd on Blengowie’s approach to using local produce – they’ll always try to use local produce where possible but whenever it’s not, be it because of prohibitive cost or the inability of producers to supply the required quantities, the restaurant will set their sights further, as long as they can be assured of the quality and reputation of the supplier which is completely fair in my opinion.

This dish was paired with both the 2011 and 2012 Estate Chardonnay. It was really interesting to see how the extra year of ageing changed the wine. Both were nice, but I preferred the lightness of the 2011.

balgownie estate menu

Salmon Tasting Plate

The trio of salmon was very interesting – one was hot smoked, one was gravlax and one was cold smoked. It was good to be able to see just how much the same ingredient can change based on how it is cooked in such an immediate fashion. My favourite was the gravlax – unsurprising given my love of gravlax in general.

This was paired with the 2013 Estate Pinot Noir.

balgownie estate menu

As the sun was setting we had to go outside to get a proper look and take it all in. Stunning.

balgownie estate menu

Seared Eye Fillet, Blue Cheese Jus & Roasted Turned Potato & Asparagus

This dish was a real no-nonsense one. A good sized chunk of eye fillet steak cooked medium with a potato, in season asparagus and, in a nice touch, a blue cheese jusand some lentils. I wasn’t sure if the latter two ingredients would work but they did – the lentils were really flavoursome and the blue cheese in the sauce was present in just the right amount so that you could tell that it was there without it ever overpowering the star of the plate – the steak. One of my favourite dishes for the night.

This was served with both the 2010 & 2012 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. As with the Chardonnay, the difference in flavour between the 2 was very noticeable – both were nice, but I preferred the 2010.

balgownie estate menu

Chocolate Parfait, Coconut Gel, Kirsch Cherries & Roasted Hazelnut Praline

The dessert didn’t want to play nice when it came to posing for my camera but when it came time to eat it I excused its disobedience. The parfait was very dense and had a quite intense chocolate flavour. The cherry sauce was surprisingly boozy with the praline and crumbs adding a nice crunch to each bite. The coconut gel was nice but wasn’t really required.

This dish was served with Balgownie Estate Sparkling Shiraz, which was one of my favourite wines of the night – a sparking red that works.

balgownie estate menu

Shared Cheese Board Served With Muscatels, Pecan & Walnut Bread And Candied Walnuts

To finish the night was the cheese plate. The cheese were all really tasty, as was the walnut bread which was surprising to me as I’m not the biggest fan of walnuts.

balgownie estate menu

The final drinks of the night that went very well with the cheese were the 2008 & 2009 Estate Old Vine Shiraz.

balgownie estate menu

Overall Lauren and I were very happy with what we had to eat over the duration of the night. We were told that new philosophy of the kitchen was to create food that was good quality and accessible. Higher quality than what was on offer before but not out of reach of the average punter. Judged against this criteria, and with the amazing scenery I would easily consider eating at Rae’s Restaurant at Balgownie Estate if I found myself in the Yarra Valley again.

Rae’s Restaurant, Balgownie Estate

1309 Melba Highway
Yarra Glen
Victoria 3775
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9730 0774
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://balgownieestate.com.au/

Open
Mon – Sun: 7:00am to 10:00pm
Breakfast: 7:00am to 10:30pm
Lunch: 12:00am to 3:00pm
Dinner: 6:00pm to 10:00pm
Lounge menu available in-between

Rae's Restaurant, Balgownie Estate on Urbanspoon

Fashion & Trends On Osaka’s Orange Street

Paul
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2
Fashion & Trends On Osaka’s Orange Street

Osaka’s Orange Street is a part of Osaka that’s full of the latest fashions and trends, boutiques, interior design stores and hip cafes. Formerly a furniture district, today this 800 metre long narrow backstreet is Osaka’s equivalent of Brooklyn’s Williamsburg, London’s Shoreditch and Melbourne’s Fitzroy etc.

Orange Street is actually the street’s nickname. It’s real name is Tachibana dori, Tachibana being a type of citrus fruit native to Japan.

osaka orange street tachibana

The street has a very different feel to it compared to other parts of Osaka, and whether this is actually the case or not, it certainly feels like an area that’s developed organically and is still taking shape. There are a lot of small, independent shops here that are genuinely interesting to peruse.

Old Tachibana dori hasn’t completely gone yet, and there are still a number of pre-war furniture shops and Meiji-era antique shops in the area, although it’s evident that these are fast disappearing to accommodate Orange street’s new direction.

osaka orange street tachibana

One thing that’s certain about Orange Street is that it’s one of the best parts of Osaka to get a decent coffee. There are quite a few decent cafes, either stand-alone or as part of other shops. In fact, shops that serve a variety of purposes aren’t uncommon on Orange Street.

One of my favourites in the area was Biotop, which was an eco-focused flower shop x clothing store x general interesting items store x cosmetics shop x restaurant x cafe. The coffee here was really good, with a range of beans and brewing methods on offer.

osaka orange street tachibana

I was lucky enough to walk into Biotop when they had a Maison Kitsune pop-up. I’m a big fan of Kitsune and used to love browsing their Paris boutique when I lived in Europe so was really happy to stumble across this.

osaka orange street tachibana

osaka orange street tachibana

Pesa North was another great shop that had a little bakery/patisserie inside with some great pastries.

osaka orange street tachibana

osaka orange street tachibana

osaka orange street tachibana

osaka orange street tachibana

This type of area would of course not be complete without the obligatory bicycle shop or two.

osaka orange street tachibana

I wasn’t aware of Orange Street the first time I visited Osaka and was really glad that I spent some time there the second time around. It’s got a different vibe to other parts of the city and is well worth checking out if you’re interested in what’s on trend in Osaka now.

Belle’s Hot Chicken, Fitzroy

Paul
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0
Belle’s Hot Chicken, Fitzroy

Belle’s Hot Chicken Fitzroy is yet another new place to eat at that’s opened in this part of town with a lot of hype. Owner/chefs Aaron Turner (formerly of Loam) and Morgan McGlone (formerly of Husk in Nashville) said goodbye to the world of fine dining a little while back to spend some time in Nashville discovering how fried chicken is done in that part of the world. Fast forward to the second half of 2014 and they’ve opened Belle’s Hot Chicken which brings what they learned to the table – namely spicy fried chicken.

The interior will be familiar to anybody who visited Belle’s in its prior incarnation as American Diner themed Belle’s Diner. Very little has changed, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing – the place still has a diner vibe, the big “DINER” sign is still there and the whole space feels themed but not tacky.

belle's hot chicken fitzroy review

I’d heard that the wait for a table when Belle’s Hot Chicken first opened were quite long but it appears that things have settled down. I arrived as part of a group of 4 at 7:30 on a Friday night and we only spent about 20 minutes at the bar enjoying a drink before we were seated at a table.

belle's hot chicken fitzroy review

The drinks menu is quite surprising. There are the expected American beers like Pabst Blue Ribbon and Brooklyn Lager but, what’s unexpected is the wine list, which contains a focused selection of “natural” wines from Australia and abroad. My friends and I shared a bottle of the Paski Campana Coda Di Volpe 2012 “Orange” which was very drinkable and really complimented the food.

belle's hot chicken fitzroy review

belle's hot chicken fitzroy review

Things are kept simple on the food front. You choose your meat – wings, tenders, dark meat, fish or mushrooms and then choose the level of heat you want – southern, medium, hot, really hot, or really f**kin hot’. Add some sides and your sauce(s) of choice and you’ve got yourself a meal.

belle's hot chicken fitzroy review

Fried Oysters ($18.00)

I’ve never had fried oysters before but had heard good things about this “off menu” item (there’s always a special or two on offer). They had a dill sauce and were really creamy – very tasty.

belle's hot chicken fitzroy review

“Baller Bucket” ($60.00)

The Baller Bucket is a great option for anyone visiting Belle’s. You get 16 wings and your choice of 4 sides and 2 sauces. We got the chicken “50/50” with 8 medium wings and 8 hot wings. For sides we got mac & cheese, “almost Arnold’s beans” and coleslaw. For sauce we went for the “Mississippi Comeback” and “Belle’s Blue Cheese”. Pickles and some sliced bread at the bottom of the bucket come as standard.

The chicken was really tasty. It wasn’t oily at all and the coating was very crispy and unexpectedly powdery. The flavour was really nice on both but the general consensus was that the hot (which uses Scotch Bonnet chillies) was the best – the balance between flavour and heat was just right.

belle's hot chicken fitzroy review

The mac & cheese was very good, but not as creamy as I generally like. The coleslaw was light on mayo but strong on flavour – just the way I like it. The beans were one of the unexpected highlights of the night – slow cooked and purposefully soggy, the flavour and texture just works – really tasty stuff.

belle's hot chicken fitzroy review

The “old bay fries” are sprinkled with paprika and, like the beans, purposefully slightly soggy. Usually this is a no-no in my book. On their own they were merely ok but dunked in one of the sauces they were a lot better.

belle's hot chicken fitzroy review

Chicken Tenders ($16.00)

The $16 meat option comes with a side and we went for the potato salad which, along with the beans was my equal favourite side of the night – it was creamy with a generous amount of dill and some meat (pancetta or bacon perhaps – I wasn’t too sure) mixed in amongst it.

We couldn’t leave without testing ourselves so went for the “Really F**kin’ Hot”. Let’s just say that it has this name for a reason – Habenero chillies with the seeds kept in form the basis of this coating and it shows. After the first bite my reaction was “oh this isn’t too bad”, followed by my friends and wife laughing at the fact that I was starting to turn red followed by a simple statement from me of “oh, there it is” followed by the occasional “wow”. This is one that builds and builds and after about a minute the intensity is all there. One of my friends actually started tearing up and couldn’t do more than a bite!

I managed to eat my entire tender and the general consensus from the table was that it was too extreme for us. Whereas the hot had a kick to it but still had loads of flavour coming through, the “Really F**kin’ Hot” didn’t really have any flavour at all as the heat overpowered everything. I’m glad I tried it, but going back it won’t be something I order again. If you do try it (and I know you will), make sure you have some of the “Belle’s Blue Cheese” dressing handy to temper some of the heat.

belle's hot chicken fitzroy review

Soft Serve ($6.00)

We were extremely full by this stage of the night and one soft serve was enough for all 4 of us. This was a really nice way to finish off the night – creamy soft serve with Oreo crumbs and caramel sauce swirled throughout it. Simple and delicious, and very much in tune with everything else on the menu.

belle's hot chicken fitzroy review

belle's hot chicken fitzroy review

belle's hot chicken fitzroy review

belle's hot chicken fitzroy review

belle's hot chicken fitzroy review

I’d heard a lot of good things about Belle’s Hot Chicken before I visited and I’m glad to say that they hype was completely justified. The food is delicious and, given that a “Baller Bucket” can easily feed 3 on its own, it’s pretty good value too. Service is efficient and friendly and the food comes out hot and fast. The only complaint I have is that the chickens aren’t free range which is surprising given the pedigree of the chefs and the general attitude towards this sort of thing amongst diners in this day and age.

Belle’s Hot Chicken

150 Gertrude Street
Fitzroy
Victoria 3065
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9077 0788
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://belleshotchicken.com/

Open
Mon – Thu: 12:00pm to 10:00pm
Fri – Sat: 12:00pm to 11:00pm
Sun: 12:00pm to 9:00pm

Belle's Hot Chicken on Urbanspoon

The Sydney Layover: Places To Drink

Paul
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0
The Sydney Layover: Places To Drink

I recently went to Sydney for a weekend and, in the 36 hours that I had there I was determined to tick some boxes on my list of Sydney places to drink and eat that had been accumulating since my last visit. I managed to visit a few of the places that I wanted to, went to a few that weren’t on the list and, as is the case with these things, ended up with a few additions to my list for next time.

If you’ve only got a day or 2 up your sleeve and are looking for some Sydney places to drink, this list contains a selection of some of my favourites from the past few trips and won’t lead you astray. If you’re in Sydney and looking for something to eat, check out my post “The Sydney Layover: Where To Eat“.

Frankie’s Pizza

sydney places to drink review

Every time I’m in Sydney I end up finding myself at Frankie’s at some stage. The fact that it’s open until 3am every day of the week and is located smack bang in the middle of the CBD explains a lot – it quite simply becomes an easy default option.

The proposition at Frankie’s is simple. A decent selection of drinks, a very extensive craft beer bottle list, decent pizzas whole or by the slice and some great (sometimes live) rock music. It’s crowded, it’s loud, it’s open late and it’s a whole lot of fun.

Frankie’s Pizza

50 Hunter Street
Sydney
New South Wales 2000
Australia

Telephone:   n/a
Email:            [email protected]
Website:        http://frankiespizzabytheslice.com/

Open
Mon – Fri:   12:00pm to 3:00am
Sat – Sun :   4:00pm to 3:00am

Frankie's Pizza on Urbanspoon

Stitch Bar

sydney places to drink review

Stitch Bar is another bar that I’ve visited several times in Sydney. Head down the stairs, past the unassuming doorway and you won’t be disappointed with what you find.

Why is it one of my favourites? The extensive whisky selection is a big draw card, as is the fact that the staff really know their stuff and can help guide you towards something that hits just the right spot. There is a good selection of other drinks available too and the food pretty decent as well.

Stitch Bar

Basement
61 York Street
Sydney
New South Wales 2000
Australia

Telephone:  (02) 9279 0380
Email:            n/a
Website:        http://www.stitchbar.com/bar/

Open
Mon – Tue:   4:00pm to 12:00am
Wed – Sat :   4:00pm to 2:00am

Stitch on Urbanspoon

Mojo Record Bar

sydney places to drink review

Located just a few doors down from Stitch, Mojo Record Bar impresses with its well priced drinks, fun staff and great music from the heyday of vinyl – there’s always a lot of blues and rock & roll playing when I’m there. This one’s hidden out the back of an actual record store and everything about the place really gels together nicely in a way that feels genuine. “Selling great records out the front and great drinks out the back”? I can deal with that.

Mojo Record Bar

Basement
73 York Street
Sydney
New South Wales 2000
Australia

Telephone:  (02) 9262 4999
Email:            [email protected]
Website:        http://mojorecordbar.com/

Open
Mon – Wed:   4:00pm to 12:00am
Thu – Sat:   4:00pm to 1:00am

Mojo Record Bar on Urbanspoon

The Baxter Inn

If you can be bothered to wait in the constant line to get into the Baxter Inn you’ll be rewarded with a bar that serves great drinks and offers great service. The whiskey selection is the star at Baxter Inn – at last count it numbered over 360! Pair that with some jazz and blues in a 1920s speak-easy meets Irish bar kind of atmosphere and you can’t really go wrong.

The Baxter Inn

152-156 Clarence Street
Sydney
New South Wales 2000
Australia

Telephone:   n/a
Email:            [email protected]
Website:        http://thebaxterinn.com/

Open
Mon – Sat:   4:00pm to 1:00am

The Baxter Inn on Urbanspoon

Shady Pines Saloon

Aaron Forte and Jason Scott sure know how to make a good bar – they are not only the brains behind Shady Pines Saloon, but also The Baxter Inn and Frankie’s Pizza. I wouldn’t normally want to include 3 bars owned by the same people on a list like this but the fact of the matter is that I’ve been to them all and they’re all great.

Shady Pines was the first of the 3 and is southern themed, taxidermy filled, discarded peanut shell riddled affair. The country music adds to the atmosphere and, most importantly of all the drinks, especially the cocktails, are brilliant.

Shady Pines Saloon

4/256 Crown Street
Darlinghust
New South Wales 2010
Australia

Telephone:  n/a
Email:            [email protected]
Website:        http://shadypinessaloon.com/

Open
Mon – Sun:   4:00pm to 12:00am

Shady Pines Saloon on Urbanspoon

4 Pines Brewing Company

sydney places to drink review

4 Pines Brewing Company is the only place in this list that isn’t central but it’s well worth the short ferry ride out to Manly. I’ve been a fan of 4 Pines beers ever since I first tried their Hefeweizen back in Perth in 2008. The brewery itself has a really great atmosphere about it, and an outdoor area that looks across the road to the water. It’s not a big spot however the selection of beers on tap is big.

Along with the core range of beers, there are a few one-offs and seasonal “Keller Door” beers as well. Most of the brewing might occur at a bigger site further out these days, however there’s still some brewing equipment at the Manly brewery which is used by the various brewers to make up their own concoctions which are only available at the brewery. Tasting paddles are offered which means you can sample a few different ones quite easily and the food is really good too. Add to that some great, really genuine service and you’ve got yourself a good reason to check it out.

4 Pines Brewing Company

29/43-45 East Esplanade
Manly
New South Wales 2095
Australia

Telephone:  (02) 9976 2300
Email:            [email protected]
Website:        http://4pinesbeer.com.au/

Open
Mon – Sun:   11:00am to 12:00am

4 Pines Brewing Company on Urbanspoon

The Wild Rover

sydney places to drink review

I stumbled across The Wild Rover while waiting for some friends before my dinner at Nomad in Surry Hills. There’s no signage, however walking past it’s not hard to discern that there’s something going on inside.

Exposed brick and a big bar await inside, with a combination of seats, tables and couches dotted across both levels. There’s a decent choice of drinks here – I couldn’t pick a particular focus as wine, cider, beer, spirits and cocktails were all represented quite evenly. I tried a rum that I hadn’t had before, the Chairman’s Reserve Spiced that I quite enjoyed – strong vanilla notes and not too sweet.

The Wild Rover

75 Campbell Street
Surry Hills
New South Wales 2010
Australia

Telephone:  (02) 9280 2235
Email:            [email protected]
Website:        http://thewildrover.com.au/

Open
Mon – Sat:   4:00pm to 12:00am
Sun:   4:00pm to 10:00pm

The Wild Rover on Urbanspoon

Royal Albert Hotel

I’d heard good things about the Royal Albert Hotel but never had the opportunity to visit until my most recent visit to Sydney. The place has been around since 1927, and today is home to some of the best craft beer in Sydney across its 14 taps. It’s a no-nonsense pub with a simple interior and good service. Well worth checking out if you’re into craft beer – keep your eye out to see if they have any tap takeovers too as they do these several times across the year.

Royal Albert Hotel

140 Commonwealth Street
Surry Hills
New South Wales 2010
Australia

Telephone:  (02) 9281 2522
Email:            [email protected]
Website:        http://royalalberthotel.com.au/

Open
Mon – Sat:   12:00pm to 12:00am
Sun:   12:00pm to 10:00pm

Royal Albert Hotel on Urbanspoon

Harts Pub

Harts Pub is the original home of the Rocks Brewing Company and generally half of its 12 taps are dedicated to Rocks brews. There’s nothing fancy about the quite spacious multi-level interior but it’s location in The Rocks, good range of craft beers and decent pub food means that it’s one worth visiting.

Harts Pub

Corner of Essex & Gloucester Streets
Sydney
New South Wales 2000
Australia

Telephone:  (02) 9251 6030
Email:            [email protected]
Website:        http://hartspub.com/

Open
Sun – Wed:   12:00pm to 12:00am
Thu – Sat:   12:00pm to 1:00am

Harts Pub on Urbanspoon

Quarrymans Hotel

sydney places to drink review

I like to think of the Quarrymans Hotel as a bit of a hidden gem. The only reason I know about it is because a good friend of mine lives in Pyrmont and this is his local. It’s located very close to the CBD, but out enough that most visitors wouldn’t stumble across it if they weren’t looking.

There’s a great outside courtyard and rooftop area, decent food and, most importantly a great craft beer selection. 24 taps plus one hand pump offering all Australian beers means that there’s guaranteed to be something that tickles your fancy on offer. Tasting paddles make things a lot easier for those who like to try a lot of different beers. Quarrymans Hotel feels like the kind of place that only locals know about and that gives it a really good vibe – just don’t go telling everyone else about it!

Quarrymans Hotel

214 Harris Street
Pyrmont
New South Wales 2009
Australia

Telephone:  (02) 8710 3551
Email:            [email protected]
Website:        http://www.quarrymanshotel.com.au/

Open
Mon – Sat:   11:00am to 12:00am
Sun:   12:00pm to 10:00pm

Quarrymans Hotel on Urbanspoon

What are your favourite spots to get a drink at in Sydney? If you could recommend only one bar or pub for visitors to Sydney to check out, what would it be?

Beermash Opens In Collingwood

Paul
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0
Beermash Opens In Collingwood

beer mash collingwood

The changes along Smith Street haven’t abated in 2014 and, while walking down the street last week I noticed yet another new opening. Beer Mash Collingwood opened mid-November and brings a different craft beer offering to the area that compliments the great options nearby. I really liked what I saw and spoke to store manager Manning Blanchard to find out exactly what Beer Mash was trying to achieve.

Beer Mash, as the name suggests, has a strong beer focus, with 20 taps containing a range of international and local craft beers. It’s not all about beer though, and at various times some of the taps will be offering up things like cider, kombucha, cold brewed coffee and seasonal wines. You can try before you buy, however Beer Mash is all about takeaway growlers (1.89L) and squealers (945mL), as well as a range of interesting craft beers in bottles.

beer mash collingwood

Expect monthly rotations of the taps, which will be selected by the staff with input from customers. When I went beverages on tap included things such as Epic’s Hop Zombie, Evil Twin’s Hipster Ale, Yeastie Boys‘ Minimatta, D.O.C. Wines’ Rosato, Remedy’s Ginger Lemon Kombucha and Beat’s Cold Brew Coffee.

beer mash collingwood

Visiting during it’s second week of operation, there were still some things that were a work in progress but I was very impressed with what I saw and think that the concept is great.If you’re a fan of not just craft beer, but craft drinks in general, Beer Mash is definitely worth checking out. I know I’ll be back with my growler to get it filled with something interesting.

Beer Mash

306 Smith Street
Collingwood
Victoria 3066
Australia

Telephone: n/a
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://beermash.com.au/

Open
Wed – Sat: 11:00am to 8:00pm
Sun: 11:00am to 5:00pm

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