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Clayton Bowls Club Champions Bistro, Clayton

Paul

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2 December 2013

Clayton Bowls Club is not the first spot that pops into one’s head when thinking of fine dining options in Melbourne. Reading a blog post on the always excellent Sharking For Chips & Drinks a little while back, I discovered quite the find. The Clayton Bowls Club Champions Bistro is offering a four course degustation for $50, the kitchen being led by Clinton McIver (Clayton Bowls Club is his local), formerly of Vue De Monde, Mugaritz and Oud Sluis, in what can only be described as a (not so any more) secret experiment.

The opportunity to sample some fine dining food for such a great price was too good to pass up so my wife and I made the trek from Brunswick to Clayton to see if the food was as good as it promised to be, and to see how it worked in the context of the unexpected venue in which it was being served.

Spanner Crab, Mirin and Shaved White Peach

This was a very tasty was to start the meal. I’m a big fan of white peach, and its flavour really stood out here. It reminded me of one of my favourite desserts that I used to treat myself to on occasion when I lived in London, the seasonal white peach jelly from Minamoto Kitchoan. Tasting this familiar flavour amongst savoury ingredients was something new for me and it worked.

Asparagus With Slow Cooked Hen Egg, Brown Butter And Garlic

This dish was a hit too. The butter and garlic “crumbs” contrasted well with the bacon and the perfectly cooked hen egg.

Grass Fed Sirlion, King Brown Mushroom, Caramelised Onion

The least surprising dish flavour wise – simply quality ingredients cooked well.

Blueberries, Liquorice, Bronze Fennel And Yoghurt

This was my favourite of the two desserts. A clash of sweet and savoury flavours, it was very refreshing and the little liquorice cubes really elevated the dish.

Strawberries, Buttermilk, Beetroot Gel

This was a very simple, beautifully presented dish. The beetroot gel was interesting – beetroot is obviously sweet but I’ve rarely seen it used in desserts. I hope to see it used more often elsewhere as it’s really nice.

The menu changes weekly and there are no rules. Experimentation and creativity is what it’s all about. Matched wines (with rather generous pours) are $40 extra, and of course the usual option of bowls bar booze at bowls bar prices is also available.

Service is excellent and there’s not a whiff of pretension in the air. Watching confused punters pop their heads into the very plain room and wonder if they are in the right place (my wife and I included when we first arrived) is quite humorous too.

Now for the bad news. Clinton is heading abroad at the end of February and bookings are hard to come by between now and then. Give the bowls club a call, try your luck, and if you can nab yourself a table you won’t be disappointed. You can even play some bowls before hand if you’re up for it, which is something that I’ve discovered over the past year is actually quite enjoyable. Edit: I’ve just been notified that this has been extended out until June now, which should make getting a table a lot easier.

Champions Bistro At Clayton Bowls Club

37 Springs Road
Clayton South
Victoria 3169
Australia

Telephone: (02) 9544 9929
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.claytonbowlsclub.com.au/

Open

Wed – Sat: 6:00pm to 9:00pm
Fri Lunch: 12:00pm to 2:00pm

Cowbell 808, Surry Hills

Paul

-

24 November 2013

2

Cowbell 808 Sydney is an eclectic, 1980s urban/pop culture inspired cafe that serves all day breakfast and lunch in Surry Hills. The name of the cafe comes from the Roland TR-808, one of the most iconic drum machines of all time that was very popular in the music world during the 1980s.

You’ll see what’s attached to this seemingly obtrusive blue pole further down the review.

As 1980s and 1990s classic hits play on vinyl, you lean on your retro laminex table and sit on your vinyl chair, the menu is brought out. Top quality ingredients and classic menu items, with a few twists here and there is the name of the game.

Almost everything is made in house, including the smoked bacon, cured fish, bread, jams and ice-cream just to name a few.

Braised Lamb Toastie ($12.00)

My wife ordered the toastie and we both agreed that this was a perfect example of something simple done well. The braised lamb was tender and full of flavour, the provolone cheese was gooey and present in just the right amount. The sourdough was soft and springy and the outside was buttered and crispy with a sprinkling of rosemary. The result was delicious.

Smashed Avocado, Scrambled Eggs & Bacon on Sourdough ($14 for bacon or avocado, $17 for both)

The eggs were cooked perfectly, and there was a very decent amount of house smoked bacon which was delicious. I really enjoyed this classic breakfast option and was very satisfied by both the quality of the ingredients and the serving size.

Flat White + Cappuccino ($3.00 each)

My wife ordered a cappuccino and I ordered a flat white. The blend that was used was really tasty and we both enjoyed our coffees. If you’ve read through my Chur Burger review you’ll recall me mentioning that the taco photos went missing – well my coffee photos from Cowbell 808 went missing too! I’m certain that I must have a faulty SD card. Frustrating!

Not only was the food at Cowbell 808 excellent, but the service was too. There was no pretension and the staff seemed genuinely happy to be there. They were friendly, chatty and efficient. There was a charming elderly man who was walking around chatting to customers and helping out. We later found out was the father of co-owner Sean Demicoli. Despite being very “cool”, Cowbell 808 still very much feels like a good old fashioned family business.

When the elderly man brought out some cutlery so that I could finish off my wife’s sandwich (as he cleaned up my finished meal he told her “that’s ok, that’s what he [me] is here for”), it felt like I was at my grandmother’s house where I always have to make sure I finish everything on my plate. Indeed, when the senior Mr. Demicoli came back to see that all of the food had been finished, he looked very chuffed and told me that I was a good boy for not wasting any food. “We wouldn’t do it at home, so why should we do it here?” he said. If you have grandparents from Macedonia, Greece, Italy etc this will sound very familiar.

My wife and I both agreed that Cowbell 808 was one of the best places we ate at while we were in Sydney. With great food, good old fashioned service and a brilliant atmosphere, it’s the kind of local cafe that everyone wishes they had around the corner. There was so much on the menu that looked great and the next time I’m in Sydney I’ll be returning to Cowbell 808 for sure.

Cowbell 808

616 Bourke Street
Surry Hills
New South Wales 2010
Australia

Telephone: (02) 9698 5044
Email: n/a
Website: http://www.facebook.com/Cowbell808

Open
Mon – Fri: 7:00am to 3:00pm
Sat – Sun: 8:00am to 3:00pm

Chur Burger, Surry Hills

Paul

-

21 November 2013

2

Chur Burger Sydney is arguably the most popular burger bar in Sydney, serving up burgers that are considered by many to be the city’s best. After the original Chur Burger burned down in March 2013, it reopened bigger and with a liquor license. The place had a diner vibe about it and when I went on a Saturday night it was very busy, with old school hip-hop tracks adding to the Saturday night vibe.

Chur does not refer to the small town in Switzerland, but rather to the Kiwi slang word chur. Whenever I’ve asked a Kiwi mate to explain to me what “chur” means, the conversation generally goes somewhat like this “well, I don’t know… it’s just.. well it’s chur”. The best I can gather is that it’s equivalent to cheers/thanks/all good, but not exactly.

Moving on to the menu, the New Zealand influence is dotted throughout – from some of the sauces on offer, to the sweet potato (kumara) chips and the L&P (a soft drink you’ll either love or hate).

Overall the whole menu at Chur Burger looks quite appetising. Not just the burgers which are all quite different but the snacks, which include things like tacos, ceviche and quail eggs. Sides, desserts and milkshakes are also available.

Miso Brisket Taco, Pickled Veg, Chilli ($10.00 for 2)

I’m not sure what happened to the photo that I took of the tacos, but in any case they were very tasty. The brisket was really tender and pulled apart very easily. My wife and I had one each and they were very filling – you certainly don’t need them on top of a burger and despite the fact that we were starving we couldn’t finish our burgers that came next.

Chips with Chilli Salt ($5.00)

The chips were really nice. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside – simple. The chili salt was not too hot but still had a noticeable kick to it.

Grilled Lamb, Mint Sauce, Feta, Red Onion, Aioli ($10.00)

The lamb burger was full of flavour. I was surprised with the size. The patty was large as was the slice of feta. The large slice of feta actually worked against the burger in my opinion as it made the burger saltier than it needed to be. There were a lot of onions too. The quality of the ingredients were top notch and when I pulled out half of the onions and some of the feta the burger became more balanced and was great.

Does Chur Burger serve Sydney’s best burgers? I wouldn’t know, as the burger I had here was the only burger that I’ve ever eaten in Sydney. The chips and taco were great and the burger was good, but I’ve had better elsewhere. Service was efficient, and quite good given how busy the place was.

At the end of the day, would I go back again? Yes. I want to try the sweet potato fries and pulled pork burger on offer looks very tempting.

Sydneysiders (or anyone else for that matter) I’d love to hear your thoughts on Chur Burger. What’s your favourite burger in Sydney?

Chur Burger

48 Albion Street
Surry Hills
New South Wales 2010
Australia

Telephone: (02) 9212 3602
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.churburger.com.au/

Open
Mon: 11:30pm to 5:00pm
Tue – Sat: 11:30pm to 10:00pm

Momofuku Seiobo, Pyrmont

Paul

-

18 November 2013

3

Momofuku Seiobo Sydney is the Australian outpost of New York chef David Chang’s handful of Momofuku restaurants, and was the first to open outside of New York City back in 2011. Reviewing a restaurant that has such a big reputation and has been (and continues to be) very hyped up is always interesting. David Chang is one of the most famous chefs/restaurateurs in the world and the Momofuku name carries a certain weight and expectation with it. People do go there because of the reputation and people do have high expectations. Something that became very obvious when reading through some of the reviews online was just how polarising the opinions are. There are those who have been completely caught up in the hype and were clearly going to love the restaurant regardless of what the food was like, and those who were always going to derive pleasure from writing a negative review, regardless of the experience that they had. There is, of course, a third kind of review, one that judges the restaurant on its merits and in context. This is how I will be approaching my review.

Walking down the corridor of the Star trying to figure out where Momofuku is located is not an easy task. You’re better off looking for the bright neon lights of Adriano Zumbo’s patisserie. There’s no missing that shopfront and directly across from it, indicated by nothing more than a gleaming mirrored silver lucky peach (the English translation of “Momofuku”) on the otherwise unmarked door/wall is the entrance to the restaurant.

There are three options for diners at Momofuku. The 30-40 seat dining area is available for either a 14 course $185 dinner tasting menu or 8 course $110 lunch tasting menu. There is a 5 seat bar area which is set aside for walk ins with a limited menu. For drinks, the dinner option is $185 for a full wine pairing, $65 for a reduced wine pairing or $60 for a non-alcoholic juice paring. At lunch the choice is a $75 wine pairing of $40 juice pairing. There is also a decent selection of beer, wine and sake available by the glass or bottle.

My wife and I had a lunch reservation and arrived at 12 o’clock on the dot. We decided to go for the juice paring.

“Slick” is the best word to describe the fit out at Momofuku Seiobo. The restaurant is dark, with black, silver and wood being used to full effect. It was nice to be able to check out the fit out with nobody else around – about half an hour later the restaurant was full.

The kitchen is open, and a seat at the kitchen is what you want. You can see everything that’s going on in the kitchen and it’s impossible not to be transfixed by it all. It’s fascinating to watch chef Ben Greeno and his team all do their bit towards creating the dishes that are coming out. You can’t help but wonder which components are going where, which is going to be your next dish and what they are going to do with each thing that they pick up. I found it quite interesting to see how any hiccups (there weren’t many) were identified, addressed and resolved to ensure that service was not disrupted – Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen this is not.

The produce is all fresh and local as is to be expected. The food at Momofuku Seiobo is not, as some people presume, Asian. David Chang is a New York chef from Virginia with a Korean background who likes Japan and has a restaurant in Australia. The food on offer reflects all of these things. One thing I really liked is that this isn’t just a carbon copy of Momofuku Ko (Chang’s New York fine dining restaurant) – truly Australian flavours and ingredients that you rarely see on Australian restaurant menus are used.

Smoked Potato with Apple

To start with was a crispy wafer filled with smoked mashed potato. To the side was an apple jelly and it was topped with shaved, dehydrated apple. The smokiness really came through strongly and the sweetness of the jelly balanced this out in an interesting an unexpected way. The flavours and textures were quite contrasting here and it set things up nicely for the next course.

Juice #1: Watermelon

I was sceptical of the juice match at first but since I had heard many good things about it and didn’t really want to drink alcohol I decided to take up the option. I was very impressed when the juices came out as each one really did match with the food it was supposed to, enhancing the overall experience.

Pork Belly Steamed Bun

The dish that Momofuku is famous for, the pork belly steamed bun needs no introduction. When David Chang first announced that he was going to be opening a restaurant in Sydney, all indications were that this would not be on the menu. Luckily for Australian diners it ended up on here because it is, while a bit smaller, every bit as good as the version found in New York’s Momofuku restaurants (although not as good as the duck steamed bun from Momofuku Ssam imho). A soft bun, melt in your mouth pork belly, cucumber, a bit of hoisin sauce and a small bottle of Sriracha on the side. So simple, and one of the highlights of the meal.

Juice #2: Celery & Pear

Pink Snapper with Celery & Mustard

I’m not a huge fan of celery but this dish, along with the matching juice worked really well. The sashimi was light and the mustard added just a little kick to it with the slight taste of celery coming in a few seconds after each bite. The additions were subtle enough to enhance the flavour of the snapper without overpowering it.

Potato, Trout Roe & Quandong

This dish was one of my favourites. In a recurring theme for this meal, the flavours and textures were distinct and all worked well in unison. I had not idea what quandong was, and it turns out that it’s a fruit that’s native to the central deserts and southern parts of Australia.

Each dish, in fact, was described in detail to us by the member of the kitchen staff that served it to us (not always the same person) and the staff were all very knowledgeable. If I had any questions about an ingredient or technique the staff were both willing and able to explain things.

Juice #3: Apple & Fennel

Octopus & Radish with Eel Dashi

This was a tasty, light dish. The octopus had the nice level of softness and chew about it and the crunch or the radish went well with it. I’m not sure if I was supposed to eat the leaf or not but I did and it tasted, well… leafy.

Radish & Fermented Black Bean

The octopus dish was sprinkled with nuts so my wife was unable to eat it. Instead she was served this. It was beautifully presented, crisp and refreshing but was rather plain on the taste front.

Egg, Cauliflower & Mushroom

This dish was amazing. We could see the eggs immersed in the slow cooker and one by one they were removed by one of the kitchen staff who painstakingly, by hand removed the yolks and ensured that there was no egg white on them at all before moving them onto the dish. Such a time consuming and non rewarding task from his point of view I’m sure, but the end result was sublime.

Juice #4: Carrot

Mulloway, Salsify & Oyster

My wife and I both agreed that this was our favourite dish of the day. Everything was cooked perfectly, and the sauces were delicious (the oyster was part of the sauce). It looked amazing and was actually one of the more simple dishes with no textural or flavour contrasts going on. The fish was flaky on the inside, caramelised on the outside and tasted great.

Chicken, Endive, Sunflower & Parsons Nose

This was tasty, but probably the least inspired of the dishes we tried on the night. A succulent piece of roast chicken with crispy, salty skin a simple slice of endive without the usual bitterness and a parsons nose with some pate. It was a good pull back from the flavour intensity of the previous course.

Juice #5: Beetroot

The next dish being prepared.

Goat Curd, Blackcurrant & Mint

This dish was an interesting crossover to dessert, being a bit savoury and a bit sweet. The curd was quite tart and the mint really cut through it nicely. The sourdough crumbs added some crunch to it but overall something about it missed the mark – perhaps the blackcurrant could have been sweeter. Not that it was bad, but it wasn’t a stand out.

Sorrel, Pistachio, Muntries & Meringue

Another dish that contained something I’d never heard of before was this dessert. Muntries, it transpires, are a berry found along the southern coast of Australia. They are crunchy, apple like in taste and full of antioxidants. In the context of this dish, they had a chewy texture which contrasted well with the crisp, sweet ash meringue and the luxuriously velvety sorrel & pistachio ice cream. I really enjoyed this dessert.

If you’re wondering why the photo below contains yellow instead of green ice cream it’s because this is actually my wife’s plate, which was identical to mine except for the fact that she had peach ice cream because of her nut allergy and the pistachio.

Salted Caramel & Canele

The salted caramel was soft and delicious however the canele was polarising. The canele was a cake with a thick caramelised honey crust and a sweet custard inside. My wife didn’t like it at all and didn’t finish hers however I thought it was delicious and ate both of them. It’s unique and certainly not something that everyone is going to like.

To finish, we were given a sealed packed of kimchi each to take home with us which was a nice touch. My wife’s split in her handbag which meant that she had a bag full of kimchi smelling objects which was both as awesome and as terrible as you would imagine.

An eclectic selection of music, including lots of loud rock is played throughout the meal. A few photos of Angus Young adorn the walls. Some people complain about the loud music but I never had trouble hearing what people were saying when talking to them and I quite like being able to hear the music when it’s music that I like!

Momufuku Seiobo is very much on trend when it comes to what fine dining is these days. The rulebook of old has been thrown out the door and restaurateurs are doing what they think will work, allowing their own personalities to come through in some/all aspects of the restaurant.

The food at Momofuku Seiobo is excellent, the attention to detail is very high and the service is as good as it gets. Staff were friendly and knowledgeable and there was zero pretension or snobbery. The little things like water being topped up, napkins always folded, new cutlery always present etc were taken care of without us even noticing. The menu changes daily and is based on what’s fresh and available at the time.

What really impressed me about Momofuku Seiobo was the use of local ingredients. There are a lot of great restaurants in Australia and it’s interesting that it’s taken a New York chef to open up a restaurant that really uses a lot of “obscure” Australian bush food and elevates it in a fine dining context. The fact that Seiobo can stand on regardless of its Momofuku cachet is a credit to David Chang and all of the staff working there.

Finally, a word about the reservation system. Some people have complained that reservations are online only and that it’s not a simple process, but it really is. You have to register on the webiste, which you can do at any time here. From 20 days before the day that you wish to dine, you go to the website between 10:00am to midnight and make your reservation. I made my reservation at 10:00am exactly 20 days before my intended dining day and was able to reserve instantly. I think it’s a fair and simple way of allocating seats at a very popular and small capacity restaurant.

Momofuku Seiobo

The Star
80 Pyrmont Street
Sydney
New South Wales 2009
Australia

Telephone: n/a
Email: n/a
Website: http://momofuku.com/sydney/seiobo/

Open
Lunch: Friday to Saturday
Dinner: Monday to Saturday
Bar: Friday to Saturday, 12:00pm to 2:00pm
Monday to Saturday 6:30pm to 10:00pm

Eat Drink Blog 2013: Recap & Thoughts

Paul

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17 November 2013

6

Eat Drink Blog (“EDB”) is an annual event that brings together food bloggers from across Australia in a forum to listen to various speakers discuss the state of food blogging and relevant topics, meet like-minded people, and enjoy some great food. EDB 2013 was held in Perth from 9-10 Nov at Perth City Farm and I was lucky enough to be able to attend this year. I was actually back in Perth to visit family and friends so unfortunately couldn’t attend the dinner on Saturday night or one of the Sunday master-classes however I was able to attend the main part of the event which ran all day Saturday.

In a rookie mistake for any blogger where photography forms an important part of the blog, I arrived in Perth on Friday night and realised that I had left my trusty camera in Melbourne. Thankfully my camera phone was on hand and it managed to last just long enough despite a constant stream of photographing and Twittering (#EDB13 was actually the second highest trending topic on Twitter that day – 80 food bloggers in one place = watch out Internet!).

The various sponsors of EDB 2013 kept all of the delegates fed throughout the day and did a great job of providing us with quality food and drink throughout the day.

The team from Five Senses Coffee kept us all suitably caffeinated throughout the day with espresso, filter, siphon and every other kind of coffee imaginable. Jeremy from Five Senses gave a great, detailed talk about what exactly goes into getting a cup of coffee from bean to cup amongst other things.

The first of many speakers of the day below. I won’t go into detail on every speaker and what they discussed. A full list and summary can be found on the EDB website. All of the speakers knew what they were talking about, and all had something interesting to say. One of the best parts of the presentations were the Q&A sessions, where the delegates got to ask questions of the panel and some really insightful discussion occurred.

“Perhaps the most photographed pastries in the history of the world” courtesy of Littlesweet Baking. These little cupcakes were just one of a huge selection of pastries and cakes that we were able to choose from. My favourite was the salted caramel, peanut butter and chocolate slice.

Lunch was a huge spread put on by European Foods that contained an impressive selection of continental delicacies. It was very impressive.

So, what did I take away from EDB 2013? The debate between Cynthia (The Food Pornographer) and Phil (Last Appetite) on ethics and working with PR was very relevant to me. As my blog increases in popularity I’m finding myself invited to events and to review restaurants on a regular basis. Trying to figure out how to approach this in a way that allows me to maintain my reputation is something that I’m still trying to figure out. Is this something that I want to do? Will the perception of my blog’s independence be compromised if I write about something that was free, despite full disclosure? These are not easy questions to answer.

Thang (Noodlies) gave a very interesting talk on where blogging is and where it’s heading. How do we move with the times and stay relevant? Do we risk becoming “old media” in the same way that traditional media has/is? There was a lot that I hadn’t thought about that I’m going to be taking into account heading into the new year.

Simon (The Heart of Food) provided delegates with some great tips on food photography, some of which I will definitely be taking on board, and Adam (Amateur Gourmet) had some excellent stories about his blogging experiences. It was interesting to hear about how intertwined his real life and blogging life have become after several years of blogging.

The best part of the day for me was meeting all of the other EDB delegates. 80 food bloggers, like-minded people from across the country all in one place and the vibe was both friendly and communal. Blogging often gets a bad rap from those who aren’t involved in it. They see it as “wanky”, “pretentious”, “over-rated” and a variety of other things. Speaking to my fellow bloggers though, the aforementioned adjectives could not be further from the truth. Everyone was really down to earth, and driven by real passion and a genuine desire to tell the world about the things that interest them, in their words.

It’s been 5 years since I left Perth and from my perspective it was great to see how things in Perth have changed as far as food, drink and blogging goes. I met a lot of great Perth based bloggers and Perth’s food and drink scene has really come a long way (although it still has a long way to go – more on this in a future post). Overall, the developments in my home town are really encouraging.

It was also great to finally meet some of the bloggers that I’ve been following online for a while but had never before met in person before – Ai-Ling, Matt and Simon.

I think that the explosion in the popularity of blogging, and food blogging in particular is a great thing, and the fact that so many people were willing to attend an event such as EDB in order to take something away to help them with their blogging, to give them some different perspectives on what they do or meet like-minded people can only be a good thing. All in all, it was a job well done by the organisers. I had a great time.

Hue: The Tourist Guide Edition

Paul

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4 November 2013

6

While my wife and I were staying in Da Nang, one of our days was dedicated to visiting some of the sights in and around the central city of Hue.

The Da Nang portion of our holiday was very laid back and unplanned, and the decision to go to Hue as opposed to some of the other options nearby was made the night before. Because of this relative lack of planning, and because there was a lot that we wanted to see in one day, we made the very uncharacteristic decision to go on a tour.

Regular readers of my blog will know that as I am not a fan of tours. Shuttled from site to site, being shown what others think you want to see means that you miss out on so much and lose the opportunity to truly immerse yourself in the place that you are visiting. Discovery and exploration in the sense that I’m used to when travelling is not an option.

Being the only people on the tour bus (more of a car really) meant that my wife and I got to chat a lot with the guide. Our guide was very knowledgeable, having lived in the area his whole life. He had fought for the South in the Vietnam War and had many interesting stories both personal and about the areas that we were visiting.

To the guide’s credit, despite the fact that we did not get to venture away from the tourist sites on this day, my wife and I learned quite a lot about not just the history of the sites, but an array of interesting topics.

The Hai Van Pass is a 21 kilometre long mountain road that gives amazing views across the South China Sea and the Annamite ranges. It’s one of the most scenic places that I have driven through. Historically it was one of the most dangerous roads in Vietnam, however in 2005 the Hai Van tunnel opened and today the tunnel makes most of the traffic passing through the area, which has made the pass a lot safer.

Site of the US Marine Corps Battery A, 1st Light Anti-Aircraft Missile (LAAM) Battalion, left behind after the Vietnam War.

At the northern end of the Hai Van Pass is the fishing village of Lang Co.

A while later, we reached the Tomb of Tu Duc which lies on the outskirts of Hue. There was plenty of amazing scenery and picture perfect scenes of rural Vietnamese life along the way to Hue, and it was a shame that, as we were on a tour, we didn’t get the opportunity to stop and walk around there.

The Tomb of Tu Duc is fascinating to walk through. “Tomb” in the sense used here is not simply the spot where Tu Duc is buried – in fact it’s a walled complex of 50 buildings, residences and relaxation spots that Emperor Tu Duc used to use when he needed a break. It was built between 1864-67. There is a temple area and the tomb area.

Moving to Hue itself, we had some lunch (another failure of tours in general, this was one thing that was completely expected). The venue catered for western tourists and the food was appalling. It barely resembled the kind of street food that my wife and I had been eating throughout the trip when adventuring ourselves. It was a shame to waste a meal but alas.

Hue was the capital of Vietnam during the reign of the Nguyen Dynasty from 1802-1945 and is home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Along Hue’s Perfume River lies the Thien Mu Pagoda. Built in 1601, it is the tallest temple in Vietnam. Over the next few centuries it was expanded. Major renovations and expansions occured in 1714, and the 7 story Phước Duyên tower was added in 1844.

The Imperial City was constructed between 1805-32. It was walled and contained defensive turrets, a most and several structures inside including palaces, shrines, temples, royal residences and administrative buildings.

A lot of the structures were destroyed during the Vietnam War and what remains is being painstakingly restored. It’s fascinating to see sections that are part way through restoration and contrasting the ruined sections to the renovated sections. One can only imagine how grand the entire city must have been in its heyday.

The restoration is really restoring the grandeur to the buildings that still remain.

It’s truly sad that so much of the Imperial City was bombed to oblivion.

I really enjoyed visiting Hue and seeing all of the sites and scenery along the way. If I could go back and decide whether or not to do a tour, I’d probably still go for the tour. Given the time constraints that we had my wife and I wouldn’t have been able to have seen as much in one day if we’d gone solo and one day wouldn’t have been enough time to have explored as much as we would have liked. The ideal would have been to go solo and spend a week exploring, but this time it wasn’t possible.

The fact that we were the only ones on the tour made the whole experience a lot more pleasant than it otherwise would have been. It was certainly worth doing it this way as opposed to piling onto a crowded bus as we got the undivided attention of the guide and were able to learn a lot more than just that which specifically related to the sites.

Lee Ho Fook, Collingwood

Paul

-

27 October 2013

4

Lee Ho Fook Melbourne is one of the most hotly anticipated restaurants to open on Collingwood’s burgeoning Smith Street this year. Taking it’s name from the Chinese restaurant referenced in Warren Zevon’s 1978 song “Warewolves of London”, Lee Ho Fook is brought to Melbourne by Peter Bartholomew and David Mackintosh of Movida and Pei Modern fame and head chef Victor Liong, who has worked at Sydney’s Marquee and Mr Wong.

Liong is trained in classical European cooking and is using what he’s learned to put a new spin on old-style Chinese food or, as he likes to put it “funky new-style Chinese” that’s “produce base and technique driven”. A lot of what is on the relatively small menu comes from Liong’s experiences with family and travel and all of the food is designed for sharing.

Lee Ho Fook has been very busy during it’s first 2 weeks of operation, but thankfully when my wife, friends and I visited at 3pm on a Sunday the pace was very relaxed. The fitout is suitably funky with white walls fading to black as they reach the floor and “corded” rooftop lamps. Coat racks dotting the walls all over the restaurant had me thinking “why don’t more restaurants do this?”.

The music fits the vibe with an eclectic mix that switched from 80s top 40 to 90s house to old school hip-hop, modern pop and everything in between. I love that Melbourne’s dining scene has reached the point where Notorious BIG’s “Juicy” can start playing while you’re eating your meal and nobody bats an eyelid but more than a few people start subtly bopping their heads to the beat.

The wine list is a mix of new and old world and isn’t designed to be matched with the food per se – rather diners are advised that they should feel comfortable drinking what they like. I don’t know much about wine and more often than not I’ll order wine at a restaurant based on what I like or what sounds interesting so this philosophy is something I can definitely appreciate.

Smoked Tea Egg, Avruga and Dill ($4.00)

I’d never tried tea eggs before so was keen to see what they were like. They were as the name suggested – smoky with a bright orange gooey yolk. Very tasty.

Sichuan pickled vegetables With Crackers ($5.00)

Moving on from the interesting observation that Google’s spell check wanted to change “Sichuan” to “Sicilian”, were the pickled vegetables. Again these were quite simple, and the light, plain crackers really provided a good counterbalance to the acidity of the vegetables.

Milk Bun, Candied Pork and Salted Cucumber ($6 each)

The milk buns were essentially a brioche and the pork is not at all what we expected. It was sweet, crispy and very similar to bakkwa. It took me back to eating bakkwa at Bee Cheng Hiang in Singapore. There was also pork floss added in for good measure. I’m not sure how to explain pork floss to someone who hasn’t tried it before, but trust me when I tell you that you want this milk bun.

Raw Ocean Trout and Jellyfish Salad ($18.00)

This was one of the highlights of the meal. I was with two Singaporean friends who told me that this dish is similar to one that is eaten on Chinese New Year. You mix it all up and try to get it taller and taller, which brings good luck. It wasn’t Chinese new year on this occasion, and I’m not Asian but I certainly felt lucky to be eating such a tasty dish. The soft fish, gelatinous jellyfish and crispy “bits” on top all combined with the tangy sauce to produce a dish that was texturally varied and tasted great.

Saltwater Duck and Radish Salad ($16.00)

This dish was surprising. None of us quite knew what to expect and what we got when we pulled away the vegetables was very tender slices of duck breast with a very slight perfume like fragrance to it. It was a very light dish and was really nice.

Fried Rice ($8.00)

The fried rice was, as with many of the other dishes that we ate, surprisingly light and very tasty. Banish all thoughts of greasy, salty fried rice as this was neither.

Wagyu San Choi Bau ($28.00)

The san choi bau differed from the traditional version in many ways. Cos lettuce meant that it was eaten open rather than closed and the dish had more of a spicy kick than expected. The dried carrots (almost crisp/chip like in texture) were an interesting touch too. It all worked really well, and the wagyu beef was very tender.

Jasmine Tea Custard ($5.00 each)

The custard was creme brulee like, with subtle flavours of the jasmine tea coming through. It was tasty but be warned if you don’t like very sweet things as this was quite a bit sweeter than we had expected.

Chocolate Green Tea Brownies With Chocolate Mouse and White Miso Ice Cream ($12.00)

This dessert was a real stand-out. The brownies were delicious and had the perfect soft on the inside, crispy on the outside texture. The mousse was tasty and the white miso ice cream provided a salty counter balance to each bite – similar to what salted caramel has done for caramel.

Osmanthus Jelly ($5.00)

This was really simple and light. Osmanthus jelly on the bottom and a white peach sorbet on the top.

Head chef Victor Liong and his crew taking a moment to breathe before the dinner rush commences.

The below photo has nothing to do with the restaurant as such, but as I’m a big fan of street art I was excited to notice a mural from French street artist “Invader” next to the entrance. How long it’s been there, who knows.

It’s easy to get caught up in the hype when a new restaurant opens with the sort of fanfare that has accompanied the opening of Lee Ho Fook but in this case, the hype is justified. The space is casual, the staff are really friendly and passionate about the restaurant and the food is tasty, providing interesting twists and subtle surprises on dishes that range from the obviously traditional to the not so traditional.

Will Lee Ho Fook change the way Melbourne diners think about Chinese food? Will it do for Chinese food what Movida did for Spanish food and Mamasita did for Mexican food? Only time will tell but if the meal that I ate today is any indication, I think the answer could be yes.

Lee Ho Fook

92 Smith Street
Collingwood
Victoria 3066
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9077 6261
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://leehofook.com.au/

Open
Wed – Sat: 5:00pm to 11:00pm
Sun: 12:00pm to 10:00pm

The Drifter’s Table: Review

Paul

-

21 October 2013

0

The Drifter’s Table Melbourne is a popup restaurant run by three chefs who are trying to do their bit to help the popup restaurant scene in Melbourne mature. Once every month or two the chefs and their team go to a venue in Melbourne and take over the kitchen for the night with the aim of providing “well-cooked food and a value-for-money restaurant experience”.

The “drifting” chefs have some solid pedigree behind them. Robbie Bell (currently at Rockpool Bar & Grill Melbourne) has worked at Michelin starred restaurants, including a stint at the Fat Duck, Keelan Gallogly (currently at Rockpool Bar & Grill Melbourne) has worked at Tetsuya’s, Quay and Sepia, and Rodney Mom (currently at Hayman Island Resort) has worked at Leichardt and Rockpool Bar & Grill Melbourne.

The philosophy behind the food at the Drifter’s Table is simple. The best local produce, cooked well. $65 gets you the four course tasting menu at $100 gets you the menu plus matching wines. All of the wines and beer are Victorian and wine is available by the glass.

When I visited a few weeks ago in October, the venue was Crabapple Kitchen in Hawthorn.

Scallop Ceviche and Squid Grilled with Chorizo and Peas

Both of these starters were really tasty. The scallop was cooked perfectly and was very light and the squid, served on a pork cracker of sorts was even better – the crunch balancing well with the softness of the other ingredients.

Smoked Eel Agnolotti with Cauliflower, Apple and Watercress

This dish was very tasty, and the little apple cubes really helped finish the dish adding just a little sweetness where needed.

Grilled King George Whiting, Spring Garlic, Asparagus and Romesco

Both my wife and I agreed that this was the highlight of the meal. Nothing fancy, just a beautiful, soft and flaky piece of fish cooked well with some very tasty vegetables.

Baked Potatoes with Sea Salt

These potatoes were a real surprise. One would think that potatoes with sea salt are going to be pretty predicable but these were really tasty, more so that I thought they would be.

Burnt Butter Cake with Crème Caramel Ice Cream and Almond Brittle

This dish was not what I’d normally order for dessert but it was still very enjoyable. The burnt butter cake had a really nice crispiness on the outside and the creme caramel ice cream was delicious – it was super creamy and really did taste like creme caramel.

I really like what the guys at the Drifter’s Table are doing. Apart from the fact that the popup concept is really fun, the thing that really matters is being delivered upon – great food and great service at a reasonable price. I know I’ll be keeping my ears out for the next one.

The Drifter’s Table

Location varies. Check the Website, Facebook or Twitter to keep abreast of developments and upcoming dinners.

Da Nang: A Quick Walk Through The City

Paul

-

12 October 2013

5

Da Nang was where my wife and I visited after five days of intense urban exploration in Ho Chi Minh City. We used this time to relax for a few days (as well as fit in a few adventures of course) before heading off to Hanoi.

Da Nang is the fifth largest city in Vietnam and is rapidly urbanising. The economy is Vietnam’s fourth larges and it is diversifying to try and gain some of the global tourist market for those looking to relax, indulge and play. There is a lot of Japanese and South Korean and American investment occuring in Da Nang and everywhere you look there seems to be a luxury resort, hotel, apartments, golf courses etc being built. Greg Norman even has a golf club and golf course over here. The whole area is going to be unrecognisable in a few short years. Most of the locals I spoke to seemed pretty excited about the changes as the construction is happening in areas where there hasn’t really been much at all in the past.

I’m not normally one for resorts and relaxation when on holiday – I feel like I’m wasting my time but given that this was our honeymoon and that my wife had been eyeing out Fusion Maia resort for months, I decided that it was only fair to do the resort thing. I’ll admit that the resort was very nice and luxurious and that it was nice to be pampered for a few days (especially the deep massage) but I’m still not convinced. I’d still rather get some cheap, clean, basic accommodation and spend my time exploring.

On one of our days in Da Nang we caught a taxi for the 15 minute drive into Da Nang city proper. The drive was beautiful, and we passed through pristine beaches framed by mountains in the distance. The beaches were packed full of people eating, socialising, playing sport and just chilling out. We discovered later that the portion of the beach near our resort was actually where the first US Marines landed at the start of the Vietnam War. At the height of the war, the US air base at Da Nang was the busiest airport in the world, reaching an average of 2,595 air traffic operations daily.

Arriving in the city the first thing we saw was a church that was quite busy – I assume mass had just taken place. I saw more churches than I had expected during my time in Vietnam, and it turns out that Christians make up 8% of Vietnam’s population.

Some research before we arrived in Da Nang led my wife and I to Quan Com Hue Ngon. It was off the main street in what seemed like a very quiet part of the city. There were a variety of dishes on offer, with the BBQ option being what the restaurant is popular for.

Despite not speaking a word of English, the staff were very good at explaining how everything worked. The little barbecue was set up on our table and away we went. These were just lightly marinated prawns. Simple and delicious. We were given some steamed rice and the usual assortment of condiments as well.

This next dish was basically vegetables and gelatinous bits of pig in a broth. It was spicier than a lot of the other food we had eaten in this region and very tasty.

Quan Com Hue Ngon can be found at 65 Tran Quoc Toan, Hai Chau, Da Nang.

What is obvious about Da Nang, especially after arriving from Ho Chi Minh City, is just how relatively quiet everything is. The pace is slower and the ambient noise and honking of horns is quiter. It was a relaxing change of pace.

Just like every else we had been in Vietnam, the city streets were where life was being played out. If you are wondering what the white at the bottom of the tree is, it is a lime based paint that wards of ants, termites and other wood loving pests. A huge number of the trees in Da Nang were painted in this way.

Banh Gio is glutinous sticky rice with pork (sometimes minced sometimes not), onion and mushroom. The exact composition of the ingredients can differ and it’s very popular in central and northern Vietnam. The ingredients are compacted together and wrapped in banana leaf. These things might look small but they are very filling. My wife and I bought some to eat the following day (the resort food was very ordinary and we weren’t going to waste money and valuable eating opportunities on it beyond the first night when we arrived late) and we couldn’t finish them off in one go.

Banh Gio can be found throughout Da Nang. The ones that we tried were from Dai Phat, who also sold a variety of sweets and cakes. We bought a few and they were quite tasty.

Dai Phat have a few branches around, the one we visited was at 134 Hoang Dieu, Hai Chau, Da Nang.

Most of the resorts have private beaches that seem a world away from the hectic and vibrant public beaches about a half an hour walk away.

I really enjoyed what I saw of Da Nang and I wish I’d had time to see more. Between the things that I only glimpsed while catching the taxi from the city to the resort, and the things that are fast changing, I’d love to go back to Da Nang in a few years time and really explore the place properly.

Gazi, Melbourne CBD

Paul

-

30 September 2013

0

Gazi Melbourne is one of George Calombaris’ newest restaurants. Housed in the space that was home to the fine dining Press Club (which will be reborn in the old “Little Press” space as a smaller restaurant later this year), Gazi is a very different proposition. The interior is completely different, and the focus is on Greek “street food” with a fun, casual vibe.

The restaurant is dark, and you can’t help but spend time looking at all of the terracotta pots hanging upside down from the roof. It makes for a very unique effect and is in sync with the rustic yet modern, minimalist space.

The drinks menu contains a handful of “seasonal” cocktails, as well as an extensive selection of Greek and Australian wines. Beers are varied, with a decent range of local and imported beers. The cocktails were quite tasty, however it was the selection of spirits that surprised me. I’ve been drinking Gin & Tonics on my nights out lately and was very impressed to find 10 different gins on offer, including the hard-to-find-in-Australia Sipsmith Gin. Being an on-trend restaurant, a decent selection of rums is available too, as well as a range of other spirits.

The plates are adorned with the “evil eye”, a symbol which will be instantly recognisable to anyone of Mediterranean or Arabic heritage. In Greece, the evil eye is called “Mati”. It is a symbol of protection against those who would wish misfortune against you by giving you the evil eye. Superstitions aside, it makes for a great plate design.

The Greek “street food” on offer at Gazi is designed for sharing and is very simple – similar in many ways to the offerings at sister restaurant Hellenic Republic but brasher and louder. It’s Hellenic Republic with the casual meter turned up to 11.

When it comes to ordering you can choose to “Do it Greek Style” aka a 10 course sharing menu, or order off the menu. The menu is split into Dips, Ethnika Vromika (Hellenic Dirty Food), Souvlakakia (Small Souvlakis), Wood Fire Grill, Wood Fire Spit, Salads, Vegetables & Grains, and Dessert. There’s no real rule and you can mix and match from all over the menu.

My wife and I couldn’t decide what we wanted to get when we first visited as everything looked so good and luckily the waiter interrupted us part of the way through our order and suggested that we probably had ordered enough. He asked us what else were were considering and then suggested a good combination of items out of what we had selected. This was a good thing, as we were both well and truly satisfied by the time we reached the end of our meal.

Taramosalata with Prawn Crackers ($9.50)

The taramosalata is a fish roe dip and is the same as the one at Hellenic Republic, save for the addition of prawn crackers. My wife and I love the stuff, and as much as we wanted to try only new things, we couldn’t go past this to start. The pita bread is wood charred on the outside and pillowy on the inside. It’s very tasty and the staff aren’t shy about offering you more bread if you finish what’s on the table and still have dip left over.

“Tune” Ouzo Cured Tuna, Watermelon and Goats Curd ($12.50)

A sure sign that summer is on its way, this dish was very light and tasty. The sweetness and crunchiness of the watermelon offset the soft texture and sourness of the goats curd beautifully.

“Short Rib Moussaka” Short Rib, Eggplant, Bechamel, Goats Curd ($16.50)

This dish was a real highlight. The slow cooked short rib fell apart and combined with the other ingredients to form a gooey mess of deliciousness.

“Corn” Half Cob, Aleppo Mayo, Seeds, Kefalograviera ($2.50 each)

The corn, despite my best efforts just did not want to be photographed in a non-blurry fashion. Perhaps the evil eye was involved? No would be the answer to that question, as its stubbornness was soon forgotten when I got to the more important task of eating it. I reminded me of the grilled corn that you find in Mexican or Spanish restaurants. Authentically Greek? I’m not sure but very tasty in any case.

Grilled Prawn ($4.50 each)

The prawns are from Yamba in New South Wales and are as simple as you can get. Grilled on the wood fire with a light dressing of lemon and oregano. You can’t go wrong.

Lamb Cutlets ($6.50 each)

The lamb cutlets are from Gippsland in Victoria and are again simply grilled on the wood fire and lightly dressed. Tasty and smoky.

“Souvlakakia” Beef Brisket with Chips, Parsley, Onion & Mustard Mayo ($8.50) + Duck with Chips, Parsley, Onion & Mustard Mayo ($9.50)

Again I have to draw comparisons to Hellenic Republic and Jimmy Grant’s. If you’ve had a souvlaki from either of these Calombaris restaurants then you know exactly what to expect. The beef brisket was one of the lowlights of the night. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t anything special when compared to the amazing duck one next to it, which was very succulent and delicious.

My wife and I were back at Gazi a few weeks later with a group of friends and we tried the soft shell crab and chicken souvlakakia on that occasion which were both really good. Out of the four versions on offer, it’s the duck and the soft shell crab that really stand out.

“Pavlova” Pavlova with Mastic, Ruby Red Grapefruit Curd, Cream ($12.50)

By this stage of the night my wife and I were both very full but we couldn’t leave without trying the pavlova which has already built up quite the reputation. The pavlova is served as a rather large ball and at first there’s some confusion about how to tackle the thing.

Cracking open the top with your spoon though reveals…

The musk flavour of the mastic in the crunchy yet somehow slightly powdery shell was really nice and it wasn’t overly sweet which allowed it to really balance nicely with the curd and cream. Fun and very tasty.

Other dishes that we tried on our return to Gazi included:

Saganaki with toasted pistachio & kumquat mustard glyko
Koulourakia with a meze of lamb keftethes & braised baby octopus
Smoked sardine with crumbed, tomato & pinenut pelte & toursi vegetables
Pork belly from the wood fired spit with white beans & apple skordalia

Quite simply, they were all delicious, with the saganaki and sardine really standing out.

At the end of the day Gazi delivers on its promise of delivering simple, honest Greek food in a fun, casual environment. The food is very tasty and the service is especially great, with the staff skilfully straddling the line between being casual and laid back and being knowledgeable and professional. When chefs become celebrities the quality of their restaurants can suffer but with Gazi, George Calombaris has hit the nerve of what is on trend in Melbourne dining at the moment (casual food) and successfully put his twist on it.

Gazi

2 Exhibition Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9207 7444
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://gazirestaurant.com.au/

Open
Sun – Sat: 11:30am to 11:00pm

THE CITY LANEEAT & TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL

THE CITY LANEEAT & TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL

Spanner Crab, Mirin and Shaved White Peach

Asparagus With Slow Cooked Hen Egg, Brown Butter And Garlic

Grass Fed Sirlion, King Brown Mushroom, Caramelised Onion

Blueberries, Liquorice, Bronze Fennel And Yoghurt

Strawberries, Buttermilk, Beetroot Gel

Champions Bistro At Clayton Bowls Club

Braised Lamb Toastie ($12.00)

Smashed Avocado, Scrambled Eggs & Bacon on Sourdough ($14 for bacon or avocado, $17 for both)

Flat White + Cappuccino ($3.00 each)

Cowbell 808

Miso Brisket Taco, Pickled Veg, Chilli ($10.00 for 2)

Chips with Chilli Salt ($5.00)

Grilled Lamb, Mint Sauce, Feta, Red Onion, Aioli ($10.00)

Chur Burger

Smoked Potato with Apple

Juice #1: Watermelon

Pork Belly Steamed Bun

Juice #2: Celery & Pear

Pink Snapper with Celery & Mustard

Potato, Trout Roe & Quandong

Juice #3: Apple & Fennel

Octopus & Radish with Eel Dashi

Radish & Fermented Black Bean

Egg, Cauliflower & Mushroom

Juice #4: Carrot

Mulloway, Salsify & Oyster

Chicken, Endive, Sunflower & Parsons Nose

Juice #5: Beetroot

Goat Curd, Blackcurrant & Mint

Sorrel, Pistachio, Muntries & Meringue

Salted Caramel & Canele

Momofuku Seiobo

Smoked Tea Egg, Avruga and Dill ($4.00)

Sichuan pickled vegetables With Crackers ($5.00)

Milk Bun, Candied Pork and Salted Cucumber ($6 each)

Raw Ocean Trout and Jellyfish Salad ($18.00)

Saltwater Duck and Radish Salad ($16.00)

Fried Rice ($8.00)

Wagyu San Choi Bau ($28.00)

Jasmine Tea Custard ($5.00 each)

Chocolate Green Tea Brownies With Chocolate Mouse and White Miso Ice Cream ($12.00)

Osmanthus Jelly ($5.00)

Lee Ho Fook

Scallop Ceviche and Squid Grilled with Chorizo and Peas

Smoked Eel Agnolotti with Cauliflower, Apple and Watercress

Grilled King George Whiting, Spring Garlic, Asparagus and Romesco

Baked Potatoes with Sea Salt

Burnt Butter Cake with Crème Caramel Ice Cream and Almond Brittle

The Drifter’s Table

Taramosalata with Prawn Crackers ($9.50)

“Tune” Ouzo Cured Tuna, Watermelon and Goats Curd ($12.50)

“Short Rib Moussaka” Short Rib, Eggplant, Bechamel, Goats Curd ($16.50)

“Corn” Half Cob, Aleppo Mayo, Seeds, Kefalograviera ($2.50 each)

Grilled Prawn ($4.50 each)

Lamb Cutlets ($6.50 each)

“Souvlakakia” Beef Brisket with Chips, Parsley, Onion & Mustard Mayo ($8.50) + Duck with Chips, Parsley, Onion & Mustard Mayo ($9.50)

“Pavlova” Pavlova with Mastic, Ruby Red Grapefruit Curd, Cream ($12.50)

Gazi

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