food

Top Paddock

November 24, 2016 in food, travel

Sweeten the palate and sweeten the soul. Top Paddock is a place where maple syrup oozes from within fluffy pancakes and poached eggs come in pairs on plates. It's where people go for morning fixes and others go for long lunches. Repurposed teacups hang from the ceilings, offering more than just a nice feature. They cast light across an array of cakes, slices and even the difficult to get your hands on croissants from Lune.

In good Australian fashion, there are more than two barista stations located within the beautifully set up cafe. For that extra coffee kick, you have the option of sitting right next to the the coffee counter while you enjoy a choice of fruit toast, oat porridge, pork belly or chilli scrambled eggs by the sun-lit windows.

It's even open for weddings and events, and with a spacious and naturalistic decor it somehow makes sense. Lines outside are long but the turn around time is decent, with a maximum wait on a Saturday morning going anywhere between ten to fifteen minutes. If the Melbourne weather is not suffering from its regular mood swings, it's an opportune time to soak up the sun with a take away coffee while you wait.

What appears to be your usual breakfast suspects - eggs benedict for example, is actually somehow altered in an exciting way. Eggs benedict arrives with poached eggs (of course!) but also with yuzu compressed apple, bacon crumb and pork jowl ($19.50). I am seriously loving this sudden interest in yuzu that has begun to pop up throughout the Australian culinary scene.

Other interesting menu options include Juniper and lime cured ocean trout, pickled baby beetroots, poached eggs and goats curd ($21.50), of which my mother ordered and thoroughly enjoyed.

The pickled beets looked like shining gems and the potato galettes were thinly sliced layers of carb heaven. The trout was cooked just enough so that it still retained a lush pinkness in the middle. The skin was crispy and the poached eggs exploded in precedented pops of orange across the plate. The potato galette was a fancier and more delicate version of scalloped potatoes and bode well with the rest of the items on the dish, balancing the creaminess of the goats curd and the tangy beetroot.

As mentioned before, almost everything on the menu comes standard with two poached eggs. How refreshing. After a little encouragement, my brother decided to steer away from the cereal and oats option, challenging a slightly heartier definition of breakfast - that being the pork belly with pickled and burnt onion, apples, poached eggs and fried bread ($21.50). This dish reminded me a little of Christmas, but I suppose that is what is to be expected when pairings of apple and pork play on the tongue.

Although there are plenty of 'see your cake and eat it too' options, it is far too hard to be able to have the heart to try them, specifically given the fact you're more than likely going to skip over the muffin and go straight to the main stars on the menu.

No matter how determined I was to try out one of their pretty cakes in the windows, my stomach was less than compromising given after one full dish and a few mouthfuls of others, I had absolutely no room to house a further delight.

The coffee is good, too. Surprised?

What seems to be a permanent fixture on the menu is the blueberry and ricotta hotcake with berries, maple syrup, seeds and cream ($21.00), with good reason. It's as delicious as it is pretty. I admit I had my suspicions at first, but the hotcake was in no way disappointing. This hotcake is pretty hot stuff and when you have such a winning recipe, you'll keep it and even replicate it at your sister cafes i.e. The Kettle Black.

The seeds and nuts added texture and crunch and the blueberries were riddled throughout the hot cake as well as on top. You'll find yourself eliciting an "mm" as a deep and earthy maple flavour exudes from the hotcake. I have to say though, this one hotcake is more filling than you would think and I failed to finish a good three spoonfuls of it and the remaining seeds and petals.

It is much more of a cake than a pancake, that is for sure, as it is thick and fluffy. It is also... what's another word for moist... Fresh? Dampish? Dewy? Either way, it is certainly not dry. The flowers are all edible too, of course.

Top Paddock does not disappoint. The hype is real here. Pretty and delicious modern Australian food is served up in an open and well designed cafe. The owners are the same minds behind Two Birds One Stone and The Kettle Black, of which attract a crowd on the regular in their own right. Much like the other cafes, Top Paddock's menu is a little more upscale but still offers the old breakfast and lunch favourites.

Definitely a place to add onto the Melbourne food list.

Opening Hours:
Monday - Sunday 7am - 4pm
Address:
658 Church Street, Richmond, Melbourne

Chicho Gelato

October 01, 2016 in food, perth, events

Chicho = Cheeky Kid.

Chicho Gelato has come a long way since its market cart days. I remember being first enamoured by a deliciously fresh mint and watermelon sorbet offered one hot day at the Perth Upmarket. Since then both myself and a handful of other gelato fanatics were in love and Chicho had a following. The little gelato cart continued to move throughout Perth's markets, scoring itself a regular attendance at the Twilight Hawkers Market where flavours of strawberry mascarpone and banana and Mexican chocolate surfaced.

It was a welcome surprise when the little gelato cart morphed into a gelateria run by the enthusiastic and lovely owners, Carly and Chez. Committed to new wave gelato, new tastes and flavour palates, Carly and Chez gained ideas from London, learnt the art at Gelato University in Italy, sought inspiration and flavours from America and honed in on taste in South America, cementing their studies and adventures in a modest gelato cart in Perth.

This combination of art, education and science (one is a chemist and the other an engineer, after all) has paved the way for the circulation of old favourites and seasonal tempters on the menu.

Approximately twenty different flavours are on offer at any given time with specials including gelato collaborations with local chefs. Lavender and honeycomb, banana and black sesame, miso and caramel are just a few seasonal tastes to get your curiosity going. All produce used is locally sourced and all gelato, made fresh.

If your commercial tubs of ice-cream aren't quite cutting it anymore when you feel like binging out - don't fret, Chicho have a takeaway option. We've made use of this a few times and as such Tash has bought some over for after dinner dessert, paired with an apple crumble and boardgames. It's just as good even when you're not amongst the other gelato go-ers or the cute and kitsch setting of the shop. Pozzetti even hold the gelato in pristine condition.

Lines tend to form out the door on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights and the gelateria is buzzing, no matter how cold it may be outside. Besides, cold weather is perfect weather for preventing your gelato from melting - allowing you to savour every last spoonful that little bit longer. With dark and milk chocolate on tap, it's hard to resist.

During winter months, Chicho introduced the Brioche Con Gelato, an amazingly soft and buttery Sicilian brioche bun made by local baker, Bare Baker. You had the option of drizzling a little chocolate on the gelato of your choice and then either eating the brioche fresh or toasting it up in the brioche toaster. I always opted for the latter as you were greeted with a little pocket of goodness. Although not currently on the menu now, it will be back next year. If you're in a group, the Cinque Sapori is a small set of five connected bowls and of course five scoops of your fancy.

I highly recommend a visit to Chicho Gelato. The only problem is choosing which flavour to try first.

Address
180 William Street, Northbridge 6000
Opening Hours
Sunday - Wednesday 12pm - 10pm
Thursday - Saturday 12pm - 11pm

Dinner by Heston

July 30, 2016 in food

Expressing his own philosophy and science of fine dining, Heston Blumenthal has made a mark in the culinary world. After choosing to move his entire Fat Duck restaurant and staff to Melbourne and back again, he decided to keep his premises at the Crown Towers in order to open a sister restaurant to Dinner by Heston at the Mandarin Oriental in London.

After noticing the incredible amount of acceptance and adventure in the rapidly developing food culture of Australia, it made sense for him to do so. The man at the helm of this restaurant however, is none other than Ashley Palmer-Watts, making dinner an institution and not a habit. Heston? Well he pops by every now and then but has given full reigns to Palmer-Watts to hit the mark and maintain it.

While Dinner by Heston is not overtly theatrical, or as much of a play on emotion and the senses as three Michelin star restaurant The Fat Duck, Heston's restaurant in Melbourne is just as delicious and as high a standard as his two Michelin Star sister restaurant in London. Dinner by Heston offers an unforgettable food adventure through centuries of British cuisine.

As a restaurant that entices the tastebuds and fuels the senses, it ensures the delivery of full and flirting flavours. Service is on another level and the staff are earnestly friendly, well trained and well read - ready to answer your every question or to educate you on the flavour profiles and history of the ingredients forming the dish on your plate.

Guests are first confronted by a long and dimly lit hallway that doesn't appear to lead anywhere. You're left standing there for just enough time to consider if you've made the wrong turn when a door slides open - a play on his guests he's kept from the Fat Duck and his love for Lewis Carrol's Alice in Wonderland.

Each and every dish on the menu pays homage to traditional British cuisine, recipes sourced from century old cook books and even recipes from cooks of the royal family. Wrapped around napkins are paper holders on the back of which a few words on British cuisine and Heston's vision are written. Each napkin is different and it's here that the attention to detail even in the table setting is first showcased. Although some recipes are old in flavour, they have been redefined and re-imagined in a modern light, take the Meat Fruit for example.

Meat Fruit (c.1500) - Mandarin, chicken liver parfait & grilled bread $38.00

Now a trademark dish, the Meat Fruit appears to be an unsuspecting and deliciously sized mandarin placed alongside grilled sourdough bread. For many who are familiar with this surprise, it is in fact a wonderfully smooth chicken-liver and foie gras parfait rolled into a sphere and dipped into a mandarin jelly made from mandarin puree and essential oils.

Although it appears to be rich, it's light, perfectly smooth and somewhat creamy. The mandarin jelly caught on the back of the spoon adds a little freshness to the flavour. Also - if you have more parfait than bread left, don't worry as the bread is free to be replaced upon your request. In fact, the staff will insist.

Frumenty (c.1390) - Grilled octopus, spelt, pickled red moss, chervil emulsion & smoked sea broth $38.00 — Frumenty (c.1390) - Grilled octopus, spelt, pickled red moss, chervil emulsion & smoked sea broth $38.00

The Frumenty was so full of depth. Made primarily from grain, the dish itself resembled coral and seaweed - the kind that washes up onto shore. The grilled octopus sat tall above the transluscent smoked sea broth and sea herbs. The sea herbs looked delicate but gave an extra crunch to an otherwise soft textural dish. The octopus was not at all tough or rubbery. It was hard to believe that this was in fact an entree and not a main course.

I cannot fail to mention that all dishes are brought out at once for the table. Two waiters came to our table, paused, signalled at each other with a nod and placed the dishes on the table at the exact same time - a resounding clunk following. They then began to explain each dish, the history and its elements in a conversational and professional manner.

Savoury Porridge (c.1660) - Garlic & parsley butter, grilled abalone, pickled beetroot & fennel $36.00 — Savoury Porridge (c.1660) - Garlic & parsley butter, grilled abalone, pickled beetroot & fennel $36.00

Slow cooked Pork Belly (c.1820) - Spelt, lardo, baby turnip & Robert sauce $58.00 — Slow cooked Pork Belly (c.1820) - Spelt, lardo, baby turnip & Robert sauce $58.00

Roast Snapper in Cider (c.1940) - Silverbeet leaves, roast onions & fired mussels $56.00 — Roast Snapper in Cider (c.1940) - Silverbeet leaves, roast onions & fired mussels $56.00

The duck had been sous vide, was incredibly tender and made me wonder if I should have also chosen duck over the pork belly because it was so perfect with the fennel. That's not to say the pork belly was bad, it certainly wasn't.

The flavours were deep, wholesome and rich. The Robert Sauce was on another level and I've never had pork that was so easy to cut. The snapper? Well I barely had a taste as my mother was a little territorial over this dish she now loved.

Powdered Duck Breast (c.1670) - Smoked beetroot, grilled red cabbage, umbles & pickled cherries $58.00 — Powdered Duck Breast (c.1670) - Smoked beetroot, grilled red cabbage, umbles & pickled cherries $58.00

The strawberry fields dessert was and is a beautiful feast for the eyes. I do not think I have ever seen sorbet look as smooth or as creamy (sorbets are rarely creamy) as this one, perfectly sitting atop crumble. Almost too pretty to eat, all elements on the dish act as support and accompaniment both visually and tastefully.

Tipsy Cake (c.1810) - Spit roast pineapple $32.00 — Tipsy Cake (c.1810) - Spit roast pineapple $32.00

Hot, soft and sticky caramelised brioche straight from the oven, divided into five guilty pieces soaked in alcohol was hard to share.

Although super light and fluffy, the brioche is still reasonably heavy on the tastebuds by itself. The tart spit roasted pineapple is what balanced the flavour and you couldn't help but go in for another piece.

A short while after our desserts began to digest, one of the waitresses suggested wheeling over the nitrous ice cream trolley. With such theatre, who could resist? Certainly not myself or my brother. Although my stomach was on the verge of popping from being so full, I was easily tempted by the nitrous vanilla custard turn ice cream that was coated in toppings of your choice that ranged from white chocolate and raspberries with popping candy and fish and chips flakes.

Just be aware that the ice cream is so incredibly cold. The waitress explained to us the process of making the custard ice cream, even telling us a few facts about the custom made nitrogen ice cream trolley. What is brilliant about this dessert is the little palate cleanser of strawberries and orange blossom compote at the bottom of the cone, which provides some much needed relief and freshness throughout the creamy custard scoop.

Just when I thought I couldn't possibly have anything to eat ever again in Melbourne because I was so gloriously full and satisfied, out came an unexpected meal finisher, a post-dessert dessert. In a small glass sat Earl Grey-infused chocolate ganache and a caraway biscuit sat on the side. The tea infused ganache was refreshing, particularly as most tea infused desserts rarely have notes of the tea at all. The consistency of the ganache was so smooth but full-bodied that it fluidly fell from the spoon with each small scoop.

The interior of the restaurant is of course incredible - although I did keep searching for remnants of The Fat Duck Melbourne in the hopes that they had forgotten to take something back with them to Bray. I was unsuccessful but I did find the interiors for Dinner to be of equal attention to detail, even with people smoothing down the lush velvet lime green seats with gloves to ensure no tush marks.

The blinds moved up and down, triggered by the way the natural light filtered through the windows and you often found yourself staring either through the open kitchen in awe, out over the beautiful Southbank of Melbourne or at the ridiculous food on your plate.

We left drunk on food and wine, and if I didn't have my eyes set on Vue de Monde as my next food frenzy splash out for when I next visit Melbourne, I would revisit Dinner by Heston.

Breakfast in Perth, an Illustrative Guide

May 17, 2016 in perth, illustrations, travel tips, picks

Gone are the weekends that begin with the sound of cornflakes falling into a bowl. When appetites in Perth began to expand outside the adventurous 'big breakfast' consisting of sausage, bacon and eggs - so too did the breakfast choices. We've moved away from the likes of burnt toast, haphazardly spread marmalade and butter that we never quite lathered to the corners. The past few years have shown a shift from cardboard cornflakes and splashes of milk towards over-the-top pancake stacks and eating real food for breakfast.

It turns out that breakfast is not only functionally important, but also because it presents yet another opportunity to catch up with friends and family, go outside and do a little less. Dessert for breakfast is not uncommon, with plenty of flexible food choices falling into both categories for experimentation. We can rest assured that Perth has some options to thoroughly indulge in on the weekend. After all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day and these choices should be taken seriously.

Tbsp.

French Toast. A seemingly obvious choice for breakfast but one that is not commonly found on menus. tbsp. does a good job in ensuring their bread is not soggy and that their toast is adequately dressed with fresh berries and whipped honey butter. What is great about this dish is that the butter doesn't completely melt away and you still have a little extra to slather on your bottom slice.

Chu Bakery

Beginning the weekend with a coffee in one hand and a Chu Puff in the other is something many people of Perth have turned into a ritual. When the food in question is as pretty as it is satisfying, it is hard to pass by this corner bakery without peering into its cabinet display of temptations. The profiterole is light and although the cream appears dense, the consistency is just right - holding its own but smoothly melting away once bitten to reveal a sweet jelly.

Flora and Fauna

Brightening the plates and tables of fruit and flower lovers alike, Flora and Fauna's most popular and photogenic dish is the Chia Bowl. The toppings vary depending on seasonal fruit but promises to be fresh and filling. It also makes you feel like you've been really good and super healthy, so I suppose you can reward yourself with an indulgent treat later. That's how it works, right?

Pixel Coffee Brewers

Breakfast isn't quite complete without an appropriate cup of coffee. It is at Pixel that your latte art is taken to a whole new level by their baristas (special mention to 72Transformations). Say goodbye to the seemingly boring flat white and say hello to latte art so Instagramable that you think it should be in international latte art competitions. They also serve up a balanced cup of coffee, with beans from Ethiopia, Columbia and Costa Rica.

Piccolo's Corner

Forget the smashed avo (although it is also offered at Piccolo's) and go for the smashed pumpkin. A poached egg sits on top like the proverbial cherry on the cake. The egg is glossy, pristine and once split to allow the yolk to seep onto the plate, it is done perfectly almost every time. The smashed pumpkin shouldn't be overlooked as the pumpkin itself is a comforting and versatile vegetable and is honoured in this simple but tasty smash.

Mrs. S

There is a reason why the Manwhich has been on the menu at Mrs.S for more than five years now - it's a winner. There are no complaints of beetroot relish staining lips or fingers as the combination of flavours within the sandwich lend nicely to the pulled pork. The ciabatta roll is lathered in aioli, cucumber and greens are added in for good measure to break up the soft and tasty pork and to tone down the awesome jolt of flavour from the beetroot between the wedges of bread. The only challenge is being okay with not sharing.

Harvest Espresso

What did matcha lovers do in Perth before matcha lattes were on menus? They either held out for somewhat mediocre green tea lattes from Starbucks in a city other than Perth - or they did what I did (and still do) and went to the Asian grocery to purchase matcha powder and make their own. Harvest Espresso was among some of the first cafes to offer the matcha latte to avid green tea fans, providing their customers with a smooth and creamy cup of astringent antioxidants. What's more is the large comes in a decent sized mug you can wrap your cold hands around come winter time. It's still a favourite place in Perth to grab a matcha latte.

This will be a continuously updated post. I hope you have enjoyed it so far! All illustrations by me.

A Taste of Japan

March 17, 2016 in travel, video diaries, food diary

Japan has an incredible culinary landscape that is as diverse as the cities themselves. I hope you enjoy this compilation from my most recent trip to Osaka, Tokyo, Kobe, Hakone and Kyoto. Song credits: Shugo Tokumaru - Katachi.

Japan has an incredible culinary landscape that is as diverse as the cities themselves. As we travelled throughout the Kanto, Chubu and Kansai regions we were swept up in the glorious food that Japan has to offer. I hope you enjoy this compilation from my most recent trip to Osaka, Tokyo, Kobe, Hakone, Himeji and Kyoto.

Petition

February 28, 2016 in food, perth

A revamp of the old Treasury Buildings saw a welcoming of new and interesting places to eat. The building is itself gloriously restored, a work of which took years to finish. Now filling the once dormant halls is Petition Kitchen. Petition has left quite a statement on the State Buildings, with its kitchen providing clean and simple dishes while its beer, bar and wine merchant meets the needs of sommeliers and those that are in search for a good drink.

At the helm is head chef Jesse Blake, heralding from Cumulus Inc. Having had eaten at Cumulus some years ago, I can say there's definitely elements of Blake's time there reflected in the open kitchen, the plating and the choice of ingredients. It's a share your plates with your friends kind of modern bistro... and after all 'good food is all the sweeter when shared with good friends'.

The interior is classy in that re-purposed way. The semi plastered and unfinished painted walls ground what would otherwise be a perceived as a pretentious restaurant. Exposed Edison globes hang low from the ceiling in lines. You can sit at long tables or down the dining hall, intimate in some places and exposed in others. I can almost see the soon to be regulars picking out their favourite place along the hall and resting there with a good cup in the day, or gathering around a table for dinner after having visited Petition Beer Corner for Friday night drinks.

The common colour scheme throughout Petition is made up of beige, black and white, with blue and orange surges from the stovetop in the kitchen. All other colours are served on your plate.

We appreciated the help our waitress provided, pointing out which items on the menu were popular and which were ones to save for the next visit if so inclined. She was no fuss and honest, recommending us the chorizo and morcilla hash. She wasn't wrong when she said it was the best thing on the menu for breakfast.

For all the simplicity in the ingredients, it was tasty and not a dish that I regretted ordering. The bulk of the flavour is delivered in the chorizo while the gooey and golden yolk adds to the texture. The crispy bacon plays salty, smokey umpire between the two.

Pikelets, grilled peach, ricotta, blackberry and burnt honey ($15.00)

The pikelets were small, soft and simple, dusted with icing sugar. It had been so long since I had last had pikelets that choosing it was almost a knee-jerk reaction in order to savour my childhood breakfast habits. The blackberry and burnt honey provided an infusion of deep flavours, with the cream beneath the grilled peaches breaking up the acidity. Although a little unimaginative, the food was still enjoyable.

Stracciatella, roast mushrooms, warrigal greens (New Zealand Spinach) on toast ($19.00)

The toast had some nice flavours and there was no denying the freshness of the mushrooms. The warrigal greens were not as bitter as English spinach and nor did they leave a starchy aftertaste in your mouth, which I thought was a great plus - however I was left feeling slightly underwhelmed.

While the rack with baked treats at the counter were pretty and inviting, the cost of coffee accompaniments were quite expensive for what you got. The food isn't overtly unique or experimental (nothing you won't know - toast is toast after all) but are instead representations of Blake's childhood favourites. There's something special about that.

Grilled chorizo, morcilla hash, fried egg and bacon ($19.00)

Petition exhibits great flavour profiles and their use of the freshest locally sourced ingredients is commendable, however on this particular visit I was left feeling as though I had paid to enjoy the fit out more than the food. I have been told that for dinners most restaurant goers are swept away on the tastebud train, so perhaps it's worth skipping breakfast (on this occasion) and going straight to dinner!

Since eating breakfast here in December, Petition have added more interesting options on the breakfast, lunch and dinner menu while revising popular dishes with ingredients that remain in season. I hope to make it back to Petition and the gorgeous State Buildings very soon, particularly with the opening of the new library throwing a little bit of excitement for booklovers like me, into the mix.

Address:
State Buildings, Corner of St George's Terrace and Barrack Street
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday 7am - 11pm
Saturday and Sunday 8am - 11pm

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