2016 St Kilda Winter Foodie Competition
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Gastrology recently had the opportunity to be a part of the official judging panel for the St Kilda Tourism Association’s inaugural 2016 St Kilda Winter Foodie Competition which was organised by the lovely ladies from Tyrrell Publicity & Promotions. From July 16 to 17, 2016, we and our co-judge, David Haggar from The World Loves Melbourne decided who would be crowned St Kilda’s 2016 Winter Culinary Champion.
Located 6 km from the city centre, St Kilda is Melbourne’s seaside playground and is much-loved by residents and visitors alike. St Kilda is renowned for its expansive view of Port Phillip Bay, safe sandy beach, palm-lined Esplanade, huge range of beach activities, blue skies, gorgeous sunsets, lovely parks and gardens, great restaurants, bars and cafés, fabulous old buildings and stunning architecture, plus its colourful past and present.
The aim of the inaugural St Kilda Winter Foodie Competition is to showcase St Kilda as a major dining destination in Melbourne - profiling many different eateries and dining options on both Acland and Fitzroy Street.
DAY 1
1pm - Tour of St Kilda via Rickshaw
St Kilda Rickshaws are an exciting, safe and environmentally friendly mode of transport around St Kilda. Fifteen minute jaunts on one of the three wheeled cruisers costs $15.00 for two people – or, for $90.00, book a one hour voyage for a deep insight into the various pieces of St Kilda that makes it one of the most interesting areas in Victoria. With Nate leading the way, we were safely delivered to Milk The Cow after a quick jaunt down The Esplanade.
1:30pm - Milk The Cow
Milk the Cow is all about cheese. With over 70 cheeses (and counting!) you can experience some of the greatest artisan delights from all around the world. Milk the Cow's Sweetened Baked Brie was absolutely moreish. Soaked in Fernand Freres Cidre Brut with truffle honey, fig, almond, walnut and cardamom pistachio sugar it was a cheese lover's dream.
2.20pm - Fitzrovia
Fitzrovia is an all-day dining restaurant overlooking Albert Park. The owners’ Paul Jewson and Marco Pugnaloni's ethos is to create luxe comfort food, inspired by provincial Italian and British cuisine - Think big flavours with rough edges. Fitzrovia's slow roast lamb shoulder was comfort food at its best. We loved the creamy organic sweet potato mash served alongside beautiful confit onions, spring onion, crispy candy striped beetroot, and pea and mint jus.
3.00pm - Break for Coffee & Cake at Miss Jackson
Miss Jackson is one of the best St Kilda coffee haunts, perfect for when you just want to kick back with an espresso or beer in hand while watching the sunset. Make sure you try their Banoffee doughnut which is simply sublime. You can thank us later!
4.10pm - St Hotel
Comprising of the downstairs Public Bar St Hotel and Dining Room, upstairs bespoke drinking with the Supper Club and Social Club, the St. Hotel has it all! St Hotel's 1kg 200 day John Dee grain fed rib eye was beautifully tender and flavoursome. The accompaniments to the steak were each delicious – wonderfully flavoured jus and the dressed rocket provided a thoroughly enjoyable freshness. Of course, the true highlight was the giant rib eye itself – a light searing ensured that it was lined with a thin crisp, caramelised exterior. The meat was intense with a deep earthy richness and sublime texture.
4.45pm - Claypots Seafood Express
Seafood Express by Claypots is a popular seafood joint in the St Kilda area. The menu features a wide array of seafood specialties that are fantastic value for money. The entire menu is also available to takeaway if you prefer to enjoy them in the leisure of your home. Claypots Seafood Express' Steamed Blue Swimmer Crabs and Mussels with Indian Spiced Tamarind were lovely. We loved the spicy kick from the sauce.
5.20pm - POW Kitchen
POW Kitchen serving authentic flavours from Southern Asia at curb-side prices and a passport-proud selection of beers on tap, cocktails and wine. The menu offers over 20 Asian inspired dishes with eats including Ya’an original ‘bang bang’ chicken, ‘crisp crisp’ school prawns or the ‘sticky sticky’ short ribs. POW Kitchen's red curry of slow cooked beef cheek was perfectly seasoned and possessed the customary punchy flavours exhibited by South East Asian curries and was a great match for the melt in your mouth texture of the beef. We loved the inclusion of textural snake beans.
5.55pm - Acland Street Cantina
A sexy, gritty space devoted to the worship of Mexican food and drinks, combined with tunes, means Acland Street Cantina (ASC) presents a seductive dining proposition. Acland St Cantina's red mole of slow braised lamb shoulder was delicious. Beautifully slow braised lamb drizzled with decadent red mole sauce and topped with aromatic green rice - all encased within fluffy masa tortillas.
6.30pm - United Kitchen
United Kitchen Dining & Tapas is the latest and greatest Latin American hot spot to hit St. Kilda’s buzzing Fitzroy Street strip. With the aim of uniting people and cultures via shared experiences, the bar and eatery is designed to allow for all occasions whether it’s an intimate dinner for two or more people, large groups & functions but also even just single people passing by. United Kitchen's Seafood Azteca Soup was stunning. We loved this flavoursome broth which featured perfectly cooked seafood including prawn, Atlantic salmon and squid. Slices of avocado were a clever addition, adding creaminess while crispy tortilla strips brought texture.
7.10pm - Luxembourg Bistro
Luxembourg is a new addition to Melbourne dining - named after the Jardin Du Luxembourg in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, Luxembourg is a European bar and bistro, combining classic flare with a contemporary twist. Luxembourg's 1/2 roast corn-feed chicken served with brussels sprouts and chestnuts took the humble chicken roast to a new level. The chicken was sensational - beautifully tender and wonderfully flavoursome with generous the shavings of black truffle a very, very welcome addition.
Our stay at Novotel St Kilda
Situated on the waterfront Esplanade overlooking the waters of Port Philip Bay, Novotel St Kilda was the perfect place to absolutely immerse ourselves in the relaxing seaside lifestyle of St Kilda. We were wonderfully surprised to be welcomed back to our room by an "Edible Vegetable Pot" of hummus, dehydrated olive crumble, baby carrots, baby asparagus and celery specially created by talented Head Chef Adam Roberts. Perfect with a bottle of bubbly to wind down after an exciting day.
Our room was wonderfully spacious and featured an open-plan design with a comfortable lounge area and marvellous views of the beach and Port Philip Bay. Find out more about Novotel St Kilda here.
DAY 2
10.30 am Breakfast at Il Fornaio
Il Fornaio serves breakfast, hearty lunches and snacks from their extensive selection of baked goods. We absolutely adored their soufflé matcha pancakes. Served with wonderfully tart dehydrated berries, these pancakes are to die for.
12.05 - Claypots Seafood Bar
Claypots Seafood Bar is a bayside restaurant in St Kilda serving up delicious, varied fresh seafood. Claypots is ideal on any night - the outdoor courtyard is romantic where tiny boats swing from the trees. Claypots Seafood Bar's whole baked Red Emperor was flavoursome and boasted a wonderful charring. Eaten together with steamed Bok Choy and Sticky Rice it was a very comforting dish.
12.40pm - Big Mouth
Big Mouth is a relaxed watering hole with vintage chandeliers, dishing up breakfasts, share plates and burgers. Big Mouth's whole baby snapper was as pretty as a picture and tasted even better. We loved the crisp fried baby snapper served with mussels, prawns and calamari in a luxurious seafood sauce.
1.15pm - Abbey Road Café
Influenced by the owners Greek Cypriot heritage, Abbey Road Café delivers fresh home-style food, fantastic drinks, soul moving music, friendly efficient service and a crackling good time. Abbey Road Café's served up a winter must - traditional cottage pie, beef mince and Australian garden peas topped with a cheesy mash, served with a garden salad. It was good ol' hearty food, perfect for winter.
1.50pm - Rococo
Rococo Acland Street’s atmosphere is both seductive and vibrant, with a focus of social dining and shared experiences. Set amongst some of Melbourne’s most loved sites, Rococo continues to attract diners from all over Melbourne some 10 years later. Rococo's slow cooked ricotta gnocchi was delicious. We loved the depth of flavour from the use of san marzano tomatoes, basil, garlic, mozzarella and fresh herbs with the crispy pangrattato adding a great textural element.
2.25pm - Bay City Burrito
Bay City Burrito is taking burritos to another level serving the best, healthiest and most authentic food to Melbourne. Bay City Burrito's Mexican Tortilla soup with avocado, sour cream, cilantro, sweet corn, jack cheese and tortilla chips on the side was heart-warming simple comfort food done well.
3.00pm - Lona
Situated in the heart of St Kilda and boasting one of St Kilda’s largest outdoor dining areas, be prepared for Lona’s unique experience of high quality Pintxos, wines, cocktails, pink neon lights and fun. Lona's Flinders Island salt grass lamb ribs were tender, falling off the bone, juicy and packed with flavour.
3.45pm - Donovans
Donovans offers modern dining with a focus on using the best of local produce amidst a relaxed vibe with fireplaces and sofas plus a terrace with ocean views. Donovans' Handmade Gnocchi was an absolute showstopper. It was a superb dish showcasing flawlessly executed “melt in your mouth" gnocchi accompanied by tender, wonderfully flavoursome braised duck leg, earthy roasted chestnuts and organic Australian Raclette cheese. A luxurious, indulgently comforting dish that left us craving more.
4:30pm - Captain Baxter
Taking inspiration from Asian street food which is known to be fresh, flavourful and made from the best ingredients, Captain Baxter's menu is designed to be shared in a social environment with delicious cocktails in hand. We recommend the Pornstar Martini - A simply delectable combination of passionfruit & vanilla, served straight up with a shot of Prosecco on the side. Captain Baxter's Fried Salmon tail yellow curry with chilli oil, tapioca crisp and roasted peanuts was lovely. The deep fried salmon paired beautifully with the delectably rich and creamy yellow curry.
St Kilda certainly is a major dining destination in Melbourne. We left with a new appreciation for St Kilda's rich dining scene and cannot wait to come back for more. Stay tuned for the announcement of the winners of the 2016 St Kilda Winter Foodie Competition!
