Bossy Boots

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Bossy Boots.

Drawing on the talent of two top Melbourne chefs Bossy Boots delivers generous hospitality and home cooked gourmet food in a contemporary café setting.

Under the guidance of chefs Ben Forehan and Rachael Browne, Bossy Boots are in capable hands. The pair have worked at notable Melbourne kitchens such as Stokehouse, Circa and Dench Bakers and are classically trained having both studied Vienoisserie at E’cole Le Notre, in Paris.

Bossy Boots has a large local following and is known for its relaxed ambience with chic courtyard and large windows  - the result is an inviting bright space. 

The menu is about fresh, honest food, with a mix of brunch and lunch staples and a nod to Italian fare.

Coffee is from Supreme and served expertly from a La Marzocco espresso machine.

Chicken Stuffed Peppers

The stuffed peppers were a brilliant start to our lunch at Bossy Boots. The peppers were bursting with flavour. The dish was uncomplicated but well executed.

Corn fritters with crispy bacon, avocado salsa, sour cream and chives.

The corn fritters had a crunchy golden brown exterior and were succulently sweet making for a great start to the day.

Carrot and macadamia cake

The carrot cake was a sweet end to our visit. The cake was moreish, moist, perfectly balanced and beautifully textured as a result of the luscious macadamia nuts that had been scattered generously throughout the cake and the citrus element in the icing added interest.

Bossy Boots café also offers some delicious take home food options. We took home a delicious chicken pie which we absolutely loved. The pastry was crisp and flaky – a testament to being worked carefully by masters of pastries Ben and Rachael. Rich and hearty with generous morsels of beautifully slow cooked chicken, it was an excellent pie.

Bossy Boots is an iconic café with its own relaxed style, creating a hub that is unique to Brighton and presents a wonderful counterpoint to the inner city, lane way cafes springing up around Melbourne.

Location: 106 Bay Street,  Brighton 
Phone: 03 9596 6825 
Link: http://www.bossyboots.com.au/ 
Cuisine: Breakfast, Salad, Bakery

The Pantry Delicatessen Re-opens!

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of The Pantry Delicatessen.

The Pantry Delicatessen is back with a stunning new fit out and a colossal selection of delicious and healthy take-home food.

The huge range of seasonal take-home meals provides for everyone. Salads, soups, pastas, wet-dishes, roast; the list goes on! Restaurant quality food, cooked by restaurant chefs, caters to every taste.

The Pantry Delicatessen offers dozens of sweet choices. Pantry pastry chefs custom design unique treats which are only available at The Pantry Delicatessen.

The Pantry Delicatessen offers a large range of gluten-free, vegetarian and dairy-free options which makes the Delicatessen the perfect option for a healthy, hearty meal – prepared with love daily by our dedicated and talented chefs.

Recipes inspired by the world’s best chefs are adapted to the season and feature fresh and high quality ingredients.

The stunning new interior features timber-clad walls and a slick silky charcoal theme throughout; the decorative props, a mix of new and vintage were sourced from as far as the south of France.

There are many exciting food collaborations to come this year at The Pantry Delicatessen. Some will take the form of interactive food experiences with others hosting Australian food icons.

During our visit we selected a few delicious items: Sourdough from Burnham Bakery Bread, Miso Salmon with soba noodles and 2 delicious sweet treats – a cinnamon tea cake and a lemon meringue pie.

We loved the sourdough which was made using traditional techniques and baked in state-of-the-art ovens. Featuring a lovely thick crust, it was delicious when served with generous splashes of extra virgin olive oil.

The salmon and soba noodles were a healthy and delicious option. The salmon was tender and juicy and had a lovely umami flavour from the miso. The noodles were slippery and flavoured well.

The cinnamon tea cake and lemon meringue pie was absolutely lovely. The cinnamon tea cake was moist and had just the perfect level of sweetness while the lemon meringue pie struck the right chords with an expertly balanced sweetness from the meringue and tartness from the lemon.

We loved this new comfort food destination and cannot wait to return and further explore what The Pantry has to offer.

Location: 1 Church Street, Brighton

Phone: 03 9591 0393

Link: http://www.pantry.com.au/