Dinner @ Jasper Kitchen

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Jasper Hotel.

Jasper Kitchen and JB's Bar have recently received a seven million dollar facelift and is now officially open for business.

Head Chef Bruno Lima serves seasonal, free range and organic produce supplied straight from their neighbour - Queen Victoria Market - in their new menu.

Chef Lima began with Jasper Hotel in March 2012 - bringing with him more than 12 years of experience from Melbourne and overseas restaurants including Dock 31 and Vyve Café - at both of which he was Head Chef - as well as experience as Bluestone Bar Restaurant and the Hilton London Metropol - where he first began his career.

Chef Lima's extensive travel is the inspiration behind the Jasper Kitchen menu; influences from South America, Europe and Australia have led to his commitment to deliver a menu of uncompromising honesty, simplicity and freshness.

Seta al Ajillo

Chef Lima's Brazilian background shines through the JB's Bar Tapas Menu. We enjoyed their mouth-watering Seta al Ajillo (mushrooms cooked in garlic, olive oil and chilli) and Gambas al Ajillo (Garlic Prawns in Olive Oil and Wine).

Gambas al Ajillo

The tapas menu is best indulged by the bar or in the alfresco dining area that backs on to Elizabeth Street with a refreshing drink.

Vietnamese Chicken Salad

We also enjoyed one of Jasper Kitchen’s entrees, the Vietnamese Chicken Salad which was a vibrant concoction of Char Grilled Chicken Tenderloin with Rice Noodles, fresh Asian Herbs, and Toasted Cashews and dressed with a tangy Lime and Ginger Dressing.

Victorian Western District Lamb Rack Char Grilled Rack of Lamb served Medium Rare with Honey Glazed Parsnip and wilted Baby Spinach and Apple Cider Jus 

This dish was simple, homely and well executed. The lamb was roasted to a tender and juicy pink and was exceedingly flavoursome and "melt in the mouth".

Free Range Chicken Breast Oven Roasted Chicken Breast Wrapped in Prosciutto served with Potato Fondant, Witlof, Edible Flower Salad and Balsamic and Herb Jus

The chicken was tender and superbly cooked and wrapped in crispy Prosciutto which added an addictive salinity to the dish. 

Our dinner at Jasper Hotel ended on a decadent note with a duo of desserts.

Toasted Almond Pannacotta

Warm Chocolate Fondant Pudding

Both desserts were well-made and very enjoyable to eat.

Jasper Kitchen pleases with modern, fusion dining at the top end of Elizabeth Street, a welcomed addition to this part of town which is currently known for its high quality ethnic cuisines. 

Location: Jasper Hotel, 489 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne

Phone: 03 8327 2777

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

Cuisine: Spanish, Fusion, Modern Australian, Asian

Karen Martini surprises local shoppers at The Reserve Table lunch @ Queen Victoria market

Gastrology bloggers attended the event as guests of Jacob's Creek.

On Saturday 12th July, Australia’s leading wine brand Jacob’s Creek and award-winning chef and restaurateur Karen Martini, hosted over 1,000 people at The Reserve Table. A surprise pop-up lunch with matching wines held in the heart of the Queen Victoria Markets, Melbourne.

Gastrology was invited to come along to the lunch. We were thrilled as we watched unsuspecting market-goers being delighted with a surprise invitation to take a seat at The Reserve Table set in the bustling fresh produce precinct within the markets.

Guests were then treated to a selection of award winning Jacob’s Creek Reserve wines sourced from some of Australia’s most premium wine regions - Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley and Coonawarra - served to match a Tapas style lunch. 

Martini over saw the selection of dishes featuring fresh produce from the markets, including locally sourced lamb, Polish dumplings and Italian meatballs to name a few. We especially enjoyed Hoy Pinoy's beautiful skewers which are a brilliant introduction to Filipino BBQ & street food. The Inihaw Na Manok was delectable. A BBQ chicken in a traditional marinade, the chicken was beautifully tender and boasted the perfect charring which enriched its flavour.

This event is part of a larger campaign where Jacob's Creek Reserve has partnered with Seven West Media to create an exciting new series ‘The Reserve Table’. 

It takes you on a journey to some of Australia’s most loved wine regions, exploring the provenance of people, places, food and wine. Each episode is hosted by Karen Martini, and a Jacob’s Creek wine maker. 

Together they challenge chefs to create a tantalising dish to complement a wine from the Jacob’s Creek Reserve range. The series, ‘The Reserve Table’ is available to view online at www.yahoo7.com.au/reservetable.