Proper & Son

Proper & Son is the new kid on the South Melbourne market block.

Possessing an eclectic familial charm, the café boasts a contemporary fit out of wooden furnishings, ceiling suspended lighting and an open kitchen where diners are able to peer in and be fascinated by what goes on behind the scenes. The result is an inspired, modern vibe.

Proper & Son is an establishment that proudly pays homage to quality Australian produce, as is successfully reflected in its dishes. Being based in South Melbourne Market, the menu lends itself to being created using the best ingredients available from the market.

Proper & Son delivers quality Toby’s Estate coffee to the public poured by adept baristas.

Salmon and leek squeak

The salmon and leek squeak was lovely.  The smoked salmon was fresh, the leek squeak was beautifully flavoured and the egg was perfectly poached.

Lamb shoulder, freekeh

We shared a salad of lamb shoulder and freekeh which was a medley of enlivening flavours and textures.

Field mushroom, haloumi and romesco roll

The field mushroom, haloumi and romesco roll was a stand out. Sandwiched between thick slices of toasted brioche were plump beautifully roasted mushrooms, crisp salty haloumi which matched beautifully with the romesco. Abundantly flavoursome and fresh, it was a triumph.

Proper & Son has succeeded in crafting a convivial atmosphere in which to enjoy a lazy brunch. The menu is delicious and caters for all kinds of appetites while the staff are friendly and affable.

Location: 13/322-326 Coventry St, South Melbourne

Phone: (03) 9699 7057

Link: http://properandson.com.au/

Cuisine: Modern Australian, Healthy Food, Cafe

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of South Melbourne Market.

Tadka Boom! - Indian Fusion Kitchen

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Tadka Boom!

Tadka Boom! is Melbourne’s first Indian Fusion Kitchen. Thanks to Lalitha and Ashwin Rajan's passion for high quality, healthy Indian food that is deliciously light, the dream for healthy Indian food is now a reality. Healthy. Light. Indian. Yes, these guys have cracked the code.

The ambience is modern and stylish, an extension of Tadka Boom!’s contemporary interpretation of Indian cuisine.

The menu is mouth-wateringly good and features all the flavours you know and love about Indian cuisine but without the unhealthy bits. Inspired by Mama Rajan’s home-style cooking, the food was healthy, light and fresh and features high quality ingredients to create subtle flavours.

Left: Masala Chips - Sweet potato chips coated in our Tadka salt

Right: Bombay Bites - Hand-rolled lentil & herb nuggets with coriander aioli

Brown basmati rice bowl with lentil dahl and Bombay bird (fiery six-spice chicken with mint coriander chutney)

The Bombay bird was sublime. The large nuggets of moist six-spice chicken were beautifully tender and contained the perfect amount of heat. The accompanying dahl was luxurious and full of flavour. Served on a fluffy bed of brown basmati rice, each spoonful was truly gratifying. We loved how light  the dish was compared to a regular curry.

11” Wholemeal roti wrap with Kid Kaboom! (15-hr slow-cooked lamb marinated in our special Kaboom! masala with raita yoghurt dressing) 

The Kid Kaboom! was absolutely moreish. The rich flavours were nicely mellowed out by the raita yoghurt dressing. Boasting a juicy tenderness and bountiful herbs, it was an absolute delight. The beautifully made wholemeal roti wrap was the perfect canvas for the Kaboom! masala which displayed the customary punchy flavours exhibited by Indian curries.  

Tandoori chicken salad

The tandoori chicken salad was yet another winner. The boneless pieces of chicken were tender, having been roasted to perfection. This was a rare, and welcomed, occasion where the salad contributed to the overall dish rather than just occupying space as a conventional side. In all, this dish was a beauty.  

Left: Nimbu Pani - Homemade lemon salted-sweet thirst quencher

Right: R.O.C. Tea - Raspberry, orange & cinnamon infused iced tea

We loved the house-made drinks - both recipes from Grandma Rajan. A salted-sweet lemon and mint water, and an infused fruit iced-tea, these drinks are commonly served to keep cool during the summer months in Madras.

Both the ice creams we sampled were delicious and beautifully made - rich, creamy, and amply sweet with a generous hit of spices (in the case of the Spice Cream) and pistachio and rosewater (in the case of the Pink Panther), they were the perfect spring indulgence.

Tadka Boom! delivers Indian cuisine like you have never tasted before by fusing the best of East and West. Healthy, fresh, light and full of the spices and flavours you know at an affordable price point, Tadka Boom! is a compelling proposition.

Location: 22 Goldsbrough Lane  Melbourne

Phone: 03 9600 1633

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

Cuisine: Indian, Salad, Fast Food

There's a new kid on the block that's MELT[ing] the hearts of pizza lovers

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of MELT.

A new concept in fast-casual dining, MELT has opened just in time for winter.

A creation of Dan and Elise Gold, MELT uses an assembly line format that lets patrons order one of the menu’s classic pizzas or create one of their own, choosing from a wide selection of fresh, artisanal toppings. 

The generously sized personal pizzas are then sent to a blazing 400 degree hot stone oven, where dedicated pizza makers ensure that the thin-crust pizzas are “super-fast baked” in a scant 120 seconds. 

MELT’s fast-casual environment is comfortably hip with architectural notes inspired by fire and foundries such as the terracotta tiles which adorn parts of the bright walls and the hot stone oven, the centrepiece of the eatery. Borosilicate glass hanging vases provide a clever accent against the comfortable wooden furnishing.

We loved how the pizzas are freshly made in every sense of the word. Each pizza starts with a perfectly proofed dough ball and is pressed into a pizza base right before your eyes.

Custom pizza: Crushed tomato base, chicken & prawns, mixed mushrooms, goats cheese, garlic oil

Made from fresh produce, each element on our custom-made pizza was delicious. The house-made dough which was made from a recipe that does not utilise any oil, fat or sugar resulted in a pizza base which was light-as-air and crisp. We loved the use of this simple base which was the perfect canvas for the, meats, vegetables and sauce.

Classic pizza: Italian sausage - Free range Italian sausage, friarielli, fresh mozzarella, crushed tomato, extra virgin olive oil

The Italian sausage pizza was picture perfect in appearance and outstanding in taste. Layers of mozzarella were teamed with juicy crushed tomatoes and mellow friarielli leaves. Encircled with a puffy crisp crust, this pizza was superb.

Meatballs - Grass fed free range beef meatballs, spicy tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, oven roasted capsicum, rocket

Superfood salad - Oven roasted sweet potato, beetroot, broccoli, red quinoa, white quinoa, red rice, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, almond flakes with a yoghurt and tahini dressing. 

The superfood salad was yet another highlight of our evening. We savoured every moreish morsel.

Gelato by 7 Apples

For dessert, a selection of gelato by 7 Apples are available to end your visit on a sweet note. One of Melbourne’s premium gelato stores, 7 Apples’ gelato and sorbets are made fresh daily using fresh ingredients. We loved both the salted caramel and hazelnut gelato we had. The salted caramel gelato which Elise described as “life changing” was velvety and decadently sweet while the hazelnut gelato was a well-made and refreshing classic.

Dan and Elise are on to a winner - unbelievably good pizzas, lightning fast, at affordable prices, what’s not to love?

Location: 171 Chapel Street, Windsor

Phone: 03 9533 7110

Link: www.melt.com.au or facebook

Cuisine: Pizza, Salad, Sandwiches/Subs

 

Bourbon Street - new lunch and catering delivery service

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Bourbon Street.

Having opened only for a few months (March 2014) Bourbon Street, a lunch delivery and catering service based in South Melbourne, has already proven a hit. With its roots deeply ingrained in Blues music, Bourbon Street includes in its menu mouth-watering BBQ Beef, Pulled Pork and other Cajun delicatessens, with gluten free and vegetarian options.

Pulled Pork with brown rice

The pulled pork was a winner, imparting a unique flavour that comes only from genuine slow cooking over charcoal. It was beautifully tender, courtesy of being slow cooked for 12 hours and was slathered in a beautiful coffee-infused BBQ sauce and served with fresh apple slaw. 

Left: Candied Walnuts soaked in Bourbon and roasted with a hint of spice 'til they're crunchy.

Right: Crispy Kale Chips coated in chilli and smoked paprika.

Chili Sin Carne

A sinful sandwich of smokey, spiced beans cooked for 6 hours, the sandwich was topped with tasty cheese and delectably hedonistic corn chips. It was incredibly satisfying.

Bourbon Street is a brilliant new addition to Melbourne’s foodie scene, offering a delicious approach to lunch time by providing easier, more convenient access to high-quality and filling meals.

What: Bourbon Street lunch and catering delivery

Where: free delivery to Melbourne CBD, South Melbourne, Albert Park and South Yarra

When: every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

How: online through www.bourbonstreet.com.au 

Paperboy Kitchen has left the market

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Paperboy Kitchen.

From their pop-up debut at the People’s Market in December to permanent haunt in the CBD, Paperboy Kitchen is the real deal. The menu is simple, delicious and well-priced.

Vietnamese coffee

The main menu items come in either Rolls or Bowls. Rolls being your traditional banh mi and bowls being the Vietnamese bun noodles. All the main menu items come with Asian Slaw, Carrot-Daikon Pickle, Sriracha-Mayo and coriander

Pulled Lamb & Hoisin roll

We received a crunchy bread roll shimmered with Sriracha-Mayo, filled with generous serves of beautifully tender pulled lamb, topped with a salad of Asian Slaw, Carrot-Daikon Pickle, coriander and glossed in a hoi sin glaze. It was both fresh and very tasty.

Slow Cooked Beef bowl

The beef bun was a lively noodle salad with flavoursome Braised Brisket and served with the loveliest Pho dipper (beef broth). The noodles were topped with salad including pickled carrot, shredded lettuce, cucumber, a sprinkle of fried shallots and mixed herbs - all finished with a generous helping of Sriracha-Mayo and Coriander.

Milk Bar Cookie

The milk bar cookie was as described, “Sweet and Salty Deliciousness”. Made with chocolate chips, pretzels, salt and vinegar chips and other naughty things, it was a delicious end to our visit. 

A budget-priced eatery with dishes reflecting the cross-pollinated culture of Vietnam, blending the heritage of Vietnamese street-food food with French flavours and Chinese cuisine, Paperboy Kitchen is a hit.

Review: The Odd Pod

Phone: 03 9973 0941
Link: http://www.theoddpod.com.au/
Service: Food delivery

The Odd Pod invites guests in Melbourne to discover healthy and delicious food from the comfort of their home or office via a convenient online ordering service (theoddpod.com.au). Currently offering 5 different menus for each of the 5 working days of the week, guests can enjoy an array of tempting salads. 

Founder, Tahl Katz started The Odd Pod a year ago on the back of a career in supply chain. He always had a passion for healthy food and clean, wholesome eating. Together with his talented sisters, Tahl’s passion soon translated into a salad delivery service, equipped with a unique salad menu that beats competing cafes by offering salads that are not only delicious and creative but also made from quality fresh ingredients.

Gastrology recently tried a few items from The Odd Pod’s Friday menu…

ZeChiChi Salad

ZeChiChi is a delicious salad of  succulent Middle Eastern spiced roasted chicken breast that is spiced up with Zaatar and laid over a bed of cos lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red capsicum, avocado and olives. This salad is then topped off with a few dollops of labne, spring onions, scattered pumpkin & sunflower seeds and a tangy citrus dressing. It was very tasty. We loved the addition of pumpkin and sunflower seeds which added a deliciously crunchy element to the salad.

 Carrot & Chooks Adventures in Morocco Salad

This was a lovely salad of tender roasted chicken breast which wereserved on a bed of baby spinach, carrots, green beans, snow peas, cucumber, avocado & coriander. The scattered walnuts add an earthy flavour and the tangy harissa infused dressing brings all the elements of the salad together.

Nazca Roast Salad

We loved this delicious vegetarian salad. The  eggplant, cauliflower, pumpkin and carrots are roasted to a golden perfection and marry well with  steamed green beans, seeds and baby spinach mixed throughout a quinoa base.

Our verdict:

The salads are a winner. We loved how unique and delicious each salad was and the use of nuts for crunch. We also loved how each salad’s dressing is thoughtfully kept separate to ensure the salads stay fresh. In a further layer of thoughtfulness, we are told that onion and garlic is kept to a minimum to avoid bad breath! 

How it works:

• Order by 3pm the day before
• Minimum $40 per delivery
• Delivery is free

Where The Odd Pod deliver:

• CBD
• South Melbourne
• South Wharf
• Docklands
• St Kilda Rd
• Southbank

For more information check out theoddpod.com.au. 

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of The Odd Pod.

Grill'd has a new Fairfield location

Location: 126 Station Street, Fairfield

Phone: 9481 2566

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

Cuisine: Healthy burgers, salads

Overall Impression: 7/10 

A new Grill’d Healthy Burgers restaurant has opened on Station Street.

The Fairfield restaurant hopes to satisfy the demand for healthy and convenient food options in the area. It offers a great environment where people of all ages can enjoy a fresh and convenient meal in a casual environment with their friends and family. Grill’d Fairfield also stocks an exciting alcohol range including local craft beers and ciders – the perfect accompaniment for any of the menu’s 30 fresh, and healthy options including 100% grass fed, hormone free beef and lamb, chicken and vegetarian burgers as well as a range of salads and steak sandwiches.

The Fairfield restaurant marks the 28th in Victoria and remains focused on local community initiatives. This attitude is reflected in the Grill’d community donation program, Local Matters which sees each restaurant across the country donate $500 to three local community groups each month. 

We loved this new Grill’d dining experience! 

This new Grill’d restaurant is a winner. The comfortable surroundings are a great way for Grill’d fans to enjoy delicious and healthy burgers.

Grill’d Fairfield is located at  126 Station Street, Fairfield and will be open seven days for lunch and dinner.

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Grill’d.

Famish’d #2 @ St James Building

Melbourne’s popular gourmet salad, soups and spuds bar, Famish’d, has recently opened a second café in the reinvigorated St James building, overlooking AMP Square on the corner of Bourke and Williams Street. The offering is delicious and simple – healthy, fresh salads and salad dressings made from seasonal produce, offered from a set menu or by individual design at the salad bar.

The first Famish’d café (on Little Collins Street) was created by Georgia Samuel, an ambitious ex-corporate lawyer who identified a gap in the market for healthy city lunch options. Since opening its doors in 2010, long queues are a common sight and it is easy to understand why.

Reflecting the recent trend toward creative and healthy eating, Famish’d offers an ever-growing menu of interesting salad favourites at reasonable prices.

We were kindly offered the opportunity to sample a Famish'd salad and opted for the “Design-Your-Own” salad which we made by selecting the following options:

1. A Base (or a mixture of Bases);

2.  Five salad bar items;

3. One Specialty Item; and

4. A Dressing and a bread selection.

Our salad was well-made and came in a very generous serving size and was made of fresh and delicious ingredients.

With an energetic vibe that is as vibrant, crisp and colourful as the ingredients on offer, Famish’d cafés offer guilt-free lunch options with fast and friendly service. We cannot wait to try more of their healthy, fresh salads!

The original Famish'd:

 

The new Famish'd:


Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Famish'd.

VIP Luncheon at The Lunch Room @ Collins Square

Location: Collins Square, 727 Collins Street, Docklands

Link: www.collinssquare.com.au/

Gastrology bloggers experienced the VIP lunchroom experience and indulged in a delightful Luncheon within the Lunch Room.

Antipasto from Harvest Juice Bar

The Lunch Room launched on July 30 2013 at 727 Collins Street and has brought to Melbourne a brand new and seriously stylish, food destination. 

Designed by collaboration between blackmilk interior design and Walker Corporation, The Lunch Room looks like a restaurant, but it will serve honest to goodness sandwiches, freshly rolled sushi, salsas and more. 

Salmon bento from Sobo Japanese
Berry juice from Harvest Juice Bar

Providing hungry stomachs with a broad and exciting range of tempting cuisines from Mexican and Asian, through to modern Australian, The Lunch Room is the fashionable new home for Think Asia (Asian and Thai), Papadam (Indian cuisine), Nashi (Sandwiches), Rhumbas (Rolls), Edamama (Salad Bar), Salsaʼs (Tex Mex Grill), Sobo Japanese, Big Italiano, Harvest Juice Bar and Hudsons, a specialty coffee shop. Winner of the ʻGolden Bean Best Coffee Chain/Franchiseʼ, humble sandwich shop, Nashi is committed to providing both coffee and food at the highest level. 

Owner, Sam Nash, believes Collins Square represents the lunch venue of the future. “The Lunch Room is actually a beautiful architectural designed space and the perfect venue for Nashi” says Sam. 

Potato Dosa from Papadam

The Lunch Room is the first food venue within Walker Corporationʼs Collins Square, the new link between Melbourneʼs CBD and the Docklands. Collins Square encompasses 10,000 sqm of retail precinct that will create a vibrant and active heart for the Melbourne CBD to deliver every amenity and everyday essential to local workers and residents. The Collins Square site covers more than two hectares of land, will have up to 200,000 sqm of commercial space and holds 200m of prime Collins Street frontage. Collins Square retail will be opened in three stages, with The Lunch Room being the first to have launched. 

Stop by the Lunch Room for a re-fuelling pit stop!

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Collins Square.

Restaurant Review: Grill'd

Link: www.grilld.com.au
Cuisine: Healthy burgers, salads,
Overall Impression: 7/10

The Grill’d chain seems to be taking over Melbourne and it is easy to see why.

Catering for people who love burgers but feel bad when they have them (I can certainly identify with this!), Grill’d is a burger chain that serves delicious and most importantly, healthy burgers.

 They also have a nice range of salads that are really healthy.

What a brilliant concept!

Locations:
 

Restaurant Review: Mamasita

Location: Level 1, 11 Collins Street, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9650 3821
Link:  mamasita.com.au
Cuisine: Mexican
Overall Impression: 7/10

Mamasita needs no introduction. Its increasing popularity is clear for all to see. With their no booking policy (all groups of less than 8 people are on a walk in basis), avid fans are willing to wait for up to 2 hours to indulge in their delicious Mexican fare. 

BB, Alice, KM and I headed down to Mamasita for lunch on a Saturday afternoon and were lucky enough to be immediately seated (albeit at the bar) but promptly offered a table only a few moments later – an offer we graciously accepted. BB mentioned that this was the first time she had ever been seated in less than 45 minutes (so we were off to a good start!).

The menu encourages sharing and features a variety of Mexican delights like platters of braised meat, beans, tacos, quesadillas and tostadas (all of which are gluten free). 

Esquites de maíz  

Sautéed sweet corn, epazote, chilli & lime 

We decided to start our meal with the popular Esquites de maíz.

We then ordered as many different tacos as we could handle.

As expected, the famous Mamasita corn was a delight to indulge in. Beautifully charred, it has beautiful flavour from the sheep’s cheese, a lively kick from the chilli and paprika and the perfect dash of acidity 

from fresh lime.

 

We had ordered every taco on the menu and we enjoyed them all! Our favourites were the de Lengua y Cachete (braised ox tongue & cheek, pickled vegetable and ghost chilli mayo) and the de Camarones (marinated prawns, red chilli and chipotle almond salsa).

BB, Alice and I had been looking for a fourth member for our S.A.T.C. group and it suddenly occurred to us during our lunch that our fourth member was staring us in the face. It was always going to be KM. We decided that the fact that he is male would not stop us from welcoming him into our group. And so, it was decided. KM would be our Charlotte York Goldenblatt.

The drinks menu offers a selection of tequila (that are 100% agave), mescal, wines, beers and cocktails from Mexico and other regions of Central America, South America and Spain. 

Aguas fresca – traditional refreshing fruit drinks - Horchata

 Jarritos – Mexican ‘naturally flavoured’ Sodas Guayaba – sparkling Guava 

Leading the way for the authentic taco/tostada, Mamasita has played a key role in satisfying Melbourne’s lust for both authentic and modern Mexican food. Gone is the perception that the American-take on Mexican cuisine is the norm. 

Mamasita is a testament to the fact that Mexican food is best enjoyed when it remains true to traditional cooking methods and flavours.

Cafe Review: Be-Hive Cafe Bar

Location: 459 Collins St, Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9614 0019
Overall Impression: 5/10

Be-Hive is known for its salads. No, they are not your traditional I-am-on-a-diet type salad. These are salads that are harsh on the waist line but easy on the hip pocket. Think slivers of juicy deep fried chicken on a bed of creamy Caesar salad. There is nothing delicate or refined about the salads at Be-Hive but they certainly satisfy. Starting at $8.00 for a choice of two salads from their salad bar, it is a bargain. The portion sizes are incredibly generous.     

Choice of 2 salads from the Salad Bar: Roast Chicken and rice Salad [left] and Chickpea salad [right] $8.00

Lamb Risotto $16 from the a la carte menu

I have tried items from their a la carte menu but have not found them particularly impressive. However, as all the items on the menu are kept under $20, it is no doubt, reasonable.