Chato Café y Tapas

Thornbury’s newest dining resident, Chato is turning heads with a seasonal menu that is full of vibrancy, character and the flavours of Spain. 

Open since 13 July, the family-run venue by Darebin residents Maria and Jenny Echevarria-Lang places a focus on the community, with small and Melbourne-based businesses supplying much of the kitchen’s produce. The local spirit of Chato is seen at every level, from the coffee by Reservoir roaster Niccolo and fairtrade organic teas from Melbourne-based tea trader Somage, to local meats supplied by Thornbury Meats, free-range poultry by Poultry N More and other produce from Melbourne’s much-loved Casa Iberica.

Well-respected in the hospitality industry, head chef Maria brings a wealth of experience to Chato. Chef and co-founder of Melbourne’s iconic Caffe e Cucina, Maria then moved on to establish Ramblas in South Yarra followed by the popular café Lorca in Centre Place, Melbourne. 

Born in Madrid, Maria came to Australia at the age of four with her family, who emigrated due to persecution by the Franco regime after running tapas bars that assisted the opposition. Maria maintains strong contacts in Spain, travelling there often to visit family and be immersed in the vibrant Spanish culture and cuisine that Melburnians have grown to love.

The space is warm and reminiscent of a small, intimate Spanish street bar. A rustic timber surround makes up the front bar, and maroon and green tiles wrap around the front bench. These colours are infused throughout the venue, including a white wash speckled with green that has been applied to the original red brickwork.

The wine list is made up of equal parts Australian and Spanish wines. We highly recommend the Marques de Caceres Rioja Tinto Crianza. A robust and fruity wine with hints of chocolatey oak and delicious tannin structure, it was a great accompaniment to our Spanish feast.

Left: Whole Portuguese sardines char-grilled; Deep fried Basque sausage wrapped in thinly sliced potato with a sherry vinegar reduction 

We commenced with a selection of tapas. 

The sardines were a delight, boasting a wonderful depth of flavour. 

The Deep fried cauliflower in a saffron and manchego batter was encased in ethereally light and crispy tempura batter. This dish was vegetarian comfort food and would make anyone with a distaste for cauliflower reconsider.

From left: Deep fried cauliflower in a saffron and manchego batter; Spinach sautéed with currants and almonds; Meatballs

The seemingly casual dish of spinach sautéed with currants and almonds was delicious. Carefully and intelligently composed to combine texture and flavour in exciting ways, the wonderfully wilted spinach was delightful.

Traditional comfort-food classics, the meatballs were sufficiently seasoned and wonderfully flavoursome.

Ox cheek braised in PX

The Pork cheek confit was outstanding. The cheek was tender and delicious, with caramel undertones courtesy of being marinated in pedro ximenez. It was a brilliant amalgamation of flavours which produced a hearty comforting dish.

Paella Mixta

The paella was exquisite. Cooked with seafood and chicken, the paella delivered a great amount of flavour. Served in a paellera (paella pan), there was a beautifully crusty/slightly burnt bottom which had the infused aromas of being cooked over an open fire.

Leche Frita - Fried Milk drizzled with an orange honey syrup and vanilla bean ice-cream

Simple, yet seductive, the Leche Frita was utterly irresistible. An extra thick milk pudding which had been dried, breaded, and then fried to golden perfection, the result was a creamy milk-pudding centre encased in a warm and crunchy fried shell. Delicious!

Churros - as served in Spain with a thick sweet drinking chocolate and no icing sugar

The churros were superb. Moist and light on the inside with a crispy exterior, we enjoyed dipping them in the accompanying thick chocolate sauce.  We loved the slightly savoury flavour profile of the churros which provided balance to the dish.

Chato brings Spanish flair to Thornbury with its outstanding offerings. Expect flavoursome dishes and friendly service with Spanish twists along the way that will take you straight to Spain.

Location: 921 High Street, Thornbury
Phone: 03 9484 8554
Link: http://www.chato.com.au/
Cuisine: Spanish

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Chato.

From bean to cup @ Coffee MIO

Location: 811 High Street, Thornbury
Phone: 03 9484 0776
Link: www.coffeemio.com.au/

Frank Berra, Co-Managing Director of Coffee MIO

Over forty years ago, long before the days of cult coffee culture, Coffee MIO founders Mario Berra and his brother Frank had the simple idea of creating the perfect cup of Italian Espresso coffee. Gastrology bloggers were privileged to be invited by Coffee MIO to trace the delicious journey of the Coffee MIO coffee bean.

Upon arriving at the Coffee MIO factory in Thornbury, we were warmly greeted by Lorraine Berra, “Coffee MIO means 'my coffee' in Italian. And that is how we produce our coffee – the Italian way,” she says. 

Gaggia - original 1950s model

We then met with Frank Berra, Co-Managing Director of Coffee MIO (holder of the prestigious official ʻEspresso Coffee Tastersʼ accreditation with the Istituto Internazionale Assaggiatori Caffe) who took us on a behind the scenes tour of the factory, where beans sourced from the world's best growing regions are blended and roasted. 

Despite supplying over 1200 clients with coffee Australia wide and servicing a rapidly expanding overseas market, Coffee MIO remains a brand that has upheld its Italian essence. Frank explained that Coffee MIO use at least 5 varieties of beans to produce their Italian style coffee blends. Paying homage to Italian coffee heritage, the use of robusta beans is imperative in producing a traditional Italian espresso blend as it provides a full-bodied taste and a better crema. 

We started right at the beginning, where quality green coffee beans from locations such as Brazil, Kenya, Colombia, Costa Rica, Jamaica and the Ivory Coast are measured and prepared to precisely blended. Finely calibrated machinery is used to ensure consistency in every coffee blend. The next step in the process is the roasting of the green coffee beans. 

During roasting, the coffee beans change both physically and chemically. The green beans expand and change colour as aromatic oils and acids develop. The roasting process plays a dramatic role in determining the coffee's eventual aroma and flavour. The roasted beans are then graded using a process known as spectroscopy to accurately measure the coffee's degree of roast and ensure excellent flavour development. 

The A grade quality espresso coffee blends are then ready to be packaged. During the roasting process some of the natural sugars in the bean are transformed into CO2 gas. After roasting, the coffee continues to “degas”, emitting CO2 which helps to protect the delicate flavour and aroma of the coffee. 

As fresh roasted coffee reaches its peak flavour and aroma approximately 24 hours after resting, Coffee MIO rests it’s freshly roasted beans in large containers that only allow air to flow out but not in, thereby preventing any deterioration in the flavour of the beans. This resting period allows excess CO2 to dissipate and permits the coffee bean chemistry to stabilise. 

Once roasted, coffee beans must be stored properly to preserve the fresh taste of the bean - air, moisture, heat, and light are all damaging to coffee beans. 

Coffee MIO’s roasted coffee is vacuum packed in packaging which contains a one-way valve. This valve allows gases to escape the packaging but prevents air from entering, thereby preserving the freshness of the bean. 

As a result of manufacturing and producing true Italian espresso coffee, Coffee MIO are the sole Australasian agents for the famous Gaggia Professional Line espresso machines which run in harmony with GAGGIA Espresso machines and, of course, create superb cups of coffee. 

original Coffee MIO logo

Nearly fifty years on, Coffee MIO continues to freshly roast blends of Arabica and Robusta coffee beans for Italian espresso machines. The resulting Coffee MIO cup is beautifully nuanced, perfectly balance, powerful and has a rich crema. 

Speaking with Frank and Lorraine, their commitment, passion and knowledge about coffee is obvious. They explain that their style of roasting is ʻin simpatiaʼ with ʻmade-in-Italyʼ espresso coffee machines. The result is Italian espresso coffee that has stood the tests of time, fashions, trends and fads.