Patch Café

Forged from co-founders Tom Davidson and Jacob Burke’s love of clean eating, Patch Café offers exciting brunch options and has earned its reputation as a weekend brunch mecca.

Situated within the heritage restoration of Studio 9 in Richmond Melbourne, Patch has successfully crafted an intimate, warm and inviting space with unpretentious simplicity at its core. 

The menu features paleo inspired food developed by executive chef Brett Tait.

As expected of any great Melbourne café, the coffee is excellent and poured by adept baristas.

Banana and almond hotcakes with house-made pistachio and cacao ice cream, paleo caramel and kiwi chunks

The hotcakes were a delicious paleo rendition of a breakfast favourite that amalgamates the best things in life (such as ice cream). Decadently delicious, the light hot cakes were drizzled with paleo caramel and adorned with refreshing house-made pistachio and cacao ice cream which went wonderfully with the slightly tart kiwi chunks.

Pan-seared barramundi served with roasted artichokes, asparagus and salsa verde

This dish was all about simple flavours and excellent execution. The skin of the barramundi was crisp and the flesh was delicate and moist. The warm salsa verde, roasted artichokes and asparagus complemented, rather than overpowered, the fish.

Chargrilled wagyu rump with braised Brussel sprouts, chilli, bacon and parsnip mash with a red wine jus

A light searing ensured that the wagyu rump was lined with a thin crisp layer packed with caramelised beef flavour.  The meat was intense with characteristic wagyu notes and a deep earthy richness. Coated with a luxurious red wine jus, the dish was very enjoyable to consume.

Patch Café also offers a wonderful selection of raw desserts created by certified nutrition coach Jayde Hwang.

Acai berry and blueberry lemon cheese cake (Raw, Vegan, Paleo)

As vegan as these sweets are, they were concocted without a single sacrifice to flavour. Every item was a wonderful vegan interpretation of the original. 

Raw Salted Caramel Slice (Raw, Vegan, Paleo)

Considering the sweet treats had to omit common ingredients like eggs or dairy products (think cheesecake without cheese) we were pleasantly surprised by how good these sweet treats tasted. While they were very different to their “original” counterparts, they were unique and delicious in their own right.

The perfect embodiment of a thriving Melbourne café, Patch was always going to be a success story and it is no surprise that it is drawing in the crowds week in week out with its consistently excellent food, fantastic coffee and cheerful wait staff. 

Location: 1/32 Bendigo St, Richmond VIC 3121

Phone: (03) 9029 0328

Link: http://patchcafe.com.au/, Facebook, Instagram
Cuisine: Modern Australian, Paleo, Vegan, Raw

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Patch Café.

Product Review: Forage Cereal + Forage Paleo

Gastrology bloggers received the product courtesy of Forage.

Forage is a breakfast brand which embraces deliciousness and health.

Filled with a perfect balance of protein, good fats, natural fibre and carbohydrates, Forage uses premium quality ingredients. The Forage breakfast range includes raw and organic ingredients to fuel your body the natural way and get you ready for the day ahead.

The Forage range also caters to a variety of dietary requirements and lifestyles as it is gluten free, low calorie, light on digestion, high in protein and encourages reduced carbohydrates/ low carb eating. 

Forage was named after the fact that in order for our ancestors to find healthy, wholesome and life giving food, they had to forage in nature. Now this search is available in convenient 500g and 1kg packages that need nothing more than milk and healthy taste buds.

Forage Cereal

Forage Cereal was the first of the Forage family to be created that now also includes Forage Porridge and Forage Bircher as well as newly released Forage Paleo.

Forage's original blend, the Forage Cereal is made up of a delicious mixture which includes Organic Puffed Brown Rice, Organic Puffed Millet, Organic Puffed Quinoa, Pumpkin Seeds, Almonds, Sunflower Seeds, Coconut and the sweet natural flavour of  Dried Cranberries. The mix is low in salt and a good source of protein and dietary fibre.

We loved the amalgamation of the various whole grains which sit alongside crunchy nuts and seeds and deliciously plump cranberries, finished with the delicious flavour of coconut.

Forage Paleo 

It’s the big word in the health industry at the moment, with more and more people moving their diets closer to what our ancestors used to eat with high protein, high fat foods. To get the day started in true Paleo style, Forage Cereals have unleashed the very first Paleo Cereal designed specifically to fit a true caveman diet.

Utterly delicious, Forage Paleo is made up of a delicious variety of healthy treats such as Sunflower Seeds, Almonds, Macadamia Nuts, Currants Pepitas, Dates, Pecan Nuts, Cranberries, and Coconut. This mix is low in carbs, sodium & a great source of protein and dietary fibre. We enjoyed the light nutty flavours of the various seeds and creamy coconut and macadamia nuts which are lifted with deep juicy Currants, Dates and Cranberries. 

Forage Paleo is the perfect answer for the person eating paleo-style and for the person eating a purely vegan lifestyle.  

Forage is a stunningly healthy and tasty range of breakfast foods ready to be unearthed and enjoyed. Learn more about Forage here.

"Food is Medicine" by Eat Fit Food @ The Grain Store

Gastrology attended the event courtesy of Eat Fit Food.

Eat Fit Food recently launched The Health Kit winter event this July where the topic was 'Food Is Medicine".

Gastrology was privileged to attend the Melbourne seminar where we heard from inspiring thought leaders within the health industry.

Whilst we all have daily access to natural medical resources, many of us don’t completely utilise them. At the evening, we learned how to use food as medicine and prevent winter bugs rather than cure them.

We particularly loved and enjoyed hearing from Dr Claire Campbell, a Vascular and Endovascular Surgeon who took us through how many diseases are preventable through a healthy diet and lifestyle. 

She explained that the concept that food as medicine is not a fad or an alternative state of mind, and that it was simply basic science. If your body is fed with what it needs, it will endeavour to heal itself to bring it back to homeostasis. 

The other two presenters were Restaurateur and Chef Mike McEnearney who shared his latest passion, his Physic Garden and Nutritionist and Naturopath Cassie Mendoza-Jones who spoke about nourishing the body and soul through nutrition.

After the presentation, guests indulged in wholesome foods and left with plenty of inspiration as well as a take home a collection of unique and tasty goodies to share with family and friends.

Under the guidance of Chef Ingo Meissner, The Grain Store offers a memorable dining experience that focuses on fresh and local produce. It was the perfect backdrop for discussing food and its health properties while enjoying the fresh, healthy and delicious food prepared.

Images courtesy of Lani Holmberg.

Eat Fit Food - delivering healthy delicious meals daily to your home or office

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Eat Fit Food.

A typical day in the life of Eat Fit Food

Eat Fit Food introduces nutritionally balanced meals which are delivered fresh daily to individuals and corporates in both Sydney and Melbourne with plans to expand nationwide in the near future.

The leaders in creating innovative, fresh meals from scratch, Eat Fit Food’s food philosophy is simple - eat flavoursome and nourishing wholefoods.

Founded by Bianca Monley in 2002, Eat Fit Food was set up out of a passionate belief of eating well – even for people with a busy schedule! 

We enjoyed our fresh and healthy meals consisting of delicious but lean chicken breasts, low gi pancakes served with yogurt and berries, a smoothie and delicious raw cacao balls. Each free of preservatives, artificial sweeteners, additives and chemicals. 

Eat Fit Food is more than just a delivery service, also educating customers about how easy it is to improve their lives through eating healthy.

Eat Fit Food offers a variety of programs for both men and women. They are designed to reset eating behaviours, digestive function and nutrient absorption. All programs will also improve vitality, health and nutrition.

Eat Fit Food has also recently launched The Health Kit. A series of seasonal, fun, educational events we will be hosting in both Sydney and Melbourne. They are designed to bring the community together and create a wellness ripple effect. Our next event is in July and the Topic is “Food is Medicine” – stay tuned for our review of the event!

For more information, please visit their website: www.eatfitfood.com.au.