Cafe Review: Clement Coffee Roasters

Location: Stall 89, Market St, South Melbourne
Phone: 0410 377 813
Link: clementcoffee.com
Cuisine: Coffee
Overall Impression: 7/10

Hipsters should hurry over to Clement before it becomes officially cool.

Long Macchiato

With coffee this good, it is no wonder that this incredibly tiny fit-out is quickly gaining momentum with its growing fan base.

My long macchiato was very well made with a thick layer of dense crema that had been slightly tainted with the perfect hint of milk foam, covering a deeply flavoured long coffee.

With staff as friendly as the one pictured above and the brilliant standard of coffee, I can assure you that this visit is certainly the first of many to come.

Review: Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio

Location: 647 Chapel Street, South Yarra,
Phone: 03 9827 7060
Link: burchandpurchese.com
Cuisine: Desserts/Ice Cream
Overall Impression: 6/10

We arrived at Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio (B&P) filled with excitement and anticipation. J and I had been looking forward to relaxing with cups of tea and some sweet treats. When we arrived, it became apparent that B&P was not at all what we had expected. B&P is not a "cafe" in any sense of the word but instead, as its name suggests, a sweet studio offering a spectacular array of sugary delights (including tubs of ice cream) to take away. Annoyed at myself for assuming it was a cafe, we decided to buy a couple of treats to take home and enjoy with a pot of earl grey I had blended myself courtesy of Mr. Twinnings.

J and I each picked a dessert (which was an arduous task given the tiers and tiers of endless selections on display). Our selections were carefully placed in a box and soon we were home-bound.

Smoked White Choc, Coffee, Aniseed, Lemon

Smoked white choc cream/ crunchy almond meringue/ coffee buttercream/ coffee sponge/ aniseed syrup/ brownie sponge/ lemon curd/ dehydrated choc rock

We both found the dessert as a whole a tad too sweet for our liking and the use of such a variety of flavours and textures slightly confusing. That said, I enjoyed each 'layer' individually very much, I just wasn't entirely convinced by the flavour combinations when eaten together. That said, this cake was incredibly complex. There were so many elements to this dessert and each element was executed perfectly.

Gin & Tonic

Gin & tonic jelly/ juniper berry crumb/ lime curd/ gin caviar/ lime jelly/ lime & white chocolate mousse/ brilliant white chocolate velvet spray/ lime streusel

Although again, just a touch too sweet for our flavour profile, we enjoyed this dessert. It looked spectacular in that clear cylindrical tube and each layer complemented the next. It truly encapsulated "gin & tonic" in the sweetest manner. And again each element was perfectly executed. The gin and tonic jelly was full of flavour and had a brilliant tanginess. The 'gin caviar' was perfectly cooked sago that had lovely flavours of gin immersed in it and the lime and white chocolate mousse brought a lovely calming balance to the aptly tang of the lime.

Darren Purchese's technical abilities, creativity and flair are clear for all to see in this lovely sweet studio. The flavour combinations are far from conventional and certainly pushes boundaries. The presentation of the sweets and the service is faultless. It is certainly worth a visit for anyone with a sweet tooth.

Restaurant Reviews: Pho Hung Vuong 2 | Thanh Phong

Pho Hung Vuong 2
Location: 150 Victoria Street, Richmond
Phone: 03 9428 8680
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Overall Impression: 7/10

Beef Pho

Pho Huong Vuong 2 is a little eatery along the Vietnamese food oasis, Victoria Street in Richmond. As a regular visitor, I have found their Beef Pho to be particularly impressive. The broth boasts rich and intense flavours and it is consistently served with generous slivers of tender beef.

Pork and prawn rice paper rolls

Chicken and beef pho

Although there are quite a few options for pho in the area there are a few things that ensure my repeated visit - the staff are warm and helpful, they offer three serving sizes for their pho (small, regular and large) and the use of fresh ingredients.

Thanh Phong
Location: 240 Victoria Street, Richmond
Phone: 03 9427 7429
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Overall Impression: 6.5/10

Very reasonably priced food and great variety. The Vietnamese pancakes are popular and well-made.

Restaurant Review: Dead Man Espresso

Location: 35 Market Street, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9686 2255
Link: deadmanespresso.com.au
Cuisine: Breakfast/Brunch, Coffee, Modern Australian
Overall Impression: 7/10

South Melbourne is quite the coffee paradise. You have St. Ali, Chez Dre and of course Dead Man Espresso.

J and I were there on a Saturday afternoon for lunch. Their usual lunch menu is replaced by an all-day breakfast one on weekends.

I haven’t had an eggy breakfast in a while so I was very egg-cited (sorry, I couldn’t help myself) to see that although it was well past 1pm, I could still get an egg-cellent (ok, that’s the last of it) meal.

I had beautifully poached free range eggs on toast and J had a chorizo, gruyere and guindilla pepper toastie.

Both were simple, straight to the point and enjoyable.

As expected the coffee was of a very high standard. Not surprising given they do pride themselves in sourcing top quality beans.

Dead Man Espresso is hardly dead. It is bustling, vibrant and perfect for a lazy afternoon over a good cup of coffee.

Highpoint has launched its fresh food market with a feast of free entertainment!

On Thursday 18 October, Highpoint Shopping Centre centre unveiled the much-anticipated first stage of its $300 million development: the launch of it’s new Fresh Food Market and Eco Mall.

Highpoint has been celebrating the launch with a week packed full of foodie entertainment including cooking demonstrations with renowned Melbourne chefs, food tours introducing Highpoint customers to the array of new retailers, foodie sample bags and lots of family entertainment. The celebrations continue until Wednesday, the 31st of October - so be quick!

EVENT:         Launch of Highpoint’s new Fresh Food Market & Eco Mall

WHAT:         Free cooking demonstrations, giveaways and family entertainment

WHERE:       Level 2, Fresh Food Market, Highpoint Shopping Centre

WHEN:         Until Wednesday, the 31st of October

J and I headed down to Highpoint to hunt down the ingredients we needed for our early Christmas celebration.

Highpoint Fruit & Vegetable Market

The Fresh Food Market includes a very large Woolworths and 15 speciality fresh food retailers including Highpoint Fruit and Vegetable Market, Melbourne Fresh Meats, Fish Pier, Yahweh Asian Grocery, Yes It’s Fresh Deli, Tasti D-Lite and more.

Apart from all the fresh produce and foodie delights, there is also a new Eco Mall that opened in conjunction with the fresh food precinct that features a range of children’s wear, services and general merchandise retailers including PharmaSave Pharmacy, Purebaby, Ollie’s Place, Chef King and Daiso.

J and I easily found everything we needed- from free range eggs at Yes It's Fresh Deli to Meredith Goats Cheese from Go Vita.

Our star ingredient, a 7.5kg turkey came from Melbourne Fresh Meats.

Melbourne Fresh Meats

Jasper Coffee

After ticking all the items off our ingredients list, we had a relaxing coffee at Jasper (also located in the Fresh Food Market).

And we were ready to start cooking!

Restaurant Review: Pei Modern (Bar)

Location: 45 Collins Street, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9654 8545
Link: peimodern.com.au
Cuisine:Coffee, Breakfast/Brunch, Modern Australian
Overall Impression: 7/10

Only 19 more sleeps until I finally dine at Mark Best’s Marque in Sydney. My excitement levels have raised quite a few notches now that I have had a quick taste of what the culinary genius Mark Best has to offer in the form of Pei Modern. 

After our S.A.T.C. lunch at Mamasita, KM, BB, Alice and I decided we needed some coffee and sweet treats. Pei Modern is conveniently located a mere seconds away from Mamasita, so we decided to get our caffeine and sugar fix there.

The result of a collaboration between Mark Best and the two MoViDa men, David Mackintosh and Peter Bartholomew, Pei Modern is a modern gastropub with a relaxed and modern ambience. The curved timber ceiling and the minimalistic designs make this space both comfortable and elegant. 

 

Sauternes Custard and Crostoli

Blueberry Danish

Caramel Slice

Anzac cookie

Latte

Soy Latte

Long Macchiato

 

 

What we received was brilliant service, top notch coffee and lovely sweet treats. The Sauternes Custard and Crostoli was the highlight of our visit. The custard was silky smooth and had the perfect level of sweetness from the bitter caramel and the crostoli was beautifully crisp. I cannot wait for a return visit to indulge in the restaurant menu.

Restaurant Review: Mamak

Location: 366 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9670 3137
Link: mamak.com.au
Cuisine: Malaysian
Overall Impression: 7/10

From the same people behind Mamak in Sydney (Chatswood and Chinatown), Mamak Melbourne is finally here.

Waiting in line filled with anticipation, I peer through the glass window where the cooks are on display stretching the glossy roti dough.

The menu boasts a good variety of Malaysian hawker style dishes.

Roti Telur (egg roti)

Roti Canai (the original roti)

Ayam Berempah (bite-size chicken pieces stir-fried with whole spices)

Nasi Lemak dengan sambal udang (coconut rice accompanied by sambal, peanuts, crispy anchovies, cucumber, hard-boiled egg and sambal prawn).

Roti kaya (roti filled with a traditional spread made from pandan and coconut)

Cendol (Starch noodles made from fresh pandan leaves, with gula-melaka syrup, coconut milk and shaved ice)

Roti pisang (roti filled with freshly sliced bananas)

We were all very impressed with the quality of the offerings. Every dish tasted incredibly authentic. As expected, the roti was expertly prepared - beautifully crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Our taste buds had been transported to the streets of Kuala Lumpur! We cannot wait to return.

 



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.

Restaurant Review: Tai Pan

Location: 239 Blackburn Road, Doncaster
Phone: 03 9841 9977
Link: taipanrestaurant.com.au
Cuisine:  Chinese, Yum Cha
Overall Impression: 7/10

Tai Pan Restaurant is my favourite place for Yum Cha. They dish up a brilliant array of Hong Kong Stlye Yum Cha items including all-time favourites like Har Gow and Sieu Mai. Satisfying locals in the Eastern suburbs for almost 20 years, I'm glad to say that the quality of their offerings is as high as ever.

Their delicious dim sums are beautifully made and are always packed full of flavour, generous and fresh. 

While you certainly pay a slight premium on the Yum Cha items at Tai Pan, it is certainly worth the extra dollars. The service is of a consistently good standard and it is certainly serves a brilliant Yum Cha.

Cafe Review: Xocolatl Artisan Chocolates and Cafe

Location: 11 Strathalbyn Street, Kew East and 123 Maling Road, Cantebury
Phone: 03 9857 0971 and 03 9836 3100
Link: http://www.xocolatl.com.au/
Cuisine: Desserts, Coffee
Overall Impression: 6.5/10

Xocolatl (pronounced SHO-ko-la-TL) Artisan Chocolates and Cafe is a cosy eatery dedicated to the cacao bean. 

Long macchiato

Their indulgent handcrafted chocolates are unique and a joy to eat. 

Chocolate and caramel slice

They is a lovely range of desserts, chocolates and drinks on the menu (many of which are naturally gluten free) that will satisfy any chocoholic or sweet tooth! 

Walnut tart

Chilli hot chocolate

The ambience is lovely and elegant and the service is friendly which makes this beautiful little café a wonderful place for a lazy Sunday afternoon over some sweet treats.

  

Restaurant Review: Maha Restaurant

Location: 21 Bond Street, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9629 5900
Link: mahabg.com.au 
Cuisine: Middle Eastern, Mediterranean
Overall Impression: 8/10

L loves Middle Eastern food, so during our recent lunch catch up, I suggested Maha. 

 

Maha serves Mediterranean inspired Middle Eastern cuisine that boasts bold flavour combinations that retain authentic characteristics.

The ambience is great. There is a distinct ‘Arabian night’ theme in the furnishings and fabrics used and it makes the whole dining experience a little mysterious.

Having dined at the restaurant a couple of years ago and really enjoying the experience, I was excited to try their bar menu.

 

I decided to email the restaurant about the bar express soufra. I received a prompt reply from the very helpful Reservation Coordinator, Sian who kindly provided me with details in relation to the soufra. I was also informed that the restaurant was currently a part of the Look, Stop, Taste event.

 

The Maha offering (which was priced at a bargain $15 per person) was designed to be a quick 45 minute lunch. I promptly made a booking as the menu was absolutely perfect given our time constraints. 

2011 Wanderer Rose from the Yarra Valley

 

To our delight, the menu did not disappoint!

Turkish bread

Corn fed chicken tagine, broken egg, corn bread, saffron, iranian figs, sucuk soil 

 

We each had the corn fed chicken tagine, broken egg, corn bread, saffron, Iranian figs, sucuk soil. We both expected the tagine to arrive to the table served in a tagine pot, with its conical cover. Instead, what we received was a beautiful work of art that looked nothing like what we had expected.

The dish was delicious.

 

Owner and chef, Shane Delia’s background in classical French cuisine is apparent in the technicality of the dish. The morsels of chicken were butter-tender. The tagine had deep and complex flavours from the use of spices. The grittiness of the corn bread brought an interesting textural element to the dish and was an excellent canvas for the delectable chicken and the sauce. The Iranian figs brought the right hint of sweetness and the dehydrated sucuk (which is a traditional Turkish sausage) added a lovely savouriness to the dish. It was a beautiful.

Hot Chocolate

The meal ended on a sweet note with a very tall glass of hot chocolate.

 

Whether you’re at Maha for a quick lunch at the bar or an indulgent 8 course degustation at the restaurant, you will be well taken care of. The service we received was outstanding. Every staff member was incredibly hospitable and accommodating. Maha is certainly deserving of all the accolades it has received.

Restaurant Review: Cutler & Co

Location: 57 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy
Phone: 03 9419 4888
Link: cutlerandco.com.au
Cuisine: Modern Australian, Wine Bar, International
Overall Impression: 8.5/10

 

Awarded the best restaurant in Victoria by Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide 2013, Andrew McConnell's flagship restaurant, Cutler & Co, showcases perfectly executed Modern Australian fare.

The restaurant is surprisingly relaxed for a fine dining establishment. Forget the white table cloths; the ambience is much more like a trendy bar with its brick-exposed walls and soft curtain-like chandeliers hanging down from the high ceilings.

J and I decided to reward ourselves with the degustation menu. This option will set you back $150 per person (excluding wine and the additional cheese course).

Selection of appetisers   

Oyster broth, Hervey Bay scallop, king brown mushroom & wild garlic 

Hand-picked mud crab, buttermilk potato, almond & brown butter 

Hay baked carrots, goats curd, toasted grains & ash 

Smoked & fried duck, morcilla, carrot & gingerbread 

Roasted suckling pig, mustard, kohlrabi & onion soubise 

Apple & sorrel sorbet, fennel meringue & dill 

Earl Grey ice cream, chocolate, Pedro Ximenez prunes & honey

Salted caramel chocolates 

The Cutler & Co menu is unpretentious.

The food boasts tried and true flavour combinations that work a treat and are perfectly executed. Every dish had very well-balanced flavours and was presented beautifully. Course after course, our taste buds were spoiled with bursts of delicious flavours. It was obvious that the quality of the food sourced was of the highest standard. The Hervey Bay scallop was of particular note with its natural sweetness which paired harmoniously with an oyster broth that had just the right hint of mushroom and garlic flavour (anymore and it would have over-powered the sweetness of those fresh scallops).

Cutler & Co certainly affords a brilliant dining experience for patrons. The space is elegantly relaxed with brilliant attention to detail. Each element of every course was consistently cooked to perfection - the pork crackling was beautifully crisp, the unctuous smoked and fried duck was moist and tender. As expected, the service was brilliant. J and I both felt incredibly welcomed and comfortable. Our wine glasses were consistently filled and our courses were delivered at perfect intervals. We cannot wait to return.

Restaurant Review: St Katherine's

Location: 26 Cotham Road, Kew

Phone: 03 9207 7477

Link: www.stkatherines.com.au

Cuisine: Modern Greek, Turkish, Mediterranean

Overall Impression: 7.5/10

Headed by acclaimed chefs George Calombaris (GC) and Shane Delia, St Katherine’s is a celebration of their individual family histories and culture on a plate. 

Embracing a sense of community and family is the sharing style menu that features a fusion between Modern Greek, Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine. 

Sitting in St Katherine’s you notice the chefs on display at the far end of the dining area. The Turkish grill, fourteen spike rotisserie and the wood fired ovens are blazing and you get the sense that you’re in for a treat. 

There are several dining options at St Katherine’s. Having tasted “The Ultimate” dinner option of four courses worth of wonderful food for a reasonable $73 per person at the start of the year, M, D and I were curious to see what would be on offer for the bargain 2 course ‘Xpress’ lunch that is a mere $19.50 per person. 

First Course

Our first course consisted of a couple of dips, freshly baked Turkish bread (served in a paper bag), lovely braised calamari and a ground lamb pide. 

Braised local calamari tomato, garlic, chilli, lemon thyme & almond crumbs

A selection of dips

Pide - ground lamb, tomato, garlic, parsley, Aleppo pepper, lemon

Turkish bread

Second course

For our second course we received a perfectly grilled salmon, slow roasted rotisserie chicken and rice pilaf. 

Grilled salmon

"Off the rotisserie" slow roasted free range chicken

Rice pilaf mushrooms, tarragon, hazelnuts

What is certain is this – you can never leave a GC establishment hungry! Even with the Xpress lunch option, we were very well fed. We found the food flavoursome, healthy and fresh. Whilst hardly revolutionary, the flavour combinations were tried and true - they simply worked. St Katherine’s Xpress lunch is certainly one of the best value lunches Melbourne has to offer.

Event: Unplugged at Touché Hombre

Touché Hombre will be supporting local artists every night this week when it hosts its second series of Unplugged.

 

At Unplugged, guests can enjoy tacos, tequila and tunes every night this week with intimate performances from artists including The Psyde Projects, Jess Young Trio as well as The Tom Showtime Trio featuring well known MC N’Fa Jones. N’Fa has had recent success with his latest hit ‘March On’ which is being played by top radio stations nationally, so this is a fantastic opportunity for guests to hear him perform up close and personal as well as the rest of the great line up.
 

The free events will kick off this week at Touché Hombre and run from 7:00pm (Monday - Thursday) and 8:00pm (Friday and Saturday) until late.

Restaurant Review: Prime House

Location: Shop 5a, 500 Bourke Street, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9602 2955
Link: primehouse.com.au
Cuisine: Steakhouse, Breakfast/Brunch, Burgers
Overall Impression: 6.5/10

Once upon a time, EARL Canteen was *the* purveyor of gourmet sandwiches on the 500 Bourke Street turf. Their complete reign has now come to an end with (relatively) new kid on the block, Prime House.

 

It was Scotty’s second last day in my building so we all headed out together to catch up for the very last time at Prime House.

Although they are located side by side, the concepts behind EARL Canteen and Prime House are completely different. EARL focuses on delicate flavours and beautiful harmonious pairings whereas at Prime House, it is all about the beef and American-style rich, bold and spicy flavours.

The main downside to Prime House is the lack of seating. The tiny dining area has merely one large communal table and a few stools along the front window. There are some tables and chairs directly outside the restaurant but these are often occupied during the weekday lunch hour.

Prime House pork & crackle bun $9.50

16 hour slow roast free range Pork, House Coleslaw, Gravy & Crackling

Given the lack of seating available, take away is a hot option. The take away Prime House Hot Rolls are a very reasonable $9.50* with items such as the popular Pork & Crackle Bun, Hot Chicken Roll and my personal favourite, the Hot Roast Beef Roll which is served with deliciously caramelised onions, baby spinach and a creamy blue cheese mayonnaise and luscious gravy. 

The Pork & Crackle Bun received Scotty’s tick of approval!

Apart from being a good steakhouse, Prime House is also a great lunchtime option – just be prepared to do a bit of waiting if you want to dine-in.

Scotty – All the best in Canada! You will be missed!

*The Rolls will cost you an extra $3 if you decide to dine-in or sit at one of the tables outside the restaurant.

Restaurant Review: City Quarter

Location: Level 1, Cunningham Pier, 10 Western Beach Foreshore Road, Geelong
Phone: 03 5222 6233
Link: thecityquarter.com.au
Cuisine: Tapas, Coffee, Pizza
Overall Impression: 7/10

A mere couple of hundred metres from Corio Bay, this waterfront bar boasts stunning views of the sea and the Geelong city skyline. 

The fit out is modern with white walls, low lighting and wooden furnishings.

 

The menu boasts an array of gourmet pizzas and worldly inspired tapas.

Classic Margherita, Rich Napoli, oregano and cheese pizza    

Known for their delicious pizzas, the City Quarter pizza has a thick crust much like the typical pan pizza or Chicago-style pizza. Each pizza crust was perfectly crisp on the outside, moist on the inside and on the right side of chewy. 

Left: Roasted pumpkin, basil pesto, bocconcini, blistered cherry tomato pizza

Right: Lamb, semi dried tomato, roasted onion, herbs, tzatziki and cheese pizza

Like the delicious crust, the toppings also did not disappoint! From the Classic Margherita to the decadent Middle Eastern inspired Lamb and tzatziki pizzas, we were pleased with the flavour combinations and the use of fresh ingredients.

Roast pork, BBQ sauce, caramelised onions and roasted capsicum pizza  

     

   Prawn, garlic, spinach, fetta and chilli oil pizza

My favourite pizza was the prawn, garlic, spinach, fetta and chilli oil pizza. The prawns were cooked to perfection. They were large, juicy and fresh. Amply seasoned, the pizza had a beautiful aroma and had an intensely rich flavour of garlic and herbs.   

 

City Quarter also serves lovely cocktails, premium beers, spirits and boasts an impressive wine list.

City Quarter is a Geelong gem. It is an elegant bar that is great for large groups (given the wide dining area). The staff are accommodating and have a genuine focus on customer care. I cannot wait to return for more of their impressive pizzas.

Event: Kitchen Garden Workshops for foodies with green thumbs!

Melbourne Central Launches Urban Gardening Workshops

This month treat  your green thumb and sign  up for Melbourne Central’s Community  Kitchen  Garden  Workshops  held  during  Kitchen  Garden  Week  (24-28  September) and experience the art of inner city living gardening.

Learn how to create your own thriving kitchen garden in an urban environment with the experts from Fitzroy Nursery who will provide valuable tips and advice to an intimate group of budding gardeners.  As part of the class, participants will choose a range of seasonal herbs to plant in their very own herb planter box valued over $36 and will walk away with a range of spring kitchen garden recipes which are set to inspire this season.  

What:              Melbourne Central’s Community Kitchen Garden Workshops

When:             Wednesday 26 September 12.30pm – 2.30pm

Thursday 27 September 12.30pm – 2.30pm

Where:             Melbourne Central Community Kitchen Garden, Level 2

Bookings Essential:    Workshops are open to the first 60 people to register. 

Groups are limited to 30 people per class. 

Sign up at http://www.melbournecentral.com.au/

 

Cafe Review: BrimCC Organic Soup and Japanese cafe

Location:601 Little Collins Sreet,  Melbourne

Phone: 03 9614 5316

Link: brimcc.com.au

Cuisine: Japanese, Organic, Soups

Overall Impression: 7/10

Oddly named “BrimCC”, we were told by the smiling staff that “Brim” comes from their soup cups always being filled to the brim which leads to customer happiness and “CC” varies in meaning depending on the seasons. In winter, “CC” stands for Chunky and Cosy and in summer, “CC” stands for Cool and Colourful.

Advocates of organic produce, BrimCC have led the way for a healthy focus on organic eats whilst sticking to their Japanese tradition.

Beef and curry rice

The service is sincere and although the queues are long, the wait is always kept to a minimum with staff member that works with Germanic efficiency.  

Vegetarian Cauliflower soup

The café originally only served soups and sushi rolls but the menu has now expanded to include a larger range of Japanese delights. 

BrimCC is a lovely venue for a casual lunch that is deliciously organic, hearty and healthy.

Cafe Review: Cacao Fine Chocolates & Patisserie

Location: Various (see below)
Phone: 03 8598 9555
Link: cacao.com.au
Cuisine: French
Overall Impression: 6.5/10

Cacao Fine Chocolates & Patisserie is a reputable patisserie that serves chocolates, cakes, pastries and award-winning macarons. The coffee served is also of a high standard which is brilliant given how coffee and sweet delights go hand in hand. Cacao has 4 retail stores scattered around Melbourne.

I always enjoy visiting Cacao. The stores are always a tempting sight - endowed with beautifully arranged chocolates of different shapes and sizes. The wide selections of chocolates are difficult to go past!

Apart from indulging in their popular macarons, J and I enjoy having our coffees with their delicious cakes and pastries. On this occasion we settled on a beautiful aniseed and Belgium chocolate ganache cake with a flaky blueberry Danish. Cacao is certainly a great spot for a chocolate and/or caffeine fix.

The Cellar Bar (Grossi Florentino)

Location: 80 Bourke Street, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9662 1811
Link: http://www.grossiflorentino.com/grossi-florentino/the-cellar-bar.aspx
Cuisine: Italian
Overall Impression: 6.5/10

Want some Grossi style Italian lovin' without the hefty price tag? The Cellar Bar is a brilliant spot for post-dinner coffees and cakes. They have a good selection of desserts, serve consistently good coffee and it is always nice to indulge in one of their decadent hot chocolates.

Lemon Tart

Tiramisu

Ricotta cake

Hot Chocolate

I can never go past their ricotta cheesecake - wonderfully moist with a heavenly touch of diced orange peel and cherries.  The only downside is the inconsistent service. It can range from brilliant to down right rude which is a real pity.