‘The Venetian Connection’ - Royal Saxon Celebrates The Spring Graze

Royal Saxon heralds the arrival of Spring with ‘The Venetian Connection’; a three course seasonal dinner inspired by the Italian region of Veneto. As part of the ‘Put Victoria on Your Table’ Spring Graze campaign, new Head Chef Simone Righetto has patriotically divulged a menu embracing the flavours from his hometown, showcasing the very best Victorian Spring produce. 

Venetian cuisine is often said to be one of the finest cuisines in Italy because it features a unique blend of ingredients and influences from all around the world.

For entrée, Simone will deliver Venetian style sweet and sour sardines, otherwise known as ‘Sarde in Saor’. For main, you can expect the classic Venetian dish called ‘Risi e bisi’, which simply means rice and peas, followed by a Gippsland lamb rack with herb crust, green asparagus, basil pesto and cherry tomatoes. To finish, enjoy a selection of hand crafted traditional Venetian petit fours.

The Venetian Connection will take place on Wednesday 18th September and tickets are priced at $50 per person. Also in celebration of the Spring Graze campaign, Royal Saxon will offer a produce driven Spring Graze lunch menu every to Monday – Friday. The Spring Graze lunch menu will feature a selection of rustic Italian style pastas or pizzas with a glass of King Valley Sangiovese Shiraz or Pinot Grigio, for $15.

For tickets contact: 

Royal Saxon 

P: (03) 9429 5277 

E: info@royalsaxon.com 

Restaurant Review: Roll'd

Location: various
Link: http://www.rolld.com.au/
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Overall Impression: 7/10

Roll’d is introducing Melbourne to Vietnamese-style fresh eating. The menu has an emphasis on creating fresh, healthy and delicious options and features popular items such as their Roll’d Soldiers, The B, Mr Bun Mee and  Uncle Pho.

Classique Vietnamese salad 
a classic vietnamese salad served with crab crackers

Roll’d offerings are delicious and are all served in a blink of an eye. Don’t let the long lines fool you. The Roll’d team knows you’d rather spend your time eating than waiting in line – so they do what they do, FAST.

The B. 

Traditional noodle salad with your choice of core ingredient, topped with salad incl. pickled  carrot, shredded lettuce, cucumber, a sprinkle of fried shallots & mixed herbs - all finished with a generous helping of the trad. Vietnamese dressing. 

Roll'd soldiers

rice paper rolls. handmade daily, incl. cucumber, mint,fried shallots, vermicelli, coriander

Uncle Pho 

bowl of homemade noodle soup

 Mr. Bun Mee 

the traditional street-vendor vietnamese-french baguette with pate & mama ly’s mayonnaise

From a small hawker-style Vietnamese eatery in a Goldsbrough Lane in Melbourne’s CBD, Roll’d now has a total of 6 outlets. Constant experimentation with new flavour combinations in their Oakleigh base kitchen ensures that Roll’d continues to offer a menu which evolves with consumer tastes.

 

A round up of this month's hottest foodie news

The Lunch Room

The Lunch Room launched on 30 July 2013 at 727 Collins Street and brings to Melbourne a brand new food destination. Designed by collaboration between blackmilk interior design and Walker Corporation, The Lunch Room looks like a restaurant, but serves honest to goodness sandwiches, freshly rolled sushi, salsas and more. 

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 and brilliant coffee), 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. 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.

***

Gazi has well and truly arrived. The site has been turned on its head and revamped. Gazi is an opportunity to experience an entirely different side of Greek cuisine. The new restaurant offers earthy, Athenian ‘Street’ food partnered with exciting and experimental cocktails and spirits. For lovers of The Press Club, do not fear, it will reemerge in the site once occupied by Little Press. 

***


Acland St Cantina 

Much loved Acland Street Cantina is now open for lunch over the weekends. Saturday and Sunday are the perfect days for enjoying tacos, The Cubano Sandwich and churros. A cheeky beer or wine will go along nicely as well.

***

The Cellar Bar is now open below the streets of St Kilda. With booths, bottle service, cocktails  and music for grown ups, this is the perfect place for anything from an afterwork drink, to a cocktail party. 

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Spins, Spits and Swallows @ Royal Saxon

Lazy Sundays at Royal Saxon are now even more alluring with the launch of Spins, Spits and Swallows. Every Sunday from 12 pm to 8 pm in July and August, the Royal Saxon serves up succulent suckling pig pannini from the courtyard spit and a special 2 course, Sunday Spit Roast set menu on top of their delicious a la carte menu.

***

Hellenic Feast-To-Go

Hellenic Republic now has a new take-away feasting option - brilliant for a cold winter’s night. The "Hellenic Feast-To-Go" is only $49 for four people which means you'll get to enjoy some  classic Greek comfort food in the comfort of your own home and still have something left for the piggy bank.

***

Touche Hombre Electrica

Davis Yu has officially launched Touché Hombre Eléctrica following the success of Melbourne CBD Mexican restaurant Touché Hombre, bringing his Mexican street food culture concept to Claremont Street South Yarra. Touché Hombre Eléctrica has brought its sister’s party vibe and street art style into South Yarra, mixed with it’s own soul of fresh cantina style dishes by head chef Sean Judd.

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Get into Truffle @ Circa

What better place to celebrate truffle season than at Circa. During lunch times on Saturday and all day Sunday in August, Circa is offering a five course menu featuring the earthy and exotic, ever desirable truffle. At the exceptional price of $65 per head, each course designed by Paul Wilson will showcase the precious ingredient’s versatility, highlighting its unrivalled ability to enhance the flavours of Circa’s best sourced, local and seasonal ingredients. 

***

Melbourne's hottest food hub

The much anticipated Adriano Zumbo is set to open its latest patisserie on north Chapel Street next month, cementing South Yarra as Melbourne’s hottest new food destination. Bolstering the ever-growing epicurean landscape of North Chapel Street and South Yarra, Zumbo will join the likes of Spoonbill at The Olsen, Miss Chu, George Calombaris’s Muma Buba, Baby, Claremont Tonic, Top Paddock and Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio. 

Date with Helados Jauja (ice cream appreciation masterclass)

Location: 254 Lygon Street, Carlton
Phone: 03 9041 2927
Link: http://www.heladosjauja.com.au/
Cuisine: Desserts/Ice Cream, Latin American, Breakfast/Brunch
Overall Impression: 8.5/10

Helados ‘Jauja' (pronounced “hkow-hka”) is winning Melbourne over one scoop at a time by serving delicious, authentic and unique artisan ice creams and sorbets - all meticulously handmade using real ingredients. That means no artificial flavouring, colouring, or gelatine.

Gastrology bloggers went on an amazing ‘Date with Jauja’ where we were spoiled with samples of 26 flavours (with plenty of seconds), a triple scoop ice cream cone and a regular pack of our choice of flavours to take home. 

On top of being an indulgent afternoon filled with the most decadent and delightful icecreams, we were taken on a journey where we heard how ice cream is made and better understood the process and philosophy behind Helados Jauja and why their ice creams are so special. 

At Helados Jauja, every detail counts. Take their black sesame ice cream for example which requires an arduous three days to prepare. No effort is spared to make each flavour and ice cream the best it can be.  

In terms of flavours, Helados Jauja stocks 24 flavours on site on any given day. Some of the flavours may change from time to time but we have been promised that you will always have 24 flavours waiting for you. 

The flavours range from traditional lemon sorbets to durian ice cream and even an exotic Yerba Mate which is an Argentinian tea. And staying true to its Argentinian roots, there are 3 dulce de leche flavours that are permanently on the menu. 

For chocolate lovers, Helados Jauja's Cocoa Decadence is chocolate heaven and made with 80 per cent pure cocoa extracts - luxurious and decadent. The Dark Side is another one that will please any chocolate lover and was our favourite chocolate flavour as we loved its lighter texture and its clean, bittersweet chocolate flavour. 

From the flavours we tasted at the masterclass, our favourites included the Mango sorbet, Durian (strictly for Durian lovers ONLY), Yerba Mate and the Walnut dulce de leche. 

Helados Jauja’s ice-cream is all about perfecting the basics. The quality ingredients matched with hard work means the results speak for themselves - texturely perfect ice creams with beautiful flavour combinations. The passion for artistic expression using quality ingredients can be tasted in their ice cream. Each flavour is made with love, dedication and artisanship.

Go on a date with Helados Jauja! 

For the $50 ticket price, your date includes a sample of all 24 flavours, a triple scoop ice cream cone and a regular pack of your choice of flavours to take home.

Gastrology bloggers attended the ice cream appreciation masterclass courtesy of Helados Jauja

Blog Giveaway: Hairy Lemon Energy Packs

Need something to help you recover? Recover with HAIRY LEMON! 

Gastrology has teamed up with Hairy Lemon to give away 2 x Hairy Lemon Energy Packs to two of our lucky readers. These awesome packs are valued at $50 each and include Hairy Lemon along with some other 'recovery essentials' (sunnies, headphones, lip balm, water). 

Hairy Lemon helps to optimise energy levels, and aid in the recovery process. It's packed full of good stuff, such as B-group vitamins and Vitamin C, plus Guarana, Ginseng and Biotin to help you recover from those big days and nights! Hairy Lemon is an ideal formulation for those who feel tired due to a hectic lifestyle. Gluten and Lactose-free, Hairy Lemon also contains no artificial colouring. Dissolve one or two tablets daily in a cool drink of water to help you recover when you need to most.

How to enter 

All you have to do, is: 

1. Follow us on twitter (if you have not already) 
2. Send us an email answering “What is your favourite underrated restaurant and why?” 

The best 2 entries, as judged by the Gastrology team, will each win a Hairy Lemon pack!

The competition will run from Wednesday the 7th August 2013 to 8:00pm Friday 30th August 2013 (winner to be announced on this post and Twitter on Saturday 31st August 2013). 

The fine print: 

Only entries made using a valid email address are eligible. Your email address will not be published. This competition is a game is of skill not chance. This giveaway is open to readers in Australia only. Prize is not transferable or exchangeable or redeemable for cash. The Promoter is not responsible for prizes once they have been dispatched to the winner. The image of the prize is purely representative and the actual prize is subject to change. 

******

[31/08/2013] Announcement: Winners of the Blog Giveaway: Hairy Lemon Energy Packs 

Thank you to everyone who entered!

The 2 winners are…


H. Khoo with the following entry:

“My favourite underrated restaurant is Brother Burger and The Marvellous Brew in Fitzroy. Their name says it all - burgers and beer. There are 5 burgers to choose from, cooked how you'd like, and plenty of sides and options for those who don't feel like a juicy meat patty between freshly made buns. My go to meal is the Royal Blue burger with added jalapenos to give it a bit of kick, and a side of beer battered onion rings. All washed down with one or more of the wide range of beers they have on offer. The service is great and they're always friendly.” 

 J. Cresp with the following entry:

 “I'd like to nominate Gami Chicken & Beer (http://www.gamichicken.com.au/) as my favourite underrated restaurant.  

Move over KFC, there is now a new meaning to the phrase 'GFC': Gami Fried Chicken!
Situated in three strategic locations throughout Melbourne's CBD, this Korean establishment follows the KISS principle for the menu, delivering one thing and one thing only: delicious morsels of deep-fried poultry. Added with a range of amazing dipping sauces available (original, sweet chilli, sweet soy garlic and spicy sauce), your tongue will be quivering with pleasure!  

And what better way to wash down the chicken than with a novelty-sized barrel of ice-cold beer, served directly to your table to pour at your own leisure?  

Change my name to shovel, because I'm digging Gami Chicken & Beer! 9.5 drumsticks out of 10.” 

 

… Congratulations, the winners will be contacted via email.

Competition Now Closed. 

Upcoming Event: Oyster Frenzy #8 @ Albert Park Hotel

Missed out on Oyster Frenzy #7? Here is your second chance... Oyster Frenzy #8 is here!

Prepare for a crab smash and oyster bash as the Albert Park Hotel's famous Oyster Frenzy gets crabby.

The 8th sequel of this anticipated event will see Melbourne's seafood enthusiasts converge on the Albert Park Hotel on Thursday 22nd August to celebrate Australia's best oyster varieties in all their briny glory and the birth of a new crab shack. Albert Park Hotel's team of shuckers will have their tools poised and ready as 300 oyster loving maniacs attempt to break records, with 11,740 the number beat.

Tickets are priced at $75 each and include UNLIMITED oysters, a glass of Moet on arrival, seafood canapés including soft shell and blue swimmer crab, unlimited champagne, wine and boutique beer.

Price: $75.00
Phone: (03) 9690 5459
Book tickets!

Launch of HERE WE GROW Pop Up Cinema @ OST Bar Diner

The HERE WE GROW Pop Up Cinema launched on Bridge Rd on Friday the 2nd of August at OST Bar Diner.

Adam Bandt (Federal Member for Melbourne) speaking at the launch event 

Iconic Bridge Rd is experiencing a period of intense change and transition with new developments going up, traders moving in and on, and innovations - such as online shopping. ‘HERE WE GROW’ is a campaign which aims to highlight the opportunities for growth that currently exist on Bridge Rd Shopping. 

Hershel Landes (President of Bridge Rd Traders) speaking at the launch event 

The HERE WE GROW Pop Up Cinema celebrates Bridge Rd's delicious 'foodie' culture by showcasing three great films, served up with some delicious 'wine and dine' offers for local restaurants. With the help of Bridge Rd Traders, Yarra City Council and PopUnion, the Richmond Town Hall will be transformed into a Pop Up Cinema for three Friday evenings in August. 

Adam Bandt and Jackie Fristacky Mayor of Richmond 

The next Pop Up Cinema is on Friday 9th of August and will be screening Chocolat, a romantic film based on the novel of the same name, authored by Joanne Harris.

You can find out more about what's growing and what’s popping at bridgerd.com.au.

 

Images courtesy of PopUnion

Artini Series 1 Launch @ Circa

Gastrology bloggers attended the launch of Circa’s Artini series last night. The event was a treat for all the senses.

Guests indulged in cocktails from award winning mixologist Naren Young, tasted canapés designed by chefs Stephen Burke and Jake Nicolson and enjoyed art by Misha Hollenbach from Utopian Slumps. 

The Naren Young cocktails that were served included an Upside Down Dirty Gibson (Dry vermouth, Tanqueray 10, onion brine, lemon bitters and pickled onion) and Vesper Rose (Vodka, Rose vermouth, Peychaud's bitters and rosewater). Both were skilfully composed.

As expected from an event catered by Circa, the canapés were simply stunning - highlights included the crispy soft shell crab bao with kimchi slaw and robata grilled octopus yakitori with black garlic and miso.

Images courtesy of Anthony Licuria of APL Photography.

Restaurant Review: Pok Pok

Location: 803 Bourke Street, Docklands
Phone: 03 9620 4580
Link: http://www.pokpok.com.au/
Cuisine: Thai, Breakfast
Overall Impression: 6.5/10

Pok Pok is part of the plethora of Mod Thai restaurants to hit Melbourne in recent times. In its short existence, it has firmly entrenched itself in the stable of busy restaurants in the area.

Pok Pok presents diners with a menu filled with an array of delectable options such as Twice Cooked Pork Hock braised in five-spice broth; Roasted Duck with sweet pineapple, lychee, cherry tomato and cherry eggplant; and Jungle Curry containing shimeji mushroom, baby corn, cherry eggplant, sugar snap peas and young peppercorn. 

Green Chicken Curry with Japanese Somen Noodles 

Southern Style Muslim Chicken rice “Khao Mok Gai” 

The Southern Style Muslim Chicken rice was very pleasant. The chicken pieces were nicely caramelised and tender. Unfortunately, the chicken was a touch under-seasoned. It was nonetheless an enjoyable dish. 

Thai Favourites’ Stir Fried Chilli Basil Chicken with Fried Egg “Krapow Gai Kai Dow”

I tasted a mouthful of the Stir Fried Chilli Basil Chicken and found it similarly enjoyable. The dish was an aromatic, playful mix of ingredients. The rich chicken mince contrasted beautifully with the crunchiness of the snake beans and the fragrance of the basil and coriander. 

 Left: Stir Fried Assorted Asian Greens with Steamed Rice

Right: Massaman Lamb Curry with Crisp Roti Bread 

The Pok Pok menu’s pièce de résistance, the massaman lamb curry with crisp roti bread, was enjoyable. Although the lamb suffered from being marginally dry, the dish was enjoyable for its robust and fragrant massaman curry sauce. Together with freshly cooked roti bread, it was an addictive and comforting dish - particularly for an unseasonably cold Melbourne afternoon. 

Pok Pok does have its faults but on the whole, the offerings at Pok Pok are tasty, fresh and very reasonable priced. 

Dawn to Dusk @ ASC

Location: 2 Acland Street, St Kilda

Phone: (03) 9536 1175
Link: www.aclandstcantina.com.au
Cuisine: Mexican
Overall Impression: 9/10

From the early hours of the morning, to the wee hours of the night (and everything in between) Acland Street Cantina is always open and serving up quality Mexican fare. Because of this, Acland Street Cantina has become a bit of a "local" for us.

Despite visiting many cafes and restaurants over the years, Gastrology bloggers have rarely found a place where you can get an early morning breakfast, a lazy brunch, a delicious lunch, a spicy dinner,  or late night munchies all from the same place! 

Because of this, we thought we would share our experiences at ASC, from dawn to dusk.

9:00 am - breakfast

From the early hours of the morning until 11am everyday, ASC serves a delicious breakfast menu.

gingerbread hotcakes with caramelised pineapple and desert lime

poached organic eggs with smoked salmon

corn arepas rancheros style beans, pork belly, morcilla, chorizo poached or fried eggs 

12:30 pm - brunch/lunch

Lovers of Mexican fare that are bored by regular brunch options will rejoice at the ability to enjoy brunch with a tasty Mexican twist.

ASC's diner area is the perfect spot for a lazy brunch that is tasty, satisfying and interesting.

milawa chook & corn quesadilla 

baja med bbq vegetable salad w. heirloom tomatoes, bbq vegetables, oregano, olives, cojita cheese lime & evoo dressing served w. grilled skirt steak 

spinach quesadilla, wild mushrooms, ezpazote & huitlacoche crema

3:00 pm - afternoon delight

                  

Don't go past the café de olla which is a traditional Mexican coffee. This traditional coffee is sweet with a beautiful aromatic flavour courtesy of cinnamon and piloncillo - perfect for this winter weather!

And here are a few things to go with your teas and coffees...

prickly pear, organic banana and salted caramel ice cream (also available to go) 

dulce de leche scrolls 

pan de semita

7:30 pm - dinner

A sexy, gritty space devoted to the worship of Mexican food and drinks, combined with tunes from resident DJ Happy Juan, means ASC presents a seductive dinner proposition.

While there are many Mexican restaurants serving caricature, fast food versions of Mexican cuisine, the dishes at ASC display a sophistication, authenticity and attention to detail that makes it unrivalled in Melbourne.

Here are some of our favourite dinner dishes from ASC...

tasting plate of 3 moles

red mole with tallabrook goat, green mole with pork barbecua, black mole with duck 

pollo al horno

wood bbq chilli chicken with tomatillo verde 

huitlacoche tamales with green rice 

blue corn tacos with prawn, wild mushrooms and epazote 

wild mushroom and huitlachoche quesadillas with goat's cheese crema 

bohemia braised lamb short rib empanadas with mission fig black mole

And make sure you save space for dessert...

triple chocolate and chilli trifle with passionfruit 

 spiced chocolate caramel with peanut butter ice cream 

milk chocolate and peanut sublime, candy bar style 

salted caramel ice cream churros tacos 

1:00 am - late night munchies

It's past midnight and you're starving. If you're looking for a late night snack, ASC really hits the spot.

Because sometimes you just want good food to go...

our take-away from ASC

milawa chook and corn quesadilla & organic black angus beef rib quesadillas

ancient grain salad

The chefs bring a polish and precision to Mexican cuisine that is rare in Melbourne - every dish we have ordered from our numerous visits has been consistently excellent. ASC is definitely one of this year’s ‘it’ restaurants.

Restaurant Review: Wat Da Pho

Location: 212 Clarendon Street, South Melbourne

Phone: 03 9696 5605

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

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Overall Impression: 7/10

Wat Da Pho is the relatively new kid on the block in South Melbourne. Having opened only a few months ago, Wat Da Pho has already garnered a considerable following.

Wat Da Pho is touted as a casual Vietnamese restaurant that showcases contemporary Vietnamese cuisine. Located in a cosy space along Clarendon Street, Wat Da Pho’s dining room exudes informality - whitewashed brick walls with splashes of colour from the quirky furniture. 

We started with a few rice paper rolls which were pleasant. Given we were visiting a Vietnamese restaurant and one that was pho-centric at that, it only seemed proper that we order a couple of bowls of pho – in our case, one served with beef and one served with chicken. 

TaiNam - Classic - Rare sliced beef + beef brisket 

Ga– Chick a Dee - Sliced chicken

Both the broths had a beautiful flavour and tasted natural. The ingredients used were fresh and of a good quality. We were both pleased with our phos. 

Wat Da Pho is a wonderful addition to South Melbourne’s culinary scene. The food tastes authentic and the service is friendly and prompt. 

Restaurant Review: Josie Bones

Location: 98 Smith Street Collingwood
Phone: 03 9417 1878
Link: http://www.josiebones.com/
Cuisine: Tapas, Pub/Bar Food
Overall Impression: 6/10

Set along Smith Street, Josie Bones has become a highlight for beer lovers during Melbourne evenings. Josie Bones features a wide range of beers from popular boutiques to lesser-known imported options - some even aged in whisky casks.

The restaurant has a solid menu which is aimed squarely at carnivores. There's ample seating and the staff are friendly. 

Whilst we enjoyed the beer and food at Josie Bones, the service really struggled - perhaps as a result of us being a party of 10. We were kept waiting a very long time before our first course arrived, and then again in between each further course.

However, given the clear calibre of the kitchen and the seductive list of beers on offer, we would definitely be open to returning in the future, but this time we'll just get a table for 2.

Melbourne Dumpling Tour

Last week, Gastrology was invited by Walk Melbourne to attend one of their Melbourne dumpling tours. Being keen dumpling enthusiasts, it was an offer too good to refuse.

We visited 4 dumpling venues and tried 4 different styles of dumplings over 2.5 hours - the group receives a sharing plate at each of the dumpling houses.

North East China Family

Shanghai Street Dumplings, Wontons and Noodle

Dolan Uyghur Food Heaven

The tour was designed by Monique (the brains behind Walk Melbourne) to show a range of different dumplings at some of Melbourne's best dumpling restaurants - some venues are more budget conscious, others more upmarket, but all are authentic.

Along the way we also learnt a little bit about Melbourne’s history and how the Chinese have influenced Melbourne.

Gyoza Douraku

Walk Melbourne offers eight different walks from dumplings to coffee to luxury weekend food discovery packages. All groups are small with a maximum of 10 people, so there is plenty of opportunity to get to know the others in your group. 

Gastrology joined the dumpling tour courtesy of Walk Melbourne

Spins, Spits and Swallows @ Royal Saxon

Location: 545 Church Street, Richmond,
Phone: 03 9429 5277
Link: http://www.royalsaxon.com/
Cuisine: Italian, Pub/Bar Food, Coffee
Overall Impression: 8/10

Lazy Sundays at Royal Saxon are now even more alluring with the launch of Spins, Spits and Swallows. Every Sunday from 12 pm to 8 pm in July and August, the Royal Saxon serves up succulent suckling pig pannini from the courtyard spit and a special 2 course, Sunday Spit Roast set menu on top of their delicious a la carte menu. 

The dining area is relaxed and wraps around a large central bar that dominates the interior. Striped napkins sit atop the bare wooden tables with views to Church Street... 

...or the Royal Saxon courtyard - where you might catch a glimpse of the delicious spit roast. 

Buzzing for lunch on a Sunday, the Royal Saxon is a great place to finish the weekend off, especially given the Sunday specials include $5 Birra Moretti, $5 Coldstream Cider, $10 Laurent Perrier and $10 Negronis. 

Nicola potato, smoked scamorza, pancetta, garlic and rosemary pizza

Thin base and quality minimalist toppings - the potato, scamorza and pancetta sing in harmony. 

Saxon Sunday Roast - Roasted suckling pig, roasted carrots and potatoes, cabbage and pancetta 

Fragrant, sweet and succulent, this slow roasted pork was winter comfort food at its best. Golden brown, blistered and crunchy, the pork crackling had us fighting for the last piece. 

Pan roasted snapper with nicola potatoes, porcini mushroom, vermentino and thyme

The roasted snapper was soft and succulent with crispy skin that had been seared to perfection. The earthy porcini mushrooms paired classically. A rustic, simple dish executed perfectly. 

Chestnut straccetti, crystal bay prawn, Hervey Bay scallops, tomato and marjoram 

Tried and true, the chestnut straccetti was silky and wonderfully al dente and the prawns and scallops were bursting with freshness. 

And nothing caps off a lazy Sunday lunch like decadent desserts and a cup of coffee.

Italian doughnuts with maraschino cherries and Varlhona chocolate

Sicilian cannoli, cassata mousse and candied orange

Royal Saxon's hearty modern Italian menu and sharp, friendly service makes it a perfect Sunday lunch destination. And now with Spins, Spits and Swallows for the months of July and August, there is even more reason to head down to the Royal Saxon and escape the winter cold with some crispy spit roasted pork and a drink or two. 

Media Release: Neighbourhood cafe culture on Greville Street

By pioneering a culture of food, St Edmonds, has helped to develop a neighbourhood vibe in what is now a thriving hub. Greville Street, two years on, is alive with a bustling breakfast, brunch and lunch trade. Adopting a chilled Greville St culture, St Edmonds is joined by newer venues including Oskar Cooper, Cup of Truth’s Pardon Café and Ladro which are ready and waiting on a new influx of clients from soon to be complete residential developments. 

Colourful street art sets the scene at St Edmonds. Their patrons can be spotted relaxing over coffee, beer, wine and food. 

The food at St Edmonds is developed around the seasons with daily specials. Serious about coffee, the café roasts its own.

Coonawarra Cellar Dwellers [1 - 31 July 2013]

Gastrology bloggers joined Coonawarra winemakers as they delved into their cellars to showcase rare, aged and back vintage wines throughout the month of July. This is the nineth consecutive year that Coonawarra Cellar Dwellers is being held. It was certainly a unique opportunity to taste and purchase Coonawarra wines not available or seen anywhere else.

Hollick Wines

We started our Coonawarra journey at Hollick Wines for a tasting before a delicious lunch at their restaurant. Hollick Wines is celebrating 30 years of Hollick during this year's Cellar Dwellers celebration. It was an opportune time to taste some of their Cellar Dweller treasures as well as the iconic Ravenswood Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Leconfield Wines Coonawarra

Our next stop was Leconfield Wines Coonawarra where we were surprised with a truly aged Riesling that had been lying in the Leconfield Cellar for 20 years. 

Katnook Estate

It was time for Shiraz to shine at Katnook Estate. We joined in the tastings of sublime museum Shiraz  which are available right through the entire month of July.

Balnaves of Coonawarra

At Balnaves of Coonawarra we were impressed by a tasting of the 2007 vintage of ‘The Tally’.

The serene view at Majella Wines

Renowned for their fine wines, Majella Wines offered Cellar Dwellers the opportunity to taste two of their back vintages (2000 and 2005) and their current release 2010 Shiraz. These were an enjoyable fine Trio of wines. 

Wynns Coonawarra Estate

One of the most cellared and collectable wines in Australia, Wynns Coonawarra showcased back vintages of ‘Black Label’ next to the 2010 vintage.

Coonawarra Cellar Dwellers is a rare opportunity to taste and buy aged wines during the month of July. It was a truly memorable experience which showcased Coonawarra wines and their well known aging ability. This winter escape to Coonawarra was a wonderful way to spend a relaxing couple of days away from the hustle and bustle and to taste and learn about wine.

Some of our favourite Melbourne brunch spots...

Start your day right with a selection of Melbourne's best brunch spots...

Bendigo Street Milk Bar, 37 Bendigo Street, Burnley

Tucked away amongst the leafy, tree lined streets of Richmond, the deceptively named Bendigo Street Milk Bar is anything but a conventional neighbourhood milk bar. Read more »

Auction Rooms, 103-107 Errol Street, North Melbourne

Auction Rooms is one of Melbourne's most highly regarded brunch/coffee places and for good reason. The menu features a wonderful array of delicious brunch options and the coffee served is consistently of a great standard. Read more »

Acland St Cantina, 2 Acland Street, St Kilda

Lovers of Mexican fare that are bored by regular brunch options will rejoice at the ability to enjoy brunch with a tasty Mexican twist. As long term fans of Acland Street Cantina, we were delighted to discover that ASC's diner area is the perfect spot for a lazy brunch that is both tasty, satisfying and interesting. Read more ».

Cumulus Inc, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

Suffice to say, the brunch at Cumulus Inc ticks all the boxes for a relaxed breakie/brunch. The breakfast menu is simple but tasty and features items ranging from organic muesli to a full English breakfast (bacon, blood sausage on toast, fried eggs and smoked tomato). Read more »









Mart 130, 107 Canterbury Road, Middle Park

Mart 130 has long been one of my favourite breakfast spots. Expect your eggs to be cooked well- be it scrambled or poached! Read more ».

Manchester Press, 8 Rankins Lane, Melbourne

In true Melbourne style, Manchester Press is located in a small alley and hidden in such a way that you could never accidentally stumble upon it. If you’re dining here, it’s because you’re in the know. Read more »

Restaurant Review: Kokoro Ramen

Location: 157 Lonsdale Street,  Melbourne
Phone: 03 9650 1215
Link: http://www.kokororamen.com/
Cuisine: Japanese, Noodle Shop
Overall Impression: 7/10

Kokoro Ramen is a Japanese noodle house centrally located on Lonsdale Street. As the name suggests, the focal point of this café is ramen – Japanese wheat noodles.

While the quality of the ramen offered by Kokoro Ramen may fall short of the noodles offered in Japan, in Melbourne it compares favourably. Ten dollars will buy you an amply sized bowl of above average soup noodles, making this ramen-centric establishment a suitable haunt for economical lunch seekers. 

The house-made noodles are great - firm and al dente. There are four varieties of broth, our favourite being the classic tonkotsu. Kokoro Ramen’s broth is pleasant but is much lighter than the tonkotsu broths found on the streets of Japan which are a thick, cloudy and somewhat creamy concoction of decadently rich pork flavours. It is nevertheless a sufficiently tasty blend of ingredients and is perhaps the closest thing Melbourne has to an authentic Japanese tonkotsu ramen. 

Whilst not revolutionary, Kokoro Ramen is a welcomed addition to Melbourne’s dining scene which lacks good ramen noodle shops and is definitely worth a visit if you have not already. 

Restaurant Review: Spirit of India

Location: 401 Clarendon Street, South Melbourne
Phone: 03 9682 6696
Link: http://www.spiritofindiamelbourne.com/
Cuisine: Indian, Vegetarian
Overall Impression: 5/10

Spirit of India is a reliable eatery with a vast dining area and friendly wait staff.

The food served is of an average standard and quality although their beef vindaloo is a particular stand out. If you’re looking to take-away we recommend calling in advance as there is usually a 30-40 minute wait on take-away items.

Restaurant Review: Oriental Tea House

Locations: 4 (see below for details)
Link: http://www.orientalteahouse.com.au/
Cuisine: Chinese, Tea, Yum Cha
Overall Impression: 7.5/10

Oriental Tea House is one of Melbourne's most highly regarded premier tea and yum cha destination.

Remaining loyal to traditional dumplings and tea, Oriental Tea House is one of J and I’s favourite Melbourne tea and yum cha haunts. 

It’s a great place to enjoy the simple pleasures of life - eating tiny delicious morsels of different foods while sipping some freshly brewed Chinese tea. 

Open 7 days a week, Oriental Tea House’s fresh, handmade dumplings and dim sum and wide selection of teas (which are sourced from high quality growers) are a delight!