Barbecue

Sydney Madang

Marinated Pork and Bul Go Gi

★★★★★

Pork and Kimchi Korean Pancake

★★☆☆☆

Kimchi Jjigae

★★★★☆

Overall:

It’s easy to understand why this place is so popular. The Korean barbecue here is outstanding. We weren’t even hungry when we arrived, yet we managed to inhale our selection of barbecued meats within no time. Whatever the marinates were, they were fabulous. We arrived pretty late in the evening so we were seated straightaway and didn’t have any issues with the service. I’m looking forward to eating here again the next time I’m in town.

Sydney Madang

371A Pitt St, Sydney, NSW

(02) 9264 7010

Dexter

Fried Chicken Bun

The green chilli slaw tasted very Asian-like (in a good way) and complemented the juicy fried chicken.

★★★☆☆

Burnt Sriracha Corn

Nicely charred and smoky tasting.

★★★☆☆

Shoestring Fries with BBQ Rub and Aioli

Light, crisp, non-greasy, addictive.

★★★★☆

Hot Meat Donuts

As soon as I saw these on the menu, I was intrigued…

Would the flavours of the pulled pork and the sweet crispy donut go together? Well they sure did! What was great was that the donut’s sweetness didn’t overpower the pork, and that the sweet and mildly spicy accompanying sauce made these donuts taste even better.

★★★★☆

Kurobuta Pork Loin with Mash, Pickles and Slaw

Perfectly cooked flavoursome pork.

★★★☆☆

Cured Beef Brisket with Mash, Pickles, Slaw and Charred Sourdough

Enjoyable beef but I still prefer slow cooked brisket to cured brisket.

★★★☆☆

Overall:

Bright and inviting space, prompt service, great food.

Dexter

456 High St, Preston, VIC

(03) 9973 3577

http://www.dexter.melbourne/

Carnegie Korean BBQ

What’s better than Korean BBQ? The answer is all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ!

Pork Belly, Mushroom, Onion, Sweet Potato

Pasta Salad, Bean Sprouts, Kimchi, Fish Cake

Mandu

Beef Bibimbap

Soy Bean Soup

Green Tea and Black Sesame Ice Cream

Overall:

There are 2 all-you-can-eat options: the Standard Buffet ($31.90) and the Gourmet Buffet ($35.50). For a few dollars more the Gourmet Buffet offered a greater selection of meats, soups and dessert, so we ended up opting for this. We initially wanted to try all the different meats however this turned out to be impossible as there was simply too much food! The meats that we did manage to try included the LA Beef Ribs, Beef Brisket, Marinated Beef, Diced Beef, Non Spicy Chicken, Pork Belly, and Spicy Pork. The only meat that did not take our fancy was the Diced Beef as it was super tough and extremely difficult to chew. The staff were friendly however unlike some other Korean BBQ places, they don’t help out with any of the barbequing (which was fine with us). In any case, the all-you-can-eat options here are perfect for all you carnivores out there.

Carnegie Korean BBQ

Shop 2, 23 Koornang Rd, Carnegie, VIC

(03) 9563 6608

Oree Korean Duck Restaurant

Duck and Beef Set

Bean paste, Salt and Pepper in Oil, Bean Powder, Chili Paste

200g Fresh Duck

As soon as the duck cools it becomes tough and chewy, so it’s best eaten straight off the grill.

★★★☆☆

100g Angus Beef Rib

★★★☆☆

Beef gal-bi

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

One of the most unique Korean barbecue experiences I’ve had due to their specialisation in duck. (In fact this is Australia’s first Korean duck barbecue restaurant) The set menus were reasonably priced while service was very attentive. A good option for those who feel like Korean barbecue, but don’t feel like red meat.

Oree Korean Duck Restaurant

179 Queen St, Melbourne, VIC

(03) 9642 1270

http://www.oree.com.au/

Fancy Hank’s BBQ Joint

As soon as we looked at their barbecue meat menu, we knew that we wanted to try one of everything. Unfortunately the kitchen had already run out of the Beef Short Ribs, but what we sampled included the Angus Beef Brisket, Andouille Sausage, Beer Can Chook, Pork Ribs, and Pulled Pork. We also sampled their Potato Salad, Coleslaw, Corn Bread and Mac & Cheese. Sad to say, the meats tasted average and we enjoyed the side dishes more.

I love second hand books and managed to walk away with two books at $2 each. Bargain!

Overall:

The great thing about Fancy Hank’s BBQ Joint is that you get to choose exactly how much meat you want to eat. It’s a shame that none of the meats particularly stood out. Perhaps we went on an off night. In any case I would be more inclined to come here for drinks and to hang out rather than for the food.

Fancy Hank’s BBQ Joint

456 Queen St, Melbourne, VIC

(03) 9348 9998

http://fancyhanks.com/

Le Bon Ton

Onion Rings – beer battered and jerk seasoned

Nicely seasoned onion rings with a thin crunchy batter.

= ★★★★

Fried Chicken – Southern style buttermilk soaked tenders with cracked pepper white gravy

Each bite brought to mind KFC chicken.

= ★★

Mac & 3 Cheese – Cheddar, American and Swiss

Dry and pungent.

= ★★

The Smoker’s Lot – (left to right) Otway Ranges pork shoulder, Chicken basted in apple BBQ sauce, Jalapeno and cheddar hot-link sausage, Riverina Angus beef brisket

Each meat was deliciously smoky and tender. However everyone’s clear favourite was without a doubt the sausage: spicy, juicy, with portions of deliciously melted cheese.

= ★★★

Overall:

Decent food, decent service and I really liked the old West saloon vibe that they had going on. I must really try one of their burgers the next time I come here as I’ve heard many good things about them. And here’s a fun fact for you. The name “Le Bon Ton” actually originates from a Louisiana saying “Laissez les bons temps rouler” or “Let the good times roll”, which is often used as a fun and festive way to get people riled up and let them know that the party is starting. So altogether now: “Le Bon Ton!”

Le Bon Ton

51 Gipps St, Collingwood

9416 4341

http://www.lebonton.com.au

The Gem Bar and Dining

Ranch style beans with brisket ends

Sweet and spicy.

★★★☆☆

Mac & cheese, Zesty coleslaw, Potato salad

★★☆☆☆

Southern style cornbread

Extremely crumbly with corn kernels and pieces of capsicum.

★★☆☆☆

(from L to R)

Smoked Angus beef sausages

These were tasty however the casings were tough and chewy, and once these sausages had cooled down, each bite left a pool of oil in our mouths.

★★☆☆☆

Pork, fennel and chilli sausages

Smoky, spicy, slightly dry.

★★☆☆☆

Pork belly

Marginally dry.

★★☆☆☆

Beef brisket

Salty, not particularly smoky.

★★☆☆☆

Pulled pork

Tender, lacked flavor.

★★☆☆☆

Lamb ribs

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

Casual atmosphere, average service, unexceptional food. I’d probably go elsewhere for American BBQ.

The Gem Bar and Dining

289 Wellington St, Collingwood, VIC

(03) 9419 5170

http://thegembar.com.au/

Flavours of Asia Market Festival – 28 February 2015

I was recently lucky enough to be invited to a sneak preview for the Flavours of Asia Market Festival that is part of the 2015 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival and Sportingbet Blue Diamond Stakes Day. The Flavours of Asia Market Festival is one of the first events on the 2015 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival calendar and will feature a range of delicacies from across the continent, cooking demonstrations and live entertainment. The festival is designed to bring together an array of authentic Asian street food with dishes starting from $5. Expect to find delicious menu items from Hammer & Tong, Hoy Pinoy, Wonderbao, Overdosa, Lankan Tucker, Uncle, Gogi and Eat the Chicken.

What: Sportingbet Blue Diamond Stakes Day – Flavours of Asia Market Festival

When: Saturday 28 February 2015

Time: 12:00pm – 6:00pm

Where: Caulfield Racecourse, Station Street, Caulfield

Cost: Adult $20, Concession $10, Children Under 14 Free (includes admission to the racecourse and the Flavours of Asia Market Festival.)

Tickets available via: mrc.racing.com

Now onto the menu preview. So when we first arrived we had the opportunity to sample the Flavours of Asia Market Festival’s feature cocktail ‘The Market Mule With A Kick’ which was a fusion of vodka, dry ginger ale, lime and chilli. I was a little apprehensive about the chilli at first but it actually gave this refreshing cocktail a nice gentle heat. It was seriously good. So before I knew it I had polished off my cocktail and I had forgotten to take a photo of it. Whoops. Here’s a picture of a lady dancing instead.

Wonderbao’s Pork Bao

Fluffy steamed buns filled with sweet tender pork

★★★☆☆

Hoy Pinoy’s Lechon Kwali (slow braised and crispy fried pork belly with buco, chilli and yemma sauce)

Absolutely incredible! Delicious sauce, super crispy crackling and pork that simply melts in your mouth.

★★★★☆

Hammer & Tong’s Red and Black rice salad (pomegranate, broad beans, peas, mint & grapefruit mignonette)

A light rice salad with a lot of flavour and texture.

★★★☆☆

Marinated barbecued skewers cooking over a customary BBQ from Hoy Pinoy. Candied meat. Mmmmmm. Notice that the skewers are delightfully sizeable!

Inihaw na Baboy (pork belly skewers in banana ketchup glaze)

★★★☆☆

Inihaw na Manok (chicken skewers in traditional soy glaze)

★★★★☆

Wonderbao’s ‘Roast Pork Belly Gua Bao’ with cucumber, pickled carrots, daikon & hoisin sauce and ‘Fried Silky Tofu Gua Bao’ with pickled mustard, coriander and crushed peanuts.

★★★☆☆

We also had the opportunity to see the making of Hammer & Tong’s famous Soft Shell Crab Burgers .

It isn’t surprising that up to 1000 soft shell crab burgers are sold during a night at Queen Victoria’s Wednesday Night Market!

Soft Shell Crab Burger (brioche bun, sriracha mayo, sesame seed slaw, soft shell crab, spring onion and coriander)

The perfect soft shell crab burger.

★★★★★

Wonderbao’s Ice cream Gua Bao (golden fried bao dusted with sugar and filled with sesame seed ice cream, caramel and nuts)

★★★☆☆

*Disclaimer: I dined as a guest of Melbourne Racing Club

Hammer & Tong

Rear 412 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, VIC

(03) 9041 6033

Home

Hoy Pinoy

Location varies, Melbourne, VIC

Wonderbao

4/19-37 A’Beckett St, Melbourne, VIC

(03) 9654 7887

Meatmaiden

20-hour Rangers Valley Wagyu brisket with Tasmanian pepper berry rub (200g)

Quality house-smoked brisket that was meltingly tender.

★★★★☆

Lobster Mac Cheese

This classic macaroni and cheese dish was creamy but heavy, and had a surprisingly reasonable amount of lobster in it.

★★★★☆

Southern Fried Chicken with tequila mayo

Ordinary chicken served with bland mayo.

★★☆☆☆

Pulled Pork Shoulder

Sweet tender pork that was full of flavour.

★★★☆☆

House sausage, parsley, pickled red onion

Very dense and smoky.

★★☆☆☆

Crispy skin baby snapper, charred cauliflower, green bean salad

Well cooked, light and satisfying.

★★★☆☆

Overall:

Meatmaiden is the sister restaurant to barbecue shack Meatmother in Richmond, and I must say that comparatively the meat served here is just as good or if not better. For 30 days the meat is dry-aged in order to achieve its greatest flavour and tenderness, and brisket is smoked for up to 20 hours in their custom built smokers. The 20-hour Rangers Valley Wagyu brisket was certainly a highlight and is something that I would easily return for. Service was good and the atmosphere casual. Note that this place is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Meatmaiden

195 Little Collins St, Melbourne, VIC

(03) 9078 7747

http://meatmaiden.com.au/

Meatmother

Wagyu Brisket and Charred Corn

The wagyu was tender and smoky, while the corn was fantastically buttery and perfectly charred.

★★★☆☆

Spare Ribs and Mac Cheese

Fairly average ribs that were a bit dry and required extra sauce. The Mac Cheese was also quite average (although I am comparing it to the delicious Lobster Mac Cheese I had at Meatmaiden).

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

This cosy little barbecue shack is a great place to head to for all you carnivores out there. Each day meat is smoked over oak for up to 12 hours which allows for the flavours to really sink in. Meat trays are offered at dinner which include the choice of one meat, one side and a serve of Texas toast (thick buttery golden brown toast). Bun trays are also available at dinner which come with the choice of a bun and a side. Service here was easy-going and the atmosphere very relaxed. Note that they only take reservations for groups of 8 people and over, and that this place is closed on Mondays.

Meatmother

167 Swan St, Richmond, VIC

(03) 9041 5393

http://meatmother.com.au/