Baked eggs (caramelised onion, ham and gruyere) with toast
★★☆☆☆
Scrambled free range eggs with chorizo and toast
★★☆☆☆
Poached free range eggs with sausage and toast
★★☆☆☆
Chocolate French toast with honey, yogurt and pear compote
★★★☆☆
Overall:
Small cafe with a small menu that offered friendly service and reasonable food.
Note this place is closed on Sundays
Raspberry Fool
85 Bathurst St, Hobart, TAS
(03) 6231 1274
I’ll be honest, Tasmania had never been on my list of places to visit. However cheap Jetstar flights inspired me to explore Australia’s island state, and I am grateful for the awesome experience I had while I was there.
Food reviews to come!
Salamanca Market
View from Mount Wellington
Pipe Line Track
Hobart Waterfront
Farm Gate Market
Eagle Hang Gliding
Huon River
Picton Valley
Tahune Airwalk
The Apple Shed
Russell Falls
Museum of Old and New Art (MONA)
Richmond Bridge (Australia’s oldest bridge)
Cascade Brewery (Australia’s oldest operating brewery)
Wineglass Bay
Cradle Mountain
Bicheno Blowhole
Ashgrove Cheese Farm
Launceston City Park
Cataract Gorge
I was invited to a menu tasting at Miss Fitzy’s a little while ago and had the pleasant opportunity to sample a range of their mouthwatering dishes.
Monica’s Melting Majik
(Van Gogh coconut vodka, strega liqueur, housemade chai syrup, coconut water, candied cherry)
Smoked quail, parsley and mustard fruits on rye
Spicy fried school prawns served with garlic aioli
Organic tomato, buffalo mozzarella, herbs
Roasted squid, chorizo, parsley, pickled onion
Smoked chicken wings, pork belly, mustard fruits
Grilled Robbins Island wagyu bavette steak, poached quail eggs, truffle
Scallops, bacon, truffle, watercress, black caviar
Grilled goats’ cheese, beetroot, quinoa, hazelnut
Whole 1kg crispy fried snapper, asparagus, sauce grenobloise
(deboned and reconstructed!)
Asparagus, snow peas, parmesan & egg
Smoked saskia beer corn fed chicken, roasted celeriac, brussel sprouts
Cape Grim black Angus 2+ Tri Tip, charred onions, roasted carrots, duck fat potato
(from left to right)
Bitter chocolate, olive oil & peanut brittle, brown butter sherbet
Cinnamon doughnut custard, chocolate, coffee, shortbread
Rhubarb & pear jelly, liquid puff pastry, prune and Armagnac ice cream
Overall:
Located at the beach end of Fitzroy Street in St Kilda, Miss Fitzy’s is a great place to head to if you are after a tasty sharing menu or a decent late night feed. The menu has French and Spanish influences and has been created by head chef Lachy Cashman (Circa, Sloaney Pony, Salsa Bar and Grill Port Douglas) who has a background in butchery and meat curing. So it came as no surprise to discover that Miss Fitzy’s has their own custom-built smoker and curing room. Every dish I sampled was terrific but I particularly enjoyed the prawns, smoked chicken wings, scallops and the duck fat chips (oh so amazing!). The decor here is simple and chic, with impressive 1920s inspired murals along the back walls. Note that this place is closed on Mondays.
Miss Fitzy’s
23 Fitzroy St, St Kilda, VIC
(03) 9537 1653
*Disclaimer: I was invited as a guest of Miss Fitzy’s.
Purple congo potato crisps
House-cured Atlantic salmon, avocado, radish
Goats cheese bavarois, watercress, spring greens
Rockling, black barley, fenugreek
Poached and roasted spatchcock, nicola potato, asparagus
Tête de Moine cheese
So this particular cheese was prepared at the table using a girolle (cheese curler) which produced thin shavings that resembled rosettes. By creating a larger surface area, more oxygen was able to come into contact with the cheese and enhance its odour and flavour. Out of all the cheeses we sampled, this one was undoubtedly my favourite.
Farmhouse cheeses
Vanilla parfait, Yarra Valley berries, wild fennel
Cocoa covered mixed nuts, yuzu jelly
Herb and vegetable garden
Overall:
Established in an old Victorian mansion that was previously Jacques Reymond, Woodland House is a place of class and elegance. The decor is refined and the staff are extremely polite and attentive. The food is of a high standard as the kitchen is run by two of Jacques Reymond’s former chefs Thomas Woods and Hayden McFarland. We sampled the House Lunch menu and found every single dish to be fresh and enjoyable. The rockling and the spatchcock in particular were cooked to perfection, and the flavours of the vanilla parfait dessert were amazing. Note that this place is closed on Mondays.
Woodland House
78 Williams Rd, Prahran, VIC
(03) 9525 2178
http://www.woodlandhouse.com.au/
Frozen kangaroo, wasabi, nashi
As soon as I began chewing this icy cold dish, I realised that frozen meat is not something I enjoy. The idea is for the meat to thaw in your mouth thereby changing its flavour and texture. It was an interesting experience but not for me.
★☆☆☆☆
GMS sirloin
★★☆☆☆
Pork, lime pickle, silverbeet
★★☆☆☆
Overall:
Small portions, efficient service, orderly decor. Not a place I am likely to return to.
Mister Jennings
142 Bridge Rd, Richmond, VIC
(03) 9078 0113
Lobster and Shrimp ‘Po Boy’ with Slaw and Chimichurri Salsa
★★★☆☆
Blue Ribbon Crispy Fried Chicken served with curly fries, sauce and salad
★★★☆☆
Dynamite Burger (beef patty, tomato, lettuce, cheese, pickles, chipotle, Asian slaw)
★★☆☆☆
Grilled Corn on the Cob with Spicy Lime Butter
★★★☆☆
Chocolate Peanut Butter and Banana Milkshake
★★★☆☆
Overall:
We came here for a late dinner on a weeknight and found the atmosphere, service and food to be fabulous. A special mention goes to the huge pieces of fried chicken (fantastically crispy on the outside, juicy and boneless on the inside) and the chocolate peanut butter milkshake (sweet with a hint of saltiness and contained tiny little pieces of peanut and a giant scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream). This place is quite small and the kitchen is minuscule so I can understand that waiting times for food can be quite long when it gets busy. Nevertheless if you are in the mood for decent American food, head to Parlour Diner.
Parlour Diner
64 Chapel St, Windsor, VIC
(03) 9533 2006
Quinoa Fritter
Fried organic quinoa patties with veggies and spices, served with coconut chilli sauce
★★★☆☆
Buckwheat Crepe
Organic buckwheat crepe with braised shitake mushrooms and wasabi soy mayo
★★☆☆☆
Dragon Bowl
Biodynamic brown rice topped with assorted veggies, organic tofu, red chili paste and sesame oil, served with miso soup
★★☆☆☆
Rawsagne
Layered zucchini with mushroom, avocado, cashew cream and raw walnut bolognaise
★★★☆☆
Kelp Pad Thai
Kelp noodles mixed with organic veggies and a creamy chilli cashew sauce, topped with tamari almonds
★★★☆☆
Teriyaki Chicken
Wheat chicken pan-fried in teriyaki sauce with biodynamic brown rice and vegetables
★★☆☆☆
Green Tea Ganache
Macha, brazil nuts, goji berries, coconut, agave and raw chocolate
★★★☆☆
Black Sesame Ice cream topped with Goji Berries
★★☆☆☆
Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake
Cashew, raspberries, agave, cacao butter, macadamia nuts, coconut flakes
★★★☆☆
Overall:
As I was leaving Yong Green Food, I thought to myself that maybe I could become a vegetarian. But then a tantalising aroma of barbecued meat came floating down the street and I thought maybe not. But seriously, the food here is pretty amazing. The delicious and creative menu has many dietary options including raw, vegan, gluten-free as well as a no garlic and onion option (which was perfect for one of my friends who always has to check whether or not a dish contains garlic or onion). The menu here was quite extensive and there were many things that I wanted to try, particularly in the raw section of the menu. For those who are omnivores, I recommend not ordering anything that contains meat substitute as it will taste nothing like the real thing. Service was quick and friendly, and the ambience was relaxed and casual. I love how sustainability is an important aspect to those here at Yong Green Food. Not only do they serve predominantly organic vegetarian food using eco-friendly methods, they also use GreenPower renewable energy and donate 10% of their profits to help support farmer managed natural regeneration in East Africa.
If only I lived closer… I would be here all the time.
Note that this place is closed on Mondays.
Yong Green Food
421 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, VIC
(03) 9417 3338
3 Southbank Boulevard, Southbank 9686 2110
Pork Ribs (half rack)
Fantastic melt in your mouth ribs covered in a sweet sticky sauce
=★★★
Wagyu Beef Burger with Twice cooked thick cut chips
(wagyu beef, Swiss cheese, caramelised onion, truffle mayonnaise, tomato, baby cos lettuce)
= ★★
Chorizo Croquettes
= ★★
Overall:
A friend of mine mentioned how great the ribs are at Breslin Bar & Grill and thankfully I was not disappointed. The ribs here are slow cooked for 16 hours and are then char grilled over a wood fire. A must try for those who are a fan of ribs. Ambience was great and the service was prompt.
466 Swanston St, Melbourne 9347 2656
Spicy Chicken Bento Box
Korean style marinated chicken served with rice and side dishes
= ★★
Seafood Pa Jun (Korean seafood pancake)
Soft pancake with crispy edges, filled with a generous amount of seafood
= ★★★
Cream Garlic Prawn and Kimchi Fried Rice
This should have been called Cream Garlic Seafood as there was more squid and clams rather than prawns. The creamy seafood was terrific in any case, and went very well with the mildly spicy kimchi fried rice.
= ★★★
Yakisoba
Wok tossed Japanese udon noodles with beef and vegetables
= ★★
Overall:
A great place to go to for a quick, tasty, decently priced Korean/Japanese meal. No wonder Big Mama is so popular among university students.
Note that this place is closed on Sundays and is cash only.
320 Lygon St, Carlton 9347 3128
Capricciosa pizza
(Fior di latte, tomato, leg ham, mushroom, marinated Ligurian olives)
I liked the thin and crispy base however I didn’t like how the olives came with pits.
= ★★
Ravioli Con Salmone E Burrata
(salmon, burrata and smoked ricotta ravioli, butter, dill, asparagus)
A light ravioli served in a delicious sauce.
= ★★★
Tris Di Pasta Donnini
(Tagliatelle Al Ragu Nostro, Tortelli Di Ricotta, Gnocchi Al Pomodoro)
Hand made pasta cooked in fresh sauces.
= ★★★
Overall:
Although somewhat pricier than your typical Lygon St restaurant, what you get here at Donnini’s is quality Italian fare, good service and a great atmosphere.
DAMMIT JANET I LOVE FOOD 