Chicken

Bistro K

Spicy baby octopus and buckwheat noodles with chilli vinegrette

Incredibly tender octopus, terrific flavours.

★★★★☆

Crispy chicken balls with Korean sweet chilli sauce

These were definitely crispy however the chicken was dry.

★★☆☆☆

Smoked pork belly with cooked kimchi salad

Spicy kimchi + tantalizing pork belly = winning combination!

★★★★★

Premium Angus scotch fillet with roasted seasonal vegetables

The scotch fillet was small but tasty, while the vegetables needed seasoning.

★★★☆☆

Makgeoli (Korean rice beer) brulee

This dessert turned out to be ordinary creme brulee with Makgeoli flavoured sorbet on the side (instead of Makgeoli flavoured creme brulee, which was what I was expecting).

★★☆☆☆

Hotteok (Korean sweet pancake with caramelised honey syrup) with ginger ice cream

This pancake was so deliciously fluffy and had an amazing caramelised honey filling. The ice cream was a wonderful accompaniment and had a subtle ginger aroma, while the crushed peanuts and sunflower seeds gave this dish some delightful crunch.

★★★★★

Sujeonggwa (sweet Korean cinnamon punch)

Sweet and refreshing with distinctive cinnamon notes.

★★★★☆

Overall:

We came here with a Cudo voucher and felt that we got such an amazing deal. I was so impressed with this place that I am already looking forward to my next visit! The food was great (not surprising seeing as former Nobu chef Jae Park heads the kitchen), the service faultless, and the atmosphere warm and simple. A must try for lovers of Korean food. Note that this place is closed on Mondays.

Bistro K

366 Smith St, Collingwood

9973 6055

http://bistrok.com.au/

Rockwell And Sons

Fried Chicken Sandwich

Crispy tender juicy chicken, iceberg lettuce, buttermilk dressing and Crystal Hot Sauce served on a lightly toasted brioche bun. The only regret was the abundance of sauce which quickly led to a soggy sandwich.

★★★☆☆

Buttermilk Biscuit, Sawmill Sausage Gravy, Poached Eggs

Not the most attractive of dishes but a Southern breakfast classic that I had been meaning to try for some time. While I enjoyed the light slightly flaky buttermilk biscuit, the poached eggs were unfortunately overcooked and the Sawmill sausage gravy was EXCEEDINGLY seasoned (particularly with salt, pepper and thyme). I had to drink a lot of water after sampling this dish.

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

Come for the burgers.

Rockwell And Sons

288 Smith St, Collingwood, VIC

(03) 8415 0700

http://www.rockwellandsons.com.au/

Thaiger

“Pou-Nim” Black Burger

(crispy softshell crab, granny smith Asian slaw, sweet and tangy dressing)

★★☆☆☆

Tom Yum Goong Burger

(grilled spicy prawns, fresh herbs, coriander, lettuce, Tom Yum mayo)

A tasty burger that was a bit stingy with the prawns.

★★★☆☆

Taro String

Best eaten while hot (as they are no longer crispy once they have cooled down)

★★★☆☆

Lemongrass Pork Chop Burger

(grilled 24 hour lemongrass marinated pork chop, cucumber, mint, mixed leaves, caramelised onion, “Nam Jim Jeaw” dressing)

Tasty tender pork chop that was very well marinated.

★★★☆☆

Prawn Croquette Burger

(prawn croquette, Asian slaw, sriracha mayo)

★★★☆☆

Crispy Sweet Corn Fritters

Extremely chewy with an unusual texture.

★★☆☆☆

Chick-Chick Bang-Bang Burger

(crispy chicken thigh fillet, Thai sweet chilli mayo, tomato, lettuce, sliced boiled egg)

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

Delicious Thai inspired flavours and ingredients can be found at this unique little burger joint. There are 14 different burgers to choose from as well as 7 house salads and a number of sides which include taro string, grilled pork skewers, fish cake and corn fritters. Deciding what to order was quite tough as everything on the menu sounded amazing. Each burger turned out to be surprisingly filling considering their moderate size. The brioche buns were perfect (buttery, crispy, not too sweet) however the black burger bun was a bit dry. Service was a little slow and there are only 3 small tables available so if you come during peak lunch time, be prepared to get a takeaway. In any case I wouldn’t mind coming back here to try the rest of their burgers.

Thaiger

Shop 16 The Walk Arcade, 8 Causeway Lane, Melbourne, VIC

(03) 9663 8558

http://www.thaiger.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

Chicken Cacciatore with Double Corn Polenta

Ingredients:

Chicken

4 chicken breast fillets, cut into thirds
salt
pepper
1/2 cup plain flour
olive oil
1 large red capsicum, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup chicken stock
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
fresh basil leaves

Polenta

2 cups milk
1 cup water
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 cup quick-cooking polenta
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Method:

1. Sprinkle chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Mix thoroughly.

2. Lightly coat the chicken with plain flour.

3. In a large pan heat the oil, add the chicken and cook until golden brown. Set aside the chicken.

4. Heat more oil in the pan and add the capsicum, onion and garlic. Saute over medium heat until the onion is soft.

5. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock and oregano and bring to a boil.

6. Return the chicken to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the sauce to a simmer.

7. Meanwhile, prepare the polenta. In a medium saucepan, bring milk, water, and fresh or frozen corn kernels to a boil.

8. Gradually add polenta, stirring constantly until incorporated. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened. If polenta is too thick, add more water.

9. Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese.

10. Serve polenta on plates with the chicken and sauce. Sprinkle with basil and serve.

Overall:

Simple to make and super delicious!

Blue Cafe Bar

Salmon tartare, seasoned nori, radish, ginger and soy dressing, avocado puree, bonito

Very small serving, tasty combination of ingredients.

★★☆☆☆

Flinders Island lamb rump, baby carrots, eggplant and chickpea tagine, almonds, poppy seed labneh

Deliciously succulent lamb.

★★★☆☆

Crispy duck, green papaya, pineapple, mango, tomato, cucumber, cashews, coriander, bean shoots, nahm jim

This was more like a pineapple salad with a few other ingredients tossed in.

★★☆☆☆

Cold drunken chicken, tiger prawns, roasted chilli and sesame mayu, soba noodles, cucumber, kohlrabi, spring onion and ginger dressing

★★★☆☆

Overall:

Located in a converted tram pay station, this laid-back cafe has an interesting Asian influenced menu.

Blue Cafe Bar

Inveresk Railyards, Launceston, TAS

(03) 6334 3133

http://www.bluecafebar.com.au/

Sushi Hotaru (revisted)

Salmon cream cheese roll

Seared salmon and scallops

Lobster salad gunkan

Seared scallop nigiri

Spicy seared salmon nigiri

Prawn box sushi

Chicken karaage

Spicy tuna nigiri

Salmon avocado roll

Takoyaki

Overall:

Love this place. In fact not much has changed since my first visit over a year ago. The service is still super quick (I ordered pretty much everything from the electronic touch screens) and the food is still fresh and delicious. The menu is updated 3 to 4 times a year and everything is freshly hand made right in front of your eyes. This time around I especially enjoyed the spicy seared salmon nigiri, chicken karaage and the seared salmon and scallops (I could really go for more of this right now!) This is definitely the place to go to if you are after quick, tasty, reasonable priced sushi train food. Note that this place can get quite busy and that they will not seat you until your entire party has arrived.

Check out the first part of this clip to get more of an idea of what to expect at Sushi Hotaru.

Sushi Hotaru

Shop 118, 200 Bourke St (1st floor of MidCity Arcade), Melbourne

(03) 9663 7538

*Disclaimer: I dined as a guest of SD Marketing Global.

Miss Marple’s Tearoom

Devonshire Scones (plain and fruit) served with home-made raspberry jam and freshly whipped cream

The scones were moist and fluffy, and had a texture that was comparable to a light cake. The jam was sweet and fruity, while the cream was deliciously light (our waitress informed us that the jam and cream were refillable).

★★★☆☆

Miss Marple’s Famous Fingers – chicken, cheese and asparagus

These open toasted sandwiches were quite cheese heavy and needed a bit more chicken in them.

★★☆☆☆

Miss Marple’s “Sundae Best” (layers of ice cream and berry sauce topped with chocolate fudge, whipped cream, almond biscotti, roasted flaked almonds and strawberries)

This thing was HUGE and we only managed to get through half before throwing in the towel.

★★★☆☆

Overall:

After reading so many negative reviews, I was initially wary about coming here. But my experience turned out to be a really enjoyable one. We arrived on a foggy Saturday morning at around 11am and were seated immediately. The atmosphere was very intimate and homely (teapots and kettles everywhere, floral tablecloths and curtains, traditional English lamps, fireplace), the service was prompt and polite, and the food was delightful.

Miss Marple’s Tearoom

382 Mount Dandenong Tourist Rd, Sassafras, VIC

(03) 9755 1610

Home

Smolt

Spring Bay mussels, white wine, garlic, parsley, dill, shallots, saffron aioli

★★☆☆☆

Tasmanian oysters

★★★☆☆

Tassal salmon ceviche, crisp radish, pickled fennel and celery, goats curd cream

★★☆☆☆

Grilled Tassal salmon, freekah, faro and du puy lentil braise, chimichurri, chorizo and herb salad

★★☆☆☆

House made linguini, Spring Bay mussels, spanner crab, yellow tomato, pernod, bottarga

★★☆☆☆

Chargrilled baby chicken, sweet corn puree, quinoa, roasted summer onion, tomato and walnut salsa

★★☆☆☆

Pan fried house made herb and parmesan gnocchi, pancetta lardons, baby carrots, pear, walnuts, cavalo nero, pecorino

★★★☆☆

Overall:

Good food, casual atmosphere, friendly staff.

Smolt

2 Salamanca Sq, Hobart, TAS

(03) 6224 2554

Home

Miss Fitzy’s

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

http://missfitzys.com.au/

*Disclaimer: I was invited as a guest of Miss Fitzy’s.