Oriental Spoon

On a family night out for a celebratory meal, we managed to score front row seats to the cooking of our meal... but that is a guarantee when you order from the Korean BBQ selection at Oriental Spoon.

On busy La Trobe Street, this place is quite isolated from its fellow Korean restaurants, a few blocks away, and their interior isn't quite what you would expect from surrounding eateries. Their modern decor with an oriental twist makes you forget for the time being which part of Melbourne you are dining in and instead, feel like you are in the midst of the bustling nightlife dining scene that Melbourne has to offer.

 I have been to this Korean delight three times now and on all occasions I couldn't resist ordering the Combination BBQ which is a feast of grilled meats fit for a party from 2 - 4 people. With this meal, a personal grill is brought to your table along with marinated meats and fresh lettuce leaves - what's even better, you don't need to do the work! The friendly staff do all the work for you, setting up your grill and cooking your meats one-by-one, so all you have to do is watch the sizzle!

 

The lettuce leaves are a refreshing touch to the meal and a great selection of sauces are provided to accompany the grilled meat that melts in your mouth. There are also some vegetables mixed through the meats to give it a little something extra, including a strange favourite of mine - enoki mushrooms!

But no, the BBQ isn't the only item on the menu, even though I find it hard to resist with the added value of getting to see your food sizzle away and the frequent staff interaction. There are plenty of other delicious looking meals to choose from on their large menu including a variety of stone bowl Bibimbap dishes, noodle soups (also cooked on your personal stove) or a Korean style Bento.

This place is great for a fun night out (or a tasty lunch before heading back to the office) which provides the option of being interactive with your meal. The dining area is rather spacious however, be sure to make a booking otherwise you may be lining up out the door for quite some time as many people seem to be wanting to get in on the sizzle.

Meeting Mr. Hive

Last week, what seemed to start out as a disaster of a night , soon turned into an unexpected delight! Relying on technology to make a dinner reservation weeks in advance only to find out there must have been some technical glitch and our booking was non-existing, would not seem like a good start to the night. Instead however, it opened the door to a surprising night of fun ahead.

Aimlessly driving towards the city, we decided the Crown Complex was a safe bet as there are many options to choose from in case our first choices were booked out at late notice on the weekend. Entering from the Crown Metropol, we did not realise we had only a short walk ahead of us until reaching our dinner destination. The amusing, cropped faces towards the entrance of Mr. Hive Kitchen & Bar have caught my attention for quite some time now, so on this particular night we thought why not have a look at what they have to offer. Having a peek into the entrance of the restaurant, I was slightly unsure as it seemed quite empty for a Friday night, but the menu looked appetising so we thought we'd give it a try anyway. Can I just say that I am sure glad we did! If you are ever walking past, please don't let the entrance fool you... this place is huge! As we were escorted around the side of the bar to the main dining area, I was sure proved wrong with many tables full of happily chatting diners.

Starting the night with a cocktail, these flavoursome drinks hinted that we were in for a great night ahead! We started with some share plates - just to tease our appetite a little, choosing the Octopus, Chorizo & Blood Orange along with the Black and Blue Tuna. This tuna would have to be the tastiest dish I have had in quite some time. The combination of the fish's smooth texture along with the chunky vegetables to garnish made a perfect way to start our meal. With my annoying intolerance to cream, I need to be sure to ask if any of the dishes I ordered contained cream - and lucky I had this time. The chef was lovely enough to alter the dishes to suit my dietary requirements, so I was still able to enjoy my night of delicious tasting fish.

It was now time for the mains and we ordered the Grilled Swordfish and the Black Angus. By looking at the menu, I'm sure you can guess what drew my eyes towards the swordfish. Yes it was the garnishing of fennel, blood orange and..... olives (my weakness!). Having a taste of the beef, I must say it was cooked to perfection. Full of juicy goodness and a refreshing side salad to accompany it.  

Every dish we ordered was full of fresh flavours and we made sure we squeezed in every crum until our plates were left clean. Unfortunately this means we did not leave any room for dessert, but it didn't matter! Our ruined plans had resulted in experiencing a delicious meal and just when we thought it was all over... to our surprise our waiter was kind enough to ask us if we would like a tour of the kitchen. With an immediate, "yes please!" we were escorted through the many dining areas of this surprisingly large eatery and then through to the very neat and organised kitchen to see the chefs in action!

I would not have seen this amazing dining experience coming when we first found out that our original plans had fallen through, but the mysterious Mr. Hive proved to be full of surprises!

Long weekend on the Bellarine

For some unfortunate Melbournians the first weekend of November means back to work as usual on Monday morning, green with envy of those lucky ones that get a lovely four day weekend to sleep in, sip on bubbles, attempt to back a winner and very well lounge around.

Fortunate for me... I was one of those lucky ones, taking the opportunity to head to Queenscliff for the four days with my boyfriend and while we were there, have a taste of what the Bellarine Peninsula has to offer.

Our first stop was for lunch on our arrival (as all that driving can work up an appetite). The first meal for our mini getaway was at The Queenscliff Inn, sitting out on their front decking enjoying the sunshine and admiring the beautiful architecture that makes up the Town Centre of Queenscliff. My eyes were drawn to the Chef's Tasting Plate on the special's board and I knew immediately that this was the treat my appetite was calling for! This tasting plate changes as the chef sees fit, but on my particular plate I got to enjoy seared scallops, marinated olives, fresh salmon and a house made relish with sourdough bread (yes, drool worthy). My boyfriend couldn't resist the traditional fish 'n' chips next to the smell of the ocean air and decided on the beer battered fish of the day which was definitely tasty and generously portioned.

After a stroll around the town and exploring the beach, the dinner bell was calling so we made our way to Athelstane. This dining room held a peaceful ambiance where guests can enjoy a few drinks from the wine bar which included not only a great selection of wines, but a cocktail menu also. I sipped on my traditional style Pimm's while waiting for our food to arrive. I definitely recommend their very flavoursome dumplings filled with pork and spring onion, and water chestnut and Asian greens! It was evident that these little treasures were homemade and delicately wrapped to burst with flavour.

 And then it was time for breakfast again...

A must-visit breakfast spot in Queenscliff would have to be Gusto Cafe and Herb Garden. Sitting in their adorable herb garden under a tree that was covering us from the soft drops of rain, we couldn't go wrong. Here I ordered my usual poached eggs, which I can never resist, alongside rashers of bacon, home-made relish and fresh basil. My boyfriend had a similar meal however with a touch of grilled mushroom and sizzling chorizo. It was very relaxing eating in the garden and I enjoyed every moment of it, however we couldn't have a prepared ourselves for the dinner that was to come that night...

I have a real soft spot for Barwon Heads. Crossing the bridge to the relaxed beach and effortlessly cool cafes and shops, I always seem to find myself drawn to this little town. We headed there for dinner on one of our nights away and were fortunate enough to find the magnificent At The Heads. Located on the jetty, this place is surrounded with beautiful views of Barwon Heads beach that really makes you feel like you're floating on the water. After a quick glance at the menu, there was no chance that we were going to overlook the Seafood Platter for Two. When we were equipped with all our weapons of destruction, we knew there was a great food adventure ahead...

This would have to be the largest seafood platter I have ever seen and everything on it was delicious! Even though there were so many great components to this meal, I would have to say that the keiser and chardonnay mussels would have to have been a favourite! And yes, we did finish it all... with a struggle, but it was too good to leave anything behind. And wait.. there is actually more! This platter also comes with fruit and sorbet for dessert. If you do somehow find any room to fit it in, it is a great way to finish off and leave your pallet feeling refreshed.

Our last stop for our trip was brunch on the way home and again we found ourselves taking a detour to Barwon Heads. We stopped at Annie's Provedore & Produce Store and may I just say that if you are ever in the town of Barwon Heads - this is a must visit! This adorable store sells all things from deli items, to cakes, to wine and they even serve you brunch in store! We completely indulged here, ordering zucchini and feta fritters with a poached egg on one plate, goat's cheese, sour dough and poached eggs on another both with a side of their house relish, and then just to top it off a croissant accompanied by a selection of spreads supplied on each table including a mouthwatering raspberry jam!

This was certainly the perfect way to finish off a trip filled with a variety of delicious tastes!

Flower Power

Well I've been known to travel far and wide for a good feed and this weekend led me to Silvan in the Yarra Ranges. I visited the Tesselaar Tulip Festival, on their Food, Wine & Jazz weekend and enjoyed complimentary wine tasting, taste testing some local produce from the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges and a muddy walk through the colourful rows of tulips in the ever unpredictable Victorian weather of rain, then sunshine, then rain, then wait for it... sunshine again!

There were gorgeous floral displays of tulips all around, unique pieces of artwork and jazz tunes playing providing fun for all ages. With children chiming bells through the gardens, wine lovers making the most of their complimentary wine tasting and food lovers (like myself) tasting all the delicious treats.

We started our journey with a walk around the festival admiring the vibrant tulip farm in awe of the spring colours, giggling at all the muddy shoes around and taking in the fresh open air. After our walk through the beautiful floral farm, it was time to taste the delicious foods on offer - including the use of our complimentary wine tasting tokens! We enjoyed some great wine tasting from vineyards of the Yarra Valley and sampled some caramalised almonds and delicious marinated mushrooms. For lunch we decided on spinach and cheese filled Gozleme, a delicious Turkish treat and for dessert we couldn't go past the Dutch Poffertjes with lemon and icing sugar! Yum, yum and yum!

Before the day was up, I couldn't leave this vibrant festival empty handed - tasting some local homemade chutneys and jams I decided on the nectarine, red capsicum and chilli chutney along with the peach and passion fruit jam. Sound tasty don't they? Well yes, these delicious flavour combinations really are great (not sure how long they'll last at home!) There is also a tulip picking station where you can walk through and hand pick your own tulips to take home and enjoy. A chose a variety of the colours and they are starting to blossom beautifully. They are actually sitting in front of me and I can't help but look at them constantly, hoping that they'll open a little more every time I look!

This gorgeous Spring festival is running until October 9th, with next weekend being Irish Weekend! I certainly recommend heading over to find that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow - but may I suggest to leave your high heels at home and bring along your gumboots, to make the most of your exploring through the farm!

High Tea Success!

In a follow up to my High Tea for Habitat.. I am please to say it was a great success!! With many helping hands, I managed to host a tea party with white table cloths covered in soft toned flowers, tea light candles and decorative birdcages to complete the serene look of a Sunday high tea.

None of my guests came empty handed which was unexpected and I am very appreciative of. With all of their extra touches, our goodies table was overflowing with special tea party treats that kept our tummies very satisfied. Some of our delicious commodities included home-made sausage rolls, cherry ripe slice, lime friands, Minnie Mouse cupcakes and mini pecan tarts (...just to name a few!) As guests arrived in accordance to the dress code (just for a bit of added fun) with ladies in their pearls and gentlemen in their bow ties, it was time to enjoy...

My running slideshow of photos from Habitat for Humanity Australia and Disney classic tunes completed the ambiance of a positive tea party feel, whilst showing recognition of the wonderful things that the organisation does and where the generous donations from my guests were going. I held a raffle which really got everyone involved and my very talented cousin sang for us as a special treat, which was a lovely surprise.

By the end of the day our donations jar was nice and full and we had raised a total of $672 for the organisation which I am very proud of. I am very thankful to the generosity of my guests for their donations and for the delicious treats they brought along to make this day the success that it was! I was so pleased with how the day turned out and couldn't have done it without the many helping hands that contributed to organising the day... so a BIG thank you to you all!!!

It's still not too late to host a High Tea for Habitat of your own with one last weekend in September remaining. So get your baking hat on and some happy tunes playing (Disney classics in my case) and get your loved ones together to support a great cause!