A messy Sunday...

As Melbourne settles in for the long weekend (for us lucky ones) what better way to spend a Spring's, Sunday afternoon than enjoying yum cha inspired dishes accompanied by a cold cider.

This perfect combination for a Sunday sesh can be found on Sydney Road at the Brunswick Mess Hall. Here you can enjoy the small courtyard-setting seating areas for an intimate affair or high tables in the hall itself to get in the mix of it all - either way you can't go wrong with delicious food being served to you from the Lucky Panda Kitchen!

On Sunday's they have a lunch special where you can enjoy yum cha style meals with a twist, accompanied by a cold bev... just to make your lazy afternoon complete.

With your choice of ticking away at the menu or just going for the banquet, our hungry appetites called for the banquet option - giving us a taste of everything.

Each dish was delicately placed on our tasting plates and certainly packed with flavour, but I think my favourite for the afternoon would have to be a tie between the duck pancakes and the delicious meatballs served on a sweet pineapple wedge! My advice - take a bite through the whole serve to experience the complete flavour combination and don't leave that pineapple alone on the plate!

 

Just when we thought our bellies could not fit in one more bite... there was still the final sweet element to finish off the meal. For dessert was a sweet dumpling in ginger syrup with an element of surprise - the filling could be either red bean or lotus seed. Nobody knows until you take that first bite...

And just to ease your curiousity, turns out mine was red bean!

I am definitely looking forward to more catch ups with friends and chats with the friendly staff at this establishment who were keen to laugh along to our silly Sunday ranting!

  

Mama Baba

A family dinner with my parents leads to me ticking off another much anticipated dining experience from my 'to-do' list. After this surprise dinner, I am now one step closer to successfully eating my way through the Made Establishment family.

Walking down a lane way through South Yarra, we see the red and white striped awnings giving off a hint that if you want some great pasta, then this is the place to be! The Greek and Italian inspired Mama Baba is another of George Calombaris' gems and the menu uses traditional flavours with a modern twist.

As you walk in, the dim lighting and upbeat tunes pumping from their in-house DJ provides a cool Melbourne vibe, along with the relaxed bar-style seating.

As I can be quite indecisive (especially with so many great options in front of me) we went with my favourite dining approach and let the chefs decide, choosing the Mama Menu, allowing us to enjoy a selection of the chef's favourites. Starting with a bread bag on arrival we then ventured into meze plates, a selection of mains and pastas... and last but not least dessert!

Making our way through the plentiful courses, each dish was bursting with the traditional European flavours - from fresh vinaigrette dressed starting plates to warm garlic-infused pastas. I think my top picks of the night would have to be the seafood stew and squid ink pasta... there's something about the dark colouring of the pasta that brings the sense of mystery and intrigue.

By the end of the night, there were impressed smiling faces all around the table (not to mentioned very satisfied appetites) and I was certainly happy to enjoy my way through another Made Establishment mission.

With Gazi  now on the scene, it looks like my list has grown yet again... but with the great reputation this collection holds I am definitely looking forward dining my way through the rest of my list!

Luna 1878 returns!

As I sit at home all snug listening to the strong winds outside on this cold Melbourne night, it sets the perfect scene for a winter-related post...

A year has gone by since the launch of Luna 1878 at the Queen Victoria Market and this year the Winter Night Market is back with some new tastes and vibrant entertainment.

The bonfires lure you in from the cold winter's air while you are welcomed by the delicious smells from the amazing food on offer.

My usual game plan is to do a lap and then make the tough decision of where to start and this time I started my tasting journey with Hoy Pinoy Filipino BBQ. I had their traditional glaze chicken skewers which are a must-try! The glaze melts in your mouth and in combination with the smokey charcoal flavour, it is a sure winner!

Next stop was Hungarian Street Food where I tried a savoury langos - a traditional fried bread, with cheese and garlic, accompanied by a mulled wine to help keep warm.

But the choices don't end there.... The Meatball Company are back for more this year, with their large pans of meatballs sizzling away and delicious fries which seem to be a popular choice for all guests. On a sweeter note, there's pancakes with oozy chocolate sauce and ricotta cream or if you feel like a taste of Germany - try Bretzel Biz for a warm pretzel!  

While I was enjoying my food and inhaling the brilliant aroma from my mulled wine, a rush of music comes marching through the market and drew in the attention of all the market goers. It was the lively drumming of percussion group Maracatu Estrela do Mar!

With two weeks left of this Winter Night Market, I suggest you get out of your winter blues and make the most of what this market has to offer (and perhaps gain a new appreciation for Melbourne's colder months).

Luna 1878 is on every Wednesday night through August from 5pm - 10pm. See you there!

A Vue to Remember...

Well it was that time of the year again, another year older... which means more food orientated celebrations and getting spoilt by my beautiful friends!

This year, my surprise dining adventure lead to me tasting a little slice of France under the Vue de Monde family... Bistro Vue. This establishment represents a more relaxed, Parisian-style dining experience compared to Shannon Bennett's renowned Vue de Monde.

The warm lighting brings an intimate feeling against the wooden floors and floral accents, whilst the friendly staff ensure you have a memorable and personalised experience. Again accommodating to my dietary requirements of mostly non-dairy, (which can be a struggle with a French cuisine) the staff assisted by suggesting appropriate meals and making substitutions where necessary.

Feeling the urge to try the seafood at this establishment, I had the John Dory which was light and full of fresh flavours. I must admit it is hard to provide you with suggestions here as the meals all around the table were delicious but I would definitely take advantage of the specials on offer, as my girlfriends both ordered from this selection and were very pleased!

I must however take you to the next step of this food journey and have a serious chat about dessert time. You can't do French food and not rave about their dessert.. it just doesn't seem right!

We ordered a few plates to share and I would say this is the best way to go as you get to sample a variety of dishes (that is, if you are dining with friends who are willing to share their delicious choices with you!). It was a struggle to decide but after much debate we went with the Tarte Tatin, Beechworth honey crème (sorbet for me) with oats, cassis and pear and last but not least a cheese board - choosing from a selection on their cheese trolley... yes! They have a cheese trolley on display for you to walk up to and drool over and make the selection for yourself (mmm.. drooling just thinking about it). If you couldn't tell... cheeseboards are somewhat of a weakness for this particular group of girlfriends and myself!

Now, my dish of the night and an absolute recommendation for when you visit Bistro Vue -

(...drum roll please.....)

I think this may actually be a first but it was a dessert this time and rightly so as this dish is a well talked about dish of the restaurant - it's the Tarte Tatin! This sweet number is brought out to you on the pan and flipped before your eyes - so you enjoy the experience of seeing the finished product for the first time along with the staff taking care of you for the night. It crumbles in your mouth as you bite into it and was the perfect end note to a great night out.

However... just when I thought the night was over, the staff also bring me one last birthday surprise. It was birthday wishes to me written in chocolate accompanied by a delicious sugary treat. This last little touch definitely personalised this dining experience to make it extra special!

More miso please

On Hardware Street, lives a place whose name represents a 'convenient lunchbox' in the Japanese culture. They go by the name Bentoya and lucky for us they don't only do lunch, but they are open for dinner too!

On a cold Wednesday night, a group of us indulged in an 8 course Izakaya Banquet to celebrate getting through 'hump day' (one step closer to the weekend!). This banquet brings the group together with the art of sharing, by allowing you to sample a variety of flavours that the Japanese cuisine has to offer - including the perfect, light start of edamame.

Every course that came out provided a unique experience, with different flavours to entertain the pallet as we journeyed through the banquet. While the presentation made even the simplest of dishes appealing to the eye, making us eager to dig in!

 

Although each dish held such individual flavours, my favourite of the night would have to be the miso fish hotpot. With fresh greens and fish so tender it melted in your mouth, this certainly made the perfect spoonful to warm up on a cold Winter's night.

This is only a small establishment and with the crowd I sat among on a Wednesday night, I would imagine that weekends get quite full - so I would suggest making a booking.

I am certainly looking forward to heading back for some more miso to warm me up during the many cold nights to come.

Top Paddock

I can never resist a post about my favourite mealtime of the day and this time my brunch adventure lead me to Richmond. Just over Church Street Bridge, is a corner cafe where the natural sunlight is plentiful and the chairs on the decking are creatively designed from recycled street signs. My brunch hot spot for the long weekend is Top Paddock.

As a friend recently became a resident to the area, we thought we'd take advantage of the rare sunshine in the Winter, by going for a walk to this fairly new establishment.

Unsure whether leaving our brunch date until later than planned would dampen our chances of getting a table... we were pleased to find that upon arrival we were seated immediately, due to the attentive staff and the team's strategic plan to cater for large weekend crowds. This cafe was larger than I expected and gladly so, as it meant no long waits for the deliciousness that lay ahead.

We sat outside on the decking where we could enjoy the fresh breeze and greenery of the street, while pondering over the many tasty options on the menu.

As I can never seem to resist poached eggs on my brunch plate, I went for the establishment's self-titled meal 'Top Paddock' which included their house made sausage which melts in your mouth... especially in combination with the relish! My friend went for a sweeter option, choosing the ginger bread with roasted blood plums and chocolate mascarpone (basically heaven on a plate!).

I left with a very full and satisfied appetite and as we enjoyed the walk home, we both agreed that this place deserved many more visits for future brunch dates!