After the disappointment of my first Melbourne Food and Wine Festival event, I was oscillating between not wanting to get my hopes up and being very eager for my next foodie foray, the Crawl ‘n’ Bite.  The Crawl ‘n’ Bite, now something of a signature event for the festival reminds me a lot of the progressive dinner parties my parents used to go to in the 70s.  Except in this case, instead of fundraising for the kindergarten, we were “dancing down laneways” between three Melbourne restaurants in order to feast on a signature plate and “cleverly matched drink”.

Our evening started at the newly renovated Sarti, in Russell Place.  Greeted warmly by our hosts we donned out wrist bands and settled with drink in hand.  An apperitif of Rosso Antico, prosecco and lemonade was well received by our group.  Sarti presented us with three “bites”.  The first was a carpaccio of kingfish.  Lightly dressed this was an excellent piece of fish.  Duck and provolone polpette followed.  Mine was a touch dry, but great flavour made that easy to forgive.  Our third bite was zeppole with anchovies – hot crispy Italian doughnuts with the unmistakeable flavour of anchovy.  The waiter initially struggled to describe these tasty morsels, thinking that people might be put off my the idea of fish doughnuts.  His hesitation  was unfounded as everyone loved them.  Even a devoted no-fish eater in our party was pleasantly surprised.  I am going to hunt down a good recipe (maybe I should ask chef Riccardo Momesso!) and try to make these at home.

We left Sarti and made our way to Flinders Lane for the second stop for the evening, Coda.  In true Melbourne style you enter Coda down a laneway (Oliver Lane) and watching the progression of thirty or so people down the bluestones was exactly the visual I had in mind for the Crawl.  It was a mild evening, people were in good spirits and having a bit of fun and adventure which is, in the end, what food to me is all about.  Bite of the night award goes to the first offering at Coda – a crispy prawn and tapioca betel leaf.  I could have happily eaten just them.  A delicate prawn filling inside a betel leaf which has been folded in half then dipped in what must be a tapioca tempura batter and fried until super crispy.  Wow! Another dish that I will try to recreate.  Next we enjoyed a sweet and succulent piece of pork belly with fresh and crunchy Coda  slaw.  The last bite at Coda was a very fragrant duck curry with rice.  It was good to have something a bit more substantial  as part of the Crawl’s menu.  Our matched drink at Coda was an aromatic white wine from Marlborough NZ.

A short trip down Flinders St and we arrived at our final destination, MoVida Next Door in Hosier Lane.  A tall sherry spritzer was there to quench our thirst as our final plate of bites was served.  A crispy crouton with cauliflower puree, quail egg and avruga caviar sat happily on a plate with fine layered pastry topped with pulled ox cheek and one of MoVida’s most famous  tapas – the bomba.  A chorizo filled Catalan potato bomb with spicy sauce.

I finished the evening sufficiently sated not groaningly full which was perfect.  At a well priced $50 per person it is easy to see why this event sells out so quickly.  It is an excellent showcase of some of Melbourne’s well known restaurants and to me, captures the right feel for the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival.

It wasn’t my first choice.  It wasn’t even my second or third.  It was booked on my fourth attempt to find a Melbourne Food and Wine Festival dinner to go to with friends.  Juggling availabilities, location and my late foray into finding something, I knew it was a big ask to get a booking for something I was truly excited about, but I still held out hope for good food and a pleasant evening.  And so it was that the Anglo French 100 Year War Dinner at Fenix was secured as the first festival event I would attend this year.  Taking its cue from the series of wars waged from 1337 to 1453 between the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet that changed “not just Europe but the way we eat and drink”, the premise of the evening was, led by Gary Mehigan and Manu Feildel, to explore the similarities between the two cuisines that “have adapted over time and have profoundly influenced Australian culture”.

The idea sounded interesting: head to head dishes highlighting the best of English and French cuisine and the chance to learn a bit more about history.  Or so I thought.  My warning bells failed to go off.  I gave nary a thought to the type of person who might be attracted to such an dinner, or to how it might be staged (and staged it was).  And we paid for it.  One of our party remarked that it felt like paying to go a wedding at which we knew no-one.  Fenix is a lovely venue in a beautiful setting, but that could not make up for what I found a very disappointing evening.

We started in the foyer with Australian sparkling wine and canapés.  From the English corner; a mini chicken and leek pie, from the French; a crouton topped with what they claimed was steak tartar but appeared more like a mystery mix with crumbled boiled egg on top.  Neither hit the mark.  Roaming amongst the gathering guests was a guy in shorts and a VB singlet with a tray of obviously plastic hors d’oeurves.  I am not sure what the point of his presence was, but I ended up wondering if his offering was the one I should have gone for.

It as as we were ushered into the main dining room and I took in the reception like setting that it slowly dawned on me what we were in for: a staged event designed to flout not the food but the personalities involved.  I could appreciate the large French and English flags above the microphone’s podium, and the effect of the alternating flags as place cards on the table setting, but when the MC formally commenced proceedings in an English accent reminiscent of a cast member of the British sitcom On the Buses I had a flicker of  worry.  Then Gary entered the room dressed as Nelson, and Manu followed in his best impersonation of Napoleon Bonaparte and the flicker grew.  We were treated not to a discourse on the origins of food but to a pantomime like act full of cringe worthy quips on what each country had given to the world.  In short we learnt that England gave us Spotted Dick and we can thank France for the bikini.  Amongst all of this frivolity, dinner was served.

First course hailed from England.  Confit trout with horseradish cream, pickled cucumber, crisp bacon, radish and watercress.  The matched wine was a very enjoyable 2010 Domaine Joseph Cattin Pinot Blanc from Alsace, France.  The trout was beautifully cooked   although I found the portion was a bit large for a six course dinner.  Missing from the plate was the crisp bacon, which would have added a nice textural element, but I liked the finely sliced radish.

The second course was my favourite of the evening; escargot ‘snails’ pastisse cassolete served with a 2009 Maitre Renard Chardonnay from Burgundy.  The pastry was flaky and golden.  Perfect with the escargot that had the delicate aniseed scent of the pastisse.

The third dish was “pork peas and onions” pork belly with slow roasted onions, smashed peas.  It was matched with a 2010 George Duboeuf Beaujolais-Village.  It looked okay on the plate but I found the pork a bit dry and the peas bland and under seasoned.

We travelled back across the channel to France for the fourth course; beef cheek bourguignon with carrot purée.  No need for Manu to ask “where’s the sauce” on this tasty dish.  I enjoyed the cheek but again wished that the portion was smaller.  At this point there were still two course to go and I was wondering how I was going to fit anything else in.  It was well paired with a 2009 Les Courtilles Cote du Rhône.

Back to the “infotainment” part of the night.  By now the MC had returned to his microphone, this time attempting a French accent.  However, his was not the only accent we had to endure.  No celebrity chef is without a cookbook these days.  Where better to promote it than to a captive audience such as the one assembled at our dinner and how better than with a bit of audience participation.  A roving microphone went around the room and sought out diners who were willing to put their best pompous Brit or arrogant Frenchman to the test in a bid to win a copy of either Gary or Manu’s latest book.  Giveaways over, it was time for a bit of Q & A.   Sadly I learnt nothing much about food or the impact of the 100 years war, but did chuckle along with the rest of the room when Manu answered with a resounding “yes” when asked if Thomas (from MKR) was as awful in person as the TV series portrayed.  All was not lost if you missed out on the free books as both chefs set up tables in the foyer where for a mere $40 you could get their latest book and have it signed.

Sussex Pond Pudding was our fifth course and first of two desserts.  Rich and heavy this pudding is traditionally made by covering a whole lemon with butter and sugar and encasing it in a suet pastry.  It is then steamed or boiled for several hours turning the insides into a thick sauce which flows out to form the ‘pond’ when the dessert is cut open.  No whole lemons in the small versions we were served and one of ours had to sauce at all.  I’m far from a sweet tooth so this held no appeal for me.  A nice contrast to the richness was the accompanying Delemere Sparkling Rosé from the Tamar Valley.

The final course for the evening was a perfect chocolate tart pore belle hélène.  It was a chocoholic’s delight.  With a beautiful texture and intense in flavour it could have come close to its claim of ‘perfect’, but ending a large dinner with two such heavy and rich desserts is not my preference so I only managed a mouthful or two.

The dinner was $150 per person for the six courses with matched wines.  I didn’t leave hungry, but nor did I leave satisfied.  The whimsy and commercialism of the night overtook left no room for focus on the food, and this is something I expected as part of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival.  In this Anglo French war I think the winners were the chefs’ egos and the books’ publishers.  Disappointing, yes, but fortunately I have quite a few other Festival events to look forward to, so here’s to the next one.

Melbournians, in my opinion,  are particularly adept at making good use of space.  An important skill in a city that holds much of it’s charm in out of the way places.  The sort that you have look for; whether it be down a lane, in the middle of a river or up to the skyline – to the rooftops.  A recent addition to the Melbourne’s rooftop scene is Union Dining Terrace.

Sitting happily above the restaurant of the same name this lovely al fresco terrace opened at the beginning of February.   When you make your way upstairs onto the expanse of warm terracotta tiles and soak up the sun’s rays whilst sipping your Pimms it is easy to forget that the hustle and bustle of Swan Street and Church Street lurks below.   It is a casual affair but carries lots of little details that make you feel very relaxed.  The atmosphere nails the “European Provincial with a distinctly Melbourne identity” brief from owners  chef Nicky Riemer and front of house maestro Adam Cash.  We were greeted with genuine smiles and enjoyed an attentiveness that struck exactly the right chord.

You cannot help but see the large grill down one end of the deck – I’m tempted to call it a barbecue because it seems a more fitting moniker, but perhaps that’s too domestic.  Name aside, as soon as the first order hits the heat and the scent wafts down, it’s time to reach for the select menu of bites from the grill and a few other tasty treats.  I could easily have tried all of what was on offer.  We started with Cheddar, gherkins & grissini $9.  I can be ambivalent towards gherkins at the best of times, it all depends on the pickling.  These ones I loved – the balance of sweet flesh and vinegar won me over.

Anchovies and smoked paprika cheese crackers $12 came out next, but didn’t last long on the plate.  So very moreish.  Even if you think you don’t like anchovies, try these, they will change your mind.

I love things on skewers.  Such a clever way to serve mouthwatering morsels and perfect for al fresco eating.  The Italians (and Union Dining) call  their version spiedini, coming from the Italian spiedo meaning spit or spiedini referring to cubes or balls of meat cooked on a skewer,  but elsewhere they may be referred to as kebabs, brochettes or yakitori.  We tried both the chorizo, pancetta and pickled mushroom $6

and the fish, tomato, zucchini and bay leaf $9.

Union Dining Terrace is worth seeking out for a relaxed drink and casual nibble.   With Melbourne’s beautiful autumn days ahead and more on the menu to try – the pork fennel and chilli baby burger for one – I will be returning to this relaxed Richmond rooftop.

You will find it at 270 – 272 Swan St, Richmond.  Its up the stairs and out the back and is open from 5pm Wednesday to Sunday.

With so much focus by food writers,  be they bloggers or journalists,  on the latest food trends we tend to hear a lot about the  “it”  cuisines and restaurants.   In case you were wondering,  Mexican was the flavour of the month,  but it is now giving way to a slow but steadily growing love affair with a number of South American cuisines.  With all of this chatter going on it is easy to forget that really good Italian is exactly that -  really good.   A visit to Osteria La Passione will soon remind you why Italian food should still hold a place in our gastronomic hearts.  In the hierarchy of Italian eateries the osteria comes after the trattoria which comes after the ristorante.  Osterie are traditionally where one would go for a good cheap feed. Don’t be misled by the humble appearance of Osteria La Passione though,  there is some seriously good food being served in this tiny Richmond eatery.  It is the first venture of chef Carmine Constantini.  Born in Italy he worked at Caffe e Cucina,  Stefano’s and the Tea Rooms at Yarck before going it alone.

There is no menu for the six course dinner that changes daily which,  along with the simple fit out,  reminds me of Torrisi Italian Specialties in NoLita NY.    The guys behind Torrisi will be in Melbourne for the 2012 Melbourne Food and Wine Festival and will be worth seeking out.   Don’t be surprised if the table next to you receives different dishes – each party’s six courses is personalised to accommodate any food preferences or dietary requirements.  At $75 per person,  it may challenge some people’s idea of cheap,  but not mine because the quality of the food is impeccable,  all meats are cured in house,  the olive oil is to die for,  the house-made bread is unlimited, the tables are well set with good drapery and cutlery,  and the service is effortlessly professional and thoughtful.   There is a small wine list of mostly Italian and Australian options,  but you can BYO for $20 corkage a bottle.   I suggest you dust off something good from home if you have it – it’s worth it.  Our red was expertly decanted and allowed to breathe until we were ready for it.

Our meal started with cured ocean trout with fennel, shallots and picked rocket leaves.  It was a simple elegant dish with perfectly balanced flavours.  All four plates on our table looked like they had been licked clean so good was the olive oil and blood orange dressing – perfect for being mopped up with the excellent house bread.

Next a sformattino with broccoli.  With a texture somewhere between a souffle and a quiche this was truly a sublime dish.  Richly flavoured and beautifully cheesey, it was still light and airy and offset well by the fresh tomato sauce.  More please.

A dish of house-made salsiccia with green lentils may not be overly pretty on the plate, but each mouthful was wonderful.  The lentils were perfectly cooked and the salsiccia is something I would go back for.

No Italian meal would be complete without a pasta course.    We had trofie al pesto.  I spied pappardelle with a rich ragu at a nearby table and almost had food envy,  until I tasted the pesto.  It was everything I hope mine is whenever I make it.   Vibrant green and packed full of flavour,  I really enjoyed the pesto but thought that the dish needed pepper.   I saw a grinder sitting atop the glass cabinet that housed the smallgoods and politely asked a waitress if I could have some pepper.   This small request certainly set the cat amongst the pigeons (so to speak).   The waitress I spoke to disappeared into the kitchen,  then reappeared flanked by other staff who were all looking at me anxiously.   Concerned that it may have been the waitress in question’s command of English that was causing confusion,  I repeated my request to another member of the floor staff.    No immediate response was given but the pepper grinder was fetched and I soon had some speckled on top of my trofie.   “We don’t normally do this”  I was told.    I respect a chef’s wishes to not have salt and pepper on the table,  many people thoughtlessly season the food presented to them without first tasting it.   However if I have tasted my food and then determine I want pepper and can see the grinder, it should not be too strange a request.    If you don’t want people to ask for it – put it out of sight!   It was the only hiccough of the night, and a minor one at that.

When you have really good quality ingredients, they should always be allowed to speak for themselves.  Such was the case for the roast pork belly that came out next.  It was unctuous, but in a good way, and I simply do not know how the skin could have been any crisper.   Accompanied only by a little cavolo nero, it was a dish that relied on flavour not pretension.

At this juncture we should have been served dessert, however, the staff recognised that we still had red wine and asked if we wished to have an additional course of cheese to go with the wine.  Turophiles that we are, the only answer was yes.   The cheese plate included; a taleggio, a semi-hard 24 moth aged cow’s milk cheese that was lovely but the name escapes me, a pecorino with truffle, another pecorino with honey and a hard goat’s cheese.   They were served with slightly charred bread and an assortment of condiments, including a fabulous home made quince paste.   For me the truffled pecorino with a drizzle of honey and some walnut was hard to beat.  If you have never tried cheese (best options are a hard cheese or a blue) with truffle and honey – do so the first chance you get, you will not be disappointed.

Now it was time for dessert,  and you do not get much more quintessentially Italian than tiramisu.   Not having a particularly sweet tooth I normally shy away from this page of the menu,  but I was pleasantly surprised by the light touch that this classic dessert had.   As with everything it is all about balance and it was spot on here – not dominated by sweetness,  or coffee, or alcohol it was luscious and light all at once.

Osteria La Passione is a delight to dine at.  The things it does well are the things that really matter – quality ingredients,  honest dishes with amazing flavour and good service.    If you go,  be prepared to be at the chef’s whim – the food isn’t rushed and the tables are not turned over,  so expect to savour things and take your time.   Which can be a little uncomfortable on the old church pews and hard back seats,  but I will happily forgive them this and look forward to turning to see what chef Carmine Constantini feels like cooking next.

Osteria La Passione

486 Bridge Road, ?Richmond
9428 2558
Tue – Sat 6pm-10pm

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Six months ago,  there wasn’t a lot of reason to venture to Kew for any sort of culinary experience.

Now, you can go to Ora for breakfast and get a thoughtful offering of sustainable and seasonal options accompanied by well made,  great coffee,  head to Mister Bianco for Southern Italian inspired cuisine in a comfortable but stylish setting,  or go to St Kat’s.  Situated right in the heart of Kew junction it seems to have captured not just the local market,  but lured those prepared to travel to suburbia for the cachet of chefs,  Shane Delia and George Calombaris.   St Katherine’s delivers a mix of modern Mediterranean interpretations,  from Modern Greek to Middle Eastern and Turkish.   Most of the menu is built around the semi-open kitchen with an enormous wood-fired oven,  14-spike rotisserie and a custom made Turkish grill that’s almost the length of the kitchen pass.   The remainder is “Stuff” – appetisers,  “Side Stuff” and “Sweet Stuff”.

I have dined twice at St Katherine’s;  once as a party of two and later in a group of nine.   On both occasions, the balanced attentive service from the staff on the floor stopped the large space (it seats 140) from feeling more like a cafeteria than a restaurant.  Full of blonde wood furniture,  brightly coloured ceramic plates and cutlery presented in old tomato tins it is the latest and largest venture in the Made Establishment’s (formerly called The Press Club Group) stable of six.  On both occasions I embraced the plates in the middle of the table culture and had the 6 course shared menu.  It is a good way to eat your way across the breadth of the menu,  is not too damaging to the wallet and you will certainly not leave hungry.  The menu changes regularly showing some consideration to seasonality and availability of produce,  with a few anchor dishes for which St Kat’s has become well known.

Expect the shared menu to start with some dips,  a vegetable dish and a couple of items from “Stuff”.   On my most recent visit we had red lentil kofte.  Great flavour, but I actually prefer the crunchier texture of the ones I make at home based on the recipe in Greg Malouf’s Turquoise.

On each visit there has a been a vegetable dish amongst the starters.  The below dish of slightly pickled carrot with plump beans was lifted by the addition of dried mint and hint of cumin.  Not the prettiest to look out,  the simplicity and honesty of it’s flavours made it stand out.

One of the aforementioned anchor dishes,  is indubitably the Turkish lamb dumplings.  Tender spicy lamb parcels with the tangy lemony hit of sumac and creamy garlicky yoghurt.  Not taken by these on my first visit,  I almost left these to the others at the table.  I am glad I didn’t because second time around they definitely hit the mark.

The wood fired oven gets a work out with the savoury pides.  Peppered figs ricotta mint and haloumi was one of the star combinations.  Other welcome tastes were sujuk and bastirma.

This beautifully cooked piece of fish presented me with a dilemma.  It tasted magnificent and the slight charring of the meaty flesh was balanced by the zing of fresh lemon and good olive oil.  So where is the problem?  It is swordfish.  A fish on Greenpeace’s redlist,  and most sustainability experts’ Asia Pacific “Say No” list.  In checking the St Katherine’s website today whilst writing this,  I noted that it has been replaced with “Grilled Market Fish” – and a choice between John Dory,  Flathead,  Black Bream and Baby Snapper.  Bream is your best option here,  I would think twice about the others.  If you want to know more,  check out Good Fish Bad Fish.

Surely this is what rotisseries were made for?  If you eat meat (and clearly I do) it can be hard to go past the mouth watering tenderness of slow roasted succulent meat.  If you embark upon a shared menu at St Kat’s,  leave room for this.  It will probably never win any accolades for creativity or ingenuity,  but damn it tastes good.  It was served with a simple salad that I couldn’t get enough of and a wonderfully nutty and fluffy pilaf.

Desserts are rarely my thing,  but the watermelon “salad”  doused in arak syrup, with mint jelly cubes and cinnamon accented labne was one I would go back for.  Sadly,  it’s no longer on the menu,  but hopefully it will make a return.

Hot cherry jam filled doughnuts on chocolate “gravel” atop a chocolate mousse that sits happily above a whiskey jelly.  If you have a sweet tooth,  this is for you.  It was too much for me to devour after the feast that had gone before,  but there were plenty of takers at our table to help me finish.

Go to St Katherine’s with a group,  it’s more fun and you won’t feel as lost in the large space.  You will also get to taste more of the family friendly,  designed to be shared menu.  I’m not wowed by St Kat’s,  some elements of the menu are a little too gimmicky and fast food oriented (the KFC and Mr Whippy – both of which I have tried),  but I do love the flavours and the modern take in many of the middle eastern dishes on the menu.

St Katherine’s

26 Cotham Rd. Kew VIC 3101
T: +61 (3) 9207 7477

E: admin@stkatherines.com.au

Hobba Coffee and Kitchen has just opened in what was an old tyre store on Commercial Road in Prahran.  It is the newest venture from the team behind Willim – a very nice little espresso bar hidden just off Glenferrie Rd in Malvern.  Hobba is far more spacious and has clearly had a lot of thought go in to the design.  It all but screams cafe cool.  The wide glass concertina door opens into a vast semi-industrial looking space – brick walls, concrete floors, pale wooden benches and (replica?) Xavier Pouchard Tolix chairs and stools.  Whilst I could appreciate the look, the imbalanced heating and metal under the derriere meant it was not a comfortable place to be on a 7 degree Melbourne morning.

Hobba pitches itself as having a notable focus on coffee, understandable if you know anything about Gerrick Numan, but what lets them down is the delivery and knowledge of the floor staff.   They may need to address this before starting to roast in house (they currently use Five Senses).  On the morning we went there was an espresso  blend and a single origin to choose from for extraction from the Synesso, or three single origins if you wanted filter.   We started with a long black and a cafe latte.  The long black came out with a nice crema and balanced flavour, but it came out alone.  It is not that hard to serve a table of two their coffees at the same time.  Really it isn’t.  Even when you are busy.  The flavours that were well rounded in the long black unfortunately didn’t carry through the milk of the latte.

On the food front we ordered the Baked Eggs and scrambled eggs with sides of spinach, bacon and mushroom.  Both dishes were okay but disappointing.  The Baked Eggs (cooked with black beans, chopped tomato, red onion, bacon and Persian feta) came with one egg really runny, whilst the other had its yolk cooked all the way through.   It sounded promising on the menu, but lacked seasoning and was barely tepid.  Maybe that’s why it came with hot sauce.

Crusty Dench toast, well cooked spinach and nicely smoked bacon would have you think this simple dish was going to be a winner.  A lonely half a mushroom made for an expensive side, and scrambled eggs that you would be forgiven for thinking came from a hotel bain marie brought the dish back down.  More coffee was in order to pick things up a bit.  I was keen to try one of the suggested filter coffees but wanted to hear what the staff had to say about the various flavour profiles before making my choice.  Our original coffees had been finished and cleared long ago, but no-one thought to ask if we wanted another round.  The floor staff were friendly but did not seem to be coping with the pace of the morning, which was busy but not frantic.  When I finally caught someone’s attention and asked about the filter coffees, I got lots of “ums” and “ahs” and “that’s difficult to describe” and was eventually told to go and ask the barista.   Armed with the information I wanted I had to head back to the table to order and again struggled to get someone’s attention.  I finally did and ordered a strong latte and an Ethiopian Nekisse as a filter.  The obliging waitress, who had cleared our breakfast plates a little earlier, then asked us if we would like to see the breakfast menu.

The coffees came out individually again – at least five minutes apart.  They were good though.  The “strong” latte managed to cut through the milk and the Ethiopian Nekisse was lovely – blueberry notes dominate and there was a fresh citrus acidity to balance the well rounded sweetness.

I wanted to like Hobba.  I really did. But I left feeling let down.  It will no doubt do well – the location and style of the cafe will see to that, but it is somewhere that could be great – if it able to lift its game in a few areas.  Newly opened places always deserve time to settle in, so I won’t give up.  After some time has passed and they have had the opportunity to find their feet, I will venture back and see what they have become.

Hobba
428 Malvern Road, Prahran
(03) 9510 8336

Hours
Mon-Sun 7am–5pm

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There’s always a moment of hesitation when first going to a restaurant that has had a lot of hype.  Will it live up to expectations and deliver or has the momentum and chatter in both mainstream and social media gotten ahead of the reality?  The spotlight is never on more keenly than when said restaurant boasts some well known and well regarded names.  In the case of Chin Chin the names and the hype deliver.

The Names

Chris Lucas – Pearl Restaurant and ex Botanical.

Andrew Gimber – the former head chef of Jimmy Liks in Sydney, who was lured south for this venture and earned his “modern Thai” stripes with David Thompson, Neil Perry and Christine Manfield

Ben Cooper – been doing great things at the pans at St Ali, Nobu and Ezard

The Hype

A mostly Thai but veering towards pan-asian restaurant that delivers red hot food, with flavour and without fuss, in stylish and quintessentially ‘Melbourne’ surrounds.

Chin Chin occupies a large space, but the former site of the infamous Icon nightclub (where the bar was set alight and more than your average amount of mayhem occured) manages to feel intimate rather than vast thanks in no small part to the fit-out by Projects of Imagination (who are as hot right now as Chin Chin’s Nahm Prik when it comes to the world of restaurant design).  As is becoming the Melbourne way, there is a no bookings policy, unless you are a FOCL (Friend of Chris Lucas).  So come early or be prepared to snack at the bar and wait it out.  Arriving directly from work, but without the final member of our dining quartet, we did both.   It was amazing to look up from our conversation and see the restaurant fill so quickly – a bit like watching time delay photography sped up.

The casual menu is designed to share and won’t scare your wallet.  There is a lot to choose from so if you’re not into making decisions, just say “Feed Me” and you will get 7 Chin Chin favourites.

We started with Crunchy School Prawns with Nahm Plik Pla Gapi, Herbs and Crudites $9. Perfect bar food and destined to become a personal favourite.  The last time time I really loved school prawns was at Cumulus, but I think these may be even better, the nahm prik is something special and is beautifully balanced.

Then it was on to the Chin Chin Pork “Roll Ups” – red braised suckling pig with pancakes, slaw and sour herbs $16. This dish had me at “suckling pig” and I didn’t look back.

After enjoying these two at the bar we moved to our table which was a large shared table at the furthest end of the bar with a good view of the kitchen.  Unfortunately the occupation of the table by two parties confused a couple of the wait staff and there were dishes going in all directions.  This meant we missed out on the Spicy Corn and Coriander Fritters with Iceberg lettuce and chilli jam that I was keen to try.  The kitchen, slammed as it had been on so many evenings since the opening, had run out.  The not confused staff stepped in and quickly replaced them with Steamed Dumplings of Chicken Sweet Corn & Shiitake with Spring Onion and Ginger Dressing $11. They were nice but without the wow of the other dishes.

From the Green Stuff section of the menu we had Steamed Spanner Crab & Chicken Salad with Ruby Red Grapefruit, Coconut & fragrant herbs $23.  I would have been happy to have all of this to myself, but was reminded that we were sharing!

It was difficult to decide what to have from the more substantial sections of the menu.  We didn’t have a curry (only because I couldn’t make up my mind which one) but they will be on the hit list when I return.  From the Barbecue section we had Wild Barramundi wrapped in banana leaf with coconut red curry, lime and thai basil $22.  I really like barramundi and this was cooked to perfection and had a nice balance of sweetness from the coconut and zing from the herbs,

Turning to A Bit More on the menu we wrapped up the savoury section of our meal with Wild Boar, Stir Fried w Red Curry Paste, Snake Beans, Ginger and Basil $25.  I know that’s two red curries in a row, which was not intentional, however the difference in protein and cooking style made for two very different dishes.  The boar was really nice.  The last time I had it was in a slow cooked Italian ragu so I was curious to see how it went here in a stir fry.  The gamey flavour was evident but not over powering.  Overall a nice dish.

The sweet tooths amongst us were keen to try the Grilled Banana Roti bread with sweetened condensed milk and cinnamon sugar $12, but alas!  It was also sold out.  It was later suggested to me on Twitter that this dish is becoming quite popular and you may need to be a FOAG (Friend of Andrew Gimber) to ensure you don’t miss out!

It is worth mentioning that the wine list is all Australian and that the house wine has been exclusively made for Chin Chin by Yabby Lake winemaker Tom Carson.  I would have happily tried this, but couldn’t go past the Goaty Hill Riesling that dear friends of mine produce.

Chin Chin is fun.  It’s a great place to eat with friends, particularly friends who like food.  The atmosphere is right, the food is right, the staff (forgiven the few hicoughs we encountered) are right and it feels like just what Melbourne needs.

Chin Chin

125 Flinders Lane

Melbourne VIC 3000

I love getting cookbooks as presents and I am usually lucky enough to score one or two for Christmas.  Here is what is on my wish list for this year. There are many that I would love to add to my collection, but these are the ones that if I don’t find them under the tree, then you are more than a little likely to see me hitting the shops for them very soon.  So, in no particular order….

What: Noma ~ Time and place in Nordic Cuisine

Who: Rene Redzepi

Why:

Since missing out on seeing him at the 2009 Melbourne Food and Wine Festival Masterclass because of a clash in timing I have been interested in the most famous of locavores who thinks that the essence of great cuisine is based in what is available locally prepared using cutting edge techniques.   I also saw the observational documentary about Noma and Rene Redzepi on SBS a little while ago and, despite him coming off a little like Gordon Ramsay in the kitchen, his passion and unique vision for food is hard to miss.

Which dish am I likely to make first:

Tricky one this – as I am not in the same time and place as the Nordic cuisine of Noma.  So I will treat the book as inspiration (and forget that I don’t have a Pacojet or a Thermomixer and cannot sous vide) and instead look at applying Rene’s philosophy to my own cooking and see you down at the farmer’s market or in a laneway foraging.  I do like the Blueberries in their own environment though…

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What:    Saraban ~ A Chef’s journey through Persia

Who:  Greg & Lucy Malouf

Why:

Is it a cookbook or is it a travel book?  Like Turquoise and Saha before it, this book takes you on a journey and I am packed and ready.  I have gained a lot of enjoyment cooking from their  previous books and have learnt much about the food of the middle east. Iran remains a bit of a mystery to most people, so what better way to explore mysterious and beautiful land than through it’s food?  It helps that all the recipes are tested in a domestic kitchen (no Pacojet envy here).

Which dish am I likely to make first:

Pomegranate and blood orange sorbet

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What:    Quay

Who:     Peter Gilmore

Why:

I read somewhere that this could be “the chef’s cookbook of the season”.  The hype makes me curious, but again it’s the celebration of nature that has drawn me in from another chef devoted to the diversity of ingredients but also to preparation and presentation that is simply sumptuous. Gilmore at least gives alternative option to those homes not privy to a commercial restaurant’s kit so hopefully this won’t be relegated to coffee table book status.

Which dish am I likely to make first:

Pig Belly – because it’s pork of course.

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What:    The Songs of Sapa

Who:    Luke Nguyen

Why:

I am ever so slightly obsessed with Vietnam at present.  From cooking banquets for people where I make dish after dish after dish, to watching Luke on SBS and re-reading Secrets of The Red Lantern to day dreaming of the holiday to Vietnam that The Beloved and I are planning for next year I cannot seem to get enough.  The Vietnamese seem to have such a deep connection to their food that it’s hard not to be tempted.

Which dish am I likely to make first:

Crisp silken tofu in black pepper sauce

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The list could go on and on, but I don’t want to seem greedy!  What about you?  What’s on your wish list?

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In July I started a new job.  A job that I love.  After 15 or so years working with bits and bytes I am now happily surrounded by beans and blends.  It was a big change moving from ICT to coffee, a change that I will write about it in detail soon.  One of the (many) upsides is that I now work with a wonderful group of people whose passion for food is getting right up there with my own.  Which means that when I travel for work I have had the good fortune of eating at some pretty interesting restaurants, with people who are equally keen on the experience.  One such outing was to Bistro Ortolan, in Sydney’s inner west.  It was my first dinner out with my new colleagues and, whilst they  all knew I was a food blogger, I did not (yet) feel comfortable bringing my camera, so the photos were taken with my iPhone.  One of these days I will put the camera in my handbag and just leave it there.  It’s why I have a big handbag!

I don’t know Sydney all that well, but for me, arriving at Bistro Ortolan was a little like what coming to Melbourne and finding Attica in Ripponlea might be like.  Not exactly where you would expect a 2 hat restaurant to be, but you’re really glad it’s there.  It’s a warm and welcoming place with a homely feel and well timed and thoughtful service.

An Ortolan, in case you are wondering and I know I was, is

...a small migratory bird - a species of bunting

.....the French still regard the Ortolan as one of the choicest of dishes and a symbol of luxury, which , as Grimod de La Reyniere remarked,

“...is prized even more by those who have tasted it”.

The Concise Larousse Gastronomique

Not surprisingly, there was no Ortolan on the menu since it became an illegal substance in the 1970s, this is no doubt due to it’s preparation: take a bird the size of your thumb force feed it grapes and figs, drown it in armagnac and roast.  Near mythical creatures of French gastronomy aside what we did have was thoroughly enjoyed by all.  It is a while since I was there so my recollection of the finer points of the meal is a little lacking.  Serves me right for waiting so long to blog about it.

I started with the Rillette of Macleay Valley White rabbit with duck liver and Armagnac parfait, and freshly toasted brioche $24.  The rillette was really well done.  I could have just eaten it.  Not because the parfait lacked anything, I was just in the mood for rabbit and rillette.  It was a popular choice amongst our party as was the Tartlet of Victorian smoked eel and samphire with a petite salad niçoise and softly cooked quails egg $26 I managed a quick taste of this one and was impressed by the balance of flavours.  Nothing was over powering.  As entrées, both dishes were quite generous serves.

I am fairly sure this was another entrée.  I think it was a special, as nothing on the website prompted my memory.  It looks like a slice of lotus root on top, but here is where time passing works against me.

As with the entrées, we all seemed to gravitate to a select few of the mains.  I had the Rare, spice-roasted sirloin of Cervena venison with a fricassée of glazed winter vegetables, foie gras and game pie $45

Another favourite was the Roasted loin, braised trotter and crumbed ear of Melanda Park pork with swede sarladaise, Brussels sprouts and chestnut $38

And this special which replaced the Pot-au-feu of free-range Burrawong chicken in ‘half mourning’ with roasted chicken and Tasmanian truffle consommé $44

A little foray into fromage and a lovely dinner drew to an end.