I Can't Believe They're Brussels Sprouts

The best Brussels sprouts are about the size of walnuts. They come into season in midwinter and make an easy, quick and convenient side dish, as there is very little waste. Like cabbages, to which family they belong, they contain protein, iron and vitamin A, but they are easier to digest as they are not so rich in calcium and vitamin C. They are good sauteed in the juices of a pork roast, as a side dish with stuffed pig's trotter or simply fried in butter. Allow about 6 per person.
From The Silver Spoon

I can handle game, offal, sweetbreads, crocodile, turtle, jellyfish, chicken feet. Even Chris's Beeramisu and roasted pig head feature on Masterchef tonight had me drooling. But Brussels sprouts? Put them on a menu and watch me avoid them like a sober driver in a Ferrari avoiding a tree. Had them three times, and I hate them. Hate them hate them hate them hate them. I like cabbage, but I hate Brussels sprouts.

Imagine, therefore, the look on my face when I was served the last rabbit saddleback special at Movida with Brussels sprouts.

16 of the dastardly things I counted on the plate. In my head, I wondered what I had done to deserve Brussels sprouts. After all, I had waited more than 30 minutes for this plate to come out after a false start (pork belly with white beans instead of the Tommy Cooper smoked mackerel with pine nuts and lemon sauce). I had been patient. I had tolerated the amused looks from fellow diners who had witnessed my returning of the pork belly. I had tried not to look too hungry in between courses while everyone else was chowing down on clams and goat.

Yes they were little things, just a little bigger than the size of my thumb, fried with ham in a butter sauce. Yes the dish was an appropriate arrangement of seasonal ingredients, and the whole thing looked very comforting. Yes I was so lucky to get the last serve of rabbit before the afternoon break, and the now envious faces around me said it all.

Still, I murmured to myself, if the waiter had mentioned "Brussel sprouts" when he was spouting the specials of the day, I would have avoided the dish like a sober driver in a Ferrari avoids a tree.

Deep breath, plunge fork into rabbit, then a sprout. Make sure you get plenty of sauce.

Mmmm...MmMmMmMmMmMm is this truly a Brussels sprout?

Another round of rabbit, then sprout, then sauce. Mmmm. Tender rabbit, beautiful sauce, and dare I say delicious Brussels sprout?!

I remembered then why I come back to Movida. Amidst all the wonderful meals I have in Melbourne, I always think of Movida for solitary indulgence in comforting, delectable little dishes and seasonal surprises (like a few others I spotted that day). The service for me may not be as great as once upon a time (since the maitre'd went to be front of house at Coda), the serving sequence may not be as logical, but they still serve fantastic food. Wonderful surprises.

I still cannot believe they are Brussels sprouts. I still cannot believe I cleaned the plate...

LS on Movida: Food 4.5 stars out of 5 - let's face it, the menu is a bit dull after a while. After all, now I can order without so much as a glance at the menu. The desserts on the blackboard are mostly the same after all these years. Yet they know what they do well, and by gawds they deliver! Service 3.5 stars out of 5 - at least, I can still get a seat pretty much 9 out of 10 times there without a booking.