Atticus Finch - Cider on tap, classy tapas, beer garden, oodles of comfortable seats, old books to read and a Star Wars Stormtrooper helmet behind the counter. Staff are very good and relaxed about how long you sit and chat. If you like, do what I have become accustommed to do in this part of town on a relaxing Saturday afternoon - have an iced coffee at Brunswick East Project or tea at Hellenic Republic, then flip a coin to decide whether it is a tequila cocktail at Mi Corazon Tequila Bar or a cider at Atticus (which is a nice walk down the road). Then try to get a table for dinner at Bar Idda, land of the best marinated fried sardines. Not to mention farro salad, baked eggplant layered with tomatoes and pecorino and homemade pasta with sugo ragu, to follow with a ridiculously good-looking chocolate cannelloni and a cup of three-dollar Italian hot chocolate.
Please note: the traffic on Lygon Street that separates Atticus and Bar Idda is as crazy as it can get in Melbourne, so if you have to jaywalk, don't walk. Run. With eyes wide open and quick reflexes. I have caused a couple of heart attacks for friends in the skip-and-bound from Atticus for a table at Bar Idda...
1000 Pound Bend - Little Lonsdale Street between Elizabeth and Queen Street Melbourne. Random food (no chips here), coffees, so many couches you'd think they raided a furniture dumpster, cherry blossom light installation. The staff give good customer service while being uber-relaxed about how long you lounge around the place without spending any money. Bonus: free secure wi-fi.
Horse Bazaar - best value Japanese lunch menu in a bar I have seen so far - this is probably one of the few places in town I will happily fork out money for tempura anytime. The staff are happy and relaxed even on a Friday night, drinks are reasonably priced (again, cider on the tap but try a cocktail or two), the space is comfortable as an immmersive projection environment and the music is soul-cool. Bonus: sits opposite Design Depot, a little shop crammed with the kind of useful art that you wish you had thought up of.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Dinner For One With Farmers' Help
Entree: Grilled zucchini flowers stuffed with Holy Goat fromage frais, served with a light lemon dressing.
Main: Asparagus omelette (Rhode Island eggs) with roast heirloom tomatoes and a good drizzling of balsamic syrup.
Dessert: Grilled white nectarines and blood plums with Laharum vanilla bean infused EVOO, served with (again) Holy Goat fromage frais. Serve with a chilled semi-dry pink moscato.
Stand back. Delight. Attempt to take photos but fluorescent light defeats the intention. Sit down at meal. Enjoy. Wonder about Sunday's dinner. Should I follow the Silver Spoon recipe and roast the Bultarra Saltbush rolled lamb with new wild pine mushrooms and porcini mushrooms, to serve with Dutch Cream potatoes, zucchini and capsicum? Or should I do the usual and rub dried rosemary, pulped garlic, lemon-infused EVOO, black pepper & sea salt into the meat before slow-roasting it to match roasted red onions, gem squash and beans? Which red would match that? More importantly, should I drench single origin dark chocolate over organic strawberries or (poached) pears to put the finishing touch on the Sunday dinner?
Why go to all the trouble for farmers' markets? I get asked. With the ability to create weekend dinners like these from the ingredients I find in these markets, why not?
Main: Asparagus omelette (Rhode Island eggs) with roast heirloom tomatoes and a good drizzling of balsamic syrup.
Dessert: Grilled white nectarines and blood plums with Laharum vanilla bean infused EVOO, served with (again) Holy Goat fromage frais. Serve with a chilled semi-dry pink moscato.
Stand back. Delight. Attempt to take photos but fluorescent light defeats the intention. Sit down at meal. Enjoy. Wonder about Sunday's dinner. Should I follow the Silver Spoon recipe and roast the Bultarra Saltbush rolled lamb with new wild pine mushrooms and porcini mushrooms, to serve with Dutch Cream potatoes, zucchini and capsicum? Or should I do the usual and rub dried rosemary, pulped garlic, lemon-infused EVOO, black pepper & sea salt into the meat before slow-roasting it to match roasted red onions, gem squash and beans? Which red would match that? More importantly, should I drench single origin dark chocolate over organic strawberries or (poached) pears to put the finishing touch on the Sunday dinner?
Why go to all the trouble for farmers' markets? I get asked. With the ability to create weekend dinners like these from the ingredients I find in these markets, why not?
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
The Comfort of Food
It has been nearly 3 months since I settled back in Melbourne and I definitely feel like I have returned home. My decision to not stay in Perth has had an impact on my career progression back in Melbourne and has been the cause of frustrations and disappointments in this New Year. Despite this, I am so grateful and bless to have a network of close friends who have been patient and supportive with my constant vents and doubts on my capability. For those friends who are reading this, Thank You.
I didn’t realise how much of an emotional eater I still am until I stepped on the scale recently and saw the result of my laissez faire attitude towards my diet. The last time this happened was when I broke up with the first boyfriend all those years ago. However,when one is down, one can't resists the seduction of a buttery and chrunchy Noisette croissant with gooey ripe French brie, the creaminess and balance of the bitterness and sweetness of Maggie Beer’s burnt fig and caramel ice cream, the smokiness achieved only in a well seasoned wok of Chom Chom’s Char Kuih Teow, a honey golden 5 year pinot gris which has developed into something complex with lots of nuances that evolves from the tip of your tongue when you first taste it til when you swallowed it. The list goes on...
The effect of food on me was so prominent this morning that it has inspired me to write this post. Waking up with my head pounding, my body aching, my throat scratchy and my nose sniffling. I couldn’t think of anything but a good decent breakfast. Despite already calling in sick and fridge full of food, I was in no mood to cook and decided to wonder to Hardware Society. Poached pear with saffron, star anise and cinnamon complemented with the tartness of plain yoghurt spiced with vanilla seeds, toasted Noisette croissant with homemade fig jam, a cup of Supreme latte and a Gourmet Traveller whilst having breakfast was just want the doctor ordered. Though still feeling the symptoms of the flu, my spirit has definitely lifted.
Yes, I know that using food as a quick fix is not the solution to my problems and bad for the waist line. Yes, I am slowly seeking solutions to my current work situations and hopefully will grow and learn from it.
I didn’t realise how much of an emotional eater I still am until I stepped on the scale recently and saw the result of my laissez faire attitude towards my diet. The last time this happened was when I broke up with the first boyfriend all those years ago. However,when one is down, one can't resists the seduction of a buttery and chrunchy Noisette croissant with gooey ripe French brie, the creaminess and balance of the bitterness and sweetness of Maggie Beer’s burnt fig and caramel ice cream, the smokiness achieved only in a well seasoned wok of Chom Chom’s Char Kuih Teow, a honey golden 5 year pinot gris which has developed into something complex with lots of nuances that evolves from the tip of your tongue when you first taste it til when you swallowed it. The list goes on...
The effect of food on me was so prominent this morning that it has inspired me to write this post. Waking up with my head pounding, my body aching, my throat scratchy and my nose sniffling. I couldn’t think of anything but a good decent breakfast. Despite already calling in sick and fridge full of food, I was in no mood to cook and decided to wonder to Hardware Society. Poached pear with saffron, star anise and cinnamon complemented with the tartness of plain yoghurt spiced with vanilla seeds, toasted Noisette croissant with homemade fig jam, a cup of Supreme latte and a Gourmet Traveller whilst having breakfast was just want the doctor ordered. Though still feeling the symptoms of the flu, my spirit has definitely lifted.
Yes, I know that using food as a quick fix is not the solution to my problems and bad for the waist line. Yes, I am slowly seeking solutions to my current work situations and hopefully will grow and learn from it.
Monday, March 15, 2010
A Taste of Sydney 2010
Ja and I were so excited about A Taste of Sydney that we went out since 10.30 am to take a 378 bus to Centennial Park. Luckily, Ja spotted A Taste of Sydney's staff on the bus so we followed him to the venue since we didn't know exactly how to go there, lol.
We arrived the venue around 11.30... about half an hour before the session starts... 
I went to buy Beef rib w watermelon from Danks street depot since I 'm curious for quite some time how to cook watermelon in a savoury dish since I read about a dish made of grilled watermelon and prawns from a comic book years ago. Watermelon, pineapple, and tomato cut through the richness of ribs and made it 's very easy to eat during a summer time.
Ja bought Wagyu beef spring roll with mushroom foam from Balzac. I quite like the creameness in mushroom foam.
Clockwise: Bird, Cow, Fish; Guillaume at Bennelong; Pilu at Freshwater; and Marque.
Jonah's at Whale Beach: Alba White Truffle popcorn, Crisp school prawns with a spicy Cajun remoulade, and vanilla panna cotta with lavender honey and fresh pomegranate. Panna cotta 's just perfect... just enough jelatine to set a panna cotta... very elastic.... and also tastes fantastic. The red sauce sourness 's sharply contrast with lavender honey which go wonderfully when eatting sauce, honey, and panna cotta together. This 's my most favorite dish.
We both buy cocktails from Longrain. Ping Pong for Ja (passionfruit and lychees shaken with 42 Below vodka and fresh lime juice. And, Rose Poteous for me (watermelon and mint muddled then shaken with 42 Below vodka and cranberry juice. They 're nice for such a warm day.
Free foods from City Tattesalls Club: (anti-clockwise) doughtnut with sour berries sauce, mini burger, soft shell crab, bramble cocktail (pink) and white chocolate martini.
Some products I like :D
After eatting that much, it was time to check out classes. Jared Ingersoll from Danks Street Depot demonstrate how to make a saucy tart (right). The paint gun in his hand 's used to coat the tart with chocolate and an editable substance used in cosmetic to form a thin protecter for a tart. So that the tart will not melt in a warm Sydney weather.
We arrived the venue around 11.30... about half an hour before the session starts... 
I went to buy Beef rib w watermelon from Danks street depot since I 'm curious for quite some time how to cook watermelon in a savoury dish since I read about a dish made of grilled watermelon and prawns from a comic book years ago. Watermelon, pineapple, and tomato cut through the richness of ribs and made it 's very easy to eat during a summer time. 
Ja bought Wagyu beef spring roll with mushroom foam from Balzac. I quite like the creameness in mushroom foam.
Clockwise: Bird, Cow, Fish; Guillaume at Bennelong; Pilu at Freshwater; and Marque.
Jonah's at Whale Beach: Alba White Truffle popcorn, Crisp school prawns with a spicy Cajun remoulade, and vanilla panna cotta with lavender honey and fresh pomegranate. Panna cotta 's just perfect... just enough jelatine to set a panna cotta... very elastic.... and also tastes fantastic. The red sauce sourness 's sharply contrast with lavender honey which go wonderfully when eatting sauce, honey, and panna cotta together. This 's my most favorite dish. 
We both buy cocktails from Longrain. Ping Pong for Ja (passionfruit and lychees shaken with 42 Below vodka and fresh lime juice. And, Rose Poteous for me (watermelon and mint muddled then shaken with 42 Below vodka and cranberry juice. They 're nice for such a warm day.
Free foods from City Tattesalls Club: (anti-clockwise) doughtnut with sour berries sauce, mini burger, soft shell crab, bramble cocktail (pink) and white chocolate martini.
Some products I like :D
After eatting that much, it was time to check out classes. Jared Ingersoll from Danks Street Depot demonstrate how to make a saucy tart (right). The paint gun in his hand 's used to coat the tart with chocolate and an editable substance used in cosmetic to form a thin protecter for a tart. So that the tart will not melt in a warm Sydney weather.Romeo Baudouin from Victor Churchill, Charcutier (left) demonstarted pig head terrine using dry white wine to make a stock along with garlic, carrot, celery, and 4 different herbs which I remembered only tarragon... sigh...
After that we went to a chef table, this session also run by Jared. He brough all his dishes selling in the show for us to sample. Chicken liver parfait 's creamy but light.
I quite like him... like when he said don't cook what you want to cook but let the product tell you what you should cook. Meaning... cooking should be based on what product 's in season because you 'll get flavoursome product. I actually did cook what I feel like in the beginning of my cooking journey and tried to sort out the products. Luckily, I long pass that time...
After that we went to a chef table, this session also run by Jared. He brough all his dishes selling in the show for us to sample. Chicken liver parfait 's creamy but light. 
I quite like him... like when he said don't cook what you want to cook but let the product tell you what you should cook. Meaning... cooking should be based on what product 's in season because you 'll get flavoursome product. I actually did cook what I feel like in the beginning of my cooking journey and tried to sort out the products. Luckily, I long pass that time... Sunday, March 14, 2010
A Trip to Melbourne, March 2010
It 's good to be back to Melbourne once again. Love the people, foods, and weathers. Melbourne weathers' miracle things, four seasons within a day, lol. FH, LS, and I luckily missed most of the hail storm on last Saturday since we took a train back to city instead of a tram. We totally shocked when we saw not only Melbourne Central lower ground is flooded but also Elizabeth street. 
Luckily, we agreed to dine at home and do beer tasting. We dicided to do a cupping before dinner since we had time. We first did a cupping with Panama bouquet and then later on with traditional Malaysian coffee. We used pestal and morta to grind Malaysian the beans since we afraid it will be too oily and ruin the grinder since it is roasted with margerine and sugar. For dinner, FH made super delicious Chili con carne and LS brough chocolate tart from St.Kilda farmers' market.
We did a road trip to Yarra Valley on Monday. It is a very unprepared trip, FH suggested we should go out of city about 10 am and we left the city by 11.30 am. Our first stop was at Innocent Bystander but it was fully booked so we went to a very bakery nearby. We ended up ordering 4 different pies; beef, beef+mushroom, sheperd, and Ned Kelly pie, which we cut them into 4 parts to share. So, everyone can try a bit of each. My favorite 's beef+mushroom and followed by Ned Kelly.
We visited wineries after lunch. Our first stop was at Boat O'Craig followed by Oakridge. There wines are good but we were trying to find something special because PP, who very much love wines, is going back home soon. I think we all agree that our favorite winery of this trip is Warramate, a small boutique winery. Suprisingly, we were there because we interested in their riesling after we read FH's James Halliday book since PP, LS, and I are riesling fan. It turned out that we didn't buy a single bottle of riesling, lol, but bought lots of red instead. I love beautiful wines with affordable price :D
The next few days, I visited my favorite cafes. It is such a refreshing. Chris was so kind to change the beans in the grider because I really wanted to try his Sumatra beans, which is a very smoky and bright coffee. Michael and Patricia 's expecting a new family member, congratulation! +39 is awarded a best pizzaria of the year, I still remembered when my sister visited this pizzaria 7 times in a week (it closes on Sunday)!
On Friday night, LS, FH, and I decided to try a new place, Mamasita. A new Mexican tapas bar, not actually new, it 's about 1 month old when we visited. We tried corn on the cob, it 's a bit chili spicy with cheese on top. The cactus salad 's interesting. The chicken dish 's very tender and moist. What I love 's pork shoulder dish (bottom right, the one with chili on top).
We went to Hooked after coffee for lunch. Oh! I love sweet potato chips there... very crispy and sweet. Fish was very fresh and the batter was light.... yum... Grilled fish also fantastic ($9.90 for lunch). After lunch, time was up.... it was time to come back to Sydney.
Luckily, we agreed to dine at home and do beer tasting. We dicided to do a cupping before dinner since we had time. We first did a cupping with Panama bouquet and then later on with traditional Malaysian coffee. We used pestal and morta to grind Malaysian the beans since we afraid it will be too oily and ruin the grinder since it is roasted with margerine and sugar. For dinner, FH made super delicious Chili con carne and LS brough chocolate tart from St.Kilda farmers' market.
We did a road trip to Yarra Valley on Monday. It is a very unprepared trip, FH suggested we should go out of city about 10 am and we left the city by 11.30 am. Our first stop was at Innocent Bystander but it was fully booked so we went to a very bakery nearby. We ended up ordering 4 different pies; beef, beef+mushroom, sheperd, and Ned Kelly pie, which we cut them into 4 parts to share. So, everyone can try a bit of each. My favorite 's beef+mushroom and followed by Ned Kelly.
We visited wineries after lunch. Our first stop was at Boat O'Craig followed by Oakridge. There wines are good but we were trying to find something special because PP, who very much love wines, is going back home soon. I think we all agree that our favorite winery of this trip is Warramate, a small boutique winery. Suprisingly, we were there because we interested in their riesling after we read FH's James Halliday book since PP, LS, and I are riesling fan. It turned out that we didn't buy a single bottle of riesling, lol, but bought lots of red instead. I love beautiful wines with affordable price :D
The next few days, I visited my favorite cafes. It is such a refreshing. Chris was so kind to change the beans in the grider because I really wanted to try his Sumatra beans, which is a very smoky and bright coffee. Michael and Patricia 's expecting a new family member, congratulation! +39 is awarded a best pizzaria of the year, I still remembered when my sister visited this pizzaria 7 times in a week (it closes on Sunday)! LS and I also went to my lovely Coda :D It 's one of my most favorite place in town. I love D'Sylva's foods. He doesn't change menu seasonly but each dish tastes different every time I visited. But I think the reason LS and I keep going back there every few months 's because we fall in love with Travis Howe. No... I re-phrase... not actually him but his skill in selecting wine... his wines 're so GOOD.
On Friday night, LS, FH, and I decided to try a new place, Mamasita. A new Mexican tapas bar, not actually new, it 's about 1 month old when we visited. We tried corn on the cob, it 's a bit chili spicy with cheese on top. The cactus salad 's interesting. The chicken dish 's very tender and moist. What I love 's pork shoulder dish (bottom right, the one with chili on top).My favorite stalls in Collingwood farmers' market
Before I went back to Sydney, we all went to one of FH's favorite sugar place, Market Lane Coffee, in Pharan Market. Coffee there 's nice but sugar 's more interesting. It tastes more likely to palm sugar than sugarcane. FH and LS found out since last time they visited that the sugar 's a single origin sugar from Costa Rica.
Before I went back to Sydney, we all went to one of FH's favorite sugar place, Market Lane Coffee, in Pharan Market. Coffee there 's nice but sugar 's more interesting. It tastes more likely to palm sugar than sugarcane. FH and LS found out since last time they visited that the sugar 's a single origin sugar from Costa Rica. 
We went to Hooked after coffee for lunch. Oh! I love sweet potato chips there... very crispy and sweet. Fish was very fresh and the batter was light.... yum... Grilled fish also fantastic ($9.90 for lunch). After lunch, time was up.... it was time to come back to Sydney.
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