Forksake

Discover the latest in Melbourne dining.

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Short Straw, Hawthorn

It’s a brisk Friday morning. Steam rises from the asphalt streets as the sun awakens last night’s rain, and the whole of Hawthorn is in a flurry to get its early morning caffeine hit. Tucked away just behind the hustle and bustle of Glenferrie road, lies Short Straw – a neighbourhood local and one of Hawthorn’s favourite brekky and coffee haunts.  

 If this café were to draw a straw, there would be nothing short about it. In fact, quite the contrary. The first thing you notice when stepping into Short Straw is the beautiful space. It’s airy and spacious with heaps of natural light pouring in through wide open windows and skylights. The interior fit out is modern featuring white painted brick, timber accents, succulent centre pieces and daily specials scrawled across brown butcher paper.  

The staff are friendly, as they rush from kitchen to table producing meals that look like pieces of abstract art, and the patrons are relaxed sipping on lattes and taking in the cool morning air.

Short Straw is the epitome of a down to earth neighbourhood breakfast nook with some seriously impressive eats. The menu is packed with innovative brunch dishes and classic favourites, alongside boutique roasted coffee.

The meals arrive, and are presented as mini masterpieces. Eggs benedict flaunts two perfectly poached eggs drizzled in hollandaise, balancing atop two towers of braised pork hash. It looks like a cityscape with two skyscrapers pushing poached eggs skyward as they desperately try to reach your mouth. The hash is perfectly salty with a hint of pork and a crispy outside – the perfect balance alongside buttery hollandaise.

For those who are more experimental the high fiber, nutrient booster, butter fruit breakfast is a must. Kale, asparagus and radish on a smear of chickpea avocado hummus with a side of avocado art, all topped with poached eggs.  Mouth-watering, yet too beautiful to eat - the ultimate foodie dilemma.

Pair one of these with a latte from Undercover Roasters or single origin cold drip, and you’ve got a solid ten. Short Straw is definitely worth the visit next time you’re in Hawthorn. You can find it at 743 B Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn or online at http://www.shortstraw.com.au/  

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Eat Vegan Cookbook Launch at Smith & Daughters

If you think vegan food is for purple haired hipsters and size 0.0 females, think again. Smith & Daughters just launched their new cookbook, and it is seriously delicious!

Packed with tastebud tantalising recipes like tofu scramble, white truffle forest mushroom pate, and chargrilled asparagus with romesco sauce & aioli, your mouth will be watering with a mere glance into the book. The seven chapters and 80+ recipes will have you salivating for a while!

Creamy mushroom pate, oyster mushroom & white bean ceviche, fried paella balls, and the favourite; life changing tofu tacos topped with crunchy red cabbage, tangy radishes, and vegan aioli were all on the menu. One bite, and you will never think about vegan tacos in the same way again.

All served with twisted traditional cocktails to wash it down. Think margarita with jalapeno, cucumber & coriander, and gin & elderflower pink lemonade.  

Mo Wyse and Shannon Martinez are the brains and bellies behind Smith & Daughters and the new cookbook, and they have created a well-respected establishment in Fitzroy. The eatery placed 19 in TimeOut's 50 best restaurants in Melbourne list, and has made a serious name for itself both inside and outside of the vegan community. 

They are best known for their Latin-themed food with a side of punk rock n roll. The interior of the restaurant is as exciting as the food. Mexican crosses and memorabilia cover the walls giving it a grungy, rocker vibe. The down to earth atmosphere and honest food is something that both vegan and meat eaters alike can appreciate.

Wyse and Martinez focus on the notion that their new book is “not necessarily a book for vegans, it’s a cookbook that happens to be vegan.” And the food truly does cater to all. It’s about using quality food and the right ingredients to create a meal that is popping full of flavour and truly unique. 

The new cookbook is available at many local bookstores and can be ordered online here. Smith & Daughters is located at 175 Brunswick St, Fitzroy or online here.  

Words by: Ember Mitchell Photo by: Smith & Daughters

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Atlas Dining

 Charlie Carrington, 22 years young, with a passport containing more stamps than most, has just opened up Atlas Dining. A modern restaurant that changes cuisine every four months.

The restaurant concept, based on Carrington’s breadth of experience, includes seven years in top kitchens around the world and a recent eight-month trip across 15 countries. As head chef and owner of this restaurant, he’s competing with top chefs and restaurants in the food capital of Australia. A brave move for any 22-year old. To make things even more challenging, the kitchen does away with gas or induction to cook. Everything is cooked to order with charcoal and a woodfire oven. A cooking technique he has adapted from his stint at highly-regarded restaurant Firedoor in Sydney.

Before Atlas, this site was an Indian burger restaurant with a cheap daggy interior. Sydney-based architects GelliKovic Architects have transformed the interior with a bit of modern minimalism chic. Textures of concrete, brass, timber, a brown leather banquette, a turquoise coloured strip runs up and along the restaurant representing longitude and latitude, and a hanging brass ring that symbolises a compass as the centrepiece. A paper passport is presented alongside your menu, and cutlery for the evening is served in a leather knife roll.

The menu offers a la carte, but it’s a no-brainer to opt for the four or six-course menu at a mere $50/$65 with matching wines for an additional $35/$45. The current itinerary sets us in Vietnam which may immediately get you thinking about the cheap banh mi and pho readily available on Victoria Street, but then we remember, we're in South Yarra darling. Modern Australian takes-reign with the flavours of Vietnam combined with Carrington's creative flair, fiery cooking technique and fresh Australian produce resulting in beautiful dishes that you’re unlikely to find in any Vietnamese restaurant and a solid wine list that covers conventional, unconventional, local and international.

Chicken liver parfait and honey served with a baguette made in the woodfire oven prompts us thinking “how is this Vietnamese?” but then we realise these are the staple ingredients in a banh mi. Charred cauliflower florets and stems with clams tied together with with flavours of ginger and lemongrass. Crab simmered in beer and grilled eggplant topped with a slither of fried shallot and Vietnamese mint. Wagyu beef pho tartare that plays to the best of both worlds, fragrant diced beef alongside cps of onion that cradle a broth that has been reduced to a syrup, served with rice crisps and scattered dollops of egg yolk at the perfect consistency. No offence to any women out there but the main dish of the evening was the best breast we’ve had all year. Lightly-fired duck breast, tender and pink, united with a rich preserved vegetable sauce served with sticks of extra long julienned carrots and daikon, pickled, of course. A daring palate cleanser of crushed coconut ice, lemongrass, Vietnamese mint and fried shallot which juxtaposes sweet and savoury before we finish off with a textural black rice dessert laced with coconut cream forming a slight resemblance to sticky rice, cut through with a refreshing kaffir lime sorbet.

An incredible journey with this ambitious young, but mature, chef. The exciting concept has us itching out feet for the next destination set for early next year, Israel. We have complete faith it will live up to the current standard. Followed by Korean BBQ which is all in-line with the woodfire concept, but what comes after? The mystery is all apart of the excitement that keeps us on our toes. The only piece of advice would be to get in quick before he Charlie reaches superstar status.

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The Meat & Wine Co, South Yarra

The Meat and Wine Co, South Yarra is the fifth venue to open under the same brand. Currently with two sites in NSW, now three in VIC and another two opening soon in NSW and ACT. The Meat and Wine Co is sure making its brand known to the world and that it should.

 Interior bordered with timber, dim lighting and accents of leather creates a cosy cabin atmosphere with a modern flare. We counted three levels of dining as well as three private rooms, one of which doubles as a wine cellar, showing off their array of wines from across the globe.

The menu is extensive enough to please all palates. They have North African prawns, Perri Perri scallops with pea puree, mac and cheese with manchego and chorizo crumbs, pork belly with kimchi, Szechuan calamari, risotto, burgers, Portuguese chicken, Moroccan lamb and other international flavours.

The main fare is in the name. Meat, meat, and, more meat. For something a little different, try the flame-grilled skewers served dangling on top a bed of chips or salad. Each meat selection is cooked with their own flavour and spices. There's salmon, beef, beef and prawn, chicken, lamb and even kangaroo. Now that's game.

If that doesn't impress you, then the steak menu certainly will. Ranging from $23 for a free range, 120-day pasture fed 200g rump to $69 for a 300g rib-eye Wagyu fed for 450 days achieving a marble score of 6+. Their exclusive line of 'Monte Beef' is sourced from premium breeders through a stringent process ensuring top quality.

For the brave and messy is the rib selection. Beef, pork, lamb ribs, and if those decisions are too hard then get all the ribs on a platter. Still got steak on the mind? Have 'the best of both' which includes a half rack with a 200g rump. 

I could go on, but the crux of it is that this menu, is fail-proof. They even have a children's section on the menu ensuring they cater for the whole family.

Another destination for steak and everything in between. Welcome The Meat and Wine Co, South Yarra.

  The Meat & Wine Co Como Centre Toorak Rd & Chapel St South Yarra

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Hophaus, Southgate

It's September and Target are already selling Christmas trees. Come on. We haven't even felt the Spring sunshine yet, and there are plenty of other things to celebrate between now and Christmas. A jolly example, Oktoberfest.

For those of you who have been living under a rock, Oktoberfest is a Bavarian folk festival that runs for around 18 days commencing mid/late September. It mainly involves lederhosen, dirndl, bier (beer) and more bier.  

The festivities are well and truly underway at Hophaus Southgate. They recently launched their opening night with a tapping of the keg, a sausage eating competition and a strongman contest. 

Don’t fear if you missed the opening night, because the main event is happening yet to happen. The Annual Dachshund Race. Yes, a sausage dog race. Happening this Saturday. The 'Best Dressed Dachshund' will be announced along with a bretzel tossing competition, the great bretzel bite off, apple bobbing and live music.

The bretzels, which come with house cultured butter and pickles are the perfect accompaniment to a stein of refreshing cold bier.  

For something more substantial you could go for the Kartoffelpuffer, a German potato pancake with smoked pulled pork and apple and fennel salad. 

So, hop to it then. Proost!

  Hophaus 1 Southgate Avenue Southbank 3006

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Just Open: Doughnut Time, Windsor

No better time than the present, oh wait, there is. There's doughnut time. The vibrant doughnut shop that started in Brisbane as a hole-in-the-wall has since grown a large cult following. Expanding into the Gold Coast, Sydney and of course our very favourite, Melbourne. With lines out the door in their Degraves Lane venue, they decided that there's always enough time/locations for more doughnuts.

Located near the corner of High Street and Chapel Street, Windsor which we see slowly transforming from a shopping precinct into an eating one, which makes me happy inside. It’s no wonder everyone has gone doughnut crazy for their hand dipped, eye-popping candy covered treats, they taste as decadent as they look and their flavours are so much fun. The m&m’s doughnut appropriately named ‘The Real Slim Shady’ as well as a Melbourne exclusive—the 'Crucial Look’ with lemon sherbet glaze, vanilla meringue and gold leaf. And just when we thought our sugar high was at its peak, we spot a Pokéball doughnut, with rare Pokémon to be found on the lucky balls and even luckier fillings of Nutella. Clean eating can wait 'til tomorrow because right now, it’s doughnut time. Get your (soon to be sticky) fingers on these doughnuts at 174 Chapel Street, Windsor.

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North? West? South? East? The only direction is wine, with Wine Compass.

On a cloudy Winters’ day, a group of Melbourne foodies headed out with Adam from Wine Compass to experience some of the more unknown and niche wineries in the Yarra Valley. Adam picked us up bright and early, and in his mini-bus and with a wine glass in one hand and a wine compass in the other, we headed off to see what kind of tour he can offer. As we picked up our tour group from various locations around Melbourne, he gave us some information about what he loves about his job, the winery regions of Victoria and the particular wineries being visited on our specialised tour.

Why is Wine Compass the go-to for winery tours in the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula? There are many reasons. Wine is Adam’s passion, and he has the connections and know how to make sure that your experience is highly personalised and tailored to the group you are wining and dining with- from small groups to large bus tours. His good-natured tolerance of us by the end of the day after a few too many vinos was highly appreciated too.

The first and probably most memorable stop on our tour was one of Adam’s very favourite wineries in the Yarra Valley Region, the small and unassumingPimpernel Vineyard. Meeting Mark, the winemaker, was a memorable experience and I don’t think any of us realised that within 15 minutes of our first stop, we would be in the wine cellar, tasting a variety of incredible wines from the barrel themselves. Marks’ entertaining anecdotes of wine making and in depth knowledge of the process was so interesting. We loved hearing about the difference between feminine and masculine wines (and there is such thing as a transgender wine!), funny translations of French wine names (Did you know Mataro translates to strangled dog?) and trying to pick out the interesting tasting notes (Ham hock… seaweed… gingerbead… passionfruit). When asked which was his favourite wine, Mark candidly replied, just like with children he can’t have favourites, just one’s that please him the most.

A real treat was being taken upstairs for our first foodie fix of the day, and a well needed snack to start to fill up our already wine filled stomachs, and trying some of his freshly made chicken liver parfait with horseradish and caramelised shallots, topped with a wine jelly and with some crusty toasted bread.

A little bit louder and gigglier, our second stop bought a well needed substantial feed. Soumah’s rustic Italian menu impressed our gang of foodie Instagrammers and was very gram-worthy, as well as the gorgeous sweeping views of rolling hills surrounding the venue. Stand-out dishes were the beautiful tasting boards, a divine angel hair pasta dish with truffles and sage, and a winter warming slow cooked lamb with olives and a pea gnocchi.

Our final stop was another surprise, as we pulled up in front of a large, two story, country style house complete with some very cute donkeys hanging out the front. It would be easy to assume this was just a beautiful home, not a wine cellar door, but we were welcomed into a living room style tasting area at Yileena Park Estate. Bob was another very passionate wine maker, and patiently tried to tolerate our giggly moods by then as we tasted a variety of wonderful wines. Not all of us were able by this stage to master the tasting technique of swirling the wine around the glass. We continued to learn about the wine making process and different types of wines, and laughed as Bob candidly described one of his merlots as a Ribena for adults, and described delicious dishes that would pair with his wines. Just as delicious as the wines on offer were the fantastic antipasto options for sale, such as smoked meats and cheeses made by burning the wine barrels which results in a unique smoky flavour (our tip, try the Duck Ham and the cheddar!)

It would be a lie to tell you that we were all able to stay awake for the ride home, and once again Adam’s patience kicked in as he put up with us snoring in the back. Thank you to Adam and Wine Compass, as well as three lovely local wineries, for giving us a fun-filled day of vino and great food that we will remember fondly. Being able to have a tour tailored to our personalities, needs and group dynamics, and being able to have unique, personalised experiences like drinking wine out of the barrel and dining with the winemakers is an experience everyone should have at least once! We look forward to summer; Mornington Peninsula style. 

Article by Lauren Kenrick (@foodiemelbourne)

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Food adventure fit for royalty: Royal Mail Hotel, Dunkeld.

Located in Dunkeld, regional Victoria, 3 hours away from Melbourne where the air is fresher, stars are visible and the Australian wildlife is just at your doorstep. The Royal Mail Hotel hosts weddings, conferences or provide the whole experience of country Victoria with walking tours around the Southern Grampians, fine dining at their highly acclaimed restaurant, a tour of their kitchen garden and other nature-based activities. The building itself dates back to the 1850′s with a lot of history but with continuous renovations, the venue manages to keep up to date and modern.

The main reason for visiting this incredible establishment is to experience the dining room. A true foodies destination with one of the best wine lists in the world that boasts over 100 pages and a cellar worth over 2 million dollars. The menu changes daily focusing on what’s fresh and in season. Ingredients are harvested every morning from their organic kitchen garden.

The best ice-cream sandwich i’ve ever had. Eggplant ice-cream sandwiched between a gingery sesame biscuit.

Roll ups topped with what tasted like duck liver parfait. A fantastic combo that’s both nostalgic and delicious.

The centrepiece for the table, potted herbs which reflects the philosophy of the restaurant. It’s all about the fresh produce, the kitchen garden and a little surprise.

I wish i’d get my bacon and eggs on toast like this every morning. The confit egg yolk had a dreamy texture, with the most flavoursome bacon i’ve ever had and the toasted rice and bread added a delicate crunch.

Carrot bavarois, buttermilk, lovage, apricot paired with 2015 Brokenwood pinot gris 2015, Beechworth, Vic. Fresh produce from the garden just tastes better.

Flathead, octopus, pickled rhubarb, potatoes, garlic paired with 2014 Verget chardonnay – Vaucluse, France. This dish had flavours of the sea but not by the seaside. The garlic and potatoes brought us to the setting of a lovely intimate dinner in country Victoria. Nowhere else we would have rather been there and then as each bite of perfectly cooked seafood went into our mouths.

Duck under the mulberry bush paired with 2013 Faiveley ‘clos de myglands’ pinot noir – Mercurey, France. Unique and well balanced with the acidity from the fresh raspberries. The duck liver twigs were dangerously addictive and the perfectly pink duck breast held everything together.

Royal mail lamb, zucchini, blossom gel, dehydrated goats cheese paired with 2005 Restif cabernet sauvignon – Yarra Valley, Vic. The waiter brought out this dish and said “It’s the best lamb i’ve ever tasted.” It would probably have to be mine too. All the other elements on the dish didn’t upstage the lamb which was really the hero of this dish.

A refreshing little palate cleanser of cucumber and tonic sorbet. Not usually a fan of tonic as I find the bitterness of the quinine harsh on the palate, but I found it a lot less offensive in this little concoction.

Finishing off with a cherry and chocolate black forest paired with Henriques + Henriques 15yo sercial – Madeira, Portugal. The dishes are all so elegant and creative. Each dish has been well thought out, perfectly cooked, designed, plated up, the whole nine yards. I love the element of surprise with each dish coming out as the creativity and passion of the chef really shows on every plate.

This should definitely be on every foodies bucket list.

Royal Mail Hotel Glenelg Hwy (Parker St), Dunkeld, Vic [phone] www.royalmail.com.au

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Not your usual: Uncommon, Windosr

Ten years ago, poached eggs and smashed avocado would be worth raving to your friends about but nowadays they’re just common. That doesn’t mean Melbourne’s cafe scene is dead, it’s just evolved and a great benchmark is the brand new cafe on the Windsor end of Chapel St. Uncommon. 

The name says it all, the sparkle on tap, the concrete, the artwork and attention to detail wins us over. Left of centre dishes but still fitting with the ‘modern Australian brunch culture’ with 18 different local suppliers with a target audience of the mainstream hipster. Catering for gluten free, dairy free, paleo, vegan, pescetarian and probably whatever the latest crash diet there is. 

90% Banana pikelets because everyone these days is a glutard. A gorgeous dish with flowers and fresh fruits. The consistency of the pikelets had a nice soft-firm ratio, considering I was expecting mushed bananas. A delicious dish that only makes you feel quarter the amount of guilt than you would ordering pancakes anywhere else. 

 Hand sliced salmon pastrami dish comes with soft herb scrambled eggs which are definitely soft which went well with the chilli capers but the sweet element of whipped honey confused me a little. As did the pumpernickel and seedy things replace that replaces usual toast.

The wagyu beef short rib, beautifully presented and tender, falling right off the bone but required a little more salt than usual. Although the tomato salad had more tang than tango. Perhaps they’ve steered a little too far away from the sugar and salt to keep in their healthy style.

 The market fish with coal oil, artistically plated with perfectly cooked. Flavours were all there, the coal oil made the plate look beautiful even when half devoured. A brunch dish I would go back for multiple times. 

 The pepperberry duck with fried egg a treat yourself brunch for sure. But if you forgot to memorise the menu, the pink cream stuff might throw you off. You’ll sigh a relief after looking up the obscure ingredients and figuring out it’s just a sour barberry vinaigrette. Added a hint of flavour but I’d wished it was foie gras instead. 

 The sweet potato and brown rice cakes, sugar snaps, chorizo, 65° egg, smoked almonds, kefir ricotta. Pretty inoffensive, safe dish. I would have been lost without the chorizo but all the elements seemed to go well together. 

Is this new age brunching? My critique is possibly irrelevant as I’m not the target audience. I don’t do diets. I would choose fried chicken over salad any day and I’ve only ever activated my almonds once. Diets aside, this place is presents their food beautifully, some of which is freaking delicious, all of which sound a lot healthier than your usual brunch options. The lighting is on point for Instagram photos, the service is friendly and it’s definitely one of the cool places to be hanging out in right now.

Uncommon 60 Chapel St Windsor

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Australian Open Season

The Australian Open season is here and so is Summer. So if you enjoy one or the other; check these places out.

Sports Bars:

The Sporting Globe — Rooftop Heineken Deck (Richmond) The Sporting Globe’s rooftop 3.75m2 mega screen will be streaming the tournament live from January 18 – 31 showcasing all the action from center court. The open-air deck is the perfect way to kick back and enjoy a hot summers day or balmy evening with a frosty Heineken or refreshing Pimms jug. www.sportingglobe.com.au

Waterslide Bar — Grass Court (Southgate) Waterslide's wrap around city view balcony will be transformed into ‘The Waterslide Bar Grass Court' with the official Australian Open beer Heineken available on tap with $10 pints and $5 pots. Inside, vintage tennis matches will play during daytime trade with selected Australian Open matches in the evenings. www.waterslidebar.com.au

BlueTrain — Tennis on the big screen (Southgate) Melbourne's meeting place Bluetrain, will play all the matches live on the big screen in their lounge bar. http://bluetrain.com.au

Pre Tennis Dining

Taxi Kitchen — Pre-Tennis Menu Designed by Executive Chef, Tony Twitchett is inspired by locally sourced produce with a distinctive contemporary Asian influence. The two-course menu is $65pp including your choice of entrée, main or dessert and features delectable dishes including sake washed tuna, soy bean pesto & daikon salad alongside Macedon Ranges Szechuan duck with a hot Vietnamese mint salad. For something sweet, it is hard to go past the frozen lemon meringue pie to cool you down on the hot summer days.

Entrecote — Express Lunch / Dinner (CBD/South Yarra) Fuel yourself with delicious steak and endless amount of frites for just $45 and splash out on delicious french champagne while you’re at it. They also have Happy Hour everyday 4pm—6pm with $12 Champagne, $2 Oysters.

www.entrecote.com.au

BearBrass — Eat Drink WaterTaxi (Southgate) Available for breakfast, lunch and dinner, including return WaterTaxi ticket. Breakfast Package is $30 and Lunch/Dinner Package is $48 and includes a set menu, drink & return WaterTaxi Tickets. Group bookings advised - call 9682 3799 or email [email protected] www.bearbrass.com.au

Pure South Dining — WaterTaxi Dinner (Southgate) Featuring pristine Tasmanian produce from remote farms and fisheries, Pure South Dining has Australian Open Tennis & WaterTaxi Dinner packages available, including a glass of premium wine or a premium beer, coffee or tea and pre-booked WaterTaxi tickets from Pure South front door to Rod Laver Arena. Dishes may change a little through the tennis due to fresh produce supply. Two course dinner tennis-dining-package is $89, with a three course dinner tennis-dining-package for $105. www.puresouth.com.au/

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City escape: Zonzo Wine Estate, Yarra Glen

A brand new destination in Yarra Glen. Once the old Train Trak winery (yes, they spelt it like that) the rebrand brings forward the venue from the 90′s to 2016. They’ve even introduced hot air balloons for the full itinerary. And no, this place isn’t just for tourists. Yarra Valley offers delicious produce, great restaurants and beautiful sights that I would recommend to anyone in the local area and travellers alike. Zonzo Estate has a casual dining approach which gives you every excuse to come back.

The menu is very approachable, I mean who doesn’t love Italian food? The antipasto platter comes complete with pickled onion, Cerignola olives, cured meats, Italian cheeses, grilled eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes.

Meatballs, prawns, sausage. They also have a great range of vegetarian options such as arancini stuffed with mozzarella.

Schiacciata, flatbread with gorgonzola, olives and herbs. Made in their wood-fire oven.

Carciofi fritti, crumbed artichoke hearts drizzled with vincotto – a dark, sweet Italian sauce produced by reducing wine. The acidity in the sauce lifted the dish and cut through that feeling of deep fried.

You can’t go wrong with the wood-fire pizza menu. All of them are fairly simple with classic Italian combinations. Anchovies, prosciutto, speck, prawns, mozzarella. Take your pick.

Hand made ravioli filled with spanner crab ravioli with a simple lemon butter and thyme sauce. Fresh hearty homemade pasta.

An amazing destination, with amazing views of their gorgeous vineyards, delicious wine and heart-felt food. The perfect venue for your wedding location or a just a friendly getaway.

Zonzo Estate 957 Healesville-Yarra Glen Road Yarra Glen Melbourne, VIC

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Mr Huang Jin / The Archway

A modern Taiwanese restaurant in the Archway food precinct on the King St end of Flinders Lane, Mr Huang Jin offers a sophisticated seating with a modern interior.

The menu is impressive and mouth watering. They have a range of dumplings, rice and noodle dishes as well as their Chinese tapas menu with things like twice cooked pork ribs, butterfish, duck spring rolls, satay skewers, gua baos, the list goes on.

I never go to a dumpling restaurant and not order the chilli wontons and i’ve never regretted it. The main point of difference at Mr Huang Jin is the freshness and quality of ingredients you can truly taste in their dumplings.

A variety of Xiao Long Bao are available but my favourite would have to be the laksa XLB. The rich soup filling requires no extra soy sauce.

The popcorn chicken is another classic favourite that they have not messed with. Fragrant morsels of chicken fried with basil and seasoned with salt, pepper and five spice served with a tomato mayonnaise.

Deep fried banana for dessert? Yes please. Mr Huang Jin is a small but slick operation serving modern Chinese food. If you’re on a date, take them here instead of Chinatown.

Mr Huang Jin The Archway 24 Katherine Place Melbourne 3000

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Dutchess / Melbourne CBD

Dutchess, the classier more refined little sister of The Duke and she certainly is a bundle of fun. Hidden above the public bar on the corner of Russell St and Flinders St — Duchess is an unsuspecting gem for a group gathering or intimate date.

Glass doors that fold out of sight provide the perfect setting for Summer, overlooking the Yarra and the back of Fed Sq. Spacious booths and neon lights make you feel like you’re flying first class on a plane from the year 3000. A playful Australian menu by chef Justin Wise (The Point, The Press Club) accompanied by top notch cocktails.

Fermented chilli and lime oysters add an inoffensive kick as an appetiser. The delicate tuna tartare has a touch of black garlic and a sea urchin dressing. Cobia ceviche is dressed with nuoc cham, finger lime and dollops of avocado. Yes, it tastes better dolloped.

A salad you’d want to make friends with; asparagus, quail egg, hollandaise and walnut which you can wash down with their southern fried chicken with cajun sauce. My favourite on their menu, king crab mac and cheese. 

For the larger items you’ve got baby snapper with clams and a crustacean broth and if these dishes are too girly for your macho man, show them the impressive steak menu. Divided into small, medium and large you can have porterhouse, eye fillet, flat iron, strip loin, chateaubriand, tomahawk, whatever. 

Oh and would you like a foie gras topping with that? You can’t go wrong with the Robbins Island Wagyu flat iron served medium rare accompanied by a buttery peppercorn sauce.

A dinner is never complete without dessert. Baby choc tops with a variety of flavours are almost too cute to eat. 

Share the violet crumble with chocolate aero and honeycomb to send an intimate message of what’s next to come for your date.

Dutchess 146 Flinders Street Melbourne 3000

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Stokehouse City

The Stokehouse St Kilda has long been a Melbourne institution that’s renowned for their modern take on Australian seafood. So it was certainly disappointing when fire tore down the seaside heritage building in early Jan 2014 leaving nothing but a pile of rubble. It would be almost 18 months before Stokehouse City would stand in to fill in the formidable shoes left behind by its predecessor.

They certainly succeeded in finding the appropriate location, down an alleyway off the prestigious end of Collins St, alongside European boutique stores and maple lined streets. Stokehouse City is spread over 2 floors with Stoke Bar + Kitchen offering a casual bar and bistro downstairs and up the grand staircase is the signature fine dining restaurant, quite similar to the layout of the original St Kilda location. The whimsical decor combines elegant marble and dark wood but also gives a nod to the ocean with the fishing nets dangled from the over-sized chandeliers. The white washed parquetry flooring and seating on round concrete spheres gives it a distinct seaside atmosphere. Staff also reflect the overall feel of the establishment, professional and courteous yet casual and relaxed, certainly a welcoming and non pretentious place to have a meal.

Tonight we chose the 5 course chefs tasting menu complete with matching wines. Starters were promply bought out accompanied by its own theatrics. Freshly shucked Bruny Island oysters were served on a bed of sea kelp, a lemongrass infusion was then poured over dry ice giving the mystical feel of a foggy night at the docks. Crunchy haggis with sweet swede and an almond marigold gazpacho were also served alongside completing the trio of starters. 

We finished up with a refreshingly tangy compressed watermelon and tomato salad with tarragon eucalyptus sponge and curd, a refreshing palate cleanser prior to the mains.

Stokehouse is a nautical themed restaurant so I was certainly expecting the mains to feature some kinda of seafood, and I wasn't disappointed. First up was the Cobia with coffee and corn, this was cooked perfectly with the right balance of the sweetness provided by the grilled corn and fish, offset with the bitterness of the coffee crumb. 

The pork was next with squid and macadamia; it was perhaps the Stokeshouse’s take on the humble surf and turf, combining slow cooked pork belly that was melt in the mouth with the firm texture of squid tentacles. The side dish of slow roasted pumpkin with curd and parmesan crumble was surprisingly very tasty, the cheesy crumb was reminisce of cheddar flavoured shapes biscuits and certainly played on the nostalgia card.

We finished the night with a dessert of mango parfait paired with macadamias and puffed rice. It was a nice light end to the meal and certainly reflected the restaurants ideals of using seasonal produce and Australian native ingredients. The wines served with each meal comprised of all whites and was designed to complement each dish and not overpower.

Stokehouse city has risen from the ashes that the St Kilda one left behind and has managed to carve out a place of its own on the Melbourne dining scene. Will it remain once the St Kilda establishment is rebuilt is still a question that is yet to be answered. But in the meantime it’s a great place to enjoy modern Australian cuisine with a distinct nautical feel that’s refined but not uptight.

By Hieu Chau @tastytravls

Stokehouse City 7 Alfred Place Melbourne

[forksake]

Taxi Kitchen / Melbourne

You have arrived at Taxi Kitchen. The name itself embodies metropolitan. The menu, atmosphere, cosmopolitan. These two words define Melbourne and also, Taxi Kitchen. Modern Australian cuisine with a unique Asian twist.

Located at the hottest spot in town on the grounds of Federation Square. The dining room overlooks Melbourne’s skyline with 180º views, overlooking the Yarra River, Arts Precinct and CBD. Fitted out with floor to ceiling windows, an abundance of natural light glows through the room and forms a picturesque moment with every clink of of your wine glass from the extensive wine list.

The plates are categorised into small, medium and large, designed to share and full of mouth watering descriptions. Which makes the hardest part of the day deciding on what to order. Luckily the indecisive can ‘go for a ride with Taxi’ and opt for the 6 course tasting menu at $85pp. 

Some of the highlights of the menu include; Bass Strait scallop, red raddish, smoked chilli mayo and kataifi. The Sake washed tuna, soybean pesto, with daikon salad. All the texture and flavour to get the tastebuds going. 

This dish; Candied pork, coconut salad and red nam jim makes the crowd go wild. Sweet and sticky, making the rich pork belly dangerously addictive balanced out by the red nam jim and refreshing coconut salad.

Smoked Petuna ocean trout, capers, egg yolk, parsley and horseradish. Everything that came out was beautiful and unique, but this dish gets the crown. 

As we dive into the mains, the plates are larger which creates more movement and interaction. Especially after a few more glasses of wine. We’re all leaning over to take a stab at the whole baked barramundi, herb salad and caramelised onion and also questioning how do we get to the other side of the fish and if anyone’s ever eaten a fish head. The cheeks are in fact the best part and we’re not sure about the eye balls.

The slow roast lamb shoulder with thyme jus falls strait off the bone. If you’ve ever watched a cooking show, you’ll know that’s a good thing. Combined with the flavour of thyme and tenderness of the meat, this is a great thing.

Macedon Ranges Szechuan duck, hot vietnamese mint salad accompanied with red wine, a winning combo. 

Dessert, the best way to finish any meal. The selection at Taxi will not disappoint. Frozen lemon meringue pie, like a cheesecake. Perfect tart-sweet ratio and flavour combinations.

The passionfruit soufflé with caramelised white chocolate centre and banana sorbet. It’s like a slice of heaven in your mouth. Warm, smooth, light and fluffy and hello, the best thing on earth: caramelised white chocolate.

For the chocaholics there’s the dark chocolate parfait, macadamia nut and honeycomb crumble with violet ice cream. 

This is probably the best Taxi ride you’ll ever have.

Taxi Kitchen Federation Square Melbourne

[forksake]

Collins Square / Docklands

Tucked away in the Docklands end of Collins Street, just a hop, skip and jump away from Southern Cross Station you will find Collins Square. A new food precinct covering everything you need for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even the next party/function you’re hosting. Collins Square Hospitality Group is running what they call a “Chef Series Progressive Dinner” to showcase everything they have to offer. Here’s how we went. Starting at the catering kitchen Collins Square Catering; the chef explains to us the philosophy and concept of each venue and dish as we sample the canapés.

Compressed watermelon, Yarra Valley feta, aged balsamic, oregano. Refreshing and playful combination of flavours to excite the palate. The perfect appetiser.

As the season is nearly up for the juicy blood orange the chef decided to make use of it, and no better way than combining it with mayonnaise. The perfect accompaniment to the flakey, slow cooked duck empanada’s which washed down perfectly with a glass of sparkling.

Moving on to the next venue, Bar Nacional. A Spanish restaurant highlighting the vibrant food culture of Spain, plates to share, sangria and an impressive wine list. Smoked ham hock and fennel bomba. If you were around in the 90′s you might remember this saying. These were ‘The Bomb.’

Hot diggity dog. Not quite. The Spanish version sounds a lot more elegant: Perrito caliente - guindillas, pork crackling, brioche. The spicy chorizo would beat a frankfurter any day of the year. Even grand final day but then again, I don’t follow AFL.

Approaching the main fare we arrive at Chiara. A modern Italian restaurant fitted with a gorgeous interior and it’s’ very own peacock named Gianni. Unfortunately he was not alive, however, the atmosphere was. With a few more glasses of wine and our main dish; Braised rabbit saddle, carrot, cardamom, guanciale & rock oysters who wouldn’t be excited.

Last but not least and certainly not short, we end up at the café Long Shot.  Having lived in Docklands, I can vouch that this is one of the best coffee destinations in the area pouring St. Ali coffee for the bustling corporate crowd Monday—Friday dispensing over 90kg’s each week. We were spoilt with sweets by in-house pastry chef Maria Lantelme who made us: Coconut ice pops, passion fruit curd, baby basil; Brown butter panacotta, canadian maple croissant croutons; Caramelised chocolate puff pastry, cherry ice cream, vanilla powder; Madeleines and Canelle’s. Stuffed and satisfied. You too can enjoy this experience, details below.

Sam­ple the finest food and bev­er­age from Collins Square Hos­pi­tal­ity Group in an inti­mate din­ner hosted by each of our exec­u­tive and head chefs in their respec­tive venues. Begin with canapés in the cater­ing kitchen before mov­ing to Bar Nacional for tapas and Chiara for mains, fin­ish­ing at Long Shot for dessert. Drinks served throughout.

$75 per per­son Start­ing at 6.00pm Tues­day 10th, Novem­ber To book phone [phone] or email info@​cshg.​com.​au

[forksake]

Cochin / Richmond

Everything good that is happening in the food world right now is happening within a stone’s throw of the Church and Swan Street intersection. Okay, that might not be entirely accurate, but that part of Richmond is definitely exploding, lets review…We have Fonda Mexican, Jimmy Grants, Saint Urban, Meatmother, The Ugly Duckling Wine and Cocktail Bar, Richmond Oysters, Union Dining and French Vietnamese restaurant Cochin. There is a smorgasbord of flavours from cultures reigning from the world over. But if you are looking for a casual yet stylish restaurant serving up punchy style dishes designed to share, with wines and a particularly delicious “Saigroni” cocktail (Vietnam’s version of the Negroni) then Cochin is the spot for you.

Cochin – pronounced Co-shin – features dark, earthy style interiors with a long, low-lit bar and enough seating for 60 people. Floor to ceiling glass shutters that open up an entire wall of the restaurant on to Swan Street to allow natural light and a refreshing breeze to permeate through the restaurant, dancing with the scent of chilli and fresh herbs escaping  from the kitchen out back. Owners Jason Baker and Bruce Dowding have transformed what was once the tired and uninspiring Grandma Funks into something shiny, new and fun. And much of that praise must also go to Chef Khen, who is creating the Euro-Vietnamese style meals that I am about to recount.

The small and medium share plates include Spring Rolls, Peppered Pork Meatballs with water chestnuts, delightful prawn lollipops which is essentially delicate, sweet minced prawn meat sitting on a stick of sugar cane, a Soft Shell Crab sitting on a luscious chilli-annatto mayo and a particularly memorable fried quail, served simply with salt, pepper and lemon; it’s not an easy dish to eat, but worth the hassle. Of the larger share plates, the Chateaubriand is particularly lovely -Baker’s own recipe – it is thinly sliced eye fillet slow cooked to medium rare, laid delicately on a plate like petals topped with a five pepper and mushroom sauce. The Whole Baby Snapper is also a show stopper - swimming in a sauce of sweet ginger, garlic and hoisin sauce with beans and rice vermicelli - the tender meat falls of the bone.

I never thought I would say this but the Spicy Fries are particularly perfect, especially when dipped in Pineapple Mayo and washed down with the aforementioned Saigroni. Finish your order with a serve of the Beef and Betel Leaf, Prawn in Coconut Milk and Goi Tron – a salad of finely shredded pork and prawn with julienned fresh green fruit – and simply wait for happiness.. and then a food coma. Feast complete. When it is time to transition in to sweets – and believe me – that time will come, start with the Banana Pudding which looks suspiciously like porridge made of Coconut Sago and finish traditionally with rich, dark chocolate Vietnamese truffles and a coffee. 

Words by Jessica Williams Photos by Harvey Publicity

Cochin 256 Swan Street Richmond Melbourne