Gimlet – Melbourne, City – Friday 27 November 2020 – Lunch

Friday lunch or Saturday dinner? Surely these are the most atmospheric times to dine, but often for different reasons. Today I get to enjoy the intimate side of Friday lunch with my wife, rather than in connection with my work.

There are plenty of power lunches going on mind you. Though we are seated on a table of two above the majority of business lunches. Here we have a view of the good looking dining room that is full of architectural character in Cavendish House.

Gimlet has pedigree. The latest and greatest by Andrew McConnell, there is no doubt it has the bones to succeed. It’s down the road from Supernormal on the corner of Flinders Lane and Russell; it already has a charismatic feel; and it walks the difficult tightrope between intimacy, and a place to be seen.

Before I write about the high quality coming out of the kitchen, and also the bar, I need to point out that Gimlet is not at its peak from a service perspective. Again, it has the makings, but the execution is not quite there yet. There are some noticeable times where the floor is trying to communicate covertly, but is tripping up. A knowing of what to do, but not necessarily how to do it; a nervousness.

Not that service took anything away from our terrific lunch, playing high stakes, and placing our main bet on a half lobster, and a bottle of chardonnay from Burgundy. More of that a little later.

As we finished our Coutier champagne to celebrate being out for a Friday date, and 28 days of double doughnuts, we were presented with our first entree. We began with “seafood salad” which appealed to us, especially after learning it consisted of a Tiger prawn, pippies, and mussels. Those elements are delicious, but the peeled cherry tomatoes, heavy on flavour, are the other half of the equation, along with succulents that do a dual role of enhancing this dish, which is dressed beautifully.

Seafood salad, preserved tomatoes, coastal herbs

The gnocco fritto is superb too. Crisp pockets topped with bresaola, that already had us thinking about the next time we could drop by on the bar for a few snacks and cocktails. At this stage the charred romaine heart side came out.

It was a completely innocent mistake, but we had asked what would go well with the lobster as a side and this was the recommendation, which was a great suggestion, especially with the salty guanciale, and anchovy dressing. However, because it came out with entrees, the lobster wasn’t called away as a main and we waited for quite a while until our waitperson realised. Though, nothing in the world was wrong when the half Southern rock lobster landed on our table.

The selling point as a very expensive main to share was the saffron rice that surrounds and adds flavour to the wood roasted king of seafood. As a combination, the tomatoey saffron rice, along with the indulgent juicy lobster meat, is utterly gorgeous. Add in a 2015 Colin-Morey Bourgogne chardonnay and you have the Friday lunch dreams are made of.

Panettone, zabaglione, Christmas spices and grappa

As we reflected on our delicious savoury courses, we had some room for a shared dessert. The “Panettone, zabaglione, Christmas spices and grappa” seemed to jump off the menu as we enter the Christmas period. Once we had our first taste of the thick zabaglione and rich panettone we couldn’t stop until it was but a memory. Absolutely delicious.

Catherine’s mint tea, and my double espresso, were also good quality as you’d expect, but the extended time they took post dessert to hit the table was again a sign that there is some room to improve. It honestly didn’t matter because I’m already thinking about the next opportunity to get back to Gimlet. It was that great.

Park Street Pasta and Wine – South Melbourne – Sunday 8 November 2020 – Lunch

It’s like learning to ride a bike, stopping, starting again for a few weeks, and stopping again for a few months. It felt much more unusual last time with empty but full dining rooms, and tonnes of sanitiser. Somehow with masks on your way to the table, and on all the staff, it feels quite natural now?

Park Street Pasta and Wine was our choice for our first big lunch back after 3.5 months of a strong lockdown. Reservations across town were full seemingly moments after the State Government announcement that we were allowed to safely go back to eat and drink the way we used to (in a sense).

The planning concessions allowed the restaurant to sprawl out onto the street, but we were keen for an intimate chance to dine. Our little boy, not in our care for the first time since the middle of July, meant we had some serious indulging to do.

It’s not our style to eat huge meals, or drink a lot (well, maybe not Catherine), but we do like to try multiple dishes by sharing. First up we tried the sardines, which were lightly cooked and full of flavour that we hadn’t enjoyed outside of our home for some time. As we finished our cocktails, mine an Americano spritz to celebrate a return to normality from a US political perspective at least, we were beginning to remember what we had been missing.

Sharing the cacio e pepe brought back memories of Rome. The pepper not pushing the limits, but delicious all the same, and the mafaldine pasta a talking point for both its shape, and its great texture. Next we were back for some more fruits of the sea, with Port Phillip mussels topping a rich and deep tomato sauced spaghetti. Such a delight. The sweet vincotto (balsamic) in the parmesan and pistachio salad led to us finishing every mouthful, which is a bit unusual for even the best of side salads.

Apple and pecan crumble, fior di latte

Turning to dessert, despite the continuing “doughnut days”, we skipped the bombolini, and instead tried the apple and pecan crumble. Deconstructed, it had the freshness of crisp apple to balance the sweetness of the crumble, along with some sweetened fior di latte gelato. A nice finish to a long lunch.

With good expressions of Soave, Vermentino, and several other Italian varieties, the wine list by the glass has plenty to keep diners interested. The weaker point of the meal was not surprising. Service is terribly difficult at the moment with a lot of elements to consider, especially the fact that so many staff are not in Australia any longer (and probably won’t come back). It did not disrupt the meal, but it was not a positive either.

I’m very aware that we are in different times right now. This is a relaxed long Sunday lunch that was overdue, and it was terrific to again be out in Melbourne!

Here we go again

First time back at Mayday!

When restrictions eased we all wondered whether it was too soon, and whether we should venture out. I work in a field where the answer of “it depends” to problems with no clear answer is the primary reason I am employed. Like the nature of most complicated matters, the answer is best found with hindsight; the actual outcome.

If you ask someone from any other State or Territory of Australia, the answer as we approach the middle of July would be reasonably positive. For Melburnians, whatever the reason for the surge in cases, we know that easing restrictions certainly didn’t help. Did we venture out? A lot of us did.

Time goes quickly. On Monday 1 June, Catherine, Sydney, and I, did not immediately go to sit in a cafe. My conservative nature lends itself to making informed decisions, and I wanted to see what the coming weeks looked like. When cases continued to reduce, a few weeks later we started by going to Mayday on Wednesday 17 June. That is over two weeks of wanting to go and do something normal after 11 weeks of not having the option.

Croque Monsieur

There was a few reasons we started at Mayday. The first was having gone for takeaway coffee several times during stage 3 restrictions, I noticed how much effort was made for distancing and sanitation. The 20 person rule allowed Mayday to space even more than what is necessary, and Catherine and I had a very pleasant lunch with the usual excellent food and coffee that make Mayday one of my Richmond favourites. The flood gates had opened. For the next 3 weeks.

The next day I was at the Cherry Tree with old work colleagues, only two of which still work together, but we have a close knit group of friends now, and had spent several hours having virtual catch ups in the earlier 13 weeks. Through the years I have always loved this pub and its staff and clientele. During the height of restrictions it was a pillar of the Cremorne community, going above and beyond to be helpful, whether it was the deliveries of food and drinks with a free hand sanitiser (during the panic buying times), or just to put a smile on our faces with terrible onesies, or videos of their ute roaming the streets.

It was at this stage that I realised you still had to be careful in where you decide to go out and dine. We were eating outside, and people waiting for takeaways didn’t seem to understand what distancing is. It was a little disappointing having this insight into some attitudes.

Margherita at D.O.C.

On the Saturday (20 June) we were out doing some shopping and decided to go to Carlton. Initially we were headed for just gelato at Pidapipo, but it was getting on and we were a while from dinner, so we ended up with a mid-afternoon snack at D.O.C. sharing a margherita pizza. It brings up something I’ve noticed. Restaurant kitchens catering to less people has a tangible uptick in quality, even in situations where the quality is normally consistently very high like at D.O.C. The margherita pizza today was the best I’ve had from D.O.C. in Carlton or Mornington, and actually the best I can remember having in Melbourne. There is something in that.

Red Door Corner Store – out the back

The next day we met one of Catherine’s parent’s (mother’s) group couples, Aiofe and Jimmy, and their daughter, Saoirse, at Red Door Corner Store in Northcote. Again, this was a cafe we have been to multiple times that we trust to do the right thing. And they did. In fact the whole courtyard is not very large so our table of 6 was the maximum allowed out there. That was until two ladies (who knew better) came through the backdoor to sip on their takeaway coffees. Another small breach that the venue has little control of (they were asked to leave once staff saw, but we didn’t mention the numbers because we didn’t want to be confronting). Lunch was superb and our little boy Sydney, and Saoirse, had run of the courtyard!

Brisket burger at Red Door Corner Store

It was around this stage where some cracks were beginning to appear. We had a table of 5 booked for Sunday 28 June at The Lincoln Hotel (another trusted venue). One of my friends, living in the north-west, had started making gestures that he was uncomfortable to attend. In the end he decided not to come, and 4 of us met up for a long Sunday afternoon lunch, which included me indulging in the Sunday roast (pork belly). Like every venue I had been to, they did the right things, and the basic stuff like taking names on entry and having distanced tables and appropriate numbers, seemed second nature.

Sunday roast of the day at The Lincoln

However, the night before Catherine met up with the mums from her parent’s group and I was concerned to hear about some obvious and blatant breaches. Firstly, the rule of 20 within an enclosed space with a minimum of 4 square metres per person, was breached at least once (but possibly twice with the outside not distanced), and they had a table of 8 that was not split (the rule is no more than 6 for a table). Their names, incredibly, were not taken, and only the host who booked was recorded. It is not my place to mention the venue, but it is very disappointing.

Nice pizza here on Swan Street, but the rules still need to be followed

In what would become my last lunch out for some time, on Friday 3 July I met back up with most of the same old work friends at a new pizza place in Richmond. I’m not going to name the venue, but the pizza is excellent. I had done reconnaissance the week prior, having lunch at 2pm by myself to see what it was like. Knowing Friday is busy we made our booking early and had a table for 5. During lunch a walk-in group of around 5-6 people (I had my back to them) came in. Unfortunately this seemed to be a case of being polite over maintaining the rules.

The classic Shakshuka at Red Door Corner Store

The table was seated very close to our table, to the extent that the back of our chairs would be an inch from each other. It was uncomfortable in any situation, but with the distancing rules, it was stressful. A rational assessment of the numbers meant I wasn’t overly concerned, but I am someone who follows rules, and eventually we said something to the staff, but it had been a good 20 minutes. They moved the table as luckily some more space had opened up. I think Julie was counting the numbers inside every few minutes and arrived at there being about 19. Unfortunately, as we left we realised that the square metre rule only allowed 17, so they were well over for much of lunch. Yes, here is a new venue that is struggling to stay alive. The mental health of the owners and staff would be stretched. But distancing has never been about detection risk or policing has it? It is just a minimum standard.

The postcode lockdown had started the day prior, and the North Melbourne extension would begin two days later. By Thursday 9 July we would be back in stage 3 restrictions. The takeaway-way-of-life would recommence and Catherine and I would be eating Chin Chin at home on a Saturday night, rather than be with friends as we had planned weeks prior.

In the 3 weeks of actually going and sitting in a pub, cafe, or restaurant, I would see even the simple rules be breached. I wouldn’t say there was anything substantial in itself with any of these breaches. The issue is that in a short period of time we had seen most rules being overlooked, or flagrantly breached. Multiply that by our massive population and there is not just an issue in certain postcodes, or certain building structures. With this perspective it is hard for me to blame bad luck and circumstance on the growing numbers, and it is hard to disagree with some further stage 3 restrictions.

Dining post COVID-19

Cutler & Co’s Mother’s Day feast with duck pie!

I’ve been writing this blog for many years. I continue not because many people read it. It’s mainly because I enjoy writing, think a lot about restaurants, and like to capture my thoughts. I’ve also realised that the successful bloggers are often form (photo quality) over substance (writing quality). My average photo doesn’t take long and until a couple of months ago I had an iPhone 5. I have a different perspective.

Lately I’ve been thinking deeply about dining post this health crisis, and I’ve been having quite a few conversations about it in my area.

The Cherry Tree’s parma

Due in no small part to the influence of my Mum, I am very conscious of germs, without quite being a germaphobe, and I am clean, without being a clean-freak. I put safety first so I have been known to touch the handrail of a train escalator, but I am conscious that I am doing it. I have cleaned the bathroom exclusively for almost 24 years since I first left home and still do to this day, and I do it very well, but I don’t do it weekly!

Coronavirus hasn’t rocked me as much as I expected it to. While maintaining safe social distancing from the outset, I made sure I got to experience the last of my cafe and restaurant experiences right up to the restrictions starting, only cancelling once when we didn’t get the comfort we were looking for during the restaurant booking and confirmation process. I wondered how I would cope from going to cafes almost every day to nothing; from going to footy matches and horse racing to nothing; from trips to the shops for one or two items being a non-essential risk. What saved me initially was the novelty factor, which I knew would wear off. Then as the novelty wore off, the new business model for cafes and restaurants doing quality takeaway, completely saved me.

Top Paddock’s pancake

I have a little love affair with the Cherry Tree Hotel. I think Catherine and I have ordered pizzas, parmas, beers, and hand sanitiser, about a dozen times. We have become closer to cafe staff at Pillar Of Salt, and Top Paddock, ordering their excellent coffee and quality cafe fare regularly. We’ve had multiple meals from Vaporetto and Matilda159, and supported a range of places like Tivoli, Lume, Penny For Pound, Mayday, Inward Goods, Blackhearts & Sparrows, Tipo 00, and Cutler & Co, with our continued patronage, which is naturally in consideration for an exceptional product they put out. It has kept life interesting, and I’ve enjoyed spending extra time with Catherine and our little boy Sydney. He turned one during the restrictions but it was still a nice immediate family celebration, and we had a terrific Elmo cake from Swan Street Bakery & Patisserie.

Lune delivery!

What I didn’t expect was a mild discomfort with the easing of restrictions. Over the past weeks I’ve noticed a substantial amount of breaking and bending the rules. I don’t expect that to get better going forward and I’m hoping a certain amount of luck sees us all through. It is probably the reason for my hesitation in making instant restaurant bookings as the restrictions ease using a phased approach. I would comfortably say from my observations that there is around 20% of people who are not thinking AT ALL about social distancing when they are out and about. The rest of the population have somewhere between a healthy respect for others, to a proper diligence about what they are doing, and what those around them are doing. It’s like good drivers. Everyone can drive, but good drivers avoid accidents by anticipating what other drivers are doing. In Australia it seems we do not give feedback to others who do the wrong thing. While I have wanted to, I just cannot bring myself to confront a complete stranger and I’m sure most people are naturally that way inclined.

Tipo 00’s casarecce

The business model of allowing 20 people to dine at the venue is quite complicated. It is not just a question of profit. Reputationally you do not want to have a potential issue through outbreak for the sake of 20 diners and a negligible profit? Gearing up staff levels again might be okay if you have workers who have been stood down or have had reduced hours on JobKeeper, or staff who can increase their hours, but is fraught with hardship for new hires, and potentially threatened by a second wave. 20 people means extra areas to sanitise, extra risk from exposure (to all staff), and there is no guarantee the patrons will accept lower levels of service (ie how many staff do you have ready for a maximum of 20 covers is potentially difficult as the area needs to be large given the social distancing requirements of 4 square metres per person). I can understand why all venues are contemplating not doing it or waiting to see how others are going with the easing.

Pillar of Salt

The best candidate is fine dining. You already expect certain spacing at most expensive restaurants and the margin on food is better. The worst candidate, almost counter-intuitively, is small dining spaces. Because of social distancing, a small dining space might not even be able to hold 10 people! A couple of no-shows and you are having a bad evening. Cafes that are well run and have access to appropriate booking technology might be able to do okay, but it is not the right model to have people waiting out the front for extended periods to get a table. You can start to appreciate how difficult this is. No matter the space, you need to have something to eat more substantial than a snack if you are drinking alcohol. Being from Perth I am used to this rule from my twenties, but I’m not sure how Melburnians will take to it.

Matilda 159’s pork belly

For staff, I am worried they will also have higher stress on top of the fact they are serving multiple diners who they are exposed to for lengthy periods. In some circumstances they could become an umpire between strangers who don’t agree with the spirit of the game, or its rules. For example, if people greet each other with large long hugs (like I saw in the park last Sunday – all under the observation of their kids – good example!) do you ask them to leave? Do other diners complain to the staff and put them in a difficult position? Do the authorities get called for not adhering to social distancing? It is a couple of months since restrictions began and there will be a lot of people who are stressed and anxious, with lesser mental health, and that could be a recipe for confrontation.

Vaporetto’s chicken

On the flipside, I think we have seen a good level of maturity with the majority of Australians, and those I’ve observed in my area. As long as the majority continue to show thoughtfulness and respect when out in public, and use the normal polite and friendly mannerisms we are known for around the globe, I can see a real community spirit as locals start gathering in dining spaces. It really is up to all of us to be patient and show cafe and restaurant staff that they are valuable to us. To be tolerant to others, and where it is needed to be diplomatic when discussing the rules with strangers, or to stick up for those in need. I’m sure we can all appreciate as we see the devastation overseas, that we are very lucky to be able to get a takeaway coffee, let alone sit down in a cafe once again from 11.59pm on Sunday 31 May.

I’ll tread warily, and I may not be one of the first diners on Monday 1 June at any of my favourite places, but I wish anyone reopening all the best. When I step in to your venue I promise to be a thoughtful, respectful and polite diner, and take a moment to look around and appreciate something we once took for granted.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON EASING RESTRICTIONS CLICK HERE

FOR DETAILED GUIDANCE FOR RESTAURANTS AND CAFES CLICK HERE

Why do I feel empty after a nice meal?

Cherry Tree

How many people around the world must have taken to writing to escape the dreary existence many of us now call “life”? My primary issue is the thing I have chosen to write about is temporarily no longer an option. Dining out is not possible.

Lately, I haven’t had much of a chance to write anyway, so at least I’m behind and I can think of some experiences and put fingers to keyboard. Only a couple of weeks ago it was still possible to go out and practice social distancing at restaurants and cafes. Looking back I realise we all had a lot to learn.

Towards the beginning of the closures, Catherine and I had a difficult decision to make. Already a dinner on our anniversary as part of the Food and Wine Festival had been cancelled. We made another booking and in the lead up were excited about the forthcoming experience, but hesitant because the initial difficulties whilst booking had already put us off a little.

Penny For Pound

With about four days to go we were getting nervous with rumours of shutdowns, and every second day there was a new measure being announced by Federal and State Governments. After one last try to contact the restaurant (this time by email) we got a completely unhelpful response that they were open for our booking. They hadn’t answered our questions about the numbers of other guests coming for a weekday lunch, or social distancing practices; and they hadn’t offered anything else to comfort us that they were on top of the changes.

We had to cancel. We knew in our hearts it was the right decision, but it would also be the first anniversary we hadn’t been out for lunch or dinner. When we replied to the restaurant they told us that they hadn’t properly read our email and that they would have responded differently if they had. With the changing dynamic we don’t blame them for being busy just trying to survive, but it does go to show that we can live in our own bubble. A week later and there were thousands of people on Bondi Beach who also hadn’t got the memo.

Matilda 159

The week before I must admit I was going about life carefully, but largely unhindered. I sat in cafes with Catherine and Sydney, and talked about how long we had left before shutdowns, which appeared inevitable. Everyone else was talking about the same things. When the Grand Prix got cancelled and I heard the experts talking about responsibility for others, especially older Australians, it started to hit home, and I started to be pro-active about cancelling catch ups, but even the week after I saw people that I didn’t need to see, and went to places I didn’t need to go.

It is not like I feel terribly guilty about doing so, but it is instinctive for me to follow rules. I am a chartered accountant after all! The blurriness of the rules confused my instinct and so I operated with caution but also within the broad-based boundaries. Take the blurriness out of the rules and I will adapt.

Vaporetto

The first adaption came for our anniversary. Taking away from Vaporetto was an eye-opening experience. Even the most well-adjusted Uber Eats aficionado wouldn’t have imagined the options that would become available literally overnight. All of a sudden we are eating restaurant quality roasted chicken, radicchio salad, and tiramisu. The tiramisu is not your usual. It comes with a scoop of coffee gelato, and bits of honeycomb, all nicely contained so you can have a go at plating yourself in a quasi-restaurant fashion.

Lune Croissants

A week later we have had Cherry Tree pizzas for Friday lunch, and a very fancy pork belly, smashed potatoes, and remoulade from Matilda 159 (on Domain) for Saturday night dinner, and at the same place I’m picking up a bottle of 2014 Voyager Cabernet Sauvignon for half its current value! Lately, we’ve had Pillar Of Salt granola, and their slow cooked brisket, for lunch; and Lune are delivering croissants, cruffins, and kouign-amanns on a Sunday morning! This was never previously possible, especially at the prices being asked, which are more than reasonable.

Pillar Of Salt

I realise a lot of Australians and people around the world are really suffering with their health and the health of their family, or struggling with unemployment and poverty, so I am not trivialising this health and economic crisis, and I feel very sad for the world right now. I enjoy eating, but when I’ve finished my meal I still feel a bit empty because a few weeks ago this meal could have been a celebration of life, and I could have been helping keep a lot more people employed than just a skeleton staff. I also do not want to turn a blind eye to how bad this is around the world. Most of us who haven’t been really sick, or to war, or through natural devastation, just simply cannot understand the pain that is reverberating around the globe right now. So many somber funerals with tiny amounts of mourners (or none at all), so much dismay and confusion, and so much uncertainty.

I do want to help though, and while I’m still employed (not a given to continue), I want to try to support the places that have made me happy over the years. As one person I’ve been served by at Pillar Of Salt tens of times said when I finally asked her name, “It’s not all business now with our customers.” No, this crisis has become very personal, and I think we are all learning more about ourselves. I know I am.

Paringa Estate – Red Hill, Mornington Peninsula – Saturday 28 December 2019 – Lunch

Looking across a vineyard. This is my type of view as the backdrop to a wonderful meal. Like the ocean, or any large body of water, rolling greenery will never get tired.

It just isn’t possible to have a meal like this in the city. So while the prices are not cheap by any means, they are not inflated by the beauty of the vines, which came along far earlier. Today the logistics are in our favour because we are staying in an Airbnb close by, which also happens to be close to Nonna’s place for our little boy to be taken care of. It’s time to relax over a five course tasting menu at Paringa Estate.

Paringa has been one of the best wineries in the Mornington Peninsula region for many years, and the restaurant has gone from strength to strength. Catherine dined here with family a few years ago, and I’ve wanted to give it a try for myself ever since. With restaurants like Laura, Port Phillip and Kooyong Estate, Doot Doot Doot and sibling Rare Hare in the area, you need to be very good to figure. There are several others too, not to mention Ten Minutes By Tractor whose return is eagerly awaited.

Vegemite scrolls, and pigs in blanket

The city boy novelty of dining at a winery is only maintained when the food (and wine) are matched or bettered by the view. Delicious snacks act as reminders of not taking dining here too seriously, with a vegemite scroll, a pig in blanket (prosciutto with a fig filling), and “green eggs and ham”, also hinting at the strength of the food to come.

Green eggs and ham

Simon Tarlington’s version of Surf & Turf presents mussels topped with thinly cut corned wagyu. It is unexpectedly subtle, allowing the mussels to share the limelight with the wagyu.

Paringa ‘Surf & Turf’

Next we have a dish presented where the components are bursting from the plate. It could be an Olympic dish for the Australian’s with its green and gold flourishing from the use of asparagus and nasturtiums on the one hand; and lemon and egg on the other. While lemon hollandaise is a classic combination, the sweetness here was a little too much for me by the end, but Catherine was a big fan of the almost lemon curd like sauce.

Local Asparagus, Egg, Lemon, Almonds

By now we were finishing our initial glasses of white, having begun with a lesser known, but gorgeous champagne called ‘Esprit Nature’ by Giraud. Catherine’s flagship Paringa Single Vineyard Chardonnay is an excellent expression of the variety, and of what Mornington can produce. My Viognier is not one of the main Mornington varietals, but does have plenty of polish itself, and works well with its versatility. Next we tried the flagship Paringa Single Vineyard Pinot Noir. With both the lamb and duck courses to come we were enjoying a wine to behold, again a tradition of the region, and one which has been slowly coming closer to the top echelon with each year that passes.

Otway Ranges Lamb, Peas, Beans, Native Leaves

The lamb I’m speaking of is from the Otway Ranges, and is served with peas, beans and native leaves. The broth again shows subtlety, siding with the nicely cooked lamb well, and is added to by the fresh large peas that are a delight. It is delicate. The kind of dish that you want to go hand in hand with a great wine.

Mount Macedon Duck, Tomato, Cherry, Native Pepper

Another step in the flavour profile is added with the duck from Mount Macedon, which has skin to die for with the native pepper put to good effect. I can give or take the acidity in the tomato (which has been peeled!), but the sweetness in the cherry is the right stuff, and the sauce brings it together wonderfully. Again, not overdoing the number of components allows the wine to become an important element. It is impressive.

Meredith Sheep Yoghurt, Verjuice, Honeycomb, Plum

Being a fan of sweeter and/or chocolate desserts, seeing the description of our sweet course didn’t fill me with excitement, but honeycomb is something I love so all was not lost. I am glad I was wrong. At the end of a tasting menu, with a lot of great and complex dishes, having a soft dessert with flavoursome elements was a great way to finish. The verjuice used as a broth a nice touch, bringing grapes back into the picture. The restaurant should, however, consider some petit fours to finish, that could give sweeter-tooths a bit more sugar.

All along service had the usual semi-country charm. It was not perfectly attentive, but it was friendly and professional enough to meet the mark. The sommelier today (Nick) was particularly helpful and fun, enjoying a chat about the wines and the history of Paringa, which always adds something to a winery visit. He works the cellar door tastings too, and would be an excellent host.

While the expense doesn’t make Paringa accessible frequently, it is an exceptional place to spend an afternoon overlooking the vines, and eating and drinking some of the best quality there is on offer on the Peninsula.

Coffee in Cremorne and surrounds – my guide

Fred’s isn’t a normal cafe!

I could count twenty places to get coffee within a ten minute walk of where I live.  An extra ten minute walk and you have many, many more. As I sit here, there are more than ten in Cremorne and that is not counting those on the border (being Church Street and Swan Street).

I predominantly work from home and that gives me the ability to spend inordinate amounts of time at cafes in my area, normally working, sometimes observing. My favourite cafes get to see my family often, and we have introduced tens of people to most of these venues.

Coffee in Cremorne and Surrounds – map link below

Coffee is a love of mine, but I am far from an expert. In my mid-twenties I went from being a milk based coffee person, with at least two sugars, to focussing on black coffee with no sugar. The transition took close to a year. There is nothing wrong with milk in coffee, but it does introduce an imperfection to a complex drink. It is no different to adding tonic to gin, but I do like gin and tonic.

If I can indulge a little further. The proliferation of single origin coffee is especially easy for wine drinkers to understand. You take a fruit and put it in a different location, with different soil, weather conditions, different plant age, and then have different methods of picking, washing and drying. You get a different result, and it can be subtle or obvious. If you add sugar or liquid other than neutral water, you are reducing the impact of the above factors. As a result, most good cafes these days offer a single origin for black coffee drinkers and a blend for coffees with different types of milk. For me, espresso (usually a double) is king, but a long black (not full to the brim, but a little more extracted than espresso with a dash of hot water) is a good coffee to sit on while working, or in a social setting.

In summer, I mix between hot and cold. While I was originally tied to a double espresso over ice as the main option, these days I have changed my preference to cold brews where good ones are available.

So, in my patch of Cremorne/Richmond, what are my favourite cafes for coffee?

Link to the Google Map

Top 6 (in no particular order)

Top Paddock

Laptop parking is rarely a good looking feature of a café customer, but for me it is a necessary evil. Putting aside the terrific, consistently well made, black coffee (normally with a choice of two single origins), Top Paddock is a café dream. For years the food has been at the top of café fare in Melbourne, the staff have good longevity (though there has been a little more turnover lately), and there are heaps of nooks and crannies to keep things interesting. Laptop parking on the coffee bar is gold because I’m not taking up extra space, but it has a comfortable amount of bench space, and hooks under the bar for your jacket. The choice of single origins these days comes from Seven Seeds, and used to come from Square One (both of which have merit), and ninety percent of the time I recognise the barista. The staff have a good balance of being friendly, recognising a familiar face, without making me feel too regular. This is one of the best in Melbourne.

Website

A previous review

 

Pillar Of Salt

There was a time where Pillar Of Salt attracted a decidedly more South Yarra crowd, but things have settled down somewhat. This is one of the few cafes I go to where long ago I forgot about the distributor of the coffee, and the type of machine, and just enjoy consistently well made coffee. Some of the main baristas have been here for years, and that is no different to many of the senior staff. My wife loves their prana chai, and so it has become a key takeaway venue. The food here is top quality; close to the level of Top Paddock. You can get Penny For Pound doughtnuts too. Life is good at Pillar Of Salt.

Website

A previous review

 

Inward Goods

I am curious. Just off Swan Street, Inward Goods opened a few years back and I had to check it out. When my sticky-beak looked around the corner I was comforted by some friendly staff and one particular customer who said this was the best coffee in Richmond. I wasn’t up for a coffee at the time, but I was back soon after and have kept coming back. In those early days I would say there was a little more enunciation of the single origin coffee I was drinking (by Vertue Coffee Roasters in Carlton) but the quality has continued to meet high levels. The only issue is the growing cost. I recognise the quality, but if I’m just taking away I often go closer to home these days. For sitting in the new fitout is good looking and clean, but not as comfortable for laptop parking, so again I pick my moments. The spanakopita jaffle is king for a snack (half) or lunch (whole).

Website

 

Mayday

Years ago when Mayday opened I wrote about an expensive orange juice that had been disguised as freshly squeezed (which it was when it entered the Nudie juice bottle). Since then things have improved to a level where I count Mayday as one of my favourites. Their coffee is superb and I normally recognise the barista. There is heaps of space to laptop park, or have a quick one with Sydney in his pram, and their food is fantastic. Out the back is Penny For Pound which sells their delectable pastries and cakes between Friday and Sunday.

Website

A previous review

 

Hunted + Gathered

It’s time for chocolate. After eating H+G chocolate for the first time at Attica I knew this place is special. When they opened up a café, taking advantage of Assembly coffee (Carlton) roasted by Bureaux, I was over the moon. Catherine has never graduated from their hot (or cold) chocolate and why would you? The brownies and other treats are addictive, and the tiny pieces of chocolate at the counter are impossible to decline. All of the staff are friendly and have gotten to know the whole family. We’ve introduced them to many new customers too. It’s win / win.

Website

 

Fred’s

Somehow the Reymond brothers broke into my sleep, and put an all day café and bar down the end of my street that I was dreaming of. Currently using a Seven Seeds blend (but soon to have a single origin I believe), the main barista, Daniel, does consistently great coffee. Some brioche as a snack and I can laptop park for hours! It is a very good looking space, and it is only a matter of time before I can no longer guarantee a seat.

Website

Soon to be reviewed

 

The others I go to regularly (in no particular order)

Vertue

The sister to Inward Goods opened a few months ago and is a nice space. It similarly has Vertue Coffee Roasters as supplier, with single origins that change frequently, and the same excellent jaffles. The difference here is the coffee bar is not wide enough for comfortable laptop parking, and the sun can be a killer on the tables at the front. Luckily for the team here, most of the time that I come to try to get a seat it is full anyway! There is still some settling down with the consistency of the coffee, which is made by a rotation of baristas to date, but it is usually excellent.

Website

Cheeky Monkey

As a direct flipside to Vertue, Cheeky Monkey is my place for standard coffee. Neighbouring a flower shop (Glasshaus), the new digs (now a few years old) are warm and homely. There is heaps of room on the coffee bar to comfortably sit and occasionally watch the people and traffic go by, and I find I can normally get a spot even though it is usually busy. There are also several different areas, front, back and in between, that keep things interesting. There is a younger staff that seems to stay regular. The coffee is a blend, but is well made and consistent. Don’t worry about the slight film that seems to come with the long black as it makes no difference to the taste, but can deter on presentation.

Website

A previous review

Heresy

I’ve become less regular to Heresy but I’ve always liked their single origin long blacks and their cold brew in warmer months. This is basically a hole-in-the-wall and is best suited to take aways or a quick espresso on the bar. When I used to walk past for work I was a regular, but I still try to stop by every now and then. The sister café is in Equitable Place in the city.

Website

Lumberjack

Irene, barista and owner of Lumberjack, makes excellent coffee and cold brew. While we used to go weekly at my old workplace, I still occasionally go out of my way just for coffee here, or to catch up with the old gang for lunch. My affiliation leads me to write about Lumberjack, but it is definitely over twenty minutes walk away for me!

Website

A previous review

If I’m in the area

I can be pretty hard on cafes, but that doesn’t stop me diversifying where I feel like a change, or I’m close by.

Again, in no particular order, cafes where I occasionally frequent around Richmond and Cremorne include Fifty Acres, Reunion, Touchwood, Jethro, A Thousand Blessings, Penny House, Friends Of Mine, Sloane Ranger, and Denis The Menace.  All of these at one time or another were either regular or close, but things change!

Ides – Collingwood – Sunday 3 November 2019 – Lunch

The annual Derby recovery lunch has always been an event in itself. Usually restricted to the boys from the previous day, those still willing (and able) after a late night and a marathon session, dust themselves off, and gather for a lunch that only has a prerequisite to be rather expensive. As if for no other reason, it is almost essential to have at least broken even the day before at Flemington.

Pumpkin Flowers

This year it was “Chef” who chose the restaurant. There is a rotation policy where I personally ensure I either pick, or have an insider hand in picking the venue, with deft personal messages of applause with good choices, and blatant ribbing for choices that are ill-informed! Chef is a quiet achiever in these Choosy Stakes. You are probably thinking this guy knows his restaurants and works in an up market Bib Gourmand, but he actually is not into that type of thing and specialises in basic cafe fare. So, choosing Ides, a restaurant with Peter Gunn at the helm, known for his experience at places like Attica, is not as great a fit as it sounds.

Fried chicken, cos lettuce, bacon broth, spiced cashew nuts

You don’t need to be a Rhode Scholar to comfortably say that every year we get older. The warm up for elderly men is difficult, but precisely half way through our first beverage of choice (today mainly gin and tonics, and pink vermouth spritzers) we start to acclimatise. On the menu (that we never actually saw) are several snacks to begin, an avocado dish, a broth, a snapper dish, a beef cheek dish, and two desserts with one on the fruitier side and the other chocolate.

Scarlett Prawn

By the time the snacks are being presented we are on to the Hochkirch riesling from Henty in the west of Victoria. It’s a good choice because versatility with the assortment of tastes is the key. There’s a good spicy punch to the cos lettuce, the scallop is gorgeous, the fried chicken is glorious, and the sourdough with peanut butter is a dish of its own. The only miss for me is the prawn which having tried several uncooked prawns I’ve decided they are just better cooked. I can respect the freshness of the produce though.

Burnt Avocado

Sitting at a fine dining restaurant with a real sense of modern Australian cuisine, it should not be a surprise to find a quarter avocado presented as the first course, but it is. How did we start to associate avocado with breakfast? Just as the French will crack an egg on anything from a Lyonnaise salad to beef tartare, why can’t we have an avocado as one of our dishes? If fine dining and nouveau cuisine are supposed to present the utmost flavour profiles and combinations possible, this avocado is close to perfection. It is firm but has the subtle, yet consistent, flavour of an avocado at its peak, and it is enhanced by trout roe that doesn’t overpower, and a spice that also is in beautiful balance. I am intrigued if I came back tomorrow whether it would taste the same, and be just as wonderful.

Snapper

On to a Trutta marsanne from Harcourt North in the Central Victorian region, and the pumpkin flowers in ox tail broth, with chewily addictive ox tail meat presented separately. We all leave our bowls dry so the broth is good, but it is the meat that is king. This is followed by my favourite dish of the day. Snapper is topped with a broccoli crumb, and a snapper butter is poured at the table that surrounds the white fish. That white fish is skilfully cooked, just enough, to demonstrate its best, but it is the butter that steals the show, and the salty crumb that almost makes you feel like you are having the best fried fish shop meal of your life (without the old frying oil!)

Beef Cheek

A delicious shriraz viognier from Yarra Yarra is chosen by Guy and we are on to the beef cheek which comes out looking more like fillet steak. What the chefs have done is freeze dry the slowly cooked cheek to form a disk, rather than present in the usual rustic way. It works, but it does lose some of the magic in my humble opinion. The Congo potato is raved about, which is probably not what the chefs had in mind (when you compare to the cheek), but it is definitely a generous and enjoyable way to end the savoury courses.

Madenii Mousse

The first dessert, on the fruitier side with strawberries and macadamias, comes adorned with a translucent shard separating those elements. By this stage, after what seems like over twenty-four hours of drinking, I cannot be sure of exactly what I was eating, but it was very good. Somewhat simpler looking, but anything but, is “The Black Box” of chocolate and peanut. Break it open and you have plenty of sweet goodness inside. As a final tip of the Akubra to our cuisine we are presented with a peach cheek drizzled with honey.

The Black Box

As we all reflected on this experience later in the day, and in the days to come, it became apparent that everyone enjoyed the experience as a whole, but there wasn’t the same high you can get with some of the other top restaurants in Australia. It might be the familiarity of some of the dishes, even though they are much more sophisticated than the norm, but more likely it was the seriously expensive tasting menu of $180 a person. Normally I wouldn’t even mention it, but this is in the top echelon of tasting menu prices so it is fair game.

Things tend to go a bit sideways!

The focus on Australian produce includes the spirits on offer, which does narrow the options when it comes to things like Campari and Aperol (which were innocently asked for more than once as my group got to the restaurant for an aperitif). What I did find is professional and confident floorstaff who could quickly provide another option, who spoke well through the various courses and what we were eating, and who answered questions without any flicker of snobbery. It does feel as if the whole outfit are sharing the vision of the chefs, and are confident in the product across the board. And that means a lot in any organisation.

Kazuki’s – Carlton – Friday 6 September 2019 – Lunch

Dark chocolate, hazelnut, miso

There is no one template for a wonderful dining experience. The beauty of eating out is the variety, especially when it comes to the scene in Melbourne. Restaurants like Kazuki’s are a study in themselves.

Originally located in Daylesford, this nod to Japanese cuisine, has found its way to Lygon Street in Carlton of all places. The room is purpose fitted, and both downstairs and upstairs have that restrained beauty that fits with the cuisine in a sense, though there is a bit more going on than meets the eye in that regard.

Moreton Bay bug, ponzu, sake

When you see “Moreton bay bug, ponzu, sake” on a menu you might think of simply the protein in a sauce given it is one of seven courses. Here that is not even half the story. The generous subtle bug meat is encased in a dumpling skin that you can only make when you are not churning them out by the dozen. It is quite simply stunning. Served with some pizazz in the form of foam, the hidden treasure meets a sauce that has you weighing up how impolite it would be to bring the bowl to your mouth. We opt to mop with some of the delightful brioche style buns being served liberally throughout the meal.

Salmon caviar, cod roe, nori
Chicken liver, Paris-brest
Ama ebi, corn
Octopus teriyaki

Then there is the unusual mix of customers today, all being served by the more than capable restaurant manager, who is terrific to chat to throughout the meal. When someone has a background at Pier in Sydney, Pei Modern, Lee Ho Fook and many others, you don’t need to worry about a thing. It is quiet with only three tables including ours. One other table is a group of six that appear to be family, but their main conversation is with their phone. The other table is having photos taken because one is a writer and the other is from The Age. It is fine.

Coconut, mandarin, Geraldton wax

There are some very generous allowances given to us by the restaurant. Firstly we are allowed to bring a special bottle of champagne to celebrate Catherine’s birthday. Then we are allowed to substitute the cheese course for a second dessert. We are even more grateful when we taste those desserts. The first (originally the main dessert) is a perfectly bouncy panna cotta of coconut looking very pretty with its slithered almonds, rosemary and mandarin adornments. This is a carefully balanced dessert, that has enough sweetness for us, but the savoury elements are equally attractive as a combination.

Naturally far richer, the dark chocolate, hazelnut and miso dessert is just as beautifully presented. The texture of the crisps works well with the softness of the other components; put together it is simply gorgeous to end this wonderful meal. Back to the start, the snacks were equally delicious but on the other side of the spectrum. Here we embraced each bite of the chicken liver parfait in Paris-brest, and delighted in the depth of the cod roe on nori. The amaebi (sweet shrimp) in the corn cone, and teriyaki octopus were right on the mark too.

Tuna, scallop, beetroot

During the various tasting courses we were struck by the wonderful combinations of flavours, often subtle like the beautiful firm beetroot covered tuna and scallop tartare, or deep and gamey like the duck with carrot puree, and some of the most delicious roasted witlof imaginable. The latter was the last savoury course and when you add my favourite bitter leaf in radicchio you have a stunning dish. The former was bound by a mirim based sauce that instantly identifies with this cuisine.

Duck, carrot, witlof

The other savoury dish might be the last I write about, but it is by no means one to bypass. The hapuka is perfectly cooked with abalone thrown in to enhance the subtle flavours, with slithers of serrano to add some saltiness. The winter melon doesn’t win me over, but the char on the spring onions does. Next time I think I’ve cooked fish perfectly I’ll remember how much better this was!

Hapuka, abalone, serrano

It is difficult to judge how busier evenings would translate to our long lunch in a quieter restaurant, but I’m confident the service would be just as good at any time. Everything about Kazuki has a feeling of complete comfort. This is a very well thought out restaurant and one that excites me about Melbourne’s dining scene. What a superb meal.

Laura – Pt Leo Estate – Mornington Peninsula – Sunday 28 July 2019 – Lunch

Hawkes Farm potato duchess, cauliflower, shiitake

Inventiveness is in the eye of the beholder. As we experience an incredible lunch, I cannot help but think aspects of Pt Leo Estate, and it’s flagship restaurant, Laura, have been done before, but feel completely new.

It might be the combination of the winery, restaurant, and sculpture garden, but it’s not. As I walk in, I have a Port Phillip Estate feeling; the sculpture garden and outlook has a McClelland Gallery and Jackalope vibe; and the winery with its long rectangular shape, featuring floor to ceiling windows, has been done before. The view is magnificent by the way. Whatever it is, this place feels special. It feels different.

 

Nori tart, creme fraiche, bottarga; Rice bun, The Fruit Forest medlar relish

It has the persona of a country restaurant that is run by experienced heads who have seen it all and decided they would rather the countryside ocean views, instead of the cityscape. We got a sense of the journey and ethos of Laura during our several courses of the tasting menu, but it was barely scratching the surface.

Cochranes celery, pear, oyster, Brazilian starfish tabasco

Laura is versatile. With so many sensory delights you have enough going on around you to be comfortable to not have any awkward pauses on a first date; or in our case, parents who’ve left their infant for the first time catching up, and getting caught up in the amazement of it all. You could make a long day of it too, with the cellar door doing extensive wine tasting, the sculpture garden providing plenty of distraction, and a nice long lunch rounding out the adventure.

We make a start on proceedings with some brioche buns that we double up on through the meal. It’s a nice touch and we did notice sourdough being offered to those who don’t subscribe to the beauty that is brioche. Like much of the produce, the olive oil here is local to the region from nearby Cape Schanck.

Starters consist of a spoonful of potato and Main Ridge Daily dumpling with radish, scattered with cheese; a nori tart filled with homemade crème fraiche and sprinkled with bottarga is absolutely gorgeous and salty; and a rice cake with unusual fruit called medlar produced into a relish, again shows off the local small producers.

Roast Great Ocean Road duck, Port Phillip scallop frill, Mossy Willow lenticchie

Western Port Bay Wagyu beef, almonds, polenta

For our first entrée we are presented with a nice combination of thinly sliced pear, oyster, mushrooms, celery stalk and leaves, in a creamy sauce with a touch of tabasco. It is an intriguing combination which I tried with, and without, the pear, and settled on the pear being a key component. Equally a fruit perhaps a touch less sweet would be good too.

Thoughtful sides of sliced pumpkin, and eggplant

Incredibly well thought through Hawkes Farm potato is presented duchess style with beurre blanc sauce surrounding. Salmon roe, and sturgeon caviar (as a supplement option) top the potato, which is filled with shiitake mushrooms and cauliflower.  This is a beautiful combination and appears to be a signature of this menu. It brings back memories of the famous Attica potato dish, but is presented more like Attica would today, as opposed to yesteryear.

As we struggled to decide between four main courses that all had their enticing qualities, we asked for help and got the response we didn’t expect, but hugely appreciated. “Why don’t you choose two and split them between you?” These mains both came out as separate courses, plated for each of us. It was a tremendous way to do it, both with half glasses of wine which they also accommodate.

Custard fondant, last season’s berries, liquorice

The Great Ocean Road duck is roasted and classically presented, with a less classical Mossy Willow “lenticchie” which is described (and tastes) like a minestrone broth. Next door, the Port Philip scallop frill is a Swiss chard leaf filled with lentils and chickpeas. It is beauty on a plate.

The secondary cut of Western Port Bay Wagyu blade is corned and thinly sliced, oozing with flavour and enveloping a perfect polenta. A delightful veal jus is used as the sauce, with slithered almonds scattered on top. Nothing is out of place and the flavours work seamlessly together. Even the sides are thoughtful with some extra depth of flavour and inventiveness.

Following a superb refresher, our beautiful dessert consisting of a custard fondant and foam of liquorice with last season’s berries and some tiny meringues has the sweetness we love, and the technique only great pastry chefs can achieve. That technique is further proven with a superb white opera cake, which is presented as a birthday bonus!

Wines we chose included the 2011 Chardonnay and 2016 Pinot by Pt Leo Estate, as well as a Bordeaux Cabernet blend which were all fantastic. Aperitifs consisted of Four Pillars G&T and the house mocktail which is also beautiful.

As we enjoyed quality dish after quality dish, we had begun to question whether the service was the perfect match to the food. There were some clear misses. While the sommerlier, Andrew, was personable and polite, he did go missing after we had ordered our aperitif. In fact, we didn’t actually get asked whether we wanted the matching wines, or if we needed help selecting glasses for our various courses.

What made up for some of the time trying to catch the floorstaff’s glance on more than a couple of occasions, was the overall professionalism and balanced demeanour shown, which showed a good amount of broad experience. Our best waitperson had a background at Attica, Cutler and Pei Modern, for example.

While there are some improvements that could be made, this is a class act at Laura. Strolling around the sculpture garden following lunch (complimentary for those dining at Laura) is a fabulous way to reflect on a top meal. These are views that you could never tire of and a restaurant that is equally as attractive.