The Business

Any Australian readers have probably cottoned on to what I'm writing about. Coffee...the other C word, the most important order of the day, the up and go, the fuel that drives a nation. Apparently Danes consume the most coffee per capita in the world, but us Aussies are giving it a red hot go. Nowhere else is there such a massive array of options for your coffee. We have gone and complicated the humble Italian espresso to dizzying heights. It's enough to make your head spin. 

This is NOT a joke. Well, maybe a little. Get your microscopes out, the full sized version can be seen here Credit: Pop Chart Lab

Confused yet?

Let me give a wee example...

"A large double shot skim hazelnut latte with one sugar"
Note: this is for demonstration purposes only, I don't think anyone would actually order that (at least I hope not)

Key (brace yourself)
Size: espresso (short), regular or large
Coffee: how many shots? Espresso or any of those funky things (cold drip, aeropress, siphon, chemex...)
Milk: black - long or short. White (skim/soy/regular full cream) - 'flat' or with froth (latte or cappuccino)
Extras: flavoured syrups, chocolate (a.k.a. mocha) or chai 'latte' (no coffee in that one, just milk and sometimes chai tea)
Sugar: how many? Real or substitute?

Phew! I think I've managed to make the point that we're a little cray for coffee. Nowhere is this obsessional need felt more than in the heart of Melbourne, Victoria. This is a city where espresso has been honed to a fine art, and I'm not just talking coffee ferns. 

Pellegrini's

66 Bourke Street, Melbourne

The same photograph that has been taken for 60 years...Pellegrini's is a Melbourne icon

Pellegrini's has been trading since 1954, an astonishing 60 years in 2014. Prop yourself at the bar and admire the yellowing portraits of celebrities who have visited over the decades past. I might add the barista made a quip about being surrounded by beautiful women as we girls walked in. I was almost expecting a "Ciao bella" in there. The coffee here is the equivalent of a stiff drink, full bodied and an assault on the tastebuds. Just in case you weren't awake, you definitely are now! Everything we claim to know about coffee we owe to the Italians who invented espresso (molte grazie). This is how you do it. 

A cappuccino in a glass tumbler, now that is a foreign concept. The froth is exceptional, the coffee very strong without being bitter. The best part? It still costs 3 bucks - bellissimo!

Degraves Espresso

23-25 Degraves Street, Melbourne

A neat little package, the perfect introduction to Melbourne laneways and café culture Photo credit: James Jardine

The big easy; this Degraves is all about location and convenience. Situated a stone's throw from Flinders Street Station, this one has also been around for donkey's years. This is the kind of place that is effortlessly casual, a Sydney café without the pretensions of being hipster (which gets a bit tiresome to be honest). Sit yourself outside to while away the hours people watching or on a big old cinema seat inside to read the paper. Anything goes and that's just one of the things I love about this city.

Curiously watching the barista make my coffee in his flip flops, he could have done it blindfolded. This was my first coffee on this Melbourne trip and my eyeballs nearly popped out - 'twas amazing. Hello endorphins!

A simple lunch without the fuss. Vegetarian panini with eggplant, pumpkin, capsicum, mushroom and lots of melted cheese. Yeaaah

St Ali

12-18 Yarra Place, South Melbourne

Just follow the crowds and you'll find that graffitied roller door Photo credit: Time Out

If it weren't for the heady aromas emanating from behind the garage door at St Ali, you'd think there were some dodgy dealings going on at this South Melbourne venue. Co-owner Salvatore Malatesta (also behind Seven Seeds and Sensory Lab) is pretty much the Coffee Don of Melbourne and yes, I just made that up. The queues at this 'Holy house' start right at opening time so be prepared. If you can't be bothered catching the 96 tram to the south, head to Sensory Lab on Little Collins for your beans - or get a coffee subscription, you fiends!

Since 2003, this warehouse space is also home to a coffee bean roasting get-up Photo credit: Time Out

Around the world Australians are renowned for being relaxed and laid back. This is obviously a portrait painted in the afternoon once we've been happily fed and caffeinated. Ever heard of the term hangry? Well we should be coining the coffee equivalent, people. Tip: don't get between an Aussie and their morning coffee or there will be hell to pay... When travelling overseas I am often bemoaning how abysmal the coffee is. It's a bad sign when Starbucks is 'the best' on offer (oh dear). Or, perhaps I'm just being a proper snob. Perhaps not. 

Thanks for reading!

xGourmand

Snapshot: The Grain Store

Hope you're all having a stunning holiday season thus far. Yesterday  I celebrated my birthday in the mix - 21 again, obviously. For the lucky few who have this fortnight off, it is a fantastic time to be in Australia. The sunshine is consistently glorious, without it being too hot. Perfect days for lazing outdoors, watching the cricket and an all important weekend institution: a caffeinated brunch.

A very minimalistic white/black/timber interior has an almost 'calming effect' on the bustling commuter Photo credit: Urban Walkabout

Today I've got a newish Melbourne café for you. The Grain Store opened earlier this year on the business end of Flinders Lane. If you thought the Melbourne café market was saturated, think again. There always seems to be room for one more, and this one's a goodie. Chef Ingo Meissner (ex-St Ali) is at the helm at Grain putting emphasis on organic and sustainably sourced produce. The café is supplied by Brunswick's Ceres Market Gardens and are also serves as a drop off for customers to pick up their weekly groceries. A very nice idea if you work in the area.

St Ali bean blends rule the roost at Grain and as a result, the coffee is impeccable!

At Grain, they definitely know their stuff. The menu reads like a dream, everything looks so appetising. The options are both varied and many - that is where the difficulty lies! After several days of some delicious and very filling meals in Melbourne I needed a wee detox, but maybe after I'd tried their pancakes...

Apple, buckwheat & ricotta pancakes with orange nutella, apple puree, spiced marscarpone and pistachio streusel. This is certainly not for the faint hearted at 9 in the morning. The pancakes themselves looked quite dense but were very nice with all the 'accoutrements'. Be prepared to share this one!

Just what the Doctor ordered, haha. Grain Store toasted granola parfait with mandarin, chia seed yogurt and elderflower rhubarb, quinoa milk. For $10, this is the breakfast of champions, this is a textural delight. The chia seed topping was particularly tasty. You feel like such a health freak tucking in ;)

The Grain Store is a cracker of café, if you're ever down that end of the Melbourne CBD you should definitely give it a go. Nutritious, organic and delicious meals await in a very peaceful spot. They also cater for functions and offer a private dining room for something a bit more spesh. As we were readying to leave, the staff were bringing out the bloody lunch smorgasbord and our jaws dropped. Oh man. Do we have to go yet?

Lain out like that, everything little thing looked so tempting. The suits next door must be rejoicing right.

Pick up a delicious sarnie filled to bursting. It all looked incredible!

The Grain Store was a fantastic note to finish the Melbourne getaway on.   The food and service are second to none, even in this café motherland. We left with smiles all round - I highly recommend this one!

The branding work done by Nani Puspasari, quite Le Pain Quotidien-esque Photo credit: Design Nani

Thanks for reading (there's plenty more where that came from)! Have a fantastic new year's, here's to 2014 :D
xGourmand

Moon Under Water

The plan was to go someplace nice, at least one. Attica was on the top of the list (for obvious reasons) but they were booked out for the rest of the year *eye roll*. Luckily Moon Under Water came in a close second, forming (yet) another part of the A. McConnell juggernaut in Melbourne. The restaurant takes it name from a George Orwell essay where he describes his ideal pub. For those interested, Tomatom features a review of with direct comparison to the original 1946 text. Sitting on a corner lot on Gertrude Street in Fitzroy, the Builders Arms Hotel and attached dining room are sporting a renovated look circa 2012. Snazzy.

The swinging double doors make for a dramatic entrance Photo Credit: Richard Whitbread

You know me, I'm always a sucker for good design and boy, Moon Under Water is sure the looker. Once you've swung your way through the parlour doors you enter a gloriously peaceful dining room, in shocking white (on white on white). Designed by Projects of Imagination, it is almost ethereal and dreamlike (forget the food, let me just LOUNGE here). Responsible also for the striking interiors of Chin Chin and Half Moon, the big guns have come out to play.

The dining room can only be described as heavenly, wouldn't you agree? Photo credit: Pip Grenda

On the weeknight we went, it was almost a private dining room (bad for business but great for our meal). Each table had their little corner of the restaurant, to speak in hushed tones (at least it felt like that) and coo over the food & wine list. The service, as a result was excellent I might add. It's a rather tight outfit that can let the food do the talking. The menu is a prix fixe $75 for 4 courses which, for the 'unversed' is great value. At some of the top notch diners across town, a main costs upwards of $45 so if you do the math...You can eat for today and the next!

Seasonal at its best, the menu at Moon Under Water changes on a weekly basis (as it should)! Here was our Spring instalment:

Grilled baby corn and smoked yoghurt dip. Unravel the piping hot baby corn and dip away - so sweet, unusual to get the corn husk and all! Underneath the wooden lid was freshly baked bread with cucumber pickles and freshly churned butter. A nifty bit of kit

Wood grilled leek, fresh curd, Ortiz anchovy & lemon oil. A nice juxtaposition of flavours and textures. The slight string of the leek with the creamy curd and bite from the anchovies made for a very clean starter

Spanner crab, zucchini flowers, snow pea & almond. Surely my favourite dish of the night, I just love this crab to bits. Tucked under a seeming 'garden bed' of fresh  leaves like nasturtium and flowers (zucchini et al). The sauce (almost juice) poured on top married it all perfectly. Like a rather expensive dinner mint!

Mulloway, shimeji mushrooms, chrysanthemum broth & turnip. An Asian inspired fish dish, the chrysanthemum broth was so delicate. The fish cooked just right. Am quite glad we added on the optional 5th course - GO team!

Spring lamb, roast carrots, sweetbreads & lovage. Blushing pink lamb, the creaminess of sweetbreads (thymus glands, folks!) and baby carrots - what's not to like?! Lovage is something I had not come across before but this herb has a rather distinct flavour!

Rum ice cream, spiced meringue, pineapple, cucumber. The perfect combination of flavour and texture - the spiced meringue (cinnamon) and rum ice cream were da bomb

Moon Under Water was somewhere I had meaning to go (between Melbourne visits) for a while. Andrew McConnell is such an accomplished chef in these parts and I was happy to enjoy the surprises of the prix fixe this evening. Once in a while, a degustation is such a lovely way to celebrate an occasion (especially if you hang out with foodie types like I do). Meander leisurely through one course after the other, sip your decanted vino and keep an open mind. It's not a sensory overload because I delight in it.

Don't be fooled by the retro exterior! The Builders Arms itself also has a pretty decent menu if you're keen for a lighter meal Photo: The Company You Keep

Thanks for reading!

xGourmand

Snapshot: Hardware Société

120 Hardware St, Melbourne

It would be embarrassing to tell you how long we spent traipsing up and down Hardware Ln/St trying to find this place. Signposted with 'Mini Marché', Hardware Société is a double shopfront café brimming with patrons. Hardly the rough and tumble industrial block I was expecting, Hardware is a picture of French daintiness. Decked out with high hanging fluoro yellow lamps and shelves of fresh bread, preserves and foodie gifts the challenge is to find a stool on which to perch on. Bon chance!

This businessman has inadvertently taken centre stage, waiting for a coffee of some descript Photo credit: Breakfast Out

With glowing reviews across the air waves and inter-webs, I was happy to be in good hands. With a fusion-type menu, there is a bit of French and Spanish thrown in the mix i.e. the makings for a delicious breakfast or lunch. Dishes are seasonal with daily specials and new classics that people keep returning for. The service was good, geared towards fast turnover (but that I cannot fault).

Fish of the Day: pan fried snapper, prawn and fennel remoulade, shiitake and saffron broth ($21). Mind blown. This was a fish dish for royalty - so many layers, textures and totally refreshing (getting my veggie quota for the day). A plate of YUM.

Twice cooked pork belly: shallot & almond puree, mixed grain salad, apple & cider jus. A smart move by café standards, bung a tray of pork to slow cook for hours and voilá you have dynamite. Tender pork that you can tackle with a fork. The salad added a lovely texture but I would love more of that beautiful sauce please!

Baked Eggs: chorizo, potato, piquillo peppers, mahon cheese, toasted almonds, aioli. The go-to for Hardware this dish is surely one of their most popular

Hardware Société ticks all the boxes, with something for everyone it has been a stalwart for several years. Sadly, the café was damaged quite badly by smoke from a fire next-door in mid November. Co-owners (another husband & wife team) Will & Di are currently focussing their efforts at their second cafe, Bowery to Williamsburg. I am sure that Hardware will bounce back in good time!

The scripted logo Photo credit: The Bakeanista

Thanks for reading!

xGourmand

Gazi

Gazi has a bit of a ring to it and it's not just the din coming from inside. George Calombaris' new-old venture is stirring up a storm, serving Athenian style street food or vromiko. Shunning the fusty traditions of the table-clothed (namely The Press Club, which is reopening on Flinders St), Gazi is a casual venue oozing style. Located in the heart of the central business district, Gazi is a restaurant for all occasions (including take-away, office slaves). Not taking itself too seriously, it is destined to become a go-to for Melburnians and visitors alike (me!). 
  

Stepping in, you are hit with a trendoid crowd of suits and heels. This is lunch hour ramped up a few notches

The restaurant is named after the Gazi district in Athens, an industrial turned hipster area. The restaurant site itself has undergone a complete transformation itself, being completely gutted and (half) done again. The ceiling itself is unmistakeable; adorned with an undulating sea of terracotta pots. Oak booths along the windows look to have been 'knocked up', the exposed concrete adding a grungy, too-cool feel.

Another snapshot of Gazi's interior by March Studio, also credited with the ridiculously good looking Baker D. Chirico in Carlton Photo: Australian Design Review

In such a refined setting, you'd almost expect a two course lunch with glass of wine. If it weren't for the noise, the energy from the open kitchen and general hubbub and cheer you'd think you were in for fine dining. But no, the food is put together in a matter of minutes as meat is carved of the rotisserie and dishes are quick-fired in your direction. It is all about good food and drink for the masses with minimal fuss. Ouzo is optional, of course. Gazi is the very best of a souvlaki shop distilled and bottled.

Chicken souva with parsley, onion and mustard mayo and side of chips ($8.50). Unfortunately there is a distinct lack of greenery in this souva and I had to transplant some lettuce into it. I will mention though that the chicken is succulent and pull-apart tender

The Bend-Over Box ($27.50): the most popular lunch option, these babies were flying off left, right and centre. For when you want to try a bit of everything (or getting hangry)  there's a selection from the rotisserie, grilled fish of the day and a sweetie to finish

Signed, stitched, delivered: my photo editing skills are reaching a whole new level here (jokes, obviously). The taramasalata (fish roe dip), swordfish and chicken (both with delicious walnut dressing) and chips (topped with salt + feta) were the highlights

George Calombaris is another who seems to be amassing an empire in Melbourne. Gazi is Greek food for the everyman, to be enjoyed with a few drinks and the best of friends. Calombaris himself, was seen to be enjoying a coffee there the day we visited. He has succeeded in creating something thoroughly modern in a quickly shifting food culture.

After the rush: there is a frenetic 2 hour window on weekdays as the suits march in for a quick 'business' lunch (booze included)

More notes on Melbourne to follow <3
Thanks for reading!
xGourmand

Cumulus Up

Chef Andrew McConnell has cracked the big time in Melbourne, literally. With a fistful of venues around town he's given the whole dining scene a good ol' shake up and now he's moved into the domain of beverages with a new wine bar. Good man. Cumulus Up has only been open a short while but will be adored for years to come. Just upstairs from all day diner Cumulus Inc., you can literally spend the whole night quite happily at the same street number (45 Flinders Ln). Since visiting Cumulus Inc. and Cutler & Co. a couple of years ago I was impressed with the type of food he was serving all in a neat little package of service, wine and style.  

Some cumulus themed mirrors, perhaps? Gomes-McNabb does it again Source: Daily Addict

McConnell has teamed up once again with architect Pascale Gomes-McNabb to wave her magic wand over the place. It seems that together they are basically unstoppable! Similar to Cumulus Inc. in design, though upstairs the palette is darker and moodier, with mismatched chairs a bit of this and that. It is all ultimately welcoming. Like being invited to the cool kid's party, a Melbournian would never admit to it as such. He or she nonchalantly sips a glass of red, thinking 'Goddamn, I wish we could smoke in here'...

Sort of like an XL dining room, Cumulus Up is a great rendez-vous point Source: Good Food

If I knew more about wine I'd make some witty comment about the wine list but I do not and besides, I just had a beer. Beer + bar food = a resounding YES. The menu reads well, it all sounds good really (well wouldn't it?). The best thing is its versatility; pop in for a drink before dinner,  plant yourself for a proper meal or just a nightcap (and sweet) before bed. There's even a Chef's Selection Menu which sounds intriguing ($65). You can skimp or splurge, the ball is in your court.

Et voilà!

Kale fritters. Chips sans guilt, because they are dehydrated and not deep fried...right? Once you crunch into one, you forget that you're getting a serve of veg (justifying away here)! Perfect for lounging with a movie ;)

Duck waffle, foie gras and prune ($8). Though there were initial misgivings, I insisted we ordered this (like a crazy person). A seemingly odd combination yes, but it works (or McConnell has made it work). A genius creation of a buckwheat waffle mixed with confit duck (+ skin), piped with foie gras parfait and topped with prune purée. Everything about this is just so crazy it's perfect - all those textures and surprise of the duck inside. Di-viine.

Now, to a more traditional crowd pleaser: spiced lamb ribs with smoked tomato. The serve was so tiny I was a little bit disappointed! But at $7, it's not so bad. The ribs were ridiculously tender, you could pull the meat off the bone without any effort

Golden roasted chat potatoes - these were on special request, not usually on the menu. The C-Up kitchen was kind to accommodate. Oh and FYI, they can roast the hell out of potatoes. It must be all the duck fat they've basted them with!

This was a great way to end my first night in Melbourne (reunited, at last!). In all seriousness, it seems McConnell can do no wrong. Yet again, he has come up with the goods on this little standout bar. A decent wine list with excellent bar edibles will keep the masses coming. Will Cumulus Up stand the test of time? You betcha.

I couldn't help sticking another photo in, it is just TOO GOOD, okay. We had one of those "Are you serious?!" moments...the my mind is blown/good kind. Try it! Photo credit: Kristoffer Paulsen

Thanks for reading!
xGourmand

Pei Modern @ Marque

For one night only, our Victorian neighbours crashed one of Sydney's best restaurants. That would be Mark Best's Marque in Surry Hills, an establishment I have been dying to try (this seemed like a good enough excuse). It's Good Food Month you see, a veritable collision of talent from across the world and the food that Aussie's can be proud of. Best has forged a splendid career in what started as a little restaurant on Crown Street and branched out to open Pei Modern in Melbourne. Under the supervision of Head Chef Matt Germanchis, P.M. has been very well received, being awarded the Best New Restaurant in the Age Food Guide 2013 and a hat to boot. 

Out front: Pei Modern in Collins Place, Melbs Source: Daily Addict

I'd seen pictures of the restaurant interior but hadn't actually stepped inside. If you didn't know where it was, you could easily stroll right past those curtained glass walls. Funnily enough the front door was locked, making entry slightly awkward. A simple table clothed dining room with egg shaped lamps adorning each table, we started the night with house purified sparkling water (and a glass of orange wine for myself). Next came that pillowy soft bread tucked in a cotton basket. If I hadn't been there for an 8 course degustation a.k.a. gastronomic blowout I wouldn't of held back - but lucky I did.

Salumi & chicken liver parfait. Popped onto out table like a picnic lunch, that bloody parfait was PARFAIT. I mean, the texture was so rich and creamy, it definitely got the palate going. The prosciutto dissolved in the mouth. I would have to say the the salami was a bit thick but yum none the less

Smoked tuna, goats curd, pomelo - this one was possibly my favourite. A delicate and light entrée this dish was very 'Quay'. The tuna was so lightly smoked, it was really like a straight sashimi, putting all those tuna nigiri I've had over the years to shame. For shame!

An eggy panorama: asparagus, egg and ash. What a way to supplement the charcoal intake (yep, it's real). I had hopes that my yolk would explode and ooze all over my 'asparagoose' but it was slightly overcooked! Dang 

Brought to the table by Best himself, another personal favourite: rockling, white beans & boudin noir. The broth was so clear and cleansing, right before you get a hit of salt from the blood sausage all washing over the fish. A well conceived dish

Duck, treviso, fermented blueberries. A pretty palette from this dish. The duck was cooked well, complemented well with the warmed blueberries and radicchio. The stems of the treviso were rather thick and chewy, are they meant to be consumed?

Hanger steak, beetroot & caramelised yoghurt. Being the 6th course I was really starting to feel it (luckily they spaced out the courses a little). For such a tricky cut of meat to perfect, this steak was gloriously charred on the outside but so tender (and rare). The yoghurt was akin to a dijon mustard without the 'up the nostrils' heat

White chocolate ganache, sorrel sorbet and mandarin. The white disc of a wafer disappeared with a 'puff' on the tongue. There are parts of this meal that I will rave about in weeks to come, one of them being this sorbet. The degustation had come to it's climax and was now floating back down. Like a sigh on a hot afternoon, this sorbet was like a dream (fresh az')

Does this even need words?! Spice doughnuts, whey butterscotch. Oh lordy lord. The crème that was tinged with mandarin was a lovely touch. Only a little morsel to stave off guilt.....

Magnifique! There we have it, a lovely evening by Pei Modern, hosted by big brother Marque. The night had a decidedly casual feel to it, despite the fine dining setting. The food speaks for itself - I'm just glad I got to sample it.

Thanks for reading!
xGourmand