Restaurant Review: Nine Elephants

Location: 67 Village Street, Docklands
Phone: 03 9670 9909
Link: http://www.nineelephants.com.au/
Cuisine: Thai
Overall Impression: 6/10

Voted the #1 restaurant in Docklands on Urbanspoon (at the time of this blog post), Alanna and I were excited to dine at Nine Elephants. We both love Thai food and were keen to see if the restaurant would live up to its reputation.

One thing is for sure – a dining experience at Nine Elephants is certainly not for the faint-hearted. Our dishes were smacked full of spice. If you are not keen on spicy food, my advice is to let the chef know well in advance!

I was asked whether I would prefer my Tom Yum soup medium or spicy. When I chose “spicy”, I was warned that it would be “the real spicy”. Having asked for “extra spicy” at a lot of other Thai restaurants in Melbourne, I was confident I would be able to handle the spice just fine. I did not. It was a struggle albeit a tasty one. To be fair, I had been warned.

Apart from being the spiciest Tom Yum I have ever had, the noodles were tasty and full of flavour.

Alanna’s green curry had a nice balance of flavours and tasted very authentic.

We both thought the items on the lunch menu were very well priced. However, we both noticed that cheaper cuts of chicken meat that still had a lot of fat on them had been used in our dishes. 

Unfortunately, Nine Elephants did not live up to our high expectations. That is not to say that our experience of Nine Elephants was a negative one. 

The service was attentive and the ambience pleasant. Each dish was good, just not particularly special. The presentation of the dishes, much like the flavours, is conventional.

At the end of the day, it is the ambience and the service that impressed us the most at Nine Elephants.

Wine Baptism of Fire Launch

Gastrology bloggers attended the launch of The Wine Baptism of Fire last night. Wine Baptism of Fire is the first of its kind - a new winemaking competition for non-winemakers.

The competition gives wine lovers the chance to make wine from the best grapes and be mentored by the best, in a new city winery. 

From a list of over 50 applicants, five diverse finalists have been chosen to compete. The finalists now have the opportunity to make their own wine. The finished wines will be released through Vintage Cellars nationally in October, with the winner determined by the wine most popular with consumers. 

As expected from an event catered by the Melbourne Pub Group, the food was delicious. 

The wines at the launch were provided by the mentor wineries: Bannockburn, De bortoli, Mac Forbes, Port Phillip Estate, Save our souls, Shadowfax and Sutton Grange. 

Circa, The Prince and Young Guns of Wine are hosting a free public launch for The Wine Baptism on Saturday 29th June. Hosted in a pop up winery in the basement level carpark, the event will offer tasting glasses for $15 and Paul Wilson's Vietnamese sticky pork buns for $6. Tacos by Rafael Rashid from The Taco Truck and Beatbox Kitchen will also be available. DJ David Bowley, winemaker of Vinteloper and Young Guns of Wine finalist the past two years, will hit the decks.

What: Public launch of The Wine Baptism

Where: Prince of Wales, Carpark Basement 2 Acland St, St Kilda

When: Saturday 29th June, from 6pm

No bookings required.

Images courtesy of Anthony Licuria of APL Photography

Upcoming Event: Oyster Frenzy @ Albert Park Hotel

Melbourne’s seafood enthusiasts converge on the Albert Park Hotel to celebrate Australia’s best oyster varieties, in all their briny glory at Oyster Frenzy # 7.

Oyster Frenzy is a decadent celebration of the mouthwatering mollusc, where guests are invited – in fact encouraged – to slurp as many of the just-shucked delicacies as their deep sea heart’s desire!

Chef Paul Wilson and his team of shuckers are ready to break records, with 11, 670 the number to beat in 2013.

Get your shuck on with 2 events on Thursday 20 June and Thursday 22 August. Tickets cost $75 and include UNLIMITED oysters, Laurent Perrier on arrival, seafood canapés, unlimited Jansz, wine, and boutique beer.

 Price: $75.00
 Phone: (03) 9690 5459
 Book tickets!

Gastrology bloggers will be attending this exciting oyster celebration - stay tuned for our review of the event!

WTC Wharf - Progressive dinner

Located on Siddeley Street, nestled on the city-side banks of the Yarra River and adjacent to Crown Casino and South Wharf, WTC Wharf is fast becoming one of Melbourne's most exciting new precincts. We arrived at 6.30 pm for our progressive dinner - entree, main and dessert at 3 different restaurants!

The Yarra river waterfront provided a stylish backdrop for our foodie tour around 3 of WTC Wharf's restaurants - The Wharf Hotel, Byblos and Kobe Jones. The 3 restaurants are distinctly different - showcasing WTC Wharf's dining ability to tempt with a wide array of tastes.

The Wharf Hotel
Location: WTC Wharf, World Trade Centre 18-38 Siddeley Street, Melbourne
Phone: 03 8680 6000
Link: http://www.wharfhotel.com.au/
Cuisine: Modern Australian, Pub/Bar Food, Wine Bar

Our journey began at The Wharf Hotel. We were greeted warmly and seated at a cosy booth. 

The Wharf Hotel is a unique combination of a friendly local pub with a waterfront restaurant featuring stunning river views. Their wine list is a particular highlight, incorporating wines from 12 of Australia’s most famous wine producers. 

The interior draws influence from its maritime roots and the walls are adorned with images of early life in Melbourne and historical artefacts. The Wharf Hotel is a great dining (and drinking) destination that is infused with Melbourne history. 

Entree Platter

Five spice crispy calamari, chilli, coriander, shao tsing dressing Saganaki & carrot fritter, spicy yogurt Terrine of smoked pork hock & pistachio, rhubarb compote, pickles, house bread 

The entree platter at The Wharf Hotel was expertly crafted to celebrate the best of Victoria’s local and seasonal produce. There is a clear modern Australian influence on the food which is simple yet elegant.

Byblos
Location: WTC Wharf, World Trade Centre 18-32 Siddeley Street, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9614 6400
Link: http://www.byblosbar.com.au/melbourne/
Cuisine: Tapas, Wine Bar, Mediterranean

A short stroll along the boardwalk and we were at Byblos. 

Featuring modern Mediterranean meets Lebanese cuisine, Byblos Restaurant was a feast for the eyes and tastebuds. 

Mixed Grill Mains 

Your choice of four items from the Byblos Grill (we chose Lahim Meshwi, Shish Tawook, Kafta Meshwi and Samak Meshwi) served with hommos, tabouleh, vegetarian skewer and garlic sauce.  

Moghrabieh

A rustic staple of Lebanon, this combination of Lebanese style couscous and chick peas is slow cooked with onion and is mixed with pieces of lamb fillet and a tradition gravy, Finished with marinaded chicken tenderloin pieces. 

The Samak Harra, grilled fresh John Dory was a particular stand out. We loved the generous use of beautiful spices. Without exception, all of the meat in both dishes was cooked to absolute perfection.

Kobe Jones and Riverside Teppanyaki
Location: WTC Wharf, World Trade Centre G1638 Siddeley Street, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9329 9173
Link: http://www.kobejones.com.au/melbourne
Cuisine: Japanese, Sushi, Vegetarian
  

Our final destination was Kobe Jones and Riverside Teppanyaki. 

We were seated at the teppanyaki dining area (which features the newest and largest teppanyaki table in Australia). 

Be warned, the cocktail menu is incredibly tempting. After much deliberation, we settled on the Kaitiki Dream and the Ko Ko Nut. 

Kaitiki Dream 

a HOT cocktail that is sure to warm you up on cold Melbourne nights – vanilla vodka, brandy, Frangellico and spiced coconut milk 

The Ko Ko Nut 

a coconut lover’s dream, with Malibu, ginger liqueur, coconut milk, palm sugar syrup and a few other Kobe secrets 

Both cocktails were simply magnificent. We both agreed that he Ko Ko Nut was the best cocktail we have ever had. It was decadently creamy with an absolutely harmonious but complex blend of flavours - it was liquid indulgence at its best. 

Our progressive dinner ended on a fiery note with a delicious Crepe suzette which had been spectacularly flambéd with Grand Marnier in front of us. It was exciting to watch the chef’s cooking skills on display as he expertly prepared our dessert. 

Crepe Suzette 

Freshly made on the teppan, Sapporo beer crepe flambéed with Grand Marnier, then glazed with orange caramel sauce and served with French Vanilla bean ice cream

The crepes were beautifully thin and had the perfect level of sweetness, courtesy of the luxurious grand marnier sauce. 

Enjoy an assortment of international cuisines and delectable dishes with 3 courses from 3 different restaurants each Wednesday night at WTC Wharf for just $55 per diner. 

What: WTC Wharf Progressive Dinner 

When: every Wednesday night 

Time: 6.30pm and 7.30pm sittings 

Tickets: $55 per person 

Bookings: 03 9629 9228 or email laura@wtcmelbourne.com.au

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of WTC Wharf.

5 & Dime Bagels

Location: Varies
Phone: 0433 339 367
Link: http://www.5dimebagel.com.au/ and facebook
Cuisine: Bakery

Zev Forman, owner and baker of 5 & Dime, has set out to bring fresh New York style bagels to Melbourne.

His bagels are hand rolled and boiled which sets them apart from the regular Melbourne bagels that have been made by a machine and steamed to increase production. 

The resulting bagels have a fuller flavour and wonderful texture. While the bagels are not necessarily authentic and traditional, they most certainly are the real deal. 

The bagel types include sesame, poppy and cinnamon raisin, with the everything bagel (garlic, onion, sesame, poppy, sea salt and nigella) being our favourite! 

So far, these lovely bagels are sold at farmers' markets and to a few cafes. 

To find 5 and Dime Bagel's next location, check their website or Twitter feed. Private orders of over 12 bagels can also be arranged with 48 hours notice.

The bagels were delivered to Gastrology Bloggers courtesy of Zev Forman.

Cafe Review: Liar Liar

Location: 90 Kinkora Road, Hawthorn
Phone: 03 9818 8864
Link: http://www.liarliar.net.au/
Cuisine: Modern Australian, Coffee, Breakfast/Brunch
Overall Impression: 7/10

G and I decided to catch up at Liar Liar, an extremely popular café just off Glenferrie Road. As it was late Sunday morning (the peak of brunch hour), there was a bearable 15 minute wait for a table. 

We loved the casual and relaxed ambience of the place. We each had coffees to start our morning and then again to finish our catch up – their house blend is fabulous!

The food served was of a good standard. I opted for an eggy breakfast that did not disappoint. 

Liar Liar serves (as its name suggests) deceptively simple food done well. The friendly staff and good coffee make it a perfect place for a casual brunch catch up. 

David's now delivering!

Location: 4 Cecil Pl, Prahran
Phone: 03 9529 5199
Link: davidsrestaurant.com.au
Cuisine: Chinese

As of the 5th of February, the iconic David’s restaurant does delivery. Whether you’re after a box of bao for the office, a snack of soft shell river prawns or a steaming bowl of sticky pork belly & chat potatoes for dinner, David’s delivers deliciousness to your door.

Gastrology bloggers recently received a delectable lunch delivery from David’s. It was exciting to receive what was a neatly packed parcel filled with delicious Chinese cuisine. 

Grandma’s 8: a spicy shanghai medley of scallop, shrimp, pork, chicken, chestnut, cashew, bamboo & shitake 

Mother-in-law’s fish stew of rockling in a spinach, ginger & garlic broth 

We loved that the delivery menu is the same as the restaurant’s a la carte menu (and also includes the chop chop menu). As big fans of David’s fantastic food and service, we were pleased to hear and taste that everything is cooked to order and promptly delivered. 

Osmanthus & red bean black sticky rice pudding

Currently delivering to Prahran, Windsor, South Yarra, Hawksburn, Armadale and Toorak with a 15% off restaurant prices, it is a wonderful and convenient way to experience David’s. The delivery is available for both lunch and dinner every day excluding Sunday lunch. 

Get David to bring Shanghai to your door this week with his delivery service! 

When: Monday to Sunday, lunch from 12pm, dinner from 6pm (Excludes Sunday lunch) 

Where: Prahran / Windsor / South Yarra / Hawksburn / Armadale / Toorak 

• 15% off takeaway
• $4 delivery fee 
• $25 minimum spend 
• For bookings please phone 03 9529 5199

Mexican Brunch @ ASC

Location: 2 Acland Street, St Kilda
Phone: (03) 9536 1175
Link: www.aclandstcantina.com.au
Cuisine: Mexican
Overall Impression: 9/10

Lovers of Mexican fare that are bored by regular brunch options will rejoice at the ability to enjoy brunch with a tasty Mexican twist.

As long term fans of Acland Street Cantina, we were delighted to discover that ASC's diner area is the perfect spot for a lazy brunch that is both tasty, satisfying and interesting. 

corn arepas rancheros style beans, pork belly, morcilla, chorizo poached or fried eggs 

The arepas were beautiful. Fluffy and moist on the inside and perfectly crisp on the outside, they had a lovely grittiness from the ground corn. The egg whites were delicate and the yolk oozed out of the centre - perfect. The beans, pork belly and chorizo were delicious and worked beautifully together. 

milawa chook & corn quesadilla 

Described deceptively simply on the menu, this dish arrived with a vibrant quinoa and chickpea salad beside the wonderfully seasoned (including an ample dose of chilli!) chicken quesadilla. A very flavoursome dish. 

baja med bbq vegetable salad w. heirloom tomatoes, bbq vegetables, oregano, olives, cojita cheese lime & evoo dressing served w. grilled skirt steak 

The term "Baja Med" refers to the fusion of Mexican, Mediterranean, and Asian flavours and accurately sums up this salad. It was fresh, interesting and bursting with flavour. 

spinach quesadilla, wild mushrooms, ezpazote & huitlacoche crema

A sophisticated take on the spinach and cheese quesa, this was wonderful. The deliciously grilled tortilla was a filled with a flavour explosion of wild mushrooms, spinach and a crema made from what has become one of our favourite ingredients, huitlachoche (Mexican truffle). 

café de olla 

We couldn't go pass the café de olla which is a traditional Mexican coffee. As expected, the coffee was sweet with a beautiful aromatic flavour courtesy of cinnamon and piloncillo - perfect for this winter weather! 

And even though it was just brunch, there was no way we were leaving without dessert! 

prickly pear, organic banana and salted caramel ice cream (also available to go) 

dulce de leche scrolls 

Whilst brunch venues in Melbourne are all the rage, most are serving the same tried and true dishes. For those seeking more interesting brunch options, ASC provides a compelling alternative. 

You might be interested in our Friday nights @ Acland Street Cantina post too.

Warm Up Winter campaign launched to support the 500,000 Victorians struggling to meet the cost of living

Foodbank Victoria has launched its Warm Up Winter campaign this month, aiming to raise $100,000 for the 500,000 Victorians struggling to meet the cost of living. 

Foodbank Victoria is the state’s oldest and largest food relief organisation that delivers nutritious, healthy food to people experiencing hardship. 

Foodbank estimates that 1,725,000 meals will be required to feed Victorians doing it tough this winter. 

Statistics   

• 526,700 Victorians are living below the poverty line 
• Approximately 90,000 of these people are children 
• 11.4% of people in Melbourne live below the poverty line 
• 12.9% of regional Victorians live below the poverty line 
• 29% of households in poverty had a wage earner as the main income 
• 25% of sole parent households are in poverty 

To help raise awareness of how urgently food is needed, Foodbank Victoria has partnered with JMC Academy to create a series of short films to launch the annual fundraising campaign. 

The short films, which can be viewed at Foodbank Victoria’s YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/FoodbankVictoria illustrate the individual stories of Victorian's living in crisis who rely on food relief for a regular meal, including single mothers, pensioners and individuals, who after paying the bills, may have less than $20 a week to feed themselves. The films also demonstrate how much work is involved to get food onto the plate, to highlight the growing need for financial assistance to continue to provide fresh produce to food agencies. 

Hollywood filmmaker and Producer of the upcoming Michael Hutchinson biopic Two World’s Colliding, Bobby Galinski, donated his wealth of experience to the students to capture the hardship experienced by so many Victorians on a daily basis. 

How the community can help

• Visit www.warmupwinter.org.au 
• Donate what you can to help feed Victorians living in crisis
• Share the short films via Facebook and Twitter to raise awareness of the work of Foodbank with the hashtag #warmupwinter

For more information, to donate and view the short films visit:

www.warmupwinter.org.au

Restaurant Review: Friends of mine

Location: 506 Swan Street, Richmond
Phone: 03 9428 7516
Link: http://www.friendsofmine.com.au/
Cuisine: Breakfast/Brunch, Coffee
Overall Impression: 6.5/10 

Friends of Mine is a popular eatery in Richmond. It doesn't matter what day of the week it is, Friends of Mine is consistently packed with patrons.

The fittings and furnishings are modern and bright with white dominating, broken up by splashes of yellow and light wood. The café’s menu has a strong breakfast focus with a good range of lunch options (my favourite of these is the cauliflower, feta and chick pea salad). The food and coffee is of a good standard.

Restaurant Review: Crabapple Kitchen

Location: 659 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn
Phone: 03 9078 5492
Link: http://www.crabapplekitchen.com.au/
Cuisine: Coffee, Breakfast/Brunch, Mediterranean
Overall Impression: 7/10

I love lazy Sunday brunches. It's amazing what some good coffee and delicious breakkie can do.

Crabapple Kitchen can offer you exactly that. The service is prompt and friendly and the atmosphere is casual and relaxed.

Cafe Review: Auction Rooms

Location: 103-107 Errol Street, North Melbourne
Phone: 03 9326 7749
Link: http://www.auctionroomscafe.com.au/
Cuisine: Modern Australian, Coffee, Breakfast/Brunch
Overall Impression: 8/10

Auction Rooms is one of Melbourne's most highly regarded brunch/coffee places and for good reason. The menu features a wonderful array of delicious brunch options and the coffee served is consistently of a great standard.

However, due to its popularity, there is often a long wait for a table. If you're not in a rush, I'd highly recommended a trip down.

Restaurant Review: The Black Toro

Location: 79 Kingsway, Glen Waverley
Phone: 03 9561 9696
Link: http://www.theblacktoro.com.au/
Cuisine: Mexican, Spanish
Overall Impression: 7/10 

One of our favourite restaurants in Glen Waverley, the Black Toro is a modern Hispanic-themed restaurant that serves delicious food.

Our favourite dish from the menu is their wagyu beef sliders. 

Head Chef and owner Garen Maskal background and experience as former sous chef of Ezard is reflected in the manner the menu is designed. The food is simple, uses good quality ingredients and delicious.

2013 Melbourne International Coffee Expo [23rd to 26th May 2013]

This year, the Melbourne International Coffee Expo (MICE) brought together the World Barista Championship, the World Brewers Cup, the inaugural Global Coffee Review Symposium and Australia’s largest dedicated-coffee trade show. 

Over the four days, in addition to hosting the most high profile coffee competitions in the world, MICE brought together the region’s industry leaders to educate, inform and do business. Events included roasting workshops, café tours, and endless networking opportunities to meet and greet the world’s top coffee industry personalities and decision-makers.

Gastrology bloggers were invited by KeepCup, the Sustainability Sponsor of MICE to check out the Salute the Reuser wash station which is a  complimentary wash-up service for re-usable cups. 

In a focused effort to counteract huge waste (it is estimated that over 30,000 disposable cups will be used over the four day MICE event) Keepcup launched this environmental initiative geared towards waste minimization for this year’s coffee event. 

‘Salute the Reuser’ aims to encourage re-use and sustainability as a preferable alternative over dated use and discard attitudes to coffee cups. It is hoped that coffee providers will be encouraged to change from the current ‘throwaway’ mentality.

KeepCup is clearly committed to a better and more sustainable future, and empowers coffee lovers the world over to make simple choices that will have positive impacts now and in the future.

We had a wonderful time visiting our favourite Melbourne cafe exhibitors...

Exhibitor: Seven Seeds
Location: 114 Berkeley Street, Carlton, VIC 3053
Link: http://www.sevenseeds.com.au/


The first brilliant coffee I tasted was at Seven Seeds. The cafe has a brilliant funky vibe and the coffee is consistently of a high standard. It was great to start our MICE adventure with their coffee.

Exhibitor: Market Lane Coffee
Location: South Yarra and West Melbourne
Link: http://www.marketlane.com.au/


Thick, creamy and beautiful crema. Market Lane Coffee does it again!

Exhibitor: Axil Coffee Roasters
Location: 322 Burwood Road, Hawthorn
Link: www.axilcoffee.com.au

One of our favourite brunch places in Hawthorn (think banana bread with rhubarb, marscapone and crumble...yum), Axil was also exhibiting at the MICE this year. We had a beautiful cup of espresso - well worth the wait! If you're in Hawthorn, we would highly recommend trying their coffee over brunch  - there are also many coffee choices available to purchase in the cafe.

Exhibitor: Code Black Coffee
Location: 15-17 Weston Street, Brunswick
Link: http://www.codeblackcoffee.com.au/

Quickly becoming quite a coffee institution in Brunswick, Code Black Coffee roasts high grade beans from international farms and growers, which results in a range of single origin coffees, signature blends and decaffeinated coffee.

Roasted with Probat roasting equipment, and extracted on-site with La Marzocco espresso machines, their coffee was delicious!

Exhibitor: Padre Coffee
Location: South Melbourne Market
Link: http://www.padrecoffee.com.au/


Starting back in 2008, Padre Coffee has continued to be a popular cafe/stall in South Melbourne Market. A small owner-run business that prides itself on exceptional products and outstanding service, Padre puts a whole lot of love into their coffees.

Exhibitor: 65 Degrees Café

Location: 309 Exhibition Street, Melbourne

Link: http://www.65degreescafe.com/

Serving Gridlock Coffee, 65 Degrees Cafe creates specialty hand crafted coffee using a blend that has been used in national and international competitions. Their quality green beans (that have been specially sourced) have made each cup simply perfect. It was a pleasure to visit their stand.

Exhibitor: Proud Mary
Location: 172 Oxford Street, Collingwood
Link: http://www.proudmarycoffee.com.au/


Our final MICE coffee was from Proud Mary. A brilliant cafe in Collingwood, Proud Mary serves exquisite coffee and brunch. There were big crowds at the Proud Mary stand but it was easy to understand why. The espressos we were served were to die for.

It was a wonderful end to our 2013 MICE.

2013 World Barista Champion Announced

A few minutes ago, World Coffee Events (WCE) announced Pete Licata from the USA, the champion of its 2013 World Barista Championship hosted at the Melbourne International Coffee Expo (MICE) in Melbourne, Australia.

Finalists

Australia's Matt Perger from St Ali performed brilliantly, winning second place. The 2013 World Barista Final results are:

1. Pete Licata, United States from Parisi Coffee 
2. Matthew Perger, Australia from St Ali 
3. William Hernandez, El Salvador from Viva Espresso 
4. Colin Harmon, Ireland from 3FE 
5. Nick Clark, New Zealand from Flight Coffee - Specialty Coffee Roasters 
6. Francesco Sanapo, Italy

A total of 51 National Barista Champions took part in the competition and the 2013 World Barista Championship is in Australia for the very first time as part of MICE, Australia's largest coffee show.

The finals of the 14th World Barista Championship entertained coffee fans from Australia and around the world. The 800 seat grandstand at Melbourne Showgrounds was filled and it has been live streamed by many unique viewers around the world.

For more information visit: www.worldbaristachampionship.org/. You can view videos from MICE and the 2013 World Barista Championship at: http://new.livestream.com/wbc2013

Restaurant Review: Sugardough Panificio & Patisserie

Location: 163 Lygon Street, Brunswick
Phone: 03 9380 4060
Cuisine: Coffee, Modern Australian, Bakery
Overall Impression: 6.5/10

Sugardough is a lovely café in Brunswick.

Sugardough serves good coffee and brunch and has the most tempting array of cake selections. However, due to its popularity, the café is frequently packed which means there might be a bit of a wait before you are seated. 

Restaurant Review: Virginia Plain (now known as Mercy bar + eatery)

Location: 31 Flinders Lane,  Melbourne
Phone: 03 9290 0400
Link: http://virginiaplain.com.au/
Cuisine: European
Overall Impression: 7.5/10

The fruit of Marco Santucci’s vision, Virginia Plain is anything but.

Under the guidance of head chef Andy Harmer (ex Vue de Monde group head), the restaurant serves modern European cuisine in a tasteful, relaxed environment. The dining room (which can only be described as vast) is framed on two sides by a long bar and an exposed kitchen. The mood lighting is perhaps a little too "moody" in places, but those with better than average vision should be able to make out what is on the menu.

We were so impressed by our first visit to Virginia Plain that we decided to return a mere 2 weeks later. Unfortunately, our return visit was a little disappointing (but more about that later).

Quite simply, our first dining experience was brilliant. Andy Harmer's pedigree was obvious, serving flawless dishes in comparatively unassuming surrounds. The food was innovative and stylish, cooked with the skill and precision usually expected from restaurants with much higher price tags.

Unfortunately, our second visit revealed that Virginia Plain is not perfect. One of the dishes we ordered was a steak (a 500g Free range Gippsland grass-fed Black Angus rib eye with bone marrow sauce). Despite it's appetising appearance, the steak was completely inedible due to it being comprised entirely of sinew, gristle and fat. It is no exaggeration to say that we were unable to consume any part of the steak.

Disappointed, we informed our waitress who listened attentively to our concerns and took the steak back to the kitchen. She returned shortly afterwards and informed us that the chef had acknowledged that the steak was not acceptable. Unfortunately it had escaped their quality control processes due to the apparent difficulty in assessing large pieces of meat. We were immediately offered a replacement dish.

We were very impressed by the way the kitchen handled our dissatisfaction. There was a clear acknowledgement of the error (which was by no means deliberate) and they did their best to rectify the situation. It is also worth noting that this particular cut of steak appears to have been taken off the menu now.

Fundamentally, Virginia Plain is capable of greatness. Whilst we have had 2 contrasting dining experiences, the restaurant must be commended for its consistently flawless and friendly service. We are excited to see how Virginia Plain evolves and develops over time.

Mexi-Mart

Location: 2 Acland Street, St Kilda
Phone: (03) 9536 1175
Food-to-go menu: http://www.aclandstcantina.com.au/pdf/ASC_TOGOPosters.pdf

The Acland St Cantina Mexi-Mart is a brilliant new one-stop shop for lovers of real Mexican food that are in the mood for a night in.

The Mexi-Mart is overflowing with the building blocks of Latin fare, including Maseca masa flour for homemade tacos, a variety of dried Mexican chillies ranging from spicy to mind-numbingly powerful, La Chinata smoked paprika and the enchanting San Miguel huitlacoche (the rare fungus that grows on ears of corn after an errant rainstorm and is valued as a luxurious addition to quesadillas).

There is also a brilliant supply of seasonal recipe kits which are very well priced. These kits include a detailed recipe, as well as all of the ingredients required for the dish – brilliant!

And if you’re looking for a night in but can't find the energy to cook, there are plenty of sweet and savoury takeaway options.

Lovers of fine chocolate will rejoice at the Mexi-Marts selection of Valrhona and Willie's Cacao chocolates. We have been massive fans of Valrhona and Willie's Cacao chocolates for quite a while - they are without doubt some of the finest chocolates in the world.

And if you're feeling thirsty, the Mexi-Mart stocks a wide variety of Latin American beers and wines to cap off your Mexican night in.

Using a few things we picked up at the Mexi-Mart, we made ourselves a quick lunch…

Our attempt at a mole fish taco

The Mexi-Mart is a fun destination for Latin food and flavours at home that has a brilliant range of ingredients and take-home Mexican meals. Enthusiastic cooks who desire authenticity in their tacos, tortillas and tamales should definitely pop down and pick up everything for a great night in... including a block (or ten) of some of the world's best chocolate.

Want a Mexican night out instead? Check out our dinner review of Acland St Cantina here!

Event Review: Pork and wine night at David’s

To pay homage to China’s favourite meat, David’s in Prahran put together a menu celebrating all things pork.

The dinner featured five courses with matching wines selected by Bibendum Wine Co.

Gastrology bloggers were privileged to be invited to attend this feast.

Pork & Chive Soup Dumpling 

Matching wine: 2012 Von Buhl Qba Riesling (Trocken- dry) Pfalz Germany 

Tasting note: Crisp and refreshing with a core of lovely zingy but ripe Riesling fruit. 

The dumplings were beautifully crafted and were our favourite dish from the night. They had a thin and delicate skin encasing a tasty pork and chive filling and sumptuous broth. It was a great start to the dinner.

Crispy pork back strap flash fried with seaweed & spring onions 

Matching wine: 2011 Pazos de Lusco Albariño Rias Baixas Spain 

Tasting note: Mid weight aromatic white with pulpy texture, white stone fruits and mineral notes on the finish. 

The pork was a succulent classic, given an interesting twist by the coating of seaweed. A thin blanket of crispy batter encased the moist pork - pure comfort food.

Slow cooked pork belly in soy, ginger & Chinese’s wine served with signature fluffy open baos & condiments 

Matching wine: 2010 Rockburn Pinot Noir- Central Otago NZ 

Tasting note: Luscious deep coloured cherry dominant Pinot with a plump juicy fruit spectrum and bright acidity. 

Sweet and sticky, the braised pork belly was full of flavour. We particularly loved the baos – they were fluffy and light, like soft cushions. The Rockburn Pinot Noir was the wine of the night. Beautifully complex, it was a wonderful example of what makes New Zealand Pinot so appealing.

Pork Ribs marinated & cooked in sweet & salty red bean curd sauce served with rice 

Matching wine: 2011 Luke Lambet Crudo Shiraz, Yarra Valley VIC 

Tasting note: Beautifully weighted savoury, earth, minerally and meaty notes. 

The pork ribs were beautifully marinated and had a good balance of sweetness and saltiness.

Steamed white chocolate dumpling 

Matching wine: 2011 Domaine Plageoles Mauzac Roux, (Muscadelle) Gaillac, South West, France 

Tasting note: Delicious dessert wine with a luscious, unctuous but not cloying mouthfeel and a tropical fruit spectrum 

The dinner ended on a sweet note with delightfully chewy steamed glutinous rice dumplings that had been filled with luxuriously rich white chocolate. It was a wonderfully modern take on a traditional Chinese dessert.

As expected from a dinner at David's, it was a wonderful evening. The expertly chosen wines complemented each pork course perfectly. Unfussy food with staff that make you feel at home, David's emphasises beauty in simplicity.

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of David's.

Touché Hombre launches ‘Livin on the Vedge’ Mondays

Vegetarians rejoice! Touché Hombre has just launched ‘Livin on the Vedge’ Monday nights with a menu featuring tasty new vegetarian and vegan-friendly dishes.