A showcase of World Class talent at PDT pop up

WORLD CLASS DRINKING launched its highly anticipated pop-up of New York speakeasy Please Don’t Tell (PDT) in Melbourne on Thursday night. The cooler than cool collaboration sees the World Class team behind Melbourne’s Black Pearl bar play host to the dynamic duo behind the lauded New York bar.    

PDT’s Jim Meehan and Jeff Bell, alongside Nathan Beasley and Matthew Stirling from Black Pearl, unveiled a specially-designed, PDT inspired menu at an exclusive preview to 40 of Melbourne’s top media and trade guests.

With Jim and Jeff responsible for curating the cocktail menu, guests were treated to a selection of delicious cocktails, including the Tanqueray No. TEN Nichol Buck and Bulleit Bourbon Sweet Tea Smash.

 

The PDT team also partnered with barbecue king Chris Terlikar of Blueblonnet Barbecue to create an Australian version of the menu for the pop-up. The menu, which included PDT’s famous Spicy Redneck hotdog, alongside local variations, The Wild Bill, The Bonnet Dog and The Bouchier.

Six hundred tickets had been allocated for the pop-up event, and had booked out within a day after release. The PDT at Black Pearl pop up will continue for the weekend, ending Sunday 9th of August and coincides with the reopening of  Black Pearl, following a fresh renovation.

Tickets for Topshelf are still available and can be purchased here: http://topshelfshow.com.au/

Burger-making class @ Huxtaburger

To celebrate the launch of Daniel Wilson’s brand-new cookbook, The Huxtaburger Book (The Art and Science of the Perfect Burger), Gastrology were invited to join Chef Daniel Wilson and the Huxtaburger team for a hands-on class creating the ultimate burger from recipes of our choice.

From its inception in  late 2011, the focus of Huxtaber's takeaway and dine-in restaurants have been the same: quality burgers, chips and beer. The decadent brioche buns are always deliciously melt-in-your-mouth and the ingredients used are consistently of a high quality.

We enjoyed visiting their Melbourne city location for the masterclass to create our two burgers: The classic Denise burger and the Soft-shell crab burger with green mango salad and chilli dressing.

Soft-shell crab burger with green mango salad and chilli dressing

Denise - The Hot One

It was amazing to make our favourite Huxtaburger of all time, Denise with our own two hands. An almighty burger with a large grilled beef patty, melted cheese, jalapeno and siracha mayo all squeezed into a fresh, toasted brioche bun. It was the small details that set it apart - from the slightly crispy edges of the pattie to the luxurious siracho mayo. Yum.

Huxtaburger has certainly led the way for the burger-revolution in Melbourne. And now with the new book, you can make these amazing creations at home.

Snippet: Brown Bagels

Located just off Collins Street, Brown Bagels offers a delicious selection of bagels. 

All the menu items are under $10 which makes it particularly bang for your buck .There are a number of bagel and filling selections to choose from which means there are always options to suit your mood. The coffee is great too. Perfect for a mid-week lunch over coffee with colleagues.

The Roving Marrow @ The Astor

One of Melbourne’s buzziest food strips welcomes back a local icon as The Astor on Carlton’s Lygon Street reopens with an innovative new restaurant and bar concept. 

Within The Astor is The Roving Marrow dining room, which was formerly Percy’s Bar and Bistro run by four–time Carlton premiership player Peter ‘Percy’ Jones. The Roving Marrow is a significant part of The Astor’s transformation by restaurateur Darran Smith and head chef Hayden McMillan. The menu is produce-driven and features contemporary European cuisine with interactive, yum cha-style service. 

The result is a unique dining experience that aims to break down the formality of fine dining and bring the fun back to food. The menu is designed to share with a wide assortment of smaller dishes served via trolley and tray and more substantial mains, as well as cheese and dessert, à La Carte. 

The kitchen is in safe hands under the guidance of Head Chef Hayden McMillan. McMillan is a young gun of New Zealand’s epicurean scene, having previously worked with renowned New Zealand chefs Michael Meredith and Simon Wright and was made head chef of Auckland’s Tribeca restaurant very early in his career. Most recently McMillan returned from San Francisco where he headed up the Waiheke Island Yacht Club pop up for the America’s Cup.

The Astor’s interior is focused on preserving the hotel’s original character with a modern refresh. The atmosphere is moody courtesy of being grounded in dark wood with rich finishes in brass and mirror that are hardwearing and age gracefully.

We commenced our dinner with a number of delicious small dishes from the “yum cha” service. 

Our favourite entree, the shortrib dumplings in masterstock was flavoursome, well-seasoned and boasted rich flavours.  It was a perfectly executed, expertly balanced and intelligent dish. 

Yet another highlight was the dish of duck salad. The slices of duck breast were cooked to perfection with the beautifully crisp hazelnuts and caramelised brussel sprouts adding texture and the bits of bacon adding salinity. 

Continuing the trend of stunning dishes that preceded it, the dish of Flinders Island lamb rump, charcoal eggplant, ricotta and brie impressed. The lamp rump was cooked perfectly to a tender and juicy pink. The charcoal eggplant boasted a wonderful smokiness which paired exceptionally with the ricotta and brie. A wonderful finale to our savoury courses.

Our first dessert of Granny Smiths, butterscotch, buckwheat and cardamom was an interplay between interesting textures and seductive aromas.

The striking dessert of passionfruit, white chocolate, liquorice and coconut was an explosion of flavours. The layer of meringue was delicately thin and crisp and paired beautifully with the mellow and luxurious white chocolate. The tartness of the passionfruit produced a balanced dessert.

The Roving Marrow’s approach to food stands out from what is commonly available in upmarket restaurants. Thought-provoking but not pretentious, The Roving Marrow is a welcome addition to Melbourne’s food scene.

Location: 418 Lygon St, Carlton

Phone: (03) 9347 7419

Link: http://www.theastorcarlton.com.au/restaurant/

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of The Astor.

Snippet: Foxeys Hangout

Foxeys Hangout in Red Hill unashamedly serves simple dishes designed to pair with wines. 

And this makes sense when you realise the chef is also a qualified winemaker. The chefs menu gives you a wide range of dishes to taste for a reasonable $35 per person and this is the option we would recommend. The modern, light filled dining area is the perfect place to sample the vineyards various varieties of vino and laze the afternoon away.

Dassai Dinner @ Kumo Izakaya

Gastrology recently joined Australia's top Sake Master and Kumo Izakaya owner, Andre Bishop for an intimate dinner to enjoy the award winning cuisine from Kumo Izakaya and sake from Japan's most prestigious sake brewery - Dassai.

Standing proudly at the corner of Lygon and O'Connor Streets in Brunswick East, Kumo Izakaya and Sake Bar is a Japanese oasis which embraces the social izakaya-style side of Japanese eating and drinking. Offering a laid back environment for catching up with friends and family, Kumo Izakaya focuses on quality food designed to share all of which is served in stylish, modern Japanese surroundings.

Kumo Izakaya founder and owner Andre Bishop is one of Melbourne's quiet achievers in hospitality. Andre has been educating Australians about sake for 15 years and we thoroughly enjoyed learning all about sake from Australia's master of sake. 

Andre has also been at the forefront of Asian dinning and drinking culture, crafting many venues over the years including Robot Bar, Golden Monkey, Izakaya Chuji, Nihonshu Sake Bar and Kumo Izakaya. Andre's dedication to sake earned him the title of Sake Samurai from the Japanese Sake & Shochu Association in 2013.

Dassai is recognised as one of the world’s most prestigious sake. Japan Prime Minister Abe, presented President Obama with a bottle of Dassai 23 when they met recently this year. Dassai sake is renowned for its highly aromatic smooth sake that has won many people over to premium sake, many of whom have never tried sake before. Using tradition methods blended seamlessly with cutting edge technology, and the best sake rice Japan can produce, Dassai has a cult following in Japan and around the world.

The Dassai 23 was outstanding. With its rice milling of 23% which is the highest milling of all commercial sake, we were impressed by its gorgeous aroma of melons and peaches, and elegant long finish. It paired exceptionally well with our selection of sashimi. 

The sashimi plate featured a variety of sliced raw fish. Each slice of fish had an enjoyably firm yet soft texture. Of particular note were the plump, sweet scallops. It is clear that Kumo Izakaya are using only the freshest, highest quality seafood.

The Dassai 39 was notable for its smooth and mellow taste married with its refreshing finish. 

We enjoyed pairing this sake with the pork belly butakushi skewers with miso onion salsa. The Dassai 39 echoed the umami of the pork belly and its slight acidity cut through the richness of the pork fat.

Our dinner at Kumo ended of a festive note with a tasting of Dassai 50 sparkling. Unpasteurized, and naturally carbonated, the Dassai was fruity and refreshing. We loved its complex balance between sweet and dry tastes.

We loved pairing the Dassai 50 sparkling with the plump scallops which were perfectly seared and bursting with natural flavour. The scallop’s natural flavour was further enhanced by the restrained sweetness of the Dassai 50 sparkling.

At Kumo Izakaya, food and sake pairing is a key focus. We loved tasting through three sake from the Dassai portfolio whilst enjoying Kumo Izakaya’s award winning Japanese cuisine.

Location: 152 Lygon Street, Brunswick East

Phone: 03 9388 1505

Link: http://www.kumoizakaya.com.au/

Cuisine: Japanese, Wine Bar, Tapas

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Kumo Izakaya.

Exploring the Greek Cuisine with George Calombaris + David Tsirekas

The bustling Hellenic Republic forms part of The Press Club Group, a burgeoning conglomerate of restaurants. Apart from the association with celebrity chef George Calombaris, these restaurants, have at least one other feature in common – their almighty banquets which give diners the opportunity to indulge in mammoth quantities of delicious food. 

Gastrology recently joined David Tsirekas and George Calombaris at Hellenic Republic where the pair took guests on a journey exploring Greek Cuisine.

The Greek inspired dinner featured Travis McAuley and Hellenic’s two head chef’s, Alex Xinis and Arron Lynch alongside David Tsirekas and George Calombaris. The result (as expected) was a mouth-watering banquet gastronomical proportions.

Tarama churros, lathalemono - David Tsirekas

The Tarama churros were addictively good. The rigid-edged doughnuts had a nice outer crunch and were appreciatively not drenched in oil. 

Ouzo cured ocean trout, Jerusalem artichoke, Cucumber - Aaron Lynch

The cured salmon which was wonderfully complemented Jerusalem artichoke was a vibrant dish which showcased fresh flavours that were light and appetising. 

Smoked bone marrow, beetroot, feta, horseradish - George Calombaris

The Smoked bone marrow was a well formulated dish of bold and vibrant flavour combinations showcased the culinary potential of Greek cuisine. The luscious bone marrow paired exceptionally well with the creamy feta and slightly tart beetroot and earthy horseradish to produce perfectly balanced flavours. 

Kefalograviera saganaki - Alex Xinis

One of Hellenic Republic’s signature dishes and understandably so. The marriage of salty pan-seared Kefalograviera - a robust sheep milk cheese originating from Greece - with sweet caramelised figs was an unbeatable combination. With the added textural kick from the chewiness of the cheese, this dish was a highly addictive appetiser.

Sheftalies, tahini, yoghurt, caper leaves - Travis McAuley

The Sheftalie was amazingly rich in flavour and was perfectly counterbalanced by the tartness of the yoghurt and the freshness of the caper leaves. 

Seafood kokoretsi, skordalia - David Tsirekas

The eye catching Seafood kokoretsi’s  combination of the crispy kataifi pastry and the fresh tender seafood was a textural delight.

Tartare of tuna with all its frills, prawn crackers - George Calombaris

The tuna was decadently spiked with a tart mixture and served with refreshing herbs. It was a pleasant and innovative variant of the classic tuna tartare. 

Melizanosalata - Alex Xinis

A celebration of eggplant which made use of the differing textures of eggplants. Most notable was the melitzanoslata dip which boasted a beautiful smokiness which was further enhanced by the ample use of garlic.

Duck and quince - David Tsirekas

The slices of duck breast were cooked to perfection, allowing the rich flavour of the duck to transpire.  The sweet and sticky quince provided the crowning element of luxuriousness to a wonderful dish.

Wagyu tongue and flat iron kalamaki - Travie McAuley

The skewers were sufficiently seasoned and flavoursome, and boasted a lovely outer charring.

Lahanosalata  - Aaron Lynch

Aaron Lynch’s take on the Lahanosalata, a traditional, classic winter salad in Greece was outstanding. Full of flavour and robust textures, it was a delicious accompaniment to the proteins. 

Touloumba, warm rosewater custard, honeyed walnuts - David Tsikeras

“Magnamopolous” - Greek yoghurt ice cream, caramelia, mastic, fruit - George Calombaris

Our dinner concluded on a decadently sweet end with a duo of desserts. The Touloumba was traditional and heart-warming while the “Magnamopolous” was a modern take on the humble ice cream stick. Both were superbly made and absolutely moreish.  

An exciting night featuring 5 outstanding chefs, the evening was certainly a memorable journey through the exciting paradigms of Greek cuisine. 

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Made Establishment.

Snippet: Northern Git

Northern Git in Thornbury is now just over a year old and aims to provide a no nonsense dining experience showcasing seasonal and local ingredients. 

And this restaurant does deliver on its mission. The dishes are simple, fresh and packed full of flavour. Prices are also very reasonable - think gnocchi for $19 or if you're after steaks, they're sold by the 100gms allowing you to choose just how much meat you want. Thornbury is definitely becoming an interesting culinary area to watch.

Recipe: Nasi Lemak

Malaysia's national dish, the Nasi Lemak is a flavoursome dish which celebrates the fiery flavours of South East Asian cuisine.

Gastrology recently had a go at making our very own Nasi Lemak and we are pleased to say our attempt was successful! Here is our recipe so you folks at home can play along as well. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Preparation of Nasi Lemak

• 2 cups of rice, preferably basmati rice
• 2.5 cups water
• 1 slice ginger
• 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
• 10 tsps coconut milk
• 1 pandan (screwpine) leaf
• 3 shallots, sliced
• Salt to taste

Preparation of Sambal Ikan Bilis

• 1 onion, sliced
• 4 shallots
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4 tbsps, chilli paste (or to taste)
• 2 tbsps, Malaysian palm cooking oil
• 1 cup of dried anchovies
• 2 tbsps tamarind juice
• 1 tsp shrimp paste
• Salt and sugar to taste

Garnishing

• 2 hard boiled eggs, hlaved
• 3/4 cup anchovies, fried
• 3/4 peanuts, fried
• cucumber, sliced

Directions

Nasi Lemak:

1. Wash rice and drain. Do this several times.
2. In a pot, add rice, coconut milk and water (use correct amount of water according to type of rice). Add also shallots, ginger, pandan leaf, lemongrass and salt.
3. Bring to boil, simmer 10-12 minutes uncovered until water has been absorbed into the level of rice.
4. Loosen rice grains using wooden ladle. Cover pot with lid and steam rice on a very low heat about 10-12 minutes.

Sambal Ikan Bilis:

1. Grind chilli paste, shallots, shrimp paste and garlic into paste.
2. In a wok, fry dried anchovies until crispy and put aside.
3. Using 2 tbsps of the same oil, saute paste until fragrant. Add in onion, tamarind juice, salt and sugar. Cook until gravy thickens to a dark reddish brown. Add fried anchovies and mix well.

The Kilburn and Bluebonnet Barbecue Dinner

Images courtesy of Anthony.

Gastrology were delighted to join barbecue extraordinaires Bluebonnet Barbecue and whisky experts The Kilburn for a dinner that was a match made in heaven - Whisky and Barbecue.

Hosted at The Kilburn’s beautiful heritage-listed bar, the Whisky and Barbecue dinner paired premium whiskies from global whisky leader Diageo with hearty American barbecue dishes that warmed us from the inside out heading into the last month of winter. 

Oak-smoked wallaby croquette, apple and celeriac remoulade, fig and Clynelish radish

Paired with: Clynelist 14 years 46% vol, Highland

The croquette had a wonderfully crisp exterior which combined beautifully with the apple and celeriac remoulade which provided salinity to the dish while the fresh fig and Clynelish radish ensured that the dish had requisite balance. The matching Clynelist single malt Scotch whisky was a beautiful accompaniment with the pleasant creamy mouthfeel echoing the creamy remoulade

From left: Beef burger with smoked cheddar and McClure pickles; Pulled pork with apple kohlrabi slaw and Talkisker barbecue sauce

Paired with: Talisker 10 years 45.8% vol, Isle of Skye

We enjoyed both the sliders - each were well-made with generous fillings and paired magnificently with the full-bodied peppery Talisker.

Laguvalin glazed St. Louis pork rib, Jalepeno cheese grits, collard greens, fried shallots

Paired with: Lagavulin 16 years 43% vol, Islay

Laguvalin glazed St. Louis pork rib was the highlight of our evening. The pork ribs were of particular note, imparting a unique flavour courtesy of the Laguvalin glaze. The outstanding ribs were nicely caramelised and were laced with crispy charred bits. The heavy flavours were matched by the Lagavulin’s intense, smoky-sweetness.

The evening concluded on a sweet note with a delicious dessert of Smoked maple bacon ice cream sandwich with George Dickle (Tennessee whiskey) gastrique (Paired with George Dickel Classic no.8 40% vol, Tennessee).

These stunning moments from the event were captured by Anthony.

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of The Kilburn and Bluebonnet Barbecue.

Dock 37 Bar and Kitchen @ Hilton South Wharf

Hilton Melbourne South Wharf has unveiled its stylish new restaurant and bar, Dock 37 Bar and Kitchen.

The 150-seat dining space embraces its riverside setting and complements the sea meets land concept. The result is a sophisticated and inviting dining room resplendent with warm timber walls, a striking suspended wine gantry in black steel, soaring ceilings, and full length windows maximising the South Wharf Promenade view.

Dock 37 Bar and Kitchen has a long bar with pull-up seating, communal tables and cosy couches to enjoy. The area is complete with a short and tailored menu full of bar-food classics available late into the night. A comprehensive selection of drinks are also offered from well-known classics to a tempting selection of custom-created cocktails, wine housed in the suspended gantry above the bar and dozens of beers on tap.

The menu is divided into user friendly sections with many dishes complemented with fresh produce from the hotel’s own rooftop garden. The garden is passionately tended to by Glenn, who has been with the hotel since its opening six years ago and has headed up the kitchen since 2011.

Smoked Duck Breast Served with a cabbage, citrus and celeriac slaw and a wasabi dressing

The slices of duck breast were cooked to perfection with the slightly tart cabbage, citrus and celeriac slaw allowing the rich flavour of the duck to transpire.  The accompanying wasabi dressing provided the crowning element to a wonderful dish.

Quinoa Salad - Popcorn-dusted goats’ cheese, roasted baby carrots, beetroot, kale and a pepian salsa

An enlivening salad of quinoa, popcorn-dusted goats’ cheese, roasted baby carrots, beetroot and kale all brought together with pepian salsa, the salad was a medley of exciting flavours and textures which will appeal to even the most carnivorous individuals.

400gm, grain fed, Victoria Rib eye w/ Red wine jus

We could not resist getting both our mains from the “Grill” section of the menu. Both our fish and beef were simple and beautifully cooked. Each served with our choice of sauce (there are more than 10 sauces to choose from, all made in house).

Whole Baby Barramundi w/ green chilli sauce

The Whole Baby Barramundi in particular impressed us. The quality of the barramundi was exemplary. The skin of the fish was perfectly seared to be very crisp while the flesh was delicate and moist. It was a dish that allowed the natural subtle sweetness of the fish to be enjoyed. 

Our dinner concluded with 2 well-conceived desserts that exhibited flawless flavour combinations and textural diversity. 

Walnut tart with blood peach foam and vanilla bean ice cream

The luxurious vanilla bean ice cream offset the accompanying rich bittersweet walnuts banana while the blood peach foam added a desirable touch of sweetness. Texturally, the crunchiness of the walnuts, silkiness of the ice cream and melt in the mouth foam ensured that each bite was as titillating as the last.

Chocolate brownie with hokey pokey, banana coulis and raspberry sorbet

The Chocolate brownie was similarly well devised. The decadent chocolate brownie was matched with velvety raspberry sorbet and harmonised with banana coulis - delicious!

Enviably positioned at the edge of Melbourne’s CBD on the banks of the Yarra River, Dock 37 at the Hilton Melbourne South Wharf offers an approachable and relaxed dining for all occasions and adds an exciting new element to the Hilton Melbourne South Wharf guest experience 

Location: 2 Convention Ctr Place, South Wharf, Melbourne

Phone: 9027 2122

Link: http://hiltonmelbourne.com.au/dining

Cuisine: International, Modern Australian

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Hilton South Wharf.

Snippet: State of Grace

State of Grace offers a compelling dining experience. 

The restaurant delivers on use of fresh produce and skilful execution of dishes. We loved each course we had over the course of our dinner. The duck we ordered for our mains was of particular note. Cooked to perfection - skin beautifully seared while the centre boasted a lovely pink.  

Our dessert of chocolate and banana was similarly well devised. While this restaurant is known for its delicious cocktails, the restaurant certainly gives its bar reputation a run for its money.  

 

AnestasiA Vodka Wonderlust Launch party

Images courtesy of Anthony.

Gastrology recently attended the AnestasiA Vodka White Wonderlust Launch Party at the beautiful Mon Bijou where guests were treated to hand crafted AnestasiA Vodka cocktails, canapes and Om Nom desserts.

Anthony attended the event on behalf of Gastrology and captured these stunning moments from the event where most were dressed to impress in white.

Snippet: Little Cupcakes

Serving some of the cutest cupcakes around, Little Cupcakes has become a bit of a frequent haunt for us when we're feeling like a sweet treat. 

They are a little smaller than your usual cupcake and a little dearer too in comparison but the flavours on offer are delicious. Their red velvet cupcake is our all time favourite. Fluffy, light and moist with the most decadent cream cheese topping. 

Ex-Ramsay Chef creates new school British classics for Hooked Fish and Chipper

Raymond Good has been bringing sustainable and healthy options to Melbourne’s fish and chip scene since he opened up his first Hooked on Chapel St in 2006. Now he is bringing the classics.

Neale White of Flinders Lane’s lauded Papa Goose and ex-chef of Gordon Ramsay has teamed up with Good to craft a new winter menu inspired by classic British comfort food. 

The menu now features warming classics such as minted smashed peas, smoked fish croquettes, panko crumbed prawns in a basket (a la quintessential British 70’s pub food; 'scampi in a basket’), and a crowd favourite, fish and scallop pie. 

With the new menu comes a sea-change of sorts with a relaunch as Hooked – Fish & Chipper, a nod to Ray’s British heritage and his uncle Johnny’s ‘chippy’ by the English seaside where Ray spent his summers as a little nipper.

Warm, flavoursome, comforting and delicious - these dishes are ‘new school British classics’ unique to the booming fish and chip scene and unique to Melbourne.

Grilled blue grenadier, rice and salad

Available for both dine in and take away, daily fish specials (e.g. certified-sustainable blue grenadier, snapper, salmon and barramundi) are sourced from the market and cooked fresh to order, while the store’s famous potato chips are hand cut by the kitchen. 

Fish and Scallop Pie 

The hand cut chips were addictively good - beautifully crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The scallop pie was full of flavour and boasted buttery crumbly pastry while the minted pea mash was wonderfully seasoned.

English Sticky Date Pudding 

​T​he sticky date pudding was wonderfully ​light and fluffy​. It was​​ ​an​ exemplary ​​​execution of the classic dessert​. D​ecadently coated in copious amounts of ​rich butterscotch sauce, it was an absolute treat.

What Hooked does, it does well. The new winter menu inspired by classic British comfort food is a welcome addition to loyal punters and fresh foodies.

Locations: Prahran, Fitzroy, Hawthorn

Link: http://www.hookedfishandchipper.com.au/

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Hooked Fish and Chipper.

Upcoming Event: MIFF Culinary Cinema - FOODIES (TASTING SESSION) this Saturday | Giveaway: Melbourne International Film Festival double pass!

At the Melbourne International Film Festival, experience the festival buzz, immerse yourself in the year’s most extraordinary contemporary cinema, and revel in rarely seen repertoire.

Look out for the Culinary program, featuring 5 films, the selection is more enticing than ever, a fine art of feasting with the eyes! Tickets for #MIFF2015 are on sale now at miff.com.au.

An exciting film from this program in particular is FOODIES which is about an eclectic group of jet-setting food bloggers who travel the world in search of the tastiest haute cuisine. The ticket price for this session includes a special culinary experience, designed by Peter Rowland Catering!

Book your tickets here!

Giveaway: Win a double pass! 

Gastrology have teamed up with MIFF to giveaway 2 double passes to the following 2 delicious films from this program:

Cooking Up a Tribute (Tues 11th August) – An in-depth and often surprising survey of the peoples and rich culinary traditions of the South American continent, it offers a humane and richly detailed portrait of a world we so often understand solely through its food. 

Good Things Await (Sun 9th August) – Shot in lyrical widescreen images and scored to beautiful choral sounds from Oscar-nominated composer Jóhann Jóhannsson, director Phie Ambo's film is a richly cinematic meditation on an idealist devoted to the Earth's future. 

How to enter 

All you have to do, is: 

Send us an email answering:

1. “What is your favourite culinary film and why?” 
2. Which session you would like to win.

The best 2 entries, as judged by the Gastrology team, will each win a double passes to either Cooking Up a Tribute (Tues 11th August)  or Good Things Await (Sun 9th August) at MIFF this year.

The competition will run from now to 5:00pm Monday 3 August 2015 (winner to be announced on this post on Wednesday 5 August 2015). 

The fine print: 

Only entries made using a valid email address are eligible. Your email address will not be published. This competition is a game is of skill not chance. This giveaway is open to readers in Australia only. Prize is not transferable or exchangeable or redeemable for cash. The Promoter is not responsible for prizes once they have been dispatched to the winner. The image of the prize is purely representative and the actual prize is subject to change. 

*****

[5/08/2015] Announcement: Winners of the Blog Giveaway: Melbourne International Film Festival double pass

Thank you to everyone who entered!

The 2 winners are…

I Haas
C Paul

… Congratulations, the winners have been contacted via email.



Competition Now Closed. 

Snippet: Chilli India

Venturing out for a weekday lunch, Chilli India appeared to be just the place to escape the cold Melbourne winter. 

Unfortunately, Chilli India was disappointing. The food was mediocre and really did not offer anything to differentiate itself from below average food court fare. We would not recommend visiting as there are so many places offering much higher quality food for comparable prices.

Bababoi Kitchen & Bar

One of the few restaurants in Melbourne to serve Peranakan or Nyonya cuisine, Bababoi stands out from the crowd with offerings that really pack a flavour punch.

The Nyonya cuisine is a Malaysian cuisine which combines Chinese, Malay and other influences into a unique blend resulting in dishes that are tangy, aromatic, spicy and herbal.

The menu is extensive with something to suit everyone - From well-known crowd pleasers like their 5 spice marinated chicken to authentic Nyonya dishes like the Ayam buah keluak which is not served anywhere else in Melbourne. 

The food boasts beautiful flavour courtesy of the house made rempah (a blend of fresh spices which are ground together) that are meticulously prepared.

Lobak 

Our dinner commenced with a plate of Lobak from their “Something Light” section of the menu. The Lobak is a mixture of ground up lean pork, water chestnuts and herbs wrapped in a beancurd skin which has been steamed and then pan fried until crisp. The crispy beancurd exterior, juicy interior and salty-sweet chilli sauce makes for an excellent appetiser. 

Tamarind pulled pork (a.k.a. babi assam)

A dish of pulled pork with hints of tangy tamarind, the dish displayed a depth and complexity in flavour and had a lovely hint of tangy sweetness that complemented the overall savouriness of the dish. 

Nyonya chicken curry (a.k.a. ayam kapitan)

This classic Malaysian chicken curry was a stand out. Boasting creamy coconut and aromatic kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass, it was wonderfully hearty. We enjoyed the richness of the curry and the generous use of spices which showcased the customary punchy flavours exhibited by Malaysian curries generally.  Together with steamed rice, it was an addictive and comforting dish.

Chocolate chicken (a.k.a. Ayam buah keluak)

The chocolate chicken was yet another highlight. Particularly enjoyable for its robust and fragrant nutty flavour. Each morsel was cooked to the point where the meat simply melted in our mouths. The flavours from the herbs and spices were unique and very enjoyable.

The Jewellery box - Earl grey pannacotta topped with black tapioca pearls

The visually attractive pannacotta was a wonderful creation of melt in your mouth pannacotta and perfectly chewy tapioca pearls. Absolutely delectable, this dessert was a masterclass in textural balance and great use of flavour. The pannacotta was textured perfectly. A welcome departure from the mundane dessert items usually found, this dessert offered its own unique characteristics. 

Bababoi celebrates the fusion style of Nyonya cuisine, with distinctive blend of Chinese and Malay techniques, flavours and spices. If you like your South East Asian flavours rich and gutsy, you cannot go wrong here.

Location: Shop 2, 60 Siddeley Street, Docklands
Phone: 0490 029 968
Link: http://www.bababoikitchenandbar.com/
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese, Malaysian





Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of MATRADE's Malaysian Kitchen Program.

Snippet: Maxims Cakes and Pastry

A long time favourite of ours for around 15 years, this Asian cake store which is nestled away in Chinatown is definitely worth a visit.

Although the store has been renovated and has changed over the years, some things have remained the same - everything is prepared fresh and is delicious. With the chain Asian bakeries popping up everywhere, it is nice that there are still a few that remain independent.

SunPork's #PorkonParade dinner @ Eureka 89

Gastrology attended the Pork on Parade dinner at Eureka 89 last week.

The evening was a fantastic showcase of Sunpork's expanding pre-prepared pork range. The endless possibilities were on display during our delectable dinner at Eureka 89. 

Eureka Head Chef Renee Martillano devised a seven course mouth-watering menu, inspired by and using SunPork pre-prepared products, inviting food lovers to rediscover what can easily be achieved at home. 

Renee explained how it was really easy work from her end as all the pre-cooking and marinating had already been done!

Clockwise from top right: Shredded Pork Croquette & seared scallop; Slow roasted pork belly; Peri Peri Pork Schnitzel; Pork Belly Rasher in Korean BBQ sauce

The Peri Peri Pork schnitzel was particularly impressive. We enjoyed the crisp exterior and the generous use of spices and the perfect amount of chilli-kick.

Slow cooked pork ribs in BBQ sauce, potato rosti, mushroom crisps

Another highlight from our evening was the Slow cooked pork ribs in BBQ sauce, We adored the smokey BBQ flavour and the pork meat which was so tender and simply falling off the bone.

Apple, Rhubard, Fennel and Pork skin crumble

Our evening concluded on a sweet end with a very clever dessert which of course also showcased a pork element! 

SunPork, a Queensland based company has recently expanded its offering of prepared pork products, aimed at busy people who still want tasty, nutritious and healthy food. The range initially started with SunPork's popular shredded meats and has today evolved to include Pork Schnitzels, Slow cooked BBQ pork ribs, slow cooked pork belly and Korean Belly Rashers. All products are available at Woolworths.

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of SunPork.