Vue De Monde, wine tutorial with SIA – a selection from Shannon Bennett’s empire (part 2)
Our slothful lunch began with a tipple of 2004 Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon and Krug Grande Cuvée NV. These iconic numbers are routinely served on board first class. I personally preferred the rounded savoury noted of the former. After a little chit-chat we promptly (eagerly) turned the page to begin our indulgence first with the white wine selection.
Brae Restaurant – degustation dinner in the little town of Birregurra
“…The entire day was to be a grand lead-up to what would emerge as the highlight experience of the weekend. Dan Hunter’s (ex-Royal Mail Hotel) newest venture – Brae – was one of the reasons the Great Ocean Road was the destination elected for this road trip…” [Great Ocean Road – A weekend Getaway] The drive inland to … Continue reading
Prix Fixe
As Melbourne’s first ticketed restaurant and with Melbourne’s dessert Queen Philippa Sibley (Ex: Albert street, Il Fornaio) at the helm, there was no doubt high anticipation leading to its over-the-top launch earlier this year. The prix fixe menu (fixed price set menu) changes each month with a focus on serving comfort food, with the current … Continue reading
Melbourne’s sweet delights roundup 2013
After reading a recent article on the Herald Sun that listed out what they believed were the top 25 desserts in Melbourne, I was game on trying a version of my own – albeit several of mine actually appear on that list too. And there’s plenty more where these came from. So here is a … Continue reading
The Smith | Taste of Melbourne Double Pass giveaways
This is a pretty epic post on a pretty epic month of November (THIS MONTH!). Time sure does fly when you’re busy! If you missed out on last year’s Taste of Melbourne, then don’t miss out this year! It promises to be bigger than before, with a whole list of new names and attractions all … Continue reading
Attica
Being a food blogger is a harder life than it may seem (hashtag #FirstWorldProblems). We are constantly saturating our senses with the newest trendy openings and food fads; and scramble to keep up with our ever morphing wish list. The aftermath of which is, there are always places that we wish we had been sooner, … Continue reading
Melbourne lunch bargains | lost treasures
When there are so many options, considering how many new places are competing for the short attention span of Melbourne diners, it is easy to retire older but reliable options. Recently looking through some of my older entries, I was astonished at the trove of long forgotten treasures – many of which also have awesome … Continue reading
Taxi Dining – Ducks in a row
If you were lucky enough to have overheard news and made your presence at any of this year’s PVOYT as part of MFWF, I applaud you. Sweeping the jargon aside, whilst I did attend one event, I did not exactly enrol with the utmost enthusiasm. Honestly, I had heard mixed feelings about Taxi for a … Continue reading
Brooks
If anyone was an avid follower of Embrasse (aka fans of the infamous Meli of Vegetables), then you will have already heard and been to Brooks: the new name and basement location (under the historic Austral House) for Nic Poelaert’s creations. The space expresses an entirely unalike character, one that is darker at night, a … Continue reading
Circa, The Prince
There’s never a better excuse to splurge than with birthday celebrations… Over the past few years there has been much change in the menu and direction at Circa. Whilst I cannot say I have witnessed the changes in person, I have seen it through the eyes of other bloggers. The current décor is well pared … Continue reading
Unblogged 2012: return visits that I loved
In the days leading up to the end of 2012, I will shower you all with food envy from my infinite compilation of unpublished food photography. Once upon a time in the early days of this blog there was much enthusiasm to re-blog restaurants, but now return visits are partially sanctified opportunities to purely enjoy … Continue reading
Melbourne food update: He says she says, Touche Hombre, The Botanical.
I may have been absent from the blogging scene for quite some time, and with a tendency to sometimes evaporating for months on end, you might think I may have stopped eating. That could not be any further from the truth. As you may have noticed on some recent posts, I have only recently (*ahem … Continue reading
French on Collins part 2 of 2, Henry and the Fox
This is one of Paul Mathis’ semi-new establishments – headed by 2011’s Young Chef of the year Michael Fox – coming almost 6 months before the recent surfacing of South Wharf’s Akachochin and Sharing House. Why now that we get invited one might ask? Paul Mathis was quite frank about this point, pointing out the … Continue reading
Mr Hive Kitchen & Bar
This is virtually ancient history now (well it wasn’t when I drafted this post) that Gordon Ramsay’s Maze at Crown has been taken over by Mr Hive. The décor retains much of the features of its predecessor, but with a much darker tone with a glossy ink finish. Having an unfilled venue on a midday … Continue reading
South Wharf progressive dinner… 6 places in 1 night.
South Wharf, this new precinct in central Melbourne is equally if not more isolated than Docklands, and is for now a very quiet place to be at night. “The heritage cargo sheds… [have been] restored to their 1930’s look” (The Age), retaining some of the historic charm spruced up with some modern interpretation. A dozen … Continue reading
Albert Street Food and wine
With new restaurants, I generally keep to a watch-and-wait for a couple of months before I dine policy, to let them iron out all the nooks and crannies, *ahem, unless of course I get invited to the launch in which case I brave it out. I failed to follow this policy on this occasion, as … Continue reading
Not forgotten but unwritten – Vue, Enoteca, Regency…
Still in the midst of writing up Japan, planning for Europe, and miles behind posts from late last year and this year, there are not many cracks in time to actually “catch up” on writing. Hence this post fo various eats, and events… they are unwritten but certainly not forgotten. Worthy Chinese Cuisine on King … Continue reading
Matteo’s – dinner in Fitzroy North
It has been more than 6 months since I first set foot “through the unassuming glass doors” of Matteo’s. This time I return as part of a sponsored 3 course work dinner, which I may add come few-and-far-between. *cough *cough. I was hopeful that I would be able to experience a little more of the … Continue reading
Golden Fields – Andrew McConnell’s new arm in St Kilda
Almost Always Ravenous’ sporadic digression: There are many risks involved with being a food blogger. One: Eating out too much. Two: When eating out, you eat too much. Three: You know you should order less next time, but you um & ah at the menu and fall back into the same trap. Four: Always thinking … Continue reading
Papagoose – Marriage of food and wine by Wine Selectors
It is a normal reaction to be excited for a dinner invitation inclusive of food-and-wine, but when one gets disproportionately jovial and distracted you know you have stepped into the dark realms of no return – food blogger syndrome. Such is that of my life… not that I’m complaining. Rushing in from work, finding parking … Continue reading
Almost Always Ravenous 