Tag Archives: restaurant

Melbourne Foodie Day Part 2: Movida Next Door and Hosiers Lane art work

10 Aug

Multicultural Cuisine of… Spain



We arrive at Hosiers Lane with around 12 minutes to wait until opening time of Movida Next Door. Perfect for me; I absolutely LOVE the amazing art work adorning the lane. Instead of telling you about it, let me show you some of it…

The following pieces surround Movida and Movida Next Door – they’re very vibrant, very fun, and very Melbourne.

At this point, we see a bit more movement in the kitchen… it’s almost tapas time!

Movida Next Door
Cnr Flinders St and Hosiers Lane
Melbourne
(03) 9663 3038
Visit Website

At 12:05pm, the doors finally open, and the line of people who have been gathering since 11:50am pour in through the doors. We’re promptly seated by the front windows, and handed our menus. Our lovely waitress ran through each and every item on the specials menu (somewhere around 10 different items), and did a magnificent job of reciting each one by heart.

With our decisions made and orders placed, we sat at our little bench, taking in the beautiful, random few minutes of Melbourne winter sunlight, and were brought some lovely, soft, fresh bread and olive oil, which we nibbled on while we waited for our tapas (we were starving by this point!). We were also very glad that we were there as early as we were, because the stream of people coming in (and being turned away) did not stop for the entire hour we were in there!

Sous-Jeff, the beer connoisseur, also ordered himself a Moritz beer; I won’t pretend to know a thing about beer, and declined when offered a sip, but by all accounts it was great!

Now, for the food…. First out was my choice, the cheese! Smoked sheep’s milk cheese, with a few little figs on the side. Sous-Jeff hated it (not really a big cheese fan unless its Cracker Barrel…), but I really enjoyed it – had a great bite, and was complimented perfectly by the figs.

Queso Idiazabal, $6.50

Next out were the croquettes, crumbed, deep fried, and filled with wild mushrooms. They were creamy inside, crispy inside, and the mushrooms had an amazing flavour. This would have to be my favourite little nibble that we tried.

Croqueta, $3.50 each

Coming out with the croquettes were the “bombas.” These little balls of deliciousness came very highly recommended, and did not disappoint. Now, being the spice fearer that I am, I asked if we might be able to get the sauce on the side, as I’d heard that it did have quite a kick. The bombas themselves were little potato balls, filled with chorizo. The sauce was a little spicy, so Sous-Jeff was glad to have it all to himself. My bomba was beautiful, soft and delicious, and came runner up to the croquette as my next favourite.

Bomba, $4.50 each

Sous-Jeff’s choice was next – the chicken skewer. Marinated in lemon and parsley, and grilled on charcoal, seasoned with sea salt, it was amazing. The chicken was so soft and just fell off the skewer, and the simple flavours complimented the fresh chicken perfectly.

Pollo, $7.00 each

Last out was my pick from the specials menu, the tortilla. A traditional Spanish omlette, it’s filled with potato and onion. I’m a big fan of the tortilla, and this one was amazing – warm and soft, and fell apart under my fork. Even Sous-Jeff (who isn’t usually a fan) loved this!

Tortilla (can’t remember how much this one cost… $3 or $4 I think!)

It’s been a long time since I’ve been trying to get to Movida – since last October when Sous-Jeff and I had some of our wedding photos taken out the front! But it was worth the wait, the food was amazing and certainly didn’t  disappoint. Can’t wait to tick off Movida, Movida Aqui and Movida Terraza off the list next!

 Would rate it 9 out of 10.

Part 3 on it’s way :)

MoVida Next Door on Urbanspoon

Kagu Ra Zaka

20 Jul

Multicultural Cuisine of…

Japan


Kagu Ra Zaka
266 Toorak Rd,
South Yarra
(03) 9827 2608
Visit Website

I’ve recently taken quite a liking to Japanese food. I’m not talking about the commercial, stock-standard, mass-produced shopping centre sushi. I mean real Japanese food. Sous-Jeff had a not-so-great Japanese experience at a Teppanyaki restaurant with a group of his work colleagues – being the big, manly man that he is, he was bitterly disappointed to get tiny portions throughout the night, leaving him still hungry and arriving home with a McChicken burger. So, naturally he was a little hesitant when I suggested going out for a Japanese lunch. I reminded him that he actually really enjoyed our lunch at Wabi Sabi (which I’ve also taken my mum and sisters to), and that if he ordered the right things he would get a substantial feed. “OK then,” he replies, “but I’m trusting you to order for me!” No pressure.

To my great delight, we arrive on a blisteringly cold Melbourne winter’s day, to find an authentic, little, warm, Japanese sanctuary. With proper, authentic Japanese “booths” to eat in! Win! Nothing better than getting to kick of your shoes and relax over lunch!

Being the little nerd I am, I’ve already sussed out the website before our lunch date, and find out that the restaurant’s head chef, Mr Jack Itou, has shown off his culinary skills on the Japanese TV network, with IronChef Ken Kenichi! Very cool!

We take off our shoes and crawl up into our seats. Our table is set with beautiful blue and white patterned plates and our chopsticks (which I’m still slowly learning to operate in a more graceful manner than simply stabbing my food).

Sous-Jeff takes a look at the menu, written partly in Japanese, flicks through a few pages (not entirely sure what he’s looking at), and asks, “so, what are we having?!” Another win for me – I get to choose our lunch menu! “Let’s get some edamame beans to start,” I say, having fallen in love with them a few years ago at another Teppanyaki restaurant. He nods along… “what???” That was my question too, when I first ate them – they’re green soy beans, salt boiled in their pods and squeezed out to eat.

Edamame, $6.00

To me, they have a sweetish flavour, and taste absolutely amazing when combined with the vinegar-spiked soy sauce.

After a bit of practice, I even got the hang of using my chopsticks to eat them!

Next on my list were the gyoza (pork mince and vegetable dumplings), and they were spectacular!

Gyoza (5 pieces), $7.00

Soft shelled, without being mushy, and a beautiful flavour – strong, but not overpowering. Absolutely loved them!

And my final appetiser choice were the spring rolls. Being the personal trainer/sport teacher, healthy duo that we are, Sous-Jeff and I cannot go past anything deep fried.

HaruMaki (2 pieces), $4.50

Not much to say about these – they lasted all of 4 seconds and were perfect. They made the most incredible sound when we bit into them, and tasted great with the left over vinegar and soy sauce mix we got with the edamame.

Time for a main – we decide to share, as we have a dinner that night as well, so we don’t want to go in pre-filled! We decide on something we’ll both love – the chicken teriyaki, served with veggies and a homemade teriyaki sauce.

Teriyaki (chicken), $17.00

Well, I’ll be the first to admit, the veggies weren’t amazing… they were just a standard salad/cabbage/cucumber/tomato mix. But the chicken…

Dotted with sesame seeds and drenched in the sticky, sweet teriyaki sauce, the chicken was tender and soft and cooked to perfection. We were suddenly regretting our agreement to share. Luckily we had some steamed white rice to soak up all the sauce – there was a fight for that too.

Steamed rice, $2.00 per serve

Bellies full and tummies content, we prepare to tackle our next challenge – getting out of our little both with our dignity intact. 5 minutes and a few giggles from our lovely waitress later, we were out, shoes on, and ready to leave. Overall, it was a fantastic experience, the food was really great (I’d rate it on a par with Wabi Sabi, which I continue going back to!), and I can’t wait to go again!

Over to you – any favourite restaurants that have encouraged you to go and try that same cuisine elsewhere?!

Would rate it 8 out of 10.

 

Kagu Ra Zaka on Urbanspoon

P.S. It’s just occurred to me that I really haven’t given any bad restaurant reviews since starting my blog… how is this possible that I haven’t stumbled onto anything terrible yet?! It isn’t intentional, I swear I’ll tell you when I hate something! And I didn’t think I was that easily pleased…. might have to be more critical from now on!

 

Maroush

27 Jun

Multicultural Cuisine of…

Lebanon

Maroush
1092 Main Rd,
Eltham
(03) 9439 5665
Visit Website

With the plethora of delicious and diverse cuisines available it the Melbourne CBD and surrounds, it’s so easy to forget about your own backyard. Which is exactly what Sous-Jeff and I have done. There’s this restaurant that we drive past a dozen times a week, which we’ve been invited to for dinner before but didn’t make it, that we’re um-ed and ahh-ed over for years – you know that restaurant? We all have one. Maroush was ours. Until Saturday night – we decided to finally give it a shot. We decided to book a table, just in case, even though we didn’t think it’d be all that busy, because it was just a local little restaurant. Wrong. It was darn lucky we did book, because it was packed! The car park was full when we arrived at 7pm, with the 50m either side of the restaurant lined with parked cars too. Awesome, we think, it must be good it it’s this busy!

We ascend the tiled steps and make our way through the big, wrought iron gates, and past a big, terracotta coin fountain. We make our way through the front door and almost walk into the front counter/kitchen area. The restaurant is divided into two seemingly identical sections, one to the right of the kitchen, the other to the left. We are led around to the right hand side, and seated on a table below some beautiful, huge, golden engraved discs.

Directly opposite us is a large mirror, framed with Lebanese knick knacks and a painted mural on the wall behind my seat.

But enough of the view, time for the food! Neither Sous-Jeff or I had eaten Lebanese before, and were a little scared of what the food might be like… we really, honestly had no idea what to expect! So, what better way to try it than to go with the banquet?! The lovely waitress we had was fantastic – she knew the menu like the back of her hand and explained every dish (all 14 of them!) succinctly and simply.

First out for our entrees was a trio of dips with warm pita bread and also fried pita bread.

We had Hommos, which was nutty, meaty, grainy and earthy – it tasted like real chickpeas, and was absolutely perfect!

Hommos

Baba Ghannouj, which was perfectly silky smooth, and had the most beautiful smokey flavour which was perfectly married with the eggplant.

Baba Ghannouj

Lastly in our trio was the tabouli – lemony and zesty, perfect to refresh our mouths in between what was to come!

Tabouli

Next out were the falafels, a spicy mix of beans, vegetables and herbs, made in meatball form (which were just a little too spicy for me!) with a beautifully smooth tahini sauce which had a great lemon flavour. Unfortunately, there was one grumpy waiter in the whole place, and he happened to be the one who brought out this dish to us, plonked silently and unceremoniously on the table, and off he stomped to the next customers. Sous-Jeff loved the falafels, being the spice fiend he is, and was surprised that a vegetarian, gluten free dish was so delicious!

Falafel with tahini sauce

Meat Cigars

Along with the meat cigars came with Sambousik – fetta cheese with onion and mixed herbs, wrapped in filo pastry again. This was one of my favourites, I loved the creaminess of the fetta, which wasn’t overly salty, contrasted with the perfectly crisp pastry.

Sambousik

Then, out comes the Makanek, which are grilled lamb sausages with lemon juice and sumac, which were very tender and tasty.

Makanek

And they were followed by the Ors Kafta – grilled lamb patties with onion and fresh parsley. They were perfectly cooked and tasted beautiful with fresh lemon squeezed over them.

Ors Kafta

With our entrees done (yes, all of that was just the entrees!), the waitress clears out table and tells us she’ll give us a few minutes to digest before bringing out our mains. We nod appreciatively. 10 minutes or so later, out come the mains. It’s a smaller version of the standard sized main (thankfully!), and we get a beautiful platter of Shish Tawook and Shish Kabab on different rices, and a little side of salad with a garlic and lemon dressing.

Right: Chicken Shish Tawook on almond rice. Left: Lamb Shish Kabab on saffron rice
Side salad

We tried the Shish Kabab first, which was the marinated lamb on skewers, served on a saffron rice. I must admit, I’m not really a lamb eater (hence why we went for the lamb first) and was quite apprehensive at the sight of the menu with all of the lamb… but it was all cooked magnificently and I probably would eat lamb more often if it was always done so well! It was very soft and tender, and the saffron rice was beautifully flavoured – they went together so well that I left my last few bites of rice and lamb to eat after the chicken (I like to finish on a high note!).

Shish Kabab on saffron rice

We tried the chicken next, the Shish Tawook (marinated in garlic and lemon juice), and it was also very soft and tender, but, and I can’t believe I’m typing this, but I actually enjoyed the lamb more! I wasn’t a fan of the almond rice as it was laced with cinnamon (and I’m just not a fan of cinnamon), but Sous-Jeff quite enjoyed it.

Shish Tawook on almond rice
With our mains finished and bellies full, our plates were once again cleared and we were given another 10 minute reprieve, before dessert was served. We were given a small platter of Turkish Delight, Baklava and Mahalabia. Neither Sous-Jeff nor I are particularly fond of Turkish Delight, but in the name of trying anything once, we give it a crack. It’s ok, but not really our cup of tea, so hard to say how good it was, sorry!
Turkish Delight

The Mahalabia was a traditional Lebanese custard, topped with honey syrup, pistachios and blossom water. The first flavour to hit my taste buds was the lavendar flavour of the blossom water, which was incredibly sweet. The custard itself was beautiful, and reminded me a little of panna cotta. Sous-Jeff absolutely loved this, and actually ate half of mine. I traded him for his bit of baklava.

Mahalabi

I’ve saved the best (in my opinion, anyway!) until last. I’ve never had Lebanese Baklava before, and was a little worried that they may have snuck some cinnamon in it, which would have rendered it uneatable for me… but alas, my dessert prayers were answered, and it was absolutely perfection. Layers of crispy, golden filo pastry with assorted crushed nuts and the most beautifully sweet honey syrup. The flavours were perfectly balanced and it was absolutely magnificent. I begged Sous-Jeff to let me buy a $5.00 take away/take home pack, but to no avail. Will definitely be going back for some more soon though!

Baklava

With dessert eaten, we shuffled out of our seats, barely able to move we were so full. That enormous banquet came to a total cost of $42.00 each, which we felt was absolutely fantastic value for money. The food was all beautifully prepared and very delicious. We were very pleasantly surprised after initially going in quite hesitant, and we certainly plan on dining there again. Unfortunately, we were met with the grumpy waiter on our way out, but other than that, the staff were friendly and well organised and efficient, considering how busy they were.

 

Would rate it 8 out of 10.

How many of you have gone into a dining experience full of hesitation, only to be very pleasantly surprised?


Maroush Restaurant (Lebanese) on Urbanspoon

Mi Corazon Tequila Bar

13 Jun

Multicultural Cuisine of…

Mexico

Mi Corazon Tequila Bar
462 Lygon St,
Brunswick
(03) 9384 6153
Visit Website

The bar

Around 3 years ago, my best friend and I decided we should go out for dinner with our boyfriends. We’re both Italian, and as such, usually go out for a pizza. But this weekend, we felt like something a little different, and she asked me if I knew any good Mexican places. Real Mexican though, no Mexican-by-numbers stuff. I didn’t.

So, I jumped on Google and searched for one. What I found was a little bar on the Brunswick end of Lygon St, which had opened relatively recently, boasting an absurd number of Tequilas (over 100 varieties) and real Mexican food. I sent Poo a text with the address, and we decided to give it a go – after all, if we didn’t like it, we were already on Lygon St and could go for a pizza later.

We walked into the dark, quiet little place called Mi Corazon (my heart, or my sweetheart in Spanish), wedged  between a supermarket, travel agent, gift shop, and Fijian grocers. There weren’t a heap of people in there (it was only 6:30pm), so we settled ourselves in a couch-booth at the front of the bar and ordered a drink. We eventually made our way to our table and ordered, then scoffed our dinner. Verdict? We’ve been regular customers there ever since, and we take any and every opportunity to get back!

It’d been a while since our last visit, so we decided one of our infamous “Tequila Bar nights” was in order for the Queen’s Birthday long weekend. In honour of her majesty the queen, we would eat Mexican food, drink Tequila, and be merry. And possibly a little hungover. So, Sous-Jeff and I gathered a few of our good friends, Ms Em, EJ and Gazelle, as well as my little sister Stinky, and her boyfriend decided they’d come along for dinner before the beverages began.

We arrive at Mi Corazon to be greeted with a smile and a wave from Ash, our favouritest bar tender in the world. After reading some reviews for Mi Corazon on Urban Spoon, I was absolutely shocked to read that one reviewer was unimpressed by the “rude service” and “snooty staff.” From our very first visit, when no one knew us there, we’ve been treated like family. In fact, on our first visit, the bar’s owner, Chrissie made time to come over and say hello to us and wished us a great evening. On our next few visits, she made time to talk to us over a drink at the bar to tell us how her bar came to be and all about the different Tequilas. A few visits later, we met Ash, and he’s been amazingly kind to us too and always makes time to tell us about his latest travels, ask us how we’ve been and why we haven’t visited sooner. We’re “regulars” at Mi Corazon now, and we keep going back because of the great customer service and friendly faces, as well as the great food!
Loooooove this picture :)

This time, we’re seated right near my favourite art work in the place, which I take as an omen that it’s going to be a great night. We’re each passed a menu by Ash, and introduced to our waitress, Alex, Ash’s housemate. We have a token flick through the menu; I say token, because we all already know what we’re ordering. Between the lot of us, we’ve tried most things on there, but we all have our favourites now – it just happens to be that we all have the same favourite!

Nachos with cheese, jalapenos (removed), guacamole, sour cream and home made salsa, $15.50
Stinky and the BF order the nachos (they’re running a little late for dinner and just want a bit of a snack). For $15.50, they might sound a little pricey, but they’re definitely enough to feed two. Delicious, and a must to start dinner with (or to nibble on later in the evening over a few cocktails).
Elote – corn on a cob seasoned with chilli, lime, mayo and cheese, $6.00

Ms Em, EJ and I all have one thing on our mind to get started – the corn. We had it last time, and we’ll have it again next time. It is absolutely amazing, tastes like nothing else I’ve ever had before. The combination of the creaminess of the mayo and cheese, and the bite of the lime and chilli is just perfect, and before long, we’re all licking mayo off our faces, picking corn out of our teeth, and grinning like little kids.

Out come our matching main dishes, and Gazelle is the only one who’s ordered something different to the rest of us.

Pollo con Salsa Mole, $22.50
The Gazelle fell in love with this dish a year or so ago – he couldn’t believe his luck -  Mexican food with chocolate sauce. Wow. Although this dish has changed a little since the last time we were here and he ordered it (it was more a burrito style arrangement, drenched in the mole), he was still incredibly excited to have it placed down in front of him. The dish consists of strips of chicken breast covered in mole (a salsa made from chocolate, chile, nuts and spices), and served with black beans and a side salad. The Gazelle mentioned that the chicken was a little dry, but the mole was as magnificent as ever, and he will certainly be ordering this again – well worth the trip down from Hepburn Springs!The rest of us get ready to tuck into our meals…

Tacos Campechanos, $25.00
These are the most magnificent, spectacular, mouth-wateringly good Mexican food I have EVER eaten. Ever. And I’ve eaten quite a bit of Mexican food. For the mere sum of $25, you get three pieces of heaven – soft corn tortillas filled with grilled chorizo and beef strips, topped with onion and coriander, with a side of guacamole (which I’d happily eat from a bucket with a spoon, coz it is THAT good!) and home made hot sauce (which Sous-Jeff plucks off my plate upon arrival).


What’s so good about the Campechanos that inexplicably has (almost) the entire table order it, and out waitress to say “I don’t blame you, it’s the best thing on the menu”? The tortillas are soft, the meat is tender, the onion and coriander compliment the meats perfectly, and the guacamole is heaven. Put them all together, and it’s a party in your mouth.

About now, the live music kicks in, our meals have been wolved down, and the rest of our party arrives. With our dinner bill settled, we return to “our” booth, cocktail menus in hand, and get comfortable for a long night of Mexican beer, Tequila cocktails, and quality time talking with some of our best friends and family. Don’t get the wrong impression – we don’t come here to get blind drunk and run a muck – we come here because there are no drunk idiots being loud and annoying, there’s no super loud music that you can’t hear yourself think over, there’s not so many people packed in that you’re shoulder to shoulder with the sweaty stranger behind you, and there are no rude bar staff. After a few hours of laughing, talking, and cocktail consumption, we get up and head towards the door. Ash calls me over before we leave; “It was so good to see you all again! And don’t you forget to email me tomorrow!” With a promise of a return visit very soon, I walk out with a smile on my face, knowing that I’ll be back soon to this little bar that really does feel like home. And it’ll feel like home to you too, even if you’re not yet a regular – just give it a chance :)

 

Would rate it 10 out of 10.

How about you, readers? Any favourite eating holes that just feel like home to you?


Mi Corazon on Urbanspoon

A Melbourne Food Adventure Part 2 – The Quarter

6 Jun

 Multicultural Cuisine of…

Modern Australian


With our bellies full and hearts content, we shuffle out of the Good Food and Wine show. It’s still day light, so I decide we still have exploring to do. Poor Sous-Jeff is lugging around a bag full of goodies from the Show, but like the trooper he is, he doesn’t complain.

We start wondering back towards the Flinders St station area – the heart of Melbourne is always a good place to start when looking for truly good food! We meander in and out of alleyways. Centre Place is busy, but nothing really catches our eye there…

Continuing on our way, we end up wondering down Hosier’s Lane and decide to stick our heads into MoVida, which (yes, I know it’s disgraceful for a Melbourne foodie), we still haven’t dined at! We’ve been meaning to go since our wedding last October, as we had a few photos taken down Hosier’s Lane, and one actually taken out the front of MoVida!

Sous-Jeff had never been particularly keen on trying the tapas they serve (“I’m not eating duck liver parfait!”), but upon actually looking at the menu, he decided there were in fact a few things we could enjoy. What we wouldn’t enjoy, however, was the two and a half hour wait for dinner when we arrived at 5:45pm. Ah well, wasn’t meant to me.

Onwards we explore, eventually finding ourselves on Swanston St. I remember that Beatbox Kitchen is around here somewhere, and suggest a big fat hamburger to Sous-Jeff. His eyes light up, and we continue on to Curtin House, dragging our tired feet up the six flights of stairs to burger heaven. Only to see this sign at the top:

Not thrilled. But you know what? The Rooftop Bar was open, and they’d have cold vodka and beer, so we decide it’s time for a pit stop!

Rooftop Bar
Level 6, 252 Swanston St,
Melbourne
(03) 9654 5394
Visit Website

Although I’d been to Cookie and Toff In Town on the lower levels, I don’t think I’d ever made it quite to the top, and I’m pleasantly surprised! It’s very relaxed, laid back, and reminds me a little of Madame Brussels (which I loooooove!) with less of an artsy crowd and vibe. DJ playing, great view, quick bar service and reasonably priced beverages. Great place for pre-drinks, I’d say.

But, alas, our tummy’s were grumbling and we couldn’t deny them any longer! So we continue on our way. We try our luck at Mamasita, but are given a 50 minute waiting period. No deal. We somehow find ourselves back to the start, at Degraves St.

It’s starting to get busy and it smells amazing down there. Post-wedding and pre-honeymoon, Sous-Jeff and I stayed in the city for a few nights, and we had an amazing breakfast somewhere along Degraves one morning. We remember wanting to go back for dinner, but when we went back on the Monday night, it was of course closed. Sous-Jeff thinks he remembers the restaurant, so we head on down to check it out, and we arrive at The Quarter.


The Quarter
27 – 31 Degraves St,
Melbourne
(03) 9650 6156
Visit Website


We’re warmly welcomed by the lady at the door and shown immediately to a table. Upon first glance, it’s incredibly busy, and the tables put you almost shoulder to shoulder with your neighbour. However, the longer we’re in there, the less I notice it; I feel instantly relaxed and comfortable in the European style eatery.

Norah Jones is playing softly in the background, and the walls are lined with black and white Euro-style art and photographs. The lighting is dimmed, giving the restaurant a very Parisian street-cafe feeling, but not as pretentious. The crowd is quite mixed – young and old, couples with children and groups of young friends.


A friendly waiter appears at our table, seemingly unfazed by the Saturday-night-Degraves-St craziness, and politely inquires as to our menu selection. We make our choices, but are a little apprehensive about the wine – Sous-Jeff isn’t much of a wine man, so we have to make sure he’s happy with the bottle I’m about to select. Sensing our uncertainty, the gentleman offers us a taste of the wine first. I know this might not sound all that impressive, and in fact at most places it’s expected, but the restaurant was absolutely packed, and we really appreciated him taking the extra few minutes to do that. Good customer service, to me, is every bit as important and good food, and I think this was highlighted by the customers sitting on the tables on either side of us who also made comment on the waiter we all shared. In fact, upon hearing one lady mention that she was too full to finish her meal, but wished she could take it home for breakfast, he promptly packed it up for her in a neat parcel and wished her a very happy breakfast. Orders placed and wine poured, we relax a little and prepare ourselves for a bit of a wait, while chatting about the day at the Show. About 5 minutes and not much of a wait later, our garlic bread arrives.

Garlic Bread, $5.00

Made with Turkish bread, it’s crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, buttery but not oily, garlicky but not sickeningly so. I love garlic bread, and while this wasn’t the best I’ve ever had, it was pretty darn good!

Not too long later, out come our mains. Sous-Jeff has ordered the Open Cajun Spiced Chicken Burger – Cajun-marinated chicken breast in a Turkish bread roll, with tomato, pancetta, caramelised onions, cos lettuce, melted gruyere, served with chips and aioli.

Open Cajun Spiced Chicken Burger, $18.50

The plate is laid down and we both dive straight for the chips and aioli. There isn’t much more I love in life than crispy potato and garlicky aioli. The chips aren’t as crisp as we’d generally prefer, but they were nice and soft inside. The aioli was super creamy and the flavour very well balanced. Sous-Jeff enjoyed his burger, although he thought that the chicken breast was a little thin and he’d have preferred one thick fillet instead of two thin ones. He also mentioned that the Cajun seasoning wasn’t particularly strong – a nice flavour, but just not much of it.

Chicken Breast, $24.00

I’ve gone with the chicken breast, oven baked and stuffed with fetta and sun dried tomato pesto, served on a spinach and lemon risotto and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. My chicken was perfectly cooked and white on the inside, but unfortunately no where near enough stuffing. The risotto was a real highlight for me; I was expecting something sharp and acidic, but it was very soft, gentle and refreshing. The spinach and herbs married beautifully with the lemon risotto, and I enjoyed it so much that I’m now looking for a way of recreating it at home!

We were wayyyy too full for dessert, so we paid the bill and began our waddle back to the station for our trip home. All in all, the service at The Quarter was outstanding, and the food was quite good, but it was also still very crowded, there were no bathrooms available to customers and the menu options weren’t overly impressive.

 

Would rate it a 6.5 out of 10.


The Quarter on Urbanspoon

Onto the train we go, and enjoy quite the amusing trip home; Bill, the portly, inebriated gentleman, decided he wanted someone to chat to on his last few stops. As my nonna would say, he was “più largo che lungo” (wider than he was tall), and wanted to tell us alllllll about his daughters and the fact that he should be allowed to get drunk on the train, because at least he’s not drink driving. Finally, he disembarks, a little unsteadily, and we arrive home 15 minutes later.

Our final act of gluttony for the evening is to empty our goodie bag and plonk our tired bodies on the couch and nibble on some of our treats! Here’s what we came home with…

Randomly flavoured M&M’s from USA Foods.

Pretzel (yuk), Peanut Butter (amazing) and Coconut (perfection) M&Ms

Sauces and chutneys from Outback Spirit.

Chilli Jam, Bush Tomato Chutney and Tomato & Black Olive Chutney

A box of milk chocolate freckles from Freckleberry.

Milk chocolate freckles.

The most magnificently coated nuts that I have EVER had – I always pick up a few bags at the Good Food and Wine Show every year. Thank you ever so much, The Gourmet Nut Company (I’ve been nibbling on these as I’ve been writing this post!).

French Vanilla Almonds
Honey Roasted Cashews

Aside from the fact that I’m about 2kg heavier than I was on Saturday morning, it lived up to my expectations as one of the best days of the year. I ate, I drank, I was merry, and 24 hours later, I still feel kinda full. And yet here I am, bum on couch, nibbling on my french vanilla almonds and already excited about trying out some new tricks and ingredients that I learned about over the weekend. For those of you who haven’t been to the Good Food and Wine Show before, please go next year! You won’t regret it!

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