French Sunday Brunch @ Embrasse, Carlton

I've got one word to describe Embrasse--lovely. All thanks to the waitress, who made my experience worth-remembering. Embrasse is a bit easy to miss as I walked along Drummond Street. I was expecting it to be all classy, clean, chic--or, in short, every French. It looked typical at first, but looking a bit closer, it was chic in its own way. The dining area was dotted with tables covered with striped grey and black linen, coupled with black walls, ceilings and chrome chandeliers. The bar is also distinct in its own way, with shiny mirrors behind liquours.

I was the first one in Embrasse because I like to be early and like the feeling that I have the place to myself. I ordered accordingly, having seen the menu in advance in their website. Mushroom and egg cocotte with baby leek and banana and chocolate croustillant, which my server described as puffed pastry, good when served warm.

The only cocotte that I made was my own version, with parma ham and mushrooms, which was not very successful but edible. Their version, however is clean and straightforward yet tasty. It was satisfying with the warm, happy yolks. The baby leek was much needed to add flavor. I couldn't believe that a small stalk would make so much difference! This baby leek is a crucial flavor to the success of this dish but not overpowering.

This was the highlight of my brunch. I was hesitant to order it at first, but my server assured me that it's nothing huge. It was the perfect item to cap off my meal. Yes, it is the French version of turon, without being too sweet or pretentious. It is what it is. Fried filo with mashed bananas with no added flavor except smother it with the chocolate sauce for that bitter-sweet lusciousness. Just right. I wish I could record the crunch when my table knife sliced through the pastry. Best sound of a good dessert.

I haven't described any of the people who served my meal, maybe except this time. She is friendly and seemed French, but got an Australian accent in her English. She pronounced all the French words superbly and graceful in every movement. She is also curt, without moving too fast, but just in time to notice that my glass of water was half full or I'm already done with my meal. She also said "thank you" every time I complimented the dish with a simple, "it's delicious", which made me want to return to Embrasse for more. But, above all, I think the best thing about the restaurant is that it can serve good French food with style and delicacy, without all that frou-frou that people expectd and dictated on how it should be.

Quickie Friday Breakfast @ Breadwell Cafe, Flinders Lane

An empty tummy calls for breakfast on an early Friday morning. I've been convincing myself to try Breadwell for some time now. All the while, I'm thinking that this could be just your ordinary cafe, serving up the usual fare for early breakfast goers. My office is a few blocks away from the cafe, so why not?

Breadwell Cafe, by size, is small. And like most cafes, it's atmosphere is warm and welcoming, with a few staff and a guy who serves up the coffee at the bar for those dining in and taking them away to start their work day. Where Breadwell is different was these points: (1) almost everybody who orders coffee here, knows the guy who makes it, and his name is Paul, (2) breakfast is served quickly, and I do mean less than 5 mins, and (3) the place is packed to the rafters with office people hungry for a quick breakfast. Amazing. I didn't expect that Fridays at Breadwell Cafe would be so busy.

Taking in the interiors, three things caught my eye: (1) lovely Egyptian-themed light shades which give the room an almost stylish yet still down-to-earth feel, (2) romantic English style tea cups which they use to serve up long blacks and flat whites, then finally (3) Genovese coffee. Here's the thing. I always go for coffee at an Italian cafe in the Central Station and they serve up pretty good Genovese coffee. But, here in Breadwell, Genovese coffee is kicked up a knotch. It is down-right good. Creamy, no burnt aftertaste, smooth and luscious. It felt almost like drinking caramel...skinny caramel, that is. I'm attaching the cute sugar bowl on my table. Really sweet.

Menu ranges from the simple (regular fry-ups) to the quite exotic (Israeli breakfast) but, early in the morning, I'm not so ready to devour something from a far country. So I settled for Baked Beans with Spicy Sausage with a soft Poached Egg with Sourdough bread. There are several reasons to try this, one being that the closest thing I've eaten for baked beans is really a can of pork and beans back in Manila. Next, MNG loves baked beans with poached egg, which I really don't get (well, since I haven't tried it). And lastly, I haven't tried anything spicy for breakfast, until now. So all together, I'm a novice at the experience and I'm willing to try.

Breakfast arrived quickly so devouring is in place. At first, the dish looks oddly familiar, because I just tried the Baked Eggs at the Orange Cafe. Then again, it's not quite. The baked beans are naturally good, and they are not from the can. They are soft and fluffy then adding the yolky texture of the soft poached egg into it is just not easy to describe. It is definitely a textural thing but altogether is not bad at all. I think maybe it is meant to be that way. Steely, yolky texture of the egg with the sweet tang of the tomato sauce. The sausage is fresh and spicy which is another surprise for someone like me who is used to vacuum-packed sausages. Nice on a thick slice of sourdough. I just dipped pieces of the bread into the tomato sauce. Mmmm...

I've read from an article that Breadwell also offers different takes on their sandwiches and are deemed to be not so ordinary than the rest of the cafes out there. Maybe I'll grabe one soon, when I'm looking for something exotic, yet home-y.

Hunger Pangs: Pacific BBQ Cafe, Lonsdale Street

By the looks of this place, this really isn't a cafe in anyway at all by Melbourne standards and, yes, it is a Chinese Restaurant. I think there are 3 or more branches of Pacific BBQ Cafe in Melbourne, all by 7PM will be swamped with people, Aussies and Asians alike, who like their roasts tasty and fast.

I've been to Pacific BBQ three times since I've been here, first of which was an attempt to go to the Greek Precinct to have dinner, but surprisingly, there's a Chinese Resto along the area. Weird that the Greek community did not object to it.

My usual order is the Roast Duck with Dried Noodles. I've had it for three times also, not wanting to order anything else from the long list of menu. Most of the people who go there also order their roast items and you can have it on rice, noodle soup or dry noodles. The roast duck here has been arguably the best in Melbourne, because of its crispy skin, soft tasty meat, glossy exterior reeking with duck fat and the smell. Yes, roast duck can smell good too.

So I hurried to the Lonsdale Street branch where I had my first taste of the roast duck wonder and ordered my usual. I took it home and quickly took a few shots at it with the broth and devoured it with gusto. (Wasn't able to finish the soup and noodles but the duck was not spared).

As far as taste is concerned, I'm sure that there are better versions of roast duck in Melbourne, but I believe that the best is yet to come...maybe in another country, say, China?

Melbourne Fine Diner Series, Part I: The Press Club

The Press Club channels itself to its patrons as modern, Greek cuisine. Walking up to its dark wood floors gave off a rustic feel, yet welcoming among its warm coffee-coloured interiors. Splashes of white linen and sparkling wine glasses neatly align the dining area, while all diners will have a full view of the action emulating from the open kitchen.

I considered myself lucky having to dine at such upscale places and figured that maybe, it will just come once in my life. I decided to make the most of it so I took the four-course Lunch Kerasma. It was a bargain, considering the percentage of my stomach to the percentage of the food I’m about to enjoy. Dining in The Press Club has been my longest lunch to date, it took me almost two hours to finish and savour every bite of the course.

This wasn’t really the first course but I loved it anyway. Almost every restaurant I’ve been to served crusty bread with olive oil and fleur de salt but this one was different. Olive oil from Cyprus and volcanic sea salt. Beat that. The olive oil was rich and full-bodied. I didn’t expect I’d say this but it tasted really good. I didn’t really know the difference but the olive oil was also fragrant. The volcanic salt had a story of its own. Yes, so what’s with the salt? It’s just salty, right? No. It tasted irony but still delicate enough to accompany the rich olive oil and soft then dough-y bread. Sprinkled on top of a small piece of the bread dipped in olive oil, it was a match that should always be for every piece of crusty bread.

First course eventually came and I was a bit overwhelmed. Only then did I realize that what I was about to devour is good enough for two. Anyway, better brace myself.

Saganaki with a shot of Cucumber, Candied Olives and Tomato – the saganaki was a piece of either pan-fried or grilled haloumi cheese on a stick over a shot of juice made from cucumber with bits of candied olive and tomato. One word to describe: excellent. Warm piece of haloumi washed down with cool cucumber with crunchy bits of cubed tomato and sweet olives. Yum!

Marinated Octopus – tangy and sharp in taste but something about the grilled baby octopus was creamy and sweet. I can see the paprika that it has been marinated on along with olive oil.

Bresaola and Feta – I haven’t tried bresaola and I’ve only seen it on TV. The taste was complex. Bite that gives a little, light saltiness and a bit gamey but paired with the feta it was a pure delight to the palate. The two thin pieces of meat was well marbled with fat and cured red meat.

Marinated Cabbage – Ok. This really looked interesting. At first, I thought it was stir-fried cabbage. Sorry. It was a refreshing twist to what you can do to your usual cabbage. I think the cabbage was cooked from the marinade of lemons, olive oil and herbs. One distinct taste: cilantro. What was surprising was that the cabbage leaves were crisp and light instead of soggy and boring.

Second course came while I was still contemplating on the delights of my first course.

Shredded Lamb Wrapped in Filo Pastry with Grape Dressing and Yoghurt– Another one of my favourite mezzes. I have no idea how they made the dressing but I loved the grape and sultanas with pieces of chives. It was just light and the lamb with filo almost melted when I cut through it with my table knife.

Soft Shell Shrimps with Almond Honey Dip – Now this was something special. Not because of the shrimps, I’ve had these before. What made this special was the almond honey dip. The honey was so thick and sharp, I could imagine myself walking on a field of wild flowers and the warm sun on my skin. I literally closed my eyes as the sticky syrup lingered on my tongue and heard myself whispered, mmmm. It was that good.

Third course was the main. It consisted of two small main dishes and several small sides.

Salt-Crusted Salmon – How do I describe this dish? It was the best roasted salmon I’ve ever had in my life. It made the grilled salmon that I had at Donovan’s looked like a futile effort on the grill and roast. I felt that I’ve reached culinary heaven with this piece of baby right here. Perfectly medium-rare, full of flavour with a crispy skin, no trace of overdone-ness anywhere on the piece of coral flesh. The colour of the salmon flesh was gradient, from pale pink to bright coral, almost orange.

Roasted Chicken from the Rotisserie – Just ok. I had better. I can’t believe that the chicken thigh meat was dry and a bit tough. Good try, though.

Roasted Potato Wedges – I think my version of oven roasted baby potatoes is better. I found them a bit dry both inside and outside.

Beetroot Salad – Now this was one of my favourite sides. I loved the simple combination of yoghurt, lemon and sweet cubed beetroot with chives.

Couscous with pine nuts and herbs – Just ok.

Greek Salad – One of the good versions of Greek Salad that I had. No scrimping on crumbled feta here.

Last course: Dessert

Black Forest Panna Cotta – It was a good thing that they had this panna cotta in a glass. I sometimes don’t like the texture of panna cottas, especially when I see them wobbling. This one was a different twist from the usual vanilla panna cotta with fruits and even better, it has chocolate and wine-marinated cherries. Inside of the panna cotta was also a sweet surprise – shredded milk chocolate. So good!

Greek Donuts with Crushed Almonds and Honey – This was just ok but a delicate take on the usual street fare.

Walnut Cake with Chocolate Mousse and Vanilla Ice Cream – I can see the caviar from the vanilla pods on the ice cream which is a good sign. The walnut cake was also good and felt like a gooey biscuit. It wasn’t the best dessert around but decent enough to be part of the course.

The Press Club really did not disappoint when it comes to variety and bold flavours that can be seen and tasted across all the dishes that I’ve had. Everything has an authentic Greek flavour but with a modern twist. Some mezzes stick to their original formula while others are simply better with that something extra special. The restaurant truly is a Hellenistic institution on its own, serving up real Greek fare but at the same time knows how to be adventurous and veer away from the ordinary.

Sunday Breakfast at Las Chicas (Carlisle Street, Richmond)

Woke up early enough to get to Las Chicas for breaky. According to a review, the place can be packed on weekends. I haven’t heard of the place but I hoped that the breakfast will be good. I love breakfasts! I think it is a good reason to wake up and just eat a lot, thinking that you can burn it off during the day. Eating a full breakfast can also ease hunger pangs (my next meal was 4PM) and set my mind off food…for a while at least.

My mind still wasn’t functioning efficiently and I stepped off 8 stops earlier than I was supposed to. Damn! So I walked 5-6 blocks just to get to Las Chicas. This was my first time along Carlisle Street, so I guess that’s a plus and I got to exercise with a low-batt brain. My walking and looking had me almost missed Las Chicas. Outside the store was colored with greyish almost black paint, with the letters in vertical.

Coffee arrived. It was good and gave the right buzz for my brain to function again. Mental note: Orange Café’s was better.

Surveying the place, it is a mixture of so many things: quirky and rustic to modern and sexy to warm and out-of-town feel. Seems like the place is trying to be everything at once…and who says you can’t?

Several reviews told me to order their special: BBB, short for Bikini Blowout Breakfast. I’m not really sure what it means, though. Two rounded poached free-range eggs smothered with hollandaise sauce, sitting on bacon and smashed avocado. And all this, sandwiched between sliced white sesame bagel. When I took a second look at my breakfast, the shape of the poached eggs looked like…uhmm…I’ll let you do the thinking =). So I dug in. I was in a dilemma. I didn’t know what was good about the combination but it sent a warm sensation from my palate to my digestive system. Sleek yolks + crispy, smoky bacon + creamy, rich avocado + slight tang of hollandaise. I savoured every mouthful, contemplating on what could have made the combo unique, tasty and out-of-this-world good.

Below was my first friand with raspberry. It was buttery and crumbly at the same time.

As I left Las Chicas, the tram stop back was just in front of the joint. The sun was just shining out, welcoming but with a cool wind to match. I figured that I wouldn’t mind walking a few blocks ahead. I walked away from Las Chicas with a full, happy tummy.

Orange Café and minor Chapel Street Fare

I left the apartment late at 11am and went looking for a place that serves good breakfast at Chapel Street. I know that Chapel Street is renowned for its quirky shops and food. But where can I find one that is different? I think I’ve had enough of the usual fry-ups and eggs benedicts for now, so different is definitely what I’ll be looking for. I guess the fashionista in me was also craving for some serious shopping, so I walked along Chapel Street, hoping to pass by an interesting café to appease my hunger pangs. I passed by several cafés, all had that old school feel, jam-packed with people, who were still having breakfast at close to 12 mid-day. I saw Orange Café from across the street and just thought to give it a shot. Take note—there are two Orange Cafés beside each other and both are somewhat full, so imagine its popularity for those who know and live their lives around Chapel Street.

After a table for one was allotted for me and latte ordered, next is to determine what’s on the menu. It is the first time that I see baked eggs on the menu and the couple seated next to me are giving off oohhs and aahhs from their breakfast ordeal, so this is a good sign. There is a section called Grazing on the menu and it looks like servings of single treats—rabbit and quail line up the list. I’m not feeling so adventurous today to try rabbit (I’m reserving this for another day), so I went for the baked eggs breakfast with feta and chorizo and crispy spiced quail with lemon.

Now, I never raved about coffee here. But this time, I have to say something. Coffee at Orange is one of the best ones I’ve had since I came to Melbourne. I’ve been looking for good coffee but not great coffee and my latte was great. Full-bodied without the acidic, burnt, bitter after taste. So smooth and rounded. I was tempted to order a second round. I need to come back and have another cup.

Soon enough, breakfast was served along with the crispy quail. Baked eggs with feta and chorizo with a slice of sourdough bread. At first, it didn’t look too big for me, which was good. It smelled fantastic. The lot was in a small cast-iron pan, all warm and cozy. So, does it taste as well as it looks? Yes! Spicy chorizo with crumbled feta and tomato sauce underneath baked eggs. I wasn’t expecting breakfast to be this way and never had it this way too. I was among the ones making oohhs and aahhs while devouring my breakfast.

Half-way through it, I went for the spiced quail. True enough, it was delicious—crispy, lightly flavoured with salt and pepper and spicy. I can see the bits of green and red chillies on top. The lemon gave just the right amount of taste to the palate, finishing with the prompt combination of saltiness and freshness.

While eating away, I thoroughly enjoyed the friendly and helpful staff amidst all the clutter and chatter of the crowd with old pop jazz music playing in the background. The bar is aligned with the usual liquors and spirits but you can see antique radios and old records, old ceiling fans and dimly-lit with rusty lamps beside each other.

My Chapel Street adventure continued to Oliveria, where they sell almost everything made with olive oil from body and hair care to food. Some interesting finds: hard to find pestos and dips, canters filled with different flavours of olive oil (from sun-dried tomato to oregano), white balsamic vinegar and olives of various kinds and colors. The most intriguing one that I wanted to try was the Chilli Chutney. I remembered watching Jamie Oliver make one from scratch and has been intrigued about the taste ever since. Who would have thought that I’d find it here in Prahran.

Next stop, Brioche by Phillip. I haven’t had a brioche before but seeing the que in the store just egged me on to try one. I got the vanilla brioche (because the man who came ahead of me in the line got the last ham and béchamel brioche, hmph) and walnut and cranberry bread. Both were equally good but I’m more of a W&C person.