After finding me a seat along the wall, I ordered their Frittata with Smoked Trout and Avocado Salsa. I know that The European is reputable for having the best poached eggs in town, but I thought of saving it for another time. With a nice book in hand, flat white and breakfast, I'm all set for the day.
The frittata is nicely cooked but not the best I should say. The smoked trout still got little pieces of bones in it and, if you have a hang-over, don't think of ordering this dish. I honestly prefer my potatoes to be thinly sliced, something similar to a roesti, crunchy and not boiled. Though the egg part of the frittata has runny, scrambly eggs (the way I like them) but the potatoes are the tad too thick though soft. Not entirely satisfactory but there were some elements that worked well. Hats off to the avocado salsa. Tangy and creamy with some slivers of red onion and red chillies, I loved it with my slice of crunchy, crusty, well buttered bread, something like a crostini. Yum!
The European is an ultra-busy joint, especially on weekends. Popular with couples and families alike. It is not a good place to put your feet up and laze around on a weekend though. I found it much too crowded and "happening".After a quick breaky, I wandered off to Flinders Lane, more or less a 4 block walk from Spring Street, down to Swanston Street, until I hit The Journal Kanteen. I wasn't expecting them to be open on Sunday, but much to my surprise and delight, they were. I made a mental note to come back on another weekend for breakfast, so for now, I had coffee.
The interiors were cool and I fell in love with it. No wonder Melburnians love to hang out in this place. The pictures will prove that what I'm saying is right. However, after a few good minutes later, people started pouring in for their usual coffee and meet-ups and it became too boisterous to bear.
Cumulus Inc. is a brain child of Andre McDowell, the same genius who brought us Cutler & Co. Clearly, my expectations were set high as I enter Cumulus Inc. This small cafe has a no-booking policy, which makes it sweeter and more challenging to get a table, if you're two or more. I'm ushered to a table along the wall lined with black leather sofa, which is quite comfortable. The first thing that caught my eye was the bar. Instead of a wall, it is lined with square windows, lined with black metal. Wooden tables and chairs are dotted on the dining room. Across the bar is the open kitchen, where there is a long marbled bar-type seating. So, imagine, having parallel long bar inspired eating areas but one with dark wood and another with white marble. It looks contrasting but smart.
My server already cautioned me not to order from the meat section except for the cassoulet since the meat portions can serve two or more people. So she gave one recommendation for me to try, which is my main.
This one piece wonder is truly remarkable. I haven't seen it cooked like this before and it was a real treat both for the eyes and tongue. One single piece of scallop, wrapped smugly in speck, pan seared then topped with a raisin vinaigrette. The dressing is slightly sweet and sour so there is that good balance of flavor in just one bite. Underneath the scallop is a sort of puree. I think it is sligthly misplaced in a sense that it didn't do much for the overall taste.
This is actually the last dish to come to my table. Still, it is a good dish. There is that slight smokiness to the tongue but not salty. It goes well with a piece of bread or maybe hard cheese to give bit more saltiness but by itself, with a touch of the candied fruit, is very good cold cut.
My server recommended this to me twice. Ok. She said it is really good. Ok. It IS really good. I've never seen tuna this fresh in my life. The flesh is bright red in color, sleek but firm in texture and goes well down my throat with every bite. It's fantastic. Basically, it is fresh tuna simply dressed with olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice, on top of a bed of crushed peas and creme fraiche. Pure tastes, simple and bright presentation and leaves a good impression on flavor.
Sticky date pudding with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream is very English, and maybe, Australian as well. First time that I had this so my verdict is that it's quite good. The pudding was fluffy but I would like my caramel sauce to be thicker and richer. Topped with vanilla sauce, the warm pudding tasted better, hot and cold always hits the right notes. On a cold night cap, coffee and dessert weren't so bad.
There were a few people there since I arrived past lunchtime. Majority of them ordered fish and I saw some pieces of steak. Common! Steak at a seafood restaurant? But, ok. I'm guilty of eating while still half-full (just having lunch about 2 hours ago) but I can't resist. So I went for their Garlic Chilli Prawns entree and a James Boag. Seafood is always good with beer. Why not? On a cold day, it felt good.
My main arrived and is happy to see me. Six pieces of luscious prawns beside a bed of greens. I can't wait to tell you about the sauce. Contrary to what I know of chilli sauce, it is sweet, creamy, a hint of chilli and very, very garlicky with fresh parsley. It is really, seriously good. Prawns are fresh and rather generous for an entree. And bursting with flavor for a nicely prepared and made seafood dish. I wish I could order some more but I'll be overindulgent.
River Tea House also sells over 80 tea blends from their shop and as an online shop as well. I will definitely take a pouch of their Marco Polo before I go back to Manila.
I waited for 35 mins for this dish and the result...the poussin is really tender and well-cooked. It is rather small but no compromise on the flavors. Incredibly lemony and I love the patatas bravas. Everything on the plate is well cooked and well presented. Just one complaint that I have. Way to lemoney for my taste and nothing to cut it really. Despite the lemon olive oil already on the plate, there is a slice of lemon on the plate! Aside from that, it is a well executed dish.
Kellogg's K-Time Twists Strawberry and Blueberry Flavor. Just tried these now and they're quite good but just too sweet for me. I guess one flavor on just inside one of the twists should be enough for me.
Replete Oven Baked Corn Fritters with Smoked Salmon, Poached Egg and Tomato Chilli Relish - very nice I should say, for my first corn fritters since I came to Melbourne. Corn fritters, at some places, is part of the breakfast/brunch repertoire and should always be made with fresh corn kernels. I personally prefer the corn kernels to be sweet and ligther. Replete's version is slightly on the heavy side, and full of cumin. For me, not entirely pleasant but still nice. The tomato relish is definitely home-made, I can taste the chunky tomatoes and spicy chilli relish, making it tangy and sweet.
Ricotta Pancakes with Fresh Strawberries and Lemon Curd - I just ordered a piece of this, since I wanted to try it out. This dish is part of The Age's Cheap Eats for 2009. Honestly, the lemon curd is excellently made with the right bite and texture that I always wanted but not heavy. It was a light burst on the tongue with the bland pancake. Strawberries are not skimped with a very nice raspberry-like sauce dressed on top. Just one complaint--the pancake wasn't entirely cooked through. I can still see the batter surrounding the ricotta in the middle and sometimes I can taste the flour from the batter. Not too pleasant.
It's drizzling outside and so I just stayed inside to keep warm as well as do some homework. The Rooibos tea seemed to be a good idea, so I pulled one out. The packaging I should say is handy and the tea bags inside looks rustic, or organic I should say. Rooibos is a South African redbush tea, known for its low caffeine, low tannin and high level of antioxidants.
I love the rich, deep, red color of the tea, after less than two minutes, I can already smell the light yet herby scent from the tea. As far as taste goes, it is really nothing that I've tried before. I've had my share of black, green and white teas but this is something different. It has a clear and crisp taste that reminded me slightly of tea-flavored jelly then followed by deep earthy flavor as I swallow. It felt good on a cold day like this.
Stepping into Cutler&Co, I immediately felt welcome and ushered to my seat. My table is huge, perhaps good for four people but since I'm only one, they still managed to pull off a table for me. I almost wasn't able to get a reservation at Cutler&Co, but the nice server said that if I came in at 6pm and leave by 8:30pm, he will be able to squeeze me in. That's more than ample time for me to enjoy my three-course meal.
The interiors of Cutler&Co is basically a gradient from white to grey to brown to black, all well incorporated together. Your eyes would shift from the white ceilings and walls to the greyed cushioned sofas and chairs, down to the dark wood tables and floors. It seems like everything is well thought of and planned out for aesthetics and convenience of both diners and servers. It is amazingly well-lighted too, as I was able to take crisp pictures of my food, unlike some dinner places where the light is sparing and you have to squint to take a good look at your food.
Main: Roasted sucking pig with shallots and sherry vinegar. This is porky heaven on a plate. Coming from Manila, I am no stranger to the delicious roasted pig known as lechon. This dish truly elevated this roasted deliciousness into classy level. Instead of the usual liver-based gravy that is common to the Philippines, Cutler&Co created a sweet sherry vinegar reduction to accompany this sumptuous pork belly. It almost tasted like home, only that the sauce is light and sweet enough that I kept wiping the pork meat onto it. The best part of the dish though, is the ever-so crispy skin--crunchy and thin, it almost melts in your mouth along with the soft layer of fat then moist meat.
Dessert: Ginger granita, coconut sorbet and fresh lychee. After all that richness, I opted for a lighter dessert, something that is fresh and sweet. This one hits all the right notes. My tongue tasted the spicy ginger granita and was a bit shocked but with the coconut sorbet, fresh lychee, and tapioca pearls cooked in coconut cream.
Cutler&Co has certainly lived up to its standards on fine quality food topped with 5-star service. My experience when dining out alone hasn't always been great but at Cutler&Co, I was never left unattended. There is always a pair of eyes watching after my every need, catering to my every whim. My server is very attentive when it comes to recommendations and making sure that the meal and my overall experience is memorable. Cutler&Co is most definitely on my list of restaurants to return to before I go back to Manila.
