My Foodie/Traveller Moments in Melbourne

I love eating and walking around the city. I always have a digital camera handy just in case I see something beautiful and/or delicious. Take a while to enjoy these moments with me...

Nice Dumplings @ Camy's Shanghai Dumplings

Dumplings are one of my favorite foods. Having eaten lots of these last January at my Aunt W's house in Taipei, I have many delicious memories of dumplings prepared by my Grandmother. I haven't scowered for Melbourne's best dumplings yet but a rumbling tummy led me to a laneway in Chinatown and into an old style Chinese eatery, known as Camy's.

Maybe, for most foodies, this is as authentic as you can get of an old style Chinese restaurant. The menu items are few compared to the other swanky, luxurious style Chinatown establishments. There were some items on rice, noodles and mostly dimsums and dumplings, steamed and fried, containing chicken, beef, pork, prawns and vegetables. Stepping inside, there is a certain old world charm but I'm here for the food. But then again, I'm here for the food.

I had the Chilli Oil Dumplings. This was how I pictured these dumplings in my mind: steamed dumplings with pork and chilli oil seasoning inside. But, noooo. It is actually pork dumplings in broth/soup WITH chilli oil on top.

I had a tasting of the broth and at first sip, I gagged from the chilli oil because it hit my throat immediately with the spiciness and I coughed fiercely. Lesson learned: don't underestimate the power of chilli oil in broth. Next, dumplings. Honestly, this is one of the best I've had so far in a Western country. Of course, there would be other dumplings in China that COULD beat this but for now, this is a cracker. They are small in size, considering the price which is really, really cheap, but the dumpling wrapper was thick enough and held very well without being soggy and has a good bite to it. The pork filling was also tasty without being too salty and since the dumpling was small in size, it fits perfectly into your mouth in just one bite.

I would like to try the other dumpling fillings, namely prawn/pork and mushroom/vegetables. Mmmm...no chilli oil the next time.

Exotic Tapas @ Anada Bar and Restaurant, Gertrude Street, Fitzroy

I made a booking at Anada a few days back through their answering machine. They called to confirm three times but I wasn't able to answer their calls. I really thought that I would need to switch to another place for dinner. Good thing was they were patient and called a few hours before my reservation. And the best thing was, they gave me a table instead of just some place at the bar since I'll be dining alone. For that, I'm really grateful to have my own table and enjoy the food.

Anada is a bustling little place along Gertrude Street and with all the swank and old street charm around it, this bar definitely deserves a spot there. It also gets packed easily, with just a few communal tables, stools and places at the bar but the food, wine and atmosphere made up for it. Now, on to the food.
Aperitif #1: Romate Palo Cortado ‘La Regente’ 750ml Jerez, Spain. A nice dry sherry to start the meal and with the tapas. Not overly sweet nor too pungent that it will make you gasp. It has a lovely tinted rose pink color and a nice spicy, nutty scent as well.

Tapas #1 : Fresh sea urchin with tarragon and Pedro Ximenez. This was their special for the night. I think some people would squirm at the sight and texture of fresh sea urchin but I like it. The plump flesh was sweet and bursting with the flavor of the sea. The crunch from the tarragon slivers and rich Pedro Ximenez were good combinations but could be better.
Tapas #2: Crumbed lambs brain with red lentils. This was exquisite. I have tasted pork brains before and it was somewhat sharp but creamy. Lambs brain was a different story. If I didn't tell you that it was lambs brain, it would taste like mushrooms to you in terms of texture. There was no gamey-ness at all. It was just fresh and light, and the idea of crumbing with the red lentils were good accompaniments to the tapas. The red lentil sauce was sweet instead of tangy with tastes of cumin.

Tapas #3: Rabbit empanadilla. Another first for me. I haven't had rabbit meat before (apologies to my hare/rabbit loving cousins). The crust of the empanadilla was good and flaky but too salty for me. The rabbit tasted a lot like tuna, heavily spiked with paprika.



With my raciones: Red wine Alvaro Castro ‘Dão’ Tinto 2007 Dão, Portugal. A very drinkable red wine. I don't like red wine a lot and always opt for crisp whites but with more Spanish or Portugese reds, I might change my mind. It is smooth and tasted slightly of cherries.

My only Raciones: Slow roasted beef cheek in Romate oloroso & paprika with fava bean puree. For foodies, we know that the cheek is the best part of the animal. This is the real deal. The beef cheek was swimming in lovely tomato and fava bean sauce. I think this was the softest, silkiest piece of meat I've ever tasted and how fortunate I am to have it all to myself. The fava bean puree was also divine. You can just use the spoon to scoop up the beef cheek's flesh and just your fork to lightly drag it apart. Of course, do not forget the sauce!


Sweet sherry: Romate Cream ‘La Sacrista’ 30 yr Jerez, Spain. This is worlds apart from the Pedro Ximenez sherry that I had at MoVida. In terms of color, La Sacrista was lighter in color and less richer in terms of taste. It is sweeter than the Pedro Ximenez, almost like a dessert in itself.

Dessert: Blood Orange Yoghurt Cake with Pistachios. This was the least of my favorite of the night. Everything was on the tangy side and seems like they have forgetten about to consider the sweet side of the dish. Blood Orange, sour. Yoghurt cake, slightly sour. Yoghurt, sour. Can be better.

Anada knows what its about in terms of serving up good tapas and raciones. Every dish was executed with care and a certain liveliness as well. It is not pretentious and does not forget to bring the boldness of flavors from the food to the wine and to its ambiance.

Best Breakfast @ Dench Bakers, Scotchmer Street, North Fitzroy

I'm lost. Again. Instead of turning right into Scotchmer Street, I walked another block down Nicholson Street. That was why I ended up sitting outside Dench Bakers. It's 9am and it's cold. Sigh. But the food and the service were as warm as ever. I was looked after decently, unlike some experiences where the servers don't really care as much as their next customer, unless you're their friend. There were a series of unfortunate events today. Aside from sitting outside in the cold, I wasn't able to take pictures inside Dench Bakers. Next unfortunate event was that I didn't bring enough cash to stash more pastries other than two croissants back to the city.

Breakfast. Potato rosti, smoked salmon, lemon and dill dressing, rocket and 2 poached eggs. Lovely. I don't know how it all worked so well together but they did. Slight crunch and warmth of the potato rosti with the smoked salmon enhanced the richness with the silky yolks of the poached egg then the fresh bitter rocket leaves came along, the final straw was a few drops of fresh lemon. Delish! My mind was rolling, thinking how to replicate the potato rosti.


I double ordered. I called for a piece of blackberry danish. My fault entirely. I allowed myself to be seduced by this delicious piece of pastry...warmed. I've had no formal experience in tasting danishes but I know I found a good one. Or, the best one I've had in Melbourne. I bit into the crisp danish and I can feel the layers and layers of snaps and softness on my teeth. As I chewed away, the sweet and slightly buttery tastes melded so well together, I wanted another bite. Now. It didn't end there. I came to the center, with the thin layers of custard underneath those fresh blackberries. That's another story of delight. It was a tangy, juicy and the perfect sweet sensatin just oozing into your mouth. I can't think of a better pastry to match this one.


The breakfast experience that I've had left me with mixed feelings. Happy because of the great breaky and pastry. Sad because I should've brought more cash!

Malaysian Noodles @ Laksa Me, Liverpool Street, Little Bourke

The gang and I went out to lunch today. One of them complained that we always take packed lunches to the office every Fridays while the rest of the office eats out. OK. There were two choices: 39+ Pizzeria and Degustation OR Laksa Me both along Little Bourke. Being Asians, all votes went to Laksa Me.

We didn't book, but we still managed to get a table since we arrived early. Within some 10-15 mins, the place was packed. We ordered an appetizer, Mini Rolls. Hmm, I can't quite make of what's this dish is. To describe, it's minced meat and prawns wrapped in rice rolls and deep fried. Not as tasty as I wanted it to be or maybe my expectations of a deep fried spring roll dish is different from what's in Malaysia. The filling isn't as full as I would've hoped it to be and the sauce would be better if it were a sweet and spicy sauce as opposed to just a spicy one.

My dish is the My Mum's Laksa. When my bowl came, I can't see the noodles anywhere. It was submerged under all the broth. I pushed the noodles to the side of the bowl on a heap, so I can take a better picture of my meal. There were a few things in there, 2 pieces of chicken breast, 3 pieces of sliced pork asado, and 1.5 pieces of shrimp. That's all I can remember eating. The texture of the rice noodles was firm and silky, which I liked. The broth...hmm...I really don't know how to describe this. Maybe it's because of my lack of experience with all things Malaysian BUT I kept scraping my mouth/tongue for thin strands of lemongrass. The broth wasn't as rich as I thought it would be. I felt a slight bitterness as the soup slid down my throat which was not pleasant at all. The broth does smell good but the taste failed for me. Then, it could be just me...

Early Bird's Breakfast @ Sparrow's Nest, Queen Street

I can't really remember why I saw this place. But at first glance, I thought that this was a flower shop from the colorful pots displayed on the window sill. As I peeked inside, hey, it's a cafe, and a cozy one at that. I took a mental note to come back and now, here I am. Sparrow's Nest is run by two young ladies, serving Genovese coffee, sandwiches and pastries. It's pretty simple and well organized. They work well too, like they can read each other's minds, taking note of each one's next move. Uncanny.
My eyes did their usual scan over the breakfast board. I'm craving for a good croissant, so prosciutto and gruyere croissant it is. The Sparrow's Nest feels cheery and warm, like...being inside a nest. If this is how a real nest feels like, I would like to stay here for the rest of the day. Interiors are bright and light to the eyes and different from the usual cafe that has that damp, old feeling. You can see people dressed in their suits and heels ordering coffee and some quick pastry for take away.
My prosciutto and gruyere croissant came, warm and oozing with melting cheese. Mmmm...croissant is relatively good. Coffee, however, is too weak for me, almost like drinking water. An area for improvement for coffee drinkers like me who prefer their coffee strong and rich.
I wonder when will be the next time that I'd be lured back to the Sparrow's Nest again...

Tailor Made Asian @ Seamstress Restaurant and Bar, Lonsdale Street

Being in the presence of the Seamstress brought me back to my childhood days. It distinctively reminds me of a store where I used to spend my summer days in, my Uncle W's cloth shop in Manila. His shop was relatively small, packed to the hilt with rolls and rolls of cloth in every possible color and texture--satin, silk, cotton, polyester, mixed textiles in all shades and prints of the season. As a little girl, I would used to sit in a corner of the shop, watching the world walk pass by with his numerous clients and retail customers. I used to love the smell of cloth, yes, it's the stark, crisp smell of moth balls and laundry soap and millions of thin threads laced together to form yards and yards of lovely or odd patterns. That's the smell I got when I entered the Dining Room in Seamstress, which is on the second floor. Near the doorway was an old Singer sewing machine, another familiar sight. I gingerly touched the Singer and I knew I am being trasported back to where I once was again, to my old home in Manila, where I can see my Grandma sewing our shorts and pajamas, tablecloths and curtains. Nostalgia.

What impressed me the most was the rawness of the interiors inside the Seamstress. It looked like there was little planning involved but every detail displayed originality and stayed true to the tailor shop theme. Where to begin. Ceiling. Draped with shades of cloth, creating the auburn, mahogany, red, orange brightness which sets the mood. Walls. White and left rustic with plants in glass tube vases in mid-air supported by metal hangers. Floor. Mid-toned brown wood with matching tables and chairs.

Servers are cheery and eager to help without being invasive and snooty. For the food, I opted for tonight's special "Tailor-Made" Dumpling which is beef, ginger and chilli, followed by the Twice Cooked Duck. The menu is simply divided into 4 sections for the savory part,: Small, Medium, Large and X-Large. I limited myself to the Small and Medium, and a dessert for later.

Tailor Dumplings - Beef, Ginger and Chilli - These dumplings weren't the best I've had in Melbourne. I kept comparing the very good dumplings I've had at Shanghai Dumplings but that's a different story. There are a couple of points to remember about dumplings. First, the dumpling wrapper. It has to be the perfect casing that can hold the filling and carry the sauce that oozes from the dumpling. When you bit into it, all the juices will come pouring out and dripping from your mouth. Wrapper-wise, too thin and a bit doughy. I kept having the feeling that it's not cooked but then it is. Next, the filling, has to be juicy and sweet and not overly salty since you HAVE to dip it in the tangy dippin sauce. I didn't like the beef inside as much as I wanted to.

Twice cooked Duck Breast, chrysanthemum leaves and toasted beechworth and chestnut praline - Wow. I really didn't know how they did this, but cooking the duck breast twice will end up with rubbery and tough meat. This duck breast, however, was supple and all lovely pink and sliced thickly. Another note, the skin was damn crispy, not soggy and oily. Everytime my table knife sliced into the meat, it's like a hot knife cutting through butter. Perfect. The greens addded freshness to the dish and I want a tub of those chestnut praline! I ended up scooping the chestnut praline underneath the greens. So good. The combination of the juicy duck breast and sweet crunchy praline then fresh greens was exceptional. Btw, the greens tasted like a cross between celery and parsley.

Dessert - Brown sugar and banana custard, peanut praline ice cream - The brown sugar came in the form of a caramelized crunchy top with a creamy banana custard but not too sweet. For me, it tasted naturally of bananas, without the fake banana essence. Another treat was the smooth peanut praline ice cream. I really hope this was made in their kitchen, because it tasted way better than Ben and Jerrys.

My last treat was my soy flat white from Coffee Supreme, which I think I'll rank as next best to Giancarlo coffee, with a fortune cookie :) I don't think that I've had fortune cookies before, so I have to admit that I'm feeling a bit excited as I cracked it. So I'll end my entry with my fortune cookie's message to me...

Good Pappardelle @ Kojo Brown, Bridge Road, Richmond

I love it when you don't notice the time while window shopping and ending up having breakfast and lunch around one area. It's my first time at Bridge Road, amidst all the stores (with the Sale sign on). Truely, it's difficult to focus on just one store but for 2 months, I've been saving up for better food days. I've just had breakfast at Porgie + Mr Jones. As the tram whizzed by Bridge Road, my eyes wandered to Kojo Brown. After a couple of hours walking along Bridge Road, I walked back to Kojo Brown for lunch.

I'm battling between ordering one of the items from their brunch or lunch section. It's difficult because everything looked different and sounded good from first sight. I chose between potato fritters and the osso bucco pappardelle...the Italian won. Along with this, I ordered a flavored San Pelligrino Rossa which is a good palate cleanser.

Braised Osso Bucco Pappardelle - this is a good dish with delicious strands of beef in rich, red sauce. I can taste rosemary, thyme, oregano in the dish, with fair amounts of parsley as well. The red sauce is to die for, it's tangy and sweet but I think that there are better Italian places that serve up a mean osso bucco dish but for today, this one hits the spot. For a winter-y weather in the city, this dish brought me the warmth that I needed.


I admire the interiors of KB. It gave me the feeling that it's split up into three sections, from white to grey to black but it's not in anyway related to the colors mentioned. It must be the way the light played with the shadows in the cafe, where I felt that I was seated in the grey area, not too bright, not too dark.

It has that very grungy, edgy feel--almost punk rock. The bar was set up with fully-stocked alcohol behind it and I'm loving the chandeliers!

The red brick wall brought another dimension to the whole area, adding contrast to the trashy look mixed with the suburban style. Overall, Kojo Brown is a guy who listens to hard metallic rock music but lives in a country shack. I'll be visiting his home again. Potato fritters, here I come.

Simple Breaky @ Porgie + Mr Jones, Auburn Road, Hawthorn

The uniqueness of Porgie + Mr Jones doesn't stop with its name. From the food to the ambiance, Porgie + Mr Jones is one of the best breakfast places I've been to. The ambiance is very country, off the road style, with rustic floor boarding to the white brick walls and washed out tables. Part of the cafe is communal, the rustic area, and it doesn't stop there. Inside, there were plush red sofa chairs and tables, something that made me feel that came out of Alice in Wonderland. Cheery and stylish. The industrial lights even made it to the cafe but none of them seem to be out of place. When we arrived, the place was uber busy, which made me feel like the staff has been working 24/7.


The menu is short and curt but unique. Unlike some cafes that have a short list of the usuals, Porgie + Mr Jones has already gone past that. There were signatures that made the cafe as famous as its atmosphere and warmth. Mr Jones Scrambled Eggs and McPorgie are promising at this hour in the morning, so I settled for McPorgie. This little baby boasted of shaved leg of ham, "creamy dreamy scrambles" and emmenthal cheese on an english muffin, reminiscent of, you guessed it, McMuffin. But this is country-style McMuffin, different to the original ham, cheddar cheese and whole egg. It's funny that the small thing arrived on a plate, I was actually expecting it to be served wrapped in parchment paper. The taste was close to the real McMuffin, only better and though not as tasty, was light and fluffy on the inside with the creamy scrambled eggs.
Along side McPorgie, I ordered the Noisette croissant with Bonne Maman jam and butter. The nice waitress allowed me to choose the flavor of jam I wanted, and replaced the apricot with the four fruits flavor. If Noisette weren't that far away, I would gladly go there at least once a week for croissants but going to Hawthorn is not all that bad. Croissants...the man who invented this is a genius. Layered crunchiness and with soft, luscious pastr underneath, it's the mother of all puffed pastry. With a smother of jam and some butter in every bite, I could easily wipe out 3 of these in one seating.

I can't wait to come back to Porgie + Mr Jones for another round of Noisette's pastries or have try another one of its signature breakfast items.

David Jones' Food Hall @ Bourke Street

David Jones' Food Hall is definitely one of the better places that I want to be in. Imagine almost the good food stuff in one place, serving pizzas, sandwiches, baguettes, fresh produce, pastries, desserts, pies...I think I can go on and on. For today, I resorted to try their fresh cookies and shepherd's pie.

I took some lovely pictures of the cookies from the foil to what's inside. I took the sampler pack that holds 11 cookies. I can't remember all of them but as far as all of them goes, their textures are all the same just the flavorings were somehow different. The most interesting one, though is the anzac and wattleseed cookie. I haven't had one of these before and I think this will make a good gift. The taste was pretty much like a fruit cake without the dried fruits and brandy. The best one of the lot is the chocolate chip. Simple, crunchy and packed with chocolate goodness.

More nice pictures...

Afternoon Dessert @ Brown Sugar, Little Collins

This was where I got my first taste of GianCarlo coffee and I know I'm hooked forever. My first choice of coffee is usually Roma Coffee that was served at Journal Kanteen and The European. During weekends, my regular stroll would take me to Little Collins and Flinders Lane, still searching for the best hang-out cafe that is not too boisterous but with the enough chit-chat to keep the place lively. So far, Brown Sugar Cafe has been fitting the bill just right. One of these weekends, I might drop by early for breakfast but this afternoon, I just want to stay for a couple of hours for a good book, dessert and coffee.


I'll bet Brown Sugar can serve up a mean lunch or early dinner but I'm just too full to eat anything, except dessert. I remembered my first experience with sticky date pudding at Lorne, so I wanted to continue my quest. The dessert menu at Brown Sugar is neatly written with white marker on the mirror along with the lunch specials. There were lemon tart, pudding, chocolate mud cake, biscuits and sticky date pudding among them.


After a few minutes later, a delicious mound of date pudding arrives, with the "sticky" and creamy bit swirled around the plate. The pudding is soft and fluffy but the caramel, I'm not really sure. I think I would like the caramel richer and stickier and darker. With that, my quest continues...