Imagine all of Melbourne's best produce and best restaurants with their chefs under one roof. That's the Taste of Melbourne. When I heard of the event, I knew I had to go. This event comes once a year and started a few years back. The review last year was almost terrible but I only found that out after I bought the ticket. Still, I want to give it a shot. Nothing to lose now anyway. When I arrived at the Royal Exhibition Building, there was already a queue of people waiting for the doors to open. After some guards checked our tickets and some ushers handed us the Menu Cards, I thought that 30 crowns won't be enough. There were 13 restuarants offering 3 dishes each, along with extensive selections of wine and fine foods. I bought an additional 10 crowns just in case. Then, it began to rain. Good thing, they noticed and they let us in a good 10minutes earlier. I have two goals in mind: to use (and maximize) up all my crowns and sample as many bites as I can.
I walked around the exhibit grounds from end to end first, then opted for a glass of wine to start. I sampled a small amount of Pinot Noir from Hollick's Wine (2 crowns), which was not too robust but fresh enough to start with. Next, I went to Fifteen and had their Giorgio’s “Fior di buratta” (8 crowns). The description: A fresh Italian cheese made from mozzarella and cream, with salami and Fifteen’s olive oil. I looked for a place to sit, eat and take some pictures. The Fior di buratta was sumptuous. It was both light and rich. The light milky taste came from the firm outside of the mozzarella and the creamy texture from the oozing cheese inside. Delicious. Paired with a few slices of salami, pepper and olive oil, it was definitely a great start.
I looked intently at the menu card, pondering on what I should try next. I decided to walk around and sample some more wines, liquers and beers. I walked to Baddaginnie Run and tried their Rose. It was, to my limited experience with wine, the best and freshest I had. The lovely lady from the booth was also nice enough to tell me more about their other wines and the texture and flavor of the Rose. I ended up buying a bottle back. Next, I sampled Pama's Pomegranate Liquer. It was pretty much what it is, pomegranate with alcohol. Still walking, I stopped by Red Hill to sample their beer. I tried their Golden Ale and was surprised with how good it tasted. There was no bitter aftertaste and was totally smooth with a warm end. The beer was light enough and made me want to have it with chicken or fish and chips.
My next stop was Rutherglen Estates. I favor white wines over reds and two different varieties caught my eye: Arneis and Viognier. Apparently, Arneis is like the French Sauv Blanc while Viognier like the Chardonnay. It was light, crisp and clean, and I can taste some pears in that. I also bought a bottle of this home. Holding my wine sample, I went over to Nobu. I was really struggling as to whether I should try the Black Cod with Miso or the Pork Belly with Spicy Miso (12 crowns). I chose the latter since I've pretty much calculated how much I should be spending. The Pork Belly for me was a bit of a let down because it was too simple. There was nothing special about it except maybe for the spicy miso. The pork belly, though soft and tender, was a bit average and lacked that wow factor.
Moving along, I sampled some more wines from Bobbie Burns (Classic Shiraz). It tasted a bit strong and pungent with a taste of blackberries. After that wine, I think that I've had enough, so I walked over to The Courthouse to have their Mauritian tamarind cured kingfish and scallops with green chilli, curry leaf and ocean trout pearls (8 crowns). The scallops and kingfish were fresh and briny without being fishy. It was almost sweet and the fresh chillis added just the right amount of kick to keep me awake.
Now, I was eyeing the brightly lit Chandon stand. Why not have one? I realized that one glass costs 12 crowns! But, I probably won't drink Chandon every day, so I decided to add more crowns. I had the Chandon Brut Rose Sparkling and it was fantastic. It made me feel...classier. The color of the sparkling was hynotizingly sweet and the taste was light and sweet.
With that note, I went over to Maha Grill for some dessert. When I arrived at their stall, they have this massive queue! Apparently, they combined the queue for Maha Grill, the Press Club and Hellenic Republic. But, their crew was experienced and the kitchen worked double time. Less than 2 minutes, my Turkish delight filled doughnuts, with pine nut sugar and rosewater honey (8 crowns). The donuts were crisp on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside, the Turkish delight was gooey and melting. The honey and rosewater tied the dessert up altogether. It's a must try for everyone who loves dessert.
Lastly, I went to The Botanical for my last dessert. Pave of Valrhona chocolate with burnt orange cream & candied cumquat (8 crowns). This dish was just simple, delicate yet rich and the cumquat was a good combination in place of candied orange. The Valrhona chocolate was smooth and slightly bitter. There was a thin layer of chocolate cake underneath the chocolate mousse. Excellent.
However, I managed to bring home some more treats. I bought three fruit pastes from Maggie Beer, a bottle of Lemon infused olive oil and caramelized balsamic vinegar from Pukara Estates, and a tangy whole mustard Honey Mustard from Tasmanian Sauce Company.
There were a few raves that I've heard from some random people that I wasn't able to try. Fifteen's Slow roasted ‘Berkshire’ pork belly. “In the style of porchetta” with lentil du puy, and salsa verde and The CourtHouse's Confit duck baked in puff pastry.smoked tomato fondue.
Overall, it was a fantastic evening of fine food and wine. It is certainly a dream come true to have all that great restaurants under one roof and you can sample their signature dishes without breaking the bank. The problem is, my stomach can only take that much. 
There were no degustation menus but there were quite a number of specials, from Primi to Dolci. I can't remember every item that was dictated to me in detail by my server, but I remembered that I was choosing between a garfish dish (the description was two pieces of garfish with olives and basil in between and cooked over the grill) and a braised beef cheek with mashed potatoes and carrots. After my beef cheek experience at Anada, I know that I had to have beef cheeks again and why not? It's a cold Friday night and I have time to savor every bite of it. So, needless to say, the beef cheek got my vote.
Main: Braised Beef Cheeks with Mashed Potatoes and Carrots. I've heard the two tables beside me debating over this dish. Apparently, they all wanted to order this one, but they would say that it's too fatty or too rich and they're not cut out for it, with their age and all. Good thing, I'm still young, so I can afford to eat what I want. When the warm plate of beautiful pieces of beef cheeks was set down in front of me, I'm in heaven. Just that scent of red wine and tomato sauce was just wafting into the air to my nose. I didn't use my table knife to cut through the beef cheek. No need. Just my trusty fork was enough. The beef cheek was sooo tender and every bite was just meltingly delicious and rich with intense and sweet red wine, tangy tomato sauce, onions, celery, parsley, thyme (of what I can taste) and carrots. A piece of the beef cheek and some mashed potatoes added the right balance to every bite and don't forget the sauce on the side!
Dessert: Affogato. This was my first affogato. Basically, it was 2 scoops of ice cream with a shot of espresso and a shot of frangelico or hazelnut liquer. It was the right ending to a great meal. It was sweet and surprisingly, it almost tasted like chocolate with hazelnut flavor. The espresso gave that kick to the dessert without being drowned in melted ice cream. There were also 2 thin pieces of biscotti on the side which I used to dip into the affogato.
Entree: Blue swimmer crab, sweet corn variation. Ok. I wasn't expecting this to be a blue swimmer crab salad. The sweet corn variation came in three elements to the dish: the sweet corn cream, sweet corn pasta and bits of sweet corn in the crab salad. The first thing that put me off about the dish was that the crab salad was too salty. The crab was fresh but I think that the crab flesh could be used in other forms aside from becoming a salad. The sweet corn cream was good, however, and it captured the essence of sweet corn without being fake.
Main: Venison Loin, bittersweet chocolate sponge, beetroot, parsnip. For the record, the chef or person who had thought of this dish must have the talent and guts to pull it off. This dish was either a hit or a miss. For me, it was a miss. Again, all the elements were presented and executed deliciously, but when combined, I'm not sure what I was missing. The bittersweet chocolate sponge came in the form of a cake. I dont' think that was a good idea. The beetroot came in 3 forms: a beetroot pickle, roasted beetroots, and beetroot sauce. The parsnip were parsnip puree and parsnip strings. The venison was cooked perfectly pink. But the chocolate and beetroot and parsnip didn't accentuate each other. It's too earthy, too starchy and too bland.
Dessert: Coffee savarin (pronounced was sava-rahn), caramelized witlof, chicory, bananas. This was also a strange dish. The coffee savarin, that is sponge cake to you, was too bitter. There was no hint of the delicious coffee flavor I came to love. The chicory came in forms of a cream and jelly. After tasting it, I'm still not sure what chicory is. The bananas didn't help at all. The elements separately, were again, good but eating them together, I just didn't quite get it.
The cafe was cozy and dark but faintly cafeteria like. The breakfast menu was loaded with things from eggs to mueslis to sandwiches. I'm in the mood for a breakfast sandwich, so I chose the Illia Arafalo. It's basically Turkish bread with 2 fried eggs, bacon, tasty cheese, tomatoes with their homemade BBQ sauce.
I loved the Gravity coffee. It was rich, foamy and pungent without being watery. There was that delicious, creamy almost caramel flavored after taste, which felt good on a cold morning. My sandwich arrived, freshly cooked and I can almost see the tasty cheese melting underneath the tomatoes. I bit into it and didn't turn back. The bread was toasty and crunchy, fried eggs were thin without being dry, bacon was slightly salty, melted stringy cheese and juicy tomatoes. Oh, wait. I almost forgot about the home made BBQ sauce. Tangy and chunky. Smoky and just plain delightful. This is definitely a good idea. Having BBQ sauce on your breakfast sandwich. Nice touch.
Illia Cafe has other sweet things to savor, muffins, blondies, brownies, cookies to soothe every aching sweet tooth. Good coffee for the cafenista and punchy breakfasts to jump start your hectic day. Good stuff. By the way, I made it to the office at 9:45am.
Today was a bright, sunny day though the weather was cold. Just getting enough sun is hard enough during the winter months, so when I chose my seat at The Botanical, I made sure that there was plenty of sunlight. The dining room was already busy at every table with friends and families, all enjoying their breakfasts. I've decided this morning is an Eggs Benedict breakfast, but I also wanted some cheese kransky, so I ordered it as a side. But I also wanted the Chocolate Brioche, why not? I had that as dessert.
Eggs Benedict with Cheese Kransky. The cheese kransky was overshadowed by the Eggs Benedict. Oh, where should I start? The hollandaise sauce was superb. It's creamy, eggy and tangy, just how it should be. It wasn't dripping all over like some I've had. The poached eggs were another delight. The egg whites were like clouds on a bright summer day and the egg yolks streaming down was the ray of sunshine. Next thing to note here was the muffin. These must have been house-baked because they were crunchy and tasty muffins, oh, they were well-buttered as well.
After that "brunch", I went to the American Donut van. This time, since it's a weekday, the queue wasn't long, so I didn't have to wait long to have some donuts. Again, just a taste of this delicious, crunchy thing will defy my every definition and impression of what a donut is and should be. This is hands-down THE BEST donut I've ever had in my life. The donut was filled with jam, the flavor I would say is raspberry, then fried and "dressed" with corase sugar. But don't get the appearance fool you. Biting into one of these will get you hooked. The dough was sensational in itself. It was lightly crunchy on the outside with some sweetness from the sugar. Inside, it is a bit chewy but also cake-y in texture. It's like a crosss between a muffin and something else gooey. The jam contributed to some citrusy delight. I. WANT. MORE.
Salted Cod Soup with Potatoes and a Querelle of Salted Cod and Mashed Potatoes. I haven't had salted cod soup before. I'm aware that this fish should be soaked for long periods of time, then boiled or cooked in some way to remove more of the salt, and finally cooked. Surprisingly, this soup was light and has a clear tasty broth from the salted cod and parsley. The potatoes were well cooked without being mushy and the best part was the salted cod querelle. It was delicate with the mashed potatoes and the salted cod. It was almost airy and so creamy. A good start to the meal.
I settled for a King Valley white, something called Petit Manseng. It is described as an obscure white grape variety from France and grown in King Valley, it has top notes of lemonzest, pears and green olives and a piquant finish. I really don't know about all that, but the wine was fresh and citrusy, which a crisp finish.
For my entree, I'm having their Gravadlax - house cured salmon with mustard creme fraiche, herb salad, gerkins, and capers. Mm...this one was a winner. The cured salmon was distinctly light and bright coral in color and was glistening with all the wondrous oil. The salmon was not too salty and just enough. It has a slightly sweet flavor and no fishiness anywhere. Due to the fact that it's house cured, I can see the care and taste the delicate flavor put into the lovely slices. However, the gerkin plus capers were too much so it's either you have a piece of the salmon with gerkin or capers or the creme fraiche. Just the salmon slices were enough of a rave.
My main was White Bean Cassoulet with Pork Belly, Rabbit, Confit of Duck and Gill's Toulouse Sausage. Alrighty. This was clearly a carnivore's heaven. From the generous pieces gloriously arranged, I'm surely in for a treat. First, I went for the sausage. This was my favorite part of the dish. The sausage was soft and silky and was definitely the real thing. What's good about it is that it was fresh without being too fatty but I can still taste huge chunks of meat. It wasn't too fine or too processed and, preservative-free. Next, the white bean cassoulet. This was also very tasty. It was cooked with white wine, a combination of onions, baby carrots, white broad beans and small white beans. The duck confit was a tad too salty for me and I think wasn't as soft as I wanted it to be. The skin wasn't crunchy as well. The pork belly, however, has a perfect crackling. The fat underneath wasn't too thick, which made it soft and luscious. However, the bottom of the belly was a bit burnt, hence the bitter flavor. Lastly, the rabbit was a disappointment. It was overcooked and dry. Still, I think the dish was a valiant effort.
Gill's Diner is simply growing on me. As I stayed, the atmosphere was bustling, with chatty people wearing their casual clothes and business suits. There was the occasional too-loud syndrome but still, the food and wine are enough to allow you to sit back and let the time while away. Another point to consider is that Gill's Diner is not really a diner, it is more of a cafeteria style dining place that serves rael comfort food with quick and honest to goodness service from the staff.
My meal started with a puffed pastry with gruyere cheese which was warm and delicate. The puffed pastry was crunchy and stringy from the melted cheese and the buttery pastry itself. I wish I could have more.
Jerusalem artichoke emmenthal soup with rock lobster dumpling. The rock lobster dumpling was extremely light and delicate in texture, like a soft, melt-in-your-mouth marshmallow. The flavor of emmenthal was not overpowering and the soup was smooth without being grainy and too creamy.
Leek terrine with crushed nougat on top of seared scallop, king fish sashimi in ponzu dressing with chilli mayonnaise and gerkin. I personally do not like leeks and I find them too strong and sometimes bitter. This leek terrine was very sweet and almost meaty but still crunchy. The star here has to be the sashimi with ponzu dressing. The dressing did not cook the sashimi at all and its citrusy taste contributed to the freshness of the fish. Eaten with the terrine, it was very interesting, combining something warm with something slightly cool. The terrine has a nice, clean taste of butter and broth. The seared scallop was not overcooked and still moist in the center.
Pan-seared snapper with spices, tarragon foam, lime and green tea oil on a bed of pickled radish. The snapper's flesh was extremely supple, there was no trace of overcooked flesh anywhere! It was sheer perfection. I don't need my table knife to cut through the meat. The tarragon foam was a whole other level of excellence. At first, I was confused why it was there but as I tasted the dish, it was more of tasting the essence of tarragon rather than eating it. The lime and green tea oil also altered the dish when eaten with it. The oil added the green tea and citrusy flavor to the dish, fusing Japanese and French styles in one dish.
Quail tempura with tagine spices, Persian cream, on organic black risotto with green tea and lime paste and tagine paste. This is an example of using Japanese style cooking to come up with a very contemporary dish. Who would think of making quail tempura? The quail was a perfect pink in the middle, not over or undercooked. It was amazing how crunchy the tempura batter was. The Persian inspired cream tasted like a very sharp and pungent creme fraiche. The black risotto was like little firm black pearls and was distinctly Italian. To me, it tasted like slightly sweet taro. The risotto was cooked in quail broth, by the way. Combining the cream, risotto and quail meat was excellent and sheer genius in terms of flavor. It was during this time when suddenly, a nice gentleman came to my table, asking me how I'm enjoying the food. I almost choked when I lifted my gaze up to see Jacques Reymond in the flesh! Not losing my cool, a quickly said thank you for a wonderful meal so far, as I was half-way through the winter degustation menu.
Saddle of wallaby on choy-sum, with apple dashi jelly, daikon with dried polenta. My first wallaby and it was perfect. The wallaby flesh was a touch rare but extremely soft. It didn't taste like beef at all though it looked very much like it. It was less richer and less intense than beef. I loved the apple dashi jelly with the wallaby, every time I ate the smallish piece of the wallaby, an intense dashi apple flavor will burst into my mouth. I'm not entirely sure about the daikon, but the rest of the combination was very good.
Beef rump with shaved black Italian truffle, mustard butter iced cream, decontructed ravioli of daikon and pickled celery, soft polenta and chanterelle. This dish was definitely the star of the night. I've never had black truffle before and I'm glad I've decided to add them to the wagyu beef rump. How do I describe truffles? There is really no description for these. The first scent I got was distinctly from the truffles, then from the beef. I think it is best to describe the truffle as an earthy, pungent and warm. What's amazing about this dish was the mustard butter ice cream on top of the wagyu beef. Again, there was that play of cool against warm. The beef was also delicious. I've had wagyu beef before but none this sweet and tasty. Another thing to note on this dish was the chanterelle. I don't think I've had chanterelles before so this was also a first for me. The taste of the mushrooms were light and, surprisingly, no earthy taste. It was also delicate but firm and has that lovely golden color like gold nuggets.
Bittersweet chocolate martini with chocolate sauce, chocolate granita, vanilla bean cream and caramelized rice crispies. This is every chocolate lover's dream. To have layer upon layer of chocolate in different forms was simply delightful. Each bite interlacing with warm, then cool, then rich, then crispy, then smooth.
Caramelized pears on orange cream wrapped with mieulle feuille, orange peko and earl grey iced cream, pedro ximenez jelly. I loved everything about this dessert. The mieulle feuille was thick but crunchy, I was hoping this to be lighter, nonetheless buttery and almost has a hint of caramel. Pears were sweet and blended well with the orange cream. Next, the orange peko and earl grey iced cream REALLY tasted of the tea and was calming indeed. And lastly, the pedro ximenez jelly tasted like pedro ximenez, only lighter with the alchohol still intact.
