Mankoushe XI

November 23, 2024

   

Mankoushe has been one of our neighbourhood favourites for well over a decade, and we don't manage to stop in as often as we'd like. All year, every time they pop into my instagram feed, I've been telling myself that we're overdue to stop in for brunch.

The menu is simple and savoury, with most items baked in the wood-fired oven; three days per week there's a lunch plate ($18), there's a small selection of dense sweets at the counter, and custards or rice puddings spiked with fruit in the fridge. Veg*ns are always well cared for, while coeliacs might prefer to avoid the prevalence of flour.

   

I ordered the zataar bread ($5) toasted and filled with tomato, cucumber, onion, olives and mint ($4). The bread's a little thinner and grainier than it used to be and I like that! I picked out the onion but, in a big step for me, I left the black olives in. They were the right salty seam through the fresh salad and earthy, spiced bread. (Maybe it's time to update our bio.)

   

Michael can rarely look past a shakshuka ($19) when it's on offer and this was the hearty dish he hoped for: eggs dressed with tomatoes, capsicum, onion, garlic, cumin and paprika with a side of the same wholemeal pita.

We both enjoyed glasses of blood orange juice ($7 each) and Michael added his requisite long black ($4). We keep coming back to Mankoushe because we always leave feeling nourished.

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You can read about one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten of our previous visits to Mankoushe.

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Mankoushe 

323 Lygon St, Brunswick East 

9078 9223 

breakfast & lunch

https://mankoushe.com.au/ 

Accessibility: There is a small step up through a narrow entry. Tables are regular height, chairs have backs, and furniture is medium-spaced across the floor. We ordered at our table and paid at a low counter. We didn't visit the toilets.

Brother Bon VI

October 29, 2024 

   

While True North is conveniently placed along my public transport route from work to home, Brother Bon is my stalwart for the cycling route. There's a lot to love on the standard menu, but the specials are often extensive and always worth consideration. Most recently I took a chance on the creamy udon carbonara ($28) and absolutely loved it! 

The name alone gives away that we're not going for authenticity here, and given that Brother Bon is all-vegan this dish is going to satisfy neither the add-cream nor the egg-only carbonara camps. Soft udon noodles are a great comfort food, enhanced here by a thick, creamy sauce dotted with mock-bacon, garlic mushrooms, green onions and parsley. I carefully rationed out the grilled mock-chicken served on top, relishing its layered texture, and happily crunched on the novel garnishing mushroom chips. This dish served the joy I'd derive from carbonara, even if it lacked many (any?) of the traditional ingredients.

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You can read about one, two, three, four, five of our previous visits to Brother Bon.     

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Brother Bon 

377-379 High St, Northcote 

9077 1335 

https://www.brotherbon.com.au/ 

Accessibility: The entry is flat and tables are moderately spaced. Most tables are low and paired with backed chairs; there are also high benches along the front window with backless stools. I ordered at my table and paid at a low-ish counter. Toilets are individual non-gendered cubicles with a shared sink space. A cubicle I have used included menstrual product disposal, and another one was marked for both wheelchair access and a baby change station.

Fluffy Torpedo III

October 26, 2024

   

Now that warm weather and longer days are here, we're having the odd spontaneous trip out for icecream. Michael was ready to try some more novelty flavours from Fluffy Torpedo, and we had appetites for two scoops each ($9.10 each).

Michael hit on a winner with the top-listed blue cheese roasted fig brown sugar jam, a combination that sits well on a cheeseboard and also, it turns out, in an icecream cone. His accompanying miso cinnamon white chocolate faded pleasantly into the background, not forming as strong an impression.

I tried the famous Vegemite white chocolate icecream. The first mouthful was distinctly Vegemitey, though I again rapidly desensitised to it and experienced most of the scoop as vanilla malt (which wasn't a problem). My second scoop was the irrepressible salted chilli pineapple coconut vinegar sorbet, which reminded me of sweet chilli sauce in its flavour and viscosity.

Credit to Fluffy Torpedo for offering such a lengthy menu of adventurous flavours - they'll never please every person with every flavour, but it's always a memorable experience. And the ones that hit right are appreciated all the more for their uniqueness.

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You can read about one, two of our previous visits to Fluffy Torpedo.

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Fluffy Torpedo 

213 Sydney Rd, Brunswick 

7044 7745 

menu 

https://www.fluffytorpedo.diamonds/ 

Accessibility: Fluffy Torpedo has a flat entry and wide queuing strip. There are backless bench seats inside and backed metal chairs outside. We ordered, paid and picked up our orders at a low counter. We didn't visit the toilets.

Caramelised garlic, zucchini & butter beans

October 24, 2024

   

Cindy keeps a pretty good list of recipes bookmarked from around the internet, and remembered this one when we had a few key ingredients aging in the fridge. It's very, very simple to make and the pay off is a nice, messy dish of veggies, beans and sauce that really does cry out for accompanying fresh bread to sop things up. A very satisfying weeknight meal that was surprisingly rich - I guess miso, olive oil, wine and garlic are a pretty hearty combination of ingredients. This makes a pretty scant four meals, so we had some lunchy leftovers out of it, but it's not going to fill the freezer for the week. 

Caramelised garlic, zucchini & butter beans

(based on this recipe from Meera Sodha's Guardian column)

500g zucchinis, cut into rough bite-sized pieces

6 tablespoons olive oil

6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

150ml white wine

2 tablespoons white miso

800g butter beans, undrained

1 lemon, zested and juiced

small bunch parsley, leaves chopped

small bunch mint, leaves chopped

salt

Put a couple of tablespoons of oil into a frying pan on high heat and fry the zucchini, turning occasionally until they're golden, almost charred. Sprinkle with salt and set aside.

Put the rest of the oil in the same pan and fry the garlic for a couple of minutes until it's started to go golden. Add the wine and miso and stir the mix together so that it's smooth. Add the beans with their liquid and simmer for 10-15 minutes until you've got the texture you want - a bit liquidy, but you want it to have thickened up a bit.

Stir in the zucchini, lemon zest and juice and simmer for another minute. Kill the heat and stir through the herbs. Serve, with bread.

True North V

October 16, 2024

   

Back in April I resolved to visit True North for one of their night time events this year, and I did manage it six months later! I stopped in for dinner after work on a Wednesday, when Michael had plans with his netball team, and it was conveniently located along my trip home. I had no problems getting a well-lit booth to myself that early in the evening.

The menu is short but appetising - simple starters like olives, chips and dip; a burger, two pasta dishes and a dessert. I started with a rich and molten cauliflower, cheddar and jalapeno croquette on a spicy mojo rojo ($5). I chose the cola amongst their house-made cordials and it was more complex and refreshing than any of the commercial ones.

   

I was a little surprised that the mushroom ragu ($18) was blended to a fairly thin, smooth sauce, and it clung lightly to the galletti. The sauce had a deep flavour, brightened a little by the garnishing feta and rocket, and was pitched and portioned just right as a satisfying but not over-the-top weeknight meal.

This was a casual, uncomplicated way to eat well when I wasn't motivated to cook. It'll remain top of  mind for similar future office days.

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You can read about one, two, three, four of our previous visits to True North.

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True North 

2A Munro St, Coburg 

9917 2262 

menu 

https://truenorth3058.com/ 

Accessibility: There's a small step on entry and a pretty crowded interior (especially on the weekends when the stools at the bar are in use). I ordered at the table and paid at a high counter. The toilet is a narrow non-gendered cubicle.