where's the beef?

July 5, 2009: Mitte II

2009-07-06T20:33:00.004+10:00

Here's an update on Mitte's sweet breakfasts - there's more to the menu than that muddled Middle Eastern compote I tried the first time. Our Sunday morning companions Jos, Libby and Mike confirmed that the alternative berry and maple syrup topping to the pikelets works very well indeed. Meanwhile, I ordered the breakfast crumble ($9.50, pictured above). The poached apples and pears were steeped in a lot of liquid, but it was sweet, flavoursome liquid. The crumble was granola-y rather than biscuity, with some lovely bursts of toasted macadamias.

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You can read about our previous visit to Mitte here.

June 21, 2009: Bebida Bar & Cafe II

2009-07-01T09:00:00.001+10:00

On Sunday morning we met up with Tracy, Lee and Mike at Bebida. We rarely venture east of Brunswick St for a weekend breakfast and we were surprised at just how many cafes were already open along Smith St. Michael and I are rather proud of the extensive list of inner-north breakies we've catalogued on this blog, but there's clearly still a lot to be tried!

Bebida has a cosy, bohemian fit-out. At night it serves up tapas and live music, and by day it's a place to linger with coffee, nibbling at a muffin or filling up on a late breakfast or pide. On this morning it wasn't too full so we were treated to friendly and unrushed service throughout.

I liked the varied breakfast menu - in a single column it captures the healthy and the indulgent, sweet and savoury, the light and the hearty. The savoury options aren't all egg-based, there are lots of optional extras, and most of the dishes are vegetarian.

Michael ordered the eggs zeitgeist ($10.50) - "poached eggs on sliced fetta and baby spinach on English muffins with a touch of roasted capsicum sauce". This dish looked a little small compared to some of the other servings around the table but it proved to be most satisfying.

This pretty plateful is Tracy's Bebida burrito ($11.50) - "scrambled eggs wrapped in a burrito with a tomato, red onion, coriander and lime concasse, topped with avocado."

I went for the Belgian waffles ($12.50) - "handmade waffles served with seasonal fruit, natural yoghurt and maple syrup". The waffles were a little overcooked, but I prefer them crunchy rather than underdone. I liked the balance of this dish - it seems a silly compliment to pay, but I've lost count of the times that a sweet breakfast has disappointed me with too much cloying sweetness or too little fruit. These guys got it just right!

Bebiba doesn't quite fit the mold of Melbourne's so-hot-right-now bars and cafes, but it has its own style and there's plenty to appreciate if you have the time to sit back and soak it up.

(You can read about our previous dinnertime visit to Bebida here.)

Address: 325 Smith Street, Fitzroy
Phone: 9419 5260
Price: veg breakfasts $4-$15.50
Website: www.bebida.com.au

June 13, 2009: Juanita's

2009-06-17T11:13:00.004+10:00

Last week Brian from Fitzroyalty made a bold claim - that Juanita's offers the best breakfast in Fitzroy. To be honest, I wasn't even aware that Juanita's offers breakfast! I only knew it as the place selling Latin-style sweets 'til all hours, which I'd been vaguely intending to sample for some time. Could its morning meals outdo such heavyweights as Babka, Ici, Julio and Min Lokal?

It certainly offers some stiff competition. Michael loved the Huevos Rancheros ($12.50) - two sunny-side-up fried eggs with gooey yolks, avocado, kidney beans, corn tortillas and a 'rancho style' sauce that Michael couldn't stop talking about.

Meanwhile, I tucked into the Reina Andaluz ($6.50) - a lemon and cinnamon creamed rice pudding served with orange and passionfruit. The rice was drier and firmer than I've known in other rice puddings (this one excepted), but it had a lovely vanilla flavour and was offset nicely by the tangy, juicy fruit. I would have liked to have even a little more fruit, but I happily polished off this bowlfull and was satisfied for hours afterwards.

The breakfast menu isn't long but it offers something different to most of the local cafes and is very reasonably priced. All seven items are either vegetarian or veg-adaptable; even the empanadas listed on the blackboard include two vegetarian fillings. The preponderance of eggs will constrain vegans, though I've heard a rumour that the churros are safe! And the churros are just the beginning of the tempting sweets on offer at Juanita's. A closer look at the display cabinet had me resolving more firmly than ever that I'd be back for dessert.

Address: 370 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
Ph: 9415 9396
Price: veg breakfasts $6-$12.50

April 5, 2009: Mitte

2009-04-12T09:19:00.006+10:00

Another week, another new breakfast spot. This time we had high expectations - Mitte won the 2009 Cheap Eats breakfast of the year award. It hasn't received too much blog attention just yet, although Jules Gormond's review had me enthused at the idea of a chickpea bake with poached eggs.

It's a cute little place - a converted residence in the vein of A Minor Place or Julio's, and while it was quite full, we were happy to turn up and scoop up a table without waiting at all. The menu is chock-full of interesting options including breakfast crumble, some delicious sounding toasts and various egg dishes.

I opted for the aforementioned combo of chickpeas and poached eggs (free range poached eggs with a Middle Eastern chickpea bake, topped with Meredith marinated goat's fetta and a shallot and herb salad, served with avocado, lemon and toats, $15).

It was bursting with flavours - fresh coriander, a yoghurty sauce and fresh lemon added plenty of spark to the spiced chickpeas, fresh avocado and perfectly poached eggs. It's a lot of food, but everything worked together so well that it was surprisingly easy to chow it all down. I was mightily impressed.

Cindy sampled from the sweet side of the menu, opting for pikelets with mascarpone and a Middle Eastern fruit compote ($10).

She was a little less impressed than me, finding the pancake accompaniments a little short on zing - some interesting spices or some sort of citrus bite would have livened things up a bit. Still, part of her disappointment probably stemmed from just how good this dish sounded - it was pretty satisfactory on the whole.

We had friendly and reasonably efficient service (although if I was being picky, we did have to wait a while for the food to arrive) and they churn out high quality coffees (and Jo's berry smoothie tasted amazing as well). It's a strong addition to the inner-north's already crowded repertoire of trendy brekkie places, but I'm not sure how The Age scored it above Min Lokal, Fandango or Las Chicas.

Address: 76 Michael Street, Fitzroy North
Ph: 9077 7379
Price: veg breakfasts $5-$15

February 24, 2009: Gertrude Street Grub - Grumpy's Green

2009-02-28T08:56:00.005+11:00

The stretch of Smith Street between Johnston and Victoria must be the one of the most veg-friendly strips in the world. You've got Friends of the Earth and Soul Food at the northern end, Trippy Taco and Las Vegan at the southern end (not to mention Vegan Wares). And now, somewhere in the middle, Melbourne's newest veg*n establishment: Grumpy's Green (we're not the first to check it out: Toby and Kristy, Nimal and Karen and Veganik have all been there before us, and reader Erika recommended it to us, too). It's more pub than cafe, with a wide range of local beer on tap and in the fridge and a selection of Victorian wines. The whole venture is shooting for sustainability - locally sourced ingredients, water tanks, recycled paper and their own mini earth hours three times a week. Impressive.

The inside area is moodily lit and atmospheric but on a glorious February day, life was much better in the sunny beer garden. Added bonus: the owners have a gorgeous puppy that patrols the outside areas, gnawing on chairs and staring plaintively at anyone with food (I'll confess that he begged a few chips out of me - could you say no to that face?).

There are just four mains to choose from: an eggplant parma, a pizza, a vegie burger and a pumpkin and asparagus risotto. There are heaps of snacks and starters as well, but with the $10 Tuesday special on offer, I couldn't go past a burger. The vegie pattie uses a chickpea base, and is thick and tasty. It comes with roast capsicum, lettuce, tomato, cheese and a special mustard mayo. Throw in a side of crispy fries and a green salad and you've got yourself a pretty impressive $10 lunch. I really enjoyed the burger, particularly the mayo and cheese (vegans might find it a tad dull - the mayo really brought the flavour).

Still, if Tuesday wasn't my netball night, I can imagine regularly spending my post-work Tuesdays with a Mountain Goat or Holgate in hand and a burger in front of me. Paying full price for the mains ($15) is a bit less appealing (in much the same way as the EBC rocks it at $10, but is less attractive at $20), but a few drinks and some of the delicious sounding snacks (marinated tofu skewers, chickpea battered vegetables!) would be a fine way to spend an evening.

Address: 125 Smith Street, Fitzroy
Phone: 9416 1944
Price: Mains $15 ($10 on Tuesdays), Snacks $7 - $10.50
Licensed
Website: http://www.grumpysgreen.com/fitzroy/

Local blogs for local people

2009-02-22T11:37:00.003+11:00

Those of y'all who live in and/or love Melbourne's inner north have probably already stumbled across (and perhaps regularly read) Fitzroyalty. Now this blog's creator, Brian Ward, has put together four new blogs! Thankfully, for the sake of his sanity, he is not attempting to increase his posting rate five-fold. Rather, these blogs aggregate other writers' posts about Brunswick, Carlton, Collingwood and Fitzroy - including where's the beef? reviews of restaurants and events in these suburbs.

While Brian has done a super job at setting up these sites, he's interested in having other people on board to edit and manage them. If you'd like to collaborate, get your own blog involved, or even set up a similar site for your favourite suburb, then drop Brian a line: brian [at] indolentdandy.net .

February 15, 2009: Min Lokal II

2009-02-16T15:00:00.003+11:00

Cindy and I first stumbled across Min Lokal in an attempt to locate Wild Flour bakery and I was instantly smitten. Ever since I've held their baked eggs up as some sort of paragon of eggy goodness, finding fault with every other cafe that tries to compete. I eventually snuck back one afternoon to make sure that my memory wasn't deceiving me and was once again overwhelmed by the quality of the brekkies. So when we met Mike and Jo and some friends at Ici to be confronted by a long wait for a table, I dragged everyone around the corner to sample the delights at this unassuming little place.

Things have changed a little since we first visited - they've got the freezer situation sorted out, so iced coffees are on the menu, and they've greatly expanded their menu including the addition of something sweet: waffles (more on them later). The claypots remain, with two vego options and a meaty alternative. I went for the Adafina claypot ($14): baked eggs with pumpkin, green olive paste (and a few half olives), harissa, saffron, green beans and toast.

Mmmmm. Look at that deliciousness. A great mix of flavours, with the olive and harrissa flavours packing the real punch, while the eggs and pumpkin added a bit of heartiness. The eggs were cooked perfectly again, and the toast was ripe for the dunking. I could have eaten two.

Cindy was very excited to spy the waffles ($13) on the menu, after being reduced to ordering toast the first time we visited. The menu promised balsamic strawberries and grapes, vanilla mascarpone and pistachios alongside. It wasn't the biggest serve of sweetness, but it was an impressive breakfast nonetheless - Cindy complained about the relatively small serve of fruit, but was wowed by the waffles themselves and the combination of colours and flavours.

The other folks at our table avoided the baked eggs and opted for pan-fried haloumi or the aforementioned waffles - everything except the eggs was a little on the small side, but it all seemed to hit the spot.

We've tried a few times to hit Min Lokal on the weekend and been overwhelmed by crowds - for some reason we walked straight into a table this week, but I think it's always going to be a bit of a gamble. So if you're keen for a fine breakfast, but not so hungry you won't be put off by a wait, Min Lokal is my pick of the Fitzroy breakfast scene.

(You can read about our first visit to Min Lokal here.)

December 20, 2008: Ici III

2008-12-30T11:00:00.001+11:00

I suspect that the inner north of Melbourne boasts the best range of breakfasts in the country, and we were keen to share the bounty with L on Saturday morning. Having recently confirmed that Min Lokal's baked eggs are still the best of a rather good bunch, Michael led L and I to this small George St cafe. Alas, word has spread and they were horrendously busy (good luck to them!). Surprisingly Ici, just round the corner and with a reputation for long waits, had space to accommodate us straight away.

The one savoury respite from eggs is the homemade tofu ($16.50) with white bean miso paste, spinach and tamari. Michael and I both wavered over it, and ultimately it was Michael who ordered it. He wasn't disappointed - the miso paste and tofu made a great couple and he cleared his plate in near-record time.

It was upstaged, however, by the spring eggs ($15.50). These usually come with pancetta, but it was our waitress who suggested that I sub it out for a vegetarian extra. I chose avocado, in addition to the eggs (scrambled for me), chargrilled asparagus, fetta, slow-roasted tomato and rocket salad already on offer. It was a marvellous mountain of food; rich yet fresh and topped with a creamy, tangy dressing. I made my way through about two thirds of it, relishing every mouthful, and Michael made short work of the remainder.

Up top you can see the porridge, which put a smile on L's face. There's also a fine-looking stack of French toast and berries available for the sweet tooth. Ici is a little pricier than most of its competitors but it always offers high quality food. Given the friendly service and minimal wait on this visit, I felt no regret as I paid the bill - we'd received excellent value for money.

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You can read our previous visits to Ici here and here.

December 19, 2008: Peko Peko

2008-12-29T10:00:00.000+11:00

With L visiting from Brisbane, Cindy and I plotted a post-work evening in Fitzroy. We started out at Black Pearl for an early evening cocktail, and then headed across to Smith Street to try out Peko Peko.

Peko Peko is run by the same people who run the wonderful Otsumami in Northcote, so we turned up with high expectations. It has the same basic shtick - a menu broken into small, medium and big food sections, with plentiful vego options. After much discussion, we eventually settled on three dishes from the medium page and one from the big page between the three of us.

First up was the okonomyaki, served with a rich barbecue and Japanese mayo sauce, topped with shredded nori ($9). The pancake was tasty - not as cabbagey as I was expecting, but dense and crispy in all the right places; however the sauce was the star of the show. I was shameless enough to mop up the dregs with my fingers - judge me if you like, but taste the sauce for yourselves before condemning me.

Next up was the inevitable order of tempura vegies ($10) - sweet potato, eggplant, zucchini and tofu all fried up and served with a light dipping sauce. The tempura was executed as expertly as you'd expect from a good Japanese restaurant, and the inclusion of tofu in the mix was a bonus, but the soy sauce was a little too light for my tastes - a touch of wasabi or something would have given it the kind of kick that I favour.

Finally (the other dish we ordered was a fishy one for L, which was only a 'medium', but turned out to be both massive and delicious), the large dish: Yasai itamedon ($12) - eggplant, zucchini, capsicum, spinach and cabbage stir-fried in a rich teriyaki sauce, served on steamed rice.

This was a winner - a well aimed sauce, delicious fresh vegies and a pile of fluffy rice. It was a bit hard to share efficiently, but this is the kind of thing you come to Japanese restaurants for (at least if you're a vego); perfectly cooked, simple but impressive flavours and great, fresh ingredients. Yummo.

L and I happily knocked back a couple of Asahis, but Cindy was a bit more adventurous and went for a ginger and lemongrass tea (see the top picture) - it was super strong, you could feel your immune system improving with every sip.

Peko Peko is a cute little place, with a very stylish private dining room up in the back section, and a few unobtrusive features giving the walls a little life without slipping into cliche J-decor. The food was excellent and the service friendly, and we were all well impressed with the whole experience. Otsumami might just win out, but Peko Peko is right behind it - maybe a smidgin cheaper and well worth a visit.

Address: 199 Smith Street, Fitzroy
Ph: 9415 9609
Price: vego smalls: $3-$8, mediums: $8-$10, bigs: $12-$14

December 16, 2008: Ganesh Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurant

2008-12-24T18:00:00.001+11:00

We're still working our way through Aduki's awesome Melbourne Veg Food Guide, so a Christmas party trip to the Fitzroy Bowls Club was the perfect excuse for me to meet up with Cindy on St Georges Road and check out Melbourne's latest pay-what-you-feel veg restaurant: Ganesh Vegan and Vegetarian Cafe.

Ganesh seems to have gone through a few iterations - when Kristy and Toby went last year it was the Dhal Bar, and when the Aduki folk reviewed it there seemed to have been fixed prices. Nowadays there's a smallish menu (about 7 dishes), some friendly staff and a big pot in which deposit whatever price you think is fair. Once we'd told the guy who greeted us that we'd not visited before, he suggested that we just try a little of everything and neither of us were going to argue.

Our table was quickly laden with food (all of which was vegan): purri, rice, a potato curry with peas and sundried raisins, a pumpkin curry with roast sesame, dates and Szechuan pepper, a Thai tofu and spinach masala, broad beans with seaweed, smoked tofu and tomato, coconut and tamarind pickles and a little bowl with vadai in it. Wowsers.

As if that wasn't enough, our waiter ducked back straight away and added a huge bowl of stir-fried mixed vegies.

Despite the ridiculous amount of food on offer, Cindy insisted that we sample from their few dessert options, going with some maple syrup walnuts and poached spiced figs.

The walnuts were basically candied - sweet and crunchy, combining well with the chewier poached figs. They, like the whole meal really, were pretty tasty without being mind-blowingly good. The pay-what-you-feel ethos means that this can be as cheap or expensive as you like, which means it's hard to complain about the value, and the array of vegan dishes is impressive. The food was plentiful and tasty - it was hard not to make comparisons with Gujju's - Ganesh wins in terms of variety, but the dishes themselves were a bit less impressive than the delights served up in East Malvern.

Address: 376 St Georges Road, North Fitzroy
Ph: 9489 4615 (although it's not working at the moment apparently)
BYO
Price: Whatever you like (cash only)

November 27, 2008: Houndstooth III

2008-11-30T21:00:00.001+11:00

We had visitors in town for the weekend and wanted to start things off with a low-key Melbourne dining experience. I pushed for another trip to Shakahari, but we decided to go for a slightly hipper vibe - Houndstooth on Johnston Street.

They have a fine selection of local - we enjoyed Mountain Goat and Grand Ridge brews - and international (although it turns out Japan's finest beer, Sapporo, is brewed in Canada!) beers, and a small but ever-changing menu.

There's usually just one vego option for each course (out of two or three in total), so Cindy and I only have to choose which courses to partake in - it's $20 for 3 or $15 for 2. We were both bold enough to opt for three courses: an entree, a main and a dessert.

The entree of the day was a gorgonzola, caramelised onion and thyme tart - it was a nice combination of flaky, soft pastry, sweet onions and creamy gorgonzola cheese. Cindy raved about it - it was clearly the highlight of the meal. Something to try at home perhaps.

The main of the day was a vegetable terrine with ricotta and a rocket and red cabbage parsley salad.

Apparently terrines are often served cold, but I was a bit surprised and disappointed that ours wasn't warmed up a bit. That's probably my problem more than Houndstooth's though. The flavours weren't particularly exciting either, although the salad worked pretty well. Verdict: adequate.

Cindy and I finally branched out at dessert time - lemon tart for Cindy and a chocolate cake for me. The choccie cake was popular - I snagged the last piece. It was rich, moist and chocolatey - definitely a worthy third course. Cindy was equally impressed with her lemon tart - particularly the pastry.

We've said it before about Houndstooth - the food's more homely than trendy, but the atmosphere is friendly and slightly hip. The prices aren't quite what they were, but $20 for three courses is still pretty reasonable.

Read about our previous trips to Houndstooth here and here.

November 21, 2008: Soulfood III

2008-11-24T21:09:00.005+11:00

Before hitting a gig in the neighbourhood on Friday night, Michael and I stopped in at Soulfood Cafe for the first time in over a year.

Michael ordered these fajitas ($12.50) from the specials menu. They tasted about as good as they look, but no better.

I had a shot at the marinated tofu burger ($12), and ordered it with tandoori sauce. The texture was much more to my liking than the tempeh burger, but it was a little bland. Turn the plate round, though, and you'll see this:

That's a lot of chips, right? And the good news is they're great chips, second only to the rosemary-seasoned gold standard at Grill'd. If only they came with a big pot of aioli.

I like Soulfood, but I wish I could love it. The staff are hip and friendly, the all-vegetarian menu looks promising and the servings offer value for money - only the meals seem a little hit and miss.

If you think you've sampled one of their greatest hits, tell us about it! I could do with some menu guidance.

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You can read about our previous visits to Soulfood Cafe here and here.

November 9, 2008: Babka

2008-11-16T10:28:00.004+11:00

After being part of our Baba trip on Friday night, Mike free-associated his way to suggesting Babka on Sunday morning, and we muddled our way along at 10ish to finally taste some of the famed Babka breakfasts. Surprisingly, we were able to strut straight in and nab ourselves a table - when Cindy and I have previously tried to get a breakfast table here we've been scared off by the queues and headed for wwwash and Ici instead. No such problems this time - whether this reflected the growing number of hip breakfast eateries in the area or a decline in Babka's quality was unclear.

The menu had our hopes up - a choose-your-own-adventure style eggs menu with the key additives (beans, mushrooms, avocado), some intriguing sounding Georgian baked beans, French toast, croissants and a whole board of specials.

The star of the breakfast specials was the menemen, a scrambled eggs filled with tomato, chilli, fetta, mint and parsley on some of Babka's own foccacia ($12). I ordered it in a flash (although the Georgian beans had made things interesting for a moment) and was suitably impressed: well cooked eggs, delicious chunks of fetta, and a variety of flavours from the herbs and the chilli. All mopped up with the fresh and lightly toasted foccacia. I should mention the size - this is a pretty big breakfast for $12, and if you hold off until about 11 to eat it, it should see you through until dinner.

Cindy of course had her eyes on the sweet side of the menu - not the French toast (although Jo did order it, and found it a tad disappointing), but the Russian blintzes ($9.50).

Two little parcels of deliciousness filled with sweetened cottage cheese, sultanas and lathered in a citrus sauce. I didn't even get a taste. She raved about the citrus sauce and, despite initial fears that there was an insufficient volume of food, was well stuffed by the rich cheesy packages.

It's also worth noting the drink special of the morning: a lemongrass and ginger iced tea served with lemon and mint over ice. This barely tasted like tea at all, instead being described as the best lemon cordial ever.

I was quite taken with some of the lunch options on Babka's menu (mushroom stroganoff, potato and mushroom dumplings, asparagus and provolone cheese tart), and our breakfast was pretty impressive, so I'm expecting a further trip pretty soon.

Address: 358 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Ph: 9416 0091
Licensed
Price: Breakfast $6-$12

October 16, 2008: Anada

2008-10-22T09:10:00.002+11:00

I was a bit sad when I first noticed Anada on Gertrude Street - Cindy and I had grown quite fond of Ume Nomiya, so its replacement with a pricier, meatier, Spanish restaurant wasn't something to fill me with joy (even if the chefs did have Movida connections). Still, once it opened the positive reviews starting coming in, and on a quick stroll past one lunch time I confirmed that they offered enough vego treats to feed us. So, months after all the buzz, we finally got our act together and tried it out.

All the rave reviews combine with the growing hipness of Gertrude Street to guarantee that Anada will be busy. We booked a couple of weeks in advance to be on the safe side - and then decided we needed to reschedule a few days beforehand. Which worked out well, because Anada had no record of our booking. Weird. Luckily they could still fit us in on a Thursday night, so there was no harm done.

It's a bustling little place, with tables jammed in fairly close together, moody lighting and the hippest of indie hits on the stereo. The menu is divided into tapas ($3-$6, almost no vego options) and raciones ($9-$30, 7 vego options). After much debate and some discussion with the staff, Cindy and settled on 4 raciones between us, while Mike and Jo chose a much more complex combination of tapas and raciones.

Our first two dishes came at the same time: Patatas a lo pobre ($10.50) and an aubergine and tomato pilav, with dill and yoghurt ($9.00). The poor man's potatoes - slow cooked spuds with peppers and bay in oil - is basically the same as the Movida version. It's a traditional Spanish dish, so that's hardly surprising, but by inviting such a direct comparison, Anada is taking a bit of a risk - these spuds were pretty good, but they didn't measure up to the divine version turned out by the Movida folks (and were $1 more expensive!).

The pilav ($9) came smothered in a delicious yoghurt and sprinkled with something crispy, salty and delicious. The pilav itself was quite good, but they were a bit sparing with the aubergine and tomato - it was mostly about enjoying the delicious rice and the flavours on top.

Next up was the saffron chickpeas and spinach ($9) - we've had this kind of thing a bit lately, both out and about and at home. This was a pretty impressive version - creamy, rich and full of flavour.

Finally came the obligatory Setas al Jerez ($9.50) - grilled field mushrooms in sweet sherry. These are a whole lot of mushroom and, despite being beautifully prepared, they were a bit overwhelming by the time you'd chomped your way through a whole one. It would probably have been better if they'd come out first so we could mix things up a little more.

Bafflingly, we walked away without sampling the dessert (if only Cindy had read Claire's review first, I'm sure she'd have been more interested), although the dessert options all looked intriguing (to me anyway). All in all it was a slightly disappointing meal - if only because expectations were high. The prices (for vegos anyway) are comparable to Movida, and the food and service both fell a little short of those standards. Regardless, I think that vegos and Spanish tapas don't really belong together - I'm not sure we're the audience that they're really shooting for. Still, we did end up with four very enjoyable dishes for less than $40, so there's not really anything to complain about.

Address: 197 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy
Ph: 9415 6101
Licensed
Prices: Vego raciones $8-$10.50
Website: http://www.anada.com.au

August 23, 2008: Black Pearl

2008-08-26T21:49:00.005+10:00

Cindy and I found ourselves at a loose end on a Saturday afternoon and, rather strangely, her thought turned to cocktails. We used to semi-regularly attend a half-priced Sunday afternoon cocktail extravaganza just down the street from where we lived in West End, but since we moved down to Melbourne cocktails have only occasionally been on the agenda. We were fairly sure that Brunswick Street had more than just Polly to offer us boozy mixed drinks, and this review of Black Pearl, offering not only fancy cocktails but also the world's best chips, gave us a destination for the evening.

It's a cozy and comfortable place - at least in the afternoon. I'm not sure how pleasant it would be if it was jam packed, but when you can nab a couple of couches in the corner for yourself and chat quietly, it's a fine, relaxed venue. First things first: chips - the food menu wasn't substantial, but included a range of promising items (the feta and haloumi cigars were high on my list), but we had to make sure that The Age wasn't lying to us. Exaggerating slightly perhaps - although it's hard to think of better chips that we've sampled around the place (cue Cindy in comments listing all the chips that she's preferred to these). The fries ($7) had some sort of herb seasoning, generous amounts of salt and a scrumptious spicy aioli, and came in great numbers. Enough to put Cindy off dinner!

The cocktail menu is more substantial: around ten 'signature drinks', three seasonal choices and a few blackboard specials (the menu also promises that the bar staff will whip up whatever you fancy, so don't limit yourself). It's always a hard choice, and we spent some time tossing up our options. In the end, Cindy went for one of the seasonal specials: a Pimm's winter cup ($13), Pimm's No. 1, apple juice, fresh ginger juice and cinnamon, warmed up on the coffee steamer and served up as if it was tea. It was warming, fruity and nicely boozed. A good start. I went for a Sunday Best ($17): Martin Miller's gin, rosemary, mandarin, chilli and vanilla syrup, lemon juice and Angostura bitters. This was more citrus and tang than overpowering booziness, which suited me fine - the chilli didn't have quite the kick I expected, and I ended up drinking this more like fruit juice than something that cost the price of a good meal. Whoops.

Next up, Cindy went for something a bit more desserty - a Caribbean Monk ($17): Mount Gay Eclipse, caramel syrup, hazelnut liquer, fresh banana and lime dusted with cinnamon sugar. Something about the drink reminded Cindy of unripe banana, which put her off a little, but once she got a taste for it she quite happily knocked it back.

I decided not to repeat my earlier mistake and went for the most booze-tasting cocktail I could find: the Sazerac ($19): Gentleman Jack, Peychaud's bitters, sugar and absinth. This had about a third of the liquid of my first drink, but took me a lot longer to drink - it mainly tasted of strong. Strong with a bit of sugar. Thankfully Cindy had hit her limit and kept me in check - the main effect of a Sazerac seems to be increased desire for cocktails. Instead we made our way slowly home for leftovers and an early night.

Lazing around in Black Pearl was an expensive but winning way to spend a Saturday afternoon. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, the snacks were great, the venue was comfortable and booze was plentiful. Still, it prompted a question: Melbourne's got blogs devoted to coffee, to breakfast, to pies, to wine and to vanilla slice, but none devoted to chips or to cocktails. If it wasn't so expensive I'd be agitating for weekly cocktail and chips outings just to fill the niche.

Address: 304 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Ph: 9417 0455
Price: Cocktails $13-$19, snacks $5-$16
Most definitely licensed

August 2, 2008: Birdman Eating

2008-08-16T16:01:00.003+10:00

When we first moved to Melbourne and I started working on Gertrude Street I remember being very disappointed that Organic Gertrude, given high praise in our Cheap Eats 2006 guide, had left Fitzroy before I'd arrived, for more remote digs out at Fairfield. Still, it didn't take me long to discover the Vegetable Connection on Brunswick Street for my fresh fruit and veg needs. And then my disappointment was completely washed away when Birdman Eating appeared in Organic Gertrude's vacant premises. I got to work agitating for a visit straight away, but for some reason (the 20 minute walk and lack of direct tram featuring highly I'm guessing) I could never convince Cindy to head in for a weekend breakfast. Luckily, Cindy pays a lot more attention to Melbourne foodbloggers than she does to me, and when Mary raved about it (although she was hardly the first), Birdman suddenly appeared on Cindy's list of places we should visit.

All bitterness aside, I was looking forward to the visit. We were surprisingly fortunate with seating - arriving at 10:30ish on a Saturday and being ushered straight to a table. It's not an overly cluttered place, but there's enough decoration amongst the clean lines to give it a bit of character. The coffee here is top notch, and Cindy's chai hit the spot as well - a little weak, but neither too bitter or too sweet.

The menu is a little unusual - kippers and black pudding for the meat-eaters, Welsh rarebit for the cheese-heads and enough sweet options to satisfy the sweetest of tooths. Which made it even more surprising that Cindy ordered toast: toasted banana bread with honey and cinnamon labne to be precise ($9).

It was probably a little small for $9, but it filled her up and was reasonably tasty. I can't say much more than that - my banana phobia prevented me from even stealing a bite.

As well as the regular menu, Birdman has a rotating cast of baked egg treats on the specials board and, once I'd ascertained that shanklish was a kind of cheese, my heart was set on #3 - baked eggs with shanklish and sweet potato ($14). The eggs came out perfectly cooked, which meant that by the time they'd cooled enough for me to eat the yolks were a little too firm for my tastes. I guess you're just supposed to pounce and eat it while it's still bubbling (note: don't do what I did and touch the pan - not smart). Still, the shanklish was outstanding - lightly spiced and kind of yoghurty, and was enough to win me over. Particularly in combination with the soft and steaming sweet potato.

I think my memories of the Min Lokal baked eggs are becoming ludicrously positive (I guess we should go back to check), so these didn't quite measure up, but they rate pretty damn highly regardless. Despite the weekend crowds, the service was friendly and efficient (and trendy - I'm sure some of these places hire people based at least partly on how cool they look). Sure the bill was a little more than normal, but that's the price you pay for hobnobbing at the hip end of Gertrude Street these days.

Address: 238 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy
Ph: 9416 4747
Price: Vegie breakfasts - $6-$14.50

June 15, 2008: North Island Cafe

2008-06-16T21:38:00.004+10:00

Our ongoing dynasty of inner-North breakfasts took in another stop last weekend. A reasonably new place tucked away on Scotchmer Street near Dench Bakery (which, shamefully, we've yet to blog). Our Fitzroy informants Mike and Jo put us on to the place and the joined us, along with Kerrie and Daniel for a Sunday morning sampling. Things start pretty slowly on the North Island - we got there at 9:30 and there was only one other person there. It was pumping by the time we left though, so it'd be wise to turn up before 10:30 when North Fitzroy wakes up.

The menu is chock full of vegie options - from $4 bagel 'n' jam to $9.50 slow-roasted tomatoes. Cindy (along with Jo and Daniel) couldn't resist the bombay toast, served with blueberry compote, pear and orange blossom cream. Just look at it up there - all slathered in orange-blossom cream and soaked in berries and sauce. The toast was thick and rich without being as greasy as French toast can be. The pear was just the icing on the cake. The toasty, creamy cake.

I typically opted for a savoury meal: lemon and herb roasted field mushrooms with rocket, pesto and fetta served on some toasted Turkish bread. The mushrooms were cooked to perfection, the pesto was full of flavour without being overpowering and contrasted perfectly with the fetta. This was a fine, fine breakfast - even without eggs! Who'd have thought?

I should mention the coffee too: rich and strong without being harsh - one of the better ones I've had.

The only negative of the whole morning was the timing of the meals - the three of us who ordered savouries got ours long before the Bombay toast arrived. In fact, I think I'd basically finished my mushies by the time Cindy was starting on her sweets. It's a ridiculously small kitchen, so it's understandable - maybe it's better to turn up in smaller groups.

Address: 111 Scotchmer St, North Fitzroy 3068
Ph: 9486 8864
Price: $4 - $9.50

May 25, 2008: wwwash II

2008-05-27T15:30:00.005+10:00

It's been a long time between wwwashes, but I can confirm that they're still making mighty fine crepes. Vegetarian? Into poached eggs? You're in luck - there are five such crepes on the menu, at $10-12 each, with adornments such as spinach, roasted capsicum, dukkah and/or lemon aioli. Not into eggs? The mushroom, spinach, ricotta and lemon filling is still a winner. And then there's the sweet ones - I wish I had room.

You can read about our last visit to wwwash here.

Edit 13/11/08: Wwwash is now the Wick - it's neither a laundromat nor an internet cafe, but it still does crepes! Read more at fitzroyalty and unwakeable.

May 3, 2008: Casa Iberica

2008-05-09T14:57:00.004+10:00

It's been a long time since I passed Hispanic grocer Casa Iberica during its opening hours, but on this Saturday I resolved to get there convincingly before its noon closing time. I was rewarded not only with cans of black beans and tomatillos, but with custard tarts. At $1.70 each or three for $4.50, we had to go the triple treat.

They were smooth and sweet, and the brown spots were deliciously caramelised. The only negative was a lingering greasiness on the roof of the mouth.

April 25-27, 2008: Melbourne, the land of chocolate

2008-04-30T21:20:00.013+10:00

I knew that whenever Katy eventually made it to Melbourne, we'd have to go on a chocolate-themed excursion. I initially planned to join an organised tour but when they were booked out on our only available day, I figured I could easily plan my own. All it took was a notebook and 15 minutes on the internet!

To prevent any incidence of chocolate fatigue, we actually got a head start by eating two chocolatey desserts out on the town before the Day of Chocolate.

________

Our first stop was Cacao in St Kilda, towards the end of our Friday visit to the south side. I sampled three:

Rose: milk chocolate ganache flavoured with rose water, crumbled roasted pistachios and dipped in white chocolate.
Ruby: blood orange caramel filling and dark chocolate.
Safran: citrus caramel ganache, milk chocolate ganache with infused saffron, dipped in dark chocolate.

They were all beautiful to look at and had a lovely creamy texture. However I found the special flavours too subtle and the chocolate too sweet.

________

Hours later, after dinner at Guru Da Dhaba, Mike and Jo-Lyn coaxed us to San Churro in Fitzroy for dessert. Katy and I shared a plate of the eponymous churros with dark chocolate dipping sauce. They've really perfected that cocoa-rich semi-sweet flavour.

________

Then came Sunday, the Day of Chocolate. With six shops on the itinerary, some focus and restraint was going to be needed. How would I successfully differentiate between each shop's offerings without succumbing to either chocolate fatigue or gluttony-induced illness? I decided that at each stop I would sample one item that combined chocolate with orange.

________

Haigh's in the grand Block Arcade offered a Mandarin Cream for about $1.50. I liked the dark chocolate here and though I wasn't overly impressed with the filling at the time, this proved to be one of the better bites of the day.

________

The Chocolate Box goes more for bright novelty and gift chocolates. Beyond the toys and hampers there is a display of individual truffles and other chocolates though they too are dominated by novelty shapes rather than flavours (marzipan pig, anyone?).

Still, I did manage to locate a Jaffe ($2.25). It was frosted by pretty but harshly sweet sugar crystals and the interior wasn't any better - too sugary with cheap orange flavouring and not enough cocoa.

________

I only recently discovered the Chokolait. Hub (in the Hub arcade) by accident. These folks were delightfully friendly and we decided to stay on for tea. Shame about the website. They had some tasty but messy-looking glazed orange slices on offer for $2.80 apiece, but instead I chose a little dark orange chocolate for $1.50. It had the right dark flavour but I couldn't taste the orange at all. The only evidence that they hadn't forgotten it completely was the texture of orange peel as I chewed.

________

Though it's one of my favourites, we didn't spend long at Koko Black. I just ordered my orange segment ($1.25) and savoured it while we walked. The orange has great texture and flavour and I'm definitely a fan of their dark chocolate - I just wish there was more of it on this treat. Then I suppose it wouldn't be as pretty, would it?

________

Two thirds of the way through and we needed a palate cleanser. Steamed dumplings at Camy's hit the spot.

________

Patchi is a swanky shop in Melbourne Central with lots of expensive glass ornaments on display, as well as their chocolates. Just about everything is praline based, and the most choc-orange item I could find was the Casablanca ($1.20) - "milk chocolate with giandula [apparently this is chocolate with hazelnut and almond paste], hazelnut pieces and bitter orange peel". It was an excellent quality milk chocolate with hazelnuts, but I didn't detect the orange. I think their prevailing nut obsession is a bit beyond my unrefined palate.

________

Last stop, Max Brenner. Katy was indeed looking fatigued but I resolutely shouldered my way through the crowds to the display cabinet. Hmmm, nothing orange. Besides, it's not possible to buy anything less than 4 specialty chocolates for $8.50. Then I found my hint of orange on the shelves...

$18? No sale, Max.

________

What a day! What a fabulous, decadent day. It was interesting to try a few chocolatiers that I hadn't visited before, and I was surprised to see Haigh's (which I've previously been skeptical of) and Koko Black (where I'm almost a regular) come out on top.

If it isn't already obvious, I'm very much a chocolate lover without being a chocolate connoisseur so these reviews reflect little more than my personal taste. What are your favourite Melbourne chocolates? Is there anywhere great that I've still not visited? Disagree with any of my judgements? Lay it on me and spread it thick.

(Of course this isn't my first hit of Melbourne chocolate. You can also review our previous brushes with Cacao, San Churro, Ko ko Bla ck and Max Brenner.)

April 25, 2008: Guru Da Dhaba

2008-04-30T21:15:00.006+10:00

Jo-Lyn's Anzac Day Indian yearnings inspired us on an impromptu visit to Guru Da Dhaba in Fitzroy. Mike and Jo weren't as enamoured with De Orchid as we were, meaning that the quest for outstanding local Indian continues. The smells wafting from the corner of Johnston and Gore streets have tempted me every time I've walked past, but we'd somehow avoided making the trip until after we'd sampled almost every other Indian restaurant in the neighbourhood.

The menu is inspired by the dhaba street eateries of India - vegos are well catered for with 16 curries to choose from (aside: I've developed the theory - following our trip to Red Pepper - that Indian restaurants with beef-free menus are likely to be higher quality. For the record: there's no beef at Guru da Dhaba). Cindy, typically, went for the malai kofta ($9.90). She was a little disappointed with the kofta - it was a little floury and lacking texture. The sauce too was adequate without being particularly memorable. I went for a baingan bhartha - a roast eggplant curry that we really need to find a good recipe for. It was much more impressive than Cindy's kofta - richly spiced and silky, perfect to mush onto the well-cooked garlic naan that accompanied it.

Mike has decided that the real test of an Indian restaurant is its palak paneer and declared Guru da Dhaba's the best he'd bought in Melbourne. So it was a mixed performance: ordinary kofta, excellent eggplant and phenomenal paneer. We might need a second visit to come up with a definitive opinion.

Update (29/6/09): Guru da Dhaba has closed down, and has yet to be replaced...

Address: 240 Johnston Street
Ph: 9486-9155
BYO
Price: Veg curries ~ $10
Website: www.gurudadhaba.citysearch.com.au

April 11, 2008: Houndstooth II

2008-04-19T22:20:00.004+10:00

It's been a while since our last visit to Houndstooth, and in the meantime the 3 course meal seems to have increased from an insanely cheap $15 to a still-reasonable $20. It's evident that most of Fitzroy is indeed happy to absorb the price hike, with a healthy crowd making it a little difficult to hear the words of Mike, Marty and Alana across the table. Dim mood lighting prevented this group of maths geeks from resorting to communicating via hand-drawn diagrams.

I started with the white nectarine, ricotta, almond biscotti and watercress salad. All the individual elements were of excellent quality and if you had removed the watercress this would have made a delicious little dessert. I was a little weirded out by the salad version, however.

Michael instead had figs with gorgonzola and maybe balsamic vinegar - he can't remember and I didn't write it down. Whatever it was, he happily demolished it in a matter of seconds.

The vegetarian main of the evening was capsicum stuffed with rice, almond and parsley; mushrooms stuffed with ricotta and herbs; and beetroot lentil spinach salad. I must confess to not getting the firm, nutty lentil thing. The capsicum was homely, filling stuff but those herby, creamy, earthy mushrooms were the star of the plate.

Unusually Michael and I were agreed on our dessert preference, but we didn't take advantage of this by sharing. Instead we each polished off a thoroughly enjoyable slice of lemon tart.

Houndstooth changes its menu weekly so you're unlikely to encounter these particular dishes should you head over yourself. But they set the mood for what you're in for - something equal parts trendy and homely, it's what I'd be served by my imaginary hipster friend who lives in a artsy shared Fitzroy terrace house and harbours a secret crush on Jamie Oliver.

April 6, 2008: The Commoner

2008-04-14T18:34:00.005+10:00

Last week I felt rather cutting edge, visiting the Commoner just two days before the Age's Epicure recommended its pan-fried gingerbread in their article on modern Melbourne breakfasts. But I've been rather tardy in writing up my experience and anyway, the Commoner received mid-2007 reviews in the Age, the breakfast blog and Fitzroyalty. I guess I'm about as cutting edge as a boy band reunion.

Maybe I could instead pitch myself as clairvoyant? Because it was indeed the pan-fried gingerbread I chose to order ($14), in spite of stiff competition from the porridge (with rhubarb compote, pistachio nuts, honey and "Our Yoghurt"), the beignets (French doughnuts rolled in orange and cardamom sugar) and the Arabic pancake (with roasted black plums and yoghurt). I knew I'd be into the bananas and less enamoured of the honey, but it was the yoghurt that surprised me with its complementarity. The gingerbread itself was a funny thing, light in texture but with a dense crumb, and not heavily spiced. I wiped the plate clean, but felt it could have been executed a little better.

It's just as well the sweet side of the menu was so appetising, because all savoury options involve eggs. Still, half of those are vegetarian and Michael picked out baked free range eggs with sage, yoghurt and chilli ($16). Like me, Michael enjoyed his breakfast without being entirely wowed. In his opinion, Fitzroy rivals Julio and Min Lokal do baked eggs cheaper and better.

The Commoner has a smart and sophisticated look, but unfortunately group conversation tends to bounce off the bare floor and high ceiling, making it a noisy place even when only two thirds full. On this Sunday morning they seemed to be slightly understaffed, consistently mixing up coffee orders, though they were always friendly and apologetic. And the customers were, uh, very Fitzroy. I foresee a loyal and regular clientele for the Commoner, but you probably won't count me among them.

Address: 122 Johnston St, Fitzroy
Ph: 9415 6876
Price: veg breakfasts $10-16
Website: www.thecommoner.com.au

March 21, 2008: The Empress Hotel

2008-03-24T17:45:00.003+11:00

Cindy and I spent Friday evening hanging out with Tim Rogers, Glenn Richards and scores of other Melbourne hipsters at Mike Noga's show at the Empress Hotel in North Fitzroy. Before we settled in with some vaguely folk-ish alterna-rock, we ordered up dinner from the pub's impressively extensive menu.

I went for the Empress vegie burger, with fried onion, mixed salad, beetroot and cheese, a serve of fries and some 'house sauce' ($15). It was a pretty decent burger patty, made up some sort of generic vegie mush, with some well-cooked chips and a flavoursome sauce. On the downside - the salad was a bit sad (canned beetroot is never that attractive), and the whole thing was worth substantially less than $15. Still, it was filling and tasty and soaked up the beer.

Cindy wasn't as hungry as me, so she went for an entree-sized serve of tempura vegetables ($9). It was much better value for money -a good sized plate full of broccoli, carrot, cauliflower, zucchini and pumpkin. The batter fell a bit short of ideal, and the promised 'ketchup manis' was nowhere to be seen.

The whole meal was a little disappointing, but for a quick pre-rock pub meal, it's probably worth sampling a few of the cheaper dishes to get you through the night.

Address: 714 Nicholson Street, North Fitzroy
Ph: 9489 8605
Licensed (or course)
Price: veg meals $8 - $18
Website: www.theempresshotel.com.au

March 20, 2008: Los Amates III

2008-03-24T12:35:00.001+11:00

Cindy and I decided to get the Easter weekend underway in style. Lazy, non-cooking, style. So after she'd done some birthday present shopping around Fitzroy and I'd ducked into the city to go to the library, we met up at the corner of Brunswick and Johnston streets in need of a dinner plan. I was keen to try somewhere new - throwing out Blue Chillies, Red Rice and De Los Santos as ideas - but Cindy had set her heart on a repeat visit to Los Amates.

We've tried to return a few times in the last six months, only to find it booked out or closed, so the opportunity to turn up as they were opening and snag a table was too good to pass up. As it turned out, they didn't seem particularly busy at all - by the time we left at 8 or so, half the tables were still vacant - maybe things have died off a little. Cindy and I settled into the long weekend with cocktails: fresh strawberry margaritas, all pink and icy ($10.50). We'd previously sampled the vego tasting plate and the enchiladas combo, but this time we limited our sharing to the entree from the specials menu: quesadillas de flor de calabaza ($9.80), zucchini flower and cheese quesadillas with homemade corn tortillas, served with salsa noja and guacamole.

While these didn't really highlight the delicate zucchini flowers (which were basically smooshed into a mushy filling), they did provide a tasty start to the meal - fresh guacamole is always a winner and the hot sauce that came with it was great.

I kept my attention focussed on the specials menu for the mains, ordering the chiles rellenos: stuffed peppers filled with fresco cheese, topped with a hot red salsa and served with rice, beans and corn tortillas ($18.50). I don't think I read the description of this dish very closely - for some reason I'd imagined the peppers stuffed with some sort of generic stuffing (rice and such), with a few dollops of cheese around for flavour. Instead, the peppers were stuffed full of delicious, melty cheese.

The first pepper was divine, but by the time I was working my way through the second, I could feel the cheese seeping into my arteries. There was nothing wrong with any of the flavours, it was just a bit of a cheese overdose (even for me).

Cindy went for the Budin Aztecan ($18.50): fried tortilla pie with fresh vegies and mole, topped with cheese and served with frijoles salad.

Again, this turned out a little on the cheesy side. The mole was as delicious as was expected, but it was overwhelmed by the cheesiness. Cindy would have liked reverse proportions - the mole should dominate, with just a hint of cheese.

We walked away stuffed to the gills with cheese and sauciness, and just a little disappointed with our meal - based on this display, I'm coming around to the argument that Blue Corn is the Mexican place of choice for Melbourne vegos.

Read about our previous visits to Los Amates here and here.