Rockwell and Sons, Collingwood

When it's not ridiculously hot, it's hard to beat a long summer's day for life's simple indulgences. I love that it can still be bright at 8 o' clock in the evening. I love enjoying my dinner in the open air, as the residual warmth from the last rays of the sunlight and the emerging coolness of the evening breeze caress me.

If you're in Melbourne, you know we're currently experiencing a ridiculously hot week. Fortunately, it was under much more comfortable conditions when I ticked Rockwell and Sons (288 Smith St, Collingwood) off my wishlist last month. It was one of those gorgeous days, if I do recall correctly.

And for a pretty evening like that, you've got to start with a pretty drink. I made the right choice with a strawberry and star anise soda - a lovely housemade affair with fresh, true flavours, sweet with strawberries and flickering with the faintest hint of star anise.

Strawberry and Star Anise Housemade Soda ($5).

French fries with malt vinegar aioli, an excellent combination. The pairing of the crunchy fries with the quite strongly acidic aioli reminded me of salt-and-vinegar chips!

French Fries, Malt Vinegar Aioli ($6).

I had heard so much about the burgers at Rockwell and Sons, especially the famous Double Patty Smash Burger. Perhaps too much, as all the rave reviews had me thinking that this could be a life-changing burger, which is probably quite unrealistic. So look, it may be over-hyped but it was still enjoyable, to be fair - juicy patties, soft and buttery brioche bun, a tasty sauce reminiscent of thousand island dressing... and, I really, really like how there were pickles in every bite, because pickles are awesome.

Double Patty Smash Burger ($10).

The fried chicken sandwich with buttermilk dressing, iceberg lettuce and hot sauce was delicious, too. We gobbled it up in no time.

You know what? These burgers are kind of like what would happen if McDonald's was given a quality, classy, gourmet makeover. I say that as a compliment.

Fried Chicken Sandwich ($12).

The surprise of the night was the pan-roasted broccoli with bonito aioli and pickled sultanas. What a great way to cook broccoli! It was caramelised, it was smoky, it was quite a revelation. The waiter, sensing my delight, said this dish, too, was a favourite of his - that he thought it was a stroke of genius and wanted to try it at home. Yeah, I'm definitely going to pan-roast my broccoli and pickle my sultanas in the future. Thanks for the idea, Rockwell and Sons!

Pan-Roasted Broccoli, Bonito, Pickled Sultanas ($12).

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the cutting table, collingwood

Simon and I usually pay for our own portion of meals when we dine out, but every now and then we  treat each other. On this occasion he paid for our lunch at The Cutting Table (126 Smith St, Collingwood), a little African cafe with generously sized mains for reasonable prices. (Yeah, I could totally have chosen a more expensive place to try - he got off the hook!)

We're partial to seeking out the chai at different places, and we liked the sound of the home brewed African chai. However, it was a touch too milky, and not strong enough on the spices.

Home brewed African chai ($4).

We were also intrigued by the Green for Life smoothie - there's probably not much that's African about it, but it was an interesting combination of avocado, celery, ginger, honey, cinnamon and milk... thick, creamy, and goes down with a pleasantly cool tingle.

Green for Life smoothie ($5.50).

I noticed a stack of petite African doughnuts at the counter when we were ordering, so obviously I had to try one. I like how they warmed it up for me before serving, with a dash of powdered sugar and trickle of honey. The doughnut had almost a muffin-like texture and was fairly decent.

Zlabia - African doughnut ($1).

It wasn't long before we received our mains. This is the Ugali chicken stack - free-range chicken fillet marinated in spicy lovers sauce (a tomato-based sauce with African berebere spice mix) and served on Ugali (grilled polenta in West African style) with salad, pita chips and tahini-yoghurt dip. The sides are alright, but the subtly sweet, saucy and succulent chicken and the firm, savoury polenta were definitely the stars of this show.

Ugali chicken stack ($12).

We also chose the African plate - special African dish of the day, served in the traditional way with injera bread, rice and salad. They had beef, chicken or vegetarian options available for this dish, and we went with beef. It came out like a thick stew, lots of flavour, but also very salty. Thankfully, the rice and the slim, soft, spongy, sour injera balanced it out somewhat.

African plate ($13.50).

Despite some fault-finding, I like The Cutting Table. The food was mostly tasty and left us full and satisfied without breaking the bank. Their menu includes vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options. We had a meaty experience this time around, but I hope to return again for the vegetarian dishes, which sounded excellent - I suspect I'll have trouble deciding between the ancient Egyptian burger, the Moroccan chickpea and vegetable patty, the hot chilli lentil wrap, the ingera roll and the spicy tofu salad!

The Cutting Table also forms part of The Social Studio, a community enterprise that not only celebrates multiculturalism and ethical choices but also provides social support and education programs. Besides, you can browse and buy some really beautiful limited edition pieces designed and created on-site in their fashion shop just next door. They do good work, and I look forward to giving them continued support with future visits.




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bayte, collingwood: a lebanese brunch

I had a most supremely fabulous Saturday last week.

It was the day I stuffed myself with brunch, the day I jammed with Simon and his housemates garage-band-style, the day I had frozen yoghurt for dinner, the day filled with camaraderie and laughter and fun and affection.

This is where it all started. Brunch at Bayte (56 Johnston St, Collingwood).

Simon, as usual, kicked things off with coffee - but this time, with a Lebanese twist. It was rich and glossy and he enjoyed it.

Lebanese coffee. ($3.50)

I got myself a cool and refreshing mulberry soda. The triangular bottle it came in was cute. The mulberry concentrate seemed to collect at the bottom - I gave it a good stir, and was subsequently rewarded with a gentle berry flavour.

Mulberry soda. ($3.50)

Because we arrived at noon, it was a great time for variety - we could order off both the breakfast and the lunch menus. Hurrah!

Simon decided upon the baked eggs from the breakfast menu. This was splendid - the eggs are cooked in a spiced tomato stew, studded with bits of onion and whole juicy okras, then topped with salty, crumbly chunks of shanklish cheese, with a soft flat bread on the side. I stole a bite, and when Simon had trouble finishing it, I happily did my duty. Can't have good food going to waste.

Beyd el Firin bi Bamieh bi Zayt ma’ Shanklish – baked eggs in an okra & tomato spiced stew, topped with shanklish cheese. ($15)

I picked a couple of dishes from the lunch menu.

The spicy fish pie caught my attention immediately, and I chose it as a starter. It came with a tangy sauce, which I thought might be lemon-tahini, but I'm not sure. The pie was delicious with or without the sauce. It kind of reminded me of a curry puff. While there isn't a lot of fish in it, they do use a stronger tasting fish (mackerel, perhaps?), which Simon wasn't overly fond of, so I ate most of it.

Fatayer bi Samak – spicy fish pie with potato and pine nuts. ($7)

I also decided to be adventurous and opted for the raw lamb kibbeh, which was served with labne, olive oil and crispy flat bread. With the exception of sashimi, I don't eat raw meat very often, and sometimes I feel skeptical about it. One bite of this kibbeh, however, and my doubts were allayed - it tasted so clean, so fresh, so wholesome.

Lahem Nayeh – raw lamb kibbeh. ($14)

After all that, we were both very full, but I insisted on looking at the dessert menu as Simon lets me know I am on my own in this pursuit. I was intrigued by the booza, a homemade ice cream. The waitress informed me that the flavour of the day was bitter orange. It wasn't quite what I felt like, but I shrugged and went for it anyway. In retrospect, I should have listened to my gut instinct - it was a tad too bitter for me, but I suspect marmalade fans would adore it, with the orange flesh and zest liberally strewn through the ice cream, accented with dots of vanilla bean. The texture was interesting, with hints of stickiness and elasticity, thanks to the use of the mastic, also known as Arabic gum.

In any case, our eating patterns continue as expected, with Simon sampling only a tiny scoop while I am left with the lion's share, and managing to polish it all off successfully to boot. I really think he needs to up his game, so that I can order more stuff. That's what partners are for, right?

Booza – homemade ice cream with bitter orange, vanilla and mastic. ($4.50)

At the end of the day, I found Bayte to be a stimulating, charismatic introduction to the world of Lebanese cuisine. It was a tasty learning experience and I hope to return for a continued education.



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mr burger food truck, collingwood, melbourne et al

Mr Burger food truck at Easey St, Collingwood.

Some days are just perfect. A stroll under sunny blue skies. A brightly enticing food truck manned by cheerful staff. Getting hands-on with burgers and chips in the open air, in the company of silly seagulls.

I'm not the sort to chase after food trucks, but the great thing about Mr Burger is that their trucks are in quite a few locations - plus they have also set up a regular shop in the Melbourne CBD to make things even easier for those who just want a traditional burger joint with a fixed address.

On this occasion - a Friday afternoon - we found one of the Mr Burger trucks parked on Easey Street, Collingwood during lunch hours. It wasn't particularly busy - a few takeaways here and there. We got our food within ten minutes, and found a spot where we could plonk ourselves down to have at it.

The chips here are well-seasoned, and have a nice balance of crisp and tender.

Chips from Mr Burger. Large - $5.

And the burgers? I adored them.

I opted for the namesake, Mr Burger, while Simon had the Mr Meat. These are some pretty classic burgers - no funny business here. Just fresh, quality ingredients treated with respect. Yeah, they're a bit messy to eat. But it's worth getting your hands dirty for these burgers. So juicy, surprisingly light on grease, and still a little pink inside. Most excellent. (P.S. They also offer a Mr Veg - a vegetarian falafel burger, which is apparently fantastic, too. I may try it next time, if I am able to pry myself from the good ol' beef options.)

I introduce you to my Mr Burger, with beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, mustard, mayonnaise and tomato sauce.

Mr Burger, $10.

And here's Simon's Mr Meat, with beef, cheese, lettuce, bacon, caramelised onions, pickles, bbq sauce, and mayonnaise.

Mr Meat, $11.

Yum, yum, yum.

It goes without saying that this post comes with an enthusiastic recommendation for Mr Burger.

I think the seagull agrees, too.

A seagull sneaking in to eat some chips! Thanks go to Simon, for donating this photograph. :)

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cibi: touch the heart - tasting night & workshop

A few weeks ago I meandered along to Cibi's website and made the serendipitous discovery of a free and upcoming exhibition-slash-event that I would otherwise never had known about. It was a tasting night, incorporating a workshop, called "Touch the heart: Eat & learn at Cibi".

"Greetings from CIBI.

We hope you are well and enjoying the autumn chill which is great for driving us into the kitchen with lovely autumn/winter produce, to create heart-warming food.

In a change from past exhibitions, this time we want to introduce and showcase our "fresh approach to simplicity" in the kitchen, which is the heart of our CIBI food philosophy.

It promises to be a tasty and fun experience, with wide range of dishes, introducing over 30 different ingredients and vegetables.

Please join us to enjoy a relaxing and interesting evening with our friends at CIBI.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Best regards

CIBI team"

Lured by the promise of free food and education, Simon and I breezed in right on time, ready for our little evening adventure. The following pictures are courtesy of Simon and his DSLR camera. (I really should enlist his services and/or his camera more often...)

Shelves upon shelves of seasonal ingredients greeted us cheerily as we walked in... a beautifully rustic sight to behold.

seasonal fruits and vegetables galore at cibi's "touch the heart" event.

We were each given a plate with specific instructions on how to navigate the buffet. This is not an eat-all-you-can circus! All the dishes were already arranged on the tables in individual portions to be lifted into our plates, in specifically designated spots, to be treasured and savoured.

We started off with a scoop of chestnut rice, and then we each got to pick a main, which consisted of either a small piece of miso fish, a ginger chicken meatball or a teriyaki tofu round. Once that was done, we moved on to the sides. We helped ourselves to a portion each of the pickled daikon and purple carrot, the eggplant and chickpea stew, and the mushroom, persimmon and chrysanthemum leaf salad. There were also cups of root vegetable soup, as well as tea (I believe it was of the hojicha variety).

I really enjoyed the food - light and gentle, they had a soul-soothing quality to them, as well as a balanced sense of care and thoughtfulness. I felt - somehow - intrinsically nourished.

a petite but well-balanced meal at cibi's "touch the heart" tasting night.

I also participated in the onigiri workshop, where we basically had to try to emulate what the lady at the booth was doing to create triangle rice balls. No prizes for guessing who's who in the picture!

onigiri workshop at cibi's "touch the heart" event.

My finished product was an appropriate representation of my fumbling efforts. I clearly won't be quitting my day job anytime soon to be an onigiri master. Nor a hand model, for that matter. (P.S. The specks on my fingers are the delicious remnants of bonito flakes that I failed to incorporate fully into my onigiri.)

eating, learning, and making onigiri (the latter with limited success)...

To finish, we had desserts. It was a beguiling selection. Kinako (roasted soybean flour) cookies and matcha (green tea) cookies, earthy and crumbly. Adzuki bean chocolate ganache pieces, rich yet delicate - a delightful revelation.

an assortment of desserts to cap off cibi's "touch the heart" event.

I walked away that night with renewed inspiration, Cibi's philosophies lingering in my mind. I vowed that I would continue to try my best to celebrate the diversity of different ingredients, to stay true to them, and to combine them with holistic sensitivity. To chew slowly, to linger upon the tastes and textures. To enrich myself, and the environment, through the food I choose to eat.

To create meals that touch the heart.

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huxtaburger, collingwood

Some people feel that wagyu beef is wasted in a burger. I beg to differ.

For, surely, not every part of even the most delicious of cows is destined to be tataki or steak at a fancy restaurant. I am more than happy to have these other cuts minced and transformed into a luxurious pattie.

So when Huxtaburger (106 Smith St, Collingwood) opened in December last year, I casually suggested to Simon that we should stroll over for a visit.

It was a flurry of activity on that warm evening - impressive for a place that had been operating for only a week at the time - and we were lucky to get a seat outdoors.

Huxtaburger's menu is a simple one. Five burgers, all with Moondarra-sourced wagyu beef patties. Chips/fries are available, too, of course, and they also have a 'salad of the day' option for vegetarians - the day we went, it was roasted cauliflower, quinoa, Meredith goat's cheese, pomegranate and mint, which I very nearly ordered, as it sounded quite lovely.

But that night, it was all about the burgers for us.

Fans of The Cosby Show will get a kick out of the burgers, in more ways than one. Except for the eponymous Huxtaburger burger, the other burgers are all named after characters of the sitcom - Bill, Rudy, Denise and Theo.

I opted for Denise (the hot one) - with jalapeno and sriracha mayo.

Huxtaburger's Denise burger, $9.

Simon went for Theo - with bacon, double pattie, double cheese and barbecue sauce.

Huxtaburger's Theo burger, $11.

We both enjoyed our burgers - the wagyu patties were delightfully sweet and juicy, the seasonings were just right, and there was a pleasing contrast with the soft buns and their crisp sesame-crusted exterior.

The prices of the burgers at Huxtaburger fall around the 10-dollar mark, and they venture towards the petite side as far as Australian appetites go - I was reasonably satiated, but Simon said that he could almost devour another one, which, admittedly, may also have something to do with how tasty they were. Overall, given the quality, I find them to be good value for money. When Simon comes back from his overseas trip, I look forward to another visit together for more beefy burger goodness. And hey, we might even try the salad.



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