Mischa saved up all her puppy money and ordered me a beautiful arrangement from my uber talented friend Skye at The Flower Shop.
rustic Italian eats
Mangiare e felicita; eating is happiness. This is a belief that most certainly resonates with me and that La Svolta lives by. Tucked away on Cecil Place in Prahran this authentic Italian trattoria is warm and friendly serving up traditional fare from all corners of 'The Boot'.
This pizzeria is favoured by our friends at Totem Onelove and was the perfect haven for a Stereosonic team dinner. The wonderful thing about dining in such astute company is knowing that no one is shy to eat and the ordering of many dishes to share is encouraged. The table was laden with crispy calamari, tasting plates brimming with cuts of cured meats and cheese, pizzas, pastas, more pastas, risotto and sides drowned with generous offerings of wine. This is teaming building at its best.
With each bite of happiness you know in your heart that the recipe was created by a Nonna somewhere. You can imagine a child clutching at legs, every inch of the kitchen bench top floured, each piece of pasta lovingly shaped whilst a big pot of passata bubbles away on the stove. If only all Italian dining experiences, outside of the home, were this humble, delicious and true.
La Svolta
3-5 Cecil Place
Prahran VIC
Ph: 03 9510 3001
Woods of Windsor
I felt as though I stepped back into 1920s Melbourne chancing upon an illegal whiskey bar. Amidst the hustle and bustle of Chapel Street, The Woods of Windsor is sophisticated and charming and definitely worth a look. Beautifully furnished with decadent dark wood and dotted with nods to yesteryear with stunning attention to detail. Taxidermy animals peer at you from the shelves of the well stocked bar as you peruse the cocktail menu. The Woods is a culmination of good food and wine with an astounding whiskey collection.
Vodka, lemon, smoked hay syrup, bitters, bunnahabhain float
The Lewis Medlock
The Lewis Medlock
The leading character to the 1972 American thriller 'Deliverance' whose Southern American adventure took a sour twist.
Zucchini Flowers goats cheese, beetroot, pine nuts
Forest Mushroom Tart spiced yoghurt, chestnut puree, watercress
Hay Smoked Kingfish dashi dressing, picked celery, native finger limes
Pig Trotter Fritters onion marmalade, soft quail egg
Martin Millers, lemon, apricot, edlerflower, tonic
Wellington's Quaff
Wellington's Quaff
A twist on the classic gin and tonic. The delicate citrus floral notes celebrate the late great British Statesman's victory at Vittoria in 1813.
Peanut Butter Bar raspberry sorbet, salted peanut caramel
Triple Chocolate Slice banana ice cream, shaved white chocolate
The Woods of Windsor
108 Chapel Street
Windsor, Melbourne VIC
The Greenhouse
Breakfast at The Greenhouse is usually quite magical. This time was no different.
Disney on crack
The Thousands is always putting on cool stuff, this time Spring Breakers opening night screening with free pizza, Sailor Jerry gin and tunes.
A montage of tits (yea, I said it), pink balaclavas, bikinis and James Franco with cornrows. I felt all the right things; disgust and repulsion, amusement then a stream of anxiety kicked it. But there was this dull sensation of admiration. They pretty much did whatever the fuck they wanted, it's Spring Break mthafkrs! Actions going ultimately without any consequence, four girls showing a lot of teen flesh hanging out with a gold teethed gangster doing bad things. A film about living in the moment, however the fk you want to. If you want to go home ... then go ... your story will end and you are forgotten. Hop on a bus and shed some tears, or you can stay ... Spring Breaaaaaak.
URBAN LOCAVORE | APRIL
Once a month it feels like my birthday. I cannot wait to start enjoying all the gorgeous offerings from the April edition of Urban Locavore.
Wolf Children
This would have to be one of my favourite anime films.
Parlour Diner
Amidst the clutter of eats jammed along Chapel Street there is a humble American-style diner that my friends at Totem Onelove regularly frequent. The Parlour Diner gives all the right nods to the US without going overboard.
We shared Pale Ale Onion Rings and Parlour Curly Fries which were hastily dunked into the mustard with chipotle sauce. A nice little pitstop in our Stereosonic summit. It is too hard to sit in the boardroom with a rumbling stomach. So instead we sat at the pretty blues tables in Windsor chatting about the Splendour lineup, whilst playing on our phones waiting to tuck into our burgers. `
I must say I was a little devastated that they were out of the dressed lobster and shrimp ‘Po Boy’ with slaw and chimichurri salsa. But all was forgiven when I sunk my teeth into my Asian Pork Slider with Asian Slaw smothered in chipotle sauce. Yum! I love this place.
Parlour Diner
64 Chapel Street
Windsor VIC 3183
light lunch
Oh Mrs S you always get it right! I had forgotten how tranquil the cafe is after 2pm. It is nice to beat the rush, sit down spreading out over the big table without anyone eyeing off your spot the moment you put down your fork and brush the crumbs from your mouth.
The Manwich was a perfect love affair of pulled pork, beetroot pickle and salad embraced by a firm, fresh ciabatta roll. I love that the Autumn menu has an offering of tasty and decadent salads which all seem healthy enough to warrant #cleaneating. The nutty wild rice and charred pumpkin salad was riddled with cranberries, pecans and pepitas adding texture and crunch. The salad of French green lentils laden with gorgonzola, pear and broad beans had a beautiful balance of flavouts set off by the bitter salad leaves.
A perfectly light lunch with a perfect pair of friends.
Perth has a secret cake club!
Each month a group of likeminded souls plan and plot for a secret meeting of an ancient art. The morning of the grand unveiling is spent preparing and perfecting with only one thing in mind. CAKE.
This secret meeting of those who love to bake was started by my wonderful food loving friends Jacqui (Pantry in Suburbia) and Carolanne (Carolanne's Kitchen). In early 2012 the girls became the Perth arm of the Cladestine Cake Club. Not wanting to stick to the rigid rules of the CCC and with Carolanne moving to South Africa, Jacqui said the change in the air had her craving something new. So Secret Cake Club was created and born out of a desire to bake freely!
Spring always brings those feelings of yesteryear and the theme for last September was retro cakes from your childhood. I was a little too frantic to pull out my mum's dogeared Women's Weekly cookbooks so I did what any smart person would do. I attended, I listened, I ate.
The next Secret Cake Club meeting is this Sunday, 5 May 2013. The theme is to bring "you on a plate". This means we will rock up armed with a dish, sweet or savoury, that reflects our very soul. This is going to be interesting!
GOT S3 E5
You know nothing Jon Snow
community cookbook
Recipes & Ramblings is a collection of gorgeous recipes from local community members, chefs and venues. For only $20 you can have a little bit of Beaufort Street in your kitchen every evening.
barbecued ginger ale pork ribs
I have a confession. I have a girl crush. On a girl called Katie.
Since Katie (well her cookbook) came into my life, my thirst for cooking is now hard to quench. Each weekend I have been drawing inspiration from her gorgeous cookbook What Katie Ate. On this particular weekend it was her Barbecued ginger ale pork ribs that got me. I threw together a green slaw with shredded apples and sticky fig balsamic and a little side of pan fried haloumi with fresh limes.
magazine and caffeine
GOT S3 E4
How do you say bring a plate in Valyrian?
ribs for breakfast
Um yes please. You can find these bad boys served up for breky at Miss Kitty's Saloon.
Fries / Burger by Levins
I found these on my iPhone from 'Diner' launch feat Levins & Tick Tock Farewell Party at The Bird from last Spring. Chilli fries and burger by Mr Andrew Levins himself.
Law and Order: Culinary Intent
That sunny Spring afternoon of 16 Sept 2012 holds many fond memories. Known to some as Tick Tock's last supper. May he rest in disco peace. To others, Mr Levins' launch partay for his awesome cookbook 'Diner' (which I love). And to me ... the first time and hopefully not the last time I satisfied my tummy with Gracey's cooking. From time to time Miss Ophelia pops up at The Bird with Law and Order: Culinary Intent. Best name, best lady, mean corn dogs.
DUN DUN
Photo credit Mr Andrew Levins of The Dip
GOT S3 E3
Hand me the chicken wings please.
Miss Kitty's Saloon
Miss Kitty's Saloon draws inspiration from the wild wild west serving up delights such as sticky tamarind ribs, frickles (yes .. fried pickles), devilled eggs and crunchy delicious fried chicken bits on a waffle bed. And that is just for breakfast!
The saloon is swiftly drawing enough cowboys to keep it rammed all week long so be sure to book. The perfect place for well priced, tasty food with a Canadian twang or a drink after work.
'Beautiful ... with a little bit of dirt'
