hers is a pale dress...

I have been captivated (yet again) by an amazingly talented (and local) photographer. My current art-crush is named Jessica Tremp and she does amazing things with a camera - really, these images sing to me - how do you like them? Maybe it's just my mood at the moment... but I feel they are so beautifully and poetically whimsical.

I will definitely be stalking Jessica (in a nice and complimentary way) at the upcoming 'Picture this 09' opening night next Friday at the Brunswick St Gallery.

Look at her website, it's amazing - but be careful, you may well get lost in there...

It was a cold and stormy night...

... I was passing Cookie on my way to the gym when what beguiling scent should assault my senses but that of simmering cinnamon syrup. Yes, in the back bar at cookie, if you are very lucky, they might be making cinnamon syrup to add to their selection of special winter cocktails. I have no idea what mine was called, but it was just beautiful to sip and sit (as close as I could get to the simmering pot) on a winter evening in the city.

vego heaven in Carlton

As a local Carlton-ite I have eaten at Shakahari a few times. I love the unfussy and crisp flavours as well as the great combinations of ingredients and interesting textures.

The best thing though, about this fantastic little restaurant is when you take a vegetarian there for the first time. Imagine this - I am not a vegetarian, and I think that this place rocks. Now take a committed vegetarian there and it is seriously like a religious experience - instant addiction.

J and I have done this a few times and we (evilly) enjoy sitting back and letting the unsuspecting vego fall in love with food (for some of them for the first time since becoming vego... seriously).

This time our 'victim' was J's boss from New York. This guy eats out at some of the best (vego and non-vego) restaurants in the world, he travels a lot, eats a lot, and is hard to impress.

Do I need to say it?........................LOVE

We had: Avocado Rolls (tempura-ed avo, Eggplant & Coriander), Tokyo Balls (Brown Rice, Kombu, and herbs glazed with Nori), and the Salad Combination for starters and thenthe fantastically named main courses of: the Golden Aztec Quinoa, the Red Red Passion, and the Artisan Fettucine.

The menu doesn't change much but why should it - they do what they do so well. Most excellent!

imPRESSive

As a Melbourne Food Blogger, I realise that this late report on a new Melbourne institution - The Press Club - is extremely lax of me. Unfortunately it has taken this long for the stars to align: a suitable occasion, suitable company, and suitable interest in the venue from J. We booked for the 9pm sitting so after a few Martini's at the Westin, headed down to Flinders Street near the corner of Exhibition where lies the entrance to this den of Grecian wonder...

Our little group (of four - one being a Greek Vego...) chose to go with the $65 per person 'Kerasma' - 'to treat' tasting menu which includes 6 courses (there are also a $55 and $75 Kerasma at 5 and 7 courses respectively). I won't go into absolutely everything we had, but please let me create the mood...

Our extravaganza began with a beautiful little appetizer which I called 'Greek Salad in a Glass' but which probably has a much nicer name... It consisted of a liquid concoction (drink) which contained (among other things) cucumber, tomato, and onion. Skewered across the top were pieces of gently fried Halloumi cheese - a winner.

As each course followed the other, I started to regret only missing two meals in the lead-up to this epicurious event. Next time I will try to starve myself for at least 24 hours prior! The food just kept coming - lovely little morsels rounded out by an asolutely superb slow-roasted lamb dish which was just dreamy. The dessert (of which I am not normally a fan) platter also must be seen (and tasted) to be believed, photographs cannot do it justice.

Our table was situated directly in front of the kitchen (my view - with slightly craned neck - can be seen below). This was just perfect for me! I would have paid extra for this table as there is nothing I like more that watching the inner workings of a top class kitchen. For some people though, this position might prove a little too busy or noisy, but not for me - bring it on!

I will definitely be back at The Press Club in future, perhaps for a business lunch, perhaps for a special dinner - either can be accomodated but as usual I will not complain if the bill is picked up by the company and I can have a chance to sample more of the extensive (and impressive) wine list.

Loco Loco

I am not normally prone to frequent bars that reside in train stations, especially if the station in question is in the city in which I reside - but for the new bar at Southern Cross Station (the old Spencer Street Station in Melbourne) I have made a worthwhile exception. I should admit before I go any further that I do have a professional involvement with the station and also that J was the genious behind the name Loco Bar (we are still waiting for the engraved bar stool...). But all that aside, this place looks smart. We went there last Friday afternoon for a drink and the place looked really slick. Drinks are pretty standard city prices, the staff are getting there, the nibbles were good and reasonably priced. Loco Bar is a great vantage point for people watching, or for admiring the architectural wonder that is the new station building.

Marvelous Markov

J and I went to see a (bad but free) movie at Cinema Nova in Carlton the other night for Date Night. We ended up getting out of the cinema at about 9:30pm with low expectations of finding anything to eat between the Nova and home. We tried a few places on Lygon Street but all the kitchens were closed or about to be so. We thought we would try Markov Place (behind the Cleanskin shop on Drummond Street) which always has a great wine list and nice staff with great manners and fun attitude and where we could at least be assured of a decent post-movie wine. What we weren't really expecting though was a fantastic meal to go with it - but that is certainly what we got. We both ordered the Prawn Linguine with brocolli, Olives, and Tomato which was fantastic. I love that you also get your own bowl of Parmesan and two little bottles - one filled with garlic infused and the other with chilli infused olive oil, these rituals lift the dining experience above ordinary. I definitely recommend my 'secret' local little bar.

Yarra Valley Races

If you have ever been out to the Yarra Valley races I will assume that you, like I, have plans never to go back? It wasn't the company (they were great), it wasn't the weather (not so great, but bearable), it wasn't the horses (I love the horses), and it definitely wasn't the food (YUMMO). The reason I won't be going back rests somewhere between the screeching, drunk, and pretty unnattractive Bucks and Hens parties, and the band - called 80's-R-Us (say no more) who were parked directly behind our marquee. I have been to other country races, as well as city races, and have seen some pretty sorry and sordid sights (mainly at Flemington...). But nothing will stick in my mind like the enourmous leggingsunderdress clad, purple-topped barefoot (and almost bare-breasted) girl who insisted on prancing, running, falling over, and rubbing herself up against any half-male looking body, in front of me for most of the day.

The Food - The thing I love about country racing is everybody bringing along their favourite nibbles to eat with the champers that flows steadily throughout the day. There were 5 in our group so we split the shopping thusly: J cooked mini savoury muffins and choc slice, K & S cooked potato and goat cheese balls and brought along some great dips they had bought at the Melbourne Show, I did the Vic Market run for various anti-pasti type food (thanks for the tip on Spanish Queen Olives Pete), and E did a wonderous new dessert, forever forward known as 'world famous fruit'n'dip' - maybe...

The Dip consists of philli Cream Cheese, white Chocolate, and Passionfruit Pulp - THAT'S IT!! but believe me - the taste is truly to die for, I think back on it now that I am on my Detox (more about that tomorrow) with much awe and intense yearning - Thanks E!

Idibidi Breakfast

The weekend before last, my mum was in town (Yay!), down from Sydney. We had a lovely time just walking a bit, shopping a bit, and eating a bit. I didn't have the camera with me for our visit to our 'local' - Jimmy Watsons - but rest assured it was top notch (as usual). On Sunday morning though, we walked from home (in Carlton) to Brunswick Street Fitzroy where (with appetite whetted) we partook of a great breakfast at Idibidi. Idibidi is a great cafe/restaurant in the heart of Brunswick Street (people watching was the main passtime of the morning). We ate (yes, both of us) the French Toast with Bacon and Maple Syrup. What more can I say? Oh - one thing, I should have asked for the syrup on the side as I am not a HUGE fan of mixing sweets and savouries... but that's just me, and this was GOOD!

Retreat is Right

After initially getting excited about a grungy Sunday afternoon catch-up with an old friend at the Retreat Hotel Brunswick, I realised that what we we were actually doing was having a grown-up, leisurely lunch at the Retreat Hotel Abbotsford! Just as exciting - nowhere near as cool... In fact the Retreat in Abbotsford was the pub that propped up the menfolk from TV series 'The Sullivans' - I don't think much has changed much since. This is not a bad thing. Drinks are cheap, food is well cooked, reasonably priced, and tastes like real food - you know what I mean... The atmosphere is all that was slightly lacking. We had been told to book a table for Sunday lunchtime but honestly, while we were there only one other couple ate in the restaurant section and a few people ate in the bar - that's it (and not many other people were around to make up numbers either...) which was fine for us two girls who wanted nothing more than an ununterrupted natter to while away a sleepy Sunday afternoon in Spring, but I certainly wouldn't recommend it anyone looking for action! We ate mains only - I had the slow-cooked Lamb Shanks which were great, dark as dark and falling off the bone, only complaint - the 'greens' turned out to be one Bok Choi a vegetable to which I am not particularly partial. My friend had the shiny boiled meat - sorry, I mean Corned Beef! to which I am totally impartial to the point of extreme dislike, but which she said was quite agreeable. Both of us were happy with our meals, the venue and the price. Not rushing back though, if you know what I mean...

Klever Kamel

Last weekend my very best (male) friend was in town from the Gold Coast. As you may imagine, he doesn't get to sample too many spicy culinary delights up there... So we took him along to Kamel in Albert Park. Kamel has been open for a few years (2003 as I recall) and is branded as an African and Middle Eastern cafe. They have an absolutely great menu, and even though I always thought Saganaki was Greek, I am not about to argue - this food is tops! On Saturday night we had a party of four, sat upstairs, and shared all the dishes: Saganaki, an Olive Plate, Stuffed Mushrooms (a highlight) Roasted Pumpkin, Lamb Cutlets, and something else that I can't recall but am sure was fantastique! Really, this place is gold. Cheap, tasty, different - best of all the kitchen is so quick that you can really order the dishes as and when you feel like them- we ordered three separate times and it worked perfectly.

Stalactites? Probably not...

I have heard so much about Stalactites Greek restaurant over the last 6 years I have lived in Melbourne, that it was almost certainly not going to live up to its "quality cuisine" tag. Last night, J had a colleague visiting Melbourne who he had offered to take out to dinner. Said guest had a hankering for some quality Greek cuisine, so where else would we head, but to Stalactites, another Melbourne 'institution'.

For a short time in my younger days I was blessed with a pair of wonderful Greek step-grandparents, both of whom could cook up a storm (mainly the grandmother, although the granfather brewed a wicked Ouzo and marinated some truly heavenly olives). I digress. This only means that unfortunately for me I know what good Greek food tastes like.

I won't go as far as to say that I did not find any at Stalactites, but I can say that every plate we ordered was in some way carcinogenic. Between the three of us we ordered the Spanakopita and Calamari for Appetizer and a Meat Platter (to share) with one serve of Mousakka for mains. The Spanakopita was a 'roll', not cooked as I understand the traditional way - in a baking tray - it was dry, lets leave it at that. The Calmiari was OK, deep fried and with a large douse of lemon juice, nice. The Meat Platter was mainly burnt, big, but burnt. The Mousakka (which I was most looking forward to) was not only burnt, but cool and served with THE soggiest excuse for vegetables and barely boiled white rice - not good.

Sorry Stalactites, next time a visitor or friend asks for a recommendation on quality Greek cuisine I'll be sending them elsewhere... unless they are in the market for a 4am Souvlaki at which you do excel.