Mister Jennings - Richmond

After spending time in internationally renowned kitchens such as El Bulli and the Fat Duck, Ryan Flaherty came back to Melbourne and opened the Estelle in Northcote with Scott Pickett. After enjoying success there, Flaherty is taking on his first solo venture with Mister Jennings. Located on Bridge Rd in Richmond, Flaherty along with Jack Ingram (from Bistro Vue) are serving up some beautiful and exquisite food.

That night, we opted for the 5 course tasting menu ($80pp). Before the actual 5 courses, we were given a glimpse of Flaherty's playfulness with an amuse bouche of his take on a Dagwood dog - a little boudin blanc encased in a delicate batter served with a house made ketchup with smoked paprika.

Our first course was a cold dish - a smoked eel parfait with pickled beetroot, toasted sourdough and sorrel. It was deliciously creamy but with great texture and acidity from the beetroot pickles. Perhaps my favourite dish of the night.

Next up was the dish Mister Jennings will most likely be known for, Frozen Kangaroo, wasabi avocado cream, jellied veal jus, raspberry and nashi pear. The kangaroo is peppered and seared on the outside and like a carpaccio, is then frozen so it can be thinly sliced. The idea is to leave the kangaroo slightly frozen so that it melts in the warmth of your mouth, and when eaten together with the other elements of the dish creates an exciting mix of temperature and texture.

Following was duck with radish and peanut. A perfectly cooked piece of duck with radish placed on top of a lovely peanut emulsion. A new flavour combination for me, but one that worked very well.

Our final savoury course was as simple but as good as it gets. A perfect medium rare Rangers Valley sirloin with a side of twice cooked chips and salad. What more could a diner ask for? (apart from more steak, that is) Despite the level of skill and technique that both Flaherty and Ingram possess, it is good to see that they know exactly when to keep things simple.

Dessert was also a highlight of the evening for me, we were given two different types desserts to share amongst the table. Firstly, there was a Jaggery sponge with fennel and apricot. A beautiful dessert of sweet apricots surrounded by an incredibly aerated sponge.

Our second dessert was my favourite - chocolate, cardamom and orange. Orange segments are encased by chocolate ganache, chocolate sorbet and chocolate dust rested upon a chocolate sable biscuit. It's finished off with a drizzle of chocolate sauce right at the very last minute for added chocolatey goodness and just a touch of showmanship. The dessert as a whole is divine and as hard as it is to believe is well balanced and not too sweet at all. The spiciness of cardamom marries all the flavours together.

The small team at Mister Jennings are an inspiring bunch, it was great to receive a small tour from Malcolm Singh (front of house) and chat with the rest the guys in the kitchen. From what I hear, there are a lot of exciting things planned for Mister Jennings including a chef's table in the next year, for which I will be eager to get a seat (there may have been mention of truffles, caviar, foie gras) 

It's been a real pleasure to see the evolution of Mister Jennings unfold and I look forward to seeing this restaurant continue to grow.


142 Bridge Rd, Richmond 
Ph: (03) 9078 0113
www.misterjennings.com.au

Little Man Cafe - Seddon

Little Man Cafe is one of the latest additions to Seddon's popular brunch spots. Unlike its neighbours, Common Galaxia and Seddon Deadly Sins, which prefer an earthier style of wood finishings and black details, Little Man Cafe is a delightful new fit out of white walls and blue tiles that adds a splash of colour and brightness to the neighbourhood.

What it lacks in space, it makes up for in friendly service and atmosphere. The food is what you would hope for in a typical brunch menu, a good place for your usual fix of poached eggs, bacon or smashed avocado.

The lunch menu is also quite good, with their Little Man Burger a popular choice amongst patrons. The chips with the burger were seasoned with thyme and were surprisingly tasty.

The whole cafe has a friendly and relaxed vibe, which makes it the perfect place to bring the family on weekends or to catch up with friends for brunch.

158 Victoria Street, Seddon 

(03) 9687 8881

littlemancafe.com

Hammer and Tong - Friends with Benefits Dinner (Nick Stanton)

To be honest, I was a little concerned about attending another Friends with Benefits Dinner at Hammer and Tong. I was worried that it wouldn't be as good as last time or that my expectations were now too high but thankfully after our first course was set down (and after a few big sips of my Tom Collins) all my worries flew out the window.

Placed before me was a beautifully plated dish of Hay smoked Cioba with pickled daikon, chilli and a smoked bonito infused dressing. The flavours were fresh and vibrant and the fried quinoa garnish added a fantastic crunch to the delicate fish.

Next was a Pork trotter nugget, seared scallop, apple, bacon and bourbon caramel. It was definitely one of the most elegant surf and turfs I've ever encountered. The timeless combination of pork and apple was enhanced by the taste of bourbon and the sweetness of a plump scallop, which my knife glided through like butter. 

This was followed by a Smokey beef brisket with kimchi, pineapple and pickled carrot. Never would I have thought that pineapple, beef and kimchi would be together in a single dish but it couldn't have made any more sense. The beef was cooked for 2 days and was sinfully succulent, whilst the kimchi, pineapple and carrot added the perfect amount of acidity and sweetness to cut through the intense richness of the beef.

Finally we arrived at dessert - a peanut butter waffle with salted peanut caramel, raspberry sorbet and chocolate sauce. It was absolutely divine! It was so good, we were scraping our plates for the last remnants of the amazing chocolate sauce. 

If I could sum up all the dishes of the night with one word, it would be 'balance'. Every course was packed with intense and bold flavours yet they combined together harmoniously. The textures of each dish were also well thought out, making each and every bite exciting and leaving you wanting more. I have such a wonderful time when I attend Hammer and Tong's Friends with Benefits dinners, I hope they become an annual thing. 

Ora Specialty Coffee - Kew

Ora Specialty Coffee is one of those places where you'd up and move just to make it your own local hotspot. It has everything, you could ask for in a cafe. 

The staff are friendly and warm, the food is brilliant and fresh and the tea and coffees are perfectly brewed.

The seasonal menu consists of a handful of well executed dishes created by head chef Zoe Pearce. It was no surprise when Ora won the title of best food cafe in the Age's good Cafe guide 2014.

On my most recent visit, I had the Black pudding fritters with watercress and beetroot aioli. The fritters had a delicate crispy shell with a super creamy inside.

The beetroot aioli was a gorgeous vibrant colour, making the dish stunning both visually and taste wise. The peri peri pork roll was also a standout amongst friends. 

As a tea lover, I adore the selection of teas on offer which are all from Storm in a Teacup. They are steeped to perfection and served in beautiful glassware, so you can appreciate the golden liquor of your tea. If coffee is your thing, they have almost every style of coffee imaginable - filter, siphon, cold drip, pour over etc - but rest assured, they are all done perfectly. 

Finally Ora's small sweets display can not be overlooked, they have pretty little cupcakes, a delicious beetroot chocolate brownie and fluffy bombolinis with cream just to name a few.

Ora is truly a neighbourhood treasure. Its impeccable food and coffee bring a touch of city style and flair to an otherwise quiet suburban area.

156 Pakington Street, Kew 

(03) 9855 2002 
 

Open: Weekdays, 7am until 4pm 

Weekends, 8am until 4pm 

The Kettle Black (Opening Soon)

From the people who brought us Two Birds One stone, Three Bags Full and Top Paddock, Kettle Black is set to open on Tuesday the 29th of July.

There are no specific details about the menu or concept quite yet but judging by the quality of the aforementioned cafes, Kettle Black will no doubt be a fine purveyor of food and coffee. Collaborating with design firm Studio You Me, we can expect something a bit new and exciting from the traditional Victorian Terrace space.

Located in South Melbourne, it will officially open its doors at 7am next week. There'll most definitely be a long line of eager cafe-goers, so get in early to grab yourself a seat.

Urban Provedore - South Yarra

Recently opened in May this year, Urban Provedore is a stylish new cafe conveniently located near South Yarra station. Head Chef, Andy Ledson has combined his culinary skills and his love for regional produce to create delicious seasonal menus for us to enjoy. 

Ledson's goal is simple; to ensure us city folk don't miss out on the joys of gorgeous regional produce.

The interior is spacious with lots of natural light and light wood furnishings. 

The walls are lined with shelves and shelves of regional Victorian products, which are also available for purchase.

For breakfast, I ordered Ham hock fritters, potato hash, creamed corn, braised red cabbage, black crumb pudding with the addition of poached eggs. I was really surprised by this dish, I wasn't exactly expecting ham hock and braised cabbage to be a particularly refined dish but it was quite a pretty dish. The cabbage was sweet, which went well with the saltiness of ham hock and the the black pudding crumb added texture.

The UP breakfast is a good feed for those with larger appetites. It's a wholesome breakfast of poached eggs, pork and fennel sausages, buttered thyme mushrooms, sauteed kipflers on sourdough with your choice of either a tomato chutney or bearnaise sauce.

Their Australian Sencha was interesting, a much more grassy and young tea than what I'm used to but the second steeping was quite nice. For those too busy for a sit down breakfast/lunch Urban Provedore also has a gourmet takeaway menu as well as a gorgeous sandwich bar. My only disappointment was the lack of sweets, there was your usual croissant and muffins but nothing to satiate my sweet tooth. 

Nonetheless, Urban Provedore is a beautiful space with lovely food.

231 Toorak Rd, South Yarra

(03) 9820 3500

www.urbanprovedore.com.au

Twenty and Six Espresso - North Melbourne

Located in North Melbourne, Twenty and Six Espresso is a cosy little cafe that was perfect for enjoying the precious winter sunshine. Originally a space for local designers to get together, it is now a space dedicated to serving excellent food and coffee. 

I took a trip out there late Tuesday morning for a spot of tea and a light lunch. We sat outside in their serene little courtyard, hoping to bask in the sun's warmth and enjoy the gentle breeze.

I loved the laid back vibe and the friendliness of the staff. Sitting outside in the courtyard felt like I was lazing about at a friend's home but in this case, said friend is also a very good cook and makes great coffees.

Despite having such a small kitchen, Twenty and Six Espresso are sending out some very impressive dishes with a focus on seasonality and fresh local produce. Their current winter menu includes, salmon tartare, duck leg confit and crispy pork belly. 

I wasn't very hungry so I just had their roasted chicken sandwich but I really liked the addition of horseradish cream, which gave the sandwich a nice kick. The pork belly was also very good, the meat was tender and juicy whilst the skin was delicate and crispy. Another reason why I like Twenty and Six Espresso is that they steep your tea properly. They have a small and basic tea selection but at least they do it right.

Twenty and Six Espresso is dedicated to using only local and seasonal produce. The amount of love and effort they put into their food and drink is extremely admirable. I'll definitely be returning soon.

594 Queensberry street, North Melbourne 

(03) 9329 0298

www.twentyandsix.com.au

Magnum Melbourne Pop Up - Emporium

Get on over to the Emporium to design your own custom Magnum! 

The pop up facility will be here until August 10th and is proving to be a huge hit amongst Melburnians. Despite being winter, the pop up has long lines of people just waiting to sink their teeth into some delicious ice cream.

So this is how it works..... 

1) You firstly choose your ice cream, either vanilla or chocolate.
2) You can then choose from white chocolate, milk chocolate or dark chocolate for your coating. 

3) Choose up to 3-4 toppings from a list of 18 toppings  to cover your Magnum

 4) Finally you choose a chocolate drizzle

Voila!

Depending on the line, there is a 20-40 minute wait but it's well worth it and if you're lucky, the girls might like your topping choices and give you some extra drizzle like I did. Don't forget to hashtag your pictures #magnummelbourne so everyone can see your creations too!

Nieuw Amsterdam - CBD

Nieuw Amsterdam located on Hardware street has a distinct old school New York vibe with its dark wood finishes and exposed red brick. Above their dimly lit bar is a stylish restaurant area, where diners can enjoy a selection of mains and sandwiches or something from the Pitt grill, such as their succulent Smoky beef brisket with a carrot remoulade.

For the indecisive diner, the $50 Nieuw Banquet is an amazing deal. You get a ridiculous amount of food (2 entrees, 2 mains, 2 sides and dessert) and it's all decided for you by head chef Nick Stanton (previously at Woods of Windsor). 

Along with the owner, Michael Roszbach (from Cookie) Stanton has created a menu that is undoubtedly American but I detected a slight hint of Asian and French influence. The kingfish ceviche had a light dashi dressing and our grilled eggplant was served with grilled tofu whilst the carrot remoulade helped to cut through the richness of our beef brisket.

We of course had to add their famous chicken and waffle dish to our banquet, rich pate and a chicken terrine atop a waffle with a orange caramel to add sweetness.

Desserts were also a huge hit at the table. We quickly devoured our silky chocolate delice with a liquid chocolate centre topped with sticky honeycomb before promptly tucking into our warm fluffy pumpkin donuts with a Kentucky bourbon cream. Out waiter was kind enough to instruct us on how to best eat the donuts without melting the cream. The trick is to split the donut in half, smother the insides with cream and create a warm, creamy pumpkin donut sandwich of sorts. Brilliant.

The drinks and service were lovely. Our food came out very quickly and I simply adored our waitress. She was very friendly and beautiful inside and out. It was a great place to have a drink, share a meal and catch up with friends.

(special thanks to Rachel Lung for providing some photos) 

Nieuw Amsterdam 

106-122 Hardware Street, Melbourne 

(03) 9602 2111

Hours 

Mon to Wed noon-1am 

Thurs & Sun noon-3am 

Fri & Sat noon-5am

nieuwamsterdam.com.au