Sunday 26 January 2014

We are going Sunny side up in Brunswick

It's great getting to know your locals. You are able to extract their knowledge of where they think the best places are to go and eat.

I am always one for asking people where they go for breakfast, seeing as it's my favourite thing to do, I am always on the look out for new places that are hidden or under the realisation on how amazing they are.

I have been told by several local breakfast attics that Jelly stone is the place to go, and since being there it too has now become my local favorite morning hide out.

Behind a stone wall is a gem of Brunswick serving tasty hearty breakfasts, smooth coffee and the most friendly service I have come across. Staff are down to earth and are more than happy to bring up random conversations or even include you in their own conversations. It's chilled and relaxing.

Breakfast is as it should be. An overloading plate of goodness. Here they are not trying to deliver you something extravagant and compete with finer service styles, it's a real breakfast with a slight variance to make it their own.

The Notorious VEG is filled with avocado, tomato, saganaki, mushrooms, eggs and beans. A big breakfast for vegetarians and adding a lil bacon to the side you have a big breakfast for the meat eaters. Everything is piled on, not being shy of anything. Be hungry for this one.

Now I am always a sucker when corn bread is offered so of course I had to try the beans and corn bread. Spiced up beans were delicious and made me a very happy person. The warm toasted corn bread made a great accompaniment. The bread was not too dense wither which made for a more pleasurable experience. The beans are topped with an avocado smash but of course I had to add a lil bacon too.

It was certainly one eye catching breakfast and got me excited.

As I said the coffee here is smooth, and medium strength. The best thing here is when you ask for a strong coffee, you get a strong coffee. It will be sure to wake you up, and as the saying goes; it will surely go 'POW right in the kisser''.

To also get you excited you have to test their milkshakes. Sure you can go a chocolate and vanilla, but why not go that little bit more extravagant and grab a ginger bread and salted caramel or a chocolate and peanut butter shake? Thick and tasty it's the only way a milkshake should be wouldn't you say.

It's a great location and am glad we were advised to go there. As it was explained to us originally the menu is exactly what you are looking for when you want a breakfast and then when it's bought to you it is exactly what the menu said it is.

It's certainly up there in my breakfast destinations, and maybe I will see you there soon too.


Jellystone
179 Albion st
Brunswick
9386 7750

Jellystone on Urbanspoon

Tuesday 21 January 2014

Without ice cream, there would be darkness and chaos

Summer time for all of us is knowing those heat waves are on the way. We prepare for the worst, venture to the pools and beaches, test the air cons and get the BBQ's on.

It's a time where all of us understand each others frustration as we all reach the breaking point of too much heat. The sleepless nights, the mosquitoes, the constant cancelation of trains and trams where you are left under the blazing sun that just becomes the icing on the cake.

So how do you cool down? Is it with an ice cold beer with a fan on your face, is it ice baths and cold showers or is it eating bucket loads of ice cream from the container with a spoon?

On those even light barmy nights around the streets of Fitzroy you will find most of the locals being drawn to one place, Gelato Messina.

An array of cold sorbets and creamy ice creams are before your very eyes. From Pear and rhubarb, Blood Orange, Nought to just plain Chocolate. It's every kids dream and a saviour to all those who are suffering from the heat.

A daily special board of eye opening flavours are on the back wall that will confuse you even more trying to choose the perfect flavour combination.

Cues are out the door and along the street just to get their hands on some of this beautiful ice cream.

I have been there a couple of times now and even taken a pack for home and am impressed with the flavour combinations.

The sorbets are fresh, flavoursome and exactly what you expect. There are no hidden flavour enhancers that would disturb the balance of the bitter fruits or sweetness.


The Ice creams are more playful on the palate, sure you always need to offer your vanillas and your chocolates but things get very extravagant here.

Ice creams that experiment with combinations such as banana, peanut butter and chocolate for example is no where to be found anywhere else, well that I have seen anyway.

Ice creams with whipped cream and brioche swirled through a strawberry sorbet makes it seem so dainty, and it's as though I should be enjoying this at a ladies high tea.

If you always wanted a birthday cake as an ice cream cake, then here is another option for you. Mind blowing designs with extraordinary flavour combinations are available and I know I will be getting one for this years Birthday Celebrations.

If you are not one for cues then go earlier in the day and not the peak dessert times where those dining on Smith street will leave their restaurants, grab and ice cream and roam the streets with friends.

It's worth venturing there and more than once. People are consistently talking about Gelato Messina and I also will admit that I am too a fan, so much so there Cookbook sits on my coffee table and have already begun my plan to become an at home Messina Ice cream maker.


Gelato Messina
237 Smith Street
Fitzroy
9017 5470

Gelato Messina Fitzroy on Urbanspoon

Tuesday 7 January 2014

Exceeding the Normal

Well Christmas is over and the new year has begun and I've been off the radar for a good 6 weeks, but never fear I've been eating lots and have plenty of reads coming your way.

The only thing I have to really put my mind to is where should I start? Should I start talking about the many burgers I have devoured, the brunches that were relaxing, the ice creams that are so heavenly or just about my Christmas feast in my new home.

Let me think....... Maybe I should just start at the beginning of my many weeks of my food comas and adventures.

Super Normal Canteen (Test Kitchen) is a delicious source of a pop up eatery and opened through till the 1st of March. A  sample of what will be an amazing restaurant serving us scrumptious modern Asian dishes.

Succulent prawns drowning in a miso sauce tantalises your testbeds and although I dislike the word that I use next to describe it, but it's true. The flavours make you salivate and is a soft way to begin your evening.

Some Peppers are ordered but saddened to find out that the seeds have been gutted and don't stimulate heat. However add some lovely chilli condiments that sit in front of you to flavour it up a notch .

The soft Bao never goes astray especially when you fill it with some wild boar meat to add more adventure to your evening. Not over powering in flavours and easy to enjoy. The bao's are fluffy like a new pillow and the meat a little richer than a simple pork, and very delicious.

Speaking of rich flavours the lobster rolls are a given choice for any seafood lover. Sweet milk buns becomes the home of sliced lobster in a creamy mayo dressing and rice. Simple but yet pretty scrumptious. When I read Lobster rolls my mind does tend to think American, but for some reason it works on this menu.

Of course when their are dumplings are on offer you have to have them. If your not a dumpling fan, then clearly you wouldn't but I'm just putting it out there that you would be missing out on something here.

Soaked in chilli oil these little dumplings are divine. Full flavoured gems that heat up the taste buds. I just wish the servings were bigger, or perhaps next time I devour a serve on my own....

Would you believe that we had to keep ordering dishes due to the fact that every time a dish came out and was presented on our communal table we wanted it.

I don't think strangers could fall for that what's that over there trick and steal their food. Could cause a rather abrupt argument.... but I do sometimes wonder what if I did that on a communal table. Food envy is a real thing and could potentially come to stealing other people food at a restaurant.

Dishes such as Tempura crab  served Vietnamese style with fresh lettuce and mint, cured octopus on a spiced capsicum and then Carpaccio of Waygu beef were all magnificent and hard to fault.

Everything was so tempting and there is still so much more that I wanted, so will only mean one thing.... I need to go back.

We of course though enjoyed some rather outstanding desserts though I have to admit. Some of the best desserts we have enjoyed for a while to tell you the truth.

A Lychee and sago dessert with freeze dried raspberries was sweet and textually amazing. Bursts of sago with the tartness of raspberries and sweet from the lychee was an adventure on its own.

The other hit and almost very hard to get a taste of due to Paul loving it so much was the Pink Lady soft serve ice cream. Luscious creamy soft serve exploding with sweet apple flavour and drizzled with a thick caramel and crushed nuts. It's as though you were eating a candy apple.

Service was a delight and food exceptional. As a test kitchen I don't think these guys will have to much trouble opening their real doors when the time comes.

Limited dining area of course being a pop up, however it still seats a good 60 or so. Get in early and their will be no problem getting a seat quickly and if you go at the usual peak eating time of 7:00 you will clearly be battling the many other hungry diners like any restaurant around that time. It's worth a visit and a trial, there isn't much you can choose wrong here.


Supernormal Canteen (Test Kitchen)
53 Gurtrude Street
Fitzroy
9419 4888

Supernormal Canteen on Urbanspoon