Beatrix, North Melbourne

• Single slice of cheese + sad flop of ham ≠ sandwich.
• Smear of jam on two slices of white bread ≠ sandwich.
• Limp lettuce + [(egg + mayonnaise) × wrong ratio] ≠ sandwich. 

Okay, so the last equation was borderline smart-arse, but you get the point. The equation for a decent sandwich that you would actually dream about eating is too complex to try and write, so here's a pictorial example: 

Well...half an example.
But that's what tends to happen to good-lookin' specimens.

Enter Beatrix, a tiny cafe which sits on the corner of Queensberry Street and Lothian Street in North Melbourne. The modus operandi is simple but a killer: a different ciabatta (with a choice of small or large) and a cabinet full of freshly baked sweeties changing every day of the week.

Although I'd stopped by to pick up a cookie or cake in the past, my first sandwich experience coincided with Australia Day. I went for the daily special, 'The O.A.M' - grilled Spear Creek lamb shoulder, minted potato salad and a tomato chilli sauce ($13.50, L). 

It was magnificent. The ciabatta was pleasantly crunchy (without shredding the roof of one's mouth), the lamb was juicy and the creamy potatoes and relish held it all together. G, ever suspicious of carbs, thought that the potato + bread combination would be too much, but the difference in textures definitely made it work.

The sister went for one of the few permanent fixtures on the menu, the 'Shakshuka in a Roll' - Israeli pepper and tomato braise with a fried free range egg, fetta and mint ($11). By all accounts, it was thoroughly enjoyed.

Desserts followed a distinctly Australian theme - G ordered a pavlova, crisp and light, with genuine vanilla bean cream (!) while I opted for a large, jammy lamington showered with real curls of toasted coconut (none of that lame, dessicated crap).

And to complete the trifecta of patriotic baked goods, an Anzac cookie for the road. 

Today, G and I went for round two. I ordered one of the other old hat menu items, the 'Bea-L-T' - grilled bacon, ripe Doncaster tomatoes, cos and apple aioli ($11, on gluten free bread as shown for $1 extra). 

No complaints regarding the crispy bacon and the delicious shade of apple in the aioli; I just wish it had been bigger!

G ordered the much-raved-about 'Banh Bea' - lemongrass and coconut roasted free range chicken with pickled carrot, cucumber, coriander and toasted peanuts ($13.00, L). 

ZOMG. That just about sums it up. 

G and I shared a Whoopie Pie ($4.50), being curious about the taste and texture of this traditional American treat. The one we ordered happened to have a raspberry marshmallow cream filling. 

The sponge was great - really moist, rich and full of cocoa. I liked the addition of raspberry to the cream, which added a hint of tartness to a relatively sweet filling. 

Beatrix has a great vibe: the staff are lovely and clearly enjoy what they're doing; the sandwiches are generous and epic creations; the sweets are so pretty they will make your eyes and (sweet) tooth ache with longing. 'Like' their Facebook page to get previews of the week's eats - ideal for planning your eating itinerary - and beautiful photographs that will make you drool all over your computer screen...

Beatrix
688 Queensberry Street (cnr Lothian Street)
North Melbourne 
Monday, Wednesday to Sunday: 9am - 4pm

Oms & Noms - November/December

In an attempt to clear my blog backlog (try saying that ten times quickly!), here are a few of the choicest cuts from November and December.

1. Taco Truck, Inner Northern 'Burbs
Having been tantalised by the various locations of Ralph Rashid's Taco Truck on Facebook for a while now, I finally bit the bullet and journeyed to the hipster end of Lygon Street for a tortilla fix. I opted for the chicken and fish options, which came with homemade corn-chips ($12); both tacos were fresh and packed with flavour; the poppy mayo on the fish taco was a minor revelation. Can't wait to hunt down TT's sibling, Beatbox Kitchen (aka BBK), for a decent burger now.

2. North Cafeteria, Carlton North
G and I hit up this cafe on Rathdowne Street after an unsuccessful round of house hunting a few weeks back: great food which buoyed the spirits. G ordered the Northern beans ($13.50) and I went for the Sardines with haloumi ($13.50). Word on the street is that the Reuben sandwich here is pretty legendary as well, something I'll have to test on a return visit.

3. Di Bella Roasting Warehouse, North Melbourne
Round the corner from the impossible-to-get-a-seat Auction Rooms, this place is a great alternative if waiting isn't your thing. The only mildly perplexing element of the experience was having to order and pay at the counter before the meal... I ordered the Poached eggs on sourdough with sides of avocado, sauteed mushrooms and a deliciously large hunk of Meredith goat feta ($18); G eyed off the Avocado, tomato, chili and coriander on grilled sourdough with poached eggs ($16) and added a side of Sweetcorn polenta and spinach ($4). G raved about the grilled flavour of her carbs, while I quite happily could've had a breakfast consisting solely of multiple sides of polenta.

4. Carlton Espresso, Carlton
This place is the home of simple but brilliant fare and suave but genuine waiters, both of the Italian persuasion. On this occasion, Air-dried bresaola with buffalo mozzarella and cherry tomatoes ($16) and the Quinoa salad with seafood antipasto ($24) were on the agenda. Delicious and beautiful , as per usual.

 

5. Dolcetti, West Melbourne
A short walk from the Queen Victoria Markets, the Dolcetti display cabinet is heaven to those who possess a sweet tooth. Multiple return visits will be required. Below is a Strawberry ricotta cake ($3.50) and the Dark chocolate and raspberry tartlet ($3.50).

6. The Moat, CBD

This new eatery is located in the basement of the Wheeler Centre building on Little Lonsdale Street and offers drinks and Middle Eastern dishes from lunch until late, Monday to Saturday. G had the Braised lamb neck, roasted garlic labna, quinoa salad and flat bread ($28) and I ordered the Sicilian eggplant stew with toasted almond and oregano aioli. Photo quality is somewhat grainy due to the dim lighting, and doesn't do the food justice. Service was a little patchy, but I'm hoping these are just teething problems!

Have a brilliant Christmas (or if that doesn't float your boat, a great generic-end-of-year holiday period) filled with glorious piles of presents, a cornucopia of delicious food and long stretches of doing absolutely nothing! 

Festive treats at the Bend & Snap Market

Celebrating Summer: A Dinner Party

You know Summer has well and truly arrived if you find yourself running into such delectable characters with an alarmingly increased frequency:

A few Wednesdays ago, on one of the first bona fide Summer days this year (blazing sun, blue skies, hot breezes), my housemate and I decided to celebrate and invite a couple of friends over for dinner. To make the most of a beautiful day, I opted out of work and paid a visit to the South Melbourne Markets for decent produce. 

For starters, we had peach, prosciutto and goat cheese croutons, baked with a few sprigs of fresh rosemary (nicked from a nearby bush). No shortage of flavour or textures here: salty, sweet, crunchy, creamy. I tried both a hard and a soft goats cheese - the former melted into a pleasant ooze, while the latter remained unscathed by the baking process. At any rate, both tasted excellent, particularly when accompanied by a glass (or three) of sangria. 

Awaiting oven treatment

Post-oven: melted cheese!

Main course consisted of lamb racks with a pistachio and mint crust, served with balsamic-glazed cherry tomatoes and a pea, mint and feta salad. Being my typical self, I duly went overboard entombing the lamb. I acknowledge it sounds mildly disturbing, but there's something oddly satisfying and soothing about rubbing and patting marinade/coating onto slabs of raw meat.

Naturally, my overzealous entombing efforts came back to haunt me when the paste refused to transform into a magically crispy crust in the recommended roasting time. I was forced to prolong the cooking time, but thankfully, the lamb was still tender and juicy. The crust, particularly the mint component, provided a refreshing complement.

I had a stupidly fun time making the salad as it was my first experience shelling peas. Maybe I'm the last soul in the universe to be gifted this knowledge, but it blew my mind to discover that there are more than two peas in a pod...

'As alike as five peas in a pod'
doesn't quite have the same ring to it...

Idioms aside, the salad was super fresh and crammed with peas, snow peas, sugar snap peas, snow pea sprouts, a shocking amount of mint and Persian feta, which is a bit creamier and less saltier than its Greek cousins. 

My current housemate is a bit of a whiz when it comes to desserts and baking, so it was a no-brainer that she should take care of the final course. And deliver, she certainly did:

H produced her famous pavlova, which uses a sweet version of Ras-el-hanout (a traditionally savoury Moroccan spice blend) and cocoa. You might think it an odd combination - I certainly did - but the spices gave the meringue a really distinctive flavour which cut through the sweetness brilliantly. The aroma was also incredible; as H had baked this the night before, it took all the measly willpower I possessed to prevent myself from taking a sneaky piece while I was in the kitchen. Rest assured, I later rewarded my superhuman effort with seconds (and thirds).

Here's a close-up, just 'cause.

Fresh food, simply and lovingly prepared, plenty of laughs and great conversation as the sun lingers in the sky  - that's what Summer is all about!  

The Brix, Fitzroy

My sister's birthday happened to be a few Thursdays back, and this meant one thing: dining beyond our uni student means to celebrate. Golden Fields - the make-no-wrong-move, golden child of 2011 - was forerunner for much of the race, but at the last minute we opted to hedge our bets on the new(er) kid on the block: The Brix, in Fitzroy.

Good decision. We arrived early and found ourselves seated with a sleek, handsome but somewhat silent fellow.

To begin, cocktails (I suspect you could bribe me to do many things with a well-executed amaretto sour) and wonderfully fresh oysters, dressed with a shallot and red wine vinaigrette.

For dinner, The Brix offers a bistro menu or a five course, set option ($80). The bistro menu looked a little limited, and my sister, who's a fan of the strange, unusual and complex, opted for the latter. It is at this point I must warn you: if you detest the sight of exquisitely beautiful food arranged with tweezer-and-scalpel precision, if you abhor dishes which are thoughtful and push past the conventional, and if you simply can't stand tantalising flavours dancing pleasantly on your palate, then STOP reading now.

To start, sourdough and rye, served with a rich butter reminiscent of cheese; sounds odd, but that's what G proposed, and I seconded.

First course: smoked tuna, avruga cavriar and mushrooms. This dish had so many components and it was impossible to know what everything was, and whether to eat the parts or the sum. In an unexpected but brilliant twist, the smoked tuna consisted of a intensely flavoured jelly-like sheet accompanied with crisps of snapper skin. Other ingredients in for the show included seaweeds and puffed wheat.

Second course: scallop with pork, baby radishes and broadbeans. The revelation for me was the fresh broadbeans (so fresh and subtly sweet) and the salty/sweet sauce which was a perfect partner for the scallops. 



Third course: venison, onion and clove. This dish was probably the most lively of the set - fronds and tendrils of vegetable leaping from the plate. Key elements included a white clove powder which disappeared before one could grasp its full flavour profile (now there's a pretentious term), the sweet and peppery taste of the white and purple carrots respectively and the frosted ball of a pickled onion. The real champion, however, was the venison - rich, tender and flavoursome. I'm going weak at the knees just thinking about it...

Fourth course: lamb, lettuce and peas. For some inexplicable reason, this dish resonated with an overwhelmingly British vibe for me. (Not that that is ever a bad thing!) The ovine component looked suspiciously like lamb-dressed-in-pork-belly's-clothing, but was definitely ohmygod tender lamb on the tongue. The rather substantial layer of fat which accompanied the lamb tasted quite good piping, meltingly hot, but became too rich for G and I as it cooled. (So I suppose the lesson is to scoff it down quickly...?) The 'dirt' in this dish was a mystery, but its sweet kick and gritty texture proved addictive.

Fifth course (this is a bit of an endurance event!): banana, caramel and rosemary. I know what you're thinking, because I, too had similar thoughts - why is this dessert so ugly? The truth is, two bites in, and superficial appearance is a thing of the past. The foam tasted like a banana-caramel milkshake blessed by the gods, and cubes of chocolate which looked exactly (and confusingly) like bread were an amazing accompaniment.

I'll be honest and say that the set menu is probably not a wise choice if you're after a solid, comforting meal; The Brix is the place to go if you can't quash a hankering for powders, crumbles and edible flowers and a yearning for combinations which shouldn't work but impossibly, do. One other thing, this place might not be the greatest if you don't enjoy eating off slate-like plates; other than that, if you have cash to burn, don't burn it - visit The Brix, pronto.

P.S. - Happy Birthday G!

The Brix Cafe & Bistrot
412 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy (enter via Westgarth Street)
http://www.thebrix.com.au/

Oms & Noms - October/November

Swotvac has come and gone, and the mountain of lecture notes I can just see out the corner of my eye remains untouched. However, my blog has also been neglected of late, and after an angsty internal monologue lasting five seconds, it's clear who has my affections.

I don't really want to see the mountain morph into an active volcano, spewing vengeful pages across my room, so here are a few meals (and uber brief descriptions) enjoyed in the past few weeks.

1. Milkwood, East Brunswick.
The single page menu is perfect for those like me, who suffer fatigue easily. Poached eggs are pimped with a range of tasty sides (the choice can be difficult). The lamingtons looked pretty lick-worthy too - noted for return visit.

Poached eggs feat. sauteed mushrooms and housemade beans.

Poached eggs feat. lemon fetta potato smash, spicy pork and fennel sausage with fruit relish and avocado.

2. Pearl Cafe, Richmond

I swear this cafe is a magnet for attractive gay couples and mothers who can afford to dress their children in Burberry and Chanel. The food's not bad either.

Goan avocado and mozzarella salad with cumin, coriander, chilli and lime on toast.

 

Beef and burgundy pie with button mushrooms, pearl onions, tomato jam and creamy mash.

3. Pope Joan, Brunswick East

Must investigate this place again at another date; also can't wait for the adjacent bar - The Bishop of Ostia - to open soon!

Coddled egg, New Zealand king salmon, asparagus and herb salad.

4. Baker D. Chirico, Carlton

I am SO excited this place has finally arrived el permanento - the design of the store is beautiful, and nothing beats good bread.

Raspberry Danish - this Dane is of few words, but understands the language of pleasure.

5. Earl Canteen, CBD

"Oh, but gourmet sandwiches are so last year," they will exclaim, but how can a good sandwich ever go out of fashion? Everyone raves about the pork belly baguette, but it didn't rock my socks like I had expected it to...this one did though.

Lime & palm sugar poached Milawa chicken, crunchy salad, coriander, chilli, nuoc nam, baguette.

6. Burch & Purchese, South Yarra

Just go. Multiple times.

Raspberry eclair

Mango, gingerbread, chocolate brownie

Cherry, chocolate, kirsch mousse

Until next time!

Pierre Roelofs Presents His 200th Dessert @ Cafe Rosamond, Fitzroy.

Q: What's more awesome:

1. Cafe Rosamond, a tiny cafe (one or two chairs short of twenty seats), hosting dessert-only evenings each Thursday; 
2. The thirty-strong queue of professionals, families, uni students, foodies, curious passers-by and obligatory hipsters all waiting patiently, half an hour before doors open;
3. Indulging in a dessert degustation created by Pierre Roelofs, genius and champion of molecular gastronomy meets dessert.

A: All of the above. (Trick question! Saaaah sneaky.)

Sibling and I ventured to Fitzroy tonight to celebrate Pierre Roelof's 200th original dish - pretty mindblowing given how intricate, complex and thoughtful these desserts are. But then again, having a menu that changes every week must lead to reaching such milestones pretty quickly. G and I decided on the three course degustation ($40) and a 'dessert tube' ($9), which seemed to be the natural (and pretty obvious) choice.

The 'dessert tube' arrived first, a la amuse bouche. One end of the tube was dipped in a beaker of hot water before sucking on the other end, causing the contents to slip smoothly into one's mouth in a single, astonishing and delicious motion.

'Malteser' was tonight's tube (a personal vice of mine) and consisted of a series of three separate sensations which then combined to form one stupefyingly good taste explosion. There was a custard layer, a malt-based layer, which tasted exactly like the middle of the Malteser, and a chocolatey jelly layer. Just as Willy Wonka would have had it.

Each of the desserts were described by the main components, and the first dish was presented as 'pandan, maple, pumpkin and walnut'.

The pandan consisted of a large cube of chewy, dense cake; the pumpkin presented as small blocks of sweet sorbet (reminiscent of corn/sweet potato ice-cream bars in Asian grocery stores) and thin sheets of pure pumpkin flavour. Small heaps of maple infused walnut rubble and a maple gel rounded off the dish.

The second dessert - the 200th dish (!) - was probably my favourite, and reminded me of a gastronomified Eton Mess. Key components in this plate were 'mango sorbet, turkish delight, cider vinegar meringue, berry compote and honey cream'.

Everything was so moreish - the subtle flavour of the honey courted the sour berry compote and the sticky sweetness of the turkish delight perfectly, while the cubes of creamy mango sorbet provided an extra 'cool factor' (har har) to the dish. The cider vinegar meringues were really bizarre - the texture was just like a meringue, but the sharp flavour didn't really hit until after the meringue had dissolved. I was definitely guilty of scraping my spoon around the glass to gather the last skerricks of  mango/berry/cream.

The last dish was presented as 'mandarin, beetroot, white chocolate and coconut'. So pretty!

The beetroot made three appearances - as meringues (crisp, sweet and caramelised), as cubes (a little too subtle for my palate) and as a gel/cream. I was surprised to find how well the beetroot and white chocolate matched!

An excellent expedition, as evidenced by plates/glasses/bowls licked clean. All those gels, foams, cubes, wafers and frozen bits might not be the first thing that springs to mind with 'dessert', but not every dessert has you gasping at its beauty, laughing as you encounter pop rocks and exclaiming as your tastebuds get pleasantly screwed over. Go on, do it!

Tip: Go early (fifteen/twenty minutes before seven) to nab yourself a table straightaway or a later sitting post-Smith-Street-dinner. Sittings are limited and the cafe is small, so arriving late might mean missing out!

Thursday Evenings with Pierre Roelofs (7-11pm)
Cafe Rosamond
191 Smith Street, Corner Charles Street
Fitzroy, 3065.
http://www.pierreroelofs.com/Site/rosamond.html