You can't help but smile right? Just Falafs! Jokes aside, this little joint in Fitzroy North serves up damn fine Israeli eats. Inspired by falafel bars in New York, the mother and son duo saw that the area is crying out for good takeaway and casual eateries. Turning Middle Eastern staples into pretty plates. Go for the Haloumi served with crispy falafel, cauliflower, pickled cabbage and tahini. If the suns out, grab a Picnic Pack for two and head over the road to Edinburgh Gardens to feast in the fresh air.
WIDE OPEN ROAD | Brunswick, Victoria
Killer coffee, industrial charm, terrazzo tiles and punchy food. What's not to love about Wide Open Road.
Sake Donburi Bowl on a bed of rice w grilled salmon, mixed veggies, edamame, seaweed and wasabi mayo. Side of gruyere potato cakes and avocado w lemon and basil.
Coffee roasted in house
Bacon Sandwich w provolone, smoked mozzarella, apple and chilli relish
STAGGER LEE'S | Fitzroy, Victoria
Proud Mary fans... you'll love Nolan Hirte and Chris Hamburger's little bro Stagger Lee's. Located on the main drag in Fitzory, it's stripped back and a little rock n roll. You can expect great coffee and satisfying comfort food that hits all the right places.
BBQ Beef Brisket Toasty w Stone & Wood beer onions, cheese fondue, fried egg, dill pickles and grain mustard
Say yes to the Bloody Mary no matter whether the hour is appropriate
Special fried chicken and corn bread waffles with maple butter and fried pickles
No blends, only single original espresso and filter coffee
Good Vibes in this green bowl... Soba noodles, sesame, broccolini, snow peas, hass avo, teriyaki, pickled mushrooms, fresh chilli, smoked trout
🍩🍩 | SHORTSTOP COFFEE & DONUTS (Melbourne, VIC)
Shortstop Coffee & Donuts has become an institution. Drawing inspiration from a year-long donut hunt in the US and Canada, owners Anthony Ivey and Sinye Oo brought fresh ideas back to Melbourne. Donuts are created fresh on site throughout the day, using high-quality, natural ingredients dabbling in interesting flavours. You'll find all sorts... stuffed, cake and the legendary crullers. Get amongst it.
Australian Honey & Sea Salt Cruller. Dipped in a simple glaze made of local honey and organic milk, and then topped with fine flakes of salt.
Stuffed. Peanut butter and jelly.
Stuffed. Lemon meringue.
O.M.G.!!!!
Cake. Earl grey and rose, Spiced pumpkin and Peanut butter chocolate caramel.
EAT 🍗🍗 | BELLES HOT CHICKEN | Fitzroy, Melbourne
Belles Hot Chicken is a celebration of Chef Morgan McGlone's two great loves; natural wine and Nashville Hot Chicken. The drinks list is slick, think skin contact wines, beers and Southern-style cocktails. The chicken gives a nod to proper US Kentucky style and it's real good. Select your cut (dark meat, wing or tenders) and then your spice (mild to really fking hot), three sauce and sides and tuck in. Heaven!
EAT | SUPERNORMAL (Melbourne, VIC)
If you asked where could you go back time and time again. I'd answer with 'Supernormal'. Here's my playlist of smash hits that I've enjoyed over the last two years heading back and forth to Melbourne.
Fried rice dough balls with sticky, sweet, sour, spicy sauce and white sesame
A big glass of orange wine
Tuna, avocado, wakame and pickled cucumber
Beef tartare, clam mayonnaise, mustard leaf, shallots
Cobia sashimi, pickled fennel, chilli and yuzu.
Duck bao with twice cooked duck leg, vinegar & plum sauce
Prawn & chicken dumplings, chilli & vinegar sauce
Pan fried pot sticker dumplings
Ramen is not a regular menu feature. When it's on... run!
EAT | TWO:BOB (Fitzroy, VIC)
High ceilings and white walls with a pared back Scandi-style feel to it. Two:Bob is housed in a former bank building -- now the name makes sense, right?
Friendly staff and seriously good coffee, they're using Brunswick roastery Code Black's 3056 blend. A great spot for all-day breakfast with heroes like the Brekkie Bowl or hearty serve of bacon n eggs, plus the lot.
Brekkie Bowl | braised cauliflower and spiced chickpeas, roast mushrooms, avocado, sauteed kale, quinoa, two poached eggs and sauerkraut
Boy's Breakfast (not real name) | thick cut bacon, sauteed kale, hash brown, sausage, two poached eggs and toast
Chilli peas and fetta with two poached eggs, avo and thick cut bacon
Legit egg porn...
EAT 🍔 | ROCKWELL & SONS (Collingwood, VIC)
That sweet spot between fine dining and pub grub is where Rockwell & Sons thrives. Owned by Manu Potoi (ex Attica and Stokehouse) and Casey Wall (ex Cutler & Co. and The Spotted Pig, NYC), the pair can do no wrong rollin' out appetite pleasers with gusto. The burgers and sambos are legit. A highlight for any Melbourne food adventure.
Devilled egg
Pork crackling
Grilled corn
#MFWF | THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE
Hanoi Hannah, Tokyo Tina and Saigon Sally. Three hotspots in Windsor and our three fuelling stations for The Golden Triangle #MFWF.
We kicked off our roving lunch with Vietnamese canapes at Hanoi Hannah making new friends over cocktails. Then ventured down Chapel Street with our gorgeously rambunctious hosts to Tokyo Tina for hawker-style mains and wine
The final dash down Duke Street for dessert at Saigon Sally, certainly the highlight. I'd heard rave reviews of pastry chef (and Thermomix fan) Felix Goodwin's gluten free desserts! Thermomix tells me the gluten-free doughnuts are the bomb. Next time!
We ended on the playful 'Tira-mi-Sally'. Layers of condensed milk, coffee parfait and peanut brittle, between two triangles of macaron 'bread'. This dazzling riff on the Aussie Vegemite and cheese sanger, marked the finale of my eating adventure as Thermomix's Melbourne Food & Wine Festival Insider! Over and out (and FULL) ! x
‘The Thermomix is going 24/7 and it takes our dishes to the next level’ Jarrod Di Blasi
#MFWF | THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS
After 17 years EZARD is entering a new phase with Head Chef Jarrod Di Blasi at the helm.
Through the Looking Glass shared a hint of Ezard’s bright future with five courses beautifully paired with matching wine, sake and even beer! Before the magic happened, I snuck into the kitchen to chat with Jarrod and take a pic of him with his trusty Thermomix.
We can expect even more great things from Good Food Guide's 2017 Young Chef of the Year. For more on Ezard, check out Thermo-celeb Dani Valent’s recent review on Good Food.
Swordfish cured in aged mirin, cultured cream, white soy, pink peppercorn, puffed rice
2016 Guthrie 'Wild Gurner' Gruner Veltliner, Adelaide Hills, South Australia
Salad of fermented cucumber, stracciatella, burdock root, toasted black sesame, dill
Risoni 'risotto', pickled golden enoki, broccolini creme fraiche, mushroom floss
1999 Giovanni Dri 'Roncat' Rosso, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
Chinese style duck, tempura eggplant, young lotus root, fermented chilli dressing, spring onion
2016 Mukai Shuzo 'Ine Mankai' Junmai Genshu, Kyoto, Japan
Dark chocolate sphere, chocolate cream, smoked peanut caramel, plum wine jelly, blackberry
Henriques & Henriques Malvasia 10 Year, Madeira, Portugal
#MFWF | A TASTE OF THE OCEAN
It's not often you hear you'll be enjoying tail to fin. This rollicking seafood feast was hosted by seafood guru and author John Susman. Bringing together chefs Josh Niland (Saint Peter, Sydney), Brent Savage (Cirrus, Sydney) and Ben Williamson (Gerard’s Bistro, Brisbane) for a communal long table feast celebrating hand dived, sustainable and wild caught seafood.
Eating up a storm for Thermomix as the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival Insider.
#MFWF | CARNAVAL - PASTUSO
Chef Alejandro Saravia’s love affair with Thermomix began 10 years ago in Paris. When opening Pastuso in Melbourne, a Thermomix was number one on the kitchen equipment list. Today his trusty Thermomix allows him to create anything from a Peruvian take on pannacotta called Algarrobina to the sauce for Escabachel, an acidic fish marinade.
Pastuso is a modern Peruvian grill, cevicheria and pisco bar located in ACDC Lane. You can follow Chef and his love for local Gippsland produce and Peruvian culture and cuisine on @chefalejandrosaravia.
During Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, Pastuso was transformed for 'Carnaval'. A celebration of Peruvian cuisine, inspired by the art and culture of the coast, the Andean highlands and the Amazon. Peru's past was channelled through cuisine, traditional dancers and contemporary art. Festival food adventures off to a cracking start!
Peru's signature cocktail - the Pisco Sour! Create your own using this recipe in your Thermomix. Perfect for your next dinner party or Saturday night in.
Want to know more? Uncover the history of this drink on the Pisco Trail.
Choros Escabechados - Spring Bay mussels, escabeche sauce and flat bread
Locro de Zapella - Roasted pumpkin crips, burnt pumpkin puree and black garlic, crushed pumpkin seeds and huacatay oil
Trucha de Rio - Goulburn River trout, dill, fennel, garlic drops and cucumber sauce
Pastel de Choclo - Charred sweet corn, goats cheese, stir fried baby corn asparagus, spring onion and alfalfa
Cordero al Palo - Milk fed lamb, slow cooked Andean style with salt bush leaves
Andean Grains - Selection of Andean grains, Peruvian olives and almonds and almonds
Remolacha Asada - Roasted beetroot, pickled baby onion and sour cherry vinaigrette
Huargueros de Manjarblanco - Peruvian pastry stuffed with creamy caramel
Mil Hojas - Layers of puff pastry, rice pudding mousse and preserved sour cherries
Algarrobina - Peruvian panacotta, cinnamon sponge and caramalised white chocolate
Pie de Limon - Peruvian style lemon pie
Eating up a storm for Thermomix as the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival Insider.
#MFWF | HOAXED - THE PRESS CLUB
A samosa in a Greek restaurant? April fools!
You’ve been hoaxed by The Press Club! On Saturday night for Melbourne Food & Wine Festival The Press Club was transformed. A touch of Bollywood, saris and Indian inspired cuisine merged with George Calombaris' acclaimed Greek fare. From mango lassi or curry infused whiskey cocktails to samosas and paneer disguised as haloumi, it was a feast for the senses.
Spanakopita Samosa
Prawn Saganaki Puri Puri
Crab Lime Corn
Fava and Naan
Horiatiki, Tandoori Paneer
Cod, Apple, Curry Butter
Knives engraved with old Greek proverbs rolled out with our mains. My darling roommate translated over text: I have it engrained in my history to offer knives, to people whom I not only respect but distinguish from the rest. In other words... I trust what you will do with this knife - it's only given to the chosen ones.
Flinders Island Lamb Thali
Yoghurt, Apple, Cardamom
Coconut, Coriander, White Chocolate
Eating up a storm for Thermomix as the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival Insider.
#MFWF | THE HOUSE OF FOOD & WINE
At the heart of Melbourne Food & Wine Festival is The House of Food & Wine. During the ten days 1000 £ Bend has been transformed into the festival hub. Warehouse style lavish parties take hold of the main event space and laneway whilst the pop up bar and eatery sits proudly at the Little Lonsdale entrance. Local legend Morgan McGlone, the Kiwi chef behind Belles Hot Chicken in Sydney and Melbourne, has crafted a menu inspired by #MFWF MasterClasses of old. Don't miss out on these cleverly created dishes.
Venison Scotch Egg - inspired by Brett Graham (The Ledbury London), MasterClass 2012
Bean Tamale, Charred Red Tomato - inspired by Enrique Olvera (Pujol, Mexico City), MasterClass 2013
Grilled Swordfish, Parsley, Mussels - inspired by Christian Puglisi (Relæ, Cophenhagen), MasterClass 2012
Beef Short Rib - inspired by David Chang (Momofuku Ssam Bar, New York), MasterClass 2010
Potato, Plums - inspired by Rosio Sanchez (Hija de Sanchez, Copenhagen), MasterClass 2012
#MFWF | MELBOURNE FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL
An abundance of exceptional food adventures across ten days with World's 50 Best smack bang in the middle of it all. Melbourne Food & Wine Festival takes over Melbourne from 31 March to 9 April. The world's greatest chefs, restauranteurs from near and far, food journalists from all corners and food lovers will gather, eat and drink their way through the #MFWF program.
I'm thrilled to working with Thermomix as the #MFWF insider! I'll be getting behind the scenes, attending masterclasses, chatting to chefs and getting the scoop on what's hot, trending and why the pros can't live without their Thermomix. Oh and did I mention I'll be eating up a storm?! Can't wait to share it with you via Insta-stories on both @lauramaymoseley and @thermomixaus.
Thermomix offers a helping hand in commercial kitchens across Australia - it's the sous chef that never answers back! Follow hashtag #ThermoKitchenStars for a celebration of kitchens and chefs who love Thermomix.
EAT | BARRY (Northcote, VIC)
You'll find the bright and airy Barry on the Northcote high street. The heartbeat of the cafe is a little duller since changing hands recently but still a good spot for easy brunch.
🍦🍦 | PIDA PIPO (Melbourne, Australia)
Lygon Street in Carlton has long been known as Little Italy. A damn good spot to open a damn good gelato joint. Pidapipo is my go to for gelato when in Melbourne.
EAT | TINKER (Northcote, VIC)
EAT | ATTICA (Ripponlea, VIC)
There is fine dining and then there is Attica. Words won't do it justice. The end.
Cook's Leaves
Aged Santa Claus Melon
ETTNTB
Smashed Avo on Toast
Smoked Pork
An Imperfect History of Ripponlea
Gazza's Vegemite Pie
Baby Corn
Chewy Carrots
Lance Wiffen's Mussel
Black Cucumber
Beef on the Bone
Aromatic Ripponlea Broth
Butter for Wattleseed Bread
Brown Rice Cracker
Salted Red Kangaroo and Bunya Bunya
Marron Quandong and Pearl
Jumbuck, Waxflower Oil and Dessert Oak
Pineapple and Anise Myrtle
Whipped Egg with Sugar Bag
Attica Cheftales
EAT | INDUSTRY BEANS (Fitzroy, Melbourne)
From simple bacon and eggs to the cured salmon or kale and kimchi bowl, you can't go wrong with Industry Beans. Each season, Chef Jess Allen takes the latest produce for a spin to uncover a new menu and the Summer iteration did not disappoint.
Cured Salmon: fennel avocado mousse, kaffir lime jelly, tea-marbled egg and crispy quinoa.
Kale & Kimchi Bowl: broccoflower, activated charcoal puree, pickled beetroot, avocado, cashew butter, puffed grains, pea dusted poached egg and cured salmon.