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! 

#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 

#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 | 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 | ONIGIRI (🍙) + PURPLE PEANUTS (Tokyo + Melbourne)

It wasn't until our Tokyo adventure that I understood the sheer importance of this emoticon: 🍙. Light bulb moment! So much happiness... so much packaging. 

Onigiri (🍙) are little parcels of rice, stuffed with salty or sour ingredients like umeboshi (plum), tuna, pickles or salmon, and wrapped in nori. 'Wait, so you mean like sushi right?' Oh heck no.. this little guy is a Japanese specialty in its own right. You will find the convenience store fridges heaving with these perfectly wrapped parcels all over Japan.

Each morning we would grab an onigiri or two (forever restrained from grabbing three) for the road. The ultimate snack to tide you over until breakfast. Onigiri fuelled many a hunt for a decent flat white or batch brew through the streets of Tokyo.  

I stumbled across Purple Peanuts on Collins Street during my last trip to Melbourne, conjuring memories of Tokyo. This little Japanese cafe has been going strong since 2011 and championed the brown rice sushi explosion. You'll find a range of traditional eats including Tsuke Don, salmon sashimi marinated in mirin, sake, sesame and soy, and perfectly wrapped 🍙🍙 on the counter.   

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.

EAT | INDUSTRY BEANS (Fitzroy, Melbourne)

Set on the corner of Rose Street in Fitzroy, Industry Beans is fast becoming one of my go-tos.   

Apparently bacon and eggs is the 'world's best breakfast' (cough *boring). I beg to differ. 

Crispy Beans and Quinoa served with chilli pickle, avocado. tomato, poached egg and cured salmon.  

That egg porn. 

EAT | PROUD MARY (Collingwood, Melb VIC)

Exceptional coffee. Damn good eats. 

EAT | PILLAR OF SALT (Richmond, VIC)

EAT | GRACE (Fitzroy, Melbourne)

You'd never know it was once a brothel. Despite its seedy past, Grace on Rose Street in Fitzroy shines with cosy decor, staff with smiles and a no-fuss wholesome brunch offering.

BARRY (Northcote, Melbourne)

From those clever cats that unleashed Pillar of Salt on Melbourne brunch goers, comes BARRY. A good mix of fresh power breakfasts and unctuous butter drippers to start your morning right.   

Benedict eggs, slow braised free range, ham hock, apple cider hollandaise, granny's apples, potato hash

Scrambled red chilli eggs, bacon, spring onion, parsley, parmesan, toast

Zucchini, pea and mint fritters, zucchini, salad, poached egg and minted yoghurt. Bacon added for good luck. 

EAT | LITTLE BIG SUGAR SALT (Abbotsford, VIC)

Victoria Street in Abbotsford is known for its smattering of Vietnamese restaurants. Little Big Sugar Salt popped up in 2013 much to the delight of brunch go-ers. Hip fit-out and every dish is oh so Instagram worthy. Definitely worth a visit next time your in Melbourne. 

Crumpets the Overstayer | Clinging on well beyond their initial welcome still changing every other day to keep everyone on their toes. So please, ask your water 'what's goin on?'

Governor R. Swanson | Melbourne's toughest Croque Madame stickers around for another term: egg, slow braised hock, ham, swiss cheese, leek bechemel and pickle. 4 more years!

Breakfast for Juan | Smaller than Texas, but certifiably more healthier: sweet corn, quinoa and black bean salsa, pickled green tomatoes, coriander and pomegranate and brocomole and a fried egg, all on a corn tortilla.

NOURISH | BROTHL (Melbourne, VIC)

Imagine a world with no waste? This is something Joost Bakker, behind  Brothl takes pretty seriously.  

Remedy kombucha and housemade lemonade

Chicken broth plus poached chicken, kim chi, soft egg, seasonal vegetables, mushrooms.
24hr broth made from free-range organic chicken frames and vegetables- an excellent source of calcium, phosphorus, glycine, proline, hyaluronic acid, glucosamine, chondroiton and vitamin c – 10.

House milled sourdough with butter and kim chi

Vegetable broth plus seasonable vegetables and mushrooms.
8hr vegan broth made with a range of seasonally available soil grown vegetables, foraged sea vegetables and australian miso - a good source of probiotics, iodine, vanadium, carotenoids and immune stimulating polysaccharides -10.

Chicken broth with Jonathan’s bacon, poached chicken, seasonal vegetables, mushrooms.

The Everleigh

'Bartending is an old and honourable trade.  It is not a profession and I have no sympathy with those who try to make it anything but what it was.  The idea of calling a bartender a professor or a mixologist is nonsense.'

Official Mixers Manual Patrick Gavin Duffy, 1934

A postcard from The Everleigh

rustic Italian eats

Mangiare e felicita; eating is happiness.  This is a belief that most certainly resonates with me and that La Svolta lives by.  Tucked away on Cecil Place in Prahran this authentic Italian trattoria is warm and friendly serving up traditional fare from all corners of 'The Boot'.  

This pizzeria is favoured by our friends at Totem Onelove and was the perfect haven for a Stereosonic team dinner.  The wonderful thing about dining in such astute company is knowing that no one is shy to eat and the ordering of many dishes to share is encouraged.   The table was laden with crispy calamari, tasting plates brimming with cuts of cured meats and cheese, pizzas, pastas, more pastas, risotto and sides drowned with generous offerings of wine.  This is teaming building at its best. 

With each bite of happiness you know in your heart that the recipe was created by a Nonna somewhere.  You can imagine a child clutching at legs, every inch of the kitchen bench top floured, each piece of pasta lovingly shaped whilst a big pot of passata bubbles away on the stove.  If only all Italian dining experiences, outside of the home, were this humble, delicious and true.  

La Svolta ​
​3-5 Cecil Place
​Prahran VIC 
​Ph: 03 9510 3001