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Here at Olive Sundays there have been a few changes behind the scenes and we are pleased to show you our new website.

What this means is we will not be posting on www.olivesundays.wordpress.com anymore, instead we will be posting lots of delicious things on our new website www.olivesundays.com.

So to continue your subscription with Olive Sundays you will need to follow us again on the new website where we will be writing heaps of mouth watering content for you all in the future.

Follow this link to go to the new site www.olivesundays.com

Thanks for your support!

I heart olivesundays.com!

Olives x

Hiatus

Hi there Olive Sundays readers,

Apologies no post today but I’ll let you in on a little secret. Here at Olive Sundays we are working on creating a new website that is one hundred times better! Stay tuned for the launch next week. And thanks so much for reading my blog :D

I heart Sundays!

Olives x

Haagen-dazs Pop-up Melbourne

Haagen-Dazs Melbourne popup – Federation Square

It only takes one mouthful of ice-cream for you to fall in love with Haagen-dazs. It’s smooth, creamy and the flavours are incredible. What makes it even more loveable is that each flavour is carefully crafted with pure ingredients, which makes the flavours more intense, real tasting and full of flavour. None of that syrup or fake flavouring stuff and by golly it makes a difference. Haagen-dazs is visiting Melbourne and have created a little pop up restaurant at Federation square so best you be making a trip down there soon. It’s only here for a couple more weeks and it’s definitely worth the visit.

Haagen-Dazs Melbourne popup – Inside

They have a little shed set up at Federation square where you can sit down and enjoy your ice-cream in a booth.

Haagen-Dazs Melbourne popup – Outside

Or you can sit outside in the sun amongst the park like atmosphere with the white chairs, big umbrellas and astroturf. Either way the icecream is awesome and your seating choice with not effect the quality of your icecream.

Haagen-Dazs Melbourne popup – All the ice cream

We tried the Belgian chocolate which had a beautifully intense dark chocolate flavour. It was like eating quality chocolate in ice cream form. It was rich and velvety.

Haagen-Dazs Melbourne popup – Strawberries and cream

The strawberries and cream was amazing. I loved it. They use strawberries that are picked in their peak season so the strawberries are irresistible. It literally tasted like the strawberry ice-cream you get at a strawberry farm.

Haagen-Dazs Melbourne popup – Salted caramel

The salted caramel had little bits of caramel throughout the icecream and was topped with a sticky caramel and salted butter sauce. The caramel had a lovely flavour not too sweet, not too salty, just right.

Haagen-Dazs Melbourne popup – Macadamia nut brittle

The macadamia nut brittle was vanilla icecream with toffee dipped macadamias. We all know vanilla and macadamia work, creamy and creamy. It was smooth with a bit of crunch.

Haagen-Dazs Melbourne popup – Mint choc love

I’m big on choc mint, it’s one of my fave flavours so I was so happy to see it was one of the twelve flavours touring Australia. But they do it a little differently at Haggen-dazs and it is absolutely delicious. They have actual pieces of spearmint leaves and chunks of chocolate fudge throughout the minty icecream. Love love love!

The caramel biscuit and cream was a caramel icecream with pieces of crunchy speculoos biscuit pieces. Kind of like cookies and cream with caramel icecream and caramel biscuits.

Haagen-Dazs Melbourne popup – Melted

We went to the Haagen-dazs POP up after going to the Andy Warhol and Ai Wei Wei POP art exhibition at NGV. So naturally when i looked at my almost finished plate of Haagen-dazs instead of seeing melted ice cream, i saw but a masterpiece. A piece i call ‘pop n daz’ ice cream on cardboard plate.

All of the flavours were super delicious and it makes me sad they wont be around for long. Also unlike some places that only take cash, this place only takes card, so bring your debit/credit card along. This Melbourne pop-up is open until the 16^th of April and then it heads onto Sydney so make it down there some time now. And if you’re like me and already feeling a bit of separation anxiety, maybe stock up with a few take home tubs to eat when they leave.

I heart Haagen-dazs!

Olives x

Haagen-dazs Pop Up
When: 11^th March 2016 – 16^th April 2016
Where: Federation square (opposite flinders st. mac store)
Website: https://haagendazs.com.au/

Olive Sundays Melbourne Easter Faves 2016

Luxbite – Easter shortbread biscuits (image via instagram:@glen_yeo)

Easter is near and hot cross buns are about. And I love that fact that I can lather my hcb’s in butter and eat lots o’ chocolate with absolutely no guilt because…Easter! Some of Melbourne’s restaurants celebrate the Easter holiday by creating special treats, putting hot crosses on everything and naming their creations after egg puns. It’s super egg-citing and personally I love a cheesy egg pun egg-specially during Easter. Here are my Melbourne Easter faves this year. Hop to it!

Rustica – Hot cross buns (image via instagram:@rustica_hq)

 Rustica – Hot cross buns. You know Rustica make egg-ceptional bread and because hot cross buns are kinda like little sweet spiced bread buns it’s a no brainer that the hot cross buns will be amazing!

Mork chocolate – Triple choc mork x buns (image via instagram:@morkchocolate)

Mork chocolate – Triple chocolate Mork X bun w dark chocolate pieces, candied orange and a soft chocolate ganache centre. If you prefer a chokky cross bun, Mork has got you covered. Not one, not two, but three times chocolate.

Short stop – Hot cross doughnuts (image via instagram:@melbournemamma)

Short stop – hot cross doughnuts. A doughnut and hot cross bun hybrid. Spiced dough with cinnamon, nutmeg, brandy-soaked dried fruit. Covered in honey glaze and topped with a cinnamon-spiked icing stripe.

Lune croissanterie – Hot cross cruffin (image via instagram:@lunecroissant)

Lune croissanterie – Hot cross cruffins. Lune cruffins have layers of buttery goodness and now they have a hot cross bun version. Hooray two of my favourite things unite. And now with their Fitzroy store I don’t have to wake up at 4 in the A.M. Winning.

Schmucks bagels – Hot cross bagel (image via instagram:@schmucksbagels)

Schmucks bagels – Hot cross bagel. Who needs a hot cross bun when you can have a hot cross bagel. Pair that with some almond milk co butter and an all press coffee and that’s what I call a good morning.

Eat a scroll – Hot cross scroll (image via instagram:@theplateproject)

Eat a scroll – Hot cross scroll. These cute little scrolls have a cute little Easter crosses. Cinnamon scroll topped with Gianduja (hazelnut choc) and a cream cheese cross.

Om nom – Egg-dulgence (image via instagram:@omnom_dessertbar)

Om nom kitchen & dessert bar – The egg-dulgence. Made with banana milk chocolate brownie, chocolate cream, caramel toffee, roasted mixed nuts and 58% cacao chocolate. Love the egg pun name.

Pidapipo geleteria x Baked chirico – HCB icecream sandwich (image via instagram:@pidapipo_geleteria)

Pidapipo Gelateria – Hot cross bun ice-cream sandwich. The hot cross buns are baked by baker D Chirico and are filled with a big scoop of Pidapipo crema and jam gelato. My kind of sandwich.

Doughnut time – The yolk addict doughnut (image via instagram:@doughnut_time)

Doughnut time – yolk addict. This doughnut has a milk chocolate and toffee glaze and is topped with a Cadbury crème egg. Who knew yolk porn could be so sweet.

Pablo honey – Easter shots (image via instagram:@pablomatcarps)

Pablo honey – Easter shots. These chocoaltey alcoholic shots are served in chocolate Easter eggs. I repeat. Shots in chocolate Easter eggs! It doesn’t get cuter than this.

Luxbite – Egg-licious (image via instagram:@luxbite)

Luxbite – egg-licious easter egg. We all know Luxbite have creative flair so we expect more from them. And they never fail to deliver beautifully eggs-ecuted Easter creations. Lemon mousse, stone fruit jelly, chocolate egg cup with strawberry and milk chocolate crunchy pearls hidden inside.

Hope you all have a wonderful Easter spent with loved ones and copious amounts of chocolate.

I heart Easter!

Olives x

Changz Canteen

Changz canteen – Elsternwick

Changz canteen is an awesome place where you can catch up with friends for some burgers and bevvies. They are located in Elsternwick and do a mean cheesey. They do burgers but also have other tasty bits and pieces. And keep an eye out for their chilli sauces that are made in house. They are more tasty rather than burn your face off hot and are super delish. Changz has a laid-back atmosphere but the food is quality. My favourite kind of place.

Changz canteen – Venue

It’s a casual dining space with a relaxed vibe and some cool stencils on the wall. They have share tables for larger groups and outdoor seating out front for good weather days.

Changz canteen – Cheesey

The standard cheesey was delish. The beef was juicy, the pickles were sliced super thin, the cheddar cheese was melting, the onion was finely diced and Changz sauce brought it all together which was like a red chilli mayo (not hot).

Changz canteen – Fried chicken ribs w aioli

The chicken ribs were deep-fried, delicious and crunchy and were served with aioli, sesame seeds and spring onions. The chicken was moist and tender. They come in a serve of three or nine. I got three on this occasion but I could have easily devoured nine. Loved them.

Changz canteen – Spicy fries

The spicy fries were great. Firstly I love shoestring chips so that was an easy win but then they were coated in a delicious chilli salt which made them even better. The chilli salt is made out of their house made red habanero sauce, which explains why they’re so tasty.

Changz canteen – Double chilli cheeseburger

We also had the double chilli cheeseburger, which was good too. It’s the kind of place that lets you create your own monster of a burger so if you like to customize you can. Extra bacon, additional patties, chicken bricks, jalepenos etc.

Also they have some beverages available. An apple Somersby cider with my burger, yes please. The staff were lovely and the food was awesome. Gotta love a good cheesey.

I heart Changz Canteen!

Olives x

Changz Canteen
Address: 256 Glen Eira Rd, Elsternwick VIC 3185
Phone: 03 9077 0353
Website: http://changzcanteen.com.au/
Trading hours: Mon-Thu: 12pm-9pm, Fri-Sun: 12pm-10pm

Son In Law

Son in law – Collingwood

Son in law is a Thai restaurant in Collingwood that serves traditional Thai dishes with a modern twist. They have some creative fusion dishes like soft-shell crab green curry and fish patty sliders but they also have the more traditional dishes like tom yum and pad thai. We walked in hungry and left with big smiles on our faces. The food was amazing. And those son in law eggs….yum!

Son in law – Coca cola in cute jars

Drinks in jars. Love it.

Son in law – Roti w satay sauce

Roti with satay sauce, always a good starter or side.

Son in law – Fried chicken ribs

The fried chicken ribs were super crunchy and were topped with fresh chilli and spring onions. They came with a side of tangy nam jim jaew for dipping.

Son in law – Tamarind salad

The tamarind salad was sweet, salty, sour and crunchy. It had green apple and pickled carrot and crispy noodles, crunchy been shoots and sweet toasted coconut. The combination of flavours totally worked.

Son in law – Son in law eggs

The son in law eggs were my fave. It is said that a mother in law would serve these eggs to her son in law if she felt he needed to treat her daughter better. Without the exchange of words, this dish expresses to the son in law that he needs to pull his socks up. Pretty funny because my mum ordered two serves. And also they are so yum, so if i was the son in law i would act up all the time just so i can keep eating son in law eggs. These were sensational with the creamy yolk, sour tamarind sauce, heat from the fresh chilli and the freshness from the onions and micro herbs. Absolutely delish! Loved them.

Son in law – Lamb massaman

The lamb massaman curry looked amazing. It came out with a big lamb shank topped with a stick of cinnamon, a star of aniseed and roasted cashews. The meat was tender it tore apart effortlessly and sweet potato was a twist to the classic massaman. The flavours complimented the lamb beautifully.

Son in law – Green curry w soft-shell crab

The soft-shell crab green curry was just as impressive. The crispy, battered, deep-fried soft-shell crab was placed upright, vertically emerging from a sea of green curry. The spicy, coconut, and thai basil flavours went perfectly with the soft-shell crab and I loved that it was unique.

Son in law – Tempura broccoli and cauliflower

The tempura broccoli and cauliflower was nice.

Son in law – Vegetarian spring rolls

The vegetarian spring rolls were nice and crunchy and came with a sweet chilli sauce.

Son in law – Chicken skewers

The grilled chicken skewers were marinated with a sweet smokey Thai sauce and topped with fresh chillies and spring onions.

Son in law – Tofu betel leaf bites

The tofu betel leaf bites were cute. They had strips of tofu, peanuts, mint, lime, roasted coconut and tamarind sauce.

Son in law – Vegetarian pad thai noodles

The vegetarian pad thai noodles were tasty in a well balanced spicy sauce.

Son in law – Twiced cooked pork belly

The twice cooked pork belly was thinly sliced and covered in a sweet, and sticky chilli jam with green beans, been shoots and kaffir lime leaves.

Son in law – Nutella and marshmallow puffs

For dessert they had these deep-fried puff pastries filled with Nutella and a bit of melted marshmallow. OMG they were amaze! They were like Thai curry puffs but instead of a savoury filling, they were filled with sweet justice with a scoop of hazelnut ice-cream on the side. I was met with the conflicting thoughts of wanting to eat it all myself, or share the enjoyment with my loved ones. This confusion was quickly resolved by ordering an additional serve. Crisis averted.

Son in law – Steamed coconut and pandan puddings

The steamed coconut pandan puddings were warm, sweet, creamy, and glutinous with a lovely coconut flavour. They were a nice little treat.

Son in law – Coconut sorbet & green tea ice cream

We also had the green tea ice cream and coconut sorbet which was refreshing.

Son in law is a great Thai restaurant that has a modern twist on traditional Thai dishes. The food is super tasty and has a good kick of flavour and freshness.

I heart Son In Law!

Olives x

Son In Law
Address: 56 Johnston St, Collingwood VIC 3066
Phone: 03 9410 0399
Website: http://www.soninlaw.com.au/
Trading Hours: Fri-Sat: 12pm-4.30pm (lunch), Mon-Sun: 5.30pm-11.30 (dinner)

Hawker Hall

Hawker Hall – Windsor

Hawker Hall is the latest edition to Ben Cooper’s restaurant empire and it’s located in Windsor. It’s a happening place with a big open dining space. Good food and good vibes is what keeps this place so busy. It embraces the bold casualness of hawker style food from Singapore and Malaysia and the flavours pack a punch.

Hawker Hall – Housemade soda

They make homemade soda, raspberry and mint was refreshing. They also have a range of alcoholic beverages including beer, wine and cocktails.

Hawker Hall – Nyonya style fried popcorn chicken

The Nyonya style fried popcorn chicken is a good beer snack. Bite size fried chicken pieces w chilli mayo.

Hawker Hall – Panfried braised oxtail dumplings

I know the words ox-tail can be a bit frightening when you see it on the menu but rest assure these pan-fried ox-tail dumplings were anything but. The dumpling skin was thin and the filling had a meaty beef flavour with fresh herbs. They were nice.

Hawker Hall – Beef rendang

The Malay coconut beef rending is their signature dish and it only takes one mouthful to understand why. The flavours are big, bold, intense and balanced to perfection. The meat is tender, the curry is incredibly flavoursome and I love the touch of toasted coconut on top. I first encountered this dish when it debuted at the night noodle market as per the photo. Totally recommend this dish.

Hawker Hall – Salmon in banana leaf

The Otak Otak came in a little wrapped banana leaf parcel. It was salmon with a fragrant indian curry and coconut. The salmon melted in you mouth, the texture was amazing. The aromatic flavours with the soft salmon were beautiful.

Hawker Hall – CKT

The char kway teow a.k.a CKT was yum. It wasn’t the thick flat rice noodles I’m used to in a CKT but it was still hella tasty. It had a smokey soy flavour and was mixed up with prawns, bean shoots and lup cheong (chinese sausage). I loved that it had chinese sausage.

Hawker Hall – Penang duck curry

The Penang duck curry was yum. The shredded duck was moist and it had a nice flavour. It had those mini eggplants that are so super cute and was topped with chopped peanuts.

Hawker Hall – Red sticky date pudding

The sticky red date pudding with coconut caramel was delish. It was soft and pudding like with a sweet, sticky coconut caramel poured over it. It was accompanied by the softest, creamiest coconut ice-cream ever. It had a really lovely texture. We ordered an extra bowl of ice-cream because it was so good.

Hawker hall is very popular like the other Lucas Group establishments, so just a heads up if you’re planning a dinner I suggest to go early otherwise you may have to wait an hour or two.

I heart Hawker Hall!

Olives x

Hawker Hall
Address: 98 Chapel St, Windsor VIC 3181
Website: www.hawkerhall.com.au
Phone: 03 8560 0090
Trading Hours: Mon-Sun: 11am-1am (everyday)

Kwan’s Table

Kwan’s Table – Street view

Kwan’s table is a Thai inspired café and patisserie that recently opened on Inkerman Street in St Kilda.You can visit Kwans for a savoury meal and stay for the sweets, which is what we did on this fine morning. They do modern Thai inspired meals like soft-shell crab in a brioche burger and deep-fried pork belly with an apple salad. Their desserts are inspired by French technique but incorporate Thai flavours like lychee, coconut, pandan and kaya. They only opened about 6 weeks ago but are already making a good impression around town.

Kwan’s Table – Venue

It’s a cute little cafe. And the staff are lovely.

Kwan’s Table – Pandan custard toast

The pandan custard toast was insanely delicious. One mouthful and I was in love. The super thick toast was lathered in a warm smooth creamy pandan wonderland of deliciousness. A generous amount of custard was spread over the toast with toasted coconut sprinkled on top and was cut into bite size squares so it was easy to eat. Loved it. They also have a kaya (coconut jam) custard toast for those who love kaya.

Kwan’s Table – Pork belly salad

The pork belly salad was lovely and fresh. The pork belly pieces were lightly battered and deep fried. The fresh salad had red cabbage, carrot, lettuce, spinach, slithers of apple, coriander and chopped peanuts in a sweet tangy dressing., which was just what I needed on this warm summer day.

Kwan’s Table – Chilli cheese soldiers

We tried the oh-so-cheesy chilli cheese soldiers which was thick toast soldiers with cheese in the middle and cheese on top. It also had sliced red chilli, red onion and coriander scattered over the top. A tasty snack.

Kwan’s Table – Lychee and raspberry charlotte

The lychee and raspberry charlotte had a beautiful raspberry and lychee mousse inside and was encased in a circular fence of mini sponge fingers. It was topped with fresh lychee and raspberries.

Kwan’s Table – Mango and sticky rice macaron

The mango and sticky rice macaron was great. Mango and sticky rice is a traditional Thai dessert but I certainly hadn’t had it inside a macaron before. It was a large sized macaron filled with layered mango and sticky rice bits. It think it had like a mango and sticky rice custard in there too. I know my mum would have loved this one.

Kwan’s Table – Soy latte

And to top off a great brunch date, the coffee was awesome too. They use 5 senses and had bonsoy yay! And also I know I already mentioned this but the pandan toast was bom! I can foresee myself making regular stops to Kwan’s for coffee and pandan toast. In conclusion you need to mosey on down to Kwan’s table for a modern Thai adventure.

I heart Kwan’s Table!

Olives x

Kwans Table
Address: 7 Inkerman St, St Kilda VIC 3182
Phone: 03 9939 3153
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Kwans-Table-730801180375991
Trading Hours: Tue-Sat: 11am-10pm, Sun: 10am-5pm, (closed on Mondays)

Royal Croquet Club 2015

Royal Croquet Club Melbourne 2015 – Birrarung Marr

The Royal Croquet Club is a summer festival at Birrarung Marr of food, beverages, beats and croquet of course. Today is the last day so grab some friends and head on down.

Royal Croquet Club Melbourne 2015 – Fun in the sun

It was a beautiful summer setting with loads of fake grass and cute seated areas.

Royal Croquet Club Melbourne 2015 – Croquet

Here are some people playing croquet.There were a few more croquet sets this year which was great so more people got a chance to play.

It’s been super hot in late so beverages were in order. They had a lovely range of Yalumba wines and Jugs of Pimms to share with your mates (or drink all to yourself, whatever, no judgement). There was also a captain Morgan’s bar serving the best spiced rum.

Royal Croquet Club Melbourne 2015 – Ruyi crispy chicken w honey wasabi sauce

Ruyi had their crispy chicken bites with sweet honey wasabi sauce. The sauce had a good wasabi punch. Yum!

Royal Croquet Club Melbourne 2015 – Gazi saganaki croquetta w peppered fig sauce

From Gazi we had the saganaki croquette which was like a stick of saganaki crumbed and deep fried. So good! The fried cheese was paired with a peppered fig dipping sauce that was savoury and sweet.

Royal Croquet Club Melbourne 2015 – Bluebonnet BBQ cornbread waffled w smoked pork belly

Bluebonnet BBQ were serving cornbread waffles with smoked pork belly, creamed corn and porcini popcorn. This looked amazing was delicious. It was an interesting combination of flavours and textures. It was great.

Royal Croquet Club Melbourne 2015 – Tokyo Tina kingfish rice paper rolls

The Kingfish rice paper rolls from Tokyo Tina, were simple and fresh. They came with a nice plum dipping sauce.

Royal Croquet Club Melbourne 2015 – Mamasita Corn w cheese and chipotle mayo

Mamasita corn is the best kind of corn. It is slathered with cheese, chipotle mayo and paprika. It was spicy and creamy and amazing. Love.

Royal Croquet Club Melbourne 2015 – Pidapipo gelato

Pidapipo were serving a range of gelato which is so perfect for this weather. They had a range of flavours. Raspberry white chocolate, passionfruit, salted caramel, nutella swirl etc. The Nutella swirl was my fave,

Today is the last day of the event so head down. Perfect weather for it!

I heart the RCC!

Olives x

 

Note: Olive Sundays was invited as a guest to the Royal Croquet Club.

 

Royal Croquet Club Melbourne 2015
Event dates: 10^th December – 20th December 2015
Address: Birrarung Mar
Website: https://royalcroquetclub.com.au/melbourne/
Trading hours: Open daily from Midday

The Flying Duck Hotel

The Flying Duck Hotel – Open terrace

The flying duck hotel has been around for many years in fact it first opened in 1868. It has a beautiful beer garden and an open terrace. We were there for the re-launch, where they showcased the beautiful space and introduced their new chef. Lots of beverages and lots of food. It’s where you want to be on a hot summers day.

The Flying Duck Hotel – Beer garden

It had a relaxed vibe and lots of beautiful outdoor space.

The Flying Duck Hotel – Bar

They have an extensive range of beers and wines, which is always a plus.

The Flying Duck Hotel – Beer

Lots o’ beer.

The Flying Duck Hotel – Watermelon sangria

They had big bowls of ice with squares of watermelon sangria. Fruity, red wine soaked watermelon pieces, they were refreshing and sweet.

The Flying Duck Hotel – Homemade prawn crackers

They had these homemade prawn crackers that were tasty. All shapes and sizes.

The Flying Duck Hotel – Strawberry gazpacho & parmesan foam

We tried the shots of strawberry gazpacho with parmesan foam. It was definitely interesting. A strange combo of flavours,

The Flying Duck Hotel – Crumbed oyster w tigers milk and kiffir lime salad

The crumbed oysters were my favourite. They had a light beautifully crunchy crumb with tiger’s milk, which had the oyster flavour with a bit of zest. Delish!

The Flying Duck Hotel – Close up my fave!

Here is a close up. Love!

The Flying Duck Hotel – Chicken pastries w creamy mushroom sauce

The chicken pasties had a light puff pastry and were accompanied by a mushroom sauce. They were dusted with icing sugar, which made them a little sweet.

The Flying Duck Hotel – Kingfish ceviche

The kingfish ceviche was nice and zesty, sitting in a black rice cracker.

The Flying Duck Hotel – Soft-shell crab slider

Little mini sliders are so cute. And they’re even cuter when they have a giant soft shell crab doing a fly-kick out of the bun. It had pickled slaw and aioli. They were yum,

The Flying Duck Hotel – Dumplings

The dumplings had a thick skin pastry and were sitting in a spiced curry sauce.

The Flying Duck Hotel – Pork belly skewers

The pork belly skewers were tasty, they had a sticky marinade with spring onions.

The Flying Duck Hotel – Semi dried tomato croquettes w broccoli pesto

The semi dried tomato croquettes were full of flavour. They were crunchy on the outside and soft and sort of like arancini in the middle. It had a spot of broccoli pesto on top. Tasty.

The Flying Duck Hotel – Mini parma

They had mini parmas, which were little strips of chicken in a tomato sauce wrapped in a lettuce leaf. I’ve never been able to eat a parma in two bites before so it was definitely a first.

The Flying Duck Hotel – Cocktails

We had this passionfruit and lime cocoktail (the name escapes me) and it was delicious!

The Flying Duck Hotel – Nitrogen popcorn w honey and lavender

At the end of the night, the chefs were making nitrogen popcorn with honey and lavender. It looked like frozen popcorn and was incredibly light. It was cold and had a subtle honey floral flavour amongst the creaminess.

Summer is here and the flying duck hotel is a great place to gather some friends together for a tasty feed and some bevvies.

I heart The Flying Duck Hotel!

Olives x

The Flying Duck Hotel
Address: 67 Bendigo St, Prahran VIC 3181
Website: http://flyingduckhotel.com.au/
Phone: 03 9510 8081
Trading Hours: Sun- Wed: 12pm-11pm, Thu-Sat: 12pm-12am

Note: Olive Sundays was invited as a guest to The Flying Duck Hotel.

Night Noodle Markets 2015

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Birrarung Marr

This year at the night noodle markets there are some new stalls and some oldies. I have literally been everyday this weekend because there is so much amazing food in the one place and so why not. I couldn’t possibly have eaten everything in one day but I certainly wanted to. I dragged people out on Friday after work, went with my family on the Saturday and pulled some friends together for a Sunday session. Each time was as drool worthy as the last. So much deliciousness in one spot.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Poklol – Purple chinese lanterns

The pretty lanterns. Purple this year.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Hoy Pinoy – BBQ skewers

These skewers are great to start with. Hoy Pinoy serve Phillipino BBQ and they do it well. They have a big charcoal bbq area where they cook bbq chicken and pork belly skewers and whole roasted pig (lechon). The pork belly skewers with banana ketchup are my fave. They are juicy and have that charcoal flavour, marinated in a sweet sauce. Delish.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Delhi Streets – Pani Puri

Delhi streets had their pani puri on the menu, which is one of my fave dishes from their restaurant. They are little lentil crispy puffs filled with chickpeas, tamarind chutney, yoghurt and herbs and spices. The way to eat them is to pour the spiced water half way and then eat the puff in one mouthful. It’s spicy and sour and crunchy and soft and fresh all at the same time. They are amazing.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Red spice road – 5 spice pork belly w chilli caramel

Red Spice Road do an awesome pork belly. Squares of crispy five spice pork belly with sweet and sticky chilli caramel. It’s served with a fresh asian slaw. Delish.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Charlie dumpling – Chicken and goji dumplings

At Charlie Dumpling we had the chicken and goji dumplings w spiced black vinegar caramel. They were tasty, the skin was thin and soft and the filling had lots of flavour. They were nice.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Lady carolina – The nikkei dog

Lady Carolina is one of the new comers and they had a Nikkei dog, which is like a hot dog with a Japanese twist. It was tasty, the Wood BBQ Huachana sausage was spicy and the bread was soft. It was topped with nori, French fries for crunch and Amarillo salsa (like a chilli sauce). It was yum.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Mantou – 5 spice soft-shell crab w sriracha mayo and fried mantou

We had the soft-shell crab from Mantou which was five spice battered soft-shell crab with sriracha mayo and deep-fried mantou. Mantou is a small sweet bun that is soft and fluffy and crispy on the outside. It is generally used to soak up all the juices of the meal.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Wall of chinese lucky cats 

A whole wall of the Chinese lucky cats.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Wonderbao – Three mushroom, tofu and veg fried bao 

At wonderbao we had the fried bao filled with three types of mushroom, tofu and vegies. It was tasty, they make delicious baos that are soft and fluffy. A good vegetarian option. Yum.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Overdosa – lentil poppers 

Another veg/vegan GF option is the lentil poppers from Overdosa. They are little bite-sized balls made of lentils and fried. It comes with a lovely tamarind and date chutney. They also make dosa of coursa.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Chilli tuckshop – Pumpkin and ginger noodle balls w green sriracha sauce

We tried the pumpkin and ginger noodle balls at Chilli Tuckshop and they were delicious. They had deep-fried crispy noodle on the outside and soft cooked noodle in the middle. They were flavoursome and pumpkin and ginger is a great combo. They had a bottle of green sriracha sauce that I hadn’t tried before. It was hot and had a sourness to it. It went perfectly with the noodle balls. Delish.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Poklol – Chichi fries w spicy bbq pork 

At Poklol we had the chichi fries which was crunchy potato fries with spicy pork bulgogi, kimchi and kewpie mayo. It was tasty but definitely a dish to share, it was quite filling.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Hawker hall beef rendang and Chin chin pork slider

Hawker hall stands beside its renowned sister counterparts Chin Chin and Kong as a new addition to the Ben Cooper area. They serve a Malaysian beef rending which is a signature dish at the newly opened restaurant. And it is extraordinary. The flavours are intense, in your face and complex, absolutely sensational. The meat is slow cooked and falling apart and it’s topped with toasted coconut, which adds freshness and texture and all of that delciousness is sitting on a bed of fluffy rice. Definitely one of my faves at the night noodle markets this year.

The Chin Chin pulled pork slider has been around since the dawn of night noodle markets and it’s delicious. It’s a little bun filled with pulled pork, slaw, pickled cucumber and sriracha mayo. It has the perfect balance of flavour and freshness and is a good little snack.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Mr. Miyagi – Nori taco w tempura soft-shell crab and curried mayo

Mr. Miyagi has a range of nori tacos available as well as their popular MFC (miyagi fried chicken). We had the soft-shell crab nori taco, which had a light tempura batter and a zingy curried mayo sauce with crispy garlic on top of sushi rice in a nori shell.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Mr. Miyagi – Nori taco w grilled salmon

The nori taco shell holds together really well. It is covered in tempura batter and fried and doesn’t break and fall to pieces when you bite it. We also had the grilled salmon one, which had chunks of beautifully grilled salmon with kim chi, Japanese mayo and chilli oil on sushi rice. Super delicious.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Entrance to the whisky bar

The entrance to the whisky bar was whimsical and had a nice set-up.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Singleton maple whisky and momofuku milkbar cookie

They were serving Singleton maple whisky, which I hadn’t tried before, it was sweet and it came with a yummy momofuku maple cookie. Winning!

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – The brulee cart – Salted caramel and ginger creme brulee

From the brulee cart we had the salted caramel and ginger crème brulee with sesame caramel popcorn and pistachios on top. The custard was thick and eggy and it had a crispy bruleed top.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Sugar Prawn x Luxbite lime in a coconut

The Sugar Prawn x Luxbite creation was great. Firstly it was served in an actual coconut, wow. Then there was a refreshing coconut & lime sorbet sitting on top of sticky rice and caramel. It had peanuts on top, a chocolate covered pocky stick and a mini Luxbite salted caramel macaron. It was full of surprises and fun to eat.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Harajuku Gyoza – Banana and nutella gyoza w vanilla icecream

At Harajuku Gyoza they had fried gyoza filled with banana and nutella. They were yummy little sweet dumplings served with vanilla icecream.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Gelato Messina – Bao chikka bao bao

Every year Gelato Messina come up with new creations for the night noodle markets. This year they had fried gua baos, which were almost like fried doughnuts with the fluffy bao centre filled with gelato, dipped in chocolate. I love the names they come up with too. This was the bao chikka bao bao, which was a deep fried gua bao filled with peanut gelato, dipped in milk chocolate sauce and rolled in crushed peanuts.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Gelato Messina – David Bao-wy

We also tried the David Bao-wy, which was a deep fried gua bao filled with salted coconut sorbet, dipped in white chocolate mango ganache and rolled in crushed cashews. Delish.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Gelato Messina – Deep fried ice cream ball

The deep fried ice cream balls were filled with thai custard gelato and were sitting in ‘messina tinned fruit salad.’ There was chocolate and salted caramel sauce to put on top.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Gelato Messina – Gold bullion bar

They also had a gold bullion bar, which was layers of gulamalaka gelato, condensed milk gelato, passion fruit jelly, a nut crunch, and banana bread.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Black star pastry x N2 gelato – Stawberry and watermelon cake

Black star pastry is from Sydney and when I heard they were bringing their famous strawberry and watermelon cake to the night noodle markets in Melbourne I was super excited. I had high expectations and it delivered. It was delicious. It had flavours of strawberry, watermelon, cream and rose. It was delicate and the fresh watermelon pieces were refreshing. It was a beautiful cake.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Black star pastry x N2 Gelato – Cake smash

So since I liked the cake so much I tried the cake smash too, which was a Black star pastry x N2 gelato creation. Basically it’s the strawberry and watermelon cake in a gelato version. It was delish.

They have bars around the place to grab a beverage alcoholic or non. Although my mum really wanted a can of coca cola and there was none to be found. I’m happy that this festival goes for a couple of weeks because there is so many great food stalls. It’s a great space to hang out, bring the people you love and be surrounded by lots of amazing food.

I heart the night noodle markets!

Olives x

The Age Good Food Night Noodle Markets 2015
Event dates: 12^th November – 29^th November 2015
Address: Birrarung Marr, Melbourne (behind Federation square)
Website: http://melbourne.goodfoodmonth.com/noodlemarkets
Trading hours: Mon-Wed: 5pm-9pm, Thu-Fri: 5pm-11pm, Sat: 2pm-10pm, Sun: 2pm-9pm

BAWA

BAWA – Hawthorn

Bawa is a cafe that recently opened in Hawthorn and is very popular for good reason. The food is amazing and the atmosphere has a positive vibe. Both the menu and décor have a bit of a tropical theme that is expressed in a contemporary way. With their combined talents from pillar of salt, square & compass, barry, and three bags full, this interesting menu is set to inspire.

BAWA – Venue

The décor has an open space, nature-loving feel about it with lots of light and greenery.

BAWA – Iced latte

They do a really good coffee. Iced latte included.

BAWA – Black tonic

I hadn’t heard of a black tonic before. It was awesome. An espresso with lime and tonic. So refreshing.

BAWA – Chia pudding

One mouthful of the chia pudding instantly took me to clear blue seas and white sandy beaches some place of a tropical island. The chia pudding was creamy with coconut and had chunks of tropical fruits like passionfruit, mango and an assortment of berries. There were also a variety of dehydrated fruits and pistachios with a touch of rosewater and some fresh mint. It was paradise in a bowl.

BAWA – Potato rosti, slow braised pork & herb hollaindaise

The potato rosti was exactly the way a potato rosti should be. Golden and crunchy on the outside with soft grated potato in the middle. It was covered in a generous amount of juicy slow-braised pulled pork (amazing!) and perfectly cooked poachies. It was topped with a lovely sweet, creamy tangy hollandaise. It was herby and had flavours of apple. There were also cuts of dehydrated apple scattered around the plate that added an interesting texture. Delicious!

BAWA – Seared blackberry & lime cured ocean trout

The seared blackberry and lime cured ocean trout was cooked perfectly and had a beautifully crisp skin. The oily fish melted in your mouth and had a lovely salad to accompany it with radicchio, heirloom tomato and samphire, which worked well with the ocean trout. It had a buttermilk dressing and a basil vinaigrette that brought it all together.

BAWA – All day breakfast

If you want to customize your meal, eggs your way on toast is a good way to get started. My friend got the eggs your way (she went with poached) and then tacked on all of her faves. She got a side of mushrooms (mix of brown and enoki), avocado (big zesty chunks) and a potato rosti (golden crispy). Design your own big breakfast with a bunch of sides.

BAWA – Ricotta fritters w lavender custard and strawberries

The ricotta fritters were fried and fluffy and was served with a beautifully fragrant lavender custard. Then there were strawberries in many forms. Juicy poached ones, dehydrated ones and a strawberry coulis. It was lovely.

BAWA has a beautiful open atmosphere, a great place for catch-ups and brunch dates. There are lots of exciting items on the menu and the staff are lovely too.

I heart BAWA!

Olives x

BAWA
Address: 248 Burwood Road, Hawthorn VIC
Website: http://bawacafe.com/
Phone: 03 9819 6701
Trading Hours: Mon-Sat: 7am-4pm, Sun 8am-4pm

Mammoth

Mammoth – Armadale

Pushing the boundaries and taking risks would be an understatement when it comes to brunching at Mammoth. With a lobster doughnut burger on the menu aside egg and bacon popcorn, it is definitely a place that will leave you amazed and inspired. This café in Armadale was created by people from restaurants touchwood, barry, pillar of salt and hammer and tong (ahh it all makes sense). These distinguished foodie creatives have collaborated to execute these unimaginable dishes with confidence. Quirky and creative food that makes you go wow.

Mammoth – Venue

It’s bright inside with white brick walls, white hanging lights, light coloured wooden chairs and a few scattered artworks in pastels. It gives the atmosphere a cheerful and whimsical feel. The space is an odd shape, which is good for finding your own little space.

Mammoth – Lobster Donut

The lobster doughnut burger in its title holds a lot of curiosity. Could those three things co-exist on one plate and be delicious? I had to find out. And the verdict was…hellz yea they can. The doughnut was covered with salt and pepper (that totally looked like cinnamon sugar) and it was fluffy and soft in the middle but definitely more savoury of a doughnut than sweet. It was filled with big chunks of lobster with cucumber jam, sriracha mayo and some green mango and papaya slaw. A good combo of creamy and fresh.

Mammoth – Egg and bacon popcorn

The egg and bacon popcorn was a delight. It tasted like popcorn as you know it with egg yolk and crispy bacon on top. It was so good and they got the right balance of topping because the popcorn wasn’t soggy and still had it’s light popping corn crunch. They need to get this popcorn into all cinemas asap.

Mammoth – Coconut yoghurt custard w strawberry salad

The coconut yoghurt custard was smooth and creamy and had a beautiful strawberry salad on top. It looked like a garden of strawberries, so pretty with fresh strawberries and strawberry gel, crunchy buckwheat clusters, wattle seed granola and young coconut pieces. Lots of healthy stuff that make for one tasty meal.

Mammoth – The benedict w duck sausage

The benedict was interesting, not your traditional benedict. It was a sausage and egg blini with hollandaise, so good. Fried duck sausage with pickled onion a fried egg on a orange and corn blini (like a pikelet) and smoked maple hollandaise. Delish.

Mammoth – Egg brulee w pickled zucchini artichoke

The eggs brulee were so cute with their little bruleed yolks. They were served with slithers of bread and butter pickled zucchini and crunchy bits of dried artichoke on seeded toast. Again not a combination I’ve ever seen before, but it works.

Mammoth – North shore

The North shore had little bits of different things that work well. It had a smokey ham hock hash, flame grilled pineapple, tobasco, a jalepeno popper and poached eggs. Tasty.

Mammoth – Char spanner crab egg crepe

The Char spanner crab egg crepe was black and looked mysterious. It was filled with a bean shoot salad, water chestnuts and a scoop of lemon sorbet. Lots of fresh flavours.

Mammoth – Smoked chicken salad

The chicken salad had lots of lovely fresh ingredients and various textures. There was spinach, green beans, radicchio, almonds and fresh coriander in a well-balanced zesty sweet lime dressing.

Mammoth – Golden gaytime panna cotta

We had a gay ‘ol time with the Gaytime panna cotta. The toffee caramel panna cotta was incredibly smooth and creamy and was topped with popping candy chocolate, bits of honeycomb, biscuit pieces and a bit of gold leaf. It was a nice combination of textures.

Mammoth – Iced coffee

Great iced-latte. Delish!

I love a bit of creativity in the kitchen especially when they get it right. Mammoth is a great place to eat for breakfast or lunch and is especially good if you feel like something out of the ordinary and want to be inspired. Creative concepts executed well.

I heart Mammoth

Olives x

Mammoth
Address: 736 Malvern Rd, Armadale VIC 3143
Phone: 03 9824 5239
Website: http://www.eatmammoth.com/
Trading Hours: Mon-Fri:7.30am-4pm, Sat-Sun: 8pm-4.30pm

Delhi Streets

Delhi Streets – Melbourne

Delhi Streets have captured the culture and flavours of Indian street food and created a little space where you can have a brief escape to the streets of India right here in Melbourne. Winners of The Age Good Food 2015 cheap eats award, Delhi streets offer an amazing menu at affordable prices. The family business brings authentic Indian dishes to the table that are full of flavour and packed with awesomeness. You could say it’s Delhicious!

Delhi Streets – Venue

It’s a cute little space in ‘the archway’ that houses lots of delciousness. They have posters stuck up on the roughly painted walls and street signs to give you that street feel. There was lots of colour, which created the fun, lighthearted and casual atmosphere.

Delhi Streets – Pani puri

We got the party started with Pani puri shots. They were these crispy lentil crackers filled with potatoes, chickpeas, onions, tamarind and chutney. You pour the savoury spice water into the crackers and fill the shells half full and then you pick it up and eat it in one mouthful. It’s a fun starter and they are absolutely delish. It’s crispy, soft, sweet, sour, yoghurty and spicy. Amazing. It was a great starter.

Delhi Streets – Bhel puri

Next we had the Bhel puri which is a puffed rice indian salad. It had a variety of puffed, onion, tomatoes, potatoes, coriander and tamarind chutney. It was like a meal version of the Indian snack mix. There were a few crackers to put the mixture on. The salad had lots of spices and different textures, chickpeas, crunchy pieces, soft potato, fresh tomato. It was nice.

Delhi Streets – Aloo tikki

I love how the menu incorporates favourite dishes from the family. The Aloo tikki is Grandma Bibi’s potato cakes –which where like big croquettes of smooth potato and green peas. It had a nice battered crunch on the outside and was smooth and tasty in the middle. It was topped with mint yoghurt which added a freshness.

Delhi Streets – Mango lassi

Did i mention we had mango lassi? Sweet, creamy, yoghurty. Love.

Delhi Streets – Dosa filled w spiced potato

The masala dosa was like a giant Indian crepe. Yum! The texture of the dosa was crisp on the outer and soft and crepe like in the middle but was super thin. It was filled with spicy potato and had coconut chutney and sambar (lentil based vegetable soup) to accompany.

Delhi Streets – Chicken biryani

The chicken biryani had lots o flavour and had a nice balance to it. Biryani is a classic Indian rice dish. And this version was packed with flavour. It had beautiful aromatic herb and spices, it was sweet, spicy and delicious. It had pieces of chicken throughout that intensified all of those beautiful flavours.

Delhi Streets – Spiced chickpeas w fried bread

The chana bhatura was spiced chickpeas with fried roti. Omg the fried roti bread. As if roti wasn’t yum enough they had to go and deep fry it. And im glad they did. It looked like a partially deflated beach ball of fried delciousness. It was crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy in the middle and somehow was still super airy and light. It was amazing. Love to the fried roti. And it came with a spicy sour chickpea dish, vegetables with chilli pickle and yoghurt. Delish.

Delhi Streets – Thali – platter of curries

The Thali was amazing. It was a platter with a selection of curries, rice, naan, pappadums, raita and salad. The curries were incredible. They were not too hot but full of flavour. We had the butter chicken, beef vindaloo, eggplant masala and dal makhani, which was a spicy and a bit creamy lentil curry. They were all incredibly tasty and mouthwateringly delicious. Thali is a classic Indian dish and it really hits the spot. The curries all had very different flavours and techniques and it was great to try a little bit of each. And then you’ve got the rice and the naan and the yogurt and the fresh salad then you crunch into the papadums. It’s a satisfying meal.

Delhi Streets – Nutella naan

Then onto the desserts. Nutella naan. OMG. The naan is quality naan, soft, fluffy, chewy delicious and then it’s smothered in nutella. It was incredible and my kind of dessert. Simple and wonderful. Love love love.

Delhi Streets – M&M naan

They also had an M&M version which had little melted M&M minis through it. Yumness.

Delhi Streets – Carrot halwa

The carrot halwa was interesting it was a sweet carrot pudding. It’s grated carrot that is slowly cooked in condensed milk over a long time. Sweet sweet carrot. It was lovely.

Delhi Streets – Gulab jamun

Gulab jamun is syrupy doughnuts and one of my fave Indian desserts. They are cottage cheese dumplings soaked in warm syrup. They are a little bit like soaked cake but they melt in your mouth. Amaze! This gulab jamun was particularly delicious.

Delhi Streets – Pistachio kulfi

We had the pistachio kulfi, which is ice cream delicately flavoured w pistachio, cardamom, saffron and cinnamon served on a stick. The texture was icy but the flavour was super creamy (like condensed milk!!) with light fragrant flavours on an easy to eat popsicle.

Delhi Streets – Masala chai

We finished the meal with a warm homemade masala chai, which was spice and creamy, just lovely.

It’s no wonder that this place won an award at The Age Good Food awards. The food is remarkable. I love that it has a combination of quirky street food and classic traditional dishes. With a world of family recipes on the menu, at Delhi streets you are sure to taste the essence of India.

I heart Delhi Streets!

Olives x

Delhi Streets
Address: Katherine Pl, Melbourne VIC 3000 (in The Archway)
Website: http://www.delhistreets.com.au/
Phone: 03 9629 2620
Trading Hours: Mon-Fri (lunch): 11.30am-2.30pm, Mon-Sat (dinner): 5pm-late

Note: Olive Sundays was invited as a guest to Delhi Streets.

Mr. Mister

Mr. Mister – Chapel Street, Windsor

Mr. Mister is a café on chapel street that serves delicious food. They have a range of interesting items on the menu that are well executed. There are lots of sunshine filled indoor and outdoor spaces with a bit of a nature inspired decor. The meals are made with love and quality produce. The food is clean, fresh and well balanced. A great place for brunch.

Mr. Mister – Potato rosti w terrine and apple cider chutney

The potato rosti squares were super crunchy on the outside and had that lovely kinda sticky potato on the inside. The terrine was colourful and full of flavour packed with chicken, ham hock and pistachio. Great combination. The apple cider chutney had a nice apple flavour, which added a bit of acidity and moistness to the dish. I liked the addition of parsley, which added freshness. There was some blanched baby spinach for greenery and a couple of yolk porn poachies. There were a few thin slices of crunchy bread like crostini scattered throughout. It was unique and a clever combination of flavours. Delish.

Mr. Mister – Smashed avo w marinated heirloom tomatoes

The smashed avocado was creamy and zesty and went well with the seeded bread. The marinated heirloom tomatoes were tasty and pretty with all the different colours. The was burrata cheese on top which was a similar texture to buffalo mozerella it was delish. We got added roasted field mushrooms on the side, which were yum too.

Mr. Mister – House-made banana bread

The house made banana bread was so good. It was thick, dense,crumbly and packed full of walnuts. There were two slices. One slice had a quenelle of espresso mascarpone and espresso praline on top. The flavours were insane together. Coffee and banana, absolutely delish! And then the other slice had a coconut panna cotta on top that was smooth and had a nice jiggle to it. The coconut and banana was amazing too. There was a lovely berry coulis and fresh berries that added tartness and a bit of fresh mint. Divine! Everything on that plate went well together.

Mr. Mister – Coffees

Good coffee too.

The meals had a great sense of balance and seemed relatively healthy. And there are lots of Veg, Vegan and GF options on the menu, which is great to see. Even the indulgent things on the menu didn’t seem too unhealthy. We really enjoyed it. A lovely place to visit for breakfast or lunch.

I heart Mr. Mister!

Olives x

Mr. Mister
Address: 161 Chapel Street, Windsor VIC 3181
Website: http://www.mrmistercafe.com/
Phone: 03 9529 3902
Trading Hours: Mon-Fri: 6.30am-4pm, Sat-Sun: 7am-4.30pm

Maha

Maha – Venue

Maha is a restaurant that will take your taste buds on a journey through the Middle East. Shane Delia incorporates authentic Middle Eastern flavours and has created a unique menu that has a creative and modern style. Turkish delight doughnuts. Need I say more. The dining experience is a banquet that includes a variety of share plates. You can select the 2. 4, 5 or 6 course meal (paired with wine if you choose).

Maha – Bread

Bread to begin. Even the bread rolls had Middle Eastern flair with za’atar spices on top.

Maha – Local olives

We had a bowl of local olives. Some were green, some were black, some were big, some were small but most importantly they were all delish.

Maha – Smoked hummus w lamb

The smoked hummus was tantalizing I could have had the whole bowl to myself. It had a lovely smoky flavour and the fried topping of lamb mince, cashews and parsley took this hummus it to another level.

Maha – Chemen cured swordfish

The chemen cured swordfish was tasty. It was delicately sliced into super thin pieces, which gave it a lovely texture. The oily fish was balanced with preserved lemon, some micro herbs and spots of kewpie mayo which made it that little bit more indulgent.

Maha – Olive oil poached potatoes w spring onions & octopus

The olive oil poached potato was comforting and had spring onion and bits of grilled octopus mixed in with the soft potato.

Maha – Oysters w roast sesame & sour onion

The freshly shucked oysters were dressed with roasted sesame and sour onion. Yum.

Maha – Lebanese couscous w seafood & radish

The Lebanese couscous was interesting. It was similar to normal couscous except that each grain was gigantic. It was served with scallops, mussels and prawns and the big juicy couscous pearls absorbed the seafood flavour. The thin circles of radish added texture and freshness.

Maha – Turkish red lentil dumplings

Dumplings are always a hit and these Turkish red lentil dumplings were exactly that. Soft little pillows of deliciousness served with spring peas, sumac, creamy yoghurt and mint. Delish!

Maha – Tea smoked duck

The tea smoked duck was nice it was moist and had a subtle tea smoked flavour. Cornbread and crushed hazelnuts were sprinkled over the bitter weeds and greens. It was fresh and had a lot of crunch. It was topped with a dollop of black garlic mayo, which was creamy and had a sweetness to it.

Maha – 12 hour roasted lamb shoulder

The 12 hour roasted lamb shoulder is one of my faves. The succulent torn lamb pieces melt in your mouth and are cooked with garlic, cumin and coriander. It’s served with smashed radish, which I hadn’t had before. It was sort of the texture of al dente potatoes but with a soft radish flavour. It was topped with slithered almonds, which added crunch, creamy yoghurt and fresh mint. When you eat a mouthful with a little bit of everything, the flavours dance on your tastebuds. It is well balanced and utterly delicious.

Maha – Cracked wheat pilaf

The rice pilaf was a good side dish. It was tasty grains of rice with sweet currents and herbs.

Maha – Fattoush

Fattoush is a bread salad. It had fresh tomato, red onion and lettuce in a simple dressing with garlic and thin pieces of baked bread (like crunchy pita bread).

Maha – Roasted carrots

The carrots were so good. They were young carrots cooked perfectly and were coated in a sweet glaze with caramelized figs and fresh herbs.

Maha – Argan oil chocolate brownies

Then onto dessert. We tried the Argan oil chocolate brownie, which was rich, sticky and had a good cakey crumble. It was paired with a fragrant orange and cinnamon ice cream, spots of custard and cinnamon dusted chocolate shards.

Maha – Blood orange parfait

The blood orange parfait was refreshing. It was smooth and creamy and had a blood orange gel inside and a blood orange foam on top. It had crispy puffed grains for texture and a salted caramel crumble on top. I didn’t think blood orange and salted caramel would go, but to my surprise they worked well.

Maha – Turkish delight doughnuts

I really enjoyed the Turkish delight filled doughnuts. You could say they were delightful. They were little fried fluffy doughnut balls with Turkish delight in the middle. They were drizzled with rosewater honey and topped with nuts. Yum!

The food definitely transports you to a place in the Middle East. It has the flavours and elements of traditional authentic dishes but is presented in a new and modern way. It’s a great place to enjoy tasty, comforting and inspired middle-eastern food.

I heart Maha!

Olives x

Maha
Address: 21 Bond St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Website: https://maharestaurant.com.au/
Phone: 03 9629 5900
Trading Hours: Mon-Fri & Sun: 12pm-3pm, 6pm-9.30pm (dinner) Sat: 6pm-9.30pm (dinner only)

 

Carmine’s Bistro

Carmine’s Bistro – Street view

Lygon street in Carlton is the heart of Italian dining in Melbourne. And Carmine’s Bistro is one that stands out for creating authentic Italian dishes with a modern twist. The meals are exciting and innovative and most of all they are damn tasty.

Carmine’s Bistro – Venue

As you walk in there are beautifully set tables with big posters on the wall, quirky lamps and book shelves. It has a warm inviting atmosphere with lots of character.

Carmine’s Bistro – Horse lamp

Loving this horse lamp. I love lamp.

Carmine’s Bistro – Carlton

They have an a la cart menu or you can select the ‘feed me’ option which is where they serve you a banquet of their favourite dishes. And believe me when they say they’ll feed you, they absolutely mean it. We had the ‘feed me’ option and I was literally feeling full until dinner time the next day. As the food comes out it’s exciting because you don’t know what’s next, and the food is fab so you can trust the chef will look after you.

Carmine’s Bistro – Mozarella mousse

First up we had the mozerella mousse, which was delicious. The mousse was smooth and cheesy, topped with tomato and house made green olive oil. The Italian colours and flavours presented in a modern style starter was a great first impression.

Carmine’s Bistro – Bruchetta

Next an array of assorted bruschetta served on a wooden board. There was anchiovy, capsicum and goats cheese, roasted zuchinni and eggplant, procuitto and bococcini and tomato with oregano and olive oil all on thick slices of ciabatta bread. They were nice flavour combos and a great accompaniment to a glass of wine or two. We had a really yummy pinot grigio.

Carmine’s Bistro – Mushroom capaccino w onion donut

The mushroom cappuccino and onion donut was was like wow creative. The cappuccino was a shot of mushroom puree, which had a nice bitter taste (like coffee) with foam on top. The onion donut was a cheesey onion filling shaped like a donut, covered in bread crumbs and deep fried. They were a good pair.

Carmine’s Bistro – Lamb lollipops

The lamb lollipops were fun to eat. It was a lamb and pistachio meatball on a stick sitting on top of a shot of sambucca cream.

Carmine’s Bistro – Lamb lollipops w sambucca cream shots

The sambucca cream was a beautiful creamy shot (not at all like an actual sambucca shot) with a very subtle sambucca flavour that complimented the meatball perfectly. The pistachio in the meatball was a great addition especially for textural value.

Carmine’s Bistro – Scallops w lemon sauce

The scallops were amazing. Perfectly seared and drizzled with a creamy lemon sauce and their house made green olive oil. Those scallops! Simple and stunning. It was served with some cubes of bread, which is just what you need to soak up every drop of that wonderful sauce.

Carmine’s Bistro – Beef carpaccio

The beef carpaccio looked like a little garden, pretty like a picture. The beef was thinly sliced and had a soft smooth texture (sort of like sliced salmon). The beef was covered with an arrangement of sliced olives, fresh tomato and little lettuce leaves, with spots of creamy aioli, sharp parmesan, crushed almonds and rounded off with the zest of grated lime rind. It was magnificent. A beautiful balance of flavours and textures. Spring on a plate I call it.

Carmine’s Bistro – Celeriac lasagne

Celeriac lasagna was the next dish and was a fantastic idea executed well. The lasagna sheets were crispy layers of fried celeriac with a smooth celeriac puree in between each layer. It was served with tiny cubes of sautéed celeriac and had deep-fried celeriac strands placed on top. If you’re a celeriac fan (and I am), it’s safe to assume you will love this dish (and I did). It was served with a tasty mushroom consommé.

Carmine’s Bistro – Chicken ravioli

The handmade ravioli was filled with chicken and had flavours of port. It was served with parsnip puree, charred cherry tomatoes and crispy fried basil. Yum!

Carmine’s Bistro – Chicken cacciatore

The chicken cacciatore was packed with flavour. It was cooked like a chicken roulade with a lovely nutty herb stuffing and the chicken skin was golden brown. It was served with a light buffalo mozzerella mousse and a tomato based sauce with potatoes and spring onions.

Carmine’s Bistro – Nutella pizza

And just when we thought we couldn’t eat anymore we had one more dish. A sweet one, a nutella pizza. It was a thin sweet pizza base covered in a thick layer of nutella topped with strawberries, a donut and vanilla icecream. It was decadent.

Carmine’s Bistro – Coffee

And lastly coffee.

At Carmine’s they embrace all the flavour and heartiness of Italian homestyle cooking and present it in an exciting and inspiring way. The staff were friendly and made us feel right at home. I loved the ‘feed me’ option, it was an absolute feast. They delivered exciting renditions on authentic Italian classics.

I heart Carmine’s Bistro!

Olives x

Carmine’s Bistro
Address: 234 Lygon St, Carlton VIC 3053
Website: http://www.carminesbistro.com.au/
Phone: 03 9663 3151
Trading Hours: Mon-Sun: 12pm-10pm everyday

Note: Olive Sundays was invited as a guest to Carmine’s Bistro.

 

Axil Coffee Roasters

Axil coffee roasters – Street view

Axil coffee roasters is a café in Hawthorn where they serve great food and are passionate about the bean. They source specialty coffees from around the globe and bring it home to serve and sell in their store. They do breakfast and lunch and have a good variety of items on the menu including a lot of vegetarian and gluten free meals.

Axil coffee roasters – Venue

Inside is a big open plan warehouse type space with greenery and industrial lighting. Great atmosphere for brunch dates.

Axil coffee roasters – Axil shop

They have a little store inside the café where they sell specialty coffee along with other coffee related bits and pieces.

Axil coffee roasters – Iced latte

And as expected their coffee is delish. Iced coffee’s are my new fave thing for spring.

Axil coffee roasters – Red fruit smoothie w coconut milk

The red fruit smoothie with coconut milk was berry nice.

Axil coffee roasters – Manchengo cheese croquettes

The Manchengo cheese croquettes were smooth and had a sharp almost smokey cheese flavour. It was served with paprika fried eggs, thin slices of jamon Serrano a corn puree, pickled chilli salsa and fresh coriander. There was a combination of fried elements and fresh elements that created a good balance of textures and flavour.

Axil coffee roasters – Pulled pork tacos

The pulled pork tacos tasted authentic. Each taco had black beans, salsa, a generous amount of smokey pulled pork, pickled cactus, lime, coriander and sprinkled cheese on top. The tacos were blue. They used blue corn tortillas. Did you know there was such a thing? There are actual corn on the cobs out there that are blue. This was news to me. I like the tacos they were tasty and I especially liked that they prompted my discovery of blue corn.

Axil coffee roasters – Fava bean falafels

The fava bean falafels were tasty and had legumes, pea blossoms and zucchini on top. They were sitting in a creamy goats yoghurt labna that tasted fresh and livened the dish. Lots of fresh elements and textures.

Axil coffee roasters – Salted caramel milkshake

The salted caramel milkshake tasted just as I imagined…delicious.

Axil coffee roasters – Ferrero Rocher waffles

I love Ferrero Rochers! So you can imagine how excited I was when I saw Ferrero Rocher waffles on the menu. And they did not disappoint. They were omg amazing. The waffles were chocolate with a chocolate sauce and had a good crisp waffle crunch and were soft and fluffy in the middle. There were two big scoops of hazelnut parfait, curls of Gianduja (sweet hazelnut) chocolate, chopped hazelnuts and crushed wafer biscuit on top. The choc hazelnut elements and wafer crunch really made this dessert resemble a Ferrero Rocher. Delicious.

Axil coffee roasters – Red velvet pancakes

The red velvet pancakes were soft and fluffy and was sitting on cream cheese ganache (so good) and raspberry sauce. It was topped with black sesame icecream, chocolate brownie soil and fresh raspberries. It had a lot going on but the flavours balanced out well. The sweetness of the ganache, the bitterness of the black sesame, and the tartness of the raspberry. Yum.

Axil coffee roasters – Yumness!

Axil coffee roasters has a nice green feel to it and is a great place to have some delicious food and enjoy some lovely coffee. And don’t forget the awesome waffles!

I heart Axil Coffee Roasters!

Olives x

Axil Coffee Roasters
Address: 322 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn VIC 3122
Phone: 03 9819 0091
Website: http://axilcoffee.com.au/
Trading Hours: Mon-Sun: 7am-4pm (everyday)

Lee Ho Fook

Lee Ho Fook – Street view

Lee Ho Fook is a modern Chinese restaurant that is still fairly new to the city, it’s been open for about 7 weeks. It was formerly a restaurant in Collingwood but has moved to duckboard place off Flinders lane in Melbourne. They serve Chinese food but it’s not your special fried rice, honey chicken kind of place (hehe) it’s a modern take on Chinese food and flavours. They play around with traditional flavours and come up with creative ways to express Chinese cuisine.

Lee Ho Fook – Venue

The dining space is classy and relaxed. They have exposed brick walls and contemporary style lighting. A really nice atmosphere.

Lee Ho Fook – Tea egg w avruga and dill

The tea egg with avruga and dill was interesting. The outside of the egg was darkened by the tea and had a subtle tea flavour. The yolk was soft and sticky, the avruga caviar was salty and had a nice texture and it was topped with a miniature sprig of fresh dill.

Lee Ho Fook – Scallop & silken tofu w soy butter and crispy garlic

The scallop was chopped into chunks aside squares of silken tofu and had a warm soy butter with crispy garlic poured over.

Lee Ho Fook – Oyster w ginger dressing & wasabi

The raw pacific oysters came with a ginger dressing and a little bit of wasabi. Amongst the fresh oyster sea taste was that hum of heat from the ginger and wasabi.

Lee Ho Fook – Black fungi w aged black vinegar

The black fungi and aged black vinegar was simple and wonderful. It had that silky texture and rich black vinegar flavour.

Lee Ho Fook – Corn w fermented chilli and lime

The fried sweet corn looked great. They were curled rows of corn off the cob that were sprinkled with a salted fermented chilli dust.

Lee Ho Fook – Chinizza

Lee Ho Fook’s all famous ‘chinizza’ was amazing as expected. What the hell is a chinizza? A Chinese pizza duh! This Chinese spring onion pancake pizza creation was incredible. It was a fried pizza base with a generous amount of thinly sliced spring onion with torn pieces of mozzarella spread across the top. Yumness.

Lee Ho Fook – Crispy eggplant w red vinegar

The crispy eggplant was delicious, they were like chips but Asian eggplant stlyle. They had a really crunchy crispy outside and were soft in the centre. They were dressed in a sticky spiced red vinegar sauce.

Lee Ho Fook – Pork belly w fennel, mustard and chilli oil

I love pork belly but I hadn’t had it this way before. It was cold thinly sliced pieces of pork belly (sort of like a platter of cold shaved meat) accompanied by pickled fennel, mustard and chilli oil. Perfect flavours to accompany the pork. I enjoyed this heaps.

Lee Ho Fook – Cabbage salad

The cabbage salad was fun with a range of textures. It had crispy deep fried bits of cabbage on top and sautéed cabbage underneath flavoured with dried Szechuan chilli and black peppercorns.

Lee Ho Fook – Duck w miso and red vinegar

The duck was cooked to perfection. Thinly sliced and tender and pink in the middle. It had a miso and red vinegar sauce smeared around one side of the plate which complimented it well. And then it was accompanied by super thin slices of nashi with green Szechuan. The chilli nashi was insanely good. It was fresh and cool but hot with chilli at the same time. Love.

Lee Ho Fook – Chinese brocolli w oyster sauce and garlic oil

The steamed gailan (chinese broccoli) was yum, it was presented with the long stems placed along the edge of the bowl with their oyster sauce and crispy garlic swirled in the middle.

Lee Ho Fook – Chocolate brownie w egg custard ice cream

These chocolate brownies had an Asian twist. It was rich gooey crumbly brownie paired with egg custard ice-cream and topped with wispy pieces of egg floss. Yum.

Lee Ho Fook – Coconut mousse w corn ice cream

The coconut mousse was light and delicate and the corn icecream was lovely and smooth. The two subtle flavours went well together.

Lee Ho Fook – Green apple and amaretto jelly w apple granita

The apple Amaretto jelly had an apple granita on top. It was bitter, sweet and sour. A light refreshing dessert.

Lee Ho Fook – Jasmine tea infused custard w burnt caramel

The Jasmine tea infused custard w burnt caramel was remarkable. It was like a thick custard flan with a prominent Jasmine tea flavour with a burnt caramel sauce, which had a beautiful bitterness to it. My fave dessert.

They do two-hour session times for dinner so it’s good to make a booking. The staff were lovely and the food was delish. The menu is mainly share plates so you can order a bunch of things and share, which is great. They also have a great wine selection.

Lee Ho Fook – Pretty artwork

As we walked out, this painting was on the wall. It gave me happy vibes…loved it.

I heart Lee Ho Fook!

Olives x

Lee Ho Fook
Address: 11-15 Duckboard Pl, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: 03 9077 6261
Website: leehofook.com.au/
Trading Hours: Tue-Sat: 6pm-11pm Mon-Sun: closed

Hash Specialty Coffee and Roasters

Hash Specialty Coffee & Roasters – Melbourne

Hash Specialty Coffee and Roasters is a restaurant open for breakfast and lunch. They have an exciting menu and pride themselves on using top quality ingredients. The food is creative and they do a great coffee. They also do a great hot chocolate. Fairy floss in my hot chocolate? Yes please! Oh the theatre.

Hash Specialty Coffee & Roasters – Venue

It has a relaxed and modern atmosphere with a bar in the middle and a big illuminating hashtag light on the wall.

Hash Specialty Coffee & Roasters – Coffee

They specialise in specialty coffees.

Hash Specialty Coffee & Roasters – Signature hot chocolate w fairy floss

Hash is known for it’s signature hot chocolate. It is a cup filled with a mountain of fairy floss accompanied by a beaker of hot chocolate. You pour the hot chocolate over the fairy floss and it slowly dissolves and at the same time effectively sweetens your hot chocolate. However if I am to be completely honest it didn’t happen so smoothly for me. When I saw people doing it around me it looked so easy but unfortunately my poor pouring skills resulted in a last second panic, where I had to quickly grab my teaspoon and hold up mount fairy floss before it collapsed outside of my cup. It all got into the cup though and that’s the important part right? I thought it would be super sweet with what looked like a whole fairy floss in the cup, but the hot chocolate was dark cocao (85%) so the bitterness balanced the candy-like sweetness perfectly. It was rich, full flavoured and delicious. And it still had a slight dark cocao bitterness to it. Loved it.

Hash Specialty Coffee & Roasters – Pork belly w goats cheese & textures of apple

The rosted pork belly was amazing. It was soft and juicy with a crispy top. There was a piece of puffed pork crackling (I know it as chicharron) which added a nice crunch element. There was an apple puree, thin slithers of baked apple and juicy poached apple pieces. And we all know how well apple goes with pork. And then it was topped with some goat’s cheese, pickled mustard seeds and hazelnuts, which added a whole new level to pork and apple. It was a clever dish and very delicious.

Hash Specialty Coffee & Roasters – Leek & cheddar croquettes w ham hock

The leek and cheddar croquettes were tasty. They had a crunch on the outside and were smooth and creamy on the inside. The cauliflower puree was so good and the ham hock was melt-in-your-mouth. The cavolo nero (kind of like kale) had a tangy bitter sort of taste, which was nice when eaten with the other elements. And there was a yellow stained turmeric poched egg in the middle that brought it all together.

Hash Specialty Coffee & Roasters – Banana & pecan loaf

The grilled banana and pecan loaf was insanely delicious. For some reason I thought it would be a little dense (maybe the word loaf) but I was completely wrong. It was quite sponge like and soft and fluffy. The banana peacan flavour was delicious. It was filled with white chocolate custard and topped with burnt honey mascarpone (omg!). The combination was heavenly. It had all these bits and pieces that made it even better like whole macadamias, a milk crumb and fresh blueberries. Lovely.

This is a cool space to hang out and have brunch. They have a great menu and the dishes are well executed. Not to mention the coffee and the fairy floss hot chocolate. Fairy. Floss. Hot. Chocolate. Nuff said.

I heart Hash Specialty Coffee and Roasters!

Olives x

Hash Specialty Coffee and Roasters
Address:113 Hardware St, Melbourne VIC
Phone: 03 8529 0284
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hashcoffeeroasters
Trading Hours: Mon-Fri: 7am-4pm Sat-Sun: 8am-5pm