Handsome Steve's House of Refreshments

Another reminder of just how far we are behind with the blog .... This amazing place that we were lucky enough to be shown on our trip to Melbourne which was just over a year ago now, has sadly closed.  Hansome Steve and his house of refreshments sadly served his last drink this May, and he has departed the building, or the convent as it was.

We caught up with Kim's brother Brent and his partner Alicia while we were back in Melbourne. They have since welcomed a new addition to the family, a little girl named Marita - which we are all very excited about! A big congratulations to them, and we can't wait to get back there and meet her. When we were there back in June last year, afternoon refreshments were still okay, so after a late brunch Brent suggested we head to Handsome Steve's for a beer. We arrived at this beautiful, old stone convent a little way out of the city.

 

This is definitely the kind of place you need to get taken too, because even if you found the right convent I think knowing which door to go in is also key. We enter from the ground floor, take some stairs and find ourselves wandering to the end of a long, narrow corridor. Then, Brent takes the door for us. A small sign that announces "Handsome Steve's House of Refreshments" and of course a red rocket is all that marks this little place.

 

 The menu was small, offering beer, coffee, sandwiches, juice and a few spirits. At the bottom of the menu board he also noted "No skinny, No soy, No tea, No lite beer" nice! We have a few beers, and also a coffee. The beer was cold and the coffee was made well.

 But this place was really all about the cosy atmosphere. The walls are covered in every piece of Geelong football memorabilia you could imagine, which really add to Steve's kooky personality. He was very happy to smile and pose for a photo, with a couple of trophy cups which just appeared from somewhere....

 

 We are very pleased we made it to this place before it sadly closed, and will keep an eye out for what Handsome Steve gets up to on his next venture.

 

Soup, Cookie and baked beans.

We had worked with our friend Stevie in the Caribbean, now he was back and rehoused in Melbourne so a catch up was in order. When you with a local taking the no-questions-asked-tour is the only way - and so it was that we found ourselves walking through Chinatown in the evening rain. The destination turned out to be Hu Tong dumpling house, where according to the whole world of Melbourne the soup dumplings are "the business". Hu Tong is wickedly popular but the wait for a table was a far better option than facing the rain again. Soon enough we were led to the funky bricked tea house decorated third floor and seated.



The xiao long bao obviously were first up (and maybe third and fifth), the little soup bombs requiring a little special eating technique but worth every patient nibble, the gingery soup fragrant and rich within the tender dumpling skins.



Wontons in chilli sauce deliver with a plate of slippery morsels in a puddle of chilli oil flecked with szechwan pepper.



The steamed pork was something we couldn't go past on the menu, so soft it fell apart as it was lifted from the plate, and smothered with anonymous red sauce. Awesome.



We were a little disappointed by the fried squid. Chewy and thickly battered. We drowned our sorrows in more soup buns.



After a few too many buns we made our way out into the night and further into the Melbourne night. A little while later Stevie convinced us that the fairly lacklustre bouncer clad entrance to Cookie is somewhere we want to go. Upstairs though we were given the "I told you so" with a cavernous bar offering an interesting range of drinks such as Dirty Granny Mature Apple cider. And the bar snacks....well.... who would of thought we'd have so quickly forgotten the soup buns of earlier that night to try as much of the great Thai snacks on offer.


Little tapioca pearl skin dumpling witha peppery sweet filling.


Sour fermented pork ribs with peanuts, ginger and chilli.


Northern Thai sausage, a little dry but flavour wise bang on.


Roasted nuts with chilli and Kaffir lime. Cookie was a nice surprise, a nice bar with great snackage.

The night progressed in this fashion until we ended up in a bar unknown drinking savagely blue cocktails and other creations out of baked bean cans and pretty much all the rest of the photos and the night ended up like this.



Good times.

Hu Tong Dumpling House
14-16 Market Lane
Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
T: +81 (0)3 9650 8128

Cookie
First Floor, 252 Swanston Street
Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
T: +81 (0)3 9663 7660

St Ali, South Melbourne

We head out on foot, in search of the tram stop no. 26 located out front of the Alfred Hospital. We then have to remember to get off at the little South Melbourne street side station. We are not headed out looking for the usual kind of tourist landmark, we are looking for St Ali for our morning breakfast... After just a few minutes stroll, we spot Yarra Place. We make a turn and feel we are transported into a little haven in the South of the city - warehouses, graffiti walls, people pedaling their bicycles and even some guys in lab coats?!



As we expected, they are quite busy. We approach the friendly looking lady with the clipboard, and she scribbles our name on the list and tells us it will be about 20 minutes. We are happy to wander this little alley, and find some cool galleries and a place selling clothes and jewellery. We head back just as our stomachs start rumbling, and our timing is perfect. We are ushered into a cosy little corner table in the front of the Cafe and order our coffees as we are seated.



Oh, Melbourne, how I love you and your culture and understanding of great coffee! Our morning Cappuccino hit the spot. Little pots of very raw brown sugar sit on the table, I don't add any to my coffee but cannot resist just trying a small spoonful - great texture, toasted and caramel flavors - yum! I also have a The Winter 3 Juice which is fresh squeezed pear strawberry and mint.



We also love that the water bottles are up-cycled Hitachino beer bottles, tres cute. The menu here reads so well, with catchy titles like from Chickens with Love, Hook Line & Sinker and the one that I choose for breakfast, My Mexican Cousin.



My Cousin is a plate full of Secret Recipe corn fritters, fresh baby spinach, haloumi and kasundi with a poached egg. I also add some bacon, for no reason other than loving bacon! The corn cakes are fluffy and full of flavor, the poached egg cooked to perfection and the spinach and haloumi round out the dish nicely. I find the spiced tomato kasundi way too sweet, and mostly push it to the side.

Kim has gone for the Corny Baby; creamed corn with poached eggs, green chilli relish, pinenuts & witloof/witloaf/wotlof whatever salad on light square tin loaf. Always throwing in a bit of character with their menu descriptions, I love that! This was also delicious, but also quite sweet - the little red dressing on the witloof/witloaf whatever was like a sticky syrup, lucky Kim also ordered a side of bacon to balance the dish out with some smoke & salty flavours.



We continue this lazy morning with a couple of bloody Mary's before vacating our table for the next waiting customers ....



St Ali
12-18 Yarra Place
South Melbourne VIC 3205, Australia
T +61 (0)3 9686 2990
stali.com.au


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Little Creatures, in Melbourne

We were wandering around Fitzroy, enjoying the midday sun, and were ready for a little .... a little something! And then, just as if it was meant to be, we spot of the Little Creatures Dining Hall. We perch ourselves by the bar, I am dying to try the Pipsquek Cider on tap and Kim has a Bright Ale.



Little Creatures Pale Ale has always been one of our all-time favorite beers! And the other 2 don't disappoint. The cider is full of fresh fruit flavors. I can't actually remember if I had the pear, or the apple, but I do remember it was delicious! Kim has the Bright Ale, which is smooth and full flavored.

We also re-fuel with a plate of fried onions rings. The onion slices are fat, coated with of course a beer batter;) and then sprinkled with paprika salt.



The Dining Hall is big and industrial, but still manages to feel intimate and warm. Would definitely come back here for a lunch or meal, and of course to try more of the beers, next time we are in the 'hood.



Little Creatures Dining Hall
222 Brunswick St
Fitzroy
Melbourne, Victoria

T: +81 (0)3 9417 5500

Open: 7 days, 11am till late

MoMo Restaurant, Melbourne Australia

We know and love all of the Greg Malouf cookbooks, each one taking you on a journey to places as far away as Turkey, Pursia, Marrakech, Lebanon & Syria. When we were making our way down to Melbourne last year, it was one of the first places on our list. We managed to get a booking at 9pm for the second sitting, which of course meant time to try a Rockpool Bar & Grill burger as a little pre-dinner snack. We rush back to the hotel after our burgers, shower & freshen up and then bust a taxi over to Momo. When we made the booking, they explain the restaurant in located within the Grand Hyatt hotel, and that we should enter on the Collins street side, take an escalator up, then the one lift on the right, which will take us to the Restaurant. As soon as we enter the lift it's quite special, nice dim lighting & Arabian music, really setting the mood of what's to come. The elevator door opens, and we are greeted by a friendly staff member at the entrance who escorts us to our table.



Some delicious cocktails kick off round 2 for the evening. We have chosen the Arabesque sharing menu at $130 pp, which includes 2 entrees, 2 main course, 2 accompanying side dishes, dessert mezze, fresh fruit & sorbet. We then just have to select which items we want for each course from the al a carte menu. This takes only a few minutes, then the menus are whisked away and a little copper coffee pot of fresh vegetables is placed before us, with olive oil & some hot sumac bread.



Our first entree arrives and is a thing of beauty - Kifta Nayee, Middle Eastern style beef tartare with basil, marjoram, smoky chili and garlic bread. The raw beef was hand chopped, with a decent texture and depth of flavors. The smoky chilli was prominent, but the herbs really balanced it all out. Warm garlic bread was the perfect vessel for scooping up all of the flavours.



We really wanted to try the Quail entree, but unfortunately they were already sold out when we ordered. The waiter recommended the Duck, so we just rolled with it ... The Duck breast was roasted on the bone, with creamy lentil burghal pilav and baby beets . The soft baby beets were also highlighted by the crispy beet leaves, which added a really nice dimension to the whole dish.



Our first main to arrive was the Veal shank 'Laban Immor', smoked veal tongue and silverbeet 'manti' dumplings. This was amazing! Soft, succulent veal shank, delicate smoked tongue and plump little silverbeet dumplings sitting in a yoghurt and lemon sauce. Wow!



Our 2nd main was the Kurobuta pork rib eye, spinach gozleme creamy freekeh with pumpkin & pearl onions. The rib eye was cooked beautifully, still a blush of pink in the centre and moist throughout. The little baby gozleme was divine, I could have eaten a whole plate of this, and the freekeh with pumpkin and pearl onions freshened the whole dish up.



The sides we selected to accompany our mains was also a hard choice, they all sounded divine. We ended up choosing the goats milk haloumi fritters with almonds & leatherwood honey as well as whipped Dutch cream potatoes, French butter, pinenuts. A very good choice, both were quite rich but accompanied our main selection perfectly.

We are both getting quite full at this stage, but are presented with a beautiful selection of fruit to cleanse the palate. We grab some of Greg's books, which are all available to purchase, and also available to browse through, and take a little break to enjoy the fresh fruits, and let our dinner settle.



We feel revived, and my eyes beam when I see the Dessert Mezze. It is beautiful, even looks a little magical. The Persian saffron tart is light with a very faint hint of saffron and the beautiful orange color - a little tuille biscuit shaped of Aladin's lantern sticks out the top, with a little gold handle. Then there is a hot chocolate and Kahlua cake with whipped medjool date. The date is a luscious paste in the middle of the tart, a very nice surprise. And then a little Moroccan tea cup of lemon & orange flower ice-cream with rose. A very nicely balanced dessert plate.



Of course we finish the evening with a little pot of Turkish coffee, which comes with a plate of petit fors. As a little digestif, we also choose a Walnut & Date liqueur. Thick & rich, with a nice sweetness, it reminded me of a Pedro Ximenez.



Momo Restaurant
Lower Plaza Level
Grand Hyatt Hotel
123 Collins Street
Melbourne, Victoria 3000

Burgin'

Urban Dictionary Burgin' :

Experiencing the intense need for a huge, gnarly burger,
passionately consuming a burger, or recovering from burger overindulgence.

"Man, I'm burgin"
or
"Oh yeah, I'm burgin!"
or
"Goddamn it, help me, I'm burgin!"

That was the case as we soon as we had hit Melbourne. But not a general call burgin', there was a specific burger at the center of this crave. We had followed with amusement the posturing and cat calling on twitter over who had the right to call their burger the best in Sydney, when it reached flash point a blind tasting had been organized with Rockpool Bar and Grill coming out on top. Now we were within close proximity of the Rockpool bar and Grill located in the Melbourne Casino complex.

We arrived at the front door just as they opened and grabbed a seat at the bar rather than the restaurant side as we just wanted the burger. Having the burger cut in half was no problem, we added a side of fat cut chips as the burger came with none, a side of onion rings and one of the small plates of calamari with romesco. A couple of Aperols for the wait and we were all set.
The calamari arrived fast, with a generous portion of sweet, nutty romesco. The calamari more a spoon to convey the sauce to our mouths than the star of the plate. With the calamari quickly out of the way we waited eagerly for the burger (burgin).



Arriving cut in half and on two plates showed some consideration from the kitchen. The center showing a nicely cooked medium rare with plenty of juiciness. We took our first bites and began the analysis....nah, we ate it, we ate it good. And a mighty fine burger it was! The fat from the minced wagyu veered towards too-much but Zuni's famous courgette pickles helped to draw it back in. The cheese and bacon seemed almost superfluous, nice but not needed.



The fries were true to their word and cut fat, but they paled beside what were possibly the best onion rings I've ever had. Crispy crunchy with a mild onion center. Not so taken with the home-made ketchup not that it was bad, maybe I just like the amplified artificial umami flavor of the commercial varieties.



Was it the best burger I've ever had? Maybe. I'll have to add to the list, up there with the Mcfoie from Tapac 24, Barcalona, the Mckobe from Feugo Negro, San Sebastion, and lets not forget the hand minced wagyu burger with truffles and foie at Brown Sugar in Singapore... top ten at least.

One flaw in the night was the aggressive service with more drinks being offered while our first were still half full and the obvious distain that we were only sharing one burger. Left a slight taint to an amazing burger. (We arrived at 6pm for a little pre-dinner burger, with a booking at MOMO for 9pm).

I would like to come back and dine in the restaurant proper. When I peaked though on the way to our seat the room looked amazing, grand and plush like a old timey clubby steakhouse. A glance over the menu and a walk past the meat dry aging re enforced the desire to return.

Rockpool Bar and Grill

Open; Lunch Sunday to Friday
Dinner 7 Days

Reservations
+61 3 8648 1900

Crown Complex
8 Whiteman Street
Southbank VIC 3006
Australia

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Easy Tiger!

The power of 3. Jarrod Hudson, Suzanne Tyzack & Simon Hall make a magical team at the funky new space Easy Tiger on Smith Street. We know Jarrod & Suze way back from our years in Sydney where we were introduced to the amazing Giant Steps & Sexton line up from the Yarra as well as the WA Little Creatures Pale Ale. There were many other fun times, doughnuts & laughs along the way. We worked with Jarrod at various large scale catering events, all stinted at Hugos and then I spent time working with him at Dragonfly in Surry Hills. Anyway, back to the beer ..... So, a pint of Little Creatures seemed fitting to kick start our night.



We managed to slip out to the tiny kitchen window to say HI before sitting down for our chefs selection banquet. The kitchen team are humming away, busy before the nights service truly begins, all meticulously checking and stocking up their prep. Oysters are being shucked to order, and I am pleased that they feature on our first plate for the evening - with a little red nam jim that packs a punch and then a watermelon ma hor. Ma hor is a great way to kick the taste buds off on tonights journey, a sweet cube of watermelon topped with a sticky peanut, chicken, pork & prawn paste with fresh coriander and a single slice of red chilli julienne.



The next dish was blow-your-Mr-Sock-off amazing! Jarrod has a phenomenal palate, but also a vivid imagination. This dish showcases everything we love about Jarrod's cooking. Slices of plump kingfish sit on a tarted up white miso paste, with little clouds of crispy rice, slightly pickled cucumber rainbows & wasabi flying fish roe. WOW!



Some little crispy bean curd parcels filled with something which I don't quite remember were a delight. Whatever was inside I can asure you was delicious which was complimented by the black vinegar dipping sauce.



I added a cup of dtom kha gai, 'cause I just love my soups ... This was a fine example of the chicken, coconut & galangal version although I had just one problem with it ... there wasn't enough!



The smoked trout salad is another of my favorites, juicy flakes of smokey ocean trout are delicately resting on a roasted coconut, herb & peanut salad with a sticky palm sugar dressing and a little surprise of popping pomegranate seeds.



Yellow curry of duck is rich yet still remains vibrant with the fresh chilli, baby corn & Thai basil.



A bowl of rice with a son in law egg is just what the curry needs... Son in law eggs fried to a crispy coating with a gooey yolk busting out through to mix with the tamarind & palm sugar dressing & crispy fried shallots is heavenly.



Another little gem appears from the Yarra in the form of a pink moscato. The Innocent Bystander pink bubbles make for 2 very nice glasses of pre-dessert wine.



Dessert comes in the form of monsieur truffe chocolate & pandanus leaf dumplings with melon & salted coconut cream. These are one of my favorite Thai street snacks, but they have certainly been pimped up here at Easy Tiger. The beautiful green dumplings pop with the rich chocolate center and are disguised amongst some perfectly spherical melon balls. The salted coconut cream is elevated by the addition of little basil seeds and some baby leaf basil. We also get a slice of ice-cream slice which has a very tropical feel to it with the passion, coconut & vanilla.



Espresso to finish is served in a beautiful double-walled glass with cubes of pure cane sugar in another little double-walled glass, just so pretty.



A fantastic meal on a beautiful night in Melbourne ... It was all a bit of a blur by the end of the night considering our earlier tipple at Madam Brussels but delightful.




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Easy Tiger
96 Smith St.
Collingwood
VIC Australia 3066
+61 (0)3 9417 2373

Tuesday–Sunday 6pm-late
Sunday night is banquet night

A tipple with the Madame

After a long day of walking Melbourne's streets we both felt we needed a little break. Being conveniently close to Madame Brussels we find the fairly anonymous little lift and three floors up spill out into the surreal surroundings of the the Madams abode. A brick paved path leads you along between AstroTurf lawns highlighted by pink walls and picket fences.. its Alice in Wonderland meets Wimbledon. We follow the brick path to a table on the outside terrace, looking out over east Melbourne and in the last of the afternoon sun we titter our way through the suggestive menu.



Cocktails come standard sizes as well as jugs for two or four players - we decide on a jug o Gin Garden, with elderflower, apple cucumber and gin.. lots and lots o gin! It's refreshing relaxing and really really good.



As with as tea in the afternoon there should be snacks, and snacks there were. With the arrival of the tea plate it really drove home the feeling one should be holding a croquet mallet, I mean it had a doily and all. Little toasted triangles filled with poached chicken mayo and watercress and baby sausage rolls with accompaniments of Tabasco, tomato sauce, cornichons and a wedge of lemon it was perfect, the world outside of the terrace completely melted away.



The jug o gin went down a little to easily, topped up with a stellar Negroni and possibly the best Bloody Mary ever consumed qued the arrival of the Double smoked ham and Tilsit cheese sandwiches which sent us over the edge and once again a tad tardy for our next appointment.



It seemed quite appropriate to be running down the garden path muttering we're late we're late.

Madame Brussels

Level 3,
59-63 Bourke St,
Melbourne,
Victoria
(03) 9662 2775

OPENING HOURS: 12 noon to 1am every day of the wonderful week!