Melba's Brasserie @ Langham Hotel Southbank

Hello Fellow Nom Seekers!

My elasticised waisted pants got another airing today when I gorged at the buffet at Melba Brasserie situated within the Langham Hotel.  Needless to say it was dining in a very opulent setting.  You get to work up a wee appetite just by going up the meandering staircase to the restaurant replete with the sounds of a waterfall.  We had the week day lunch buffet which worked out to be $57 per head.

The preamble

To give you an idea of what is on offer, here are a few gratuitous food shots:

Prawns

A selection of sushi and sashimi

Made to order pasta station 

A looong row of carvery and accompaniments

The ubiquitous chocolate fountain and associated candy

A selection of dainty sized desserts - so you can feast on more than just one

 As far as week day lunches go, this is considered very decadent.  A few things in particular which stands out at Melba Brasserie are:

• there is all you can eat Peking Duck.  Seriously, I can just stop here.  
• the desserts are miniature sized which allow you to sample endless (!) amounts.
• the view onto the Yarra is spectacular.  
• the sushi and sashimi are really really fresh.
• if you have a Gold Entertainment card, you can get a discount.  Bonus!

Until next time...

Provence Artisan Bakers

Hello Fellow Nom Seekers!

I feel like I'm about to divulge highly classified information.  For Provence Artisan Bakers, in my mind is a little hidden gem tucked up the top of Burke St just away from the hubbub of Camberwell junction.  It has a very narrow shop frontage so it is a case of blink and you will miss it.

The sourdough is to die for.  It is the right density and chewiness and tanginess.  I'll be frank, that is the only thing I have.  Sourdough sandwich.  I might switch up the fillings on various visits but the order is essentially the same.  The service is also excellent.  The kitchen was very accommodating when informed of my no sugar diet and they suggested what dressings I could have with my ham and salad sanger.

Ham and salad on sourdough

Berry Green tea

There is also a vast array of French style baked goods as evidenced here.

Do seek this place out, you won't regret it.  I wager the bread here will convert any die hard Atkins devotee to the wonder of carbs.



Until next time...

Fiesta Malaysia 2014

Hello Fellow Nom  Seekers!

Sally Li from RMIT New International Students blog clued me into the whole Fiesta Malaysia experience.  You can read about her 2013 Fiesta Malaysia post here.

It's a whole lotta fun at Federation Square.  Essentially it is a celebration of the Malaysian food and culture which does highlight all the different cultures and ethnicities that make up modern day Malaysia.  There were traditional dances, traditional games, yummy food stalls... the air was thick with the aroma of delicious satay grilling and the sound of music.  I have tried to capture a bit of the atmosphere in the photos below but it's really got to be experienced first hand.  I understand this is a yearly thing so "Like" the Fiesta Malaysia's official Facebook page to get up-to-date info on the next one.

Melbourne turning out a fine Autumn day for Fiesta Malaysia 2014

One of the many food stalls

Roti with chicken curry

Char Kwai Teow 

Curry puff and spring rolls

Beef Rendang

Lion dancers and plenty of balloons for the kiddies

Folk singers

Mah jong for the public

Traditional marble game

A very enjoyable day out.  It's like having a little Malaysian sojourn without leaving Melbourne...will definitely be going to the 2015 one.

Until next time...

Kotaraya

Hello Fellow Nom Seekers!

My sister in law suggested we have family dinner at Kotaraya Malaysian restaurant.  Neither of us had been there before but we were both pleasantly surprised by the food and service.  Whilst it was family style dining, the service staff were responsive and with a large table, we weren't made to feel like a hindrance, like in some family restaurants.  The cuisine has a more Malaysian and Nonya style influence which makes for a nice change from the usual Chinese restaurant offerings.

Just to switch it up a bit, kiddo and some of her cousins wanted their opinions on the dishes represented in this post, so I did a Vox Pop of the children's opinions.  After all, being a family restaurant, whether the whole family enjoyed dining there or not is an important factor.

"Winsy Poo" aged 6:  "I like the tofu".  This is the soft Japanese style tofu, lightly coated in egg, fried with a slightly sweet sauce on a sizzle plate.

We also ordered another tofu dish which is this variation on the pei pa tofu.   These are little goujons of tofu fried nestled around braised beef and spring onions.  It was different presentation of something familiar but delicious.

One of my picks for the night - prawns with a coconut coating.  Deep fried.

Also one of my fave - Nonya chicken.  This is a piece of chicken flattened paper thin, fried with a salty sweet dipping sauce.

"Bobby's Girl, aged 9.5:  "I like the eye fillet.  It sounds scary but it tastes good".  Well put, Bobby's Girl.  This was a tender beef eye fillet with a black pepper glaze.

Kiddo, aged 8 initially declared she liked the plain rice the best.  But after careful reconsideration, she decided she liked the fried yam with stir fry pork the best.  This is sort of like a seafood basket sans seafood.  The fried yam was the basket of sorts with the stir fry nestled within.

Myself and the kids's grandma enjoyed the one and only vegetable dish - Belachan eggplant and string beans.  Loved the shrimpy flavours.

"Happy Face", aged 8:  "I like the watermelon".  So do I Happy Face, so do I.  A nice piece of refreshing complementary watermelon to de-grease.

The tea was also complementary however the charge on the rice was little steep.  It was $22 for 13 of us with the additional charge of $2 per bowl extra.

Kotaraya is a happy find for us.  It is not often you find a family style restaurant which everyone is happy to eat at and serves good food at reasonable prices.  Will be back.



Until next time...

Hoa Tran

Hello Fellow Nom Seekers!

If you ever need a case study of a successful Supply Chain, Hoa Tran is the place to analyse.  This restaurant provides cheap, fresh and delicious food very very quickly.  It has over 300 items on the menu, so there is bound to be something to please your palate.  Once you have ordered from the dizzingly abundant list on the menu, the food is to your table in moments.  

To give you an idea of what's on offer:  

Deep fried wontons ($9)  Little golden nuggets of yum.  I don't think I have ever had a bad fried wonton.

Malaysian styled braised beef with egg gravy.  Very unusual with the raw egg on top - but it was very tasty and the serving size was more than substantial.  It came with a little bowl of complementary soup (see below).  A nice touch.  All this for $11.

The Spicy Lemongrass Beef Noodle Broth.  My friend ordered this one.  The feedback was that it was not too spicy (a good thing) and once again substantially sized for $9.50.

My other friend had the Beef Stirred Fried Noodles.  It came with heaps of prawns and beef strips for $12.

The Chinese tea was complementary.

With over 300 menu items to work through, I anticipate I will be going back many times to slowly work through the list.

By the bye, although the address states Springvale Road, the entrance is off a wee service lane off Springvale Road.  Worth rootling around to find this little hidden gem.



Until next time...

Sugar Free Baking Masterclass at Cupcake Central

Not So Devilish Chocolate Cupcakes

Hello Fellow Nom Seekers!

As some of you may know, I am on the I Quit Sugar program which essentially boils down to the fact that if I want to eat a sweet treat of sorts, I will have to make it from scratch and use sugar alternatives, namely stevia (if you are interested, see my previous posts on sugar free preserved figs and tong yuens).  To date I have never attempted making a sugar free cake with frosting because I thought sugar free icing sugar was as mythical as a leprechaun....until now!

I was very fortunate to be invited to a sugar free baking masterclass at Cupcake Central using Natvia products.  Natvia is made with a blend of organic stevia and erythritol which is a naturally occurring fruit nectar.  Natvia has come up with a sugar free icing mix.  So for sugar free peeps like me, I can literally have my cake and eat it too.  Likewise for the diabetics and those seeking a healthier lifestyle without the sugars and artificial sweeteners.

Natvia Sugar Free Icing Mix (blue) and baking pack (pink)

Sheryl from Cupcake Central demonstrated the ropes of making a pro-batch of cupcakes.  She even shared her recipe for Not So Devilish Cupcakes (see below).  We got to ice our cupcakes using the new Natvia Sugar Free Icing Mix which handled just like regular icing mixes and tasted exactly like sugar...only better for you.  Sheryl has advised that you can substitute Natvia for sugar in a ratio of 1:1 for most recipes.  This is because it is not overpoweringly sweet nor bitter like some sugar free alternatives.

NOT SO DEVILISH CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES, courtesy of Cupcake Central

Ingredients:

• 1.5C plain flour sifted
• 0.5C cocoa sifted.  The Cupcake Central uses the Callebaut brand which is 100% cocoa
• 1C Natvia sifted
• 1 tsp bicarb
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 large free range eggs
• 0.5C vegetable oil
• 1C cold water
• 2 tsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract.  The Cupcake Central uses the Nielsen Massey brand.  
• You can make an egg free version by omitting the eggs and adding in 2 tsp of vinegar. 

Method:

• Pre heat oven to 165 degrees C fan forced or 175 degrees C conventional
• Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl or in the stand mixer bowl
• Whilst beating add oil and vanilla.  Then add water, mixing and scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go.  
• Add eggs one at a time beating as you go to combine
• Lastly add vinegar and beat at medium to high speed for 30 seconds
• Put in little patty cake tins and bake for 18 - 21 mins.  

Icing (enough to ice 12 cupcakes):

• 125g of unsalted butter.  The Cupcake Central uses New Zealand butter as it is much creamier
• 225g of Natvia Sugar Free Icing Mix
• 1 tsp vanilla extrac
• 1 pinch of salt
• Combine all icing ingredients using a beater / mixer.  

Ta-dah!  The finished product

Sam and Mark - founders of Natvia.  Apparently the sugar free icing mix took two long years to perfect.  

Sheryl teaching us how the pros ice.  

Ban-Arnie cupcake from Autumn 2014 collection - high protein, sugar free, gluten free cupcakes!  Sheryl advised that Cupcake Central do strive to cater for people who would like a less sinful treat.  Could have easily eaten a dozen.

Some extra Natvia baking tips:

• Natvia can soak up some of the moisture in your batter, Sheryl recommends using vegetable oil in the cake mix instead of butter or add in a touch more liquid eg 1 - 2 tablespoons extra of milk/water for a batch of 12 cupcakes

Natvia Sugar Free Icing Mix is now available at Coles and selected independent grocers.  It will be in Woolworths in a week.  I can't wait to create my own sugar free frosted cakes at home!

Until next time...

Mad Mex

Hello Fellow Nom Seekers!

I do like to grab a bite of Mexican at lunch time.  The closest to my workplace happens to be Mad Mex in the Southern Cross Tower complex.  The queues are not that crazy and they do move you through at reasonable clip so it's not a bad option if you are in a hurry.  

My favourite would be the pork burrito (pictured above and below) with full salad, the 'medium spicy' sauce, brown rice and beans and hold the avocado.  Mad Mex burritos gives you the option of wholemeal tortilla and brown rice - which I prefer.  The only downside is that they charge an exorbitant price (in my opinion) of $2 extra for a smear of avocado.  When the burrito itself is about $11, I believe the little smattering of avocado should come with.  

Another take on the classic burrito is the naked burrito pictured below.  I ordered the steak version.  The steak was a little chewy.  I think prefer the slow cooked pork used in the burrito above.  It's everything in a regular burrito minus the tortilla.

Naked Burrito with Steak

Mad Mex is a solid takeaway Mexican lunch standby.  In a sense, it is the McDonalds of Mexican food albeit a tiny bit healthier.



Are you looking for eats in the Southern Cross Tower complex or in the vicinity?  You may wish to check out our reviews of In A Rush;  Killiney Kopitiam;  Famish'd; Coffee Exchange;  Little Bean Blue and Mrs Parmas.

Until next time...

Merchant

Hello Fellow Nom Seekers!

The Rialto is one of the iconic buildings in Melbourne and Guy Rossi's Merchant is situated right as you enter.  It is an Italian restaurant with a Venetian slant as evident by the life sized gondola greeting you before the front entrance.

In an environment which potentially could be viewed as 'posh', it is surprisingly casual.  It had a warm ambience and guests are encouraged to take a texta and graffiti the walls. We sat in a rustic little booth. There were plenty of young kids running around on a Friday night. So maybe this is pseudo-casual or nouveau-posh.  The prices were definitely in the fine dining arena.  See menu here.  The service was impeccable as one would expect in place like this.  Continue reading...

Golden Milk

Hello Fellow Nom Seekers!

I came across the health benefits of tumeric whilst researching ways I can help kiddo recuperate from a cold.  Authority Nutrition does a great summary of all the evidence based health benefits of tumeric which then lead me to a wealth of recipes on the internet for Golden Milk - a milky drink made with tumeric.  There were just loads of recipes for this, each with a slight variation.  I ultimately merged a few of suggestions to form my own Golden Milk.

From what I gather, making a tumeric paste from ground tumeric as a precursor to the Golden Milk is the preferred method of Golden Milk production in the absence of fresh tumeric root.  That way, you can be sure that the tumeric in the tumeric paste is thoroughly cooked before you add it to the remainder of the ingredients to make Golden Milk.  I made a batch of tumeric paste and stored it in a jar in the fridge for quick Golden Milk assemblage.  I followed the Herbal Academy of New England's recipe for tumeric paste which is essentially mix 1/4 C tumeric powder to 1/2 C water and cook until paste like.

To make the actual Golden Milk itself, I cobbled together bits and pieces from a variety of recipes:

For 1 cup/serve:

• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of tumeric paste
• 2 cup of milk of choice
• 1 teaspoon of coconut oil
• 1 grind of black pepper - apparently this assist with the absorption of the curcumin (the good for you bits in the tumeric)
• a few drops of vanilla extract
• good shake of ground cinnamon 
• 1 thin sliver of root ginger

Heat in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until heated through.  Fish the ginger out before serving

What does it taste like? Golden Milk has more of a feel rather than a taste to me.   It feels like being enveloped in a soft comforting duvet.  It feels warming and grounding.  It tastes gingery but not overpoweringly so and the vanilla and cinnamon adds sweetness without actual sugar.

Did it help with kiddo's cold?  In this uncontrolled single subject study, the results are a bit inconclusive - the duration of the cold was not really shortened (about 5 - 6 days) however I believe the severity of the symptoms eg running nose, hacking cough seem to be less than the usual.  Kiddo did not seem to be particularly bothered by her mild symptoms and she did not miss any days of school.  So I like to attribute part of this to Golden Milk.  Or maybe she just had a particularly mild version of the common cold.  Either or, Golden Milk is a comforting hot toddy to have now that the cold weather is settling in.  The colour itself is so uplifting on a dreary winter's night.

By the bye, the tumeric paste apparently can be kept in the fridge for about a fortnight.  I also used the left over tumeric paste to throw in casseroles and even mixed it with butter to spread on a crumpet.

Unti next time...