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Foodies week comes to Melbourne
Home to some of the world’s best chefs, the Melbourne food scene is blooming with modern Australian, European and pan-Asian influences to delight foodies on the lookout for something new. To celebrate 2014 Summer Foodies Week, Mitch Hogan visited some of Melbourne’s favourite local dining establishments to sample their wares.
Paladarr
Salona
The chasm between high quality Thai cuisine and the rest is perfectly exhibited by the multi-award winning chefs at Paladarr. Thoroughly deserving of its collection of awards including a prestigious Chef’s Hat from the The Age Good Food Guide and a fixture in the guide every year since 2009, Paladarr quite simply hits the mark every time.
For authentic Greek specialties and an evening out on Richmond’s trendy Swan Street, the overwhelmingly highlyreviewed Salona (with a near unprecedented 91% positive rating) offers the perfect combination of contemporary atmosphere and highquality cuisine. The restaurant is a step into the Greek countryside, complemented by the upstairs bar, ideal for a pre or post-meal cocktail.
Our five-course banquet was perfectly balanced – a complete combination of spicy, salty, sweet and sour. We started with seared prawns, humming with ginger, lemongrass, coriander and a touch of and fish sauce before moving on to the house specialty - Issan minced chicken beautifully balanced with a hint of mint, chili and coriander. It’s hard to recall a better chicken salad – perfectly tender and spicy, without being too spicy – it’s one of those dishes where you can’t help but finish literally every single piece of food from plate. Paladarr’s main courses delivered in spades. A slow home-roasted chicken in traditional green curry with Thai basil and baby eggplant was delicate and balanced, with the perfect amount of heat. The second main course (served at the same time) was succulent seared beef slices in kaprow sauce which had the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. The servings were very generous and included a serve of rice each. Those with big appetites will be well satisfied – those without will struggle to finish. To conclude, Paladarr offers refreshing ice cream. Usually $131, this awardwinning five course Thai banquet can be purchased on DEALS.com.au for only $59 for a very limited time.
Salona is offering Epicure readers the chance to enjoy a nine-course degustation menu for two people for only $49 instead of $129, including dessert and wine or beer. When we arrived for our degustation, the food started flowing in earnest. The team at Salona takes pride in their regional Greek dishes and members of the team visit Greece each year to update the menu. Salona sources local and organic produce. We started out with a home-made platter of mixed dips and pita bread. The tzatziki, melitzana (eggplant), tarama and skordalia dips were accompanied perfectly by fluffy, warm pita. Don’t fill up on bread, though. Next we were presented with numerous meze dishes including crisp saganaki croquettes, zucchini and smoked feta kefte, and spanakopita – a spinach, feta and leek filo pie. Each of these little bites were the perfect intro to the meat and seafood dishes to come. Fried calamari was fresh, crisp and golden, and was followed by Cypriot pork belly with a Commandaria dessert wine
glaze, and lamb ribs marinated in an addictive combo of ouzo and honey. The pork belly and lamb were both moist and tender. We managed to squeeze in Salona’s homemade melomakarona ice cream sandwich to top everything off.
The exclusive offer is only available at DEALS.com.au for a limited time (or until sold out).
The Dark Room Born from two photographers’ love of food, the Dark Room is a homage to food as art and the owners’ personal interpretation of the similarities between gastronomy and photography. Characterized by friendly service and a welcoming atmosphere, the Dark Room has been described as ‘cuisine heaven’ by adoring fans, and is top-rated by popular review site, Urbanspoon. For a very limited time, The Dark Room is offering Epicure readers the chance to enjoy a spectacular dining experience meal for two people for only $39 instead of $114. When we visited for dinner, the Dark Room was full with a buzzing crowd and irresistible aromas. Delicate pea and leek fritters were served up piping hot with fresh, melt-inmouth buffalo mozzarella, pine nuts and currants – a perfect, light start on a warm day. The slow-cooked pork belly was tender yet crispy, accompanied by a refreshing cabbage slaw, grapes, apple puree and walnut vinaigrette. This was a beautifully balanced combo of salty and
sweet notes.
The Dark Room’s main courses were a highlight. We chose one dish from the grill and one pasta – both were perfectly composed. The char grilled lamb loin with tempura zucchini flower, roast pumpkin, almond and honey was tender, and when we could get a bit of each component in one bite, the Euro-inspired flavour combos were spot on.
Those looking for a quick trip to Italy will enjoy Dark Room’s selection of pastas. The parmesan gnocchi with gorgonzola cream sauce and cavolo nero is near perfect, the sauce flavoursome, but not too rich. The addition of kale adds the perfect green note to the meal and keeps things from going overboard. The gnocchi itself was light – nothing too heavy there. We accented the meal with a glass of wine each – a perfect weeknight treat or weekend indulgence. The Dark Room offer is only available on DEALS.com.au for a limited time or until sold out.
Richmond Hill Café and Larder They don’t get much more iconic than the Richmond Hill Café and Larder, located a stone’s throw from the MCG and funky Bridge Road. Besides a fromagerie, a cheese club and a larder vending oils, preserves and cured meats, Richmond Hill has one of the highest rated cafés, that delivers on all of our gastronomic fantasies. For a limited time, the Richmond Hill Café
and Larder is offering Epicure readers the chance to experience lunch for two for $45 instead of $110.
We started out with a mouth-watering charcuterie board to share which was loaded with a selection of local and imported cured meats, homemade country style pork terrine, homemade chicken and port wine parfait, pear and raisin chutney, fig and quince preserve and toasted brioche and sourdough toast. This platter alone makes a nice nibble to accompany a glass of wine and a good chat, but we didn’t stop there. We chose mains off of Richmond Hill’s seasonal menu which includes a range of house-made salads, gourmet sandwiches, burgers and more complete main dishes. The pan seared fillet of ruby snapper, spanner crab and green mango salad with red chili, spring onion and sesame and coriander dressing was our pick – we loved the combination of snapper and crab, and the spicy, light dressing is a summer favourite. The café offers a BLAT on a Five & Dime bagel, which is exciting because it’s our opinion that Five & Dime make the best bagels in Melbourne. Otherwise, consider the Black Angus burger with all the typical fixings on a sourdough bun and opt to add cheese, since Richmond Hill’s cheesemongers are trustworthy. The café has an impressive wine list to match their lunch menu. The Richmond Hill Café and Larder deal is only available for a limited time or until sold out on DEALS.com.au.
DEAL 1
DEAL 2
DEAL 3
Paladarr
Salona
The Dark Room
Richmond Hill Café & Larder
paladarr.com.au 7 ROWE STREET, ALPHINGTON
salona.com.au 260 SWAN STREET, RICHMOND
thedarkroom.net.au 147 STATION STREET, FAIRFIELD
rhcl.com.au 48 BRIDGE ROAD, RICHMOND
ONLY $59 for a five course Thai banquet for two (valued at $131)
ONLY $49 for a ninecourse degustation meal for two people, including wine or beer (valued at $129)
ONLY $39 for two including choice of entrée and main each and two glasses of wine (valued at $114)
ONLY $45 for lunch for two including wine (usually $110)
HIGHLIGHTS: Mixed dips including tzatziki, melitzana, tarama and skordalia, pita bread, saganaki croquettes, zucchini and smoked feta kefte, spinach, leek and feta filo pie, fried calamari, Cypriot pork belly, lamb ribs, melomakarona ice cream sandwich, house red and white wines and Greek Vergina beer.
HIGHLIGHTS: Pea and leek fritters with buffalo mozzarella, pine nuts and currants, slow cooked pork belly with cabbage slaw, grapes, apple puree and walnut vinaigrette, chargrilled lamb loin with tempura zucchini flower, roast pumpkin, almond and honey, pappardelle with beef ragu, porcini mushroom, rosemary and pecorino, parmesan gnocchi with gorgonzola cream sauce and cavolo nero.
HIGHLIGHTS: Seared prawns with ginger, lemongrass, coriander, spring onion, lemon juice, and fish sauce, minced chicken salad with coriander, spring onion, mint, chili, lemon juice, fish sauce and ground parched rice, chicken green curry with Thai basil, baby eggplant and seasonal vegetables, seared beef slices in kaprow sauce with Thai basil, ground chili and garlic, ice cream.
Limited time offers go live at 10.00am on Tues 18 February 2014
HOW TO BUY A DEAL? 1. Go to www.deals.com.au 2. Click “BUY” and enter how many offers you would like (gift vouchers also available) and enter your credit card details 3. Receive a voucher straight after purchase and dine until May 2014.
DEAL 4
HIGHLIGHTS: Charcuterie board with a selection of local and imported cured meats, country-style pork terrine, chicken liver and port wine parfait, pear and raisin chutney, fig and quince preserve and toasted brioche and sourdough toast, pan seared fillet of ruby snapper, spanner crab and green mango salad with red chili, spring onion and sesame and coriander dressing, BLAT on a Five & Dime bagel, Black Angus burger with lettuce, tomato, aioli, caramelised onions, beetroot relish, Swiss cheese or Moss Vale blue cheese.