The World Loves Melbourne Blog

St Ali is a hip cool fun uber café with amazing ambience, stunning coffee and excellent creative menu choices - hidden down a laneway in South Melbourne. This is one of my “go to” places in Melbourne and have loved each of my many visits. The owner Salvatore Malatesta is an icon and visionary in the industry, in the city of Melbourne, and internationally. He has inspired an amazing culture in and beyond this cult cafe in a laneway.

St Ali is a cafe with style and culture. St Ali has some classic menu designs - here is one of my all time favourites...

Three Bags Full is a Melbourne darling and one of our more eminent cafes. Enter a world of Clover and Rwandan Aeropress (by the way so cool to see how Rwanda has recovered in recent years through things like coffee exports) and espresso bliss.  The vibe on a pumping Saturday brunch time is fabulous. Its another foodie haven and the coffee is seriously excellent.

Some confusion at first as to whether I was in Richmond or in Abbotsford. The colour scheme suggested I was in Richmond (bright yellows) but we were in fact in Abbotsford. Great ambience here. Walk in and immediately fall in love with this place.

Purple Peanuts Japanese Café is a sublime breath of fresh air in the top end of town on Collins Street. This is a cafe I've been to several times for interesting Japanese style food, quick service and cool ambience.

It’s different to many other Japanese establishments and is a twist (and shout) on the usual focus of sushi and sashimi. It hums with a youthful, colourful and eclectic creativity, depicted by a large The Beatles Japanese Tour poster.

Red Spice Road is one of the best dining experiences I’ve had in Melbourne. This is classy South East Asian dining with chart topping dishes at a reasonable price. The Pork belly signature dish was one of the greatest dishes I’ve ever eaten in my life. We are excited to see the latest offering by John McLeay the Head Chef in his new book release, Bits on Sticks.

Come here for a sense of occasion and an air of sophistication without being stuffy. The décor is modern and classy with large David Bromley paintings and red hues and themes including a massive red lantern (largest in the southern hemisphere). Cudos to the team and head chef John McLeay.

Red Pepper is a sublime family run Indian restaurant in the CBD which provides authentic and excellent fare with North Indian influences in  ambient surroundings. The owners have consistently offered great Indian cuisine to the delight of students and office workers and there's a pervasive pride in what they do. Credit to Jagjeet Kaur from a Punjabi village. Not only is the food wonderful but it is presented well with a sense of joy.

Red Pepper is a great place to visit with friends in a classic building with ambient artwork, spaciousness and two rooms to choose from, large windows imbibing natural light and friendly service.

Mama Wong's is a place I've walked past many times as I negotiate the junction to head towards the MCG. Who is Mama Wong? Finally I took the plunge and rolled up for lunch. I was surprised at the extensive menu with a huge variety of Asian meals.

Mama Wong's also delivers on instant Asian meals in the bain marie. As once again I was in a hurry at lunch, I ordered the Satay chicken with a  fried dim sim as extra.

Cafe Andiamo is a great little cafe in iconic Degraves Street with fast and friendly service and not without excellent ambience. Come inside this cafe and relax at one of several tables and watch the eclectic atmosphere of Degraves Street roll by. Or sit out at a table outdoors in Degraves and get amongst the action. Tables here can be a bit closer together but it's a great spot to dine.

Cafe Andiamo serves up excellent coffee. The picture here doesn't quite do it justice as the white froth belies the strong Italian style coffee underneath. and I love a strong Italian style coffee or two.

Brunch with the Brown Brothers (and media types) at Tocadero for a wine masterclass for the new sensational Prosecco. I'm there! To experience both Trocadero and an iconic wine family's new wine offerings, was bliss.

The ambience at Trocadero is sublime, with views out to some of Melbourne's most attractive features including Flinders Street Station and St Pauls, let alone Southbank and the Yarra. Enhanced all the more being a sunny day. The fit out at Trocadero in Hamer Hall is modern with chic bar area and a long elegant space, as well as an edgy mural by a Japanese graffiti artist. Trocadero is accessible and sophisticated.

Joe's Bar and Dining Hall is a dude food haven with American style diner food using Victorian produce at a cool junction in St Kilda. A huge revamp, the masterstroke of owner Rob Gringlas, has seen a change from the previous Greasy Joe's - to "drop the grease" and "get on the gourmet". Joe's has a talented chef Katrina who wows with killer sauces and dude food winners such as Southern fried chicken, awesome sliders, kick butt burgers and sublime ribs.

I (and my family) were part of a media event at Joe's on a lazy Sunday afternoon. The crowds were out and about in St Kilda and there was a festive tone in the precinct. Joe's is a great place to drop by for a major meal - or drinks and a bite with friends. And we discovered it is family friendly with our kids loving the sliders and ribs in particular.

Veloce is an exciting intimate if not hidden gem in Yarra Lane South Yarra with great tapas and Argentinian and Meditteranean influences. I was invited by the management (and Joanna Reymond of Reymond Communications) to review  this restaurant (note my disclosure) and was genuinely impressed by their cuisine and their wine matching (and the awesome company at our table including some foodie heavyweights). This is a foodie haven.  

To be honest I've walked past Veloce and thought it was purely a cafe that I needed to visit. It's so much more but also pours a great coffee, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Interestingly Veloce is situated next to a prestige car showroom. Oggle a Bentley as you enjoy your meal. It's a great match to have fine cuisine and fine cars together - the fine life.

Ganache should be celebrated for its high standards and chocolate sublimeness and skill, and the fact that it's a Melbourne based chocolatier. These guys can hold their own against the best around the world. A European chocolate experience in Melbourne. The finest couverture chocolate.  Check out the decadent chocolate bars and blocks, chocolate sculptures and other products, and chocolate drinks. And the sensational gift wrapping.

Ganache make amazing hot chocolates and mochas for the chocolate lover. I like to duck in to Ganache for my chocolate fix. 

Persian Flavours is a local favourite which serves tasty middle eastern cuisine with Indian influences. It's a restaurant with character and I wonder if the patrons at the nearby hotel realise this tasty gem is across the road.

Visiting for the first time I was greeted by three friendly staff. The lady in the headscarf seemed to take control of customer service while the two guys were more involved in the kitchen.

Obviously popular for takeaway, Persian Flavours is also a reasonable place to dine in. The message is they are looking to please with smart tables, white chairs, artwork and floral arrangements, long mirror a cool hanging rug and a TV on the wall. This is not like some of the chic establishments I normally frequent in the city, but it is full of character.

He Says She Says is a superb restaurant in Camberwell that exudes elegance and finery. Walk into a world of style with its chic decor, spaciousness, timber tables, couches, smart bar, artwork and cool flooring. Someone has put some thought into this. As they say on their website, He Says She Says is bringing a sophisticated dining experience to Camberwell.

I was part of a media launch night at this fairly new restaurant (along with my wife) and was glad to be there. We love to see people reach for their dreams. The owners of He Says She Says are professionals who for years dreamed about such a restaurant. To hear the story was a privilege. We were told the team consisted of chemical engineers and financiers. (I suspect every accountant has a dream of owning a restaurant).

Even those who aren’t particularly discerning about their morning cup of coffee can differentiate a good cup from a terrible one. Surprisingly, what separates that good cup from a bad one isn’t a subjective matter of preference; there’s actually some very precise science behind creating a cup of coffee that appeals to the majority of taste buds. From selecting a type of coffee to roasting and brewing, every step that goes into the construction of a cup of coffee plays an essential role in how that eventual cup will taste, feel, and caffeinate. Read on to learn more about the chemistry of coffee which may just provides a few insights that will help you improve the way you brew up one of the world’s most popular beverages.

1. How coffee is extracted can dramatically change its flavor.

   Extraction is the process of dissolving coffee grounds in water, something most of us know as brewing, or in the case of espresso, pulling. How the extraction process happens can change the taste of coffee in dramatic ways, and not always for the better. Three factors influence the outcome of an extraction: the size of the grounds, the time that water spends in contact with the grounds, and the distribution of water among the grounds. Making things even more complicated, each method of extraction, from pulling espresso to brewing in a French press, requires different things to make palatable coffee and some methods simply produce better coffee than others. If any of these factors are off for a given method, it will yield coffee that’s bitter and in some cases virtually undrinkable. Why? As coffee is extracted, it first releases acids, then sugars, and then bitters. Brewing for too long, uneven exposure to water, or grinding coffee too fine can mean that too much bitter flavor gets extracted. On the flip side, if extraction is too short or done with coffee that’s too coarsely ground, you’ll get an acidic, watery cup of coffee.

2. Coffee contains a lot of trapped carbon dioxide.

   You might not realize it by looking at them, but coffee grounds actually contain a fair amount of trapped carbon dioxide. Much of this CO2 is released within the first 24 hours after roasting occurs, which means that if you grind, brew, and drink incredibly fresh beans, the taste of the coffee is going to skew acidic and there may be an alarming amount of froth on the top as the CO2 rushes to escape the coffee. For most, this won’t be an issue, but if you’re getting beans fresh from a local shop or are roasting your own then it’s wise to let the beans de-gas and develop a day or two before diving into brewing. If you can’t wait, pre-wet the grounds to help them release some CO2 before starting your brew.

3. Around 28% of the organic and inorganic material in a coffee bean is water-soluble.

   Somewhere between a quarter and a third of the material that makes up your coffee beans is water-soluble, though you don’t really want all of it to dissolve if you’re trying to get a cup of coffee that won’t make you cringe. According to most, the perfect extraction rate of coffee is about 19-22%, which achieves the ideal balance of the acidic, sweet, and bitter flavors in the beans.

   ...

Persimmon in the NGV is a fine Melbourne restaurant with Modern Australian influences that consistently delivers with flair and creativity. Coming to Persimmon is about the overall experience with great cuisine and impressive ambience and service.

Very cool is that the menu changes and links seamlessly with the stunning exhibitions on display at NGV. Currently there is a French themed menu with the Napoleon exhibition. Soon NGV is to feature neo impressionists and then the huge Monet exhibition starting next May. Menus will be tailored to these exhibitions. And at Persimmon there is always an emphasis on fresh seasonal and local ingredients.

Are you an offal lover? Do you love your black pudding? Breaking news - there's a black pudding renaissance in Melbourne. Black pudding is on the rise in Melbourne establishments.

My roots are established in offal appreciation. As a kid we used to have tripe and crumbed brains for dinner almost weekly. I did't know what it was but I sure loved it. Offal used to feature prominently on the supermarket shelves back in the day. Growing up and working as a professional banker, offal and chips was a popular regular lunch item in the cafeteria/restaurant. Bankers seemed to love their offal in the 90s, including me. 

To be honest, black pudding evokes varied reactions from squeamishness to a passion for offal overdrive. Trending right now in the UK and Australia is the humble black pudding. Give it to children but don't tell them what it is. Here in Melbourne there is a penchant for black pudding with many iconic establishments offering this delicacy on their menus.

My top 3 restaurants for black pudding in Melbourne are Pei Modern on Collins Street, Duchess of Spotswood and Small Victories in Carlton North. Each of these serves up superb black pudding that can convert the harshest sceptic. In Europe you are often served black pudding in a loaf style which can be dry, almost cake like. But in Melbourne thankfully we are seeing black pudding with some moisture.

Massive news from Highpoint Shopping Centre – on Thursday 18 October, the centre will be unveiling the much-anticipated first stage of its $300 million development: the launch of it’s new Fresh Food Market and Eco Mall.

Highpoint will celebrate the launch with a week packed full of foodie entertainment including cooking demonstrations with renowned Melbourne chefs, food tours introducing Highpoint customers to the array of new retailers, foodie sample bags and lots of family entertainment such as face painting, clowns, juggling, music and more!

A great innovation is the selection of local videos that were filmed as part of the new Fresh Food Market campaign using local ‘foodies’ from around the Highpoint area as the heroes: http://www.highpoint.com.au/Fresh-Food

Here are the details:

EVENT:                                     Launch of Highpoint’s new Fresh Food Market & Eco Mall
WHAT:                                     FREE cooking demonstrations, food tours, foodie bag giveaways and family entertainment
WHERE:                                   Level 2, Fresh Food Market
                                                   Highpoint Shopping Centre
                                                   200 Rosamond Road, Maribyrnong
WHEN:                                    Thursday 18 October – Wednesday 31 October
FOR INFORMATION:          Visit www.highpoint.com.au for a full event schedule

Optic Kitchen and Bar is a stunning option in Federation Square with its modern fit out and fine cuisine at reasonable prices. After an exciting makeover of the previous lounge, Optic Kitchen and Bar provides a great destination for those visiting the Australian Centre for Moving Images and the ACMI Cinemas, or those simply visiting Fed Square. It boasts a fabulous outlook onto Fed Square through the large window.

Dining in Fed Square can be a hit and miss affair. Some outlets seem to play on the iconic nature of Fed Square and the experience doesn't quite deliver. But Optic Kitchen and Bar is geared to satisfy with  a great dining experience which is realistic and without pretension.