I took a walk round the local neighbourhood this morning and originally was going to go to Stagger Lee's for breakfast but I decided to also visit Rose Street Market so opted for Industry Beans. It was around 10am so the place was pretty empty and I had a lot of room at one end of a communal table. In fact I was given free reign to choose anywhere my bottom decided it wanted to be! 

The scene above with the hipster crowds was taken upon my departure so it definitely became busier so I really valued my solitary dining experience. And it was interesting that I was not the only one in there enjoying own company.

I started off with a rhubarb, lemon and mint juice and loved the pinkiness of it. Sharp and fresh with a hint of cooling mint it was delicious.

I decided to go with Stef's favourite; the crispy beans and quinoa with chilli pickle tomato, avocado and a poached egg, And I added a side of bacon!

The egg was cold which was a bit of a surprise and I think I would have preferred it warm but no biggie. I loved the smoky, charred bacon and the slightly sour flavour and warm heat of the chilli. Texturally the dish was a bit sandy and gritty. I liked it but I like baked eggs more.

I had an English breakfast tea to round things off and it came with a little timer counting down 3 mins. When it beeped, I poured! A little pretentious but it felt decadent. And it was a good cup of tea.

It's funny how the atmosphere of a place can change when it gets busy and I could feel the chilled, calmness that was there when I first arrived dissipate as more Sunday brunchers arrived and as a solitary diner I was pleased to make my exit with a full tummy and a spring in my step.

We'd made plans for a Friday night catch up with some of the old work crew and their other halves plus Kirsty what seemed like ages ago but it came round quick! We had a 6:30 table and although most of our party didn't quite make it on time our waitress was very flexible and forgiving. It gave Kirsty and I a chance to get a head start on the drinks (and a serve of very moreish onion rings) and catch up.

For ease of decision making, I made the executive decision to have the set menu for us all.

Chili Cheese Fries -Traditional Texas Style Beef & Bean Chili with Sharp Cheddar Sauce on Crispy Fries 
Fried Chicken Southern Style Buttermilk Soaked Tenders with Cracked Pepper White Gravy Texas Caviar Black Eyed Peas & Pico de Gallo with White Flour Tortilla Chips

The Smoker’s Lot Showcase | Pit-smoked meats consisting of Brisket - Grain fed Riverina Angus Beef, Pulled Pork - Otway Ranges Pork Shoulder, Sausage - Jalapeno and Cheddar, Chicken - Basted in Apple BBQ Sauce 

Potato Salad with Spring Onion, Fresh Dill, Pickles and Mayo 
Iceberg Salad with Dill, Radish, Cucumber & Lemon Dressing 
Tangy Coleslaw with Cabbage, Carrot & Onion 

Housemade Pecan and Cream Pie

There was a LOT of food and it came quickly. Comments around the different dishes:

• The Texas Caviar was served straight from the fridge and was too cold for my taste. I also felt it was bland and whilst not offensive, other things were tastier so there was a lot left over.
• The fried chicken was delicious. The meat was soft with a crispy coating and each piece was tasty. The white gravy was more like ranch dressing and there were better condiments. The chutneys and chilli sauce on the table was a better accompaniment.
• The chilli cheese fries were the best! And just as amazing as you'd think it would be by the description. The fries were not overladen with topping and retained a crispiness. Excellent job and  worth returning for this!
• The meat selection was good and had something for everyone. Personally I think the pulled pork was over pulled so excessively seasoned and texture wise on the too mushy side of things. The chicken I liked. The sausage was ok but not amazing. Brisket isn't really my thing but Steve and Kirsty both declared it good.
• Pecan pie was a good size - just a small square topped with a squirt of cream. Too sweet for me but Steve managed to eat more than his share!

We were rushed at the end as second sitting diners had arrived so our waitress lost her friendly, flexible attitude. But that's the way it is when there are two sittings.

Overall a place for good cheer and like they say, where good times roll. Probably better in a group although having said that, now that I've sampled some of the menu, if Steve and I came I'd pick wisely and I think it would still be good for a date.

An ex colleague from a long time ago was in town this week. Amazing how Facebook keeps people connected! And we made plans to catch up in the week. I wanted to take her somewhere reasonably priced but quite typically Melbourne and had a couple of options up my sleeve including Cellar Bar, Tipo 00 but she wanted Asian and "cheapish" so I decided on Rice Paper Scissors having seen the queues in previous weeks.

I liked that it was "down a laneway" so that was the Melbourne aspect sorted. We arrived just after 6pm and the place was already 75% full. We had two seats at one of the communal tables and drinks orders were taken quickly. 

I didn't get a chance to take a picture of the Vietnamese style espresso martini type cocktail but it was delicious and I would return to have it again!

A friendly waitress explained the menu - essentially 5 dishes for $55 and that should be enough for 2. Very well priced! Another tick!

We went with:

STEAMED PORK BUNS BANH BAO with pork belly, cucumber, shallots and hoisin sauce

SOM TAM  green papaya salad with peanuts, long beans and chilli

PLA NAM TOK waterfall crispy barramundi  salad with toasted ground rice, shallot, chilli, herbs and a spicy dressing

THAI CEVICHE KOI PLA lime cured kingfish salad with mint, chilli and shallots

BBQ LAMB RIBS SII KRONG NUEX Mekong whiskey marinated lamb ribs in a sticky special sauce

The only thing unpictured is the Papaya Salad which was refreshingly zesty and sharp. The papaya was in thin strands like vermicelli so completely unlike what I expected. In fact, many of the dishes were not quite what I thought.

The ceviche was cutely presented in a tin with a cover with a ringpull placed on top. It was the first dish to arrive and it was tasty. Chunky fish, fresh chilli and coriander and citrus tang, It was well balanced and the flavours vibrant and clear.

The pork bun was good enough but not too memorable.

I liked the lightness of the barramundi and again some good tang and spiky flavours. And the generous chunks of battered fish was better than what I imagined.

The whiskey ribs were sweet and sticky with a deep alcohol burn that was pleasant.

The food arrived quickly as did the crowds so it's not a place for a long meal. I could feel the pressure as neared the end of our food and felt obliged to drink the remaining wine in my glass quickly to release our seats. 

However given the price and the flavours, I don't mind that it's a short meal. It was a rainy, cold and grey evening and this meal really transported us to another place that was much more carefree and colourful. I wasn't over full but pleasantly satisfied so it's good for a light dinner or a decent lunch. I'd say it's defintely worth a try. 

My pre Christmas visit to Tipo 00 was overwhelmingly good so really it was time for another visit. Although since then I have had great pasta at Rosa's Kitchen so how would they compare?

This time instead of a pasta degustation dinner for 2 it was a lunch for 5. Both times I've found the service to be friendly and personal in spite of the place being busy and fairly cramped which I can imagine can be quite difficult to work in.

Drinks came quickly, repeat drinks came quickly throughout the meal. It took a while for our main courses to arrive but it didn't feel too dragged out. I guess being a group of 5 with much to talk about helps whittle away the time.

Four of us decided to try one of the special battered zucchini flowers stuffed with almond paste on a tomato sauce. I liked the sauce and the crunch of the batter. The almond paste had the texture of the more common cheesy filling but with a fragrance to it. I think I slightly prefer the whole goat's cheese and honey combination but this was a nice enough change.

One of the special dishes was a dramatic looking squid ink risotto topped with fried whitebait and salmon roe. The plate was finished and declared tasty although the whitebait resembled tendrils of batter and didn't really have a whitebait feel to them. Teeny tiny whitebait.

Steve and I split the casarecche bolognese and the gnocchi with braised duck, porcini and parmesan. Both were delicious in their own way. The pasta was al dente and had the right amount of meat sauce clinging to it. Meaty and flavoursome it was heartwarmingly good. The softness of the gnocchi was a lovely contrast to the almost springy pasta and the braised duck had a hint of herbiness to it and an almost delicate creaminess to the dish.

The plates look small but the flavours are rich and satisfying so the portion sizes are actually big enough. Big enough to mean that dessert is possible!

Torn between the attractive looking panna cotta and berries that I saw on a neighbouring table, I ended with the tipomisu. 

I'm not usually a chocolate dessert as it's usually too sweet, rich and sugary for me but I hoped with the combination of mascarpone and coffee it might cut through it. Artistically presented, it really did feel light and more about the bitterness of cocoa and coffee than the sugar high of milk chocolate. I didn't regret my choice. But I'll try the panna cotta next time.

I'm still a fan of Tipo 00 and whilst it's as good as Rosa's Kitchen it is different and there's definitely room for both in my life!

Stef and I have hit up this hidden sushi train several times for $3 sushi plates and udon noodles. The whole waiting with a number and being called up is a little like being at the deli counter of Coles but for a quick, value for money sushi fix I can cope with being treated like a robot. 

The sushi is generally pretty good, Not earth shatteringly good but definitely good enough. We have found that the plate of mixed sashimi is quite hard to manage though. The slices of fish are very thick and chunky and whilst that's usually a good thing, for some reason here it's all a bit too much and heavy on the stomach so I've learnt to avoid that.

We do like their udon in soup though and usually order the plain one. This time we ordered one with the fried chicken cutlet to share and the chicken was crispy and tasty and the noodles lovely and doughy. I like the broth because it's not too sweet unlike a lot of places. This is probably my preferred place for udon.

The beef tataki was tasty and I liked the sauce and the grated ginger but like the sashimi the slices were very thick and a little overwhelming with a lot of chewing required.

Other dishes I've tried include the fried chicken and the deep fried crab claw. Again good enough but not so good I see stars. The fried chicken is less crispy and more coated with a thin layer of flour that is a bit well floury or powdery in the mouth. Flavour wise though it's good and the meat is juicy. The crab claw had a better outside crispy layer but I found the texture inside a bit processed and mushy.

I'm pretty happy to visit for lunch though and spend $20 - $30 for a really full belly.

We've been to Belle's when she was a diner and a couple of times since her reincarnation as the chicken queen. There are definitely some things I love about it and that make my tastebuds zing and my heart sing. And then there are some aspects that just leave me less hot and more lukewarm.

So I like the chips, the pink dipping sauce that I forget what it's called. I like the green beans that are braised in a tasty stock. I like that I can choose wings, tenderloins and dark meat (as well as fish and mushrooms for anybody who doesn't want chicken) and I can choose different strengths of heat.

What I don't like is that when choosing different heat is not just heat but actual flavour. For example with the medium, I expected the non spicy version with a hint of heat but instead it's a lot darker in colour as per the picture above and not that appetising golden colour and it's covered with this spice mix that is clumpy and really not my flavour combo. Then the hot one strangely enough is back to the the non spicy version but super hot. Not unpleasant with a cold beer or cider but lacks a bit of saltiness to it. So I've learnt to stick with the regular southern fried which hits the note.

I also don't like the black eyed bean salad as it's too minty. If it wasn't for the mint it'd be a winner.

So whilst I clearly know what I like and what I don't like about Belle, the good thing is there's enough to like that I can stick with so she's worth keeping on the friends list!

A balmy Tuesday evening and my walk home took me down Smith Street at dinner time. Uncertain of what to have I ended up at Shop Ramen. I've passed by often; it's always busy so I hoped it was good.

I was seated at the bar which was comfortable enough for me and I went with a pork belly bun and the beef brisket ramen with the added melted cheese. I didn't have to wait long for my food which was great.

The pork belly bun was beautifully soft with a thick slice of juicy pork belly, some fragrant coriander and spring onion to add freshness and a piquant sauce they call "bulldog". This was pretty darn good and I could have had more. At $4 each I don't think it's bad value and next time maybe I'll try the beef brisket one.

The ramen looked appealing and during the short wait for the food I saw the wooden trays of fresh ramen which looked authentic and i was bouyed with confidence that this would be good.

The noodles were springy and dense enough to be satisfying. Unfortunately the broth just lacked depth and clarity of flavour. It was all a bit muddy and really needed some help. I'm not sure what help - salt, spice, sharpness; but it needed something to lift it flavour wise. The brisket was a little dry and steeping it in the soup wasn't enough to rehydrate it. The added melted cheese was sticky and quite cloying and the whole bowl wasn't satisfyingly hot temperature wise. So sadly this bowl did not cut the mustard with me. So many areas to work on to improve it - flavour, temperature, meat. The only redeeming quality was the springy noodles. Oh and the egg was alright too.

So if I were to return I would not order ramen but maybe have a few of the buns instead. Funnily enough, when I instagrammed the ramen my friend Stef commented and asked if it was too hipster and I think she has a point. All hipster and little substance.

I've been wanting to dine chez Rosa for a while and it seemed a great place for a girls catch up on a Friday night so at 8pm we gathered in the cosy dining room with a bottle of prosecco.

Admittedly service was a little slow and laboured initially but it was a full house and whilst we were hungry we also had a lot to catch up on so the stretched out timings weren't unbearable. As the night progressed though, that initial slow burn eased and we were treated with a warm and friendly charm and experienced some great hospitality.

We ordered our entrees first to get then on the way and out to us to stave off those Friday evening munchies. And I am pleased to say they arrived promptly and did such as satisfying job of whetting the appetite for more.

We decided to dig in family style and shared:

• Large antipasto platter which actually consisted of two plates - one plate of salami and mortadella and a second plate of cracked wheat salad, fried ricotta, pickled fennel, olives, some potato cake things, roasted peppers and a basket of bread
• Grilled king prawns with a herby salad and roasted tomatoes
• Stuffed peppers with caponata and topped with parmesan

Beautifully rustic with hearty wholesome flavours everything tasted good and out tummies responded with joy and glee! It felt like we were in an Italian trattoria in the heart of the Umbrian countryside as opposed to down a Melbourne alleyway!

For our main courses we decided to continue to embrace the family style eating and went with:

• Zucchini fries dusted with rosemary
• Spaghetti alla Norma - Michelle declared she thought it would be a creamy white wine sauce and it turned out to be tomato sauce, grilled eggplant and grated Parmesan so way off the mark!
• Casarecce with rabbit ragu
• Spatchcook with red onion, pancetta and green beans

The zucchini fries arrived first and disappeared in moments! The pastas were so tasty and that delicious al dente that I so enjoy. I think my favourite was the rabbit ragu. The spatchcock was all golden and crispy skinned.

There was so much that we couldn't finish the spatchcock and left a little leg but that was with great reluctance. Every dish was just so flavoursome and there was a lot of exclamations of "yum" going round the table.

Although we were so full, the mere mention of ricotta filled cannoli and lemon and mascarpone tart had us contemplating a sweet finish and we ended up with the tart and three spoons. Michelle said she only wanted one spoonful but I saw her go in for more! That's how good it was!

And the evening rounded out with Frangelicos all round; actually several rounds of Frangelico.

The beauty of Rosa's Kitchen was that it feels intimate and cosy and warm without being overcrowded and being seated elbow to elbow with the table next door. There's a buzzy busy atmosphere without it being over noisy so that you have to shout to chat to your dining companions. It's just a great comforting place that is like home. My kind of place and I can't wait to go back again for more of Rosa's soul restoring goodness.

One of the events we attended as part of Melbourne Food and Wine Festival was the Creators Dinner at Cutler & Co. A collaboration between Andrew McConnell and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) it was an evening to be remembered.

As we gathered in the bar area enjoying canapes we were delighted by some music and this theme of food and music continued through the evening.

Seated at a table of 6, with 4 others who were polite but distant we enjoyed having our glasses re filled and changing our focus depending on where the musicians played. They moved around the room which was good and the musical interludes consisted of different combinations of strings, flute and trumpet with the finale being everyone together with a specially written arrangement.

Needless to say the music was flawless and so beautiful - true professionals and it was obvious they thoroughly enjoyed the experience too.

Food wise we definitely felt it was creative and fitting. Whilst the canapes may have been old favourites and certainly we'd had the fromage blanc cigar before the other dishes seemed to be inspired.

The first course of the tomato salad, silken tofu, black garlic and salted caramel whilst pretty and striking to look at with fresh vibrant colours, wasn't an ideal dish for me. I like fresh tomato in small doses and this was too heavy on the tomato for me but Steve enjoyed it. It reminded me of a twisted caprese salad and I could understand that others would enjoy it as the flavours were there; they just weren't my kind of flavours.

I fared much better with the white cut chicken, corn custard, scallop and watercress. Reminiscent of my childhood favourite of chicken and sweetcorn soup, the chicken was soft and delicate, the corn sweet and that sweet note elongated and enhanced by the scallop and then saved by over sweetness with the bitter watercress.

And the next dish took up the enjoyment levels a further notch as we dined on Beef Rossini. Wickedly rich with the duck liver parfait on what tasted like a potato crisp this was very good.

I'm a cheese wuss so the strong flavour of the Delice de Cremiers was wasted on me and perhaps a bit too much following the Beef Rossini but as I looked around the room, no one else had that problem as empty plates overpowered the ones like mine! I guess over indulgence on a Monday night was the undetected theme of this event.

For dessert we had Mendl's Gateau inspired by Grand Hotel Budapest and we had matching musical accompaniment with the string quartet plucking their way through the whole piece of music. This was a welcome surprise that didn't match what was written on the musical program / menu but it was a welcome treat and I don't know whether it was more fun listening to the pizzicato music or watching the musicians enjoy the challenge of this arrangement.

The cake was encased in chocolate and crunchy mini malt balls and there was a layer of apricot jam all topped off with a quenelle of like an almost yoghurty sorbet. A bit too chocolatey for me; again it was well received by everyone else.

This truly was a decadent mid week treat and a memorable experience of a beautiful marriage between music and food.