Lune Lab experience

If you live in Melbourne and you haven't heard of Lune... then you must be living under a rock. Being crowned the best croissants in Melbourne (or dare I say Australia ... or potentially even the world), it is place that foodies from all across the world go running to when in Melbourne.

For some die hard fans (such as myself) to be able to get my hands on Lune Lab tickets was a very sacred achievement.

With Lune Lab, it is a 3 course degustation. The first course is always the same, it is a classic croissant fresh out of the oven but the second and third course vary by the season.

The ticket price are steep and I wont deny it is a lot to pay for 3 croissants. However if you love (eating) croissants as much as I do, then you might want to hang in there and keep reading.

The first course 

First croissant is one that is 10 minutes out of the oven. Your host will give you a choice from a huge tray, if you like your croissants softer then you go for something in the middle of the tray or if you prefer it more crispy then the edge of the tray. I went with my trusty food buddy (my lifelong eating partner) and tried one of each. When you taste one after another then the differentiation is  there, however if you just taste one, then it is much harder to call out that difference. Either way you pick, you will still taste fresh out of the oven croissant is still warm and the layers of the pastry is defined and fluffy. This is what I would term buttery goodness.

The second course
Second course is the savory croissant. Fortunately for me, I visited during truffle season and had a lovely surprise awaiting me. The dish was Beef Bourguignon. This was a classic croissant served as a classic French dish. It came with a red wine jus, mash potato and generous shavings of truffle shaved in front of you. The croissant was baked perfectly and you cut through layers of pastry and paired with a perfectly cooked beef. The kale crisp adds that extra texture to balance off the dish. I am a tad sad that this was seasonal. As I finished my dish I was thinking to myself that I  am not sure when I will get another chance to taste this again (if only they offered seconds).

The final course
Final course was a Yuzu tart. This is the Lune version of a tart that is made from croissant pastry.

During the whole experience you will have bottomless coffees and hot chocolate. You can drink yourself silly, like my partner did and be very energetic for the rest of the day. The staff won't judge you and be very attentive to ensure all your coffees/hot chocolates arrive promptly.

Final words
I would highly recommend this experience and would go again. If you are questioning why would you pay $60+ for 3 croissants... well this is why

• creativity and thought that has gone behind the process to deliver something exceptional on the plate
• dedication and art of finessing the details of a perfectly crafted croissant
• taste of something that you cannot easily get anywhere else
• being able to taste croissants done in a very different way
• being able to buy as many of the croissants as you like without having to line up
• truely experience and taste the dedication that Kate Reid and her team has gone to, in order to perfect and elevate the humble croissant.

Oh also, I would recommend the first session over the second session. By the end of our session, some of the croissant varieties have sold out. If you don't want to miss out, best to wake up a bit earlier.

Lune Lab tickets need to be bought in advance and sell out very fast. So if you want to go, head to the Lune website and find the next lot of ticket release, set a reminder on your phone and just have super fast internet when the ticket release day comes. Good Luck!!

Additional rambling notes: I have been a loyal Lune fan (since the Elwood days). I honestly think it is the best croissant I have ever tasted in my travels. I set out on a food adventure on most my holidays and yet to find something that comes close to Lune. Would love to hear other people's Lune or general croissant experiences. 

Fitzroy Town Hall Hotel

A lot of my friends are getting married lately which means A LOT of hens and bucks night. For some strange reason bucks tend to go all weekend and hens just for a single day. This meant that D was ditching me for a lot of my Fridays or Saturdays.

Vet is my recent food buddy since Miss P has moved to Sydney. She suggested Fitzroy Town Hall Hotel for a parma and I wasn't one to turn down a good parma.

I got there around 6.30pm and the place was already buzzing. Vet was running a little late, so I grabbed a schooner of cider and starting looking through the menu. Vet got there around 6.45pm and the pub was packed at that point.

Vet went with her gut and ordered the Parma. This was a very generous serving of crumbed chicken with ham, napoli and a cheesy finish. Paired with chips and salad, it was a massive meal. The chicken texture was soft and succulent, there was just the right amount of cheese before it got too oily.

Before I ordered I saw a Parma walk pass me. The size made me chicken out, I opted for the Steak. I ordered it medium rare, it came more medium but it wasn't to a the point I would complain. I got red wine jus for the sauce. A side of greens and chips. It wasn't anything spectacular but it also wasn't too bad. I found it to be a bit expensive for bar food but the serving portions made up for it.

Overall  staff was friendly and the food hits the spot if you are after simple pub feed.

 

Belle's Hot Chicken

Ok I will be the first to admit that I am horrible at dieting because I just love to eat things like fried chicken. So when a friend asked me where I wanted to go on Sat (cheat day of the week) I suggested Belle's without hesitation!

V and I go way back, been friends since I was 14, I don't see her much but when I do, I always have stuff to talk about. Then when you add D and F with their gaming talk, recipe for a perfect night out.

We visited the Belle's in Fitzroy (coz I'm like totes hipster =P) and was quite lucky in that we got a table within 10 minutes at 7.30pm on a Saturday.

Armed with a menu and decision making power, there was no way I could turn down the option of the Baller Bucket. So I picked the Bucket and a few more things to share.

To start we got the fried oysters with ranch and fennel. This was interesting, as you don't get too many fried oyster dishes out there, most places like to serve it raw. The fried coating with the creaminess of the oyster worked quite well, then it was cut through with the fennel. The ranch sauce was like an extra, you didn't really need it but it was nice to have.

In the bucket you get 16 wings, 4 sides, lot of pickles and sauce. We picked the Southern and the Hot for the wings; ranch and blue cheese for the sauce; and I will talk about the sides later. The chicken was very well marinated before they were fried. The hot chicken, is not for the faint hearted. Normally I can handle my heat reasonably well but I found myself to be progressively struggling with each wing. I started to rely on the ranch sauce to take away from some of the heat. It was very saucey, I found D and F to start having sauce drip down their hands and chin.

 The Southern was crisp and well seasoned. If you like your chicken no frills, this is the one for you.

We got all the sides to try. The coleslaw was a very homestyle and chopped up type of salad. Good flavor to it and it help balance out the hotness in the chicken. The mac and cheese broccoli and almond salad was my favourite. The freshness was welcomed sensation, after all the chicken. Chips were seasoned so I guess if you are after a beer/chip/chicken combo, this would be the way to go.

Mac and cheese was V's favorite, the cheesiness of the pasta was very guilty but satisfying.

Beans and bacon was our final side. The beans were a bit overcooked and more on the oily side, this was our least favourite side out of the lot.

We were too full and decided to skip dessert.

Overall 15/20 If you are after South American food, this is the place to go. Or if you just love fried chicken, you need to try this place out. It is also a good cheat day meal!

 

Panama Dining Room

Dad had Saturday night off which was quite rare so I took up the opportunity to take mum and dad out. Normally when dad is off we eat at home because my mum is a fabulous cook but it means it's always Asian food. So to be different, I took mum and dad to Panama Dining room and followed up with a trip to Messina (dad loves ice cream.... think that's where I inherited that passion).

Located in Brunswick, it's not area that mum and dad venture to much. So it was an eye opener for them to see people know about restaurants not located with a street front. After climbing 3 flights of stairs, we were greeted with the lovely staff of Panama Dining Room who showed us to our table. We had 2 minutes before the oyster happy hour (6pm-7pm) finished so we got 12 as soon as the waiter got here. Dad and I both love oysters so there was no way we would say no to $1 oysters.

The oysters were the first to come out. Fresh shacked oysters served natural with wedges of lemon. These were not as creamy as your your Coffin Bay oysters but for $1 each, we were very happy.

On to the starters, since mum and dad wasn't very hungry we opted for 3 light starters to share. First one was the marinated prawns with roe and potato crisp. Mum really liked this one, the prawns were fresh and light and the crisp gave it that nice crunch.

Next was the Cured Ocean Trout with cucumber sorbet. Another light and tangy flavored starter. The cucumber added a light crisp bite.

Dad and I love parfait, so we got chicken liver parfait on toast to share. This was paired with truffle and marmalade . I love the taste in texture but didn't like how it was served in a box with a napkin underneath. It was hard to share and all the filling from the brioche bun toast, stuck to the napkin. There was a lot wasted by being stuck on the napkin in the end.

For mains we shared the John Dory with risotto with lobster sauce. The fish itself was a bit bland so it heavily relied on the lobster sauce and the dash of mustard. There was also slices of cucumber on the plate to add that fresh element.

Our other main was the roast chicken. The chicken was roasted with rosemary scent and lied on a bed of mash. The meat was tender and succulent however it lack a punch, it felt like it needed something else on the plate to complete it. This was a substantial size and we struggled to finish it between the three of us

For the sides we got the ricotta, mint pea salad. Loved the creamy, fresh combination of flavours.

The chips were thick cut. Fluffy, starchy goodness.

We decided to skip dessert, since Messina was downstairs.

Overall 15/20 I enjoyed most parts of the meal. Mains were a tad disappointing but the starters made up for it. This is a place that I won't mind trying again with D. Especially if there is $1 oysters. I know their menu changes quite regularly, so they do keep regulars entertained.

Builder's Arm Hotel

Located on Gertrude St in Fitzroy, it is another venture of Andrew O'Connell. Pitched at as sophisticated pub style dining where it is split into a dining room by the name of Moon Under Water and the Bistro. As we were only here for a casual affair we decided on the bistro. This is not the first time D and I have dined here. Last time we were here, it was for a surprise birthday dinner for D. So it bought back good memories.

To start we got the pot of curried mussels to share. The last time I had a pot of mussels was in Paris so a small part of me was hoping for something similar. When it arrived it was nothing like I expected. The serving I found a bit on the small side as we were advise it's something that's to be share and quite big. However that was compensated with the creamy curry flavours.

The frito mistro was done better compared to what I have eaten in the past. I liked the variety of seafood and the garlic mayo was just right.

As a main I had to try the fish pie. Baked in the dish with a fluffy pastry it did not disappoint. The filling was a combination of trout, prawns, rockling and sorrel. I was very pleased that the fish wasn't overcooked and there was just the right amount of sauce. The sauce was delicate and allow the true flavours of the fish to come through.

D got the sausage special which was made up of 5 different sausages; pickled, smoked and cured pork, mustard and sauerkraut. This was a once off special they had. it wasn't anything exciting. I found it to be too much meat on one plate for me. Though I did enjoy the pork belly on top.

  


To keep things slightly more balanced chopped broccoli, freekah salad on the side. This had a good fresh flavour, to help with the heaviness of the 2 mains.

By the end of mains, we were too full so we decided to go for a drive and ended up getting N2 afterwards which suited me just fine.

Overall 15/20 It's better than your average pub food and I really like the play on pub ideas like fish and chips, pie etc.  into a more refined dish.

Jimmy Grants

On a lazy Sunday afternoon with a hungry tummy, I found myself in front of Jimmy Grants. This is a place that has been on my "must visit" list for a long time. Jimmy Grants is similar to Gazi but much more informal, with a less spacious venue (think side lane, funky music and pumping out lots of soulvas) and a smaller menu offering.


To start we got the famous Jimmy's Dimmy. I was quite interested to see George's version of dim sims. I'm normally not a very big dim sim fan. My parents operated a catering/take away store for most of my childhood. Hence in my eyes, my dad's dim sims were always the best. A lot of people claim that South Melbourne dim sims are delicious but I still find them too heavy handed in MSG and pepper. I was expecting to be disappointed but surprisingly I found myself reaching for a second dim sim. The skin was thin and the filling was juicy with good cabbage/meat ratio.


D and I each got a souvla each. D went with the patris soulva which has a filling of prawns, honey, mayo, cucumber, mint and coriander. The mayo was smooth and sweet once combined with the honey. Together with the cucumber and mint, this made the deep fried prawn soulva have a lighter feeling. I loved the crisp and fresh feeling from the cucumber and mint.


I was slightly greedy and couldn't decide on the lamb or the chicken so I went with the bonegilla which had both! (Win!!) However I was a tad disappointed, the pita bread was not as fluffy as I had hoped. The lamb was very succulent but the chicken was not as juicy as I would have liked it to be. However the mustard aioli and that onion.... Sweet and juicy onion, oh it's so good!


The chips, were definitely the highlight of the meal. I love the fetta, garlic oil and oregano combo! I couldn't stop reaching for more, think if it were twice cooked chips, it would have been even better!


Overall 16.5/20. I am a big fan of Gazi, (as many of you will know) and during the whole meal, I couldn't help but compare Jimmy Grants to Gazi. I know they are both George Calombaris so I think that's why I keep thinking they were be the same. Jimmy Grants has a great offering and a soulvaki that makes you want seconds, but the pita bread was a bit of a let down. However everything else such as the chips and dim sims made up for it. Also, with Messina only a few steps away, I will definitely be back!

Date Night Resturants

So you have a date night coming up but no clue on where to go? Maybe this can help!

If you are after a fun, casual night:

• Gami is great for a first date. It’s casual and if your date hasn’t tried Korean fried chicken before you'll introduce them to something deliciously new. If they already know about it, then even better! Who doesn't like fried chicken (if your date really doesn't like fried chicken.... what are you doing with him/her?? jk)
•   Sushi Hotaru is a small and cozy kinda place. The big plus here, is you get to sit pretty close to your date and have a  train of food go right past before your very eyes! No need to fuss over a menu or wait for your food because it's all before your eyes. With the price set for most plates, you won't have to worry about a nasty shock when the bill comes either!
•   Hutong is the place to go if you want to impress your date with good dumplings. Their Xiao Long Bao are famous and for a good reason too. It's a fast paced restaurant so you can get a good feed before you move onto the next part of your date
•  N2 is not exactly a restaurant, but it's a pretty easy way to kill an hour or so for $6 a pop or as a post dinner date. Your date will be amused by the way the gelato is made, while you get to enjoy the smooth yummy texture in a whole array of different flavours! The best part about N2 is that their menu changes every week – always different, always interesting and may even quickly become your favourite date spot.
• Gypsy and the Pig specialize in Japanese pork dishes. It’s a small cozy place and you will spot a pig whichever way you turn your head. The offer pork belly dishes done in a variety manner from crispy to stone pot or in a sushi.
• Mrs Parma is as the name suggest, all about the Parma. Your date will get a wide selection of different types of parma and sauces. It’s very casual and heaps of cider and beers to choose from.

If you are after a semi romantic night

-       Meat Wine & Co is situated by the Yarra River, so you can enjoy a good steak with a lovely view. After your meal, you and your date can go on a post-dinner stroll and watch the fire display outside Crown.

-       Koko really hits the spot for some great Japanese, but my tip when venturing here is to ask for the window seat. You will get an amazing view of Melbourne and maybe have to jump a stone or two to cross the water feature in the middle of the restaurant.

-       Cumulus Inc is the perfect place to get to know your date with great food and romantic mood lighting. Conversations will flow over their tuna tartare with green pea salad. Being on the quiet end of the CBD, it gives you and your date the perfect opportunity for a nice walk back into the city (for that cheeky post-dinner drink) if you plan to hit a bar or two after.

-       The Point at Albert Park is another favourite for steak where you get a beautiful view of Albert Park Lake and then follow it up with a nice drive. The venue is beautifully lit at night and the food won't disappoint either. I suggest the carved on the table option, just for the beautiful meat and it’s extra topic to talk about during dinner.

-       Takumi is a small Japanese BBQ restaurant with great mood lighting. You can opt to pick from the BBQ options (I would recommend the Waygu and Ox Tongue) or their yakitori. Just make sure your date knows in advance that it’s a BBQ date and not to wear their tux or silk dress. Their cuts are generally higher quality than your average BBQ restaurant so if your date likes their meat, they should walk out happy.

If you are out to impress

•  Rockpool is well.... Rockpool, it would be rare to find someone who is not impressed with what Neil Perry has to offer. Highly regarded in Melbourne for its quality menu, the steaks are their specialty and I wouldn’t leave without having their amazing passionfruit pavlova. Their tables are spaced out enough to give you privacy and no one can eavesdrop on your conversation. I am happy to third wheel on your date!
• Cutler & Co in Fitzroy is a place most foodies would have heard before. Impress your non-foodie date with Cutler & Co’s innovative menu (like their grilled beef rib with sesame) and lush decor. Or if you prefer something traditional, let them wow you with how good roast chicken can taste.
•  The Press Club is still around, it has just gotten smaller and moved next door to make room for its sister store Gazi. This is where George does his best work and innovation comes out and the layout is very modern and chic to match the food style. It's a mix of contemporary and Greek.
• Attica is a world ranked restaurant (21st in the world to be exact) and winner of the coveted three chef hats. Menu is definitely on the innovative side (think fish cooked in paper bark). Ben Shewry loves to experiment with flavours, delighting and exciting your senses (some of the produce he uses comes out of his own garden). But make sure your date appreciates good (and adventurous) food, otherwise you might get a WTF reaction for some of their offering. Oh and book ahead.... not weeks more like months!
•  Grossi Florentino is not just fine dining but it’s also an experience. Impeccable service from taking your coat to giving you a goodies bag to take home to continue the food journey at home. Creative pieces between meals as compliments from the chef (yes that’s sometimes Guy Grossi himself) and mains that you will have difficulty faulting.

If you are just after something fast and easy (cheap)

•   Laksa King is by far the best laksa I've had in Melbourne Australia. What they have to offer speaks for itself and it's cheap too. Even if you don't like laksa, their other Malaysian dishes won't leave you with food envy either (mmm that satay chicken roti wrap yummmmm).
• Snag Stand is great if you want a pre-movie bite that's fast and leaves room for dessert. With plenty of different hot dog combinations and tasty chips too, it beats other fast and easy options  like Maccas.
•  Shanghai Street is where you can great dumplings without the hefty price tag. There is a massive queue out the door for a reason! You need to eat fast here and this place is definitely not one to take your date to if you plan on having a serious long conversation. Their chili oil, peanut wonton is delish, if you can handle spicy.
• Mamak is good for fluffy roti and satay sticks. No frills and can get you full for under $20.
• Don Too is small place that specializes in Ramen at night. They do a thick broth the option to upsize and add more char siu and runny egg.

Cutler & Co

This place has been on my "To Try" list for a long time now. I have visited Builder's Arm Hotel and also Cumulus Inc on more than one occasion and always left feeling very giddy and full. For those of you who are as much as a foodie as me, will know the common theme here is Andrew O'Connell.

When we sat down the first thing I could smell was this strong garlic butter, I didn't even know what it was at that point and my mouth was watering. Later on we found out that it was one of their sides, garlic potatoes.

Looking at the menu, I had a hard decision of deciding on what to get so we went with the degustation. To start our meal off we were given a homemade cracker with eggplant and black sesame sauce. This was quite interesting, I've never really had anything like this before, I really liked the flavour of the cracker but it was a bit too much black sesame for me.

We order a couple of extras on top of the degustation menu. We got the Devilled crab with cos lettuce and waterfall oysters. As compliments from the chef we also got to try the smoked trout on rye toast. The Devilled crab had a creamy texture then broken up with the crisp and freshness of the lettuce, it was a dish nicely executed. The Waterfall oysters.... were just oysters... nothing extraordinary about it. If anything, I think I would prefer a creamy texture oyster like Coffin Bay. The Smoke Trout was an unexpected surprise, with paper thin rye toast and horse radish, it was a surprisingly good appetizer.

Another I like to mention is the bread, I know bread is nothing special and most places offer bread but that sourdough..... The saltiness in it made it that extra bit special.

Now for the real degustation course.... first course was Kingfish Sashimi with green strawberries and apple with sorrel (it's a green herb). Very light flavours and good fresh kingfish. I didn't really like the sound of green strawberries on the menu but together, that sourness worked nicely. Overall light fresh flavours. If you like things with more of a robust burst of flavours, this may disappoint you. Next up was the ebi prawns served with pea soup and zucchini flower. This felt like a deconstructed cocktail prawn dish. The prawns had a fresh sweet tasting texture. The pea soup was a very mild taste. The zucchini flower didn't really do anything for me at all. Then the final cold starters was the Hay baked carrots with goat curd, puff rice and walnut. Out of all the starters that formed part of the degustation this was my favourite. I loved how the earthy sweetness of the carrot was portrayed and the puff rice and walnut meal was like a soft fluffy bread crumbs with crisp bits laced throughout. It's quite a difficult texture and taste to describe, but it was broken up with the creamy bursts from the goat curd.

The first warm course was the roast chicken, but we had a different variation for one of ours that was replaced by the pan fried flathead. The fish maintained it's natural juices from the pan and was teamed up with carrot puree and potato mash. The roast chicken with soft polenta, bab corn and miso was one of the highlights of my evening. The chicken was very very succulent and the flavour on that chicken skin was like a mini explosion of roast chicken flavours in your mouth. Then the polenta had a beautiful soft texture and nicely matched with the miso jus. The baby corn was good for that balance in texture.

Last main course was the wood grilled beef rib with kohlrabi (German turnip) and sesame. The beef was extremely tender with a generous amount of sauce to go with it - beautifully cooked. The turnip to go with it was soft (but not soggy) was a nice side to the dish. We ordered a side of the garlic potatoes and that was a perfect side for the beef. The roast potatoes are a must have with any of the mains. Before you even see the sight of the potatoes the  smell of the garlic is so strong that you will start to salivate.

Before the desserts came we were given a pallet cleaners of granita with candied watermelon and lychee and cream. Catering also for the lactose sensitive we were also given one that didn't have any cream in it. I tried both and had to say I prefer it without the cream as the lightness really helps with breaking up the heaviniess from the previous parts of the meal. I found the lychee to be a tad too sweet, I would've preferred fresh lychee over candied lychee.

We were served with both cherry sorbet for me and my partner got earl grey ice cream. The cherry sorbet was a good use of produce in season. Good combination of sourness and lightness but nothing amazing in terms of ice cream/sorbet. The earl grey ice cream was beautiful and smooth, the brandy jelly gave that nice kick.

Overall I give it a 18.5/20 I really enjoyed the food and found it to be a wonderful experience. However I think it lacks in the department of creativity. Everything they did they executed wonderfully and with some dishes you can also say it was a perfect dish. I can see where the 2 chef hat comes from and I can also see why they don't have that final chef hat. If they could have more experimental dishes that was executed the way I saw, this would be a good contender for restaurant of the year.