61. Eat at 30 venues listed in The Age Cheap Eats Guide 2010
61. Eat at 30 venues listed in The Age Cheap Eats Guide 2010 – 6/30
North Island. I have walked past this place time and time again to line and up wait for a table at its popular neighbour Dench. Ms EPG and I decided to eat there not long ago and I was very impressed. I was ready for a break from an egg-centered breakfast menu and that’s what I found at North Island. For starters I had a bowl of Coco Pops, great value at $4. It was a generous serve of nostalgia. I followed this up with an ham, cheese and tomato pide which was absolutely delicious ($8.50). Ms EPG had the North Island Beans, ($9, pictured below).
The coffee was outstanding and the staff relaxed and attentive. I will definitely return for another bowel of coco pops and to sample something else from the menu.
The Age Cheap Eats Guide 2010 gave North Island 2 out of 3 stars.
111 Scotchmer Street
Fitzroy North VIC 3068
(03) 9486 8864
61. Eat at 30 venues listed in The Age Cheap Eats 2010
61. Eat at 30 venues listed in The Age Cheap Eats 2010 – 5/30
At the time of eating at Northern Soul I was well over the standard breakfast fare of eggs on toast with a side of mushrooms or bacon and that is what I ordered. I was disappointed in my breakfast but more disappointed with my choice of breakfast. My breakfast was bland and uninspired and I felt unwell after eating it. I had considered the Pancakes w/ banana, mascarpone, toffee honeycomb and maple syrup ($14) and noticed another customer eating that with a big smile on their face. The coffee was good and they were doing a great trade in take away coffees.
Below, my breakfast. Poached eggs on toast ($8) with a side of mushrooms ($3).
Below, EPG’s breakfast; poached eggs on toast ($8) with a side of roasted tomato ($3) and spinach ($3).
The Age Cheap Eats 2010 gave Northern Soul 2 out of 3 stars and a great review.
843 High Street, Thornbury
Phone: 03 9480 2333
61. Eat at 30 venues listed in the Cheap Eats 2010
61. Eat at 30 venues listed in the Cheap Eats 2010
61. Eat at 30 venues listed in the Cheap Eats 2010 – 3/30
Trippy Taco is close to where I work so I have eaten there a number of times. I always feel excited about eating there but have been disappointed on each occasion. The problem is that it should be so good (and it’s obviously doing something right considering the loyal patronage of hipsters lining up on the day I was last there) but it’s not. The problem is the sogginess of the food.
I have eaten the burrito several times , each time the burrito was so soggy that it has literally fallen apart before I could finish it. The last time I ate there I decided to try something different, hoping that it would be less soggy. I ordered the Original Trippy Taco, a fresh house made corn tortilla topped with cheese, black beans, salad, salsa, avocado and fresh lime. I opted for the meal size; two tacos for $9. It was OK, some bites were bland and others were tasty but again it was so soggy. I had to eat the second taco with a knife and fork because it was so soggy that I literally couldn’t pick it up to eat it. If they could fix the issue with the sogginess this place would be rockin!
The Original Trippy Taco – meal size = 2 tacos for $9.
The Cheap Eats 2010 give Trippy Taco one star.
48a Smith Street, Collingwood
Phone: 9415 7711
61. Eat at 30 venues listed in the Cheap Eats 2010
61. Eat at 30 venues listed in the Cheap Eats 2010 – 2/30
The Vegie Bar in Fitzroy is one of my favourite places to eat in Melbourne. The food is reasonably priced and consistently good and the service is efficient while relaxed. I usually can’t go past the Mostly Greens which is an meal action packed with nutrition for a reasonable $14. This time I chose the House Salad with Rice Balls which is also nutritious and tasty and exceptionally great value at $10.50. On this occasion I also had a Raspberry Lassi made with raspberries, yoghurt, fresh apple juice and honey which was a delicious finish to my meal for $5.90.
The Vegie Bar also do great burgers which come with a tasty side of salty and delicious chips, thin crust pizzas and roti wraps. They have a great selection of local and imported beers and wine and are BYO with corkage at $2.50 per head. I prefer to get there early for dinner to save the long wait for a table, but even with a wait, it’s always worth it.
The House Salad with Rice Balls, delicious and nutritious and only $10.50!
The Cheap Eats 2010 gives the Vegie Bar one star.
380 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Phone: 9417 6935
61. Eat at 30 venues listed in The Age Cheap Eats 2010
61. Eat at 30 venues listed in The Age Cheap Eats 2010 – 1/30
I recently updated my list, I wanted it to provide more opportunities to engage with, well, err, food. To engage with it on a broader level, with friends and alone, to eat out more and eat at places that I may not normally choose. So, I have changed No 61, Cook a 3 course dinner using recipes from Series One Master Chef (BORING!) to; Eat at 30 venues listed in The Age Cheap Eats Guide 2010 (GOLD!)
The first cafe that I visited was Red Door Corner Store in Northcote. I was drawn to it by it’s name and the abundance of the color red in the cafe. I was not disappointed. Sure the coffee was lukewarm but the food and service did not disappoint. I had two poached eggs with a side of bacon and mushrooms and my good friend Rob had the steak sandwich. When Rob was part way through his steak sandwich he was asked by the waiter how it was. Rob said it was great, delicious. The waiter turned out to be one of the owner’s of the cafe and told us that he bought the steak himself from a market, he had sampled it prior to purchasing it. He is passionate about food and seemed passionate about talking to us, the customers, about the food.
The Age Cheap Eats 2010 guide gave Red Door Cafe 3 stars and I would highly recommend it. It also has a great selection of treats to take home.
“Head up the road to the very cute red door corner store… delicious, almost chewy strawberry friands are worth the journey alone.”Matt Preston, The Age Epicure, October 2008
70 Mitchell Street, Northcote
Phone: 9489 8040
60. Eat at 20 restaurants listed in the Age Good Food Guide 2010
I need to state that the views expressed in this blog are my own and are a result of my experience eating at this restaurant.
The Age Good Food Guide 2010 gave MOO 14/20. They raved about the atmosphere, ‘follow your nose to the laneway entrance and take the bluestone stairs to a cavernous basement with a wrought-iron and old world fitout – chandeliers and candelight, deep chesterfield lounges and an ancient-looking wine cellar’. They stated that the food was ‘modern‘ and ‘very good’. That was not our experience of MOO. Sure the place has some atmoshere, but it’s let down by the food and service, and the cleanliness of the toilets.
MOO has a set menu, two courses or three. We chose the three course option for $79. I ate;
Seared Canadian scallops, apple black sausage & pedro ximenez dressing
Wild barramandi fillet, buttered leek, steamed mussels with saffron and tomato dressing
Twice cooked dutch potatos, oregano, parmesan & roast garlic
Classic cream caramel, poached pear, kataifi pastry with toffee sauce
Erin had few options to chose from being vegetarian. She had pasta for entree and risotto for main, she chose a side dish of steamed broccoli, roasted almonds & sea salt, which we shared.
The food we ate was bland, dated, uninspired and ridiculously expensive for what it was. Lots of the dishes seemed to consist of three elements placed separately on a plate. The scallops were tasteless. The fish was OK, but the steamed mussels with saffron sauce was inedible. To make matters worse the service was so bad. Our waiter was arrogant and did not make us feel at all welcome. The bread was delivered to us at the same time as our entree (other tables were given bread to eat when they arrived). Our wine and water glasses sat empty for long periods of time and at one stage the wait staff were cutting bread from the table in the middle of the restaurant and walking around eating it.
To top it all off the toilets were dirty and the hand wash was a pump pack of detol (from a supermarket) and it was empty! It does not fill you with warm fuzzies when there is no soap to wash your hands with in the toilets. By the end of the night the toilet floor was covered in toilet paper. Our bill totaled $220, we each had the three course option, a glass of beer each and shared a bottle of wine. We did not leave a tip.
We were really influenced in choosing to eat at MOO by the Age Good Food Guide 2010. I am going to write to the Good Food Guide to let them know about our experience. I certainly won’t eat there again.
Below is a photograph of Erin’s main meal. On the left is the risotto, which Erin couldn’t eat. On the far right is three mushrooms filled with something that is a strange, bright green color.
Photograph courtesy of Erin P. Greaves
Basement, 318 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne
Phone: 9639 3020
60. Eat at 20 restaurants listed in the 2010 Age Good Food Guide and blog about each
I had wanted to eat at Cumulus Inc for a long while. Andrew McConnell is a name that I have heard a lot of and for good reason. I had the good fortune to finally eat there with my work colleagues, whose company I really enjoy. What a great way to spend a Friday afternoon…
There were a few things that disappointed; the lack of vegetarian options and some of the side dishes came at strange intervals, which detracted from the overall enjoyment of the meal. But on the whole it was a fantastic dinning experience. The food was full of flavour and had my taste buds singing with joy. Some of the food we shared included;
Crispy school prawns sautéed with chilli and garlic $14
Spiced cauliflower with goats curd $15
New potatoes, savoury, confit garlic & lemon $9
Brussels sprouts roasted with garlic $16
Wild barramundi, surf clam choucroute & pancetta $36
Whole slow roast lamb shoulder to share $69
I look forward to returning to Cumulas Inc again, perhaps next time to sample the breakfast menu.
Cumulus Inc was awarded 15/20 & one hat in The Age Good Food Guide 2010
45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
(03) 9650 1445
60. Eat at 20 restaurants listed in the 2010 Age Good Food Guide and blog about each
Ladro has recently opened a sister restaurant in Greville Street Prahran, as a result the Ladro that we ate at is now known as ‘Ladro Gertrude’. We had a fun night, good food+good company=good times. However the night did turn a bit sour toward the end after we were asked to change tables for a second time.
We were booked in for the early sitting, 6pm to 7.30pm. When 7.30 arrived our waitress suggested that we move to the undercover area out the back of the restaurant near the toilets. We were happy to do this. We remained there for some time, continuing to spend money on alcohol. The restaurant wasn’t full and the back area where we were seated had a number of empty tables so we were surprised when we were asked to move tables a second time. The table that we were moved to was in a corner and wasn’t appropriate seating for three people. The waitress who asked us to move a second time was rude and I am still not sure why, homophobia? Despite this we had a great night, as usual the food was sensational and well matched with the wine and beer that accompanied it.
We shared the following:
Puttanesca Pizza – tomato, mozzarella, parmigiano, cherry tomatoes, anchovies, capers, fresh chilli, black olives and basil.
Potato Pizza – mozzarella, taleggio, potato, rosemary, truffle oil and basil.
Salad ‘With the Lot‘ – radicchio, rocket, chicory, fennel and witlof.
Ladro Gertrude scored 15/20 & one hat in The Age Good Food Guide 2010.
224 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy
(03) 9415 7575
Photo of Annette and Donna after we were moved a second time.
The reason we chose Ladro Gertrude was that the Gertrude Street Projection Festival kicked off that night. This was one of my favourite pieces of the Festival, it was titled ‘Get Knitted’.
60. Eat at 20 restaurants listed in the 2010 Age Good Food Guide and blog about each
A good friend of mine loves Longrain. Her ex girlfriend worked at the restaurant for years and she has eaten there many times. When we first discussed going to Longrain we had had a few drinks and decided, excitedly, to go to Longrain in Sydney. In the cold, sober light of day we decided to start with Longrain in Melbourne, before eating at it’s sister restaurant in Sydney.
When we arrived we had to wait for a table so we decided on some cocktails to get us started. We ordered the La Grande Ping Pong. It was a great introduction. Fortunately we didn’t have to wait too long for a table and were seated close to the window. My good friend Donna was happy to order for us and she ordered a feast. The food had layers of flavor and I enjoyed it. The only issue for me was that some of the dishes were far too spicy. I struggle with hot food, I feel that it masks the flavor and the delight of the taste sensation is outweighed by the intense burning in my mouth, (and don’t get me started on the runny nose business that happens when you eat hot food).
Overall I really enjoyed the experience at Longrain. There is something really satisfying about eating good food with good friends. It was also relaxing to eat at a restaurant with someone who was happy and confident to order for the table. It also seemed to be reasonable priced, five of us split the bill and paid $66 each including tips! I would like to eat at Longrain again and explore the menu more, although next time I will steer clear of the spicy food. The Age Good Food Guide 2010 rates Longrain 15/20 and it has one Hat.
Longrain
44 Little Bourke Street, City
Phone: 9671 3151
60. Eat at 20 restaurants listed in the 2010 Age Good Food Guide and blog about each
It was great, it was posh without being too pretentious. The wait staff were friendly and welcoming. I liked it.
Erin had the Ravioli del plin’ piave fondue, blueberry and porcini sauce ($31 for the main). I had the fish. While I enjoyed the fish, Erin’s pasta was sensational. For dessert we shared the Pistacchio panna cotta, caramel salted popcorn ($16).
Sarti is reported to have one of the best outdoor spaces in the city. Unfortunately when we ate there we were in hurry, we were on the way to see a show so we didn’t get to enjoy the full Sarti experience. I would like to go back and take my time to enjoy the food, atmosphere and perhaps sneak a peak at the outdoor area. And next time I will order the pasta…
Sarti has One Hat and scored 15.5/20 in the 2010 Age Good Food Guide.
Sarti
6 Russell Place, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9639 7822
60. Eat at 20 restaurants listed in the 2010 Age Good Food Guide and blog about each
Mario’s Cafe
Oh Mario’s. It’s like an old trusted coat, sometimes you take it for granted but other times it feels so so good. I had a few bland and boring meals there last year and decided to give it a miss for a while. Erin and I ate dinner there on Thursday night and I wasn’t disappointed. It was a cold Melbourne night and we wanted something comforting but tasty. We were seated and attended to by wait staff who were friendly and good humored. I saw another couple drinking a glass of red wine and it looked so good I wanted to dive in!
We ordered a bottle of red that was recommended to us by the staff and it was great, it was a delicious peppery shiraz. We started with an antipasto which was divine, the olive oil was fruity and fresh. After happily munching on this for sometime we ordered mains. Erin had gnocchi and I had the salmon with parsnip puree and oven roasted potatoes, (from the special board). It was tasty and comforting, just want I wanted. We finished the meal off with an affogato, creamy and alcoholic. DELICIOUS!
We spent $117 on our meal (excluding tip) but it was worth it. We had shared a great meal, lovely bottle of wine and each others company in a relaxed, informal space. I am looking forward to going back again soon. Marios and a cold, wintery Melbourne night seem to fit together so well.
Marios Cafe
303 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
03 9417 3343
60. Eat at 20 restaurants listed in the 2010 Age Good Food Guide and blog about each
I have driven past the Tea Rooms of Yark many times on my way to Mansfield. I always marvel at the number of cars parked outside the restaurant in this tiny town, miles from anywhere. Erin and I took a late trip to Mansfield and decided (unexpectedly) to call in for dinner.
We were welcomed at the door by the wait staff enquiring if we had a booking. We did not. We were seated in the front part of the building, which was divided from the main restaurant by a wall which had an open fire on the other side. I went to the toilet and noted lots of empty seats in the cosy restaurant. We happily sat in the front part of the building, happy just to be there. After we were seated, we explained to the wait staff that we wanted to share a pizza as we had eaten a late lunch. I felt the wait staff were rude. This feeling was justified when a mother and daughter entered the restaurant and requested a table. I clearly heard the wait staff enquire if they had a booking and they did not. I was surprised when they were taken into the restaurant to sit by the fire. I am not sure why we were seated outside the restaurant. I think they may be homophobic but am not sure. This experience really dampened our enjoyment of eating at the Tea Rooms of Yark. The 2010 Age Good Food Guide have rated this restaurant 15.5/20 and it has one hat. Part of me would like to return to enjoy the ‘full experience’ (i.e. being seated inside the restaurant), the other part of me says never again. Given it’s location I doubt that I will return (regardless of the fact that I drive past it every few weeks).
6585 Maroondah Highway, Yark
03 5773 4233
60. Eat at 20 restaurants listed in the 2010 Age Good Food Guide and blog about each
I like Fifteen. I have eaten there three times and have enjoyed it on each occasion. I like the Italian inspired menu, the open kitchen and the modern restaurant. The wait staff are friendly and attentive and make you feel welcome. I also like the toilets (I love checking out the toilets at fancy restaurants). The best thing about the toilets is that they use Aesop products, (Ladro is the only other restaurant in Melbourne that I know of, that uses Aesop products).
Fifteen is pricey, most mains cost around $38. The a la Carte lunch menu is good value at $35 for two courses and a glass of wine. Dinner for two with wine cost me $150 but I have also called in for pasta and a beer which seemed good value at $28.
I have also had a professional relationship with Fifteen Melbourne. I have worked with several of the young people who have undertaken a Traineeship at Fifteen and have attended the restaurant for ‘business meetings’ (which were catered for and were thus great). Some of the young people I worked with enjoyed completing their traineeship at Fifteen and others found the association with Jamie Oliver and the media commitments that were associated with this, difficult to manage.
Although I enjoyed the TV show when it screened I have since realized that it was not in the best interest of the young people involved. I know that some of the young people who appeared on the TV show disclosed personal information that should have been edited out. Their involvement in the TV show caused them difficulty and ultimately had a negative impact on their lives. Fifteen Melbourne has since started working with young people who are more work ready and don’t have such complex needs. Next time I go to Fifteen Melbourne I want to try the vegetarian tasting menu with wines to match. It sounds delicious!!
Fifteen Melbourne
115-117 Collins Street, Melbourne
1300 799 415
60. Eat at 20 restaurants listed in the 2010 Age Good Food Guide and blog about each
I LOVE Bistro Flor. I have eaten there twice this year and have really enjoyed it each time. It’s local and the food is delicious. The first time I ate there I had steak with chips. When I ordered I imagined chips piled on the side of the plate, like traditional pub fare. Eight chips arrived stacked like lego, on top of each other. These chips were a taste sensation, unlike anything I had eaten before. The prices are reasonable ($28 for mains). The only drawback is the lack of vegetarian options. Even as a meat eater I like to have meat free options. The wait staff are friendly and are happy to suggest wines to accompany the meal. The Age Good Food Guide 2010 has rated Bistro Flor 13/20. It’s worth that score and more. I look forward to eating there again soon.
Bistro Flor
555 Nicholson Street, Carlton North
9381 4443
The list – 101 things in 1001 days
here it is. my list.
it has taken me a few months to write this list. there are some things on it that i am still not sure about, scuba diving (n0 31) stands out. i want to scuba dive but am scared that i will die while doing it. there are others that i am excited about. (no 60) eating at 20 places out of the age good food guide, 2010. i cant wait. some on the list are long standing goals, (n0 35) climb a hill near mansfield. this is a hill that i have wanted to climb for years. it is a HUGE hill. to get to the hill i will have to walk through a big paddock with long grass. the hill is also privately owned. i am thinking winter might be a good time to undertake this challenge. i am scared of snakes.
Goals completed 4/101
Goals in progress 9/101
Learn/Read
1. Read 1o books from BBC’s The Big Read.
2. Commence studying a graduate diploma
3. Write five letters and send them into media outlets for publication
4. Do a public speaking course
Travel
5. Go on an overseas trip [Here]
6. Go to the hot springs at Mornington Peninsula
7. Go on a road trip with an unplanned destination
8. Book a trip to Europe
9. Go to Europe
10. Stay at 20 places (B&B’s, motels, hotels) etc and post a blog on each
11. Swim at 5 country pools
Create
12. Keep an active blog for the duration of this project
13. Make a documentary film on a family member
14. Make a short animation film
15. Make a film clip with friends and post it on YouTube
16. Write a book about my beautiful grandparents
17. Film and edit my sister Paula’s wedding
18. Design and print a t-shirt to wear
19. Make a present for each of my three sisters
20. Write a blurb book on myself
21. Make a poster of my day
22. Knit 5 things
23. Buy a DSLR
24. Record a song using Garage Band
25. Take a photo a day for a month and post it on my blog
26. Photographs 26 photos, each one beginning with each letter of the alphabet
Adventure/Active
27. Complete the C25K app (from iPhone)
28. Complete a 5 km fun run
29. Complete a 10 km fun run
30. Do a six-week self-defense course
31. Go scuba diving
32. Go on a hot air balloon ride
33. Go canoeing in SA
34. Go up the Eureka Tower
35. Climb a designated hill outside of Mansfield (it’s a bloody big hill)
36. Go to a session at Curves
37. Completer a boot camp program
38. Go rock climbing
39. Learn to swim
40. Swim 50 meters in a pool
41. Swim 500 meters in a pool
42. Buy a boogie board
43. Go on a boogie-boarding holiday
44. Get my biked serviced and ride it!
45. Do a full day bike ride on a bike path, at least 20km in length
46. Do five things that scare me
47. Go camping
48. Climb the 1000 steps in Dandenong
Health/Wellbeing/Relaxation
49. Complete a yoga course (I hate yoga but everyone tells me its great so will give it a go)
50. Go vegetarian for six weeks
51. Stop drinking alcohol for 3 months (this might be something that I regret putting on my list)
52. Have iridology done
53. Have cupping done
54. Attend at least six counseling sessions
55. Go one month without watching any TV (can watch DVDS and movies in this time)
56. Go on a silent retreat
57. Walk from one end of Gaskin Street, (in Benalla) to the other
58. Get Private Health Insurance
59. Go to the dentist until dentist says ‘all fixed now’.
Foodie Stuff
60. Eat at 20 restaurants listed in the 2010 Age Good Food Guide and blog about each
61. Cook a 3 course dinner party using recipes from series one Master Chef Cookbook
62. Make home make pasta on the pasta maker that Annette gave me
63. Cook dinner for friends with the home made pasta made on the pasta machine
64. Make ice cream using one native ingredient
65. Co-host a dinner party with Annette
66. Marinade or pickle or preserve 5 different items
67. Host a Tapes night
68. Do a cooking course
Friendships/Relationships
69. Stay a night at the Park Hyatt
70. Host a fancy dress party (this one is for you Megan)
71. DJ a friend’s party
72. Take my elderly neighbor Ruby out for dinner or lunch. If she refuses cook her dinner and home deliver it meals on wheels style
73. Help my beautiful grandmother clean her wardrobe out (something she is always asking me to do)
74. Foster a rabbit with Erin
75. Bake something and take to work for morning tea
76. Go see the Mighty Pies play
77. Take my girlfriend on 10 surprise dates
78. Do 10 acts of anonymous kindness
Arts & Culture
79. Attend 20 live music gigs and blog about them
80. Attend four plays and blog about them
81. Watch and review 10 Cult films
82. Go to the taping of a live TV show
83. Go on the nightly quiz with Tony Delroy – 774 on the AM dial
84. Go to the opera
85. See three (3) movies at the cinema in the same day/night
86. Watch the full series of True Blood on DVD
Miscellaneous
87. Join the union (I know, I know)
88. Initiate 5 new (measurable) initiatives at work
89. Join YACVic
90. Nominate for the Policy Advisory Group with YACVic
91. Make a will
92. Choose songs for my funeral
93. Sort out superannuation (super boring)
94. Raise $500 to donate to charity
95. Plant bulbs at Georgettes grave (my beloved Angel fish). Photograph and put on blog if they grow
96. Pay off my credit cards
97. Secret task
98. Secret task
99. Secret task
100. Do tax each year
101. Complete this list
Completed = Red
In Progress = Green
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