Brisbane - Samson Seafood; Bayside Seafood; Tanja's Cafe

Every year or so, we fly up to Brisbane to visit my oldest brother and his family. They live in a lovely bayside area, where the air is incredibly clean and refreshing. The locals are friendly and laid back, and the houses all so groomed and well-maintained - I find it fascinating that there is hardly a footpath in sight with the lush green lawns of front gardens growing straight down to meet the road.

Here are a few of my favourite local haunts:

Samson Seafood
Shop 25/152 Shore Street,
Raby Bay Harbour,
Cleveland, QLD 4163
(07) 3488 2088
Food: Seafood Cafe, Takeway, Hamburgers, Fish and Chips

It has become a tradition that during every stay, we indulge in a feastly dinner of fresh seafood, chips  and salad from the local Fish and Chippery, Samson Seafood. It sits right by the water in the Raby Bay Harbour complex, amongst other restaurants and an ice-cream parlour. The place is usually packed to the rafters every night of the week, especially during the hotter months, so we usually just call up to order take-away, to pick up 20-30 minutes later.

Samson's offers a plethora of fresh, filleted local fish including Hoki, Cod, Flake, John Dory, Sea Perch, Whiting, Barramundi, Snapper and Atlantic Salmon. All can be crumbed, battered or grilled, to order, and served with chips, salad, tartare sauce and lemon. The usual 'fish and chip' fare is also available, with burgers, chicken nuggets, dim sims, kabana, chicko rolls and pineapple fritters on the menu.

Cold Seafood Platter for Two with Garden Salad - this is the sort of food you really need to get your bare hands into to savour the flavours. The oysters had an incredibly refreshing and delicate mineral-like taste of the sea, the prawns plump and juicy and the crab was full of sweet, meaty flesh.

Hot Seafood Platter for Two with Thick-cut Chips - freshly crumbed and battered calamari rings, prawns, roe-on scallops and fish cocktails. Each bite was a great trigger to the senses, with a crunch from the crusty batter into the yielding seafood inside, followed by sweet juices trickling out and the smell of golden-brown deep-fried goodness mixed with a clean, ocean salt after-taste.

Our cheat's dessert of Sara Lee Apple Custard Crumble Snack Pies - oven-baked  with a warm centre of custard and diced, pink lady apples. Delish!

Bayside Seafood
360 Main Road
Wellington Point, QLD 4160
(07) 3207 2530
Food: Fresh fish and seafood wholesaler

I love Bayside Seafood for its guaranteed, freshly caught sandcrabs, at just $4.50c each! Mum and I always return to my brother's place from here, laden with a bagful of these suckers. We spend a great deal of time, eating our way through the sweet, succulent flesh of the crabs, making sure not to miss any meaty bits. They taste superb on their own, but for extra flavour, I dip the crabmeat into a simple dressing of fresh lemon juice, sea salt and white pepper. Mm mmm!

Tanja's Cafe Restaurant
372-374 Main Road
Wellington Point, QLD 4160
(also at Caloundra (QLD)
(07) 3207 3120

Food: Cafe, Breakfast, Modern Australian, Meditteranean, Seafood, Pizza

Sometimes, on our 10 minute drive to the scenic Wellington Point, we fuel up at Tanja's for a scumptious feed before continuing on (down the road) to our destination. With its fresh, organic produce-burdened menu and alfresco dining space, Tanja's makes you feel right at home with its down-to-earth staff and family-friendly atmosphere.

Hot Seafood Platter for Two with Chips and Salad - crumbed prawn cutlets, battered calamari and freshly grilled scallops, fish fillets and local Moreton Bay bugs.

What a beautiful day it is to be at Wellington Point!

Going for a saunter in the cool seawater at low tide

Hako (2 visits)

310 Flinders Lane
Melbourne, VIC 3000
(03) 9650 1881
Food: Japanese

My first visit to Hako was a while ago, but I still remember entering its raw, warehouse-like dining space and instantly feeling at ease from the ambience created by the mellow, romantic lighting, rustic decor and serene atmosphere.  The restaurant filled up as we progressed through our dinner, but it didn't feel over-crowded or busy, even though all the tables were occupied - only a soft murmur of chatter could be heard.

Classic Japanese dishes can be found on the menu, prepared in the most elegant and unpretentious manner, served on beautiful Japanese ceramics. The staff were extremely polite and softly spoken, but it was sometimes difficult for them to explain certain dishes when prompted, due to their lack of fluency in speaking English. However, with patience and basic communication, we were able to understand the details of various specials.

Mushroom and Brie Cheese Croquette - not what we expected, but nevertheless a great start to the evening

Tebasaki - char-grilled chicken wings with a tangy plum paste and a hint of aromatic Japanese spice

Ebi Tempura - large 'hairy prawns' wrapped with crispy, thin-cut shards of kataifi pastry served with a warm ginger and soya dashi dipping sauce

Cuttlefish Tempura - with fresh lemon and green tea salt

Gyumaki - Pan-fried, thinly sliced beef wrapped around asparagus

Daily Fish Special

A few months later, this year, I returned to Hako, bringing my friends with me to celebrate one of their birthdays.

Sashimi - aptly sliced, fresh raw swordfish, kingfish, Atlantic salmon and yellowfin tuna

Gyoza - fried pastry stuffed with minced pork, cabbage, with hint of pungent garlic

Daily Special - Grilled asparagus 'salad', boosted by a zesty sauce of egg yolk and Tosazu (Japanese vinegar)

Nasudengaku - juicy, deep-fried eggplant with a tangy miso paste

Chingensai - a heart-warming, sumptuous soya bonito broth with bok choy and earthy shiitake mushrooms

Okonomiyaki - Japanese-style, grilled pancake with a teriyaki glaze. The cabbage batter was mushy and too floury, but managed to deliver on tasty, savoury flavours.

Fish Special - Sea Perch braised with a sake, soya and ginger sauce, served with a bowl of steamed rice. I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of this dish, but was disappointed because the fish was dry, overcooked and didn't absorb in any of the nourishing broth

Unagidon - Delicately char-grilled eel, served in a box with miso soup and pickled greens. The ratio of the sweet, salty eel to the complementing fluffy rice was perfect!

Teriyaki Chicken - tender fillets of chicken, basted with a soy-based teriyaki sauce

Pickled Cumquats

 

The beginning of Spring marks the end of the peak season for many Winter fruits and vegetables, including the bittersweet and ever so tart cumquat. A slow-growing evergreen shrub, bearing said fruit, sits by the front door to my house, welcoming guests with its dark glossy green leaves in Summer and bright orange gem-like fruits during the colder months.

My earliest memory with cumquats is drinking them, sliced and muddled in hot water, with a little bit of honey added - my grandma's secret remedy for sore throats and colds. It actually works wonders, soothing inflammation with the pungent zest and tart flesh, combined with the sweetness from the honey. I also remember plonking a whole cumquat into my mouth as a little girl, thinking that I had scored myself a golden treat, but was quick to suffer the consequences of my gluttony with a puckered face and shocked yelps after tasting the extreme sourness of the juices inside.

Cumquats are best enjoyed in chutneys, marinades, sweet compotes, jelly, marmalades, liquers or simply sliced, fresh in salads. They pair extremely well with and complement the flavours of duck, poultry and other fatty meats. When buying, select cumquats whose rind are bright orange in colour, with no hint of green. They generally keep at room temperature for up to three days, but can last up to two weeks in the fridge. 

At home, mum uses cumquats from our tree, freshly quartered in fruit salads, whereas I prefer to poach them in sugar syrup to serve with vanilla ice cream - The acidity and sharpness from the compote deliciously cuts through the creamy, mellowness of the ice-cream.

A couple of months ago, I decided to pickle the last batch of cumquats, picked from our tree, using a recipe from Stephanie Alexander's The Cook's Companion. The pickled cumquats inside the jar have since become shrunken, wrinkled and slightly dark brown in colour, so it is almost time for me to experiment with them in different dishes. I can't wait!

- 1 tsp salt

- 600ml water

- 500g cumquats, washed
- ⅔ cup caster sugar
- ½ stick cinnamon

- 1 tsp cloves

- 600ml white wine vinegar

Dissolve salt in water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour over the cumquats in a bowl and stand for 12 hours. Drain.

Simmer the sugar and spices in vinegar in a non-reactive saucepan until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer for a further 5 minutes.

Carefully pack the cumquats into hot, sterilised jars, then pour in the boiling vinegar syrup and seal. Store in a cool place. Leave for several weeks before using. Both the pickling syrup and the cumquats can be used.

Pickled Cumquats - Day 1

 After 3 months - All ready for use!

Yu-u

137 Flinders Lane
Melbourne, VIC 3000

(enter from Oliver Lane)
(03) 9639 7073
Food: Japanese, Set Lunch Box

I haven't done a post on Japanese food in a while, so there is no better way to break the drought than with a visit to the iconic and delightful Yu-U. Restaurant critics and food bloggers alike have described this tiny haven as  one of Melbourne's best hidden gems, with its underground basement location, zen-like ambience and  sleek concrete and hardwood fixtures. The eatery's front entrance is also notoriously hard to find - just look out for a steel, rich-maroon rose coloured door, blemished with messy black graffiti. A small, framed sign to the right of it reads "Yu-U" in Japanese.

Yu-U's reputable set lunches are a steal at $18, served on a tray with your choice of main, alongside the day's 'small dish', a steaming hot bowl of miso soup, rice, pickled vegetables, condiments, a piece of fresh fruit and a pot of earthy Japanese green tea. At night, it is also absolutely necessary to make a reservation, with tables usually booked out from at least a week in advance. However, all this fuss really is worth the effort - the food is unpretentious, yet mind-blowing, reinforcing classic Japanese flavours with a delicate, modern twist.

The last time I dined here was before I bought my new camera, so please excuse the slightly blurred images taken in the restaurant's dimly-lit setting.

Natural Oysters with Ponzu Dressing - these little morsels tasted so clean and fresh


Scallops and Mushrooms in a Butter and Soya Sauce - they literally oozed of sweet, robust juices with every mouthful


Pork and Cabbage in a Light Teriyaki Dressing


King George Whiting Tempura - we were very impressed with how moist the whiting was, coated with an incredibly crisp and fluffy batter


Yaki Onigiri - crispy char-grilled rice patties with a soft and glutinous centre and basted with a tangy soya sauce

Nasu Hasamiage - deep-fried eggplant with a central minced chicken layer, finished off with freshly grated white radish and a light soya dressing

Wagyu Beef and Spring Onion with Teriyaki Sauce - I generally don't enjoy eating spring onion, but surprisingly loved the bitey texture of it in this dish, wrapped with delicate slices of tender, caramelised Wagyu beef


House-made Creme Caramel - syrupy, sticky and seriously good.

Rockpool Bar & Grill

Riverside at Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex
8 Whiteman Street
Southbank, VIC 3006
(03) 8648 1900
Food: Modern Australian, Seafood and Steak

After a rather impressive dining experience at Rockpool Bar & Grill last year (read about it here), we returned, this time, for lunch. I must admit, we hardly have the chance to dine out together during the day, so it was great to be able to relax back in comfy, plush leather seats while absorbing the superb views, through the  restaurant's dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows, across the Yarra River. The day's warm sunlight dazzled and danced as we ate, offsetting the restaurant's spacious interior of elegant furnishings and warm tones of beige and dark timber brown.

Once again, we were wowed by the quality, taste and presentation of every dish served. It really is no wonder that this Melbourne leg of Neil Perry's string of Rockpool restaurants (there is one in Sydney and one opening up in Perth) has kept its Two Hat status (awarded by The Age Good Food Guide) every year, from 2008 through to 2011.

Sautéed White Asparagus with Shiitake Mushrooms, Slow Cooked Hen's Egg, Burnt Butter and Parmesan - the creamy, runny egg yolk lent itself well to this dish, combining the earthy textures of the mushrooms and asparagus with the nutty Parmesan and salty burnt butter.

King Prawns with Goats Cheese Tortellini, Burnt Butter, Raisins and Pine Nuts - I still salivate at the memory of biting through the soft, chewy tortellini skin to reveal a rich, but slightly acidic filling of goat's cheese, which mellowed out from the zesty raisins, crisp pine nuts and sweet prawn.

Hand Cut Linguine With Spanner Crab and Spicy Prawn Oil - the pasta was so beautifully cut, it soaked up all the flavours from the aromatic, tangy prawn oil and succulent crab meat. All we needed was some crusty sourdough to mop up all the juices!

Crispy Fried Tiger Flathead Fillets with Crazy Water - 'Crazy Water' is a fascinating, culinary concept, adapted from Italian fishermen in the 1960's. They were known to sauté the day's catch in fresh seawater with tomatoes and extra-virgin olive oil. In today's restaurants, sparkling mineral water is used to achieve a similar result - a fiery tomato consomme that is sweet, salty, tart and umami all at the same time.

Grossi Florentino - The Grill

Date visited: 11th April 2009

80 Bourke Street
Melbourne, VIC 3000
(03) 9662 1811
Food: Italian
Website: http://www.grossi.com.au/grossi-florentino/the-grill.aspx

So, after a rather gruff experience at Grossi Florentino's Cellar Bar (read about it HERE), we were lured back by the memory of delectable flavours and mouth-watering aromas wafting out of the restaurant's open kitchen. However, this time, we figured to step it up a notch at The Grill.

The Grill at Grossi is supposed to be more sleek and modernised than its Cellar Bar counterpart, with a contemporary menu. Although the service was quite rash at times (easily forgiven as it was a full house that night), the food was moreish and wholesome enough for us to walk out satisfied with happy bellies!

We shared fresh oysters and scampi from the "Primi" section of the menu, followed by wild hapuka and a delicious boned quail from the "Le Padelle" section and king prawns from "La Griglia," which I supposed means from the grill? And on the side - Crispy (and fluffy inside) Italian fried potatoes with rosemary and garlic.

Ostriche - Pacific oysters with red-wine vinegar and lemon

Scampi alla griglia, nepitella - Scampi, catmint, couscous, rocket and roasted capsicum

Quaglia a bocconcini- Quail (boned), mozzarella, speck, fregola

Il pesce del giorno - Line-caught wild hapuka, crispy skin, caponata, shallots and barley

Spiedino di gamberi - QLD King prawns en brochette (cooked and served on skewers)

Belgian Beer Cafe Eureka

5 Riverside Quay
Southbank VIC 3006
(03) 9690 5777
(also at St.Kilda)
Food: European with French and Belgian influences, Belgian Mussel Pots, Cafe, Beer, Bar

After a living a day like tourists, exploring the underwater wonders of the Melbourne Aquarium and soaking in the breath-taking views across the city on the highest floor of the Eureka Tower, we decided to unwind at Belgian Beer Cafe Eureka.

Showcasing ornate, imported wooden fixtures and furnishings from Belgium, the restaurant is the sort of place you'd find corporate workers mingling over after-work drinks and snacks. The atmosphere is constantly buzzing with locals, foreigners and beer lovers abound, and groups of friends standing, huddled together under the radiant heaters in the outdoor terrace.

Much of the food is of Belgian and French origin and served cafe-style, with an attractive, elegant twist. A house specialty is their traditional Black Bay Mussel Pots, steamed with flavour combinations like orange, lemon zest, coriander and Hoegaarden  White Beer; chilli, lemongrass and coconut cream; tomato, red capsicum black olives and fresh basil; and blue cheese, cream and spinach.

Escargot - snails, sautéed in garlic and herb butter with a touch of pastis (anise-flavoured liquer). For somebody who enjoys savouring the sweet and unique textures of well-cooked snails, I found the ones in this dish extremely pungent and overwhelmed by fumes of garlic. We left this dish untouched after sampling a morsel each.

Harvey Bay Scallops - pan seared and served in their half shell with a lemon scented pearl barley risotto. Interesting combination of textures from the zingy risotto, which cleverly complemented the sweet and slightly charred flavour of the plump scallops.

Crispy Spatchcock with Gruyere Gratin, Asparagus & Tarragon Jus - this was a real indulgent dish of juicy, golden brown roasted chicken with a luscious, cheesey potato bake and delicately grilled spears of asparagus

Semolina-crusted and Lighty fried Calamari - served with a refreshing fennel and parsley salad, and a spiced lemon oil dressing

Mushroom Hunting at Moorooduc

A couple of months ago on June 20th, with gumboots, scarves and warm jackets in tow, we climbed into our car for a drive towards Melbourne's Mornington Peninsula. After pre-booking 2 months in advance, the day had finally arrived for our Mushroom Tour at Moorooduc Estate. It was to be led by Cameron Russell, an enthused mushroom maestro, who would take us on an informative traipse through the laneways and valleys near Moorooduc Estate for some serious mushroom foraging. I was very excited, to say the least!

The day was wet and cold - perfect conditions for sprouting mushrooms!

Couldn't resist pulling over to get a shot of these wobbly llamas

Gorgeous view across the winery

Enjoying a cup of Chamomile and English Breakfast Tea while waiting for the rest of the group to arrive

Everybody in our tour group wore this sticker as an allegiance to our fellow fungi

 

We all drove 5min from Moorooduc Estate, with Cameron leading the way, to an area where mushrooms would be growing

A Giant Suillus Luteus, commonly known as a Slippery Jack Mushroom, by the roadside

Cameron explaining the different techniques used to distinguish edible mushrooms from the poisonous ones. It was alarming to discover that for every edible mushroom in the world, there is at least one poisonous one that looks almost identical to it. He was then quick to point out that one should therefore never pick a fungus to eat unless 100 per cent sure of what it is.

An alluring, poisonous Amanita Muscaria, commonly known as a Fly Agaric

Psychedelic Psilocybe Cyanofriscosa, commonly known as Magic Mushrooms

We had to brush away masses of pine needles, fallen from surrounding pine trees, to unearth the treasures of mushrooms underneath

An almost camouflaging Trametes Versicolor, commonly used in Chinese medicine

Another Amanita, which has hallucinogenic properties

Agaricus Augustus, commonly known as The Prince, is great pan-fried with garlic and olive oil. There is a very common, similar-looking mushroom to The Prince that is poisonous. These inedible fungi will turn bright yellow and emit a toxic chemical odour when cut or bruised.

Holding a delicately hued Lepista Nuda, commonly known as a Wood Blewit. It is delicious pan-fried with butter and parsley. Apparently they are quite hard to find at the moment, so we were lucky to stumble upon a few.

More Slippery Jacks (too mature to be edible) and a Magic Mushroom

Walking across the road to hunt for more mushrooms in the forest on the other side

A fatal concoction of an intense black cap and stem with milky white gills

Tiny orange coral fungi

Yellow ones!

Lactarius Deliciosus, commonly known as Saffron Milk Caps or Pine Mushrooms, have unique hollow stems. They are delicious and have a great bite to them when cooked.

The only edible Slippery Jack mushroom found, with tiny, circular pores in the light yellow, spongey hymenium
 

Our day's bounty - a Slippery Jack, milk chocolatey The Prince mushrooms, vibrant Pine Mushrooms and lilac Wood Blewits

 Returning to our cars

Back to the winery to enjoy our mushrooms with a glass of Moorooduc Blanc (a blend of chardonnay and pinot gris) and Pinot Noir :-)

Creamy Mushroom Cappucino; Wild Mushroom on Sourdough Bruschetta

Note to self: Buy outdoor woodfire oven

Watching our pizza being made

Waiting...

Eyeing...

Time to eat! Delicious Wild Mushrooms with Truffle Oil

Dates for tours with Cameron Russell next year are to be announced in February 2011, so get in quick if you want to score yourself a place. Visit the website for more details. Happy 'Shrooming! :-)