Oyster Little Bourke – flavoursome slippery suckers…

Review as featured in Only Melbourne

As its name implies, Oyster Little Bourke, or simply Oyster, serves freshly shucked Australian oysters with the finest of ingredients. But as its head chef Joseph Vargetto (formerly Crown Casino’s executive sous chef) and partners restaurateur Frank Wilden (The Venetian) and Luke Stringer (Circa, The Prince) confess, there’s more to the live crayfish, scallops and oysters floating around in their tank.

Meat-lovers are fully catered for with five selections of steaks including Tenderloin, Sirloin and Scotch Fillet (all $37), as well as Rib Eye on the bone ($39), and Wagayu Sirloin ($95) – with the latter feeding a steak connoisseur its finest 200 grams of grade 9 massaged beef, Japanese-style.

But back to the oysters, as this was the reason that drew me to dine at this European establishment. For all the oyster-lovers out there, head down to Oyster between 5pm and 6.30pm weeknights for 50% off all oysters during their 90-minute long “Oyster Hour.” And don’t feel a tiny bit embarrassed if all you do is order oysters, as this fine-dining, white tablecloth restaurant will still greet you the same and seat you at the marble bar, as if you were seated for full dinner service.

Oyster and cocktail menu ... sumptuous!

Old Hollywood music and candle-lit bench tops provide the perfect setting to devour oysters, whether celebrating the end of a workday or commencing a relaxing evening. While deciding whether to up your iron and zinc intakes by ordering a selection of half a dozen or dozen combinations, Oyster’s wine list makes for an impressive perusal, boasting myriads of varieties from Australia and Europe by the glass or bottle.

Oysters Cheese Gratin and Espanola...delicious!

Instead of choosing oysters au naturale, I opted for two of the cooked varieties: Cheese Gratin ($22 half/$39 dozen) and Espanola ($22 half/$41 dozen). Presented in a round metal dish with sea salt as a base, each oyster was delicately decorated. The Espanola was infused with olive oil and covered with finely chopped tomatoes, herbs and mini capers, which were best garnished with black pepper and ground flavoured sea salt served on the side. Although a messy experience with the oil overflowing as I tried to detach the oyster from its shell, the Espanola represented a little taste of Spain. The cheese gratin was literally to die for as its secret mix of cheesy sauces created a melt-in-the-mouth experience.

Once again, I am still left wondering why I had to detach the oysters myself when a flick of a knife could have done the job in the kitchen, but at 50% off my favourite little friends teamed with impeccable service, my Oyster experience left me smiling.

Where: 35 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne. Ph: 9650 0988
Oyster Hour 5pm-6.30pm weekdays Open: Monday-Friday midday-late, Saturday à la carte from 5pm, Function bookings also available
Wine: fully licensed
Website: http://www.oysterlittlebourke.com.au

Pearl Cafe – the new sister establishment…

Review as featured in Only Melbourne

At 8am on a Tuesday morning, it’s never been this easy to order a satisfying breakfast at Pearl Café, the sister establishment of mother Pearl Restaurant; one hundred metres apart from each other on Church Street’s design end in Richmond.

A hospital white communal table is not the café’s single feature. It’s modern surround and clean finishes assist in wakening tired eyes, not to mention the wall-to-wall glass display that is in abundance of a wide range of temptations, strategically arranged alongside a colourful range of organic juices.

Daily bakes, breakfast panini’s, baguettes, sandwiches and toasted breads filled with gourmet fillings, as well as some treats for those with a sweet tooth is far from dull, even if Melbourne’s winter is. All bread varieties are top notch. Forget the staple toast that is bought from the supermarket. Instead, the bread is crusty, flavoursome and perfect for accompanying Pearl’s signature organic coddled eggs (all $15) that are served with accompaniments including: smoked salmon, chorizo, wild mushrooms, buttered English spinach and wait for it – caviar. If that isn’t enough for an empty stomach I don’t know what is!

For a healthy starter, the fresh fruit salad ($10) was served in a clear tumbler and filled with a fresh variety of seasonal fruit and topped off with ginger, spearmint, yoghurt and honey.

My favourite breakfast panini (all $18 ) was the B.E.L.T – bacon, egg, lettuce and tomato. And of course this was a mouth-watering experience with scrumptious eggs, crispy bacon and fresh tomato slices and a spread of homemade tomato chutney all encased in toasted bread.

Presentation is definitely worth a mention, where cutlery is enveloped in their own sleeves, the café’s logo is presented on a transparent sheet on the bottom of each dish, as well as cute Japanese Alessi salt and pepper servers. Not too sure what to make of the Chairman Mao figurine on the corner shelf near the kitchen – perhaps it’s a kitsch addition or a paperweight for their pile of magazines underneath?

I am ready to declare that the café latté’s at Pearl Café are (so far) the best in Melbourne, if you’re after the strong creamy kind.

Where: 599 Church Street, Richmond. Ph: 9427 1307
Open for breakfast 7am-11am weekdays and 8am-11am weekends
Open for lunch 11am-4pm seven days a week
Wine: fully licensed

Melbourne Spring Fashion Week…

Let the dark and rainy days fade into the background as the fresh smell of Spring enters the air. And what better way to celebrate this new season of fresh beauty, fashion and style then to attend Melbourne Spring Fashion Week (MSFW) from 1-7 September.

There are over 100 free public and ticketed events that celebrate the Melbourne’s Spring/Summer 2008-09 both day and night, with the official opening party held at the Melbourne Town Hall. Other events include: lunchtime fashion shows; shopping tours; street parades; markets; millinery workshops; film festivals; and after-parties to be held at Melbourne’s most stylish venues.

Highlights of the MSFW include:

• Official parades which will unveil the new Spring/Summer ranges of Melbourne’s most prominent designers;
• The Flemington Spring Fashion Lunch and the De Cjuba Girls Day Out Fashion Marquee – the finest excuse to dress us from head to toe in high fashion and sip on some champers in the lead up to the Racing Carnival Season;
• The MSFW Style Cruise – enjoy canapés and champagne on arrival as you are treated to three fashion shows from local leading designers, and learn how to take fashion from the runway to the racecourse;
• RMIT presents Mixed Tape Side A & Side B showcases the final year collections from 4th year RMIT Fashion Students from the School of Architecture & Design.

And if that wasn’t jam-packed enough of fun and exciting events to fill your diaries with, head to MSFW’s official website and peruse their full program of not-to-be-missed events … Fabulous Darrrlings!

Melbourne Market Delights…

Review as featured in Only Melbourne

Melbourne boasts a myriad of markets, catering for all purposes from the freshest foods, to a range of fashion and jewelery, not to mention great atmosphere. Here are some of my favourite markets, with each one serving a unique purpose:

Prahran Market

Prahran Market

This is Melbourne’s oldest continually running market since it opened its doors in 1864. Trading from Tuesday, Thursday to Sunday, Saturday is its busiest day and the most entertaining. The best way to start your gourmet experience is to enter from Commercial Road, and sample your way through the gourmet corridor which leads to the main undercover fresh food area.

Grab four items for $10 from Cleo’s deli where the friendly shop assistant offers tastings of their signature honey yoghurt, homemade dips and prosciutto. Make your way to the Fresh Pasta Shop and sample mouth-watering homemade pasta before satisfying your tastebuds with some olives and a range of olive oils from Yarra Valley Pasta. For those with a sweet tooth, let Monsieur Truffle mesmerise you with an array of fudge varieties – perfect for presents and self.

Best time to visit this gourmet paradise is early to mid afternoon on Saturdays where regular stands of dollar specials are melodically voiced. For those with a penchant for cooking, visit the Miele Interactive Kitchen to see your favourite chefs in action, including renowned chef, Gabriel Gate.

Tuesday & Saturday dawn-5pm, Thursday & Friday dawn-6pm, Sunday 10am-3pm.

Visit http://www.prahranmarket.com.au

Queen Victoria Market

Queen Victoria Market

Home to Melbourne’s first Bratwurst store and finest deli’s of Polish delights, cheeses from around the world and lollies, the Queen Vic is an open-air market that houses myriads of stalls from fabrics, home-grown produce to Australian sheepskin products and the freshest foods in an Old World charm of a way with a definite European influence.

Millions of visitors have come to this vibrant and pulsating market over the last 130 years not just for the food but to be entertained by the buskers, especially the Hula-Hoop Man outside the indoor deli area.

Open Tuesday, Thursday to Sunday, there is also the Suzuki Night Market which commences November to February annually, as well as an Electrolux Cooking School for foodies and aspiring chefs.

Visit http://www.qvm.com.au

Gleadell Street Market

Gleadell Street Market

Richmond’s Gleadell Street Market is open every Saturday (except public holidays) from 7am-1pm, and it’s best to arrive early for some amazing fresh produce.

Trading since 1873, Gleadell Street Market still remains as a traditional farmer’s market, selling fresh market produce of fruit and vegetables, along with bread, nuts and many other delicacies.

Similar in style to Santa Monica’s renowned Farmer’s Market, Gleadell boasts its own uniqueness in the eclectic mix of store holders and variety of products for sale. Head down the Bridge Road end and visit the one fishmonger there – look for the white truck with the long line of patrons ready to snap up some fresh fishy bargains. Finish off with a beautiful bunch of fresh flowers to last you ‘til your next visit the following Saturday.

Enquiries (03) 9205 5555

Open every Saturday (except public holidays) 7am-1pm.

Art Deco 1910-1939 @ NGV – where artistry and sophistication fuze…

Review as featured in Only Melbourne

THAYAHT, During the sessions at Madeleine Vionnet’s (Pendant les Modèles, chez Madeleine Vionnet) 1922, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Julian Robinson Collection. Purchased, 1976

This winter, the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) hosts their fifth exhibition in the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series, where the decorative arts are featured for the first time. Art Deco 1910-1939 comes exclusively from London’s renowned Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) and sophisticatedly captures the elegance and unique artistry across many mediums representative of Art Deco.

Open daily from 10am-5pm, the NGV hosts their Art After Dark Wednesday’s where from 5-9pm, visitors can be entertained by a variety of talks, live performances, music, and fine food and wine while also perusing the acclaimed collection with both public and private works from around the globe. From 7pm, take a trip down memory lane as you admire the Vaudevillian strongman and follies performance, followed by the nine-piece Cairo Club Orchestra playing traditional jazz to an open dance floor for those with a penchant for dance from the bygone days.

Allow ample time to make your way through Art Deco 1910-1939 as Cartier jewels are not to be a quick pass through. Observe the collection of over 300 works on display from fashion, furniture, jewelery, industrial and graphic design, ceramics, glassware, automotive design, photography, architecture and film.

The spirit of this era is signified by stylised, linear, modernised and geometric designs including: Lanvin and Chanel gowns, Lalique vases, Teague’s Bluebird Radio, an immaculately restored 1937 blue Cord 812 Westchester sedan, an array of ancient and exotic furniture from the Far East and Europe, not to mention paintings which encapsulate the Art Deco era from Tamara de Lempicka, Thayaht and Dupas.

Art Deco 1910-1939 is an exhibition not to be missed – dress up to the nines as you Charleston your way through an era that is far from forgotten.

Visit: http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/artdeco for more details
Where: NGV International, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne
Contact: (03) 8620 2222

DUPAS, Parakeets (Les Perruches) 1925, Xavier Roberts Collection, Atlanta

Fog Bar & Rastaurant – where New York comes to Melbourne…

Review as featured in Only Melbourne

Located in the heart of Prahran’s hip Greville Street, Fog Bar and Restaurant is a gastronomic delight, resembling the class and sophistication of a typical New York eatery. Architects Wood Marsh have filled this space with highly polished black floors, art-deco mirrors and a combination of crimson lighting and halogens, which transformed the table into a runway for the dishes on display.

Their wine list boasts both international and local wines, not to mention an array of French champagne and elaborate cocktails.

Fog is home to Albuquerque chef Jeremy Sutphin who serves up a fusion of American, Japanese, European and Mediterranean dishes.

First up, the Sashimi of Ahi Tuna $19 delicately presented as nine square tiles served in a light soy and jalapeno-infused sauce, comes complete with three Spanish onion rings, a sprinkle of sesame seeds and a fine slice of jalapeno. The Crab Cakes $18, served with watercress and Chimichurri sauce was another winner with South American flavours.

Next course, the Braised Veal Ragout $28 with succulent baby veal, came served with a salty sauce of tomatoes, onions and Kalamata olives, topped with finely shaved parmesan. Presentation is definitely the key, as dishes are carefully arranged in order to highlight the theme ingredients.

The Vanilla Bean Crème Brulée $14, a recommended dessert, is a sweet sensation for the palate, accompanied with fresh berries.

After completing your dining experience to the sounds of spiced-up jazz, the adjacent bar with patio awaits with enticing rhythms. With rich and intense flavours, Fog presents a fine dining experience without the white tablecloths.

Where: 142 Greville Street, Prahran. Ph: 9521 3155 www.fog.com.au Open: Sunday and Monday closed, Tuesday- Friday from 12pm, Saturday 10am-2am Wine: Fully licensed Dishes: Entrees $12-$22, mains $28-$46, sides $8, desserts $14-$18

Taste of Melbourne – something to whet your appetite…

This August, Melburnians will be treated to the ultimate dining experience as the Taste of Melbourne hits the town.

Sample exquisite signature dishes from Melbourne’s finest restaurants under one roof, with the opportunity to rub shoulders with award-winning chefs including Jacques Reymond and Tadashi Takahashi from the world-renowned series of restaurants, Nobu.

Taste of Melbourne is a four-day event featuring 15 of the city’s award-winning restaurants, providing foodies with the opportunity to learn about local produce, all while being entertained through live music and a dynamic program of cooking demonstrations, tastings and talks.

When: Thursday 21^st August to Sunday 24^th August

Where: The Royal Exhibition Building, Nicholson Street, Carlton

Website: http://www.tastefestivals.com.au

Contact: 136 100

Kenzan – A Little Touch of Japan at Kenzan…

Review as featured in Only Melbourne

Although Melbourne boasts myriads of Japanese eateries, Kenzan seems to have built a following of patrons who want more than a California roll stuffed in a small square paper bag for lunch on the go. Since it opened its doors a little over two years ago as the sister of Kenzan at Collins Place, this bistroesque abode at Melbourne’s GPO on Bourke Street seats 80, either on stools at the bar or at long wooden tables outside.

Sushi chef Kentaro Usami effortlessly works his craft with the knife as he prepares both sushi and sashimi. Nagoya-born Usami works at Kenzan by day and its fine dining counterpart on Collins Place by night. His way with the knife is melodic and sincere as he approaches each fresh fish variety with the utmost care and patience.

The entrée sashimi platter ($14) is presented on a rectangular plate and garnished with grated daikon (radish) and carrot. Three fish varieties are strategically placed along the dish: three pieces each of salmon, tuna and a white fish that has been delicately seared on the edges. Quality over quantity appears the norm at any Japanese eatery, and although nine pieces of raw fish may not satisfy a grumbling tum, each piece should be eaten slowly in order to appreciate the ‘melt-in-the-mouth’ experience.

The ‘do-it-yourself’ handroll is wrapped in clear cellophane with printed instructions; a simple peel, roll, peel and roll some more produces a near-perfect handroll that is moist inside and encased with crisp seaweed.

Kenzan offers the added bonus of refillable green or oolong teas for those dining in, as well as an extensive menu of hot dishes including: tempura prawns and vegetables ($15), udon, soba or ramen noodle soups served with generous amounts of fresh ingredients and not the canned varieties ($9-$17).

Rain or shine, Kenzan @ GPO is another tucked away eatery for a satisfying lunch that is genuinely tasty and leaves you nibbling at the last piece of sashimi in the hope that it won’t disappear.

Where: Kenzan @ GPO, 350 Bourke Street, Melbourne 3000 VIC, Ph: (03) 9663 7767 Open: Mon-Sat 11am-5pm; Thurs-Fri 5pm-9.30pm Wine: Licensed. Wine is available by the glass

Waffle On – a little bit of Frenchy chic in the heart of Melbourne…

Review as featured in Only Melbourne

If you’re in the mood for something French and flavoursome for lunch, head to Waffle On at the Flinders Street end of Degraves Street.

This roughly three-by-three alcove is enough to make you want to travel to France, providing little knick-knacks from owner and chef Marc Laucher’s travels – postcards, international currency, children’s drawings, posters of French soccer teams, très chic music and a blackboard full of baguettes à la Français.

The baguette is to die for. It’s not what you get at your average bakery when you ask for a baguette and receive a fat-looking bread stick lacking in flavour. Instead, the thin baguette is crisp and ever so tasty – with five varieties to choose from.

The display cabinet showcases gourmet delicacies that fill each of the five baguette varieties: le Parisien; le Lyonette; le Normand; le Fermier and le Niçois – French salami, French pickles, a wheel of Brie, Emmental or Gruyère cheeses, not to mention fresh home-made roast chicken that Marc slices on the spot as you wait.

Treat yourself to a mouth-watering waffle with your choice of delicious toppings: jam, cream, nutella, hot chocolate, ice cream, maple syrup, banana and strawberries, and the best coffee in Melbourne.

Whether you have five minutes to gobble down your lunch or 30 minutes to sit back and relax with a newspaper to the sounds of chic French music, Waffle On is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it taste of France in Melbourne’s European-feel laneway.

Bon apetit!

Where: Shop 9, Degraves Street, Melbourne. Ph. 0401 408 168 Open: Weekdays all day