March 22, 2008: Tom Phat

On Sat Michael as well as I had a few errands to run on Sydney Rd as well as to brand the trip a picayune less arduous, nosotros planned to swallow tiffin later at Tom Phat. Once on the route nosotros also spontaneously invited Mike as well as Jo-Lyn to bring together us.

While nosotros waited for them to arrive, nosotros stashed our bags nether the depression java tabular array at the front end of the restaurant, sprawled on the cushions as well as soaked upwards the atmosphere. This is the sort of styled, trendy house that you'll either dear or hate. The murals, textures, article of furniture as well as plants accept all been chosen carefully as well as I surprised myself past times failing to turn down it every bit 'too pretentious' as well as settling speedily into the 'love' camp. Maybe it was the capably relaxed as well as nonjudgmental mental attitude of our waitress that eased me in. Or but that I'm a sucker for odd pot-plants.

Michael ordered a java as well as I took a await at the menu. This is modern Asian fusion kinda materials - breakfast eggs come upwards alongside boundary onions as well as roti, as well as a tiffin of lamb meatballs is covered alongside tamarind sauce. As the minutes ticked by, I decided to lodge a juice. The kickstarter ($5) consists of pineapple, apple, orangish as well as ginger. So tangy as well as fresh, Tom Phat past times straightaway had won my loyalty for making pineapple juice awesome.

Our waitress was completely unfazed that we'd straightaway been hanging unopen to for xx or as well as then minutes as well as hadn't ordered our food. Between the breakfast, tiffin as well as specials menus in that place were quite a few attractive options as well as I selfishly broke downward as well as ordered a viscid soy twine ($9.50) but every bit Mike as well as Jo-Lyn arrived.

It's described every bit "tofu & tempeh, salad leaves as well as roti". That's an understatement. Try "two fatty skewers of sweet, viscid marinated tofu as well as tempeh, as well as a bedsheet-sized roti stuffed alongside a garden-full of herbs, sprouts, carrots as well as peppery rocket". It was huge as well as I wondered if I'd teach through one-half of it. Leaning over my depression plate, I unashamedly ripped at the roti alongside my hands as well as inelegantly stuffed forkfuls of greens into my mouth. So good. I ate as well as ate as well as ate, as well as fifty-fifty the final seize alongside teeth was a pleasure. Michael couldn't believe I finished it, as well as I didn't quite believe it myself. I gauge greens aren't that filling. My solely criticism would hold upwards that there's non a lot of chilli - it didn't bother me at all but I intend it goes counter to the Vietnamese vibe of this filling.

Michael had grilled champaign mushrooms alongside rocket, fetta as well as caramelised onions ($8.90). Although it's a to a greater extent than conventional mix it was a large as well as tasty serve, fantabulous value at this price.

Also worth a cite is the lemon meringue pie that Mike as well as Jo-Lyn shared after their mains. I'm no groovy fan of meringue but this 1 impressed me - the surface had received a existent firing, alongside crunchy, deeply caramelised edges. By this stage, 1 seize alongside teeth was all I needed for consummate as well as verbalize satisfaction.

Address: 184 Sydney Rd, Brunswick
Ph: 9381 2374
Licensed & BYO
Price: veg breakfast or tiffin $4.50-10.90

March 22, 2008: Giant Steps/Innocent Bystander Ii

Tom Phat, Mike, Jo, Cindy as well as I made role of a borrowed machine to caput out for some assort of route trip. By the fourth dimension nosotros got our acts together as well as picked upwardly Tracy it was already getting on for 4 inwards the afternoon, pregnant that our initial plans of driving to the Dandenongs as well as going on a 7km lyre plane walk were looking a tad optimistic. Instead, nosotros decided to caput towards Healesville as well as become for a quick stroll simply about 1 of the nearby nature reserves earlier finding something delicious for dinner.

Our previous trip to Giant Steps/Innocent Bystander had been fairly successful, as well as therefore nosotros decided on a follow-up visit. Both Cindy as well as I ordered pizzas this fourth dimension simply about - pumpkin, marinated caprine animal feta, pomegranate as well as roasted garlic for me ($22) as well as dark-green zucchini, capers, fennel & lemon for Cindy ($17). These were some fine pizzas - perfectly cooked sparse bases, thoughtful combinations of toppings as well as an appropriate score of cheesiness. Mine (see the pic above) was a fairly straightforward pumpkin pizza, amongst the improver of a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds, which added a overnice variation inwards texture as well as petty bursts of tart sweetness.

here.)

March 24, 2008: Harira

Back inward Oct 2006, nosotros sampled harira for the outset fourth dimension together with savage for its complex flavours together with nourishing beans. We've non been peculiarly inspired to practice novel together with nutritious dinners for a few weeks, hence our bodies needed this equally much equally our sense of savor buds did.

The calendar's recipe is quite like to our previous rendition, but I'll include it anyway. If you've an appetite for to a greater extent than spicy soups, conduct maintain a await at the around recent round-up of the No Croutons Required weblog event, where every entry is a bowl total of punchy vegetarian goodness.

Harira (bean soup)

400g tin terminate chickpeas, drained
400g tin terminate haricot or other beans, drained
800g tin terminate crushed tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
a pinch of saffron threads soaked inward a lilliputian warm water
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon reason coriander
2 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
500-1000mL H2O or stock
juice of a lemon
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon harissa or chilli powder
1 tablespoon flour
salt together with pepper

In a large saucepan, combine the beans, tomatoes, onion, saffron amongst water, turmeric, cinnamon, reason coriander together with or hence pepper. Add one-half of the fresh coriander together with parsley. Add plenty H2O or stock to completely encompass the mixture. Bring it to the boil, together with and hence simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Remove a lilliputian of the liquid from the saucepan together with mix the flour into it, together with hence stir the flour dorsum into the soup. Cook the soup for a farther v minutes.

Just earlier serving, stir through the harissa/chilli powder, lemon juice together with flavor to taste. Ladle into bowls together with garnish amongst the remaining herbs.

March 26-30, 2008: Queensland Cuisine

Tom Phat. I was revived, though entirely merely plenty to propel me to an inflight nap.

Melbourne certain feels similar home, but Queensland's got a lot to a greater extent than than nostalgia to recommend it. I knew how many people were worth going dorsum for but the nutrient took me past times surprise!

March 30, 2008: De Orchid Ii

Spicy Junction) had been a chip of a letdown, therefore it was wonderful to teach dorsum to De Orchid together with discovery 3 to a greater extent than delicious takeaway vego curries for our delectation. We decided to essay out totally dissimilar carte items to final time, going for: a serve of samosas ($3), daal maharani ($8), pumpkin masala ($8.90), navaratan korma ($8.90) together with a roti breadstuff ($2).

The samosas were a fairly measure smoothen vegie mush, amongst a generous scattering of coriander seeds throughout together with a lemon-minted raita. Very tasty. The daal was thick amongst chunky lentils, had a mild flavor together with to a greater extent than or less easily dodgable chunks of fresh tomato. It was in all probability a lilliputian on the stodgy side, but that's what yous desire from a daal really.

The 2 vegie dishes were the stars: the korma had the finely chopped vegies that equally good easily remind me of frozen mixed vegies, but were much to a greater extent than plainly freshly chopped than Spicy Junction's efforts. The flavor was also to a greater extent than impressive - well-spiced together with creamy. The description inward the carte promises dried fruit, but Cindy together with I only noticed i sultana betwixt us. Which wasn't actually a occupation - sultanas inward curry remind me equally good much of here.

Another affair nosotros discovered on their takeaway menu: De Orchid's website.

Update 4/9/09: After beingness 'temporarily' shut for close on a year, De Orchid has of late reopened. My offset impression: things direct keep gone downwards loma - but we'll in all probability rank them to a greater extent than or less other direct chances together with write a proper review.

Update 10/2/10: It appears that De Orchid is no to a greater extent than at this address. There's an Indian eating seat amongst a dissimilar cite inward its place, together with we've non notwithstanding tried it. It's unclear whether the De Orchid has changed names, changed locations or disappeared entirely.

March 31, 2008: Tempeh Amongst A Lil' Less Buffalo

Buffalo tempeh "wings" in addition to nosotros were keen to plough over them a go. However, getting to a greater extent than or less fly sauce going hither inwards Commonwealth of Australia proved to hold upwards a chip of a challenge. It's composed of exclusively 3 ingredients - Louisana-style hot sauce, ketchup in addition to butter - in addition to hence it seemed of import to instruct all the components right. However, I've never seen such hot sauce on sale in addition to a chip of meshing question indicated that it wouldn't hold upwards realistic to endeavour to arrive myself. Instead I decided to brand our favourite Chinese manner barbeque sauce - it looked similar having the necessary consistency in addition to zing, if non the correct ingredients or origin.

Tempeh is a funny one. It has a substantial, nearly meaty, density to it but it's a chip dry. I had high hopes hither but fifty-fifty the sauce didn't furnish sufficient wet for me. We were rather taken yesteryear the crumbing though, in addition to Michael suggested that nosotros could endeavour it amongst tofu - afterward all, it plant corking for the 'fish' fingers. I'm foreseeing a sauce squabble too, amongst Michael voting Chinese-style in addition to me on Team Tartare.

If you'd straightaway at these wings (no buffalo or birds require hold upwards harmed!), caput over to 28 Cooks.