A pre-football dinner brought us to Bistrot Bistro, in the revamped Logan Rd precint of Woolloongabba.  We arrived on time and were seated, we had all reviewed the menu online prior to booking our dinner, there were many very enticing choices.  Our server eventually came over to us, and to this point we hadn’t even been offered drinks.  The soup of the day sounded very appealling, cauliflower and black truffle oil.  However, we settled on mains with dessert as we were a bit limited by time. 

I chose the pork belly after much deliberation, the linguine came a very close second though.  My dining companions chose the whole trout and the lamp pie.  We ordered the chocolate fondant and lemon pie as well.  There was a good selection of wines by the glass on offer.

After we received the correct drink order, our meals were soon to follow.  The presentation of our meals was beautiful, the trout had a lovely yellow butter sauce.  My pork was served with some asian greens and petit pois, we also ordered brocollini and potato chips as sides.  I thoroughly enjoyed my meal, with beautifully mixed flavours and textures.  The trout was soft and moist.  The lamb, while tasty, was nothing special.  A slow cooker could probably whip up an as tasty dish as this one.  Though it had a lovely puffy pastry lid.

Our plates were cleared and our desserts arrived soon after.  The 2 fondants were beautifully plated with strawberry cream and diced strawberries.  The lemon tart, served with ginger cream, was apparently very well matched.

The service unfortunately was a bit lacking, from blank stares as we walked through the door to having to request a server taking a pre-dinner drink order, then struggling to get attention enough to order coffees to accompany our desserts.  The staff all seemed to have French accents, we did debate their authenticity…

Well, we past it enough times on our way to the other myriad of fantastic Asian restaurants on Victoria St.

This time we went in.

We were not disappointed.

The New Koreana BBQ on Victoria St, Richmond has a fantastic menu of interesting dishes, with something familiar and something a little new.

Some dishes are cooked in front of you on the BBQ.

We were amazed at how clean the BBQ – a real credit to the restaurant. It literally looked brand new (as did our neighbouring table’s).

There were some braver choices on the menu (such as BBQ Ox Tongue), but we decided on something a little tamer.

The Korean Pancakes were delicious.

Battered calamari was lightly cooked and tender. Comes with a ginger and soy dip.

The thinly sliced pork belly (pictured) was devine, and was accompanied by an interesting mix of condiments that complemented  it perfectly.

Even better is that your waitperson cooks your meal for you. No guessing as to when it’s done.

We also tried the beef ribs. Beautifully moist and fell of the bone, and melted in your mouth.

We were pleasantly surprised to find a reasonably priced wine menu as well.

So if you’re down on Victoria St and can’t decide…make the New Koreana BBQ your easy choice.

56-58 Victoria St

Richmond 3121 VIC

Phone: (03) 9421 1002

As a MasterChef fan I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to spend time at George’s The Press Club.  After attempting to book a Saturday night 7 weeks in advance, we ended up with the first seating on Friday.

We arrived late, but the ladies were very friendly and welcoming.  We were promptly seated at our window seat table.  Pre-dinner drinks were ordered and we perused the menu.

After overhearing the neighbouring table being told the degustation is a 3 hour menu we focused on the a la carte menu.  There were a good number of choices and we had long discussions about who could order what, as we all wanted the same things.

In the end we all ordered the prawn entree, but managed to make different choices for our mains.  We decided we’d sit on dessert and see how we fared.  Nick ordered an Australian Shiraz for us to enjoy.

Our Prawns – with serrano, zomos. nashi pear, salsify, revithia were delivered and were every bit as delicious as they looked.   Following this exciting beginning to our meal, our mains were served.

I had the Duck – papia breast & leg, pearl krithari, apple, Kalamata olive, Bid was served her Lamb – roast loin, glazed neck, beetroot horiatiki, almond skordalia, followed by Nick and his pork special of the day.

As Bridget prefers her potato hot, she returned her meal so that she could be served hot mashed potato.  Within minutes a HOT and freshly plated meal was laid down.  THE smoothest mash you’ll ever eat.

My duck was moist and succulent and in no way dry.  The apple sauce droplets were divine!!  Our sides of sweet corn – kalaboki charred, herbed yoghurt cheese, almonds and potatoes – crispy potatoes, patzari, feta were delivered.

But beware, the potatoes were nothing more than glorified chips, and a bit disappointing at that.  Bridget and I decided we would share a dessert of Sokalata – on toast, brown butter ice-cream.

The only negative comments I would make are the service chilled the closer it got to them needing our table back for the next seating,

Nick needed to ask for his wine to be topped up and when Nick’s main was delivered he didn’t get a spiel on what his meal was, though Bridget and I did…a bit nit-picky maybe but when you are paying good money to have a fine dining experience you want everything to be as close to perfect as possible.

The Press Club, Melbourne

After seeing Josh Emett on Masterchef cooking the coral trout in crispy fish skin, I had to visit Maze.  Located in the Crown Metropole complex, the fine dining restaurant and grill are side by side within the hotel, so be specific when booking.

We were seated at our table in the dimly lit, cosy restaurant.  Our waitress and the sommelier were very friendly and attentive.  The menu was explained to us as a tasting menu, and you should take that quite literally.

Nick was sitting on a glass of red when we arrived so we proceeded to order a bottle of that to enjoy.  We did peruse the wine list, it was extensive and bewildering, so this was easiest for us.

Whilst reviewing the menu, there were many exchanges over what to order, as most of it looked quite good and we couldn’t get 1 of everything.

We considered the degustation menu and the waitress indicated they were very flexible with what was on it, though she did make the suggestion that we substitute like meals for like.

After much agonising we chose to order our own 4 or 5 plates.  I ordered the scallops, the quail, coral trout and pork belly.

The scallops were tender and full of flavour, the quail soft and delicate, the coral trout and broth lived up to expectation and the pork belly with asian flavours was exciting.

We also enjoyed the pink fir potatoes and the marinated beetroot dishes.  The breadsticks with seaweed butter and rock salt was a great and, I dare say necessary accompanyment, to our meal.

B and N decided to enjoy dessert as well, having the chocolate fondant and cheese with bread respectively.  I settled for a coffee.

I couldn’t fault the service, friendly, helpful, attentive and unobtrusive.  Our meals were delicious, beautiful flavours and colours, presentation and textures.  Truly left us wanting more…

Maze Melbourne

The Entertainment book took us there, the service and baklava brought us back!

A Friday night dinner outing following a Turkish craving lead us to The Ottoman cafe in West End.  We made a booking but it was quieter than either of us expected.  Friendly and attentive service was again on offer.

We ordered some drinks and a dip platter to start with so we could starve off the hunger, chat and decide on mains.  Having sampled the Ottoman platter previously, we knew what we were in for,  though can I say restaurants/cafes NEVER give you enough bread.

The toasted herb and garlic pide is perfect!  Dining with 2 vegetarians was easy with plenty of options for them.  The pide was good, the lamb was tender and the tomatoes were hot.  And before we had a chance to order: a platter of baklava and turkish delight magically appeared.  Some of the BEST baklava you’ll ever have pleasure of experiencing.

This was another favourable experience at this restaurant. The host is perfect for his job, very friendly, helpful and entertaining.  If you are after a relaxing Turkish meal, this is your place on the southside.

ottomancafe.com.au

The Byron Bay Farmers Market is open every Thursday from 8am to 11am. It is a favourite with the residents of Byron Bay and the surrounding areas.

If you are visiting Byron Bay, it’s just quick 5 minute walk from the centre town, so come on over.

Now that spring has well and truly arrived, the produce is plentiful, fresh and delicious.

While all of the stalls have something great to offer, I’ll show you a few of my favourites.

The Gourmet Salad Hut at Byron Bay Farmers Market

Let’s start with huge clumps of pungent fresh basil.

Currently only $2.00 for a massive bunch (you will never find it this fresh and generous in a supermarket).

The Gourmet Salad Hut has a huge variety of salad greens and herbs.

Get in early – they sell out fast!

I love to make a lasagne with the fresh basil, and the aroma from the kitchen is divine.

Next on my list is Hayters Hill Farm for meats and and fresh eggs.

They have a great choice of veal, steaks, mince and gourmet sausages, straight from the farm to their stall.

Hayters Hill Farm Fresh Meats at Byron Bay Farmers Market

This is where I get my mince to make the lasagne.

Try  the chorizo style sausages tossed through a salad or some pasta.

The scotch fillets are melt in your mouth tender, and no hacking away at your steak is required.

Also try the crumbed veal (with or without parmesan). And the good news…low on kilojoules – great for those that are health conscious!

The Hayters Hill Farm produce is so fresh it will last for days in the fridge, and also freezes well.

Just a little further down is the Bangalow Cheese Company.

Justin Telfer hand-makes a variety of cheeses from the local dairy populations of the Byron Bay area.

Bangalow Cheese Company at Byron Bay Farmers Market

My favourite is the Tintenbar Triple Cream…a subtle, soft, deliciously creamy delight. It goes so well with your choice of red wine.

Justin also makes Byron Bay Blue, Binna Burra Blue, Brooklet Brie, Wilson’s Creek White, Federal Fetta, Coorabell Fresh Curd, and Nashua Washed Rind.

The Bangalow Cheese Company is a very popular stall at the Byron Bay Famers Market. Get in early to avoid disappointment.

Justin will happily take your orders and bring them to the stall the next week.

Be careful with your fast ripening cheeses like Camembert – ask for a younger one, otherwise you may find it has matured too much and will be quite pungent – check for an odour of ammonia (some people do prefer this, however).

Next stop is Pinny’s Products.

Pinny has a beautiful selection home made chutneys, jams and pickles.

Pinny's Products at Byron Bay Farmers Market

I always seek out her chutneys…thick and chunky pieces of fruit or vegetable – they go fantastically on a steak or with some poppadoms.

She also has an ever changing variety of local produce at great prices.

I was lucky to find some farm fresh broccoli, still with a blue tinge to the florets.

From here it’s on to another cheese stall, Tweed Valley Whey.

Deb and Sue do a “Norm & Dee” Camembert cheese, creamy and delicious.

They have a variety of cheeses, but the are renowned for their Haloumi.

Tweed Valley Whey Farmhouse Cheeses at Byron Bay Farmers Market

If you haven’t heard of Haloumi, it is a rubbery, salty cheese. It is meant to be cooked.

Fry it in a pan, or on a barbeque until it is a light golden brown . It will soften slightly.

Serve hot with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and you are in heaven.

Like I mentioned before, be careful with more mature soft cheeses – ask for a younger one if you prefer a less developed taste and ammonia aroma.

Here’s some more stalls to check out:

• Byron Bay Pork
• Coopers Shoot Vine Ripened Tomatoes
• Nimbin Valley Pecans
• Rous Fresh (lots of gluten free items)
• Ewingsdale Organic
• Monty’s Strawberries
• Corndale Country Fresh Eggs

There are more stalls that I haven’t mentioned but are just as fantastic, each with something unique to offer.

Don’t confuse this farmers market with the Byron Bay Markets (crafts etc) which are held in the same location once a month, on Sunday.

The Byron Bay Farmers Market is located at the Butler St Reserve, and has plenty of parking. It can get very busy during holiday periods, so expect some traffic and a bit of a walk!

Parking is free but please, don’t forget a small donation to one of the local charities.

After overhearing a work mate talking of the Tapas Train, I was sucked in, sadly this New Farm restaurant failed to impress.  The options are sit at the Tapas train, which was decidedly empty or a regular table, I booked a table.

The menu as far as I could tell offered only banquet options, however, we could order more than 1 type of banquet as long as we ordered at least 2.  Does that make sense…?

So we had 2 “All hot” banquets and 2 Pintxo banquets.  There were four ladies dining, with a fifth to join, after being advised we should order a 5th banquet we chose to keep with our 4 – big mistake.

The portions, while delicious, are small!  Deep fried olives, salad, gambas, chorizo, meatballs, scollaps and bruschetta were our offerings.  All quite tasty, though again I repeat, small.

From what we could tell, the Tapas train concept is pretty much the same as the Sushi trains around town, $/plate depending on the plate colour and contents.

After polishing off the banquets, we all got very excited about a traditional Spanish dessert - churos!!  However, all of us were again disappointed, gooey inside, and way too crunchy – not in a good way either.

The South Americans amongst us thought little of the Spanish offerings too.

The other positive I can offer is the service was good, attentive and helpful.

Be ware:  it’s byo with a $3/PERSON charge for corkage which turns a cheap and cheerful bottle of wine into something not worth what you’ve paid.

I walked away hungry…maybe we should have heeded the waitresses words.

http://www.pintxo.com/

Pintxo Spanish Taperia

561 Brunswick Street
New Farm
Queensland, Australia

phone: 07 3333 2231

After being recommended by a couple of colleagues the opportunity presented itself for dinner at this South Brisbane gem.  After being informed they “do” sittings, I opted for the early sitting.

We were greeted by friendly smiling staff who obliged us our request of a change of table.  There are benches or tables to chose from, with timber accents and soft lighting the atmosphere was casual yet classy.

We were presented with our menus and a lacklustre offering of the special of the day. After our dinner companion arrived, our next waiter took our drink order and gave a winning description of the special and thus had a winner with B.

At this point I would like to say how fantastic our waiter was for the evening, a young English guy with a great knowledge of the menu and personality to suit his vocation – as we all know there is very little service in customer service these days!!

Ok the menu, it was brief but very enticing.  We decided to share 3 entrees, and have our own mains.  2 steaks and, of course, the special.  The scallops, prawns and salmon entrees were delivered really quite promptly and tasted as delicious as they looked.  The creamy, mustardy, brandy sauce on the prawns was devine!

After a suitable rest our mains were served.  My steak was cooked perfectly and the special was getting a glowing review.  The only thing I wasn’t a fan of was the treviso (?) served with my steak, however, our companion commented that the flavour grew on her.

We all caved and ordered dessert, 1 of each of the 3 offerings – creme brulee, chocolate pudding and apple and chestnut tart.  All were delicious!!

The wine list is predominantly French, with a sneaky NZ entry.  Generous sized glasses of wine too, a glass and a half for those who are driving. I go the impression if you only had a hankering for a glass of French wine, then that would be just fine too.

Overall, a great experience, great food, great service, great atmosphere and of course great company!!

Our first event of the revamped WNDC was a tad disappointing.  After discovering our original choice was closed down, B decided on Kafe Meze.  A Greek restaurant/cafe in South Brisbane, a neighbour of the Brisbane institution 3 Monkeys.  A nice, bright, white interior greeted me, arriving slightly late.   We had a table out on the back deck, which was nice, though bring a coat, potential for chilliness!

There was water on the table when i arrived, but no-one had any other drinks, whether they were offered or not, I can’t say, I suspect the offer hadn’t yet been forthcoming.

A moderate sized menu of all things Greek.  The traditional offering of Dolmades, Haloumi, eggplant, dips with bread etc for starters followed by a large selection of souvlaki and salads for mains.  The wine list consisted of a mix of both Greek and Australian offerings.

I have to say I was none to impressed when our meals arrived.  $30 for a plate of iceberg and some souvlaki is a bit rich for my taste.  The moussaka was flavourless, how one manages that with Lamb I’m not sure.  Our buckets of wine arrived shortly before our meals – make sure you have plenty of time up your sleeve before you have to drive!!  Which I suppose represents good value.

Some indulged in the Greek desserts but I chose to sit that one out. 

I guess if you go with low expectations, you wont be disappointed.

Kafe Meze

The Grant Street Clinic has a new website with all the information you will need to find your Ballina doctor.

They have a choice of doctors available, and some procedures are bulk billed.

They also provide health test and skin cancer checks – a must for us Aussies!

This family medical clinic in Ballina is all you need for your complete health care.

New patients welcome.

Give them a call today…

grantstreetclinic.com.au