Eat Like Ushi

During the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival this year there was a dedicated event to icecream. Messina and others represented the local market and the international act was Big Gay Ice Cream from NYC. Other than the attention grabbing name, the high regard (and cookbook) made it an attractive deal.

The signature dish from these guys during the MFWF was the Tim Tam Slam. Although they only setup shop for a few days, the Tim Tam Slam was still available to order freshly made on any day.

I did go on one of the non-official days and delightfully ordered this special. What I received was a pretty disappointing result. The icecream felt topped or mixed with cream and really didn't have much in the way of vanilla flavour let alone any visible beans. The standard Australian Tim Tam had been crushed underneath and plunked on top to make it special. Seriously if this is the best the USA can do in terms of icecream or gelato, there is a long way to go.

You can argue a few things here - they didn't serve it themselves (who knows how it was bastardised and ruined in their absence), the soft serve is different texturally to icecream and so I'm critiquing a different product here (yes soft serve is what 20 years ago McDonald's used to do for 30c and most of us have matured from that flavour, mush texture and price point). But if you're going to give your brandname and reputation to a product, it should be good. And sadly this was really ordinary.

(I know this isn't strictly a NYC branch issue but again, see last point.)

For comparisons, my last few years included: 
http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/gelato-trail-italy-07-2012, 
http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/dooleys-the-ice-cream-tub-apollo-bay-02-2016, 
http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/bibelot-melbourne-03-2016, 
http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/pel-gelato-and-sorbetto-hobart-01-2016, 
http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/frugii-dessert-laboratory-canberra-12-2015, 
http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/cow-and-moon-sydney-05-2015, 
http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/gelato-secrets-ubud-12-2014, 
http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/amorino-gelato-lisbon-10-2013, 
http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/gelataria-sincelo-porto-10-2013.

I first discovered Yum Bun online and then in person at Broadway Market (http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/broadway-market-london-2012-2013). In fact, I made my maiden trek to this market just to try them. As I had visited David Chang's Momofuku a year earlier, I was surprised (and amazed) to find I enjoyed the Yum Bun versions more. Maybe it was the cold weather and rain, but they were so very great.

As the months went on, I visited Broadway several times for the buns, but they seemed to appear there less and less (including on my birthday in 2012 which I was bitterly disappointed). Eventually they opened the store front and it became apparent.

The buns were as good as ever, better than the USA, Melbourne and other parts of London and Europe that were doing them. They are still my favourite and will remain so. Despite a few different flavours, the original pork belly will always be the best. One particular time the pork had a crisp textural shell. I thought it was skin, but the owner told me they never use skin and so it must have been crispened by the grilling. I'll have to remember to ask for that every time.

It's a shame the store has now closed.

01-2018

It's been a long time since Yum Bun graced my lips and in that time it appears Bao has become the premier bun place (even though I haven't tried it). The revamp of the foodie section of Spitalfields gave me a good opportunity to try again my lost lust.

£7.5 for 2 buns or £9 to include the meal (salad) and an extra £1 for a flavoursome soup (not miso but equivalently nice).

Unfortunately the bun quality has deteriorated over the years. Firstly the pork bun no longer comes with hoisin but instead used another sauce (plum sauce I think) which changes the flavour completely and not for the better. The pork is smaller but still reasonable sized but look at those tatty broken peeled buns. Compare with the beauty of the originals from Broadway Schoolyard market or the store near Old St and there is a significant difference.

Tofu was heavily fried and had very slight flavour.

Despite that, it had the longest queues in Spitalfields so maybe not everyone shares my view (or my nostalgia).

Of all the markets in London, I spent the most time at Broadway. From home in Whitechapel it was an easy bus straight up north and so meant I could carry a few Sainsbury re-usable bags and come home with goodies from there (and the nearby Tesco superstore to stock up on organic UHT soy milk).

The first time I went to Broadway was for one reason - Yum Bun and their David Chang-copied pork belly bao. It was a beautiful snack, better than the original in my opinion, and as they began to leave Broadway there were several instances where I turned up and they didn't.

I had to find another reason to go, and it became the game meats and local pig farmer stand there. My staples were venison shin and pork ribs which I always turned into stew for the week and noodle soups for warming up the winters.

Other than that my favourite snacks were the Remix Roti, Vada Chaat and chai as well as one day sampling the Macbeth haggis toastie at Deeney's (both places in the schoolyard area, as was Yum Bun). Netil Market nearby also has Lucky Chip burgers and a spinoff of the seafood place within Broadway and a taco van. The food in Broadway is decent (£5-6 for a banh mi considering I'm used to the $4 ones in Abbotsford is a little beyond me...), but I think with the exception of the schoolyard stands, none of it is essential visiting. Borough is better for that in my opinion.

There's nothing quite like visiting Borough Market. Some people enjoy the bustle of Saturday when all the tourists flock and the stalls are heaving. I personally much prefer weekdays, when many vendors are still open but there is space to sit, wander, peruse and enjoy the gardens next to the church.

I've tried many things in Borough, from the paella as soon as you descend the stairs coming off London Bridge, the cake and pastry stands, multiple sausage stands, melted cheese, pies and then the back areas with seafood, curries and roast pork rolls.

What are my favourites?
- Richard Haward - easily my favourite and the reason I go to Borough. The oysters are good, the clams are great. Strong, pungent, oceany, delicious, it's good that they've moved from a cart to a stall;
- Brindisa - the chorizo smell fills the area outside. Although the double chorizo is decadent and value for money, I feel the single has a better balance of ingredients overall;
- Ginger Pig - good quality (but expensive) cuts of meat;
- 3bis - quality Italian gelato in London and closeby;
- Roast - roast pork belly sandwich (with extra crispy crackling);
(Monmouth - I don't drink coffee, but the Australians tell me it's Aussie-grade coffee).

Allow me to describe just how excited I was to read about Tahina Bar for my upcoming visit to Northcote. It isn't an area I frequent often at all and choosing between here and Wild Yak Tibetan was easier than I thought.

Israeli cooking - there's only one name that comes to find for that which is Yotam Ottolenghi. For some reason the "foodies" and vegetarians I know in Melbourne have never heard of him. It's time to educate yourselves. Owning his cookbooks (Ottolenghi, Plenty, Plenty More, Jerusalem and Nopi), watching his mediterranean feast TV show and going to his restaurants (http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/ottolenghi-london-10-2013) makes me a bit of a fan.

I had read about Tahina's Israeli roots and excellent falafels. My second interest in Middle Eastern cuisine stemming from the incredible fresh hot falafels crushed in pita for 50cents in Jordan, to the discovery of a restaurant which spawned my favourite outdoor eatery in London (http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/yalla-yalla-london-02-2013-03-2013-05-2013-10-2013) and then to trying to find a replacement in Canberra (http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/habibiz-canberra-09-2015).

Tahina Bar seems like a takeaway place that happens to have bar seating and a few outdoor tables. There's two main specials - shakshuka and falafel. They serve a variety of these too which keeps things interesting as well as some other dishes and hipster smoothies (I'm not sure if there's an Israeli connection or just appeal for the local market).

- Red Shakshuka (poached eggs in tomatoes, herbs & spices with Israeli salad, spicy green salad, pickled cabbage, hummus, tahini & pita bread) $15 - savoury tomato base like sugo which was good but I didn't feel went well with pita. Maybe it's all the baked egg dishes (eg. cazuela) with sourdough that I'm used to;
- Falafel Salad (3 green parsley, coriander & mint + 3 red pepper & chilli falafels, with hummus, Israeli salad, spicy green salad, pickled cabbage, tahini, parsley & za'atar spice) $14.5 - I preferred the mild spice & chilli of the red falafels more than the green. The soft creamy falafel textures crushed well into the pita although I prefer the outsides much thicker and crispier which adds a huge textural contrast. Nonetheless this dish was delicious and the pita sandwiches were fantastic.

I ordered the $2 extra for pita and hummus with the falafel salad. I wonder if that stacked with the pita & hummus that comes with the shakshuka or if I paid extra for nothing. In any case the 4 pitas was enough for 2 people and 2 mains but it would be good to know.

Chocolate Wendy's Frosty (banana, cacao, cacao nibs, maple syrup, Himalayan sea salt, coconut milk, ice) $10 was a beautiful thick drink of dark chocolate. I'd happily have this again but the Monte Carlo and Purple Protein Boost also sound enticing.

Considering the immense influence Ottolenghi has had on my dining preferences I'm surprised I hadn't written this blog post earlier. I first came across the name back in 2010 when looking for good vegetarian cookbooks and the names Ottolenghi and Plenty. Once I planned to move to London, it was a name that I intended to go searching for to see what the originals tasted like.

Funnily enough my first experience was with the more conveniently located Nopi (http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/nopi-london-09-2012) with a gluten-free friend. The food that evening was exceptional, both meats and vegetarian and gave me a taste as to what is was all about. It wasn't until my second last day before leaving that I booked a final lunch with friends and ticked Ottolenghi in Angel off my list.

The display has a beautiful selection of cakes and tarts to finish off the meal of colourful salads. The selection is by a main and accompanying salads to compose an artwork dish.

- Chargrilled salmon with anchovies, mint, parsley, capers & lemon salsa
- Roasted pumpkin with sundried tomato dressing, chickpeas, red onion, cumin, feta, barberries & herbs
- Roasted aubergine with black garlic yoghurt, fried chilli, caramelised hazelnuts & herbs
- Mixed peppers & brown bulgar tabbouleh with mixed nuts, red onion & pomegranate seeds

The salads read like a dream concoction that illustrates just how Ottolenghi has put salads and Middle Eastern cuisine on my culinary map. The salmon was well cooked but served cold, which I found unusual (but I suppose it is a salad bar). It did seem quite expensive for a lunch salad plate so I wouldn't frequent there but for the occasional splurge and excellence of colour and flavour (and reputation) I'm glad I went.

I'd wanted to try Dandelion for years now (since 2011) however my Vietnamese dining companions refused - modern Vietnamese isn't something they wanted to try. They are the biggest offenders when it comes to "this is not good/authentic because it isn't my mum's" type comments and to me shows I can't trust their opinions (as wonderful friends they may be) when it comes to eating Vietnamese food.

I suppose I never pushed it because the reviews seemed to be very mixed (ranging from 50-70% on various websites) which I couldn't account for simply being those impossible to impress types.

However many years later the opportunity came now back in Melbourne and able to visit at part of the Food & Wine Festival express lunch. $40 for 2 courses and a glass of wine (or in my case double happiness flower tea) meant a cheap way of testing the flavours and skills. I'm sure with several years of one chef hat awards, it couldn't be as bad as the unhappy reviewers. The menu wasn't released in advance so I was hopeful it would feature some of the regular and known dishes.

Unfortunately none of the express menu were from regular dishes (previous specials perhaps?) or maybe just testing something new.

- Ocean soup of prawns, squid, crab, snow mushrooms & coriander crest - reminiscent of shark fin, the crab threads created the base of the soup. Two good prawns and squid rounded out the seafood in this nice savoury soup with reasonable flavour strength;
- King brown mushrooms & cherry tomatoes in creamy coconut sauce & silken tofu - I honestly picked this as the thought of 2 rice paper rolls seemed too standard an entree to order from such a place. I was rewarded by a lovely dish of excellent individual elements (particularly the tofu) put together with a coconut sauce that married the dish together tasting similar to a delicious not-soupy tom kha;
- Twice-cooked gravy beef salad & banana blossom with green pepper dressing & peanuts - the beef was fine but not as tender as I hoped but the dressing was perfectly balanced and the fragrance of this was most palpable. Unusually the salad had celery which I found a little surprising but complemented the dressing flavours;
- Roasted quail stuffed with water chestnut, lotus seed, goji berries & shiitake mushroom - sauce tasted similar to a Malaysian medicinal soup my mum makes (but this version was less medicinal and more savoury). The quail seemed like the meat has been removed, blended with other ingredients then stuffed back in. The result was a smooth minced filling that bulged out and could be used to absorb the sauce;
- Ginger & lemongrass creme brulee with lychee & papaya fruit salad - I dreamt of Red Lantern's kaffir lime creme brulee when I ordered this. Although not quite as memorable, this was an excellent version with strong ginger and lemongrass flavour coming through. The texture was much grainier than the usual smooth creme (intentional or not I don't know) but I didn't mind. Because of the heating torch the top was warm and became colder eating the way down. The fruit also included dragon fruit and was sprinkled with some kind of green sugar(?).

The table next to me ordered the salmon skewers which were huge and looked fantastic alongside the salad. I'd opt for that main next time (as should future express lunch diners - however knowing Zomato this review will never get published in time for that).

Overall the food quality and flavour was excellent. It may seem expensive for Vietnamese food ($26 Wagyu beef pho and $22 banh xeo for example) but I'm still intending to give the full menu a try sometime.

I remember the surprise at the quality of food and drink at one of Melbourne's best cafes when I came here out of convenience back in December 2009. Back then it appeared out of convenience as I had just moved into the area. After the expanding reputation, the long waits for tables on weekend brunches and the easy opportunity to eat here at off-peak times, I've been back probably more than any other eatery in the world.

Much of the draw is the exceptional Soy Chai Latte which has set the benchmark for me all over the world. Sweet, milky and a strong hit of ginger. I've never been to India so I'm not sure how the original tastes, but this is how it should.

On this particular occasion we opted for the French Toast and Pumpkin Fritters. French Toast was crusty with sweet soft core. I'm not one for French Toast generally but this was clearly better than the average.

I wasn't a fan of the Pumpkin Fritters honestly. They had a chewy texture and tasted a little bland. Not the best option here but not enough for me to forget all the memorable dishes in the past.

Next time I would order the Chai Latte for comfort and wash it down with any of the delicious Porridge, Roasted Mushrooms on Toast, Lamb Open Sandwich all of which have been my staples for the past few years. Enjoy the cosy cafe and strangely elegant atmosphere.

Gertrude Street is perfect for strolling and shopping in a more bohemian part of Melbourne. De Clieu is the pick in the area for coffee and breakfast cafes.

Seven Seeds coffee is pure and strong - just what you want. Soy Chai Latte is thick and frothy with a nice ginger accent.

The signature breakfast I came back for is the Pork Belly on Roti. A thick slab of juicy pork sits on top of a rather atypical roti. Not particularly flaky, with crispy edges but the area underlying the pork was rendered soggy. Perhaps serving them separately would work better. Nonetheless the flavour keeps me returning.

Since poached eggs are typically overcooked in London, I had to get my Melbourne fix. A simple Poached Eggs on Quinoa & Seed Sourdough (with warm tomato chutney) reminded me how great eggs and bread can be. The sourdough toast is fantastic. The poached eggs (one slightly overcooked, one perfectly runny) soaked yolk into the toast. Wonderful. The tomato chutney was warm and simple - adequate but unnecessary in my opinion.

Next time I would order the chai or coffee - depending upon what your inclination is. Poached Eggs will keep you satisfied. For something more unique, The Pork Belly on Roti is a good selection but try requesting the roti to be separate or to the side.

The long drive from Melbourne to Wilson's Promontory passes through a few small towns. Leongatha is about 45mins from Wilson's Prom and serves as a good town to stop for a cafe breakfast/brunch/lunch and also pick up supplies from Safeway (aka Woolworths), Baker's Delight and a local butcher all within the same plaza.

In looking for food, we found only one cafe that looked similar to the Melbourne cafes that sets our high standards.

This place is relatively expensive, perhaps transport costs of ingredients is higher in these areas. They also claim 98% of food ingredients are prepared on the premises. We had two mains, a side of fries, a smoothie, a juice and a coffee for $50. The lunch menu is basically divided into headings - salad, pasta, soup etc each of which seems to change daily.

- Yellow Curry of Chicken - curry was a touch dilute perhaps but still good;
- Fried Calamari - very tasty and well salted calamari. The outside was not particularly crispy, but the flavour made up for that;
- Fries - thick potatoes hand cut and fried with skin on. Relatively crisp outside, soft inside;
- Mixed Banana/Berry Smoothie - very very thick heavy smoothie with a hint of cinnamon and perhaps honey. Just the way I make them at home - like a meal on its own;
- Juice

Next time I would order the Fries and Mixed Smoothie again. Pick whatever you like from the lunch specials (breakfast menu is fixed).