Eat Like Ushi

The ramen craze has filtered its way to Melbourne. There were always a few that I thought were average but acceptable - Ajisen, Ramen-Ya (before they closed in the GPO) and Meshiya in QV. I can't say I ever truly appreciated the ramen joy until London. Even in multiple trips to Japan, visiting the ramen floor in Kyoto's train station building and Ippudo, to the miso/salt/soy broths in the smaller suburbs, it really took the rich tonkotsu of Bone Daddies to create the craze for me. In fact in my last few months in London, it was probably my most frequently visited place.

My attempts to find something of equivalent calibre led to me to Ippudo in Sydney, with Gumshara and Ikkyu on the list for next time. Sadly I fear they won't live up to my expectations but it won't stop me trying.

A brief online read gave me a few Melbourne names for when the opportunity arises - Little Ramen Bar, Fukuryu, Kokoro etc. The closest and possibly highest rated seemed to be Hakata Gensuke, complete with the reputation for the welcoming irasshaimase on arrival.

For the first occasion, I couldn't go past the Signature Tonkotsu with special toppings (added cha-shu slices, seaweed and boiled egg). One slice of cha-shu seems ridiculously stingy as an option and an egg is essential so looking at a minimum $21 bowl of noodles. Hmmm. Luckily the soup is a very tasty hearty and unmistakably Japanese ramen pork broth. It didn't have the same thick fatty richness coating the noodles but I won't complain. It was good. The cha-shu is remarkably non-fatty also which is a bonus too. Add a good amount of crushed garlic, chilli spices (in lieu of shichimi powder), pickles and you have a fine bowl of ramen.

Next time I would order the same Signature Tonkotsu with special toppings. I'm curious to try the Black Tonkotsu but I fear the black sesame will ruin the beauty of the broth. Willing to try once.

I'm not sure what the inspiration (and the name) behind this week-old place is, but it seems to be all old school and funky. It's evident from the DJ playing soulful records in the corner of the dining room, the red-tinged lighting and one of the coolest decorated toilets I've ever seen. Fat Albert? Yep. Soul Glo?? Yep (watch Coming To America for all you youngsters).

Thankfully the food is good too. Just look at the menu for all the excellent cuts of meat that are underused - pig's ears, bone marrow, ox tail, beef cheeks (I hope they add some of my other favourites later on) - these actually sparked my intrigue and anticipation. There are of course some standards for the less adventurous.

- Pickled okra (no photo) - tastes like okra that's been boiled in vinegar but retains some crunch. It's a simple snack;
- Pig's ear chips with cayenne salt (no photo) - 4 serves of these were just enough for 8 people. Better than the Duck & Waffle version. The best accompaniment for cocktails;
- Sweetbread nuggets (lamb sweetbreads, honey & thyme glaze)(no photo) - you'll never go back to McNuggets after these fried salty sweet ones;
- Jerk chicken wings - little grilled chicken drumsticks;
- Mac & cheese (with 3 cheeses) - rich flavoursome with a nice crust topped with (more) cheese;
- Roasted bone marrow (with pickles, smoked salt, sourdough) - not a fan of this. It's essentially fat on toast (as it is everywhere) but the bread was average and the marrow didn't have much seasoning;
- Shoestring fries (with capsicum ketchup) - fries with a slightly spicy (paprika?) seasoning. Nothing special;
- Fried chicken and waffles (with spiced maple syrup) - very tasty crispy batter, tender chicken;
- Tongue & cheek (veal, grilled tongue, braised cheek, sweet potato puree) - the tongue wasn't so memorable, but the cheek was tender as expected;
- Pork ribs (slaw, bourbon BBQ sauce) - you can never go past pork ribs. I expected the typical pork rack of ribs, but this was actually (surprisingly) a short section of pork belly on the rib. The skin had a little crispiness, the meat was succulent and the little bits of fat in between the layers kept it quite moist;
- Apple pie (cinnamon, spiced rub) - 4 crusty fried puffs of hot apple filling. Reminded me like an upmarket version of McDonald's apple pie with more caramel tones. It was fine but I'm not enamoured. A more sharing way to end the meal;
- Quince & rhubarb cobbler - quince, rhubarb, icecream - a slightly more refined way to end the meal.

Go there to hang out and have some snacks and drinks. Enjoy the atmosphere. This place (with a few menu tweaks from various London influences on me) would be the type of thing I'd like to own myself. Will definitely be back.

Next time I would order Sweet bread nuggets and Pig's ear chips with pre-drinks or whilst waiting for other people to arrive. Mac & cheese (or the  Ox tail slider I didn't try) as a filler, and pork ribs to finish it off. Apple pie is easy to share, but otherwise I'd save dessert and have more drinks.

I don't remember any restaurant being next to the tram stop at Box Hill. Honestly I've only ever caught a tram from there once in my life and figured any building on the median strip itself would be similar to everywhere else in the world - a milk bar, some takeaway food shops, maybe a newsagent. When I heard the cheapest lobster and crab place in town was there, I was surprised. 4 years it's been there? Even more surprised.

The place is a basic cafe, nothing more to expect. You aren't going for service or nice surroundings or to be seen. You go for two reasons - lobster ($25.80 per pound) and crab ($11.80 per pound). Manage your expectations accordingly. I've heard that some of the crabs only have one claw - that would be unfortunate given the most accessible meat in a crab is in the claw. I'd suggest requesting one with two claws (if they allow it) or stick to lobster under those circumstances. Otherwise go somewhere more reputable (and more expensive). XO sauce costs $10 more - I don't understand why, it just does. The usual thick ginger sauce it fine enough, although if you order too many serves of noodles you might find there isn't enough sauce to smother it.

How is the food? The crab is delicious. The meaty parts of it are at least. I've always had an aversion to picky tiny bits of crab meat in amongst spitting out bits of shell. It's why I avoid crab unless it had good claws (variable), thick meaty legs (eg. Scandanavian king crabs) or picked out and created spectacularly for me (eg. Cervejaria Ramiro in Lisbon). I can understand why one claw only would be annoying (we were lucky with 2 crabs and 4 claws).

The lobster is average. The meat is quite generous in amount, but unfortunately the texture lacks the spring and is closer to a thick chicken breast. The flavour is there at least.

I'd go back again for a crab (with 2 legs) and give the lobster another try. If it wasn't for the price I probably wouldn't.

The day after returning to Melbourne from London, the first meal out was Chimac. It was sold as fusion Mexican-Korean with a fried chicken focus. That sounds alright doesn't it?

It seems the area behind Queen Vic Market has developed into a series of (mainly Korean) Asian restaurants. Maybe they've been here for a while but I'm just slow to catch up with the Korean street food movement. Maybe it's simply because I don't mind Queen Vic all that appealing, and there Wednesday evening summer markets have really ordinary festival-style food.

- Spicy Pork and Bulgogi Tacos - $15 for 2 tacos? Times are changing;
- Fried Dumpling - don't remember them to be honest. So presumably standard, not bad, not great;
- Chimac Chicken (bloody sweet and ultra crispy) - chicken is fine, the sauces are sticky and tasty. Comfort food.

It's social food. It's okay without being great. It's probably expensive for what you're getting. I think the marketing is probably capitalising on the reputation of the Kogi food truck in LA. But it's working and I wouldn't protest in coming back here.

Dumplings - one of the simplest things to eat, one of the most satisfying, definitely one of the most social, and yet also quite annoying to make yourself (well any more than one variety at a time). Leave them to the experts - Asian usuallly, and I'd also recommend Russian pelmeni if you ever find yourself there.

A small chain I'd never heard of before with a name I'd probably usually stay away from. But in Flemington it seemed like a reasonable idea on a freakishly hot January day.

- Pan-Fried Vegetarian Dumplings - I wouldn't ordinarily go for vegetarian, but there was enough pork ordered also. These were slightly chewy/crispy skins (which is good) and simple vegetarian filling. Nothing special, nothing bad;
- Shao-Long Bao - quite tasy Shanghai dumplings although a couple were torn so lost the liquid inside, and the liquid wasn't searingly hot as it usually is. Vinegar made it all the better;
- Deep-Fried Lamb Spare Ribs with Homemade Sauce - my ribs craze continued here with a wonderful dish of succulent soft rack of lamb ribs topped with a medium spicy chilli sauce.

Next time I would order pan-fried pork dumplings (as I prefer pan-fried over pure steamed) or if you want steamed the ones with Sichuan chilli sauce sound interesting. Naturally a serve of Lamb Ribs also - need you wonder?

Tom Phat has been on the breakfast to-do list for a very long time. Maybe times and tastes have changed, but the roti omelette was one of the breakfast items of the year back in 2007 (although to be fair I didn't read about it until probably 2009). In any case, waiting 4+ years for something that really isn't that far away, and considering how many breakfasts I've had in between, meant that the occasion finally appeared when two people would meet halfway from respective homes which seemed to be Brunswick.

South-East Asian flavour fusion is still (I think) quite new to breakfast. In Asia I'm used to congee, pho, cheong fun etc, but I can only remember one other Asian-inspired breakfast, being the roti (surprise surprise) at De Clieu.

On a near empty Monday morning, I read the menu to see if anything else would appeal to me more. Uncle Ho's Brekky sounds like Vietnamese broken rice. Black Sticky Rice sounds like a standard dessert in Asia (and now courtesy of Dessert Story). Yunnan-Baked Eggs actually sounds delicious and may be what I come for next time. But for a first visit, your hand is forced by the signature memory of 2007.

- Roti-Omelette (wok-tossed free range eggs & roti, bacon, chives, roasted tomato salsa) - it was a nice combination and certainly different from the usual bacon/eggs/sourdough. I think it gets more merit from being creative and fusion than ground-breaking taste. I still think curry can't be matched when it comes to pairing with roti;
- Sweet Corn Fritters (with poached egg, smoked salmon, avocado-salsa, baby spinach & harissa mayo) - nicely assembled stack with fried shallots and a generous pile of coriander and mild spicy sauce. Tasted as it sounds - good.

They also have a lunch/dinner menu that sounds like a combo of South-East Asia (Viet, Thai, Malay). 

I'd still recommend coming to try breakfast - it's at least a change from the other Melbourne cafes all of which have roughly the same menu.

My dad is a sucker for Scoopon vouchers for meals. Ever since I donated him one I couldn't use for a breakfast near Bridge Road, he sets out to research each offer to determine if it's a good deal or not. After about 2 months of constant reminders, we settled on a breakfast day in Northcote. 2 breakfasts + drinks for $29. It's not a bad deal considering you'll pay $40-45 in Melbourne generally for somewhere nice.

Over The Road is a cafe which also doubles as a store for antiques, homewares and general crap. Don't get me wrong, some of the items, particularly the wall clocks, are quite nice. Over the road from the cafe is a nursery, for which you can get a discount on plants if you eat at the cafe. It's not a bad setup and gives you somewhere to relax, eat and be interested in your surroundings.

Luckily the food isn't bad either. I wouldn't say the breakfast was anything incredible, but I'd be happy to go back. Preferably with a Scoopon.

- Fried eggs, hash brown, mushrooms, sausages, bacon, spinach
- Halloumi, poached egg, chorizo, sourdough and rocket

Dainty Sichuan Food Box Hill - The Age Good Food Guide best new under $30. That accolade is enough to make someone want to go. After a recent unexpectedly good Sichuan experience in Canberra filled with numbing chilli, it seemed a good idea to try for a casual quiet lunchtime.

The food ordering process is 3 steps: 1) Select two broths in a ying-yang shaped pot. 2) Select the meat/fish/vegetables you want to self cook in your hotpot. 3) Select from the large variety of condiments/sauces to complement your meal.

Mine turned out to be oxtail and super spicy soup. Wagyu beef, mushrooms, lamb ribs skewers, (frozen) baby squid, mixed balls (squid, fish, meat). Condiments included coriander, spring onion, raw garlic, chilli sauce, sesame oil, sesame dipping sauce, and for some fun value, good old MSG.

What can I say - the super spicy soup is cough-inducing spicy. Oxtail soup tastes quite generic. They also top all soups up with the same murky yellow (MSG-laden I thought) stock. The ribs were good, the squid balls were smooth, all the rest was pretty ordinary. The sauces and condiments add to the flavour but none are really required. (Note adding MSG doesn't change the flavour a whole lot - perhaps that's an indication of how much is in there to begin with?)

It isn't all that cheap, it isn't all that fantastic. It is fun though, and a good way to spend time with people. Go for the right reason. I can't understand why else people would come here for the food itself.

(PS. It's quite possible their non-hotpot food is better. My preferred Sichuan meals have all been dishes, so maybe that's the difference.)

Driving back from Phillip Island on Australia Day Sunday was a hot and bothering affair. Whilst Rafa Nadal was losing to the coolest bandwagon player in town, Wawrinka, a late night dinner was happening at Cocoro (why they decided not to spell it Kokoro I'll never know). I'd long been wanting to go here. Since Anada on Gertrude St replaced one of my favourite small Japanese restaurants, Wabi Sabi Salon had been a reasonable local replacement. But Cocoro had it's own brand of followers and even though I'd walked past dozens of times, I'd never ventured in. Perhaps it was because I don't tend to try places which are cafes attached to shops as such.

Cocoro is definitely more a restaurant first and a place for displaying and showcasing Japanese pottery second. Shelves on the walls are lined with pottery product you can buy and each dish comes out handmade wares that attract its own fair amount of attention.

Besides food and pottery, Cocoro is also proud of its organic green tea. On a hot evening, iced green tea seemed like a good idea but I wouldn't recommend it. A lot of the flavour is lost in the coldness. Organic Black Honey Green Tea Latte on the other hand was smooth and quite sweet, and was served in an inspiring shaped mug.

- Grilled Sake & Soy Sauce Oysters - the oysters were quite small and heavily cooked. They had some strong soy saltiness that was fine, but also reminded me why I only really eat oysters raw;
- Takoyaki - nicely cooked with a more distinct soft nut-like texture different to the usual smooth paste inside. There was a tiny single sucker of octopus inside and a nice heaving of bonito for flavour. The wasabi in the mayonnaise wasn't detectable;
- Crab Sushi - excellent sushi rice wrapped in nori and topped with a smooth blend of mild crab meat. I actually liked the rice and nori more than the crab topping;
- Japanese-style Deep Fried Atlantic Salmon in garlic/ginger/soy/sake marinade - thin slices of smoothly crumbed salmon topped with mayonnaise. A healthier version of kara age I'm thinking.

Overall the food was good and satisfying but nothing I'd say that was outstanding or great. There is a lot of items on the menu, so everyone's Japanese taste can be covered here.

Next time I would order Natural Ponzu Oysters, Aburi Sashimi (although I rarely get sushi/sashimi from restaurants these days), and probably try something staple like Agedashi Tofu or the Beef & Tofu Stew. I'd also leave room for the dessert Green Tea Parfait, which I have high hopes for given their green tea tendencies and the quality of the green tea latte.

I've never been overly impressed with Japanese food in Melbourne. It's one of those things - once to have it in Japan, the quality and price difference is hard to stomach sometimes. Melbourne has a few decent ones of course - Shira Nui has nigiri omakase, Shoya has a nice set menu, Yokoyama has shiromi sushi, Izakaya Den has stylish grit, Koko has atmosphere, Yu-u I still haven't managed to get a second reservation to try - all have very high prices. Chuji is probably the only reasonably cheap one. Nonetheless Bone Daddies has kept my cravings along the lines of ramen, something I'm yet to find a good tonkotsu version here yet. Reading about the new places online, the ramen ones all have mediocre ratings. But light at the end seemed to be a relatively recent (2012) soba venture - something I've walked past in the week prior to eating there and haven't taken notice.

They pride themselves on homemade handmade soba with a buckwheat mill visible in the dining area. The staff are Japanese (adding authenticity) although given the raucous goodbyes, I now would somewhat expect the missing "irasshaimase" to be added.

They have a nice selection of sake and umeshu, including some cocktails. Like everywhere else, it is reasonably expensive but the umeshu range (my choice of Japanese drink poison) is better than I've seen anywhere in the western world.

- Agedashi Tofu - firm tofu, daikon, bonito shavings, spring onion in a strong salty dashi. Delicious;
- Kingfish Salada - tender sashimi slices with mixed salad and ponzu dressing;
- Takoyaki - good doughy texture but I hoped for more tako on the inside;
- Tempura Soba - a beautiful dashi-based miso soup, slightly chewy soba and some nice light prawn & vegetable tempura on the side (thank goodness not served dunked in the soup);
- Sake Pudding - creamy, sweet topped with yuzu citrus. Nice way to balance the meal at the end.

Overall a good experience, something different in Melbourne and something to hit the healthier noodle craving. Perhaps they'll branch out to tonkotsu ramen soon...

Next time I would order any of the soba dishes as well as the agedashi tofu (although if you get the hot soup soba, you might find the flavours of both too similar - but it's worth it). Everything else is optional.