Today I went to the Mt Dandenong festival where a band called Jaspora was playing (one of my friend knows the members of the band and had raved on about how good their reggae/soca music is ("you won't stop dancing" - she promised)... The weather was pretty moody, with alternating periods of sunshine and pouring rain. There was a power failure so the gig didn't kick off until pretty late... While waiting for the set up, I found my mind wandering...
I was in a place that held significant memories for me. It was a place that marked the end of something which went too deep too quickly, a relationship which never came to fruition, and a goodbye to a person that I still really care for but has moved on from my life. I know it all happened for the best, but on this day, in this place, I couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia and a pang of sadness, as I continued to remember... Sassafras Village Green, Ripe, Sky High...
It seems that my mind naturally associates places with memories, and the curse is such that I can never go back to a place without remembering the significant memories (whether happy or hurtful).
Lately I've caught myself doing this a lot - I'll walk past a particular restaurant, remember the certain occasion that I had gone there for, and think to myself: "well, I screwed that one up". Then I walked past a particular theatre, remembered the humour of a certain situation, and thought: "yep, I screwed that one up too". Funnily, it's often with a smile that I make such an observation to myself. Bad timing, misread signals, mismatched expectations, unsuredness, not knowing what ones wants, self-centredness ... In hindsight, such "screw ups" may often be blessings in disguise. Who knows. The best may be yet to come.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Melbourne Izakaya fever - an evening @ Izakaya Den
After a great time at an event run by the Hive (www.thehive.org.au) last night where the founder of Lonely Planet, Tony Wheeler, was speaking (he signed my Central Asia lonely planet book!!), I went to check out Izakaya Den - a relatively new addition to the Izakaya scene in Melbourne.
A short prelude
When explaining the concept of "Izakaya", I usually describe it as: a japanese "pub" style venue where you can have sake/drinks with your friends and colleagues (very popular with business men in Japan) and order lots of small plates to share (similar to Spanish tapas). The usual orders may include chicken skewers (yakitori), bite-sized seafood delights (e.g. squid, baby octopus), agedashi tofu, beef tataki (slices of slightly seared beef), sushi/sashmi, small serving of tempura or lightly battered vegetables, etc. Beverage-wise may include beer, sake, umeshu (japanese plum (ume) liquor), shochu (distilled from barley, sweet potato or rice).... My favourite is chuhai - which is pretty much like a cocktail - shochu and carbonated water with lemon/grape/apple/etc flavours.
As I had studied Japanese throughout high school and uni, I had known about the concept of Izakaya, and have also been to a variety of Izakayas in Japan (a must-try experience for every visitor to Japan!)
Up to a few years ago, I was only aware of a handful of Izakayas in Melbourne - my favourite being Izakaya Chuji on Lonsdale St (I love their yukke - i.e. raw beef with egg dish - it's addictively delicious!) This year, I discovered that Izakaya Hachibei had replaced Korean bbq restaurant Kimchi Grandma on Bourke St across from my gym. Hachibei is a convenient and reasonable venue when I am looking for a bit of izakaya love - my favourite being their ox tongue specials dish. Approximately $30-40 will give you a hearty meal there. (By the way, for office people looking for a cheap-ish authentic Japanese place for lunch - Izakaya Hachibei do really reasonably priced lunches - e.g. ladies lunch for $10-$12 which will get a mini don or mini chirashi sushi with a mini bowl of udon; guys can feel free to choose what they want in their $10 bento box lunch sets.) I also went to Shogun Izakaya the other night, an izakaya which prides itself for its yakitori / other grilled skewer dishes. It's a place that attracts diverse crowds - students, Japanese, Aussies, other cultures. Reasonably priced (we spent less than $25pp for the meal), the food is tasty enough but nothing out of the box to report.
So yes, the concept of Izakayas is apparently hitting up a storm in Melbourne - see recent article in the Epicure.
Izakaya Den
The facts:
A long and narrow dining room with high-ceiling; mainly black, brown and grey colour scheme (if i remember correctly). Huge mirror at one end which lengthens and "opens up" the space. If you are dining with one or two other friends, the long counter where you can see the kitchen in action would be great fun. Otherwise, there's tall square tables with high seats which would be ideal for an intimate dinner for 3-4.
My friend describes it as "very New York".
The food:
There were two of us last night, and our choices for the evening were as follows:
We didn't try any of the huge variety of sake and imported beverages this time, since we both had work to do that night, but definitely will be wanting to try some sake next time (which appears to be served in science laboratory like glassware from what I saw on other tables).
The service:
Professional, efficient, polite staff. No complaints at all.
Value for money: Servings are modest, but typical of izakayas anyway. Expect to spend at least $40-50 for a decent meal (excluding drinks).
The verdict: Being an obsessive Japan and Japanese food fan, I am a little biased. But this place doesn't remind me of Japan. It reminds me of, well, Melbourne. Yes, it has very heavy Japanese slants, and great elements of a Japanese izakaya, but it's very much a fusion venue at its heart. A great new concept. Hip with an air of understated sophistication. The food is great. Another place to pop on my regulars list.
Food 7.5/10
Ambience 7.5/10
Service 7.5/10
Total: 22.5/30
A short prelude
When explaining the concept of "Izakaya", I usually describe it as: a japanese "pub" style venue where you can have sake/drinks with your friends and colleagues (very popular with business men in Japan) and order lots of small plates to share (similar to Spanish tapas). The usual orders may include chicken skewers (yakitori), bite-sized seafood delights (e.g. squid, baby octopus), agedashi tofu, beef tataki (slices of slightly seared beef), sushi/sashmi, small serving of tempura or lightly battered vegetables, etc. Beverage-wise may include beer, sake, umeshu (japanese plum (ume) liquor), shochu (distilled from barley, sweet potato or rice).... My favourite is chuhai - which is pretty much like a cocktail - shochu and carbonated water with lemon/grape/apple/etc flavours.
As I had studied Japanese throughout high school and uni, I had known about the concept of Izakaya, and have also been to a variety of Izakayas in Japan (a must-try experience for every visitor to Japan!)
Up to a few years ago, I was only aware of a handful of Izakayas in Melbourne - my favourite being Izakaya Chuji on Lonsdale St (I love their yukke - i.e. raw beef with egg dish - it's addictively delicious!) This year, I discovered that Izakaya Hachibei had replaced Korean bbq restaurant Kimchi Grandma on Bourke St across from my gym. Hachibei is a convenient and reasonable venue when I am looking for a bit of izakaya love - my favourite being their ox tongue specials dish. Approximately $30-40 will give you a hearty meal there. (By the way, for office people looking for a cheap-ish authentic Japanese place for lunch - Izakaya Hachibei do really reasonably priced lunches - e.g. ladies lunch for $10-$12 which will get a mini don or mini chirashi sushi with a mini bowl of udon; guys can feel free to choose what they want in their $10 bento box lunch sets.) I also went to Shogun Izakaya the other night, an izakaya which prides itself for its yakitori / other grilled skewer dishes. It's a place that attracts diverse crowds - students, Japanese, Aussies, other cultures. Reasonably priced (we spent less than $25pp for the meal), the food is tasty enough but nothing out of the box to report.
So yes, the concept of Izakayas is apparently hitting up a storm in Melbourne - see recent article in the Epicure.
Izakaya Den
The facts:
- Located in the basement, entrance next to the Postal cafe on Russell St, near the corner of Little Collins St.
- Run by the people from Verge (great fusion food venue on Flinders Lane) - we saw Simon Denton running the show with expert professionalism; and my friend also introduced me to Taka, who apparently is a partner in the business and used to work at Verge
A long and narrow dining room with high-ceiling; mainly black, brown and grey colour scheme (if i remember correctly). Huge mirror at one end which lengthens and "opens up" the space. If you are dining with one or two other friends, the long counter where you can see the kitchen in action would be great fun. Otherwise, there's tall square tables with high seats which would be ideal for an intimate dinner for 3-4.
My friend describes it as "very New York".
The food:
There were two of us last night, and our choices for the evening were as follows:
- Miso soup to start: I was pleasantly surprised with the big piece of crab claw that came inside the soup bowl. The soup was hearty and flavoursome - it's a totally different level from the $3 msg-flavoured miso soup you would get from some other places.
- Deep fried lamb cutlets with red miso sauce on very crispy lettuce: delicious, but the meat was slightly too fatty for my liking.
- Ox tongue with finely-chopped shallots/sesame/garlic dressing: very tasty - ox tongue slices cooked to the right level of tenderness vs chewiness, carefully balanced by the freshness of the dressing
- Pork belly kushi-yaki (i.e. pork belly skewers): large wedges of pork belly meat, nicely salted, succulent
- Lightly seared tuna tataki highlighted by an alternate of horseradish cream and a tangy sauce (i can't work out what's in the tangy orange colored sauce, but it reminds me of the special recipe sauce which J-Cafe places in its spicy salmon sushi burgers...)
We didn't try any of the huge variety of sake and imported beverages this time, since we both had work to do that night, but definitely will be wanting to try some sake next time (which appears to be served in science laboratory like glassware from what I saw on other tables).
The service:
Professional, efficient, polite staff. No complaints at all.
Value for money: Servings are modest, but typical of izakayas anyway. Expect to spend at least $40-50 for a decent meal (excluding drinks).
The verdict: Being an obsessive Japan and Japanese food fan, I am a little biased. But this place doesn't remind me of Japan. It reminds me of, well, Melbourne. Yes, it has very heavy Japanese slants, and great elements of a Japanese izakaya, but it's very much a fusion venue at its heart. A great new concept. Hip with an air of understated sophistication. The food is great. Another place to pop on my regulars list.
Food 7.5/10
Ambience 7.5/10
Service 7.5/10
Total: 22.5/30
Sunday, November 22, 2009
A weekend of unplanned activities + checking out Proud Mary's @ Oxford St, Collingwood
It's really rare for (a control freak like) me to not have concrete plans for the weekend, and in fact, this weekend I really had nothing penciled in the diary at all. So it was a perfect setting to go for a lazy brunch by myself and check out a new specialty coffee venue recommended by fellow blogger Jason - Proud Mary's (172 Oxford Street, Collingwood), a new specialty coffee venue that's been getting rad reviews all over town.
Before I launch into my comments I must note as a big plus that there's lots of free parking around the area (since ticketed parking is until 12:30pm on Saturdays, and does not apply on Sundays - I arrived after 1pm on Saturday 20 November).
Venue: open, laid back; (at this point, i gotta say I hate drawing comparisons because every coffee venue is unique and is its own - i.e. just like every person is unique and is their own person - but, for illustrative purposes only (haha)) PM's does not have the European/funky/trendy vibe of, say, St Ali, or the quirkiness of a venue like the Outpost; BUT what i like about PM's is that it is more accessible - by that I mean it would appeal to a larger, more diverse crowd. Wide spaces, communal big tables as well as smaller ones, and some bench/counter with stools spots where you can observe the superb coffee making OR sit by the window and people watch/daydream (i chose the latter on this slightly mucky weathered Saturday afternoon).
I glanced up and (unexpectedly) saw an old friend from uni who pointed out the mega coffee machine (custom-made six group Synesso) - admittedly I know zilch about coffee machines, I was just there for the coffee. But yes, this custom-made mega machine is a huge deal - go check it out!
Coffee is very good. Appearance of my soy latte was pretty much perfect (by my books). Whilst places like St Ali/Outpost serve a more creamy soy latte (which i refer to as dreamy coffee heaven), PM's is stronger, and, (hear me on this) with greater depth. It really does have this richness and depth about it. They use Five Senses, which I have not been a huge fan of in the past - but here, they do Five Senses very well. I ended up having a second soy latte (I think it's a good idea to have more than one coffee when reviewing, in order to check consistency). Second soy latte was equally strong and satisfying. Tick for consistency (for now anyway)!
Food-wise I had a "Scrambled Mary" - grilled haloumi cheese, chorizo, spiced red pepper salsa with scrambled eggs on thick seeded toast. It was soooooooo yummy!!!
Scrambled eggs were slightly watery/mushy, but the haloumi and chorizo was very tasty!
Great coffee + great food is, of course, a winning combination for success. The staff seem to be still learning to handle the busyness and constant stream of people coming in. So for that, I gotta say there's room for improvement (although the guys & girls are friendly enough). Give them a bit more time, and PM's is bound to be one of the coffee faves in town.
Verdict: 8.5/10 - it doesn't take me to dreamy coffee heaven, but it does take me to this other place of equal satisfaction ( i just don't have a description for it yet)
On leaving PM's, I saw that parked next to my little Nissan Micra was an Alfa Romeo on one side, and a Chrysler on the other. There were people there for the auctions about the place. Lots of warehouse converted into apartments in the area for sale - apparently the one across the road from PM's sold for 980k. Hmm, wouldn't it be nice to own one some day - I think warehouse converted studio apartments are funky and have character. :)
For the rest of my Saturday, I :
- drove to the city;
- went to the gym for a quick workout;
- stumbled upon a small textiles design exhibition @ QV which showcases the work of rmit students in the relevant course;
- watched a bit of breakdancing on show outside State Library, then went inside to the foyer to check out what Alain De Botton books Readings bookstore stocks;
- went to Borders but couldn't find any of the books I wanted so I ended up browsing through the Lonely Planet Asia book and browsed through the countries I may visit on my Silk Road trip next year;
- bought Euphoria eau de parfum (I fell in love with the guy's one first - by the way, Euphoria men and the new Zegna men's fragrance are officially my faves);
- caught up with my best friend Ru at a Japanese izakaya which is famous for yakitori (hmm.. not that impressed);
- Ru and I watched Twilight New Moon @ 9:30pm Hoyts on Xtreme screen (which left me heartbroken for Jacob although I have always liked Edward more (poor jacob!) - no I am not a Twilight book fan - I refuse to read the books to avoid getting addicted to them like everyone else).
Before I launch into my comments I must note as a big plus that there's lots of free parking around the area (since ticketed parking is until 12:30pm on Saturdays, and does not apply on Sundays - I arrived after 1pm on Saturday 20 November).
Venue: open, laid back; (at this point, i gotta say I hate drawing comparisons because every coffee venue is unique and is its own - i.e. just like every person is unique and is their own person - but, for illustrative purposes only (haha)) PM's does not have the European/funky/trendy vibe of, say, St Ali, or the quirkiness of a venue like the Outpost; BUT what i like about PM's is that it is more accessible - by that I mean it would appeal to a larger, more diverse crowd. Wide spaces, communal big tables as well as smaller ones, and some bench/counter with stools spots where you can observe the superb coffee making OR sit by the window and people watch/daydream (i chose the latter on this slightly mucky weathered Saturday afternoon).
I glanced up and (unexpectedly) saw an old friend from uni who pointed out the mega coffee machine (custom-made six group Synesso) - admittedly I know zilch about coffee machines, I was just there for the coffee. But yes, this custom-made mega machine is a huge deal - go check it out!
Coffee is very good. Appearance of my soy latte was pretty much perfect (by my books). Whilst places like St Ali/Outpost serve a more creamy soy latte (which i refer to as dreamy coffee heaven), PM's is stronger, and, (hear me on this) with greater depth. It really does have this richness and depth about it. They use Five Senses, which I have not been a huge fan of in the past - but here, they do Five Senses very well. I ended up having a second soy latte (I think it's a good idea to have more than one coffee when reviewing, in order to check consistency). Second soy latte was equally strong and satisfying. Tick for consistency (for now anyway)!
Food-wise I had a "Scrambled Mary" - grilled haloumi cheese, chorizo, spiced red pepper salsa with scrambled eggs on thick seeded toast. It was soooooooo yummy!!!
Scrambled eggs were slightly watery/mushy, but the haloumi and chorizo was very tasty!
Great coffee + great food is, of course, a winning combination for success. The staff seem to be still learning to handle the busyness and constant stream of people coming in. So for that, I gotta say there's room for improvement (although the guys & girls are friendly enough). Give them a bit more time, and PM's is bound to be one of the coffee faves in town.
Verdict: 8.5/10 - it doesn't take me to dreamy coffee heaven, but it does take me to this other place of equal satisfaction ( i just don't have a description for it yet)
On leaving PM's, I saw that parked next to my little Nissan Micra was an Alfa Romeo on one side, and a Chrysler on the other. There were people there for the auctions about the place. Lots of warehouse converted into apartments in the area for sale - apparently the one across the road from PM's sold for 980k. Hmm, wouldn't it be nice to own one some day - I think warehouse converted studio apartments are funky and have character. :)
For the rest of my Saturday, I :
- drove to the city;
- went to the gym for a quick workout;
- stumbled upon a small textiles design exhibition @ QV which showcases the work of rmit students in the relevant course;
- watched a bit of breakdancing on show outside State Library, then went inside to the foyer to check out what Alain De Botton books Readings bookstore stocks;
- went to Borders but couldn't find any of the books I wanted so I ended up browsing through the Lonely Planet Asia book and browsed through the countries I may visit on my Silk Road trip next year;
- bought Euphoria eau de parfum (I fell in love with the guy's one first - by the way, Euphoria men and the new Zegna men's fragrance are officially my faves);
- caught up with my best friend Ru at a Japanese izakaya which is famous for yakitori (hmm.. not that impressed);
- Ru and I watched Twilight New Moon @ 9:30pm Hoyts on Xtreme screen (which left me heartbroken for Jacob although I have always liked Edward more (poor jacob!) - no I am not a Twilight book fan - I refuse to read the books to avoid getting addicted to them like everyone else).
Friday, November 6, 2009
Writing about the regular and mundane
Do you take joy in the simple things?
Do you take time to appreciate "the regular and the mundane"?
My colleague Li commented that I seem to only blog about the exciting events or the special restaurants I go to... She said I should blog about "the regular and the mundane".
Sitting in the food court of one of the 'dingy'-er local shopping centres in the area, sipping a cup of Muffin Break soy latte (no, not BBB, St Ali or Outpost this time), I take time to observe the people around me... One guy in 3/4 pants and polo top - his whole outfit splattered in paint; an overweight middle-aged man in casual clothes and thongs (flip flops), shaking his leg under the table (as people often do when they are impatient); retirees with a trolley of shopping resting at the tables, and another old lady pushing her trolley, slowing going about her shopping routine; kids in school uniform, skipping along next to their mummy, no doubt getting an afternoon snack... The decor of the food court is simple - mainly white and grey, with tables and chairs that are probably an ill match with the rest of the colour scheme.
Is this the regular and the mundane?
Thoughts of me on the train home last night, in my gym gear, lugging about my gym bag... There were three guys with a Burmese/Laos background that sat opposite where I stood. The three of them took turns to glance at me. I quickly averted my eyes.
Do I have something on my face? Do I have sweat patches on my T-shirt? Do I look funny wearing yoga pants and a grey t-shirt on a train at 9:30pm in the evening? .... No idea!
Is this the regular and the mundane?
Or walking along Collins Street from the train station to work in the morning - seeing men in suits, women with high heels, all trotting along towards their workplaces - damn, I'm late again... Then seeing Peter Costello sporting a frown on his face - knowing that many a mornings and many a people on their way to work sport a similar frown on their faces. Frustration? Anger? Perhaps, or perhaps not. It's just a frown.
Start with a frown a day, and you'll have wrinkles in a decade. Not me though. Not yet anyway. My eye cream and hydrating skincare must be working well..
The more I think about the regular and the mundane, the more I don't know what is regular and mundane in my life anymore. It could be something that other people regard as unusual, spectacular, fun or silly; and yet, the regular and mundane in someone else's life may spark a smile of curiosity on my face. (Like now.)
So then I bring my cup and saucer back to Muffin Break and ask the owner - "what brand of coffee do you use?"
His reply: "we use our own blend - there's a guy in Reservoir that goes overseas a few times a year to buy the coffee beans from overseas."
"Oh ok, what countries?"
He goes on to list five or six countries, including South America, New Guinea, and a few in Asia...
"Oh ok. The coffee was really nice. Thanks."
And with that I left. He must have been thinking - what a weirdo.
And yet, it's a question that I'm used to asking now, as my interest in coffee increases.
-> St Ali and Outpost uses St Ali coffee;
-> Cumulus Inc uses Single Origin (from Sydney);
-> Brother Baba Budan (BBB) uses Seven Seeds;
-> C.O.T. (aka Cup of Truth - a new "hole in the wall" cafe recommended by Jamie @ St Ali; it's in campbell arcade in the underground subway to Flinders St Station near Degraves) uses 5 Senses;
-> Two Fingers (where I get my regular work-day coffee and tortilla for breakfast) uses Genovese;
-> Zest 89 (new-ish cafe in my suburb with great brunch) uses Veneziano.
Anyway, I've decided I'm going to learn more about coffee.
Do you take time to appreciate "the regular and the mundane"?
My colleague Li commented that I seem to only blog about the exciting events or the special restaurants I go to... She said I should blog about "the regular and the mundane".
Sitting in the food court of one of the 'dingy'-er local shopping centres in the area, sipping a cup of Muffin Break soy latte (no, not BBB, St Ali or Outpost this time), I take time to observe the people around me... One guy in 3/4 pants and polo top - his whole outfit splattered in paint; an overweight middle-aged man in casual clothes and thongs (flip flops), shaking his leg under the table (as people often do when they are impatient); retirees with a trolley of shopping resting at the tables, and another old lady pushing her trolley, slowing going about her shopping routine; kids in school uniform, skipping along next to their mummy, no doubt getting an afternoon snack... The decor of the food court is simple - mainly white and grey, with tables and chairs that are probably an ill match with the rest of the colour scheme.
Is this the regular and the mundane?
Thoughts of me on the train home last night, in my gym gear, lugging about my gym bag... There were three guys with a Burmese/Laos background that sat opposite where I stood. The three of them took turns to glance at me. I quickly averted my eyes.
Do I have something on my face? Do I have sweat patches on my T-shirt? Do I look funny wearing yoga pants and a grey t-shirt on a train at 9:30pm in the evening? .... No idea!
Is this the regular and the mundane?
Or walking along Collins Street from the train station to work in the morning - seeing men in suits, women with high heels, all trotting along towards their workplaces - damn, I'm late again... Then seeing Peter Costello sporting a frown on his face - knowing that many a mornings and many a people on their way to work sport a similar frown on their faces. Frustration? Anger? Perhaps, or perhaps not. It's just a frown.
Start with a frown a day, and you'll have wrinkles in a decade. Not me though. Not yet anyway. My eye cream and hydrating skincare must be working well..
The more I think about the regular and the mundane, the more I don't know what is regular and mundane in my life anymore. It could be something that other people regard as unusual, spectacular, fun or silly; and yet, the regular and mundane in someone else's life may spark a smile of curiosity on my face. (Like now.)
So then I bring my cup and saucer back to Muffin Break and ask the owner - "what brand of coffee do you use?"
His reply: "we use our own blend - there's a guy in Reservoir that goes overseas a few times a year to buy the coffee beans from overseas."
"Oh ok, what countries?"
He goes on to list five or six countries, including South America, New Guinea, and a few in Asia...
"Oh ok. The coffee was really nice. Thanks."
And with that I left. He must have been thinking - what a weirdo.
And yet, it's a question that I'm used to asking now, as my interest in coffee increases.
-> St Ali and Outpost uses St Ali coffee;
-> Cumulus Inc uses Single Origin (from Sydney);
-> Brother Baba Budan (BBB) uses Seven Seeds;
-> C.O.T. (aka Cup of Truth - a new "hole in the wall" cafe recommended by Jamie @ St Ali; it's in campbell arcade in the underground subway to Flinders St Station near Degraves) uses 5 Senses;
-> Two Fingers (where I get my regular work-day coffee and tortilla for breakfast) uses Genovese;
-> Zest 89 (new-ish cafe in my suburb with great brunch) uses Veneziano.
Anyway, I've decided I'm going to learn more about coffee.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Derby Day + the almost perfect (friend) date + mini coffee pilgrimage
Sometimes my train of thoughts lead me to absolute confusion. I'm confused and undecided with a lot of things in life. In fact the older I get the more confused and undecided I become... Relationships / boys. What I really want to do with my life. And whether I really am happy or just pretending to be. And the conclusions that I come up with - are those conclusions reached just because they sound good, or because I really believe wholeheartedly in them?
Anyway, with that somewhat incomplete thought, I'll write a bit about my weekend.
Last week was a pretty busy week at work; I felt sick and was grossly sleep deprived. Anyway, this meant I was undecided whether to rock up to Derby Day (Sat 31 Oct) which is one of the major Spring Carnival events. I had never been, and a few of the girls at work and I had been getting excited about dressing up and going along for the first time. I had sent the work girls an outlook calendar request titled "Crazy Sexy Derby Day" in anticipation of the frivolous fun we would have together. I had even arranged for Benjamin to be my (friend) date for the occasion.
But on the other hand, my body was crying out for a bit of TLC & chillaxing; tickets for general admission must be pre-purchased (and cost $70, not including food/drinks)and I had not yet organised to purchase them; and I hadn't had time to order a fascinator online OR make one from scratch with materials from Lincraft/Clegs as I had orginally hoped.
Despite all the pros and cons, in the end, I decided to go along and check it out. And I'm really glad - because I actually had a great day and stayed out till almost midnight! Oh the joys of being young and free! :)
So what was Derby Day like? Well, yes, there were lots of beautiful dressed-up people. Some quite classy and elegant too. Minimal sleaziness (thank God!). I usually hate the whole idea of "checking out" people, but here, I felt the liberty to "check out" all the gorgeous array of dresses and hair accessories on display. Every single person I saw (male / female) looked very good. Maybe the $70 was worth it just for the fashion show. haha
I spent most of my time with Bec, Ray and Ben. We had a bit of a picnic on the grass in front of the big screen (it was too crowded to get close to the tracks - and to be honest, with general admission, we couldn't really get that close anyway). We had champagne, icy poles and nibbled on salami & cheese on crackers and strawberries. Unfortunately, it was swelteringly hot so we didn't get up to much, and we also couldn't locate/meet up with our other friends there.
The fun thing was that I put in a bet for the first time in my life (despite my dad's insistent moral objection of "don't gamble" before I left home, to which I respectfully replied - "horsebetting is not gambling", and "perhaps people shouldn't buy shares if all forms of speculation equates to gambling"). I bet $5 on Rockferry and $5 on Viking Legend for Race 6 (for some reason the lady charged me $20, but I didn't dare to ask why it was $20 instead of $10 coz it was 30 seconds before the race started, and there was a whole line of people behind us still wanting to place bets..haha) Anyway, Viking Legend got third place - so I made 1.90 times $5 - which meant I ended in a net loss situation. Oh well! Winning a small amount is still fun! I tried to collect my "prize money" straight away, but then the lady said "it's not time to pay yet" without explaining anything further. It was only later that someone else explained to me you have to wait until the jockeys weigh in after the race... Gosh, this stuff is complicated!
We left Flemington Racecourse approx 4/4:30pm. Ben and I wanted to see a movie but there wasn't anything on that tickled our fancy. We hung out at Borders for a bit, trying to decide what to do... until a stroke of genius - ah, the Good Food Guide! We flipped through the Guide at Borders, and decided to check out Momo. We quickly called in for a 6:15pm reservation (lucky!).
Momo (entrance next to Grand Hyatt) was excellent - the food, service and ambience was befitting of its 2 hats Good Food Guide status (16.5/20). I'm not planning to do a proper food review on my blog (as I didn't write down the names of all the dishes, and the menu is not readily available online) but here are the highlights of our Momo experience (we shared two entrees and two mains):
- The elevator dims as you get to Momo, as if setting the scene to what's ahead;
- We were greeted by professional and well-trained staff in a retro but classy dining room with rows of crystals along the ceiling;
- Rose scented warm refresher towels to clean our hands;
- To start: Nibble on raw vegies with charred spices served with round Arabic bread with olive oil and pomegranate molassesand - I especially loved the lebanese cucumbers which were deliberately more mature and slightly soft;
- Entree 1: Quail with dijon and feta sauce (this was Ben and my favourite dish! soooooooooooo yummm!!!! The Good Food Guide had said the quail was the dish of the year - but I think it was cooked differently, i.e. what we tried was probably not THE quail dish, but it was still fantastic and dreamily delicious!)
- Entree 2: Crab and prawn and vegetables cooked in parchment (very fresh crab flesh; spring vegetables-like taste)
- Main 1: One of the specials of the day - baby chicken with beetroot and pistachio (the milder chicken taste was complemented in an interesting way with the strong beetroot taste, which gave the dish a very fresh taste overall)
- Main 2: Aromatic duck - twice cooked duck with some sort of mushroom and lima beans - yum yum yum yum yum! (this was our second favourite dish of the evening)
- I also had a glass of Italian Sangiovese which went well with the food - after all the Yellowglen bubbles I had during the day, I just wanted something relatively light and fruity... was a good choice.
- The washrooms are very nice, and they even provide you with a hairdryer and GHD hair straightener!
- We had to give the table back before 8:15pm for the next booking, so didn't get to try any desserts. (Oh well, there's always next time!)
- Cost $80-$100 per head - a tad more expensive than other restaurants given it was only two courses, but it's definitely an experience to be had and savoured!
Very glad we got to check out this new Momo. My family and I really liked the old Momo, so I had been waiting for a while for this new version of Momo to get up and running. Two thumbs up!
After Momo, we went to one of my favourite places in Melbourne - the Atrium Bar on level 35 of Sofitel, which boasts amazing evening views of Melbourne (actually, the toilets do). We looked at the menu of the new restaurant on level 35 - not surprisingly named "No 35" - which had undergone refurbishment and a facelift this year. The menu looks pretty interesting, and apparently Stuart McVeigh has been recently appointed the new head chef in October this year (formerly at the Botanical which received 16.5/20 in the Good Food Guide). Unfortunately I haven't seen any raving reviews of No. 35 yet (only a couple of sour reviews), so I think I'll give it a couple of months for McVeigh to settle in, and then get myself an evening booking - great food with an amazing view - can't wait!
Next we wanted to go to karaoke at K-box on Latrobe Street but rooms are usually for minimum 4 to 5 people, so we ended up going to Brighton Beach (ice-cream @ the beach was an excellent idea)... but then it started pouring cats and dogs... sigh! So there you have it - my almost perfect friend date, and that concluded my Saturday 31 October 2009.
As always, I like my weekends jam-packed, (in the same way that I like my eggs scrambled, cups without saucers, coffees made with bonsoy), so I decided to go on a mini coffee pilgrimage and check out some of Melbourne's best coffee venues. I'm usually stuck in the CBD and rarely get a chance to venture beyond. So since I had the car today, I headed to St Ali in South Melbourne for lunch and a soy latte.
St Ali did not disappoint. Funky/hip (actually more grungy than funky), busy, and reminds me of summer time in Europe - perhaps Spain (although I've never been in Europe during summer.. haha.. but I guess there's this communal and hip vibe about it which I love).. My soy latte took me to dreamy milky coffee heaven. Well-made, not too bitter (I didn't need sugar at all), milky and just right. The lunch (chorizo with salmon and scrambled eggs and chilli jam on toast) was probably more average - but that's ok, coz I was there for the coffee!!!
At 3pm, I had another stroke of genius, let's go to the Outpost (the new brother-store of St Ali, on Yarra St in South Yarra) and have another coffee! Given that the Outpost uses the same (St Ali) coffee beans, you would think the quality would be the same. Yep - you're right! Excellent soy latte. And I liked this one even better so I ordered a third coffee for the day. Yah - three coffees in the space of two hours! hahahahah... It's so bad because I usually try to limit myself to one coffee a day...
I actually prefer the setting of Outpost a bit more - you feel like you're in someone's kitchen - it's more personable and intimate, whereas St Ali is more of a social hub and great as a catchup spot with friends. And the other thing is, Outpost is close to South Yarra station and there's free parking on weekends - so it's more accessible for me. The Outpost also serves a range of savoury dishes/ sweet snacks. I have a feeling I might be frequenting that place (may be with my journal, maybe with my friends) in the months to come!
Anyway, with that somewhat incomplete thought, I'll write a bit about my weekend.
Last week was a pretty busy week at work; I felt sick and was grossly sleep deprived. Anyway, this meant I was undecided whether to rock up to Derby Day (Sat 31 Oct) which is one of the major Spring Carnival events. I had never been, and a few of the girls at work and I had been getting excited about dressing up and going along for the first time. I had sent the work girls an outlook calendar request titled "Crazy Sexy Derby Day" in anticipation of the frivolous fun we would have together. I had even arranged for Benjamin to be my (friend) date for the occasion.
But on the other hand, my body was crying out for a bit of TLC & chillaxing; tickets for general admission must be pre-purchased (and cost $70, not including food/drinks)and I had not yet organised to purchase them; and I hadn't had time to order a fascinator online OR make one from scratch with materials from Lincraft/Clegs as I had orginally hoped.
Despite all the pros and cons, in the end, I decided to go along and check it out. And I'm really glad - because I actually had a great day and stayed out till almost midnight! Oh the joys of being young and free! :)
So what was Derby Day like? Well, yes, there were lots of beautiful dressed-up people. Some quite classy and elegant too. Minimal sleaziness (thank God!). I usually hate the whole idea of "checking out" people, but here, I felt the liberty to "check out" all the gorgeous array of dresses and hair accessories on display. Every single person I saw (male / female) looked very good. Maybe the $70 was worth it just for the fashion show. haha
I spent most of my time with Bec, Ray and Ben. We had a bit of a picnic on the grass in front of the big screen (it was too crowded to get close to the tracks - and to be honest, with general admission, we couldn't really get that close anyway). We had champagne, icy poles and nibbled on salami & cheese on crackers and strawberries. Unfortunately, it was swelteringly hot so we didn't get up to much, and we also couldn't locate/meet up with our other friends there.
The fun thing was that I put in a bet for the first time in my life (despite my dad's insistent moral objection of "don't gamble" before I left home, to which I respectfully replied - "horsebetting is not gambling", and "perhaps people shouldn't buy shares if all forms of speculation equates to gambling"). I bet $5 on Rockferry and $5 on Viking Legend for Race 6 (for some reason the lady charged me $20, but I didn't dare to ask why it was $20 instead of $10 coz it was 30 seconds before the race started, and there was a whole line of people behind us still wanting to place bets..haha) Anyway, Viking Legend got third place - so I made 1.90 times $5 - which meant I ended in a net loss situation. Oh well! Winning a small amount is still fun! I tried to collect my "prize money" straight away, but then the lady said "it's not time to pay yet" without explaining anything further. It was only later that someone else explained to me you have to wait until the jockeys weigh in after the race... Gosh, this stuff is complicated!
We left Flemington Racecourse approx 4/4:30pm. Ben and I wanted to see a movie but there wasn't anything on that tickled our fancy. We hung out at Borders for a bit, trying to decide what to do... until a stroke of genius - ah, the Good Food Guide! We flipped through the Guide at Borders, and decided to check out Momo. We quickly called in for a 6:15pm reservation (lucky!).
Momo (entrance next to Grand Hyatt) was excellent - the food, service and ambience was befitting of its 2 hats Good Food Guide status (16.5/20). I'm not planning to do a proper food review on my blog (as I didn't write down the names of all the dishes, and the menu is not readily available online) but here are the highlights of our Momo experience (we shared two entrees and two mains):
- The elevator dims as you get to Momo, as if setting the scene to what's ahead;
- We were greeted by professional and well-trained staff in a retro but classy dining room with rows of crystals along the ceiling;
- Rose scented warm refresher towels to clean our hands;
- To start: Nibble on raw vegies with charred spices served with round Arabic bread with olive oil and pomegranate molassesand - I especially loved the lebanese cucumbers which were deliberately more mature and slightly soft;
- Entree 1: Quail with dijon and feta sauce (this was Ben and my favourite dish! soooooooooooo yummm!!!! The Good Food Guide had said the quail was the dish of the year - but I think it was cooked differently, i.e. what we tried was probably not THE quail dish, but it was still fantastic and dreamily delicious!)
- Entree 2: Crab and prawn and vegetables cooked in parchment (very fresh crab flesh; spring vegetables-like taste)
- Main 1: One of the specials of the day - baby chicken with beetroot and pistachio (the milder chicken taste was complemented in an interesting way with the strong beetroot taste, which gave the dish a very fresh taste overall)
- Main 2: Aromatic duck - twice cooked duck with some sort of mushroom and lima beans - yum yum yum yum yum! (this was our second favourite dish of the evening)
- I also had a glass of Italian Sangiovese which went well with the food - after all the Yellowglen bubbles I had during the day, I just wanted something relatively light and fruity... was a good choice.
- The washrooms are very nice, and they even provide you with a hairdryer and GHD hair straightener!
- We had to give the table back before 8:15pm for the next booking, so didn't get to try any desserts. (Oh well, there's always next time!)
- Cost $80-$100 per head - a tad more expensive than other restaurants given it was only two courses, but it's definitely an experience to be had and savoured!
Very glad we got to check out this new Momo. My family and I really liked the old Momo, so I had been waiting for a while for this new version of Momo to get up and running. Two thumbs up!
After Momo, we went to one of my favourite places in Melbourne - the Atrium Bar on level 35 of Sofitel, which boasts amazing evening views of Melbourne (actually, the toilets do). We looked at the menu of the new restaurant on level 35 - not surprisingly named "No 35" - which had undergone refurbishment and a facelift this year. The menu looks pretty interesting, and apparently Stuart McVeigh has been recently appointed the new head chef in October this year (formerly at the Botanical which received 16.5/20 in the Good Food Guide). Unfortunately I haven't seen any raving reviews of No. 35 yet (only a couple of sour reviews), so I think I'll give it a couple of months for McVeigh to settle in, and then get myself an evening booking - great food with an amazing view - can't wait!
Next we wanted to go to karaoke at K-box on Latrobe Street but rooms are usually for minimum 4 to 5 people, so we ended up going to Brighton Beach (ice-cream @ the beach was an excellent idea)... but then it started pouring cats and dogs... sigh! So there you have it - my almost perfect friend date, and that concluded my Saturday 31 October 2009.
As always, I like my weekends jam-packed, (in the same way that I like my eggs scrambled, cups without saucers, coffees made with bonsoy), so I decided to go on a mini coffee pilgrimage and check out some of Melbourne's best coffee venues. I'm usually stuck in the CBD and rarely get a chance to venture beyond. So since I had the car today, I headed to St Ali in South Melbourne for lunch and a soy latte.
St Ali did not disappoint. Funky/hip (actually more grungy than funky), busy, and reminds me of summer time in Europe - perhaps Spain (although I've never been in Europe during summer.. haha.. but I guess there's this communal and hip vibe about it which I love).. My soy latte took me to dreamy milky coffee heaven. Well-made, not too bitter (I didn't need sugar at all), milky and just right. The lunch (chorizo with salmon and scrambled eggs and chilli jam on toast) was probably more average - but that's ok, coz I was there for the coffee!!!
At 3pm, I had another stroke of genius, let's go to the Outpost (the new brother-store of St Ali, on Yarra St in South Yarra) and have another coffee! Given that the Outpost uses the same (St Ali) coffee beans, you would think the quality would be the same. Yep - you're right! Excellent soy latte. And I liked this one even better so I ordered a third coffee for the day. Yah - three coffees in the space of two hours! hahahahah... It's so bad because I usually try to limit myself to one coffee a day...
I actually prefer the setting of Outpost a bit more - you feel like you're in someone's kitchen - it's more personable and intimate, whereas St Ali is more of a social hub and great as a catchup spot with friends. And the other thing is, Outpost is close to South Yarra station and there's free parking on weekends - so it's more accessible for me. The Outpost also serves a range of savoury dishes/ sweet snacks. I have a feeling I might be frequenting that place (may be with my journal, maybe with my friends) in the months to come!
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