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Nougat, caves, cows and a spot of lunch at Vasse Felix Winery

Posted by  | Categories: Degustation/Fine dining, Desserts, Featured, Margaret River, Regional WA, Restaurants, Winery

Since leaving the East coast as a fresh faced teenager to pursue a career in veterinary science, I quickly learnt to depend on only myself. While I already had an innate level of independence at that age, being separated from my parents by thousands of kilometres had a way of perfecting this skill. Nearly two decades have passed since then and I’m now at a point in my life now where I realise being fiercely self reliant isn’t always a good thing. Recognising that I need and am needed by my close family members seems much more relevant, especially given the distance that separates some of us. I haven’t lived in the same city as either of my parents since I departed long ago and can sometimes go for over twelve months before I cast eyes on their lovable faces. As we all get older, I am realising that I need to make more effort to spend quality time with each of them individually.

It has been years since Mum has come over to visit us in Perth and even longer since she came over with her other half, Jack. They both adore our South West region and requested that we take them down to “The Margaret’s River” as Mum loves to call it. No amount of convincing can get her to call it otherwise.

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At Bettenay’s Nougat

It is rare for us to be able to relax together so to celebrate this occasion I booked us in at Vasse Felix winery for a long lazy lunch. On our way to Vasse Felix we stopped off at Bettenay’s Margaret River Nougat Company.

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Neither Mum nor Jack are big wine drinkers so the Boy and I tried to avoid boring them to pieces with winery after winery. Bettenay’s do have some wines on offer in addition to some luscious liqueurs and, of course, loads of nougat. Their nougat is all handcrafted with gorgeous flavours including cherry and coconut, and my favourite chocolate mint.

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After each purchasing a bundle of nougat we headed off to one of Margaret River’s most popular caves; Lake Cave. It has been ages since the Boy and I have gone down into the caves yet every time we do we are reminded what a natural beauty it is.

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Lake Cave’s suspended table

Lake Cave has one of the only “suspended tables” in the world which weighs several tonnes and forms a breathtaking sight floating in the air casting its refection in the ripples of water below. This cave is one of the deepest in the region so be prepared to walk down and then back up a fair number of steep stairs. There are rest points along the way for those less fit and able.

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There were enough stairs to work up anyone’s appetite and after the Caves we headed straight to Vasse Felix for lunch. It was a long weekend and I was grateful that I had pre-booked because every winery that we passed along the way looked packed with cars.

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Vasse Felix have an à la carte menu or alternatively if you select dishes marked on the menu with a star you can enjoy three courses for a set price of $65.

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There were a handful of gluten free options and one vegetarian dish for each course. Upon arrival our waitress brought out some fresh bread and cultured butter. There was no gluten free bread available so they kindly brought out some marinated olives for me to nibble on while my family hungrily feasted on the bread.

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Marinated olives

The marinated olives are sourced from a local olive farm called 34 Degrees South and were served warm. I loved how the olive flesh slithered off the pit easily and consequently I downed most of the bowl before I realised that I should probably share.

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Omelette, asparagus, mushrooms, togarashi ($18, GF)

Mum and Jack both ordered the omelette for entrée. Cooked sous-vide with mirin, it was served with new season asparagus and locally foraged mushrooms. The egg was browned to a glowing caramel colour and garnished with chilli threads, tiny crumbles of popcorn and togarashi. Togarashi is a type of Japanese chilli pepper and thankfully it wasn’t too hot for my Mum’s palate. The omelette was a gluten free dish however to avoid all three of us having the same dish, I ordered the other gluten free option which was the quail.

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Quail, zucchini, quinoa, raisins, capers ($19, GF)

I struggled somewhat get a good photo of my entrée due to the sun coming in at an angle on my deep bowled dish. Maybe I need to bring a reflector with me when I’m out dining? Is that too crazy? My quail breast was cooked sous-vide with a confit leg and served on a bed of quinoa, zucchini and olives. It was topped with what I first thought was shaved parmesan but soon found out was feta shaved in liquid nitrogen. It had an unexpected creaminess that dissolved on contact with my tongue. To enhance the delicateness of this light dish some caper puree added some punch into the flavours.

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Marron, ramen, quail egg, nori ($21)

For his entrée, the Boy decided to pop his ramen cherry. Ramen hasn’t really taken off in Perth to the extent it has over in Sydney and therefore neither of us have tried it before. Using house made ramen noodles, this dish was given a South-west twist using Manjimup marron and local fresh water crustaceans. A soft gooey quail egg and some fried nori finished it off and as the aromas wafted to my side of the table I was so envious that I couldn’t even taste one mouthful. Damn you gluten!

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Barramundi, potato, leek, smoked oyster ($39, GF)

For those of you who have yet to try Cone Bay barramundi, you really don’t know what you’re missing out on. These fish are farmed in unique environmental conditions in the north west of Australia that imparts a very clean, and sweet taste.

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The fish came with a potato fondant and shards of translucent potato glass topped with luxurious drizzles of smoked oyster butter. It was nearly as good as truffle butter. Nearly I said! There was also a little bit of fructose naughtiness with locally foraged charred leeks and leek foam.

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Side dishes: Cos, fennel, blood orange salad and duck fat potatoes with seaweed salt and yuzu (both $10 each, GF)

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Lamb shank, ratatouille textures, black barley ($37)

Mum and Jack both ordered the lamb shank for their main, such peas in a pod those two! The locally sourced lamb was cooked sous-vide over 48 hours making it uber-soft in texture however sadly it was served lukewarm. I offered to get the waitress to take it back to the kitchen but my Mum didn’t want to make a fuss. The lamb was accompanied with a black barley risotto and ratatouille made of smoked tomato petal, tomato fondue, picked red onion and eggplant purée.

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Kangaroo, beetroot, wattleseed, dandelion ($38)

Although the Boy predominantly will stick to his vegetarian diet at home, like me he can on occasions crave meat. Ordering himself the kangaroo loin today was one of these days.

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The loin was served rare and was as lean can be without an ounce of detectable fat present. It was served with textures of beetroot, wattleseed crackers and oil made from dandelions foraged on the property.

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Petit fours: Lemon brownie, passionfruit macaron & mini icecream sandwich ($12)

Our mains were decent sized meals so after stuffing our faces with the addictive duck fat potatoes there was only a small amount of room left for dessert. We agreed to share a couple of petit fours plates between the four of us however the only gluten free element on the plate was the passionfruit macaron. There was only one macaron on each platter but the waitress was kind enough to put an extra one on there for me.

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The Boy was absolutely smitten by the bite size ice cream sandwich made with cinnamon ice cream. Many of us food bloggers claim to have a second stomach for dessert and whilst I was reasonably full, one macaron was not going to cut it even if it was one of my favourite flavours.

"cardamom chiffon cake" "chocolate cremeaux" "Jerusalem artichoke ice cream" "passionfruit caramel" "passionfruit gel" "chocolate soil" "dehydrated mouse" "chocolate" "cardamom" "passionfruit" "Jerusalem artichoke" "perth restaurant reviews" "perth restaurants" "perth gluten free" "perth fructose friendly" "perth food reviews" "restaurants perth" "food photos" "perth food blog" "food blog" "travel blog" "perth" "perth travel blog" "chompchomp" "gluten free" "fructose friendly" "low fodmap diet" "fructose malabsorption" "gluten free cooking" "raw food cooking" "gluten free recipes" "fructose friendly recipes" "gluten free raw food" "fructose friendly raw food" "coeliacs" "coeliac disease" "margaret river restaurant reviews" "margaret river restaurants" "margaret river gluten free" "margaret river fructose friendly" "margaret river food reviews" "restaurants margaret river" "margaret river food blog" "margaret river" "margaret river travel blog" "margaret river winery" "vasse felix" "bettenays" "margaret river nougat" "lake cave" "degustation" "fine dining" "good food guide"

Chocolate, cardamom, passionfruit, Jerusalem artichoke ($16, GF)

Consequently I ordered the gluten free dessert option to share with the Boy. I love abstract desserts, plates of multiple elements that you can mix and match on your tastebuds at your leisure. Fluffy portions of cardamom chiffon cake and silky chocolate cremeaux were paired with Jerusalem artichoke ice cream. Passionfruit caramel and gel added a tart sweetness with chocolate soil and dehydrated mouse contrasting with velvety cocoa bitterness. Heavenly to say the least. My claims for being full surpassed me as I competed with the Boy for every spoonful.

The weekend went by all too quickly, time honestly does fly when you’re having fun. There is no one in the world that can make me laugh the way my Mum can and I realise that I need to stop running the rat race of life and take time out to giggle with her more often.

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In one end and out the other! Yes, my Mum shares a similarly odd sense of humour! (That’s her at the front of the cow!)

Disclaimer: Despite Mum and Jack insisting on trying to pay for everything, the Boy and I managed to sneak in paying our own way for lunch. Blame it on that independent streak of mine. I want to thank Mum, Jack and my beloved for sharing such a wondrous weekend away. Our times together are always cherished xxxx
 
Bettenay’s Margaret River Nougat Co
Corner of Tom Cullity Drive & Miamup Road, Cowaramup, WA 6284 | (08) 9755 5539 | www.margaretrivernougat.com.au
 
Lake Cave
Caves Road, Forest Grove WA 6284 | (08) 9757 7411 | www.margaretriver.com/operators/7706
 
Vasse Felix
Corner of Tom Cullity Drive & Caves Road, Margaret River WA 6284 | (08) 9756 5050 | www.vassefelix.com.au

Vasse Felix on Urbanspoon

Make it all legal at the Crown Promenade and The Merrywell, Crown Perth

Posted by  | Categories: Accommodation, Featured, Hotels, Luxury, Perth, Pub, Restaurants, Wedding

In March this year, I married the love of my life in the most magical fairy-tale wedding of my dreams.  Because we chose to get married in Thailand, our wedding was not legally recognised back in Australia unless we made a pre-wedding pilgrimage to Bangkok to arrange the necessary papers. Prior to getting hitched, the Boy and I had already spent more than ten years together and we had always celebrated our anniversary in April often with much greater enthusiasm than for either of our birthdays. It seemed logical to us, that upon our return from Thailand we would arrange a very private official ceremony back in Perth specifically on our anniversary date. This enabled us to invite special friends that weren’t for able to join us in Thailand. It also means we now get to celebrate TWO anniversaries! 😉

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In total contrast to the extreme detailed organisation of our Thailand wedding, this second wedding was a much more casual affair. Ann Lord, a lovely celebrant I met at a Wedding Upmarket day helped with the proceedings. We found a patch of grass in Burswood Park and without all the fanfare, anxiety, nerves or build up we repeated our vows once more.

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To celebrate the legalisation of our marriage, we booked a Loft room at the Crown Promenade to enjoy one more night of luxury before we started making a serious attempt at paying off all our wedding debt! I had called in the morning to request an earlier check in and was told by the reception desk that this was not a problem. Unfortunately upon our arrival this was to prove not true; we were informed our room wasn’t ready for another hour and to make ourselves comfortable with our suitcases in tow in the lobby area.

"macaron" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Perth" "Perth travel blog" "Perth restaurants" "Perth hotels" "Perth luxury hotels" "five star hotels Perth" "Perth hotel reviews" "Perth luxury hotel reviews" "Perth casino" "Crown Perth" "Merrywell" "merrywell Perth" "Crown Casino" "Burswood casino" "Perth Wedding" "Crown Metropole" "loft room" "Crown hotels" "casino hotels"

This would have frustrated me greatly if I hadn’t managed to find to find myself a beautiful collection of macarons to snack on. Seeing as I no longer had to fit into wedding dresses, I slipped back into my excessive ways and ordered a whole box to share with the Boy. By the time the reception staff gestured to us that our room was ready, all the macarons were gone.

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The loft room has an expansive balcony that gives glorious panoramic views of the city’s skyline. It was not as breathtaking as the views from our Andara villa in Thailand, but it was by no means shabby.

"Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Perth" "Perth travel blog" "Perth restaurants" "Perth hotels" "Perth luxury hotels" "five star hotels Perth" "Perth hotel reviews" "Perth luxury hotel reviews" "Perth casino" "Crown Perth" "Merrywell" "merrywell Perth" "Crown Casino" "Burswood casino" "Perth Wedding" "Crown Metropole" "loft room" "Crown hotels" "casino hotels"

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The loft itself is of considerable size with a living room, dining room and well stocked kitchen complete with a full mini-bar. There was an iPod docking station for music and flat screen TVs screens in the living room, bedroom AND the bathroom. Not that we watched any television that is!

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The bathroom is ginormous with separate his and her vanities, wall to floor mirrors and a lovely deep spa bath. The flat screen television is positioned directly facing the spa…how relaxing would it be to sink yourself into bubbles while watching a movie. And drinking bubbles of course!

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The bedroom is similarly spacious with a full King sized bed and reading area overlooking the city scape. The curtains successfully make the room pitch black no matter what time of day meaning a late checkout can be well utilised to gain those extra ZZZs if you need. We certainly did.

"Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Perth" "Perth travel blog" "Perth restaurants" "Perth hotels" "Perth luxury hotels" "five star hotels Perth" "Perth hotel reviews" "Perth luxury hotel reviews" "Perth casino" "Crown Perth" "Merrywell" "merrywell Perth" "Crown Casino" "Burswood casino" "Perth Wedding" "Crown Metropole" "loft room" "Crown hotels" "casino hotels"

After the very short ceremony, we all headed over to the main casual pub of the Crown complex; The Merrywell. The Merrywell’s style of cuisine has been coined “dude food” by a number of professional food critics and whilst I don’t really like this terminology it does describe it well.

"Quesa Fun-dido" "Mexican Cheese fondue" "Chorizo" "Pico de Gallo" "Pretzel" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Perth" "Perth travel blog" "Perth restaurants" "Perth hotels" "Perth luxury hotels" "five star hotels Perth" "Perth hotel reviews" "Perth luxury hotel reviews" "Perth casino" "Crown Perth" "Merrywell" "merrywell Perth" "Crown Casino" "Burswood casino" "Perth Wedding" "Crown Metropole" "loft room" "Crown hotels" "casino hotels"

Quesa Fun-dido ($19) (Mexican Cheese fondue, Chorizo, Pico de Gallo, Pretzel)

"Chipotle crema" "Jalapeno" "Tomato" "Pink Snapper tacos" "fish tacos" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Perth" "Perth travel blog" "Perth restaurants" "Perth hotels" "Perth luxury hotels" "five star hotels Perth" "Perth hotel reviews" "Perth luxury hotel reviews" "Perth casino" "Crown Perth" "Merrywell" "merrywell Perth" "Crown Casino" "Burswood casino" "Perth Wedding" "Crown Metropole" "loft room" "Crown hotels" "casino hotels"

Pink Snapper tacos ($22) (Chipotle crema, Jalapeno, Tomato)

Artery clogging Mexican cheese fondues, fish tacos, burgers and hot dogs regularly feature on their changing menu. At the time we went, the waitstaff were not overly familiar with what dishes were gluten free and what wasn’t, but I have since noticed they now offer gluten free buns with their burgers so I presume they have improved their understanding.

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Fiery Mojito Lamb Chops ($34)

"Lollipop Buffalo Wings" "Blue cheese fondue" "celery sticks" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Perth" "Perth travel blog" "Perth restaurants" "Perth hotels" "Perth luxury hotels" "five star hotels Perth" "Perth hotel reviews" "Perth luxury hotel reviews" "Perth casino" "Crown Perth" "Merrywell" "merrywell Perth" "Crown Casino" "Burswood casino" "Perth Wedding" "Crown Metropole" "loft room" "Crown hotels" "casino hotels"

Lollipop Buffalo Wings ($21)

One of my favourite snacks of the night was the lollipop Buffalo wings served with a rich blue cheese fondue and celery sticks. I am pretty sure I slurped at least half a dozen of these wings off the bone each one mouthful at a time. All my bridal grace was thrown out the window!

"room service" "egg white omelette" "roasted shiitake" "mushrooms" "avocado" "feta" "micro herbs" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Perth" "Perth travel blog" "Perth restaurants" "Perth hotels" "Perth luxury hotels" "five star hotels Perth" "Perth hotel reviews" "Perth luxury hotel reviews" "Perth casino" "Crown Perth" "Merrywell" "merrywell Perth" "Crown Casino" "Burswood casino" "Perth Wedding" "Crown Metropole" "loft room" "Crown hotels" "casino hotels"

The drinking session progressed fairly late into the night and by following morning the Boy and I were nursing a fairly rocking hangover. But we didn’t mind one bit because it was official.

From this point we are now legally “Mr and Mrs”.

Just the very thought of this fact was enough to cast away most of our pain and we eased our stomachs back into the real world with some ultra-healthy room service. My egg white omelette was so fluffy is nearly looked like an Aerobar and it came with some roasted shiitake mushrooms, avocado, feta and fresh micro herbs. Washed down with a black coffee I was re-energised and ready to officially be a Mrs!

A big shout out of thanks to my dear friend Tara for taking most of the above photos. On the day I decided to give Chompchomp a night off and Tara was more than happy to take over the job role of photographer. She got some awesome shots and I am very appreciative. xxx
 
Crown Metropole Perth, Crown Perth, Great Eastern Highway, Burswood WA 6979 | (08) 9362 8888
We stayed in a Loft room and took advantage of their advance purchase rates which gives a significant discount off the standard rates. The full price for this room is around $1250 per night.
 
The Merrywell, Crown Perth, Great Eastern Highway, Burswood WA 6979| (08) 9362 7551 

The Merrywell on Urbanspoon

 

Four Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne

Posted by  | Categories: Breakfast/Brunch, Coffee, Desserts, Featured, Melbourne, Restaurants

I am always a little torn having my homes in a number of places around our vast country. Having lived in Perth for most of my adult life it is obvious that this is the main place I love to call my home. However to add to this, my Mum lives in Adelaide and returning back there to the house I grew up in I get that familiar sensation like I am returning home.  To complicate things further, my Dad has lived in Melbourne with my Step mum for nearly twenty years and in many ways staying with them also feels very homely! I often wonder when we eventually return back to London where the Boy and I lived for several years, would this feel like another home to me? How many places can one call home before it starts to get a bit over the top?

Over the past six months, I have been fortunate enough to have the need to return my “home” in Melbourne several times for my wedding dress fittings at Luci Di Bella. A bride needs sustenance for such endeavours and here are my recent top four Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne.

Cooper & Milla’s

"Raspberry meringue" "dessert" "desserts" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Melbourne food blog" "melbourne restaurant reviews" "Melbourne brunch" "Melbourne breakfast" "Melbourne gluten free" "breakfast" "brunch" "cake" "Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne" "Armadale" "High Street" "Cooper and Milla's" "Cooper & Milla's" "alfresco dining"

Raspberry meringue

After a bit of an emotional experience at the first wedding dress fitting, Mum and I wandered down High Street in Armadale in search of some gluten free friendly fare.  We stumbled upon Cooper and Milla’s and were drawn in by their spectacular window display of treats and salads.

 "Passionfruit creme brulee" "desserts" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Melbourne food blog" "melbourne restaurant reviews" "Melbourne brunch" "Melbourne breakfast" "Melbourne gluten free" "breakfast" "brunch" "cake" "Armadale" "High Street" "Cooper and Milla's" "Cooper & Milla's" "alfresco dining"

Shop counter deliciousnesses

Like children in a candy store we wandered in all wide-eyed and totally distracted by all the adorable cakes and tarts on the counter. I had to consciously remind myself that I had a wedding waistline to watch and physically forced my eyes away from the many delicious desserts. I shall make sure to return here again to sample some of their dulcet delights.

"Blueberry & lemon cake" "desserts" "carrot cake" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Melbourne food blog" "melbourne restaurant reviews" "Melbourne brunch" "Melbourne breakfast" "Melbourne gluten free" "breakfast" "brunch" "cake" "Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne" "Armadale" "High Street" "Cooper and Milla's" "Cooper & Milla's" "alfresco dining"

Blueberry & lemon cakes and more

Thankfully not all their fare is sugar laden and piled high in the window was a stunning looking seared tuna Nicoise salad and once noticing it my attention was easily dragged away from the cakes and onto this seemingly healthy yet vibrantly coloured snack.

"Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne" "Tuna Nicoise" "salad" "healthy" "seafood" "tuna" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Melbourne food blog" "melbourne restaurant reviews" "Melbourne brunch" "Melbourne breakfast" "Melbourne gluten free" "breakfast" "brunch" "cake" "Armadale" "High Street" "Cooper and Milla's" "Cooper & Milla's" "alfresco dining"

Tuna Nicoise

My Mum didn’t take much convincing and before long we were both enjoying the sunshine sitting outside at their alfresco dining area feeling proud of ourselves for our dietary choices.

Riverland

The following day on Christmas Eve there was a lot of market shopping to do in preparation for our big day of feasting. Getting up bright and early the Boy and I walked down to the river with my Dad & Stepmum for some hearty breakfast.  Right on the banks of the Yarra River near Federation Square is a gorgeous little spot Riverland.

"Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne" "dogs" "pooches" "Cocker Spaniel" "American Cocker Spaniel" "cute dogs" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Melbourne food blog" "melbourne restaurant reviews" "Melbourne brunch" "Melbourne breakfast" "Melbourne gluten free" "breakfast" "brunch" "cake" "Riverland Bar" "Riverland" "federation Wharf" "Federation square" "Melbourne CBD"

The Pooches

My parents are regular locals there and the staff all know their three Cocker Spaniels by name.  As we arrive one of the waitresses brings over a bowl of water for the pooches as Dad places our order to include toast for the dogs.  (I might add that this is not something his diligent veterinarian daughter advocates as good nutrition for his dogs!)

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BYO gluten free bread with poached eggs, roasted mushrooms, feta

Unfortunately they do not stock any gluten free bread so I always come prepared and bring a couple of slices of my own. They have always been happy to toast this for me.  I love their poached eggs with roasted mushrooms topped with a big glob of feta. The mushrooms can be a little oily sometimes however and I occasionally need to blot the oil off with a serviette!

Lindt Chocolate Café

After a full day of last-minute Christmas shopping the Boy and I headed back home which took us up Collins Street and past the Lindt Café.  Now before any of you say anything,  I understand that this café cannot really be classified as a brunch spot but being a ridiculously obsessed Lindt chocolate addict I felt it would be negligent for me to pass this café by.  The interior of the café is initially quite impressive with high ceilings and everything seemingly glittering in gold.  We made our way through to the back of the store into the café and were shown to our seats.  After this we appeared to become invisible for quite some time despite the appearance of adequate staff and minimal customers. I hate that feeling when you try to catch a waiter’s eye and they look right through you like you are not even there.

"Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne" "Christmas Delice" "macaron" "macarons" "chocolate" "Lindt chocolate cafe" "hot chocolate" "dessert" "Almond cake" "mousse cake" "St Moritz" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Melbourne food blog" "melbourne restaurant reviews" "Melbourne brunch" "Melbourne breakfast" "Melbourne gluten free" "breakfast" "brunch" "cake" "Lindt chocolate" "melbourne cafes" "melbourne chocolate" "Collins Street" "Melbourne CBD"

THE hot chocolate

As this place is well known for its hot chocolate the Boy simply couldn’t resist.  Piping hot milk served with molten Lindt chocolate on the side; this decadent treat filled the hungry hole in his belly satisfactorily.  Not wanting to eat too much dairy as I tend to get eczema outbreaks, I avoided the milk and satisfied myself by licking the remaining chocolate from his little jug with my finger! Such bad manners!

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St Moritz

After the hot chocolate the Boy protested that he really did not need the St Moritz cake I had strongly encouraged him to order.  Hey, if I can’t enjoy any of the cakes (as they are not gluten free) at least I can live vicariously through his gastronomic experiences! Despite his complaints he still managed to eat his way through the silky layers of alternate dark, milk and white chocolate mousse each separated by a thin layer of almond cake. The cake was topped with ultra-thin squares of Lindt dark chocolate with a generous dusting with cocoa powder.

"Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne" "Christmas Delice" "macaron" "macarons" "chocolate" "Lindt chocolate cafe" "hot chocolate" "dessert" "Almond cake" "mousse cake" "St Moritz" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Melbourne food blog" "melbourne restaurant reviews" "Melbourne brunch" "Melbourne breakfast" "Melbourne gluten free" "breakfast" "brunch" "cake" "Lindt chocolate" "melbourne cafes" "melbourne chocolate" "Collins Street" "Melbourne CBD"

Christmas Delice

Now don’t be fooled into thinking I sat there empty handed watching the Boy indulge.  Other than buying some chocolate for the road, my main reason for entering the café was to stop for a “Mac attack”.  The Christmas Delice macaron is seasonally exclusive and is filled with Christmas spices and a white chocolate filling. Although it had a good layering of flavours it was a little lost on texture and lacked the thin outer crisp sensation. It also was an unusually shaped with one side half the size of the other!

"Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne" "Christmas Delice" "macaron" "macarons" "chocolate" "Lindt chocolate cafe" "hot chocolate" "dessert" "Almond cake" "mousse cake" "St Moritz" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Melbourne food blog" "melbourne restaurant reviews" "Melbourne brunch" "Melbourne breakfast" "Melbourne gluten free" "breakfast" "brunch" "cake" "Lindt chocolate" "melbourne cafes" "melbourne chocolate" "Collins Street" "Melbourne CBD"

Christmas Delice

The European

After a memorable time on Christmas Day with my family eating and drinking all the excesses imaginable, Boxing Day quickly followed and I realised it was soon time for the Boy and I to jump on a jet plane and head home.  I was torn between the emotions of being sad it was all over whilst excited that the next family celebration would be our wedding day! Despite feeling very hung over and sluggish, we managed to squeeze in a last minute brunch catch up with Mum at The European on Spring Street.

"Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne" "spanish eggs" "Madrid eggs" "Huevos madrileños" "baked eggs" "black pudding" "chorizo" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Melbourne food blog" "melbourne restaurant reviews" "Melbourne brunch" "Melbourne breakfast" "Melbourne gluten free" "breakfast" "brunch" "cake" "The European" "Short Macchiato" "coffee" "short macchiato" "Melbourne CBD" "Spring Street" "The European Restaurant"

Short Macchiato

The European is one of my favourite regulars in the Melbourne CBD and this French-Spanish-Italian hybrid is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week making it easy to slip in a visit each Melbourne trip. Although they do not have gluten free bread, there are a number of gluten free breakfast options and their menu goes well beyond the standard choices. Their coffee is particularly moreish and after drinking the A to Z of booze the day before I quickly ordered a second macchiato while we waited for our meals.

   "Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne" "Goat’s cheese omelette" "cheese" "goat cheese" "eggs" "vegetarian" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Melbourne food blog" "melbourne restaurant reviews" "Melbourne brunch" "Melbourne breakfast" "Melbourne gluten free" "breakfast" "brunch" "cake" "The European" "Short Macchiato" "coffee" "short macchiato" "Melbourne CBD" "Spring Street" "The European Restaurant"

Goat’s cheese omelette

As the three of us sat in the sun in silence I started to the caffeine course through my veins and push my sleepy brain kick into gear and wake up. We hadn’t seen Mum on Christmas Day as she had spent the day with my sister so we had much to catch up on; what we ate, what presents did we received and what memorable good times we all had. I was feeling a little on the queasy side so I ordered the goat’s cheese omelette which had all the light fluffiness my delicate stomach lining needed and helped make me feel human again.

"Brunch Hot Spots in Melbourne" "spanish eggs" "Madrid eggs" "Huevos madrileños" "baked eggs" "black pudding" "chorizo" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "travel blog" "Melbourne food blog" "melbourne restaurant reviews" "Melbourne brunch" "Melbourne breakfast" "Melbourne gluten free" "breakfast" "brunch" "cake" "The European" "Short Macchiato" "coffee" "short macchiato" "Melbourne CBD" "Spring Street" "The European Restaurant"

Huevos madrileños: baked eggs, black pudding, chorizo

The Boy wanted something a little more substantial and enjoyed his “Huevos madrileños”; baked eggs with black pudding and chorizo served with toasted ciabatta. I wish I had room for his choice as it looked amazing. I am in love with Spanish style baked eggs and his oozy gooey eggs didn’t disappoint. True food envy plagued me for most of the day and my only consolation was thanks to my gorging efforts the day before, I doubt I had any room in my tummy for them anyway!

Cooper & Milla’s
1094 High Street, Armadale VIC 3143 | (03) 9500 8127
 
Price:                     $$ ($10-16.50 breakfast)
Food:                    4/5 (I need to get back and try some sweets!)
Service:                3.5/5 (casual, no table service)
Ambience:          3/5 (hive of activity, funky)
Drinks:                  3/5
Total:                     14/20
Cooper & Milla's on Urbanspoon
 
Riverland
Vaults 1-9, Federation Wharf, Melbourne VIC 3000 | (03) 9662 1771 | www.riverlandbar.com
 
Price:                     $$ ($7-20 breakfast)
Food:                    3/5 (not bad, a little heavy on the grease, BYO gluten free bread)
Service:                3.5/5 (relaxed and friendly)
Ambience:          4/5 (sitting by the river watching boats go by…)
Drinks:                  3.5/5
Total:                     14/20
Riverland on Urbanspoon
 
Lindt Chocolat Café
271 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD VIC 3000 | (03) 9667 0900 | www.lindt.com.au
 
Price:                     $$
Food:                    3/5 (it’s Lindt chocolate, it was always going to be amazing, pity about the macaron)
Service:                2/5 (get better service at McDonald’s)
Ambience:          2/5 (surprisingly poor)
Drinks:                  4/5 (get the hot chocolate)
Total:                     11/20
Lindt Chocolat Café on Urbanspoon
 
The European
161 Spring Street, Melbourne CBD VIC 3000 | (03) 9654 0811| www.theeuropean.com.au
 
Price:                     $$ ($8-19 breakfast)
Food:                    4/5 (interesting breakfast options, no gluten free bread)
Service:                4/5 (quick and efficient)
Ambience:          3.5/5 (sit outside for breaky, a bit too dark inside)
Drinks:                  4.5/5 (coffee is the bomb!)
Total:                     15.5/20
The European on Urbanspoon

The Beaufort Street Merchant, Highgate

Posted by  | Categories: Breakfast/Brunch, Coffee, European, Featured, Perth, Restaurants

A wonderful part of being a food blogger is discovering and connecting with other food blogs.  The downside of this is that it is a time consuming business and on top of running a business, working full-time and maintaining my own blog; it is sometimes an uphill battle finding the time to read all posts from those I have grown to love and enjoy. Consequently I find myself grouping favourite blogs into the “must reads”, “read when you have time” and “visit occasionally” categories.

"Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Brunch" "breakfast" "beaufort street" "highgate" "Beaufort Street Merchant, Highgate" "Beaufort Street Merchant" "mt Lawley" "mount lawley" "Chew town" "eggs"

Persian Delight Jelly by Chew Town (photo courtesy of Chew Town)

Chew Town is definitely in the first category for me.  Not being excessively prolific in her posts, she posts often enough to support my interest without making it impossible for me to stay up to date. Her photography is breathtaking and she deservedly won 2nd prize for the photography awards at the Eat Drink Blog conference last year. But it’s not just her blog that is awesome.  In sharing a number of common interests we created a foundation for the pen-pal styled friendship common to the blogging community which was finally made a reality thanks to the magic that was Eat Drink Blog 2012.

"Chorizo" "spanish omelette" "cheese" "onion" "gluten free toast" "eggs" "rocket" "Manchego" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Brunch" "breakfast" "beaufort street" "highgate" "Beaufort Street Merchant, Highgate" "Beaufort Street Merchant" "mt Lawley" "mount lawley" "Chew town" "eggs"

Chorizo & Manchego

Originally from Perth, Amanda returned to the West for the silly season and thus we were determined to catch up despite my insane roster placing me on a run of 11 out of 12 days straight.  The only time we could tally up was the morning of New Year’s Eve and we met at The Beaufort Street Merchant for some brunch. The Boy was sweet enough to drop me off and so bidding him farewell I said I’d meet him back at the same spot in an hour and a half.

"Chorizo" "spanish omelette" "cheese" "onion" "gluten free toast" "eggs" "rocket" "Manchego" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Brunch" "breakfast" "beaufort street" "highgate" "Beaufort Street Merchant, Highgate" "Beaufort Street Merchant" "mt Lawley" "mount lawley" "Chew town" "eggs"

Chorizo & Manchego

I ordered the Chorizo and Manchego Spanish omelette. Foolish me, in my excitement and chatter I forgot to request no onion and it was a predominate ingredient. I still managed to successful pick the onion out and enjoy my meal. My serving size was absolutely enormous and would have easily fed two people even without the onions! Topped with a fresh crisp rocket salad and thick syrupy balsamic dressing this dish was quite an impressive sight. The toasted gluten free bread was spongy and light, with that springy resilience normal toast eaters take for granted.

"bagel" "scrambled eggs" "smoked trout" "seafood" "fish" buttered leeks" "leeks" "Perth Restaurant Reviews" "food photos" "Perth food blog" "food blog" "Chompchomp" "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "Brunch" "breakfast" "beaufort street" "highgate" "Beaufort Street Merchant, Highgate" "Beaufort Street Merchant" "mt Lawley" "mount lawley" "Chew town" "eggs"

Toasted bagel

Amanda ordered the toasted bagel which was served with hot smoked trout, slippery scrambled eggs and buttered leeks. Again the serving size was huge and all my hopes for getting her to help finish my own giant sized meal were squashed as she had trouble finishing her own.

Now those that know me well can appreciate that I can talk. Well, suffice to say Amanda gives me a run for my money. In what felt like half an hour, no less than two and half hours passed us by during which I had failed to observe 5 missed calls from the Boy who meanwhile was waiting in the heat out in the car for me. Eeeek. Am I the worst fiancé ever? After a number of failed attempts at contacting me, he decided to abandon ship and strolled up to the Queens where I found him enjoying a pint of beer under the water misters. Sheepishly guilty I hurried off to the bar to order the poor hungry man some food and more beer. I didn’t get a chance to stroll through the store at the back of The Beaufort Street Merchant and will be sure to return with an empty stomach and more time in the near future.

The Beaufort Street Merchant
 
488 Beaufort Street, Highgate WA 6003 | (08) 9328 6299 | http://www.beaufortmerchant.com/
 
Price:                     $$                           (Breakfast $15-22)
Food:                    4/5 (interesting options for breaky, large serves, fresh produce)
Service:                2.5/5 (slow with taking drinks orders and with delivery of food)
Ambience:          3.5/5 (great vibe, noisy)
Drinks:                  4/5 (coffee strong and not too bitter)
Total:                     14/20

 The Beaufort Street Merchant on Urbanspoon

Cultural Tastes, Mount Hawthorn and some Wedding Dress shopping!

Posted by  | Categories: Breakfast/Brunch, Perth, Restaurants, Wedding

I was woken up abruptly at around 3am feeling very nauseous and sweaty with my stomach churning and cramping.  I had a big day ahead of me with a number of appointments booked at bridal boutiques and I refused to accept that anything could ruin this special day.  I gobbled down some antacid tablets and managed to scull a few mouthfuls of Gaviscon.  I lay still in bed hoping that my increasing desire to vomit would pass and that I would at least get a couple more hours of sleep before I had to rise in the morning for what would be a very busy day!

The sun rose a few sleepless hours later and I continued to try to force myself into believing I felt ok but to no avail.  Our first appointment time crept up way too quickly such that I was relieved to get a message from Kate saying she had slept in and was running late as I was struggling to get going myself.  She cancelled the first booking for me and embarking in the pouring rain we managed to make it to our second booking.  Woozy and achy I worked my way through so many dresses as best I could and prayed I wouldn’t vomit when the assistant cinched the dress as tight as she could to “show off my figure”.  The problem with our first two boutiques was that their display dresses were all size 12s and they were all far too large, so the girls in the store would clamp the dress with a bundle of clips and pins. From this I was supposed to be able to visualise what the right size dress would look like! A very difficult task indeed, especially with a gastro developing in the mist.

As an interlude to all this rushing around Kate suggested we look along Scarborough Beach Road for a gluten-free café she recalled seeing previously.  We initially stopped in at the New Norcia Bakehouse where the only gluten-free options they had to offer were a selection of cakes.  Given the state of my stomach I wasn’t one to brave the stickies and we continued further down the road.  We stumbled upon Cultural Tastes which is both a shop and café rolled into one.

I walked in presuming that my on-the-spot demands for no wheat, no gluten, no onion and all the rest would be too big an ask for such a small quaint little café.  To my delight I was met with a series of “of course, no problems” to all of my requests – no onion in the omelette, gluten-free toast, and finally a freshly juiced fruitless, fructose friendly drink made especially for us with carrot, celery and ground coriander.

"Perth Restaurant Reviews" "Perth food blog" "food blog" Chompchomp "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "wedding dress" "gastro" "Cultural Tastes" "Mount Hawthorn" "Scarborough Beach Road" "breakfast" "brunch" "omelette" "vegetarian" "organic" "carrot juice"

Vegetarian gluten-free onion free freshly cooked omelette

Our omelette came out quickly and was fresh and piping hot, full of delicious roasted vegetables and packed with flavour.  The side salad was crisp and dressed thoroughly but not excessively so.  The gluten-free bread was the only downside of the meal and could be improved.

"Perth Restaurant Reviews" "Perth food blog" "food blog" Chompchomp "Gluten free" "Fructose malabsorption" "wedding dress" "gastro" "Cultural Tastes" "Mount Hawthorn" "Scarborough Beach Road" "breakfast" "brunch" "omelette" "vegetarian" "organic" "carrot juice"

Carrot, celery and ground coriander juice

Our juices were divine.  Iced and not watery; the dash of ground coriander gave it an ideal flavour boost.  They were a refreshing improvement on my own concoctions at home for sure. Thankfully our rest stop saved the day and gave me enough energy to solder on and continue our journey.

Our last stop was at Fara Couture, where our appointment had fortunately been changed to later in the day.  This allowed my darling bestie/personal chauffeur for the day to take me home for an exhausted slump on the couch for a few hours before braving the bridal world once more.  We received a warm and animated welcome from Fara herself who had opened the store on her day off for us and another bride to be. I noted her dresses were all a little bit different from the bog-standard ones we had looked at over the course of the day.  I also liked the idea she makes them all herself rather than outsourcing overseas.  We have definitely found a couple of potentials but I’m not ready to stop looking by any means yet…..

Cultural Tastes
167 Scarborough Beach Road, Mount Hawthorn 6016 | (08) 9242 1688
 
Price:                    $$ (I was too sick to remember to take a pic of the menu but it came to $40 for 2 omelettes,
                               2 juices and a coffee)
Food:                    3/5 (great omelette, they need to source better GF bread though)
Service:                3.2/5 (not overtly friendly but very accommodating)
Ambience:           3/5 (quaint little courtyard out the back in the sunshine)
Drinks:                  3.5/5 (I didn’t get to try their coffee due to my illness but the juice was excellent)
Total:                     12.7/20

Cultural Tastes on Urbanspoon