I decided at the last minute to weave a trip to Melbourne into my Australian break. Partly to see friends and partly to break out my black clothes and find some new hidden cocktail bars. The best thing about having lived to the full for a year in a city is that when you return you have a comprehensive list of your favourite people and places you just have to visit and experience.
With that in mind I was staying in my old apartment with wonderful old housemate PW. We spent the first night in Fratellinos, our local pizzeria which is perpetually packed, incredibly authentic, cheap and BYO. In the haze of catching up, chatting and drinking Penfolds no photographic evidence was taken. But suffice to say if you happen to be on Malvern Road anytime soon swing by for their garlic and spicy sausage pizza, a steal at 9 bucks. You won't regret it.
Breakfast at Hobba
428 Malvern Road, Prahran
(03) 9510 8336
The next morning I decided to torture myself and visit Hobba for breakfast. This is torture because Hobba coffee is amazing and this place, situated two minutes from my old apartment, only opened a week before I left. Hobba ticks all the Melbourne boxes it is a) in a warehouse b) has exposed brick c) serves single origin coffee. The new 3rd wave coffee movement in Melbourne is something you should slip into conversation if you want to impress a Melbournian. I'm still not entirely sure what it is but it tastes amazing!
With a belly full of fried egg, brown butter hollandaise, bubble and squeak, slow roast tomato and farmhouse slab bacon I decided to start my action packed day re-uniting myself with Melbourne.
Coffee at De Clieu
187 Gertrude Street Fitzroy VIC 3065, Australia
The rest of my day was planned out by my favourite Gaga loving and delightfully droll amateur food critic RF. I had an hour to kill before we met so I decided to take a wander around my old stomping ground, Fitzroy.
I was already in caffeine withdrawal so a trip to De Clieu was most definitely on the cards. If you look past the painful coolness of this place the coffee is truly something amazing as are the delicious breakfasts. My favourite being the De Clieu special of cheese, ham, soft boiled egg, fresh sourdough, butter, a cold drip coffee and a pot of jam all for $15. Amazing.
Huxtaburger
106 Smith Street, Collingwood
http://www.huxtaburger.com.au/
With my stomach full of numerous cups of amazing coffee it was time for my long awaited catch up with R! We decided to begin our reunion day at Huxtaburger.
Huxtaburger is a new tiny hole in the wall on Smith Street that serves a variety of cold beers and some seriously hot meat. We grabbed a Brooklyn beer and sat in the sun enjoying the shiny bun, perfect cheese and tangy mustard. It was utter perfection
Drinking the best cocktail in the world at Cabinet
11 Rainbow Alley, Melbourne
http://www.cabinetbar.com.au/
Dumping our bags we decided to do what we do best and get a cocktail. Jumping on the 112 down Collins into the city there was only one place on the radar...Cabinet. Cabinet is home to my favourite drink of all time their signature gingerbread martini.
We chatted to the lovably camp owner Al about it's pure genius, the salt and pepper, the gingerbread sugar surrounding the outside. He said that they had all tried really hard to top it but never succeeded. We agreed. This was worth the airfare alone.
Fuelled by sugar we roamed the city for another snack, as we strolled past Flinders Lane an idea emerged. Chin Chin..of course! As with all Melbourne restaurant fads, Chin Chin didn't just open, it exploded. Lovable Masterchef judge Matt Preston claims to cross town for just one serve of the Son in Law eggs and rumour has it that it's impossible to get a table, no matter what night of the week. Well it would be rude not to give it a go!
Chin Chin
125 Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC
We arrived at 5pm and amazingly it was relatively quiet so we easily grabbed a table for two. Within 15 minutes of being seated the place began to fill up with queues upon queues of hungry city types standing at the door. By 5:30pm the place was positively heaving, and all on a Tuesday, Melbourne never fails to amaze me. As we weren't starving and not really in the mood for spontaneously having a $200 meal we decided to share some small serves and shockingly no alcohol to keep the bill down. RF informed me firmly that we HAD to have the Son in Law eggs and two serves because 'he's not sharing'. Oh R how I have missed you.
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| Son in Law Eggs |
As expected, each dish was executed perfectly. Far from tasting like a fishy inner wheel tube like is served at a popular UK tapas chain that will remain nameless, this squid was tender, salty and complimented perfectly by a handful of the mint. The roti was spicy and the delicate dip added a chilli tang. As we left we took a detour to the bar downstairs that by 6pm was absolutely packed. The cocktails looked delicious, the crowd were cool city types interlaced with some typical hipsters. It looked like a great place to have a drink and I'd love to go back there on my next Melbournian visit.
Little Press and Cellars
72 Flinders Street, Melbourne VIC
http://www.thepressclub.com.au/menu.html
We hadn't had a cocktail for at least an hour so it was time to remedy that. I decided to be bold and request a trip to The Press Club, just a drink, no food. Honest. The Press Club is Masterchef''s lovably chubby George's flagship 2 hatted restaurant. Sexy and moody with a delicious fine dining take on Greek flavours I had sadly never quite gotten around to visiting but I had read great things about Little Press Cellars. At 6:30pm the place was quiet with only a trickle of businessmen sipping on their whiskey. I had only one thing on my radar, a decent martini.
A good straight up martini has become my guilty pleasure. Now that I am not a student and can afford to elevate myself from tesco value vodka I can fully appreciate the beauty of a simple ice cold vodka with a twist, shaken not stirred. Who would stir it...please!
To my friend R's amusement and horror I decided to go along with the fancy table service and allow my over accommodating bar tender to select my vodka to compliment my twist of lime. The beautiful article arrived (it was consumed way too quickly to take a photo) and alarmingly tasted like delicious, smooth, warming water (the type of water that makes you giggle for 5 blocks). It was an expensive treat. Suitably buzzed from good food and an extortionate drink we meandered to our final destination for some camp comedy and retired to Rooftop for some blurry skyline hot cider. Knowing that a hangover and an early start was on the horizon it was time to stumble home. Good night for now you sexy city.
Belated Greek breakfast feast
Demitris Feast, 141 Swan Street Richmondhttp://www.demitrisfeast.com.au/
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| Not a cloud in the sky |
We decided to dine at Demitris Feast, a beautiful Greek cafe that had won breakfast of the year a few years previously. In it's hype-filled hay day I had read mixed reviews of plates adorned with weird dried oregano and poor seating. But things seemed to have changed, it was a perfect sunny Melbourne morning and we snagged a quiet seat in the courtyard.
The breakfast was just what the doctor ordered, beautiful coffee with some house made beans, chorizo and olive oil soaked sourdough. S had the tomato and feta stack which looked utterly delectable too. With vows of friendship renewed and amusing anecdotes told it was time to say goodbye to S and to Melbourne for a little while. True to form as I waited for the flight, the sun bounced off the Qantas planes making my heart hurt a little with sadness.
But it's ok, you'll always have a place in my heart Melbourne. Goodbye for now old friend.
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