Gingerboy cookbook

On the 9th of November I was informed by the good people at SBS Food that I had been a lucky winner of the Gingerboy Competition. And the prize? The fabulously sexy Gingerboy cookbook. Oh the joy I felt when the courier showed up at my door. Now, for those of you out there who do not know what a Gingerboy is, it is an obscenely funky Asian street style inspired restaurant on Crossley St, Melbourne. Brought to you by the great minds of Teage Ezard(of Ezard and Guernica) and Chris Donnellan(of Ezard and Nobu London), and it is these same minds that now give us Gingerboy the cookbook.
I love Asian food. I lived in Cambodia for a while and was based in Phnom Penh so I frequently travelled between the surrounding countries. I'd love to say it was for the temples and the cultural experiences, but the truth is that it was pretty much for the food. I hit almost every street stall and hawker centre I saw. Alley ways, trolleys, pushcarts or shop fronts. My nose and stomach led me to some magical places. Aahhhh good times.

The folk at SBS asked that I have a flick through the book and sample some of the recipes, then supply them with a photo of my final creation. One problem however, there were so many damn good recipes. How could I possibly choose just a single dish? So cheated, I made 3. A cocktail, a started and a main.

The star ingredients

Tumeric and coconut dressing

Preparing the cucumber salad

Cucumber lime salad

Preparing the moreton bay bugs

Gutting the moreton bay bugs

Chargrilled moreton bay bugs w/tumeric and coconut dressing and cucumber and lime salad

The moreton bay bugs were fantastic and perfectly infused with the dressing. I loved the fact that there was a little extra for dipping. The cucumber salad was a great and fresh accompaniment to this fragrant dish.

Freshly shucked oysters w/ chilli lime dressing

I always enjoy fresh oysters and these Tasmanian Duck Bay beauties would have been lovely on their own anyway. However this spicy dressing with chilli, fish sauce and lime suited them to a tea, and I would happily pour it over pretty much anything.

Ginger Girl

This cocktail was refreshing and very S/E Asian tasting with the coriander, pineapple and ginger . I use alot of coriander, I am Hispanic after all, but I had never thought of using it in a drink. Different, but nice.

The feast

So above is a picture of last night's dinner, well some of it anyway. Truth is there was 3 more bugs hiding on the side along with 9 of it's oyster friends. It was tasty and I could happily have this meal frequently. In fact the whole book is filled with great easy to follow recipes. There are a few ingredients that are hard to find in your local Coles or Safeway, but a trip to Richmond or Footscray can easily remedy that. The photos are beautiful, enticing and make you hungry, and even though the pictures aren't broken down step by step, the recipes are very user friendly and easy to follow.
A brilliant book and I will definitely use it frequently. There are so many more recipes I need to explore such as the Salt and Pepper Soft Shell Crab, or the Red Curry-Spiced Wagyu Beef Tartare, or the Tom Kha Custard Brulee or the Gingerboy's Steamed BBQ Pork Buns etc... Everything in this book just looks packed full of flavour, and so now Gingerboy has made it to the top of my wish list of Melbourne restaurants to visit.
Highly recommended.

Duchess of Spotswood

87 Hudsons Rd
Spotswood, VIC 3015

03 9391 6016

I'm starting to get a little tired of reading reviews on Duchess of Spotswood and about how surprised people are that there is a decent eatery in the western suburbs. Fine, I'll admit that maybe we don't have as many fine dining restaurants, or funky bars and cafes as you may find over the other side of town, but I hadn't realised that the west was meant to be a wasteland, or that there was some sort of invisible gastronomic border control that supposedly hadn't allowed ANY good restaurants , bars or cafes in. It is still Melbourne, it's not the western suburbs of Chernobyl. With that in mind, thank you Duchess of Spotswood for doing so well that it is allowing those on the other side of Westgate to feel brave enough to venture out to our side of the world.

Situated along a small shopping strip in Spotswood, it is actually quite easy to miss the Duchess. An aspect of the place that I adore. It's not gaudy and doesn't have that 'look at me' attitude of some it's inner-south counterparts(yes I said it). It is subtle and discreet, with huge windows that let in the beautiful morning light, and upon each table is a posy of fresh flowers. Effortlessly inviting. 

From the moment I entered I felt at ease here. Maybe it was the bright and simple decor, or the smiling faces from both staff and customers, or maybe it was because I was amongst my people. I don't know, but it was warm and welcoming with the most enchanting breakfast smells wafting in the air. The staff are kind, friendly, they seem to know and are proud of their entire menu and boy are they a chic looking bunch. I almost fell in love with all of them. 

I know that if you are a weekend visitor you may have to wait for a table, but if like me, you are lucky enough to go during a weekday, then you may just be able to rock up and sit right down.

Queen of the Dam     $22.50

The Full English Breakfast     $23

The Duchess of Pork     $18.50

Fried Lambs Brains with Gentleman's Relish     $16.50

Sure I could tell you about how deliciously creamy the scrambled eggs were, with a generous amount of plump yabbies, or how the English breakfast came with tasty and perfectly cooked black pudding, a huge peppery sausage and crispy bacon, I could also tell you that the Duchess of Pork was a well executed dish with an original use of pork cheek as a breakfast dish. The slow cooked cheek being treated with the utmost respect, flaked, pressed into a terrine then sliced and fried, accompanied by wonderful fried eggs and a truffle jus. It was like posh bacon and eggs. I could also write about the fact that the brilliant waitress did a great job selling us on the special. Fantastically crumbed fried lambs brains with the hilarious and almost rude sounding, yet delightfully tasty 'genltlemens relish', which by the way is a lovely anchovy paste. I could tell you, but I won't, I refuse to tell you any of these things because you need to go over there and experience it yourself.
So now that you feel like you can freely walk the streets of Spotswood, try Footscray or Williamstown or Sunshine. Whoa whoa I think I've gone to far there with Sunshine. Baby steps people,baby steps. 

Ratings out of 10
Food 7/10
Service 7/10

Atmosphere 7/10

Value 7/10

Duchess of Spotswood  7/10
Would I return? Yes, it will become a regular 

 

China Max

China Max

6 Keilor Rd
Essendon North, 3021

(03) 9374 1988 

I drive past China Max on an almost weekly basis. Never once had I thought to stop in, and why? Sadly because from the outside it looks like a theatre restaurant. Recently however we gave in for a couple of reasons. 1: we weren't bothered driving too far and 2: it is consistently in The Age Good Food Guide. Was there something more to this Essendon North eatery? Had I incorrectly judged a book by it's cover? I'm ashamed to say yes, yes I had.

 

Steamed Juicy Shanghai Pork Dumplings      $6.90

Spicy Szechuan Dumplings     $7.50

Crispy Duck     $24

Chinese Broccoli in Oyster Sauce     $16.50

Pork Ribs    $23

Pan Fried Red Bean Cake     $8.80

Banana Fritter with Syrup     $6.80

Deep Fried Ice Cream     $6.80

Steamed Juicy Shanghai Pork Dumplings was our first choice for the night and they were OK, a bit bland actually. However they were big dumplings with a generous amount of filling, but it was the well balanced, sweet dipping sauce they saved them.

I always order pretty much anything that has the words spicy or Szechuan in the description, Not only because I'm a glutton for punishment, but because I really like my food with a bit of bite. In my family we always have chilli on the table, whether it be in sauce format or raw. I just really like chilli. So I was a little disappointed by the lack of kick in these Spicy Szechuan Dumplings. Don't get me wrong, they were incredibly tasty, but just not spicy enough for me and my masochistic ways Maybe they were softened for the non Asians or maybe my husband and I just looked weak. Either way I will definitely order them again, but next time I will just say "extra spicy please".

Crispy Duck by name, crispy duck by nature. A very simple dish, with simple flavours. Really enjoyed this one. Lovely. 

We figured we should get some veggies in somewhere so Chinese Broccoli in Oyster Sauce it was. Perfectly cooked and perfectly seasoned. Loved it, I could easily just have this and steamed rice. However that would mean we wouldn't have been able to tuck into the battered and deep fried pork ribs. One bite and I could feel my arteries start to clog from all the delicious fat. 

No one does a fried dessert like the Chinese. The Pan Fried Red Bean Cake was an interesting choice as the paste itself wasn't sweet, but add the ice cream and voila-dessert. We figured that since we ordered a veggie dish, lets get a healthy fruit dish as well, so Banana Fritter with Syrup was up next. Oh so obscenely sweet, and the crunchiest batter of ever had on a banana. Now you can't go to a Chinese restaurant and not have the Deep Fried Ice Cream, even though you really shouldn't. Nothing in this is good for your body. Problem is, it's so yum that it is great for the soul. Total comfort eating.

The menu in this place is big, with a wine list to match. It is however a very stereo typical Chinese restaurant menu, it's not experimental and it won't challenge your taste buds or take you out if your comfort zone. Just tasty food.

The decor at Chinamax looks like it hasn't had a refurb since the day it opened, but who cares? They aren't here to win design awards(I hope, otherwise I'm sorry if I've insulted you), they are here to feed the North/Western population of Melbourne some decent Chinese food. It is affordable and considering the amount of kids around, I assume very family friendly. So jump in the car, drive over to Essendon North and have yourself a feast. Then join the gym and spend the rest of the year burning off all those calories.

Ratings out of 10
Food 6.5/10
Service 6.5/10

Atmosphere 6/10

Value 8/10

Chinamax  6.75/10
Would I return?Yes 

 

Vue de Monde

Level 55 Rialto Towers
Melbourne, 3000


(03) 9691 3888

From the 55th floor of the Rialto building you do really get an amazing view of the world, so it is no wonder that Vue de Monde has chosen this site as their new home.
You know you are in for an evening of luxury when you arrive at the ground floor reception and shown to the lift, all while the suited front of house man is talking into his spy style walkie talkie announcing us "Chef's table has arrived", yes have, yes we have.
Now, you must be warned that the lift ride is indeed quite a ride, in fact half way up your ears begin to pop. On this particular evening it was a group of 5 of us there to celebrate my husbands birthday. This group included my mother in law a woman so terrified of heights that I practically had to pin her down to keep her from jumping out of her skin. The doors open and there in the dimly lit foyer is another well dressed host waiting to lead you to your table. She leans down and presses a tiny hidden button, a wall becomes a door, you are in a wine cellar. Another button pressed and another door opens and into the dining room you go.
As soon as you step into the dining room you are presented with giant windows and the most amazing view of Melbourne, I look over at Mummy-in-law and watch a bead of sweat starts to form on her forehead. We are greeted by every waiter that is not busy serving a table and are promptly seated at the Chef's table. This is a large table that gives you full view of the kitchen and on the other side a fabulously huge glass window overlooking the city. It is away from the normal rif-raf dining area, so you do feel rather special and oh so posh.

 

For the eternally hungry like myself, there is already hand cut crisps and dip set for you. The table is decorated with dried vine twigs from the Barossa Valley and polished stones, However these twigs and stones do have function, cutlery holders, hidden salt and pepper pots and just plain prettiness. The chairs are covered in kangaroo hide and oh so comfortable for our 5 hours eating and drinking extravaganza. With the window on one side, the kitchen on the other and the decor and ambiance, it almost feels like you are part of performance art piece. And considering what we ate, Art is exactly how I would describe it.

For our evening at Vue de Monde we chose the Gastronomes Menu(degustation menu) with matching wines. We were in for a long night.

Amuse Bouche

Oyster and lime

Smoked eel, white chocolate and caviar

 

Crispy venison sandwich

Pumpkin

Spanner Crab and avocado wood sorrel

Pine Mushrooms, walnuts, bird's cress, cona infusion

Marron, beef tongue, brown butter emulsion

Duck egg, celeriac puree, lamb sweetbread, pickled onion, truffle

Cucumber sorbet with crushed herbs

Blue eye cod with wasabi leaves and garlic air

                   Wallaby, turnips, swede and radish

Blackmore wagyu beef, chestnut, garlic foam

Mixed breads and condiments for cheeses

Fire engine red, Cheddar, washed rind

Home made lemonade, frozen toffee apple and popping candy.

Lemon meringue ice cream, white chocolate, lemon curd, parsley

Chocolate souffle, vanilla anglaise

Lemon jubes

Marshmallow with rosemary

Golden gaytime

Chocolate mousse lamingtons

How do I begin to tell you about this meal? There was just so much. I'm glad that I made the wise choice of taking a discreet little book in which to keep notes. Sadly however, because our meals included the matching wines, the last few notes are practically illegible, none the less I have endeavoured to do my best memory recall and have called upon witnesses from the night.

The amuse bouche selection was up 1st. The oyster in clear wrapper I didn't really understand. Oysters are so delicious on their own that I felt that this was a bit gimmicky and I just didn't get that wonderful oyster taste. The pumpkin rods were an unusual choice. It was very light in flavour and it just felt like it was unfinished. The tiny venison sandwich on the other hand was crispy and packed a lot of flavour and the jerky that held the sandwich together was brilliant. My favorite had to be the eel. I usually enjoy eel anyway, but there was a lovely sweet crunch to it. It sounds so odd, but it really does work.

The spanner crab was lovely and fresh and avocado goes brilliantly with almost anything in my eyes, so this particular combination was classic and the wood sorrel really gave it a lovely citrusy taste.

You are presented with a bowl with mushrooms and you think, oh.. mushrooms. But then the chef arrives at your table clutching what looks like a clear coffee percolator. Inside is one of the most fragrant mushroomy soups I have ever had. It is poured over the contents in your bowl and is then yours to enjoy.

At this point I'm wishing I hadn't filled up on the bread and chippies, but I happily dive into our next course of marron(sweet and tender) and beef tongue(beautifully cooked and between 2 crispy wafers), brought together with a rich butter emulsion. Just Divine.

I like sweet breads and I was really looking forward to this course, especially with the celeriac puree and truffles, but it didn't work for me. The aroma of the truffle was beautiful as it was shaved onto the plate at the table, but I think that because the Duck egg yolk was cooked at 60 degrees and served luke warm, it brought down the overall temperature of the dish and took away from the desired effect.
Time for the next act, the palate cleanser. At your table arrives a team of waiters carrying plates with mixed herbs and flowers and a what looks like a small, fat baseball bat. I am confused, but then the chef then pours liquid nitrogen into the bowl and you are instructed to grind the bowl contents with the bat. How very clever. Then they add a scoop of some of the loveliest sorbet I've ever had. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I would love Cucumber sorbet, but it turns out I do.

I've always enjoyed the taste of wasabi leaves, and was intrigued by the description of 'garlic air' so I was really looking forward to trying the blue eyed course. It was a lovely cooked piece of fish, simple combination.

Wallaby time. Now this particular course was way out of my mother in laws comfort zone, which is such a shame because these adorable little guys are delicious. It was so tender and the textured veggies were a great contrast.

You can't go wrong with David Blackmore's wagyu beef, I've had it alot recently and have not been disappointed. On this occasion the beef was beautifully presented , the wild garlic foam was an amazing colour and full of flavour and the raw chestnut was a lovely addition. Great dish.

The Cheese selection at Vue de Monde is not huge but is nice. I ordered the Fire engine red, Cheddar, and my usual favorite, the washed rind. This came with a large selection of breads and a generous amount of condiments. The condiments were lovely and varied, but I didn't enjoy the bread. Overall they may have just been having a bad bread day

Time for the sweets. Home made lemonade to start, served in a tall shot glass with dry ice(I think). It looked like a tiny cauldron bubbling away. Ooh I felt like I was a kid again. Then there was the fun and fabulous frozen toffee apple on a bed of popping candy. I love this stuff, it is another childhood memory, aah no wonder I was a chubby kid.

More sweets, this time in the form of Lemon meringue ice cream, white chocolate, lemon curd with a hint of parsley. It was decadent and so sweet, maybe a little too sweet for me, but considering the cost of the meal, I ate in anyway.

Chocolate souffle and vanilla anglaise, I just didn't think I could fit anymore in, or even attempt to taste it. But because I'm a champion, I did and I'm so glad because it was so light and so very rich.

Finally our meal is drawn to a close and we are treated to some petite fours. Lemon jubes, Marshmallow with rosemary, Golden Gaytime. Very cute, very authentic tasting and very delicious. I will need that Golden Gaytime recipe please Mr Bennett.

Just when you think it's over, the encore, Lamingtons. However instead of some sort of sponge cake, there is chocolate mousse. It is a tiny bite size morsel, but there was so much flavour.

Our evening at Vue de Monde truly was a culinary highlight for me. The food itself was a standout, with every course being a surprise. The fact that the chefs themselves come out and explain the meal to you is a wonderful touch. Truly interactive. I'm happy that we chose the matching wines as this generally stresses me out. In my opinion there were a couple of misses, but 2 out of 14 ain't bad. It was impossible to find fault in the service, I had read a few reviews that said that the service was pretentious and rude. This was not the case for us at all, they were friendly, knowledgeable and very accommodating. The overall feel of the restaurant is that of distinction and exclusivity, it really is the kind of place that you should visit f you have an event to celebrate. For the smokers, there is even an out door area. I don't smoke but I still went out there to have a look because the view is indescribable. Although my first picture at the top of the post says it all.

To secure The Chef's table, there is a minimum spend of $250 per person, which is fine if you are choosing the Gastronomes Menu, however this is not including the matching wines. Matching wines will set you back a whopping $15-$25 per person, per course.

Yes it's expensive, yes it's extravagant, but it was without doubt one of the best restaurant experiences I have had to date. I now have total respect for Shannon Bennett and the entire crew at Vue de Monde. Thank you all for a wonderful evening.

Ratings out of 10
Food 8.75/10
Service 8.75/10

Atmosphere 10/10

Value 7.5/10

Vue de Monde  8.75/10
Would I return?Yes (if I win the lotto)