crazy food combinations

A delicate palate of stone, timber and white decor leaves for an enticing relaxed environment with it's open seating space which is bustling with Sunday morning punters. Welcome to Sir Charles. With a warm welcome from staff as we enter the doors we are sat and coffee ordered instantly with only moments before they are delivered. Now coffee being delivered so fast makes me think 2 things.... the baristas are controlled and understand the deliverance of perfect coffee at a rapid pace or that these guys realise the need of getting coffee orders out fast before their Sunday morning customers get into a rage because of the lack of caffeine. Either way I am not complaining. And to tell you the truth, I am going to say it's the first. The coffee was delicious and had a perfect balance to the blend. What drew me to Sir Charles was the delicious menu they have on offer. It reads only mouth watering dishes that use perfect flavour combinations that would make anyone happy. For instance ...

They say cloud 9 is the limit, where you feel extreme happiness and floating on air. However I think I have come across cloud 10. Hash specialty coffee and roasters are delivering a unique theatrical adventure where you yourself can experience your very own cloud. A cloud of fairy floss that is. Sitting delicately in a cup you gaze into the floss and pour luscious silky chocolate and watch it disappear before your eyes and creates the best hot chocolate I have had in a very long time. Using a dark chocolate and designing the fairy floss to become the sugar component of this drink, it creates a luxurious silky hot chocolate that only makes you want more, but don't go crazy it's still intense and rich. Dining with a friend today the chocolate was what I had heard a lot about, however their is no reason why we can't stay and enjoy a spot of lunch. A simple but glamorous menu makes for a hard decision but the one thing that stood out to me were the croquettes. Who doesn't l...

Ingredients: Falafels- 1 x 400g Chickpeas 1 x 400g Butter Beans 3 x Rashers of bacon 1 x Brown Onion 3 x Garlic cloves 3 x Eggs 1 x Rd chilli (seeds included) 8 x Semi dried Roama tomatoes 1/4 cup Plain Flour Salt and Pepper * Plain flour to coat, peanut oil Fattoush- 4 x Baby Cucumbers 6 x Spring Onions 1 x Bunch Continental parsley 1 x Bunch Mint 15 x Baby Roma tomatoes/ cherry tomatoes 1 x Lemon Mixed Green Leaves Olive oil (garlic infused) 4 x Pita Bread rounds * Natural yoghurt to serve Method: Falafels- Combine all ingredients into a food processor and mix until smooth Once smooth, spoon mixture into dessert spoon sized rolls On a plate combine flour and seasoning. In a small pan heat peanut oil on medium temperature. Gently coat falafel mix in flour and set aside. Drop a small amount of the mix into the pan with heating oil, if mix begins to fry your oil is hot enough. Par cook falafel mix in peanut oil, until a light brown crust is formed. Place falafels on a lined baking tray,...

I love coffee, in actual fact you could almost have me as the replacement of a chocoholic and call me a coffaholic. The aroma of fresh roasted beans that seeps the smell of the beautiful oils, is just the beginning. Like a drug I wake up and within minutes a coffee is in my hand without remembering how it got there. Today in our daily life we venture out to find the perfect blend of bean and the best Barista in town that can deliver on the expectations of fine coffee. Melbourne being known for it's cafes and coffee, it is sure that each individual knows where to stop for their morning brew. My question is however how long do you expect to wait? I once waited 45 minutes in a busy city cafe in it's opening week just to get a bunny on my latte. Sure if you were with a group of other enthusiasts to get a bunny on their latte it wouldn't be a problem, but I was on my own. Boring and lonely. Was it worth it you ask? Sure, the coffee was well balanced and I got pretty excited to s...

Birthdays only come but once a year, but sometimes I wish I could have a birthday everyday. It would give me more reasons to celebrate and feel less conscious about eating all things naughty on any particular day. Speaking of all things Naughty... it so happens that on my Birthday this year I had the pleasure of dining at Naughty Boy cafe, located on Lygon street. The name of this cafe says it all really.  A warm modern café with a giant cheeky boy painted as a feature wall makes for a quirky dining environment. It is no surprise to grasp that first coffee as you gaze across the menu hoping for something to launch at you. However on this occasion, I had it all planned. I had imaged for days that I was going to indulge in the Red velvet pancakes and join it with a Freak Shake. It’s my Birthday after all and I need no judgement on my choices. Soft cloud like Red velvet pancakes donned with mascarpone cheese, freeze dried mandarin, berries, citrus powder and burnt meringue was exactly...

Where did the blue skies go? 2 days ago we were all praising the first day of spring and today we are back in out woollen jumpers venturing to grasp a hot coffee and comfort foods. Twenty & Six is a quaint little cafe away from the main street of North Melbourne. Here it sits with it's cozy and calm interior making it the perfect spot to get out of the chill in the air. Staff greet with a pleasant welcome and have ensured that coffee is ordered as soon as you are seated. The menu speaks fresh and flavoursome and being filled with an array of dishes, showcasing a large use of fruit and vegetables. For me the Sticky black rice pudding with banana, coconut cream, passionfruit and buffed rice. As it is presented the aroma of passionfruit surrounds you. Your mouth instantly connects with your senses and can't wait to hoe into it. Elegantly presented in a large bowl that you can wrap your arms around as your spoon is dug through the fresh ingredients. Not overly sweet and well ba...

With a big appetite for food but wanting to get away from the usual breakfast flavours I stumbled by Mighty Boy Eatery and am glad that it happened. This small eatery decked with cement polished floors, simplistic white brick walls and wooden seating, made for a calm feel. Not being over crowded in design work made for an open and relaxed environment to diners. An all-Asian inspired menu speaks unique to the palate when going for breakfast. Different from the surrounding competition of Fitzroy, leaves it to be one of a kind. It’s difficult to decide as it is far from what I am used to and for a person who hasn’t been to anywhere in Asia leaves me nervous to choose. But hey, it’s all about the adventure right? With a menu that says “Our Favourite” next to a dish made for ease of mind. Coconut Soup with roasted banana, peanuts and black sesame seeds was a delightful sweet dish. Warm coconut milk exposing slight roast banana essence as it lay at the base of your bowl. On a rainy winter da...