Gelateria Primavera

It has been a while since I was last at Gelateria Primavera (seriously, where does the time go?) but on a recent visit to Melbourne, I made a point of stopping by to try some of their excellent flavours. I usually go for the more unusual options, and this time that meant trying the peach and basil sorbet. Peach and basil? I hear you ask. Yep – these are definitely two things I would not have considered throwing together, yet there they were, in a cup of sorbet. The first thing I love about Gelateria Primavera (apart from their extended opening hours) is the great texture of their gelato/sorbets. In the case of this sorbet, it was so lovely and creamy I wouldn’t have known it was dairy free if the sign hadn’t said so. Down to the flavour – I must admit, these guys know how to balance flavours. I was expecting a much sweeter taste with jarring notes of basil, but neither the peach nor the basil dominates, both blended into a harmonious whole. The peach is subtle and rich, while the basil adds an unusual spritz without stealing the show. Definitely unusual, definitely delicious.

Gelateria Primavera, 157 Spring Street, Melbourne VIC, http://www.springstreetgrocer.com.au/

Manchester Press

Manchester Press’s lunch menu is all about the bagels (oh yeah), so after a delightfully perfect soy hot chocolate (seriously, I had to confirm that it was dairy-free, it tasted so good), I ordered the Reuben closed bagel ($14), with smoked pastrami, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, thousand island dressing and pickles. Also – bonus – the bagels are served with salted pretzels and a pickle. Yum! The bagel itself was firm but not too dense, and you get a sensible, serrated knife to eat it with dignity. There was so much pastrami on this bagel I couldn’t quite believe it – I particularly liked the spicy kick of the seasoning (it reminded me of spicy togarashi), but be warned that it isn’t for the faint-hearted. The meat was tender and tasty, just as it should be, and I loved the way that the pickles served in the sandwich were diced up and mixed throughout the creamy dressing. Mmm. The sauerkraut flavour was a bit lost amongst the strong tastes of the pastrami and the dressing, but there was enough of a tang to know it was there. Basically I’d happily eat this any day with no complaints – #cometocanberra?

Manchester Press, 8 Rankins Lane, Melbourne VIC, no website

Doughnut Time

Doughnuts have definitely become the trendy dessert of 2016, and I’m not complaining one bit. Mum and I stopped by the Doughnut Time pop up in Topshop Emporium to see what all the fuss was about. Their doughnuts have fun, creative names, and after much consideration, we tried the Vegan Fox ($6), topped with vegan chocolate, freeze-dried strawberry and pistachios. I was pleasantly surprised to see the doughnuts served in a paper box, rather than a bag, which preserved the topping and was easy to carry in a shopping bag. Both of us were impressed by the quality of the actual doughnut – it was surprisingly light, spongy and, most notably, not oily at all. We both really enjoyed the flavour and texture of the doughnut, before saying anything at all about the topping. The vegan chocolate is actually one of the best doughnut toppings I’ve ever had. It wasn’t sickly sweet, but definitely brought through a great chocolate flavour that was only enhanced by the pops of berry (could have used a bit more) and crunches of pistachio. But the doughnut itself was the real hero. Well done guys, definitely on point.

Doughnut Time, Emporium Shopping Centre, 287 Lonsdale Street, CBD, Melbourne, http://www.doughnuttime.com.au/#doughnut-time

Shoya

Japanese food is my absolute favourite, and so for my birthday, Mum and I had the most amazing dinner at one of the best Japanese restaurants I’ve been to in Australia; Shoya. We sat at the sushi bar, and ordered a la carte, starting with the deluxe sashimi entree. The sashimi here is just as good as any place in Tokyo, and I was gobsmacked by a) the beauty of the ice sphere it was served in and b) the perfection of the salmon, tuna, scallop and kingfish sashimi pieces. Basically, everything melted in your mouth and I could have happily eaten another three serves. Swoon. Next was a piece each of the aburi salmon and unagi (eel) nigiri sushi – the salmon was tender and tasty, but the unagi was the stand-out, with a huge, meaty piece grilled to perfection atop the rice. We then enjoyed the salmon onigiri, which was actually huge and very filling – the flakes of salmon were perfect and there was the occasional pop of heat from a red peppercorn within. Finally, we shared a plate of the agedashi tofu, which was just the right level of crispy on the outside and pillowy-soft inside. Pure birthday bliss.

Shoya, 25 Market Lane, Melbourne VIC                                         http://www.shoya.com.au

Creatures of Habit

It’s true that a good breakfast can really set you up for the day ahead, and on a work trip to Frankston I was very thankful to be able to get a good cooked breakfast at Creatures of Habit. I ordered the smashed avocado with fetta and cherry tomatoes, and added two poached eggs for an extra $3. Sadly they don’t offer fresh juice, but I had a bottle of Noah’s apple, peach, kiwi fruit, mango and lime bottled juice, which was delicious and one of the best, non-cold pressed bottled juices I’ve had in a long time. The food took a while to come out, and, frustratingly, I could see it on the pass waiting for service to deliver to the table for quite a while. Luckily, my eggs hadn’t over-poached and were still runny by the time I did get to eat them, and everything was still hot and fresh. The avocado and fetta combination was beautiful, and the toast was a good quality, dense (and filling!) bread. The cherry tomatoes did have an odd fizz to them, so I didn’t finish them, but overall it was just what I needed to keep me going for he day ahead.

Creatures of Habit, 435 Nepean Highway, Frankston VIC, no webiste

Bobo’s Diner

I have blogged many times about the need for a good, hearty burger, and that was exactly what I felt like when I met my colleagues at Bobo’s Diner in Frankston. They decided to share a plate of ribs, but I was sucked in by the promise of beef, cheese, lettuce and Bobo’s burger sauce that was ‘the original’. The food came out quickly and whilst the filling of my burger huddled like an island amid the sea of bun, once I got to that filling it was oh so good. The patty was wonderfully thick and packed full of ground beef (definitely not beef mince). The cheese and burger sauce added a huge amount of flavour and I actually did really like the soft but slightly crisped bun. The chips were tasty but nothing to write home about – they needed sauce and whilst the mustard on the table was tempting, I went for plain old tomato instead. My colleagues enjoyed the flavour of the ribs but were disappointed that there wasn’t more meat on them. The diner is open until late, and the staff happily let us work away as we ate.

Bobo’s Diner, 435 Nepean Highway, Frankston VIC                                          http://www.bobosdiner.com.au/

Mama’s Buoi

Mama’s Buoi sucked me in with its pretty menus – they’re repurposed old-fashioned photo albums with bright covers. Opening them just confirmed that this would be a good experience. I was dining alone for this meal, and the wait staff, while not super fast, were attentive and friendly. I started with a delicious lychee and gin cocktail, which was bright purple and served in a martini glass – I loved the slightly sweet, fruity flavour and sipped it slowly over the course of my meal. To eat, I ordered the Thit Kho – a caramelised pork belly hot pot. Mmm. The serving arrived in a lovely bowl and came with a large portion of steamed rice. The pork was fatty and tender, and it had absorbed the flavour of the stock, making it quite sweet. There was one flavour that I didn’t like amid the mix (might have been bamboo?) but I could mask it with the onion. I really enjoyed the stock, which I put onto my rice, but I couldn’t finish the bowl by a long shot, so this could be a good one to share. I’d love to come back and try their pho and grilled dishes.

Mama’s Buoi, G25 Melbourne GPO, access via Postal Lane, Melbourne VIC      http://www.mamasbuoi.com.au/