Spring St Grocer

I tend to need snacks to keep my energy levels up, and mid-afternoon is peak snack-time. In Melbourne, I was pretty spoilt for choice, and wandering down Spring Street, my friend and I came across this providore/corner store complete with gorgeous flowers for sale out the front, it’s own cheese room and a cornucopia of delicious, imported goods. But what drew my eye was the gelato/sorbets for sale out the front. The sign advertised it as from Gelato Primavera, with a menu that changes daily. I was excited to see that some of the best flavours were sorbets – mandarin, chocolate/orange and raspberry/coconut. Adhering to the best ’til last policy, I started with the raspberry/coconut, which tasted a bit dull compared to the other two. It was a tough choice between the chocolate/orange and the mandarin, but in the end chocolate/orange won out – it was so luxurious and it was the better taste to finish with, rather than the slightly bitter mandarin (which was probably the truest of all the flavours). We sat inside, although plenty of people were sitting on a cute bench out the front, and were able to relax for a good half hour recharging the batteries.

Spring St Grocer, 157 Spring Street Melbourne             http://www.springstreetgrocer.com.au/

Shoya

A lot of my friends are foodies. This usually works out well for me, especially when I visit cities they’ve lived in. Shoya was a fancy dinner choice booked by a colleague, and I feel like I now owe him a very good Adelaide recommendation in return. For me, the dinner at Shoya was all about the sashimi. Yes we had other things, including some excellent ageashi tofu, my first taste of abalone and some very tender, tasty beef.  But having visited my favourite sushi bar in Japan recently, finding some good quality, well-sized pieces of raw fish in Australia was such a delight. Each piece was perfectly cut and melted in your mouth – the tuna was a particular highlight and I think I ended up eating more than my fair share. In fact, when it came around to ordering dessert, I looked at my friends and meekly suggested another sashimi plate instead. Luckily they agreed, and we all left with very happy tummies.

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

Pressed Juice

Having formerly worked in a juice bar as a student, juice is very important to me. I even have my own juicer at home, although I’m usually too lazy to use it because it takes so long to clean. As such I don’t mind paying for juice, especially when I’m out of town. I’d seen a closed-up Pressed store after hours in Adelaide earlier in the year, but was very excited to wander past an open one when I was in Melbourne. I have to admit that the store fit-out drew me in – almost Scandinavian with blonde wood, plants (yay) and rows and rows of beautifully coloured juices. I’m not very adventurous when it comes to juice flavours, but Pressed really encourages you to move away from the traditional apple/orange mixes and pack some veg into your beverage. This time I stuck to something more traditional – green apple, lemon, mint and pineapple – and was rewarded with a tangy, beautifully refreshing juice that brightened up my afternoon. There is a clarity of flavour you get from cold pressed juice that isn’t like anything else.  Definitely calls for a #cometocanberra campaign.

Presse Juices: various locations in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide    http://www.pressedjuices.com.au/index.php/

Kong BBQ

I was a bit confused when I first saw the sign for Kong BBQ – it was half written in Japanese, but when I approached the menu looked like Korean fusion. Ok, I don’t mind a bit of cultural confusion, as long as it’s tasty! Luckily despite the language/cuisine conflict, Kong has some very tasty offerings, many of which come with my favourite form of cabbage – kimchi! As a takeaway lunch from the pop up stall in the city, I started with two different buns – the smoked brisket and the spicy pork belly.  Both are served in a soft bun and are packed full of flavour and spice (and kimchi).  Bring your tissues for runny noses and oozy sauce – not elegant, but when food tastes that good who cares? To finish, I shared a chicken roti roll with lemon and (you guessed it) kimchi – this was far and away the highlight, and I would have eaten two more of them if there was any space left in my stomach.

Kong BBQ, Rue and Co (pop up), 80 Collins Street, Melbourne            http://www.kongbbq.com.au/

Mamasita

I’m no expert on Mexican food, and I haven’t spent a lot of time in Melbourne, but in my less-than-a-week trip in June I ate here twice and was a total convert.  A door-in-the-wall place, Mamasita’s decor is simple – all the energy goes into the food here. I was tempted by the ox tongue & cheek and prawn tacos, and was rewarded for experimenting.  The prawns were beautifully spicy, and the ox meat was melty and tender.  On my second visit I branched out and tried the street-style chargrilled corn, which was doused in cheese and came alive with a drizzle of lime. I then moved on to the steak taco (my favourite apart from the prawn) and chorizo quesadillas stuffed with potato and cheese. Both meals were quick far tastier than I thought Mexican was, and very filling.  I can see where Mamasita gets its reputation from! Check it out if you can grab a table.

Mamasita, Level 1/11 Collins St, Melbourne               http://www.mamasita.com.au/