Friday 24 June 2011

Mamasita

Level 1, 11 Collins St
Melbourne, 3000
www.mamasita.com.au


*READ ABOUT MY FIRST VISIT HERE*

Your cut-off time is 5:25pm. Any later and you won’t be able to find a seat at the incredibly popular city establishment, Mamasita, even on a week night. We rushed in at 5:20 to find the restaurant 90% full, but we managed to nab one of the last little corners they had left, which also happened to give us a smugness-inducing view of the queue that was rapidly forming up the stairs.

The corner we inhabited for the night was cosy and romantic, but on the downside, had virtually no lighting whatsoever in the already ‘moody’ venue. I could barely see what I was eating, let alone take photos without Chris holding up his phone as a torch. So you’ll have to bear with the dodgy, heavily photoshopped photos, and just believe me when I say that the food here is absolutely phenomenal – not designed to excite, but definitely designed to delight!

Elotes Callejeros ($4.8ea)

This, ladies and gentlemen, is the best piece of corn you will ever have in your life, guaranteed. The Elotes Callejeros (‘street-styled’ char-grilled corn, queso, chipotle mayonnaise & lime, $4.8ea) is corn like you’ve never tasted before. Sweet, Creamy, and juicy, you won’t even care that it’s getting stuck between your teeth.

Pozolito ($6)
 
But alas, there are some strange souls on which the corn doesn’t exert its magic, so to avoid Chris sitting there with nothing to keep him busy, we also ordered the Pozolito (spiced pork soup, tortilla chips & lime, $6). It came in a teeny little shot glass, but we soon realised why – it was SPICY! Peppery and fiery, it really packed a punch of flavour, especially when you add a squeeze of lemon to it.

Tostadita de Carnitas ($14 for 4)

Yes, that IS pork crackling you see! The Tostadita de Carnitas (slow braised pork shoulder, encurtidos & jalepeno, 4 for $14) were four mini-mountains on tortilla chips that came on the most adorable wooden paddle. The richness of the pork was cut through by thin slivers of pickle hiding beneath pulled-pork mountain, and the jalepenos weren’t nearly as ferocious as they looked, offering just enough fieriness to leave us wanting more. I may or may not have eaten all of the pork crackling.

Quesadilla de Pollo ($14)

We didn’t order the quesadillas on our first visit, mainly because I’ve heard that they were fairly bland. May I just say right now that this is as far from the truth as it could get. Our Quesadilla de Pollo (chargrilled chicken with ‘pico de gallo’, coriander & queso fresco, $14) was anything but. The chicken was tender. The cheese was creamy. The relish was light and every so tasty. And together, it was absolutely AWETASTIC! (shout-out to Sandu if you’re reading!)

Papas ($7)
 
Potatoes – the great stomach filler. These Papas (roast potatoes, Serrano chilli & parsley, $7) did nothing but impress. Perfectly roasted with a crispy skin, I’d be happy with just a bowl of these for dinner.

Torta de Chocolate ($11)
 
We were both quite full at this point, but our dessert stomachs came to the rescue. When we saw the Torta de Chocolate (flourless chocolate cake, white chocolate and tequila sauce & PX jelly, $11) on the menu, there was no way we could go past that. Close your eyes, excuse my terrible photo, and just imagine – dark chocolate cake that just melts in your mouth, the sweetness of a white chocolate and tequila sauce, and the richness of the sour cream on top. I don’t actually know what exactly PX jelly is, it was sweet and not much else. If anyone else has a better idea, please do tell me.

The service here is friendly but brisk, and that’s no wonder, considering the line of people waiting as we vacated our place for the next hungry couple. On our way out, we saw that the line has now extended right to the bottom of the stairs, and out the door! Level of smugness? Sky-high.

Rating: 18/20 – Near-Perfection

Monday 20 June 2011

Aix Cafe Creperie Salon

24 Centre Pl
Melbourne, 3000


I have a theory. A small cafe in a back alley is the pinnacle of cool in Melbourne, right? And because it’s so cool, everyone wants to go there. And to accommodate all these people, the cafe expands. Coolness lost. Everyone leaves. You just can’t seem to win.

Not that this has much to do with Aix Creperie Salon, which has always been extremely small, and extremely popular. Always packed to the rafters at mealtimes, it’s fortunate that me and K strolled in at about 9:30, just as last of the breakfast-goers are leaving.

Aix Cafe Creperie Salon Exterior

If you thought the exterior looked small, just wait until you get inside – it’s about 90% kitchen and 10% seating, though it is undeniably cosy and charming. 

Beef Crepe Lasagne ($9)

For some absurd reason unbeknownst to me (though he was probably just hungry), K thought it’d be a fantastic idea to get lasagne for breakfast. And not just any lasagne, a Beef Crepe Lasagne ($9)! When it arrived however, I was a little deflated by how non-bizarre it looked. But it tasted wonderful – just like how a piping hot slab of lasagne should taste. It was the perfect comfort food for a chilly autumn day.

Roma Tomato, Fontina Cheese and Basil Crepe ($7)
 
I on the other hand, took a much longer time deciding on what I wanted.  There is an extensive list of both sweet and savoury crepes on the menu, and some of them, like the sticky date and caramel one, really tickled my fancy. But feeling virtuous, I chose the Roma Tomato, Fontina Cheese, and Basil Crepe ($7). My crepe arrived wrapped in a neat little parcel with crispy looking edges. Following their sightly experimental formula (peking duck crepes, anyone?), the crepes at Aix are less paper-thin, and more of a pleasant halfway between a traditional French crepe and a pancake. The fillings were fresh and yummy, and included actual sprigs of fresh basil! A perfect example of quality over quantity that didn’t leave me feeling over-indulged.

Now please excuse me. The sticky date and caramel crepe is calling my name.

Rating: 13.5/20 – Beef Crepe Lasagne: FOOD-CEPTION!


Aix Café Creperie Salon on Urbanspoon

Saturday 18 June 2011

Gami Chicken And Beer

100 Lt Lonsdale St Melbourne 3000
Melbourne, 3000
www.gamichicken.com.au

Romeo and Juliet. Elizabeth and Mr Darcy (*swoon*). Fried Chicken and Beer. What do all of these have in common? They’re all perfect for each other!

Gami Chicken and Beer is exactly what its name claims to be. A no-nonsense place selling delicious fried chicken and jugs of house beer. There is also a small selection of Korean dishes for those odd souls that don’t like fried feathery animals.

The interior was simple but nice enough, and the waiters extremely friendly and helpful. It was also my first experience of accidental camera flash in a restaurant, which was extremely awkward. And because the lighting was so dim, my pictures turned out yucky, so there won’t be many of them today.

10 Original Chicken Wings ($10)
 
As opposed to going for a whole or half chicken (which you can get in original, sweet chilli, or sweet soy garlic), we went for 10 Original Wings ($12) instead. And all I really have to say is, someone in the back of this restaurant REALLY knows how to use a deep fryer. The skin was earth-shatteringly crispy, and the chicken was possibly the juiciest I’ve ever tasted. The chicken also came with a side of cabbage salad covered in tomato sauce and mayo (I have issues with raw cabbage and Chris has issues with vegetables and sauces, so we didn’t touch that), as well as a dipping sauce (kinda sweet), and pickled daikon (delicious!).

Corn Cheese ($8)
 
We also ordered their other signature dish – Corn Cheese ($8). It came in an adorable little cast iron pan that I loved, and it was pretty much what the name said it was. Corn mixed in with mayo, baked with a cheesy crust on top. And what everyone has said about this dish was right; the first bite didn’t blow us away, yet we found ourselves going back for seconds... then thirds... then fourths... and before you know it, all of it was gone! Just make sure you eat it before it gets cold though, because then it becomes not so nice. We all know what luke-warm mayonnaise tastes like.

There are also a few other traditional dishes on the menu, but don’t ask me how they are – I doubt anyone knows. Everyone just comes here for the delicious delicious chicken.

Rating: 15/20 – Match Made In Heaven


Gami on Urbanspoon

Thursday 16 June 2011

Kim Sing

Shop 10 Port Phillip Arcade
Melbourne, 3000


An arcade down an alley down a lane – how much more Melbourne can you get? Walk down Flinders Lane, turn into Scott Alley, walk past Roule Galette, and into Port Phillip Arcade. Odds are, 4 out of the 5 people in there are looking to eat at Kim Sing, a Chinese restaurant that takes up 2 shops, and practically sprawls across the arcade.

They have a picture menu pasted on a wall. Everything is 6 dollars or under (except for a couple of dishes with prawns in it, which are 8 dollars), with an extra 60c for fried rice instead of steamed. Decide what you want, go up to the counter to order, then take your number and find yourself a table. There is literally no decor, the floors are dubiously dirty, the water is self-serve, and you will almost definitely be sharing a table. But how is the food?

Sweet and Sour Pork On Rice ($6.00)

Unsurprisingly, the Sweet and Sour Pork on Rice ($6.0) arrives in a matter of minutes. Generous pile of rice? Check. Crunchy batter? Check. But unfortunately there is such a thing as too much of a good thing, as there is quite a lot of batter, but not quite enough meat, and the sauce is a little one-dimensional (mostly sour). The vegetables were nicely crisp though.

Short Soup ($2.50)
 
And here is my bowl of Short Soup ($2.50). For the price, I definitely can’t complain. The meat in the 6 or so wontons is surprisingly dense and meaty, even if it does taste like it came out of a packet (do correct me if I’m wrong), but the soup was the surprise hit here – a clear vegetable broth that was light but flavourful.

Was I wowed by the food? No, not quite. But will I return? Most definitely, even if it’s just to try their signature dish of chicken steak on rice.


Rating: 11/20 – Bargains Always Taste Better

Kim Sing on Urbanspoon

Wednesday 15 June 2011

HuTong Dumpling Bar

14-16 Market Ln
Melbourne, 3000


What do you associate with the end of exams? For me, it’s dumplings. For the last 3 years, Chris and I have celebrated the end another gruelling semester with steaming baskets of Xiao Long Bao at the incredibly popular city establishment – HuTong Dumpling Bar, who together, with Shoya and Flower Drum, complete the holy trinity of Asian food in Market Lane.

(Fron Left) Interior, Chopsticks, Stairs to Level 1

Despite this not being my first visit, I once again find myself impressed with the decor. HuTong proves that good dumplings don’t have to be synonymous with sticky tables and mismatched furniture, with their interior of dark wood, logoed cutlery, and smartly uniformed staff.

Xiao Long Bao ($11.80 for 8)

And because this place is known to us as ‘dumpling place’, there is no way we can leave without ordering some of their signature Xiao Long Bao ($11.80 for 8). Translucent skin filled with piping hot broth (see those dumplings? That’s the only time a saggy bottom is a good thing),top notch pork mince and dipped in vinegar, these 8 little morsels of delight are just that – a delight.

Wonton in Chilli Oil ($8.80 for 8)

The Wontons in Chilli Oil ($8.80 for 8) is another specialty here. Despite being rated ‘2 chillies’ on the menu, and arriving paddling about in a fiery looking sauce, these slippery little parcels aren’t nearly as ferocious as they look. The chilli oil is actually a little sweet, a perfect complement to the tingle of the spices and crunch of sesame seeds sprinkled on top. What I’m actually most impressed with are the chilli flakes in the oil – their taste is spot on, fragrant from being stir-fried at high temperatures, and just pulls the whole dish together.

Spicy Roast Beef ($11.80)

Our last dish was the Spicy Roast Beef ($11.80), served sliced and cold. Aside from being slightly on the salty and dry side, they tasted exactly as they should, and the beef was wonderfully streaked with tendon. There was more than enough to feed the 2 of us. Our meal was completely with Jasmine Pearl Tea ($3pp), which was delicately fragrant, even if we didn’t realise at the time that there was a surcharge for it!

There is a lot on the menu here that catches my eye, pity most of them are big dishes made for sharing. But that didn’t deter the couple next to us, who were still making their way through their 6 orders by the time we paid our bills and left.

Rating: 14.5/20 – Xiao Long Bao


HuTong Dumpling Bar on Urbanspoon