Ever since my first visit to Australia over 25 years ago I have loved the culinary scene there. From those early days of trying ingredients I'd never heard of before such as patty pan squash, to dishes including the Chinese and Malay inspired chilli-hot Laksa soup rich with prawns, coconut milk and lots of coriander, I always love to return to experience the latest food and wine trends. After an absence of too long I have recently come back from a fabulous holiday mainly focused on Melbourne and Sydney, full of inspiration.
Brunch at contemporary Kettle Black in South Melbourne has quickly become 'the' place to be (perhaps due to being featured in the February edition of the Australian Gourmet Traveller magazine) and was my first taste of chia pudding, which is now part of my breakfast repertoire at home. Mine may not look as picture worthy as the delicious plate presented at Kettle Black, but thankfully the taste is the same complete with the finishing swirl of maple syrup.
Having had a wonderful dinner prepared by Chef Shannon Bennett of Vue de Monde fame, when he featured as part of a Taste Australia gala evening at Australia House in London, I was really keen to try a new casual dining outpost he is involved with - The Piggery at Burnham Beeches. Situated in the scenic Dandenongs area outside of Melbourne, the quirky location is now a popular place for a light meal, coffee and cake. My anticipation may have been too high as I was expecting something rather more special, but it's ideal for casual light dining and I chose the chicken platter which was impossible to visualise from the menu, before it was delivered to the table:
Back in South Yarra, Melbourne - a favourite area of mine as I lived there for a short while years ago, I had an impromptu delicious dinner at the successful Miss Chu's - a Vietnamese Hawker-style restaurant well worth waiting for a table at. Coffee at the excellent Market Lane Coffee based at Prahran Market is a must too. They source, roast and brew their carefully chosen beans and each single estate cup is delivered to your seat with a card giving the provenance of where the coffee came from.
A true gourmet highlight of my travels though was an amazing dinner I was fortunate to enjoy at Quay in Sydney, where chef Peter Gilmore creates the most fabulous menu. The Quay website states their "aim is to match the breathtaking harbour setting with quintessential modern Australian cuisine." They truly do and I now see why they are Australia's most awarded restaurant. I was so enamoured with the whole experience and being at a window table overlooking the Sydney Opera House, I didn't take any photos. Thankfully though the incredible evening is etched on my memory.
