Bax Food Co

The brainchild of three passionate members of the Caribbean community, brothers Roderick and Dalton Grant, and friend Romain Grenville, Bax Food Co is a restaurant concept born from the trio’s desire to share their Caribbean culture.

The partners have worked to create an environment at Bax Food Co that is true to heart of their culture, and one which offers diners a high quality and authentic experience.

Prince of darkness - Appleton Rum, Tamarind, Apple juice, Dash of lime, Demerara sugar

The décor is warm and welcoming, embodying a vibrant vibe perfect for casual dining with friends over a couple of their delicious cocktails.

Cassava chips; Ackee, saltfish and mushroom pattie w tomato love apple sauce

With a communal-style dining fit-out and a selection of smaller and larger dishes designed for sharing, Bax Food Co offers guests the opportunity to immerse themselves in the spirit of the Caribbean, without leaving the country. 

Dahl

Small or ‘Irie Grub’ menu items include mini goat sliders and smoky BBQ pork ribs, whilst the ‘Boss’ grub menu features more substantial dishes, such as traditional Jamaican jerk chicken, a jerk platter featuring a selection of jerk-style meats and corn, goat curry, and escovitch whole baby snapper. 

Jerk platter, jerk chicken, pork ribs, chicken wings, roast jerk corn

The platter was very impressive and we loved tucking into every corner of it. The pork ribs were falling off the bone. While the, jerk chicken were delectably covered in a delicious array of herbs and spices and juicy. The wings were sticky and moreish. Just. Yum.

Goat curry with potato and wicked spice with roti bread

The goat curry was decadent. The full-bodied, curry had just the perfect balance of heat and creaminess and paired beautifully with melt-in-your-mouth morsels of goat. We enjoyed the richness of the curry and the generous use of spices which showcased customary Jamaican flavours.  

Dark shadows - grapefruit, condensed milk with a dash of spices 

Sections of grapefruit covered with sweetened condensed milk - it was delightful. Make sure you order this if you are in the mood for a treat.

Sweet potato pudding 

A comforting dessert made from sweet potatoes and yam with sprinklings of plump raisins is a hit. We loved the hints of aromatic vanilla and nutmeg and the addition of sherry wine and rum which produced a soft slightly gooey pudding.

Bax Food Co is injecting a touch of Caribbean culture into Melbourne’s western suburbs. The latest addition to Yarraville’s Gamon Street, Bax Food Co delights foodies and families alike with their contemporary take on traditional Jamaican street food.

Location: 83 Gamon Street, Yarraville, Melbourne

Phone: 03 9689 2854

Link: http://www.baxfoodco.com/

Cuisine: Caribbean, Jamaican

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Bax Food Co.

Fox in the Corn

Fox in the Corn is the manifestation of Joshua Murnane and Josh Bayne’s dream. Being both from Millgrove Pasta (a small gourmet food company producing snap frozen and fresh cut pasta supplying some of the biggest pasta bars in Melbourne) it only seemed natural to open their very own.

With a love of coffee between them, the Millgrove boys combed through all of Melbourne and carefully selected Monk Bodhi Dharma as their boutique micro-roaster, for their direct trade, seasonal and mostly single estate coffee.

Fox in the Corn showcases the finest in small batch brewing available through 8 taps and a plethora of bottled beers.

The space has been designed for beer lovers to sit and enjoy a personal connection to the master brewers of the world. 

Buffalo Mozzarella Salad w cherry tomatoes & rocket 

Fox in the Corn showcases the Millgrove boys’ pasta and love of local produce. Importantly, they let the pasta do the talking.

Beef Ravioli with Vegetable Broth with fresh veg, peas & spring onion

The menu is simple. Pick your pasta then choose a sauce. The sauces range from very light (like the above vegetable broth)…

Spinach & Ricotta Ravioli with Slow Cooked Beef Ragu w spring onion

…To heartier options like the hearty beef ragu to heavier creamy pasta options.

Fox in the Corn is certainly a welcomed addition to Footscray’s ever evolving dining scene.

Location: 4 Droop Street, Footscray

Phone: 9362 7858

Link: http://www.foxinthecorn.com.au/

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Fox in the Corn.

Special occasions with T. Cavallaro & Sons

Best known for making the best cannolis in town, T. Cavallaro & Sons is a Melbourne institution. We remember our first visit. It was truly love at first sight. 

As soon as we stepped through the doors of T. Cavallaro & Sons, we were immediately swept away by the aromas of baked pastry, roasted nuts and sweet syrup. 

T. Cavallaro & Sons was founded by Tommaso Cavallaro in 1956 and proudly catered for the Melbourne Olympics in the same year. The cafe proudly represents the European migrant families who made Footscray their home in the ’40s and ’50s. Since 1956, the cafe has been open every Easter and every Christmas, making sure their customers are well taken care of. 

Today, Tommaso's sons, Tony and Carmelo (who has worked on the premises since its inception in 1956) continue the legacy. 

Behind the shop front is where the magic happens. There, endless trays of freshly baked sweet treats and pastries are being made. The contents of which scream only one thing – decadence.

With recipes that have not changed since 1956, use of time-old techniques and fresh ingredients, the proof is in the tasting.

The sweet treats at T. Cavallaro & Sons are baked to perfection so when Gastrology got hitched recently, it only made sense that we would get our cake from these passionate creators. 

We absolutely loved our 3 tier octagonal white fondant chocolate marble cake.

Every bit was handmade and absolutely moreish. Every element of the cake was perfect: the beautiful flavour, the design, the decorations and even the size. The cake truly impressed - it was beautifully moist and had the perfect airy yet dense texture.

If you have a sweet tooth or need a cake for a special occasion, we certainly recommend taking the trip down to Footscray to see what the fuss is about. 

Location: 98 Hopkins Street, Footscray

Phone: 03 9687 4638 

Link: http://www.tcavallaroandsons.com.au/

Cuisine: Coffee, Bakery 

Cô Thư Quán

Cô Thư Quán offers up some authentic Vietnamese street food that will surprise and delight.

The menu features an array of unfamiliar Vietnamese delights which can range from "exciting" to "acquired taste".

There are also some of the usual suspects on the menu for the non-adventurous.

And a pretty neat drinks list too with lots of different things to try.

Perfect for the adventurous foodie. While we didn't enjoy everything we tried, it was definitely an interesting experience. Come here with an open mind or you're better off going to one of the other Vietnamese restaurants around the area.

Location: Shop 22, Little Saigon market, 63 Nicholson Street, Footscray

Phone: 0412 685 558

Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese