Ex-Ramsay Chef creates new school British classics for Hooked Fish and Chipper

Raymond Good has been bringing sustainable and healthy options to Melbourne’s fish and chip scene since he opened up his first Hooked on Chapel St in 2006. Now he is bringing the classics.

Neale White of Flinders Lane’s lauded Papa Goose and ex-chef of Gordon Ramsay has teamed up with Good to craft a new winter menu inspired by classic British comfort food. 

The menu now features warming classics such as minted smashed peas, smoked fish croquettes, panko crumbed prawns in a basket (a la quintessential British 70’s pub food; 'scampi in a basket’), and a crowd favourite, fish and scallop pie. 

With the new menu comes a sea-change of sorts with a relaunch as Hooked – Fish & Chipper, a nod to Ray’s British heritage and his uncle Johnny’s ‘chippy’ by the English seaside where Ray spent his summers as a little nipper.

Warm, flavoursome, comforting and delicious - these dishes are ‘new school British classics’ unique to the booming fish and chip scene and unique to Melbourne.

Grilled blue grenadier, rice and salad

Available for both dine in and take away, daily fish specials (e.g. certified-sustainable blue grenadier, snapper, salmon and barramundi) are sourced from the market and cooked fresh to order, while the store’s famous potato chips are hand cut by the kitchen. 

Fish and Scallop Pie 

The hand cut chips were addictively good - beautifully crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The scallop pie was full of flavour and boasted buttery crumbly pastry while the minted pea mash was wonderfully seasoned.

English Sticky Date Pudding 

​T​he sticky date pudding was wonderfully ​light and fluffy​. It was​​ ​an​ exemplary ​​​execution of the classic dessert​. D​ecadently coated in copious amounts of ​rich butterscotch sauce, it was an absolute treat.

What Hooked does, it does well. The new winter menu inspired by classic British comfort food is a welcome addition to loyal punters and fresh foodies.

Locations: Prahran, Fitzroy, Hawthorn

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

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Hooked Fish and Chipper.

Bagelicious

Only a couple of months old, the latest addition to the Bagelicious’ family already has regular customers keen to get their hands on some crispy, chewy Bagelicious creations.

Large baskets of different flavours await the fans at this Glenferrie Road eatery. We loved that each bagel we tried was well-made. Each boasting a wonderful rich glowing crust that was firm and crunchy, protecting its chewy, dense crumb inside.

An array of healthy fillings make Bagelicious a fantastic lunch option. And there are even great non-bagel options such as their healthy and flavoursome soups.

The drinks menu is not to be outshone, with a variety of cold drinks including smoothies and freshly squeezed juices. Their iced coffee is a stand-out. Made from skim milk and real coffee, it is  delicious way to get your caffeine hit for the day.

Haloumi cheese bagel served with pesto, beetroot dip, lettuce & onion (Add On: chicken)

The haloumi bagel was a delicious option. Served with charred haloumi, fresh pesto, slightly tart beetroot dip and our requested add on of chicken breast, the bagel tasted wholesome.

Chicken breast bagel served with avocado dip, lettuce, roasted capsicum, and alfalfa sprout

The breast bagel was just as good. The chicken was tender and went well with the well-roasted capsicum, luxurious avocado dip and crisp lettuce. It was a healthy bagel option which ticked all the boxes.

Blueberry bagel served with peanut butter, m&ms and twirls

We ended our visit on a decadent note with a dessert bagel which was made of… well, the stuff of dreams. An aromatic toasted blueberry bagel arrived filled with melting peanut butter, m&ms and chocolate twirls. It was very naughty but equally delicious.

Bagelicious offers bagels with just the right combination of crispy crust and chewy inside, and a brilliant selection of fillings to please just about anyone.  

Location: 643 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn,

Phone: 03 9818 0066

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

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Bagelicious.

The Green at St Columbs

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Jesuit Social Services.

Located in the beautiful former chapel at the St Columbs church, The Green at St Columbs is the latest wholesome, community-minded project from Jesuit Social Services.

The Green at St. Columbs has all of the ingredients necessary for a premium Melbourne cafe - a comfortable and chic ZWEI interior, Code Black Coffee and a modern, all-day menu crafted by Head Chef Kevin Dick (of Cutler & Co. and St. Ali North esteem). 

This stylish social enterprise in Hawthorn is an extension of Jesuit Social Services’ hands-on hospitality training program, Ignite. The Ignite program operates over three cafes and provides mentoring and pre-accredited and accredited training programs to long-term unemployed people and disadvantaged job seekers, assisting them in gaining skills and experience so that they may make lasting positive changes in their lives. 

Each day, participants of the Ignite program further develop their skills alongside hospitality professionals at The Green. The café is developed to work towards self-sustainability, with all proceeds put back into the Ignite program.

The menu at The Green at St. Columbs is a versatile and exciting culmination of locally-sourced and seasonal produce, with dishes ranging from wholesome breakfast offerings to larger lunch plates.

Moroccan lamb salad –slow-roasted lamb shoulder, pulses and hummus

The lamb shoulder was deliciously tender. As expected, it was exceedingly flavoursome and just melted in our mouths having benefited from being slow cooked for hours. The rich house-made hummus tied lamb, pulses and grains together while the tangy sumac dressing added a lovely acidity to the dish.

House smoked salmon fillet gnocchi and poached eggs

Marinated, dried out and smoked, the salmon was superb. The gnocchi was wonderfully soft while the eggs were expertly poached. A memorable dish combining flawless texture with equally superlative flavours.

The house-made cakes and pastries were the perfect afternoon companion to a cup of Melbourne’s finest Code Black Coffee.

The Green at St Columbs is open Tuesday through Sunday and its hours of operation are 8:00am until 3:00pm, with the kitchen cooking all day long.

Location: 5 Saint Columbs St  Hawthorn

Phone: 03 9819 0890

Link: Facebook 

Cuisine: Coffee, Breakfast, Cafe