Breakfast @ Magic Mountain Saloon

Magic Mountain Saloon brings the vibrancy of the Thai café culture to its breakfast offerings in Melbourne.

From the creators of Cookie, The Toff In Town, Revolver Upstairs and Boney, Magic Mountain Saloon opened in January this year and already has a loyal band of followers thanks to its authentic Thai cuisine which offers something distinctive for Melbourne’s breakfast culture.

Located at the heart of Melbourne’s CBD, a significant feature of Magic Mountain Saloon is its design - a fusion of industrial and contemporary. 

Green Curry Chicken Thighs, Apple Eggplant & Bamboo Shoots

The perfectly seasoned curry possessed the customary punchy flavours exhibited by South East Asian curries and was a great match for the beautifully cooked chicken. We loved the inclusion of tender eggplant and textural bamboo shoots.

Sour Orange Snapper Curry, Prawns & Morning Glory

The snapper curry was an outstanding curry which had a unique flavour and ample spice. It was a clean and bright dish with a perfect salt-sour-heat balance.

Black Sticky Rice, Strawberries, Banana, Coconut Cream & Dried Mango Granola

A modern breakfast take on the traditional Thai dessert of black sticky rice pudding with coconut, this bowl of goodness arrived as pretty as a picture, boasting a lovely deep purple colour. Magic Mountain Saloon’s version was absolutely moreish - luscious and striking without being too sweet. It was wonderful with fresh strawberries, banana and textural mango granola.

Magic Mountain Saloon provides a new dimension to brunch in Melbourne by offering an authentic Thai breakfast experience.

Location: 62 Little Collins Street, Melbourne

Phone: 03 9078 0078

Link: http://magicmountainsaloon.com.au/

Cuisine: Thai, Asian

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Magic Mountain Saloon.

The Table Lamp

The Table Lamp delights with modern Asian fusion cuisine in ornate surrounds.

The dining room seeks to transport diners to Asia with Balinese art and beautiful birdcages.

We commenced our evening with a couple of outstanding cocktails.  The “Horse” was a skilful composition of Apple, Hennessy Cognac, Carton Apple liqueur and Earl Grey Tea.

The “Dragon” was similarly enjoyable.  Served in a traditional tokkuri with Bacardi Superior Rum, Sake, Lychee Juice, Lychee, Paraiso Lychee liqueur and Vodka, the flavours were light, bright and clean. We loved how the cocktails had beautifully balanced flavour combinations and drew from both Western and Eastern influences.

Basil corn fritters with tamarind jam

With their crunchy golden brown exterior, these corn nuggets of deep fried batter and succulently sweet corn kernels were delightful. 

Five spice wagyu beef with crispy vegetables and lemon sauce

A dish which highlights the robust beefiness of the Wagyu. We enjoyed the melt-in-the-mouth texture of each sliced which has been perfectly cooked.

Hat Yai Crispy chicken with grilled 3 chilli medley laces with ground rice and fish sauce

The meaty morsels of chicken were crusted with a flavoursome spice mix and then perfectly fried to achieve a moreishly crunchy exterior and were highly addictive.

Twice cooked pork belly with volcano curry

Harmonising a perfect balance of spices and sweetness, the accompanying volcano curry was delicious with the crisp pork belly pieces.  A very fresh and fragrant green apple salad provided a refreshing element to counterbalance the relatively rich pork belly.

Steamed barramundi fillet with Chinese soy, rice wine and ginger

An absolute highlight of our visit, the barramundi featured tried and true flavour combinations of soy, rice wine and ginger. The quality of the barramundi was exemplary and perfectly cooked resulting in a very delicate and moist piece of fish. A wonderfully simple dish that allowed the natural subtle sweetness of the fish to be enjoyed.

Soft shell crab with  with two types of peppercorns

We loved The Table Lamp’s enticing soft shell crab. The deep fried crustacean pieces were coated in a semi-thick crisp batter that encapsulated firm, sweet flesh. With a touch of fried garlic and 3 different kinds of pepper, this dish was simply superb.  

Banana in a parcel - banana wrapped in coconut infused sticky rice and a banana leaf, served with coconut ice cream

Our evening at The Table Lamp ended on a decadently sweet note with their “Banana in a parcel”. The morsels of glutinous rice were pleasantly chewy without being too sticky and harmonised perfectly with the gooey banana and creamy coconut ice cream.

With surrounds conducive for enjoying a few rounds of their delectable cocktails, The Table Lamp surprises with exquisite food best enjoyed when shared with others.

Location: Level 1, 280 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne

Phone: 1300 899 988 

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

Cuisine: Asian, Fusion, Bar & Grill

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of The Table Lamp.

Chow City Media Launch

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Chow City.

Chow City is the hottest addition to Melbourne’s Pan-Asian dining scene. Offering a playful approach to dining, Chow City owner, Thu Fampidi, draws on her Vietnamese heritage and love of Vietnamese cuisine in creating the venue.

The kitchen is led by Kim-Maree Moore (formerly of Seamstress and Robbie Steins) and her sous chef, Olivia Badaracco. Together, they bring a wealth of experience in Asian cuisine to the kitchen, placing the focus on fresh and authentic dishes, which are at the same time unapologetically modern and unapologetically traditionalist.

The restaurant presents a vibrant menu of Vietnamese, Japanese, Thai and Malaysian plates, which feature a creative blend of authentic, traditional family-inspired dishes and modern street food. Small plates, like the Tom Sum and Thai Larb Moo (pork mince with lettuce cups) lead on to medium shared plates (although Chow City does not care if you share) including local Mt Martha mussels, Thit Kho Tau and Kim’s signature Crying Tiger.

The focus on stellar ingredients is clear with use of high quality, seasonal products from local, smaller farmers. 

Chow City’s beverage offering is delightful with interesting fusion-style cocktails featuring ingredients such as kaffir lime leaf, coriander, plum wine and rhubarb bitters. Local brews sit comfortably alongside imported Asian beers in a skilful blending of Asian and Melbourne dining cultures.

Low and slow, sticky plum lamb ribs, prickly ash rub & nam jim

The sticky plum lamb ribs were expertly prepared - juicy and succulent from having been slow cooked for over 12 hours. The outstanding ribs were slathered with a flavoursome sticky plum and served with delicious prickly ash rub & nam jim.

Blue eye ceviche, young coconut, nuoc cham, finger lime, radish, micro herbs, chilli oil, purple radish shoot.

The thick slices of very fresh blue eye were served with young coconut, nuoc cham, finger lime, radish, micro herbs, chilli oil, purple radish shoot. The dish was notable for the quality of the fish and the interplay between salinity, sweetness, heat and acidity. It was a simple but well executed dish.

Cauliflower, tofu, soy bean pods, mapo san choy bao herbs and crushed cashew crumble

This vegetarian delight was beautifully simple and delicious. Assembled similarly to any san choi bao, a lettuce cup is used as a “base” and then layered with the cauliflower, tofu and soy bean mix.

Slow roasted Kurabuta pork belly, Petite citrus and green mango, shallot and vietnamese mint

The slow roasted Kurabuta pork belly was another crowd favourite. Each pork belly slice had been succulently roasted to retain a porky juiciness, thereby achieving a healthy layer of melt-in-the-mouth fat in the process. The feature item was the crackling which possessed the ultimate crunch and acted as an ideal seasoning for the pork meat.

Beef Tataki Rare seared eye fillet, shredded daikon, ginger, heirloom tomato, radish, micro herbs tataki

The Beef Tataki was our favourite dish of the night. Displaying technique, elegance and skilful restraint, the tataki was both beautifully presented and absolutely delicious. The melt in your mouth slices of beef combined the best of both worlds (partially cooked, partially raw). A light searing ensured that each slice was lined with a thin crisp layer packed with caramelised beef flavour. It was a wonderful mélange of flavours and textures.

Lemongrass, ginger, red chilli coconut curry, snake beans, pumpkin, holy basil and kaffir lime with crispy duck

The perfectly seasoned curry possessed the customary punchy flavours exhibited by South East Asian curries and was a great match for the beautifully cooked duck. We loved the inclusion of sweet pumpkin and textural snake beans.

Chow City presents a journey of flavours: from light to rich, sweet to sour; inspired by ingredients, people, experiences, conversations and a visual environment, all with a very charming hidden sense of humour. 

Location: 287 Exhibition Street, Melbourne

Phone: 03 9663 7898

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

Cuisine: Asian, Bar, Malaysian, Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese

D'Elephant Thai Cuisine

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of D'Elephant.

Gastrology recently shared an evening of Thai delicacies in Chadstone’s latest contemporary Thai restaurant. 

D'elephant Thai Cuisine opened its door in late 2014 and has worked hard to improve their modern yet authentic Thai menu, which boasts fresh ingredients, cooked to order and aims to deliver affordable and quality Thai food to Melbournians.

The menu features all your favourite Thai staples along with other lesser known dishes. 

The Som Tum station delivered fresh Thai papaya salad.

Thai papaya salad

The salad of crispy pork fat, salted duck egg, prawns paired with sticky rice was delicious. All the dazzlingly fresh ingredients blended harmoniously, resulting in a clean and bright dish with a perfect salt-sour-heat balance.

Upper left: Panaeng curry with tender beef

Upper right: Deep fried chicken with cashew nut tossed in chilli jam 

Bottom left: Deep fried barramundi fillet with lemongrass, chilli and garlic

Bottom right: Roast duck red curry

We particularly enjoyed the beef Panaeng curry. The curry was luxurious, thick and exhibited a marvellous aromatic lift and the beef was beautifully tender.

Left: Sago cantaloupe in coconut milk

Right: Mango sticky rice with coconut ice cream

The Mango sticky rice with coconut ice cream concluded our evening on a sweet note. A Thai classic, the dessert was scrumptious with generous slices of fresh mango over gooey sticky rice and creamy coconut ice cream - yum! 

With a focus on classic Thai dishes served in a contemporary manner, D’Elephant is a delicious addition to Chadstone and Malvern East’s food scene.

Location: Chadstone Shopping Centre, 1341 Dandenong Road, Malvern East

Phone: 03 9568 6600

Link: http://www.delephant.com.au/

Cuisine: Thai

The Piano Restaurant & Bar

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of The Piano Restaurant & Bar.

The Piano Restaurant & Bar on Bridge Road in Richmond celebrates assertive Thai flavours with youthful vigour.

With head chef and owner, Tom’s impressive background the restaurant menu boasts modern Thai cuisine that makes a statement.

Betel leaf, smoked river trout, green papaya, mint 

The betel leaf was a multitude of intense flavours and was highlighted on by the luxuriously savoury smoked river trout and the gentle tartness of the green papaya.  The ocean trout was masterfully cooked to showcase the delicate texture of the trout.  

Spicy chicken wings

The chicken wings were nicely caramelised and were flavoured well by the sweet chilli-tamarind sauce.  It was a delicious starter.

Crispy Pork and Prawn Egg Net 

The egg net was enjoyable and highlighted by the superbly cooked prawns and wonderfully crispy and addictive morsel of pork belly. The gentle tartness of the cucumber relish brought the dish together in perfect harmony.

Piano Crispy Duck with spicy soy dressing topped with crispy Thai basil

The signature dish, the Piano Crispy duck was a standout. The generous morsels of duck were encased in the most perfect crispy skin and imbibed with spicy soy dressing. Each bite truly gratified the palate in both texture and taste. The dish was unfaultable. 

King fish salad, pomelo, mint, green papaya

The kingfish salad was a positive highlight. The beautifully cooked kingfish was served with pomelo, mint, green papaya and peanuts. The dish was notable for the quality of the kingfish and the interplay between the tartness of the pomelo and the richness of the creamy curry dressing. It was a simple but well executed dish.

Chu Chi (Red Creamy) Curry of Salmon with snake beans, tomato and lime leaves

The perfectly seasoned curry broth possessed the customary punchy flavours exhibited by South East Asian curries and was a great match for the oily texture of the salmon. We loved the inclusion of juicy cherry tomatoes and textural snake beans. 

Bangkok Winter

Banana Fritters with Ice Cream

The Piano’s take on the traditional banana fritter was delicious. The banana had an ethereally light and crispy batter and was soft and sweet inside. Served with a creamy vanilla ice cream, this was a pleasant end to our meal.  

With beautiful and punchy food, decor to match and a team that clearly loves the food with a passion, The Piano Restaurant and Bar hits all the right notes.

Location: 18 Bridge Rd  Richmond

Phone: 03 9428 9385

Link: http://www.facebook.com/18thepiano

Cuisine: Thai, Asian, Bar