The Racecourse Hotel

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of The Racecourse Hotel.

Established in 1858, The Racecourse Hotel has a long and rich history with the locals in Malvern East.

The pub is located on the corner of Waverly and Dandenong Road directly across Monash University and is within walking distance from the Caulfield Racecourse. Its location makes it easily accessible by tram or train.

The venue has recently been refurbished, boasting a new dining room which is ready to serve the locals with pub classics, modern fare and excellent service. 

Caramelized scallops with prosciutto & cauliflower cream

The bistro is opened 7 days a week from midday til late. The chefs have developed a menu that features pub favourites as well as signature dishes to ensure there is something for everyone.

Lamb kofta w pearl cous cous, smoked eggplant relish &coriander leaves

We started with entrees of Caramelized scallops and Lamb kofta. The scallops were plump and worked well with the creamy cauliflower puree. The Lamb Kofta on the other hand was a simple and tasty starter that was packed with flavour.

Eye fillet – 200gm Served with chips & house made tomato relish w your choice of sauce

Veal saltimbocca with prosciutto, fried sage and burnt butter w nicola potatoes

The veal was our favourite course from the evening. Beautifully tender, the veal had a melt in your mouth consistency. The prosciutto added a delightful salinity to the dish while the fried sage delivered a mouth-watering aroma. 

We enjoyed the option of having Greek coffee with our desserts.

Rhubarb and pear crumble

The Rhubarb and pear crumble consisted of syrupy morsels of rhubarb and pear which harmonised with the biscuit-like crumble.

Chocolate fondant

The chocolate fondant was lovely and featured an oozy chocolate centre. 

With a clean fresh look that honours the stories told by this significant structure; Racecourse Hotel and its people are here to make your visit a memorable one.

Location: 895 Dandenong Road  Malvern East

Phone: 03 9571 2154

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

Cuisine: Pub Food, Modern

U-Pick at Cherryhill

Gastrology bloggers participated in U-Pick courtesy of Cherryhill Orchards.

This summer we spent a relaxing day at Cherryhill Orchards.

It was a great day out with the family, picking the best of the Yarra Valley's freshest sweet tasting cherries.

It was fun filling our tubs with the beautiful cherries which we took home to share with friends and family (as well as some to indulge in for ourselves). 

The perfect location to embrace the outdoors, we had a picnic and enjoyed the beautiful atmosphere in the orchard whilst enjoying the lovely views. 

What: Pick your own cherries @ Cherryhill Orchards

Where: 474 Queens Road, Wandin East, Victoria 

Price: 

Adult (14 years and over)	$10.00
Children(3-13 years)	$5.00
Family (2 Adults & 3 Children)	$30.00
Infants (3 years & under)	free
Cherries (that you take home)	$10 per kilo

Price includes: All you can eat cherries in the orchard and the hire of a picking bucket. 

When: November 2014 - January 2015

For more information click here.

The Wolf and I

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of The Wolf and I. Mention this review when you book for a special complimentary surprise.

Combining Scandinavian-inspired interior, great Aussie pub grub and a firm focus on affordable hospitality, the Wolf and I is a great addition to Windsor’s bustling food precinct.

The venue sits upon a historic site which occupies the former old Swan Hotel and is split into three distinct areas:  front bar, dining room and casual seating areas. The ambience is warm and inviting with stylish furnishings and fittings, exposed brick walls and timber ceilings. 

The kitchen is in safe hands with Head Chef Daniel Groom leading the charge. Groom had his most recent stint at Leftbank Restaurant and Bar and has a decade worth of experience at impressive dining establishments in the UK and Denmark.  

The menu features Modern Australian fare as well as pub classics. 

Duck cigars with chilli jam sauce

An Asian take on the cigar, the mouth-watering pastry cigars were delightful. Biting through thin, crunchy exterior pastry, our taste buds were greeted with a flavoursome concoction of tender duck, carrot, coriander and crisp shallots. 

Quinoa salad

An enlivening salad of quinoa, roasted pumpkin, sunflower seeds, Danish feta, candied walnuts, parsley and brought together with a basil pesto dressing, the salad was a medley of exciting flavours and textures which will appeal to even the most carnivorous individuals.

Barramundi, carrot puree, bacon lardons, barramundi croquettes, israeli cous cous, sweet corn & red wine jus

The quality of the barramundi was exemplary. The skin of the fish was perfectly seared to be very crisp while the flesh was delicate and moist. It was a wonderfully simple dish that allowed the natural subtle sweetness of the fish to be enjoyed.

Lamb rump, broad beans, pea puree, lamb beignets, gratin potato & balsamic jus

The lamb rump was an excellent dish. The lamb was very tender and fell away easily with the weight of our forks. Coated with a beautiful balsamic jus sauce, both items were very enjoyable to consume. The accompanying balsamic jus was beautiful, as was the pea puree which was creamy and well-seasoned.

Sticky date pudding with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream

Mastering the perfect amount of sweetness, this dessert was a truly ambrosial version of the classic sticky date pudding. The pudding was well made and decadently coated in copious amounts of luscious caramel sauce.

Chocolate fondant, mascarpone cream, hazelnut crumbs and pistachio ice cream

Well made with a rich billowing chocolate centre and a slightly crisp cake exterior, this dessert would delight any chocolate lover.  The pistachio ice cream which accompanied the fondant matched it well and was refreshingly light and fragrant.  

The Wolf and I offers uncomplicated, affordable, masterfully executed pub favourites as well as Modern Australian dishes within a highly contemporary fit-out which combines the best of old and new. 

Location: 152 Chapel Street, Windsor 

Phone: 03 9510 1819

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

Cuisine: Pub Food, Modern Australian

Don't forget to mention this review when you book for a special complimentary surprise!

Masak Masak

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of MATRADE's Malaysian Kitchen Program.

Masak Masak serves Malaysian hawker food with a twist.

Masak Masak satisfies Melbourne’s unquenchable thirst for South East Asian cuisine in the heart of Collingwood.

The dining room is casual and contemporary with subdued grey walls complemented by comfortable furnishings. 

The menu features Malaysian flavours with an Australian twist. Travis Tong is a Malaysian born chef who is clearly passionate about food. This passion translates into the dishes that flow out of the kitchen - each dish was full of flavour and unique.

Chicken skin crisp, jelly fish, kewpie

Having studied at the acclaimed Le Cordon Bleu in Sydney and worked in kitchens such as Assiette, Aperitif, Sailor Thai and Sepia Restaurant and Bar before moving to Melbourne, it is no wonder the food presented by Masak Masak displays great quality and are of a high standard. 

Sticky anchovies, peanut, chillies, kicap manis

We began our Masak Masak culinary journey with a couple of items from the “Bites” section of the menu. It was a delicious start; the sticky anchovies were remarkably addictive while the chicken skin was beautifully crunchy.

Satay chicken and beef with condiments

We adored the succulent, aromatic, freshly grilled meat on skewers. We loved how the satay was authentically served with cucumber, onion and delicious ketupat which helped soak up the decadent and perfectly spiced satay sauce.

Prawn wonton soup

The wonton soup was delicious. The wontons were fresh and full of flavour and succulent bite. The clear chicken broth possessed a rich earthiness courtesy of being made from high quality stock.

Beef rendang

The full-bodied, pungent Beef rendang gravy was stunning. The accompanying bowl of fluffy white rice was the perfect canvas for the melt in your mouth morsels of beef.

Grilled stingray, pineapple and coriander salsa

The grilled stingray brought us back to Malaysia’s hawker stalls.  The belachan based sambal paste was beautiful. It had the perfect level of heat and had been coated liberally on the perfectly cooked stingray. 

Beef ribs (cooked for12 hours) served with sambal oelek

Continuing the trend of the evening, the beef ribs were excellent. The ribs were flavoursome and had benefited from their time on the grill thereby boasting the optimum degree of outer charring.

Our evening concluded on a sweet note with a modern take on cheesecake served with sesame ice cream and a beautiful chocolate dessert from Luxbite which was served with passionfruit ice cream. 

Masak Masak embodies the Malaysian night market with delightful dishes that are sure to please. 

Location: 230 Smith Street, Collingwood

Phone: 03 9417 4510

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

Cuisine: Malaysian, Asian

Recipe: Murray Valley Pork Mole

Gastrology bloggers received the product courtesy of Murray Valley Pork.

Mole is a popular spicy Mexican sauce which has a decadent taste from being made with chocolate.

The pulled pork mole is one of our favourite Mexican dishes. Here is our super easy cheat's pulled pork mole recipe using Murray Valley Pork Topside. 

Ingredients

1.4 kg Murray Valley Pork Topside, rindless (cap-off)

450g Mayordomo Black Mole

Instructions

1. Prepare the mole according to instructions in a saucepan. 


2. Brown the pork in a separate saucepan.


3. Slow cook the pork in a slow cooker for 8 hours on the "low" setting.


4. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the slow cooker to a board, leave to cool a little, then use forks or your fingers to tear into shreds.


5. Serve!

We served our pulled pork mole with some brown rice and a fresh rocket salad.

Holy Mole(y)! This dish was simply delicious. The pulled Murray Valley Pork meat was tender and delicious with the perfect hint of heat. We loved the taste of the rich mole chilli-chocolate sauce which had developed a delicious depth of flavour from being cooked with the pork. The hint of sweetness from the moles was cut beautifully by the fresh salad, and the brown rice brought the whole dish together.

Get your hands on some Murray Valley Pork -> Find your nearest stockist here!