Hotel Spencer

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Hotel Spencer.

A friendly pub in West Melbourne, Hotel Spencer delights locals with a range of pub-style dishes in their beautiful old-style dining room.

The menu has something for everyone - with classics such as slow-roasted cider pork belly with apple & coleslaw and specialities, like their South African Bobotie with house chutney & cauliflower rice.

The beverage list boasts a selection of wines, cocktails and craft beer. Hotel Spencer are also currently one of the only bars in Melbourne to have their craft beer on tap!

Crispy Peri-Peri chicken wings

The meaty chicken wings were crusted with a flavoursome spice mix and then perfectly fried to achieve a moreish crunchy exterior and drizzled with owner, Hennie’s moreish handmade peri peri sauce. 

Sticky pork ribs

The Sticky pork ribs were delicious. Juicy, succulent and coated in a sticky glaze. It was one of our favourite dishes from our visit.

Beef bobotie 

We loved the touches of South African on the menu. The beef bobotie (pronounced ba-boor-tea) is the national dish of South Africa and a popular Cape Malay dish. Hotel Spencer’s rendition comprised of a heart-warming curry mixture of meat, dried fruit with a creamy golden topping of baked egg.

Grilled swordfish with pesto and our special olive rocket salad

The  swordfish was nicely seared on the outside and delicate and moist on the inside. It was a fresh dish that allowed the natural sweetness of the fish to be enjoyed. We particularly loved the special olive rocket salad where the olives had been cleverly crushed so each mouthful could be filled with tasty olive goodness.

'Treat yourself' dessert platter

A playful dessert platter concluded our evening. The caramel croissant and butter pudding with chilled cream was of particular note. We loved the cheeky twist on the traditional peasant bread and butter pudding.

The folks at Hotel Spencer Bar & Dining Room have stayed true to the 100 years of its rich history in West Melbourne icon and deliver a modern twist on old fashioned 1920’s hospitality.

Location: 475 Spencer St  West Melbourne,

Phone: 03 9329 9116

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

Cuisine: Steakhouse, International, African

Aussie Wine Month @ Dan Murphy's

As the official launch event of Aussie Wine Month, Dan Murphy's are thrilled to be involved in showcasing the very best Australian wine regions, their characters, and stories.

For more details and to purchase tickets (which includes a free goodie bag with a Riedel glass and Gourmet Traveller magazine) visit Merivale.com.au

Aussie Wine Month is Australia's biggest wine festival that celebrates our diverse and outstanding Australian wines, the places they come from and the larger-than-life characters who make them.

Running from the 1st to the 31st of May 2014, Aussie Wine Month aims to create excitement about Australian wines by increasing awareness through a calendar of on-going events that showcase Australian wine, regions and personalities.

Now in it's 3rd year, Aussie Wine Month is your chance to be a part of Australia's largest wine festival.

Themed tastings throughout Aussie Wine Month will also be a feature in all of our stores focusing on the regionality of Australian wine. Visit This Week's Tastings to keep up to date with all of the Dan Murphy's tastings being held at your local store.

#GastrologyInBurgundy - Burgundy’s gastronomic star - Restaurant Stéphane Derbord

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Restaurant Stéphane Derbord.

Located at the end of Dijon's beautiful park alleys, Michelin star Stéphane Derbord offers refined traditional French cuisine in which the Burgundian terroir is honoured.

The restaurant (which bears this gastronomic star’s name) is housed within a mansion in Dijon and features contemporary and elegant furnishings. This is further enhanced by the warmth of the wait staff, in particular the lovely Isabelle Derbord who oversees the smooth operation of the restaurant.

The menu stays true to classical French gastronomic techniques while introducing world-flavours which excite and delight. Not to be outshone is the impenetrable wine list which includes over 800 impressive wines. We were pleased to indulge in some Burgundy wine chosen by the sommelier to match each of our courses.

Pan fried medallions of duck foie gras from the Landes area in France Pears chutney, caramelised with Vin Jaune from the Arbois area and spices

The medallions of duck foie gras were an exquisitely luxurious start to our meal. Perfectly crisp on the outside and wonderfully fatty on the inside.

Deboned Frog Legs, Helianthus mousseline with cream realised with a syphon watercress juice

The dish of frog legs with Helianthus mousseline was truly superb. The frog legs were nicely caramelised and crispy while the creamy broth was an unctuous, cloudy concoction of decadently rich flavours. The accompanying thick watercress juice matched perfectly. 

Crispy langoustine from Loctudy (Brittany), Burgundy saffron broth, sweet potato, vanilla purée and coconut cream 

The eye catching filo pastry wrapped langoustine was yet another highlight. The combination of the crispy filo pastry and the fresh tender langoustine was a textural delight. It was a beautiful amalgamation of sweet and salty flavours which tingled the senses. The saffron was thoroughly captivating and was a marriage made in heaven with the baked to perfection filo pastry’s nice crisp bite.

Monkfish from Brittany, butter and white wine sauce, shallots and turmeric roots

A dish of complex but well balanced flavours, the monkfish was perfectly seared and bursting with natural flavour, a flavour further enhanced by the subtle sweetness of butter and white wine sauce. The fruity acidity of the shallots and turmeric roots introduced further layers of complexity.  It was a magnificent dish. 

Pigeon from Mieral's, Hautes Cotes juniper berries, crunchy cabbage and a broccoli purée

Our final savoury course was one of our favourite courses of the evening. Sourced from La Bress, one of the best pigeon farmers in the Lyon, the back of the pigeon had been skilfully marinated in Hautes Cotes juniper berries and roasted while the thigh has been cooked in a liquorice broth before each were smoked with pine needle. The results spoke for themselves. 

The pigeon was exceedingly silky and did not have the fibrous texture often associated with poorly prepared pigeon.  It was perfectly seasoned with the natural gaminess of the pigeon showcased along with the delicate smokiness from the pine needles, the fragrance of the liquorice and the slight tartness of the juniper berries.

We then chose from an astounding selection of 30 cheeses from Burgundy and around France.

Dessert tasting plate

Our evening concluded on a sweet note with a lovely selection of desserts. Particularly noteworthy were the “variations on the strawberry” and Stephane Derbord’s “black forest cake” – both were excellent desserts that showcased appetisingly fresh fruit flavours.

Dinner at Restaurant Stéphane Derbord is an elegantly refined affair. Stéphane Derbord’s subtle creativity paired with beautiful Bourguignon produce hits all the right notes to produce a truly gourmet and unforgettable experience 

Location: 10 Place du Président Wilson, 21000 Dijon, France

Phone: +33 3 80 67 74 64

Link: http://www.restaurantstephanederbord.fr/en/

Cuisine: French

#GastrologyInBurgundy - Discovering Burgogne with Authentica

Gastrology bloggers attended the tour courtesy of Authentica. 

Authentica is a boutique Burgundy wine tours company based in Dijon and Beaune.

Ranging from group tours to fully private, customised experiences, Authentica's local experts take the hassle out of exploring one of the most historic, renowned wine regions in the world.

Gastrology were privileged to join Authentica tour guide Stevie for an all day Passion Tour in order to take in the best of Burgundy.

Our day began by taking in picturesque views over the Burgundian hillside whilst indulging in buttery, flaky croissants (as only the French know how).

We were then on our way to Comte Senard, a winery producing Grand Cru wines in the Burgundian village of Aloxe Corton.

After visiting the underground cellars and glimpsing some truly ancient vintages, we settled in for a guided tasting of both red and white wines. 

This tasting was notable in that each wine was of the same vintage enabling us to taste only the differences caused by the terroir. We encountered powerful expressions of pinot noir as well as white Burgundies exhibiting interesting minerality, courtesy of the clay and limestone soil Comte Senard is blessed with.

Following this tasting, Stevie whisked us off to the historical town of Beaune where we were provided with a few free hours to explore the magical "wine capital" of Burgundy. 

From the historic Hospices de Beaune to the traditional shops selling mustard and blackcurrant liquor, this wonderful town is a "must see" for anyone travelling through this region.

Continuing our journey amongst some of the most prestigious vineyards in the world, including the vineyard of Romanée Conti (which has attained almost mythical status in the wine world)...

... we made our final stop at an underground wine cave where we sampled a range of 7 further wines including both a Premier Cru and Grand Cru Burgundy.  

We thoroughly enjoyed our rich, informative experience with Authentica. Whether you are a connoisseur or are new to the wine world, you will not regret spending a day with Authentica exploring this truly unique, wine making region.

AUTHENTICA TOURS Dijon - Beaune 

Phone: + 00 33 (0)6 87 01 43 78 

Link: http://www.authentica-tours.com/

Bibelot by Chez Dré opens tomorrow!

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Bibelot.

Located at the Coventry Street-entrance to Chez Dré, Bibelot is an opulent destination for all things sweet; an artisanal patisserie, gelateria, coffee bar, chocolate shop, high tea salon and a library of coffee table books for any dessert aficionado. Good news is, they open tomorrow!

Presented by the creative team behind Chez Dré, Bibelot houses a retail space of beautifully packaged and crafted gourmet gifts; from chocolate bars to enrobed fruit and nuts, decadent biscuits, locally sourced honey as well as specialty coffee and teas. 

We were wow-ed by Bibelot’s wide range of petits gâteaux, bonbons, macarons and delicate biscuits. Paying homage to classic French patisserie, each mouthful showcased a combination of high quality ingredients, delicate flavours, artisanship and attention to detail. 

Their gelato is also worth a mention... hint: try their pistachio flavour!

Staying true to Bibelot’s European roots, the space designed by Melbourne’s Breathe Architecture boasts an elaborate interior of custom mosaics with art deco influences. From the beautifully crafted recycled timber floors, to the large scale custom designed mosaic wall, every detail of the fit out is representative of the brand ethos – intricacy, opulence and carefully handcrafted creations. 

A luxury European-inspired dessert boutique, Bibelot is the perfect addition to the food scene and boutique streetscape of South Melbourne. 

Location: 287 Coventry St  South Melbourne

Link: http://bibelot.com.au/

Cuisine: Dessert, Gelato

Upcoming Event: Fiesta Malaysia 2015 [9 May 2015]

Fiesta Malaysia is a festival which showcases Malaysian cuisine sourced from the best and most authentic Malaysian restaurants in and around Melbourne. Restaurants which have participated in the past include Mamak, Madam Kay's Platz, Sambal Kampung and Little Nyonya. This year, Fiesta Malaysia will bring even more popular Malaysian eateries on board.

Fiesta Malaysia is MASCA Victoria's largest annual event. Fiesta Malaysia celebrates and promotes the diversity of Malaysian cultures, cuisines, tourism and history to Australia's local and international community. The festival receives strong support from the Malaysian Government, the Australian Government, numerous corporate partners, ASEAN-root peak student representative bodies, university and non-university-based Malaysian Students Organisations. Fiesta Malaysia 2014 received an overwhelming response of over 18,000 visitors from different cultural backgrounds to experience a slice of Malaysia for themselves.

Apart from the authentic Malaysian food by Melbourne's top Malaysian restaurants, the festival will feature cultural exhibitions, traditional games and live performances. 

A series of demonstrations and competitions that relate to Malaysian cuisine will also be run including a Durian Eating Competition and also “Roti Canai” tossing Challenge.

Date: 9th May 2014

Time: 11am to 5:30pm

Venue: Federation Square, Melbourne CBD, Victoria

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/FiestaMalaysia

More info: www.fiestamalaysia.com

Images from Fiesta Malaysia's facebook page.



Read Gastrology's coverage of Fiesta Malaysia 2015 here.