~ Curious Charlie ~

Taste of Melbourne 2015 - Part 1 @ Sunday, December 27, 2015

Friday 13th November

The annual Taste of Melbourne at Albert Park, Stop 130. Wear boots if you play on chasing swans/ducks through the (tall) grass. Or if it rains, because it gets very muddy. Don't be those people who wears flip flops, which are only ok beach/pool side.

As usual we went to Lupak to book the workshop as soon as we got in. While the lines are still long I feel like there's less people and it feels smaller? Something's different this year.

CIRCA, THE PRINCE

Flinder’s Island Lamb - coal roasted w fennel and Mount Zero olives $10

This is the smallest/most $$$ dish I've ever had, a couple bites of lamb with fennel, and olives. It was good but nothing amazing. Notes for next time - check size before purchase.

Next we went to a demo at the Beef & Lamb stage, where there was a demo to create 'Masterstock Braised Shoulder Gao Bao Buns' featuring lamb. Paired with some red wine that jas enjoyed.

Masterstock Braised Shoulder Gao Bao Buns

Movida's Pinchitos Morunos $10 & Mamasita's Elote Callejero $6

Movida was near the next place on my list. The 'Pinchitos Morunos' - Flinders Island lamb
marinated in moorish spices and cooked over charcoal ($10) was hot though good and I was still very hungry, so caved into temptation.

What I was actually there for was more ice cream (no not the one below, the one in the next post, part 2).

A stop by Mamasita, always popular, for their chargrilled corn, chipotle mayo,
queso & lime (Elote Callejero) $6, always consistent and delicious. The line was long but moved faster than expected.

SUPERNORMAL - White Miso & Pink Lady Soft Serve with Salted Caramel $6

Yum! It's sweet but not too sweet, and the miso contrast makes it a bit salty and adds something unique. And the classic salted caramel topping is perfect! This is something I'd recommend and get again. As to size it's in a regular fancy cupcake wrapper.

Supernormal is just two big blocks away from the office though I have yet to stop by for their lobster burger. At the event it was $14 and canape sized. As we already bought something tiny that $$$ I gave it a pass. Though did get their their ice cream, as seen above.

Pear & Ice Smoothie $6+ - Royal Mail Hotel's Duck Phat Sundays $6

LUXEMBOURG's - Soft Shell Crab Roll - Brioche bun w tartare sauce & iceberg $14

Meanwhile jas headed straight to the back, for the Royal Mail Hotel's iconic dish, Duck Phat Sundays - duck fat ice cream, angelica syrup (it's a herb), orange cream, nuts $6. I had a teaspoon of it, and it was creamy but didn't taste like ice cream, and leaned towards think cream that wasn't that sweet. Duck fat sounds kinda scary and so I wasn't keen on it. He also ran off and had a pear & ice smoothie and soft shelled crab burger. No he doesn't want to talk about it.

Other things jas ate, and doesn't want to talk about. For him all the talking is internal.

This year Lupak's interactive workshop is a simple one, DIY open face sandwich using bread + butter + 4 ingredients of your choice.

Hosted by Sammy & Bella (MKR) we made well, sandwiches but with only one slice of bread. In the fridge there were four shelves: protein/cheese, fruit (?), leaves and garnish.

Being a sugar addict I went for ricotta, strawberries and mint with macadamias.

On the table on a lazy Susan there was sauces you could use, and honey too. Jas says as soon as he saw the honey he knew my dish was a winner, something I didn't (he cooks, I just make it pretty and take photos).

As the workshop was very rushed I didn't get a chance to clean up the plate. I also generally don't decorate the plate as dessert/white cloth places do, because I don't intend to lick the plate. :P

Sammy & Bella selected a couple pictures to win prizes, and I was one! I won the food porn prize! But first for those who don't know what food porn is Sammy explain it. :P Absolutely delighted. Just wait till I tell morman, he's going to be mortified I used the p word XD Pehaps we should rename him Vanilla?

I won a whisk, my second whisk! My first I never actually used and only purchased with Jas's reccomendation. I still don't know what I'd need it for, those I once did use it as the main feature in a photoshoot.

As it was sponsored by Lurpak we all got to take a tub home, as well as a bag. It was the same bag the bread was in, I was told there were burgers and crossiants avaliable, not just light rye bread. Being little I struggled a little, the tables were too high! I prefer kitchen bench height.

I wonder if extra tall (half giant) people get custom height furniture and houses? Can I ask morman or no? It's not him who's half giant. He comes from a family of tall people.

To conclude the night, cheese was prefect. I've always wanted to visit the 'Milk the Cow' but it's very expensive! And here at the event it was no different. This is a picture of the crowd after we had ordered.

Cheese!!

We had four artisan cheeses accompanied by MTC lavosh & quince, which was $25! There was a hard cheese, Camembert but less salty, la vache but more salty and blue cheese, with crackers and fruit jelly. Like cranberry jelly served with turkey.

On the way out we stopped by the 'Butterfly House' where we got to have butterflies on us, it was pretty cool unlike any of the pictures I took. The butterflies were pretty mellow, being tired at the end of the day. I'm amazed they stayed on us, as they don't normally land on people.

Arriving at 6pm and leaving a bit after 9pm I felt that we didn't have enough time to see everything. We explored all the main restaurants but not many other vendors. Luckily we'll be back on Sunday for lunch.