Cutler & Co.

A beautiful night at Cutler & Co will set you back $130 per person plus a $100 service charge. It's expensive, but it feels so right. To celebrate a special occasion here will definitely be remembered by all members of the party. Cutler is a set out in a few different ways, a bar-style seating arrangement around an open plan kitchen preparation area, and a more intimate traditional dining room out the back. The decor is minimalist, but very clean.

Free bread! The best part was the delicious puree relish that came with it, pinenuts tomato and capsicum. And yes, the weird mushroom cup shaped bread was the tastiest.

The entree was a very simple looking dish, an anchovy pastry served with salsa verde. The pastry stick on its own was very salty but was dampened with the salsa verde (which was very delicious on its own).

The first course of the night was Tuna tartare, fromage blanc & bottarga. The tuna was beautiful and fresh, and the smoked cheese was light but full of flavour due to the addition of bottarga, a smoked salty pressed fish roe. The fried kale brought a nice salty crunch, along with the fried crisps which added to the texture element of the dish.

Heirloom tomato, silken tofu & black garlic. This was a surprising vegetarian portion of the menu, a light refreshing salad featurnig perfectly smooth tofu and an asian inspired salty kick from the black garlic (fish sauce). The herbs and flowers went really surprisingly well, and remained unobtrusive throughout the dish. If vegetarian food were like this 100% of the time, I could be a vego fo' sho'. 

White cut chicken, corn custard, scallop & watercress. The scallops in this dish were perfectly seared with a salty crust, they went really well with the corn custard which wasn't as sweet as expected, which was nice. The chicken was served cold which was interesting, so there was a good contrast between hot and cold. A nice introduction to things to come. 

Flounder, brown butter & pickled onion. I love fish dishes and this was no exception, the flounder was cooked and smoked to perfection. The sauce was incredibly buttery with a touch of lemon, and could've made any dish significantly better by existing. The pickled onion had a very big pickle kick but it was best dish so far.

Dry aged lamb saddle, confit belly & fermented carrot. Lovely, creamy, fatty meat hunks which melted in the mouth. The carrot was quite sour but was balanced by the spicy garlic cream. I enjoyed the surprise parcel of pastry square which was with pulled pork. 

The palate cleanser was a focus on peach. Fresh quartered peaches, with peach sorbet and almond cream foam presented in a tiny glass jar. I loved the lightness of the foam. The cleanser was not overly sickly sweet but just right, and they really nailed the essence of peach in the sorbet, it tasted almost identical to the real thing. 

Melon, cucumber & buttermilk ice cream. I can't say dessert was my favourite, which has been a theme throughout my fine dining experiences. 

The ice cream was understandably sour given it's buttermilk, and though the melon was sweet, the whole dish confused me. Together the elements tasted fine, and the dish did improve with each bite, however I definitely would not order this as a stand-alone dessert. It's almost like they were moving toward savoury again, and so didn't really give me the satisfaction of closing the meal appropriately with sweets. 

Luckily it was Earl Grey Marshmallows to the rescue - soft and pillowy, light and dissolved in your mouth. Pretty good.

TL;DR A very nice experience with very refined delicate food.

Hinoki Japanese Pantry

If you are ever needing beautiful Japanese food or produce in Fitzroy, Hinoki is definitely the place to go. Decked out with a sushi bar and small eating area at the front of the stall, and followed with a well-stocked imported Japanese grocery, it is a dream to wander the aisles and choose what to add to your cupboard.

Nigiri & Nosé Maki Mix ($15.0)

The raw fish is sweet and melts in your mouth. The freshness of the ingredients they use and the perfect delicate balance they achieve is truly delectable.

Nose Maki & California Roll Mix ($13.0)

The salmon with aoili and tobiko was delicious of course, with lightly vinegared carrot and soft sushi rice. If their sushi roll mix of raw salmon, avocado and crab meat were not enough, add in some tamagoyaki cubes and you have yourself a winner. 

TL;DR A go-to Japanese eatery and supermarket when you are in Fitzroy.

Rockwell & Sons

You know you won’t go too far astray with a restaurant that has a pig as its sign-age, and the fact they pay homage to the Sunday roast on Sunday by having a massive porky roast. /drools. But that’s not what we’re here for today folks; this is just the humble dinner.

That being said, the first dish that arrived on our table was Crispy Brussel Sprouts, salami vinaigrette, queso san simon ($9.0) which I felt, was a weird choice given my above introduction, but you know what, it turned out great. They were BBQd well, and full of spicy flavour. Whodathunkit?

Next up was something more in line with carnivorous me; Crispy Confit Duck Wings, red dragon sauce, scallions, sesame ($12.0) was sweet and tangy but there wasn’t a lot of meat on the wings, so it was difficult to eat, with not a lot of reward.

The French Fries, malt vinegar aioli ($6.0) were great. Really well fried, not too soggy or thick, and the aioli was nice. 

I never understood the point of Mac & Cheese ($8.0); it always seemed like such an American equivalent of cup-noodles. But I’m getting there. Rockwell’s version is creamy but used a type of tasty cheese so the end result was not as decadent as Bowery’s.

Lamb is fast becoming my favourite meat, so of course I wanted to try ribs, some of the most succulent cuts I’ve tasted. The Smoked Lamb Ribs ($14.0) were tasty initially but lost its flavour quite quickly. I wouldn't order again.

The Chicken Liver Parfait, buttermilk biscuits, strawberry-black pepper jam ($14.0) was smooth and rich. The jam chutney complemented the richness well and the buttermilk bread was really needed to soak up the flavour. It tasted like a million bucks.

Rockwell’s famous Double Patty Smash Burger, Kraft, Special Sauce on a Seeded Bun ($12.0) is a moist, cheesy and oh-so-heavy burger which leaks all over your hand. Wow, I can get sexual too. Great burger. So much fat. 

To end, or rather, the last thing put into my mouth, was the Maine-Style Tiger Prawn Roll, Kewpie Tartare, Compressed Celery ($13.0). The roll is brioche, so already it’s a winner. The sweet bread goes so well with the kewpie and prawn, and my only complaint is the serving size is small, especially for the price. 

TL;DR There are a lot of good places to eat in Fitzroy, Rockwell & Sons will always be one of them.

Belles Hot Chicken

Belles Hot Chicken used to be Belles Hot Diner until they realised that fried chicken is all a person REALLY needs. Now their menu is slick, stripped back and it’s fried chicken to perfection. It very much still resembles an American Diner, but with the lights down low and a little more moody.

Seating at the bar is significantly less romantic, but tables turn over quickly, even for a Thursday night.

I started off with Wings ($16.0) at Medium Heat, whilst a friend ordered the Dark Meat (Drumstick & Thigh $16.0) at the Hot Heat. I opted for the Old Bay Fries which were included in the price, and paid for the Mississippi Comeback Sauce ($2.0) which is like a garlic aioli.

The chicken wings are oily and tender, and really, really tasty. When the basket arrived I looked at it with great scepticism, but I was full by the end.  Each basket comes with a slice of white bread to soak up that chilli oil, and you can choose to eat it or avoid it at the end of the meal. I should have opted for the Hot Heat level, as Medium was barely even spicy. They definitely do not use KFC’s secret spices at Belles, and the flavour is so much more intense and less commercial. I much prefer this fried chicken over Crazy Wings.

The Dark Meat selection seems to have more meat, with less fiddling around with the bones, but the flavour does not penetrate in to the chicken meat as much as with the wings.

To end, I couldn’t resist getting the Soft Serve of the week ($6.0) – chocolate with crumbled caramelised peanuts. It was pretty good, but nothing special. A fudge brownie would’ve really made it good.

TL;DR Some finger lickin’ chickin.

The Flour Market

Waking up early to join the already impressive line outside the Fitzroy Town Hall at 8:45am on a Sunday morning was totally worth it for my carb-starved body. But here are a few tips for the seasonal Flour Market, held in various (hipster) locations in Melbourne.

1. Bring cash only - do not look a fool when you burn through your money after two stalls (me.) and have to turn to a generous friend to borrow from (thanks Will!)
2. Don't hesitate when you want to buy something, it will probably be gone when you look back. 
3. This is more for the stallholders but LABEL YOUR ITEMS, it will save a lot of time when you don't have to explain every flavour of tart to every single customer.
4. Get there early, we were in and out within two hours with decent waiting times (definitely gets worse as the morning goes on), not to mention things sell out (All Day Doughnuts were gone in 4 hours). This doesn't apply when storeholders get there late on purpose (apparently that happened at the Valentines Bake My Heart Flour Market)

On to the food, chaps.

Bakewell & Co.

The Choc Cross Peanut Butter Cookie ($4.50) was amazing! I loved every bite and wished I bought more. The chocolate was soft and melty and the cookie was soft and chewy. So good.

The Sweet Apple Pie Slice ($6) was also beautiful (but unfortunately no picture because it got squished in the frenzy of carb-loading). I loved the pie crust which tasted awfully similar to shortbread. The apple pieces inside were done to perfection - no random tough skins to bite through, or overly sweet. The only complaint I have, which made the whole experience a bit jarring, was the pastry at the bottom of the slice was completely raw, so I grilled it for a bit and got a nice piece of biscuit. A friend had a similar experience with the spiced pumpkin pie but despite this, we were both thoroughly impressed (he said I need to try the Key Lime Pie. I am excited!).

Tivoli Road Bakery

Tivoli's Hot Cross Buns ($3.50) were recently declared as the best hot cross buns in Melbourne! So of course I picked one up to try. To be fair, I did eat it the next day, toasted so I didn't get a feel of the "moist, with an appealing bounciness" described in the article. However, it was a delicious hot cross bun. It looked great and wasn't too spicy or fruity - even with the orange rind mixed through.

The famous Tivoli Cronuts did not choose to make a comeback at the Flour Market (but I will continue hoping) but they did have some hot cross bun stuffed donuts ($4.00).These to me tasted like Christmas pudding in a donut (but I don't really enjoy Christmas pud so maybe it did in fact taste like a really well done Hot Cross Bun)! That is to say, it was lovely and spice-filled and delicious. The littler currants mixed in were a great addition. Tivoli sure know how to make people feel warm and fuzzy inside with their donuts.

Pure Pie

These guys were a massive hit, with the biggest line in the room. Desperately wanted to try the Quiche Lorraine, but alas we were too slow. So we settled for their Pie special which was chicken, corn, bacon and leek (I know right!) And yes folks, it tasted as good as it sounds. Lovely and creamy, and so darn tasty, there were huge chicken pieces in there which you could satisfyingly chew through, and all the ingredients complimented each other so well!

We also got the Beef, Cheddar, Guinness & Thyme Pie ($8.50) holy moley. These guys know how to make their pies. The beef filling ate like a meal, a warm comforting winter meal; and the pastry was light, crunchy and oh-so-good. I think I have finally found a place that has beaten Pie In The Sky, and that is not an easy thing to do - and I'm happy because it's a lot closer to get my pie fix now!

The pork, apple and fennel Sausage Roll ($6.00) which was delicious on first bite, but then I decided it was a little bland - probably best eaten with some of the relishes Pure Pie have on sale. I would buy it again though, as the pastry around the meat was delicious like the pie base, but really let's be honest, these guys aren't called Pure Pie for nothing.

All Day Donuts

This guy Raph, the mastermind behind Beatbox Burger amongst other things, is a genius churning out hit after hit after hit.

This beauty is the cream cheese glaze donut with milk berry rubble. The icing on this puppy tasted so good, it was sweet and I could have dunked donut after donut into the glaze. For some, without this glaze the donut may be a bit bland or not sweet enough for some, but it tasted fine to me either way.

The tried and true Passionfruit Curd with Coffee Glaze and Chocolate Rubble had and awesome passionfruit curd centre, a surprise that I probably should have seen coming. The curd was very well done, not being too sweet but so creamy! I much preferred this donut to the other.

Nora Tarts

These stunning tarts looked gorgeous on the trestle table set up and the crowd around them eagerly jostled to be served. This Bonsoy Cereal infused Earl Grey tea, lady finger caramelised banana, grass jelly, cornflake crunch, dried blueberries/cranberries, and Froot Loops tart is a mouthful to say but not so much in taste. I felt like the tart had a strange flavour; like tasteless pastry with a strange after taste where I swear I could taste the charcoal mix, which gives the black colour. It is unfortunate as the pastry is usually what I look forward to the most in my tarts. I am unsure if it's because the taste of charcoal is too strong (tasteless) or whether there isn't enough fatty butter and sugar added. The contents were initially nice and creamy in line with the bonsoy tea, but then it got weird due to the combination of Froot Loops and grass jelly. I think they went a bit ambitious with the flavours and it didn't balance for me. 

On the other hand, the chocolate ganache, mango, orange puree, pistachio and freeze dried mandarin tart was a lot better. Possibly due to the stronger and heavier taste the dark chocolate brings to the tart. The smooth chocolate filling was not too bitter and not too sweet. The orange puree and mango hiding underneath the surface had a nice sweet hit that broke up the heavier chocolate taste. Delicious. The pistachio and mandarin flakes were a nice addition as well. I would recommend these tarts to someone who needs to look fancy at a party when they present their dessert platter. 

I hope to visit the stockists of Nora Tarts in the future as in all honesty, my storage was pretty poor and I need to give them a fairer go; but at this stage their tarts definitely looked better than they tasted.

I am so glad I hauled myself out of bed in the early AM to attend this carb-fest, I spent my money like a bazillionaire and don't regret any of the purchases! A great little morning in Fitzroy Town.

TL;DR If you can get down to the Flour Market you will not be dissapointed!

The Kodiak Club

Having never heard about this place, I was pleasantly surprised at the outcome! It is definitely more of a pub-drinks kind of place rather than restaurant, but it does have a nice American-style diner feel about it. Great atmosphere and the food speaks for itself!

I ordered a Kodiak Caesar “The better Canadian version of a Bloody Mary” (Ketel One Vodka, Clamato juice, fresh lemon, hot sauce & spices) as I waited for my partners in crime. It was very similar to a Bloody Mary if not slightly lighter in taste. I would definitely re-order!

Popcorn Chicken ($10) was quite tasty and bite sized morsels are always a hit with me. The honey-mustard sauce really complimented the fried chicken and our only complaint was there wasn’t enough!

French Fries with Gravy ($7 + $1) were the standard carb addition to our meal; nothing special here.

On the other hand, the Jalapeno Bottle Caps ($5) were something of a dream come true! I have had what I can only assume was meant to equal these treats at Parlour Diner, but I must say Kodiak Club does it right. These are essentially Jalapeno slices filled with cream cheese and honey, then batter fried to make it double delicious. You can see we ordered two, ‘cos we YOLOSWAGYOLO like that. I would definitely recommend these – not too spicy, but so delectable.

The Corn on the Cob ($5) is a classic I must try if it is on the menu, though this version was not as good as Fonda which reigns supreme. I'd skip it when I return.

Johnny Cakes & Sawmill Gravy ($8) was initially quite strange to taste (and somewhat unappealing visually), but then I fell in love with it and almost finished them off all by myself. The cornmeal cakes weren’t too sweet which was good, otherwise it would end up Pancake-Parlouresque while the herbed sausage gravy plus side pickles made it into a hearty meal. Loved it.

The Kodiak’s Famous Buffalo Wings half dozen ($10) are apparently as close to America as you can get. I quite liked the blue cheese sauce and the wings were surprisingly spicy considering. Not a bad dish overall, but not my favourite of the night – I much preferred everything else on the menu!

I felt splurgy that night so ordered my second cocktail, The Picket Fence: Fresh lemon, apple, cinnamon, 666 Autumn Butter Vodka shaken & fluffed with egg white. Probably should have opted for the tried but true A Cocktail Named Desire as I am a sweets fan, but I did manage to finish the drink so I guess that’s saying something…

The Kodiak Burger ($17) was the main reason we decided to eat here, with its two grass fed beef patties, American cheese, dill pickles, onions and Buffalo Trace bourbon mayo on a sesame seed bun (with fries). The burger was tender and juicy, and the sauce was definitely a plus – but this won’t make my top 5 list.

TL;DR I’d return and nom the shit outta those Jalapeno Poppers, and dem Johnny Cakes ooo gurl.