Where: Strachan Lane, Melbourne
When: Weekdays: Midday- late, Sat: 8pm- late
Contact: (03) 9662 4914
Vego :)
Vegan :/
Licensed

Strange Wolf describes their menu as “New York Deli” but I’d give it so much more credit than that. The short menu is limited to the American classics; hot dogs and burgers, but the details are really impressive. Carnivores can enjoy pork belly or yearling and wagyu beef numbers while the vego and vegan options are truly exciting. I tried the “I am Shah Rukh” which featured haloumi and potato patty, Indian spiced relish and onion salad ($14). The patty had all the warmth and indulgence of a hash brown with plenty of salt and crisp. While the rest of the flavours were simple, I’d never call the burger bland; just modest and comfortable and satisfying.

If you’re looking for something with a little more bite, go for the “Confucius is Vegan” which promises a silken tofu and sesame patty, crispy shallots, apple slaw, chilli and mint ($14). The tofu was a plentiful slab and the burger had a good spark of chilli, set off by fresh coriander and a sweet hoisin sauce…nothing like the description. This could have been annoying, only the version dished up was probably a lot better than what was written on the menu.
Both burgers came with impossibly giant, misshapen chips which were lightly salted and served in a rather cute plywood/paper cone. For $14 they were well priced, even though they were on the smaller side. If the buns had been more substantial and less of the sugary, take-away variety then nobody would have left the table peckish.

Silken tofu and sesame patty, crispy shallots, apple slaw, chilli and mint ($14)

Service was friendly but not very involved as all the ordering is done at the bar. It would have been nice for staff to have offered us more water instead of just clearing the glasses as we weren’t allowed to take the water jugs from the bar to our table. A steady thump of muted electro permeated all the dark spaces of the venue, giving it a bar vibe without killing any chance of lunchtime conversation. Because Strange Wolf is a basement, it is quite dark but lets in surprising bursts of light from the foot-level windows peering out at the street. Creative little light boxes have been created underneath each with a sort of Mad Professor vibe of wayward terrariums and snaking wires and cords. The concrete support pillars and exposed pipes frame the room, some parts still stained from graffiti and others, slicked over with dark, shimmering wallpaper. It’s an eclectic mix of glitz and grunge that manages to be ambient without any pompousness. While we managed to sit very comfortably at the communal table, most of the seats are not very suitable for eating at because the tables are blocks; with nowhere to fit your legs under. Great for a drink but make sure you get in early if you’re planning a sit-down meal.

Haloumi and potato patty, Indian spiced relish and onion salad ($14)

Food: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Ambiance: 4/5

High Tea at The Westin, Melbourne

Where: 205 Collins St, Melbourne
When: High Tea is served every day from 12.30pm
Contact: (03) 9635 2222 
Vego :)

Autumn Menu High Tea ($55 pp or $65 with Chandon Brut)

High Tea can be a downright risky affair, with so many variable factors and a prestigious price-tag it is easy to be disappointed, The Westin had a lot at stake. The hotel takes a modern approach to their High Tea ($55 pp or $65 with Chandon) but still not straying too much from the traditional miniature sweets and sandwiches. The room itself has a sophisticated, masculine feel with dark leather armchairs and walls muted with a creamy, deep green. Parts feel more like James Bonds’ den than a glittering hotel café. Seating is considerately situated so you can expect some space to enjoy either the High Tea feast or the A la Carte menu.

Our High Tea experience was with a reasonably large group so some delay was expected, nevertheless there was a wait much longer than the promised “fifteen minutes” before the tiered trays arrived. Our waitress also didn’t seem to understand my pregnancy dietary requirements of “no cured meats or raw eggs”. My tray was not “pregnancy friendly as I had feared and arrived with a cured meat item. When staff was notified they returned with a generous reimbursement of two chicken pies and two chicken sandwich triangles. Unfortunately the sandwiches contained mayonnaise; a notorious raw-egg item. I wondered about the communication skills and knowledge of the wait-staff.

The savouries were impressive and sufficiently warm, in particular the chicken and leek pie was robust and juicy. The sandwiches were also full-flavoured and excellent but it was heartbreaking to only have one comically small triangle to enjoy. While High Tea is traditionally dessert heavy, this still felt weighted far too much towards sweet rather than savoury.

Speaking of sweet, no effort was spared when it came to the intricacy and beauty of the cakes. The standout was the impossibly gorgeous red velvet cake encased in pink vanilla icing; it was much fun to eat as it was to admire! The chocolate heart was a flowing, burst of chocolate and berry which tasted much more impressive than anticipated as was the double dipped chocolate strawberry. It was a really enjoyable experience tasting the individual little flavour parcels on offer.

We were able to order coffee, tea and champagne as much as we wished although on a few occasions, guests had to get up to make further drink orders with the friendly, but preoccupied staff. The barista on staff dealt very well with our inquiries when there was no one else to talk to, and she made an excellent coffee too.

Overall I enjoyed my experience at the lovely Westin but the lack of understanding and communication skills with the staff put a dampener on things. It didn’t seem to fit with the high profile that The Westin holds. I wouldn’t be put off returning but I believe I would be hesitant to recommend the venue on this experience alone.

Miniature Red Velvet Cake

Food: 4/5
Service: 2/5
Ambiance: 4/5

Where: Literature Lane (Enter via Little Latrobe St)
When: Mon-Fri: Breakfast and lunch, Saturday: lunch
Contact: (03) 9654 7887
Take-away (very limited seating)
Vego :)
Gluten-free :(
Nut-free :(

The top end of the city is buzzing with new, exciting places to eat. The latest darling is Wonderbao, a take-away Chinese eatery that has a short menu consisting entirely of steamed doughy items (think buns and dough taco-shaped savouries or gua bao). For breakfast, lunch or snacks, these hot little parcels are served up lightening fast, with a smile as you wait. If you’re lucky enough you can grab one of the five stools overlooking one of Melbourne’s signature graffiti lanes, or failing that, a milk-crate in said lane.

The stand-out menu item is the Fried Silky Tofu Gua Bao ($3.80) with pickled mustard, coriander, sweet soy and crushed peanuts. The lightly fried tofu takes on a slightly sticky skin which adds lots of beautiful texture to the generous pillowy filling inside. I’m not normally a fan of silken tofu, but this steamy number won me over. The sauces weren’t too overpowering and the addition of fresh cucumber and coriander was gorgeous.

Left: Da Pork Bao ($3.20), Right: Fried Silky Tofu Gua Bao ($3.80)

It’s always hard to go past the sweet/savoury hybrid that is char-sui bao (BBQ pork bun) for $2 and Wonderbao does a particularly good one with lots of warm spiced flavours and no nasty gristle or sickly sweet gravy. Also good was the Da Pork Bao ($3.20) which had Chinese sausage, boiled egg and shitake mushrooms. The sausage was good quality and the mushrooms were large, juicy and radiated flavour throughout the whole bun.

Homemade Organic Soya Milk ($2.80)

To drink there are a few sweet tea tetra-packet drinks in the fridge or you can enjoy a hot or cold soy milk which they brew themselves. Be warned though, this is more of a soy drink and comes quite sweet. I tried the hot version but decided the sweetness would be less overbearing had it been cold. When I asked for hot tea the staff politely let me know that they didn’t have any but then had the initiative to offer me some water instead; a nice consideration.
For dessert you can choose from a taro or egg custard bun ($1.70), I ordered the latter and found it completely thick and delicious; a powerful eggy punch.

This steamy little place is a well-priced and high-quality convenience, matched with a great staff it’s sure to do well.

Egg Custard Bun ($1.70)

Food: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Ambiance: 2/5

Where: Rear 774 High St, Thornbury
When: Every night from 5:30pm
Contact: 9484 0173
Vego :) :)

Erkin Koray; tomato, beef sujuk, red pepper, haloumi, olives ($19)

Up the quiet end of High Street you’ll not only find plenty of parking but also The Moor’s Head; a place which describes it’s pizza as “inauthentic”. I’d just be happy to say it was Lebanese and Turkish pizza, as the flavours aren’t so much inauthentic as they are Middle Eastern. There isn’t actually any frontage on High Street, so you’ll need to enter via the side street (Collins St). The building looks to be one converted from an old warehouse, in solid red brick with high ceilings. Inside the kitchen sits open-plan in the middle of the venue, so wafting smells and heat from the ovens set a cozy mood about the place. There are a few booths and comfortable benches distanced enough from each other that you feel like you really have your own space. The staff is incredibly welcoming and do their best to make sure you have everything you need.

Pizzas come cozily encased in either a boat-shaped pide, a rectangle or a traditional circle. Although they may look it, the dough isn’t too thick or over-bearing, but thin-crust pizza it is not. They are all served with heavy duty roller cutters for you to divide them up whichever way you wish.

Sultan Mehmet, tomato, lamb ma’anek, red pepper. Feta, black olives ($19)

We tried the Sultan Mehmet with tomato, lamb ma’anek, red pepper. Feta, black olives ($19). The quality of ingredients was good but the lamb was plain, and would’ve benefited from some seasoning, as could the tomato base. Generally though the flavours were pleasantly warm and spiced with cinnamon.

We also ordered the Erkin Koray; tomato, beef sujuk, red pepper, haloumi, olives ($19). Again the tomato base fell a bit flat but there was a good middle-eastern-flavoured sauce which had traces of cumin and other spices. The tasty sausage pieces on this pizza filled in the flavour well.
One the side we had a salad of cabbage, mint, soused onion, caraway ($9). The natural sweetness of the cabbage probably wasn’t enough to balance out the powerful, tangy dressing. In small doses, it made for a refreshing garnish but it was difficult to finish the bowl.

You’ll find some interesting drinks on the menu too, including crisp beers from 961 and the Turkish Uludag Gazoz soda which offers an unusual and delicate bubblegum/champagne flavour. Quite bizarrely, you’ll even find the Balinese rice-wine spirit ‘Arak’.

If you haven’t got room for dessert, consider ordering the Persian Fairy Floss, which dances on your tongue with flavours moving from nutty to vanilla to creamy before melting away into oblivion. It’s truly a delicious experience that won’t fill you up.

The Moor’s Head offers a truly snug and relaxed atmosphere where you can have a leisurely dinner and really enjoy your company. And while the food isn’t outstanding, the fantastic service and wonderful ambiance will most likely see a return visit from me in the near future.

Salad of cabbage, mint, soused onion, caraway ($9)

Food: 3/5
Service: 5/5
Ambiance: 5/5

Where: 304 Smith St Collingwood
When: Breakfast: Weds-Fri, Lunch: Weds-Sun, Dinner: Tues-Sat
Contact:(03) 9417 7779
CC and EFTPOS
Vego :)

Heirloom Tomato Salad, Pickled and Raw Cucumbers with Ricotta ($15)

In case you hadn’t noticed just yet, Americana is the new Mexican. Hip young things all over Melbourne have been flocking to junk-food-chic food vans for a while but now the tastes of The States are getting serious. Take Gorski and Jones in Collingwood, the edgy fit-out and bar atmosphere have plenty of drunk young-person favourites like onion rings, fries and burgers alongside mussels, heirloom tomato salads and chorizo tapas plates. Low-brow flourishes such as Kraft (cheese) and Dr Pepper BBQ sauce are printed brazenly upon the menu.

Grilled Chorizo with Sweet and Sour Figs ($6)

Because all the shares and sides looked too exciting to ignore, Dining Partner and I left out the mains and ordered a tapas-style collection. Our first treat was the Heirloom Tomato Salad, Pickled and Raw Cucumbers with Ricotta ($15). Overall this was good, with the little ricotta balls adding a fantastic, creamy dimension. However the vinegar dressing was strong, and laid on heavy, which when coupled with the pickles was too much on the acidic side. It would have benefited from a sweeter element in the dressing perhaps.
Next up was the Grilled Chorizo with Sweet and Sour Figs ($6); a gorgeous, juicy, fruity dish that was tragically undersized at a mere three slices of chorizo.

Smoked Poon Boon Lamb Ribs with Salsa Borracha ($12)
Crispy Confit Duck Wings in Red Dragon Sauce ($10)

Moving on to the Smoked Poon Boon Lamb Ribs with Salsa Borracha ($12); nice pieces of meat in a fiery, piquant sauce which I imagined to have more of a heaviness to it, but actually came off tasting fairly light, even a little watery. Still, they were tasty and would be great with a cold beer.
The real star of the meal was the serve of Crispy Confit Duck Wings in Red Dragon Sauce ($10). Which were indulgently rich and crispy, a good portion size and nicely seasoned with the crunchy sesame seeds. I couldn’t eat more than three due to the richness of the skin and oils but they were a great share item.
An equal favourite of mine were the French Fries with Malt Vinegar Aioli ($6) which managed to lock in a real roasted potato flavour.
And what to say of the Mack Cheese ($8)? Although it looked a bit frightening when it came out; lumped in a colourless pile on a plate that would inevitably have it go very cold, it was incredibly creamy and delicious, just make sure you eat it before it cools down.

French Fries with Malt Vinegar Aioli ($6)

On reflection, ordering only shares and sides resulted in the various intense flavours clashing with each other. These were essentially bar snacks designed to be washed down with a drink and nibbled slowly. I’d be interested in trying a burger next time.

Looking to the service; it was attentive, and our waitress’ detailed knowledge of the menu was really helpful. Seating was limited to hard wooden benches or hard wooden stools, neither making you feel like staying very long, but maybe that’s the idea. It was also pretty loud, with more of a bar feel than that of a restaurant, somewhere to get rowdy and laugh heartily through a mouthful of onion rings. Overall, I think American cuisine can feel a bit like overpriced junk-food, but occasionally on a night out with a few beers, it’s all in good fun.

Mack Cheese ($8)

Food: 3/5
Service: 5/5
Ambiance: 2/5