G’day Melbourne

This week we’ve been enjoying the food and cafe culture in Melbourne, having flown here from the Sunshine Coast for the next stage of our travel around Australia.

Coffee is a central part of the Melburnian way of life – the many, many independent coffee shops across the city doing a busy trade every morning.

The regular fix for me on this trip has been a creamy hot latte. The main photo above shows the barista at work while I waited for my drink to be made at a cafe in the Glenferrie district.

We’ve also been sampling some modern Australian cuisine at a restaurant called Mister Sandrino in Hawthorn. This pairing of locally made chorizo and lima beans, with a fresh parsley pesto-like dressing, tasted great.

On the same menu, we chose the classic Aussie fish, barramundi. It came with a crispy, edible skin, which I liked, and found interesting as I usually just discard the skin on a fillet of fish. Served also with slices of crispy pancetta and a pea puree, it complimented the soft, just-cooked flakiness of the tasty fish.

Another imaginative combination I liked was this creamy buffalo mozzarella, with dusting of pistachio crumb, served with figs and salad leaves.

I find it very inspiring to see how innovative chefs from other cultures come up with new ways of cooking and pairing ingredients. You never know – you may see some of these ideas reflected in future creations from the ADK kitchen!

While on a theme of taking a fresh look at things, here’s a photo I took one evening of the Melbourne city skyline, from high up above the banks of the Yarra River.

Time to feature an indie band from Melbourne whose raw sound I’ve come to like. This is Drunk Mums with New Australia.