Food for thought: Victorian foodies share their tips on the best places to eat, drink
Mac and cheese or caviar as a death row meal? Some of Victoria’s top chefs answer the tough food questions.
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You’ll find them in kitchens and behind the bars of our favourite restaurants.
In Food for Thought, Herald Sun food editor Dan Stock asks chefs, bartenders and all-round foodies across Victoria for tips on where to eat and drink this week — as well as their ultimate guilty food pleasures and dream dinner guests.
JESSI SINGH
MR BROWNIE, DAUGHTER IN LAW, MRS SINGH
Which five people would you invite to your dream dinner party?
I would invite HH Dalai Lama, Gandhi, Anthony Bourdain, Nelson Mandela and Barack Obama. These are all great leaders and role models.
What’s on the menu for your Death Row meal?
Dal and roti.
What is your first food memory?
Milking buffaloes and making yoghurt and butter at home when I was six.
What’s your latest food / drink discovery?
The Hardware Club. Their pasta with butter is simple but so delicious.
Where do you want to eat next?
Hemingway Wine Room (East Melbourne) and Lagoon Dining (Carlton) are at the top of my list.
Is there one restaurant everyone should visit in their lifetime?
The French Laundry in San Francisco should be on everyone’s bucket list.
Worst customer encounter?
I’ve seen a significant number of no-shows and reservations being cancelled at the last minute since the lockdown restrictions were lifted, which is so inconsiderate since we were forced to stay shut for so many months.
Describe a perfect day’s eating and drinking (including venues)?
Start with Mitte Cafe in Fitzroy, followed by lunch at DOC. Head to Bar Margaux for drinks late-afternoon and enjoy dinner at Mrs Singh. Finish your night with champagne at Nick & Nora’s.
Favourite local restaurant? Favourite bar?
Neighbourhood Wine for food and Black Pearl for drinks.
What’s your guilty pleasure/dirty secret food/drink wise?
My regular 3am visits to Butcher’s Diner for steak and a bottle of white after a long day.
Mr Brownie Rooftop Hotel has launched a new weekend brunch with bottomless drinks and curry snags for $49 per person. 90 minutes sessions can be booked from 12pm – 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
SCOTT PICKETT
CHANCERY LANE, LONGRAIN, ESTELLE, MATILDA, PICKETT’S DELI, PASTORE.
Which five people would you invite to your dream dinner party?
Sir Donald Bradman, I had a man-crush on him as a child. Escoffier, so we could talk classical sauces; Jimmy Hendrix, so after dinner we could smash a live set. Princess Anne, she would be fun at a dinner party and Angelina Jolie. Why? Because she’s Angelina Jolie.
What is your first food memory?
Eating a Bratwurst at the Queen Victoria Market, with no mustard when I was four.
What’s your latest food / drink discovery?
My latest food discovery is exploring the inner workings of Thai cuisine and understanding the similarities between what I have always cooked, in different forms of sweet, sour, salty, spicy and texture. I am immensely enjoying being a part of the Longrain team. It is amazing to learn new things at this stage of my career.
Worst customer encounter?
In the early days of The Estelle, dealing with a rather drunk customer who, while I was assisting to the bathroom, proceeded to vomit all over my shoes and the toilet AND I had to clean it up myself. Embarrassing for the customer and very smelly for me.
Describe a perfect day’s eating and drinking?
On holiday in Bali: breakfast at Sisterfields, Babi guling (roast pork) in Ubud, sunset drinks at La Lucciola, and dinner at MÉTIS.
Favourite local restaurant and bar?
Matsuya in Station St, Fairfield and favourite bar is Francesca’s across the road from The Estelle
FYI Scott Pickett is the chef-restaurateur behind Longrain, Estelle, Matilda, Pickett’s Deli and Pastore. His newest venue, Chancery Lane opens tomorrow at 430 Lt Collins St, Melbourne.
JASON STAUDT
STOKEHOUSE PRECINCT EXECUTIVE CHEF
Which five people would you invite to dinner?
Bill Murray, Anthony Bourdain, Notorious BIG, my sister and my lovely partner Jess — it would be such a laugh!
What’s on the menu for your death row meal?
Mum’s baked mac & cheese and caviar bumps.
What role did food play in your family, growing up?
My Gramma and Mum are great cooks — with a massive focus on health. We weren’t allowed much fast food, and through the summers we grew a lot of our own food.
Where do you want to eat next?
I’m still new to Melbourne, so Igni. Road trip and a meal sounds great.
Is there one restaurant everyone should visit?
Sea Bay Noodle House in Sydney. Best handmade noodles, and so humble.
Worst customer encounter?
All no shows. Rude – especially in the current market.
Describe a perfect day’s eating/drinking?
Beach BBQ over charcoal. Tacos, fish, fresh oysters, grilled veg and lots of champagne.
Favourite local bar?
Prince Bar is slinging some epic schnitty’s — brined to perfection.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Filthy thick chocolate milkshake and salty fries. Lockdown obsession.
FYI Stokehouse is open for lunch reservations on New Year’s Eve and for lunch and dinner reservations on New Year’s Day.
TIGERBIRD GROUP CHEF/FOUNDER
Which five people would you invite to your dream dinner party?
Rose Gray from London’s River Cafe. She was so inspiring and passionate about food and she lived such an interesting life. Uncle Jack Charles has also led an amazing life. Johnny Cash, Linda Bull and I can’t decide between Stephen Fry or Samuel Pepys as I’m sure they are and were witty, intelligent and great story tellers.
What’s on the menu for your Death Row meal?
The menu from the 1987 Danish film Babette’s Feast. The seven-course menu included: Potage à la Tortue (turtle soup), Blinis Demidoff, quail in puff pastry shell with foie gras and truffle sauce, and rum sponge cake with figs and candied cherries.
What is your first food memory?
It’s a bit morbid but we use to live in McLaren Flat in South Australia and I walked outside and saw dad had killed 3 or 4 of our geese. I must have been 4 years old and it freaked me out. But then a couple of days later we had roasted goose with potatoes cooked in the fat and I loved it.
What’s your latest food/drink discovery?
I recently found this shio koji liquid and I can’t stop marinating everything with it from whole chickens to whiting and everything in between, it’s an umami bomb.
Where do you want to eat next?
I love the food at Sunda (that Vegemite roti scroll is rock and roll) but I think it would have to be Minamishima at the bar with my wife Ness — I love watching those guys work.
Describe a perfect day’s eating and drinking?
Starting off with a Japanese breakfast and ginger honey tea at Cibi in Collingwood, then lunch at Di Stasio with my sailing crew before an afternoon sail followed by wine, beer, cheese and charcuterie.
Favourite local restaurant and bar?
One Noodle Friendship in Preston is amazing. Make sure you get the dry beef curry noodles. My favourite local is Joe’s Shoe Store in Northcote. They’ve got friendly banter and great drinks.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
A sneaky mixed kebab with hot sauce from Adams Kebabys in Fitzroy North after work goes down a treat.
FYI: Gerner’s Spanish restaurants include Anada and Nomada in Fitzroy and Bomba in the city and all are now taking bookings and walk-ins for indoor and outdoor dining.
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