Trunk Diner

Another lazy tuesday…

with myself an J in the car, with no real inspiration of where we were going yet, and with an emphasis on burgers it was going to be all too easy to return to a classic haunt like Merrywell or Captain Melville. Our persistence saw us frantically researching as we made our way into the CBD. We eventually settled on Trunk Diner, a historic site in Exhibition St in the heart of Melbourne that once housed a 19th century synagogue. Now, it’s pork abound with classic American favourites such as waffles, burgers and pie. Curiously, the old house did specialise in Italian favourites. Perhaps they still do, we didn’t hang around to find out. Instead, we entered the granny flat out the back of sorts – a pseudo tin shed complete with front-end bar and a dining hall.

We knew what we had come for – the burgers here are a class act. If not for the value ($10), certainly for the produce (wagyu beef). The 175gr pattie is mated to a perfectly grilled brioche that had notes of caramel, buttermilk and toasted wheat. It’s, i suppose, in the extras where the money is to be made, but they certainly don’t dissapoint.

I could use every superlative available to describe this masterpiece. Presented semi-deconstructed on the plate, J and I added Monterey Jack (cheese, a personal favourite $1.50), Jalapeño ($1.5) and bacon ($2). If you let the deceptively small size fool you, you’d think this would be a quick feast – and you’d be dead wrong. The burger is more Texan (high) than New Yorker (wide) in influence and as such it’s remarkably easy to hold. For the first time I think ever, I managed to keep mine together while J made a meal of it. The sliced pickles were a nice touch, and a slice of lettuce delivered a crisp crunch. I never do raw tomato in a burger so I jettisoned that, and the spanish onions are a nice touch but a little too powerful. If you’re after that, you’re far better opting for the ($2) caramelised ones.

The first thing that struck me was just how well integrated the Jack was into the patty. Melted to perfection, and mated to the thin strips of crispy bacon (to which you get a mighty fine serving)  was a perfect marriage of flavours and the fact that I opted to add no sauces to this is testament to how good it was.

Shoestring chips were doused in El Yucateco Salsa Roja Habanero which, as J rightly proclaimed, should  come with a disclaimer about its potency. We actually had to take a 5 minute pause because eyes were watering, noses were running and no doubt bottoms were quivering with the prospect the next morning’s  purge. The BBQ sauce (Sunday’s Super Sauce) was ok but honestly I am starting to tire of the monotonous American BBQ sauces with artificial high-fructose injected hickory smoke overtones.

As the night was still young, and we were still on such a high from those glorious burgers, we decided to double down and try something different.

This one substituted Monterey for Gruyere and Jalapeño for caramelised onions. Whilst it was still glorious, our first recipe is definately the finest.

So then, Trunk Diner is the sort of place you wouldn’t hesitate to visit, and indeed return to. It serves up some pretty classic American favourites, and it’s burgers will impress.

Trunk Diner
275 Exihibition St Melbourne 3000

http://www.trunktown.com.au/

Fonda Windsor

They say hindsight is 20/20…

So what do you do when you look at your first crack at it, and think to yourself “Shit. Too small, too cramped, not enough variety, sub-standard food”. Well, the obvious choice is to sell up and move to Bali, but not Fonda. They took precisely everything that was wrong with the first venture, dipped into Chris Lucas’ mentality of “build a bar inside the place so patrons can start the ball rolling while they wait” and seat what looks like around 3-4x more patrons and just sit back and watch the tide roll in.

And the fit-out is neat too. Much the same white walls as the originals, but with less fish-n-chip and more dining hall. It’s a great social environment, and the bar upstairs is deliciously decorated. The $9 Pacifico’s had about 6 facings in the bar fridge, with such an aurora around them I swear I saw a halo.

Seats are a little cramped but it only adds to the vibe. Actually, while i’m on the analogy, you also order and pay up at counter much like a fish-n-chip shop too. I guess it’s designed to speed things up, and I guess it does also. Even with 5 tables ahead of us (1 hour wait at Mamasita, 4 hour wait at Chin Chin) we were seated in about 15 minutes.

Service was stellar too, they really have it down to a fine art and food is only ever 5-10 minutes away.

So, what did we eat? Read on.

Antipasto of chipotle chips a perfect way to whet the apetite. Thick cut planks with a side of creamy chipotle aioli. Did note that it definitely needed more chipotle. Too much cream, not enough tang.

Again, i stress, where are the damn carnitas. At least we got pork this time, the “Braised Pork” (We didn’t have the pulled pork quesadillas, but surely it would the same meat) a nod to carnitas with pineapple, coriander onion and chicharons. These were good. Refreshing crisp and I have to say sizeable. at $6, you get your money worth.

Next was the dish of the night. Chorizo quesedillas with sweet potato queso fresco and some jalapeno. Everything about them sang – what a dish. Would have loved to have tried the pulled pork but they are mega servings at $14.

Next up was the chicken burrito. Very skilfully and tightly wrapped. Looked very professional. With a touch more moisture too it (The beans + grilled chicken does dry the palate) with some sort of salsa, chipotle mayo or even guac this thing would have been great. Lost marks for some undue gristle in the meat.

We closed with the beef brisket which unfortunately was just not cooked how a slow piece should be – either too hot too quickly, or not long enough. The fatty innards didn’t have a chance to gel into the meat, instead they formed a chewy, stringy umbilical cord. Stick with the pork.

So then, Fonda presents decent honest Mexican food with a decent drinks menu full of handpicked value wines + beers. It’s not ground-breaking Mexican, but then again I haven’t tasted anything in Australia that has been. It serves up ok food – but most importantly, doesn’t make you wait 3 hours for it.

Fonda
144 Chapel St, Windsor

http://fondamexican.com.au

Antica Macelleria Cecchini

Dario is no ordinary butcher…

Well, in the simplest sense of the word, perhaps he is. He runs a small butcher shop in the tuscan town of Panzano, but unlike other food celebrity figures, you will see him here running the shop  every day of the week.

He is a true maestro in every sense of the word. Even routine things that other icons wouldn’t dare be seen doing, such as answering the phone for orders, Dario does.. And does so with passion. When we entered, we were immediately offered a bicchiere of wine, even just for looking. We were given bread with lardo, olive oil, even fresh salami. In the commerce part of the shop, a simple yet stylish meat cabinet gives you a glimpse of just what the place is about. Fresh cuts cryovac’d and out for display, and  everything available to eat in the kitchen is available to take home as a cut.

So what is it about Dario’s that is so important? It’s the little things. The attention to detail, the passion behind the work, and of course the quality of the meat. It’s not your typical Italian venue where customer service doesn’t exist, and even if it’s become one of the World’s great landmarks for meat lovers, the staff still enjoy interacting with customers and making sure they are well looked after.

Oh, it’s worth noting too that he is the King of Tuscany’s regional dish: The bistecca alla Fiorentina: A monstrous 1KG+ piece of T-Bone cooked on the bone, from a special type of beef called Chianina which has more age than your typical cow when slaughtered and needs more attention when cooked as a result.

Dario is a magician when it comes to preparing cuts of meat such as beef and pork, and his propiertary blend of wild fennel pollen gives the store an unbelievable aroma.

The meat fresh, vibrant and very affordable.

Upstairs, we were treated to a recently developed kitchen and dining hall complete with a large communal table and smaller ones in the corners. The big one gave us firm views of the coal pit where the chefs prepared the meat using nothing but a few levers, a plate and some red hot coals.

For lunch, you have some great small options. We opted for the ‘Super Dario’ consisting of a 250g deconstructed beef burger and a plate of assorted house specialities like tomato puree and fresh fagioli.

Wine lists are non-existant, but you can opt for the house stuff or take advantage of the free corkage. We did.

Arriving first was a bowl of the freshest ingredients you will see. Fennel, carrots, celery, and onions which only a few hours earlier were still buried in the ground.

Oh, and you dress it yourself how you like.

Sure, the theatrics almost impress as much as the meal. They enjoy working as much as you enjoy eating.

The proprietary blend of salt and herbs went fantastic in the fresh olive oil as you dipped in the vegetables. It also was spanking on the potatoes.

The condiments were great too. The highlight a house tomato ketchup made with Chianti.

Seeing the beef ready to go on made you salivate, and looking at the colour of the patty gave testament to the institution Dario has created.

As the beef patties are house ground and so fresh, the Tuscans recommend serving it sangue, or rare. I went for mine medium.

The plate came bustling with food, and with the sides you needn’t worry about leaving hungry. The cost of everything here? A ridiculous €15.

 

Even with the coffee they go the extra mile, serving with Tuscan olive oil cake free of charge really adds to the homely feel.

And that, in a nutshell, is what Dario’s is about. It’s an institution and a mecca for meat lovers the World over. If you are ever in Tuscany, take the scenic route and head to Panzano where you will see Dario working his magic.

Antica Macelleria Cecchini
Via XX Luglio 11, Panzano, Tuscany

http://www.dariocecchini.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Antica Bottega Vini, Verona

You don’t simply visit Verona…

…Especially during Vinitaly, without stopping at least once at Antica Bottega Vini. It has for many years (albeit with different ownership recently) serviced locals and foreigners alike with a grand degustation of some of the finest wines known to man.

From sparkling, red, white, even orange – It’s simply an institution renowned throughout the world. We went there and ordered at least 2 bottles every night (pre and post dinner) and ate here for our final evening.

It’s a multi faceted venue. In the entrance you have various antipasti that can be consumed al banco with your choice of tipple – of which there are thousands to choose from. During Vinitaly, they pull out all the stops and we indulged in favourites such as Tignanello 2008 (€10 a glass) to Gaja Barbaresco 2008 (€35 a glass) which are outrageously priced in the interests of responsible consumption of alcohol. In our final evening here, M insisted on a 3 bottle degustation.

We each chose one wine. M chose a 2003 Quintarelli Amarone Classico, I chose a 2006 Cappellano Pie Franco Barolo, and A chose the 1997 Gorelli Brunello. Each well and above over delivering – even if Amarone is not a style I would personally choose irrespective of price. They were all truely astonishing.

Service is something Bottega Vini truely excel at. When (Or, more importantly, if) you manage to get a table (People were still pouring in the door at 1:30am when we left) the staff really look after you, particularly if choosing special bottles. Old wines are served in a straw basket, and the sommelier gets his head around the wine (and takes his one glass commission) before serving to you.

The fit out is fantastic. Old, rustic and homely. Space is something you won’t find here, and you’ll need to get cosy to everyone if you need to move about.

Starters like warm chicken salad refresh the palate. We pared ours with a delightful ‘orange wine’ compliments of the maitre d’.

Risotto all’Amareno was also good, but probably not the restaurants strong point. It lacked length and depth of flavour and was quite one dimensional.

The leg of lamb was brilliant. Slow cooked, succulent and tender. The meat fell off the bone and nearly melted on the plate. You are unlikely to find a better compliment with Nebbiolo on their menu in my opinion.

Needing something for the Amarone, M decided we grab a cheese platter. Only here will you find such myriad assortments of flavours. .Even aged Gorgonzola!

So come for the wine, witness the frenzy, and stay for the culture. Whilst the food does delight, it’s not the real reason you’re here, and while you can find better fare elsewhere in the old town, you’re not going to drink better anywhere else on the planet.

Antica Bottega Vini
Via Scudo di Francia 3, Verona, Italia

http://www.bottegavini.it/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Osteria Le Vecete, Verona

Confession time…

Osteria Le Vecete is not a place I visit every year I come to Verona; it is THE place. In the midst of Vinitalys bedlam, there are seldom places that can cope with the old town’s supreme demand when this wine event descends every year. It’s crazy. The event is now over 40 years old, and it’s as if the Italians still haven’t learned how to cope with the crowds. This is not just evident with how difficult it is to enter and exit the actual trade show, but in the restaurants that surround it also. Le Vecete is the exception to that rule. It serves up traditional Veronese dishes and how for many years now been an absolute pleasure to visit and dine at.

This year, we have eaten there 3 out of 4 nights and have not been disappointed once. If you take my advice, and indulge in the myriad types of pasta and antipasto you will not be disappointed. Whilst meat is offered, it’s not the restaurants strong point – they are there in my opinion merely for the sake of being there. It’s real strength lies in its supreme paste / risotti.

This time around, I couldnt make up my mind which pasta I was going to go for. So, the waitress decided we should pick three and do a micro degustazione. I went for the tortelli con burrata (Large parcels of pasta with fresh burrata cheese inside),  tortellini ripieno con carne (with assorted meat inside) both cooked with burro e salvia (butter and sage) and finally casarecce con salsiccia e melanzane (sausage and eggplant) cooked with a tomato sauce.

These were incredible. Each with their own flavour profile but no less delicious in their own way. Each of the dishes are offered in their entirety, but take my advice and ask for all three, especially if this is your only visit.

Next, I went for the real highlight – the restaurant’s real trump card. Risotto all’Amarone.

There is no real decision to be made here. If you enjoy risotto in Italy, you try the regions take on it. In Milan this is Risotto Milanese, and in Verona, it is all’Amarone. Cooked unbelievably simply with only a couple of ingredients (including a bottle of Amarone!) this is a true privilege to eat and none do it better than Le Vecete.

To finish, a pair of desserts, because of course I couldn’t make my mind up again! This time a Tiramisu sensa liquore e caffe (Without coffee or liquor) and a soufflé of white chocolate and mascarpone.

All in all a fantastic night in Verona. It was not my first night at this restaurant, nor will it be my last. If you’re in the city of Romeo e Juliet, nothing will deliver more romance than Osteria Le Vecete.

Osteria Le Vecete
Via Pellicciai 32, Verona, Italia

http://www.grupporialto.it/en/osteria-le-vecete.html

A Crianz, Potignano, Puglia

Out of the way…

In a non-descript side alley, in a pretty non-descript town (Potignano) sits A’Crianz, a firmly Pugliese style of cooking with one big difference – it showcases alternate varieties of cuisine from lesser-known vegetables. That’s the difficulty of this next blog post, because I didn’t bring a notepad and 99% of the things we ate, I wouldn’t be able to recall the name of. So I will instead present a photo journal of everything on offer, and say that it may well be one of the finest restaurants in the region.

No menus here, everything on offer is scribbled on the wall.

 

The fitout was so destinctly homely.

The dishes were brought out as they were ready, designed to share in centro.

 

Eggplant fritters were a delight. Just a slender batter which detracted nothing from the freshness of the filling.

Ricotta fresca, was an understatement in every sense – because it was so fresh; it almost couldn’t hold itself together. Other highlights on the plate were local mozzarella and even an onion marmalade.

 

How about the fava spread with local peppers that just oozed pimiento di padron?

Even something so under-utilised such as spring onions were presented in such a way that you could eat an entire plate.

This pasta: Rigatoni with cauliflower, pancetta and fresh black truffle just oozed class.

Or eggplant flan? Light, fluffly and infused with what must have been pecorino.

The piatto principale? Something a little left of field. Asino.. Or, as it’s known in the West: Donkey. Don’t cringe: It was cooked involtini, braised in a ragu and so typically pugliese.

A Crianz is the sort of place you would go cross town for. It delivers an experience that you need to fully understand the style of cooking in the region, and for me, presents the sort of place I would return to every time.

A Crianz
Porto Basento 8, Potignano, Puglia

http://www.acrianzputignano.com/

Hotel Le Alcove, Alberobello, Puglia, Italy

Nestled deep in the heart..

Of Alberobello, amongst the towns beautiful trulli, sits this immaculate presentation of old-world Puglia. Rooms are set within this style of architecture, and understated yet comfortably modern furnishings layer the beautiful rooms, of which there are only a handful.

A staircase in our room led to 2 seperate single beds, downstairs a solitary King.

Upstairs the beauty of the room is taken in it’s entirety, a low slung, stone-littered wall reminds you at all times on the history of the location.

Rooms are inexpensive, sitting somewhere between $2-300 a night. It provides a fantastic hub to the city, and the charm it gives will make you not want to leave.

Hotel Le Alcove
Piazza Ferdinando IV  70011 Alberobello Province of Bari, Italy
lealcove.it

Verace Pizza Shootout, Napoli

With one night in Naples…

And 3 top pizzerie to try which do you pick? Trick question, of course.. You go to all three. Yes, that’s what dedicated folks do. What better way to judge Naples’ triple threat than doing them consecutively and judging each Margherita on it’s merits. The results? Presented here in reverse order.

3. Pizzeria Sorbillo

Good dough, decent enough sugo and good cheese with low-medium charring and good texture. I actually had this at number 2 but the other two in the group (A and M) voted it third. Place was the quietest of the three, and for good reason. Not worth the revisit.

Pizzeria Sorbillo
Via dei Tribunali, 32  80138 Naples, Italy
www.sorbillo.it/en/

2. Pizzeria di Matteo

Located in a hustle+bustle part of town Matteo is a pizzeria come tempura bar of sorts – Pizzas sit along side fried eggplant, and arancini. The pizza selection was great, we chose two here, a Margherita classic and one with mozzarella di bufala. Charring medium-high, but dough crust still nice and malleable. Lost marks for too much cheese – by the time it hit the table you could attach a diving board to one end and jump in.

Pizzeria di Matteo
Via dei Tribunali, 94, 80138 Naples, Italy

1. Pizzeria da Michele

Had this first and came in with a pretty high expectation of quality. Expected to queue for hours but walked straight in and got a table in 3 minutes. Pizzas were ordered with beer and arrived soon after. Doubts were soon quashed. Pizza without a doubt the best the world has to offer, and it’s credibility and fame absolutely justified. It’s no wonder locals queue here for hours on end, and with only two pizzas on offer you would wonder why i suppose..

The answer is simple. Verace Pizza Napoletana is supposed to be simple and Da Michele is the original. At 4 euro a pizza + 2 for a beer, the value puts it in another category entirely.

Pizzeria da Michele
Via Cesare Sersale, 1-3, 80139 Naples, Italy
http://www.damichele.net

Palatium, Roma

Sitting nestled..

 

On a corner of Via Frattina just off the Spanish Steps is one of Rome’s modern day buried treasures. A Government sponsored Lazio regional eatery, Palatium serves dishes the region is known for such as Artichokes alla giuida and its seasonal menu changes often.

Once inside, an eclectic, modern affair is to be had with chic furnishings and a room full of camierieri who know their stuff and who aren’t hesitant to tell you what you should be ordering. 

The flip side to this all-Lazio food fare? It means the wines are too, and only produce of the area is allowed. What does that mean? Well, you’ll be disappointing yourself often, and even this one for €30, a blend of Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot shows all the wrong ways to present a wine.

So.. How about the food? Well, it’s the real reason you will be here, and this entree of Tornarelli with Cacio Pepe and Black Truffle is sure to get the palate singing, and taste buds certainly tantalised. Absolutely incredible.

We followed this up with ripieni di manzo, layered filet mignon esque with prosciutto and filled with what tasted like taleggio – a great mixture of creaminess, saltiness and richness and cooked to perfection.

Served with? Chips of course.

We finished off with my ultimate dessert  - Tiramisu. This one, truly epic.

End result? An authentic Roman kitchen serving up modern, clean and upmarket regional fare. at €70 a head, it’s not going to be one of the cheaper meals you have in Rome, but you surely can’t put a price on satisfaction.

Palatium
Via Frattina 94, Roma

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Made it to Roma!

Well, to say…

The flight was smooth sailing (pardon the pun) would be the complete opposite. Delayed flights in Dubai meant we missed our connection in London Heathrow and as a result, were fortunate enough due to Usain Bolt like swiftness through the terminals to have rebooked on a flight an hour later. So, we touched down in Rome’s Fiumicino Airport around noon. Plenty of time, we thought, to make our way to Avis to collect our car and head on down to Armando al Pantheon, our first culinary destination.

Alas, due to typical Roman arrogance and a few long arguments later, we had to detour to collect the actual car we had reserved (not one they tried to offload at the last minute) so it wasn’t until 4pm (a good 6 or so hours behind schedule) that we managed to check into our hotel.

And, what are you going to find in Rome at that hour when you are craving your first meal in almost 24 hours? Overpriced touristy pizza and beer of course. It’s not going to win any awards, but here we are in the Eternal City.