Bistro Vue

In what I hope to be my swansong as far as interstate travel before I head overseas, I was determined to get value for the Public Service Travel Allowance by visiting some of the restaurants on my Melbourne 'must do' list.

Every time we head to Melbourne as a work group, there is much debate about where we will go, where we can get in and how much we should really be spending and eating on what is, after all, just another school night. This time however, things were different – we had a reason to celebrate! Anton was engaged ('We are to be wed'), I was going overseas and Kylie was raising a toast to her Dad. What better reason than to head off to Bistro Vue. It would have been Vu de Monde but unfortunately (or fortunately for our wallets), it's closed on Monday nights.

The blurb on the website says that Bistro Vue is inspired by the turn of the century (20th I assuming) back street Parisian Bistros. Backstreet is the operative word here – with the main restaurant in darkness, it was a guessing game as to how we actually accessed the Bistro or whether we were even in the right place. We walked into what appeared to be the foyer of an office block and after trying a few locked doors, we found one that was open and walked into a dimly lit court yard that adjoins the Bistro. There was a name etched on the glass door but I wouldn't exactly say it was a beacon that we headed towards. It's obviously cool to limit the signage (Gigibaba, Bar Lourinha etc) but it's just frustrating for patrons who are trying to find a good feed.

We were seated in a small dining room which was busy with more than one sitting at a large number of tables. There is a second dining room that wasn't operating on the evening we visited. The tables were quite close together which was fine for the four of us but perhaps the couple at the next table would have preferred to sit a little further away so they could enjoy their romantic meal without listening to our hilarious tales of drama and dilemma. I thought the décor was a bit chintzy and felt like I'd stepped into a Baz Luhrmann movie with all of that red velvet, brocade and mottled paint. Simple place settings, very nice bone handled knives straight out of Nanna's top drawer and decent linen serviettes blended casual and quality and made it easier to accept the wooden tables with no tablecloth.

Thankfully the menu was manageable so between us, we covered a variety of entrees and mains. The bread roll/stick was curious. It tasted fine but was distinctly amateurish, something perhaps that I would turn out on a first attempt. I have read elsewhere that these are 'petite baguettes' but they were neither fluffy bread roll nor crunchy breadstick – just a curious chewy baton that resembled a rusk.

Entrees arrived – a Pissaldiere ($18) , Duck Salad ($18) and I opted for the French Onion Soup with Beer, topped with Gruyere ($17). The soup arrived capped in puff pastry with the gruyere on top. Removing the cap revealed a golden soup that was scaldingly hot. Whilst I waited for it to cool, I tried the other two meals (after all, I am the chief correspondent). The Pissaldiere looked a little overcooked as it was very brown but tasting it's salty, oniony, olivey goodness, there was no need for concern. The salad comprised shredded salad veges such as cabbage, witlof and shredded duck in a light dressing (appeared to be part vinaigrette and part light cream). Thankfully the salad had been made at room temperature (rather than out of the fridge) which made it tasty if somewhat plain option. The soup had cooled sufficiently and also had the desired savoury hit I was after although I would have preferred a richer colour achieved from caramelising the onions for longer before adding the stock. The gruyere has also cooled into a crunchy gallete, proving some extra texture for the soup.

Our genuine article French waiters with their 'oh ho ho' accents, brought out our mains of Lamb Wellington ($36), Poulet Roti with Wild Mushrooms ($36) and a Bouillabaisse (undetermined pricing) as well as a side order of Whitlof (their spelling) Waldorf Salad ($8). I can't tell you anything about le Poulet (chicken) as it was a whirl of food and drink by then but I didn't hear complaints from Julie. The Lamb appeared to be a loin, encased in a lattice work of puff pastry served on a jus with petals of zucchini. Again, I would have preferred to see some more colour, this time on the pastry – it seemed a little under baked and hadn't puffed as much as it should. The meat however was rare but incredibly tender and without a hint of fattiness which can really be unpleasant in rare lamb. As I'm writing this, I'm wondering if perhaps it was cooked Sous Vide and then encased in the pastry and finished in the oven? Using this technique means the proteins are 'set' but the food retains it's original appearance (crazy molecular gastronomy at it's best!). I had read in a review that the Lamb serve was small but my serve was a very big, so big in fact that I shared the second portion with my fellow diners and left the remainder.

I really couldn't tempt anyone with the Waldorf Salad which was a real highlight – finely sliced celery with walnuts and slightly bitter and very crunchy witlof in a light and creamy dressing that coated the salad leaves without being cloying. The only hint of sweetness were the thinly sliced apples. Basil Fawlty would have been proud. I love a good seafood soup and will often order a bisque or chowder if it's on the menu. Kylie's Bouillabaisse arrived with the seafood piled in the middle of a shallow bowl. The soup itself was then served with a flourish from a small porcelain jug, around the edge of the seafood. Bordering on the consistency of a sauce, the soup was very, very thick and incredibly rich. It was a fairly modest portion but it was more than sufficient after the entrée (or as they say on the fancy menu – hors d'oeuvre). An accompaniment of some bread would have been appreciated but Kylie soldiered on with her chewy little baton that she had saved.

Desserts and cheese followed all of this food and we were well into our second bottle of wine by then (the 2006 Torbreck The Struie Shiraz from the Barossa was delicious!). Kylie and Julie plumped for the Crème Brulee' ($14) as Julie continued her quest for the best Brulee' in the world. ('Good but not in the top 3') They had the required 'crack' when you hit the burnt sugar with the back of the spoon and the crème what deliciously sweet and creamy. Kylie's had spent a little more time under the salamander or in front of the blow torch so the sugar was bordering on being truly burnt rather than bronzed. It would appear that this was a meal where the browning of menu items was either too light or too dark but never quite right. Anton and I faired better with our Tarte Tatin aux Poires ($14), served at the table by being flipped out of the pan on a plate in one deft movement and then topped with pouring cream. It was heavenly with perfectly cook pastry (hooray), caramel (hooray) and pears. It really didn't touch the sides. The cheese plate included a selection of four cheeses as well as the usual wafers, crackers and apple slices. It was adequate but Isis Brasserie in Brisbane need not worry about losing the mantle I bestowed upon it of 'Best Cheese Plate Ever'.

No photos for this blog as I thought it would be bad form to whip out the camera and photograph each plate (who knows, I may want to come back here one day). If I was going to Vue De Monde, I wouldn't have hesitated as the plating is amazing and all part of the experience. Overall, it was an enjoyable evening with lot's of good food, wine and companionship. The service was relatively good but should have been better. I shouldn't need to ask for water refills (at least twice) or what the cheeses are – these types of things should be automatic in a venue with such a highly regarded pedigree.

Bistro Vue - 430 Little Collins St, Melbourne (03) 9691 3838
Visited: Monday 27 July 2009 - Dinner Service

Cleaning out the Pantry - Moroccan Lamb Soup

Every day I have a good (or bad) meal or visit a bistro or shop and I think 'Oooh...I should blog this'. Then I go home and have a million other things to do and ask myself 'Do people really want to read about what I cooked for dinner last night?' Then I get an email or comment from someone and I think 'Maybe they do'.

I regularly make soups on a Sunday with a standard onion, stock, tinned tomatoes, soup bones base and then add some beans or pasta or rice etc. If you make a big batch, it's a great way to top up your winter meals during the week without piling on the kilos. Freezes well too. As you all know by now, I am determined to use as many of those precious and exotic ingredients in my pantry as I can before I depart these shores. Hence the need to 'spice things up'. So here is my latest pantry clean out recipe (I wished I'd taken a photo):

Moroccan Lamb Soup
1 x leftover lamb bone from the dinner party two weeks ago (don't worry, it was frozen)
1 x leftover broccoli stalk from dinner with Josie on Wednesday
1 x leftover sad looking zucchini
1 x tin crushed tomatoes (Ardmona is my preference)
4 x cups of stock
1 x onion chopped
1 x carrot chopped
good fistful of puy lentils
another good fistful of couscous
1 tbspn crushed garlic paste (or a couple of cloves of garlic)
1 tbspn harissa paste
1 tbspn ground cumin
salt and pepper
leftover feta to garnish

Method

• Heat a small amount of oil, fry off the onions until starting to brown then add the harissa and fry very briefly.
• Add the lamb bones (these had some sumac and oregano remaining on them which added some extra depth of flavour) cumin and garlic and fry for a little longer (a few minutes maximum as the lamb is already cooked and we don't want the garlic to burn.
• Add the tomatoes and stock, bring to the boil and then turn down and simmer for 15 minutes (or maybe 20 minutes - who can say...)
• Add the lentils and chopped broccoli stalk and continue simmering for 5 minutes
• Add the carrot and couscous and continue simmering for at least 5 minutes but longer if you like.
• At this stage, as the lamb was already cooked, it should be easily removed from the bone and shredded back into the soup
• Ladle in to bowls and crumble feta (not very Moroccan, I know) on top

Sadly, I used up nothing except the leftovers but it was very tasty indeed with just the right amount of heat from the harissa. There is a little less of the harissa, lentils and couscous but as I sit here writing this I think 'Why didn't I add olives?', 'I could have included a drizzle of honey or pomegranate molasses.'.....I'm just going to have to try harder!

Sneaky Review - Dan's Home Made Bread

On my way up to the Market on the Mall today, I swung past Steve's desk to have a quick chat. Sitting on a plate was a small portion of crusty bread with a thread of garlic and herbs kneaded into it. I cut off a chunk and popped it into my mouth - delicious! It was great bread - not too crusty and just a touch of sweetness in the dough. The garlic was strong but not overpowering - it would have been great warm. Steve informed me that Dan (Lane) had baked it that very morning and brought it in to work to share. I knew it was too good to be a mass produced item. My only regret is that I was in meetings all morning and didn't get a bigger portion. Great bread Dan!

Cleaning Out the Pantry - Margarita Ice Cream

Pantry stocks aren't at the point of dwindling but I can actually glimpse some shelf space here and there. As part of a 'pantry clearout' dinner party we enjoyed Salmon cured with Ginger, Soy & Rice Vinegar (still plenty of soy and gallons and gallons of vinegars to go), Slow Cooked Lamb with Sumac and Dried Oregano Rub (both finished!) and Margarita Ice Cream.

Why Margarita Ice Cream? I had a tin of condensed milk that needed to be used and Nigella obliged. Not one to do things by halves, Nigella actually has 2 different recipes. I used the one from 'Forever Summer' and followed the recipe carefully as it's always a bit risky going 'freestyle' with ice cream. First - the basics:

Margarita Ice Cream

• 1 x tin condensed milk
• 8 x egg yolks
• 375 ml double (heavy) cream
• 90 ml Tequila,30 ml Triple Sec, Cointreau or Grand Marnier
• juice of 6 limes
• zest of 1 lime
  

Method

• Beat eggs yolks in a bowl and set aside
• Heat the cream until nearly boiling and then pour on cream onto egg yolks whisking the whole time.
• Clean out milk saucepan and return milk and egg mixture to pan. Heat on medium, stirring the whole time, until a basic custard has formed (remember - at this stage there is no sugar). If you think it is going to split, put the saucepan into a sink of cold water and whisk vigorously.
• Return to bowl, allow to cool slightly then add the tin of condensed milk, Tequila and Triple Sec and lime juice. Stir
• At this point I strain it through a sieve, to remove any little lumps or protein solids
• Add in lime zest
• Churn in your ice cream maker of freeze in a covered container, removing from freezer every half an hour or so, to whip and remove ice crystals

So that's the basic method. The ice cream is never going to be rock solid, with all of that alcohol in it but I think perhaps it would be better to add the alcohol after the first churn or freeze - to at least give it an opportunity to firm up. Perhaps juice of 5 limes next time, instead of 6.

You don't need to ripen the ice cream before you serve as it's firm but not solid. I served in saucer style glasses (I didn't have 4 martini or margarita glasses so went for the 1960's chocolate mousse glasses) that I rimmed with lime juice and then a mix of yellow margarita salt and pink cosmopolitan sugar that I just happened to have knocking around in the cocktail cabinet.

To finish off, I made 'sweet corn chips'. These were a couple or plain wheat tortillas that I painted with maple syrup, baked in the oven until golden (around 10mins @ 150c) and then tossed in caster sugar instead of salt. The picture looks a bit twee but with a flourish of lime zest, they turned out great

The ice cream was sharp, very tangy but still sweet and luscious. I will definitely make it again. After all, there's still all of that Tequila, and rimming salt and sugar to use up!

Saturday Night's Alright for Thai

The eat fest rolls on as we continue to catch up with friends before we leave for OS, this time with Bill and Carolyn. It was on their suggestion, that last Saturday night found us at the Golden Buddha Restaurant on the Corso in Seven Hills. On this particular night, we walked to dinner to work up an appetite and allow us to fully enjoy the wine we were carrying.

Located in the former 'Corner Bistro' site, a great Mod Oz Bistro that changed hands and never re-opened, Golden Buddha is the replacement. We drive past this restaurant on most days and I often see it not open or virtually empty. This is clearly some type of optical illusion as the joint was jumping on Saturday night, with not a spot to spare.

Typical Thai fare is on offer (stir fries, noodles, curries etc) and whilst we were enjoying our wine and entrees it became apparent why the prices were a little steep. Golden Buddha is the little brother of Mons Ban Sabai Thai at Camp Hill – winner of the Best Thai Restaurant in Qld in 2008 as well as operating a well known cooking school. Mons may have won an award but it still seems somewhat pricey for a suburban Thai (I can count 7 within walking distance of our house – including Mons).

Anyway – back to Golden Buddha. Entrees of Moneybags $12 and Calamari $15 were shared. The Moneybags were crisp and juicy with a typical Thai dipping sauce but the Calamari was curious – strips of golden fried Calamari heaped in a bowl with a Thai dipping sauce. Certainly tasty but nothing to denote it as being particularly 'Thai' or anything more special than the Calamari you may enjoy in a better quality pub. We fared better with the mains, Pad Bai Krapow (chicken, garlic chilli & basil stir fry $20), Pork Penang Curry $22 and the deceptively titled Barbeque Chicken $22. I enjoyed the Penang but I've had much better at another Thai also within walking distance, in Norman Park. The Barbeque Chicken was a standout with a generous portion of charcoal chicken on the bone in a slightly sticky marinade, accompanied by a green paw paw salad and small cane box of sticky rice. The paw paw salad in particular has the right blend of sweet and sour with the added crunch of peanuts.

As we were going all out, we shared a Black Sticky Rice with Coconut Cream and Ice Cream whilst Bill and Carolyn shared some very good looking Banana Fritters. The Black Sticky Rice was a great dessert and we have high hopes for the Asian desserts when we get to KL in a few weeks.

Upon researching the Golden Buddha for this Blog, I noted that Mons has billed Golden Buddha as 'Brisbane's Finest Modern Thai Restaurant'. Certainly there is a modern vibe and the plating and presentation are distinctly western. The service was excellent and on a very busy Saturday night with at least one turn over of most tables, they didn't miss a beat – certainly worth paying a bit extra for.

All up, for 2 entrees, 3 mains, rice, 2 desserts and corkage of 3 bottles, the bill came to $112 for the four of us.

The Golden Buddha Thai Restaurant
Cnr D'Arcy Rd & The Corso
Seven Hills (07) 33902 005
www.goldenbuddha.com.au

Visited: Sat 27 June 09 - Dinner Service