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Rockwell & Son, Collingwood – What is a Smashed Patty?

Posted: February 21, 2014 in American, Burgers, Food for Thought, French, Melbourne

My burger blitz continues at Rockwell and Sons. Rockwell and Sons is located on Smith st, Collingwood, about 500m from the very first Huxtaburger in Melbourne. It breathes an industrial small bar feel where Manu Potoi (ex-Attica), and Casey Wall (ex-Cutler and Co) take on a menu that is a cross between American dude food and French cuisine. The menu is organised into share plates, sandwiches and sides where you can get your paws on a generous serving of crispy duck confit wings ($12). Or perhaps you can have the chicken liver parfait ($14), or the smoked lamb ribs with Kentucky BBQ sauce. It isn’t American food without the obligatory fried chicken (in this case sandwich $12) and mac n cheese ($8), of course! Nothing is priced over $14, which is great when you consider the pedigree behind the counter.

Huxtaburger, Collins St Melbourne

Posted: February 12, 2014 in American, Burgers, Melbourne, Melbourne CBD
Tags: American Burgers, Cheap eats in Melbourne, Collins st, Flinders Lane, Fulham Place, Huxtaburger, Melbourne, Places to Eat in Melbourne

If you are a bit of a burger geek like me, then Huxtaburger should be on your burger bucket list. Starting up in Collingwood in Melbourne, it is making its way to new locations in the CBD and Prahran with rumours that there is more to come.

The CBD store is located on Collins St at Fulham Pl just off Flinders Lane. Starting from $9 they offer a seriously quality burger and it all comes down to the quality of ingredients. They use Moondarra Wagyu beef and a deliciously glazed buttered sweet bun. It is light, sweet and glossy which melts away with the rest of its glorious insides. It is the stuff that burger dreams are made of. Some have said it comes very close to the ultimate Shake Shack burger and I totally hear you… There is even a ‘separated at birth’ type resemblance but I would still give the gold medallion to Shake Shack. Shake Shack has cheesy fries. Enough said.

The burgers here are curiously named after the family members in the Bill Cosby show. There’s Bill with pineapple, beetroot, bacon and egg ($12), or you may also want to consider the hot favourites. Like the Denise ($10) with beef, cheese, tomato, lettuce, jalapenos and sriracha mayo or artery clogging Theo ($12). That’s a double patty, double cheese, bacon, mustard, mayo, tomato sauce, bbq sauce, tomato, lettuce & pickles on a buttered sweet bun. Sweet Jesus.. saying it out like that sounds bad. Did I actually consume all of that? ‘THE’ almighty Theo. I hadn’t realised… but can I just say it was FREAKING AWESOME and worth every penny that triple by-pass is going to cost me. It was so good, that I immediately wanted another.

Newmarket Hotel, St Kilda Melbourne

Posted: February 23, 2013 in American, Melbourne, Mexican, Wine Bar
Tags: Melbourne Restaurants, Newmarket Hotel, Restaurants in St Kilda, St Kilda

What immediately strikes you about Newmarket Hotel is the impressive use of space. Its industrial urban chic contrasted with a cosy panache.

The space is divided between pub-come-bar-come-restaurant. The decor blends and overlaps one another and its the unmistakable change in scenery that marks the separation.

Pub/bar-goers linger around the front courtyard either in park tables or high tables tops. Venture further inside and you will find serious diners located firmly in proper tables and chairs.

The blended approach also takes shape in the menu. It promises a taste of latin, southern and californian influences. The menu reads so well that you wonder if you’re ever going to get out of there without ordering everything that’s on there! Uttering words like truffles, low and slow, 36 months matured and garlic chips. Everything reads deliciously that I just want to eat their words!

The bone marrow taco is unctuous. A gooey buttery mush with the chimichurra playing a helping hand in intensifying the flavours. I had it ‘with’ and ‘without’ the taco and preferred the marrow on its own. It didn’t require any meddling with the robust flavours of the spicy bbq brisket. It was simply gorgeous on its own. However at ($24) for three, our individual marrow piece came out on the smaller side and was no larger than an inch.

A healthy portion of the field mushrooms ($9) melded beautifully with the drizzled dollops of jalapeno crema and crunchy garlic chips. Both added texture, salty and umami notes to this earthy dish.

Bratwurst Shop & Co, Queen Victoria Markets Melbourne

Posted: February 16, 2013 in Cheap Eats, Hot Dogs, Melbourne
Tags: anthony bourdain, Bratwurst, Bratwurst Shop & Co, Cheese Bratwurst, food, food porn, food porn nation, photos of food, pictures of food, Places to Eat in Melbourne, Queen Victoria Markets, restaurants, Sydney Food Blog

For any food lover, a visit to Melbourne always deserves a pilgrimage to the mecca for foodies – Queen Victoria Markets. Almost equals to the amusement parks lovers coming for the theme parks to visit in Melbourne.

Deep down it is like any market, with stall owners bellowing out their best price, urging you to buy, buy, buy!

But unlike no other, everything is all within reach, bringing together a massive hub of fresh meat, seafood, fruit, veges, delicatessens and desserts. It is so delicious to look at, the sight of it rarely gets old.

Like all my visits to Melbourne, I always come back to the Bratwurst Shop & Co.

You know it, I know it, everybody knows it.

Even Anthony Bourdain knows it. It is that good.

With the sure fire signs of a popular eatery. The human frenzy swarming in front of the counter is something to manoeuvre with. Get your pointy elbows out, move with haste and make way to the front.

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There is a real sense of urgency and everything is rushed. You’re in and you’re out.

Ordering is quite swift, to the point and goes something like…

Sausage? Sauce? Sides?

Your options include: Spicy Bratwurst, Mild Bratwurst, Cheese Bratwurst, Weisswurst, Chorizo, Black Pepper Pork and Chicken & Mushroom.

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I ordered the cheese bratwurst and piled it with mustard, onions, sauerkraut and cheese. This required a decent amount of compressing to fit it in my mouth. So far it is my favourite bratwurst to date. Loving the snap of the wurst with the nuggets of soft cheese concealed with each bite. It is the perfect combo – there’s the crunch of bread, the tang of sauerkraut, onions and the creaminess of the cheese.

Welcome to Bratwurst Shop & Co and get your wurst on.