Movida Aqui - Melbourne

Alcachofas - Artichokes with almonds, parsley and lemon $13


Eggplant and tomato stew (this was a special so I dont know how much it was or the title) (manchego custard on the side) (I think $15)


Patatas Bravas - Crispy fried potatoes with spicy brava sauce $11 (mayo on the side for Clare)

Although I love going to Next Door the most, they don't have the patas bravas on the menu at the moment which limits the amount I can eat there. I do LOVE the atmosphere there though. So in desperate need of some love and affection from Frank Commorra last week, Clare and I headed straight to our prozac, Movida Aqui.

Aquis menu seems to move around a lot more than Next Door (Aquis menus and kitchen however is substantially larger) which means we are always trying something new (exciting!). It looks like such a small amount of food, but with a little bread, olive oil and a couple of glasses of wine I was completely stuffed. The staff are wonderful, the best in Melbourne as far as I'm concerned. Sitting at the bar with my girl, my taste buds exploding like fireworks and the amazing Spanish wine coating love down my gullet into my 'ah' spot, its pure voodoo. I don't need to tell you to go, you know I think this is the best all rounder in Melbourne. Movida is a slow experience, expect to sit there for hours, drinking, laughing and fighting over the last drag of sauce onto your bread.

Service: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Space: 9/10

Overall: 19/20 the best Melbourne as far as I'm concerned.

Deets: 1/500 Bourke St, Melbourne web: www.movida.com.au
$$: 4 glasses of wine, 3 dishes plus tip $100

Previous Movidas Aqui: One, Two
Movida Next Door: One

cheese and spinach rolls

I kind of winged it with these and they turned out great! I got the idea from miss Vicki Vegan but tweaked it a little.

ingredients
2 boxes frozen spinach (thawed & drained)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 packet extra firm tofu
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 cup grated mozzarella cheezly
1 tbsp light miso paste
1 squeeze of fresh lemon
2 sheets pastry

method
1. Drain the tofu then put everything in a food processor and pulse about 5 times. You want to be blended but still chunky.

2. Roll in pastry and bake bake bake. TASTY! Perfect winter food, so yummy.

Monday Melbourne Roundup

I did nothing last week. I've had gross cold that I just cant shake. I'm hoping its not my health deteriorating from my new house (there's mold in the walls) so I guess we'll just see. I've been pretty miserable because if I lie down too much my back goes out (which is where its at now) and when I don't do exercise I get shitty pretty quickly. SAD FASE TAKE PITY ON ME. I will, however, recommence date-tastic 2010 this week. 3 confirmed. Though I can totally see myself burning out by the end of the week and being sicker. CMON!

Anada - Fitzroy

Anada is a seriously classy affair in a very down to earth way. The space isnt amazing but its not bad either. It feels a little too boxy and sterile (and cold!), but perhaps if I was on the group table at the back or on the bar I would have felt differently. I like a communal experience when eating tapas (and eating in general I guess). I wont go through every dish because they were all absolutely perfectly balanced for texture, seasoning and taste. These dishes were like a dream. The sorbet in particular was SO SO sweet (which I loved) and tangy with fresh pomegranate on top. Anada is excellent. After a recent spate of massive disappointments I was so glad that this exceeded my very high expectations. The wait staff were attentive but 'magic genie', down to earth and helpful with getting me vegan options, most of which were gluten free. Very impressive. No pretension just excellent food, served warmly, entirely with heart (my apologies for the appalling pictures!).

Syrian lentils on crouton with crispy onions


Fried apple eggplant, chilli and mint


Beetroot, mint and Romate sherry vinegar


Gem lettuce and chervil cress with crispy garlic, dried barberries & 12 yr old Andalusian white balsamic (this was DELICIOUS and my favourite dish of the evening)


Pommegranate and orange blossom syrup sorbet



Food: Didn't explode my brain but was seriously excellent 9/10
Space: not sure, too cold 7/10
Service: a wonderful, non wankery 9/10

Overall 16.5

Deets: 197 Gertrude St, Fitzroy, (03) 9415 6101 web: http://www.anada.com.au/
$$: all of the above plus two meat dishes and icecream for Adrian, a bottle of wine and a $15 tip $150

white bean dip - bigilla

I cant believe I've been doing this blog for over a year and I haven't brought a Maltese dish to the table yet. I cant eat chickpeas on the blood type diet so I've been looking for a hummous substitute and eventually thought of Bigilla! Maltese white bean dip, full of protein, low in fat and so delicious. I can eat this at any time of the day (I had it on buckwheat crispbreads this morning for breakfast) and its really quick and simple to make.

ingredients
2 cans of white beans (drained and rinsed)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp of fresh parsley, chopped
salt
juice of one lemon (or 1-2 tbsp depends on how lemony your lemons are)
fresh chilli or chilli flakes (I used chilli oil)
A glug of olive oil to loosen it up

method
1. Mash with a fork or masher.

notes: I like tonnes of garlic, if this is not your thing of course use less! I usually use cannelini beans, but butter are also good, broad beans are traditional)

Auction Rooms - North Melbourne

I'm not going to pull any punches, this is possibly the worst meal I've had in Melbourne. First up there doesn't seem to be any proper vegetarian options for a savoury breakfast (parmesean polenta is not vegetarian) so we ordered our own vegan breakfast. The usual beans on toast with avocado. The 'bashed avocado' was I kid you not like Old El Paso guacamole out of a jar and the baked beans were like a tin of tomatoes and a tin of butter beans cooked in the microwave for 5 minutes. The gluten free bread from Silly Yaks was nice but was served in 1.5 inch thick slices rendering it almost completely useless. I had to cut one piece of toast in half down the side in order to not only make it manageable but also so I didn't feel like I was having a bit of beans with my giant ass piece of bread. I didn't finish my meal, I NEVER not finish my meal.

The service is next, while with a smile and vaguely pleasant you just had the constant feeling that they were waiting for you to get out of there. Always hovering for plates and cups, the second you took your last bite or sip the offending item was whisked away. This is Sunday breakfast, I want to have a few coffees and read the paper with Clare, not feel like I'm going to be rolled into a rug and thrown off a bridge if I stay any longer than the last drip of coffee or smudge of toxic green goo on my size on an iPad piece of toast. The second she took out plates she said 'anymore coffees?' and I said no, she said 'well I'll get your bill then'. It was horrifyingly rude. So to recap, the food was appalling (no really I would call it appalling) the service was vile and the space is actually ok. I will never go back there and I recommend that unless you're a 'liberal' vegetarian (gelatin/rennet) there isn't much there for you to eat either. Foul.

Gets a giant ass -2000 (I figure the meal was $35, it took 2 hours of my life x $40 an hour weekend time + probably the presents I have to buy myself to get over this crime against baby Jesus and I believe THEY owe ME $200)

Deets: I'm not giving them to you because they don't deserve your money.

Pumpkin, spinach, zucchini and ricotta lasagne

This is essentially a 'white' lasagne. I'm doing the Blood Type diet at the moment to see if it will help with my stomach issues and tomatoes/kidney beans/flour are off the list (what I usually make lasagne with). Cobbled together from bits and pieces every where and with whatever was in my vegie box this week. Of course its lasagne, you can layer it however you want, beets? roasted capsicum, red sauce etc. Check the notes.

Pumpkin Sauce (first layer)

2 cups of pureed pumpkin (I roasted 1/4 pumpkin in its skin)
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Pinch white pepper and cayenne
1/4 cup of stock

Whizz in a food processor until smooth.

Grilled zucchini, spinach and ricotta layer

1 medium zucchini
half a bunch of silverbeet or english spinach, wilted, rinsed and wrung of water
1 recipe of tofu ricotta

Slice the zucchini .5 cm thick length ways, rub with olive oil and salt and either grill or bake in a hot oven until brown-ish.

Bechamel Sauce (top layer)

There are many many different ways to make bechamel sauce. The authentic French way takes a million years, I don't have a million years. I combine equal amounts fat and flour (so oil or marg) usually about 1/4 of a cup of each and heat for about a minute. Then stir in about 3/4 litre of milk slowly, once it starts to boil, reduce to a simmer and this is when it should start to really thicken. You may need to add more milk or flour after a few minutes. Voila! I'm sure if you really wanted to make an authentic one or have never made white sauce before, please look it up on the web!

Layering

Smooth pumpkin mixture on the bottom and add a layer of lasagne noodles. I layered the spinach first, then tofu ricotta then grilled zucchinis, another layer of noodles and finally bechamel and a sprinkling of Cheezly.

Bake in the oven at 200 for about 40 minutes or until the top browns (all the ingredients are already cooked so its just a marination/browning process).

Notes: This was surprisingly tasty. I thought it would lack flavour or be too weird. I dribbled sweet chilli sauce on top which took it to the next level. I used Orgran gluten free lasagne sheets and flour which are both excellent.

This time last year: 2009 Half Year Album Review (2010 is coming soon kids)

Monday Melbourne Roundup

Busy busy busy busy busy. My fear of missing out disorder was running HIGH this week. Couple that with my annual foray into dating again (happens every year for a few months before I just go meh and stay at home - though each time I think THIS TIME IT WILL BE DIFFERENT! I have turned into an optimist) though this time *is* proving different already so yay. Clare and I are back into trying somewhere new each week (how long will this last though, the last few new places have been really boring) and meetings have been gearing up, talking about game plans for MIFF. YEOW!

out.

Seven Thousand Oaks Launch - Adaptation

Wonderful eco hippy fest art times.






The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo



We read the book for book club last month and I really liked it, had free tickets (thanks to Jet Setting Joyce) and finally went along after 3 times of trying to use them (stupid rules). This was being shown in one of the private cinemas at nova and can I say OOHH LA LA fancy pants! LOVED IT. The film was pretty good too, it clocks at 2.5 hours and I didnt notice which says its an engrossing film to me. Not for the squeamish though. 3.5/5

eats.drinks

The Union
My local. Nice for a few quiet beers.

Trippy Taco

Yummmmmmmmmmmmeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrsssssssssssss. I had the nachos (something new) and the tacos (always) I love Trippy Taco and the guys who run it are so super nice and lovely! I'm trying super hard to go to at least one vegetarian restaurant a week. I want to give them my money instead of omni places.

Previous reviews: Trippy Taco One, Two

Grace Darling

Seriously that fake gas fire they have at the Grace Darling is my second favourite in Melbourne. My first, being a real fire is at the Alderman.

Anada

Review coming. Suffice to say WOW.

Builders Arms

Oh the shame, I have never actually been the Builders Arms. On a Friday night it was totally deranged, full of drunk leary people much like most of Melbourne, I quite like it though.

Yah Yahs

Finally also went to Yah yah, again, full on Friday night brothel but I would go there to see bands. Wins a proper Melbourne sticky carpet award for band venue.

The Alderman

LOVE the Alderman, nothing more fine than snuggling up to two Greek sisters next to the fire talking about FILM over a jug of mojitos SWOON!.

Auction Rooms

Worst.cafe.experience.I've.ever.had. Scathing review coming soon.

One year ago: Monday Melbourne Roundup #8

Mac Daddy

The challenge has been thrown down. My lovely friend Dave has said MacnCheese will be his hardest, most dearly loved and held onto food to give up going vegan. Never to back away from a challenge I am going to cook up a few of the vegan mac and cheese recipes out there and see if I can sway his taste buds. This was super easy but check out the notes before attempting it. I am going to try Vegan Dads recipe next, but please send me some links of some tried and true as well!

What Dave had to say "Smells and tastes are power triggers of memory. There's nothing quite like having food that reminds you, of childhood, home and being cared for to cheer you up when your down. One of the biggest problems of giving up meat for me has been giving up comfort foods. We all have strong emotional conditioning with food and unless you were raised vegan, just like ex-smokers wanting a cigarette at the end of a hard day, those who have given up meat will unavoidably crave foods that associate with better times. For me its Mac and Cheese. As long as I can remember a glass of red and a good mac and cheese has been the food equivalent of spooning. There were times in my childhood when it was all I would eat. I was very sceptical of vegan Mac and cheese. It was never going to be the same as the delicious cruel rennet produced environmentally irresponsible product of from my childhood that was lovingly prepared by my mother, but it was really really delicious. It ended up sitting somewhere between actually Mac and Cheese and palm oil and msg soaked mee gorang noodles (another comfort food and another story) but unlike those other two it was healthy and ethical . What’s perhaps made it really comforting thought was it had been made with care and pride and was shared between good friends."

Mac Daddy (from memory from Veganomicon)

3 cups of cooked short noodles (it was a bag of gluten free noodles for me)
1 small block of extra firm tofu
2 tsp of fresh lemon juice
For extra points (if you're into it) some finely chopped up broccoli and a few handful of peas.

Cheezy Sauce

Ingredients
1/4 cup unbleached flour
3/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 cups stock
2 tbs olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbs yellow mustard
1/8 tsp of tumeric
2 tbsp of lemon juice (I didn’t use this and it still tasted amazing)

Sweat garlic in olive oil until just starting to turn. Warm the stock with the garlic then slowly whisk in the flour. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir continually over medium heat until sauce reaches desired consistency (about 5 minutes for a thick sauce).

For Mac attack:

Crumble the tofu into a baking dish, add the lemon juice, peas and broccoli if you're using them. Stir in half a cup of the cheesy sauce until well combined. Add the hot noodles, toss it up and slather the rest of the cheesy sauce on top. At this point I was sad I hadn't made it to Radical Grocery before they closed to get some Cheezly to grate onto the top. Bake at about 200 till the top goes brown (took about 40 minutes for me). Yum!

Notes: For the uninitiated, Nutritional Yeast Flakes (or Nooch as Vegans lovingly refer to it) can be purchased at any health food store (and some Safeways). I used gluten free Organ spirals and they soaked up every last stitch of the sauce, so next time I would only grill this quickly to get the top brown. It wasnt the saucy, voluptuous affair I wanted it to be but it was a good first try and I know how I'm going to tackle the next round of MacnCheese tastings.

For previous cheesy sauce action check out Roast Vegie Cheesy Pie.

This time last year: Vegetarian food pyramid

Mule - Brunswick

Delicious. A nice simple vegan sort of Saturday fry up. The fried tofu is literally that, pan fried extra firm cubes of tofu. The spinach is wilted, served with sesame seeds, almonds and some kind of delicious dressing that I really cant tell you want it is. I chose hash brown instead of an egg, served with half an avocado on gluten free toast* with a tub of delicious harissa paste. Seriously. The coffee is also delicious. Greens, you're becoming dead to me.

*however just reading Kristys gluten free bread review, I'm not sure if their gluten free toast is vegan, I must ask the next time I go there

Deets: 146 Sydney Rd, Brunswick
$$: $14 I think, a little expensive but still, having an alternative to Tom Phat is greache!

Monday Melbourne Roundup (Tuesday edition)

I guess you've gathered by now I don’t really update this while I'm away from work (setting readers expectation blah blah). Having said that, I barely did anything last week, had a week attack of the wobbles so spent most of my time in the vicinity of my house. Its toasty and warm, the projector is up and running and having proper internet now means I am catching up with lightening speed on all my stories!!!! Just finished season 3 of Breaking Bad, am almost finished season 4 of Big Love and am half way through season 4 of Dexter. Just in time as season 3 of True Blood started on Sunday (and when I need to mix things up I'm still working my way through Boston Legal season 3 and up to s5 of Nip Tuck). Woo! Happiness!

One thing of note, my company paid for a 3 hour comprehensive health check at a private clinic at St Vincents hospital last week. I am in perfect and I mean PERFECT health. My calcium, iron and b12 levels were through the roof, my cholesterol was almost non existent and my good cholesterol was the highest he'd ever seen. I don’t take my vitamins every day but I'm glad about the calcium because I was worried! The only two things he said I could improve was I need to lose 6 kgs and I could probably stand to drink more! (I only drink about 4 glasses of wine max a week). It made me feel very validated that all the hard work I've been doing on my health for the past 2 years has really paid off.

Eats.drinks.

Mule

My new favourite. Their fried tofu breakfast with harissa, spinach, avocado on gluten free toast. Its expensive but a good alternative to Tom Phat (and really the quality at Greens has really gone down hill). Will post this soon.

Tom Phat

Again. It’s a weekly thang. Had my Tofu scramble. Best.

Vegie Bar

Had my salad again. I will try something different next time. I'm doing the blood type diet and cant eat chickpeas (and BOY did I pay when I did I was sick for about 24 hours) and the salad consists of a butt load of chickpeas. So something different next time.

Pad Thai - Tom Phat - Brunswick

Oh Tom Phat. I was craving the Nasi Gorgeng but they don't do it at lunch (though it seems it is in roti wrap form which Clare had and loved). I've never said this before but I think this dish was too salty for me. It just missed the mark, too sour, salty, too much tamarind and the noodles were too difficult to handle. Sad fase. Tom Phat, you can be hit and miss!

Hit: Tofu Scramble and Nasi Goreng and Mango Coconut Crumble.
Miss: Pad Thai and Buddhas Delight.

Space: a warm exposed brick and wood 8/10
Service: too in different then too in your face 6/10
Food: a too sour and salty 6/10

Overall: 13.5/20

Deets: 184 Sydney Rd, Brunswick T: 9381 2374 w: http://www.tomphat.com.au
$$: $12.90

guacamole

Fresh. Divine.

ingredients
2 ripe avocados
1/4 cup of diced tomato
1/4 cup of diced spanish onion
Juice of one lime
Salt, pepper
Tabasco for serving
a handful of chopped coriander if you're into it

method
1. Mash the avocado and stir in the other ingredients. Add salt to taste.

chocolate peanut butter cake

I am still in diabetic shock from making this behemoth of a cake. Filed away in my mind are crazy jobs that I reserve for very special occasions and my blog-aversary was the perfect excuse. This cake is retardedly rich. I just ate a sliver and I've felt sick for hours. Definitely a show piece and my neighbours are going to love me when I take this baby out doing the rounds tonight. Incidentally the chocolate cake recipe is the most moist, delicious, finger licking chocolate cake I've ever eaten.

You're welcome.

Veganised by me from Deb at Smitten Kitchen who then took the recipe from Sky High: Irresistable Triple-Layer Cakes .

Makes an 8-inch triple-layer cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup neutral vegetable oil
1 cup mashed Japanese soft tofu
1 tsp of mirin
1tsp of sushi seasoning
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 egg replacers

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Prepare 3x 8inch round baking pans.

2. Prepare the tofu sour cream by mashing the soft tofu until it resembles runny scrambled eggs then mix in the mirin and sushi seasoning. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl, mixing well. Add the oil and tofu sour cream and whisk to blend. Gradually beat in the water. Blend in the vinegar and vanilla. Whisk in the egg replacers and beat until well blended. Divide among the 3 prepared cake pans.

3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a butter knife inserted into the centre, comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for about 20 minutes. Carefully invert onto wire racks and let cool completely. Once cool, wrap tightly in plastic and put into freezer for about an hour.

4. To frost the cake, place one layer, flat side up, on a cake stand or large serving plate. Spread 2/3 cup cup of the Peanut Butter Frosting evenly over the top. Repeat with the next layer. Place the last layer on top and thinly coat the outer cake with frosting. Refrigerate cake for about an hour whilst leaving the frosting out of the fridge. This sets the cake and crumbs and enables a perfect finish. Once the cake is set finish frosting.

5. To decorate with the Chocolate–Peanut Butter Glaze, put the cake plate on a large baking sheet to catch any drips. Simply pour the glaze over the top of the cake and spread it evenly over the top just to the edges so that it runs down the sides of the cake in long drips. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes to allow the glaze and frosting to set completely. Remove about 1 hour before serving.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1 tub of soy cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup of margarine, at room temperature
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 cup smooth peanut butter

1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and margarine until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze

225 gm dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup milk

1. In a bowl set over simmering water, combine the chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup. Cook, whisking often, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

2. Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk, beating until smooth. Use while still warm.

Notes: So many notes! First, I haven't invested in a cake stand OR a triple pan set yet (though after this I think its well worth it). I baked in a 9 inch pan and cut it in half. Not great, the cake is super soft and was incredibly hard to handle, un-frozen. Freezing cakes is totally cool! It’s a great way to frost difficult cakes or save time by baking ahead and its like a little cake freshness time machine they defrost and eat like nothing ever happened. I found the recipe for the chocolate peanut butter glaze too much, I would definitely dial it back if I ever attempt this cake again or even take it out completely. I used Orgran egg replacer and Kingland soy cream cheese. On the different kinds of tofu and preparation hit my tofu article, for dairy substitutes clicky clicky.

For other attempts at Deb goodness check out:

New York Baked Cheesecake
Dark Chocolate Tart with Ginger Snap Crust

One Year Ago: Monday Melbourne Roundup #6

sunday fry up

And they say Vegans cant have any fun. Just an example for the non Vegans, Sunday hang over breakfast can be just as delicious and sauce smothered as any Omni meal out there. Facon, English Recipe baked beans, caramalised onion, vegie bangers and multi grain English muffins. All that was missing was the hash! All the hangover cure with non of the death (apart from portions of my liver).

Monday Melbourne Roundup

I had a friend in town this week so most nights were spent cooking and laughing at home. Pie fever is taking over me, so is my blisters-the-paint amazing wall heater. Trying to withdraw and save energy before MIFF (6.5 week kids!!).

Out.

Fish Tank



Wow Cannes certainly has a 'language' and this is true to form. I really enjoyed this film, despite the 'shaky cam'. The light was beautiful as was the main characters performance, she was totally spell binding. Your usual depressing, this-is-life Cannes winner but it is a good one.

Eats.drinks

Tom Phat (twice)

I had my usual breakfast on Sunday after a omg I didnt cum trip on Saturday (I was CRAVING the nasi goreng) which they don’t do at lunch, I had the Pad Thai which I will write about shortly. Thank God the 'good chef' was on on Sunday otherwise I would be very frustrated right now.

Winter mince pie with gravy

Its going to be pie crazy around these parts for a while, pop open the top button and strap yourself in.

Ingredients

2 x cans of Sanitarium "Casserole Mince"
1 medium carrot very small dice
1 onion, sliced
1 large portobello mushroom sliced thinly
1 cup of frozen peas and corn (together)
3 sheets of pastry
salt and pepper to taste

Sweat the onions in a heavy bottom pan, once they start turning translucent add the mushrooms and carrot. Leave on medium heat, stirring occasionally while you potter around making the pie casing. For a deep set, swoon worthy pie use a 9 inch collared pan. I needed 1 and 3/4 sheets of pastry to line the case, get creative with your cutting and pasting, making sure you seal the edges by squeezing them together (you don’t want pie goodness overflowing!). By this time the mushrooms, onions and carrot should be just right, add the 2 cans of casserole mince, peas and corn to the pan and mix thoroughly. Tumble into the pie casing and put your lid on top. Brush with a little melted marg or rice milk. With the left over bits of pastry you can create some decorations! (squirrel loves owl!). Bake in an oven on high (I think mine was set at about 220 c) until golden brown. For a healthful pink glow to the cheeks devour with creamy mashed potatoes, minty peas and a robust red wine.

Notes: In winter, take your pastry out of the freezer right at the beginning, it takes ages to become pliable in the Melbourne cold. To get a perfectly fitting lid sit the pan on top of the sheet of pastry and trace around it. Adding a glug of red wine or balsamic vinegar to the pan would take this to another level as would serving with homemade mushroom gravy or red sauce.

Dench Bakery - Fitzroy - Melbourne

Dench Bakery, the home of the most drool worthy, stunning artisan bread in Melbourne (if not the world). I was a little apprehensive there wouldn’t be anything for me to eat at Sunday breakfast but they did not disappoint. I had their breakfast beans with avocado and their sublime sourdough toast. The beans were rich and tasty without being too heavy and the fresh delicious avocado a heavenly match for the toast. Sure, its your usual scraped together vegan meal at an omni place but damn, is it the best one I've had.

Deets: 109 Scotchmer St, North Fitzroy web: http://www.denchbakers.com.au
$$: with 2 coffees my breakky was about $20

Happy Birthday to Me!

Being the complete pixie I am I completely forgot to celebrate this blogs birthday! It used to be a everything blog so I didn't know where to mark it from. So I deleted all the non food posts and started from the first vegan post which was 27th of April 2009. So at the bottom of each post from now in (if relevant) there will be a "one year ago" link, to the post from the year before.

I guess I better get cracking on baking an amazing birthday cake to share with y'all! Thanks for being great! I have met some really amazing people through writing this blog. My intention is to make cooking and vegan food accessible and easy so if anything is unclear or you have questions or would like me to do a post on something please let me know! Big love!

First year stats:

Most popular cooking post:
Lentil Stew
Coconut Cream Pie and
New York Baked Cheesecake

Most popular eating out post:
Tom Phat - Sydney Road
East Brunswick Club and
Bimbo Deluxe Fitzroy

Image from Pink Cake Box