Souk, Melbourne CBD by Foghorn Leghorn

You’ve probably had the experience of going to a friend’s place expecting a quiet evening of chit-chat, and maybe a round of Trivial Pursuit. Then you arrive, and you find a raucous party with people downing shots and dancing on tables. Something similar happened to me the other night at Souk.

The invitation had arrived a few days earlier. Come to an exclusive launch of Souk’s new spring menu, headed by an award-winning chef, it said. “Souk's new menu plays to the traditions of Middle Eastern meze - numerous small & large plates - with a stylish nod to modern Melbourne dining.”


I could see it already. A restaurant with exquisite Middle Eastern architecture, and waiters in tuxedos gliding around silently. The sort of place where the other diners give frosty glances to anyone who drops his fork or blows his nose too loudly.

Oh boy, was I wrong!

Le Fangourin, Mauritius by Obelix

Mauritius is known for its sugar cane fields and for an educational visit at L'aventure du Sucre (sugar plantation museum), Le Fangourin makes for a tasty pit stop.

"Off the menu" lentil stew

Le Fangourin is located in the old administration building of the Beau Plan sugar estate. It's has a lovely ambience with the meals served in the breezy veranda overlooking the manicured gardens and the Pieter Both volcanic mountain range.

Maison Eureka, Mauritius by Obelix

Maison Eureka is a traditional colonial house built in 1830 near river Moka. It's one of the largest colonial houses on the island. The original family living there had 17 kids and by the 20th century there were more than 100 heirs.


The decision was made in the 1980s to restore the Maison and open it to the public as a museum. To assist with the upkeep, there is an admission fee or you can order a three course lunch and tour the house, garden and cascade waterfall for free.

Kuanfu Tea, Mauritius by Obelix

Trying to overcome extreme boredom during my long haul flight to Mauritius, I had poured over their in-flight magazine. I came across an intriguing ad for Kuanfu tea. It was billed as a product of Mauritius replete with dodo bird branding. It was organic and due to a specialised production process, each batch had been fermented for a year.

 

Dodo tea cup and Kuanfu tea in the background

Being a tea enthusiast and lover of all things naturally fermented, I was hooked. The purported benefits being - a digestive aid and a sleep aid. Ding, ding, ding!!! It ticked all the right boxes! I was slightly dyspeptic from my over indulgence during my layover in Perth (my epic dinner at the Epicurean) and weary from travel. It came to me at the right moment in time.

Epicurean, Burswood (WA) by Obelix

I write this whilst digesting. It was my 15th year wedding anniversary and we celebrated by doing the one thing we are both accomplished at and gives us mutual pleasure - eating.


... 21, 22, 23, 24... who's counting?

P suggested we fly to Perth to try the dinner buffet at the Epicurean in Crown Towers. We stayed at Crown Towers so it was just a gluttonous elevator ride downstairs for dinner. We have both heard rave reviews of the buffet and we were not disappointed.

Jake & the Beans Talk, Malvern East by Bureaucrat

We arrived at Jake & the Beans Talk at the right time.  It was Saturday, midday.  And we got there after the breakfast/brunch crowd had moseyed on but before the hoards of hungry luncheon seekers descended.

I had Googled Jake & the Beans Talk for my lunch with Beaker.  We needed somewhere that was nearby to Chadstone Shopping Centre but wasn't actually located inside the road-rage inducing fashion capital (I mean, who could enjoy their meal after having to fight tooth and nail for a car park?).


A spacious table and a friendly waitress bode well for our lunch.  My buttermilk fried chicken was quite yummy.  Tender breast fillets with a crunchy crumb.  The sweet potato chips were also very good - big and chunky and it had a nice crunchy polenta crust.  The slaw was a bit of a let down - there was far too much mayo, making it rather claggy.