The week in brief: 6 August – 12 August
This week: Catspam! Cuddle edition! Plus dinner at Shed 5, Gorski and Jones, HAMBURGER CAKE (!!!), breakfast at Reverence Specialty Coffee & Tea and crispy prawns. Mhhhhhmmm.
Also, thanks for the blog birthday wishes. 🙂
Guess what? This week I drank ALONE. Like a LOSER. Why? Because Hazzie was “running late”. Blah blah blah. All I know is, I was in Melbourne Public by myself like an Azzie no friends.
(She showed up eventually, but I prefer to hold a grudge.) 😉
We were down in South Wharf for dinner at Shed 5 (disclosure: it was a complimentary meal). Dinner was good. We ate a lot. Desserts were awesome.
(Yah, I’m all about the details tonight. Sorry, my back hurts – see below.)
On Wednesday it was Bro’s birthday. Yay! Bro’s gf organised dinner at Gorski and Jones.
Dinner was pretty good. Because there was a group of us, we had to have a set menu and there was so much food. (It was also ridiculously dark. Wah wah guitar.) More later.
Speaking of Bro’s birthday – our friend Maztech and Bro’s gf made him this AMAZING hamburger cake. The photo does it no justice (it was very dark in the bar): the cake was f’king incredible. It even had peanut butter in it! AHHHHH. DIEEEEE. Ladies, you outdid yourselves. Best. Cake. Ever.
Reverence Specialty Coffee & Tea
Today Alastair and I went up to Ascot Vale to have breakfast at Reverence Specialty Coffee & Tea. Located on Union Road, the cafe feels really bright and roomy, and with a name like that they’re obviously into their tea and coffee. Alastair had a flat white and I had a long black to kick us off. (Alastair in particular *really* needed coffee. I made him get out of bed earlier than usual!)
After looking at the menu, we had decided, but when Alastair heard that corncakes was one of the specials, he was sold. He had corncakes with guacamole, tomato relish and sour cream. His verdict was yum (no ++s).
I had the Kassler steak: pork, fried egg, crispy potato with housemade tomato relish on sourdough ($16). Actually, now that I’ve looked at the menu for this post, I realise I didn’t get any sourdough. It doesn’t really bother me since I mostly don’t eat bread, but there you go.
It was nice – definitely a carnivore’s breakfast. I actually felt a bit strange eating a pork steak first thing in the morning!
Coffees were pretty good, though the plating up of the food could use a bit more work. The staff were very friendly and lovely. It was a shame that we were too early for lunch – some of the lunch items looked tempting.
Reverence Specialty Coffee & Tea
155 Union Road
Ascot Vale, VIC 3032
Phone: 03 9375 2179
After breakfast we went to the market, where I picked up (amongst other things) a little pandan cake. There was tea and pandan cake when I got home. YAY.
After that I cooked! I deshelled prawns and wrapped them in kataifi pastry for dinner (and an upcoming post).
Plus I made a double batch of the world’s best chilli sauce. I got a bit stressed when I ran out of it last week. I feel much better now that I have several jars prepared.
However, I did pull a muscle in my lower back while I was cooking today. Seriously – WTF? How does that even happen?? I’m currently hobbling around like an old lady with a heat pack on my back.
Okay enough whinging about my old ladyness. Isn’t South Wharf pretty at sunset? Wishing you all happy eating for next week!
leaf (the indolent cook)
August 12, 2012 @ 10:55 pm
I want pandan cake. And awesome chilli sauce. And a cat or two to cuddle!
Agnes
August 13, 2012 @ 8:01 pm
I can give you all of that. For a small fee. 😉
Felicia
August 12, 2012 @ 11:14 pm
The pandan cake looks delicious, I have not had it in a long time. Which market did you get it from? Hope your back feels better soon! Stay safe while cooking!
Agnes
August 12, 2012 @ 11:16 pm
The pandan cake is from Little Saigon market – it was only $2 🙂
Felicia
August 13, 2012 @ 5:41 pm
Wow! That is a steal. Which shop did you get it from? I am desperately craving for pandan cake now, need to get to head down to get my fix soon.
Agnes
August 13, 2012 @ 7:46 pm
If you enter the market through Byron Street, I got it from the bakery to the left that also sells banh mi and bread rolls etc (it’s directly across from a fruit and vege shop and also near a butcher). 🙂 Next time I’ll try their pandan chiffon roll – it’s bigger and was $5.50 I think.
Felicia
August 15, 2012 @ 4:26 pm
Thank you Agnes for the directions! They are so thorough, I am definitely sure I will be able to find them now. I am looking forward to getting them soon, the pandon chiffon roll sounds excellent too. I miss all the delicious cakes and kuehs back in Singapore. Hope your back is getting better 🙂
Trish
August 13, 2012 @ 5:24 am
How awesome is Shed 5!! that fava bean puree was ridiculous! heart @ catspam
T x
Agnes
August 13, 2012 @ 7:57 pm
It was really good – I loved the really crunchy beans in the fava bean puree.
Catspam forever 😀
Hannah
August 13, 2012 @ 6:18 am
You poor lady! Take care of yourself. So then you can come visit me soon. Wait…. YOU’LL BE TRAVELLING SOON YOURSELF!
Also, pandan and peanut butter cakes oh yes.
Agnes
August 13, 2012 @ 7:55 pm
I KNOWS RIGHT.
All the excitement!
Annette
August 13, 2012 @ 8:37 pm
Wow –that hamburger cake looks absolutely amazing. Very clever people!! Do hope your back comes right quickly –bad back is no fun! And finally –Happy Birthday Pat!
Agnes
August 15, 2012 @ 8:21 pm
Thanks – the back is feeling much better after I spent most of Monday with a heat pack on it. 🙂
Annette
August 16, 2012 @ 10:57 pm
That’s good!! Glad to hear it!
Iron Chef Shellie
August 13, 2012 @ 9:38 pm
Love the look of that burger cake. I’ve been meaning to make burger cupcakes for yonks but can never be bothered 😛
Agnes
August 15, 2012 @ 8:22 pm
Burger cupcakes! You should definitely make them 🙂
Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake
August 15, 2012 @ 12:28 am
Oh no! Hope your back is feeling better! I’ve been walking around with a very sore shoulder…in fact, I’ve had it for quite some time…pain is no fun. 🙁
And *gasps* you have 2 cats? Not 1 but 2? That’s double the fluffiness and cuddles! XD I’m so jealous. I’m not allowed to even get one. My boyfriend forbid it.
I want to stuff myself with that burger cake, it looks SO amazing! Must have taken a lot of time to make…love the looks of those prawns and chilli sauce, looking forward to the prawn recipe!
Agnes
August 15, 2012 @ 8:23 pm
Oh no – hope your shoulder gets better. Maybe you need it looked at? 🙁
Yes, two cats! That’s so sad that you’re not allowed one – waaaah.
msihua
August 18, 2012 @ 9:28 am
You old nana you! Hope your back feels better!!
Agnes
August 26, 2012 @ 10:27 pm
Such a nana. So old. 🙁
Thanh
August 29, 2012 @ 7:48 am
Scot no friends eh? I wouldn’t know how that feels as I’m super popular 🙂
That hamburger cake is too awesome. I wish someone made one for my birthday *wink wink*
I challenge your claims of the best chili sauce ever as that clearly belongs to Auntie’s dumplings. We need a blind chili tasting.
Agnes
August 30, 2012 @ 8:05 pm
You do seem to have a lot of friends. I’m not sure why sometimes. 😉
My chilli sauce is the best ever. We don’t need to do a tasting, I already know it. :p