Voucher for: Learn to Make Paella, Tapas and Churros - Three-Course Spanish Cooking and Dining Experience with a Glass of Sangria
Bought through: Living Social
Colmao Flamenco
Data entry can do your head in sometimes, and my current temp assignment had me driving with the peak hour pack, further adding to the general itchy tension.
I decided against going home today and went straight after work to a cooking class located in Johnston St, Fitzroy, entertaining myself ahead of time with a peppy mocha and the chatty owner of Mauritz's Café, a little opposite Colmao Flamenco (He waved me off with, "Come back soon! Pizza's going to be on the menu!")
Walking in a little ahead of 7pm through the relatively nondescript exterior of this Spanish restaurant, I was pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome within - dark woods and retro classic tourist posters, leading to a small stage set up centrally for regular flamenco music nights hosted most Fridays and Saturdays.
A long table was awaiting this evening's cooking class participants and groups flowed in chatting casually in dribs and drabs.
After we had all found a seat, what proceeded next, as suspected, was not exactly the hands-on cooking class I'd imagined (or the voucher had described). This evening was going to be more akin to an instructional viewing for us, the participants, with expert step by step demonstrations that we could taste test as the event went along.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all for the inside scoop on how to make a delicious meal, but I think a lot of the people (myself included), were actually hoping to do some actual cooking.
Our chef, Miryam, was very knowledgeable in demonstrating the staples of Spanish cuisine, and we had a student's eye view on the creation of one of our tapas dishes (delicious garlic prawns with baby spinach, pine nuts and raisins); our main (seafood paella); and an accompanying dessert (berry soup - not quite an appetising name, is it?)
My fellow diners happily enjoyed the dishes, and made studied opinions and referential photos on how we could approach cooking these meals in the future. However, I think all of us would have liked to have had a turn of the wooden spoon personally, just to feel as if we had participated in an actual cooking class.
So in full disclosure I really can't say that this voucher satisfied their advertised premise. Nonetheless, it was a fun night and a return visit for a flamenco dinner with show will probably be on the agenda in the future.
Pros: ease to finding the location, though with limited parking options in the area; delicious Spanish food; warm, welcoming atmosphere
Cons: not really a hands on cooking class
Voucher for: One complimentary GELATO CUP or CONE when another GELATO CUP or CONE of equal or greater value is purchased
Bought through: The Entertainment Book
Fritz Gelato - St Kilda
A summer's night in St Kilda means ice-cream for dessert! After a dinner at Mirka at Torlano, Alister and I headed over the road to the Fritz Gelato storefront I had spotted through our dining window.
Easy casual bench seating out the front, with other fast foodie options either side, you could guess it would be well trafficked during the day and on weekends, though a little quiet when we popped by mid-week.
No matter, the ice-creams we chose (double scoops at half the price!) were delicious, with Alister opting for a lip-puckering Blood Orange and Lemon Lime Bitter combo (which he said could have been a little more tart!); and my own creamy option of Honeycomb with White Chocolate and Raspberry. So yummy!
The honeycomb especially was well mixed throughout the milk chocolate and the two scoops were almost a meal by themselves (though of course, we shared). I don't know how people get through three scoops!
Pros: Impressive milk based, creamy gelato; lots of intriguing taste and flavours
Cons: Citrusy sorbets could have been more tart (according to Alister)
Bought through: Ouffer
Voucher for: Enjoy Some of Melbourne's Finest Food in Trendy Fitzroy! Only $39 for a Meatball Feast for Two including Two Mains, Two Side Dishes, Two Desserts, and Two Glasses of Wine or Pints of Beer. Choose from a Tempting Menu Featuring Confit Duck, Slow Cooked Organic Lamb, Free Range Chicken and Much More. Valued at $88 - Top Rated on Urbanspoon
Meatballs and Sons
I love the signage for this eatery and the manager was the friendly, chatty sort, keen to impress the house beer to Alister - though truth be told, he was calmly nonplussed about the wheat beer bevvy on offer.
I don't pretend to be any type of expert on alcohol so I demurred on this front and concentrated instead of the welcoming decor, staff and the bbq boisterous foodie options.
The offerings were certainly tasty to look at, and the menu seemed to be edging for a homestyle aw-shucks kinda feel - a little Americano, but mainly from their provisions personality write-ups.
We had chosen for our meatball mains: the skewered bourbon glazed pork with battered corn cobs; and the greek lamb with creamy Persian feta, baby spinach, olives and sun riped tomatoes. Both were tasty, with the pork the comfortable winner from a satisfying taste perspective.
Our sides were the soccotash - a fabulous name for a simple dish of sweet corn with shell beans, some cut tomatoes and mixed capsicum; and the cauliflower gratin with aged cheddar that had Alister pronouncing that he needed to make this type of dish more often at home - it's simple, relatively healthy and absolutely delicious.
Now, as you may suspect, I quite delight in a dessert and our end notes were the homemade brownie with mascarpone and berry coulis; with Mum's home baked apple (mini) pie with custard layer and cream. Both were comfort food choices with the pastry of the pie being my favourite, though Alister was a little harder to please and found the overall meal, including dessert, enjoyable but not extraordinary.
US homecooking flavours are filling and fine for me though, and I think this is a reasonable charmer with a easy smile and subtle surprises.
Pros: spacious decor with a warm welcome and a nostalgic Northern American nod in the menu; reasonable prices
Cons: homespun styled cooking may not be to everyone's taste
