The Great Flood Dinner
After wandering around the city and Chinatown for about 30 minutes or so in search of the smiley face (that's a whole other story), Ben suggested a Japanese restaurant that he enjoyed. Following him into a building with no major signage for a restaurant, through a set of black curtains, and down a flight of steps we arrived at our destination. The place (which I have no idea of name) had a bar and kitchen that spanned at least half of the room with stools along it as well as a row of tables pushed against the wall. Upon being seated, we were given warm towels and menus rolled up like scrolls.
Our first choice involved drinks seeing as this dinner was to help forget the whole ordeal of the day. Ben suggested a Benibeni to me which looked intriguing with Gin, Pear juice, and a few other ingredients. Mike went with a Saki Mojito, a suggestion from our waitress.
Next was choosing dinner, a much more difficult feat. The menu was broken into groups: Hot, Cold, Starters, Grill, Vegetables, and Sweet. Ben, who has great suggestions towards food, wasn't too useful as he loved everything from here that he has tried so far and would most certainly be willing to order the entire menu to sample. Luckily the dishes were small and to be shared like tapas so we could get some variety that way.
We settled on the following:
-the House Fried Chicken (delicious small pieces of crispy, fried chicken served with lemon and mayo)
-Brocolini with chilies (a nice green veggie with a kick of heat)
-Tempora fried pumpkin and taro (the light breading adds a delicate layer of crunch to the starchy vegetables)
-Duck Liver Pate (the only thing I didn't try-figure I can get pate anywhere)
-Stir fried chicken with miso and mushrooms (may have been my favorite-it came out last and were basically chicken wings fried but had this crispy first layer along with a touch of salt that brought the flavor alive)
-Lamb skewers (my other favorite, the lamb was rolled with something in it-amazing)
-Duck with pomegranate soy sauce (tender slices of duck breast with pomegranate seeds sprinkled across the plate)
and finally.............................
-Kangeroo Sashimi style (thin slices of extra rare meat)
I was a bit skeptical to try my first kangaroo almost raw, but I did it. It was actually delicious and the texture was really pleasant. From what I hear, kangaroo can be quite tough so this was an ideal way to prepare it. I think the chef used some type of sesame or peanut oil on it as well.
All in all the meal quickly made me forget my horrible day and was an event in itself trying new dishes and meats.
Snacks Around the City
As I wander about exploring downtown and taking pictures, I tend to get hungry or thirsty or both!
Yesterday I stopped at Federation Square for a quick break at an outdoor café aptly named time out.
The menu had an impressive choice of drinks as well as some small plates, sandwiches, and main dishes. I opted for my first meal alone to be a tribute to my time in Spain.
a coke with lemon and croquettes
Later as I continued to wander the city, the sun kept tucking behind the buildings causing me to feel quite chilly. Rather than give up quite yet on my exploring, I opted to get a warm beverage. I had just walked down Degraves Street with lots of coffee shops and cafes. Contemplating turning back around, I stumbled upon a place at the end of the street.
It did a great job of keeping my hands toasty and warm.
Today (Wednesday) as I started to wander I hit up Degraves early in my travels. I found a great place that offers fresh juices and smoothies. After much debate I decided on the #4 orange, pineapple, and watermelon. I continued down Degraves until I hit up Fed Square and then headed to the Yarra River to enjoy my juice.
Once I started to feel a bit tired, I realized I was starving! I had a fairly light breakfast so all the walking and bending and carrying depleted that extra energy quick. For some reason, I've been craving pasta since I arrived so I went hunting for a place that served pasta. This isn't too difficult of a task, but I did want somewhere with some ambience as well. I lucked into finding a place tucked in a lane between two huge department stores. With warm gas heaters and rustic décor AND pasta on the menu, it seemed perfect.
It was not a difficult decision on what I wanted to eat: spaghetti carbonara. This place did a slight tweak on the version I'm used to with some chili oil in so it would have a touch of heat in bites. It also did not have the heavier sauce my homemade does, but wow this was delicious!
The Most Important Meal of the Day
Yesterday (Thursday) I spent the day being quite lazy and it all started with my breakfast. I wasn't quite feeling oats or yogurt. I wanted something warm and filling. Here is what I came up with:
I'm glad I was home alone when I attempt to eat this delicious mess. It's quite tall and I don't believe my mouth is quite large enough to take a bite with both slices of bread. Sooo tasty I made another this morning :)
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