Slow Sundays: Bhoj

Thursday 12 August 2010, 12:21 PM
By The Team | Posted in Places

Another cold, wet weekend is about to blow our way, but thanks to Slow Sundays we have the perfect serving suggestion to spice up any wintry Sunday afternoon.

Highly acclaimed Bhoj at Docklands is a step above your average suburban curry house, with its modern and stylish interiors and excellent wine list. Renowned for its authentic Indian cuisine, it has attracted glowing praise from food critics at The Age Good Food Guide and Cheap Eats, enamoured with Bhoj’s mouth-watering interpretations of Indian flavours.

This Sunday, as part of the Slow Sundays dining promotion at Docklands, you can dine on Bhoj’s rich chicken butter cream, spicy beef vindaloo or delectable vegetable korma – for only $15. All dishes are served with rice, a vegetable samosa and a bhaijia (pakora), a deep fried chickpea dumpling .

Complete your meal with a complimentary VB or a glass of the Wild River chardonnay or cabernet sauvignon – all for only $15 per person.  We reckon Jimmy from Masterchef would approve!

Slow Sundays at Docklands,  every Sunday until 29 August, between 2pm and 6pm. Enjoy a small meal and a selected beer or wine for only $15. At participating restaurants. Conditions apply.

La Latteria: Cheese glorious cheese

Wednesday 4 August 2010, 2:47 PM
By The Team | Posted in Places

It’s hard to believe that just the combination of milk, salt and time could create the wonderful, tasty substance we know today as cheese. And it’s even harder to believe that we have our very own cheesemaking operation right here – in downtown Carlton.

Since La Latteria opened it has rapidly attracted a loyal following. Cheese lovers come from far and wide, seeking La Latteria’s award-winning Italian-style, handmade cheeses. Cheeses are made by self-taught cheesemaker, Giorgio Linguanti and former Tutto Bene chef, Kristy Laird.

The pair also makes lovely European-style plain yoghurt and sells heirloom tomatoes, olive oil and bread. Fresh un-homogenised milk is sold in glass bottles that you can reuse when you need a refill.

But cheese is the main event here, made from locally sourced cow’s milk, natural preservatives and animal free rennet. Originally Giorgio was only supplying commercial restaurants such as Ceccinos, Giuseppe Arnaldo & Sons, Grossi Florentino and other well known Melbourne Italian restaurants.

However after sampling his cheese, many restaurant customers soon began asking where they could get more of these unique Italian-style cheeses – and La Latteria was born.

At the cheesemaking ‘laboratory’ at the back of the shop, cheese is made everyday using fresh mozzarella curd delivered daily from their Donnybrook factory.

Using traditional hand stretching and artisan techniques, cheesemakers produce a variety of well known Italian-type cheese such as ricotta, bocconcini and buffalo mozzarella, as well as rare cheese varieties from Giorgio’s hometown of Sicily.

Discover Scamorza which is a smoked mozzarella cheese in its classic pear-like shape or the filled provolina with a choice of blue cheese, porcini butter or natural butter at its heart.

La Latteria’s cheeses will give your Italian dishes that extra hit of authenticity or make a simple meal on their own with some good crusty bread and a glass of wine.

Slow Sundays: Woolshed Pub

Saturday 31 July 2010, 11:15 AM
By The Team | Posted in Places

The weekend has come around at long last and Slow Sundays is in full swing.  Come in from the cold this Sunday and perch yourself at the historic Woolshed Pub for some good old Aussie tucker.

It’s hard to believe  this sleek, contemporary space started its life (back in the 1800s) as a wool storage facility. The interior reflects the building’s humble beginnings – the original wooden walls line the restaurant space.

The Woolshed Pub’s Slow Sundays offer is a shearer’s board and a drink for only $15. The board features a selection of cured and smoked meats with pickles, aged cheddar and organic sour dough bread – the perfect fuel for a frosty Sunday afternoon.

Plus you can choose from one of four Slow Sunday drink options: Carlton Draught, Cascade Light or a house red or white wine.

Slow Sundays at Docklands,  every Sunday until 29 August, between 2pm and 6pm. Enjoy a small meal and a selected beer or wine for only $15. At participating restaurants. Conditions apply.

LINKS:
Slow Sundays
Woolshed Pub