Melbourne Snackage - Round 2

One of the dangers of going on holiday is that there are always so many places I want to eat at. Three square meals a day just isn't enough time so I manage to squeeze in a few snacks here and there, leaving me ridiculously full after each day. Oh well - it is a holiday after all! My last trip to Melbourne included snacks like fries, cupcakes and chocolate. Round 2 of Melbourne Snackage is about all things sweet... get ready for some macarons, doughnuts, cakes and more macarons!

Our first stop is LuxBite in South Yarra - and the first thing that catches my eye is the rainbow of macarons in the glass cabinet. There are lots of flavours, several of which are unique to LuxBite, which makes it difficult to choose just a few.

Endless Love - $8.50

Near the macaron display is a wall of pretty cakes. We ogle at the cake display for a while before choosing a pretty ispahan-inspired dessert called Endless Love. It's sweet but not overly so, with a delicate lychee ganache, rose cream, chunks of lychee and fresh raspberries providing a bit of tartness.

LuxBite macarons - $2.50 each

El Loco at Slip Inn, Sydney

I love the tacos and cheesy hot dogs at El Loco at the Excelsior Hotel, but I'm pretty excited that El Loco has also opened a permanent outpost in the heart of the CBD at Slip Inn.

Assorted tacos - all $6; Chorizo quesadilla - $7

There's the usual tacos, with the option of substituting the tortilla with a lettuce cup. El Loco's secret taco (top right) also features on the menu - and tonight I think it's an ox tongue taco. Don't be put off by the offal because it is seriously delicious! We also try the breakfast taco which has chorizo and a fried egg with salsa roja and guacamole.

Passionfruit Batida - $14.50

My Favourite Lasagne

Now that we're experiencing a cooler change in the weather, I'm starting to crave more comfort foods. One of my ultimate comfort foods is lasagne - I mean, what's not to love about a rich and saucy mince layered between pasta sheets and that creamy, cheesy bechamel? I've tried out a few lasagne recipes over the years, but this Neil Perry one is definitely my favourite.

When I'm not gorging on the whole lasagne myself (spread out over a few nights.... of course), this is my go-to dish when I have guests over. It's easy to make, and most of it can be prepared in advance which means there's no freaking out in the kitchen in the 30 minutes before people arrive, because your lasagne is just sitting in the oven cooking. While the recipe looks lengthy, it is actually quite a simple dish to make if you break it down into its components.

I like to serve the lasagne with a simple rocket salad dressed with olive oil and balsamic, and a glass of red wine. So far it's been a crowd pleaser - and it makes so much that there's always leftovers for the next day, which taste even better :)

Purple Peanuts Cafe, Melbourne

While researching places to eat in Melbourne, I came across Purple Peanuts Cafe which serves tasty and healthy Japanese food at affordable prices. As luck would have it, we found that Purple Peanuts Cafe was actually located just around the corner from where we were staying, and so it was the first place we hit after arriving in Melbourne.

Beef curry soba - $9

Don't be scared by quirky decor, which includes a giant stuffed octopus perched on top of the drinks cabinet. Line up at the counter and choose from the selection brown-rice sushi rolls and salads in the window, or pick something from the brown paper menu stuck on the walls behind the counter. Some of the hot dishes include this beef curry soba, which is definitely a winter warmer dish that arrives steaming hot in a bowl. The beef curry smells amazing and there's a nice sprinkling of fried shallots on top.

Prawn salad - $9.50

Win tickets to Haute Cuisine

It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that I count foodie films amongst my favourite movies. Tampopo, Julie & Julia, and Ratatouille are just some of them (and if you haven't seen them, go and watch them!) So I was excited to hear about a new film, Haute Cuisine, which features delicious food, French culture, stunning scenes of the Élysée Palace and truffles!



And what is Haute Cuisine all about? It's a comedy-drama starring Catherine Frot (nominated for a Cesar Award for Best Actress), Jean D'Ormesson and Hippolyte Girardot, and is based on a true story of President François Mitterand's private cook.



In the movie, Hortense Laborie, a renowned chef from the Périgord, is responsible for creating all his meals at the Élysée Palace. Despite jealous resentment from the other kitchen staff, Hortense quickly establishes herself, thanks to her indomitable spirit. The authenticity of her cooking soon seduces the President, but the corridors of power are littered with traps…



Penguin says Feed Me is giving away five double passes to see Haute Cuisine courtesy of TM Publicity, opening in cinemas nationally from April 25. To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post answering the following question:

“If you had a private cook, what one dish would you get them to cook for you?”



Entries close at 10.00pm AEST, Friday 19th April 2013. Five winners will be selected by Sir D based on creativity and entertainment value. You may enter as many times as you like. Please enter a valid email address – this will only be used for the purpose of contacting the winners. Winners will be notified via email. Good luck!