Harvest Espresso

Nothing beats waking up early on a Saturday and being uber productive. It's particularly productive when you get sort out some "business" related things while enjoying good company, along with good food at a rather quaint cafe.

Nothing beats Harvest Espresso in East Victoria Park than being seated by the window overlooking the busy Albany Hwy, while sipping superb coffee or a green juice and digging into their spring/summer menu.

I had the crab meat, avocado, asparagus and perfectly poached eggs. All I can say is, it's a great start to the day. 

My counterpart, friend, and talented designer started her day roughly by attempting Jacob's ladder (good to know one of us is keeping fit!) so she dug into some fluffy egg omelette, grilled half tomato and toast. 

I love this place, because they provide an interesting breakfast/brunch menu and has an array of teas/coffees/shakes/juices etc. They also do some pretty delicious cakes and patisseries. It's tiny and can get really busy so opt in for an early breakfast or just for something quick. Either way, it's cosy, warm, friendly and just great for watching the world whizz by, while enjoying some cake and coffee (or brunch!).

The Precinct

The last time I was at the Precinct, I was there for a late night dessert post dinner. This time around, the dinner and the dessert was at the Precinct.

Having been seated at the restaurant area of the Precinct, it was relaxed and the place has such a nice vibe about it, service is still a little lacking. I love that our seats overlooked the kitchen. There is something so intriguing about watching people cook your meal.

Our little group decided to have the truffle infused mac and cheese (x 2 because we were that sure that it would be good) and a side of their chips to share (because handcut chips are usually always good).

Handcut chips with tomato sauce

The truffle infused mac and cheese was - delicious. You can smell and taste the truffle throughout the dish and it just brought you back to your childhood days, except it tasted 100 times better. A little twist on a classic and it works so well.

For the mains, all five of us ended up having one of the two dishes, because nothing else sounded as good.

The boys ended up with the crispy pork belly with handcut chips and apple sauce and gratin.

Pork belly

Bf stated that the pork was cooked very nicely, although the crackling could be more crackled, but he loved it nonetheless. The sauce and the gratin also worked very nicely with the pork. I would state though, on behalf of the boys, it wasn't very big, you may need more dishes.

For me and the girls, we ended up having the market fish, and unlike what it said on the menu on their website, it is no longer a whole fish and one that doesn't need to be shared.

Fish of the day

The fish of the day was grilled snapper with pesto on a bed of herbed mash potato and tomato. The fish was cooked beautifully and the pesto was delicious spread over the top of it. Not bad at all. Satisfying and the right serving size to fill a rumbling tummy.

As for the desserts, we had the same ones as last time, banoffee pie and meringue. The meringue was still a disappointment, needed more lemon-ness.

The banaoffee pie, the receipe changed. it was less carmel and more dark chocolate so wasn't that sweet. Although it did get a little bit too rich at the end though. I think this isn't available anymore in their latest menu.

Overall, the Precinct remains a nice hangout for Victoria Park area. The food isn't bad, the menu changes, which keeps things interesting. They have amazing range of ginger beers and their cocktails are great. One to check out, but don't expect too much.

The Prophet Lebanese Cafe

The last time I went to the Prophet Lebanese cafe in East Victoria Park was at least a few years ago and I remembered that their falafel was so flavoursome, crunchy and delectable and their baba ghanouj had this amazing smokey flavours and their dishes seemed authentic lebanese (with some nod to an Australian twist).

This time around, I was trying to set up my bf friend with one of my gf and this just seemed like the perfect casual dining blind date. The problem was that this place gets packed quickly, (whether it's the weekend or not) and seeing as everyone RSVP'd late I booked this on a Thursday night for a Saturday night dinner and was lucky to get a table, even if it was at 530pm. Granted it worked out for my gf seeing as she eats dinner at 6pm (so early! I don't know how you could be hungry at that hour!).

The Prophet is a very conspicuous cafe. No real fancy lights, no decor on the inside and only seats about 20-30 people with simple tables and chairs. Our orders were promptly taken and complimentary pita bread with labneh dip were placed on the table.

Complimentary dip and pita bread with pickled cucumber

 

We decided that because only a few of us has eaten here before we had the meat and vegetarian tasting platters. Bf couldn't eat some of the dishes due to his nut allergy so he had to himself grilled chicken meal and bf's friend said their satay was good (I don't know if that was the best decision, to have satay chicken at a Lebanese place - but I'm up for trying!) so ordered that too. We also had the falafel and ghanouj to share.

The baba ghanouj, suffice to say, was exactly as I remembered! Smokey smell and taste to it. It was creamy and the smell of charcoal was evident. Smothered on the pita bread, it was fantastic.

 

Baba Ghanouj

The falafel was even more fantastic. Better than what I remembered. Crunchy on the outside with perfectly cooked chickpea mix on the inside generously topped with this lovely creamy sauce. I could have had a lot more than just one. I think next time I'll just have this for my dinner. Might not necessarily be a healthy dinner but it's hella delicious.

The Prophet famous falafel ball (usually comes in six but we order additional ones)

Bf started digging into his grilled garlic chicken, which came with chips and salad, before I had a chance to take a photo. The dressing on the salad was lovely and the chicken was slightly burnt but the flavours were there. Not worth the $18.00 price tag, but then bf wasn't able to eat a lot on the menu. Definitely not NUT allergy friendly. 

Garlic Chicken

The next dish was one that was recommended by bf's friend, the satay chicken. It looked like the right satay chicken colour, but the "Thai flavours" associated with satay chicken - you know the peanutty slightly spiced - wasn't in this dish. It was more sweet and garlic and I really couldn't taste the nutty flavours associated with satay. Weird. But if this wasn't called satay, and was something else (sweetened chicken?? or creamy garlic chicken?) it wasn't too bad. But if this really was suppose to be satay - I may be missing something - perhaps it's the way Lebanese people do satay?

 

Satay Chicken

 Next we ordered the mixed meat platter which contained one skewer of shish kebab, kefta and shish tawook, along with baba ghanouj, lentils and rice, hummus,and loubiah beans. The kebabs were delicious and were well marinated with what I'm sure is their secret herbs and spices. The meat were still juicy and were surprisingly tender. The hommus was creamy goodness and the lentils and rice is always a favourite of mine, especially when mum makes it at home. The loubiah beans on the other hand, I wasn't a huge fan, it was strangely bitter and sour all at the same time. Two mix of flavours that doesn't go well together at all.

 

Mixed meat platter

We also grabbed ourselves the mixed vegetarian platter. Which contains much of the same thing except the addition of vine leaves and cabbage rolls (very much like what the Greeks would make as well) and bat-injan (eggplant with tangy tahini sauce).

 

 

Mixed vegetarian platter

I was a little disappointed that the mixed meat platter and the mixed vegetarian platters were too similar. I feel as though the waitress should have informed us of that before we ordered otherwise we would have ordered something different. Perhaps just kebabs and a mixed vegetarian platter. VERY disappointed that we weren't informed. 

In fact, that's the one thing that I felt was a huge let down was that the service (that was once there and once so friendly and welcoming) was pretty much non-existent. I'm not sure if it's because we dined at 530pm and there was only a few other tables so they were feeling a little lazy or something rather, but the lack of communication was a little downer. The service was also rather slow. Took them 30-45minutes for the falafel and the babe ghanouj to come out (and come on it wasn't packed yet!). 

Overall though it's a nice little cafe that makes authentic Lebanese cuisine and is worth checking out. Not cheap for what you get and not everything is great. Perhaps stick to the falafel, baba ghanouj, hummus and the kebabs.

  

The Silver Spoon - Food and Wine

I don't fine dine as often as I used to, mainly because I'm saving it all up for all the eating, drinking and shopping that I will be doing in the UK and more importantly in France. After much deliberation we decided to venture to The Silver Spoon - in an area that is starting to have a string of good eateries, Victoria Park/East Victoria Park..

I have researched about the place the only way I know how - through fellow food bloggers and from what I have seen it looked to have been rather nice place to eat.

So bf and I headed into East Victoria Park - parking wasn't that hard to find luckily enough because it was at the quieter end of the Victoria Park strip. The restaurant is in the corner, near the weird kidney-shaped round-a-bout. It looked more like a casual bistro then a fine dining place. The waiters grabbed our coats which was nice and took us to our seat which was by the window - not that there were anything to look it. I don't know if it was the sterile street light, but the mood and ambience wasn't there for a romantic night out with your significant other.

Anyway, tables and chairs were arranged every way to try to fit in as many diners as possible in a small space. There was a bar on the left-hand side of the restaurant, a giant silver spoon sat at the back wall near the kitchen door, where occasionally you see glimpses of the chef preparing the food. Leading into the toilets you had to pass the kitchen area (which on the occasion that I went was left open - and not only that but the outside door opposite to the kitchen was also left open - and the toilets were obviously not cleaned as often as they could have been).

Alright enough about the interiors. The waiters were very nice and were very cautious of bf's allergies and were always double checking all the ingredients.

Silver Spoon also has a nice selection of wine and cocktails but as usual I picked myself a red, which complimented very nicely with my meal.

We started the night off with Charcuterie plate for two –  ham hockboudin noir terrine, smoked mackerel pate, San Daniele prosciutto, tapenade, sourdough (bf choice "because it was on masterchef" all I can do is.. >_______<"")

We both agreed it wasn't the best and to an extent wished we ordered something else. But at least now we know Silver Spoon does not make good Charcuterie plate.

We had a main each.

Bf had the Assiette of beef fillet, glazed brisket, ragout croquette, artichoke puree & broad beans
It had a delicious sauce and the beef was tender, and cooked perfectly medium.

I went for the trio of lamb.
It was beautifully presented, although all the lamb presented three ways were cooked perfectly, the middle one was a little tough and the one on its rack was a little dry.

The biggest disppointment of the night has to come from the dessert. Firstly the one I wanted, the rose water panacotta with fairy floss was sold out because it was their most famous dessert (and as far as I am concerned if they knew it was their most famous dessert how can they not have enough???!!!!) and secondly what bf got as his dessert was massively disappointing!!

Bf ordered the yogurt cheesecake, orange & honey jelly, citrus & mint salad (only thing on the menu that did not contain nuts). The restaurant served up this thin slice of cheesecake (I wouldn't even call it a slice of cake!) - which by the way was not very nice! if anything I think it curdled, especially as the citrus juice was splashed everywhere on the plate! I'm pretty sure it's cooking 101 that citrus and yogurt = not a good combination!

The Silver Spoon, however managed to redeem itself, thanks to the Chocolate brownie, cookies & cream parfait, peanut brittle. The chocolate brownie was moist, it oozed out chocolate when it was cut and the parfait was fantastic (the brittle was hard and was really unnecessary!). And even bf had some (nuts free!) and loved it!

Overall, the Silver Spoon is trying and it's getting there. It just needs to really taste some of their dishes properly before serving it I think and really consider whether all the flavours actually go together. If it wasn't for the entertainment card, the place is a little overpriced for what you get and the service wasn't too bad, attentive and non-invasive.