Food In Melbourne

This festive season, Chef Heidi will specially present a curated four or five-course set menu on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve showcasing fresh, authentic flavours and local quality-driven ingredients. Expect to see her take on nostalgic classics such as Acquerello Aged Risotto, Handpicked Mud Crab, Zucchini Carpaccio, and Pan-Seared Halibut, all prepared with full respect of the ingredients’ origin. The cuisine at Origin aims to gather friends and family together with dishes that warms the spirit and enhances memories.
🔸
The timing and some prices for the festive menu are:
* Christmas Eve Lunch (Special Christmas menu and Origin's signature, from 12noon - 2.30pm)
* Christmas Eve Dinner ($98++ for a 4-course set menu on their first seating from 5.45pm - 7.45pm; and $158++ for a 5-course menu on their second seating from 8pm - 11pm)
* Christmas Day Lunch ($60++ for Christmas Roast during first seating from 11am - 12.45pm | SGD 60++, and $125++ for 3 course menu with unlimited appetizers during their second seating from 1pm - 3.30pm)
* Christmas Day Dinner (Special Christmas menu and Origin's signature from 6pm - 10.30pm)
* New Year's Eve Lunch (Special New Year menu and Origin's signature, from 12noon - 2.30pm)
* New Year's Eve Dinner ($128++ for a 4-course set menu on their first seating from 5.45pm - 7.45pm; and $178++ for a 5-course menu on their second seating from 8pm - 11pm)
* New Year's Day Lunch ($118++ including a glass of prosecco, from 12pm to 230pm)
🔸
For enquires, give them a ring at 6213 4595.
🔸
[Hosted]

Hot chocolate that's yummy and fun. The glass came inverted and filled with beechwood smoked, and you're supposed to pour the hot chocolate into it while the smoke fills the air and your senses. It isn't all about theater, because the woody scent works well with the hot chocolate too to create that additional layer of woody scent. And have it with a toasted marshmallow!

I travelled 45 mins by train to this place after seeing photos of these baos, and 1.5 hours back (cos I lost my way back). Just for these baos... But they were very good!
🔸
Everybody loves Nutella, and these came with the iconic Australian golden Gaytime ice cream, in a nicely fried crispy bao dusted with sugar. Everything within was cold, sweet, creamy.. So good. Should have ordered more!

To test if their croissants were good, you have to order the traditional croissants, right? But I can't resist trying the twice baked ones as well even though it was an eye popping price of AUD10.50 for one croissant, which is almost enough to feed a family of 4 at a hawker centre in Singapore.
🔸
This came with well toasted fragrant pecan on top, and filled with smooth pecan frangipane within. As it's twice baked, the exterior is so crusty that you can hear it crack.
🔸
I'll be back on my next trip to Melbourne, but I'll remember to ask them to heat up my croissants, and I must try their cruffins too.

Our trip to Yarra Valley included visits and wine tastings to winery, dairy farm for cheeses and a chocolate and ice cream factory.
🔸
And one of the things we bought is this blueberry wine, where blueberries instead of grapes are used during fermentation. Thought it's very special.

The iconic Queen Victoria Market now opens at night as well, but only every Wednesday till end of August. It's their Winter Night Market.
🔸
Expect lots of food and drinks stall and live entertainment taking centre stage at this market. But also expect very long queue for each food stalls, with prices slightly higher than elsewhere too. But the lively atmosphere at this atas 'pasar malam' there was something I had to experience since I was in Melbourne for winter.

Comfort food when you're in a foreign land came in the form of piping hot fried chicken that's so familiar from home. This one was crispy, smeared with kewpie mayo, and sandwiched in a bun together with my optional top up of bacon.

They serve excellent pistachio gelato here, I made a special trip down to this gelato shop to try it for myself.
🔸
The fresh nutty flavour of the pistachio punched strongly through their light milky cream base. Overall dense but smooth texture, it's really very good.

We woke up at 7am for breakfast, and shared this plate which we would also call the Mushroom Heaven. Because there's really lots of different types of mushrooms here, sautéed on soy and linseed toast. This also came with cauliflower, kale, goat's cheese, crispy shallots and poached eggs. Very tasty.

The rainy day reminded me of my time at Miss Marples Tearoom, which was also raining when I was there.
🔸
Although they're famous for their scones, I actually liked these fingers more. These are open sandwiches with cheese and asparagus fingers. What I liked was that it was also fluffy, yet it was crisp at the bottom. And with cheese and meat as the toppings, it felt like a premium type of pizza.

This old-fashioned English tearoom at Dandenong Ranges is famous for their scones. And while it wasn't exactly how I thought scones was supposed to be, I liked that they were soft and fluffy.
🔸
It's served with Miss Marple's housemade raspberry jam and lashings of freshly whipped cream, both of which were really light so they went well with the airy scones.
🔸
I would have liked my scones to have a more crispy exterior, or at least more of that crust, but the old fashioned interior and charm of this place made up for it.

No ones leaves Melbourne without trying the famed Lune Croissants I guess? And I'm glad I tried them. Their croissants were flaky and crispy, yet really soft inside. They were also fragrant without being too oily.
🔸
Pictured is a savoury croissant baked fresh with a filling of shaved ham, Swiss Gruyere & seeded mustard. These flavours worked well together.
🔸
My disappointment was that these croissants were left on the shelves before being served to us, so we ate them at room temperature. I can only imagine how amazing it would have been if they were served hot.