Huff Bagelry

112 Koornang Rd 

Carnegie, VIC 3163
http://huffbagelry.blogspot.com.au/

No one likes exams, but for me, there was a silver lining. In my uni years, I would take my exams at Caulfield Racecourse, and I would use the excuse of needing extra sustenance to visit the myriad of restaurants in the nearby suburbs of Caulfield and Carnegie. I managed to check out a good few restaurants this way, but before I could try Huff Bagelry, I had completed 4 years worth of exams, and had neither reason nor time to go out to Carnegie on a weekday. 

These days however, I’m practically rolling around in spare time (please hire me), so I took a sunny afternoon to meet up with Ethan for bagels, coffee, and a good gossip. Having heard of the massive 20 minute waits for take-away bagels at peak hour, we opted to visit around 1:30 instead, and whilst it was still busy, we had no trouble finding a seat.

Latte ($4.5, large)/Flat White ($3.5, small)

I often scoff at the American culture of endless cups of weak black coffee, preferring infinitely more the pocket rocket brew of Melbourne in thimble-sized cups. I will admit however that there’s something undeniably comforting about hugging a large, warm beverage, and Huff Bagelry delivered. Ethan’s Latte ($4.5, large) came in a tall ceramic mug, and my Flat White ($3.5, small) was at least the size of a hot chocolate.  Though the flavour profile was uninteresting, the coffee itself was tasty and well-made. For the first time ever, I wanted to order a second coffee simply to prolong the soothing experience. 

Chicken Schnitzel on Onion and Poppy Bagel ($9.5)

We ordered 2 bagels to go halfsies on, and God bless Ethan for always ordering the thing I want, but feel too guilty about to get. Ethan chose to get the Chicken Schnitzel ($9.5) on an Onion and Poppy Bagel, and it came out in a rainbow of colours, pretty as a picture. The schnitzel was thick and meaty, moistened by generous dollops of chunky tomoto relish and a melting slice of cheese. The ubiquitous salad consisted of a fresh handful of arugula, and the onion-studded bagel added a layer of caramelisation to each bite.

Summer Brekky Bagel on Wholemeal Bagel with Seeds ($8.5)

On the lighter end of the spectrum was my Summer Brekky Bagel ($8.5) on a Wholemeal Bagel with Seeds. Here is where the bagel really shined; lightly toasted so that whilst the outside is crunchy, the middle remained soft and yeasty. It was a simple and fresh meal, the bagel sandwiching layers of ham, avocado, and oozy hollandaise sauce.

It took half a dozen different bagels, but I finally get what the big deal is. There really isn’t much not to like about Huff Bagelry, with their simple but deliciously fresh variety of bagels and fillings, huge coffees, cosy ambience, and more than reasonable prices. I enjoyed every bite of bagel, and every sip of coffee.

Rating: 13.5/20 – blows the house down.

This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit. 

Po' Boy Quarter

295 Smith St 

Fitzroy, VIC 3065

http://gumbokitchen.com.au/

Ever since I first heard of the Gumbo Kitchen Food Truck, I’ve been keen for a slice of its Southern American action. What I wasn’t so keen on was chasing a food truck all across town in Melbourne’s finicky winter weather. Or Melbourne’s finicky summer weather. And I’m glad the owners understand that dilemma, and have since gone on to open up Po’ Boy Quarter, the sit-down eat-in version of Gumbo Kitchen

Set up just like any other ‘order at the bar/counter’ restaurant, it’s not so much the interior that caught my attention as the menu. The food on offer is refreshingly different, Southern in a loud, bawdy way that most places fall short of. All the most wanted suspects were there, from pulled pork to beef brisket, everything battered and fried, stuffed in logs of soft baguette, or braised in thick stews.

Cheesy Mac Croquette ($3) 

The Cheesy Mac Croquette ($3) hit several cravings all in one go; the flat slab of cheesy pasta was rolled in parmesan crumb, and fried to shimmering, golden perfection. 

Deep Fried Shrimp Po’ Boy ($11.9) 

Deep Fried Shrimp Po’ Boy ($11.9) 

Given the names ‘Po’ Boy Quarter’ and ‘Gumbo Kitchen’, there wasn’t much to do other than to order the namesake dishes of these restaurants. The Deep Fried Shrimp Po’ Boy ($11.9) was heaped up like a fresh catch, the tender crumbed prawns falling from the crusty baguette, still coated in a spicy dressing. Fear not, under all that seafood was a whole pickle and some salad too, even if it felt a bit redundant with the thick schmear of mayo oozing out with every bite.

Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo ($11.9)

Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo ($11.9)

Feeling a bit too lazy to take on a sandwich larger than my calves, I instead dug eagerly into the Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo ($11.9), a smoky stew made with a creamy base of red beans. Unapologetically thick and chunky, this mixed into the rice like a good curry, the slow cooking having infused the sauce with the meatiness of chicken and sausage.

Clearly the worlds ‘southern food’ cannot physically exist in the same sentence as ‘stingy’, and within 15 minutes, we were full to the brim with honest, home-cooked food. It is absolutely impossible to walk away from Po’ Boy Quarter unsatisfied.

Rating: 14/20 – food for every juan.

This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit. 

Paperboy Kitchen

320 Little Lonsdale St 
Melbourne, VIC 3000

http://paperboy.com.au/

I miss lunch. When I was still at uni, I took for granted the privilege of being able to pop into the city between lectures (or heck, skipping lectures altogether) for a delectable lunch of whatever I happened to be feeling like on that day. Now that I’m working full-time however, my lunches are restricted to whatever I can be bothered to make, or disgusting and disgustingly overpriced food from the few cafes near work - $3.5 for a single over-salted rice paper roll, anyone? So what better way to spend my day off than to visit the new kid on the block – Paperboy Kitchen – for a nourishing Vietnamese meal?

Space is a valuable commodity in the CBD, and Paperboy Kitchen makes the most of what room it has by turning the small restaurant into a character-filled canteen. Though you’re free to sit down for a bite if you can find a spare seat, most people opt to have their food made to go. The menu is succinct, with just 5 items served either in a traditional Vietnamese roll, or as a rice noodle salad – your choice.

Drinking Coconut

It was a muggy day, and though there were gourmet colas and ginger ale on offer, I couldn’t resist a fresh Drinking Coconut, served whimsically with a cocktail umbrella and a swirly straw. I love the use of little animal figurines instead of table numbers, though I wish we had gotten the dinosaur instead of the zebra. 

Lemongrass Meatball Bowl ($11.5)

Lemongrass Meatball Bowl ($11.5)

For all of you who are sick of having nothing but rice noodles at the bottom of your Vietnamese salad, Paperboy Kitchen is your answer. Our Lemongrass Meatball Bowl ($11.5) was mouthfuls after mouthfuls of fresh veggies, herbs, and slippery noodles, tossed through with sriracha mayo and a splash of vinegar. The light, healthful salad was augmented by a scattering of nutty sesame seeds, and a skewer of slightly dry, but smoky and flavoursome meatballs.

Slow Cooked Beef Roll ($11)

The sandwiches here are not your regular Vietnamese Rolls. Take our Slow Cooked Beef Roll ($11) for example; the beef was lovingly simmered in a barely-bubbling broth for over 6 hours, resulting in luscious, melt-in the mouth slices of meat to be stuffed in a baguette with a myriad of crunchy herbs and veggies, and drizzled with sriracha mayo. On the side is a shot of concentrated pho stock, intensely umami in flavour, good to sip but even better to dip the sandwich in. Move over French dip sandwiches – slow cooker beef and French onion soup has nothing on the bright herbs and succulent meats in this roll!

Paperboy Kitchen was destined for success the moment it opened its doors. The menu may be limited, but what they have, they do incredibly well. It’s the perfect dining destination for those who are short on time, but in need of a healthy, satisfying, and flavoursome meal; it’s such a shame they’re not open for dinner (hint hint)!

Rating: 13.5/20 – ending noodle tyranny.

This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit.

Sweet and Sour Fork dined as a guest of Paperboy Kitchen. 

Hero

RMIT Building 80 (Enter via Stewart St)

445 Swanston St 
Melbourne, VIC 3000

http://herosubs.com.au/

Students have a knack for finding cheap, good food. Or cheap, good food tends to crop up wherever there are students around. Either way, Hero is a new cafe that’s popped up behind RMIT, targeting hungry students with gargantuan Brooklyn-styled hero subs.

But Michael and Eleena (of The Grain Store fame) aren’t just copy cats, oh no. they’ve borrowed the all-American hero sub idea and turned it into Melbourne-styled feel-good and slightly gourmet sandwiches. It’s messy, it’s hearty, and it’s good for the soul. And whilst Michael had enthusiastically insisted that we try 4 different half-subs between the two of us, by the end we were grateful that we decided to just have 3 – they were THAT huge. 

#Kidroyale ($7.8 half, $11.8 whole)

I had my eyes dead-set on the #Kidroyale ($7.8 half, $11.8 whole), a mouth-watering concoction of slow roasted beef topped with crispy onion rings. This was a smashing sandwich. The pull-apart tender beef was generously flavoured with a sweet and smoky onion jam, and a thick, creamy honey Dijon dressing. And the onion rings on top? Eat them separately or chow it down with the sandwich – it’s all good.

#Bythehour ($7.8 half, $11.8 whole)

The #Bythehour ($7.8 half, $11.8 whole) on the other hand, was a lighter and cleaner taste altogether. Borrowing its inspiration from Mexico, this sandwich was stuffed with pulled pork, flavoursome apple and purple cabbage slaw, and topped with a refreshing corn relish. 

#Brklyn ($7.8 half, $11.8 whole)

The #Brklyn ($7.8 half, $11.8 whole) was my favourite sandwich for the day. The pulled lamb was cooked for 10 hours, and it shows – the meat was unctuous and melted in the mouth, suffused with fragrant cumin. The tangy pickled beetroot and whipped feta on top was the perfect companion to the sticky lamb.

One thing definitely worth mentioning is the bread. Doing away with the mouth-shredding sourdough, Michael and Eleena sourced their custom-made bread locally, resulting in a loaf that is strong enough to hold the fillings, but soft enough to soak up the juices. 

Jam Hot Ball Donut ($2.8)

Chocolate Custard Hot Ball Donut ($2.8)

Though full, we couldn’t say no to a pair of Hot Ball Donuts ($2.8), and a cup of Americano Coffee ($2.5 cup; $4.8 bottomless). The hot jam donuts were light, crisp, and not too sweet, allowing the sticky jam and smooth chocolate custard to shine. The coffee however, was not really my thing. It was a filtered American-styled coffee, and being used to the heady and fragrant Melbourne coffee, I’m afraid this was a bit too weak for me. However for those of you who can’t handle strong coffees, this is a great alternative made with some of the best beans Melbourne has to offer – St Ali Beans.

Hero is something Melbourne has needed for a long time – sandwiches with great ingredients that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The flavours are punchy and exciting, and the portions huge. It has definitely taken a spot on my list of favourite places for a sandwich.

Rating: 14/20 – bye bye subway.

This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit.

Sweet and Sour Fork dined as a guest of Hero

Bowery To Williamsburg

16 Oliver Lane 
Melbourne, VIC 3000

It’s not often I’m super excited about a new restaurant. Excited, yes; downright loony, no. But it would be an understatement to say that I’m pretty keen about Bowery and Williamsburg, ever since I found out that it is the brainchild of Will and Di, the geniuses behind Hardware Societe. I expected great things.

Just like Hardware Societe, Bowery to Williamsburg is hidden away down an easy-to-miss lane, but was given away by a gaggle of hungry diners. It’s a sandwich bar, but the likes of which that I’ve yet to see. If anything, it’s more stylish NYC cafe, crossed with quirky Melbourne brunch. 

It may be 11:30am, but that doesn’t mean the staff don’t know how to have fun. Whilst one counter is getting stocked up with tubs and jars of sandwich ingredients, the other one groaned under the weight of American cakes and pastries, nearly converting me to a dessert brunch instead. 

Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate ($5)

Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate ($5). It was pure sin, the dark chocolate mingling with nutty peanut butter, and capped off with a dense layer of foam. It even came with a mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, for those who aren’t satisfied with just drinking their peanut butter and chocolate. 

Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate ($5)

And note the funny looking cup! K and I debated whether or not this was a deliberately made hand-hold, or if it was just another sign that hobo-chic is in. Turns out neither of us were right; it was actually a tin cup specially designed to resemble a melting plastic cup – how clever!

Hot Smoked Salmon ($12.5)

Neither of us could resist the lure of the Hot Smoked Salmon ($12.5), which K ordered in a set that came with a side and a handful of pretzels for $4 extra. The torn salmon jammed between the excellent bread was fresh and tasty, flavoured with a creamy caviar cream cheese, small bursts of caper, and fresh slices of tomato and radish. 

Mac And Cheese

And the Mac and Cheese on the side was nothing to scoff at either. Crammed into a small jar, the classic American comfort food was piping hot and oozing with cheese, the pasta a toothsome al dente. We especially enjoyed scraping off the burnished, crispy pieces of cheese off the edge of the jar.

The Reuben ($12.5)

The Reuben ($12.5)

The Reuben ($12.5) is my idea of the perfect sandwich. The beef was layered so thick it was basically a steak, and the lashings of sauerkraut were drowned in a creamy and spicy Russian sauce, held together by gooey melted cheese. It was hot, meaty, tangy, cheesy, saucy, and between two slices of stellar bread – what more could you ask for?

Will and Di have proved, once again, that they know what’s up. They don’t re-invent the wheel, but they do come up with some ingenious variations of it. Serve that wheel in a cosy cafe for a reasonable price, and they’ve got a roaring trade on their hands. The small cafe can seat a fair 50 patrons, but once things really kick off, there’s always the take-away option. I know I’ll be back, repeatedly.

Rating: 15.5/20 – kickass sandwiches.

This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit. And how long the battery in my camera lasts.

Little Mule Cycle and Co. Cafe

19 Somerset Pl 

Melbourne, VIC 3000

http://www.thelittlemule.com/

Melbourne is a strange child. I went to Little Mule Cycle Co & Cafe expecting a sandwich, and I ended up getting just that, except it was in a bicycle repair shop. In all fairness though, the name really should have tipped me off. That and the fact that it’s located in the same laneway as Captains of Industry, the place you want to be if you need a haircut and some lunch, but only have time for one.

We headed in and perched ourselves on a narrow bench, but pretty soon a child-sized table freed up, so we slithered over to sit there instead. The menu at Little Mule is as straight forward as it gets – melts, sangas (sic), baguettes, as well as a handful of cafe staples and a chalkboard of daily specials. And needless to say, coffee, because we’re in Melbourne. 

Malted Chocolate Milkshake ($6.5)

I had just finished a long gym session, so I had earned this Malted Chocolate Milkshake ($6.5). I loved the metal cup and barbershop straw, and the milkshake was everything it should be – thick, frothy and sweet. 

Ham, Gruyere, Fresh Tomato and Relish Toasted Sanga ($8.9)

Faced with a delicious selection of lunch items, including artichoke melts and jerked chicken, Chris predictably chose Ham, Gruyere, Fresh Tomato and Relish Toasted Sanga ($8.9) instead. But you know what? I ain’t even mad. This great cafe classic overflowed with oozy cheese, ham, and slices of fresh tomato. It may have been simple but as I’ve learnt by now, ‘not yummy’ is the last thing simple equates to. 

Avocado Toast ($9.5)

My Avocado Toast ($9.5) was faultless. It was heaven in the form of silky folds of avocado fanned out over crusty sourdough toast, simply garnished with sea salt, cracked pepper, and a healthy glug of olive oil. The avocado was fresh as can be, the butter-yellow slices just ripe enough to be firm yet decadently creamy. This once again proved that often, simple is best.

The meal we had at Little Mule was very simple, but left us very satisfied. Sometimes it’s good just to have a straight-forward, solid menu, taking away the stress from choosing what to eat. The service is a bit slow, but the relaxed pace felt just right. Little Mule doesn’t try very hard, and I mean that in the best way possible. 

Rating: 13.5/20 – relax, take it easy.

The rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit.