Scanwiches is a project by NYC designer Jon Chonko, who cuts, flatbed scans and tumbles nothing but his sandwiches listing place of purchase, fillings and bread type. The high quality scans are a food porn addicts best dirty fantasy. Why are delis closed at four am?
You can read more here.
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Tagged Art faggotry, Daily Delicious, Eat me, Inspiration, Projects
If you have never tried communal eating, you are missing out! On Saturday, I had my first Chinese hotpot – a yummy broth with veggie dumplings, noodles, enoki mushrooms, bok choy, chinese cabbage cooked right on the table top we laid on the floor. As I knelt on the floor, with my third serving, I remember thinking it was a near religious experience and they’re not great but I love the mood of these pictures.
Edit: At Juhi’s house, with her, Josh and Ab.
Ah, Melbourne! City of walks by the river, graffiti filled alleyways, secret bars and the best all vegetarian beef burgers. Um what?
But at Lord of the Fries, that’s what they do. Fries, soy “chicken” nuggets and burgers made from vegetable protein patties. The first time I went, like many others I’m sure, thought I was getting a big beef burger. I raved about how juicy it was till I was about halfway through when my eyes scanned their informative monthly newsletter and I died of surprise when ’100% vegetarian’ popped out at me. Tricked good!
I know there are probably a thousand great reasons to be vegetarian, animal rights and sustainability being only two of them. I’ve been becoming increasingly vegetarian lately and I love that this place satiates meat cravings and no four legged creatures are harmed in the process. You know how certain burgers taste so good when and only when you’re drunk? These are that nomnomnom even when sobriety calls. But if you’re drunk, they’re open till 2am and 5am on Friday and Saturday nights.
Lord of the Fries, corner Elizabeth and Flinders St and also Flinders Station, Melbourne 3000
Before I tell you about this place, I gotta tell you that in what’s meant to be my mothertongue, an Indian language called Marathi, the word for the colour brown is ‘choklatey’. It never ceases to amuse me.
Melbourne’s vast amount of chocolaterias were definitely one of the things that lured me back to this city for good. I love discovering delicious new chocolate haunts and The Chokolait Hub is definitely the chocolatiest place of them all. I was warned of it by one of my readers, Ruzkin (thank you!) and there’s something to be said for the superb high quality drinks made from genuine Belgian and Swiss couverture chocolate.
It’s quite a nice little cafe, smells like what I imagine heaven would, and quite brown to match what’s on offer. You can find it in the tiny Hub Arcade, and it can be accessed from within Royal Arcade between Bourke and Little Collins St. They have both hot and cold chocolate drinks and my friend Pam ordered the yummy cinnamon hot chocolate while I ordered my favourite, chilli hot chocolate. I had to. I mean come on, they have a heat scale from ’1-10′ and I never back down from a chilli challenge. Never! So ten it was and what a delightfully tingly decadent chocolate experience it was. The Chokolait Hub also has a range of chocolate goodies to eat or take home, each one richer and more indulgent than the other.
Chocolate releases endorphins. Chocolate drinkers are a cheerful bunch. Exhibit A.
The Chokolait Hub, Shop 8, Hub Arcade, 318 Little Collins St, Melbourne
The art of Japanese tea ceremony, Cha-do has this amazing concept called ‘omotenashi’ which I love. How a single word can encompass such wonderful, complex themes always beats me. Translated directly into English, omotenashi means hospitality through reception, service, entertainment.
Sort of how they scream ‘Irashaimase’ or welcome when you enter a shop or restaurant in Tokyo, and Japanese restaurants will serve you complimentary tea without having to ask. Or how sometimes food is such a visual display such as in bento boxes – especially kyaraben – colourful, elaborately arranged and decorated, kitsch and cutesy pop culture lunch boxes that fill your stomach and all your senses with omotenashi.
From here
Hurro!
An open Pushka eluded us so many times in January but I was finally able to hang at this quirky, grungy cafe with my friend Red. We were a little overwhelmed at first. Bins and milk crates and a crane that looked every part the theme, like they’d be carefully planned; odd framed classical artworks in the laneway, and embossed wooden menus. Unlike many Melburnians to whom it is second nature, this was one of our first forays into laneway lunching and we were both a little overwhelmed. It’s such a peaceful spot. They have boiled eggs and toast soldiers, coco pops and a range of bagels and baguettes. Nothing costs more than $8. We had delish bagels, his was this whopper called The King and mine the salmon and we ordered coffee which came with ickle antique silver teaspoons. Inside the sliding grates of Pushka, are seating, a bit of art and a big platter of adorable wee nutella filled cupcakes for purchase. Outside I snapped a photo of Red and Pushka manager Little Red because coincidences are cool, and their great kitchen window where you can watch dishes dry. And for once, it wouldn’t be boring.
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Tagged Art faggotry, Daily Delicious, Drink, Eat me, Photography, Reviews
I’m lucky enough to live a hundred metres away from Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Market so I have no excuse to not buy good in season produce and items from the many delicatessens. The Dairy Hall of the market has a few stores selling ready to eat foods like the bratwurst shop and the popular borek stand but my favourite is Colour of Earth. They specialise in pizza. Not your ordinary dough and pepperoni either but a wide array of high quality pizza bases, many gluten free from pumpkin to polenta to beetroot. And the toppings, simple and wholesome and delicious – from margherita with amazing napoli sauce and fresh basil and there’s this incredible wild rice one with lots of vegetables. You gotta get you some, you just gotta.
Colour of Earth, Stand 97-98, Dairy Hall, Queen Vic Market, Melbourne
Mark and I transported ourselves back in time to 1960′s New York on his lunchbreak the other day, with a trip to Pellegrinis Espresso Bar. It’s a Melbourne institution that serves up hearty Italian fare like the lasagne and canneloni we had, cake and coffee. It’s a bustling diner, authentic as hell, you perch yourself on a stool and order from the wooden menu board that hangs over the room and your carbohydrates arrive quicksticks with soft buttered bread. They also make these fantastic watermelon granitas.
Pellegrinis Bar, 66 Bourke St, Melbourne, VIC 3000
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Tagged Daily Delicious, Eat me, Melbourne, Photography, Reviews
If you’ve ever been on Acland St in St Kilda, I’m guessing you’ve noticed the countless cake shops. A few weeks ago Teva and I were walking down and I was mesmerised by the sandy chocolate coloured kugelhopfs. I own the Tupperware kugelhopf form and the only thing I’ve used it for is to set jelly. We walked by. I couldn’t stop thinking about them. We walk by again and I see the magic words – Now available by slice.
So we get one. It comes wrapped in white paper and tastes like the lovechild of pastry and chocolate. Welcome to Monarch Cakes.
Apparently this place has been around forever. It was sold by its original owners to their family friends fifteen years ago and the Polish-Jewish recipes remain unchanged to this day. I stopped off again the other day with my friend Mika for some coffee, tea and baby kugelhopf.
It’s quite a cute shop too. Jars and jars of homemade sour cherry compote, stacks of magazines and paraphernalia and black and white photographs on the wall. The cash register is older than my grandmother. They punch in the numbers and it rings up the total so loud and cheerful, you don’t mind handing over your money.
From experience, the kugelhopf by slice is more moist and more delicious than the baby kugelhopf. But a late night tea and cake is a must at this place.
Despite the lack of air conditioning and the loss of peripheral vision, being a big green dinosaur can be fantastic. For instance, all I can see is people smile, hear is kids giggle and then there are cuddles and presents. Today, this adorable girl from the doughnut shop bounded up to me after I’d taken off the suit, shoved a couple of bags of these in my palm and beamed, “I’ve been waiting for you to get out of your suit, so I could come spoil you.’ I swear dinosaur shaped doughnuts taste better than those boring circular ones.
