1932 Cafe & Restaurant – 30s Glamour & Great Food!

Entrance to 1932

Outside 1932 Cafe

Outside 1932 Cafe

Inside 1932

Close up of the Frames inside 1932 Cafe

Inside 1932

932 Cakes & Slices

1932 Baguettes & Crossiants

Table at 1932 Cafe

Latte at 1932 Cafe

Exotic Mushrooms with Sauteed Spinach on Organic Sourdough, Topped with a Poached Egg

Exotic Mushrooms with Sauteed Spinach on Organic Sourdough, Topped with a Poached Egg

Top View of Exotic Mushrooms with Sauteed Spinach on Organic Sourdough, Topped with a Poached Egg

Strawberry Tart

Strawberry Tart

Manchester Unity Building

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Menu:

I have previously visited Cupp Superfood (you can check out my blog post here – https://thegrazingpanda.wordpress.com/2015/03/26/cupp-melbournes-first-superfood-cafe/) after I was invited by Victoria Pajouhesh, so it was lovely to hear from her again – this time inviting me to try out the newly refurbished and renamed 1932 Café & Restaurant – which is owned by both herself and her husband. Together with checking out the Café, I was lucky enough to also participate in a private tour of the iconic Manchester Unity Building

1932 Café & Restaurant – which has taken its name from the construction date of the building – is a charming Art Deco venue that boasts dark wood and plays music true to its time. It feels like you are stepping back in time and it leaves you mesmerized. The main wall has a multitude of pictures that are a combination of black and white pictures of the Manchester Unity Building from back in the day and colourful pictures depicting the 30s era.

I am welcomed by the staff and shown to my table where I peruse the menu whilst waiting for my Latte. The Breakfast menu (served from 7am – 3pm) has quite a variety to choose from – 14 different dishes – which include Smashed Avocado, Blueberry & Ricotta Hotcakes, The Protein Omelette (you can build your own as well!) and Hash Stack.
The Lunch Menu offers the same great variety and is offered from 12pm – 3pm. Dishes include a selection or burgers and sandwiches, baguettes & toasties (which are made fresh daily), salads and Pizzas (you can choose from 6 different types and as a bonus all the pizza can be made on gluten-free bases!). There is also a Soup, Roast and Pasta of the day which the staff will inform you about.
The Dessert menu (the most important menu in my mind =p) include Freshly Baked Scones, House Made Muffins, Gourmet cakes (which are made fresh daily and are preservative free), selection of ice cream and sorbets as well as two options from Life Seeeds (Signature Key Lime Cheescake and Dark Chocolate & Raspberry Ganache).
The drinks menu is quite extensive as well and includes Smoothies, the usual cold drinks including Iced Coffee, Iced Chocolate and Iced Mochas, Beer, Wine, Cider and hot drinks.

I was tossing up between the Smashed avocado, Blueberry and Ricotta Hotcakes and the Exotic Mushrooms – in the end I decide to order the Exotic Mushrooms – with sautéed spinach on organic sourdough topped with a poached egg – and I ask to add some avocado. The dish comes out plated beautifully – the mushrooms and sautéed spinach placed on top of the sourdough and finished with the perfectly poached egg with the avocado fanned out to the side. The flavouring of the mushrooms were delicious and they were cooked just right – still juicy and tender – paired with the runny yolk of the poached egg and the avocado – it really did make for a great tasting dish. The latte I ordered definitely hit the spot – nutty and full bodied richness.

The café was brimming with chatter from an almost full restaurant as it headed closer to lunch time – some were regulars who were greeted by name – others new but you could tell they really embraced the atmosphere – one patron saying “she really loved the music playing.”

After a quick chat with the manager about the refurbishment and about the menu – she asked me if I had room for dessert. I decided to have a look at their colourful cabinet of cakes and slices and decided to go with the Strawberry Tart – which came served with either Ice Cream or Fresh Cream – I opted for the Fresh Cream. The strawberries were fresh, juicy and semi-sweet which paired perfectly with the sweet cream and thin crust.

Once the eating was over it was time for the tour of the interior levels of the historic Manchester Unity Building. We headed up the escalator – which I was surprised to learn was the first escalators in Melbourne. This escalator used to lead to the first-floor mezzanine shops but today they lead up to Smile Solutions – Melbourne’s Home of Dentistry. I was shown some of the Smile Solution suites which used to be individual shops before. Next we took the original elevators to visit the famous boardroom located on Level 11. The majestic boardroom table is clearly the highlight of this room – measuring around 6 metres by 1.8 metres, was crafted out of Queensland maple cross-banded with rosewood. It is topped with a single sheet of plate glass that alone weighs some 330 kilograms. The glass had to be produced overseas and delivered to Level 11 through the ceiling as it was too big to fit through any doorways or windows. And what is magical is that it has survived all of the building’s refurbishments. I was also shown the fine china and ornamental pieces that are only ever used for special occasions, as well as pictures of the very first board meeting and its members. Another interesting item found was a pair of workers shoes which are placed near the boardroom entrance to signify the history. It really is unimaginable the amount of history and stories that are stored in one place.

Next we visit the breathtaking Rooftop and Tower – which has the most amazing views overlooking the city and allows you to get a closer look of the Manchester Unity Towers. The tower also houses dentist chairs and if you have a look at the picture – it really is a treat to have your dentist work done from these chairs as you have the best view. If you are usually fearful of what dentist’s visits might bring – then this place is for you as you will be definitely distracted with the amazing view.

I had a great time not only eating and enjoying the ambience at 1932 Café & Restaurant but getting a chance to witness the iconic Manchester Unity Buildling and its architectural wonders. It truly was a magnificent experience – of which I thoroughly enjoyed every minute. Pictures don’t do this place justice – you really do have to see it for yourself.
And now you get a chance as Manchester Unity Building has teamed up with 1932 Café & Restaurant this year to introduce an exclusive “Meal & Tour” experience.
The “Meal & Tour” experience includes luxury breakfast or lunch, including champagne, nibbles and desserts at 1932 Cafe & Restaurant  before embarking on a formal guided 1 hour tour of the famous Level 11 Boardroom, Level 12 Rooftop and Tower of the Manchester Unity Building.

For more information about tours you can visit:
https://www.facebook.com/1932CafeRestaurant/app_1417086145279588?ref=page_internal

For Tour Bookings you can visit the following links

Book via Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/1932CafeRestaurant/app_844133455634667?ref=page_internal

Book via the Manchester Unity Building Website:
http://www.manchesterunitybuilding.com.au/tours.html

The menus for the Meal & Tour Experience can be found at the following links:

Breakfast: http://a.pgtb.me/nqTJpC
Lunch: http://a.pgtb.me/R2XC37
Afternoon Tea: http://a.pgtb.me/f6xtf1

About the Manchester Unity Building

The Manchester Unity Building is one of Melbourne’s most loved architectural icons. Built in 1932 to a record-breaking schedule of works that has never been surpassed, it captured the imagination of Depression-era Melburnians and quickly became a symbol of economic recovery. Today the building attracts thousands of visitors every year and receive a considerable number of enquiries from people who dream of touring its interiors.

We are pleased to announce that the Manchester Unity Building has teamed up with 1932 Café & Restaurant this year to introduce an exclusive “Meal & Tour” experience. 1932 Café & Restaurant is a brand-new art deco–inspired breakfast and lunch destination in the arcade of the Manchester Unity Building. The restaurant’s 1930s era theme showcases the history of the building itself.

For more information you can visit:
http://www.manchesterunitybuilding.com.au/

For more pictures of this visually stunning building you can visit:
http://www.manchesterunitybuilding.com.au/gallery.html

Rating : 4 Pandas
Price: $
Menu – Refer to pictures above
Fullness: 100%
Atmosphere / Ambience: A Step Back In Time – Fun, Welcoming and Warm!
Service: Friendly, Inviting and Warm
Online Booking: No
Restaurant Details and Location:
https://www.facebook.com/1932CafeRestaurant
Lower Level
Manchester Unity Building Arcade
220 Collins Street, Melbourne
Tel No: 663 5494

Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday: 7:00am – 4:00pm
Saturday: 8:00am – 4:00pm
Sunday: 9:00am – 2:30pm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1932CafeRestaurant
Twitter:
Instagram: 1932caferestaurant

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Experiencing Box Hill Central Like Never Before….

Palm Sugar Cured Atlantic Salmon with Fried Kumara, Petit Herb Salad

Raw Coconut RAWC Juice

Palm Sugar Cured Atlantic Salmon with Fried Kumara, Petit Herb Salad

Palm Sugar Cured Atlantic Salmon with Fried Kumara, Petit Herb Salad

Mud Crab Coconut Salad with Chilli Lime Dressing, Crispy Rice Crackers

Mud Crab Coconut Salad with Chilli Lime Dressing, Crispy Rice Crackers

Mud Crab Coconut Salad with Chilli Lime Dressing, Crispy Rice Crackers

Chong Fun Rice Noodles, Truffle Oil, Shitake

Chong Fun Rice Noodles, Truffle Oil, Shitake

Lacquered Soy Duck with Shitake, Chong Fun Rice Noodles, Truffle Oil

Lacquered Soy Duck with Shitake, Chong Fun Rice Noodles, Truffle Oil

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Boiling of the Water

The Tea Ceremony table

The first Pu-erh Tea

More Tea Prep

The Frog that squirts water

Completed Incense

The $400 Tea

Incense Holder

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I was lucky enough to be invited by the lovely people from PR Edge to get a chance to experience the talent of former Magic Owner-chef James Tan as he hosted an exclusive tour of Victoria’s most authentic Asian fresh food market located at Box Hill Central. After the tour finished, we were treated to a tantalising 3 course meal that James cooked in front of us. I mean how can you say No right?

Box Hill Central is located in Box Hill and is full of culinary hidden gems, rare ingredients and traditional treats – and it has a history. Originally this space was a market that opened in 1895 becoming a part of the shopping centre when it was developed in 1987. There are now two shopping centres located on the one site – Box Hill Central North and Box Hill Central South.

Box Hill Central North was originally opened as Whitehorse Plaza but after a lack of patrons closed down in 2000. After major refurbishments it was reopened in 2003 as Centro Whitehorse, which then rebranded to Centro Box Hill North in 2007 before finally being changed to Box Hill Central North in 2013.

Box Hill South (where the original Box Hill Central was located) – was built when the old railway station and level crossing was removed and has undergone refurbishments to what stands there today. The original market is now incorporated into the shopping centre but was redeveloped to what it is today. Box Hill Train station is also located here.

I was a bit late (for those of you who don’t know Box Hill gets super busy – especially on a Saturday and finding a car park is almost as bad as finding a needle in a haystack!) so missed the initial welcome and introductions from James, however I met up with the rest of the bloggers and James as they were getting through a talk from one of the Fresh Seafood store’s owners – Elaine from Box Hill Fish Market. Here we got to sample oysters – they were fresh, punchy and full of flavour! You can have a look at some of my pictures of the Box Hill Fish Market store – you really can see the freshness and the high quality – they sell sashimi grade products – that this store has, as well as the variety and range – they have Blue Swimmer Male Crabs!
Elaine and her staff are very helpful and accommodating and mentioned that they try and cater for their clients’ needs in whichever way they can – all they have to do is ask. I really like that philosophy!

Next we briefly stopped at one of James’ favourite butchers – Central Meats – who sells specialised meats and once again are very accommodating and can get you what you.

Our next stop was at Food Master which provides Asian spices and herbs and dried and preserved foods – a shop with literally everything you could possible need – from Dried Figs to Lily Bulb. If you are Asian and were used to your mums or grandparents herbal home remedies – chances are that you could find the ingredients for this remedy from here. Check out the pictures for the variety!

That brought us to the end of the tour and we were led back to our little area that had been decorated with bamboo fences and bamboo trees – with the table for the bloggers in the centre. There were many inquisitive questions as to what was going on and how they could be involved from passer-byers. The centre pieces were simple and brilliant – vases filled with fresh bok choy together with a basket filled with fresh veggies such as carrots, eggplants and mushrooms.
James had his setup at the top end of our table so we could watch as he prepared our three course meal.

Whilst James starting cooking the first dish we were given 100% natural Coconut Water from Raw C. James told us that he wanted to source fresh coconuts for us however he couldn’t find the ideal ones he wanted for us. None of us around the table had heard or seen this brand before – Pete Evans appears on the back of the packaging which we all found amusing. The Coconut Water is actually one of the better ones I have tried and kept the authentic coconut water flavours vibrant.

For the first course we were served Palm Sugar Cured Atlantic Salmon with Fried Kumara, Petit Herb Salad. The dish was impeccably presented – the palm sugar cured atlantic salmon acting as the base of the dish, topped with fried kumara and finished with the petit herb salad (which included avocado and tomato). The salmon was fresh and cured to perfection with the palm sugar enhancing the flavour thanks to its sweetness. I loved the crunch of the fried kumara as well as its distinct flavour. The petit herb salad really brought the dish together for one flavour explosion in your mouth. Delicious!

The next course was the Mud Crab Coconut Salad with Chilli Lime Dressing, Crispy Rice Crackers. We were told the way to eat this dish was to serve some of the crab onto the crispy rice crackers and eat them together in one go. Doing this gives you the element of crunch followed swiftly with a burst of distinct flavours – creamy coconut, sultry crab and ending with the hit of chilli. I am a huge of anything to do with crab so this dish was delicious – my only thought was that the coconut flavour somewhat overpowered the uniqueness of the crab.

To finish James prepared a Lacquered Soy Duck with Shitake, Chong Fun Rice Noodles, Truffle Oil. As I do not eat duck I only had the Chong Fun Rice Noodles, Truffle Oil and Shitake. I adored the presentation that James did with my dish. He piled the noodles together – they were rolled into small cylinders, poured the soy reduction over the noodles and finished this with the shitake and herbs. I have never eaten these type of noodles before but quite enjoyed the flavours – the saltiness of the soy reduction paired with the rustic flavours of the shitake and the smoothness of the noodles worked well together.
The duck was a clear hit with the other bloggers – who even went in for seconds. They were surprised at how tender the duck was and the flavouring of the sauce on the side was something they all loved.

Next up was a chance to experience an authentic Chinese Tea Ceremony from Spencer Wong at Cha-t. Refer to the section below to learn more about Spencer.
The front window of Cha-t is visually stunning itself – a round wooden circular shelf with tiny compartments which are filled with paraphernalia relating to Chinese tea such as claypots, incense holders and dainty tea cups – but once you step inside – you truly feel like you are transported to the world of tea. There intricately detailed wooden furnished together with chairs that have been carved from roots of trees. It really is a place that you need to visit to capture its beauty.

Cha-t is all about the teas – with the menu only listing a variety of teas – from Pu-erh / Pu-er Tea to Medicinal Teas. Cha-t is all about appreciation of Chinese tea as well as Chinese culture and really is a one stop shop of its kind here in Melbourne. It is quite common to find many of these types of shops in China – as their favourite past times is to drink tea all day.

Spencer seats us around a wooden table that has been especially made for tea ceremonies. It is equipped with all the utensils and pots required to carry out a tea ceremony, including a section that places filtered water into a pot and warms the water to correct temperature required. I was even amazed at just watching the water being warmed and the main ceremony hadn’t even started! The table had holes which allowed for the excess water to travel through and be collected under the table – genius.

Spencer starts by telling us the background and history of the tea and tells us the different types of teas that we will be trying today. We start off with Pu-erh Tea which is a variety of fermented dark tea produced in the Yunnan province in China.
Pu-erh Tea starts off as a Camilla Plant first and for the next 1 to 5 years becomes a greeny yellowy colour, then from 5 to 15 years changes to a red colour and after about 50 years it becomes the black tea that we would be drinking today. The tea that we would be trying is a 1989 tea!!!
Spencer tells us that all you need for a good cup of tea is around 7-8 grams of tea – which he measures out using a scale. He places the tea into a bowl like cup and pours the hot water (90 degrees) onto it. Once this brews for a bit he pours the tea into a beaker. He tells us that the first two brews are to wake up the tea and hence the flavouring is always light. It also serves as a double purpose to warm the tea cups that you use to drink the tea in.

We all cannot wait to taste the tea – we are served in small glass cups and are told by Spencer how to drink the tea. You are meant to slurp in a sip and then savour the flavour between sips – certain teas give out flavours that you can feel at the back of your throat. The initial 2 brews are light, but as the brews get higher – the strength increases. The tea is warming and uniquely flavoured.

The next tea that we try is from 1984 and the 7g of tea that we all share is worth $400!!! This means that a kilogram will cost around $57K! Who would have ever thought that tea would be worth that much money! For this tea Spencer once again measure 7g of the tea and places it into a specially made purple sand pot. He tells us that these containers can cost up to 1 million dollars (!!!) – the cost is dependent on the level of the masters that are creating the containers. For example if they are Level 2 masters the cost of the containers (depending on the size and the type) that they make could be worth up to $100K with Level 1 masters containers being worth up to $1 Million. The small pot that he is using today is worth $500.

Once the water has boiled – to 100 degrees – Spencer pours the water into the pot and allows the tea to brew. Spencer carefully pours water over the pot to warm the tea and then swills the inside. When we were served the tea you could tell why it was worth the $400! The flavour was light initially and left a honey after taste. Another key to identifying great quality tea is that the smell that it leaves on the cup – it smelt of fresh honey and did so for a long period of time! Lower quality teas would have the smell of the actual cup or the remnants of your saliva. We had about 4 rounds of this tea and each time the flavour intensified but the honey after taste still remained in the same intensity. Beautiful.

Spencer also showed us the incense and how he prepares the incense – the incense helps to create the atmosphere and further enhances the tea experience. The smells were strong yet calming. The process – as with the serving of tea – is a very intricate, careful and detailed process. I love the dedication and passion!

Spencer also showed us some other tricks – like frogs that we thought were just ornaments – were in fact not just ornaments. If you place hot water over the frog – it squirts out the water – a nice party trick!

Cha-t also specialises in cigars (although they are not visibly in sight and you cannot smoke them in store) which range from Bolivar to Cuban Sancho Panz. There is also quite the variety of top shelf whiskeys on display. There are also some snack type foods available such as sun dried mango, sour plums, seaweed etc.

Cha-t is opening soon in Bourke St in the Melbourne CBD and also run various tea appreciation classes for those interested in learning more about tea and its rich history.

The entire day was a brilliant experience that you wouldn’t normally get to go through – from the personal tour from James of Box Hill Central to the intimate and eye opening tea ceremony. I would definitely encourage you all to check out Cha-t and experience the tea ceremony – it feels like a little bit of China right here in Melbourne.

Disclaimer: Grazing Panda was invited to Box Hill Central as a guest, however, opinions expressed here are purely my own and not influenced by them in any way.

About James Tan                                              About Spencer Wong

                                                            

Box Hill Central
1 Main St, Box Hill
Tel No: 9843 3900

Cha-T
17 Market St, Box Hill
Tel No: 0433 588 578

Magnum Pleasure Store – Make Your Very Own Magnum!!

My Magnum – Milk Chocolate Coating with Pistachios, Rose Petals, Dried Strawberries and Vanilla Crumble

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Menu:

Calling all Ice-Cream lovers – there is a Magnum Pleasure Store  that has opened in Melbourne – located at the newly opened Emporium right in the heart of the Melbourne CBD.

Magnum Pleasure Stores have already been a massive hit in the likes of Sydney, Paris, Shanghai, Amsterdam and New York. The idea behind this store is to “Make My Magum” – where in six easy steps you can create your very own Magnum according to what your favorite flavorings are. It gives you room to create up a flavour that you might have thought would work well with the creamy and chocolaty Magnum ice creams that already exist. You select everything from the chocolate coating, to an array of toppings and even down to the final drizzle of chocolate on your Magnum. These are all constructed and made by your very own personal, pleasure maker! How awesome!

The “Make My Magnum” process firstly involves lining up to place your order – just to note there is a line no matter what time you go, ranging from 10 mins right up to 1.5 hrs!!! – It sure is mighty popular! The first step is to choose the base for your Magnum – Vanilla or Chocolate (also something to note is that they have limited stock of the Chocolate flavour). From there you can select what chocolate coating you want – you have a choice of White, Milk and Dark Chocolate.

Next step is where the fun really begins – you get a choice of 3-4 toppings from a list of 18 different toppings. These include Roasted Hazelnuts, Pistachios or Cashews, Milk Chocolate Flakes, White Verimicelli, Dark Cookie Chunks, Vanilla Crumble, Honeycomb Pieces, Diced Strawberries or Pineapple, Coconut Flakes, Mixed Chocolate Crispearls, Mocha Chips, Blackberry Chips, Gingernut Biscuit Crumble, Rose Petals or Salted Pretzels.

Once those tough decisions are out of the way – you can watch as your personal pleasure maker creates your Magnum of choice. The last two steps are to decide which drizzle of Magnum chocolate you would like – White, Milk or Dark and finally a finishing touch of a chocolate button marked with a Magnum “M” logo– again you can select from either a White Chocolate or Milk Chocolate flavouring. And voila you have your very own Magnum right in front of you to devour and cherish. All this deliciousness and uniqueness for just $8.

So get down to Emporium and enjoy this highly desirable feat of making your very own Magnum by visiting the Magnum Please Store. The store will be open to all dessert, ice cream and chocolate lovers till August 10^th 2014.

Rating : 4 Pandas
Price: $
Menu – Refer to above picture
Service: Friendly
Location Details:
Emporium
1st Level
287 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Tel No: 8609 8221

Opening Hours:
Saturday to Wednesday: 10am – 7pm
Thursday & Friday: 10am – 9pm

30Kerr65 – Dimattina Espresso Bar

Front of 30Kerr65

Entrance at 30Kerr65

Inside 30Kerr65

Coffee Espresso Bar at 30Kerr65

Barista at 30Kerr65

Latte at 30Kerr65

Latte at 30Kerr65

Coffee Machine at 30Kerr65

Coffee Encounters at 30Kerr65

Coffee Grinders at 30Kerr65

Inside 30Kerr65

Coffee Machines at 30Kerr65

30Kerr65 is a newly opened Coffee Expresso Bar brought to you by the Dimmatina family – John and Robert Dimmatina (Robert founded 30Kerr65 and John manages it). Dimmatina coffee has been around Melbourne for a very long time and supplies many different coffee houses and cafes all around Melbourne, including regional Victoria. It all started in the 1950s with their father roasting coffee – they now have a plant located in Reservoir, as well as a training school and café in South Melbourne and now the newly opened 30Kerr65 which also has coffee courses and is a wholesaler.

The name 30Kerr65 is a play on two different things as John explained to me – 1) the address is 30 Kerr St and the postcode in the Fitzroy area ends with 65, 2) the ideal coffee is made with 30ml shot of coffee and the ideal milk temperate is 65 degrees. From speaking to both John and Robert you can tell– they are proud and have a true love for coffee and the coffee industry. They speak fondly of the history, to their different outlets and how they came to finding this perfect venue and location in the side streets of Fitzroy.

The venue is warm, open and inviting and from the time you step inside you get the wonderful coffee aroma in the air. The centrepiece of the venue – a hut style enclosure which houses the coffee bar and coffee machines, together with the friendly and always smiling baristas. There are communal long timber tables to sit and enjoy your coffee as the wide windows in the front let the sunshine in. On the wall to the right is a large picture which shows you the coffee process. There are chalkboards present, which displays their gold medal award at The Golden Bean for 2011/12 as well as showing the days coffee blends and speciality single origins on offer. Underneath this, is a selection of coffee machines, grinders and accessories that are for sale, together with interesting magazine and books to flick through.

30Kerr65 has several different blends on offer which include the house blend Prima Tazza (which is a combination of five origins) , a Hyper Hyper blend – a strong Italian blend, as well as an Utopia blend – which is both strong and smooth and a Decaf blend – all produced from a new Kees van der Westen Mirage Duette espresso machine – Mirage coffee machine in short. The main focus here John tells me is on coffee and small little sweets for the moment and creating just the perfect cup of coffee, but he is not ruling out having food in the near future. He tells me about their South Melbourne branch which does food as well as the delicious coffee – another café to add to the list to try out!

I ordered a House Blend latte which was smooth and creamy yet strong and delicious. It really does go down a treat and you can drink it really easily which leaves you with wanting more. It comes out to you by the friendly baristas. Whilst I was at 30Kerr65 there were many locals and people working around the area that came in that had already established a relationship with the place and were on first name basis and had the baristas knowing their order without them having to say anything. This was ideally the premise of having an inner suburban unique Espresso bar.

You can also purchase coffee at 30Kerr65 by the kilogram and can select from the different varieties. Additionally, each bag comes with a personalized touch – your name handwritten on the front of the bag.  As well the coffee beans you can buy top quality coffee machines, grinders and coffee making equipment in a variety of brands. You can even purchase the famous Giotto machine for your home from here.

Both Robert and John are passionate about coffee and know that having a great coffee is having great coffee beans – and this can be seen when you try out the Dimattina coffee. They also explained to me how they sourced the perfect milk to complement the coffee – by trailing a whole range till they found just the right one.

At 30Kerr65 you can learn about coffee as well – there are two different coffee courses which run on Thursdays or Saturday mornings and are by appointment only. The Barista Basics course ($120, 2 hours) covers use of commercial coffee machines and grinders, as well as texturing milk and coffee menu selection. The second courses offered is the Introduzione Al Caffe ($150, 2 hours) which teaches you about the history and origins of coffee, as well getting to practice making different styles of coffee and milk texturing.  Contact 30Kerr65 if you want to make a booking or you can email them at 30kerr65@dimattinacoffee.com.au.

30Kerr65 is a great addition to the bustling Fitzroy area, but somewhat hidden away in its location it has managed to find clientele who keep coming back. And just from speaking to both the Dimattina brother’s and staff working there – it is not only the delicious tasting coffee that makes people return but the friendly and impeccable service. Definitely check it out and experience some great coffee and service for yourself.

30Kerr65 is currently only open Monday to Friday but who knows what the future could hold.

Rating : 4 Pandas
Price: $
Atmosphere / Ambience: Casual Relaxed place with great sunshine coming in through the front windows. Great way to start the morning!
Service: Super Friendly, Welcoming and Fantastic
Restaurant Details and Location:
http://www.30kerr65.com.au/
30 Kerr St, Fitzroy
Tel No: 9416 2077

Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday: 8am – 4pm

Bangpop Thai – Popping Flavours

Gaeng Khew Wan Pak – Vegetable and Tofu Green Curry with Thai Basil and Chilli

Pad Ka – Nha Moo Krob – Pork Belly, Chinese Broccoli, Oyster Sauce, Garlic and Chilli

Yum Nua – Marinated Chargrilled Beef Sirloin Salad

Pad Thua Ngok Tofu – Stri Fried Tofu, Bean Sprouts and Green Onion

Thai style Chicken

Saku Song Kreuang – Tapioca Pandan Pudding with Mango Sorbet

I work around the Docklands / South Wharf area and we needed a place for a farewell lunch. I had heard about the newly opened Bangpop Thai and with such an interesting name and a cuisine that most people love I thought I couldn’t go wrong. The name comes from the Thai word for village – BANG and POP represents the bold  flavours, and vibrant colours.

Bangpop Thai is located in what used to be The Sharing House (and it still has the presence of the old venue in the form of the Lego bar) and the next venture by Paul Mathis. The atmosphere that has been created is reminiscent of the Bangkok hawker style street. The main attraction is the collection of bikes that are lined up outside the dining area – the bikes are named Venus and Mars and are in colourful colours of red and orange. The place as a whole is vibrant and welcoming.

There are mostly communal tables which match the menu of shared dishes. These tables serve well if you have a large group of people. There is also seating along the bar on high stools if you wish. The menu is separated out into 7 different sections – small plates, larger plates, noodles, rice, spicy salads and desserts – and has been devised by Karn McManamey in consultation with Yaigum – who is a Thai street food stall-holder with more than 40 years experience and has an extensive knowledge about Isaan cuisne (North-Eastern Thailand). In staying true to the Thai style dishes are centred on the spiciness and tang of lime/lemon along with the gingery and garlic flavours – YUM!

The aim of the restaurant is to create an affordable, casual and authentic menu and I really do believe they achieve this.

As we were on our work lunch break and there were about 13 of us, we had called up ahead and pre-ordered our dishes. We were also informed of the Lunch Specials menu where you would get a dish and a drink (beer, wine or soft drink) all for $15. Value for money indeed! When our dishes arrived, we were also presented with  four different condiments and were told that these were there to adjust the balance of flavours for our menu. The waitress explained each condiment was – I don’t have a picture of these but there was Sugar, two different types of Chilli and some spices.

I ordered the Thai Green Curry which came with Vegetables, Tofu, Thai Basil, Beanshoots and Chilli. The curry was delicious and had the flavours were great. I love my chilli so I did add extra chilli from the condiments that were given to us, but I am pretty sure that most people wouldn’t need to do that. The sauce was thick and the coconut flavour was fresh, paired with the basil. The tofu and vegetables were cooked perfectly as well. One thing to note was that the people that ordered the Lunch Special – the consensus was that the dishes were on the small side and it didn’t fill them up completely. T had the Yum Nua which is marinated beef sirloin salad and she said the Beef was tender and tangy and the dish as a whole was refreshing and tasted great.

A friend and I decided to share a dessert and went for the Saku Song Kreuang – Tapioca Pandan Pudding with Mango Sorbet. This is one of my new favourite desserts. I am a huge fan of tapioca pudding and mango is one of my favourite fruits – so to have them paired together in a dessert was bliss! I am not a huge fan of roasted coconut which was added on top of the pudding (and yes I know this is quite common in Thai desserts) – so I could have done without this addition. But overall the dessert was super tasty and had three different textures going on – the pop and jellyness of the tapioca pudding, the smooth coolness of the mango sorbet and the crunch of the coconut. The pandan flavour is quite light through the pudding as well and wasn’t too strong at all. A definite must try!

They also have an extensive drinks menu and whilst we were waiting for the rest of the team to arrive we saw the bar tender making some exciting looking cocktails. There are ingredients such as Kaffir lime leaves, ginger, chilli that are added to these cocktails for a Thai flavour. The beers also compromise of the traditional Thai beers as well as other craft beers.

The service at Bangpop was excellent – the staff was very helpful and friendly. A fellow colleague needed a vegetarian dish (and he didn’t like tofu) so a staff member was helpful in assisting him in finding a dish as there wasn’t really anything on the menu to have and consulted the chefs. Bangpop during the lunch hour filled up its large airy space and the atmosphere was vibrant yet not too loud. They are a very reasonably priced restaurant and a great addition to the South Wharf area.

Rating : 3.5 Pandas
Price: $$
Menu – Menu that is split into 7 different sections – view the menu at http://www.bangpop.com.au/
Fullness: 100%
Atmosphere / Ambience: Vibrant, Electric and Fun. Really colourful and it does remind you of a busy street in Bangkok – hawker style!
Standout Dish: Saku Song Kreuang – Tapioca Pandan Pudding with Mango Sorbet
Service: Fantastic and Attentive, Friendly and very Helpful
Online Booking: Bangpop doesnt take bookings – just walk in!
Restaurant Details and Location:
http://www.bangpop.com.au/
35 South Wharf Promenande, South Wharf
Tel No: 9245 9800

Opening Hours:
Monday to Sunday
Lunch: 12pm – 3pm
Dinner: 6pm – 10:30pm