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The Foodies' Guide to Melbourne 2010Welcome to Foodies' 2010 - our annual compilation of the finest food stores in Melbourne and regional Victoria.
Few would argue with the idea that Melbourne is a city where food is an essential part of the local fabric. We seem to be fuelled by the first caffeine hit of the day and are usually planning what we'll have for dinner before finishing breakfast. Many see Melbourne as a place made great by its restaurants made famous by its chefs. True in part. However a great food city also needs access to wonderful ingredients in order to be able to cook and eat well at home with family and friends. This foodie capital on the Yarra has all of that and much more besides. Open any chapter in this book and you'll instantly be taken on a culinary journey. There are Italian coffee and gelati places on Lygon Street, amazingly diverse delis at the Queen Victoria Market, Middle Eastern bakeries, butchers and grocers to visit along Sydney Road and the famous cake shops along Acland Street in St Kilda. An edible city many say. As we've travelled from one food filled suburb to another it's been heartening to see that very few of the wonderful food stores included in this guide on a regular basis have closed their doors. (Perhaps we've ignored the GFC by eating well?) In fact there has been a good number of newcomers on the local scene and also made a few finds which had until recently eluded us. We now have terrific spots like Jones The Grocer at Chadstone, W. Cakes in Dandenong and Monsieur Truffe on Smith Street to enjoy. Regional Vic is faring well too. Kyneton and Healesville in particular are going great guns with fantastic new food stores to visit and enjoy. We hope you enjoy exploring this wonderful food obsessed city with us - and a copy of The Foodies' Guide to Melbourne 2010.
Allan Campion and Michele Curtis
The basics
Foodies 2010 includes listings and reviews of the very best Asian food stores, bakeries, cake shops, cheese shops, Middle Eastern food stores, delis and coffee roasters, greengrocers, produce markets, organic food stores and much more. Over 400 stores in total as well as highlights like top sushi spots, the best steaks in town, favourite coffee spots, cooking classes plus food tours, market hot-spots and best kitchen gadgets. All wonderful places that keep our city well fed and happy.
The Foodies' Guide to Melbourne's easy-to-use A to Z format and two indexes at the back, enable you to search by store name or locality. Detailed maps are grid referenced and stores provided with a Melway reference too. The guide also features the highly anticipated annual 'Foodies' Awards', which highlight those top stores that help keep Melbourne on the food map.
In store now - published by Hardie Grant Books RRP $29.95.
Other things
Read an extract from Foodies 2010 in The Age Epicure - online here.
Foodies' Awards 2010
Our annual culinary journey to write the Foodies' Guide brings us in contact with amazing food stores, delis, chocolatiers, bakers and butchers.
Every now and then we taste a product that really stands out from the crowd.
It could be a chocolate truffle, a slice of bacon, the perfect burger or even roasted coffee beans. Would the following retailers please step forward to receive their Foodies' Guide Awards for 2010.
Best Chocolate Shop - Monsieur TruffeFeel like Charlie in the chocolate factory and discover a world of chocolate - just make sure you don't leave without a bag of passionfruit and chocolate truffles.
These cubes of amazingly textured couverture combined with passionfruit puree are not to be missed. 90 Smith Street, Collingwood. 9416 3101. Best Coffee Roaster - Seven Seeds
Step inside the doors of Seven Seeds in Carlton to see Melbourne's coffee renaissance in action. Here the best green beans are selected from around the world then roasted to perfection.
There's also coffee education as well as an excellent cafe. Don't be the last person to discover Seven Seeds. 114 Berkley Street, Carlton 9347 8664.
Best Greengrocer - LeafLeon Mugavin has created an oasis of produce, with all the essential fruit and vegetables, plus much more to fill your kitchen with.
The best dairy, grocery and prepared meals, along with Melbourne's best sourdough breads. A winner all round. 111-113 Ormond Road, Elwood 9531 6542. Best new delicatessen - Carre Street Deli
For a town crazy about its food, the delicatessen scene outside our wonderful markets is sadly lacking.
However, stores such as Carre Street give us hope, with properly sliced ham, top-quality farmhouse cheeses, preserved olives and antipasto items. 372 Glen Huntley Road, Elsternwick 9523 8985. Best new bakery - Dolcetti
Sicilian baking is the overriding theme at Dolcetti, and they really know their stuff. From the stunning almond biscotti to the delicate panna cotta tarts, it's pure delight.
The hazelnut and chocolate nougat is a real standout for its incredible texture and flavour. 223 Victoria Street, West Melbourne 9328 1688.
Best burger shop - Andrew's HamburgersIt's a big call but we're supremely confident in choosing the burger with the lot from Andrew's in Albert Park as the best in town.
They seem to have the knack of taking a classic white roll, toasting it to perfection and then filling it with the best grilled beef patty, fresh lettuce, bacon, tomato.
Try one and you'll be hooked too. 114 Bridport Street, Albert Park 9690 2126. Best bacon - Fernleigh Farm
What an experience - this streaky bacon is beautifully made, old fashioned and just magnificent. Grill until crisp for the ultimate bacon sandwich with fresh tomato, rocket and egg mayonnaise.
1070 Trentham Road, Bullarto 5348 5566. Also at inner city Farmer's Markets. Best bread - Brioche
Brioche's excellent sourdough baguette brings together two very different baking styles.
Baker Phillip Chang has perfected the art of creating a full flavoured and moist sourdough baguette with the most amazing crispy crust. 208 Commercial Road, Prahran 9525 1966.
Best ice-cream - Jocks Ice CreamJock Main has strong memories of hokey pokey ice-cream growing up as a child in New Zealand.
He has taken this famous flavour to a new level with his version of it, combining the lightest vanilla base with handmade chunks of honeycomb. 83 Victoria Avenue, Albert Park 9686 3838. Best hot cross buns - Irrewarra Sourdough Bakery
For years we have touted Phillippa's and Babka as having the best buns, and they are still excellent. But let's celebrate Irrewarra's contribution too.
A full-flavoured bun, made from sourdough and packed with juice fruit. It's a good job there's a long weekend to celebrate Easter as there's serious eating to be done.
10 James Street, Geelong 5221 3909. Best takeaway meal - Lafayette Fine Food
Take a perfectly cut slab of corned beef, with no gristle or sinew, team it with creamy mashed potatoes and fresh peas.
All you have to do is microwave, transfer to a plate if so inclined and add a dollop of Dijon mustard. What a sensation! 355 New Street, Brighton 9596 1867.
Best lemon tart - Plump Harvest ProduceThe lemon tart alone is enough to warrant a road trip to Myrtleford! The pastry hits that just-cooked perfection while the filling is zesty and has a texture that belief.
72 Myrtle Street (on Great Alpine Road) Myrtleford 5752 2257.
This is our 'official' definition of what it means to be a foodie
foodie /'fu;di/,foody (plural -ies) n. Informal
1. sb who takes an enthusiastic interest in the preparation or consumption of good food.
2. sb who typically plans dinner while eating breakfast and/or lunch.
3. food lover.
4. person always searching for the newest and best food shops, restaurants, takeaways and ingredients.
5. sb with an insatiable craving for good food and wine.
6. one who plans holidays around food festivals, winery walkabouts or regional cuisines.
7. a person dedicated to the pleasures of the table.
8. a person who thinks that blue is a type of cheese.
9. habitat; in and around Melbourne and country Victoria; survival dependant on having the latest Foodies' Guide and proximity to good food and/or wine; cannot go for more than three hours for a fix.
10. See also glutton for pleasure, gourmet, epicurean and connoisseur.
(C) - Allan Campion & Michele Curtis