SOUVLAKI
fromKalimeraSouvlakiArt,Vic
DoesThomasDeliopoulos,ownerofOakleigh’s
KalimeraSouvlakiArt,makethebestsouvlaki
inVictoria?Many(includingus)thinksobutdon’t
take ourwordforit.BenShewry,ownerandchef
atAttica,stumbledonKalimerabychanceand
wasinstantlyhooked.“Theporksouvlakiblew
meaway,”hesays.“Itwassowellseasonedand
sowellcookedandtheywereobviouslyusing
femalepigsbecausetheflavourwassoclean.
Therewasalsoa deliciousoreganoflavourto
themeat,differenttoanyoreganoI’dtasted.
Thethingthatstruckmeimmediatelywasthat
therewerenoshortcutsbeing taken.”
41 Chester St, OakleighYAKITORI
fromYakitoriYurippi,NSW
CrowsNesthasbecomea bubblinghubfor
Japaneseexpatriateslivingin NSW,withdevoted
grocerystoresandrestaurantsdottedthroughout
thearea.A hotspotthatexudesthecharmof
downtownSapporois YakitoriYurippi:a tiny
restaurantthatregularlyseeswaitingdinersline
thestreetoutside.Sticksthreadedwithchicken
heartsandtsukunearekissedwithsmokeandsoy,
renderedsoftbythecharcoal-litflames.Lotushead
chefSamYoungis a regularcustomer.“Theheart,
chickenskinandliverarethebest,”hesays.The
meatis locallysourcedandallskewersaremade
in-house.“It’sanarduousprocessandwetake
a lotoftimeandcare,”saysowner Tin Jung Shea.
7 Falcon Street, Crows NestBAKEDRICOTTACAKE
fromPasticceriaPapa,NSW
Hundredsofcannoli,biscuitsandsugar-coated
baked-goodslinethedisplaycabinetsofthis
Haberfieldinstitution,yetthehumblebaked
ricottacakeis PasticceriaPapa’scrownjewel.
It’straditionallyItalianinstyle,witha smooth
creamandricottacentrethat’slight,fluffyandjust
therightamountofsweet.Encasedinthesoftest,
shortbread-likepastryanddustedwitha magical
combinationofcinnamonandicingsugar,this
cloud-likecakehasbeenaroundsincethebakery
openedmorethan 30 yearsagoand,thankfully,
doesn’tlooktobeleavinganytime soon.
145 Ramsay St, HaberfieldEMPEROR’SPUFFS
fromEmperor’sGardenCakes& Bakery,NSW
Thereareveryfewthingsyoucanbuyforless
thana dollarthesedays,whichonlymakesthese
creampuffsmoreenticing.Fora goldcoin,you
canhavethreepiping-hotpuffsinyourhotlittle
hands(or 18 fora fiver),butyou’llhavetobrave
aninevitablequeue,whichconsistentlysnakes
it waythroughDixonStreetMallinChinatown.
Thetinyhole-in-the-wallhasbeenpumpingout
vanillacustard-filledsweetsfordecades,soit’s
nowondertheyhavea cultfollowing.Butthey
comewitha wordofwarning:thefreshlycooked
puffscontainmoltencustardthatwillstripyour
tastebudsif youdon’tletthemcool first.
96-100 Hay St, HaymarketVANILLASLICE
fromBridgewaterBakehouse,Vic
Youdon’tgettobereigningchampionand
two-timewinneroftheGreatAustralianVanilla
SliceTriumph(Australia’smostprestigiousvanilla
slicecompetition)fornothing.That’scertainly
thecaseforthisquietmasterpieceofslicedom
atBridgewaterBakehouse,outsideofBendigo
incentralVictoria.Theshiny,whitefondant,the
rich,firmbutnot-too-sweetcustardandthe
ovation-worthypastrythatbreaksratherthan
bendsallcometogethertoemphaticallyanswer
thequestionofwhythe“snotblock”is such an
enduringAussieclassic.
6 Main St, Bridgewater on LoddonTONKOTSURAMEN
fromTaro’sRamen,QLD
Is thebestramenanartora science?Taro’s
tonkotsucombineselementsofboth.Crowned
withcharsiu,nori,anda perfecthardboiledegg,
thisbowlofcreamyporkbrotharrivesspiked
withblackgarlicoilandbouncystraight-edge
noodlesthatarealsomadeon-site.Traditionally
ramenis a coldweathertreatbutthisversionis
sosuperior,it’stoppedthemust-eatlistinsteamy
Brisbaneformorethana decade.ChefBen
Williamson,co-ownerofAgnesinFortitude
Valley,is a die-harddevotee.“It’sa dishthat’s
stoodthetestoftime– lip-smackinglygood,
it’ssorichandunctuous,”saysWilliamson.
Taro’s Ramen, locations throughout Brisbane54 GOURMET TRAVELLER