Melbourne in Autumn on SQ 227/228

[zilchster]

Trip Background

Basically this autumn trip to Melbourne is for a retreat of sorts. Think Eat, Pray, Love. I spent most of my days in the countryside. It is about an hour and a half train ride from Melbourne to Castlemaine where my hosts would pick me up for a 20 minute road journey to where I would rest and reflect for the next week or so.

And yes, I flew Singapore Airlines on this trip.

I was booked originally on the SQ 237 flight that leaves just before midnight to allow for better rest. But it was a reconfigured B777-300 and not as comfortable as the earlier SQ 227 flight operated by the A380. But because I wanted to attend a free cupping session at 10am, I decided to switch to the earlier A380 operated SQ 227 flight.

Friday May 17
SQ 0227
SIN-MEL (Singapore – Melbourne Tullamarine)
2100/0620+ (next day)
Airbus A380-841 (9V SKF)
Seat: 82D

This is my 13th time on an A380 and 12th time on a SQ A380. I did select my seats at the time of booking, but the selections were pretty dismal. About 96 hours before the flight, more seats would open up for selection. I selected my favourite seat on the upper deck of the A380. 82D. I like that seat because it has direct aisle access. My seat mate has a direct aisle access and won’t need to disturb me. The only negative point is that it is near the galley and the toilets. But that wasn’t a problem for me.

And knowing that the first meal service on the UD of the A380 would work from front to back, and the second from back to front, I ordered a seafood meal knowing that I would get to eat first and therefore be able to sleep quickly.

Here are the pictures from the seafood meal and from the menu.



The set consisted of a fish in cream sauce, some vegetables (can't tell which) and a pasta salad with tuna.









Apparently the chilli that accompanied the chicken option is pretty spicy and fiery.

There were three crew members – all females – working the upper deck on this flight. 2 Leading, 1 Flight. Normal crew composition would be 1 Leading and 2 Flight. But on this flight, one of the leading stewardess was an Indonesian who sounded more Singaporean than Indonesian. She was on standby duty and she was activated. She’s pretty friendly and was all smiles for the flight.

The only complaint about the flight was that the aircraft was really hot and stuffy when I first boarded. It persisted until take off when the cabin cooled down.

Nevertheless, I was still happy to be on an SQ flight after having been a ‘prodigal child’ for the last few trips. I still feel the meal quality and amount in economy on SQ is still unparalleled and unmatched except for TG.

I had a great sleep during the flight thanks to my neck pillow and plugging my earphones in to listen to some music. I did not feel too jetlagged arriving in Melbourne.

I received an express arrival card to use at immigration at Melbourne. The gate agent at Singapore was really nice. A Chinese (national) lady Perhaps it does pay to smile and be polite to others.

Waiting for baggage after an A380 flight is not a pleasant experience, something which negates the usefulness of the express pass. As I brought medicines with me, I had to declare them at customs. But customs just took a look at my card and waved me past.

For those who are interested, you could buy a prepaid mobile data plan (SIM card) from the Optus shop at the International arrivals hall at Tullamarine. It’s $30 for 1GB which you can top up. Just present your passport.

I got into Melbourne city using the Skybus – a shuttle bus service that leaves regularly for Spencer St Station at $17 one way or $28 return. It operates at a frequency of about 10 minutes and takes about 20 over minutes to get to Melbourne city barring no severe traffic conditions. Skybus also offers a transfer service from Spencer St Station to the hotel.

[zilchster]

Melbourne 18 May Part I

In order to pray, one needs to eat, though I wasn’t hungry even though I declined the continental breakfast that SQ serves. How can one eat after a full meal three hours earlier and at about two plus in the morning? (SQ serves the second meal two hours before landing)

That said, I thus begun my journey traipsing through Melbourne’s streets in the cool, chilly autumn morning to my first destination Seven Seeds.

Melbourne city is pretty easy to navigate. The streets are perpendicular and parallel to one another just like grids. Of course there are the small lanes that contain hidden treasures (I mean food) that one might venture into.

Armed with a map, I made my way into the city from my hotel at King St near the Spencer St Station to stop at the supermarket for some bottled water before heading up to Carlton that is outside the city fringe. Surely that’s madness to walk that distance especially in the cold. But it’s doable and I didn’t want to waste money on public transport. And I had to buy a pass (MyKi) for that.

A particular street in Carlton is known as Little Italy. Carlton houses the RMIT University campus is near to University of Melbourne.

My journey brought me to 114 Berkeley Street. There’s no big signboard announcing the cafe’s name. You could blink and miss the place. The cafe’s name is marked with a red background paint with the words Seven Seeds, and emblazoned on the dark grey walls. There’s just a wooden door for an entrance and some window grills.



So why walk all the way here? For a free cupping session at 10.

I had arrived at about 20 past nine. I decided to eat after the cupping session was over as I wanted a leisurely brunch. The cafe was abuzz with activity as people congregated at communal tables for breakfast. Sharing tables is a pretty normal thing for morning grub. It wasn’t full that you had to put your names down like other places which I would write about, but it had a steady flow of patrons who were dining in or just having coffee to go.





You can read about Seven Seeds here. The place is a converted warehouse and much of the feel remains. Seven Seeds also boasts a roasting facility in the premises. Cupping sessions are held every Wednesday at 9am and Saturday at 10am. You can come as many times as you like. It runs for about 45 minutes to an hour. Check out the schedule here and what cupping is about.

You just have to arrive 15 minutes before the session begins. Put your name down. Places limited to ten people.

There are two other places that offer cupping sessions. Market Lane Coffee and Campos. The former is free and Prahran and the other costs $30 and is located also in Carlton.

Generally, it would be helpful if you have some knowledge about coffee to appreciate the session fully. I felt a bit lost as I don’t have much knowledge in this area. I think I have to start reading and start somewhere.

I don’t have any photos of the session. Basically there were six different coffee beans of different origins that morning – from Honduras, Kenya and Colombia. Some were just freshly roasted. Each person was handed a sheet of paper to judge the coffee on its taste, body and aroma. The criteria were as follows: dry coffee aroma (flowery/fruity/herbal/nutty), sweetness, acidity, mouthfeel and overall impression.

You start to get a whiff of the freshly grounded coffee before hot water is added to the coffee. Each participant then goes round the table sampling/sipping the coffee and judging it. You could make as many rounds as you like to sample the coffee.

All I can say...caffeine overload!

There was one particular one which I liked. Had a nutty flavour to it. Wasn’t too bitter. I think it was called Maria del Transito Contreras or something. Not sure if I got the name right. IIRC, it is from Honduras.

Note to self: must read up on coffee before joining one of these sessions in the future.

I stayed back for brunch and ordered the pork rillettes (a pate). Food options aren’t amazing though.



It came in a small jar with a yellow layer on top which I wasn’t sure what was that. Anyway I spread the pate on the toast and chomped down on it. It was definitely comfort food.







This was probably one of the more popular dishes along with the poached eggs.

What about the coffee? There isn’t a drinks menu. So I ordered a regular latte. I think it was the house blend.



It was robust and nutty and the baristas got the sweetness just right.

Google Best Coffee Melbourne or Best Coffee Seven Seeds Melbourne and you would see that Seven Seeds is probably up there somewhere. Although some people might not think so, but along with Market Lane Coffee, Seven Seeds has somewhat achieved cult status.

If you still want to have a taste of Seven Seeds coffee (since they are roasters and supply coffee to others after all) without making the trip to Carlton, you could do so at Brother Baba Budan at 359 Little Bourke St.

Again, this place is a blink and miss as well. So keep your eyes open.

[zilchster]

Grill'd and Brunetti

I retired to the hotel for a short nap. By three, I was out and about and went window shopping in Melbourne city. Personally, there’s nothing much for me to buy as I am not into clothes that are sold in Australia. It’s a bit expensive for a Singaporean because well, they earn higher wages I guess. A Made in China clothing isn’t that cheap there either.

Anyhow, I felt a little peckish, and remembering that Myer (Melbourne City) has a Brunetti cafe in the building, I decided to head there for an afternoon tea or snack.

If you like sweets, then Brunetti should be a stop in one’s itinerary in Melbourne.

You could make it to the flagship store in Carlton, along Lygon St at Lygon Court. It used to operate from Faraday St, but no longer. Interestingly, Lygon St was where the original Brunetti shop was located at.

There is a Brunetti cafe in Melbourne City Square (near Federation Square, and along Swanston St) as well as the above mentioned Myer Melbourne outlet for those who can’t be bothered to make that trip to Carlton, or you even head on down to the Singapore cafe located in Tanglin Mall. (I haven’t eaten at the outlet at Tanglin Mall.)

Brunetti offers coffee (I didn’t try this on both my visits in Melbourne). I had the gelato during a previous trip in summer. There is a selection of breads, savoury and sweet pastries, cookies, cakes, tarts, and confectionaries and chocolates for sale.

I didn’t take any shots of the display this time round. I probably took some during my previous trip, but the assortments and varieties of sweets are beautifully laid out and crying out for your stomach and wallet. Cakes cost around seven Australian dollars.

Amidst the myriad of choices, I took a while to get over my confusion on what to order. I finally settled on the mini-cakes which cost around AUD2.20 each. I selected the Torta di Arancia, a moist flourless almond and orange cake covered in an apricot glaze as well as an Opera slice.

I didn’t really like the former as it was too sweet for my liking. Fortunately it was a small piece so it didn’t make me feel too sick. I found the sweetness of the opera manageable thanks to the chocolate.



Anyway, I would make a few more visits to Brunetti this time in Melbourne. A friend brought me to the Carlton branch on a Saturday night (a week later) as strolled down the streets from Melbourne Central.

I don’t have a photo of what I ordered and I can’t really remember what I ordered, but it was a sort of a tangy lemon tart. I think it was a lemon crème brulee tart.

The tartness of the dessert balanced out the heaviness of the cream. I didn’t like the pastry which was a little hard to cut with a fork.

But Brunetti Carlton was definitely a hive of activity on Saturday night and was operating at full house. It took a while to get seats. Some people even stood up to eat their cakes.

I would return to the Myer Brunetti to purchase some mini-cakes on my way back to Singapore in case I feel like I need to eat during the flight. I had the decadent Rum Baba a sponge cake soaked in rum and glazed with apricot jam, a Panzerotti Cioccolato, a shortbread filled with chocolate custard and a Cannoli Vaniglia which was filled with vanilla custard. Yummy!

Meanwhile, dinner on the first evening in Melbourne turned out to be quite a “disaster”.

I wanted to eat at this Greek place called Stalactites but it was closed for renovation! This means I had to search for another alternative. Perhaps I would try Don Don – a Japanese eatery which offers cheap meals which I had on my previous Melbourne trip. But the shop was closed. Great! Just great!

In the end I spotted an Australian burger chain Grill’d at Queen Victoria and thought why not. Thus I opted for a Simply Grill’d that comprises a beef patty stacked with lettuce, a tomato, onions, relish and herbed mayo and enclosed in a Panini bun.



Perhaps I was feeling hungry and tired and wanted to return to my room for sleep. Hence, I wolfed down the burger pretty quick. The patty for juicy, not dry and charred as to some burger place in Singapore, and I could get a hint of herbs in the patty. Overall, it’s still decent grub.

[zilchster]

Brunch Brunch Brunch at Manchester Press May 25

This Melbourne trip also led me to explore some brunch/coffee options in Melbourne. Using Urbanspoon as a guide, I decided on Manchester Press as it has some pretty good reviews.

So I armed myself with my iPad and using the Google maps option, I managed to seek out Rankins Lane. Once again, it’s located at one of those blink and miss places.



Rankins Lane is located between Queen and Elizabeth Sts. It’s nearer to Elizabeth St though. Enter via Little Bourke St. If you’re coming down from Elizabeth St, just along the stretch of Little Bourke St, before entering Rankins Lane, you would spot Brother Baba Budan. You’ll now you’re in the correct place on a weekend morning when you spot people just congregating at a lane.



Get the server to write down your name which he/she does with a piece of chalk on the wall. Do not stray too far from the venue as they do not take down your phone numbers. Waiting time i about 20 minutes thereabouts.



The set up of Manchester Press is very similar to Seven Seeds. So expected communal tables, the warehouse feel like interior.



This is the weekend menu. Options aren’t vast, but still ample.





I ordered a toasted bagel with pulled pork. The pork was really tender and juicy and sat on top a nice bed of slaw, and accompanied by a salad. The bagel was toasted warm, and felt crusty.



I also ordered a latte. You have to some sugar to this.



I spotted some of the other meal options that other patrons had. The Smoked Salmon and Avocado salad looked really great as well as the avocado bagel.

[zilchster]

Breakfast Decadence: Hardware Societe a must go in Melbourne

The Asian cook was frenziedly whipping up a storm in the kitchen. It was non-stop action as he barely had time to rest.



One moment he would be breaking eggs into a cup and then pouring them into a huge pot of water to poach. The next moment he would be tossing his frying pan as he quickly scrambled the eggs. The next moment he would be frying an omelette, or flipping slabs of thick French toasts on the grill, or sliding slabs of toast into the oven.

The other cook was busy with the garnishing and plating as he scooped a dollop of peanut butter onto a piece of thick French toast, before topping it with bananas and what looks like popcorn (it was the day’s special) in what looked like a feast of decadence.

You could just feel the rush of excitement and adrenaline as you sit at the kitchen counter which I did, feeling the familiar and comforting warmth and heat of food preparation in the chilly autumn morning of Melbourne all the while salivating at the options and wondering when your order would arrive or whether you had made a right decision on your breakfast/brunch options.

Decadence, comfort, diet-busting food.

That’s how I would characterise Hardware Societe’s offerings.

And throw in confusion because all the menu options are equally alluring.

I could just come here every day or every week just to try all the menu options.

No wonder this place is ranked high on TripAdvisor list of eats in Melbourne. No wonder people wait for 20 minutes and more just to satisfy their cravings. No wonder this is probably one of the most popular breakfast/brunch places in Melbourne, more so than Manchester Press. No wonder this place receives favourable reviews.



Situated in a lane (118-120 Hardware St) between Elizabeth and Queen Sts, and accessible via Little Lonsdale St and Lonsdale St, Hardware Societe is probably another one of those blink and miss lanes if one isn’t observant enough.



This isn’t my first time here though. I had this on my last visit to Melbourne. And I wanted to end my trip on a perfect note.

I waited in excitement for my name to be called anxious to sink my teeth into the baked eggs. After 20 minutes or so, I was called and I opted to sit at the kitchen counter, truly mesmerised by the hustle and bustle doing on in the kitchen.





I opted for the baked eggs without much thought. I went for the version with chorizo sausage, pimento sauce, and goats’ milk cheese.

I wasn’t going to let the specials of the French Toast with peanut butter distract me, nor the poached eggs with cured salmon, potato cake (I think – if I heard correctly) with a squid ink aioli distract me. I wavered for a while before deciding. Baked eggs it shall be.

I had also ordered a Flat White for a change instead of a latte.



The ambience of Hardware Societe is definitely more of a bistro than the rather warehouse vibe at Manchester Press or Seven Seeds. Food prices here are also much higher.

I distracted myself by gazing intently at the kitchen while waiting for my order to be served. I noticed that the baked eggs, Croque Madame, scrambled eggs, French toast and the other day special to be rather popular.

The cook places some vegetable leaves at the bottom of the casserole before breaking three eggs into the casserole, before adding the sausage, cheese and topping it with pimento sauce. The cook lets the casserole sit around at the cooker for a bit before placing them into an oven to be baked. When it is ready, the cook heaps almonds onto the dish and tops it up with a bit more greens. It is served with bread drizzled with olive oil.

I know it looks like a gooey glob of mess from the photos. But it tastes much better than the photo presents. The yolks were still runny. It is savoury with a hint of tartness and spiciness with the almonds adding a nice crunch to the meal. Slurp it up with the bread.







I am so going to burst my cholesterol with this but this is so worth it!

I managed to steal with glances at what others have ordered. The poached eggs with cured salmon or the day’s special looked divine and definitely tempting.

I had seen the Fried Brioche before. And that indeed looked really appetising.

However, one of the customers complained that the eggs were slightly overcooked. The servers took it back to the kitchen and had the eggs replaced.

I also noticed that the French toast can come out slightly charred and dark instead. Perhaps they need another extra hand in the kitchen to help out.

Would I wait 30 minutes for Hardware Societe? You bet. In fact, it is a must visit/stop in Melbourne.

However, I do wish that they hire extra cooks to prevent the standards of the food from slipping.

The meal came to about AUD20.50.

Take note, this place only takes cash for payment. No other payment methods accepted.

[zilchster]

Bar Pulpo at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport - the closest as I get to MoVida

MoVida is highly ranked on the TripAdvisor’s restaurant list in Melbourne. It is one of the highly recommended eats in Melbourne. So this was one of the must-tries on this visit.

It is a tapas bar so expect tapas and Spanish cuisine.

They have a few outlets in Melbourne comprising MoVida, MoVida Next Door and Aqui. Reservations are recommended and rightfully so.

I made my way to MoVida hoping they would have a place for one, but unfortunately, someone was already ahead of me, and I would probably have to wait about an hour or more for my turn. I was asked to try MoVida Next Door, which is literally just next door, and once again, there was no seat for one for the next hour or so as someone had just took the place just meant for one. Feeling disappointed, I decided to try out Mamasita, which serves Mexican food and which inspired Lucha Loco’s menu in Singapore. Unfortunately, there was yet a long queue up the stairs for Mamasita, so I left feeling disappointed.

Luckily I managed to find the relocated Don Don. And I had a cheap dinner of a chicken curry don. The chicken was grilled and the portion was rather big. I probably have photos of this dish from my previous trip.

I was still determined to try MoVida though and I was elated they have an outlet at Melbourne Airport (International Terminal after immigration, security and duty free). It is known as Bar Pulpo by MoVida.







I didn’t want to drink any alcohol before my flight and I wanted something light since I had brunch earlier in the day. So I ordered the Anchoa – a filleted anchovy on crouton with smoked tomato sorbet and Pollo En Escabache A La Miguel – spiced chicken on crisp crouton.

Basically the menu list is similar to that of MoVida.

The tapas were served on boards. Complementary bread was served alongside olive oil and I believe, salt.



I dug into my tapas starting with the Anchoa. Boy, you could feel the taste of the sea. The sorbet was light and refreshing and was a little salty but it paired well with the anchovy.



The Pollo tapa was kind of forgettable once you tried the Anchoa. But the taste was refreshing and it was a little spicy but not fiery or hot.

[zilchster]

SQ 228 MEL-SIN (May 26 2013)

Sunday May 26
SQ 0228
MEL-SIN (Melbourne Tullamarine to Singapore)
1545/2145
Airbus A380-841 (9V SKF)
Seat: 82G

This is my 14th time on an A380 and 13th time on a SQ A380. Once again, I snagged my favourite row 82 when more seat options were made available.

From my hotel in Swanston St, I dragged my luggage to Flinders St which wasn’t too far away to catch the free tourist tram to the stop at Spencer St. From there, I hauled my luggage towards the station where I could catch the SkyBus to Tullamarine Airport. The journey was fast and prompt and in no time I was at the airport.

One of the interesting things is that SQ 228 has codeshares with many other airlines – Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Australia, Lufthansa, EgyptAir, SAS, and Aegean.

It took a while to clear security that day as a group of Qantas crew flying QF 9 to Dubai needed to clear security. But to their credit, they were really gracious, and did not insist of clearing security right away. They took turns with the passengers – one passenger for one cabin crew.

Anyway the return flight on SQ 228 was rather normal. Not much turbulence except when the second meal was being served. But I was a bit disappointed to see SKF appearing before me.

Let’s get to the meal options.





I opted for the Braised Fish with Hot Bean Sauce. It didn’t disappoint. The fish wasn’t too dry as compared to the fish I had on SQ 227. The sauce was hot and piquant and definitely teased by taste buds.



The vegetables were a little bit on the sorry side. I don’t really like carrots, but I forced myself to take them all in.



The appetiser was passable. The pasta was pretty much tasteless if it wasn’t coated with the sauce or eaten with the ham.



Ice cream cone was much smaller than the one out of Singapore.



But for once, I was happy with the butter. It wasn’t hard, but rather soft and creamy enough to spread on the bun. One of the problems with SQ is that the butter doesn’t thaw fast enough to spread properly on the buns.

I opted for the Fried Rice for the second meal, tastes like what you get at the coffee shops. Some chilli accompaniment would be nice though. It’s still rather substantial considering QF serves a rather soggy reheated pizza.



And with this, it concludes my short Melbourne report.

[diecastdrool]

Hi there,

Thanks for sharing the TR. Now I really miss Melbourne after seeing all the photos you posted.

I notice that you're very fond of Brunetti. Just fyi, we have a big Brunetti shop in Singapore too....exactly the same as what they have in Melbourne. It's in Tanglin Mall...not sure if you already know that. Rum Baba, etc are all available in Singapore store too. You dont hv to go to Melbourne to satisfy your craving anymore. And yes, Brunetti is good!

Cheers

[ozdude]

Nice report, looks like you did some decent exploring. Myki is not worth if if you stay in the city and only explore the city. Walking from Flinders St to the top end is something many of us have done and still do! Plus walking is the best way to see the city. Well done for searching out the little lane way places, I think some people who go to Melbourne don't understand that we don't have a "Clarke Quay / St James" type of experience, so when they don't see bright lights and arrows pointing to the hot spots they feel that Melbourne doesn't offer much. However you certainly did some good exploring. Good to see you ate at my favourite fast food burger place Grill'd, they make awesome burgers. I miss the coffee culture in Melbourne, but I love that there are plenty of places in Singapore that offer a similar experience.

[feizhu]

I tried the french toast @ Hardware Societe 2 weeks back. Beautifully done and pretty decent, taste wise. But our sardine had quite a fair bit of bones in it and after a while, that got pretty irritating.

[sqdazz]

There is much more interesting cafe's on the city's fringe. next time get to south melbourne, fitzroy, abbotsford, prahran . If you require some tips let me know

[zilchster]

I tried the french toast @ Hardware Societe 2 weeks back. Beautifully done and pretty decent, taste wise. But our sardine had quite a fair bit of bones in it and after a while, that got pretty irritating.

Nice to know that you enjoyed that place.

There is much more interesting cafe's on the city's fringe. next time get to south melbourne, fitzroy, abbotsford, prahran . If you require some tips let me know

Thanks sqdazz. Tips are always appreciated. Is St Ali or something one of them?

[sqdazz]

Nice to know that you enjoyed that place.



Thanks sqdazz. Tips are always appreciated. Is St Ali or something one of them?

nope, don't like it! Chez Dre might be worth a look for you. But there is soooo many places!

[GreekLunatic]

i reckon the best coffee shop is in bridge road richmond