hercules morse

Hercules Morse is a modern Australian restaurant that everyone in South Melbourne is talking about.

The owner let me know that they opened up in February 2012 but I swear I have never seen it til this year, maybe because it feels so out of place between a Commonwealth Bank on the corner and an unoccupied mystery white building, like Zooey Duchanel at a careers fair for lawyers. 

Despite its unassuming face, HM has a beautiful fit out. Clean lines of wood and painted steel with lightbulbs that remind me of the ones at my yoga studio all combine to provide a trendy but warm ambience. There are wooden slats for bar tables against the side of the wall facing the open kitchen and my friends and I always sit here. Also, this is the best place to ogle the food that come out of the kitchen. 

Cauliflower and cheese balls with lemon rosemary salt and a dijon dipping mayo.

Steak carpaccio with apple, herbs and dusted with parmesan granita. 

Roasted beet salad, dehydrated feta, maple walnuts and roquette pesto.

Hercules Morse
283 Clarendon Street
South Melbourne
9690 9402

meatball & wine

Melbourne has gone crazy over Meatball & Wine. I don't know what it is - the novelty of spherical food, the fact that there's wine involved, or that we love sexual innuendo?

There is almost always a line out the front of this eatery on Flinders Lane, it is of the tribe of those places that don't take bookings. Melbournians have a codependent relationship with these glamazon restaurants. At the same time as we roll our eyes and bitch about it, we line up, teeth chattering in the cold, for a coveted table. Then tell our friends about it the next day as if retelling a victory and enabling the process.

The get up is glamorous industrial with exposed brick and too-loud music, the patrons are all young professionals mulling over which job to jump into next and the fact that this food is paleo-friendly.

The concept is pretty simple. You choose from meat or vegetarian balls and "something to rest your balls on" (love it).  I didn't go for the vegetarian option but have been told by many people that the pumpkin one is really very good. The flavours are great and make this formerly humble staple cool in an ironic kind of way.

Pork balls with sage, fennel and orange on Italian beans.

Fish balls with dill and lemon on "something veg".

They have sliders too, consisting of balls in a small bun. V cute.

Beef sliders - mini brioche buns with balls and sauce.

Even the dessert is ball shaped. Chocolate and vanilla ice cream sandwiched between macaron shells. By this stage we soporifically stuffed so I really have to get back to you on how enjoyable they were, but as a concept they were perfect. 

MB&W is a place where diners don't just go for the food but the Melbourne experience of it all - the waiting, the wine, the feeling of good company and a vague reminder of New York.

Meatball & Wine
135 Flinders Lane
Melbourne
9654 7545

the little ox

1405 and I held our wedding reception in St Kilda. We went there this morning to pick up things we left at the venue including our guest book which my Dad bought for us from China. I kid you not it looks like something Confucius used if he was a pimp in the 1970's. It is A3 size, red velvet with gold Chinese writing and red glossy pages. On the drive back we realized we were starving and were delighted to drive past a small cafe that looked like they had exactly the kind of food we were looking for.

We loves flowers.

The Little Ox looks like it's in a place where an old milk bar used to be but has been fully renovated and decked out in modern art and Scandinavian wood tones. It seems like an established local favourite, people come in, nod to the staff and they are rewarded with their favourite coffee, done their way.

We ordered the specials which, while we were reading the guestbook, forgot to record down. So basically it was an egg brunchy dish and a pulled pork sammich.

Poached egg with sausage on corn bread with beetroot relish.

Pulled pork sandwich with iceberg lettuce, tomato and kumara crisps.

We liked it, also we love their cute little name. We also love love our friends and family, and especially my Dad.

The Little Ox
452 New Street

Brighton

9596 6577