Regular ice cream is over. I’m all about that scroll life now. Scroll Ice Cream is Australia’s first cold plate ice creamery, inspired by Thai St vendors that forgo the classic single-scoop for a thin and creamy frozen spread that’s rolled up into itself. Best of all, each order is made fresh with a handpicked selection of locally sourced ingredients.
190 High St, Windsor.
Blood Pudding at Rob’s British Butchers
The great people of England have some pretty questionable tastes in food, none more so than the fear-inducing black pudding. There’s no two ways about this one. You either love it, or think that the idea of a blood based sausage is the most detestable idea known to man. Wherever you stand on it, one thing’s for certain – the famous Rob’s British Butcher’s is the place to go when you want to add a bit of horror to the next barbecue.
77 Lonsdale St, Dandenong.
Vegemite Salt Calamari at Shaw Davey Slum
Australia loves seafood. Australia loves Vegemite. It’s in the best interest of the nation – nay, the world – to combine the two, chuck it on a grill and see what the hell it tastes like. Thankfully, the twisted geniuses down at the Slum know their way around the kitchen because this tastes a whole lot better than how it probably should.
171-175 Elgin St, Carlton.
Forget the Italians, those traditionalists are still cooking pizza like it’s the middle of the 10th century. It’s 2016 and I want to eat my pizza in a cone so I can use my spare hand to live stream the entire experience. Highly recommended comes ‘the lot’: a pizza cone packed to the hilt with smoked ham, bacon, spicy chorizo sausage, chicken before being lathered in molten cheese. Now that’s amore.
500 Chapel St, Prahran.
Get out of here prawns, your time is over. Yabbies are officially the way forward. In that respect, Melbourne Yabby House are leading the charge using the humble crustacean as the basis for their range of traditional and inventive Chinese food.
264 Russell St, Melbourne.
Earl Grey Tea, Pork and Lemon Sausage Roll at Zumbo
Master patisserie Adriano Zumbo is known as the Willy Wonka of Australian sweets, namely for his croissant-meets-doughnut creations and bubblegum flavoured macaroons. However, his flagship store also stocks some pies and sausage rolls that give the lunch break classics and contemporary twist. None more so than his Earl Grey, pork and lemon flavoured culinary invention. For times when the service station bain-marie just isn’t delivering the goods.
Claremont St, South Yarra.
Everything is better in the form of a burger and sushi is no exception. Hand rolls are deconstructed and served between two freshly made rice buns with wasabi, lettuce, Japanese mayonnaise and sushi nori. Options include vegetable tempura, teriyaki chicken and teriyaki eel with cucumber.
167 Exhibition St, CBD.
Chef’s Nero Burger at Burger Lab
The Nero Burger comes with jet black brioche buns, caused by using squid ink in the baking process. In between them you’ll find chipotle mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, Skull Island king prawns and a lemon salad. Spooky.
63 Florence St, Mentone.
Lamb Brains with Caper Sauce at Fance Soir
Lamb Brains with Caper Sauce – or Cervelles d’agneau aux câpres – if you’re trying to impress your date – is a traditional French dish. But let’s be real, it’s also downright weird. I guess you could call it a delicacy of sorts. Served with a healthy amount of caper sauce to bring out that real, uh, brainy goodness.
11 Toorak Road, South Yarra.
Mexican Beef Pancakes at Flippin’ Pancakes
Pancakes just went south of the border with this concoction. Two crepes are filled with Mexican style beef, spicy tomato salsa, tasty cheese, sour creme and lettuce. It’s like a fiesta in your mouth, where only the bravest pancake enthusiasts are invited. Also on offer are butter chicken pancakes topped with curry, rice and mango chutney. Pass the maple syrup?
327 Mount Dandenong Tourist Rd, Sassafras.
BY JAMES DI FABRIZIO
