I Love You Oscar W

Is it possible to fall totally in love with a restaurant?  If it is – I have.  It is true love!

A couple of years ago two friends of mine, both chefs, introduced me to Oscar W and it was love at first sight.

Overlooking the Murray River in Echuca, Victoria, Oscar W sits high on the riverbank next to Echuca’s famous Red Gum Wharf and Port of Echuca’s paddle steamer fleet. The views of the mighty Murray are simply beautiful – calming, peaceful, tranquil.

Inside the restaurant, the red gum grill and deck bar areas are also beautiful.  The creators of Oscar W have used recycled timbers, galvanised iron and stainless steel.  There is a huge open fireplace that mesmerises you as you sit on the antique lounges which create such a comforting experience.  It’s so lovely that you don’t want to leave.

The Age Good Food Guide 2012 awarded Oscar W with a prestigious Chefs Hat.  This was an honor well and truly deserved.

When I recently returned to my love, Oscar W, I walked in and noticed there was a blackboard out the front that said “Deluxe food, lush wine, great coffee, awesome views”.  This is 100% correct. Eight words is all it takes to best describe this place.

Oscar W has an all-day menu to enjoy at the bar, a lunch menu and a dinner menu.   On this occasion two colleagues and I enjoyed a sample of the lunch menu.  We sat by the window, sun beaming through the glass as we overlooked the water and the bush land surrounding it.

As a starter we ordered the ‘grilled flatbread and dips – beetroot and apple, pumpkin and feta, rocket and pine nut’ ($16.50).  The flatbread is house made and grilled on the red gum grill – it is purely divine.  It is thicker than usual for a flatbread and lightly salted.  The dips were also delicious, the freshness and flavors were very well balanced.  I particularly enjoyed the beetroot and apple and the pumpkin and feta.

The next course was quite difficult to decide.  So many options including vegetarian and gluten free dishes. From the small plates section I went with the ‘Fish Cakes – romesco sauce, truffled coddled egg, avocado salsa ($19.80) with a side dish of ‘Chickpeas fried, harissa, radicchio, and orange’ ($8).  The fish cakes were perfectly cooked – they almost melted in my mouth.  The flavor was delicate not too fishy or overpowering and the sweetness of the avocado salsa made a perfect pairing.

The fried chickpeas had a bitter sweet sensation of flavor which via the orange and radicchio was very complimentary to the chickpeas and harissa.  This was an excellent side dish something different to the norm.  Both dishes were well supported by a crisp floral glass of sauvignon blanc.  The perfect lunch.

My colleagues ordered and thoroughly enjoyed the ‘Prime Australian Beef – “minute steak” (150 gram cooked medium) with roasted tomato, confit garlic, potato gratin, red wine jus ($27) and ‘Crispy Pork Belly, baked scallops, corn puree, agro dolce, apple slaw ($22.50).  I can’t expand any further on these dishes as they were not prepared to share and let me sample!

Our waiter was one of the three managers of Oscar W.  He was excellent.  He managed the floor solo serving around ten tables and giving each one the perfect amount of time, attention and conversation.  Very impressive Liam.

It is well worth the trip to visit Oscar W.  It is positively the jewel in the crown for Echuca.  The next time I visit to continue my love affair it will be for dinner – I can hardly wait.

Food – 9/10

Service – 9/10
Ambiance – 10/10

www.oscarws.com.au

Food Revolution Day Soup

Jamie Oliver is amazing.  Everything he does for real food, healthy eating and the next generation of Chefs inspires me.

Food Revolution Day is a worldwide phenomenon.  It is today – May 19.  It is a day that Jamie Oliver has created to bring people together who love food to share information, talents and resources; to pass on their resources and highlight the world food issues.  His aim is to inspire change in people’s food habits and to promote the mission for better food, educate everyone and reduce worldwide obesity.

“We need to get back to basics and start thinking about where food comes from”. – www.foodrevolutionday.com

So today this is how I am getting involved in Food Revolution Day.  I have created a delicious hearty winter soup to share with you. 

Food for You Reviews Food Revolution Day Soup

What you need –

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 diced brown onion
800 grams diced carrot, celery, leek, turnip, parsnip, broccoli stem, cauliflower stem, parsley (or precut veggie mix)
½ cup red lentils
½ cup dried soup mix
1.5 litres vegetable stock
420 gram can of 5 bean mix
400 gram can of diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon curry powder (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste – I used Murray River Gourmet salt flakes and cracked pepper.

What you do –

In a large pot heat the olive oil then add diced onion until translucent.  Add diced vegetables and heat through for 2-3 minutes.  Then add stock.  Stir.

Add lentils, soup mix and 5 bean mix and bring to the boil.  Simmer and add can of diced tomatoes, salt and pepper and curry powder if you wish.

Simmer until lentils and beans are cooked through – keep stirring occasionally so the lentils don’t stick to the bottom of your pot.

Serve with a dollop of natural yoghurt and some crusty bread.

Yum Yum - join me with a bowl for dinner tonight.

Thank you Jamie Oliver for all that you do for food.

Happy Food Revolution Day friends!

Chocolate & Beetroot - really?

Over a decade ago in a lovely little cafe in Mildura, a town in the north west of Victoria, I had the delectable experience of Chocolate & Beetroot Cake - admittedly more than once!
Prior to eating it I remember thinking (and probably saying) this was one of the most bizarre pairings of food combinations EVER and I was expecting it to taste terrible.

Much to my surprise it was pretty incredible and I remember saying that it was one of the best chocolate cakes I had ever eaten. It was so moist and the sweetness was evenly balanced. Not as dense as a mud cake and not fluffy like a sponge cake. But close to cake perfection. Now I must add here that I am not a huge cake person. In fact my preferred type of cake is a dolly varden ice cream cake. I'm not even sure if that counts. I am definitely more of a savoury person. However, that said...

As hard as I tried at the time to get the recipe I had no luck. For the many years that have followed I have searched high and low for it - trying many versions along the way but to no avail - not even close.

So to my delight a couple of months ago I discovered a chocolate and beetroot brownie recipe in a magazine. I immediately raced out to the supermarket and purchased all of the ingredients and commenced baking. To make things even better it was a very quick and easy recipe to follow and in one hour I was looking at a beautiful chocolate and beetroot brownie. Excitement!

Whilst I realise that a cake and a brownie have their differences from one another - it was the flavour and the texture that I remember clearly from my past chocolate and beetroot cake experience all those years ago. When eating the brownie I had a case of deja vu - a delicious, moist and a flavour that is rich but makes you think there is a 'naughty' ingredient in there. Like when there is rum in a rum ball!

I am sure with a few minor variations this recipe would be great as a cake. It wasn't as dense as a brownie normally is. It had an airy texture which was quite cake like. It wasn't heavy or a commitment to eat like a brownie can be. It was a well-balanced chocolate hit.

Chocolate & Beetroot Brownie – WHO Magazine

What you need (makes 16) -

200 grams dark chocolate, 45-50% cocoa

125 grams butter
1 large beetroot, grated 1 ¼ cups
4 eggs
1 ½ cups caster sugar
1 cup self-raising flour
½ cup almond meal

What you do -

1.      Pre heat oven to 150oC (170oC conventional oven).  Line a 22cm x 22 cm brownie tin with baking paper.

2.      Cut chocolate into small even pieces.  Place in a medium sized bowl with butter.  Place over a pot of hot water (making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water) and stir regularly until chocolate is melted.  Once melted add grated beetroot and stir to combine.

3.      Meanwhile, using an electric beater, whisk eggs and sugar on high speed for three minutes.  Fold through flour, almond meal and melted chocolate with beetroot.

4.      Pour into prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes.

5.      Allow to cool before removing from tin.  Once cooled, slice into 16 squares.  Will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

 Tip – for a denser, richer brownie use 70% cocoa chocolate and reduce cooking time by 5-8 minutes.

FYI - I used tinned beetroot over fresh when I tried this recipe.

Enjoy friends!

Origini – piccolo Italia gemma nascosta

During the week I was in Castlemaine and had lunch in a café called Origini with a local, who is also a friend of mine.  It is always the wisest thing to do when you are in a town you are not familiar with – ask a local!  They know where the hidden gems are. Castlemaine has many gems when it comes to food and dining and Origini is one of them. 

It is possible you could walk or drive past Origini if you weren’t looking for it even though it is on the main road through town.  It feels like a true little piece of Italy, which is probably silly of me to say because I have never been to Italy. But it looks sounds and smells authentic Italian. You are made so welcome when you arrive, right throughout your meal and until you walk out the door.  It is a petite space with only eight small tables inside, two on the footpath out the front and another eight in the lovely little garden out the back.

My local tells me that Origini has not been open long – maybe one year.  It is owned by Luca and Ingrid who came to Castlemaine from Melbourne and Northern Italy before that.  They are open Monday to Friday for breakfast and lunch and Friday nights for pizza night.  I am told this is a very popular night and it is hard to get a table.

Their coffee is a Brazilian blend of 100% Rainforest Alliance coffee beans roasted by a boutique roaster in King Lake especially for Origini.  They also use organic milk.  Origini is licensed with a sample of vini, birre and aperitivi.

Their lunch menu is simple but delicious – piadine (traditional Italian flat bread) with various fillings, bruschetta, salad, assaggi (tasting platters), formaggi (cheese platter), ravioli and a special of the day.

Our waiter, with his thick Italian accent, entices us into ordering the Assaggi per amici (tasting platter for two to share) – Vecchiet Casalinga salame, San Daniele prosciutto crudo, buffalo mozzarella, roast capsicum with garlic & capers, semi dried olives, rocket ($30).  Each part of the platter is explained in detail to us telling us how it will taste, what flavors mix well and where the produce is sourced.

The platter was so fresh and full of flavor – everything was matched together well and was perfectly complimented with some crusty bread and olive oil.  We left not a crumb!

Just for fun I ended the meal with a slice of frangipani and plum cake ($7) and a cappuccino ($3.50).  I love it when I can drink a coffee and not need to put sugar in it.  That speaks volumes to me about how the coffee has been made by the barista.  The cake was perfect – even sweetness and just out of the oven - well worth the calories!

Origini – piccolo Italia gemma nascosta - little Italian hidden gem.

Food – 8/10

Service – 8/10
Ambience - 8/10

Origini

213 Barker Street, Castlemaine.
T: (03) 5472 1766