Movida Next Door

I had this unusually super exciting lucky day this week.  Mid week I’m just sitting there checking my twitter feed over lunch, as I do, and Em Rusciano has tweeted that she has three double passes to give away to her show, “Puberty Rhythm and Blues”.  Her show is currently on at the ‘Forum’ for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.  All I had to do was send an email.

So I thought why not, nothing to lose right?  To my delight a little while later I receive an email back to say I’d been successful in gaining one of the double passes.  Me… a WINNER.  I won!  After reading the email 18 times I realised it wasn’t a mistake and I had actually won. 

I was so thrilled because I love Em.  I think she is awesome and she reminds me a little of myself.  Not in an outward way but inwardly.  She writes and talks about things that I have thought only go on in my head or in my life!  It’s like she’s the mouthpiece for what I’m thinking.  And she can sing.  I can sing too but I sound awful – she sounds great!

Off I go to her hilarious show and was super star struck as she delivered the very open story about her puberty and the impending puberty of her daughter! It was laugh so hard you’re rolling around on the floor.  Go see it if you can.  There is still time.

After the show it was time to eat.  Right next door to the ‘Forum’ is MOVIDA NEXT DOOR.  Perfect.  As my friend and I walk over I literally run into Andy Lee (from Hamish & Andy).  Another celeb that I just love…by the way he seems taller in real life… After I finish being an embarrassing celebrity spotter loser.  I gather myself and now go to eat.

And of course there’s a wait – the place was packed.  I felt so hungry I thought I might eat my own arm off.  But after only one drink worth of a wait we were seated at the bar. 

The staff at MOVIDA NEXT DOOR were very professional, polite and knowledgeable.   The way the waiter/barman explained the menu was considered and enticing.  It was around about now I wished I’d learnt Spanish at school.

With my eyes being way bigger than my stomach by this point, we ordered –

• ·      Monte Enebro $8 each
• ·      Pollo $8 each
• ·      Bocadillo De Chorizo $8 each
• ·      Remolacha $12.50
• ·      Berenjenas $13.50

I’m tempted not to explain the dishes any further and say just go in there and try them all because they were all perfectly divine!  Which they were but I should tell you what they translate to for the non – Spanish readers.

Monte Enebro – Roquefort culture semi soft goats cheese.  This cheese was flawless.  A balanced flavor matched with fig.

Pollo – Chicken skewer grilled on charcoal.  This was smoky, smoky goodness.

Bocadillo De Chorizo – Chorizo and pickled piparra pepper sandwich.  Try saying that after a few sangria's!  This was the cutest little sandwich I’ve ever seen.  My pick of the night.

Remolacha – Beetroot, goats curd, pickled garlic and honey roasted walnuts.  Put goats curd on anything and you’ve won me but topped off with the sweetness of the walnuts I was in LOVE.

Berenjenas – Eggplant chips with salmorejo.  I just can’t get enough of eggplant chips.  Who’d of thought it?!

MOVIDA NEXT DOOR has not lost any of its charm or purpose.  If you’ve never been, go – it’s tapas at it’s finest.

Food – 8/10

Service – 9/10

Ambiance – 8/10

MOVIDA NEXT DOOR

Hosier Lane, Melbourne.

(03) 9663 3038

www.movida.com.au

Maha Bar & Grill

Shane Delia is everywhere for me at the moment.  He’s all over every media form there is. You see his happy face on TV cooking and morning shows.  He’s savvy in social media and there’s plenty of stories and reviews about him in the print media. It’s easy to see why once you have been to the Middle Eastern magic at his semi underground restaurant that is Maha Bar and Grill in Bond Street, Melbourne.

Innovative, creative, passionate, cheeky are all words used to describe Shane Delia and at just 32 years of age he has certainly ticked some boxes in the culinary world.  Winning Chef’s Hats, rave reviews, multiple awards, writing cookbooks and opening a second restaurant ‘St Katherine’s’ in Kew.

Last month I went to my first ‘Problogger’ Event – a food and wine blogging dinner and I briefly met Shane Delia. He was polite, cheery, approachable and genuine about his love for food and the hospitality industry.  Most true hospitality people are all of those things, but what I really liked about Shane was this glow he radiates when he speaks of his food and the menu we were eating from on the night.  The other thing I admired was that none of this amazing success that he is experiencing, and has experienced at a young age, has gone to his head.

Maha is simply exquisite. Everything about it shines.  From the moment you step inside you feel welcome by the staff and the Arabian ambiance.  There were around 100 people at the dinner I attended and we were all seated and treated like kings and queens for the evening.  The menu was shared plates and a perfect way to experience the Mediterranean mystic of Maha’s kitchen delights.

Sahen zghir – first course

Black cardamom broth, braised beef and shimiji mushrooms

Local olives in fel fel

Roasted apricot kernels, Aleppo pepper and laban

Shaved salad of broccoli, cauliflower, carrot and tahini mayonnaise

Wine match – 2011 de bortoli ‘la boheme’ act three, point gris and friends, yarra valley vic

Sahen kbeer - second course

Pan friend trumpeter, freekah, crunchy quinoa with chargrilled spring onions and paprika vinaigrette

Corn fed chicken tagine, broken egg, corn bread, saffron, Iranian figs, sujuk soil

12 hour roasted mt. leura lamb shoulder, pistachio and green olive tabouleh

Mouabalet, sides

Lentils and spinach, burghul pilaf

Fattoush, Lebanese bread salad

Wine match – 2011 de bortoli ‘vinoque’ roundstone vineyard, gamay noir, yarra valley vic

Helwayet – sweets

Sticky date pudding, peanut ice cream truffle, roasted peanut nougatine with salted caramel sauce

Coconut milk and water jelly, coconut foam, spiced strawberry and sumac pearls, strawberry powder

Turkish delight filled doughnuts, rosewater honey, candied almonds

Wine match – 2008 de bortoli ‘noble one’ botrytis semillon, bilbul nsw

I can’t tell you what my favourite dish was or which flavors were the best because it was all amazing.  The food was clean, delicious and flawless.  The wines complimented each course impeccably.  Staff were slick and the service was thoughtful throughout the evening. 

I insist you go to Maha the next time you want to dine out in the city of Melbourne.  You won’t be disappointed.

Maha Bar and Grill

21 Bond Street, Melbourne.

Phone – 03 9629 5900

http://mahabg.com.au/

*Due to my Maha experience being a pre-planned set menu event I will not score it as I normally would in a restaurant review.