This Week In Food: Octopus legs and modern Indian cuisine

THIS WEEK IN FOOD

PARKING IT HERE – Carlton North’s community favourite, Park St Dining, has a new head honcho in the kitchen. Starting out in the UK, here in Melbourne Greg McFarland has been on the pans at cafe faves like St Ali & the Kettle Black, and Park St has launched an all-day menu with strong Asian leanings. Expect dishes like octopus legs with poached eggs, yuzu hollandaise, marrow and caper crumb; or ricotta on toast, salsa verde, pickled radishes, lemon myrtle and Port Lincoln sardines. It sounds pretty fun, check it out: www.parkstreetdining.com.au

THE UNDERDOG – Well, it had a dramatic makeOVER in 2017, now new owners of Prahran’s iconic venue, The Smith, have decided to get it back to its roots with a makeUNDER. In the atrium alone, gone is the concrete and corrugated iron, and back in, some softer, warmer tones, timber and greenery. They’re promising an “ingredient-driven” menu led by seasonal produce, some pub classics, and Saturday bottomless brunch with a twist – a roving gospel choir, six spritzes, and inspired food options priced at $60 for one dish, two hours of drinks.  www.thesmithprahran.com.au

INDIAN GIVER – I mentioned quickly a couple of week ago a new arrival on Gertrude St. It’s Indian…ish! Well, it’s called Ish, and they promised a modern take on traditional Indian cooking. And that’s pretty much what you’ll get. I dropped in this week, it’s a beautiful space, the service was terrific, and we had some really tasty food. My faves on the night were the Chicken tikka – cooked beautifully and served with caramelised onions and “burrani” yoghurt; or the surprisingly spicy Cornfed Chicken Maryland with masala onions and creamy yoghurt. It’s worth a look: http://www.ishrestaurant.com.au/

WALKING TO WINE – Stumbled upon an interesting offering on Facebook – “Urban Hiking”. These guys offer up fun ways to explore Melbourne on foot, often with a culinary bent. Take for example a cheeky half day cruise-hike-food-booze package to the West on Sat Dec 8. You’ll cruise across to Williamstown on a ferry, walk north along the river to Spotswood where you’ll settle in at Hudsons Road Wine & Beer for a drink and delicious spread of charcuterie. For $65 you’ll get a one way ferry ticket (you can easily train back to town from Spotswood), tapas style lunch, a beer or wine, and a friendly walking guide to get you there safely. More info via their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/urbanhikingaustralia