A New Patch on the River - Seagrass Restaurant

Regrettably this post had been languishing forgotten in draft for quite some time so hopefully our experience hadn’t become too redundant. But the restaurant is still quite new so it’s worth posting about. It is obvious that we at Spot4Nosh have a fondness for seafood. So it didn’t take much time for us to hear about a new seafood-centric fine diner that opened in the city during the latter part of 2007 and it didn’t take much longer after that to find an excuse to visit, given that decent restaurants with such a focus are rather scarce in Melbourne. That the occasion was to celebrate a new job offer with anticipated salary increase made the pleasure all the more guilt free. Seagrass Restaurant had opened for about 7 weeks when we visited a few days before Christmas, which might be just enough time for it to get over any teething problems and settle into some sort of rhythm. The new restaurant is actually a spin-off of ‘Pure South’, a pre-existing Southgate resident located immediately downstairs that spouts an admirable dedication to cuisine prepared from Bass Strait and Tasmanian sourced produce. Both restaurants apparently share the same owner-managers but are operated as independent entities with respective dedicated head chefs.

Classy interior with heavy comfortable white leather-bound chairs

Seagrass can be entered from either the ground level or the floor above (the mid-level) from within the Southgate complex at Southbank. We walked in from the river promenade at ground level and were led moth-like up the stairs by the mesmerising feature column illuminated by thematic multihued panels of aquamarine blues and yellows. The dining room itself however was in calmer relief, clean modern lines of glass, timber and concrete, dominated on the river side by large tilt-windows that provided a bright airy feel and good views out to the Yarra River below. We were led to a window-side table and with the big frame tilted open to let in the early evening breeze, it was almost as good as dining on an outside veranda. A handsome shimmering chandelier called attention to a separate function area dressed in opposing colour scheme and cordoned off by a glass wall. The overall feel however, was more corporate ‘clinching-a-deal’ diner than an intimate ‘special meal-for-two’ venue although the cosiness factor improved as daylight faded into the glittering night-time atmosphere of Southbank promenade and the city across the river.

The menu naturally concentrated on modern preparations of fish and other seafood dishes, although a couple of amusing entrée choices labelled as “refined classics” offered re-interpretations of the now out-of-fashion prawn cocktail and Oysters Kilpatrick. I suspect that as a consequence of the fresh seafood focus the menu could alter quite suddenly in response to the availability and quality of the provenance, which is not really a bad thing. On our visit even at an early sitting, we were apologetically informed that coral trout on the menu will have to be substituted for an alternative as the quality of remaining supplies no longer met chef’s expectations, and later on in the evening we overheard other tables being told that the John Dory (which I had) was also out. In those early days though, this could have been due to the kitchen still refining their supply and demand requirements. Following orders, really good sourdough baguette slices with a truly delicious crust were offered. An accompanying ramekin of good soft butter was also notable as it made a pleasant change from the ubiquitous pour of so-so vinegared olive oils that have pervaded everywhere else these days. There was also a complimentary taste-starter of a faintly smoky and very moreish salmon-based spread or rillette which called for more bread, happily supplied. I was sufficiently inspired by this to have attempted to recreate it for dinner guests at home!

Delicious slivers of 16-hour cured Petuna ocean trout

Our proper entrées consisted of the special of Slow Cured Petuna Ocean Trout served with Horseradish Cream ($16.90) which was pleasantly oily, ruby coloured slivers of premium ocean trout cured gravlax style to impart a delicious mix of rich, sweet and tart flavours highlighted by bitter points of dill. A good value and impressive starter considering the very generous serving. We also tried the Roast Quail, Boudin of Chicken, Herb Salad, Shallot and Sherry Dressing ($17.50) to detour slightly from the fish courses. Another successful call with crispy skinned quarters of roasted bird contrasting well with cute little creamy chicken sausages, roast potatoes and fresh salad dressed with a faintly sweet and tangy salsa. Of the Mains, there was Pave of Atlantic Salmon, Moreton Bay Bug Tails, Crushed Kipfler Potato, Crustacean Oil ($34.90), a perfectly pink tile of salmon saddled over a textured mix of waxy potato and diced crustacean meat. On a similar fish over spuds and crustacean theme was my Crispy Sautéed John Dory, Yabbies, Silky Potato Puree, Zucchini Flower, Saffron Jus ($37.90). For a fish with a quick tendency for tough dryness if not done with care, the couple of dory fillets had been cleverly pan-roasted to produce a nice crispy golden skin yet retaining flaky tenderness and moisture in the flesh. Accompanying the fillets were a good piping of creamy mash potato, a nicely tempura’d zucchini flower stuffed with what was possibly goat’s cheese, and shelled yabby tails that may have been briefly roasted, the lot arranged over a saffron jus which had the deep rich flavour reminiscent of a reduction over roasted crustacean shells. We also shared a refreshing herbed salad ($8.50) of sliced cucumber, baby cos, radish and extremely flavourful cherry tomatoes, testimony to the attention paid to the sourcing of quality produce.

An outstanding and hearty entrée of roasted quail

Service was unobtrusively friendly and helpful and mostly provided by the same waiter dedicated to our corner of the restaurant. The wait staff at seagrass were smartly uniformed but could look just as comfortable re-glueing soles back on your shoes as they did waiting on tables, their grey-brown striped three-quarter length aprons reminded us of a team of old-school cobblers. Our overall impression of the food at Seagrass however, was a determined attempt by the kitchen to ensure that quality seafood can be showcased if unadulterated by careless preparation. Dishes were uncomplicated with the main focus certainly being the fish on offer. No precariously balanced Jenga-like stacks of bits and bobs on plates here although that being said, at this fine-dining end of the price range perhaps a little more imagination is needed in plating than the same final fingerful of mixed salad leaves on every dish?

Perfectly crisped skins on John Dory fillets over saffron jus

Back to that evening though quite full and content, we were nonetheless persuaded to try the dessert special ($16.50), a pot of luscious dark chocolate ganache served with a refreshingly bitey pineapple granita and a lightly scorched (blowtorched?) toffee-topped banana half. Like the dishes that preceded it, this was eye-openingly delightful in its simplicity.

Food: 4 spots – Finely done seafood with good choices of fish.
Service: 4 spots – Professional and amiable.
Value: 3.5 spots – Good value entrées, Mains definitely at fine dining territory.
R-Factor: 4 spots – Worth a return visit to see how it has settled.
Spot Score: 16/20

Seagrass Restaurant
MR6 Mid-level Southgate, Southbank Melbourne, VIC.

Edit: Spot4Nosh regretfully believes that the Seagrass Restaurant at Southbank is no longer in business.

Happy Valentine's...and How to Wow Your Loved One - Singapore Chilli Crab

As Valentine's Day is but tomorrow and because I'm in a generous holiday mood, let me tell you how to thoroughly impress and fully satiate your respective loved ones. And it'll work on those whom you're trying to make an impression on for the first time as well. Intrigued?

If you live anywhere around the tropical top end of Australia, slap on your trusty Akubra (the one studded with crocodile teeth), hop into you beat up tinnie (aluminium dinghy), avoid the angry and hungry cousins of those crocs you'd extracted teeth from, and go catch yourself a good sized muddie (mud crab)...
Failing the above, simply mortgage your house so to be able to afford to get down to your similarly trusty fishmonger or seafood purveyor and secure yourself a large live mud crab of around 1.2-1.5 kg. This morning, lively and extremely vicious looking specimens were an eye-popping $36.90 per kg at the popular Charis Seafoods on the Gold Coast in Queensland. Whether slightly cheaper or dearer, a good sized individual would probably cost you around the $50 mark, but your Valentine is worth it right?

Once back in your kitchen (of course it's all about food!), either dunk the crab into a generous slurry of ice (water chilled thoroughly with loads of ice cubes) or into the freezer for 20-30 minutes to put the crab well and truly to sleep so as to avoid cruelty, and any chance of losing parts of your extremities to its crushing claws. The next steps are not for the weak or squeamish but you'll have to properly rinse the crab under running water, then remove its carapace (give this a quick rinse and retain for cooking) and discard all of the grey gill section (known colloquially as the dead man's fingers). Remove the two large claws from the rest of the body then using a sturdy knife, divide each claw into half at the joint and chop the body of the crab into four quarters. Next, crack all of the crab's heavily shelled joints and claw sections with confident sharp blows using a heavy steel kitchen mallet or hammer (but avoid over shattering the shells). Set all crab pieces aside ready for cooking and follow the simple recipe below for the rest of the ingredients needed to prepare the world renown Singapore Chilli Crab!

1.2-1.5 kg cleaned mud crab pieces
2 eggs (beaten)
1 Tbs fresh ginger (finely julienned)
2 stalks spring onion (roughly chopped)
8 Tbs oil

Sauce (mix together):
1 Tbs sugar
1-2 tsp salt (to taste)
4-5 Tbs tomato ketchup (Heinz)

Rempah or chilli paste (blended or pounded together): (edited)
2 large slices ginger
2 large cloves garlic
6-8 large fresh red chillies (depending on heat and to taste, but dish should have some heat)
8-10 red shallots
6 candlenuts
2 fresh kaffir lime leaves (finely slivered)
1 lemongrass stalk (use the tender inner leaves and bulb, roughly chopped)
1 thumb-sized knob galangal (outer skin scraped away)
1 thumbnail sized piece fermented shrimp paste or belacan (dry roasted)


Heat large wok until very hot, add in 6 Tbs oil and stir-fry crab pieces for several minutes until coated in oil and shells turned just slightly orange, then remove. Add further 2 Tbs oil to wok and fry ginger and the rempah until fragrant. Return crab to wok and quickly toss, then add the sauce mixture and stir. Add 2 capfuls of Xiao Tsing wine (chinese cooking rice wine) or sherry and a dash of water to deglaze, return to the boil and cover wok to cook for 5 minutes. Lower the heat and stir in eggs to thicken the sauce and nicely coat the crab pieces. Dish onto a large platter and serve immediately!
(Recipe modified slightly from Mrs Lee's Cookbook by Mrs Lee Chin Koon, Eurasia Press. This is an invaluable reference for authetic and unadulterated Singaporean Nonya recipes authored by the mother of Singapore's most illustrious statesman and former Prime Minister, Lee Kwan Yew).


Let me add that you simply cannot get the same enjoyment from Singapore chilli crab at a fine dining restaurant compared to tucking in at home (or at a hawker or street corner stall when in Singapore), although some such establishments do offer it (see Pearl Restaurant Richmond's ode to the full moon). If dining on mud crabs at Pearl, I dare say that you'll discover that I'm really not joking about pawning the house! But back to tackling chilli crab at home, you'll be able to forget about any table niceties, arm yourselves simply with a nutcracker and get down and dirty with your fingers! In Singapore, the dish is usually served with mantou (or chinese steamed buns) to mop up the wonderful crabby and eggy chilli sauce with once you're done with the crab but crispy grilled baguettes can be a worthy substitute.


As for Valentine's night following your mud crab meal, you'll look across the table at your partner and see a goofy and fully contented grin with chilli crab sauce thoroughly smeared over both hands and on their face, and know that there'll be enough euphoria left over that they'll be putty in your hands for the rest of the evening!

Non-Fish Lovers Beware, Gratuitous Head Shot! - Brisbane Food

Currently back at my childhood haunts and family hometown of the Gold Coast and Brisbane for the week. The Gold Coast is ever busier but essentially remains the same familiar concentration of vulgar urbanity. And as far as I can tell, the place is still largely a cultural and gastronomic desert. Brisbane I concede, is continuing to gain maturity. More surprising however, is that the source for this post comes from deep within that speedily malignant spread of urban development between the coast and the capital city. Our clan had gathered to celebrate the 96-th birthday of the family's most senior patriarch, descending on a relatively nondescript but hilariously named suburban Chinese (& Malaysian) restaurant close-by to the home of some family members.


Those in the know had organised a full 8-course banquet but out of the procession of dishes some of which were more successful than others, one stood out above. There's a bountiful of fresh fish that can be bought at the various markets and fishmongers back in Melbourne but for sheer variety, the addition of tropical varieties found in the states further north can't be beat. And there's no finer or more delicious example of tropical piscine flesh than a whole perfectly steamed, ruby-coloured Queensland Coral Trout; served simply with the fish's own steaming liquor sauced lightly with soy, generous slivers of spring onion and coriander sprigs, a little dash of sesame oil, plus a final slippery drizzle of hot plain oil that was used to lightly crisp garnishings of ginger and garlic to infuse the aromatics. Who will be able to get enough of the tender pearlescent white flesh spooned over with some of that sauce onto plain steamed rice? And finally, whose manners would be the first to give out and dive for those heavenly pockets of flesh cradled in both cheeks of the head! Salute!

Ya Hoo Seafood Restaurant
Shop 10-11, 22 Loganlea Road, Waterford, QLD
(Spot Score: 14/20; Fish Score: 19/20)

Spicing up a Sultry Evening - Bismi Restaurant

Cravings for a meal of curry led us on a lengthy stroll up Sydney Road one recent warm and sultry Friday evening. The first aim of the walk was to shake out the work-week cobwebs from our heads by soaking in the free urban sensory rush dealt out by this cosmopolitan stretch of Melbourne suburbia, but our end-goal for trekking towards the Coburg end was to get to Bismi Restaurant to satisfy those curry needs.

Respective bowls of Bismi's chilli chicken, prawn masala and vegetable curry enjoyed with roti paratta

The Sydney Road (and original) branch of Bismi serves up tantalising varieties of South Indian, Malaysian and Singaporean influenced spicy dishes and curries. On entry you'll be greeted by some of the staff that hold fort over the large curry bain marie which leads into a smallish front dining space. This room basically consists of a jumble of small tables and wobbly seating cubes that would give any typical dilapidated student sharehouse a run for their money, but no one seems to mind. We're all here for only one purpose, and that's to indulge in the cheap and tastily spiced food. If there are no free tables left in the front room, which is quite typical, you may be led further into the building where more dining space is available. Once we'd achieved a comfortable balance on our stools during this visit, we chose a Mixed Vegetable Curry ($5), the Prawn Masala ($8), and a Chilli Chicken dish ($6). More than enough for a filling meal for two. The two wet curries were heady with cumin, cardamon, mustard seed, and curry leaves, the vegetables in a mild and creamy green-style sauce while the chilli red prawn masala had a hint of vinegary tang. The winner for me however was the chilli chicken, dangerously red chicken pieces that had been marinated with tamarind and a richly spiced chilli coating. Hot stuff in every sense! A plate of plain basmati rice and several of Bismi's flaky and justifiably famous Roti Paratta (Prata/Paratha) ($2 each) were the perfect accompaniment to the curries. A glass of Mango Lassi ($3) helped temper the inevitable sweating and chilli induced lip numbness. Service from the mix of hired help and Indian students was of the untrained variety and easily distracted but all requests could be sufficiently met despite the restaurant's constantly hectic environment. Again, at these prices as long as food was brought to the table nobody seemed to be bothered in the least!

Food: 3.5 spots - For tasty spicy SE Asian and South Indian style curries.
Service: 2.5 spots - Orders are taken, food arrives, leave it at that.
Value: 4.5 spots - True cheap and tasty.
R-value: 5 spots - Definitely returnable.
Spot Score: 16/20

Bismi Restaurant
848 Sydney Road, Brunswick, VIC.

Ringing in the New Year

Spot4Nosh mostly documents our dining-out experiences. But we have been good lately. Plus it had been a month for entertaining so we have been eating rather well at home, which is perfectly fine for heralding in yet another year. So here's a quick photo-blog of some of the dishes we'd cooked up in the past month...

We're by no means 'morning-people', so rarely get to enjoy a decent breakfast during the working week. So at least one morning of the weekend, we'll jangle pots and pans in the kitchen to prepare an indulgent brunch over one or more cups of good brewed coffee, such as coddled egg steamed with anchovy butter, slivers of spicy salami, semi-dried and fresh cherry tomatoes, and mixed fresh herbage. Tipped over toasted slices of ciabatta.

One quiet Saturday evening in, KB roasted a tender rack of pork with perfect crackling, accompanied with roasted white peaches, pumpkin and dollops from a jar of homemade mango chutney that was a gift we received over Christmas. Enjoyed with a bitter-leaf salad over a couple of glasses of chardy...in front of the box watching "Iron Chef" of course!


Friends over for a dinner party was the perfect excuse to heat some oil up for a couple of dozen tempura Coffin Bay Pacific oysters served back in their shells with a light shoyu and lemon vinaigrette and topped with smoked nori shards. Had to be quick with the camera as they didn't last long.


The day after another dinner with friends over provided us with enough leftovers to produce hearty salads for lunch. Reheated halves of five-spice roasted quail with warmed Kipfler potatoes, baby cos lettuce and rocket, fennel heart, cherry tomatoes and freshly shaved parmesan.


What happens when we'd set our minds and dinner preparations on risotto and a desperate rummage through the larder revealed that we were out of Arborio rice? Well we substituted with pearl barley mixed with one-third of long grain red rice and turned out a winning meal of 'risotto' with chargrilled scallops, calamari and fennel. The pearl barley grains were starchy sponges for both wine and stock which resulted in a creamy dish full of flavour, while the red rice provided al dente highlights.

Smoked Trout Rillettes

We were introduced to a wonderfully tasty version of rillettes made from Atlantic salmon to accompany warm sourdough baguette slices as an amuse bouche at a recent restaurant visit. There was pretty decent plain butter on the table as well but that was soon all but forgotten once we'd started smearing the equally buttery and lightly savoury salmon-based spread onto our crusty pieces of bread. So when we were expecting visitors over for New Year's eve dinner, I was inspired to attempt to conjure up something similar to spice up a starting cheese and antipasto platter. A brief search on the internet led me to David Lebovitz's great recipe for salmon rillettes, which uses a combination of poached (or steamed) salmon flesh and cold-smoked salmon and is probably quite close to the version we had at the restaurant. However being time constrained and a bit lazy, I simplified and slightly modified the recipe by substituting salmon for a single hot-smoked trout bought from a market deli instead. This eliminated any need for pre-cooking the fish although the final product was probably just a little bit less bright in colour, and smokier and more savoury in flavour. Perfectly nothing wrong with that though as it still looked pretty sexy and tasted fantastic!

Smoked trout rillettes:
250-300 g flesh from one hot-smoked trout (~30 cm), removed from bones
50-60 g unsalted butter
1 Tbp grassy extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbps chopped chives
1 Tbp chopped mint
1/2 Tbsp chopped dill or fennel tops
1/4 tsp smoked paprika and pinch of chilli flakes
Juice of half a lemon and 1/4 tsp zest

The preparation couldn't be easier. Simply emulsify the softened butter with the olive oil using a fork or hand-whisk, then add all of the ingredients into a food processor and whizz to combine into a spread-like consistency. However, do not overblend into an absolute smooth paste as you would want to retain at least some of the filligreed texture in the spread. Once you're happy with the texture, season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Scrape into a dish, cover with cling wrap and chill for at least a couple of hours. Serve at room temperature with crackers or even better, toasted slices of pide or other crusty bread.

Christmas Comestibles

Dare I mention how fast time is flying by? One week it's Christmas and New Year's and now suddenly, we are already gaining hair-raising momentum into the new year. Anyway we spent a quiet but nonetheless very pleasant Christmas indulging over food at the home of some lovely friends, fellow season's orphans away from family. The weather was unpleasantly hot so it was fortunate that plans had not included the traditional oven roasted meats. Plus there were only four of us and so there was no need to be overly extravagant. Despite those initial thoughts of restraint however, I think we somewhat were anyway...

Right from the start, we stood around agog at the multitude of different dessert contributions we were to be treated to. But that inspired the theme for our long afternoon-to-evening soiree. Although none of the food our hosts had in mind to serve were 'heavy', we decided to insert the savoury dishes around a sweet 'degustation', so as to allow each offering an equal chance of getting its rightful appreciation. Too often an initial mouth-watering array of sweet treats loses much of its appeal by the end of a gluttonous savoury feast, which is always a shame. We began with a cheese platter with quince paste and crackers and followed that with an antipasto of rolled prosciutto and marinated olives. Next our hostess, IK prepared a large briny pot of Moules Mariniére, local live black mussels tossed with oil, butter and herbs before being steamed in their own sweet juices and thickened with a dash of cream. Initial bowls eaten with fresh crusty bread had us clamouring for seconds!

A deliciously briny bowl of Moules Mariniére with local black mussels

Then our first 'dessert' of a Malaysian inspired Pandan (Screwpine) Sago Pearl Pudding with Palm Sugar Syrup and Coconut Cream. KB had spent the previous evening boiling up the green sago pearls till translucent, draining them of excess starch and allowing the lot to set overnight in a refrigerated mould. The chilled pudding was then overturned onto a serving plate and served scooped into individual bowls drizzled with plenty of palm sugar syrup and some coconut cream. Cool, refreshing, rich, sweet and caramelly flavours heavenly combined to dazzle the tastebuds and served as the ideal sweetener for a hot afternoon. Too bad we tucked in before anyone even thought of a camera!

A short rest and the centrepiece main was ready, a whole foil-wrapped wild-caught barramundi of around 2 kilos oven-baked with a light dressing of oil, lemon and herbs and served on a large platter with roasted potatoes and Mediterranean vegetables. The fish was cooked to 'just-done' perfection and yielded moist, tender flakes full of flavour. Compliments to the hosting chefs!

Oven baked wild barramundi with roasted potatoes and mixed Mediterranean vegetables

The second dessert round came in the form of IK's homebaked Tiramisu. One of the better versions I remember having tasted, delicately rich, moist and creamy and based on savoiardi biscuits soaked in Bénédictine liqueur and good espresso. I must remember to get the recipe! Again enjoyed suitably chilled for the warm weather. Then over strong teas or coffees, we further lured ourselves with a display of fresh baklava selections that I'd purchased that morning from one of my favourite Sydney Road Lebanese pastry shoplets (Alnada Quality Sweets at 160 Sydney Road, Coburg). Luckily it was one of the very few outlets that remained opened on Christmas morning! Under $10 for a generous buttery selection of various baked filo (phyllo) pastries and fingers filled with crushed pistachios, walnuts, pinenuts or cashews and sticky with sweet rosewater scented syrup; not to mention the generous and kindly shop lady who offered me a taste sampling of each and every different one before adding more to the tray. A preliminary overload of sugary bliss!

Mixed selection of Middle Eastern sweet pastries drizzled with rosewater syrup

Finally, what festive meal would be complete without a decadence of seasonal cherries as we sipped drinks over the final hours of yet another Christmas day. Plump Tasmanian grown representatives averaged $16 per kilo at Prahran Market during the pre-Christmas price hike.