confessions of a little piggy

01 November, 2013

Teppankai

Japanese Izakaya Teppanyaki Bar, Teppankai (铁板海）has just recently launched their new tapas menu. Carefully devised by the head chefs, the Happy Hour Tapas Menu offers contemporary twists on traditional dishes that would tickle anyone's taste buds. Of course, Melbourne Girl and I had to go check it out.

We were warmly welcomed in by smiling staff and shown the tapas menu. Sipping on the sweet, roasted brown rice flavour of Genmaicha (popcorn tea), we watched the kitchen staff, complete with Japanese bandanas, dance around each other and skilfully cook away.

Side Dish of the Day

To start us off, we were served a side dish each. The dish consisted of blanched spinach, earthy and chewy mushrooms, sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds.

Salmon Carpaccio

The salmon carpaccio was fresh, meaty and tender, which was complemented with a house vinaigrette dressing. Thin layers of lemon interspersed between the elegant slices of salmon welcomed bursts of citrus. The dish had spring written all over it !

Spicy Fish Tempura Roll

Now this wasn't your average $2.50 Salmon Hand Roll. Think buttery salmon, plump vinegary rice encased in a light tempura batter served with spicy mayo and topped with dried chilli.

Tofu Salad

Silken tofu cubes, seasonal greens and crystallised seaweed were dressed in a simple wafu vinaigrette. A party of textures, making a lovely light salad.

Kai Kani Maki

A house specialty at Teppankai and the standout dish of the night was the Kai Kani Maki. Upon arrival, the charred, almost sweet scent filled my nostrils. A crab meat roll centre, wrapped in barramundi, a layer of nori, covered in Japanese mayo and then flamed with a blow torch. Topped with tobiko, the pop of smokiness and saltiness really boosted the mouthful to the next level.

Yakitori

The tender chunks of chicken, skewered on petite bamboo sticks were moist and coated in a sweet glaze.

Matcha Ice Cream

Served with a sweet azuki bean paste and fresh strawberries, the ice cream was rich in matcha and was just the right balance of bitterness and sweetness. A simple but must have dessert to finish off a tasty Japanese meal.

Here on Bray Street, the food is not just a feast only for the eyes, but for your palate as well. Try the Kai Kani Maki and you’ll understand why. Teppenkai's happy hour was truly hours of happiness.

confessions of a little piggy was invited to dine as a guest of Teppankai.

Teppankai

34 Bray Street
South Yarra, VIC

29 October, 2013

Unknown $$ Moderately Priced , American , Brunch , Burgers , Café , Coffee , Prahran , Russian

Third Wave

When it comes to brunch options, there are plenty of fish in the sea. But an American BBQ and Russian inspired menu ?
Third Wave, I'm already there.

White Chocolate Mocha & Skinny Flat White

A was delighted to hear that they served White Chocolate Mochas. However it was to her disappointment to find that there was orange zest sprinkled on top. This would have made a lovely fruity kick for those that enjoy a jazzed up mocha, but A wasn't the biggest fan.

Reuben Sandwich

A thick mix of layers of slow smoked beef brisket, tangy coleslaw and pickles slathered in homemade zesty BBQ sauce was all held together by melty Swiss cheese. Greg explained that the beef's tenderness was achieved by smoking it for 8-10 hours using hickory wood. Squished in between two slices of toasted rye - it was saucy, messy and full of flavour. The way it should be. With their own Third Wave twist on the famous sandwich, it is not your everyday Reuben Sandwich.

Gourmet Burger

A feta and sun-dried tomato infused porterhouse patty was supported well with fresh lettuce, tomatoes and creamy basil mayo between a divine brioche bun. A massively sized burger which both A and I very unladylike-ly chomped on. We did however find the patty to be on the leaner side, which meant it was not as moist and juicy as we would have liked it.

Blintzes - Meat, Mushroom and Cheese

On top of everything, Greg was also kind enough to bring out a Russian dish for us to sample. He explained that there was nothing more Russian than blintzes, which can be sweet or savoury. The one that caught my attention was the Cheese Blintz - a creamy cottage cheese and cinnamon filling wrapped within a lightly toasted blintz. Matched with sour cream and blueberry jam, the Cheese Blintz was a nice way to wrap up our meal.

Having only opened for six weeks, Third Wave is no doubt a great addition to Prahran. There is plenty of good happening, with just a couple of hiccups here and there. With such an interesting menu that draws inspiration from both American BBQ and Russian dishes, I'm sure Third Wave will be making splashes in no time.

confessions of a little piggy was invited to dine as a guest of Third Wave.

Third Wave
30 Cato Street
Prahran, VIC

26 October, 2013

Unknown $ Cheap Eats , CBD , Coffee

Brother Baba Budan

Brother Baba Budan really needs no introduction from me. With coffee beans roasted by Seven Seeds, the focus here is purely on coffee. If you're lucky, you can nab a seat under the crazy collection of wooden chairs and soak up the atmosphere of Melbourne's coffee scene. Despite having your coffee in or on the go, you can always count on BBB to satisfy your deepest caffeine cravings.