Domestic Goddess: Eggs Benedict

Ellya Sam:

I decided to go a bit fancy today and step it up with an awesome start to my day. Eggs Benny Brunch. I got Chongster to come over early in the morning, not to help me cook, but to join me on my pre-jog. I planned to jog off all the fat we were going to consume later with my sinful Ebenny. We jogged about 1km to and from IGA to get some groceries and boy, was I glad Melbourne was on our side. The weather was BEAUTIFUL! So sunny. Perfect for a morning jog.

Check it

After coming home, I immediately started.

This recipe makes two serves.

You will need:

Poached eggs, smoked salmon and crumpets

• 4 eggs
• 100g smoked salmon
• 4 crumpets (toasted)

Hollandaise Sauce

• 4 egg yolks
• 2 tbsp white vinegar
• pinch of cayenne, salt and pepper to taste
• 200ml melted butter

Directions:

Poaching the eggs. I found an easy method for poaching eggs! :D 

1. In a microwavable cup, add 2/3 water and then one egg
2. Microwave on high for 50 seconds
3. Once done, strain the water, and add again 2/3 water back into the cup and half cooked egg
4. Pop it back in the microwave for 20 seconds

You'll thank me for awesome, EASY, poached eggs. ;) Say goodbye to the simmer, vinegar, stir, egg in cup, pour, stir, sieve method. You know what I'm talking about, chefs. 

Perfecto! DONE.

Hollandaise sauce. This I found so tricky. My sauce separated, possibly because of overbeating or overcooking? The taste was not compromised but just the look. It looked... weird... as opposed to looking like runny mayonaise. :( Fail on my part! I'll try making hollandaise again and see how it goes, but for now, here's my recipe on excellent tasting (not so excellent looking) hollandaise.

1. Prepare your double boiler. This is a pot of simmering water on your stove, and a metal bowl on top. Make sure the water DOES NOT touch the metal bowl
2. On top of the simmering pot, add your egg yolks to the metal bowl and whisk it till it reaches a pale yellow colour
3. Remove from the simmering pot and slowly add melted butter, while whisking. You want to emulsify the two fats. So keep going back and from the simmering pot to slowly cook the yolks and emulsify the butter with the yolks
4. Keep doing this bit by bit. In between each addition of the melted butter, add your vinegar
5. Stop whisking when your hollandaise has reached runny mayo consistency. DONT OVER BEAT. This is why mine separated and failed to look somewhat presentable. If this happens, it's ok. The taste is all that matters, really. HAHA
6. Add your cayenne, salt and pepper to taste

Now, always remember, you are the boss of your sauce. Test to taste is a must! Your hollandaise should taste citrusy, soury, but not to the point of eye squinching. It should have the consistency of runny mayo. If you lift your whisk up, the hollandaise should be smoothly dripping.

URGH. Fail. :P

The next step is to toast your crumpets!

Then, assembling your eggs benedict!

1. Toasted crumpet
2. Smoked Salmon Slices
3. Poached Egg
4. Drizzle of Hollandaise Sauce
5. Cayenne Pepper sprinkle
6. Devour

AND... devoured! 

If you do happen to try this recipe, let ProofThatDancersEat know how you went with a comment down below! Alternatively, you can instagram us a photo and tag @ellyasam and @mealors! :)

Also, click onto Domestic Goddess on our labels section on the right hand bar for more recipes. Feel free to suggest recipes as well!

LE MIEL Et La Lune 2.0

Ellya Sam:

Guess where I am again? Not 3 days later, Im back here again, this time with George for brunch and a bit of a catch up sesh! Again, I left this place super full and super satisfied! I already knew what to expect of their coffees and Georgieboy LOVES his coffee so this place was perfect to just sit, chill and have a bit of a chat! 

This time, I wanted to go for something a bit lighter and sweeter, so I went with their Fruit Muesli $10.

Top: Fruit Muesli

Poached seasonal fruit, berry compote, orange yoghurt and muesli mix $10

Yuzu Chicken Salad

Marinated chicken on a bed of bean sprouts, cucumber, onions, capsicums and greens $19.50

My muesli was divine. Lovely poached pears that were not soft and mushy, but had a bit of texture. The sweetness was perfect. It wasn't too overpowering. The sourness of the orange yoghurt also cut the saltiness of the muesli. :) Yummy and so healthy!

George's chicken salad smelt so good! I didn't taste it, but it smelt wonderful! The flavours of sesame, miso and soy really was brought out from his dish. I'm guessing it was yummy! George finished it up! ;)

All in all, a good place for our meet up. Lovely environment, excellent food, great coffee. 

8.5/10 

Check out my FIRST Le Miel post! :  LE MIEL Et La Lune

LE MIEL Et La Lune

330 Cardigan St  Carlton VIC 3053 (03) 9043 9767

LE MIEL Et La Lune

Ellya Sam:

Okay, wow! I do not believe it's been almost 3 weeks since the last update!

Is there anybody there? I sure hope so. I sincerely apologise for the lack of food updates. Mealor and I have been busy with the rolling in of all our assessments and assignments which mark the end of our 2nd year, first semester at VCA. And also, we only just finished our 8 show- long Semester 1 Dancescape Season at VCA. :) WOOOP

Anyway, in other news. I HAVE FINALLY SAT FOR MY DRIVING TEST. This highly anticipated moment of my life has finally happened. And.. the great news is, I passed. It would've been so awkward if I didnt. I've had my full Malaysian license for the past year and a half.

To celebrate, my brother, Chong and I decided to eat at Le Miel. A cute little french brunch place that I've been dying to try since the first time I saw it.

I don't know for sure if this place is a popular place to eat because not many of my friends know/ have tried this place, but boy after this post, I sure hope this place gets more visits from you guys!

Its conveniently situated one stop North after the Melbourne Uni stop (using Tram 1 or Tram8). It's a super cute corner shop with a big open window concept which allows the sun to brighten the place up. The outside of LE MIEL is rustic and so beautiful! The walls are worn out on purpose which really gives this place a lot of character! As you walk in you are greeted with an aroma of brewing coffee and butter. So splendid! You are also welcomed with a long open fridge which displays their desserts. The place inside is a lot bigger than what you see from the outside. A lot of communal tables and four-shared tables as you walk deeper into LE MIEL. 

Since it was a beautiful day outside; sunny and cool, we decided to sit outside. The view was so pleasant. We faced outside to the road and watched the world pass by (as cheesy as that sounds). 

The waiters at Le Miel, I have to say were pretty hip. I never fail to make comment on waiters. LOL I know. :P

Anyway, so the coffee! It came promptly. Plus points. I HATE PLACES THAT SERVE FOOD BEFORE DRINKS.

$3.80 each

Le Miel uses Proud Mary beans so, no wrong. These bad boys were so yummy! It had a hint of toasty, nuttiness to it. Yum! It was also beautifully art-ed. As a friend once told me, you know a good coffee from it's coffee art. HAHA.

The food came shortly after. We were so impressed! Definitely makes me wonder why nobody has been here!!!

Top: Pork Belly Potato Hash

Sliced pork belly with enoki and shimeji mushrooms, a poached egg and sesame cream sauce

$17.50

The hash was crisp to perfection with the stringy textures of the shredded potato making it a party in your mouth. The sauce was rich and had subtle hints of sesame, though not a lot. The mushrooms definitely overpowered the sesame. The pork was tasty but overall, quite meh for a pork dish. Pork is pork is pork. Unless cooked with a crispy skin. HAHA. Hint hint ;)

Lamb Burger

Succulent lamb patty with beetroot, tzatziki and cheddar

Served with chat potatoes, sour cream and sweet chili sauce

$17.50

This brought me to heaven and back. I don't know exactly where to start. The buns were so.. buttery and soft and moist and the toasted sesame seeds sprinkled on the bun made it more special than it already is. As I took my first bite, what hit me was the tzatziki. It had a pickled, sour taste which I really enjoyed. It also tasted a lot like feta. Which I also really liked. It complimented the next flavour that immediately burst in my mouth. The lamb. It was so moist and succulent. Definitely a must try, this one.

The potatoes were also a star. Crisp on the outside and buttery- soft on the inside. Yummy!!!

Korean Osso Bucco with creamy mash

$18.50

I had a small bite of this one. It tasted very asian hence, the 'Korean' description. The meat was nice and tender. Definitely the fall of the bone clean moment. :) Chong seemed to really like the dish so, I would say, it's pretty good! I didn't try it enough to be sure, but I'd take Chong's judgement seriously.

Overall, very happy with this place. I would definitely come back for more! And if you haven't tried this place! What are you waiting for?

My thoughts: 

8.5/10

"Can destroy my drinks now right?" HAHAHA

LE MIEL Et La Lune

330 Cardigan St  Carlton VIC 3053 (03) 9043 9767

Gold Leaf Restaurant

Ellya Sam:

I always enjoy a bit of a yumcha sesh every time my whole family is in town and Gold Leaf will always be my choice whenever I need my dimsum fix. The service here is pretty good and the prices are super affordable.

The best thing about Gold Leaf too, is that it is literally EVERYWHERE. I go to the one in Preston because it's closer to where I live. But they have branches in Burwood, Docklands, Sunshine and Springvale. Cray these people.

Also, be sure to book beforehand for their yum cha sessions as it can get pretty full during the weekends. Also, I totally suggest booking the first seating (10.30AM-12PM) instead of their second seating (12-2.30PM) because the transition after their first seating can get chaotic.

The one thing you MUST get when you come here is their egg tart. It is the best egg tart I've had in Melbourne. Possibly even better than the ones you can get in Kuala Lumpur. 

Smooth, almost jelly-like custard on top of a buttery, flakey pastry. My all- time favourite. :)

7/10 just cause I really like their egg tarts.

Gold Leaf Restaurant 417 High St  Preston VIC 3072 (03) 9470 2882

Captain Melville

Ellya Sam:

You would not believe the amount of times I have passed this place before actually giving in to having a meal at this place. First of all, it is located on the very quiet Franklin Street. Not the most common street you'd walk on when you're in the city. Second of all, the benches outside are always empty, suggesting that the place probably isn't too good.

Anyway, I decided to give this place a shot and was pretty happy I came in. As you walk in, you are welcomed by a nice bar. Then, as you walk further in, you reach naturally lit, communal style setting that are filled with large tables and benches. Good for large groups. Very beautiful. 

It is tastefully decorated with plants and wood and glass. Very, modern- contemporary like feel. The kitchen is also open, which is always a good thing. Dont want nobody to be messing with your food.

Although slightly on the pricey side, the food was needless to say, pretty good. I didn't expect much in the first place anyway. I had two sliders, of which one was the soft shell crab and the other was the crispy pork crackle. (By the way if you are interested in making crispy pork crackle, here is my recipe.) I had a bit of a nibble of the fish and chips and the pork and veal sausages as well.

The buns of my sliders were very well toasted. I hate how sometimes you get wrinkled buns, but these were nice and plump. Plus points, Captain Melville. The crispiness of the soft shell crab and the pork really complimented the sliders. Soft bun, crispy middle, crunchy veggies and a creamy mayo. Nice. Worth trying. Too bad they were sliders. Would have wanted to have a bigger portion of those bad boys.

The fish and chips were mediocre. Nothing special about it, really. Except maybe the chips. Then again, I'm a sucker for chips. 

The sausages were tasty, however slightly on the dry side. Not a big fan.

Soft shell crab slider with wasabi mayo, shiso and pickled daikon. $6.50

Right to left up: Latte, Crackled pork belly with cos lettuce on warm buns $6.50.

Right to left down: Fish and chips $24, Pork and veal sausage with spinach and feta and tomato and fennel sauce $21.

--

After having my brunch here the first time I walked in, a few weeks later I found myself here again, but this time for late night drinks with my friends. The bar area is a lot different to the back open area. It is a lot darker and instead of it being decorated with plants, it is decorated with fun, witty phrases that are painted on the walls. I sooo did not notice them the first time I came here. Anyway, they served standard drinks; cocktails, on tap and bottles. Good atmosphere and music.

--

I am back here again for a friend's birthday dinner a week ago. (Like I said, the Capt. can accomodate huge groups). I had their Captain's Burger.

Sher- Wagu, bacon, cheese, Yarra- Valley egg, pickles on a soft brioche bun with their hand cut chips.

I really enjoyed this. The bun was so tasty! And all their condiments went well with each other. Im also happy with the burger as it didnt 'leak'. LOL HATE oily, leaking burgers. Yum!

6.5/10

Captain Melville

34 Franklin St  Melbourne VIC 3000 P: (03) 9663 6855

Hot Poppy Cafe

Ellya Sam:

One nice Sunday while walking around North Melbourne, a bunch of friends and I decided "HEY! Let's go have brunch at the most crowded place in the world, Auction Rooms." This is reality back hand slapping us in the face. We were turned down for immediate seating and were told to wait for an hour for the next available seating. Lame. Noway were we going to wait, even though it was a nice sunny 25C out. We needed food and pronto. So we sadly walked away from Auction Rooms to the busy street of Errol and found a quiet cafe. As we passed by this place we saw the food on the tables outside and decided to try this place out. I mean, who knows? This place could potentially be like an unknown gem just waiting to be discovered. Er..

This was how my brunch looked like. (Y)

Veggie Bonanza: Sauteed mushrooms, roasted tomato, chilli beans, smashed avocado, herbed potato, spinach, relish and poached eggs on rye ($17)

This is my reaction to the food tasting...

Don't get me wrong. It looked amazing. The taste however.. Nothing I couldn't have made. Just being honest here.

I had good company though! Even though Mealor was MIA. :( 

 Jac and Josie in photo. ;) 

2/10

Nothing spesh.

Hot Poppy Cafe
9 Errol St  North Melbourne VIC 3051
P: (03) 9326 9299

7 Seeds

Ellya Sam:

Decided to try this very popular place for brunch this weekend and found myself quite satisfied after having their pancakes. They were beautifully plated too!

A bunch of friends of mine have been raving over this place for the past year and I myself couldn't believe I haven't found the time to try this place out!

Set in a very secluded street, I found this place very difficult to find. Goes to show, when in doubt, just trust google maps. It'll get you there. Anyway, as I reached the front, I expected a long line of hungry customers, however to my surprise, I was seated immediately without any wait. YAY. The place looked really hip. Kind of like how most popular Melbourne brunch spots look like. Plants here and there. Wood. The smell of coffee. Cool waiters and waitresses. Knick knacks of random stuff hanging around. Warehouse- like feel. Standard. Cause really, you've seen one, you've seen all. The food excluded of course.

 Pancake stack w baked peaches, citrus labne, vanilla bean 

honey, & pistachio praline ($15)

So, that was what I had. Like I mentioned before, beautifully plated. The pancakes were buttery and milky. Almost like a cake like consistency. Just how I like my pancakes. The poached peaches did not look or taste like peaches so Im guessing they ran out of peaches and used pear. Which is totally fine. I liked it. Although it could have been a little bit MORE poached. It was kind of crunchy still. MEH. 

The  white thing you see in that picture there was not mentioned on the menu but Im guessing it's a yoghurt? Whatever it was, it was amazing. Sort of a sour like taste with a tinge of citrus. Very complimentary.

Other than the food, the coffee was divine (I think. LOL all coffee is amazing to me)! I mean, I'm a coffee drinker but I'm no expert, really. I just drink coffee. I had their Colombia Roman Trujillo, which weird enough as it sounds, tasted.. well, significantly different from all the other coffees I've had in Melbourne. Pretty damn awesome I say. The milk was nice and creamy too. Which is a plus. 

So, worth the hype? Hmm.. maybe not as much as people say. Then again, what would I know. HEH HEH. 

--

Came back here again to try their new menu a week after my first visit here. Err... MEH. First of all, totally my bad for not being aware they change their menu quite often. Totally wanted their pancakes again. :(

I had their corn, pomegranate, feta and rocket salad. $14 Tasted alright. I mean, it wasn't the best. There was so much crunchy going on, I got confused with the taste of everything. And the sudden kick of the pomegranate just made my tongue curl with shock. Urgh. Not happy.

I brought a good friend along with me this time and she had the kangaroo with beetroot (LOL pretty sure it was beetroot, cant remember). But whatever, it was bad. I had a sneaky taste of her kangaroo dish and it was chewy! WHAAAT. Seven Seeds.. HOW, WHAAAAT? Total disappointment. Do not make the mistake of getting the kangaroo, please. 

She also had a hot chocolate which came out looking crazy good. But it tasted bland and just.. ugh, you'd know it's a bad hot choc. Not the best day for her at Seven Seeds. Kangaroo and and hot chocolate fail. Not coming back here any time soon. :\

4.5/10

Seven Seeds

106 - 114 Berkeley St, Carlton. CBD

VIC 3053

P: (03) 9347 8664

Twenty and Six Expresso

Having a four hour break at VCA means we get to spend our lunches at nice places like this one. Twenty and Six Expresso does not disappoint if you are looking for something yummy to eat. 

Tucked away in a very secluded area on Queensberry street, you would not miss this baby because of the long line of people waiting outside to be fed. 

Elephants are cool!

Twenty and Six unfortunately is a small space, so be warned, you may not always find a seat at peak food hour! 

As the norm of Mealor and Sam, customary caps and lattes come our way in a snap. They look as lovely as they taste, we might add.

Our coffees went in as quick as they came and we ordered another round. This time, their chai. 

Not the best. Awks.

We had the Hunter, which is their best seller on their menu. "Balsamic roasted Portobello mushrooms, spicy Spanish chorizo, sourdough, creme fraiche and black truffle oil.  ($16.90)  ".  It is a spectacularly displayed meal and makes you think that you are eating something created off from MasterChef.  It's awesome, and reasonably priced, yeww!!

Photos are proof. 

Extra $2.50 for an avo 

The first thing you notice when these bad boys come out is the smell of mushrooms and truffle oil. It still amazes us to this day how awesome it smelt the second it arrived at our table. Holy shit. I can't even.. 

Definitely a favourite of ours.

Our thoughts: 8/10

Twenty and Six Expresso
594 Queensberry Street, North Melbourne
P: 9329 0298