Classic Dishes

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St Ali – South Melbourne – Sunday 14 February 2016 – Breakfast

My Mexican Cousin

My Mexican Cousin

What could be more romantic on Valentine’s Day than Elvis serenading you whilst waiting for a table at St Ali? Actually, the walk on the way through the Botanical Gardens was probably just as romantic, but not quite as unusual. Just like Elvis, this is a cafe with a strong record of producing classics.

It feels like the wave of what we call modern Melbourne cafes was started by St Ali. When I think of this genre I think of exceptional focus on coffee, accompanied by food that is presented akin to a quality restaurant, but based around breakfast staples with some contemporary technique that escalates the usual to the next level. The next wave, that has started with places like Hammer and Tong, and Operator25, is about bringing a new take on what is a breakfast staple, by transporting us to other Asian countries.

North African Fry Up

North African Fry Up

When you look at the menu at St Ali these days the impact of this cafe becomes more obvious, with the “Hall Of Fame” showing off creations by alumnus including Dead Man Espresso, and Ora Speciality Coffee. One dish, “My Mexican Cousin” was even responsible for an offshoot restaurant at one stage, but still holds centre stage here. It consists of corn fritters, grilled halloumi, corn, cucumber salsa, spicy tomato puree and green salad. Catherine is happy with this dish, and it is the first time she has tried it, but something that has been on a menu for many years is tough to go wrong with.

One of the two single origins for today

One of the two single origins for today

For me I am in new territory with the “North African Fry Up” which I’ve mainly ordered for the “merguez” which is spicy lamb sausage. Accompanying this delicious sausage is a healthy serving of scrambled eggs, avocado, chickpeas, coriander, and plenty of fresh chilli and flakes. The spice level is perfect for me, but I don’t add a huge amount of the fresh chilli to each bite. The scram is nicely seasoned and everything comes together beautifully.

Along with some great food, I am here for the coffee and the two single origins on offer don’t disappoint. The Konga Yiragacheffe from Ethiopia is the more robust style (that I would normally go for), and the Narino from Columbia has a bit more softness and complexity. Catherine started with the “Refresher” consisting of watermelon, apple and mint. However, the peppermint tea she ordered never made it to the table. While we could tell we had an experienced waitperson on our communal table, we could also tell it was not his best day in the office. He saw that my knife was dirty when he put it down, but never brought another one back, had to recheck our order, and didn’t bring us water until the second time we asked.

St Ali has always been a favourite cafe but others have come in the last five years that have caused us to detour from this quiet street in South Melbourne. This visit shows that little has changed about the great food and coffee on offer, and I’d hope service is normally much better.

St Ali Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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The Club Sandwich

The Club Sandwich at the Hyatt

The Club Sandwich at the Hyatt

While I have travelled regularly for work and play over the years, I have not eaten very regularly at hotels. There is something I find defeatist about room service, and disconcerting about hotel restaurants.

That is certainly not to say that I don’t understand the reasons for both. Room service is important if you are working almost non-stop and on a tight schedule. It can also be convenient when you’ve been out and about touring all day and just need a quiet night in. There are some incredible hotel restaurants around the world, but in Australia, I find they are some of the most overpriced and bland places to eat going around.

When I think about hotel restaurant experiences in Australia I cringe. I struggle to think of one that is on my list to try, and I have tried very few. Est in Sydney is probably the best example of an exceptional larger city hotel restaurant I can think of, but is in a very boutique hotel. It does what the best examples overseas do – completely separate the restaurant from the hotel and as a result, it has many more outside patrons dining than hotel guests.

Overseas it is different. Many of the most cutting edge restaurants, and greatest chefs, have come from hotels. Hotel dining rooms are revered in many cities. Dinner at Le Maurice in Paris is one of the most incredible nights I’ve spent eating and drinking. It was so good the next time we were in Paris we stayed there – that is a distinct reversal of roles when the restaurant actually attracts the guest to stay there on the next visit!

There are cities where most of the best restaurants are in hotels. We are going back to Hong Kong later this year and it seems the most authoritative restaurant guides favour hotel dining. Other cities in Asia are similar in this perspective.

We could also learn a great deal from the lobby bars from The States. Places like the Ace Hotel in New York, or the Roosevelt in Hollywood, have the same charm and charisma of the best cocktail bars. Again, I struggle to think of a hotel that I’ve met up with friends for a cocktail, in Australia.

I was eating this club sandwich in my room at the Hyatt in Perth thinking about these experiences. Here is a sandwich, that while varied to some degree, owes much to hotels for its existence in culinary folklore. It is simple, effective, and delicious most times you order it whether here, in Bali, in Brazil, or Boston.

Same with the Waldorf Salad. All those years ago when a chef came up with apple, celery and walnuts in a salad, it transferred into popular culture without the internet. Travellers coming through the hotel picked it up, took it home, and made it their own. It makes you think how quickly food trends are, and will continue, to move globally. If it seems to you, like it does to me, that there have been several food trends in recent months and years, the question is whether there will be more or less classic dishes in ten years time.