After having a light lunch at Yering Station we pulled into the Sticks winery.

This winery is much smaller and unlike Yering Station it didn’t have a cafe or restaurant, only a cellar door where you could sample their wines and buy bottles or a small range of souveniers. I purchased a calico bag for $5. 

Sticks Yarra Valley
179 Glenview Road
Yarra Glen, Vic 3775

Ph: 03 9730 1022

The Sticks vineyard

The vineyard against the scenic Yarra Valley background

Located just near the carpark is this large mosquito sculpture

Inside the small cellar door area - upstairs you can purchase wines and a small range of souveniers

Inside the Sticks winery - upstairs is the cellar door

Technorati Tags: sticks winery, victorian winery, australian winery, vineyard

Driving around Victorias wineries just outside of Melbourne is a lovely way to spend a day and we decided to have a look around the Dandenong Ranges in the Morning and head out via Lilydale to have lunch at a winery.

Unfortunately the stunning modern restaurant at Yering Station was fully booked so we had a light lunch at ‘Matts Bar’ which is upstairs from the produce store area. If you plan to dine here then definately book because it’s extremely popular on weekends.

We shared an antipasto platter which was around $30 from memory and it was a nice light meal considering we’d eaten so much the night before.

Yering Station Winery
38 Melba Hwy
Yarra Glen 3775
Victoria, Australia

Ph 03 9730 0100

The exit from Yering Station winery

The Yering Station vineyard

Our antipasto platter. We ordered extra bread and of course had a glass of Yering Station pinot noir

Technorati Tags: yering station, winery, victorian winery, australian winery

I came here last Friday night with a friend who highly recommended we try their set tapas menu which is $40 each.

First to come out was gazpacho which came out in a small glass and served very cold. I’ve honestly never tried gaspacho and I wasn’t too keen on it. I absolutely love tomato sauce but I found the gaspacho to be very strong tasting and for me overpowering.

The next entree items included anchovy tapanade on bread and a vegetable torte. Both of these were nice but I thought the vegetable torte was a bit bland. Entree also included grilled trevally with a tomato confit sauce. The fish was lovely although I’m allergic to some white fish so I ate mine with a bit of trepidation.

The mains included grilled chicken skewers, chorizo corn and sofrito and grilled artichoke with romenesco which was like a sundried tomato dip underneath.

I’ve had tapas once before in Sydney and I have to say it much more enjoyable and flavoursome than what I had at Basque. I’ve been to Movida before in Melbourne and that is to die for so it’s unfair to compare Movida with Basque but I just felt there wasn’t great value for money and I wasn’t a fan of a lot of the choices and felt some dishes were just plain boring and bland.

Overall I’d rate it 13 out of 20 so while it’s not terrible, I think there is room for improvement and a better tapas set menu.

Basque Tapas & Wine
159 Chapel St
Windsor 3181 VIC
Phone: (03) 9533 7044

The set tapas menu is $40 each or $50 with two glasses of wine

We ordered a spanish wine while we waited for our table to be free

Gazpacho, Anchovy tapenade on bread and vegetable frittata

Artichoke with sundried tomato dip underneath and grilled chicken skewers

Grilled trevally fish with a tomato sauce on top

Chorizo corn and sofrito

Technorati Tags: basque, spanish restaurant, melbourne restaurant, spanish melbourne, tapas, spanish dining

The latest chain craze to hit Melbourne is San Churro!

San Churro is a Spanish chocolate store selling everything chocolate from traditional thick Spanish hot chocolates to churro’s (Spanish donuts which are long crispy donuts that you dunk in hot melted chocolate), handmade gourmet chocolates and chocolate ice cream.

I tried a hot chocolate after dinner on Chapel St. The store is located down the Windsor end of Chapel and it was great to have a hot drink on a cold night - I can’t believe how freezing it already is down there. We also ordered a cookie which was a chocolate and chilli cookie with lime icing filling. The chilli wasn’t too overpowering and it’s the first time I’ve tried chilli chocolate and now it won’t be the last. It’s an interesting but surprisingly nice combination.

I really hope they open up a San Churro on the Gold Coast - hey maybe they’ll put one in at Robina town centre or Pac Fair. But I doubt it seems to take forever for great chains to come to the GC (Grill’d can you hear me?)

San Churro
Chapel St, Windsor
150 Chapel Street
Windsor VIC 3181
Phone: 03 9529 7559

This photo was actually taken outside the Acland St store in St Kilda - They’re everywhere in Melbourne!

This is also outside the St Kilda store

Inside the Chapel Street store

The handmade chocolates which are around $1.90 each

Our hot chocolates with the chilli and chocolate cookie with lime icing filling

Technorati Tags: san churro, spanish hot chocolate, spanish chocolate, chilli chocolate

Eating with a conscience, ethical eating, or eating to improve your karma - all this is possible at Lentil as Anything which is a vegan restaurant in St Kilda, Melbourne where you decide how much the meal was worth.

Lentil as Anything is non for profit and as mentioned, vegan so that means no animal products.

The website says Lentil has ‘provided unique training and educational opportunities for marginalised people who are struggling to find a place in mainstream institutions. Currently, it provides a place forover a hundred new migrants, refugees, people with disabilities and long-term unemployed to build confidence, gain skills and receive assistance with access to legal, health, housing and education services.’

Lentil as Anything
41 Blessington street (corner Acland st & Barkley st)
open hours: 7days, 12-10pm every day
Tel: 9534- 5833
Website: www.lentilasanything.com

You can dine inside our out at Lentil as Anything

The sign inside: We rely on your generosity

One of the vegan meals - potatoes, peas, roti (front right) with brown rice and yoghurt

My meal - potato, beans, a slice of a massive zucchini, roti bread, yoghurt and brown rice

The kitchen which is in the middle of the small dining area.

Technorati Tags: lentil as anything, vegan restaurant, st kilda, restaurant review, vegan food