french food Archives - eatmystreet

Cannibal Creek Winery

I go to nature to be soothed and healed and to have my senses put in order.

John Burroughs

We are on a mission to get out of the city, to see green horizons and windswept places, to embed some white space into our lives through connection with the green, and to find somewhere delicious to eat while we are there.

So far this has not been difficult.

This week we stopped at Cannibal Creek Winery and Vineyard in Tynong.

The vines at Cannibal Creek Winery were first planted in 1997 and the Cannibal Creek wine has been receiving accolades since 2009. But the restaurant housed in the newly built cellar door is a more recent venture.

Philipe Desrettes is the well renown chef behind the French inspired cuisine on offer 7 days a week from 11am to 5pm. He is ably assisted by his partner Karine Saille on front of house duty. The talented pair has moved to the area from Ballarat where Phillipe was Executive Chef at the legendary Craig’s Royal Hotel.

We had the pleasure of chatting with Karine over a wine tasting and I am told that she is enjoying the beautiful Gippsland countryside and also the slightly more temperate(!!) climate of Tynong North.

Local Gippsland cheese features on the menu (Gippsland cheese plate $27) as does Cannibal Creek bread (Charcuterie plate $32). There are a number of “share” options and also more substantial dishes designed to be eaten alone. The dessert menu has a tempting array of choices from Citrus panna cotta with rhubarb and pineapple syrup, to the eponymously named Far Breton sultan and prunes, flan style ($14).

We arrived early in the day and so ordered the house-made pork and chicken terrine with brioche.

And the Charcuterie plate.

The food was perfectly delicious but it was the overall combination of ambiance, geniality, decor (an open wood fire ticks a lot of boxes at this time of year), view, food and wine that was really the winning combination.

There is also a beautifully curated selection of gift ware and imported and local honey, condiments, chocolate and produce available.

Visit for wine tastings and beautiful prepared French food in a stunning setting. Stay for the roaring fire, the ambiance and the excellent service.

I cannot wait to visit again and I cannot wait to take some friends along with me.

Happy Eating.

Dani

The details

Address: 260 Tynong North Road, Tynong VIC 3813
Phone:(03) 5942 8380
Hours:
11am–5pm 7 days a week

Full menu available Thursday to Monday and a limited menu Tuesday and Wednesday. Wine tasting is available 7 days a week.

Bookings are strongly recommended.

www.cannibalcreek.com.au

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The French Saloon

It is a long and complicated story that will probably never be told but I was this close to moving to Paris last year.

That dream has now been postponed and instead I find myself on a Friday night, eating in a gorgeous little French restaurant in the worlds most liveable city, Melbourne.

The French Saloon is the latest restaurant to open under the direction of Ian Curley: Chef extraordinaire and food empire building Godfather of the Melbourne dining scene.

Chef Todd Moses has come across from Supernormal to cook perfect, simple, French bistro style meals under the direction of executive Chef Ian Curley. When I say simple, I mean French simple, meaning excellent, well-chosen ingredients and dishes made with skill and precision in a classic way. Simple, but definitely not simple, if you know what I mean.

The A La Carte menu is divided into “to begin” “to continue” “steak” “mains” “sides” “cheese” and “dessert.” With all that choice what is a girl to do but agree to receive direction from her charming and helpful French waiter. I was very keen to save myself for cheese and dessert courses so we went straight to the mains.

John Dory with cauliflower puree was perfection on a plate with great balance between beautiful flavours; creamy cauliflower puree, soft subtle fish with a gently seared crust, and a gently acidic sauce to drown it all in.

My partner ordered the Steak Frites with Roquefort butter and he was equally smitten with the flavours on his plate.

We shared a side of the specials menu which was slippery jack mushrooms with artichoke two ways. This was a very decadent, creamy and delicious dish that we both enjoyed.

Then we moved onto the cheese course which was served with a little jar of honey and its honeycomb from a local rooftop beekeeper. This honey carried a lot of flavour and was a delicious accompaniment to the three styles of cheese we chose of the menu.

For dessert we were moved to the beautiful zinc bar that stretches its way down one side of the room. I am told that this fabulous bar was imported directly from France and it was certainly a great juxtaposition to the red timber pitched room and simplicity of the rustic timber floors and white painted window frames of the rest of the room. Tres chic.