Dinner Club 06 July 2009 - Añada - Fitzroy

The Best Posh Eat of 2009 in The Age Cheap Eats Guide.... budgetary concerns hmmm....(decides to take a gamble and plots)

May be Oliver & I, 'cause we can’t bring wine will split the vino separately....these are insights into the constant struggle between light+ perfection + order against the occult +surprise + risk!...(balance & build will you.....I’m...Brunswick...what the f#@k!)

Brunswick was the designated area but after ruffling through cafes that shut at 5 and restaurants that were shut on Mondays......I did the unthinkable....called our most accommodating Presidentress to grant me the option to look elsewhere.

Añada(pronounced Unyaada)is Spanish for new harvest, inspired by the Moorish Spanish cuisine, the stylish Gertrude allowed her to find her gastronomic rhythm!

5 of 6 met outside and enjoyed the projected light show across the road whilst Bethanie and Clair ogled....a sequenced silver singlet, it was :)

We entered into balanced crowd, amber tones, soft music and she had a strong sense of silence about her....like she would express but only through food!

The atmosphere was smooth and comfortable, the linear orientation, elegant neutrals, exposed brick, black + white chalk boards & art that was thoughtful yet I was poking for her personality, her character, as the way she looked she could be anything, what was so Spanish?

Renata's smiling arrival coincided with us taking the first sip of the La Goya Manzanilla Sherry and a phone call on a blackberry. Alvin had a brief and sparkling appearance that evening as he rushed to pay homage to a teacher's life in Dandenong, undoubtedly his was a very sparkling appearance too.

So 5 became 6 and 5 again....the sherry had set the mood.....Oliver and I negotiated, deal done....a bottle of vino....must be chosen....it was.....the Tempranillo (Merques de Velilla) !

Paul hosted us....charming & informed....they all were versed in the tightrope walk of a circus performer to look more relaxed than you are, warmth in their smiles only bettered by their never ending and seemingly intrinsic knowledge of the menu.

Smoked almonds + salted pistachios devoured....we curiously

greeted the shot glass size arrival of the Celeriac soup with black salt....it was a soothing green with a magnanimous froth and a rich....I mean seriously rich texture....taste....we couldn't wait for the tapas to truly start!

Culinary delights were punctured by a vote, a vote for the Gala.....Cuttler & Co...chosen there was a sense of pride in our Presidentress’ eye....she is presiding over arguably the most structured DC attempt! Super!

The winter scarves were out, Renata earthy and elegant in a stripped, Clair golden in a chequered burberry, Beth vivacious in a beautiful vermillion, Oliver retro in jean jacket me predictable in a waist coat....we talked about the thievery of the Tristar and other random events.

Fried aubergine with chilli, mint & labneh, Stuffed calamari with sumac, The pork belly was salty

and sweet, the food exquisite, there was cauliflower, pilav, lentils and some more seafood, in a potato cake.... I can remember the taste but some of the names elude me....the chorisos in dark chocolate devilish!

Food $150, Tempranillo $66, the look on DC-ites' faces priceless! A perfect $30 a head....high fives! the risk pays off...!

Perfection is always the aim - the evening, the food and her silence finally understood she didn't need to shout to be noticed she was a silent temptress and her culinary spells were cast over us!!!!

Culinaryly Yours

Ojas

Dinner Club 04 May 2009 - Old Rangoon - Hawthorn

First a disclaimer – due to your author’s unfortunate talent for extreme procrastination the following post will suffer from necessary brevity. The finer details surrounding our May dinner have been digested and largely forgotten. I will endeavor to capture our general experience in a late but faithful attempt to uphold the DC constitution…

With the lovely Renata unable to attend, a depleted Melbourne DC assembled at Old Rangoon in Hawthorn on 4^th May 2009. Welcoming Alvin back from faraway lands we anticipated an equally exotic spread. We were not disappointed - there was warmth, bread, rice and flavor. Vegetable dishes were particularly enjoyed twice over and the soft bread was similarly consumed. A standout salad balanced the meal and all was served on pretty green crockery.

At this point a detail demanding reader is advised to refer to the disclaimer…

So moving quickly to conversation… The DCites collectively reflected on and mourned the loss of Cashmere Street. However we equally looked towards the creative development of our President and first husband’s (sorry Oliver!) future home... Where Alvin will entertain and inspire no doubt. We also explored possible mid and end of year gala settings, debating the delights of Hellenic and Spice Kitchens.

All was watched over by this wrinkled woman – she didn’t need to step out for her cigarette…

Sadly, on this third dinner in the third year of the Melbourne dinner club there was no third third… There were starters, an extended main… but no dessert. This was possibly for the very best as all were experiencing the slightly overstuffed limits of contentment (surely the result of the aforementioned bread).

Satisfied by warm curries (the pumpkin being a late remembered standout) the DCites dispersed into the night, anticipating Brunswick, Collingwood etc happy etc…

Clair

Drafting of the third constitution - Dinner Club - for 09

• March 2 kick off - thus we will complete cycle in August....to make things more exciting I suggest a half year gala after the first 3 turns in June and then October will be the Gala
• the Age Cheap Eats guide will be in action again
• It will be first Mondays of Month Club again
• the budget will remain $30 p/p
• the radius of exploration will be 12 kms as the crow flys
• the 09 twist is - a hat full of areas (suburbs) - to be prepared by 09 President...will be presented by the president to the DC-ite whose turn is upcoming (following alphabetical order of first names) and the area picked is where the DC-ite will narrow their search
• A blog will be written (50 words) by the DC-ite with a single image - within the week after the Monday turn - a collection of these will be a cherished foreward to the great Foodie Novel of our times that will be published on the 10th anniversary of DC - the blog address is http://dc-abcoor .blogspot.com
• Guests - the DC-ite will request by sms, phone or email to the host ad the host decides
• Half year Gala - suggestions will be submitted to President no later than March 2 for the half year Gala and it will be complied and presented by President to DC-ites on April 6 for a decesion....this gives 2 months to plan and book - budget $50 p/p
• Year end Gala - suggestions will be submitted to President no later than July 6 for the year end Gala and it will be complied and presented by President to DC-ites on August 3 for a decesion....this gives 2 months to plan and book - budget $80 p/p

Drafting of the first constitution - Dinner Club - 9/3/7 - for 07

Ninjas and monkeys alike..read and print this..

Excuse the delays...snowed under in matters of 'red'

so i took the time of googling this and that..chopped, pasted, removed, rinsed and then finally laid bare on fine silk cloth one or two proposals

and this should be fun i know, but without some rigidity and scaffolding we may open a can of Lumbricus terrestris and be totally up s..it creek

1. mission statement: 2 enjoy yummy food within a 20km radius of melb cbd for a price for all courses of under $40pp (drinks including) of which there must be a vegan option.

2. participants: - founding members: b1, b2, clair, ojas, alvin, Renata (welcome)

it was agreed a maximum of 8 per session

3. when - to meet on the first thursday of every month at around 7-7.30pm on location. hence forth:

5 April, 3 May, 7 June, 5 July, 2 Aug, 6 Sept, 4 Oct, 1 Nov

4. how - each month in turn we will have a host in order of alphabeticals persuant to first name. As b1 started, next is me, then Ben, Clair, Ojas. U get the idea. but if u didnt, then Renata.

The host is responsible: for assuring the venue complies with the guidelines; to send out reminder emails to the posse 7 days before; and for US (yes YOU and ME not our branch in the states) members to respond or decline at most 3 days before the date to allow adequate booking time and accuracy. The host must also check particulars on payment: ie: cash only, do they split the bill blah blah blah u get the driftwood.

Ideally the venue will be a place in which the host has munched before in paying due respect to the previous Thurday Dinner Club venue. Your balls are on the line.

Venue for location to be smsed to members (okay 2 sms one member of a couple on the assumption that they are not squabbling that day and will inform them) by 5pm on the day of FEAST and no earlier than 3pm. we keep it real and underground (Renata we need ur phone number). I recommend smspup.com for all your free sms needs. yes they do pay me. If people are all happy with the email medium then we can do that also but responsibility will then be put onto to the member to check their email at the required times.

It is NOT compulsory to attend, but as a founding member you should duly show respect to good food and all gastronomique deites and abandon all other commitments to attend. (not to mention all the f***king time i spent writing this - HOPE THE BOSS DOESNT SEE ME)

U can replace yourselves with like minded junkies, who, at your salivating discretion, will slot right in with the palates of the crew. It will be curteous and necessary to liase with the host for that month on such matters.

As this is a maximum 8 baboon freakshow, the host will have first preference for inviting guests, with other members able to put their 2 cents in for submission and consideration well in advance. if a guest is coming, it is up to the inviting member to inform the guest of the venue.

Other Notes:

it was discussed at the end of the year to go all out and dine smartly. I recommend the max be $150pp. But this can be discussed as a matter for the forum.

Please help me out here, im struggling to come up with anything else...

this is a bain marie in motion, but it would be nice to have something in a decent order before the shit starts to set

anything else?

for those of u lucky to be in the afternoon mix series, ill speak to u then

thank you and cum again

.a