#postcard

Recent meals

A fortnight of wonderful food (and wine) in Melbourne and along the Great Ocean Road.  First up, a very old school Cantonese meal at Flower Drum . It's like a time capsule, suited middle aged waiters hover attentively, they remind me of long forgotten uncles. . . We open proceedings with a bowl of egg crusted deep fried fish skins and for a moment I feel like a child again, sitting in a noisy dai pai dong slurping fat rice noodles and fish cakes washed down with a tiny bottle of Kowloon dairy milk. Embla was a trip favourite. The room has a terrific vibe, and after the formality of Flower Drum it was a delight to have unobtrusive wait staff. The food was comforting and delicious. Every plate a winner - the guilty bites of pressed chicken skin crisps with whipped anchovy and chicory; the soft creamy fried polenta cubes; the succulent poussin with its amazing guanciale and sage flavoured sauce that demands a side order of the thickly sliced house bread to mop up the juices. Rated -