Some might say every weekend is an eating adventure for me
I spent the weekend in Brisbane to visit my parents and daughters. This week Miss13 becomes Miss14!
Saturday morning we enjoyed breakfast at Groove Train Chermside. I enjoyed the granola.
Granola at Groove Train ChermsideGranola at Groove Train Chermside
For lunch Miss19 and I made Mum and Dad a simple salad for lunch.
I taught Miss19 how to extract Pomegranate arils
Pomegranate arils for lunch
I love coleslaw
Coleslaw preparation
The final product. Gee I love streaky bacon and avocado in a salad.
Coleslaw with avocado, pomegranate arils and streaky bacon
For dinner we celebrated soon to be Miss14’s birthday at Hog’s breath cafe. I had a lite cut prime rib with avocado and a side of calamari to enjoy a surf and turf or reef and beef meal
Hog’s Breath Cafe Aspley with Lite cut prime rib and salt and pepper calamari (reef and beef, surf and turf) with avocado plus Béarnaise sauce on the avocado and cheese sauce on the vegetables. Served with curly fries.
After the main meal we came home and enjoyed Mum’s beetroot chocolate cake. Yes this was made with a large tin of beetroot. No taste of vinegar or beetroot at all.
Beetroot chocolate cake for soon to be Miss14Beetroot chocolate cake and ice cream for soon to be Miss14
For Sunday breakfast we went to Cafe 63 Wilston and I had fruit. Who would believe it, I ate fruit while my daughters has poached and fried eggs and waffles and similar
Today is my last day in Brisbane to help Mum after her surgery. Miss13 and Mss17 suggested 63 Racecourse Road for breakfast after their morning work out.
I’d never heard of this place but Miss17 has been here a few times and explained the menu theme changes with current events affecting Brisbane. Recently the specials were on a G20 themed menu. Currently the theme is cricket. My only concern is that whenever I eat a pulled pork burger I’m going to be thinking of Lara Bingle.
I won’t be able to eat a pulled pork burger again without thinking of Lara Bingle. That’s not a good thing people. Apple iPhone 6 Plus with iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at 4mm and f/2.2, 1/15sec, ISO 32
I like that we can ask for good solid meals like lambs fry (that’s liver to the younger readers) which I love, poutine which I’m dying to try and of course the usual fare for breakfast and lunch.
Mmm…lambs fry Apple iPhone 6 Plus with iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at 4mm and f/2.2, 1/30sec, ISO 50
On entering we’re greeted by friendly wait staff and we ask for a table and are shown to one inside. The tables are old and distressed but solid. No wobbling. The chairs are solid too. The tables are big and there’s space between the tables so you aren’t sharing your life with other people eating.
Inside 63 Racecourse Road Apple iPhone 6 Plus with iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at 4mm and f/2.2, 1/15sec, ISO 64Inside 63 Racecourse Road Apple iPhone 6 Plus with iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at 4mm and f/2.2, 1/10sec, ISO 100
Even though I’ve eaten quite a bit since being in Brisbane and caring for Mum by feeding her and Dad, despite using the next hole in my belt I have a hankering for pancakes and bacon. Miss13 wants waffles.
The pancakes are nice, nothing special, but not stodgy which is good. They’re light and fluffy and absorb the maple syrup well. The maple syrup combined with the frozen yoghurt goes well with the pancakes.
Pancakes with bacon, maple syrup and frozen yoghurt at 63 Racecourse Road SONY ILCE-7S with E 35mm F1.8 OSS at 35mm and f/2.8, 1/60sec, ISO 320
Miss13 said she loved her waffles.
Waffles with ice cream and maple syrup at 63 Racecourse Road SONY ILCE-7S with E 35mm F1.8 OSS at 35mm and f/4, 1/60sec, ISO 640Pancakes with bacon, maple syrup and frozen yoghurt at 63 Racecourse Road SONY ILCE-7S with E 35mm F1.8 OSS at 35mm and f/4, 1/60sec, ISO 500Mum and Dad’s front door SONY ILCE-7S with E 35mm F1.8 OSS at 35mm and f/2.8, 1/60sec, ISO 2000
With the gymnastics competition over and Miss13 flying home to Brisbane I had to make my way back to Canberra. It was raining and cold when I left Geelong and it remained gloomy the whole drive to Wangaratta.
My aim today was to take a leisurely drive through Kilmore, Euroa and Benalla stopping at each place and trying a bakery.
This is the vanilla slice at Kemp’s Bakery in Kilmore. The bakery is really good. The range of products is large and for travellers the toilets are remarkable. They are so clean. The coffee is also pretty good. Unfortunately the icing on the vanilla slice was very thick making it difficult to break through with a fork. The icing though did have a discernable strawberry flavour. The custard had a nice flavour but it was too gelatinous. I’d happily eat vanilla slices there but they weren’t the best I’ve ever had.
Vanilla slice from Kemp’s Bakery in Kilmore Apple iPhone 6 with iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at 4mm and f/2.2, 1/120sec, ISO 32Apple + Pro HDR iPhone with iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at 4mm and f/2.2, 1/5000sec, ISO 32
I drove through to Euroa while listening to Trek.fm podcasts and stopped at Burkes Bakery. The pies they had on selection were the usual ones you’d see in a country bakery but the bloke serving behind the counter suggested the steak with bacon and egg pie. It was very good and served at perfect eating temperature. It wasn’t too hot and it wasn’t cold. The filling was thick enough that it didn’t fall out after the first bite. The pastry was light but not so flaky that I got it all over me. I’d say it was a perfect casing for what was a very good filling.
Sunday lunch. Steak, bacon and egg pie from Burkes Bakery in Euroa Apple iPhone 6 with iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at 4mm and f/2.2, 1/20sec, ISO 200
Even though I’d been making good progress I was wanting to go to Hides Bakery in Benalla again for a coffee. I was feeling very tired after another poor sleep and thought a stop for some caffiene would help. When I arrived I noticed they’d sold out of vanilla slices but I did see a nice looking coconut and jam slice. I do like a coconut and jam slice.
Coconut and jam slice from Hides Bakery in Benalla Apple iPhone 6 with iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at 4mm and f/2.2, 1/40sec, ISO 40
I’m spending the night at the Millers Cottage motor inn in Wangaratta. It’s a budget motel and my guess it has been in operation since at least the 1970s. The decor is 1970s.
I was thinking of finding a restaurant but I felt too tired so I went and found a fast food joint and bought a burger. Yep, Hungry Jacks whopper and onion rings.
Sunday dinner. Hungry Jacks Whopper and onion rings in Wangaratta. SONY ILCE-7S with FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS at 70mm and f/8, 1/80sec, ISO 2500
So how did you spend your Sunday? I hope it was a good one. Bye for now.
It’s day two of my holiday adventure. Today I drove from Wangaratta to Geelong. I was expecting it to take about four hours but I ended up spending more than three hours in bumper to bumper traffic because of two major accidents on the Princess Highway just past the Melbourne airport.
I woke up at the Parkview Motor Inn in Wangaratta with welts on my skin because there were biting midges in the bed. I didn’t sleep well and missed having my CPAP machine. After two instant coffees and a shower I felt well enough to check out and head for Benalla. I found Hides Bakery and enjoyed a passion fruit iced vanilla slice and coffee for breakfast.
Passionfruit vanilla slice from Hides Bakery in Benalla Apple iPhone 6 with iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at 4mm and f/2.2, 1/30sec, ISO 40Hides Bakery Benalla Apple iPhone 6 with iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at 4mm and f/2.2, 1/150sec, ISO 32
After Benalla I made my way to Wallan expecting the Top of the Town Bakery to be a suitable place to find lunch.
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Hands free selfie using the camera timer Apple iPhone 5 with iPhone 5 front camera 2.18mm f/2.4 at 2mm and f/2.4, 1/40sec, ISO 32
What I found was a relatively small bakery with a couple of old warped tables. I bought a beef, bacon and cheese pie and found a park to eat lunch.
Beef bacon and cheese pie from Top of the Town Bakery Wallan Apple iPhone 6 with iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at 4mm and f/2.2, 1/400sec, ISO 32
It was still midday when I set off and I thought I’d make good progress getting to Geelong with the thought I might have an afternoon at the Geelong Arena. In the end I sat in traffic for more than three hours.
Princess Highway traffic Apple iPhone 5 with iPhone 5 back camera 4.12mm f/2.4 at 4mm and f/2.4, 1/1600sec, ISO 50
On getting to Geelong I checked in and tried to relax a little.
Later in the afternoon I went for a walk to Corio Wharf and then found a Thai restaurant to have dinner.
Public art Corio Wharf Geelong SONY ILCE-7S with FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS at 24mm and f/8, 1/500sec, ISO 100Public art Corio Wharf Geelong. It looks like a shark tooth. SONY ILCE-7S with FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS at 35mm and f/4, 1/800sec, ISO 100Seagull Corio Wharf SONY ILCE-7S with FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS at 70mm and f/4, 1/1250sec, ISO 100Corio Wharf SONY ILCE-7S with FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS at 24mm and f/4, 1/2500sec, ISO 100Corio Wharf SONY ILCE-7S with FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS at 27mm and f/4, 1/160sec, ISO 100Corio Wharf SONY ILCE-7S with FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS at 70mm and f/4, 1/2000sec, ISO 100A Touch of Thai Geelong Apple iPhone 6 with iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at 4mm and f/2.2, 1/60sec, ISO 32A Touch of Thai Geelong Apple iPhone 6 with iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at 4mm and f/2.2, 1/15sec, ISO 100
I asked for the salt and chilli squid plus a BBQ pork laksa. Both were hot like fire from the chilli. The laksa was very spicy and the coconut milk wasn’t as creamy as I’ve had elsewhere. Overall both were really nice dishes.
Salt and chilli squid at A Touch of Thai, Geelong Apple iPhone 6 with iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at 4mm and f/2.2, 1/30sec, ISO 32BBQ pork laksa at A Touch of Thai, Geelong Apple iPhone 6 with iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at 4mm and f/2.2, 1/30sec, ISO 40
Today I started five days recreation leave from work. I drove from Canberra to Wangaratta and stopped at the Dog on the tucker box (near Gundagai), Holbrook, and Wodonga.
I’m on my way to Geelong to spend a couple of days watching Miss13 compete in the WAG National Club Championships at the Geelong Arena.
I’ve never driven through southern NSW and Victoria before so in preparation I spoke with many friends who have lived in Victoria. A recurring theme is the food in Victoria is better than anywhere else and the bakeries can’t be beaten.
The dog on the tucker box near Gundagai SONY ILCE-7S with FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS at 70mm and f/4, 1/1600sec, ISO 100The dog on the tucker box near Gundagai SONY ILCE-7S with FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS at 52mm and f/8, 1/500sec, ISO 100
The next stop was Holbrook because I heard the bakery was amazing and the vanilla slice there was the best in NSW. That is a big claim given my love for the vanilla slices from the Gumnut bakeries in Mittagong and Bowral.
Before I got to the bakery I stopped at HMAS Otway. Holbrook is the adopted home for the submarine.
HMAS Otway SONY ILCE-7S with FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS at 24mm and f/4, 1/1000sec, ISO 100HMAS Otway SONY ILCE-7S with FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS at 24mm and f/8, 1/200sec, ISO 100Public art SONY ILCE-7S with FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS at 67mm and f/22, 1/25sec, ISO 100HMAS Otway SONY ILCE-7S with FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS at 24mm and f/8, 1/800sec, ISO 100
Then I got into the bakery and asked for a vanilla slice.
Vanilla slice from the central Holbrook bakery Apple iPhone 6 with iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at 4mm and f/2.2, 1/30sec, ISO 40
It was good but it wasn’t great. It certainly wasn’t as good as the vanilla slice from the Gumnut patisseries.
The central Holbrook Bakery Apple iPhone 6 with iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at 4mm and f/2.2, 1/1600sec, ISO 32
The drive was made more interesting by podcasts. I love the fact with my iPhone I can listen to podcasts rather than having to rely on the radio or a CD. Today I listened to a couple of Star Trek podcasts from Trek.fm, a Jared Polin “I shoot RAW” podcast as well as a Trevor Long “Your tech life“ podcast.
The next stop was Wodonga just over the NSW/Victoria border. The Murray River at the cross over is fairly narrow. I was expecting a more substantial river.
I stopped at Henri’s Wodonga Bakery and enjoyed a nice pepper steak hot pie with sauce.
Pepper steak pie with tomato sauce from Henri’s bakery in Wodonga Apple iPhone 6 with iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at 4mm and f/2.2, 1/15sec, ISO 50
I also had another vanilla slice. This is the first time in decades I’ve tried a vanilla slice with pink icing just like when I was a kid buying them at school. This one was very good, although the icing was a little too thick and very very sweet. The custard was nicer than the Holbrook bakery vanilla slice.
Vanilla slice from Henri’s bakery in Wodonga Apple iPhone 6 with iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at 4mm and f/2.2, 1/30sec, ISO 50Henri’s Wodonga Bakery Apple iPhone 6 with iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at 4mm and f/2.2, 1/1300sec, ISO 32
The next stop was Wangaratta and the motel I’d booked.
I love how motels in Australia always seem to place this strip of paper or a variation of it over the toilet seat.
Toilet seat hygienically cleaned in the Park View Motel Wangaratta Apple iPhone 6 with iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at 4mm and f/2.2, 1/60sec, ISO 40
The room is pretty good and it has free wi-fi. I’ll write a review in TripAdvisor soon.
Parkview Motel Wangaratta SONY ILCE-7S with FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS at 32mm and f/5, 1/125sec, ISO 100
For dinner I went for a walk to find a restaurant. I found Cafe Martini and decided to ask for a steak.
On the way to Cafe Martini though I shot some photographs of some public art and the King River
Public art Wangaratta SONY ILCE-7S with FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS at 46mm and f/8, 1/400sec, ISO 100King River Wangaratta SONY ILCE-7S with FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS at 39mm and f/22, 1/60sec, ISO 320Public art in Wangaratta Park SONY ILCE-7S with FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS at 53mm and f/5.6, 1/60sec, ISO 125Public art in Wangaratta Park, Wangaratta SONY ILCE-7S with FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS at 65mm and f/5, 1/80sec, ISO 160
I asked for the rib eye fillet on the bone cooked rare with vegetables. The steak was rare and well rested. It was very good. I’d eat here again.
Rib eye fillet steak at Cafe Martini, Wangaratta Apple iPhone 6 with iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at 4mm and f/2.2, 1/40sec, ISO 32
For dessert I had the tiramisu. It was also pretty good.
Tiramisu at Cafe Martini Wangaratta Apple + Pro HDR iPhone with iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at 4mm and f/2.2, 1/180sec, ISO 32
So that’s it for day one.
Have you driven through southern NSW and Victoria? Tell me about your experiences.
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