HealThy Self Co., Yarraville

Do you know what a "crunchy mama" is?  In Australia, we might say "hippie mum", but it doesn't really translate.  Like GMO canola seeds drifting on the wind, crunchy mamas have taken up residence in every nook and cranny of the inner west.  You can spy them being trees at creative dance workshops, burning up Facebook in various bulk-buying food co-ops, and carrying a baby on the back while gestating one on the front.

Don't come after me with handmade pitchforks.  I speak with love because I am a crunchy mama too.  Not nearly as crunchy as when I had my first baby (no cot, no pram, made my own ring sling, made my own cloth nappies AND MADE MY OWN BABY BUTT WIPES) but I'd still consider myself somewhere on the crunchy scale.

Image by Amber Dusick from the blog Crappy Pictures. Used with thanks per FAQ terms.

Speaking of which, you HAVE to check out Crappy Pictures' "Scale of Crunchy Mamas".  It goes from level 1 ("Plans to breastfeed, owns a Baby Bjorn") to level 9 ("Can sew an entire quilt in one night by the light of handmade beeswax candles while sipping tea made from homegrown chamomile in a mug that was hand formed from clay mined from her backyard. While nursing").  Ba ha haaaa!

So I'm probably somewhere in the middle of that scale.  But I think I just got a whole lot more crunchy after discovering Heal.Thy Self Co.

This is a new cafe in Yarraville which is basically like stepping into an Instagram feed.  The menu is radiant with superfoods.  We're talking kombucha tea, kale smoothies and raw vegan cheesecake.  It's a little slice of San Fran in Ballarat Street.

I have been hearing a lot about kale (and if you haven't either, you must live under a rock) but I still don't really "get" it.  I've tried to cook with it but it tastes like horse feed.  Finally I get a crunchy gold star, though, as I tried Heal.Thy Self's kale smoothie ($9) - and loved it!

This 'un has greens, banana and a whole host of ingredients I had to google after the fact.  There's "super greens powder", raw vanilla protein powder and maca powder in the mix (maca powder is a dried, powdered form of a root from Peru, purported to have fertility, antidepressant and bone-strengthening qualities).  Actually, I just realised it doesn't actually say it has kale!  But surely I still get a gold star for drinking something that shade of emerald.  It was really nice - sweet but with an earthy, vegetal undertone.

My friend A decided to "be kind" to herself with the eponymous "be kind" smoothie ($9), with mixed berries, banana, lucuma powder (a dried powdered Peruvian "superfood" fruit), coconut, filtered H20 and "raw wild berry fermented super protein powder".  Yum - and it matched her handbag!  Instagram-approved.

Heal.Thy Self do a brunchy-lunchy menu of things like a raw choc chia parfait (chia mousse, activated buckinis and coconut yoghurt) or toasted sandwiches with roast veg and cashew cheese.  If that all sounds too Jesus sandal, there is a smashed avo option or a good old ham and cheese toastie (with grass-fed butter, of course).

We went the choc-ana bread ($12.50) which was pretty awesome.  Loved the "choc nut & seed butter", which was sweet without being cloying, and went perfectly with bananas and honey.

But we LOVED the raw vegan raspberry cheesecake.  I'm assuming it was made with silken tofu.  It had a fabulous mousse-like texture, wasn't too sweet and was bursting with real raspberry flavour.  I would have loved it if the base was more crunchy to add some contrast, but it was still delicious.

Detoxifying dandelion tea (actually a blend of dandelion, wattleseed & cinnamon, $4.50) - the staff had a timer behind the counter to register when it had brewed sufficiently before serving.

I had the same thing but in latte form ($5) with the recommended oat milk.  This was delicious - spicy, slightly (and not unpleasantly) bitter and creamy all at once.

I really like this place.  I only have one teeny grumble.  Most of the staff were lovely and sunny, but there was one who was a bit stern/business-like when we first walked in and were dithering about wondering where to sit, how to order etc.  It's probably not something I'd care about in any other cafe, but given how the concept and the menu just radiate health and happiness, I think it's really important for everyone to be on board with big welcoming smiles and attitudes.

Heal.Thy Self Co. is a great thing for Yarraville, which has been eclipsed by Seddon in the last few years as the cool place to be in the inner west.

Going back to Amber Dusick's "Scale of Crunchy Mamas", she talks about how "people attempt to self-righteously out crunch one another...  How we awkwardly fumbled around subjects like vaccinations or circumcision or extended breastfeeding and tried to fish out each other’s stance on it. Back in those early months, every decision felt like it defined us".

I first mentioned nine levels in the "Scale of Crunchy Mamas", but there are actually 10.  A level 10 crunchy mama "does most or all or some assortment of the above levels but they don’t give a crap about what anyone thinks.  They aren’t keeping track and they’ve outgrown the labels.  They certainly don’t preach to others or judge people about their choices.  They’re just doing their own thing".

Image by Amber Dusick from the blog Crappy Pictures. Used with thanks per FAQ terms.

A level 10 crunchy mama is a diamond.  To my friends A and A - and anyone out there expecting a child, or parenting little ones - may you be strong, confident diamond mamas.

Heal.Thy Self Co.

26 Ballarat St, Yarraville

Phone: 9687 3330

Hours: Mon-Fri 6.30am-4pm, Sat-Sun 7.30am-4pm

Happy Maree - badges and beany brews in Yarraville

There's a new happy place in town.  Right on the border of Kingsville and Yarraville, say hello to happymaree!

This den of cool is the baby of Delanie (aka Maree) and Mario.  Happymaree was previously only seen at artists' markets around Melbourne and Victoria, but now their groovy badges, cards and other vintage-inspired goodies have a permanent home here in the west.

There's also work by other artists for sale, including Baby Guerrilla, best known for her paste-ups around Footscray and wider Melbourne.

My daughter said today that she had a "meringue sandwich" with her aunty.  I thought for a minute and chuckled.  Obviously it was a macaron!  In these days of macarons and caneles, can the humble muffin really hope to still compete?  Well, when it's this good, it beats 'em all hands down.  Still toasty from the oven, these mini banana and walnut loaves had perfect fluffy middles and warm crusty tops.  We kicked them into overdrive with a smear of soft butter.

Here's Mario, one half of happymaree and the secret weapon behind these amazing baked beauties.  (He's a trained baker and chef).  Happymaree is not officially a cafe but rather a home-based business that happens to serve coffee and snacks.  As well as Anzac bikkies, they do dog biscuits too, like carrot and parsley (for pooches who want fresh breath)!

"I can't help it, I'm Italian," said Mario, as he pressed us into having this freebie, a savoury tart with chorizo and vegies.  And I'm (part) English, which means I'm too polite to refuse!  It was delicious, though, with a proper silky middle.  (Eggy tarts often end up coarsely textured.  Well, mine do.)

Coffee is by Four Rascals, a small team with a no-nonsense, small-batch coffee roasting approach.  The milk wasn't lusciously foamy, but the underlying shot was well pulled, strong and tasty.

Another naughty freebie - a soothing watermelon slushy, the last sigh of summer.

As for the kiddlywinks, they can get inspired with all the crafty goodness around and get stuck into paper, stamps and more.

Plus, make your own badges!  Cool!

At this stage happymaree is open every day from 8am.  It is a home-based business, so their closing hours are flexible.  Keep your eye on their Facebook page for last-minute updates.

And in case you needed ANY more convincing...

happymaree

229 Somerville Road, Yarraville

Open daily from 8am

The West's first food truck - 'White Guy Cooks Thai'!

Things we love:  Pork belly, banh mis and sliders.

Things we love more:  Pork belly banh mi sliders!

Things we love most:  A food truck that sells pork belly banh mi sliders!!!

Things that make our head explode:  A food truck that sells pork belly banh mi sliders, IN THE WESTERN SUBURBS!!!!!!!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!

Yes, westies, we're not Melbourne food trucks' forsaken faithful anymore.  Big thanks to Simon, David and Rachel of brand new food truck "White Guy Cooks Thai" who have chosen to bring their blend of funked-up, fresh Thai to Footscray, Yarraville and surrounds right off the bat.

Side of gyoza, $4

There are mains like curries (that changes daily) or vegan sweet corn cakes, and you can mix and match with sides like these gyoza with soy n' lime dipping sauce.  These were crisp, non-greasy, punchy parcels of flavour - one chicken and water chestnut, the other water chestnut and shiitake mushroom.

Pork belly banh mi slider, $4

I had brought some magazines, intending to nibble daintily while turning pages.  I didn't even open the front cover though until I'd completely devoured this fantastic specimen.  The pork belly was thick, juicy, and crisp and soft in all the right places.  The juices mingled with creamy mayo and tangy chilli sauce, set off by gorgeous Asian slaw.  I would love an even crispier bun though (I know Nhu Lan make a mini bread roll similar to this one, and theirs have that real banh mi crackle and crunch).

You can read more about owner Simon and his CV in Meld Magazine here, but suffice to say he knows his tom yum from his yum som.  Today's curry was green prawn, while yesterday Kenny really dug White Guy's beef massaman.

White Guy will be touring Wednesday to Sunday, so keep track of the truck via their Facebook and Twitter to see where it'll be next.  It's a brilliant set up for families - just set up in whatever park's nearby, wander over and the kids can play and run about with no worries about mess.  One $4 slider (minus chilli) from the "sides" menu would be perfect for a child.  If building a meal for an adult from the sides alone, I'd say get three.

So I don't know about you, but summer just got even more exciting!

Thank you so much Andy of Krapow for the tip.

The Bank, Yarraville

Big things are brewing at Yarraville's The Bank.  This gorgeous heritage building occupies a top-notch spot in the Village and recent developments are very exciting.

Owner Bernard Mondon has assembled a dream team of sorts, with James Kummrow emigrating from Dunkeld's Royal Mail Hotel, which scored a coveted three hats in the most recent Age Good Food Guide.  In addition, great steak pedigree is virtually in the bag by Conall Flay, ex-The Station, coming on board.

The wine list's currently in development with the help of Sommelier Jeremy Shiells of the Royal Mail.  Winter comes through in all its cosy root veg glory on the menu - think seared scallops with smoked beetroot puree and silverbeet, or slow-cooked pork belly with pear puree and baby turnips.

Roasted Jerusalem artichoke veloute, sunflower seeds, golden raisins $12

Jerusalem artichokes are a somewhat intriguing vegetable that are neither artichoke nor from Jerusalem. They're a knobbly kind of tuber looking not unlike ginger.  This veloute (a roux-thickened soup) was so luxurious, rich and buttery.  Loved the inspired addition of swollen golden raisins that popped like sweet beads in the mouth, plus the occasional crunch of tiny toasted sunflower seeds.

Leek, mushroom, goats cheese and hazelnut terrine, $15

The menu proper is light on vegetarian options, but a specials board offered a few gems.  Here, a fat mushroom was surrounded by creamy goats cheese, with round leek sections forming the final border.  While the veloute had turned a humble tuber into something magical, to me this was the sum of its parts.  On this chilly night, my friend said she had serious food envy of my warm, snuggly soup.

Can we just pause a minute and check out the prices?!  Honestly, I could have stopped right here and been down $12.  We're talking very generous serves.  Now, maybe that's my fault because the section we chose from is called "Market Harvest" rather than "Entrees", but make sure you come hungry or otherwise, stomach rapidly filling, you may approach mains with apprehension rather than anticipation.

Roasted free range chicken, bacon and sage stuffing, onions, carrots $28

...Sorry, what was I saying?  Full?  Oh - um - I meant famished!  Now, ordering chicken breast might seem like a bit of a castrato effort but this is one spunky bird.  The skin was golden, the white flesh incredibly juicy, and on top popped sweet puffed grains which added snap and crackle.  Melty-soft mini onions complemented stuffing rich with bacon, while baby carrots offered innocent sweetness.  Delicious.

Cone Bay W.A. barramundi fillet, olive oil crushed potato, watercress, lemon $29

This is very special fish.  Just off tiny Turtle Island off the pristine, remote WA coast, barramundi are raised in vast ocean pens for six months before harvest.  Go on the virtual tour on the website to see what best practice looks like (never thought I'd daydream about working on a fish farm!)  This is one fish I wouldn't feel guilty about eating, and the flavour was totally no compromise - delicate petals of mild white flesh.

Quinoa and caramelised cauliflower $7

Continuing the generous theme, The Bank's mains don't really need sides, but anything "caramelised" demands investigation in my book.  Loved this combo of nutty, al dente quinoa and cauli florets just kissed with crispness.

Chef James kindly did up this super-purty sampler of sweet nothings.  Apparently his dad had told him, "Don't you go getting too fancy," so the triple cream cheesecake in the middle is his mum's recipe...  Well, at least right up until Mum puts it in the trusty springform!  This was just delish, the gorgeous house-made lime juice jelly cutting through the luscious cream cheese crème.  On the right was a milk chocolate parfait, which in this world of 85% cocoa or nothing was a ballsy, retro move, but one that paid off in spades.  Coffee was the secret ingredient that balanced the sweetness while salted caramel added more deep, dark flavour notes to bounce off.  Carrot cake on the left was quite lovely but got overshadowed by her two more flamboyant plate mates.

"No more," we cried, and a great short mac with Syndicate coffee (from Richmond) was a satisfying final chord.

Finer dining destinations are thin on the ground in the west, so this new, "up-town" direction for The Bank is both a smart and a very welcome move.  The Station Hotel is my all-time happy place, and like The Station, The Bank offers top-notch fare alongside down-to-earth western suburbs hospitality.

The Bank Food & Wine

13 Ballarat Street, Yarraville

Phone:  9362 7222


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Mishra's Kitchen

On quiet-as-the-proverbial Wembley Ave, the Bollywood tunes sing sweetly down the empty street, and you can't help but be drawn in to Mishra's Kitchen.

This sandwich bar by day morphs into an Indian restaurant at night.  Inside, the decor is slightly functional but still belies a loving touch.

Chef Sanjeev is the personality behind Mishra's Kitchen and he is full of smiles, whether busy at work in the open kitchen or checking that everyone's happy at your table.  A smartly-dressed young waiter gave us attentive, friendly service.

Onion bhaji, $5

Onion bhaji to start.  I found these a bit dull - I prefer the more freeform style of bhaji/pakora that, say, Indi Hots do.

Samosa, $5

These samosas were nice - love the authentic touch of ajwain seeds in the dough - but they were big and, for me, too substantial for an entree.  More like a light lunch really.

Alu baigan masala, $10

Top marks for this eggplant and potato curry, the potato perfectly tender and imbued with spices, the eggplant silky with glistening black skin, all in a rich red sauce.

Butter chicken, $12

Great butter chicken too, not too buttery and with rich tomato flavour.  I may or may not have hoovered up the leftovers for breakfast the next day.  One great thing about Mishra's is all the menu items have codes as to whether they are gluten- and/or lactose-free.

Shabnam curry, $10

This mushroom and pea curry was well made with fresh vegies but was very rich, not from excessive oil or butter but from coconut cream.  It was a little too much for me but if you were hankering for a creamy curry, this would wrap you up like a fluffy blanket.

Special of the day, $12?

This was the chef's special of the day, a chicken and vegie curry in a coconut sauce, which I think was the same sauce as the mushroom curry above - an unintentional double-up on our part.  Delicious but again, rich.  I am keen to try more of the tomato- and/or vinegar-based curries like the eggplant and potato above.

Rice, $3

Tender basmati rice, each grain separate...

Plain naan ($2) and garlic naan ($2.50)

...and winning, proper tandoori naan, big discs puffed right up like woodfired pizza, providing contrast between crackled top and chewy bottoms.  Spy the tandoori oven in the earlier kitchen pic, skewers dangling promisingly above it.  I think the naan prices are really fair - hate paying $3.50 or more for one soggy garlic naan at other places.  

We only really skimmed the surface of the menu and somehow managed to unintentionally miss the entire tandoori section.  I had four kids with me and felt like I was playing that carnival game where the gophers pop up out of holes and you have to bash them down with a squishy hammer - averting crises left, right and centre!  To this end, the butter chicken was a hit (pun fully intended).

I'm keen to try the Goan fish (with ground coconut, tamarind and whole spices), the vindaloo with garlic and green chilli and even the kormas, with an almond-based, white sauce.  The serves seem bigger than other Indian restaurants and the prices are great - $10 for veg curries, $12 for meat and $14 for seafood.  Next Indian takeaway night, I'm here - parking is a snap to boot.

Thanks to Kenny for the company and the great tip - check out Kenny's visits here and here!  Also thanks to Melissa who wrote to me, saying: "Thanks for creating your blog and celebrating the west!  My partner and I went to Mishra's Kitchen at Wembley Ave, yarraville last night.  Best indian in years (since the Carlton Curry House uni days).  Great food, prices and a chef that is passionate about his food, sharing and the community feel."



Mishra's Kitchen
18 Wembley Avenue, Yarraville
Phone:  9314 3336
Open Mon-Sat 11am-3pm (lunch menu) and 5pm-10pm (Indian dinner menu)


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