Looking for something to do on a Friday night? Creperie Le Triskel, apart from offering some pretty fantastic French galettes, crepes and breakfast tartines, is now also doing a cheese tasting night.  Kicking off at 6pm, grab yourself a bottle of [...]]]> 32 Hardware Lane, Melbourne
Phone 0466 406 404

Looking for something to do on a Friday night? Creperie Le Triskel, apart from offering some pretty fantastic French galettes, crepes and breakfast tartines, is now also doing a cheese tasting night.  Kicking off at 6pm, grab yourself a bottle of whatever is on offer – in this case a flinty Gilbert Picq Chablis – a couple of slices of Noisette bread and plonk yourself down for some fine fromage.

We started off with a Gruyere from Switzerald, a hard cooked yellow cheese made from cow’s milk.  It has a slighty sweet and nutty flavour which is perfect for baking or melting, but at room temperature it is deliciously earthy. Apparently it takes about 800 litres of cow milk to make an 80kg round of Gruyere, and about two seconds for me to eat it

We then moved to the Caprifeuille, a superb white mold goats cheese that has me salivating just thinking about it. The ivory  discs have a heart of snowy white (a sign of the aging process) and is tangy and mildly goaty (not as sharp as a Chevre for instance).  Le Triskel also serves this on top of one of their savoury galettes, drizzled with honey and pinenuts. A perfect combination.

The Onetik Ossan Irarty is apparently a bit of a rarity – a semi hard ewes milk cheese that is utterly addictive. It hails from the south-west of France from sheep who graze the mountain pastures of Pays Basque in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département.  The natural rind adds to the flavour – so please, don’t leave it behind!

Last but not least was the Fourme D’Ambert AOC, a beautiful soft blue cow cheese that dates back to Roman times (the technique, not the actual cheese).  The cheese is innoculated with penicillium roqueforti spores, and injected with Vouvray moelleux, a sweet white wine, on a weekly basis till maturation. With some of that figgy jam on the side, wow…what an awesome combination.

Then if you so desire (…and desire we did), finish with a sweet crepe.  A perfect way to wind down after the working week.

The motto of Creperie Le Triskel is “Arrogantly French” – it is cheekily written on their window and business cards. From what I’ve experienced at Le Triskel so far, I think it should be “Delightfully French” instead.  Located in the perenially [...]]]> 32 Hardware Lane, Melbourne
Phone 0466 406 404

The motto of Creperie Le Triskel is “Arrogantly French” – it is cheekily written on their window and business cards. From what I’ve experienced at Le Triskel so far, I think it should be “Delightfully French” instead.  Located in the perenially busy Hardware Lane district, Le Triskel (along with Sette Bello) is culinary breath of fresh air in sea of less than inspiring cafes and restaurants. Why? Well there seems to be an aura of authenticity, and of pride in producing something unique and good.

It is also overtly French; from the owner and staff (who all chatter away, sing and even whistle in French), to the food (galettes and crepes), reading material (French magazines – Vogue etc.), soundtrack (yes, I did hear Serge Gainsbourg crooning there at some stage), drinks (French cordials such as Grenadine and softdrinks such as Orangina) and coffee (oh yes…proper cafe au lait…in a bowl!).  What is most impressive, and what we are here for though, is the food.

Galettes. Yes, the proper buckwheat type. Served as a savoury dish along with a crisp green salad.  And crepes. Yes, the wheat kind. These are kept for the sweet stuff.

I chose the La Broceliandre, a buckwheat galette enveloping (literally) Swiss Gruyere cheese, bechamel sauce, mushrooms and prosciutto. The galette itself was still supple and tender, yet easy to cut with the knife. A mixed gourmet leaf salad was served in a bowl to the side, garnished with sesame seeds and a light vinegarette. Two small rounds of crispy baguette sat to the side.

The filling?  Well as you can see, it was good.  The cheesy nutty creaminess of the Gruyere and bechamel was a good vehicle for coating the mushrooms and salty Italian cured ham.

Dan went with the L’estivale galette – smoked salmon, ricotta and chives, topped with semi-dried tomatoes, bocconcini cheese and a wedge of lemon. He just about licked his plate clean.

I couldn’t leave without sampling their sweet crepes, and in this instance, we shared the French Chestnut puree.  Oh my.  The crepe was so delicate and light, it was almost as thin as a wafer. It was spread with just the right amount of sweet chestnut paste too. To be honest, this left Concorde for dead.

We went back for breakfast on another day and had the cafe au lait (in a bowl) with toasted baguette and strawberry jam.  They served the toasts on a communal plate; four long batons of baguette spread generously with butter and jam.  I just love dipping the bread into my milky coffee.

I like this place, even though I think they’re still finding their feet a wee bit (sometimes service can be a little scatty).  But I say that in the nicest possibly way – just smile and say c’est la vie!

I had managed to elude the siren-like yell of Concorde Crepes for months, despite the alluring aroma of cooking batter wafting down the street near the GPO.  It was just never the right time to partake in the extra calories; [...]]]> Cnr Elizabeth St and Little Bourke St
(outside GPO)

I had managed to elude the siren-like yell of Concorde Crepes for months, despite the alluring aroma of cooking batter wafting down the street near the GPO.  It was just never the right time to partake in the extra calories; I was always coming back from or going to a meal, and the internal argument dialogue I had with myself always talked my stomach out of it.  Then my friend Bria suggested we try it for lunch one day, and my resolve was shattered.

Concorde Crepes is the brainchild of Maurice Manno (formerly of Superfino and Aix), who seems to have the golden touch (similar to Mr.Christopolous) with starting up funky new eating places/spaces. He’s got the theory right – do something simple, but do it well, with only the best of ingredients. Tick, tick and tick.

I started with a savoury course – wafer thin slices of prosciutto, freshly podded peas, torn basil leaves, slices of tomato and fresh buffalo mozzarella ($9.90). On the menu it was also listed with anchovies, but I didn’t really feel like them so asked for them to be left out.  Too easy. So nice to see it made fresh before my eyes.

Even nicer was to eat it hot off the crepe plate, warm and oozing with mozzarella cheese. The crepe was thin and tender, wrapped around the filling and placed into a cardboard holder for your eating convenience.

Also on offer are crepes such as vegemite and jarlsberg cheese ($5.50 – I must try this next), free-range tandoori chicken with raita, mint and coriander ($9.90), or even peking duck, cucumber, baby cos lettuce and hoisin ($12.90).  All the other cheesy and/or traditional favourites are also there.

Next was dessert, and despite being tempted by the banana, ricotta, almond and maple syrup ($7.90) or stewed apple, cinnamon and organic Gippsland yoghurt ($6.90), I went with the simple yet satisfying honey version. Oh yes. This is the way to end a meal.

I will be back.