Australia: Part III

This is the third and final installment of Australian food from our vacation. Part III: Melbourne. I hope you've enjoyed eating around Oz as much as I did!

Acland Cake Shop

The husband and I took a train from Melbourne to the darling suburb of St. Kilda. We strolled on the boardwalk and soaked up the sun. Then we ate cake for lunch. Don't judge. Check out the window of this place:

How could we not eat cake for lunch? I ordered some magical concoction called a caramel slice. Shortbread, a thick, creamy layer of caramel, and dark chocolate on top.

The husband chose a vanilla slice with flaky layers of pastry, vanilla custard, and a Milwaukee-style snowfall of powdered sugar. Glory be. I wanna go back there right now.

EARL Canteen
Website: www.earlcanteen.com.au

As you may have gathered, I love sandwiches and eat my fair share of them. The Chicken & Chips sandwich at EARL Canteen will go down as one of my all-time favorites. The restaurant's menu describes it best, "roast free-range chicken, crushed peas, candied bacon, aioli, potato crisps." Sigh. It would be worth a 14-hour plane ride just to get this sandwich again.

Cafe Vic
Website: www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/your-visit/eat-drink-shop/cafe-vic

When we were in Melbourne, the husband and I went to the opera for the first time. "How cultured!" You may be thinking to yourself. Well, I won't burst your bubble and tell you that I got sleepy and had to take a little snooze during the second act.

Before "Fiiiiiiiiigaro!" we grabbed some grub at the Melbourne Arts Centre's cafeteria, Cafe Vic. I use the word "cafeteria" very loosely. Yes, you carried your food to the table on a tray, but the entree wasn't mystery meat. It was crispy pork belly with roasted potatoes and veggies. Now that's a cafeteria I can get on board with.

Cafenatics
Website: www.cafenatics.com.au

The entire city of Melbourne is crazy for coffee. Seriously. The cafe culture rocks my socks off. The only sad thing is...I don't drink coffee. But I really enjoyed the tea! And I loved to listen to people place their orders for exotic concoctions. Apparently a "flat white" is like a latte without the foam. Who would've thunk?

At this little cafe tucked into a side street, I enjoyed one of the best muffins I've ever eaten in my life. It was a raspberry pear muffin with streusel topping. Just the right amount of fruitiness and sweetness and tenderness. And with a steaming cup of tea, it was just so lovely.

Australia, you are lovely. Thanks for the memories. And thanks for the food.