Houghton's Winery - Swan Valley

A little while back I headed to sunny Perth for a bit of sunshine, relaxation, and to catch up with some great friends who recently moved to this sunny state. I imagined Perth to be laid back....it was super laid back. Prob a little too laid back for me, as I like a bit of hustle and bustle to keep the day exciting!

We stayed in Scarborough where our friends were living. Such a great little spot. Beautiful long stretches of white sandy beach, and a laid back vibe that makes you instantly slow down and relax. 

Of course we got out to explore what Perth has to offer. With a little help from Urbanspoon, and some friends who grew up in Perth we were pointed in the right direction. 

Houghton's Winery was one of our first stops as I love a good winery lunch! And it didn't disappoint. A quick glance at the menu and my decision was made very quickly. I can't go past a great winery platter full of local produce where you can nibble your way through the wide selection of yummy things on offer! Luckily one of my friends didn't need any convincing to share with me, as the platters are made for two people. 

Mann Platter

So we ended up going for the Mann Platter which was delicious. The platter was made up of peach & lemon chicken shanks, sticky pork ribs, moroccon grilled lamb, tzatziki, chef's salad and relish, a fresh selection of crusty bread, and lastly a nut crusted deep fried brie. All elements of the platter were so yummy, but definite stand outs for me were the pork ribs, and the brie. The ooziness of the brie smeared on a piece of bread was amazing! But I felt like a fatty after eating my way through half the cheese wheel! 

Wagyu Beef Buger

My other two friends with me were going to go the wagyu beef burger. But when they went to the counter to order, they were told there was only one burger left and they'd be sold out for the day. Always a good sign!! So they went halvies in the burger, and a serve of the sticky pork ribs w chips. They really enjoyed both dishes, but said the burger was the winner of the two. 

We washed lunch down with some bottles of wine, which we were able to buy in the tasting area and take across to the cafe to have with lunch. Loved that you could do this, instead of pay per the glass at restaurant prices. 

Swan Valley is such a pretty part of Perth, and I'd def recommend you take the 50 or so minute drive out there to enjoy what the wineries have to offer. Unfortunately we didn't have a full day free, so we limited ourselves to Houghton's for lunch, and a couple of other wineries for some quick tastings - and a stop at a chocolate factory which I'll post about shortly. 

More on Perth to come soon!!

Houghton's Winery Address

148 Dale Rd

Middle Swan

WA, 6065

Out Of Pocket

Mann Platter (worth every cent!): $55

Wagyu Beef Burger w chips: $28

Sticky Ribs w chips: $25

Wine: Forget now, but very reasonable because we paid by the bottle at the tasting area of the winery!

Hutong Dumpling Bar

I've been wanting to go to Hutong Dumpling Bar for a while! Finally after seeing Steven K Amos (very funny man!) who was here as part of the Melb comedy festival, my hubby and I decided to wander down Market Lane, and try our luck at getting a table.

It was about 8.30 by the time we got there. We were greeted by the front desk hostess who told us we'd have to wait 30 mins for a table. We weren't starving so waited around on the couple of chairs they have by the front door. Although we were hungry the time flew by, as we watched through the glassed in dumpling kitchen, watching the chefs preparing the different yummy looking dumplings. My mouth was watering!

We were having an alcohol free night...and instead of our usual beer & cocktail, we opted for a sprite & diet coke. 

With such a large menu, and so many delicious sounding dumplings it was hard for us to decide what to order! But there is one dumpling on the menu I know draws crowds of serious dumpling fans to Hutong. So we decided to start with the.....

Xiao Long Bao Dumplings

Filled with a minced prawn and pork filling, as well as a jelly like broth, these funny wobbly looking dumplings are what people say are a must have at Hutong. There is definitely no easy way to eat them! After you take your first bite, the broth squirts out of the dumpling and runs down your chin! Its quite funny! It had us both in fits of laughter trying to master the best way to eat them! Def don't order these if your on a first date! he he. They were tasty, however I'm not sure they lived up to what I expected. Probably because I had high expectations with all the raving reviews. The mince filling was really delicious, but I felt the broth was a little oily and rich. Sadly I'm not sure I'd order them again.

Prawn Dumplings

Next we tried the prawn dumplings! They were quite simple but really yummy. The filling was a full prawn, that had a great juicy texture, and was cooked to perfection. These were my hubby's favourite.

Duck Dumplings

These were my favourite. I could have had 4 more! The filling was delicious! I loved the combination of the minced duck, with the finely grated carrot and ginger. 

Chicken & Sweet Corn Soup

And to finish off we went for the trusty chicken and sweet corn soup. Ever since I was a little girl, I can't go out for chinese and not have it! The soup was nice and thick, with just the right amount of chicken broth. And the peas were nice and soft, but still popped in my mouth! I'd say its the best I've had in a long time. I cook my own version at home. But its never as good as the chinese make it! If anyone has a great authentic recipe, I'd love for you to share!

So would I go back to Hutong? Not sure. It was good. But not amazing. And with so many great places in Melbourne that specialise in dumplings, I think I'd prefer to to give somewhere else a go next instead. If anyone knows of a must visit dumpling place, please post a comment and let me know about it!

Hutong Dumpling Bar Address

14 - 16 Market Lane

Melbourne

Out Of Pocket

Xiao Long Bao Dumplings: $11.80

Prawn Dumplings: $8.80

Duck Dumplings: $8.80

Chicken & Sweet Corn Soup: $7.00

Make sure you look out for my next post on Perth! Had a fun little trip there. Visited some great wineries, a chocolate factory (yum yum) and so many great restaurants. Can't wait to tell you all about it!

Foodie Tour @ The QVM

When on holiday I always make sure we visit local markets...which usually ends up with us buying lots of yummy local produce and having a picnic somewhere nice! It was my last little break where we did this, I thought to myself....why don't I do this at home?! With such a huge bustling market, full of amazing fresh produce, and at great prices, it just seems crazy to head down to Coles for my weekly shop, when I could pay the Queen Vic Market a visit instead. 

So this thinking is what made me decide to book a 'Foodies Tour' at the Vic Market. My cousin Lauren came along with me (Didn't take much convincing as she's just as much of a foodie as me!) The tour is on Saturday's at 10am, when the market is busy, but not at its peak!

The lady that lead our tour was such a cute little woman, she was so tiny that she had an umbrella with a duck head handle that she would hold up above her head as she powered through the crowds of shoppers, so we could find our way to her. 

We got told a lot of history about the market. Some things I had no idea about.....like that the market site was once a cemetery! One of my fav stalls we visited was a fruit and veg stall that specialises in tomatoes. They have 20 or more different varieties. I didn't even know there were that many! I'm planning to make a big batch of homemade tomato sauce soon, and I'm going to head back there to get my tomatoes.

So the tour goes for 2 hours, and throughout that time you find out things like how to pick the freshest produce, who sells the most expensive, and the cheapest steaks - and why! And along the way you get to have approx 7 different tastings! I won't spoil it by telling you all the things we got to try, just incase you decide to go on the tour, but will show and tell about a few of them.

Here is a plate of yummy dips and yummy crusty bread we got to try. The different dips were spicy capsicum and basil pesto. Two of my favs! Yum Yum. The spicy capsicum had a real kick to it which i loved!

Our last tasting of the day was chicken tortellini in a creamy mushroom and parmesan sauce. It was delicious. I don't normally like pasta meat fillings, and normally I go with the veggie options such as pumpkin and ricotta. But it was a winner. Although tempted to buy some to take home, unfortunately the fresh pasta was super expensive, and I couldn't justify buying it when I've started making my own pasta at home! I'll just have to try and re-invent it myself!

I would highly recommend the 'Foodies Tour', and it has made me go back to the market more regularly which i'm loving. It's not just the fresh produce I love, its the fun conversations with the stall holders, and being around people that are so passionate about food that makes it such a fun, and exciting experience. 

After the tour we grabbed a trolly ($5 to hire) and did our weekly shop! Check out all our yummy ingredients. I ended up with a bit of a mish mash of ingredients! Thats what you get when you don't write a shopping list!

QVM Address

513 Elizabeth St

Melbourne

Website For Booking

http://qvm.com.au/market_tours.aspx

Out Of Pocket

Tour: $40

Shopping Afterwards: I lost count! Hot Tip - Count your $$ before you start shopping

An Apple A Day.....Keeps The Doctor Away...

Although I thought it was more an old wives tale than anything else. I have recently learnt that two apples a day is proven to lower cholesterol, and can also help weightless! And apparently having the peel is very important! So don't go peel free my friends!