Charisma Workshop

3 Frederick Way, Melbourne

As a new arrival in Melbourne's expansive cafe scene, Charisma Workshop has a lot of great cafes to compete with. Charisma Workshop is a result of the collective vision of the Ko family, with Jonathan Ko at the head. With a passion for patisserie, he inspired his family to join him in advancing their skills as well as sharing their passion with others in the form of Charisma Workshop.

Siphon coffee

Kenyan coffee beans

Charisma Workshop is one of the only cafes in Melbourne that I have been to that serves siphon coffee. Many people who have had siphon coffee swear by the fact that it makes coffee with a lighter and more delicate aroma, while eliminating some of the bitterness. Although I could definitely tell the difference between the siphon coffee and a regular brewed black coffee, I would still prefer cold drip coffee. However, if hot black coffee is your thing, then I would definitely give their siphon coffee a try.

Chicken burger with chips

Confit duck leg

I chose to have the confit duck leg, as I was looking for something more substantial, and I rarely ever turn down a good duck dish. Although the dish had many different elements, they all combined well to compliment each other. Even though the duck should have been the centerpiece of the dish,it was slightly overcooked. Instead, I found myself enjoying the mushrooms and sweet potato and pumpkin mash more than the duck. The hidden star of the dish would definitely be the coffee and red wine reduction, which had a strong and deep savoury flavour that helped bring the dish together.

La vie en rose

When I first arrived at Charisma Workshop, I did not expect to find some of the best cakes that I have tried. Absolutely everything about them were done fabulously, from the texture of the different layers within the cake, to the subtle sweetness that accentuated the flavours instead of overpowering them.

The biggest obstacle that Charisma Workshop has to overcome is definitely their location. The cafe is located in a small lane-way adjacent to A'beckett and Wills street, which is the home of the very popular Operator 25. Apart from the location of the lane-way, the cafe was also obstructed from view by scaffolding on the nearby buildings.

Although you can tell that there is a bit of inexperience with them being a new cafe, Charisma Workshop itself was a good experience for us. There were a couple of wrinkles in the preparation of the food that could definitely be ironed out in time. However, other than that they are definitely a place to look out for, especially for those with a sweet tooth!

Food Rating 8.5/10

Overall Rating 8.5/10

The Moldy Fig

120-122 Lygon Street, Brunswick East

Located in the heart of Brunswick's Lygon Street in the vicinity of some big names in the dining scene such as Rumi, The Moldy Fig brings us a side of American cuisine which is somewhat under-represented in Melbourne. Although there are some restaurants in Melbourne that incorporate flavours and techniques from New Orleans style cooking, The Moldy Fig has gone one step further and not only based their entire menu off of New Orleans style cooking, but also incorporated a jazz theme into the entire restaurant, including a reference in their name.

 The Moldy Fig

Southern Fried Shrimp Po'boy

Beef Brisket Po'boy

We started off the night sampling some of the Po'boys that they offer at The Moldy Fig. We chose to try the Southern Fried Shrimp Po'boy and the Beef Brisket Po'boy so that we could try two different flavours. The Po'boys themselves were great, with perfectly cooked shrimp on mine as well as a great balance of the slaw and remoulade. If I had to be picky though, eating the Po'boy was quite difficult, as it was completely packed with the fillings, which made eating it really messy.

 Homemade Cornbread

 

 Ribs of the day

 Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo

Deep fried Southern Bites

After we sampled the Po'boys we had the chance to try many of their main dishes, such as the Prawn and Chicken Jambalaya, Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo, Turkey Meatballs, Deep-fried Southern Bites and Ribs of the day. 

These dishes were a great showcase of the New Orleans style of food, many of which I had not tried before. Many of their dishes were great and full of flavour, such as the Chicken and Sausage Gumbo and the Ribs of the day. The ribs basically fell right off the bone from the slow cooking process, and their homemade BBQ glaze and dry rub gave them a slightly caramelized sweetness. While we did enjoy most of the dishes we tried, I did find some small faults with some of their food, especially the turkey meatballs which where dry and under-seasoned.

Passionfruit and Pomegranate Hurricane

Surprisingly, while we did enjoy our meal, it was actually the drinks they had on offer that impressed me the most. Before visiting The Moldy Fig, I was expecting most of the emphasis to be on their unique offering of New Orleans cuisine. However, after trying their signature cocktail, the Passionfruit and Pomegranate Hurricane, as well as a unique twist on the classic whiskey sour I realised that their bar was also first class.

The Moldy Fig is like nothing that I have tried before. With their unique menu and amazing drinks as well as a snazzy jazz theme, live music and accommodating staff and venue, why wouldn't you want to visit them and give them a go?

Food Rating 8/10

Overall Rating 8.5/10

Bergerac

555 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne

My first experience with Bergerac was many years ago when the restaurant was still located on Melbourne's King Street. I was quite disappointed when I went to visit them again, only to find that they were no longer there. However, while looking for new restaurants in the city I happened to stumble upon their new Lonsdale Street location. Eager to try them again, I dropped my plans and visited them for dinner soon after.

Magret de Canard

Magret de Canard was a dish comprised of oven-roasted duck breast with potato fondant, served on a bed of braised red cabbage in a black cherry jus. I actually really enjoyed the flavour components of the dish, especially how the jus and the duck came together. I do wish that the duck was cooked slightly better as I did find it a little overcooked, however this was only a minor issue.

Lamb special

Pear and frangipane tart

Creme brulee with berry compote

I've been served my fair share of terrible creme brulee, from the incredibly burnt, to the overcooked and grainy. Luckily the creme brulee served at Bergerac was exactly what I would expect to be served from a nice French restaurant.  The thin burnt sugar coating lent to the mouthfeel and texture of the creamy and well balanced custard base, as well as adding a little extra sweetness. If I had to fault this dish, I would have to say that compared to the quality of the creme brulee, the berry compote did not seem to add much to the dish.

With the rise in popularity of all the modern and fusion restaurants around the city, there are a smaller number of the older style and more traditional restaurants left. With some of my favourite restaurants closing in recent times, I feel like giving some of the older restaurants, such as Bergerac some love is definitely something worth doing.

Food Rating 8.5/10

Overall Rating 8.5/10