Fitzroy Dining Recommendations

I recently received the following email from a friend and was immediately flattered, and yet simultaneously unnerved:

Hello Kit.
I'm looking for a recommendation for a restaurant in the Collingwood/Fitzroy area for <>'s 40th. She digs Easy Tiger but I was thinking elsewhere - a bit groovy and not uptight.
Who better to ask than your good self.?
Chin chin,
<>

Making a suggestion about where somebody else should cram their gob is always an onerous proposition. I mean, is it for a group, or just the two of them? And what if they have a totally shit time, and blame me (more than likely)?  The waiting staff may have changed, or the chef set his apron on fire... anything could have happened.

The best bet is to spread the risk, and just mention some of the highlights, which I duly did. Since I'd already typed up the list, I thought this might be something you might benefit from too.  So here, without further ado, are some of my current top tips for where to graze when taking someone out for their birthday celebrations in the Fitzroy area.  Please feel free to send me your suggestions!!

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It's a Cardonnay Cucina!

What do I buy?  French or Australian wine?  What's a burgundy, and how is it different to a white burgundy?  And is the "aitch" silent in "chardonnay"?

Join Kit as he plumbs the depths of two bottles of wine for your amusement.  And look!  It's a video blog, doncha know?  Avante!

http://youtu.be/vQylQCNEJsM


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Reykjavik Restaurants... and Hot Dogs

Iceland! Icy one day, landy the next.

Actually, the name comes from the Icelandic word Ísland, meaning "island" (**see comment below - I stand corrected!!).  It's a volcanic piece of outer space inhabited by Vikings.. a place I most heartily recommend you going to.

No military, no navy, geo-thermal heating of houses and water, hydro-electricity, and hydrogen fuelled busses. Yoko Ono liked it so much, she built a light sculpture tribute to John Lennon there (the Imagine Peace Tower), that lights up in winter.

You'll find yourself swimming in lakes with steam under glacier capped mountains, marvelling at nature, smelling sulfur and noticing the sun not going down / or coming up (depending on what time of year you're there).

When you're on the plane to Iceland, Icelandic Air makes a big deal out of the most popular restaurant in the country being a hot dog stand (I wonder what John would say?).  Our bicycle tour guide, Eggy, explained why:

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Loeb Boathouse

Hey!  There's another video blog on Kit's Cucina.  He must have used one of those mobile phone scenarios while he was away.

Click here to watch a review of Kit in New York

But how do I find out more about this place?

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One If By Land, Two If By Sea - New York

http://www.oneifbyland.com
17 Barrow Street, New York City 10014
Ph (212)255-8649

While staying in New York on the first leg of our adventure, we stayed with my enigmatic brother and his gorgeous wife... who are both very generous (Thanks for having us, Jim and Sue!).

They took us out for dinner to a very nice restaurant called "One if by land, two if by sea", so I'll start my series of travel dining articles here.

Most people think the name of the restaurant is based on the famous American historical event of Paul Revere riding around yelling about the English coming (something to do with wearing ladies knickers at a tea party), but I suspect its actually referring instead to the menu items.  They're rumoured to be bringing out a delivery service called; "3 if by bicycle, 4 if by waiter on roller skates, push the pound key..."

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Syracuse Restaurant & Wine Bar

http://www.syracuserestaurant.com.au/

23 Bank Place, Melbourne, VIC 3000.

Last night we got taken out by our friends Genine and Tim for dinner to celebrate the purchase of their new city apartment - slap bang in the middle of Collins Street’s financial district.

When looking for a place to eat, we strolled up Bank Place, past the “historic” Mitre Tavern (had the usual argument about whether it was the oldest or second oldest pub in Melbourne), and then walked through the glamorous curtained narthex of ‘Syracuse’.

Syracuse, the city, is in Sicily, but I wouldn’t typify the food at its namesake restaurant as Italian.  It’s more of a high (HIGH) food blend of European cuisines with a kind of road kill twist.

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Old polls... Easter and Martinis!

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