Mr NQN has his sporty thing. Every weekend or so he has to run around and get it out of his system. I have a similar thing and that involves shopping. Even grocery shopping to me is fun. So when I got the chance to sneak in a little shopping amongst a lunch I get very excited. Armchair Collective is a shop slash cafe that sells…well armchairs as well as all sorts of beach side items, cushions, cups, bowls and fresh flowers.

There is sometimes an unease when you walk into a place that is full of locals. They clearly know the place well and you (or at least I) feel like an interloper. Especially when shared tables are involved and large sprawling families occupy them or girls in groups huddle for warmth or gossip. So when Mr NQN and I arrived at The Armchair Collective I felt a bit out of place looking for a table. Like we were the last two standing in a game of musical chairs as we see group after group take the remaining empty tables.

We end up perching on the end of one of the large table but then move swiftly when we see a table free up. This five month old cafe is frightfully busy but it is also quite large with lots of tables. The food comes out quickly and so turnover is fast and I don’t think you would end up waiting for more than 10 minutes for a table if that. Ordering is at the counter where you also get a copy of the menu.

Lunch is served from 12pm-3pm and there are the usual cafe staples: soups, burgers, sandwiches and salads. I’m a bit smitten with the idea of an olive oil panini and specifically their version of a BLT-the BRT with rocket replacing the lettuce. The prices range from excellent to prices that Mr NQN gristles at ($25 for fish and chips, “they’d want to be good” he says and is not persuaded by the fact that they are Whale Ale beer coated ). Things seems to be mostly around the $15 mark except for the aforementioned fish and chips and the more substantial sounding lamb and trout.

The guy behind the counter is very friendly and asks how your day is going (and actually waits and listens for the answer!) and when I ask him he says that taking photos inside is absolutely not a problem at all. I take my large wooden number to the table and then do a bit of a walk around of the store. There are loads of gifty types of presents, a lovely range of candles by ZenDiva, mint balls which are a definite curiosity, delicious looking Australian honeycomb and lovely tea sets and glasses. Still, perhaps I was having an off day but nothing made it’s way onto my credit card. Perhaps Mr NQN has been practicising magic!

Chai with milk $4.50

I’ve had my happy lap around and I look up and see that our food and drinks are being delivered to the table.  My loose leaf chai is a generous serving in a teapot boiled with milk the way it should be with a side of honey and cinnamon. It’s excellent with a delicious array of spices and even a slight hot cinnamon tingle at the end. And there was enough in the teapot to make 5 cup’s worth (this is where Mr NQN’s mum Tuulikki would beam up at the sky and express joy-she loves those “bottomless” teapots). Mr NQN had a long black, which we had to chase but was brought to us quickly. All he had to say was “Yeah it was alright” which means I should just taste it for myself next time

BRT $12

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Dear Reader, ever wondered what one of my travel itineraries look like? Here’s a peek!

7am Wake up
7-11am Catch up on work and writing
11am Get ready for ferry to MONA (museum of old and new art)
11.40am Ask for directions to MONA wharf from hotel staff
11.50am Realise that I am lost and ask about half a dozen people how on earth to get to the ferry
12pm Just make it onto the ferry when the hand passes 12noon only to realise that the ferry doesn’t leave on time and that I have probably instantly pegged myself as a “mainlander” because I’ve run onto the ferry like my legs were on fire!

“I had nightmares after I visited MONA a fellow traveller said to me. Another said she was greeted on one floor with a wall of vaginas. Errrm what? Yes a wall of 150 casts of vaginas (I never thought I’d ever write that on this blog). It’s one of their many, many controversial art works at MONA. As I absolutely adore modern art I didn’t think I would exactly be having nightmares over it but I was curious to see what It would be like. MONA has been called a “subversive Disneyland” and sits on an eight acre peninsula that curves into the Derwent River.

I alight the ferry and see a huge flight of stairs up top of the entrance to MONA that serves to work up an appetite. The actual museum is housed on three floors below on basement levels of a heritage building and has attracted considerable interest not just because of the controversial nature of modern art.

He explains that owner David Walsh is a big fan of tennis and when he is in town he visits the museum every day. Walsh is an interesting person famous for being mysterious and enigmatic. He is a mathematical genius that made his fortune through gambling and started by counting cards at Blackjack. MONA and its corresponding restaurant, cafe, winery, cellar door, wine bar and museum is his own vision. And does he ever play tennis on Hess courts during the day I ask Andrew? “Well you never know with David!”.

But before we get to the vaginas (again never thought that I’d write that either), we are going for lunch at MONA’s main restaurant The Source. Named after the famous painting by John Olsen of the same name it is a restaurant helmed by chef Philippe Leban. The menu is modern French with an emphasis on seafood. I have a glass of the sparkling to start with. It’s a Moorilla Muse vintage brut 2006 and the wine bottle labels in themselves are talking points. They photographed performers from the Ballet Lab and put these unfolding black and white photos on the labels which gives them a definite sensual quality.

Wine bottles with photographs of Ballet Lab performers

Bread with seaweed butter

All of the bread is baked here and comes with regular butter or seaweed butter. I like the seaweed butter with the baguette which gives it a little extra saltiness from the seaweed.

Lightly poached bug tail, translucent radish, rosemary, Ginger, lime and ikuve oil dressing $25 served with a Muse Pinot Gris 2008

You know that the food just has to be beautifully presented at a restaurant for a museum slash art gallery. This has succulent tender pieces of poached bug tail covered with overlapped, paper thin, translucent radish slices and topped with swirls and splodges of a ginger, lime and olive oil dressing which gives it an Asian flavour. The beautifully cooked bug and delicate radishes and dressing are a perfect symphony and it is light and beautiful.

Abalone, vongole, oyster, periwinkle, parsley jus, smoked oyster oil, sea foam $27

The seafood here is gently cooked and soft and delicately flavored. I only tried a little of this but it is lovely with a creamy parsley jus and sea foam. I know foam is said to be over as a trend but it kind of fits as sea foam.

Roast duck, black pudding croquette, apple sherbet, foie gras, spice bread $42 served with a Pinot noir muse 08

The roast duck comes as a four part dish. The apple sherbet resembles a pommes puree but is a slightly tart apple puree and there is a slender, succulent piece of duck, a crispy skinned piece of duck meat and a slice of seared foie gras and a baton of black pudding croquette. I wasn’t quite sure where the spice bread came into it, the croquette didn’t taste particularly of a spice bread coating. Each component is lovely itself but the gentle interplay of textures from the soft foie gras and crunchy croquette to the tanginess of sherbert with the unctuousness of the duck make this a keeper.

Red snapper, oyster coat, shiitake, kombu, smoked bacon pot au feu $4

The broth for this is poured at the table and I try a little of the fish with small pea size balls of tender carrot and it melts in my mouth. The key to cooking the fish like this according to sous chef Vince is the induction stove which sits pride of place by the pass in the centre of the room. I watch as they sponge it off and squeegee it clean and he tells us that it allows them to control the temperature so precisely on a piece of fish like this with even cooking all over. And you can tell it cost a bomb-the price of a house apparently!

The induction stove

Cherries, Red cabbage sorbet $15

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Adriano Zumbo

Hello lovelies! A good Saturday to you all! I’ve got something short and sweet for you today… a poll on what you think about food, food styles and your food influences! And not only just a poll but one in which you get the chance to win 1 of 5 VIP double passes to see Masterchef Live

The ultimate foodie’s event, MasterChef Live, is back for the second year and will run from 7-9th October, 2011 at the Royal Hall of Industries & Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park. The event will provide foodies with the opportunity to cook, learn and shop while mingling with their favourite MasterChef chefs, judges and contestants.

Adam Liaw

And dahlinks because you know I only travel in style I know you do too so we are giving away five sets of two VIP tickets worth $85 each so each pair is $170! Cool down in the Jaguar VIP lounge (where last year I saw Maggie Beer chatting to guests) and enjoy one complimentary drink and special appearances throughout the day from chefs and contestants plus a gift bag.

Maggie Beer

So for your chance to win, start the poll and enter your email address in the last field to enter the giveaway! It ends in a week at midnight AEST 11th of September, 2011 so get in quick. Tell your friends about it and they might even bring you along too!

***The winners are:

Megan S. of NSW

Nicole W. of NSW

Louisa M. of NSW

Joyclyn T. of Qld

Sylvia B. of NSW***

Start Poll

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