Platform 9 - Railway Refreshment Rooms, Toowoomba

On the Queensland Railway Lines

There are stations where one dines

Private individuals

Also run refreshment stalls

From "On the Queensland Railway Lines", Brisbane Realist Writers Group, 1959

While I was on holidays with my family, I took us all out for morning tea at Platform 9, the old Railway Refreshment Rooms at the Toowoomba Railway Station.

The charm of Platform 9 is that it preserves the old world atmosphere of the Railway Refreshment Rooms for younger generations to enjoy, with many original furnishings, cutlery and crockery, and cabinets displaying artifacts from a by-gone era.

As you step inside, you are immediately transported back in time:

There is a beautiful polished wood bar just inside the door, which also has a coffee machine and a cash register in its modern incarnation:

The operators of Platform 9 have retained the old serving area and cash register for display:

The grand dining area features pressed metal ceilings and polished wood furniture:

Each table is beautifully set with crisp white linen:

There is a series of display cabinets featuring relics from the hey day of the Railway Refreshment Rooms, and a sign telling the story of the Refreshment Rooms:

Wouldn't you love to take a picnic basket like this on your trip today (although it would be very heavy with all that crockery)?

An old menu is displayed, together with the bargain basement price list of the day:

I ordered a devonshire tea, which I think is the best morning tea offering. (My Mum found her carrot cake a little dry.) The tea is served in original Queensland Rail crockery:

The scones are light and fluffy, and come dusted with icing sugar and accompanied by plum jam and cream:

If you are ever passing through Toowoomba, Platform 9 (which also serves lunch and dinner, Tuesday to Saturday) is well worth a visit for a trip down memory lane.

Platform 9

Toowoomba Railway Station

Railway Street

Toowoomba Qld 4350

07 4631 3233

Coin Laundry, Armadale

Just before Christmas, I went for brunch with my friends Craig, Steve, Veronica and Christian to a cafe called Coin Laundry in Armadale. It is tucked just behind Armadale Station. As the name suggests, the building housing the cafe used to be a coin laundry, and has been converted into a popular local cafe.

Inside, the cafe is light, bright and open, with fabric details on the walls and ceiling as decoration:

The breakfast menu sounded fabulous, and I could have eaten anything on it. There is something for everyone - bread, fruit, cereal, beans and, for the die hard carnivore, a fry up.

I chose the poached fruits with goats milk yoghurt and honey caramel ($11.50):

I was not all that keen on the texture of the yoghurt, and there was definitely more yoghurt than fruit, but it all tasted terrific as a combination. The slightly tangy flavour of the yoghurt was balanced by the sweetness of the caramel and the smooth coolness of the poached pear and rhubarb.

Other dishes that my friends sampled included a bircher muesli with coconut and passionfruit (~$9), a bean cassoulet with green olive tapenade (~$12), a champagne ham and cheddar foccaccia (~$9) and the Coin Laundry breakfast (~$16) - that is, a fry up, with exceptionally crispy bacon, eggs, bread and all the usual trimmings. (No black pudding though - in Australia, fry ups rarely come with black pudding.)

The service was efficient and friendly, and my friends already had a table when I arrived.

I would definitely go back to the Coin Laundry - it's a great newish venue for a casual meeting with friend.

Coin Laundry Cafe
61A Armadale Street
Armadale VIC 3143
Ph: 03 9500 1888

Oriental Tea House - Little Collins St, Melbourne

Tim and I recently visited The Oriental Tea House in Little Collins St, Melbourne. As the name suggests, The Oriental Tea House sells a large range of teas and tea accessories (cups, pots etc). However, it also has a yum cha restaurant attached at all locations (and there are several throughout Melbourne).

The Little Collins Street branch has a funky, bar-like atmosphere, with 70s style colourful plastic tables and chairs, a mezzanine level, and lots of bright lights.

The yum cha menu is quite extensive, and there are currently some seasonal special dishes for Christmas. We chose to order two of the seasonal specials, along with some old favourites. Most of the dumplings come in a serve of 3, with the buns coming as a serve of two. The dishes are mainly less than $10 each, which is good value in my books.

First up, we ordered Santas Goody Bag Dumplings:

Aren't they cute? These were pork and apple in a buckwheat dumpling, tied off with chives, and accompanied by apple sauce. These were the pick of the night for me - it's a shame they are only seasonal.

Next are the BBQ Pork Buns:

These are pretty much standard issue that you will get anywhere - a steamed, sweet dough bun filled with minced tangy BBQ pork.

These were followed by the ginger prawn dumplings:

These gorgeous little dumplings are a favourite of mine, and comprise deep fried pork and prawn dumplings which are then steamed with a ginger suace - mmmmmm, mmmmmm.

Next up, we had the pork shu mai - again, these are prawn and pork dumplings, but are steamed, not deep fried:

Finally, we had another of the seasonal offerings - the turkey dumplings:

These were minced, spiced turkey encased in wonton wrappers, and served with "a dash of chilli". And oh boy, did they come with chilli! There was a little too much chilli for my liking, which diminished my appreciation of these considerably.

There is a limited range of desserts available at The Oriental Tea House, and my favourite is the egg custard tarts:

There are two tarts to a serve - just right for sharing. They flaky outer pastry shell encases a dollop of sweet egg custard.

Full details of the menu are available on the Teahouse website under the "Teahouse" sidebar.

A full range of drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, is available for purchase.

The Oriental Tea House is a relatively inexpensive place to enjoy a range of Asian-style dumplings in a relaxed, casual atmosphere. The staff are efficient and attentive, but can be stretched when the restaurant is very busy. Certain dumplings are available in pre-packed takeaway boxes if you are on the go. This chain of restaurants is a favourite of mine, and I will be going back.

Oriental Tea House
378 Little Collins St
Melbourne VIC 3000
Ph: (03) 9600 4230

Gills Diner

Melbourne is renowned for its alleys and laneways, many of which conceal hidden gems. You need to keep your eyes open when walking down the streets of the Melbourne CBD, and if you see an alley or a laneway, take a peek down it - you never know what treasure you might find.

Gills Diner is one such treasure, hidden in Gills Alley off Little Collins Street (between Queen and Elizabeth Streets). It is one of those "blink and you'll miss it" kind of places, with only a metal sign on the unassuming concrete outer wall to let you know that it exists.

Inside, Gills is a popular, bustling eatery, from which the devine smell of freshly baked bread beckons (as Gills operates as a bakery during the day):


The dining area at Gills is packed with bare topped timber tables, set neatly with blue rimmed plates and starched white napkins:

On the evening that Tim and I visited, we did not have a reservation, but the friendly and efficient staff promptly found us a place at a white-painted bench with stools that divides the main dining area with large tables from the smaller side area with tables for two. I preferred the quieter area where we were seated, as it was out of the bustle of the main dining room, making it a better option for conversation, and was slightly darker and more mysterious. Think the main dining area of Ricks Diner in Casablanca versus the back room where Rick splutters, "Of all the gin joints in all the towns ..."

Shortly after being seated, we were served with a bread basket containing a variety of breads:

We had eaten the best slices (a salt-crusted sourdough with a soft, snowy interior) before I remembered to take a photo of the remaining slices of baguette. Drinks followed shortly thereafter - in my case, a refreshing peach Bellini (haven't had one of those since Hakkasan in London over 8 years ago!), and in Tim's case, a glass of red.

The menu is written on a number of chalkboards around the restaurant, and presumably changes daily. On the night of our visit, there were many tempting entrees, including stuffed zucchini flowers (which I am yet to try), but we decided just to go for mains. It says a lot that I could have ordered anything on the menu and been happy - it all sounded very good. However, I settled on roast duck with a pine nut and pumpkin risotto:

The duck skin was coated with a lovely sweet, sticky sauce (which I could not identify), and was moist and tender within. The skin was not particularly crisp, although it was flavoursome. The risotto was a perfect accompaniment, because its flavours were subtle enough that they did not compete with the duck, but were not so subtle as to make the risotto bland. It was also perfectly done - the grains of rice came apart easily, and it did not leave a "gloggy" mouth-feel. (I can appreciate the skill in this, having made a disastrous risotto or two myself.)

Tim chose a rabbit and pea ravioli, topped with goats cheese:

The ravioli refused to be photographed nicely, despite Tim and I both attempting it. (I think the yellowness resulted from a street light that flooded in from the alleyway through the window.) Tim enjoyed his choice, but as a duck lover, I have a feeling that he preferred mine; however he was not left duck-less, as I was happy to share the duck.

We rounded out our meal with a very decent coffee.

Gills prices are on the medium side, with most mains costing around the $25-$30 mark. Our meals with drinks and coffee cost around $45 per head.

My Gills Diner experience was very positive - the atmosphere, the staff and the food combined to make it a memorable evening that left a warm afterglow.

Gills Diner
Gills Alley, Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9670 7214

High Tea at The Hotel Windsor

Do you like going out somewhere special for a meal on your birthday? It's always been a highlight for me to be taken out somewhere, or to arrange it for my myself where there are no other offers. It is a decadent, enjoyable way to celebrate, and I believe that most people like being treated to a meal on their birthday.

Recently, it was Tim's birthday. When I asked him where he would like to go for his birthday, he nominated high tea. The place where I was originally going to make a booking was full, having just been featured in The Age, so instead, I was lucky enough to get a booking just a couple of days in advance at The Hotel Windsor on Spring Street, Melbourne.

The Hotel Windsor is in a lovely historical building, built in 1883, and retains a lavish art deco period lobby complete with red and gold colours, padded gilt chairs and waterfall chandeliers. A little known fact is that Australia's Constitution was drafted at The Hotel Windsor in 1898, and many famous political and public figures have graced its halls during its lifetime. Unbelievably, at one stage in the mid 1970s, there were plans to demolish it. Thank goodness that Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen's "improvement" program in Brisbane, Queensland was not allowed to take root on the same scale in Melbourne, and The Hotel Windsor survives for us to enjoy today.

High tea at the Windsor is served in the signature dining room. To set the scene, here is one of the many chandeliers gracing the ceiling of the main dining room:


These lovely prints were on the wall near our table:


When you enter the dining room, you are greeted by a sea of white-draped tables, elegantly set for tea:


I was privileged to sit on a plush couch seat by the window, with lemony sunlight filtering through and illuminating the spectacle of high tea as it unfolded.

In anticipation of the feast to come, each table has its own pots of jam and clotted cream in glistening silverware:


We were ushered to our seats past this magnificent buffet of desserts:

Piled high with all kinds of sweet delicacies, the dessert buffet was a highlight of the experience:


The hardest part was choosing where to start.

On being seated, we were served with a glass of sparkling rose:


Next came a tiered silver tea stand stacked with treats for two:


On the bottom tier are delightful ribbon sandwiches of salmon, avocado and dill; egg and snow pea; ham and mustard; chicken, apple and mayonnaise; and cucumber, sour cream and chives:


The middle tier comprised mini quiches, savoury muffins and mini pies:


On the top tier were fluffy fruit and plain scones:


The menu on each table claimed that the selection of treats on the silver stands is the same variety as was served to guests on The Titanic. Whether this be true or not, it was a delicious selection of food that was beautifully presented and served by friendly and efficient staff.

In addition to to the treats on the stand delivered to your table, you are served with water and an assortment of teas, and are free to help yourself from the dessert buffet. There was also a lady making crepes on demand, on which you poured your own selection of sauces. I chose creme anglaise and raspberry coulis:


For the price of the high tea ($69), you are free to eat your fill of treats for two hours.

The Hotel Windsor high tea experience is an elegant salute to times past, which I sincerely hope will be preserved in our consciousness to be enjoyed by others in the future.

The Hotel Windsor
100-150 Spring Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
(03) 9633 6000

Dining at The Danish Club

One of the things I love about Melbourne is that you never know what you might find around the next corner, in the next alley, or up the next staircase. The diversity is simply breathtaking, and makes dining in Melbourne an experience to remember.

The Danish Club is one such hidden treasure. On Friday, I went to a business lunch at The Danish Club in Melbourne, and it was a sheer delight. From the blonde wood interior to the very cool Danish lamp shades and the bowl of yellow tulips on each table, the atmosphere was an experience in itself, even before you started dining.

The menu consists of Danish and Danish inspired dishes. The presentation of the food was magnificent. I don't have photos of everything, because it was a business lunch and I really did not want to have to explain why I was photographing the food. I explained taking a photo of my own food by stating that it was so unusual - which it was, in a very good way.

I ordered the Smushi platter:

This consists of three open faced sandwiches on circles of rye bread, chosen by the chef. The one on the left, which looks like a huge poached egg with bacon on top, was actually a kind of club sandwich - there was creamy chicken in mayo (the "egg"). topped with crispy bacon, and with red lettuce underneath. The middle one, my favourite, is smoked salmon (or tuna??), with lettuce, fennel fronds and some kind of creamy sauce. The one on the right, my least favourite but still tasty, appeared to be thin slices of pickled pork with a creamy mushroom sauce and the ubiquitous lettuce. I have no idea what the decorative black smear on the plate was made with. All I know is that these sandwiches were all devine, and very different to anything I had had before. The meals are served with a basket of bread for the table - both sliced baguette and rye bread. My favourite was the nutty, dark rye bread.

I completed my meal with a Danish pastry (mine was a braided honey pastry that tasted like baklava) and tea in the most intriguingly shaped teapot:

The staff were friendly and attentive, and the water (served in tall, curved carafes) was regularly replenished. Overall, this was an unusual and top notch dining experience.

Unfortunately, to attend The Danish Club, you either have to be a member or accompanied by a member (in this case, my boss). However, if you are fan of the food or have an interest in Danish culture, the annual membership fee may well justify the pleasure of being able to dine here regularly, in relative privacy and away from the madding crowd.

The Danish Club
Level 3, 428 Little Bourke Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (+61 3) 9600 4477

Sunday's Kitchen & Cafe Vue at Heide

Last weekend in Melbourne was glorious - the sun shone, the weather was warm, and for the first time it felt like spring (even though we are already more than a month into the official season).

Tim and I took advantage of the gorgeous weather to go to Heide Museum of Modern Art at Bulleen. Heide (an abbreviation of Heidelberg, the area where Heide is built) was established by John and Sunday Reed, who were patrons of Australian modern art, and lived a sustainable lifestyle at their property. The Reeds often had luminaries of the Australian art scene stay with them for long periods, and many famous works of art were created there, including 26 out of 27 of Sidney Nolan's Ned Kelly series.

Heide I is the first house the Reeds lived in on the property, with French provincial touches echoing Sunday's time in France. Here is a view of the lovely gardens at Heide I from the sunroom:



At present, there is an exhibition at Heide I called "Sunday's Kitchen: Living and Working at Heide", which features photos, recipes and artefacts from the life of the Reeds. In the Reeds' kitchen garden, they grew vegetables to sustain them. They also kept cows and hens. It was a simple lifestyle which, although it would have been hard work, sounds idyllic.

Sunday loved cats, and had over 20 Siamese cats in her cattery at the side of Heide I. Evidencing her love of cats are these lovely tiles above the kitchen mantelpiece at Heide I:

The Sunday's Kitchen exhibition includes some of the personal effects of the Reeds, including these kitchen items:

After wandering through Heide's gardens and the art exhibitions in Heide II, the purpose built art gallery in which the Reeds also lived for a time, Tim and I went for a late lunch at Cafe Vue at Heide. Cafe Vue is a member of the Vue de Monde family of restaurants and cafes operated by award-winning chef Shannon Bennett. The cafe uses produce from the kitchen garden at Heide.

Cafe Vue offers a range of simple and relatively inexpensive lunch options, including a $15 lunch box containing a selection of snacks and a dessert (being lemon meringue pie on the day that we were there). The lunch box would be perfect to take away and enjoy in the spacious picnic grounds at Heide.

Here is Tim pondering the menu:

We were seated outside, which was perfect on such a glorious day, with the sun streaming in and a gentle breeze. Each table is adorned by a potted herb - ours was mint.

I ordered the ham and salad sandwich ($9.50):

It comprised lovely bread (the likes of which I have not had before, so I can't tell you what type it was), spread with mayonnaise and encasing leg ham, cucumber, lettuce, bean sprouts and red onion. I was very hungry by the time we had lunch, so this really hit the spot. Tim ordered a turkey baguette (not pictured).

For my beverage, I ordered a freshly squeezed orange juice ($4). It came out in a cute little bottle, complete with paper straw, and had a pleasing foam on top:

The only teensy aberration during our visit was that it took a long time to get glasses for our water, as the cafe had seen a roaring trade with the warm weather, and we had to wait until the glasses had been washed up.

It was so relaxing just sitting back and enjoying the atmoshpere at the cafe that we really didn't want to leave. It was only time pressure to see the remaining exhibitions at Heide II that caused us to reluctantly vacate our comfy chairs.

It was a beautiful yet simple lunch to cap off a glorious, relaxing day.

Cafe Vue
7 Templestowe Road
Bulleen
Phone: 03 9852 2346