D.O.C pizza & mozzarella bar, 295 drummond st, carlton

a good friend who is married to a florentino husband raved about D.O.C stating that they serve one of the better pizzas they have eaten outside of italy.  i have been meaning to visit and had the perfect opportunity recently with my gorgeous friend arriving into town on holiday with her two children.

we sat at an outside shady table on a warm friday lunch and both were happy that the children could be loud & not disturb the inside diners w their crisp white tableclothes...although we would have been in there in a flash if we didn't have the noisy ones with us!

D.O.C's menu is made up of 5 clear & easy to read/decide components...1 mozzarella bar, 2 antipizza bar, 3 insalatone, 4 pizza & 5 dolce/formaggi.  we headed straight for the salad & pizza choices & with four hungry children we ordered quickly the following...insalatona di radicchio w shaved fennel, mt martha radicchio, D.O.P gorgonzola, vincotta & asked for an extra D.O.P buffalo mozzarella ball + pizza D.O.C san marzano tomato, fresh D.O.P buffalo mozzarella & fresh basil...and pizza capricciosa nuova w tomato, mozzarella, leg ham, mushroom, artichoke & olive...

all devoured in no time at all...my friend & i both sat back daydreaming the children were spontaneously collected by husbands and we could order more wine and chat until the sun set!

you will love D.O.C if you haven't already discovered it (many have!)...opened for almost 3 years...the casual, neat, consise, delicious and un-complicated setting and menu will win you over!...D.O.C is open 7 nights & fri, sat & sun lunch.
doc group own three successful business...D.O.C carlton + carlton espresso & D.O.C mornington...visit their site doc group

mediterranean wholesalers, 482 sydney rd, brunswick, vic

i discovered this place nearly 4 yrs ago.  i was living in brisbane & we were holidaying in melb.  i remember being absolutely crazy excited about everything they sold...& more so the excellent prices.  on our 1st visit we left with so much that i had 4 heavy carry on bags for the plane & a fuming husband because i bought so much...i think his words were 'this is bloody ridiculous!'...

with me now living in melbourne and a good 30 minute drive away i tend to visit every 4-6 weeks & buy up...it is nice to be able to load into the boot of the car & not struggle with heavy bags on a plane anymore.

the sydney rd store opened in 1977 & is still owned & operated by the same family. 

the regulars in my trolley range from lavazza coffee, olives, tapenade, spicy salsa, many bags of pasta, parmesan, pecorino, olive oil, balsamic, sea salt, salami, mozzarella, lentils, oo flour, polenta, their house baked bread, biscotti, dried herbs, wine, limoncello...and the list goes on...i do usually get tempted by many other things.  you can also refuel whilst shopping at their instore cafe/pasticceria...

open mon-thurs 9 to 5:30pm, fri 9 to 6:30pm & saturday 8:30 to 2pm...closed sunday.

goodbye for a little while

...kids cheese & olive plate & my almost 8yr old eve

...pat preparing the warm 70% chocolate tart

...mady setting the table & cheese board, from left, king island brie, piave & dutch goat cheese

this post is special to me...it is about being with good friends...enjoying good food/wine & in a little way saying goodbye to our great life in brisbane.  8yrs have gone by & brisbane will always be apart of me.

an epic post on a duck dinner with my friends mady & pat.  pat is a chef (trained in london & worked alongside some great chefs including bruno loubet)...he is now out of the kitchen full-time & was the one that started the talk of the 'duck dinner'...so it was inevitable that he make the duck, the jus, the beans & the bruno loubet inspired warm chocolate tarts.

i got off lightly with just providing some cheese, a warm lentil salad & some smashed rosemary roasted potatoes.  the setting was pulled together by the gorgeous & creative mady & as the afternoon disappeared into the evening we sipped champagne, pinot noir, dessert wine & sat warming ourselves around a cosy outdoor fire.  the food was seriously excellent & pats duck/jus was heaven!...an afternoon & evening i will never forget.

the children sat up too with their own little table set...sipping peach nectar & devouring the duck confit...the lentils were pushed around the plate a bit though!

menu

nibbles...dutch hard goat cheese, piave cow milk hard cheese, king island brie, baked ciabatta, olives

main...duck confit w jus, warm lemon lentil salad, steamed green beens w roasted hazelnuts & smashed rosemary roasted potatoes

dessert...bruno loubets warm 70% chocolate tart w double cream

...when i was little i was taught to always thank my host & i am naturally teaching my little girls to say thank you whenever leaving somewhere...so i guess it is fitting to say...'thanks for having me brisbane'

...mady & pats eldest boy lukas & the children sit up to dinner

...ruby & ollie needed a little supervision!

...pat's fantastic jus & plating up

...finishing touches

...warm 70% chocolate tart w double cream

...dessert wine...yum