Nora: Melbourne's friendliest and tasty breakfast

Nora is like a foodie spa stripped of the pretentiousness of wannabes and a great haven for those looking for food that makes you smile and feel good afterwards. You get the feeling that people leave Nora with a smile on their faces.  It also avoids the problem of many modern restaurants in not feeling welcoming and being too busy.  I go here as much for the cleanness of the design and sense of calm. It is reflected in the food which looks like art. The coffee is also great with a smoothness which is welcome in the morning.  Jean's distinctive charcoal tarts are also always a delightful blend of surprising flavour combinations.

Nora is rare in that it is clear that it has a philosophy of food and this is translated in the whole dining experience.  They want you to recall good experiences especially from your childhood. Each person will have their own perspective but I can can certainly say that eating at Nora takes me back to happy thoughts and good memories!

I would recommend the signature 2010, a black rice porridge with southeast Asian fruits and nuts with the occasional burst of caramel sweetness from palm sugar.  This dish is invariably well balanced and satisfyingly so.

The menu is constantly changing and is wide enough to satisfy your breakfast, brunch or lunch needs. Whilst Jean and Tong are self taught the food is not lacking in technique and awesome presentation.

As you can tell from this review I always come here when visiting Melbourne and would recommend Nora to locals and visitors alike. 

 

Perfect rosti

Perfect Rosti

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and a cooked breakfast can comprise of so many different elements. This morning I enjoyed griddled tomatoes, fried eggs, fried sweetcorn, toast and rosti. Rosti is a great and quick way to enjoy potatoes in the morning as they do not take too long to prepare. Any they go so well with ketchup!

Ingredients:

2 potatoes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

Peel and wash the potatoes. Grate the potatoes over a clean tea towel. Draw the tea towel up together and squeeze out the water from the grated potato into the sink. 

Open up the tea towel and sprinkle the salt and pepper over the potato. Using your fingers, toss the potato around so that the salt and pepper is evenly spread. 

Gather about 2 tablespoons of potato in your hands and clasp your hands together to form patties of potato. Place them on a chopping board/plate as you go along. 

Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium to high heat. When the oil has heated up, carefully add the potato patties with a metal spatula, pressing down gently as you go along. The patties should sizzle. 

Fry each side until golden brown on each side, about 5 minutes each side. 

Enjoy with your cooked breakfast.  

Chocolate fruit cake

Chocolate Fruit Cake

A fruit cake is a very versatile thing. It works well without gluten, eggs and lactose but is open to the addition of so many good things such as chocolate and spice! This is a very comforting cake yet so easy to make.  

Ingredients:

175g unsalted butter/dairy free margarine

140g dark chocolate

3 tablespoons potato starch

10 tablespoons water

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

250g plain gluten free flour

130g soft brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

10 green cardamom pods

1 pinch salt

225 g mixed dried fruit

3 teaspoons cocoa powder

Preheat the oven to 160C/fan 140C and grease and line the base of a 10 inch loose bottomed cake tin.

Pop the dark chocolate into the microwave for 2 minutes. Mix the potato starch and water in a bowl and set to one side.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter/margarine until softened. Grate the apple into the bowl including the skin. Add the sugar and beat until soft. Pour in the melted dark chocolate, potato starch mixture, oil and continue to beat.

In a small pan over a medium heat, add the fennel seeds and cardamom pods and warm for about a minute until the seeds begin to pop and are browned. Grind the fennel and cardamom in a pestle and mortar until the seeds are ground. Sieve the ground spices into the cake mixture and discard the cardamom skins. Next add the flour, cinnamon, ground ginger, cocoa powder and salt and mix to combine. Add the mixed fruit and beat to combine. Pour into the prepared tin and level the surface.

Pop into the oven for about 90 minutes. Take the cake out of the oven and remove the cake from the tin to cool on a wire rack. 

Tinned Mackerel Curry

Tinned Mackerel Curry

Tinned mackerels are a great source of omega 3 and suit most budgets. This is an easy and quick recipe which combines tinned mackerel with a aromatic curry sauce.  

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 tablespoon curry leaves

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

1 tomato

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder

1/2 pepper

400 ml water

1 tin mackerel in tomato sauce

1 long chilli

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

1 teaspoon salt

200 ml coconut cream

Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the fenugreek, mustard seeds and curry leafs and swirl around in the pan to season the oil. When the mustard seeds being to pop, add the finely chopped onion and garlic and stir occasionally until softened. 

Add the diced tomato, turmeric powder, cinammon powder and diced pepper and cook for another few minutes. 

Add the water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes before adding the mackerel, salt, pepper and coconut cream. Allow to simmer for another 15 minutes. 

Enjoy with brown rice for an even healthier meal.