Jasmin1, Punchbowl

Looking for a cheap feed that'll suit the vegetarians, meat eaters and carb avoiders in your life? Jasmin1 ticks every box. Deliciously. No wonder this Lebanese restaurant has been a longtime favourite with locals, as well as those happy to travel for good food.

You'll find a mix of families, couples and large groups of friends gathered here, for breakfast, lunch or an early dinner. The furniture is simple but functional but the recessed domes in the ceiling and the large paintings of dessert landscapes help set the scene. Help yourself to drinks from the fridge at the front and use the communal sink if you want to eat like a local and use your hands.


Complimentary pickles, tomatoes and mint

The hospitality begins as soon as you sit down. A complimentary plate of pickled turnips, chillies, olives and gherkins will get your appetite going. Ripe tomato wedges and mint add a burst of freshness for the palate.


Complimentary toum garlic sauce, tahini sesame sauce and chilli

They'll all come in handy after you attack the complimentary toum, or garlic sauce, with gusto. And let's face it. Resistance is futile. This fluffy temptation is a miraculous emulsification of garlic and olive oil. Nothing else. You'll want to dip everything in it, from the soft triangles of fresh Lebanese bread (also free) to falafel to lamb to chicken. Everything goes with garlic.


Hommus $8

Hommus is so far removed from the watery and rubbly supermarket versions you'll never want to stoop that low ever again. There's a noticeable silkiness to the pureed chickpeas here, seasoned generously, but not over-zealously, with tahini sesame paste and lemon.


Baba ghannouj eggplant dip $8

The baba ghannouj is smooth as well. It's not as smoky as others I've tried, but there's still a satisfying heartiness to this paprika-dusted eggplant dip.


Shish kebab $13


Carnivores should definitely order the shish kebab. You'll be rewarded with four kebabs of tender lamb cubes, interspersed with chunks of onion that have caramelised over the grill. The lamb is succulent and juicy. Needless to say, it goes terrifically with garlic sauce.


Charcoal chicken $13

We've tried both the chicken strips and whole chicken thighs available here. The charcoal chicken thighs are the winner in my eyes. Grab a whole one or slice them up to share. I love how the meats arrive draped within a blanket of Lebanese bread to stop the meat drying out throughout your meal.


Tabbouleh $7

Vegetarians can load up on dips and salads, including perennial favourite, tabbouleh. Parsley, crushed wheat, onion, tomato and lemon juice are a mouthful of zing, appreciated on its own or as a counter to carnivorous excess.


Falafel $7

Golden fried falafel are one of my must-orders too. Few things are as satisfying. It's the initial crunch of that deep fried shell before it gives way to a piping hot core of crushed chickpeas seasoned with cumin, herbs and secret spices.


Inside the falafel

Non-carb eaters can skip the Lebanese bread but noone should pass up that garlic sauce. Noone.






Jasmin1
224 The Boulevarde, Punchbowl, Sydney
Tel: +61 02)9740 7866

Open 7 days 8.30am-10.30pm


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Salamanca Market, Hobart

Over 300 stalls line Salamanca Place, the home of Hobart's famous Salamanca Market. Think Eveleigh Markets combined with The Rocks Market and you'll get some idea of the broad mix of fresh produce, food purveyors and arts and crafts on offer. You won't be alone if you visit. Salamanca Market is Tasmania's most popular tourist destination with 25,000 - 40,000 visitors every Saturday.

We spent over an hour browsing the stalls during our recent trip to Tasmania. Arrive by 9.30am if you prefer a quieter meander. By 11am expect the streets to be heaving with hordes of tourists.


Salamanca Market stalls and crowds


I Can't Believe It's Not Bitters by Provenance Growers

Make sure you visit the stall by Provenance Growers. Horticulturalist Paulette Whitney supplies vegetables, herbs and edible flowers to Tasmania's leading restaurants. You'll find unusual and long forgotten edibles like pink fir potatoes, climbing butter beans, potato onions and tomatillo.

I took home a bottle of their homemade bitters that has become so strangely addictive. For a tantalising stream of their incredible produce, you can follow Paulette on Instagram.


Pink fir potatoes by Provenance Growers


Tomatillo by Provenance Growers


Squeezing lemon juice onto freshly shucked oysters 

If oysters are your weakness, you can breakfast on freshly shucked Bruny Island oysters squeezed over with lemon.


Six year old Grande oyster $6

This monster oyster was six years old. They usually only have a handful available each Saturday.


Tasmania's famous scallop pie by Smiths Specialty Pies

I'd harboured a fascination with scallop pies ever since I'd read about this Tasmanian specialty. Scallops in a pie? With curry? I had to hunt one down.


Curried scallop pie $8

Smiths are one of Hobart's more well-known suppliers of the traditional scallop pie. It's a standard meat pie pastry shell but inside it's scallop territory, with bright orange roe attached (hurrah). The curry flavour isn't overwhelming, but it's enough to override the subtle sweetness of the scallop. The curry gravy is thick and languid - we ate this on a 28C summer's day but I can imagine this might just be the thing you'll looking for in winter to keep the chill of those arctic winds at bay.


Olibollen Dutch fruit doughnut

There's no shortage of food options. The olibollen wins for cutest name to roll of your tongue. This Dutch fruit doughnut was pretty tasty too, like a hot cross bun in doughnut form.


Bury Me Standing bagels

There's plenty to see, taste and buy. Here's a mini photo tour of that things that caught my eye.


Everything Bagels by Bury Me Standing


Oatmeal cream pie cookies by Bury Me Standing


Wallaby burritos on offer from Pacha Mama


Fresh radishes


Rainbow heirloom carrots


The Olde Spikey Bridge peanut butter


Tasmanian mustards and jams


Coal River Farm triple cream brie


Tasmanian leatherwood honey


Tasmanian purple garlic


Federation artisan chocolate


Fox print shoulder bags


Polymer clay bead necklaces


Skeins of yarn


Vintage sporks


Vintage silverware


Tasmanian cherries


Punnets of Tasmanian cherries


Sausages and onions on the grill


McHenry barrel aged gin


Huon pine boards and platters


Dahlias


Tasmanian apples


Salamanca Market
Salamanca Place, Hobart, Tasmania

Open every Saturday 8.30am-3pm except in extreme weather or if the market falls on Christmas day or Anzac Day

>> Read the next Tasmania 2017 post - Top 5 Things to Do on Bruny Island
<< Read the first Tasmania 2017 post - Pigeon Hole Bakers, Hobart


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Pigeon Whole Bakers and Pigeon Hole Cafe, Hobart

Hobart. Just do it. I spent five days in Tasmania's capital city last week on an impromptu mini-break organised with three fellow food-lovin' friends. Pigeon Whole Bakers was high on our list - okay we had a spreadsheet - of spots to visit. Sourdough bread? Croissants? Eclairs? I'm there.


Pastry counter at Pigeon Whole Bakers

The bakery is beautiful to look at, all sleek lines, gleaming marble and plenty of natural light streaming in through the floor-to-ceiling glass panelling. It's OCD neat without feeling sterile, with its parade of pastries, savouries and desserts all neatly lined up in rows.


Ficelle, like a baguette but thinner

Chef Jay Patey opened Pigeon Whole Bakers with partner Emma Choraziak after selling Pigeon Hole Cafe. It was there that Jay first dabbled in sourdough in order to supply the cafe with freshly baked bread each day. The rest, as they say, is history. Six years after opening Pigeon Hole Cafe, Jay moved into a new business and a new address with Pigeon Whole Bakers. The Pigeon Hole Cafe is still open but operated by new owners.


Sourdoughs and bagels in front of the baking kitchen

The entire back wall groans with sourdoughs, ciabattas, rye breads, ficelles and bagels. There's a strong focus on organic ingredients. Watching the bakers in action at the back is an added bonus.


Ham slider $4

Our first breakfast in Hobart was a self-styled journey of deliciousness. We started with the ham slider, such a simple little affair but done so well with its soft milk bun, good quality ham, crisp lettuce and smattering of pickles.


Bagel with bacon and cream cheese $6

A good bagel outside of New York City is hard to find. Pigeon Whole Bakers' stands up nicely - soft but not doughy, chewy but not dense. On the first day we visited we had it with a thick layer of cream cheese and diced bacon.


Bagel with cream cheese and pickles $6

On the second day (yes we returned), we tried the cream cheese and pickle version. It's equally good. That slightly blistered crust on the bagel is always a heartwarming sight.


Quiche with sun dried tomato and goats cheese 

The quiche is a plump and fluffy cloud packed with sun dried tomato, goats cheese and more but the highlight is the pastry. It's so buttery and flaky you may shed a joyful tear.


Croissant cross-section $6

The croissants have an impressive honeycomb structure too. The light and butter layers are more on the softer side in texture.


Sweets 


Sourdough doughnuts $4

We took home a sourdough doughnut, relishing the sugar-crusted fluffy doughnut sandwiched with dulce de leche.


Chocolate choux, lemon meringue tarts, cashew eclairs and strawberry fruit tarts

We also had the cashew eclair which was almost mindblowing in its perfect execution of crisp choux pastry, lightly whipped creme patisserie and silky custard. The crumble of cashew praline embedded within made me swoon. We also tried the Eccles cake (such an under-rated English pleasure) and the Basque tart, an enclosed fruit pie that incorporates a little cheese in the pastry crust. Tick. Tick.


Almond croissant $6

We had to take desserts home because we'd already eaten an almond croissant, supremely flaky with a generous amount of sweet almond paste in the middle.


Morning bun $5

But my favourite of everything would definitely have been the morning bun. Croissant dough with caramelised sugar gets me every time. It's one big scroll of crisp edges and buttery flakiness.


Breakfast

A post shared by Helen (@grabyourfork) on Feb 5, 2017 at 1:45pm PST

Homemade bacon and double brie toastie on Pigeon Whole Bakers white sourdough 

The white sourdough loaf we bought had terrifically large holes throughout. It formed the base for one of the most delicious meals we had in Hobart - a bacon and double brie toastie made by Pigflyin for breakfast one morning.

Pigeon Hole Cafe

We also stopped by where it all started, Pigeon Hole Cafe, for breakfast. It's about a 20 minute walk between the two.


Breads and a view into the kitchen at Pigeon Hole Cafe

The cafe has a tiny front room but a corridor down the side leads to a larger dining room down the back. You can still buy whole loaves of sourdough here.


Peach galette tarts

The display cabinet holds a range of rustic treats. The peach galette tarts were very tempting.


Spring onion pancake with mushroom, pickled cabbage and fried egg $17

I had the spring onion pancake for breakfast, a large disc of Chinese-style pastry covered in mushroom, pickled red cabbage and a fried egg.


Spring onion pancake upskirt shot

The spring onion pancake is a bit chewier and denser than the Chinese version but it eats well with the toppings.


Green eggs and free range ham with salsa verde $14.50

Pigflyin has the green eggs and ham. It's simple but expertly cooked. The egg yolks are still gooey and the ham has been crisped without drying out.


Gooey egg yolk

The salsa verde is just the right shade of health-giving green.


Three-quarter flat white coffees

And they've got you covered for coffee too.





Pigeon Hole Cafe
93 Goulburn Street, West Hobart, Tasmania
Tel: +61 (03) 6236 9306
Open Monday to Saturday 7.30am-4.30pm


Pigeon Whole Bakers
32 Argyle Street, Hobart, Tasmania
Open Monday to Thursday 7.30am-3pm; Friday 7.30am-5pm; Saturday and Sunday 7.30am-1pm

>> Read the next Tasmania 2017 post - Salamanca Market, Hobart


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