Eat week August

  The second week of August is marked to notice the annual passing of time. Horses aren't the only ones to have birthdays around this time! My food was complimentary and Athenaeum was offering a Game week so we had dinner on Monday. I enjoyed my venison soup and wild boar main, while W found her rabbit ravioli and quail also good. We enjoyed a glass of French wine with each course, Provence rosé with the entree, a Rhone red with main. I continued the theme with a Sauternes accompanying dessert. 

 On Tuesday the French theme continued with coq au vin at home- and S brought a bottle of Bordeaux for the occasion. M was also present and was surprised to learn it was my birthday but quickly swapped her gift for the hostess to me.

Seats at the Estelle bar

Saturday was the big night out for W and me. We went to Estelle in Northcote. It had gained a place in Australia's best 50 published that day. The fare is table d'hôte and every aspect pleases. The dishes are imaginative, the service professional and friendly, and since we had seats at the bar overlooking the kitchen the theatre of cooking and plating with occasional chat to the workers was a valued extra. Of course we had a bottle of French red, this time from the south west not far from Cahors.

Plating up