Cinematic Cravings: 25 best food films of all time
Watching Babette's Feast is enough to make any foodie hungry.
LEIGH Paatsch and Simon Plant hand pick their 25 best food films of all time and where in Melbourne they can satisfy their movie-induced hunger.
1. Babette’s Feast (1987)
“Every evening, I shall sit down to dine with you. Not with my body, which is of no importance. But with my soul.”
Stars: Stephane Audran, Bodil Kjer, Birgitte Federspiel.
Signature dish: Baba au rhum avec les figues (rum baba with figs).
Local version: Turtle soup is a no-no. Buckwheat cakes with caviar are hard to do. And stuffed quails in puff pastry, with foie gras and a truffle sauce, sounds impossibly rich.
Of all the glorious dishes in Babette’s Feast, baba au rhum avec les figues sounds the most approachable. And just wait till you try one at Burch and Purchese Sweet Studio (647 Chapel St, South Yarra, burchandpurchese.com).
Owner-chef Darren Purchese has deconstructed Babette’s famous dessert and distilled its essence into one of his studio’s trademark test tubes.
“I wanted to play with the idea in a 21st century way, not replicate the way it was once done,” Purchese says. Put it to the taste test. Burch and Purchese is selling its rum-soaked baba with fig cream tubes this weekend ... until sold out.
2. Big Night (1996)
“Give people what they want, then later, you can give them what you want.”
Stars: Marc Anthony, Tony Shalhoub, Stanley Tucci.
Signature dish: Seafood risotto.
Local version: In the movie, it was all about shrimp. But Joe Vargetto at Mister Bianco (285 High St, Kew, misterbianco.com.au) is more of a prawns and scallops man and both play starring roles in his creamy seafood risotto.
“They need to marry with the carnaroli rice and work ‘as one’, with parmesan, dill and basil,” Vargetto says. Bring it on.
3. Like Water for Chocolate (1992)
“If all you do in the kitchen is open a can, there can be no love.”
Stars: Marco Leonardi, Lumi Cavazos.
Signature dish: Roasted poultry in rose petal sauce.
Local version: Rose petals often pop up in the meli melo at Brooks (basement 115-117 Collins St,brooksofmelbourne.com.au) but this medley of vegetables, herbs and flowers always includes edible flowers among its 40-odd components, many of which are foraged and locally grown. Brooks chef Nicolas Poelaert is skilled with intricate dishes and this one shows off his supreme handling of different textures and temperatures.
4. Julie and Julia (2009)
“You are the butter to my bread. You are the breath to my life.”
Stars: Meryl Streep, Amy Adams.
Signature dish: Beef bourguignon
Local version: Julia Child is synonymous with a slow-cooked burgundy stew simmered in red wine, and Bistro Thierry (511 Malvern Rd Toorak, bistrothierry.com.au) serves a robust version, with beef braised in red wine with onions, mushrooms, and served with mashed potato.
5. Tampopo (1985)
“Before you eat, apologise to the pork and tell it you will see it soon.”
Stars: Ken Watanabe, Nobuko Miyamoto.
Signature dish: Ramen noodles.
Local version: Served in a minute and devoured almost as quickly, Japanese ramen noodles are making a splash in Melbourne.
Nowhere more so than at Fukuryu Ramen (22-26 Corrs Lane, city, fukuryuramen.com) in deepest Chinatown.
Chow down on ramen, both modern and traditional (the full-bodied Tonkotsu is a classic). And remember, slurping is not only encouraged at Fukuryu. It’s expected.
6. Chocolat (2000)
“And it melts ... it melts ever so slowly on your tongue, and tortures you with pleasure.”
Stars: Juliette Binoche, Johnny Depp.
Recipe for success: In a devoutly religious picture-book village in France, the mysterious Vianne
Signature dish: Chicken mole (Mexican chocolate casserole).
Local version: Mexico’s national dish, a sauce combining chillies with chocolate, is a rarity in Melbourne because it takes hours to make.
Los Amates (34 Johnston St, Fitzroy. losamates.com.au) makes the effort. This “authentic’’ Mexican diner takes pride in its pollo con mole poblano ($24.50) with owner-chef Arturo Morales alert to every last detail, from the peanuts and sesame seeds to the tomatillos and dark cacao.
7. The Lunchbox (2014)
“Sometimes taking the wrong train will still get you to the right station.”
Stars: Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur.
Signature dish: Paneer (Indian cheese).
Local version: Homely and comforting, paneer is the very essence of Indian hospitality. At Babu Ji (4-6 Grey St, St Kilda. babuji.com.au), Jessi and Jennifer Singh marinate the cheese overnight in yoghurt, ginger, garlic, chilli, crushed pomegranate and dried green mango powder.
They char it in the tandoor with little logs of capsicum. And the result? A perfect Paneer Tikka.
8. Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)
“Raising daughters is like cooking a meal. You lose your appetite by the time you’re finished.”
Stars: Sihung Lung, Chin-Cheng Lu.
Signature dish: Shanghai spring rolls.
Local version: Stepping into David’s (4, Cecil Place, Prahran. davidsrestaurant.com.au), you can almost hear the hard slap of mahjong tiles. David Zhou’s hip laneway diner channels the rowdy, casual atmosphere of many an eatery in old Shanghai. But you really know you’re in the Far East when they send out spring rolls — plugged with pork, deeply tanned and impossibly crisp.
9. Ratatouille (2007)
“Good food is like music you can taste, colour you can smell. There is excellence all around you. You need only to be aware to stop and savour it.”
Stars: The voices of Patton Oswalt, Peter O’Toole.
Signature Dish: Ratatouille.
Local version: France-Soir (11 Toorak Rd, South Yarra. france-soir.com.au) is your go-to place for this classic French Provencale dish. Chef Geraud Fabre thinks it best suits a summer’s day, when tomatoes, zucchinis and peppers are ripe. But meeting consumer demand, France-Soir is keeping ratatouille on as a winter “special”.
10. Chef (2014)
“I may not do everything great in life, but I am good at this.”
Stars: Jon Favreau, Scarlett Johansson.
Signature dish: Cuban sandwich.
Local version: The Cuban sandwich has a home in Melbourne ... and it’s on wheels. Dos Diablos Mobile Cantina (dosdiablos.com.au) roams city streets with a mouth-watering menu of American street fare and its range of “tortas” (hearty sandwich rolls) includes the Torta Cubana. “Our version takes a crusty roll slathered with chipotle mayo and stuffs it with slow roasted pulled pork, cheese, jalapeños and slaw,” devil-in-chef Bill Jacobs says. “Delicioso!” So delicioso, Dos Diablo is putting another truck on the road — a little one dubbed El Diablito.
11. My Dinner with Andre (1981)
“If you’re just operating by habit, then you’re not really living.”
Stars: Andre Gregory, Wallace Shawn.
Signature dish: Roasted quail with raisins.
Local version: Fish pate, potato soup, a small green salad ... it’s all on the menu in this arthouse favourite but the standout dish is roasted quail with raisins. Bottega (74 Bourke St, city.bottega.com.au) comes close to replicating it with an entree special combining “crispy quail”, chard leaves, goats cheese, spicy walnuts and beetroot salad. Raisins added on request.
12. Dinner Rush (2009)
“Only in New York will a double murder triple your business.”
Stars: Danny Aiello, John Corbett.
Signature dish: Salsiccia e Peperoni (sausages and peppers).
Local version: Like the Italian restaurant in the movie, Valentino (517 Malvern Rd, Hawksburn.valentinorestaurant.com.au) dishes up rustic, heartfelt food. Owner-chef Riccardo Momesso includes sausages and fried peppers in that and made sure star Italian chef Antonio Carluccio got a big serve when he visited Melbourne. Dig in.
13. La Grand Bouffe (1973)
“If you do not eat, you do not die.”
Stars: Marcello Mastroianni, Michel Piccoli
Signature dish: Suckling pig.
Local version: Master of all things meaty, Adrian Richardson has special affection for suckling pig. So when he turns it on at La Luna Bistro (320 Rathdowne St, Carlton North. lalunabistro.com.au), expect a knockout specimen: crisped and bronzed to porcine perfection. Always ring ahead: La Luna’s suckling pig is a “special”, cooked to order.
14. Mostly Martha (2001)
“It’s your restaurant, but her kitchen. Without her, it’s just a pile of metal.”
Stars: Martina Gedeck, Sergio Castellito
Signature dish: Homemade gnocchi.
Local version: There is gnocchi ... and then there is gnocchi gorgonzola at Lupino (41 Lt Collins St, city. lupino.com.au). Pasta master Marco Lori serves a voluptuous version that dances on the tongue, sometimes melding his piquant gorgonzola sauce with some porcini. “The less flour you use, the softer the gnocchi,’’ he tells us. The proof is on the plate at Lupino.
15. No Reservations (2007)
“I wish there was a cookbook for life, you know? Recipes telling us exactly what to do.”
Stars: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Aaron Eckhart.
Signature dish: Scallops in saffron sauce.
Local version: If it’s good enough for Zeta-Jones and Eckhart, then scallops in saffron sauce is good enough for us. Tricky thing is, this dish is hard to find in Melbourne. Bacash (175 Domain Rd, South Yarra. bacash.com.au) comes closest with its entree, seared sea scallop with jerusalem artichoke, candied bacon and apple puree. Bound to be beautiful if seafood specialist Michael Bacash designed it.
16. The Trip (2010)
“To bed! Tomorrow we ride! We leave at ... 10-ish.”
Stars: Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon.
Signature dish: Fish pie.
Local version: Lunching long and hard in fine dining rooms across the north of England,
Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon were furnished with a considerable expense account. But,
closer to home, it is possible to get a taste of The Trip by ordering fish pie at the Builders Arms Hotel (211 Gertrude St, Fitzroy. buildersarmshotel.com.au).
Andrew McConnell’s brigade lay in smoked trout, rockling and prawns under a golden hat of flaky puff. Very British ... in a Michael Caine sort of way.
Try a fish pie at the Builders Arms Hotel on Gertrude St, Fitzroy. Picture: Supplied
17. Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2009)
“I’ve never once hated this job. I am 85 years old. I won’t be retiring. That is how I feel.”
Stars: Jiro Ono.
Signature dish: Sushi.
Local version: At Shira Nui (247 Springvale Rd, Glen Waverley) you get very close to the sushi Jiro dreamt about. Don’t bother with a menu. Put yourself in the safe hands of owner-chef Hiro Nishikura — the man with the flashing blade — and let him send out exquisite raw fish delicacies. Fresh cod and flying fish roe here, daikon-coddled mackerel there.
18. Soul Kitchen (2009)
“No junk food here. I am an artist, not a whore.”
Stars: Moritz Bleibtreu, Adam Bousdoukos.
Signature dish: Schaum torte.
Local version: The daily bake at Monarch Cakes (103 Acland St, St Kilda. monarchcakes.com.au) can run to Polish cheesecake and gingerbread men, cherry crumble and poppy seed kugelhopf. This weekend, those beloved favourites will be joined by Schaum torte — a frothy, strawberry-plugged dessert bearing a striking resemblance to Australasia’s venerable pavlova.
19. Waitress (2007)
“First, the flavour of an exotic spice hits ya … and then you get flooded with chocolate, dark and bittersweet like an old love affair …”
Stars: Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion.
Signature dish: Pecan pie.
Local version: What with Reubens flashing past and lox salmon and wagyu patty melts, it’s easy to overlook sweet treats at Bowery to Williamsburg (16 Oliver Lane, city). But you’re missing out on pecan pie if you do. The Bowery’s version of this American beauty is a work of art with fine, shortcrust pastry enfolding crunchy Australian pecans. The maple glaze over the top is so glossy, you can almost see your own reflection in it.
20. Jamon, Jamon (1992)
“The way she walked was like an invitation to dinner.”
Stars: Penélope Cruz, Javier Bardem.
Signature dish: Jamon (Spanish ham).
Local version: We can’t guarantee their funky, porky flavour will set passions aflame, the way they did for Penélope Cruz’ suitors in Jamon Jamon. But the glorious Spanish hams displayed at Casa Iberica Deli (25 Johnston St, Fitzroy. casaiberica.com.au) are bound to stir thoughts of sunny Spain.
21. The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014)
“We cook to make ghosts. There are spirits in the ingredients. Can you taste them?”
Stars: Helen Mirren, Om Puri.
Signature dish: Indian omelet.
Local version: If you hanker for a first-class omelet with an Indian edge, look no further than Conservatory at Crown (Crown Melbourne, Southbank. crownmelbourne.com.au). Its chefs will gladly burnish your order with green chillies, capsicum, tomatoes, turmeric and coriander leaves.
22. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
“Rainbow drops: suck them, and you can spit in seven different colours!”
Stars: Gene Wilder, Peter Ostrum.
Signature dish: Colourful confectionery.
Local version: It’s not easy finding lickable wallpaper and Everlasting Gobstoppers in this town. But a river of chocolate? No problem. The Langham, Melbourne (1 Southgate Ave, Southbank.melbourne.langhamhotels.com.au) offers a Chocolate Bar High Tea ($75 pp) that would do Willy Wonka proud.
23. Step Up to the Plate (2012)
“Never give customers long explanations. By the time you finish, the dish is cold.”
Stars: Michel Bras, Sebastian Bras.
Signature dish: Foie gras.
Local version: Bistro Vue (430 Lt Collins St, city bistrovue.com) serves foie gras baked in brioche ($38). Head chef Chris Bonello reports consistent demand for this elite treat made from the livers of specially fattened ducks.
24. Haute Cuisine (2009)
“He runs the country. She runs the kitchen.”
Stars: Catherine Frot, Jean d’Ormesson.
Signature dish: Choux farci au saumon (salmon and cabbage).
Local version: Delpeuch showed how this dish was done on a visit to Australia last year. But no Melbourne restaurant seems to be serving choux farci au saumon — salmon artfully stuffed between layers of cabbage. Your second-best option may well be at Bistro Guillaume (Riverside at Crown. bistroguillaume.com.au) where king salmon is joined with very Gallic-sounding confit of leek and fennel.
25. The Scent of Green Papaya (1993)
“If you let the food breathe, you will be able to breathe in the food.”
Stars: Tran Nu Yen-Khe, Trong Thi Loc.
Signature dish: Green papaya salad.
Local version: Watching The Scent of The Green Papaya, chef Kim Un felt “so inspired”, he invented a dish served at Shakahari Vegetarian Restaurant (201 Faraday St, Carltonshakahari.com.au) and its South Melbourne satellite. Un marries tropical fruit with raw vegetables, roasted cashews, organic tempeh and fresh herbs, then aligns that with a mild chilli-tamarind sauce. Its name? Scent of the Green Papa.
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