Journal Canteen (Rosa’s Kitchen)
253 Flinders Lane, Melbourne (inside the city library)
Mon-Fri 12-3:45pm, Fri 6pm

Hubby is not an Italian cuisine person, but I really really want to go to Journal Canteen, so I dragged him there.  Of course, there’s a condition: If Journal is not up to scratch, I will be paying for the next foodie event we are going to.  The stakes are high, as the next foodie function is not cheap at all, so I was pretty nervous whether Rosa’s home-cooking would change Hubby’s mindset.

We chose the 4-course degustation menu $39- Hubby was a bit skeptical of our first course, antipasto.  He never liked antipasto with bits of olives, salami and breadsticks, he told me that I would probably have to

eat most of it.  But this antipasto is different: bits of pan fried fetta, potato cakes, eggplant, zucchini, sauteed fennel, olives, salami & pearl barley salad.  Hubby took one look at the antipasto dish and started scoffing down the potato cake, I had to virtually snatch half of it back. Potato I understand, but Hubby despise eggplants, and he still ate most of it.  The most amazing thing with this antipasto is that there’s a combination of different flavours- zucchini is quite minty, whereas eggplants has sage, pearl barley salad has parsley it’s just beautiful.  First challenge- passed!

Second course is the Orrcheiette w/broccoli & anchovies.  Whilst Hubby is not very impressed with this, because there is no meat (typical male), he finished it none the less!  This is actually one of my favourite dish,  I tried replicating it before, but it never worked.  The anchovies are quite subtle, which added a bit of salty flavour into the pasta.  Beautiful!  Since Hubby ate it all, the second challenge- passed!

We get to choose our mains, so my third course is Sicilian Chicken and while Hubby’s got Lamb w/ artichoke.

Sicilian chicken drumstick is pipping hot, full of flavour and the meat is cooked till tender, till it falls off the bone.  Yum!  Sitting underneath is a pile of hearty vegetables, with potato, olives, carrots and tomato.  Thank goodness there’s a basket of crusty bread available, so scoop all the yummie leftover sauce.  Hubby loves this too, and ate most of it when I offered it to him.

Hubby’s main of lamb artichoke is less impressive.  The dish came out lukewarm, and although the meat is very tender and full of lamb flavour, lukewarm just wasn’t acceptable.  Hubby did still clean the plate and only gave me a teeny tiny bit to try.

We also had a side salad of fennel and lettuce- dressed simply with olive oil and salt- yum!

For dessert, we were craving for the sour cherry & custard tart.  Sadly they ran out of that, but we saw this gorgeous chocolate & hazelnut torte drifting around during our meal- we wanted that too, but sadly by the time we have finished, it’s sold out also!   We’d had to make do with cannoli.  Hubby didn’t mind cannoli, but his cannoli turned out less flavoursome than

mine for some reason.  My had a subtle citrusy flavour to it, and his was just plain and flavourless.   I was beginning to wonder whether I would have to pay for the next foodie event so I tentatively asked Hubby what his overall impression was.  The man of a few words said, “It nice” “I am glad that I came here.” and “I will come back again.”  YES!  I have won the challenge and he will gladly pay for our next foodie event (which happens to be Italian also at Church St Enoteca- watch this space!)

I just love Journal Canteen, I really don’t know why.  Maybe it’s because of its quirky location, the buzzing atmosphere where no one is too precious about getting immaculate service, or perfect food.  Because this is what home-style cooking is about, yes, there will always be some variation food-wise, but in here they welcome you with open arms and serve you simple, comfort food when you are hungry and tired.  That’s why I keep coming back. 7/10