Leaf L

a long weekend, and a mussel festival



Paella at the Port Phillip Mussel Festival, South Melbourne Market.
Just a hastily written post today, to mention the mussel-licious long weekend I've had!

The Port Phillip Mussel Festival (part of the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival) was held at South Melbourne Market on Saturday and Sunday, where fresh mussels were sold by the bucket, and a fun variety of mussel dishes were on offer. And let's not forget - live music and a great crowd.

(I also witnessed a few people - one of whom was an almost-naked dude, save for his bright red underwear and bandanna - parading down the sidewalk while doing some kind of dance with whole, raw fish in their hands, and I have no idea what that was about. If anyone can solve the mystery, please do!)

But anyway.

I wandered around and found this bargain of a dish from the Turkish restaurant, Koy - mussels in tomato and feta sauce. It was $5 for a small plate, which is considered good value for typically pricey festival food in Australia. I was happy with what I got for my money. Plump, juicy mussels, at least half a dozen of them, in a spicy, tangy tomato sauce with feta cubes liberally dotted throughout. I lapped it up.


Mussels in tomato and feta Turkish sauce ($5).
But wait, there's more! We have a public holiday on Monday, and my friend Leon invited me over for home-cooked mussels in a chilli-kaffir-lemongrass coconut milk broth. We enjoyed that with steamed rice for a delightfully filling meal. Additionally, he treated me to creamy brie with some wondrous fig jam, plus Guinness beer; while I proffered fragrant Malaysian biscuits and a refreshing achacha beverage.

A merry food exchange this was, indeed.


Mussels cooked in coconut milk with chilli, kaffir lime leaf, and lemon grass.
How was your weekend?
  • Love
  • Save
    Add a blog to Bloglovin’
    Enter the full blog address (e.g. https://www.fashionsquad.com)
    We're working on your request. This will take just a minute...