Café Moto
Royalty in a glass

This summer, Cafe Moto takes fish and chips by the beach to a whole new level. Positioned metres from one of Melbourne's best kept secret beaches, and by the edge of the Patterson River for those boaters among us, Cafe Moto is ramping up its summer cocktails to ensure they are the perfect accompaniment to a lazy day on the water. 

Café Moto’s favourite is The Queen Mother's Pink Gin — a delightful blend of premium pink gin with tonic and finished with seasonal berries and rosemary. It's perfectly paired with the Salt & Vinegar — steamed freshly caught fish of the day, sautéed greens, fish jus, and pomme frites sprinkled with black vinegar dust. 

And why is it called The Queen Mother's Pink Gin? Well, you'll have to drop in and ask one of the staff to relay the off-beat story behind this one! Cafe Moto is open seven days a week. Check the website for opening hours and Sunday session dates.

CAFÉ MOTO AUSTRALIA

A:  611 Nepean Highway, Carrum

T: 9773 3542

W: cafemotoaustralia.com.au

FB: Café Moto Australia 

Geonbae
Soju so good 

A short walk from the Frankston Pier and foreshore, you’ll discover that each table at Geonbae has a Korean barbecue built into it. Bask in the view of Kananook Creek with the sun setting over Port Phillip Bay on those warm summer nights with a cold drink in hand within the licensed outdoor dining area. 

Choose from many flavours of soju, teas, Korean beers on tap or in bottles, Korean soft drinks, your usual cocktails or take the full experience and try a Korean cocktail like Geonbae’s signature summer delight — the Watermelon Soju. It’s unlike anything you’ve had before. This vibrant cocktail has a tangy combination of soju, ginger, vodka, lime and watermelon. It’s a breath of cool fresh air but in a cocktail. 

Geonbae is a Korean noun that translates to “bottoms up” and “cheers” — it’s what you say before you down your soju. So, with the Watermelon Soju in hand, we say Geonbae!

GEONBAE

Open: 11am-11pm daily; bookings welcome

A: 4 Kananook Creek Blvd, Frankston

T: 9783 9067

W: geonbae.com.au

FB: GeonbaeFrankston

INSTA: geonbaefrankston

Celebrations are plentiful over summer, with many overdo catch-ups, New Year’s gatherings and of course those lazy balmy nights when cooking is the last thing on your mind after a day of festivities.

At Food Star Frankston, you can choose from seafood, Asian cuisine, exotic curries, carvery, salads and your usual Western favourites. Desserts include Food Star’s famous mango pudding and homemade marshmallows as well as traditional black forest cake, tiramisu, fruit tarts, sundae station and much more. 

All-you-can-eat prices start at $15.50 for adults, $12.40 for seniors, and $7.50 for kids aged three to five. 

FOOD STAR FRANKSTON

A: 315-321 Nepean Highway, Frankston
T: 9770 0122
W: foodstar.com.au/base/frankston
FB: foodstar.frankston

With Christmas parties and end-of-year celebrations on the agenda, Sam and his team at Sam’s Cafe can take the stress out of your event by providing the catering with finger sandwiches, wraps, antipasto platters, salads, and finger food. You’re advised to book early during this festive season before Santa gets his hands on the delicious goods!

With 25 years of coffee-making experience, Sam’s expertise has led him to create a new unique coffee blend that uses the top six types of coffee beans in the world. And what’s even better news for coffee-lovers is that Sam’s Café is the only place locally where you can find Wachiato coffee. 

“I love a coffee to my taste,” said customer Helen McDonald. “Sam’s Café consistently provide a quality, well-presented product to my requirements. As a qualified barista and trainer, I am impressed.”

For 17 years, Sam and his café have been part of the Frankston community, serving up his famous schnitzel rolls and freshly cut sandwiches. His newly launched halal snack packs will satisfy any appetite, as will his crispy hot chips, an extensive burger menu, soup, roast beef, pies, hotdogs, South Melbourne dim sims and of course the café staple — bacon and egg muffins. Nutritious smoothies, gourmet focaccias and homemade falafel wraps hit the spot, and salads for summery days include quinoa, Greek, broccoli and cranberry, and mixed beans salad. But let’s not forget the most important meal — dessert! Sam’s created decadent muffins, fresh fruit salad, homemade rice pudding, glazed donuts and to-die-for cakes. The only issue is which one to pick. 

Meet the ever-so-friendly Sam at his café Monday to Friday from 6.30am-6pm and Saturdays from 7am-3pm.  

SAM’S CAFÉ
A: 49 Foot St, Frankston
T: 9783 4364
FB: Sams Café Frankston

With 33 years’ experience between them, chef/owner Jamie Bowman and co-chef Jacqueline Connon are fuelling Frankston with tasty, vibrant meals from their café that oozes personality with its signature pink décor. 

Please describe your menu selections.

We try to cater for everyone with a selection of breakfast and lunch-focused items. You’ll find everything, from homemade baked beans and speculaas french toast to our new brisket and kim chi roll. 

What’s the most popular item on your menu?

We just added a pancake and panna cotta dish, which features a pink velvet pancake and Commonfolk coffee panna cotta. This has been a big hit with our customers.

Please tell us a little about your professional background.

We have been working alongside each other for almost 10 years from a restaurant in Mount Eliza to another in Frankston. Over that time we have developed a great working relationship and are loving the freedom of finally being in control of our own kitchen.

What do your customers like about your menu/venue?

Our customers like the value for money and quality produce, our freshly baked cakes and sweet treats and the inviting atmosphere, friendly staff and of course our pretty pink décor.

What do you love most about what you do?

Having lived in the neighbourhood for years, we love that we have been able to provide the Karingal area with great coffee and quality food that is just around the corner. We just wish someone did it first so we could enjoy it too. 

TWO BOYS ONE BEAGLE AND A COFFEE SHOP

A: 59 Kareela Rd, Frankston 

T: 9785 9239

W: twoboysonebeagle.com.au

FB: twoboysonebeagle

INSTA: twoboysonebeagle

With 25 years of experience making coffee, Sam’s expertise has led him to create a new unique coffee blend that uses the top six types of coffee beans in the world. And what’s even better news for coffee lovers is that Sam’s Café is the only place locally where you can find Wachiato coffee.

Sam and his café have been a part of the Frankston community for a while now, and his staff have enjoyed serving up his famous coffee for more than 17 years. His hot schnitzel rolls and sandwiches are a big hit, as are the freshly cut sandwiches and rolls that are ready to go or can be made to order. If the day is calling for some hot comfort food, there’s crispy hot chips, burgers, soup, roast beef, pies, hotdogs, South Melbourne dim sims and of course the café staple — bacon and egg muffins. Gourmet focaccias and homemade falafel wraps hit the spot, and salads for summery days include quinoa, Greek, broccoli and cranberry, and mixed beans salad. But let’s not forget the most important meal — dessert! Sam’s created decadent muffins, fresh fruit salad, homemade rice pudding, glazed donuts and to-die-for cakes. The only issue is which one to pick.

Whether you’re eating in or taking away you’ll discover the friendly staff and relaxed environment so inviting. You’re encouraged to call ahead for your breakfast or lunch takeaway order, and Sam’s super team also love the challenge of completing catering orders.

You’ve just got to experience the sensational coffee and all the delicious treats that go with it at Sam’s Café — and you can Monday to Friday from 6.30am-6pm and Saturdays from 7am-3pm. 

SAM’S CAFÉ
A: 49 Foot St, Frankston
T: 9783 4364
FB: Sams Café Frankston

Let’s raise a glass to our own Dainton Brewery and the crew of Tap’d Bar at the Prince Alfred Hotel in Booval, Queensland. Together they have set a Guinness World Record for the most individual beers on tap poured in one venue by one brewery.

“We’re feeling pretty good,” said the Carrum Downs brewery’s founder, Dan Dainton. “We Googled the record and we discovered it was 130, so we thought we’d beat it.”

There were a few beer-lovers who eagerly attempted to try every one of the 131 flavours on tap, including Wagon Wheel, Pina Colada and the Champagne Ale, which will receive a longer run thanks to their popularity.

With 108 hard-plumbed taps at the venue, mini portable jockey boxes were acquired from breweries and home set-ups.  Forty-one beers were brewed in Dainton’s larger system, leaving the remaining 90 to be brewed in single kegs.

Dainton Brewery was truly humbled by the remarkable turnout of 1500 beer-lovers for the attempt, and Dan paid special thanks to the Prince Alfred for its support and handling the piles of paperwork required to have the world record registered. In typical Dainton Brewery style, Dan and the brew crew donated a percentage of their profits to the charity Soldier On.

“It’s not something I’d do again,” Dan said. “However, we love crazy antics and we’re brainstorming something new and exciting for next year.”

DAINTON BREWERY

A: 560 Frankston-Dandenong Rd, Carrum Downs

W: daintonbrewing.com.au

What do you enjoy most about creating in the Barmah Park kitchen?

The sense of freedom to be creative, and the support from the team at Barmah Park. I like to use the immediate surroundings of the restaurant to inspire ideas for dishes, whether it’s wild herbs growing around the vineyard or just the outlook from the restaurant.

Please describe the style of food and flavours punters can expect at Barmah Park Restaurant.

I would call the style of food ‘contemporary’. There really isn’t a specific style or cuisine. I just cook using the best produce available and in season. There is inspiration from English food — where I am from originally — and techniques from traditional French cooking and elsewhere in Europe. I like to use some of the amazing amount of Asian produce available in this country, and of course I will try and use native Australian produce when available.

How long have you been cooking and how did your career begin?

I’ve been cooking professionally now for almost eight years. I started my career when I was 19 back in the UK. I did my apprenticeship in a four-star hotel and country club in the Cheshire countryside. It was a good place to start because I got to experience lots of aspects of the cooking industry.

Are you always cooking? What about at home after a hard day’s work?

A large part of my life is spent cooking, and yes, I do cook a lot at home as well. But when I’m not working I spend time with my two amazing kids and my beautiful fiancé. Other passions of mine include football (soccer), going to the gym and foraging for wild herbs and mushrooms during the season. I also love to eat out at other restaurants and love a wine or beer.

How is the menu at Barmah Park changing to welcome in the warmer weather?

The spring menu is focused on the amazing produce starting to come into season on the Peninsula; lots of spring herbs and flowers. There will be more light and fresh seafood dishes too. A few cold dishes and more fresh fruits will make an appearance on the dessert menu — think slow-poached quince, Peninsula honey cake and mascarpone.

 Where does your produce come from?

I always try my best to work with local suppliers and growers. I like to support local businesses, and I find that it really pays off if you have good relationships direct with the actual producers.

Does your menu cater for all tastes?

Our menu is designed to give a good amount of choice to satisfy people’s varying tastes, whether you are a meat-eater, like a good fish dish, or are vegetarian. We also always try our best to accommodate specific dietary needs by modifying dishes where necessary.

What do you enjoy most about the Peninsula?

As a young chef living and working on the Mornington Peninsula I feel extremely lucky to be surrounded by some of the world’s best fresh produce. There is literally inspiration everywhere you look. I’m living the dream.

A little more sunshine and the promise of warmer days — spring is here and Yo-Ko Original couldn’t be more excited about what it has to bring!

Feeling it’s time to refresh and spruce up your wardrobe for the warmer months? Let Yo-Ko create your new season style with stunning floral maxi dresses and beautiful blouses by Boho Australia, luxurious print tees and linen pants by Café Latte, perfect curve-conscious dresses by PQ Collection and the most fabulously detailed selection of No!Shoes booties and sandals in muted spring hues to complete your look. Complementary beaded and tasseled jewels, clutch bags and accessories by Trio Rouge, Mikaia and No+El will have you co-ordinated from the office to a night out on the town.

Yo-Ko is also preparing to celebrate four fabulous years in Seaford with In Birthday Style — Yo-Ko’s biggest shopping night to date, showcasing four stunning labels just in time for you to source that Cup Day frock! The evening will boast styling tips and advice from Curve experts, exclusive fashion previews, special discounts and more, all while you’re sipping bubbles and nibbling on local culinary delights.

In Birthday Style is a ticketed fundraising event for Mums Supporting Families in Need. It’s on Tuesday, October 9, from 6-9pm and tickets are $10 via Facebook.

YO-KO ORIGINAL BOUTIQUE
A: 10 Station St, Seaford
T: 9782 4442
FB: yokooriginal
INSTA: yokooriginal

 

You don’t have to head all the way to Flemington to enjoy the colour and excitement of the Melbourne Cup — just as far as Carrum, where Café Moto and Brixton Bar Co are collaborating for a day of food, drink, fashion and fun on Tuesday, November 6. Brixton Bar Co will be serving luscious twists on classic cocktails in the Café Moto beer garden, which will be dressed to impress and flower-filled. You can relax in all your race day finery, with cocktail packages, hampers and vouchers for the winners of the Most Extravagantly Elegant, Most Distinguished Gentlemen and many more categories.

Café Moto’s delicious food will be available all day to keep your stamina up until the race that stops the nation streams live on the big screen, or you can book in for the tantalising special Melbourne Cup Day menu.

Café Moto is also organising hampers for those taking a picnic to the races; simply drop your hamper in and the staff will pack it full of goodies ready to collect on the day. With the café just across the road from Carrum station, it’s easy to grab your hamper and a quick cocktail then jump on the next train. And of course if you’re making a day of it at Café Moto, public transport is definitely the way to go. Sandwiched between Carrum foreshore and the station, there’s no shortage of parking near Moto and you can have a drink or two, enjoy a walk along the beach and forget the worry of driving afterwards.

So race on to Eventbrite to get your tickets. Giddy-up!

CAFÉ MOTO

A: 611 Nepean Highway, Carrum

T: 9773 3542

W: cafemotoaustralia.com.au

FB: www.cafemoto

INSTA: cafemotoaus

BRIXTON BAR CO

W: brixtonbarco.com.au

FB: brixtonbarcoau

INSTA: brixtonbarco

 

Concerned about the quality of aged care? There is no need to be with Nepean Industry Edge Training and Opal By The Bay working together to provide aged care of the highest standard.

Opal By The By in Mount Martha is raising the bar for personal care attendants by having students trained directly on site under supervision of their teacher Julie Brown.  This gives Opal the edge in selecting the best students to become part of its staff at the completion of their course.  

Students completing an aged care course at Nepean Industry Edge Training have the opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of the aged care sector because their classroom is based in the Opal facility. Students learn the theory and skills in the classroom and then work with the residents as they undertake their practical placement at Opal. NIET chief executive Sharyn Bellingham says: “It is a great experience for the students as they learn in the classroom and gain a solid understanding of Opal’s culture for putting the needs of the residents first and treating them with care and respect at all times. Our students get the best of both worlds by learning in the classroom and gaining experience in a high-quality, reputable aged care facility.”

The partnership between Opal and NIET benefits both the students and the residents, who often sit in on classes and give students real life stories. For more information, contact NIET on 9770 1633 or Opal By The Bay on 5958 6600.

NEPEAN INDUSTRY EDGE TRAINING

A: 405 Nepean Highway, Frankston

T: 9770 1633

W: niet.com.au

FB: NIETraining

 

With a relaxed family-friendly atmosphere, amazing customer service and 18 years’ experience, it’s no wonder Food Star is the destination for our seniors.

Food Star is amazingly affordable, and you simply can’t go past its mouth-watering fresh seafood, Asian cuisine, carvery, salads and quality Western favourites. For dessert, indulge in black forest cake, tiramisu, fruit tarts, and much more.

Lunch is served from 11.30am to 3pm for seniors to enjoy for only $11.90 Mondays to Fridays, or $12.90 on Saturdays and Sundays. Dinner is available from 5.30-9.30pm, and from Monday to Thursday seniors can enjoy a delicious dinner for $16.50, or for just $21.90 from Friday to Sunday.

FOOD STAR FRANKSTON

A: 315-321 Nepean Highway, Frankston

T: 9770 0122

W: foodstar.com.au/base/Frankston

FB: foodstar.frankston

 

Please describe your menu selections at McClelland Gallery Cafe.

Fresh, wholesome and full of flavour. I don’t overcomplicate dishes; I just let the ingredients speak for themselves. Contemporary cuisine, noting current trends and ideas, so always staying fresh and interesting.

What’s your go-to trend to serve up that customers are loving?

I’ve introduced some native ingredients, like finger limes, warrigal greens, Davidson plum, lemon myrtle. It’s befitting to our native park surrounds and they taste great.

For those who aren't familiar with your restaurant, give us some insight into what makes you different.

Firstly, it’s the location, the stunning sculpture park and the native bushland setting. Secondly, we are known for our lemonade scones, our unique ‘kids’ packs’, yet we do great sharing feasts for groups. So the offerings are quite diverse. People come for that.

Please tell us a little about your professional background?

While completing a design course at Holmesglen I worked as a dishwasher in Mornington, where I quickly found a knack for cooking and was invited to join the team as a cook. I had visited McClelland several times and applied for a position where I could combine my passion for cooking and love for art and design.
What do your customers like about your menu/venue?

The evolving menu, the freshness of good house-made dishes. I only have about 14 dishes but they are all balanced to work well together, even sharing. I’m not one for huge pastas as our guests usually want room for one of our house-made cakes or dessert.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Out for dinner, of course! I do enjoy going to a symphony orchestra recital. I’m still a kid at heart; love my Xbox and creating things with my Lego collection.

Any advice for aspiring chefs?

I would laugh and say, “Don’t be a chef”, but that’s only because so many get burnt out doing long hard days in unhappy work places. Cooking is rewarding and fun, and with a positive and good ethical approach, an aspiring chef will find a great employer who will value you — or they will find you.

 

THE VISION

After months of searching for the perfect location, owners Jamie and Mikaela were eager to transform the former fish and chips shop at 59 Kareela Rd into a trendy café with loads of personality, and they have done just that! Bringing something a little hip to the ‘burbs’, 2B1B is the funky-cafe fix Frankston has been longing for.

THE FOOD

With the locals in mind they sought to cater for everyone from the discerning foodie to the fussy toddler. The all-day menu by chef/owner Jamie Bowman and co-chef and baker-extraordinaire Jacqueline Connon, both ex-chefs of the late Boathouse Restaurant, boasts a familiar café feel with all the trimmings of restaurant dining. Whether you’re after breakfast, brunch, lunch or something sweet, they have you covered. They even give you the option with some dishes to ‘make it vegan’.

The menu features premium produce including Gamekeepers wood-smoked bacon and Pyrenees pork belly, local Nirvana free-range eggs and milk sourced exclusively from the family-owned Kyvalley farm in Kyabram. Oh, and let’s not forget the ever-changing selection of home-baked cakes, fresh from the kitchen daily, that are sure to make you drool.

 THE BEVS

Local roaster Commonfolk Coffee is front and centre at 2B1B with its staple blend Progress Street on the grind as well as a rotating Single Origin. For those after something without the caffeine hit, they also offer specialty hot chocolate by Mörk, Healthy Humans juices and living sodas and a selection of Remedy Kombucha.

THE GAME PLAN

Having recently added kerbside dining, the plan is to convert the generous backyard space into an outdoor dining area, cementing 2B1B as the local neighbourhood hub that brings the community — and their beagles — together.

TWO BOYS ONE BEAGLE AND A COFFEE SHOP

A: 59 Kareela Rd, Frankston

T: 9785 9239

W: twoboysonebeagle.com.au

FB: twoboysonebeagle

INSTA: twoboysonebeagle

 

Perched among the dunes overlooking the beach, Beach Cafe Seaford is just the place to meet friends and family. Its menu is sure to delight with tantalising dishes for breakfast, including strawberry and coconut chia pudding, fig and pistachio bread, eggs benedict with your choice of ham, bacon or salmon, and sweet potato and zucchini fritters. Feeling especially lavish? Then try the pancakes or Belgium waffles.

If you’ve worked up an appetite after your morning stroll along the beach, relax inside for lunch with some spinach and ricotta cannelloni, pumpkin and sage ravioli or a delicious marinated lamb salad with grilled vegetables. Or if the scenery has you craving seafood, try the café’s fish and chips or signature crispy lemon pepper calamari served with aioli, a herb salad and delicious beer-battered fries.

Caffeine addicts can’t go wrong either. Why not grab a coffee on the deck or take one away while you explore the beach and foreshore?  The dolphins are free.

BEACH CAFÉ SEAFORD

A: 1/10N Nepean Highway, Pier Foreshore Reserve, Seaford

T: 8774 0470 

With more than 30 years’ experience in the industry, Eeny Meeny’s head chef, Rob Wright, is committed to bringing quirky and mouth-watering dishes to Frankston.

Please describe your menu selections.
It’s eclectic to say the least. We draw our inspiration from classic and contemporary dishes from around the world and add our own touch to make them unique to us. We always offer some absolute crowd favourites, but we also have some more exciting or unusual dishes for our more adventurous guests.

What’s your go-to trend to serve up that customers are loving?
When you talk about food trends for Australian cafes you can’t go past the “smashed avo”. We’ve put a Mexican twist on ours, by smashing the avocado with lime and serving it with chipotle aioli and a really fresh-tasting corn and black bean salsa. Recently, we ran a Japanese smashed avo on our specials board which had Kewpie mayo, a poached egg, furikake seasoning, seaweed salad and Rice Krispies. Everyone loved it so much it’s a strong contender for the new permanent menu.

For those who aren’t familiar with your restaurant, give us some insight into what makes Eeny Meeny different.

We have great coffee. It’s organic, Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance, roasted right here in Melbourne and made with such love and care that it has developed a strong local following. We also pride ourselves on serving up not only excellent quality dishes, but also great tasting dishes. We research a lot to ensure we constantly have exciting new additions to the menu for our guests’ enjoyment.

What do your customers like about your menu/venue?
Our customers love the friendly, cosy vibe of Eeny Meeny. It’s like visiting friends. They love the lush sheltered courtyard where you can escape the hectic outside world all year round, and they love the creativity of our menu, always offering something to challenge or delight them.

Please tell us a little about your professional background.
I have spent my life in this industry. As a little boy I would help my mum (or get in her way) while she did the catering at the local bowling club, and from there I never really left the kitchen. Professionally, it really began for me when I was kitchen hand for Stephanie Alexander. I was amazed at the way the kitchen worked as one to create such beautiful food and moments in people’s lives. I was hooked. I dropped out of uni and started a new journey of discovery. I have fed the masses at weddings in fields and catered to hundreds at yacht club functions. I’ve even fed the stars working out of the back of a truck on film and television catering, and now I’m here, happily providing the people of Frankston with something lovely to enjoy and remember.

Any advice for aspiring chefs?
My advice to aspiring chefs is to begin the journey because you are fascinated by food, by the way it’s grown, cooked and eaten; fascinated by its flavour and technique, by its cultural and social significance. And always be ready to learn more. There is a whole world of food to discover, and it’s amazing.