I used to go to Nudel Bar a lot when I worked in the area years ago. Last week, after finding out that Mamacitas, the new Mexican restaurant in the city doesn’t take bookings for under 8 people, I booked Nudel Bar for a girl’s catch up dinner. The atmosphere and menu was as I remember it years ago, but I suppose like a lot of places, prices seem to have gone up quite a bit!

I ordered a potato curry with rice noodles. The flavour was nice, but I wanted lots lots lots more curry sauce, the dish was so dry, by the time I ate the top layer I just had a bowl full of plain rice noodles, not great!

My friend got another gluten free option, a noodle stir fry which was much better.

I’m not sure I need to go back here again for a while. It wasn’t bad, just didn’t live up to my memory of it in terms of beautiful food. But in saying that, it is a good place to go to if you need something at that end of the city, nice atmosphere and good service.

76 Bourke St, Melbourne

Week 10 of the Cookbook Challenge and the theme is Cool. I happened to be in an Asian grocery when thinking of inspiration and decided on rice paper rolls. I went with a recipe from a Marie Claire cookbook called Cooking, which is actually written by Donna Hay.

Ingredients

12 rice paper sheets

1 cup snow pea sprouts (I’m not sure what this is, I just used bean sprouts!)

1/2 cup shredded carrot

1/2 cup shredded raw beetroot

125g enoki mushrooms (find these at most Asian grocers)

1/4 cup mint leaves

1/4 cup Thai basil leaves

Dipping sauce:

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons chilli sauce

2 teaspoons brown sugar

Soak rice paper sheets a few at a time in warm water until they are soft (mine took about 30 seconds each). Place a small pile of sprouts, carrot, beetroot, mushrooms, mint and basil on each rice paper. Fold and roll to enclose

To make dipping sauce, combine lime juice, chilli sauce and sugar.

Gluten Shmooten Guest Review by Emma – if you’d like to have your review featured on Gluten Shmooten just email your review and any photos to info@glutenshmooten.com.au

This place has a fantastic array of Asian influenced gluten free options, as well as an amazing 180 degree view over St Kilda beach. You can order food and drinks at your table and select either snacks from the menu or mains from the buffet-style area which consists of both hot and cold vegetarian options. Cold options are a variety of salads (tofu, potato, noodle etc) and hot options include dahl, curries, rices, noodle dishes. $15 or so allows you a choice of 4 different buffet options. Serves are large and staff are always friendly.

For more details see their website here

Located in the St Kilda Sea Baths building, 10 Jacka Boulevard, St Kilda

UPDATE: Soul Mama has moved to 79-81 Fitzroy St, St Kilda so no longer sweeping views of the beach but still the same great food…

[mappress]

A Noodle Box has opened up near my place…finally…and although there are only 2 gluten free options, in my opinion they are the 2 best dishes on the menu anyway – Seafood Nasi Goreng and Chicken Pad Thai. Yum and yum! Quick, easy and good value for money, I’m a Noodle Box fan. For a list of locations go to their website

[rating: 4]