Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Restaurant Inspiration - Mr Wolf and Tree Wallpaper

Today - Mr Wolf, a pizza restaurant in Inkerman Street St Kilda.

But so much more than just a pizza joint.


It welcomes children and casts no frowny looks towards crumbs on the ground. And believe me, with little children, that attitude is worth its weight. They (generally) play wonderful jazz. Their pizzas are interesting and yet sufficiently authentic that I can imagine picking up a square in the Piazza Navona. Their grissini is divine. As are the marinated olives. The windows look out onto the street where we can see a blur of grimy, stylish pedestrians (take your pick).

And look at this wallpaper. I know I know, tree wallpaper is ubiquitous. But Mr Wolf did it 8 years ago.



I love the feeling of sitting in a forest. And I have a thing for birch trees. Perhaps to Swedes they are not particularly interesting, but to me, they evoke Peter and the Wolf and goblins, and elves, and picnics and hiking in the gentle sunshine.


And how I would love to own this LP - narrated by Boris Karloff himself. I can feel the wolf sniffing behind me as I type.

Anyway, perhaps the birch tree wallpaper thing is no longer a trend but becoming a permanent classic. To demonstrate, a quick purview threw up these examples which are readily available:









And if these are not realistic enough for you, what about a photographic wall mural complete with dappled light and patches of tufted emerald grass?


I suppose the real question about this type of wallpaper is where would you use it? A bathroom? I have seen it in kitchens in the backsplash \ splashback. Or maybe in a dining room?
On to today's recipes:

Pizza Dough (this recipe is from one of Karen Martini's cookbooks. I know it is pretty much what they use as she owns the restaurant)

400 g plain flour
110 g fine semolina
2 tsp table salt
1.5 cups warm water (375 ml)
3 table spoons olive oil
2 teaspoons (ie 7 grams) dried yeast

Combine flour, salt and semolina in the bowl of an electric mixer with dough hook. Mix water oil an dyeast in small bowl and stir to dissolve. Pour water mixture into flour and mix at low speed untl combined then on high speed for10 minutes until dough is smooth and elsatic but wet and sticky. Place dough in oiled bowl cover with plastic wrap and rest in warm place for 20 minutes. (Makes 4 pizza bases). Make sure you roll roll very thin.




Toppings

(1) Eggplant

I just list the toppings here - you can combine in anyway but remember, do as the Romans do: not too much topping.
Roasted cubes of eggplant
Roasted garlic, mashed.
Basil, torn
Ricotta, in small chunks
Fior di latte, sliced thinly

(2) Cauliflower

I can't recall all the ingredients but it is incredible. There is roasted caulflower, parsley, sliced green chilli and slices of Italian pork sausage of some sort. This is on a cheesy base only (not tomato). Fantastic.

Mr Wolf on Urbanspoon

(Images (1) Mr Wolf (3) Cole & Son (4) Flockedwallpaper.co.uk(5) Graham & Brown (6) Wallpapermurals.co.uk (7) maraquita.com)

8 comments:

Siobhan said...

LOVE LOVE LOVE mr wolf

Laura said...

Cauliflower on a pizza? Genius! I love that wallpaper in the restaurant...and the samples you've shown here...I wish I wasn't a renter so I could install one of them on a wall in my apartment!

Anonymous said...

Hm,...there is still one wall to do here in our apartment. This brings up new ideas!!!! Thx, XXX, C.

Jacqueline @ HOME said...

I'm quite partial to a slice of pizza, but it's not my husband's favourite, but when we were in Venice we wanted a snack.... a little something before dinner.... and we had a pizza between 4 of us....well....you can imagine. It was the best pizza EVER and my husband was converted. Anyway, I digress....tree wallpaper....I'm afraid that I find it a bit '60's although, I like it in the restaurant. Do you think that you would have it in your home, Jane ? XXXX

Mise said...

I really like that first black and white tree wallpaper, and I'd gladly have it on the back wall of a sun-room. And I need that restaurant to take my rowdies to - physical location makes our small blogging world so large again.

Dumbwit Tellher said...

Fabulous post Jane.
1. I love Peter & the Wolf
2. the branch wallpaper I have loved since it hit the scenes..love
3. I put up a vintage 70's ish wall mural of a mossy forrest in one of our guest bedrooms. I'm from Washington State & wanted to bring some trees with me to Texas.
5. I love your blog!!

Amanda (Small Acorns) said...

I remember hopping in to my grandparents bed as a little girl and listening to Peter & the Wolf on the Sunday morning childrens programme on the radio. Thanks for the lovely memory! The Cole & Son tree wallpaper is fab! And I agree totally - I love a cafe that welcomes children. The good ones will get us back time & time again.

Rebecca James said...

I have always loved Peter & the Wolf. Fond memories of growing up in India and listening to it on a reel-to-reel tape recorder.

Related Posts with Thumbnails