Stocked Food Store

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It was one of those weekends again where we thought we would go check out a new cafe in Toorak however it happened to be closed on that day so we walked along Toorak Rd and came across the Stocked Food Store. The delicious and healthy looking salads in their window certainly got our attention and so we walked right in without hesitation!

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The place was buzzing! It is not a huge space so when you walk in, it is quite narrow, particularly as there are generally lots of people coming in and getting takeaway. On one side there is the deli which serves up a variety of gourmet cheeses, meats, dips, salads, soups and other pre-made meals on display which you can take home such as fish pies, quiches, lasagnes, salmon patties, meatballs, cauliflower cheese – the variety feels endless! All their food is freshly made in their store and there is an abundance of healthy dishes. On the other side, shelving covers the whole wall and is filled with jars of other goodies, crackers and all other packaged items.

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Right at the end of the narrow store is just one communal table in which you can eat in. We’ve done this twice now and have always managed to get a couple of seats as most people pop in to buy takeaway and leave. On this occasion Davin ordered the salmon with a broccoli and green bean salad and I ordered the salmon pattie with a salad to eat in. Both dishes were delicious and were quite generous portions! I’ve also had their quiche and potato salad which was good too.

Because the food was so good we then decided to get some takeaway for dinner so we got the chicken and vegetable soup, a fish pie which was made with fresh prawns, salmon and rockling, the cauliflower cheese, one of their gourmet salads, some cold meats and this beautiful hard cheese washed in a balsamic vinegar. I also got a lemon tart – yes they do dessert and have a range of options too! The food was divine! It made having dinner at home just as good (if not, even better in some cases) as dining out. In fact all we could think about after the lunch was having dinner at home! If the store was closer to home we would definitely be popping in more often to grab food on our lazy days. You could even host a dinner party easily by ordering their pre-made dishes. Prices are more on the expensive end however you are paying for quality and fresh produce.

Highly recommend if you’re in the area to check out this food store. We’ll definitely be back!

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Stocked Food Store
Approx $30 AUD per person
Address: 549 Malvern Rd, Toorak, Melbourne VIC 3144
Phone: +61 3 9826 3333

Stocked Food Store Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

New Shanghai

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My aunty had raved on about New Shanghai for a while, saying that they make the best dumplings in Melbourne. Huge call, and I’ve been really wanting to try them out to see what the fuss was all about. Problem is that we hardly ever go to Emporium in the CBD, so on this rare occasion we were there, we wasted no time in checking them out.

We got to New Shanghai with an hour till closing time, therefore only waited around 10 minutes for a table. I have heard from other people that it’s not uncommon to wait over 30-45 minutes for a table, so keep this in mind if you’re hungry! A person put our names on their list and allocated a number to us. I kinda feel sorry for the take away place next to New Shanghai, because everyone seemed to be using their chairs to sit down and wait without buying anything (we’re guilty also). The restaurant itself looks very Chinese, sending a strong message that they do not do fusion foods. Message received loud and clear, time to bring on the dumplings!

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It’s criminal to not start off with the classic Xiao Long Bao (steamed pork dumplings). This is the signature dumpling where all the dumpling places are rated on, a make or break dish. The Xiao Long Bao here was fabulous. The skin was thin and soft, but fully capable of holding the beautiful soup inside. With the correct chopstick technique, you shouldn’t spill a drop. I would recommend grabbing the dumpling more towards the top, where there’s more rigidity as the middle part can be quite delicate. The soup had great natural sweetness and hits you with a burst of flavour! The pork mix inside was soft and bouncy, maintaining good texture. Could not fault the Xiao Long Bao, it’s as good as any I’ve had in the past!

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My personal favourite was the prawn wontons with peanut-sesame sauce and chilli oil. The prawn filling was fresh, and the peanut-sesame sauce was outstanding. It was as though they mixed smooth peanut butter through the sauce, and the peanut taste hits the back of the palette after every bite! I loved it, and will certainly be getting this dish every time. We ordered some other dishes such as the drunken chicken, pan fried crab meat & pork dumplings, and the crab meat Xiao Long Bao. They were all high quality dishes and I guarantee that you won’t leave disappointed.

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All the waiting staff were quick and highly alert. They were always looking around to see if any customers needed anything, it never takes long to get their attention. The service is efficient but not personable, as they will not go out of their way to ask you how your day’s been. We also experienced the vintage Asian style of stacking the chairs around us before closing time. We’re not too fussed about this, but if this is something that bothers you, then you may have to come earlier and not so close to closing time.

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All in all, we enjoyed our experience at New Shanghai and would highly recommend them to anyone after some top quality dumplings! Are they the best in Melbourne? Well I’d have to say they are right up there! We’ll need to make a visit to our other dumpling favourite again in order to come to a true conclusion. It’s been a while since we’ve been to the other place, therefore we need to refresh our taste buds. We will write a review after the visit. As it stands right now, New Shanghai is certainly right up there in our top 2 in Melbourne!

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New Shanghai
Approx $50 AUD per person
Address: Emporium Melbourne, Level 3, 287 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: +61 3 9994 9386

New Shanghai Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato