September 28, 2018 by Helen Le

Ippudo

There’s been quite a lot of hype over Ippudo recently given they are fairly new to the Melbourne scene. Specialising in ramen, their first shop opened in 1985 in Japan and it has grown and expanded internationally since then. We finally got around to checking it out one cold night and were not surprised when we arrived and saw a decent line of a queue snaking around outside of its entrance. We were however surprised at how efficient they were and how quickly the line moved! We were seated in no time!

The restaurant itself was bright, quite large and spacious which was probably why the line was able to move so quickly. We were seated and provided with some large menus to peruse. We decided to order some starters which included the lightly pickled cucumber with special chilli sauce, crunchy garlic and Sichuan pepper. They weren’t kidding when they said lightly pickled because I couldn’t really taste the pickle in it at all. I guess it made it a more refreshing dish, I did like the crunchy garlic bits though.

We also ordered some fresh sashimi, their signature pork bun, seared salmon sushi roll and the wagyu tataki gohan which had marinated wagyu slices on rice with Japanese mayonnaise and fried garlic chips. This was a great dish! It was so flavoured and the wagyu slices were perfection. Their other starter dishes were also really nice and we couldn’t really fault them.

But of course we were here to try their famous ramen! We had already scouted it out when we walked in and knew it was quite a generous bowl. Given our eyes are larger than our stomachs and we had ordered so many starters, we decided to settle on sharing just one bowl. We ordered their signature Akamaru Shinaji ramen which had their original tonkotsu broth enhanced with special blended miso paste and fragrant garlic oil, served with thin noodles, pork belly, black fungus and spring onions.

The verdict? It was actually pretty good! Of course we couldn’t compare it to all the great ramens we’ve had in Japan. However the broth was nicely flavoured, the noodles were firm and the ingredients were fresh. Would we go back again? Probably if we felt like a decent bowl of ramen with the extra dishes they offer. Their varied starter dishes were a highlight for us. Their service was also fantastic. They were very attentive, quick and efficient. Because there are so many ramen restaurants in Melbourne now, it is becoming more challenging for the good ones to stand out. However with Ippudo it also has its history and huge branding behind it which has helped build its reputation here fairly quickly. We certainly had a pretty good experience, both with the food and the service!

Ippudo
Approx $30 AUD per person
Address: QV Shopping Centre, 18/300 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: +61 3 9654 9057
Website: ippudo.com.au

September 12, 2018 by Helen Le

Clubhouse Malvern

Over the weekend we came across Clubhouse Malvern on Zomato for brunch. It was rated pretty highly so we were excited to see what it was all about.

We found parking near the cafe fairly quickly and entered a really modern, white, spacious cafe with concrete benches, polished floors, and wooden tables and chairs spaced out quite generously so it didn’t feel like you were too close to other people. There was also a courtyard at the back which you can hang out however on this occasion there seemed to be a function happening so we decided to sit inside.

I started off with a latte and Davin ordered a lemongrass and ginger tea. We’ve both been sick with a cold lately so the tea was soothing. The latte was so silky smooth and the perfect strength

For food I ordered the Mojo Benny which had Cuban pulled pork, cheddar cornbread waffle, guacamole, chipotle hollandaise, 2 poached eggs and mushrooms as an optional extra. The dish sounded like an exciting, tasty dish. However unfortunately it was far from it. The whole dish was so… bland. The pulled pork tasted really plain, the waffles was really doughy and I didn’t taste the cheddar at all. The chipotle hollandaise was also too light and didn’t add any flavour. It was a disappointing dish to say the least.

Davin ordered the salmon sashimi flora bowl which had salmon sashimi, avocado, pickled ginger, pickled red cabbage, edamame, pineapple kimchi, shichimi, wasabi peas, soy, carrot, sriracha mayo, black sesame and brown rice. The dish would have been nice if it wasn’t for the sauce being so salty! When you generally have these bowls the dressing is usually light, like a light soy sauce or sesame oil, however this was full blown salty soy sauce drenching the rice, and too much of it, making it quite unpleasant. The highlight was the pineapple kimchi, that was delicious!

Overall the dishes didn’t blow us away and were pretty average as it had some flaws. We have to say however that their service was great so kudos to them for that. Oh and the coffee was top notch!

Clubhouse Malvern
Approx $25 AUD per person
Address: 1290 Malvern Rd, Malvern VIC 3144
Phone: +61 3 9822 8268
Website: clubhousemalvern.com.au

September 4, 2018September 4, 2018 by Davin Lee

Tipico

We would like to extend a warm thank you to Tipico for inviting us to dine at their restaurant. Tipico is a modern Italian eatery located in Windsor. It’s really nice to see these new style Italian restaurants popping up around Melbourne, as Helen and I have always loved the twist they put on certain Italian dishes. Does Tipico hit the mark? Unfortunately not. Even though we’ve been blogging for a while, it does not get any easier to give criticism to any restaurant. The reason for this is because we classify ourselves as food lovers, and not food critics. I think I’ve set the tone for what is to follow, so please read on for my thoughts on Tipico.

It was not a good start for us for the night. There was a mix up between them and their marketing company, so we arrived without a booking. They finally managed to find some seats for us, so we sat down awkwardly. The feeling was kinda like rocking up to a party which you’re not invited to. Anyway, put all that aside, the place was buzzing and the vibe was cool so we were excited. There were exposed concrete walls, and a huge bar area, a great formula for a place to hang out for some drinks. We were seated along the window and my back was facing the bar area. I will mention that it was a bit weird to have people towering over me behind my back as I was eating though.

So onto the food… we started with the chicken liver pate with polenta bread, and the kingfish with orange dressing. I tried the pate by itself, it had good flavour but was a tad runny. The polenta bread on the other hand was not very pleasant at all. It crumbled like a shortbread and was a horrible match for the pate. It made it hard to taste the pate when my mouth was full of crumbs! Regular bread would have been a way better choice for this dish.

The kingfish with orange dressing may as well have been renamed to ‘kingfish with orange zest’ because that was all I could taste. The zest was really strong and fully overpowered the kingfish, which was such a shame because the kingfish looked to be good quality. This dish could be benefited with a touch of sourness in the dressing to make it appetizing. It should also be noted that for $22, the portion size for this kingfish dish ranks as the smallest out of all the ones I’ve ever had.

For mains I got the Tagliolini spanner crab pasta and Helen got a Prosciutto pizza. My pasta sauce tasted clean with good seafood flavours, however it was lacking the punch I was looking for in a pasta sauce and tasted a little watered down. I was searching everywhere in the pasta for some spanner crab, and it must be either really mixed in, not much of it or a combination because I struggled to find any. Please see pic – if any of you can spot the crab, let me know! It would have been nice to get some bits of crab to provide a contrast in texture. Helen’s pizza was pretty good. It was cooked well, had a great base, and the Prosciutto they used was beautiful! It only there was more of it, we barely got 6 pieces of it, there was still so much real estate to be used. We’re not looking for it to be packed like an American pizza, but for $25, a bit more Prosciutto would be appreciated. The buffalo mozzarella didn’t have any texture and just disintegrated in my mouth, it was also lacking the milky taste found in good buffalo mozzarella.

I won’t go too in depth with the pannacotta dessert, as it was just dense and just tasted like sweet almond flakes.

So in summary, was the meal awful? Honestly it wasn’t. The food was just very ordinary, and failed to shine or make an impact. I can’t help but think that for the price, the portions could be better, and I couldn’t help but notice they were skimping on the ingredients a bit. Consumers don’t mind spending a bit more money when they eat out, but with prices such as $34 for the pasta and $25 for the pizza, let’s see the spanner crab and let’s put a few more pieces of prosciutto on the pizza! These are the differences between a reasonably priced as opposed to overpriced. As it stands, we don’t foresee us returning to Tipico, but we do hope that Tipico takes some of my opinions on board and improve further. We wish nothing but the best for Tipico.

Tipico
Approx $50 AUD per person
Address: 242 High St, Windsor VIC 3181
Phone: +61 3 9089 0768
Website: tipico.melbourne

August 20, 2018 by Helen Le

Mjølner

If you’re looking for a unique dining experience in the Melbourne CBD, then look no further! Mjølner is a fairly new restaurant which offers the diner a Viking themed experience while you get to feast on succulent and juicy meats cooked on their rotisserie and deliciously thought out dishes. The restaurant has two levels with their beautiful bar downstairs and a bustling restaurant upstairs. There are plenty of historic Viking features throughout the modern restaurant such as horns, ancient looking knives, axes, and even Thor’s hammer!

On this night we dined with the lovely Bearabbit, Feed with Gusto and their partners. We started off with cocktails and a complimentary shot of amber vermouth, mead and honey – from a glass horn as the shot glass! Yes, a glass horn! We were taught to cheers and yell out “skål!” in true Viking form!

In preparation for our meal, the waitress brought out a selection of different Viking style knives. We all got to pick one to use as our cutting knife for dinner.

The menu is made for sharing so we ordered a range of dishes which included the roast bone marrow, venison loin, the free range chicken, the O’Connor’s pasture fed short ribs and the roast porchetta. We also added the roasted cauliflower and potatoes with goats cheese, cornichons and shallots as sides.

The roast bone marrow was a real highlight. It came with some bread which you could use to dip and scoop up the delicious marrow straight from the bone. After you’ve cleaned up the marrow, they offer you a whisky shot which you drink straight from the that same bone after they’ve torched it. Again another pretty special experience and it was fun to do with a group of friends!

We also loved the O’Connor’s pasture fed short ribs. The meat was so soft and flavoured. Also the brussel sprouts that went with the ribs were perfection!

The venison loin and chicken were also lovely dishes with great flavours, although the chicken was quite pricey for chicken!

The roast porchetta was also nice however for $60 we thought the portion was on the slightly smaller side.

We also ordered some beers which came out served in these huge Viking horns which was pretty cool!

For dessert we decided to order all of them except for the cheese selection. We ordered the malt parfait, bombe alaska and custard tart. All three desserts were delicious but the bombe alaska was definitely the highlight because it came with flamed mandarin liqueur, and the dish was on fire!

Overall we had an awesome time and it’s a great place to just have fun with a group of friends, and feel like you’re in a different world while feasting on some great food. The service was also fantastic. Our waitress was very attentive, efficient and informative. We highly recommend if you’re looking for a great night out with a unique experience.

Mjølner
Approx $75 AUD per person
Address: 106 Hardware St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: +61 3 8393 9367
Website: mjolner.com.au

August 9, 2018 by Helen Le

Ton & Co

Ton & Co has only been open for a few months but they have already made a huge impact for us since we’ve discovered it so we had to tell you all about it!

Located on High St in Windsor, Ton & Co is a Japanese restaurant with a focus on pork dishes. Yes, you did hear right. PORK dishes. The uniqueness of this concept piqued our interest straight away so we had to check it out. The menu consists of a range of different pork dishes which include pork striploin, pork tenderloin, pork ribeye steak, pork ribs, pork belly, you name it! There are no beef dishes here and there was only one fish dish. So if you are going to visit this restaurant then make sure you are here because you want to eat pork and don’t expect anything else! The restaurant itself has a very spacious and modern feel with wooden tables and industrial chairs. I also noted it was kept very clean and pristine. We were welcomed warmly into the restaurant on this particular evening and efficiently provided with the menus.

We started off with some hot sake and small dishes. We ordered the ox tongue skewers and chicken thigh skewers. Both of the meat skewer dishes were flavoured to perfection and the meat was so soft. However I have to highlight how particularly ultra soft and delicious the ox tongue skewers were. They were the best ox tongue skewers we’ve ever had! Big call, I know but I have to state the facts. Thinking about that dish while I write this makes me want a serving of it right now.

For the mains, I decided to order their Signature Pork Ribeye Steak which was 400g of bone-on cured and aged pork ribeye, onion relish, sake beurre blanc and mustard. Verdict? It was the best pork steak I have ever had! I know I just made that call with the ox tongue and so it sounds crazy but I swear, it was SO good! I really don’t know how I’m ever going to have pork like that anywhere else after I’ve experienced it here. It was flavoured so well and cooked through, yet still so tender and juicy. Every bite of it with some of the onion relish and mustard was heaven. I didn’t want it to end. Sigh.

Davin ordered the only fish dish which was the poached salmon. This came with a honey miso glaze, seaweed crust, shiitake mushroom broth and sake steamed leeks. He also got a bowl of rice to go with it. The salmon was poached oh so perfectly! It’s so important to not overcook salmon and they have certainly mastered it. The seaweed crust gave each bite a lovely crunch, and the shiitake mushroom broth that went with it was so flavoured and lovely, you could just drink it on its own. It was one killer dish!

We also ordered a the Japanese potato salad to share which was really good.

So at this stage, we were really happy and thinking to ourselves that they have pretty much hit the mark on every dish they have served us. There’s only one more dish to go and that was dessert. Can they also maintain the quality? Um, yes they can! How could we ever doubt them?

We settled on sharing the Matcha cheese cake with Hojicha ice cream. It was presented beautifully and had good strong matcha flavours, yet you can still taste that it was a cheesecake. Combined with the ice cream, it was a great dish and we scoffed it up pretty quickly.

We finished up our meal very content and amazed at how good the food was at Ton & Co. Not only was the food fantastic but the service was also top notch. Staff were very friendly and efficient, and were more than happy to have a chat and see what we thought of the food. Will we be back? Hell yes! This restaurant is doing something different by shining the spotlight on pork which seems to be such an underrated dish here. We highly recommend if you are interested in trying out their spectacular dishes, particularly if you are keen for pork. It was an amazing experience.

Ton & Co
Approx $50 AUD per person
Address: 118 High St, Windsor VIC 3181
Phone: +61 3 9023 3396
Website: tonandco.com.au

August 4, 2018 by Helen Le

Sardi

Located on Church St in Hawthorn, and away from the usual area we normally frequent for brunch, Sardi is situated on a corner with colourful graffiti painted on the side of the building like a beacon shouting out to us to come inside.

Inside, the cafe is cosy with white and timber wooden themes throughout. We were seated straight away and I ordered my usual latte to start off with.

The coffee was good and perfect temperature. Davin ordered the Green Goodness smoothie which had apple, carrot, banana, spinach and kale. It was pretty delicious.

For food I ordered the chilli folded eggs with cayenne chilli, bacon, chorizo, mushrooms, parmesan and rocket salad on sourdough. I found the eggs were overcooked. I like my eggs to be quite moist still and in this case it was quite dry. The presentation of the dish was average and with the exception of the chorizo being really nice and smokey, I didn’t find the dish special in any way. In fact, it was probably something I could whip up at home.

Davin ordered the Winter Rice Bowl which had cauliflower, mung sprouts, roast pumpkin, grilled zucchini, avocado, black rice, dukkah and smoked salmon as extra. Now this was a special dish. It was presented beautifully in a huge bowl with some dressing in a little glass jar. It tasted so HEALTHY. The salmon was not salty at all and complimented the overall dish. Certainly a place to think of if you are wanting a healthy bowl of goodness.

Sardi
Approx $30 AUD per person
Address: 111 Church St, Hawthorn VIC 3122
Phone: +61 3 9818 6140
Website: sardicafe.com.au

July 29, 2018 by Helen Le

Unabara Lobster & Oyster Bar

We were recently invited to dine at Unabara Lobster & Oyster Bar in Melbourne Central. We were interested to check it out given it’s not everyday that you get to have lobster ramen! So on a very cold and typical Melbourne wintry night, we headed to Melbourne Central in search of the restaurant. We found it pretty quickly and although there were tables outside within the centre, we were seated inside their restaurant which also happened to be Gyoza Gyoza. We were also provided with menus, both for Unabara and Gyoza Gyoza to order from. The restaurant itself is very casual. In fact when we sat down the tables were not that clean and had lots of water on it.

We started off with ordering a couple of cocktails. I ordered the Umeshu Margarita which had gold tequila, Japanese plum wine, Yuzu sake, cointreau and fresh lemon juice. Davin ordered the Tropical Yuzu Mojito which had Yuzushu, green tea, gin, pineapple juice, passion fruit mint, lime and tonic water. Both cocktails were presented nicely and were really refreshing.

For food we of course had to order the Lobster and Seafood Sapporo Miso Ramen. There was an option to order half lobster (200 – 250g) or half large lobster (500 – 600g). We asked for the half large lobster however they advised us that they were already sold out for the night so we opted for the smaller half lobster. The dish also included a grilled scallop, tiger prawn, chashu (Japanese style braised pork belly), and a 63 degree poached egg. The broth was really flavoured and you could taste the lobster and seafood flavours in it. The ramen noodles were nice and chewy. The lobster meat itself tasted a bit overcooked and rubbery. The tiger prawn and the chashu was also overcooked, however the scallop was nice. The 63 degree egg was poached perfectly.

We also ordered the grilled half lobster with Angus beef tenderloin which also came with a 63 degree poached egg, toasted buttered New England split-top bun, beer battered fries with truffle mayo, wafu salad and lobster bisque. The grilled lobster in this dish was also overcooked and rubbery, and the beef tenderloin was dry and stringy. The lobster bisque was plain and lacked the strong lobster flavours and seasoning you would expect. I guess we have been spoilt with our fair share of lobster bisques in the past, particularly when we went to Europe, so we felt like this really missed the mark. I think our favourite part of the dish was the fries and the poached egg.

For dessert we ordered a matcha parfait with cookies and chocolate. It came with a massive and fluffy cloud of fairy floss attached to it! I haven’t had fairy floss in so long and it tasted amazing, so light and airy and just the right amount of sweetness. The parfait itself had good strong matcha and chocolate flavours to it.

Overall the lobster ramen broth was probably the highlight as that was full of flavour, along with the ramen noodles. The cocktails and dessert were also very enjoyable. Seafood is such a delicate thing to cook so I think they just need to make sure it is cooked perfectly, especially if it’s going to be part of their signature dishes.

Unabara Lobster & Oyster Bar (Melbourne Central)
Approx $35 AUD per person
Address: Melbourne Central, L01/157 La Trobre St
Phone: +61 3 9922 1100
Website: unabara.com.au

July 16, 2018 by Helen Le

Middletown

Middletown is a brunch cafe located on High Street in Prahran (yes once again we’ve been frequenting Prahran!). The cafe itself is a very modern, spacious yet welcoming place with large floor to ceiling windows allowing for ample of natural light. Think also lots of white and light timber colours with a splash of navy to add to the modern look.

Staff were super friendly and seated us right away. On this occasion Davin ordered the hot smoked salmon on rye toast with beetroot relish, dill creme fraiche, poached egg, pickled fennel and pea tendril salad. This was a really lovely dish with the exception of the rye toast itself being very burnt and charred. However a brief mention of this to one of the workers and they swiftly organised for another piece of toast plus an apology so all was well again.

I ordered the duck and waffles, because how often do you see duck and waffles on a menu?! I had no regrets with my decision because it was delicious! It was a crispy confit duck leg with herb and cheese waffles! The herb and cheese inside the waffles made it very special and I loved that the waffles stayed nice and crispy, just the way I like it. It also came with a perfectly fried egg on top and with oh so sweet and lovely orange infused maple syrup to dip, AND zucchini and pickled carrot slaw to add a refreshing touch to a complete dish. It was a very generous serving on the plate but I finished it all up because it was so good.

Overall, we will definitely consider coming back to dine here again. The food was great, the service was very good and I loved the ambience and decor of the cafe.

Middletown
Approx $30 AUD per prson
Address: 229 High St, Prahran VIC 3181
Phone +61 3 9530 2288
Website: middletown.com.au

July 10, 2018July 10, 2018 by Helen Le

Trei Cafe

If you’re looking for a bit of a detox after some days of heavy and unhealthy eating then look no further. Located on a quiet strip of shops on Blackburn Rd in Glen Waverley, Trei is a small cafe offering some very healthy options. For the vegans and vegetarians, the menu has a range of options such as curry lentils, acai smoothie bowls, nourish bowls and mushroom burgers.

On this occasion I ordered my usual latte which was quite good. Davin ordered the Matcha Madness which was DELICIOUS. It had spinach, banana, chia, lime, apple juice, mango and matcha. It had a nice thickness to it and tasted healthy but delicious. We’ve had super healthy juices and smoothies in the past which were healthy yes, but not so tasty and appealing to the taste buds because there was a lack in flavours. However Trei had this down pat here with this drink.

For food Davin ordered the Poke Bowl which had brown rice, sesame kale, pickled cabbage, edamame, carrot, avocado and chilli sesame dressing. He also added salmon as an extra option. Again the bowl came out looking so healthy for the body. One would think that something that healthy would not taste good but nah uh! That sesame dressing was amazing and added just the perfect amount of flavour to everything in the bowl to make it a really enjoyable dish!

I probably ordered the more unhealthy dish out of the two of us and got the eggs benedict with pulled pork, grilled asparagus, and apple cider hollandaise sauce on sourdough bread. The eggs were poached perfectly, the pulled pork was flavoured well but there was a lot of it. I probably could have done with less meat, they were very generous with it. I love hollandaise sauce in general but the apple cider made it very special and I quite liked it. Add the perfect crunchiness of the grilled asparagus to it and it was a pretty complete dish.

The service was overall quite good and the food came out fairly quickly. This is a place we will visit again and probably often because of their guilt free healthy yet tasty dishes!

Trei Cafe
Approx $25 AUD per person
Address: 232 Blackburn Rd, Glen Waverley VIC 3150
Phone +61 3 9802 0960

July 8, 2018 by Helen Le

Holla

Recently we were invited to dine at Holla for brunch. Located in Richmond, we were warmly welcomed and seated at a nice corner table at the front of the cafe giving us a view of the rest of the place. I instantly liked the decor. It looked modern with high ceilings with white wooden beams and an abundance of green plants and lights hanging from above. Wooden tables with black trimmings throughout the restaurant finished the touches of a lovely cafe.

We started off with a couple of cocktails. Davin ordered the Bramble which had gin, blackberry, lemon and crushed ice. I ordered the Lychee and Chilli Mojito which had bacardi, lychee, lemongrass, Thai basil, mint, lemon and fresh jalapeno. Davin’s cocktail was nice but we both agreed that the Lychee and Chilli Mojito was pretty special. How often do you get a chilli kick in your cocktail? And the lemongrass, basil and mint made it one refreshing drink.

For food we had The Szechuan Scallion which had Szechuan spiced brisket, tofu miso puree, Chinese leaves and shoots, scallion pancake and a fried egg. The flavours were good however we thought the brisket meat itself was quite tough. Perhaps it was the spices that toughened it up but we were expecting the texture to be a lot softer.

We also got the Crab Crumpets which had a whole crispy soft shell crab, kasundi, 2 poached eggs, hollandaise, bacon crumb and avocado crumpets. You have to give them kudos for their creativity and pushing for out of the norm. We thought this was a really nice dish. The crispiness of the soft shell crab was spot on, the kasundi sauce was delicious and we loved those bacon crumb bits.

We ended the meal with a sweet dish, the Croffle S’mores which were croissant waffles (yes you heard right!), with raspberry pistachio parfait, strawberry curd, fresh berries, pistachio crumbs and rose syrup. Croissant waffles are something I’ve been noticing quite a bit lately but I think this was the first time we’ve had a chance to try it. The pistachio parfait was sandwiched between the crispy croissant waffles and it balanced out the sweetness of the rose syrup and strawberry curd. It was a great dish to finish up with.

I also ordered a latte which was served at the right temperature and was strong and not too milky, just the way I like my coffee!

Overall we had a pretty good experience. Staff were super friendly and efficient, ambience was great, and the food and drinks were nice with unique elements incorporated which seemed to work.

Holla
Approx $30 AUD per person
Address: 284 Victoria St, Richmond VIC 3121
Phone: +61 3 8394 3487
Website: hollamelbourne.com.au

July 2, 2018 by Helen Le

Rock Sugar

We were recently invited to dine at Rock Sugar, located in South Yarra and were happy to accept given the hype we’ve been hearing about it. Upon entering we were instantly welcomed with pink neon lights and Britney Spears – Stronger playing in the background. Those two nostalgic factors alone won me over! Loved the vibe and I’ve always been a R&B girl at heart.

We were seated at a spacious table that juts out from the bar and started off with ordering a couple of their recommended Rocktails. Davin ordered the Elderflower Power which had gin, elderflower, mint, yuzu and butterfly pea flower. I ordered the ‘Chee ‘Chee Martini which had lychee, vodka and sake. Both drinks were delicious and presented beautifully.

Now if you’re looking for authentic Thai cuisine then this is not the place for you because it’s Thai fusion and you need to embrace it! We were overwhelmed with all the great dishes on the menu. We also noted that all peanut ingredients were bolded in the menu which I thought was a great idea. For those who may have allergies, they can easily spot the dishes to avoid.

For starters we ended up ordering a few dishes which included the spiced thai tuna tartare, sriracha butter corn on the cob, smoked ocean trout betel leaf, and the hiramasa kingfish. The raw dishes were fresh and SO appetising! They were modern dishes but the Thai flavours that you know well such as lime, fish sauce and chilli still shined through each of them. The corn on the cob was delicious and you could really taste the sriracha with every bite.

For mains we ordered the red curry with a duck leg, pineapple, young bamboo, snake bean and asparagus. The flavours of the red curry was spot on, the vegetables were still crunchy and just the way we like it. We’ve never had asparagus before in a Thai curry so that was new for us. We could have done with a bit more duck than just the leg because we felt like there wasn’t much meat to share. Other than that it was a lovely dish.

We also ordered the pork belly as the second main to share. The pork itself had pretty much over 70% of that lovely melt in your mouth fat. The combination of that and the nam prik hot sauce went well together.

After all that we decided to share one dessert between us and ordered the Mango Tango which included coconut panna cotta with peanut and almond cookie crumble. This was a beautifully presented dish and so easy to eat. It was light and wasn’t too sweet. We loved it and it was the perfect finish to a great meal!

Overall we loved their interesting, Thai fusion dishes and the vibe of the restaurant itself. Highly recommend if you’re looking for some great food and drinks that may be a bit different to what you’re normally used to.

Rock Sugar
Approx $50 AUD per person
Address: 477 Malvern Rd, South Yarra VIC 3141
Phone: +61 3 9826 2688
Website: rocksugar.com.au

June 20, 2018 by Helen Le

Hobba

We’ve fallen in love with Prahran lately, probably because its market is one of the few that stays open until 5 PM which is perfect for us!

One weekend we decided to head to Hobba for brunch before we did our usual weekend shopping given it was on the way for us. We managed to find a parking spot right outside and entered the cafe. The cafe itself is quite a large space and reminds me of a warehouse turned restaurant with the brick walls, high ceilings with wooden beams and hanging plants. It was also PACKED! But surprisingly we were seated straight away.

We started off with some fresh juices. I ordered the Healthy Hawksburnian which had cucumber, apple, beetroot, carrot and ginger. Davin ordered the Detox Refresher with apple, cucumber and lemon. They were both super refreshing and quench thirsting.

For meals I zeroed in on the French Toast dish. Now I don’t normally order French Toast when we go out because this dish is generally served as a sweet breakfast and I always favour the savoury dishes. But on this occasion I noticed that this French Toast dish was served with cheese, bacon, asparagus, green romesco, pickled jalapenos, cheese foam and cured egg yolk. Yes please!

The dish was presented beautifully and tasted just as good as it looked! The bacon was cooked perfectly and not too overly salty, the cheese French toast was fluffy and flavoured, and the cheese foam and green romesco combined with the crunchy asparagus made each bite heaven.

Davin ordered the Mushroom dish which consisted of potato galette, mushrooms, pistou and capsicum caviar. We loved the contrast of all the mushroom flavours and textures, but we especially liked the dehydrated enoki mushrooms which added a more robust flavour to the whole dish. The capsicum caviar was also quite interesting but worked!

Overall we had a great experience at Hobba and will certainly think about this place when we drop by Prahran again which no doubt will be in the very near future. We have yet to try their coffee so we’ll have to do that next time!

Hobba
Approx $25 AUD per person
Address: 428 Malvern Rd, Prahran VIC 3181
Phone: +61 3 9510 8336
Website: hobba.com.au

June 17, 2018 by Helen Le

Khao by HWKR

I’m generally the one that least craves for Asian food when we go out. It might have to do with the fact that I’ve grown up eating rice my whole life and so when we do head out to eat, I always feel like Western cuisines. I guess it doesn’t explain why Davin still has his cravings every now and then though!

But on this cold night when we were warmly invited by HWKR to try out their new Winter menu, the menu items listed for Khao by HWKR looked appetising indeed for Asian fusion.

The first dish we ordered was the Balinese-style barramundi with jimbaran spiced butter sauce, pickled cucumber, sambal and jasmine rice. We were delighted to see that the fish wasn’t fried but baked, and served on a banana leaf – because everything tastes better when it’s served on a banana leaf!

Anyway we dug into this dish and it was SO good! The lovely spiced butter sauce was subtle but you could taste the heat from it. The fish was cooked to perfection and that sambal! It’s probably one of the best I’ve had. I kept scooping more of that hot sauce onto the fish and rice. The pickled cucumber was very lightly pickled and provided the right coolness you needed to a beautifully well rounded and spicy dish!

The second dish we ordered was the Filipino roasted lamb ribs which came with burnt coconut sauce, pickled cucumber, toasted coconut and jasmine rice. The meat from the ribs literally just fell off the bone. I remember picking up one of the ribs with my hand and before I could do anything the lamb had just fallen onto my plate. It was so tender and soft. The burnt coconut sauce complimented it so well. It wasn’t too overpowering and was more like it’s equal friend in providing the perfect combination of flavours.

In the end we didn’t even know which dish was better. They both provided a burst of spice and flavours that made it so easy to scoff up with the jasmine rice. We couldn’t fault the dishes at all and we will certainly be thinking about this place on another cold night when we feel like something warm and appetising.

Khao by HWKR
Approx $20 AUD per person
Address: 137 A’Beckett St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: +61 3 9018 7135
Website: www.hwkr.com.au

June 16, 2018 by Helen Le

Tahina Bar, Fitzroy

Tahina Bar has made a great name for themselves in serving Israeli street food in Northcote. They recently opened their second restaurant in Fitzroy and kindly invited us to check it out.

Upon entering Tahina Bar in Fitzroy my first impression was that the restaurant looked really clean with white walls and chairs, hints of blue and wooden tables. From the entrance the space looked like a small eatery but then you walk through to the back and it opens up into a lovely outdoor space with a roof and string lights sweeping low from the ceiling that remind me of Austin, Texas.

When we perused the menu we were surprised to find out that it was in fact a vegetarian Israeli restaurant! Either we never noticed when we checked it out online or it wasn’t really something that was advertised. Anyway I was fine with that. We need a break from meat sometimes anyway. Davin had a 20 second panic attack as he’s so used to having meat with everything but then he moved on when he saw the interesting menu items.

To start off we ordered a couple of smoothies. I ordered the Green Goddess smoothie which had mixed berries, spinach, almond butter, medjool dates, raw vanilla protein and coconut milk. Davin got the Green Warrior which consisted of spinach, kale, mango, pineapple, bee pollen and coconut water. Both smoothies were thick and tasted so nice and HEALTHY! I felt like they were a meal in itself!

For food I ordered the red falafel pita pocket mixed with chilli and red peppers, hummus, israeli salad, pickled cabbage and tahini. Davin ordered the yarakoht pita pocket which had sautéed mushrooms, pumpkin, hummus, israeli salad, pickled cabbage and tahini. They were delicious!

The red falafel pita pocket was really nice and we got an extra plate of a mix of green and red falafels served on its own with hummus and tahini for our eating pleasure. The falafels were really flavoured and crispy on the outside. We also thoroughly enjoyed the yarakotht pita pocket. The flavour combination of the mushrooms, the super fresh israeli salad and the hummus and tahini made each bite so tasty! The bread of the pita pockets were also warm and fluffy.

We shared the white shakshuka platter which had free range eggs, wild mushrooms, fennel, Jerusalem artichokes, chilli, fresh thyme, oregano and Meredith goats cheese. This dish was also certainly not lacking flavour. It smelt amazing because of the lovely spices and herbs and tasted just as good. It was an easy dish to eat and we happily used the fresh bread they served with hummus and lapped up as much as our tummies would allow of the dish.

We also ordered the cauliflower papiot which was a great dish. The cauliflower was slow roasted so it was really soft but lightly charred and served with hummus, lemon and tahini. A real easy dish to enjoy.

Finally for dessert we were served with the baklava. We generally find baklavas overly sweet but this one was actually nice and was filled with crunchy goodies. Unfortunately we started eating it before we realised we should have taken a good photo of it!

Overall we were quite impressed with the quality of the food. It felt like hearty home style cooking which we really liked. We met Roy, the chef and who owns Tahina with his partner Natalie, and he was so lovely and open for a chat. His passion for cooking great dishes with top quality produce and putting his love into these dishes for his customers is clear when he’s talking to us.

So do check Tahina Bar out and don’t let the fact that it is a vegetarian restaurant turn you away if you are a meat lover!

Tahina Bar, Fitzroy
Approx $30 AUD per person
Address: 362 Brunswick St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Phone: +61 3 9417 4510
Website: tahinabar.com

June 8, 2018June 8, 2018 by Helen Le

Tavlin

If you’re looking for a feast of Middle Eastern spices, flavoursome dips and succulent meats then look no further than Tavlin.

Located in Caulfield South, the restaurant stands out brightly on a corner block and beckons you in. We have dined here on many occasions with family and friends and always look forward to the feast which awaits us inside.

We always start off with their delicious assortment of dips and salads which comes with freshly homemade laffa bread. I’ve always loved dips and these were delicious, even their hummus. Now I’m not the biggest fan of hummus so it has to be really good to win me over. And win me over it did!

The Moroccan beef cigars are also a highlight. Crispy delicate pastry on the outside, stuffed with spiced minced beef and onions and served on green tahini. Each bite was a burst of flavours. We also ordered the fried cauliflower and sauteed mushrooms which also did not lack in spices and flavour.

For mains we ordered a variety of grilled meats to share which included chicken, chicken liver, beef, lamb and salmon. All the meats were seasoned well but the chicken in particular was oh so soft and succulent! We got some chips, more bread and salads to enjoy with our meats.

We ended the night with a few desserts which included the Turkish delight ice cream, trio of sorbet and Turkish delight. My favourite was the Turkish delight ice cream because it tasted just like the real thing but it wasn’t too overly sweet.

The food never disappoints here and has always been consistent for us so if you’re in the mood for a hearty meal packed with flavours and lovely spices, check out Tavlin!

Tavlin
Address: 678 Glen Huntly Rd, Caulfield South VIC 3162
Phone: +61 3 9972 5666
Website: tavlin.com.au

May 31, 2018 by Helen Le

Shanklin Cafe

We’ve had Shanklin Cafe on our ‘to try’ list for a while now and finally got around to checking it out one weekend for brunch. Located in a more quiet area of Hawthorn where there isn’t as much competition with other eateries, Shanklin Cafe is a cute cafe embedded in with other residential houses, with the exception of the exterior of the building painted a dark grey so that it stands out as an invitation to come in and eat!

It was bustling and very busy when we walked inside however it wasn’t long before we were seated quite efficiently at a table. Davin and I ordered a couple of lattes to start off with and we were impressed already of the quality of the coffees. They were good strong lattes, something we don’t quite often get these days as we find they can be weak and too milky. But not these! They were strong and served at the perfect temperature.

For food I ordered the baked eggs shakshuka which included red peppers, cherry tomatoes, chorizo and goat cheese served with sourdough bread. This dish was SO good! I’ve had many baked eggs dishes during my brunch life and this one was top notch. I loved how it bursted with the flavours of the tomato and the saltiness of the chorizo, balanced out by the perfectly runny eggs. I was also surprised that for a dish that can generally be quite heavy, it was light and didn’t make me feel too overly stuffed. I certainly lapped up every last bit of the sauce with my bread.

Davin ordered the acai superbowl which was blended with banana and topped with seasonal fruits and granola. It was such a pretty dish and presented in a lovely bowl on a wooden serving board. It was also delicious! Davin gobbled it up pretty quickly and from the few bites I had, it was really refreshing and not too overly sweet.

I also ended up getting some freshly squeezed juice which consisted of apple, carrot, celery, ginger and orange. It was so thirst quenching and had the perfect balance of ingredients.

Overall we were very impressed with Shanklin cafe and will definitely be back to check out their other menu items and for their great coffee!

Shanklin Cafe
Address: 500 Tooronga Rd, Hawthorn VIC 3123
Phone: +61 3 9882 7549
Website: shanklincafe.com.au

A journey of our culinary, travel and life adventures

Tag: australia

Ippudo

Clubhouse Malvern

Tipico

Mjølner

Ton & Co

Sardi

Unabara Lobster & Oyster Bar

Middletown

Trei Cafe

Holla

Rock Sugar

Hobba

Khao by HWKR

Tahina Bar, Fitzroy

Tavlin

Shanklin Cafe

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