Changz Canteen

Changz canteen – Elsternwick

Changz canteen is an awesome place where you can catch up with friends for some burgers and bevvies. They are located in Elsternwick and do a mean cheesey. They do burgers but also have other tasty bits and pieces. And keep an eye out for their chilli sauces that are made in house. They are more tasty rather than burn your face off hot and are super delish. Changz has a laid-back atmosphere but the food is quality. My favourite kind of place.

Changz canteen – Venue

It’s a casual dining space with a relaxed vibe and some cool stencils on the wall. They have share tables for larger groups and outdoor seating out front for good weather days.

Changz canteen – Cheesey

The standard cheesey was delish. The beef was juicy, the pickles were sliced super thin, the cheddar cheese was melting, the onion was finely diced and Changz sauce brought it all together which was like a red chilli mayo (not hot).

Changz canteen – Fried chicken ribs w aioli

The chicken ribs were deep-fried, delicious and crunchy and were served with aioli, sesame seeds and spring onions. The chicken was moist and tender. They come in a serve of three or nine. I got three on this occasion but I could have easily devoured nine. Loved them.

Changz canteen – Spicy fries

The spicy fries were great. Firstly I love shoestring chips so that was an easy win but then they were coated in a delicious chilli salt which made them even better. The chilli salt is made out of their house made red habanero sauce, which explains why they’re so tasty.

Changz canteen – Double chilli cheeseburger

We also had the double chilli cheeseburger, which was good too. It’s the kind of place that lets you create your own monster of a burger so if you like to customize you can. Extra bacon, additional patties, chicken bricks, jalepenos etc.

Also they have some beverages available. An apple Somersby cider with my burger, yes please. The staff were lovely and the food was awesome. Gotta love a good cheesey.

I heart Changz Canteen!

Olives x

Changz Canteen
Address: 256 Glen Eira Rd, Elsternwick VIC 3185
Phone: 03 9077 0353
Website: http://changzcanteen.com.au/
Trading hours: Mon-Thu: 12pm-9pm, Fri-Sun: 12pm-10pm

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Shimbu

Shimbu – East Brunswick

Shimbu is a Tibetan restaurant recently opened on Lygon St in East Brunswick. They serve a combination of traditional and modernised Tibetan food and all of it will make your mouth water.

Shimbu – Bar

The venue is modern and they have some traditional Tibetan artwork and masks on the wall, which further expresses the traditional/modern feel.

Shimbu – Lychee cocktails

They have a range of cocktails that are sweet, sour and refreshing. We had the lychee ones that were actually not overly sweet and were dangerously easy to drink.

Shimbu – Momos

Momos are Tibetan dumplings; they can be steamed or fried. The steamed ones were filled with a tasty beef filling and are carefully crafted into a shell shape. The fried dumplings were basically the love child of a Shanghai dumpling and a samosa. It looked like a Shanghai dumpling that had been deep-fried but was filled with curried beef and potato. hey had veg dumplings too.

Shimbu – SFC – Shimbu fried chicken

The Shimbu fried chicken aka SFC was great. They were boneless chicken strips that were super crunchy on the outside and super juicy on the inside. They use chicken thigh, which explains the extra juicy part. And they were served with two sauces. A soy and a tomato relish.

Shimbu – Salad

The roasted sesame salad was some leafy greens with a sesame sauce topped with sesame seeds. A good side dish.

Shimbu – Spicy pork belly

The spicy pork belly was cut into little slices and coated in a sticky sauce that packed a punch. It had a good kick of chilli and the pork bits were fatty and wonderful.

Shimbu – Coconut chicken curry

The bedhai coconut curry with chicken was light and fragrant. The chicken was moist and the curry had a good balance of flavours. One of my faves.

Shimbu – Honey beef curry

The nyamo kyurmo was honey beef in a tomato-based sauce. The honey and beef married perfectly and created a caramel beef flavour. The slices of beef were tender and the sauce was balanced well and had fresh herbs through it. It was delish.

Shimbu – Vegetables and vermicelli

The mixed vegetables were stir-fried in soy and were served with vermicelli noodles. It was a lovely light noodle dish.

Shimbu is a stylish Tibetan restaurant sharing tasty family recipes. And if you’re not sure what to order, they have the feed me banquet which will definitely leave you food coma-ing.

I heart Shimbu!

Olives x

Shimbu
Address: 58 Lygon Street, East Brunswick
Phone: 0405 319 161
Facebook: www.facebook.com/shimbu
Trading Hours: Tue-Sun: 5pm – 10.30pm (closed Monday)

Son In Law

Son in law – Collingwood

Son in law is a Thai restaurant in Collingwood that serves traditional Thai dishes with a modern twist. They have some creative fusion dishes like soft-shell crab green curry and fish patty sliders but they also have the more traditional dishes like tom yum and pad thai. We walked in hungry and left with big smiles on our faces. The food was amazing. And those son in law eggs….yum!

Son in law – Coca cola in cute jars

Drinks in jars. Love it.

Son in law – Roti w satay sauce

Roti with satay sauce, always a good starter or side.

Son in law – Fried chicken ribs

The fried chicken ribs were super crunchy and were topped with fresh chilli and spring onions. They came with a side of tangy nam jim jaew for dipping.

Son in law – Tamarind salad

The tamarind salad was sweet, salty, sour and crunchy. It had green apple and pickled carrot and crispy noodles, crunchy been shoots and sweet toasted coconut. The combination of flavours totally worked.

Son in law – Son in law eggs

The son in law eggs were my fave. It is said that a mother in law would serve these eggs to her son in law if she felt he needed to treat her daughter better. Without the exchange of words, this dish expresses to the son in law that he needs to pull his socks up. Pretty funny because my mum ordered two serves. And also they are so yum, so if i was the son in law i would act up all the time just so i can keep eating son in law eggs. These were sensational with the creamy yolk, sour tamarind sauce, heat from the fresh chilli and the freshness from the onions and micro herbs. Absolutely delish! Loved them.

Son in law – Lamb massaman

The lamb massaman curry looked amazing. It came out with a big lamb shank topped with a stick of cinnamon, a star of aniseed and roasted cashews. The meat was tender it tore apart effortlessly and sweet potato was a twist to the classic massaman. The flavours complimented the lamb beautifully.

Son in law – Green curry w soft-shell crab

The soft-shell crab green curry was just as impressive. The crispy, battered, deep-fried soft-shell crab was placed upright, vertically emerging from a sea of green curry. The spicy, coconut, and thai basil flavours went perfectly with the soft-shell crab and I loved that it was unique.

Son in law – Tempura broccoli and cauliflower

The tempura broccoli and cauliflower was nice.

Son in law – Vegetarian spring rolls

The vegetarian spring rolls were nice and crunchy and came with a sweet chilli sauce.

Son in law – Chicken skewers

The grilled chicken skewers were marinated with a sweet smokey Thai sauce and topped with fresh chillies and spring onions.

Son in law – Tofu betel leaf bites

The tofu betel leaf bites were cute. They had strips of tofu, peanuts, mint, lime, roasted coconut and tamarind sauce.

Son in law – Vegetarian pad thai noodles

The vegetarian pad thai noodles were tasty in a well balanced spicy sauce.

Son in law – Twiced cooked pork belly

The twice cooked pork belly was thinly sliced and covered in a sweet, and sticky chilli jam with green beans, been shoots and kaffir lime leaves.

Son in law – Nutella and marshmallow puffs

For dessert they had these deep-fried puff pastries filled with Nutella and a bit of melted marshmallow. OMG they were amaze! They were like Thai curry puffs but instead of a savoury filling, they were filled with sweet justice with a scoop of hazelnut ice-cream on the side. I was met with the conflicting thoughts of wanting to eat it all myself, or share the enjoyment with my loved ones. This confusion was quickly resolved by ordering an additional serve. Crisis averted.

Son in law – Steamed coconut and pandan puddings

The steamed coconut pandan puddings were warm, sweet, creamy, and glutinous with a lovely coconut flavour. They were a nice little treat.

Son in law – Coconut sorbet & green tea ice cream

We also had the green tea ice cream and coconut sorbet which was refreshing.

Son in law is a great Thai restaurant that has a modern twist on traditional Thai dishes. The food is super tasty and has a good kick of flavour and freshness.

I heart Son In Law!

Olives x

Son In Law
Address: 56 Johnston St, Collingwood VIC 3066
Phone: 03 9410 0399
Website: http://www.soninlaw.com.au/
Trading Hours: Fri-Sat: 12pm-4.30pm (lunch), Mon-Sun: 5.30pm-11.30 (dinner)

Royal Stacks

Royal Stacks – Melbourne

Royal stacks is a new burger joint in town that opened today. If anyone in Melbourne is an expert on creating a burger it’s Dani Zeini, who has proven his burgery genius through restaurants like Dandenong Pavillion, Grand Trailer Park Taverna, Truck Stop Deluxe and Easey’s. The beef in all the burgers is sourced locally and the patties are minced fresh daily. Even the buns are baked fresh with no preservatives added. These little details are what make these burgers so tasty.

Royal Stacks – Venue

Inside it has an American diner style atmosphere.

Royal Stacks – Single stack

When you’re trying a new burger place for the first time, I feel the classic single stack gives you a good indication of the quality of burger you’re dealing with. This one had an all Australian beef patty, tomato, butter lettuce, American cheddar, special burger sauce and pickles. The meat was juicy, the salad was fresh, the bun was soft the special sauce went well and the cheese oh the cheese. It was delicious.

Royal Stacks – Bacon bacon

The bacon bacon was mammoth, it was one gigantic burger with double beef patties, double bacon, American cheddar, caramalised onions, American mustard, tomato sauce and pickles. This one is not for the faint hearted.

Royal Stacks – Miss Elizabeth

Miss Elizabeth is elegant and gets right down to business, no unnecessary vegies allowed. It’s a beef patty with swiss cheese and truffle mayo. A little bit fancy and a whole lot of delicious.

Royal Stacks – Burger and fries

Prince Harry has a beef patty, butter lettuce, American cheddar, swiss cheese and this amazing horseradish, shallot & gherkin mayo sauce. Yumm!

Royal Stacks – Saint

The Saint burger is the spicy one. It has a spicy chipotle mayo and jalepenos. So it’s definitely for those who like it hot.

They also have the Queen Bee, which has a chickpea patty so vegetarians can enjoy a tasty burger too. And for sides they have shoestring fries and potato gems.

Royal Stacks – Frozen custard

For dessert 7 apples make a frozen custard which was similar to gelato but a little bit sweeter. The chocolate and vanilla were my fave.

Royal Stacks – Queen me

As you walk in there is a royal blue throne with a royal stacks crown. And so naturally…this happened.

Royal stacks is now open so you can pop by on your lunch break, after work or on the weekend for some tasty burgers and beverages in the city.

I heart Royal Stacks!

Olives x

Royal Stacks
Address: 470 Collins Street, Melbourne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Royal-Stacks-1606873396245264/
Phone: 03 97932133

Kwan’s Table

Kwan’s Table – Street view

Kwan’s table is a Thai inspired café and patisserie that recently opened on Inkerman Street in St Kilda.You can visit Kwans for a savoury meal and stay for the sweets, which is what we did on this fine morning. They do modern Thai inspired meals like soft-shell crab in a brioche burger and deep-fried pork belly with an apple salad. Their desserts are inspired by French technique but incorporate Thai flavours like lychee, coconut, pandan and kaya. They only opened about 6 weeks ago but are already making a good impression around town.

Kwan’s Table – Venue

It’s a cute little cafe. And the staff are lovely.

Kwan’s Table – Pandan custard toast

The pandan custard toast was insanely delicious. One mouthful and I was in love. The super thick toast was lathered in a warm smooth creamy pandan wonderland of deliciousness. A generous amount of custard was spread over the toast with toasted coconut sprinkled on top and was cut into bite size squares so it was easy to eat. Loved it. They also have a kaya (coconut jam) custard toast for those who love kaya.

Kwan’s Table – Pork belly salad

The pork belly salad was lovely and fresh. The pork belly pieces were lightly battered and deep fried. The fresh salad had red cabbage, carrot, lettuce, spinach, slithers of apple, coriander and chopped peanuts in a sweet tangy dressing., which was just what I needed on this warm summer day.

Kwan’s Table – Chilli cheese soldiers

We tried the oh-so-cheesy chilli cheese soldiers which was thick toast soldiers with cheese in the middle and cheese on top. It also had sliced red chilli, red onion and coriander scattered over the top. A tasty snack.

Kwan’s Table – Lychee and raspberry charlotte

The lychee and raspberry charlotte had a beautiful raspberry and lychee mousse inside and was encased in a circular fence of mini sponge fingers. It was topped with fresh lychee and raspberries.

Kwan’s Table – Mango and sticky rice macaron

The mango and sticky rice macaron was great. Mango and sticky rice is a traditional Thai dessert but I certainly hadn’t had it inside a macaron before. It was a large sized macaron filled with layered mango and sticky rice bits. It think it had like a mango and sticky rice custard in there too. I know my mum would have loved this one.

Kwan’s Table – Soy latte

And to top off a great brunch date, the coffee was awesome too. They use 5 senses and had bonsoy yay! And also I know I already mentioned this but the pandan toast was bom! I can foresee myself making regular stops to Kwan’s for coffee and pandan toast. In conclusion you need to mosey on down to Kwan’s table for a modern Thai adventure.

I heart Kwan’s Table!

Olives x

Kwans Table
Address: 7 Inkerman St, St Kilda VIC 3182
Phone: 03 9939 3153
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Kwans-Table-730801180375991
Trading Hours: Tue-Sat: 11am-10pm, Sun: 10am-5pm, (closed on Mondays)

Meatworks

Meatworks – Meat platter

At Meatworks they love their meat and whether you like it slow roasted, braised or smoked, they will deliver the goods. They serve rustic home-style dishes in their South Melbourne restaurant and have an in-house wood smoker. Meat lovers ahoy! They do a smoked meat platter, they also smoke some of the vegies and do a smoked custard for dessert. Lots of deliciousness.

Meatworks – Venue

The entrance sort of looked like a big garage warehouse and inside it had a minimalist industrial look with lots of light.

Meatworks – Spicy silken tofu

While they know their meat, it’s not all just about meat dishes. We tried the spicy silken tofu with smoked pumpkin, zucchini, spiced peanuts, fried shallots and coriander it was delicious. The tofu was soft and smooth, the veg was roasted perfectly and the peanuts added crunch.

Meatworks – Beef brisket Vietnamese bagettes

They had Vietnamese baguettes with 10 hour smoked brisket (so juicy and tender), pickled carrot, cucumber, Asian herbs, fresh chilli and kewpie mayo. They were fresh and flavorsome.

Meatworks – Sweet smoked salmon salad

The sweet smoked salmon salad was amazing. It had chunks of flakey salmon that was delicious on its own. Then it had fresh mint, cucumber, buckwheat, freekah and pomegranate. It was sweet, salty, smoked, delicious! Loved it.

Meatworks – Pulled pork sliders

The pulled pork sliders, which were little buttery buns with a generous amount of pulled pork with pickled veg and spicy mayo. Delish!

Meatworks – Meat platter

The meat platter was a sight to see. It was a wooden board packed with all things meat. There was 10 hour smoked pulled brisket, sticky balsamic lamb ribs, pulled pork and mammoth braised beef ribs. All of the smoked meat was smoked in house and the meat was beautiful and tender.

Meatworks – Homemade sauces (tomato, chilli, bbq)

They had a trio of homemade sauces, they had a tomato relish, BBQ sauce and a chilli sauce which wasn’t very hot but was full of chill flavour.

Meatworks – Hasselback potatoes

To accompany the meat there was some delicious sides. The hasselback potatoes were tasty. They were smoked and roasted perfectly, buttery and soft with a bit of crisp on the outside.

Meatworks – pickled veg salad w balsamic vinegar

The cucumber salad was a great side dish. The cucumbers were pickled in house and had carrots, crunchy peanuts and crispy shallots with a balsamic dressing.

Meatworks – Roasted corn w parmesan and chipotle mayo

The smoked corn on the cobs looked rustic, roasted in their husks. They looked great and were dressed with parmesan cheese and chipotle mayo.

Meatworks – A little bit of everything

Meatworks has a lovely range of dishes on the menu and they know how to put on a feast. The food is flavoursome and comforting. And despite the name, vegie lovers would enjoy this place too. It’s great for a heart-warming homestyle meal.

I heart Meatworks!

Olives x

 Meatworks
Address: 28/30 Ross St, South Melbourne VIC 3205
Website: http://www.meatworksco.com/
Phone: 03 9041 5727
Trading Hours: Mon- Sat: 11am-4pm

Note: Olive Sundays was invited as a guest to Meatworks.

Night Noodle Markets 2015

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Birrarung Marr

This year at the night noodle markets there are some new stalls and some oldies. I have literally been everyday this weekend because there is so much amazing food in the one place and so why not. I couldn’t possibly have eaten everything in one day but I certainly wanted to. I dragged people out on Friday after work, went with my family on the Saturday and pulled some friends together for a Sunday session. Each time was as drool worthy as the last. So much deliciousness in one spot.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Poklol – Purple chinese lanterns

The pretty lanterns. Purple this year.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Hoy Pinoy – BBQ skewers

These skewers are great to start with. Hoy Pinoy serve Phillipino BBQ and they do it well. They have a big charcoal bbq area where they cook bbq chicken and pork belly skewers and whole roasted pig (lechon). The pork belly skewers with banana ketchup are my fave. They are juicy and have that charcoal flavour, marinated in a sweet sauce. Delish.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Delhi Streets – Pani Puri

Delhi streets had their pani puri on the menu, which is one of my fave dishes from their restaurant. They are little lentil crispy puffs filled with chickpeas, tamarind chutney, yoghurt and herbs and spices. The way to eat them is to pour the spiced water half way and then eat the puff in one mouthful. It’s spicy and sour and crunchy and soft and fresh all at the same time. They are amazing.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Red spice road – 5 spice pork belly w chilli caramel

Red Spice Road do an awesome pork belly. Squares of crispy five spice pork belly with sweet and sticky chilli caramel. It’s served with a fresh asian slaw. Delish.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Charlie dumpling – Chicken and goji dumplings

At Charlie Dumpling we had the chicken and goji dumplings w spiced black vinegar caramel. They were tasty, the skin was thin and soft and the filling had lots of flavour. They were nice.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Lady carolina – The nikkei dog

Lady Carolina is one of the new comers and they had a Nikkei dog, which is like a hot dog with a Japanese twist. It was tasty, the Wood BBQ Huachana sausage was spicy and the bread was soft. It was topped with nori, French fries for crunch and Amarillo salsa (like a chilli sauce). It was yum.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Mantou – 5 spice soft-shell crab w sriracha mayo and fried mantou

We had the soft-shell crab from Mantou which was five spice battered soft-shell crab with sriracha mayo and deep-fried mantou. Mantou is a small sweet bun that is soft and fluffy and crispy on the outside. It is generally used to soak up all the juices of the meal.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Wall of chinese lucky cats 

A whole wall of the Chinese lucky cats.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Wonderbao – Three mushroom, tofu and veg fried bao 

At wonderbao we had the fried bao filled with three types of mushroom, tofu and vegies. It was tasty, they make delicious baos that are soft and fluffy. A good vegetarian option. Yum.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Overdosa – lentil poppers 

Another veg/vegan GF option is the lentil poppers from Overdosa. They are little bite-sized balls made of lentils and fried. It comes with a lovely tamarind and date chutney. They also make dosa of coursa.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Chilli tuckshop – Pumpkin and ginger noodle balls w green sriracha sauce

We tried the pumpkin and ginger noodle balls at Chilli Tuckshop and they were delicious. They had deep-fried crispy noodle on the outside and soft cooked noodle in the middle. They were flavoursome and pumpkin and ginger is a great combo. They had a bottle of green sriracha sauce that I hadn’t tried before. It was hot and had a sourness to it. It went perfectly with the noodle balls. Delish.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Poklol – Chichi fries w spicy bbq pork 

At Poklol we had the chichi fries which was crunchy potato fries with spicy pork bulgogi, kimchi and kewpie mayo. It was tasty but definitely a dish to share, it was quite filling.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Hawker hall beef rendang and Chin chin pork slider

Hawker hall stands beside its renowned sister counterparts Chin Chin and Kong as a new addition to the Ben Cooper area. They serve a Malaysian beef rending which is a signature dish at the newly opened restaurant. And it is extraordinary. The flavours are intense, in your face and complex, absolutely sensational. The meat is slow cooked and falling apart and it’s topped with toasted coconut, which adds freshness and texture and all of that delciousness is sitting on a bed of fluffy rice. Definitely one of my faves at the night noodle markets this year.

The Chin Chin pulled pork slider has been around since the dawn of night noodle markets and it’s delicious. It’s a little bun filled with pulled pork, slaw, pickled cucumber and sriracha mayo. It has the perfect balance of flavour and freshness and is a good little snack.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Mr. Miyagi – Nori taco w tempura soft-shell crab and curried mayo

Mr. Miyagi has a range of nori tacos available as well as their popular MFC (miyagi fried chicken). We had the soft-shell crab nori taco, which had a light tempura batter and a zingy curried mayo sauce with crispy garlic on top of sushi rice in a nori shell.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Mr. Miyagi – Nori taco w grilled salmon

The nori taco shell holds together really well. It is covered in tempura batter and fried and doesn’t break and fall to pieces when you bite it. We also had the grilled salmon one, which had chunks of beautifully grilled salmon with kim chi, Japanese mayo and chilli oil on sushi rice. Super delicious.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Entrance to the whisky bar

The entrance to the whisky bar was whimsical and had a nice set-up.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Singleton maple whisky and momofuku milkbar cookie

They were serving Singleton maple whisky, which I hadn’t tried before, it was sweet and it came with a yummy momofuku maple cookie. Winning!

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – The brulee cart – Salted caramel and ginger creme brulee

From the brulee cart we had the salted caramel and ginger crème brulee with sesame caramel popcorn and pistachios on top. The custard was thick and eggy and it had a crispy bruleed top.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Sugar Prawn x Luxbite lime in a coconut

The Sugar Prawn x Luxbite creation was great. Firstly it was served in an actual coconut, wow. Then there was a refreshing coconut & lime sorbet sitting on top of sticky rice and caramel. It had peanuts on top, a chocolate covered pocky stick and a mini Luxbite salted caramel macaron. It was full of surprises and fun to eat.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Harajuku Gyoza – Banana and nutella gyoza w vanilla icecream

At Harajuku Gyoza they had fried gyoza filled with banana and nutella. They were yummy little sweet dumplings served with vanilla icecream.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Gelato Messina – Bao chikka bao bao

Every year Gelato Messina come up with new creations for the night noodle markets. This year they had fried gua baos, which were almost like fried doughnuts with the fluffy bao centre filled with gelato, dipped in chocolate. I love the names they come up with too. This was the bao chikka bao bao, which was a deep fried gua bao filled with peanut gelato, dipped in milk chocolate sauce and rolled in crushed peanuts.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Gelato Messina – David Bao-wy

We also tried the David Bao-wy, which was a deep fried gua bao filled with salted coconut sorbet, dipped in white chocolate mango ganache and rolled in crushed cashews. Delish.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Gelato Messina – Deep fried ice cream ball

The deep fried ice cream balls were filled with thai custard gelato and were sitting in ‘messina tinned fruit salad.’ There was chocolate and salted caramel sauce to put on top.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Gelato Messina – Gold bullion bar

They also had a gold bullion bar, which was layers of gulamalaka gelato, condensed milk gelato, passion fruit jelly, a nut crunch, and banana bread.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Black star pastry x N2 gelato – Stawberry and watermelon cake

Black star pastry is from Sydney and when I heard they were bringing their famous strawberry and watermelon cake to the night noodle markets in Melbourne I was super excited. I had high expectations and it delivered. It was delicious. It had flavours of strawberry, watermelon, cream and rose. It was delicate and the fresh watermelon pieces were refreshing. It was a beautiful cake.

Melbourne Night Noodle Market 2015 – Black star pastry x N2 Gelato – Cake smash

So since I liked the cake so much I tried the cake smash too, which was a Black star pastry x N2 gelato creation. Basically it’s the strawberry and watermelon cake in a gelato version. It was delish.

They have bars around the place to grab a beverage alcoholic or non. Although my mum really wanted a can of coca cola and there was none to be found. I’m happy that this festival goes for a couple of weeks because there is so many great food stalls. It’s a great space to hang out, bring the people you love and be surrounded by lots of amazing food.

I heart the night noodle markets!

Olives x

The Age Good Food Night Noodle Markets 2015
Event dates: 12^th November – 29^th November 2015
Address: Birrarung Marr, Melbourne (behind Federation square)
Website: http://melbourne.goodfoodmonth.com/noodlemarkets
Trading hours: Mon-Wed: 5pm-9pm, Thu-Fri: 5pm-11pm, Sat: 2pm-10pm, Sun: 2pm-9pm

BAWA

BAWA – Hawthorn

Bawa is a cafe that recently opened in Hawthorn and is very popular for good reason. The food is amazing and the atmosphere has a positive vibe. Both the menu and décor have a bit of a tropical theme that is expressed in a contemporary way. With their combined talents from pillar of salt, square & compass, barry, and three bags full, this interesting menu is set to inspire.

BAWA – Venue

The décor has an open space, nature-loving feel about it with lots of light and greenery.

BAWA – Iced latte

They do a really good coffee. Iced latte included.

BAWA – Black tonic

I hadn’t heard of a black tonic before. It was awesome. An espresso with lime and tonic. So refreshing.

BAWA – Chia pudding

One mouthful of the chia pudding instantly took me to clear blue seas and white sandy beaches some place of a tropical island. The chia pudding was creamy with coconut and had chunks of tropical fruits like passionfruit, mango and an assortment of berries. There were also a variety of dehydrated fruits and pistachios with a touch of rosewater and some fresh mint. It was paradise in a bowl.

BAWA – Potato rosti, slow braised pork & herb hollaindaise

The potato rosti was exactly the way a potato rosti should be. Golden and crunchy on the outside with soft grated potato in the middle. It was covered in a generous amount of juicy slow-braised pulled pork (amazing!) and perfectly cooked poachies. It was topped with a lovely sweet, creamy tangy hollandaise. It was herby and had flavours of apple. There were also cuts of dehydrated apple scattered around the plate that added an interesting texture. Delicious!

BAWA – Seared blackberry & lime cured ocean trout

The seared blackberry and lime cured ocean trout was cooked perfectly and had a beautifully crisp skin. The oily fish melted in your mouth and had a lovely salad to accompany it with radicchio, heirloom tomato and samphire, which worked well with the ocean trout. It had a buttermilk dressing and a basil vinaigrette that brought it all together.

BAWA – All day breakfast

If you want to customize your meal, eggs your way on toast is a good way to get started. My friend got the eggs your way (she went with poached) and then tacked on all of her faves. She got a side of mushrooms (mix of brown and enoki), avocado (big zesty chunks) and a potato rosti (golden crispy). Design your own big breakfast with a bunch of sides.

BAWA – Ricotta fritters w lavender custard and strawberries

The ricotta fritters were fried and fluffy and was served with a beautifully fragrant lavender custard. Then there were strawberries in many forms. Juicy poached ones, dehydrated ones and a strawberry coulis. It was lovely.

BAWA has a beautiful open atmosphere, a great place for catch-ups and brunch dates. There are lots of exciting items on the menu and the staff are lovely too.

I heart BAWA!

Olives x

BAWA
Address: 248 Burwood Road, Hawthorn VIC
Website: http://bawacafe.com/
Phone: 03 9819 6701
Trading Hours: Mon-Sat: 7am-4pm, Sun 8am-4pm

Mammoth

Mammoth – Armadale

Pushing the boundaries and taking risks would be an understatement when it comes to brunching at Mammoth. With a lobster doughnut burger on the menu aside egg and bacon popcorn, it is definitely a place that will leave you amazed and inspired. This café in Armadale was created by people from restaurants touchwood, barry, pillar of salt and hammer and tong (ahh it all makes sense). These distinguished foodie creatives have collaborated to execute these unimaginable dishes with confidence. Quirky and creative food that makes you go wow.

Mammoth – Venue

It’s bright inside with white brick walls, white hanging lights, light coloured wooden chairs and a few scattered artworks in pastels. It gives the atmosphere a cheerful and whimsical feel. The space is an odd shape, which is good for finding your own little space.

Mammoth – Lobster Donut

The lobster doughnut burger in its title holds a lot of curiosity. Could those three things co-exist on one plate and be delicious? I had to find out. And the verdict was…hellz yea they can. The doughnut was covered with salt and pepper (that totally looked like cinnamon sugar) and it was fluffy and soft in the middle but definitely more savoury of a doughnut than sweet. It was filled with big chunks of lobster with cucumber jam, sriracha mayo and some green mango and papaya slaw. A good combo of creamy and fresh.

Mammoth – Egg and bacon popcorn

The egg and bacon popcorn was a delight. It tasted like popcorn as you know it with egg yolk and crispy bacon on top. It was so good and they got the right balance of topping because the popcorn wasn’t soggy and still had it’s light popping corn crunch. They need to get this popcorn into all cinemas asap.

Mammoth – Coconut yoghurt custard w strawberry salad

The coconut yoghurt custard was smooth and creamy and had a beautiful strawberry salad on top. It looked like a garden of strawberries, so pretty with fresh strawberries and strawberry gel, crunchy buckwheat clusters, wattle seed granola and young coconut pieces. Lots of healthy stuff that make for one tasty meal.

Mammoth – The benedict w duck sausage

The benedict was interesting, not your traditional benedict. It was a sausage and egg blini with hollandaise, so good. Fried duck sausage with pickled onion a fried egg on a orange and corn blini (like a pikelet) and smoked maple hollandaise. Delish.

Mammoth – Egg brulee w pickled zucchini artichoke

The eggs brulee were so cute with their little bruleed yolks. They were served with slithers of bread and butter pickled zucchini and crunchy bits of dried artichoke on seeded toast. Again not a combination I’ve ever seen before, but it works.

Mammoth – North shore

The North shore had little bits of different things that work well. It had a smokey ham hock hash, flame grilled pineapple, tobasco, a jalepeno popper and poached eggs. Tasty.

Mammoth – Char spanner crab egg crepe

The Char spanner crab egg crepe was black and looked mysterious. It was filled with a bean shoot salad, water chestnuts and a scoop of lemon sorbet. Lots of fresh flavours.

Mammoth – Smoked chicken salad

The chicken salad had lots of lovely fresh ingredients and various textures. There was spinach, green beans, radicchio, almonds and fresh coriander in a well-balanced zesty sweet lime dressing.

Mammoth – Golden gaytime panna cotta

We had a gay ‘ol time with the Gaytime panna cotta. The toffee caramel panna cotta was incredibly smooth and creamy and was topped with popping candy chocolate, bits of honeycomb, biscuit pieces and a bit of gold leaf. It was a nice combination of textures.

Mammoth – Iced coffee

Great iced-latte. Delish!

I love a bit of creativity in the kitchen especially when they get it right. Mammoth is a great place to eat for breakfast or lunch and is especially good if you feel like something out of the ordinary and want to be inspired. Creative concepts executed well.

I heart Mammoth

Olives x

Mammoth
Address: 736 Malvern Rd, Armadale VIC 3143
Phone: 03 9824 5239
Website: http://www.eatmammoth.com/
Trading Hours: Mon-Fri:7.30am-4pm, Sat-Sun: 8pm-4.30pm

Delhi Streets

Delhi Streets – Melbourne

Delhi Streets have captured the culture and flavours of Indian street food and created a little space where you can have a brief escape to the streets of India right here in Melbourne. Winners of The Age Good Food 2015 cheap eats award, Delhi streets offer an amazing menu at affordable prices. The family business brings authentic Indian dishes to the table that are full of flavour and packed with awesomeness. You could say it’s Delhicious!

Delhi Streets – Venue

It’s a cute little space in ‘the archway’ that houses lots of delciousness. They have posters stuck up on the roughly painted walls and street signs to give you that street feel. There was lots of colour, which created the fun, lighthearted and casual atmosphere.

Delhi Streets – Pani puri

We got the party started with Pani puri shots. They were these crispy lentil crackers filled with potatoes, chickpeas, onions, tamarind and chutney. You pour the savoury spice water into the crackers and fill the shells half full and then you pick it up and eat it in one mouthful. It’s a fun starter and they are absolutely delish. It’s crispy, soft, sweet, sour, yoghurty and spicy. Amazing. It was a great starter.

Delhi Streets – Bhel puri

Next we had the Bhel puri which is a puffed rice indian salad. It had a variety of puffed, onion, tomatoes, potatoes, coriander and tamarind chutney. It was like a meal version of the Indian snack mix. There were a few crackers to put the mixture on. The salad had lots of spices and different textures, chickpeas, crunchy pieces, soft potato, fresh tomato. It was nice.

Delhi Streets – Aloo tikki

I love how the menu incorporates favourite dishes from the family. The Aloo tikki is Grandma Bibi’s potato cakes –which where like big croquettes of smooth potato and green peas. It had a nice battered crunch on the outside and was smooth and tasty in the middle. It was topped with mint yoghurt which added a freshness.

Delhi Streets – Mango lassi

Did i mention we had mango lassi? Sweet, creamy, yoghurty. Love.

Delhi Streets – Dosa filled w spiced potato

The masala dosa was like a giant Indian crepe. Yum! The texture of the dosa was crisp on the outer and soft and crepe like in the middle but was super thin. It was filled with spicy potato and had coconut chutney and sambar (lentil based vegetable soup) to accompany.

Delhi Streets – Chicken biryani

The chicken biryani had lots o flavour and had a nice balance to it. Biryani is a classic Indian rice dish. And this version was packed with flavour. It had beautiful aromatic herb and spices, it was sweet, spicy and delicious. It had pieces of chicken throughout that intensified all of those beautiful flavours.

Delhi Streets – Spiced chickpeas w fried bread

The chana bhatura was spiced chickpeas with fried roti. Omg the fried roti bread. As if roti wasn’t yum enough they had to go and deep fry it. And im glad they did. It looked like a partially deflated beach ball of fried delciousness. It was crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy in the middle and somehow was still super airy and light. It was amazing. Love to the fried roti. And it came with a spicy sour chickpea dish, vegetables with chilli pickle and yoghurt. Delish.

Delhi Streets – Thali – platter of curries

The Thali was amazing. It was a platter with a selection of curries, rice, naan, pappadums, raita and salad. The curries were incredible. They were not too hot but full of flavour. We had the butter chicken, beef vindaloo, eggplant masala and dal makhani, which was a spicy and a bit creamy lentil curry. They were all incredibly tasty and mouthwateringly delicious. Thali is a classic Indian dish and it really hits the spot. The curries all had very different flavours and techniques and it was great to try a little bit of each. And then you’ve got the rice and the naan and the yogurt and the fresh salad then you crunch into the papadums. It’s a satisfying meal.

Delhi Streets – Nutella naan

Then onto the desserts. Nutella naan. OMG. The naan is quality naan, soft, fluffy, chewy delicious and then it’s smothered in nutella. It was incredible and my kind of dessert. Simple and wonderful. Love love love.

Delhi Streets – M&M naan

They also had an M&M version which had little melted M&M minis through it. Yumness.

Delhi Streets – Carrot halwa

The carrot halwa was interesting it was a sweet carrot pudding. It’s grated carrot that is slowly cooked in condensed milk over a long time. Sweet sweet carrot. It was lovely.

Delhi Streets – Gulab jamun

Gulab jamun is syrupy doughnuts and one of my fave Indian desserts. They are cottage cheese dumplings soaked in warm syrup. They are a little bit like soaked cake but they melt in your mouth. Amaze! This gulab jamun was particularly delicious.

Delhi Streets – Pistachio kulfi

We had the pistachio kulfi, which is ice cream delicately flavoured w pistachio, cardamom, saffron and cinnamon served on a stick. The texture was icy but the flavour was super creamy (like condensed milk!!) with light fragrant flavours on an easy to eat popsicle.

Delhi Streets – Masala chai

We finished the meal with a warm homemade masala chai, which was spice and creamy, just lovely.

It’s no wonder that this place won an award at The Age Good Food awards. The food is remarkable. I love that it has a combination of quirky street food and classic traditional dishes. With a world of family recipes on the menu, at Delhi streets you are sure to taste the essence of India.

I heart Delhi Streets!

Olives x

Delhi Streets
Address: Katherine Pl, Melbourne VIC 3000 (in The Archway)
Website: http://www.delhistreets.com.au/
Phone: 03 9629 2620
Trading Hours: Mon-Fri (lunch): 11.30am-2.30pm, Mon-Sat (dinner): 5pm-late

Note: Olive Sundays was invited as a guest to Delhi Streets.

Mr. Mister

Mr. Mister – Chapel Street, Windsor

Mr. Mister is a café on chapel street that serves delicious food. They have a range of interesting items on the menu that are well executed. There are lots of sunshine filled indoor and outdoor spaces with a bit of a nature inspired decor. The meals are made with love and quality produce. The food is clean, fresh and well balanced. A great place for brunch.

Mr. Mister – Potato rosti w terrine and apple cider chutney

The potato rosti squares were super crunchy on the outside and had that lovely kinda sticky potato on the inside. The terrine was colourful and full of flavour packed with chicken, ham hock and pistachio. Great combination. The apple cider chutney had a nice apple flavour, which added a bit of acidity and moistness to the dish. I liked the addition of parsley, which added freshness. There was some blanched baby spinach for greenery and a couple of yolk porn poachies. There were a few thin slices of crunchy bread like crostini scattered throughout. It was unique and a clever combination of flavours. Delish.

Mr. Mister – Smashed avo w marinated heirloom tomatoes

The smashed avocado was creamy and zesty and went well with the seeded bread. The marinated heirloom tomatoes were tasty and pretty with all the different colours. The was burrata cheese on top which was a similar texture to buffalo mozerella it was delish. We got added roasted field mushrooms on the side, which were yum too.

Mr. Mister – House-made banana bread

The house made banana bread was so good. It was thick, dense,crumbly and packed full of walnuts. There were two slices. One slice had a quenelle of espresso mascarpone and espresso praline on top. The flavours were insane together. Coffee and banana, absolutely delish! And then the other slice had a coconut panna cotta on top that was smooth and had a nice jiggle to it. The coconut and banana was amazing too. There was a lovely berry coulis and fresh berries that added tartness and a bit of fresh mint. Divine! Everything on that plate went well together.

Mr. Mister – Coffees

Good coffee too.

The meals had a great sense of balance and seemed relatively healthy. And there are lots of Veg, Vegan and GF options on the menu, which is great to see. Even the indulgent things on the menu didn’t seem too unhealthy. We really enjoyed it. A lovely place to visit for breakfast or lunch.

I heart Mr. Mister!

Olives x

Mr. Mister
Address: 161 Chapel Street, Windsor VIC 3181
Website: http://www.mrmistercafe.com/
Phone: 03 9529 3902
Trading Hours: Mon-Fri: 6.30am-4pm, Sat-Sun: 7am-4.30pm

Maha

Maha – Venue

Maha is a restaurant that will take your taste buds on a journey through the Middle East. Shane Delia incorporates authentic Middle Eastern flavours and has created a unique menu that has a creative and modern style. Turkish delight doughnuts. Need I say more. The dining experience is a banquet that includes a variety of share plates. You can select the 2. 4, 5 or 6 course meal (paired with wine if you choose).

Maha – Bread

Bread to begin. Even the bread rolls had Middle Eastern flair with za’atar spices on top.

Maha – Local olives

We had a bowl of local olives. Some were green, some were black, some were big, some were small but most importantly they were all delish.

Maha – Smoked hummus w lamb

The smoked hummus was tantalizing I could have had the whole bowl to myself. It had a lovely smoky flavour and the fried topping of lamb mince, cashews and parsley took this hummus it to another level.

Maha – Chemen cured swordfish

The chemen cured swordfish was tasty. It was delicately sliced into super thin pieces, which gave it a lovely texture. The oily fish was balanced with preserved lemon, some micro herbs and spots of kewpie mayo which made it that little bit more indulgent.

Maha – Olive oil poached potatoes w spring onions & octopus

The olive oil poached potato was comforting and had spring onion and bits of grilled octopus mixed in with the soft potato.

Maha – Oysters w roast sesame & sour onion

The freshly shucked oysters were dressed with roasted sesame and sour onion. Yum.

Maha – Lebanese couscous w seafood & radish

The Lebanese couscous was interesting. It was similar to normal couscous except that each grain was gigantic. It was served with scallops, mussels and prawns and the big juicy couscous pearls absorbed the seafood flavour. The thin circles of radish added texture and freshness.

Maha – Turkish red lentil dumplings

Dumplings are always a hit and these Turkish red lentil dumplings were exactly that. Soft little pillows of deliciousness served with spring peas, sumac, creamy yoghurt and mint. Delish!

Maha – Tea smoked duck

The tea smoked duck was nice it was moist and had a subtle tea smoked flavour. Cornbread and crushed hazelnuts were sprinkled over the bitter weeds and greens. It was fresh and had a lot of crunch. It was topped with a dollop of black garlic mayo, which was creamy and had a sweetness to it.

Maha – 12 hour roasted lamb shoulder

The 12 hour roasted lamb shoulder is one of my faves. The succulent torn lamb pieces melt in your mouth and are cooked with garlic, cumin and coriander. It’s served with smashed radish, which I hadn’t had before. It was sort of the texture of al dente potatoes but with a soft radish flavour. It was topped with slithered almonds, which added crunch, creamy yoghurt and fresh mint. When you eat a mouthful with a little bit of everything, the flavours dance on your tastebuds. It is well balanced and utterly delicious.

Maha – Cracked wheat pilaf

The rice pilaf was a good side dish. It was tasty grains of rice with sweet currents and herbs.

Maha – Fattoush

Fattoush is a bread salad. It had fresh tomato, red onion and lettuce in a simple dressing with garlic and thin pieces of baked bread (like crunchy pita bread).

Maha – Roasted carrots

The carrots were so good. They were young carrots cooked perfectly and were coated in a sweet glaze with caramelized figs and fresh herbs.

Maha – Argan oil chocolate brownies

Then onto dessert. We tried the Argan oil chocolate brownie, which was rich, sticky and had a good cakey crumble. It was paired with a fragrant orange and cinnamon ice cream, spots of custard and cinnamon dusted chocolate shards.

Maha – Blood orange parfait

The blood orange parfait was refreshing. It was smooth and creamy and had a blood orange gel inside and a blood orange foam on top. It had crispy puffed grains for texture and a salted caramel crumble on top. I didn’t think blood orange and salted caramel would go, but to my surprise they worked well.

Maha – Turkish delight doughnuts

I really enjoyed the Turkish delight filled doughnuts. You could say they were delightful. They were little fried fluffy doughnut balls with Turkish delight in the middle. They were drizzled with rosewater honey and topped with nuts. Yum!

The food definitely transports you to a place in the Middle East. It has the flavours and elements of traditional authentic dishes but is presented in a new and modern way. It’s a great place to enjoy tasty, comforting and inspired middle-eastern food.

I heart Maha!

Olives x

Maha
Address: 21 Bond St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Website: https://maharestaurant.com.au/
Phone: 03 9629 5900
Trading Hours: Mon-Fri & Sun: 12pm-3pm, 6pm-9.30pm (dinner) Sat: 6pm-9.30pm (dinner only)

 

Carmine’s Bistro

Carmine’s Bistro – Street view

Lygon street in Carlton is the heart of Italian dining in Melbourne. And Carmine’s Bistro is one that stands out for creating authentic Italian dishes with a modern twist. The meals are exciting and innovative and most of all they are damn tasty.

Carmine’s Bistro – Venue

As you walk in there are beautifully set tables with big posters on the wall, quirky lamps and book shelves. It has a warm inviting atmosphere with lots of character.

Carmine’s Bistro – Horse lamp

Loving this horse lamp. I love lamp.

Carmine’s Bistro – Carlton

They have an a la cart menu or you can select the ‘feed me’ option which is where they serve you a banquet of their favourite dishes. And believe me when they say they’ll feed you, they absolutely mean it. We had the ‘feed me’ option and I was literally feeling full until dinner time the next day. As the food comes out it’s exciting because you don’t know what’s next, and the food is fab so you can trust the chef will look after you.

Carmine’s Bistro – Mozarella mousse

First up we had the mozerella mousse, which was delicious. The mousse was smooth and cheesy, topped with tomato and house made green olive oil. The Italian colours and flavours presented in a modern style starter was a great first impression.

Carmine’s Bistro – Bruchetta

Next an array of assorted bruschetta served on a wooden board. There was anchiovy, capsicum and goats cheese, roasted zuchinni and eggplant, procuitto and bococcini and tomato with oregano and olive oil all on thick slices of ciabatta bread. They were nice flavour combos and a great accompaniment to a glass of wine or two. We had a really yummy pinot grigio.

Carmine’s Bistro – Mushroom capaccino w onion donut

The mushroom cappuccino and onion donut was was like wow creative. The cappuccino was a shot of mushroom puree, which had a nice bitter taste (like coffee) with foam on top. The onion donut was a cheesey onion filling shaped like a donut, covered in bread crumbs and deep fried. They were a good pair.

Carmine’s Bistro – Lamb lollipops

The lamb lollipops were fun to eat. It was a lamb and pistachio meatball on a stick sitting on top of a shot of sambucca cream.

Carmine’s Bistro – Lamb lollipops w sambucca cream shots

The sambucca cream was a beautiful creamy shot (not at all like an actual sambucca shot) with a very subtle sambucca flavour that complimented the meatball perfectly. The pistachio in the meatball was a great addition especially for textural value.

Carmine’s Bistro – Scallops w lemon sauce

The scallops were amazing. Perfectly seared and drizzled with a creamy lemon sauce and their house made green olive oil. Those scallops! Simple and stunning. It was served with some cubes of bread, which is just what you need to soak up every drop of that wonderful sauce.

Carmine’s Bistro – Beef carpaccio

The beef carpaccio looked like a little garden, pretty like a picture. The beef was thinly sliced and had a soft smooth texture (sort of like sliced salmon). The beef was covered with an arrangement of sliced olives, fresh tomato and little lettuce leaves, with spots of creamy aioli, sharp parmesan, crushed almonds and rounded off with the zest of grated lime rind. It was magnificent. A beautiful balance of flavours and textures. Spring on a plate I call it.

Carmine’s Bistro – Celeriac lasagne

Celeriac lasagna was the next dish and was a fantastic idea executed well. The lasagna sheets were crispy layers of fried celeriac with a smooth celeriac puree in between each layer. It was served with tiny cubes of sautéed celeriac and had deep-fried celeriac strands placed on top. If you’re a celeriac fan (and I am), it’s safe to assume you will love this dish (and I did). It was served with a tasty mushroom consommé.

Carmine’s Bistro – Chicken ravioli

The handmade ravioli was filled with chicken and had flavours of port. It was served with parsnip puree, charred cherry tomatoes and crispy fried basil. Yum!

Carmine’s Bistro – Chicken cacciatore

The chicken cacciatore was packed with flavour. It was cooked like a chicken roulade with a lovely nutty herb stuffing and the chicken skin was golden brown. It was served with a light buffalo mozzerella mousse and a tomato based sauce with potatoes and spring onions.

Carmine’s Bistro – Nutella pizza

And just when we thought we couldn’t eat anymore we had one more dish. A sweet one, a nutella pizza. It was a thin sweet pizza base covered in a thick layer of nutella topped with strawberries, a donut and vanilla icecream. It was decadent.

Carmine’s Bistro – Coffee

And lastly coffee.

At Carmine’s they embrace all the flavour and heartiness of Italian homestyle cooking and present it in an exciting and inspiring way. The staff were friendly and made us feel right at home. I loved the ‘feed me’ option, it was an absolute feast. They delivered exciting renditions on authentic Italian classics.

I heart Carmine’s Bistro!

Olives x

Carmine’s Bistro
Address: 234 Lygon St, Carlton VIC 3053
Website: http://www.carminesbistro.com.au/
Phone: 03 9663 3151
Trading Hours: Mon-Sun: 12pm-10pm everyday

Note: Olive Sundays was invited as a guest to Carmine’s Bistro.

 

Lee Ho Fook

Lee Ho Fook – Street view

Lee Ho Fook is a modern Chinese restaurant that is still fairly new to the city, it’s been open for about 7 weeks. It was formerly a restaurant in Collingwood but has moved to duckboard place off Flinders lane in Melbourne. They serve Chinese food but it’s not your special fried rice, honey chicken kind of place (hehe) it’s a modern take on Chinese food and flavours. They play around with traditional flavours and come up with creative ways to express Chinese cuisine.

Lee Ho Fook – Venue

The dining space is classy and relaxed. They have exposed brick walls and contemporary style lighting. A really nice atmosphere.

Lee Ho Fook – Tea egg w avruga and dill

The tea egg with avruga and dill was interesting. The outside of the egg was darkened by the tea and had a subtle tea flavour. The yolk was soft and sticky, the avruga caviar was salty and had a nice texture and it was topped with a miniature sprig of fresh dill.

Lee Ho Fook – Scallop & silken tofu w soy butter and crispy garlic

The scallop was chopped into chunks aside squares of silken tofu and had a warm soy butter with crispy garlic poured over.

Lee Ho Fook – Oyster w ginger dressing & wasabi

The raw pacific oysters came with a ginger dressing and a little bit of wasabi. Amongst the fresh oyster sea taste was that hum of heat from the ginger and wasabi.

Lee Ho Fook – Black fungi w aged black vinegar

The black fungi and aged black vinegar was simple and wonderful. It had that silky texture and rich black vinegar flavour.

Lee Ho Fook – Corn w fermented chilli and lime

The fried sweet corn looked great. They were curled rows of corn off the cob that were sprinkled with a salted fermented chilli dust.

Lee Ho Fook – Chinizza

Lee Ho Fook’s all famous ‘chinizza’ was amazing as expected. What the hell is a chinizza? A Chinese pizza duh! This Chinese spring onion pancake pizza creation was incredible. It was a fried pizza base with a generous amount of thinly sliced spring onion with torn pieces of mozzarella spread across the top. Yumness.

Lee Ho Fook – Crispy eggplant w red vinegar

The crispy eggplant was delicious, they were like chips but Asian eggplant stlyle. They had a really crunchy crispy outside and were soft in the centre. They were dressed in a sticky spiced red vinegar sauce.

Lee Ho Fook – Pork belly w fennel, mustard and chilli oil

I love pork belly but I hadn’t had it this way before. It was cold thinly sliced pieces of pork belly (sort of like a platter of cold shaved meat) accompanied by pickled fennel, mustard and chilli oil. Perfect flavours to accompany the pork. I enjoyed this heaps.

Lee Ho Fook – Cabbage salad

The cabbage salad was fun with a range of textures. It had crispy deep fried bits of cabbage on top and sautéed cabbage underneath flavoured with dried Szechuan chilli and black peppercorns.

Lee Ho Fook – Duck w miso and red vinegar

The duck was cooked to perfection. Thinly sliced and tender and pink in the middle. It had a miso and red vinegar sauce smeared around one side of the plate which complimented it well. And then it was accompanied by super thin slices of nashi with green Szechuan. The chilli nashi was insanely good. It was fresh and cool but hot with chilli at the same time. Love.

Lee Ho Fook – Chinese brocolli w oyster sauce and garlic oil

The steamed gailan (chinese broccoli) was yum, it was presented with the long stems placed along the edge of the bowl with their oyster sauce and crispy garlic swirled in the middle.

Lee Ho Fook – Chocolate brownie w egg custard ice cream

These chocolate brownies had an Asian twist. It was rich gooey crumbly brownie paired with egg custard ice-cream and topped with wispy pieces of egg floss. Yum.

Lee Ho Fook – Coconut mousse w corn ice cream

The coconut mousse was light and delicate and the corn icecream was lovely and smooth. The two subtle flavours went well together.

Lee Ho Fook – Green apple and amaretto jelly w apple granita

The apple Amaretto jelly had an apple granita on top. It was bitter, sweet and sour. A light refreshing dessert.

Lee Ho Fook – Jasmine tea infused custard w burnt caramel

The Jasmine tea infused custard w burnt caramel was remarkable. It was like a thick custard flan with a prominent Jasmine tea flavour with a burnt caramel sauce, which had a beautiful bitterness to it. My fave dessert.

They do two-hour session times for dinner so it’s good to make a booking. The staff were lovely and the food was delish. The menu is mainly share plates so you can order a bunch of things and share, which is great. They also have a great wine selection.

Lee Ho Fook – Pretty artwork

As we walked out, this painting was on the wall. It gave me happy vibes…loved it.

I heart Lee Ho Fook!

Olives x

Lee Ho Fook
Address: 11-15 Duckboard Pl, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: 03 9077 6261
Website: leehofook.com.au/
Trading Hours: Tue-Sat: 6pm-11pm Mon-Sun: closed

Hash Specialty Coffee and Roasters

Hash Specialty Coffee & Roasters – Melbourne

Hash Specialty Coffee and Roasters is a restaurant open for breakfast and lunch. They have an exciting menu and pride themselves on using top quality ingredients. The food is creative and they do a great coffee. They also do a great hot chocolate. Fairy floss in my hot chocolate? Yes please! Oh the theatre.

Hash Specialty Coffee & Roasters – Venue

It has a relaxed and modern atmosphere with a bar in the middle and a big illuminating hashtag light on the wall.

Hash Specialty Coffee & Roasters – Coffee

They specialise in specialty coffees.

Hash Specialty Coffee & Roasters – Signature hot chocolate w fairy floss

Hash is known for it’s signature hot chocolate. It is a cup filled with a mountain of fairy floss accompanied by a beaker of hot chocolate. You pour the hot chocolate over the fairy floss and it slowly dissolves and at the same time effectively sweetens your hot chocolate. However if I am to be completely honest it didn’t happen so smoothly for me. When I saw people doing it around me it looked so easy but unfortunately my poor pouring skills resulted in a last second panic, where I had to quickly grab my teaspoon and hold up mount fairy floss before it collapsed outside of my cup. It all got into the cup though and that’s the important part right? I thought it would be super sweet with what looked like a whole fairy floss in the cup, but the hot chocolate was dark cocao (85%) so the bitterness balanced the candy-like sweetness perfectly. It was rich, full flavoured and delicious. And it still had a slight dark cocao bitterness to it. Loved it.

Hash Specialty Coffee & Roasters – Pork belly w goats cheese & textures of apple

The rosted pork belly was amazing. It was soft and juicy with a crispy top. There was a piece of puffed pork crackling (I know it as chicharron) which added a nice crunch element. There was an apple puree, thin slithers of baked apple and juicy poached apple pieces. And we all know how well apple goes with pork. And then it was topped with some goat’s cheese, pickled mustard seeds and hazelnuts, which added a whole new level to pork and apple. It was a clever dish and very delicious.

Hash Specialty Coffee & Roasters – Leek & cheddar croquettes w ham hock

The leek and cheddar croquettes were tasty. They had a crunch on the outside and were smooth and creamy on the inside. The cauliflower puree was so good and the ham hock was melt-in-your-mouth. The cavolo nero (kind of like kale) had a tangy bitter sort of taste, which was nice when eaten with the other elements. And there was a yellow stained turmeric poched egg in the middle that brought it all together.

Hash Specialty Coffee & Roasters – Banana & pecan loaf

The grilled banana and pecan loaf was insanely delicious. For some reason I thought it would be a little dense (maybe the word loaf) but I was completely wrong. It was quite sponge like and soft and fluffy. The banana peacan flavour was delicious. It was filled with white chocolate custard and topped with burnt honey mascarpone (omg!). The combination was heavenly. It had all these bits and pieces that made it even better like whole macadamias, a milk crumb and fresh blueberries. Lovely.

This is a cool space to hang out and have brunch. They have a great menu and the dishes are well executed. Not to mention the coffee and the fairy floss hot chocolate. Fairy. Floss. Hot. Chocolate. Nuff said.

I heart Hash Specialty Coffee and Roasters!

Olives x

Hash Specialty Coffee and Roasters
Address:113 Hardware St, Melbourne VIC
Phone: 03 8529 0284
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hashcoffeeroasters
Trading Hours: Mon-Fri: 7am-4pm Sat-Sun: 8am-5pm

Rice Paper Scissors

Rice Paper Scissors – Street view

Rice paper scissors is a cool hawker-style dining space where they serve a range of tasty dishes inspired by South East Asia. Sort of like Asian tapas, there are individual pieces for each person served in share-plates. We had the banquet where you choose 5 dishes from the menu. And then we added dessert of course. The food is amazing and the staff are lovely too.

Rice Paper Scissors – Venue

It is a small space but it is used well. There are tables along the bar and bigger tables on the side for larger groups. There are some tables out the front, which is perfect for a sunny day.

Rice Paper Scissors – Decor

It has an arty vibe with the brick walls, Asian inspired artwork and a bicycle hung on the wall with greenery flowing out of its basket.

Rice Paper Scissors – Refreshing crush drinks

They had a range of refreshing drinks and cocktails. I had the lychee, coconut and kaffir lime crush which was delicious and refreshing.

Rice Paper Scissors – BBQ lamb ribs

If you visit this place you have to try the BBQ lamb ribs. They are hands down the best lamb ribs I have eaten to date. It was our first dish we had and it left the whole table wanting more. Definitely had a wow factor. The meat was falling off the bone and melted in your mouth. Marinated in Mekong whiskey and a special sauce, they were sweet and savoury and sticky and wonderful. They were topped with some fresh coriander and chilli. Love.

Rice Paper Scissors – Crying tiger

The crying tiger is a classic dish. You grab a lettuce leaf, pop a piece of chargrilled beef in the middle with some of the Asian salsa then fold it up and dip it in the spicy citrus dipping sauce. It was tasty. And that dipping sauce…yum!

Rice Paper Scissors – Crying tiger action shot

Action shot.

Rice Paper Scissors – Sticky pork belly

Just seeing the words ‘sticky pork belly’ on the menu made me happy. The twice-cooked pork belly was crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. It was delicious. It was covered in a sticky tamarind caramel sauce (amazing) and was topped with fragrant Asian herbs and been shoots for some freshness.

Rice Paper Scissors – Soft-shell crab baguettes

The mini soft-shell crab Vietnamese baguettes were cute. They were little soft buns with homemade pate, spicy mayo, pickled vegetables and fresh coriander. The soft-shell crab was battered and deep-fried. Delish!

Rice Paper Scissors – Thai fried chicken

Our last savoury dish was a box full of crispy fried chicken! It was packed with Thai flavours like galangal, chilli, lemongrass and coriander root and served with a spicy mayo dipping sauce. The chicken meat was tender and juicy and the batter was super crunchy.

Rice Paper Scissors – Dropped ice-cream

We ordered the dessert special that day which was a dropped ice-cream (which is what it looked like on the plate). There was white chocolate ice-cream, with sweetened condensed milk and a salty biscuit crumb with puffed quinoa and an ice-cream cone on top.

Rice Paper Scissors – Terrarium

We also had the terrarium dessert (which looked like a terrarium). It was Vietnamese coffee mousse (sweet creamy coffee) covered in a peanut, coconut and coffee soil with mint leaves stemming out of the soil. So cute.

The food was impressive and packed full of flavour. This is my kind of place, a casual environment with heaps of character and exceptional food and service.

I heart Rice Paper Scissors!

Olives x

Rice Paper Scissors
Address: 19 Liverpool St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Website: www.ricepaperscissors.com.au/
Phone: 03 9663 9890
Trading Hours: Mon-Sun: 12pm-3pm (lunch) 6 til late (dinner), bar opens at 5.30pm

Ayomo

Ayomo QV – Melbourne

Ayomo opened a kiosk in QV that houses a variety of healthy cold pressed juices and other healthy bits and pieces. It’s a cute little grassy area with park benches where you can enjoy some juice and some healthiness. Their cold pressed juices are ‘fruit to bottle and nothing in between’ as per their motto, which means you can be assured that all the juices are full of fruit, vegetables and healthy goodness. No guilt here.

They have a range of different juices and if you’re keen to do a little bit of spring cleaning for your body, they have some juice cleanse packs in a one day, three day or five day pack. It’s spring people! Now is the time.

Ayomo QV – Garden Green

The ‘garden green’ is not one of those green juices where you want to barf each time you take a sip. This is a friendly green juice and has a sweetness to it. It had cucumber, kale, celery, spinach and apple. All the good green stuff but not bitter at all.

Ayomo QV – Summer Lovin

We tried the ‘Summer lovin’ which was delicious. This was one of my faves. It had apple, pineapple, lemon and mint. It was light and refreshing and would definitely be a popular one for summer, ah the name now makes a lot of sense.

Ayomo QV – Doctor C

The ‘doctor c’ was tasty, I thought it would just taste like orange because of the bright orange colour but it was light and had a fusion of flavours. It had orange, carrot, lemon, grapefruit and mint.

Ayomo QV – Lady Luck

The ‘lady luck’ juice had a really alluring flavour. It had a lot of depth and excitement about it. It was beetroot, watermelon, orange and carrot. I really liked this one.

Ayomo QV – Caramelised eggplant dip w pita bread

There was eggplant dip with pita chips. The Ayomo stores do have some savoury items like this pita and dip combo. All things healthy of course.

Ayomo QV – Baked apple chips kale chips

I hadn’t tried kale chips before and these ones were surprisingly tasty. They had heaps of flavour and were not super bitter as I had imagined. They were so delicate and crunchy, a good alternative for potato chips. They also had apple chips, which were crisp and sprinkled with cinnamon. They were a nice crunchy sweet snack.

Ayomo QV – Granola and almond mylk

I’m a big fan of their homemade granola. It had a mixture of lots of things delicious. Oats, nuts, cranberries, coconut, cinnamon etc. Yum. It was crunchy which I like and I especially liked the buckwheat clusters through the mix. It went perfectly with the almond mylk, which had a lovely smooth creamy flavour The almond mylk had vanilla bean, filtered h20, dates, cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt, almonds. Delish.

Ayomo QV – Banana and strawberry chia pudding

The banana and strawberry chia pudding, which was tasty. Fresh fruit, creamy gooey chia and crunchy buckinis on top. Lots of texture and delicious too.

Ayomo QV – Om noms

Om noms! In hindsight I should have been in the O for Olive Sundays instead of the M for Mel. Ah wells.

Their South Melbourne store also has raw shakes, super bowls (like acai or peanut butter), frozen yoghurt and frozen cold pressed juice. Frozen cold press juice?! Yes its a new thing and would sort be like a fruity sorbet maybe. Can’t wait to try it.

Ayomo juices are oh so popular because they are healthy but more importantly they are delicious. Also its convenient and exactly what I feel like on a warm spring day. Yay to spring! Bring on the sunshine and bring on the healthy cold pressed juices.

I heart Ayomo!

Olives x

Ayomo QV Kiosk
Address: Level 1 Urban Market, QV Melbourne (Cnr Swanston st & Lonsdale st)
Website: http://ayomocoldpress.com.au/
Trading Hours: Mon-Sat: 8am-4pm (closed Sunday)

Note: Olive Sundays was invited as a guest to Ayomo.

Rustica Canteen

Rustica Canteen – Street view

Rustica Canteen opened in the city 2 minutes away from my work huzzah! They opened in Guildford lane just this week and it is definitely something to be excited about. Similar to their Fitzroy store (Rustica Sourdough), the restaurant is part bakery part dining space. Behind the counter are shelves of fresh loaves of bread and across the front bench there is a display of delectable French pastries. It’s a beautiful open space with modern décor and delicious dining for breakfast and lunch.

Rustica Canteen – Venue

It’s a really nice inside.

Rustica Canteen – We got what you knead

This sign was so cute. We got what you knead haha.

Rustica Canteen – Coffee

Mmm coffee.

Rustica Canteen – Breakfast salad w a fried egg

I had a breakfast salad because I knew I was going to spend a morning eating indulgent pastries so I though it would be good to get some greens in. This salad was delicious. It was full of flavour and had great texture. Full of super foods too. It had a combination of freekah, wild rice, kale, rocket, chai soaked raisins, toasted almonds, minted yoghurt and a fried egg on top (runny yolk of course). Amazing.

Rustica Canteen – Croissant w chilli scramble & jamon

The croissant with chilli scramble was tasty. The croissant was buttery and toasted and there was a generous mountain of scrambled egg with mild chilli, Serrano jamon and manchengo cheese. It had lots of Spanish flavours, it was yum.

Rustica Canteen – Brekky burgers 

Yum breakfast burgers.

Rustica Canteen – Assortment of pastries

It’s hard not to leave the place without a box full of pastries and a couple of loaves of fresh bread because they are on display and they look fabulous. I was like I want that and that and maybe that and also that and I wanna try that too.

Rustica Canteen – Pear danish

The pear danish was incredible. It was simple but the flavours really stood out. The poached pear had a subtle fragrant rosewater flavour the cream cheese frosting was light and delicate and then the danish pastry was crisp around the edges and super buttery. The flavours together were remarkable.

Rustica Canteen – Cronut

The milo cronut was pretty special. It was shaped and fried like a donut but had the crisp buttery layers of a croissant. Then if that wasn’t enough, it was filled with chocolate milo custard and topped with cream, chocolate and a milo crisp.

Rustica Canteen – Lemon meringue tart

The lemon meringue tart in this photo got a bit mangled in transit. The meringue was so delicate and soft and the on the inside it had a sweet creamy lemon curd in the centre and a crumbly shortcrust pastry base.

Rustica Canteen – Creme brulee donut

The creme brûlée brioche donut was delicious. It had a hard toffee top with a crème brulee filling. There was a thick layer of toffee on top but it was easy to bite into it kind of had a lolly candy kind of flavour. Then there was a creme brûlée filling inside the soft fluffy donut. Yum!

Rustica Canteen – Twice cooked Ispahan croissant and choc peanut butter croissant

The chocolate and peanut butter croissant was pretty amazing. It was a twice baked croissant filled with a peanut frangipane, it had chunks of dark Belgian chocolate and was topped with chocolate ganache and chopped roasted peanuts. It was delicious and not too sweet. The bitterness of the dark chocolate balanced out the sweetness. It was really good.

Rustica Canteen – Salted caramel choux bomb, Ispahan croissant & choc honeycomb brioche donut

The twice baked Ispahan croissant was delicious. It was filled with rose, lychee, almond and raspberry. It had the tartness of the raspberries, the sweetness of the lychee, the traditional almond filling and a floral hum of rose in the background. It had a perfect balance of flavours, it was lovely. and very pretty too.

The salted caramel choux bomb was awesome. The choux pastry was delightfully crisp and crumbly and filled with a smooth and creamy salted caramel chantilly cream. Yum!

This restaurant is a great place for brunch and they use high quality ingredients. They have a range of delicious sandwiches for lunch and they bake their own bread so it doesn’t get fresher than that. It will satisfy the sweet toots, the bread lovers and the brunchers. Come one come all. It’s open. Yay!

I heart Rustica Canteen!

Olives x

Rustica Canteen
Address:33 Guildford Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000
Website: http://www.rusticacanteen.com/
Phone: 03 9642 2203
Trading Hours: Mon-Fri: 7am-4pm Sat-Sun: 8am-4pm

Supernormal

Supernormal – Street view

Supernormal is an Asian inspired menu created by the talented Andrew McConnell who is known for his highly successful restaurants, others including Cumulus Inc. and Cutler & Co. The menu offers bold flavours that work in complete harmony and create the perfect balance of flavour and texture. Ah-mazing!

Supernormal – Everybody loves ramen

This sign was cute. The venue is a large open space with simple contemporary deco.

Supernormal – New England lobster roll

The New England lobster roll was a winner. It was thin slices of perfectly cooked lobster, creamy herb mayo, a bit of watercress on a lightly toasted, soft buttery bun. It was sensational.

Supernormal – Sauteed mushrooms w rice cakes & sweet soy

The sautéed mushrooms with rice cakes was tasty. There was a range of beautifully sautéed mushrooms and the rice cakes were deep-fried cubes of ginger flavoured rice. It was all sitting on top of a creamy (parsnip i think) puree. Love!

Supernormal – Vegetarian dumplings

The vegetable dumplings were great. They had spinach, tofu and spring onions and were sitting in a delicate vinegar sauce.

Supernormal – Prawn & chicken dumplings w chilli, vinegar sauce

The prawn and chicken dumplings had a great kick of chilli. They were sitting in a chiili oil and vinegar sauce and were topped with dried chilli and fresh spring onions. Delish!

Supernormal – DIY duck bao

We had the twice-cooked duck bao, which was sort of like peking duck pancakes, minus the pancakes plus a few baos. The duck had a crispy coating and the meat was tender. What you do is: you shred the duck, pop some meat in the super soft bao with a piece of cucumber and add some plum sauce. Yum!

Supernormal – Duck bao

Then you dip the bao in the vinegar and eat. It was so delicious and fun putting them together yourself because you can make it just the way you like it.

Supernormal – Salad of brocollini, tofu, candied walnut & toasted seaweed

The salad of brocollini was one of the salads you do make friends with. It had a great balance of flavours and textures. There was a combination of broccoli and brocollini, soft tofu, candied walnuts, crunchy rice puffs and toasted seaweed scattered on top.

Supernormal – Beef cheeks w eggplant, crispy tripe and pepper sauce

Braised beef cheeks are a great winter meal. The beef fell apart easily and was in a sticky pepper sauce with eggplant. The tripe I was unsure about at first. Who in the world knew tripe could be so delicious. It was little deep-fried bits of crispy, that sort of tasted like crackling. It was delish.

Supernormal – Fried custurd w ginger syrup

The fried custard was incredible. It was cubes of vanilla and ginger custard, battered and deep-fried with ginger syrup poured over the top with bits of candied ginger. I love ginger, custard and fried food so I had a slight inkling that I would fall head of heels for this one. Loved it. The custard is piping hot so try to eat it slowly at first, but I completely understand if you can’t help yourself.

Supernormal – Baked meringue w jasmine, raspberry & lychee sorbet

The baked meringue was lovely. It had a nice shell and was soft inside. It was topped with cream, a dehydrated raspberry crumb and a scoop of lychee sorbet, which we though was an actual lychee at first glance. The lychee sorbet had an intense lychee flavour it was awesome and brought all the flavours together. There were little jellies around the plate and a raspberry jasmine coulis underneath the meringue.

Supernormal – Peanut butter parfait w salted caramel soft chocolate

The peanut butter parfait is popular for a reason. It was incredibly indulgent and reminds me of a snickers bar. The peanut butter parfait was super smooth and had a great peanut flavour. It was covered in a dark salted caramel with roasted peanuts on top. It had a layer of crushed peanuts as a base and a quenelle of soft chocolate on top. It was very rich and super delicious.

I really enjoyed everything we ate. All of the meals were modern and creative. Our waitress Sue was so lovely and very knowledgeable about the food and the company. She was also telling us about some of the exciting new ventures Andrew McConnell has in the pipeworks so be sure to keep an eye out.

I heart Supernormal!

Olives x

Address: 180 Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000
Website: http://supernormal.net.au/
Phone: 03 9650 8688
Trading Hours: Sun-Thu: 11am-11pm, Fri-Sat: 11am-midnight

 

5 Lire

5 Lire – Street view

5 Lire is a little café in North Melbourne. One thing that stood out was that they use quality ingredients and we all know that makes all the difference. Inspired by Italy, the brunch style menu is modern and memorable. For a small unassuming café the food definitely sings big flavours.

5 Lire – Venue

It’s a cute little space. They’ve made good use of the area. They have a little open kitchen down the back where you can see them putting the meals together. I always like watching the chefs cook and plate up, sort of like watching an artist at work.

5 Lire – Coffee

Coffee first. They do a good coffee.

5 Lire – Italian Croque Monsieur

We had the Italian style croquet monsier, which was a brioche loaf toastie w Nduja (spicy sausage spread), stracchino cheese, fig jam, lyonnaise onions and a fried egg. It was super indulgent, each bite was delicious. The brioche was thick slices of buttery bread and the melted stracchino cheese was soft and creamy. I hadn’t had nduja before but it sort of tasted like spicy salami, it was delish. The onions were caramelised and the fig jam added a bit of sweetness. It had some micro herbs for greenery and thin strands of chilli that looked like saffron on top that added an extra spicy kick. And then if that wasn’t indulgent enough, there was a fried egg topped with black sea salt. This was a fantastic Italian rendition on a croquet monsieur. Loved it.

5 Lire – Buttermilk ricotta hotcakes w nutella

We were seated near the kitchen and it seemed that every order that went out included at least one serve of hotcakes. The hotcakes were flying out of the kitchen like hotcakes! So of course we ordered them too. And it quickly became obvious why they were ever so popular. They were heavenly hotcakes of deliciousness. The lightly coloured buttermilk ricotta hotcakes were light and fluffy. There was a wild chocolate cacao and orange crumble and a good amount of Nutella around the side. The crumb had heaps of texture. There was crunch, seeds, puffs, a few dried fruit bits and whole roasted hazelnuts. It had a rich chocolatey flavour, which had that rich dark chocolate cacao bitterness which was perfect to balance the sweetness. On top of the pancakes was a choc hazelnut Nutella inspired semi-freddo, which was cold, creamy and delicious. The dish was topped with fluffy strings of chocolate Persian fairy floss. This dish was absolutely sensational.

The food at 5 Lire is amazing, a great place for a tasty brunch. It’s a small space so you probably don’t want to go with a big group of people. The staff are friendly and the food is absolutely delicious.

I heart 5 Lire!

Olives x

5 Lire
Address: 116 Errol Street, North Melbourne VIC 3051
Website: http://www.5lire.com.au/
Phone: 03 9329 2249
Trading Hours: Tue-Fri: 7am-4pm Sat-Sun: 8am-4am (closed Mondays)