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)

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Tetsujin

Tetsuijin is a new Japanese restaurant opening in the Emporium and they have lots to be excited about. We’re talking a sushi train, robata BBQ grill and ultimately some brilliant Japanese food.

Tetsujin – Venue

For the launch this space was transformed into a dance floor but will obviously be filled with tables and chairs when it opens tomorrow.

Tetsujin – So cute

We were greeted with these girls. So cute.

This was the sushi train area.

Tetsujin – Beverages

The restaurant is fully licensed so you can enjoy alcoholic beverages with your meal if you so choose. 

Oysters were in abundance. They were tasty with a tomato oyster gel and fresh spring onions on top.

They had some crunchy vegetables with dip for starters.

Tetsujin – Sushi

They had a range of sushi that was cleverly put together with salmon both rolled inside and placed on top. These ones were pretty with edible flowers. 

They had potato croquettes on pops so they were easy to eat. Some of them had a creamy mayo sauce and some had a soy dressing.

Tetsujin – Salmon and tuna nigiri

Salmon and Tuna nigiri with a glass of wine. Perfect!

 The seaweed inari was nice. They were thin tofu pouches filled with seaweed.

Tetsujin – Crab claws

I liked the fried crab claws, they were filled with shredded crab meat and were battered in crispy panko crumbs. They were sitting in a tomato based sauce with pesto on top.

They had little pork buns which I didn’t get my hands on but the meats were on display, which they would cook on the robata (Jap charcoal) BBQ grill.

Tetsujin – Salmon

This salmon starter was yum. Two mini salmon sushi and a salmon nigiri.

Tetsujin – Octopus balls

The octopus balls had chunks of octopus inside and were fried in a tempura batter.

Tetsujin – Tomato, basil and bocconcini skewers

These skewers were tasty, they were sweet cherry tomatoes, mini balls of bocconcini dressed with a basil sauce. Yum!

Tetsujin – Fried bites filled w glass noodles

These little delights were deep-fried and were filled with mushrooms and glass noodles.

Tetsujin – Fried potato patties w spicy sauce

These vegetarian patties were filled with potato and had a spicy sauce drizzled on top.

Tetsujin – Lots o sushi

You can understand why this assorted plate of sushi was eaten in a matter of seconds. It came out, I took one photo and then they were gone. There was a variety of different sushi served on the night. All delish.

Tetsujin – Yo Mafia!

At the launch they had Japanese wallpaper and Yo Mafia playing beats all night. Tasty food and lots of dancing.

Tetsujin opens tomorrow on the 4^th floor of the emporium next to Din Tai Fung or you can enter via a lift on Caledonian lane. Be sure to check it out. Kanpai!

I heart Tetsujin!

Olives x

Tetsujin
Address: Shop M0004, Emporium Melbourne, 295 Lonsdale Street, VIC
(Entrance via Little Bourke Street & Caledonian Lane)
Website: http://tetsujin.com.au/
Phone: 03 9663 9993
Trading Hours: Sun-Thu: 11am-11pm, Fri-Sat:11am-12am (sushi train closes at 9.30pm everyday)

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

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

Fitzrovia

Fitzrovia – St Kilda

Fitzrovia is a restaurant in St Kilda where they do home-style (comfort food) meals that warm the heart. The dishes are tasty and well executed and inspired by provincial Italian and british cuisines. They have a focus on top quality, local ad seasonal produce and Chef Paul Jewson has recently created a new spring menu.

Fitzrovia – Bar

Fitzrovia feels like you’ve walked into somebody’s home. It’s got a warm feeling about it. The dining space is decorated with boxes of fresh produce, bookshelves, old typwriters etc. And to go with the feel of the place, the meals are served in a rustic home-style manner and cooked with lots o’ love.

Fitzrovia -Salt and pepper calamari

The hot and sour salt and pepper calamari was delicious. It had a crisp light batter and was soft and just melted in your mouth. The calamari was sitting on a green papaya salad with vermicelli noodles, coriander, mint, lime, cashews and a roast chilli dressing. I loved that the salad was cold but the calamari was warm. It was packed with flavour. It was fresh, hot and sour and salty and spicy. Yum.

Fitzrovia – Chickpea and black quinoa falafel

The falafels had chickpeas (naturally) and organic black quinoa, which was interesting. They were really tasty and went perfectly with the sumac spiced labne which was like an aromatic yoghurt dressing. The falafel sat on a bed of turmeric roast cauliflower, smoked eggplant caviar, minted dukah and pomegranate. Loved the pops of fresh pomegranate.

Fitzrovia – Chicken saltimbocca w polenta

Loved the chicken saltimbocca it was delicious. It was free-range chicken breasts wrapped with crispy prosciutto, sage and tallegio (cheese). It was sitting in a soft mascarpone polenta. That polenta! It was so amazing I could totally swim in it. And it was topped with crispy fried wisps of leek which were tasty and added crunch. This was one of my faves.

Fitzrovia – Grain salad

The whole grain new seasons asparagus salad had a nice texture. It had lentils, black barley, pine nuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, herbs, spanish onion, lemon and fresh pomegranate. It was served with a tahini labne. I wasn’t sure where the asparagus was but it was really tasty so I didn’t mind much.

Fitzrovia – Signature polenta chips w truffled parsley and parmesan

The Fitzrovia signature polenta chips looked like a stack of jenga. Edible jenga of course. They were golden and crisp on the outside and smooth and silky in the middle. They were covered in truffled parsley & parmesan. You could smell the truffle as soon as they hit the table. Delish.

Fitzrovia – Crumbed veal w tomato, rocket and parmesan salad

The South Gippsland milk fed veal fillets Milanese were like awesome crispy snitzels. The meat was so tender and the lemon zest, parsley & parmesan crumb was beautifully crunchy. It was paired with an anchovy mayo and a simple salad with organic truss tomato, rocket and shaved Parmesan, which was really nice.

Fitzrovia – Confit duck leg w braised black lentils

The thyme and garlic confit free range Ovens Valley duck leg was tasty and moist. It was served with braised black lentils which were just cooked (still had a nice bite to them), brussels sprouts (who knew I liked them) and a gribiche sauce.

The chef Paul Jewson likes to describe the food as ‘what I imagine chefs would like to cook at home on their days off’ which makes sense. It’s home-style food but cleverly put together. Fitzrovia is a great place to visit for breakfast, lunner or dinner. Dinners are back hooray.

I heart Fitzrovia!

Olives x

Fitzrovia
Address: 2/155 Fitzroy St, St Kilda VIC 3182
Website: http://fitzrovia.com.au/
Phone: 03 9537 0001
Trading Hours: Mon-Tues: 7am-3pm, Wed-Fri: 7am-9pm, Sat: 8am-9pm, Sun: 8am-4pm

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

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

The Broadsheet Restaurant

The Broadsheet Restaurant – Venue

It’s the last weekend to make your way to the broadsheet restaurant. They have a collaborative menu from a range of well-known restaurateurs such as Top Paddock, Coda, Huxtable, just to name a few. It’s a great showcase of Melbourne restaurants under the same roof with an interesting open space of simple Australian inspired décor.

When I walked in I wondered aloud what the space was used for before it was the broadsheet restaurant and a local turned around and explained that it had been a hardware store for many years but that had now moved down the street and in the interim the space has been used for a range of popups, art gallery, etc. before being turned into a new apartment block. Glad I asked the question aloud, because she had all the answers. Thanks kind stranger.

The Broadsheet Restaurant – Butternut and nashi soup

The roasted butternut and nashi pear soup was delicious. It had a sweet smooth pumpkin flavour with nashi pear sour tones, which lifted the flavour with zing. The gnocchi was like little ricotta dumplings and the soup had bits of creamy goats curd, and salted walnuts for crunch. Not your ordinary pumpkin soup.

The Broadsheet Restaurant – Baked eggs

The baked free range eggs had tomatoes, fennel, chorizo, goats cheese and burnt pickled onions. And some bread underneath to soak up all of the deliciousness. There were lots of bold Spanish flavours that worked in harmony. It was a really comforting brunch dish.

The Broadsheet Restaurant – Cape grim beef burger

When the Cape grim beef burger came out it looked fantastic, the entire bun was black. There was a generous amount of beef and it was cooked to perfection. It was pink and juicy and cut into thick melt-in-your-mouth strips. It had a house made mustard, which was subtle and creamy and a fruit relish, which gave it sweetness. And then some leaves for freshness. It was one tasty burger.

The Broadsheet Restaurant -Twice baked brioche french toast

The twice-baked brioche French toast was soft and custardy with a few plump raisins in it like a bread and butter pudding. It was delicious. The fennel poached pears were easy to cut through and were poached in a fragrant flavours with hints of aniseed. If I didn’t read the menu I wouldn’t have been able to identify the flavour of the sorbet, it was different and delicious. It was fennel & burnt caramel sorbet, so unique. And then it was sprinkled with a vibrant dried raspberry powder. Exciting to eat and really yummy.

The Broadsheet Restaurant – Coffee

The coffee was from Small batch, yum!

It’s fun to have a variety of dishes from top Melbourne restaurants all in one place. And it’s decked out really nice in a simple and spacious environment. There are lots of delicious meals on the menu and you can try something from a different restaurant each time you visit. But tomorrow is the last day so be sure to visit, or pop down one last time before it’s over.

I heart the Broadsheet Restaurant!

Olives x

The Broadsheet Restaurant (Melbourne pop-up)
Event Dates: 5^th June – 2^nd August 2015
Address: 166 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Website: http://www.broadsheet.com.au
Trading Hours: Mon-Tue: 7am-4pm Wed-Sun: 7am-1am

Mr. Miyagi

Mr. Miyagi – Street view

Mr. Miyagi is a Japanese restaurant on Chapel street that embraces traditional Japanese flavours in a modern and unique way. Some of their unusual dishes include the nori taco, tuna tataki pizza and ramen gnocchi. The food is amazing and they have some interesting cocktails and a variety of Japanese beverages available too.

Mr. Miyagi – Venue

It has a great vibe about it, super stylish and classy with lots of character.

Mr. Miyagi – Neon light

They have a list of items on sticks, which you can order by the piece. I like when you can order onesies because then you can try one of each or order exactly as many as you want.

Mr. Miyagi – Prawn dawg

We ordered a prawn dawg and as I ate it I immediately wanted another one. It had a juicy prawn mixture, coated in crunchy Orion (Japanese beer) batter on a popsicle stick (easy to eat). It was topped with a spicy jalapeno mayonnaise and sprinkled with furikake. It was awesome. Absolutely delicious! Who needs a corn dog when you can have a prawn dawg.

Mr. Miyagi – Yakitori chicken skewer w spring onion

We had the chicken skewers, which were tasty. It had a sticky yakitori glaze with spring onions.

Mr. Miyagi – Grilled chicken thigh

The grilled chicken thigh was cute. It was little and moist and had crispy skin.

Mr. Miyagi – Black pig gyoza

The black pig gyoza’s were amazing. The skin of the dumplings were thin and soft and crispy pan-fried on the outside. And the filling was sensational. Pork, soy, chilli, ginger, full of flavour and served with a sesame dipping sauce. Loved them.

Mr. Miyagi – Nori taco

I love the nori taco, it’s such a great idea. The lightly battered deep-fried nori acts as the perfect taco. It’s flexible and holds its shape when you bite it (like it doesn’t crack and fall apart). It’s filled with sushi rice, grilled salmon belly (soft and flaking apart), spicy napa cabbage, Japanese mayo and chilli oil. So clever I was impressed. They had these nori tacos at the night noodle market last year, which is where i first tried it. Delish!

Mr. Miyagi – Miyagi fried chicken w kewpie mayo

The all popular Miyagi fried chicken (MFC) is delicious. Miyagi’s secret spices make this chicken finger lickin’ good. It’s served with kewpie mayo and the delicious deep-fried goodness makes it crunchy on the outside and juicy in the middle.

Mr. Miyagi – Tuna tataki pizza

The tuna tataki pizza was fresh and had really clean flavours. The base was spiced flat bread, which was thin and crispy and covered with a citrusy yuzu caesar cream. The toppings were sliced thinly and placed on top. Rare seared tuna, heirloom tomatoes and shaved jalepenos. It had nice textures and fresh flavours.

Mr. Miyagi – Pumpkin toast

The pumpkin toast was soft and cake-like. There were thick shards of honeycomb, white chocolate and pumpkin ganache, a sweet and spiced pumpkin ice-cream which had a lovely flavour and a fresh yoghurt sorbet, which was light and fresh and helped cut through the sweet elements.

Mr. Miyagi – Donuts w apple cinnamon jam

For dessert we tried the doughnut balls w classic apple cinnamon jam. Yum! The doughnuts were crunchy on the outside and fluffy in the middle. And that apple cinnamon jam was scrumptious. You can opt for hot chocolate sauce if you prefer. It also comes with two ice-creams, pistachio and gingerbread. They were nice and creamy and the ginger flavour in the gingerbread ice-cream was quite strong which was great.

Mr. Miyagi is a great place to catch up with friends for dinner and drinks. It’s got a classy but relaxed atmosphere and the staff are nice and friendly. The food is innovative and leaves you inspired.

I heart Mr. Miyagi!

Olives x

Mr. Miyagi
Address: 99 Chapel Street, Windsor VIC 3181
Facebook: http://www.mrmiyagi.com.au/
Phone: 03 9529 5999
Trading Hours: Tue-Sun: 5.30pm-11pm (dinner only)

Gazi

Gazi – Melbourne

Gazi is a Greek restauraunt owned by Masterchef’s George Colombaris. It has a modern style menu but incorporates the classics. It has a contemporary spin on traditional Greek food and maintains a home-style feel with the traditional flavours. Tasty indeed.

Gazi – terracotta pot ceiling

The ceiling is covered in red terracotta pots. It looks really nice and gives that traditional meets contemporary feel, which is also reflected in the style of food.

Gazi – Mati plates

They have these really cute evil eye plates.

Gazi – Tzatziki

They had a range of dips, which come with soft and fluffy pita bread. We got the tzatziki, which was absolutely delish.

 The saganaki had that crunchy melted cheese on the top and was all soft in the middle. It had a kumquat glyko on top, which was like a sweet zingy sugar syrup which made it even better.

I adore their grain salad, it has a great texture with all the assorted grains. The pomegranate adds sweetness and the cumin yoghurt livens the dish. Just delicious.

They have a range of souvlakakia, which are small soulakis. The meat is tender and I love that most of them come with chips inside the souva.

Gazi – Falafel souva

We had the falafel one, which is a good veg option, which had falafels, greek yoghurt, chips and parsley. This was a while back, but now I think they have a different veg option, which is a souva with sweet potato keftedes, pumpkin seeds, tahini and pickled onion, which sounds yum too.

Gazi – soft-shell crab souva

I had the soft shell crab souva at the Gazi stall at the taste festival and it was really good. The soft shell crab was nice and crunchy on the outside and perfectly cooked, the honey and mayo added richness and the mint and coriander added a fresh herby kick. It was a real winner.

Gazi – Duck souva

The duck souva is fricken amazing! All the souvas are tasty but this one takes the cake. The duck was cooked perfectly and had crispy skin, the poached pears were beautifully sweet and compliment the duck so well. Then there are melty caramalised onions, honey mustard, shoestring fries and parsley. Each bite was heavenly. After I ate it I wanted another. It was my favourite. Yum!

Gazi – Homemade musk sticks

We got the homemade musk sticks. They were hard and tasted just like musk sticks should taste, a nice little sweet.

Gazi – Loukomathes w honey nutella

Loukomathes are sort of like little deep-fried donut balls. They are crunchy on the outside and soft and fluffy in the middle. These ones were drizzled with honey nutella and topped with crushed hazelnuts. It was a honey sweetness with a hint of choc hazelnut. Very sweet but yum.

Gazi – Creme caramel w kataifi and pistachio

The crème caramel was thick and smooth and delicious. It had fried kataifi on top and was sprinkled with pistachio. The crunchy kataifi was a nice contemporary twist, which made this dish fun to eat.

Gazi – Bombe metaxa

The bombe metaxa was chocolate icecream and tsoureki (that sweet greek easter bread) covered in meringue and set alight (love a bit of theatre). The meringue was like a pavlova, fluffy in the middle, the chocolate icecream was in tact it hadn’t melted and the tsoureki was a nice cakey element.

Gazi is a nice place to get together and share some delicious Greek food. It is traditional food with a contemporary twist. I like that the restaurant has great food and a casual feel.

I heart Gazi!

Olives x

Gazi
Address: 2 Exhibition Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Website: http://www.gazirestaurant.com.au/
Phone: 03 9207 7444
Trading Hours: Mon-Sun: 11.30am til late (everyday)

 

Naked for satan

Naked for satan – Melbourne

Naked for satan is a bar in Fitzroy with a history in vodka and a love for pintxos. Alongside their extensive vodka menu is a range of infused vodkas in interesting flavours like fig, cucumber, chocolate, pomegranate etc. They also have a range of $1 pintxos (tapas on toothpicks) for the peckish. You can grab some pintxos from the bar or from the roving staff.

Naked for satan – $1 Pintxos

Pintxos are little bar snacks on toothpicks that are adorable and delicious. In Spanish pinxtos or pinchos means ‘spike’ which explains the toothpicks everywhere. It’s similar to tapas but with toothpicks.

Naked for satan – Infused vodkas

They have a range of infused vodkas and they do tasting plates so you can try a few different flavours. The salted caramel one was really yum. They also had some cool flavour combos like lychee & ginger, opium & rose, Alpine chocolate & sugarcane, watermelon & mint and Naked bitch flavour lol which was chilli & cherry.

We ate upstairs at Naked in the Sky, which is the restaurant part on the top floor (level 4, the rooftop). The menu is a range of tapas dishes so sharing is the way to go.

Naked for satan – Gildas

We ordered the Gildas as a starter, which are green olives, white anchovy and pickled green peppers skewered on a toothpick. It was a tasty combination and if you like the sour salty combo, these are for you. We had thinly sliced ciabatta bread on our table, which went really well with these gildas.

Naked for satan – Fried cheese & walnut croquettes

The fried cheese & walnut croquettes w quince aioli were delish! They were crunchy on the outside and had gooey melted cheese in the center with bites of walnut. The quince aioli gave it a really nice sweetness. They were divine.

Naked for satan – Grilled beef fillet skewer

The grilled beef skewers had big chunks of juicy beef fillet and whole mini green peppers. They were tasty.

Naked for satan – Grilled prawn skewers

The prawn skewers were yum too. They were grilled prawns topped with bacon and red salsa.

Naked for satan – Pan seared scallops

The pan seared scallops were one of my faves. The scallops were cooked to perfection and then paired with all these ingredients I had no idea went so well together. There was a golden raisin puree, fennel, hazelnuts & capers. What a random bunch of flavours. It was incredible!

Naked for satan – Fried zucchini flowers

Zucchini flowers aren’t the kind of flower you want to put in a vase. They are the kind of flower you want stuffed with prawn mousse, dipped in a light tempura batter and deep-fried. And that is exactly what they do here. They were really yum.

Naked for satan – Baked camembert

The baked Camembert was baked with apple and celery which is an interesting combination and had a subtle flavour. It was served with the perfect side, thin slices of crunchy ciabatta. I particularly like the baked edges of the cheese.

Naked for satan – Txistorra (Basque sausage)

Txistorra are authentic Basque sausages. They were thin sausages served with a vinegary green tomato relish, which complimented them well.

Naked for satan – Grilled sirloin steak

The grilled sirloin steak on the bone came with green salad and pickled garlic. I completely underestimated this dish. It was so delicious. The meat was incredible. It was so tender, juicy, cooked perfectly! The pickled garlic was like a dipping sauce and was a good accompaniment to the amazing steak.

Naked for satan – Grilled octopus

The grilled octopus tenticles lay on a bed of potato puree w sweet smoked paprika. It tasted like the octopus was cooked on the barby. Perhaps the smokey flavour gave it that effect.

Naked for satan – Fabada (White bean stew w roast pork belly)

Fabada is an Asturian white bean stew. It had a piece of pork belly, a bit of pork & fennel sausage, a bit a morcilla (which I just found out is blood sausage) and braised ham hock. It tasted like a real traditional dish from Spain. Loved it.

Naked for satan – Migas (roasted veg & broken bread)

Migas was roasted capsicum, tomato, spinach w garlic & cider and rustic chunks of bread. The broken bread was good for texture.

Naked for satan – Slow cooked lamb shoulder

The slow roasted lamb shoulder tasted like someone’s mum cooked it. It was a hearty homestyle meal. The meat fell apart easily and was covered in tomato, roast capsicum, oregano & baby potatoes.

Naked for satan – Oreo trifle

We tried the oreo trifle for dessert. It had mascarpone, a layer of pedro ximenez (sherry) jelly, orange curd and vanilla ice cream. It was one incredible trifle. It was especially delicious when you ate a mouthful with a piece of fresh orange in the mix. Yum yum yum!

Naked for satan – Baked cheesecake w gingerbread & raspberry sorbet

We also got the baked cheesecake w gingerbread and raspberry sorbet. The flavours went really well together. The creamy cheesecake, the crumb and warming spices from the gingerbread and the fresh cold raspberry sorbet were a delight eaten all at once.

Naked for Satan is a great place to grab a drink, hang with friends and share some delicious food.

I heart Naked for Satan!

Olives x

Naked For Satan 
Address: 285 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Website: http://www.nakedforsatan.com.au
Phone: 03 9416 2238
Trading Hours: Sun-Thur: 12pm-12am, Fri-Sat: 12pm-1am

Grand Trailer Park Taverna

Grand Trailer Park Taverna – Melbourne

Grand Trailer Park Taverna is a spin off from the ‘Dandenong Pavillion’ restaurant with a focus on their renowned beef burger. It recently opened in the city and the burgers are mouth-wateringly (is that a word?) delicious.

Grand Trailer Park Taverna – Caravan

The venue is a large open space with lots of park benches and open caravan booths (all indoor). Cute setup. There are crumpled paper menus scattered across the bar (trailer park style). You order at the bar, take a number and find somewhere to sit.

Grand Trailer Park Taverna – Outdoor area

We sat outside in the sunshine with the beautiful city view.

Grand Trailer Park Taverna – KSA burger minus the salad

We got the KSA burger (the dpavillon celebrity burger), which has a premium Aussie beef patty, cheddar cheese, tomato, butter lettuce, special burger sauce & American mustard on a toasted brioche bun. The actual burger (like the meat patty) is a real star. It’s grilled and juicy, just overall really tasty.

Grand Trailer Park Taverna – Francis Underwood burger

We also got the Francis Underwood burger, which is basically the same as the classic KSA burger but with a bonus mac and cheese croquette sandwiched in. Yum! The toasty brioche bun was buttery and had sesame seeds sprinkled on top, delish. The meat was juicy, the cheese was melty and the lettuce and tomato were fresh. The mac and cheese just made it that extra bit more indulgent and the sauces brought it all together. It was fantastic.

They also have a mushroom burger if you don’t feel like meat. And if you don’t feel like bread, you can order a no carb protein style burger, where they give you a lettuce bun in place of the bread (saw pics on instagram) and also you could probs request to have mac and cheese croquettes in place of the bun (also seen on instagram). Hmm not for me though, I like buttery buns and I cannot lie, these other burgers can’t deny. Hehe. Next time I’ll be getting the Atomic burger. It sounds amazing. It’s a beef pattie, cheddar cheese, chilli cheese kransky, crispy bacon, BBQ sauce and truffle cayenne mayo on brioche. Yum! All the burgers sound amazing!

Grand Trailer Park Taverna – Hand cut chips

The hand-cut chips are delicious. They’re more soft than crunchy, sort of like roasted potatoes hand cut into chips and then sprinkled with sea salt flakes. Yum!

Grand Trailer Park Taverna – Kinder Surprise Milkshake

They have four awesome spiked milkshakes. We got the Kinder Surprise shake, and oh my it was so good. It was spiked with Frangelico and Baileys and it was super delicious. Definitely up there in my list of top milkshakes. It had an actual kinder surprise on top (yay) and the milkshake was amazing. They also do a Maker’s Mark bourbon, salted caramel, maple bacon shake, a marshmallow, blue-haven, vanilla vodka shake and a peanut butter and jelly shake with Captain Morgan’s Rum. Yum, yum and yum!

On the menu there is a range of desserts that I wanted to try (bananrama, wizz fizz ice-cream etc) but that double carb burger really stole all of my stomach space. I saw the chocolate waffle stack get placed on the table next to us. It looked so good. It was like a dessert burger. It was Nutella parfait, fresh cream and strawberries sandwiched between two house-made waffles drizzled with Nutella sauce. You can also get the waffle stack with peanut butter parfait and caramel sauce. Yum! Maybe next time.

The décor is cute, the staff is really nice and the burgers are great. A perfect place to hang out with your mates for a burger and some bevvies.

I heart Grand Trailer Park Taverna!

Olives x

Grand Trailer Park Taverna
Address: 87 Bourke Street, Melbourne
Facebook: http://www.grandtrailerpark.com.au
Phone: 03 9972 3699
Trading Hours: Tue–Sat: 11.30am til late (closed Mondays & Sundays)

 

 

Coda

Coda – Street view

Coda is an amazing restaurant tucked beneath the hustle and bustle of the city. In a basement off Flinders lane, this hidden gem has a sensational menu and provides a memorable eating experience. The food is inventive, inspiring and undeniably delicious.

Coda – Bar

The venue was dimly lit and had an intimate feel and a great wine selection. The service was great, the staff were friendly and attentive.

Coda – Spanner crab, galangal, roasted chilli and lime betel leaf

The spanner crab was cold and fresh. It had galangal, roasted chilli, lime and fresh tomato. It was a perfect starter to the meal. You fold up the lime betel leaf and eat it like a little taco. The flavours were light and refreshing.

Coda – Eggplant and tofu lettuce delight, enoki mushroom, crispy garlic and black vinegar

The lettuce delight was nice, it was a san choi bao w eggplant, tofu, enoki mushroom, crispy garlic and black vinegar.

Coda – Hervey Bay scallop, pearl tapioca and Yarra Valley salmon caviar

The Hervey bay scallop was amazing. It was seared perfectly and the pearl tapioca was buttery and creamy and had a brilliant texture. It was topped with Yarra Valley salmon caviar. I don’t usually eat salmon caviar because it reminds me of the opening scene of ‘finding Nemo’ but I thought it would be a shame to set this aside because it looked really pretty. Turns out it is delicious! The caviar pops in your mouth with bursts of saltiness it was exciting and absolutely divine.

Coda – Tempura bugs with caramelised chilli

The tempura bugs were lightly battered and cooked to perfection. Simply amazing! I wanted to order more of these, they were so light, tasty and easy to eat. They were paired with a caramelised chilli sauce that had quite a kick and a side slaw. It was delicious! It was presented with the deep-fried bug shell, which was impressive and tasted similar to pork crackling. It was yum!

Coda – Fried cauliflower, pine nuts and pomegranate with goats cheese dressing

We had the fried cauliflower as a side. It was topped with pine nuts, pomegranate and covered in a goat’s cheese dressing. It was tasty. There were lots of different textures and flavours it was great.

Coda – That’s Amore Buffalo mozzarella, zucchini fritters, mint and pea salad

The zucchini fritters were delicious little croquettes, they were creamy and moreish, good comfort food. The simplicity of the smashed peas, pickled shavings of zucchini, mint and That’s amore buffalo mozzarella made this a very sophisticated dish. All the flavours went so well together.

Coda – Aperol cured Huon ocean trout, pickled beetroot, crème fraîche sorbet and carrot mousse

The Aperol cured Huon ocean trout looked like art. It had beautiful colours and textures scattered across the plate. The pickled beetroot was cut into tiny little cubes. They were so small that they created an interesting texture that really complimented the smooth silky trout. Then there was the perfect quenelle of crème fraiche sorbet and perfectly smooth carrot mousse. Yum! The flavours were amazing. The trout was delicious and the finesse of those tiny beetroot squares made this dish something remarkable.

Coda – Sweet corn parfait, caramel popcorn, passionfruit, strawberry and white chocolate

Then for dessert we ordered the sweet corn parfait. There were lots of different elements on the plate. There was caramel popcorn, passionfruit, a bright pink fresh strawberry sorbet and bits of strawberry fruit leather (like roll ups). There were sweet syrup cake balls and white chocolate bits. It was really fun to explore the dish and find surprises of deliciousness.

Coda – Dark chocolate ganache with chocolate crunch, aero, mandarin and liquorice

We also ordered the dark chocolate ganache w chocolate crunch, aero, mandarin and licorice. I was hesitant at first because I’m not a huge fan of licorice and it seemed strange to have chocolate, mandarin and licorice. I was wrong. It was delicious. I was going to just avoid the licorice areas if I didn’t like it, but it ended up being my favourite part of the dish. There were little parfait balls of licorice, which were creamy with a really subtle and delicious licorice flavour. I can’t believe I almost didn’t order it because of the word licorice. The licorice parfait was incredible. There was a bar of rich dark chocolate ganache in the middle with big rustic chunks of aerated chocolate sitting on topped, sprinkled with a chocolate crumb, dots of mandarin gel and dehydrated mandarin pieces. The mandarin balanced the sweetness of the chocolate and gave it a touch of citrus. It was sensational.

Coda – Toasted meringue, vanilla sponge, coconut, pineapple and yuzu

The toasted meringue looked beautiful. It was covered in this white snowy dust. There were big soft peaks of toasted meringue, which had a toasted outer and melted in your mouth. They tasted like camp-fire roasted marshmallows yum! There were also little crunchy meringues, fluffy vanilla sponge, coconut cream, pineapple and yuzu which was really citrusy to cut through all the sweet. It was fantastic.

Everything we ate was exciting and delicious. Each meal took you on an exciting journey where you became completely immersed in the dish you were currently eating until the next dish arrived and you became completely immersed in that one. The service was great, the venue had a good atmosphere and the food was outstanding. It was truly an inspiring experience.

I heart Coda!

Olives x

Coda
Address: Basement 141 Flinders Lane
Website: http://www.codarestaurant.com.au
Phone: 03 9650 3155
Trading Hours: Mon–Sun (7 days) Lunch 12pm-3pm, Dinner: 6pm – 10.30pm

Moroccan Soup Bar

Moroccan Soup Bar – Fitzroy North.

This week we went to Moroccan Soup Bar. My brother was down from Sydney and he’s a vegetarian so a vegetarian restaurant seemed like the perfect place to eat for dinner. The restaurant had really comforting food and a homely atmosphere, which made you feel like you were eating at a friends place.

Moroccan Soup Bar – Stuff and things (Tea pots, Hookahs, Tagine cookware).

As we sat down we were greeted with a little cup of mint tea. There was no menu. The waitress verbally informed us of the two banquet options available. The $25 banquet included starters, dips, main and dessert and the $20 banquet included dips, main and dessert.

There was a plate of dips, which had yoghurt and humus with roasted eggplant, lemony potatoes, preserved lemon and some big juicy olives served with flatbread.

Moroccan Soup Bar – Yummy dips and bits.

For the extra $5 you get the starters, which are little bowls of deliciousness. There is a beetroot, feta, walnut dip, roasted spiced pumpkin dip, and a super smokey eggplant dip like a baba ganoush. There was also a haloumi salsa with a sweet syrup, which was different. Some fried potatoes and some fried chickpeas, which were a little bit crunchy and really yum. Definitely worth the extra $5.

Moroccan Soup Bar – Starters (like a mezze platter).

For mains, there were three dishes. The first one was Fetteh which is like a chickpea bake. It has chickpeas, toasted flat bread and slithered almonds in a creamy yoghurty mix which was rich and tasty. Yum yum yum. The second was 7 veg with couscous, that one is pretty self-explanatory.

Moroccan Soup Bar – Mains (Creamy yoghurty mix with chickpeas, toasted flatbread, almonds).

And the third plate had saffron rice, lentils, roasted eggplant and yoghurt. All the dishes were unique and had different flavours and textures, which made the menu really exciting. While each dish had individual flavours, everything worked deliciously well with each other.

Moroccan Soup Bar – Mains (Saffron rice, lentils, eggplant, yoghurt & 7 veg with couscous).

For dessert they served us a strong black coffee with a plate of desserts. There were little fried doughnuts, spiced date balls coated in coconut and pistachio baklava. They also served custard with a hint of orange, which was delightful. If you eat the doughnuts with the custard it’s so yum. The star of the show was the baklava. It had a generous amount of nuts and it wasn’t drenched in syrup so it wasn’t too sweet. I’d say it was probably the best baklava I’ve ever had. The desserts were delicious and a perfect end to the meal.

Moroccan Soup Bar – Coffee & Desserts (coffee, doughnuts, date balls, baklava).

For takeaway meals they have this really cool system where they don’t have plastic containers so if you want to order takeaway, you have to bring in your own containers. They have some containers out front with an estimated price for the size of container. I love this idea because not only is it environmentally friendly, it also feels homely like you are taking left overs home from your mum’s house.

They open at 6pm but you want to get there early to avoid disappointment. We got there just before 6 and there were a few groups of people already waiting in line. Everything I ate was full of flavour and it was great to taste a variety of dishes. Also it was a nice change to have the menu decided for you that showcases all of their delicious food. The characteristics of this place really create the sense that you are eating at a friends place for dinner. It’s a great little vegetarian restaurant with delicious and hearty home-cooked meals.

I heart Moroccan Soup Bar!

Olives x

Moroccan Soup Bar
Address: 183 St Georges Road, Fitzroy North
Website: http://www.moroccansoupbar.com.au
Phone: 03 9482 4240
Trading Hours: Tue-Sun: 6pm-10pm

Cumulus Inc.

Cumulus Inc.

I have been hearing about this restaurant for years and went there for the first time last week. Everyone who has been there has said nothing but amazing things and I finally got to experience it for myself. Everything I ate was brilliant! This relatively small space is brought to life by the great energy that fills the room. On one length of the room there is a bar with people seated along it and on the other side there is an open kitchen where the chefs are creating the meals. People were seated on round tables in the middle and along the bar and kitchen. It’s a small cozy space with a lot of style. Our waiter politely introduced us to the menu and was thorough in her menu descriptions, which was great.

Cumulus Inc. – Mmm Selection of Oysters.

We got some oysters to start. There was a list of oysters on the menu, written like a mini wine menu. This was new to me because the only options I’m used to choosing with oysters are whether I want ½ a dozen or a dozen. Our waiter explained the different types and they all sounded divine. We tried a range of different oysters from the selection. Previously I thought that oysters were just oysters but each of those oysters had such varying characteristics, different tastes, different sizes, different textures. Wow! I like the small sweet ones over the mature textural ones but they were all really good.

Cumulus Inc. – Baked Chilli Mussels.

Next up, baked chilli mussels. The mussels were individually presented with a tomato based chilli sauce that had a decent kick to it. It was then sprinkled with Parmesan breadcrumbs on top with a spot of aioli to put out the fire. They were delish!

Cumulus Inc. – Foie Gras Parfait w Toasted Brioche.

The thickly sliced triangles of brioche were very light and buttery and had a nice crunch to it, divine just on its own. The foie gras parfait was decadent and perfectly smooth, a great pairing for the toasty brioche. It’s delicious in a small dose so you appreciate it. We had three people and ate too much each. I found that if you get greedy and eat too much of the fois gras parfait it starts to leave an oily feeling on the roof of your mouth (that layer of grease feeling you get when you eat a cold sausage roll). Lesson learnt, don’t be greedy.

 

Cumulus Inc. – Flounder w lentils, bacon and radicchio.

We ordered the special on the night, which was Flounder with lentils, bacon and radicchio. It was truly delicious! It was the perfect meal for a cold winters night (well cold autumn night). It was comforting and delicious. It was like a lamb casserole but the fish version, layers and layers of complex flavours served in a humble way. It was moreish and full of amazing flavours that worked perfectly. The salty bacon, the bitter riddichio, the creamy lentils and perfectly cooked flounder made it a stand out dish.

Cumulus Inc. – Cracked wheat and freekeh salad, preserved lemon, barberries.

We had trouble deciding on which salad to get because they all sounded good but we shortlisted them down to two salads. We were tossing up between the two options but our waiter informed us that we could get a half serve of one salad and a half serve of the other salad. This was grand, we got the best of both worlds. Yay! I was very excited about this. It was so accommodating. It was a great solution. We decided on the half serve of Cracked wheat and freekeh salad, preserved lemon, barberries, which was so delicious, it was a flavour sensation, there was so much going on, lots of textures and lots of flavours, but it all worked really well. The dollops of yoghurt really brought it all together.

Cumulus Inc. – Roasted pumpkin, pomegranate molasses, shanklish & toasted seeds.

For the other half serve we ordered the roasted pumpkin, pomegranate molasses, shanklish (middle eastern cheese) & toasted seeds. It was so sweet. It was literally big chunks of roasted pumpkin with all the ingredients sprinkled on top. It was so sweet and really delicious! I loved how the pumpkin was the star and the other ingredients changed it into an interesting and complex flavour combo.

Cumulus Inc. – Chocolate Mess, milk & cocoa nib cream.

For dessert we ordered the chocolate mess , which was a chocolate bonanza. Chocolate mousse, chocolate brownie, chocolate bits, chocolate everything! The ice-cream on top tasted a bit sour like a yogurt, which was good because the tartness offset all the rich chocolate tones. Very clever.

Cumulus Inc. – Madeleines filled with lemon curd.

On the menu the madeleines say that they take 15 minutes, which I think is because they are made to order. Yum fresh! They looked beautiful sitting upon little beds of lemon curd. The delicate shell-shaped cakes were golden and crispy around the edges and a were soft and buttery in the middle with lemon curd centres. Delicious! These are perfect with a cup of coffee or tea to finish a wonderful meal.

The food was really delicious, and most of all, our experience was fantastic and memorable. There was a good flow of meals (a nice brief break between meals) and the service was great. I was especially excited about the oyster knowledge imparted. I was impressed with the presentation of the food and even more impressed once I tasted the food. It was all very exciting. Will definitely be back. Although sad the flounder is not permanently on the menu.  Loved it!

I heart Cumulus Inc.!

Olives x

Address: 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Website: http://cumulusinc.com.au
Phone: 03 9650 1445
Trading Hours: Mon-Fri: 7am-11pm Sat-Sun: 8am-11pm

 

Fa-Fah

Fa-Fah – Outside view.

Fa-Fah is a restaurant that specializes in Asian cuisine but in particular Asian roasts. There are three roasts to choose from. Roast Chicken, Roast Pork Belly and Char Siew – BBQ Chinese Dynamite. If you cant decide on which one you want, you can order ‘Double Happiness’ which is a choice of two of the roasts. Or if you’re like me, terribly indecisive (which can be frustrating for present company) ‘Triple Happiness’ is the go. It’s a mixed plate of all three roasts. What to order? Problem solved. I was triple happy that my decision on what to eat was so easily made.

Fa-Fah – Triple Happiness (Roast chicken, Roast Pork Belly, Char Siew)

But then came the next dilemma. With the roasts you can choose out of three condiments. A sweet soy (my fave), chicken salt (which btw is amazing with the crispy eggplant) or chilli oil (with sesame seeds and spring onions). Again couldn’t decide, so I ordered all three condiments. Triple happiness x2.

Fa-Fah – Condiments (Chilli oil, sweet soy, chicken salt).

The decor was exactly as the title describes, an asian kitchen. It had a modern vibe with Asian style. And you can smell the delicious food from the kitchen which excites your tastebuds before you even order.

Fa-Fah – Decor.

We ordered the egg fried rice to eat with our roasts. It was really yummy.  I like extra egg when I order special fried rice so I was pretty pleased to see ‘Egg Fried Rice’ on the menu. It tasted just as I imagined. It was delicious and a perfect accompany to out roasts. They also had ‘Cereal Fried Rice’ with crispy cereal bits in the rice, which sounded interesting.

Fa-Fah – Egg Fried Rice.

The crispy eggplant was delicious! The eggplant was cooked to perfection and the batter was light and fluffy with a crunch. Yum! They were amazing dipped in the sauce, sprinkled with chicken salt or just on their own. Loved them so much! If you’re in close proximity of Chadstone Shopping Centre, It’s definitely worth dropping by just to get a handful of these bad boys. They are incredible!

Fa-Fah – Crispy Eggplant.

I am a big advocate of avocado smoothies and there are just not enough places in Melbourne that make this heavenly drink. Fa-Fah call it ‘Avocado Snow’, I call it Fricken Delicious! I love avocado smoothies and this one was perfect. It wasn’t too sweet and you could taste the fresh avocado. Yum!! They say on the menu that when you drink this you will wish it was snowing avocados. As much as I love avocados I will never wish it was snowing them, because that would be way too dangerous.

Fa-Fah’s menu is made like a newspaper titled Roast Express. That’s my mumsie in the photo reading the menu news.

Fa-Fah – Avocado Snow. Mel 4 Avo Smoothies 4eva.

I really enjoyed everything I ate here and I will definitely be going back to try some of the other things on the menu. However it’s probably not a good idea to eat too much of the roasts on your own, because of the high fat content. The plates and most items on the menu are good for sharing. Fa-Fah is located in the outside area of Chadstone Shopping centre so you can easily drop by before, after or during your shopping escapade.

I heart Fa-Fah!

Olives x

Adress: Shop F018, 1341 Dandenong Road, Chadstone (Outside area of Chadstone Shopping centre)
Website: http://fafah.com.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoFaFah
Phone: 03 9568 6600

Shizuku

Shizuku – Street view.

We had heard the legend of the ramen burger, the tale of a burger with no bun. According to the story, the bun is replaced with golden patties made entirely out of egg noodles. We had seen and eaten them only in our imaginations and we knew in our heart it was our duty, nay, our destiny, to try these ramen burgers for ourselves. Plus it was dinner time so this all worked out swimmingly.

Shizuku – Ramen burger w miso soup.

The first ramen burger in Melbourne was created at Shizuku, so that’s where we went. There were two options. Both of which are served with a bowl of miso soup (an especially delicious miso btw). I ordered the candied pork belly with plum and prune sauce and kewpie mayo which was amazing.

Shizuku – Ramen burger w candied pork belly.

My brother ordered the veg option, the miso-glazed eggplant with sweet miso jam. Both were yum. The ramen is packed tight to form the patty so you loose the bounciness of the noodle. I imagined the outer part of the ramen patty to be crispier and softer towards the center but the whole patty was the same soft texture throughout. It was still really yummy though and its fun to eat a bowl of noodles in a hand held motion.

Shizuku – Ramen burger w miso glazed eggplant.

We tried the chargrilled rolled pork belly which was absolutely delicious. It looked amazing and tasted even better. The thin slices of pork and julienned cucumber made the dish delicate. It was topped with cha shu sauce (sort of like Chinese char siu) which made the dish stand out with the simple and stunning flavours.

Shizuku – Chargrilled rolled pork belly w cha shu.

The Hiroshima crumbed oysters were also delicious. Piping hot oysters, crumbed with panko, deep-fried then placed back in their individual shells, oh so cute. They sat beside a fresh salad with kewpie mayo and a dark sweet sauce (I think it was oyster sauce –which would seem fitting). Or it could be the same sauce as in the ramen burger, the plum and prune. Either way, the point i’m making is the sauce was yummy.

Shizuku – Hiroshima crumbed oysters.

The wasabi prawns were incredible. So delicious! We got the wasabi mayo on the side because my mum feared that it would be too hot but it wasn’t. It was just right. The prawns were cooked perfectly, the tempura batter was light and fluffy, and the wasabi-mayo ratio was perfection. I loved these so much.

Shizuku – Wasabi prawns.

To finish our meal we had the green tea ice cream with a Japanese black sugar fusion melt (which tasted like molasses), dusted with soy bean powder. It tasted just like green tea. The black sugar melt was a little bitter but it was a refreshing finish to our meal.

Shizuku – Green tea ice-cream.

They had heaps of really interesting and imaginative dishes on the menu but we couldn’t order everything and we had already eaten to our stomachs capacity. I definitely want to go back. They had these cheesy nori snacks on the menu which was tasty cheese wrapped in seaweed, deep fried and sprinkled w seven-spice chilli. Sounds interesting huh. They also have caramalised lotus salad, karaage popcorn chicken with secret batter and a range of gyozas yum!

Shizuku – Decor – Pretty lights that look like beautiful flowers.

The décor was simple and stylish. The lights looked like lots of cables emerging from the ceiling with these crafty designer lights hanging from the cables. They looked like beautiful flowers.

I heart Shizuku!

Olives x

Shizuku
Address: 309 Victoria Street, Abbotsford
Website: http://shizuku.com.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shizukujapanese
Phone: 03 9995 8180
Trading Hours: Mon-Sun: 11.30am-2.30pm (Lunch), 5.30pm-til late (Dinner)