Yum cha $$ Good quality yum cha. A little bit hidden in Whitehorse towers, took me a little while to find! Highlights included the pork ribs, cheung fun (thick rice noodles), chicken feet (not a fan personally, but others said was great!), and bbq pork buns. Sadly they’ve stopped the traditional yum cha method ofContinue reading “Golden Lily (Box Hill)”
Author Archives: em
Calia Grill (Chadstone)
Japanese $$ Upstairs from Calia in Chadstone is it’s sister store Calia Grill. It’s still Japanese but more focused on the bbq aspects of the cuisine. We had one of the wagyu sets, tasty and fun to do! But expensive. Decent place for special occasions. 🥩🥩🥩🥩🥩🥩🥩🥩 8/10 https://calia.co/pages/calia-chadstone-grill
Oushou (Camberwell)
Japanese $$ A nice Japanese spot in Camberwell. Tried the gyoza, salmon taco, teriyaki chicken, and one of their sushi platters. Decent quality, on the pricier side, but good value for money. Worth a try if you’re in the area. 🍣🍣🍣🍣🍣🍣🍣🍣 8/10 Homepage
Rumour (Camberwell)
Brunch $fantastic service A little bit further away from Camberwell junction, this cafe is a little hidden away, but has fantastic service and good food. Fish tacos were crispy and well seasoned. ☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️ 8/10 https://www.rumourhasitcv.com.au/
Half Acre (South Melbourne)
Modern European $$ First time having a bottomless brunch! And this place delivered. Not a large selection but enough great dishes to make a hearty meal. Favourites included the bread and dips, smoked salmon and cauliflower. And you can make your own drinks as well. Beautiful venue as well, on a quiet street. Great valueContinue reading “Half Acre (South Melbourne)”
Ippudo (CBD)
Japanese $$ Ipuddo is a famous ramen franchise from Japan. The CBD restaurant has a beautifully decorated Japanese interior. Everytime I pass this place it has a long line. Very rich and wholesome ramen; I tried the original chashu, noodles had a good bite to it and a very comforting hot broth. Not too saltyContinue reading “Ippudo (CBD)”
San Churro (CBD)
Dessert $ This place was insanely busy the day I went. Located in QV, it’s clearly a favourite to go to after dinner in the city. Pretty pricey for what you get, and the churros are a bit oily, but if you don’t put your expectations too high, it’s a decent place for a hotContinue reading “San Churro (CBD)”
The Cookie Box
Dessert $ These cookies are pretty expensive at $5/$6 each, but if you’re craving a classic thick cookie with gooey chocolate and don’t feel like baking them yourself, this is the place to go. Comes in a cute bag with its name on it. My favourite is the classic, a standard choc chip cookie. ServedContinue reading “The Cookie Box”
Shake Shack (Singapore)
Fast Food $ This place has a bloody good burger. The standard Shackburger with the double patty and added bacon is absolutely delicious, meat has great flavour and is well balanced by the bread and lettuce. The chicken burger was also surprisingly tasty! Super tender and juicy. But I have to confess I think myContinue reading “Shake Shack (Singapore)”
Irvins (Singapore)
Snacks $ Saw this brand all over Singapore; I’ve tried their salted egg chips in the past, but had never tried their salted egg noodles. Surprisingly a bit bland, but overall not bad, still worth a try. But definitely prefer their chips. 🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜 7/10 https://eatirvins.sg/
Lady M (Singapore)
Dessert $ These cakes looked so beautiful I had to try a slice. They are famous for their mille crepe cakes, so we tried the pistachio. Wonderfully sweet but light, and a fairly decent serving size. Definitely worth a try. 🍰🍰🍰🍰🍰🍰🍰🍰 8/10 https://ladym.com.sg/
Aroma Truffle (Singapore)
Snacks $ Tried the parmesan chips, smells great but a little bit bland. Surprisingly would say Lays truffle chips have better flavour. 🍟🍟🍟🍟🍟🍟🍟7/10 https://aromatruffle.com/
Teh Tarik Express (Singapore)
Singaporean $ This was the only place still open at 11pm at the Singapore airport, so was pretty busy! Nothing particularly special, but very generous portion sizes, pretty cheap and open 24 hrs. 🍛🍛🍛🍛🍛🍛 6/10 Home
Shang Social (Singapore)
Chinese $$ Was looking for a comforting Asian meal at Changi airport; there’s a lot of choice, but we settled on this place because it looked popular, and has a beautiful modern decor. Tried the three treasures homemade sauce bamboo noodle platter as it seemed to be a signature dish. Was decent but nothing tooContinue reading “Shang Social (Singapore)”
Saffron Affair (Maldives)
Pullman Resort $$$ A nice place to go to watch the sunset or play pool, this bar has a wonderful view and like the rest of the resort, great cocktails. They also have shisha on certain days. They also have some snacks to tide you over between main meals. 🍢🍢🍢🍢🍢🍢🍢 7/10
The Hub (Maldives)
Pullman Resort $$$ When you’re feeling peckish throughout the day but the restaurants aren’t open, this is the place to go! Situated next to the pools, this place has a nice relaxed vibe for when you want to get snacks or drinks, or even just go for a full meal. The burger was juicy andContinue reading “The Hub (Maldives)”
Sol Rising (Maldives)
Pullman Resort $$$ Advertised as the ‘healthy’ alternative at this resort, they still have a few dishes of delicious not-so-healthy foods. My favourite was definitely the salmon bagel, bread was so soft and cream cheese so perfectly balanced the dish. Definitely the best bagel I’ve ever had! The caviar was a tasty and fancy topping.Continue reading “Sol Rising (Maldives)”
Souq Oven (Mediterranean) (Maldives)
Pullman Resort $$$ Souq Oven is a Mediterranean restaurant by night, and the view is pretty amazing! Can’t say it was my favourite food at the resort, the meat dish I had for mains had quite a good variety but was all pretty dry. Dessert was also overly sweet. I think the best dish wasContinue reading “Souq Oven (Mediterranean) (Maldives)”
Souq Oven (Italian) (Maldives)
Pullman Resort $$$ Italian restaurant by day, Mediterranean by night. Highlights were definitely the arancini balls, very cheesy and truffly. Pizza was wood-fire oven made and pretty crispy. The pork belly came in huge serving sizes, never would have complained about too much meat before! The lobster bisque was a bit too rich for myContinue reading “Souq Oven (Italian) (Maldives)”
Phat Chameleon (Maldives)
Pullman Resort $$$ Was surprised that this resort had a vegan/vegetarian restaurant. Don’t usually eat vegetarian food, but have to say this place surprised me! Was given some lovely bread to start off with, and had a very decent soft cheese souffle for the entree. The ravioli with truffle was a bit heavy but stillContinue reading “Phat Chameleon (Maldives)”
Melange (Maldives)
Pullman Resort $$$ This buffet is one of the best I’ve ever been to. First of all, the dinner buffet has so many different cuisines: Japanese, French, Indian, Chinese, Italian, Maldivian and Arabic. Insane! Second, they even have chefs that can cook for you on the spot. Whether that’s meat or fish to your liking,Continue reading “Melange (Maldives)”
Taste of Korea 찐 (JJIN) (Singapore)
Korean $$ Didn’t expect to see so much Korean food in Singapore! Was wondering around and saw this place was super popular, so decided to walk in. It was pretty full, but luckily they had a spot for us. Had the beef and pork set, which comes with several sides and a soup; we wentContinue reading “Taste of Korea 찐 (JJIN) (Singapore)”
Fried Kway Teow, Fried Prawn Mee, Fried Oyster, Carrot Cake (Singapore)
Hawker Stall $ There’s so much choice in hawker stalls at the Maxwell Food Centre, so hard to pick where to eat! Tried the Char Kway Teow here, not the best I’ve had, but pretty decent. 🥡🥡🥡🥡🥡🥡🥡 7/10 https://www.zomato.com/singapore/fried-kway-teow-fried-prawn-mee-fried-oyster-carrot-cake-downtown-core
Tong Fong Fatt Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice (Singapore)
Hawker Stall $ To be honest, only tried this place because the famous Tian Tian Hainanese chicken place was closed. But this place was great! Was served by this adorable old man, and came with soup and rice. You also get the choice of roasted or steamed chicken. Chicken was tender with a nice subtleContinue reading “Tong Fong Fatt Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice (Singapore)”
Social Place (Singapore)
Chinese $$ This place had possibly my favourite dish in Singapore, unexpectedly, a seafood crackling rice soup. Simple, flavourful, crunchy and delicious, it was a comforting rice soup on a whole other level. Other dishes were very Instagram worthy, including buns shaped as roses, chicken and pigs (although surprisingly they was all sweet not savoury),Continue reading “Social Place (Singapore)”
McDonald’s (Singapore)
Fast Food $ Was curious to see the difference between Singapore and Australian McDonald’s. They have a bit more variety! Went for the staple chicken nuggets, but also got the chicken wings. The chicken nuggets got served with curry sauce and garlic and chilli sauce. The chicken wings were surprisingly great! Skin was crispy, andContinue reading “McDonald’s (Singapore)”
Art (Singapore)
Italian $$$$ I don’t think I’ve even eaten Italian fine dining before, but this place blew me away! The set menu description is a little confusing, but the food tastes so good you don’t even care. The highlights were the bread with pate and caviar (it was like butter on a whole new level), theContinue reading “Art (Singapore)”
Sweetspot (Singapore)
Cafe $ In the Art Science Museum, this cafe is a nice spot to rest in between exhibits. The nutty banana smoothie was $10, youch, but was pretty thick and tasty, had chucks of walnut in it. The almond croissant was a bit dry and quite sweet, but fairly decent. 🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛🥛 8/10
Toast Box (Singapore)
Cafe $ This franchise is all over Singapore, and is definitely popular with locals. They have an unusual mix of sweet sandwiches and savoury foods. They’re famous for their Kaya Toast; the butter is thick and slightly melted in a great way, and not too sweet. Simple but tasty. The pandan chiffon cake was alsoContinue reading “Toast Box (Singapore)”
Labyrinth (Singapore)
Singaporean $$$ Only seemed fitting to go a Michelin star Singaporean restaurant when in Singapore. Quite a creative menu! A few fancy versions of some traditional foods, including chilli crab ice-cream. And one dish included a candle that melted into a sauce! The mains included a nice ode to the chefs dad who used toContinue reading “Labyrinth (Singapore)”
The Marmalade Pantry (Singapore)
Dessert $ On one of the upper levels of the ION Orchard shopping centre is this popular dessert place. Very beautiful cakes and floral decor. Tried the cranberry lychee cupcake, quite dense and looked gorgeous, but not as sweet as I’d like. 🍰🍰🍰🍰🍰🍰 6/10 https://www.themarmaladepantry.com.sg/
Nasty Cookie (Singapore)
Dessert $ Found this very cute shop in one of the Singapore shopping centres. Love the cookie philosophy. Cookies weren’t amazing, a bit dry, but still decent! Can’t go too wrong with sugar. 🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪 6/10
Cloudstreet (Singapore)
Modern Australian $$$$ This Sri-Lankan born Australian chef behind Cloudstreet, Rishi Naleendra, has done a fantastic job with this place! The food, cutlery, and interior are all visually stunning. Had the 5 course set menu. Favourites included the creamy curry broth, the perfectly seasoned and cooked beef wagyu, and the stout and liquorice bread, whichContinue reading “Cloudstreet (Singapore)”
Hershey’s Chocolate World (Singapore)
Dessert $ On your way to their Universal Studios on Sentosa island, there’s a cute Hershey’s chocolate shop that sells a range of famous chocolate brands. Decided to go for the Reese’s Big Cup with potato chips. Very crunchy! Nice balance of sweet and savoury. 🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫 7/10 https://www.chocolateworld.com/locations/singapore.html
Quan Ji (權记) (Singapore)
Hawker Stall $ At the Amoy Street Food Centre, you are surrounded by locals, at breakfast, lunch, and dinner! There’s so many hawker stalls, but this one looked especially popular. Opted for the beef hor fun, and braised beancurd. You know you’re in a legit Asian place when they have to get someone to translateContinue reading “Quan Ji (權记) (Singapore)”
7/11 (Singapore)
Convenience Store $ Asia’s 7/11s are undoubtedly superior to the rest of the world! The range of fresh food is always more diverse. Here in Singapore, they had several types of onigiri, and even provided hot water for instant noodles. If you want something quick and easy, definitely a go-to, at least for a walkaround.Continue reading “7/11 (Singapore)”
Universal Studios (Singapore)
Theme Park $ There’s a couple of things you have to try when you’re at a theme park; the corn dog and turkey leg! Sadly the corn dog was a bit bland, and the chicken hot dog within tasted pretty strange. On the other hand, the turkey leg was pretty flavoursome and tender, very decent!Continue reading “Universal Studios (Singapore)”
Loui’s NY Pizza Parlour (Singapore)
Theme Park $$ Just as it started pouring rain, it was lunchtime! In standard Universal Studios style, there was a NY pizza parlour around. There was no pork, so we tried the beef salami pizza, and the kids beef meatballs mac and cheese. Not the best, but wouldn’t expect too much from a theme park.Continue reading “Loui’s NY Pizza Parlour (Singapore)”
Segafredo Zanetti Espresso (Singapore)
Cafe $$ Had just gotten Toastbox and was craving a coffee, so went to try this place. Ordered an iced soy chai and iced americano, came to $15! While it tasted nice, can’t say it was worth the price. ☕☕☕☕☕☕☕ 7/10 https://www.cremahound.com/home.html
Meta (Singapore)
Korean/Fine Dining $$$$ Very unassuming entrance to this fine dining restaurant! I’ve never had fine dining korean food, so this was a first. Beautiful interior, and lovely wait staff. Best dishes were the tuna sandwich and gimbap, but the ultimate was the Korean BBQ. It was the perfect taste combination; fatty meat, fresh veges, crispyContinue reading “Meta (Singapore)”
Parallel Coffee Roasters (Singapore)
Cafe $ This place seemed popular with expats, so thought it’d be worth a try. Mango acai smoothie nice but expensive, and the coffee was okay, nothing spectacular. ☕☕☕☕☕☕ 6/10 https://www.parallelcoffeeroasters.com/locations
Bambu (South Melbourne)
Asian $$ Came across this place in the South Melbourne Market. Always so busy there, you really have to pick your timing! They have both a takeaway and dine-in option, if you buy at the outside stall, you won’t be allowed to sit at the designated tables (something I discovered after I bought food!) TriedContinue reading “Bambu (South Melbourne)”
Bibelot (South Melbourne)
Dessert $ Had always been meaning to try this place, cakes look so enticing! Beautiful interior, a block away from the South Melbourne market. Coffees are pretty good, and cakes are delicious. 🍰🍰🍰🍰🍰🍰🍰🍰 8/10 https://www.bibelot.com.au/
Pasta Classica (Collingwood)
Italian $ Was lured in by the fresh pasta in the window. Decided to try a couple, pretty decent! Could use a bit more flavour. Will definitely go back next time I’m in the area to try others, they have quite a pasta variety. 🍝🍝🍝🍝🍝🍝🍝 7/10 https://www.pastaclassica.com.au/
Jour (Collingwood)
French/Cafe $ A beautiful little cafe on a side street of Collingwood, the interior almost looks better than the food. Would definitely come back one day to try more of their food. 🥐🥐🥐🥐🥐🥐🥐🥐 8/10 https://www.instagram.com/jourcafe/
Purple Yum Cafe (Chadstone)
Filipino/Cafe $ This quaint little Filipino joint has a fantastic ube cake that I just keep going back for. It’s not too sweet and incredibly moist, and the icing is the perfect finish. It’s very popular, and I can see why! They also sell a few traditional dishes for lunch, mostly rice based. Great simpleContinue reading “Purple Yum Cafe (Chadstone)”
Blackstar (Chadstone)
Dessert $ Of course their famous watermelon cake is delicious, but their black sesame cheesecake is really great too! Have to say the watermelon is still my favourite though, perfect balance of light and creamy but not too sweet. Also tried their limited edition hot cross buns; sweet and sticky on the outside but softContinue reading “Blackstar (Chadstone)”
Phuoc Thanh (Chadstone)
Vietnamese $ Tried the pork banh mi at this new place; not bad! Wouldn’t say it’s my favourite banh mi, and bread was a little dry, but if you’re craving a fob roll it will do the job. 🌯🌯🌯🌯🌯🌯 6/10 https://www.phuocthanh.com.au/
Morning Grind (Singapore)
Cafe $ Decent coffee! Banana smoothie wasn’t too bad either. Probably one of the better coffee places we tried in Singapore! ☕☕☕☕☕☕☕ 7/10
Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen (Singapore)
Japanese $ I can see why this place has franchises all around the world, incredibly tasty! I tried the chashu shio ramen, very tender chashu, and soft silky noodles. The broth was great too, very creamy, if a little salty. Had the stone pot curry rice with pork cutlet as well, served super hot inContinue reading “Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen (Singapore)”
Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice (Singapore)
Hawker Stall $ This Hainanese chicken lives up to the hype of its Michelin star. Super tender chicken, beautiful light but flavourful chicken rice, and only $5! Certainly a soul food I could eat everyday. Sadly, only available at the Maxwell Food Centre. 🍚🍚🍚🍚🍚🍚🍚🍚🍚🍚 10/10 https://www.instagram.com/tiantianchicken/
Ya Kun Kaya Toast (Singapore)
Breakfast $ A popular franchise in Singapore, had to give it a try! Kaya toast had a strange sweetness, and the butter was a little too hard for my liking, but still fun to try. And love that eggs is a signature add-on. 🥞🥞🥞🥞🥞🥞 6/10
Pho Hung (Springvale)
Vietnamese $ Classic Vietnamese restaurant; fast and super tasty. Had the beef brisket pho and prawn spring rolls. Beef was super tender, great quality broth, and spring rolls were super crunchy. And super cheap! Definitely a go-to if you’re in the area. 🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜 9/10
Otao (Richmond)
Cooking Class $$ This Japanese class was so much fun! About 16 people in the class, and cooked around 4 dishes, including home-made ramen noodles. Well paced, and steps were straightforward to follow. And best of all, get to eat everything you make! They send you all recipes after as well. Pricey for sure, butContinue reading “Otao (Richmond)”
Pafu (CBD)
Bakery/Dessert $ This place always smells amazing, thought I’d finally give it a try! Tried the puff pastry with matcha pistachio, very flaky and a decent bite, but could’ve been a bit sweeter. 🥐🥐🥐🥐🥐🥐 6/10
Morecake (Mount Waverley)
Dessert $ This taro bento cake looks beautiful, but sadly a bit bland! Next time may try a different flavour. 🍰🍰🍰🍰🍰🍰 6/10 https://www.morecake.com.au/
Marble Yakiniku (Glen Waverley)
Japanese $$$ Wow. What a hidden gem! Can barely see anything from the outside, but inside is a modern Japanese delight. Got the plum banquet set menu, absolutely delicious, very decent amount for $130. Highlights were the BBQ meat and the foie gras rice, insanely rich and flavourful. The cheesecake was also amazing! Fantastic placeContinue reading “Marble Yakiniku (Glen Waverley)”
Grill’d (Chadstone)
Burgers $$ Got Simon Says and Summer Sunset; have to say they nailed the beef burger! Despite advertising I’m sure it’s not exactly healthy, but sure tastes good. Chicken burger was a bit dry, but still pretty tasty. The truffle wagyu is nothing special, a bit bland. The ‘healthy’ fried chicken is decent, hits theContinue reading “Grill’d (Chadstone)”
Dumpling Empire (Glen Waverley)
Chinese $ A great place for a solid Asian meal. Very decent dumplings, noodle soup and fried chicken. Good place if you’re having Chinese food cravings. 🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜 8/10 http://dumplingempire.com.au/
Pepe’s Italian and Liquor
Italian $$ The Pepe pop-up at the aus open had the lasagna, which I am always a sucker for! Sadly it lacked flavour, would not say was worth the price. Hopefully the restaurant version is much better. 🍝🍝🍝🍝🍝🍝 6/10 https://www.pepesitalian.com.au/
Marameo
Italian $$ Got to try the pop-up of Marameo at the Aus Open. Had their black pepper pasta, can’t say I was blown away, fairly peppery, and could’ve used more cheese! It was peak dinnertime so may have been made in a rush, if I try the actual restaurant one day I hope for better.Continue reading “Marameo”
Ichi Ni (St Kilda)
Japanese $$ Just across the road from St Kilda beach, this is a perfect light lunch for a hot day. Huge variety in the menu, with fresh sushi, sashimi, rolls, baos, curry, bbq and more. We tried the Dragon and Kaisen Maki rolls, Teppan Kasu (miso eggplant), salmon tacos, Mint Ginger Smash mocktail. Eggplant wasContinue reading “Ichi Ni (St Kilda)”
Nico’s
Sandwich Deli $ Came across the pop-up at the Australian Open. Tried the chicken schnitzel and the Cubano sandwich, and wow were they delicious! The schnitzel really did not look like much, but it was well crumbed, tender meat, soft bread, and a fantastic salad! I never care for salads, but this one was slightlyContinue reading “Nico’s”
Sushi Kona (Forest Hill)
Japanese $ Stumbled across this place in a rush at the Forest Hill shopping centre, looks like a typical sushi takeaway joint, but fairly decent quality! The box I bought had great variety too. The wasabi was a bit bland but the price wasn’t bad at $16.50, would definitely get again. 🍣🍣🍣🍣🍣🍣🍣🍣🍣 9/10 https://www.foresthillchase.com.au/store/sushi-kona/
Delight Kitchen (Mount Waverley)
Chinese $$ I haven’t had decent Chinese food in a while, this place hit the spot! Known for their Peking duck which you need to order at least 24 hrs in advance. Peking duck was delicious, skin was very crispy and more filling than it looked, and the wrappings were nice and thin. The duckContinue reading “Delight Kitchen (Mount Waverley)”
Guzman y Gomez (Chadstone)
Mexican $ This place is so popular! I think it’s because they pitch themselves as ‘healthy’ and they have a drive-through. I can’t argue against the tastiness. The burritos are very filling, nachos are nothing amazing but pretty decent, and the hard tacos are super salty but very flavoursome. Chicken is mediocre quality, fish andContinue reading “Guzman y Gomez (Chadstone)”
Food&Desire
Caterer $$ Attended the tasting menu for the Food & Desire catering company. Overall, very impressed by the quality of the food! Highlights were the tuna canape, scallop and pork belly entrees, beef cheek and barramundi mains, and oven baked vegetable sides. Desserts were sadly less impressive given how great the rest of the foodContinue reading “Food&Desire”
Aru (CBD)
Asian $$$ Fine dining version of southeast Asian food! The mains blew me away, the duck was super tender and the skin was so crispy, and the clay pot rice was the best I’ve ever had, crunchy on the outside and super flavourful. Would go back just for the rice! Aru also has fancy AsianContinue reading “Aru (CBD)”
Dao Noodle (CBD)
Chinese $ Famous for it’s DMX noodles i.e. knife sliced noodles, this is a cute Chinese restaurant gem hidden away from the busy CBD streets that makes it’s own noodles. The Shanxi traditional pork noodles are beautifully fresh with a tomato sauce, almost like a perfectly balanced Asian spaghetti bolognese. The braised beef is notContinue reading “Dao Noodle (CBD)”
My Modern (CBD)
Bubble tea $ It’s definitely hard to keep up with the numerous bubble tea places in Melbourne CBD, but this was a fun one we passed and decided to try. Went for the dragonfruit tea; it was sweet but refreshing and served in a cute transparent can! My Modern is a decent choice if youContinue reading “My Modern (CBD)”