Mr D has been home alone lately and we needed to go do his weekly groceries. Of course we were hungry (when are we not?) and lucky for us, there was a burger joint right next to coles (coinkidink? I think not!). Top Bun, with a name like this, we must determine how top these buns were.
Inside sits a cozy burger joint that reminded me of a fish and chip takeaway store but a touch more modern. Thereâs not a lot of tables inside so itâs basically first in first serve for seating, luckily they also do burgers to go so donât fret if you canât find a table.Â
We got small chippies to share but the lovely staff gave us large instead (insert awwww).These were the BOMB! Crunchy and the perfect amount of seasoning. These were AWESOME SAUCE.
Large Fries - $4.95
I got the Top Bun Classic and I saw that they had onions. I asked if my onions could be cooked and they happily agreed and that was perfect. The buns itself wasnât anything special but the beef was juicy and full of flavour. The burger in general was a decent size and was absolutely AMAZEBALL. Everything just went well and there was even a perfect amount of cheese. I loved everything about it.
Top Bun Classic - $9.95
100% Angus Beef, melted American cheese, Top sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickles
I eyed in the corner a gelato cart so of course I had to get my hands on that.
We got the chocolate and lemon gelato and it was pretty average. The lemon needed to have a more lemon-y and zesty flavour and the chocolate was very rich and Mr D just inhaled it.
2 scoops - $4.95
The burgers here are reasonably priced, great quality and friendly staff. Iâll definitely be back and will make this our local burger joint once we finally move into our new place. Canât wait to get burgerfied. Top Bun, you are definitely Top Notch.
I was in good olâ springy to get my hat for my traditional dress and and I was getting a touch hungry and on the verge of hangry. Mr D quickly eyed Hoa Tran and rushed me in and promptly sat me down and started ordering from the menu. Smart kid. Anywho, Hoa Tran is in the alley way and it was super busy when we got there but we were able to snag a table.
When you walk in, itâs like every other Vietnamese eatery, signal to the staff how many people were dining, sit down and look over the menu. Mr D got the usual Vietnamese ice coffee and this was quite good. It was very bitter with a touch of sweetness and you could really taste the caffeine which is the way he liked it.
Ice Coffee - $3.50
Everytime I go to a Vietnamese restaurant I always, and I mean ALWAYS, order a durian smoothie (yay! Stanky breath time!). However, at Hoa Tran, this was a disappointment. There wasnât any durian taste at all, it was very watery and if youâre thinking about getting this, just donât. I wouldnât recommend it at all.
Durian Smoothie $6
Mr D got the crispy combination egg noodles and he noticed that it wasnât as good as he had it earlier in the week. The noodles were super duper crispy but the sauce was quite bland which was a real shame.
Crispy Combination Egg Noodles - $15
I will always, definitely, get roast duck with egg noodle soup. The soup it self was a touch on the salty side but that didnât really bother me. They were also quite generous with the amount of egg noodles which is a plus for those who have a bigger appetite. The best part, the roast duck was AMAZEBALL. The skin had a slight crisp and the duck wasnât too oily or dry. I absolutely smashed it and of course shared a piece with Mr D.
Egg Noodle Soup with Roast Duck - $11.50
The food came out really quick, the staff were polite and very efficient, however, the food itself wasnât anything spectacular and I wouldnât recommend this place if youâre looking for great comforting Vietnamese food.
Victoria Street right next to Victoria Market is the go to place if you want some cosy venues with great food this is the street to be on. Now, thereâs a new bad boy thatâs opened for 5 months or so and theyâre serving authentic Spanish Tapas and theyâre tucked away so you just need to keep your eyes opened. Right next to Victoria Market stands El Rincon, itâs quaint, itâs cosy and itâs full of personality.
I was honoured to be invited to dine by El Rincon and all opinions expressed are my own.Â
Inside, there wasnât a lot of space but you donât have to worry, you could sit at the back where itâs the communal section with the other restaurants. The decor makes you feel like youâre in Spain and most things were imported into Australia.
Thereâs also a huge selection of drinkies if youâre a tad thirsty.
Wowser, the paella in the glass cabinet looks AMAZEBALL!
Ooooh and the desserts, cannot wait!
So, thereâs a teeny secret you should know about El Rincon. Do you like sangria? Well, I do and guess what? They have sangria ON TAP! You heard me, on frigging TAP! This was AWESOME sauce and really packs a punch too. The Sangria is an old family recipe and youâll definitely will enjoy it.
Sangria
After all the chit chat and meeting everyone else, the food finally came out. First up was the Solmorejo with olives. Salmorejo is used as the base for most of the dishes and my gosh, it was delish. Definitely enjoyed this little gem.
Salmorejo and olives
Iâm a super duper big fan of croquettes and when one landed in front of me, my eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store. It was cheesy, it was meaty and comforting. The outside was crispy and crumbly and these were AMAZEBALL! I could have eaten 10 if they put 10 in front of me.
Spanish croquettes
with jamon serrano and chorizo
The sardinas fritas which were fried sardines and cod croquettes came out. I wasnât a big fan of this dish. It still had a fishy taste and was quite dry. However, the batter was lovely, golden and crispy which was a delight.
Sardinas fritas
Fried sardines and cod (bacalao) croquettes
The spanish meatballs with almond sauce didnât tickle my fancy. I wasnât a huge fan of the almond sauce, I think it just needs a touch more flavour in it. The meatball had a very distinct flavour, not bad either. Definitely a first for me.
Albondigas
Spanish meatballs with almond sauce
Last but not least, the spanish flan for dessert. This was really smooth and yes you can order it to go. It was so soft and breaks real easily so you just gotta shovel the thing into your mouth. The flan isnât overly sweet so itâs not sickening. A great choice to end the night.
Spanish flan
El Rincon is very vibrant and the hospitality was amazing. The staff will definitely look after you and the food, well make sure you get the croquette because they were my favourite!Â
Royal Stacks have had the first store opening at the beginning of 2016 and have been making a name for themselves all over Melbourne and have popped up a few stores along the way. Royal Stacks made their entrance at Chadstone right in the heart of the food court and youâll know where they are because thereâs always a huge queue in front of it.
I was honoured to be invited to dine by Zilla & Brook Publicity and Production and Royal Stacks and all opinions expressed are my own.
The store has the same feeling and decoration as all the other stores which is always a plus and makes you feel like royalty.
For their milkshakes and frozen custards, there were oh so many flavours you can pick from and even better, you can even mix and match to create new flavours (how awesome sauce is that?).
I obviously got the cheese fries and the cheese was oh so gooey. Although, it stuck onto all the fries making it so clumpy and Mr D didnât like that at all. The fries werenât crispy or crunchy and I regret not getting the cheese gems instead.
Cheese Fries - $3.80 (small)
Iâve had a few of the Royal burgers and the one which I had my eyes on was Miss Elizabeth. Now, this burger literally had cheese and beef. There was not even an ounce of veggies in sight. You could definitely taste the truffle in the mayo and the swiss cheese was magnificent, however, it needed some sort of veggie. Perhaps a slice of lettuce or even a tomato or a pickle would have done the job.
Miss Elizabeth - $11.50
All Australian pasture fed beef patty, minced fresh daily, Swiss cheese, truffle mayo
Mr D got The King and this was ginormous. If youâre not a fan of cheese, do not, I repeat, do not get this. This was cheesy filled and quite saucy. I absolutely adored the king but Mr D found it to be overwhelming and couldnât finish it at all.
The King - $13.80
All Australian pasture fed beef patty, minced fresh daily, tomato, butter lettuce, hand made mac & cheese croquette, American mustard, special burger suace
It was dessert time and we got a frozen custard each! Yes EACH! Mr D even got one for himself! Mr D got the apple pie and yes, there was an apple pie taste and oh so creamy. I got a mixture of the peanut butter and kinder surprise. This was overly sweet and not a mixture Iâd recommend if you donât have a sweet tooth.
We got the oreo milkshake and this was AMAZEBALL! It oh so oreo-y and I did not want to share with Mr D at all. But of course, I had to since sharing is caring.
The burgers are exactly what youâd expect from all the Royal Stack stores except this time around, we found the beef patty to be a bit on the dry side which was a shame. The milkshakes are to die for so definitely get them and go for the cheese gems instead of the fries if youâre into your cheeses. It does get quite busy at lunch time so come in early and check them out.Â
Food is usually the way to a manâs heart and itâs usually the same for ladies too. I know for sure that a way to my heart are goodies full of sweetness and when I heard that Laduree had popped up in Melbourne, I made sure to let Mr D know that my heart was aching. We made the road trip to Chaddy and located the cutie patootie store, right in front of H&M. Itâs an open store and you could even have tea if you had an inkling. I opted for macarons on the go.
There were quite a few flavours to choose from and donât rush because nothing good ever results in rushing.
For those whoâd love to have a bit of macarons with them, they can buy keyrings from $78 each (yes, you read it correctly).
I got coffee, rose water and I think orange blossom (I really need to get into the habit of posting right after I eat or else I forget). Mr D was a fan of the coffee (cafe) and didnât find it overly sweet. I quite enjoyed the orange blossom because I LOVE citrus and the rose water was quite sweet but still a winner.Â
The service here were impeccable. They were so patient while I stood there for 5 minutes deciding what to get and each person had a lovely smile on their faces. The macarons are $3.90 each (on the pricier side) and yes, they are crispy on the outside, smooth and crumbly on the inside and yes, they were bursting with flavour. However, compared to when I had them over in Europe, I donât believe that it was worth the price tag. There are plenty of macarons in Melbourne which can give Laduree a run for their money but check them out and see for yourself.
South Yarra, the place where you go to shop, eat, drink and just wander around. Located smack bang in the heart of South Yarra lies a modern yet authentic Italian eatery that isnât flash or in yo face. Italian Chef has been opened for approximately 3 years and it gets quite full so youâll definitely need to make a booking if you want to try out this Italian eatery.Â
I was honoured to be invited to dine by Italian Chef and all opinions expressed are my own.
We were welcomed in by the staff and was seated in the middle of the eatery. We got the drinkie which was quite popular and included negronii in a spritz and it was fresh and not too alcoholic tasting if you were not a fan of the good olâ alcohol taste.
Now, Mr D and myself have put our orders in the hands of Giuseppe and boy did he deliver. First up, he had recommend that we get the grilled eggplant. Mr D wasnât too impressed with this recommendation since he was an all meater kinda guy. When this dish was presented to us, again, Mr D looked at it halfheartedly. However, once his spoon entered the dish and was inside his mouth, everything changed. It was super duper amazeball! It tasted like it was a meat dish. It was perfectly cooked, it was perfectly seasoned, it was absolutely perfection. He did not complain at all and would recommend this dish. Â
Melanzane Parmigiana - $16
Grilled eggplant layered with Napoli sauce, mozzarella, basil and grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
The next entree we had was the puff pastry with cheese and truffle sauce. This was oh so orgasmic and I could not even start to describe how AMAZEBALL it was. The puff pastry itself, it was delicate and crumbly oh so delicately onto our plates. The sauce, if you havenât had truffle sauce before, behold, this dish will let your taste buds have the honour of experiencing the delicate and intricate flavours that truffles hides. This was the ultimate dish and I could not fault it in any way. Definitely get this dish if youâre planning to drop by to try Italian Chef.
Sfoglia di verdure - $18
Enticing roll of homemade puff pastry filled with capsicum, onion, carrot and zucchini and finished with cheese and truffle sauce
Mr D got the pasta with chicken ragu with truffle and mushrooms. Iâve never seen anyone sway Mr D when he orders and if Giuseppe told him to get this dish, Mr D went for it. This was top notched pasta. The pasta itself was homemade and the sauce was something that I could only dream of. It was light, it was truffle-ly, it was flavoursome, it was everything we could ever ask for in a pasta dish. Definitely a recommended dish after the puff pastry if youâre into your truffles.
Maccheroncino ai funghi, pollo e tartufo - $26
Scrumptious pasta served with slow-cooked chicken ragu, truffle and mushrooms
I on the other hand was a sucker for chocolate and when I saw that the Tortelli was made out of chocolate I just had to have it. The tortelli was GINORMOUS but there wasnât any chocolate flavour in it whatsoever. It was dark brown which was what chocolate was but the flavour, just wasnât there. The duck itself, was awesome sauce inside but this dish didnât compare to the pasta dish with the chicken and truffle sauce. Not exactly my all time dish but it was pretty decent as well.
Tortelli di cioccolato - $24
Housemade chocolate tortelli filled with braised duck served in a mushroom sauce with Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
Onto dessert! Mr D got the cannoli and this was lovely for him. It wasnât uber sweet and the portions werenât too large for him. it was perfect.
Cannoli
I decided to get their famous tiramisu since it was what they were known for. The sponge wasnât drenched in alcohol which was a super duper plus and the cream was to die for. Definitely one of the best in Melbourne but was it the best? I canât really say until I have ALL THE TIRAMISU (good luck on that quest Mr D).
Tiramisu
Italian Chef is an absolute gem with great quality food and service to match. Dare I say it, it is the best Italian Iâve had in a while and Iâll definitely be recommending it and will be a regular here. The owner / chef has worked at renowned Michelin starred restaurants back in Italian and with the quality of the food, you can definitely tell. Italian chef, youâve got a big ginormous tick from me.
Williamstown was holding their annual wine and cheese festival down at Seaworks Maritime Precinct. Their tickets range from $24-$48 online and dependent on how many tokens youâd like to get. For $90, you can get access to the Yealands Marquee as well.Â
I was honoured to be invited to attend the festival by Encore PR.
All entry tickets regardless of the price will include a festival glass (woohoo!) so you can start tasting all them wines/beers/cider.
I had 5 tokens to use and each token was worth $2. You could use this to sample wines or cheeses, depending on what you were interested in.
There were plenty of stalls to choose from and this is just in the inside.
There were live performances throughout the day on the stage inside the shed and you just had to look on the blackboard and see when your favourite act was on and plonk yourself down and enjoy the show.
Thereâs even a stall for balsamic too!Â
Of course there were ciders too.
The stalls donât stop inside, theyâre outside too.
Hungry for pizza guys?
Of course thereâs cheese too!
Thereâs also a grape stomping competition except I missed out on that. This is a great festival if youâre on the westside and love your cheese and wine, definitely keep an eye out for this festival when it comes back next year because Iâll definitely will be.
Saturdays are the days for food hopping and who better to explore the Melbourne food scenes then with the food hopping crew. Miss Pear was the appointed organiser for the night and she was craving for some Japanese char grill, so Wagyu Ya here we come. Wagyu Ya is located on the busy streets of Toorak Road in South Yarra right across the train station. There were heaps of parking around so donât fret about where to park your motorised vehicle.Â
The eatery itself isnât spacious and I kept getting bumped into by the wait staff. They had the tables quite close to each other which I wasnât a fan of. You could hear the next table's conversation which meant it was clearly too close to each other. Anywho, we had a booking at 7:30PM but the table wasnât ready until 7:40PM. That was rather disappointing that they werenât able to have a table ready by the reservation time. We were finally shown to our table and took a looksie at the menu.
Miss Candy got herself miso soup and she smashed it. She thought it was awesome sauce that she didnât even share.
Miso Soup - $3.90
Since there was a few of us girlies and Mr D, we got the large assorted sashimi and this was beautifully presented. The colours, the freshness, just everything looked appetizing. Recommend you guys to get this is you enjoy your sashimi.
Assorted Sashimi Plate (L size) - $36
Miss Pear was craving some raw wagyu beef and thus the wagyu yukke appeared. Mixing in the egg yolk, this was AMAZEBALL. If youâre one of the people thatâs like âoh my gosh, cannot deal with raw meatâ, bite the bullet and try this dish. Youâll definitely fall in love with raw beef.Â
Wagyu Yukke - $18
Baked almond slice on a bed of marinated raw wagyu beef with egg yolk
I had my first taste of eggplant with miso soup at the beginning of the year and when the opportunity arose for eggplant, I took it with both hands. The miso soup had a smooth and light flavour but the eggplant was a tad on the harder side then what I preferred.Â
Nasu Misoyaki - $12
Eggplant with miso soup
If you turn up to a place where it has char grill in their name, youâve gotta have the BBQ. We got a range of meats and some were better than others.
Finally, for Miss Cute Height she really wanted maki rolls because she wasnât adventurous enough for the Wagyu Yukke. She chose the vanilla of the makiâs, the california maki. This was pretty delish and she was very pleased with her choice.
California Maki - $14 (whole roll)
Cucumber, avocado and salmon
Now, if you have had karate training and mastered the art of concentration, youâve reached the level of unagi as Ross from Friends once said (or somewhat along those lines). On the other side of the world, unagi is grilled eel (well everywhere around the world to be exact) and we got the maki roll with unagi. You could really taste the unagi but I felt that something was missing though.
Unagi Avocado Maki Roll - $15 (whole roll)
Unagi, avocado and cucumber
Wagyu Ya gets quite busy so if you want to check out the eatery, remember to make a reservation (although they might not even have the table ready when they say they would). The food, there were hits and misses but overall pretty decent. Sorry Wagyu Ya but Iâll have to try other Japanese places before I come back here.
One of the girlies at work is moving across the world and she was having her farewell dinner/drinkies at Two Birds Brewing. It was a wet and windy day in Melbourne and when you step into this brewery, it was cosy, casual and very inviting.Â
Mr Angry Asian was super hungry so he almost ordered everything on the menu. First up, the nachos. These were fantabulous! There was so much cheese (mmm cheese!!) and underneath the landslide of toppings were the little chippies in hiding. This was AWESOME.
Nachos
When youâre drinking, youâve gotta have something to pick at and what was better then mixed nuts. Now, if you like your nuts (yes I said it, YOUR NUTS), youâll definitely want to check these bad boys out. With fried garlic, kaffir lime and chili, it really hits the spot. All the flavours, the warmness, just everything about it was great.
When I saw that there was an ice cream sandwich for dessert and I couldnât say no to that. These were AMAZEBALL! The cookie was doughy, the ice cream was creamy and it was oh so delish! Loved it!
Two birds brewing have their home made drinkies and they were great. Itâs a great place to catch up with your mates, have a drink or two and if youâre peckish, thereâs great range of food to choose from. Definitely drop by if youâre a beer and ice cream sandwich lover.
After a night of burgers for dinner, we decided to drop by Brunetti in Carlton to satisfy our sweet tooth. As we waited for Big L to arrive, Mr Angry Asian and I went around and picked which cakes we wanted because, well, who can ever say no to cakes! Thereâs a few Brunetti around Melbourne and Carlton is the original and the newly renovated spot (moved to another area) makes it absolutely breathtaking. Thereâs not that many seats around so be sure to stalk the tables until you find a spot for your tooshies.
They have a range of cakes and pastries and boy, do they all look yummilicious. I got the lemon tart because, well I absolutely adore lemon anything. This was very lemon-y and will smack you in the face with its flavour. The pastry was a bit disappointing though. It was very soft and not flaky at all.
Lemon Tart
Big L got the Tiramisu since she was an absolute coffee lover. This wasnât one of the best ones Iâve had. The sponge was way too soggy but the cream was delish. It did satisfy Big Lâs coffee/sweets cravings though.
Tiramisu
Brunetti has so many AMAZEBALL cakes and if youâre in the area or looking for a late night dessert eatery with your coffees, get your butt down to Brunetti and enjoy its bustling atmosphere.
Castello Blue, the name that you relate cheese to had a burger launch at Easeyâs to celebrate the release of itâs first ever blue cheese slices - Castello Burger Blue.Â
I was honoured to be invited to attend the launch by F4ward Agency, Castello and Easeyâs.
The event started off chippies coming around and they were fabulous! Super crunchy, lovey seasoned and oh my gosh oh so delish.
Potato gems came around next and these too were as AMAZEBALL as the chippies. Super crunchy, very potato-y and fits perfectly in your mouth. Yes, that is the hands of Mr Angry Asian.
As we made our way upstairs, we eyed the burger blue station. This was where the magic was going to happen. It was basically a build your own burgers (like build a bear but with food instead of plushness). As you can imagine, we were super duper excited.
There were a range of things you can put on it including whisky bacon fig jam, mushrooms, veggies, beef patty and of course, the awesome sliced blue cheese.
EVERYTHING WAS AMAZEBALL! Yes, you basically got to eat your burger the way you like it. No, Iâve never had blue cheese slices in my burgers before so this was a first. Yes, the blue cheese from Castello was awesome sauce.Â
To top off the night, the man part of man vs food was here to launch the Castello burger blue, Adam Richman. He described what was in a perfect burger, did a little poem and did a little meet and greet (fangirl moment). A great person to introduce Castello Burger Blue into the world.
If youâre a blue cheese lover and burgers are your life, you need to get on the Castello Burger Blue bandwagon and grace your burgers with pre-sliced blue cheese. You wonât regret it.
Miss Spam had a lunch house warming and people stayed for dinner and she was not prepared for that. However, due to the location of her new abode, we were spoilt for choice and decided to check out Albert and Sydney.
The building itself is one of Melbourneâs first banks and has transformed itself into a wine and cocktail lounge. I heard the pumping RnB music and rushed everyone inside. Itâs a lovely setting AND the staff are super friendly. We got a table by the bar and started looking through the menu.
I, of course, am a sucker for mash and couldnât resist the parsnip mash. I was disappointed with the mash. It wasnât bursting with flavour and was grainy and not smooth at all. Maybe check out the chippies if you want sides.
Parsnip Mash - $6
There was a special on the sliders and it was 2 for 1 of the same sliders. The first slider we got was the calamari slider. This was super duper dry. The buns were hard and dry, the calamari was really soft a touch rubbery. Wasnât a fan at all.
Calamari Slider - $8
Mr D got the confit duck sliders and found that theses too, were super dry. The duck was dry, the buns were dry, it was like the sahara desert in my mouth. However, I love the onion rings that was inside the sliders. Bonus points for duck sliders.
Confit Duck Slider - $7
House pickles & onion rings
Miss Spam got the barramundi and she quite enjoyed it. She wasnât a fan of the lemon grass broth and found it way too overpowering.
Barramundi - $32
Seared with lemongrass broth & soy black garlic mushroomsÂ
Miss Teeth got the chicken thigh and enjoyed the chicken. It wasnât too dry which is always a good thing. The chippies werenât crunchy and needed a touch more salt.
Chicken Thigh (Parma Style) - $21
Ham & Gruyere: served with chips
Albert and Sydney is located in a lovely building with beautiful interior decor. The food however, was quite disappointing but if youâre in the mood for drinkies, definitely drop by.
We received 25% off the bill with the Entertainment Book at Albert and Sydney. If you are interested in purchasing the Entertainment Book for loads (and I mean LOADS) of awesome sauce foodie discounts and 20% of memberships sold will go to Sane Australia, just click here.
It was wedding planning time and as you would know, wedding planning is tiring and uses oh so much of my energy so I needed to replenish of course. We wanted to stay in the local area and I quickly googled the closest cafe and BAM Kafe Karizma showed up. When we got there, it looked like a takeaway place and we were a tad disappointed. However, things changed once we stepped inside.
The inside was surprisingly welcoming with a warm atmosphere. The staff were so friendly and we were attended to immediately. There was a cool artwork at the wall where the toilets located too.
There was a glass cabinet at the front counter with assorted cakes and savoury dishes to choose from.Â
Mr D and I opted for a sit down brunch and took a looksie through the menu. I got a chai latte and this was oh so lovely. Smooth, creamy and full of good chai-ness. However, I would have liked honey on the side to sweeten instead of using sugar though.
Chai Latte - $3.80
Mr D got the wagyu burger with a side of chippies. The burger was delish. Great quality patty thatâs cooked to medium. The burger itself gave Mr D a kick due to the jalapenos which he absolutely LOVED. The burger is bigger then it looks so donât be fooled. The chippies were crunchy, not super oily and needed a touch of salt. Other than that, Mr D smashed the burger and would definitely get it again.
Wagyu Burger with Side Chips - $18.80
200g Sher Wagyu patty, smoked berkshire loin, jalapeno MonteryJack, Mary Rose, cos and tomato with side chips
I wanted to get something more on the lighter side and saw an eel croquette with greens and grains. This was GINORMOUS and very filling. The salad was really refreshing and there wasnât too much salad dressing which was awesome. The eel croquette was a delight, however, I did find it a touch on the fishy side. The grains and tahini yoghurt just held everything together and made the dish super duper AMAZEBALL! I did feel healthy while eating this which was what I initially wanted.
Greens, Grains and Eel Croquette -$15.80
Red & White quinoa, cooked & raw greens, cherry tomato, mixed nuts and seeds, Goji berries, Tahini yoghurt
Kafe Karizma is a lovely hidden gem in Mount Waverly and they make a mean coffee. The food is absolutely smashing and Iâd definitely be back to check out the rest of the menu.
207 Blackburn Rd, Mount Waverley VIC 3149
Facebook / Instagram
Mesopotamian âAncient Iraqâ and Mediterranean cuisine isnât something you hear everyday. Tucked on the busy street of Lygon Street in Brunswick sits a new addition to the food scene where you can find exactly just this. The Hanging Gardens has been opened for only a month or so and  when you walk past, you definitely can feel the vibe.Â
I was honoured to be invited to dine by Your Social Chef and The Hanging Gardens and all opinions expressed are my own.
The interior of the place is absolutely beautiful and transports you to another city.
Thereâs a selection of cocktails to choose from and each one is a delight and oh so refreshing. Thereâs one for everyone.
We had a banquet for the night and first up were the cold mezzas which includes salads and dippies.
The dippies here were divine and they included hummus, baba ghanouj and tzaziki. They came with mesopotamian bread and I LOVED EVERYTHING!!!
Trio Dips
Mesopotamian Bread
You need some greens in your life so of course, there were salads. The first salad was the Fattoush which had a range of things including radish, tomato, onion, parsley and pomegranate sauce. Very fresh and very flavoursome.
Fattoush
A well known salad was the tabouli which comprised of mainly parsley, onion and tomato. I was never a fan of tabouli because there was always way too much onions for my liking. This however, had a perfect balance and I LOVED IT!
Tabouli
Guess what came after the cold mezzas? The warm ones of course. There were little coquettes and kubba filled with lamb mince (I think thereâs a meaty theme and it was LAMB). Each one had tomato sauce accompanied them which I think they could have replaced with more on the sweeter side in theme with the restaurant.Â
Falafel, mmm chick peas and spices, who doesnât know these little balls of flavour. These were smashing-ly awesome sauce and I loved them. I did find them a touch on the dry side though.
Falafel
Ever tried authentic mesopotamia sausage? I sure havenât. These were a tad on the salty side but with the fresh salads, it balanced itself out. Clever little things arenât they?
Bastarma
After the warm mezzas, we were quite full but managed to soldier on and tackled the mains. The first meat to land on the table was the chicken breast skewers. You canât really go wrong with chicken and this was not dry at all (SCORE!).
Chicken Tikka
The eyes of the lads on the tables lit up when a plate of roasted lamb shank was placed on the table. Yes, the lamb was tender and fell off the shank. Yes, it was very lamb-y. Yes, it was full of flavour. Yes, the rice had an amazing assorted spices. Yes to all if youâre a lamb lover.
Lamb Quozi
Dessert was served. YASSS!! We were lucky enough to try the platter which had fennel cake, turkish delight and baklava. This is the first time Iâve tried fried fennel cake and I quite enjoyed it. I didnât find it too oily and it was quite sticky from all that sugary syrup on it. The turkish delight was a touch on the harder side than what I preferred and not as sweet as I liked it to be. The baklava was crunchy, crispy, sweet and oh so yummilicious. I quite enjoyed the baklava!
Dessert Platter: Zalebia (fried fennel cake), Rahat lokum (turkish delight), Baklava
Finally, the last thing for the night was the coffee which came out in a lovely looking decanter (very stylish!!). The coffee itself? Well, itâs super duper strong and I needed one sugar cube to sweeten it enough for me to drink. With the sugar, it was MAGNIFICENT! Definitely give this a try. Be warned though, I didnât go to sleep til 2AM, but then Iâm not a regular coffee drinker.
The Hanging Gardens offers a selection of food fromthe Mesopotamian âancient Iraqâ and Mediterranean cuisine in a buzzing atmosphere. The staff are super friendly and helpful and if youâre worried that you wonât get full, The Hanging Gardens will make sure youâll be rolling out of the door with your pants bursting at the seams.
The stooges and I have been trying to go to Tipo 00 but we keep forgetting to book. So we finally decide to commit and made a booking 6 weeks in advance (yes, that was the next available time, I KNOW!). Dinner reservations finally rolled around and we were all so pumped to finally check out the infamous Tipo 00 and their awesome sauce pastas.
The eatery is quite cosy and very warm and inviting. The staff were absolutely friendly and we were attended immediately as we walked in. We had our table for 2 hours before the next round but we were pretty sure that weâll be done wayyyyyy before then. When everyone arrived and put all our orders in, we were presented with the complimentary rosemary focaccia with ricotta and olive oil drizzled on top. This was FANTABULOUS! The focaccia is home made (you can definitely tell) and the ricotta got me super excited for our dishes.
Rosemary Focaccia with Ricotta
Our first entree was the asparagus dish with parmesan mousse since we decided that we needed something green in our diet. This was AMAZEBALL. The asparagus were cooked with a slight crunch and the rosemary and watercress gave it a subtle taste. The parmesan mousse was oh so fluffy and you can definitely tell that itâs parmesan. Definitely my favourite dish and a must order if you drop by here.
We also got the polenta fritta to share and these had a lovely crunch on the outside with a hint of rosemary. I think they need to up the salt a little bit but other then that, definitely hits the spot.
Polenta Fritta - $9
Crunchy rosemary chips
Now that the entrees were over, that means it was MAINS time!! First up was the gnocchi with braised duck with porcini mushrooms. The gnocchi was beautifully made and very fluffy. The duck was so tender and oh so lovely.Â
Miss Stooge 1 brought along her man, Mr Social Butterfly and he picked the squid ink tagliolini with squid. We found this to need a touch more flavor. The pasta, like every other pasta in Tipo 00 tasted AMAZEBALL and fresh but the flavouring just wasn't there. We also found that it was a touch on the dry side and needed a bit more sauce.
I'm a sucker for smoked eel so when I saw risotto with smoked eel, of course I just had to have it. THIS. WAS. THE. BEST. RISOTTO. EVER! Full stop. It was creamy, it was fluffy, the eel wasn't too fish, just every was AWESOME SAUCE. This was the favourite dish of the night.
We were stuffed by the time dessert rolled around but as everyone knows, there's a second dessert stomach so we just had to rotate that tummy over. First up was the lavender, honey and rhubarb pannacotta. The pannacotta was very smooth and soft and you can definitely taste the lavender. The honey gave it a nice scent which beautifully tied in all the flavours. Definitely a great pannacotta dish if you're into your pannacottas.
Pannacotta - $14
Lavendar, honey & rhubarb
Finally, the Tipo's signature dessert, their own version of tiramisu, the TIPOMISU! Sure, we all laughed at the name but once it came out and we had a taste of it, no one was laughing anymore. THIS. WAS. MAGNIFICENT. If youâre a tiramisu kinda person, this tipomisu is your kinda dessert. Definitely a must if you are a dessert lover.
Tipomisu - $14
Chocolate, coffee & mascarpone
Tipo 00 is a pasta bar which you must definitely need to check out if you love your pastas and love a place that makes them fresh. The desserts are phenomenal, the asparagus was top notched and if you need to impress your date, this is the place to go to. Will definitely come back Tipo 00, youâve won my heart.
Whist shopping around Eastland, we got a call from the Creative couple and they wanted to have dinner. We suggested Eastland since we were already there and of course, I wanted to try out the food at Kyoto Cafe since I was only there for coffees last time. We made a booking just in case since it was a Saturday night and in we all went.
If you havenât been here before, itâs a very spacious place with two levels. We were seated in the upper level and the creative couple was already there when we got there. I got a drinkie but I kinda forgotten what it was called. It had yuzu with lemonade and it was very citrus-y AND refreshing. I loved it!!
I wasnât overly hungry so I opted for something on the smaller side. I got the salmon crepe because it sounded really interesting and comes with a poached egg. The egg and salmon sat on a bed of rice with greens surrounding it. The salmon was slightly grilled and was perfect. The crepe was light and fluffy and not too thick. The best part was the egg. It was yolk-ily wonderful and it was egg-cellent. A perfect poached egg. I LOVED this dish and would definitely come back for it.Â
Salmon Crepe - $10.80
Both boys got the Black pork katsu bento box with steamed egg custard. This bento box was GINORMOUS and it is worth the money. There were black pork katsu, steamed dimmies, tempura, sashimi and many more. The boys really liked everything in the bento, especially the steamed egg custard.
Black Pork Katsu Bento Box - $25.50
Miss Creative got the grilled salmon dish (I think thatâs what itâs called) and this came with quite a bit as well. Miss Creative didnât particularly enjoy the salmon, she found that it was quite fishy which was disappointing.
Grilled Salmon - $22.00
Miss Creative got the matcha puff and this was quite large. I thought they only filled the top with matcha filling but boy was I wrong. The whole thing was matcha-fied. It was oozy and it matcha-ry, it was so droolsworthy. The puff itself wasnât as fluffy or light as I would have liked it though.
Matcha Puff - $4.00
I just got a scoop of matcha ice cream and this was FABULOUS. Very strong in the matcha flavour but not too bitter. Definitely a great way to end the night and feel refreshed.
Matcha Ice Cream - $3.30 per scoop
Kyoto Cafe is a great place if youâre at Eastland and in dire need of a Japanese fix. The bento boxes are great value and that crepe, oh my gosh that crepe was awesome. If you love your matcha, they now offer matcha beer as well! Since Iâm going to be a local soon, Iâll definitely be hitting up Kyoto Cafe more.
The burger scene in Melbourne has popped up like wild fire and thereâs a new bad boy in town thatâs been open for quite some time and is serving asian fusion burgers. Welcome to The Burger Block in Kew. Located on the main road, I was quite worried about the parking. Do not fear, thereâs plenty of street parking so donât panic.
I was honoured to be invited to dine by The Burger Block and all opinions expressed are my own.
Itâs a little olâ shop and donât let the look deter you. It does have a take-away shop feel to it but there are many additions that shows that they arenât. Thereâs cutlery and sauces by the side and itâs self serve water as well. The interior is very adorable and they have added a lot of little touches such as flowers to make it more cosy and warm.Â
If you were wondering what the burgers look like, thereâs a menu with pictures on the side bench.Â
We ordered at the front counter and was given a number for the table. You know all those times that youâve waited and waited for your food and wondered why it wasnât coming out and thought to yourself âwhy didnât they let us knowâ. Well, The Block Block provides an explanation on your table number that it can take from 7-30mins dependent on how busy the place was. I hoped and hoped that it wasnât going to be 30 mins and it only took 10mins or so which was fine and dandy by me.
Luckily Melbourne was giving us lovely weather and we were quite parched. Iâm a sucker for Matcha now and I saw the iced sencha and matcha green tea on the menu and could not go past it. The staff told me it had no sugar in it at all and they were happy to put in half a teaspoon of sugar to sweeten it up. This drink is very light and refreshing. I think I would have been happy without any sugar at all. Mr D wasnât a fan though, but then, he doesnât really enjoy matcha (WHAT?!).
Iced Sencha & Matcha Green Tea (Sugar Free) - $4.50
Mr D got the white iced coffee and ice cream and he loved that it was only ice cream and no whipped cream added. The ice coffee is refreshing with a BAM of coffee in it so Mr D was quite happy with this.
White Iced Coffee with Ice Cream - $6.00
Now, Mr D and myself LOVE chippies and when we saw that there was beer battered chippes, we were stoked. THESE. ARE. AMAZEBALL! I usually get aioli with my chippies for extra flavour these taste-gasmic chippies do not need anything. They were super crunchy with a touch of salt and it was oh so delish. My favourite chippies by far!
Regular Beer Battered Chips - $4.50
When I pick burgers, Iâm always on team beef and in the Eureka they also have ONION RINGS (OH EM GEEEEE!). The beef patty was so tender, so juicy and of great quality. The onion rings gave it a lovely crunch and the bacon wasnât too crispy. However, I did find the burger to be a tad dry overall. I think it just needs a tad more sauce and itâll be awesome sauce.
Eureka - $13.50
Mr D got the special and since we were a tad pokemon crazy, he got the pikachu burger. This was a double burger in one. It has a beef AND a chicken schnitzel, bacon and topped with jalapenos and a tomato and jap mayo sauce. This was a monster of a burger and Mr D looked in awe when it came out. There were a lot of different meats. The beef patty, SPOT ON. The chicken schnitzel was surprisingly juicy and not too oily. The jalapenos gave Mr D a burst of flavour. However, this too had the same dryness situation and needed a touch more sauce.
Pikachu Burger - $17.50
Now, if you like to have the burger block challenge, thereâs a 5kg or 3kg challenge which you have to finish in the allocated time. If you are able to do this, you get a VIP discount card, The Burger Block memorabilia and your photo on Wall of fame and on their social media page. Itâs not for the faint-hearted but give it a go if you think you can smash it. I definitely canât. Let me know if you guys do though.
The burger block is really an asian fusion burger eatery where burgers are a generous size with great patties to go with. Donât forget to get the chippies because they are to die for. The Burger Block, when Iâm around the area, Iâll be sure to be back and trying out the rest of the menu.