Linnie Eats All The Food

Melburnian loving life and of course food. Chemist by day, food monster by night. Contact: [email protected] Instagram: @linnieeatsallthefood

[airyfairylinnie]

Top Bun

Sunday 13th November 2016

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. There’s not a lot of tables inside so it’s basically first in first serve for seating, luckily they also do burgers to go so don’t fret if you can’t find a table. 

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 wasn’t 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. I’ll definitely be back and will make this our local burger joint once we finally move into our new place. Can’t wait to get burgerfied. Top Bun, you are definitely Top Notch.

Shop 12/434 Maroondah Hwy, Croydon, VIC 3136 Tel: [phone] Facebook / Instagram

[airyfairylinnie]

Hoa Tran

Saturday 12th November 2016

I was in good ol’ 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, it’s 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 wasn’t any durian taste at all, it was very watery and if you’re thinking about getting this, just don’t. I wouldn’t recommend it at all.

Durian Smoothie $6

Mr D got the crispy combination egg noodles and he noticed that it wasn’t 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 didn’t 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 wasn’t 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 wasn’t anything spectacular and I wouldn’t recommend this place if you’re looking for great comforting Vietnamese food.

246A Springvale Rd, Springvale VIC 3171 Tel: [phone] Website / Facebook 

[airyfairylinnie]

El Rincon

Wednesday 9th November 2016

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, there’s a new bad boy that’s opened for 5 months or so and they’re serving authentic Spanish Tapas and they’re tucked away so you just need to keep your eyes opened. Right next to Victoria Market stands El Rincon, it’s quaint, it’s cosy and it’s full of personality.

I was honoured to be invited to dine by El Rincon and all opinions expressed are my own. 

Inside, there wasn’t a lot of space but you don’t have to worry, you could sit at the back where it’s the communal section with the other restaurants. The decor makes you feel like you’re in Spain and most things were imported into Australia.

There’s also a huge selection of drinkies if you’re a tad thirsty.

Wowser, the paella in the glass cabinet looks AMAZEBALL!

Ooooh and the desserts, cannot wait!

So, there’s 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 you’ll 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

I’m 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 wasn’t 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 didn’t tickle my fancy. I wasn’t 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 isn’t overly sweet so it’s 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! 

69 Victoria St, Melbourne VIC 3000 Tel:  [phone] Website / Facebook / Instagram

[airyfairylinnie]

Royal Stacks - Chadstone

Sunday 6th November 2016

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 you’ll know where they are because there’s 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 didn’t like that at all. The fries weren’t crispy or crunchy and I regret not getting the cheese gems instead.

Cheese Fries - $3.80 (small)

I’ve 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 you’re 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 couldn’t 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 I’d recommend if you don’t 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 you’d 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 you’re into your cheeses. It does get quite busy at lunch time so come in early and check them out. 

Chadstone Shopping Centre, Ground Level 1341 Dandenong Rd, Chadstone VIC 3148 Website / Facebook / Instagram

[airyfairylinnie]

Laduree - Chadstone

Sunday 6th November 2016

Food is usually the way to a man’s heart and it’s 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. It’s 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 don’t rush because nothing good ever results in rushing.

For those who’d 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 didn’t 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. 

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 don’t 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.

Chadstone Shopping Centre, Ground Level Shop 1341 Dandenong Road, Chadstone VIC 3148 Tel: [phone] Website / Facebook / Instagram

[airyfairylinnie]

Italian Chef

Saturday 5th November 2016

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 isn’t flash or in yo face. Italian Chef has been opened for approximately 3 years and it gets quite full so you’ll definitely need to make a booking if you want to try out this Italian eatery. 

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 ol’ 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 wasn’t 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.  

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 haven’t 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 you’re 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. I’ve 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 you’re 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 wasn’t any chocolate flavour in it whatsoever. It was dark brown which was what chocolate was but the flavour, just wasn’t there. The duck itself, was awesome sauce inside but this dish didn’t 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 wasn’t uber sweet and the portions weren’t 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 wasn’t 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 can’t 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 I’ve had in a while and I’ll 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, you’ve got a big ginormous tick from me.

427 Chapel Street, South Yarra, VIC 3141 Tel:  [phone] Website / Facebook / Instagram

[airyfairylinnie]

Wine and Cheese Festival 2016

Sunday 23rd October 2016

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 you’d like to get. For $90, you can get access to the Yealands Marquee as well. 

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.

There’s even a stall for balsamic too! 

Of course there were ciders too.

The stalls don’t stop inside, they’re outside too.

Hungry for pizza guys?

Of course there’s cheese too!

There’s also a grape stomping competition except I missed out on that. This is a great festival if you’re on the westside and love your cheese and wine, definitely keep an eye out for this festival when it comes back next year because I’ll definitely will be.

[airyfairylinnie]

Wagyu Ya

Saturday 22nd October 2016

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 don’t fret about where to park your motorised vehicle. 

The eatery itself isn’t spacious and I kept getting bumped into by the wait staff. They had the tables quite close to each other which I wasn’t 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 wasn’t ready until 7:40PM. That was rather disappointing that they weren’t 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 didn’t 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 you’re one of the people that’s like “oh my gosh, cannot deal with raw meat”, bite the bullet and try this dish. You’ll definitely fall in love with raw beef. 

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. 

Nasu Misoyaki - $12 Eggplant with miso soup

If you turn up to a place where it has char grill in their name, you’ve 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 wasn’t adventurous enough for the Wagyu Yukke. She chose the vanilla of the maki’s, 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, you’ve 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 I’ll have to try other Japanese places before I come back here.

156 Toorak Road,South Yarra,VIC 3141 Tel: [phone] Website / Facebook / Instagram

Opening hours:  Monday - Sunday: 11:30AM - 3PM, 5:30PM - 10PM

[airyfairylinnie]

Two Birds Brewing

Friday 21st October 2016

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. 

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 you’re drinking, you’ve 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), you’ll 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.

Warm Fragrant Mixed Nuts - $7 With fried garlic, kaffir lime & chili 

Ice cream sandwich - $7

When I saw that there was an ice cream sandwich for dessert and I couldn’t 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. It’s a great place to catch up with your mates, have a drink or two and if you’re peckish, there’s great range of food to choose from. Definitely drop by if you’re a beer and ice cream sandwich lover.

136 Hall Street, Spotswood, Melbourne, VIC Tel: [phone] Website / Facebook / Instagram

[airyfairylinnie]

Brunetti - Carlton

Thursday 13th October 2016

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! There’s a few Brunetti around Melbourne and Carlton is the original and the newly renovated spot (moved to another area) makes it absolutely breathtaking. There’s 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 wasn’t one of the best ones I’ve had. The sponge was way too soggy but the cream was delish. It did satisfy Big L’s coffee/sweets cravings though.

Tiramisu

Brunetti has so many AMAZEBALL cakes and if you’re 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.

380 Lygon Street, Carlton, VIC 3053 Tel: [phone] Website / Facebook / Instagram

[airyfairylinnie]

Castello Blue Burger Launch at Easey’s

Thursday 13th October 2016

Castello Blue, the name that you relate cheese to had a burger launch at Easey’s to celebrate the release of it’s first ever blue cheese slices - Castello Burger Blue. 

I was honoured to be invited to attend the launch by F4ward Agency, Castello and Easey’s.

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, I’ve never had blue cheese slices in my burgers before so this was a first. Yes, the blue cheese from Castello was awesome sauce. 

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 you’re 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 won’t regret it.

[airyfairylinnie]

Albert and Sydney

Saturday 1st October 2016

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 Melbourne’s first banks and has transformed itself into a wine and cocktail lounge. I heard the pumping RnB music and rushed everyone inside. It’s 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 couldn’t resist the parsnip mash. I was disappointed with the mash. It wasn’t 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. Wasn’t 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 wasn’t a fan of the lemon grass broth and found it way too overpowering.

Barramundi - $32 Seared with lemongrass broth & soy black garlic mushrooms 

Miss Teeth got the chicken thigh and enjoyed the chicken. It wasn’t too dry which is always a good thing. The chippies weren’t 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 you’re 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.

382 Sydney Road, Brunswick, Melbourne, VIC Tel: [phone] Website / Facebook / Instagram

[airyfairylinnie]

Kafe Karizma

Saturday 1st October 2016

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. 

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 that’s 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 don’t 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 wasn’t 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 I’d definitely be back to check out the rest of the menu.

207 Blackburn Rd, Mount Waverley VIC 3149 Facebook / Instagram

[airyfairylinnie]

The Hanging Gardens

Thursday 29th September 2016

Mesopotamian “Ancient Iraq” and Mediterranean cuisine isn’t 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. 

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.

There’s a selection of cocktails to choose from and each one is a delight and oh so refreshing. There’s 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 there’s 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. 

Falafel, mmm chick peas and spices, who doesn’t 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 haven’t. These were a tad on the salty side but with the fresh salads, it balanced itself out. Clever little things aren’t 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 can’t 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 you’re 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 I’ve tried fried fennel cake and I quite enjoyed it. I didn’t 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, it’s 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 didn’t go to sleep til 2AM, but then I’m not a regular coffee drinker.

The Hanging Gardens offers a selection of food fromthe Mesopotamian “ancient Iraq” and Mediterranean cuisine in a buzzing atmosphere. The staff are super friendly and helpful and if you’re worried that you won’t get full, The Hanging Gardens will make sure you’ll be rolling out of the door with your pants bursting at the seams.

43-49 Lygon St, Brunswick East VIC 3057 Tel: [phone] Website / Facebook / Instagram

[airyfairylinnie]

Tipo 00

Monday 26th September 2016

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 we’ll 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 it’s parmesan. Definitely my favourite dish and a must order if you drop by here.

Asparagi - $17 Asparagus, parmesan mousse, watercress & rosemary

Next up was the buffalo mozzarella with pistachio pesto. This was pretty average and if you love pesto, this will give you a pesto hit.

Mozzarella - $16 Buffalo mozzarella, pistachio pesto & gnocco fritto

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. 

Gnocchi Di Patate - $26 Braised duck, porcini mushroom & pecorino pepato

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.

Tagliolini Al Nero - $27 Squid ink tagliolini, squid & bottarga

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.

Riso Carnaroli - $27 Smoked eel, leek & whitebait risotto

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 you’re 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, you’ve won my heart.

361 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000 Tel: [phone] Website / Facebook / Instagram

[airyfairylinnie]

Kyoto Cafe Take 2

Saturday 24th September 2016

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 haven’t been here before, it’s 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 wasn’t 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. 

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 that’s what it’s called) and this came with quite a bit as well. Miss Creative didn’t 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 wasn’t 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 you’re 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 I’m going to be a local soon, I’ll definitely be hitting up Kyoto Cafe more.

Eastland Shopping Centre, Level 3, 175 Maroondah highway, Ringwood, VIC 3134 Tel: [phone] Facebook

[airyfairylinnie]

The Burger Block

Saturday 24th September 2016

The burger scene in Melbourne has popped up like wild fire and there’s a new bad boy in town that’s 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, there’s plenty of street parking so don’t panic.

I was honoured to be invited to dine by The Burger Block and all opinions expressed are my own.

It’s a little ol’ shop and don’t let the look deter you. It does have a take-away shop feel to it but there are many additions that shows that they aren’t. There’s cutlery and sauces by the side and it’s 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. 

If you were wondering what the burgers look like, there’s a menu with pictures on the side bench. 

We ordered at the front counter and was given a number for the table. You know all those times that you’ve waited and waited for your food and wondered why it wasn’t coming out and thought to yourself “why didn’t they let us know”. 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 wasn’t 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. I’m 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 wasn’t a fan though, but then, he doesn’t 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, I’m 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 wasn’t too crispy. However, I did find the burger to be a tad dry overall. I think it just needs a tad more sauce and it’ll 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, there’s 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. It’s not for the faint-hearted but give it a go if you think you can smash it. I definitely can’t. 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. Don’t forget to get the chippies because they are to die for. The Burger Block, when I’m around the area, I’ll be sure to be back and trying out the rest of the menu.

85 Willsmere Road, Kew, VIC 3101  Tel: [phone] Website / Facebook / Instagram