Sunday, April 25, 2010 at 6:26 PM
Another cold Monday morning in Melbourne, if I was in Sydney probably I won't even bother thinking to go to office. I will just go around the Rocks and have some warm coffee/food.
At first I'm planning to go to Degraves Street area and my sis told me to try Journal Cafe.
We ordered 'Bacon and Egg Roll' and 'Avocado on Toast'.
It's a good 'wake up call' breakfast and I don't why but it feels so relaxing sitting in there in the morning. Probably, because I'm in a holiday mood or it's just Melbourne atmosphere.
Journal
Ground 253-265 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 11:33 PM
Posted by Unknown in
$30-$70,
Japanese,
Melbourne
Another story from Melbourne CBD, this time is Hako. My sister saw this restaurant from another food blog called Melbourne gastronome (use google to found it) and she heard that they have a unique Ebi Tempura.
Went into the restaurant I was impressed by their interior and atmosphere, it's a simple yet elegant style(picture above) and it's not a squeeze type of restaurant.
As we are not sure what to order, we asked the waitress what is recommended in this restaurant and she recommended a blue swimmer crab meat and tobiko with shiso leaf wrap. So we order that and boy it's sure full of flavour. You need to wrap the whole crab in leaf and have a one full bite burst of fresh flavour.
Then come the Ebi Tempura, I'm not sure what the wrap made from since it's not a normal batter more like a thinly slice pastry. One thing for sure, you can taste the freshness of the prawn.
For main courses are Teriyaki Chicken and Fish Special. Though some people may said it's only a teriyaki chicken, I believe that this dish taste much better than the food court hot bar teriyaki chicken. What really nice about it that I can taste a good flavour of well cooked chicken and just enough acidity from the sauce.
As for the fish dish, it was a fish of the day thing so I'm not sure with the fish type. The sauce was very light soy and there's a hint of sake. It's quite a clean dish without any taste of fishiness. The only complain about this dish, which is come from me personally, there's too much bone in the fish.
Overall it's good experience with the restaurant and food.
Hako
310 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 at 10:03 AM
Saturday.... while everyone still sleeping in their house. I already on my way to Redfern to documented an event called Indonesia Culture Day 2010. Arrived in the location a little bi
t too early and all of my friends hadn't come.
While I was waiting for Indonesia Culture Day 2010 to start, I saw this cafe across the road and think 'maybe I should give it a try'.
And I did, when in there and straight away noticed they have a good selection of bread and a simple breakfast menu. The interior is nice and rustic which make you feel 'it's time to relax and chill down a little bit'.
I ordered their breakfast special which consist of sausage, bacon, mushroom, tomato, bread and egg.
With accompany of coffee, the coffee was quite light and have a strong flavour.
While I was waiting for the food, I noticed that there're a lot of local people from the area come to buy their bread/pastry and in no time the cafe was full and running.
Although the breakfast menu was quite simple, I'm impressed by the selection of fresh salad and pastry available. I will definitely go back and try their bread.
Quirk's Grocery & DeliCafe
74 Pitt Street, Redfern
Monday, March 29, 2010 at 8:20 PM
Back to Sydney and with some extra spices.
This time we visit Spice I Am in the city. It was a hot day and for some reason we decided to eat something with spice.
We ordered 'Jungle Curry', 'Papaya Green Salad' and 'Basil Crispy Chicken'. The waiter warned us that the Jungle Curry is very hot and I though how hot can it be.
After the food came, I took a spoonfull of curry and I must admit it took me by surprise that the curry is really hot and it didn't stop there. The papaya salad is spicy as well (more spicier than other thai restaurant I've been to). Luckly the cripsy chicken has a mild taste.
If you want to dine there, sometimes you need to wait in a queue because the place is small and be warned that if they say it's spicy it's true.
Spice I Am
90 Wentworth Avenue
Surry Hills
Sunday, March 28, 2010 at 11:23 PM
Posted by Unknown in
$30-$70,
Japanese,
Melbourne
Let's change our pace a little bit. This time it will be Nobu.
Some of you might be familiar with the name 'Nobu'. It's no surprise, because the international flagship restaurant based in Manhattan is famous for celebrity hang-out.
Being famous for it's Japanese fusion, I have big expectation that the food will be outstanding and I wasn't wrong. It's something different from your normal Japanese dish.
My sister and I started with 'beef fillet tataki, onion ponzu and garlic chips' and 'saute mushroom salad'
The beef taste very light and easy to be have as a starter and the mushroom salad is very refreshing just perfect before you have the main course.
As for our mains, we ordered 'assorted tempura' and 'black cod with miso'. The tempura was light and crunchy as the batter is very light. For the black cod, you can taste the miso in the fish and it's break apart in your chop stick.
Nobu
Crown Entertainment Complex, Ground floor
8 Whiteman St, Southbank
Melbourne
at 10:29 PM
Second post from Melbourne is for St. Ali Coffe.
Apparently, this guy is known as patron saint of coffee. It was because he introduced coffee to Muslim mystics in the 15th century (you can read more details on their website, http://www.stali.com.au/the-saint.php).
We went there for brunch and to my surprise there're a lot of office people in there. While we're waiting for our food, we talked with 2 locals and have a good chat. Then I learned that both of them are photographers, we talked about their experiences and achievements.
Then our food came which are as above pictures(sorry guys I forgot the name). I must admit ever since I went to Melbourne and try their food, I learned(I won't say converted) that salads can have a good taste with a good dressing of course.
St. Ali - Outpost
9 Yarra Street,South Yarra
Melbourne
at 9:35 PM
For the next few post, I'm gonna put a report from my trip in Melbourne.
First up is Birman Eating, I heard from my sister that this place has a unique breakfast dish such as black rice with coconut yogurth and mango or home made crumpet.
We went there and order their speciality baked egg of the day (you need to go there and see their black board for the variation) and ricota hotcakes with berry compote and vanilla ice cream.
The baked egg taste delicious, it's a simple dish with eggplant(couple of spices, I don't know what >.<). On the other hand the ricota hotcakes a bit so-so. However, the experience and atmosphere in there is very relaxing.
Birdman Eating
238 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy
Melbourne
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at 9:07 PM
Kingsley.... I managed to spare some time to go to this place after I came back from Melbourne and I must say the meat quality did not disappoint me.
As you can see on the top, I ordered Wagyu Rib-Eye (400g) 350 day grain-fed, marble score 6-7, qld, with bois-boudron $56.9. The meat is heaven for a meat lover like me and they don't play around with the serving(actually you need to pay for the side dish) it just serve with a simple sauce.
As always in good western restaurant, we always serve by a piece of bread except this one we were served a half loaf of fresh bread. I came out warm and flaky, I assume it's just freshly baked from the oven.
These are the other dishes:
- Kingsleys Burger $19.9
grain fed beef, bacon, cheddar, rocket & beetroot relish with chips
- King Crab Carpet Bag $36.9
crab meat & tarragon butter with bèarnaise
- Mud Crab (QLD)
Singaporean Chilli Crab
Kingsleys Steak & Crabhouse
Restaurant 10/6, Cowper Wharf Rd,
Woolloomooloo
Sunday, February 14, 2010 at 10:31 PM
Ah... a late update for this restaurant(sorry guys been busy for some reason). I went to this restaurant on 23 January 2010, the week before I went to Melbourne. This restaurant was recommended by Clari(even though she never try it herself).
When I arrived there, it was a comfortable restaurant. A bit different from fine dining restaurant but it didn't match up to cafe category.
Back to food, I ordered slow cook lamb(pic: the one on the top) and I must say that it taste like lamb curry back home in Indonesia. If it was serve with rice I would believe the chef is an Indonesian. It's a very relaxing place to have a breakfast or brunch early on the day, a quite place and homey.
The following are what my friends order(from left to right):
- Poached Eggs with Hash - 2 Eggs served with Herbed Tomato, Sourdough Toast and your choice of Bacon or Silverbeet Hash
- Panzanella Salad - Ox heart tomatoes, roasted red Capsicum, dried chunks of Sourdough, Anchovy, Basil and Parsley with a Tomato Dressing and Parmesan
- Chicken Sandwich - Biodynamic Chicken stuffed and roasted then mixed with roasted Corn and Mayonnaise. Served on Rustic Loaf with Rocket.
Danks Street Depot
1/2 Danks Street (Cnr Young Street), WATERLOO
Thursday, January 14, 2010 at 11:26 PM
Another one of my favorite lunch takeaway around North Sydney. Because they cooked the food fresh from the wok and even the hot bar foods are great. If you do have extra time to wait go for the wok option.
left - nasi goreng
right - hokkien mie with chicken and prawn (special on monday/tuesday only)
I do always get these foods with extra sambals sauce(warning sambals means chili in indo/malay). They have option for vegetarian for all of the wok dishes which is good for PV as he had decided to become vegetarian for no good reason.
pad thai
For those who work in North Sydney, this is a piece of advice for you lot to avoid the queue:
"Come before 12.00 p.m."
Malacca Straits
Mount Street Food Court
99 Mount Street, NORTH SYDNEY
Wednesday, January 13, 2010 at 9:59 PM
Ah~ the smell of freshly baked bread and coffee in the morning is a heaven for some people and after I went to Bourke Street Bakery, I was converted.
It's not your normal bakery around the corner of your house(it might be for those who lived in Surry Hills) and you might be surprised by the queue on Saturday and Sunday morning.
What we ordered:
*sorry guys I forgot all of the tarts name... I just enjoy the food too much this time and forgot to write the tart name
Bourke Street Bakery Cafe
633 Cnr Bourke St and Devonshire
SURRY HILLS NSW 2010
