Melbourne
Posted on 14.04.07 in Chinese | Melbourne
Nam Loong's infamous sister, hidden away in Chinatown, is another Melbourne special. The decor is cheap, the lights are bright and the specials on the walll are presented on bold colours but the highlight of Wing Loong is sitting amongst...read more
Posted on 12.04.07 in Melbourne
There is nothing like fitting a work trip around three great meals, so the location of meetings must be planned carefully around the availability of great restaurants. A recent trip to Melbourne required especially sensitive planning, as the day was...read more
Posted on 10.04.07 in City Guide | Melbourne
John Leathlean put in his suggestions for some great new places to eat in Melbourne, a list of restaurants disguised as an email disguised as an article. Having been out of the city for a few years I am a...read more
Posted on 03.09.06 in Food Writing | Melbourne
Well, everybody is up in arms about The Age Good Food Guide 2007. It was launched to much fanfare. But has been severely criticised since. Why? Because Flower Drum has been downgraded. John Lethlean and Necia Wilden justify this shift....read more
Posted on 01.09.06 in Japanese | Melbourne | Reviews
John Lethlean from The Age Epircure has been back to Ocha, and so Feelin' Foodie has decided to have a look at what is available on the web for this fantastic Japanese Restaurant in Kew, Melbourne. Lethlean's review is a...read more
Posted on 28.07.06 in Cafe | Melbourne | Reviews
If you are in the legal precinct of the city, this is the place to go for a very good coffee. Justin is the coffee maker. He's a star, his coffee excellent. Smxl occupies an awkward corner space, almost an...read more
Posted on 20.07.06 in Cafe | Melbourne | Reviews
This corner cafe is good, definitely worth a try. Last Sunday at 10 am the place was absolutely full, with several groups patiently waiting for tables. We were kept informed of progress, treated fairly and seated without too much delay.The...read more
Posted on 18.07.06 in Japanese | Melbourne | Reviews
Great, cheap Japanese food. The way real foodie dining should be. What Matsuya's may lack in authentic Japanese dining it makes up for in good dishes, fresh ingredients and a lively atmosphere. There is nothing pretentious about Matsuya Japanese Restaurant....read more
Posted on 15.07.06 in Doughnuts | Essays | Krispy Kreme | Melbourne
Melbourne University Law students managed to tolerate the excruciating 7 hour early morning wait to secure tickets to the annual law ball, due to the assistance of Krispy Kreme doughnuts. When Krispy Kreme arrived on the scene there were smiles...read more
Posted on 15.07.06 in Doughnuts | Essays | Krispy Kreme | Melbourne
The sweet smell of fresh Krispy Kreme doughnuts travelled far and wide three months ago on a Tuesday bringing delight to business owners along Princess Hwy in Noble Park. An employee from Carpets Choice was ecstatic. Swept away by the...read more
Posted on 12.07.06 in Bakery | Melbourne | News
A recent Saturday Age ranked the best pies in Victoria. 1. Malmsbury Bakery, Mollison Street, Malmsbury 2. Georgie Pie, Sydney Road Brunswick 3. Molly Mae's Cafe, High Street Broadford 4. Mt Martha Fine Foods, Lochiel Avenue Mount Martha 5. Bohemia...read more
Posted on 18.06.06 in Doughnuts | Krispy Kreme | Melbourne | News
Krispy Kreme opened on Thursday June 22 at Narre Warren to much media and public fanfare. The Age published several articles before the launch, including a news piece regarding a group of irate parents alarmed at the excitement generated within...read more
Posted on 23.04.06 in Doughnuts | Krispy Kreme | Melbourne | News
Krispy Kreme is now in Melbourne and interest is growing. While the antithesis of much of what Foodie believes in, the doughnuts are high quality, the opposite of much fast food. Regardless, the obsession with the Krispy Kreme brand and...read more
Posted on 23.04.06 in Mediterranean | Melbourne | Modern | Reviews
La Luna continues to serve fantastic meditarranean bistro food at moderate prices. A recent family birthday saw people trekking into Rathdowne Street from as far away as Daylesford for to opportunity to spend a special occasion with loved ones. And...read more
Posted on 23.04.06 in Cafe | Melbourne | Reviews
I've made a few successful visits to Zest in Food. Eventually it deserved a metion on Feelin' Foodie. The cafe has been set up opposite Gardenvale primary school, replacing the old milk bar and canteen years ago. Zest serves pretty...read more
Posted on 21.04.06 in Melbourne | Reviews | Vietnamese
Feeling to full for Pacific House and needing some Vietnamese Soup we cancelled a booking and used mobile phones usefully (a rare occurrence) to change the booking to Thanh Ha. Once settled amongst the locals, the gringos and the televsions...read more
Posted on 20.04.06 in Gelato | Melbourne | Reviews
Another trip to Il Dolce Freddo, passing up the opportunity to visit Lix, Trampoline, Gelo Bar, Casa Del Gelato and Limonetto, although Limonetto is a bit of a drive (passing Limonetto just doesn't seem right). Gelato on a wintery Melbourne...read more
Posted on 19.04.06 in Italian | Melbourne | Reviews
Still serving great coffee, great food and in the perfect Lygon Street location. A trip back to Melbourne is not complete without a visit to Tiamo 2. And every visit leaves a crowd happy with the quality and price. Of...read more
Posted on 19.04.06 in Melbourne | Reviews | Seafood
Claypots is not the same in winter, its better. Red wine, white wine, dips and seafood are a great combination. We started with a nice white and some bread and dips. A llittle intoxicated because of the wait for the...read more
Posted on 03.04.06 in French | Italian | Melbourne | Reviews
My Vote for restaraunt of the yearread more
Posted on 30.03.06 in Doughnuts | Essays | Krispy Kreme | Melbourne
I step out into the night. My working night is over and I'm carrying 3 dozen boxes of Krispy Kreme doughnuts matching my Krispy Kreme uniform. As I walk through the city the thought occurs that I barely know a...read more
Posted on 30.03.06 in Japanese | Melbourne | Reviews | Sushi
I haven't ventured far past the oyakadon (apparently meaning mother and child...with rice (don)) which is appropriately plentiful in the egg and chicken combo. The katsu curry is crisp and delightful, likewise the gyoza. I can also recommend the yakemeshi...read more
Posted on 09.03.06 in Cafe | Melbourne | Reviews
It's a busy place, the Galleon. The beach end of Carlisle St, near Ackland St, is a perfect location for this excellent cafe. They know how to make a coffee and my friend's soy chai was consumed without complaint. Soy...read more
Posted on 13.01.06 in Melbourne | Reviews | Vietnamese
Another review, but a recent series of visits to Pacific House demonstrated the vast skills of the busy kitchen. A group of foodies starved of good vegetarian ventured down Victoria Street looking for a restaurant that would cook a vegetarian...read more
Posted on 06.11.05 in Chinese | Melbourne | News
I have been reading about favourite Melbourne haunts yesterday, and a comment on the Feelin' Foodie website caused me to revisit Nam Loong, a favourite haunt of foodies, students and other thrifty individuals. With only fond memories of this fine...read more
Posted on 19.04.05 in Gelato | Melbourne | Reviews
While there are friendlier establishments around town, Il Dolce Freddo has quickly forged a reputation for fine gelati in a great part of Melbourne. My first experience with Il Dolce Freddo was in passing, I overheard mention of a new...read more
Posted on 02.04.05 in Cafe | Melbourne | Reviews
Good food, especially the gnocchi and the lasagne, which are both weekly specials. The service is quick, the decor is decent, the large menu is large and all tasty. The almond croissants are fresh, the egg servings are large and...read more
Posted on 18.03.05 in Bakery | Melbourne | Patisserie | Reviews
One of the treasures of Lygon St. Filou's bread is some of the best in Melbourne. An almond croissant and a coffee while watching the sardines get to university is a great method of procrastination. A quick stop off in...read more
Posted on 12.01.05 in Bakery | Melbourne | Reviews
Ba Le has a statuette of the Eiffel Tower above its shop sign. Perhaps it was purchased from the Rue du Rivoli, perhaps from Vietnam? It matters not. Ba Le serves Bubble Tea (at the moment), fresh Vietnamese bread and...read more
Posted on 03.01.05 in Cafe | Melbourne | Reviews
Brunswick Street at its pretentious best. Atomica roasts and blends its own beans. They take their coffee more seriously than their patrons. Atomica offers a wide variety of beans and blends as well as different food dishes to go along...read more
Posted on 29.12.04 in Gelato | Melbourne | Reviews
Limonetto owner Nevio Belia has been involved in restaurants in years. Yet only since Limonetto has he been able to take his family back to Italy. This conical building dominates New Quay in both a physical and culinary sense. Limonetto...read more
Posted on 30.11.04 in Basque | Melbourne | Reviews | Spanish | Tapas
In the eighties Melbourne experienced a spanish crazy. Restaurants opened on Johnston St, and a night scoffing tapas was the thing to do. Well, the closure of the Bull Ring has been accompanied by the rise of tapas. Instead of...read more
Posted on 29.11.04 in Bistro | Italian | Melbourne | Reviews
One of the finest restaurants in Melbourne over many years, Grossi Florentino provides quick snacks (Cellar Bar), moderately expensive dining (Grill) and serious fine dining. Grossi Florentino ooccupies a large premises near Parliament House on Bourke Street. The Grill has...read more
Posted on 18.11.04 in Bistro | Mediterranean | Melbourne | Reviews
La Luna is a fantastic bistro in a bustling, vibrant eating pocket. The end of Rathdowne village is full of little eateries and La Luna is a favourite. Perhaps it is the way the chefs feed the staff from the...read more
Posted on 07.11.04 in Indian | Melbourne | Reviews
Deep into Hampton St. almost at the Sandringham Football Ground sits an anonymous Indian Kitchen with bain-maries full of curries and staff buzzing around doing what should be very little as they have already cooked and need to merely fill...read more
Posted on 08.10.04 in Gelato | Melbourne | Reviews
While not as weel reviewed as some of its illustrious gelato competitors, Yumbo's serves some decent ice cream at a fair price. It is an unassuming shop front, often staffed by uni students, that provides Rathdowne Village with good quality...read more
Posted on 15.09.04 in Bistro | Gastro Pub | Melbourne | Reviews
If you want to take your partner on a date Happy Days style then you could visit one of those horrible Old Time burger joints. But if you want to get really sophisticated, then take your partner to Tolarno's for...read more
Posted on 15.09.04 in Melbourne | Reviews | Vietnamese
After years of frequenting Minh Tan 2, Pacific House has become the restaurant of choice on Victoria Street. Perhaps it is the timeless roast duck that hangs in the shop front. It could also be the crackling pork and the...read more
Posted on 22.07.04 in Cafe | Melbourne | Reviews
Degraves Espresso is a bustling, charming café at the heart of the busy Degraves Street, home to CAE students, university students, high school students and city workers. Degraves Espresso serves breakfasts, panini for lunch, coffees, sweets and alcoholic beverages. Degraves...read more
Posted on 19.07.04 in Japanese | Melbourne | Reviews
This is as close to Shopping Centre eating one gets without being surrounded by thousands of parked cars, but busy Yoyogi, stituated near the busy intersection of Bourke and Swanston, is worth a visit. For tourists, or those who have...read more
Posted on 11.05.04 in Japanese | Melbourne | Reviews
A favourite of family and friends, J Café happily serves its (mainly Asian) diners delicious, simple Japanese lacking any pretense. The menu is focussed and comprehensive. The service is quick and attentive and all of the ingredients used seem fresh...read more
Posted on 19.04.04 in Gelato | Melbourne | Patisserie | Reviews
Some argue that this is the best gelato in Melbourne ($4.50 for a single waffle cone, $3.50 for a single sugar cone and $5 for a double sugar cone). A logician explained that one has the right to participate in...read more
Posted on 17.04.04 in Buddhist | Melbourne | Reviews | Tea House | Tibetan | Vegetarian
The special Chinese teas and cheap foods are the two reasons to visit the Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery. The other factor may be the fine selection of artwork, “An expression of the Buddhist concepts of virtue, compassion and wisdom”....read more
Posted on 07.04.04 in Cafe | Melbourne | Reviews
The locals claim that Cafe e Biscotti is the best of Block Arcade. Yet to eat here, I cannot vouch for this claim. But Cafe e Biscotti is worthy of review simply for its startling affagato, which is conveniently, or...read more
Posted on 21.03.04 in Cafe | Melbourne | Reviews
Hours of walking past bakeries like Franks and other European kitchens in Balaclava Road and a little gem was finally unearthed very close to Chapel Street. Milktoast has an almost generic café-stlye shopfront. But stop in for a coffee and...read more
Posted on 19.03.04 in Cafe | Melbourne | Reviews
The confides of Scotchmer Street house this quaint café, but the food is not the hottest in Melbourne. The room is attractive, and well lit, and the staff are kind, but the big breakfast lacked the flavour of the original...read more
Posted on 18.03.04 in Chinese | Melbourne | Reviews
Tucked away from hectic Chinatown, Nam Loong (2), is the brighter of the Nam Loongs. It is usually full of students. The fluorescent colour scheme is perhaps some sort of distraction from studying. Often hungry and with depleted funds, Nam...read more
Posted on 15.03.04 in Melbourne | Reviews | Russian
My Polish bloodlines inevitably impact upon my eating habits. Good borscht, blintzes or vodka are irresistible. How this has led me to Matrioshka is difficult to ascertain. A groovy granny who likes to get down on a Saturday night is...read more
Posted on 08.03.04 in Melbourne | Modern | Reviews
What started as a wine bar is fast becoming an institution. Vin is decorated like an old bottle of red and is an unbelievably popular place to hang out. The food was initially excellent but over time has lost its...read more
Posted on 01.03.04 in Gastro Pub | Melbourne | Pizza | Reviews | Russian
In early 2003 Bimbo Deluxe was the hot new venue on Brunswick Street. But my interest was piqued by the Pizza deals on a Sunday night, or during weekday lunches. $5 for a pizza is a bargain, but when the...read more
Posted on 26.02.04 in Gastro Pub | Melbourne | Reviews | Vietnamese
In February 2004 the North Fitzroy Star offered a Vietnamese menu served lunchtimes on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and it is outstanding. Located between Brunswick & Nicholson Streets, the North Fitzroy Star is attractively decorated and offers a serenity and...read more
Posted on 26.02.04 in Melbourne | Reviews | Vietnamese
Thy Thy 1 has a few things going for it, it is incredibly cheap, some of the food is very good and the special drinks are fantastic. Enough superlatives, eating at Thy Thy 1 is pleasurable, but Minh Tan 2...read more
Posted on 22.02.04 in Malaysian | Melbourne | Reviews
A Brighton favourite, Ah' Loys serves a standard Malaysian menu without the inspiration. The food is decent, but nothing to rave about. The service is friendly but that is not why foodie eats out. The take-away business appears strong, and...read more
Posted on 21.02.04 in Cafe | Melbourne | Reviews
Visits to the Hot Poppy became an addiction. On a Friday morning Foodie and a sidekick would ritually visit this North Melbourne Café for coffee and bagels before heading to the Western Suburbs for the Bulldogs training at Whitten Oval....read more
Posted on 19.02.04 in Bakery | Cafe | Melbourne | Patisserie | Reviews
One of four remaining Acland Street cake shops, Acland Cakes has formed part of the St. Kilda, European culinary institution for many years. Acland Cakes serves many delicious cakes and biscuits, all available for perusal in the shopfront. Favourites are...read more
Posted on 19.02.04 in Melbourne | Reviews | Turkish
Alasya and Alasya 2 (163 Sydney Road) appeal to a broad audience, but the food is variable. The dips and turkish bread are a good way to start the meal, although the dips are better at A1 bakery down the...read more
Posted on 18.02.04 in Bakery | Lebanese | Melbourne | Reviews
Lebanese Pizza or man'ouche is one of the culinary highlights of Melbourne's northern suburbs, and there is nowhere better than Preston's Cedar Bakery and Brunswick's A1 bakery. Usually eaten for breakfast in Lebanon this thin treat is a great way...read more
Posted on 04.02.04 in Indian | Melbourne | Reviews | Singaporean
Matt Preston in The Age gave Bismi a good review, whilst noting its limitations. I noticed a few more, and my bowels, which suffered under extreme conditions, concurred. The curries are not the strength of the restaurant, although the astonishingly...read more
Posted on 28.01.04 in Indian | Melbourne | Reviews
Another India restaurant with a reputation, it had been so long since I had eaten at Bombay By Night that I couldn’t remember how good it is. My strongest recollection of Bombay By Night was that the bottleshop nearby is...read more
Posted on 19.01.04 in Melbourne | Mexican | Reviews
Armed with a famous young chef (Justin Pola) who believes that Mexican food will be the next best thing, Blue Corn has decided to play the mad scientist. The food is experimental, an evolution of the ubiquitous tacos, burritos and...read more
Posted on 18.01.04 in Cafe | Melbourne | Reviews
Another Block Place venture, Caffe Caffe Cortile is small and charming. The coffee and hot chocs are good but the food is still a but overpriced. It is just a Block Place blackspot on my part. The Ragu was once...read more
Posted on 06.01.04 in Chinese | Melbourne | Reviews
Supper Inn is regularly reviewed in the superlative. The price taking public are told that it is the place that chefs go for a late night feed, that it is always busy and that it is always excellent. It is...read more
Posted on 16.12.03 in Israeli | Jewish | Melbourne | Reviews
Scheherezade was opened by a Polish Jewish refugee couple, named after the café in Paris where the partners spent one New Years Eve (thanks to the SBS eating guide to Melbourne 1997) after surviving the war. Although many new Acland...read more
Posted on 13.12.03 in Indian | Melbourne | Reviews
Quick, cheap and easy. When food like this can be done for the price of a Burger-Meal and McDonalds one must wonder why sugared buns and fake meat dominated the fast-food market for half a century. Or perhaps a more...read more
Posted on 02.12.03 in Indonesian | Melbourne | Reviews
An Indonesian fast food franchise (see http://www.esteler77.com/ for more details), Es Teler serves average food at cheap rates. The food is nothing to rave about, but it comes out quickly, and the ingredients are quite fresh. The spring rolls were...read more
Posted on 02.12.03 in Bubble Tea | Melbourne | Reviews
The Bubble Tea explosion of Singapore has never overcome Melbourne, but Quickly on Bourke Street stands resplendid alongside the Salads Plus revolution. A Taiwanese franchise, Quickly need to hijack the airwaves of Melbourne to announce the arrival of Bubble Tea,...read more
Posted on 27.11.03 in Bakery | Lebanese | Melbourne | Reviews
In Slapstick, a Kurt Vonnegut novel about a set of genius, eyesore, monster twins born in a confused United States, Darwinist evolutionary principles are questioned and the myth of the pyramid creation is solved (gravity is variable). Perhaps the most...read more
Posted on 25.11.03 in Bubble Tea | Melbourne | Reviews
Many Melbournians believe that they can completely isolate the causes and effects of changes in their body. I am sceptical, yet I still believe that the Almond Milk Tea with Pearls and a sickly blue Champagne Pudding caused the explosive...read more
Posted on 24.11.03 in Melbourne | Polish | Reviews | Russian
Borsch, Vodka & Tears is a Chapel Street haunt that opened in 2001, serving up a plethora of fine vodkas. The menu is divided evenly between vodkas and foods, although this probably understates the ratio of Vodka consumption in Poland...read more
Posted on 18.11.03 in Indian | Melbourne | Reviews
An over-hyped restaurant which suffers under the burden of unfulfilled, or unfulfillable expectation. Whether this has solely been created by critics is debatable, but the “finest Indian restaurant in Melbourne” is not the yardstick so consistently promulgated. Templestowe being a...read more
Posted on 09.11.03 in Melbourne | Pizza | Reviews
i Carusi, an inspiration to Melbourne foodies, and an aberration to the local pizza takeaway. Foodie is no pizza expert, but the subtle flavours, thin base and abundance of prosciutto are overwhelming. I had heard rumours of great pizza at...read more
Posted on 09.11.03 in Japanese | Melbourne | Reviews | Sushi
Decent, cheapish sushi is all I have to say for this sushi bar close to Parliament house and the Metro. It is often busy but I have never properly dined in, only stepping in briefly to order takeaway hand rolls...read more
Posted on 21.10.03 in Bakery | Cafe | Melbourne | Reviews
Aviv serves Melbourne’s best boiled bagels. They are around 50 cents, light, fresh and delightful. Make sure you plan a visit before midday to ensure that stock is plentiful, although the production line continues to increase to satisfy demand. Aviv,...read more
Posted on 18.10.03 in Armenian | Melbourne | Reviews
Another fine little eatery in Carnegie, Cafe Armenia serves dips, soups and meats to a range of customers incuding Russian Jews. Unfortunately, few Armernians seem to visit the restaurant. Cafe Armenia is a small little restaurant that plays Armenian music...read more
Posted on 15.10.03 in Gelato | Italian | Melbourne | Reviews
Brunetti is, officially, a Melbourne institution. It has defied the ages to remain an important fixture on Lygon Street. But there is more Food Court than cafe to Brunetti these days. It is the superstore of cafes, with everything a...read more
Posted on 10.10.03 in Cafe | Melbourne | Reviews | Spanish
The Tapas boom of the 1980s has some remnants scattered around Melbourne. Barcelona Café takes tapas tastes and creates St. Kilda chic. Gone is the chaos of beer, wine and food flying in all directions, the chatter of increasingly intoxicated...read more
Posted on 08.10.03 in Melbourne | Pizza | Reviews
As the size of the restaurant chain increases the quality decreases. Godfathers follows this maxim. Operating since 1993 Godfathers serves decent quality pizza at an average price. Don't travel up Sydney Road expecting wood-fired heaven or Italian minimalism. Travel for...read more
Posted on 06.10.03 in Gelato | Melbourne | Reviews
Casa Del Gelato is a Lygon Street Gelato house that does not compare to its rivals, Il Dolce Freddo and Gelo Bar. The Gelataria thrives during hot summer nights, and serves an enormous variety of gelato, including fat free flavours....read more
Posted on 03.10.03 in Laksa | Malaysian | Melbourne | Reviews
Laksa King may be the best laksa in Melbourne. Intrepid laksa devotees have scoured the burbs for the best laksa in town, but keep returning to the Laksa King for the cheap prices, the deep bowls and the creamy coconut...read more
Posted on 03.10.03 in Indian | Melbourne | Reviews
Indian Palace is another Indian restaurant. Much like Bhoj in the Docklands, Indian Palace is hoping that Foodies shift from traditional Indian eateries to modern, stylish, yet slightly charmless, abodes. White walls and minimalist decor are the surrounds in which...read more
Posted on 02.10.03 in Japanese | Melbourne | Reviews
Yamato is tucked deep into Corrs Lane in Chinatown (Little Bourke St.). It is a cozy space occupied by a quaint whitewashed building that has the Age Cheap Eats Guide of 2001 gushing with clichés. Yamato is not dirt cheap,...read more
Posted on 28.09.03 in Cafe | Melbourne | Reviews
At a lose end during swotvac, I asked a housemate for some advice on breakfasts around the area. Without a question she listed three places, Rays, Small Block and ici. I had passed ici on a couple of occasions and...read more
Posted on 28.09.03 in Japanese | Melbourne | Reviews | Sushi
Within suburban Kew is hidden one of Melbourne’s great Japanese restaurants. Fomerly a butcher’s shop, Ocha is regularly booked out weeks in advance. The tiny shopfront barely fits 30 people into a gorgeous room. There are two dinner sittings and...read more
Posted on 22.09.03 in Italian | Melbourne | Reviews
In my formative years I would occasionally meet my father in Hardware St. during his lunch break. I was pre-teen, and my dream was definite and attainable. I would eat lunch at Campari every day, and work in whatever capacity...read more
Posted on 20.09.03 in Chinese | Melbourne | Reviews
A write up in the Age put a positive spin on the Health & Safety inspections that faced Camy Shanghai Dumpling in early 2002. Luckily all as been forgiven as the proprietor Jiang Winston attended a Department of Human Services...read more
Posted on 18.09.03 in Melbourne | Reviews | Thai
Circumstance, like perception and expectation, governs our responses implicitly and definitively. Arriving at Thai Taste with a Thai chef and other native Thai is a different proposition from a regular evening at a Thai restaurant. The minutia was arranged through...read more
Posted on 10.09.03 in Cafe | Melbourne | Reviews | University
Spending five years at Melbourne University is depressing enough due to the standard of modern academia which is often worse than highschool, but the state of the food court is disgusting. After spending a semester eating expensive crap like bland...read more
Posted on 09.09.03 in Cafe | Melbourne | Reviews
This small café on the Eastern side of Flinders Lane has seen better days. I read about this small venue in ‘Mietta’s Eating & Drinkinng in Melbourne 1999’, and the prospect of visiting ‘Guggenheim’ to be part of those ‘who...read more
Posted on 05.09.03 in Malaysian | Melbourne | Reviews
Blue Chillies is a funky Brunswick St. establishment with a standard menu and good food. I have visited the restaurant a couple of times, each visit leaving satisfied but not enraptured by the dining experience. Traditional Malaysian food is prepared...read more
Posted on 01.09.03 in Cafe | Italian | Melbourne | Reviews
To those who live south of the Yarra in their formative years, Lygon Street always promised great Italian food, great coffee and great desserts. Of course, Melbourne University offered the enormous advantage of begin close to Lygon. But this promise...read more
Posted on 27.08.03 in Lebanese | Melbourne | Reviews
A Lebanese friend introduced me to Tiba’s saying that while the food may not be the best in Melbourne the staff were friendly and the experience authentic. Instead the waiters did not speak a word of Arabic and the food...read more
Posted on 21.08.03 in Italian | Melbourne | Pizza | Reviews
Martinelli is typical local pizza. The taste is average, the prices are average, but the distance that needs to be covered to hit a top-notch pizza joint is too great when pizza cravings arrive. New owners, or a new kid...read more
Posted on 11.08.03 in Korean | Melbourne | Reviews
After the intial discovery of Kim Chi Grandma on Koornang Road, Carnegie, I commenced some foodie sleuthing. The first step was to track down other Korean restaurants and the second to investigate the quickly developing eating centre of Carnegie. The...read more
Posted on 05.08.03 in Melbourne | Pizza | Reviews
Being the first review a couple of ground rules should be set. The reviews will take the format describing the pre-meal setting, the impact and effects of the meal, and quite possibly the short and long term consequences, much like...read more
Posted on 05.08.03 in Cafe | Melbourne | Pizza | Reviews
As long as you order pizza or the wedges (and don’t look at the state of the kitchen) you cannot go wrong at Archies. $3.50 for a quarter of a large pizza and a sprinkling of fat wedges is great...read more
Posted on 03.08.03 in Austrian | German | Melbourne | Reviews
Last week as I strolled through Market Lane the waiting staff at Hofbrauhaus led a stupefied eating group through the streets to the sound of some merry tune. I recalled the 21st birthday dinner invitation that I accepted, a meal...read more
Posted on 24.07.03 in Indian | Melbourne | Reviews
Rajbhog may be good a la carte but it was in its buffet Sunday lunch guise that I have experienced it. The deal is simple and way too cheap. Pick an entrée, eat as much of the standard mains as...read more
Posted on 11.07.03 in Indian | Melbourne | Reviews
Guru Da Dhaba claims to be Victoria’s first Dhaba house, an Indian foodstall which sells simple, hawker style food from fresh ingredients. The food on Johnston Street is so good, my mouth is watering for India. The curries are exquisitely...read more
Posted on 23.06.03 in Bakery | Cafe | Melbourne | Reviews
Challah, Sourdough, coffee, blintzes, herbal teas, great atmosphere. There are some many reasons to visit Babka, but number one has to be the sensuous almond croissant. It melts away, and has a perfect amount of almond meal, not too overpowering....read more
Posted on 22.06.03 in Melbourne | Reviews | Vietnamese
Vietnamese on Victoria Street is a fantastic. The street buzzes with irate drivers, deathly slow trams and all kinds of butchers, fishmongers, Asian grocers and restaurants. Minh Tan 2 was first visited years ago on the recommendation of relatives, ‘the...read more
Posted on 08.06.03 in Bakery | Cafe | Melbourne | Patisserie | Reviews
Famous for its cake shops and European influence, Acland Street is slowing becoming a culinary wasteland. Founded by migrants and epicurians, the cake shops are burdened by rent hikes they partly caused. This is a cycle in which they are...read more
Posted on 06.06.03 in Chinese | Melbourne | Modern | Reviews
Open since 2002, Asiana is a fine Chinese restaurant with delicious, upwardly priced food. It has been a successful venture based on subtle flavours, conservative surrounds and attentive service. Asiana has avoided the heavy flavours that dominate suburban Chinese restaurants,...read more
Posted on 27.05.03 in Indian | Melbourne | Reviews
The family favourite has been through tough periods, but we have supported the restaurant for many years and cannot remember it as good as it is right now. Regularly on a Sunday night my family orders Shalimar takeaway. I cannot...read more
Posted on 19.05.03 in Cafe | Melbourne | Modern | Reviews
Another Block Arcade establishment, Café Segovia is a well known favourite. Renowned for serving some of the best breakfasts in Melbourne, Café Segovia also serves up tasty dinners and lunches. The snack menu is significantly lacking, although once again this...read more
Posted on 13.05.03 in Japanese | Melbourne | Reviews | Sushi
Like McDonalds, at Macchiato What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG in computer acronymous talk). The meals are either pictured or on display, much like the former king of the fast food world (I believe Donuts are now in)....read more
Posted on 08.05.03 in Korean | Melbourne | Reviews
There are few Korean restaurants in Melbourne, and a couple are found on Koornang Road, Carnegie, close to Dandenong Road. Kim Chi Grandma is outstanding, the ribs are absolutely fantastic. Korean Barbeque used to be fashionable, although now the cooking...read more
Posted on 07.05.03 in Italian | Melbourne | Pizza | Reviews
In year 12 my French teacher order pizza that was bursting with toppings, spices, herbs and flavour. The inspiration was broad and the taste varied. The Hawaiian was an art-form, a door into a world of palatally pleasing products. I...read more
Posted on 02.05.03 in Indian | Melbourne | Reviews
Indian has hit Glen Eira Road and the locals go crazy for the fresh, flavoursome curries at Bala Da Dhaba. Good Indian is an important variable for the modern house-hunter, and those living near Ripponlea must be grateful that such...read more
Posted on 21.04.03 in Bubble Tea | Melbourne | Reviews
A year ago Bubble Tea hit Melbourne. It slowly built, with the product a $3 artificially flavoured tea filled with pearls inspired by the increasing number of international students with high disposable income. Bubble Tea allegedly originated in Singapore, and...read more
Posted on 20.04.03 in Japanese | Melbourne | Reviews
Hanabishi took out the Epicure Best Japanese Restaurant Award of 2003 (The Age). It was family business that led my to King’s Way, near Bourke Street. A sparse room, utterly unpatroned, greeted us early on a Friday evening. A delightful...read more
Posted on 18.04.03 in Melbourne | Nepali | Reviews
The Gurkhas chain extends to some of the major eating streets in Melbourne, Flinders, Lygon, Chapel and Roads Bridge and Sydney. But it was Gurkhas Lygon street that I decided to visit to sample the Nepalese cuisine and have a...read more
Posted on 06.04.03 in Malaysian | Melbourne | Reviews | Thai
Red Chillies serves good Thai food in a wonderfully relaxed restaurant. The low tables are beautifully decorated, and the décor is relaxing and surprisingly intimate. Red Chillies is much more conducive to a long, intimate meal or a rowdy group...read more
Posted on 05.04.03 in Cafe | Melbourne | Reviews
Cakes By The Church St Pantry took Brighton by storm before cafe society had taken over south of the Yarra. The oversize menu, fresh faced staff and peroxide attracted the nouveau in droves and they have stayed. They stay for...read more
Posted on 04.04.03 in Japanese | Melbourne | Reviews
Tokio is a little Japanese Eat-In or Takeaway near Bourke Street Mall. It is opposite Laurent, gazing at those cakes would test everybody’s limits of self-control. At lunch hour is is peak hour. Any other time and Tokio is quiet...read more
Posted on 01.04.03 in Chinese | Melbourne | Reviews
Many superlatives are spent on Flower Drum and its kind. Initially I was critical of the Chinese restaurant, but a subsequent visit has changed my mind somewhat. This website has small, local, home-cooking focus. It does not ignore restaurants like...read more
Posted on 21.03.03 in Chinese | Dim Sum | Melbourne | Reviews
David’s, semi fine-dining on Cecil Place, just off Chapel Street, is a dignified Chinese restaurant with a good menu, great food and great service. While not as cheap as many foodie favourites, David’s is a great location for a special...read more
Posted on 08.03.03 in Cafe | Melbourne | Reviews
Great cafe, but could lose the attitude. The propaganda is listed below, but Wall Two 80 is not everything that the critics say. Two of my four coffees there have been burnt, and for those who like to sit down...read more
Posted on 08.03.03 in Cafe | Melbourne | Reviews
I keep getting sucked in to Block Place. During the week the busy Degraves Street remains a better option, but on a warm Thursday or Friday night Block Place is great. The only problem is the eateries. Brown Sugar Cafépromises...read more
Posted on 22.02.03 in Indian | Melbourne | Reviews
A free Sunday afternoon and an alarming curiosity to visit ‘Little India’ Foodie and friend drove to Dandenong to sample the curries and sweets of this concentration of eating houses. Calcutta Sweets beckoned across the road from the Bazaar and...read more
Posted on 21.02.03 in Indian | Melbourne | Reviews
Frequented by touring Indian cricket teams and Indian lovers alike, Balti Cafe serves Indian food the way it should be, tasty, westernised and at the right price. In all seriousness, the Balti Cafe serves a creamy chicken korma that is...read more
Posted on 18.02.03 in Cafe | Deli | Melbourne | Reviews
A favourite breakfast location, the Benedykt Deli Café lives in the heart of Acland St. and is regularly full. After one visit the reasons are clear, there is very little room (four tables inside and two outside), the coffee is...read more
Posted on 29.01.03 in Bakery | Israeli | Jewish | Melbourne | Reviews
The SBS Eating Guide to Melbourne 1997 contends that Glick’s is synonymous with ‘bagel king’. While Aviv may be the holy grail of bagels, Glick’s remains an important bakery in St. Kilda East. Bagels of all varieties are baked at...read more
Posted on 02.12.02 in Gelato | Melbourne | Reviews
Acland Street, with its array of eateries, delis, and desserts was lacking in the ice cream department for a number of years. Not through lack of retailers, as New Zealand Ice Cream, Copenhagen and Carousel have all tried their luck....read more
Posted on 23.11.02 in Chinese | Melbourne | Reviews
Da Hu Duck is an authentic Chinese restaurant in Chinatown, according to John Schauble of The Age “The food here draws on the traditional cuisines of Beijing, Shanghai and Sichuan, featuring dishes less well-known than Cantonese-style food in Australia. The...read more
Posted on 21.11.02 in Chinese | Dim Sum | Melbourne | Reviews
Tai Pan breaks the monotony of wide, fast rods, dry surrounds and ubiquitous urban sprawl. It specialises in yum-cha (dim sum), especially on Sunday mornings when it is rampantly busy. Tai Pan is a legitimate competitor to Chinatown for dim...read more
Posted on 29.10.02 in Laksa | Malaysian | Melbourne | Reviews
The highlight of the Chinta chain, Chinta Blues is reliably great Malaysian food, at a moderate price. Set just off Fitzroy St. near Mink Bar parking is tough and so is finding a table outside when the weather is good....read more
Posted on 28.09.02 in Laksa | Malaysian | Melbourne | Reviews
This Malaysian hawker style restaurant is famed for its curry laksa and hawker meals. The only two that I have tested were the Char Kwai Teow and the normal Laksa. The laksa sauce has a spicy kick but is creamy...read more
Posted on 11.08.02 in Japanese | Melbourne | Reviews | Sushi | University
Located within the Melbourne University Student Union Plush Fish is a great business for the owners and for the students. But queues can reveal two realities. One is a meal too fine to imagine but the other is less palatable....read more
Posted on 31.07.02 in Melbourne | Modern | Reviews | Spanish
Ask people to gush about restaurants and inevitably Chez Phat becomes involved in the conversation. The restaurant lives in a great spot, just off Little Bourke St. near Russell; the heart of Chinatown. One is made aware of Chez Phat...read more
Posted on 06.07.02 in Cafe | Melbourne | Reviews
My last visit to Henry’s House saw disaster strike this aesthetically pleasing establishment, the chef was sick. Delivered without Basil Fawlty’s gleeful acceptance of ineptitude, the message was the same, everything that looked good on the menu was “off”. Fortunately...read more
Posted on 04.06.02 in Greek | Melbourne | Reviews
Stalactites was Melbourne’s first 24 hour restaurant when it was opened in 1978 by Nondas and Maria Konstas. I have not eaten at the restaurant itself, although I have frequented the takeaway section on many evenings when souvlaki or moussaka...read more
Posted on 13.05.02 in Chinese | Melbourne | Reviews
Nam Loong (1) was a recommendation from a man in a dark alley and a friend. And it was a saviour for a number of years. Cheap Chinese food does not have to be bad. Nam Loong (1) is great....read more
Posted on 26.04.02 in Deli | Markets | Melbourne | Reviews
The Bratwurst Shop at Shop 99 in the Deli section of the Queen Victoria Market is a market institution and a Melbourne favourite. The veal, mild and spicy bratwursts are cooked and served in a tiny shop front that services...read more
Posted on 08.04.02 in Cafe | Greek | Melbourne | Reviews
For three years Pearls Café was the only place to eat around Melbourne Uni (where else could one devour an enormous schnitzel roll for $5?). Everything at the University was overpriced and overrated. A series of long breakfast and lunch...read more
Posted on 11.07.87 in Greek | Markets | Melbourne
Prahran Market is Melbourne's second oldest market and second largest. Many of the people I know regard it as Melbourne's best, and speak of it as glowingly as I speak of Victoria Market. They point out its advantages: it's cleaner,...read more
Posted on 10.07.87 in Japanese | Melbourne | Reviews | Sushi
This excerpt from Good Enough to Eat in 1987 discusses the state of Japanese goods in Melbourne. Fresh Japanese ingredients have been available for a long time in Melbourne, but fresh tofu would hardly rate a mention today. See Feelin'...read more
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