The Food Complex

Cumulus Inc.

2011-04-12T20:31:00.001+10:00

Consistent is a hard description to attain, but at Cumulus Inc. the food is just that. The food I ate at this restaurant was presented well and tasted excellent.

Cumulus Inc.'s slow cooked octopus was a particularly exceptional dish, the octopus was incredibly tender, and the creamy aioli, slight hotness of the chilli along with the strong taste of olives made for a unique dish.

The combination of perfectly cooked albeit cold scallops and bacon worked well whilst the

confit duck leg was extremely well cooked, with yielding flesh and a crisp skin. The duck breast was also cooked tender, the spiced turnips on the otherhand didn't appeal much (though this probably came down to a personal dislike for turnips)

The cracked wheat and frekeh salad is however a low point of the meal. Although texturally sound thanks to the almonds, the excessive amount of mint used made the salad hard to finish.

With such quality dishes, it is hard to deny Cumulus Inc. anything less than praise.

Slow Cooked Octopus with Aioli and Dehydrated Olive

Cracked Wheat and Freekeh Salad, preserved lemons and barberries

Seared Scallops, fresh bacon, pearl barley and sorrel

Confit Duck leg, duck breast, plum sauce and spiced turnips

The Hardware Societe

2011-04-11T22:28:00.000+10:00

It is hard to miss the Hardware Societe when reading through the multitude of food blogs written by Melbournians, and even harder not to resist going to the Hardware Societe having these blogs, so it was on a rainy Thursday that I finally found seats having tried twice before without any luck.

The spatchcock I ordered was cooked well with soft flesh and a crisp skin. The inclusion of purple carrots was very appealing however I found that the typical orange coloured carrots to be far sweeter. The olives were also a good addition to the dish however the cauliflower component of the dish was one which I found difficult to enjoy as it had an odd taste I could not identify.

Regardless, the dish overall was enjoyable and restaurant worth the praise and adoration of the hordes of food bloggers.

Menya Ramen

2011-04-10T23:32:00.001+10:00

There are some who have obsessions with chocolate or macarons, for one of my friends his obsession with ramen has prompted him to visit many ramen restaurants in Melbourne alone, however this was one of the many times, some others and myself accompanied him.

Although my friend was happy to order a bowl of ramen, having tried ramen at Ramen-Ya and not really liking it, I instead ordered a bowl of udon noodles. The udon dish although as a whole was enjoyable, mainly due to the broth and large portion fo pork, many aspects of it were not appreciated like the deceptively large prawn tempura that was composed more of fried batter than prawn and the cold pieces of thinly sliced crab sticks.

Menya Ramen's "gyoza pizza" was another dish ordered by the group, and was basically a plate covered with average tasting gyozas that were filled with pork that seemed to be shredded rather than minced.

Overall, though the food isn't particularly of note, it is extremely filling and good value for money.

Vegie Bar

2011-04-06T22:20:00.000+10:00

Although I may gain the chagrin of some, there is no denying that the Vegi Bar feels very much like a hub for urban hippies, nonetheless it is a comfortable place to eat and enjoy a nice talk with friends and the range of food is quite extensive for a place serving only vegetarian dishes.

The pasta (creamy mushroom, parmesan and pumpkin) is relatively good value for money. The ravioli themselves are cooked well, and the sauce is good. However I could not help but think that the sliced fresh tomatoes and salad hidden underneath the ravioli was a means of making the meal seem more substantial. Although I found there to be too many olives in the sauce, and I couldn't really taste any "creamy mushroom" or "pumpkin", the dish was quite enjoyable.

Naked for Satan

2011-04-06T22:12:00.001+10:00

The most memorable aspect of Naked For Satan won't necessarily be their food, but the bill you will end up paying (granted you ate between 12-4pm). 50c for one pintxos; one slice of baquette topped or spread with a range of savoury treats is incredibly good value. There are pintxos with scallops, pea puree, smoked salmon, ham, mushrooms, rice balls to prawns. Although they aren't any particularly delicious pintxos which make you rush back to collect a plateful, fortunately there won't be any you will spit out in disgust. Even if you find one you don't really like, you will end up not minding when you go to collect the bill.

Shocolate

2011-04-06T21:40:00.003+10:00

The macaron craze has been sweeping Melbourne for quite some time now, particularly since Adriano Zumbo's infamous Macaron Tower struck fear into the Masterchef contestants last year, so when there was a sign with "Melbourne's Best Chocolate Macaron" near the entrance to Shocolate, I paid for it despite giving my friend the "WTF" look when we noticed the price.

After slowly dissecting it, I can only conclude that the price for Shocolate's black and white macaron is exorbent (Though I should've seen coming since it was incorrectly labelled a "Macaroon"). There is no denying that the chocolate and vanilla ganache is of excellent quality, but the macaron itself lacks the feet ususally found and lacks the ideal airy texture. It was definitely not worth $10, even though it was twice the size of an average one and had the novelty of some gold leaf sitting on top.

Il Dolce Freddo

2011-03-23T19:19:00.066+11:00

The range of different ice cream flavours Il Dolce Freddo makes, will satisfy even some of the pickiest. There are flavours like Chocolate, Fererro Rocher to Black Sesame and even Durian. And like the old adage, "Quality over Quantity", some of the flavours don't come up to scratch like lychee or pistachio, however with a few visits you will be bound to find a flavour you will like.

Yu-U

2011-03-17T19:19:00.064+11:00

The lunches at Yu-U are considered one of the best kept secrets in Melbourne, especially when the restaurants is hidden behind such a plain red door and no signage. The lunches though of excellent quality aren't particularly filling.

All their set lunches come with a particularly good miso soup that doesnt cloud up when eaten, rice, small salad of seaweed and a wedge of fruit, in this case an orange cut cleverly so that it can be eaten with one bite without the need to get the juices all around your mouth.

What differentiates these set menus, are the "mains" of the lunch, ranging from sashimi to tonkatsu. The sashimi was fresh and are accompanied with what seemed to be fresh wasabi. The pork dish (the name of which I can not remember due to the waitresses preventing me from taking photos) was notably well cooked, the tonkatsu however is extremely plain. Accompanying the pork and tonkatsu was also a small tasty salad and mashed potato.

Cookie

2011-03-17T11:32:00.080+11:00

Despite having a name that makes you think its another typical Asian restaurant serving quick food with little fanfare, Cookie is surprisingly not. Instead, Cookie has a modern interior that you would be difficult to think any typical Asian restaurant would have. Cookie does share something in common with Asian restaurants however; a non-chalant attitude to diners, evident when we were left sitting awkwardly for quite sometime without a waiter paying attention to us. It was only after we asked did we finally receive a menu or any attention.

When the food finally arrived, though some of my group were impressed, the food really lacked finesse. The first dish, a steamed fish and coconut custard in a banana leaf basket had a chawanmushi (Japanese fish custard)-esque taste and slimy texture. The green curry didn't fare much better, with a dumplings seemingly devoid of the corn described in the menu.

The other dishes, though not as bad were not particulary good either.. The grilled pork neck was far too chewy, but was redeemed by the sauce that coated it. The soft shell crabs although tasty should have had a far crunchier batter rather than relying on the crunch from the iceberg lettuce which accompanied it. The fish broth that came with the crabs described by the waiter as "a plate cleanser", was incredibly plain and reminded me of the complementary bowl of soup, Chinese restaurants provide.

The thick rice noodles with duck, cabbage, green peppercorns & basil however was quite good.

Max Brenner

2011-03-17T11:10:00.008+11:00

Chocolate is often the default when it comes to repressing the urges for something sweet and if you are looking for that quick fix, Max Brenner is one of the many chocolate bar/boutiques you will find.

However if you want the variety of Lindt Cafe or the quality taste of the chocolate at Koko Black, you are better off going to those instead. Max Brenner's menu is mainly limited to their drinks, pizzas and waffles, with nothing really standing out, however their prices are far more reasonable.Overall though, its a good choice for those in need of something sweet fast with two Max Brenners located in the city in close proximity.

Pho Dzung Tan Dinh

2011-03-03T20:30:00.005+11:00

My urges for a bowl of nourishing pho is often appeased by simply walking down the stairs and into my mum's kitchen, however for many this isn't the case. Instead the search for a great bowl of pho for many is a long and arduous journey, a journey that may take long car trips to Springvale or to the dangers of Footscray. For a select few, Pho Dzung Tan Dinh in Richmond fills the void in their stomach.

Pho Dzung Tan Dinh's exterior and interior is probably as typical as any pho restaurant in Melbourne can be, from the images of a smiling cow and chicken in the front, to the sticky and cramped tables and televisions showing the latest Vietnamese musical shows.

Their pho isn't too far from typical either, with a rich aromatic broth and good share of vermicelli noodles. Though a bit frugal with their use of spring onions and coriander in the broth, Pho Dzung Tan Dinh will not disappoint many pho lovers (too much).

However if you are someone whose Vietnamese parents make pho almost regularly, and need some pho, go no further than home (granted you live with your parents, if you don't then go to their home).

Pho Tai Bo Ga (Beef and Chicken)

Lindt Cafe

2011-03-03T20:29:00.005+11:00

If you are a lover of Lindt Chocolate, or even just plain old chocolate, Lindt Cafe is a must, but be warned that like the Lindt you find in Coles or Safeway, the chocolate doesn't come cheap.

Lindt Cafe's diverse range of desserts is mouth watering to say the least, and you will probably take a while to choose. Mouth watering they may be, some of the desserts are disappointing, like their tart which is accompanied by an unappealing blob of cream.

However if you are lucky, you will find a must-try-again dessert like their "stack" of chocolate coverered creme filled profiteroles.

Co Do

2011-03-03T20:17:00.003+11:00

At Co Do, Matt Preston's review of the restaurant has been stuck proudly on the front window and it seems many diners have chosen to ignore it. More surprisingly though is that the owners probably haven't read it through either, or else they wouldn't be so willing to show off a review that considers the restaurant inadequate in comparison to the food found back in Vietnam.

Co Do's menu includes a very diverse range of traditional Vietnamese dishes, but it would probably be better that you don't waver too far from the specials or even better too far from the first dish on the menu; Bun Bo Hue. Although the broth of this slightly spicy rice vermicelli soup lacks the distinct lemongrass aroma traditionally found, it is still pleasant to eat.

Unfortunately, the other dishes don't fare so well. Co Do's Bun Rieu, a similar dish to Bun Bo Hue but with a more a tomato based broth, is lacklustre with a dull broth accompanied by an odd tasting egg sausage and vermicelli that has been cooked but has begun to dry out whilst waiting to be served. The restaurant's Banh Canh with crab also adds to a disappointing experience. The thick rice and tapioca noodles are slightly too chewy, whilst the crab based broth is vulgar and hasn't thickened enough.

An attempt at the traditional Vietnamese Three Coloured drink dessert finds itself ending the meal rather plainly, with an excess of crushed ice and almost complete lack of mung beans that make up the three colours.

EARL Canteen

2011-02-26T13:21:00.005+11:00

"We make sandwiches. But just not as you know it"

This is a line I found on the EARL Canteen website which probably not only alludes to the extremely tasty sandwiches but for me, how extremely difficult it is to eat them.

In the lunchboxes of most school kids there will probably be a variety of typical combinations like tomato and cheese, ham and lettuce or even simply Nutella sitting in between two slices of white loaf bread. At EARL Canteen, the combinations are not typical from confit duck with figs or meatball with zucchini pickles, and you won't find them in between bread slices, but inside of but mostly on top of a baguette.

For me, the lure of crisp skin is something hard for me to refuse, so it was the crisp skin Otway pork belly, apple, cabbage & fennel coleslaw, wilted silverbeet in (on) a baguette that I ordered and savoured. Unfortunately for me I was in a rush so I had to awkwardly enjoy my sandwich in between a bus and tram rides, and it was no easy feat due the sheer size of the filling and small cut made into the baguette.

Fortunately though, the sandwich was worth the odd stares from strangers as I struggled to eat the sandwich without getting salad stuck around my mouth. The pork belly was extremely soft and tender whilst the skin was incredibly crispy though a bit more apple would've made it much more satisfying.

Overall, worth the effort.

Mamasita

2011-02-26T13:18:00.012+11:00

Tacos, burritos and tortillas are the many foods associated with Mexican food. Mamasita probably won’t make you think otherwise but it makes a good attempt at introducing the lures of Mexican food to Melburnians have yet to experience besides Taco Bill.

As expected from any busy restaurant, food will probably take longer in comparison to other places, however it did take overly long despite dining at 2:30.

The chorizo taco will probably appeal to many but it will probably disappoint many, the filling is nothing special and is very reminiscent of a bolognese sauce. Having not tasted cactus before we were quick to decide on the Ensalada de Nopales, however the excitement of eating cactus quickly waned as we ate through a rather plain salad. The quesadilla de Huitlacoche is a highlight with the combination of the Mexican truffles and mushrooms going well with the sweetness from the corn. The small (too small) tostaditas de Cangrejo are also very tasty, with the crab tasting very fresh and light.

Being incredibly popular on food blogs, Mamasita is busy and is a good thing their kitchen does not close at 2 or 2:30 but rather stays open from lunch, ensuring once the lunch rush is over the restaurant is pretty much empty. Despite not being an exceptional place, it would be hard for many foodies to resist such a hyped restaurant.

+39 Pizzeria

2011-02-26T13:18:00.011+11:00

Winner of the 2010 cheap eat best pizzeria, it thoroughly deserves this accolade. Despite the comments about the service, me and my eaters were served by a very friendly waiter, whose Italian humour was appreciated.

The blood orange granita, is OK but loses its allure after you spot one of those large ice drink mixers you see in stores. Despite this, the pizzas ARE incredibly good. The salsiccia is particular good, with a Italian sausages working well with delicious porcini mushrooms.The salamino is also good however, the raddichio seemed to serve no purpose and there was excessive amounts of tomato paste. The pizza crusts of both are extremely tasty, often it the part people will usually leave out, or eat last, but the crusts here will make you think change your mind.

Binh Minh

2011-02-26T13:17:00.013+11:00

A favourite amongst many Westerners, it is probably better for many to find an alternative. Often Asian restaurants will add unnecessary components to the dishes at an attempt to be what they think is fancy, Binh Minh is no different adding fried vermicelli that is incredibly hard to grasp with chopsticks. Pouring a stir fry of capsicum and excessive amounts of onions, on top isn’t a good idea, the onion provides a stench that whiffs across the table adding to already an overly salty dish.

The bo la lot, is however an enjoyable dish, the leaves impart aromatic taste to the beef

Nhu Lan Bakery

2011-02-26T13:17:00.012+11:00

Probably the best Vietnamese Banh Mi you will find in Melbourne. You can choose from the most popular one, Banh Mi Thit Nguoi, which is an assortment of 3 different cold meats, long cucumber slice, spring onion, freshness of coriander, few slices of chilli and tied together by some soya sauce and the combined egg yolk mayonnaise and liver pate.

With two Nhu Lan Bakery, one in Richmond and Melbourne, you will find yourself in a crowd of Vietnamese eagerly waiting for their baguette, always a good sign. Be warned that although, their banh mi is very good, you should forget about the small sweet cakes, which aren’t as good as those from Breadtop, especially since there are Breadtops down the road from both Nhu Lans.

Vinh Ky

2011-02-26T13:16:00.009+11:00

Vinh Ky is one of my extended family's favourite places to eat, with many birthdays and anniversaries celebrated on the restaurants second floor. Though the dishes won't be as exciting as other places in the CBD, Vinh Ky serves fairly cheap and good quality food, and I my opinion deserving more praise than other restaurants along Victoria Street.

Vinh Ky’s Gong Chicken is a stand out dish; with minced prawn wrapped with chicken and chicken skin accompanied by a sweet sauce, it is a dish you will be hard not to fight over with friends.

The Chao Tom (sugar cane wrapped with prawn mince) are OK, ideally they would have been chargrilled to impart more flavour, they are instead deep fried. This doesn't mean you won't enjoy them, but you will probably be left slightly disappointed.

Thanh Nga Nine

2011-02-26T13:16:00.008+11:00

Thanh Nga is probably one of the most typical Vietnamese restaurants you will find in Richmond, with its interior reminiscent of those in Vietnam. There are the novelty special menu signs that flash in multiple colours to the tank filled with inedible fish.

One of this restaurant's specialty is Banh Khot, one of the diverse rice flour based dishes from Vietnam. This isn’t necessarily a bad dish, but be prepared for something quite odd. The crunch of the cakes in your mouth will be complemented by the saltiness of the prawn, the sweet and sour nuoc cham and then the bewildering sweetness of the green bean paste and coconut cream. The first taste of this will most likely make you pause as you decide whether it is something absolutely amazing or something you won't ever try again.

Unfortunately, the bewilderment with the first dish probably won't last onto the next dish; a prawn and pork goi. It is another run of the mill goi, with the addition of a prawn crackers instead of the traditional crunchy rice paper and an odd herb I spat in disgust but was unable to identify.

Koko Black Chocolate

2011-02-26T13:15:00.003+11:00

Melbourne’s obsession with chocolate cafes has doubled in the last few years, with Max Brenners popping almost everywhere, and the arrivals of the Lindt Cafes. KOKO Black is one of the few original chocolate boutiques and one of the most pricey.

One of the most expensive things on offer is the Chocolate Affogato spoil. Despite the allure of the word 'affogato" it is simply hot chocolate poured over ice cream. There is no denying the chocolate, but whether it is worth the amount the amount is charging is questionable.

Plume Restaurant (Maribyrnong)

2011-02-26T13:14:00.010+11:00

Often when you search the internet for a certain Chinese Restaurant, you will find that they have begun a mini-franchise with two or three restaurants. Be warned that unlike Movida, at these restaurants the quality of the food usually gets worse or doesn't get any better.

Having been to Plume previously for a family wedding, many of my extended family were apprehensivewhen it was announced that a family birthday would be held there once again.

Although many exclaimed, “I don’t know why they chose this place!” there were a select few who were optimistic; “It has been years since the wedding, maybe the food will be better?” Unfortunately, the optimism probably waned as we ate our way through the banquet.

Shark Fin Soup, the quintessential Chinese celebration dish is served first. It isn’t particularly bad, but really isn’t something special. The crab and noodles is another typical celebration dish, and it doesn’t really please anyone, the noodles are incredibly soggy, and the sauce is plain.

A dry and overcooked quail is next, and oddly served by itself. A multitude of dishes is subsequently arrived accompanied by rice. The first are what seems to be prawns in a special sauce, but really in the end is just sautéed prawns dipped in mayonnaise and put on some broccoli… There is a black bean beef dish loaded with MSG, and the stench of black bean.

There is however a dish that did were praised by a few at my table; a Japanese tofu immersed in a sea of diced vegetables and scallops, which personally I found to have resembled vomit. There is also a chicken dish in claypot which was incredibly dull, tasting something from my grandmother’s home cooking rather than something from a restaurant.

Overall, absolutely not recommended.

Ramen-Ya

2011-02-26T13:14:00.009+11:00

Ramen is a dish that hasn't really ever appealed to me, however after noticing a friends obsession with the Japanese dish, I decided I should at least try it to find out what all the food bloggers and my friend had been craving.

Ramen-Ya is probably one of the most popular places for Ramen in the city, so it was hard to try any other place. Though the ramen is filling, I didn't find anything special about it, the noodles are very much like the ones you find in instant noodle packs, and the lack of meat was unsatisfying.

Despite this disappointment, I did find the gyozas very tasty, and was shocked by the woman who ordered a large plate of them only to eat a few and leave the rest behind. The gyoza’s filling is soft and juicy. The filling also retains its shape, rather than falling out when bitten into. However mine could have been pan fried a little while longer to become more crunchy.

Westlake Restaurant

2011-01-05T20:16:00.011+11:00

It is often said that you can see whether a Chinese restaurant is good quality, by seeing whether the customers are predominantly Westerners, in the case it is, the food probably won't be great. Westlake restaurant supports this perception slightly...

The interior of Westlake is incredibly cramped, with tables arranged to accommodate the most patrons. If you are however looking for more strange dumplings rather than har gao, West Lake's selection will accommodate, but variety in this case doesn't equate to a more enjoyable experience. The scallop dumplings served, has no detectable taste of scallop nor any look of any, tasting very much like a har gao shaped differently, the prawn and crab dumplings quality is also questionable, although the crab taste is there, texture-wise there is nothing to differentiate from the prawn.

Prawn and seafood dumplings is another case of colourful naming, unless the restaurant considers pieces of broccoli and carrot seafood...

Out of the many dumpling on offer, the Shark Fin dumplings is probably the most exotic dish but also deceiving. Strands of noodles coloured attempt to pass as shark fin, and incredibly sea-stenched filling attempts to imitate the taste of shark fin.

The chicken, prawn and mushroom wrapped in bean curd however is passable.

Shark Fin House

2011-01-05T20:16:00.010+11:00

In Chinatown you will find the pair of Shark Fin Restaurants; Inn and House. At house you will find a good variety of dumplings and other favourites.

The prawns wrapped in bean curd is especially well done, with the bean curd incredibly crisp.
The egg tartlets were also in aspects very made, although the egg custard seemed to have a hint of a scrambled egg taste, the pastry is very flaky and crisp. Tofu in ginger is also well done. The variety of jelly is also surprisingly good, although you will find typical tastes like orange, the addition of a cola tasting jelly was refreshing.

The quintessential dish, mango custard however was not well done, overcooked, the custard lacked the silky texture, and it was overly sweet unlike other balanced Chinese desserts.

Dragon Boat Restaurant

2011-01-05T20:16:00.009+11:00

Dragon Boat is a restaurant that many will correlate Yum Cha, whether its correlated with Good Yum Cha is more important to think about.

Dragon Boat probably has one of the more modern interiors of the Yum Cha restaurants in Chinatown, the selection of yum cha though is typical of any Yum Cha serving restaurants. Their selections are limited to the basic essentials of dim sum; har gao, siu mai and rice noodle sheets and you will find trolleys of these will be pushed around you constantly. Unfortunately, all three dishes are of questionable quality, the har gao's filling of prawn hasn't even been minced in the slightest, the siu mai's filling is rubbery and no finesse can be found in its wrapping, while the sauce accompanying rice noodle sheets isn't sweet but instead oddly sour.

Their shark fin dumpling is a particular let down, although the dumplings are notably more substantial it certainly proves more isn't better. The filling is dense and rubbery.

The prawn and vegetable dumplings are the only slightly redeemable dumplings, although it is up to debate whether the vegetable component is actually filled by a herb; chinese chives.

Crystal Jade

2011-01-05T20:11:00.004+11:00

Finding a restaurant that serves Yum Cha is incredibly easy in Chinatown, the problem is finding a decent one. Although Chinatown is the place you would think the best Yum Cha can be found, from the numerous food reviews I've read, it isn't. Regardless, this food blogger is adamant that all these restaurants must still be visited. First of the block, is Crystal Jade.

Sitting beside one of the large Chinatown gates, Crystal Jade isn't hard to spot, nor is their big sign advertising their selection of dim sum, including some delectable almost-to-pretty-to-eat Shanghai dumplings. Despite the presence of a lift at the door, you will have to climb up the large staircase, at the end of which you will find a decent sized restaurant.

Crystal Jade's dim sum selection found in the trolleys is limited, with the typical dishes like har gao or siu mai no where to be seen, however one of the first dishes I was eager to try, the Shanghai dumplings was offered to us from the first trolley that passed. Unfortunately, it isn't what I expected. The wrapping isn't crimpled as prettily as the one picture, and the taste is dull, the wrapping is rubbery and the filling doesn't seem to be seasoned with any flavours, so simply tastes like minced pork.

The BBQ pork bun is fluffy and tasty however is let down by an overly sweet filling.

The XO Prawns, which are placed on a cut of scallop and tofu isn't too bad, however placing a small pinch of XO sauce on each serving where it can hardly be tasted, makes its name undeserving.

The rice noodle sheets wrapped around beef, is also a good dish, despite taking a bit too long to arrive. Although the beef isn't special, the rice noodle sheets are notably thin and delicate.

The deep fried octopus though is actually quite good, mostly. There is a crisp batter and isn't too oily, however some were slightly overcooked and rubbery.


Shanghai Dumplings

XO Prawns

Shoya Restaurant

2011-01-04T19:46:00.005+11:00

Entering doors, we are privy to the workings of Shoya’s kitchen, many of whom will be at ease when they see it is at the helm of multiple Japanese dishes, an ease which also raises expectations or excellent authentic Japanese cuisine.

We are quickly directed to the horigatsu area of the restaurant, a sleek and simplistic Japanese design that feels oddly peaceful and comfortable. Though expecting to be provided with traditional Japanese green tea, we are instead simply handed the menus and we promptly order.

It is a while after I awkwardly watch my friends consume their food, before I am presented with the first dish from the Shoya Special Business Set Lunch, the Golden Perch. Presented in a smartly designed spoon, I prod at the dish to inspect what I have been presented with, unknowingly tasting each element separately rather than taking it in one bite as I am directed moments later by the waiter. It is only when doing so, did I enjoy the dish, individually the components are odd, but together it works. The smooth and soft tomato mousse counters the saltiness of the foie gras and roe and in turn highlighting the taste of the lightly grilled perch. Following the Golden Perch, is another “in one bite” dish, the Unagi Canape, though I was unable to resist the small slither of truffle, taking small bits to savour my first tasting of the black fungi. Though the balance of the salty unagi (eel), salmon roe and creamy crab salad provide for an enjoyable experience, the earthiness and aroma of the truffle is overpowered and undetectable.

The Assortment of Sashimi and its presentation leaves me and my diners in awe, the fresh sashimi lying on a bed of grated carrot and in cased in an elegant ice bowl that not only provided the dish with visual appeal but kept the sashimi cold. Lying on the lone sashimi of scallop is a highlight, along with the small speck of gold leaf placed upon it.

An appealing and generously sized tempura crab claw is presented next, rather than the tiny crab leg I was expecting. The crab is cooked perfectly, the tempura batter is crunchy and not oily and the flesh is soft. The dish is only by faulted by the green tea salt, which tasted like average table salt.

Following another long wait, I was finally presented in quick succession, the Wagyu beef, mixed rice and Japanese lunch staple, miso soup. The Wagyu is prepared medium rare is requested, but the sauce is overpowering with a slightly bitter aftertaste, which once again pulled the slices of truffle into an abyss of saltiness. Though the miso soup is good, with small cubes of soft silken tofu, the mixed rice is underwhelming, it is bland and lacklustre, the bamboo shoots provide slight texture but even the lone edename bean could redeem compensate for the lack of vibrancy.

Expecting to be presented with something off the dessert menu, I am instead presented with the black sesame pannacotta. Rather than ending the succession of dishes with something memorable, the pannacotta was slightly firmer than expected and the small slices of strawberry do nothing to highlight the flavours of the pannacotta.

Assortment of Sashimi

Although Shoya’s food is ultimately not spectacular, it does not fail to satisfy the palates of Japanese cuisine devotees and its quality far exceeds many of the other Japanese establishments in Melbourne.

Interior

Golden Perch


Unagi Canape

Tempura Crab Claw

Wagyu Steak

Mixed Steamed Rice

Shou Sumiyaki

2011-01-04T15:36:00.003+11:00

If you are looking for an alternative to Korean BBQ, try the Japanese BBQ, which at Shou Sumiyaki is charcoal based rather than those Asian Butane cookers.

Sumiyaki’s wagyu is cut into 8 pieces and are soft and succulent, and is accompanied by four different condiments, soya sauce, ponzu, an unknown peanut based sauce and lemon with salt. The variety of sauce is satisfying.

The wufu salad is refreshing and unlike other Japanese salads where the onions overpower everything. The seafood spring rolls are highlight, crunchy although, more filling would have been appreciated.

Unfortunately for Shou Sumiyaki, their dessert menu is very limited. Almost all the dishes are ice cream based from the Chocolate truffle with ice cream, parfait (which is basically ice cream), the Green Tea Tiramisu with Green Tea ice cream. We are given their Christmas Dessert Specials, but is surprising almost all of the dishes are not in the slightest “Christmassy”, unless you consider, having pieces of strawberries in every dish Christmassy.

Despite a near faultless lunch, the dessert is extremely disappointing. To quote a friend’s friend: “It tastes like foot”. Although the tiramisu seems appealing, the mixture of mascarpone and green tea doesn’t work. Surprisingly and unexpected is a dish that imparts a peculiar and off-putting savoury seaweed taste. Only the green tea ice cream is satisfying.

Green Tea Tiramisu and Green Tea Ice cream

Interior

Miso Soup

Sauces

Wufu Salad and Seafood Springrolls

Charcoal Grill

Wagyu Scotch Fillet

Rice

Beef on grill

Interior

Kum Den Restaurant

2011-01-04T15:35:00.006+11:00

The restaurants is a point of laughter, the name obviously wasn’t thought about clearly. What makes it more awkward, is that outside the doors of the restaurants and few steps down, the shining signs of Club X shine bright. The interior is modern and clean.

We are given complimentary bowls of soup, which are filled with carrots some odd piees of chicken bone along with a white fungus. The soup is nothing special, and quite similar to the quick home made soups found in any typical Chinese home.

The Deep Fried Soft Shell crab which unfortunately was hacked into pieces of yours truly before realising no photo had been taken was disappointing. Expecting a juicy crab meat with flavour, we are instead me with overly battered crab, which has been fried almost to the point where it burns, but not quite yet, instead leaving the illusion of great dish, instead the almost burnt taste of the batter overpowers any hint of the crab, which is left unseasoned and seemingly tasteless.The Combination seafood and tofu hotpot is ok, although the strong smells of the seafood is slightly off putting.

A highlight though is the pipis in xo sauce which come with small corn chips.

Pippis with XO sauce

Exterior

Complementary Soup

Combination Seafood and Tofu Hotpot

Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab (after being ripped apart by knife)

Interior

City BBQ Restaurant

2011-01-04T15:35:00.005+11:00

One of the few restaurants in Chinatown where you will see the red ducks and yellow chickens hanging near the window, is City BBQ. It serves typical Chinese BBQ fares, from roast duck to roast pork.

We order the jellyfish with pickles, which takes almost half an hour to arrive. It seems as though we have been forgotten, we quietly wait and watch our plate of roast pork cooling. The jellyfish is mixed with a few pickled cucumbers, carrots and some shreds of chilli. Nothing much can be said about the jellyfish, but the pickles are slightly disappointing, and lacks the sweetness that can be found at other restaurants.

The roast pork is overly salty and oddly oily, far too much soya sauce added. No sauce to accompany it is also sad to see. The other dish stir fried pork, bean sprouts and fried noodles, is disappointing. The pork is slippery, rubbery and chewy, with no redeeming aspects.

Although the service is friendly, having to wait half an hour isn’t appreciated.

Roast Pork

Fried Noodles with bean sprouts and pork

Pickles and Jellyfish

Exterior

Empress of China

2011-01-04T15:34:00.003+11:00

The Empress of China, the name conjures up images of opulence and grandeur, but once you enter it’s a different case, and once again the service is your run of the mill Chinese restaurant.

The tea is free, and comes in large containers. Odd Japanese cartoons appear on the television in the corner, and an eclectic mix of music is played, from S Club 7 to Avril Lavigne to Jason Mraz. The spoons used are large and although still comfortable to use, makes us laugh as they are like large versions of the spoons used to serve babies and toddlers.

The Won Ton with Chicken in Hotpot is enjoyed, the broth has flavour and it comes through the chicken. However the wontons are very average, some came with unflavoured pork stuffing whilst another came with the same pork but with an extra random piece of prawn.

The Mongolian Beef with Peanut Sauce, is also another disappointment as it is extremely oily and the sauce is far too sweet. The meat is extremely soft, not tender but the strangely soft you will find only in Chinese restaurants.

Despite these under-performing dishes, the crispy fried chicken pieces were thoroughly enjoyed.

Crispy Chicken

Exterior with odd "Jesus Light"

Dumpling Soup with Chicken

Mongolian Beef

Interior

Bamboo House

2011-01-04T15:33:00.008+11:00

Far near the ends of Chinatown, you will find one of the restaurants whose food and also service has been recognised by many food critics. The restaurant’s interior is formal, yet comfortable and few faults can really be found with service.

The seafood birds nest is a highlight of the experience, the crunchy and crumbly texture of the egg noodle is good, whilst the seafood was cooked well and vegetables retaining their crunch. It was also good to see they had used fresh prawns rather than the frozen prawns whose texture is stringy and slightly opaque.

Renowned for its Sichuan Tea Smoked Duck, it is served with some buns and sauce similar to that served with Peking Duck along with thinly cut spring onions. Although the duck is cooked well, it was hard to taste or smell any hint of tea, served alongside the strong sweet taste of the sauce, the tea was completely lost and tasted very similar to Peking Duck albeit a crunchy and soft skin rather than the crisp skin of Peking Duck.

The chicken with soya sauce, is somewhat of a disappointment, although the chicken was fairly well cooked, the soya sauce taste strangely similar to the sauce accompanying the duck, which prompted my fellow dip it the sauce to contrast.

Seafood Bird's Nest

Tea leave smoked Sichuan Duck

Interior

Soy Chicken

Sichuan House

2011-01-04T15:33:00.007+11:00

In the far corner of Corrs Lane, is one of the many spicy Szechuan cuisine restaurants in Chinatown, but be warned unless you know you can really handle the tongue sizzling Szechuan dishes, stick with the non-spicy dishes the restaurant offers.

The entrance of the restaurant tricks you into believing it will be one of the many dare I say “westernized” restaurants where legions of waiters stand on guard ready to refill your glass of water or cup of tea. Instead you will another typical Chinese style restaurant where the staff will only interact with you to get your order, bring the food and when you pay the bill.

We order Beef cooked in Chilli Oil, which comes in an excessive large bowl, to which me and my fellow diners gasp at, not only because of the amount of dried chilli we can see floating on the surface, but the bubbling oil and sheer size of it. Within the bowl are pieces of soft pieces of beef, bean sprouts and cabbage. The pieces of beef aren’t sizzling hot, but I wouldn’t suggest you lick the plate of chilli oil.

Deep fried quail comes with quickly stir fried red onions, spring onions and capsicum along with some prawn crackers. The quail skin is crunchy and quite enjoyable, however the aroma red onions accompanying it are somewhat distracting.

A surprising dish, is the thick mung bean noodles, which although I doubt are made on site, or even made by the restaurant at all, its odd bouncy texture alongside the Szechuan sauce and peanuts is good.

Beef in Chili Oil

Thick Mung Bean Noodles with Sichuan Sauce

Exterior

Deep Fried Quail

Interior

Sawasdee Thai Restaurant

2011-01-04T15:32:00.004+11:00

In Melbourne’s Chinatown, you will spot obviously a multitude of Chinese restaurants, but also many Japanese and Korean restaurants, Thai on the other hand are few, one of which is Sawasdee Thai Restaurant.

The restaurant’s interior contrasts greatly with the view outside, to the point where you feel you no longer feel you are in Melbourne, there are the typical golden Thai head statues as well as wooden furniture and almost wooden everything as well with what seems to be Modern Thai music playing in the background.

We order the slightly overpriced chili crab fried rice with prawns, A dish which is actually quite tasty despite the lack of visible crab meat. The dish is slightly spicy, however it is not so hot that you will be grasping for the nearest glass of water, assuming your threshold is average, have the glass near.

Although the rice dish goes down well, the satay chicken doesn’t do much for the taste buds. The satay sauce is OK although I would’ve liked to have tasted more peanuts, the chicken that seems to have been marinated with what I consider an excessive amount curry is not welcome, nor is having the chicken overcooked and stringy.

Khao Phat Mun Poo

Interior

Pickles and satay sauce

Chicken Satay

Exterior

Ants Bistro

2011-01-04T15:31:00.009+11:00

Not only will the name of the restaurant have you raising eyebrows and scratching your head, but the décor and food have you shaking your heads. Frankly, this restaurant is quite odd, although downstairs the decor seems modern, upstairs there is utter craziness. There are bamboo fences covering the till and other odd mismatching Thai deity decorations, and a suspiciously placed dragon poster on the wall. The utensils are also odd, whilst the food comes served on white plates, the restaurants uses the same black and red bowls as those in Japanese restaurants used for miso soup and rice.

The service is incredibly slow, a simple hor fun stir fry with beef took almost half an hour to arrive and failed to impress. There were small pieces of spring onions with bean sprouts amongst the hor fun however the simple dish proved that “simple is best” isn’t necessarily always the best.

The tea leave smoked duck, is another oddity. Despite called "smoked", there are some suspiciously crunchy sections suggesting the duck has been fried. The smokey taste is odd, with more smoke than tea in the duck. Accompanied by some back choy and a smokey yet bland sauce, the duck is over cooked and stringy.

My experience at this restaurant says a lot when, bak choy in the duck dish was enjoyed more.

"Tealeaved" Smoked Duck

Exterior

Fried "Hanoi Fan" with Beef (Image of individual serving, after we forgot to take a photo after hungrily waiting for so long for it to arrive)

Kun Ming Restaurant

2011-01-04T15:31:00.007+11:00

Nothing much about Kun Ming’s exterior will have you intrigued to visit, however having done so, it is one of few enjoyable experiences I have had. It does not compare to the heights of the hated restaurants, but provides a satisfying meal despite the slightly expensive costs.

Kun Ming’s self titled “Famous Double Boiled Soup”, changes regularly, on this occasion it is dried pear with chicken. The hot soup is aromatic and the soup is sweetened by the pear. The large roughly cut chicken piece in the bowl would have been enjoyable had it been cut into more manageable pieces, instead we had to use our spoons to split the pieces.

Our next dish is stuffed scallops which despite its name, wasn’t actually stuffed, rather a small ball of minced prawn and scallops is placed on a single scallop seared and then fried. Despite the scallop being slightly overcooked, the combination is surprisingly good, albeit salty. It is good that it is accompanied by batter fried broccoli which helped combat the saltiness however rice will need to be ordered to fully enjoy this satisfying dish.


Stuffed Scallops


Double Boiled Soup (Chicken and Dried Peach)

Da Hu Peking Duck Restaurant

2011-01-04T15:30:00.003+11:00

When the name of a dish is included in a restaurant’s name, there come expectations that this dish will define the experience. Like many of the other Chinese restaurants in Chinatown, to enter the restaurant, we climbed up the traditionally decorated yet worn out stair case to get to the dining area to where we were met to a large mirror that makes you feel incredibly self conscious, especially if you haven’t seen yourself eat before.

We order the half Peking Duck and wait patiently for the duck to arrive, and it does quite quickly. It comes with the usual pancakes, cucumbers, spring onions and the sauce. Although it is hard to fault those aspects of the dish, as they are what they are, the duck does not meet the expectations the restaurant has made itself with its name.

What makes Peking Duck so special and famous, is its crispy skin yet soft flesh, at Da Hu, the ducks tastes more like the usually BBQ found hanging at the windows of the typical Chinese restaurants. The meat is slightly overdone whilst far too many portions are burnt.

Although it isn’t faultless and the duck is better than most, if you are looking for mouth watering Peking Duck, the extra cost of the illustrious Flower Drum is a far better option.

Half Peking Duck

China Red Restaurant

2011-01-04T15:29:00.004+11:00

If you an avid reader of food blogs, you will have probably read about the new gimmicky touch screens at China Red Restaurant. Having the screens, means you won’t have much contact with the waiter/waitress, from ordering the food with the pictures, to not having to raise your hand to get the bill are the extra comforts the screens provide, although you will have to endure a 5 minute lecture about how to use the machine.

I tend to avoid eating anything substantial near my computer besides a packet of chips, in fear of damaging it so the idea of eating near the technology sounded somewhat liberating. However this genuine feeling of excitement soon faded when we began eating.

We order the Mandarin Pork Ribs, which came battered and fried with pieces of broccoli and sweet sauce. The sweet is quite nice, although the warm pineapple pieces does makes it slightly odd. The pork however is tough and stringy and the batter is unable to retain its crunch like that of Flower Drum’s.

The pancakes also didn’t impress me much, having taken far too long to arrive to the point where we used the screen to ask for help, when they did arrive the small pieces were far too oily and made us question why it would take so long, especially when there weren’t many others in the restaurant.

Mandarin Pork Ribs

Fried Green Onion Pancakes

Camy Shanghai Dumpling Bar

2011-01-04T15:28:00.004+11:00

If you are scouring the alleyways of Melbourne for that cheap eat, Camy Shanghai Dumpling Bar in Chinatown is the place to go, but be mindful that the saying “you pay for what you eat” will apply. After reading the great praises and over-the-top comments like “My new favourite restaurant” from other food bloggers, I came with great expectations, only to be greatly disappointed.

The fried pork dumplings were bland and didn’t excite any of the senses, instead just annoyed my sense of smell with its lack of aroma, an aroma you’d normally expect from a freshly made hot dumpling. The prawn and spinach dumplings weren't any better, especially when after awkwardly dissecting them with my chopsticks, I could only find the smallest trace of prawn.

Despite these shortcomings, I did find myself enjoying the novelties of the restaurant, from the plastic cups reminiscent of those I used in kindergarten, to the over-sized bottle of vinegar and as pointed out by my friend; the lady at the register literally protecting the till with her every limb.

I also didn’t mind the unlimited tea and I’m sure nor did anyone else.

Prawn and Spinach Dumplings and Fried Pork Dumplings

The Melbourne Chinatown Reviews

2011-01-04T15:26:00.001+11:00

Melbourne's Chinatown is one of the oldest in Australia, but more importantly it is the one of the iconic food Meccas of Melbourne. In an attempt to differentiate my food blog from the hundreds of other food bloggers who review the restaurants of Melbourne, I will attempt to review as many of the restaurants that are part of the Chinatown Precinct, from the food blogger's favourite Camy Shanghai Dumpling Bar to the acclaimed Flower Drum. In turn, hopefully providing readers with a guide of where to go and not to go in Chinatown where the choice is often too difficult.

Granted these series of reviews gains me readers that aren't family or friends, I hope to venture and review the other Food Meccas of Melbourne like the renowned Vietnamese cuisine of Richmond's Victoria St, the Greek Precinct on Lonsdale St and of course Lygon St's Italian food.

The Awkward Start...

2011-01-04T15:02:00.001+11:00

So here begins my foray into food blogging. If you are a family member who is curious to see what I've been talking about, a friend who I have nagged to click on my blog so it gets more hits or the random food lover who has stumbled across my blatant attempts to advertise my blog reviews on www.urbanspoon.com, welcome.

Within this blog, you will find my attempts at restaurant reviews, which although may not be as witty and well written as I would like, still in my opinion get to the point and honest albeit overly critical at times. Accompanying these reviews will be photos of the dishes and the restaurants, photos which won't be as crisp and clear as I would like because I still find the idea of pulling a digital camera out of my pocket in the middle of the restaurant awkward. Until I get over that awkwardness or get a new phone with a good in-built camera, my old iPhone's camera will have to do.

So that pretty much sums up my awkward first blog post, I hope you haven't found my blog too boring yet but in case you have, good bye. However if you haven't, enjoy and happy reading...