Saturday, February 28, 2015

Operator 25

Yet another popular breakfast/brunch/lunch spot to try. Very high rating as listed on Urbanspoon. Decided to try a couple of their breakfast options so as to compare it to a couple of our favourites(Top Paddock and Hardware Société). 

So,  how was it? We ordered the following:
Thick wood smoked Kaiser bacon served with fried quail eggs,  gem lettuce,  watercress,  blackberries, crostini and caesar dressing - Overall, it tasted quite fresh and the bacon was nicely smoked. However, the quail eggs being quite tiny as they are, were kinda lost taste wise in the dressing and smokiness of the bacon. A simple fried egg or two would have been better. Also, the crostini added nothing to the dish.

Matcha and white chocolate hot cakes with black sesame cream,  sour cherry, banana chips, toasted hazelnut and cherry sauce - Good hit of green tea but the white chocolate was too subtle. Too heavy in the end as the hotcakes were quite thick and dense so maybe one would have been enough, halved to make two pieces.

Conclusion: The high rating is not justified but it is a good addition to the what is available in the city. Some of the other options on the menu may actually be quite nice and the lunch options sound good and are available from 11.30 a.m.

Service: :star :star :star :star :star
Quality of food: :star :star :star ½
Value for money: :star :star :star :star

Type of venue: Breakfast, Brunch, Coffee

Worth a retune visit? Maybe.

Address: 25 Wills Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Operator25 on Urbanspoon

Hanoi Hannah

A walk-in only Vietnamese restaurant in Prahran, Hanoi Hannah offers some traditional offerings such as pho, spring rolls and salads,  as well as more modern interpretations such as chicken rib buckets and soft shell crab with chilli, lime and mayo. We ordered three dishes to share and two drinks and although still feeling a little peckish,  decided to get the bill and leave. Why? In short, because it was quite underwhelming.

Pork sliders - the actual pork belly was chewy and too fatty; 80% fat and 20% meat. Chewy skin is a big no no.

Coconut marinated pork ribs - slightly better than the pork sliders as the meat comes cleanly off the bone but the coconut sauce/marinade was not detectable.

Green mango salad with crispy fish - mango was a little too ripe and wasn't the crunchy texture that the green mango has. The fish was crispy but the salad dressing was a little too sour,  too one dimensional.

Service: :star :star :star
Quality of food: :star :star
Value for money: :star :star :star :star

Type of venue: Vietnamese, Asian 

Worth a return visit? No.  

Address: 180 High Street, Windsor VIC 3181

Hanoi Hannah on Urbanspoon

Friday, February 27, 2015

Tivoli Road Bakery

Tivoli Road Bakery (formally MoVida Bakery ) is situated in South Yarra and you can't say you have been there until you have tried one of their signature doughnuts with 3 different types of fillings to choose from. If you don't have a sweet tooth, their home made sandwiches made with their freshly baked breads might interest you.

Today we had a chicken sandwich with walnut,  pears and grapes,  and a smoked salmon bun with rocket salad. Finished off with a delicious salted caramel filled donut!

Service: :star :star :star :star
Quality of food: :star :star :star :star :star
Value for money: :star :star :star :star :star

Type of venue: Bakery, Coffee, Donuts

Worth a return visit? Yes!

Address: 3 Tivoli Road,  South Yarra VIC 3141

Tivoli Road Bakery on Urbanspoon

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Addiction Aquatic Development

Take me back to this seafood paradise in Taipei please! #throwbackthursday

LOVE

Courtesy of @shaneechung

Lune Croissanterie

You have to queue up to get a number and if you come late,  be prepared to be disappointed. Only the first 51 numbers are guaranteed to walk away with their delicious croissants.
Important notes -  Each ticket entitles you to six croissants.  Queue for tickets starts an hour and a half before opening.
Service:     
Quality of food:     
Parking:    
Value for money:   
Type of venue: Takeaway only except for a small bench outside.
Worth a return visit? Yes!
Address:
29 Scott Street,  Elwood VIC 3184

RU-CO

RU-CO in the Grand Hyatt is an excellent hotel bar with a cosy fireplace in the corner for cooler nights. Wonderful selection of drinks.

Ordered a dish of olives as a light snack and it went very well with the cheese pairing.

Service: :star :star :star :star :star
Quality of food: :star :star :star :star
Value for money: :star :star :star

Type of venue: Cocktails

Worth a return visit?  Yes.

Address: 123 Collins Street,  Melbourne VIC 3000

RU-CO in the Grand Hyatt on Urbanspoon

Tim Ho Wan (Melbourne)

Super excited and can't wait for the cheapest Michelin Star restaurant to open in Melbourne this April!

Olivigna

Olivigna is a wonderful place located just 30 mins away from the city.

Service: :star :star :star :star
Quality of food: :star :star :star :star
Value for money: :star :star :star :star

Type of venue: casual and outdoor seating available

Worth a return visit? Yes!

Address: 54-56 Brumbys Road,  Warrandyte, 23km from Melbourne