Grain Store

Oh Grain Store, Grain Store - such high expectations, but such a great disappointment.

Situated on Flinders Lane, with such exceptional reviews Grain Store had been on my 'To Do' list for quite some time.  So understandably, I was as excited as a kid in a candy store when the day finally arrived that I would be able to try their scrumptious looking eats.

The minute you walk through Grain Store's doors, it's like being whisked a million miles away from the bustling CBD. With its wooden features, homely touches (there's even a fish bowl on one of the tables) and an array of food on display, the venue is reminiscent of a French provincial kitchen. But the magic of the place stops about there.

The staff were down right rude.  Not a smile in sight when we were seated, and gosh forbid we try to  pour ourselves a glass of water (after having empty glasses for a good 15 minutes)  from what looked to be communal water jugs in the middle of the restaurant - a waitress snapping at me "don't touch those jugs, they are for us to fill up your glasses from when we are free". Good to know.  Also, don't get in their way when you are trying to pay your bill as you will get a catty "excuse me" as they are pushing past you if you fail to see them coming from a mile away.

And the food was...well...underwhelming!  I was one of the lucky ones ordering the asparagus haloumi potato gnocchi with butternut squash, tomato emulsion, toasted pine nuts and pecorino ($24).  The gnocchi itself was light, fluffy and cooked exceptionally, and the flavours of the asparagus, haloumi and butternut squash was unsurprisingly a match made in heaven.  However, the butternut squash did make up a substantial portion of the dish and overpowered the other flavours.

My friends, however, were not so lucky, ordering the quiche with salad ($19).  The quiche was dry and the salad was limp and browning - indeed, one of my friends complained of still being hungry after finishing her meal.  Not what you want after spending $19 on lunch.

I will add, however, that the front-of-house host was lovely - warm, friendly and full of smiles.  If only the rest of the staff were as lovely as her, because based on the experience we had, I will not be returning to Grain Store.

Food: 2.5/5
Service:1/5
Décor: 4.5/5
Total: 9/15
Verdict: Don't bother.

Suda

2015 was all about the Korean BBQ (well...and the Texan BBQ, Monster Shakes, Japanese fusion and so on and so on,  but the Korean BBQ definitely played a leading part in the show!)

Suda takes a more abstract take on Korean cuisine, offering the likes of  chicken pot pie (with spicy chicken, sweet potato, cheese and puff pastry) and gorgonzola garlic pizza (with sweet potato, plum honey and nuts). Located on Healeys Lane off Lonsdale Street, this (ridiculously) cheap Korean eatery is open for both lunch and dinner.

On this occasion I ordered the crumbed seafood spring onion pancake ($14.00)  and the bibimbab with spicy BBQ chicken ($14.00).

The spring onion pancake was generously packed with seafood, but the flavour of the crumbing was slightly overpowering which took away from the delicate flavours of the rest of the dish.

The bibmbab was packed full of fresh seasonal vegies, however the chicken was chewy and I would recommend ordering a different type of meat if going for this option.

Most importantly, a glass of wine at Suda will only set you back $5- $6, so I'd definitely recommend not being the designated driver for the night - especially seeing as their house chardonnay is surprisingly delicious. 

Whilst the dishes I tried didn't quite hit the mark, at such good value and with so many other options to try on the menu, I would be happy to try Suda again.

Décor: 3.5/5
Food: 3/5
Service: 3.5/5
Total: 10/15
Verdict: Like - get around to trying it at some point

Fancy Hanks BBQ

Situated near the Queen Vic Market, Fancy Hanks BBQ serves up slow cooked, wood fired American cuisine. With paper towel dispensers and cutlery jars on each table, Hanks' is a no frills kind of place, serving its meals on canteen trays and in plastic baskets.

The menu consists of many American favourites - think jalapeno cornbread, hush puppies, brisket and mac'n'cheese. However, the pork ribs are definitely the star of the show.  Sticky (with a delicious crunch) on the outside, and tender and juicy on the inside, at $10.50 per 100g, they shouldn't be missed.

 

 

The sides I ordered, however, were not as inspiring. The jalapeno cornbread ($9.00), which I was hoping would be similar to Ike's Rack Shack's (which comes out warm, moist and bursting with flavour) was dry and flavourless.  

 

 

The fries with Texan chilli beans ($13) were also disappointing. Whilst the fries themselves were cooked well and deliciously seasoned, the chilli beans were luke warm and lacked in spice and flavour (thank goodness Hank's has a chilli sauce station!)

 



  

So the moral of the story is that I would only return to Fancy Hanks BBQ to splurge on their ribs. However, if attending Hank's on a hot night, I would highly recommend trying to find a spot on their outdoor balcony, which is also home to Hank's herb garden, and a prime position for a beer in the afternoon sun.

 

Food: 3/5

Service: 2.5/5

Venue: 2.5/5

Total: 8/15

Verdict: Like - but only because of their ribs!

 

Saigon Sally

Self proclaimed "the older sophisticated sister", Saigon Sally is part of the Hanoi Hannah and Tokyo Tina Group.

Hidden down a cobblestone laneway located off Chapel Street in Windsor, it's hard to miss this Vietnamese inspired venue with its neon red sign and graffitied exterior wall.  Inside, an incredible artwork of 'Sally' encapsulates one of the walls, which, when paired with the striking mirrors, creative prints and vibrant floral arrangements, creates an edgy but sophisticated design.

On this occasion we attended the 'Bottomless Brunch' which Saigon Sally offers on a Sunday - 6 share plates plus unlimited bubbles or beer for $75.  However, due to feeling a touch fragile from the night before, I decided to stick with my coke zero and just take on the food for $39.

To start with we ordered the Kingfish ceviche with pomelo, green papaya, shallots and chilli, and the banh mi with pulled pork, pickles, cucumber, sriracha and hoisin.  The ceviche was exceptional.  Vibrant fresh flavours and beautifully prepared produce, this little morsel was the dish of the day.

 

Next up was the wagyu tartare (beautifully presented but lacked in seasoning) and the dumpling of the day (delicious filling and beautifully presented, but parts of the wrapper were on the tough side and could have done with a touch more steaming).

To finish our savoury selection, we ordered the BBQ lamb ribs with mandarin caramel, star anise, fennel, perilla and betal leaf.  The ribs themselves were cooked well - sticky with a slight crunch on the outside, and tender and juicy on the inside.  However, the accompanying salad was soggy and uninspiring.

To our delight, with the ribs came out a complimentary dish - the spicy mi goreng with chilli jam and fried shallots. Whilst definitely on the spicy side, this noodle dish was surprisingly textual and bursting with flavour.

For desert, how could we go past the Vietnamese donut with salted galangal caramel and toasted coconut sorbet.  The donuts themselves were an unusual texture (more glutinous then your usual light and fluffy donut) - but the flavours worked well  the sorbet and hot caramel sauce were so good that I could have easily gone a bowl of those two elements on their own.

Whilst sometimes it comes down to the dishes that are ordered, to be honest, I preferred Hanoi Hannah's simple but well executed dishes, with their clean and punchy flavours, over that of Saigon Sally's.  However, overall, Saigon Sally was still a delicious experience, and a restaurant I would still recommend you try.

Food: 3.5/5
Venue: 5/5
Service: 4/5
Total: 12.5
Verdict: Love - get around to trying it soon.

Morris Jones

Did I enjoy dining at Morris Jones? Yes. Did I love absolutely love it? Unfortunately no.

Well known by many for its bar (I hear they serve fantastic cocktails) Morris Jones also offers a menu which is worth drooling over. So after much debate, we decided to share the beetroot with holy goats curd, almonds and passionfruit ($18.50), the zucchini flowers with red pepper hummus, hazelnuts and mizuna ($19), the Spring lamb with Spring greens and goats milk ($34) and the truffle mac and cheese ($10.50).

With its sparse speckles of passionfruit and paper thin wafers / tiny nubs of beetroot, the beetroot with goats curd, whilst beautiful, lacked in acidity and / or tartness to cut through the richness of the goats curd (and there was A LOT of goats curd).

Both the zucchini flowers and the Spring lamb were plated beautifully.  The lamb was cooked well, and the red pepper hummus added a delicious element to the zucchini flowers.  The truffled mac'n'cheese, however, was underwhelming and I won't be ordering it as a side dish again.

 

 

For desert we shared the violet crumble and a 'pop' each. The pop was a piece of candied orange covered in popping candy.  The popping candy was definitely an exciting touch, but otherwise, the 'pop' tasted quite ordinary.  In terms of the violet crumble, we asked the waitress whether we could order the dish seeing as I was allergic to chocolate - she replied by saying it would be perfectly fine for the kitchen to segment the dish as only a small element was chocolate (which could be put to the side).  What we got was a bowl of violet ice-cream, and a stream of honeycomb atop a bed of chocolate - meaning that the honeycomb was contaminated (why not just put it to the side??) and all I could eat was the violet ice-cream - very disappointing.

 

Overall, there were some beautiful elements to many of the dishes - however, if I do go back, I definitely won't be ordering desert.

Food: 3/5
Service: 4/5
Décor: 4/5
Total: 11/15

Verdict: Like - get around to trying it at some point.

Sister of Soul

Sister of Soul was so close to getting a spectacular review - but then the pebble in my dish happened. And look, I understand these things happen, but what disappointed me the most was how they handled it - they tried to justify it by saying that they don't use processed food so "these things are bound to happen", and then charged me full price for the meal which almost cracked my tooth. In a word - outrageous!

The pebble aside, most of the food was actually delicious.  Only serving vegetarian and vegan cuisine, Sister of Soul is the type of place where you can convince yourself you are being healthy, but you don't have to make a sacrifice on flavour.  Indeed, Sister of Soul even offers 'no garlic / no onion' menu options which are increasingly in demand, but are often difficult to find on a menu.

The rice balls with satay sauce and the okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake) were definitely the highlights of the night. Cooked well and bursting with flavour, these two dishes would definitely be on my list of recommendations if heading here for lunch or dinner. 

 

 

Then of course there was the offending pebble dish - the Grain Brain super-food salad - which sends chills up my jaw just thinking about it.

 



 

In terms of desert, with a flavour as vibrant and punchy as its colour - the sorbet of the day is definitely a go-to if you are into fresh and fruity sorbet.  The raw coconut and honey cheesecake, however, is definitely worth a miss - with its one dimensional flavours and a chalky texture, it's definitely not a desert to drool over.



Unfortunately, if it wasn't for the pebble incident, Sister of Soul would have been on my list of recommendations. 

Squires Loft

Steak, glorious steak - and with steaks so good they make you want to sing from the rooftops, Squires Loft is an excellent choice if you are wanting to please your carnivorous side.

With restaurants all around Australia - you wouldn't expect such a decent meal from a brand that has been franchised.  But not only does Squires Loft deliver on a decent meal, I would even rate it as having one of the top steaks of Melbourne.

On this occasion I visited the South Yarra venue, which is conveniently just opposite South Yarra train station. To eat I ordered the 200g eye fillet ($38) with blue cheese sauce ($5.75) and to share we ordered a large Greek salad ($13) and baked mushrooms with fetta and herbed butter sauce ($9.00).

The steak was cooked exceptionally and was rich with flavour. Whilst it first appeared to be overcooked, it definitely didn't taste that way - the meat was so incredibly tender that it could have been cut with a butter knife. And the blue cheese sauce - well, an absolute must if you are blue cheese fan! At $5.75 a serve it's a touch on the pricey side - but with such a generous serve, the price tag can be forgiven!

It's no secret that steak and mushrooms are a match made in heaven, and the baked mushrooms with fetta and herb butter were no exception.  Herby, buttery and cheesy - the mushrooms were not only cooked exceptionally, they tasted delicious!

However, next time I will be giving the Greek salad a miss.  Unfortunately it was about as inspiring as a Greek Salad you can get at the pre-made salad section in a grocery store.

Good steak, good fries and good sauce - how can you go wrong? Squires Loft, we will be meeting again soon!

Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Décor: 2.5/5
Total: 10.5/15
Verdict: Love - get around to trying it soon

Hanoi Hannah

With its fresh ingredients, punchy flavours and incredible value - Hanoi Hannah is a must on the To Do list.  Situated off Chapel Street in Windsor, this Vietnamese hawker style kitchen and bar is sister to Tokyo Tina and Saigon Sally.

The décor of Hanoi Hannah is as warm and welcoming as its staff  - think wooden features, eclectic colours, an array of paintings, birdcages and even a net of plastic kiddie chairs hanging from the roof.

To eat we ordered the yellowfin tuna with wasabi mayo rice paper rolls ($8.00), the grilled fish with turmeric and dressed herbs on soft vermicelli ($16) and the pork belly sliders ($9.50).

The Tuna in the rice paper rolls was fresh, and the wasabi mayo was a delicious addition to elevate the dish from the everyday roll.

The pork in the sliders was rich and juicy, the lettuce offered a refreshing crunch, the sirahca gave it some spice and the brioche bun was sweet and fluffy - all in all - a delicious little morsel!

With its fresh herbs, lime and fragrant spices, the turmeric fish salad was just bursting with flavour.  Topped off with superbly cooked fish, this dish definitely made it onto the recommendation list.

Hanoi Hannah is one of the new faves for casual eateries.  However, it only takes walk ins - so you may want to get in early if you don't want to miss out!  That being said, if you find you can't get a seat, there is a Hanoi Hannah Express Lane only two doors down offering a range of delicious Vietnamese treats to munch on the go, which definitely serves as an acceptable alternative.

Food: 4.5/5
Service: 4.5/5
Décor: 4.5/5
Total: 13.5/15
Verdict: The New Fave - put it as number 1 on the To Do list.

New York Minute

New York Minute is home to one of Melbourne's top 10 burgers as voted by Matt Preston recently in the Herald Sun.  Seeing as Matt Preston seems to know a thing or two about food, I had to give this burger a try.

The prized burger is called the 'New York' - two grass fed beef patties, special sauce, Swiss cheese, pickles and spinach  ($12.00).  Tasting similar to McDonald's Big Mac, this monstrosity of a burger was actually quite delicious and full of flavour.  The meat patties were juicy, the salad crisp, the sauce tangy and the bun was fresh and fluffy.

However, a good burger joint is not complete without a decent side of chips.  So luckily New York Minute' chips, which were goldenly crunchy on the outside and light and fluffy on the in, didn't disappoint.

Cheap, cheerful and friendly service - New York Minute is definitely worth try if you find yourself in the streets of Carlton.

Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Décor: 3/5
Total: 11/15
Verdict: love - get around to trying it soon

The Quarter

Melbourne has taken the brunch scene to a whole new level - hotcakes are no longer complete without the edition of edible flowers, soft shell crab has become an acceptable breakfast food and dishes in general no longer make the bar unless they look like a piece of artwork. In light of this brunch revolution, it is safe to say that a sub-standard breakfast is just no longer acceptable. Unfortunately, we had such a breakfast at the Quarter.

Situated on Degraves Street in the CBD with an abundance of outdoor seating, the Quarter was filled to the brim.  Still, being busy is no excuse for substandard food or service.  Our coffees didn't arrive until after our breakfasts had (which was a wait in itself) and, even then, they were missing some of our coffee orders.

Unfortunately I cannot say that my eggs benedict ($15.50) with a side of has browns was worth the wait.  The dish was nice, but it came out cold, the muffin was burnt and the eggs overcooked.

On perusing Zomato, I was surprised to see how many positive reviews there were for dinner at the Quarter - which leads me to believe that they must pull out the big guns for their dinner service. However, with so many other amazing breakfast places in Melbourne to try, I would not recommend trying the Quarter.

Food: 2/5
Service: 2/5
Décor: 3/5
Total: 7/15

Verdict: Don't bother for breakfast

Laksa King

Laksa King - home of one of Melbourne's most famous laksas. And at only $10.80 a bowl, how you can you resist.

Situated in Flemington, it's a bit of a hike from the city centre.  However, this doesn't stop the hoards of people from flocking through its doors.

The menu is expansive and everything looks delicious. But, let's be honest, it would almost be blasphamous to come to Laksa King and not order their signature dish. On this occasion I had the chicken laksa and it was delicious! Vibrant colours and mouth watering aromas, the dish came out looking like it had been photoshopped (no, there is definitely no filter on the picture below). Balancing its elements of sweetness, sourness and saltiness like a pro, it was probably the best bowl of laksa I have ever had.

Unfortunately the pan fried pork dumplings ($10.80) we had at the start were not as good. More accurately described as gyozas, they were nice, but came out luke warm and were lacking in any wow factor.

 

Luckily, however, our other starter was delicious - roti bread with peanut sauce ($7.20). The bread was crisp and fluffy and the accompanying peanut sauce was not only incredibly generous (there is nothing worse than the feeling of having to ration your sauce per piece of roti bread) it was deliciously warm and full of flavour.

Whilst Laksa King takes walk ins, due to its heavy traffic I would highly recommend making a booking for one of its two dinner sittings. But, be warned, come with an empty stomach as the size of the bowls of laksa are not for the faint hearted.

Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5

Venue: 4/5
Total: 12/15
Verdict: love - get around to trying it soon

Olive Garden Cafe Bar and Grill

When a friend suggested that we try the Olive Garden Cafe Bar and Grill on Inkerman Street in St Kilda for dinner, I thought she was slightly mad. No, it's not related to the famous American chain, and yes, it's the tacky looking one at the bottom the apartment building that is always empty. But to my surprise, at the end of my dining experience, it was no longer tacky - it was funky,  it was no longer cheap - it was good value and it was no longer empty - it was intimate.

The staff of Olive Garden are definitely its main attribute - warm and friendly, they were up for a good laugh throughout the entire night. With its fairy lights, eclectic colours, and outdoor couch set up which would be perfect in Summer, the venue reminded me of a cheap and cheerful place you would find on a university campus,

To start with we shared the nachos with guacamole, salsa and sour cream ($12) - which came out with sweet chilli sauce instead of tomato salsa and the addition of black beans.  Whilst it didn't come out quite like the description, the blacks beans were rather delicious and the sweet chilli sauce actually worked, making it a refreshing change from the standard nachos.

For main I had the home-made pumpkin gnocchi with gorgonzola sauce, baby spinach and reggiano ($20.50). The gnocchi was cooked well and the sauce was full of flavour - a bit salty for my liking -  but I'm not the biggest salt fan and my friends who tried it thought it was salted perfectly. 

Olive Garden is by no means fine dining, and were a little slow in getting our meals to us, but it is still a good value spot which I wouldn't object to going to again.

Food: 3/5
Service: 4/5
Decor: 3/5
Total: 10/15
Verdict: Like - get around to trying it at some point