Shanghai Street

It’s no secret that my favourite place for dumplings in Melbourne’s CBD is Hutong, but my favourite dumpling dish is a whole another story. Whilst chili wonton’s are far from a stranger to the dumpling scene, Shanghai Street’s pork and prawn chilli peanut wontons take it to the next level - the rich and creamy nutty sauce paired with the spice of the chili oil will makes it hard for you to stop to going back for more.

What Shanghai Street unfortunately doesn’t excel at though (well at least on this occasion) is their xiao long bao. The dumpling wrappers stuck to the baskets and broke to smitherreens the minute we tried to move them - meaning that all the delicious soup stored inside was quickly lost to the bamboo basket.



With Shanghai Street having four locations across the CBD, it’s definitely worth popping in to give their chilli peanut wontons a try.

Food: 4/5
Service: 3.5/5
Venue: 3/5
Value for money: 5/5
Total: 15.5/20
Verdict: love - get around to trying their chilli peanut wontons soon

 

Siganature Pho Viet

Wintery weather in Melbourne calls for one thing - a big steaming hot bowl of Pho. So where do you go to find the best pho in Docklands? Well the answer is simple - Signature Pho Viet on Bourke Street. 

Offering complimentary flasks of steaming hot tea and three (that's right, THREE) types of chill on the table (as well as all the usual condiment-culprits of course), Signature Pho shows how far the little touches go.

Signature Pho's veggie pho is by far one of the better veggie pho's I've had in Melbourne.  Whilst usually a veggie pho consists of tofu, a couple of pieces of old carrot and a piece of broccoli or two if you're lucky, Signature Pho's veggie pho is stuffed to the brim with mushrooms, cauliflower, snowpeas, tofu and broccoli - all of which are covered by a broth which is just punching in flavour.

Cheap, cheerful and great value for money, Signature Pho Viet is definitely the place to go if you find yourself craving pho in docklands.

Food: 4.5/5
Venue: 3.5/5
Service: 3.5/5
Value for money: 5/5
Total: Love - get around to trying their pho soon

Cowderoy's Dairy

So I'd expect to get a good burger from a specialty burger chain or my local fish and chip shop - but what I didn’t expect was to get such a delicious burger from my new local cafe, Cowderoy's Dairy. 

Cowderoy's Dairy in St Kilda is like a little slice of suburbia in the (nearly) inner city. With a park situated next door and a plethora of outdoor seating, it’s the perfect place to take the kids, or stop in for a morning coffee after the morning stroll.

The menu consists of all the items you’d usually expect from a good suburban cafe - scones and slices, pasties and pies, hot soup and as mentioned above, to my surprise an absolutely incredible 'Milk Bar Burger' which comprises of a house made premium wagyu beef pattie, lettuce, tomato, caramelised onion, bacon, cheddar, seeded mustard and home made BBQ sauce all on a brioche bun.  The side serve of beer battered chips are also note worthy - golden and crunchy on the outside, and soft and fluffy on the in, they are the epitome of what a good chip should be.



Perfect for a brekki, brunch or lunch, Cowderoy's Dairy is definitely on my recommendation list.

Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Venue: 3.5/5
Total: 11.5/15
Verdict: love - get around to trying it soon

 

Etto Italian Street Pasta - South Melbourne

'How good can fast food pasta be?' i hear you ask. Well, pretty darn good if you're heading to Etto Italian Street Pasta in South Melbourne.  And no, I'm not turning to blogging about a fast food joint because I'm out out of classier content - I actually thought my experience at Etto's was worth sharing as it was so incredibly delicious.

Having a few establishments scattered across Melbourne, Etto offers a range of fresh pastas made daily, as well as a range of salads, pizzas and sides.  With sauce options ranging from chicken cacciatore, black truffle and salami, to garlic prawn and pea - there's definitely a pasta to suit anyone's taste.

On this occasion we went for the bolognese della nonna (with extra chilli), the truffle and mushroom mac'n'cheese and the rocket and parmesan salad.  Whilst the pasta in both dishes was cooked to perfection, the bolognese was the highlight, and an absolute must if you're a bolognese fan.

Incredibly cheap (only $15 for the bolognese and $18 for the truffle mac'n'cheese), incredibly delicious and incredibly quick (out in only 10 minutes) - how can you go wrong with Etto.

Food: 4/5
Venue: 3/5
Service: 3/5
Total: 10/15
Verdict: Love - get around to trying it soon.

Burger Project

The Burger Project is Neil Perry's take on the fast food scene.  Potentially stemming from his famous "Rockpool Burger" (still one of the best burgers I've had in Melbourne), unsurprisingly from the name, Burger Project specialises in serving up a range of beef, chicken and veggie burgers.

Using whole muscle cuts of Tasmanian Cape Grim grass fed beef in their burgers, it only takes one bite to notice the difference in the taste of Burger Project's burgers from many other burger joints.  Using fresh and top quality ingredients, the Double Burger comprised of two patties of beef, cheese, onion pickles, tomato, lettuce and secret sauce, is actually one of the better burgers in town going around.

The chips and chicken bites, however, were smothered with lashings of salt - so unless you want to wish for a saline drip all afternoon, perhaps ask them not to go so heavy on the salt.

Whilst there a few Burger Project venues scattered across the Melbourne, on this occasion we visited the Bourke Street venue, which unfortunately could be described as cold and sterile (but like literally cold, like take your jacket  type of cold).  But at least there is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating for the CBD lunch rush hour.

Food: 3.5/5
Venue: 2.5/5
Service: 3/5
Total: 9/15
Verdict: Like - get around to trying it at some point

Three Little Dumplings

For a city that it is renowned for its dumpling houses, it came as quite a surprise to realise that South Melbourne was missing one for quite some time.  But Three Little Dumplings has come along to fill the void.

As with many other dumpling houses, Three Little Dumplings offers a cheap and cheerful no frills (cash only) experience (with byo of course).  Also as with many other dumpling houses, your safest bet is to stick with the dumplings.  The highlights of our meal were by far the pan fried pork dumplings and the steamed scallop dumplings.  Juicy, flavorsome, and coming out in a flash, they were so good we ordered another plate.

The fried rice and the chicken satay were okay - but nothing to write home about, with a few bits of grisly chicken making an appearance.

he wontons in spicy soup, however, can be given a miss.  The wontons were soggy and the soup was flavourless.

With friendly staff, a cheap pricetag, and let's be honest, a monopoly of the South Melbourne dumpling house market, Three Little Dumplings is definitely on the list if in the mood for a dumpling sesh in South Melbourne.

Food: 3/5
Venue: 3/5
Service: 4/5
Total: 10/15
Verdict: Like - get around to trying it at some point if in the mood for a dumpling sesh.

Paper Fish

Owned by the crew behind the Stokehouse and Pontoon, and situated right next door, the view doesn't get much better then from this beachfront casual fish and chippery.  Having been on my To Do list for quite some time, Paper Fish offers all of the usual fish and chip culprits, as well as a few fancy extras (cucumber and mint salad anyone?).

The fish (Blue Grenadiar) and chips (Cajun spiced) themselves were incredibly delicious - the chips were well seasoned and the generous portion of fish was fresh and juicy.  The Fritto Misto was also a highlight - whilst deep fried prawn heads may not seem appealing to the fainthearted, these crunchy little morsels were incredibly delicious.

But then there were the tacos....ohhhh the dreaded tacos...how can you go so wrong with prawn and fish tacos? Well Paper Fish did.  They were so bad to the point that I took one bite and couldn't eat them, and for me not to finish my food is surely saying something. Both the fish and prawn tacos were dry, had no flavour (except for a burnt taste) and the protein had been cooked to smithereens.

Whilst there was the slightest language barrier with the staff, they were certainly still friendly and the food was quick and came out piping hot.

What a shame about the tacos though, otherwise this place would have been a real treat.

Food: 2.5/5
Venue: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Total: 9.5/15
Verdict: Get around to trying it at some point - but stay away from the tacos.

Trippy Taco

Looking for something cheap, cheerful, and vegetarian (so that us meat-eaters can convince ourselves we're being totally healthy despite the lashings of sour cream and cheese), then look no further than Trippy Taco in St Kilda. With a surprisingly low score on Zomato, the Mexican inspired vegetarian cuisine at Trippy Taco is absolutely fresh and delicious.  With a chilled, no frills vibe (active wear is totally acceptable), Trippy Tacos offers the array of usual Mexican suspects (think tacos, nachos, burritos etc), as well as extensive cocktail menu at very reasonable prices.

The best thing about Trippy Taco? They are not shy with their condiments and sauces - yep, that's a whole giant tub of sour cream served with their deliciously seasoned fries - an absolute must-order on your visit to Trippy Taco.

Their burritos (fresh and filling - who would have thought they contained no meat) and corn on the cob (just look at that chunk of cheese!) are also excellent choices - especially because both are served up in a way that's very easy to share, which is really just an excuse to order more things from the menu!

And who would have thought we had an avocado crisis in Melbourne when you're served up a whopping half of an avocado in Trippy Taco's side salad at an incredibly minimal price.

Great fresh food at reasonable prices - even if you're not a vegetarian, Trippy Taco is definitely a go-to if you're in St Kilda looking for a casual place to eat.

Food: 4/5
Service: 3.5/5
Venue: 3/5
Total: 11/15
Verdict: Love - get around to trying it soon

Sparrow's Philly Cheesesteaks

Sparrow's Philly Cheeseteaks is living proof that late night eats don’t have to be inferior from Melbourne’s usual standard of dining.  Situated in the Fitzroy pub Catfish, whilst the venue itself is nothing overly surprising for a Northside pub, Sparrow's authentic Philly cheesesteaks and loaded chilli cheese fries are definitely something worth talking about.

Indeed, Sparrow's loaded chilli cheese fries are potentially some of the best loaded fries I've had in Melbourne - served up with actual cheese rather than cheese sauce (which I know some people will say is authentic, but so is cheese in a can, and that stuff won't be coming anywhere near my fries thank you), and topped with juicy well spiced chili which is just bursting with flavour, these loaded fries definitely cannot be missed.

My friend ordered the Hoagie with grilled beef, cheese, onions, fresh lettuce and tomato which looked, as my friend coined it, underwhelming.  But after letting me take a bite, I was soon to agree with her that the flavours in this Cheeseteak were anything but underwhelming - it was absolutely delicious.

Eating at Sparrow's Philly Cheeseteaks and not ordering one of their famous Cheeseteaks for myself is probably about as bad as going to Rockpool and not opting for the steak- but hey, at least it gives me a great excuse to head back soon.

Food: 4/5
Service: 3.5/5
Venue: 3.5/5
Total: 11/15
Verdict: Love - get around to trying it soon.

Penang Road

For far too long I was voyaging across the city to Flemington to find a decent bowl of Laksa.  But luckily for me, the voyages are finally - I have managed to find an incredible bowl of fragrant creamy laksa just a stone's throw away from my front door.

Penang Road on Clarendon Street in South Melbourne is everything you want from a cheap and cheerful Malaysian restaurant - byo (wine only), quick service, cheap price tag and ridiculously delicious food. The vegetable laksa at Penang House is hard to go past - filled to the brim with fresh, crisp vegies, this bowl of fragrant soup is just oozing with flavour.

The satay sauce that comes with the roti bread also deserves a favourable mention, so too does the roti bread that comes with it. However, I would probably give the pan fried pork dumplings a miss - it's not that they were terrible, they were just "meh" and probably not worth the calories.

For the laksa alone, Penang Road would have to be one of my new go-to spots on Clarendon Street - a must if you're in the neighbourhood and are in the mood for Malaysian cuisine.

Food: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Venue: 3/5
Total: 10/15
Verdict: Love - get around to trying it soon.

177 Clarendon Street, South Melbourne

 

Po' Boy Quarter

Whether its the hearty servings or the robust flavours, there's something awfully comforting about New Orleans cuisine - and Po' Boy Quarter is no exception. With its origins stemming from food truck "Gumbo Kitchen", from Cajun battered catfish to fried green tomato, Po' Boy Quarter in Fitzroy serves up all of the New Orleans classics

As much as the gumbo caught my eye, I couldn't go past trying New Orleans's historical Po' Boy, specifically the Deep Fried Chicken Po' Boy with buttermilk marinated Cajun Spice chicken,  Cajun slaw, pickles, Louisiana hot sauce and Creole Mayo. Whilst the bread was a touch tough (and there was a lot of it), the chicken was still juicy and seasoned well, and the slaw was flavoursome (although I think they forgot the hot sauce on my roll).

 

Luckily my friends were willing to share the chilli cheese fries as they were not only huge but delicious. In my view, they are perfectly delicious as they are and don't require the addition of pulled pork or Andouille which will likely be offered.  

The service is slightly confusing - on walking on in we weren't sure whether we were meant to go up and order, or whether someone would come to us. It was also tricky to get someone's attention to place our order and ask for our bill (even though there were only like 5 people in there). But the service was still friendly, and the food delicious, so I'll definitely be back even if it's just to try the gumbo.

Food: 3/5
Service: 2.5/5
Venue: 3.5/5
Total: 9/15
Total: Like - get around to trying it at some point

295 Smith Street, Fitzroy

Pho Chu The

 

With the weather already starting to cool down, I seem to have had quite the run of pho. This time it was a deliciously huge bowl of fragrant steamy pho from Pho Chu The on Victoria Street in Richmond.

First of all, no i haven't got the name wrong - for some reason the 'The' is at the end of this Vietnamese eatery's name. Second of all, if you find yourself on Victoria Street craving some Vietnamese eats, then don't go past this joint - it was absolutely delicious .

 Pho Chu The offers a large range of phos - with phos such as the Long Ga with chicken heart, giblet and liver, there's a protein choice for even the most adventurous. Opting for the medium veggie pho, the bowl was filled to the brim with an assortment of carrots, wombok, broccoli, bok choy and tofu. The fragrant broth was only made better with the extensive array of condiments and trimmings on each table including fresh chilli and jars of Pickled onion.

 

Offering their bowls of pho in either small, medium or large portions, they definitely have a bowl of pho to suit anyone's appetite.

Food: 4/5
Venue: 3.5/5
Service: 4/5
Total: 11.5/15
Verdict: love - get around to trying it soon

270 Victoria Street, Richmond

Pho Cycle

Pho was my dish of 2016 - whether it was for a hungover Sunday night take-out, a late night order at work, or a meal out along Victoria Street in Richmond, pho was often my dish of choice. So, whilst coining myself as an expert is probably going too far, I like to think I am qualified to spot a good pho. Pho Cycle is one such place which offers a good pho - indeed, it's probably one of the best phos I've had in awhile.

Situated on Clarendon Street, the venue is casual but quirky, offering both indoor and outdoor seating. Their menu offers all of the Vietnamese suspects - banh mi's, vietnamese salads and a variety of rice paper rolls. For me I couldnt go past trying the spicy mince pho - and I'm glad I did. With its deliciously fragrant broth, perfectly cooked rice noodles and tender bits of spicy meat, it was one of the best phos I've ever had.

We also couldn't go past trying the peking duck rice papers. The duck was tender, and the flavours in the roll tasty, but the accompanying (overly garlicy) sauce was very underwhelming.

There is no doubt I'll be back to Pho Cycle soon for another serve of their spicy pork mince pho - and boy do I look forward to it.

Food: 4/5
Venue: 3.5/5
Service: 4/5
Total: 11.5/15
Verdict: love - get around to trying it soon.

Bruce Lee Sushi

Sushi shops are nothing new - so to make your mark in Melbourne's market, you better be good. Bruce Lee Sushi offers a twist to your everyday roll, offering the likes of the "Heaven B" roll which has bacon in it, and the "Boston Roll" which contains peanut butter.

As I wasn't feeling daring enough to mix bacon or peanut butter with my seaweed just yet, on this occasion I tried the "Crazy Chicken B" and the more traditional "Salmon roll".

The "Crazy Chicken B" was filled with cream cheese, avocado and cucumber, and was topped with teriyaki chicken, bread crumbs, nigiri sauce, bake sauce and teriyaki chicken. Whilst tasty, we went the pre-made roll rather than going for fresh, which meant the bread crumbs on the top had turned unpleasantly soggy.

The "Salmon Roll" was more on your traditional side, with cucumber, surimi, avocado, salmon, teriyaki sauce and creamy sauce.  The salmon was definitely fresh and the avocado plentiful - all in all, a tasty roll.

There is seating available, but let's not make it something that it's not - it's a quick, cheap and tasty option for lunch if you're craving something other than your standard run of the mill sushi.

Food: 3.5/5
Service: 3/5
Venue: 3/5
Total: 9.5/15
Verdict: Like - get around to trying it at some point

Laksa Bar

With my favourite laksa place being miles away (Laksa King in Flemington), I was on the look out for something a bit closer to home. So I had high hopes going into Laksa Bar, hoping it would be the new go to. Unfortunately on this occasion Laksa Bar didn't earn itself the title of being the new fave. Was the food nice? Yes. But was it anything mind blowing? Unfortunately not.

With bar service and self serve cutlery, this venue had all the makings of a Melbourne cheap eats dining institution. The highlight of the night for me was definitely the free bibs which came the bowls of Laksa - such a simple but clever idea!

On this occasion I ordered the veggie and tofu Laksa. The flavour of soup was nice enough, and the crisps were a delicious touch, but there were giant chunks of raw onion through it and my 'veggies' consisted of one tiny piece of greenery, one little piece of baby corn and a couple of raw mushrooms sliced up.

It is definitely times like this I wish I was a fan of soft shell crab as that dish looked magnificently delicious - whilst I have no idea how it tasted, from looks alone of the bowls pouring out of the kitchen, I'd highly recommend soft shell crab fans give it a go.

Food: 2.5/5
Venue: 3/5
Service: 3/5
Total: 8.5/15
Verdict: don't bother - unless you are a soft shell crab fan, then I would say this place is worth giving a try at some point