Rice Paper Sister

Rice Paper Scissors’ sister restaurant (aptly called Rice Paper Sister) had a lot to live up to when it recently opened its door considering its sibling’s success. But patrons will not be disappointed when eating at this slightly more sophisticated venue (that actually takes bookings). 

Giving Supernormal’s lobster rolls a run for their money, our starter of fried lobster rolls was the sort of dish worth dreaming about.  I know what you’re thinking - why spoil a beautiful piece of fresh lobster by frying it - but trust me, if you were to try this tasty little morsel you would also be converted -  a true highlight of my night. Although for my fellow diner, the highlight was the special starter of the day ‘tuna on toast’ - sashimi grade tuna topped with black caviar. 

For our main, we had the special of sweet and sour crispy barrumundi. Being allergic to pineapple, I thought that this was definitely off the menu for me - but even on a busy Friday night, the kitchen were incredibly accommodating and re-crafted the dish for me so it was pineapple free - and with the result of a dish just bursting with flavour. 

Whilst I’ve never been known to be a fan of Asian inspired deserts, Rice Paper Sister’s apple pie is a must - wrapped in deliciously buttery roti, this pie is up there with one of the best deserts in Melbourne. They even put a birthday candle on the top for us being our fellow diner's birthday. 

 
Incredible food paired with incredible staff, it’s no wonder that Rice Paper Sister is the new fave.

Food: 4.5/5 

Service: 5/5
Venue: 4/5
Total: 13/15
Verdict: the new fave - put it as number one on the to do list

 

Sunda

Serving up an exquisite fusion of Vietnamese and Indonesian cuisine, newly opened Sunda on Punch Lane is already making its mark on the Melbourne food scene. Situated in a New York loft-esque venue, the walls are exposed, the kitchen is on show, the tables are shared and the seats are limited - all elements giving the place a sense of exclusivity and (border-line half renovated) charm.

With a menu that offers a twist on many of the Asian classics using well known beloved flavours, Sunda's menu is both unique, but familiar enough not to be intimidating.  The roti served with vegemite satay (you heard me, vegemite satay) is not to be missed - tasting more like a freshly cooked croissant, the butteryness of the bread was cut beautifully by the saltiness in the vegemite satay. 

In terms of the mains, cooked to perfection and dancing with flavour, the lamb rump with braised cashew, salt bush and native curry is another dish not to be missed. And with its bold flavours and generous portion, our side of egg noodles with XO sauce and chicken crackling (giving pork crackling a run for its money) was definitely a dish worthy of being considered a main. 

The best part about Sunda - it takes bookings.

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

 

Lello Pasta Bar

With its high quality warm and welcoming service, I really wanted to love Lello Pasta Bar.  But unfortunately, we walked out feeling quite "meh" at the underwhelming (reasonably pricey at nearly $30 a plate) pasta dishes. 

Being a blistering cold and wet Melbourne evening, my friend and I had swapped out our plans of tequila and tacos for red wine and ragu.  What we were hoping for when we walked through Lello's doors was rich, bold and hearty pastas - ordering the ragu of the day, and the lasagna.  However, what we were met with was pasta which, while cooked well, lacked in flavour and seasoning.

The sides were even less impressive - the spinach was bland and the chips overcooked.

Whilst the food wasn't terrible (and the bottle of Chianti we had was quite delicious), there are so many other amazing Italian places in Melbourne to try that don't leave you feeling underwhelmed after a $160 price tag.

Food: 2.5/5
Service: 4.5/5
Venue: 3/5
Total: 10/15

South of the Wall

Offering a fresh, fun and a little bit cheeky vibe, newly opened Mexican cantina South of the Wall in Richmond forgets about constraining itself when it comes to the happy hour - offering ridiculous cheap Margaritas what feels like all day long.  With the type of service you'd expect to receive from a good friend, and a menu that's filled with all of your Mexican favourites, its not hard to quickly discover that you've made the right choice walking through South of the Wall's doors.  And don't worry if you haven't caught on to the South of the Wall reference by the time of arrival, it will soon become clear on spotting the giant Donald Trump mural on the wall. 

Offering what's potentially the best quesadilla going around town,  the chicken quesadilla stuffed with jalapenos and queso, and served with an incredibly generous amount of sour cream, is not to be missed.



The nachos, however, could have done with a lot more layering, with the cheese (which had turned into a clump of clag) and the meat just slumped on the top. However, layering aside, the meat was still tender and juicy, and the guac and the salsa full of flavour.

With an outdoor courtyard that captures the mid day sun, and plenty of indoor seating, South of the Wall is perfect for any weather condition - although for me, nothing cures a hangover better then sipping a happy hour margarita in the sun while munching down on a delicious serving of nachos.

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

 

Venus and Co

Located on Victoria Avenue in Albert Park, relatively newish Greek inspired restaurant Venus and Co offers a delicious array of Mediterranean dishes made to share. Located in a casual but warm and inviting venue, the vibe makes you feel like you're a million miles away, and the staff make you feel like you've instantly arrived home.  

The Three Dips and Olives is a must as a starter dish. So too is the perfectly cooked Southern Calamari with squid ink ouzo fennel seed aioli (which looks a little creepy due to the colour and its tar consistency, but is oh so delicious!). 

The Saganaki of Haloumi with golden raisin compote and pickled zucchini, whilst having a lot of potential, came out cold, making it on the tough and chewy side (rather than the ooze i usually enjoy from a Saganaki). 

For mains, the lamb shoulder over coals was an excellent choice - the meat was tender and juicy, and filled with a delicious charcoal flavour.  However, the moussaka was by far the highlight of the night.  Smothered with cheese and rich with flavour - it was the sort of dish worth dreaming about.  It was by far the best mousakka I've had in Melbourne. All three of us wanted to dive in and lick the bowl to savour the last of the flavours. 

With such incredibly friendly and attentive service, delicious food and a reasonable price tag, I was actually quite surprised by Venus’s low-3s score on Zomato. It was definitely a winner in my books and I look forward to going back again - especially if the special of mousakka is on the menu. 

Food: 4/5

Venue: 3.5/5

Service: 4/5

Total: 11.5/15

Verdict: love - get around to trying it soon 

KL Bunga Raya

Slightly off the beaten track on Errol Street in North Melbourne is Malaysian inspired restaurant KL Bunga Raya. With prices that make McDonalds look expensive (including an array of $7 wines!)  KL Bunga Raya's food is inexpensive but still tasty, in a venue that’s casual but warm and friendly. 

The freshly cooked roti that came out minutes after we sat down was by far the highlight of the night - crisp on the outside and buttery on the inside, it’s a must for anyone’s order when attending this venue.



The fresh and fragrant soup of the laksa was another highlight of the evening - however the seafood didn’t exactly taste fresh, so perhaps go with another one of their laksa options. The beef rendang was also a disappointment - whilst the beef was cooked to perfection, the overall dish lacked any great flavour.

Whilst a far cry from the best Malaysian in Melbourne, with its reasonable price tag, incredibly friendly staff and plenty of other mouth watering-looking dishes to choose from, I would recommend hitting up KL Bunga Raya if you’re in the area and in the mood for Malaysian.

Food: 2.5/5
Service: 4/5
Venue: 3/5
Total: 9.5/15
Verdict: like - get around to trying it at some point

 

Oriental Teahouse

Oriental Teahouse is one of the more underated Asian eateries of Melbourne.  Offering roaming yum cha all of the time (no need to wait for the traditional Sunday lunch), Oriental Teahouse has a venue both in Little Collins Street and South Yarra. On this occasion, we hit up Little Collins Street.

Whilst Oriental Teahouse offers more than just dumplings, dumplings seemed to feature heavily on the yum cha roaming menu of the day. Of the dumplings we tried, both the peking duck dumplings and the prawn dumplings deserve honorary mentions - whilst the site of the pink peking duck dumplings made me slightly hesitant, both types of dumplings were fresh and full of flavour. 

The chili wagyu beef dumplings and the XO scallop and prawn dumplings were also pretty tasty - but would have tasted even better if they hadn't come out luke warm.

The venue at Little Collins Street, however, is not one of its highlights - incredibly dark (and not in the mood lighting way), the tables are surprisingly small for 2 guests, making it rather difficult to order more than one offering of yum cha at a time.

Food: 3.5/5
Venue: 3/5
Service: 4/5
Total: 10.5/15
Verdict: Like - get around to trying it at some point