29/07/2017 - Hash Specialty Coffee & Roaster

Location: 113 Hardware St, Melbourne VIC 3000

We were in the city and were keen to enjoy a good brunch but didn't really want a long queue. We then decided to go for Hash which was along the same lane as hardware society. When we reached there, there was no queue and we immediately got a table. I didn't really like the size of the table but I just went along with it as I have never sat at that location before. 

Sparkling water ftw since they mentioned specifically that it was free so why not? :p

We ordered the following dishes for the brunch. I was pretty upset at the low number of savoury dishes though: 

• Soy Latte + Skinny Cappuccino
• Chorizo & Scallops
• Pork Benedict

The scallops were a bit too salty for my palate... 

They were pretty generous with the pulled pork. But after a few serves, I got pretty sick of the pulled pork. They should probably find some ingredient to provide some relief.

Damage: 49.8 AUD for 2 pax. I think it was a place which is so so. You can try the hot chocolate with the candy floss for the theatre effect but effectively it just candy floss with chocolate = very sweet hot chocolate. Its a good alternative if you want a decent brunch without queueing for a long time like hardware societe.

27/07/2017 - Killiney Kopitiam Bourke Street

Location: Shop 11, 108 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

We went to this classic Malaysian / Singaporean shop to have dinner so that we can enjoy 25% off via Entertainment book. It was pretty empty at 6pm except for a few customers. We could choose whichever seat was available and we chose a pretty big table for 4 even though it was just the 2 of us. 

We ordered the following dishes / drinks: 

• Soft Shell Crab Laksa
• Hainan-ese Chicken Rice
• Carrot Cake (black version)
• Soya bean with Grass Jelly drink (cold)
• Hot Teh Si (Tea with evaporated milk)

We were too hungry so we only took 1 picture to feature them all!

Damage: 28.3 AUD for 2 pax (after entertainment book discount). Overall, my girlfriend and I was pretty happy with the dishes. The chicken was tender, the soup tastes pretty good and the rice smelled really fragrant. The carrot cake has good flavour in it and the laksa soup was pretty nice (although the laksa was too heavy for me after I had a few bites off the soft shell crab. It was probably too oily for me and there was no relief...)

I am pretty keen to try their crab dishes but I am worried that it might not be fresh. Has anyone tried that before?

22/07/2017 - Higher Ground

Location: 650 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000

Finally managed to try this brunch ever since I went there for just a cuppa to catch up with my ex colleague. It was good that we arrived early (before 9am). There was a huge crowd of about 25 people waiting outside after we finished our meal. It was a good thing that we left quickly after our brunch and coffee.

The environment of the cafe was pretty nice. They have some really comfy sofas upstairs but they are really just meant for those who are drinking coffee as its way too low for a brunch. The ceiling is pretty high so it feels really spacious and comfy. It was quite surprising to see this cafe so crowded in this early on a Saturday morning.

Ceiling so high!

Such a comfy place to chill, relax, take it easy and watch the day go by.

Some greenery inside to spruce the place up

We ordered our usual coffees with 2 different brunch dishes:

• Soy Latte
• Skinny Cappuccino
• Minced Lamb
• Eggs Benedict

The coffee was good but then again, i cannot really tell the difference because i have soy in my coffee :p

The pomegranate and sour cream provided some good relief to the lamb. It was really quite good at first but when i was mid way through it, it felt too much for me. 

The usual eggs Benedict with cheeesssseeeeeeee

Damage: 50.5 AUD for 2 pax. We would definitely be back again to enjoy the cushy and plush sofa over a cup of coffee! The brunch dishes are really just all right but the environment is pretty good. Do be there early if you want to avoid the crowd! The place opens at 8am!

16/07/2017 - Mr Lee Foods

Location: 5 Old Lilydale Rd, Ringwood East Victoria 3000

We finally had the chance to try this place on Sunday evening. It was surprisingly crowded and filled with many korean folks at the restaurant even though the place was pretty ulu (isolated). They have an english menu so its pretty easy to order. 

The customers also have a habit to sit outside in their car while waiting for a table. We were lucky to be able to get a table even though we went for a takeaway option when the table was unavailable.

We ordered 2 different dishes: 

• Sausage soup
• Pork plate

The pork goes well with the sauces provided and the soup was pretty bland without adding additional spices on the side.

Damage: 28 AUD for 2 pax. I wanted to order another soup (The pork soup) but girlfriend was saying she was too full and couldn't eat much. I would definitely be back again. (I think my girlfriend would be back too!). The spicy green chillis were part of the sides but do go easy on them, they are pretty spicy!!!

30/06/2017 - Shoya Nouvelle Wafu Cuisine

Location: 25 Market Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000

I booked this place 3 weeks in advance to ensure that my girlfriend and myself can enjoy the dining experience at Shoya and they did give us an unforgettable experience indeed. They responded promptly to my reservation and confirmed the reservation within the day. They also confirmed the name of my girlfriend so that they can have something special prepared for her!

We arrived too early on the day itself but the chef was kind enough to let us in to have a seat as the weather was pretty cold outside. (the cons of a cold wintery evening). In total, we spent about 2 hours in the restaurant - which was quite a long time. The service was very good throughout the course of the meal but at some instances, I did have some problems understanding her when she was explaining the dishes to us after service.

We ordered the Chef 'New Age' Omakase Course each and it consists of the following items:

• Siberian Sturgeon Caviar
• Kurogoma Udon
• Amago Shumai
• Bunka age
• Hatching Ocean Egg
• Assortment of Sashimi
• Hokkaido Crab Tempura
• Smoked Applewood Tuna Toro
• Wagyu Beef Steak Volcano Hot Plate (1 main for girlfriend) 
• Hotate Namasoy Volcano Hot Plate (1 main for myself)
• Suimono
• Chef's Dessert

This was the caviar. Salty but goes well with the wine. Initially we thought this was the drinks we ordered but it turned out that it part of the degustation. (The drinks we ordered were too strong ... )

Combination of the Ox Tongue (right), Udon (middle) and Sea eel (left). We stirred the udon obediently and it tasted surprising cold but good.

There is some egg omelette in there. But it was all done with a few scoops.

This was the sashimi and the hand ground wasabi on the left which tasted pretty nice. The portion looks a bit small but it was pretty fresh and tasty!

Huge big crab leg in tempura. The green tea salt was too salty and the shell of the crab was too soft to be cracked.

I popped this whole item into my mouth. Eating them together gives it a good taste and mix.

This was one of the mains with the hot plate. The scallops were pretty fresh

This dish was quite the let down. The meat was normal. I had better meat dishes at other places.

and Finally! The custom made dessert dish for my girlfriend! It was pretty nice of them to do this! You would need to let them know in advance when you book!

Damage:  A whopping 150 AUD per pax for the degustation and 13 AUD for the strong drinks on the side. Overall it was a pretty good experience and I am glad that they remembered to make something special for my girlfriend. I would probably head back there again and try their ala-carte dishes! My girlfriend enjoyed her birthday dinner very much - so I am quite happy to pay for it. Do remember to book in advance if you want to try it out!