Wednesday 26 August 2015

Japanese Adventures @ Pepper Lunch

With numerous locations all of Australia, Pepper Lunch is known for its  wide range of sizzling dishes that are served still cooking on a hotplate. I have been here on numerous occasions, my first time was disappointing but after giving it a second chance i have started to like Pepper Lunch a lot more.
Kimchi Beef w/ Cheese & Chips ($15)

Beef, Cheese & Kimchi? that sounds like a great combination to me. I've tried numerous dishes here and this one seems to be my favourite. Being able to cook your meat to your liking is definitely a pleaser for me, though in this case i let the meat sit for too long because i was taking a photo, which resulted in it being cooked too well.

 One problem was that i ordered an extra egg which i didn't realise when i took the photo. So when i told the waitress, she took the dish and opened a raw egg onto the plate. Now at the time, the hotplate wasn't as hot anymore which resulted in my egg not being cooked properly. But that was okay because i mixed it in the end.

 The dish overall was filling and flavoursome, you are also given the option for extra or double meat, and the ability to customise your dish with extras. 

Food - 6/10
Ambiance - 6/10
Service - 5.5/10
Total FoOodie Points- 17.5/30 

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Chinese Adventures @ Rose Garden BBQ

Located on Elizabeth st, near Melbourne Central. Rose Garden BBQ is a Chinese restaurant that specializes on affordable home-style dishes. Perfect for budget uni-students as most of the dishes here are less than $10 and are large in quantity.

Upon arrival we were greeted and given 2 different menus, the first menu was the original menu with all the dishes. Whilst the 2nd menu was the 'Top 10 Dishes'. We opted for that menu because it interested us the most.

Fried Rice w/ Shredded Duck & Preserved Veggies ($10.80)
The dish was quite average, generous amount of shredded duck and veggies. The dish overall was satisfyingly filling, though it was inconsistent in flavour. At times the flavour was either lacking, good or the preserved veggies overpowered the dish.
(2.5/5)


Egg Chiffon Rice w/ Pork ($10)

The 'Egg Chiffon Rice w/ Pork' consisted of primarily; Rice, omelette on top, pork, spring onion & gravy. This dish reminded me of home-food which is a good factor. Sadly it was lukewarm when it was served, else i would've liked it more because the overall flavour and the dish itself was quite nice.
(3.3/5)

Food - 6/10
Ambiance - 5/10
Service - 5/10
Total FoOodie Points- 16/30 

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Japanese Adventures @ Sushi Hotaru

Located in Mid-City Arcade on Little Bourke, Sushi Hotaru is known to be one of the best cost-efficient sushi trains in Melbourne. For $3 a plate, paired with quality sushi and side dishes, there is a good reason why there is always a massive line during peak hour.



Sushi Hotaru has pretty good dishes that are all $3 a plate on the train. They also use a funky electronic ordering system which allows you to order fresh sushi and different types of dishes if nothing on the train interests you.
Outstanding dishes to me were the; 
Eel w/ Cream Cheese & Cucumber 
Spicy Tuna Nigiri 
Seared Spicy Salmon Nigiri 
Udon 
These dishes are definitely a must try if you ever decide to come here. Especially the udon, a perfect side dish to have alongside the various amount of sushi the restaurant has to offer. Though the udon is $3.50, the size is quite filling and flavoursome

The End Result

Though there was some disappointing/average dishes, Sushi Hotaru is one of those places where you have to try once in your life (especially if you're a budget uni-student)


Food - 7/10
Ambiance - 7/10
Service - 7/10
Total FoOodie Points- 21/30 

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Tuesday 25 August 2015

Korean Adventures @ Gami Chicken


One of the renowned Korean Fried Chicken restaurants that every chicken lover knows is Gami Chicken! with 3 stores located around Melbourne CBD, theres a reason why each of these stores always seem to be packed.

Corn Cheese ($9.8)
Seasoned loose corn covered with seared cheese and sprinkled parsley served on a sizzling plate

A must have when eatting at any Korean fried chicken restaurant, corn smothered in melted cheese, what else could you want?. The corn cheese here is a lot better compared to other (KFC) joints so make sure to grab one of these if you ever come here.
(4/5)

Kimchi Pancake ($14)
Pan-fried Korean traditional pickled cabbage and vegetables in Korean pancake batter 

These were pretty good, a lot of kimchi (+1) though a bit inconsistent, crispy on the outside but soggy towards the middle which resulted in the pancake falling apart. 
(3/5)

Gami Original Whole Chicken ($32)

The star of night, the original whole chicken was beautiful. The skin was really crispy and the meat itself was very tender, not dry at all. I prefer my chicken this way as i feel that the sauces are a bit overpowering and decrease the crispiness which i love.
(3.5/5)

Gami Boneless Whole Chicken w/ Sweet Chilli Sauce ($34)
The sweet chilli sauce was a good compliment to the chicken. It was flavoursome and gave a kick when you first bite into it. Though the flavour may get a bit too much as you keep eatting, but its still overall very enjoyable and a must try for all.
(3/5)

Food - 7/10
Ambiance - 7/10
Service - 6/10
Total FoOodie Points- 20/30 


Monday 24 August 2015

Dumpling Adventures @ Shanghai Street Dumplings


Located in the corner of Little Lonsdale and Elizabeth St, Shanghai Street Dumplings is known for there renowned dumplings such as 'Xiao Long Bao'. The restaurant seems to always have a line outside the store and that's always a good sign despite the wait.

Homemade Traditional Steamed XiaoLongBao (Pork) (8pc) ($9.80)

Full of soupy goodness, the XiaoLongBao did not disappoint, it was flavoursome and came out steaming hot. The pieces were a bit bigger than the usual XiaoLongBao and was my favourite dish of the night.
(3.5/5)




Homemade Boiled Peking Dumplings (Pork) (15pc) ($8.80)

The 'Homemade Boiled Peking Dumplings' were also delicious. Though i felt like the dough was a bit thick, it was still overall enjoyable, and for almost $9 for 15 pieces, thats a bargain for a uni student like me.
(2.5/5)

I wished i could've ordered more dishes as i wanted to try other specialties but i will save that for another time. Me and my partner came here on a Tuesday night and the line was a 20-25 minute wait. Was it worth it wait?, i'd say yes, Shanghai Street Dumplings does some pretty good dumplings compared to alot of other dumpling joints in Melbourne (which explains the long line everyday).

Food - 7/10
Ambiance - 5/10
Service - 6/10
Total FoOodie Points-18/30 


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Burger Adventures @ Bad Boys

Between Little Lonsdale & Lonsdale St hides Bad Boys, a burger joint located in Punch Lane. When this place first opened up, the hype was insane! full of customers and the wait to grab one of these burgers took a long time. But now that the hype has died down, grabbing one of these gems is now alot easier.

I apologize for the photo as this was taken with my old (and horrible) Iphone 4s, my reviews lately have been on and off in terms of photo quality but thats because i've been delaying my reviews and uploading both new and old reviews at the same time.

Weekly Special #1 (1 extra patty) w/ Fries + Drink + Truffle Aioli Dipping Sauce Combo ($21.5)
2 Wagyu Beef Patty, Onion Rings, Cos Lettuce, Tomato & Bad Boy Sauce

Decided to go for the 'Weekly Special #1', i don't remember what the actual burger was called but it was one of their limited weekly burgers. Deciding to grab an extra patty for fun was possibly one of the best and worst decisions of my life. I was in such a bad food coma i couldn't move from the restaurant for a good 10 minutes after eatting.

The burger itself was really nice, everything worked well together and the onion rings were crispy and nice. Though because of the extra patty it was difficult to manage which resulted in a messy meal but it was still a great meal. The chips were great, crispy and thick, it worked well with the truffle aioli sauce. A satisfying meal which i would definitely love to try again.

Food - 7/10
Ambiance - 6/10
Service - 7/10
Total FoOodie Points- 20/30 

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K-BBQ Adventures @ Mrs Kim's Grill



Theres a reason why Mrs Kim's Grill is known as one of the best Korean BBQs Melbourne has to offer. From the fresh meat right from their butcher store to its affordable sets and funky interior (which i forgot to get a photo of). Kim's Grill, located in Carnegie, is one of the top Korean BBQs in Melbourne.

Table of Delicious Goodies.

We decided to go for the 'Moo Set' & the 'Oink Set' which pretty much meant beef & pork set. Each set gives you the selection of meat, a choice of 3 different entrees, soup of the day, butter veggie parcel and 2 rice.

Seaweed Soup & Butter Veggie Parcel
Seaweed soup was good, not outstanding, a pleaser when mixed with rice. The Butter Veggie Parcel consisted of numerous vegetables such as corn, potato, carrots & broccoli, topped with cheese. It was cooked on the grill so the combination of melted cheese and vegetables was appealing.
(2.5/5) - (3.3/5)


Spring Onion mix & Smoked Salmon and Onion Mix


Spring onion mix was complimentary alongside the kimchi and onion. We had a choice of 2 entrees, we opted for the Smoked Salmon and Onion Mix & Assorted Vegetables which i didnt get a solo shot of but you can see it in the main photo (lettuce wrapping). The Smoked Salmon was really good, refreshing and full of flavour. But asides from that i wasn't fond of the onion mix.
(3.5/5)

Chilli & Soy Pork Belly 


Tender and full of flavour, the Chilli & Soy Pork Belly did not disappoint. I preferred the chilli pork belly more because i'm a spice lover when it comes to food, definitely one of the nicest pork bellies  i have ever tasted in my Korean BBQ experience.
(4/5)


Marinated Galbi Beef Ribs & Skirt Steak
For a restaurant that sources its meat from their own butcher store, you can't go wrong with beef. As expected, i was not disappointed, i loved the Galbi Beef Ribs & the Skirt Steak. Tender and flavoursome, these were definitely the highlight of the night. The pork was really good but the beef was so much better.
(4,5/5)

Overall, very satisfying meal, now i understand why this place has so much hype. Fresh meat from their butcher shop, affordable prices and great service. I would definitely come back here again

Food - 7.5/10
Ambiance - 7/10
Service - 7/10
Total FoOodie Points- 21.5/30 

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Wednesday 19 August 2015

Dumpling Adventures @ New Shanghai

Located in the heart of the Emporium food court, New Shanghai is as you can tell, a Shanghainese restaurant that serves their numerous specialty dishes such as dumplings, noodles, rice dishes etc. 

New Shanghai Xiao Long Bao ($7.80) (8pc)
Steamed Mini Pork Buns
Filled with the usual soup in 'Xiao Long Bao' the first bite was filled with dumpling goodness. Disappointing factor was that it was served lukewarm so it wasn't as enjoyable as most 'Xiao Long Bao'
(2.5/5)

New Shanghai Fried Pork Bun ($10.5) (8pc)

These came out the minute we placed our order, which gave me and my buddy shifty eyes and assumed it was already cooked and sitting on the counter (-1 to my books). The buns were lukewarm but were quite enjoyable. 
(3/5)

Overall the meal was average, dumplings would've been a lot better if they came out hot so i assumed it was cooked before we placed the order. Would i come here again? sure, to try some other dishes and give then a second chance.

Food - 5.5/10
Ambiance - 5.5/10
Service - 6.5/10
Total FoOodie Points- 17.5/30 

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Tuesday 18 August 2015

Italian Adventures @ Vons

Today's uni-lunch break session restaurant is 'Vons'. We decided to explore Hardware Lane because we had nothing else to do and there was a lot of restaurants i haven't tried here before. 
We decided to choose this place because one of the owners approached us as we were browsing the menu stating that they had the 'Best Italian in Melbourne'. As dodgy as it sounded we decided to give it a go cause it sounded fun. The restaurant itself was completely empty and anyone who proclaims that their restaurant is the best in Melbourne is questionable in general.


 
Hand-Cut Fries ($3) & Garlic Bread ($3)

For starters we got 'Hand-Cut Fries' & 'Garlic Bread'. The chips were nice and crunchy but came in those tiny tomato sauce packets (-1 for me). The garlic bread was crispy but the garlic taste was overpowering. It was the strongest garlic bread I've ever had, had to take a mint after it so people didn't smell it :)

Spaghetti Carbonara ($10)

The main reason we decided to try this place out was because they had cheap $10 lunch specials, and as the poor university students we are, this pulled us in. I decided to go for the 'Spaghetti Carbonara'. It was pretty average, the sauce was too runny and the flavour was quite average.
(2.5/5)

Grilled Fish & Chips ($10)

My friend decided to go for 'Grilled Fish & Chips', he quoted "its alright", "needed more seasoning". I wasn't able to try part of his dish but he also stated that the "sauce wasn't the best". Overall he was unsatisfied and hoped he tried something else.
(2/5)

Spaghetti Bolognese ($10)

My other friend decided to go for the 'Spaghetti Bolognese' , he said it was too salty which killed the overall bolognese taste. There was too much sauce for his liking, overall unsatisfying for him also. He got a stomach-ache when we left the restaurant but that was probably because he managed to eat his dish in less than a few minutes. 
(2/5)

Overall, the food quality was quite disappointing. For a self-proclaimed 'Best Italian in Melbourne' there was a reason why there was no customers in the restaurant when we arrived. But this is what exploring new restaurants is all about, the good and the bad :). Won't be coming here anytime soon.

Food - 4/10
Ambiance - 6.5/10
Service - 5/10
Total FoOodie Points- 15.5/30 

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Korean Adventures @ Suda

The destination today is Suda! Its been a month since i last blogged, been really busy because of uni but i finally have time :) The I came here last month with my partner for a dinner date and i saw a lot of good reviews on this place on Zomato so i decided to give it a try.

Left: Minty Plum Iced Tea ($4)  
Right: Homemade Yuzu Orange Iced Tea ($4)

We started off with drinks, 'Plum Iced Tea' and 'Homemade Yuzu Orange Iced Tea'. They both tasted nice and light, though they lacked a bit in flavour but it was enjoyable.
(3/5)



Tteok & Haloumi ($11)
Crispy rice cake & Grilled Haloumi, Plum Honey, Seeds
The restaurant focuses on tapas style dishes so we decided to order a lot because we thought it would've been small servings. The first dish was the 'Tteok & Haloumi'. I definitely loved the Haloumi which is some sort of cheese. It was grilled and had a nice flavour. Tteok was average, but had a nice kick because of the plum honey.
(4/5)


K-Popcorn Chicken ($10)
Korean style crispy chicken, peanut, spring onion, sweet chilli
The next dish was the K-Popcorn Chicken. These came out hot and tasted great! crispy and flavourful, the sweet chilli sauce worked really well with the chicken.
(4/5)


Soy Chicken Wings ($11)
Soy onion sauce, Crispy chicken wings, cabbage salad

We were only halfway through our order and i was already starting to feel quite full. The struggle game began but i fought on :). The next dish was the 'Soy Chicken Wings', the dish was visually appealing, though i noticed that most of the dishes including the ones i had before were actually prepared really well in terms of presentation, which is definitely a +1 in my books. The wings were more flavourful and enjoyable than the 'K-Popcorn Chicken' as long as you don't mind messy hands :) it was one of my favorite dishes of the night
(4.5/5)



Chicken Pot Pie ($12)
Spicy Korean chicken, Mozzarella, sweet potato, puff pastry

The next dish was the 'Chicken Pot Pie', to be honest i had no idea what to expect when i ordered this because it sounded so unique. It came out on a board with a bowl, it was really unique, it was called a pie because they used the pie pastry as a lid for the bowl. Under the bowl there was spicy chicken, cheese & sweet potato. The taste was average, not as good as most 'Chicken & Cheese' that Korean restaurants serve.
(3/5)

Classic tteokbokki ($14)
soft rice cake, fish cake in spicy soup
The 'Classic Tteokbbokki' was one of the disappointing dishes of the night. The rice cake was nice and soft but it wasn't anything special and lacked in flavour.
(2.5/5)

Perilla Seeds Cream Pasta w/ Bulgogi ($18)
perilla seeds, creamy sauce, mushroom, flat-bread, bulgogi

Finally, we reached the last dish of the night. It was the 'Perilla Seeds Cream Pasta w/ Bulgogi'. I completely forgot to take a photo when it was served so i started mixing it straight away. Then i realised, so i took a photo anyway. The pasta was quite nice, though the perilla seeds were overpowering because there was so much. It was one of those dishes that was delightful at first but as you eat more it gets a bit too much.
(3.5/5)

I definitely left the restaurant bloated and in a food coma. Didn't move for 15 minutes so i could rest, Overall the food was nice and enjoyable, the large range of dishes let us taste most of the specialty dishes in the restaurant. I will definitely come back one day, the service was fantastic and the interior was funky and casual.

Food - 7/10
Ambiance - 7/10
Service - 7/10
Total FoOodie Points- 21/ 30 

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