Burger Adventures @ Royal Stacks

 470 Collins St, Melbourne Vic

9620 0296

11:30am - 10:00pm Mon - Sat

Closed - Sunday

The US-Inspired / homage to the popular US burger chain 'Shake Shack'  is what Royal Stacks has introduced themselves as into the Melbourne burger scene. I've seen plenty of videos and photos from American youtubers and in terms of how the burgers look, Royal Stack definitely has the American burger 'look'.

 Bacon Bacon ($13.9)

2 Australian pasture fed beef patty, double bacon, american cheddar, caramelised onion, american mustard, tomato sauce, pickles

Loads of grease, a heck load of melted cheddar and glorious bacon. This is precisely how I want  my burgers. Unfortunately I can only base my opinion off a one and only bite of my mates burger, and honestly It wasn't amazing, the flavours were there but it didn't 'wow' me. It was exactly what you would expect from the ingredients in the burger. 

(6/10)

 The King ($13.8)

All Australian pasture fed beef patty, tomato, butter lettuce, hand made mac'n'cheese croquette, american mustard, special burger sauce

The mac'n'cheese trend has been popping up all over Melbourne burger joints and I absolutely love it. I've tried a few mac'n'cheese burgers from numerous burger joints and I can gladly say that Royal Stack is one of my favourites. The tiny macaroni size combined with what I'm assuming is a mixture of cheeses really boosts the overall flavour. 

The burger itself is quite heavy because there's so much flavour and ingredients going on. So a fair warning, this burger is not for the faint-hearted :) 

(7.5/10)

Cheese Fries / Gems ($5 / $7.2)

To be honest, the cheese fries and gems is way too heavy for me. I'm pretty sure the cheese was melted american cheddar and it was too heavy and made me feel sick after a few bites. Perhaps some other toppings to lighten the intense cheese flavour would be good but I won't be ordering this again.

(3/10)

 Banana Milkshake ($6.5)

 
Straight up, the banana milkshake was the amazing!, though obviously not healthy as it's filled with sugary and milky goodness. A plus is that the drink wasn't heavy at all which was great as it pairs well with the burger and fries.

(8/10)

Food - 6.3 / 10 

Ambiance - 8 / 10

Service - 7 / 10

Total FoOodie Points - 21.3 / 30

Dessert Adventures @ Mork Chocolate Brew House

150 Errol St, North Melbourne

9328 1386

9am - 5pm Tues-Sun 

Closed Monday

I was finally able to come down to North Melbourne to try out Mork Chocolate Brew House famous delicacies after seeing all these posts from social media. The interior of the brew house was simple and relaxing, with white walls and the minimalist design.

The brew house also sells baked goods which have all been made with Mork chocolate.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Slice

Since the cake wasn't on the menu I don't remember the exact name of what this was called. I do remember it was along the lines of a salted caramel and chocolate slice. 

For someone that doesn't like excessively sweet food, the slice did not suit my palate. It was too rich which left me finished after eating 1/4 of it.
 My friend 'D' on the other hand loved it but thought it was too rich.

(6/10)

Layered Chocolate ($8)

Hot/Chilled Chocolate, aerated warm custard with kaffir line and vanilla pod

The Layered Chocolate was delicious, the hot chocolate was smooth and flavoursome whilst the aerated warm custard added that extra kick to the flavour. Would definitely recommend this to anyone.

(8/10)

Campfire Hot Chocolate ($8)

Hot chocolate, beechwood smoke and toasted marshmallow

The signature campfire hot chocolate, I came here purely to try this as I saw it all over social media. Unfortunately, it was a letdown for me. The smokey taste of the hot chocolate was quite unique but as an overall drink, I wouldn't get it again as the smokey flavour was too strong.

(5/10)

Whilst the signature drink which I was looking forward to came to a disappointed, I'll definitely be back for the other signature drinks and baked goods as the relaxing ambiance was perfect for a casual chat

Food - 6.3 / 10 

Ambiance - 10 / 10

Service - 8 / 10

Total FoOodie Points - 24.3 / 30

Japanese Adventures @ Shujinko

225 Russell St, Melbourne VIC

9654 0989

Open 24 Hours

The infamous 24 hour ramen shop, it's the perfect restaurant after a night out if it weren't for the long queues. Dining here for a late dinner, the atmosphere was definitely loud with the occasion Japanese greetings from the workers, a comfortable environment. 

Tsukemen ($14.50)

various vegetables, and special seafood sauce with thick and chewy noodles

Ordering the Tsukemen for myself, I found the dish to be quite underwhelming. The broth lacked flavour and depth, whilst the noodles, in my opinion did not match well with the broth. I've had plenty different types of Tsukemen before but unfortunately this is rated quite low in my list. 

(5.5/10)

I also had the gyoza which I forgot to take a photo of, and it was pretty good. Delicious flavour and made the dish even better with the dipping sauce, I would highly recommend it on the side. 

(7.5/10)

Food - 6.5 / 10 

Ambiance - 8 / 10

Service - 8 / 10

Total FoOodie Points - 22.5 / 30

Cafe Adventures @ Manchester Press

8 Rankins Ln, Melbourne VIC

9600 4054

7am - 5pm Weekdays

9am - 5pm Weekends

Hidden in a secret lane in Melbourne CBD, Manchester Press has been renown for their famous collection of bagel indulgences. From savoury, sweet and even a bit of both, you'll be sure to satisfy your bagel-cravings at Manchester Press

If you've never been here before, then bear in mind that you might need the great power of google maps in finding this place as I wandered around for like 5 minutes before deciding to rely on it.

NY Lox ($14)

a mountain of smoked salmon & baby capers, served on top of a fresh dill cream cheese

A generous serving of smoked salmon had me salivating when the dish came out. The salmon was delicious, but I felt that the dish could've been better if there was more of the dill cream cheese. The bagel itself was quite dry and hard.

As this was my first time ever eating bagels, I wasn't sure if that's how the texture is supposed to be.

(7/10)

Mel's Maple Mayhem ($13)

Toasted blueberry bagel topped with grilled bacon, mascarpone, sliced banana & drowned in authentic canadian maple

I've always known that bacon and sweet flavours were a trend, but I never pictured it being that great to be honest. After having a bite of Mel's Maple Mayhem, I could see why it's popular. The bacon flavour works really well with the maple syrup, banana and blueberry bagel, but the bacon was quite dry and was difficult to chew on which is either from over-cooking or the bacon was left out ?

(5.5/10)

Chorizo ($14)

grilled spanish chorizo, spinach, sliced tomato and cheese topped with tomato relish

The chorizo was amazing!, bursting with flavour, they worked well with the other components of the dish. To be honest it was my favourite out of the 3 that I tried, and i'll definitely be getting this the next time I come back.

Though the only fault which may be due to personal tastes is the toasted bagel. As mentioned above I wasn't sure if the bagel being really dry is normal. Maybe another visit will let me know.

(8.5/10)

Salted Caramel Cookie

&

Vanilla Bean Cookie

Finishing off with irresistible desserts which I saw on the counter, the Salted Caramel & Vanilla Bean cookie were absolute delicious. But a warning, this isn't a sweet to have all to yourself. After the first few bites the cookie becomes overpowering with sweetness and becomes too much.

(8/10)

Food - 7.1/ 10 

Ambience - 7 / 10

Service - 6 / 10

Total FoOodie Points - 20.1 / 30

Korean Adventures @ Yami Yami (LaTrobe)

200 La Trobe Street, Melbourne, VIC

9654 4460

12pm - 9:30pm Everyday

Another Yami Yami post, but this time it's the Latrobe / Melbourne Central edition. 

Compared to the Lonsdale St Yami Yami, this store features different dishes that aren't seen in their sister store. Though both stores have their own specialty / exclusive items.

Beef Japchae

In terms of quantity, Yami Yami La Trobe beats a lot of other Korean joints by far, the flavour is on par with many other places I've been too which is a good thing as I have yet to try a japchae which I actually dislike.

(7/10)

Seafood & Spring Onion Pancake

Tasted too "flour-y"?, I didn't like the seafood and spring onion pancake as much, the overall flavour wasn't that great and was disappointing in general.

(4/10)

Deep Fried Chicken w/ Spicy Rice Cake & Cheese

This is a specialty at this store, I've ordered almost every time I come here with my friends as it's the 'must have' dish when it comes to sharing and I highly recommend it. It's a combination of fried chicken and spicy rice cake (Ddeokbeokki), and you simply can't go wrong with that. 

A warning though, if you can't deal with spicy food, then this isn't for you. The spiciness level can vary depending on your visit, but most of the times I've had it, it was extremely spicy but so delicious. 

(7/10)

Kimchi Pancake

Definitely the better pancake if I were to compare it to the seafood and spring onion one. the kimchi flavour is delicious and works amazingly well when you dip it in the soy sauce.

Unfortunately from experience, the kimchi pancake can vary in quality sometime, with one time I went, the pancake was dripping in oil and tasted bad. But from what I've seen, they've maintained their consistency.

(7/10)

Food - 6 / 10

Ambiance - 7 / 10

Service - 7 / 10

Total FoOodie Points - 20 / 30

 

Cafe Adventures @ Bowery To Williamsburg

16 Oliver Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000

9077 0162

7:30am - 3pm Weekdays

8:30am - 3pm Weekends

Mmm, delicious New-York style sandwiches is what Bowery To Williamsburg is known for. With their diner style seating, open kitchen right in front of your eyes so you can watch your delicious sandwiches come to life, it's an eye-catching feast. 

Arriving during lunch hours, they were only serving their signature sandwiches and sides. To be honest I had no idea they did other cafe/breakfast dishes so I am definitely coming back to give them a try.

I've heard many stories about their mac'n'cheese so I was looking forward to that the most. Unfortunately, even after arriving around 1pm, the mac'n'cheese were already sold out! but not all was lost when the chef told us that there was still 1 remaining, a blessing it truly was :)

Philly Cheese Steak ($17) (+Side)

Smoked beef brisket, onions, peppers, mushrooms, provolone cheese

My friend 'T' got the philly cheese steak, the portion was definitely larger than anticipated, the smoked beef brisket topped with melted provolone cheese was a beautiful combination. Packed with flavour of the mixture of ingredients, it was surprisingly basic? Not sure how to describe it but I was expecting a mixture of flavours due to the combination of ingredients. Nonetheless a filling dish.

(6/10)

The Reuben ($17)  (+Side)

pastrami beef brisket, sauerkraut, russian dressing, swiss cheese

I decided even before arriving that I'd get the Reuben, always had a soft spot for them. Bowery To Williamsbrug does them quite well, with layers of pastrami beef brisket, sauerkraut and the marvelous melted swiss cheese, It was absolutely delicious! I'm not fond of pickles but in this case, the pickle accompanying the sandwich was amazing, Definitely will ordering an extra one on my next visit.

(8/10)

The portion for both sandwiches were way more than expected, to be honest I was already feeling quite full after the first half.

Mac'n'Cheese (Inc in Set Menu)

To be frank, this was my first time eating oven baked Mac'n'Cheese, and it was the most delicious thing I had during my time at Bowery To Williamsburg. Absolutely delicious, packed with flavour, simply just amazing. It was definitely my kind of food.

(10/10)

Potato Salad (Salad of the day)

Another delicious side, the potato was just right and the sauce was stunning!. Not entirely sure what was in it, but I could taste pickles which worked really well with the rest of the flavours.

(7.5/10)

Food - 7.8 / 10

Ambiance - 6 / 10

Service - 7 / 10

Total FoOodie Points - 20.8 / 30

Burger Adventures @ The Burger Block (Invited)

85 Willsmere Rd, Kew VIC 3101

9854 5771

7am - 3pm Mon - Fri

9am - 4pm Sat         

       Sunday Closed        

On the courtesy of Brenda, I was invited to The Burger Block to try out some of their signature burgers. Located on Willsmere Rd, Kew. the cafe is easily accessible by bus or tram, and even easier by car (which unfortunately I did not have).

I rarely travel to the Eastern suburbs as I'm from the West so this was quite the adventure for me.

Upon entering, we were greeted by friendly workers and a cozy atmosphere. With a display of burgers on their counter, there was so many delicious options to choose from

Red Lantern (JPN/THAI) ($12.9)

american cheese, bacon, spanish onions, lettuce, tomato & wasabi mayo

After spending a good 10 minutes deciding on what burger I wanted, I opted for the Red Lanttern. I find it pretty cool how the cafe labels their burgers with countries.

The burger was delicious!, packed with flavour, the bun was soft, juicy patty, everything worked really well together. Unfortunately I was expecting more spice as the burger had a 2 chilli rating on the menu. I wasn't able to get that punch I was hoping for, perhaps if they added jalepenos? or something with more kick then I would give it a higher rating.

 But overall a satisfying burger

(7.5/10)

The Black Jack (HK/JPN) ($13.5) (no tomato)

american cheese, bacon, grilled mushrooms, spanish onions, lettuce, black pepper sauce & jap mayo

My friend 'D' ordered 'The Black Jack'. the burger was just as great as the 'Red Lantern', but I preferred mine more whilst 'D' preferred hers. 

The black pepper sauce was strong, On my first bite I was greeted with a strong and delicious sauce which complimented the burger really well. 

Combined with the grilled mushrooms, spanish onions, bacon, cheese and the meat patty. Oh, it was a delicious burger. I would've loved to try this with tomato, but wasn't able to due to 'D' being allergic.

Perhaps next time :)?

(8/10)

Loaded Chips ($7.5) (Small)

Beer battered chips, aioli furikake (roasted seaweed seasoning)

I loved the 'Aioli Furikake', which was the roasted seaweed seasoning with I believe is with japanese mayo. It gave the crispy chips a lovely flavour. Though as you have more, the flavour can be quite overpowering, which happened to be towards the end.

(7.5/10)

Iced Chocolate w/ Ice Cream ($6)

Nothing to spectacular, the drink was nice, smooth and cold. The ice-cream added that extra element which made it more enjoyable, though I think the quality of the ice-cream can be better.

/7/10)

Iced Matcha w/ Ice Cream

Originally, I thought the 'Iced sencha & matcha green tea' was the iced matcha w/ green tea. Luckily, the girl working had a feeling that I wanted the Iced matcha, so she was able to get it for me. From my understanding, it isn't on the menu but you can order it.

The iced matcha was delightful, though it lacked in matcha flavour, it was creamy and delicious.

(6/10)

Food - 7.3 / 10

Ambiance - 7 / 10

Service - 9 / 10

Total FoOodie Points - 23.3 / 30

Cafe Adventures @ One Plus Piece

266 Whitehorse Rd, Balwyn VIC

9830 4459

8:00am - 5:00pm Everyday

A One-Piece cafe?! Did I hear that right?, when I first found out about this I immediately made plans to dine here as I am a pretty big fan of One Piece (even though i'm like 150 episodes behind) but nonetheless I was pretty excited.

A wall dedicated to One Piece manga?! it's so beautiful!

Those figurines too! so amazing!. Another cool thing is that the owner of the store actually has one piece tattoos.

\

The cups! I need one of these 

The drinks were on the specials board so I don't remember what they were besides the Iced Matcha Latte.

Iced Matcha Latte

To be honest it was pretty disappointing. The Matcha flavour was non-existent which resulted in the drink being bland and tasteless.

(3/10)

Sanji's Egg Benedict ($13.80)

12-hour braised pulled beef, poached eggs, house made hollandaise sauce

The Eggs Benedict was pretty average, the shredded apple added a nice flavour to the dish but didn't make up for the braised beef. The beef was quite dry and tasteless which, as the star of the dish, made the dish not as satisfying.

(5/10)

The Piece Force Burger

This burger is actually a secret burger on the menu. I found out after going through photos on Zomato and I immediately decided to tackle this beast. 

An awkward thing is that I thought the fried thing in the burger was fried chicken, but it turned out to be fried mushroom.

As expected, the burger was simply a mess to eat due to the size, the mushroom in my opinion didn't work that well with the beef as mushroom flavour overpowered everything else.

(6/10)

I also ordered chips to go with the burger but it never came out. After informing the waitress, she misunderstood me and thought I asked for just a drink and burger.

Whilst the food is not as great as the other cafes, If you're a big One Piece fan, then you have to try this place at least once :)

Food - 5.4 / 10

Ambiance - 8.5 / 10

Service - 5 / 10

Total FoOodie Points - 18.9 / 30

 

Dessert Adventures @ Scroll Ice Cream

190 High St, Windsor VIC

0422 450 166

1:00pm - 11:00pm Sun - Thurs

1:00pm - 12:00am - Fri - Sat

Oh glorious ice-cream, where would I be without you. If you haven't heard of Scroll ice-cream and their awesome scrolled type ice-cream or all those cute instagram photos with the minions then you're clearly missing out. 

Recently just coming into popularity, these cute cupped icecream has everyone coming down to Windsor for some delicious instagram-able material

So many flavours!, a shame I was only able to try two of them

I don't know if this wallpaper is from a tv show but it's adorable.

The process of making the ice-cream which I assume, is that the mixture is put onto a cold-plate, which then eventually hardens.

After hardening, the ice-cream is then scooped into a scroll 

Banana or "Banananana" ($8 w/ student card)

To be frank, the ice-cream is average at best, the banana flavour was lacking in the ice-cream and didn't pair well with the other toppings. Whilst overall it was still an enjoyable dish, the hype of scroll ice-cream is because of the cute display with the adorable minion biscuits :)

Though I will definitely come back to give this place another try

(6/10)

Oreo Serious ($9)

Same as mentioned above, the Oreo Serious was average at best, though the flavours worked well with this one, the ice-cream itself wasn't as good.

(6.5/10)

Food - 6.2 / 10

Ambiance - 7 / 10

Service - 7 / 10

Total FoOodie Points - 20.2 / 30

Burger Adventures @ 8Bit

231 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC

9650 5455

11:00am - 11:00pm Everyday

Having just recently opened their second store in the CBD, 8bit is once again proving their popularity with their delicious food and drinks. 

I remember coming down 8bit when they first opened up in footscray, and I remember the lines being straight out the door with at least a 30-40 minute wait each time. It wasn't only until months after that the hype died down and I was finally able to dine there without waiting for half of my life.

The CBD store is constantly filled with eager and hungry patrons in need of a delicious burger.

With every visit, it's literally impossible to find a vacant seat as there are waves and waves of hungry patrons.

Service was fine, with the store being quite busy I could tell the workers were quite stressed.

Double Dragon ($14)

double beef, double cheese, double bacon, pickles, mustard lettuce, ketchup, 8bit sauce

The first time I had a double dragon in the Footscray store, I remember it was a beautiful experience. Piping hot, fresh and full of flavour. But sadly, the CBD store doesn't live up to the quality of their original store. 

Th

The burger was full of grease and just did not taste that great. The beef was a bit dry and was quite disappointed, also noting that the amount of grease left me feeling quite sick after I finished.

Don't take me wrong, a greasy burger is a good burger. But in this case, there was just too much.

(5.5/10)

Loaded Fries ($10)

Fries, chilli beef, cheese sauce, bacon, pickle relish, grilled onion, jalapenos

Crispy, fresh and full of flavours from the other ingredients, the loaded fries were delicious. I just wanted more and more after each bite and eventually I realized that it was all gone.

Definitely + points for the chips that came straight out of the fryer.

(8/10)

Food - 6.7 / 10

Ambiance - 5 / 10

Service - 6 / 10

Total FoOodie Points - 17.7 / 30