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

Cafe Adventures @ Journeyman

169 Chapel St, Windsor VIC

9521 4884

7am - 4pm Everyday 

It's not everyday that I decide to venture out of the CBD to try out new cafes in other areas of Melbourne. After hearing about Journeyman from a few blogs I decided that it was finally time to partake on another adventure.

Journeyman delivers gourmet coffee and contemporary cafe foods which has everyone coming back for more, even whilst the kitchen was already closed I saw patrons come in to be sadly turned away unless they just wanted coffee. Luckily, I made it just in time and was able to dine with only a few minutes left.

With it's casual and comforting vibes, the industrial-chic hall is what makes the interior so great. With it's natural lighting from the ceiling, it delivers a perfect atmosphere and lighting for my photos.

Greeted by a warm and welcoming waitress, the service at Journeyman was delightful, with cheerful baristas and workers at the counter if you can tell in the photo above :).

 If the kitchen is closed, but in need of something to devour, then worry not as there is always pastries and cakes which make the perfect pairing for a great coffee.

 For those that love the taste of the coffee at Journeyman, you can buy their beans at the counter.

 Iced Mocha 

Basic and flavoursome, nothing wrong here but it was quite average.

(6/10)

 Iced Chocolate 

Now I have never seen an Iced Chocolate served like this, I am assuming the top section was milk/foam and the bottom was the chocolate goodness. We were unsure with what to do so we decided to just mix it in the end. Overall a pleasant and refreshing drink, though it could do a bit better in terms of sweetness as I felt it was lacking.

(6/10)

 Beetroot Cured Salmon ($21)

organic quinoa, avocado, chilli and kale salad, poached eggs, feta & herbs

Definitely a lot more than I expected, the beetroot cured salmon came out in a huge bowl and I was simply overwhelmed with the portion. A beautiful salad and the beetroot cured salmon was absolutely divine. the elements of the dish worked incredibly well with each other and is the perfect dish for those looking for a marvelous salad. 

Extra points for the feta in the dish, I felt that it added great flavour and just made the dish much more enjoyable, the poached eggs were also cooked perfectly with the heavenly yolk oozing right out upon slicing through with my knife.

(9/10)

Chilli Scrambled Eggs ($18)

Smoked Tomato, buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil and baguette

Another delightful dish, to be honest I was probably more addicted to the baguette instead of the egg. The buffalo mozzarella, with fresh bread with olive oil was just amazing and I wanted more. 

Now onto the actual star of the dish. The chilli scrambled eggs were delicious and fluffy, soft and was cooked perfectly. Accompanied by smoked tomato and chilli, it added that extra flavour and kick which made the eggs delightful.

(7/10)

Food - 7 / 10

Ambiance - 9 / 10

Service - 9 / 10

Total FoOodie Points - 25 / 30

Cafe Adventures @ Journeyman

169 Chapel St, Windsor VIC

9521 4884

7am - 4pm Everyday 

It's not everyday that I decide to venture out of the CBD to try out new cafes in other areas of Melbourne. After hearing about Journeyman from a few blogs I decided that it was finally time to partake on another adventure.

Journeyman delivers gourmet coffee and contemporary cafe foods which has everyone coming back for more, even whilst the kitchen was already closed I saw patrons come in to be sadly turned away unless they just wanted coffee. Luckily, I made it just in time and was able to dine with only a few minutes left.

With it's casual and comforting vibes, the industrial-chic hall is what makes the interior so great. With it's natural lighting from the ceiling, it delivers a perfect atmosphere and lighting for my photos.

Greeted by a warm and welcoming waitress, the service at Journeyman was delightful, with cheerful baristas and workers at the counter if you can tell in the photo above :).

 If the kitchen is closed, but in need of something to devour, then worry not as there is always pastries and cakes which make the perfect pairing for a great coffee.

 For those that love the taste of the coffee at Journeyman, you can buy their beans at the counter.

 Iced Mocha 

Basic and flavoursome, nothing wrong here but it was quite average.

(6/10)

 Iced Chocolate 

Now I have never seen an Iced Chocolate served like this, I am assuming the top section was milk/foam and the bottom was the chocolate goodness. We were unsure with what to do so we decided to just mix it in the end. Overall a pleasant and refreshing drink, though it could do a bit better in terms of sweetness as I felt it was lacking.

(6/10)

 Beetroot Cured Salmon ($21)

organic quinoa, avocado, chilli and kale salad, poached eggs, feta & herbs

Definitely a lot more than I expected, the beetroot cured salmon came out in a huge bowl and I was simply overwhelmed with the portion. A beautiful salad and the beetroot cured salmon was absolutely divine. the elements of the dish worked incredibly well with each other and is the perfect dish for those looking for a marvelous salad. 

Extra points for the feta in the dish, I felt that it added great flavour and just made the dish much more enjoyable, the poached eggs were also cooked perfectly with the heavenly yolk oozing right out upon slicing through with my knife.

(9/10)

Chilli Scrambled Eggs ($18)

Smoked Tomato, buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil and baguette

Another delightful dish, to be honest I was probably more addicted to the baguette instead of the egg. The buffalo mozzarella, with fresh bread with olive oil was just amazing and I wanted more. 

Now onto the actual star of the dish. The chilli scrambled eggs were delicious and fluffy, soft and was cooked perfectly. Accompanied by smoked tomato and chilli, it added that extra flavour and kick which made the eggs delightful.

(7/10)

Food - 7 / 10

Ambiance - 9 / 10

Service - 9 / 10

Total FoOodie Points - 25 / 30

 

Japanese Adventures @ Tetsujin

 4, Emporium, Little Bourke Street & Caledonian Lane, Melbourne VIC

9663 9993

 11:30am - 10:45pm Sun - Thurs

11:30am - 11:45pm Fri - Sat

New Japanese establishment Tetsujin has recently opened up around the start of this year on the top floor of Emporium. Having both a sushi train and Japanese BBQ in the same restaurant but on separate sections, it's a innovative concept that has everyone raving.

The sushi plates were all $3.30 unless they are marked with another price

The interior for the Sushi train side is truly refreshing, with bright lights around the sushi stations and to be able to watch the chefs prepare all types of sushi in front of you is simply superb.

The waitresses are really nice and are always attentive when it comes to things we need. With the electronic ordering system, it makes ordering and calling waitresses a lot easier.

(From top left to bottom right)

Grilled eel nigiri  (7/10)
The eel was tender and flavoursome with a (teriyaki?) sauce that complimented the dish in a great way. Though I have came here a few times after and the eel turned out to be quite inconsistent in terms of quality.

Seared Salmon Nigiri (8/10)

Compared to the other sushi train competitor I reckon Tetsujin's seared dishes are the star of the restaurant. The seared salmon nigiri was simply divine and I saw the sushi chef make it fresh right in front of me.

Seared Spicy Salmon Nigiri (8/10)

same as above, made fresh to order, which I highly recommend (order from the screen). The spicy sauce added a nice punch to the nigiri which made it more enjoyable.

Seared Scallop Nigiri (9/10)

This was absolutely the best sushi I had on the night, not also was it made fresh, it was tender and melted in my mouth.

(Top to bottom right)

Wasabi Crab Stick Nigiri (5.5/10)

The wasabi sauce overpowered the nigiri and I wasn't able to taste the crab stick due to it, so it was disappointing for me.

Salmon Nigiri (7/10)

You can't go wrong with a classic salmon nigiri, because if you somehow do, that's a no-go zone. The salon was tender and tasted quite fresh.

Seared Salmon Nigiri (Variation 2) (7.5/10)

I don't remember the exact name of the nigiri but it was another seared salmon dish. The sauce was the only difference, with this one having mayonnaise and teriyaki sauce. The sauces worked well together and gave a sweet aftertaste which was enjoyable

(Top left > Right >Bottom)

Lemon Lime Bitter (7.5/10)

The lemon lime bitter was nice and refreshing. I wasn't sure if they used actual syrup but it definitely tasted like it did.

Chicken Kara-age (9/10)

The chicken was absolutely stunning, it came straight out of the fryer so it was piping hot and was really tender. Though from the last few visits the quality of the chicken have down-graded and a bit inconsistent, so it's a bit of a shame now.

Lobster Salad Gunkan (3/10)

My least favourite sushi on the night, though to be honest I've never had lobster salad before so I had a high expectation, but ended up tasting very disappointing.

Prawn & Salmon Roll (6/10

Nothing outstanding, quite average and didn't give me a "wow" factor.

Tetsujin still remains as one of my top sushi trains in Melboune, competing against Sushi Hotaru. I would like to try out the BBQ some time so i'll be reviewing that soon.

Food - 7.5 / 10

Ambiance - 9 / 10

Service - 9 / 10

Total FoOodie Points - 26.5 / 30

 

Japanese Adventures @ Oko Oko

644A Swanston St, Carlton VIC

9942 0086

11am - 9pm Weekdays

12am - 9pm Weekends

A favourite uni-lunch spot for many, Oko Oko remains at one of the few okonomiyaki specialty restaurants in the CBD. With a spacious and colourful interior with a focus on orange which gives a bright and casual vibe, you'll feel quite comfortable eating here.

Interior 1

Interior 2

I absolutely love the entrance side of the restaurant. With it's colourful and playful interior decorations, it's a relaxing and family friendly location.

I recently just came back from Japan so I was craving okonomiyaki for a long time. Obviously the quality is no where near as amazing as okonomiyaki in Osaka or Tokyo, but I came with little expectations to not disappoint myself.

Chicken Kara-age ($5.50)

Crispy fried chicken pieces served with sweet & spicy sauce

The Kara-age was quite disappointed, it was dry and didn't give that tender feeling that fried chicken should have. A shame as the sauce paired really well with it.

(4/10)

Classic Okonomiyaki Pancake ($5.90)

flour, egg, cabbage, corn and fresh potato with ingredients. Topped with housemade okonomiyaki sauce and mayonaise

The okonomiyaki was actually pretty dry, compared to other restaurants it ranks pretty low but that might just be the items I ordered. The first few bites were decent but there was a lack of sauce near the end. 

Especially since the okonomiyaki was actually quite dry, I ended up having a quarter of the pancake left without anything to accompany it.

(5.5/10)

Cheese Okonomiyaki ($7.90)

This okonomiyaki pizza is topped with mozzarella cheese, baked until golden.

To be honest, after the first 2 dishes I was skeptical whether the food here are made fresh or just prepared poorly. The cheese okonomiyaki was definitely overcooked which resulted in the cheese being hard instead of soft and less 'burnt'. 

(4.5/10)

I like to give restaurants a few tries before I completely judge them as some days can be a hit or miss. Hopefully it improves by the next time I come here.

Food - 4.5 / 10

Ambiance - 8.5 / 10

Service - 7 / 10

Total FoOodie Points - 20 / 30

Cafe Adventures @ Shortstop Coffee & Donuts

12 Sutherland St, Melbourne VIC

Phone: N/A

7:30am - 4:30pm Weekdays

9:30am - 4:00pm Saturday

9:30am - 3:30pm Sunday

Mmm, delicious donuts & coffee, what more can you ask for?. Shortstop coffee & donuts specializes in a range of freshly baked donuts and hot coffees that draw in new and returning customers every day.

A shame that the store doesn't do cold drinks, as when I was craving an iced coffee when at the time, but nonetheless the hot coffees are still a delight.

The seating in Shortstop are quite cramped, especially since the store is usually filled with people wanting coffee and donuts so it's quite rare to see a vacant table / seat.

They also have their coffee beans on sale if you love their coffee.

I came here at the hour before the store closed so the donut selection was limited, but nonetheless there was a great selection for everyone. 

Cappuccino ($4)

A refreshing drink, perfect for the sleep-deprived such as myself. Nothing that really stood out but just tasted overall a lot better which is to be expected for a specialty coffee store.

(6/10)

 New Orleans Iced Coffee Donut ($4.50)

The New Orleans Iced Coffee Donut was definitely the best donut from what my friends and I ordered. Packing a huge punch of flavour upon the first you it had a perfect level of sweetness and was perfectly paired with the cappuccino 

(10/10)

 Earl Grey & Rose Donut ($4.50)

Didn't really meet up to my expectations, the donut wasn't as sweet as I thought it would be, but it's a great pairing with the cappuccino.

(5.5/10) 

To be honest I don't remember what this donut was, and I can't find the name of it on the menu or online. But if you do see it around when you visit shortstop, what I can say is that the donut was pretty average. Didn't stand out in terms of flavour.

(5/10)

Food - 7 / 10

Ambiance - 6 / 10

Service - 6 / 10

Total FoOodie Points - 19 / 30

Italian Adventures @ Maccaroni Trattoria Italiana

10/16 Manchester Ln, Melbourne VIC
9090 7634

9:00am - 9:30pm Weekdays

9:00am - 10:00pm Weekends

Located in Manchester lane, Maccaroni Trattoria Italian's, to be quite frank ranks at the top 3 of my go-to places when it comes to pasta. With a vibrant and dimmed atmosphere, it's a great place to eat with a small group of friends or if you're having a date night.

It's fairly easy to spot the restaurant, as seen above, you'll be able to see the bright and attractive signs as soon as you walk into Manchester lane.

With candle lit tables, relaxing music playing in the background, and also the light-lit plant (which can be seen above), This place has a pretty nice atmosphere.

Lemon Lime Bitter ($4)

Would have been a lot more enjoyable if the restaurant had not run out of ice, which eventually resulted in the drinks becoming warmer as time went by.

(4/10)

Misto Fritto (Serving for 2) ($15)

Bolognese Arancini, spinach aracini, ascolane olives and panelle 

An interesting dish, a lot of hit and misses. The bolognese arancini was definitely the standout and probably the only stand-out, as it was crunchy and had delicious mozzarella in the center. Spinach aracini was quite average, alongside the other bite sized delights. 

(6/10)

Gnocchi Mushrooms ($16)

Small potato gnocchi with mushrooms, cream & parsley

After a long research on what to eat, I've heard constant positive reviews about the gnocchi here with many absolutely loving it. 

My review, the gnocchi was cooked perfectly and was overall quite delicious. But I felt that it was lacking in something, or perhaps i'm not much of a fan of gnocchi since it was my first time trying it. But overall, an enjoyable experience.

(7/10)

Spaghetti Carbonara ($18)

Spaghetti with egg, bacon, cream, parsley and parmigiana cheese

The carbonara was absolutely beautiful, though not the traditional carbonara it was delicious either way. The creamy sauce paired incredibly well with the spaghetti and is just delightful.

(8/10) 

Chocolate Mousse Cake 

I'm not sure what the exact name / price the cakes were as the dessert menu is separated from the main menu, but i do remember the taste so i'll base it off that.

The chocolate mousse cake was underwhelming, lacking in sweetness, I was quite disappointed as it did look pretty promising.

(4/10)

Creme Brulee Cake

The creme brulee cake was pretty good, had a distinct coffee taste which is to be expected and was quite delightful. Though it's not as good as many other cakes I've tried therefore i'll rank it on the bottom half of the ranking board.

(5.5/10)

Food - 5 / 10

Ambiance - 9 / 10

Service - 6 / 10

Total FoOodie Points - 20 / 30