Miznon, CBD MELB

Having been bogged down with work lately, I have been quite sporadic with my activities when I do get time off. One of them would be to head into the CBD twice on the same day, one for a first aid course and the later to catch up with a friend over dinner.

The only perk I could think of when dining in the CBD on weekdays would be (hopefully) dealing with a smaller dinner crowd and so, better access to seating areas that are otherwise unavailable for walk ins on the weekends.

Miznon was certainly packed full when we arrived a little past 7.30pm for dinner and so, we settled for outdoor seating. The menu evolves around a sharing concept and yes, I was extremely excited to try out a few of the dishes.

Baby cauliflower flower - one of the most Instagram-ed items on the menu would be this dish. Not decked out with garnishes or anything mind blowing and upon query, only salt, pepper and olive oil were used. Curiosity got the better of us and the next moment, it was sitting on our table.

Unpretentious but extremely delicious it was. Soft to cut and seasoned to perfection. Who knew cauliflower would taste this good and truthfully, something I can easily polish off myself.

On the flip side, diners can help themselves to an array of sauces downstairs and the unlimited amount of pita bread there too. The pita bread smelled so good to the point whereby I was probably eating it so that I can smell it.

Lamb shawarma - I love love lamb dishes prepared the middle eastern way and this was no exception. Lamb meat was tender, succulent and coated with a delicious charred aroma. Again, something that I can easily and happily polish off.

Golden fish pita - I can be quite sceptical about pita dishes because often times, it wouldn't be generously stuffed which makes it appear less tempting. I did, however, loved this one from Miznon. Deep fried mulloway fish was not greasy on the palate and it tasted fresh, being surrounded by a slightly tangy medley of chopped tomatoes and coriander.

Swordfish fillet - well prepared and came loaded with what felt like an arsenal of cracked pepper. Would have liked it to be toned down a little tho.

A cross section of the golden fish pita - delicious it was :)

Brunetti Flinders Lane, CBD MELB

After finishing my last work shift in the CBD, I have been very reluctant to pursue other restaurants in that vicinity until a few months had lapsed. The thought of anticipating when the train would depart and braving the crowd still does not appeal to me until this day.

So happens that I had been grated two (YES!!) days off this week to catch up on rest before my 8 day shift commences and alas, I am game enough to head into the city. Strangely enough, I still feel like a tourist as I wander through Melbourne CBD.

Which brings me to Brunetti, one of the older restaurants in Melbourne and one that had conveniently opened its doors in the CBD, more specifically on Flinders Lane. Greeted by a wall of cakes followed by a large coffee stand in the middle of the restaurant and a small section for ordering savoury food like pasta, pizza and entrees, this restaurant is a good replica of a dining scene in Italy.

Spaghetti carbonara - Whilst may not come close to the ones we had in Italy (yes, Italy's pasta had ruined me for life), mum was pleased with this seemingly simple but decadent dish. Which says a lot because mum was never one to fancy creamy type of dishes.

Seafood linguine - Linguine cooked al dente and seafood bits were fresh, succulent and had been given a good splash of white wine for added flavour. Overall a really nice dish and one that I would happily come back for.

Salami - tomatoes, mozzarella, mild salami, basil, ricotta and porcini mushrooms. Thumbs of for a thin, well prepared pizza crust and for a good distribution of ingredients on the dough. Would definitely be back to try their other pizza options.

Admittedly, I had high expectations for the desserts but sadly, was let down by its lack of freshness. The biscuit was meant to have a strawberry aroma but nil was detected and the cakes were bordering on the dry side of the scale. Such a shame because Brunetti is renowned for its sweets :(

Aya Teppanyaki, Armadale MELB

It has been sometime since I've last had teppanyaki and being that we are in a celebratory mood, this seemed to be appropriate for the occasion. Booking are absolutely necessary due to the limited seating area.

A bit of sake to get us started.

There are a few different set menus to choose from depending on one's hunger level. The sister and I opted for the fancier option, just to make sure we are well fed by the end of the night.

Tempura vegetables and prawn - freshly prepared appetizers.

Miso soup -

Salad mix -

Lobster tail - cooked in butter, soy sauce and a bit of sake. No qualms on having fresh seafood on my palate.

Lamb cutlet - ermm..the sister and I both had different sizes of this and truthfully, was a little let down because we felt that it was not a proper cut of meat..

Premier wagyu beef - can't say I am impressed with this cut of meat either. Yes, it was cooked perfectly but the quality of the meat was a let down as it did not resemble wagyu to us but rather, a regular piece of beef fillet..

Bean sprouts -

Fried rice - I do enjoy fried rice from teppanyaki restaurants and this one was a pretty delicious bowl. Not overly greasy and had a good distribution of eggs and chopped veggies amongst each grain of rice.

Vanilla ice cream -