The Food Republic Cafe, Blackburn

Impromptu lunch outing with the siblings before we partake in the mad afternoon rush at the grocery store. Ample space at the cafe and one that welcomes pets into the cafe itself.

Soy latte - thoroughly enjoyed this cuppa.

Eggs benedict - the boring sister's choice of brunch/lunch.

Duck fusilli pasta - a little bland in my opinion. Shredded duck meat tossed with pasta and topped with thin slices of cheese and a handful of spinach. Could do with some seasoning.

ZIMT, Surrey Hills MELB

I have been meaning to drop by this cafe for some time but never did had a good enough reason to do so until last Sunday. Seeing as there's no afternoon classes at the gym, I dragged the sister out with me to satisfy my sweet tooth.

With a glistening array of cakes and tarts coated in, be it, chocolate ganache, buttercream or even a thin layer of syrup, choosing just one item to share between the two of us was no easy feat. And so, I left the decision with the sister.

Vanilla milkshake - missing the refreshing, creamy, indulgent taste of a milkshake and we can't work out what could be missing. May possibly be due to an incorrect ratio of milk and cream?

Pistachio, cherry and chocolate cake - this piece was indeed very decadent and I found it a little too sweet for my liking. Whilst I liked the pistachio cake layer, I thought the chocolate mousse layer was not necessary as it overpowered the subtle aroma of the pistachios. The cherry(?) layer was strangely enough lacking and a little different in comparison to what others have photographed and posted on Zomato?

A second visit may be necessary to suss out the other goods for sure!

Aunt billies cafe, Blackburn MELB

A quick brunch out to cap off 2019 at a cafe that we often drive by on our way to the surrounding suburbs. Cafe's menu was kept simple, nothing over the top fancy or extravagant (or questionable).

Matcha latte - looks promising but had a strange powdery aftertaste to it.

Chai tea latte using loose tea leaves - a hearty cup it was and was surprised at how much tea leaves was packed into the chai saucepan.

Chicken burger with a side of chips - chips were crisp and mum was satisfied with this meal.

Beef brisket benedict - slow cooked beef on potato croquettes. Overall simple and delicious.