Glace, CBD MELB

A little while ago, a close friend of mine visited Melbourne and also a fan edible sweets, it did not take much convincing to get her to try out a newly opened sweet shop in the emporium mall.

After much contemplating, we decided to share a tasting platter and had quite a lot of fun guessing what we tasted.  The bigger version of each cake is available and would probably be better for consumers who are certain with their decisions.

Overall, we noted that mousse was the theme in almost every petite cake we tasted and flavour wise, it was predominantly hazelnut or chocolate. Not overly sweet at all and we both agreed on the fruity flavoured pieces. Would appreciate a bit more variety going on tho.

A second visit may be necessary but this time round, I am keen on trying their matcha or lemon loaf cakes. Looked very appealing! :)

The Oakleigh Doughnut Co, Oakleigh MELB

Round 2 of my donut run for the week and quite possibly one of the last places I have tried in Melbourne. Having followed their Instagram page, I felt the need to strike whilst the iron is still hot aka before I lose interest.

Priced at $4.50 per piece, I would recommend patrons to pop in at least 3 hours before they close to avoid disappointment as some flavours may run out by end of the day.

Oreo cream, snickers, galakdough, nutella snow and raspberry jam. True to its claim of being artisan donuts, I love how bread like the dough is and how generously stuffed each donut was.

Peanut butter, strawberry cheesecake, lemon meringue pie, sour cherry and bakladough - not disappointed with this bunch at all. Whilst one donut would be more than enough to push my daily calorie intake to its limit, I felt had no regrets whatsoever and would happily drop by again in the future to try out their other flavours :)

Daniel's Donuts, Springvale MELB

Last week's donut run turned out to be quite a success. The sister and I were rather efficient with our choices and were lucky enough to have only waited for 5 minutes before we were served.

At $15 for a 6 pack or $3.50 per donut, it was reasonably priced. Lots of chocolate inspired types to choose from although my favourite would have to be, surprisingly, the cream filled versions as I found the cream fresh and was not overly sweet.

The donut dough itself would be the same across all donuts. It's airy and freshly prepared regularly to accommodate it's steady stream of customers flowing through their doors.

Tried the salted caramel, tiramisu, lemon cheesecake, nutella, apple crumble, blueberry, strawberries and cream, cookies and cream, snickers, hazelnut and coffee cheesecake. Could not fault any of them and if I had to pick a favourite, it would be the strawberries and cream.

Beatrix, North Melbourne MELB

Quick catch up with a college friend over afternoon tea. First time I have set foot in North Melbourne, a foreign, industrial like suburb with possibly, only one row of shops to service the entire neighbourhood.

Easily noticeable due to a long queue outside this corner cafe, mostly patrons eagerly waiting to get takeaways. Silly me went into a nearby cafe for a quick drink and to use the washroom as I was unsure whether this cafe had washroom facilities.

Waited for about 15 minutes before the both of us were seated outdoors. Table service is available and yes, cakes/ tarts were available on a first come first served basis.

Wagon wheel and orange syrup cake - both equally yummy, the formal tasting much better compared to it's commercially available version as it was fresher. Orange syrup cake was not overly sweet and was something that I could have easily finished off myself had I not been sharing with this friend :p

Would certainly pop by again in the future, hopefully a tad earlier to avoid missing out on other treats.

Chayo, Clayton MELB

I am a big fan of Asian desserts and whenever a new outlet pops up within my vicinity, it won't be long until I make my way there. The weather was a blistering 34C that Sunday but being sleep
deprived did not stop me from crawling here after a filling lunch at a nearby dumpling restaurant.

The cafe is small and offers a decent selection of Japanese mains but what I was really after was a taste of their matcha drinks/desserts. Would love to a cool matcha/yuzu drink but decided on a warm up instead.

Matcha latte - not overly sweet or creamy and had a good aroma of matcha in it. I do like my caffeinated drinks sweet but hey, I wouldn't mind another cup of this.

Strawberry shortcake - having been to Japan a couple of times and both times, failed to have a slice of strawberry shortcake. Henceforth, this piece would make up for it despite strawberry texture from both countries being far from similar. Overall a really yummy slice that had the right balance of sweetness and tartness.

Bistro Morgan, Chadstone MELB

Of late, I have been moderately inactive in going out to eat as it can be a financial constraint at times and also, may possibly slow my fitness training process. I have been, for the longest time, aiming to reach my desired peak stamina and alas, am more determined now then ever to attain it before summer ends next year.

I can never say no to cheat meals/ snacks and am constantly striving to reach a balance with moderation. A single treat would not jeopardise my efforts but rather, fuel me to push harder in subsequent sets. Am super pleased that my friend had also encouraged me to incorporate weight training else I would never have considered it.

With the donut trend on the rise here in Melbourne, it was only natural to sample them from various establishments. Having heard of Bistro Morgan and with the opening of its new outlet in Chadstone, it seemed only reasonable for me to get a few as post-workout treats;)

Priced at $5 or $5.50 for one, it isn't the cheapest version in the market. That being said, I do admit that this is a good example of quality vs quantity whereby quality wins hands down.

Bought the gaytime crunch, sneaky snickers and vanilla custard for sharing. The actual donut dough itself was fluffy and light. The exterior, covered in lashes of chocolate sauce and nuts, may look intimidating but I did not think of it as being overly sweet. A donut a day would suffice, anymore would make my pancreas work overtime.

Verdict? Definitely worth the hype and am on the lookout for new flavours in next month's menu :p

  

Europe: Maitre Choux, LONDON

Conveniently located near the Natural History Museum, we headed to Maitre Choux for a much needed tea break and to fuel up on fluids. Considering the sweltering weather we had there, this wasn't such a bad option.

Layers after layers of choux pastries lined the display counter, each with its own distinctive flavour. The sister and I each picked one amongst the many attractive looking options available, a difficult feat to accomplish. Payment can only be made via card so be prepared before coming.

The verdict? As much as I would like to rave about it, it was nowhere near as good as the French version. Flavour was prominent and fresh, undoubtedly. The choux pastry, on the other hand, lacked the fresh aroma of a freshly baked pastry.

A second visit in the near future, perhaps?

Messina x Wonderbao by HWKR, CBD MELB

Probably one of my favourite collaborations for the year and one that I was looking forward to tasting: Gelato Messina x Wonderbao!! So excited to finally get the chance to sample out their fare, be it from the display counter or from the kitchen.

 Thai-tea why-tea - coconut gelato, thai milk tea form, tapioca pearls, milk chocolate pudding and coconut crumbs. An interesting take on thai milk tea.

Wonderboy - dulce de leche filled baonuts with toasted marshmallow gelato, strawberry flummery and crunchy nut cornflake praline. Comes served with chocolate peanut butter and jelly milkshake. Was a tad disappointed that the milkshake came in a tiny cup and would have liked it better if it had more peanut butter taste to it. Baonuts were cooked to perfection and goes well with the refreshing taste of strawberry and gelato.

 First up was puff puff pastry aka puff pastry vol au vent, spiced apple gelato, caramelised apples and a salted caramel sauce. Am a big fan of puff pastry dishes and spiced apples so this one gets the thumbs up from me:)

 Souffle anybode - chocolate orange souffle, sudachi lime cheesecake gelato, pistachio crisp. Chocolate souffle was rich and decadent, complimenting the lighter gelato texture really well.

Lastly, the famous magic mushroom gelato cake. Was it all it's hyped to be? Yes it was! I loved every bite of this chocolate, peanut butter concoction that sits well on a biscuit bed. Worth a try and I would definitely be back for seconds.

 

Hopetoun Tea Rooms, CBD MELB

One of the oldest cafes in Melbourne, dating back to 1892 and till today, still servicing the community although of late, it is mostly the tourist population that frequents it.

The queue is undeniably long and after much contemplation at the display window, I have decided on a favourite of mine, the black forest, a berry tart and a slice of passion fruit cheesecake. The sister is a fan of berries and cheesecakes but sadly, this combination was not available.

Passion fruit cheesecake - it was light, fluffy and tangy from the addition of passion fruit puree sitting on top of the cake. A good piece of cake although can't really say its the best one I have had.

Black forest - strangely enough, I am drawn to cakes infused with alcohol and this was one of the first birthday cakes I have had as a child. Fluffy sponge and again, something was lacking..could be the aroma of a freshly baked cake or the natural sweetness from the cherries used.

Berry tart - probably the one I wouldn't mind ordering again. Berries were fresh here and tart was not overly sweet or bland tasting. A little solid in texture but still yummy nevertheless.

HWKR Food Centre, CBD MELB

Two weeks ago, the sister and I finished work at close to 5pm, both equally weary after an intensive day. Train commuters like ourselves loathe being packed like a can of sardines during peak hours and so, we decided to have dinner prior to heading home.

HWKR has been around for a few months now and a place that I have avoided knowing that there is a potential line up for dinner. At 5.30pm, we managed to easily get seats and food arrived at our table in good time.

Akin a hawker establishment, diners simply need to head to the various food counters for ordering. Just remember to take note of the table number!

First up was Chanteen, made famous by Masterchef winner Diana Chan. With a Malaysian inspired menu, all ringing familiar bells in my tummy, I was drawn towards the char kuey teow and have ordered a barley drink to share with the sister.

The verdict? Easily one of the better char kuey teows in Melbourne. Albeit costing a bit more compared to other places, you do get what you have paid for. Generous amount of ingredients, all cooked to perfection.

Next up was Khao, also an Asian inspired hawker outlet. We shared a plate of the roasted Shanghai duck and a bowl of lotus chips. Duck was decent although not something I would rave about. Chips were well seasoned and extremely addictive.

No visit to HWKR is complete without a glimpse of KOI, established by a Masterchef favourite based in Sydney. Would loved to have a taste of his freshly prepared desserts but both of us could only manage a petite piece of cake each.

Loved what we have ordered - vibrant tasting, not overly sweet and each ingredient worked harmoniously with each other. Worth the calories for sure. Sadly, KOI's last day is on the 29th of April and so, it would take a plane and train ride to visit them in Sydney.

The Hatter and the Hare, Bayswater MELB

Driving towards Bayswater brought back bittersweet memories of my early days in Melbourne. For one, I recalled dreading to wake up every morning despite feeling blessed to have actually set foot alright here. Moving forth, I never did pass this area again after I commenced work at a different site.

The cafe was rather busy for an Easter sunday and were lucky enough to be seated rather quickly. Our eyes were equally spoilt by the tempting array of baked goods on display at the front counter.

Iced chocolate - a little too watered down to my liking and reminded me of a commercially available chocolate milk I used to have as a teen.

Chai latte - lacked the required chai aroma from the spices.

Benedictine adventure - brisket, rosti, pickles, fried potatoes, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. Delicious little number although would have preferred the portion to be slightly bigger considering that it costs $23.

Chase the white rabbit - chilli scrambled eggs, mushrooms, toast, goat's cheese and candied chilli. Scrambled eggs were delicious although some might find it a tad spicy. Loved how the salty cheese married well with the other milder flavoured ingredients like the mushroom.

Cakes - the cafe is known for their cakes and yes, I do agree that the cakes taste as pretty as they look. Did not manage to try every single one but for the ones we had, we thought the flavours were well balanced and sweetness levels were on point.

Do yourself a favour and have piece (or two!)

I suppose the biggest let down in my books were the beverages but aside from that, it is a decent little cafe hidden in the heart of Bayswater. Hello old memories :p