Norsiah's Kitchen, Carlton MELB

It's hard to capture a picture perfect image of curries but doing my best is all I could do:/ The pictures included in this blog post obviously does not do the food justice but mind you, for less than $10 for a satisfying meal, this place is a must go regardless of whether you;re a student or working Melbournian:) Tiny eatery but friendly staff and quick meals!

Had the sambal egg with vegetables and beef curry and it was yummy. Tender meat and good use of spices in the different individual types of curries.

Petaling Street, Little Bourke Street MELB

Melbourne is truly a hub for Malaysian food and wherever you go, you will surely bump into a Malaysian inspired restaurant. Fortunately, food prices does not cost an arm and a leg although it is a lot more dearer if compared to prices back home. Nevertheless, knowing that comfort food lies at your fingertips is always a positive aspect to take in.

After mindlessly stumbling around Little Bourke Street aka Chinatown, we decided to dine here as it was probably the least crowded of the lot and we could quickly have dinner prior to departing the CBD region. Service is quick and you do get a good selection of food. Us not being too hungry decided to fill ourselves with a couple of seafood dishes.

Sambal clams ~ not too bad in terms of taste but for the price we paid, we did expect that the clams were probably not fresh off the boat this morning.

Deep fried fish with spicy sambal sauce ~ a lot of gravy goes a long way. Again, not something to rave about but for the price, its justifiable. We had a few pieces of petai scattered around the dish so I shall give it some points for authencity:)

Osteria De Mesa, Glen Osmond Road ADL

My previous experience here had steered me from stepping in, especially if I am after a peaceful dinner where conversations can actually be heard. Food and service were top notch back then so these facts outweighed the negative perception of the place. Last meal in Adelaide and probably the final chapter of my Adelaide food hunt.

Arrived a few minutes later but were still welcomed in with a friendly smile and shown our table which had a bird's eye view of the kitchen and surrounding tables. Noticed the pasta chef diligently rolling out and shaping pasta pieces as we flip through the menu.

House made bread with balsamic vinegar and olive oil dipping is a must and bonus points for using good quality ingredients too!:)

Penne pollo o funghi ~ yummo. Not drowning in sauce but rather, sufficient spoons of sauce to bath the penne in.

Gnocchi di Osteria ~ This gnocchi addict ordered this and was not disappointed. The gnocchi were bite sizes for us ladies and so unbelievable soft and silky smooth. Got some pancetta tossed in for an added savoury and salty touch.

Proscuitto pizza ~ proscuitto with rockets and shaved parmesan. I am beginning to like thinner types of pizza crusts and this was not too filing for me. 

Tiramisu and Dolci di Nutella ~ Dolci di Nutella was a bit too small for sharing although it was still a very moreish piece of chocolate cake. Tiramisu was well made and definitely have that boozy factor to it. Overall, not too bad for desserts but pasta wins hands down:)

Hahndorf Inn Hotel, Hahndorf ADL

Hahndorf is yet another place that every single incoming tourist to Adelaide should visit. According to history, the Germans did settle down in Adelaide and Hahndorf is one of the few remaining places that still houses the descents of the German settlers. And what better way to showcase the best of the culture than via a good restaurant/ pub with a few German favourites?

If anyone wants to experience a bit of German influence at home, why not give this Herman the German cake recipe which is pretty easy to prepare and can be shared among your friends:)

As the sister and I are both small eaters, we opted to share a plate of three different types of sausages that is accompanied by saukraust (pickled cabbage), a side of cold potato salad and a must have pretzel. We were also served with three different types of mustards to choose from, depending on the level of spiciness.

Do note that for more people, it may be wiser to share the bigger plates of food as you do get value for money and you can definitely try out a whole lot more!

Apple strudel with vanilla ice cream ~ this is your daily intake of apples. Yep, this little piece of strudel was stuffed to the brim with apples that were cooked with cinnamon and raisins until it reaches a semi-soft stage. Paired the warm pastry with ice cream and it was too good to resist.

Black forest cake ~ I was informed that black forest is a treat that originated from Germany and so, what better way than to have it in Hahndorf. Not overly rich or moreish but rather, light and had subtle hints of alcohol from the soaked cherries. Yummo!

Royal Copenhagen Ice Creamery and Dessert Bar, Henley Beach ADL

Adelaide never fails to surprise me with new places to see or new activities to do regardless of how long I have stayed here. Not sure when exactly or how did this place escaped my radar but living in the 20 minute city does have it's perks:)

Managed to get here just before dinner at around 5pm-ish and the otherwise busy establishment was absolutely serene for the three of us to rest ourselves after a massive week with assignments and work. For anyone wanting to slow down time, Adelaide is the place to be:)

A hot cup of chocolate is a must have so no questions there. Creamy and rich milk chocolate that had been prepared well by the friendly ladies behind the counter.

The main reason that pulled me towards this place was the availability of waffles. Yes, you heard me right. Waffles and lots more of it. This may not have been the best waffles I have had thus far but it does come with a reasonable price tag. a scoop of their indulgent chocolate ice cream and a cup melted milk chocolate compensated for the waffle. Again, our food were prepared with lots of love from the group behind the counter. If only we could see more of this at every restaurant or cafe:)

Winter or summer, this place is a must go to if you're in Henley beach. Imagine having this whilst listening to the gentle sea breeze and whiffing up the scent of the sea.

Khang Noodles, Arndale ADL

After blogging about food for the small eaters out there, this one goes out to fans of having hearty portions at reasonable prices. I have been here a few times and considering that it is located nearer to us compared to other places, it was the only choice especially when you have hungry siblings on board.

Dry combination seafood noodles ~ portion wise, this place is a bang for every dollar spent. I like my noodles with soup but I don't mind having a dry version. This bowl comes with a separate small bowl of soup which you can use to drizzle around the noodles if its too dry for your liking. I also like to have it with a bit of dry chillis, some sriracha and some of that black sauce that often sits on the corner of the table.

Beef pho ~ not the best in Adelaide but to satisfy a craving, it still hits the spot:)

Bo kho ~ This is akin to an ABC soup that consists of carrots and tomatoes but done with beef and a bucket of various spices. Very flavourful and such a treat on cold winter days. A must have here.

Melt Pizzeria, King William Road ADL

One of the last few places that I managed to squeeze into my itinerary prior to departing. Fortunately, it was a Sunday which meant that there's the possibility of seats being available for last minute walk-ins. Staff were extremely friendly and helpful which made the overall experience all the more enjoyable.

Hot chilli chicken wings ~ these were spicy hot so be warned. I have a good tolerance towards spicy food and this probably sits on 7/10 on my records. Chicken wings were juicy and marinated well.

Slow roasted beef with salad ~ not too bad although the portion was a bit small for us.

Baked gnocchi with cream, peas, pesto and spinach ~ As a gnocchi addict, I needed to try this out. True enough, gnocchi was pillow-y soft and instantly melts away. Not a big fan of cream based sauces but on the bright side, all the individual elements of the dish married well.

Funghi pizza with mushrooms, truffle oil, watercress, thyme, egg and parmesan ~ if only we could have more! Pizza base was thin enough for our liking and seasoned well. Dough-y thick pizzas often makes me bloated and thirst towards the end of the meal. Thankfully, this did not happen:)

Calzone ~ I believe this is a different version of your traditional pizza. Rather than exposing all the ingredients, this variation blankets all the ingredients and keeps them succulent throughout the cooking process. Not bad at all:)