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.

Shujinko, Glen Waverley MELB

The sister can be very predictable with her food choices and is no stranger to the many ramen restaurants around Melbourne. Affordable, delicious and filling best describes her regular choice of restaurant, with the exception of her intermittent fine dining indulgence.

Post-work grocery shopping followed by devouring a bowl of heart warming ramen best described last Thursday's outing.

Chicken karaage - fried chicken that arrived piping hot at our table.

Shujinko ramen - rich pork broth and a good serve of grilled pork belly.

Tsukumen - I am a fan of tsukumen aka Japanese dipping noodles whereby both broth and noodles are separated. Generous serve of chopped pork belly came with the broth. I found it a little salty towards the end of my meal but overall, had thoroughly enjoyed it.

Gyoza - a little different from the Chinese version that I am used to but nonetheless, delicious it was.

The Bakers Wife. Camberwell MELB

Ten more days until 2019 is over and here we go again in 2020. To put simply, this year had been a roller coaster of highs and lows, both to their extreme ends and thankfully, there had always been a supporting hand for comfort and for celebration.

Here's to more than a decade of friendship with Mr. Potato, an easy going and trustworthy friend who brings out the food monster in me every single time without fail.

Cafe's interior is spacious, notably insta-worthy, with lush greenery surrounding patrons and a line up of baked goods ranging from filled doughnuts to slices neatly arranged at the front counter, making it almost impossible to walk out without one on hand.

Chilli scrambled eggs, bacon and tempura enoki mushroom served atop ciabatta bread. Scrambled eggs were creamy and had a reasonable amount of spiciness to it. The addition of saltier ingredients like the bacon and tempura complimented the milder tasting eggs well. Wouldn't mind re-ordering this dish again.

French toast with berries, lemon curd, burnt mascarpone, poached pear, pistachio praline and a serve of maple. Not sure if it was a good idea for the dishes to appear at the same time as our eyes were fixated on this dish. Pretty as a picture and delicious it was, in a sugar-rific sense. Not too sure if the burnt mascarpone was necessary but aside from that, both of us had no trouble drenching our toast with syrup and topping it off with lemon curd to balance off the sweetness.

Black angus beef burger - a simple burger done well with minimal attempts at making it overly extravagant. Thick cut chips were crisp and piping hot upon arrival at our table which allowed us to slowly enjoy our meal without having to worry about the possibility of cold, soggy chips.

 

Cafe Carpenter, Malvern East MELB

A long overdue catch up which led me to choose this quaint little cafe located along Waverley road. While it was not overly crowded when we appeared, I would recommend making reservations to avoid disappointment.

Having said that, outdoor seating can be considered, granted the weather permits it. Akin an izakaya aka Japanese pub scene, whereby diners can sit close to the bar for dinner and a chat with staff members, the atmosphere felt welcoming.

Spoilt by a myriad of alcoholic beverage choices, locally and internationally sourced, we declined having a few drinks for fear of not being in the right mental state at work the following day. As compensation, we fed ourselves well that night.

Japchae - Korean stir fried noodles tossed in vegetables and thin slices of beef. Not too bad but can do better with a little more seasoning.

Bossam - steamed pork belly served with lettuce, kimchi, carrot, cucumber and ssamjang soy paste. A little pricey for the portion served but aside from that, I liked the fact that a leaner cut of pork belly was used. Less guilt involved post consumption.

L.A galbi - marinated BBQ beef ribs served with lettuce and ssamjang sauce. One of my favourite dishes for the night. Sticky, sweet and savoury flavours marred well in this dish. In hindsight, I wished this came with the option of a larger serve.

Seafood okonomiyaki - another highlight for the night as we can't get past how crispy and generously stuffed the pancake was. Perfect balance of chopped cabbage and seafood bits, drizzled in a sweet sauce and kewpie mayonnaise.

Muddings Bakery, Glen Waverley MELB

I have a habit of buying cakes from a different bakery each time I am in charge of getting a cake. Call it curiousity if you may, but it can be a rewarding experience if one is lucky to find a hidden gem.

Not saying that Muddings is a hidden gem as it has been in the suburb for some time and having stumbled upon it after a quick Google search, I wasted no time in booking in 2 cakes.

Strawberry cream cake - freshly prepared as the strawberry aroma was quite prominent here. Sponge was light, airy and certainly layered with a good serve of cream in between it's layers. The danger of this is having one too many slices considering how light it is.

Brandy snaps sponge cake layered with cream and lightly brushed with apricot jam - the lady who took my order convinced me to try this and yes, it lived up to my expectations. I love how both cakes were not sickeningly sweet and used fresh cream in the process, something uncommon these days.

Highly recommended cake shop! And price was reasonable too:)