Stagger Lee's

A second outpost by the Proud Mary camp offers a solid brunch alternative on bustling Brunswick street. It boasts a simple but inviting fit-out and I'd have to say the food follows a similar vein. I'd say it was somewhat healthy but not in an I actually watch my carbs/calories way. Making it the perfect destination for when you're feeling you've over indulged a bit too much but still aren't actually going to make food at home.

Fitzroy as you know it

Flat white $3.8 & Chai latte $4.5

Props for the blue crockery. All too often I swear coffee shops buy the exact same mugs as everyone else.

The New Fitz $15.5 - Quinoa, puy lentils, chickpeas and barley salad, pickled red onions, toasted almonds, charred broccoli and a smoked egg plant.

This dish is not something you'd normally see on my blog but yes - sometimes I opt for something with greens on it to alleviate prior guilt. Was pretty nice once all the flavours were mixed through with the lemon just finely balancing it all out.

The Mexican $17 - Soft shell corn tortillas, charred corn, lime and tomatillo salsa, avocado, fried eggs, creme fraiche and herbs

The tortillas certainly didn't pack the spicey flavours I typically associate with Mexico. In no way was that a bad thing with the creme fraiche and herb selection these became quite light and pleasant. A good feed!

Chez Dre

I just keep on coming back to this place. Chez Dre has everything one looks for in a cafe. The rustic upcycled ambiance is done to a tee and as too is the food, time after time. South Melbourne certainly has a lot of options, likely due to the yummy mummy gatherings around the market. Although there are apparently good alternatives in the vicinity I've found myself just drawn here over and over for some reason. It started off as a place I'd treat myself to if I did well in a uni exam taken down the road, now it's my go to for when I need to head somewhere where the quality is guaranteed. South of the river that is ;)

Man I love my new phone

Outdoor section for summer arvos

I have to give them props for the coffee cup below. I mean whaaa, it's a cup within a cup! The cynical side of me says it's so that you get less. Obviously that's not the case and it's just amazingly pretty.

Batch brew coffee $3.5 - nkora -bourbon - rwanda coe winner 2013 (OK, no idea what this stuff means)

Salmon rillettes $19.5 - beetroot relish, caperberries, poached eggs, beetroot crisps & toasted sourdough

I was in a salmon mood to compensate for my meaty sins on Good Friday. The blend of flavours was intense. The smooth gentle tones of salmon built upon by the twisting complexions offered up by the eggs and beetroot relish then given a kick of bitterness from the caperberries. All came together for a well fed Reid

Duck Sandwich $23.5 - confit pulled duck, onion jam, red cabbage, grated apple, truffle mayonnaise & panini

Having had this myself not that long ago, one thing that jumps out is the bread used has changed. A good call as it was a bit softer which led to it becoming soggy. The crispiness with the new choice added an extra element. A great slaw made this ever so filling sandwich yum. I won't lie, I don't normally really like side salads. They just make you feel less guilty about your gluttony. This dressing drenched side was actually very good.

Beautifully presented collection

The before image

My mind had been set on something else but when I got to the desert counter I saw this little beauty. Sah cute. Couldn't resist it. Check out the layers crafted below and you just know those flavour elements blend baby.

Lychee, raspberry & coconut $9.5 - coconut dacquoise, lime curd, raspberry jelly, lychee mousse

End Verdict: Place to bring parents when visiting. Or a place to come everyday.

Shanghai Dragon Dumpling House

If you're after sheng jian bao in Melbourne this is certainly the best option I've come across to date. They actually have quite a few fillings for the pan-fried baozi to select from which left my tongue rather pleased. Quality xiao long baos too.

I hadn't expected to make a review here as it was just one of those cases of where to go on a public holiday - look dumplings! Check dem photos of half eaten plates..

End Verdict; Om nom dumplings. But who trusts a white man's opinion on them anyway?

Izakaya Den

Downstairs past a nondescript door in the corporate heart of Melbourne lies perhaps the trendiest restaurant on the scene. Izakaya Den is the stuff of movies and it also packs it in with substance. It is quite simply atmospheric high-end dining at it's best. As a result it served as the perfect backdrop to catch up with an old high school friend who had recently moved to Melbourne.

Upon entry to the Den we were quickly greeted by the friendly staff who guided us to seats at the bar. I presume this is where all groups of two end up, but it's the best seat in the place. Watching the chefs in their element sitting a mere metre away from the grills is thoroughly enjoyable.

Sake

Naturally we opted to start the night with some sake. I'll admit I'm no expert in this domain but I'll say I quite enjoyed it and I especially loved that it came in an erlenmeyer flask. It's now a full 6 months since I've been in a lab so flashback tokens are very welcome.

As for the food we decided to order a bit of everything; hot, cold, snacks and vegetables. Probably should've got dessert too - the apple millefeuille looks bluddy amazing.

Token vegetable dish

I'm not going to lie, things started of a bit shaky. We were left a bit unimpressed with the vegetables. Maybe if we had've known what we were getting our expectations would've been different.

Kingfish Sashimi

The kingfish sashimi was a beautiful dish in every respect. Tasted great with looks to die for. To save time on my behalf, the rest of the dishes were superb. The pictures serve them better justice than I can.

Ox Tongue

Umaki - I think

Den Fried Chicken

End Verdict: A must visit for every cosmopolitan out there. Just writing this review I'm thinking of when I can next return.

Banoi

Banoi is undoubtedly the trendiest place in Docklands and has done well to differentiate itself from the 3 other Vietnamese joints within a 100 metre radius. I'd have to say it does a pretty good job at holding its own on the food against them too. The lunch special is the highlight here. Nowhere else can you get a sharing platter of sorts for one with pho, spring rolls, half a roll and a drink. Great value for the variety at 15 dollars.

Lunch special $15 - Half of Vietnam

The pho was according to the Viet at the table 'just like my mums'. The spring rolls were a different style to what I'm accustomed to but I enjoyed the extra cruchiness in this variety. The roll itself was perhaps not as good as Vintams, but that's a stupidly high bar to compare to. Unfortunately for them they're around the corner so the comparison had to be made. The mini baguette element was a bit crispier than I'd prefer it to be. I eat too many viet rolls so I'd imagine most people would be very pleased with it.

Iced Coffee as part of lunch deal + Coconut & red bean smoothie $4.5

One piece of advise is to ask for takeaway cups. Look how cute they are! The iced coffee surprised me. I'd been forced into it as part of the special but this is one of the best I've had. I think iced coffees are normally for those who don't really like coffee and have a huge dollop of ice-cream to further aid in desguising the flavour. This though was legit coffee with the bitter tones simply mellowed by the numbing ice. Smoothie was cool too.

Slow cooked pork belly $4.0 - cucumber, candied chillis, dijon & hoisin sauce

This bao is listed under a section titled 'tacos'. Bit odd in my opinion. Anyway, it's superb. The pastry tastes exactly the same as Wonderbao's. The pork was sooo soft and succulent with the hoisin as always being a great match.

Rice Paper Rolls $7.5 - Grilled chicken with garlic and honey soy

Quality rice paper rolls with a very good house made sauce. Cutting them in half works really well for presentation, I'm not accustomed to these actually looking appetising. These looked as good as they tasted.

Steamed buns $2.5 each - BBQ pork and vegie

Not a bad price for these, close enough to Nam Loong's infamous $1.80 option. I can only speak for the pork and wow was it flavoursome. It had the tangyness and the moisture I want from these bad boys. A definite go to for anyone in need of a quick snack in Docklands.

Slow cooked pork belly, Tempura soft shell crab, Grilled garlic and soy chicken

I shamelessly went back for more of the 'tacos' the next day. Pork was definitely the best though. Chicken certainly worthwhile too ;)
End verdict: Where else is there to have a sit down meal in Docklands? nowhere (ok maybe pok pok) but this place is king for now.

Middle Fish

Delicious Southern Thai cuisine is dished up in Middle Fish by some of the friendliest waiters I've ever come across. I can not emphasize enough just how welcoming they were as the staff really embraced the family teamwork ethos. To round the package off the setting is exceptional. Based in a former warehouse, the character of the place really shines through with the exposed brick walls, lofty ceilings and commissioned artwork all coming together to create something worthy of an episode of Grand Designs.

Four years ago I literally lived around the corner from Middle Fish and it was probably the first non student-bargain-fest restaurant I desired to visit. It took a long time to overcome my seemingly unending desire for mcdoubles but eventually I ended up back on Berkeley Street. I was however always far too drawn to indulge myself in Seven Seeds. Middle Fish really is on the same level though. Worth noting is that they apparently had a new menu here when I visited. That menu is ridiculously long, you'll spend ages choosing.

Iced tea with condensed milk $3.5

As I have shamefully allowed to happen too many times. I visited the place a month ago and am fuzzy on the details ie. the captions could be off. As could everything else tbh. First off though, the iced tea was amazing! It had just the right amount of sweetness from the condensed milk to ensure it was straight up delicious but not enough to change the texture to something heavier and more desert like.

Kai Jiew $14.50 - Omelette with spring onion, tofu & toasted sesame seeds on white rice.

As it wasn't long after becoming afternoon, I felt a traditional breakfast option should be on the cards. The Kai Jiew can be had with chicken or tofu. As I don't use too much tofu in my cooking my decision might've been made on a perceived requirement to compensate. It was a good decision. The dish was hearty and had just what you need to set you up for a long day. Flavours blended well but I guess that's to be expected in a traditional dish.

Ka Nhom Jeen $16 - Crispy fried soft shell crab, vermicelli noodle with carrots & southern Thai curried fish broth

The first curry we picked out was apparently hot af so reverted to a milder soft shell crab option. At the moment I swear ssc is a way over hyped burger filling. This was a good use of the meat. Thais just know how sweet, sour and salt should fuse together and this is a fine example.

End verdict: Walk past the doors of Seven Seeds and venture into this place sometime, you won't regret it.

The Merrywell

A down to earth burger bar providing a welcome escape from the white table-cloth lined restaurants at the Crown Southbank promenade. The Merrywell serves up diner style food as most of us know and love at reasonable prices, plus it also boasts an award winning burger that I just had to try. On reflection, the Merrywell is a place the average Australian can go to when having a little bit fancy night at the casino and not have to worry about other people's tastes, as everyone likes a burger (or taco). As a side note, I'd strongly recommend Munich Brauhaus if you're just looking for a place along the water with beer + food - 1 litre glasses, enough said.

Need more neon in Melbourne - look how cool it looks

The menu is clearly designed to mimic the American 1960's style whilst the decor exudes more of a modern cosmopolitan vibe, especially as one glances out the windows to the blue lights of the Melbourne skyline.

Oreo Milkshake $7.50 - Free cherry on top!

The milkshake list here is really quite good with options like 'the fluffernutter', spiced chai and mint chocolate. I suppose I was a bit conservative with my choice but I've got a particular sweetspot for Oreo milkshakes after having been my one relief to the pain of monthly braces tightening. This one is top notch btw ;)

The Merrywell $22 - Beef patty, bacon, cheese, pickles, L.T.O, special sauce, ketchup , mustard & french fries

I'll start off by saying this is no Huxtaburger. Anyone that tries to tell me the best burger in Melbourne is from anywhere else will get a grumpy cat no answer. Beyond that this is actually a pretty good offering. Look at the ingredients and picture the beef being moist, even dripping a bit with the bun lovely and fresh. Solid burger. Chips were alright. Seemed a bit week alongside the burger.

The Hillbilly $15 - Fried chicken, creamy cabbage slaw, jalapeno honey & lime

The healthier choice pictured above was pleasant. I can't rave about it though.
End verdict: I've been here a few too many times but I'm sure I'll end up back soon enough.

Journeyman

So apparently there was this amazing place on Chapel street with a 91% that I'd somehow never heard of. Enter the fray: Journeyman. This place serves up the usual brunch favourites including basics like beans on toast. It does though like every other place of this calibre, pimp them out. Not in a whacky way, but more of a creative twist.

The place itself is fairly nice. Set amongst a retail strip, Journeyman has done a fantastic job at incorporating warehouse renovation trends but in a manner complimentary to its surrounds. By that I mean there is a marked transition as one walks deeper into the cafe (it's rather long) tending towards a more industrialised look as you withdraw from Chapel street. Enough drivel pretending I'm an architect for now, food time!

Man's bald head, with cafe in the background

Gf opted for one of the sandwiches. This is an example of something fairly conventional that was just exceedingly delicious. The almond and cornflake coating worked a treat at complimenting the chicken breast texture. It was homely flavours as I imagine them to be in indulgent pockets of Southern America.

Almond and cornflake crispy chicken $17 - with red cabbage slaw, coriander, lime, charred corn and tomato salsa

Croquette's were my choice in part due to just how much I love a full dish of them every time I return to my country of origin. Instead of being filled solely with potato as I am (very well) accustomed to, they were stuffed with beautifully tender pork. The dish had the crunchiness of the apple, moisture of the hollandaise and the good stuff in the well seasoned pork as well as egg. According to the cooking shows which I waste countless hours watching, this plate had all the elements of a fantastic dish.

Crispy pork croquette $17 - with poached eggs, cider vinegar hollandaise, apple and spinach

The food was well washed down with some fresh OJ and a delightfully cheap filter coffee.
End verdict: Great place to duck into on a shopping expedition south of the river.

Batch brewed filter $3

400 Gradi

400 Gradi has become somewhat of an institution of late in Melbourne. With good reason too. The margherita verace that propelled the restaurant to fame last year is undoubtedly of great quality. If you were to look the restaurant up online today you would encounter a mixed bag of reviews. Quite simply it has fallen victim to hyped expectations that some diners seem to get when visiting renowned/celebrity chef restaurants.

The place is located on the northern section of Lygon street well beyond the traditional pizza pasta strip. It's well worth the journey especially as that end of East Brunswick is bursting with character.

At the restaurant the gf and I went for our standard approach at Italian restaurants:
1 pasta
1 pizza

Such optimisation yo!

Paccheri rigati al sugo d’Anatra $29 - Pasta Paccheri rigate cooked with duck ragu

The pasta probably cost more than some people might think reasonable. I was payday money blind though so no worries! The duck was incredibly tender (read delicious) but I reckon the pasta itself was a tad bit harder than I would've liked.

Margherita verace $21 - San Marzano tomato, buffalo mozzarella, basil

Delicious! Best I've ever had? Don't know about that but who cares, that's for judges in far flung countries to decide. I'd be delighted to come back for this. Thin and very moist. To the extent I had to refrain from my usual philistine techniques and equip a knife and fork. Well, for the inner third - the rest was fine in the hand.

Arancini $6 (each) - Crumbed rice ball made with bolognese, peas, saffron served with spicy rosé sauce

 I was starving during this excursion as this was essentially a really late breakfast lunch as always seems to happen on weekends. Hence two starters. Decided to have everything arrive at once: Asian style! With both dishes the sauces were perfect. So well seasoned. The eggplant was particularly pleasant whilst the arancini ball was a bit meh. Worth noting is the good value these did present.

End Verdict: Fairly obvious - I'll be back.

Involtini di melanzane $6 (each) - Eggplant layer with smoked scarmoza, prosciutto cotto, basil, parmesan rolled & oven baked in Napoli sauce