Yumcha @ Gold Leaf

Gold Leaf @ Docklands

Hallo, I’m back… Sorry I have been bit slack off lately… and plus I have not been to many new places to pig out…. Anyway… I’m back… with… yumcha ^_~

Many people would go to Shark Finn (Inn or House) for yumcha… but me… I prefer Gold Leaf or Crystal Jade… Lately, I have been to Gold Leaf in Docklands several times… Love the food there, I personally think it’s much better compare to yumcha at Shark Finn. The quality seem to be much better, fresher and you will find some new dishes now and then.

Gold Leaf @ Docklands

The ordinary yumcha dishes that you can find anywhere are good. The dumplings are very moist, the skin just right, not too thick nor too thin. I like I like… However I’m not big fan of the fried squid here, it was very oily but lack of the crunchy bit. But the Salt & pepper white baits was great, nice and crunchy, just like eating chips! 3.5/5

Salt & pepper white baits @ Gold Leaf

Fried squid @ Gold Leaf

Prawn tofu @ Gold Leaf

Prawn dumplings @ Gold Leaf

Chinese broccoli @ Gold Leaf

There are new several dishes that just came out recently and I love those! First, the fried rice noodle rolls (腸粉) with XO sauce was delicious! Maybe you have try the rice noodle rolls with prawn, BBQ pork, Chinese broccoli or with Chinese donut, but this is different. The rice noodle rolls are fried with the delicious XO sauce. There is bit of spicy chilli kick to it and also the little dried prawns and dried scallop bits in there, yum…  3.5/5

Fried rice noodle rolls with XO sauce @ Gold Leaf

Well, be honest, I’m not much of a durian fan, I eat durian but I don’t LOVE it… but the durian pastries here were great. I tried the durian egg tart and the durian puff pastry… yum!!! The pastry was very puffy, it’s light, flaky and crumbly… the filling, good amount of durian, you can taste the flavour but it was not overloaded… not very very very very sweet also… I like! 3.75/5

Durian egg custards @ Gold Leaf

Durian Puff pastries @ Gold Leaf

Another dessert that I just love! Snow balls! Yes! Snow balls!!! Imagine this, the vanilla ice cream is wrapped inside the chewy mochi (rice cake) and covered with desiccated coconut. I just love the mixture of textures and flavour of all… delicious… but would surely love it more if it’s not vanilla ice cream but something else, ie. chocolate, passionfruit?!? Vanilla ice cream is boring!!! LOL…  3.75/5

Snow balls @ Gold Leaf

Snow balls @ Gold Leaf

Customer service was just very average, but definitely is better than at Shark Finn. But well, it’s Chinese restaurant, and it’s yumcha, can’t really expect much right?!? 2.5/5

Gold Leaf

10 Star Circus 

Docklands VIC 3008

9670 1128

 

Cafe La Colline

Cafe La Colline

Bon jour,  comment allez-vous? Got it?!? Yup, it’s French today… French cafe to be specific…

Cafe La Colline is just about 2 minutes walk from my office, I come to this place almost every morning for my coffee/breakfast. Their coffee is the best around the area so far, unfortunately not as good as St Ali but it’s a good coffee. I classify it as a good coffee because, A, the bean was not burned, B, it was not boiling hot and C, last but not least, doesn’t taste like coffee-flavour-hot-water. Above average, 3.5/5

Coffee @ La Colline

Pastries @ La Colline

Let’s move on to the pastry, tsk tsk tsk… croissant, croissant… hm… BEST I have ever tasted… baked at the cafe, FRESH… it’s not buttery but not oily like many croissant that you would get from other cafes. It’s just so French, the fresh pastries surely make my morning. I found it’s very hard to say NO to the fresh croissant with butter and jam or ham, cheese & tomato croissant. Other pastries such as danish, daily special muffins and chocolate croissant are great as well, since they are all baked on premises, hence the freshness.  Hm… blogging about food at this time of the night make me hungry again… 4.5/5

Croissant @ La Colline

Apricot danish @ La Colline

La Calline

13 Commercial Road
Melbourne VIC 3004

Kedai Satay

Kedai Satay

Two months ago, when I first came to St Kilda/Commercial Rd area for my current job interview, I found myself looking around, started to worry about my lunches. Apart from few cafes, a Chinese take away shop and a Sushi Sushi shop, there were not many options at all! Then I was introduced to Kedai Satay by an Indonesian work mate now my dear friend (since we both love food ) At first, I didn’t have very high expectation, can’t be worst then munch sandwiches right?!? But after the first visit, I found myself go back there at least 2-3 times a week! The food was just great and the price tag was very reasonable also.

My first dish at the place was Egg balado served with grilled chicken and served with coconut rice. The combination of the lightly fried hardboiled egg and the grilled chicken, the chilli salsa… delicious… Oh… and the coconut rice… just blended in perfectly. The only issue was that you probably have to wait for around 10 minutes at least for this dish as the chicken is cooked when ordered. 3.5/5

Egg balado @ Kedai Satay

The grilled lamb ribs was good but unfortunately it didn’t make it to my favourite list. I found the flavour of the lamb was too strong. The meat was very well cooked, very tender however, it was very fatty also. I think it was the fat that made the bit sick of it from the very first few bites. But if you are a lamb lover, why not give it a try! 2.0/5

Lamb ribs @ Kedai Satay

Next on the menu was the tropical chicken. Chicken was marinated in this sweet and tangy sauce then grilled and served with tomato and chilli chunky sauce. The flavour was actually not bad, great dish for hot days. 2.5/5

Tropical chicken @ Kedai Satay

The grilled beef ribs, my oh my… surely the winner dish!!! Walk into this place for lunch and I can tell ya, 7/10 people ordered beef ribs! Why? The flavour of the marinated ribs, the meet was just cooked so well that it’s so tender, feel like it’s melting in your mouth! You just have to try it for yourself. It’s served with salad, coconut or jasmine rice. The photo was taken today when I decided to ditch the rice and go for the salad since I have a massive breakky, still yummy! 4.5/5

Beef ribs @ Kedai Satay

There were also several entree dishes that you can order there, which included Kedai special spring rolls. squid and prawn fingers & chicken, lamb satay skewers. The Kedai special spring rolls are similar to the Chinese fried wonton but the filling was bit different, it was served with the special soy and chilli sauce – 3/5. The satay skewers are also must try dish here. The sauce was just so yummy, very thick and taste like savoury peanut butter – and I love peanut butter!!! 3.5/5 for the satay skewers.

Kedai special spring rolls @ Kedai Satay

Chicken satay @ Kedai Satay

Well customer services, I love the place. The staffs are very friendly and nice. Best of all, they remember my special order – lol… So thumb up for customer services 4/5

Kedai Satay

Shop 29, 34 Queens Rd Melbourne 3004

 

Or 186 King St Melbourne 3000

 

 

 

PS. Sorry for the poor quality of images, these were taken by iPhone and I lost control of the lighting >,< Wish I can minimise my DSLR and bring it everywhere with me!

Cafe Vue

Cafe Vue, cafe Vue, cafe Vue, Vue De Monde, Vue De Monde… I’m sure one word will pop up in your head “PRICIE”… Yes… you were right, a bit… ^_^

The first time I visit a Cafe Vue was at Normanby Chambers on Lt Collins St. I tried the $15 Cafe Vue lunch box which every penny was worth spent. Since it was a year ago, I don’t think it’s fair to write a review on the food then. However, if you are close, drop in to try the Lunch box, I doubt that you will be disappointed.

Anyway, let’s just move on to my recent visits. I went to Cafe Vue on St Kilda Rd twice in last three weeks with very very very bad mood. Surely it did the job very well indeed, walked out a very happy and satisfied person It might not give you the WOW factor, but for a nice cheering you up lunch, Cafe Vue is the place to be…

At both time I tried the 3 courses meal which cost me $45. At the first visit, I was served these little pastry filled with tuna and to my surprise, there was a piece of cold tuna!!!! It was delicious, but we were curious whether the cold tuna was supposed to be there or not so we asked the waitress. She then went to check with the chef, and we were told that, indeed it was the intended red dot… Hm… interesting… But the texture was great, crunch and warm pastry wrapped around the warm tuna… It’s 3.5/5

Tuna pastry @ Cafe Vue

In the second visit, I was served prawn and brown rice risotto. It was very tasty but it’s bit heavy for entree. I’m not a big massive fan of risotto but definitely a seafood fan. The prawns were cooked well, the risotto was nice, tasted healthy but as mentioned, too heavy. 2.5/5

Prawns risotto @ Cafe Vue

For the main course, I was served the duck with beans and served on bed of mashed potato. Yup I know… It doesn’t look good at all, but trust me, this is surely another case of “Don’t judge the book by its cover”. The duck skin was so crispy but then the meat, oh my, melted in your mouth… bit salty but the beans and mashed potato just compliment it so well. I love!!! 4/5

Duck @ Cafe Vue

At the second visit, I was again served duck, but this time it was duck florentine. Hm… it was yummy. I love the chewy duck skin wrapped around the smooth meat. It was served with carrot and mashed. A good dish but didn’t give me the wow factor. 3.5/5

Duck Florentine @ Cafe Vue

For dessert, I was served the chocolate mousse with vanilla ice cream, chocolate cake crumbs, little drops of macaroon serving with caramel sauce. When I was there the first time, I think the chef forgot about the caramel sauce or it was finished. In the 2nd time I was there, the sauce was served, however it was a bit sweet for me, I actually like it without the sauce… The dessert was great, not overly sweet, just the way I like it… The vanilla ice cream… hm… made with real vanilla beans, ticked… so YES.. It was delicious! 4/5

Chocolate mousse @ Cafe Vue

Chocolate mousse @ Cafe Vue

Ok… So the customer services… It was great, the staffs were very friendly. I called up to make a reservation on April Fool and I found myself chatting to the waitress, he was so kind, he reminded me of the date and asked me to make sure that I don’t get fool! Talking about phone reservation… Vue De Monde is the best! They stored your details, and when you call to book again, all you need were to provide your name and alehop, all done! Gotta give them a 5/5

Cafe Vue

Normanby Chambers
430 Little Collins Street (between Queen & William Streets)
03 9691 3899

401 St Kilda Road (near the corner of Toorak Road)
03 9866 8055

St Ali

St Ali

My previous visit to St Ali was just for a take away coffee in the late afternoon. The cafe location was pretty odd. It was very well hidden away in an one-way street in South Melbourne, you wouldn’t know it’s there unless research has been done. The cafe was decorated very trendy, small woody tables and chairs. There were very funky and lab like coffee machineries around the counter. The coffee was yes awesome just like the rumour! As usual, I ordered my skinny strong cappuccino take away, it was strong but so smooth, the taste of coffee was just busting like bubble in your mouth, the milk was well heated, not too hot and not too cold and simply blended it so well. It was definitely 5/5.

2 weeks ago, I went back to St Ali for brunch with another 3 friends in the weekend. We arrived there around 1PM and was told that we have to wait for at least 20 minutes for a table, it was very busy. 20 minutes later, we were seated at the small room outside of the restaurant area, more like a smoking & dinning area. Four of us was cramped into a table which suppose for 2 people, very small indeed. The customer services were very poor, we had to wait for more than 20 minutes for our coffee. The coffee was just as good as I remembered. Still scored a 5/5.

Cappuccino @ St Ali

I ordered the Season traveller – grilled asparagus with poached eggs, lemon infused goats curd, serrano ham, walnut and rocket pesto; French toast  and Childhood memory – plum and coconut bread with poached plums, marscapone and cinnamon dukkah. Yes I know, that’s lot for one person… we were actually sharing but I like to claim them mine ^_^

The season traveller was great! Looking at it made me feel good, very very healthy for a breakfast. The asparagus was nicely grilled, crunchy and sweet. The eggs were well poached, the yummy yorks were running and gel-ly as expected. The ham, hm… yum… bit salty but blended in well with the rest. For not a goats curd fan, it was a great dish. Made me feel healthy ^_^. I give this dish 4/5

Seasoned traveller @ St Ali

The French toast, it was pretty interesting. I was expecting the egg-ie toast but nope, on the plate, there were two slices of bread which taste more like soft and buttery cake stuffed with fresh mixed berries and served with lemon curd… the taste, oh my… You just gotta taste it yourself… delicious! It was my very first time trying french toast, and it surely scored 4/5. Love it!

French toast @ St Ali

And, *drum rolling*, the Childhood memory, if the french toast took my to level 5 of heaven, this dish took me to level 7 indeed! It was sooooooo good!!!! now writing about it made me want to go back for another round! Hm… maybe this weekend?!? Haha.. Ok… let’s get back to the review, it was so delicious! At first, when I saw plum, coffee and cinnamon in the menu, I wanted to try but I wasn’t expecting much because first, I’m not a cinnamon fan and secondly, plum and coffee, like seriously?!? Hm… But I was proved wrong… very very wrong! It was surely a must try dish. The coconut and plum cake was just so delicious and the coffee marscapone, wow, just blended in… *mouth watering again*. The poached plum was well done, not too soft but still melt in your mouth *drool*… Another 5/5 YUMM…

Childhood memory @ St Ali

To wash everything down, yeah I know I do eat lots ^_^ we ordered the house specialty, “Champion” house blend, syphon , which was served in this laboratory coffee filter. It was as described, not very strong, just like coffee-tea type. Please note I do like my coffee very strong. The way the coffee was brewed surely brought out the flavour of the coffee. Again, coffee scored 5/5 for me at St Ali. It has not failed to delivered good coffee so far

Syphon @ St Ali

Last but not least, again, customer services, as I mentioned earlier, we had to wait for 20 minutes for our coffee. Believe it or not, we waited another 45 minutes just for the food. Maybe due to our location, staffs were pretty out of reached for us. We had to wait for them to come in the room in order to get their attention. Staffs were friendly but it was very hard to get their attention. So, if you are planned to come here for brunch in the weekend, make sure you have plenty of time to kill, it’s definitely will not be a place just for a quick coffee or brunch. For the last visit, I have to give customer services a 2.5/5

St Ali

18 Yarra Pl
South Melbourne, 3205

(03) 9686 2990 – Please note, reservation is only available for dinner.

Mart 130

Mart 130

I was first introduced to Mart Cafe 130 by a group of friends from Singapore, yes, scary enough, I don’t know Melbourne as much as I thought. My friends were telling me how good the food was and specially the cafe itself is just simply a must visit place. The cafe was located at the tram/train stop. Yup, it’s a tram stop – Middle Park, very unique indeed. Even the cafe name Mart spelling backward is “Tram”!!!

My first impression of the cafe is just simply surprise how a tram stop can be transformed to such a nice and cosy cafe. The front of the cafe is decorated with all the vibrant colours of the red door, black board with the name of the cafe in white chalk, beautiful wood box of white and purple flowers plants and a row of wood tables and chairs along the wall with few pots of green herbs and some red throws for cold days. Indoor and the verandah are pretty much the same, very well decorated providing a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

Since my friend, who simply just adored Asian food more than Western food, had been telling so much about this famous corn fritters, I just had to try it for myself. So there I was, Corn fritters with bacon serving with sour cream and tomato relish and a skinny strong cappuccino. First, the cappuccino, I was a bit disappointed with a very poor poured coffee. There was no graphic, not even some simple swirls of milk on the top. I was even more disappointed when showed a picture of a coffee which my friend took early in the week – it was very well decorated with a girl face! YES! A girl face! However… the coffee was pretty good, strong but not burn and perfect temperature. So, coffee, it’s a 4/5.

Coffee @ Mart Cafe 130

The corn fritters, hm… layers of corn fritters and bacons topped with tomato relish and the sour cream was separately served. Simply delicious! The corn fritters was not fatty and oily as many places that I have tried, it’s got a bit of crisp outside and the corn was just cooked to perfection, sweet and juicy as you bite into it. The batter itself was very nice balance, not too powdery, just enough to covered the corn and tasty also. The tomato relish, yum, well balanced of sweetness and tanginess. Well bacon is just bacon right, the selected short cut bacon was great, not too much fat. The combination of all… just simply YUMMY!!!! For the corn fritters, I have to give it a 4.5/5

Corn fritters @ Mart Cafe 130

I came back in the weekend, the place was fully packed and I was seated at the corner of the bench at the back. I ordered the same as the previous visit, cappuccino and corn fritters. Food was consistently good disregard how busy the place was. I also ordered a slice of warm apple and rhubarb cake which was served with caramel sauce combined with cold rhubarb sauce and cream. The cold rhubarb sauce just complimenting the super sweet and warm caramel sauce. A very nice autumn/winter dessert indeed. Surely deserved 4/5

Warm apple and rhubarb cake @ Mart Cafe 130

Last but not least, the customer services at Mart Cafe 130 was great! I was very well looked after disregard how busy the cafe was. The only let down for me was that the staff wasn’t sure what was in the cake when I asked about it. So, customer services – 4/5

So here we go, Mart Cafe 130 details are listed below. Bon appetite.

Mart Cafe 130

9690 8831

107 Canterbury Rd

Middle Park 3206