tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10812993904860842232024-03-13T06:24:35.602-07:00Asian Restaurants in MelbourneShantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.comBlogger130125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081299390486084223.post-75837834492914498112014-04-25T18:07:00.003-07:002014-04-25T18:07:39.490-07:00Ajisen Ramen CBD<b><span class="street-address">130 Bourke Street
</span>
<span class="locality">
Melbourne,
VIC<span class="hidden-xs"> 3000</span></span></b><br />
<span class="locality"><span class="hidden-xs"> http://www.ajisenramenmelbourne.com.au/</span></span><br />
<span class="locality"><span class="hidden-xs"> <a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1448775/restaurant/CBD/Ajisen-Ramen-Melbourne"><img alt="Ajisen Ramen on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1448775/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chii-Chan - Ajisen's Logo and Mascot</td></tr>
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<span class="locality"><span class="hidden-xs">This is a Japanese international chain that has ramen and bento boxes as a staple. It operates in many parts of Asia and is a go-to place for ramen for many in the region but not necessarily in Japan itself. It has been in Melbourne for a while, before most of the other more recent arrivals in the ramen market. Although it is Japanese, it actually has Taiwanese origins.</span></span><br />
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<b><span class="locality"><span class="hidden-xs">The Place</span></span></b><br />
<span class="locality"><span class="hidden-xs">This is a fast food joint and it is the same like most Ajisen Ramen outlets around the world. It is set up to be comfortable but not for extended dining where you can sit there and catch up for more than 30 minutes. It's a quick eat and go place. Small wooden stools make sure of that.</span></span><br />
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<span class="locality"><span class="hidden-xs">The one in Melbourne is really dimly lit and the photos are going to show you just how dim, even during the light of day.</span></span><br />
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<span class="locality"><span class="hidden-xs">Things to do Nearby; This is near Bourke Street Mall and all the shopping around the area. Parliament House and the Gardens are up the street. </span></span><br />
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<b><span class="locality"><span class="hidden-xs">The Food</span></span></b><br />
<span class="locality"><span class="hidden-xs">They serve food of really varying quality here. Sometimes, it is good and sometimes, it's most average. Don't expect the aldente style ramen that many Japanese like with stronger lye water. This is part of a chain that is really quite successful all over East and SEAsia and so, has to cater to a wider palette. Hence, some will argue that it is not as authentic or traditional and I would agree with that. It is not and was not meant to be. I mean, they have Tom Yum Ramen on the menu - not very Japanese is it?</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tori-Karaage Ramen</td></tr>
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<span class="locality"><span class="hidden-xs">Once you get past the authenticity issue, you might find that there are some surprises in terms of flavouring. They have a wide range of choices of ramen ranging from basic <i><b>Chasyu ramen</b></i> (which is similar to Chinese char-siew) to <i><b>Volcano ramen</b></i>. Ok, so I have tried the <i><b>Volcano ramen</b></i>, and I was really really glad I asked for the meat to be put on the side rather than heaped on the ramen because it was really really chilli ridden. One of my favourites is the Tori-Karaage ramen (pictured above) but that might be because I just like fried chicken.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tonkatsu Bento</td></tr>
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<span class="locality"><span class="hidden-xs">They don't have the best bento boxes in terms of value for money. Don't get me wrong - they are still tasty but some people who are expecting some tempura or sashimi are more likely to be disappointed. They also do really yummy <i><b>Geso Karaage</b></i> (Fried Octopus Tentacles) although sometimes, it is quite 'fishy'.</span></span><br />
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<b><span class="locality"><span class="hidden-xs">The Service</span></span></b><br />
<span class="locality"><span class="hidden-xs">I have had basic service here that is polite but inflexible in terms of item variation. This is not unusual for a franchise that has had a history of some franchisees changing things and stuffing it up. So, they have become somewhat inflexible. The busier they get, the more abrupt they become because I have never seen more than 3 staff members working the floor - even during really busy times. Just don't expect 5 star service.</span></span><br />
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<b><span class="locality"><span class="hidden-xs">Overall</span></span></b><br />
<span class="locality"><span class="hidden-xs">I will continue to go occasionally even though there are newer ramen places, especially when I am after a no frills, quick meal. The food is not bad and can be really quite tasty. However, if you are really looking for a more intimate and authentic Japanese dining experience, this is not for you.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span class="locality"><span class="hidden-xs">Cultural Moment</span></span></b></span><br />
<span class="locality"><span class="hidden-xs">Ok! I am going to take an unusual step and refer readers to a Bloomberg Businessweek article that talks about Ajisen's expansion into China, where it s becoming really popular and even discusses China-Japan relations. Check the article out here; <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2007-11-19/slurping-up-profits-at-ajisenbusinessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice" target="_blank">Businessweek Article</a>.I am not being lazy! I promise - I just thought it's an interesting article to share.</span></span><br />
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<span class="locality"><span class="hidden-xs">And while I am at it, you can't imagine my despair, when The Smarter Travel Website published an article by Caroline Morese on unhealthy foods of the world and the ONLY East Asian entry into that list was the humble Ramen! How the? What? Check out the Smarter Travel site here; <a href="http://www.smartertravel.com/photo-galleries/editorial/10-most-fattening-foods-in-the-world.html?id=694" target="_blank">Unhealthy Ramen</a>?</span></span><br />
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</span>Shantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.com6130 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia-37.8123167 144.96921599999996-63.3343512 103.66062199999996 -12.290282199999996 -173.72219000000007tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081299390486084223.post-37134339347468588742014-04-25T00:01:00.003-07:002014-04-25T18:08:53.248-07:00Twee's Hut<b><span class="street-address">Shop 26, 343, Little Collins St, </span><span class="locality">Melbourne</span>,
<span class="region">VIC</span> 3000</b><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1791157/restaurant/CBD/Twees-Hut-Melbourne"><img alt="Twee's Hut on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1791157/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
http://tweeshut.com.au/<br />
This is a bit of a gem and in the same genre as Roll'd - a funkyed up Vietnamese eatery with a more contemporary feel, except it hasn't been given a franchise treatment yet. How does it measure up? I think it does better than Roll'd and is more authentic and the food feels like it has been prepared with more love and pride.<br />
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<b>The Place</b><br />
This is set up like a fast food joint and pretty basic and simple layout. A no fuss eatery that's great for a quick lunch, any busy day of the week. They manage to keep it relatively clean despite the high turnover of customers and constantly flow of diners.<br />
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Things to do nearby: This is just across the lane from Galleria and less than 5 minutes walk to either Collins Street or Bourke Street Mall.<br />
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<b>The Food</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hue Noodles</td></tr>
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I have had both Hue Noodles and Classic Saigon style Vietnamese noodles here, and they are pretty good and certainly better than Roll'd in my opinion. There is a very strong hint of lemongrass in the soups here and while it doesn't have the grunginess of the eateries in Richmond or Footscray, you can expect tasty soup here. Don't expect intestines, blood jelly, tendon here - they stick to the basic chicken and beef slices.<br />
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I do like the Hue Noodles they have here because it's not overly greasy, and still packs a punch in the soup. This is quite different to the usual beef noodles most Melbournians are used to. I like it because I like the beef slices, the sausage, the thicker rice noodles (see below) and the spicy soup. If there's one criticism of that might be leveled - it's that they are not as generous as some of the more traditional places with their beanshoots and lemon. <br />
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<b>The Service</b><br />
This place has a fast food outlet sensibility, so you have to order at the counter and while they were a bit organised at the start, they seem very much more on top of things now that they have had some experience with the crazy lunch time crowd. Always friendly, if harried, they are more likely to make conversation with punters if they are not crazy busy. They will also take time to explain the dishes and clear take pride in their food. I like this place for a quick lunch because I like people who serve their food with a smile.<br />
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<b>Overall</b><br />
It's a good place to go to if you are after basic Viet fare. Other reviewers have also raved about the crispy pork and I can't wait to try this. I have tried to order it before but was too late in the day and they had run out. I will definitely be visiting again. <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Cultural Moment</b></span><br />
Some people get so used to "old school" approaches to ethnic cuisines that anything that moves a bit away from what they used to might be seen as authentic. Twee's Hut and Roll'd would fall into this new more contemporary way of doing things. Gone are the bright lights, wall to wall mirror, free cheap tea and greasy chilli paste. In with funky names, less grease, less choice, and less "special combinations". I don't have a problem with any of these - there is a time and place for both "old school" and contemporary approaches. You just have to know what you are in the mood for.<br />
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To be honest, my main challenge with the contemporary approach is the demise of "special combinations" - which basically refers to the various other parts of the cow (including tendon, innards, blood jelly, pizzle, marrow) or chicken (giblets, liver, skin). Yes! They can contribute to high cholesterol but I am not having them every day and I'd like the option. I hope this art form doesn't disappear and I wish for contemporary approaches to include this in their repertoire, but that's just me. As they say in Vietnam, <b>I LOVE</b> <span lang="vi"><i><b>phở</b></i>.</span>Shantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.com026/343 Little Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia-37.815484 144.96306300000003-63.3375185 103.65446900000003 -12.293449499999998 -173.728343tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081299390486084223.post-75379433041509100952014-04-04T22:36:00.001-07:002014-04-04T22:36:59.988-07:00Petaling Street (Clayton)<b><span class="street-address">367 </span><span class="street-address">Clayton Road, </span><span class="locality">Clayton</span>,
<span class="region">VIC</span> 3168</b><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1634550/restaurant/Melbourne/Petaling-Street-Clayton"><img alt="Petaling Street on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1634550/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
There is something to be said about crowdsourcing for opinions and times like this, one would go - "OK - Urbanspooners were being fair". One of the lowest scoring Petaling Street Outlets in Melbourne here, and I didn't believe it. In addition, I know I especially liked the dishes from the CBD branch. After all, this is in Clayton where the competition can be fierce, and Springvale is not too far away. How can this be? <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hLgqoGQiKqQ/Uz-Sc1FlC3I/AAAAAAAABRs/xgMgnTOv_eY/s1600/IMG_2376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hLgqoGQiKqQ/Uz-Sc1FlC3I/AAAAAAAABRs/xgMgnTOv_eY/s1600/IMG_2376.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>The Place </b><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dBW4ulKVfi8/Uz-SYzCLMsI/AAAAAAAABRk/2pbFvMjpbbk/s1600/IMG_2377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dBW4ulKVfi8/Uz-SYzCLMsI/AAAAAAAABRk/2pbFvMjpbbk/s1600/IMG_2377.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>A simple set up with the kitchen in the back and rows of seats for diners and movable configurations. The decorations are relatively simple with pictures of the dishes on offer and a large mural towards the back of the restaurant. This is a well ventilated space with easy access. However, the first warning sign for me should have been the sticky wooden tables. <br />
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This is set within the busy Clayton Road shopping strip and parking is round the back where it can be a challenge on busy days.<br />
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Things to do Nearby: Clayton Road Shopping<br />
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<b>The Food</b><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--3JlvApqdSg/Uz-SyQaI3YI/AAAAAAAABSM/3r-KWhI1Cuw/s1600/IMG_2381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--3JlvApqdSg/Uz-SyQaI3YI/AAAAAAAABSM/3r-KWhI1Cuw/s1600/IMG_2381.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>The food ranges from ok to questionable. We had a number of dishes, none of which were spectacular and one was a total fail. I'll start with the ok dishes - the <i><b>Wonton Noodle Soup</b></i> (pictured right) was actually not bad with nice generous wontons thought the char siew (BBQ pork) that went with it wasn't anything to rave about. Nevertheless it is what you would expect from a basic wonton noodle soup.<br />
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The <i><b>Salted Fish Vermicelli</b></i> was alright as well but not as smokey as some of the best in town. The problem here is the addition of capsicum slices... WHY?<br />
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The other dish that was not too bad was the <i><b>Prawn Hokkien Noodle Soup</b></i> which had a really rich prawn broth. It was somewhat greasy which detracted a bit from the tastiness of the dish but the ingredients were generally fresh.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salted Fish Vermicelli</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prawn Noodles</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">FAUX Lobak</td></tr>
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Some other dishes were truly disappointing. The <i><b>Lobak</b></i> was a joke! They serve fishcake filled beancurd skin to pass if off as lobak. They acknowledged they had changed it but still insisted on calling it Lobak - 'bak' in Hokkien refers to meat, not fish. It was like eating inferior deep fried fish cake. Then there was the <i><b>Roasted Chicken Rice</b></i>. Now, I have had the authentic version in the CBD branch but the one here was served with a lightly fried chicken (pictured below) - nothing like the Nanyang style roast chicken that I had been hoping for. The best thing about the dish was the chicken broth that came with it!<br />
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<b>The Service</b><br />
The basic service was not all that attentive and nothing to rave about. One has to call out for attention here and don't be shy about doing so, expecially if you are sitting towards the front of the restaurant, or you might be forgotten. <br />
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<b>Overall</b><br />
I was disappointed but the worst thing was, I had my parents with me - I was trying to show off what good food we have in the area and I took a risk and it didn't pay off. Ah Well! I have taken them to some pretty good places before this. Ok, so it's not the worst restaurant <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Cultural Moment</b></span><br />
Why did I assume that because of the location of this restaurant, that it was going to be excellent and authentic? One word - stereotyping! Why would I think that just because it's in an area where there are a lot of "Asian" diners, that it would be authentic - that's like saying all Chinese restaurants in Chinatown must be good. Even in Malaysia, not all Malaysian restaurants serve good Malaysian fare. Haha! Ah Well!<br />
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It also showed me again that not all branches of the same franchise/restaurant are equal - especially amongst Asian franchises. This has shown to be the case for Killiney Kopitiam, Es Teler, PappaRich, YimYam, and now, Petaling Street. In the end, I suspect that it comes down to the more complex dishes on offer in Asian franchises compared to your run of the mill chicken or burger outlets where menu items are really standardised. Asian dishes depend very much of the chefs working in particular branches - which makes it harder to standardise. A lesson that I am reminded of again today.<br />
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<br />Shantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.com2367 Clayton Road, Clayton VIC 3168, Australia-37.9254094 145.11960909999993-37.9254584 145.11953009999993 -37.9253604 145.11968809999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081299390486084223.post-89866882670036382472014-04-01T17:43:00.001-07:002014-04-01T17:43:36.099-07:00Green Pepper Thai<b><span class="street-address">343 High Street, </span><span class="locality">Northcote</span>,
<span class="region">VIC</span> 3070</b><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1785269/restaurant/Melbourne/Green-Pepper-Thai-Restaurant-Northcote"><img alt="Green Pepper Thai Restaurant on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1785269/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
This is the 6th Thai restaurant now along High Street between Northcote and Thornbury (all within 7 - 10 minutes drive of each other). In terms of all the Thai restaurants along this stretch, Green Pepper Thai is probably the most cafe style with a strong take-away vibe in terms of its set up. Of course, I encourage healthy competition but I think each of these Thai restaurants will find their own niche in the area.<br />
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<b>The Place</b><br />
It does have a strong take away vibe with the basic tile flooring and simple decorations. The open kitchen is situated within the dining space as well, which therefore, relies heavily on the industrial gas hoods to do their work effectively. If you are sitting facing the kitchen, you get to watch the chefs at work which might be interesting for some. When it does get busy, it will get pretty loud as there is no real sound insulation here.<br />
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What I really like about the set up is the fact that they do not cramp diners in really closely to each other. There's plenty of space and you don't feel like sardines! <br />
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Things to do Nearby: The shops of High Street, Northcote are blooming and upgrading with the continued gentrification of the area.<br />
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<b>The Food</b><br />
The food here is not bad but Melbournians are pretty spoilt for choice in terms of Thai food. It is not strictly authentic and is pretty watered down in terms of intensity. That doesn't mean it is not nice. In fact, I think it works quite well if you are looking at catering for diners who can't take really spicy or hot dishes. The dishes tend towards sugar and sweetness. I tend to prefer more tang in my Thai dishes but I have lots of friends who would love the sweetness to lighten the intensity of flavours.<br />
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So, what were the highlights for me? I liked the Tom Yum Soup above all the other dishes I ordered. Why? Because it was clearly not concocted from a commercial soup base and had been done from scratch with lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves and enough Assam (Tamarind) and they didn't hold back on the chillies either but it wasn't overly greasy like how they tend to serve it in Bangkok. Nice clear hot and sour soup.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Really nice tangy hot Tom Yum Soup</td></tr>
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The other dishes were also all freshly made which I really appreciated and although the balance of flavours tended towards sweetness, I did enjoy most of them. The one dish I was disappointed with was the Larb which again was sweet rather than sour (perhaps I would have like more lime or fish sauce - but that's just me). They also love using long beans in all their dishes... most of the dishes we ordered had these :).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green Papaya Salad with Yummy Crisps</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Larb</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pad Met Marmuang - Beef with Cashews</td></tr>
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<b>The Service</b><br />
It is rare to ever get bad service at a Thai restaurant. This is no exception. They were attentive, timely and friendly. It's what you would expect from a good suburban restaurant and I really like the down to earthiness of the service. The food came out in a timely manner and even when it got busier and when there was takeaway orders, they still paid us enough attention where needed.<br />
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<b>Overall</b><br />
This is a good place for a quick week night meal without being overly fancy. I would likely go again to try more dishes and try more of their curries.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Cultural Moment</b></span><br />
I want to talk SOUPS. In many parts of Asia - soups are a whole table event. One soup is ordered and everyone shares it. It very much a collective experience. When I was growing up, we even all drank from the same bowl - dipping our spoons into the central bowl. It had been this way for hundreds of years (no I am not a hundred years old - I am talking about the practice - rude!).<br />
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With modern day health consciousness and sensibilities, this practice of double-triple dipping with personal spoons into a central bowl has changed for the most part in many countries (but not all). However, the practice of the whole family or table having the same soup hasn't changed. In many restaurants in Asia, they still bring out a central bowl and then smaller bowls for individuals and a large ladle - makes a lot of sense and lots of restaurants have done this for a long time. This practice is starting to spread to homes so that it's become the norm. There are some things you can't change - and the practice of sharing soup (the modern way) continues to thrive. This sort of sharing collective dining is a practice to be celebrated.<br />
<br />In Australia, our more individualistic dining habits have led to individual serves of soup so you can decide what you want and there is no need for collective negotiation. It's just the way it is. So, when one travels to Asia and Southeast Asia - when you order soup - be aware - it might be a BIG BOWL meant for sharing - not one of those tiny individual bowls. I know this because I sometimes forget this when I am travelling - like the time I had a BIG bowl of Tom Yum with my main in Bangkok and that other time when I had a BIG CLAYPOT filled with Szechuan Hot and Sour Soup in Hong Kong, with my fried noodles. DUH!Shantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.com2343 High Street, Northcote VIC 3070, Australia-37.770388 144.99840599999993-63.2924225 103.68981199999993 -12.248353499999997 -173.6930000000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081299390486084223.post-2386135987492701832014-03-19T16:19:00.001-07:002014-03-19T16:19:44.856-07:00Golden Dragon Palace<b><span class="street-address">363 Manningham Rd, </span><span class="locality">Templestowe Lower</span>,
<span class="region">VIC</span> 3107</b><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/760781/restaurant/Melbourne/Doncaster-Templestowe/Golden-Dragon-Palace-Templestowe-Lower"><img alt="Golden Dragon Palace on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/760781/minilink.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
http://www.goldendragonpalace.com.au/ <br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VkDge70eRKk/UyTZ3Bi7EFI/AAAAAAAABN8/8uWlsiSRxxA/s1600/IMG_2242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VkDge70eRKk/UyTZ3Bi7EFI/AAAAAAAABN8/8uWlsiSRxxA/s1600/IMG_2242.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a>For an Australian city, Melbourne enjoys the luxury of choice when it comes to yumcha - from the city centre to the suburbs. There are many articles and blogs written about where one can get the best yumcha in town. The thing about yumcha is that it is pretty tricky to compare for a number of reasons which I will discuss in the Cultural Moment section. What I was curious about is why is this place only a 77% on Urbanspoon?<br />
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<b>The Place</b><br />
This is a stand-alone building with undercover parking under the building and more round the back. The interior is darker than your average Chinese restaurant and the dimness and full blast air conditioning makes it a rather cold place.<br />
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There is an element of Chinese charm in the decorations, with interesting pieces of sculpture situated along parts of the restaurant. The fact that it has walled off the toilet section is good and there's quite a bit of space between tables which is useful, so you don't feel crammed in with other diners. They also have high chairs which is good.<br />
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Things to do nearby: Localised shopping centre but not much else around here.<br />
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<b>The Food</b><br />
They offer the full range of yumcha dishes but the highlights for me here include; <i><b>Pork Spare Ribs</b></i> (quite possibly the best I have had (for me) in Melbourne, with a great balance of flavours), <i><b>Beancurd Pork Rolls</b></i>, and <i><b>Sui Kow</b></i> (<i><b>Prawn and Pork Dumpling</b></i>). The <i><b>Squid Tentacles</b></i> here are also pretty good but order it and eat immediately - don't let it cool down too much. These four highlights really made my dining experience here more than any of the other dishes.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pork Spare Ribs - half eaten before I remembered to take the photo</td></tr>
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From the top - clockwise - <i><b>Beancurd Pork Rolls</b></i> (2 lots because they were
YUM), <i><b>Har Kow</b></i> (<i><b>Prawn Dumplings</b></i>), <i><b>Ham Sui Kok </b></i>(<i><b>Glutinous Pork Dumpling</b></i>), <i><b>Yee Chee Kow</b></i> (<i><b>Sharkfin Dumpling</b></i> which is so called because it is shaped like shark fin - doesn't actually contain shark fin). It is also worth mentioning that this is possibly the only place in Melbourne that serves the <i><b>Salted Egg Custard Bun</b></i>, which has a sweet bun encasing salted egg custard - a very nice way to finish the meal.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salted Egg Custard Bun</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mushroom and Seafood</td></tr>
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They also have the biggest bowls of congee at Yumcha that I have had in Melbourne. Most places have smaller serving sizes. So, having one by yourself can be a bit much. One of the challenges here in this establishment is how cold the air conditioning gets. It is great when you first stepped in from the heat outside in summer. However, the downside is that, the food cools down to room temperature really quickly as well. This was one of the first things I noticed. So, if you are part of a crowd that likes to order many dishes and then slowly pick away at the dumplings - it is likely that you are going to be eating some cold dumplings.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sui Kow and Chicken Siu Mai</td></tr>
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<b>The Service</b><br />
Firstly, they need a much much much better queue system. It can be the source of angst and a bad first impression. There are many who do not queue who speak Cantonese and others who are regular visitors. Somehow, this is a place of who is pushiest and loudest wins. They really need to fix this. Perhaps this is one of the reasons for the 77% on Urbanspoon - not that they would care if their pushy customers keep coming back and battle it out in Cantonese while other diners get put off and just complain on Urbanspoon.<br />
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The assumption of the place is that you know what you are ordering. The wait staff are not great at explaining the dishes. For those of us who know the dishes, it is a lot smoother and easier to navigate. This place is clearly set up for the familiar yumcha officionados and not for beginners (for whom this would be somewhat overwhelming). Other than that, service is actually not too bad and better that some of the places in town. A few of the waitstaff are also very attentive once you say, "Thank You!" and give them that very rare smile.<br />
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<b>Overall</b><br />
I would go again but I would book in advance and avoid queueing angst. Even then, people jump ahead to say they have booking loudly ahead of you anyway. It's a place that I'd go to once in a while for particular dishes. Not going to be a regular here for me, but the occasional visit for something different.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Cultural Moment</b></span><br />
What does best yumcha mean? To me, that's very difficult to judge because so many elements have to come to bear and most places are great at some elements but seldom all of them at once. In addition, every individuals or group of diners have different preferences about how these elements should be presented. What are these elements?<br />
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<i>Steam or Fried</i>: Some people prefer the steamed offerings while others go for the deep fried dishes. When you have too much of one and not enough of the other, you lose the balance. In addition, some places do great steam dishes but have overly greasy fried dishes. Others do great lightly fried dishes but their steamed dishes are not great. It's all a bit subjective.<br />
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<i>Vessel and Content</i>: The art of dim sum is very much a balance of the vessel (skin) and the meat/veg (content). The skin is such an important part for old school traditional yum cha lovers, where it needs to be delicate and still be able to hold the content. It should also have great texture that helps highlight the contents but not overpower it. For many other diners, the skin is just a vessel and they might judge the dishes on the tastiness of the protein inside alone.<br />
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<i>Everyone knows what dimsims are</i>: But no one can agree on what it should taste like. It's like Spaghetti Bolognese - how many versions are there and how many "Best SpagBol in the World" are there? This romanticised idea of the best siu mai, har kow or even pork spare ribs (see above), is just that - an idea that is dear to the person who proclaims it, and sometimes, makes little sense to anyone else.<br />
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<i>Meat for Vegetarians</i>: Yumcha can be a real nightmare for vegetarians. Some places do great vegetarian dim sums but many places struggle because withouth specialising in vegetarian cuisine, there's only so much you can do with beancurd, beancurd skins, mushrooms and Chinese broccoli. If you are gluten free, this will be even more difficult.<br />
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<i>Yumcha Service</i>: Yumcha service in Hong Kong is pretty gruff, not something many non-Hong Kong diners would appreciate. There is no time for you to sit there and consult the whole table about whether you should order a particular dish and go through every single dish in the cart and check with everyone. Yet - there needs to be a better way of explaining what the dishes are - not like one particular place in town where every dish is explained as "SEAFOOD DUMPLING". At least make some effort. Some people think this is part of the charm, others take serious offence to this.<br />
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<i>Seating</i>: Where are you seated and are you getting enough attention and where along the journey of the carts (from the kitchen) are you placed? Some places have their cart operators move all in one direction, so if you are at the end of that journey - you constantly get room temperature dishes and 'leftovers'. Then you have to order dishes. Others are better at managing the circuit... this is why if I am hungry at Cocktail parties with Finger Food, I usually stand at the point where waiters enter with the food - but I digress. Even placement, can have an impact on your experience in one restaurant.<br />
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<i>Wine and Tea</i>: Most understated in the whole experience but really important to me is the variety and quality of the teas served. After all, Yumcha translates to "Drinking Tea". The teas offset and balances out the meal and represent a crucial part of the experience for me. It is integral to the whole ritual and if all you have is cafe grade jasmine tea - that's a fail for me even if you have the 'best siu mai'. In Australia, people have wine at Yumcha - WHY? Because they can and so, for some people, the matching of wine of the dim sims becomes important but because this is not traditional practice, the ability of restaurants to match the wines on offer to Yumcha styke dishes can be rather questionable.<br />
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So, from my point of view, finding the best Yumcha for you can be a rather personal experience, which is ironic given that Yumcha is inherently a group experience. That's why the idea of proclaiming the BEST YUMCHA is a somewhat difficult thing to do. So, what do you do? TRY MANY and TRY A LOT. Enjoy Yumcha.Shantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.com0363 Manningham Road, Templestowe Lower VIC 3107, Australia-37.774421 145.11610399999995-63.296455499999993 103.80750999999995 -12.252386499999997 -173.57530200000008tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081299390486084223.post-33154709332399922992014-03-15T16:02:00.006-07:002014-03-15T16:02:54.074-07:00Hong Kong BBQ Restaurant Footscray <b><span class="street-address">118 Hopkins St., </span><span class="locality">Footscray</span>,
<span class="region">VIC</span> 3011</b><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1519540/restaurant/Melbourne/Hong-Kong-BBQ-Restaurant-Footscray"><img alt="Hong Kong BBQ Restaurant on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1519540/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
I want to start by apologising for not posting the last few weeks. I have been busy. However, this weekend, I took time out from being busy and went to an old favourite in Footscray, with my parents. I have not been here since I started this blog. So, I was looking forward to seeing if this joint stood the test of time. Being one of only 2 places in Footscray that serves this style of cuisine, it runs the risk of being complacent in terms of food quality and standard but this is not the case here.<br />
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<b>The Place</b><br />
It is not a huge space and so, like many Chinese places, it does cramp diners together a little bit during busier times. It has been around a long time and so the place feels very used and the once really nice paintings on the walls are now plastered with pieces of paper highlighting various items on the menu (in Chinese) - WHY? I love those paintings but you have to agree the colourful pieces of paper adds absolutely no charm to them!<br />
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When it starts to get busy, there's a natural hum and buzz and they keep people flowing in and out really quickly (more about this later). Despite the limitations, it maintains the place relatively cleanly and even has high chairs for toddlers and somehow manage to accommodate the supersized prams that some punters pushed into the space (when I was there).<br />
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Things to do nearby: This is in the heart of Footscray and across the road from Footscray Market<br />
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<b>The Food</b><br />
The food has indeed stood the test of time and continues to be very authentic and pleasing. I really think it has one of the best Siu Yok (Crispy Roasted Pork) and Char Siew (BBQ Pork) in Melbourne. The Siu Yok is really crispy and they even cut it up in relatively small pieces, as they do in most of Asia (unlike most similar places in Melbourne where they give you huge chunks of meat). The Char Siew is sweeter and salty and nicely caramalised.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Half eaten by the time I remembered to take a photo</td></tr>
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We also ordered Seafood Combination Crispy Noodles, which was quite fishy but the noodles were excellent and the sauce was really tasty (thanks to some MSG). I have had many dishes here over the years and this place knows it's South Chinese (Cantonese) cuisine. They do it well and they seem to be consistent over the years.<br />
<br />
<b>The Service</b><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c12APWULBnU/UyTbYk9ChjI/AAAAAAAABPs/bgNQ9Fq9Rhc/s1600/IMG_2293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c12APWULBnU/UyTbYk9ChjI/AAAAAAAABPs/bgNQ9Fq9Rhc/s1600/IMG_2293.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry - bad photo!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Are you a Cantonese speaker? If you are, you will probably find the service very very passable. If not, you are more likely to receive somewhat brusque and 'rustic' service. I am trying to be positive mostly because I honestly believe that the service here is better than many many similar such places in Melbourne, where they don't even make an effort. Here, they even do the very correct thing of bringing out bowls of their free soup to ask if you would like one. Of course, the service level declines once they have a big crowd and English ability becomes more strained under pressure and if you speak too slowly, softly or uncertainly, you might be met with an impatient response (because they have to get to the next diner). I know that sounds awful, but I know they have the potential to actually engage when they are less stress. I have been to other places where you might be the only diner and still get ignored!<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Overall</b><br />
This visit reminded me that I should make an effort to come back more often (but only during less busy periods). I am already planning this because I dream of Siu Yok!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Cultural Moment</b></span><br />
Footscray is a multicultural mixing pot with so many varied cultures coming together and interweaving in public spaces. For some, such diversity can be confronting but for most people here, there is at worst, tolerance and at best, celebration through cross-cultural interactions and a distinct lack of political correctness.<br />
<br />
What do I mean by this? Well, from my interactions in this space and watching others go about their business, it seems that people don't feel they have to be anything other than themselves in Footscray and expect others to be the same and no less. The interactions seem genuinely authentic and raw; The brusque Cantonese waitperson is brusque to everyone, even Cantonese speakers (just that their conversation is longer and louder); The rough (really rough) guy looking to score, is generally truculent to everyone of every race and makes no differentiation and all avoid him; The proud Sudanese woman with her amazing extensions is pushing her pram while talking loudly to everyone in the same tone, whether it's her friend or the grocer; The old Vietnamese lady selling vegetables from her garden in the street corner, speaks animatedly in Vietnamese, about her produce to a punter. They all cross each other's path and I don't detect anyone making significant adjustments to their behaviour. Yet, it all works because I believe there is a general acceptance that you are what you are and your culture is part of you, and as much as I want to keep my culture intact, you have the right to do so too. This doesn't mean there's no judgement though, but I think they keep that quiet. Yet, it all works somehow because people don't seem to feel a need to tell others how they should all be the same... perhaps, that's why it works on a Saturday morning in Footscray.Shantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.com0118 Hopkins Street, Footscray VIC 3011, Australia-37.79976 144.901383-63.321794499999996 103.59278900000001 -12.277725499999999 -173.79002300000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081299390486084223.post-43665278836470402122014-02-11T19:41:00.003-08:002014-02-11T22:36:38.397-08:00Grain Asia Cafe<b><span class="street-address">Shop 46 Box Hill Centro, </span><span class="locality">Box Hill</span>,
<span class="region">VIC</span> 3128</b><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1534959/restaurant/Melbourne/Grain-Asian-Cafe-Box-Hill"><img alt="Grain Asian Cafe on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1534959/minilink.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6owmoy0xHzA/Uvre5mtpEqI/AAAAAAAABMM/h4VPD5tIIU4/s1600/IMG_2145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6owmoy0xHzA/Uvre5mtpEqI/AAAAAAAABMM/h4VPD5tIIU4/s1600/IMG_2145.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a>Competition in Box Hill is tough with so many Asian options. How does one do well in light of that? It would either have to be really cheap, or tasty, or offer dishes that others do not. Where does Grain Asia sit? By the way the translation from their Chinese name could have been Grand Asia, but it seems they have gone with Grain for some reason.<br />
<br />
<b>The Place</b><br />
Treat this like a food court and you won't be disappointed. It has a similar set up for quick easy meals with no fuss. Sometimes it is clean and other times, slightly greasy when it is really busy. It's a bright place with not a lot of decoration to speak off. The most interesting thing is perhaps watching them cook behind the glassed off section. It is relatively child friendly. This is easy to get to in that it sits on top of the train station and there's multi-storied parking.<br />
<br />
Things to do nearby: Explore Boxhill Centro and its range of multicultural mix of shops. <br />
<br />
<b>The Food</b><br />
This place serves a large variety of hawker and yumcha style dishes that originate from China to SEAsia. They are primarily Chinese dishes. Firstly, the dishes here are generally ok, they are not bad though 'nothing to write home about'. As I have said before in other entries, when a cafe offers such a wide range of dishes, it's inevitable that some dishes are going to be done well while others are mediocre at best.<br />
<br />
If I was to use one word to describe the food here, I'd use the word 'rustic' but not in a romantic manner, but to denote plain and a bit rough round the ages, including the use of MSG. It certainly doesn't serve up any sophistication or pretensions. They use huge chunks of ingredients, big pieces of meat and vegetables, thicker noodles and greasier soups. That's not to say they are not tasty - don't get me wrong. Some of the dishes are very tasty. Some of the servings are also relatively generous.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p236t5PsjkM/UvrfJB26s9I/AAAAAAAABMk/FIo7hO0t_jg/s1600/IMG_2148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p236t5PsjkM/UvrfJB26s9I/AAAAAAAABMk/FIo7hO0t_jg/s1600/IMG_2148.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Beef Fried Hor Fun</b></i> (with thick flat rice noodles - quite greasy but tasty and a favourite of mine)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eGlUukEg8VQ/UvrfA81i4PI/AAAAAAAABMU/K_fIhyR9ve4/s1600/IMG_2147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eGlUukEg8VQ/UvrfA81i4PI/AAAAAAAABMU/K_fIhyR9ve4/s1600/IMG_2147.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Beef Brisket and Wonton Noodle Soup</b></i> (lashings of tradition including the requisite grease)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l-cOzEmtSA4/UvrfOAQpQ9I/AAAAAAAABMs/9UnYoey2NQU/s1600/IMG_2149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l-cOzEmtSA4/UvrfOAQpQ9I/AAAAAAAABMs/9UnYoey2NQU/s1600/IMG_2149.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Salt and Chilli Chicken Ribs on Rice</b></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
There also do a number of stir fries with rice (Hong Kong style) of varying quality and sizes. For example, some of the dishes come with huge servings while others like the <i><b>Salt and Chilli Chicken Ribs</b></i> are relatively small (compared to some other places). One of the dishes I really like here is the <i><b>Glutinuous Rice wrapped in Lotus Leaf</b></i>. They serve this up in a generous portion that's not too salty and has a good balance of textures and basic flavours.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LMix50IKxQU/UvrfCmD6-tI/AAAAAAAABMc/16nSSx1T7d0/s1600/IMG_2146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LMix50IKxQU/UvrfCmD6-tI/AAAAAAAABMc/16nSSx1T7d0/s1600/IMG_2146.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Glutinuous Rice wrapped in Lotus Leaf</b></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>The Service</b><br />
This is food hall service - fast, efficient, not a whole lot of interest in any other communication but not particularly rude (from my point of view). The issue is in the demeanor of the wait staff who make you feel as if they are doing you a favour. So, they come across as brusque at best. Even though the various dishes are prepared in separate sections of the kitchen, the food generally comes out quickly around the same time. However, one doesn't go to a food hall for service.<br />
<br />
<b>Overall</b><br />
I would go there perhaps when I am looking for a really quick no fuss cheap meal. This is only if I am aware of the few dishes I particularly like from here.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Cultural Moment</b></span><br />
Despite the brusque service, there are still many punters here, mostly Chinese. That prompts a question about Chinese expectations of service. Is it that the Chinese don't expect much in terms of service? I don't think so personally. The issue is around context and Chinese communication does tend to be highly contextual from my very personal experience.<br />
<br />
In a food hall, there is usually no expectation of service and people will put up with brusque service. On the other hand, in many Chinese restaurants all over Asia, there is an expectation of good service and extreme politeness. I don't think it's any different in Australia but certainly we do hold cafe wait staff to a much higher standard than they do in most of Asia - this is just my observation.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-l-cOzEmtSA4%2FUvrfOAQpQ9I%2FAAAAAAAABMs%2F9UnYoey2NQU%2Fs1600%2FIMG_2149.JPG&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l-cOzEmtSA4/UvrfOAQpQ9I/AAAAAAAABMs/9UnYoey2NQU/s1600/IMG_2149.JPG" -->Shantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.com2Box Hill Centro Clinic, Whitehorse Plaza, Centro Box Hill 17 Market St, Box Hill VIC 3128, Australia-37.8185176 145.12049419999994-63.3405521 103.81190019999994 -12.2964831 -173.57091180000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081299390486084223.post-12653815258582098962014-02-07T18:14:00.003-08:002014-02-07T18:14:22.398-08:00Hello Gelo<span class="street-address">15 Anderson Street, </span><span class="locality">Yarraville</span>,
<span class="region">VIC</span> 3013<br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1500791/restaurant/Melbourne/Hello-Gelo-Yarraville"><img alt="Hello Gelo on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1500791/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR! I haven't been eating out much because there is so much good food at home right now and I am still going through leftovers... I wish it was like this all year round. Anyway, back to to the blog and it gives me great joy to be able to finally write this blog. The topic - gelato! It's been a while since I wrote about Asian-influenced desserts but here it is in the new Horse year. Firstly, I have to declare that I know the owners of Hello Gelo, so I might be biased but my tastebuds are pretty honest (I hope). This place has also been reviewed by <a href="http://considerthesauce.net/2014/01/09/gelati-magic/" target="_blank">considerthesauce</a>, so if you don't trust me, trust Kenny who writes one of the best blogs around town.<br />
<br />
I have been to Hello Gelo many many times but have never taken a single photo!! Too busy choosing flavours, chatting and eating it all before it melts! So, I am sorry this blog post has not pics. I promise to get some the next time I am there.<br />
<br />
<b>The Place</b><br />
Set within the trendy Yarraville Village, this is an ice-cream joint. The dominant colour scheme is bright happy orange and it's always clean. The poster board with all the performances around town and all the thank you notes from local schools and children indicates the community mindedness and contribution of this place. It's not one of those imported trendy "too cool for school hipster" gelati places, which makes me love it even more. No dark wood and leather furniture in sight and it reminds me of the good old days when ice-cream shops were bright happy places. There are limited seats upstairs and on the pavement but most people seem quite content to wander the along Anderson Street with their gelati and sorbet in hand.<br />
<br />
Things to do Nearby: The Village has many shops to explore and The Sun Theatre.<br />
<br />
<b>The Food</b><br />
The gelato and sorbet are made on premises and real ingredients are used. You only have to check out <a href="http://considerthesauce.net/2014/01/09/gelati-magic/" target="_blank">considerthesauce</a> to see evidence of the yummy ingredients. Having been here many times, I have tried many of the flavours. Highlights for me include the vanilla (which I don't usually have but is so good here), chocolate, peanut butter, chocolate orange (jaffa which is one of my favourites), and lemon sorbet. However, I am not here to talk about those traditional flavours. I am here to discuss the Asian-inspired flavours. <br />
<br />
<i><b>Coconut </b></i>- Coconut gelato is tricky, it is perhaps the one flavour where you might not want to be overpowered by the coconut so that it tastes like cold coagulated coconut milk. It is a skill to get the balance of flavour, intensity and delicate smoothness. At Hello Gelo, the coconut gelato is quite delicate and light rather than intense.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Coconut with Mango Swirl</b></i> - This is a very occasional flavour and perhaps one of my favourites as it evokes a classic Thai dessert flavour coupling. The delicate coconut gelato is coupled with flavourful mango swirls. I do wonder what it would be like if there was more solid bits of mango and if that might be too much. As it is, it is still a winner with me.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Pandan </b></i>- Pandan is what some call Asian vanilla and its green tinged. It is used a lot in Asian deserts all over SEAsia and is delight to have.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Lychee Sorbet</b></i> - Lychee is a luxurious fruit that many in Asia love for its intense sweetness and slight tanginess. The Lychee Sorbet at Hello Gelo makes me very happy because it's like having frozen lychees. This is probably my favourite Chinese New Year flavour here. Give me more!<br />
<br />
<i><b>Watermelon Sorbet</b></i> - Ok, at the best of times, I am not a fan of watermelon juice or flavouring. I do like the fruit itself but everything else feels a bit strange to me. The sorbet here is light and refreshing but unsurprisingly, is not one of my personal favourites. I can imagine however, that if you like watermelon - this would be a total delight.<br />
<br />
<b>The Service</b><br />
The service is helpful, friendly and generous. Always time to chat with the kids and always friendly. You can tell the pride in the flavours of made on premises gelati here and it is really something I look forward to each time. I also enjoy showing this place off to friends and family.<br />
<br />
<b>Overall</b><br />
The down-to-earth nature of this locally owned gelati shop is what makes the local small operator food scene in Melbourne something to be very proud of. This is a gem and I hope more people will discover it - peel away pretensions and enjoy fresh real flavours without the hype.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Cultural Moment</b></span><br />
Asian frozen delights exist from Pakistan all the way to Japan. Ice creameries exist even before the days of modern refrigeration. Some really popular traditional flavours include pistachio (India and Pakistan), mango and coconut (most of SEAsia), Sweetcorn, Yam, Atap Chee (nypa fruticans)(Malaysian and Singapore), green tea (Japan), red bean (Japan and China), black sesame (China including Hong Kong), pandan and durian (SEAsia). There are also crazy Japanese flavours like crab and jellyfish but I am not going there.Shantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.com115 Anderson Street, Yarraville VIC 3013, Australia-37.816884 144.891659-63.338918500000005 103.583065 -12.294849500000002 -173.79974700000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081299390486084223.post-59018567039746004742014-01-23T15:55:00.001-08:002014-01-23T23:42:43.144-08:00Veggie Kitchen<b><span class="street-address">159, St George's Rd, </span><span class="locality">Northcote</span>,
</b><span class="region"><b>VIC 3071</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1543741/restaurant/Melbourne/Veggie-Kitchen-Northcote"><img alt="Veggie Kitchen on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1543741/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.veggiekitchen.com.au/" target="_blank">www.veggiekitchen.com.au</a><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8k-pw6iwwlk/UsdRZajeG3I/AAAAAAAABD8/vrCMwOyvVHA/s1600/IMG_1871.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8k-pw6iwwlk/UsdRZajeG3I/AAAAAAAABD8/vrCMwOyvVHA/s1600/IMG_1871.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>Blink and you'll miss it. This restaurant is not a part of a shopping or dining strip. It is located in a tiny row of shops on St George's Road. It is across the road from Batman Park. This tiny Taiwanese vegetarian restaurant is a lovely option for diners in the north.There is not a lot of space but diners here seem quite happy with the configuration. While it is tiny, it's not cramped.<br />
<br />
It is quite a dim restaurant as even during the early evening as there is not a lot of natural sunlight. However, it has a simple warm feel to it. You almost feel you might be visiting a friend's home (in Taiwan) for an intimate meal.<br />
<br />
Regular readers of this blog will know that I am no vegetarian by any stretch of the imagination but I like this place enough to look forward to going for a visit regularly. <br />
<br />
<b>Things to do nearby: </b>Nothing much around here other than Batman Park
and it's a 10 minute walk to High Street, Northcote. The No.112 tram
stops near the front.<br />
<br />
<b>The Food</b><br />
I am going to write about the quality and tastiness of the dishes. However, in the later section, I am going to talk about Chinese Vegetarian food more generally because it is quite a different style of vegetarian cuisine to Western vegetarian in that it uses substantial gluten products.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LhYzpzHBkDk/UsdR4Y3TvyI/AAAAAAAABEU/0dh54KZ9NKQ/s1600/IMG_1874.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LhYzpzHBkDk/UsdR4Y3TvyI/AAAAAAAABEU/0dh54KZ9NKQ/s1600/IMG_1874.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chai Po Omelette</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My favourite dish here is the <i><b>Chai Po Omelette</b></i> (Omelette with preserved turnip bits), which is light and fluffy and flavoursome. Yes, there is a bit of grease on this but what good omelette doesn't. It is a great way to start the meal or even with rice. Dare I say it is even better than my Mum's? No! More that it is a different version, fluffier and very light compared to my Mum's which is packed with turnip and most solid.<br />
<br />
The <i><b>Lettuce Delight </b></i>(Vegetarian Sang Choi Bao) is built on layers of texture and flavours, with crispy soy and tofu bits wrapped in fresh lettuce. I am not a huge fan of Sang Choi Bao to begin with but this is not a bad dish. I prefer their <i><b>Tofu Rolls</b></i> which are really flavoursome and just simply yummy (and not only because it's deep fried). For me, the <i><b>Tofu Rolls</b></i> are preferable preferable to the <i><b>Beancurd Rolls </b></i>on offer - simply because it has different textures compared to the <i><b>Beancurd Rolls</b></i>.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ccomzLP4rrI/UsdRoTmGSlI/AAAAAAAABEM/z_dkznElLpY/s1600/IMG_1873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ccomzLP4rrI/UsdRoTmGSlI/AAAAAAAABEM/z_dkznElLpY/s1600/IMG_1873.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tofu Roll and Vegie Delight</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h_0kelp99rg/UuCVINtdwDI/AAAAAAAABKc/wmLgLCmXxGU/s1600/IMG_2131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h_0kelp99rg/UuCVINtdwDI/AAAAAAAABKc/wmLgLCmXxGU/s1600/IMG_2131.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beancurd Rolls and Curry Puffs (homemade)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There are also the various dumplings on offer here and I think the surprise package for me are the <i><b>Pearl Rice Balls</b></i> - balls of glutinous rice goodness with mushroom, celery and tofu. Delicate little balls dipped in bean sauce which are really yummy, though I normally don't like celery. They also do vegetarian <i><b>ShioMai </b></i>(Shao Mei) which don't look great but are actually quite light and flavoursome. You can tell from the pics below that they are not factory made (given the varying sizes) and are clearly made on premises and the freshness shows.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i01TeIEdmK4/UuCVgrmDY5I/AAAAAAAABK0/z6s1Mbjhx-w/s1600/IMG_2134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i01TeIEdmK4/UuCVgrmDY5I/AAAAAAAABK0/z6s1Mbjhx-w/s1600/IMG_2134.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pearl Rice Balls</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3ovy9_pKboI/UuCVXtC0IeI/AAAAAAAABKs/5ywCILPJCPs/s1600/IMG_2133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3ovy9_pKboI/UuCVXtC0IeI/AAAAAAAABKs/5ywCILPJCPs/s1600/IMG_2133.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ShioMai</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: black;">There are also larger dishes and mains on the menu (though I did prefer the smaller ones already described). The two larger dishes that I did like were the <i><b>Panfried Oyster Mushrooms</b></i> and the <i><b>Stir-Fried Vermicelli </b></i>(both pictured below). The Mushrooms were smokey and really flavoursome and I could have had a double serve. However, I would have like some sort of sauce to bring the brocolli and the mushrooms together (though that might have detracted from the flavour of the mushrooms). </span></div>
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<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black;">What was undoubtedly delicious was the vermicelli which had the right balance of flavours, texture and freshness. I loved it and it is just as good as the ones offered by many vegetarian places in SEAsia (if not better than most). </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0gkDitppCCU/UuCVPNHmGCI/AAAAAAAABKk/um4OZYJZnY8/s1600/IMG_2132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0gkDitppCCU/UuCVPNHmGCI/AAAAAAAABKk/um4OZYJZnY8/s1600/IMG_2132.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">Panfried Oyster Mushrooms</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QEBBquFPEFU/UuCVnS2AldI/AAAAAAAABK8/eIVxhTq8zUg/s1600/IMG_2135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QEBBquFPEFU/UuCVnS2AldI/AAAAAAAABK8/eIVxhTq8zUg/s1600/IMG_2135.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">Stir-Fried Vermicelli </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We also tried the <i><b>Sweet and Sour Tofu </b></i>and the <i><b>Hong Shao Tofu</b></i>. To me, these dishes were more average, compared to all the ones I have already mentioned. For example, the Sweet and Sour dish needed perhaps a bit more vinegar and onions while the HongShao dish could do with a bit more smokiness. Don't get me wrong, these were not bad dishes at all but in comparison to the excellent small dishes, they just weren't as great.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-98Mtosg8jU8/UsdR7v0A2oI/AAAAAAAABEc/QTqgiH2HYw8/s1600/IMG_1875.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-98Mtosg8jU8/UsdR7v0A2oI/AAAAAAAABEc/QTqgiH2HYw8/s1600/IMG_1875.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet and Sour Tofu and Fried Rice</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h0B9ab3ogpQ/UsdSDcU8VwI/AAAAAAAABEk/6y40f4dvE58/s1600/IMG_1876.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h0B9ab3ogpQ/UsdSDcU8VwI/AAAAAAAABEk/6y40f4dvE58/s1600/IMG_1876.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hong Shao Tofu</td></tr>
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<b>The Service</b><br />
The understated friendly service is just charming here. They know their food and they take pride in it which is great to see. The dishes came in a very timely manner (even second orders) and the politeness and quiet pride makes this place a lovely down to earth place to dine in. What a comfortable dining space.<br />
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<b>Overall</b><br />
It is lovely to know that Chinese Vegetarian Cuisine is well represented here in Melbourne. Sure, they have made some nods to Australian sensibilities but in a positive manner. For example, there is a lot less grease in the dishes here compared to similar dishes in Asia. That is surely a good thing. The layers of flavours are still there and for a non-vegetarian, I still enjoy going there.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Cultural Moment</b></span><br />
There are two main ways to indicate vegetarian dishes in Chinese cuisine; There's <i>sùshí (素食)</i> ("vegetarian cuisine") and <i>zhāicài (斋菜)</i> ("Buddhist cuisine"). Instead of me writing about it extensively, there's a pretty good wikipedia entry on this topic - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhai_cai" target="_blank">Buddhist cuisine</a>.<br />
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While western vegetarian dishes rely primarily on fresh vegetables, Chinese vegetarian cuisine extensively employs the use of bean curd (tofu) of various types and wheat gluten (used in many of the 'mock' meats), in addition to fresh vegetables.<br />
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It is also crucial to remember that Chinese cuisine is not just about freshness and balance of flavours, textures are just as important. The inter-play between crunchiness, softness and chewiness in the one dish is sometimes seens as really crucial. For example, the <i><b>Lettuce Delight</b></i> served at Veggie Kitchen does this well in that it has the fresh crisp lettuce, the crunchiness of the soy and tofu flakes, and chewiness of little bits of beancurd. Another example is soy crisp, and Chinese doughnut, and boiled peanuts in congee.This is one of the things that many who have not grown up with Chinese cuisine struggle with. Enjoying differing textures is important in many dishes. The use of wheat gluten is a bit of an art in Chinese vegetarian cuisine because you get completely different textures ranging from really soft to really crunchy varieties. So, the long and short of it is - this is an acquired taste for those who are not familiar but it is all very Chinese.<br />
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-0gkDitppCCU%2FUuCVPNHmGCI%2FAAAAAAAABKk%2Fum4OZYJZnY8%2Fs1600%2FIMG_2132.JPG&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0gkDitppCCU/UuCVPNHmGCI/AAAAAAAABKk/um4OZYJZnY8/s1600/IMG_2132.JPG" -->Shantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.com3159 St Georges Road, Thornbury VIC 3071, Australia-37.7527853 144.99460669999996-37.752834299999996 144.99452769999996 -37.7527363 144.99468569999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081299390486084223.post-64918781125247439872014-01-22T20:22:00.000-08:002014-01-22T20:22:05.538-08:00Petaling Street Chinatown<b><span class="street-address">1F/188 Little Bourke St, </span><span class="locality">Melbourne</span>,
<span class="region">VIC</span> 3000</b><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1660458/restaurant/CBD/Petaling-Street-Melbourne"><img alt="Petaling Street on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1660458/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lTnP1TGY-K0/UsdTG4FHdpI/AAAAAAAABFk/CfXlykqWdw8/s1600/IMG_1913.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lTnP1TGY-K0/UsdTG4FHdpI/AAAAAAAABFk/CfXlykqWdw8/s1600/IMG_1913.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a>This is a Malaysian chain that is in both Melbourne and Sydney and by many accounts, of varying quality across branches. It truly is a Malaysian hawker food hall experience rather than a restaurant. Therefore, like the food halls in Malaysia, you get varying quality for different dishes at this place and across branches. While some dishes are really quite good, others are sub-par. This is no different to places in Malaysia where they might do some dishes really well while others are well - non-edible. Above all, it is a huge improvement from its days on Swanston Street when I had nothing good to say.<br />
<br />
<b>The Place</b><br />
The Chinatown branch is located on Little Bourke Street, pretty much the heart of Chinatown. Access is up a set of stairs and I have not found any wheel chair access. It does get very crowded much lunch times, which means that it has garnered a positive reputation generally. They certainly do not cramp you all in like sardines and there's plenty of space to move, which is good.<br />
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It is also well ventilated and even at it's busiest, you can hear each other without having to shout over the din, which is always a plus. The deco is nothing to rave about but really, this is a comfortable functioning space.<br />
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Things to do Nearby: This is in Chinatown and a few minutes walk from Bourke Street and Lonsdale Street.<br />
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<b>The Food</b><br />
The food is of varying quality. While some on Urbanspoon might be critical, I believe that it is mostly dependent on what one orders. Some of the highlights here for me include the Wat Dan Hor (Egg Gravy Fried Flat Noodles with seafood), and they are one of the few places that do the Nanyang (Southeast) style Roast Chicken with their chicken rice.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qbwFpD8X004/UsdSxu-_xSI/AAAAAAAABFM/XEPZjlsjwQU/s1600/IMG_1910.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qbwFpD8X004/UsdSxu-_xSI/AAAAAAAABFM/XEPZjlsjwQU/s1600/IMG_1910.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken Rice with Roast Chicken</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The other dish that I have had here is the Char Kway Teow - again, compared to many other Malaysian places in Melbourne, nothing to rave about, especially since they seemed to include copious amount of canned clams. Also, they called it Penang Char Kway Teow on the menu, which is not right. They use big flat noodles instead of the more delicate thinner ones. There is no taste of 'hay kor' (prawn paste). So, while it passes for generic Malaysian Char Kway Teow, the diehards are unlikely to be happy with this.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q7T5IHR38M0/UuCX1BDTsFI/AAAAAAAABLE/4C5oQwtyP3E/s1600/IMG_2136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q7T5IHR38M0/UuCX1BDTsFI/AAAAAAAABLE/4C5oQwtyP3E/s1600/IMG_2136.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not bad but not a standout either - and definitely not of the Penang variety.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I suspect that most of the people who do not like the food here are more critical Malaysians and those who might think there's too much MSG in their dishes. However, I continue to maintain that this is not unlike many Malaysian food halls where some dishes are great, and others are far from it.<br />
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<b>The Service</b><br />
This is the main improvement from the Swanston Street days. Firstly, they are no longer rude and actuallly make an effort to engage with diners when they are ordering. That is a positive thing indeed though the bar was not set very high in the first place.<br />
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They are still struggling to get the food ordered by each group of diners out at the same time. This is likely because they have different stations in the kitchen working at different speeds. However, I believe it is a lot better again than what it was on Swanston Street when some diners would finish their meal before others have been served. Whilere there is still room for improvement, it's certainly not the disaster it used to be. Hence, that might explain the good number of diners at lunch here.<br />
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<b>Overall</b><br />
I would go there over a period of time to try out its extensive menu and I will add more dishes to this blog entry as I try them. However, it's certainly not my first go to place for Malaysian because like many other Urbanspooners, there's just not enough here that stands out, making it a middle of the road place for Malaysian dishes.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Cultural Moment</b></span><br />
The food halls of Malaysia are seldom renowned for their high quality dishes. You do get some stand outs in each food hall sometimes, and they become famous very quickly. However, for every hawker that is good, there're probably 7 - 8 others that are average at best. Even on the famed Petaling Street of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia - there are some well known individual stalls that sell specialised dishes while others are hit and miss. I think that's worth remembering when going to Malaysian restaurants and cafes in Melbourne - it's highly unlikely that one kitchen with a few chefs are going to be amazing at every single dish on offer. Unfortunately, many Malaysian restaurants seem to fill the need to include every hawker dish on its menu. Personally, I think they should cut the number of offerings and only focus on the ones their chefs are good at. On the other hand, if you cut down the number of offerings, some might complain about the lack of variety. This is perhaps why the food halls of Malaysia seem to work well because when you have specialist stalls, they try to perfect their art over time, and if they don't - then, they don't survive.<br />
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<br />Shantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.com01f/188 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia-37.8119901 144.9668828-63.334024600000006 103.65828880000001 -12.289955600000003 -173.72452320000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081299390486084223.post-23180801809306593172014-01-20T22:32:00.002-08:002014-02-13T13:02:21.575-08:00Matsumoto<b><span class="street-address">48 Lygon St., </span><span class="locality">Brunswick</span>,
<span class="region">VIC</span> 3057</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/761230/restaurant/Melbourne/Matsumoto-Brunswick"><img alt="Matsumoto on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/761230/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
http://www.matsumoto.com.au/index.html <br />
This restaurant is part of the cluster of restaurants in Lygon Street - Brunswick (north of Brunswick Road). I have had varying experiences here over the years, depending on the time I visit and the dishes I order. Like all other restaurants in this area, parking is a bit of a nightmare, especially weekends as you will be challenged by permit parks, and limited space. Be prepared for this if you are driving.<br />
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<b>The Place</b><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Z31J68q2Xs/UvrfT1lDmZI/AAAAAAAABM0/Ut2C3fMM87o/s1600/IMG_2122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Z31J68q2Xs/UvrfT1lDmZI/AAAAAAAABM0/Ut2C3fMM87o/s1600/IMG_2122.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>It's a corner restaurant and is easy to find and is quite spacious. It does not cramp diners in together and is child friendly (high chairs are easily organised). It's also well lit and has a buzzing atmosphere. It feels welcoming and although it has been around for more than 10 years, it doesn't look like a tired old place. Despite having steaming dishes and shabu shabu, it is still well ventilated enough so you don't come out smelling like a hotplate of sizzling mess.<br />
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Things to do Nearby: Mostly other restaurants, Gelobar and Pubs.<br />
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<b>The Food</b><br />
I want to start by talking about their <i><b>Shabu Shabu </b></i>set. It is delicious, fresh and there's heaps of it. It's a generous serving size and there's also lots of fresh mushrooms and vegetables to complement the fresh beef. The only improvement would be in the range of dipping sauces to accompany the fresh cooked food. Yummy for those who can really eat lots.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0TlWtQMfG9w/UvrfaT6EW1I/AAAAAAAABM8/YFuuKa_NkW0/s1600/IMG_2123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0TlWtQMfG9w/UvrfaT6EW1I/AAAAAAAABM8/YFuuKa_NkW0/s1600/IMG_2123.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Generous <i><b>Tamago</b></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
They do pretty good sushi too the fish is fresh generally. The sushi boat filled with sushi is something they are proud of and lots of punters seem to order it. I preferred to choose my own range of sushis, so I stuck to ala carte sushi instead. It's not cheap to dine here and some Urbanspooners have argued that they get better sushi in some of the takeaway places in town. However, I believe that that's quite subjective. I know just as many places where the sushi has been sitting in the cold fridges for a while.<br />
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The <i><b>gyoza</b></i> (pictured below) is generous and chunky. It was so good that we were three quarter ways through it before I remembered to take a photo!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FVLLytorH9A/UvrfeS9hpaI/AAAAAAAABNE/1ZFXv4AVxro/s1600/IMG_2125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FVLLytorH9A/UvrfeS9hpaI/AAAAAAAABNE/1ZFXv4AVxro/s1600/IMG_2125.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Gyoza</b></i></td></tr>
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The stir fries and the various popular rice (don) dishes here are below average in my opinion. This is where they fail somewhat and down rise about your run of the mill food hall Japanese. To some, this means a lack of authenticity as well. For example, the overly sweet <i><b>Teriyaki Chicken</b></i> (pictured below) caters to the Western palette and is someone too cloying for me. The <i><b>Katsu Don</b></i> (also below) was pretty basic and does not have any sort of layers of flavours, missing sauce, and flavouring. So, my advice is to stick to sushi and noodles and <i><b>Shabu Shabu</b></i>.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J1MpTIEAWf0/Uvrfv9XkiII/AAAAAAAABNc/eDxsfbP3gUk/s1600/IMG_2129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J1MpTIEAWf0/Uvrfv9XkiII/AAAAAAAABNc/eDxsfbP3gUk/s1600/IMG_2129.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teriyaki Chicken</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yof7Q3Z7SGo/UvrfrynyBBI/AAAAAAAABNU/vNe3987QBDo/s1600/IMG_2128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yof7Q3Z7SGo/UvrfrynyBBI/AAAAAAAABNU/vNe3987QBDo/s1600/IMG_2128.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katsu Don</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JCcE8F8zkT8/Uvrfk1w9vII/AAAAAAAABNM/T9lm-wzMAXU/s1600/IMG_2126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JCcE8F8zkT8/Uvrfk1w9vII/AAAAAAAABNM/T9lm-wzMAXU/s1600/IMG_2126.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wafu Salad</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>The Service</b><br />
The service is hurried but friendly and they are really keen to take away empty dishes. That's what comes to mind. They are unfailingly polite and friendly but seem to be in a constant slight panic. The food does come out in a timely manner each time I have been there.<br />
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<b>Overall</b><br />
They seem to have received mixed reviews and it's the same from me. They are ok but not great. For a city that is spoilt for choices, Matsumoto doesn't stand out, which is not to say they are bad at all. They don't seem to have carved out a stellar reputation but have maintained their status as a relatively reliable suburban Japanese restaurant that offers more than a takeaway experience. The crowd there is testament to this.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Cultural Moment</b></span><br />
Hot Pot or Shabu Shabu or Steamboat - this East and SEAsian style of dining is very popular in the region, from China, Korea and Japan to Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Malayisa and Brunei. Essentially, it's about boiling a variety of fresh sliced meats, vegetables, seafood and surimi in yummy yummy soup.<br />
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Of course depending on which region you are in, the soup base is different, from the delicate chicken broths to the intense chilli filled soups. Some places even offer up two soups at the same time in pots that are divided down the middle. My childhood memories of steamboat consist of the family firing up the charcoal to put in the 'pipe' in the middle on the hot pot before pouring the hot boiling soup into the pot. Gone are those days as most people now use electricity or portable gas steamboats.<br />
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Some might not enjoy the idea of 'cooking your own' at the table but that's the fun of it. It's community dining at its best.
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<span class="region">VIC</span> 3065</b><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1774709/restaurant/Melbourne/Pho-La-Que-Basil-Leaf-Fitzroy"><img alt="Pho La Que Basil Leaf on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1774709/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VmZGyC4cV9I/UsdTibMA2pI/AAAAAAAABF8/NAjKPEqx_So/s1600/IMG_1929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VmZGyC4cV9I/UsdTibMA2pI/AAAAAAAABF8/NAjKPEqx_So/s1600/IMG_1929.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>This is quite a new addition to Brunswick Street and could be missed if you are not paying attention. On a street saturated with choices of restaurants, this is one of two Vietnamese restaurants and it seems to be surviving well enough against intense competition.<br />
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<b>The Place</b><br />
Tastefully decorated with contemporary sensibilities, this small restaurant feels warm and welcoming. I love the huge picture of the water lilies against the green wall.<br />
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Due to the newness of the restaurant, it is still spotlessly clean and all the furniture does not look worn out like some other places along Brunswick Street. It is a rather dark restaurant because of the awning up the front and the chosen colours and dim lighting, quite unusual compared to some of the glaring Vietnamese restaurants with huge mirrors and florescent lighting in Richmond or Footscray. If you sit by the window, there's always people watching to do.<br />
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<b>Things to do Nearby</b>: It's in the heart of Brunswick Street and on Saturdays, there's Rose Street Market. <br />
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<b>The Food</b><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iHmkY97ppa8/UsdT0GUX78I/AAAAAAAABGM/fuBt4dti0Jo/s1600/IMG_1932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iHmkY97ppa8/UsdT0GUX78I/AAAAAAAABGM/fuBt4dti0Jo/s1600/IMG_1932.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>The food here is pretty authentic and comes with generous serving sizes and I didn't feel overly thirsty after the experience which usually means for me, less MSG. The challenge they were always going to have was being compared to the Vietnamese outlets of Footscray and Richmond. How can a Brunswick Road restaurant possibly compare? Well, I think they hold their own - they might not be the best I have had but it's a really decent and generous fare here. The small pho was adequate for me and I saw other diners hoe into a large - it was huge!<br />
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What about the taste? The soup was fresh and rich though a bit on the sweet side (but not overly so). I was not surprised that they did steer away from the more traditional 'exotic' components such as beef sausage, and minimised on the tendon and other guts. I think they are catering to the Brunswick Street punters here. Some would say it's not as good as Richmond or Footscray but that's a matter of taste, I am arguing.<br />
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<b>The Service</b><br />
The service is friendly, quick and unobtrusive. They are accurate and happy to accommodate variations in the items (I usually ask for more lemon and less raw onions with my pho - and they were quite ok with that). What I also really like is the fact that they are not in a hurry to chase you out of the restaurant when you are done, especially on Brunswick Street. <br />
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<b>Overall</b><br />
If I am feeling like a cheap Vietnamese meal on Brunswick Street, I'd probably go again. It's cheaper than the average Brunswick Street cafe (other than maybe <a href="http://asianfoodmelb.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/palookaville.html" target="_blank">Palookaville</a>).<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Cultural Moment</b></span><br />
What's happening in Melbourne's main eating strips? 10 years ago, if someone says Lygon Street, you'd say Italian restaurants, Lonsdale Street brings up images of the Greek restaurants, Richmond and Footscray conjures up cheap Vietnamese, and Brunswick Street would suggest trendy cafes and bars.<br />
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In a moment of multicultural exuberance, we now have a Lonsdale street peppered with Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Korean restaurants; Footscray is host to a number of great African (mainly Ethiopian/Eritrean) restaurants, Lygon Street (even the Italian quarter) is now also known for Thai and Indian restaurants, Richmond is starting to sprout cafes that serve sandwiches and Korean outlets, and Brunswick Street cafes are starting to turn towards more multicultural offerings in their menu as well.<br />
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To me, this is exciting because I get a diversity of choice in any of these places and I feel totally spoilt. We are sooooo lucky in Melbourne (and many other parts of Australia) where we can get good international offerings right on our door steps. I don't think people realise this sometimes. In most other countries in the world, great cuisine from other cultures are not so readily and easily accessible. I heart Melbourne!Shantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.com0369 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065, Australia-37.7961345 144.97859110000002-63.318169 103.66999710000002 -12.2741 -173.7128149tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081299390486084223.post-30083053265129159322014-01-06T13:36:00.002-08:002014-01-06T13:36:51.685-08:00Roll'd Barkly Square<b><span class="street-address">90-106 Sydney Rd, </span><span class="locality">Brunswick</span>,
<span class="region">VIC</span> 3056</b><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1774458/restaurant/Melbourne/Rolld-Brunswick"><img alt="Roll'd on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1774458/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cbwo0i71tbM/UsdNwag31bI/AAAAAAAABAY/Jv9I6TvRhjA/s1600/IMG_1727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cbwo0i71tbM/UsdNwag31bI/AAAAAAAABAY/Jv9I6TvRhjA/s1600/IMG_1727.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a>Roll'd is suddenly everywhere! The Barkly Square branch opened up towards the end of last year and since then, seems to be doing well. I have visited a few times now ordering different dishes and going at different times of the day or different days. I have two main conclusions, 1) not all Roll'd are created equal, and 2) this place struggles with consistency. So, if it's great one day, might not be so the next but if it was bad, then it might be good the next. It's not a disaster but consistency is a pretty important thing for the discerning Brunswick punter. Let's face it, because it's a chain, no one is going to drive across different suburbs to eat there - they can probably find one closer to them.<br />
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<b>The Place</b><br />
This is a really small space and really nicely decorated. In fact, it's one of the more trendy looking Roll'd I have seen. It's also very open, with lots of air and sunlight. It's a space for quick and casual dining. It's a small step above a food court but I really do like the deco here. It opens out into a courtyard of sorts, so you can even eat outside and people watch. I don't think they do high chairs here other than the high bar stools for adults.<br />
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<b>The Food</b><br />
The basic funky menu has items that are all given quirky names - but doesn't hide the fact that they are basically rice paper rolls, noodle soups (pho), rice vermicelli and Vietnamese rolls (Banh Mi). The ingredients are usually pretty fresh. The quality of the noodle soup might vary between days, sometimes they are tastier, other times, a bit sweet and diluted. I wondered if it depended on the time of day.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MSwJf0_Fovs/UsdOJB6R_cI/AAAAAAAABA0/Fha3MyK6bNU/s1600/IMG_1730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MSwJf0_Fovs/UsdOJB6R_cI/AAAAAAAABA0/Fha3MyK6bNU/s1600/IMG_1730.JPG" height="240" width="320" /> </a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jeCTQFPBOBA/UsdORrG3TJI/AAAAAAAABA8/j8vlaHJ7bY8/s1600/IMG_1731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jeCTQFPBOBA/UsdORrG3TJI/AAAAAAAABA8/j8vlaHJ7bY8/s1600/IMG_1731.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>The rice vermicelli dishes here are the highlight for me, especially the version with the pork crackles... CRACKLING with fresh salad (pictured above). So good and so fresh. However, there was one visit when the vermicelli was drowned in fish sauce. Other than that, it has usually been good. The other highlight as pointed by some other Urbanspoon reviewers are the spring rolls here. Robbie likes the vermicelli with the spring rolls but I just can't say no to crackling.</div>
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The Banh Mi (Vietnamese Rolls) depends on who's making it and how harried they are. This is where they really seem to struggle with consistency. While the ingredients are still fresh, the quantity and balance of sauces varies quite a bit. Normally, at most Banh Mi places, consistency is not expected because each one is customised. However, with Roll'd, you have set menu items and so, people tend to expect the same thing each time.<br />
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Finally, the rice paper rolls - here's the thing. I have seen various Roll'd (not just this one) roll these rolls (sorry - couldn't resist) as early as 7.30am to get it ready for the punters. It is hard to maintain softness to the paper over more than 3 hours. So, I am guessing that depending on the day, it's good to check when they made the rolls. This is tricky and also where consistency might be a problem.<br />
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<b>The Service</b><br />
The service is the other thing that's not really consistent here. Firstly, some times they have lots of staff and everyone seems to get a bit confused and other times, they don't have enough staff and the poor things look so harried when they are trying to put the dishes together. Occasionally, the right combination of staff makes everything flow seamlessly. So, perhaps the consistency issue is more a logistics and rostering issue more than quality. The wait staff at the counter is always unfailingly polite and friendly.<br />
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<b>Overall</b><br />
This is a good place for a quick meal in between shopping at Barkly Square - a fresh lunch or early dinner. It's all very casual.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Cultural Moment</b></span><br />
What would you like in your Banh Mi?<br />
Essential ingredients are the baguette, butter, <i>pâté, </i>cilantro/coriander, pickled carrots/cabbage/turnip, cucumber slices. mayonnaise, chilli and hoisin or chilli sauce. Some places include crushed peanuts (which I love)<br />
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Then there's the fillings depending on what the punter likes. This includes choices from roast pork, grilled pork, barbequed pork, pork meatballs (smashed), pork belly slices, pork floss, pork roles (cha lua), canned sardines, roast chicken slices, even tofu and fried egg in some places. Obviously, most of the versions have some sort of pork combination with a less than cursory nod to punters who might not like pork or can't have pork<i>.</i> In many places in Ho Chi Minh City, banh mi carts will have many of these choices and other than the essential ingredients, punters get to pick one or two fillings to go with their rolls.<i><br /></i>Shantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.com290-106 Sydney Road, Barkly Square Shopping Centre, Brunswick VIC 3056, Australia-37.775596 144.96102500000006-63.2976305 103.65243100000006 -12.2535615 -173.73038099999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081299390486084223.post-10911954345222173062014-01-05T14:04:00.001-08:002014-01-05T14:04:07.914-08:00Ying Thai 2 (Thai Restaurant)<b>110, Lygon Street, Carlton, VIC 3053</b><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1485542/restaurant/Melbourne/Ying-Thai-2-Carlton"><img alt="Ying Thai 2 on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1485542/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
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There are so many Thai restaurants in Melbourne and so many Aussies are now 'experts' in Thai cuisine, with their own preferences in terms of flavours. This is not surprising as other than Chinese Cantonese cuisine, Thai cuisine is probably one of the most familiar to Aussies.<br />
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Ying Thai 2, in many ways satisfies a broad range of tastes, and is one of the increasing number of non-Italian places on Lygon Street, which seem to congregate in the section south of Grattan Street.<br />
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<b>The Place</b><br />
This 2-storey restaurant is really comfortable and also has seating outside on the foot path. The multicoloured plastic chairs and table complement the murals of kids playing traditional games. The dominant colour is bright green and it does get very busy at lunch and dinner time. It does feel a bit like a student hang out at night, though it attracts a large number of office workers around lunch time. It's not exactly kid-friendly because of the limited space.<br />
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<b>The Food</b><br />
This is Thai food the way I like it - intense flavours with a kick. This is really authentic Thai street food with all the usual suspects but there are some highlights for me here that are not usually available in the most Melbourne Thai restaurants. Of course, they have the usual <i><b>Pad Thai</b></i>, range of <i><b>Thai Curries</b></i>, Fresh but <i><b>Intense Salads</b></i>, various <b><i>Thai Stir Fries</i></b>, and <i><b>Fish Cakes</b></i>. However, what I want to highlight here are the more unusual dishes which I really like.<br />
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<i><b>Kao Pud Nam</b></i> (That Fried Rice with Pickled Pork) - I like sour things and the Thai pickled pork bits in this dish is perfect for me. If you like sour and chilli together, this is like fried rice from heaven.<br />
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<i><b>Kai Jeow Poo</b></i> (Omelette with Crab) - Here's one for the crab lovers. This is really tasty and goes really well with rice. However, sometimes, it is a bit dry though mostly, it's just full of yummy goodness. They do a version with minced meat too (<i><b>Moo Sub</b></i>) which is tasty as well.<br />
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<i><b>Guoy Teow Nuer</b></i> (Beef Rice Noodles - pictured above) - Yummy peppery beef soup with flat rice noodles and tender beef as well as liver. I love this dish which is a traditional road side dish in many parts of Thailand. I wish more Thai restaurants in Melbourne served this.<br />
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<i><b>Sai Oua</b></i> ( Northern Thai Pork Sausage) - If you like pork and kaffir lime, you will like this sausage. It's probably a bit dry for Western sensibilities but should be dipped in Thai Sweet Chilli sauce to round off a really tasty entree.<br />
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<b>The Service</b><br />
The service is really casual and harried. They always seem to be under staffed or a bit disorganised, even during the quieter periods. However, they do get the job done but don't expect great service. I have to say that most Thai restaurants in Melbourne provide great polite service which makes this place a stand out for the wrong reason.<br />
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<b>Overall</b><br />
It's a bit of a student joint which is perhaps why it is so casual. However, they do serve some great dishes that I can't get anywhere else and their dishes have the level of intensity I expect from authentic Thai restaurants. Some might not be used to such flavours, being more used to the more watered down flavours of the many Thai Take-aways around town. One thing though, and as many other reviewers of Urbanspoon seem to agree, this place used to be a much stronger performer (and what's with the use of crab sticks fish extenders?).<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Cultural Moment</b></span><br />
There are many Thai Restaurants now in Melbourne and as I said at the start of the entry, many in Australia now like Thai food their way. I have been to my fair share of very popular Thai restaurants all over restaurants and many of them have somewhat different balance of flavours which might be characterised as follows;<br />
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Sweetness - where most dishes seem to be dominated by a sweetness of sugar, sweet chilli and even honey. There are some who do like these restaurants where the dishes are not too sour, not too hot and spicy and while the food still has a kick, it usually tampered by sweetness.<br />
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Minimised Spiciness - these places capitalise on really fresh salads and mild dishes that hint at Thai flavours without the intensity of most places you would find in Thailand. The highlights here tend to be more delicate flavours and the use of lime to replace fish sauce in some dishes. Many like these places for their freshness. <br />
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Intense Flavours - where the dishes are more unadulterated and might be too sour, too hot and spicy and too much fish sauce flavoured. However, this is how I have found many places in Thailand to be. Even the fresh salad like Som Tum can be intensely flavoured with hot chillies, fish sauce and lime juice. Nothing subtle about the dishes offered in these places.<br />
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So, take your pick - I do like all of them at one time or another, but my preference is for the intense flavours. What is great about Thai food is that the there are so many options now in Melbourne and whether it's salad or noodles or soups that you like, Thai cuisine probably has something for you.<br />
<br />Shantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.com2110 Lygon Street, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia-37.804486 144.966593-63.3265205 103.65799899999999 -12.282451499999997 -173.72481300000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081299390486084223.post-14701304672347947352014-01-04T05:30:00.001-08:002014-01-04T05:30:16.313-08:00Brunswick Mess Hall (Lucky Panda Kitchen)<b><span class="street-address">400, Sydney Rd, </span><span class="locality">Brunswick</span>,
<span class="region">VIC</span> 3056</b><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1720954/restaurant/Melbourne/The-Brunswick-Mess-Hall-Brunswick"><img alt="The Brunswick Mess Hall on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1720954/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.thebrunswickmesshall.com.au/">http://www.thebrunswickmesshall.com.au</a><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JS4QWQsYf7Y/UsdUFalMzyI/AAAAAAAABGc/G8ZzLhoy3HQ/s1600/IMG_1944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JS4QWQsYf7Y/UsdUFalMzyI/AAAAAAAABGc/G8ZzLhoy3HQ/s320/IMG_1944.JPG" width="240" /></a>This is a great find on Sydney Road and a great addition to the area. There is also a bar for a few drinks, a great buzz, all in a mess hall environment. This is a good revamp for the Brunswick Mess Hall and I am looking forward to more visits.<br />
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<b>The Place</b><br />
The Mess Hall is beautifully set up and appeals very much to my aesthetics - high ceiling, wooden beams and flooring, plants every where and a general feel of a chilled space. The big windows let a lot of light in. There is also quirky video projections on the back wall (that's not a giant puffin in the picture below). It does get noisy in here but I like to call it a nice buzz.<br />
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There is also a full bar here and what really excited my good friend Caroline was that they gave away free soda water! <br />
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Possibly the only thing that I didn't like about the place was the high tables and chairs. I like eating with my feet on the ground.<br />
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<b>The Food</b><br />
There is a variety of Asian dishes served up from the Lucky Panda Kitchen. There is a mix of Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese and Thai dishes here. We tried a range but the real highlights were the following;<br />
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<i><b>Vietnamese Coleslaw</b></i> was really fresh with the right balance of acidity, fish sauce, sweetness and lashings of freshness. This was one of the best dishes of the dining experience.<br />
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<i><b>Roast Pork Belly on Asian Greens </b></i>was really well done and I just wished there was a whole lot more of it. It was definitely crispy crunchy on top and tender where it needed to be. They managed to achieve the crispiness without being overly salty.<br />
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The<i><b> Steam Fish Fillet in Soy and Ginger Broth </b></i>here was excellent with fresh fish and steamed just right. The delicate flavours was how it should be for this dish. This is also done with preserved plum and the fresh lime and herbs really helped the dish.<br />
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The flavours here are traditional and true to their roots. For example, even their Pad Thai which I didn't rave about used fresh uncooked bean shoots, which is the way it should be. They have stuck to their guns with the flavours and this means I am likely to be back soon.<br />
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Compared to similar trendy places, the dishes here would be considered smaller. This means some might consider it not value for money. For example, places like Tom Phat and Palookaville have much bigger servings. This is why it is not a cheap place to eat. Nevertheless, I will definitely be back . <br />
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<b>The Service</b><br />
You write your order down on pieces of paper and order at the bar and they bring out the food. What is great about this place is that they are very attentive about the dietary requirements of their diners. So, this was a real positive.The food also came relatively quickly and the wait staff clearly know the food. The bar staff are also very friendly.<br />
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<b>Overall</b><br />
This is a nice trendy place that serves pretty good food. It's not a family restaurant although it is family friendly. This place works well because of the space, ambience, service and food. That sounds like it's something everyone would like but that is not necessarily the case. Not everyone would like the trendy bar setting with minimal service and too cool for school feel. I did though and so, I will be back for more but will probably order more dishes this time.<br />
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I am impressed with a kitchen that can served authentic dishes from four
different cuisines. Therefore, in theory, this place should work.
However, I am not entirely sure that a pub going drinking crowd is quite
necessarily ready for this type of food because other than the gyoza
and spring rolls, the other dishes are not really pub food. In addition,
it's pricier than normal pub food, even for those who are looking for a
cheap eat at a pub. Therefore, it might take a bit of getting used to.<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Cultural Moment</b></span><br />
Pub Meals in Asia are not very common (other than in Japan). Some would call it 'drinking food' which is food you eat while you are drinking (alcohol). While there has been a longer tradition of this practice in Japan which is what Izakayas are. Therefore, common pub meals in Japan might include yakitori (skewered marinated chicken), karaage (fried chicken), gyoza (dumplings), edamame (soybean pods) and even sushi.<br />
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The rest of Asia however, is just starting to build this trend because for a long time, pubs in SEAsia tended to serve no more than peanuts, fried achovies and maybe some other 'small dishes'. Drinking establishments were never really known for their culinary experiences until recently when modern trendy clubs are starting to offer innovative small dishes and tapas to attract more clients. Certainly, in most parts of Asia, people don't think of a pub / night club as their dining option and most would eat in the street stalls before proceeding to drink and party into the night.Shantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.com2400 Sydney Road, Brunswick VIC 3056, Australia-37.768561 144.96238800000003-63.290595499999995 103.65379400000003 -12.246526499999998 -173.729018tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081299390486084223.post-21901531096221215562014-01-03T16:43:00.002-08:002014-01-05T14:04:35.917-08:00PappaRich Northland<b>Northland Shopping Centre, 5-20 Murray Road, Preston 3072</b><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1802384/restaurant/Melbourne/PappaRich-Preston"><img alt="PappaRich on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1802384/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-owr1NPO9fU8/UsdVh3bh6tI/AAAAAAAABHM/xPMERvwjX2A/s1600/IMG_2014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-owr1NPO9fU8/UsdVh3bh6tI/AAAAAAAABHM/xPMERvwjX2A/s320/IMG_2014.JPG" width="320" /></a>Newly opened on the 26th December 2013. I actually went on the very first day and tried a variety of dishes and again in the new year for more. While some restaurants might take a while to work out the details, service and management, this place seems to have it all sorted out already. There also seems to be a constant flow of diners each time I have been there. As they would say in Malaysia, "Very auspicious start".<br />
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This is a halal chain and elsewhere in this blog, is another entry for the QV branch. <br />
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<b>The Place</b><br />
Unlike the city branch, this place is more kid friendly and has high chairs as well. Given its location, I suppose it has to account for large families. It is not a huge space and the clunky standard PappaRich chairs and tables makes it hard but they try to make it work well. Plenty of light during the day and very airy, which is important given that that diners are sharing space with part of the kitchen.<br />
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Compared to other branches of PappaRich, the decoration here is a bit more understated. What really amuses me is the soundtrack choice here which includes hits from the 50s to 70s (Doris Day and Olivia Newton John feature prominently).<br />
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<b>The Food</b><br />
The food here is pretty good with well balanced flavours. Although they do not offer the intensity of spices one would expect back in Malaysia, there is a still a good kick in the flavouring. If there is one complaint, the food is not presented as nicely as the very enticing pictures in the menu. However, don't let that fool you, the flavours are intact.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h-4SXhTNRJw/UsdWFMCD04I/AAAAAAAABH0/6yV_o6rJTFQ/s1600/IMG_2020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h-4SXhTNRJw/UsdWFMCD04I/AAAAAAAABH0/6yV_o6rJTFQ/s320/IMG_2020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The star of the offerings is their <i><b>Roti</b></i> - made on premises, fresh and accompanied by a variety of curries. For the uninitiated, watch that sambal (that's the red chilli paste).<br />
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<b><i>Char Kway Teow (CKT)</i></b> - this perennial Malaysian favourite is also on offer here. The one offered here is not bad at all but doesn't have the sweetness or darkness of the KL style CKT. It uses finer flat rice noodles which is difficult to get right but ends up quite yummy. I would have liked mine with more of a kick but nevertheless, I was quite happy.<br />
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<i><b>Combination Crispy Noodles</b></i> (pictured above) - this was less stellar and rather plain. Don't get me wrong, it's ok but compared to the other dishes, it didn't shine. Might need more egg or perhaps even real fish slices to give it more star quality.<br />
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<i><b>Nasi Goreng</b></i> - Malaysian fried rice with it's smoky flavours laced with frozen mixed vegies. This is what you might get in parts of Malaysia but with less chillies. The fried chicken maryland that came with it could not be faulted though. Very yummy.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mhV0kEMWKTg/UsdW1xS2QuI/AAAAAAAABIs/2sn8Vj5dRbw/s1600/IMG_2083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mhV0kEMWKTg/UsdW1xS2QuI/AAAAAAAABIs/2sn8Vj5dRbw/s320/IMG_2083.JPG" width="320" /></a><i><b>Fried Chicken Skin</b></i> - I know this is bad for you but it is so good (mildly curried and served with Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce)... eat it while it is hot and deal with the consequences later.<br />
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<b>The Service</b><br />
The service here is really pretty good and fast! Perhaps because it was still relatively new, there was no queue and they accepted reservations. However, once we settled in and ordered (you have to write your own orders down and call them over), the food came very quickly.<br />
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They are very polite and hospitable though some of the wait staff had some difficulty understanding the range of accents. One thing that they do need to learn is that most diners might not have knowledge of Malaysian cuisine in the area and they need to be careful about the assumptions they make about their diners. Perhaps, take time to explain some of the items in the menu (even though diners are supposed to be self-managing). <br />
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<b>Overall</b><br />
This is probably going to be a regular haunt, so watch out for regular updates. I guess that is an endorsement as good as any. I am looking forward to my next visit already.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Cultural Moment</b></span><br />
A good restaurant needs to assume that their diners might have a very different culinary experience and therefore a different expectation of what they are about to get. In a restaurant where diners make their own order with minimal interaction, it's important to check with them what they have ordered. This systems only works really well if diners are familiar with the dishes on offer.<br />
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Terms are are often used in many restaurants which might seem self-explanatory but convey a wrong picture to the reader based on the reader's experience. For example, fried crispy noodles - what picture does this conjure up for you? Is it the fried thin crispy egg noodles, or the ones that are thicker that come like a bird's nest, or the ones that are almost like crisps? They are all very different in texture and taste.<br />
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So, while some restaurants try to deal with this by showing pictures of what is on offer, others do not. Even when you have pictures, you do need to explain what the flavours are like PLUS when the food comes out, it should look like the pictures (many don't). So, I always believe that a good restaurant has wait staff who are able to explain their offerings to even their diners who have had the least experience with the particular cuisine. That's key to successful restaurants and also hey! It's an opportunity for multicultural education!Shantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081299390486084223.post-46365360559512217212013-08-19T16:49:00.001-07:002013-08-19T16:49:24.015-07:00Zhen Hong Restaurant<h3>
<span class="street-address">191 Russell St</span>.,<span class="locality"> Melbourne</span>,
<span class="region">VIC</span> 3000</h3>
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1729325/restaurant/CBD/Zhen-Hong-Melbourne"><img alt="Zhen Hong on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1729325/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
What a brutal start on Urbanspoon with reviewers panning everything from raw pork, to bland dishes to poor service? So, what is going on in this prime location? They have totally revamped the space from the previous A1 that was here. So, I decided to give it a few tries to see what the deal is.<br />
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<b>The Place</b><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZH6IXjnhqXY/Uf9rbYKuVYI/AAAAAAAAA5c/LZDTXhHng1I/s1600/IMG_1312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZH6IXjnhqXY/Uf9rbYKuVYI/AAAAAAAAA5c/LZDTXhHng1I/s320/IMG_1312.JPG" width="240" /></a>This is actually a pleasant set up and good space where they don't squeeze 100 people into a space meant for 60. That's a great change for a restaurant in the area. This new and clean restaurant has tables in different configurations for small and largish groups. It is easy to find and could be relatively child friendly because of the generous space. It also doesn't get too noisy even on a packed night.<br />
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Let me just say that the piped music was terrible - it was almost a mix of outdated bad Richard Clayderman substitute with an overuse of tubular bells in one of those creepy Cirque Du Soleil tones. Parking in the area is also difficult unless if you pay for it at Mantra across the road.<br />
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Things to do Nearby: You are on the corner of Russell Street and Little Bourke - heaps of shops.<br />
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<b>The Food</b><br />
There is a mix of both northern and southern Chinese dishes. I actually think that they have managed to differentiate themselves from the many other similar restaurants within a stroll. While they are supposed to be Hong Kong styled, they are tinged with northern Chinese flavours.<br />
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I am not sure that they have achieved this. The <i><b>Hot and Sour Soup</b></i> (pictured below) needed more of everything in it because currently, though it's not a bad soup, it's really basic, mostly eggs, peas and szechuan peppercorn.<br />
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The other dishes follow similar formula of a medley of onion, carrots, capsicum, and celery. To me, this is just not right. You can't just put the same vegetables into different dishes that are supposed to taste different. Capsicum and celery are pretty overpowering vegetables. The noodle soups came with canned baby corn. So, in the end nothing really stood out for me despite a number of visits because it all tasted a bit 'same same'.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fOPIkJm_-rw/Uf9rqwg-OXI/AAAAAAAAA5s/TO_rBF910ug/s1600/IMG_1314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fOPIkJm_-rw/Uf9rqwg-OXI/AAAAAAAAA5s/TO_rBF910ug/s320/IMG_1314.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beef Brisket on Rice</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rx4AMYlQ4Ck/UhKq4d-dEmI/AAAAAAAAA-k/UJboZMuVcC8/s1600/IMG_1407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rx4AMYlQ4Ck/UhKq4d-dEmI/AAAAAAAAA-k/UJboZMuVcC8/s320/IMG_1407.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Braised Beef Noodles</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pork Ribs Noodles (with hidden capsicum and celery)</td></tr>
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<b>The Service</b><br />
They are pretty friendly here and take time to explain dishes. This is probably where they are doing much better than many other Chinese restaurants. They are actually smiling and talking to the diners and with each other. This is not the usual harrassed surly wait staff that you might see at some other places. However, like many similar places, they struggle to get all the dishes out at the same time - it's possible for one diner to have his/her meal some 5 minutes before the others. Don't wait - just start eating.<br />
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<b>Overall</b><br />
I am not sure that this would be my go to place in the area. I like the setting and the service but I have yet to find dishes that really stand out for me, and the thought of having to deal with all that capsicum means it will probably be a while before I go back. It's not a disaster - it's just not a stand out. Maybe, that explains the lukewarm response on Urbanspoon too.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Cultural Moment </b></span><br />
So, I did actually ask them what style of food this was. They unequivocally claim to be Hong Kong style. This confused me quite a bit because the dishes had a definite non-Hong Kong feel to them. I also could not place it at definitely northern Chinese - which confused me even more.<br />
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It is true that the braised beef brisket on rice, has a Hong Kong feel to it - but the flavours were not authentic. However, the noodles were very different from what one might get in Hong Kong. Even the Hot and Sour Soup is actually more northern Chinese - because Hong Kong style Hot and Sour Soup tends to be way sweeter. So, this leaves me wondering if I am perhaps overconfident about my knowledge of Hong Kong cuisine, or maybe they are just really northern Chinese cooking Hong Kong dishes and have brought their own flavours to the table. I am not sure. If you every try this out - I'd love to hear from you (especially if you know Hong Kong food).Shantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.com2191 Russell Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia-37.8120312 144.9675482-63.3340657 103.65895420000001 -12.2899967 -173.72385780000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081299390486084223.post-59196758748532761382013-08-15T02:47:00.002-07:002013-08-15T03:11:53.186-07:00No.1 Delicious<h3>
<span class="street-address">83 Franklin St, </span><span class="locality">Melbourne</span>,
<span class="region">VIC</span> 3000</h3>
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1516029/restaurant/CBD/No-1-Delicious-Melbourne"><img alt="No.1 Delicious on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1516029/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
This is a place recommended by my Chinese friends from Northeast China. So, when Catherine suggested we go there for lunch, I was in. Then, I went again the following week just to try out a different dish. First thing to note was - don't bring a vegetarian. There's not a lot of options for them here. In addition, and rather strangely, they don't have a lot of options for Chinese Tea other than basic Jasmine Tea.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PluDNXZI8u8/Ugya_Y5vlWI/AAAAAAAAA9w/axuh-vrmgNQ/s1600/2013-08-15+11.23.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PluDNXZI8u8/Ugya_Y5vlWI/AAAAAAAAA9w/axuh-vrmgNQ/s320/2013-08-15+11.23.29.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>The Place</b><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DsCsWpKVbXc/UgQiegQ7IGI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/PzjHVGIiEfE/s1600/2013-08-07+13.37.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DsCsWpKVbXc/UgQiegQ7IGI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/PzjHVGIiEfE/s320/2013-08-07+13.37.35.jpg" width="320" /></a>This is quite a nice set up and even though it is located near student central that is RMIT University, it still has a clean contemporary rather nice feel to it. This is not to say that students can't eat at nice places, just that this place has set it up nicely, instead of going for the cheap basic cafeteria feel. They recently renovated the place to make it somewhat more upmarket, creating a more relax atmosphere, where it used to be more frantic (at least from the outside looking in).<br />
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Things to do Nearby: This is about a block away from Queen Vic Market, Melbourne Central, and the State Library. It's very close to the Baths and RMIT University, as well as Vertical Indoor Rock Climbing.<br />
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<b>The Food</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7pMUafve6Qc/Ugya7dljK5I/AAAAAAAAA9k/15YdboHN-AQ/s1600/2013-08-15+11.31.46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7pMUafve6Qc/Ugya7dljK5I/AAAAAAAAA9k/15YdboHN-AQ/s320/2013-08-15+11.31.46.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Braised Pork - no green because I asked for it without capsicum</td></tr>
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The food is authentic northern Chinese offerings, if a bit less spicy and chilli ridden than most places. Almost every dish I have tried here has had a hint of Szechuan peppercorn, without it overriding the flavours in its usual tongue numbing quality. This is a good thing for those of us who like a bit of spice without it killing our tastebuds.<br />
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The other really good thing about the food here is that, it presents authentic northern Chinese flavours but without the too common accompanying grease, and layer of chilli oil.<br />
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The highlights for me here include their Braised Pork (Hong Shao Rou) on Rice. It's really yummy, without being overly salty, or laden with MSG. It might look rather plain, but their generosity with the shitake mushroom made me very happy.<br />
I also ordered something here that most of my friends would not touch with a barge pole - all the more for me - which is Stir Fried Pork Liver (pictured below). This dish was a delightful balance of salt, vinegar, and spice, and without being too sweet. It's not for everyone and it's not common in Melbourne, but this is a great find for me.<br />
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Catherine had the Seafood Fried Noodles which really didn't interest me - but I took a photo. It looked a bit like basic stir fried noodles with some seafood thrown in. Catherine didn't look that impressed either.<br />
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<b>The Service</b><br />
The service here is what I would call unobtrusive and polite. They are good at greeting diners and showing them to their tables but then leave you alone most of the time. If you want something, you actually have to call out for it. It's not that bad but don't expect attentive, chatty service and you'll be fine. The dishes were not served at the same time - so, start eating before it gets cold.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Cultural Moment</b></span><br />
Offals - it's not just an Asian thing - there are plenty of European cultures that eat offals too. I know I have written about this topic before when I was focused on Cantonese cuisine (<span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://asianfoodmelb.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/city-bbq-hong-kong-restaurant.html" target="_blank">City BBQ</a></span></span>). However, in this piece, I am going to share a bit about my childhood.<br />
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My childhood memories are filled with the wonderful tastes and smells of home cooked stir fried pork liver with ginger, spring onion and oyster sauce, or Chinese sausage with pork liver, or even just BBQ roasted Pork Liver (from Kuching, Sarawak). It was always a highlight of special meals for me. Come to think of it, it is features unusually frequently for me. When I left Malaysia, to go to Singapore, I started learning Mandarin, and I remember, one of the first phrases I learned in Mandarin in the text book was "Wo xi huan chi chao zhu gan" - "I like to eat fried pork liver!" I kid you not - it was in the text and I remember thinking - "Wow - this text book knows me!" It was also one of the first dishes I learned to cook as a pre-teenager. So, me and pork liver - we go way back. It makes me happy and thanks to No. 1 Delicious, I have rediscovered it in Melbourne.Shantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.com183 Franklin Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia-37.8078977 144.9618534-63.3299322 103.6532594 -12.285863199999998 -173.72955260000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081299390486084223.post-89764097215997871562013-08-09T15:54:00.002-07:002013-08-15T03:11:06.528-07:00Hanani Sushi<h3>
<span class="street-address">331 Smith Street, </span><span class="locality">Fitzroy</span>,
<span class="region">VIC</span> 3065</h3>
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1771193/restaurant/Melbourne/Collingwood/Hanani-Sushi-Fitzroy"><img alt="Hanani Sushi on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1771193/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
This is possibly going to be my shortest entry so far in more than 6
months of blogging. It's a simple eatery with a fresh feel. It is a
great addition to the area as a no fuss, friendly, and informal space, that serves fresh Japanese takeaway food.<br />
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<b>The Place</b><br />
This is a little place along Smith Street, next to the pub and well positioned in front of the tram stop. It is clean and feels a bit trendy because of the simple deco they have used. It doesn't feel like a tired old grotty takeaway (partly because it's new but also because of its set up).<br />
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Things to do Nearby: Smith Street shops or a 10 minute walk to Brunswick Street along Johnston Street (the section with all the furniture and new home living shops)<br />
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<b>The Food</b><br />
The food is fresh made sushi, done by Japanese chefs... I was so excited that I didn't take any photos. They had the usual rolls and my favourite was the plain and simple <i><b>Inari</b></i> (rice in beancurd skin), which was not overfilled with rice, and tasted like they do in Japan. It's hard to go wrong with Inari (which actually means rice in Japanese) but some places do serve it up really dried our. That's not the case here. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katsu Don</td></tr>
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They also have a small range of cooked meals - donburi style. I had the <i><b>Katsu Don</b></i> (Fried Crumbed Pork on Rice) which was basic but nice is served with teriyaki sauce. It looks and tasted similar to some of the quick meals I had while in Japan where it was basically the katsu and don - and a bit of ginger and spring onion - nothing else. So, don't come here expecting fancy Japanese, but a quick meal/snack and you won't be disappointed.<br />
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<b>The Service</b><br />
They are friendly here and it's really functional service. They do not feel the need to shout out greetings at you like many other Japanese places in town but still come across as really easy going and polite. All good and informal.<br />
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<b>Overall</b><br />
This is going to be a great place for a quick lunch (in or takeaway) and a no fuss quick takeaway meal on the way home from work, or just a snack in the middle of the day.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Cultural Moment</b></span><br />
The humble Katsu Don comes in different forms in Japan. As my brother said when he came back from a trip to Japan, he had "Katsu Everything" - highlighting that it's a highly popular dish in Japan. There's Katsu Sandwich, Katsu on it's own with Salad, Katsu with Ramen and of course, Katsu Don.<br />
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Katsu Don itself is basically the crumbed pork cutlet served on rice. However, variations include being served with worcestershire sauce, miso sauce, shoyu (soy) sauce, or with a wet egg omelette over the katsu plus any combination of sauces. You could event find places where they substitute the pork for chicken or beef. So, the long and short of it is, you could potentially have katsu don 5 days of the week and never have the same meal twice. Yummy fried goodness... but of course, everything in moderation, right?<br />
<br />Shantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.com0331 Smith Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065, Australia-37.799205700000009 144.9839654-63.321240200000005 103.67537139999999 -12.277171200000009 -173.70744060000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081299390486084223.post-31220450831438368632013-08-07T05:40:00.001-07:002014-01-25T13:52:14.391-08:00Shophouse Kitchen<h3>
<span class="street-address">Shop 29 210 Lonsdale St, </span><span class="locality">Melbourne</span>,
<span class="region">VIC</span> 3000</h3>
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1752337/restaurant/CBD/Shophouse-Kitchen-Melbourne"><img alt="Shophouse Kitchen 大食家 on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1752337/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
This is a new set up as of June 2013 and is a place you have to queue to get in for dinner. Surprisingly, with the crowd, it has a relatively low score on Urbanspoon and there are some really harsh comments from diners with one review. It proudly says that this is a concept by David Loh (of Food Republik fame in Box Hill, and Dessert Story), a quite renowned chef of Malaysian origin, who is also inspired by Taiwanese and Hong Kong cuisine. This is one of the few times I have to disagree with Urbanspooners - I had a good experience here at Shophouse Kitchen and look forward to coming back again when it is less crowded. I think a lot of the bad reviews were from the initial teething problems to do with service and food preparation timing. They seem to have improved since June.<br />
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<b>The Place</b><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ocOdhT2deFw/UgDwmBtHzLI/AAAAAAAAA68/tT6OsHnkvew/s1600/2013-08-06+18.42.42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ocOdhT2deFw/UgDwmBtHzLI/AAAAAAAAA68/tT6OsHnkvew/s320/2013-08-06+18.42.42.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>This is a tastefully decorated, that befits the kinds of eateries in the area. There are lots of things to look at inside, including the upside down fortune sign (in neon lights). There is a definite buzz here and the crowd dines amenably in a rather tight space. As things settle down, I hope this place will become a more leisurely dining space rather than the current somewhat hurried feel.<br />
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It is however, a very well ventilated and insulated place. There is no smokiness and the sound level is just a buzz. You can actually hear each other without needing to shout at your friends. This is very well set up.<br />
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It's not exactly kid friendly because of the tight squeeze (but that shouldn't be over stated - there are worst places). Parking is probably easiest under QV itself.<br />
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Things to do Nearby: This is set within the QV Compound.<br />
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<b>The Food</b><br />
I believe they do use a bit of MSG and I hope I am proven wrong and they stop using this very quickly. I think it was just in the minced meat sauce in my noodles. Beyond that, there were some really good dishes. Firstly the noodles quality was excellent. We tried the <i><b>Minced Meat and BBQ Pork Noodles</b></i>, <i><b>Braised Pork Belly Noodles</b></i>, and the<i><b> Crispy Wonton and Crispy Pork Noodles</b></i> (all pictured in succession below). Suffice to say they were all very tasty. What I think is important to highlight is that they didn't feel too salty unlike some places that serve similar dishes (the exception was the minced meat sauce which was salty). The other meats didn't have a high level of salt which makes for a very pleasant change.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Minced meat and BBQ Pork Noodles</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NcSeXOVy0pk/UgDw2QSR6UI/AAAAAAAAA7U/5lWkqfvrKTM/s1600/2013-08-06+18.47.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NcSeXOVy0pk/UgDw2QSR6UI/AAAAAAAAA7U/5lWkqfvrKTM/s320/2013-08-06+18.47.24.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy braised pork belly (without being too salty)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crispy wontons and Crispy Pork</td></tr>
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We also had some of the <i><b>Panfried Chicken and Shitake Mushroom Dumpling</b></i> which was really succulent and tasty, with a thinner than average dumpling skin. Then, there was the <i><b>Wontons in Chilli Oil and Black Vinegar</b></i>, which I felt was less stellar. Although, it had 2 little chilli symbols on the menu, the wontons were not very hot. As regular readers of my blog might know, I when I am promised vinegar and sour things, I like it to be really sour - the wontons had a more peanut sauce taste than vinegar. In hindsight, I should have added the readily available black vinegar. (Pictured right, wontons on top and dumplings below.)<br />
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Finally, when I say that <i><b>Hot and Sour Soup</b></i> (pictured below) was on the menu, I had to try it. I try this item whenever it is available at a restaurant. I have to say that it was not bad. Firstly, it wasn't sweet which was really good, it had no hint of tomatoes, which is even better. There was some szechuan pepper corn in it, some chilli oil and definitely black vinegar. You can add vinegar to taste too if it's not sour enough. It had shredded chicken too. The tofu they use was not of the silken variety but just your basic tofu (which was not ideal for me). Like I said before, it was ok but not necessarily the best.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shredded Pork and Shitake Mushroom in Abalone Sauce with Crispy Noodles</td></tr>
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The crispy noodles was pretty yummy but you have to eat it quickly because once it gets to room temperature, it's not great and maybe there's just too much of it. You have to like shitake mushroom and abalone sauce for this dish.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curry Seafood (tricky dish to get ride - pre-cooked seafood added to curry sauce)</td></tr>
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<b>The Service </b><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Dctfo0d8Ijg/UgDxFcYURJI/AAAAAAAAA7s/oeU6sCxq6G8/s1600/2013-08-06+18.50.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Dctfo0d8Ijg/UgDxFcYURJI/AAAAAAAAA7s/oeU6sCxq6G8/s320/2013-08-06+18.50.35.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>To begin with, queue management is everything when you have a new place
like this. It kicks off people's impression and sets the tone for their
attitude. Depending on the waitstaff looking after the queues, there are
some hits and misses here. I didn't experience too many problems here
and it was relatively well managed despite the cold. However, it is important that all staff who are managing the queue are able to interact with queuing customers, keep them informed or even have a discussion with them about items on the menu while they are waiting.<br />
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Once you get in, they seem to be well staffed so that you are served pretty quickly, and if you are not, just raise your hand and smile for a bit of attention. The food comes when it comes depending on what you order. So, start eating instead of waiting, it's that kind of place. Mostly, they are friendly and efficient if not very personable.<br />
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<b>Overall</b><br />
I will be coming to this place again, and again - there are too many dishes I want to try.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Cultural Moment</b></span><br />
It's really a pleasure to see that all Shophouse Kitchen's menus that are in English have accurate descriptions and no spelling error. This is going to be a bit of a rant and is going to sound very politically incorrect but I am going to say it anyway... what is it with places that can't get their menus right - with wrong spelling, wrong descriptions and wrong contextualisations. I have seen so many Asian restaurants like this. Even the signages are embarrassingly wrong in many places.<br />
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I can completely understand this in a country where English is not the first language - completely understandable and acceptable. I don't even expect people to have perfect English here in Australia - I certainly don't - you just have to read my blog to know that. Even Aussies don't have perfect English. However, when producing a menu or a signage, SURELY a restauranteur would check with someone that they have the terms right - and that there are no embarrassing mistakes? SURELY, it's easy enough to get the people who produce the big signages to do a quick check? SURELY they have at least one random English speaker who might be able to suggest that glaring mistakes be avoided. However, this is clearly not the case.<br />
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I am going to offer my humble services - if you are an Asian restaurant owner and need someone to check your menus and signages - holler at me, and if I am available, I'd be more than happy to help out. How about that? So anyway, that's my rant done... don't throw shoes at me!Shantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.com029/210 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia-37.8110976 144.9658776-63.3331321 103.6572836 -12.289063099999996 -173.72552840000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081299390486084223.post-46467600631387490342013-08-05T22:31:00.001-07:002013-08-05T22:31:31.319-07:00Good Luck Tea House<h3>
<span class="street-address">310 Chapel St, </span><span class="locality">Prahran</span>,
<span class="region">VIC</span> 3181</h3>
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1509157/restaurant/Melbourne/Good-Luck-Tea-House-Prahran"><img alt="Good Luck Tea House on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1509157/minilink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
Yumcha in Prahran in quite a prominent location should do well but there would likely be high expectations here. The challenge is that such a restaurant would have to balance perceived sophistication and quality with affordability. For a place on Chapel Street that has been opened since 2010, it has an unusually low number of raters on Urbanspoon. Strategically, I think that while things are going ok in terms of the venue, location, food and service - these things are not necessarily coming together. I mean, I am not an expert in running restaurants but I am a diner. I think that the "All You Can Eat" big poster approach is a strategic error for this restaurant because it just makes people question the quality of the food here on Chapel Street. If they marketed it as a Yumcha banquet with a better looking menu, the perception might be a bit different and they might even attract more of a lunch crowd for meetings - to complement the dinner crowd. With HuTong in Commercial Road having a lower rating than the Market Lane branch - this is an opportunity for Good Luck Tea House which they don't seem to be taking advantage of.<br />
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<b>The Place</b><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jyZb5ppKTaQ/Uf-HS8_FhhI/AAAAAAAAA6E/1KRTvO6nLNk/s1600/2013-08-05+11.15.03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jyZb5ppKTaQ/Uf-HS8_FhhI/AAAAAAAAA6E/1KRTvO6nLNk/s320/2013-08-05+11.15.03.jpg" width="320" /></a>This is a good generous space which doesn't squeeze diners together. It is also a clean restaurant, tastefully decorated and they have a relatively nice layout overall. It is is permanently on mood lighting, and is quite different from Chinese places with fluorescent lights.<br />
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It is relatively child friendly and parking should be ok across the road behind Coles.<br />
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Things to do Nearby: This is near the junction of Chapel and Commercial Roads and so, you have all the shops nearby.<br />
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<b>The Food</b><br />
The food is actually not bad at all. The yumcha offerings are pretty decent for an "All You Can Eat" place. I have only had the yumcha here and my verdict is that it's not bad. $19.90 for yumcha is really cheap these days and if you are there with a small bunch of friends, you can try nearly all the 35 dimsums on offer.<br />
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The highlight for me was the <strong><em>Chicken Feet</em></strong> (<em><strong>Fung Chao</strong></em> - pictured below), lightly spiced, and braised in black bean. It was really tasty... and I had all four to myself - so HAPPY. <br />
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Other highlights for me included:<br />
<strong><em>Beancurd Roll</em></strong> (also pictured above, next to the teapot) which was braised and was really yummy when eaten hot and steamy.<br />
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<strong><em>Salted and Spicy Squid Tentacles</em></strong> (pictured below) which has a light batter, not overpowered by garlic, salt and pepper and very fresh... others in Urbanspoon have criticised this before, but I found mine most succulent, fresh and tasty.<br />
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<b>The Service</b><br />
They have what I call unobtrusive polite service. Not overly friendly and chatty but it gets the job done with basic efficient delivery of food.<br />
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<strong>Overall</strong><br />
It's not bad overall and presents a nice alternative to dining choices on Chapel Street. I just think that it's the "All You Can Eat" sign that's putting people off. But the quality is actually there.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">Cultural Moment</span></strong><br />
Warning: Self Plagiarism Ahead.<br />
Since this post is about the various dimsums ... I thought I'd re-introduce an extensive piece I wrote previously on the different dumplings on offer. If you are an avid yumcha enthusiast, it's worth knowing what you are having. So, here it is again;<br />
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Dimsum is a Cantonese word that indicates the variety of small dishes served at Yumcha (drinking tea) session. Therefore, the greatest Yumcha experiences are of Cantonese origins.Here's a limited range of dimsums you will commonly find in Melbourne (each will contain the Cantonese name / Mandarin Name / English Description);<br />
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<strong><em>Siu Mai / Shao Mai / Pork Dumpling</em></strong> - is the most common dim sum, which has evolved in Australia into your dimsim (dimmy) in your fish and chip shops. This is a common brekkie dimsum throughout southeast China, Singapore and Hong Kong. Both Robbie and I love this LOTS.<br />
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<strong><em>Har Gao / Shia Jiao / Prawn Dumpling</em></strong> - is just that, prawns wrapped in pleated translucent flour based skin, that should not stick to each other when you try to pick one up.<br />
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<strong><em>Yee Chee Gao / Yu Chi Jiao / Shark Fin Dumpling</em></strong> - is not Shark's Fin Dumpling. It does not contain shark's fin and is so named because it is shaped like a shark fin. That's all - and it is basically and pork and seafood dumpling.<br />
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<strong><em>Char Siew Bao / Cha Shao Bao / Steamed Pork Bun</em></strong> - Bao (refers to the particular style of bun) and is a staple in most places. Filled with steaming barbequed pork (Char Siew), the bun should be light and fluffy (watch out for the piece of paper at the bottom). My friend, Deb loves this.<br />
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<strong><em>Fung Chao / Feng Jiao / Phoenic Claws (Chicken Feet)</em></strong> - is what it is. Different places might serve it a bit differently from black bean based to spicy sauce. You either like it or you don't. I like it and I believe my friend Jeremy likes it too!<br />
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<strong><em>Chee Cheong Fun / Zhu Chang Fen / Rice Noodles</em></strong> - needs a bit of explanation. A literal translation of Chee Cheong Fun is Pig Intestine Noodles. Don't be alarmed, it's not made from any part of a pig. It just looks like a pig's small instestines, hence, the name. With these rice noodles, a coffee shop might sell it with just the noodles, some chives, sesame seeds and a sweet soy sauce. However, most yumcha places will serve a variety, with Char Siew (called Char Siew Cheong), Prawns (Har Cheong), Fried Dough (Cha Leong which translates to fried double, with the fried dough and the noodles making the double). Ev and Nathan do like these :)<br />
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<strong><em>Pei Tan (Shao Yuk) Chok / Pi Daan (Shao Rou) Zhou / Century Egg (Roast Pork) Congee</em></strong> - most yum cha places, one would just ask for congee and this would be the variety served (some places with, and others without the roast pork in the congee). What is century egg? It's preseved egg (that's black in colour and a yellowish gray yolk). I have to have this at every yum cha and the other person I know who loves this is Caroline.<br />
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<strong><em>Tan Taht / Dan Ta / Egg Custard Tart</em></strong> - When I was young, I used to think that Tan/Dan means Egg and Taht/Ta was just Tart. I recently found the chinese character for Taht/Ta and it actually means 'Flog' - presuming referring to the flogging to the egg into a custard. I have never been a fan though it is one of the most popular dishes. Deb LOVES this.Shantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.com1310 Chapel Street, Prahran VIC 3181, Australia-37.8480287 144.99408519999997-63.370063200000004 103.68549119999997 -12.3259942 -173.69732080000006tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081299390486084223.post-42896323496920564432013-08-05T01:52:00.002-07:002013-08-05T01:52:56.603-07:00One Noodle Friendship<h3>
<span class="street-address">417-419 High St, </span><span class="locality">Preston</span>,
<span class="region">VIC</span> 3072</h3>
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1576021/restaurant/Melbourne/One-Noodle-Friendship-Preston"><img alt="One Noodle Friendship on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1576021/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-levlkfoaUU8/Uf33rAYGIJI/AAAAAAAAA4k/RnVJKiXMT0s/s1600/2013-08-03+18.37.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-levlkfoaUU8/Uf33rAYGIJI/AAAAAAAAA4k/RnVJKiXMT0s/s320/2013-08-03+18.37.05.jpg" width="240" /></a>Everyone says don't judge a book by its cover on Urbanspoon about this place and it's true in one basic way - a fishbowl look of the place would tell you this is a basic really no frills place. Yet, if you take a look at dinner time, this tiny place always has punters and can get pretty full of a mixed crowd that has uncovered a real gem in Preston. <br />
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<b>The Place</b><br />
The place is nothing to write home about. It's like a basic canteen that's really down to earth and has absolutely no pretensions about anything. It's just a place to park yourself and slurp noodles. There's also not a lot of space and prams are going to be difficult. Parking is ok depending on time of the day or week as it the Preston Markets parking is available. Of course, on market days, you might not want to compete with the crazy drivers that I find there all the time.<br />
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Things to do Nearby: Preston Market and High Street shops. Also, if you in a rush to get to an event at the Preston Townhall, this is nice and handy.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZC5krSfi7SM/Uf33wZAvLQI/AAAAAAAAA4w/CBJWDUrnir4/s1600/2013-08-03+18.36.56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZC5krSfi7SM/Uf33wZAvLQI/AAAAAAAAA4w/CBJWDUrnir4/s320/2013-08-03+18.36.56.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>The Food</b><br />
Fresh, really fresh noodles made on premises, explaining the doughy smell of the place.If you see the plastic screen above, that's where they do the noodles. You can also see them preparing the dumplings in the shop window facing High Street (pictured above to the left of the picture).<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1wAErt7zUgQ/Uf34A-xxVqI/AAAAAAAAA5A/Qc5LUYKXXS4/s1600/2013-08-03+18.47.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1wAErt7zUgQ/Uf34A-xxVqI/AAAAAAAAA5A/Qc5LUYKXXS4/s320/2013-08-03+18.47.10.jpg" width="320" /></a>I like their various noodle soups, their soy stewed meats in noodles are good because it reminds me of the stewed meats I used to have as a child. These included <i><b>Stewed Pork Noodles </b></i>(pictured right), <i><b>Stewed Beef Noodles</b></i> and <i><b>Stewed Lamb Noodles</b></i>. I didn't feel very thirsty after the noodles here, so they probably don't use very much MSG either - but I can't guarantee that.<br />
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To explain these dishes, the noodles are not actually served with the stewed sauces. The noodles are served with a clear soup base (either pork, beef or lamb bones based depending on what you have ordered), and then the pieces of stewed meats and basic vegetables are added in to the noodle soup. So the dish becomes a quite delicate balance of flavours, with the hand rolled noodles as the star. The noodles are of great quality, it's thicker that the manufactured ones in the city. They are huge bowls of noodles though they don't give you an overdose of the proteins, you get a very generous serve of noodles. They also do dry noodles and fried noodles here but the soups are the highlight for me. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JLz2NmJ_vEc/Uf33_xl8svI/AAAAAAAAA48/v93WS-OX_DY/s1600/2013-08-03+18.45.41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JLz2NmJ_vEc/Uf33_xl8svI/AAAAAAAAA48/v93WS-OX_DY/s320/2013-08-03+18.45.41.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pork chop Noodle Soup (pork chop is a quite salty)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WBNJylRUG60/Uf33r_fmOmI/AAAAAAAAA4o/-eUun416SAI/s1600/2013-08-03+18.43.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WBNJylRUG60/Uf33r_fmOmI/AAAAAAAAA4o/-eUun416SAI/s320/2013-08-03+18.43.00.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Minimalist Zhajiag Noodles (more on that below)</td></tr>
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They also do fresh<i><b> dumplings</b></i> which are slightly smaller than many of the dumpling shops in the city, though they are still rather tasty. There are different ones all made on premises. I prefer the fried ones here to the steamed ones.<br />
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<b>The Service</b><br />
The service here is basic, but very friendly, unlike many other dumpling places in the city. They are friendly, take time to explain and take time to clarify what you want. The dishes seldom come out at the same time for each table but they do come in pretty quick succession. They key to note is that they are friendly, which is important at a place like this. It is such a refreshing change from the surly waitstaff in many similar places.<br />
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<b>Overall</b><br />
For a quick no frills yummy meal in Preston, if you can get in to this place, it's a go-er. It's now my go to place for Chinese noodles in Preston. <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Cultural Moment</b></span><br />
Two quintessential Northern Chinese Noodles are DanDan Mian and ZhaJiang Mian. These are dry noodles and what I call Chinese Spag Bol. So what it is are handmade noodles, cooked al dente and then dowsed in a meat sauce. It's usually minced or finely diced pork, with lots of garlic in both the sauces. The difference is in the base of the sauces.<br />
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DanDan Mian has a rather spicy chilli base. Some places do really spicy DanDan sauce that only seasoned diners can cope with. In Melbourne, this is usually more adapted to our taste where it is more manageable. Many places would use Szechuan peppercorns in the sauce as well.<br />
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Zhajiang Mian has a 'stir fried' sauce with a fermented bean paste base. This uses a thick fermented soy bean paste which has a tangy taste. The one pictured above at One Noodle Friendship is really concentrated and doesn't have enough meat (for my taste). If there is a spice here, it's more a sprinkle of it.Shantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.com6417-419 High Street, Preston VIC 3072, Australia-37.7396085 145.00361040000007-63.261643000000007 103.69501640000007 -12.217574000000003 -173.68779559999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081299390486084223.post-45738851903275700052013-08-02T15:44:00.003-07:002013-08-02T15:44:55.227-07:00Blok M Express<h3>
<span class="street-address">380 Little Bourke St., </span><span class="locality">Melbourne</span>,
<span class="region">VIC</span> 3000</h3>
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1477644/restaurant/CBD/Blok-M-Melbourne"><img alt="Blok M on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1477644/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
Looking for an Indonesian place in the shopping precinct of Swanston Street, Elizabeth Street and Bourke Street is not easy. There are not many, but in amongst all the Malaysian, Chinese, Cantonese, Thai and Vietnamese restaurants are 2 Indonesian place. One is <span style="color: purple;"><a href="http://asianfoodmelb.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/nelayan-indonesian-restaurant.html" target="_blank">Nelayan</a></span> which is easy to find on Swanston Street. The other is Blok M Express which is on the way to Hardware Lane, and easily forgotten. However, it has a pretty good rating on Urbanspoon and definitely worth a look for lunch or early dinner.<br />
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<b>The Place</b><br />
It's a pretty squeezy set up because of the way they have set out the tables and chairs. There's not a lot of room to move and it can get uncomfortable when there's a crowd. However, the new layout with the counter in the back has alleviated some of this problem - though they continue to keep the diners very close to each other. It is also a rather tired place and needs a good clean, I think. It's not a great place for kids because of the layout, and parking in Little Bourke - good luck with that. It is however, a good place for a quick lunch.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hirm2g-cPSE/UfuAHhSNwJI/AAAAAAAAA38/lc0gX26urxw/s1600/IMG_1325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hirm2g-cPSE/UfuAHhSNwJI/AAAAAAAAA38/lc0gX26urxw/s320/IMG_1325.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Things to do Nearby: You are in the middle of the shopping area of the CBD - heaps to do.<br />
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<b>The Food</b><br />
So, this is where they shine. Most of their dishes are really quite good. Firstly, for an Indonesian place - the food here is not very chilli hot. For lovers of really spicy food, you might be a bit disappointed. For those of us who do like chilli but not at crazy levels, this is pretty good.<br />
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If you are vegetarian, I think you might struggle here a bit beyond your basic gado gado, tofu and tempe.<br />
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The highlights for me here include:<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-APGtYU9XueY/UfuAZSfjsnI/AAAAAAAAA4M/3BD_exRuFUM/s1600/IMG_1327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-APGtYU9XueY/UfuAZSfjsnI/AAAAAAAAA4M/3BD_exRuFUM/s320/IMG_1327.JPG" width="320" /></a>The twin soups, <b><i>Soto Ayam</i></b> (Chicken soup) and <b><i>Sup Buntut </i></b>(Oxtail Soup - pictured right)<b><i> </i></b>which are clear soups, with similar bases. They do tend to be slightly greasy because that's how these soups are but if you like a tiny bit of spice in your soup, shallots and spring onions, these are must tries. Sometimes, the oxtail here is a bit oily but that's oxtail for you. They also do a <b><i>Fried Oxtail</i></b> dish which is really yummy for oxtail lovers.Note the lack of vegetables - it's pretty much garnish, won't you say?<br />
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They also do good whole barbequed fish (either <i><b>bakar</b></i> or <b><i>belado</i></b>). Bakar is just plain barbequed fish while <b><i>Belado</i></b> comes with a slather of chilli sambal sauce which is rather spicy, savoury and a bit sweet. Good balance of flavours there. They also have <b><i>Ayam Rica-Rica</i></b>, a great Indonesian chilli sauce slathered chicken which I haven't tried yet but will do so in the next visit (and update here).<br />
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I am not a fan of the <i><b>satays</b></i> here primarily because I am not a fan of Indonesian styled satays with their peanut sauce poured over the satay sticks and also a good dollop of ketchup manis (sweet sauce) - just not my thing, but you might like it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-30X0YHPQ2ZI/UfuASutaQYI/AAAAAAAAA4E/MyrHJa_26pQ/s1600/IMG_1326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-30X0YHPQ2ZI/UfuASutaQYI/AAAAAAAAA4E/MyrHJa_26pQ/s320/IMG_1326.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cute right? It's based on the 3-wheeled taxies in Jakarta - <b>Bajaj</b></td></tr>
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<b>The Service</b><br />
They are always friendly, though the food doesn't usually come out at the same time for each table. I wish they could get that right. With the change in layout - counter at the back - newbies might not know what to do. Generally, you should just walk up to the counter and grab a menu, and order there. If you are not sure what you want and need to peruse the menu for a while, you'd also want to claim a table (if it's crowded) while deciding on your dishes. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WDGZXWVKlrM/Uft_4B4Ev9I/AAAAAAAAA3s/nZXpjg6xSlM/s1600/IMG_1323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WDGZXWVKlrM/Uft_4B4Ev9I/AAAAAAAAA3s/nZXpjg6xSlM/s320/IMG_1323.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Overall</b><br />
Whenever I feel like Indonesian in the Bourke Street Mall area - and not the bainmarie type food, I'd go to Blok M. It's pretty good and usually reliable. The only thing that turns me off is when it gets really crowded, then I don't really want to be there because of the seating configuration.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Cultural Moment</b></span><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5kNyCu9c8sc/Uft_6czHbcI/AAAAAAAAA30/fPTmB9hx6YM/s1600/IMG_1324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5kNyCu9c8sc/Uft_6czHbcI/AAAAAAAAA30/fPTmB9hx6YM/s320/IMG_1324.JPG" width="320" /></a>Blok M is supposed to be a hip and happening place in the business and shopping area in Jakarta. It's also where there is both general and dodgy nightlife. From the research I have done - it's supposed to be the place to be especially during the day but traffic is really bad. I haven't been there yet but will be there in November - I promise to update this when I have done that :)... so - watch this space.Shantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.com0380 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia-37.813499 144.96137499999998-63.3355335 103.65278099999998 -12.2914645 -173.73003100000005tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081299390486084223.post-4247568172284631172013-08-01T05:04:00.001-07:002013-08-01T06:14:10.717-07:00NL House<h3>
<span class="street-address">115 Grattan St, </span><span class="locality">Carlton</span>,
<span class="region">VIC</span> 3053</h3>
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1347148/restaurant/Melbourne/Nasi-Lemak-House-Carlton"><img alt="Nasi Lemak House on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1347148/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
SCORE! The rebranding and repackaging of the old tired Nasi Lemak House into NL House is an exercise in what to do to update your image and offerings. They have clearly done their research, and the target is now clearly students in the area and working adults after a quick meal (takeaway or eat in). This really works and I am most excited about the prospect of watching it grow. I don't mind if it gets really crowded because the new operations work just as well as a takeaway joint.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NuzLbZ1qNbk/UfpHT6QsbGI/AAAAAAAAA2w/5DdfH67P6wA/s1600/IMG_1315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NuzLbZ1qNbk/UfpHT6QsbGI/AAAAAAAAA2w/5DdfH67P6wA/s320/IMG_1315.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>The Place</b><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-la_y0Q1a-z4/UfpHc2fL2xI/AAAAAAAAA3A/P8uV_8sw96I/s1600/IMG_1316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-la_y0Q1a-z4/UfpHc2fL2xI/AAAAAAAAA3A/P8uV_8sw96I/s320/IMG_1316.JPG" width="240" /></a>This is now a 'fast food' space which seats about 15 inside and again the same number outside on the foot path of Grattan Street. It is not a huge space. So, it also works well if you take your packaged Nasi Lemak (NL) to the nearby parks.<br />
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They have updated the look, the feel, and the deco into a funky informal dining space. I love the bright colours as well (though I am not sure about the hazard tapes outside). Admittedly, it's not a great space for kids but then, this is really targeted at students and working adults nearby - not leisurely dining. Parking can be a bit of a struggle in the area as it is near Lygon Street.<br />
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Things to do Nearby: It's in the Lygon Street Precinct and the Museum is about 10 minutes away.<br />
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<b>The Food</b><br />
Let's get down to core business - <i><b>Nasi Lemak</b></i>. It's what they do and they do it well. Towards the end of their previous incarnation, I was pretty critical of their declining standards because it felt like they had given up. It seems like they are back with renewed energy. The food is fresh and the Nasi Lemak is cooked the way they do it back in Malaysia. What is also nice is the fact that it's not 'fancy' Nasi Lemak and is reminiscent of the many places in Malaysia where you can get a small pack of Nasi Lemak with various accompaniments quite cheaply.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pVWuxI3Z5K0/UfpHqqTNWGI/AAAAAAAAA3I/t7tIvWaetb0/s1600/IMG_1318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pVWuxI3Z5K0/UfpHqqTNWGI/AAAAAAAAA3I/t7tIvWaetb0/s320/IMG_1318.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check out the funky paper boxes they are served in.</td></tr>
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Beyond the coconut rice, the accompanying chilli paste is really important in good Nasi Lemak. The ones here induce as much perspiration as the ones back home. So, they are not kidding when they put signs up indicating "Warning - Spicy Eaters Only". The other essential accompaniment to traditional Nasi Lemak is the fried anchovies and peanuts. The ones here are fresh - you can tell if it's been in a container somewhere for too long. Nothing tastes worst than stale anchovies - right? No worries with that here at all.<br />
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Some might complain that the chicken is a bit dry on the outside but I can assure you - this is how they do it in many parts of Malaysia and Singapore. It's a style of Malay fried chicken, laden with tumeric, that's quite yummy. Remember that much of Asian food is also about the texture. <br />
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<b>The Service</b><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JEGlzLaMIx4/UfpHXXX48NI/AAAAAAAAA24/Boh-zw7X6Pg/s1600/IMG_1317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JEGlzLaMIx4/UfpHXXX48NI/AAAAAAAAA24/Boh-zw7X6Pg/s320/IMG_1317.JPG" width="240" /></a>I have to say that one of the thing that has come with the rebranding has been the total change in attitude and service. It is happy, cheery, friendly, helpful and very reminiscent of Don Don's service in the old days (for those who know the old friendly Don Don in the city). It's a huge improvement and I love that they do take time to talk to customers about their various offerings.<br />
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Check out the 'wait card" - they have even put in a little saying to keep it interesting (some say tacky - but many will like it - from a cultural stand point).<br />
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Funnily enough, I love the saying in my card today because it's just what I needed in dealing with difficult situations. Thanks! NL House!<br />
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<b>Overall</b><br />
I am looking forward to more lunches in this new revamped place. They will also be bringing back their various noodle offerings. It's really re-assuring to see improvement and for Nasi Lemak lovers - it's great that there's really good nasi lemak in the area once again.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Cultural Moment</b></span><br />
Coconut Rice is popular in Southeast Asia. Nasi Lemak is the Malay style (dominant in Malaysia and Singapore) coconut rice, that has both coconut milk, salt and also pandan (some call this Asian vanilla). In Malaysia and Singapore, this used to be sold in little packages - traditionally banana leaves - but more recently - paper packages. People have it for breakfast/lunch/dinner. What differentiates breakfast - lunch - dinner nasi lemak are usually the accompaniments that go with the rice. <br />
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For example, breakfast accompaniments of nasi lemak might include a little slice of omelette, and possible a small fried fish. This is in addition to the requisite chilli paste, cucumber, and peanuts/anchovies mix.<br />
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By lunch, nasi lemak might be served with some fried chicken pieces, or the Chinese might serve a hot dog, or a piece of luncheon meat with it (in addition to the requisite accompaniments mentioned above).<br />
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At dinner, you'd replace the fried dry chicken pieces with various curries or rendangs, for a heavier fuller meal. Achar (pickled vegetables) are usually served as well to offset the spice of the curries.<br />
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Of course, nasi lemak is not something one should have all the time as it has relatively high cholesterol inducing - some would say - you shouldn't have it more than once a fortnight. But it's so goooood, right? But like everything - moderation is the key.<br />
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<br />Shantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.com2115 Grattan Street, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia-37.8008064 144.96568509999997-63.3228409 103.65709109999997 -12.278771899999999 -173.72572090000006tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1081299390486084223.post-20408569387815946612013-07-31T05:04:00.002-07:002013-07-31T05:04:18.671-07:00Chillipadi Mamak Kopitiam<h3>
<span class="street-address">295 Racecourse Rd, </span><span class="locality">Kensington</span>,
<span class="region">VIC</span> 3031</h3>
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1570425/restaurant/Melbourne/Flemington/Chillipadi-Mamak-Kopitiam-Kensington"><img alt="Chillipadi Mamak Kopitiam on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1570425/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
In a highly competitive area because there are four Malaysian restaurants of relatively good quality (including the icon that is Laksa King), this restaurant is usually the least full of the four, possibly because it is a larger restaurant. This doesn't mean that it is not a good restaurant... just that competition is pretty stiff in the area. <br />
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<b>The Place</b><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GBcDJEmX5f4/Ufj0Rg7ysFI/AAAAAAAAA1g/wg34CHVRNRs/s1600/IMG_1302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GBcDJEmX5f4/Ufj0Rg7ysFI/AAAAAAAAA1g/wg34CHVRNRs/s320/IMG_1302.JPG" width="320" /></a>This is a pleasant enough space and large enough so that you don't have to share tables and be forced to listen to the conversations of strangers with their backs against yours. It's certainly the most spacious of the Malaysian restaurants within the 400m radius. There is some attempt to create an ambiance with various objects that might remind one of Malaysia. It's definitely a child friendly place, including having clean high chairs should you need them. When it gets busy, there's usually a buzz here without overwhelming noisiness.<br />
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Things to do Nearby: The shops of Racecourse Road in Kensington during the day but that's about it.<br />
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<b>The Food</b><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ds-XJxqdhyM/Ufj0NmJTs3I/AAAAAAAAA1U/vTbL9l3ZJCE/s1600/IMG_1304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ds-XJxqdhyM/Ufj0NmJTs3I/AAAAAAAAA1U/vTbL9l3ZJCE/s320/IMG_1304.JPG" width="320" /></a>The food is not bad but nor is it a stand out. Admittedly, I have not tried its main differentiator from the other Malaysian offerings in the area - the Crab dishes. Partly, this is because I can't be bothered and I just haven't got round to it. I might be wrong but one of the things that clearly stands out here is their portion sizes. I think it's the biggest compared to the other Malaysian places in the area. I could barely finish my lunch. The <i><b>Nasi Lemak</b></i> (pictured right) itself was pretty good and I loved that they had generous portions of achar (pickled vegetables), and peanuts with fried anchovies. The let-down for me, was the Chicken Curry which was basically overpowered by the star anise they used too liberally in a very Chinese curry.<br />
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The <b><i>Wat Dan Hor</i></b> (below) on the other hand was really tasty though they definitely have a more Kuala Lumpur style with darker soya sauce in this dish, rather than the lighter style of Ipoh and even Penang. For some, this is not authentic - for me - I was very full and happy at the end.<br />
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<b>The Service</b><br />
They do have very friendly service and highly obliging. Probably the second best service amongst the 4 Malaysian places in the area. It is pretty good though the only thing that sets them back slightly is probably their food knowledge of Malaysian dishes is slightly below par, unlike the confidence of the wait staff at <span style="color: purple;"><a href="http://asianfoodmelb.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/grand-tofu-malaysian-restaurant.html" target="_blank">Grand Tofu</a></span>.<br />
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<b>Overall</b><br />
I think I would go there occasionally when the other places are really full. The thing about the 4 Malaysian places here is this - you really just need to know your own taste and preferences. All 4 have some very similar dishes but cook them somewhat differently. For example, they all do Hainanese Chicken Rice... but who has the best one? The jury is still out on that one but I like <span style="color: purple;"><a href="http://asianfoodmelb.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/chef-lagenda-malaysian-kitchen.html" target="_blank">Chef Lagenda</a></span> because they have the Roast Chicken option. That's just one of the dishes - we could have a debate around it till the chickens are cooked... One day I might compare the various dishes across each of the 4 Malaysian restaurants.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Cultural Moment</b></span><br />
Some people ask "How can one place sustain so many Malaysian restaurants?" Ummmm... "How can a tiny suburb sustain 3 pubs?". They might be alluding to the idea that such an exotic cuisine might not attract enough customers to sustain 4 'similar' restaurants but a pub? Everybody here drinks!<br />
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However, that's just the point, I think that Malaysian cuisine is no longer considered "exotic" especially when you are looking at a city like Melbourne. Dare I say, most people must have tried some Malaysian food in the past and might be able to name at least a couple of Malaysian dishes. Perhaps, Malaysian food hasn't quite reached the status of Italian food or Vietnamese food yet, here in Melbourne (where you can have a whole street of Italian or Vietnamese restaurants and have them all do quite well). However, I think it must be getting close in places like Flemington, Springvale, Glen Waverly and Clayton.<br />
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This is the joy of Melbourne - that you can have enough choice amongst the various cuisines, even the 'exotic ones', and have them all do well so they can all challenge each other to do better. How lucky are Melbournians!Shantonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08540105595603278661noreply@blogger.com4295 Racecourse Road, Kensington VIC 3031, Australia-37.788612 144.93127200000004-63.310646500000004 103.62267800000004 -12.2665775 -173.760134