The Stables of Como

Located in Como Garden in South Yarra, Stables is a perfect lazy Sunday brunch spot (unless you are one of those people who doesn't have to work Mon-Fri, then it is a perfect spot for your every day). It really is a textbook inner city retreat. You walk through the relaxing garden to reach a white rustic house.

When I walked in I was captivated by the array of cakes and sweets there was on off but I didn't get offtrack. I sat back down on my table and ordered my food.

Since the Sangers are their popular menu item, D decided on the Croque Jockey. This had ham, caramelized onion, stringy cheese and mustard bechamel. The sandwich was definitely hitting the spot. Shame it was a tad small, as D was quite famished.

Just to be different, I ordered the Happy Chicken Pot Pie. This came baked in a bowl with fluffy pastry lid. The filling was composed of leek, carrots and tarragon. Perfectly hearty feed.

Given how many sweets were on display, there was no way I was leaving without trying one. I ordered the red velvet lamington out of intrigue (never had a red velvet version before). This has soft, moist chocolate sponge on the inside with a layer of cream cheese. The outside was coated with chocolate and red desiccated coconut. It was the perfect way to end the meal.

Overall 15/20 this place has great ambiance and perfect for all ages. The food is simple but done well.

Mr Miyagi

Mr Miyagi has become the talk of town in the last year or so. It popped up a few years ago and first caught my attention at the Night Noodle Markets, I have always been wanting to try the restaurant but due to the wait for a table (think 2 hours) unless you show up at 5.30pm, it has put me off until recently. As of late, I have been working hard and put myself in a vicious cycle of eating the same thing, same place and keep working so it was time to change that.

On a Friday night when D and I weren't all that hungry and was eager to try something different, we finally walked up Chapel Street and put our names down. We got there around 9.00pm (hoping it meant a shorter wait and it worked), at 10.00pm we were finally sitting down on a table. The staff were lovely from the moment we set foot into the place.

As soon as we sat down we were given menus and explained to us how the menu worked. Since it was our first time to Mr Miyagi, they ran through all the favorites and recommended a few more. Since we were starving at this point, we got our orders in quickly.

First up was the Nori Tacos. This was easily my favorite dish of the night. Think tacos but swap the corn shell for a seaweed shell and fill it with rice, salmon belly, spicy napa cabbage (kind of like kimchi), chilli mayo. The result is a mind blowing awesome taco where you just don't want to share. The spicy cabbage with salmon was a great bite then followed with the chilli mayo, it gave just enough creaminess to balance out the spice. If you come here, you must order this.

Second was Kingfish Ceviche. Kingfish cured in grapefruit and cucumber then finished with red sorrel, coconut panna cotta and ginger dressing. Maybe I am getting picky these days (as ceviche is quite a common dish now in fusion restaurant), I just wasn't wow'ed by this dish. The fish was cured perfectly but the cucumber pairing was a bit disappointing for me. I expected something more explosive in terms of flavour.

Third up was the Cracked Corn on Stick. This was a corn cob covered in corn crunch and miso butter. I never realized corned covered in more crunchy corn would be so good. The bbq flavour in the corn crunch mixed in with the miso butter made this quite the snack. I would happily sit in front of the tv with a cob or two of these.

Forth was the Tuna Tataki Pizza. I honestly had no idea what to expect with this one. It came as seared tuna on flat bread with heirloom tomatoes, jalapenos and finished with yuzu Caesar sauce. All those things don't sound like they belong together as a pizza but somehow it worked. The lightness in the fish made the punchy tomato, yuzu caesar sauce work well together, then to finish it off with the pinch of spiciness from the jalapenos.

Fifth was MFC, also known as Miyagi Fried Chicken. This was the main reason that D wanted to come here. Glorious seasoned fried chicken, served with kewpi mayo. The outside was crisp and tasty, inside the chicken was just right. It was damn good is the only way I can sum it up.

Sixth was Black Pig Gyoza. This was black pig filling with a thin skin that was lightly pan-fried and served with ginger soy. It was a bit on the salty side but still enjoyable.

Seventh was Steam Pork Buns. This came deconstrated, there was 12 hour pulled pork,
pickled pumpkin, cucumber and ginger. All that was to go into a soft steamed bun. This was more on the spicy side. I struggled with the heat but D took it find. The elements had an explosion of flavour, if it was less spicy, I would have happily eaten a whole plate to myself.

Lastly dessert, I had no room but the friendly waitress convinced me. We got the Pumpkin Toast, which as the name suggest is pumpkin toast served with white chocolate ganache, large chunks of honeycomb, yoghurt sorbet and spiced pumpkin ice cream. This was one big dessert with heaps to offer. I would suggest you share with someone. There all the elements on the plate, from soft to warm and sticky to creamy.

Overall 17.5/20 I was very impressed with Mr Miyagi, it exceeded my expectations. The nori tacos and MFC left a lasting impression. Coupled with exceptional service it was the perfect night out. If the wait wasn't that long, I would happily make this a regular place to visit.


 

Naughty Boy Cafe

This is one of those Instagram cafes that I keep seeing pop up, anyway so I decided to finally stop giving myself excuses and organised brunch with some friends and drove out to Carlton. We were in a group of 6 and it was a lovely day so we sat outside.

Once I got there (yes I was late and the last to arrive), I told the guys about the insta freak shakes, so a few of us got them to dry. They had a few options but we ended getting the same thing. Pavlova for the ones of us who are lactose intolerant, Chocolate & Nutella Fudge for those who aren't.

The  Pavlova was made with coconut milk, vanilla, lime, passionfruit curd, kiwi fruit, mixed berries and Turkish fair floss. This was one big drink that was packed with a million different flavours (ok maybe not exactly a million but you get the point). The actual drink work great with the coconut milk base it actually made it lighter compared to milk. As you get through the meringue, passionfruit curd, and berries, it really does remind you of a liquid pavlova. The fairy floss was that nice finishing touch on it. If you have a sweet tooth you, this one is for you. 

The Chocolate Nutella Fudge is one rich and decadent shake. It comes with a chocolate brownie, white chocolate mousse, freeze dried fruit, nutella and a big blob of whipped cream. It really was more like a fully loaded chocolate shake, where the brownie was in the shake instead of outside the shake. A nice treat but definitely only a "sometimes food".

For food, I got the Buttermilk Waffles. This was served with pineapple and kiwi sauce, passionfruit sorbet, mango, dates laced with rum and pina colda anglaise. The concept of fruity waffles is a fresh change to the typical chocolate and strawberry options you see on menus. It wasn't bad, but sadly they didn't provide me with good service to match it. My waffles came 25 minutes after all my friends got their meal. I didn't make them wait for me to start but they felt bad I was just eating them eat, so they all gave me bits of their meal to try. By the time my meal came, I wasn't really hungry anymore.

C and Ace both got Eve's garden. This was interesting as it was made up of eggplant, roast pumpkin, grains, poached egg, avocado and cherry tomato. C was hungry so he got a side of salmon with his as well. Eggplant and pumpkin is not something you would normally eat or breakfast in Melbourne. However given it was more a brunch it didn't feel so out of place. The warm vegetable concept actually worked well as you got that savoury hit without the usual heavy hitters like bacon and fried egg.

T was easy to keep happy, she got the Breakfast Roll. Nothing fancy about this one, just a classic to curb the craving of bacon and eggs with haloumi and green tomato relish on a noisette roll.However the fried haloumi made it a bit too oily.

N ordered the The Naughty Boy which is like a big breakfast. Bacon, tomato, mushroom, poached eggs, skordalia (puree of potato, garlic and walnut) and falafel. It it the option if you want a bit of everything, I would consider it the 'simple guy' type of breakfast.

D got the Sweet Corn, Zucchini Fritters. This came with broad beans, mint, dill, tomato & feta salad, poached eggs and finished lemon olive oil. A good alternative to the typical breakfast options, the board beans and mint combination was refreshing and a lighter breakfast alternative.

Overall 14.5/20 I really liked the shakes, some of the breakfast items were good. I was very disappointed with the service, there was no apology or explaination on why my meal took so long to come. 

Darling Cafe

It is not common that I get to brunch with Melbourne Glutton so when that change arose, I made sure I snapped it up fast. One of the cafes that has been on my hit list is Darling Café so this was the perfect opportunity, to try a new place and hang out with my fav fellow foodie blogger. Darling is located on Darling Street in South Yarra, it’s literally a hop and skip away from South Yarra station so it makes a convenient location if you don’t wish to drive. Parking in that area can be difficult at times (generally weekdays when there is a lot of constructions work happening), but if you are prepared to pay there are a few car parks near by.

Since it was rare we get to go to brunch together, we asked Princess to come with us, Pasta found out and gate crashed and that worked out perfectly. For us it meant more food would be ordered and we get to try more off the menu. The more the merrier!

Everyone was really good and decided to go caffeine free… except me. Long work hours and lack of sleep during the week, leads to caffeine. Their coffee is Five Senses so you can’t really go wrong there. I ordered a soy latte, nice smooth blend and just the right temperature, it definitely hit the spot.

For the main affair MG got the Honey Baked Muesli with Berry Compote. Crunchy golden muesli with a dash of milk and a topped with berries. Definitely enough to keep you full and going for the rest of the day.

Pasta got the Portuguese French Toast. The toast came with vanilla mascapone, mixed berries and finished with maple syrup and cinnamon sugar dusted over. This was a simple version of the french toast that Melbourne cafes serve up these days. I found it hit the sweet spot, but did lacked that 'wow' factor. All the things came together very nicely but it didn't have the flair.

Princess ordered the Breakfast Brioche Burger. This was a bacon and eggs in a brioche bun. It also came with roast kipfler potatoes, cheese, tomato relish and rocket. Nice interpretation of the classic bacon and egg roll for breakfast. The elements came together nicely and would settle any bacon and egg cravings.

I got the Organic Acai Bowl.  This was a beautifully presented bowl topped with bananas, apple, mint, chia seeds, caramelized buckinis, berries and coconut flakes. It wasn't as sweet as I would have liked it, but it was probably better for me that way. Despite it's not as sweet as I am use it, I still have it very enjoyable with the berries and all the elements.

Princess also ordered a bowl of chips to share. Thick cut chips that had a crisp outsides and a fluffy inside. Can't complain there!

Overall 16.5/20 Beautiful layout to catch up with friends, good selection on the menu. Location wise, it's perfect for people who rely on public transport.

Hakata Gensuke - Hawthorn

If you read my blog often, you will know that I really like eating ramen. It's one of those comfort food that is quick, easy and relatively affordable. I have found myself going to Hakata more and more often in the recent months. Unlike it's sister store in the city, the wait time here is a lot more reasonable and with parking being less of an issue, it is just an easy place for me to hang out with the girls or Miss P.

My favorite ramen to get here is the Black Tonkotsu, besides Japan, I have barely come across this so it's my usual when I come here. I love the rich soup and how it's enriched with a garlic and black sesame favour to make the body of the soup even more flavorsome. With the noodles, there is an option of hardness which to me is something I consider only 'serious raman' places would offer. When I pick normal here, it is the perfect balance of softness without being too chewy. The char siu is not too thick, and together with the soup it has the intense flavour but not to a point it's too salty to stomach. I also like to add bamboo shoots and a soft boiled egg in mine. The soft boil egg need to be marinated and just runny on the inside. Out of all my visits here, the egg has always been perfect.

D tends to opt for a more spicy ramen so he got the Aka Tonkotsu. This one is a special to Hawthorn only. It is a spicy cod roe in a tonkotsu soup base. It's a nice amount of spice without sending you into tears and breathing fire. Again it came with char siu, black fungus and

Gyoza is what I consider little pockets of goodness. It it that side dish in a Japanese restaurant that is full of taste. I find that the gyoza in Hawthorn is better than their sister store in the city. The one in the city is sometimes too dry, where it's never the case in Hawthorn. With some gyoza sauce, it's like a little party on my taste buds

Chicken garage came in a side dish portion. The chicken was perfectly succulent, it was seasoned with just the right of favour and fried just right. I find a lot of places struggle to get garage right, as it's always either too soggy or too dry, Hakata is one of the few places that find that good balance of crisp, fried bitey texture while retaining the chicken's moisture and juice.

Overall 17/20 great ramen, great broth. I think this is my current favourite ramen shop to visit in Melbourne right now. It's an all round great offering, love the fact I don't need to wait in line and it always hits the spot. Staff is friendly and the atmosphere makes it a good place to eat and have a chat with friends. It isn't bursting to the seams with people. Good food plus good service and great place to meet a friend. Two thumbs up for me!

 

Trei Cafe

Trei opened up late last year in Syndal. Its located on Blackburn road near the station, so quite a convenient location. I was quite happy to see it open there, as it gives many people in that area a new option for brunch.

D and I got there around 12.30pm on a Saturday and the place was bursting to the seams with people. There were tables outside and inside, we opted for an indoor table which meant a 30 minute wait. It didn't bother us too much, as it gave us time to drive to Woolies to get some groceries and come back.

Once we sat down we had our drinks order taken straight away. I ordered the Matcha Madness and D opted for water. The smoothie was made up of matcha, banana, spinach, chia, apple juice, lime, mango and topped with dehydrated coconut. It was a very filling smoothie and the banana taste dominated the smoothie so it's good if you are a banana lover.

The first thing I saw on the menu was Coconut Hotcakes. If you have been reading some of my post over the last few months, you would have noticed that I have started to go gaga over coconut flavoured things. The hotcakes came with vanilla nutmeg coyo ice cream, pistachio, coconut nectar, blueberries and shredded coconut. The hotcake was very thick and dense, the description may sound like a light option but don't let that fool you. It was definitely on the filling side.

D loves haloumi so when he saw the Big Brekky had haloumi, it was an easy choice. The big breakfast has the usual suspect of poached eggs, mushroom, bacon, spinach and avocado on toast. D was a bit disappointed with the haloumi, he found it to be too oily and the mushrooms were very moist, it didn't take long for the toast to get all soggy. Other than that, it did the manly breakfast item job and D was very full afterwards.

Overall 13.5/20 it is a good addition to Syndal, there was definitely room for improvement but we did visit in the early stages so I look forward to going back and seeing them shine in full potential

Belle's Hot Chicken

Ok I will be the first to admit that I am horrible at dieting because I just love to eat things like fried chicken. So when a friend asked me where I wanted to go on Sat (cheat day of the week) I suggested Belle's without hesitation!

V and I go way back, been friends since I was 14, I don't see her much but when I do, I always have stuff to talk about. Then when you add D and F with their gaming talk, recipe for a perfect night out.

We visited the Belle's in Fitzroy (coz I'm like totes hipster =P) and was quite lucky in that we got a table within 10 minutes at 7.30pm on a Saturday.

Armed with a menu and decision making power, there was no way I could turn down the option of the Baller Bucket. So I picked the Bucket and a few more things to share.

To start we got the fried oysters with ranch and fennel. This was interesting, as you don't get too many fried oyster dishes out there, most places like to serve it raw. The fried coating with the creaminess of the oyster worked quite well, then it was cut through with the fennel. The ranch sauce was like an extra, you didn't really need it but it was nice to have.

In the bucket you get 16 wings, 4 sides, lot of pickles and sauce. We picked the Southern and the Hot for the wings; ranch and blue cheese for the sauce; and I will talk about the sides later. The chicken was very well marinated before they were fried. The hot chicken, is not for the faint hearted. Normally I can handle my heat reasonably well but I found myself to be progressively struggling with each wing. I started to rely on the ranch sauce to take away from some of the heat. It was very saucey, I found D and F to start having sauce drip down their hands and chin.

 The Southern was crisp and well seasoned. If you like your chicken no frills, this is the one for you.

We got all the sides to try. The coleslaw was a very homestyle and chopped up type of salad. Good flavor to it and it help balance out the hotness in the chicken. The mac and cheese broccoli and almond salad was my favourite. The freshness was welcomed sensation, after all the chicken. Chips were seasoned so I guess if you are after a beer/chip/chicken combo, this would be the way to go.

Mac and cheese was V's favorite, the cheesiness of the pasta was very guilty but satisfying.

Beans and bacon was our final side. The beans were a bit overcooked and more on the oily side, this was our least favourite side out of the lot.

We were too full and decided to skip dessert.

Overall 15/20 If you are after South American food, this is the place to go. Or if you just love fried chicken, you need to try this place out. It is also a good cheat day meal!