Wednesday, June 29, 2005

don't ever expect big portions


IKU YAKITORI. 139, Sydney Road. Brunswick.

This restaurant here serves the best Gyoza.
Really. The skin is actually soft and tender, like the dumplings were actually pan fried instead of the normal deep fried crunchy greasy feelings you get.
I've tried the Dan-Dan Ramen as well.
I think 'Dan-Dan' dishes only come from Shanghai?
Oh well, so it's pretty much ramen topped with mince spicy pork in soup. As disapporving as it sounds, it was good.
Damn good I might say.

Their signature dish here is obviously the Yakitori's. But they cost a bomb. And the portions are small.
I forgot what I ordered, some grilled chicken breast with plum sauce(?). As you can tell, it didn't leave a long lasting impression.
I strongly urge you to order the Dan-Dan Ramen & Gyoza against the Yakitori's. It's only chicken on sticks anyway.
But still, expect to pay $15 for a meal.
Ouch! Don Don, anyone?

don't ever bring more than $10


CAMY SHANGHAI NOODLE HOUSE. Tattersalls Lane, China Town.

Ah. Cheap food you say?
This is as cheap as it gets.
15 dumplings for $5.80.
You can choose from a classic dumpling, soup dumpling. chili oil soup dumpling, or pan friend dumpling.
If yous share it among 2, you pay $3 each.
The noodles are pretty much the same price. Big servings. I always struggle to finish them. I think sharing is a better solution now.
I suggest the Shanghai fried noodles. I still wouldn't say it's the best ever. But it's still better than Spicy Fish.
Still don't have the courage to try the spice-famed Dan-Dan Noodle. Tell me how it is if you do happen to come across it.
I strongly recommend the pan cake with spring onions above. It's not actually pancake. It's like Chinese fried dough.
Nothing can go wrong with fried dough.
This restaurant is listed among the '100 things to do below $10' in Melbourne. I think. Maybe it's outdated.

don't ever crown the laksa


LAKSA KING. Shop 3, 320 Rececourse Rd, Flemington.

Sorry for the long absence.
Although it's called Laksa King, their Laksa was appaling.
Go back to Chili Padi.
BUT! But, their other dishes are superb.
Most people are head over heels for their Fried Kueh Teow. That's because you can actually see deep friend dices of pork fat.
And if you're an expert in FKT, that's the essence.
I've tried the Tomato Spare Ribs on Fried Rice.
As well as the Salted Fish and Chicken Fried Rice.
Both good. Both satisfying.
Expect to pay the normal 7-9 dollars range for Laksa King.
I'd say the most difficult part of eating in Laksa King is finding your way there. If you have no car, make friends who do.

Friday, June 17, 2005

don't ever miss it


BRUNETTI. 194-204 Faraday Street, Carlton.

This will be a short review.
Simply put: no one I've met ever said anything negative about Brunetti. Ever. No one.
Everyone seems to have their own favourite item in Brunetti. The cakes or the biscuits or the chocolates or the drinks.

For me it used to be their Mocha. But after I discovered their italian hot chocolate. Woo. Wooa. Wooaaahahaha.
Every sip is like an orgasm. Trust me.
It's small, but I always find it difficult to finish it.
So go. Now. Like now. Add 'trying the Italian Hot Chocolate' to your to-do-list before you die.

don't ever believe everything

Ah. I just realised I haven't put on the scores for the past two review. Seriously, I don't think I need them anymore.
Maybe I've found my conscience(highly doubt so), for the past few days I'm pretty reluctant on reviewing restaurants.
I am no cook. And setting myself up as a know it all, taking cheap shots at the people trying to make a living peeling calf tongue, peeling liver membrane, scalding their hands on red hot steel pot while I sit in my room and type with nice clean fingers.
That's just not right.
Those who can, do. Those who can't, well, they criticize.
I'm just a mouth and a computer.
This has been bothering my so much that I think I should quit writing review. But then again, I thought: I'm not making money out of this.I'm writing these reviews as a recommendation to my friends, which are the people who visits this blog anyway.
It is based strictly upon my own subjective sense of taste.
If you're unhappy, leave. This applies to any of my blog. And I insist that we have the same right towards restaurants.
If some restaurants give crap services. I have the right to know and avoid. But that doesn't mean that I do not appreciate the effort of the workers, especially the chefs.
So I'll keep writing. As a guide. As a recommendation. As my way of life, food wise. Read with care. But do not take it personally.

don't ever complain about health


MEIJI JAPANESE CAFE. 105, Little Bourke Street.

The specialty of Meiji would be the Kamameshi rice dishes. It is, I would assume, a really healthy dish.
They'd toss the ingredients and rice into this metal bowl on a wood stand, and steam it till it's cooked.
I tried the chicken and prawn kamameshi while my friend ordered the salmon, ham and egg kamameshi.
Tha latter tastes better.
It's not greasy nor sticky and tastes like something my mother would cook back home: 'Aiyo food outside so unhealthy!'
It's not that popular judging on the number of customers. But it's good so that you get to talk better with your friends.
It's not the 'I'm out of business' type of empty. The shop is empty, but with pride and dignity.
I'd say do try out the Kamameshi. Apparently Meiji is the first restaurant to introduce this dish.

Friday, June 10, 2005

don't ever order the noodle


SPICY FISH. Little Bourke Street. Next to Target.

Personally, I think Spicy Fish is a really bad name.
Why is it so difficult to get a good translation? In Chinese, if you translate literally, the shop's name is The Residence of Fish Village. It's terrible anyway, but better than Spicy Fish!
Anyhow, about the food.
My parents and I ordered Shanghai noodles, Sweet and Sour fish, fried dumplings and stir friend Kai Lan.
The fish tasted like frozen fish pieces dipped into a pre made S&S sauce. I think they use it for pork and chicken as well.
Except for the dumplings and Kai Lan, the rest are pretty crappy. Then again, the dumplings are quite greasy.
The Kai Lan was really tough but the sauce is good.
I gobbled as much as I could anyway since it's been a while since I had Chinese stir fried vegetables.
It's a well decorated restaurant. But the location just turns you off. At one side you've got pedestrians walking past you along Lt. Bourke, and at the other you've got people walking in and out from Target supermarket. All of them, staring at you.
The price is not reasonable.
I know, I know it's a chinese restaurant. But I do not think the noodles or the Kai Lan cost $11 each.
I advice against this restaurant. But then again you might have different taste in Chinese food like I do.

Wednesday, June 08, 2005

don't ever expect to relax


PHO BO GA MEKONG VIETNAM. 241 Swanston Street.

Disregard the rumours. That they reuse the soup.that they resuse the food. That they never wash the bowls. That it's really dirty in the kitchen. That people get food poison constantly.
I mean, hey unless you can give me proof that it's true, or confirm to me that other restaurants NEVER do that, I'm eating there.
Yet something I can confirm, is that Mekong is a really small restaurant. It has walls of mirror to create the illusion of space. Yet to fuck that up they've got giant photos of Jackie Chan, Samo Hung, Michael Chang etc pasted on the mirror walls.
I know it looks sleazy compared to the shops along Swanston. In fact, I'd never notice it at all if I weren't brought there.
Traffic is busy in Mekong. It's crowded and you have to elbow your neighbours while eating.
The menu is quite limited. Well, it's either noodle or rice. Well, they've got steamboat on the menu but I doubt it's popularity.
The dishes are flexible though. You can choose from a whole range of bull intestines to chicken liver to egg yolks to meat balls to chicken breasts. Or all of the above in S, M or L size.
I say don't try anything else before you try the noodles. The magic about Mekong noodles, is the soup base. I don't blame people suspecting them reusing the soup, as it's awesomely sweet and tasty, either with rice or egg noodles.
And the fried spring rolls. Whatever you do, order the chicken and prawn spring rolls! It's like, the best spring rolls I've eaten in Melbourne. Oh, and the sweet chili sauce. The sauce!
Overall, it's a great 'uni student' kind of place. Not entirely a wholesome meal but you get satisfactory.

Quality: 10 Service: 8 Value: 8 Variety: 5
Score: 7.75

Tuesday, June 07, 2005

don't ever underestimate the spice


YING THAI 2. 110, Lygon Street.

Don't ask me what happened to Ying Thai 1. Maybe it's somewhere far out in the suburb. Maybe the father failed to open Ying Thai 1 before, and then the son call it Ying Thai 2 just to avoid pissing him off. It's just a name.
Upon entering YT2, I always have this nastolgic feeling as if I'm back in kindergarten. The wall is all colourful, the tables are squared blue matched with pink chairs.
Seriously speaking, if they're going after an exclusive posh feeling, they failed miserably.
Nevertheless, YT2 tastes great. That's if you can take spicy food like curry and tom yam and mince meat with chili.
Normally the crew will ask if you want it mild or medium or hot. If they don't ask, you should pray hard.
I recommend the mince meat with chili and spring onions. It goes extremely well with their fried rice.
The green curry is normally good. But the last time I went there it tasted like chicken pieces thrown into vegetarian curry. So I guess the quality fluctuates for the curry.
The price is well, standard along Lygon Street. But not for a normal meal in Melbourne. Expect to pay more than $10 for a dish. $15 should be enough to get a really satisfying meal in YT2. It would've been a yay restaurant if not for the service and price.

Quality: 9 Service: 6.5 Value: 6.5 Variety: 9
Score: 7.75

Wednesday, June 01, 2005

don't ever go there for fun


THE ATRIUM, SOFITEL. 35th floor. 55, Collins Street.

The main attraction of this place, is the toilet.
Yes, you read me right. The toilet.
Factually, it's the view of the toilet.
Catch the view in my other blog, Harvardhism.
The whole wall is a transparent glass and you get a fantastic cityscape view. Therefore, it's best recommended to go at night.
Well, it's open from 5pm to 12am anyway.
And an advice: FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS ONLY
It's pricy. Really pricy. Don't ever expect to pay less than $10 for a drink. Since it's a cafe, u only get stuff like martini, alchohol, snacks, dessert, ice cream and cake.
Note: There's only one 'cake of a day' on the menu. So depends on your luck what cake they'd serve then.
Do try the Ice Cream Symphony.
It has I dunno, 15 scoops of ice cream and sorbet, topped with chocolate syrup and cinnamon sticks and waffle sticks and sprinkles and nuts. You know, the lots.
It's $25, to be shared by 2 people.
Yea, the rest of the menu is just really classy name for alchohol and martini and drinks. I wish I could be more knowledgeble in that area, but I'm not. Yet.
Final words: Only go to impress chicks. Or after a hot date. Or when you're sure you're getting some.
And girls, you know what it means when a guy brings you there. You're in a Hotel. Be careful of your drinks.
Kidding la.

Quality:9 Service:8 Value: 4 Variety: 5
Score: 6.5

don't ever argue, just go.


BISMI. 848 Sydney Road, Brunswick.

If you're taking tram 19, Bismi is in between stop 27 and 28. There's a big sign in front saying 'Malaysian, Singaporean, Indian cuisines". I think that is just to confuse Australians.
Yet nevertheless there's always a lot of Malaysians, Singaporeans, Indians in Bismi. Everyday. Everytime. It's that good.
Hell, even I dine there at least once a month.
Everyone has their own favourites in Bismi.
It's not surprising. It's flexible in price: roti kosong or teh tarik for $1.50, curries and friend chicken at $4+, murtabak for $5.50, to nasi goreng or mee goreng for $7+.
You have lots of choices too. ESPECIALLY for vegetarians. Instead of the normal 'let's just pick the meat out' dishes, you actually get a whole section dedicated to vegetarians in the menu.
So try the usuals: roti canai(prata), mee goreng, nasi goreng, murtabak, fried chicken, dosai...
I recommend the Paper Dosai. It's a rolled up foot-long crispy Dosai. Nice to share as a snack or an appetizer.
I like the Mango Lassi too.
I dunno. I'm just writing this review for the sake of reviewing because Bismi is so damn popular and I'm sure you've been there before. No? you should be ashamed of yourself.

Quality: 9 Service: 7 Value: 10 Variety: 10
Score: 9