Holiday Eats - Christmas Day 2014

Christmas morning coffee from Batch Espresso, St Kilda

Breakfast 'everything bagel' from Glicks, Balaclava

Christmas Lunch 

Smoked salmon and avocado entrée

Turkey, stuffing and vegetables

Traditional trifle

Summer trifle with coconut cream and berry jelly (recipe)

Ajisen Ramen - Melbourne, Victoria

Yuzu Lemonade $4.00

Gyoza - Pan-Fried freshly made Pork Dumplings served with Gyoza sauce $7.80

Spicy Pork Ramen - Ramen served with Spicy Stir-Fried Pork, Egg & Vegetables $11.80

Verdict? Cheap, fast and cheerful. The gyoza was average, but the yuzu lemonade was refreshing and the ramen soup had a nice and spicy flavour - perfect for a chilly Melbourne day.
Time and date of visit: 12 pm Wednesday 12 March 2014

Ajisen Ramen

211 LaTrobe St, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (03) 9650 8986

Open 7 days, 12 pm - 9:30 pm

Common Galaxia - Seddon, Victoria

Smoked salmon on sourdough w spicy avocado puree, 2 poached eggs w tomato & herb salsa 18.5

Beetroot, orange, carrot & ginger fresh juice 7

Verdict? A local favourite. This visit proved to be the perfect perk-up brunch when I was feeling a little under the weather - especially the nice whack of ginger in my fresh juice. But the two stray bones I found in my smoked salmon were unexpected and unwelcome guests. 
Time and date of visit: 10 am Tuesday 11 March 2014 (see previous visits)

Common Galaxia

Shop 3, 130 Victoria St, Seddon, Victoria, Australia (03) 9689 0309

Open Tuesday to Friday 7.30am - 4pm and Saturday to Sunday 8am - 4pm (kitchen closes at 3pm every day)

Famous Blue Raincoat - South Kingsville, Victoria

Bloody Mary - vodka, worcestershire, tabasco, tomato juice $8.5

Hamburger made with beef & pork mince topped with cheddar, caramelised onion, bacon, tomato, beetroot and tomato relish on a classic burger bun $13 plus an egg $2

Cajun chicken burger with smashed avocado, tomato, rocket & mayo on a classic burger bun $14 plus fat chips $4

Would we go back? An old favourite from when we first moved westside. We haven't been for a while, but I'm glad to report that the courtyard is still a nice place to relax on a beautiful day.
Time and date of visit: 2 pm Wednesday 22 January 2014

Famous Blue Raincoat
25B Vernon Street, South Kingsville, Victoria, Australia (03) 9391 8520
Open Wednesday - Sunday, 9 am - 10.30 pm

Taipei Delight - Glen Waverley, Victoria

"Ice Soy Bean Milk" $2.50

"Pay-fry Spring Onion Cake" $3.50

"Five Spicy Deep Fry Tofu" $6.50

"Egg Pan-Cake" $4.50

"Sticky Rice Ball" $5.50

"Steam Mini Pork Bun (6 pcs)" $5.00

Would we go back? I woke up with a craving for Tawainese - for Mother Chu's Tawainese Gourmet to be exact. But alas, we were not in Sydney. So after doing a little research, I settled for trying out Taipei Delight. A bit of a failed mission unfortunately. Perhaps we ordered the wrong things... but I don't think we'll be trekking out to Glen Waverley again any time soon.
Time and date of visit: 12.30 pm Monday 30 December 2013

Taipei Delight
14 Kingsway, Glen Waverley, Victoria, Australia (03) 9803 8788
Open 7 days, 11 am - 9 pm

Laksa King - Flemington, Victoria

Teh tarik (cold) - Malaysian specially sweet 'hand-pulled' tea to create a thick froth 3.8

Roti with satay sauce 6.8

Roti with satay sauce 6.8

Nasi lemak special - a unique Malaysian coconut rice dish with pickled vegetables, anchovies, peanuts and a hard-boiled egg with curry chicken 10.5

Combination curry laksa - mixed noodle with shrimp, fishcake and chicken 9.8

Would we go back? Most definitely - cheap fare that definitely hit the spot.
Time and date of visit: 2.30 pm Thursday 2 January 2014

Laksa King
6 - 12 Pin Oak Crescent, Flemington, Victoria, Australia (03) 9372 6383
Open for lunch 7 days 11.30 am - 3 pm,  for dinner Sun - Thu 5 pm - 10 pm and Fri - Sat 5 pm - 10.30 pm

Brae - Birregurra, Victoria

Rhubarb Fennel Fizz - Melbourne Dry Gin, Rhubarb, Fennel, Lelmon / 20

Summer
$180 pp

(with matched wines +$120 pp)

Beef tendon and native pepperberry

Asparagus and prawn

Burnt pretzel, treacle and pork & Wallaby and flax, lemon myrtle and wattle

Calamari and pickles

Salad of mussels, salt cod cream

Southern rock lobster cooked with carrot, white onion, sea butter

Southern rock lobster cooked with carrot, white onion, sea butter

Grass fed wagyu and grilled lettuce

Charred radicchio and duck offal

Charred radicchio and duck offal

Short fin eel, rock samphire, finger lime, Otway shiitake

Watermelon, snow pea, rhubarb and rose

Parsnip and apple

Berries and blood biscuit

{ view photos via exposure }

Would we go back? There were some hits, and there were definitely some misses. Overall, we're going to give Brae a chance to find their feet before a revisit.
Time and date of visit: 1 pm Sunday 29 December 2013

Brae
4285 Cape Otway Road, Birregurra, Victoria, Australia (03) 5236 2226
Open for dinner, Thursday to Sunday and for lunch, Friday to Monday