Almonds

Feast of Merit

Jerusalem artichoke and chips, Iraqi spices, dill

I love jerusalem artichoke and devoured this in no time!

★★★★☆

White BBQ fish, yogurt, sesame, lemon, herbs

Moist succulent fish.

★★★☆☆

Pumpkin, baharat, almonds, moghrabieh, barberries, garlic aioli

Great combination of ingredients. Plus I am now a big fan of moghrabieh (Lebanese couscous).

★★★★☆

Overall:

Delicious Middle Eastern influenced food, efficient staff, cosy rustic atmosphere. Portions were small considering the prices however I didn’t mind too much as 100% of the profits directly support YGAP (a movement of entrepreneurs who launch ventures to improve the lives of people living in poverty). Kudos to Feast of Merit for supporting a great cause.

Feast of Merit

117 Swan St, Richmond, VIC

(03) 9428 8480

http://www.feastofmerit.com

Aunt Billies Cafe

Backyard Brekkie

(eggs anyway, garlic and thyme mushrooms, pumpkin, haloumi, kale, bean ragout)

Hearty and satisfying.

★★★★☆

Billie’s Bowl

(cauliflower, freekah, kale, avocado, seeds, almonds, grains, currants, poached egg)

A substantial salad that could have been improved with a wider variety of textures.

★★☆☆☆

Roasted Mushrooms

(mushrooms, kale, toasted hazelnuts, goats fetta, lemon, and a poached egg on grain toast)

★★★☆☆

Overall:

Solid dishes, down to earth staff, welcoming and cheery atmosphere. No wonder this little suburban cafe was packed when we went. Note that this place takes bookings.

Aunt Billies Cafe

184 Surrey Rd, Blackburn, VIC

(03) 9894 7774

Moroccan Soup Bar

Hummus, yoghurt, olives, potatoes, eggplant and pickled carrots served with flatbread

Roasted eggplant, yogurt, rice, almonds

Tomato rice, yogurt, eggplant, salad, almonds

Rice and vegetables (cannot remember what this was exactly)

Chickpea bake (sumac, almonds, yoghurt, chickpeas, crunchy pita crisps)

Stewed pumpkin

Rice and salad (cannot remember what this was exactly)

Turmeric rice, lentils

7 Vegetables with couscous

Fried doughnuts, coconut date balls, pistachio baklava

Mint tea

Black coffee

Overall:

Whenever I used to think about Moroccan Soup Bar, I always thought about their chickpea bake. I had it for the first time a few years ago and I remember being blown away by how deliciously crunchy and creamy it was. I was seriously looking forward to sampling it again. The first thing I noticed about the chickpea bake this time around was was how oily it was. A lot of oil pooled on top of the yogurt and the pita crisps were also quite oily. I could only eat so much before I had to stop. Don’t get me wrong it’s still a nice dish, but I definitely did not enjoy it as much as I did previously.

A verbal menu is used here and this usually results in people choosing the easiest option which is a banquet. A $23 banquet includes dips, mains, dessert and coffee while a $28 banquet includes starters, dips, mains, dessert and coffee. We chose the $28 banquet which offered a good variety of dishes that were average to good, as well as extremely sweet desserts. The mint tea served reminded me of toothpaste while the coffee was nice and strong.

Service was average and the atmosphere was pleasant and homely. A few things to note: this place is closed on Mondays, bookings can only be made for 6 or more, and you need to bring your own containers if you order takeaway.

Moroccan Soup Bar

183 St Georges Rd, Fitzroy North, VIC

(03) 9482 4240

http://www.moroccansoupbar.com.au/

Miss Marple’s Tearoom

Devonshire Scones (plain and fruit) served with home-made raspberry jam and freshly whipped cream

The scones were moist and fluffy, and had a texture that was comparable to a light cake. The jam was sweet and fruity, while the cream was deliciously light (our waitress informed us that the jam and cream were refillable).

★★★☆☆

Miss Marple’s Famous Fingers – chicken, cheese and asparagus

These open toasted sandwiches were quite cheese heavy and needed a bit more chicken in them.

★★☆☆☆

Miss Marple’s “Sundae Best” (layers of ice cream and berry sauce topped with chocolate fudge, whipped cream, almond biscotti, roasted flaked almonds and strawberries)

This thing was HUGE and we only managed to get through half before throwing in the towel.

★★★☆☆

Overall:

After reading so many negative reviews, I was initially wary about coming here. But my experience turned out to be a really enjoyable one. We arrived on a foggy Saturday morning at around 11am and were seated immediately. The atmosphere was very intimate and homely (teapots and kettles everywhere, floral tablecloths and curtains, traditional English lamps, fireplace), the service was prompt and polite, and the food was delightful.

Miss Marple’s Tearoom

382 Mount Dandenong Tourist Rd, Sassafras, VIC

(03) 9755 1610

http://www.missmarplestearoom.com/

Yong Green Food

Quinoa Fritter

Fried organic quinoa patties with veggies and spices, served with coconut chilli sauce

★★★☆☆

Buckwheat Crepe

Organic buckwheat crepe with braised shitake mushrooms and wasabi soy mayo

★★☆☆☆

Dragon Bowl

Biodynamic brown rice topped with assorted veggies, organic tofu, red chili paste and sesame oil, served with miso soup

★★☆☆☆

Rawsagne

Layered zucchini with mushroom, avocado, cashew cream and raw walnut bolognaise

★★★☆☆

Kelp Pad Thai

Kelp noodles mixed with organic veggies and a creamy chilli cashew sauce, topped with tamari almonds

★★★☆☆

Teriyaki Chicken

Wheat chicken pan-fried in teriyaki sauce with biodynamic brown rice and vegetables

★★☆☆☆

Green Tea Ganache

Macha, brazil nuts, goji berries, coconut, agave and raw chocolate

★★★☆☆

Black Sesame Ice cream topped with Goji Berries

★★☆☆☆

Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake

Cashew, raspberries, agave, cacao butter, macadamia nuts, coconut flakes

★★★☆☆

Overall:

As I was leaving Yong Green Food, I thought to myself that maybe I could become a vegetarian. But then a tantalising aroma of barbecued meat came floating down the street and I thought maybe not. But seriously, the food here is pretty amazing. The delicious and creative menu has many dietary options including raw, vegan, gluten-free as well as a no garlic and onion option (which was perfect for one of my friends who always has to check whether or not a dish contains garlic or onion). The menu here was quite extensive and there were many things that I wanted to try, particularly in the raw section of the menu. For those who are omnivores, I recommend not ordering anything that contains meat substitute as it will taste nothing like the real thing. Service was quick and friendly, and the ambience was relaxed and casual. I love how sustainability is an important aspect to those here at Yong Green Food. Not only do they serve predominantly organic vegetarian food using eco-friendly methods, they also use GreenPower renewable energy and donate 10% of their profits to help support farmer managed natural regeneration in East Africa.

If only I lived closer… I would be here all the time.

Note that this place is closed on Mondays.

Yong Green Food

421 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, VIC

(03) 9417 3338

http://yonggreenfood.com.au/