crispy bacon

Ms. G’s

Burrata, “strange flavour style” sesame sauce, chilli oil, spinach, peanuts

It was the “strange flavour style” description that drew in our attention, but it didn’t taste strange at all. The Asian flavours nicely complemented the creamy burrata, and this was quite an enjoyable dish.

★★★☆☆

Kingfish, aged ponzu, konbu, chives

Fresh and delicious.

★★★★☆

Cheeseburger spring rolls

I loved how these tasted exactly like cheeseburgers, although $6 per spring roll was a bit steep.

★★★★☆

Warm salad of calamari and pork belly, soft egg, caramelised shallot dressing, “bibim style”

A delightful Asian salad that had a good variety of flavours and textures.

★★★☆☆

Homemade fettuccine, octopus cooked with kimchi, spicy marinara sauce

An interesting fusion dish that was spicier than expected.

★★★☆☆

Stoner’s Delight Part 3

(doughnut ice cream, peanut dulce de leche, peanut and pretzel brittle, crispy bacon, mars bar brownie, raspberry curd, potato chips, deep fried Nutella)

So wrong yet so right.

★★★★☆

Raj Mirage #2

(pandan, calpis, lime, fresh mint, soda)

★★★★★

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Pash a Panda

(yuzu, passionfruit, cranberry, soda)

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

Brilliant experience at a place where the menu is quirky and interesting, the atmosphere buzzing, and the service quite speedy considering how busy this place is.

Ms. G’s

155 Victoria St, Potts Point, NSW

(02) 9240 3000

http://merivale.com.au/msgs

Pavlov’s Duck

Lankan Frenchy

(organic croissant, soft boiled egg, chilli fried potatoes, Asian tabouli, fish and potato fritter)

★★★☆☆

Sweet and Savoury

(bircher muesli mixed berries, coconut chia pudding and clustered granola, boiled egg, sourdough toast)

★★★☆☆

Red Velvet Pancakes

(with lemon curd, grapes, banana, almond flakes, raspberry jelly, agave syrup and crispy bacon)

★★★☆☆

Milk Rice

(rice pudding with chilli chicken curry, spicy onion relish and an Asian pretzel)

★★☆☆☆

Kottu

(chopped roti, vegetables, spices, fried egg)

★★★☆☆

Hoppers

(three plain hoppers with dhal, coconut sambol and chilli onion)

★★★☆☆

Monsieur Truffe 70% Hot Chocolate

Rich and velvety, one of my favourite hot chocolates at the moment.

★★★★★

Overall:

If you are looking for a unique brunch menu, look no further than Pavlov’s Duck! The Sri Lankan inspired dishes here are bold, full of flavour and wonderfully plated. Service was down to earth, and the warehouse-like space is typical of a hipster brunch place. A hoppers making station can also be found at the front so you can watch your hoppers being freshly made. In any case, I’m coming back for the hot chocolate.

Pavlov’s Duck

401 Smith St, Fitzroy, VIC

(03) 9416 4336

http://pavlovsduck.com.au/

Cafe 51

The Meataxe

(beef patty, crispy southern fried chicken, crispy bacon, double dirty cheese, lettuce, onion rings, two jalapeno poppers, chipotle and XXX BBQ sauce)

★★★☆☆

Mac Daddy

(mac’n’cheese, triple dirty cheese, beef patty, potato cake, slow cooked beef brisket, crispy bacon, ketchup, mustard and mayo)

★★★☆☆

Soul Sister

(crispy southern fried chicken, American cheddar, crispy bacon, hand cut pickles, house made chipotle, American mustard and maple syrup in a toasted waffle)

★★★☆☆

Disco Fries

(fries, melted cheese and gravy)

★★★☆☆

Dirty Fries

(fries, bacon, melted cheese and ranch sauce)

★★★☆☆

Overall:

Look no further than Cafe 51 for big juicy burgers that are stacked high with tasty fillings. There are plenty of creatively named burgers to choose from as well as a variety of hot dogs, subs, fries and shakes. Service was quick and everything was good value for money. Although this place is in the middle of nowhere, it has undoubtedly become quite popular. We thankfully arrived before the lunch time rush and managed to grab some seats at one of their few tables. This visit certainly earned me an extra gym session, but I’d like to think that it was worth it.

Cafe 51

51 Buckhurst St, South Melbourne, VIC

(03) 9699 7853

http://www.cafe51.com.au/