Mushroom

Changz Canteen

Truffle and Mushroom Burger

(double beef and cheese, enoki fries, mushroom ‘ketchup’, truffle, roast garlic aioli)

Juicy beef patties that were well cooked, strong truffle flavour.

★★★☆☆

Canteen Classic with Fries

(beef, chicken brick, double cheese, bacon, onion, pickles, jalapeño, lettuce, canteen sauce)

This substantial burger was distinctively peppery, while the canteen sauce reminded us of Big Mac sauce.

★★★☆☆

Fried Chicken Ribs with Aioli

These tasty ribs were coated in a super crispy batter, and are only $1 each on Sundays!

★★★☆☆

Overall:

Solid burgers, enthusiastic staff, awesome Star Wars decor. Burger joints are a dime a dozen these days in Melbourne, and although nothing we tried was phenomenal, I really hope that these guys make it.

Changz Canteen

256 Glen Eira Rd, Elsternwick, VIC

(03) 8592 4941

http://changzcanteen.com.au/

Bibimfresh

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Bibimfresh Signature Bowl

(kale, oak leaf, onion, pear, red cabbage, carrots and sashimi served with chojang sauce)

Fresh and healthy!

★★★☆☆

Kim Mari

(deep fried seaweed rolls filled with glass noodles)

I had never come across anything like this before so was curious to try these out. These little parcels of deep fried goodness had great crunch but needed the dipping sauce as they were quite bland.

★★★☆☆

Ddokbokki Carbonara

(rice cakes served with Korean style carbonara sauce, mushroom, prawns and bacon)

Small portion aside, I really enjoyed this carbonara dish! And the combination with the ddokbokki wasn’t anything extreme so this dish worked well for me.

★★★★☆

Spicy Seafood and Tofu Soup

(spicy soup with soft tofu, vegetables, and seafood served with white rice)

Mildly spicy with lots of tofu.

★★★☆☆

Kimchi Fried Rice

(kimchi fried rice, pork, fried egg)

The runny yolk mixed with the spicy fried rice made this really tasty.

★★★☆☆

Matcha Cake

This delicate sponge cake wasn’t overly sweet (which was nice), and had a distinctive matcha taste.

★★★★☆

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I loved all the awesome air plants that they had on each table.

Overall:

Bibimfresh isn’t your typical Korean joint. This place is bright and spacious, and offers a unique menu of delicious fusion food. From customised quinoa bibimbap and green juice to fried chicken and poutine fries, there is definitely something here for everyone.

Bibimfresh

Shop 9, 108 Bourke Street, Melbourne, VIC

(03) 9654 2371

https://bibimfresh.com/

Shimbashi Soba & Sake Bar

Kamo Nan Soba

(noodles with sliced seasoned duck meat and mushrooms in a warm soup)

Aside from the tough chewy duck that was in the soup, everything was really good.

★★★★☆

Salmon Salad Soba

(chilled noodles with salmon sashimi and green salad topped with basil sauce)

A refreshing salad with nicely seared salmon.

★★★★☆

Agedashi Tofu

(deep fried tofu in a soy based broth)

★★★☆☆

Complimentary potato salad

★★★☆☆

Overall:

Look no further for fresh authentic soba noodles! Using Tasmanian buckwheat, an in-house Japanese stone mill produces buckwheat flour daily which is then used to make their hand-kneaded noodles. Service was friendly however the arrival of our food was very staggered. Note that this place only accepts lunch reservations, so arrive early for dinner or expect a bit of a wait.

Shimbashi Soba & Sake Bar

17 Liverpool St, Melbourne, VIC

(03) 9654 6727

http://www.shimbashisobamelbourne.net/

Thai Tamarind

Gaeng Phed Ped Yang

(red duck curry with vegetables, pineapple and lychee)

Lots of colourful vegetables, generous amount of duck, while the pineapple and lychee added some nice sweetness.

★★★☆☆

Pad Bah Mee

(stir-fried rice noodles with carrot, egg, onion, cabbage and bean sprouts)

★★☆☆☆

Tom Yum

(clear spicy and sour soup with chicken, lemongrass, tomato, onion and mushroom)

Fragrant and mildly spicy.

★★☆☆☆

Mixed Entree

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

One of the few Asian restaurants in Margaret River, this place offered prompt service but average Thai fare. The ventilation here could also be improved as we left smelling strongly of stir fry.

Thai Tamarind

Shop 1/97 Bussell Highway, Margaret River, WA

(08) 9757 9041

http://www.thaitamarindmargaretriver.com/

Carnegie Korean BBQ

What’s better than Korean BBQ? The answer is all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ!

Pork Belly, Mushroom, Onion, Sweet Potato

Pasta Salad, Bean Sprouts, Kimchi, Fish Cake

Mandu

Beef Bibimbap

Soy Bean Soup

Green Tea and Black Sesame Ice Cream

Overall:

There are 2 all-you-can-eat options: the Standard Buffet ($31.90) and the Gourmet Buffet ($35.50). For a few dollars more the Gourmet Buffet offered a greater selection of meats, soups and dessert, so we ended up opting for this. We initially wanted to try all the different meats however this turned out to be impossible as there was simply too much food! The meats that we did manage to try included the LA Beef Ribs, Beef Brisket, Marinated Beef, Diced Beef, Non Spicy Chicken, Pork Belly, and Spicy Pork. The only meat that did not take our fancy was the Diced Beef as it was super tough and extremely difficult to chew. The staff were friendly however unlike some other Korean BBQ places, they don’t help out with any of the barbequing (which was fine with us). In any case, the all-you-can-eat options here are perfect for all you carnivores out there.

Carnegie Korean BBQ

Shop 2, 23 Koornang Rd, Carnegie, VIC

(03) 9563 6608

Tim Ho Wan

Whenever a new restaurant opens, I often wait a little while so that I can read other people’s reviews and get a feel of the place before I head there myself. Thus I was fully aware of how long the queues here can become and decided to go on a weeknight. We arrived at 5:40pm and were immediately handed green clipboards with order forms to fill out.

By 6:00pm we were seated and once we pressed the buzzer at our table, a staff member appeared and confirmed our order by marking it on our menu/placemats. We didn’t have to wait very long before our food arrived…

Pork Dumpling with Shrimp

★★★☆☆

Steamed Egg Cake

★★★★☆

Vermicelli Roll with Shrimp

★★☆☆☆

Pan-Fried Turnip Cake

★★☆☆☆

Wasabi Salad Prawn Dumpling

★★★☆☆

Rice with Chicken, Sausage and Mushroom

★★★☆☆

Vermicelli Roll with Pig’s Liver

★★☆☆☆

Baked Bun with BBQ Pork

★★★★☆

Beancurd Skin Roll with Shrimp

★★★☆☆

Prawn Dumpling

★★★☆☆

Beancurd Skin Roll with Pork and Shrimp

★★★☆☆

Overall:

While I enjoyed my experience at Tim Ho Wan, there wasn’t anything in particular that makes me want to go rushing back. I found most of the food to be comparable to that found at good Yum Cha places around Melbourne, except the portions here are smaller and it’s a bit more pricier. What really stood out for me however was the steamed egg cake (which was incredibly light and fluffy), and of course the baked buns with BBQ pork (which had a sweet and crispy exterior that strangely worked well with the savoury BBQ pork interior). Service was prompt and efficient and I admire how well organised and smoothly this place runs. Avoid this place at peak lunch and dinner times if you hate long queues, otherwise there are plenty of seats that have been thoughtfully placed along the queue so that you rest your feet while you are waiting to get into this Michelin-starred restaurant.

Tim Ho Wan

206 Bourke St, Melbourne, VIC

http://www.timhowan.com.au/

The Roving Marrow

Manuka smoked duck breast, liver parfait, caramel apricot

Well cooked duck with a wonderful combination of flavours.

★★★☆☆

Mozzarella pasta, peas, goats cheese

The mozzarella pasta was so amazingly smooth, while the fresh peas and goats cheese added incredible taste and texture.

★★★★★

Whole wheat sour dough with burnt butter

Quality butter and delicious sourdough fresh from the oven.

★★★★☆

Hen’s egg, smoked potato, shiitake, mushroom

Small but tasty.

★★★★☆

Potato chips and dip

These triple cooked chips were ordinary however the wasabi aioli dip was seriously top-notch.

★★★☆☆

Skull island prawn, creamed corn, kimchi salt

More delicious prawns please!

★★★☆☆

Strawberries, meringue, lychees, fragrant watermelon jelly

If only this strange watermelon jelly sheet contained something that looked and tasted more inspiring.

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

Sleek decor, attentive service, exceptional quality food. A place I would happily return to.

The Roving Marrow

418 Lygon St, Carlton, VIC

(03) 9347 7419

http://www.theastorcarlton.com.au/restaurant/

Addict Food and Coffee

Granola

House made coconut yogurt, fresh strawberry and orange, cinnamon, dried cranberries, raisins and apricots

★★★☆☆

Addict’s Pulled Pork Burger

12 hour cooked pork shoulder, slaw, jalapeños, gochujang mayo, salt and vinegar chips

★★★★☆

Grilled Cheese Kransky Big Breakfast

Bacon, fried egg, mushroom, smoked confit tomato, spicy apple and tomato chutney, gluten free toast

★★☆☆☆

Dark Choc Fondant Pancake

Wild hibiscus, strawberry, cacao crumble, mascarpone

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

I had a lovely experience but the food, service and atmosphere were nothing out of the ordinary. Perhaps my expectations were set too high after reading so many glowing reviews about this place. Or perhaps we ordered the wrong dishes. Or perhaps we came on an off day. Perhaps perhaps perhaps!

Addict Food and Coffee

240 Johnston St, Fitzroy, VIC

(03) 9415 6420

Dip In Cafe

Dip In The Atlantic

(scrambled eggs with dill and chilli, served with smoked salmon and a cherry tomato, pine nut and basil salad)

★★★☆☆

Mushroom Madness

(spinach and cream cheese dip with poached eggs, halloumi cheese and a medley of marinated mushrooms)

★★★☆☆

Overall:

Bread bowls are such a simple and delightful concept. It’s a shame that very few places offer bread bowls these days. Perhaps it’s to do with wastage seeing as the soft fluffy interior is taken out and not used. But that is definitely not the case at Dip It Cafe where we discovered that the bread interiors were all donated to charity. We also discovered the bread bowls to be surprisingly very filling. Service was friendly and the décor charming with lots of quirky ornaments and a superb wall mural.

Dip In Cafe

20-22 McKillop St, Melbourne, VIC

(03) 9670 5379

http://dipin.com.au/

Muharam Cafe

Golden Gaytime Shake

EXTREMELY SWEET and didn’t really taste like Golden Gaytime now that I think about it.

★★☆☆☆

Spiced Sweetcorn Fritters with red pepper salsa, avocado and haloumi

Crispy fritters with a hint of smokiness and spice.

★★★☆☆

Trio of Sliders: Chicken Schnitz and Slaw, Wagyu Beef, Mushroom and Haloumi and Pesto

The chicken and beef were dry, while the haloumi and pesto combination made for a significantly salty slider.

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

After seeing heaps of Instagram photos of Muharam Cafe’s incredible Nut-tellin’ doughnut shake (which is essentially a Nutella doughnut on top of a Nutella milkshake), I knew I had to come here to try one. The only problem was that they had run out of doughnuts! At 12:30pm! On a weekday! Our friendly waitress told us that they could still make us the shake minus the doughnut, but who would want a doughnut-less doughnut shake? Now onto the food menu. I had already looked at the menu before coming here and knew that I wanted the Red Velvet Pancakes. You can only imagine how devastated I was when we were told that the Red Velvet Pancakes had sold out! My next choice would have been the crumpets but before I could even form the words in my mouth, our waitress told us that the crumpets had also sold out! Dammit.

After all that disappointment, I had my fingers crossed that what we ordered would have been great to justify coming back again for the Nut-tellin’ doughnut shake and Red Velvet Pancakes. Unfortunately it wasn’t so I don’t think I’ll be coming back here in a hurry.

Muharam Cafe

97 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn, VIC

(03) 9818 7722

http://www.muharam.com.au/