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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/

Percy’s Aeroplane Cafe

Matcha Hotcakes

(green tea hotcakes sandwiched between a Nutella brioche donut drizzled with chocolate ganache, pistachio and a dollop of whipped cream served with fresh and reduced red berries)

Deliciously decadent without being excessively sweet.

★★★★☆

Percy Thyme

(roasted mushrooms infused with thyme and garlic, tossed through baby spinach and served on smashed avocado and multigrain toast, served with dukkah, goats curd and a poached egg)

A good solid dish however the serving size of this used to be larger.

★★★☆☆

Pulled Pork Benedict

(poached eggs smothered in apple cider hollandaise, apple, roast pumpkin, onion, garlic and carrot, resting on a toasted pan de mie bun)

The toasted bun was surprisingly incredible! Generously buttered, soft in the middle and ultra crispy around the edges. The rest of the dish was also quite tasty however the rubbery overcooked eggs were a disappointing let down.

★★★☆☆

Matcha latte

Weak and watery.

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

A friend of mine suggested this place for a recent catchup and I was pleasantly surprised with our experience. The atmosphere was comfortable and although we were seated by ourselves all the way in the back room, the service was great as the wait staff continually checked up on us to refill our water and ask if we needed anything. What I also liked about this place was the staff’s interest on customer feedback. Apart from asking the usual question of whether or not we enjoyed our meals, we were asked about our thoughts on the Matcha Hotcakes, which were a new menu item (eg. Was the serving size adequate? Was the dish sweet enough?). Serving sizes in general could be improved, but I’d still return if I was in the area.

Percy’s Aeroplane Cafe

96 Denmark Street, Kew, VIC

(03) 9939 7642

Mum’s Burger Kitchen

Pamela Burger

(double beef patty, double cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, garlic aioli, tomato relish)

This burger was huge and multiple bites were needed for me to get through all the layers. The taste reminded me of a Hungry Jack’s whopper except with less of a flame grilled flavour.

★★★☆☆

Macaroni and Cheese

Kind of tasted like instant mac and cheese.

★★☆☆☆

Barbara Burger

(beef, cheese, spinach, roast pumpkin, eggplant, beetroot, onion, tomato relish, avocado, basil pesto)

Really tasty. I’d definitely order this again.

★★★★☆

Bad Boy Chips

These chips took a really long time to come out but at least they were super fresh albeit underseasoned.

★★★☆☆

Overall:

The buns and burger fillings were great however the beef patties were inconsistent. Some parts would have a nice char-grill flavour, while other parts had no flavour at all. Service was friendly but seats are limited so it’s a good idea to book a table if you plan on dining during peak times. Otherwise you can simply order takeaway and enjoy your burgers somewhere else.

Mum’s Burger Kitchen

Boronia Village, 5/159 Boronia Rd, Boronia, VIC

(03) 9761 3363

Chickilia

Soy Garlic Chicken Wings

Crispy and well flavoured.

★★★★☆

Kimchi Jjigae with Ramen

(kimchi, onion, spring onion, tofu, garlic)

Comforting and mildly spicy.

★★★☆☆

Overall:

This tiny bright orange place offers a variety of typical Korean fare, but the fried chicken is what you should order. I was a bit disappointed that they didn’t have any original fried chicken on the menu, but the soy garlic was quite enjoyable so it wasn’t a big deal in the end.

Chickilia

259 Springvale Rd, Glen Waverley, VIC

(03) 9886 3851

http://chickilia.com/

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/

Lot 3

Soda fountain with house-made sodas

Yuzu Soda

Zesty and aromatic, this soda was undeniably refreshing.

★★★★☆

Chai Latte

Creamy, subtly sweet and spicy.

★★★★☆

Refried Pasta In Red Sauce

Hearty with a delicious sweetness from the caramelised onions.

★★★☆☆

Pressed Pork Jowl In A Bun

Fantastic combination of flavours, crunchy tender pork.

★★★★☆

Eggplant Parma In A Bun

A very palatable burger except the eggplant was extremely soft and just went everywhere with every bite.

★★★★☆

Overall:

Located in the former train master’s house at Ripponlea Station, Lot 3 is a unique eatery that offers uncomplicated quality food. The owners previously worked at Attica and take pride in hand making almost everything on their menu here at Lot 3. Although there are only a handful of items on the menu, the menu does change weekly. The staff were lovely and the space is small and simple with only 16 seats available. I envy the commuters of Ripponlea Station and their easy access to this gem of a place.

Lot 3

3 Glen Eira Ave, Ripponlea, VIC

(03) 9972 9523

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

Pizza Religion

Pork Pizza

(pork sausage, chilli, fennel, apple and cabbage salad)

Quite enjoyable but there wasn’t enough pork sausage (many mouthfuls of this pizza were purely of cabbage salad)

★★★☆☆

Beef Cheek Pizza

(braised beef cheek, celeriac puree, caramelised onions and gremolta)

The pungent beef cheek tasted marvellous with the sweet caramelised onions.

★★★★☆

Overall:

There is a wide range of fresh gourmet pizza toppings available and they are all served on crispy thin crusts. The staff here are helpful and the atmosphere is truly family friendly.

Pizza Religion

493 Tooronga Rd, Hawthorn, VIC

(03) 9882 2555

http://pizzareligion.com.au/

Japanese curry

Recipe:

any meat of your choice (cut into large chunks)
1 large onion (roughly chopped)
2 large potatoes (cut into large chunks)
3 carrots (cut into large chunks)
1 capsicum (or any other vegetable you have on hand, chopped)
3 cups of water
100g of Golden Curry sauce mix
soy sauce

1. Heat pan with oil, fry the onion until it becomes clear, add your meat

2. Once the meat is cooked, add the vegetables and water, bring to a boil.

3. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.

4. Add the Golden Curry sauce mix and stir continuously until it dissolves.

5. Add a dash of soy sauce for more flavour.

6. Take off the heat and serve with rice.

Overall:

Simple, tasty, perfect for a weekday meal. (Note that the “Hot” Golden Curry sauce mix is NOT hot at all)