Zucchini

Suga Korean Restaurant

Tofu Canape

(pan fried homemade tofu topped with Suga’s seasoned rice balls and fried lotus chips, served with wasabi mayo)

★★★☆☆

Side Dishes

★★★★☆

Seafood Pajeon

★★★☆☆

Original Fried Chicken

Sadly dry.

★★☆☆☆

Handmade Kal-Gook-Soo

(knife-cut wheat noodles boiled with egg in fish broth, flavoured with seasoning, onions, garlic, topped with carrots and dried seaweed)

★★★★☆

Spicy Soft Tofu Stew

(soft tofu stew with seafood, mushrooms, zucchini, spring onions and onions in spicy hot soup topped with a cracked egg)

★★★★☆

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Soondae

(Korean style sausages stuffed with pork blood, sweet potato glass noodles, carrots, onions, spring onions, seasoned with ginger, salt, garlic and pepper)

With so many other ingredients mixed in, these didn’t taste like your typical blood sausage (ie. they didn’t have that livery iron-rich blood taste)

★★★☆☆

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Cold Noodles

(thin buckwheat noodles served icy cold in beef broth topped with cucumber, beef slices, half a boiled egg, served with vinegar and mustard)

★★☆☆☆

Tofu donuts with vanilla custard and ice cream

There was tofu mixed throughout the batter which made these donuts extra soft on the inside.

★★★☆☆

Overall:

You will find a huge range of traditional and contemporary Korean dishes at Suga, many of which I have not seen served anywhere else. The must try item however is their delicious home-made tofu which is prepared daily on site! Staff were friendly but service was slow. I just have to make sure that I’m hungry but not ravenously hungry the next time I come here.

Suga Korean Restaurant

269 Huntingdale Rd, Chadstone, VIC

(03) 9888 1001

http://www.sugarestaurant.com/

Cheerio

Baked eggs with spicy beans and lentils, fresh herb salad, lemon labne and dukkah served with toasted sourdough

The fresh chilli gave this dish a nice kick!

★★★☆☆

Quinoa, charred corn and zucchini fritters, shaved fennel, watercress, fresh herbs, sumac dressing, dukkah, poached egg

The fritters were good but the real highlight was the amazing salad and dressing.

★★★★☆

Sticky ham hock, fresh Asian herbs, chilli, black vinegar, tamarind hollandaise, and poached eggs on toasted sourdough

The ham hock was fall-apart-tender and the hollandaise extremely delectable, however this was quite a heavy dish and was a struggle to finish.

★★★★☆

One quarter of the brioche french toast special

We were too full to order individual desserts so we decided to share the french toast amongst the four of us. What came as a surprise was that the chef took the time and effort to divide up the dish and had plated it up on four separate plates! Thoughtful service aside, this dish was delicious!

★★★★☆

Overall:

A delightful gem of a place that stood out not only because of the food, but also the terrific service. The staff were super friendly and we felt very welcome right from the get-go. The only downside about Cheerio is its tiny size and limited seating, so there may be a bit of a wait during peak times.

Cheerio

323 Lennox St, Richmond, VIC

0456 925 659

Street Talk Espresso

The Boss Of All Challah

(Challah French toast squares, stewed apple, seasonal fruits, mascarpone, Tim Tam sand, espresso caviar)

★★★★☆

The Mighty Ducks

(zucchini, cauliflower and haloumi fritters, 5 spice duck breast, lemon tahini yogurt, soft herb salad, toffee glass shards, butter and sage jus)

★★★★☆

Overall:

Friendly service, casual atmosphere, and delicious food that was beautifully presented. Well worth a visit for all you brunch lovers out there.

Street Talk Espresso

710 High St, Armadale, VIC

(03) 9509 9687

https://www.streettalkcafe.com.au/

Serotonin Eatery

Positive Pancakes

(three organic banana flour pancakes with house-made banana ice cream, mixed berries, yogurt balls covered in roasted almonds, organic agave)

★★★☆☆

Happy Zucchini Linguine

(raw zucchini spirals in red pesto with walnuts topped with fresh basil, mint and dill)

★★★☆☆

Super Smashed Avo

(smashed avocado topped with house-made beetroot relish, fresh chilli and poached eggs on organic sourdough)

★★★☆☆

Overall:

The menu at Serotonin Eatery simply screamed HEALTHY. The words ‘organic’, ‘raw’ and ‘house-made’ appeared everywhere, while the familiar words of ‘bacon’, ‘french toast’ and even ‘fried eggs’ were nowhere to be found. In fact everything on the menu is vegan or gluten free or both. Having said that, the food we tried offered great flavours and I left feeling wonderfully guilt-free. I can’t say that I also left feeling completely satisfied though as portions were a bit on the small side. The service was average, the atmosphere bright and cheery, and the decor simply unique with their shiny gold cutlery, comfortable Japanese style couches, and awesome swing chairs! The perfect place to head to for those who are health conscious or for those who just really like swings.

Serotonin Eatery

52 Madden Grove, Burnley, VIC

(03) 8658 3124

http://www.serotonindealer.com/

Liar Liar

Quinoa and potato rosti with smoked salmon, avocado, poached egg and hollandaise

Perfectly poached egg, decent serving of avocado and salmon, and deliciously crispy rosti with the quinoa providing great texture.

★★★★☆

Zucchini, herb and chilli fritters with smoked salmon, tomatoes, feta and yogurt dressing, and served with mixed leaves

The fritters were massive, and they were also quite moist and herby.

★★★☆☆

Overall:

A place worth visiting for breakfast/brunch/lunch if you happen to be in the Hawthorn area. The service is fast and everything on the menu looks delicious.

Liar Liar

90 Kinkora Rd, Hawthorn, VIC

(03) 9818 8864

http://www.liarliarcafe.com.au/

Nshry

129a Beaconsfield Parade, Albert Park 9682 1077

Umami Burger

Corn and Zucchini Fritters

Coffee Syphon

Thoughts:

Umami Burger – 200g Wagyu and Angus beef (cooked medium rare unless otherwise specified), umami rub, brown mushroom sauce, gruyere, caramelised onions, oven roasted tomato and a parmesan crisp between a sweet brioche bun with a side of beer battered chips, coleslaw, cornichons, spicy chip dip, tomato sauce and wasabi kewpie. Don’t be fooled by the petite size of this burger as it is quite heavy and filling. The beef patty itself lacked flavour but the other ingredients made up for it. The chips were satisfying (crunchy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside) and the selection of side dips were great. (I particularly enjoyed the wasabi kewpie) = Good

Corn and Zucchini Fritters – a generous serving of crunchy panko crumbed corn and zucchini fritters topped with smoked salmon, avocado, a perfectly poached egg and wasabi kewpie = Good

Overall:

Nshry (pronounced ‘noshery’) offers beautiful beachfront views and a tasty unique Japanese inspired menu. You have to work a little bit to get the attention from the staff but at least the food comes out quickly. This place is quite small and the tables inside can get a bit cramped on days when the weather isn’t so good so best to come along on a warm and pretty day.

The Foodrinkery

22 Banksia St, Burwood 9808 2468

Chermoula Eggs

Pumpkin Toastie

Thoughts:

Chermoula Eggs – grilled zucchini, smashed pumpkin, poached eggs and chermoula on toasted Turkish bread = Not bad

Pumpkin Toastie – smashed pumpkin, roasted cashew, kale and basil pesto and marinated feta in toasted ciabatta = Not bad

Overall:

Unexceptional food and service, charming country-like atmosphere, a great place to take the kids to as there is a park right next door.

Cutler & Co.

55-57 Gertrude St, Fitzroy 9419 4888

Seaweed and tapioca cracker with eggplant puree and black sesame

Rye toast with crème fraîche, smoked trout and Avruga cavier

Kingfish sashimi, green strawberries, sorrel and apple

Peas, baby zucchini, toasted seeds, onion and bergamot

WA marron, buttermilk potato, fermented carrot and Espelette

Smoked duck breast, boudin noir, beetroot and sour cherry

Wood grilled beef rib, kohlrabi and sesame

Cream, watermelon and lychee granita

Earl grey ice cream, chocolate, cherries and brandy jelly

Overall:

I was very excited to finally try out this place as I am a fan of chef Andrew McConnell having previously dined at his other restaurants Cumulus Inc. and Golden Fields, and absolutely loving the food. Located in an old metal works factory, this restaurant occupies a large interesting space filled with stripped back brick walls, high ceilings, exotic ferns and warm wooden tones. We decided to get the degustation menu (which changes quite often) and were quite impressed with the food served. The only problem with having really delicious degustation food is that before you know it, your plate is empty and you are left wanting more! This is definitely a place that I would visit again.

Dee’s Kitchen

19 Pier Street, Dromana 5981 4666

Warming Shakshouka

Delicately smashed rosemary potato and pumpkin

Zucchini and fetta fritters

Spiced carrot and chickpea pastili

Thoughts:

Warming Shakshouka – a rich Middle Eastern inspired tomato salsa baked with spinach, chorizo and chèvre (goats cheese), topped with two poached eggs and served with warm house baked pita bread = Not bad

Delicately smashed rosemary potato and pumpkin – the roasted potato and pumpkin were tantalising and full of flavour. These were served with beautifully poached eggs, crispy pancetta and pepperonata (stew of onion and sweet peppers) = Excellent

Zucchini and fetta fritters – deliciously crispy fritters that had a hint of creaminess due to the fetta, served with a sweet beetroot and sesame dip, and a tasty labneh (yogurt cheese) dip = Excellent

Spiced carrot and chickpea pastili – rolled carrot and chickpeas in crunchy Tunisian pastry, served with a cauliflower and quinoa salad, a pumpkin dip and a yogurt dip. These imitation spring rolls were bland while the salad and dips were plain and unexciting = Not bad

Overall:

The menu is Middle Eastern/Mediterranean inspired, while the ingredients that they use are sourced locally wherever possible and change with the seasons. Note that this place also sells wine, cheeses and cured meats for you to take home. The staff are friendly and helpful, and although the decor here is quite dark (dark floors, dark metal chairs, grey metallic ceiling), the open space of the dining area allows for plenty of natural light to enter in through the windows, making the place feel warm and comfortable.

Lolo and Wren

484 Albion St, Brunswick West

Crispy Croque Monsieur

Sweetcorn and Zucchini fritters

Brioche french toast (half serve)

Thoughts:

Crispy Croque Monsieur – I didn’t realise it at the time, but this was listed in The Age’s guide to Melbourne’s best sandwiches. It consists of shaved leg ham, swisse cheese, cheese and chive cream, coated in crisp breadcrumbs and fried, served with homemade tomato relish. Crispy, greasy and deliciously cheesy; this sandwich was awesome = Excellent

Sweetcorn and Zucchini fritters – crispy light fritters that contained more corn than zucchini, served with peperonata (stewed sweet peppers), Meredith soft goats feta, pebre salsa (Chilean chili salsa), chilli jam and avocado = Good

Brioche french toast – served with lemon curd, fresh orange, ricotta, candied zest, raspberry compote, baby basil and burnt orange syrup = Good

Overall:

Located on a suburban street underneath some modern green apartments, parking is close and plentiful. The decor is simple and the service varies from average to fantastic depending on who is serving you. The menu here is fresh and interesting, and bookings can be made before 10am and after 1pm.