V Series, Kew by Obelix

I received a text from K one fine morning - a photo of her latte in very convivial surrounds. She wanted to book this place for our next catch up. Why not? V Series is a vegetarian cafe serving the most delectable looking sweets, some of which are vegan. K assured me that I wouldn't even miss the meat.  

And it was true. But first let me show you this mille feuille that has me calculating when I can next return.... Since developing a dairy intolerance, I missed my custardy treats but this was made with coconut milk and it tasted like a real fair dinkum mille feuille should. I've been disappointed by many a soy/coconut substitute for real stuff out of the udders of cows. But this did not disappoint.

Souk, Melbourne CBD by Benny

Glance down Bligh Place (just off Flinders Lane) and a large, cryptic neon sign catches your eye, drawing you irresistibly to the end of one of Melbourne’s iconic laneways. Congratulations, you have found Souk. Just a short stroll from Flinders Street railway station, could there possibly be a better location for a hip new restaurant in Melbourne?

Charcoal octopus

Inside, a stylish ultra-modern fitout on two levels features lighting that bathes visitors in fluorescent pink neon around the bar downstairs, with multitudes of barely glowing exposed filament globes dangling from the ceiling of the upstairs dining area.

Shark Fin Inn, Melbourne CBD by Benny

Melbourne’s historic theatre district, centred around Her Majesty’s and the Princess Theatre (both built in 1886) is temptingly close to the vibrant Chinatown area. So, when Bilby Blue and I were treating Nanna to an afternoon matinée, it was an easy decision to grab a pre-theatre yum cha at the top end of Little Bourke Street. After surveying the many options, nostalgia beckoned us towards the Shark Fin Inn – it used to be a Benny family favourite, but we hadn’t been there for several years.


Spare ribs, chicken feet and beancurd rolls

Back in the 1980s when the Shark Fin Inn first opened, yum cha was offered by only a few select Chinese restaurants, and only for Sunday lunch. It was a real treat, and the Shark Fin quickly gained a reputation for being one of the best. Nowadays yum cha is available all over Melbourne, seven days a week, whether you are craving a traditional offering (such as Mei Jing or Gold Leaf), café-style dining (Shanghai Street or Hutong Dumpling Bar), or a more innovative interpretation (Susie Wong or Block 7 Kitchen). Has the Shark Fin maintained its reputation?

Tatsumi, Newmarket (NZ) by Bilby Blue

On a short break in Auckland, Benny and I were looking to catch up with my friend El Puma over dinner. But where to go? Another friend raved about Tatsumi, so it was an obvious choice for three Japanese food lovers.

Tatsumi’s owners relocated to Auckland from Christchurch following the 2011 earthquakes. Its modest entrance can be easily overlooked, but venture inside and you will find a quiet and serene environment.

Hamachi yellow tail sashimi salad

The food is exquisite – its Japanese origins are clearly evident, but the chef has cleverly incorporated elements of Italian and other cuisines that lift the dishes into something unique.

Ped’s Thai Cuisine, Camberwell by Benny

There are many reasons why you dine out rather than cook at home. One of the best is that the home cook has a massive bandage around his thumb, courtesy of slicing through it with a chef’s knife. That incident triggered a dash to the local hospital emergency department, leaving our dinner guests at home with the dogs. Told to expect a three hour wait before treatment, Bilby Blue returned home to finish the cooking and entertain on her own – our guests carefully inspecting the stir fry to ensure they avoided eating bits of Benny.  My thumb required six stitches and cooking on subsequent nights was a bit of a challenge.

Roti

Ped’s Thai Cuisine is only about 12 months old, but the eponymous Ped has been operating notable Thai restaurants for over 30 years. He retired a few years ago, but fortunately for us he is back, clearly enjoying greeting customers and making sure they are comfortable. Ped’s Thai has a welcoming informality that is evident in everything from Ped’s enthusiastic greeting to the plethora of Thai trinkets and swathes of brightly patterned silks scattered liberally around the dining area, softening the otherwise unadorned walls.

Chez Mademoiselle, Prahran by Bilby Blue

Stylish art deco interior. Exquisite patisserie in the display cabinets. French-speaking staff. Were we taking afternoon tea in Saint-Germain? Mais non! This was Prahran and Benny and I had been invited to the launch party for Chez Mademoiselle.

Ham and cheese croissant, with croque monsieur 

This chic Greville Street café, open for just a month, definitely has an air of Paris with a classy deep grey and white décor. The more extravagantly decorated back room has been turned into an elegant and cosy parlour with what appears to be an original antique fireplace – it would be a snug spot on a winter’s day. There isn’t much room for diners inside but additional seating is available outside on the footpath.

Favourite Kitchen, Wantirna by Obelix

The restaurant space within the Golden Pebbles Hotel has undergone many metamorphoses.  In its current incarnation under its present management, it is called Favourite Kitchen.  We were invited there by friends for dinner during the second week of Chinese New Year.  Unlike many Chinese restaurants which try to maximise seating by packing everyone in like sardines, Favourite Kitchen was spaciously laid out.

We were told that the Peking duck was worth a look-in.  Carved at the table and served with delicate crepes these were the highlight of the evening.

Pizza masterclass at Zero95, Doncaster East by Bilby Blue

Benny was excited to be invited by Zero95 to a pizza masterclass. We loved their Neapolitan style pizza on our visit last November and he was super keen to learn the art of pizza making from Andrea Cozzolino – Zero95’s world champion pizza maker.

Nutella pizza

So why am I writing up the masterclass? Benny had a minor (self-inflicted) accident while he was cooking for a dinner party. End result: a trip to hospital, six stitches in his thumb, and a great dinner party story for the Alchemist and Gumnut (our guests).

Lavezzi Gelateria, Ringwood by Bilby Blue

Way back when I was a young bilby joey I used to head out to Ringwood to go ice skating. It was pretty rough – facilities were basic, the hire skates (and the venue) had seen better days and the other patrons… well let’s just say you didn’t want to stick around too long. All much like Ringwood itself.


Milo and Tim Tam gelati  

Ringwood has changed remarkably. The old Iceland is only a memory, and Eastland Shopping Centre has undergone a massive transformation, with glitzy shops and some impressive dining options. We had already sampled some excellent authentic pizza at 400 Gradi – now it was time to check out gelato options.

Ribs & Schnitzel Co, Hawthorn by Benny

Sometimes, only dude food will do. Sometimes, your body craves chunks of highly flavoured, melt-in-the-mouth meat. And it has to be accompanied by a big serve of great chips – crisp on the outside, soft in the middle, loaded with salt. As a bonus, find a way to include sour cream and bacon bits. While I don’t get these cravings often, it’s nice to know that there are places that can deliver.

Pork ribs

Ribs & Schnitzel is a father/daughter venture that has captured this vibe in spades. First impression is that it is a take-away place with only a small amount of seating, the grill and deep fryer just behind the counter. Owner Yoram Malka confirmed that between 40%-60% of his business is either take-away or delivery, depending on the time of year (more on this below). But venture a bit further and you’ll find a small pleasant room out back with one big table (max 8-10) and a few tiny tables for two that captures the afternoon light quite nicely. Unfortunately, the ambience is somewhat spoiled by the view of rubbish bins in the adjoining laneway.

Queen of the South, Prahran by Benny

Malcolm Williams, owner and head chef of Queen of the South, reckons Melbournians are ready to embrace Modern Mexican cuisine, and he should know, given a resume that includes several notable restaurants, including Senoritas, Rice Paper Scissors, and Touché Hombre.

So what is “Modern Mexican”? According to Malcolm it is “a more mature style of Mexican dining”. He wants to show us refined Mexican dining options, accompanied by quality tequilas, mescals and Mexican-style cocktails.


Oceano Trucha

Queen of the South had a soft opening only a couple of months ago. Bilby Blue and I had been invited to a blogger evening as part of a more substantial launch.

Meat and Wine Co, Hawthorn East by Obelix

It's been awhile since P and I have double dated and for this occasion as rare as a blue moon, our friends J and K arranged for us to have dinner at Meat and Wine Co in Hawthorn East followed by port and dessert back at home.  Very civilised.

The Meat and Wine Co in Hawthorn East is actually situated at the end of Camberwell junction in a renovated ye olde former bank.  It has a warm ambience of dark woods which complemented the rustic features.


It would be churlish to go to a place like this and not have meat.  So meat it was!  Apart from the bruschetta starter which J and K shared between themselves, it was a meat-centric meal.