Royal Stacks, Melbourne by Log Lady

Last week I attended Royal Stacks 3rd birthday party, which also incorporated the launch of their natural wine menu. At this event I also got to taste one of their burgers and enjoy their rather odd ball entertainment – but more about that later.

A selection of burgers

First about Royal Stacks, modelled after great American burger chains such as Shake Shack and 

In-N-Out Burger, their flagship store at the Collins Street location opened in 2016 with subsequent locations in Brunswick and Chadstone. The owner Dani Zeini has worked in a number of burger joints around Melbourne, including the family run Dandenong Pavilion, Grand Trailer Park Taverna, Easey’s, Truck Stop Deluxe and Motorhome Majestic.

D'elephant Thai Street Food, Glen Waverley by Bureaucrat

It's rare to find me inside a shopping centre.  Sprawling mega-complexes are just not my thing. But I have to admit the better food offerings and the nicer facilities and decor do intrigue me enough to venture forth into Casa Capitalism.  

Another hot Melbourne day, and not wanting to cook, saw me take refuge at The Glen's refurbished food court.  The tempting aromas coming from D'elephant made it easy for us to decide what to order. 

The Plough @ Trentham, Trentham by Obelix

It would be just my luck to pick the hottest most humid day to go gastro-motoring with friends in their restored Corvette sans air con.  Even though I looked and felt like a steamed bun, I had, rather my taste buds had, a wonderful time at The Plough in Trentham.

We started with a charcuterie board replete with slices of terrine; pate; little nuggets of fried cubes of beef, and the usual suspects of crusty bread, salami and pickles. The terrine was melt-in-your-mouth smooth and the beef cubes were moreish.

Lorna, Ferntree Gully by Bureaucrat

With is smart cafe offerings and Scandi-inspired decor, Lorna has put Ferntree Gully on the foodie map.  I've been meaning to go to Lorna since it opened over a year ago now.  I've read the glowing reviews and seen the beautiful photos of its food on Instagram - so was it worth the wait?  Short answer, definitely worth checking out if you're in the area.

Inside, it's bright and spacious and feels very welcoming.  It has a lovely community vibe to the place.  There's a constant quiet hum of chatter among the diners - there's no loud 'background' music, thank goodness!

For lunch, I couldn't go past the fish tacos. These were very lovely.  Chunky succulent pieces of white fish that were seasoned with something oh-so-moreish.  It came with avocado mousse, black bean slaw and corn tortillas.  A great option on a hot day - filling without being stodgy.