Melbourne

This was one of the best brunches we had. Asian-fusion brunch dishes which turned out way better than we expected. The Japanese scrambled eggs were a perfect balance of salty and sweet and very moreish with the Japanese pickles and that beef rendang eggs benny was 👌🏻 we also had the kaya matcha latte and the peanutella (a hot chocolate with Nutella and peanut butter, which despite its ingredients, was not too sweet at all!). FAVE.

This was our first meal upon arriving in Melbourne and in hindsight, one of our least favorites. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either, and with a price tag comparatively higher than a lot of other places, it just wasn’t up to standard despite all the great reviews. The salmon millefeuille was definitely interesting but I felt like it was missing some carbs to pull it all together. And the eggs & soldiers just felt a bit disjointed. Coffee was also only so-so.

This was huge. HUGE. It was easily the biggest portion on the table. Very rich, perfectly cooked ox cheeks and poached eggs. But a bit too rich for us especially towards the end. Needed a bit of freshness which the pickled chilli unfortunately did not sufficiently provide.

Yet another gorgeous dish in Melbourne. I love how Australian cuisine integrates ingredients from all over the world, especially Asia. The sago was cooked perfectly - not too sweet, yet fragrant with citrus zest.

Super fresh and perfectly deep fried soft shell crab. The bun was also dreamy. Sriracha mayo tied it all together nicely.

Not sure if this was one of our favourites. Felt that it was lacking in flavour compared to the other things we had.

From the same people behind the famous Top Paddock. Kettle Black had a gorgeous modern chic interior - a nice change from the usual rustic industrial cafes we had been going too. This was our 3rd(?) meal of the day at 3pm so we just shared this one dish. Haven't tried any of the Singapore attempts, but I think I can't eat them anymore, cos this was Really Amazing. Crisp edges, super fluffy and light interior, crunchy bits, perfect amount of pure maple syrup and a dollop of creaminess. And how gorgeous was the plate? Even though we were so stuffed, we just kept digging in - it was a party in our mouths. Definitely worth the hype. And also... AUD$20! With the parity of SGD & AUD that was definitely cheaper than SG's for a higher quality!

One of the best gelato shops out there. Super creamy with fab flavours such as Poached Figs in Marsala, Italian Nougat and Choc Peanut Fudge. We took a looooong time to decide what we wanted. Pistachio was an appropriately brown colour with a real earthy taste. But the real star for me was the pear & rhubarb. The poached spiced rhubarb was so delicious with the pear gelato.

The Auction Rooms was probably my favourite place for brunch in Melbourne. Gorgeous industrial chic interiors aside (their little brick conservatory-like section looked gorgeous!) I was drawn to nearly everything on the menu. My choice turned out to be 💯👌🏻 with perfectly cooked and seasoned crispy skinned ocean trout and crispy yet fluffy rosti. I basically loved everything on this plate. Definitely will go back.

Fresh out of the fryer, coated in sugar, crispy at first then pillowy and soft. Jam oozed out after a bite. Paper bag of doughnuts + morning coffee = perfection as we hit the stalls at Queen Victoria Market early in the morning.

Undeniably crunchy and yet juicy, and contained a good umami kick. Aka everything you would want in a fried chicken.

This. Was. The. Bomb. Literally the best fish and chips I have ever eaten. Freshly fried, flaky, super fresh fish in a shatteringly crisp batter, with hot crispy fries and homemade mayonnaise. Life can't get any better than squeezing lemon juice over these golden pieces of fish, picking them up with your fingers and popping them into your mouth, all the while huddled in a corner of the buzzing market. Worth jostling with the crowds for. (Was also really impressed when one of the cooks took the time and effort to patiently explain to a customer possible allergens in the food despite being so busy.)