Melbourne

Newfound winner in our eyes and top recommend for French pastries. Perfectly flaky and crispy with an even crumb and airy interior. The butter aroma was distinct without being too rich, a seemingly perfect in-between of Agathe and Lune.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐡 (4 ⭐️; $24) - Perfectly executed hash with crispy exterior and soft fluffy russet potato interior. Satisfying dish with thick cut bacon, kale salad, and bagna couda (garlic cream + anchovy).

𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐜𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 (4.5 ⭐️; $21.50) - Unique mix of whipped basque cheesecake, tangy roasted pineapple, sweet crunchy coconut white chocolate crumble on fluffy hotcakes. This sat atop a pineapple and lime syrup with basil olive oil sauce. Not only was this delightful to the eyes but it tickled our tastebuds with the punchy sweet-sour flavour profile and refreshing savory touch from the herby sauce. Did feel that the ‘basque cheesecake’ element was lacking, being more of a muted cream cheese element. That said, it was a good balance to the other components.

Perfect for the summer, this vegan bowl was a delicious mix of flavours and textures. Quinoa base with tangy-spicy kimchi, tumeric cauliflower, crunchy cucumber, spiced nuts & seeds, baby spinach, and edamame. Made more refreshing with the creamy coriander avocado dressing.

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Reservations are required a month if not two in advance or walk-in and wait around an hour. My second time here and still blown away by the quality and texture of their pastas and their accompanying sauce. The #gnocchi were almost like soft potatoes, really soft yet not mushy and paired with a tasty braised duck. However, it does get a bit filling and heavy so would recommend not eating it alone. We also got the special of the day - a spaghetti with tuna and anchovies and it was delicious and flavourful. We also tried their #passionfruitpannacotta which had a nice texture and wasn’t too sweet
📍@tipo_00, 361 little bourke st Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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🍴Love the storybook concept of #storyville with its magical woody decor and themed drinks, including cocktails inspired by Harry Potter.
#gobletoffire comprised of baracadi oakheart, peach, lime & pineapple and was a sweet concoction with a nice balance of fruitiness, citrus, and rum. It was a bit on the sweet side but otherwise very enjoyable. Being lit on fire was a nice touch of theatrics that made the fairytale-storybook concept come to life
📍@storyvillemelbourne, 185 Lonsdale Street Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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⭐️ 4.5/5 ⭐️
Flavourful tonkotsu (pork-bone) broth that’s not overly rich, soft tender chasiu, and thin chewy and soft noodles = a good bowl of ramen. It’s $2 more for a gooey onsen egg and $5 for 5 gyozas which were nicely fried and filled with flavorful meat. We also enjoyed that this cosy store away from the more popular russel street outlet was not crowded on a weekend night.
📍@hakatagensukecarlton, 126 lygon st Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

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Always been a fan of their curries that have a yummy mix of spices and tender meat, and comes with a bowl of rice. The #padseuw is another favourite with the flavourful well-seasoned beef and soft noodles. The only let down this time was the #brocolini stirfry that was overpriced and not special in anyway, being simply cooked in oyster and sesame sauce.
📍@chinchin, 125 Flinders Lane #chinchinmelb #cafehoppingkidsmelbourne

There’s a full range from junior to original to extra dark hot chocolate/ one with salt. We enjoyed the extra dark one that had a nice but not overpowering bitterness balanced out with the sweetness. They are also selling an interesting campfire hot chocolate for $8 that involves a blowtorch-smoked maple and marshmallow combination.
📍@morkchocolate, @vicmarket (winter night market now on every wed 5-10pm till 28 August)
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It’s far out from the Melbourne main city area but has the highest ratings on #zomato (near perfect 4.9/5) and rightfully so. The food was generous portions and well-executed. The #beefpatty was succulent and flavourful and with the double cheese and French mustard, it was a very enjoyable burger. The #portobellomushroom is written as the signature dish on their menu and would recommend it as it is unique and delicious. The juicy mushrooms were Panko crumbed to give a nice crispy texture, and came with two poached eggs that were perfectly flowy and halloumi. The dish was enhanced by the zaatar spice and romesco sauce
📍@shanklincafe, 500 Tooronga Rd, Hawthorn East, Victoria, Australia
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There are tiny samples to try and we were worn over after sampling. The rice balls were served hot and crisp with a nice crumb layer and tasty filling. We went with 5 pumpkin and 5 mushroom and enjoyed both although it gets a bit too rich and cheesy after awhile; We were all very full after eating just 3 so we’d recommend sharing as it was a struggle finishing 5 alone. There is the option of getting aioli or pesto sauce for $1 and we enjoyed both of the sauces as it enhanced the flavour and also helped to balance out the cheesiness of the rice balls
📍@arancini_4_all, Flemington Farmers Market, 175 Mt Alexandra Road, Flemington, Melbourne, Australia
#cafehoppingkidsmelbourne

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Would highly recommend the #lambskewer which is flavourful with its unique seasoning and tender meat. The noodles are all hand-made and of really good texture - chewy and smooth. It’s hard to describe the sauce but it’s based with tomatoes. Only criticism is that it can get a bit too oily. The portions are also quite big so would recommend sharing.
📍Dolan Uyghur Food Heaven, 166 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, Australia
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