Melbourne Archives - Page 3 of 11 - Wander Wonder Wonton

Din Tai Fung, Melbourne

February 13, 2017

What’s a trip to Melbourne without some dumplings?!

I have only ever visited Din Tai Fung in Singapore and was excited to find them in Melbourne. Lisa and I were starving by the time we go there and devastated to find a line up. Luckily then wait was only 10 minutes.

It’s a great system, you get a buzzer to hold until they are ready for you and an ordering sheet. Once called you go straight in, confirm your order and you’re away!

I was surprised at the size of the restaurant, they must be doing well to have a line out the door still!

We ordered the xiao long bao, truffle xiao long bao, water spinach with garlic, spicy wontons, pork and veg steamed bun and some Chinese tea.

I was surprised to find the xiao long bao wrappers were quite chewy and sticky. They held the soup well but were a bit different to what I remember.

The pork and vegetable steamed bun was average at best. No flavour and the bun wasn’t even fluffy.

The spinach and the wontons however, were excellent! The tea was also delightful.

Turtle Café, Elwood VIC

February 13, 2017

I met my friends Adam and Sally at the Turtle Café to meet their new baby, Bella. They are Elwood locals and spend a bit of time over there so I knew it must be good!

I had a green juice (fresh as and makes you feel healthy) and the green breakfast.

It was heaving on Saturday morning but they weren’t too long at bringing the food out. The plate was as promised, green with poached eggs. There was avo, smashed peas, cucumber, spinach and feta. I devoured it! After a big night out on the Friday, it felt good to fill up with green goodness.

Muharam Cafe, Hawthorn

February 29, 2016

Lisa took me to a place she normally just stops for coffee in for brunch.

Muharam Cafe is another casual, funky cafe nestled in the Melbourne suburb of Hawthorn.

I ordered a apple and orange juice (it was all they had for fresh) which was a nice, refreshing start but nothing too exciting.

We both went for The Stack breakfast. A potato rosti, stacked with spinach, smoked salmon, another rosti, a poached egg and apparently truffle oil. Why apparently? Well we couldn’t taste it. Must have been the tiniest of dashes.

All was well to start with (apart from the lack of truffle oil) and it wasn’t until half way through that I realised just how oily the rosti was.

We settled the bill and on the walk home both felt quite ill due to all the additional oil that was now resting in out stomachs.

A Melbourne morning

July 8, 2015

I flew into Melbourne yesterday afternoon and was straight into a work dinner until late and up early this morning for a breakfast meeting pre workshop. I took 10 mins out and went for a quick walk around the Yarra and I’m so glad I did. I felt so much more refreshed and ready for the day – it’s the little things.

Juicy Dumplings, Prahran, Melbourne

May 19, 2015

Well if the name has anything to go by, it’s got to be good, right?! Juicy & dumplings. Starts with a winning combination if you ask me!

Plus it was duck week there… Definitely my kind of place.

Duck dumplings, vegetarian dumplings in chilli sauce and xiao long bao – their specialty and my favourite of the three we ordered. Duck was a close contender though!

Service is average but I didn’t expect much – it’s cheap and has a quick turnover. You serve yourself and order at the counter.

I did manage to win a big smile from the lady making the dumplings in the front window as I walked out and told her that her dumplings were delicious.

A week in Melbourne

May 19, 2015

Okay. Not quite a week. Just 5 days. But with the amount I fitted in, it felt like a week!

I went over for work (mainly for a Dairy conference) and extended for the weekend.

I managed to catch up with most of my friends there – dinners, lunches & coffees plus a little partying!

I couldn’t wait to get out to Albert Lake where my hotel was but with a heavy schedule & terribly cliché Melbourne weather, I only made it on the final day for a quick stop on my way back from lunch.

I attended an awards gala with only a few hours notice – thank good Nikita came to the party with a dress for me to borrow.

I won’t lie, I spent most of my time eating dumplings. Dumplings at Hutong, dumplings at Dumpling Table, dumplings at Shanghai dumplings and dumplings at Juicy Dumplings. Dumplings, dumplings, dumplings. Yum!

I visited Mr Miyagi in Windsor for dinner and drinks with friends which I will write about soon – it was damn good! Great atmosphere & food. Fun times. The same night we had drinks at The Woods of Windsor – an intimate bar with knowledgeable bartenders and the best playlist I’ve heard in a long time! 50’s Rock N roll on Pandora they told me.

Friday night we started at Royal Saxon then on to Le Bon Ton and Grace & Laundry in Fitzroy.

My lovely friend Sammy treated me to a facial & microdermabrasion, we had a double room and laughed the whole way through – especially at our rubber masks!

Lisa & I rediscovered the streets, stopping at random festivals and exploring Hosier Lane.

Saturday night we went to a new bar for me, Terminus in Abbotsford. It was good to begin but it became quickly too packed upstairs.

Great to have been back in the old hood with all my friends!