Hot Spicy Stick

974 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill

While Box Hill already contains a huge mix of different types of Asian Cuisine, the recently opened Hot Spicy Stick brings something new to the dining scene. After Pho Huong Viet moved to its new location, it was joined by Hot Spicy Stick. The move was the main reason I found Hot Spicy Stick, as I was looking for a bowl of pho and my friend was wondering why there was a sign that read "toilet" on it in Chinese.

Hot Spicy Stick

"Toilet"

Skewer fridge

Upon entering we were told that it was self serve via a series of grunts and pointing as we did not speak Chinese. We headed towards the fridge to pick out our skewers, unfortunately after we picked out some skewers, we noticed that a few of the lamb skewers had a strange smell coming from them. Unsure if this was normal or not, we decided to put them back.

Vegetables and extras

Assorted pick

Assorted skewers in extra spicy soup

The skewers themselves were not as spicy as we thought they would be, instead they contained more of a vinegary spice which was more reminiscent of Sichuan cuisine. Ultimately, we only chose to go to Hot Spicy Stick as a quick and cheap meal and the quality of the food and service reflected this.

Food Rating 4.5/10

Overall Rating 4.5/10

Pancake Parlour

550 Doncaster Road, Doncaster

Pancake Parlour is a restaurant that has become one of the most popular hangout spots in Doncaster. I find myself here with friends quite often, purely due to the fact that they are open 24/7 and have a convenient location. Although we visit Pancake Parlour quite often, the experience is almost always negative and the only reason we continue to visit is because of their hours.

Traditional bacon & eggs $17.60

The traditional bacon & eggs is something my friends like to order no matter what time it is during the day. While the dish is nothing spectacular, you can't really beat bacon and eggs paired with some pancakes and butter.

Hot buttered walnuts  $19.90

The hot buttered walnuts were one of the best things that I have ordered at Pancake Parlour so far. The warm, buttered walnuts combined with the cinnamon, which was an amazing flavour when combined with the vanilla ice cream.

Chocolate & chocolate swiss mountain malt

Hot Chocolate

Although I was expecting a bad experience food wise, I was pleasantly surprised on this visit. The dishes and drinks we ordered this time were made well and the service was decent although they were busy. If they continue like this, then I may visit again with more confidence in the future. 

Food Rating 7/10

Overall Rating 7/10

Vinh Ky

114 Victoria Street, Richmond


Vinh Ky is a Chinese-Vietnamese restaurant in the heart of Melbourne's Vietnamese community in Richmond. I came here with family for lunch, as we were in Richmond and it is a place that my mum enjoys having a casual lunch at.

Coconut juice

Dumpling with egg noodle soup

The broth in the noodle soup was on the salty side, but the flavour was still decent. The dumplings in the noodle soup resembled wontons so much that I almost though that I had received the wrong dish, which was not necessarily a bad thing, as I quite enjoy wontons.

Hainan chicken rice

The Hainan chicken rice was a mix of good and terrible. While the rice was flavoured heavily with garlic, I found it quite pleasant, however the chicken was some of the worst that I have ever had. The chicken was beyond dry so that it was barely edible and to make things worse, there were shards of broken bone scattered throughout the chicken. A truly disappointing dish.

Food Rating 5.5/10

Overall Rating 5.5/10