Dumplings Plus

269 Swanston Street, Melbourne

Earlier in the year Dumplings Plus on Swanston Street received a makeover, which resulted in a bright and clean new restaurant with a beautiful store-front display for their take-away items. It was this take-away display that lured me in to Dumplings Plus after a long night out.

 Dumplings Plus

 Stir fried noodles & beef slices in honey pepper sauce $13.80

Pan-fried mixed dumplings $12.40

I absolutely love dumplings and have tried many different styles of dumplings from a broad range of cultures including, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Polish and more. Although I have tried a wide range of styles, the Chinese style dumplings have always been a favourite of mine. The dumplings at Dumplings Plus had a slightly thicker skin than I was used to, but it was not overbearing, as the filling was quite robust in texture and flavour.

While there are definitely better choices for dumplings in the CBD, Dumplings Plus is definitely a good choice. The no-frills simplicity of the dumplings and other Chinese dishes they serve make it a good choice for a quick meal.

Food Rating 6.5/10

Overall Rating 6.5/10

Mary Miller

171 Miller Street, Fitzroy North

Previously the location of Me & Julio, Miller Street is now the home of the small and cosy Mary Miller Cafe. The simple and laid-back neighborhood atmosphere of the cafe is a welcome change from the nearby Brunswick restaurants and cafes, which makes it a great place for a casual breakfast or lunch - or for parents from the nearby school to relax before picking up their kids!

Chocolate milkshake

Being located next to a school, the chocolate milkshake is one of their most popular menu items. The milkshake had a rich chocolate flavour, but was unfortunately let down by the large amount of froth.

Beetroot, matcha and turmeric lattes

Steak sandwich

The steak sandwich was actually similar to a steak sandwich that I enjoyed at The Burger Lounge, so I was quite happy about it. The sandwich itself was a simple dish consisting steak, along with swiss cheese, caramelised onion, roquette, mayonnaise and beetroot relish. The steak was tender and while the other ingredients were all present, none of them overpowered the main ingredient of the steak.

Wagyu beef burger

My friend ordered the wagyu beef burger as they were looking for something a little more substantial. The composition of the burger itself was excellent, with a good balance of tasty components, such as the caramelised onion, short cut bacon and tomato relish. Although the burger as a whole was quite a good dish, it was not without shortcomings - the biggest of which was the wagyu patty, which was slightly overcooked and dry.

Zucchini and haloumi fritters

We were recommended the zucchini and haloumi fritters so we decided to give them a try, even though we already had quite a decent amount of food. The dish as a whole served as a wonderful and filling breakfast, with a mixture of fresh and savoury elements. While we did enjoy the fritters, we found it to be slightly on the heavy side, although some people might enjoy this.

Mary Miller is an great new cafe with amazing options for everybody, whether you are looking for a light breakfast, heavy lunch or are just stopping by for a milkshake after picking up the kids. While there were some minor setbacks and problems with the food, the overall standards and concepts were good and with some time, Mary Miller Cafe will definitely be a great cafe!

Were were invited by and dined courtesy of Mary Miller Cafe. 

Food Rating 7.5/10

Overall Rating 8/10

Noodle Queen

240 Swanston Street, Melbourne

Noodle Queen is one of the newer additions to the Melbourne CBD's Asian noodle scene. Being located next to many well known favourites, such as Tina's Noodle Kitchen, Noodle Kingdom and many others from the nearby Chinatown means that Noodle Queen will need to bring something special to the table to be able to compete.

I ordered the noodle soup with pork chitterlings for $14.80 and at this price I was expecting an above average dish. However, the serving size of the dish was quite small and although the soup did have a strong flavour, it was a quite one dimensional.

Although my experience at Noodle Queen was not bad, there are far too many great options for noodles in the city and without any redeeming factors, I cannot see any reason to choose Noodle Queen over any other establishments.

Food Rating 5.5/10

Overall Rating 5.5/10

TGI Fridays

Westfield Doncaster Shopping Centre, 619 Doncaster Road, Doncaster

TGI Fridays is one of the biggest American restaurant chains in Melbourne and as such has found much popularity. While they have always been quite popular, I have generally avoided visiting TGI Fridays due to the poor experience of some of my friends. Despite this, as TGI Fridays features in this years Entertainment Book, we decided to visit them for a family dinner anyway.

TGI Fridays

Coconut thick-shake

Although I am a big fan of coconut, the coconut thick-shake at TGI Fridays was a little lackluster. The thick-shake mainly tasted of cream and dairy rather than coconut and while there was a small amount of coconut taste in the shake, it was a little strange.

Dry aged rib-eye on the bone

Jack Daniel's rib, steak and prawns platter

TGI Fridays is quite well known for their meat dishes, ranging from wings to burgers, steaks, ribs and many other dishes. The meat dishes we ordered for our meal had a lot of ups and downs. The Jack Daniels sauce and the ribs were tasty and tender, the sauce in particular was packed with flavour which I enjoyed. On the other hand, the steaks on both of the dishes were overcooked and had become a little tough, with the rib-eye dish in particular being disappointing in both taste, execution and presentation.

We specifically visited on a weekday night where there would be fewer patrons in the restaurant, as we had seen the restaurant quite packed on other nights due to its popularity. Despite this, our food still took over 50 minutes to arrive, by which time we were absolutely starving. A redeeming factor was that the waiter who was serving us was very friendly and apologetic about the wait for the food.

Food Rating 6.5/10

Overall Rating 6/10

Som Thai

6/258 Blackburn Road, Doncaster East

Som Thai is a small Thai restaurant located in the Doncaster East section of Blackburn Road. Although the area is not particularly close to any major hubs, there are still quite a few restaurants open, including the popular Tender Trap and Taipan.

 Som Thai

 Fish cakes

I've always enjoyed Thai fish cakes so I like to order them whenever I am given the chance. The fish cakes from Som Thai had a bit more spice from the chilli instead of the strong taste of herbs that I was used to. This was quite a welcome change for me as I love spicy food and sometimes I find the flavours from the Thai herbs to be overwhelming.

 Yum beef salad

Red duck curry

The red duck curry was one of my favourite dishes of the meal. The curry itself was quite creamy and light and the mix of different ingredients such as peppers and pineapple were quite appetising. Although the dish was quite tasty overall, I did find that the duck was a little tough and that the curry was lacking a little spice.

Despite not having been to Thailand, I do have a quite a grasp on Thai cuisine. Having visited many of Melbourne's Thai restaurants, ranging from the large and popular to the small family run restaurants, as well as having some Thai friends, I can say that Som Thai is quite good in comparison to some restaurants. Although some of their dishes are not strictly traditional, many of the main Thai flavours you would expect are prominently featured throughout their menu. 

While Thai restaurants are quite popular in Melbourne and there are many amazing ones at that, I would still recommend visiting Som Thai, as the food they serve is more than some would expect from a small local restaurant.

Food Rating 8/10

Overall Rating 8/10

Mr & Mrs Anderson

398 Tooronga Road, Hawthorn East

Mr & Mrs Anderson is a small yet modern cafe in Hawthorn East. Chef Lasse Polvsen has worked in Michelin starred restaurants in Copenhagen and brings his inspiration to the menu in the form of Nordic influences from where he trained, as well as some additional Asian touches. All of this is brought together with ingredients from their Gippsland Farm, with some help from local producers for items that they cannot grow.

Milo and marshmallow shake

The Milo and marshmallow shake was quite flavourful and a lot better than most shakes that I usually find around Melbourne. At a pricing of $8.50, the shake is on the expensive end of the spectrum, but with the amount of care put into the milkshake, it is definitely worth it.

Toasted granola of mixed seeds, nuts and dried fruit, seasonal fruit, set coconut cream and almond milk.

Unfortunately, by the time I tried this dish I was already quite full. Regardless, the dish was an amazing combination of fresh flavours and and different textures. I especially enjoyed the set coconut cream and almond milk, as coconut is a favourite of mine.

Duck burger with crumbed confit bird, sweet potato, kimchi wombok, Kewpie mayo and triple cooked fries

Recently I have been in sort of a duck frenzy, where I order whatever duck dish I can find on a menu. So when I noticed the duck burger on the menu, I immediately made my choice. The duck burger was a well made and tasty lunch dish, where each element complimented each other. The texture of the toasted buns and crispy duck patty was very pleasant, but I wish that the duck had more prominence in the dish, as the texture and flavour of the duck felt hidden behind those of the other elements of the dish.

Organic slow-cooked saltbush lamb shoulder, roasted cauliflower, turmeric yoghurt, pistachio, peas, mint and pomegranate seeds.

Although the slow cooked lamb shoulder was the least impressive of the dishes we were served, it was still tasty and left a good impression on us. The lamb was quite tender and was accentuated with the roasted flavours of the cauliflower as well as the pomegranate seeds.

Altogether Mr & Mrs Anderson is a lovely cafe within the local community. Although their location is a little bit inconvenient for me, I would still highly giving them a visit, as their innovative menu items as well as friendly staff create an amazing atmosphere.

We were invited by and dined courtesy of Mr & Mrs Anderson.

Food Rating 9/10

Overall Rating 9/10

NeNe Chicken

Shop 2, 410 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne

As a food blogger, I have had my fair share of bad restaurant experiences and even though I usually give the restaurant the benefit of the doubt along with a second chance, my visit to NeNe Chicken was marred with a plethora of issues. While I have been to NeNe Chicken before, with quite a positive experience, my most recent visit can only be described as abysmal.

Kimchi chicken wrap

We decided to visit NeNe Chicken during a night out, as some of us had gotten quite hungry and most restaurants had started to close. While I have visited NeNe Chicken for their Korean fried chicken before, I decided to go with the wrap this time around as I was looking for something quick that I could eat on the go, this turned out to be a huge mistake. 

The ordering process itself took an abnormally long time, with us having to wait 20 minutes while the restaurant was not particularly full. After receiving my meal from an unenthusiastic looking staff member, I was quite keen to eat it. As I went to unwrap the wrap only minutes after purchasing it, I noticed that the package was soggy and disgusting. After a little effort, I managed to unwrap it without making a huge mess. However, to my disappointment, the sauce from the wrap had leaked everywhere which made it look like the wrap was sitting in a bowl of soup. Despite how the wrap looked, I decided to give it a try and eat it anyway, which was my second mistake of the night. I specifically chose the kimchi wrap because I wanted some extra flavour, however the entire wrap was basically just a soggy and flavourless mass which I had to throw out.

All of my previous visits to NeNe Chicken have been decent and I have enjoyed their Korean fried chicken. Unfortunately, after this recent experience I will most likely not visit again.

Food Rating 2/10

Overall Rating 2/10