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

Trunk Diner

275 Exhibition Street, Melbourne

We ended up visiting Trunk Diner on a cold Winter night after watching a movie in the Melbourne CBD. The American diner style food that they served was exactly what we were looking for and the large dining area was perfect for our large group of people.

Trunk Diner

Animal style fries 

Buffalo wings

 Cuban sandwich

Wagyu burger

Although there were some elements of the food that were nice, such as how the salad was served separately from the burger to prevent a soggy bun, the quality of the food we were served was subpar. The buffalo wings were a little overcooked, as well as lacking in flavour, while the animal style fries were slightly soggy. 

Overall I felt that the quality of the food was best described as standard. Although each dish was decent in terms of execution, they also each had their own flaws and without many redeeming factors such as good service, I was left a little disappointed.

Food Rating 5.5/10

Overall Rating 5.5/10

Le Clec

727 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn

Le Clec is a small cafe located in the middle of the bustling Glenferrie Road. They offer a variety of breakfast and lunch items on their menu, which are inspired by both modern French and Asian influences, as well as an extensive coffee and drinks list, with coffee by Five Senses.

 Beautiful courtyard

 Cold drip coffee

Cold drip is one of my favourite things in the world, it allows me to enjoy the flavour of the coffee I love, without having to feel unwell due to too much milk consumption. Although I love cold drip coffees in general, the cold drip at Le Clec is one of my favourite.

 LFC (Le Clec Fried Chicken)

My friend ordered the fried chicken which he enjoyed thoroughly. The chicken was cooked well with a nicely fried outer coating and tender chicken, which was complemented by the freshness of the apple slaw.

BBQ Ocean Trout Special

We were recommended the ocean trout special by a lovely staff member. Although the trout was just a tad overcooked, the dish was still very good. The fish on the dish had some amazing accompaniments, such as the crispy mozzarella-stuffed hash browns and possibly the best cooked poached eggs that I have ever seen.

It is not often that I find a cafe that I am itching to visit again, however my visit Le Clec left me wanting more. I will definitely be visiting Le Clec again and I would recommend the same for anybody else.

We were invited by and dined courtesy of Le Clec.

Food Rating 9/10

Overall Rating 9.5/10

Limor's

67 Kooyong Road, Caufield North

Limor's is a long standing and well known Middle-Eastern restaurant located in Caufield North. The restaurant was originally opened in 1989 by Max Dahan, a well knwon name in Middle-Eastern food. Fast forward closer to the current day, Limor's is here, except with a new owner, Yoram Malka, who is determined to make Limor's an even better restaurant than before. With great customer service and high quality food, this dream is definitely turning into reality.

One of my favourite things about the feast was the falafel. We were taught how to use the falafel, vegetables and pickles to fill pitas and make a delicious snack. The addition of a spicy house-made chili sauce had a huge impact, as the sauce boasted quite a lot of spice, but still had a really deep flavour.

The main attraction of the night was the multiple combinations of meat platters that we sampled. From American-style ribs to chicken wings, shashliks, kebabs and even schnitzels, the meat platters we tried had all different types of flavours and meats. Even though each platter had various meats with different flavours and cooking methods, each of them had been cooked optimally, which made it so that I could enjoy the intricacies of each type of meat.

We were invited to Limor's to sample their new Winter menu and I can say that it was quite successful. We enjoyed each element of the separate dishes, as well as the entire feast in general. Their use of use of different Middle-Eastern flavours and foods combined with more western style dishes gives a sense of variety to the menu and lets you sample different flavours. Whether or not you enjoy Middle-Eastern food I would definitely recommend you give Limor's a visit.

We were invited by and dined courtesy of Limor's.

Food Rating 8/10

Overall Rating 8/10

Dosirock

Shop 1, 280 King Street, Melbourne

Dosirock is a Korean restaurant in the Melbourne CBD with a bit of a twist. Their specialty is their various styles and flavours of pork hock, which is a great sharing food for a cold night, as well as a type of food that is not easily found around Melbourne.

Dosirock

Korean rice cakes with chilli sauce

People that know me, know that ddeokbokki is one of those staple dishes that I love to order at every Korean restaurant that I visit. The ddeokbokki at Dosirock was not particularly special and the addition of a large, soggy dumpling on top of the dish did not do the dish any favours.

Spicy cheese hot pork hock

The pork hock is the specialty dish of Dosirock and also the redeeming factor of the restaurant. The pork itself was tender and flavourful, while the addition of chilli and mozzarella cheese gave the dish that little extra flavour.

While there were some low points in our visit to Dosirock, such as the ddeokbokki, there were also some good points, such as the pork hock and friendly staff. While it may be difficult to differentiate between some of their dishes and those served at other more established Korean restaurants, Dosirock still manages to maintain its own identity. With a specialty dish which is great for sharing over their range of Korean drinks Dosirock is definitely a lively place to visit and we will be back for more!

Food Rating 7.5/10

Overall Rating 7.5/10