David and Camy Dumpling Restaurant

605 Station Street, Box Hill

David and Camy is one of many Asian restaurants that have called Box Hill home for many years. They were once one of a few restaurants that I would visit frequently, as I enjoyed their cheap and straightforward Chinese style food. I don't know whether it was because they were very busy, or if the quality of the food has simply dropped, but during my most recent visit to them though, I was quite disappointed by the food that I was served.

 Egg custard buns

Fried dumplings

Crispy noodles with seafood

Unfortunately on this visit to David and Camy, I was incredibly disappointed by both the food and service. Everything we ordered other than the egg custard buns was almost inedible and even though I was very hungry, I could not finish eating it. The fried dumplings had skin that was both thick and hard, which made them very difficult to eat and the crispy noodles with seafood was very bland and had no texture it. 

Usually with restaurants, I give them the benefit of the doubt and visit them again before completely writing them off and not visiting them again. However with the plethora of high quality Chinese restaurants in the Box Hill area, I do not see any reason to take the risk of having another bad meal.

Food Rating 3.5/10

Overall Rating 3.5/10

Shophouse Kitchen

Shop 29-31, QV Square, Corner Swanston and Lonsdale Street, Melbourne

Hong Kong style cuisine is a style of food that is under-represented, specifically in the Melbourne CBD. Apart from a few specific restaurants, such as D-House Cafe and the hidden Hayday Hong Kong Cafe, it can be quite hard to find these styles of restaurants outside of the suburbs. Shophouse Kitchen is one of these restaurants that serve the Hong Kong style cuisine, as well as offering many other Asian dishes in their expansive menu.

 Shophouse Kitchen

Coconut Juice

Baked seafood with fried rice $13.90

One of the dishes that I like the order the most at Hong Kong style cafes and restaurants is the baked rice. Usually I like to make a combination of the cream and tomato sauce for the baked rice, but there wasn't an option to choose more than one of these during my visit. I do however like to try things differently so I was not really fussed by this. Unfortunately, I did find that with just the cream sauce and the melted mozarella on top, that the dish was too rich for my taste. I believe that if half of the cream sauce had been the tomato based sauce, the dish would have been much better, as the tart flavour of the tomato would have cut through the rich cream and cheese to allow the seafood to shine through.

Food Rating 6.5/10

Overall Rating 6.5/10

Daniel's Donuts

819 Princes Highway, Springvale

Daniel's Donuts is a bakery specialising in donuts that is beloved by many. Due to their 24/7 opening hours, many people including myself, often find themselves visiting Daniel's Donuts for their donut fix at the strangest of hours, and as such, they have built up a loyal following, as well as a reputation for having some of the best donuts in Melbourne.

 Daniel's Donuts

Assorted Donuts

Although I love sweet treats, I can never stomach anything that is too sweet, which is the reason I dislike many mass produced donuts. I tried an assortment of donuts at Daniel's Donuts which included glazed, nutella and custard donuts, so that I could get a good comparison, and they did not disappoint. Each of the donuts were made perfectly with a soft donut and good filling to donut ratio, and most importantly, none of them were overpoweringly sweet, which was a surprise as one of the donuts was literally filled with Nutella.

I regularly visit Daniel's Donuts even though it is out of the way for me. With great donuts, 24/7 hot drinks and milkshakes and the release of the new durian donut, you should definitely give them a visit as well!

Food Rating 8.5/10

Overall Rating 8.5/10

Co Do 2

347/349 Springvale Road, Springvale

Co Do 2 is one of a few restaurants that specialise in the Vietnamese noodle dish known as Bún bò Huế. The noodle dish which uses rice noodles served in a spicy and fragrant broth made with beef, chilli, lemongrass and other aromatics has been gaining popularity around Melbourne for a while now. 

Phở tái

Bún bò Huế đặc biệt

Having tried both the pho and the bun bo hue from Co Do and Co Do 2, I would have to say that I prefer Co Do 2 in Springvale over Co Do in Richmond. While I have never had bun bo hue anywhere near as good as they make it at Co do 2 from other restaurants, it is also the only dish I would ever order there. Everything else I have tried at Co Do 2 is sub par at best, so if you have a craving for this spicy and fragrant Vietnamese noodle dish, then look no further, but if it is other types of Vietnamese food you are looking for, there are plenty of better places to visit in the area.

Food Rating 7.5/10

Overall Rating 7.5/10

Pho Huong Viet

976 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill 

Although Pho Huong Viet has been in the Box Hill restaurant scene for quite a few years now, it is still one of the newest of the Vietnamese restaurants in Box Hill. With fierce competition from many of Box Hill's long standing Vietnamese restaurants, Pho Huong Viet will definitely need to bring something special to the table.

Grilled lemongrass pork rice vermicelli with spring rolls / bún thịt nướng chả giò $13.00

Although the specialty dish at Pho Huong Viet is quite obviously pho, they also serve a range of other Vietnamese dishes. I chose to have the bún thịt nướng chả giò, which was a dish of rice vermicelli topped with grilled lemongrass pork and spring rolls. Even though the fragrance of the lemongrass was definitely present, the pork was missing the essential flavour usually added through the process of grilling the meat. They also used a salad mix over the traditional shredded lettuce which took away from some of the mouthfeel as well as adding a slight bitter flavour.

I wouldn't go as far as to say that they were disappointing, but it was definitely average at best. From now on I would recommend sticking with ordering the pho instead and perhaps visiting a different restaurant for your vermicelli needs.

Food Rating 6/10

Overall Rating 6/10

New Taipei

273 Swanston Street, Melbourne

Located right in the middle of the Melbourne CBD, New Taipei is one of the newer Asian restaurants in the city. Calling one of the busier intersections in the city it's home, means that it is quite difficult to miss this restaurant, which is how I ended up dining here after a night out.

 Zhajiang noodle $10.80

The zhajiang noodle, or zhajiangmian is a popular dish served in many Chinese restaurants. The dish is usually made with a combination of thick noodles, a sauce comprising of ground pork and soybean paste as well as some other elements. Compared to some of my favourite Asian restaurants, the meat sauce on the noodles was a lot milder than I was used to and could also have done with a little more seasoning.

Pan-fried pork dumpling $6.80

Even though I was quite full at the point, I had to try a serve of their dumplings, as that is one of their main dishes. While they weren't terrible, the dumplings were a bit of a disappointment. The texture of the skin, as well as the filling was a bit different from what I was used to, and there was also a lack of seasoning in the filling, which made the dumpling quite bland. For the price point, there are definitely other restaurants in the CBD with better dumplings for cheaper.

Unfortunately I was quite disappointed by New Taipei. Not only did the food let us down, but the service was also quite slow and the staff were not attentive. With the wealth of Asian restaurants that serve food similar to New Taipei in the city, they will really need to pick up the slack.

Food Rating 6/10

Overall Rating 5.5/10

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

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

Hakata Gensuke Chicken Ramen

200 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne

Although Hakata is generally known for their pork dishes and intensely flavoured pork based ramen, there are many people that cannot have pork in their diet. The Hakata Gensuke branch in Melbourne's QV is dedicated to only serving chicken based ramen, as well as replacing their popular pork gyoza with a chicken variant.

 Chicken gyoza $9

One of my favourite things about Hakata Gensuke is their gyoza and the chicken gyoza served at the QV branch of Hakata Gensuke is no exception.

 God fire tori $13

Signature tori ramen $12

The chicken based ramen served at Hakata Gensuke's QV branch is quite different from any of the ramen served at the other branches. Traditionally, the Hakata area of Japan's Fukuoka is known for their use of pork in their dishes. With the switch to chicken as a base instead of the pork used in the other branches, the flavour of the broth becomes much lighter. While I personally enjoy the deep flavour that the fat from the pork imparts on ramen, trying different types of bases is definitely something I recommend all ramen lovers.

Food Rating 7.5/10

Overall Rating 7.5/10

Hong Kong Best Food

35 Carrington Road, Box Hill

As Box Hill is one of the most well known Asian community hubs in the eastern suburbs, it is no surprise there are quite a number of Hong Kong-style cafes around the area. Hong Kong Best Food is one of the most popular of these restaurants and you will definitely have trouble finding a table during their morning rush.

The food served at Hong Kong Best Food is very similar to the style you would actually find in Hong Kong. Their lunch and afternoon specials include a variety of rice, noodle, pasta and snack dishes such as the beef steak in onion sauce on spaghetti, or stir fried kwai teow, which are served with a choice of beverage.

Although the food was on the slightly salty side, it was both filling and satisfying, which is exactly what people are looking for when they visit restaurants similar to Hong Kong Best Food. However, the service at Hong Kong Best Food was almost non-existent, which although is similar to the cafes in Hong Kong, was something I was hoping was different.

Food Rating 6.5/10

Overall Rating 6.5/10

Shanghai Dumpling House

25 Tattersalls Lane, Melbourne

Shanghai Dumpling House is a popular dumpling restaurant located on Tattersalls Lane. Their location puts them right next to many popular CBD destinations, including Melbourne Central, QV and Section 8 Container Bar.

Spring rolls

Fried mushroom and vegetable dumpling

Steamed pumpkin dumpling

Prawn dumpling

Mushroom and vegetable dumpling

Greens with oyster sauce

Steamed pork dumpling

The food at Shanghai Dumpling House is some of the cheapest food in the city and will definitely fill you up for $10 or less. We chose to have the all you can eat for $16.50 per person, which gave us the choice of trying a large range of their menu items. Unfortunately you do indeed get what you pay for and the food was sub standard at best. The fillings of the dumplings were bland and lacked enough seasoning, while the skins were thick and chewy.

Shanghai Dumpling House is definitely a haven for the poor uni students roaming around the city, with cheap prices and filling food they have become quite popular. However, for those people looking for something more than just filling up your stomach, there are many better choices.

Food Rating 5/10

Overall Rating 5/10

Bebu

2/31 A'Beckett Street, Melbourne

Bebu is a small Korean eatery hidden down A'beckett street just a minutes walk away from Melbourne's RMIT university. They serve a large range of Korean style dishes, ranging from the ever present bibimbap to their special crazy tteokbokki set.

The kitchen

Cold kimchi noodle

As one of my favourite Korean dishes, I always like to try cold noodles when visiting Korean restaurants, whether it be in the summer or winter. The cold noodle dish served at Bebu was similar to a mix of the two styles of cold noodles that I am familiar with, the spicy bibim naengmyeon and the mild mul naengmyeon. The most enjoyable aspect of the dish was the balance of flavours, especially the vinegary flavours and the spice.

Fried eggplant with chilli caramel and peanuts

The fried eggplant dish was a dish completely different from most of the eggplant dishes I have tried in the past. The eggplant itself was soft on the inside, yet had a nice and crispy coating, which along with the nuts, gave the dish good textural contrast. 

My experience at Bebu was a very enjoyable one. The dishes served used a lot of Korean flavours and techniques, but the added creative twist to their style was a very welcome and refreshing change, I look forward to visiting again!

Food Rating 8.5/10

Overall Rating 8.5/10

Gelocchio

230 Lygon Street, Carlton

Gelocchio is the new gelato store on the block, having just opened on Melbourne's Lygon Street. They offer many different types and flavours of all natural gelato and sorbet, as well as other icy treats. 

While Gelocchio is already an established store in Cairns, their opening on Melbourne's "Little Italy" on Lygon Street has put them among a number of excellent and already established gelato stores, such as Pidapippo and Il Dolce Freddo. 

Gelocchio

Pinocchio inspired decor

Paddlepops and Maxibons

Other than gelato, Gelocchio also offers many different icy treats, such as their various flavours of gelato pops as well as maxibons, my favourite of which was the passionfruit pop.

Range of different flavours

Even more flavours!

Pina Colada

Although there were many wonderful flavours on offer, my love of coconut led me to the pina colada flavoured gelato. The pina colada gelato was a smooth gelato with a strong coconut base, which was then enhanced with hints of pineapple in the background. This made it so the gelato did not have two clashing flavours, only flavours that complimented each other, which I noticed was a technique that was applied to many of their flavours.

Gelocchio was a fun and quirky place to visit, with friendly and knowledgeable staff, as well as a diverse range of sweet treats. They have shown that they are more than capable of competing with the other well established gelato names on Lygon Street and I would definitely recommend giving them a visit!

We were invited by and dined courtesy of Gelocchio.

Food Rating 8.5/10

Overall Rating 8.5/10