Tai Pan

237-239 Blackburn Road, Doncaster East

Growing up in an Asian family, Yum Cha was a weekly ritual for us. Having tried many of Melbourne's Yum Cha offerings, we have settled for a few favourites of ours, including Shark Fin, Gold Leaf and of course, Tai Pan. 

Having existed as a standalone restaurant for many years, Tai Pan is now under the Secret Kitchen name, which also included a revamp of their menu to include some of Secret Kitchen's dishes.

Going to Yum Cha is more of a complete experience rather than a sampling of individual dishes, as such it is quite difficult to judge each of the separate dishes we tried. Although the Yum Cha at Tai Pan is slightly more expensive than the other places that I usually visit, it is definitely something I do not mind, as the overall experience is generally better. 

Other than the quality of the food, which is of a consistently high standard, the staff also make the rounds and take orders quickly and efficiently, which allows the customers to enjoy the Yum Cha without worrying about flagging staff down constantly or waiting for food. I would definitely recommend giving them a visit for Yum Cha if you are in the area!

Food Rating 7.5/10

Overall Rating 7.5/10

Zero95

904 Doncaster Road, Doncaster East

Having won the title of "Best Napoli style pizza in the world" in 2016, Zero95 is undoubtedly the place to go for high quality pizza in Melbourne. I have the luck of living quite close to Zero95, so have been visiting for quite a while and we all know nothing can satisfy a craving as much as pizza.

Zero95

Doncaster East location

Smoked salmon salad

Home-made gnocchi alla Sorrentina $26.00

The Gnocchi alla Sorrentina is one of my favourite non-pizza dishes served at Zero95. The fluffy and perfectly cooked potato gnocchi is complemented with the well seasoned tomato sauce and cheese, to make a great dish. Although the dish was quite expensive it is definitely worth it.

Margherita $18.50

Although I have visited Zero95 multiple times in the past, getting to try the winner of the best margherita pizza in the world is something that always excites me. Traditional Napoli style pizza is strictly defined by multiple rules, including being baked for 60-90 seconds in a 485°C stone oven with an oak wood fire. The cooking process makes it so the pizza is softer and more elastic than other types. Although I enjoy the softer base of the Napoli style pizza, our visit to Zero95 this time included a pizza with a base that was softer than usual. This made it so it was difficult to eat the pizza, although the toppings were still of an amazing quality.

I would definitely recommend a visit the Zero95 if you are a lover of pizza. Although our visit this time was slightly worse than usual, we still had a great time. Apart from the food the staff are amazing and if you are lucky you might see the world champion at work!

Food Rating 7/10

Overall Rating 7.5/10