The Bottle of Milk - Lorne

As part of our post undergraduate degree celebrations, the squad went down to the Great Ocean for the rowdiest trip of all time. On our last day in Lorne, we went to The Bottle of Milk for lunch. All the menu items looked tasty but I settled for the What a Pickle which had prime beef, tasty cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, house mayo, relish, dill pickles and dijon mustard ($12.50). StophAn and Shomoko got the Nelly ($13.50) and Mingang ordered the Foul Burger ($11.50). 

What a Pickle ($12.50)

FRASHHHHHHHH

 This burger was mintttttttt. It was jam packed with flavour and everything complemented each other. The salad was super frash. The size was massive and it was a struggle to finish but worthhhhh! Tbh there were too many pickles but I didn't mind since they fell out as I was eating it anyways. It would've been amazing if the meat was pink and juicy. 

Nelly ($13.50)

Stoph was a fan of her burger. A honestly can't remember much about his burger but I think that is a fault on his memory rather how av it would've tasted lel. The avocado looked so good tho and I regretted not adding any extra for myself. 

CUCKOOOO CLUCK CLUCK

Mingang's Foul Burger had a chicken schnitzel breast, lettuce, tomato, onion, house mayo and relish in it. She said it was nice but just too much for her as she barely finished half.

Hot Chips ($4.80) w/ Chilli Mayo ($1.50)

The chips were pretty dece with some really good crispy ones. The sauce was a nice accompaniment.

 

OOOF looks appetising az

 

Overall, we had a pretty darn good feed. We actually waited 2 hours for the lunch even though we were starving and it was worth it. It is quite close to the beachfront and then a pier down the road so we had plenty of views to enjoy. The other boys had a few complaints that the meat itself was a bit dry. The burgers were yummy and if you're ever down in Lorne, it is definitely worth a visit!! My fav burgers are still in Melbourne but this is a memorable one.

Taste: 8.5/10
Presentation: 9/10
Service: 7/10
Value for Money: 8.5/10


 

Bowery to Williamsburg - CBD

Sadly we went to Bowery to Williamsburg before the lunch period so I couldn't get the Reuben Sandwich with the Pickle and Mac & Cheese combo so I settled for a Breakfast Reuben ($12). A got the same as me, Mingang had the Merguez Sausage Shakshouka Baked Eggs w/ Zatar Pita ($18), Stoph got the Hot Smoked Salmon & Fried Egg Bagel ($12) and Shomoko ordered the Vanilla Berry Waffle ($18). 

Breakfast Reuben

My Reuben was frankly pretty disappointing. I've heard rave reviews about the Reuben sandwich so I figured this should be amazing because it was the same flavours. It was far too salty and just sickening to eat towards the end tbh. A was also not a fan.

The smoked salmon was nice but the dill schmear was just a tad too thick for Stoph's liking.

Merguez Sausage

Mingang really enjoyed her dish. We both noted that this is a super generous serving size because the standard baked eggs from other brunch places are usually in served in tiny cast iron pans or cocottes. There were so many eggs which was great!

Shomoko loved her waffles so much she nearly made orgasmic sounds. Shomoko pls. She basically force fed us her waffles and they were indeed on point.

Complimentary Hershey with the coffee, YAY

Overall, it had a couple mixed reviews. While I wasn't a fan of my bagel, everyone thought their meals were decent. Once again, I ordered the least pleasant dish which was no surprise to anyone. It's pretty small inside, since it is mainly one longgggggg bar so I wouldn't say it is ideal for big groups. I would probably give Bowery a miss if I am looking for my next sandwich/bagel fix.


Taste: 6.5/10
Presentation: 8/10
Service: 7/10
Value for Money: 8/10

Naughty Boy - North Carlton

Q decided it was yonks since we had brunch together so we spontaneously went to Naughty Boy and dragged H along. It was a nice day so we requested to be seated outside. I ordered the Mr Benedict which had pulled ham hock, poached eggs, apple cider hollandaise, grilled sourdough ($17.90) and lychee, mango, coconut water and mint juice ($8). Q got the Grilled Atlantic Salmon ($21) and Pavlova Insta Shake ($12). H ordered the Sweet Corn and  Zucchini Fritters ($18.5) and Salted Caramel Insta Shake ($12).

My Mr Benedict

My Benny was pretty good and the serving size was plenty. I guess it was my fault for ordering such a creamy dish since it got sickening towards the end. Would've loved for the apple slaw to not be so heavily dressed so that I could get some much needed crunch from them. My juice on paper sounded delicious but the mint was way too overpowering and I could only detect hints of lychee. 

Q's Grilled Atlantic Salmon

My sister enjoyed her salmon dish as it was cooked to perfection. The potato and bacon galette was a winner as well. A minor complaint was the avocado mousse as it tasted quite funky.

H's Sweet Corn and Zucchini Fritters

H really liked her vego dish. The fritters were crisp and jam packed with flavour while the tomato & Persian feta salad was light and fresh. I had a few bites and it was quite tasty, made me regret my dish wah.

Our spread! 

Pavlova Insta Shake

This was super picturesque as the extra bits gave it a lot of height and colour. It consisted of coconut milk, vanilla & lime passionfruit curd, meringue, kiwi fruit, mixed berries and strawberry fairy floss. The Persian fairy floss and meringue were fun to eat. The shake itself was quite average and we didn't end up finishing it.

Salted Caramel Insta Shake

This had Nutella, sticky date rice pudding, peanut brittle and butterscotch cream. I love love Salted Caramel and I guess expected far too much from this. It was just milk tbh. Milk shakes would be so much more amazing if they were icier but I guess that is a personal preference.


Overall, we had an alright time at Naughty Boy. As per usual, I got the short end of the stick when it comes to food and enjoyed my dish the least. Naughty Boy is quite trendy right now, with the OTT shakes fad but I don't see myself frequenting this Cafe. Everything looked visually appealing so that is a big tick for them. It is pricier than usual brunch places as the bill did come up to $90+ for 3 people but we knew coming in that we wanted to get the much raved about drinks. The shakes look sickly sweet but they do pull a lot of it back when it comes to the milk itself so it is alright, just not amazing. They did forget the side of fries we ordered but we didn't mind too much because we were so full anyways. The waiting period was slightly longer than usual as well.


Taste: 7/10
Presentation: 9/10
Service: 7/10
Value for Money: 7/10

Father's Office - CBD

Another Thursday, another feed for the uni squad. After much debate on where to go (anywhere but Noodle Kingdom) we the girls decided to go to Father's Office and the boys trailed along. There was a lunch deal going on for select menu items for $15 and we were sold. S and I went splitsies and ordered the Fried Chicken Burger (w/ crispy buttermilk battered chicken thigh on a toasted milk bun with jalapeno pepper coleslaw and dijonnaise mayo) and 1/2 Rack Pork Ribs (w/ smoky Kansas City BBQ sauce). K and A grabbed the Fried Chicken Burger and Chicken Fried Steak (Scotch fillet fried in a crispy buttermilk batter) and Mingang opted for Fish and Chips (seasonal white fish coated in a rosemary and ginger beer batter, shallow fried, served with tartare sauce). 

Fried Chicken Burger

The Fried Chicken Burger was defo the best dish out of the ones we ordered. I like how the burger bun wasn't brioche like other places as there was great balance of flavours. Only downside was the promise of jalapeno coleslaw because I felt like there wasn't enough zing for me. 

My Half

The ribs were tasty and separated from the bone easy which was exactly what I wanted. I'm not usually a fan of BBQ sauce but this was aighttttt.

Sadly, the Chicken Fried Steak was disappointing. It just had a weird texture and because it was sliced so thin, there was a lack of depth in flavour. The gravy also slightly congealed and not that pleasant to eat. Bad luck to the guys for being adventurous and choosing this.


Steph and I tremendously enjoyed what we ordered, both agreeing the Burger was more filling only because there were more things going on. Mingang's Fish and Chips were decent but a little bland for my liking. The chips were nice and the little pots of sauce that came with our dishes were just so darn cute. Service was normal as it was self-serve at the bar. I've been eyeing the Father's Office Sampler so I would not mind coming back here for that. Father's Office also has a special going on from Wednesday - Saturday's where everything from the A La Carte menu is 50% off so that is a great bargain I will store away for a night of late eating and drinking.



Taste: 7.5/10
Presentation: 8/10
Service: 7/10
Value for Money: 8/10

Chick-in - CBD

After a long day of class, I went with the uni squad to Chick-in near Southern Cross Station. We were too excited that we completely over ordered. Thank-god they forgot our order of their Signature Kimchi Fries ($17). Between the 5 of us we ordered 2 Whole Signature Fried Chickens ($32ea) and 2 Chick-In Plates which consisted of Gang Jung, pork Bulgogi, Dumpling Salad, Kimchi, Rice and Miso Soup ($15ea). A.B got the Chicken Salad ($16).

Whole Chicken (for 2)

The fried chicken was hands down the best chicken I've ever had out of all the Korean Fried Chicken joints in Melbourne. It's a big call but it was just so succulent and tender as the juices were literally dripping with every bite. I didn't even mind that the chicken wasn't coated in sauce because I got to enjoy the chicken on its own. The coleslaw was nice.

Chick-In Plate

This was really good value for money as it was jam-packed with variety. The Pork bulgogi and miso soup were especially memorable with yummy flavours.

A.B's Chicken Salad

A.B like his Chicken Salad. It was tangy and refreshing.

Our Setup!

Overall, we had a great feed at Chick-In. I've heard about it but didn't expect it to be this good. I would definitely recommend this place if you have a craving for Korean fried chicken. The serving size suggestions are on the generous side so don't over order like we did. Thank-god, K and Sham were legends and had 9 pieces of chicken each while we only had 3-5. Service was lovely since our waitress was really bubbly and accommodating. I would defo come back to try to Signature Fries.


Taste: 8.5/10
Presentation: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Value for Money: 8/10 (under $20 pp)

Hanaichi - CBD

We went to Hanaichi for a quick feed after studying all day for exams (creyz). I haven't been here for a while but I was keen to try the combo meal. I ordered the Japanese curry with Pork Katsu and Kay's Chicken ($9.80) and B got the Beef Yakiniku and Chicken Teriyaki ($9.80). They both come with rice.

My Meal

The fried chicken was heavenly and goes so well with the mayo. Jap curry was the standard stuff but oh so good. Would recommend this combination!

B's Meal

For the sake of variety, B chose these two. I wasn't a fan of the beef as much (too thin for my liking) but the chicken was flavoursome. The yellow pickled radish was really not my thang, it was too tart instead of refreshing.

Overall, we were both stuffed by the end of the meal. The portion is great for the price (defo good value for money) and I just loved how I didn't have to be stuck with just one thing and could get 2 of my fav things at Hanaichi. It's great that QV has seating on the fake lawn, so it was nice to eat outside and enjoy the weather. 

Taste: 8.5/10

Presentation: 8/10

Service: 7/10 (Quick and efficient)

Value for Money: 8.5/10


 

Big Mama - Carlton

With a craving for cheap Korean/Jap food, the uni squad headed to Big Mama. Over the last 3 years, we have come here countless of times. Between the 4 of us, we ordered the Chilli Chicken Karaage ($14.80), Korean BBQ Beef ($15), Kim Chi Ji Gye ($15) and Teriyaki Chicken Don ($9.50) and 3 servings of rice ($2 ea). 

Chilli Chicken Karaage

This was delicious, which is why we order it every single time. The chicken is more sweet than spicy but just so addicting. Yum!

Korean BBQ Beef

We wanted variety so we went with the beef. The flavours were there but the beef was sliced a tad too thin for my liking. It was the most neglected dish out of the 4.

Kim Chi Ji Gye

The kim chi soup was warm and a good spoonful to have in between all the meat we had. We were promised pork but I'm fairly sure there were only 2-3 tiny pieces. The flavour was pleasant.

Teriyaki Chicken Don

This tasted like every other teriyaki chicken ever. Nothing special but still good to eat so no complaints from us.

Dat spread. Much wow.

Overall, we had a great time at Big Mama. The servings were pretty generous and we were so full by the end of our feed. The free side dishes were a nice touch. Honestly, you can't go wrong with ordering the Chilli Chicken Karaage, it goes off every time. Would I go here again? Most definitely and an added bonus is that it is very close to RMIT.


Taste: 8.5/10
Presentation: 8/10
Service: 7/10
Value for Money: 8/10 (~$15 pp)

Baotime - Richmond

To be completely honest, I have been to Baotime around 4 times and I love it each time. My previous photos have been lost some where but here's an insight from my most recent visits. I absolutely love the flavours of the baos and each time I'm here there's always something new to try. From my last visit in July to the one last night there were literally 2 pages of options I needed to try ASAP, especially all the dessert baos. I would recommend going with a group as there are so many options.

My favourites that I get every time I go would have to be the Captain Baoger, the pork is so tender and full of flavour, I crave it every time. Also a must is the Mr Potato Fries (burnt butter fries), I've never tried this elsewhere and so the first time and every time I've had it I love it so much, especially with some sriracha mayo on the side. And of course my favourite drink there is the Lychee Soda!

July visit
Chilli crab bao ($9.5) soft shell crab cooked in a chilli broth
Captain Baoger ($7.5) braised pork belly with crushed peanuts

Teriyaki Chicken ($15)

K-Style yum yum chicken ($15)

The korean fried chicken here is also one of my favourites. The chicken skin is so crispy without the meat being dry and I love the sweet sticky sauce.

October visit
Back- Lobster bao ($12) lobster meat with mayo and pineapple salad
Baodown combo ($10) (front) Captain Baoger + Mr Potato Fries

Gangnam Pancake ($12)
Kimchi pancake covered in cheese lava

I normally don't like cheese however these pancakes and the cheese tasted really good together.

BAONUTS!! Set for 4 mini baonuts ($10)
Salted caramel & honeycomb, nutella, coco puff and housemade kaya jam

I have been wanting to try the Baonuts since I saw them pop up on my instagram feed and they did not disappoint! Nice and crispy, I can't wait to try the other flavours in the regular size.

Jes is always so helpful and attentive, I look forward to coming here soon in the near future to try more desserts and main dishes.

Sushi Burger - CBD

After much hype and anticipation, I visited Sushi Burger on my uni break. Sadly they ran out of the Soft Shell Crab Burger so I opted for the Hamburg (pan fried beef and pork patty) Sushi Burger with Kani Croquette (deep fried creamy mashed potato w/ crab meat) [$12.50]. S ordered the Teriyaki Salmon Sushi Burger with Tatsuta Age (deep fried marinated chicken) [$12.50]. A got the Fried Chicken (deep fried marinated chicken breast fillet w/ tartare sauce & teriyaki sauce) with Tonkatsu (deep fried crumbed pork fillet) [$15].

Hamburg Sushi Burger

Nothing special about the Hamburg since I was expecting more flavour tbh. Bonus was that since it was an actual patty, the burger was super dooper easy to eat.

Teriyaki Salmon Sushi Burger

S enjoyed her burger. She said the salmon was pretty soft which made everything fall apart real quick.

Fried Chicken Sushi Burger

A thought his burger was alright. However, it also fell apart easily so he basically inhaled it. He would've preferred a bigger portion though.

Kani Croquette (3p)

The croquettes were nice but they were sooooooooo creamy. I could not taste the crab at all.

Tatsuta Age (3p)

The fried chicken was on point, probably the best bite I had here. I liked the coleslaw under the chicken which my croquette dish lacked.

Tonkatsu (3p)

This was a tad burnt so it was pretty dry to eat. 

Overall, we all had a pretty underwhelming experience. The sides were more memorable than the burgers tbh. The burgers were around $6 each and you could get 3 sushi rolls for that price so we figured portions could've been a bit bigger. While everything was nice, nothing particularly stood out about this lunch and restaurant. I don't think I will be coming back any time soon. 

Taste: 6.5/10

Presentation: 7.5/10

Service: 7/10

Value for Money: 7/10