Rockpool Bar and Grill - Southbank

For my 22nd birthday, Kevin ended of day of festivities with a dinner at Rockpool Bar and Grill. We were the first ones to enter with a 5PM booking. 

Free bread is the best kind of bread.

The sourdough was very fluffy and nice with the butter and sea salt. Nothing can compare to Heston's bread and butter tho. 

DRANKS

For drinks we ordered the Kiwi Sling ($8) which had pear, kiwi and pineapple and The Rockpool Classic ($8) which had apple, passionfruit and mint. Both mocktails were tasty and not strong in mint flavour, which I liked.

Not your basic pasta.

For entree, we ordered the Hand Cut Linguine ($35) with the spanner crab and spicy prawn oil. They divided in into two portions which was very nice of them. The pasta was al dente and there were lovely chunks of the spanner crab in every bite. The prawn oil was subtle but coated everything perfectly. This was the dish of the night for me. 

Scallops

We also ordered the Hand Dived Grilled Port Phillip Bay Scallop with Herb and Garlic Butter ($42). It sounds pretty simple but tasted fantastic. Just a perfect marriage of flavours. 

Cape Grim Dry Aged 36 Month Old Grass Fed - Scotch Fillet

 Kevin insisted I ordered the steak since Rockpool is famous for them. I ended up choosing the scotch fillet 300g 28 days ($70) after some explanations from our helpful waitress. Disclaimer: I am not a hater. Steak just really isn't my thing and I got pretty bored with it I guess. It was perfectly cooked to a medium rare and soft but it's just meat. I needed more variety and it was my fault for not ordering a more complex dish. I mixed it up with the sides and sauces but I guess I was just a little (like a tiny bit) disappointed in my choice of meal. 70 dorra for this tho, HNGGGGGGGGG.

For sided I ordered the Dutch Cream Potatoes Sautéed with Wagyu Fat, Garlic and Rosemary ($12). I had legit read so many reviews worshipping these potatoes so my expectations went through the roof. They were nice although only cripsy at some bits. TBH what's da hype fam.

Kevin's potato photography SMH

Kevin ordered a dish on that night's special menu. It was roast pork with a generous serving of crackling and various vegetables in a jus. The pork was cooked beautifully and crackling done right is always a crowd pleaser. It was just delicious and I had mad food envy. Thank-god for sharing amirite!

Main Meals

Overall, I had a pretty good night at Rockpool. Our entrees were definitely a highlight for me. I probably shouldn't have ordered the steak and if I do ever go back I'd grab one of the other mains. We were definitely completely full and had no room for dessert afterwards. As for service, the waitress was definitely knowledgeable and the food came out surprisingly fast. Since we were one of the first diners there, we were kinda shoved in a corner, a very dimly lit corner, so that sucked. I guess it's all about that intimate cosy ambience but it was probably too dark for my liking. It was nice being fancy and eating fancy but I don't see myself coming back here any time soon. There's just sooooo many fine dining restaurants to try in Melbourne!



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

Burger Business - Footscray

I went to catch up with some high school mates over burgers at Burger Business recently. There was a meal deal that consisted of any burger, chips and a drink for only $15. V cheap. V Bargain. I like it.

I got the Classic Beef ($11.90) and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was basically just grilled premium beef, herbed mayo, cheese, lettuce, tomato and spanish onion. It was very pretty and didn't fall apart which is always a plus. 

Special Burger

 I cant remember what it's called but Krispy got the burger that was on the special menu. Pretty sure it was basically the Bacon feast but with extra beetroot relish and caramelised onions. She basically left half of it because the beetroot had a weird burnt taste that stuck to everything. She was naht happy.

Loaded Fries

Yeah this was disappointment central.  I've read pretty rave reviews about the chips here and made the grave mistake or ordering these due to pure glutton :( They were just lifeless and made me a bit sad eating them (all them wasted calories tho).

Classic Chicken

 J got the Classic Chicken and chips deal ($15). Pan cooked chicken schnitzel, swiss cheese, lettuce and herbed mayo was sandwiched between a fancy bun. He said it was yummy but since he basic AF idk I'll have to be the judge of that (soz J ahah). The chips were fantastic tho and each bite made me cry a little bit inside.

Veggie Delight

B got the Veggie Delight ($10.90) and Sweet Potato Fries ($4.50). Since he is a vegetarian he has had his fair share of veggie burgers and he claimed that this one was definitely one of his faves. It had grilled zucchini & roasted peppers, oven roasted pumpkin, halloumi, traditional pesto, rocket and aioli. Sounds pretty yum and I love my meat. B also loved the sweet potato chips. 

I like the plates.

Complimentary rum truffle balls YAS

Overall, the burgers were pretty good. While they weren't the tastiest I've had, they hit the spot. Bonus points for freshness > oiliness. I probably wouldn't be back any time soon as there's sooooooo many burger joints that have popped up. We ordered at the counter but everyone seemed friendly and YAY free desserts at the end. 




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



















 

Sam Sam - CBD

I recently had a catch up with the grills at Sam Sam. I have heard mixed reviews about this place but we we were looking for a quick Korean fix and decided to give it a shot. We all ordered off the Value Meal Menu (11:30AM - 8:00PM).

BOK BOK

I got the Spicy Chicken Bulgogi which consisted of marinated chicken (topped with extra cheese) with mixed vegetables in spicy Korean chilli paste sauce and steamed rice ($14). It looked deceptively chock full of chicken but mostly full of onions. It was a standard chicken bulgogi dish which was nice but not amazingggggg. PS give me more than just 1 piece of broccoli pls.

BIBIBBIBIBIMBAP

Mong got the BiBimBap which was traditional Korean vegetable mixed rice with egg and her choice of meat of beef bulgogi ($13). Personally I'm not a fan of this in general because it is bland AF. Mong did have to put a shitload of sauce to make it more flavoursome. The bottom was also not crispy because it wasn't served in a stone bowl. I liked the presentation tho.

PORK BAELLLLY

S had to eat the Stir-fried Pork Belly ($13) because Shomoko stole her dish. It was stir fried with vegetables and a spicy Korean chilli paste sauce on steamed rice. It was aight.

SOY SWEET

Shomoko grabbed the Sweet Soy Chicken Bulgogi ($12) which was marinated chicken with mixed vegetables in seasoned soy sauce and steamed rice. A shitload of onion as well and a little sweet for my liking. 

I LOVE KIMCHI FRIES

OOFT look at dese KimChi Fries ($12). They're SAM SAM seasoned chips topped with caramelised kimchi, crispy pork belly, lemon zest sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and spring onion. It looked a treat and tasted pretty decent. Since it was only layered at the top, once you finished it, the chips were pretty soggy and without toppings as the kimchi and pork belly were pretty sparse to begin with.

Overall, Sam Sam was a pretty decent feed. Everything tasted good but nothing noteworthy. The prices were pretty cheap for a filling meal. I love kimchi fries in general so these hit the spot but I've had better at Chimac and Chick-In. I might return for dinner one day and try out the fried chicken. They look rowdy AF and I love radish, like actually. 

Taste: 7/10

Service: 7/10

Presentation: 7/10 

Value for Money: 8/10

 

Chin Chin - CBD

On a random Monday night, I went to Chin Chin with Q, C.N and Viv. We got there before the 5PM rush and managed to get a table fairly quickly (YAS). We all opted for the 'Feed Me' for $69 per head. The lighting was dismal and I didn't want that flash judgement fam. Creyz when I see the photos from natural lighting and compare them with mine but oh well.

Das a menu

Sriracha and wine glasses = classy night ahead

DRANKS

 I don't think these drinks are on the menu anymore (lol soz v late upload) but they were pretty bomb. Q's Yuzu Fruit Soda ($5.50) was delightfully fizzy and sour and my Apple Crush ($9) was just a yummy slushie concoction of apple, lychee, watermelon and coconut juice. They were even nice enough to make an exception for me and take out the mint eheh.

Kingfish Sashimi

Oh my lord, let's talk about this kingfish sashimi. This was absolutely exquisite and easily my favourite dish of the night. I've never had cured fish before and really like the amalgamation of flavours (lime, chilli, coconut and thai basil). The lime was definitely the standout which gave the kingfish such a citrus-y flavour.

Corn and Coriander Fritters

 From memory the fritters were quite dry. The chilli jam was a nice punch tho.

Jungle Spiced Chicken & Pork Spring Rolls

 These were your average spring rolls and even though they said they were jungle spiced and paired with a sauce with chilli in it, they weren't very spicy. Kinda meh. I've checked the current menu and they're not available anymore but the most similar thing would be the Chicken and Shiitake Spring Rolls ($17.50).

Chin Chin Pork 'Roll Ups'

 For a dish that sounds like a signature one "Chin Chin Pork Roll Ups", I actually don't have much to say. The salad was pretty fresh I suppose...

Green Papaya Salad

 Now this is the Thai spice I was expecting. This papaya salad did not hold back at all and my mouth was delightfully on fiyahhhhhhhh. It was mixed with chargrilled red chilli, prawn floss peanuts and black beans in chilli oil.

Crispy Skinned Roast Duck

 This came out the same time as the Papaya Salad and was a nice respite from the chilli. It was fresher with cucumber, spring onion and an orange nam jim jaew. Crispy duck is always a big tick.

Pad Thai Noodles

 I've had my fair share of pad thai in Thailand and have tried to satisfy my cravings when I eat at Thai restaurants. I've got to give it to Chin Chin, they make the closest thing to the real deal. If you eat everything but the cucumber (lol soz cucumber), you legit get transported back on the streets of Thailand. While the $24 (now $25.50) price tag is a bit depressing compared to 50 baht (not even 2 dorra), it's very much worth it here.

Final Savoury Course

Massaman Curry

 YAS gurl, this Massaman Curry was rowdy AF. It consisted of coconut braised beef, kipfler potatoes, peanuts and crispy shallots. It was deliciously creamy and the meat was super tender.

Steamed Gai Lan

 V gud side dish with classic flavours of sesame, ginger and oyster sauce. I like it.

Stir Fried Green Beans

 Dis was aight. It was tossed with shredded coconut, burnt chilli and cashew sambal.

Chin Chin's Roti Bread

 Damn son, this roti was amazing by itself or mopping up the curry. So buttery. So flaky. So perfect.

Dessert Time!!!!

Coconut Sago

The Coconut Sago had sweetcorn ice cream, praline and puffed wild rice. I've never had anything like it since I'm not a fan of Asian dessert. It was pretty interesting but probs not something I'd order again.

Palm Sugar Ice Cream Sundae

Now this sounds like something I'd order. It was paired with salted honeycomb and lime syrup. It was pretty yummy.

Overall, I had an enjoyable experience at Chin Chin. The food was authentic and flavours all complemented each other. There were some highlights and a few dishes that didn't quite hit the mark. I shall be back but will probably order my own dishes such as the Son In Law Eggs. The service was friendly and I didn't feel rushed even though the line was ridiculously long (on a Monday, damnnnnn). I did go to Chin Chin a few months ago and the menu has changed a little bit including price changes but das life I guess. $69 is quite a bit more than you'd pay for your average meal but we did get a shitload of food and I needed to be rolled out of the restaurant. If you have a special occasion then go all out and do the Feed Me, but if not then ordering he kingfish sashimi and pad thai is a must!




Taste: 8/10
Presentation: 8/10
Value for Money: 7/10
Service: 9/10

Juicy Bao - CBD

Kevin took me to his fav dumpling joint in the city, Juicy Bao a while ago. We had wanted to go the previous Friday but the line was so goddamn long. The hype was rel.

 

Sesame Prawns on Toast (2pcs)

 To start we got the Sesame Prawns on Toast ($5.80). This was your standard prawn toast and tbh the ones from the Highpoint food court are still the best/juiciest ones I've tasted ahluls.

Signature Steamed Juicy Bao (8pcs)

These Xiao Long Baos ($10.80) looked juicy and plump azzzz. It was a great burst of flavour (literally). The skin was not as thin as I preferred tho.

Stir Fried Noodle with Seafood in XO Sauce

 Th stir fried noodles with seafood in XO sauce ($14.80) was a tad oily but expected for a Chinese joint. Pls make seafood taste fresher somehow.

Pork & Prawn Wonton in Peanut, Chilli & Spice Sauce (15 pcs)

Dumplings in Schezuan sauce are my fav dumpling dish and Juicy Bao's Pork & Prawn Wonton in Peanut, Chilli & Spice Sauce ($9.80) were quite yummy. Kevin can't handle chilli but this didn't set his mouth on fire. They weren't as refined as the ones from I Love Dumplings but it still ticked all the boxes.

Rowdi setup

Overall, it was a very good meal and we entered food coma territory very soon after. Somehow, between the 2 of us, we order way too much every single time. While this wasn't the best dumplings I have ever eaten, everything was yummy and I can understand why people flock to this restaurant in China Town. The food came out really fast and it didn't hurt our wallets either. Service was dece.




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