Fukuryu Ramen - CBD

On a very cold Sunday, I caught up with a few friends over some ramen. After being a little indecisive, we decided to go to Fukuryu Ramen in Chinatown. The restaurant was down a poorly lit alley and tbh it looked just a bit creepy. However, we were there and there was no turning back now. The inside was pleasantly bright and had great artwork on the walls. I ordered the Signature Tonkotsu Ramen ($13.90). A lot of my friends ordered the Chicken Tonkotsu Ramen. K ordered the Curry Chicken Rice and A.B just went with some sides: Okonomiyaki Balls and Red Dragon Wings.

Chicken Tonkotsu Ramen

The Tonkotsu Ramen was just yummy goodness. I really liked the broth because it was flavoursome and morerish. I didn't even need to add any more condiments like vinegar, seasoning or chilli oil because it was delish on its own. The pork was just so soft and dissolved as soon as it hit my tongue. An extra piece of meat would not have hurt though.

Red Dragon Wings

Okonomiyaki Balls

This was actually pretty yum as a snack.

Chicken Curry Rice

K's chicken curry had the classic Jap curry flavour but the rice was a massive letdown as it was mushy and soggy. The chicken was crispy though which was nice. 

HALLLLO

Overall, we were all pretty satisfied with our meals. It really hit the spot since it was bloody freezing outside. The music was actually on point. I would definitely come back again since I liked this place more than the few CBD ramen spots I've been to. By simply taking a photo and tagging myself on Instagram, I got a free green tea ice cream, SCOREEEEE!


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

Rudimentary - Footscray

Today was errand day and I managed to squeeze in some brunch with Q, K.K and T. We went to Rudimentary in Footscray at around 12:30pm. We grabbed the last available table in the corner and the cafe seemed to be alive and bustling. I had perused their menu on Instagram previously and was excited to try the trout scramble but unfortunately they had run out of the ingredients for it. Both T and I ordered The Burger which had buttermilk chicken, mayo, green apple celery slaw and jalapeños ($17) in it. K.K ordered the Organic Zeally Bay Bun served w/ smoked brisket, pickled cabbage and asiago ($11) and my sister got the Pork Belly braised w/ crispy pig's ear, chilli & tamarind, fried eggs and toast ($17).

My The Burger 

I was in love with my burger. The chicken was tender and crispy at the same time and the slaw complemented it perfectly. I am not a fan of celery and tbh didn't read that it was in the burger so it was a bonus I couldn't taste it but still get all the crunch I wanted.

Q's Pork Belly

My sister was a big fan of her pork belly as well. The sauce had a punchy but balanced flavour to it and the pork belly was well cooked with a satisfying crackling. It would have been perfect with some yolk porn but that was very minor.

K.K's Brisket Bun

K.K liked her brisket bun but said it was a tad dry. Bitch didn't offer me any so I can't comment on the flavours.

YUMMMMM

Overall, we had a great time and agreed it was one of the best brunch places we've had in a while. I would even go as far to say that it is now my favourite spot in the westside. Q said her chai latte was not creamy enough and too cinammon-y and T also mentioned her latte was not as strong as she preferred. Apart from that, the food was spot on. Goddamn, there was nothing rudimentary about this place. Loved it, loved it, loved it!


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

Chase Kitchen - Spotswood

As a post exam treat, Q took me to Chase Kitchen in Spotswood with Mingang. We got the House Onion Rings to share ($6). Mingang ordered the Locals Big Breakfast which consisted of free range eggs, crispy bacon, baked tomato, sauté mushrooms & cheese kransky on sourdough ($16.90). Q got the Mexican Burger with beef, onion rings, beans, avocado, lettuce, caramelised onion & fries ($16.50) and I ordered the Oven Baked Crepe wrapped up with pan grilled chicken breast, grilled mushrooms, three cheese & a side of greens ($15.50).  

House Onion Rings

The onion rings were nice and crispy. These were room temperature at the top and hot at the bottom so that was strange. We were also given a very small amount of sauce as well.

Locals Big Breakfast

Mingang liked her dish. The hash brown was 'perf' and mushrooms were good too. However her sourdough was just a little too hard and while the bacon was super crispy, it was on the salty side.

Oven Baked Crepe

The crepe was cheesy deliciousness which I loved and Q absolutely refused to touch. Who the hell hates cheese? My sister apparently... she's not right in the head... This was exactly what I needed after a stressful exam, a dish that is sinfully unhealthy but oh so good. The salad was a nice touch as it gave a very much needed refreshing taste in between bites of oozy cheese and creamy filling.

Mexican Burger 

Q said the meat in the burger was really flavoursome but it didn't exactly capture the Mexican flavour. It could be improved with guacamole, chipotle or some jalapeños, yummmm. The chips were sadly a bit stale.

Looks goooooooooood! 

Overall, we had a satisfying dining experience. Q and Mingang both finished White Chocolate Chai (which was amazing) during our longer than usual wait time. It is always a bonus when they offer split bills and I would come back since they have an extensive menu with dishes that sound promising.


Taste: 7.5/10
Presentation: 8/10
Service: 8.5/10
Value for Money: 8/10

Plough Hotel - Footscray

On a whim, Q and I decided to go to the Plough Hotel in Footscray. We ordered the Buffalo Mozzarella, Cherry Tomato & Fresh Basil Focaccia ($8) to start and a side of fries with aioli ($9) to share. Q ordered the Western Plains Roast Porchetta & Sticky Hock ($35) and I got the Braised Ox Cheek with mash & bourguignon garnish ($27).

Buffalo Mozzarella, Cherry Tomato & Fresh Basil Focaccia

This was actually amazing. We both agreed it was the best focaccia that we have ever tasted before.

Fries w/ Aioli

The fries were your standard frozen fries and we barely made a dent. In hindsight, we shouldn't have ordered this at all since we didn't even finish our own mains.

Braised Ox Cheek

I've never had bourguignon before and I was surprised that it was not unlike a beef stew my mum makes. The flavour of red wine was really strong though and at times it was too salty for my liking. The mash was great and there were massive chunks of meat that were super tender.

Western Plains Roast Porchetta

Q thought her dish was nice but not amazing. Her crackling was hard and chewy which was disappointing. The apples were a nice touch though.

Our setup!

Overall, we had a decent time. It started off really well which set our expectations high. The mains could have been better but they were still enjoyable and we completely stuffed ourselves. The portions were a good size for the price as well. The interior was more spacious than I imagined and the service was great.


Taste: 7/10
Presentation: 8.5/10
Service: 8/10
Value for Money: 7.5/10 (~$40 pp)

Universal - Carlton

The uni group decided to finish the semester the way we started, by eating at Universal on Lygon Street. K ordered the Universal Chicken Schnitzel ($14) for himself. S, A.B and A shared the BBQ Meats Plate which consisted of grilled beef steak & lamb skewers, slow roasted tender marinated pork ribs & wings, homemade pork sausage & chicken shashlik served with Universals beer battered chips and dipping sauces ($52.90). Mingang and I shared the Universal Chicken Schnitzel served with special mushroom sauce, Universal’s beer battered chips & Italian slaw ($14) plus a side of pesto scented mashed potato ($5.50).

Universal Chicken Schnitzel

The schnitzel was just the bomb dot com! I can honestly not go wrong with ordering this every time I go to Universal. This portion is plenty for two and the sides complement the schnitzel perfectly. A minor complaint was that the chips could have been crunchier. The mushroom sauce was divine and I would've loved more to mop my chips up. The pesto mash was nice but I could have gone without it.

BBQ Meats Platter

I trust S' opinion more so than the other two boys. She said that the meat was tasty but not spectacular. There wasn't as much meat as you would expect because the bed of leaves took up half of the plate. The ribs fell off the bone easily and meatballs had good flavour when they first came out. The other meats weren't as memorable but still decent.

Overall, it was a great meal full of good food and rowdy laughter. We love Universal and when we order our favourite dishes, it does not disappoint. Service was lovely and they didn't kick us out when we just rested for the longest time as the food coma kicked in. I look forward to going back to Universal in Semester 2, but probably much later in the year.


Taste: 8.5/10
Presentation: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Value for Money: 8/10 (~$10 for my meal)

Fancy Hank's BBQ Joint - CBD

We decided to go to Fancy Hank's BBQ Joint after our uni break. We ordered the Angus Beef Brisket ($17/200g),  Beef Short Ribs ($17/200g) and Kansas City Style Pork Ribs ($17/200g) with a side of Mac & Cheese ($5.50) and Home Fries ($5.50).

Pork Ribs, Beef Short Ribs and Beef Brisket

The Beef Brisket was the best thing here and that's not saying much. The Pork Ribs looked juicy but it was underwhelming and needed to be drenched in the supplied sauces. The house made sauces were pretty decent though. The Beef Short Ribs were so disappointing because it was dry and the outside was so charred, it was basically burnt.

Mac & Cheese and Home Fries

I enjoyed the sides more than I did the main. The chips were top notch because they were coated with crispy bits and just so yummy. The mac & cheese was super cheesy which was to be expected so I could only eat it in between bites of the meat.

Our meat platter!

Overall, we left the restaurant feeling a little deflated. We had to order at the bar and the servers were friendly and talkative. The inside was really nice and there were so many seating options. We were expecting big American style portions with succulent and flavoursome meat. It just didn't hit the mark and we were left wanting for more. Although, it was nice that we had enough stomach room for some quality time at Max Brenner's afterward.


Taste: 6/10
Presentation: 7.5/10
Service: 7/10
Value for Money: 6/10

Grand Trailer Park Taverna - CBD

I have been looking forward to going to Grand Trailer Park Taverna for a while and the opportunity came up when Sham couldn't see her boyfriend and had to hang out with me instead. We met up with A.B, S and Mingang who were finishing their burgers by the time we got there (rude). Sham got the Atomic Burger which consisted of a beef patty, cheddar cheese from Murica', chilli cheese kransky, crispy bacon, BBQ sauce and truffle cayenne mayonnaise ($16.50). I ordered the Francis Underwood (love love House of Cards) which had a beef patty, American cheddar cheese, tomato, butter lettuce, POTATO MAC & CHEESE CROQUETTE, special burger sauce and mustard ($16).

Francis Underwood ($16)

The Francis Underwood was massive but I managed to compress it to a manageable size. It completely hit the spot and I could taste all the ingredients in every bite. The croquette sounded amazing but it was a teensy bland so with some extra ketchup, my burger was complete. Just, yum! 

Atomic Burger ($16.50)

Sham really enjoyed her burger. She said it was saucy, juicy and packed with flavour. 

Donutella ($9/3pcs)

S loved the Nutella Donuts. She was super giddy and devoured them. They were oozy and the donut was fluffy at the start. She would have preferred if they were dusted with icing sugar though. S left one for me but since it wasn't fresh, the donut tasted too bready and the Nutella hit wasn't as strong as I would've liked. 

Overall, we had a pretty good time at Grand Trailer Park Taverna. The venue was cute and service was friendly. It was nothing over the top since we had to order at the bar. I was so full when we left and actually needed to lie down (which I did do). I wouldn't be rushing to come back here any time soon though since only the 'Francis Underwood' appeals to me and that carb loaded monstrosity was a struggle to finish. 

Taste: 7.5/10

Presentation: 8.5/10

Service: 7/10

Value for Money: 7/10