ABOUT GFGM

gastronomy
ɡaˈstrɒnəmi/
noun
  1. the practice or art of choosing, cooking, and eating good food.



Good Food, Good Mood was established after I realised how often I was asking myself the difficult question of "Where and what should we eat today?". The Melbourne food scene truly makes us spoilt for choice, so I am hoping my honest reviews can act as a guide for any occasion - from cheap eats to fine dining, to burgers and pizza on cheat days, to fresh and healthy on cutting days. Recommendations on places to try and review are always welcome, just leave a comment.

All photos are taken with my Samsung Note 4 or Sony NEX-F3 unless stated otherwise. Thanks for dropping by!

- Lisa Pizza xo


P.S. Shoutout to my friends and family who dine with me - thanks for not picking up your cutlery when the food comes out so I can take all my food photos... y'all know my camera eats first haha.

Maedaya

Usually when I am writing my posts, it is late at night and I am comfortable in my pajamas with food in my belly. Today, I am feeling more hungry than usual (as it is 4:30pm and all I've eaten so far is a croissant) - and I feel tortured looking through food photos for this post. NOW I KNOW HOW IT FEELS when my loyal readers open Instagram or Facebook, waiting for my photo to load but already knowing that it's probably another food photo. SORRY GAIZ!!!

On a more interesting note... I went out for an early Christmas dinner last night with my high school sweethearts A & S. The weather was lovely as we made our way to Maedaya Sake and Grill, a small Japanese tapas restaurant with a big heart. The restaurant is mostly black, with the wall and ceiling covered by thick rope. My initial thought was already pleasing, and the tapas menu did not disappoint.

Can you imagine a small square table with three girls opening up a four page liftout??!!!!!? One side for food and the back of it for beverages, which are all alcoholic I should add. The business card lists "Toshi Maeda" the owner of the business as the 'sake master'. If I didn't have work the next day, I probably would have ordered one of the many pretty drinks to see what the fuss is all about! There is always next time I guess :)

Itadakimasu! Let's break down all the tapas.

The flippin four page menu! 
All the colours are so vivid and the pictures make you tempted to order more and more and more. 
Lovely presentation. 
To begin, we were given a little cup of dried up food which tasted like mixed nuts.
To end, we were given grape flavoured candy with the bill.
It's the little things that really count and make good impressions.
Pork Belly / Yaki Buta - $9.50 
When you think of pork berry, you always envision the three layered crispy skin pork, greasy, fatty and delicious, no doubt. This pork belly was extremely tender, and broke apart when you tried to pick it up with your chopstick. I wouldn't say it was worth the price, but the flavour was a lovely contrast to the crispy pork. The pork just melts in your mouth and was kind of refreshing. Do you see that yellow condiment in the top left hand corner? That's mustard and it tasted dissssggussstttinggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Japanese Pancake / Okonomiyaki - $13~
I don't want to be mean but this is on par with food court Jap pancakes that you can buy for $4. It was a bit too soggy and salty for my liking, even though it was made fresh and placed on a stone grill. Try to opt for something else if you're going to be tempted to order this.

Inside out susssshiiiiii - $10-$15 I can't remember 
Aren't the colours so lovely? Maedaya should take pride in their food styling presentation, as the sushi looked amazing, and tasted equally as amazing. As you can see from the image below, our sushi had salmon and avocado which is a lovely combination, even though it is pretty standard. Both ingredients have so many healthy aspects to it, your body will benefit from something so tasty! 

My cute little sushi piece. 

Gyoza - $6.50
You seriously cannot go wrong with pan fried dumpling. Pork. Spinach. Chicken. Mushroom. Any sort of dumplings, really. I should have eaten it as soon as it came out, as it had cooled down by the time I got to it. Cold dumplings is not oishi at all. (Oishi is Japanese for delicious). We ordered gyoza after the first three orders above. There wasn't enough filling inside which I was really disappointed about, but I guess the servings will go well with other dishes, as they are all small portions. You could really taste the flavour of the mince and cabbage inside which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Maedaya's speciality! Skewers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pork Belly Asparagus (above) and Chicken with Garlic Salt. They were under $4 from memory. 
I love asparagus, only eating it for the first time this year. I ordered a grilled salmon from Mocha Jo's and asparagus was the only side vegetable they had and I couldn't be bothered changing it to broccolini. Since then, I get excited with I see asparagus on any menu! For this dish, the asparagus acted like the skewer, with pork belly wrapped around it (as pictured). If you know anyone who dislikes asparagus or if you know kids that hate their greens, wrap it around in meat! Problem solved.

The garlic salt skewer tasted like Vietnamese nem nuong (pink pork patty), sprinkled with garlic salt. We weren't going to order the skewers, but we felt as though we couldn't end the meal with gyoza, and walk away without trying the famous skewers. They are worth the $3-$4 a stick. It makes you feel as though you are in a night market, or gives you an illusive feeling of being in Japan.


Such a sweet chef who let me take photos of him. Sorry for being a weirdo, the skewers just looked so freakin good. His hair looked like Krusty the Clown's, but in black. 
 Green Tea Pot - $4.50 each.
Given my high level of appreciation for anything related to tea, this is probably one of the cutest tea sets I've seen! Judging by the photo, they look tiny!!! It was great pouring tea into a smaller size teacup, as the tea cooled a lot quicker. My other favourite teacup/teapots include the clear teapot from David's Restaurant and the blue and white china from Myer Mural Hall. 

Overall, I would probably rate Maedaya with a 7/10, only because I tried very limited dishes and didn't enjoy a glass of sake. The wall of the bar is filled with bottles and bottles of alcohol, including my favourite Choya Umeshu. It's sweet taste comes from unripe plums placed in the bottle. It's rather expensive, I think it is $40 for the large 750mL bottle. I will return to Maedaya and I will endeavour to try more things on the menu. The salt and pepper squid salad looked really interesting. The waiters were prompt, helpful and had an enthusiastic attitude all the time. 

Maedaya 
Address: 400 Bridge Road, Richmond VIC.
Contact: 9428 3918 
Hours: Monday to Saturday from 12pm - 2:30pm and 6pm - 11pm
Price Range: $$ but they add up if you order heaps of dishes, it's tapas after all.


Mrs Parma's

In my lifetime I must admit that I have had my fair share of chicken parmigianas. Good ones, bad ones,  pub ones, expensive ones, servings as big as my head...

It was a day in November when I decided to take one of my good friends, who I will name Blue Shoes, out for his birthday. He chose to eat at Mrs Parma's after hearing good reviews about it. I beg to disagree... Mrs Parma's is located on the Parliament Station side of town which is relatively far if you're in the heart of the city. All the feelings of depletion (walking to the restaurant from Melbourne Central was tiring) and hunger were all blown away as we entered the ancient looking place.

Print screen of the restaurant homepage. I think it looks so cute! 
Nice jugs, Mrs Parmas.

Hot days + Cider = Perfection. 


The day we went to dine at Mrs Parma had gorgeous weather so we decided to treat ourselves with a lemon lime and bitters that tasted too strong and Cheeky Rascals cider. Rekordelig is not the only great cider out there! Get on it! Cheeky rascals is the bomb.


Since opening in 2006 by two passionate chefs, Mrs Parma's seem highly successful and thoroughly enjoyed amongst every one who dines there. They are probably oblivious to their surroundings because they are enchanted by the HUMUNGOUS SIZE of the parma. With that being said, I was certainly not impressed. I asked for tomato sauce and was charged 80c.................. for a small serving of tomato sauce. That's like refusing to serve tap water at a restaurant. 

Secondly, that little bowl of chips (pictured above) was for both of us. I love my fries, especially when it is smothered in chicken salt. But seriously??? Blue shoes is a big eater and I'm not going to lie, I am too. When we saw that being served I was thinking in my head, I think they forgot to bring out the other bowl. But they didn't forget. For the price I was paying for the parma, you would definitely think that the sides would be equally as big. 

I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. Go to a pub on a Tuesday night, it will be cheaper and the servings will be very much the same. The salad and chips will be on your plate as well so you're not obliged to share with the person you are dining with. Mrs Parma's is good every once in a while and feels more like a tourist attraction more than anything else. Make sure you make a booking, as seats fill up really quickly! We went on a Wednesday afternoon and were fortunate enough to have all the bookings much later than when we arrived. Overall I would probably rate it at a 6/10 which is generous of me. The waiters were prompt and friendly which is always something good to look out for. I hate rude waiters.


This is a cute little section they have on the website which is worth reading. 

Ten different Parmigiana’s feature on our menu with daily specials.Our Chefs are trained in the art of Parmology – an often neglected discipline - to ensure the perfect parma. So everyone can enjoy Melbourne’s best Parma we cater for gluten free, egg free and vegetarians.

The Art of Parmology - Invented, taught, trained & perfected by the chefs at Mrs. Parma’s…


  1. Size Matters – 230g chicken breast hand crafted to the perfect thickness for guaranteed even cooking.
  2. Crumbed Daily – coated once in our special crumb mix daily to ensure crispness.
  3. Traditional Napoli – Imported Italian tomatoes enhanced with onion, garlic and herbs then slowly simmered for hours.
  4. Quality ingredients – award winning mozzarella and the finest ingredients sourced for sauces and toppings
  5. Sides to compliment – crisp salad with tangy dressing and quality chips. Sides are never placed under the Parma to avoid wilted salad and soggy chips.
  6. Love – prepared and cooked with love. Never processed, never frozen and never, ever deep fried.
  7. Best enjoyed with a cleansing beer.

-~~~~*'~'*~~~~-
After Mrs Parma's, we walked back to Melbourne Central with bloated stomachs and tired legs. But "there is no room for dessert" was said by no one, ever. The hungry hippos headed up to Cupcake Central (my only cupcake fix in the CBD) for a chai latte and vanilla latte. Aren't the cupcakes so cute??? Mine was a green tea and Blue Shoes got the red velvet which is a total crowd pleaser. You can never get sick of it, no matter how sweet it is! The flavour is rich and although it is full of colour, delicious in taste and appealing to the eye with the cute little love hearts on top.The picture below is one of my favourite photos that I have taken on Instagram. I love the colours of the flowers and the objects inside it. 



Mrs Parma's
Address: 25 Little Bourke Street Melbourne Victoria
Contact: 9639 2269
Hours: Monday – Friday 11am till late and Saturday & Sunday 12pm till late
Price Range: $$$

Chocolate Brownie Cake Recipe!!!

Hiiiiii loyal readers!
I know I'm really on and off with this beloved food blog... but the last couple of days have been a major rollercoaster in my life, and hence, a huge eye opener. My life basically has flashed in front of my eyes, and it has only taught me one thing... to seize the day. CARPE DIEM. I do not think I can fully grasp the idea of seizing my long summer days, and I don't think kissing Brita will do it for me either (Community reference).

But with this being said, everyone is different. Do you often find yourself inside on a warm day?  Do you find yourself bored and lifeless? Do you ever feel the need / want / desire to bake????????????? Well I've got good news for you buddy... here is a lovely recipe for a chocolate brownie that my sister has handed down to me! It's absolutely foolproof and idiotproof and has amazing results. It tastes better than Coles mud cake, that's for sure. I will endeavour to upload more recipes that I come across and have worked well for me.

Send me some photos of your work, if you ever do try this recipe :)

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Servings: 8-10 depending on how you cut the slices.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup of melted butter / margarine 
3/4 cup of cocoa
1 1/2 cups of caster sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup of plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
Icing sugar for decorations.


  1. Preheat the oven to 160'c for fan forced ovens.
  2. Line your baking tray with baking paper. The cake tin should be approx 22cm in diameters but whatever you have lying around in the kitchen is also fine too.
  3. Combine the melter butter, cocoa and caster sugar in a bowl.
  4. Add yo eggz and mix well (on medium) with a mixer.
  5. Sift flour and baking powder into the mixture. Mix well.
  6. Pour the mixture into the cake tin. Bake for approx 25 mins, or until the cake is firm but still moist in the centre. If you stick a chopstick in there, and there is residue when you remove the chopstick... then it's prrrrobably not ready and you should leave it in there for a couple of minutes.
  7. Allow the cake to cool down and dust it up with icing sugar.
  8. Enjoy! And take some photos to show me if you try this easy to make recipe!


A couple of my ingredients!
Free range is a little bit more expensive but goes a long way :)


anddddd VIOLA :)
a beautiful chocolate man, i mean... cake.



^ served up with fresh strawberries and boysenberry icecream :)

Mamak


After hearing much yak about Mamak, I finally decided to give the popular restaurant a try today. Mamak originates in Sydney (majority of places seem to originate in Sydney, but let's be honest... Melbourne is the better city) and graced our city streets in September of this year. The business merely started off to as a Friday night hobby amongst three friends, selling Malaysian goodness at a Chinatown market stall in Sydney. What a tremendous turnout this has led to! The menu is not comparable to Pappa Rich, which has pages and pages of Malaysian food. Mamak has a short and simple red menu, but as quoted by the Broadsheet website, "What Mamak’s menu lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality". 

As soon as we walked into this unknown territory, I was immediately greeted by young waitresses that led me to my table. The restaurant has wooden stools along the wall for patrons who come in two. They are extremely uncomfortable, but I guess it is all a part of their "street food" style. You will have nothing to worry about if you have good posture... something I do not possess. The playlist was loud, but I could still hear my own conversation which was pleasant. As I walked in, Two Door Cinema Club was playing, followed by Kimbra, then La Roux, and had Gym Class Heroes as we walked out. Talk about hipstterrrr music! The waiters were congenial, which is rare in Asian restaurants. The service was fast and the interior was extremely neat and clean.

^ ROTI Canai !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
This beauty is priced at a mere $5.50!!! Let me tell you with delight that the roti (pictured above) was light, fluffy and extremely delectable! I don't know what each of the three sauces are... but the one in the top right corner is extremely spicy! Hoooo boy! Pappa Rich also does roti, but it is flat and served cold. Mamak's roti was more like pull apart bread, feels warm and begs you for more.

^ Teh Tarik, Hot beverage.
This is a well known Malaysian drink. Small, sweet and soul soothing. When I went to the Malaysian Festival at the Queen Victoria Market, Chili Padi actually sold teh terik in BAGS! Very authentic and creative. I thoroughly enjoyed drinking out of a bag that I wore around my wrist. More information about that day here.
^Rojak - Malaysian Style Salad
When I go to a restaurant for the first time, I always order a safe option. I look at the contents of the meal, and try to find something that I like, for example: chicken. Chicken is secure, and I love chicken and it's delicious properties. For some reason, I did not feel like a rice main dish today. Mamak has an entire list of lunch specials in a leaflet for only $11 each. Instead, I opted for this salad, and I can tell you now that I did not enjoy it one bit. It was bland, and half the time I didn't even know what I was eating. There was half a hard boiled egg, a piece of tofu, and the rest of the contents unknown. I do remember reading the menu, and it said something along the lines of deep friend coconut and yam... with cucumber as you can obviously see. The taste of the peanut sauce was unappealing, and was surprisingly bland. I tried adding the dipping sauce from the skewers into the salad, but the vile taste would not go away. I always HATE leaving a restaurant without finishing my entire meal, as I think about people, especially children, in third world countries who are not even fortunate enough to enjoy a meal as lavish as what I have eaten. But unfortunately, I had to look past my values for once and turn a blind eye to my food. What a waste of $14! Do not order this, unless you really really really really really like salad!!!

An open image of the salad tower... unappealing, I KNOW.

SKEWERS! Chicken and Beef because we wanted to try both.
Judging from the picture, you can see that the meat content on the skewers is extremely small. When I went to the Malaysian Festival, they were a bit more generous with the portions. We couldn't really decide on chicken or beef so we asked for a dozen of the mixed, seeing as though 6 would not be enough for our hungry stomachs. I really liked the beef skewers, but Giraffe preferred the chicken. It was a win win situation for the both of us. The bowl of dipping sauce was ample enough to drown our skewers in, but there was too much of it. They could definitely reduce the size of the bowl and consequently, have less waste. Despite these criticisms, they were DELICIOUS and you NEED to order them if you ever go to Mamak.

Sippin on some teh. 

P.S. Do you guys like the new layout? I know I am constantly changing and changing it, but I am rather content with this one. I'm in the midst of swotvac right now, my first exam being tomorrow, so when they conclude I will put more TLC into this blog. Any suggestions of where I should dine after exams as a post shitxam celebration? I finish on Nov 16th, and that night will be the best day of my life.  Until next time, 
xoxo


Mamak
Address: 366 Londsdale Street Melbourne
Elizabeth Street side of CBD
Contact: 9670 3137
Hours: Everyday 11:30 - 2:30pm, and 5:30pm - 10pm
Price Range: $$$

Wonderbao

Banh Bao. Pork buns. Custard buns. Open buns. Closed buns.
Tina & Andrew, the young parents of Wonderbao, have started a phenomenon!!! Wonderbao is the latest craze, and you would be a fool to miss it. The location of this bao heaven is small and hidden, but nothing short of amazing. They have a great range of open or closed buns, varying from tofu, braised pork berry, taro and even egg custard (one of my favourites). When I am peckish, I try to not let my eyes take over my greedy stomach, so I only bought one each for Giraffe and I. As predicted, we ended up buying another one because they were EXTREMELY DELECTABLE.
Fresh, steamy and flavoursome.

Wonderbao isn't only about the baos. I've heard great things from others about the soy milk, and happily enjoyed one all to myself (as Giraffe is semi-lactose intolerant... if that's even possible). Hot/cold soy milk for only $2.80 (you can't go wrong with that) and there is a fridge in the corner full of Yeo's drink boxes for only $1.60 each! There are sweet childhood memories linked with those Asian drink boxes, so I was thrilled to see them for sale in Wonderbao.

^ The pot of gold under the rainbow alleyway.

^ Two gua bao / open buns please. Available after 10:30am.
1. Braised Pork Belly (MY FAVOURITE)
This has got to be my favourite one of all time. I haven't tried the entire menu (only 3/10) but I can assure you that this has all the right flavours in the perfect combination. When I buy the pork buns (in the pack of 4 from any local Asian grocery store), you obviously cannot taste the freshness. If you prepare it incorrectly, the meat can taste a bit foul and crunchy. Wonderbao's gua bao is FRESH. So, so fresh. Fresher than Tic Tacs. Fresher than the Prince of Bel Air. I gobbled it up in less than four bites. It's approximately the same price as a fob roll or a cheeseburger, but it so much more healthier and interesting to eat. The pork belly was tender, but not too soggy. So perfect.

2. Fried Silky Tofu, $3.80
Giraffe's favourite. This gua bao consists of pickled mustard with the obvious coriander and peanuts. I don't usually opt for the vegetarian option, but it was healthy and had a tofu-rrific taste. I would strongly suggest this one if you do not want to have a strong tasting and heavy gua bao.

^ Cold soy milk for a warm Halloween morning.
Only costs a mere $2.80 and you can get it hot as well, if that's how you like it :)
Can you see my black milk leggings in the background? I probably wouldn't wear it on a normal day, but I figured "why not be different today because it is Halloween?". I did receive a couple of weird glances around the train station though... 

SPEAKING OF WEIRD GLANCES... I was stalking comments on Wonderbao's page, and this atrocious comment came to my attention:

Mr Opinionated: "Just had Wonderbao and it was underwhelming.
Meh is the word of the day."

^ Ummm. What? Fair enough, every one is entitled to their own opinion. In his defence, I have said some terrible things about some restaurants in my time as well. But Mr Opinionated, your opinion in this situation is ABSOLUTELY INVALID. In his bitter and "disappointed" response to Wonderbao, I'm sure he would be delighted to know that they are cruising along Urbanspoon's most "recently viewed and blogged" ladder in Melbourne, sitting comfortably at THIRD PLACE. Second to Chin Chin and Mamasita, which are fine dining venues that have been around for years. It will be no surprise when Wonderbao takes first place, and I will bao down to them when they do. 


^ 3. Roast Pork Belly, $3.80

With that rant being said, you should definitely try the banh baos. The only two con's about the place is that it doesn't take eftpos, and there are only six stools inside. I wish there were more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's such a great place, which is why they sometimes have to put crates at the front. Take a stroll down Literature Lane when you can, it's only a two minute talk from Melbourne Central. You won't be baored. Okay soz lame pun :)

 Wonderbao 
Shop 4/19-37 A'Beckett Street
or
Literature Lane (off Little LaTrobe Street)
Near the RMIT bookshop
9654 7887

Jus Burger

Sundays are best spent lazing around, going to the market, or spending quality time with your family. My Sunday was spent at at sneaker freaker meet, hosted and organised by a friend from work. It was located where the South Yarra Sunday market was, that little warehouse in Oaks Place off Chapel Street. The sun was shining, everyone was looking so, so fine, and the day was simply splendid. To top it off, the three work amigos finally ate at Jus Burgers. I didn't take many photos, which is a shame, but there will definitely be another visit! There's a sign outside that says it's the "best burger, as voted by Foxtel", but it seems to me that Foxtel has yet to live. Their point is invalid.

Jus Burgers, however, had already opened several stores in WA. They blessed our Melbourne foodie streets with some delectable burgers. It is very riveting knowing that the food culture is being more embraced this year. It's a great thing for our stomachs and tastebuds, but not so great for the back pocket.

Fi ordered a simple, but delicious 'original beef' burger ($10)
It wasn't messy, and the beef was deliciously fresh.
I ordered 'the mullet' ($14), because I do love business in the front and party in the back. 
Just kidding, I love anything with bacon and egg and beetroot in it, it has seriously got to be my most favourite burger combination. If it has pineapple, EVEN BETTER, because I love pineapple.
I'm not going to lie, I did my enjoy my experience at Huxtaburger a lot better, the bun is a lot softer and more enjoyable to eat. The mullet is extremely difficult to manage, with bits and pieces falling out all over my plate. Surely eating a burger should not be such tedious work...

I don't want to gross you out, but there is also a kangaroo meat burger on the menu! I was a bit skeptical to try it at first, but I know I will one day. Apparently it's a healthy alternative, as it is high in protein and low in fat!!! Win. It almost feels illegal to eat a nationally recognised animal. It's like eating a koala... You just dun do dat.
^ Onion Rings, $5.50
I hate onions but I guess onion rings are okay. I just wished we ordered fries instead. And as you can see from the cow, that's how we were served. There were no table numbers or names, just an animal instead. Creative, hey?

Overall, I would probably rate Jus Burger's an 8/10. There was fast service, limited outdoor seating, and they are open until 4am on Fridays and Saturdays. Yep, you heard correctly. So when you're having a massive night out and you're getting the munchies, forget about McDonald's and tell your cabbie to take you to Jus Burger's.


Jus Burgers
Address: 364 Chapel Street, South Yarra
Contact: 9827 1318
Price Range: $

Belle's Diner, Fitzroy

^ Behind the bar. Image taken by me and edited (like an amateur) with iPhoto.

Hello my sweet pea loyal readers,
Sorry for the blogging hiatus. I seem to be apologising every single time I write a new post. If you were actually curious as to my M.I.A status, exams are right around the corner and the stress is starting to kick in. Despite the stress, I really needed to update this blog before it builds up dust and people forget to read it... (plz dun 4get bout me xoxo)

Ok so I just landed in America, hence why I my experience at this diner. I'm not actually in America (I WISH), but just use your imagination, ok? Whilst browsing on Broadsheet looking for new places to eat at, I stumbled upon Belle's Diner, and I'm seriously glad I did.

It was new, with an old school twist at the same time... major oxymoron, I know. The diner is located behind my uni on Gertrude Street, so I was very pleased. I drove past the diner at approximately 12:45pm and it was EXTREMELY BUSY. The windows are all glass, so there is nothing stopping you from staring from the inside to the outside world. We got there at about 2:15pm and it was rather empty, which I was happy about. Seeing a foodie place that is full can only mean two things, 1. That the food/ambiance/people/music must be really really really really amazing, and 2. be mentally prepared to wait a long time for your food to be served. I have a poor temper when I am hungry (apologies to those who have witnessed this hungry gremlin). 

^ Have you guys seen Looper? Doesn't it remind you of the diner scene?
The clock was of accurate timing also, I want one in my room.
The chairs are so old fashioned and reminded me of church alters.
^ Brunch/Lunch is served.
^ Southern Fried Chicken, $17 
When I asked the waiter how many pieces you get with this option, he said four. PRETTY SURE IT WASN'T FOUR PIECES, it was defs a lot more than that. The meat was extremely tender and so much better than the chicken skin at Pappa Rich. I tried a bit of the coleslaw salad which was rather dry but still had a great tangy flavour. As for the sweet BBQ sauce, it tasted like perfection when dipped with the chicken. This is more of a snack than a meal, unless you order the fries. 

The old style fries were great. $7 for a bowl; they were crispy, fresh and had a salt on it which was comparable to Nando's peri peri salt. But unlike Nando's, the salt was fortunately all over the chips, not just sprinkled on the top.
^ Latte $3.50 from memory
It was very strong, but a good type of strong. They don't have chai (boooooo) but it was still good nonetheless. I loved the colour of the teacup as well.
^ Instagram: badasiandriver for more images

The waiters were relaxed, dressed well and were very helpful. 
The bathroom was rather annoying, as the toilet is facing a massive mirror on the wall. I don't want to stare at myself while I'm doing the business, and I didn't want to look down on the floor either.
The ambiance was very 1950's ancient American. I really liked the plain feel of the place.
The menu was very limited, but amazing nonetheless. I am coming back for the mussels.
The music was relaxing and very alternative, as you would expect for a funky place on Gertrude Street.
Don't be fooled by the name though. It is nothing compared to Misty's Diner which is greasy (but still DELICIOUS), colourful and more Americanised with sweets and soft drink sodas.

Overall I would recommend this place to anyone who are looking for a place to catch up with friends, or to experience the history of America, as Belle's really hit the spot with it. Keep in mind that they don't open on Mondays, because let's be serious, we all hate Monday.

Belle's Diner
150-156 Gertrude Street Fitzroy
(03) 9077 0788

Three Bags Full

Having a blood test requires starving yourself of food and certain beverages to allow the blood to be pure and unaffected in accuracy. Breakfast is THE most important meal of the day and I pity anyone who does not eat breakfast (unless there is a time constraint). Even then, you should be able to pick up a piece of fruit or a yoghurt before you go. So, waiting in the doctor's room for a dreaded blood test (that I have been avoiding for years) made my stomach grumble and my taste buds salivate at the thought of eating any food. I drove to uni on an empty stomach after my test, only to find that my classes had been cancelled! Hooray!

Fortunately for me, my uni and my second GP are located close by (in Richmond), and it is also where Three Bags Full is fortunately situated. I have driven past this place on numerous occasions, but never had the chance to dine in. The building is actually separated into two, the boisterous side with many more tables and an exquisite cake selection, the other was quiet and tame. But don't fret about which sides to choose! Both sides of the cafe have baristas to fulfil your coffee desires.



^ the extensive TBF menu
I definitely would have opted for something other than the big breakfast, but being in my hungry state, I  had to order it. However, my eyes were hungrier than my stomach. I could not finish it all on my own.
^ The big breakfast included: Sourdough toast, poached eggs (without hollandaise sauce), bacon (because I freaking love bacon), cheese kransky, tomato, massive sized mushrooms, spinach and tomato chutney (which I love eating with fried chippes). At a mere price of $18.50, you can't go wrong. It is a big expensive for what you getting (you can definitely make it at home), but compared to other places, the food was extremely fresh and juicccccccy. Out of all the big breakfasts that I have ever eaten in my life, and I have eaten many... I would rate this a 6.5/10. It could have gotten an 8.5 but I would grade it down due to price and presentation.

^ Chai Latte $4.0
This photo was taken on my iPhone 4s. 
Sitting by the window gave me excellent lighting.
^ Reading The Age on my iPad.
I don't realise how much we take WIFI for granted. Three Bags Full does not have wifi, so I had to use my personal hotspot for internet. We are so capable to do anything with the use of technology. I hope we don't get taken over by robots.
^ Reflection of my breakfast / lunch / brunch in the mirror.

^ Image from http://smallwerld.com/food/three-bags-full/ visit it for more information and gorgeous photos! Wish I had that type of artistic mindframe.


Three Bags Full
60 Nicholson Street 
(Near the Bardot Factory)
(03) 9421 2732

Malaysian Festival, 2012


Asia is the WORLD'S LARGEST CONTINENT, yet I have only been grateful enough to visit Vietnam on several occasions, and a stopover at Taipei on our trip to America. There are so many things in this world that I am yet to discover, to see, to breathe, to eat... I can only dream and suffer from wanderlust. Today my dream came true at the Malaysian Festival, held at the Queen Victoria Market. Thank you C and N for letting me know of the event, or else I would have spent my Sunday at home, doing nothing. 

The festival consisted of two long rows of back to back FOOD AND BEVERAGES, it was Asian heaven for me. There was the popular Korean potato stick stand, a coconut and lemonade stand, a Chilli Padi stand and various other small businesses. The satay skewers stand had the longest line throughout the day, with people waiting for hoursssssss to see what the fuss was about. I drove into the city (silly me), and it was horrendous trying to find parking at QVM. It was worth the travel, because I had such a marvellous time. The weather was hot like a sunrise, and it felt as though my face was about to burn off. Everyone was in such a pleasant mood, a sight I was happy to see. This was my first time at a Malaysian Festival, and it only made me want to visit the beautiful country even more.

Welcome to Festival Malaysia:

^ Amazing artists. 
They sang "Someone Like You" by Adele with a reggae spin to it. Eargasm!
^ The satay skewer owners/workers working hard. 
Chris and Nhat were waiting in this line for what seemed like hours. This was the first of our eating adventures of the day, and it was well worth the wait. The poor girl who took our order at 2pm said she had been working since 9am and hadn't been on her break or gotten a chance to even eat! Hope the day was worth it for her :)
$10 for a set of 10 halal satay skewers. 
It came with a semi-chili dipping sauce, cucumber and rice cakes
Beef > Chicken
^ loco for coconuts. $6 each.
If you took it back to the place where we bought them, the owners would chop the top off so you can eat the coconut inside :) summer is coming!!!
^ BABY OCTOPUS, three skewers for $15 
There were five octopi? Octopus? (Is there a plural for Octopus?) on a stick, but I only managed to eat three. I usually love seafood, but they prepared it in a way that was too strong for me. The carrots were a good way to reduce the smell and taste. It's pretty obviously that I love seafood! There was even a MUSSEL VAN that had the roof that was the shape of a MUSSEL. It was a pretty big bowl for $10. I had some last night at my sister's house, so I didn't really want to eat it. Another stall had squid or octopus fish balls for $5 a stick, but considering I had so much food in my stomach already, I had to pass. If the festival went into the night time, I would have eaten it for dinner for sure!!! Unfortunately it was 9am-4pm, today only :(

^ KOREAN POTATO STICKS - $5 each
We ordered a chicken salt, plain salt and pepper stick. I could feel my arteries clogging up with every bite I took. It's pretty much a potato, thinly sliced, fried with seasoning salt on top. It's very popular with the tourists at the Suzuki Night Market.

Potato sticks and TEA IN A BAG.
YES. IN. A. BAG.
Teh Peng (iced milk tea in a bag) $3.50 each
ICE KACANG was pretty much a bowl of ice with three syrups on it for $5 each
I didn't get the kacang but a lot of people seemed to order it.
^ So many OH&S breaches with this stand (Chilli Padi) but it had an authentic street hawker food feel to it. The lady poured our tea from a plastic box to a bag and I felt like I was in Vietnam all over again. In VN they sell sugar cane drinks in a big bags for less than a dollar. God bless the Asians. I wish I was an event planner. My first major action would be to organise a permanent night market for entrepreneurs in the food / fashion / design / music department.
Melbourne can be so boring sometimes, I do not know how we were voted the most liveable city...
^ Three milk tea bags and three bags of PANDAN CHIFFON CAKE
^ Pandan Chiffon Cake we bought as they were closing up.
It was $2 down to $1 so we bought two, and they guy gave me one for freeeeeeee :)
thank you kind stranger.
^ Last but not least, dessert. THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR DESSERT.
Dutch pancakes, Poffertjes. $9 with jam and ice-cream.
The tram stop is always at Vic Market every weekend. It was just a bonus that it was at the Malaysian Festival because we were running around looking for dessert that didn't consist of jelly or jelly cake or jelly drink... We were about to order two plates for the three of us, but luckily we didn't because we could barely finish this one!
 ^ Great turn out. Great company. Great weather. Great food.