Operator 25

Finally got to try Operator 25 some time in July after seeing so many wonderful images on Instagram. My verdict? Amazing. You walk in and feel a sense of home and the waiters are friendly and super efficient. Nothing attracts my attention more about an eatery than excellent service and Operator 25 ticked all the boxes. I strongly recommend this place to any brunch or coffee lover!!!

Freshly squeezed OJ - $6.00

The perfect hangover cure, a coffee and a fresh juice. 

OFF TOPIC: I think it's time to upgrade my phone... my iPhone 4s is starting to shit me. I'm not interested in the iPhone6... tossing between the LG G3 or Samsung Note 4!! Any suggestions??? :)

Coffee (latte/cappuccino etc) $3.80

Being a coffee snob, I was very impressed with the coffees at Operator 25. I ordered a latte and it was simply perfect. The froth art looks so pretty too.

Terrible birds eye view shot because I was hungover and super hungry to eat... rushed jobs are the worst and I was sitting on the round communal table so the angle was bad :( 

** WORLD CUP SPECIAL IN JULY 2014 ONLY **

Escondidinho - Brazilian style Shepherd's pie with Carne-do-sol (Jerky), Smoked bacon and Black Eyed Beans topped with Cassava Puree, served with Lime & Tomato Salsa - $18.00 

Shepherd's Pie when executed correctly is delicious and fluffy. I absolutely loved this item on their special World Cup Menu (only available in July 2014) and considering it is a Brazilian dish, it was MOUTH WATERINGGGLLYY GOOD. The portion wasn't too large and sickening and the chunks of jerky were seasoned so nicely. Wish I could have this again :(

Dutch Chocolate Hot Cakes, Poached Pear, Vanilla Mascarpone, Milk Crumbs and Maple Syrup - $16.00 (+ bacon $4.00)

I'm unfortunately a sweet tooth so I had to order the hotcake with poached pear. The hot cakes were light and fluffy. The dish entirely was surprisingly not too heavy... even when I ordered bacon on the side (because I was hungover and bacon cures EVERYTHING). The waitress laughed and gave me a strange look when I ordered bacon... I do what I want :) 

Loved the presentation, loved the plate it came on and loved the beaker with maple syrup (how creative!). A must order item from Operator 25! 

Bowl of Fries - $5.00

We probably could have gone without ordering this. but I got greedy and felt like I needed a carb hit! Fries are always a winner, especially fresh chunky ones. Next time I have to order the sweet potato fries (which apparently Macca's now serve on the menu which I need to try) because it sounds delish.

Code Black Coffee Roasters! Hello barista :)

"It brew my mind" - lovely wall art.

---

Operator 25

Address: 25 Wills Street Melbourne 3000 (Melb CBD)
Contact: 9670 3278
Hours: Weekdays 7am - 4pm, Weekends 9am - 4pm 

Price: $$

Website: http://www.operator25.com.au/

HOW DO I GET THERE?

Gelato Messina

Gelato Mesina

Address: 237 Smith Street Fitzroy

Contact: 90175470

Hours: Everyday 12pm - 11pm

Price: $$

Website: http://www.gelatomessina.com/

Alas! Summer is FINALLY HERE!!!!!!!!!! We're three days in and I love the notion of leaving the house without wearing layers and layers. Summer is definitely my favourite time of the year - a time to tan on the beach, a time to spend with loved ones during the festive season, a time to party and a new & exciting year beckoning. 

Today the best friend and I paid Gelato Messina a visit! We were planning to go on the day of the Johnston Street Spanish Fiesta but the line was ridiculously long. Ain't nobody got time for that. 

--

Gelato Messina actually originated from Sydney, where they have four stores. Messina finally graced Melbourne with their cakes and gelatos... something to definitely rave on and on about. It's situated on Smith Street meaning it's not hard to get to, and remember it's CASH ONLY! 

Feast your eyes on massive scoops of deliciousness! The texture was so smooth and the flavours were authentic and powerful because everything is made from scratch in their icecream labs. 

Can I have the whole bucket please? :P

Left: Messy Juliette - Strawberry gelato with whipped cream and Marsala soaked sponge

Right: Bounty

Juliette is actually one of their Strawberry sponge cakes (which they have creatively made into a gelato)! I was so close to ordering Pandan and Coconut but luckily the employee let me try the Messy Juliette because it was x10 better!!! The flavour combinations and chunky bits when you bite into it was divine. As soon as I took my first bite, I instantly knew why people would wait and line up outside the store. I would definitely go back and buy a tub of it for home. 

Koba K-BBQ

Koba K-BBQ

Address: 119 Hardware Street Melbourne Vic

Contact: via Facebook

Hours: Mon-Sat 11:30-4:30

Price: Under $10

Website: http://kobakbbq.com.au/

It's been a while since I've posted a cheap eats restaurant so I am proud to introduce Koba K-BBQ to my loyal readers! Located across from the well known brunch place 'The Hardware Societe', Koba K-BBQ has nestled themselves in the heart of the CBD where city dwellers are on the look out for a quick and delicious feed. I work in the city myself so I know how expensive eating out can be, especially when "forgetting to pack your lunch" becomes a regular thing. Koba offers affordable prices for tacos, burritos and rice dishes but that doesn't mean they're cutting on quality, flavour and hospitality. 

The twist?? Koba has incorporated two of my favourite cuisines - KOREAN AND MEXICAN. Yes, you heard correctly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Korexican! The meats are prepared with a Korean tasting marinade and they also have kimchi! Who would have guessed that the combination went so well together? :)

On the menu: tacos, burritos and rice dishes all for under $10!!!!!!! 

The fillings include beef, chicken, spicy pork or tofu for all the vegetarians out there.

The creative business is run by Rosa and her brother, two humble and warm people! Thank you for your hospitality :) I hope you guys have a lot of success in your new & awesome business venture.

Jny and I ordered spicy pork tacos, mine with BBQ sauce and hers with Sriracha (chilli sauce). The flavours were not overpowering and actually went really well together. The spicy pork wasn't actually that spicy (coming from me, Miss I can't eat Chilli). 

 WHY AM I SO BAD AT TAKING BIRDS EYE VIEW PHOTOS? Is there a trick to make it look better without being blurry and nervous?

Look at that juicy taco!!! Put down those monotonous wraps or unhealthy fast food meals and opt for these fusion goodies. They even have delicious Korean grape juice 봉봉 which I'm pretty sure is pronounced "bon bon". Koba K-BBQ isn't difficult to get to... it's located on Hardware Street (near Queen and Little Londsdale Street) so don't be lazy and give it a try. 

Adriano Zumbo Patisserie

Adriano Zumbo Patisserie

Address: 12-14 Claremont Street South Yarra 3141

Contact: -

Hours: Everyday 7am - sold out

Price: $$

Website: http://adrianozumbo.com/

Adriano Zumbo... as seen on Masterchef. Talented, unique... and probably a bit crazy. The image above is Zumbo himself with one of his more popular creations... the V8 vanilla cake (there are 8 different vanilla layers, hence the name). I have a lot of respect for Adriano Zumbo and how far he has gone, especially when dealing with a competitive food industry. Many people say that Zumbo and the "Zumbarons" are 'overrated' and a 'sell out', especially when he released DIY Zumbo packs to try and home. I think these individuals should stop being so cynical and embrace the household name :)

Zumbo Patisserie opened to the public on October the 9th and my good friend Jenny and I just HAD to be there to witness the magic in Melbourne!!! We got there around 2pm and everything was WIPED OUT except for the Zumbarons. We missed out on the cronuts or the assorted cakes which was a bit of a shame. Apparently people were lining up at 5am! Talk about keen...

The line......................... fortunately it didn't wrap around and end up outside of the actual store. It was about a 20-25 minute wait to be served. Felt so sorry for the employees! They would have been so stressed out on their first day. The customer service could be improved on, and the presentation of the macaron placement could be a bit better also. La Belle Miette have this down pat. Unfortunately there is no information / location details of the Melbourne store on the Adriano Zumbo Website (as of yet) which is a bit disappointing. This is the same as Zara!! We have so many Zara stores in Melbourne but we're not even listed on their website. Give Australia (or Melbourne) some credit!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Once Ladurée opens in Melbourne... our dessert destinations will be complete ♡

Zumbarons! The flavours are as follows:

Almond and Pear,
Passionfruit,
Salted Butter Caramel on Toast,
Pecan Danish,
Pistachio and sesame,
Blackcurrant,
Caramalised Banana and Balsamic Vinegar,
Lychee and Coconut,
Pineapple,
Sticky Date,
Salted Butter Popcorn and many other flavours I don't remember.

 Instagram: @badasiandriver

This one was disgusting... caramalised banana with balsamic vinegar.

Station Hotel

Fine dining will always be my favourite eating experience. I love the ambience, the service, the exquisite menu options and the presentation of the food. I don't, however, like the damage that it causes to my wallet but you get exactly what you pay for and it makes me happy :)

My best friend took me to a renowned steak place in the Western suburbs (Footscray) that looks like your everyday pub from the outside, but surprisingly serves amazing steak. Looks can be deceiving though.

The dining area of Station Hotel was very fancy schmancy which I was a bit taken aback by. Before I had arrived, I had heard mixed reviews about the place. Some people really enjoyed it and some people thought it was pretty average. I personally enjoyed my steak. Please ignore the poor iPhone 4s image quality because I forgot my camera but I still wanted to share my experience with you all.

Complimentary bread. Very addictive. 

FRESHLY SHUCKED OYSTERS! $3.50 each

These oysters were tiny which was a shame. We really should have ordered more because the dressing in the middle complimented the oysters so well. I never used to eat fresh oysters when I was younger but I've grown to like them, a lot.

Duckfish sashimi with tempura oyster, mushrooms, soy and mirin dressing - $18

We also ordered the sashimi for entree and wow, the sauce was SO SALTY. The sashimi was drenched in the dressing so I had to drain it before I ate it. As for the Chinese mushrooms, they tasted a bit better than the ones in Shincup two minute noodles. I probably wouldn't recommend this dish for an entree.

My beautiful steak. 120 day grain fed Black Angus scotch fillet - $38

120 day grain fed? I hope the poor animal was also massaged on a regular basis and fed some wine considering it had that patience. My scotch fillet was cooked to perfection for medium rare. I find that sometimes steak places end up toooooo bloody when you cut into it which I don't like. I was a bit nervous that I couldn't finish 300g but in the end I swapped with Sarah because she couldn't eat her bloody (excuse the pun) Wagyu steak. 

The massive hot chips that are served with the steak are hand cut. Usually I'm a bit skeptical about hand cut chips because they don't have the same great taste but these ones did. The salad (at the time) needed a bit more dressing. 

Sarah's undercooked 450 day grain fed Wagyu X Holstein rostbiff - $36

How cute are the little saucers that the mushroom and peppercorn sauce come in? Sarah's steak was a big blob and was not cooked properly inside, leaving it red and too bloody for Sarah to eat so in the end we had to swap. 

ANOTHER CLOSE UP OF MY DELICIOUS SCOTCH FILLET + TRYING OUT BOTH OF THE DELICIOUS SAUCES. I wish it had more mushrooms in it. 

I have been to many steakhouses in my time but I would definitely recommend the Station Hotel, especially if you live around the area. My experience on the night was superb, and it was also due to the fact that the waiters were friendly. I have mentioned this so many times in my previous posts - service is everything, especially when fine dining. If you don't smile at me, I will endeavour to give you a hard time. Overall two thumbs up for me. Just be careful when finding parking around the restaurant as some areas are permit zones and we watched cars being fined as we were walking out. 

Station Hotel

Address: 59 Napier Street Footscray 3011

Contact: 96872913

Hours: Everyday 11am - late

Price: $$$$

Website: http://www.thestationhotel.com.au/

HOW TO GET THERE: