Food adventures in Melbourne and wherever the tummy goes
I absolutely adore Vietnamese food and when there’s a new boy in Brunswick that just opened two months ago, I couldn’t resist. O’Kane Vietnamese Restaurant serves up a variety of food from Vietnamese to Thai to Malaysian dishes which was a touch strange since it states that it’s a Vietnamese restaurant. Anywho, moving along, when you step inside you get hit in the face with a great ambiance, friendly staff and quick service.
Flemington, known for the Melbourne Cup and being super close to Melbourne Zoo, they’re also popping up as a great foodie area too. Pacinos, an Italian family restaurant, known for their pizzas and friendly service is located smack bang in the middle the busy road Epsom Road. Mumsy bear and daddy bear were excited to not have to travel far in the search for a good feed. Plenty of parking in front of the venue and if it’s full, there’s a shopping centre with more parking. The venue is very spacious and feels very homely and cosy. The staff were super attentive and will immediately make you feel welcome once you step your foot in the door.
There’s a new kid in town who moved into Melbourne that serves up Hong Kong style food. With restaurants opening up around the world, they’re bringing their snow buns to Melbourne. Located on the quiet part of Carlton on Queensberry Street, it still gets super busy. The venue is sleek on the inside with beautiful murals painted on the back. The staff were efficient and you won’t be waiting long by the door before you get shown to your seat.
On the long stretch of Burwood Highway sits a Teppanyaki restaurant that doesn’t catch your attention unless you’re actively looking for it. There’s plenty of parking in front and behind the restaurant, so that’s one less thing you have to worry about. Walking in you’re greeted with friendly staff, laughter and loud noise. If you walked in wanting a quiet night, you’re in for a big surprise.
Japanese cuisine is one of Mr D’s and my favourite food and when there’s a place close to home, we couldn’t say no. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to try the teppanyaki side this time but the a la carte side was quite cosy. The staff were efficient, quick yet very friendly.
Shonan Kamakura, a little Japanese eatery hidden away in Katherine Place away from the bustling main street. It’s small (yep, whatever you see through the window is what you get) but don’t let the size fool you. The service is efficient, friendly and very attentive. It doesn’t matter how small or big your group is, you’ll get the same service. Walking in you’ll be greeted by the bar (who doesn’t enjoy a good drink by the bar) and a mural of Mount Fuji on the side at the back.
Chez Olivier is a place which has been on my list and when I finally found an opportunity to go, I seized it and booked it without Mr D knowing (my bad!). Located in South Yarra on the busy road of Toorak road, there’s quite a lot of foot traffic and if you’re driving there’s free side parking if you can nab a spot.
There’s a new bad boy in town and they’re a little bit fancy and oh so authentic. Newly opened, The Wanderer Thai Bar and Kitchen has a very welcoming vibe with a fully stocked bar. It could be for a first date (or 5th or 6th date), catch up with friends after work drinkies, it could be basically for anything and you know that this is the place to be.
Mr Burberry, of course, was still celebrating his 30th months after he actually turned 30 but we weren’t really complaining. He picked Imbue in Maribrynong since it was local for the girlies and I would be at the parentals that night. It does get quite busy so make sure you make a booking (we missed out last time). There are few parking spots in the carpark but they do get full real quick so your best bet is to park in Aldi’s carpark. Now back to the venue, it’s dim, it’s comfy and it looks a touch fancy. The staff are really friendly and treats every customer that walks in like they’re a long time friend.
We were craving some Vietnamese food and whilst in the city we remembered twenty pho seven. However, when we got there, it has now changed to Straight Outta Saigon and is no longer 24hours BUT they were the same owners AND the menu has tweaked a bit. We thought to ourselves, well why not check it out and luckily we got a table immediately on a school night.